“Will you stop crying already? Are you really that upset at me coming back alive?” Leo asked with a smile when a fist suddenly plunged into his abdomen and a pain sent him down on his knees as his hands clutched his stomach with a twitching face.

“Jerk! You have the guts to joke around! Where have you been all this time? And what’s going with you?” The moment Semantha stopped crying, she immediately returned to her usual barbaric state.

“I want to know that as well.” Leo replied helplessly.

He got really irritated whenever he tried to think about what had happened during the time he was missing, it was as if he was forgetting something very important. He felt it was just a hand away from him but he couldn’t seem to reach it.

“This really doesn’t make sense..” Kyle couldn’t help but shake his head looking at Leo.

“Isn’t your father in some important military post? Why don’t we ask help from him?” Semantha asked looking at Kyle.

“I don’t think approaching the Federation would be good for help.” Kyle replied after a bit of hesitation. It was precisely because his family had a Military background that he knew how things were.

“You always said that your Father has an important military position but what exactly is his position.” Leo suddenly asked in curiosity.

“He is the Fleet Commander of one of the Federation’s Defense units…” Kyle replied with a light smile.

“No wonder you are filthy rich..” Semantha looked at him in surprise.

These three even though were best friends, had very different background.

Leo was a poor and weak guy, Semantha was a runaway barbaric girl while Kyle was a talented and filthy rich guy.

So how did the three come together.

Well, Leo and Kyle’s friendship ran back. Kyle being a rich guy had weird hobbies of collecting antiques and had met Leo at his shop. Finding someone of his own age working like that was very intriguing to him and their interaction started there before they met once again at school and finally became friends.

Since Education system was fully funded by government and there wasn’t much difference between schools in terms of compulsory education, all children whether rich or poor attended the schools near to them. It was only after the compulsory education were over that the real word’s competition began.

Semantha was someone Leo and Kyle had met in the PC cafe. It was just a random day and they went to the free lounge on Kyle’s insistence to challenge some random dude and ended up bumping into her. This girl’s toxicity had really shocked them. But luckily, she was on their side. After talking with her for a while, they had ended up exchanging contact Id and from there on would play with her once in a while. Until one day, Leo had ended up designing a Mech for her as she complained how expensive it was to get a customized one.

And then the game freak had declared Leo as her best friend and their interaction increased.

Later, she turned out to be a student from a different section in their school as well.

Basically it was just a couple of random events entirely by coincidents.

‘You don’t make friends, its just that by the time you realize it, you are already close enough to call that person a friend.’ The saying really had some basis in it.

The three talked for a while and Leo filled in his missing knowledge of the past month. Everyone knew that he was dead by now apparently.

Luckily, Kyle has informed his father earlier of his situation. Even though he was skeptical about it, he seemed to have accepted it for now. Only Leo after meeting him could probably clearly his suspicion and convince him that it was true.

“Well that’s enough of worldly knowledge. Now think something to help me out here…” Leo suddenly said waving his hand and pointing at his body.

The two looked at him, their expression showed they had no idea how to go on solving this thing.

“Let’s get you some make over for now. I am sure those people will go looking around for you after realizing you ran away.” Semantha said and began her preparations. Even for a barbarian, she really liked to dress up and put make up on. She really had everything ready for Leo’s makeover.

“Kyle, help me out..” She said and then the mission began.

The first thing that they had to hide was his eye grabbing silver white hairs. Semantha poured down the whole container of dye to get back Leo’s black hair and then carefully trimmed it to change his hairstyle.

“Ouch!! What are you doing?” Leo felt a sharp pain running all over his body.

“I am just trying to take these earrings off. Why is it not coming off?” Semantha couldn’t help but frown at it.

“Leave it be…” Leo couldn’t take the pain any longer.

This was strange.

Why was he feeling sharp pains all over because of an earrings?

Now that he thought about it, the original owner of the body didn’t seem to be wearing any earring in the shuttle.

Then, where did it came from?

“Fine, I will leave the earring…but lets use some foundation to change the tone of your skin color..” She said while Kyle had went out to get some stuff for Leo’s perfect make over.

….

A while later…

“This looks good…” Kyle said in surprise not expecting her to do such a good job.

“What did I say?” Semantha smiled clearly proud of her artwork and puffer her chest out.

Leo’s hairs had been turned black, his blue eyes had been turned to green using lenses. He was wearing a full sleeved T shirt which hid most of his skin and with a face mask hiding part below his nose, he was really good to go.

Even though it wasn’t a good idea to go out now. He had to meet with his father. But before that…

Leo took out the awakener’s card and showed it to them, “It seemed that this guy is awakened…so which one of you will help me out here. I don’t have any idea how to check my skills.”

Both Kyle and Semantha were Awakened.

Kyle had a Red Ranked skill but his aura was still yellow as he was still below Lv 11 apparently.

Semantha on the other hand, had a Green Rank Skill but since she never trained, her Level had stagnated.

But Leo really doubted it when she had that freakish strength. After all, how could it be possible to be this strong without any leveling up.

“Its very easy. Everyone needs a guide for their first time after awakening to quickly grasp it.” Kyle said and volunteered to be Leo’s guide.

“I will pass my Arora energy through your body. If you are an awakened, you will definitely feel the connection. Just let me know when you have familiarize yourself with it..” Kyle said as a Yellow colored energy gushed out from his body into Leo’s body.

Leo suddenly felt light headed and extremely relaxed. It was the same feeling he had on hitting the bed after a really exhausting day.

“Idiot! Don’t sleep…I know its relaxing. But we are here to find your skill…” Semantha’s voice entered his ears and he immediately concentrated.

A few minutes later, Leo let go of Kyle’s hand.

The two took a step back and observed the quiet Leo when his body suddenly erupted with a pale yellow aura of his own and sparks began to emerge from him.

“So this is it..” The excitement was very apparent on Leo’s face.

“What kind of skill is it?” Semantha asked in excitement.

“Its a Yellow Rank Skill called charged…” Leo was even more excited than her. He had totally forgotten that this wasn’t his body at all.

Semantha and Kyle were slightly disappointed on hearing that. Since Glorians were one of the Strongest of the Major races. They had clearly expected a higher rank skill. But that was all there is to it. At least he got a skill, not to mention with his body and all, they didn’t even knew what was going to happen ahead.

Suddenly, Leo felt his aura fluctuate for a second and the next instant, he felt a distinct connection with the earring on his left ear and there was a throbbing sensation coming out of it.

He immediately retracted his aura and the feeling disappeared.

‘What’s going on? Am I imagining things?’

He tried it a few times and confirmed that it wasn’t his imagination but there was actually something wrong here. He asked the two if they had experienced something like that but they didn’t.

“It might be due to your Glorian body. We don’t know about their biology in detail after all.” Kyle said after thinking a bit.

Leo nodded, but he definitely didn’t think it was that simple. But still he didn’t have time to solve the mystery when they didn’t even know where to begin with. Not to mention, he had something much more important to do…

“I am going to meet father anyway…” Leo said as he prepared to leave.

“Here, take this…” Kyle suddenly threw his smart link at him.

“Isn’t this expensive…” Leo asked looking at him. He had indeed taken small advantages of Kyle being rich. But this was just too much.

“Don’t worry, I am lending it to you. You don’t have your phone, after all, how are we suppose to contact each other in trouble..” Kyle replied with a smile.

Leo nodded and decided to borrow it. He then waved his hand at them and left the place going towards the nearest Light Speed Circle.

Light Speed Circle, well it was a bit exaggerated. It was capable of traveling through the speed of light but that would probably cost a Billionaire all his fortune. Still, this thing could allow you to travel all around the earth in just around a few Hours.

Even now, Semantha’s apartment was city away from Leo’s city. But it just took a few minutes for them to arrive here.

It really made life convenient.

….

City Outskirts…

“I am finally back…” Leo mumbled as a smile appeared on his face.

He had reached his locality.

It was a rundown area where the poor lived. The authorities didn’t pay much attention to the people’s living conditions here. It was a very common. This was how human society had turned out to be; nothing could be done without power and status.

Suddenly Leo noticed an old man in his 70s walking down the streets. He was wearing weathered down clothes and had a bag full of trash on his back. His hair had turned white from the passage of time, and there were a lot of wrinkles on his face. A heavy stench emanated from his whole being. It was quite evident that he had taken a dip in a dumpster.

“Morning Grandpa Ron!” Leo greeted the old man with a smile. “I see you are early to work today.”

“Uh…do I know you young man?” Grandpa Ron asked looking at Leo in confusion.

Leo seemed to have forgotten that he wasn’t his usual self. People obviously wouldn’t recognize him like that.

“I-I am Leo’s friend…He used to talk about you a lot..” Leo almost broke out in cold sweat but still managed to get out of the situation.

“I see…” Grandpa Ron’s face suddenly turned sad and he sighed, “What a nice kid he was…Its a pity that old people like us to get to live for so long while the young ones has to leave…”

Leo wanted to say that he was alive but he held himself back.

“Don’t be sad grandpa, I am sure he will not feel good if he saw you like this…” Leo said with light smile as he looked at the old man.

He had grown all around these people and was really close to them.

After all, he was the youngest shopkeeper in the area. People had dotted him since he was young and had taught him different things about business and stuff.

Even though he was capable now, it was only due all the people’s support he had received in his early days.

“He sure would,” Grandpa Ron replied before looking at Leo with a gentle look in his eyes, “You kind of remind me of him for some reason.”

Leo was taken back for a second, clearly haven’t seen that coming.

“Anyway, Its time for me to get going. Take care, my child..”

Leo looked at the old man’s silhouette with a complicated expression. He wondered where his life was going now.

Will he have to live like this forever?

He shook his head and began to walk. He saw quite a few familiar faces but this time he didn’t call out to any of them and continued to move forward. As he was nearing his house, a scream suddenly entered Leo’s ears.

“Fire! Fire! Fire!”

“The Recycle Courtyard is on fire!”

‘Recycle Courtyard? Sounds familiar…’ Leo thought before his face turned dark.. “It’s my shop.”