In the bar that Alex and Gloria had recently left, the Main team remained. All members were intently watching the computer monitor on the table. The screen displayed a live feed from the landlord’s office, where Alex was at that moment.

Kiwi, being the most experienced hacker on the team, decided to test Alex to see how he would handle a tense situation. She hacked into the surveillance system of the mega-building where Gloria lived and discovered that her apartment had been locked due to unpaid rent.

When Gloria and Alex approached the apartment door, Kiwi couldn’t help but be surprised by how quickly they arrived. She told Main about the situation, and he decided with curiosity to observe how Alex would handle it.

“It looks like they’re already at the apartment and found it locked,” Kiwi noted, drawing the group’s attention.

Everyone gathered closer to the screen to get a better view. Gloria’s face showed clear displeasure, while Alex remained surprisingly calm.

“He seems absolutely unperturbed,” Falco commented.

They watched as Alex calmly patted Gloria on the shoulder and suggested visiting the landlord’s office to sort out the issue.

“He’s clearly thoughtful. A regular person would have already lost their temper and gone to confront the manager with their fists,” Dorio observed, continuing to watch.

On the screen, Alex and Gloria entered the landlord’s office, where the landlord’s face was lit up with undisguised lustful interest in Gloria. He didn’t even attempt to hide his intentions.

“That fat bastard deserves a bullet in the head!” Rebecca exclaimed angrily, looking at Alex, who was still keeping his composure.

“He remains unflappable even in this situation,” Falco noted. “That’s quite an impressive quality.”

The group continued to watch as Gloria engaged in conversation with the landlord, observing Alex’s reactions.

“I bet he’ll blow up soon,” Main smirked, eyes fixed on the screen.

“And I bet he’ll shoot that fat bastard,” Rebecca threw in.

“I think he’ll just beat him up,” Dorio suggested, recalling how Alex dealt with Rizz.

“I bet he’ll both beat him up and demand money,” Lucy added, surprising the others.

“What? He did the same thing with Rizz—first beat him up and then demanded compensation,” Lucy reminded them.

Everyone nodded in agreement and continued watching.

When Alex asked Gloria to leave the office so he could deal with the landlord one-on-one, Main rubbed his hands together and said:

“It looks like the real fun is about to begin.”

On the screen, Alex’s expression changed from amiable to grim, and his gaze fixed on the landlord.

“It’s like two different people,” Kiwi remarked, narrowing her eyes.

“What’s more important is that he asked Gloria to leave before starting to act,” Lucy said, defending Alex.

“She’s right,” Dorio agreed. “We decided to observe how he handles Gloria. We’re all her friends and care about her, so it’s normal that we want to see what Alex is capable of.”

“You talk as if you’re trying to justify our actions if Alex finds out we’re watching him,” Falco pointed out, looking at Dorio.

Everyone looked at Dorio, then back at Falco, realizing that their actions might not be entirely right.

“I think he won’t care if he finds out,” Rebecca said, not taking her eyes off the screen.

“Alright, let’s leave that for later. The real fun is starting now,” Main quickly diverted everyone from their thoughts and focused their attention back on the screen.

On the monitor, Alex abruptly kicked the table, causing the landlord, who was sitting on a chair, to fall backward. Everyone held their breath as Alex approached him, grabbing him by the neck with one hand and lifting him into the air.

“Damn, he’s really strong if he can lift that fat guy with one hand!” Pilar marveled, watching as Alex effortlessly held the landlord in the air.

Alex’s actions captured everyone’s attention—they were witnessing his fury but couldn’t help but acknowledge his self-control and calculation.

They all nodded in agreement and continued to watch. On the screen, Alex deftly drew a revolver, as if he had been doing it all his life, and shot out the window. The conversation was inaudible due to the strong wind, but the fear on the landlord’s face made it clear that Alex was threatening him. Their guesses were confirmed when Alex grabbed him by the neck and threw him out of the broken window, making him hang over the abyss.

“‘Unexpected turn of events, I must say,'” Main commented, surprised by Alex’s actions.

Main had expected Alex to either shoot or start beating up the fat man, but making him hang over the abyss was unexpected. Although Main admitted that the method proved effective: the fat man instantly began to beg, as evident from his panicked expression. Alex said something, then pulled him back into the room and threw him onto the floor. Feeling the floor beneath him, the fat man began to frantically type on his computer.

“‘It looks like no one guessed what would happen next,'” Main said, observing how Alex checked his phone before leaving.

“No, I won,” Lucy declared with a triumphant smile. “What he did can be considered beating, and he checked his phone because the money was transferred to his account.”

Everyone looked at Lucy in surprise. She pulled up data on the computer, showing that Alex had just received 5000 ED. Her triumphant smile widened even more.

“If that’s the case, then I won too. After all, he started shooting,” Rebecca insisted.

Lucy glanced at Rebecca, who clearly didn’t want to lose.

“He shot out the window, not at the fat man. So your win doesn’t count. Now give me the money,” Lucy said coldly, looking at her friend.

Realizing she hadn’t won, Rebecca grudgingly transferred the money to Lucy’s account.

“Damn,” she muttered as she sent the money.

When the recording ended, Alex exited the office, smiling at Gloria. It was clear he had managed to get the landlord to waive Gloria’s rent for three months. The sharp contrast between Alex’s haughty demeanor in the office and his friendly smile outside confirmed Kiwi’s words: Alex truly seemed like two different people in one body.

“I think it’s clear now how Alex feels about Gloria. He definitely doesn’t intend to harm her,” Dorio summarized, tearing her eyes away from the screen.

Everyone agreed with this, but there was one more thing to discuss—the acceptance of Alex into the team. Main glanced at the girls who had accompanied Alex on the mission and wanted to hear their opinions.

“You two were with him. What do you think?” he asked, looking at Lucy and Rebecca in turn.

Lucy pondered, choosing her words, while Rebecca immediately voiced her thoughts:

“He’s a perfect fit for us. Just like me—strong and daring. And if he’s a good shot too, that’s just a bonus!”

Main looked at Rebecca and understood what she meant. Rebecca was problematic, but sometimes such people were ideal for the job. However, Alex’s approach of talking to the fat man first before taking action set him apart from Rebecca. It gave Alex a few extra points. After all, Rebecca wouldn’t have waited and would have started shooting or insulting the opponent right away.

Main shifted his gaze to Lucy, who noticed his interest and decided to voice her opinion:

“He’s just like me,” Lucy said calmly, responding to Main’s question.

Everyone looked at Lucy with curiosity, expecting her to elaborate further. Realizing her answer was too vague, she decided to continue:

“I mean, what he mentioned. Alex said he was being hunted and then Gloria found him in an alley, covered in blood. This could mean that he, like me, was part of some organization and was trying to escape,” Lucy explained, sharing what she had learned about Alex’s past.

Upon hearing this, the others began to exchange glances, connecting it with what Gloria had said and how Alex himself had described certain aspects of his life. Though he had concealed much, there was truth in these details.

“So, he’s also a Netrunner like you?” Main asked, looking at Lucy closely.

“No, quite the opposite. Apparently, he was trained as a soldier. That’s why he has such skills,” Lucy replied, continuing her thoughts.

Main pondered. Lucy’s words could be true: Alex was clearly strong, easily kicking down an iron door, and wielded unfamiliar weapons.

Yet, he was also surprisingly friendly and cheerful, which seemed odd for someone who had escaped a secret organization. Main recalled Alex’s words about preferring to look forward and not dwell on the past.

“Then why is he so attached to Gloria?” Dorio asked, seeing the logic in Lucy’s words but not understanding the source of such attachment.

“He mentioned that his family is far away. This might mean they are already dead. And he’s attached to Gloria because they share similar fates: both have lost those they loved,” Lucy replied sadly.

These words hung in the air, making everyone think. Rebecca frowned but nodded, agreeing with Lucy’s conclusions. She also reminded them of how Alex acted when he broke down Rizz’s doors and dealt with the thugs, showing that Alex could lose control if things went awry. She added that Alex was quick to grab his weapon, a sign of someone used to acting swiftly and decisively.

“Everything is falling into place. If he lost something important, he would cling to any chance to stay afloat. And it seems Gloria has become such a lifeline for him,” Main concluded after a moment of reflection.

Everyone agreed with his words and awaited his decision regarding Alex.

“I think we should accept him into the group. It’s clear he cares about those close to him,” Main said, looking at his team for their opinions.

Rebecca and Lucy immediately approved the decision. Pilar supported his sister and liked Alex himself—considering him a fun guy. Dorio also decided that Alex could be trusted. Falco, who had interacted with Alex, was on board as well. The only one who expressed doubts was Kiwi. She didn’t trust the new member and decided to keep an eye on him while he was with them.

“Well, the decision is unanimous. We’ll surprise Alex tomorrow,” Main smirked.

Everyone laughed and decided to go home. Rebecca and Pilar headed home, Falco went to the garage, and Main and Dorio went on a date. Lucy thought about whether she should contact Alex now but sighed and decided to do it the next day. Kiwi returned to her work.

The night before, when Alex and Gloria returned home, they quickly grabbed a bite from the refrigerator and prepared for bed. The question arose about where Alex would sleep. He refused to sleep in her son’s bed, understanding that it would be inappropriate.

Gloria didn’t insist, as she herself didn’t want to sleep in the place where her son used to sleep. The memories were too painful for her. Alex suggested a solution: he took a spear from his inventory, which immediately transformed into a pillow.

“Is that your flying spear?” Gloria asked, surprised as she watched it hover in the air.

“Yes, I’ll sleep on it, and you can take the couch,” Alex replied with a smile.

That’s how they agreed. Gloria was too exhausted to be surprised by anything after everything she had seen, so she just fell asleep. In the morning, when she woke up, the first thing she saw was the floating pillow with Alex peacefully sleeping on it. She placed her hand on her forehead, realizing that it wasn’t a dream.

The next morning, Gloria woke Alex up by preparing breakfast. When Alex woke up, he noticed that his mana had partially recovered, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face. Now he could create a few useful things to make life in this world easier and avoid drawing unnecessary attention.

“What’s so good that you’re smiling like that?” Gloria asked curiously, noticing Alex’s smile as he sat on his floating pillow.

Alex looked at Gloria happily and nodded: “Yes, my mana has recovered a bit, and now I can make a few things to make my life easier and not attract too much attention,” he said, jumping off the floating pillow, which remained hovering in the air.

Gloria raised an eyebrow and gave him a look but didn’t ask any more questions, wanting to keep her mental balance.

“Whatever you say. Now come eat, I have to go to work soon,” she invited Alex to the table.

Alex was about to ask where she worked but decided that breakfast was more important right now. He looked at the plate with curiosity and started tasting the food from this future world. The taste was unfamiliar to him, slightly more synthetic than in his home world, but still recognizable.

Alex ate everything at an incredible speed, as if he were a black hole devouring everything around him. The midnight snack from yesterday clearly hadn’t helped with his hunger, and he occasionally satisfied it only with a candy.

“Well, I can say I’m full,” he said, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied look.

Gloria, looking at the empty plate, couldn’t help but compare Alex to a black hole.

“And how different is the food in your world from what you just ate?” she asked, observing him battling with a food coma.

Alex pondered how to explain the difference. The food here reminded him of what he used to eat before, but compared to Mama Mia’s cooking, it was on a completely different level.

“The taste is fine; I’m not picky. But some of my family members, I think, wouldn’t be thrilled. They’re a bit spoiled,” he admitted with a slight smile.

Gloria looked at Alex closely, trying to determine if he was lying. But his expression made it clear that he was being sincere. However, mentioning his family made her heart ache with sadness, knowing he could no longer see them.

“Aren’t you sad that you can’t contact your family and are stuck in this world?” she asked with concern.

Seeing her worry for him, Alex simply smiled: “I’ve already contacted them,” he said calmly.

Gloria froze, puzzled, not imagining when and how he managed to do that.

” What? How? When?” she asked, clearly puzzled.

Alex, taking his time, pulled out his phone from his pocket and showed it to her.

“With the help of this phone,” he replied with a smile. “While you were unconscious and thought I was just a dream.”

Gloria looked skeptically at the phone, unable to understand how a regular device could allow him to contact his family in another universe.

“But it’s just a phone. How is that even possible?” she persisted.

Alex, trying not to reveal all his secrets, was about to show his old trick again, but Gloria stopped him in time.

“Don’t even think about doing that rainbow trick again. Once was enough,” she said sternly, giving him a piercing look.

Alex pouted at Gloria. The rainbow trick was his favorite way to answer questions about magic, and she had deprived him of that pleasure.

“Alright, alright,” he said with evident disappointment in his voice. “To put it simply, it’s a very unique magical phone.”

Gloria noticed that Alex was starting to feel more comfortable around her and realized that he was no longer hiding his secrets. He even calmly admitted that he had already contacted his family and explained how.

“Then why don’t you contact them again? You’ve been here for a whole day already,” she asked, looking at him with interest.

Alex realized he needed to explain some nuances related to time.

“Remember when I told you about my age?” he began, looking at Gloria intently.

She nodded, not quite understanding where this was going.

“Well, time is a tricky thing. It flows faster in some places and slower in others. In my world, only about ten minutes have passed since I disappeared. Considering how long I’ve been here, at most an hour might have passed for them. They’re probably busy dealing with the problems caused by my disappearance,” Alex explained, trying to convey the essence.

Gloria thought for a moment, nodding as she absorbed the information, though much of it seemed new and unfamiliar to her.

“And what happened after your disappearance?” she asked, eager to learn more.

Alex smirked and decided to briefly recount the recent events leading up to his abduction.

“Remember when I mentioned the dragon?” he asked.

Gloria swallowed nervously and nodded.

“Well, I literally smashed my way through the dragon all the way down the dungeon, to the very last floor,” Alex said with a broad smile.

Gloria involuntarily shuddered at the thought. Alex noticed her reaction and decided not to continue, fearing she might faint again. Trying to distract herself, Gloria returned to her breakfast, while Alex continued to watch her. At that moment, his phone rang unexpectedly. An unfamiliar number appeared on the screen.

“Hello,” Alex answered, taking the call.

Gloria immediately stopped eating and looked at him. On the other end was a familiar voice—it was Main.

“Good morning, chum. I see you’re up already,” Main said, his tone indicating he was in a good mood.

“Yes, I guess so. Why are you calling so early?” Alex asked with a smile.

“I wanted to congratulate you on becoming part of the team. And also about the work,” Main replied in a relaxed tone.

Alex was a bit surprised since he thought he was already part of the team after completing the first mission.

“I thought I was already in your team. Main, you’re breaking my heart,” Alex said with a mockingly sad tone.

On the other end, Main was silent for a moment before bursting into loud laughter. Alex even moved the phone away from his ear because Main was laughing so loudly.

“Chum, you never cease to amaze me!” Main said, calming down a bit. “Yesterday we watched you handle that chubby guy. You did a great job.”

Alex was slightly surprised that they had been watching him, but he shrugged it off, assuming it was part of their plan.

“Well, I guess I passed your test since you’re inviting me to join the team,” Alex said with a cheerful smile.

“Looks like you figured it out. That’s impressive,” Main replied, slightly surprised that Alex understood the situation so quickly.

Alex talked a bit more with Main about the recording, asking him to delete it in case any problems arose. Main assured him that everything was taken care of and there was nothing to worry about.

“By the way, chum, I have some work for you today. But Lucy will explain the details; she’ll contact you later,” Main added, explaining the reason for the call.

“Alright, I’ll wait for her call,” Alex responded.

“Catch you later, chum,” Main said goodbye.

“Talk to you later,” Alex replied, ending the call.

After finishing the conversation, Alex turned to Gloria, who had already finished breakfast and was putting the wrappers in the trash.

“I see you have work again,” she remarked, sitting at the table to finish her coffee.

“Something like that. When are you heading to work?” Alex asked, glancing at her.

Gloria checked her HUD to see the time and realized it was almost time to leave.

“Pretty soon. Why?” she asked, setting her cup down and looking at Alex.

“I think I’ll help you get to work before I head off to my own business,” Alex offered with a slight shrug.

Gloria immediately began shaking her head, suspecting that Alex wanted to carry her on his back again.

“No, I definitely can’t handle that again,” she said, continuing to protest.

Alex laughed, watching her reaction, and decided to explain his plan.

“Don’t worry, I’m definitely not going to carry you on my back,” he said with a smile.

“Then how?” she asked suspiciously.

“Remember I said yesterday that once my mana was restored, I’d find another solution?” Alex reminded her.

Gloria tried to recall his words, but the previous night’s journey home had overshadowed everything else in her memory.

“Well, with magic, I’ll help you get to work,” Alex declared with a wide grin.

Gloria squinted, not fully trusting his plan, but realizing time was running out, she stopped worrying about the details and started getting ready. Alex, noticing her activity, quickly changed clothes, ready to head out. Gloria, glancing at him, felt a slight pang of envy at his speed. When she was finally ready to leave, her gaze landed on an unusual detail in the apartment.

“Is your pillow going to keep floating in the middle of the room?” Gloria asked, pointing at the pillow.

Alex turned around and saw that he had completely forgotten about his spear.

“Completely forgot. Guardian, form,” he commanded.

The pillow glowed and transformed into a huge stuffed bear.

Gloria looked at the bear with confusion, trying to understand how this creature could be a “guardian.”

“Are you sure that’s its combat form?” she asked skeptically.

“Of course! In its strongest form, it can fight a dragon,” Alex replied confidently, giving a thumbs up.

Gloria gave the stuffed bear another skeptical glance, unable to imagine how this soft creature could possibly fight a dragon.

“And why are you leaving it here?” she asked, deciding not to dwell on it.

“In case someone decides to break in or if our old friend the chubby guy breaks his promise,” Alex answered with a light smile.

Gloria said nothing, fully aware that apartment break-ins were common in this city. Together, they left the apartment, and Gloria locked the door. Alex headed to the elevator and pressed the button for the lower floor where the parking was located.

Gloria looked at him questioningly but decided to trust him and didn’t ask any more questions. When they reached the parking lot, Alex went toward the old, abandoned motorcycle he had noticed earlier.

“Now, watch carefully, magic,” he said, stopping by the motorcycle and placing his hand on it.

Gloria looked at Alex with confusion as he placed his hand on the old motorcycle, which had been left to rust in the corner. But when she saw the bike start to glow and change shape, she instinctively closed her eyes from the bright light emanating from Alex. He decided to transform the forgotten motorcycle into the one he had dreamed of since he saw it in anime. Alex created a bike inspired by Cloud’s motorcycle from Final Fantasy. When the light faded, a new, shiny black motorcycle with gold accents stood before him. Alex smiled like a child, delighted to finally have what he had longed for.

“There it is, my beauty,” he said, gently patting the seat.

Gloria opened her eyes and looked at the motorcycle, widening them in surprise. Just moments ago, there had been a pile of junk, and now it was replaced by a brand new and unique bike.

“Is this your magic?” she asked, moving closer and cautiously touching the motorcycle.

“Yep. This is my Fenrir,” Alex answered proudly, smiling at Gloria.

“Interesting name,” Gloria noted, running her hand over the smooth seat.

Alex checked everything to make sure it was in order. He didn’t forget to inspect the side compartments meant for storing weapons. Opening and closing them, Alex nodded in satisfaction, ensuring everything was functioning and was ready to go.

“Well, hop on,” he said, getting on the bike.

Gloria gave him a quick glance and settled behind him.

“Hold on tight,” Alex warned as he started the engine.

“And tell me where to go,” he added, turning his head towards Gloria.

“I work at the Night City Mental Health Center,” she replied, sending the address to Alex’s phone.

Nodding, Alex mapped out the route and, noticing it was not very far, began to exit the underground parking. As soon as he was on the street, he accelerated sharply, aiming to get her there as quickly as possible. Gloria, once again experiencing what it meant to ride with Alex, clung to him, fearing she might be thrown off on the next turn.

“Not again,” she thought, hugging him tightly around the waist.

As they arrived at the hospital where Gloria worked, Alex smoothly reduced his speed to avoid hitting any pedestrians. He stopped right at the entrance and waited for her to get off the bike.

“You drive too recklessly,” Gloria admitted as she got off the bike.

“But fast,” Alex smirked, giving her a thumbs up.

Gloria just shook her head, not wanting to continue the argument, and headed toward the building. Alex watched her go and suddenly remembered he wanted to say something.

“When you finish your shift, call me, and I’ll pick you up,” he shouted after her.

Gloria waved her hand to show she heard. Alex watched her for a few more seconds, contemplating what to do until he received a message from Lucy. However, his thoughts were interrupted by an unexpected call from an unknown, hidden number. He answered, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

To be continued…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep