"Umm, how do I-"

"Figure it out yourself." The guy dismissed my query without batting an eye. "I'll give extra effort in refining this, but it should still take a week. So how about you bring back the core next week and hand the saber and core while getting this sword back? That should work for the prelims. And if I remember correctly during my time, swords were allowed just fine." He grinned. "And though this saber was made for that bastard, I still don't have a good core, the current is a piece from R&D, so I wouldn't use too much radiation if I were you."

"Alright!" I had no reason to doubt him. And it wasn't like he could just run away with my sword. After all, I had someone in my family who was a master at tracking down people. "But why the hell a scythe. I mean you can easily make this a sword, right?"

And more importantly, the damn aura this scythe radiated, screamed pure evil: black!

"Tell that to the bastard. You have no idea how long he pastured me to make this." He sighed. "And it can change shapes to three forms: it will do more once I get a good core." He winked. "It mostly takes the form under the user's personality. For example, if I use it, nothing happens. Only few in this world can even lift it once it's activated. For my creation, I think it's pretty epic."

'I think it's pretty useless if you can't use something you make, though.'

I didn't know what he was talking about so I tried focusing and sure enough, the scythe changed a broadsword. And it certainly got a lot heavier. "Whoa!" I almost dumped it on the guy's head. For the first time, I saw fear in his eyes. "Sorry." I tried focusing again and this time it changed to a bow: rather light. This wasn't actually bad. And the bow was quite like the one I used back at the duel, but this definitely was a lot better: better than looking like a total villain with a death weapon, oh wait, I pretty much looked like death itself!

But the moment I stopped, it returned to being a scythe. "Why is this sword hell-bent on making me look like a villain?"

"Cause you are?" The guy looked at me with confusion.

I sighed. I didn't want to continue this. This saber was good and that was all I needed.

And just because my family was full of villains, that didn't make me one, did it?

Honestly, I didn't want to think about it.

"But wouldn't using a scythe or a bow be against the rules?"

The guy looked at the corner, but there was nothing there. "It'll be cool."

'Then why the hell are you averting your eyes?'

I might or might not have passed my sigh quota again, today.

We both shook hands again.

"Yo, Johnathan, let's go." My work was done.

Rojack giggled silently.

I guess he rarely heard his kid being called by his full name.

Jonathan and the woman were done gobbling up this guy's lunch and now were looking a bit too pleased. I guess they were mother and son after all.

But then again, why was this guy keeping his lunch at this hour anyway? I didn't know why but I had a premonition that this guy actually kept those around for these two.

It wasn't something I should have pried into, so I didn't bother wasting my energy on it.

"Yeah, let's go."

"Later, ol' man." I waved an arm as I got out. "Thanks for the scythe and making me look like a villain."

"Yeah, later, kid. Hope ya can become a better villain than your old man."

'Yeah, for the last time, that guy isn't my father!'

We never talked about money. The club would have probably taken care of it anyway.

***

I, Jonathan, and the woman came straight out of the room and honestly, the outside was much, much cooler: freezing even. Also, much, much darker. I checked the time, and it was close to nine. With the added benefit of the stairs and the jungle, getting home before 12 seemed like a literal stretch, considering nothing went wrong.

Just outside, the woman grabbed my hands, "Do come again. I'll be sure to make it worth your while!" She winked.

'Yeah, I think I'll pass.'

There were ulterior motives written all over her face.

I looked at Johnathan and he didn't really care. I guess he was already used to this.

So with a sigh, I kept on walking towards the stairs, only to remember that we were actually at the ninety-ninth floor.

I did not want to be alive anymore.

"The second elevator should be fixed, so you can take that." For just this once, the woman proved actually to be useful.

My will to live made a triumphant return.

"Oh, and thanks."

I kind of didn't want to thank her, but I guess she still helped me plenty.

Johnathan just waved his goodbye and we both got on the elevator. It was already on this floor: lucky us. It moved faster than the one we got on last time. And there weren't that many stops either. I guess people didn't work past eight?

Things moved fast and in ten minutes we reached the fiftieth floor with just three stops.

"This might not be so bad." I was glad for once.

"I wouldn't be so sure."

I didn't know why but Johnathan wasn't so optimistic.

And I learned firsthand why, a minute later.

It took exactly nineteen stops to the first floor and half an hour no less.

After a lot of sweating, rubbing, and not so comfortableness, we finally got off the elevator.

Never knew air could be so fresh.

But it did take a lot less time compared to last time.

It was exactly 9.45 and we had roughly two hours to get back to the dorms.

"Let's take that other path this time, you know the one with five extra minutes and no bugs."

"It'll be through the frozen lands, but sure." Johnathan didn't care either way.

'Say what?'

Freeze to death? Or death by bugs?

I liked to be spoiled for choice, but not like this!

"Let's buy some warm clothes I guess." Freezing was still better than bugs anyway.

I really didn't want to spend money though.