[V1/C21] IDENTITY

Going back to where Hades is currently designated.

Right as he landed, he sensed an oppressive energy coming from inside the dense forest. Hades immediately rushed through to find out who was causing an uproar in the mortal realm but as soon as he caught up to the energy, he originally thought another demon beast of the same level got away, he was surprised and baffled to see a man in his twenties carrying an old wooden boat and on top of it is the crystal core of the demonic beast

Its hue is crimson red, with a size of at least 36 inches in width and 40 inches in length.

'What in the underworld am I watching right now?'

He quietly followed the man and sprinted through the dense forest. After a quarter of an hour of sprinting, he sensed multiple lifeforms ahead and as soon as the man exited the forest, Hades transformed himself into an old man in his 60's.

His transformed appearance looks young and lively as if it doesn't match the standards of a 60-year-old man, but for him, it's the embodiment of perfection.

Hades still quietly followed the man carrying an old wooden boat on top of his head without breaking into character.

As soon as Rey exited the dense forest he was met with many unfamiliar faces from a distance gossiping about him.

"Who's that man?"

"Seriously? That guy is running with a boat on top of his head in this fine afternoon?"

"Shhh... Quiet down. He must be on steroids."

"Can you run that fast with steroids?"

"He looks much faster than a speeding motorcycle at maximum speed."

"Mama. I want to ride that uncle."

Rey sourly closed his eyes and made a quick run for it, avoiding their unpleasant gazes. Right behind him was an old man running right after him.

"Mama. Look! That grandpa is keeping up with that uncle!"

Surely, these two aren't attracting too much-unwanted attention. Right? Right?!

With more than at least 10 minutes of running around, Rey finally arrived at his final destination, still carrying the old wooden boat. Which is the Francisco Bangor International Airport.

"I'm finally here!" His eyes brightly shone as he saw the entrance to the airport.

But unexpectedly before even entering, a security guard stopped him and firmly said.

"Hello there. Sorry, but what's with that boat you're carrying?"

"It's my family heirloom!' Rey proudly proclaimed.

"Sorry, but it's against our regulations to bring a boat of that size into a plane."

Rey dumbfoundedly stood there, and right behind him was an old man lurking and snooping around him, disguising himself as a tourist buying a Buko Juice from a nearby store.

'Is that guy gonna board the plane with a boat?' Hades questioned himself as he silently watched the dumfounded Rey.

Continuing with the security guard and Rey's conversation. After countless debates, Rey lost and turned around with a frown on his face.

"SIGH...

Should I leave this boat here?"

As he heavily sighed and questioned his decision, a being only visible to him appeared floating in thin air in the form of a black slime.

"If you leave that boat, you'll only be giving up the chance of obtaining one of the Mystical Artifacts of the Mortal Realm."

"Are you sure this is Noah's Ark?"

While the two are having a conversation, the people around Rey see him as someone who is mentally ill and who's talking to himself in his rugged clothes; he looks like a beggar with mental illness from their perspectives.

Some even pitied him with a heavy heart; two tourists gave him a few extra pocket change.

"Are you alright, Sonny? Here, this might help you buy yourself a few clean clothes and some food."

The two tourists reached out their hand, giving Rey a fair bit of money to make it through the day.

Rey confusedly received the money and slowly looked around him.

"No worries, lad, there's no need to thank me and my buddy here."

The two old gentlemen tapped his shoulder and put up a thumbs up as if comforting him to live a better life, their smiling faces aimed towards the "pitiful" Rey.

After encouraging him, they soon left right after. Rey's face is completely flushed with embarrassment. He then took off to find a changing room to change his clothes.

Little did he know, while he was finding a room to change. He's currently going viral throughout the internet as the "Fastest Man Alive" and the weirdest amongst them. Hades is also in the ongoing viral video titled "The Oldest Strongest Runner Alive."

Some people even mistook the two as Father and Son going on a marathon, with the son lifting a boat on top of his head as "training."

Some even say that it's edited, but after dozens of people posted it online, the people who claimed that it's fake vanished like the wind.

These two individuals are internet celebrities right now, with at least 10 million views per video and still counting! Somewhere around Sta. Lucia Mall of Davao is just 325 meters away from the airport terminal.

After running straight to the airport parking lot and some residential, Rey arrived at the mall after crossing the Pan-Philippine Highway with a boat in tow.

Knowing that he couldn't bring the boat inside the Mall, he parked it outside, bringing only the huge crystal and his bag along with him.

He was then allowed entry to the mall even though he's dressed so shabbily, but after being seen carrying a huge crystal inside, the security guard saw it as Rey pawning it to a jewellery store.

'This guy must be a miner. I mean, with that huge ore, he probably hit it big time.

But, just in case this kind of ore is stolen... Might as well call the higher-ups.'

As he entered the Mall, all the people's eyes were on him. To be more precise, they're all looking at the huge ore he's carrying.

Rey didn't mind the gazes of the people inside and continued to look for a changing room.

After looking around for a couple of minutes, he found a Clothing Store. So immediately he picked up random dresses for men, leaving chaos as the crystal continued to bump into many hangers and signs.

The staff silently watched him as he caused wreckage unto their store.

'This Bastard!!' All of them thought of the same thing while silently biting into their handkerchiefs with angered faces.

The Mall was only recently opened a day ago, and the sellers were only starting their sales, but unfortunately, they were met with bad luck just a day after its grand opening.

Immediately after Rey went into the changing room, all of the staff followed him with angry faces, rushing through as if ready to devour him, but as soon as they got close to the other end of the store where the changing room is located and where Rey is currently changing at.

All of them saw something unprecedented. A glowing crimson ore. As they continued to watch it, they saw different reflections of themselves turning into an abominable demon beast.

"HICCCK!!"

The staff were frightened up to the point where they pissed off their pants.

Shakingly, one of the female staff pointed and said.

"W-what was that?!"

They then reflexively focused on the person behind the door to check what kind of man brought this kind of cursed ore.

*RUSTLE*

Right as Rey finished changing, he opened the door and saw the staff with a confused, frightened expression.

"Is there something wrong?"

He looked at them with a warm smile. As soon as they saw his appearance, the female staff drooled out of excitement, and the male staff were angrily jealous of his appearance, replacing the fear they felt earlier.

"A white striped turtle neck, long black trench coat and long black jeans paired with his ashen hair, a hint of bluish coloured eyes and on top of that! A uniquely carved face and body!

The only problem here is his... Height..."

"What do you mean?! That's already beyond the standard height here in our country!"

"You don't get it, do you? She just prefers tall men that badly, and judging from his height he's probably around 6'1 or 6'2."

"And that's still too small for her?! I mean look at her! She's only 5'4, at least!"

"Yeah. Judging by his looks. He's far from being a miner rather, he looks like a celebrity model!"

In their conversation, the staff were using their language called "Dabawenyo."

While the female staff were arguing on and on about how good-looking Rey is. The person in question, who's vaguely even listening to them, took his bag beside the door and went on rummaging through its pockets.

Upon reaching out to his wallet, he quickly pulled it out of the bag and took out a black card.

"Swipe the bill please."

The onslaught of fighting was put to a stop after hearing Rey's melancholic voice.

"His voice!"

"So heavenly!"

"He's still too short for my taste."

The other female staff glared daggers at the last person who spoke ill of him.

On the other hand, the male staff just stood there gritting their teeth out of jealousy.

"?"

Rey confusedly looked at their expressions as he handed his card.

"Oh! Let me swipe it for you!"

One of the overly excited female staff slid through the crowd of angry mobs and offered him to swipe his card.

"Here."

The staff checked to see if the money had been transferred as she swiped his card, but to her surprise, it didn't.

"Uhm... Sorry sir but... The transfer wasn't successfully..."

Rey's eyes widened as he took a look at his card.

'What? Frozen?'

He rummaged through his bag once again to find his phone.

As soon as he grabbed hold of his phone, he dialled an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Hello, sir."

An old man answered with a rough voice.

"Why is my card not working?"

"Sorry sir, but as soon as you left without telling your Father where you were going, your Father ordered for your card access to be put on a stop for the time being.

But, he also said that he'll undo it as soon as you return home which I doubt you'll do. I've known you since young, Rey, so don't expect anything from the company and me for the time being."

"You're literally telling me to fend off for myself, Uncle."

"Indeed.

I mean, you're already a well-grown man. It's time for you to find yourself a spouse without relying on your family's wealth."

"Heh--You guys must've thought this is the only card I have."

"Which it is."

"Well Played."

"So... What is it that you want, sir?"

"Come on stop calling me sir~ just call me as how you used to call me."

"Alright, what's your business for calling me, Little ReyRey."

"..."

"What?"

"Nothing. I just want to ask if you can lend me some money. Since I've already exhausted all of my hard bills for the transportation cost and rent and now I'm in a dilemma cause I don't have enough money to pay off the clothes I've bought."

"No."

His uncle flat-out refused his plea. While the two were having a conversation on call, the staff kept staring at him and started whispering to each other.

'Can he pay it off?'

'Tsk. Tsk. If he can't pay it off then be ready to call security.'

'A pity. He speaks well of our language but can't pay for his clothes.'

'Yeah. It's quite rare for a foreigner to learn "Dabawenyo."

In the conversation between Rey and his Uncle, they were speaking out in English.

Rey lowered his voice and started begging his uncle for money.

"Come on. Please, Uncle. I'll pay you back later."

"When is that "later."

"After I return home?"

"Yeah, not happening."

"Can you at least pass the message to my Father?"

"What message?"

"Can you tell him that I need money? ASAP."

His uncle pretended to walk as he stomped on the same floor.

"Sir. Your son wants to borrow money."

He pretended to ask, facing nobody but himself.

"Yeah, he said no."

"You #£##@#@##£#!"

"I'll be hanging up now. Good Luck."

Just like that, his uncle hangs up on him.

Rey slowly looked back at the employees, awkwardly scratching his head.

"Hahaha..."

All the employees glared daggers at him until a regular old man came up and spoke.

"Are you short on cash, young man?"