"Hmm… Finally got out, it's really getting hard to stay in the house while constantly hiding everything from others, I don't know how they might react if they find out about me." Alex pondered as he walked out of the house.
He didn't know what to do today, he wanted to go to the Gene Association training grounds and pretend to train, as he still didn't know how to become an Expert Swordsman (B Rank).
And the only way for him to learn such highly confidential secrets is to become a member of the Gene Association.
However, his upgrade speed was so fast and that would bring unwanted attention, so the only possible way now was to join some organization that could provide a path ahead for him without asking for his personal details.
As he walked down the cobblestone street of Sector 4, the cool morning breeze washed over his face.
He pulled the heavy hood of his oversized grey sweatshirt a little lower, trying to cast a shadow over his pale, flawless features.
Fortunately, its still early winter and wearing hoodies doesn't attract much attention.
Underneath the baggy cotton of his hoodie, he wore a loose t-shirt and below that the tight elastic band of Lily's borrowed sports bra wrapped snugly around his ribs.
It pressed firmly against his developing chest, now a solid, full A-cup leaning toward a B-cup after his sudden jump to thirty-five percent in Phase 2.
Even with the padding flattening his shape, he could feel the slight, heavy bounce of his soft breasts whenever his heels hit the pavement.
His nipples were puffy and painfully tender, to make matters worse, his narrow waist and widened hips completely shifted his center of gravity.
No matter how hard he tried to walk like a rough, normal guy, his hips naturally swayed in a smooth, fluid motion that felt impossibly feminine.
"I can't just walk up to Instructor Sylvia and ask about the B-Rank Expert realm," Alex muttered under his breath, his high-pitched, melodic voice barely audible over the morning street noise.
"She specifically said that reaching Expert level means liquefying mana inside the body, not to mention something about Sword Intent."
"However, there must be some special methods to do that. If I show up today with a C-Rank power after just a few days of practicing a sword, they'll probably lock me in a research lab and slice me open."
He shoved his delicate, pale hands deep into his hoodie pockets, his brow furrowing as he thought through his options.
The Gene Association was too strict, he couldn't join them as a swordsman, unless he plans to hide his C rank strength.
But without showing his strength, he won't be able to gain much.
He could pretend to be a genius, hiding his strength but, his own background was so simple and there's always a certain probability of things going sideways while pretending.
If he wanted to buy any advanced sword manuals or find a way to step into the B-Rank without people asking questions about his past, his age, or his terrifyingly fast growth speed, he needed to go somewhere else.
He needed to find a grey zone that won't hinder his growth.
He thought of a few organizations, mercenary teams or local gangs that could help him, but finally shook his head in disappointment.
None of them are easy to get in.
Just as he was pondering… he suddenly saw a figure walking straight towards him, it was none other than Elena…
She was walking down the opposite side of the street, dressed in her usual city patrol uniform.
The thick leather armor hugged her tall, athletic frame, and her long brown hair was tied back in a neat, practical braid.
Her hand rested casually on the hilt of her sword as she scanned the morning crowd with her sharp eyes.
Alex's heart instantly skipped a beat, slamming hard against his ribs.
"Oh no... not now," he panicked internally.
His first instinct was to turn around and run, or at least duck into a nearby alley.
The last time they were alone together was that chaotic morning in her bedroom, when she had been completely feverish and mind-broken by his pheromones, desperately begging him not to leave and pulling him down onto her mattress.
He barely managed to fight off his own physical urges and got himself away from her heaving chest before crossing a line he could never return from.
Since then, he was actively avoided her around the house. But out here on the open street, there was nowhere to hide.
Before Alex could turn his heels, Elena's gaze swept across the sidewalk and locked directly onto him.
Even with the bulky gray hoodie concealing his narrowing waist and the heavy shadow of his hood covering half his face, she recognized him immediately.
"Alex?" Elena called out, her voice cutting through the quiet morning chatter of the street.
She stepped off the curb and jogged straight across the road toward him.
"Where are you going this early in the morning??" she questioned as she got closer.
Her voice sounded identical to Elena's, but there was an unnatural flatness to it.
The usual sharp, judging bite that his cousin always carried in her tone was completely missing.
He wouldn't have noticed it before but with his newly enhanced physical senses of a C ranked Elite Swordsman, he immediately felt it but didn't take it to his heart at that moment.
"Uh, nowhere special. Just getting some fresh air," Alex lied casually, keeping his head slightly down to let the heavy hood shadow his flawless face.
"Come on then, follow me," she said smoothly, her eyes darting left and right before locking onto him. "If you're not in a hurry, I'll take you to meet our captain. I told him about you and he was okay with you joining our patrol team."
"You don't need to fight, just have to follow me here and there, and the pay is good, how about it?"
"Huh?" Alex blinked, his brow furrowing in genuine confusion.
"Joining the city patrol?"
"Didn't she know I was supposedly a weak, F-Rank civilian in her eyes, why now?" he thought internally, and she would never casually invite him into a dangerous job like that. "Hey cous, you don't need to do that… I was already planning on…"
"Sushh… Don't talk, just follow me…" 'Elena interrupted him abruptly in the middle of his sentence.
Without waiting for his consent, she reached out, her fingers wrapping tightly around his right wrist, and hurriedly pulled him with her towards a quieter, shaded street corner leading away from the busy main road.
Alex stumbled, the sudden jerk making his body move awkwardly.
Underneath his baggy clothes, his soft breasts bounced heavily against the tight elastic of Lily's sports bra.
The sudden friction against his hyper-sensitive, puffy nipples sent a distracting jolt of warmth straight down to his belly, but a much darker, colder feeling quickly washed over the pleasure.
Something was incredibly wrong.
Alex stared at the hand gripping his wrist.
The physical strength was there, but the texture was entirely wrong, the hand holding him right now felt too smooth, too delicate.
"Elena, where are we actually going?" Alex asked softly, trying to probe her for a reaction.
"I said keep quiet and follow," she muttered, not even bothering to look back at him.
"Hmph… you're not even a True Awakener, why do you question so much…" She thought in her heart as her gaze was locked forward, completely ignoring his questions.