Ranobes » My Werewolf System » Chapter 661: A Strong Smell
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Chapter 661: A Strong Smell
My Werewolf System

Innu and Blake had both returned using the motorbike they had come on, while Edvard had followed on a motorcycle of his own, but it was in a chopper style rather than a sports bike like the one Blake used. It suited the sunglasses and the bright-coloured shirt he used, and unusually for an Altered hunter, he stood out quite a bit, which was usually the opposite of what Altered hunters would be like.

Somewhere along the way, they had managed to lose Edvard as well, although it wasn't on purpose. It was just one moment Blake could see him in the wing mirror, and the next he wasn't there.

When they landed in Slough, Blake had dropped Innu off at his house and invited him in while they put the bike away. In the meantime, Innu had a lot to say because there was a lot on his mind.

"What is going on? My head really hurts," Innu said, grabbing his head.

"It's the same for me as well. I'm still confused. Where did Edvard go? I mean, there are road signs to Slough and GPS. He couldn't have gotten lost, and he even said that he would be following me," Blake said. "Should I go back and try to find him? Should I report to the other hunters?"

The whole situation was stressing out Blake, who was usually calm-minded, but it was because it involved one of the most important people to the association in the country. He was imagining he would be called in any second to ask what had happened to the leader.

"What are you worried about that for? If he didn't make his way here, then that would be great!" Innu replied back. "Don't you realize, we thought it was trouble when a five-star hunter was coming to Slough, and now the leader is here.

"If he finds out about the others, what sort of trouble do you think he's going to cause!" Innu said. "I mean, what the fuck is he going to do? Just how strong is Edvard?"

Blake was so caught up in his own worries he had somewhat forgotten about the Howlers. Maybe it was a good thing that Edvard wasn't here.

"I mean... Edvard, I haven't really seen him fight or heard any stories about him, but you saw what he could do at the assessment, right? I can't imagine he's any less than the other five-star hunters.

"There's a good chance that he might be even stronger than them."

After leaving with that scary thought, Innu hoped for the best that Edvard wouldn't arrive. Little did he know that even right now, Edvard was watching them. A few rooftops away, on top of another house, Edvard was listening in to every word they said.

"It was a good thing to give them the slip earlier. Hopefully, this will give them the chance to drop their guard a little. This is already getting interesting, though. It seems that they know a few Altered... makes me wonder, what is their relation to them?"

"According to what we know, they haven't spread their influence this far yet. They might be moving more than I originally thought."

Looking at the house, Edvard could see Innu was finally leaving, and in doing so, he was on his phone sending a few messages out to the others. Since the smell that caught Edvard's interest was on Innu, he had decided to follow him rather than Blake.

With his skills, it was easy for him to blend in and follow without getting caught. Edvard was confident in his abilities.

While following Innu, he was surprised. He saw him enter an apartment building, and he was there for an hour or so. Listening in, he heard a few cries here and there. It looked like Innu really was doing as he said, saying his goodbyes.

Continuing to follow Innu, he left with the young boy as well as the woman, and they headed to an orphanage. There, he learned that Innu was funding the orphanage, at least in a way, as he asked many questions about what they needed and stated that if there was anything, they should not hesitate to contact him or this Kai person.

Once again, more tears were shed, and this time, Innu had left the building on his own.

"It's not usually my thing to eavesdrop on our fellow hunters. I have learned more than I would have liked to about this Innu. He is a good person and has a strong reason for fighting. I think he will do well to grow."

There was a part of Edvard in that moment which felt like he was doing something wrong, and he thought about leaving Innu alone. But he decided that he would tail him to just one more location, and they eventually arrived at the Wolf's Pool Club.

Standing outside, Innu didn't enter straight away and just looked at the sign above.

"What... do I say to them? What do I tell them? It was hard enough telling the others that I had to go away on a trip for a year.

"But I told them I had to leave due to something to do with the Howlers. However, what can I lie about to these guys? I can't think of anything, and Kai, he's so smart. I feel like if I don't just go out there and tell the truth, then he's going to know something is up.

"I mean, these guys, they don't treat Blake like crap, and if I explain myself, it will be all okay, right?"

Taking in another deep breath, Innu finally entered the Wolf's Pool Club.

"Hey... guys," Innu said to all the faces staring back at him.

Back outside the Wolf's Pool Club, standing on the pathway on the opposite side, Edvard's eyes were glowing.

"This place... it stinks."

******

****

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My Werewolf System
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Comments 11

  1. Offline
    ROLAND MIST
    ROLAND MIST
    + 3 ⋅ 0 -
    This is very nice. Encore.
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  2. Offline
    Pro100zver25
    Pro100zver25
    + 17 ⋅ 0 -
    Chapter—681:
    Moving Forward.

    Every meeting the Howlers had so far, had all been called by Kai. He was somewhat the strategist of the group and whenever he called the others over it was always to discuss something, but this time, a meeting had been called at the Wolf's Pool club and that meeting was called by Gary himself.

    Of course, not a single person was against it, but they were all quite surprised, and wondered what he had to say. A short while later, and everyone had promptly arrived at the Wolf's Pool club.

    He told the others to sit while he remained standing looking at them all. It made the others a little nervous as to why this meeting was called.

    - I wanted to ask everyone, what were their plans for the next couple of weeks? - Gary asked seemingly out of the blue.

    They looked at each other and Marie was the first to speak.

    - Me and Olivia were just planning to continue our training. We increased the intensity ever since our last encounter. We… don't want anything like that to happen again.

    Austin sat back relaxed in his seat.

    - I have no plans.

    - There are a few meetings here and there, but actually the next Dark Guild location has been released, and I was planning to attend it. We were going to get as much Altered DNA as we can.

    - We believe that most of those that are loyal to us have been selected.

    This was an important project for the Howlers, and after hearing what happened last time, Gary was a little concerned that they might run into trouble this time.

    - Are you sure everything is going to be alright? Won't a lot of the tier 2 gangs and tier 1's have their eyes on us? - Marie asked.

    - We don't have to worry too much about that. - Kai replied.

    - The plan is to purchase the Altered DNA through Ash. The reason why I want us to go is two fold. The first is to show that we Howlers aren't afraid.

    - If we don't turn up, there might be those that think they can mess with us. Thankfully Midwak has done a good job deterring any attackers. Second, we will be going to protect the Ashen Gang.

    - If they buy a lot of Altered DNA, they are sure to be targeted by some sort of group, and who knows maybe the Altered Hunters will appear again, although I doubt that based on what I already know from Innu.

    Hearing what Kai had to say, Gary looked a little down.

    - What's the problem? - Kai asked.

    - It's just that… it's nearly been a month since Midwak joined us. - Gary stated.

    - I'll be honest with you all. The way I am now, if Midwak is able to attack me during the day, then I'm not sure I would be able to beat him.

    - But, I thought he couldn't leave the city due to the pack rules? - Austin asked.

    - That's true, but I'm not sure what will happen on the day he can challenge for his position. If none of the pack rules apply to him that day, even if he is unable to find me, it means he can leave the city and who knows what he'll try to do to get my attention.

    Midwak was certainly a double edged sword to have around.

    - My original plan was getting stronger through the AFC. I was going to take as many fights as possible, but it would take too long to reach the fights that would really make me improve and then there are all the risks associated with it. - Gary explained.

    - I see. - Kai snapped his fingers.

    - You called us all over because you had come up with some idea to get stronger, but it seems like the Dark Guild auction has conflicted with that.

    Kai placed his finger on his chin while looking around the room.

    - There's no need for you to be at the auction. I'm sure your presence might even ruffle some feathers. If someone tries to demask you and finds out who you are, it would cause a bigger mess.

    - Only now have some of the reporters decided to finally head home. I will take Olivia and Marie, the two of them will be enough support and strong enough.

    Gary wasn't too sure about that, but in the first place, the Auction houses weren't meant to be dangerous places. The Dark Guild themselves were strong, and would stop any conflict happening on their grounds.

    The bigger cities were unlikely to act and risk souring the relationship with the Dark Guild. Outside partnering up with an Altered DNA company like NIRV, the Dark Guild was most's best bet for Altered DNA.

    - So… what did you have in mind? - Kai asked.

    - When we spoke to Midwak, he had mentioned something to us. Something he used to do on the night of the full moon. - Gary explained, and there were worried faces around the room, because they remembered exactly what Midwak said.

    - I've heard there's been a lot of cases of Crazed Altered in the lower tier cities. I want to go to the tier 5, 4 and 3. Make the places better for the people, and while there, get stronger, strong enough to defeat Midwak, and anyone else who gets in our way in the future.

    There was another thought in the back of Gary's mind. There was also a possibility the reason they were struggling to find their father so much was because he was in the depths of the lower tiers.
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    1. Offline
      Oluwatoyise
      Oluwatoyise
      + 2 ⋅ 0 -
      Time to get stronger kiaa let eat some altered
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  3. Offline
    Pro100zver25
    Pro100zver25
    + 14 ⋅ 0 -
    Chapter—678:
    Sibling Bond. (Part 1)

    As Kai had expected the reporters had managed to gather quite a bit of information on Gary. First, it was the fact that his sponsor was the Howlers. Research into the Howlers had come out, and information about them being a gang was broadcasted.

    Internet articles, TV reports and more. With this, rumours came about claiming that Gary might have been forced to leave the AFC, in order to help out the gang more. However, more information started to come about.

    Those that lived in Slough started to write about how much better life has been since the Howlers had taken over. This seemed bizarre to those from the outside. How could a gang make them feel safer, it just made no sense.

    Soon, it was revealed that Gary Dem was also a person that worked with the Howlers to invest heavily in the town of Slough. Using his money for improvements in multiple areas. He had multiple projects he was running at the same time.

    A lot started to think this was the reason why Gary had left, because he wished to help the people of his hometown. For the general public, this had divided opinion. That the money that had been used was dirty money.

    While others believed it was still improving the lives of others and there was no proof that Gary's money was dirty money.

    All of this led to many of the reporters coming to Slough, wanting to ask the Howlers and Gary questions, questions the public wanted answering.

    That evening, when it was a bit quieter outside, Gary left the building and quickly entered a vehicle with the usual driver, Tyler.

    - It's been pretty crazy since the last time we met, huh? - Tyler said with a nervous smile.

    - You're telling me, even at this time. They've been camping outside of the apartment block. It's a good thing that the staff kicked them out. - Gary replied.

    - It's not just you either. They've been questioning nearly everyone in Slough to try and find out about you, even me. This is crazy!

    Gary certainly did find it crazy, he was just a simple rookie, so why did they care so much? It was simple, the afterfight of Gary defeating Haze had spread around more than the fight itself.

    It was clear to everyone that Gary was special, and just like Eddie they all had this feeling, that this was an Altered that deserved to be and should be in the AFC.

    Eventually, they had reached the Wolf's Pool club which had been closed and both Tyler and Gary headed inside. It was one of the few places that had next to no reporters. It seemed that Kai's thinking of making the base of operations something not too flashy was a good idea, as no reporter ever expected Gary or the Howlers meeting place to be here.

    - Welcome back, it seems like you were here only yesterday, but a lot of things have happened. - Kai said, putting his arm around Gary's shoulder and walking him in.

    - Anyway, what did you think about your gifts?

    In the room were Austin, Marie, Miss Degrace, Olivia and Tyler. It was the core members of the group and they all had a lot to talk about to each other.

    Kai had been keeping Gary out of the loop, mainly because he wanted him to focus on his own fight. Which was why two pieces of information had not been delivered to him yet. One of them being about Innu, leaving them for the time being to join the Altered Hunters.

    Gary of course was surprised and he felt a little hurt inside. Wondering why Innu never told him how he felt. He was one of the first to join the group and thought they were close enough to share these feelings he had.

    - I wouldn't take it to heart too much. He didn't tell any of us, and we understood him. All of us felt the same way, heck Marie felt that way so much that she got turned into a Werewolf without telling you.

    Marie was embarrassed by this comment and looked away.

    - Anyway, for him, you might be the hardest one for him to talk to, because he thinks so much of you. He probably couldn't stand to see the look on your face.

    After thinking about it a bit more, since Gary understood the reasons behind it, and thought how Blake was still quite neutral with the group. He thought it would all turn out well in the end.

    It was just a shame that he wouldn't be able to visit Innu wherever he was. With the way he was, visiting them would be one of the most dangerous things in the world.

    - There's more that I need to tell you as well…

    Another fact that they had hidden from Gary, was that Marie and Olivia had run into what possibly could have been a vampire. From Innu they had learned that it was one of the heads of the Altered Hunters Association, but that didn't make it better, it just made the situation worse in Gary's mind.

    There and then Gary asked if Marie and Olivia were alright, to which they said they were fine, and they haven't run into him or anyone like him since. It had been a while, so they would consider it a matter resolved.

    Kai claimed the best thing to do was to talk with Midwak, but after meeting him recently they didn't want to visit him again so soon.

    - I… I can't believe it. It really was the right thing to do in the end, to leave the AFC. - Gary said.

    The rest went quiet, because they knew how much Gary loved the AFC. Even when he was around them in the club he would watch the matches, always keeping up with the latest news.

    - I knew you would come around. - Kai replied.

    - You're smarter than you look with your green hair, you always have been. When push comes to shove you make the right decision as leader.

    - You are the perfect leader, I could see that from day one with you, and that's because you claim responsibility for those you get involved with. You never run away from anything and see it through to the end.

    - I… wanted you to enjoy the AFC though, I wanted you to live your life a bit, but that's also when I thought you would eventually realize.

    It was always amazing how Kai was able to see these things, and Gary wouldn't want anyone else by his side, but the talk about taking responsibility, it did make him think of one thing.

    There was someone in his life that he had kept distant for a while, but it perhaps wasn't the right thing to do. Especially with the information he was learning. It was time, he spoke to Amy.
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      Pro100zver25
      Pro100zver25
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      Chapter—679:
      Sibling Bond. (Part 2)

      The main group spent most of the night together, and Gary was starting to see a friendlier side to Olivia. The fact that a few months had gone past and she hadn't bothered to challenge him was also a good sign.

      There was a thought in him that maybe she was trying to use Marie, but based on their interactions and what had happened when they met the vampire that day, Gary no longer felt like that.

      The group went on to talk about general things and Gary's time in the AFA, and of course the subject of vampires was brought up a lot. Each of them wondered how their strength compared to the mythical beasts.

      If the head of the Altered Hunters Association was anything to go by, then they certainly were stronger. However, Kai had a feeling that Edvard might be a special case.

      - Ah, if Tom was here he would have loved to have heard this conversation, he was always into things like this. - Gary stated.

      Tom was also another that Gary had no time to catch up with, due to his own job at NIRV. Still, it was good out of all places that he was still able to meet up with him at the AFA.

      In the future, he was sure they would be able to catch up again.

      The day had come to an end, with Kai telling Gary that he should continue in pursuit of his driver's licence and rest for a few more days. There wasn't a lot for him to do at the Howlers anyway.

      Only paperwork stuff that he wanted to update him on, but it wasn't urgent nor was it completely important that Gary knew these things, especially if he had Kai, but that's when Kai had mentioned something strange.

      - Gary… there might be a day when I disappear, or maybe I get killed. If that happens, you should at least know the state of your own gang.

      It made Gary think, was Kai thinking of leaving the group, was he worried for his life for some reason. Maybe it was just because he had nearly lost his life to Midwak, that he felt this way.

      Without Kai, Gary couldn't think of continuing to run the group. Regardless, he decided to listen to Kai and learn about the gang more.

      After resting at home, the next day, Gary got dressed wearing a hoodie and his face mask. It reminded him a lot of the days when he used to try and hide from the Underdogs. The good thing was he had experience in doing so.

      On top of that, now with his super hearing and sense of smell he could tell if there were those around the corner.

      It was extremely important for this, that he didn't get seen, this was something that Kai had managed to keep a big secret, and from getting out to the public.

      The sound of beeping and coughing was heard from all over. The sound of crying could be heard in the distance as well.

      Gary stood in front of a door, looking at it, before he slid it open. His face dropped to a gentle expression.

      - It looks like your still sleeping mum. - Gary said, entering the room.

      All of the equipment showed that his mother was stable. Her heart rate, her skin and even her body. She didn't look so frail as she did before as she was taking in the nutrients provided through the IV and such well.

      Taking a seat Gary sat by her side and started talking away. He mentioned everything that he had gone through at the AFA.

      - I managed to make some pretty good friends there as well. - Gary explained.

      - I think if you met them you would think they were great. Especially Izzy, she's a bit too smart and notices things straight away.

      - I bet if it was her… if it was her, she would have already figured out who it was that put you in this mess. - Gary clenched his fist as he allowed a tear to drop from his face, creating a dark patch on his trousers.

      Gary was embarrassed that he still had no leads as to who had attacked his mother. He had been so busy with other things, and now it was simply too late to try and get any type of clue.

      Too much time had passed, and they already asked everyone they thought would have seen something but no one said anything.

      - I have a feeling that you won't wake up… that you won't wake up until I find the people that have done this to you. When I do, I will drag them here, and make them apologize right in front of you… then I'll make them suffer the same way you did.

      Without knowing it, Gary's eyes had changed shape and colour slightly.

      There was a polite knock on the door, and before anyone answered the door slid open. Footsteps were heard walking right up to Gary's side until a hand was felt on his shoulder.

      - She looks really peaceful, huh. - Amy said.

      - I can only imagine, she must be having a long sleep finally. Now that she no longer has to work and look after us two, she can finally sleep.

      Amy's words were clearly words of comfort, but she had no idea how Gary felt. For some reason, being involved in all of this gang mess, he felt like he was to blame for some of this.

      There was a reason why Gary had asked Amy to meet him here, it was to remind him for something like this not to happen again, and the best way was some honesty.

      - Amy, I'm sure you have heard a lot of things about me lately, and I want to speak to you.

      Amy sat down in the chair next to him, turning it so she was faced toward Gary.

      - Is this about why you left the AFC?

      Gary nodded.

      - Yes… and there's a lot more I need to tell you.
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        Pro100zver25
        Pro100zver25
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        Chapter—680:
        Sibling Bond. (Part 3)

        There were a number of times where Gary wished to tell his sister the truth. The two of them, although maybe not as close with each other as best friends were, were still quite close as a family.

        Both of them had gone through a lot, with their father leaving them, and sharing a room together. They hardly ever complained about it, because they always knew their mother was trying her best, so in their own way they would constantly help each other out.

        No matter what situation the other was in, they both knew that they would try their damned hardest to help the other, and Gary had done so on a particular occasion. Although he had at times told parts, he had never explained the whole thing, leaving her to fill in her own gaps.

        Now he had summoned up the will to tell her the truth, and that included finding out what he really was.

        - Amy… there is a lot I need to tell you, and for all of it to make sense, I should start at the beginning. Over the summer school holidays, in order to help the family out, I decided to take a job…

        Gary went on, to explain his transporter job for the Underdogs, and what had happened to him with the mysterious package. As he told the story, Amy was holding up her hand by her mouth, she let out large gasps and even a few tears dropped by the side of her face.

        She could only imagine the struggles that Gary had gone through, not just him but with all the others by his side as well. As he told each story in detail, Amy was starting to understand why everyone was so close, and how they had managed to build such a large empire.

        The hardest parts for Gary to talk about, was him being a Werewolf, he didn't go into much deep detail but did inform her that it wasn't like an Altered as she thought. However, in the story the biggest shock wasn't that Gary was a Werewolf.

        No, it was the fact that Gary stated he was the actual leader of the Howlers. Amy started to think, everything in Slough that the Howlers owned, all the reports she read about them, all of that was Gary.

        It was starting to make sense, how she had a luxurious apartment. Why it felt like she was almost always being looked out for while in the town.

        At the same time, why would a gang do such a thing? Thinking about it all, the two sat in silence for a bit to let her take it all in. In the end a large smile appeared on her face.

        - Seriously, only my brother, would be bold headed enough to make such a change in this town. He did all of that.

        The image of the bloody clothes appeared in her head. She remembered back in the karaoke place with her friend. She always wondered what might have happened to certain people. She wanted to ask, but decided against it.

        The last thing she wanted to do was make Gary feel guilty for simply helping her out when she was in trouble.

        - There is a reason why I decided to tell you everything. - Gary said taking a big gulp.

        - Because, for one, due to you being related to me. There is a chance that you might be thrown into all of this.

        - I'm sure there have already been some reporters that might have nagged you, asking you questions about me. But, when I say being dragged into this, I'm not talking about the business with the Howlers, but all of this Werewolf stuff.

        Amy leaned back in her seat, surprised to hear this, was there something about Werewolves that would affect her as well.

        - I… I only found out about this recently, and it's quite confusing how but it seems that I might have not become a Werewolf from that package that day. - Gary explained.

        - There is a chance that in our bloodline, I already had Werewolf blood in me, and if that's the case, there is a good chance that you do as well.

        Amy felt her heart beat louder for a second.

        - Of course, nothing has happened to you yet, so I don't think anything will happen anytime soon. - Gary continued.

        - But there is a chance. I'm looking for dad, I'm hoping that he will have some answers about this, but if you do notice anything weird, or anything at all, I want you to contact me straight away. I've dealt with all of this now, so I can help you.

        Her hands started to shake. She realised that after hearing Gary's story, if she had to go through what he had to, would she be able to handle it? The thing was, what Gary had done, for the most part he was alone.

        He only later had Tom by his side and the others to help him. Soon, she started to feel comfort that Gary would be there as well.

        - You're a good brother Gary. - Amy said.

        - You're a good sister. - Gary replied.

        The two of them stayed there looking over at their mother for a while, talking about useless things.

        - So… what do you eat as a Werewolf? - Amy asked.

        —— —— ——

        Another day had passed, and Gary continued to take his driving lessons. He was a quick learner, and the instructor had his suspicions that Gary might be an Altered. Apparently Altered learned a lot faster compared to regular humans.

        Reflexes with enhanced memory and senses. It just made driving almost second nature, especially since his car was an electric one, there wasn't much for him to learn. So he had decided to take his test and manage to pass. With that, the rest of the day was free.

        - I know Kai wanted me to relax a bit more, but I've done enough relaxing, and I don't have that much longer… until I have to face Midwak again.
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    Chapter—674:
    …

    The room was filled with journalists, bloggers, and the press. Each of them with their devices ready to capture every moment that was to be said. There was big news to be displayed and things to talk about.

    Gary had taken a seat on a stage with a table in front of him. By his side was Eddie. There were two microphones in front of him. On the other table, there was meant to be Haze and his coach, but only his coach was sitting at his table for obvious reasons.

    Standing in the centre, though, was a bald-headed man in a bright white suit. It was shining like a wedding dress and wasn't something one would typically wear to these types of conferences.

    This man was Buzz Tole. He was one of the PR managers for the AFC, and he was known for always standing out with his bright white suit.

    - Everyone, before this press conference begins, I have to warn you that you are to stick to questions regarding the fighters themselves, the actual fight itself, and not what occurred after the fight. - Buzz announced.

    This was pretty standard procedure when a case like this occurred. Crazed Altered in the ring did happen; it was bound to happen when one person was pushed to their limits, but the AFC was practically the selling point of why everyone should try and become an Altered.

    They had to keep up a good image of Altereds and didn't want anything getting out to the public that would ruin that image.

    After Buzz sat down, nearly every reporter's hand in the room was raised, and it was Eddie's job to select whose questions to answer. There was one, though, one that didn't have their hand up, and that was Clem. Her notepad was laid there on her lap, and she didn't particularly look happy.

    Eddie had decided to pick one at random, a scruffy-haired man with glasses.

    - Congratulations on your win, Gary Dem. It was a great victory tonight, and you had managed to defeat Haze, one of the top students from Bruisers Academy, without even the need to transform into your Altered state!

    - I wanted to ask if this was part of your plan, as a way to impress those who watch you tonight? I'm sure there are a lot of clubs looking out for you and I'm wondering which one are you going to join?

    It was a standard question for any fighter making their debut. From here, they would join a top club that focused on training the best Altereds for the AFC. Some would even have one in mind, wishing to follow their stars.

    On top of that, it was the usual style for AFA students to fight their debut match without having to transform. The thing was, due to who Gary's opponent was, no one would have blamed him if he had transformed, and yet he still hadn't.

    Before answering the question, Gary looked straight ahead and cleared his throat, hardening his resolve as he brought his mouth closer to the mic.

    - I know many of you have questions for me. - Gary stated.

    - But I want to be fair and not waste anyone's time. That's why I have an announcement to make before you ask me any more questions.

    The reporters looked at each other, and even Eddie appeared confused as he shrugged his shoulders toward them.

    - I have decided that the best thing for me to do is to take a hiatus from the AFC. - Gary said.

    The reporters immediately started taking photos, murmuring, and jotting down notes. This was huge news. The rookie with a large amount of potential had suddenly announced a hiatus.

    This wasn't just a break; a hiatus essentially meant that Gary didn't know when he would return, and there was a chance he might never come back.

    - I'm sure you all might be wondering why. - Gary contined.

    - I have to say that it was a tough decision to make, and I can't give you the full details. All I can say is that I believe it's unfair to the rest of the fighters in the AFC.

    - In the AFC, there are fighters who do everything they can to train and be at the very top. It's their sole focus, their whole life. But for me, right now, it's unable to be. That's why I made this announcement.

    What Gary said was true. He had thought about fighters like Xin who were giving their all for the AFC. But for him, he had other things to focus on. The only part he didn't tell the reporters were the other reasons behind his decision.

    For one, being broadcasted live as he fought tougher opponents would eventually require him to transform into his Altered state, at least if he wanted to fight at his very best.

    With vampires and werewolves after him, it wasn't the best course of action. It would put a clear target on his back.

    Then there was also the gang. The Howlers were going through a tough phase, and as their leader, how could he be out here pursuing these things? With all these thoughts, he had eventually come to a decision.

    Gary looked at Clem once more and pulled the mic close to his mouth, ready to speak again.

    - From a young age, it has always been a dream of mine to enter the AFC. I never thought it would happen, but suddenly, here I am. Honestly, I think I made the decision to leave the AFC a while ago. I didn't think it was fair for me to take another student's place. But because I had this dream, this dream of joining the AFC, I wanted to live it, even if it was only for a short moment. I wanted to experience that dream, and I have done that today. I'm sorry, everyone, for being selfish.

    Gary stood up, deciding not to answer any more questions, and started to walk away. As he did, he grabbed his phone and sent off a text.

    - I'm coming back.
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    1. Offline
      Pro100zver25
      Pro100zver25
      + 14 ⋅ 0 -
      Chapter—675:
      Creating A Legacy.

      The reporters were left confused talking amongst each other. They had already had ideas in their minds as to what the next article would be, and they felt like they could continue to follow Gary for a while hyping him up as the next big thing.

      However, this news was even bigger, and soon they would pop up with questions, such as why had Gary decided to no longer be part of the AFA? It led to questions such as, just who was Gary Dem and what about his past?

      At the moment, everyone was in research mode, and they were looking at one in particular for answers.

      Buzz was breaking out in a sweat at all the questions that were thrown at him.

      - Everyone should know that we don't force our contestants to participate. Everyone has their own lives, and we should respect the decision of Gary Dem.

      Although Buzz was saying all of this, the questions continued to be hurled at him. At the end of the day this was his job but he couldn't help but feel slight anger at the AFA.

      - A little heads up would have been nice, there's a reason why we need to talk about these things. If you think the AFC is something that you can just join and leave when you want, then you have a lot to learn.

      Behind the stage, Gary was walking through the back area, a secret exit where reporters weren't allowed. It would allow the contestants to safely leave the area. Gary was only a couple of steps from the oval spinning door when someone called out to him.

      - Gary wait! - Eddie said with his hands on his knees.

      He was out of breath, but not because he was tired, it was more from the shock of everything going on that he was forgetting to breathe.

      - I had no idea this was what you were planning to do. Are you sure this is what you really want? After everything you went through in the AFA, to get here and just leave like this!

      Gary didn't give an answer straight away, he was trying to find the words for Eddie.

      - I really thought that you were someone who could leave a legacy behind. Someone who could shake up the AFC, to see you go like this, it would be a waste!

      - There are other talented students in the AFC from the AFA other than me. Take Xin for example. She is someone who is a lot more deserving of all of this attention than me. If you want to build a legacy through the AFC, then I think someone like her would be better.

      Gary turned around heading to the door again. Eddie knew Xin was great, she was one of his pupils as well, but there was something different about the two of them. Whenever Eddie looked at Gary there was this strong drive behind his eyes.

      There was a lot of weight behind the reason as to why he needed to get stronger. Everyone had their reasons for climbing the ranks in the AFC, and when looking at Gary he had never seen such heavy shoulders.

      It was as if the weight of the whole world was on them, and he continued to strive forward. Some would buckle under that kind of pressure, yet he didn't. Even if Eddie stopped teaching him, he knew that Gary was the type of person to get stronger on his own.

      In his eyes, he was the one, the one that could possibly reach the top.

      - Can you at least tell me? - Eddie asked.

      - Can you at least tell me why you are leaving the AFC, I know there is a reason why you won't tell the world, but can you at least give me an answer.

      Gary didn't turn around as he gave a reply.

      - The AFA, I believe the contract states after my debut match, I'm no longer with them and I'm free to go wherever I want, right?

      - Yes. - Eddie answered.

      - So that would mean you no longer have a connection with me. - Gary said, turning his head, and a big smile was seen.

      - That's good, because I like you Eddie. You not having a connection with me is for the best.

      - The reason I'm leaving is because I want to look after those I care about. To stop them from getting hurt again. I got involved in all of this, and I can't just ignore my position. I know my actions, what I do, all of it can have a ripple effect.

      - I was the one that got involved, and I know I have a responsibility to look after it all. I can't just do what I want. I have people that rely on me.

      The words Gary spoke, Eddie felt like they weren't words coming from a teenager.

      There were multiple times when Eddie kept a close eye on Gary, he felt like he was a hot headed kid. Doing what he wanted, but just then, he sounded mature beyond his age.

      - Just what did that kid go through? - Eddie thought.

      Gary left through the revolving doors, and Eddie continued to follow him, he wanted to see him off, as he left the large arena. On the driveway leading up to the back entrance, he could see a large limo-like car, and standing by it was a young adult.

      - Here's your jacket, boss! - Tyler said, placing it over Gary's shoulders.

      It was the black and gold uniform, now over the AFA uniform.

      Tyler opened the door for him, letting him head inside and Tyler looked up at Eddie, before entering himself and driving off.

      - Gary… who are you? - Eddie thought.

      Thinking that, just maybe, Gary was still going to make his own legacy, just not in the AFC.
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      1. Offline
        Pro100zver25
        Pro100zver25
        + 14 ⋅ 1 -
        Chapter—676:
        A Special Gift. (Part 1)

        The surprise party for Gary had been cancelled. After what happened, when he returned to Slough, the others assumed that he would want to rest most of all. He had arrived at the apartment building block in Cipen.

        It was in the upscale end of Slough, and the block of apartments he was staying at was where his sister, White, and Crawley were staying. Before driving off and leaving Gary be, Tyler handed over two sets of keys.

        - What's this for? - Gary asked.

        - Kai told me to hand them off to you. - Tyler answered.

        - One is your apartment. It's on the top floor, you have the entire floor to yourself. It's been renovated with some funds. He tried his best to decorate it for you, and try to make it feel like home.

        It was strange to hear those words, for a while now Gary felt like he didn't have a home. There was still the apartment block he lived in with his mother, but it was quite clear why he could no longer live there.

        The security was lax and Gary had become a big name in Slough and out of it as well. Although the staff were annoying at this place, they did try and make sure only those that lived there as well as guests were allowed inside.

        Still, Gary had been moving so much since his time at the AFA, that he didn't really have a place to call home, and he didn't want to disturb Amy, especially since she was settling in with White.

        Finally, this place was somewhere he would stay for a while. The good thing was, it was the same building as Amy, so if she ever did need him for something it wouldn't be too hard for him to help. Although, he didn't know how he felt about Kai decorating the place.

        - And the other key? - Gary asked.

        - That is your vehicle. You're 17 now and don't really have any excuses not to learn to drive. There will be times where I'm too busy, and I can't drive you somewhere but you need to get there.

        - So, of course, you need your own car. It's locked at the moment in the underground parking lot.

        With those things done, Tyler went off, leaving Gary to run his finger over the key. Even the keychain looked fancy as it was dressed in black and gold, the gang's colours.

        - This feels a bit too fancy… - Gary thought.

        Before heading up to his room, he thought it was best to check out the car first. When he entered the lobby, immediately there were a few people that recognized Gary. They started to point and whisper about him, and through his hearing he could hear it all.

        - Hey, it's the AFC fighter! Did you see his match?

        - That's Gary, so he's back in Slough now?

        - Did you hear the news about what happened at the press conference, apparently he quit the AFC.

        The onlookers were just excited more than anything else, so Gary decided not to pay them any attention. When he went up to the desk, immediately one of the workers in the suit came out.

        - How may I be of service to you Gary Dem. - The man said.

        It felt strange to Gary, that someone he had never met before would know his name, but it was something he had to get used to.

        - It's no problem, I was just going to head down to the parking lot, and then up to my room. - Gary answered and carried on.

        The treatment he was receiving from strangers was vastly different now compared to before. He was starting to think that it might be better if he wore a disguise. His every move would be followed and there were a lot of secrets that Gary wanted to keep.

        Right now, he was still wearing the golden and black over coat. Tyler explained that it would be fine because in the first place when Gary had entered the AFC he had done so under the guise that he was being supported by the Howlers.

        Although no one really knew who the Howlers were, they would soon know as they looked into Gary a bit more, and the Howlers themselves were growing.

        Seeing him in the uniform would give people the impression of two things. One that Gary Dem was under the protection of the Howlers so it was best not to mess with him. Two, that the Howler's themselves must not be so bad.

        It was only a matter of time until everyone figured out that Gary Dem the business Tycoon, the AFA Star, and the Howlers were all linked as many of the deals done had these things involved.

        Just because Gary wore the uniform wouldn't make them think he was a gang member, and even if they did, they would never think he was the leader, just someone like Austin who worked for the gang.

        Eventually, he had reached the parking lot, and wondered how long it would take him to find the car. There weren't really any instructions for where it was placed, but it didn't take long for Gary to spot it at all.

        - Don't tell me... this is the car? - Gary said, as he got closer to it.

        It was a sports car, a car that was relatively low close to the floor, and it was gold in colour as well. It was one of the new electric Torche Baycan's that could go 0-60 in under two seconds.

        - How the hell am I meant to drive something like this around without people noticing me. - Gary thought.

        Pressing the button on the key, a small beep was made as the car unlocked. He was right, the car was his.
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        1. Offline
          Pro100zver25
          Pro100zver25
          + 16 ⋅ 0 -
          Chapter—677:
          A Special Gift. (Part 2)

          Gary never had an appreciation for cars, he was too poor to even dream about owning anything luxurious. When he was younger he thought that as long as he got anything that would help him get from A to B, then it would be fine.

          Although he knew nothing about cars, he could tell that this was expensive. He hardly saw any of these on the road in the first place, let alone a gold one.

          - If people see me come out of this thing, then everyone in the town is going to know where I am! - Gary thought.

          Heading towards the door, he opened it, and the lights and multiple screens inside the car turned on. Looking down on the floor he could even see the logo of the car projected outward.

          He took a seat in the car, and after closing the door, the seat he was in started to massage his back. While he looked at all of the welcome screens.

          - This is all a bit too much. Gary thought, but he didn't realize it. He had a big smile on his face. Anyone would, sitting in a vehicle like this, it was just surreal to him.

          Looking at the passenger seat, there was a small envelope on the side. Picking it up he tore it open and could see it was a message from Kai.

          - I never got to get you a gift for your 17th birthday and thought this was perfect since now you are of legal age to drive. So, why don't you go ahead and take one of those intensive courses, pass, and take her out for a spin!

          - You might be wondering why I got you this type of car, and well, Gary the business tycoon can't just be driving around in anything. You need to fit the part and the image. Don't worry when you need to go somewhere more discreet, then Tyler can still pick you up.

          Gary just couldn't stop shaking his head, he could even see in the head rest that the name Gary Dem was stitched into them. Since it was personalized to him, and Kai had gone through so much effort, then that meant it was impossible to return it, right?

          - I should at least enjoy this luxury, let's just not think about how much this costs for once.

          For the first time, it felt like Gary was going against his morals of spending money. The penny pincher gave his seal of approval.

          Leaving the car, with such a big surprise of the car, Gary didn't expect much of the apartment. He went in, and there was a small tag on the key. This allowed him to select the very top floor.

          Without the key, or tag, then no one could press the button to the top floor. As soon as the elevator opened, that was it, Gary was straight there in his apartment.

          It opened up into a large combination area. The end of the wall in front of him felt like it was at least 30 metres till the other end. To his right, a top of the range kitchen with an island and multiple appliances, and to his right a large living area.

          The ceiling was incredibly high with multiple chandeliers dangling from above. Then there was a hallway to countless different rooms. It took a while for Gary to explore the place, but it had its own gym, swimming pool, sauna and every room was completely furnished.

          - This is somewhere that 30 people should live in, not just one… it's a good thing I'm an altered, otherwise my legs would hurt just getting out of the place.

          The good thing was, it did have everything Gary ever needed, he never had to leave the place and the elevator went straight to his room.

          There were some things that Gary didn't like. He felt like the naked statues of people placed everywhere was a bit strange, and when looking at his cutlery it was covered in jewels. It felt wrong to even eat using them.

          - I guess these are the little add ons of decoration that Kai tried adding on.

          Looking through the multiple rooms, there was one place where all of his and his mother's belongings were stored. Everything out of the old house, including the furniture. Although it was tacky, Gary was happy that Kai kept these things. The smell of everything was very familiar and it slightly smelled like home.

          Another thing that Kai had done, was get all of the mail rerouted to this address, anything that was sent to the old address would be sent here instead. This way if anyone did try to contact him, there was no need for him to leave the house, but he would still check out the house once in a while.

          Over the next couple of day's Gary rested, and did as Kai suggested. He took an intensive course where they tried to teach you how to drive in a few days. Heading out, he needed to wear a disguise, and when he met with others he would wear a face mask to hide the bottom of his face.

          Another thing that he noticed in Slough was an influx of reporters and journalists. All of them asking the citizens of slough what they thought about Gary, trying to make the next hit piece.

          He had even gotten a text from Ash, asking if they could do a piece on him, which he had to decline in the end.

          Eventually though, Kai felt like Gary had enough rest on his own, and sent out a text.

          - Everyone's waiting for you, at the pool club. - Kai sent.
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  5. Offline
    zvxayr
    zvxayr
    + 15 ⋅ 1 -
    A strong smell of mass release
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