The back alley smelled of stale beer and fried chicken.
Jaxon, leaning against a dumpster, grinned like a devil.
"Alright, Elias. First stealth lesson: don't smell like a walking barbecue."
Elias adjusted his hoodie and tried to blend into the shadows like Joyce had taught him earlier.
It wasn't working.
He stumbled, knocked over an empty can, and winced as it clattered noisily across the ground.
Joyce sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"At this rate, a blindfolded granny could catch you."
Bianca, now officially tagging along with the team (because she refused to leave), sat cross-legged on the curb, giggling into a bag of Cheetos.
---
"Not everyone's born an assassin," Elias muttered defensively.
"And besides, not all problems can be solved by sneaking around.
Sometimes you gotta… you know… face things head on."
Joyce's sharp eyes softened slightly.
"You're right," she said. "But knowing when to face things, and when to hide, is what saves your life."
It was a painful truth.
In real life too, not everything could be solved by being loud or brave.
Sometimes, survival depended on being smart—and silent.
---
The Watch vibrated again.
[New Task Generated]
Task: Attend Bianca's "charity party" to uncover potential suspects.
Reward: Advanced Speech and Manipulation Skills.
Elias groaned.
"A party? Seriously?"
Bianca perked up, beaming.
"It's at a mansion! There'll be champagne fountains! And maybe even a pool!"
Jaxon threw an arm around Elias' shoulder.
"Relax, man. You'll love it. Worst case, you'll just have to flirt with some rich ladies."
Elias turned pale.
Joyce only said, "Remember, charm can be a weapon too."
---
On the way there, Joyce handed Elias a black button-up shirt.
Elias Reed, 19:
Profession: Full-time struggler (currently learning everything)
Appearance: Fair skin, tousled brown hair, lean build (slowly getting more athletic thanks to Watch tasks), deep-set green eyes.
Personality: Stubborn, honest, a bit naïve.
Flaws: Impatient, self-doubt, struggles with strategic thinking sometimes.
Bianca fussed over him like an older sister.
"Button this, loosen that, smile more," she ordered.
Tasha snapped a few pictures for blackmail purposes.
Jaxon just whistled.
"You clean up nice, little bro."
---
The mansion was packed with glittering elites, fake smiles, and free food.
Elias felt wildly out of place.
Then he remembered his task:
Uncover suspects without blowing his cover.
He grabbed a champagne flute he couldn't afford to spill, practiced his new "charming smile" task reward...
and immediately got cornered by a drunk CEO talking about NFTs and conspiracy theories.
Across the room, Bianca winked at him.
Game on.
---
In the mansion's locked underground vault, hidden behind layers of security,
lay a twisted, corrupted version of a Watch.
It pulsed with dark energy.
Waiting.
Waiting for Elias to come closer.
---