By the time Ss finished patching him up, Aiden felt like a new man—or as close to it as someone in his position could. He stood, testing his bnce, and gave Ss a wary nod.
"So what now?" he asked.
Ss smiled faintly. "Now, you rest. Tomorrow, we talk about what’s next."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "And if I decide I don’t want to be part of whatever this is?"
Ss’s smile didn’t waver. "Then you’re free to leave. No strings attached."
Ss’ words caught Aiden off guard. He had spent so long under the thumb of people who saw him as property, as a tool to be used and discarded. Freedom was a foreign concept—but for the first time, it felt within reach.
"Guess we’ll see," he muttered, brushing past Ss and heading toward the room that Ss pointed to him.
As he disappeared down the hallway, Ss leaned against the counter, his expression thoughtful. Luna’s voice in his head broke the silence.
{You think he’ll stay?}
Ss shrugged. "I don’t know. But if he does, he’ll be an asset. And if he doesn’t... at least he’ll have a chance at a life."
{Strange. Most people wouldn’t go to such lengths for a stranger.}
"Yeah but I’m not most people and neither is Aiden," Ss replied.
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{Yes. You’re not and that’s why you’re my master. But you still haven’t told me what is it about Aiden that makes you want him so much.}
Ss silently looked into the distance when he heard Luna’s question. The thing is that after he woke up from his second evolution metamorphosises, a lot of things about him changed, with or without his knowledge.
It was a strange feeling. The best way to exin it would be that he became someone else entirely, yet still being himself.
"You will know very soon, Luna. Just trust me," Ss said as he walked to a section of the warehouse.
{I trust you and I will always be here for you, master.}
Ss paused mid-step, Luna’s words lingering in his mind. He smiled faintly, with him being aware of what his thoughts were.
Walking into a quieter section of the warehouse, Ss found himself standing in front of a door. He opened it she walked in.
Behind the door was a small room, where he has been spending the couple of days in, instead of staying in a hotel.
He walked imto the bed in the room and slumped on it. He closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep but he was unable to as his thoughts didn’t allow him to.
Aiden’s weary, bloodied expression kept shing in his mind. Ss couldn’t help but feel a pang of empathy. His past might not mirror Aiden’s, but he could recognize the shadows of despair and exhaustion in the man’s eyes.
"Freedom," Ss muttered under his breath. "He’s never tasted it, not really."
---
Meanwhile, Aiden sat on the edge of the bed in the room Ss had pointed out. It was sparse, with only a small table, a chair, and a clean bed, but it was leagues above the cages and dingy holding rooms he was used to.
He looked at his hands, now bandaged and clean. The faint hum of power beneath his skin was both afort and a curse.
For years, his abilities had defined his existence—his value to others, his chains. But Ss... Ss had paid $300 million for him and yet promised freedom. No strings attached.
If course he didn’t know how much Ss paid for his freedom but he knew that it would be no small amount.
He knew the kind of people his previous owners are and just how greedy they are for benefits. And the fact that there’s no strings attached is what scares him.
The thought gnawed at Aiden’s mind. Was it a trick? Some borate ploy? He’d been betrayed enough times to be suspicious of any kindness. But the question is why someone like Ss would spend so much and do such length if he wants to trick him.
Also, there was something about Ss that unsettles him.
Aiden leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?" he muttered to himself.
---
The warehouse came alive with quiet activity as the sun rose. Ss had been up for hours.
The faint sound of footsteps made him nce up. Aiden stood at the doorway, his posture hesitant but his gaze steady.
"Morning," Ss greeted casually, setting down the drone.
Aiden stepped inside, his eyes scanning the cluttered workspace. "Didn’t think you’d still be here. I thought someone like you would have bigger ns than babysitting a guy like me."
Ss chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "You’re not wrong. I do have bigger ns. But that doesn’t mean I can’t take a moment to help someone who deserves it."
"Deserves it?" Aiden scoffed, folding his arms. "You don’t know anything about me."
"I know enough," Ss replied calmly. "I know you’ve been fighting for your life in that arena for years, not because you wanted to, but because you had no choice.
I know you’ve been forced into situations where survival meant sacrificing pieces of yourself. And I know you’re still standing despite it all."
Aiden’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. Ss’s words hit too close to home.
"So what? You think you’re some kind of savior?" Aiden’s voice was sharp,ced with bitterness. "You think throwing money around and giving me a bed makes you better than the rest of them?"
Ss stood slowly, meeting Aiden’s re with calm resolve. "I don’t think I’m better than anyone and I’m not here to save you. I’m here to give you a choice."
Aiden’s shoulders sagged slightly, the tension in his frame easing. He looked away, his voice quieter now.
"And what if I don’t want whatever it is you’re offering?"
"Then just like I said before, you can simply walk away," Ss said simply.
"No strings, no debts. You’re free to live your life however you see fit. But if you stay, I can promise you something most people can’t—purpose. A chance to be part of something bigger than yourself."
Aiden didn’t respond immediately. He stared at the floor, his thoughts a chaotic storm.
Finally, he looked up, his eyes searching Ss’s face for any sign of deceit. He found none.
"What do you want from me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Ss smiled faintly. "Your trust. That’s all."