Noon was already high in the sky.

Fidri was still fast asleep.

"Knock. Knock. Knock."

The pounding on the door grew louder and more insistent, gradually pulling him from his slumber.

Lazily raising a hand to grab his phone, he silently cursed whoever dared disturb him before squinting at the time through still-clouded eyes.

"Shit!"

Fidri shot out of bed.

"Fuck, training! The instructor is going to kill me! Well, no... I’ll be dead before he even gets the chance."

Every minute late to training meant extra exercises.

And he was nearly seven hours late.

To say he was doomed would have been an understatement.

Grabbing nothing but his enforcer coat, he rushed toward the door.

"Hey, it’s about time!"

Fidri did not even bother responding to Elizir. The moment he stepped through the doorway, he broke into a sprint toward the training grounds.

"Huh? Where’s he going?"

Elizir watched him disappear for a few seconds before taking off after him.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

But Fidri paid him no attention and accelerated even more.

Throughout his run, he spotted several familiar faces. Many seemed to be enjoying their day peacefully, which struck him as strange.

Why weren’t they at training?

Still, this was no time for questions.

Ignoring the astonished looks of everyone he passed, he continued his breathless dash.

After a frantic sprint, he finally reached the running track and came face-to-face with the instructor.

"Sir... sorry I’m late... I’m ready!"

The words came out with difficulty as he struggled to catch his breath.

To his immense surprise, the instructor wore a satisfied smile.

"Now there’s an exemplary recruit," he declared to his colleague.

"Even on a day off, he refuses to neglect his training."

"Day off?"

Fidri froze.

Then the pieces of the puzzle finally began to fall into place.

"I finally caught up to you!"

Elizir arrived behind him, bent over and panting.

"You’re insane for making me run like that when we’re off duty!"

"Ha... ha... ha..."

A nervous laugh escaped Fidri before he dropped to his knees.

The instructor observed the two enforcers with interest.

"Well... I suppose I can make an exception for you two."

The pair instantly turned pale.

"A special training session. I guarantee that by the end of it, every inch of your body will remember it... and thank you for it."

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

Fidri and Elizir exchanged a glance.

Then they simultaneously turned toward the instructor.

They needed no further explanation.

In perfect unison, both men turned and ran for their lives.

The instructor watched them flee with emotion in his eyes.

"Ah, youth... I feel like I’m looking at myself at their age."

His colleague opened his mouth.

Then closed it again.

After all, a man was entitled to dream.

---

After several minutes of desperate fleeing, the two enforcers finally slowed down.

"That was way too close..."

Elizir was completely out of breath and shooting murderous looks at Fidri.

"How about we get something to eat? All that running reminded me I haven’t eaten a thing since this morning."

Elizir would gladly have continued blaming him, but his stomach protested loudly enough to stop him.

A silent truce was immediately established.

The two companions headed toward the nearest cafeteria.

"By the way, why were you looking for me?"

At the question, Elizir scratched the back of his head.

A migraine seemed to return instantly.

"Well..."

He hesitated.

For a long time.

Then he finally delivered the bad news.

As the explanation unfolded, Fidri’s face gradually fell apart.

By the time they reached the cafeteria, he already looked like a condemned man walking toward the gallows.

"Cursed bartender... cursed alcohol... I’ll never drink again..."

His lament was interrupted the moment they stepped inside.

"Hey, guys!"

Lucy waved at them from a table she shared with Gracia.

When she noticed their miserable expressions, she frowned slightly.

"They don’t look so good."

"They probably blew their entire paycheck and are suffering the consequences," Gracia guessed.

Fidri and Elizir sat down without reacting to the remark.

"If only it were just this month’s paycheck..."

The moment the words left his mouth, Elizir realized his mistake.

His hands immediately flew to his lips.

Too late.

Lucy and Gracia exchanged amused smiles.

"Why don’t you tell us about it?"

Fidri and Elizir looked at each other.

They were cornered.

Still, Fidri saw an opportunity.

"Fine. But in exchange, you’ll have to help us."

"We’ll see."

A few minutes later, after hearing the entire story, Lucy burst out laughing.

Even Gracia could not hold hers back.

"Seriously? How much did you drink to end up owing an entire year’s salary?"

"It’s all that cursed bartender’s fault!" Elizir protested. "He manipulated us!"

"Or maybe you were so drunk that you signed with a smile on your face," Gracia replied.

"He’d better watch himself! I’ll make him regret it!"

Fidri placed a hand on his companion’s shoulder before bowing to the two young women.

"Lend us some money. We’ll pay you back, I promise."

Lucy and Gracia exchanged a glance.

"What do you think?"

"Lend them money? Not a chance. That would only encourage them."

"No! We’ll never do it again!" Fidri promised immediately.

He shot Elizir a threatening look, prompting him to bow as well.

The two young women felt their resolve beginning to waver.

They were just about to give in when a voice interrupted them.

"I have a solution that might help you."

Everyone turned toward the entrance.

Iris had just made a dramatic entrance.

Bruno and Carla followed behind her like two faithful shadows, as usual.

"How about a trip to the casino?"

Fidri’s eyes widened.

How had he not thought of that sooner?

With his magician powers, he could make a fortune in a single night.

A cruel smile slowly spread across his lips.

In his mind, mountains of cash were already piling up, along with the devastated faces of the unfortunate souls who would sit at his table.

---

Meanwhile, far away from those dark financial schemes...

Sirius was peacefully enjoying his day off.

Lying on his bed with a cocktail in hand, he watched the television mounted on the wall with mild interest.

The show currently airing was particularly stupid.

That was precisely what made it entertaining.

"Ding. Ding."

Without even setting down his glass, Sirius raised a finger.

A chain materialized in the air and shot across the room.

A few seconds later, it returned with his phone dangling from its end.

"A casino?"

He thought about it for a moment.

The weekend belonged to them.

Gramm had even granted them time off after their success the previous day.

In other words, he had absolutely nothing to do.

"Why not."

A short conversation later, Sirius let out a sigh.

"You want me to invite Kritos?"

"Alright."

Once the call ended, he immediately dialed his friend’s number.

One ring.

Then another.

No answer.

He tried again.

Still nothing.

Sirius sighed once more.

He finished his cocktail in a single gulp before getting to his feet.

A chain appeared and switched off the television while he slipped on his black coat.

Apparently, he would have to go fetch the man himself.

---

A few minutes later, Sirius stood before a door identical to his own.

The only difference was that it was located in the laboratory dormitories.

Without bothering to knock, he pushed open the already ajar door.

Darkness greeted him immediately.

The lights were off.

That did not stop him from taking in the immense room.

The chamber was almost twice the size of his own.

Research equipment occupied most of the space.

Screens, workbenches, measuring devices, and experimental instruments competed for every available square meter.

At the center of this organized chaos sat Kritos.

Seated before a state-of-the-art microscope, he observed something with absolute concentration.

His phone rested beside him.

Clearly ignored for quite some time.

Sirius pulled up a chair and sat down without a word.

Experience had taught him that he would get nothing from Kritos while the man was immersed in his research.

He might as well wait.

Dissolving his ring into a swirling mist, he used the time to train.

Time passed.

An entire hour went by.

Eventually, Kritos lifted his eyes from the microscope.

His gaze fell on Sirius.

Sitting cross-legged, the latter was surrounded by a dense mist within which countless chains moved with graceful precision.

Their speed and accuracy seemed to have improved considerably since their last duel.

Before Kritos could even open his mouth, Sirius spoke.

"We’re going to the casino."

"What do I get out of it?"

"Iris will be there."

Kritos thought for exactly one second.

Then he nodded.

"Okay."