Ren wandered through the sea of people outside the SHIELD Exam Hall, feeling more like a piece of driftwood than a hero-in-training. Every time he moved, he had to dodge a broad shoulder or a swinging gear bag. The sheer scale of the crowd was suffocating.
"What the hell am I supposed to do for the next forty minutes?" he muttered, checking a nearby clock. He instinctively turned back toward where he'd left Zen, but stopped mid-step.
Wait, no, he thought, his pride flaring up. Zen was the one who suggested we go our separate ways. If I crawl back to him now, I'll never hear the end of it. He'll think I can't survive forty minutes on my own. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if he had that kind of leverage over me.
Ren let out a frustrated sigh and forced himself to keep walking aimlessly. He was trying to look busy and important, but in reality, he was just circling the same plaza.
Suddenly, his nose twitched. A rich, buttery, savory scent cut through the smell of sweat and city exhaust. It was thick and heavenly, making his stomach growl so loud he was sure the people next to him heard it.
"What is that smell?" Ren whispered, his mouth instantly watering.
He followed the scent like a man possessed until he found himself standing in front of a brightly lit food stall. Behind the glass sat a steaming plate of creamy, seasoned potatoes covered in a thick, glossy brown sauce. Ren leaned in, his face practically pressed against the glass, his eyes wide as he stared at the dish as if it were a rare treasure.
The food vendor, a man with a stained apron and sharp eyes, noticed the boy's intense gaze and walked over.
"Interested in our poteto shichū, kid?" the vendor asked, leaning on the counter.
Ren blinked, repeating the words slowly. "Poteto... shichū? Is it... actually edible?"
The vendor stared at him in pure disbelief. "Are you for real? It's mashed potatoes and savory sauce. You're telling me you've never had it?"
Ren shook his head slowly, his eyes still glued to the plate. "No. Usually, we just have bread and water. Sometimes ramen. On really lucky days, we get rice. But I've never heard of 'mass' potatoes before."
"It's pronounced mashed potatoes, not mass," the vendor corrected, though his tone shifted.
As he looked Ren up and down—noticing the worn-out clothes and the desperate look in the kid's eyes—a wicked idea began to form in the vendor's mind. Wait, this kid is totally clueless, he thought, a greedy grin spreading across his face. Normally, a serving is about 30 or 40 Zeths, but he doesn't need to know that. I could easily squeeze a hundred out of a freak like this. Besides, looking at him, he's probably some nobody from the slums. No one's going to care if I scam a few extra coins out of a poor kid.
"Tell you what, kid," the vendor said, his voice dropping into a fake, friendly tone. "Since you're a first-timer, I'll give you a 'special' deal, how about 100 zeths "
"What?" Ren asked, the word coming out flat.
The vendor didn't skip a beat, launching into his pitch with practiced ease. "Yes, mashed potatoes and sauce usually go for roughly around 200 Zeths. It's a premium dish, kid. But, since I'm feeling generous and it's your first time here, I'll only charge you 100. So, how does that sound?"
Ren's confusion didn't go away. He looked at the modest plate and then back at the man. "I don't think a plate of food would cost that much..."
The vendor cut him off instantly, waving a hand dismissively. "Just food? I see you don't understand how precious mashed potatoes truly are. Plus, it is said that eating potatoes like these would make you elite-level ready and strong. But, since you don't believe me or even want one, I'll be going then."
He made a big show of turning around, pretending to pack up his things to leave.
"Wait!" Ren stopped him, his desperation winning out. "Okay, look. I've got 50 on me right now. Would that help?"
The vendor let out a loud, sharp hiss through his teeth. "Mmm, so close. but I'm afraid you're half the money short. I guess you really don't want it."
Ren's patience snapped. He wasn't going to be toyed with. "Be patient, you asshole! I'll be back with the money!"
The vendor actually looked shocked for a second, feeling the heat of the insult. "Rude," he muttered.
Ren marched away with a heavy sigh, his boots hitting the pavement hard. "Discount, yeah right. Discount my ass," he grumbled to himself. "Now where am I gonna get 50 Zeths?"
He looked around the bustling plaza until his eyes settled on three well-dressed guys standing in a circle, talking and laughing. They were draped in jewelry that caught the morning light, shimmering with a wealth that Ren could only imagine. He was convinced by the gold on their bodies that they wouldn't miss a measly 50 Zeths.
"Those guys look like they have money," Ren whispered under his breath. "They wouldn't mind if they gave out 50 Zeths."
He walked up to them, trying to be civil at first. "Hey, excuse me..."
They completely ignored him, continuing their conversation about things Ren didn't understand.
"Hey, dickhead! I'm talking here!" Ren shouted, his temper flaring. "Want me to hit someone before you answer me?"
The three guys let out a collective sigh, rolling their eyes as they finally turned to look at him. They scanned him from head to toe with expressions of pure disgust.
"Oh, must be another beggar," one of them said, looking away.
"This one has no class," another added. "We should just give him the money he wants so he can hop away."
The third guy reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin, throwing it at Ren like he was tossing away a piece of dirt. "Here, take it. It's 100 Zeths. That should be enough for someone like you."
Ren caught the money against his chest. He unruffled his hand to see it—a 100 Zeth coin. He stared at it, then looked at the laughing teens, his blood beginning to boil.
"I wouldn't deny it, I was gonna ask you for money," Ren said, his voice low and dangerous. "But the truth still remains a fact: rich filth like yourself are the reason I don't mind being poor."
He balled up the money and threw it back at the third guy with a sudden, violent force. The coin hit him so hard he fell backward onto the ground.
"I don't need money from assholes like you!" Ren yelled. "You bastards, all of you are the same. And for your information, I'm not a beggar. I'm the guy who will shock the world and grow so fast, leveling above the elite warriors. Once I do, I'll make sure people like you get what they truly deserve!"
Ren cracked his knuckles, taking a menacing step forward. The three rich kids scrambled back, their arrogance replaced by genuine fear.
"You're crazy! Stay away from us, freak!" they yelled as they turned and ran as fast as they could.
Ren looked around and realized the entire street had stopped to watch him. He stood there, the weight of his own announcement hanging in the air. But as the people slowly went back to their day, acting like nothing happened, Ren's mood shifted. The anger faded into a tired sigh. He started to move to a different location, just wanting to be away from the stares.
"Hey, wait up!"
The voice was light and followed by a giggle. Ren turned, his confusion returning, but it was quickly replaced by a different kind of shock. Standing in front of him was a beautiful girl about his age. She had blonde hair and was holding a long, vertical bag.
"Hi. You got guts, kid," she said.
"Kid?" Ren answered back, his brow arching. "I'm pretty sure we're the same age."
She giggled again. "I mean, if you are 18, then sure." She stretched out her hand, offering 100 Zeths to him. "You wanted the money, right? And don't worry, I'm not like those guys, so try not to throw the money in my face."
Ren stared at the money, his mind racing. "Umm, why help me? Is this a trick?"
She laughed softly. "Oh no, I promise you it isn't. You see, I just admire your courage."
Ren felt a surge of pride and started to flex his well-built muscles, a smirk playing on his lips. "Is that all you admire?"
She laughed even longer this time, placing a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound. "You wish! Just take the money already. Really though, you wanted the money but didn't stand for what was wrong. I really liked that." She blushed a bit as she spoke.
Ren looked away, feeling his own cheeks turn hot and red. "Yeah, sure, if you say so. I just did what any reckless, smart, amazing guy would do."
He reached out and collected the money. As they exchanged the coin, their thumbs brushed against each other slightly.
"I'll be leaving now," she said, waving goodbye and turning to walk away.
Ren hesitated, his mind blank for a second, before he hurried to run in front of her. "You can't leave! I don't know my way around here, plus I don't know anyone here too."
She smiled at him. "Sure, me too. If you wanna get lost together, follow me then."
She started wandering through the district, and Ren fell in line by her side. "So, you're here for the exam?" he asked.
"Yeah," she replied. "The exam is like a footstep to my actual dream."
"And what's the dream?"
She hesitated for a while before finally speaking. "Umm, to be an elite warrior too... I guess."
Ren stopped and looked at her, his face full of confusion. "You guess?"
"What do you expect me to say?" she responded quickly. "It sounds weird, I know. I don't know where you get your courage from, but I'm not like you. I'm a female. No person in the top 20 has been a woman for years now. Saying that I'll be in the top 10 sounds off. My brother does think so, but i think he's just saying it to keep me from feeling down."
"So what?" Ren challenged. "You can be the first girl to be an elite warrior. That would make your title sound way cooler. Plus, if a guy like me can have the courage to bluntly scream my dreams, then you should. I mean, look at me!"
He stepped in front of her again, striking a pose. She started laughing again. "You're not that bad."
Ren let out a sigh. "Oh please, you should see my twin brother. Me 2.0. I hate him so much," he said jokingly.
She couldn't stop laughing. "Stop, stop!" she gasped, trying to catch her breath.
As her laughter faded, they stood there for a moment, silently locking eyes. Ren, trying to break the awkward silence, looked away. "Ummm, how many minutes left before the exam starts?"
She checked her smartphone. "15 minutes. We got 15 minutes to waste." She looked at the 50 Zeths still in Ren's hand. "Hey, don't mind me asking, but what do you need the money for anyways?"
"Oh, some old dude was giving me a discount on a plate of mass potatoes and sauce," Ren said.
She giggled. "Wait, you mean mashed potatoes?"
Ren smiled, feeling confident. "Yeah, that. We can eat it together. He said that whoever eats it performs as well as an elite soldier."
Her face went blank. "Wait, what?"
"Yeah," Ren continued. "A plate costs 200 Zeths, but he gave me a discount of 100 Zeths. I only had 50, so I was looking for another 50 to complete the change."
She tried to process the story, her eyes wide. "A plate of mashed potatoes and sauce for 200 Zeths? Potato shichū? Hell no! That's bullshit!"
Ren's confused face slowly turned to one of realization. "What?"
She started laughing harder than before. "You almost got scammed!"
Ren's confusion instantly turned into a dark, simmering anger. "I'm gonna march up to him and shove that plate up his ass!"
He turned to leave, but she reached out and caught his arm. "Wait, I've got a better idea."
Meanwhile, in a different part of the outskirts, Zen was still navigating the streets. He wandered with a calm purpose, but he was acutely aware of the coated figure following him from the shadows.
Zen took a sharp left turn into a corner. The clothed figure followed quickly, eager to keep him in sight. But as the stranger rounded the corner, he stopped dead. There was nothing but a massive stone wall in front of him. Zen was nowhere to be found.
"It doesn't make sense... he was right here," the figure whispered.
Suddenly, Zen dropped from the roof above, landing silently behind him. He held a broken glass bottle, the jagged edge dangerously close to the stranger.
"You have three seconds to explain why you have been following me," Zen said, his tone cold and sharp.
The clothed figure stumbled back against the wall, trapped.
"1... 2..." Zen counted, stepping closer.
The figure frantically pulled off his coat. "Wait! Stop, please! I came to talk to you. Just talk. Are you related to Kurogane Takumi?"
Zen's eyes widened. The broken bottle didn't move, but the atmosphere shifted instantly. "How do you know that name? That's my father," Zen said, his voice calm but filled with a deadly, focused intensity.