The Novel's Professor

Chapter 27 27: Thus, My Name Is...

At a dark alleyway, a brown haired young man came out of it's ends. The man had a handsome face, more noteworthy however was his purple eyes, It was like a beautiful starry sky.

Rio had just finished changing the memories of every servant he fought earlier. He was now going to continue his original objective. To forge a new identity.

He raised his wrist as he looked at the hologram the stopwatch was projecting. He just had to take a few more minutes of walking and he will arrive at the Identity Forger.

"...Some quality food for sale..."

"...Cheap weapons, extremely durable, definetely not a scam!"

Deals were going back and forth in the market as the loud chattering resounded. Rio walked admist the crowded roads as he made his way to an apartment.

The apartment was neither small nor big. It was average in size, showing a rather normal cover. A perfect disguise for illegal activities. He approached the door as he knocked twice.

How had he come to know such an forger anyway? During the past week he did a little digging on the deeper side of the net and found some people advertising the man. The reviews said he was reliable and know how to do things right.

Though, Rio knew nothing about the inner workings of an identity forger. He only made his way here is because it was cheaper, and near and if the reviews were anything to go by the forger was good at his job.

Due to his low budget he had little choice but to pick the cheapest one. He could only hope that the reviews were reliable and not fake.

"Who's there?" A mature voice responded to his knocking.

"A costumer." Rio answered carefully.

The voice didn't respond and stayed silent, just as Rio thought he was going to get ignored and abandoned the door opened as a man revealed himself.

The man had a mature face, his eyes covered with glasses and brown hair tied into a ponytail.

"Come in." The man said as he looked at the area outside, cautiously looking out for suspicious individuals.

Rio was puzzled, but slightly soon after realized that the man was cautious of something. Perhaps he was scared of getting caught by someone?

Rio entered the apartment as he was led by the man. The apartment was true to it's cover, nothing noteworthy. It was normal in all perspective.

"So where did you find my service?" The man asked as he sat down in a chair, facing the desk filled with tools.

"The net, why? Is it important?" Rio answered quizically as he looked at the desk the man was occupying. Is this where he does his forgery?

"Very damn important," The man clicked his tounge, continuing with annoyance, "I wouldn't want those shitty agents knockin at my door."

"Don't worry," Rio assured as he waved his hands and stared at the man, "I'm not part of the TAOJ."

"Truth Agency of Justice..." The man muttered as he tapped his fingers, "Well, I hope I can trust you on that."

"So what should I call you?" Rio asked as he looked over the apartment.

"Ghost, codename is Ghost," Ghost said as he whirled the pen the he took from the desk, "I'm sure you understand why."

Rio nodded wordlessly, it was a safety precaution. No dealer would want their real name to get exposed to others. He just stood silent as watched the man move.

"So, yours?" Ghost asked, as his hands moved and took a document from one of the drawers.

"Ah," Rio suddenly realized what the man was asking. Right, a name. He had not thought of one yet, but he did have an idea in mind.

"You can call me..." Rio said slowly as his foot tapped beneath at the floor, he continued, "John."

He didn't know why he picked that name, nor how that name is important. His instinct's told him that it was something he should never forget. He trusted himself clearly than any other.

"Interesting," Ghost commented as he looked at Rio, "Few use such a normal and un-aspiring name."

Rio nodded. That was true, many wanted to sound mysterious and scary so other people would have a presumption about their reputation. A man codenamed Behemoth would obviously be cautiously avoided.

"Well, let's get this started." Ghost said as he took the tools he needed and began working on it.

—

The sun shined beneath to the city filled with people. The city was crowded, people walked back and forth as they bought neccessities from the market.

At a small restaurant, a young woman wiped the sweat out of her forehead as she came back to the kitchen. Mary hastily prepared the food as she delivered it to the many costumers at the seat.

'Today is awfully busier than normal..'

Mary wondered as she sat at the chair. Even if it was ten times the hard work as usual, the income should be ten times more. She nodded expectantly.

The bells at the entrance resounded as the door opened. A man entered the room, a young man. He was well dressed and had a coat that was charred at it's sides.

The young man approached the cashier as he looked at Mary in wonder.

"Welcome!" Mary said as she stood up and took the notes. "What are your orders?"

"Is there any menu?" The man asked with a slight smile.

Mary had to admit, the man was charming as he smiled. She knew many people that were charming at their own way, but this one takes it up a notch.

"Here." Mary replied as she handed over the menu over the desk.

The man took the menu in response as he looked at it intently, slowly looking over the contents as he stood.

Mary patiently waited for the man to finish. She looked at the man as he was busy ordering for his food. The man was handsome, he had a youthful and innocent face, beady black eyes that held serenity within it, and a neatly arranged blonde hair.

While the man's appereance was definetely not foreign nor special, it held a certain charm in it that was inexplicable to explain.

"Here," The blonde haired man gave the menu as he ordered with a smile, "I'd have the combo meal."

"...No problem." Mary paused before answering. Before she gets the food prepared, she asked randomly, "What's your name?"

"Me?" The blond haired man asked in wonder. This was quite sudden, nonetheless he answered, "My name is John."

"John..." Mary muttered as she looked at the blonde haired man that had a slight smile. She nodded with a slight blush as she took off and prepared the food.

"Well, that was something." John, or Rio, muttered to himself as he stood still. He had just finished having an ID of himself forged. It was suprisingly authentic and felt real, the reviews didn't lie.

A part of Rio's mind wondered why the man was still quite unknown and offered cheap services even if he was good. However, there he quickly shook that thought off. It was not his matter so he shouldn't care about it much.

Rio looked at the wall beside the restaurant, a small mirror hanged as it reflected his appereance. Blonde hair, youthful and charming face. This was him, he felt like a different person all together, but ultimately it was him.

He had changed his appereance to suit the picture in his ID. There were countless methods of changing appereances, especially in a magical world.

The method he used was skills. Synchronized skills, to be specific. It was a rare face changing skill. It was not foolproof however, he could easily be discovered if someone got a hold of him and looked deeper into his body.

But that was good enough, Rio wouldn't let himself carelessly get caught. He was sure going to avoid those people of TAOJ, they were a troublesome bunch he didn't want to be involved with.

"Here's your order!" Mary said as she held a plate in her hand, giving it to Rio.

—

At a place that was wholly different. The air that flowed in the place was damp, and the land beneath was filled with cracks, the color of the soils had a tint of red like it was covered with dry blood.

'It really feels like a ruined civilization.'

Ciel thought as he looked around the place. Contrary to the place dejecting atmosphere, there were still many people in the area that had a hopeful expression.

It was no suprise. This place was a demon dimension. A ruined world or dimension of era's that preceeded humans, while the danger was off the charts it was full of opportunity's.

Foreign skills that were at a different level, artifacts that were at the top of any other and inheritance of masters. Things that could raise your strength, wealth and fame to the top easily. They could be found in a demon dimensions, granted that you get lucky.

'Though all of those are useless if you die.'

Ciel thought cynically as he shook his head and walked over to an obsecure spot. He stood still as he looked over at the countless people that were around.

Even though this was a dimension every Miracle Invoker would want to enter in, not everyone could enter and participate as they please. There were some restrictions put in to not fill the dimension with people.

It was easily understandable why such a restriction was put in. If you put people together in a place, hate would be born, if that place is filled with treasures, greed will amplify hate.

As such, the inside of demon dimensions, was filled with illegal activities of any kinds, though the most prominent crime among all of them was murder.

That was no suprise to Ciel either. Without the laws that governed people with supernatural power. Mis-use of magic was bound to happen. And the inside of a demon dimension was the extreme example of such.

In this place, only the strongest survive and get away scot free. Only the strongest win as they weed out the weak. Thats why Ciel thought nothing of the romanticized idea of a dimension being a weak person's chance.

Sure, one can get lucky and get a skill or artifact that is extremely powerful and rare. However, if you're weak, it's nothing but a magnet of greed.

So what if you have something like that? Most likely before you even have a chance to use it, your body is already buried in a tombstone and the riches you discovered were coveted by someone that was more powerful than you.

Ciel narrowed his eyes as he saw the man he was following moved. It was time. The man was finally moving. He had not forgotten the reason he was here. It was to follow a man.

He hope he gets a pay raise after this, after all his daughter's birthday was near. He would take her to her favorite place and let her have fun.

"Ha.." Ciel sighed with a smile as he moved. Everything was worth it if his daughter gets to be happy.