"We are here," a man called out as his car came to a screeching halt.

"Thank you. How much is the fare?" asked the individual seated at the back of the car, his blue hair fluttering slightly in the wind as he leaned forward.

"It's 50," the driver replied, and the passenger stepped out of the cab, pulling a hundred-dollar bill from his pocket. "I don't really have change on me," the man added apologetically.

"It's fine, keep the change," the blue-haired individual said with a warm smile before turning away.

"Thank you!" the driver replied cheerfully, grinning as he zoomed off.

The blue-haired man stood there, his grin widening as he took in a deep breath of the familiar air before releasing it slowly. "Feels good to be back here after a while," he muttered.

'How long has it been? A month or so since I left? I wonder how Camila and Mia are doing though,' he thought, his sharp golden eyes softening for a brief moment.

The individual was none other than Max, currently in his Draconic form known as Damian.

"Let me go settle down in my slummy house first and figure out how to execute our takeover plan before I go visit them. Who knows, maybe a wild adventure might be bestowed upon me," he chuckled quietly, gripping his bag tighter. His mind began to wander, painting vivid images of Camila and Mia's bare, flawless bodies.

With his thoughts drifting, Damian started walking. He strolled through several alleyways, passing a few beggars and stray cats, before finally stepping into the narrow lane that led to his neighborhood. The houses were pressed close together, their cracked walls and faded paint showing signs of long neglect.

He was still lost in thought when his eyes suddenly glowed yellow. His head snapped up sharply, instincts flaring. He twisted his body to the side just in time to avoid a bucket of water that splashed onto the ground where he had stood a moment ago.

"Good gracious, I'm so sor…" The woman holding the bucket froze mid-apology as her eyes widened. "Damian?!"

Glancing up, Max sighed softly. Even before looking, he had already guessed who it was.

"I wonder if this is a coincidence or you're secretly a witch," Damian said, frowning lightly. "Because tell me, why is it that every single time I pass through here, you're always about to empty your bucket? Huh, Kelly?"

"I'm so sorry! It wasn't my intention," Kelly stammered nervously, brushing a few strands of damp hair away from her face.

"It's okay. Luckily, my instincts kicked in." Damian heaved a small sigh, staring at her tired but familiar face.

"Your instincts or hybrid abilities, huh?" Kelly muttered before clicking her tongue softly. "I envy you hybrids a lot."

"It is what it is," Damian replied with a casual shrug.

"Where have you been for the past month? It's been so long since I last saw you around these parts," Kelly said curiously.

"Oh, I went on a trip," Damian answered with a forced smile. A thought crossed his mind, and his expression shifted. "Quick question though, the Gray Bulls… do they still operate in this town?"

At the mention of the name, Kelly's face instantly dropped. Her eyes darted left and right, scanning the area as if the mere sound of that gang's name might summon them from the shadows.

"Shush!" she hissed, pressing a finger to her lips.

'Huh? Judging by her reaction, looks like they're still around. But why does she look so spooked, like I just mentioned the devil himself?' Max thought, frowning slightly.

"Any problem?" he asked, noticing the nervous tremor in her voice.

"Where do you stay again?" Kelly asked quietly, her tone low and cautious.

Max raised an eyebrow in confusion, sensing that something wasn't right.

"Huh? At the other end, why?" Damian questioned in confusion.

"Don't head there for now, come inside and stay with me," Kelly urged, and this time, Max knew something was terribly wrong.

"What happened? What's going on? Why are you suddenly so scared? Did something happen while I was away?" Max questioned again, not understanding why she would be this afraid.

"Just come in, damn it. I'll explain better," Kelly said as she grabbed his hand and forcefully dragged him into the small house.

After pushing him inside, she quickly looked left and right to see if anybody had seen her do what she did, but there was no one in sight. She shut the door instantly, her hands trembling slightly, and only then did she heave a sigh of relief.

"Now that I'm inside, will you tell me what's going on?" Max demanded again, finding her behavior and reaction increasingly weird.

"Before I begin, kindly take off this disguise. I want to speak to the real you," Kelly said sternly, her voice carrying a tone that wasn't to be questioned. Seeing the seriousness in her face and hearing it in her tone, Max sighed and proceeded to do as he was asked.

[Draconic form deactivated]

Instantly, his blue hair shifted from its previous color to an ashen tone with streaks of purple running through it. His height reduced slightly, not by much, and his arms became coated in faint scales that culminated around his hands, forming small but sharp claws.

And finally, Damian was gone. In his place stood Max, who stared at the female with furrowed brows.

"Okay?" he said.

"It still amazes me how this works," Kelly muttered with a light chuckle. She walked closer until she was standing directly in front of Max, her eyes scanning him over and over, as though trying to convince herself that this was real.

With how close the female stood before him, Max couldn't help but feel weird. Erotic images flashed through his mind—wild, tempting thoughts but he quickly shook his head, dispelling them.

'Work first, pleasure later,' he thought to himself with a deep breath.

"So what happened? Why were you so shaken up when I mentioned the name of the gang? Why did you usher me in so hurriedly, saying I can't go back to my slummy house? And why did you ask me to deactivate my disguise? What's going on here?" Max dropped the questions all at once, causing Kelly to shake her head helplessly.

"There's fire on the mountain, Dami… wait! Is that even your real name?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Max. That's the name," he replied firmly. "Now talk. What happened?"

"The Gray Bulls Gang have begun spreading terror across this town. We're all trapped in deep bondage, and their new leader…" Kelly paused, her tone dropping quite low, "he's a horror from the depths of hell itself."

"Huh?!" Max's eyes widened, his body stiffening as a strange chill crawled down his spine.

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