Who is it?

The clock read 10:12 hours.

The rain fell incessantly on the abandoned building, creating puddles of dirty water on the concrete floor. The place, once a commercial building, was now in ruins, with graffiti-covered walls and broken windows. The sound of dripping water echoed through the empty space, mingling with the distant murmur of the city.

In the center of the main hall, a group of drug dealers gathered around an improvised table made of wooden planks. The dim light of a lantern hanging from the ceiling cast sinister shadows over their faces. The leader of the group, a tall and muscular man named Vitor, watched the others attentively, his eyes shining with a mix of distrust and determination.

— Hey, man, did you bring the stuff? — asked Vitor, his deep voice cutting through the silence.

One of the men, a thin and nervous-looking guy named Lucas, nodded and pulled out a worn leather backpack. He unzipped it and took out several small vials, each containing a shimmering green liquid.

— Here it is, boss. You have to test it, kid. This dose is wicked. — said Lucas, placing the vials on the table.

Vitor picked up one of the vials and held it against the light, observing the shimmering liquid with interest.

— What are the side effects? — he asked, not taking his eyes off the vial.

Lucas hesitated for a moment before responding.

— Hah, you know the effects vary from person to person. Some gain superhuman strength, others get heightened senses, grow a three-headed dong like an Echidna. But if you use too much, you could get messed up. — he explained, his voice light.

Vitor frowned, pondering Lucas's words. He knew the risks involved.

— And the price? — asked Vitor, finally placing the vial back on the table.

Lucas exchanged a nervous look with the other dealers before responding.

— We're asking for 50 grand per batch. — he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

Vitor let out a low, humorless laugh.

— 50 grand? Are you shitting me? — he said, spreading his arms.

Lucas simply smiled.

— Look, man, this stuff is insane. When people use Merry, they feel an adrenaline rush like never before. The effects are more potent and longer-lasting than anything else on the market. And you know why, it comes from there, it's God’s work! — he argued, pointing upward.

The leader of the group was silent for a moment, assessing the situation and looking at Lucas with a face of disgust.

— Alright. — he said. — I'll take a batch to test. If the profits are good, we can negotiate a better price.

Lucas responded.

— Hahahahah, sure boss, and if the results are better, we can raise the price, that's for sure. — he said, handing the backpack to Vitor.

— Alright then. Let's see if this stuff is worth it. — said Vitor, grabbing the backpack and getting ready to leave.

Suddenly, the roof of the building was destroyed with a deafening crash. Eterrai entered, wielding his light weapons, which shone brightly in the darkness. The dealers turned, surprised and scared.

— Who the hell is this nutjob? — shouted one of the men, drawing his weapon.

Eterrai wasted no time. With quick and precise movements, he began to attack. His light weapons sliced through the air with surgical precision, taking down one dealer after another. He used the environment to his advantage, jumping over tables and hiding behind pillars to avoid gunfire.

Vitor tried to react, but Eterrai was faster. With a precise strike, he disarmed Vitor and knocked him to the ground. The other dealers tried to flee, but Eterrai intercepted them, cutting them down with his dual light blades.

Lucas, paralyzed by fear, watched the scene without knowing what to do. Eterrai, however, avoided attacking him, focusing on the other dealers. In a few minutes, everyone was on the ground, groaning in pain or unconscious.

Eterrai approached Lucas, who was trembling with fear.

— You’re Lucas, right? — asked Eterrai, his voice calm and controlled.

Lucas nodded, still in shock.

— Yes... yes. — he replied, stammering.

Eterrai looked around, ensuring all the dealers were dead.

— I need to have a word with your boss. So, you know... tell me who gave you this? — asked Eterrai, his voice relaxed.

Lucas swallowed hard, trying to find the words.

— I... I don't know. This was the first batch of drugs I negotiated. — he said, his voice trembling. — A guy approached me a week ago in the bathroom of the Snow Bunny Syndicate and told me to go to a specific location at the city’s port to pick up the drugs.

Eterrai frowned, dissatisfied with the answer but realizing Lucas was telling the truth.

— What location? Describe this guy. What do you know about him? — insisted Eterrai.

Lucas shook his head, trying to remember.

— In a warehouse near dock F. He was wearing a hood; I couldn't see his face clearly. But he was tall and slim and seemed to know what he was doing. He said if I followed the instructions, I'd make good money. — Lucas explained, still nervous.

Eterrai sighed, realizing he couldn't get more information from Lucas.

— Alright. Get out of here. And don’t come back. — said Eterrai.

Lucas ran away, and as he was about to leave the building, Eterrai shot him in the back with a light gun.

As the rain continued to fall outside, the abandoned building, with its shadows and secrets, seemed to watch silently, as if awaiting the unfolding of the next events. Eterrai knew he needed to investigate further and uncover who was behind the distribution of Merry in the city.

The sun began to light up the horizon, casting soft rays of light through the heavy curtains of Halo's bedroom. She woke up slowly, her eyes blinking against the growing brightness. The reflection in the mirror beside the bed revealed her makeup-free, tired face.

Still drowsy, she got up and walked to the front door, slipping on her plush slippers. The silk robe brushed softly against her skin as she crossed the hallway, her silver hair falling in gentle waves. When she reached the door, she heard several impatient knocks.

— I'm coming! — Halo called out, her voice still hoarse with sleep.

She opened the door to find Julia, her best friend, holding a relatively large box. Julia, with her blonde hair tied up in a messy bun and glasses slipping down her nose, looked exasperated.

— Good morning, Halo. — said Julia, trying to balance the box in her arms. — You need to stop having things delivered to my house just because you're never home.

Halo frowned, looking at the box curiously.

— I didn't have anything delivered to your house, Julia. — she said, taking the box from her friend's hands. — I have no idea what this is.

— Really? — Julia asked, raising an eyebrow. — Well, here it is. Next time, tell the delivery guy to leave it at your place.

The two friends walked into the kitchen, where Halo placed the box on the counter. While Julia prepared the coffee, Halo couldn't help but feel grateful for Julia's constant presence in her life, even if the circumstances were sometimes complicated.

— So, what do you think is in the box? — asked Julia, pouring the coffee into two elegant cups.

— I have no idea. Shall we find out together? — Halo replied, picking up a knife to open the package.

Julia glanced at her watch and grimaced.

— Actually, Halo, I can't stay. I have an appointment soon, and I'm already late. — Julia said, with an apologetic tone in her voice.

Halo smiled understandingly.

— It's okay, Julia. Thanks for bringing the box. We'll catch up later. — said Halo, handing a cup of coffee to her friend.

— Sure, we will. And try not to order anything else to my house, okay? — Julia joked, taking a quick sip of coffee before getting up.

The two friends hugged briefly, and Julia left in a hurry, leaving Halo alone in the kitchen. Halo looked at the box with renewed curiosity, wondering what could be inside.

She picked up the knife again and, with careful movements, cut through the tape and opened the package. Inside, there were several jars of cream, all with intriguing labels. On top, there was an instruction manual.

Halo picked up the manual and began to read:

Virgin Blood Cream Instructions for Use: 1. Apply a thin layer of the cream on a clean face. 2. Wait 10 minutes for the cream to be absorbed by the skin. 3. Do not wash your face after application. Let the cream act naturally.

She looked at the jars of cream, curious about their content. Virgin blood?

— Huh, Virgin blood? — she murmured to herself, letting out a laugh. — Must be a joke.

Still, she decided to follow the instructions, after all, what could go wrong? Halo applied a thin layer of the cream on her face, feeling a slight tingling sensation. While waiting for the 10 minutes to pass, she wondered who could have sent the package and why.

                                                              The clock read 10:30.