After an awkward carriage ride, both Pax and Elysia arrive in Glimmering Heights. Pax walks out of the cart and into the harsh winter blizzard. He wonders about why it is a perpetual blizzard here. Elysia is the next out of the cart. She immediately looks around for anything that can help identify Peak Whitlock. They go to the police station, as there have been reports of a vigilante helping out with local crime, and they caught the vigilante. They enter the station, and Elysia approaches the desk and explains the situation.

  [Officer: Peak? That’s the name of the vigilante. If he has business with the king, then I have to release him.] The officer goes back and brings out a man.

  He is small and slim, with dark brown hair and eyes, and is wearing a tight black suit. He looks up at Pax and Elysia before bursting into a smile.

  [Peak: I heard King Valerian wanted something to do with me! That is dope! Thanks for getting me out of there. The guard overlooking my cell smelled like rotting cheese!] Pax looks down and smiles at Peak while Elysia just thinks about what she got herself into.

  After leaving the station, they enter a restaurant where Pax explains the situation.

  [Peak: See, I would love to join you. However, I’m working on a big case right now. Help me crack this open, and I will give you the egg that comes from it.] This was a very obscure sentence that Elysia didn’t think she fully understood. Pax somehow understood what he was saying, and they both shook hands.

  It was weird. Pax and Peak had already formed a deep bond despite this being their first meeting. Elysia just sighed, and they went to discuss the case.

  [Peak: Recently, cult activity has been spiking in this area. I don’t know exactly what they are going to do, but it is going to be big. We need to stop them. Like putting an end to an operation. You feel me?]

  [Pax: I got you.] Pax replies, and Elysia questions further.

  [Elysia: Do you have any idea what the cult is? Who they are? Do you have a plan?]

  Peak thinks for a second.

  [Peak: Nah, not really. They might have come from the gloomy nation Nocturnus. The border is only a few miles away. I do have a plan, though. We are gonna find the base of operations for the cult, beat up the leaders, and bring them to the police!] Peak exclaimed in a confident tone.

  Pax looks over at Peak.

  [Pax: How are we going to find them?] Pax questions. Peak pipes back up.

  [Peak: Simple! I’m pretty fast! I will scout one side of the city. You both scout the other side! We report back if we see anything wrong! We will get ’em with the Tom and Jerry!]

  Peak is confident he can deal with anything. Pax looks at Elysia, who decides to follow Peak’s plan. With that established, Peak shoots a web out of a little hole in his wrist and flies out of the restaurant window. Pax then gets up. [I’m going to do some scouting as well.] As he leaves the restaurant. Elysia decides to go do her own research. However, she is stopped by a waiter, who then proceeds to hand her the check.

  *Elysia: These bastards! They left me to pay the entire bill?!?*

  —----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Peak is slinging his way through the city as he feels a tingle in his body. Peak puts his head back as a fireball whizzes by his head. Peak drops to the floor to look at his assailants. It is a group of hooded figures. The ground starts to charge up elemental magic and starts to rapid-fire them at Peak.

  Peak easily dodges and avoids all of the bullets. Peak jumps into the sky and webs onto two of the hooded figures.

  [Peak: Once, a woman at the bank asked to check her balance. So I pushed her over!] After delivering this joke, Peak slams both figures together and webs them in place. One of them comes up behind Peak with a knife.

  [Peak: What do you call a nosy pepper? One who’s jalepe?o business!] Peak says with a laugh as he spits into the hooded figure’s face. It immediately starts smoking as the acid spit eats through his face.

  More hooded figures approach. Peak looks at them and smiles.

  [Peak: How do you tell the difference between a bull and a cow? It is either one or the udder!] Peak laughs as he quickly spins around, releasing a bunch of acid-covered webs.

  『Venomous Snare』

  All of the hooded figures are covered in webs. They are unable to move because of the acid, causing them immense pain. Peak laughs as he walks over to one to interrogate. A voice suddenly rings out in the street.

  [???: You did a number on my subordinates. Allow me to pay you in kind.]

  Peak quickly turns around as his sense of danger goes crazy. This makes Peak jump and cling to the side of a building.

  [Peak: Who are you?!?] Peak says in a somewhat joking, somewhat serious tone.

  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  [Let me introduce myself…]

  『Alchemist of the Obsidian Covenant, Balthazar Crowe.』

  Balthazar is a wiry, sinister-looking man with wild black hair and dark, sunken eyes. He wears tattered robes covered in alchemical symbols and vials, and his hands start to turn into claws. Balthazar is extremely fast and suddenly appears in front of Peak.

  『Alchemy slash: Anastesia』

  Peak’s danger sense allows him to block the attack as he slashes into Peak’s arm. Baltazar laughs as he jumps back and starts to walk slowly towards Peak. Peak’s vision begins to fail.

  [Peak: What… What the hell did you do to me?] Peak says in a weak voice.

  [Balthazar: My ability allows me to produce any type of drug from these claws on my hands. You are currently going to have a little nap.] Balthazar states with a horrid smile. [B-bastard…] Peak says as he falls asleep.

  —----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  It has been one day since Peak seemingly disappeared. Pax is still searching the town when a group of hooded figures surrounds him as well. Pax immediately gets into a fighting position and starts to knock the figures out. Pax is stronger and faster than them, so only one hit is needed. However, Pax is caught off guard as more appear behind him. They start to shoot elemental bullets.

  『Unfair: Special Barrier Creation』

  A barrier is made around him, blocking all of the bullets. With this, he easily defeats all of the figures around him.

  —----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  A few blocks away, figures surround Elysia. They start with the magic onslaught.

  『Jewlery magic: Topaz defense』

  A giant orange gemstone appears around her and reflects all of the magic back at her assailants. As they start to recover, hundreds of red crystals appear all around them. The crystals explode. Knocking all of them unconscious except one. Elysia walks over and starts to interrogate the man.

  —----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Pax receives a call on his communication stone. Pax picks it up, and it’s Elysia in a hurried tone.

  [Elysia: Peak is in danger! I can’t tell you the details now. Just hurry to the abandoned factory on the other side of town!] Elysia hangs up.

  Without skipping a beat, Pax activates {Unstoppable} and starts running through buildings while speeding to the factory.

  —----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Peak slowly wakes up in an abandoned factory. He looks down to see a circle of blood under him. Balthazar slowly walks in front of him.

  [Balthazar: You are finally awake. I was afraid I gave you a lethal dose on accident.]

  Peak is angry as he lashes out, but his hands are tied up in the back.

  [Peak: What the hell is all of this?!?]

  Balthazar laughs.

  [Balthazar: This is where we are going to summon an “Anomaly” with you as a sacrifice. First, let me ask. Do you think you’re funny?] Peak smiles.

  [Peak: I am the funniest guy I know!]

  [Balthazar: Really? Is that why your parents disowned you? Is that the reason no one is coming to save you? The truth is you are not funny at all. No one at all thinks you are funny.] Balthazar hits Peak with a wave of criticism. Peak just looks down. Balthazar starts chanting. The room glows as Peak screams in pain. When Balthazar is suddenly sent flying across the room, Peak is surprised as Pax is now in the building.

  Pax deactivates Unstoppable. He tells Peak [Are you ok?] He looks at Balthazar, ready to fight.

  [Balthazar: Fine, I guess some need to be killed.] Balthazares hands start to transform into claws.

  Pax spits blood. [Huh?] Pax falls to the ground, holding his chest. The bandage fills with blood.

  *Pax: Shit! My wound must have opened up by using Unstoppable through all those buildings!*

  Pax starts to lose consciousness, and Balthazar quickly kicks him aside. Balthazar repositions himself in front of Peak to begin chanting. Peak starts to talk.

  [Peak: Thanks, Pax, for trying to help me. I will take it from here. Hey, Balthazar, you said no one finds me funny? Well, you are wrong, there is one…]

  Balthazar is almost knocked out as Peak’s leg goes a full 90 degrees and kicks Balthazar in his chin.

  『Spider-Limb Strike』

  Peak then uses his other leg to propel himself into the air. The ropes around his wrist melt away.

  *Balthazar: He can produce the acid from his wrists as well?!?*

  Peak smiles as he looks down.

  [Peak: That person is… Myself!]

  Peak declares as he points to himself. This was Peak’s true strength, not his webs, not his acid, but his indomitable will. He then dislocates his leg for extra range and slams it down on Balthazar’s shoulder.

  『Streched Dropkick』

  Balthazar is furious as his other hand swipes at Peak with the most deadly poison on this planet.

  『Alechemical Slash: Botox』

  However, before it can strike, it gets reflected off of Peak.

  [Balthazar: Huh?]

  A small orange gem is what it bounced off of. Peak quickly looks over at Elysia, who just arrived.

  [Peak: Nice cover!!!]

  Peak dislocates his arm to its maximum length and covers it with acid webs.

  [Peak: What’s red and bad for your health? A spiked punch!]

  『Venomous Pulverizer』

  Peak winds up the ball of webs and acid. He then shoots it with full force directly into Balthazar’s face. Sending him flying back into a wall as his face melts. Peak relocates his arm and leg and immediately turns around to check on Pax.

  『Jewel Magic: Emerald Health』

  A light green glow emanates from Pax’s wound as Elysia stares at Peak, saying he is going to be okay. Peak hears something move as he turns around. Balthazar is trying to get up. His face melts as he stands. His claws start emanating various drugs.

  [Balthazar: HAHAHA! I will now inject myself with all of these drugs! Let’s see if you can keep up with my roided self!] Balthazar laughs as he goes to stab himself. However, he can’t move an inch. [What…] Balthazar looks over at Pax, who has his hand outstretched.

  『Unfair: Perfect Barrier Creation』

  Pax created a human-shaped barrier around Balthazar, stopping all of his movements. Balthazar quickly looks over at Peak with a desperate stare.

  [Bathazar: Hey, buddy. Convince him to let me go! I will retire from crime! I swear. The Obsidian Covenant will kick me out if they hear I failed. You can join if you let me go!] Balthazar pleads with Peak. Peak just laughs to himself.

  [Peak: What did the worker at the rubber band factory say when he was fired? Oh, snap!]

  Peak then punches Balthazar in the face, knocking him out. Peak hears something behind him.

  [Ha.]

  Peak turns around in surprise to see Pax laughing at his quip. Elysia just sighs [You have such lousy humor, Pax.] Pax looks up at Peak.

  [Pax: That one got me! Good joke! Hahaha!] Pax can barely contain himself. Tears start forming in Peak’s eyes, but he wipes them away. The police arrive at the abandoned factory as Peak looks down at the both of them.

  [Peak: You guys said you needed me for your team. I’m definitely going to take you up on that!] Peak says enthusiastically. Cementing his place on the team.

  |Arc 0- Recruitment Arc, End. Arc 1- The Ascended Crucible, Start.|