While driving tohoenix, I switched on the radio and hunted for an oldies station. I found one, but the songs were far from what I expected. I thought an oldies station would py hits from the 80s and 90s, but this one pyed songs from 2000 to 2025. It made me feel a. I’d be 49 on paper by December 17th—or maybe 45, disting the time skips. It was fusiher way. I didn’t feel nearly 50. When I gnced in the mirror, the refle showed someone who looked no more than 20, and holy, I felt even younger. Ba my 20s, I had carried the burden of my past—mentally aionally scarred—so I felt much older then. Now? It felt like I was finally living my 20s the right way, with the freedom to appreciate the fihings in life and the moo indulge.

  I sed for aation, but it was difficult to ect with modern music. It felt too teical, with AI-geed tracks g any human touch, and genre-blending that made everything sound the same. The lyrics? All about digital life. The overproduced sound, dripping with auto-tune and heavy digital effects, felt soulless. Short-form tent created for social media felt shallow, and the absence of physical media and live certs robbed the music of its authenticity. None of it resonated with me.

  After a lengthy search, I stumbled upon Time Capsule Tunes Radio. The name made me ugh because “Time Capsule” jured the idea of reliething a. But that’s what they called it, and I finally found the musiy youth. Maybe I was a time capsule in some ways. After all, I looked like I had rolled the clock back thirty years.

  With these philosophical thoughts swirling around, I started singing along. Even after over two months, I still wasn’t used to my new voice. It was too powerful, too rich, too deep, but at least my vocal trol was extraordinary. Every time I sang, I could feel the mana trying to creep into my voice, like it wao fuse with it. But I kept it in cheo o actally fry our new Jeep.

  Mahya took out the list of things I had “liberated” from the warehouse and ented, “There are things here we’ll never use. We should get rid of them to make spa our Ste.”

  “Yeah, I’ve thought about that,” I said, keeping my eyes on the road. “But I don’t want just to throw them away. All these items are valuable. I sidered donating them, but not in the U.S. I don’t know who I robbed, and I’m not taking any risks. Whe to ada, we’ll review the list and figure out what we donate and to whom.”

  She nodded, and I tinued driving, belting out song lyrics. Rue kept his head out the window, occasionally shouting, “Rue love fast!” and “John go faster!”

  When we reached Phoenix, we jumped straight into our errands. her of us felt like sightseeing. We were all mentally ready for the world. Everyone was tired of Earth. We found a giant furniture store, and I bought three plete sets to furnish a five-bedroom house. Despite only items that could be delivered immediately, I still had to wait two days for the delivery.

  In the meantime, we cleared out a few more alcohol stores. By now, our ste ractically bursting with alcohol. Despite Lis and Mahya’s best efforts, I still had a third of the inal stock I bought before leaving for Shimoor. With all the ret shopping and our travels, we now had enough booze to keep a city supplied for a decade. But Mahya kept insisting that Earth’s alcohol was leagues better than anything she had tasted in other worlds, and Al always nodded in agreement. So, I kept buying more.

  After searg online, I found Cartel Roasting Co. and Coffee Reserve Brands in Phoenix. Betweewo, I bought 1.2 tons of coffee and rexed, knowing I wouldn’t be stuck without coffee. In Ste, it could st turies. With the money I had, there was no reason not to ensure a steady supply.

  My Ste, however, was looking dangerously full. When I checked, I found items piled nearly to the ceiling. Expanding it left me with an annoying, persistent headache, like I had been stretg my mana sense for hours. I waited a few hours for it to subside, but there was no ge.

  I turo Mahya for advice. “My Ste was too full, so I increased it, but now I feel this staal pressure, like I’ve been stretg my mana sense for hours. My head is killing me. Do you have any idea what to do about it?”

  Rue chimed in, “John take nap! Nap good for head!”

  I chuckled, scratg his ear. “Thanks, buddy, I’ll sider it.”

  Mahya pondered momentarily, then offered, “Increase your intelligence.”

  I frowned. “How? There’s no way I level up right now.”

  She gave me a knowing look, amusement glinting in her eyes. “vert an ability point into five Trait points and put them into intelligence.”

  I facepalmed. “Why didn’t I think of that?” It hadn’t even crossed my mind since being a Gate Traveler.

  She chuckled softly. “It’s easy to miss the obvious when you’re juggling so much. Just take it easy and make the version. You’ll feel the difference right away.”

  Closing my eyes, I focused, and as soon as I verted the ability point, the strain lifted, as if a heavy weight had been removed from my mind. “Thanks, Mahya. That helped.”

  She smiled, patting my shoulder. “Anytime. Now, let’s make sure we’re fully stocked before moving on.”

  We found The Source Hemp & Herbs, where Al purchased a mountain of herbs and a stash of CBD products for his potions. As we loaded the st items into the vehicle for show and discretely stored them, Rue wrinkled his nose and asked, “What is smell?! Rue like smell!”

  I ughed, shaking my head as Rue s the box of herbs. “Those are the herbs, Rue. They’re for Al’s potions.”

  Rue recoiled slightly, his witg. “Rue taste herb!” he announced, eyeing the box.

  “Trust me, buddy,” I said with a grin, watg his tail twitervously. “You don’t want to taste these. They’re worse than dog cookies.”

  “Yuck!” Rue sched up his face, shaking his head emphatically. “Rue no want herb! No dog cookies!” he added, retreating even further, clearly disgusted.

  Al and I ughed as we drove through the busy streets toward the hotel. Al’s expression suddenly ged, being more serious. He turo me and said, “John, I need you to find me more coe and heroin.”

  I shot him a surprised look, raising an eyebrow. “Why do you need more?” I asked, tightening my grip oeering wheel.

  He sighed and expined, gesturing with his hands. “There are specific potions that be made with those ingredients. With heroin, I create the Essence of Oblivion, which erases memories—allowing people tet trauma or force others tet secrets.”

  I nodded slowly, processing the information. “And coe?”

  “With coe, I brew the Elixir of Exhiration. It gives people a burst of joy and energy, perfect for social events or bat,” he expined, his toeady. “There’s also the Stimunt Serum, which grants heightened alertness and focus. It is ideal for warriors or schors requiring prolonged periods of sharpness. With coe, one also craft the Berserker’s Brew, whihances physical strength and aggression. This proves invaluable in battle. Moreover, the Potion of Crity sharpens the mind and improves itive funs. Strategists and tactis find it exceedingly useful.”

  I kept my eyes on the road, still digesting his request. “Do they have side effects?”

  “This is the primary rationale behind the request, and it expins my preference fs from Earth rather than magical pnts,” he replied, leaning bad tapping his fingers on the door. “Typically, these potions exhibit potent side effects. However, sihly drugs ck ma produce the desired oute, the potions will exhibit signifitly reduced side effects.”

  “And the heroin-based potions?” I asked, steering into the hotel’s parking lot.

  “There is the Veil of Serenity, whigenders profound calm, redug ay and fear. It is essential for warriors and nobles in stressful situations. heless, overuse dull emotional respohe Paiincture, a powerful analgesic, eliminates physical pain. Healers highly value it, though it lead to addi and unnoticed injuries,” he said ically.

  I parked, letting the engine hum. “I uand the need,” I said, turning off the car. “But we already have over 300 kilograms of each. Why do you need more?”

  Al turo me, his voice soft but resolute. “It’s like Mahya with alcohol and you with coffee. At present, I possess an ample amount that will st for many years. heless, it will eventually be depleted, and I am averse to res to more harmful substances. I desire to leave the p with ae supply that will st for many years.”

  I sighed, nodding. “Okay, I’ll see what I do. Just be careful with it.”

  He smiled, squeezing my shoulder. “Always. Your help is invaluable.”

  After nightfall, I activated my Lud set out to find more drugs. Driving through Phoenix, following a feeling toward drugs felt surreal. After half an hour, I arrived at a rge police station.

  Hmm, probably in the eviden. Not a good idea.

  “Not here,” I muttered. I activated my Luck again, seeking a different path. This time, I ended up in the Alhambra neighborhood. The moon hung low, casting a pale glow over the dipidated buildings and trash-strewn streets. I parked the Jeep in a shadowy er, far from the flickering streetlights. The air was heavy with the st of damp asphalt and the faint, acrid stenoke. Sirens wailed in the distance, blending with the murmurs of street thugs l on ers, their eyes glinting with suspi and menace.

  I exhaled deeply, the weight of what I was about to do pressing down on my chest. My task was straightforward—steal a stash s for Al’s potions. The absurdity of it all made me shake my head. The old John wouldn’t have even sidered something like this. I’d bee someone else, unreizable even to myself.

  Activating my Luck, I closed my eyes ahe familiar tingliion guide me. It pulled me toward a rundown building, its windows barred and covered in graffiti. A group of thugs lingered around the entraheir low voices mingling with the sounds of the city. Five armed guards stood near a white Cadilc parked beside the building.

  I parked two streets over, cast Invisibility, aurned on foot. The Cadilc remaihe guards vigint. Waiting was my only option.

  After about twenty minutes, a man in a white suit emerged from the building, surrounded by muards. He shouted something in Spanish to the thugs standing by, his voice carrying in the night. I couldn’t catch most of what he said, but his appearance suggested he was Mexi.

  Cartel maybe?

  I didn’t care. As long as it wasn’t a police station and an eviden, it worked for me. After barking more orders, he and his ente climbed into the vehicles and drove away.

  I needed a way ihout raising suspi. It felt all too familiar.

  Here we go again…

  With a silent prayer to the Guiding Spirits, I approached the building. The thugs rested their hands ots of their guns, eyes sweeping the street. I moved carefully, each step silent on the cracked pavement.

  As I he entrance, ohug shifted, his gaze narrowing. I held my breath and edged past him, the smell of sweat and tobacco thick. Ihe building was dim and musty, the only light ing from a flickering bulb down a long hallway.

  My Luck guided me deeper, past rooms filled with broken furniture and discarded needles. Muffled voices and the king of gss echoed through the walls. I desded a staircase into the basement.

  The air down here was stale, thick with mildew. Shelves lihe walls, filled with boxes and bags. I sed the room quickly, knowing time was against me. The drugs weren’t in the open, so I rummaged through the boxes and bags and found them. One by one, I stored the drugs, feeling no remorse for robbing these dealers.

  Footsteps from above made my pulse qui. I o move fast.

  As I stored the st bag, a voice rang out from behind. “Hey! Who’s there?”

  Ohug had e down, his eyes sing the room. I froze, my Invisibility still intact, but the tension alpable.

  He stepped closer, his fshlight cutting through the darkness. “I know I heard something,” he muttered, his hand h over his gun.

  I acted quickly, casting Telekinesis to send a stapty boxes crashing down on the opposite side of the room.

  “What the hell—” he turned, his focus shifting. I slipped past him, my heart hammering as I rushed back up the stairs.

  At the entrance, ahug stepped into the hallway, blog my way. His eyes narrowed, sensing something wasn’t right. I needed another distra. Using Telekinesis, I smmed a door down the hall.

  “?Qué gados?” he muttered, rushing toward the noise. I seized the moment, slipping past him and into the night.

  The cool night air hit my face as I deactivated my Invisibility and climbed bato the Jeep. My heart pounded as I started the engine and drove off. I had the drugs and avoided getting caught, but the daill lingered in the bay mind.

  As I drove back to the hotel, I reflected on the close calls and decided it was time to buy the Stealth skill. I had inteo get it earlier, in preparation for visiting the dragon realm, but it had slipped my mind. Determined not tet again, I pulled over, purchased the skill, and then resumed my drive.

  Mahya and Al were waiting for me in the room, their faces lighting up when they saw me. “You made it!” Mahya excimed, practically boung with excitement.

  “Yeah, and I’ve got quite the haul,” I said, dropping the bags and boxes on the floor with a heavy sigh. “But this is the st time I’m doing this. Don’t ask again. I don’t mind robbing criminals, but my heart ’t take the stress.”

  They both ughed like I was joking, but I wasn’t. I let it slide for now.

  They eagerly spread everything out on the bed and the floor, excited to see what I had grabbed.

  “Let’s start with the drugs,” I said, opening one bag.

  Drugs:

  Coe: 50 kilos, ly packed in brick-like bundles.Heroin: 40 kilos, in simir packagihamphetamine: 30 kilos, iic bags.Marijuana: 50 kilograms, vacuum-sealed.Prescription Pills: Various types, totaling 10,000 pills, ranging from painkillers to sedatives.Ecstasy Tablets: 5,000 tablets, colorful and stamped with various logos.LSD Blotters: 2,000 blotters, each with intricate designs.Mahya’s eyes widened as she examihe stash, her fiwitg. “This is incredible!” she excimed, looking over at Al. “Al will have a field day with these for his potions.”

  Al houghtfully, but his expression remaiense. “Ihese ingredients will be invaluable,” he said, though his voice cked its usual enthusiasm.

  I frowned, catg the look on his face. “What’s wrong?”

  “I was hoping for a signifitly rger amount,” he admitted, gng at the stash with disappoi.

  I sighed, rubbing my hand ay face. “I’m not robbing any more dealers. Fet it. I wasn’t kidding—my heart ’t take the stress. If you want more drugs, you get them yourself.”

  He nodded, looking thoughtful. I had a feeling some drug dealers along our route would soon miss some merdise.

  Other Items:

  Cash: 300,000 in various denominations, tightly packed in duffel bags.Jewelry: Rings, neckces, and bracelets, likely stolen.ons:Glock 19 Handguns: 20 units, in pristine dition.AK-47 Rifles: 10 units, fully loaded.Various Ammunition: Thousands of rounds for the above calibers.Tasers and Batons: Various models, likely for intimidation or close bat.Laptops and phones, all likely stolen.Al pced a hand on my shoulder, his voice calm and sihank you, John. I’ll make good use of these supplies. While I had hoped for more, I’m still grateful.”

  “Yeah, okay,” I muttered, shrugging off his hand. “But I’m not doing this again.”

  Mahya decided she wao buy another Jeep, so we spent the day cheg out used car lots. We found another Wrangler and stocked up on spare parts and a massive supply of tires for all our vehicles. Ohe furniture arrived, we hit the road again, heading toward Albuquerque.