After resting for a while in his makeshift base, Alex sat in front of Vox as the creature chewed on a large chunk of concrete, melting it down to eat.
"I don't know anything about curses, but this definitely can't be good for his health… if he even has something like that."
Alex was hungry too, since he hadn't eaten anything since breakfast the day before.
The big problem was that he only had forty dollars in total, and he needed to use it for other things like clothes, food, and hygiene.
But with just forty dollars, there wasn't much he could buy.
Realizing his financial problem, Alex started thinking of ways to get money.
But the more he thought about it, the fewer ideas he had.
Getting a job wouldn't work for two reasons.
Even before, he already had trouble getting hired, and now—the real problem—he was being hunted by the government, so he probably wouldn't even even get a job before the police or the military surrounded him.
"Stealing? I don't know… there are too many heroes in this city, and I don't want to hurt people who don't deserve it… but… a robbery doesn't have to hurt anyone, right?"
Alex was running out of ideas, to the point where robbing a bank crossed his mind.
But there were too many risks.
He still couldn't fully control his cursed energy—if he lost control again and created more problems, things would get much worse.
Alex was strong, but he didn't believe he could handle the Avengers… at least not yet.
'Damn… being a fugitive is harder than I expected.'
While Alex was thinking through different plans and possibilities, he didn't notice Vox quietly slipping out of the hideout and heading somewhere specific.
"Alright, let's first buy something to eat—for me and you, Vox—"
When Alex went to grab Vox so they could go buy food, he realized the creature was nowhere nearby.
The moment he noticed, panic set in. That thing was extremely dangerous without Alex there to control it.
Since meeting Vox, Alex had learned a few things.
For example, Vox had absurd regeneration—almost on par with Alex's—which was already insane on its own.
But what really made the little monster dangerous was its ability to spit acid strong enough to melt steel like cardboard.
In desperation, Alex started running, following the trail of slime Vox had left behind, afraid of
what it might have done.
It didn't take long for Alex to find it—Vox was a worm, after all, and very slow, so it couldn't have gone far.
But when Alex finally reached Vox, what he saw surprised him.
A completely drunk man was lying unconscious on the ground in an alley, wearing a military uniform with several medals and commendations.
"gurgle…"
Vox stood in front of the man, making strange gurgling noises as it slowly circled him.
Alex frowned, confused by Vox's reaction. The creature seemed… interested.
But Alex couldn't understand why.
Living with Vox was strange—it wasn't easy to understand, and since Alex hadn't known it for long, he didn't know how it acted or even how it communicated.
"What is it, Vox? It's just a drunk guy. Let's go back to the base—I'll buy food."
But Vox didn't react.
It just kept analyzing the unconscious man.
Seeing that, Alex got irritated and seriously considered abandoning the worm right then and there.
But out of curiosity, he stepped closer to examine the man himself.
There wasn't much to say.
He looked to be around thirty years old, had a messy brown beard and hair, smelled strongly of alcohol, and seemed to be a former soldier.
There wasn't much more Alex could tell—he was either passed out or in an alcoholic coma.
Honestly, Alex just wanted to leave him there.
But as he stood up to go, something caught his attention.
"Wait… this guy… he's absorbing the cursed energy in the air?"
Just as he was about to leave, Alex realized the man was absorbing the cursed energy Alex had released the day before.
That alone was enough to make Alex change his mind instantly.
Without hesitation, he lifted the man onto his shoulder and started heading back to his base.
Seeing that Alex had finally picked the man up, Vox wrapped itself around Alex's leg and followed along.
When they got back, Alex dropped the drunk man onto his "bed," which was really just a pile of cardboard he had gathered to sleep on.
Then it hit him—he was letting a complete stranger know where he lived.
"Vox, I'm going to get food. If he wakes up, don't let him leave—no matter how. Just don't kill him."
Alex left and headed toward a more crowded part of the city.
As soon as he arrived, he noticed people staring at him.
The main reason was that he no longer suppressed his "aura."
His cursed energy, combined with his monstrous physique, made him radiate a natural sense of fear.
Back then, Alex had discovered that if he walked hunched over with his head down, it reduced that effect—but he never understood why.
Now, he didn't bother with that anymore.
His posture was completely upright, two of his arms crossed over his torso, while he intentionally released a tiny amount of cursed energy around him to make people move aside.
Compared to yesterday, the amount was ridiculously small—but still very effective.
Alex walked into a fast-food place, and as soon as he entered, he pulled back his cursed energy so he wouldn't affect anyone inside.
He stepped up to the cashier, ordered a large amount of food…
and ended up spending all the money he had.
Watching all his money get drained by a single meal felt terrible. At least he wouldn't stay broke for long.
Alex waited a bit longer for his food. While he was waiting, two police officers walked into the establishment with relaxed expressions.
That alone made Alex tense up. The fact that he was planning to rob a bank tomorrow didn't help his nerves at all.
Seeing that the officers were just there to eat, Alex instinctively tried to hide a little, even though it was probably the most useless thing he could do.
The officers passed by without recognizing him, and Alex let out a breath of relief. Right after, he realized how stupid he'd been—there were no wanted posters of him, so why worry?
With that in mind, he simply waited calmly for his order. It didn't take long before his food was ready, his name was called, and he walked up to the counter—right where the two officers were talking to the cashier.
Alex wasn't afraid. There was no reason to be. What he had done was yesterday, and even if he were taken to the station, escaping would be ridiculously easy.
"Wait… Alex?"
The moment he heard that, he froze. When he turned his head, he saw someone he never expected to find there.
"Han? Is that you?"
Alex recognized one of the officers—it was one of George's partners.
Han was a good guy… and incredibly problematic when it came to authority. He was fifty-eight years old and still stuck doing patrols because he couldn't take orders seriously without disrespecting them.
Seriously, Alex sometimes wondered how he was still in the police force. Han had literally punched the commissioner's son once for being, in his words, "a little shit."
Sure, the kid really was a little shit… but having the guts to hit him and say that to his face without getting fired was impressive.
Alex had always suspected Han had some kind of secret, but he never asked.
Han was a Chinese man who looked older, but not excessively so. Wearing his police cap, he had tired eyes—yet at the same time, they seemed lively. He was practically a walking paradox.
"What are you doing in this part of town, kid? You're pretty far from home. I can give you a ride if you want."
Hearing that, Alex froze for a few seconds before snapping back and shaking his head as he grabbed his food.
"Thanks, Uncle Han. I got a new job that pays well, so I've been going farther from home lately."
"Oh, I see. Then give it your all, kid—you'll make it."
Han had always liked Alex. They both shared that same absurd work ethic.
Unfortunately for Han… Alex wasn't the same person anymore.
Beside Han, however, stood a muscular man with a strong build, staring at Alex with disgust and disdain, as if looking at an insect.
Alex ignored him and kept talking to Han.
"Man, Alex… if my daughter were more like you, she wouldn't be stuck in my father's dojo trying to create the perfect sword technique. If only he hadn't filled her head with all those stories…"
Alex knew exactly what Han meant.
Han's father had once been a famous swordsman in the East, until a severe leg injury ended his career. Frustrated, he moved to the U.S. to start over and opened a dojo that became fairly well-known in the city.
When Han's daughter was born, she was deaf. Trying to get closer to his granddaughter, the old man began telling her stories from his youth.
Since she didn't spend much time with her father, she grew much closer to her grandfather. Those stories fascinated her.
From a young age, she began walking the "path of the sword," as he called it. And she never gave up on trying to reach the peak he spoke of—the level where one could cut mountains with a single strike.
"Come on, Uncle Han… you know how hard it's been for her. Your father died recently, she's grieving. You don't need to be so harsh. And she's really good—she'll easily get into competitions."
"I know, Alex… but as a father, it still worries me. My son already has two kids, and she's still locked away in that dojo…"
Putting his worries aside, they kept talking for a while, until Alex suddenly remembered something.
"Crap—my job, Uncle Han! I gotta go. See you!"
Alex ran off at a normal speed, leaving Han behind laughing at the sight of the kid rushing away.
Once he was far enough, Alex sprinted at full speed toward the hideout, the food secured in his backpack.
It didn't take long before he arrived, and even before stepping inside, he could already hear shouting.
"FOR FUCK'S SAKE—LET ME GO, YOU DISGUSTING THING!"
Realizing the "guest" was awake, Alex deliberately made noise as he entered, wanting to see the man's reaction.
But instead of shouting for help, the man suddenly fell completely silent, as if he had never existed.
Alex knew better.
Without concern, he approached, only to find the man now sitting, restrained by Vox.
The man tried to escape quietly but couldn't break free from Vox's grip. Focused on freeing himself, he didn't notice Alex approaching.
"So, how's it going, my friend? Vox is strong, huh?"
"What the—?!"
Startled, the man jerked back at Alex's sudden appearance.
But what scared him even more was the sight of a four-armed, four-eyed giant standing before him. Still… he didn't scream.
"What do you want from me?"
That reaction surprised Alex. He had never seen anyone stay this calm in front of him. It sparked his curiosity.
"Interesting. You're pretty calm about my appearance. Everyone reacts badly to me."
"Because you're a mutant, right? Kid, I'm in the same boat. No reason for me to be afraid of you."
Hearing that, Alex was genuinely surprised. A mutant?
His curiosity only deepened.
Not only could this guy use cursed energy… he was also a mutant—and apparently ex-military.
"Interesting… want to share a meal with me and Vox?"
Alex snapped his fingers. Vox released the man and moved toward Alex to eat.
The man, confused but clearly starving, hesitated for a moment before approaching as well, still a bit groggy from waking up after an alcohol blackout.
But hunger won quickly.
As they began eating, it was impossible to tell who ate more—Vox, who devoured everything endlessly, Alex, who was feeding two stomachs, or the man, who refused to stop eating just to keep up.
When the food was gone, the three of them sat there, staring at each other.
Meanwhile, Alex started cleaning up the mess from their improvised "feast."
"So… tell me your story, Mr. Soldier."
Once he finished cleaning, Alex spoke without even asking if the man wanted to talk. It wasn't a request. It was a command.
And the man understood he wasn't in a position to refuse.
"My name is Raymond. You can call me Ray.
I was a Navy commander—the youngest one, actually. I was recognized, respected… one of the most respected in my field.
I had a wife. A beautiful daughter. Everything was going well.
I was about to be rewarded. I had dozens of medals from combat and operations.
But one day, during a presentation of a new weapons project, something went wrong. The weapon malfunctioned and exploded.
No one got hurt… except me.
The problem is—I didn't know I was a mutant back then.
After I passed out, I transformed into a giant snake that nearly filled the entire place. I ended up injuring someone.
That was enough.
They labeled me as a Mutant Brotherhood infiltrator.
I was hunted, captured, and taken to a mutant research facility… where I was tortured beyond anything human.
I almost went insane.
When the Brotherhood attacked the place, I managed to escape.
I even thought about joining them… but I don't believe humans are the problem.
Now I'm hunted as an international criminal because I'm a fucking mutant who "hurt" an innocent. I had no control, damn it… and still, I was tortured…
Damn… I could really use a drink right now."
Hearing that, Alex understood the man's situation—and why he had been drinking himself to near death in some forgotten corner of the city.
He was similar to Alex. Someone who once had a life… but because of the thoughts of the wrong people, was pushed into a moment just as terrible as this.
Realizing how similar they were, Alex felt a bit of pity and decided to make an offer.
"Want to stay here?"
Ray frowned, confused, and looked at the giant in front of him.
"Of course not. Are you crazy?"
Hearing that, Alex froze for a moment and realized he hadn't explained himself properly.
"Ah—sorry. I mean… would you like to use this place as somewhere safe to sleep and rest? Or even live, if you want. It's not comfortable, but it's safe."
Ray considered refusing.
But then he remembered how recently he had almost been killed in an ambush from the research facility.
"…I accept."
And deep down, Ray felt something strange about the giant in front of him.
As if he were more than just a mutant.
__________________
Hey guys, I hope you enjoy this one.
Today I actually got some time off because I got burned, so let's go write.
But don't worry—it wasn't serious, it doesn't hurt, and I already went to the doctor.
And honestly, I enjoy writing, so nobody loses here. You guys get chapters, and I have fun writing them.
Oh, and one more thing—I had to change how curses work a bit, because otherwise it wouldn't be very interesting.
So now, some people can see curses even if they're not sorcerers.
The requirement for that is a bit complicated to explain here without making this huge, so I'll go into it in a future chapter.
As always, if you enjoyed it, feel free to send power stones or rate the story, it really helps a lot.
And if you have any constructive criticism or anything that could help me improve, don't hesitate to say it, I always read everything.
Also, just so you know, I really enjoy reading your messages, it genuinely makes me happy to see people enjoying the story.
Good night.
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