Reborn: Apocalypse Ready. War Goddess by My Side novel Chapter 22

Chapter 22 Peter Woolridge

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They reached the school gate.

The whole walk there, Bianca’s heart had been singing.

So this was what it felt like to have someone stand up for you.

She hadn’t felt it in so long, and today, Steven had given her more of it than she’d known what to do with.

They parted ways at the gate, boarding origin crystal school buses heading in opposite directions.

“Get some rest. See you tomorrow.” Steven gave her a wave.

Bianca smiled, warm and bright and a little shy.

“You too.”

He watched her bus pull away and vanish down the road.

The corner of Steven’s mouth curved upward on its own.

One step closer to the Ember Eternal.

Things were looking up.

Steven didn’t board his bus right away.

He had something to take care of first. He needed to get his hands on some beast crystal to test out his Beast Energy Conversion theory, and that experiment wasn’t going to run itself.

Where would he even find beast crystal?

A resource exchange hub?

But who actually bought beast crystal?

Everyone brought it in to trade for divine crystal or origin crystal, not the other

He’d have to ask around.

way around.

A single level–one beast crystal wasn’t cheap, and he was fairly sure he was already short on

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Chapter 22 Peter Woolridge

funds.

Still, checking the price cost nothing.

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He’d barely taken a few steps when the man crouched near the school gate finally spotted him.

The man had smoked through an entire pack waiting, and now he pushed himself upright and fell into step behind Steven without any particular subtlety.

Steven felt it the moment someone was on his tail.

His brow pulled together. Is this Timothy or Cassandra sending someone after him?

Steven ducked sharply into a side alley and broke into a sprint.

Peter had just stepped into the alley when he caught sight of Steven already tearing down it at full speed.

The cigarette dropped straight out of his mouth.

“This kid actually noticed me following him!”

Peter’s legs drove hard into the ground.

“Hey! Stop running!”

Steven’s jaw tightened.

This

person wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it.

He pushed faster, but it didn’t take long to realize that his legs were no match for Peter’s pace.

“Kid! Would you stop?”

Steven kept moving. He had absolutely no intention of stopping.

But the alley ended in a solid wall.

He almost swore out loud. Of all the rotten luck!

Steven scooped up a loose brick from the ground and spun around, holding it like the weapon

it was.

Peter looked mildly exasperated.

“What are you running for? I’m not going to eat you.”

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Peter’s eye twitched. “How do you know I’m a part of an Awakened Squad?”

Steven gave him a flat look. “You’ve got that whole scruffy, doesn’t–follow–rules thing going on. The military would’ve processed that out of you in a week.”

Peter opened his mouth.

Then closed it. He pointed one finger at Steven.

“You know what? Fine. I’ll give you that.

“Because I think you might actually be more of a delinquent than I am, and that’s saying something. Were you in Awakened Squad at some point? I’m genuinely asking.”

Steven just pressed his lips together.

Technically, yes. Decades of it.

He’d never been the most powerful member, but he’d built a quiet reputation. A Three–Sigil Divine Adept who’d spent years hunting beasts and somehow kept breathing through all of it tended to get noticed eventually.

The energy drinks arrived.

Peter paid for them with a great deal of muttered commentary.

Steven dropped into a seat and crossed one leg over the other with the ease of someone who owned the space.

“Alright, old man Peter. Talk. What do you actually want?”

Peter felt his vision swim slightly at the edges. He was genuinely tempted to smack this kid.

“You can call me Peter. Or Big P. Not old man Peter.”

“Got it, old man Peter.”

Peter stared at him in silence.

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Chapter 22 Peter Woolridge

This kid was impossible.

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“Will you just tell me what you’re here for? I’ve got places to be.”

Peter exhaled slowly. He wasn’t sure how to get a handle on this one.

But if he was being honest, the test had already run its course.

He’d seen what he needed to see. The alertness, the quick thinking, the refusal to fold under pressure. This kid would fit into the squad just fine. Better than fine, actually. A lot of their current members didn’t have half this level of instinct.

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