Chapter 2: Bella's Invitation.

When Neo stepped into the apartment, it gave a strange feeling, might be because of the way it was arranged, the feeling it gave was something that clearly conveyed that it belonged to a loner.

No doubt, the place was cozy, with a comfortable armchair, a small sofa in the living room, arranged around a coffee table. The walls were adorned with paintings, about nature and such, a curious mind if one asks, and a bookshelf in the corner held a small collection of books, but most of the rack was empty, not an avid reader and knick-knacks.

Neo turned the dim light on, and laid on the chair, closed his eyes for a while to give them rest.

To the left of the living area was a kitchen, containing a stove, refrigerator, and sink, all neatly arranged against one wall. A small table with two chairs was pushed up against the opposite wall, creating a warm little space for meals or working from home.

In the back corner of the apartment was a bedroom, with a queen-sized bed pushed up against one wall and a dresser and nightstand on the other side. The walls were painted a soft blue, creating a serene and calming atmosphere, and a small window let in a bit of natural light.

The bathroom was small but functional, with a shower stall and toilet tucked into one corner and a sink and mirror mounted on the opposite wall.

After resting a while, he took out the spheres that he got from the goblins, played with them still as he laid back, his thoughts still about what to do with the problem of not having been able to share the experience with his party members.

There were other options available that could grant him a temporary boost to help him go solo against those monsters, and he wanted to get one, but to get them, he needed money.

From the way he was dressed, one can confirm that he was living of the expenses of government and the government didn't provide enough for him to get one for himself.

He tried making some by helping other parties in clearing the dungeon and today was the eighth one he joined, the result was the same as no one wanted to go on further than because of insane difficulty. Honestly, he didn't blame them, as he too would hesitate and think twice before proceeding further.

The marbles clinked as they rubbed against one another. These were the things he thought would bring him benefit as he chanced upon them during one dungeon run. He accidentally found these spheres that dropped from the monsters.

 None of his party members cared about it. They said it was a useless material which held no significance other than as a decor in jewellery, but he thought otherwise. Normal spheres were completely white, and they really had no value other than playing marble with them.

But the ones Neo had were definitely not ordinary, or he felt like they were not. So he held onto them as he was curious about this colouring scheme and that whether he could find one completely blue or not. Just as his thoughts started to wander about why some monsters have them and other don't…

Knock* Knock*

Someone knocked on the door, which brought Neo's out of his thought. He put the spheres on the table, a small container which had multiple of them already, and got up to answer the door.

After walking up to the door, he opened the door, and found a girl, around his age, standing in front of her.

"Be—"

She didn't give him a chance to call her and barged into the apartment, her mouth curling up. This was one energetic person.

One couldn't help but notice the striking, flowing brunette hair that reached down around her waist. One couldn't help but notice the gracefulness of her dress—a classic, tasteful choice that hugged her figure gently without revealing too much. Its simplicity only added to its elegance, making her presence all the more captivating.

What struck most about her was her warm and welcoming smile that lit up her face as she greeted Neo with one. Her blue eyes that could reflect even the moon in them lit up when she looked at him. A hopeless love bird.

The moment she entered, other than giving him a constant smile, she kept looked around, checking something. Upon discovering what she was looking for, no food on the table and the stove was not lit, she sighed a breath of relief and turned toward him, her shoulders easing down.

"Neo, let's go."

Neo looked at her, trying hard not to shake his head as he looked at her with a wry smile, this was the usual for him. The girl, or the beauty before him, was of the same age as him, but she was one of those geniuses, no, saying her that was an insult. She was a monstrous genius who formed her mana core at 2.

Upon discovering her talent, she received the best there was in the Nerva kingdom. Trained by many masters, even those masters had nothing but praise for her and could only be left to dust as she rose to fame.

This woman was a genuine genius in a world full of magic and wonder, with a mind capable of processing even the most intricate spells and incantations. Her mastery of esoteric wisdom was unrivalled, and her comprehension of the workings of magic was unrivalled.

But it wasn't just her intellect that distinguished her. In her quest for knowledge and power, she became the master of combat, having conquered many dungeons and slain countless named field monsters. Her own guild has appeared on NEWS from time to time. Countless people admired her efforts at clearing the floors and opening the way for humanity.

Hearing such praises, many would wonder why such a figure was hanging around Neo who couldn't even form a core until last week. Honestly, he also wondered sometimes, but there was nothing that came to his mind. The name of this brunette was Bella Oswald.

One day, he suddenly got her as a neighbour, but whenever she got free time, she would barge into his apartment and talk about different stuff, tell him what was going on in the tower and the world. About different alliances/guilds and who to look after or how to get interesting quests.

He was thankful to her for such knowledge, she was his only source of knowledge at the moment, but he had no way of repaying her.

And he also found out from her own mouth that she was now the vice-guild leader of one of the famous guilds [The Seekers.]

Neo didn't know how famous or how great it was because he spent most of his time either training or meditating.

He might look a little carefree and an easy-going person, but he didn't slack in his training as he felt that if he did that, his core formation would have slowed down. That was also the reason that his strength and vitality stats were higher than a normal person, as he always kept himself in tip-top shape.

Upon seeing his expression, Bella said, "Going out to eat."

Looking at Bella wandering around in his apartment, he asked, "Why are you eating out?"

"Me? No, not me, us. We are eating out, and the reason is that I just cleared the trial."

Bella flashed a smile as she showed him two notifications.

『 The Trial of Merlin has been cleared. 』

『 Received: The Knowledge of Merlin. 』

Neo looked at this with a raised eyebrow, clearly surprised, obviously happy for her.

"Congratulations."

Bella wasn't letting him go with just that as she shook her head, her cheeks a little puffy; it makes one wonder if she was just as graceful as told or was it just a rumour and that she was just a child in an adult body. She dragged him out of his apartment, saying, "No, mister, just congratulating me is not enough. Let's go, we are going out and I won't be having no for an answer."

Neo looked at her antics, shook his head helplessly, and told her to at least let him lock the door, to which she nodded, but was still not letting him go like he might run away at any moment. Neo found it a little funny as he chuckled and locked the door.

Bella dragged him to the parking lot as a sports car was waiting for them there. Bella skipped to it as the door moved up and welcomed them.

Neo looked at the car, but then shook his head as he sat in the passenger seat. The car floated a little and zoomed from the car park as it moved toward the restaurant that Bella had already told it about the location.

She then brought her attention to Neo, who was looking out, appreciating the scenery that was constantly changing as the car was moving too fast.

Then she asked, "How is it going with you? Has the mana core formed yet?"

Neo came out of his daze when he heard her question. Silent for a while before shaking his head.

"It did not. But I think it will, in a week or two."

Bella nodded with a little excitement in her voice.

"You have to tell me when that is done. I've already prepared everything for you in the Tower."

Neo smiled in response. Bella felt she said something wrong but couldn't put her finger on it so she diverted the topic to random things, to which Neo added a little from time to time as he wasn't that much socially connected with people. He could count on one hand the number of people he had interaction with.

After traveling for a while, they arrived at their destination. The car's doors opened and Neo stepped out as he took in the structure in front of him. [Gunivelle's Restaurant] was the name of this grand piece in front of them.

This restaurant stood out among the city's hustle and bustle, its exterior a unique blend of cyberpunk and fantasy. Walls were made of enchanted metal that glowed with a rainbow of colors as it absorbed the ambient magic. The entrance was marked by a large, carved wooden door flanked by two colossal statues of dragons with glowing eyes. The tinkling of chimes and the soft whirring of gears, as well as the aroma of exotic spices and the sounds of enchanting music, greeted guests as they entered. Dining room was decked out with magical tapestries depicting scenes from enchanted forests and mythical creatures, and the ceiling was a gleaming expanse of stars and constellations.

Upon entering the restaurant, Neo felt he had entered a whole different world. In one corner, a group of dwarves sat at a table, their beards tangled with cybernetic implants, and in another, a fairy danced in the air, her wings aflutter with neon lights. The tables were set with fine china and cutlery, and the menu featured a fusion of traditional and futuristic dishes, such as monster meat steaks infused with nanotechnology and cocktails that glowed with magical fire. The overall effect was a stunning mix of fantasy and cyberpunk, with every detail carefully crafted to create a unique and unforgettable dining experience.

Neo felt a little uncomfortable here, but Bella was unfazed as she asked the hostess for a table. The hostess humbly led them to a table on the second floor.

The scale on the second floor was even grander than the first one, as the people dining on the second floor wore luxurious and branded clothes. Their very movement contained a natural poise and had a noble air surrounding them, like even coming near them would be a sin.

Neo discomfort increased by a notch, while Bella frowned. She changed her request to a private room. The hostess complied and led them to a private room. The people on the second took a single glance at them and upon seeing the clothes Neo and Bella were wearing, they ignored them and continued their conversation.

The room was designed in such a way that it gave guests a sense of exclusivity and privacy. The walls were rich mahogany wood panelling, adorned with intricate carvings of mythical and fantastical creatures. The ceiling was painted a deep, rich blue and adorned with gleaming fibre-optic lights that created a twinkling starry effect.

A large rectangular table made of polished oak, surrounded by comfortable, high-backed chairs upholstered in soft leather. Fine crystal glassware and gleaming cutlery were used to set the table. Large windows with deep sills provided views of the bustling city below, and thick curtains could be drawn to provide additional privacy.

The duo sat down, and a menu was passed to them by the hostess. Neo gave it a look and wished that he shouldn't have.

『 Starters:

Grilled Venison Skewers with Wild Berry Glaze -20 Skycoins.

Golem Gumbo with Crispy Plantain Chips -30 Skycoins

Dragonfire Wings with Blue Cheese Dip -70 Skycoins

Entrees:

Orcish Beef Ribs with Apple-Sage Compote -120 Skycoins

Rustic Beef Stew with Root Vegetables and Fresh Herbs -150 Skycoins

Cybernetic Salmon with Crispy Leeks and Miso Butter Sauce -190 Skycoins

Sides:

Crispy Fried Goblin Fingers with Horseradish Aioli -70 Skycoins

Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Oil -50 Skycoins

Charred Dragon Asparagus with Lemon and Sea Salt -130 Skycoins

Desserts:

Magic-Infused Molten Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Coulis -50 Skycoins

Enchanted Fruit Sorbet with Crispy Starfruit Chips -55 Skycoins

Golden Honeysuckle Tart with Whipped Cream and Candied Nuts -40 Skycoins

Beverages:

Dragon's Blood Red Wine -120 Skycoins

Elvenwood Ale -90 Skycoins

Cyber Colada with Rum and Coconut Cream -75 Skycoins. 』

The first thing he did was looked at the price and shook his head. He couldn't afford even the cheapest one here.

Skycoin was the currency that was accepted throughout the world, and every transaction outside the tower took place in that currency.

The expense of these dishes could be speculated from the value that even the apartment that he was living in, if sold, could easily be bought with 1000 Skycoins. And here one dish at the restaurant was 1/5 of his apartment price.

Bella, instead, was not looking at the price but the dishes and ordered Grilled Venison Skewers with Wild Berry Glaze, Cybernetic Salmon with Crispy Leeks and Miso Butter Sauce, Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Oil, Magic-Infused Molten Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Coulis, and the Elvenwood Ale.

Neo felt his belief in humanity slipping as he inwardly calculated the price and sucked a deep breath and when he heard her saying two of each, he was long gone from that plane.

"Who can finish this much?"

He muttered slowly, but Bella still heard him. They were the only two in the room and the fact that Bella was a Ranker made it hard to not it be audible. She puffed her cheeks and said, "Are you calling me fat?"

Neo was stunned by her question and inwardly thought,

'How did you come to such a conclusion?'

But didn't utter that, didn't want to cause hell to break loose. Instead, he said, "I think we might end up wasting too much food, and I am not that hungry. How about you cancel one?"

But Bella denied him strongly.

"No, you need these nutrients. You are going to form the mana core, and if you don't have a healthy body during the last moments, the core might end up being faulty with cracks in it."

Neo smiled as he saw her concern for him, felt a strange feeling gush in him when he heard that. Still, he tried once more attempt on persuading her to cancel at least some of them. But she didn't budge one inch. Finally, he had to concede to her wishes when she said that they were celebrating her victory and that she'll get angry if he uttered one more word about this topic.

..............

After enjoying a hearty meal, Neo and Bella left the restaurant as they wandered.

"That was good. You should've eaten more."

Neo shook his head in with a twitching smile on his face when he remembered Bella ordered 3 more helpings, and they ended up eating a meal worth over 1700 Skycoins.

They strolled around the city, enjoyed the hustle and bustle as everyone was busy with their lives. People moving from one shop to another, evolvers looking for decent gear, many looking for daily life things and some for luxurious item. Overall, the area was busy.

The shine in the eyes of new evolvers showed how excited they were to show off to their new gear to their peers. Although their parents were happy for them, one could see a hint of concern on their faces, as being an evolver is a risky endeavour; one misstep could easily lead to a crippling injury or even death. This was one of the reasons for some awakened ones to not pursue this career.

But they (parents) couldn't show that to their young ones, as they (children) wouldn't understand what kind of torture their heart was going through.

"John, remember to always be careful and pack enough potions. Always join others on your adventure and make many friends. Be wary of strangers."

"Yes mom, Gee! You are so annoying."

"Young man, what did you say?"

"Nothing."

Neo was standing on the side listening to the parents educating their child and the child's face showed annoyance and irritation as he listened to them. He kept looking at it for a while, his thoughts unknown.

After standing there for a while, he turned his gaze away and saw Bella buying something. Upon seeing him coming toward her, Bella tossed the bag toward him and said, "My treat."

Neo looked inside and found a new shirt, pants, and a coat. He wanted to return them but couldn't. Bella wouldn't listen to him one bit. He held his hands above his head in defeat and followed her with the shopping bag in his hand. Bella entered a shoe shop and Neo knew what was going to happen next.

He entered and saw Bella standing in front of a pair of brown and slim shoes. She scrutinized the pair and muttered slowly, which he couldn't hear clearly.

He got closer and checked the pair price.

Gentleman boots -150 Skycoins.

'Yeah, no thanks.'

He got out of the store or tried to, as before he could cross the door, he felt someone grabbing him from his collar and dragging him back into the store.

"Where are you going, mister?"

Bella dragged him back and made him try out different pairs of shoes before settling on the [Gentlemen Boots.]

'Should've gone for them from the start.'

"Why are you shopping for me?"

Neo couldn't help but ask. This kind of dress and shoes were too fancy for his taste and were not something he would feel comfortable in.

"Hmm? Oh, you are coming with me tomorrow to meet with my parents."

This news surprised Neo, and he wondered whether he made a promise about that and forgot about it. But he couldn't remember anything about this, so he asked, "Why am I accompanying you?"

"It's nothing. Tomorrow is their 60th wedding anniversary. "

'And why am I going?' he said inwardly. Like reading his mind, Bella continued, "You are accompanying me tomorrow. Those old fogies are too boring."

'Since when did I became an entertainer?'

But didn't reject her, she had done a lot for him, he wouldn't mind doing this much for her.

"Okay."

"That's great." Bella said in excitement. She was nervous that Neo might reject going with her and him giving an okay signal made her lighten up a lot and energized her even more.

They then moved from one store to another, buying different things. Neo paused in front of a potion shop when he saw an item on the display.

[Mid-grade Stats Boost Potion — 15,000 Skycoins.]

He gave the shiny long bottle, which contained a blue liquid in it, a long look before moving away, and entered a shop. It surprised him to find that it was a barber shop. Bella followed behind him at that moment and dragged him to a chair and asked the barber for help with his hair, they were messy.

After getting a haircut of Curly Quiff style, which added charm to his appearance with those green eyes, it added a little devilish charm to his features. Bella was a little dazed about what the new hairstyle did to him and flushed a little. It took her a while to recover herself from staring at Neo like this.

Neo looked in the mirror once before turning toward Bella, who was paying the barber, and after which they left the shop and Neo found Bella's car parked in front of the saloon. They got in and drove back to their home.

Neo said his goodbye to Bella, who informed him about the time before which he should be ready for the party.

"Remember to be ready around 6 pm. We need to reach there before 6:30."

Neo nodded, confirming he'll do so, and opened the door and entered his apartment. He put down the shopping bags on the table and sat down on the chair, his arms resting on the armrest. Carrying those bags made them a little sore

He opened the status log, looked at the notification that had appeared when he ate at the restaurant.

『 You consumed a high nutrient meal. 』

『 Strength +2, Vitality +4 』

He stared at the extra stats for a while, before going to take a bath to freshen himself. After which he just went to his bed and slept soundly.

...

Next morning:

Neo opened his eyes as the morning sun shone over his face. Looking at the clock on the nightstand, he found it was 6 am. He got out of the bed and washed his face before exercising for a while.

After sweating for a while, he stopped and took a bath. Preparing breakfast for himself, he returned to the living room to enjoy the meal as he turned on the TV, which showed the host interviewing a high-ranking evolver.

"Mr. Bernard, what is the progress of the Reaper Guild on your current floor?"

Mr. Bernard had red fiery hair and a frown on his face that he was trying his best to remove with an ugly smile. He clearly was annoyed, but because he was live on the TV, he couldn't do anything and said with irritation in his voice, "We are 70% done and might clear it by the end of next month."

"That's great news. Let me congratulate you on behalf of our viewers."

"Thank you. We'll let you know the progress and also share the strategy that we have employed to clear the floor so far."

This news surprised the host, as he didn't know that Mr. Bernard would announce such a thing. Still, as a professional, he handled it professionally and said, "Then let me thank you for your service on behalf of the Federation."

He stood up and bowed slightly before sitting back again. And flipped the question card in his hand and asked his next question. "What is your comment on the [The Seeker] guild? They cleared the floor yesterday."

"Bah, a bunch of ingrates who don't know the immensity of ---"

The live transmission was cut short, clearly, Mr. Bernard was not supposed to swear. Neo, who was looking at the transmission, put the bowl down on the table and turned his attention toward the bags that were still on the table.

He started putting the clothes in his closet, which had some dresses and they were also worn out, like the one he was wearing.

After arranging the stuff, he came back and found one more bag smaller than the rest on the table. He couldn't remember buying that bag and was confused about it. He then thought it might be a perfume that Bella got for him.

Bella's face appeared in his mind and a smile slowly appeared on his face, he picked it up to put it away but stopped midway. He looked at the logo, that he felt was a little familiar.

He took the item out and found it to be the long bottle, which had a bluish liquid in it and his hands trembled, almost losing hold of the bottle. It was the same potion bottle which he was staring/ogling at yesterday. His mind stopped working as he checked the card that came with the potion.

[ Mid-Grade Stats Boost Potion.

Temporarily increases all stats by 70.

Duration: 4 hours.

User of the potion enters a weakened state and suffers a minor backlash after the effect wears off.]

Neo looked at the potion intently and read each word carefully and twice to make sure to not mistake it for something else. He read it again and again to confirm.

But then he put it in the bag, this thing was too expensive and even if he wanted it badly, he couldn't accept it. Just as he was putting it back into the bag to return it, he found a note alongside it.

He picked it up and opened it.

[Saw you looking at it like it was your lover. (I'm not jealous or something.)

Anyway, this is the payment for the party and don't you dare think about returning it otherwise consider our relationship over.

Bella.

P.S: Don't think too much about it.]

'It wasn't threatening at all.'

Neo smiled helplessly yet warmly as he gripped the potion tightly and vowed to return the favour one day, even if he had to lose his body and soul for it.

He cleaned the apartment, stuffed the potion in his pocket and kept one hand in there to constantly know that the potion was real and that he was not dreaming.

After locking his apartment, he looked at the apartment next to his, which was Bella's, and saw it was locked. He thanked her in his heart once more before leaving the building with a sheathed sword.

After walking, or saying it running might be more appropriate, he was too excited which even he didn't know. In a short time, he arrived at the location of the dungeon, which was crowded as usual.

"Need a damage dealer, party of 4 looking for a damage dealer."

"Call for a healer."

"Good luck with that."

Such voices, along with the hawkers looking to sell their stuff, vibrated in the district. The dungeon was nothing amazing looking as it was more of a door, an iron door which was guarded by two guards who were checking the IDs of people before letting them in.

Neo looked around before proceeding toward the gate. The guards stopped him and asked for his ID, which he provided, and then asked whether he was going solo or with a group.

"Solo "

The guard looked at him, surprised and took one more look at Neo and his sword, there was nothing outstanding about him or his sword, so the guards shook his head and said, "Young man, join a party. Even if this is a novice dungeon, a slight mishap might end up bad for you."

Neo listened and nodded.

"Thank you for the advice."

He took his ID back and entered the dungeon. He knew that the guard said that for his own benefit, but he couldn't tell the guard the reason for him going solo. The guard shook his head and muttered, "One more overconfident person."

But he didn't think too much about it as he had seen a myriad of people and overconfident ones like Neo were amongst those.

...

Neo entered the dungeon and found himself in a familiar place. The walls, rough and the air, damp. The only light source was from the crack in the ceiling, which cast shadows on the rocky walls. One could hear the sounds of footsteps echoing throughout the chamber. The narrow corridors twist and turn, leading to different rooms filled with scattered debris and broken barrels. The scent of rotting wood and mold filled the nostrils. Occasional scurrying broke the silence, making him aware that he was not alone. Neo could feel the chill of the air and the existence of monsters lurking in the darkness.

But this was not his first time venturing into this dungeon, he was already used to this damp and dark place. He moved forward and arrived before the first hall, where the sound of scurrying was loud.

Neo took a deep breath and brought out the potion from his pocket. He looked at it for a while before as his mouth corners arched up, his face showing the excitement that his green eyes reflected as a light flashed in them.

"Let the game begin."