The two left the house somewhat puzzled by Adia’s last comment, but in the end, they had made the decision themselves, and therefore, they had to fulfill what was asked of them.
“Well, a deal’s a deal,” they said in unison, with a mix of resignation and determination.Another concern that weighed on them was why, now that Aiden was about to reach level four, his progress was advancing so slowly.
“I wonder if things will be like this from now on,” Aiden commented, frowning as they walked.Reia intervened then, explaining that she didn’t have a clear answer either. However, on the screen that only Podbe could see (and which Reia described in detail to Aiden), it indicated that one hundred experience points were needed to level up. The three fell silent, deep in thought, but since they still didn’t have an answer to this great mystery, they decided to set it aside for the moment and focus on finding the delivery points.
“I can’t see anything,” Aiden murmured, squinting as he tried to make out anything in the darkness. “Maybe Podbe, with his sense of smell, can guide us, but I doubt it because he wouldn’t know where to go. Everything is darker than the night itself, and all I see are trees. The houses turn off their lights at night, from what I can tell.”
Luckily for them, Reia asked them to show her the paper Adia had given them. She scanned it quickly and announced:
“Alright, I’ve got the locations we need to go to.”“Sometimes you’re useful,” Podbe remarked with a teasing smile.
Reia, pretending to be annoyed, gave him a couple of playful taps on the head.
“Stop fooling around, we need to finish quickly. Look at the time,” Aiden reminded them, pulling a pocket watch from his bag.“Yes, it’s seven in the evening, and the locations aren’t exactly closed, so let’s hurry up and finish. At least I want to get some sleep,” the boy said, raising his voice slightly with impatience.
The first location was fifty meters from where they stood. They began walking, and after covering that distance, they arrived in front of a very old house that seemed on the verge of collapsing due to its dilapidated state. They knocked three times on the door, and after a few seconds of silence, an elderly woman with tousled hair appeared. Her voice rang out sharp and threatening as she asked:
“Who are you, and what do you want at this hour of the night?”Aiden swallowed hard before responding:
“We’ve come to deliver your package on behalf of Adia.”The elderly woman lowered her tone slightly, though her gaze remained piercing.
“Well, what are you waiting for, boy? Give me the package.”Aiden, stuttering a little, handed over the package. The woman slammed the door shut, leaving them standing there. They slowly backed away until they reached a nearby tree, where they finally stopped to catch their breath.
“What happened, Aiden? I thought you weren’t afraid?” Podbe teased with a mischievous laugh.
“But don’t act so brave yourself, because you were scared too,” Reia retorted with a sly smile.
“It’s just that the presence of that old woman seemed like something out of a horror movie we watched secretly at the orphanage,” Aiden commented, still trembling slightly.
“I only had to smell her scent,” Podbe said, trying to downplay the situation.
“Yes, sure, cowards,” Reia interjected with a sarcastic tone. “Let’s keep going with the deliveries. You’ve just earned five experience points; ninety-five more to go before leveling up. If all the houses are going to be like this, we’re going to have a heart attack.”
Aiden placed a hand on his chest, feeling nervous.
“Come on, guys, I’m here with you; there’s nothing to fear. Next time, just knock, say you’re from Adia, leave the package at the door, and we’ll leave, alright?”“Alright,” the boy and the dog responded in unison, exchanging a knowing glance.
Up to that point, everything had been going well, until they noticed that starting from the fifth location, there was approximately a kilometer between each one, except for the last, which was ten kilometers away—and on top of that, up a steep mountain… They began walking faster, passing by the fifth, sixth, and seventh stops without stopping for long. They took a brief break, ate something, and drank a little of what Adia had given them before continuing their journey. This time, they decided to run to save time. They passed by the eighth and ninth stops almost out of breath, finishing off the last of their food and water.
During the journey, Reia kept them motivated by informing them of how many experience points they had accumulated, now totaling forty-five points. At that moment, they spotted the final delivery location, situated at the summit of an imposing mountain.
“Well, guys, to reach the tenth point, this is where the climb begins. Good luck,” Reia said with a teasing tone that did little to calm their nerves.
They had no choice but to keep walking, since they had already been running and had neither a drop of liquid nor a bite of food left. Nearly out of saliva, they reached the summit and knocked on the door, but this time they didn’t have the strength to say whom they were representing. Exhausted, they collapsed in front of the entrance, unable to move away from the house.
From the house emerged a tall man with arms as large as Frankenstein’s, middle-aged, and with green eyes so light they seemed to glow under the moonlight. He looked down and saw them sprawled on the ground, clutching Adia’s package. Without asking who they were, he deduced they were the delivery people. Pleased with the delivery, he grabbed the bag and took it inside, leaving the door open.
Our heroes were so exhausted they couldn’t even move. The man returned with a thermos in hand and said:
“It seems you’re not the type who exercises much. Here, this will help you recover.”He offered them the thermos, which contained an unknown liquid. Aiden tried to get up and asked Reia to check its contents, but she responded that she couldn’t identify it. The man, seeing that they were still motionless, lifted the boy, sat him down, and gave him a sip of the concoction. He then did the same with Podbe, who also took a drink.
Both swallowed the liquid with some suspicion, feeling strange at first. For a moment, they thought he had poisoned them, but quickly began to regain their strength. Aiden, now recovered, thanked the man with a bow. Podbe, always sociable, barked happily and wagged his tail enthusiastically.
“Thank you so much,” Aiden said, standing up fully. “My name is Aiden, and this is my companion, Podbe. We come on behalf of Adia. She told us about the deliveries and the long journey we had to make to get here.”
The man nodded with a kind smile.
“Thank you, boys. My name is Eduard Forest. So Adia Lard hired you, huh? Not bad. Usually, she handles the deliveries without any problems or help, but seeing how desperate you were to cross into the next country, she decided to test you, as I see it. Sometimes she goes overboard with people and makes them do quite difficult tasks.”As they listened to the man, Reia reflected silently:
“So that woman’s last name is Lard,” she thought, sharing the thought with Aiden and Podbe.Eduard asked Aiden if he had a last name. The boy responded with a hint of melancholy:
“No, I’m an orphan, and I don’t know anything about my parents.”The man nodded slowly, understanding the situation.
“I see… And now I understand, with good reason why she put you through that test. If something happens to you, there’s no one to blame,” Eduard commented with a light laugh, though his tone was kind. Then, pointing to the scratches on the boy’s face, he added, “You had some wounds on your face, but with what I gave you, they’ve all disappeared.”Aiden touched his face in surprise and looked at his knees as well.
“It’s true! I don’t have those scratches anymore! Wow! How amazing is this miraculous drink she gave us? Though at first, it had a bit of a strange taste… What was that?” the boy asked curiously.Eduard smiled mysteriously.
“Ah! It’s a family recipe, a secret. All I’ll tell you is that it heals any ailment and revitalizes the body… I’d say even the soul. Plus, you brought me the ingredients I needed for that delivery.”“Ah! So that’s what those deliveries were for,” Reia and Podbe wondered silently, exchanging a look of understanding.
Aiden, suddenly aware of the time, checked his watch and became alarmed.
“Oh no! Look at the time! It’s going to be midnight. Now we’ll have to run really fast to get back.”Mr. Eduard calmly instructed them:
“If you go straight ahead, you’ll reach Adia’s house much faster. Here, take this lantern so you can see, since the flashlight you have seems to be out of batteries. Also, take this container with the drink I gave you for the road. It was a pleasure meeting you, Aiden, and good luck with whatever you’re seeking as you cross the border.”They thanked him, and revitalized, they began to run as Reia excitedly announced:
“Fifty experience points! You’ve completed the optional quest, congratulations!”“We’re halfway there to leveling up,” Podbe commented to Reia as they descended the hill alongside Aiden.
When they arrived at the house, Adia was waiting for them with a thoughtful expression, though she pretended to be indifferent.
“Well, well! So you managed to complete the task, though a bit late, don’t you think?” she said, crossing her arms. Then, feigning nonchalance, she added, “Look at the time, it’s two in the morning. I see you’ve met Eduard; otherwise, you wouldn’t have that lantern and thermos with you. Alright, boy, a deal’s a deal. Go get your things: we’re crossing the border.”Aiden, exhausted and with dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep, brightened up and went to fetch his belongings, but Adia stopped him:
“That won’t be necessary, they’re already in the stable.”In the stable, Aiden and Podbe stood staring in amazement. They all went inside and discovered a cart, but it wasn’t just any cart. It was like the ones that used to carry important people. However, instead of being pulled by horses, there was a kind of vehicle shaped like a car cabin, equipped with a wheel in the middle and, inside it, a robot that appeared to be the pilot.
“Everyone get on,” Adia instructed with a decisive gesture.
They all climbed into the back, and the machine began to move. Aiden and Podbe, worn out from the long night, fell asleep instantly once aboard the cart, thus beginning their journey and their next objective.
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Agent's Dog System 11.The Great Boot
While our heroes slept soundly, worn out from their deliveries, Agent B revealed that, thanks to his special ability, he had managed to glimpse a small, dirty animal, shaped like a dog, that had been with Agent B-Twelve at the moment a flash struck them. Later, the canine was taken away by a municipal pound worker. Perhaps that’s the key. Everyone present was left puzzled by Agent B’s words.At that moment, Marie checked her tablet to see how many nearby pounds there were in the area and began searching. The closest one was half an hour away. Then, there’s no time to lose. Agent B and I will go to the pound, and you two, Linda and Dingo, will head to the police station to investigate what they know about the plane crash and whether anyone has reported anything related to this scene, though I doubt it very much, said Marie.Miss Marie, we’re not called Linda and Dino. We’re Lidia and Rino, and both replied kindly but firmly.Oh! A thousand apologies. You’re new recruits training to be
Agent's Dog System 12.A Collar and a Tag
Immediately after crossing the border and passing through the control center, Adia instructed her robotic chauffeur to speed up in order to reach Milan. What normally takes six hours by car, they completed in less than four.Reia began reviewing the areas they were passing through and noticed that the system was sending her numerous notifications. She wanted to wake up Podbe, but seeing him sleeping so peacefully, she decided not to disturb him, not even with a few gentle electric shocks.As they approached the city, the greenery of the fields gradually gave way to concrete. More gray than green, yet they always found traces of nature in parks, gardens, and buildings like the Bosco Verticale. They could see clusters of motorcycles and cars parked everywhere, people bustling about, technology intertwined with history in both ancient and modern architecture. The sun was already high in the sky, casting its light over bridges connecting streets and canals visible from every corner, colo
Agent's Dog System 13.Adventures in the Supermarket
The dog said to Aiden that now that he had calmed down, what had that been? That girl had made him feel different. Reia wondered if perhaps opposites were attracted. If so, why hadn’t he felt the same way about Miss Adia?Aiden responded, a bit flustered, that he didn’t know. He felt, as they say, butterflies in his stomach for Elena. But Adia was an older woman, or at least he thought so. Besides, he saw her as a friend who had helped them.Reia continued, saying he was right and that they needed to finish the shopping Miss Adia had asked them to do before heading to the center. It was lucky he mentioned it because they were standing in front of the supermarket, which was already closed. A sign announced that they had moved a couple of blocks away. Without wasting time, they set off.Meanwhile, Elena, who was near the counter, noticed some money left on it. She mentioned it to the shopkeeper, who replied that the young man had probably forgotten his change. She suggested they should
Agent's Dog System 14.Is This the First Time?
Aiden’s shouts echoed through the house, startled by the intensity of Adia’s gaze. She glanced at the kitchen clock; it was three in the afternoon. “We don’t have much time to buy a suit, but at least we can fix your hair,” she said. Without giving him time to react, she grabbed the boy, lifted him as if he were a feather, and rushed upstairs with him. Podbe followed alongside, wagging his tail curiously. They entered Adia’s room, which was as spacious as Aiden’s but painted a light green that gave it a fresh and cozy feel. She sat him down in front of the mirror and observed his hair, messy and unkempt. Noticing something strange near the back of his head, close to his neck, she gently pulled on a tube that blended with his skin. To her surprise, the object turned out to be a sort of artificial hair extension.Adia looked at him curiously. “Why were you hiding the rest of your hair? It’s clever, but unnecessary.” Aiden lowered his gaze and replied shyly, “At the orphanage, they would
Agent's Dog System 15.From Love To Hate
"Now that you're level four, you've earned a point. Where do you want to place it?" Reia asked Podbe. She suggested putting it into vitality, as the system menu had changed and now displayed the skill tree for unlocking abilities. "Remember, you weren’t very fast or resilient against those bunnies," she added. "Alright, go ahead and assign it," she instructed. After doing so, she informed him that a new ability called Hardness had been activated. "Hardness?" Podbe asked, intrigued. "Yes," Reia replied. "It’s an ability that helps you protect yourself from any kind of damage, whether it’s a blow, bullets, or fire. But since it’s level one, it only allows you to protect yourself for five minutes and consumes twenty mana points." "I see," said the dog, a little annoyed that it only lasted a short time. "Now, to reach level five, you’ll need one hundred fifty experience points," Reia explained.While they were discussing the intricacies of the system, Elena and Aiden were finishing their
Agent's Dog System 16.Something Smells Bad
Finally, they arrived at Adia’s house. They repeated the same procedure: being scanned by the dragons and other security measures. Once inside, they noticed that all the lights were off. They closed the door carefully, but someone startled them from behind. It was Adia who scolded them for arriving so late. Then, laughing softly, she said:“Of course, if I were your mother, you’d already be grounded, young man.”After their souls returned to their bodies—so to speak—Adia asked the boy how his first date had gone. Aiden replied that everything had been wonderful until an incident occurred, and the girl had to leave. Adia, who normally wasn’t nosy and didn’t care much about details, simply remarked that it was fine for a first date and that there would be another chance.“Tomorrow is another day,” she said calmly.Aiden first denied that it had been a date, somewhat flustered, but then added:“Yes, you’re right, tomorrow is another day.”She told them:“Well, go to sleep.”The boy and t
Agent's Dog System 17.Find the Path
"Something smells fishy," Maria had said. Billy, a bit nervous, replied, "It’s not me—I took a bath today." She covered his mouth with her hand and whispered for him to lower his voice. Luckily for them, the driver, Rino, had turned up the music loud. Maria whispered to him that she wasn’t referring to that; rather, she found it strange that those individuals had suddenly appeared at the orphanage door. Not even the police, busy as they were, took the time to investigate on behalf of an orphan. "I think there’s something suspicious going on," Maria said. "Good thing we got in the van—let’s see where they’re headed and what they plan to do with Aiden."The car continued its journey. Meanwhile, Lidia checked that the phones were charged, which would allow them to call Marie if needed, but she decided against it and chose to go in person without Rino noticing—he was humming along to the songs he had put on.Simultaneously, while they were heading toward the site of the train derailment,
Agent's Dog System 18.Deception (1)
“What’s down that path?” asked Ezequiel, also known as Agent B.Brea, or Agent C-Two, consulted the map before responding:“If you follow that path, you’ll reach Arnoldstein.”Agent B paused thoughtfully. Then, turning to Lidia, he asked:“What was the boy’s name?”“Aiden, sir,” she replied with the formality of a soldier addressing her general.“Well, kid, you don’t have to be so formal with me like you do with bossy Marie,” said Ezequiel with a mischievous smile.Marie approached him and let out a sound of disapproval, glaring at him with a fury that didn’t require psychic interpretation to understand. Ezequiel brushed off her reaction and suggested to Lidia and Rino that they accompany them since they were already there, but not without first asking them to send him an image of the boy.“We should send the image to headquarters; it might help shorten the search,” Marie proposed.“It’s not necessary,” Ezequiel countered. “I doubt the kid has left the country.”“Alright, let’s head d
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46.The Obsidian Knight
I will go ahead, my Lord," Sir Larot said to Zeus. The latter gave him a sign of approval, saying, "Go ahead." With an almost imperceptible movement, Larot vanished as if he were a ghost. Murmurs quickly filled the air: "Arrogant, vain, pompous," some said. However, one person remained silent. In his mind, Aragon Barns reflected: "Well, well, you have found something challenging. I sensed it too." Aragon, his only friend, mentor, and confidant, was the only one who knew who hid behind that imposing armor.In a matter of seconds, Larot arrived at the battlefield. His obsidian-black armor gleamed under the dim light, and his great sword rested majestically on his back. Before him, an immense creature roared with ferocity. Without hesitation, Larot leaped as he ran, propelling himself toward the monster with a devastating kick that struck its face directly. The beast staggered backward.The spectators watched in awe as the mysterious warrior burst onto the scene. He lande
45.The Great Beast of the Portal
The dog stood in front of the beast because, after talking with Reia and Aiden without reaching an agreement, he decided to face it to save his new friends. Podbe stood tall with every hair on end, as if every fiber of his being was ready for battle. He repeated to himself mentally: "I can do this, I must protect them, or at least try. This cannot be the end.""Don't be stubborn, Podbe," warned Reia with a tone mixed with concern and frustration. "The system itself says you don’t have the strength needed to defeat it.""We can’t lose, right, Aiden? We’re the good guys," replied the canine, activating his hardness ability as he advanced toward the beast with fierce determination."What are we going to do?" asked the frightened children, watching as the enormous beast approached with gigantic steps that made the ground tremble beneath their feet.Eduard tried to calm Adia, who had curled into a fetal position after seeing that creature emerge. As she babbled, she kept repeating: "This c
44.The Precious Stones of Power
The doctor was walking toward the portal when a hand touched him from behind. It was Swang, who also wanted to enter. They locked eyes, and without saying a word, they ran until they reached the threshold. A little shy about crossing, Swang suggested to the doctor that he take her hand. Laos, more excited about what might be on the other side, gently held her hand. Without further delay, they entered.Upon crossing to the other side, they found themselves in an awe-inspiring cave. Towering pillars of deep blue stood like celestial supports, while neon-blue lamps illuminated the walls. Ahead of them, a path snaked into the darkness. As they advanced, the candles in the area lit up automatically, casting dancing shadows on the walls. On the ground, transparent tubes carry gases of various colors, creating a hypnotic visual spectacle.When they reached the end of the cave, they spotted a large room, similar to the one they had found upon arriving through the portal. In this chamber, the
43.Neon Lights
They all continued along the path toward the last floor of this inverted tower. Upon reaching the door, they placed Dior's credential. Once again, the light on the door changed from red to green, and a click sounded, indicating that it was open and ready for them to enter.Meanwhile, on the same floor—inside the seventh floor—Doctor Laos was observing the monitors alongside his three assistants and Doctor Swang, watching the effects the substances were having on Aiden’s body. His blood pressure, neurons, and other organs, along with his immune system, were in complete turmoil, struggling to fight against them."Do you think the boy will hold up?" Swang asked Laos, naturally affirming her response. "This boy, according to the analysis, is one hundred percent an excellent test subject. One of his parents wasn’t part of my father’s experiments. He comes from the other side, the place where certain beings live. Perhaps he is one of them. In my father’s notes, I found a lot of information
42.From Cold to Fire
When the immense cloud of dust began to dissipate, the state of the battlefield became visible. What had once been a frozen garden was now transformed into chaos: melted water everywhere and small cracks on the ground forming patterns resembling the tracks of a giant bird? Everyone present was protected by a crystalline shield that Adia had summoned at the last moment, a bright and vibrant force field. She remained at the forefront, her staff firmly planted in front of her.Adia, Ezequiel, and Gat watched in disbelief as the animal had caused such devastation. Only thanks to Eduard’s insistence and the trust Adia placed in him, despite their shared past, had they managed to survive. “That was incredible,” the onlookers murmured, their voices filled with awe. But then Eduard broke the silence: “Where is the doggy, Podbe?” All they could see was the robot bird lying motionless on the ground. Suddenly, Dior emerged from the rubble, his face covered
41.Super Birdie
In that garden, those present began to thaw slowly, though they did not lose consciousness. They had been trapped in an invisible prison of ice that allowed them to observe everything happening around them but prevented them from moving or intervening. Not only were Podbe’s companions there, but also other people who had been captured by the same spell. As they felt the cold dissipate from their bodies, everyone collapsed to their knees on the ground, breathing heavily, finally freed from the frozen cage that had immobilized their hands and feet. The initial joy of being free quickly turned into terror when a metallic roar echoed through the air. Before them emerged a gigantic steel bird, with enormous wings gleaming under the dim light, legs armed with blade-like claws, a tail ending in an intimidating spiked ball, and red eyes that seemed to pierce the souls of anyone daring enough to look at it. Instead of a brain, inside the central cabin was Dior, watching them with a mocking smi
40.The Battle in the Frozen Garden
Podbe followed the path the duct had precisely set for him. Before reaching a transversal duct, a faint sound echoed in the distance. Someone was coming. Reia, ever vigilant, instructed him: "Prepare for battle." However, before Podbe could act, he recognized two familiar figures: Maria and Billy. Quickly, Reia intervened, sending a subtle touch to the dog’s nervous system, causing the children to see Podbe move comically, as if clumsily dancing on his hind legs."Why did you do that?" Podbe exclaimed, annoyed by the implied mockery. Reia replied with a playful tone: "Why didn’t you use your ability to see who was coming?"After the brief commotion, the canine approached the children, who greeted him warmly. The dog gave each of them a lick on the hand, and both hugged him tenderly. Billy broke the silence: "If you can hear me, doggy friend, can you help us free the others?" Maria added with determination: "Yes, please do it."Decisively, Podbe activated his ability. "Detective mode a
39.The Cold Route
The group arrived at the door to enter the sixth floor. They used Richi’s card to open it and stepped inside cautiously. The door closed automatically as the last of them entered. The space was vast, with an intricate labyrinth featuring five distinct paths, each flanked by what appeared to be rooms. The walls were covered in a cold, metallic material, and the air carried an indefinable yet unsettling scent, as if the very environment was warning them they didn’t belong there.Billy was the first to notice something unusual: along one of the paths came several toy fire trucks. “Look, remote-controlled cars!” he thought, immediately excited. Maria also felt a spark of curiosity as she watched them approach. However, their excitement quickly faded when the toy trucks began firing a freezing liquid. Dani reacted instantly, stepping in front of Billy and taking the hit. Before Maria could protest, Dani’s body began to crystallize into ice, his features frozen in an expression of surprise.
38.Almost There, Wait for Us
Once Don Richi was defeated, the rest of the group emerged from their hiding place thanks to Eduard signaling them with a light, turning something on and off that Lidia recognized well due to the training she was undergoing to become an agent.Everyone gathered, including Dani, who approached the motionless body of Don Richi and shouted: "That's what happens when you mess with me, ha, ha!" The others stared at him with piercing expressions, causing Dani to lower his head and mutter: "Well, they did it," before retreating behind Eduard."What’s next?" Lidia asked Eduard in a firm but calm tone.He turned to Dani and asked if they should also bring this person along. The scientist shook his head."We just need to get into the machine room that activates the door for the next level and the ID card he has," Dani explained, nervously adjusting his glasses."We saw that the door came out of that wall. The control center must be there. Quickly, look