Sudden Reunion

As Al rushed past the opened door, he speared his entire right shoulder into Myra, causing her to let out a yell.

However, her cry was muffled and cut short. They landed together, with Al ending up on top of Myra. Her eyes were closed in a frown. She appeared ready to explode at any moment.

Al immediately attempted to get off of her, apologizing profusely. However, before he could do so, she swiftly stabbed her fingers into one of his ribs. The pain caused Al to cry out and fall to his knees while she leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "Stop being so reckless."

Al, struggling to breathe, managed to utter a painful, "Oooh... Okay!"

She slowly helped him up, checking for any new injuries she may have caused. As she surveyed the rest of his body, Al felt much better and noticed her lingering gaze on more than just his wounds.

Putting on a smug look, he disregarded the fact that he had inadvertently tackled her and gotten a jabbing of her fingers into his ribs.

"Are you looking for something in particular? Maybe I can help you find it," he offered with a sly smile.

Ignoring his comment, she said, "So you chose not to practice the breathing technique I gave you. Boy, you must be hungry. Very well, you're mostly healed up anyway."

Myra, dressed in a white and red robe, walked toward the door Al had shot out of. She nonchalantly moved the door as if it were the easiest thing in the world and entered.

Al couldn't believe how effortlessly she did it. He followed her eagerly into the room and attempted to move the door independently, but it didn't budge. Myra turned around and observed Al pulling at the door like an ape.

Realizing that he showed no signs of stopping, she explained, "Hey, only people who have been given permission can enter the infirmary. Wasn't it obvious? I'm starting to wonder if you truly helped kill that hybrid."

Al's cheeks turned rosy, red he didn't consider that the door could operate in such a way. Myra took out a medallion similar to his, except hers had a blood-red ruby instead of a blue pearl. She turned to him and said, "I'm done with the job I was given. You seem healthy enough. I'm taking back my scroll with the breathing techniques... unless you've changed your mind."

Al had already decided and quickly responded, "Don't worry, I won't need it, but thank you anyway. I'm sure there's food somewhere around this place."

She shook her head with a smile, "Food inside of here? Ha, yeah, no. You'd have to go outside for that. You do know some of these breathing techniques are specifically for staving of hunger?" She wiggled the scroll at him.

Al frowned and replied, "I already told you no."

Myra pouted, "Sheesh, I heard you loud and clear. You see that giant colossal dark building there in the center? Go there. They should have everything you need. Cesar should be somewhere in there right now, actually," she said, pointing outside.

She then raised her medallion, causing a quick flash of light. After the light subsided, Al asked what the flash was.

However, Myra continued fixing the room, not bothering to look at Al, and replied calmly, "Relax. I was just obtaining proof that I had completed my job. Anyway, you can leave now."

Awkwardly, Al walked out, muttering, "I guess goodbye?"

Outside, Al took a moment to survey his surroundings. He was inside the 15th Mortal Blood Ring, a place he had studied in his mind for some time now.

The cave's ceiling towered hundreds of meters high, illuminated by giant crystals glowing like lights, bathing the entire town in a radiant glow. He then turned to the long building from which he had emerged. To the left of him stood a large steel caduceus, serving as the central focal point of the hospital-like building.

The dark building Myra had mentioned was located in the center of the town. Al found himself standing on a dirt road that circled the entire town.

Intrigued by his surroundings, he started walking on the road that led to the center and split from the circular road. Taking in the sights, he was captivated by the sheer magnitude of the place, thinking to himself, "This is insane. We're inside a mountain!"

Glancing to his right, he noticed grass fields far out in the distance. However, his attention was drawn to the colossal building on the far right. He continued walking while staring at the structure, still lost in thought. "Is it some church? I've only seen religious buildings shaped like triangular prisms."

Lost in contemplation, Al accidentally stepped on his hospital robe, nearly stumbling in the process.

As he was about to get up, two strangers walked past him, and he overheard one of them say, "Oh my god, look at what he's wearing! Hahaha, there's no way he makes it a week here."

Al ignored their remarks and thought to himself, "They're not wrong. I really do need to get out of these medical robes."

As he approached the building, it became evident that it was more than just a structure—it was a work of art. Crafted from a dark, polished obsidian stone, its open entrances stood over 20 feet high, resembling a dark water cascading down.

Circular rolls of windows were carved into the stone, located ten feet above the entrances. Above them, a multitude of diamond-shaped crevices adorned the black stone, each about 20 feet in size. At the very top, another set of circular windows completed the building's design, connecting it all the way to the ceiling with the glowing crystals.

On the ground level, an individual was stationed at each open entrance, checking the people coming in. Suddenly, someone grabbed Al's neck from behind, causing him to swing his fist instinctively.

The figure managed to evade the punch. The figure was Cesar, who was wearing plain black clothes.

Seeing Al's surprise, Cesar exclaimed, "You're out already? I'm sure glad to see you. What the hell did you get me into? We really almost died back there. We were lucky the Great Orchid was out collecting herbs."

Al was left speechless. He hadn't expected to encounter Cesar so quickly. With a smile, he replied, "Honestly, I'm not quite sure what I got us into either. However, you seem to have gotten well acquainted in the three days I was out?"

Cesar looked Al up and down, bursting into laughter, and remarked, "Hahahaha, you look ridiculous in that hospital gown. And you were actually out for five days. Look, don't be mad at me for adapting quickly. Think of it like this: I can be more useful to you now. What do you want to know?"

Al squinted his eyes, feeling as if the roles had somehow reversed. After a while, he finally responded, "Yeah, you're right. Just tell me everything you know."

Cesar's face lit up upon hearing Al's cooperation. Seeing Al come so close to death had really moved Cesar.

Before Cesar explained what he knew about the place, he grew serious. "Al, I just need you to promise me that, no matter what, we will always be able to rely on each other. We came here together, so it only makes sense to stick together."

Al replied, "Relax, there's no need to mention it. I'm the one who got you into this. Now tell me what I need to know before entering this black stone colosseum."

Cesar took a moment to consider his response before Al's last sentence sank in. After a brief silence, he replied, "Oh, you're talking about the Center of Task and Merit Exchange. We just call it the Exchange Center."

Al observed Cesar's demeanor. "This place really did a number on you in just five days. Are you good?"

Cesar closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before saying, "Dude, you're about to find out what this place really is. Just imagine capitalism on steroids. All people care about here is how they can use you to benefit them."

Rubbing his chin, Al responded, "Now that's interesting. Go on, tell me more about that."

Cesar paused, recalling all the important information he had learned in the past five days. "Everything here revolves around something called Merit. You can earn merits in various ways, like taking on tasks assigned by the Exchange Center or tasks from recognized disciples of the Blood Leaf. Also... we're allowed to steal from each other, but only outside the Blood Ring. Killing is discouraged but not prohibited."

Cesar looked at Al, waiting. His reaction would confirm something for Cesar.

After hearing everything, Al softly laughed and gave Cesar a wild look, saying, "Forget getting killed. How the hell are people not dying of starvation? You didn't mention food once!"

Cesar flinched at Al's response, but after recalling his first day, he gave Al a wry smile, "This is going to sound unbelievable, but Miss Myra sold me a manual full of breathing techniques that help stave off hunger. After we killed the hybrid, I was given my Conveyance stone with 300 merits. She offered to teach me how to access it and gave me a discount, asking for only 150 merits."

Cesar took out a similar medallion to Al's, but he had a blood-red ruby in the center, like Myra's.

Al was dumbfounded. The medallions functioned as wallets. He then remembered Myra's attempt to sell him the breathing manual. Connecting the dots, he calmly said, "Cesar, I'm pretty sure you got scammed. I think she was trying to run the same scam on me. Luckily, I refused... wait!"

While rebuking Cesar, Al came to a realization. "That monster, she starved me on purpose, hoping I'd use her breathing manual out of desperation, then I would have had to buy it."

Al didn't know whether to be angry or impressed. His stomach, however, growled in anger. Al began laughing loudly. "She really got us both, hahaha. I can feel my stomach eating itself."

Cesar contemplated Al's words, shaking his head. "You're being paranoid. Myra is an honest lady." He then changed the subject, saying, "Don't worry. After we finish our business at the Exchange Center, we can go to my housing unit, which is like a little house. I have real food there even though we don't need it." Cesar mumbled the last part.

Eager to eat, Al immediately started walking towards the Exchange Center. He turned back and waved at Cesar, urging him to hurry up.

As they approached, they encountered a tall, shirtless man with blond hair. His arms and torso were covered in tattoos that extended all the way to his neck. Al became vigilant, sensing the man's gaze upon him. He slowed down. The man shouted, "You there, hurry up and have your C-stone ready! What are you waiting for?"

Confused, Al looked at Cesar, realizing he hadn't mentioned anything about a C-stone. Cesar sighed, and as he walked past Al, he quickly explained, "It's the medallion, Al. Come on, get with the program."

Al was stunned, his jaw clenched and teeth gritted, as he watched the tall, skinny boy he had met on the bus, what felt like only a day ago, approach the tattooed man. The man stared back at Al, and with a smile, he spoke to Cesar, "I assume you're going to be paying for that slow fellow over there?"

Cesar smiled and nodded, handing his C-stone to the man. The man placed it on a hexagonal 5-foot stone stele. Al followed suit, standing next to Cesar.

Cesar turned to Al and explained, "This is how you move anywhere inside the 15th Blood Ring. Every building has an entrance fee and a time limit. For example, I paid 30 merits right now: 15 for me and 15 for you. That gives us each an hour to be in the Exchange Center."

Al rubbed his hairless chin, paying close attention. He noticed hieroglyphs and strange symbols adorning every side of the stone stele. Curious, he asked, "What kind of writing is this? I've never seen anything like it."

Cesar was about to reply when Al's voice erupted in amazement, "I recognize that! That's a dragon! I can't believe it. Dragons are actually real?" Al's eyes darted between Cesar and the tall blonde man, and they exchanged bewildered glances before bursting into uncontrollable laughter.

"How old is this kid? Hahaha," the blonde man chuckled, asking Cesar for an explanation. Feeling a pang of sympathy for the embarrassed Al, Cesar replied, "Hey, Al, I think those are just ornamental decorations. Dragons aren't real, I don't think."

Cesar glanced back at the blonde man, who nodded in confirmation, saying, "Absolutely right. Since I've been alive, I have never witnessed or heard of a living, breathing dragon or a dead one."

Al's initial excitement rapidly deflated, and he found himself fixated on the hazy, glass-like wall that separated the outside from the Exchange Center. The glass began to clear as if responding to his waning enthusiasm, unveiling the tantalizing sights within.