《Extra's Descent》 Discretion: READ BEFORE YOU CONTINUE

Chapter -1: Discretion: READ BEFORE YOU CONTINUE

BTW JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/yzbHWQ8sXW The R18 tag is not for smut. I repeat, not for smut. So if you clicked on this novel expecting smut, then click away. It''s for the darker theme of the story, as I will be delving on some mature content. But do expect ''that'' kind of development in the romance aspect, as I will not hesitate to go in depth with the romance. Also: Powerstone = PS 100 PS = 1 Extra Chapter 200 PS = 1 Extra Chapter 300 PS = 1 Extra Chapter Limit is 3 Chapters for now, I need to increase my stockpile. :( Chapter 1: Prologue: Tragedy

Chapter 1: Prologue: Tragedy

A boy with bright-blonde hair, and ck eyes, adorning a high-school male uniform, was riding the bus on the way home from school. Since his home was way out in the rural area of town, the trip wouldst for a long while. Having nothing to do, he retrieved his phone from his pocket, and decided to do the thing he loved the most. Reading. A web novel tform filled the screen of his phone. As he checked his library, he noticed that the novel he''d put on hold had just been updated once again. [Path To Ascension.] [Author: athex] [CHAPTERS: 4,291] [STATUS: COMPLETED] ''Ah, so it''s finallypleted?'' Path to Ascension, a novel he''d been following since the start of his high-school days. He had caught up to it a few months ago, and decided to stockpile at least 400 chapters. ''Wait, what happened in thest chapter again?'' Due to stockpiling, he''d forgotten the details of thest chapter. No, it wasn''t just thest chapter. Since the novel had been running for a long time, he could only vividly remember the plotline of the earlier chapters. ''Should I just reread it again? I have nothing better to do anyway.'' With average grades and near to zero social life. Besides games, web novels were his only form of entertainment. After pondering for a while, he decided to scroll down until he reached the first chapter. Tap- After clicking the first chapter, something peculiar caught his attention. ''Huh?'' For some reason the first chapter was nk, as if nothing had ever been written there in the first ce. ''Surely, this is only for the first chapter right?'' Tapping on his screen once again, he opted for the next chapter. But it was nk as well. ''Is this a bug? Or did the Author decide to delete the chapters?'' He tapped the screen again and clicked the third chapter. Once again it was nk. He did this repeatedly until he reached the 20th chapter. ''Haa... what a shame.'' He could only let out an exasperated sigh at the bizarre situation. ''I guess I just have to continue from where I left off.'' Having decided, the boy clicked the continue button instead. However... It brought him back to the 20th chapter, the chapter hest opened. ''Right, it was overwritten since I opened a different chapter.'' Frustrated, the boy ced his phone back in his pocket. But then... The bus suddenly shook. "What''s going on?!" "What is the driver doing?!" Gasps and screams were audible from the other passengers, which were also students. The boy was no exception to the fear, as his body trembled, fearing for the worse toe. "Everyone! The driver has fallen asleep!" A student with brown hair and a bulky frame spoke up, it seemed like he approached the driver just as the bus began to shake. Rumble! The bus continued to shake intensely, and since they were all highschool students, there wasn''t anyone present who knew how to drive. "Ahh! Are we going to die?!" "Someone, wake up the driver!" The student with the bulky frame did just that, as he pped the driver continuously. But it was futile... The student suddenly spoke up in an urgent tone, "He''s passed out, hisplexions are pale, most likely from anemia..." "What are we going to do?!" A female student said, as she stood up. Noticing the fear in her tone, the boy with the bulky frame responded, "There''s only one thing we can do, jump off the bus." "But at the speed we''re going, we''ll most likely die!" The female student responded. "I''ll step on the break to get the bus to stop, we''ll all jump after that, okay?" The students seemed reluctant at first, but they all stood up after a while, forming a line of crowd. The boy with bright-blonde hair was no exception to this, as he stood up as well. Thud! The bulky-framed student stepped on the break as hard as he could. Eeeeek- The bus let out a screeching sound as the speed it was going gradually descended. However... Boom! The bus crashed towards the iron fence, as half of it peaked out and bended towards the cliff. Fortunately, the bus didn''t fall off the cliff. Bang! The bulky-framed boy kicked the bus door rigorously. Bang! Again... Bang! And again... Bang! Until it finally broke open. "Everyone, follow my lead!" The students nodded in response. The bulky-framed boy grabbed the driver and jumped out first, since he was the one nearest to the exit. He was then followed by a female student, and then another student, until almost half had finally gotten out. The blonde-haired boy was about to reach the exit, but he was suddenly pushed down, due to the amount of crowd that formed a line. Thud! Step! The students trampled over the boy without any consideration, in a matter akin to a stampede. "Hurry! The bus is about to fall off a cliff!" The students continued to panic, as they continued to jump off the bus. Until only the blonde-haired boy was left. Suddenly, he felt his phone vibrate from his pocket. Brrt- Brrt- But he had no time to check as he stood up in a hurry. As he was about to finally arrive near the exit, his fears were soon realized. Eeeek- Due to being the only student left, the bus didn''t have enough weight, causing it to fall. "Haha, what the fuck?" The boy could onlyugh at his predicament as he tumbled down due to the sheer impact. With so many students on the bus, he was the only one who fell and got trampled on. "I guess this is it, how unlucky." He truly was unlucky. With his life seemingly about to end, he retrieved his phone to send out a final message to his mother, his only guardian. But when he opened the screen, the first app that opened was the web novel tform. Or to be precise¨Cthe Path of Ascension novel. "What is this?!" [Pa%# t0 A3%$^&*on] For some reason, it seemed like his phone was glitching out. As he shifted his gaze, from his phone to the front of the bus, he could see that the bus was about to hit the ground. 3... 2... 1... BOOM! . . . ¡ª--------------------------- [Name: Brandon Locke] [Level: 1] [EXP: 0/100] [ss: Anomaly] ¨N You are an entity that does not belong to this world, an anomaly. [Passive] ¨N Skill Weaver: ¨N Create any skill possible within the user''s capabilities. ¨N Increase your total capacity by +1 per level. ¨N Total Skills: 0/1 [Skills] ¨N None [Stats] ¨N STR: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N MP: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N DEF: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N AGI: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N INT: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N CHARM: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] [System Shop] [System Inventory] [System Coins: 0] [Quests Avable: 0] ¡ª--------------------------- Chapter 2: Path to Ascension

Chapter 2: Path to Ascension

''Huh? How am I still alive?'' The boy opened his eyes, only to find himselfying on the bed. ''Where am I?'' He was in a bedroom that he was unfamiliar with. ''What is this?'' There were a lot of questions that welled up within him, but what caught his attention the most was the sight before him. ¡ª--------------------------- [Name: Brandon Locke] [Level: 1] [EXP: 0/100] [ss: Anomaly] ¨N You are an entity that does not belong to this world, an anomaly. [Passive] ¨N Skill Weaver: ¨N Create any skill possible within the user''s capabilities. ¨N Increase your total capacity by +1 per level. ¨N Total Skills: 0/1 [Skills] ¨N None [Stats] ¨N STR: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N MP: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N DEF: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N AGI: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N INT: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N CHARM: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] [System Shop] [System Inventory] [System Coins: 0] [Quests Avable: 0] ¡ª--------------------------- ''Is this... an interface?'' Despite having no knowledge of where he was, he was familiar with the system interface. After all, it was oddly simr to the novel he closely followed. But... ''This doesn''t make any sense, I should have died already.'' Yet, for some reason he was still alive. His first instinct was to reach out for his pocket¨Chis phone rather. Reaching inside his pocket, he felt the familiar sensation of a rectangr device. Grabbing it, he tapped the screen. [5:00 AM] [Monday] [June 1, 2148] [Notifications: 1] [From: Astrea Academy] Congrattions, Mr. Brandon Locke! We are thrilled to inform you that your application to Astrea Academy has been sessful. You have been epted for the uing academic year, and we look forward to weing you into our schoolmunity. We hope to see you on our campus on Monday, June 1, 2148. ''Astrea Academy? Isn''t this...'' The boy finally realized what had just happened. Astrea Academy was none other than the cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me of all academies in the Path to Ascension novel. With the familiar system interface, and the name of the academy, there was only one answer to the strange events. ''But... this doesn''t make any sense.'' He''d finally realized that he was inside the novel, Path to Ascension. But as a teenager who had no aspirations in life, this was too good to be true. The boy read the message again, and what caught his attention was the name of the recipient. ''Brandon Locke?'' He had already deduced that he had transmigrated inside the Path to Ascension novel. But... ''Doesn''t ring any bell.'' This was a character he was unfamiliar with¨Cor rather¨CBrandon Locke had never shown up in any scenes of the novel, as far as he could remember. No, he could definitely remember the characters. After all, he had only forgotten how the plot goes. But if he were to reread them again, he would definitely remember the conclusion. So if this was an unfamiliar character... ''Then doesn''t that mean I''m... an extra?'' "Haa..." He could only let out an exasperated sigh, as this was all too much for him at the moment. Gazing back on to the system, he took a close good look. "So the name''s match..." It was then when something caught his attention. "Skill Weaver?" After reading its description, his eyes shot wide open in surprise. "Create any skills within my capabilities?! Isn''t this way too broken for an extra character?!" As far as he knew, the protagonist also had a system, but his initial skill wasn''t this powerful. "He was supposed to be the only one with a system." But not anymore. Whoever Brandon Locke was, must''ve been hiding his abilities for some reason. And this Brandon Locke was now him. "I guess I''m Brandon Locke now." He decided to put the Skill Weaver skill on hold for now. Since, he could only create one skill for his level. After checking the system, Brandon muttered to himself, "How do you close this again?" It was never really exined how the protagonist did it in the novel. "System Close? System Exit? Close?" Frustrated, the boy scratched his head. "Hmm... what about, Clear." After muttering those words, the system closed itself. "But wait, how do I open it again?" Brandon realized it was a mistake, he should''ve checked the settings first. But then he realized there wasn''t a setting in the first ce. "Hopefully this works... system." The system interface once again opened. "Haha, I''m a genius." After finally getting the hang of using the system, Brandon stood up from his bed. Scanning his room, his gazended on the mirror, just beside the bookshelf. He then approached the mirror to take a look at what Brandon Locke looked like. What met his sight was a man with pale-white hair, ice-blue eyes, and a physique that was decent enough for him. Since in his old life, Brandon was a skinny teenager, any physique that had a bit of muscle would easily satisfy him. Plus... "Am I a six-footer?!" This indeed shocked Brandon, as he could be considered a bit too short for average height in his old life. But then, he suddenly remembered something. In his final moments before he died, he never got to send his mother a message. Realizing this, his eyes started to strain, and tear beads started forming. "Mom... I''m sorry for leaving you behind..." After all, it was only the two of them in their family. Now, because he died, she was left all alone. Brandon crouched down, covering his face, as he continued to sob. Despite living a humble life in the rural parts of the city, Brandon''s mother had never failed to raise him. For Brandon, she was the perfect mother. They didn''t have a lot of things, but the love he''d receive from his mother was enough for him. Brandon continued to break down into tears. "I want to go back..." A mother''s love is special, and now that Brandon was in an unfamiliar ce, with having no way to go back, he was undoubtedly homesick. . . After crying for what seemed to be hours, Brandon decided to get up, wiping his tears away. Sobbing, Brandon muttered to himself, "If I''m stuck here, I have to make the most of this second life given to me." After deciding, Brandon retrieved his phone from his pocket. Tap- [6:47 AM] [MONDAY] [JUNE 1, 2148] "Wait, wasn''t the Academy supposed to start today?" After realizing he was about to bete if he didn''t start moving, Brandon immediately headed towards a door that seemed to be the bathroom. . . . After taking a shower, Brandon got dressed with whatever outfit he had inside the closet. Creak- He left his room after realizing it was already 7:43 AM. When he got out of his room, he was met with an unfamiliar hallway. "So Brandon Locke lives in an apartmentplex?" Gazing up, he could see the exit sign with an arrow, pointing towards the right direction. Nodding, Brandon followed the sign. When he finally made his way outside theplex, the breathtaking sight left him in awe. It was a city, with towering buildings and skyscrapers. Pedestrians loitered about, filling the city. As their chatter could be heard from a few distance away. Cars filled the streets, moving and stopping just in front of a traffic light. It was then when Brandon realized something... ''Where the hell is Astrea Academy?!'' After all, he had only read the novel. It''s not like the novel went in depth with where the Academy was located. Frustrated, Brandon scratched his head. Then... he suddenly had an idea. When he switched his gaze to the right, he could see a familiar yellow car heading towards him. "A taxi, how convenient." He then gestured for the taxi, as it stopped in his direction. Heading towards it, Brandon opened the door and immediately sat in the backseat. "Where t¨C" Brandon immediately cut off the driver in an urgent tone. "Astrea Academy, please step on the gas!" "That''s my specialty, kid." Chapter 3: Astrea Academy [1]

Chapter 3: Astrea Academy [1]

Astrea Academy, located in the capital city of Astrea on the continent of Cearith. Arriving at Astrea Academy, Brandon looked at the taxi driver in horror. He realized he had no money. "Sir, that''ll be ten copper coins." "I¨C" Cold sweat beaded out from Brandon''s forehead. He had just arrived into this world, of course he would have no money. He didn''t know what the currency looked like, only remembering the vague details from the novel. It''s not like the novel would go into detail about the currency in the first ce. "Haa..." After breathing out a sigh, Brandon shifted his gaze towards the window¨Cwhere the Academy was, in in sight. The Academy stood tall and elegant, it was nothing like Brandon had ever seen in his previous world. He could see students already bustling about, making their way towards the campus. Some of them were dropped off from cars. Brandon could tell they were in the higher ss of society. "Sir, are you going to pay or not?" Brandon shifted his gaze from the Academy back to the driver, and said, "Can I put it in my tab? It''s Raven ckheart by the way." Brandon could only bluff his way through this, there was nothing else he could do, he didn''t want to be a criminal. And Raven ckheart... Was the name of the protagonist. It was the only name he could remember at the time. Click- Instantly, Brandon unlocked the door, and tried to get out as fast as he could. "Hey! Sir!" Brandon could hear the taxi driver screaming in panic behind him. "Remember, it''s Raven ckheart, okay?" ''Sir!" Brandon paid no mind to the taxi driver, as he made a run for it, heading towards the Academy''s entrance. *** Brandon stood in front of the door of the ssroom. ''A201'' He was informed that this was the lecture room for his first ss, when he beckoned to check at the students'' booth for his schedule. It seemed that A stood for Astrea, as 201 meant 2nd floor 1st room. "Haa..." Brandon let out an exasperated sigh. He wasn''t a bad student in his previous life or anything, just average grades. But he realized that¨Csince this was a different world, it meant they had a different curriculum. And since Brandon had only recently arrived in this world¨Cparticrly¨C3 hours ago, then he''d be way behind his peers. But that wasn''t the only problem he had... He waste... To be precise, he was 20 minuteste. After standing in the door frame for what seemed to be a few minutes, Brandon finally entered the lecture room. As he entered the lecture room, Brandon felt several nces his way. No, everyone''s eyes were fixed on him. Shifting his gaze towards the Professor, Brandon was already familiar with who she was. Vanessa Grace, with hazel-brown hair and peach eyes. She had the kind of curves that would instantly bewitch any man, and Brandon would be no exception to this. Except that his mind was upied with how he could get out of the situation. Not only that, but... ''If she''s the Professor for this ss, then that means...'' Brandon shifted his gaze from Vanessa, to a peculiar student seated on the front row. Jet-ck hair and ocean-blue eyes, a well built frame, with facial features that were considerably handsome. It was none other than the protagonist of the story, Raven ckheart. Snapping him out of his thoughts, Vanessa suddenly spoke up, "Are you in the wrong ssroom?" Brandon fixed his gaze on her, there was no need to feel embarrassed. For Brandon, it all felt like a roley. "No, Miss Vanessa, I was informed that this would be my first ss." Vanessa tilted her head in response. "Oh? So you already know who I am?" It was then when Brandon realized that he had just blurted out her name, even though he wasn''t there for the homeroom. Now, Brandon was nervous, unsure of how to get his way out of this. Due to rushing towards the lecture room, it didn''t ur to him that he wasn''t supposed to know who Vanessa was. But if there''s one thing Brandon was good at, it was bluffing. After gathering his thoughts together, Brandonposed himself, standing tall and confident. "Yes, Miss, I''ve read about you in the articles, and I have to say I''m one of your fans." It was true. Due to her beauty, Vanessa was a popr mage that would often appear in magazines. But this was when Brandon made a blunder, the kind of magazines Vanessa would show up in, were none other than... Model magazines. ''Oh fuck, did I just let the entire ss know that I''m into those kind of things?'' Brandon felt a cold gaze from Vanessa as she narrowed her eyes. "Well, thank you. But I''m not sure how to feel about that when a 16-year-old boy is the one telling me." But Brandonposed himself once again, he had to see to this until the end. "As your fan, I couldn''t help but admire you. Actually, I''m really nervous as I''m standing before your presence." A natural actor. He could hearughs and murmurs from several students, who were seated in their ce. "Sigh, just take your seat." Brandon shed a smile and nodded. Brandon felt all the gazes shing towards him as he headed towards an empty seat. He switched his gaze towards the student that sat beside the empty seat. With jet-ck hair, and ocean-blue eyes, it was Raven ckheart. Brandon shed him a smile and said, "Looks like we''re neighbors now, I''ll be in your care." Brandon had closely followed Raven''s journey, when he used to read Path to Ascension. So he already knew what kind of personality Raven had. If he were to sum it up, Raven was your typical goody-two-shoes protagonist. Someone that would easily be taken advantage of. ''He''s way too kind for his own good.'' Raven returned his smile, with a gesture of his own, and said, "Likewise, nice to meet you, my name is Raven ckheart." Brandon settled in, taking his seat, and responded, "Nice to meet you as well, I''m Brandon Locke." Raven nodded with a smile, and switched his gaze to Vanessa¨Cwho was about to continue the lecture. Brandon turned his head and took a quick nce at the students seated behind him. As he scanned each student, one of them locked eyes with him. A female student, with long pitch-ck hair, dark crimson eyes, clear jade skin. Her facial features were beautiful, perfectly symmetrical, with soft-sulent lips. When Brandon saw her, he already knew who this was. Rachel Asami, one of the main cast members. ''P-Pretty...'' Brandon was immediately attracted to Rachel. He couldn''t help it, he was a teenage boy with zero romantic experience. Just getting the attention of a beautiful girl like Rachel was enough to make him falter. Brandon continued to scan the other students, trying to find more members of the main cast. And his goal was soon realized, as he locked eyes with another student¨Calbeit, a male student. Reinhard Van, with deep-red hair, and ink-ck eyes, another seemingly handsome student. ''He''s supposed to be Raven''s best friend. But for now, the two seem to not be acquainted yet.'' When Brandon finally gathered his thoughts together, he realized where he currently was in the story. ''Chapter 20.'' Thest chapter he opened, right before he met his fate on the bus. Chapter 4: Astrea Academy [2]

Chapter 4: Astrea Academy [2]

"Pftt." "Is he using a sword?" Mockery and chatters were audible, but they weren''t directed towards Brandon. Rather¨Cthey were directed towards another male student, Raven ckheart. ''Right, this was how the earlier chapters started.'' Brandon thought to himself. In a world filled with mages, Raven was one of the few minority who decided to pick up the sword. For magic users, they were referred to as Mages. While weapon users were referred to as Duelists. In the beginning, he was often looked down upon just for that sole reason. ''Idiots, this guy will be the strongest in the future.'' After all, he was the only one with the privilege of having a system. ''Well, that was until I showed up.'' After being dismissed by Vanessa, it was finally time for ''Combat ss''. Since not all students opted for this subject, there were new faces that filled the training room. ''And this is where most of the main cast met each other.'' Brandon nced around at the students who were practicing their magic. Because he already knew who to look out for, it was easy to discern each student. In Brandon''s left, there was a peculiar female student, who seemed to be practicing her lightning magic. ire Victoria, one of the main casts. She continued to channel her lightning magic on to the magic orb. Her shortvender hair continuously swayed at each lightning strike, as her purple eyes seemed to stay fixated on the orb. To Brandon''s right was another peculiar female student. With long lustrous blonde-hair, and crimson eyes, Amy Ashfield. Another member of the main cast. She was also channeling her magic onto the magic orb. Actually¨Cbesides Raven, everyone was channeling their mana on to the orb. It was instructed by the Professor, to better gauge each students'' current capabilities. The goal was simple, to destroy the orb with the amount of magic they had. But... ''What do I do?'' Brandon didn''t have any magic skills, he was clueless as a monkey. ''Should I just use that skill now?'' They were all lined up by alphabetical order, as each orb was presented before them. The Professor then would observe and evaluate each student, trying to gauge their potential. ''If I''m right he should still be in the B section.'' After all, the Professor was observing¨Cnone other than, Raven ckheart. Since he didn''t have any magic, he was instructed to destroy the orb with his sword. Compared to using magic, it would be harder to destroy the orb with just blunt force. The magic orb would usually react to mana instead, once there was enough output, it would then shatter. ''Before he gets here, I should probably create a skill by now. After deciding, Brandon thought to himself, [Skill Weaver] [Type the description of the skill you''d like to weave.] ''Since we''re using magic orbs, I should create a skill rted to magic.'' In this world, each individual was born with mana. They would usually be attributed to one element. But there were special cases where they were attributed to two or more. Individuals who possess more than one attribute, are usually called Deviants. ''There''s no room topromise, I should create the best skill avable, as soon as I can.'' There was only one answer. [Manipte all the elements] . . [Error! You do not meet the level requirements for this skill.] ''...Eh?'' [Instead, you can choose two elements, given the following.] [Fire] [Water] [Earth] [Wind] [Nature] [Lightning] [Ice] ''They all sound powerful, but which one should I choose?'' Brandon was never one¨Cto seek attention. Since he was inside the novel, it would do more harm than good if he disrupts the plotline. Hence, he nned on staying low for the time being. If he was found using two elements, he would most likely be the center of attention. He would be regarded as a Deviant, and there was no point in doing that. Which is why he decided that he would only use one element, regardless if he had two. ''For the time being, at least...'' He inconspicuously tapped the system, since he would look like a weirdo clicking air. After all, only he could see the system. He realized this when he tried to sneak a nce at Raven during the first lecture. Raven seemed to be moving his index finger at nothing. But of course, Brandon knew he was using his system. After pondering for a while, Brandon had finally decided. [Are you sure?] [Yes.] [Initializing Skill Weaver.] [Downloading data.] [ETA: 1 Minute.] . . As Brandon waited for a while, the system notified once again. [Skill Weaver sessful.] ¡ª--------------------------- [Name: Brandon Locke] [Level: 1] [EXP: 0/100] [ss: Anomaly] ¨N You are an entity that does not belong to this world, an anomaly. [Passive] ¨N Skill Weaver: ¨N Create any skill possible within the user''s capabilities. ¨N Increase your capacity by +1 per level. ¨N Total Skills: 1/1 [Skills] ¨N Elemental Maniption ¨N Ice ¨NLightning [Stats] ¨N STR: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N MP: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N DEF: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N AGI: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N INT: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N CHARM: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] [System Shop] [System Inventory] [System Coins: 0] [Quests Avable: 0] ¡ª--------------------------- As the information was being uploaded in his head, Brandon suddenly felt an excruciating stabbing pain on his temple. ''Aghhh.'' All the information about how to use the given elements instantly shed inside Brandon''s mind. After a few minutes, the pain finally subsided, and his head became clear. Brandon took a good look at the magic orb in front of him. And just in the nick of time, it seemed like the Professor finally made it to him. The Professor stood behind him, "Student No. 26, Brandon Locke, show me what you can do." At the Professor''s instructions, Brandon lifted his arm forward¨Chis palms facing the magic orb. Then... Crackle! Channeling mana from his core, Brandon weaved the mana threads¨Cmaterializing lightning. Blue sparks of energy emitted from his arms, and as they made their way towards the magic orb... Crack! Pshhh! The magic orb shattered instantly. Brandon felt several nces his way. And when he turned to look, he saw the Professor¨Cwide eyed, as his mouth contoured to a silent ''o'' shape. ncing at the other students, their gazes lingered on Brandon as well, as their eyes were also wide open. "Uhm..." "Phenomenal! You are a once in a lifetime talent, Mr. Brandon Locke." It was then when Brandon realized... He was the first student to have shattered the magic orb. ''Fuck... so much for trying not to draw attention.'' His days ofying low had ended before it even began. Chapter 5: Astrea Academy [3]

Chapter 5: Astrea Academy [3]

After the Combat ss ended, a crowd had formed around Brandon. He was barraged with a multitude of questions by the students. "Hey, you''re Brandon Locke, right?" "Where did you learn magic?" "Are you currently single?" "If you don''t mind... could you give me some private magic lessons?" "Hey! Don''t make him ufortable." These were the kinds of words that reached Brandon''s ears. It''s not like lightning magic was rare or anything, but they could all agree that Brandon was really skillful with it. There were some students¨Cmostly male, who did not chime in, and called Brandon a fluke. In all actuality, it was mostly the female students that surrounded Brandon. In this new body, Brandon was considerably handsome. The moment he entered the first lecture, he instantly became the topic between the girls. It was the start of his popr phase. He felt more like the protagonist, than the protagonist ever did. ''Aren''t I supposed to be an extra?'' But since Brandon was a down-to-earth virgin, he didn''t know how to react to it. Stuttering and fidgeting, all Brandon could ever utter was, "I¨C uhm¨C". It was then when the Professor noticed this, and had to put a stop to it. "Everyone, give the boy some space!" At his instructions, the girls that surrounded Brandon immediately gave way. Brandon fixed his gaze on the Professor and nodded as if saying, "Thank you!" With that, they were officially dismissed. As Brandon was making his way towards the exit, he was abruptly paused by a male student with jet-ck hair, and ocean-blue eyes. It was Raven ckheart. "Hey, Brandon, wait up!" Brandon turned around to meet his gaze. It''s not like they had be close friends. After all, they had only been acquainted recently. But this wasn''t so bad, if Brandon were to stay close to Raven, then protecting him would be easy. Since Brandon was an anomaly, he wasn''t sure just how much his appearance would impact the story. The events during the Combat ss definitely didn''t happen in the main storyline, and Brandon knew that. ''It was supposed to be Amy Ashfield to have shattered the magic orb first.'' Brandon thought to himself. But because of his performance, Amy came in second instead. As Raven made his way beside Brandon, they both headed out together. *** Walking side-by-side, Raven spoke up, "You were really cool back there, man." Brandon scratched his cheek, feeling embarrassed. Having this kind of conversation, even gettingplimented by someone he had closely followed for a long time still felt surreal for Brandon. For the entirety of his first year in high school, Brandon had binged read Path to Ascension. And now the character he''d read about was now standing beside him, giving himpliments and such. "You''re even more amazing than me, you know?" "Haha, thanks, but I didn''t even shatter the magic orb." It was the truth. Raven gave it his all, but he had barely scratched the magic orb, no matter how much force he swung with his sword. But Brandon didn''t care, he knew Raven was the typical weak to overpowered protagonist. And despite all the struggles he faced in the earlier chapters, Raven never lost his way. A real hero through and through. It was then when Brandon''s phone suddenly buzzed. Brrt... Brrt... Retrieving his phone from his pocket, he realized he was receiving a call. Brianna Locke. ''Who is this?'' Curious, Brandon epted the call, and ced the phone near his ear. As soon as he did that, he could hear a woman''s voiceing from the phone. [My baby boy! How are you? Are you settling in well? Have you been eating properly?] Brandon was taken aback at the sudden interrogation, it seemed like the woman closely knew him. From just thest name, and the way the woman spoke to him, he concluded that it could be Brandon Locke''s mother. But he had to confirm, if he were wrong, then it would arouse suspicions that he wasn''t Brandon Locke. "Hello, who is this?" [Jeez, stop joking around. Don''t tell me you''ve forgotten the voice of your own Mother?] It seems like Brandon was right. "I''m only joking around... Mother? Mom?" He was unsure how Brandon would refer to his own mother. [Mother? Hahaha, don''t tell me those noble kids finally rubbed off on you, Brandon?] ''...'' Brandon tensed up, it seemed like his new mother had quite the personality. "Of course not, Mom. Anyway, why did you call?" [Am I not allowed to call my own Son¨Cwho moved out two weeks ago?] ''Two weeks ago, huh?'' Brandon thought inwardly. "Of course you can, I was just curious, since you haven''t called recently" When Brandon checked his contacts, he noticed that he hadn''t received any call within the past two weeks. Of course, he didn''t know any of the contacts that were saved in his phone. At first, he thought Brandon Locke was an orphan, since it seemed like no one was looking for him. But now, there was a woman who introduced herself as his mother. Because of this, Brandon once again remembered his mother from his previous life. It made him feel sorrowful, but there was nothing he could do anymore. There was no way to go back. Snapping him out of his thoughts, his mother continued, [Things have just been busy recently... Anyway, have you finally met up with your Sister?] ''Sister? So Brandon Locke had a sister, huh?'' "No, I haven''t yet. Do you know where she is?" [Did moving out finally made you forgetful? How could you forget where your Sister is, when she''s supposed to be there with you in the Academy?] "Yeah, but I haven''t seen her, maybe she took the day off?" Brandon was a master at bluffing. [That''s impossible, your Sister is an honor student. She must''ve been busy.] "Ah, you''re right, I''ll meet up with herter." [Mhm, I''ll end the call now. Make sure to attend your lessons, okay?] "Of course, you don''t have to worry about that, Mom." [Good, anyway¨Ctake care, Brandon.] "You too, Mom." Beep- "Haa..." Brandon let out an exasperated sigh. Just that phone call alone drained his entire being. Bluffing with the taxi driver was one thing, but pretending to be someone''s son made him feel guilty. It didn''t ur to him at first, but now that he thought about it... ''What happened to the real Brandon Locke?'' Snapping him out of his thoughts, Raven spoke up once again, "Was that your Mom?" "Yeah, sorry about that." "It''s fine, it seems like your rtionship is really good." At those words, Brandon felt like something tugged at his heart. He knew just what kind of past Raven had, and he could say that it wasn''t a pleasant one at all. Hence, Brandon tried to change the topic. "We''ll bete at this rate, let''s head to the next lecture now." Raven nodded in response. The two quickly made their way towards the lecture room for their next ss. Physical Training. Chapter 6: Physical Training [1]

Chapter 6: Physical Training [1]

Brandon and Raven arrived in what seems to be a white room. It was time for Physical Training, a session where mages and duelists stood equal. It was a mandatory ss. Therefore, mages were forced to take this ss as well. It was an unwritten rule in Astrea Academy, but the students knew there was a clear hierarchy between mages and duelists. Mages would continue to stand at the top, while duelists were often discriminated against. ''Which is why this situation happened. Haa...'' Brandon let out an inward sigh. The mage faction had gathered together, forming a group. While the duelist faction gathered and formed their own separate group. Imaginary sparks flew between the two factions, as each of them looked at each other with obvious disdain. Since Brandon had no other friends besides Raven, he decided to gather together with the duelist faction. Due to this, the two factions decided to fight for him. From the mage faction, "Hey, you''re Brandon Locke aren''t you? Why are you on their side, aren''t you a mage?" "Yeah, get over here! Why are you with those...duelists?" And from the duelist faction, "You don''t have the right to tell him what to do, just leave him alone." "Yeah, don''t just tell him to go wherever you please." Brandon could only shake his head at this ridiculous debate. From his side, Raven spoke up, "Just ignore them, Brandon." "Haa... I know." It was then when another student chimed in, cing his arm around the two''s shoulders. "I agree with both of you." Raven tilted his head, confused by the sudden appearance of a third party. "Uhm... Do we know you?" Brandon reacted differently, he already knew who this was. "Haha, apologies. My name is Reinhard Van, I''m a mage. But I''m not like those idiots, so don''t worry." Brandon responded in return, "Nice to meet you, I''m¨C" "Brandon Locke, right? I''ve seen your performance back in Combat ss, good stuff man." Brandon once again scratched his cheek in embarrassment. This was another character he had closely followed back in his reading days. After all, Reinhard Van was one of the main casts, and would soon be Raven''s best friend. Raven responded as well, shing Reinhard with a smile. "And I''m Raven ckheart, nice to meet you." "Likewise." Reinhard gave a smile of his own. The students around them continued to debate, it wasn''t even about Brandon anymore. As their voices were getting louder, a familiar figure entered the training hall. Vanessa Grace, followed by a muscr man with brown hair, and blue eyes, adorned with a beard. When they made their appearance, the voices immediately settled down, as each of the students fixed their gazes at the Professors who had just arrived. Vanessa garnered their attention with a stern voice, and said, "Apologies for beingte, I had some matters to attend to." She then switched her gaze at the Professor beside her, and continued, "You might be wondering who this is, so allow me to introduce him." Once again, Brandon already knew who exactly the man was. Gavin White, one of the strongest duelists in the world. ''The man who would soon be Raven''s mentor.'' *** There was a reason why Vanessa, a mage, had brought Gavin, a duelist, along with her for Physical Training. The discrimination against duelists only stems in Astrea Academy, it wasn''t a trope that urred on the outside. The Professors were already made aware of this, and since Physical Training was a mandatory ss, it didn''t matter if the student were a duelist or a mage, they had to take this ss. Hence, there would be obvious opposition from the duelists if a mage¨CVanessa, was the one in charge of Physical Training. To settle the dispute, she''d brought Gavin along, a duelist. As Vanessa finished introducing Gavin, it was time to get down to business. Thus, Vanessa instructed, "For today''s first session, we will test each students'' physical aptitude. After stating those words, Vanessa pressed a button from behind her. Click- Kshhhhh- As soon as she pressed the button, the white room started expanding. Crack! As the room continued to expand, arge mountain started gradually materializing out of thin air. The room was filled with audible gasps. The students were surprised at the sudden change within the room. After the mountain finished materializing, Vanessa beamed with pride, as she turned to look at each students'' surprised faces. "This is the pride of Astrea Academy, the virtual simtion room." It was more like this was where their tuition fees went, but they didn''t need to know that. Vanessa continued exining, "You might be wondering what that huge mountain will be used for." Vanessa then turned to look at Gavin, "Allow Mr. Gavin to exin." The students seemed to get the gist of what today''s session would be about, evident by their expressions. Gavin noticed this, and at Vanessa''s signal, he spoke up with a rough voice, "As you''ve guessed, you students are gonna climb that humongous mountain." He paused for a brief moment, then continued as he explicitly emphasized, "But remember, no magic, all of you will have to climb it with your own physical capabilities." After all, it was a Physical Training session. The duelist faction, already expecting this, had a look of confidence in their faces. The mage faction, on the other hand, wore looks of worry. Despite being mages, there was no point in being a battle mage if you didn''t have sufficient physical capabilities. Which is what Physical Training ss was for. Gavin once again instructed, "Now, please form a line. Each of you will be timed, as soon as you start climbing." Gavin continued, and gave a set of criterias: Under 5 minutes: A Under 10 minutes: B Under 15 minutes: C Under 20 minutes: D Over 20 minutes: F As he finished giving the criterias, there were audibleints from the students¨Cmostly from the mage faction. "This is ridiculous! You expect us to climb that...thing in under five minutes?" "Yeah! Scratch that, under twenty minutes is impossible already..." They continued on, letting their contempt evident. The duelist faction, who beamed with confidence, retorted, "What a bunch of sissies, Astrea Academy only expects the best of the best." "He''s right, if you can''t even handle this, what''s the point of even attending the Academy?" The mage faction could only continue to show their disdain. It was then¨Cwhen Vanessa sternly stated, her peach eyes glowed and her brows furrowed. "I didn''t want to have to resort to this, but..." As soon as she paused, she used gravity magic to press down on the students with immense pressure. Some of them bent down due to the weight, and some continued to fight back against the pressure. Vanessa then continued, "If any of you drop out of this, you will be met with expulsion. If you get an F you are expelled as well, am I clear?" The students instantly settled down, unable to say anything, as fear was evident from their expressions. It seemed like they forgot that Vanessa was a top ranked mage in the citadel, there was nothing they could do but reluctantly agree. Noticing this, Vanessa gave a stern nod, "Good, now line up." Chapter 7: Physical Training [2]

Chapter 7: Physical Training [2]

A few minutes had passed since the Physical Training began. Brandon was a few students away until it was his turn. So far there hasn''t been a student that was expelled yet. The reason for this was because most of the mages decided to line up all the way to the back. Most likely, not wanting to even take the ridiculous mountain climbing session. While the ones who lined up in the front, were none other than the duelists. Yet despite that, there wasn''t a single student that had gotten an A yet. ''Haa...'' Brandon sighed inwardly. He remained silent throughout the entire ordeal. But in truth, he was just as nervous as the mage faction. Despite having a satisfactory build, Brandon wasn''t confident in his physical capabilities. This stemmed from his previous life as an unathletic skinny teenager, and it seemed to have carried on in this life as well. Raven¨Cwho was in front of him, seemed to notice this, as he said, "Don''t worry, I think you''ll do well." "You think? Haa..." "Just do it at your own pace, a D is fine, as long as you don''t get expelled." "I don''t even think I''ll get a D..." It was then when something familiar popped up in front of Brandon''s view. [System Notifications: 1] ''Hmm?'' As soon as that happened, Brandon muttered to himself, as silently as he could, "System" ¡ª--------------------------- [Name: Brandon Locke] [Level: 1] [EXP: 0/100] [ss: Anomaly] ¨N You are an entity that does not belong to this world, an anomaly. [Passive] ¨N Skill Weaver: ¨N Create any skill possible within the user''s capabilities. ¨N Increase your capacity by +1 per level. ¨N Total Skills: 1/1 [Skills] ¨N Elemental Maniption ¨N Ice ¨NLightning [Grades] ¨N STR: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N MP: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N DEF: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N AGI: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N INT: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N CHARM: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] [System Shop] [System Inventory] [System Coins: 0] [Quests Avable: 1] ¡ª--------------------------- ''Quests avable?'' He continued to inconspicuously navigate the system, and tapped on the ''Quests Avable'' tab. ¡ª--------------------------- [Quests] [Climb the mountain in under 15 minutes.] [Rewards:] [Stat Points: 3] [System Coins: 50] [Penalty:] [Failure to aplish this task will get your Lightning attribute locked for 7 days.] ¡ª--------------------------- ''Fuck... then that means I''ll be forced to use the ice attribute...'' Which will expose him as a Deviant. Brandon then closed the system. "Haa...." This time, he let out an audible sigh. Raven turned around once again. "What''s wrong?" "Nothing..." "...Okay?" After waiting for a while, it was finally Raven''s turn. At Gavin''s signal, Raven instantly bolted from his position. ''Cheating bastard,'' Brandon thought to himself. The results were obvious. Despite having no magic, Raven was in a league of his own when it came to his physical capabilities. Aplete opposite of Brandon. ''Plus, his ss...'' It was Assassin, a speed typebatant. There was no doubt that Raven would be ranked first in the Physical Training session. His speed was iparable as he had already reached half the mountain in just two minutes. The awes and surprise were audible from the students behind Brandon. "Woah, is he even human?" "How is he so fast?" "Does anyone know who that student is?" As someone asked that question, it was Vanessa who answered, "Raven ckheart, a duelist." Gavin chimed in as well, responding to Vanessa, "Who knew we had a student like that, his capabilities are definitely above average, even for a duelist." Vanessa continued the conversation, as she nced towards Raven who was about to reach the top of the mountain. "Actually, he''s the examinee who was graded the highest in the physical attribute criteria." "Oh? I heard about that, so that''s him, huh?" It was finally time for Raven''s main protagonist moment. Brandon however... ''Holy shit, it''s about to be my turn... can''t Raven slow down?!'' He expected this already, but he couldn''t help but be anxious. As soon as heposed himself, Raven had already finished, as he took the portal that led to the bottom of the mountain. When Raven returned back to where the students were lined up, Vanessa stated, "Raven ckheart, 4 minutes and 27 seconds, an A. Congrattions." Once again, the room was filled with audible gasps of surprise. First it was Brandon during Combat ss, now it was Raven in Physical Training. They were monsters in their own specialties. Finally, it was Brandon''s turn. As he was making his way to the bottom of the mountain, Vanessa tapped his shoulder. "I''ve heard about your performance during Combat ss¡ª not bad. Let''s see how you fare here." Expectations. For the first time in his life, there was finally someone who had expectations for Brandon. He couldn''t disappoint Vanessa now, as heposed himself, giving her a confident nod. However... . . . "Brandon Locke, 14 minutes and 57 seconds, a C. Congrattions." "Haa...." Brandon let out an exasperated sigh. It wasn''t bad, but he wished he could''ve done better. ''At least I didn''t get the penalty.'' As soon as he finished, a system message popped up. ¡ª--------------------------- [Quest Completed!] [Rewards Obtained:] [Stat Points: +3] [System Coins: +50] [Bonus Reward forpleting your First Quest:] [EXP: +50] ¡ª--------------------------- ''Woah, sweet!'' As he closed the system message, Raven tapped him on the shoulder. "What are you doing?" Raven tilted his head. "N-Nothing..." "Okay, good job man. I told you you''d do well." It felt sarcasticing from someone with superb physical abilities. At least, that was how Brandon felt... "Thanks." *** After a while, the Physical Training session finally ended, and the students were ranked ordingly: 1st. Raven ckheart. 2nd. ire Victoria. 3rd. Reinhard Van. . . 127th. Brandon Locke. . . 227th. Amy Ashfield. 228th. Rachel Asami. There were a total of 527 students¨Cin which 43 were expelled. Cries of anguish and frustration were audible from the students, while the others who passed shuddered in fear. They finally felt the pressure¨Cthe reality of Astrea Academy. An institution that did not allow anypromise. Once you fall short, expulsion is expected. If you wish to stay, then prepare to give it your all. If you don''t think you can make the cut, then it''s better to just drop out and not waste anyones'' time. ''To think I would''ve been expelled as well if I were anyter...'' Brandon thought to himself. With that, they were officially dismissed, it was their final ss for the day. Chapter 8: Stocks [1]

Chapter 8: Stocks [1]

With all the sses seemingly about to end, Brandon and Raven parted ways for now. As Brandon was about to head out for the exit, he soon realized something. He had no money tomute back home... Not only that, but he didn''t even remember where his apartmentplex was. Because he was rushing, it didn''t ur to him to remember the directions the taxi took, as it headed for the Academy. "Haa..." Brandon let out a heavy sigh. But regardless, he decided to head outside anyway. Just as he was about to leave, a voice called out for him, particrly¨Ca female voice. "Brandon!" Brandon turned around to trace back the source, only for his gaze tond on a woman. He took in her appearance, pale-white long hair, ice-blue eyes, with facial features that would put idols from his previous world to shame. There was no doubt in his mind who the person was. ''This is definitely Brandon Locke''s sister.'' Snapping him out of his thoughts, the girl spoke up, "What''s wrong? You look like you''ve seen a ghost." "Hey... Lady?" A blunder, but he did it on purpose. "Lady? Mom told me you''ve been forgetfultely, don''t tell me you''ve forgotten about your own Sister?" "I definitely did, what''s your name?" He decided to continue the act, he didn''t know her name, he couldn''t make a fatal mistake. "Stop joking around, Brandon." "No, you could be a fake¨Cdisguising as my Sister, give me her name now," "Sigh, whatever, it''s Belle Locke. Happy now?" "What''s the name of our Parents?" It was the perfect chance to dig out more information. At this moment, Brandon felt like a total genius. "Seriously? Haa... Mom is Brianna Locke, and Dad is Omar Locke... what a waste of time..." ''How gullible.'' Brandon gave her a wide smile, "Okay, that confirms it, you really are my Sister." Belle rolled her eyes, "Whatever, at least you waited for me, let''s head home now," she then went ahead of Brandon. Brandon''s ears perked up at the mention of home. ''How convenient, she''s definitely paying, right?'' "Okay... Sis?" Belle furrowed her brow, ncing back at Brandon, "What?" "Nothing." Heading out, Belle called for a taxi, and the two immediately got inside the backseat. Belle gave the driver instructions of where the apartmentplex was located. Of course, Brandon took in every detail, he couldn''t afford to waste the gold mine of information that Belle had. Brandon then turned to look at Belle, who sat beside him, "Hey, Sis, you''re paying right?" Belle furrowed her brow once more, "We''ll split, I''m under an allowance just like you." ''Allowance? I don''t remember receiving one.'' But he couldn''t tell her that. "Well... I think I blew through mine already." "Sigh, how irresponsible, fine. But you''ll have to treat me to something nice next time." "Sure, thanks, Sis." ''If I had any money...'' From just the few interactions, Brandon concluded that Belle was older than him. But how old? He was unsure. "Hey, Sis, how old are you again?" "You''ve been asking too many questions, you know? It''s like you just woke up one day with dementia." ''Something like that...'' Brandon thought to himself. "Come on, just tell me." Belle could only give in to his relentless pestering, "I''m 17-years-old, okay?" "Okay, thanks." Since Brandon was 16, that meant Belle was only a year older. After that, the taxi ride was smooth sailing. The two did not speak to each other the whole time. Their gazes lingered outside the window, taking in the sights of the city. At least... That was on the surface. The whole time, Brandon thought of ways on how he could quickly make money. And as a novel reader, who had knowledge of the future, there was only one answer... ''Stocks! I''m a genius," Brandon concluded within his thoughts. And where was he supposed to gain the funds for investing? During the car ride, Brandon finally had time for himself to explore the system interface. As he browsed through the system shop, his astonishment skyrocketed. There was an option to convert system coins into gold coins. Apparently, the conversion rate was 1 system coin = 10 gold coins. There was no way Brandon wouldn''t take advantage of this. Finally, his days of being poor, from his old life¨Cuntil now, has finallye to an end. Currently he had 50 system coins, which meant he could get a total of 500 gold coins. He was unsure how much gold coins were actually worth, which is why he had to ask Belle. The two had finally arrived at their apartment. Entering their room, Belle immediately sat down on the couch, as Brandon followed suit. Turning towards his Sister, Brandon asked, "Sis, how much was the rent, again?" This time, Belle had no remarks, as she immediately answered, "I think Mom pays a single gold coin a month?" "I see." Despite sounding like a small amount, the apartment was spacious andvish. It was clear to Brandon that anyone who lived in theplex was in the upper ss of society. Which gave him the idea that his family was well off. ''Yet for some reason, I didn''t get an allowance.'' Since his new family were practically strangers to him, he didn''t want to ask them for money. His conscience couldn''t handle it, he''d already taken over their son''s body, what more could he take from them? With the information that the apartment was worth a gold coin, Brandon concluded that a single gold coin was worth a substantial amount. Curious, he surfed the web on his phone. On his screen, disyed the conversion amount of each coins: [COIN CONVERSION RATE] [100 COPPER COIN = 1 SILVER COIN] [100 SILVER COIN = 1 GOLD COIN] [100 GOLD COIN = 1 PLATINUM COIN] ''It seems like it doesn''t end with gold coins.'' Brandon continued his research, and with his findings, he concluded: [1 PLATINUM COIN = 500,000 USD] [1 GOLD COIN = 5,000 USD] [1 SILVER COIN = 50 USD] [1 COPPER COIN = 0.5 USD] Thus, Brandon had decided to convert all of his coins. Chapter 9: Stocks [2]

Chapter 9: Stocks [2]

[Are you sure you want to convert all your coins?] [Yes] [Processing, your coins will be ced in your inventory.] . [Complete!] Instantly, Brandon checked his inventory, it all seemed too good to be true at the moment. And to his surprise, the coins were really there. ''Thest thing I need to do is to use up my stat points, but where?'' ¡ª--------------------------- [Stats] [Stat Points Avable: 3] ¨N STR: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N MP: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N DEF: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N AGI: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N INT: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N CHARM: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¡ª--------------------------- Brandon pondered for awhile, he realized during the Physical Training session that he definitelycked in the speed department. But since his current build was focused on magic, increasing his intelligence stat was the obvious choice. Thus, Brandon decided to distribute ordingly: ¡ª--------------------------- ¨N AGI: F [¡ñ¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N INT: F [¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ð¡ð] ¡ª--------------------------- With that, he closed the system. Brandon had already decided whichpany he was going to invest in. Deus Conglomerate But since he was still in the early stages of the novel, it meant that Deus Conglomerate was still Deus Company. Thepany would soon boom into a Corporation by the time the main protagonist, Raven, became a second year student. And in the further future, they would conquer the market and be a Conglomerate. Currently, it was the perfect time to invest in thepany, as the stocks were still affordable. But for now, Brandon didn''t have a bank ount under his name yet. Brandon''s gaze then lingered outside the window. Since the sun had yet to set, there was still time to open up a bank ount, and make a deposit. Having decided, Brandon abruptly stood up, and motioned towards the door. From behind him, Belle was alerted, "Where are you going?" "Just going for a walk, don''t wait up for me" "Hey¨C" Click-! Brandon closed the door before Belle could continue. Making his way outside, he gestured for a taxi, getting inside, and sitting on the backseat. He''d done his research as well on the top banks of the world, he already knew his destination. "Northern Bank, please." The taxi driver then stepped on the gas. Thud-! *** [You have leveled up!] [You have received 5 bonus stat points.] Raven ckheart had entered the system''s dungeon floors to grind for levels. With a dagger in his hand, he swiftly took out a horde of goblins his way. sh-! After recently receiving a system, he did not hesitate to take advantage of it. Whenever he had free time, he would quickly dive into the dungeon floors. Currently, he only had ess to the 1st floor. Once he clears the dungeon floor, he will then gain ess to the 2nd floor. The system''s dungeons had a total of 100 floors, with each floor progressively increasing in difficulty. sh-! Quickly maneuvering about, he continued to ughter each goblin within his sight. Despite the beliefs of him being a duelist, he actually had ess to mana. It was just that¨Che had no skills capable of using it. After clearing, the horde of goblins, he muttered to himself, "System." ¡ª--------------------------- [Name: Raven ckheart] [Level: 3] [EXP: 150/3000] [ss: Assassin] ¨NAs the one who left it all behind, you have be one with chaos. [Passive] ¨N Assassin''s Rush ¨N Every step you take, your speed stats increase by 1 point, maximum 10. [Skills] ¨N [Eye of Judgment] ¨N See the move, an individual is about to take in the next second. [Stats] [Stat Points Avable: 5] ¨N STR: F+ [¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ð¡ð] ¨N MP: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N DEF: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N AGI: F+ [¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ð] ¨N INT: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N CHARM: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] [System Shop] [System Dungeon] [System Coins: 200] [Quests Avable: 0] ¡ª--------------------------- "Haa..." Panting, while gasping for air, Raven slumped down on a nearby wall. It was truly an exhausting experience. The difference between Raven''s and Brandon''s system was that, Raven''s was 10 times harder to progress than Brandon''s. But in return, he had ess to the system dungeons, which Brandon didn''t have. Meaning, he had more opportunity for growth than Brandon. Raven stared at his system, reminiscing his hardships and struggles. Raven grew up from humble origins, but one day his family mysteriously disappeared. He deduced that they had abandoned him, in turn¨Cmade Raven envious of people with good families. Life was a struggle for him, having no magic, nor talent for the sword, he took up a lot of part-time jobs just to feed himself. But it was when he got conned by his employer, when Raven finally had enough. He wanted to end it all, and thus he did, but failed. After attempting to jump off a building, he realized he survived the fall with no injuries at all. It filled him with questions, confused about how he survived in the first ce. And when he opened his eyes, what met his line of sight was a peculiar system interface. Finally, it was time to turn his life around. He instantly delved inside the system dungeon, but soon remembered he had no talent for the de. Struggles after struggles, and he finally managed to kill a single goblin. With his initial debut, Raven continued to hone his skills inside the dungeon, to the point where he actually slept there. And when his skills were sufficient enough, he decided to admit himself into Astrea Academy, where the best of the best only survived. Undoubtedly, his journey had brought him so far. After resting for a while, Raven retrieved a healing potion from his inventory, chugging it down. Gulp- After drinking the potion, Raven''s injuries instantly healed, as if he never had them in the first ce. He then stood up and muttered to himself, "Okay, back to work." *** Brandonid on the couch, grinning to himself, as he continued to stare at his phone. On his screen disyed the stock market¨Cparticrly, Deus Company''s profile. After setting up a bank ount, he deposited all his coins and received a credit card with his ount information. When he returned to the apartment, he instantly bought 3 tinum coins worth of Deus Company Shares, leaving him with 2 tinum coins for use. For the next few hours, Brandon just continued to stare at his phone, astonished about his first investment. This was the first time he had done such a thing in both lives, so he couldn''t hold back his excitement. From the corner of his eye, Belle spoke up, whileying on her bed, "Weirdo..." Brandon didn''t care, he was about to be rich. Whatever Belle threw his way wouldn''t affect him at all. ''Okay, that''s enough. I guess I gotta head to bed,'' Brandon thought to himself. He ced his phone back in his pocket, and headed directly to bed. He didn''t even take a shower. Chapter 10: Meeting with the CEO [1]

Chapter 10: Meeting with the CEO [1]

Inside a three story building, a man sat at the desk of his office. His expressions were contoured to a frown, most likely out of frustration, as he ruffled his hair. Staring at the documents on his desk, he heavily sighed, "Haa... at this rate, the Deus Company will go bankrupt." The man was none other¨Cthan Charles Deus, the CEO of Deus Company. It seemed like thepany was facing financial problems. In the document, the financial performance was recorded one month ago. As he slumped down on the table, he suddenly heard footstepsing to his office. Thud- Thud- m! The door mmed open, as his assistant abruptly entered the room. "Boss! You''ve got to see this!" Charles seemed like he was too exhausted, but he listened to his assistant anyway, "What is it this time, Aiden?" With an anxious look, Aiden quickly made it in front of Charles'' desk. Aiden held his phone up for Charles to see. Charles skeptically scanned the contents of the phone, only for his eyes to shoot wide open. As he stood up abruptly, he shifted his gaze from the phone to Aiden. "What? Is this real?" "Without a doubt, Boss! I''ve checked with the logs as well, the transaction is real!" "Did you trace the ount information?" "Already done that, it was linked back to a 16-year-old named Brandon Locke." At the mention of a teenager, Charles skeptically furrowed his brow, "This must be a prank, right? How can a teenager have that much money?!" "I''m not sure Boss. But regardless, the shares have already been transferred to him." "What kind of madman would buy the shares of a failingpany?" Charles then narrowed his eyes, and added, "Unless... it''s a rich kid just throwing his money around." Aiden then responded, "Regardless, Boss, this could save ourpany!" Charles nodded, slumping back down in his seat, "You''re right, go and find information about him as soon as you can, make sure you call him as well." At his Boss'' instructions, Aiden solemnly nodded, and made his exit. Charles leaned back on his chair, pondering to himself. "3 tinum Coins, huh? Just what kind of man are you, Brandon Locke?" *** "Kughh!" Brandon jolted awake from his slumber. Drowsily grabbing his phone, he opted to check for the time. [9:20 AM] "Holy shit, I''mte." Again... Brandon got up instantly, entered the bathroom, and rinsed his face. After rinsing, he immediately put on his signature ck sweater and ck pants. Once again, he didn''t take a shower... . . . Arriving once again in the same A201 room, Brandon checked the time on his phone. [9:57 AM] His schedule usually starts at 7:30 in the morning. Basically he waste for almost 3 hours. Late again on his second day... "Haa..." He let out a heavy sigh. Entering the room, once again, all eyes were on him. Vaness turned to nce at Brandon, furrowing her brows, "Good morning, Brandon Locke. Do you have any idea what time it is?" Brandon straightened his posture, trying to be nonchnt about the whole thing, "Time for a second chance?" "Haa... just find a seat," Vanessa seemed like she had enough of Brandon''s witty remarks. At her instructions, Brandon did just that. But it seemed like the seat next to Raven was taken. Roaming around, there was an empty seat just near the back of the ss. As Brandon took a seat, his gazended on Rachel Asami, who sat next to the empty seat. Brandon shed her a smile, greeting her warmly, "Hello, it seems like we''re neighbors today." Rachel met his gaze, her expressions were nonchnt, "Good morning, Brandon Locke." Brandon was surprised at the fact that someone like Rachel remembered his name. "Oh, you know my name?" "Yes, you''ve been quite poprtely, I''m Rachel Asami." Now, Brandon already knew who she was, but she didn''t need to know that. At the mention of ''popr'', Brandon was quite curious, "Popr? Me?" He couldn''t believe it, he''d never gotten that kind of attention in his past life. So what made it so different in this life? ''Maybe it''s because I''m hands¨C'' Before he could finish his thoughts, Rachel spoke up, "It''s because people have been calling you a fake, I think?" Rachel tilted her head, her expressions remained cold. "..." During Combat ss, there were several male students who thought Brandon was just lucky. Most likely, it was further proven during Physical Training, when Brandon got a mediocre grade. Since he was considerably popr with the girls, it seemed like the guys had a grudge against him. Brandon just shrugged it off. He was used to being a target of bullying. ''Even in this life, some things never change...'' No, he now had power, he didn''t want to stay a pushover forever. With a determined gaze, Brandon turned to look at Rachel, As he was about to speak, his phone buzzed. Brrt... Brrt... But of course, he didn''t take the call. He was in the middle of a lecture after all. He was alreadyte, he didn''t want to anger Vanessa even more. As he dropped the call, his phone buzzed once more, it seemed like whoever the caller was really wanted to get in contact with him. Brandon then retrieved his phone, checking for whoever the caller was. When he saw the phone number, Brandon''s eyes shot wide open. He knew who the number belonged to. After all, before he made an investment, he did his research on thepany. It was none other than¨CDeus Company. Brandon raised his hand, trying to get Vanessa''s attention. "What is it, Brandon?" "I''d like to go to the bathroom." It seemed like Vanessa didn''t mind, as she gave him the go signal. As he left the ssroom, Brandon retrieved his phone and dialed the number back. Instantly, the call was picked up on the other end. Click- Suddenly, a man''s voice reached Brandon''s ears. [Hello? Is this Brandon Locke?] Brandon thenposed himself, trying to sound professional, making his voice sound deeper. "Yes, speaking." [This is Deus Company, our CEO would like to meet you, Mr Locke. Could you let us know when you''re free?] "Of course, I''d be honored to meet the CEO, I''ll be free after 4:00 PM." [Okay, could we schedule a meeting at 6:00 PM?"] "That sounds about alright, I''ll be there." [Great, we''ll text you the location. We''ll be expecting you, Mr Locke.] Beep- Brandon''s lips curled up to a grin as the call ended. He had already expected for Deus Company to call him soon. After all, he was the major shareholder, giving him significant influence over thepany. Just like that, Brandon solved his financial problems. * * [AN] Apologies for no action yet. But I promise, this is the foundation for the first arc. :) Chapter 11: Meeting with the CEO [2]

Chapter 11: Meeting with the CEO [2]

Charles Deus stood by the window of his office, scanning the city''s night lights. ''Mr. Locke should arrive soon,'' he thought to himself. Despite being grateful for Brandon, Charles was still skeptical about the whole thing. After all, they had tracked down and discovered everything there was to know about Brandon Locke. The fact that he was a 16-year-old student somehow made Charles underestimate Brandon. But of course, he couldn''t judge a book by its cover. Which is why he couldn''t wait to evaluate if Brandon Locke was really serious about his investment. As he continued to scan the city, footsteps heading towards the office became audible. Thud- Thud- Knock, knock. "Come in." At his instructions, the door slowly opened, revealing the figure of his assistant, Aiden. Behind him was a boy, with pale-white hair that reached his neck, and ice-blue eyes, adorned with a formal ck suit. ''That should be him,'' Charles thought inwardly. The first one to speak was Aiden, "Good evening, Boss. Let me introduce you to Mr. Brandon Locke." Brandon then returned the gesture, "Good evening, Sir." "Yes, good evening, Mr. Locke. It''s so good to finally meet you." Charles had to look as confident as he could, trying to test if Brandon would be intimidated. And to this surprise, the boy stood tall. He kept his posture straight, and there were no signs of fidgeting. He looked as confident as Charles was. Just the sheer effort of the boy was already enough to garner Charles'' respect. He had to know more about Brandon Locke. After gesturing for Brandon to take a seat, Charles began to interrogate him. "Why our Company?" *** The two shook hands with confident smiles on their faces, a partnership between them had been officially established Not once did Brandon ever flinch, nor was his voice shaky. After all, he''d rehearsed his lines prior to the meeting. It was his first business approach, he couldn''t mess it up. Once the meeting was over, Brandon checked for the time, only to find out that three hours had already passed. ncing in front of Charles, who was seated in front of him, Charles spoke up, "We look forward to working with you, Mr. Locke. Wee to Deus Company." "And I look forward to the future prospects of the Company, Mr. Deus." With that, the meeting was officially over. Aiden was then instructed to escort Brandon to the exit. Brandon gave Charles a nod, and just as he was about to leave, something peculiar popped up. It was a system notification. Brandon paused just by the doorframe as he checked his system. [System Notifications: 1] [Quests Avable: 1] ¡ª--------------------------- [Quests] [Survive for 15 minutes.] [Rewards:] [Stat Points: +5] [EXP: +100] [System Coins: +100] [Penalty:] [Due to the sheer difficulty, no penalty shall be enacted upon the user.] ¡ª--------------------------- ''Survive? What does this mea¨C'' TSSSS- Thud-! Brandon had no time to finish his thoughts as Aiden¨Cwho stood beside him, suddenly copsed. The windows shattered, dispersing ss shards all over the office. When Brandon turned to look at Aiden, there was an unfamiliar red stain that painted the floor. ''Is that... blood?'' He then realized what had just happened. Aiden was dead. Charles, who was still at his desk, got down immediately, hiding under his table. "Get down, Mr. Locke, it''s a sniper!" "What?" The reality still hadn''t dawned upon Brandon. He was ignorant. Suddenly, an earth barrier materialized, blocking the shattered window. As soon as it waspleted, Charles got up and tried to head towards where Brandon was standing. However... Boom! The sma bullet was able to destroy the barrier, etching a hole onto it. Spurt! As Charles was only a few distance away, trying to go to Brandon, another sma bullet pierced through his calf, making him tumble down. Thud! "Aghhhh!" Finally, Brandon understood what was going on, as he tried to help Charles get up. "Mr. Deus!" Charles motioned his hand for Brandon to stop. "Don''t move, Mr. Locke! The Hitman must have a skill that allows him to detect any movement, regardless if it was visible or not." Brandon had the same thought as he stopped moving. Despite the earth wall covering the entire window from where the shots came from, the trajectory of the bullets were urate. Charles shifted his gaze towards his calf, which was bleeding profusely, and added, "Since the bullet was strong enough to destroy the earth barrier, the bullets were most likely made out of mana. Whoever the assassin is, they''vee prepared, Mr. Locke!" Charles narrowed his eye as he emphasized his next words, "This is not something a student can handle, I''m sorry for getting you caught up in all this." Charles'' voice was shaky, and Brandon could see hisplexions start to pale. The bullet had damaged a pressure point in his calf, as it continued to bleed rapidly. But Brandon didn''t have any healing skills to aid him. -Creak "...!" It was then when the door opened, revealing an unfamiliar figure, with brown hair, and blue eyes. At the sudden appearance of who most likely the assassin was, Charles screamed, "Who sent you?! And why did youe for ourpany?!" It seemed like Charles was only trying to put up a tough act, since he wasying helplessly on the floor, unable to move. But Brandon could see the fear in his eyes. The man then held up his hand with a mocking smile on his face, forming his fingers like a gun, as he said, "Don''t take it personal, if you''ve got anyints, you can ask my employer." "What are you talking about?" Charles inquired. "Hmm? I think it was something about apany on the brink of copse, suddenly entering the top ranks of the stock market?" At the mention of an employer, Brandon realized who the man was, or rather¨Cthe group the man belonged to. The Primordials. A contractpany from the underworld. And one of the main antagonists in the earlier chapters of the novel. There were no other groups to fill the criteria, as far as Brandon knew. There were a total of 12 seats in the Primordials, and each seat belonged to the top members. Each member was ranked ordingly, 1 being the strongest, and 12 being the weakest. But weak was an understatement... Even the 12th seat alone could make up for an entire army. But most likely, the man that appeared before Brandon was only a subordinate of a seated member. This is because the seated members did not personally take jobs, unless they had to. And since this was just a Hitman job, there was no need for a seated member to make an appearance. Brandon continued to peer in the conversation. But... ''The Primordials had never targeted Deus Company in the novel, so why?'' What changed? It was then when Brandon realized... It was because of him. Chapter 12: A Contracted Killer [1]

Chapter 12: A Contracted Killer [1]

It was most likely because a rivalpany feared the sudden rise of Deus Company. ''After all, Deus Company was steadily rising in the novel, it wasn''t seen as a threat in the early stages.'' Or... ''There could be a traitor.'' It wasn''t a far fetched theory. After all, the Hitman knew which building to use and scout out the office. From the trajectory of where the bullet came from, to the fact that the Hitman knew which exact room to enter. But it was all spection in the end. Regardless, Brandon''s decision to invest on thepany this early on was most likely the catalyst for these events. ''Because of me... innocent people are going to die.'' No, he had to do something about this. With [Elemental Maniption], Brandon conjured an ice barrier between the Hitman and Charles¡ªwho looked like he was about to faint from the blood loss. "Oh?" The Hitman raised his brow. Faced in a life or death situation, there was no need to hide it. Brandon channeled lightning, circting it in his arms. Crackle! Spark! The Hitman had an amused expression in his face, as he said, "A Deviant? How interesting." Bang- Bang-! sma bullets were fired off in Brandon''s direction. Crackle- Swoosh-! With lightning coursing in his legs, Brandon darted from his position, leaving trails of sparks. But to his surprise, the bullet changed trajectory, following him. Realizing this, Brandon conjured an ice shell to block it. However... Crack- Pshhh-! The ice shattered instantly, as the ice shards grazed Brandon''s cheek. ''Fuck...'' Brandon had little to no experience in fighting. His only knowledge stems from the manhwas and novels he''d read. He needed to bridge the gap in experience somehow. ncing back to his system, he had 8 minutes left until he''ll reaps the rewards. ''If I can just stall for tim¨C'' Bang-! Brandon didn''t even have time to finish his thoughts, as the Hitman once again fired off his gun. He quickly conjured up another ice shell, going on the defensive. Bang!- Bang- Pshhhh-! Each bullet would shatter the ice instantly, but it was fine. Since the bullets were most likely¨Cof the lightning affinity, it would dissipate once it made impact. ''As long as it doesn''t hit me...'' All he had to do was to keep this up until the quest ends. *** The Hitman was peeved about the whole ordeal. He realized it was going nowhere, and there was no point in humoring the boy. He wasn''t the target. The Hitman then pointed his gun towards Charles who wasying behind an ice shell. "Noooo!" The boy''s scream echoed. Swoosh- Suddenly, like a bolt of charge, the Hitman was sent hurling away. Thud-! Boom-! He crashed onto the wall, as his body jerked up, feeling the volt of electricity in his body. ''Fuck, this is why I hate dealing with Deviants, you''ll never know which magic they''ll use.'' In truth, this wasn''t his first time fighting a Deviant. Deviants weren''t extraordinarily rare, but he still didn''t expect to encounter one on this job. He was told by his employer that the target didn''t have any bodyguards. Due to this, he thoroughly prepared to execute the n wlessly. ''I shouldn''t have taken this job...'' He was a member of the Primordials, but only a subordinate of the 12th Seat, a cannon fodder. He wasn''t strong enough to actually be tasked in official contracted missions. Which is why he decided to take requests¨Coutside of the organization. Hence, leading to this job. A request from a certain employee of the exact samepany he was working on. Because his n of taking over thepany went in shambles, he''d put up a request on the underground world to kill his CEO. The Hitman got up, and his gazended on the ck haired manying down on the floor with fake blood on the back of his head. ''Tsk, is that bastard not gonna help me?'' The n he was given was to first¨Cshoot a fake bullet on the employer, then make an appearance and kill the boy, and the CEO. The reason for this was simple, his employer¨Cthough he was a mage¨Cwasn''t strong enough to actually fight his Boss. Plus, evidence of killing his Boss would lead back to him, he had to cover his tracks. Which is why he hired the Hitman. The n was supposed to go smoothly, but what they didn''t take into ount was the white haired boy being a Deviant. The Hitman once again pointed the finger gun at the boy. Bang-! But the boy suddenly disappeared. The Hitman could trace sparks of lightning darting around the room. It seemed like the boy finally figured out how to use his lightning. From what he knew, lightning was one of the harder affinities to control. This is because lightning was a concentration of energy. If you didn''t have enough control, then the lightning would just dissipate. Still... The gap in experience was worlds apart. Countering lightning magic was easy. After all, the Hitman had the lightning affinity as well. The bullets he used were a product of electro sma. He felt the boy getting closer, as his fist that was d in lightning¨Cseemed like it was about to connect Tszzzz- Fwooo- The two were sent hurling away, as the Hitman had redirected the lightning back to the boy. *** "Aghhh!" Brandon could feel the volt of electricity coursing through him. He''d never felt anything like this before. And it seemed like his nerves were out ofmission. He couldn''t get up. ''Am I gonna die here?!'' Regret suddenly washed over him. ''I shouldn''t have gotten way in over my head...'' Just because he knew the future, didn''t guarantee that he would actually survive. After all, just two days ago, he was just a normal boy attending highschool. It was all fun and games for him at first, but this was reality. Path to Ascension was filled with danger, as people with ill intentions walked every corner. The realization of the world he was brought into had finally sinked in. ''I thought I was invincible...'' Having power didn''t equate to actually knowing how to utilize it. ''Someone... save me, please.'' But there was no one. Charles Deus had passed out from the blood loss, and Aiden was dead. ''I''m scared....'' He was all alone. And just as his fears were realized, the Hitman got up and pointed his finger gun at Brandon. ''It''s over...'' But just as he was about to give up... ¡ª--------------------------- [Quest Completed!] [Rewards Obtained:] [Stat Points: +5] [System Coins: +100] [EXP: +100] ¡ª--------------------------- [You have leveled up!] [Skill Weaver capacity has increased!] [You have unlocked the Fire Affinity!] ... [Are you sure?] [Yes.] [Initializing Skill Weaver.] [Downloading data.] [ETA: 1 Minute.] "You weren''t bad, kid, maybe if you had more experience, you would''ve had a fighting chance." The Hitman''s index finger gradually lit up a yellow glow. Bang-! Chapter 13: A Contracted Killer [2]

Chapter 13: A Contracted Killer [2]

''Huh?'' The Hitman only had to shoot the sma bullet. ''What?'' But for some reason, the bullet didn''t fire off, it instantly dissipated. Surely, there was a mistake? But this was the first time it had ever happened in his career. He had honed and perfected this technique to its full potential. Despite being a low ranked member of the Primordials, he was a feared ruthless killer in his own team, giving him the nickname, Ghost. He had not failed a single contract ever since he joined the organization. His skills were among the best of the best in his team. ''So why...'' He felt like he was about to lose. Suddenly, the boy got up. His fearful expression from earlier had already vanished, reced with one of indifference. Step. Ghost took a step back. Once again, he contoured another finger gun, aiming it at the boy. Pshhh- Only for the sma bullet dissipated once again. He realized this was no mistake. ''This is the boy''s doing.'' Suddenly, blue sparks protruded from the boy, lightning seemed to be coursing through his veins. And in an instant, he had disappeared. Swoosh-! But of course, due to Ghost''s ability, his eyes could track the boy''s movement. Once again, the boy''s fist was about to reach him. Trying to redirect the lightning again, Ghost surged up a volt of electricity. However... He could not feel any volt at all. As soon as he felt a miniscule amount of electricity, it suddenly disappeared, as if it was never there in the first ce. Boom! The boy''s fist struck Ghost, sending him hurling away. ''Fuck... what''s going on? How is he doing that?'' Crack! As he crashed onto the wall, he was given no time to recuperate, as crystals of ice lunged from the ground, heading towards him. Spurt-! With his reflexes he managed to narrowly dodge the crystals, only grazing his leg. But as soon as he dodged, a torrent of mes headed his way. ''What the fuck? A Deviant with three affinities? That makes no sense!" Of course, there were other Deviants who were blessed with two or more affinities. But in all his years of being a contracted killer, not once had he ever encountered one. The only known Deviants with more than two affinities were the top ten mages in the world. And from what he heard, the 1st Seat of the Primordials was Deviant as well. Their strength wasparable to Gods. ''Who is this boy? And why hasn''t anyone heard of him yet?'' As he dodged the mes, before he knew it, the boy had already managed to get behind him. Thwack! Tssszzz-! At impact, Ghost was sent crashing towards the window, as volts of lightning trailed from him. Crash! The sound of ss shattering reverberated the room, as shards of ss were scattered all over. "AAAAA-" As Ghost was about to be sent falling to his doom, the boy grabbed the scruff of his cor. Before Ghost could even react to what happened, the boy coldly locked eyes with him. "Which seat do you work for?" ''Huh?'' For some reason, the boy knew he was working for someone. And at the mention of ''seat'', the boy seemed to know more than he let out. ''How does he know about the Primordials?'' Despite being arge organization, the Primordials was not well known to the public. They were good at erasing their traces, and whenever a member was a risk to the organization. They would be silenced. Despite being at the mercy of the boy, he feared the organization, more than him. Of course, he didn''t want to die. But at this moment, he''d rather be killed off by the boy than facing the wrath of the Primordials. Ghost didn''t answer him, giving the boy a smirk. "Sorry, it seems I haven''t introduced myself to you." With a look of indifference, the boy''s eyes narrowed, as if he was staring directly in Ghost''s soul. "Standing before you is the 1st Seat of the Primordial." ''WHAT!?'' Ghost''s eyes shot wide open, as his mouth contoured to a silent ''o'' shape. Now it all made sense... His power, his confidence. But... The 1st Seat had never shown up for any meetings, he was a mysterious figure, and the only one who had contact with him was the 2nd Seat. Ghost didn''t know the names of any other Seated member. Regr subordinates weren''t allowed that kind of information. They only knew the name of the Seat they devoted themselves to, in Ghost''s case, it was the 12th Seat. He couldn''t believe the boy''s ims so easily. Thus, he had to confirm it. "If you are who you say you are, then what''s the name of the 12th Seat?" "I see, so you work for Pulcine." Once again, Ghost was astonished, his jaw cked open in disbelief. ''Now that settles it...'' Ghost could only believe in the boy. There was no other answer. ''He really is the 1st Seat.'' Only the other Seated members knew the names of each other. "How would you like to secretly work for me?" "Huh?" Was this an opportunity? Were the days of being Pulcine''s henchmen finally over? "As you know, I operate secretly," the 1st Seat stated, He was right, only the 1st Seat didn''t have his own team. This was definitely an opportunity for Ghost to finally climb the ranks of the organization. Directly operating under the 1st Seat was an offer he couldn''t miss. With no hesitation, Ghost gave his response, "I ept, if you wish it, I will abandon the 12th Seat." "No, continue with your operations. But remember, you secretly work for me now, so my orders are absolute." Ghost felt a chill down his spine. The immense pressure that the 1st Seat exuded bore down on him. He truly was befitting of his title as the strongest Primordial. But despite that, Ghost could tell that the 1st Seat seemed to be weaker than the 12th Seat. ''He must be hiding his strength.'' Just like his fight with Ghost, he only revealed his strength at thest second. It made sense since he was a mysterious man, of course he would hide his power in public. There was no reason to doubt him. It was the only exnation. "Yes, Sir!" "What should I call you?" "My real name is Leon, Sir. But my code name is Ghost." "Hmm... I''ll call you Alpha, and you can call me, hmm..." He seemed to ponder before he gave his response. "From now on, call me Moriarty." Chapter 14: A Contracted Killer [3]

Chapter 14: A Contracted Killer [3]

Tap- Tap- Tap- Tapping on his desk, Charles locked eyes with Brandon and spoke up, "So, everything is all settled?" "Yes, you may resume operations tomorrow." "Right, and you''re saying this man will be my assistant from now on?" Charles'' gaze shifted to another man with red hair, who stood beside Brandon. It was none other than Ghost¨Cnow Alpha. "That''s right, trust me, Mr. Deus. He will no longer harm you or thepany." "Haa... okay, since you saved my life, it''s the least I could do for you." "Thank you, Mr. Deus." At the end of it all, Brandon gave a healing potion¡ªwhich was given by Alpha, to Charles. Brandon then gave Charles some time to recover, while informing him about what Aiden''s betrayal. Charles couldn''t believe it at first. After all, Aiden had been working for him for 2 years. Of course, Aiden denied all usations. But the fact that he was alive, after being presumed dead spoke enough. When they checked the transactions that Aiden made, they discovered that a substantial amount of thepanies'' assets were transferred to an unknown ount. Thus, Aiden was given up to the police. How did something like this manage to slip under Charles'' watch? Brandon began to doubt if this man really knew what he was doing. But then again, if the events in the novel were right, then there was no need to worry. Brandon then exchanged contacts with Charles and Alpha. Alpha had to use a burner phone for the process. He was still a full fledged member of the Primordials, so Brandon couldn''t make anypromises. He was already pretending to be the 1st Seat of the Primordials, if they were to find out, then things would get messy. And Brandon wasn''t strong enough to face the organization yet. He was now walking on a tightrope. But if he yed his cards right, then the benefits outweigh the costs. He now had an underling sh informant serving under him¡ªAlpha. For the first time in his life, Brandon finally felt like he had power. Surely, in this world, he can be someone special. Plus, he had the system aiding him. Brandon then silently muttered to himself, "System" ¡ª--------------------------- [Name: Brandon Locke] [Level: 2] [EXP: 150/300] [ss: Anomaly] ¨N You are an entity that does not belong to this world, an anomaly. [Passive] ¨N Skill Weaver: ¨N Create any skill possible within the user''s capabilities. ¨N Increase your capacity by +1 per level. ¨N Total Skills: 2/2 [Skill Tab] [Stats] [Stat Points Avable: 0] ¨N STR: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N MP: F+ [¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N DEF: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N AGI: F [¡ñ¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N INT: F+ [¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N CHARM: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] [System Shop] [System Coins: 100] [Quests Avable: 0] ¡ª--------------------------- As he now possessed two skills, a Skill Tab had popped up to better organize his skills. ¡ª--------------------------- [Skill Tab] ¨N [Elemental Maniption] ¨N Ice ¨N Lightning ¨N Fire [Mana Disruption] ¨N Disrupts mana, causing it to never take shape and scatter. Can only target one specific location. ¡ª--------------------------- During the fight with Alpha, Brandon had to think of a skill that could help him win. He decided toe up with a way to counter Alpha. No, to counter all the mages in the world. Mana Disruption. It was truly a groundbreaking skill. Of course¨Cif he could, he would''ve wanted to fully cancel mana,pletely rendering his enemy helpless. But for some reason, the system made it¨Cso that he could only disrupt the mana on one specific location. But still¨Cwith this skill, Brandon knew he could rise to the top of the world. ''Scratch following the storyline.'' He had already diverted from the plot. From Combat ss, to investing in thepany. And Alpha''s appearance was proof of his actions. Of course, the knowledge of the future was still useful. But the conclusions? ''I can change it, all the major deaths in the novel, everything.'' But... It meant Raven wouldn''t get his development. ''Haa...'' If only Brandon was the protagonist, then things would be significantly easier. But he wasn''t, so he decided to do the little things he could. His appearance was already a change in the story itself. So a little bit of change wouldn''t hurt. ''As long as it doesn''t conflict with Raven''s journey, then it might be fine.'' Is what he thought. His gaze thennded on Charles who continued to speak. "I look forward to our business partnership, Mr Locke, and... Alpha. It seemed like Charles was still skeptical. But regardless, Brandon nodded at his words. ''All''s well ends well.'' *** Some time, around 11:00 PM Brandon returned to the apartment, only to find Belle studying in the kitchen. "I''m ho¨C" "Where were you?" Belle abruptly cut him off. Then turned to scan Brandon''s attire, or¨Cwhat was left of it. "What happened to you?" Brandon''s once elegant ck suit, was now tattered and ripped, with tears and holes all over it. His hair was disheveled, and his face was filled with dust. It was a sorry sight. But Brandon just shrugged it off like it was nothing. "I just tripped..." "That''s what they all say... are you getting bullied, Brandon?" Brandon was taken aback, he didn''t expect his new sister to actually be worried about him. Of course, his torn suit and haggard look was the result of his fight with Alpha. With a worried look, Belle continued, "If someone''s messing with you, just tell me, okay?" Belle spoke as if she had some influence in the school, or maybe she was actually strong. Brandon had to find out. "If someone was, then what are you going to do about it?" Belle furrowed her brow and sternly stated, "Exercise my authority as the Student Council President." Brandon''s eyes shot wide open, as his mouth was left agape. It seemed like Belle was serious. He didn''t expect Belle to be someone of significant importance in the Academy. ''This is interesting.'' From what he knew, the Student Council President had never made an appearance in the novel. ''Could this have been because of my appearance in the story?'' The mystery of who Brandon Locke was had skyrocketed his curiosity. But for now, Brandon was too exhausted to think about it. Brandon shed his sister a smile, and said, "Ah, that''s right. But don''t worry, it''s nothing like that. There were just some issues during my part-time job." Brandon had already expected Belle to be shocked, as her eyes widened. "You''ve found a job?" "Well, sort of?" "You know, you can just ask our parents'' for money right?" Like the spoiled rich daughter she was. It urred to Brandon that his new family was wealthy. He realized it when he observed Belle''s lifestyle. It was the same way the rich girls from his previous world would act like. "I know, but I''d like to do something with my own capabilities." "Hmm, I see, good for you. Be sure to treat me to something nice next time, okay?" "S-Sure..." He stuttered. Brandon then headed to his bedroom and immediately copsed on his bed. "Haa..." It was an exhausting day for him. From attending lectures, finding a proper suit¨Cwhich was now destroyed, rehearsing his lines for the business meeting, and finally, fighting Ghost... Alpha. He had never been so busy in all his life. But... "It''s nice to be this productive." He was finally turning his life around. From a teenage boy with no aspirations, to bing Brandon Locke. He truly felt blessed at this second chance given to him. * * [AN] Finished with the early setup. Chapters will be longer from now on. Chapter 15: Rankings

Chapter 15: Rankings

''Haa...'' Brandon was in his seat as he nced around the other students focusing on their written test. Apparently, today was the day for the final evaluation of the rankings in their ss. In which, the final criteria would be the written test. Since Brandon skipped out on his final ss yesterday, due to preparing for his business meeting with Charles, he wasn''t informed. Of course, he didn''t have Raven''s number, so Raven didn''t inform him in advance. Plus, they were all arranged in alphabetical order, meaning¨CBrandon didn''t know the person seated next to him. He couldn''t ask him for answers. ''Not like they''d even let me copy...'' Furthermore, Brandon didn''t grow up in this world, so he knew next to nothing about what was in the test. In short, he was cooked. But he couldn''t give up just yet. ''If I just use the knowledge I have about the novel, then I should get a good grade...'' Is what he thought. *** "Okay ss, the automated checker has already graded your test, you can check the Astrea Academy app for your results." Vanessa roamed around the podium as she informed them. Brandon wasn''t feeling confident at all. ''But it shouldn''t be too bad...'' He then turned to check the Astrea Academy app, trying to find his student ID. [Brandon Locke] [Student ID: 148269] [SCORE: 24/200] ''Fuck...'' It was bad. With this, he officially cemented himself as the lowest ranked student in ss. Vanessa then requested the students'' attention, as she held a white device in her hand. "Congrattions everyone! You have all finished the initial evaluation for the school year. Wee to Astrea Academy." For freshmen, they had to take a 3 day evaluation test at the start of the school year, ranging from Combat ss, Physical Training, Theory ss, and History. In short, the mandatory sses. Minor subjects didn''t count Vanessa then continued. "I will now show you the official rankings of all the first year students." Suddenly, a rectangr hologram materialized out of thin air. On it, disyed the students'' profile, such as their face, name, age, and ranking. "This was also uploaded in the app, so you can check it there as well." Since the only rankings disyed on the hologram were the top 10 students, they were given the option to check the app. And of course, Brandon wasn''t in the top 10. ''I did well in Combat ss, so my ranking shouldn''t be too bad, right?'' Once again, Brandon turned to check the app. His first initiative was to check for the rankings of the important characters, particrly¨Cthe main cast. ''If the events in the novel align, then the main cast should be within the top 5.'' [Raven ckheart: 1 / 2,012] [Reinhard Van: 2 / 2,012] [ire Victoria: 3 / 2,012] [Amy Ashfield: 4 / 2,012] [Rachel Asami: 5 / 2,012] Brandon breathed out a sigh of relief. ''Good, it seems like nothing''s changed in that department.'' This was good, it meant that¨Cas long as Brandon doesn''t meddle too much, then the plotline should flow smoothly. Brandon continued to scroll down, trying to find his name. He''d already passed the 1000th ranking, and he still didn''t find his name. ''Damn...'' He started to panic. As he continued to scroll, he finally found his name. [Brandon Locke: 1,890 / 2,012] ''That''s bad...'' It really was. In all his life, he was always an average student. ''But this is way below mediocre.'' He was grade conscious as well. As the other students continued to scan their phones, Vanessa once again spoke up. "Don''t be disheartened if you got a low ranking, you can always climb the ranks if you do your best." When Vanessa mentioned ''low ranking'', it felt as if she turned her gaze to Brandon''s direction. ''She couldn''t have been looking at me, right?'' Brandon felt guilty for not meeting Vanessa''s expectations. From his initial debut in the academy, to his astonishing performance in Combat ss. Vanessa must''ve thought he was going to be an outstanding student, but in the end he was average at best. No, he was way below average. ''Haha, it''s fine, I''ve got the whole school year to climb my way in the rankings.'' It was then, when a male student stood up with a frown in his face. "This must be a mistake, right? How is Raven ckheart the top 1 when he''s a Duelist?" Then, another student chimed in. "Yeah! I understand Reinhard Van''s ranking, but how did Raven ckheart even rank higher than him?" From what they knew, Reinhard was a prodigious mage of the famous Van Family. While Raven was an unknown student with no background or status to his name. Plus, he was a Duelist. It was enough for the students toin. And since Raven was ced in a ss with no other duelists, he had no one to defend him. At least, that was what the other students should''ve been thinking. Brandon had a smirk on his face as he thought to himself. ''Right, this happened in the novel as well, then if I''m right...'' Another student stood up, with deep-red hair, and ink-ck eyes. It was none other than¨CReinhard Van. ''Right on cue.'' "Well, thanks for whatever that was. But I beg to differ about your assessment of Raven." Reinhard quickly gathered everyone''s attention and continued, "He''s most definitely deserving of 1st ce. Instead of worrying about someone else, worry about your own rankings first." Reinhard narrowed his eyes, as his tone became serious. "If you''re so willing to deny his effort, then why don''t you try fighting him for his ranking?" He then turned towards Vanessa, who was still standing in the podium listening to the whole thing. "That''s allowed in this Academy, right Miss?" "Yes, thank you for bringing that up. As for what Reinhard said, an easy way to climb the ranks is to directly challenge a student who''s willing to wager their ranking." From a distance, Brandon could see Raven''s mouth agape. Most likely, he must''ve not expected to be put on the spot by Reinhard. Brandon let out a soft chuckle. ''This scene is even crazier in real life than in the novel.'' The other students then settled down, some had anguished looks, while some didn''t really care. And surprisingly, Raven just let the entire thing unfold. But Brandon felt bad for not standing up for him, knowing he was Raven''s only friend. There was nothing Brandon could do, he had no authority in the ssroom. And his ranking couldn''t back him up either, his words held no sway over the students. ''Plus, this would cement the beginning of Raven and Reinhard''s friendship.'' *** They were dismissed for the rest of the day, as the semester officially kicks off tomorrow. Vanessa then announced a party to be held at 7:00 PM for freshmen to get acquainted with their fellow peers. After the whole ordeal, Raven immediately got up and left the room. He must''ve not wanted to indulge with other students, since things seemed to be tense at the moment. Reinhard immediately caught up and followed him, and so did Brandon. Raven gave his thanks to Reinhard for sticking up for him. Of course, he didn''t me Brandon for staying silent the whole time. If it were Raven, he would''ve done the same, so what Reinhard did was absurd to him. Brandon roamed around the halls, walking side-by-side with Raven and Reinhard. The one to break the silence first was Reinhard. "Anyway, about the party, do you guys have a suit to wear?" "Nope." Brandon and Raven said in unison. "Well lucky for you two, I know just a ce where we could get one for cheap." Brandon''s ears perked up, and asked, "Really?" "Yup, let me call my acquaintance first." At the mention of an ''acquaintance'' Brandon had an idea of who Reinhard was about to call. From behind them, the trio heard a voice. "Hey, Reinhard!" When his name was mentioned, Reinhard gave a smile and turned around to trace the source of the voice. "Nevermind, seems like she''s here." The two followed suit and scanned her appearance. She had shortvender hair, purple eyes, adorning a white long sleeve under a purple jacket. Despite her tomboyish looks, her facial features were quite feminine. ''Yup, I knew it.'' Reinhard then motioned towards the girl, wrapping his arms around her shoulder, and said, "Guys, I''d like to introduce you to my childhood friend, ire Victoria." Chapter 16: Victoria Supermall [1]

Chapter 16: Victoria Supermall [1]

"Oh? So you''re Raven ckheart, I''ve heard about what happened in your ss, must''ve sucked." ire tried to console Raven in her own way. "Y-Yeah... but I''m used to it by now." Smack-! Reinhard pped Raven in the back as he advised him, "Grow some backbone man, you shouldn''t let people walk all over you like that." At Reinhard''s words, Brandon twitched slightly, recalling past memories of being ''walked all over'' by people. Crack- With a devious smile on her face, ire cracked her knuckles and said, "Yeah? Why don''t we teach those guys a lesson?" "Absolutely not, do you want to get expelled?" Reinhard shot her down instantly. "Whatever." ire rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms. Reinhard then approached Brandon, cing his arm on his shoulder. "And this guy over here is Brandon Locke." Since Reinhard was taller than the three, he could easily ce his arm on their shoulders. He was really touchy with people. With a smile on his face, Brandon gave his greetings, "Hello, Miss ire." "ire''s fine. Anyway, I remember you back in Combat ss, you were pretty good. But why are people saying you fell off or something?" "Ah, hahaha." Brandon scratched the back of his head, giving ire an awkwardugh. He knew the reason why, but he didn''t know people were talking behind his back about it. ''Even in this world, people still gossip about everything. Haaa...'' Reinhard seemed to notice the mood had be sour, as he reprimanded ire, "You still haven''t changed that bad habit of yours. Sorry about this guys." "No, it''s really fine. But what did you call ire for?" Of course, Brandon already knew what ire was here for. After all... "Right, this girl over here¨Cwho can''t seem to think before speaking, is the heir to Victoria Supermall." Reinhard said while patting ire''s head. ire seemed like she wanted to say something about it, but she kept her mouth shut. "Woah." Brandon and Raven said in unison. But for Brandon''s case, he was merely pretending to be amazed. Reinhard cupped his hand around his ear, tilting his head slightly near ire. "Oh, what''s that? You said you''ll give us a discount because you felt bad?" His tone sounded sarcastic. ire seemed reluctant, pondering for a moment. "...Mmm, fine." "Haha, I knew we could count on you!" Reinhard once again walked towards where Raven and Brandon were standing, cing his arm on both their shoulders. "Well, Gentlemen, you''ve heard the Lady. It''s a 100% discount, basically free!" "Hey!" ire retorted. The two boys could only stay silent the whole time, unsure of what to make out of the situation. Reinhard and ire seemed to have a rtionship like fire and ice. . . . Arriving at the mall, if one could describe the sheer space that it covered, even huge would be an understatement. It was enormous. Stalls and rented spaces were lined all over, as a grand fountain was situated at the center. People wandered about, children, adults, and seniors took their time shopping and exploring. The air was alive with the chatter of conversation and murmurs being audible. Vendors called out to each person passing by, their voices mixing with the crowd. Brandon and Raven stood there in awe. While Reinhard and ire motioned ahead of them. ire turned around to face the two. "What are you two just standing still for? Let''s go." At her instructions, the two immediately followed suit. "Yes, Maam." The four hopped on a white circr device. As soon as they did, there was a robotic voice that spoke, [Which floor would you like to go to?] "Floor 28." Vuuum- As soon as ire gave the instructions, the circr device lit up green, and they were instantly teleported to the 28th floor. "Damn!" Brandon was taken aback. At first he thought it was just a fancy elevator, but turns out it was so much more different. The technological advancement of this world had never failed to meet his astonishment. Noticing this, Raven tilted his head. "You''ve never used a shiftporter before?" "N-no..." "That''s weird, isn''t your family rich? I thought you''d have a shiftporter in the Locke Company building." ire chimed in, leaning close to Brandon. "Ah, haha, I must''ve forgotten. My family''s been calling me forgetfultely." "Uh, okay..." At the mention of Locke Company, Brandon''s interest instantly skyrocketed. ''I really need to look into Brandon Locke''s identity.'' At this moment, he could fully admit that Brandon Locke was an interesting character. ''So why didn''t he ever make an appearance in the novel?'' He had the system, something that the main protagonist had. He was also rich, and his looks are something worth remembering. The way Brandon Locke was designed seemed like he wasn''t just an ordinary extra. From the pale white hair that reached his neck, to the ice blue eyes. Plus, his face was perfectly symmetrical, even a narcissist would agree to that. There was no doubt in Brandon''s mind that this seemingly extra character he''d transmigrated as, had to have an important role in the story. But he then remembered that he had stockpiled 400 chapters behind, only reading up until the 3,891th chapter. ''But isn''t that too far in the story to introduce a new character?'' It was, and the fact that Brandon Locke had a system made Brandon even more suspicious. ''There has to be something more about Brandon Locke.'' He truly wished he could search the character in the Path to Ascension wiki page. ''I''ll find out eventually.'' After all, he was now ying the character. Stepping out of the shiftporter, Brandon, Raven, and Reinhard followed ire closely. She had led them to a store with mannequins wearing suits and dresses being disyed on the front ss. The four of them beckoned inside. As they made their way inside, an employee was already ready to greet them. "Good evening, Miss Victoria, and these must be your friends." "Good evening, yes, that''s right. Could you help us get something tailored to wear?" ''Tailored, huh? A rich girl through and through, she''s just like Belle.'' Of course, Brandon couldn''t say it out loud. "Yes, dly. But for a moment, we''re still helping another customer get something tailored." "That''s fine, take your time." The four sat down on a circr couch. While they waited, the employees unexpectedly offered them refreshments. ''What kind of store is this?!'' Back in Brandon''s world, clothing stores wouldn''t usually have refreshments. The customs of this world were truly a mystery to him. . . After waiting for a while, it seemed like the other customers had finished getting tailored. A door situated in the corner opened, revealing two women. One of them had pitch-ck hair, while the other women had bright-blonde hair. When their gazended on the four who sat on the couch, their eyes peered wide open. And so was ire''s. "Eh? Amy and Rachel? Fancy meeting you here." "What a coincidence, ire. Is that Reinhard with you?" Amy approached the four, scanning the three people she was with. While Rachel also followed suit. Reinhard then greeted Amy and Rachel. "Yup, good to see you again, Amy, Rachel." Seemed like rich people knew each other. ire added, "Yeah, we''re getting something tailored for the party. You too, right?" Amy then pointed at Rachel, and responded, "Yup, you guys must''ve waited long. Sorry about that, Rachel here took too long deciding on what design she wanted." "Sorry..." Rachel bowed apologetically. "No, it''s okay. Anyway, let me introduce you guys to these two over here." ire presented with open hands towards Brandon and Raven, as if she was giving a report. "This gloomy fellow over here is Raven ckheart, and this guy with the long hair is¨C" Before ire could finish, Rachel cut her off. "Nice to see you again, Brandon." "Yeah, you too, Rachel." The other four tilted their heads, giving a confused look. "Eh?... You two know each other?" ire asked. "Uhm... Yeah, we''re ssmates." "Oh, that''s right. I forgot you Reinhard, and Raven was in the same ss as Rachel." One of the employees then approached the group, gesturing towards the door. "Miss, ire, the room is now open. You may proceed to get tailored right away." Chapter 17: Victoria Supermall [2]

Chapter 17: Victoria Supermall [2]

After getting tailored, the six decided to explore the mall together. They stopped by different stores, trying on new clothes. Though it was mostly the girls that did. While in some stores, they decided to window shop. Reinhard held all the bags that contained the new clothes that the girls bought. He then proceeded to stop walking and took a good look at the two boys who were carrying nothing in front of him. "Hey, you two. Aren''t you gonna help me?!" "Nope." Raven answered, while Brandon didn''t even spare Reinhard a single nce. "Heartless bastards..." After roaming for a while, the group took a breather, and stopped by a coffee shop. Seated at a table for six, they each ordered their own coffee. Brandon was astonished once again with the technological advancement of the world. Each table had a small circr device, that¨Conce you channel your mana on to it, a holographic menu would pop up, showing all the things that were avable for order. After it was prepared, your order would appear through a small shiftporter that was ced in the middle of the table. When it was Raven''s time to order, except for Brandon¨Cthe others let out a shocked expression. They initially thought Raven was a rare case of someone that didn''t have mana. But to their surprise, he actually did. It wasn''t a secret for Raven or anything, but he couldn''t exin to them why he couldn''t utilize his mana the way mages could. Of course, Brandon already knew this, it was because of his system. The system kind of held back his potential to be a mage. But in return, his individual growth was progressive, just like a game. Meaning, he had no limitations, just like Brandon. The whole time everyone shopped together, Brandon felt out of ce . After all, he was the lowest ranked within the group. ''Plus, I don''t belong here...'' They were the main cast, and he was just an extra. No, he wasn''t even an extra, knowing he was a transmigrator who took over Brandon Locke''s body. ''But it feels nice to actually interact with the characters I''ve read about for so long.'' These were his genuine feelings. There were times when he''d miss his old world, and his mother. But moments like these made him feel weed in the new world he was brought into. ''Still, I shouldn''t get too attached to them. The plotline was already changing, I shouldn''t meddle with it more.'' But he knew there was no getting out of it, just his appearance in the story had already altered some events of the storyline. ''This event happened in the novel, but...'' Brandon Locke wasn''t supposed to be here. Taking a sip on his coffee, Reinhard turned to look at Raven and asked, "So Mr. Ranked 1, what do you n on doing?" "What are you talking about?" "About our ssmates. Amy decided to chime in as well, "What about your ssmates?" Since Amy wasn''t in their ss, she didn''t know anything. ire wasn''t in their ss as well since she and Amy were ssmates. ''But she''s one of those girls who likes to gossip.'' It was then when Reinhard told Amy about what had happened during the announcement of the First Year Rankings. From the opposition of the other students, to Reinhard sticking up for Raven. He spared no details, telling everyone how he felt, and how unfair everything was. Amy furrowed her brow, furious about the whole thing. She then turned towards Brandon. "Isn''t your Sister the Student Council President? Why don''t you ask her to do something about it?" As if the realization dawned upon him, Reinhard spoke up, "Ah, no wonder thest names were the same. Now that I took a good look, you and President Belle do look alike." Raven was shocked as well, but he didn''t question Brandon. While Rachel, who was reading a book while drinking her coffee, didn''t really care about the conversation. "Right, I''ll ask her if she could do something about it." Raven shook his head, and responded to Brandon, "You don''t have to involve your Sister. It''s fine, I can handle it myself." "No, we''re friends, so let me help you out." Raven seemed reluctant to ept the gesture, but eventually agreed. "...If you say so." Since Raven grew up alone in the rural area of the city, he wasn''t used to others giving him a helping hand. Brandon knew this, which is why he decided to give him a push. He wasn''t alone anymore, he now had friends he could rely on. Amy sped her hands together. "Well, now that''s all settled, let''s talk about the electives we''re all nning on taking. I think we should all go together." Electives were courses that a student can take part of to gain experience and polish their skills. Unlike other academies, Astrea Academy takes their electives seriously. Meaning, electives were mandatory for each student. It also has to be noted that failing an elective would result in expulsion. Which is why they had to choose wisely. But of course, there were some students who would take an easy elective to avoid expulsion. But in doing so, they would hinder their growth and potential. And since Astrea Academy was an incrediblypetitive school, improving was the only way to survive. It was then when Rachel decided to put her book down, and joined in on the conversation. "I''m nning on taking Magical Music and Harmony." "Eh? Are you sure? I know you love ying the piano, but that wouldn''t benefit you at all." "I know, but we''re allowed to choose three electives, I''ll join in whatever you guys decide to take." Reinhard ced his hand on his chin, and said, "She''s right, let''s all join whatever electives we like. And for the other two slots, we can join that one together." Amy gave her response, "Hm, okay. You have a point, for my first elective, I''ll probably join potion crafting." As if her curiosity was piqued, ire spoke up, "Hmm, interesting. Care to exin why?" "Since my family is the leading manufacturer of potions, it would be best if I polish my skills while I''m in the Academy." "Okay, fair. You are the only heir after all." "Exactly..." It seemed like Amy had a sorrowful look as she spoke. But only Brandon was the one to notice. ''After all...'' It was then ire''s turn to speak, "For me, I think I n on joining a Duelist elective." Clink- Amy and Raven''s eyes shot wide open. Even Rachel wasn''t an exception, as she dropped her fork. She was eating a blueberry cheesecake. They seemed taken aback that ire wanted to pick up the sword while being a full fledged mage. Mages who used the sword weren''t rare. But most of the Duelist faction could only use magic to a slight degree, which was the main reason why they were often looked down upon. But in Raven''s case, he showed no signs of using any magic prior to this point. Instead of ire, it was Reinhard who informed them, whileughing. "Haha, I can see the shocked looks on your faces. ire''s actually been learning the sword since we were kids." Amy''s gaze shifted from Reinhard to ire and asked, "Is that true?" Rachel leaned in, nodding her head repeatedly, wanting to confirm it as well. "Yeah, I''m going for a duelist and mage hybrid." ire solemnly stated. Brandon just took a seat back the whole time. He already knew what electives everyone was going to choose. ''For Raven, he''s going to choose a Duelist rted one as well. And for Reinhard, he''s going to choose Artificing.'' Truly, a loyal reader. * * [AN] As promised, an extra chapter today. Just a simple slice of life chapter to introduce the rest of the main casts. Hope none of you mind, as a lot of future slice of life chapters would be built upon this structure. Chapter 18: Acquaintance Party [1]

Chapter 18: Acquaintance Party [1]

After everyone had decided on their first elective, they all turned to Brandon. "And what about you, Mr. Idon''treallycaresoI''mjustcasuallysippingmycoffee? Which elective are you choosing?" It was Amy who asked. The whole time, Brandon was pondering on what elective he should choose. It took awhile for him to decide, but weighing the pros and cons, he had already decided. "Advance Spellcasting." "WHAT?!" The five were taken aback, each one of their mouths were left agape, as their eyes widened in surprise. Their reaction was understandable. Advance Spellcasting was an elective that would only be rmended once you became a third year. The reason for this was because first year students would have a hard time applying the theories that would be discussed. Adding to the fact that first year students'' magic output was subpar, inparison to the third year students. Putting two on two together, it wouldn''t take a genius to know that a first year student would absolutely flunk the elective. In short, it was way too risky for Brandon. But would he lose? ''Nah, I''d win.'' There were reasons why Brandon opted for Advance Spellcasting as his first choice. Since it was an elective that none of the main cast would choose, it would give him a chance to mingle with other extras. With the higher years being more experienced in magic, it was the best opportunity for Brandon to get references for weaving new skills. Scanning their faces Brandon could see they had a look of doubt. But he couldn''t me them, he was the lowest ranked within the group after all. Amy decided to speak up first, "Are you that confident in your skills?" "Yup." "Well, okay. You were the first one to break the magic orb after all. Raven then ced his arm on Brandon''s shoulder, and said, "Don''t worry, I believe in you, and if you fail... Goodluck, it was nice meeting you." "Pfft." Everyoneughed at how casual Raven''s tone was. . . . After finishing their discussions, they all proceeded to pick up their appropriate attires from the store. The technological advancement of the world once again astonished Brandon. The process was finished in just under five hours. At the end of it all, everyone decided to bid their farewells. Each going home separately. They all agreed to go to the party together, ire volunteering to pick everyone up. While changing, Brandon could hear Belle speak loudly from outside his room. "Brandon! Your friends are here to pick you up!" "Tell them to wait for a minute!" In truth, Brandon had already finished changing a few minutes ago. Retrieving his phone from his pocket, Brandon dialed a number with no name saved. Ring- Ring- Click-! "Alpha." [Lord Moriarty, what can I do for you?] ''Lord?'' It was quite cringe for Brandon, but he decided to go with it anyway. "I need you to do something for me." . . . Arriving at the venue, Brandon and Raven were surprised at the sheer luxury of the ce. While the rest seemed like they were already used to it. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, lighting up the entire ce. Chafing dishes were aligned above the table cloths, readily essible for guests to serve themselves from. While beverage dispensers were situated¨Copposite from the food. Goblets and luxurious looking utensils and tes were neatly arranged. The students all wore suits and dresses, mingling with each other. Also... "Seems like the party has already started." Brandon boldly stated. Turning towards Brandon with a frown on her face, ire said, "And who''s fault do you think that is?" "I said I was sorry..." "Whatever." She turned towards the other three and continued, "Anyway, shall we all get going?" They nodded with smiles on their faces. Approaching the chafing dishes, Brandon immediately filled his te with as much food as the te could contain. ''I''ve never had food like this in all my life.'' It was true. Growing up in the rural area of the city, Brandon wasn''t used to the kind of luxury he now had. Rachel scanned Brandon¨Cthen to his te, giving him a puzzled look. "Can you finish all that?...." "Doesn''t matter, it''s free." "...O-Okay." Brandon scanned her te as well. Compared to his, her te only had a miniscule amount of food. At least, that''s what Brandon thought. "You sure you only want to eat that much?" "This is actually enough for a normal person." Rachel sarcastically informed him. "If you say so." Brandon continued to fill his te, stopping by each chafing dish. When he finally reached thest chafing dish, he turned towards Rachel¨Cwho seemed to be picky with her food. He took a good look at her appearance. She adorned a luxurious ck dress thatplemented her dark-crimson eyes, as well as highlighting her curves. But Brandonpletely dismissed his thoughts, turning his gaze on a certain area. "I''ll be going now, our table is over there, okay?" He pointed towards the table where Reinhard, ire, and Raven sat in. "Okay, I''ll follow you in a bit." Brandon nodded at her words. Approaching the table, the three gave him a look of astonishment. Puzzled by their reactions, Brandon asked, "What?" "Nothing... just surprised by how much you eat." ire dismissed him. As Brandon sat down, he turned to observe the three. ire and Reinhard held goblets that contained a yellowish liquid, most likely wine. Raven was busy eating. His te was filled to the brim with meat. "What a glutton." "As if you could talk." Raven instantly shot him down. Brandon then turned towards Reinhard and ire, who were gracefully sipping from their sses. "Are you two not gonna eat?" "Nope, if I act mature and drink wine fancily, it''ll be seen as attractive for the girls over there." The whole time he spoke, Reinhard did not spare a single nce at Brandon. He was looking at the group of girls seated on the opposite table. ''Ah, right, I forgot this was how he acted in the earlier chapters.'' ire narrowed her eyes at Reinhard. "Please pretend this idiot isn''t at our table. As for my case... I have trouble digesting food at night." "Oh... okay." Brandon was surprised, but his expressions didn''t show it. ''Interesting... I didn''t know about that detail.'' Looking around, Brandon realized someone was missing. "Where''s Amy? I don''t see her anywhere." At Brandon''s question, ire immediately pointed in the direction of a crowd filled with men. "There." She stated, with a nk expression on her face. "Oh." "There''s that too." Once again, ire pointed in another direction, just where Brandon had left Rachel to her own device. When Brandon turned to look, there was another separate crowd of men that gathered. "Ah." "I know... I should help them out." "Go ahead, men would be typically scared of¨C" Smack-! ire put her goblet down, smacking the table as she narrowed her eyes. "I dare you to finish that sentence." "...I m-mean, y-you''d divert their attention a-away from Rachel and Amy because of your b-beauty." "Did you just stutter?" "N-No, Maam." Brandon could feel cold sweat start to bead. In all honesty, ire was beautiful as well. ''It''s just her personality...'' "I bet you''re thinking about something awful again." "N-No, I would never." "Whatever." ire then stood up, approaching the direction of where Rachel was first. "Haa..." "Pretty bold of you, man." Raven chimed in from his side. "I get to live another day..." Reinhardughed, not sparing them a nce, as he continued to look towards the group of girls seated across the table. "Hahaha, now Brandon, you shouldn''t get on a woman''s bad side like that. You should respect and care for them, okay?" After speaking, it seemed like he shed a wink in the girls'' direction. Noticing it, Brandon furrowed his brow. "I don''t wanna hear that from you, womanizer." "Kh...!" Reinhard twitched, as the goblet he held almost fell. Chapter 19: Acquaintance Party [2]

Chapter 19: Acquaintance Party [2]

Back when Brandon was still changing... "I need you to do something for me." [Anything, Lord Moriarty. Do you need me to kidnap someone? Or to Kill someone?] Brandon pinched his brow at the mention of ''killing someone''. "No, nothing like that." [Oh, understood. But how can I prove my skills to you, Lord Moriarty?] "For now, I''ll assign you to a reconnaissance mission." [I see, that happens to be one of my specialties as well. Who will I be stalking? The Mayor? The President?] Once again, Brandon pinched his brow in frustration. Alpha was way too ecstatic. "No, no. I just need you to scout out a specific location. I''ll be sending you the details and the address. Be sure toe with a disguise as I''ll be there too." [Ohh once again, you''ll grace me with your presence.] "Ukh...!" Once again, Brandon shuddered from the cringe. But he knew how much Alpha wanted to prove himself as much as he could. So he decided to go with it anyway. [Is something wrong, Lord Moriarty?] "No... I''ll be sending you the address now. I''ll be expecting results." [I wouldn''t dare disappoint y¨C] Click- He had to end the call as soon as possible before Alpha went overboard with the praises. At the end of the call, Brandon immediately sent the address of the party''s venue, along with the details of the mission. In the venue, there was a secret passage that led to the academy''s prized artifact vault. The secret passage was constructed there because the venue was typically off-limits within the academy during normal days. Plus, no one would expect such an important ce to be directly connected to the venue. It was the perfect location. What Brandon needed was an item that was situated in the vault. Mirage Mask. Once the mask is worn, any traces of the individual''s identity will cease to exist, regardless if someone was familiar with their figure. But the effects would be rendered useless if the user is seen wearing the mask. It was an artifact that belonged to a Wraithbound in the early 2100''s. Wraithbounds were literally what the name implied. Bounded by Wraiths. Individuals who had made a pact with a Wraith for a surge of power. In short, they sold their souls. The Headmaster of the Academy was the one to have in the Wraithbound. Which is why he was entrusted in keeping the artifact. Since the mask would be stolen by a minor antagonist in the future, then it wouldn''t conflict with Raven''s progression. At least, that''s what Brandon thought. Click- After sending the message, Brandon could hear Belle from the other side of the room. "Brandon! They said they''re going to leave if you don''te out in 1 minute." "Yeah, yeah. Coming!" . . . Back to the party... After ire drove away the men that crowded both Rachel and Amy, the three returned to the table. They continued to mingle, getting to know each other. It was then when Amy pulled out her phone, sping it with both hands. "Hey, we should create a group chat!" "I had the same thoughts." Raven retrieved his phone as well. "Mhm, can each of you give me your contact info so I can invite you?" After Amy''s instructions, she gave her phone to each person, typing down their contact information on her phone. The group chat had been established. But just as it was created... [Reinhard Van was kicked by ire Victoria.] "Hey! What gives?" Reinhard red daggers at ire. ire spared him no nce, and said, "Why''d you add a random person in the group, Amy?" "Hmm? Oh, sorry. Must''ve been a typo." The rest gave a thumbs up for what ire did. "You guys..." Reinhard could only wallow in shame. As they continued to poke fun at Reinhard, a student with blue hair, adorning a suit approached their table. Or... The side where Rachel sat. "Excuse me, do you need something from us?" ire asked him, furrowing her brow. It was obvious there was going to be trouble. After all, the man''s face was flushed red, most likely drunk. "Yes, I''d like to t-talk to Lady Rachel over here, to continue where we left off in our d-discussion earlier." "I thought I already gave you my answer." Rachel''s expressions were ufortable, causing Brandon to frown. It was because he knew who the man was. Felix Osborn, an heir to the Osborn Corporation, thepany that manufactured shiftporters. And... ''The first appearance of a Wraithbound in the novel...'' "Lady Rachel, if you give me enough time to get to know me. You might change your m¨C" "Sorry, but no still means no. Please leave our table." "You heard her, don''t make things ufortable now." ire chimed in, noticing how ufortable Rachel was. "Now, why are you butting in our conversation? Hic-" Felix said, as he let out a hup due to the alcohol. "The only one who''s butting in the conversation is you, so please leave." "No, I''m a human with free will, you have no right to tell me when and where to go." At the mention of ''human'', Brandon let out a chuckle. Felix turned his gaze towards him. "Did you justugh at me?" "Who knows?" Brandon just shrugged it off, swishing the wine from his goblet. "So this is what the world has ce to,moners thinking they''re b-big shots, just because they got epted in Astrea Academy. Hic-" "Maybe? But what kind of big shot has his fly down?" Immediately, Felix looked down at his fly, only to find it zipped up. When he did that, the group let out a chuckle of their own. "B-Bastard, how dare you h-humiliate me! Hic-" "You''re the only humiliating yourself. Clearly, she doesn''t like you, so just go." Felix then leaned in closer to Brandon. "Why don''t we t-take this outside y-you albino bastard, I''ll teach you a lesson for m-messing with me." As soon as Felix uttered those words, Reinhard and Raven stood up. "Try me." Brandon narrowed his eyes, ring daggers at Felix. Since Brandon now had power, he didn''t want to be a pushover anymore. All the confidence stems from his [Mana Disruption] skill. He knew Felix might be stronger than him due to being a Wraithbound. ''But what is he going to do if he can''t conjure up a magic skill?'' Raven then got in between Felix and Brandon¨Cwho was still in his seat. "Okay, that''s enough. Like they said, leave our table... now." Raven seemed like he had enough, he could allow a little bullying when it''s just him. But if it''s directed towards his friends, he wouldn''t let it slide. "And who are you supposed to be?" "Raven ckheart." As soon as Raven spoke, Felix''s eyes shot wide open, but quickly fixed his expressions. "Ah, t-the Ranked 1 student, rumors say you''re a duelist. You sure you want to m-mess with me? Hic-" "You realize you''ll be taking all six of us, right?" When Raven spoke, everyone else nodded their heads, narrowing their eyes at Felix. "Pah! Whatever,moners like you can only put up a fight when you''re grouped together." Felix waved his hand, motioning to leave, but took a little nce at Rachel and said, "Lady Rachel, I''ll t-try again next time, so w-wait for me, I''ll p-prove my l-love to you. Hic-" After parting those words, Felix left, heading towards a different table. "Haa... What a stubborn bastard." ire breathed out a sigh. Brandon then turned towards Rachel. "Hey, you okay?" "...Yeah, thanks for driving him away. Thanks everyone." They all nodded at her appreciative gesture. Everyone then continued their conversation, trying to change the mood. It was then a waiter inconspicuously passed by. "Do you kids need a refill?" "Yes, I''d like some." As the waiter filled Brandon''s goblet, the waiter passed him a crumpled paper, just fast enough for no one to notice. "Thanks." "It''s my pleasure, Lor¨C Sir." Brandoned furrowed his brow. ''He was definitely about to say Lord Moriarty...'' Chapter 20: Afterparty [1]

Chapter 20: Afterparty [1]

Around 11:00 PM, the group decided to leave the party early. ire once again volunteered to bring them home as her personal driver was waiting outside. As everyone was preparing to leave, getting inside the car, Brandon passed up on the offer. "Are you sure you''re going to stay for a while?" Rachel asked Brandon with a worried look on her face. "Yeah, I don''t feel like going home yet." "Okay, but remember to watch out for ''that'' guy." "Don''t worry, I don''t n on running into him." "Okay, see you." "Mhm, take care." Rachel was most likely worried because Felix seemed to have his eyes on Brandon, due to the humiliation. With everyone inside the car, they all waved at Brandon, who was standing by the entrance. "See you, Brandon." "Mhm, take care guys." With that, the car drove off. Turning around, Brandon contoured to a serious expression, as he muttered to himself, "Time to get down to business." Heading back inside, Brandon made a quick detour to the bathroom. nk- As he hid inside one of the stalls, he retrieved the crumpled paper from his pocket, trying to uncrumple it. In the text message he sent to Alpha, he instructed him to scout out for any peculiar room that screamed ''secret passage''. While also marking every CCTV camera that was ced in the venue. Inside the crumpled paper was a detailed map of the venue''syout. All the CCTV cameras were marked with a red crossmark. "Looks good." Brandon headed back to the party, where there were still some students that stayed. Their murmurs andughter echoed throughout the entire venue. The reason why Brandon waited until the end was because... ''The ones who stayed behind were usually the ones who were drunk.'' It would be easier to sneak around the venue without anyone noticing. There were CCTV cameras, but Brandon had already thoroughly nned everything. If there''s one thing inmon about the world''s technological advancement, it was that¨Cthey were mostly powered by mana. And what skill did Brandon have? [Mana Disruption] He could temporarily disable the CCTV cameras. He strode towards a peculiar waiter, acting as if he needed something. He then leaned into his ear and whispered softly. "The operation starts now. Follow me, but do it secretly." "Understood, Lord Moriarty." Brandon nodded, and switched his gaze towards a camera that was keeping watch of the corridor entrance. With [Mana Disruption] hepletely disabled the camera. He strode towards the corridor while Alpha followed suit, keeping a fixed distance. Once again, there was a camera in the far corner of the corridor. He disabled it once again. Of course, if the cameras werepletely disabled, then the ones who were tasked to watch would be suspicious. Which is why Brandon only disabled it for a set period of time. He continued with this tactic, treading softly in each corridor. Until he finally paused, peeking from the corner. From a distance he could see two men¨Cmost likely guards. ''Beyond that area seems to be off limits.'' The secret passage was most likely there. "Alpha, you''re up." Alpha nodded, putting on his best ignorant waiter act, and revealed himself to the guards. "Halt, this area is restricted." "How did one of the staff even manage to get here?" "Sorry, I seem to have gotten lost. You see, I was looking for the bathroom. Could any of you show me the way?" One of the guards nced at his partner. "You do it, Ryan." "No, you do it. I won the betst time, Calvin." "Hngg... Fine. Right this way, but be quick, you''re not supposed to be here." "Thank you... Actually, could Ryan over theree with me as well? "Huh, why do I have toe with you?" "It''s a bit urgent, and I''m not sure how far it is. Would both of you mind showing me to the bathroom just in case?" Fart- Alpha let out a fart. ''He''s way too skilled at this...'' For the first time, Brandon genuinely praised Alpha. "Urmm... Fine, we don''t want you shitting all over this ce." "I appreciate it." With that, the two left with Alpha, heading towards wherever the guards'' bathroom was. Brandon could audibly hear Alpha talking to the guards. Their chatter gradually toned down until Brandon couldn''t hear them anymore. Even Alpha thought out that small detail, just so Brandon could tell if they were still nearby. ''He truly is a Professional.'' Looking above the inconspicuous door, Brandon could see a CCTV on the far top corner. With [Mana Disruption], he disabled it once again. Step- He made his way towards the door. But soon realized that the door was sealed with a thickyer of mana. Since [Mana Disruption] could only target one specific location at a time, Brandon had to act fast. Disabling the [Mana Disruption] on the camera, Brandon quickly scattered the mana that lingered on the door within the timeg of the camera''s reactivation. nk- Shutting the door, Brandon found himself in a pitch ck room. He quickly conjured up a ball of me with [Elemental Maniption] to illuminate the area. Scanning the area, he could see that there were multiple hallways. And since the light couldn''t reach too far, the ends of the hallways werepletely dark. ''It''s almost like a maze...'' It actually was a maze. ''I could use an X-Ray skill right about now...'' But he didn''t have one. Brandon took a pause, if he traversed with no n, then he would end up lost. He pondered on how he should mark each hallway entrance, to tell if he had already gone there. Rip-! Since he brought no other items with him, he decided to tear a piece of cloth from his suit. Woosh- He burned the piece of fabric using the smallest amount of fire he could conjure up. ''This should buy me enough time.'' He then strode towards the first hallway. ''A dead end...'' From behind him, there were trails of cloth wrapped in mes. He followed the trail and dispersed the mes, picking up each cloth. If he left them behind, then the academy could tell that someone managed to enter the secret passage. He continued to do so until he was able to return to where he started. ''So the middle hallway was a buzz...'' He then employed the same strategy on the hallway in his left. He continued to strode forward, but... ''Another dead end...'' Once again, he returned to where he started, and instantly entered the next hallway. It was another dead end. Again... And again... And again... ''Haa... this is so annoying.'' He ruffled his hair in frustration. ''This is gonna take awhile...'' Chapter 21: Afterparty [2]

Chapter 21: Afterparty [2]

After the 27th hallway, Brandon finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel, metaphorically. nk-! Shutting the door behind him, he turned his gaze and thoroughly scanned the next room. As soon as he did that, what met his line of sight were two visible doors. ''So which one leads to the artifact vault?'' On the door to his right, he could see light shimmering from under the doorway. While on the door to his left was nothing but pitch ck. He pondered for a while, trying to decide which door to enter first. ''The dark room should be the artifact vault, right?'' After all, the academy couldn''t have made it too obvious that it was the room with visible light. Brandon then headed towards the door with no light. Creak- As soon as he lightly opened the door, a shiver ran down his spine, as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. ''What...'' Brandon couldn''t shake off the feeling of something ominous. As curious as he was, he decided to enter the room. nk-! "Brrr..." The room was cold. Way too cold to be normal. He realized the room looked like a jail. Brandon wrapped his arms around himself as he relentlessly shivered. As he continued to scan the room, there was a peculiar jail cell that piqued his curiosity. Or rather¨Cit felt like it was calling out to him. He had to find out. Step- Step- Step- As he walked towards the jail cell, it was then when a voice called out to him. "Come, let me out." The voice was guttural, making Brandon run a shiver down his spine. It was... haunting. ''It''s like the voice is standing next to me, yet it wasn''t at the same time.'' He couldn''t properly describe it. As he got closer, he could feel his instincts telling him to stop as the temperature continued to drop. But his body said otherwise. The closer he got to the cell, the more the temperature seemed to drop. Step- Step- Step- When he finally arrived at the cell, what met Brandon''s line of sight sent a shiver down his spine. ''What...'' Brandon''s eyes shot wide open. Step- He took a step back. ''Is that...'' He couldn''t believe what he was seeing. It was a human, with tinum-blonde hair, and eerily pale skin. Only that... It had horns protruding from its forehead. ''A Wraith?'' His rm bells continued to ring. He continued to shiver, as his teeth relentlessly chattered from the sheer cold. No, it wasn''t the cold. It was because of... Fear. Brandon was feeling fearful the moment heid his eyes on the Wraith. He had never seen anything like a Wraith in his past life. It was the first time heid his eyes on a being that resembled a human, yet it wasn''t human at all. Scanning, he could see two chains that bounded the Wraith. ''Mana Suppressors?'' Chains designed to seal one''s mana when bounded. From what Brandon knew in the novel, it was used to bind the major antagonists, and... Wraiths. ''But a Wraith shouldn''t appear this early on in the story...'' It was then when the Wraith''s guttural voice reached Brandon. "Break me free, and you shall be rewarded." The Wraith spoke as if he wasn''t chained down at all. It exuded confidence, as if it was the one in control of the situation. Brandon wasn''t stupid enough to meet its demand. But nheless, he had to find out. "W-What reward..." "Power." "Power?" It was known that making a pact with a Wraith would give a significant boost in power, turning them into a Wraithbound. At least... That''s what Wraithbounds were made to believe. In truth, they would slowly be corrupted until there were no more traces of their former selves. The reason for it was because the Wraiths would slowly take over their body. Possession. They would be possessed. Step- Once again, Brandon took a step back. He knew he had to leave, there was no point in staying. But he couldn''t. He was afraid. Afraid that the Wraith would do something, even if he knew it couldn''t "Break me free, and you shall be rewarded." The Wraith continued to speak like a broken record. Each word it uttered sent a shiver down Brandon''s spine. It was ominous. Haunting. Dreadful. Like the incarnation of death itself. When Brandon turned to scan the cell, his gazended on something peculiar on the floor. It was a white mask with blue runic symbols etched onto it. ''Is that...'' The Mirage Mask. But when he turned to look beside the mask he could see a skull. No, a skeleton. ''...Could that have been the Wraithbound?'' Since the Mirage Mask was there, Brandon could onlye up with that answer. Step- He took another step back, but there was no room left as he bumped on another jail cell from behind him. It was then when the realization dawned upon Brandon. If he wanted to get the Mirage mask, then he would have to... Kill the Wraith. It was possible. The Wraith was chained and its mana was suppressed. It didn''t have the power it once had. But... ''Could I do it?'' He''s never killed anything or anyone before. ''It''s not human...'' But the sheer act of killing made him conflicted. ''It''s a being that would soon wreak havoc in this world...'' The very race that the main cast would soon struggle to fight against in the future. There was no other answer. Brandon straightened his posture and stepped forward, prepared for whatever happened next. Tshhhh- With [Elemental Maniption], he conjured an ice shaped javelin in his hand. Step- Trying to enter the cell, he came to an abrupt pause as the entrance was sealed with a thickyer of mana. [Mana Disruption] Until it wasn''t. -Creak He stepped inside the room. The Wraith locked eyes with him. "So this is your answer?" "..." Brandon didn''t respond, or rather he couldn''t. Wraiths were natural charmers, if Brandon continued to conversate with it, there was a chance he would be tempted to agree to a pact. Holding the ice javelin, Brandon''s hands shook. He was afraid. Despite the Wraith being chained down, unable to do anything, he was still afraid. If he ignored the horns, then the Wraith could pass as a human. ''It''s not human Brandon, pull it together.'' The only words he could tell himself. With the ice javelin in his hand, Brandon braced himself. Swoosh- Splurt-! Thrusting it in where the heart would be located, the Wraith spat out blood. However... It grinned. As if it didn''t just get stabbed in the heart. "Interesting... you''re¨C" "Gahhhhh!" Brandon continued to thrust the javelin with a cry, not letting the Wraith speak any further. "Die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die!" Back and forth, Brandon relentlessly thrust his spear into the Wraith, puncturing grotesque holes all over its body as ck blood sttered everywhere. He didn''t want topromise, he had to make sure the Wraith waspletely dead. The Wraith''s body had already gone limp, but Brandon continued to puncture it nheless. He only stopped when a peculiar interface popped up. [You have in a Wraith!] [+300 EXP] [You have leveled up!] [Stat Points: +3] [Skill Weaver capacity has increased!] [You have unlocked the Wind Affinity!] "Haa.. Haa.. Haa.." Brandon took deep breaths, giving himself time to recover. His gaze then lingered on the Mirage Mask on the floor. Walking towards it, he picked it up and donned it on his face. The white mask covered his entire face as the blue runic marks gradually glowed brighter. He then muttered to himself, "System." ¡ª--------------------------- [Name: Brandon Locke] [Level: 3] [EXP: 100/1,000] [ss: Anomaly] ¨N You are an entity that does not belong to this world, an anomaly. [Passive] ¨N Skill Weaver: ¨N Create any skill possible within the user''s capabilities. ¨N Increase your capacity by +1 per level. ¨N Total Skills: 2/3 [Skill Tab] [Stats] [Stat Points Avable: 3] ¨N STR: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N MP: F+ [¡ñ¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N DEF: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N AGI: F [¡ñ¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N INT: F+ [¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N CHARM: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] [System Shop] [System Coins: 100] [Quests Avable: 0] ¡ª--------------------------- With his stat points, he poured it all into the intelligence stat. ¡ª--------------------------- ¨N INT: F+ [¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ð¡ð] ¡ª--------------------------- After closing his system, he took a good look at the Wraith''s dead body before deciding to leave. Chapter 22: Afterparty [3]

Chapter 22: Afterparty [3]

"C-Come on, Ladies, we''ve got all n-night! Hic-" Felix was seated, trying to get the girls that were about to leave to stay with him. "It''s getting prettyte, you should go home too Felix." "Yeah, and if you continue drinking, you might not be able to get home." Felix furrowed his brow, standing up, and grabbing the wrist of one of the girls. "J-Just a bit m-more, and I''m not d-drunk. Hic-" The girl pulled away, rubbing her wrist. "Goodnight, Felix." "Gah! You girls are no fun." Felix waved them off, sitting back down. Scanning the area, there were only a few students left. "They''re all men, tsk." He clicked his tongue. It was then when his gazended on a familiar student with pale-white hair,ing from the hallway. His suit was torn, and the sleeves were ripped off. But Felix was too drunk to notice. "It''s that b-bastard! Hic-" He continued to stare at him. Then the boy looked at the CCTV on the corner for a while, before walking away again. "W-What a weirdo." His gaze thennded on another figure, a waiter,ing from the same hallway as well. "Huh?" Several theories lingered in his mind, trying to figure out why the two came out of the same ce. "... Could they h-have?" Felix was suspicious. From looking at the CCTV, to a waitering from the same hallway, the boy must''ve done something. "What was his n-name again?... B-Brandy? Gah! Whatever, I just know he''s the current Student Council President''s brother." A few distance away, he could see the boy motioning to leave, as he opened the door. The waiter followed suit, keeping a fixed distance. There had to be something more. Thus, Felix decided to follow them. *** Brandon continued to walk around the sidewalk. He didn''t feel like going home yet. The street was dark. The only lightsource were the streetlights. Silence enveloped the street, the only sound he could hear were the noise of crickets. Gazing up, Brandon could see lights protruding from the tall buildings, a significant distance away. Step- He continued to walk. His thoughts were filled with what just happened in the secret passage. The maze. The mask. The Wraith. It was suspicious how the academy had a Wraith chained up, just below its official venue. The fact that the mask was never in the treasury. ''Who was the first one in the cell? The Wraithbound or the Wraith?'' Or both. ''Does that mean the Headmaster never killed the Wraithbound?'' Was it too strong¨Cthat all they could do was seal it? ''This is bad...'' It was. It meant that the strongest mages and duelists of this era were no match for a full fledged Wraithbound. Since he''d only read up until the 3891th chapter, he didn''t know how the story ended. ''...Could humanity have lost?'' He instantly dismissed his thoughts. But it seemed usible. He could have just been jumping into conclusions. For all he knew, maybe they kept the Wraith and the Wraithbound in the cell for a reason, like torturing for information. After all, he was able to kill it easily... ''Only because it was significantly weakened...'' But from what he knew in the novels, Wraiths were loyal to their race. No matter how much they were tortured, they would never give in. There shouldn''t have been any reason to keep the Wraith locked up. There had to be something more behind it. ''The Headmaster is definitely hiding something...'' Reality dawned upon Brandon. He realized that a certain time wille when he''ll lose his advantage. The advantage of knowing what would happen in the plotline. ''And if it was going to happen anyway...'' Then there was no point in keeping the storyline intact. If the story had a tragic ending, then... ''Could this be the reason why I was brought here?'' To change the ending. But in the end, it was all spection. ''Raven couldn''t have lost in the end...'' But Brandon didn''t know that. Brandon became conflicted anyway. Conflicted if he should let the storyline continue to unfold or divert from it. He had only been in the world for 3 days. But he had already experienced a lot. In the end, there was only one answer... ''If the story was going to have a tragic ending, then I should change it.'' It was his duty as its reader. There was no point in following the plot anymore. Brandon was grateful that he''d interacted with the main cast this early on. He could involve himself with them without any trouble. As he continued to be lost in his thoughts, he realized that he had already reached the heart of the city. Lights from the buildings around him shimmered the streets. If earlier there were no people around, now the streets bustled with activity. As he continued to walk, it was then when a voice reached out from behind, calling out to him. "Haa... B-Brandy... Haa... Wait up..." Turning around, what met his line of sight was none other than¨CFelix Osborn, gasping his breath. He seemed to have been running after him as he bent down, holding his knee, while continuing to pant heavily. "Tsk." Brandon clicked his tongue in annoyance, not wanting to entertain Felix at the moment. "Y-You bastard. W-We''ve got some u-unfinished business. Hic-" It seemed like vertigo washed over him, as Felix stumbled, holding onto a nearby wall. Then... "BLURGHHH!" He puked on the sidewalk. Brandon tilted his head in confusion. ''What does this bastard want?'' He continued to stare at Felix, who continued to puke non-stop. Brandon then turned around, his back facing Felix, motioning to walk ahead. "If you''re gonna continue with whatever it is you''re doing, then I''ll be on my way." "W-Wait!" Brandon paid no heed to Felix, as he continued to walk away. "I said wait up, b-bastard. Hic-" Felix grabbed his shoulder. p-! Brandon flicked his hand away as he turned to look at Felix. His eyes were red and his mouth had some lingering puke. Furrowing his brow, Brandon asked, "What do you want?" "L-Like I said, w-we have some u-unfinished business." Brandon already knew where this was headed. At this point in the story, Felix wasn''t a full fledged Wraithbound yet. ''I can beat him.'' It was then when Felix flicked his head towards a peculiar alleyway, signaling for Brandon to follow. "Follow me." "And if I refuse?" "You think I''ll let you?" Felix''s confidence seemed to stem from the fact that he was ranked in the 200s. "Haa.. lead the way." Brandon let out a heavy sigh as he followed Felix in the alleyway. In the first ce, it was convenient. It meant that there would be witnesses for whatever any of them were about to do. And Felix must''ve thought the same They continued to walk until they werepletely isted from any witnesses. Felix stopped and turned towards Brandon who was behind him. "If you agree to whatever I demand, then I''ll let you get out of this unscathed." "..." Brandon didn''t respond as Felix continued, "Guess that means a yes. Here''s my demand. On June 5, I want you to call Rachel and tell her to go to this hotel over here." Felix pulled out his phone to show a specific location, most likely the hotel, then continued. " Be sure to tell her the correct room number." "So you think she''lle just because I called?" "I''m not sure but it seems like she trusts you." "And if I refuse?" "I knew you''d say that, which is why I''ll give you two choices." Felix lifted his hand and fixed two of his fingers up. "With the same n, either call Rachel or..." At Felix''s next words, something clicked inside Brandon. "Call your Sister." Seething rage welled up within Brandon at the mention of his Sister. He wasn''t particrly close with her, but she treated him well. He could admit that she was the person he could trust the most. After all, even if he wasn''t the Brandon Locke that Belle knew, they were now family. And Brandon will always treasure his family. Thus, Brandon decided to kill Felix. Retrieving the Mirage Mask from his inventory, Brandon donned it on his face. "H-How did you do tha¨C" Fwoooo- Crash-! Instantly, a strong gust of wind blew Felix away as he crashed towards the wall. "Kughhh." Felix spat out blood. Suddenly, a single horn protruded from Felix''s forehead. It seemed like Felix decided to reveal himself as a Wraithbound. But Brandon wasn''t intimidated. Felix lifted his hand, trying to conjure up whatever mana he could use. But... [Mana Disruption] It was no use. The mana instantly dissipated. "W-What?" As Felix tried to get up, Brandon encapsted his feet in a thickyer of ice. "N-No way, a Deviant?!" But Brandon wasn''t done. Brandon strode towards Felix, as blue sparks of lightning were left in his trail. Felix''s eyes shot wide open as his teeth began to chatter. He messed with the wrong person. "T-Three elements?! That''s ridiculous!" Spark-! Blue lightning protruded from Brandon''s fingertips, rapidly heading towards Felix. Noticing this, Felix lifted his hand again, trying to defend against it. But once again, nothing happened. "How is this possib¨C AGHH!" Tszzzzz! The spark of lightning struck him, piercing a hole on his shoulder. "F-Fuck, what the hell are you?!" Swoosh-! It was then when a blue torrent of mes escaped from Brandon''s palm. "F-Four¨C" Voosh- Those were thest words that escaped Felix''s mouth as he turned into nothing but ashes. There was no point in sparing Felix. He wasn''t human anymore. And even if he were, then he had to be the most scum of them all. Brandon couldn''t make anypromises. If he were to be conflicted with killing, like what happened with the Wraith, then changing the storyline was out of the question. [You have in a Wraithbound!] [+100 EXP] The entire time, Brandon stayed silent, keeping a nk expression. Looking up, he could see Alpha from above the building, just watching the scene unfold. Brandon then retrieved his phone and sent him a message. [Clean this up.] Chapter 23: Afterparty [4]

Chapter 23: Afterparty [4]

After dropping Raven and Reinhard off, the three girls continued to converse in the backseat of the car. They had discussed the events that unfolded during the party. Though, it was mostly ire and Amy who exchanged their thoughts. "Still though, I didn''t expect Brandon to provoke that guy." "I know, what a surprise. Amy said, responding to ire. She''d never expected Brandon to act the way he did at the party. Though, she knew there was something interesting about him. After all, he was the one to have beaten her during Combat ss. But when she found out his ranking, she realized he might''ve just been lucky. After spending time with him in Victoria Mall, her initial impression of him wasn''t really anything. It was like he was just there. She knew he was the only one in the group she had interacted less with. It''s not because she disliked him, but because there were barely any chances to even talk to him. When they would engage in a group conversation, Brandon would just silently observe them. It was as if they were characters and he was their reader. It made Brandon seem distant, which was off putting, to say the least. After continuing to converse with ire, the Driver rolled the window down, abruptly cutting them off. "We''re here, Miss Amy." She took a nce outside the window, only to find the condominium she was staying at. "Oh, we are." Click- Amy opened the car door. Then turned to look at ire and Rachel, who was looking at her as well. "Thanks for tonight, ire, Rachel. I''ll be seeing you at the Academy tomorrow." "Mhm, take care, Amy." "You too, Si¨C Rachel." As Amy stuttered, ire let out augh. "Pftt, it''s fine, it''s just the three of us, the Driver can''t hear us." "Right... Thanks for the lift, ire." "It''s my pleasure." Amy once again turned to nce at Rachel, leaning in for a hug. "Stay safe, Sis." "You too, Amy." ire stared at the two sisters who were warmly bidding their farewells with a smile on her face. In truth, Reinhard wasn''t ire''s only childhood friend. She also grew up with both Amy and Rachel. Hence, she knew what their rtionship actually was. Twin siblings. Rachel being the older one by five seconds. Though their features were distinct, especially with their hair color, their dark-crimson eyes told a different story. During their childhood, their parents divorced due to issues between the two families, the Ashfields and the Asamis. While Amy was taken into custody by her mother, Samantha Ashfield, Rachel went with her father, Rafael Asami. In turn, the two weren''t allowed to reveal their rtionship to the public. But regardless, the two stayed in contact. Which is why their rtionship never drifted. And the only friend they had that knew was ire. After bidding their farewells, Amy waved at the car that drove off. Amy paused for a moment, pondering again about the events at the party. It was then when she noticed someone familiar on the other side of the street. "Huh?" He had pale¨Cwhite hair and ice-blue eyes, adorning a suit that was... torn. "Is that... Brandon?" But what was he doing there? "Wasn''t he at the party? And why is his suit all torn up?" It piqued Amy''s curiosity, as she continued to stare at Brandon who seemed to be lost in his thoughts, walking. It was then when another familiar individual was running, making his way behind Brandon. Immediately, Amy furrowed her brows. It was the garbage that tried to hit on her sister. It was then when the realization dawned upon Amy. Trying to puzzle the pieces, she realized why Brandon''s suit was torn, and why the man had followed Brandon. "This is why he shouldn''t have stayed at the party..." Because the man might''ve messed up Brandon at the party. She wasn''t particrly close with Brandon, but belonging in the same group made them friends. And as his friend, she had to do something about it. "He¨C" As Amy was about to call out for them, she noticed that the man was staggering, leaning on the wall. And... "BLURGHH!" "Pftt..." The sight of the man puking made Amyugh. "Serves you right." She couldn''t hear whatever Brandon and the man were talking about, but it seemed like Brandon decided to walk away. "Good, choose your fights, Brandon." But then the man followed Brandon, grabbing his shoulder. As Amy once again furrowed her brow, the man and Brandon were going towards a dark alleyway. Amy''s rm bells immediately rang. Something bad was about to happen. Brandon was in danger. Is all she could think of. She was confident she could beat Felix. After all, she was ranked 4th within the batch of first year students. But she was curious about what Brandon could do. Just where did his confidence from earliere from? There had to be something more about him. Something he was hiding. Thus, Amy decided to follow them. Walking across the pedestrianne, Amy tailed the two. But when she made it inside the alleyway, it was pitch ck. And... "I lost them." But regardless, she beckoned inside. The more she walked, the more she realized she was lost. There was no sign of them anywhere. "Just where could they be?" It was then when a voice reached her ears. It was the man''s voice. She decided to trace the source. But once again, she reached a dead end. But regardless, she could vividly hear the voice. Trying to make out what the man was saying, she could hear him talking about Rachel. This immediately infuriated Amy. Why is the man so obsessed with her sister? While following where the voice was, she''d always end up in a dead end. "Tsk." Tak- Tak¨C She clicked her tongue as she stomped her feet in frustration. But the man''s next words were when Amy finally realized something bad was really about to happen. He was talking about Brandon''s sister. At least... That''s what she thinks he''s talking about. She knew how it felt when someone talks ill about someone''s sibling. Which is why she could deduce that Brandon wouldn''t let it slide. A fight was about to happen. It was then when Amy heard sparks of magic audibly echoing the entire alleyway. The sound was so audible that Amy could trace it closely. She didn''t hit dead ends anymore. As she was about to reach them, the sound of magic had stopped. Arriving at the location, she was about to call out to Brandon. "Bran-" But... Brandon wasn''t there anymore. All she could see was a man donning a white mask with blue runic marks etched on it. He turned to nce at her. As soon as he did that, Amy felt a chill down her spine. The man was familiar for some reason, but Amy couldn''t pinpoint just who. And for some reason, she felt like it wasn''t Brandon. But... ''This doesn''t make any sense... Brandon was supposed to be here." But at the same time he wasn''t It was then when a gale of wind lifted the man up, jumping from wall to wall, reaching the top of the building. "Who are you?!" "Moriarty." The man''s voice was familiar, but at the same time it wasn''t. When Amy turned to scan the area, the other man who had followed Brandon wasn''t there either. Except... There were ashes on the ground. "I-Is that... h-him?" Or was it Brandon? Amy trembled, shuddering in fear at the sight. It was a murder. Amy had never seen anything like it before. The act of killing. Gazing up, she could see the man with the mask looking down at her, and beside him was another figure with blue hair, donning a pair of shades. Who were they? Her hands continued to tremble. She was frozen in ce. Afraid. Afraid that she was next. After all, she was the only witness. And from what she knew from the movies she watched, murderers would silence any witnesses. "Moriarty..." Just his name itself made Amy''s hands tremble. But... ''That voice...'' It was deep. Familiar. But at the same time it wasn''t... Like an opposite force was telling her it isn''t the same person she thought it was "..." She had to get away. Anywhere. As far away from them as possible. Swoosh- But to her surprise the two figures disappeared. Did they spare her? Or would theye back to kill her? Regardless, it seemed like they let Amy off. With trembling hands, Amy retrieved her phone and immediately called the police. Chapter 24: Afterparty [5]

Chapter 24: Afterparty [5]

"So, could you tell us exactly what you saw?" After the police arrived at the scene, Amy was called in for questioning. She was seated, face to face with the police, interrogating her. "Like I said, there was a man with a mask. When I arrived, he quickly left the scene." Amy''s hands continued to tremble. The image of the man with the mask etched in her memory. ording to their reports, there was no evidence left at the scene. It was turning into a cold case this quick. "Can you tell us who you think the ashes belonged to?" "I don''t know the name, but I know someone who does." "Could you call that person for us?" m-! In the nick of time, her friends arrived at the station. After dialing the police, she immediately sent an emergency message in the group chat. Despite already being 1:00 AM, the message was immediately seen by everyone. Everyone except Brandon Locke. This made Amy even more suspicious, but she didn''t want to doubt Brandon yet. "Amy! Are you okay?!" The first one to speak up was Rachel, her older twin sister. Rachel immediately approached Amy¨Cwho was seated, giving her a hug. ire followed suit, giving her a hug as well. The two boys¨CReinhard and Raven stayed behind. Crossing his arms, Reinhard turned to look at the police officer. "Could you tell us what happened?" "Sorry, but this case is confidential. I can''t reveal too much information." "Understood." He relented. The officer was right after all. They were mere students, it was outside of their control. After pulling away from the hug, Amy asked Rachel, "Do you know the name of that man from the party?" "Man... Do you mean Felix?" "That might be him, what''s his surname?" "Osborn, Felix Osborn." Immediately, the officers around them widened their eyes, as well as Amy and her friends. Osborn was a familiar name, belonging to one of the toppanies in the world. Osborn Corporation, the leading manufacturer of shiftporters. "This is bad..." One of the officers chimed in. "Without a doubt this news could be big. The murder of the Osborn Heir." They concluded that the case would undoubtedly be handed to a higher task force. They were only police officers, the case would most likely be out of their control. After previously evaluating Amy''s magic, she was immediately crossed out as a suspect. After all, the man was turned into nothing but ashes, evidence pointing to a mage with the Fire Affinity. And Amy was a mage of the Water Affinity. It would be absurd if she was the suspect. But her being a Deviant wasn''t out of the question. Which is why they had to get her information. But their findings then concluded that Amy wasn''t a Deviant. Tak- Tak-! Reinhard stomped his feet, his expressions were one of unease. "Damn it, where is Brandon in this time of crisis?" At the mention of Brandon''s name, the image of Brandon walking inside the alleyway etched in Amy''s memory. But not once did she ever mention his name. If she was wrong, then it would only serve to trouble Brandon. She couldn''t do that to a friend, regardless if they were close or not. It was then when an officer called out to everyone in the room. He seemed to be checking for surveince footage that was nearby the scene. "Sir! You have to see this." The officer who was tasked to question Amy immediately stood up, running towards the officer that called for him. Amy and Rachel followed him as well. While Reinhard and Raven just stood at the back. When they turned to look, the footage traced back to somewhere near the party''s venue. Felix was running, as if chasing for someone. But that ''someone'' couldn''t be seen in any of the footage. When they switched the channel to the alleyway, the footage stopped there. It was as if the footage was tampered. Or cut off on purpose... Amy widened her eyes. For some reason, Brandon wasn''t in any of the footage. ''But I definitely saw him, so why did the footage stop¨Cjust when Brandon was about to be shown?" It was too suspicious. Brandon was suspicious. But it seemed like the man who ims to be Moriarty and Brandon weren''t the same person. That''s what Amy thought. ''Could Brandon be working for him?'' Or... Brandon was dead. Immediately, Amy stood up and called out to her friends. "Guys! Has Brandon seen the message?!" Checking his phone, Raven responded, "Nope." A chill ran down Amy''s spine. Brandon could be one of the victims as well, or he could be missing. "What''s this about Brandon? Do you know something else, Miss?" One of the police officers asked. "No, it''s nothing. It''s just that our other friend isn''t here." She had to redirect it before the officers questioned her again. She couldn''t give them a lead that would take them nowhere. m-! The door mmed open once again, revealing another figure. With bright-blonde hair and ck eyes. It was her mother, Samantha Ashfield. "Amy dear! Why are you here!?" She took a quick nce at Rachel, but immediately returned to Amy. At that gesture, it seemed like Rachel was ufortable. It was also her mother after all. Samantha ran towards Amy, giving her a hug. Rachel decided to give them space, keeping a fixed distance. "Maam, are you her Guardian?" "Yes, I am. Why is my Daughter at the police station?!" The police then took her to a private space, informing her about the events that unfolded. From the crime that took ce and her daughter''s involvement, they spared no details. Tak - Tak-! Tapping his feet on the ground, Amy turned to look at the time. [2:00 AM] An hour had passed, and it seemed like the case was going nowhere. At the end of it all, Amy was released from questioning. One of the superior officers arrived, informing everyone that the case would most likely be handed to Special Force. A group of elite mages and duelists, tasked to handle bigger cases. It was now out of the police''s hands. Amy was then led to their car by her mother. She nced at Rachel¨Cwho was about to enter ire''s car, then to her mother. "Are you not gonna give my Sister a lift as well?" "No." A t-out refusal. "You''re still mad that she chose Father over you?" "No." The conversation was going nowhere. Her mother seemed like she didn''t want to talk about it. Amy understood and did not go further. With that, they drove off. During the trip, all Amy could think of was the man with the mask. Who was he? What is Brandon''s involvement in all of this? Is Brandon even alive? Her question would be answered tomorrow, if Brandon shows up in the academy or not. *** After everyone left, Raven decided to stay. Looking at all the officers present, he retrieved something from his pocket, and lifted it up for everyone to see. The officers quickly scanned the contents of the item. It was familiar to them. No, it wasn''t familiar, they already knew what it was. A Special Force Officer Badge. "Please surrender all your documents, Special Force will now be handling this case." All the officers widened their eyes. But eventually agreed, giving him a salute, quickly gathering whatever contents of the case they could find. They couldn''t refuse an order from a Special Force Officer. While the officers were busy gathering what they could find, Raven retrieved his phone from his pocket. After scrolling through his contacts, he ced his phone near his ear. Ring... Ring... Ring... Click- When the call connected, a woman''s voice became audible. [Sherly! It''s so nice of you to call. Are you going to ask me out on a date?] "Khuu...!" Raven twitched, furrowing his brow. "No, you''re too old for me. Also, again with that nickname?" [Eh... It''s pretty cute though, and old? I''m only 23 you know!] "I thought I told you not to call me that, it''s ridiculous." [You can''t help it. After all, you''re Sherlock of the Special Force.] "I''m not even a full fledged member..." Indeed he wasn''t. After surviving an attempt to take his life, his case of attempt was immediately given to Special Force. After finding out there was no foul y, the group decided to take him in, giving him a badge for protection. They sooner realized that the boy they took in had expertise in the field of detective work. His deduction skills were top notch, even amongst the Special Force. Hence, giving him the title of Sherlock. But it was quite cringe for Raven. But despite his skills, he was weak. Too weak to be a full member. Which is why the group allowed him to be admitted into Astrea Academy, paying for all of his expenses. He was a necessary investment. [So, what do you need?] "Come to the address I''m about to send you, I need you to look into this case." [Oh? A case that even Sherlock is interested in... Okay I''ll be there.] Scanning, the officers froze in their ce, wide eyed, staring at Raven. "What?" He then redirected his gaze back to his phone. The call was still connected. "Ah." He was on speaker the whole time. Chapter 25: Preparation [1]

Chapter 25: Preparation [1]

The news of Felix Osborn''s death quickly made the headlines. Osborn Corporation announced that they would do all they can to find the suspect. The case was handed to the Special Force, but it was for naught. There were no leads. No evidence. A cold case. In the middle of Combat ss, Brandon pondered on everything that happened a week ago. "Haa..." He breathed out a heavy sigh. He was d to have worn the mask before Amy arrived. But to what extent did she see? And it seemed like she did in fact see Brandon enter the alleyway. After Amy dialed the police, she quickly sent an emergency message in the group chat. But since Brandon had passed out, exhausted in his bed, he didn''t see the message. While everyone else instantly went to the police station where Amy was being held custody, Brandon was asleep. After those events, it felt like Amy was keeping a fixed distance from Brandon. As if she was suspicious of him. But as long as Brandon doesn''t reveal his Fire Affinity, then the crime wouldn''t lead back to him. Thus, Amy''s suspicion of him would only be mere spection. Regardless, he had to clear it up with Amy soon. From a distance, he could feel Amy sneaking nces at him. Brandon returned her look, but Amy instantly looked away. There was no helping it. ''She''s definitely suspicious of me.'' But Brandon just shrugged it off. Because of the Mirage Mask, Brandon and Moriarty would be a separate entity, and Brandon was counting on that. Which is why he revealed the Moriarty name to Amy. It was then when a figure entered the room. It was the Professor. It seemed like the Professor from the previous Combat ss was reced for unknown reasons. The Professor then introduced herself. "Good morning everyone, my name is Evelyn Cessna, and I''ll be your Combat ss Professor starting today." Step- Step- She continued to strode forward, her purple hair gently cascaded along her shoulders, just stopping right above her curves. Her cold cyan eyes spoke for her stern demeanor. Evelyn Cessna, the only Professor that rivaled Vanessa in terms of looks and power. From behind Brandon, he could see the male students gawking at the sight of Evelyn. After the events ofst week, Brandon was already quite immune to the sight of a beautiful woman. He had a lot of things to do, and idly staring at women was a wasn''t one of them. Evelyn thenmanded attention with a strict tone. "Today''s Combat ss will be a quick session. Firstly, find a pair, and make it quick." ncing around, Brandon found Raven. Raven waved to him, and Brandon followed suit, walking towards him. But when Brandon was making his way, someone quickly pulled him. When he turned to look he realized it was Amy. "Hey, wanna work together?" Brandon was taken aback. Since Amy was keeping distant from him the entire week, the change in her behavior left Brandon puzzled. But this was an opportunity to clear his name. "Sure." He then took a nce at Raven who wore a look of shock as well. Brandon just shrugged at him as if saying, ''Well, that''s that''. Since Reinhard wasn''t in the same Combat ss as them, Raven might not have any choices. ''Hope he finds a partner.'' But he soon remembered that ire was in the same Combat ss. And as if on cue, ire made her way towards Raven. Brandon then turned towards Amy, and asked, "Any reason why you chose me as your partner instead of ire?" As if she already had an answer to the question, Amy responded, "I realized we didn''t get a chance to get close, despite being in the same friend group. Plus, I don''t wanna work with ire." "Why''s that?" "You''ll find out soon." "...Okay." Brandon had no idea what Amy was talking about, but he could make a guess, knowing ire''s personality. It seemed like Raven was about to have a hard time. Shifting his gaze on the students around him, it seemed like everyone else had formed a pair. It was then when Evelyn spoke up. Once again, her voice was stern. "For today, you''ll each be practicing your pair in preparation for next week''s session." She instructed clearly for everyone to understand. "This is because you''ll be fighting other pairs. But that session will be held next week. Each of you will be given a solid week to learn how to coordinate with your partner." At her instructions everyone turned their gaze towards Raven and ire. The student ranked 1st and the student ranked 3rd. They were a powerhouse. Realizing this, the students instantlyined. "If that''s the case, shouldn''t there be a bnce with each pair?" "Yeah! You should be the one to choose who partners with who, Miss." But of course, there were other students who stayed quiet, probably wanting to see if Raven was really worthy of his rank. And Brandon was one of them. He wanted to see how he could fare with Raven, another person with a system. His system against Raven''s system. Excitement welled up within Brandon. But from beside him, Amy had a worried look, and spoke, "I think I should''ve paired up with ire..." It seemed like she regretted choosing Brandon as her pair. Brandon dismissed her. "Don''t worry, we''ll win." "How are you so sure?" "Trust me." He was confident. As the novel''s long-time reader, Brandon knew everything there was to know about Raven and ire. From the way they fought to their weaknesses, especially in theter stages of the story. There was no way he thought he could lose. With a serious expression he turned to nce at Raven¨Cwho returned his look. Brandon nodded with a fierce smile on his face, and Raven did the same. A chance to fight the main protagonist of Path to Ascension. Brandon couldn''t let the opportunity slip away. At Evelyn''s instructions, they were dismissed for the day. But they were given the choice to stay and practice. For now, Brandon and Amy decided to leave. "We should hide our abilities for now." "Yeah, I agree." Brandon nodded at her words. She was right, if they stayed and showed their cards, then it would backfire on them. Since Brandon had barely shown what he could do, then it was advantageous for him. While he knew everything there was to know about Raven and ire, they didn''t know anything about him. Walking side-by-side with Amy, she turned to nce at him. She was a tad bit shorter than Brandon, so she had to look up. "Let''s rendezvous and discuss our strategy in a coffee shop." "Sure." With Combat ss being their only lecture for the day, they had all the time to strategize. Chapter 26: Preparation [2]

Chapter 26: Preparation [2]

Tap- Tap- Tap- Tapping on the table, Brandon asked Amy, "So? What''s your n? "First, I need to see what you can do." Brandon could see where this was going. She was evaluating him. To see if his mana signature had any resemnce to Moriarty. But too bad for Amy. Mirage Mask would instantly tamper his mana signature, as if he was a different person. She couldn''t trace it back to him. Also... "This is a public ce, you know?" "Ah, that''s right." They were in a coffee shop, waiting for their order. Magic was prohibited in public ces such as this. If caught, they would immediately be detained. Such were the rules of the city. Sipping from her coffee, Amy spoke up, "For now, I''ll debrief you on what I know about ire, and since you''re closer to Raven, you can do the same about him." "Got it." Amy then told him everything she knew about ire. Information that Brandon already knew. He''d just let her words go in his ear and out another. There was no point in listening to whatever Amy knew. After all, Brandon knew more than she did. Not just about ire, but about everyone else. The power of the novel reader. When Amy finished speaking, her brows furrowed. "You didn''t listen at all did you?" "...Hmm?" "Haa... How uncooperative." She breathed out a sigh. "Don''t worry I heard you loud and clear." He assured her. "Okay, I''ll believe you. Now it''s your turn, what do you know about Raven?" Brandon then let out as much information about Raven as he could, omitting some parts that he wasn''t supposed to know. In truth, they should watch out for the other pairs as well. But it seemed like Raven and ire were the main stars for the next Combat ss session. Raven''s signature weapon was a dagger. But at this point in the story, they didn''t know it yet. The only thing they knew was that¨CRaven was proficient with the sword, and that he didn''t rely on mana. This meant that [Mana Disruption] would be useless against Raven. He would be a tough opponent for Brandon¨Cwho had relied on the skill a lot. And it was bad enough that he focused most of his stats on intelligence, leaving his physical stats default. He needed to bridge the gap somehow. It was good that he saved a slot for a [Skill Weaver] capacity. After he finished debriefing Amy, Brandon stood up. "It seems like we''re done, so I''ll head out now." "Wait." "..." Brandon sat back down. "Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Why was he in a hurry to leave? Brandon didn''t know why. All he knew was that he didn''t want Amy to be more suspicious of him. But the sheer act of trying to distance himself from Amy would make him even more suspicious. Realizing this, Brandon decided to stay for a while. "It just seems like you''re being awkward with me recently." "Wha¨C" It was because Amy was distancing himself from him the whole week. He already knew why, but he wanted to hear it from her own mouth. "I didn''t pay any mind to it, but you suddenly grabbed me and asked to be your partner. So I think I have the right to know." "..." Amy couldn''t respond. Brandon decided to go further, trying to fluster her. "Wait, do you perhaps like m¨C" "That''s ridiculous." She instantly shot him down. Of course she didn''t. But Brandon had to get her flustered to get an answer. Which is why he continued to tease her. "But circumstances say otherwise. What you''ve been doing gives me the impression that you like me." She kept a distance from him, stole nces, and asked to be her partner. "What are you even saying? I don''t like y¨C" Brandon leaned forward, using his thumb to wipe away the coffee stain on the side of her lips. Smack-! Amy twitched and instantly flushed red, pping his hand away. "W-What are you do¨C" "This." Brandon showed his thumb for Amy to see. The same thumb he used to wipe the coffee stain which was now visible in liquid form. Once again, Amy flushed red. But this time, it was most likely out of embarrassment. She immediately reached out for a napkin and wiped her mouth with it. "So? Why were you keeping distant with me?" Brandon took the opportunity since Amy was still flustered. "It was because..." "Because?" "...Rachel said she likes you!" Brandon''s eyes shot wide open, but quickly fixed his expression. He knew it was a lie. Amy was just trying to get out of his interrogation, pinning the me on Rachel. But regardless, he yed along. "Oh? And what does that have to do with you?" "W-We''re best friends after all. So it wouldn''t be weird of me to observe the guy she liked." She had a point. It seemed like Amy didn''t want to give in. "I wouldn''t me her, Brandon Locke is pretty handsome after all." Brandon Locke, not him. This was where his confidence stems from, the fact that he was ying a character known as Brandon Locke. If he truly wanted to change the plot, then he had to be this bold. And Amy was a great practice for him. The events on that night had changed his outlook. From killing the Wraith, to killing Felix, there was no going back. Felix''s death would definitely alter the way the storyline would progress. As Brandon was lost in his thoughts, Amy''s brows furrowed. "How arrogant, so this is the real Brandon Locke." "Maybe, but aren''t you lucky enough to be the first person I''m being open to?" The reason why Brandon was being casual with Amy¨Cwas so she would let her guard down. To see that Brandon Locke wasn''t as suspicious as she thought. "I''m really regretting choosing you as a partner..." "Don''t be like that, Amy. Here, you can have my coffee." Brandon offered up his coffee, lifting it up for Amy to take. Amy seemed reluctant, but epted the gesture anyway. "...Fine, but don''t think I approve of you for Rachel." ''So she''s still going on with that lie?'' How stubborn. As she tried to sip the coffee, Amy tilted her head, confused. She opened the lid to see what was inside the cup. "..." "What?" "I hate you." The coffee was empty. *** Tak- Tak- Tak- Stomping her feet, Amy muttered to herself, "Damn arrogant bastard." After the meeting with Brandon, the two decided to go their separate ways. Brandon left ahead of her, and Amy waited for her driver. After assessing Brandon''s personality, Amy concluded that he had nothing to do with Felix''s death. Was it stupid to judge a person just by one interaction? She didn''t know. But for now, Brandon seemed harmless. Except... "I can''t believe he was actually that bold. To think I thought of him as the silent type." Surprises after surprises. Everyday, she''d learn something new about Brandon Locke. "But it feels kind of nice to be the first person he''d let his guard down to." Since Brandon said she was the first, then it meant¨Cnot even Raven or Reinhard knew about his true personality. Amy never had any friends besides ire and Rachel. "Reinhard doesn''t count." All the people who tried to get close to her were only because of her status. They were leeches. But Brandon was different, he didn''t care about anyone''s standing in society, evident by the way he spoke to her. While everyone else would speak to her formally, Brandon poked fun of her as if she wasn''t anyone important. Still... "Haha, as if my Sister would like you, keep dreaming." She was unsure if Brandon knew she was a witness to the crime. Which is why she kept her distance from him, trying to assess if he would act differently. Hence she told a lie when Brandon interrogated her. But to her assessment, Brandon acted the same, he didn''t even spare her any nces the whole week. Frustrated, Amy decided to partner up with him. If Brandon were to hide his involvement in the crime, then Amy had to stick close to him. "If he really was involved, then I''ll find out the truth eventually..." Chapter 27: Preparation [3]

Chapter 27: Preparation [3]

"Huh, did my charm stat increase?" ¡ª--------------------------- ¨N CHARM: F+ [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¡ª--------------------------- It jumped an entire level. "But I didn''t pour any stat points into it..." It was most likely because of his recent interactions with Amy and Rachel. "So that means if I do the action, then the stat would increase..." A usible theory. But something he could test at another time. Retrieving his phone, he dialed a number. Ring... Ring... Ring... Click- [Lord Moriarty, what can I do for you?] After conversing with Alpha a lot, Brandon had gotten used to Alpha''s subservience to him. After their recent operation, Alpha had proven his usefulness to him. Which is why he could entrust him with the next task. "I need you to protect someone." [I don''t think I''m strong enough to protect you, Lord Moriarty... But I will not allow anyone to harm y¨C] "Not me." He tly stated. Since Amy was the only witness, Osborn Company would most likely put all their resources into finding her. Worse, kidnap her. Whatever they n on doing with her is most likely on the bad side. After all, the Osborn Family were... ''Wraith Cultists.'' In truth, they weren''t thepany that invented the shiftporters. They killed the originalpany''s CEO and absorbed the entirepany. Thus, founding Osborn Corporation. After seizing all the rights to the Shiftporters, they rose to the top of the market. Since Amy was the heir to Ashfield Company, the leading manufacturer for potions, it wouldn''t be difficult to find information about her online. In short, Amy was in danger, and she was unaware of it. Calling the police was a mistake, she should''ve just kept everything to herself. Beep- After informing Alpha, Brandon ended the call. What he needed to do next was to brainstorm. Toe up with a skill that could help him win against Raven. He had already tried world altering skills like [Time Stop] [ck Hole] [Invincibility]. But the system didn''t allow it. For [Time Stop], it said that he needed the Time affinity. For [ck Hole], he needed the Space affinity, and for [Invincibility], he needed the Life affinity. But those options weren''t even possible, he had none of those. But it was then when an idea sparked in Brandon''s mind. ''That''s it! A Brain processing skill.'' A skill that could enhance his thoughts to the maximum. Not only can he use it to memorize all forms of martial and sword arts in a second, but it could help hime up with ns and schemes. Adding to that, it could significantly help him in academics. No longer will he be a measly ranked 1,890. It was the perfect skill for him. If Brandon was right, and it was in the same branch as [Mana Disruption], then the ability would be corrted to Pure Mana, something that all mages already had. Seated on the couch in their apartment, Brandon decided. ¡ª--------------------------- [Are you sure?] [Yes.] [Initializing Skill Weaver.] [Downloading data.] [ETA: 1 Minute.] ¡ª--------------------------- . . [Skill Weaver sessful.] ¡ª--------------------------- [Skill Tab] ¨N [Elemental Maniption] ¨N Ice ¨N Lightning ¨N Fire ¨N Wind [Mana Disruption] ¨N Disrupts mana, causing it to never take shape and scatter. Can only target one specific location. [elerated Cognition] ? Timer: 10 Minutes. ? Cooldown: 10 Hours ¨N The user''s cognitive functions are turbocharged, enabling them to think and process information at an elerated rate. ¨NThe user experiences heightened focus and concentration, allowing them to maintain rity of thought. ¨N By speeding up neural transmission, the user''s reflexes and reaction times are significantly enhanced. ¡ª--------------------------- "Eh...? This is..." The skill was more than he bargained for. After reaching level 3, [Skill Weaver] had significantly improved in creating skills. "This is perfect!" He''d expected the skill to have a timer. But what he didn''t expect was for it to have a cooldown. A pity. But regardless, Brandon could undoubtedly agree that this was the best skill he had at the moment. After checking the time, he realized that it was still 11:00 AM. "If I go to a bookstore now and chunk up as much information as I can, then the cooldown would be over around 9:00 PM." Thus, Brandon decided to go to a nearby bookstore. *** After finishing her lecture, Rachel decided to go to one of her family''s bookstore branches. Growing up, her Father and Mother had always bickered with one another. They were typically set up in an arranged marriage, to help foster each others'' businesses. Asami Inc. Thergest bookstore chain in the entire world. Ashfield Company. The leading manufacturer of potions. But to the Ashfield Family''s surprise, her father, Rafael Asami, had never nned on getting hispany absorbed. This led to a fallout between the two families, and with the arranged marriage setup, there was no love between her parents. With bickering after bickering, it eventually led to a divorce. In the end, Rachel decided to go with her Father, while Amy stayed behind with their Mother, Samanta Ashfield. By orders of the Ashfield Family, Rachel wasn''t allowed to bear any rtions with the Ashfields. But regardless, she kept in close contact with her twin sister, Amy. Since Rachel was about to enter one of their branches, she decided to don a disguise. She didn''t want any of the staff to freak out, alerting other customers. It''s already happened before. ''It was embarrassing...'' With a pair of shades and a cap, her disguise was foolproof. Entering the bookstore, she headed towards a peculiar section of books. One of the reasons she donned a disguise was because... ''Okay, here we are, the light novel section.'' She was a closet otaku. Rachel had always loved reading books. But after discovering the light novel genre, she¨Conce was a bookworm, had be a full fledged otaku. She knew it was an embarrassing hobby, but she couldn''t help it. Regardless, she had to put on her typical cold maiden act when she''s out in public. But in bookstores, she could be her real self, with a disguise of course. After picking out the books she nned on reading, she immediately checked them out with the cashier. "That''ll be 20 silver coins, Miss... Hold on... you look familiar." "Here." She immediately looked down, cing the coins in front of the cashier. "...Thank you, enjoy your purchase." She then walked towards the reading section, from behind her she could hear the staff murmuring. "I swear I''ve seen her before." "Must''ve been your imagination." "Haa..." She breathed out a sigh. It was a close call. After entering the reading section, she tried to look for an empty ce to sit. While trying to scan the room, it was then when she saw a familiar face. "Is that...?" Pale-white hair and blue eyes, and he seemed to be wearing his signature ck sweater. It was none other than¨CBrandon Locke. And he seemed to be busy, reading a book... Not book, but books! There were one... Two... Five.. Ten... Thirty... Forty... He was reading way too many... "At the same time...?" All of the books were spread out open, filling the entire table. From beside him, were the other customers, looking at him like he was some weirdo. And... "Aren''t his eyes moving way too fast?" Was he just skimming? Then what was the point in buying all those books? The bookstore had a no-borrow policy. Meaning, if you wanted to read a book, you had to buy them. If they wanted to borrow books, then they should opt for a library instead. Her initial impression of Brandon wasn''t really anything. The first time he entered the lecture, he was significantlyte. But it was the first time Rachel saw someone bold enough to speak to Professor Vanessa, like how he did on that day. Most students would typically be afraid of crossing their Professors, in fear of expulsion. Astrea Academy was a school for the elites after all. Thus, she was curious about him. Was he that strong that he didn''t fear expulsion? From what she heard, Brandon had the Lightning Affinity, and he had great control over it, being the first to shatter the magic orb. He was interesting, to say the least. But when she found out the rank he ced, her interest fell off. Yet for some reason, Brandon didn''t seem disheartened, as if he wanted it to happen. For what reason? When he provoked Felix during the party, he didn''t seem like the same person who ced really low in the rankings. There was a sense of confidence in the way he spoke that night, as if he was sure he could beat Felix, who ced somewhere in the 200s. She was curious who would win between the two. But Felix died, just after the party. The same party they attended. She didn''t know if she was relieved or afraid. She hated Felix, but she didn''t want him to die. Regardless, she wasn''t involved. ''But could Brandon be?'' After all, he stayed behind the party. ''No, it''d be absurd to think so.'' His eyes may have been cold, and he may have seemed distantpared to the others in the group. But Brandon didn''t strike her as the type to openly murder someone. Since Brandon was busy with whatever he was doing, Rachel didn''t bother him, finding a different ce to sit. As Rachel continued to read her book, an audibleugh reached her ears. A really loud one at that. "Hahaha! This is crazy!" When she tried to trace the source, she realized it was Brandon,ughing loudly for all to hear. He seemed to have figured something out... With all the books he was simultaneously reading. ''Was he always this weird?'' Chapter 28: Preparation [4]

Chapter 28: Preparation [4]

Swoosh- sh-! Swiftly dashing through the halls of the System''s Dungeon, Raven quickly made work of the goblin archers. After a week, he had finally broken through to the 2nd floor. The dungeon''syout had significantly changedpared to the 1st floor. If the 1st floor were narrow corridors, the 2nd floor had spacious hallways. Not only that, but the difficulty had exponentially increased too. It took him a total of 3 weeks to adjust andpletely clear the 1st floor. Now on the 2nd floor, there were trolls and goblins. Swoosh- Crack! As he dodged the troll''s club, an arrow pierced through the air. But with his speed, he was able to dodge the arrow as well. "Tsk." He clicked his tongue in annoyance. It was hard to prate through their defense, as the trolls and goblins had cooperated. The troll would act as the main tank and damage dealer, while the goblins would provide support, shooting arrows his way. Despite reaching level 6, and pouring his stats into the strength aptitude, a single strike wasn''t enough to kill a troll. "Their skin is way too thick." To make things easier, Raven targeted the goblins at the back. Swoosh- Splurt-! With two daggers, one in each hand, Raven striked down one of the defenseless goblins. Smash! As soon as he did, the troll made his way to him and swung down its club. "Haa... Haa..." Panting heavily, Raven decided to retreat. It was too much for him at the moment, but he had already done enough. Making his way towards an empty corridor, Raven slumped down on a wall. He then muttered to himself, "System." ¡ª--------------------------- [Name: Raven ckheart] [Level: 6] [EXP: 1,400/6000] [ss: Assassin] ¨NAs the one who left it all behind, you have be one with chaos. [Passive] ¨N Assassin''s Rush ¨N Every step you take, your speed stats increase by 1 point, maximum 10. [Skill Tab] [Stats] [Stat Points Avable: 0] ¨N STR: E+ [¡ñ¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N MP: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N DEF: F+ [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N AGI: E+ [¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N INT: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N CHARM: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] [System Shop] [System Dungeon] [System Coins: 0] [Quests Avable: 0] ¡ª--------------------------- ¡ª--------------------------- [Skill Tab] ¨N [Eye of Time] ¨N See the move an individual is about to take in the next second. [Adrenaline Surge] ¨NTemporarily enhances the user''s speed, agility, and reflexes. [Shadow Step] ¨N Grants the ability to teleport short distances. Can only teleport to nearby shadows. [Vital Strike] ¨NIdentifies and exploits the weak points of enemies, delivering precise and lethal blows to critical areas of their anatomy. [Contract Expertise] ¨N Enhances the user''s ability to gather intel, identify targets, and enhance deduction skills. Envenomed Mind ? Timer: 5 Minutes. ? Cooldown: 5 Hours ¨N Temporarily enhances the user''s mental faculties, boosting their intelligence. ¡ª--------------------------- Maneuvering through his system, Raven opted for the exit button. Vooom! Instantly, Raven materialized, falling from the ceiling, andnding on his bed. Laying on his bed, he covered his eyes with his arm. Then he realized... "Ah, I have to meet up with ire today." Removing his arm, he reached out for the phone on the desk, ced on the side of the bed. [2:00 PM] "What time were we supposed to meet again...?" It was then he noticed he had several notifications. No, not several... There was one... Two... Five... Ten... Ten notifications, and all from the same person. It was none other than¨Cire Victoria, his partner for the uing Combat ss session. From: ire Victoria 1 HOUR AGO [Hey, I''m here, where are you?] 57 MINUTES AGO [Bastard, I told you we''d be meeting up at 1:00 pm.] 54 MINUTES AGO [Where the fuck are you?!] And it just went on and on... There were several text messages from Special Force as well. But ire was more important at the moment. "Fuck..." The image of an angry ire etched on his mind. Suddenly, he felt chills all over his body, just imagining it. He abruptly got up, changed into cleaner clothes, and instantly left his dormitory room. . . . "So? Care to exin why you were sote?" "..." ire furrowed her brows, while Raven couldn''t respond. Cold sweat started beading, dripping. But it was mostly because he was running to the coffee shop. At least... That''s what he thought. Of course, he couldn''t tell her that he was risking his life inside a dungeon. "Haa... Whatever. I understand that we''re all busy. Anyway, what do you know about Brandon?" "Ah." "Ah?" He just realized why they were meeting up in the first ce. To exchange information about Brandon and Amy. "I don''t know anything about him..." "..." When he thought about it, he realized he knew nothing about Brandon''s abilities, besides the fact that he was a Lightning Attributed mage. But at least, it was the same for Brandon¨Cwho also didn''t know anything about him. ...Is what he thought. "Okay, understandable, barely anyone knows anything about him." At least she didn''t me him. "I know..." "We''ll work with what we got then." At that, ire started talking about everything she knew about Amy. From her Water Affinity, to her fighting style. Raven took in every detail. He was now starting to understand why Amy was ranked 4th. She specialized in Water Magic, but her control was second to none among the first years. And to his surprise, Amy could somehow manipte the weather as well¨Cto a certain degree. A total prodigy. Suddenly, he felt like their chances of winning had significantly dropped. After ire debriefed, they decided on who would fight who. ire would fight Brandon, and Raven would fight Amy. The reason for this¨Cwas because water was aplete counter to lightning. Since water was a conduit, then the lightning would scatter around it. Just because ire was a Lightning Attributed Mage, didn''t mean she was immune to it. If Amy traps her in a bubble of water, then ire wouldn''t be able to use her lightning. She would electrocute herself. A basicw of nature. It was a good matchup, per say. Both ire and Brandon were Lightning Attributed Mages, it would definitely be an interesting fight. But Raven didn''t like the n, though he didn''t speak his thoughts out loud. ''I wanted to fight him...'' For some reason, he''d always seen Brandon as a rival. It was as if they were pr opposites somehow. He wanted to know who was stronger between them. But in the end, the n was set in ce. He didn''t want to disagree with ire, who had brainstormed and came up with the n way before he arrived. Though he didn''t say it, his expressions told a different story, as ire seemingly noticed. "You want to fight him, don''t you?" "...No?" "Your face says otherwise." "It''s fine. We have a better chance at winning with your n." "Sure, but we still don''t know the details of the next Combat ss session. Who knows? It might be a one on one fight, and Miss Evelyn would be the one to decide who fights who." She had a point. Professor Evelyn had never stated the details of the next session. It could be a tournament type, or a simple contest of strength. Who knows? Disrupting their discussion, the coffee arrived¨Cvia shiftporter. ire immediately grabbed it, sipping on the coffee. "You''re not gonna order?" "...I don''t like coffee." "Suit yourself." ire just shrugged. Raven never understood the appeal of coffee. But his friends seemed to enjoy it a lot, especially Rachel. "It''s too bitter..." "A sweet tooth, huh? How cute." "..." Chapter 29: Virtual Simulation [1]

Chapter 29: Virtual Simtion [1]

The time for Combat Session had finally arrived. Looking at his phone, it was June 17, 2148. Two weeks had passed since Brandon''s arrival in this world. Looking around, students had already gathered. From what he knew, there were a total of 100 people in his Combat ss section. Meaning, a total of 50 pairs. Also... ''There are new faces...'' It seemed like there were new ssmates in their ss. Most likely because some had already been expelled. ncing at his side, Amy stood tense and silent. The two had not exchanged any words since arriving in the room. In front of them was Evelyn Cessna, their Professor, standing on the podium. She seemed to be checking a bunch of documents, before redirecting her gaze to the students in front of her. "I hope you all have practiced enough. Here are the details for today''s session." She then reached out towards a white device on the table in front of her, clicking the button. Wooosh¡ª As soon as she did, a blue holographic frame materialized. On it were what seemed to be the details for whatever was nned for today. [Combat Session] [Type: Battle Royale] [Location: Virtual Simtion Room] [Objective: The primary objective of the battle royale is to be thest pair standing.] [Environment: The virtual simtion will feature diverse and dynamic environments, including forests, mountains, ruins, beaches, and tundra.] [Safe Zone and Convergence: Throughout the match, a safe zone will periodically shrink. Students caught outside the safe zone will immediately be disqualified.] [Rules:] Due to it being virtual, killing is allowed. All sorts of modes for fighting are allowed. But duelists are advised to bring their signature weapon before entering the pods. Teaming is allowed. But remember, there shall only be one pair left standing. Torturing is not allowed. We know some of you students here are sadists. Hence, if caught, you will be immediately disqualified. [Grading System:] 1st¨C2nd : A 3rd¨C6th: B 7th¨C12th: C 13th¨C22nd: D 23rd¨C50th: F While the students continued to read the details of the task, Evelyn sternly stated, "I know the cements are ridiculous. But don''t worry, an F does not mean an expulsion. You''ll only be graded 0." She took a brief pause, walking around, assessing each student¡ªwho wore looks of tension in their faces, then continued, "The only basis for expulsion will be disqualification. So please try to not get yourself disqualified." She then continued on about how the Virtual Simtion will take ce. In the room they were in, there were a hundred¨Cwhite circr pods, each in the shape of a full grown adult. Once the pod was entered, each student will put on a white helmet called ''Augma Nerve''. After wearing, it was advised to keep their minds clear and ease their tension. As soon as they were ready, all they had to do was mutter the words, "Activate Link", and the Virtual Simtion pod would start. It was also advised to have a full belly and hydrated, as the entire session wouldst for five hours. But it was already debriefed in their Astrea Academy app, the moment they woke up in the morning. After it was all settled, each student entered the pod. Brandon entered a pod that was next to the one Amy entered. Settling inside, Brandon donned the Augma Nerve, covering his entire head. Gradually, his mouth parted open to mutter, "Activate Link." Voooosh¨C *** "Who do you think is going to win?" Evelyn then pondered at Vanessa''s question. ncing at the pods around her, one-by-one, each pod started to glow a bright white. She didn''t know how to respond to Vanessa, who was standing right beside her, seated. Evelyn was seated as well, turned the chair around, and nced at the wide screen in front of her. The screen disyed the entire environment inside the Virtual Simtion. On it, the students were spawned with their pair, separated from other pairs. Though, the viewing room was in the same ce as the Virtual Simtion area, it was situated at the top, separating the two sections. Changing the channels to see each students'' face, none of them were familiar to her. She was a newly appointed Professor after all. She didn''t know any of the kids in her ss. She then turned to Vanessa, who was shoving her fork with pastry in her mouth, and asked, "What about you? Any guesses?" "All the Professors who were tasked with the first years think it''s Raven ckheart." "..." Who...? "Haha, give me the remote, I''ll show you what he looks like." Switch¨C Switch¨C Switch¡ª Until the channel stopped to pause at a boy with jet ck hair, and ocean blue eyes. On both of his hands were daggers, he seemed to already be prepared. Unlike the students, the Professors harbored no discrimination towards Duelists. Not just the Professors, but most adults in the working society. When she first heard of the hierarchy in the Academy, Evelyn thought it was stupid. She then turned towards Vanessa again. She seemed to have finished her pastry. But... She took another one from her bag, opened it, and nibbled. ''What a weirdo.'' But Evelyn smiled, they went way back during their academy days after all. They were best friends. But to her initial statement, Evelyn was puzzled. If that''s what the other Professors think, then what did Vanessa think? Thus, she decided to ask, "Do you also think it''s Raven ckheart?" "Nope." Vanessa stated with no hesitation, as if she was already sure who was going to win. "Then who?" "I''m still unsure about him, but I believe his potential is way more than Raven''s." Who was she talking about? Switch- Switch¨C Switch¡ª Until the channel paused once again. What met Evelyn''s line of sight was another boy, with long pale-white hair, and ice-blue eyes. When Evelyn caught sight of him, her eyes shot wide open. From her side, Vanessa let out augh. "Hahaha~ Do you see it too?" "Yes..." "He thinks he''s hiding it well, but most of the Professors had suspected it already." A possible Deviant. Unlike the students, Professors who had an expertise in mana could distinguish an individuals'' mana signature. It was possible to hide it, of course. But it seemed like the boy didn''t know how. If a Mage with one affinity had their mana signature in the same color as their elements, then a Deviants'' color was pure white. But of course, not everyone could actually distinguish it. It was only the ones'' who had meticulously studied mana to the brim. "Interesting... What''s his name?" "Brandon Locke." "Ah, what rank is he?" "1,890th." "..." Was she joking? She had to be. How could a possible Deviant ranked so low? "Hahaha~ Unfortunately, I''m not joking. I was pretty disappointed too. But still, he has potential." "How did he ce so low?" "He was mostly held back by his test score." "Ah." So he was an idiot. Power means nothing when your brain can''t evenprehend with it. Then what was so special about him, that even someone like Vanessa could be confident in him winning? She was then snapped out of her thoughts, as Vanessa called out to her, pointing at the screen. "Look, it''s starting." Before Evelyn looked at the screen, her attention lingered elsewhere. "Your face." "Oh... Thanks." There were traces of whipped cream all over her mouth. Chapter 30: Virtual Simulation [2]

Chapter 30: Virtual Simtion [2]

"H-How unlucky..." "You can s-say that again..." The two shivered relentlessly. It was cold. Too cold. At the start of the Battle Royale, Brandon and Amy found themselves in a vast expanse of tundra. Ice sheets wereyered on the ground, as the trees around them were draped in a pristineyer of white snow. "Brr..." Even the Virtual Simtion urately captured the sheer coldness of a tundra biome. Truly, Virtual Simtion was a groundbreaking technology. "I s-should''ve worn a thick coat before entering..." Amy shuddered, rubbing her arms with her hands, trying to warm herself up however she can. If Brandon could, he would conjure up mes right at the moment. But he can''t. ''Not when Amy is here.'' She''d already seen Felix''s ashes. The fact that he wasn''t known to have the Fire Affinity was one of his alibis to the crime. "Can''t you change the weather?" "No, I can only make it slightly rain." ''Useless.'' Amy knitted her brows, still rubbing her arms. "You just thought I was useless, didn''t you?" "..." Staring at her, Brandon shrugged it off. "You''re imagining it." Amy rolled her eyes at Brandon''s response. Scanning the area, for whatever shelter he could find, he could see a cave nearby. "Let''s h-head there." He pointed towards the cave with trembling hands. Amy immediately nodded, following him closely. Scrunch¨C Scrunch¡ª Each footstep made a rustling sound as they walked towards the cave, stepping on lumps of foliage. Scrunch¨C Scrunch¡ª Finally they arrived at the entrance of the cave. But before they entered, Brandon leaned down, grabbing a bunch of flints, sticks, and leaves. Amy approached him, tilting her head. Her hands sped behind her back. "What are you doing?" "I''ll make a fire out of this." "You know how to do that?" "I think so." Brandon was d to have read a survival book back when he was in the bookstore. He just grabbed as many books as he could, regardless of the content. Of course, he had lingering regrets with that decision. Because... ''Three of the books were smut.'' And he had to pay for all the books before reading. Of course, when he returned home, he immediately burnt the three books. ''A necessary sacrifice.'' After picking up an appropriate amount, he beckoned inside the cave, signaling for Amy to enter as well. ... Voosh¡ª "Woah, you really did it." Amy pped her hands in astonishment. Seated face-to-face with her, Brandon was surprised as well. He never thought it would actually work. He''d only read the application of making a fire. But this was the first time he''d actually done it. elerated Cognition working its magic. Tearing his gaze from the mes, he looked above. Just hovering in the air was a system interface. It was quite simr to his system, but it was one of the Virtual Simtion''s features. Click- Clicking on it, a virtual map materialized in his view. On it disyed the current safe zone, as well as the timer, just below it. [4:46] 4 hours and 46 minutes. They were informed that the safe zone would shrink every 30 minutes. A warning would appear on the map on whatever the amount of space the convergence zone would take. ncing at the map, it seemed like they were still within boundaries. After that, he closed it. "Brr..." Too cold. The two continued to shiver relentlessly, despite the mes keeping them warm to a certain degree. Staring at the fire, his attention was redirected to Amy who shuddered, as she pursed her lips to say, "W-What should we do next?" Brandon pondered for a while, unsure of what to say. The best choice was to relocate to a different biome. But in doing so, would expose them to attacks in every angle. It had to be noted that¨Cevery 15 minutes, everyone who''s out in the open would be exposed on the map. A red dot would appear, signaling the location of anyone that was outside. And to their surprise, there wasn''t an indicator of how many students were still alive. Meaning, they wouldn''t know what ranking they''d ce if they died. For all they knew they could be expelled even if the timer was down to thest hour. So for now... "Let''s wait." "...Okay." It was then when the system interface notified him. [4:45] Instantly, Brandon opened the map, trying to see if anyone''s location was exposed. And to his surprise... "Amy, get up." "I know." There was someone nearby. Just outside the cave. For some reason, Amy was hiding behind Brandon. But Brandon didn''t mind, Amy''s water magic would be a good support for his lightning. Step- Footsteps became audible, just outside the cave. Step- Step¨C Step¡ª As the footsteps became louder, two silhouettes emerged at the entrance. *** "What Battle Royale? This is a vacation!" Ssh-! ire stood at the sea, sshing water at Raven, as he motioned his hand to block the iing water. "Haa... How are you so¨C" Ssh-! "Calm in this¨C" Ssh-! "Situation." Ssh-! "Please, stop." Raven raised his hand to his face, dabbing at the droplets of water. ire shed him a wide grin, cing her hands on her waist. "It''s because I''m strong. And plus, you''re here, Mr. Ranked 1 Student." "Are you that confident in winning?" "Of course, we''re both the top 3 students within the first years. We''re practically a cheat. Can anyone even oppose us?" "I can name two people." "Ah, right." But... Ssh-! "Do you see them around?" ire stated, continuing to ssh water at Raven. Drenched in water, Raven responded, "Nope, but we shouldn''t let our¨C" Ssh¨C! "Guard down... ire, please..." "Fine, fine. What a killjoy, it''s not everyday we get to go to the beach, you know?" "It''s not even real." Ssh-! "Is this not real enough for you?" "..." After that, the system interface notified Raven. "ire..." "Yeah." Their location was exposed. And to their surprise, there was a red dot that appeared on the location near them. Rustle¨C The bushes in front of them rustled with movement. Immediately, Raven retrieved his daggers, holding one in each hand. SHIIIING¨C! From behind him, ire did the same, unsheathing her rapier from her sword belt, which was ced on her waist. As two figures emerged from the bushes, Raven immediately used [Shadow Step], teleporting right behind him¨Cor rather, his shadow. The man''s eyes shot wide open. "How¨C" sh-! Splurt¡ª! He gave him no time to finish his words, as he opted to slit the man''s throat. Voosh-! From beside him, a torrent of mes tried to engulf him. But Raven quickly dodged it, stepping to the side. What met his line of sight was a woman, a mage. With long brown hair and ck eyes. She wore a look of shock, as she spoke, "P-Please spare me, I don''t want to get expe¨C" Swoosh¨C Tszzzzzz¡ª! ire immediately bolted from her position, as sparks of purple lightning left her trail. Giving the woman no time to plead for her life, as she mercilessly stabbed her in the abdomen. Both the man and the woman dispersed, dematerializing. As particles fluttered in the air and blood sttered from where their body was. At that, they''ve sessfully killed the pair. The Battle Royale was still in the early stages after all. ncing at ire¨Cwho was still fixed in a crouched position, her rapier facing forward, Raven gave her a nod. "Good work." "You too." "...Still, is it just me? Or do I feel bad." "It''s just you, remember, Astrea Academy is a school for elites. Only the best of the best survive here." Raven immediately dismissed his thoughts. Erasing any feelings of lingering guilt. "You''re right, sorry." "It''s fine. Just reminding you." "Thanks." Raven then nced up at the sky as he muttered, "I wonder how Brandon and Amy are doing." * * * [AN] A short chapter, just to introduce the start of this arc. This arc will be quite long. But I hope each chapter of it is enjoyable. Thanks for the support on this book, a discord server will go live in a few days. Chapter 31: Virtual Simulation [3]

Chapter 31: Virtual Simtion [3]

Sparks of blue lightning, just at the tip of his finger, ready to strike at any moment. While behind him, Amy had conjured a bubble of water. Step¨C Step¡ª The two figures approached, entering the cave. Taking in their sight, they appeared to be two men. One of them stood tall, but not as tall as Brandon. While the other was short, most likely a 5''4. Brandon lifted his arm, his fingertips d in blue sparks ready to discharge. But as soon as the spark was about to strike, the taller man raised both of his arms. His voice then reached Brandon. "W-Wait... Wee in peace." As their figure finally became visible, the taller man had ginger hair. While the shorter one had onyx hair. Brandon narrowed his eyes. "How can we trust you?" "We h-have c-coats for y-you two." So they came prepared? As the two approached, they confirmed their statement. Both of them were wearing thick fur coats. While they each carried another fur coat to share. Step¨C The two made their way inside the cave, inching closer to Brandon and Amy. Scanning their expressions, they really dide in peace. The tall man''s ck eyes harbored no ill intentions. The same went for the shorter man''s purple eyes. From behind him, Amy stood down, dispersing the bubble of water. But Brandon kept his hand up. "Wait, don''t move." He signaled with his hand for them to stop. The two men followed his instructions, pausing just a few distance from the fire. "Names?" At that, the taller man introduced himself first. "I''m Seth Hudson, and he''s Red Quentin." Unfamiliar names. With the fire illuminating their figure, the two men adorned swords on their backs. ''Duelists?'' Most likely. At that, Brandon lowered his hand but still keeping his guard up. "Sit." The two men immediately followed suit, pausing by the fire and sitting down. Then, they offered the coats they were carrying. Brandon epted it, taking both coats and giving the other one to Amy. Swoosh- He immediately donned the fur coat, its ck cloth making a ''woosh'' sound. Amy did the same with her blue fur coat. "Thanks." "Thank you." They showed their appreciation, as the two men nodded with smiles on their faces. After donning the coat, Brandon turned his attention towards the two. "If youe in peace, does that mean you want to team up?" At his question, Seth turned to look at Red then redirected back to Brandon. "Yes. But what''s your name?" "Brandon Locke." Brandon then looked at Amy who was still behind him. "And she''s¨C" "Amy Ashfield, right?" It was Red who finished for Brandon. Amy leaned in, stepping in Brandon''s side. "Ah, you know who I am?" "I think most of the students know who the top 5 in the first years are." He had a point. The only reason they didn''t know Brandon was because he was ranked so low. After being recognized, Amy sat down. She looked at Brandon with a smirk as if saying, ''See how popr I am?''. Brandon rolled his eyes and sat down as well. Seated face-to-face with the two, Seth spoke up, "To be paired with Amy Ashfield... You must be someone amazing yourself, right?" "Nope." Brandon immediately shot him down. "Eh...?" Seth was puzzled, tilting his head. Noticing it, Brandon nkly stated, "I''m ranked 1890th." "EHHH...?" The two reacted in confusion as they turned to look at each other, then back to Brandon. "Looks like we''re in the same boat, I''m ranked 1,590th, and Red here is ranked 1,231st." Same boat? ''They''re ranked higher than me...'' But it didn''t matter, as Brandon dismissed his thoughts. The real question was... "Where did you two get the coats?" At Brandon''s question, Red immediately responded. Apparently, they came from the rural side of the world where the climate was cold. The two had been friends for a long time, anding to the city, they were used to wearing fur coats. But... ''It doesn''t answer why they had extra coats.'' Thus, Brandon decided to ask, "And why did you have spares to share with us?" Red responded once again. "Loot. We stole it from a party we killed." Loot? "So if someone was killed, they''d drop whatever they were wearing?" At his question, Seth immediately waved him off. "...Yes, I think so?" "I see. Does it go for your weapons as well?" "I''m not sure, since the party we killed were mages." Hmm... There was one more question. "Were they wearing the coats before you killed them or did they remove them?" The two pondered for a while. The stupid question must''ve caught them off guard. But nheless, Seth responded in a seemingly mocking tone. "What kind of question is that? Of course they were wearing them. We''re in the tundra biome after all." "I see." Tszzzz¨C Giving them no time to react, blue sparks of lightning protruded from Brandon''s fingertips, directly piercing Seth. "Kughh...! Why?!" From beside Brandon, Amy stood up. Her expression seemed to tell that she was shocked as well. "Brandon?!" Brandon was immediately suspicious once they told him that the coat came from the mages they killed. After all... "The coat." "...?" "It''s clean." There was no blood. He''d already confirmed that it was indeed possible to bleed inside the Virtual Simtion, as he identally wounded himself when he made the fire. "The designs are also the same." Only the colors were different. "If there was another party that brought the same kind of fur coats, just like you guys. Then shouldn''t their story be the same?" That they must''vee from the same cold region as Seth and Red. Also... "Not only that, but the moment the locations were exposed, you two were already inside the cave." They shouldn''t have been marked on the map. That could only mean... "So... Are they outside?" Another party. SHIIIING¨C! Immediately, Red stood up, unsheathing his sword. While Seth was still on the ground, his hand covering his wound. "It was a good n, you''ve sessfully made Amy let down her guard." Amy, who was standing up, looked at Brandon who was still seated. She wore a look of defeat, but immediately contoured it to a determined gaze. "Haa... I''ll handle this then." "Suit yourself." Brandon nodded while closing his eyes. In front of them, Red took a step back. His terrified gaze lingered on Seth on the ground. "Damn it Seth! You just had to keep talking." At that, seemingly recovered, Seth stood up. "Huuu... That''s my bad. But he''s just a low ranker. Only Amy Ashfield would pose a threat to us." He then looked behind him¨Cwhere the entrance was situated, and continued, "The jig is up,e out guys!" At his instructions, silhouettes emerged at the entrance of the cave. Brandon scanned them. There were six figures entering the cave. "So you''ve teamed up with three other parties, huh?" Brandon was confident he could take on two parties. But he didn''t expect there to be more. It seemed like it was nned way before the Battle Royale started. ncing at Amy who fixed in a battle stance, Brandon locked his gaze with her. "Still think you can handle it?" "...I can try." "Don''t be stubborn." After speaking those words, Brandon gradually stood up. Seemingly ready to take on four parties at once. Tssssszzz¡ª *** "He''s good." Evelyn muttered to herself as her eyes were peeled to the screen in front of her. They way Brandon saw right through their plot The attention to detail. He definitely wasn''t an idiot. So how did a man as smart as him score so low in his tests? Did he do it on purpose? It was obvious that Brandon was hiding his potential as a Deviant. But they couldn''t be sure if he actually was one. There were cases of mistaking regr mages as Deviants since the wind affinity was white as well. But from what she''s seen, it seemed like Brandon could use the lightning affinity. ''So why is he hiding his abilities?'' If he revealed himself, then he would undoubtedly be one of the top students in the Academy. He wouldn''t have to handicap himself to the lightning affinity. Regardless, she had definitely piqued her interest. "I want him." Clink¡ª! "Eh...?!" From beside her, Vanessa looked at Evelyn with a shocked expression as she dropped her fork. "N-No I mean, I want to take him under me." "EHHH....?!" "Haa... I can''t find the right words. "...You mean take him under your wing?" "Yes, that." One of the offers provided to Astrea Academy Professors was that¨Cthey were allowed to choose any of the students to be their prot¨¦g¨¦. In short, their very own pupil. Brandon had checked most of the boxes of her desired pupil. There was only one criteria left. How good he was in a fight. Just because someone was good at magic, didn''t automatically mean they were good at fighting. They can have all the fancy magic in the world, but if they had little to nobat intelligence, then there was no point. As her eyes were peeled to the screen, it seemed like the fight was about to start. "...!?" Chapter 32: Virtual Simulation [4]

Chapter 32: Virtual Simtion [4]

"Too bad it wasn''t Raven ckheart and ire Victoria. But Amy Ashfield is a good catch." "Yeah, good job, Seth." From the entrance, the words of two of the figures reached Amy''s ears, a man and a woman. Seeing that they had no weapons, they seemed to be mages. Seth and Red fixed a battle stance, swords out forward, facing Brandon and Amy. Tszzzzzz¨C! Instantly, Brandon shed forward, abruptly stopping in front of the two, as blue sparks left his trail. The two wore shocked expressions, while Brandon just stared at them closely. He was too close. "Fast... But is that all?" Swoosh¨C! Seth swung down his sword to cut Brandon horizontally. However... Tszzzzzz¨C! Brandon disappeared, leaving a spark of lightning from where he stood. "...!" "Kughhh...! H-Help..." Brandon instantly appeared beside him, gripping Red''s throat. He lifted him up. "Raghhhhh!" With a battle cry, Seth tried to help him out, swinging his sword at Brandon. Tszzzzzz¨C! "Wha¨C" Once again, Brandon disappeared, leaving trails of blue sparks. He''d thought he hadnd a hit on Brandon, forcibly swinging his sword. But... "S-Seth¨C" Kszzz¨C Seth''s sword struck Red instead, as Red instantly dematerialized. White particles fluttered from his figure. "Fuck..." Fast. Brandon was too fast. It seemed like he was ying with them. Even Amy stood frozen, shocked at what Brandon just did. ''He doesn''t even need me...'' Brandon stood behind Seth, facing the crowd from the entrance, as he coldly muttered to Seth, "I pose no threat to you. So you can deal with Amy instead." "Bastard!" Swoosh¨C! Tszzzzzzz- As Seth swung his sword behind him, Brandon had already blinked away. ''What can I even do in this situation?'' Brandon was doing everything. But... "Amy, I''ll take four and you take three, including Seth." "...Got it." Amy immediately nodded at his words, conjuring a bubble of water. ''At least he knows how to share...'' In front of Amy, Seth locked his gaze with her. His eyes mixed with terror and rage. He must''ve been terrified. After all, he had only seen Amy as a threat,pletely disregarding Brandon. And that was his mistake. Amy could tell that Brandon would easily surpass her in the rankings. ''He''s stronger than me...'' She clenched her teeth. ''I don''t like this.'' Annoyed. If Brandon was that strong in the first ce, then what was the point of being his partner? "Ah." She remembered. ''Because of that night.'' She''d forgotten the reason why she approached Brandon in the first ce. To assess whether he had any connections to Moriarty. Or whether he was the man himself. ''He''s strong, but...'' Not as strong as Moriarty. Of course, she''d never actually seen him fight. But she could tell with a nce. Moriarty''s strength was unparalleled. Thus, she concluded. Brandon isn''t Moriarty. But did he have any connections to him? Unsure. She clenched her teeth once again. Frustrated. ''I just can''t connect the dots together.'' Just where did Brandon go that night? If he isn''t Moriarty, and the ashes belonged to Felix, then where the hell was Brandon? "Ah." Moriarty must''ve let him go, just like he did with her. Finally it was all starting to make sense. ''So Moriarty saved him from Felix.'' She had finally reached a conclusion. Indeed. If that was the case, then Moriarty must be a righteous person. A really strong one at that. A Deviant. Thinking back to the night, seeing Moriarty''s figure, something warm welled up within Amy. Whatever it was, she didn''t know. Maybe idolization? Regardless, she wasn''t afraid of Moriarty anymore. In fact... ''I want to see him.'' She then dismissed her thoughts, focusing on Seth in front of her. A ranked 4th and a ranked 1,590th. The results were obvious. As ifparing night and day. At that, Seth charged towards her, aiming to swing his sword. An admirable attempt. But... With the bubble behind her, Amy instantly contoured it into small myriads of water droplets. Then... Drip¨C Drip¨C Swshh¨C Swshh¡ª Swshh¡ª! The droplets cut through the air towards Seth in a manner of rapid bullets. Water bullets. Fast enough to pierce through flesh. "AGHH¡ª" A myriad of water bullets continued to mercilessly pierce through Seth. Swshh¨C Swshh¡ª Swshh¡ª! nk¨C! Seth continued to twitch spontaneously at each bullet, dropping his sword. The bullets were long and extremely thin. And due to the darkness of the cave, it was barely visible. Swshh¨C Swshh¡ª Swshh¡ª! Seth couldn''t even react at how fast each bullet was going him. Kszzz¨C Seth dispersed into white fluttering particles. Blood sttered everywhere on the ground, the walls, the ceiling. A gruesome sight. Redirecting her attention in front of her, three more figures became visible, walking towards her. But... As she scanned each and every one of their expressions, all of their eyes were wide open, seemingly terrified. Was it because of what she did? Or... Was it because of Brandon? Her question was then answered as one of the figures spoke up, a woman. "P-Please kill us instead, anyone but him." "What?" Amy was puzzled, tilting her head. Him? Brandon? Just what did Brandon do for them to be so terrified? Thud¨C It was then when the three of them slumped down on the ground, kneeling. They sped their hands together and pleaded, "Please, I don''t care if I get expelled. I don''t want to be in the same Academy as that... monster." "Kill us, I want to go home already... Please!" ''What the fu¨C'' It was then when Amy noticed one of the mages only had one arm left. "..." What the hell did Brandon do? She then redirected her gaze at the cave''s entrance, trying to look for Brandon. It was quiet. Too quiet. "Haa..." She breathed out a heavy sigh, conjuring a line of water in front of her. Step¨C As she stepped forward, one of the figures spoke up, "T-Thank y¨C" sh¨C! *** "Maybe I''ll take Amy Ashfield as my prot¨¦g¨¦." "Mhm." Vanessa''s words barely reached Evelyn''s ears as she nkly stared at her. It had been quite a while since the Battle Royale started, and the whole time, Vanessa didn''t stop stuffing pastry in her mouth. She was eating way too much. "You''ll get fat with all the sweets you''re eating..." "Nope, I try to maintain my figure as much as I can." Vanessa then stood up, cing her hands on her waist and shed Evelyn a sly smirk. "See?" Scanning her figure, she adorned the Astrea Academy''s uniform for women. A sleek sleeveless ck dress that entuated her curves. Her long flowing brown hair cascaded down her back, just stopping just right on her butt. She was fairly slim, and her figure was well proportionate. She was a model through and through. Vanessa turned to look at Evelyn as well¨Cwho was seated, as she spoke, "Still... Your figure is way better than mine. Maybe I should stop eating this much..." It wasn''t a lie. They were the same height, and their figure was almost the same. Only that... Evelyn''s sleeveless dress seemed to wrap tighter around her,pared to Vanessa. Vanessa seemed to notice something as she ced her hand on her chin, pondering. She bent forward, leaning close to Evelyn as she thoroughly scanned her. Evelyn could see Vanessa''s face up close. "What are you doing?" "Your chest." "Hm...?" "Did they get bigger?" "..." What is this woman talking about? "No, no. They definitely did get bigger." "..." No response. What was the point of this conversation? "If you sign with my agency, you''ll definitely rake in more money than me." "Ah." So it was to market her modeling agency. "Not interested." "Eh... Come on! Lots of guys would buy a magazine with you on the cover." "Nope." Despite her refusal, there was a tinge of truth in Vanessa''s words. Ever since Evelyn started her Professor career, there were countless of male Professors who tried to court her. But in the end, she refused all of them. She had no time for such nonsense. She had one goal in mind. To reach the top. To be the pinnacle of all mages. But if she were to settle down, then she wanted a man who didn''t see her for her beauty. A man that could see her for who she really was. She may seem cold and stern, but it was mostly because she was introverted. Because of her introversion, she severelycked in themunication skill department. To avoid a blunder, she''d put on a stern demeanor so people would avoid approaching her. ncing at Vanessa, who had already sat back down, she reached out for the remote. Switch¨C Switch¨C As she redirected her attention back to the screen, the boy with the pale-white hair was disyed. Brandon Locke, the boy she set her sights on as a potential prot¨¦g¨¦. "What...?" "This¨C" Chapter 33: Virtual Simulation [5]

Chapter 33: Virtual Simtion [5]

"So? Which of you wants to deal with me? Only four volunteers." Brandon stood at the cave''s entrance as he coldly locked eyes with each of the six people in front of him. From beside him, someone spoke out loud. A man''s voice. "Don''t be so cocky, you nobod¨C" Tszzzzzz¨C! Before the man could finish, a spark of blue lightning shaped like a spear shed from behind him. It mercilessly pierced him, as he spontaneously twitched due to the electrocution. Kszzz¨C The man instantly dispersed, dematerializing into white fluttering particles. "Wha¨C" Swoosh- Swoosh- Swoosh- Swoosh- Swoosh- All the figures turned to look behind them, only to find an innumerable amount of lightning spears ready to erase them as it did with the man. It was as if they were being held hostages. And due to the nature of lightning, it would be way too fast for them to react to it. At that, Brandon spoke up once again, his voice detached of any mercy. "My mistake, three volunteers. Let''s take this outside, okay?" All the mages in front of him seemed to be terrified. There was no room to retort as they immediately followed Brandon''s instructions. Step- Step¨C They beckoned outside. The vast expanse of tundra had be visible. In front of him, the woman in the middle of the group broke the silence as she turned to look at herrades. "G-Guys... Do as he says, we can take him out once we''re in a better position." Brandon raised his brow, amused. "Oh? You think I''d let you do that?" "Y-Yes... You would''ve killed us already if you wouldn''t." She had a point. Brandon didn''t want to end the fight fast. He wanted to try out everything he learned from the books. Brandon then curled his lips to a smirk, he said, "Right. Whoever wants to fight Amy can proceed. Everyone else, stay." As he emphasized thest word, his eyes narrowed and his voice deepened. Trying to put immense pressure on the group of parties. While he waited, the woman spoke up once again. "C-Could you let us discuss first?" Brandon tilted his head in amusement. There was no harm in letting them do that, and if they tried to escape he could just kill them. "Sure. But stay within my line of sight." The woman nodded, there was no room for negotiation. At that, the group huddled together, forming a circle. Brandon couldn''t help but try to eavesdrop. However... He couldn''t. The woman had conjured up a sound barrier. "Interesting..." A mage with the sound affinity was quite rare. From what Brandon knew, there were seven basic elements. [Fire] [Water] [Earth] [Wind] [Nature] [Lightning] [Ice] But there were special forms of affinity as well, such as: [Light] [Shadow] [Time] [Space] [Life] [Fauna] [Psionic] [Gravity] [Morphic] [Celestial] [Quantum] [Mirror] [Sound] and so much more. But it was too much for him to remember at the moment. Mages could evolve their basic element into the next stage with training. While some were born with the innate talent to use the special affinities without training. From what he knew, Vanessa and Evelyn were good examples for it. Vanessa had evolved her [Earth] affinity into the [Gravity] affinity. While Evelyn was born to already harness the [Celestial] affinity. Either the woman had evolved her [Wind] affinity to the [Sound] affinity or she was born with it. He didn''t know, but it was definitely interesting. As he was lost in his thoughts, the group seemed to have finished their discussion, as the sound barrier was lifted. At that, Brandon spoke up while the group turned to look at him. "Have you decided?" "Yes." Two of the mages then strode forward as they passed by Brandon. "....!" ¡ª--------------------------- [Quests] [Survive.] [Rewards:] [EXP: +50] [Stat Points: +3] [System Coins: +50] [Penalty:] [Failure to aplish this task will get all your attributes locked for 7 days.] ¡ª--------------------------- Brandon then turned to sneak a nce at the two behind him. They stopped walking. ''Predictable.'' Tszzzz¨C Brandon instantly blinked back without turning his body around, directly facing the two. Grabbing both of their necks. "Kughhh¨C" Vooosh¨C! One of the mages engulfed themselves in mes, burning Brandon as well. An attempt to take their own life just to burn Brandon. "Aghhhhhh!" Since he''d never increased his [DEF] stat, Brandon felt the burning sensation on his hand. He immediately let go of the two, rubbing his hand, only to find it etched with burn marks. The blue lightning spears dispersed as well as he lost control over them. A blunder. Kszzz¨C The mage who burned himself had dispersed into white fluttering particles. After transmigrating into the world, Brandon had never felt pain before. It was a new feeling for him. And it hurt. A lot. Even the sensation was urately portrayed by the Virtual Simtion. ''This is crazy.'' He knitted his brows and contoured a smirk. The mages then threw a barrage of skills his way. An earthen spike contoured from the ground, trying to pierce him. While crystalline of ice protruded from the ground, headed towards him. Gusts of winds shaped like discs pierced through the air. While water seemingly formed from his feet, trying to tangle him. [Mana Disruption] was out of the question as the spells had already formed. He couldn''t disperse the mana that had already formed an elemental shape. Despite beating Alpha¨Cwho was a Professional Killer, six mages from an elite Academy at once was still too much for him. ''Should I do it?'' He was severely handicapped by only using the lightning affinity only. ''Ah.'' As long as he didn''t use fire, then it might be fine. Crackle! At that, he conjured an ice wall to block the crystalline of ice. Then... Woosh¨C A gust of wind instantly dispersed the wind discs. Tszzzz¡ª As the earthen spike was seemingly about to hit him, Brandon blinked back to dodge it. "...!" All the mages'' eyes shot wide open, as their mouths were left agape. At that moment, Brandon Locke had be a known Tri-Elemental Deviant throughout the entire Academy. *** "Crazy..." "I was suspicious he was a Deviant... But three elements...?" Vanessa then turned to nce at Evelyn with a smirk as if saying, ''I''ll take him before you can''. "Nope, I''ve already decided." "I know, but I''ve set my sights on him first." "Doesn''t matter." Evelyn waved her off. "Fine... But it stilles down to who he''ll choose as his Personal Instructor." "He''ll choose me." Evelyn was confident. As they spoke, Evelyn had never peeled her eyes away from the screen. Brandon Locke. He was special. Deviants were rare. But Tri-Elemental Deviants were an extremely rare case. A once in a generation talent. "How are you so sure?" Vanessa snapped her out of her thoughts, trying to assess where her confidence stems from. "I won''t let him refuse." "Eh...?" She would pour in all her resources just to get Brandon Locke to ept being her prot¨¦g¨¦. She couldn''t let a talent like him slip away. "Well, I won''t back down." Vanessa crossed her arms and leaned back on the circr couch, redirecting her attention to the screen. "There''s no point. Just get Amy Ashfield and be on your way." Despite being introverted, Evelyn was extremelypetitive. She didn''t want to lose to her best friend. "Heh, we''ll see about that." "Mhm, still. The Academy''s going to be crazy for a while." "Haa... Yeah." Unbeknownst to the students participating in the Battle Royale, the entire session was being live streamed for the entire Academy to see. All the first years would have the same session. But Evelyn''s ss was the first one scheduled to take the Battle Royale. As the Battle Royale was ongoing, sses were suspended for the week. Hence, why Vanessa was there. If anyone wanted to watch the session, they''d have to go to the Academy on their own ord. Knock¨C Knock¡ª Someone knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Vanessa inquired. A muffled voice from behind the door then reached their ears. "Is that Miss Vanessa?" A woman''s voice. "Yes, it is." "Ah, it''s Belle Locke, may Ie in?" Evelyn then chimed in. The Locke surname was familiar to her. "Who''s that?" "The Student Council President of the Academy." "Ah." Was that why it was familiar? Vanessa then stood up, motioning towards the door and unlocked it. Creak¨C The door gradually opened, revealing a woman. Long pale-white hair flowing down her shoulders. Familiar ice-blue eyes, and perfectly symmetrical facial features, clear from all blemishes. Soft sulent lips, moist, clear of any cracks. In short, she was extremely beautiful. She donned the Astrea Academy uniform, which entuated her curves. Her sleek ck skirt, just short enough to reveal her jade white thighs. On her uniform was a golden pin that etched the Student Council logo. Step¨C She entered the room with regal, each step exuded confidence. As Belle continued to walk towards her, Vanessa shut the door close and locked it. She then turned towards Evelyn, locking eyes with her as she informed, "She''s also Brandon Locke''s older sister." "Ah." So that''s why the Locke surname was so familiar. * * * [AN] Belle Locke makes her appearance... I''m so motivated... Chapter 34: Virtual Simulation [6]

Chapter 34: Virtual Simtion [6]

"H-Hey, Sarah... He''s not normal. Let''s r-retreat..." "No." In front of him, Brandon could hear one of the mages speaking to the sound mage. The mage''s voice trembled. ''So her name is Sarah.'' An unfamiliar character. Another extra. Truthfully, Sarah was fairly attractive, ck hair tied to a ponytail, purple eyes that contoured to a determined gaze. She was tall, taller than any of the girls in his friend group. She seemed to be the leader, as the mages with her tended to rely on her orders. But her beauty isn''t what caught Brandon''s attention. It was her magic. The whole time, she had never used any sound magic to attack Brandon. ''Why?'' It was peculiar. Was she preparing for a surprise attack? Brandon couldn''t tell. It should''ve been obvious that they were at a disadvantage, now that Brandon had stopped handicapping himself to only using lightning. Yet Sarah refused the plea to retreat. ''What is she nning?'' Regardless, Brandon was determined to kill them. Whatever Sarah was nning for him didn''t matter. ''I''ll win.'' He smirked. Crackle... An ice sword slowly materialized in his hand, gripping it tightly. He''d already learned all of the advanced swordsmanship from the books he bought. Though, only in theory. This was his chance to test its application. The mage who''s neck he gripped had already recovered and returned to their position. Step¨C An ice sword in his hand, Brandon stepped forward. The mages all locked eyes with him, their expressions were serious. They must''ve realized he was now in a different league as they focused all their attention on his every move. It was then when one of the mages lifted his hand, conjuring mana. However... [Mana Disruption] Since [Mana Disruption] didn''t have any visible effects, no one would notice Brandon did something. No one but the victims themselves. "Wha¨C" Spark¨C Crackle¡ª! At that, Brandon shed forward, as trails of blue sparks left his trail. Brandon instantly blinked in front of the mage. The mage''s hand was still lifted up, trying to conjure mana. But it was futile. Then... Swoosh¨C Splurt¨C! His arm was cleanly sliced off. "Fuuuuck¨C" With the ice sword raised up, Brandon tried to swing it and cut his head off.. Vooosh¨C Spark¨C! A gust of wind tried to blow him away but he immediately blinked back. But... Water shaped like a whip had managed to grab hold of his leg. "Now!" Sarah screamed, giving out her orders. Instantly, a barrage of wind and water made their way towards Brandon. One of the mages, seemingly the ice mage, tried to conjure up her mana. "Huh?" Yet nothing happened. Since [Mana Disruption] could only target one specific spot¨Cobject, inanimate or animate, Brandon couldn''t do anything about the other magic skills. He couldn''t do it simultaneously, and there was a timeg. But he was relieved since the ice couldn''t mix with the water on his leg. At the moment, the ice mage was the most dangerous opponent, besides Sarah, who still didn''t do anything. With the water whip grabbing his leg, Brandon protruded lightning sparks from his feet. Tszzzz¨C The sparks slowly crawled up to the water mage. "Kehhuut..!" At that, the whip dissipated as the water mage twitched spontaneously. "Idiot, you''ve forgotten he can use lightning as well." Sarah stepped back, reprimanding the water mage. Tszzzz¨C Brandon once again shed forward, dodging the gust of wind. He then appeared in front of the ice mage. "S-Sarah, help¨C" Spurt! Her plea was abruptly cut off as Brandon cleanly slit her throat. Blood sttered everywhere, staining Brandon''s clothes, as the ice mage dematerialized into white particles. Kszzz¨C His attention was then redirected on his back. The ck fur coat dematerialized as well. "So she was the owner..." Step¨C They took a step back. There were only four mages left, while one of them was out ofmission, having no arm. Brandon coldly locked his gaze with them, then to Sarah. "Why aren''t you doing anything?" Two of them had already died. Yet Sarah had never revealed her cards. "Yeah! Are you just going to let us die, Sarah?" One of the mages, seemingly the earth mage screamed. His expressions were one of terror, as he held the spot where his arm once was. "Shut up, shut up!" Brandon was taken aback. Sarah seemed to have lost it, disheveling her hair. ''Could it be?'' "You." At Brandon''s words, Sarah turned to the left, then to the right. Then eventually looked back at Brandon, while pointing at herself. "M-Me?" "Yes, you. The only thing you can do is create a sound barrier, can''t you?" "..." She hesitated. ''It all makes sense now.'' She had no magic skills that would aid her in a fight. In other words... "Are you the 2,021th ranked student?" The lowest rank possible. "..." Though he didn''t show it, Brandon was quite surprised. Who knew the lowest ranked student had a rare affinity. Her gaze tore down with an anxious expression. "...Hold on. Is that true, Sarah?" The earth mage grumbled, while the other mages stared at Sarah as well. "Fuck, I shouldn''t have paired up with you." It was then when Sarah continuously stomped her foot on the ground. "Shut up, shut up, shut up! You were the one who approached me after finding out I was a sound mage. So don''t put the me on me." Sarah then turned to look at the arm that wasn''t there, and continued, "I may be a fraud. But at least I didn''t get my arm cut off!" Sarah seemed to have enough. Brandon nkly stared at the group as they continued to argue. But it was then when the mages formed a circle, surrounding Sarah. ''Hold on.'' They were about to kill her. Distasteful. But nheless, Brandon let the scene unfold. To let the others do the dirty work for him. As the mages conjured up their mana, Sarah''s voice reached his ears. "Fuck... I don''t care anymore, I''m dropping out after this." She''d given up. A shame. ''Her potential would be a waste.'' Sound magic was rare. Attending the Academy was only the beginning for Sarah to haveplete mastery over it. ''She can''t drop out now.'' It would''ve been a waste. Thus, Brandon decided. "Hey." At his call, all the mages reluctantly turned their heads at him. They trembled. Just a simple word from Brandon was enough for them to be shaken. "If you kill her, I''lle find you after the Battle Royale." They tilted their heads, confused. But Brandon wasn''t done. He continued, coldly emphasizing hisst words. "And I''ll kill you myself." At hisst statement, all three of the mages surrounding Sarah had their eyes wide open. They shakingly lifted their hands down. Silence. No one retorted. The one to have broken the silence was Brandon, as he spoke up once again. "I''ll give you two choices, I''ll kill you all right here and now, or..." He turned to look at the cave''s entrance, then continued, "You can go back inside and let Amy Ashfield kill you." He spoke in a tone that seemed to tell¨Cthere was no room for negotiation. They stood still, frozen. Until... Step¨C One of them stepped forward. It was the earth mage. "Hey! We haven''t lost yet, are you really going to agree with his demands?" The one to have said those words seemed to be the water mage, as she grabbed the man''s shoulder, trying to stop him. "Are you confident you could beat him?" The earth mage nced at Brandon, then back to the water mage. "N-No, but if we all work together then¨C" "Ridiculous. There were eight of us at the start. How many of us are left now?" "..." The water mage couldn''t respond and took a nce at Brandon as well. "You get it? That man... He''s a monster. People like us... We''re only stepping stones for him." "..." "I first entered this Academy with aspirations, thinking I could be someone special..." The earth mage looked down with a sorrowful expression. He clenched his hands tightly to the point where blood started dripping. "...I know it''s only a simtion... But when I lost my arm..." His voice started to crack. "You know what an arm means to a mage, don''t you?" A mage''s lifeline. Tears started to drip, flowing down his cheek. As his voice continued to crack. "Monsters like them, Raven ckheart, Reinhard Van, ire Victoria, Amy Ashfield, Rachel Asami... I can''tpete with them." Step¨C He stepped forward, motioning towards the cave. "I''m dropping out as well... This Academy... It''s too much for me..." Tears continued to drip down. "Wait!" The water mage called out to him, while the other mage stood by her side. "...Let''s all go together." The earth mage seemed taken aback, but nodded with a smile stered on his face. "Okay." But when he turned to nce at Brandon, he stared right into his cold eyes. He then trembled in fear. He might''ve thought Brandon woulde for him after the Battle Royale session, as he urgently told the two mages to hurry up. At that, they entered the cave. Their figures gradually coalesced with the dark until Brandon couldn''t see them anymore. The entire time, Sarah stood silent. She then turned to look at Brandon. Her previously terrified expression had contoured to a nk te. "Why did you spare me?" "Spare you?" What is she talking about? Is all Brandon could think of. "...So you aren''t going to spare me?" "No?... I''ll just talk some senses into you." "...?" Brandon then strode forward, motioning towards Sarah. Then paused, just a few inches from her. "Don''t drop out." "..." "Your talent." "...?" "It would be a waste." Sarah seemed puzzled, tilting her head. She then pursed her lips to say, "Talent? I was useless the whole time, yet you tell me I have talent? Hah." Truthfully, Brandon didn''t know anything about Sarah. She was a character that had never appeared in the novel. But... "Your mana capacity." "What?" "It''s leaking." She had a lot of mana. Too much that her body couldn''t contain all of it. Brandon then lifted his ice sword, and continued, "I''ll kill you now. But I''lle find you after all of this is over." "Wha¨C" Swoosh¨C¨C! ¡ª--------------------------- [Quest Completed!] [Rewards Obtained:] [EXP: +50] [Stat Points: +3] [System Coins: +50] ¡ª--------------------------- Chapter 35: Virtual Simulation [7]

Chapter 35: Virtual Simtion [7]

Tak¡ª Tak¡ª! Walking around the halls of Astrea Academy, Belle''s heels clicked against the marbled floor. "Good morning, President Belle. "Greetings, President." Along the way, she''d be greeted by the students. She''d then return their greetings with a nod. She had heard¨Cthat the first year students'' Battle Royale was scheduled today. Particrly, Brandon''s Combat ss. The session was streamed live, and from a distance she could see the students gathering to watch it from a screen. Battle Royale was a session that every first year student had to take. She took it as well when she was a first year, cing first. Belle was quite interested in this year''s session, but she refrained from watching. The reason for this was because she didn''t want to see Brandon killed. Though, it would only be a simtion, just the sight of her own little brother dying before her eyes would be terrifying. Tak¡ª Tak¡ª! The hall continued to echo by the clicking of her heels. But the sound was immediately drowned out by the chattering of the students. It was then when the students'' words caught her attention. "Does anyone know who that student is?" "No, but he looks familiar." "Doesn''t he kind of look like President Belle?" "Oh, now that you mention it they do look alike." "That''s President Belle''s younger brother, Brandon Locke." ''Brandon...?'' Why were they talking about Brandon? ''Did he lose already?'' She suddenly had a bad feeling. She had to know why they were talking about him. Tak¡ª Tak¡ª! She approached the group of students. "Ah." "P-President Belle, good morning." "Good morning, President. Belle then nodded at their greetings, but didn''t spare them any nces. Tak¡ª Tak¡ª! It was then she could finally see the screen. What caught her attention was the boy disyed on the screen. Pale-white hair, ice blue-eyes, and... ''Lightning..? Ice..? Wind...?'' She was surprised as her eyes shot wide open. ''Is that really Brandon...? Truthfully, she never knew just how capable Brandon was. The two siblings were quite close growing up. But when Belle awakened as a Deviant, she moved overseas to pursue her education. Thus, the two siblings drifted apart. But at 16-years-old was when the Academy called upon her. She was given the offer to be the Student Council President in exchange for attending Astrea Academy. Of course, she epted the offer and returned to the country, reuniting with her family. But shortly after, she moved to the city to attend the Academy. It was only recently when the two siblings reconnected again. Though for some reason, the Brandon that she knew was quite different to the Brandon currently. But she didn''t mind it, concluding that it must''ve been because of puberty. This was the first time Belle had actually seen Brandon use magic. And to her surprise, he was a Deviant, just like her. But... ''Three elements...'' He exceeded her expectations. While Brandon had three, Belle only had two elements. [Light] and [Wind]. Light magic was extremely rare. In fact it was one of the higher forms of affinities. This made Belle a prodigy, fitting to her title as the strongest 2nd year student. But Brandon... He had more potential than her. With three elements, he could have three special affinities. She had to know more. She then peeled away from the screen, heading towards the Virtual Simtion room. The room would usually be off limits for regr students. But since Belle was the Student Council President, she could bypass most of the rules. Tak. Tak¡ª! She continued to walk as the halls continued to echo with her heels clicking on the marbled floor. This proceeded until she arrived at her destination. Knock¨C Knock¡ª As she knocked, a muffled voice from the other room reached her ears. "Who is it?" It was Vanessa. After making herself known, the door slowly creaked open. Entering the room, what caught her attention was another woman, seated on the circr couch. Dark-purple hair, and cold-cyan eyes. She instantly knew who it was. Evelyn Cessna, one of the strongest mages in the world. She had heard that Evelyn was attending the Academy as a Professor. But she didn''t know she''d be Brandon''s Combat ss instructor. Belle was jealous. Truthfully, she was a huge fan of Evelyn. Evelyn had a stack record of achievements. From Wraithbound subjugations, to guild contributions, and so many more. And despite her fame, she was humble. While other mages would bask in their sess, Evelyn would stay away from the public, doing her own thing. She was a source of inspiration for Belle. Since this was the first time they''d met, Belle tried topose herself. ''Don''t fangirl, don''t fangirl, don''t fangirl, don''t fangirl.'' She was then snapped out of her thoughts by Evelyn, who was looking at her with a nk expression. "Hello, I''m a new instructor here, my name is¨C" "Evelyn Cessna, right!?" There was no helping it. Belle immediately ran towards her, sping Evelyn''s hands. "...Y-Yes." Evelyn seemed taken aback, unsure of what to make out of the situation. "My name is Belle Locke, and I''m a huge fan! Could I have your autograph?" Belle then let go of one hand and reached out for all the pockets in her outfit. "Let''s see... Where did I put my pen¨C" "Ahem." Vanessa snapped her out of it. Belle then let go of Evelyn''s hand. "Ah, my apologies." "I''m here too, you know?" "I''m a fan too, Miss Vanessa." "Sigh, what brings you here?" At Vanessa''s question, Belle tried to recall why she entered the room in the first ce. "Ah." "Ah?" She redirected her attention to the screen, only to find Brandon, lifting an ice sword up. The girl in front of him seemed to be doing nothing about it as she stood frozen. It was normal for the students to kill each other during the Battle Royale. But... ''Those eyes...'' They were cold. Detached of any warmth. Was this really the sweet little boy she grew up with? Just what happened to Brandon in the six years that she was gone? [I''ll kill you now. But I''lle find you after all of this is over.] Brandon then proceeded to mercilessly thrust his ice de into the girl''s chest. "Eh...?" The three women in the room tilted their heads. They all thought of one thing. ''Did Brandon just flirt with her?'' *** After Brandon killed Sarah, Amy exited the cave and made her way to Brandon''s side. She knitted her brow and pursed her lips to say, "What the hell did you do to them?" "Huh?" What was she talking about? "Don''t ''huh'' me. They came to mepletely terrified. They didn''t even put up a fight." "...I don''t know what you''re talking about." "Haa... Whatever. So what do we do next?" Brandon pondered for a while, until he realized he had yet to check the map. Click¨C As he opened the map, his eyes shot wide open. There was three minutes left until the convergence zone would close. And... "...Amy." "I know..." They were out of the safe zone. It was quite far too. Though he was quite reluctant about the idea, there was only one option if they wanted to make it to the safe zone as fast as possible. Woosh¨C "H-Hey!" Brandon picked her up. A Princess carry. "Hold on tight." "Put me down! What are you nning on d¨C AHHHH!" Tszzzzz¡ª! * * * [AN] Server is out now! https://discord.gg/yzbHWQ8sXW Chapter 36: Virtual Simulation [8]

Chapter 36: Virtual Simtion [8]

5:39 PM. Belle had already left a while ago since she still had lectures to attend. The only ones left in the room were Evelyn and Vanessa. Of course, Evelyn had to stay since it was her ss. But Vanessa... She had too much time on her hands. "How many students are left, Evelyn?" Evelyn peered down at a rectangr white device. On it disyed the timer and the amount of students left. [32:21 Minutes left.] [ALIVE: 4] "Four." "Makes sense. Most of the students teamed up, only to lose to the Locke and Ashfield pair, and the ckheart and Victoria pair." "Mhm... But it was smart." "True. If they didn''t, they wouldn''t stand a fighting chance." "There were some students with potential though." Evelyn assessed some students who gave Brandon and Raven a difficult time. Though there was no helping it when they were against a Tri-Elemental Mage and the top student of the first years. She redirected her gaze to the screen. She could see Brandon panting heavily after fighting all the pairs that had teamed up. Switch¨C The screen switched to Raven ckheart, who did the same. She once again shifted her gaze down to look at the device. Click¨C As she clicked on the map icon, she could see the locations of the two. And... "They''re close by." In a few minutes it seemed like the two pairs would soon run into each other. From outside the room, she could hear muffled voices of the students. Chatter andughter reached Evelyn''s ears from the other side of the room. But unexpectedly, another voice reached her ears. It was also muffled out. "Everyone! No gambling!" The voice seemed to belong to Belle. ''Did they really just...'' They seemed to have ced their bets on whoever would win between Brandon and Raven. Surprisingly, Evelyn was interested as well. The fight she had been waiting for. Raven, the top student of the first year. And Brandon, the student she deemed worthy to be her prot¨¦g¨¦. It''s not that she discriminated against Raven being a Duelist. It was because she knew next to nothing about ded weapons. Raven would be a waste on her. She once again redirected her attention back to the screen. She pursed her lips to mutter, "It''s starting." *** "Haa.. Haa... How much time do we have left?" "Haa... 29 Minutes." The two heavily panted, trying to grasp for air as they continued forward. They had already left the tundra biome after the timer reached the two hour mark. But while they did, they were ambushed by a group of parties that had teamed up. No, not a group. ''It was a battalion.'' Brandon realized that the students plotted to team up right before the Battle Royale started. After interrogating a student, he found out that they had targeted whichever team had Raven, Amy, and ire. It made sense to not include him since he was quite irrelevant at the moment. ''But after this is all over...'' All of the attention would be on him. Brandon Locke, the Tri-Elemental Mage. Just thinking about it drained Brandon. But there was no helping it. It was the result of his inexperience. Despite reading all those books, the application of all the knowledge was still too hard for him. Especially when it wasn''t a one-on-one fight, but an ambush. Regardless he was somewhat able to apply the knowledge to a certain degree. Evident by his newfound swordsmanship. ''Hopefully I can test out the skill on Raven.'' The whole time, he had never used elerated Cognition. Since there was a cooldown, he nned to save it for when he''d finally fight Raven. Rustle¨C Rustle¡ª His attention was then caught by the rustling of the bushes a few distance from him and Amy. "...!" Two figures emerged from the bushes. Brandon scanned their figures, only to realize it was none other than¨CRaven and ire. The two seemed to have not noticed Brandon and Amy yet as they engaged in conversation. No, they were arguing. Their voices reached Brandon''s ears. "Haa... Haa... This is why we should''ve hid, ire." "Haa... Haa... Don''t me me, I didn''t know all of them would team up against us." "Haa... I''m not Haa.. ming you, I''m just saying the situation could''ve been Haa... avoided." They seemed tired as well, gasping for air. They continued forward, only until they realized Brandon and Amy were in front of them a few distance away. They paused. "Haa... Brandon?" "Hey." Brandon waved at him with a smile on his face. He was tired as well. But it seemed like Raven was even more tired than him. ''Should I go for it?'' As if his mind was read, Amy leaned in to whisper, "This is our chance." It seemed like she had the same idea as Brandon. However... As they turned to look at the two, Raven and ire had already disappeared. "...Behind you, Amy!" Wooosh¨C! Brandon dashed back as Amy did the same. Raven appeared behind Amy, or rather¨Cher shadow. ''Shadow Step, huh?'' Brandon breathed out a sigh of relief as Amy was able to react fast enough to dodge. But if Raven was targeting Amy, then... Tszzzz¡ª! In an instant, ire blinked in front of him. Crackle... nk¡ª-! Her rapier thrusted forward. But Brandon was quick enough to react, and conjured an ice shell to block it. ire''s eyes shot wide open. "What...? Ice?" Raven was taken aback too and took a quick pause. "Brandon... You''re a Deviant?" "Who knows?" Brandon shrugged. It was finally time. He''d saved it just for this moment. [elerated Cognition] At that moment, the gears in his head started turning. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The colors suddenly drained. Emotions were drowned out. Senses heightened to the maximum. He could see it all. Every move. No matter how fast. As if he was inplete control. Nothing escaped his line of sight. Millions of thoughts flooded Brandon''s mind. For every move he''d n on making, a scenario of what would happen yed out¨Call in a split second. ''As I thought, this skill is broken...'' This was the first time he had used [elerated Cognition] in a real fight. He''d only used it when he was studying, trying to assess the skill. After each experiment, he found out the skill had a drawback. When the effects were over, his head started to throb, and he felt like he was having a mental fatigue. An excruciating migraine then urred. Excruciating enough that he found himself banging his head, trying to mitigate the pain. After each experiment, he found out that five minutes was the sweet spot. And to his surprise, the cooldown would shorten to five hours instead of ten. Thus, he had to end the entire thing in five minutes. *** ''Why did he hide his abilities?'' Clenching her rapier tightly, ire focused all her attention on Brandon. Several questions flooded her mind, but now was not the time. At first, she was confident she could beat Brandon. She thought he shared the same affinity as her. Thus, thinking she could handle him. Unlike Raven, ire had never seen Brandon as a threat. After all, he was way below the rankings. How could he be a threat? She never understood why Raven was wary of him. And to her surprise, Amy started paying attention to him the past few weeks. Just what was so special about him? His attitude rubbed her the wrong way. The way he spoke to her as if he was her equal. No, not just her, but to everyone in the group. It peeved her so that someone with such a low ranking had joined their friend group. In her own terms, ''Why is this insignificant nobody hanging out with the cool kids?'' But she put up with him since he''d already cemented himself in the group anyway. She pretended to like him. But it might''ve been obvious to Brandon with the way she spoke to him. But now? Things were different. She clenched her teeth. ''So he was a Deviant this whole time.'' Then why did he hide it? ire stifled augh. ''Ridiculous.'' The person she had looked down on was way more talented than her than she thought. She gripped her rapier tightly. She couldn''t ept the fact that Brandon was actually a Deviant the whole time. It really rubbed her the wrong way. Step¡ª It was then when Brandon strode forward. ire kept her guard up and scanned his entire figure. ''Huh?'' What caught her attention was Brandon''s eyes. They were shot wide open. But his expression... They were nk. His mouth was a closed slit. Step¡ª He continued to walk forward. Each step exuded confidence. Yet at the same time, it seemed like his guard was down. "...!" But it was then when ire could instinctively feel it. Brandon had no openings. Chapter 37: Virtual Simulation [9]

Chapter 37: Virtual Simtion [9]

"Not gonna move?" "..." "I don''t want to waste any time. So I''ll take the initiative." "Arroga¨C" Tszzz¡ª! Brandon instantly disappeared, leaving trails of blue sparks. ire thrusted her rapier forward. But when Brandon reappeared he had already leaned sideways and dodged it. Swoo¨C "Huh...?" She tried to swing her rapier horizontally. But before she could, it was abruptly put to a stop by Brandon''s hand. Crackle... Ice started to protrude from his hand, crawling up all the way to ire''s rapier. "Fuck." ire jumped back, leaving her rapier. Tszzzz¡ª! As soon as shended, she immediately shed forward to kick Brandon, leaving trails of purple sparks. However... Thud! Before she reappeared, Brandon''s hand had already prepared to defend against it, blocking her leg with his palm. Yet Brandon didn''t stagger back, as he''d already conjured ice on the ground to mitigate the force. He could see everything. With the rapier on his hand, he tossed it up high. In the split moment that distracted ire, Brandon once again blinked forward. ire seemingly tried to dodge sideways, trying to increase her speed with lightning. However... [Mana Disruption] Nothing happened. "Wha¨C" Bang¨C! Brandon''s fist d in lightning struck ire right in the abdomen, hurling her away. "Kehut...!" ire spat out blood as she crashed into a tree. Giving her no time to recover, Brandon lifted his palm. Wooosh¨C! A massive gust of wind left his palms as it blew ire away who was slumped down on a tree. The tree was pulled from its roots at the sheer force of the wind as it hurled away along with ire. Tszzz¨C Brandon blinked forward once again to chase ire who was still propelled by the wind. But he abruptly stopped mid-flight. Yet again, he saw iting. Clenching his hand to a fist, he dded his entire arm with blue sparks and swung it horizontally behind him. Bang¨C! The moment he did, Raven appeared behind him, only to be instantly struck on the cheek. "Khuuu..!" Raven spat out blood as he staggered back. Raven rubbed his cheek and said, "...How did you know?" "Obvious." "Huh¨C" Before Raven could finish, Brandon disappeared. Then reappeared and struck him with a lightning dded uppercut. Raven was sent hurling up high. Though Brandon was under the effects of [elerated Cognition], he didn''t actually need it to beat Raven. After all, Raven had a bad habit when fighting. He often appears from behind. Tszzzz¨C As Raven was still suspended in the air, ire shed forward and rejoined the fight, leaving trails of purple sparks. "Too obvious." Before ire couldnd a blow, Brandon had already conjured up an ice wall to block the iing ire. nk¡ª! She crashed onto the wall. "...!" Brandon redirected his attention behind him. "Predictable." Raven appeared behind Brandon''s shadow, only to be abruptly stopped by a gust of wind that protruded from Brandon''s back. "Raghhhh!" ire seemingly recovered her rapier and once again tried to strike Brandon. "Too loud." He redirected the rapier''s trajectory with a small push of his left palm. Crackle... With his left palm on the rapier, his right hand was lifted up and an ice sword materialized. sh¡ª! At that moment, ire was out of the Battle Royale session. She then dematerialized as white particles fluttered in the air. Brandon then turned to the side and grabbed hold of seemingly nothing. No, as he closed his grip, Raven had once again appeared behind him. However his neck was immediately caught by Brandon. Brandon lifted him up, gripping on Raven''s neck. "Kuuuu...!" One sided. The fight was way too one sided. All it took was two minutes to defeat ire and Raven. Despite being the top three students of the Academy, they were helpless against Brandon. It''s not that Brandon could see the future. But with elerated Cognition, he coulde up with a million counters to each and every move Raven and ire would make. Truthfully, Raven was physically stronger than him. But during the entire fight, not once had hended a hit on Brandon. With the ice sword on his hand, Brandon motioned to thrust it in Raven''s chest. Swoo¨C "W-Wait..." "..." "B-Before you kill me, there''s something you should know." "...?" "A-Amy... She suddenly dematerialized... I didn''t k-kill her." "What?" How could that be? Brandon tried to think of how something like that would happen. But despite being under the effects of [elerated Cognition], he couldn''t figure it out. How? Millions of theories flooded his mind in a second. But... Nothing. The only choice was for him to kill Raven, and then himself so they could go back to the real world. It was because he was unsure if they were thest pair standing. That was the only conclusion he''de up with. Without any hesitation, he thrusted the sword on Raven''s chest. "Kughhh...! I''ll see you on the other s¨C" Kszzz¡ª Raven then dematerialized. White particles fluttered from where his figure was. After Raven was gone, Brandon turned the sword around. The tip was directly facing where his heart was located. "Huh?" But before he could thrust, the world around him started turning into blocks of cube. It was desynchronizing. The vast expanse started condense rapidly. And before he knew it, his hand had started to turn into cubes as well. It slowly faded, crawling all the way to his body. The world started to turn dark. "Did I win?" . . He then desynchronized. *** "Something about him is... different." Evelyn''s eyes were peeled to the screen as she thoroughly scanned Brandon''s figure. Ever since the fight started, Brandon felt like a different person. "His eyes..." His pupils weren''t moving, as if it was fixed in ce. His expression was nk, yet his eyes were wide open. He walked forward, indifferently. As if he could see everything. "But he''s just staring... at nothing." Yet for some reason, Evelyn couldn''t find any openings. ncing to her side, Vanessa''s mouth was left agape. She too was surprised. The two did not exchange any words. But they both knew they had the same question. ''What kind of magic is that?'' Evelyn couldn''t see any lingering traces of mana. Unsure. She couldn''t tell what kind of affinity Brandon was using. [Not gonna move?] His voice. It felt monotonous. As if he was detached from reality. In that instant, Brandon had already shed forward. Yet when he reappeared he was already leaning sideways, instantly dodging ire''s rapier before she even thrusted it. "How did he...?" As if he saw iting even before he shed towards ire. From beside her, Vanessa''s voice reached Evelyn''s ears. "Do you think he could... beat us?" "I... I don''t know." "Haa... He''s way beyond expectations." Evelyn could tell that Brandon was way weaker than her. Yet for someone with as much experience as her, she couldn''t find any openings. Wasn''t he struggling in his first fight with the group of mages? He had also put in a lot of effort just to survive the ambushes from the other mages that formed a team. But right now, this moment... Brandon was in a whole different league. As if something inside him switched. An alter ego? Or was it a trump card he was saving? "Haa..." She breathed out a heavy sigh. She realized she could get her answers once Brandon bes her prot¨¦g¨¦. Yes, she would do anything to get Brandon on her side. Knock¨C Knock¡ª! Someone knocked on the door. Again... But since Evelyn was quite introverted, it was Vanessa who entertained the new guest. "Who is it?" From behind the door, a muffled voice reached her ears, a man''s voice. "It''s Professor Darwin, may Ie in?" Who? "Who''s Professor Darwin?" Vanessa stood up and nced at Evelyn. She pursed her lips to say, "Ah, it''s the previous Combat ss instructor. The one you reced." "I see... I''ve never really asked, but why did I take his job?" "Oh, right. Where do I start?" But before Vanessa continued, she walked towards the door and opened it. The door creaked open and a middle-aged man with blue hair emerged. His hair was disheveled, and there were visible bags under his eyes. "What do you need, Professor Darwin?" "I just want to see some of my students before I leave the Academy." Leave? Why was he nning on leaving? Darwin then switched her gaze towards Evelyn. "Hello there. Are you Evelyn Cessna?" "Yes, that would be me." "Ah, we''ve finally met. I''d like to thank you for looking out for my students." The man seemed gentle as he stifled augh. Evelyn felt bad. Darwin seemed to be troubled with circumstances that didn''t allow him to stay as a Professor. "Yes, it''s the least I could do." "Is it okay if I take a look at my students onest time?" It was then when something peeved Evelyn. Something was off about Darwin. But she couldn''t quite put her finger on it. Regardless, the least she could do was allow him to bid his farewells to his former students. "Yes, you can take the shifporter right there. It''ll take you below this room." She then pointed towards a white circr device that was nted on the ground by the corner. "Thank you." Darwin continued to walk forward, as he stepped inside the shiftporter. Voosh! As Darwin disappeared, Evelyn turned towards Vanessa. "So? What were his circumstances?" Before her question was answered, Vanessa turned to sit back on the circr couch. Vanessa then locked her gaze with Evelyn. Her expressions were serious. "You''ve seen the news, right?" "News?" "The one about the Osborn heir''s murder." "Ah, that." Of course she''d seen it. When it first made headlines, everyone was talking about it. Articles filled the inte with theories on who the murderer could be and the crime''s motive. Evelyn was interested as well. But it wasn''t her job to find the perpetrator. Vanessa then continued. "You see Darwin is actually Felix Osborn''s cousin. His full name is Darwin Osborn." "..." Now it all made sense. Evelyn stayed silent as she listened to Vanessa. After the death of Felix, all of the Osborn''s who operated separately from thepany were called upon. They''d put in all their resources to find the perpetrator. Which is why Darwin had to leave the Academy. But it seemed like he was a sentimental man as he returned to the Academy onest time just to bid farewell to his students. But as they continued their discussion, a certain voice grabbed their attention. It was Raven''s. [Amy...?] They then switched their gaze at Amy who seemed to be... Desynchronizing. [What''s happening? I didn''t die. So why am I disappearing?] "...!" Evelyn and Vanessa abruptly stood up and headed for the window. As the two peered down, what met their line of sight was Darwin¨Cwho was carrying an unconscious Amy. Vooosh! A portal materialized. There was no time to waste as Evelyn tried to conjure up mana to break the window. But... She could feel no mana. Nothing happened. "What?" She''d seen this happen a few times when she was working for the guild. There was only one answer. "Mana Seals..." She''d concluded that Darwin must''ve set up a mana seal before he entered the room. The shiftporter wouldn''t work as the entire room was absent of any lingering traces of mana. She then turned towards Vanessa who seemed to notprehend the situation. "Let''s go! Only this room''s mana is sealed. We can still save her if we leave this room." Vanessa immediately nodded and the two quickly bolted out of the room. As they made their way outside, Vanessa shifted the weight of the floor. Cr-Crack...! The ground shook intensely as cracks started to form. BOOM¡ª! The cracked widened, opening a gaping hole and they fell down to the first floor. m! But when they arrived inside the Virtual Simtion room, Darwin had already disappeared. The deed had been done. The realization dawned upon them... Amy was kidnapped. Chapter 38: Responsibility [1]

Chapter 38: Responsibility [1]

*Puff* Puffing on a cigarette, a man with gray hair and ck eyes stood by the window, peering down at the city. He turned around and nced at his desk. On it were a bunch of papers roughly piled up. No, it was a mess. He then approached it and flipped one of the papers. His eyes narrowed. [The Death of the Osborn Heir] [Felix Osborn, a gruesome murder.] [Masked Killer on the loose.] [Osborn Company''s stocks dropped to a new low at the murder of their heir.] "Tsk." The man clicked his tongue. "Useless humans." He grumbled to himself. But only stopped as he took a drag for another puff. *Puff* This man was none other than Francis Osborn, CEO of Osborn Company, and the father of Felix Osborn. And... A Wraith cultist. Wraith cultists were a group of humans that directly worshiped the Wraiths. There were different groups of Wraith cultists, but they all had one goal in mind. To sessfully summon a full fledged Wraith. But so far, no Wraith Cult had ever managed to sessfully summon one. Though, a Wraith would soon corrupt a Wraithbounds body, the limitations of the human body was far too much of a handicap. In other words, the one controlling a Wraithbound''s body was actually a Wraith, but their potential would be restricted. Which is why they had to summon their real body. Wraiths typically feed on someone''s emotions. Particrly, despair. If a human feels like they want to end it all, that''s when the Wraiths would appear in their vision. In exchange for a pact, they would be granted power. But of course, they would omit the part where their bodies would soon be possessed. Truthfully, Francis Osborn was long gone. The one controlling his body was none other than a Wraith. And because of the death of his son, who would soon be a full fledged Wraithbound, he was quite peeved. No, he was furious. It would take ten years just for a Wraith to fully corrupt a Wraithbound''s body. The death of Felix pushed his ns quite far back. But there was one solution to this. Amy Ashfield. He''d done his research on her, and found out that she was a top student in Astrea Academy. This meant that her mana capacity was significantly great. If she were to turn into a Wraithbound, then the limitations of the Wraith possessing her would drastically lessen. Since she was the only witness to the crime, she might''ve seen the perpetrator. Francis could find out who the perpetrator was, and be able to rece Felix with Amy. She was the perfect candidate. Not only that, but he was informed by Darwin that the students would have their Battle Royale session today. Meaning, it was the perfect chance to kidnap Amy Ashfield. They had several targets as well such as Belle Locke. But it would be far too difficult to defeat her, as she was always surrounded with exceptional mages. *Puff* He took a drag again. He then dropped the cigarette and stepped on it against the ground. A sizzling sound echoed in the room. Tzzz¡ª As soon as he did that, he lumped down on his seat. Brrt... Brrt... From his pocket, he felt his phone buzzing. It seemed like someone was calling him. Click¨C The first one to speak was Francis, as he ced the phone near his ear. "So? Did you get her?" ¡ªI did. "Good, take her to the location I sent you." ¡ªUnderstood. Click¨C As the call ended, Francis stood up and grabbed his coat that was hugging the back of his seat. He donned the coat and took a cigarette from a pack and a lighter from his pocket, as he nibbled on the cigarette. Click. Click. *Puff* *** After the incident, all the students were advised to stay at home for the time being. The winner would be announced after things settled down. But of course, Evelyn knew Brandon had won. All of the Professors attended a meeting as Evelyn and Vanessa were the one to debrief them on what exactly happened. Some Professors stayed quiet and listened, while some showed obvious disdain. How could they not? When a student of Astrea Academy¨Can Academy for the elite¨C was kidnapped? The one to have spoken most of the time was Vanessa, since Evelyn didn''t know how to put the situation into words. While no one pinned the me on her, Evelyn thought otherwise. Yes, the only one who med Evelyn was none other than herself. It was her ss, and Amy was one of her students. Yet she was kidnapped right under her nose. It was a huge blow to her reputation. She was distressed by what happened. But she didn''t lose hope. Evelyn had several connections¨Cbeing a member of ''The Waltz''. One of the top guilds in the country. If she would request their assistance, then saving Amy was indeed possible. After the meeting was over, Evelyn roamed the halls. The sound of her heels clicking on the marbled floor echoed. Click¨C Click¡ª But she abruptly paused as two familiar figures entered her line of sight. It was Brandon Locke, and he seemed to be talking to his sister, Belle Locke. No, it seemed like they were arguing as their voices reached Evelyn''s ears. "Why did you hide the fact that you were a Deviant?" "I didn''t." Evelyn was curious as well, eavesdropping on the two siblings'' conversation. But to her surprise, Brandon didn''t continue the conversation, as he walked ahead of his sister. "Wait, where are you going?" "To find Amy." "That''s not your job." "It kind of is." What Brandon said piqued Evelyn''s curiosity. Why was it his job? They were partners, sure. But Amy''s kidnapping had nothing to do with him. He shouldn''t involve himself as that was the police''s duty No, for Evelyn, it was her responsibility. For some reason, Brandon seemed to know something. Brandon continued to walk to the exit as Belle walked the other way. Brandon seemed like he knew just exactly where to go. This intrigued Evelyn even more. ''Does he know something?'' If she wanted to save Amy, then Brandon would be her only lead. Since he was now alone, it was a good time to approach him. And she did just that as she called out for him. "Brandon Locke." "...?" Brandon turned around and met her gaze. "Miss Evelyn? What can I do for you?" "Come to my office." "..." *** Entering her office, the room was clean, free from any speck of dust. It was finely furnished, as each furniture gave the room a symmetrical feel. Seated on her desk, Evelyn motioned for her bag and took out a specific item. It was a lollipop. Brandon tilted his head, puzzled. ''Why did she bring me here?'' Evelyn unwrapped the lollipop and gave it a lick before shoving it inside her mouth. "....?" "Firstly." Slurp~ "Congrattions on winning." "Ah, so I did win in the end?" "Yes." Slurp, slurp~ "Second... Be my assistant." "...?" "Of course, there are incentives in doing so. Such as being personally trained by me." "...?" She removed the lollipop and gave it a lick. Then shoved it back in her mouth and continued. "So? What will it be?" "..." Brandon was taken aback. He knew his performance during the Battle Royale was superb. "Do know that I won''t ept any refusal." But what he didn''t expect was to catch the attention of someone like Evelyn. It was a good offer. Through Evelyn, he could get several references for [Skill Weaver]. And though his control over magic was proficient enough, he realized his control over mana wasckluster. "Are you gonna give me an answer? Or are you just going to continue staring at me?" He had realized this when he would get easily exhausted whenever he used a skill. Not only that, but the way he used his skills was too ''by the book''. "Brandon?" The way he used a skill was only as to how the system told him how to use it. Theory and application was way too different, and Brandon knew that. The only way he could improve was if there was someone who could teach him. Slurp... Slurp~ However, now was not the time for this kind of conversation. Amy was in danger, and he didn''t quite know where she was being held. The only way to get a lead on her location was to head for the Osborn Company building. "...I''m quite ufortable with how you''re looking at me." ''Ah.'' But it was then when an idea shed in his mind. "That''s it!" "Keum...!" As he locked his gaze on Evelyn, she was leaning down and hiding her face. Brandon tilted his head. "Miss Evelyn?" "...I don''t like it when people stare at me for too long" "Huh?" He never realized that he was so lost in his thoughts that he was staring at Evelyn for exactly four minutes. "Oh, sorry." "...It''s okay. So what''s your answer?" "I ept." "Great. We''ll meet up every¨C" "On two conditions." "..." "One, help me save Amy." Evelyn tilted her head, as she continued to lick the lollipop. "...Do you know where she is?" "I have a rough idea." "...How do you know?" "Two, no questions asked." "Is that any way to speak to your Professor?" "No. Questions. Asked." She furrowed her brow. At the end of it, they both came to an agreement. Brandon would be her prot¨¦g¨¦, as long as she never questioned whatever he did. As Brandon left the office, he approached a corner and breathed out a heavy sigh. ¡ª--------------------------- [Quests] [Save Amy Ashfield.] [Rewards:] [EXP: +300] [Stat Points: +5] [System Coins: +100] [Penalty:] [Due to the sheer difficulty, no penalty shall be enacted upon the user.] ¡ª--------------------------- Chapter 39: Responsibility [2]

Chapter 39: Responsibility [2]

"Huaam....?!" Amy was jolted awake, only to realize that she couldn''t move. ng.. ng.. Everytime she moved a limb, a nging sound would echo. She nced down to trace the source of the sound. But to her surprise... It was dark. "What...?" She had realized something was wrong. At that moment, she started to panic. She couldn''t move as if she was bound to something. No, the nging sound had given her a hint that she was indeed bound by chains. By instinct, she tried to conjure up mana to break free from the chains. However... Nothing happened. She couldn''t feel any mana at all. Once again, panic started to rise within her. Drip... Drip... Cold sweat protruded from her forehead and dripped down the side of her cheek. Thest thing she had remembered was fighting Raven inside the Virtual Simtion. But in the middle of the fight, her vision suddenly turned dark. ''How did I end up here?'' She continued to panic. Was it a prank? It had to be. She had never imagined that she would find herself in a situation like this. "Brandon! ire! Rachel! This isn''t funny!" But it seemed less likely for ire and Rachel to do this. "Brandon! Please!" Yet there was no response. Each of her screams reverberated the room. At that, she realized that the room was quite spacious. "Someone! Please..." Her eyes started to strain. No, she could feel a wet sensation dripping down. Of course, she knew Brandon wouldn''t do such a thing. She was just trying to ease herself. She knew the situation she was in was dire. Mana shackles weren''t really an artifact that was released to the public. Usually, the ones who had them would be the police, the government, or someone important. She had concluded that someone who did this to her was thetter. But who? She had never crossed anyone, nor tried to get on their bad side. Besides Brandon. But he was a different case. In the first ce, Brandon wouldn''t be able to do this since he was in the Virtual Simtion with her. "Wait..." She realized once again. What if it was... "...Moriarty." Once again, panic started to rise within her. ng.. ng... Her hands started to tremble, and so did her legs. She could feel that her arms were stretched wide apart, seemingly pulled by the chains. Yet she couldn''t see anything at all. Sob. Sob. Flick¡ª But at that moment, a flicking sound echoed, and light had finally entered her vision. But due to the shift from darkness to light, it was quite overwhelming, as she turned to the side and closed her eyes. It was then when an eerie voice reached her ears, a baritone, a man''s voice. "I see you''ve woken up." "..." Amy gradually opened her eyes, and traced the source of the voice. A figure stood not far from her, a man with blue hair and ck eyes. Though she had never seen the man before, he looked quite familiar. She just couldn''t put a finger on it. Step¨C The man walked towards her. ng¨C ng¨C ng¡ª At that, Amy started to panic again. She trembled and the chains continued to echo a nging sound. Her tears continued to flow down her cheek as she feared for what was next toe. Her head turned sideways as she closed her eyes, continuing to shake. "...P-Please, don''t kill me." "I won''t." The voice reached her. It was close. She realized the man was already a few inches from her. The man leaned closer to whisper in her ear. "As long as you cooperate." "..." ''What does he want from me?'' ''Of all people, why me?'' ''I''ve never done anything wrong.'' ''Why am I the only one here?'' ''Someone... save me.'' These kinds of thoughts piled up in her head. But she knew it was futile. There was no one there to save her. She didn''t even know where she was. So how could other people find her? Scanning the room, her hunch was correct and the room was quite spacious. From what she could see, she had concluded that she was inside a room. To her right was a window that was sealed off by blinders. To her left was... Nothing. The room was painted entirely white for some reason. She then noticed that there were chains protruding from the wall, clinging onto her. The dark purple color of the chain confirmed her suspicions that it was indeed mana shackles. The man then walked towards the window. He lifted up the blinders, and it was then Amy realized where she was¨Cor what kind of ce it was. The room seemed to be situated high up, as she could see the rooftops of several buildings. And it was already dark. So how long was she out? From what she remembered, the Battle Royale wouldst for five hours. It started at 2:00 PM. Which meant the whole session would end at 6:00 PM. The countdown on the timer she hadst remembered was 29 Minutes left. Which meant that before she was left unconscious, it should''ve been 5:31 PM. Yet it was already dark. As if her thoughts were seemingly read, the man shifted his gaze from the window to her and spoke up, "It''s 1:00 AM." "...!" She started trembling once again. Eight hours had already passed since then. Yet no one had found her yet. The realization dawned upon her. Sob... Sob... There was no one to save her. There was no one looking for her. She was all alone. It was unfair. She had never done anything wrong. She relentlessly kept her grades up. She meticulously kept her performance up. She was also one of the top five students within the first years. Yet all of this happened anyway. Why? ''Why... me?'' Sob... Sob... Unfair. What was even the point of doing all that? She should have spent herst days with her mother and sister instead. The man''s voice reached her once again. "Tell me. Who killed my son?" "...?" What was he talking about? Was he ming her? She had never killed anyone. "I know you''re the only witness. It would''ve been impossible for you to make it inside the alleyway if you weren''t following someone." ''What?'' Alleyway...? It was then when she realized. Scanning his figure, he really was indeed familiar. ''This man...'' Was Felix Osborn''s father. She''d seen him a couple of times in the news. Especially when he was interviewed after his son''s death. "Tell me, who killed my son?" "...I don''t know." "Lies." She knew, but at the same time she didn''t. She never knew the identity of Moriarty. The only lead she gave to the police was that there was a man with a mask, a white mask. "..." ''So this entire thing...'' Was because she was there that night. She was kidnapped because she was the only witness. Because she had followed Brandon that night. So was all of it Brandon''s fault? No. In the first ce, it was her own initiative to follow Brandon. She couldn''t just throw him under the bus like that. But... There was another person. The perpetrator... Moriarty. "...If I tell you, will you let me go?" Of course he wouldn''t, she knew that. She had to try anyway. "That depends." The man motioned to sit down on a sofa, facing directly at Amy. "I don''t know his real name. But..." "That''s fine. Just tell me what you know." ''Should I tell him?'' Of course she had to. This was a matter of life and death. In the first ce, this was all Moriarty''s fault. She just happened to be there, in the wrong ce at the wrong time. But... Conflicted. If there was someone that should save her then it should be Moriarty. Not that he should. But she wanted it to be him. But regardless, she had to answer the man. Or else... She would die. She nced up and met the man''s cold ck eyes. Drip... Drip... She pursed her lips as tears continued to flow down her cheek. "On that night..." Chapter 40: Responsibility [3]

Chapter 40: Responsibility [3]

''Was asking for Evelyn''s help the right decision?'' Brandon was unconfident if he could actually save Amy by himself. After all, he knew that Francis Osborn was a full fledged Wraithbound. Due to the details of the quest, he had concluded that the current task was unlike anything he had ever dealt with. It was the first time he would be significantly rewarded. And to his surprise, there was no penalty, just like the time with Alpha. He could recall the time he fought Alpha, how helpless he was against him. Due to his abilities at that time, the system deemed him too weak to actually finish the quest. And now the same thing has happened. Despite having all the skills within his arsenal, the system deemed him too weak to finish the current task. This meant that if he wanted to save Amy, he needed assistance. There were several others he could ask for help. Such as Raven, ire, Reinhard, and Rachel. But he had already changed the plotline enough. He didn''t want to involve any of the main cast anymore. Though it seemed like Evelyn wanted to win his trust for some reason as she epted his conditions. It was quite the proposal. After all, from what he remembered from the novel, Evelyn would soon surpass the current top mage. But once again, there was no point in relying on his knowledge about it. The plot had significantly changed, emphasis on significant. ''After I killed Felix...'' It wasn''t the same story anymore. He had drastically changed the entire thing. His knowledge about the future was useless. Ring... Ring... Ring... "Tsk." He clicked his tongue. "Why isn''t he answering?" For the past few minutes, he had been trying to call Alpha. But it was to no avail. "Of all times... Fuck..." It seemed like Alpha wasn''t answering his phone. It was the first time this had ever happened, and left Brandon frustrated. But he had topartmentalize it for now. If Alpha was busy with whatever Primordial task he had, then it was understandable. "Huu..." He took calm steady breaths. Gathering his thoughts together, Brandon beckoned outside. What met his sight was Evelyn with a lollipop in her mouth, and was seated behind a ck motorcycle. "Here." He tossed a ck helmet towards her and Evelyn clumsily caught it. The motorcycle was recently bought, only after he had read on how to operate one. He then strode towards it and sat at the front. Vroom¡ª As he turned it on, Evelyn¨Cwho was seated behind, anxiously chimed in. "You sure you know how to drive this thing?" "...I''ve read books." "That''s not very reassuring." "Trust me." "Do you have a license?" "No..." "..." After breathing out a sigh, Evelyn donned the ck helmet which covered her entire face. Brandon did the same, putting on his own ck helmet. In truth, they were outside a store that sold helmets. He had just recently bought them as well. From behind him, Evelyn''s anxious voice reached his ears again. "I''m starting to doubt my decisions..." "No time for that. Hold on tight." At his instructions, Evelyn held the back of the motorcycle. Brandon just shrugged. It seemed like Evelyn didn''t want to wrap her arms around her student. VROOM¡ª! "AHHHH¨C" Due to the speed that Brandon was going, Evelyn seemed like she was about to fall off. "Keum...!" She then wrapped her arms around his back. Brandon could feel something round and soft poking behind his back. But he didn''t care, and continued to speed up. Their destination was Osborn Company building. Brandon knew it would be way too obvious for them to be there. But regardless, this was their only lead. If they wanted to save Amy as soon as possible, they had to go there and deal with whatever trap Francis Osborn was nning. Or particrly¨Cthe Wraith possessing him. VROOOOM¡ª! *** Step¨C Step¡ª Raven walked urgent steps as he headed inside a particr room. The hallway was quite spacious, each row painted with a tinge of white and blue. On the wall were portraits of Special Force officers who have made a significant contribution to the task force. But Raven did not spare it any nce. He had seen it several times whenever he went to the Special Force building. He continued to walk urgently until he reached the door. m¡ª! As he entered the room, what met his sight were five figures, all adorning blue technical uniforms. On their chest etched a gold symbol. The Special Force logo. One of them stood by the wall with his arms crossed. Red hair and blue eyes, Clint Stormfall, a fellow member of the Special Force. Seated on the left was a woman, with pink hair and ck eyes, Francine Scott. Seated beside her was yet another woman, Alexandra Meda, with brown hair and blue eyes. To the front was a man, with blonde hair and green eyes, Drake Leonard. And in the middle of it all was their leader, with pale wheat hair and dark eyes, Reina Ataraxia. Reina was also the woman that was in the call with Raven inside the police station. The entire group exuded an aura of sheer confidence. Each and every one of them had the pride of the Special Force behind their back. Reina stood tall. Her pale wheat hair cascading around her shoulders which highlighted her proportional features. The technical uniform wrapped tightly around her and entuated most of her curves. Her seductive allure was enough to even take Raven aback. But regardless, this was their Leader, and he had to show the proper courtesy. The first one to have broken the silence was none other than¨CReina. Raven immediately caught their attention when he entered the room, as Reina lifted her head and locked her eyes with him. "Ah, Sherly, you''re finally here." "Yes... But can you stop calling me Sherly?" "Why? Are you embarrassed?" She shed him a sly smirk. "...No." At that, Reina contoured her smirk into a serious expression. "So? What''s all of this about?" "I know we weren''t tasked to do it but... Please help me save my ssmate." Truth be told, Raven had never given it his all in the fight with Brandon. At least... That''s what he thinks... After Amy seemingly desynchronized, Raven was instantly alerted. Hence, why he headed directly to Brandon. But when he appeared from behind Brandon using [Shadow Step], Brandon instantly attacked him. But the mere fact that Brandon was able to see himing made him feel unease. No, it triggered his instincts to fight him. Thus, he continued to use [Shadow Step] to confirm if Brandon could actually see himing. Again... And Again... And to his surprise, he was countered by Brandon every time he did so. At the end of it, he was snapped out of his thoughts as he informed Brandon about Amy''s sudden disappearance, allowing Brandon to kill him. Right after the Battle Royale, they were instantly debriefed by Vanessa and Evelyn about what exactly happened to Amy. And right after they were dismissed, Raven sent an urgent call to Reina to quickly gather the members. Due to his mental capabilities he had already deduced what exactly happened during the kidnapping. Though it was mere spection, there were no other suspects. After all, the kidnapper was an Osborn. And it seemed like the kidnapper specifically targeted Amy. Since he was one of the people that knew how Amy was involved in the crime, all he had to do was put two on two together toe up with a conclusion. After debriefing the team, their next course of action was to head into the Osborn Company building. Of course, he knew it would be way too obvious if they were actually there. But then again, it was their only lead. As the group were now leaving the room, Raven followed suit. However, Reina turned around to look at him and spoke with a serious tone. "Sherly, you''re staying." "What?" "You''re not a real member yet, and this operation would be too dangerous for you." Raven knew that. Though quite unsure of what kind of dangersy ahead of the operation. But he couldn''t just sit still and let the Special Force handle everything "I''m going." "No." "If you''ll stop me, I''ll go regardless of the consequences." "..." Raven locked determined eyes with Reina, and continued, "She''s a friend. She must be all alone and scared. You think I''ll just stand down while my friend is kidnapped?" "..." Reina seemed taken aback. Raven knew this was the first time he was being impulsive. But he couldn''t help it. He would do anything for a friend. But to his relief, Reina breathed out a sigh and reluctantly nodded. "Haa... Fine. But you must follow all my orders. If I tell you to retreat, you will do as I say." Raven instantly fixed his posture. Back straightened and lifted his arm to sh her a salute. "Understood." Reina immediately gave him a nood. "Good." Chapter 41: Moriarty [1]

Chapter 41: Moriarty [1]

Evelyn was even more interested in Brandon Locke. The reason why she epted such a ridiculous exchange was because he seemed to know more than he let out. She wanted to ask him what exactly is Amy''s involvement in the entire ordeal. Why was she kidnapped? Why did the Osborn''s target her? But due to his relentless ''No questions asked,'' she decided to let it slide. For now. Everything would start to make sense if she sticks close to him. But she was quite taken aback as well when he asked her to help him save Amy. It meant that he harbored no ill will towards Amy. So someone that wanted to save her should have no such intentions. ''Still... Isn''t he way too used to dealing with women?'' From the way he spoke to the girl with the ponytail, to the Princess carry with Amy. Now she was on a motorcycle, embracing the said person from the back. For some reason, Brandon was way too involved with women. ''Is he a womanizer by chance?'' The type of person she detests the most. But she instantly snapped out of her thoughts. She realized Brandon was quite nonchnt when he dealt with women. As if he didn''t actually care. But Evelyn couldn''t trust him yet. As long as she sticks to him, she''ll eventually find out what kind of man Brandon Locke was. But at the moment... Brandon Locke was suspicious. *** VROOM¨C! The two had finally arrived at the Osborn Company building. The building stood tall. Gazing above, Brandon could tell that there were several floors. While the top floor should be the CEO''s office. Yet for some reason... "All the lights are off." From his side, Evelyn chimed in. "They must''ve abandoned it." To his surprise, it seemed like Osborn didn''t n a trap or some sort as the building was entirely abandoned. It made sense. After the kidnapping, once again, it immediately made the headlines. After all, the person that was kidnapped in question was Amy Ashfield¨Ca¨Cstudent of Astrea Academy and the heir to the Ashfield Company. It was immediately ruled out that Osborn Company was involved, or rather¨Cthe culprit in question. Most of the investors pulled out their investments, and thepany was soon to be bankrupt. Despite protecting Amy inconspicuously through Alpha, she was kidnapped anyway. This frustrated Brandon. He had never expected Osborn to do the deed during the Battle Royale. Why...? Were they abandoning everything? He didn''t know. Everything... ''Is my fault.'' It all started when he killed Felix. Regardless, it had already happened, and the next thing to do was to save Amy. Truthfully, he didn''t even know if Amy was still alive. But she had to be. As long as she didn''t tell Osborn who the perpetrator was, she might be left alive. She was the only witness after all. Osborn couldn''t lose such a valuable hostage. Striding towards the entrance, it seemed like the door was locked. Brandon lifted his palm. Foooo! A gust of wind blew the door open. As they entered the building, what met their sight was nothing but darkness. It seemed like the building really was abandoned. From behind him, Evelyn conjured a bright golden light that illuminated the entire ce. ''So this is Celestial Magic.'' Brandon was left in a daze as he stared at the light. But then immediately snapped out of it and scanned his surroundings. Everything seemed to be right in ce. There was no damage of any kind. From a distance, they could see the elevator. But as he thoroughly scanned it, the number of the floors didn''t appear. In other words, it wasn''t working. "So we have to take the stairs..." Evelyn walked ahead of him towards the spiral staircase. "Nope, let''s head back outside." "Why?" "You''ll see." At her instructions, the two immediately beckoned outside the building. "Stand back." Brandon did just that and fixed his gaze on Evelyn who stood in front of him. She sped her hands together and... "...!" Instantly, a pair of radiant golden wings materialized behind Evelyn. The wing seemed to home behind her as it wasn''t directly attached to it. But regardless, Evelyn started floating. She then offered her hand to Brandon who was reluctant in epting it. "Take my hand." But regardless, Brandon epted the gesture and grabbed Evelyn''s hand. As they made their way up towards the final floor, with a flick of Evelyn''s finger, radiant yellow orbs materialized and immediately shattered the window. At that, they entered what seems to be the CEO''s office. Once again, it was abandoned. The whole room was dark, and the only thing that illuminated it was the moonlight. Snap! With a flick of her finger, Evelyn conjured a bright golden orb and immediately illuminated the entire office. Brandon then scanned the entire room. The entire ce was well furnished. Despite the building being abandoned, most of the furniture was left exactly as how it was supposed to be. Truth be told, Brandon didn''t know what he was supposed to be looking for. And it seemed like Evelyn noticed he was at a lost as she asked, "So? What do we do next?" "..." Brandon pondered for a while. He shifted his attention to the papers on the floor. He then realized they were documents. But what kind? He didn''t know. Regardless, he made a stride towards it. Step¨C Step¨C Behind him, Evelyn sat down on the couch. It seemed like she wanted him to do all the work. ''So that''s why she asked me to be her prot¨¦g¨¦.'' A usible theory. ''I shouldn''t have agreed...'' He felt like he would have his work cut out for him. But he dismissed his thoughts as he peered down on the papers strewn before him. At that. [elerated Cognition] His thoughts became clear. Calm. Steady. Colors drained. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. His entire focus. The words on the paper. The entire document. In a second. Next document.. And the next... Again... And again... And again.. . . In a minute, he had finished reading all the documents word per word. Through his findings, each document''s contents were quite different. But what caught his attention was where the assets were being spent on. There were buildings that they''ve seemingly bought out. But one small detail was all he needed to conclude where Amy was being held. From all the buildings they''ve bought, there was one where they decided to construct themselves. Brandon could more or less guess this because the document had the cost of materials for construction. Yet... ''Isn''t this way too obvious?'' The documents were strewn all over the floor, as if it was meant to be found in the first ce. If Osborn had already abandoned everything, then why would clumsily leave such an important lead? He was grasping for straws. However, his uncertainty dictated his next course of action. Brandon abruptly stood up and turned around to nce at Evelyn who was... Slurp~ Once again.. Slurp, Slurp~ Shoving a lollipop in her mouth... "..." "What?" "...Miss Evelyn." "Yes?" "I think I know where they are. But I''m unsure, so I think we should split up." "Okay, where do you need me to go?" At that, Brandon informed her about his findings. He then instructed her to check twenty different buildings, while Brandon would check the one that the Osborn Company constructed. Before Evelyn left, she turned to nce at Brandon and gave him a nod. Brandon nodded in return. With that, Evelyn flew off. Brandon''s next course of action was to look for whatever details were inside the building. He couldn''te in there blind. He then motioned towards the drawers. But before he did... Thump! Thump! Thump! "...!" The sound of footsteps reached his ears. Not just one. But a lot. At that moment, Brandon immediately retrieved the Mirage Mask from his inventory and donned it. Since Evelyn had already left, it was safe to do so. Bang¨C! The door smacked open. A familiar figure emerged. Brandon''s eyes shot wide open though the figure wouldn''t be able to see it as he donned the mask. It was none other than the main protagonist. Raven ckheart, adorning the Special Force uniform. And from behind Raven were a bunch of members from the Special Force as well. When Brandon locked eyes with him, Raven''s eyes shot wide open as well. "You." "Don''t move." "Is that him? The masked man?" Step¨C Brandon stepped back. "Stop, I said don''t move." One of the officers lifted their hand to conjure up whatever skill they nned on using. But once again, nothing happened. "What?!" "What''s wrong?" Step¨C "The mana... It disappeared." "How is that possible?" Another officer lifted their hand as well. Yet, nothing happened. Step¨C "After him!" A woman strode forward, with pale wheat hair and blue eyes. "Catch me if you can..." After muttering those words, Brandon jumped back. "Stop!" Raven''s voice reached him. With Brandon''s front faced towards them, he jumped backwards and fell from the window. "Sherlock." Chapter 42 Moriarty [2] Chapter 42 Moriarty [2] "Sherlock." After the masked man jumped from the window, Raven immediately ran and peered down the window to seek out any traces of the man. Only to find¡­ Nothing. The masked man disappeared, and he was left grasping for straws. ''Who¡­?'' ''Sherlock?'' ''How does he know that?'' These questions flooded his mind. But no matter how much he asked himself, he knew there was no answer to it. There was no one else who knew the Sherlock moniker besides a task force member. "This doesn''t make any sense." Raven grumbled. He tried to [Shadow Step] to the masked man''s shadow. Yet for some reason it was canceled out. As if the mana he tried to conjure had dissipated. And it seemed like he wasn''t the only one confused by this, as he turned around to look at hisrades who wore looks of shock and disbelief. Silence. None of them couldprehend what had just happened. Not even Raven who had the skill [Envenomed Mind] and [Contract expertise]. Skills that directly boosted his mental facilities. The moment he tried to step inside the masked man''s shadow, to his surprise, his skill didn''t work. No, not his skill. But he couldn''t feel any mana at all. Despite having [Eye of Time], all he could do was watch the entire scene unfold as the masked man leapt out of the building. "Tsk." He clicked his tongue as he clenched his teeth in frustration. The sheer fact that he did not have any ounce of an idea on the masked man''s identity had left him frustrated. For the first time, not Raven, but Sherlock had felt so defeated. He then realized just how dire the entire situation was. It was out of his hands. But just as he was about to despair, a hand reached out for him and touched his shoulder. Turning around, it was Reina who wore looks of frustration as well. "That man¡­" "Yeah." "It''s him, isn''t it?" The descriptions that Amy gave fit exactly with the masked man''s features. A white mask with blue runic symbols etched onto it and pale white hair. For some reason, the man''s hair looked familiar. Yet at the same time, he couldn''t put a finger on it. As if an opposite force was keeping him from deducing the man''s identity. He clenched his teeth once again. The fact that the man appeared in the building, on just the same day Amy was kidnapped was suspicious. As if he knew what had just happened to Amy. Was he working for the Osborns? ''No.'' N?v(el)B\\jnn That wouldn''t make sense as he was the perpetrator for Felix''s death. So who? Who could that man be? They had no lead on him. And it seemed like they would be overpowered by him as well. That fact alone left Raven disheartened. After all, the Special Force was by no means a weak group. He felt Reina remove her hand from his shoulder. She looked at her hand and she pursed her lips. "My magic¡­ It wouldn''t work against him¡­ I''ve never felt anything like that before." "I know, I couldn''t conjure up my mana either." "As soon as I started to feel my mana, it felt like it dispersed just as I tried to shape it." Reina breathed out a heavy sigh as she pursed her lips again, and continued, "This is moreplicated than we thought." "It is¡­" As Raven motioned to walk towards the group, he realized he stepped on something peculiar. ncing down, it seemed to be a document of some sort. He leaned down to pick it up and read the contents of the document. Then, his eyes shot wide open in surprise. "This¡­" He then shifted his gaze from the document to the group who seemed to be engrossed by the papers strewn on the floor. "Everyone!" They all turned to look at him. "I have a lead." *** Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Ring¡­ "Tsk, what''s going on with him?" Once again, Alpha wasn''t picking up his calls. VROOM¡ª! Brandon continued to traverse the streets on his motorcycle. The moonlight was drowned out by the light of the buildings and streetmps. He continued to swiftly maneuver between cars. There was no time to waste as he ignored the red light signal from the traffic lights. VROOM¡ª! From his findings, the location seemed to be a hotel. Though it was not constructed under the Osborn Company name. In other words, it was a ghostpany. They seemed to have dodged all legality as the hotel was open for operations. Of course there were other buildings that belonged to thepany. But Evelyn was already headed there. If she somehow finds Osborn, then the situation would easily be dealt with. Which is why he had asked her to go to all the other buildings, while he would only go to one. It was a win-win situation. If Evelyn would eventually find them, then he didn''t have to do anything. But Brandon was quite uneasy. He wasn''t confident if he could actually beat a Wraithbound. And he was quite surprised that Raven and the Special Force suddenly appeared back in the Osborn Company building. But at that moment, he was able toe up with a n. Truth be told, he didn''t n on using [Mana Disruption]. But it seemed like Reina was about to attack him. Though, he wouldn''t mind it as he could just dodge her attack. However, from what he remembered from the novel, Reina was a mage with the fire affinity. If Brandon allowed her to conjure up her mes, there was a high possibility that the documents would burn in the process. The moment he stepped back and seemingly stared at the group, was when he inconspicuously dropped the document. The exact same document with the details of the hotel''s construction and location. He''d left it there on purpose. In other words, he was counting on Raven to deduce where he¨Cor¨Cspecifically Moriarty was nning on going next. The n was risky. If he somehow slips up, then there was no doubt that he would be arrested. "I do hope Evelyn makes it in time before they arrive¡­" It was a contingency n. But if it all works out, then he wouldn''t have to do anything. To reap the rewards of the quest, and save Amy in the process. "Huu¡­." VROOM¡ª! But what he was in fact sure of was that Amy was still alive. He had several theories on what the Osborn''s were nning for Amy. To either lure Moriarty out, or¡­ To turn Amy into a Wraithbound. He was unsure, but it was a possibility. But what he was in fact sure of was that Amy was still alive. "She has to be." From this going forward, it would be all up to Amy if her will is strong enough to not ept the pact. "Skill Tab." ¡ª--------------------------- [Skill Tab] [elerated Cognition] ? Timer: 10 Minutes. ? Cooldown Left: 43 Minutes. ¡ª--------------------------- "I just hope Amy didn''t tell him anything about me¡­" Telling whichever Osborn is with her about Moriarty was fine. But if she said anything specific about seeing ''Brandon Locke'' that night would be quite troublesome. In other words, Brandon Locke would be a target for the Wraithbounds. "Tsk." He could definitely feel panic starting to rise within him, but he had topose himself. Now? He was in a race with time. All the pieces were already set in ce ordingly. All he had to do was y the next move correctly. "Huu¡­" VROOM¡ª! Chapter 43 Moriarty [3] Chapter 43 Moriarty [3] ¡ªI''m in thest building. So far, I haven''t seen Amy or Osborn. Also, most of the businesses seemed to be shut down. "I see. Can youe to the hotel now?" ¡ªDo you think they''re there? "Most likely, it''s the only business they have that''s still resuming operations." ¡ªIsn''t that way too obvious? "It is." ¡ªThen what makes you so sure they are there? "Eyes." ¡ªWhat? "I''ve yet to step foot on the building. But it feels like all eyes are on me. ¡ªborate? "The guards, the guests. They''re trying to hide it. But they''ve been sneaking nces on me from time to time. ¡ªIsn''t it because of your looks? "Miss Evelyn, are you saying it''s because your ''assistant'' is handsome?" ¡ªW-what? N-no, no. What made you even think that? Haa¡­ I''ll be there. Don''t do anything stupid before I arrive. "Sure." Click¨C Evelyn''s hypothesis somehow made sense. But¡­ ''The way they''re looking at me¡­'' There was a tinge of malice from their gaze. For Brandon, it felt¡­ Suffocating. Regardless, he had to put the next phase of his ns in motion. To make Brandon Locke''s alibi. If Evelyn meets up with Raven and the rest of the Special Force, she would most likely ask where Brandon was. He couldn''t just disappear for no reason, it would raise Evelyn''s suspicion. Not only that, but the mere mention of ''Brandon'' would raise Raven''s suspicion as well. Raven would most likely think along the lines of; ''Brandon?'' ''He''s here?''. It would eventually lead to Raven concluding that Brandon and Moriarty are one, regardless of having the Mirage Mask or not. He couldn''t let that happen. The first thing to do was to call the police and alert them of the situation. Any amount of reinforcement was wee, and it was a good alibi. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Click¨C As the call connected, Brandon put on his best ''victim'' impression, making his voice shaky. ¡ªGood evening, this is District 811. How can we¨C "P-please help¡­ me." Click¨C Those were all the words he needed to say. The police should understand the urgency of the situation just from thosest chilling words. Step¨C He continued forward. The entrance of the hotel a few distance from him. In front of him seemed to be two guards who stood by the entrance on both sides. ''Don''t do something stupid?'' He was gonna do exactly that. As he continued forward, he felt the gaze of the guards on him. Face-to-face with them, one of the guards spoke up. "Halt! This is an invite only hotel, name?" "Name?" There was no point in trying to mask his identity. If he had to strike, now was the best time. If he entered the hotel, and started the attack there, he would be surrounded from all sides. "Moriarty." He smirked. "You''re not on the guest lis¨C Ukh!" Before the guard finished, Brandon stuck an ice dagger that was hidden beneath his sleeve on the guard''s throat. They weren''t Wraithbounds, so it was a quick kill. [You have in a Human!] [+5 EXP] "Intru¨C Ukhh!" Tszzz¡ª Brandon instantly shed in front of the other guard, leaving trails of blue sparks and slit his throat with the ice dagger. Silence. Despite the amount of guests inside the building, none of them reacted to what had just happened. No screams, no gasps, nothing. All they did was continue to stare at him. "As expected. This is the ce." There was no need to dy the inevitable. They were all going to die. Step¨C As he stepped inside, all eyes were on him. Brandon felt a chill down his spine at the creepy stares. One of the guests lifted their hand. Noticing this, Brandon instantly disrupted the mana. "Huh?" "What are you doing? Chain him up now!" ''Chain? So they had mana shackles, huh?'' At that, a myriad of ice spears materialized behind Brandon. Cr..Crack¡ª! With a motion of his hand down, the spears turned to rain down on the guests. Screams echoed throughout the entire lobby. As the entire building shook in chaos. Some tried to fend them off, while some tried to flee. But¡­ No one will be spared. An ice chain protruded from the ground and pierced through the air, interlocking with all the guests that tried to flee. From behind him, a wind vortex seemingly tried to reeled him in But Brandon shed forward inside the vortex, leaving a trail of blue sparks. Inside the vortex, he spun around with wind magic boosting his speed. As he did that, the wind dispersed and he once again shed forward towards the guest that conjured it. "Fuck¡­ He''s a Devia¨C Ukhhh!" Spurt¨C! An ice sword materialized from Brandon''s hand and instantly shed at the man. Sparks of magic continued to pierce through the air from all sides. Brandon would narrowly dodge while some wouldnd a hit, there was too much for [Mana Disruption]to be effective. Yet despite that, whenever he had the chance to, he would disrupt at least one mage''s mana. Tszz¡ª Boom¨C! A bolt of lightning struck Brandon as he crashed down on the ground. "Ukeh..!" He spat out blood. Despite increasing his [DEF] stat, it still wasn''t enough to mitigate the damage. Brandon slowly got up as another barrage of magic was headed towards him. "Tsk." He clicked his tongue. There were too many mages for him to take on at once. ''Should I have waited for Evelyn?'' No. He dismissed his thoughts. He knew that if he did that, he wouldn''t be able to cover his tracks. A day wille when they would conclude that he was Moriarty. He can''t allow it to happen. Tszz¡ª He continued to dodge each magic strike. But yet again, some would pass his defense and the magic would strike him. Lightning would pierce through his torso while gusts of wind would blow him, sending him hurling away. Brandon skidded back several meters. Tszz¡ª Regardless, he pushed forward, with lightning magic enhancing his speed and wind magic directly boosting the swing of his ice sword sh¡ª! For every mage he killed, magic skills would pierce through the air and strike him whenever there was an opening. "Haa.. Haa¡­" Suddenly, he felt his breath grow heavy. He suddenly felt like he was tired. "Haha." It amused him. It was the result of overuse of magic skills without any proper mana training. However, there were only a few mages left. He just had to push through. Until. They were all. Dead. Tszzz¡ª [You have in a Human!] [You have in a Human!] [You have in a Human!] . . . [You have leveled up!] [Stat Points: +3] [Skill Weaver capacity has increased!] [You have unlocked the Water Affinity!] At the end of it all, Brandon slumped down and leaned his back on a pir. "Haa.. Haa¡­" He took deep heavy breaths and his vision started to get hazy. Drip¡­ Drip¡­ He lifted his hand to touch his forehead and felt an eerie wet sensation. Lifting it down, it was a familiar sight. Blood. His forehead had started bleeding as blood continued to drip down, covering his eye. "Haha." All Brandon could do wasugh at his pathetic state. Though, things didn''t go quite as nned, what mattered to him were the results. Of course, he could just buy healing potions from the [System Shop] and instantly heal his injuries. But he opted not to. The fact that he was severely injured would greatly increase the chances of his n to work. That was because... "This is even better than I expected..." The fact that he was severely injured would greatly increase the chances of his n to work. "Huuu¡­" Once again he took a deep heavy breath. He turned to scan the room despite his vision getting blurry. Blood stained the walls. Several debris scattered on the ground. All the furniture was torn. And¡­ Magesid dead on the ground. Some were gruesomely split apart. While some had ice spears impaled deeply on their bodies. All because of one man. Brandon Locke. He could tell that his opponents weren''t really seasoned mages. It was just that there were too many of them. But he could tell they were a lot stronger than the mages he had beaten during the Battle Royale. From a distance, the sound of sirens reached his ears. Weeeooo¡­ Weeeoooo¡­ He turned his gaze to the window and realized that the police had finally arrived. m¡ª! The ss door abruptly mmed open, and several figures emerged at the entrance. Chapter 44 Moriarty [4] 44 Moriarty [4] Weeooo¡­ Weeeooo¡­ Arriving at the hotel, Raven, Reina, and the rest of Special Force quickly made it onto the scene. What met their sight was a crowd of police. Police cars encircled the entire area, their sirens echoing throughout the street. While the rest of the police officers hid behind the cars, peering at the entrance. It seemed like they were waiting for more reinforcements. At that, Raven turned his gaze to the hotel. Scanning the entrance, there were two guards thatid on the ground, dead. The hotel''s window had several cracks while blood sttered the entire window. ''No wonder they didn''t rush inside.'' It was a gruesome sight. Whatever happened inside would terrify even Raven. But regardless, this was his ''job'', or rather¡ªthe job of a future Special Force member. He then switched his gaze to an officer who seemed to be on standby. For some reason, the officers had arrived at the scene before them. ''Did someone tip them off?'' He had to ask. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "You." The officer was jolted, turning around to meet Raven''s eyes. "Ah, a Special Force Officer, I''m so d all of you are here." "Mhm, what''s the situation?" "We''ve received a call for help in this location. Yet we couldn''t see where the caller was." "Have you traced the number?" "Yes, the number belongs to a Brandon Locke¨C" Instantly, Raven bolted past the officer, shoving him to the side. "Hey, Sherly! Where are you going?!" Reina''s voice reached him. But Raven paid no heed to it, letting out the other ear. ''Brandon¡­'' He knew Brandon''s personality. He''d seen it during their fight. Despite the stoic personality¨CBrandon had recently shown, Raven could see it in his eyes. After all, they were the same. They were both battle maniacs. And Brandon seemed to be the one to call the police. That meant¡­ Brandon¡­ Was inside the hotel. There was no doubt within Raven''s mind. m¡ª! The door abruptly opened and the rest of the Special Force members followed him. What met their sight was¡­ Chaos. "What the fuck happened here?" Drake walked ahead, scanning the entire lobby. The entire lobby was a bloodbath. Magesy dead on the ground. Some were torn in half, while some seemed to be struck withice spears. There seemed to be bodies that were burnt as well. But despite the gruesome sight, what caught Raven''s attention was a familiar figure thaty on a broken pir, the figure''s back leaning on it. At that moment, Raven abruptly rushed towards the seemingly unconscious Brandon. "Brandon!" "Hey, don''t forget the protocols!" Reina''s voice once again. Yet Raven paid no heed to it once more. His friend was in a critical situation. Ba¡­. Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! Raven could feel his heart race in the off chance that Brandon was dead. As he made his way towards the unconscious Brandon, the first thing he did was gave Brandon''s face a p. Tak¨C Tak¡ª "Hey! Brandon!" Drake seemed to have followed him, ignoring the protocols as well. "You know this kid?" "He''s my friend." Drake didn''t pursue the matter. He seemed to have taken the hint that Raven was not in the right state of mind since Brandon was in a dire state. From behind Raven, someone ced their hand on his shoulder, and her voice reached him. "Move." It was Alexandra, her blue eyes stared deep within his. At her instructions, Raven pulled away from Brandon. Then, Alexandra kneeled down before Brandon, cing both of her palms on Brandon''s chest. Suddenly, a bright hollow light emerged from her palms. At that moment, most of Brandon''s minor injuries started to disappear. This was possible because Alexandra was a mage of a special affinity. [Life] She had the abilities to heal most injuries instantly. While major injuries took quite a while and a lot of mana. This power made her eligible to join the Special Force. Each and every one of the Special Force had special affinities. While some of them were Deviants. The reason for this was due to the qualifications of being a Special Force member. Raven was scouted due to his astonishing deductive skills, and his special affinity. [Shadow] After Brandon was healed, his eyes gradually twitched. He then woke up, slowly opening his eyes. *** "Huaa¡­?" As he opened his eyes, what met his blurry sight were several figures encircling him. "Brandon?" "Ah¡­" To his surprise, Raven had already arrived, giving him a worried look. "Brandon? Can you hear me?" "...Yes." Raven then nodded and lifted his hand up, flexing two of his fingers. "Seriously¡­?" "Okay, it seems like you''re fine." "..." Brandon then scanned the rest of the figures surrounding him. What caught his attention was a beautiful woman with pale wheat hair and dark eyes. ''Reina, huh?'' The descriptions from the Path to Ascension novel were urate. He was familiar with her features since¡­ Reina was his favorite character. Not realizing that he was staring at her, Reina pursed her lips and said, "Kid, we''ve got a lot of questions for you. But for now, go recuperate. There are ambnces outside. Leave the rest to us." "...Okay." Raven seemed like he didn''t listen to Reina at all as he asked Brandon with a worried tone. "Brandon, why are you here? How did you even know this ce?" "...To save Amy." "..." Raven''s eyes shot wide open. This was the perfect chance to clear any connection between him and Moriarty. "Me and Miss Evelyn are working together to save Amy." He had to mention her. After all¡­ Reina and Evelyn were guildmates. Thetter being the superior. "Miss Evelyn?! She''s here?!" Reina''s voice raised loudly. "No, but she''sing." "I see¡­ But what happened here?" Reina tilted her head. She seemed to have forgotten her protocols as well¡­ Though, it didn''t matter. It would save Brandon time. "I fought with all these mages and almost lost." Reina turned around to sneak a nce at the area. Then turned back around and looked at Brandon. "So you''re saying you killed everyone here?" "No¡­ There was someone else. A masked man. I had to pretend to be dead or he would''ve killed me as well." At that, Reina turned around once again and nced at the officers. Their discussion reached Brandon''s ears since they were quite close. "It''s that man, isn''t it?" "There''s no one else." "Haa¡­" They then once again nced at Brandon. "Thank you for the tip. Please rest now and leave everything to us." Brandon then nodded at her words. Raven kneeled down and offered his shoulder. Brandon epted the gesture as the two beckoned at the entrance. As they arrived at the entrance, a familiar figure once again emerged. Her long dark purple hair fluttered from the breeze, and the moonlight highlighted her wless facial features. It was none other than Evelyn. "..." Chapter 45 Moriarty [5] Chapter 45 Moriarty [5] After Evelyn arrived, Brandon was taken to a nearby ambnce that was parked outside. Brandon was seated on the ambnce''s trunk, while a nurse tended to his wounds. Evelyn on the other hand, stood in front of Brandon. Her hands, ced on both sides of her waist as she knitted her brows. The nurse seemed to have recognized her as well, stealing quick nces at her. After all, Evelyn really was a popr mage in the country. It wouldn''t be surprising if a regr citizen were to recognize her. "I told you not to do anything stupid until I arrive." "In my defense, they were looking at me funny." "Aren''t you used to being looked at by now?" "Are you implying that you tend to look at me?" "W-what? N-no, no. That''s not what I¡­ Haa¡­" She breathed a heavy sigh. And as soon as she did Brandon shed her a sly smirk. The moment he did that, all of her worries had suddenly vanished. ''This cheeky brat.'' Truth be told, Evelyn was quite anxious when she was headed for the hotel. She wasn''t particrly close with Brandon, and she barely knew his personality. Yet despite her warnings, she felt like Brandon would do something incredibly stupid. ''And he did just that.'' She redirected her attention to Brandon, who seemed to be lost in his thoughts. Evelyn shed him a warm smile, then pursed her lips. "You may rest now. You''ve done your part. Leave everything to us." The moment those words left her mouth, she had thought that Brandon would once again¡ªgive a witty remark, or even retort. But to her surprise, he didn''t and gave her a nod instead, shing her a warm smile that mirrored her own. "Thanks." Evelyn was taken aback. Brandon was usually stoic and cold, as if nothing could faze him. Even with the whole situation of Amy''s kidnapping, Brandon remained calm andposed. ''So he can make a face like that, huh?'' After they finished their conversation, Evelyn left Brandon with the nurses and headed back inside the hotel. Stepping inside the lobby, it seemed like the Special Force officers were having their discussion as well. The first one to have noticed her entrance was Reina. Reina lowered her head, giving Evelyn a low bow. "Miss Evelyn, I''m so d to have your assistance on this matter." When the two of them operated in ''The Waltz'' guild, Reina would always give her this kind of mannerism as well. The reason for this was because Evelyn was Reina''s senior, and superior in the guild. While Reina was 21-years-old, Evelyn was 25-years-old. Despite not operating under the guild for the current operation, it seemed like Reina would still give her the proper courtesy anyway. Evelyn then nodded at Reina''s gesture. She was quite fond of Reina. She would think of her like a cute junior that would always follow her around. But of course, this was out of the guild''s jurisdiction. So Evelyn would have to follow the task force''s proper protocols. Reina stepped forward to face Evelyn. She pursed her lips and said, "Miss Evelyn, allow me to introduce you to one of our members." The moment those words had left Reina''s mouth, a tall man with red hair and blue eyes, stepped forward. The man gave her a light bow as well. He then raised his head and locked eyes with Evelyn. "Greetings, Lady Evelyn. My name is Clint Stormfall, and I specialize in reconnaissance." Clint then looked above the ceiling, then redirected his gaze back to Evelyn, and continued. "With my [Heat] affinity, I can see the heat signature of anyone within a radius." Evelyn raised her brow. She knew that each member of the Special Force had unique special affinities. But it was quite surprising for her, as she has never met anyone with the [Heat] affinity. Snapping her out of her thoughts, Clint continued. "Lady Evelyn, I heard you could fly. I can scan the rooms of this hotel easily if you were to take me with you." "..." She hesitated. Evelyn didn''t like the idea of holding a man''s hand. Wait¡­ A memory of Brandon holding her hand and ascending up the building from back then¨Cetched on her mind. ''He''s my assistant¨Cerm¡­ Prot¨¦g¨¦.'' That''s what she told herself. She snapped out of her thoughts. She looked at Clint who seemed to have noticed her reluctance of the whole idea. "If you''re ufortable with it, then¨C" "No, it''s a good n." She abruptly cut him off. "O-okay." Aftering to an agreement, the group beckoned outside the hotel. Evelyn shifted her gaze up. She got into a stance, and waved her hand at the group. "Stand back." The group did just that, and the moment the group stood back, a pair of radiant golden wings materialized behind Evelyn. The shocks and awesing from the Special Force, and several other police officers behind Evelyn reached her ears. "Woah!" "It''s beautiful¡­" "So this is Lady Evelyn''s famous Celestial magic¡­" Evelyn secretly grinned at thepliments. Celestial magic was her pride after all. Then, she turned around to meet Clint''s gaze. She gestured her hand for him to take it. "Let''s go." Clint nodded at the gesture and took her hand. Fwooooo¡ª! At that, the two instantly flew upwards. Evelyn gazed up, while Clint was peering down. Evelyn took a quick nce at Clint who she could feel¨Cwas trembling¡­ ''...Is this man really a Special Force officer?'' But she paid it no mind and continued ascending upward. Evelyn then pursed her lips. "So? What can you see?" "A-ah, I can see several figures in each room. There are quite a lot of them." "Any signs of Amy?" "Not yet, maybe at the top floor?" Evelyn nodded and continued to ascend. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om As soon as she did, Clint stuck his other hand and pointed at a specific room from above. "I think I see them. There''s one man in that room, and¡­" As Clint''s next words left his mouth, seething rage welled up within Evelyn. "There''s a girl¡­ Bound by chains¡­" Evelyn clenched her hand that was holding Clint''s hand tightly. She ascended the speed even more, the wind pressure fluttering her dark purple hair. However¡­ Xiu! Before Evelyn could react, an ice arrowunched from a specific room and pierced through the air, shattering the window, and striking Evelyn down. Though it pierced Evelyn, the arrow''s mana was inefficient enough to actually damage her. There was a significant gap between the mage that conjured it and Evelyn. Yet despite that, it didn''t mitigate the force of the impact as Evelyn was sent hurling down. Bracing for impact, Clint immediately called out to the rest of the Special Force officers from above. "They''re on the top floor! Be careful there are mages waiting for you." The officers immediately nodded and beckoned inside. Clint turned towards Evelyn, locking eyes with her. "Lady Evelyn, can you do something about this?" "Nope." "Wha¨C" Though Evelyn can fly with her [Celestial Wings], she can''t control its trajectory once its gravity is shifted. Since the arrow struck her, the sheer force of the impact abruptly changed the wing''s trajectory. Thus¡­ Crash¡ª! Chapter 46 The Phoenix [1] Chapter 46 The Phoenix [1] "Fuck, why does it only have 36 floors avable?" Trying to make their way up the highest floor¡ªvia¡ªthe elevator, they paused abruptly just at the 36th floor. From what they knew about the hotel from the documents that Raven read, the hotel had a total of 50 floors. As the door gradually opened, what met their line of sight were sparks of magic hurling towards them. With [Shadow Step], Raven narrowly dodged and appeared behind a mage, instantly slitting the mage''s throat. The rest of the Special Force conjured a wall of mes¨Cparticrly¡ªReina. Though, mes¡ªit wasn''t just any ordinary mes. They were holy mes. Reina was nicknamed, "The Phoenix", due to her special affinity. [Holy] Her mes could burn, yet they could also heal her. But it could only heal her alone. The form she currently took was a special ability that most mages with the special affinity had. Elemental Assimtion. They would be one with their evolved element. For the rest of her squad mates¡­ "Akh..! Leader, it''s way too hot!" "Noints." As the mes dispersed, Reina strode the hallways with poise regal. Holy mes erupted from her body, burning whatever poor mage it would find. Her pale wheat hair would continue to flutter, highlighting her wless features. She didn''t even lift a finger. All she did was walk¡­ Walk¡­ And walk¡­ And walk¡­ With mes protruding from her body. Like an incarnation of the Phoenix itself. "Are we even needed here¡­?" Her squad mates could only tilt their heads with an awkward expression. This kind of scene was quite familiar to them. It had happened more times than they could count. To the point where their old squad mates had left the group on their volition. They would leave withints along the lines of; "I didn''t join this force just to be an extra!" "What Special Force? It''s just Reina and Reina alone!" Yeah, she was the ''It'' girl of the entire Special Force division. The only reason this batch of officers decided to stay was because most of them had support skills. Though, they werepetent inbat as well. N?v(el)B\\jnn They were all Deviants¨Cwith only their special affinities leaning on the supportive side. "Eeek..!" One of the mages slumped down a corner with a fearful expression. Reina leaned down in front of him and¡­ Smooch~ She blew him a flying kiss. Holy mes left her moist lips and instantly burnt the mage, from his flesh, down to the bones. Until he was turned into nothing left but ashes. While she was dubbed ''The Phoenix'' to the public. The rest of the Special Force thought of her as something else. A sadist. Click¡ª Click¡ª She continued to stride the hallways with regal. The sound of clicking from her heels reverberated the hallways but would instantly be drowned out by the sound of screams and the burning of fire. This continued until¡­ The screams stopped. At that, Reina single handedly wiped out an entire group of mages that resided in the 36th floor. Licking her lips, she gradually dispersed the mes. She then scanned the entire hallway. Scorch marks etched the entire halls, while ashes were scattered everywhere. From behind, her squad mates had already dealt with the mages that seemed to have survived the ordeal. Most likely by dodging or hiding. "Good." She nodded at them, while they gave her looks of disgust. Though she didn''t mind it. They were squad mates that had stuck to her when all the others had left. It was then when she noticed a particr someone was missing. "Hm¡­? Has anyone seen Sherly?" One of her squadmates¡ªparticrly¡ªFrancine, pulled her sword free from a dead mage. Francine then looked around, moving her head from all sides and abruptlynded her gaze on Reina. "Now that you mention it he isn''t here." "Haa¡­ I told him to follow my orders, yet he has never done that ever since we got here¨C" Rumble.. Rumble¡­ The moment those words left her mouth, the floor above them shook intensely, alerting the entire squad. "...!" "Let''s go." After the gesture¡ªonce again, mes emerged and encircled Reina. Voooosh¡ª! Then, the mes spiraled upwards, instantly burning the ceiling and left it with a scorched gaping hole. The mes gradually lowered down, and contoured itself into a pair of ming wings¨Cor rather¡ªPhoenix Wings. Though, both Evelyn and Reina could fly with their wings. The difference between the two was that Reina''s wings consumed a lot of mana. It had to be said that Reina''s holy mes would over exhaust her mana as well. But Reina was at the top of her ss with absurd mana capacity. It would take a while until she would fully empty her tank. Such was Reina''s fighting style. In other words, she was walking and talking waste of mana. At that, she flew up to the 37th floor. But when she got there, the sight left her surprised with her mouth left agape. "This¡­" *** After leaving Reina and the rest, Raven immediately took the stairs and made it all the way to the 37th floor. As soon as he stepped into the hall, a group of mages surrounded him. Sparks of magic were immediately hurled his way but with [Shadow Step], he could easily dodge and reappear from one of the mages'' shadow. Yeah, it''s his favorite ability. sh¡ª! With two daggers in both hands, he easily dealt with the mage who seemed to have been caught off guard. "Fuck¡­ a special affini¡ªUkh!" Before the other mage finished, Raven threw one of his daggers at him, impaling him deeply. Swoosh¨C! [You have in a human!] [+5 EXP] Swiftly dashing across the halls, a barrage of magic pierced through the air towards him. But with [Adrenaline Surge], his speed reflexes were greatly enhanced, as he swiftly dodged each attack. Boom¨C! The hall echoed as debris continued to fill the area. Holes etched on the walls due to the sheer impact of the magic attacks. With [Shadow Step] on a short cooldown, Raven narrowly dodged each attack. While some would catch him off guard. "Ukh..!" A spark of lightning magic pierced him, but Raven immediately recovered and Shadow Stepped, entering the mage''s shadow. sh¡ª! "...!" But as soon as he killed him, a figure holding a sword charged towards him. A duelist. ng¨C! Caught off guard once again, Raven parried the de but was instantly kicked on the side by another duelist. Thud! Raven skidded back several meters. And as he turned around, sparks of magic were sent towards him. Booom¡ª! However¡­ [Shadow Step] Raven instantly reappeared behind another mage and swung his dagger down. "Haa¡­ Haa¡­" Raven had finally been able to catch his breath. But that didn''tst for long as the two duelists had already charged towards him. ng¡ª ng¡ª! With only one dagger in his hand he continued to parry each strike. Swiftly maneuvering whenever one of the duelists staggers back from the force. ng¨C ng¡ª ng¡ª! This persisted as they continued to trade blows, parrying each others'' weapon. Kracka! Two bolts of lightning headed his way. The kind of attack Raven had been waiting for. As the lightning inched even closer, Raven took the opportunity and shadow stepped behind one of the duelists. Tszzzz¡ª Raven stuck his dagger behind the duelist''s back and the lightning instantly finished him off. A friendly fire. "Heh." Raven''s lips curled into a sly smirk. sh¡ª! [You have in a human!] [You have in a human!] . . Chapter 47 The Phoenix [2] 47 The Phoenix [2] "Haa¡­ Haa¡­" After single handedly clearing five floors, Raven took a breather and slumped down on a wall. Cuts and grazes etched all over his body, causing him to bleed profusely. N?v(el)B\\jnn "Haa¡­ Haa¡­" If he could, he would''ve chugged down a healing potion to instantly fix himself up. However, he had long ran out of system coins to actually buy a single potion. What he opted for now was to wait for Reina and the rest to catch up to him. Vooosh! And as if his wishes were granted, a towering inferno spiraled from beneath¨Cjust in front of him, leaving a scorched gaping hole on the ground. From the hole, emerged a familiar figure, adorning a pair of ming wings that resembled a Phoenix. Her long pale wheat hair fluttered as her feetnded on the ground. Her wless facial features immediately registered in Raven''s mind despite his vision getting hazy. "R-Reina¡­" Though, despite voicing out a tone in relief, Reina knitted her brows as she locked her gaze with him. "How reckless." "Heh." All Raven could do was sh her a smirk. He knew how reckless his actions were. From all themotion that ensued, there was a high chance that Francis would escape with Amy. He had toe to her rescue as soon as possible. In truth, he would''ve liked it if Brandon were there to assist him, saving Amy together in the process. But Brandon had already done his part. It was all up to him now. Or rather¨Cthem. "Hup!" And another. And another¡­ Until the rest of the Special Force arrived. They all turned to look at him with a frown. But Raven had expected it already and shrugged it off. The first one to approach him was Alexandra, knitting her brows as well. "Idiot." She then kneeled down in front of him and ced both of her hands on his chest. Suddenly a pure white glow illuminated from her hand, and Raven''s minor injuries started to disappear. This continued until most of his injuries were stabilized. Such was the close rtionship of the Special Force members. In short, they treated each other like family, and Raven was no exception¨Ceven if he wasn''t a full member. "Thank you, Alexandra." "Mhm." Alexandra shed him a smile and nodded. She wasn''t one of many words and Raven knew that. But despite that, Alexandra had a warm personality, and that''s what Raven liked about her. Raven then got up and turned towards the group. "Guys." At his call, everyone turned to face him. "What is it?" "...Don''t you think something feels off?" Raven walked ahead. They all gave him space as he continued forward, but abruptly stopped and stared at the staircase. "We''ve been here for a while now, causing quite themotion." "What about it?" Reina tilted her head, puzzled. "All themotion, all the fighting, and yet Francis or Darwin Osborn has yet to stop us." At his words, all the officers present had their eyes shot wide open. The realization had dawned upon them. Raven turned around and met their shocked gazes. "Are they really here?" "But Clint said they were. He had never been wrong before." Drake anxiously retorted. "What if he was wrong? What if it was an illusion?" Raven had a point. It wouldn''t be far fetched to say that they could''ve been had. But if they were wrong, then there was no other lead. And¡­ "That man¡­ What was his name again?" "If I remember, the witness called her¡­ Mori? Moriarty?" "I see. But where is he?" "Maybe on the top floor?" They were all out of ideas. Their next course of action was to push through and see the end of the operation. At that, the group beckoned to the next floor. Starting from the 42nd floor, it was once again a familiar sight. However¡­ What they thought was the same setup was far from what they had imagined. Making their way to the center of the hallway, they were surrounded from all sides by¡­ Wraith cultists. Slurp~ Reina licked her lips. As soon as she did, Drake''s scream echoed the entire hallway. "N-not again!" Vooosh¡ª! A wall of holy mes instantly encircled them. Reina turned to nce towards them and shed them a sadistic smile. "Don''t move." Click¨C Click¡ª Striding forward, the clicking of her heels echoed the entire hallway. For a moment, there was only silence. Click¨C Click¡ª Then¡­ Vooosh¨C! Holy mes protruded from her feet, then her legs, slowly crawling all over her body. Bang¡ª! A pair ofrge Phoenix Wings emerged from behind her, instantly scorching the walls and the coteral damage it ensued. mes cascaded all over the hallway, burning any of the poor mages it met. The mages tried to counterattack, hurling Reina with a barrage of magic. Yet the mes would act as an armor and instantly dispersed whatever magic was thrown her way. "Fuck¡­" "The Phoenix? She''s a walking nuke!" Raven could hear the rest of the officers converse. While he stared directly at Reina in awe. It was a familiar sight to him. The power that Reina had. ''I want to catch up to her.'' The halls continued to burn, and no matter what kind of magic they threw at Reina, she didn''t spare a single nce in that direction. All she did was walk forward and¡­ "Hahahahahahahahaha." Laughed. "Fucking sadist." Drake could only utter those words. They knew they were only extras whenever Reina was around. But they didn''t mind it. Despite all the profanity, they respected Reina as she respected them back. They continued to watch and let the destruction ensue as the sadistic Phoenix burned down the entire ce. "Hahahahahahahaha." "Hahahahaha." "Hahahahaha." * At the end of it all, it seemed like all the mages had gathered back on the 42nd floor. It seemed like segregating their forces didn''t work out for them due to Reina. Yet despite what they did, they eventually met the same fate. All Drake could utter were the words, ''A walking fucking nuke.'' When they entered the 43rd floor, there were no signs of life. The same went for the next floor. And the next¡­ And the next¡­ Until they arrived at the 50th floor. Truthfully, they didn''t know just how powerful Francis and Darwin were. But Darwin was eligible enough to be an Astrea Academy Professor, so he had to be significantly powerful. While Francis was the head of the Osborn family. Meaning, he should be several times more powerful than Darwin. At that, the group stood in front of the door. "This should be the room, right?" "Yeah, we''ve checked every room." Reina stood by the door while Raven answered from behind her. "Okay, stand back." The group nodded and took a step back. At that moment, mes gradually emerged from Reina''s hand. Slowly.. And slowly¡­ Until.. VOOOOOSH¡ª! Chapter 48 Beyond it All [1] 48 Beyond it All [1] *Puff* "So? Have you finished covering up your tracks?" ¡ªEverything is all settled, Sir Francis. "Good." Francis took a quick nce at Amy who was battered and bruised. She was once again unconsciously lying on the ground. He then continued. "This girl¡­ All she hadtold me was information I already knew. The man with the mask, but¡­" Francis clenched his teeth. "...It doesn''t exin why she would follow Felix in that alleyway¡­" ¡ªWhat are you trying to say, Sir Francis? "There was definitely someone else there, the person she was actually following." ¡ªSo you think there was a fourth person in the crime scene? "Only to my spection, but most likely." ¡ªDo you think that person wille? n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Francis knitted his brow skeptically. "Huh? How could that happen? No one else knows our connection to this hotel besides the staff here." ¡ªAh, yes. That''s right. The staff for the hotel that Francis hired were aspiring Wraith cultists. Though, at the moment, they''ve yet to prove their capabilities to Francis. It had been 30 minutes since Francis had interrogated Amy. And the whole time, all she did was pathetically cry in front of him. This peeved Francis so. But regardless, he had to put up with it. All he had to do was inflict as much fear on Amy, to the point where she would want to end it herself. But¡­ He turned to nce at her once again. ''Her will is quite admirable.'' Despite the gruesome torture that erupted, Amy wouldn''t change her statement. ''It''s always the man with the mask. As if that kind of information wasn''t all over the inte.'' Francis then snapped out of his thoughts and replied to his nephew, Darwin. "Anyway,e here now." ¡ªI don''t think that would be possible. "...!" Francis was alerted. The voice that spoke wasn''t Darwin''s. It was another man. Who? "Who are you? What did you do to Dar¨C" Click¡ª Before he could continue, the call was abruptly cut off. Smack¡ª! "Fuck." Francisshed out and threw his phone on the ground. Wraith''s were usually quite stoic. But being in a pact with Francis'' body for over 18¨Cyears had significantly changed the Wraith''s personality. Francis'' personality was blending with his own. Which is why he needed to summon his real body as soon as possible. But¡­ "That time wille after I summon the master." In other words, the Wraith that he served. There were different sses of Wraiths. A Neo, and a Lesser. Though, they were still ssified as Wraiths, While the one that stood above them would be the one they gave their subservience to. A full fledged Wraith. Though Neos and Lessers were still ssified as Wraiths, the gap between them and their master was iparable. And though the Wraith that took over Francis seemed to be the leader, he was actually a Lesser. 14:59 Yet he was deemed to be the leader as he was the first to make a pact within his n, and turned a human into a Wraithbound. His sole duty as the leader was to summon all of his nsmen. And at the end of it all, their master. "Huuu¡­" He breathed out a heavy sigh. It seemed like Darwin waspromised for some reason. "Fuck¡­" Whoever the other man was, Francis didn''t care. After all, it was just Darwin. Darwin would be Francis'' nephew. But Francis was long gone, reced by a Wraith. It was then when Francis noticed a small detail. He turned to look towards the door. "Huh?" He had realized something. It was quiet. Too quiet. "Weren''t there supposed to be guests?" Francis abruptly got up and motioned towards the door. Creak¡­ After opening the door, he peeked outside, only to realize that there was no one around. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­! "...!" He could hear the ground beneath him rumble. "What?" He was in the room the whole time, yet he had never heard the sound until he went outside. Thus, he decided to confirm if that was actually the case. He then went back inside the room as he shut the door. "Huh¡­?" It was awfully quiet. Once again he did the same thing. Going outside and back inside. Again. And again¡­ And again¡­ "This doesn''t make any sense¡­" It was the same result. If he stood out in the hallway, he could definitely hear rumbling. But if he was in the room, it would be eerily quiet. "Wait¡­" He realized¡­ At that, he thoroughly thrashed the room, looking for a specific device. Books were now strewn on the floor. Bang¡ª! Bookshelves tumbled down. Documents scattered, fluttering in the air. "Fuck, where is it?" He continued to thoroughly scan every inch and every corner of the room. Until¡­ He finally found it. He held the device in his hand. A white circr device with magic circles etched on to it. It was a Sound Barrier Device. Cr...Crack¡­! He gripped it tightly until it broke down into pieces. At that moment, Francis started to panic. Who could have ced it here? There was no one else that had ess to the room. Besides¡­ "Darwin¡­" But¡­ "There''s no way he would betray me¡­" However¡­ It was possible. Darwin wasn''t a Wraithbound yet. "But why?" "Didn''t he want to be a Wraithbound?" "Fuck¡­" Francis disheveled his hair, ruffling it as hard as he could. "Wait¡­" Could it be? "...The man." Through his spections, it seemed likely that Darwin was working for the man who took the call for him. "Haa¡­" Things weren''t going well for him as he had hoped. He had yet to sessfully turn a human into a Wraithbound. Felix was the only exception, and yet he died. Despite the aspiring cultists he had gathered, none of them seemed to bepatible to be a Wraithbound. He turned to nce at Amy, still unconscious. She was the only one that waspatible at the moment. "Fuck, is that girl still sleeping for." At that, Francis made his way to the sleeping Amy. Thwack¡ª! He struck his feet on her face. Yet she didn''t wake up. Thwack¨C Thwack¡ª Thwack¡ª! "Fucking wake up!" *** ''Just hold it in Amy, he''ll stop sooner orter.'' Thwack¨C Thwack¡ª Thwack¡ª! Despite all the kicking she suffered, Amy persisted, secretly clenching her teeth to somehow mitigate the pain. Yet she knew how futile of an attempt it was. ''It hurts¡­'' Her entire body ached from the severe beating, and she could feel her lungs filled with the heat of the smoke. Thwack¡ª Thwack¡ª! She held back her tears. If she would give Francis the idea that she was awake, then only time would tell what would happen to her. ''Please¡­ Someone¡­ Save me¡­'' The moment Francis destroyed the device, she had also heard the rumblinging from below. She realized¡­ Someone wasing. After all the despair, she could finally be hopeful. Thwack¡ª Thwack¡ª! All she had to do was endure the pain. To persevere. To persevere. To wait until whoever her savior was to arrive. . . Chapter 49 Beyond it All [2] Chapter 49 Beyond it All [2] The entrance to the room was engulfed in holy mes, scorching it down. As soon as the mes dispersed, the room became visible. What met their line of sight was a room painted entirely white and¡­ Francis, mercilessly letting out his frustrations on an unconscious Amy. As soon as Raven made out the sight of Amy, he clenched his teeth and gripped his dagger as tightly as he could. "Amy!" Step¨C Raven immediately stepped forward. But as soon as he did, Reina got ahead of him and motioned with her hand for him to stop. "Stand down, Raven." Raven was taken aback. Reina would usually poke fun at him and call him Sherly or Sherlock. But now¡­ Things were different. Reina was serious. Reina pursed her lips as holy mes gradually crawled up from her feet and onto her torso. The rest of the Special Force seemed to take the hint as well and stood back, letting Reina do her thing. "That man¡­" She paused, the mes gradually engulfing her entire being. "...Is a Wraithbound." At the mention of ''Wraithbound'', Raven''s entire body shuddered. Cold sweat started to bead from his forehead, dripping down. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! He felt the quickening of his heartbeat as he stepped his foot on the ground. "Haa¡­ Haa¡­" Suddenly, he felt his breath grow heavy. Shifting his gaze to Francis, Raven''s pupils dted the moment he caught a glimpse of his eyes. ''Those eyes¡­'' A familiar sight. Just like that of a Wraith. He then peered down at his hands. They were trembling. After all, the day when Raven tried to take his own life¡­ A Wraith appeared in his vision. The Wraith offered a pact with him in exchange for power. However... Raven didn''t ept. Yet for some reason, he was still alive, despite jumping off a building. That mere fact made Raven question his entire being. ''Did I ept the offer?'' ''How am I alive?'' ''But I know I didn''t¡­'' That day¡­ It haunted him.. ''Everyday¡­'' He clenched his teeth. ''Every hour¡­'' Gripping the handle of his dagger. ''Every minute¡­'' Drip¡­ Drip¡­ Blood started to drip from his hand. Step¨C He took a step back. "Raven?" Alexandra''s voice. Drowned out by the overwhelming fear that engulfed him. At that, Alexandra approached him. Raven suddenly felt warmth spreading across his back. He turned around only to find Alexandra, embracing him. As she continued to embrace him, a pure white glow illuminated from Raven. The moment it did, all of Raven''s fears vanished. His mind cleared and the anxiety that threatened to engulf him receded. It was one of Alexandra''s skills, [Serene Aura]. By channeling the essence of life itself, Alexandra can wash away fears, doubts, and negative emotions, recing them with a sense of serenity. "Huu¡­" Raven took deep and steady breaths. He then turned towards Alexandra who had already pulled away from the embrace. "Thank you." His tone with a hint of relief.While Alexandra nodded and gave him a warm smile. "Mhm." At that, Raven nced in front of him. While he was gripped by fear, Reina and the rest of the task force¨Cexcluding Alexandra, were already engaged inbat with Francis. And they were¡­ Losing¡­ *** Click¨C Click¡ª Striding forward, Reina narrowed her eyes and met Francis'' gaze. ''How many years has he been a Wraithbound?'' She couldn''t tell. But what she did know was that Francis was a full fledged Wraithbound. ''Who knew the head of a major conglomeration was actually a Wraithbound.'' She stifled augh. It was ridiculous. To think a Wraithbound was right under their noses the entire time. The only reason she knew was because Francis didn''t hide it anymore. His aura seethed with Wraith miasma. And for Reina it felt¡­ Suffocating. *Puff* "Hm? Who are you?" Truth be told, Reina was quite famous as well. Though not as famous as Evelyn. Despite adorning the Special Force uniform, it seemed like Francis didn''t recognize Reina at all. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om No, he definitely recognized the uniform, just not the wearer herself. Click¨C Click¡ª With the soft clicking of her heels, Reina kept her guard up. *Puff* Francis peered his gaze away. And with a long drag of his cigarette, the smoke gradually became thicker and thicker. Until¡­ She realized the entire room was now engulfed in a thick fog of smoke. Wooosh¡ª Suddenly, she could see silhouettes that seemed to look like Francis. Vooosh¨C! She extended her hand to shoot a small torrent of mes at the figure, only to disperse the smoke. Yet the silhouette disappeared, and the smoke thickened once more. She had to be careful with the mes'' trajectory as it might burn the unconscious Amy. It was quite the handicap, especially with her destructive affinity. But she was the only one up to the task. She deemed the rest of the Special Force to be subpar for Francis. It''s not like the members were weak. But Francis¡­ He was in a whole different league. And Reina knew that too. Even she couldn''t feel like she had any chance of victory. But for the moment she was the only choice. ''If I could just buy enough time for Miss Evelyn to arrive.'' It had been quite awhile since they re-entered the hotel. ''So what''s taking Miss Evelyn so long?'' But she knew Evelyn wasn''t stupid. Wherever she was¡ªand whatever she was doing, it would most definitely be to increase their chances of defeating Francis. Redirecting her attention to the smoke, a silhouette emerged once again. No, it wasn''t just one but two silhouettes. Wooosh¨C The silhouettes would disappear then reappear, inching closing to Reina. Vooosh¨C! She reinforced herself with holy mes. The mes gradually crawled up to engulf her entire figure. *Puff* As the puffing sound of a cigarette reached her ears, an invisible force hurled Reina away, crashing onto the wall. BOOM¡ª! "Ukh!" Before she couldprehend what had just happened, three more silhouettes entered her vision. Wooosh¨C! Before the silhouettes managed to inch closer to her, pink crystals protruded from the ground and dispersed the smoke. But right as the smoke dispersed, it thickened up once more. Reina shifted her attention to trace the source of the crystals. What met her sight was the figure of a girl with pink hair and ck eyes. It was Francine, and she had entered the smoke fog. "Francine! Get out of here! This smoke¡­ it''s his domain¡ªUkeh!" Before Reina could finish, once again¡ªan invisible force smashed her on the ground. "Leader¡ªUkhh!" The same went for Francine who was sent crashing on the wall. "Fuck¡­" Drake urgently entered the smoke. With a knife in his hand, he immediately slit his wrist. Drip¡­ Drip¡­ His wrist bled profusely. p! Extending his arm, he sped his hands together. Then¡­ Pshhhh¡ª! The blood from his wrist spiraled in his palms and was shot out indefinitely. This was possible because of Drake''s affinity. [Blood] With his affinity, he can even redirect his blood to clot his injuries, healing himself in the process. Whenever a silhouette appears, Drake would redirect his aim. But yet again, the smoke would only disperse and thicken up once it does. Before he realized what had just happened, an invisible force gripped his body and sent him flying. Booom¨C! Reina got up, only to find her squad mates on the ground. She clenched her teeth and muttered to herself, "Miss Evelyn, please hurry." Chapter 50 Beyond it All [3] Chapter 50 Beyond it All [3] *Puff* Unbeknownst to the Special Force, Francis was seated, puffing on a cigarette the entire time. For the majority of the fight, Francis did not even lift a finger. This was because of his affinity. Or rather¨CFrancis'' affinity. [Vapor], an advanced manifestation of the [Water] affinity. Technically, Francis didn''t have the [Vapor] affinity. But ever since bing a Wraithbound, his [Water] affinity gradually evolved and turned into the [Vapor] affinity. Whenever a Wraith possesses a human, they found themselves unable to use their real abilities. They could only use the abilities that the human body possessed. Which is why not every human was a viable candidate to bing a Wraithbound. With the [Vapor] affinity, Francis could control and shape various types of vapor, including cigarette smoke, steam, mist, and fog. But due to the real Francis'' smoking tendencies, he opted for cigarettes as his main smoke. He can shape and contour the smoke into anything he wills. He could condense the smoke to the point where it would solidify, giving off the impression of a tangible, but invisible force. Indeed, inside the smoke fog is Francis'' domain. He was unstoppable. *Puff* As he condensed the smoke, several silhouettes that seemed to look like his figure materialized. He then turned around, only to find the figure of a woman slowly inching closer. "Hm..?" *** Reina realized how hopeless the fight was. If she could, she would have already burned the entire room along with Francis in the process. It was possible because it was Reina. But she was severely handicapped due to Amy being present in the room. There was no way to defeat Francis under the circumstances. If they wanted to defeat him¡­ No, to survive until Evelyn arrives, then they have to get Amy out of the room first. Which is why she had formed a n with Raven. The room was quite dark, but with the light that emerges from her mes, a shadow behind her would be visible. Click¨C Click¡ª Clenching her teeth, Reina strode forward. And as the force tried to push her back, the holy mes behind her expanded to mitigate the force. Click¨C Click¡ª She continued forward. Drip¡­ Drip¡­ Cuts and grazes started to appear in her body. She could feel the smoke solidify enough to the point where it condensed and shaped itself into razors. Drip¡­ Drip¡­ Despite the bleeding, she continued forward. Click¨C Click¡ª The clicking of her heels echoed the entire room. She clenched her teeth to mitigate the pain. But she knew it was futile. She knew her entire body was in pain. Drip¡­ Drip¡­ Blood continued to drip. She didn''t just suffer light cuts and grazes anymore. No, she might have not noticed, but her abdomen had started to bleed profusely. But with the holy mes engulfing her entire being, all of the cuts would gradually heal. She just had to push through. Click¨C Click¡ª She could feel her mana start to drain from the overuse of her holy mes. Her previously confident expression had already crumbled. But yet again, she did not falter and continued to stride forward. Click¨C Click¡ª The clicking of her heels. The pungent smell of tobo in the room. The only light that illuminated the room were from her mes. Drip¡­ Drip¡­ Her blood dripping on the ground, and instantly healing, rapidly depleting her mana reserves. Gazing in front, Amy was only a few inches away. She then turned around and urgently raised her voice. "Raven!" Locking eyes with him, Raven nodded and immediately appeared behind her shadow. As soon as he did, Reina''s mana reserves were out of tank. Crash¡ª! Her holy mes gradually dispersed and Reina was sent crashing. Her abdomen cut wide open and bled profusely. At that, Reina had fulfilled her duty. Her vision hazy, she focused on Raven who stood before the unconscious Amy. It was all up to Raven now. At that, Reina closed her eyes. *** Gazing in front of him, what met Raven''s sight was an unconscious Amy. "Amy!" But to his surprise, Amy abruptly opened her eyes and immediately responded. "Raven! Please, help me." Raven was surprised, but immediately changed his expressions. Wooosh¨C! Activating [Adrenaline Surge], Raven''s speed was greatly enhanced and before he knew it, he was already an inch from the chains. But as soon as he got there, a silhouette appeared in front of him. He''d seen this happen already, a silhouette would emerge, only for his squad mates to strike at nothing but air. However¡­ "Oh?" It wasn''t an empty silhouette. It was the real Francis. Francis pinched his chin and seemed to scan him. Gazing into Francis'' eyes, the feeling of fear gripped Raven again. But not as suffocating as earlier, as [Serene Aura] was still in effect. Francis then opened his mouth. "Interesting¡­ You''re¡ª" Shadow stepping inside Francis'' shadow, Raven tried to cut him down. However¡­ Boom¡ª! He was immediately sent crashing on the wall behind him. "Ukeh!" He spat out blood. Since he was caught off guard, he didn''t brace for impact. Step¨C Step¡ª Francis inched closer to him once again. But the moment he did¡­ ng¡ª! One of the chains that seemed to bound Amy broke. Francis turned around, only to find crystal spikes protruding from the ground, cutting the chain. "Tsk." Francis clicked his tongue. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om For some reason, Francis was interested enough in Raven, to the point where he disregarded Amy. This piqued Raven''s curiosity. ''Is it because he''s a Wraithbound?'' ''Am I actually¡­'' He dismissed his thoughts. He knew¡­ He knew that he declined the offer back then. Yet for some reason, it still gripped his heart. Unsure. But regardless, he dismissed his thoughts. There was no point in pondering on it now, not when Amy had yet to be saved. In front of him, blood shaped like aser shot out from Drake''s direction, trying to cut down the other chain. However¡­ ng¡ª! It was abruptly stopped by the dense smoke. As Francis'' attention was away from him, Raven used the opportunity to cut down Francis. ng¡ª! But once again, his dagger was abruptly stopped by the condensing smoke. At that moment, a familiar voice reached his ears. "Raven!" It was Alexandra who sped her hands together. At that moment, a bright hollow glow emerged from her palms and illuminated the entire room. Due to the blinders shielding the room from any source of moonlight, the room waspletely dark. Hence, there wasn''t any avable shadow for Raven to step into. But with the light from Alexandra illuminating the entire room, shadows now became visible to him. And one of them was Amy''s. Raven used the opportunity to instantly step inside Amy''s shadow. With a dagger in his hand, Raven swung it down to cut the chains. nk¡ª! "Go!" Amy immediately nodded and made her way towards the exit. The same went for Drake and Francine, who hurried outside as well. After all, Wraithbounds were out of their jurisdiction. Their only goal was to save Amy. They didn''t expect for Francis to be a Wraithbound. The only ones who could even match a Wraithbound was Reina and Evelyn, who were guild members. But due to the severe handicap, Reina was out ofmission. Raven immediately followed suit, and tried to leave the room. However, the moment he did, something gripped the back of his neck. "Ukh!" He was then raised up, and slowly turned his head to find Francis, staring deep into his eyes. The grip tightened and he dropped both of his daggers down. "Raven!" His squad mates looked at him in horror. And the moment one of them stepped forward, Francis opened his mouth. "Don''t move." Chapter 51 Beyond it All [4] Chapter 51 Beyond it All [4] At Francis'' instructions, the group did not proceed and watched the scene in horror. From behind Raven, Francis'' voice reached his ears. "I have no use for the girl anymore." He then locked his gaze with Raven. "But you on the other hand¡­" The moment those words left Francis'' mouth, a chill ran down Raven''s spine. "...An anomaly." "...!" ''An anomaly? What is he talking about?'' Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! Raven''s heart pounded in his chest as Francis'' cold eyes bored into him. The others in front of him shifted uneasily, watching him in horror. They couldn''t move. They couldn''t help him. If they did, who knows what might happen to Raven. "What¡ªUkh!" Francis'' grip on his neck tightened even more. "Your abilities, your very existence...it''s all wrong. A defect in the universe itself." Raven''s mind raced. He had always known he was different, the system, his abilities. But to be called a mistake, a defect by this man...it chilled him down to his core. Raven clenched his fist. Francis seemed to know more about him than he had ever known himself. But each and every one of his words made Raven wonder what exactly was so special about him, to the point where he would be granted a system. No, what exactly is the system? ''And why do I have it?'' Regardless, he knew the only one who could answer his question was Francis. At least, that''s what he thought. And as Raven was about to open his mouth to ask the question¡­ BOOM¡ª! The window shattered and tore down the blinders while the room shook intensely. ss shards sprawled all over the floor. Unexpectedly, the force of Francis'' grip on his neck loosened. And as he turned his head to look at Francis¡ªto his surprise, blood dripped down from Francis'' mouth. Thud¨C! As Francis'' grip loosened even more, Raven fell to the ground. Raven then motioned back and turned his attention to what exactly happened. What met his sight was a hollow golden spear that impaled Francis. Thump! Francis knelt on the ground and he seemed to turn his head behind him. Following his direction, Raven looked behind the shattered window as well, only to find¡­ Evelyn, a pair of hollow golden wings protruding from her back as she floated in the air. Her eyes¡ªonce purple¡ªhad shifted into a bright golden glow. Raven then shifted his attention to Evelyn''s hand¨Cor rather¨Cthe man Evelyn was holding. The familiar sight of the man with red hair, and blue eyes, instantly registered within Raven''s eyes. It was none other than Clint. They seemed to have made it in time to save him. But¡­ Raven felt uneasy. Francis must have been the key to him solving the mystery regarding the system. But it seemed like Francis'' days were over. Just one attack from Evelyn had him bleeding profusely. The gap between them was toorge, and despite wanting to know more about the system, Raven couldn''t jeopardize the operation. However, as he was lost in his thoughts, something¨Cor rather¡ªsomeone caught his attention. From a rooftop, quite a significant distance from Evelyn, a man stood still and watched the entire scene. Though Raven couldn''t quite see him as his vision was blurry, the man seemed to don a white a mask. Raven instantly knew who he was. Moriarty. But Raven couldn''t believe what he was seeing. He rubbed his eyes to better fix his peripheral vision. But as soon as he slowly opened them, Moriarty was¡­ Gone. As if he was never there in the first ce. Questions with no answers started to flood his mind. But Raven was certain about one thing. ''The entire operation¡­'' They were dancing at the palm of his hands. The documents¡­ The crime¡­ Felix''s death¡­ Could it have been pre-nned by Moriarty, leading Raven to this moment? That he didn''t know. "Tsk." He clicked his tongue in frustration. Once again, Moriarty was one step ahead of him. *** Brandon stood a few rooftops from the hotel. He decided to stay and watch the entire scene unfold. The reason for this was because he was unsure if the system would reward him if he strayed away from the quest zone. But to his surprise, the moment the chains that bound Amy broke, the notification popped up. ¡ª--------------------------- [Quest Completed!] [Rewards Obtained:] [EXP: +300] [Stat Points: +5] [System Coins: +100] ¡ª--------------------------- He then muttered to himself, "System." ¡ª--------------------------- [Name: Brandon Locke] [Level: 4] [EXP: 380/1000] [ss: Anomaly] ¨N You are an entity that does not belong to this world, an anomaly. [Passive] ¨N Skill Weaver: ¨N Create any skill possible within the user''s capabilities. ¨N Increase your capacity by +1 per level. ¨N Total Skills: 3/4 [Skill Tab] [Stats] [Stat Points Avable: 5] ¨N STR: F [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N MP: F+ [¡ñ¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N DEF: F [¡ñ¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N AGI: F [¡ñ¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N INT: E [¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N CHARM: F+ [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] [System Shop] [System Coins: 250] [Quests Avable: 0] ¡ª--------------------------- After the fight with mages back in the lobby, Brandon realized just how severely disadvantaged he was when it came to a contest of strength. Once his stamina was drained, his strength would gradually diminish in the process. Thus, Brandon decided to pour it all into [STR] until it advanced to the F+ tier. And with the remaining stat point, he poured it into [AGI]. After that, he closed the system and decided to leave the scene. Step¡ª But¡­ The moment he did¡­ "Not bad." A voice from behind reached his ears. He turned around to trace the source of the voice. However¡ªto his surprise¡ªthere was no one there. "I''ve set the stage for you, and¡­" The voice. From behind. He turned around once again, only to find¡­ Nothing. "...You''vepletely exceeded my expectations." Brandon turned around. But once again, there was nothing. No one. ''What the fuck is going on?'' From what he could register, the voice sounded like it belonged to a man. But the voice was unfamiliar to him. "Those documents you found¡­" Again, there was no one. "...Did you really think Osborn left it there on purpose?" "...?" ''What is he talking about?" No one. No one was there. Just a voice. But Brandon couldn''t shake off the feeling of the man''s presence. He was definitely there, but would move fast enough before Brandon could see him. "Congrattions, Brandon Locke." The man¡­ ''He knows my name¡­'' Despite adorning the Mirage Mask. "You have passed the screening test." Brandon stood still and stopped turning around whenever the voice registers. Yet he could definitely hear the man speaking from behind him. Finally, Brandon opened his mouth to reply. "What are you talking about?" The moment those words left Brandon''s mouth, the entire area shifted. No, it was warping. A ck void cascaded the sky, and gradually sealed off the entire rooftop. ''This ability¡­'' There was no doubt within Brandon''s mind. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It was the [Space] affinity. But who? From what he remembered from the novel, a character had never appeared with the [Space] affinity. So who could it be? As the entire area had finally been sealed off by what seems to be a reality domain, the voice once again reached him. "Greetings, Brandon Locke. We''ve finally met." Turning around, what met Brandon''s line of sight was a man with jet-ck hair and ink ck eyes, sitting on what seems to be a throne. "How would you like to join the Primordials?" Chapter 52 The Abyss Stares Back [1] Chapter 52 The Abyss Stares Back [1] The man''s eyes. As if he was staring deep into Brandon''s soul. The only way Brandon could describe it, was as if he was staring deep into the abyss. Brandon''s entire body shuddered. He looked down. His hands. They were both shaking. But nheless, he had to reply. "What do you mean?" "The Primordials, you know about us don''t you?" Indeed he does. ''But how does the man know that?'' Brandon then concluded that the man was a member of the organization. "Which seat are you?" He had a faint idea. Brandon knew each and every one of the Seated members. All except one. "The First." The man confirmed his suspicions, and Brandon''s eyes shot wide open. In all of the chapters he had read from the novel, not once did the First Seat appear. There were other extra characters Brandon didn''t know about. But this man¡­ He was a major antagonist. And yet¡­ Brandon knew next to nothing about him. Step¡ª He took a step back. And as soon as he did, the man in front of him was long gone and he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down." The man''s voice. Monotonous. Yet it felt as if he was¡­ Amused. Turning around, the man had long disappeared. Brandon then returned his attention back to the throne. Once again, the man was seated, as if he was sitting the entire time. Even with [Mana Disruption] under his arsenal, he knew it was futile. There were no subtle movements whenever the man would appear behind him. He couldn''t find the right timing to disrupt the mana urately. Nor did he know where to actually disrupt it. Brandon clenched his fists. He knew he was powerless before him. And as he was lost in his thoughts, the man''s voice reached him once more. "Ah, that''s right." The man stood up from his throne. "This is the face you''re used to." "...?" The man lifted his hand and swiped his face. Suddenly, the man''s face instantly warped, as if his face glitched out. The same went for his hair, then his entire body. "Recognize me?" Brandon''s eyes shot wide open. His entire being shuddered, unable toprehend the sight before him. Sweat started to form in his palms, as cold sweat started beading from his forehead. He couldn''t believe it. The man was indistinguishable from his former appearance. But... Blue hair¡­ Blue eyes¡­ It was an appearance that Brandon was quite familiar with. "A-Alpha?" "The one you know. But, not exactly." "...What do you mean?" "Did you really think Leon bought your lie?" Indeed, Brandon realized just how easy it was for Alpha to believe him. He yed with fire. He was too arrogant just because he had read the novel. He knew that. But way toote. "The moment you told him about being ''The First Seat'', he immediately reported to Ne." ''Ne?'' "You know her as well, don''t you?" "Pulcine." In other words, the 12th Seat. "Correct." "..." After the man uttered those words, he tossed a peculiar item in Brandon''s way. Brandon turned to scan the item on the ground. He was familiar with it. Alpha''s burner phone. "Is he¡­ dead?" "For quite a while." "Since when have you been pretending?" "Can you guess?" Brandon pondered for a while. But the mere thought of it happening on that day sent a chill down his spine. Brandon pursed his lips. "...Before the party." "Correct." The man immediately responded, as if he knew that Brandon would arrive at the right conclusion. ''So this entire time..'' Brandon knew. ''I should''ve killed Alpha right there and then.'' His ns. What he knew was under his control¡­ Evelyn, Raven and the rest¡­ The ones who were supposed to be dancing in his palms¡­ But he was horribly wrong. The one pulling his strings the entire time was none other than the man in front of him. But for what reason? "What do you want from me?" "The First Seat." "..." "You can take it." The moment those words left the man''s mouth, he appeared before Brandon. Step¨C Brandon instinctively stepped back. The man appeared way too fast for him to react. His voice reached Brandon''s ears once again. "Though you''re still quite too weak." The man then stepped back and turned around. "I''ll give you three years." "..." "By then you must be able to defeat the 11th Seat." Brandon was bbergasted. There were 12 seats in total. So why should he start from the 11th? Yet as if his thoughts were read, the man responded. "That''s because Ne is dead." "..." "I killed her. The other seats shouldn''t know about you yet." Brandon didn''t know how to respond. None of the man''s words even registered to him. It felt as if everything he knew was a lie. It was all too overwhelming for him at the moment. The man turned around and met Brandon''s gaze. Staring deep into his ink ck eyes made Brandon shuddered in fear. His mind told him to run, to get far away from the man. And yet his body wouldn''t listen to him. As if he was frozen in ce. He turned around to face Brandon. "Though¡­" The man''s next words reached Brandon''s ears. "I''d like to see what your current level is at." However¡­ The words came from behind him. Instantly, Brandon turned around and blew a gust of wind to distance himself from the man. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But as soon as he did, the man had already appeared in front of him, as if the wind didn''t faze him at all. Booom¨C! Brandon skidded back several meters. Kracka! Bolts of ck lightning headed his way. Brandon tried his best to avoid the attack, but before he knew it, the lightning had already struck him. "Ukh!" Brandon was sent hurling away, crashing on the ground. With wind magic in his palms, Brandon abruptly got up. But once again, the man appeared before him and struck him in the abdomen with a wind empowered fist. Clearly, the man was a Deviant. And just like Brandon he had more than two elements. From what Brandon could conclude the man had shown [Lightning] [Wind] and [Space]. Yet it seemed like that wasn''t all.. As Brandon skidded back, a portal materialized behind him and ck ice crystals emerged, raining down on him. Tszzz¡ª Brandon abruptly dodged, empowering himself with blue sparks of lightning. Yet¡­ The man was directly following him, leaving trails of ck sparks, as if he was copying what Brandon would do. Brandon shifted his trajectory, and an ice sword materialized in his hand. ng¡ª! He swung it down, only for the man to parry with his own ck ice sword. But for some reason¡­ Cr..Crack¡­ Only Brandon''s sword shattered. The man''s amused voice reached his ears. "Fascinating, right?" Brandon stood still, staring at the man. The man tossed his sword up. Then, with his palms, the man sent a torrent of ck mes at the sword. The sword should have melted if it was ice. However, it didn''t. At that, Brandon realized, it wasn''t a sword made of ice. It was a sword made out of the [Crystal] affinity. Chapter 53 The Abyss Stares Back [2] Chapter 53 The Abyss Stares Back [2] "Haa¡­ Haa¡­" Taking deep heavy breaths, Brandon knelt down on the ground, supporting himself with a chipped ice sword. Cuts and grazes appeared all over his body, bleeding profusely. But under the surge of adrenaline, the pain was mitigated temporarily. Looking in front of him, the vast darkness of the reality domain continued to engulf the entire area. It gave him the impression that the man that conjured the domain had vast amounts of mana. The fight persisted for what he thinks might have been 20 minutes already. Yet the only one to have suffered any damage was Brandon. Not once had he evernded a single hit on the man. Whenever he used [Mana Disruption], another magic would be sent his way, as if the man wasn''t fazed at all that his mana was disrupted. But most of the time, Brandon couldn''t time [Mana Disruption] perfectly. Brandon was unsure if the man knew how to counter [Mana Disruption], or he was just that skilled. But he felt like it was thetter. In other words, Brandon was outmatched. Along with the fight against the real Leon¨Cor¨Crather¨CAlpha, this was the second time Brandon had ever felt this way. To be so defeated. To the point where he was helpless. To be backed in a corner, unable to defend himself. Biting his lip and clenching his fist, Brandon lifted his head and looked at the man in front of him. The man walked around the reality domain. His figure had yet to suffer any injuries. The ck zer that he adorned, free from any cuts or creases. The man then scanned his ck crystal sword with the tip of his finger. He turned his head to meet Brandon''s gaze. Staring deep into the man''s ink ck eyes made Brandon shudder in fear. The man could kill him with a lift of his finger, and yet he didn''t. After all, he wanted something from Brandon. But the mere fact that if that weren''t the case¡­ ''...I wouldn''t be alive right now.'' As Brandon was lost deep within his thoughts, the man''s mouth opened. "I''m quite disappointed. I thought you would give it your all." Brandon clenched his teeth. He knew he''d given it his all.. He had used everything within his arsenal, [Fire] [Water] [Wind] [Ice] [Lightning]. Yet the man wouldn''t acknowledge his efforts. No, there was one more skill. His trump card. The one skill that should be out of cooldown. And to his surprise, it was finally avable for use. But before he could gather his thoughts, the man spoke up once again. "I''ve changed my mind. If you can''tnd a single hit¡­" The man paused. The suspense bore down on Brandon, as he swallowed his saliva. The man locked eyes with him as he uttered, narrowing his eyes at Brandon. "I''ll kill you instead." Adrenaline once again surged within Brandon. Now that the man was about to kill him, there was no need to hesitate. [elerated Cognition] The world started to go dull. His thoughts focused on the man that stood before him. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Yet for some reason¡­ BOOM¡ª! He was still losing. Brandon skidded back several meters. And before he knew it¡­ Tszzz¡ª- The man had already appeared before him. Brandon coulde up with several counters after each muscle, each joint, each move the man would make. Before the man could swing down his sword at him, another ice sword materialized in Brandon''s left hand. Gripping it, he parried the man''s sword. ng¡ª! With another sword in his right hand, he swung down. Wooosh¡ª! Yet he shed at nothing but air. "You''re finally taking this seriously." The voice came from behind him. Tszzz¡ª Brandon distanced himself away from the man. But as soon as he inched away¡­ Spurt! A ck crystal sword unknowingly emerged from a portal and impaled him from the back. "Ukhh!" Despite being under the effects of [elerated Cognition], it was a move that he hadn''t calcted. He had never fought a mage with the [Space] affinity before. It was out of his volition. Redirecting his attention in front of him, the man seemed to have opened a portal and stuck his sword inside it. "Ukehh!" Brandon spat out blood. As the man pulled the sword away from the portal, Brandon felt the de from behind him loosen up as well. Drip¡­ Drip¡­ Blood continued to drip down from his back. "Is that all?" "...Fuck." "Onest chance." The moment those words left the man''s mouth, Brandon blinked back to distance himself, leaving trails of blue sparks. But the moment he did, the man blinked to chase him, leaving his own trail of ck sparks. ''Skill Weaver!'' ng¨C ng¡ª! They continued to exchange blows. Each parry chipping away Brandon''s ice sword. ''Kill!'' [Error! You do not meet the level requirements for this skill.] ng¨C ng¡ª! ''Kill him!'' [Error! You do not meet the level requirements for this skill.] ng¨C ng¡ª! Under the effects of [elerated Cognition], Brandon''s thoughts would rapidly shift. From calcting each counter to the man''s moves, to thinking about what skill to create. He could feel the mental fatigue, as his body had started to overheat. ng¨C ng¡ª! "Fuck!" [Error! Not a skill.] "Fucking useless!" [Error! Not a skill.] "Win! Anything. Just fucking win!" ¡ª--------------------------- [Are you sure?] "Yes!" [Initializing Skill Weaver.] [Downloading data.] [ETA: 1 Minute.] ¡ª--------------------------- "Who are you even talking to?" "Shut up!" Brandon knew that if he hadn''t used [elerated Cognition], then he wouldn''t be able to keep up. Foooo¨C! ng¨C ng¡ª! The two continued to exchange blows, while Brandon waited for the skill to create. Cuts and grazes appeared in his body once more, continuing to bleed. Brandon knew that if he hadn''t used [elerated Cognition], then he wouldn''t be able to keep up. Foooo¨C! With wind conjured in his palms, he pushed himself away, distancing away from the man. But¡­ Tszzzz¡ª Once again, the man chased him down and instantly appeared right in front of him, leaving trails of ck sparks. nk¡ª! As their swords shed. Both of Brandon''s ice swordspletely shattered. And as soon as the ck crystal sword was about to reach him¡­ ¡ª--------------------------- [Skill Tab] [Mana Burst] ¨N Enables the user to unleash a concentrated surge of mana, temporarily enhancing their speed and power to unprecedented levels. ¨N By channeling their mana reserves to their utmost limit, the user can achieve remarkable bursts of agility and strength, surpassing their normal capabilities for a brief moment. ¡ª--------------------------- "This¡­" Though, it wasn''t a skill he hade up with, and if he could, he would''ve liked a better one. It was a waste of skill capacity. But it was now out of his hands. ''It will do.'' At that moment, his entire being started to surge with mana. Adrenaline pumped within his blood. The profuse bleeding had temporarily stopped, though the wound was still there. Despite everything, the pain that engulfed him had been somewhat alleviated. Swoosh¡ª! In a split second, before the sword could reach him, Brandon instantly seized the edge of the crystal sword with his hand. The sword slit his palm, but Brandon tightened his grip on the sword. Cr... Crack! The crystal sword cracked. And with his other hand, he thrusted his fist with a wind empowered punch. Thud! Yet despite the surprise attack, which should''ve happened in a single second, the man was able to block it with his fist. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Drip¡­ Drip¡­ His other hand started bleeding. But regardless, it wasn''t all in vain. Brandon took deep heavy breaths. Then pursed his lips to say, "Haa... I hit you." Chapter 54 The Abyss Stares Back [3] Chapter 54 The Abyss Stares Back [3] After Brandon''s ''victory'' by a small margin, the man lifted the reality domain. The once ck void that covered the sky gradually dissolved. The marbled floor of the rooftop¡ªthat should''ve had cracks and holes¡ªhad started to disappear. As the voice continued to dissolve, it seemed like the sun was about to rise. Brandon was bbergasted, but did not show it in his expression. ''Space affinity¡­ I need it.'' The man turned around to face him. Brandon stared deep within his ink ck eyes. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The man''s voice then reached his ears. "So? Will you ept my offer?" The man then shed him a grin. But that grin sent a chill down Brandon''s spine. The reason was because the man''s total personality could be described as monotonous. The man would smile, but his eyes wouldn''t move. The tone in his voice had no color to it as well. Brandon pondered for a while. He couldn''t see any benefits in joining the Primordials. After all, the Primordials was a mercenary group that would take any job, from contracted killing, to thievery. At least, that''s what he should have thought. ''But the First Seat¡­ I know nothing about him.'' Brandon opened his mouth and locked gaze with the man. "You." "...?" "Do I call you boss?" "..." The man didn''t respond, his expressions stayed nk. Brandon tilted his head as well. Then for the first time, the man''s expression changed, though it was only his mouth, his eyes stayed the same. "Pfff¡­ Hahaha." "..." Branon tilted his head once again, unsure about what the man found so amusing. The man then returned his previous nk expression. "So will you ept the offer? "...I''ll think about it." He was definitely not gonna think about it. But it was all he could do to buy him some time. Enough time until he was strong enough to defeat the entire organization. But as soon as those ideas flooded his mind, another n sparked in his head. ''Infiltration.'' If he were to defeat the Primordials some day, then it was better to keep them close and gain their trust. It seemed like the man had expectations for him. This dictated Brandon''s next course of action. He had to ask. "...Will you train me?" "No." "I see. It was worth a try. Ever since transmigrating in this world, the First Seat was the strongest mage Brandon had ever encountered. Even stronger than Evelyn. And as if the man had read his mind, his voice reached Brandon''s ears. "Evelyn is sufficient enough." "...How did you know that?" "Just a hunch." "..." "Boss?" "Hm? No need for such formalities. Let''s see¡­" The man pinched his chin as his eyes darted above. "...Call me Jin from now on." "Jin¡­" Most likely an alias. But it didn''t matter. Brandon had done the same when the man pretended to be Alpha and started calling him Moriarty. The man then locked his gaze with him, once again his face was nk. "Like I said, I''ll give you three years. Defeat the 11th Seat and steadily rise the ranks." "What do I have to do that for?" "To take the First Seat." "So in other words¡­" "Be my proxy." "..." It made sense. The other seats did not know anything about the First Seat as well, as far as Brandon knew from the novel. All except one. "What about the 2nd Seat?" "She won''t harm you, I guarantee that." "I see." The two continued to converse, Brandon was puzzled why Jin had chosen him. But as much as he had asked, Jin had never given him a straight answer. In the end, Jin opened up a portal that led to somewhere Brandon didn''t know. Before Jin entered the portal he turned to look at Brandon who was heavily exhausted. Jin''s voice reached Brandon''s ears. "Whenever you''re ready, call me." "The burner phone, right?" "What do you think?" At that, the man entered the portal as the portal dispersed at the same time. Then, Brandon slumped down by the railings. "Haa¡­ Haa¡­" Taking deep heavy breaths, he opted for the [System Shop], and bought a bundle of potions. He lifted the cask and chugged down a potion. Instantly, all of Brandon''s wounds started to disappear. But he was paranoid. He had lost a lot of blood from fighting the mages in the hotel, then fighting Jin. He chugged down another potion again. And again¡­ And again¡­ Standing up, he turned to look at the sky. The sun was already up. Retrieving his phone, he turned it on. After he ended the call with Evelyn a while back, he turned his phone off. The phone turned on and he could see a bunch of notifications. No, not a bunch. There were ten¡­ Twenty¡­ Fifty¡­ Sixty miss calls. There were some from the group chat, but it was mostly from Belle. "Haa¡­" He let out a heavy sigh. Thest time he had spoken to Belle was when they were arguing. He then checked the time. [6:37 AM] Thankfully, lectures were suspended for the week, as the next batch of students would have their Battle Royale session. "Huaam..." He let out a yawn. Due to the exhaustion, his eyes started to grow heavy. It didn''t register to him earlier because of the adrenaline. But now? He slumped down, slowly closing his eyes. ''Guess I''ll go hometer.'' *** A portal materialized inside a seemingly abandoned warehouse. And a man emerged from the portal. His jet-ck hair fluttered from the portal''s pressure, as his ink ck eyes scanned the entire surroundings. It was none other than Jin, the First Seat. What met his sight was a man with blue disheveled hair, prostrating himself before him. "My Lord, it''s good to see you again." "Mhm, good job, Darwin." Darwin lifted his head and their eyes met. Darwin''s mouth parted, his tone, anxious. "I''ve done everything you''ve asked of me, my Lord. Am I now eligible to join the Primordials?" "Sure." Since Darwin was an Osborn, Francis would immediately be involved in the crime. All Jin had to do next was to set the stage for Brandon, to see whatever methods Brandon would use to save Amy. Jin''s entire n was to expose Francis Osborn, a Wraithbound. Which is why when Francis gave Darwin the task to finally kidnap Amy, Jin appeared before Darwin. Unbeknownst to Francis, Darwin was instructed by Jin to kidnap Amy under broad daylight, and reveal his face to the world. Since Darwin was an Osborn, Francis would immediately be involved in the crime. All Jin had to do next was to set the stage for Brandon, to see whatever methods Brandon would use to save Amy. And Brandon exceeded his expectations. Amy was saved, and Francis was killed without Brandon directly involving himself in the fight. Jin then redirected his attention to Darwin, who continued to kneel before him. "Ah, right. Your reward." Darwin lifted his head. "Thank you, my Lor¨CUkhhh!" A portal materialized behind Darwin, and a myriad of ck crystals rained down on him. Darwin spontaneously twitched as a result, blood sttering all over the area. This persisted until Jin was sure that Darwin was absolutely dead. At that, Jin peered down at Darwin, narrowing his eyes. "Disgusting cultist." After those words left his mouth, Jin turned to look at the ceiling. The sunlight illuminated the warehouse from a small hole on the roof. He then muttered to himself, "System." ¡ª--------------------------- [Name: ****] [Level: 203] [EXP: 2,100/2,030,000] [ss: ****] ¨N ***** [Passive] ¨N ***** ¨N ***** ¨N ***** ¨N ***** Total Skills: 203/203 [Skill Tab] [Stats] [Stat Points Avable: 0] ¨N STR: SSS- [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N MP: SSS+ [¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ] ¨N DEF: SS+ [¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ð] ¨N AGI: SSS+ [¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ] ¨N INT: SSS+ [¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ] ¨N CHARM: SSS+ [¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ¡ñ] [System Shop] [System Coins: 2,300] [Quests Avable: 84] ¡ª--------------------------- "Two bird with one stone, eh?" He clicked his tongue. [Quests Avable: 84 ¡ª> 82] Chapter 55 Locke [1] Chapter 55 Locke [1] A few days had passed since the incident. It was Saturday, and the other sses'' Battle Royale session hade to an end. The entire incident made major headlines. Especially because of Darwin''s disappearance. Osborn Company was shut down, and all of the shiftporters were recalled for investigation. All of the Osborn family members were hunted down, and were called in for the time being. Several theories filled the inte, articles regarding the incident and Darwin''s whereabouts were being talked about. The Academy suffered severe bacsh from the public, but was mitigated due to Evelyn''s involvement in the incident. After Evelyn''s arrival, Francis was quickly dispatched off with the assistance of the Special Force. Though it was an unofficial Guild operation, Evelyn and Reina were sufficiently rewarded by the Guild. Amy had to undergo counseling to check for any signs mental trauma. She was then advised to take the treatment for 8 weeks. Brandon and Raven''s involvement was omitted, as they were both still students. And Brandon¡­ He slept like a log¡­ For most of the week¡­ * "Huaam¡­" Brandon jolted awake with a deep yawn. "...?!" What caught his attention was the enticing scent of food. Though the door to his room was closed, the smell still lingered in his room. He then got up and approached the door. Creak¡ª As the door opened and he stepped out the living room, what met his line of sight was a familiar figure, with long pale-white hair tied into a ponytail. She adorned casual clothing. But what caught Brandon''s attention was the peach colored apron extending in front of her. "Morning." "Ah, good morning. Take a seat, breakfast will be ready in a minute." Brandon unknowingly twitched, as his eyes shot wide open. But instantlyposed himself and replied, "Mhm, thanks." Brandon was familiar with this sight. For the past week, Belle had been giving him special attention ever since he returned from the incident. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om She was debriefed by Evelyn about Brandon''s involvement. And because of that, Belle might have felt bad since theirst conversation was an argument. She might have not thought that Brandon was serious about finding Amy. But of course, Brandon didn''t mind the attention. Following the intense battle with Jin, Brandon''s body throbbed with pain from [Mana Burst]. The extended use of [elerated Cognition] left him mentally and physically drained as well. In short, he was burnt out. Sitting down, he turned his head to find Belle approaching the table while humming. "Hmmm~ Breakfast is ready." She wore oven mitts on both hands and carried a pot. Brandon could see smoke protruding from the pot. Belle ced the hot pot on the table and removed the lid. But the moment she did, Brandon secretly clenched his fist. Belle might have thought she was a good cook. But Brandon thought otherwise. Though the food''s aroma was quite enticing, Brandon knew he shouldn''t judge the taste because of the smell. Brandon was never picky with his food, but when it came to Belle''s cooking¡­ ''Food is food¡­'' Is all he can say to himself. Belle shed him a warm smile, as Brandon did the same, though an awkward one. But it seemed like Belle didn''t notice as she continued to hum, removing the oven mitts. Before Belle turned around, Brandon secretly sped his hands together and offered a silent prayer. ''Lord, if you can hear my prayers, please protect me.'' For the past week, it was the same morning for Brandon. But despite that, just the efforts of Belle to take care of him was enough to warm his heart. But then again, Belle and her food are two different things. It was a silent war for Brandon. A war between him and his stomach. Belle ced a bowl on the table in front of him, as she ced another one for herself. Belle seemed to notice Brandon''s hesitation. "What''s the matter?" "...Nothing, thanks for breakfast as always." These were his true feelings. But what he was thanking her for was for the effort of cooking for him, not the food that she cooked. "Mhm, try it!" At her instructions, Brandon hesitatingly grabbed thedle and slowly poured the soup on his pot. But because his hands were shaky, some of the soup spilled on the table. Belle noticed once again, and a look of worry etched on her face. "Be careful, you''re still injured after all." It''s true, he was injured. But it wasn''t the reason why his hands shook. "Yeah, sorry." Slowly pouring the soup on the bowl, some of the ''cut'' vegetables poured in as well. Though cut was an overstatement. It filled most of the bowl... ''This is an entire potato¡­'' He then lifted the bowl, secretly clenching his teeth. But before he drank the soup, he silently muttered to himself. "I''ve survived way worse than this¡­" "Hm? Did you say something?" "...No." At that, Brandon stopped breathing, blocking the senses of his nose, and drank the soup. Slurp~ While he continued to drink, Belle spoke up with a smile. "How is it? Good, right?" Brandon continued to drink and gave her a thumbs up. ''...It''s way too salty." As he finished the soup down to thest drop, he turned his attention to Belle. Belle tried to taste her soup first beforepletely drinking it. Slurp~ But to Brandon''s horror¡­ "Hmm¡­ I think it needs more salt." Brandon''s eyes shot wide open. ''Are her taste buds not working? Or does she even have one?'' And before he realized it, Belle was already reaching out for the salt container. At that moment, Brandon instantly activated [Mana Burst], and abruptly stopped Belle''s hand. ''Ukh..!'' He inwardly groaned. "What''s wrong?" "...It''s good. Don''t make it better." After all, he was still in pain, but he had no choice. It was the only way for him to stop the disaster that was about to ensue. As he gripped Belle''s arm, she turned to look at him and tilted her head. "What''s wrong?" "...It''s good. Don''t make it better." "Okay..." ''Haa¡­'' Brandon inwardly sighed. With all the battles he had fought, he could definitely say that Belle''s food had to be the hardest enemy he had ever faced. At that, the two siblings continued to enjoy their morning. Though, it would be more urate to say that only one of the siblings enjoyed it. As the two continued to converse, Belle dropped him a bombshell. "Ah, by the way, Mom ising." "...?" Brandon tilted his head. He seemed to have forgotten. ''Ah, that''s right, Brandon Locke had parents.'' At that moment, Brandon started to panic. He didn''t know how the old Brandon Locke would actually act around his family. He was quite lucky with Belle, as Belle didn''t grow up with Brandon in his teenage years. And before he knew it... Creak¡ª The door creaked open and a figure emerged from the door. "Surprise!" Chapter 56: Locke [2] Chapter 56: Locke [2] ? "Surprise!" || || Turning towards the door, what met his line of sight was a woman with strikingly simr features to Belle. The only difference they had would be the woman''s eyes. They were pitch ck. ''Her name was Brianna, right?'' While Brandon pondered in his seat, Belle abruptly got up. "Mom!" She ran towards Brianna and locked her in a tight embrace as the woman did the same. "My baby girl! Good to see you!" As the two continued to lock in an embrace, Brandon stayed seated in a daze. He didn''t know how to approach her or how the original Brandon Locke would act around her. Unknowingly lost in his thoughts, Brianna called out for him. "Brandon! Why aren''t youing to greet your Mother?" "..." Brandon abruptly stood up as well, albeit-awkwardly. "Brandon?" Brianna tilted her head. Then turned to look at Belle. "What''s wrong with your Brother?" "What about him?" Belle seemed confused as well. After all, she didn''t know about the original Brandon Locke during his teenage years. Brianna turned towards Brandon and pinched her chin. "Something about him is different. I just can''t quite put my finger on it." Brandon''s body twitched at her words. Cold sweat protruded from his back, and he could feel his palms start to sweat. Trying topose himself, Brandon slowly closed his eyes. Then... "Mom! It''s so good to see you too!" With a smile on his face, he ran towards Brianna and joined the two''s embrace. He closed his eyes and silently prayed that Brianna wouldn''t find any suspicions anymore. And to his surprise... "Ah, nevermind." Brandon breathed a sigh of relief. He seemed to be safe. For now at least. After their greetings, the three walked towards the dining table and took a seat. Belle sat next to Brianna, while Brandon sat at the chair in the middle of the table. Belle pursed her lips and turned towards Brianna. "So? What''s with the sudden visit, Mom?" "Hehe, I just want to see if my two kids are getting along." Belle leaned her elbow on the table, as her hand supported her head. She then shifted her gaze towards Brandon and opened her mouth. "He''s quite different from back then. But we are getting along." After those words left Belle''s mouth, Brianna turned her head to look at Brandon. "Hmm? He didn''t seem that different when he greeted me though?" "Yes, buttely he''s been kind of... aloof?" "Eh? Really?" The two women stared directly at Brandon who stayed silently seated. Brandon could feel his palms start to get sweatier by the second. Cold sweat started to bead from his forehead as well. In front of him, Brianna pinched her chin and continued to stare at him. Brandon''s eyes started to dart around, trying to ease himself from the tension. The woman''s voice then reached his ears. "Hmm... I think he''s just ying a character. Probably from an anime he had recently watched." Belle chimed in as well. Her eyes widened as her tone raised. "Ah, he was quite an otaku back then." "..." They weren''t far off. It seemed like the original Brandon and the current Brandon had quite the simr hobbies. Back in his old world, Brandon would agree that he was an avid otaku. But... ''How did you reach that conclusion...?'' Yes, it wasn''t far off. But it was quite a stretch as well. ''Am I actually aloof?'' He didn''t know. But from what he could recall from his previous interactions with the others. He realized that he had started speaking less ever since the party. He was now facing a dilemma. ''An identity crisis...'' But he knew the reason for his sudden change. ''The world...'' His experiences in this world were gradually changing him. "Pff..." He was quickly snapped out of his thoughts as a chuckle reached his ears. Gazing in front of him, the two women covered their mouths with their hands, trying to stop themselves fromughing. "...'' Belle removed her hands from her lips. She shed him a smile as her lips parted to say, "Pff... I haven''t seen you make that face in a while." "....?" Brandon was taken aback. It seemed like the two women were poking fun at him Not that he actually minded. He knew he needed this kind of atmosphere after everything that happened. Gazing in front of him, the two women had stopped their teasing, and Belle turned towards Brianna once again. "But Mom, what are you really here for?" "Oh? Like I said, I just wanted to see-" "I know how busy you and Dad are. So what is this really about?" Belle cut her off. At Belle''s interrogation, Brianna retrieved her phone. She continuously clicked the screen and stood up. After finding whatever she was looking for, Brianna shed her phone for both of the siblings to see. A smile etched on her face. "Ta da~" "...'' From what Brandon could discern, her screen showed what seemed to be a room. Scanning the phone, Belle tilted her head. "Eh? What are you trying to tell us? "The two of you will be moving here." "...What for? This ce isn''t so bad." "You''ve seen the news, right?" As those words left Brianna''s mouth, Belle quickly stole a nce at Brandon. She then shifted her gaze back to Brianna, who seemed to not have noticed it. "Yeah." Of course they''ve seen the news. The incident regarding Felix and the Osbornpany made waves on the inte after all. It wouldn''t be too far stretched to say that everyone knew about it. "The world isn''t a safe ce anymore, and this apartment''s security is quitex." It was true. Despite being avish apartmentplex, once youe outside, you''d be immediately greeted by the bustling part of the street. Brandon sat silent the whole time, observing the two. Belle seemed unconvinced. Maybe she had some sentimental value with the current ce. Belle tilted her head once again. "So is that ce any better?" "It''s quite expensive. But as long as you two are safe. Money isn''t a problem." "I see. I''ll think about it. What''s the name? I''ll look it up." Brianna tapped her phone again, most likely checking for the apartment''s name. She then raised her head and pursed her lips. "Asa... Asami Complex. Ah, I forgot to mention, but it''s quite close to the Academy as well." "Ah." At the mention of ''Asami'', Brandon''s eyes shot wide open. He knew just exactly what the building was. Or rather, who owned it. Brandon had immediately caught Belle and Brianna''s attention, as they both locked their eyes with him. Brianna tilted her head with a curious expression. "Brandon? What''s wrong?" "I think I know who owns that building." Chapter 57: Asami Complex [1] Chapter 57: Asami Complex [1] ? Laying on her bed, her pitch ck hair cascaded all over her pillow. Rachel nkly stared at her phone and breathed out a heavy sigh. "Haa..." Ever since the incident, the group chat''s activity had significantly dwindled. Thest message sent was from Reinhard. From: Reinhard Van 5 DAYS AGO: -You guys heard what happened? What should we do?! That was it. It was most likely because everyone decided to give Amy some space. Everyone had left the message on seen. All except for one person. Amy Ashfield. After Amy was saved, not once had she ever sent a single message in the group chat. Not even a private message to her own sister, Rachel. This made Rachel uneasy. But regardless, there was nothing she could do. She couldn''t force Amy to open up to her, which is why she decided to give her some time as well. "Haa..." She twisted her body sideways and breathed out another heavy sigh. With that being said, she decided to close her eyes. Her phone, sped in her hands. Brrt.. Yet as soon as she did her phone buzzed. A notification. "...?" Could it finally be Amy? She decided to check. Click- But to her surprise, it was the first person she had least expected to contact her. FROM: Brandon Locke -Are you free? Rachel tilted her head, puzzled. ''What does he want?'' After the Battle Royale, Brandon was the talk of the entire Academy. His performance in the Battle Royale, following the reveal of being a Tri-Elemental Mage made him a popr topic for conversation. Rachel was astonished as well. But she knew Brandon had his secrets, and she respected that. Brandon must''ve had his reasons for hiding it in the beginning. But in the first ce, only three weeks had psed since the start of the semester. So technically, he didn''t really hide it. Though she was one of the first to have known Brandon in the friend group, they weren''t particrly close. But she could definitely say that Brandon and Amy were quite close. After all, Amy had chosen him as her partner during the Battle Royale. So maybe... Just maybe... "...Maybe he knows something." Thus, she decided to reply back. [Yes, I am.] -Could we meet up? An immediate reply. Truth be told, Rachel didn''t feel like leaving her apartment at the moment. She was quite exhausted, both mentally and physically, due to the incident and her ss being thest batch for the Battle Royale session-her partner being Reinhard. It goes without saying that they did in fact win. After all, they were both top ranking students within the first year students. Thus, they won, but without facing any difficulties. After Brandon''s ss, the other students opted to take the same strategy and teamed up with each other just to defeat the top 10 students. Which is why, though reluctantly, Rachel sent her reply. [Could we do it in my ce? I''ll send the address.] But as soon as she sent that, Brandon only left the message on seen. Ah. He must''ve been hesitant because Rachel immediately invited him over. But to her surprise... -Okay. *thumbs up* "Pft." Rachel stifled a chuckle at thest emoji he sent. It felt rather... nonchnt for Rachel. "Right, this is the kind of person he was." From her assessment, Brandon was quite aloof. Girls would surround him from time to time, but Brandon always paid no heed to it. She could definitely trust him to be alone with her in her apartment. In the first ce, she was the one to have invited him in the first ce. With that being said, Rachel got up and opted to take a shower. However... Looking around, her ce was quite a mess. An instant noodle cup on the floor. Mangaics were ced randomly. Energy drinks toppled everywhere on the floor. She wasn''t a particrly messy person, she just wasn''t good at cleaning. So the garbage would pile up eventually. At least, that''s what she thinks. "Guess I need to clean up, huh?" *** "This is the right ce, right?" As soon as Rachel sent the address, Brandon was bbergasted. After all... "This is the exact ce we''ll be moving in..." In other words, they were about to be neighbors. "What a coincidence." That was his only reaction. From the novel, he knew Rachel lived in her family''s apartmentplexes. But they had a lot of buildings. Who knew Rachel was actually living in the same building Brandon and Belle were about to move into? Asking to meet up with Rachel worked out to his advantage. He was quite reluctant with the idea, especially since he knew Rachel and Amy were siblings. Maybe Rachel wanted some space as well. Or maybe she wantedpany. He didn''t know. Regardless, he had already sent the message, and it seemed like Rachel was up for it. It was a good opportunity to assess the apartment, and maybe to gather some information about Amy. With that being said, Brandon decided to freshen up first. * Arriving in theplex, Brandon could only describe it as a starkparison to his previous ce. The building stood tall, and the entrance was guarded by uniformed security personnel. Inside, the lobby had polished marble floors and stylish decor. While in front of him was the receptionist who''s attention he had already caught. He was only allow because specifically gave a code to enter. Brandon stayed seated in the couch lobby while waiting for Rachel who seemed to be freshening up as well. After waiting for about an hour, a familiar figure emerged from the elevator. Her white nightgownpletely highlighted her features, as her pitch ck hair cascaded around her shoulders. As soon as she stepped out, the staff immediately greeted her. "Good morning, Miss Rachel." Most of the staff greeted her the same, and Rachel would nod at them with a smile stered on her face. As soon as she approached Brandon, he could feel several nces his way. No, he could definitely hear them murmuring. "Did Miss Rachel invite that boy over?" "Oh my, she''s all grown up now." "But does her Father know?" "Let the little Miss keep a few secrets." "You''re just saying that because the boy is quite handsome." "Haha, the boy is quite handsome." Bunch of nonsense. Brandon paid no heed to it, and it seemed like Rachel didn''t hear them. Looking up at Rachel, her expression seemed cold but her lips curled up a smile. But Brandon knew the cold maiden act was only on the surface. Rachel pursed her lips and her voice reached Brandon''s ears. "Thanks for waiting,e." At her instructions, Brandon immediately got up and followed her to the elevator. Once again, he could feel several nces his way. * Arriving in her room, Brandon was taken aback. "This..." From behind him, Rachel sped her hands on her back and tilted her head. "It took a while to clean. But I think I did a good job." ''Good job... huh?" It seemed like she didn''t even clean at all. There were stains all over the floor, while mangaics and light novels were all tucked in a corner. But Brandon could definitely see it. He paid it no mind since he knew Rachel was trying to hide that hobby of hers. Energy drinks were neatly arranged and situated in the corner, which was a plus. But in the first ce... ''You''re supposed to throw them out...'' "Haa..." Brandon let out a heavy sigh. He turned around and faced Rachel. "Good job cleaning. I''ll take it from here." "?" Chapter 58: Asami Complex [2] Chapter 58: Asami Complex [2] ? Seated on the couch, Rachel turned her head to look at Brandon who was piling up all the trash. She had offered to help him but Brandon would always refuse her. Rachel would just pout, but that was all on the surface. The cleaning service was free and she definitely took advantage of it. Brandon was quite the good janitor. p- p- With his usual stoic demeanor, Brandon dusted off his hands and ced his hands on his waist. Turning around, he locked his gaze with Rachel who abruptly turned her head away. "Fuu~ Fuu- Fuu~" She tried to whistle. But the only sound she let out was air. "Haa..." Letting out a deep breath, Brandon made his way towards Rachel. Facing Brandon, she slightly bowed her head. "Thank you." "..." Brandon didn''t respond and sat beside Rachel. Èý "........!! She was quite alerted by his gesture, but instantly dismissed it. She knew Brandon wouldn''t think twice about any of his actions. Thus she turned to face him. Pursing her lips, she asked, "Why did you decide to meet up?" "To clean up." "...Really?" "Yes." "Just kidding." || || She was taken aback. Tilting her head, she pinched her chin and leaned close to him, thoroughly scanning Brandon''s face. "What are you doing?" "..." She didn''t respond and continued to thoroughly scan every inch of his face. She then stopped and leaned back. Closing her eyes, she breathed out a sigh. "Haa..." "What was that about?" "I tried to pay you back, but it didn''t work." "?" It was a technique she had recently learned from romance manga to try and pay Brandon back for his joke. Leaning closer to a man''s face would most likely fluster them. But for some reason, it didn''t work on Brandon. Clearly, he doesn''t know anything about women. Or maybe he did, and was already used to it. ''Maybe that''s why his expressions didn''t change.'' Or maybe he just didn''t care. She was at a loss. Clearly, she needed to study more if she wanted to manipte men with her charms. ''Or maybe I''m just not charming enough?'' No, there was definitely something wrong with Brandon. She then dismissed her thoughts and opened her mouth, keeping her usual cold maiden tone. "Really, what''s the purpose of this meetup?" She turned her head towards Brandon. But the moment she did, her body twitched at the sudden phone that was shoved on her face. "This." Brandon said, while shoving his phone directly to her face. Rachel leaned back and thoroughly scanned the contents on the screen. Though she didn''t understand what Brandon was trying to show her. "What''s this?" "Scroll up." Scrolling up, her curiosity was piqued. "Asa...mi... Asami Complex. Ah, but what are you showing me this for?" "Me and my Sister are moving here." "Eh?" She tilted her head. Rachel didn''t mind it, and the ie would definitely go to her. After all, the Asami Complex branch where she was staying was legally under her name. In other words, it was ''Daddy''s gift to his little Princess.'' Though, there was no point in meeting up just to apply for an apartment unit. Brandon could have just directly emailed the website. Did he need permission from her? He didn''t need to do that. So what was the point of the meet up? Unless... Before she could arrive at a conclusion, Brandon''s voice reached her ears. "Could you give us a discount?" "Eh...?" She tilted her head at Brandon''s sudden bombshell. ''Is this why he cleaned my ce?'' Of course, she could''ve just asked the staff to clean up for her. But she was advised not to do that by her Father. And as if Brandon had read her mind, his voice reached her ears once again. "Yes, that''s why I cleaned up after you." How cunning. "You can just pretend it''s a service fee for the hard work I did." This man... She thought she was taking advantage of him. But in actuality, he was taking advantage of her. ''Brandon Locke... He''s even better at this game than me...'' Closing her eyes, Rachel breathed out a heavy sigh. "Haa... Fine, you''re a friend after all, I''ll give you a ten perce-" "Fifty Percent." Before she could even finish, Brandon had already interrupted her, flexing five of his fingers in front of her. "Eh...? That''s unfair. That''s practically stealing." "I have an offer you can''t refuse to fill the other forty percent." What is he...? Looking around, Brandon''s gazended on the trash bags ced on the corner of the door. He then turned his head and looked at her. "I''ll clean your ce every week." It was a ridiculous offer. But nheless, Rachel was tempted. Truly, Brandon Locke was not a man to be underestimated. But if he was offering that much, she knew she had to take full advantage of it. She pursed her lips and stared at him with a serious expression. "Every day." "Twice a week." "Five times a week." "Three times a week." "Deal." "Deal." The two eventually shook hands with serious expressions aftering to an agreement. For Rachel, it was a business opportunity. For Brandon, he was probably scamming her. But she didn''t mind it. Brandon would be her personal janitor, while at the same time, extorting money from their rent. Rachel could agree that she had won the battle. As she was lost in her thoughts, Brandon changed the topic. "Ah, any news about Amy?" Ah, right. Due to the entire ordeal, Rachel had forgotten her worries about Amy. She stared down with a sad expression. "She''s still taking counseling. She hasn''t replied to any of my texts." Brandon looked away and spoke with an understanding tone. "I see..." "For now, everyone''s giving her space. Hopefully we''ll see her at the Academy on Monday." "Yeah." At that, Rachel remembered. Since Brandon was there during Amy''s kidnapping-albeit-inside the Battle Royale, maybe he knew something. Lifting her head, she turned towards Brandon who was nkly staring at the ceiling. "Do you know anything?" Brandon looked at her and tilted his head. "Why are you asking me?" "Ah, nevermind." Right, even if Brandon was there on that day, in the end, he was still a student. He couldn''t have known about Amy''s current circumstances. If anyone were supposed to know, it should have been Rachel-Amy''s twin sister. The mood seemed to start getting gloomy. Realizing, Brandon stood up. "I should go now." "Right." Walking towards the door, Brandon paused and turned his head. "If you need anything else, call me." "Mhm." Acknowledging, Brandon opened the door. But before he left, Rachel remembered to ask him something. "By the way, which room did you get?" Before Brandon answered, he retrieved his phone and scanned the contents. Scrolling up, Brandon turned to nce at Rachel once more. "Room 29." "Ah." "Ah?" "That''s...." Before Rachel could finish, Brandon turned his attention towards the room number on the door in front of him. "29... So that means..." The rooms were directly in front of each other. In other words, they would soon be door to door neighbors. Chapter 59: Fatigued [1] Chapter 59: Fatigued [1] ? Walking around the halls of the Academy, her golden blonde hair was deeply tucked inside her cap. The tip of the cap was adjusted down to better cover her features. ncing down at her watch, Amy realized she waste. No, she waste on purpose. She was conflicted if she should go to the Academy or not. But she decided to go anyway. The further she dyed it, the more attention she would receive once she returned. "Haa..." She breathed out a sigh. Due to the incident, she was forced to undergo counseling. She had told the therapist that she was fine and there was no need for the treatment. Yet her mother would say otherwise. This peeved Amy so. She then retrieved her phone. On her phone showed the app for the group chat. She could see that there was a red icon with the number ''167'' on it, indicating the amount of messages she had received in the past week. She had avoided all of her friends, thinking they would react simrly to her mother. Which is why she had never replied to any of their text messages. She didn''t want to be pitied just because of the incident. She currently adorned a disguise-particrly-cap, just so she could enter the lecture room without attracting unwanted attention. But despite her best efforts, she had still gathered the attention from the Professors she would pass by. As soon as it happens, she would instantly shake her head, letting them understand that she didn''t want them to approach her. They would eventually nod in understanding and leave her alone. Continuing to walk, she had finally reached the lecture room. Peeking, the lecture had already started, but she was already aware of it. "Haa... I should''ve just skipped today instead." She breathed out a sigh. Tap- Tap- Suddenly, she felt soneone tapping on her shoulders, alerting her in result "....!" Turning around, what met her line of sight were two purple eyes who looked at her in confusion. "...Amy?" Amy stifled an awkwardugh while waving her hand at ire. "...H-hi, ire." Recognizing, ire abruptly jumped Amy and embraced her tightly. "Ukh..! Good to see you t-" "I was so worried. You haven''t been replying to my or Rachel''s texts!" As ire''s tone rose, Amy warmly smiled, returning the embrace. Her actions of avoiding them had caused them to be anxious. If there''s anything that peeved Amy, it would be the sheer act of pitying her, just like what her mother did. But to her surprise, ire didn''t do that. ire pulled away from the hug and locked her gaze with Amy. "I know you don''t want to talk about what happened, so I won''t mention it. But since you''re safe now, please don''t avoid us. We care about you." At ire''s words, Amy looked down with a sorrowful expression. She then lifted her head up and pursed her lips. "Thank you, and sorry..." "There''s no need to apologize. I''m just happy that you''re safe." ire warmly smiled as Amy returned it with a smile of her own. Peeking inside the lecture room, ire turned around and looked at Amy. "Come on, the attention might be suffocating, but bear with it. It''s understandable." "...Yeah." "But don''t worry, if they make you ufortable, I''ll intervene." Amy nodded at ire''s words. "Okay, thanks." "Mhm." At that, the two beckoned inside the lecture room. *** "Huaaam..." Seated in his seat, Brandon stifled a yawn. He had stayed up all night due to the process of moving into the new apartment. Not only that, but he was quite bored of the lecture. For the past hour or so, the Professor continued to discuss about history, things that Brandon already knew. Yes, this was History ss. His memories were quite vivid about the world''s history. Which is why Brandon had studied it in advance during his time Asami Bookstore. He leaned down, crossing his arms on the table. While he did so, he could feel several nces his way. Ever since he came back to the Academy, wherever he went, he would often catch the students'' attention. Their murmurs would often reach his ears, not like they were trying to keep it quiet. From what he could recall, they would say things like; "Is that him?!" "Kyaa...! It''s Brandon Locke!" "Hey, look, it''s the Tri-Elemental Mage!" "He''s even more handsome than on screen!" It was non-verbatim, Brandon could more or less make out what they said. Brandon would often ignore them and let out a sigh in return. He had already expected the attention, ever since his performance in the Battle Royale. But due to theck of sleep, the attention irritated him to a certain degree. It would often happen during the current lecture as well. Whatever he did, he could feel several nces his way. "Haa..." He breathed out a heavy sigh. Though, it wasn''t just him receiving the attention. ncing at his side was Raven, who was enthusiastically listening to the lecture. Raven had received quite the attention as well due to his own performance. Despite Brandon winning the entire Battle Royale, it was Raven who had the most kills. Truth be told, two factions had formed. What once was a Duelist versus Mage faction-had turned into a Raven vs Brandon faction. They would often debate about who was the real ranked 1 student of the first years. To a certain degree, this had helped alleviate some of the discrimination among the Duelists. There were some Duelists that supported Brandon, while there were some Mages who supported Raven. "The Academy should thank us for this...'' Resting his elbow on the table, he propped his head up with his hand. Feeling drowsy, his eyelids had started to close, but would fight the urge to sleep. ''I should just nap for a while. There''s no point in listening to the lecture anyway." Following that line of thought, Brandon leaned down on the table and closed his eyes. "Akh!'' But as soon as he did, he was jolted awake, as one of the students panicked. "Brandon''s passed out! Someone save him!" "Quickly! Call the nurse!" Even the Professor chimed in and abruptly put his lecture on pause. "Brando cke''s passed out?!! s is an emergency!'' As their screams continued to reach his ears, Brandon lifted his head up in a daze. "...?" ncing, the Professor''s voice reached his ears. "Brandon Locke? Are you alright? What happened?!" "...Nothing, just sleepy." "Ah, you had us worried for a second. It''s fine, you can sleep." "Really...?" "Yes, don''t let my lecture bother you now." "...Okay." One of the students chimed in as well. "I''m sleepy too, Professor. Can I sleep as well?" "No." A t out refusal. It seemed like it was a privilege only for Brandon and Brandon alone. Or maybe Raven too, but he was a good student. Brandon just shrugged and leaned down on the table once more, closing his eyes. From behind him, he could hear a chuckle. "Pft..." Noticing, Brandon peered one of his eyes open to trace the source of the chuckle. What met his sight was Rachel who covered her mouth, struggling to hold back herugh. And as soon as she noticed his gaze, she instantly looked away, removing her hand from her lips and tried to whistle. "Fuu~ Fuu- Fuu~" Again, the only sound Brandon could hear was wind. Once again, he leaned down on the table to close his eyes. Yet he was interrupted once again by Raven, who was showing his notebook for some reason. "Hey, Brandon, what do you think about my notes-" "Haa... Please..." "...Okay, okay." Chapter 60: Fatigued [2] Chapter 60: Fatigued [2] ? The world, nothing but darkness. Like an Abyss. It was silent and dark. All Brandon could see was nothing but an empty world. Vast darkness. Silence. It was peaceful. Then suddenly, a figure emerged. Pale white hair, ice-blue eyes looking back at him. ''Brandon... Locke?'' It was him, yet at the same time it wasn''t. Suddenly, the figure blurred out. The scene abruptly changed. "?" Brandon couldn''tprehend what was happening. He was just in the Academy, supposedly taking History ss. But the next second he was... In a room. A room he was quite familiar with. No, it was the same room that he had from the previous apartment. But... ''How am I there...?'' A figure that looked identical to Brandon Lockeid on the bed. Yet Brandon was standing on the corner of the bed, looking down at the figure. A vision? "This doesn''t make any sense...'' This was the first time it had happened to him. Creak- The door creaked open and another figure emerged. A figure that was quite blurry to him. The figure entered the room as Brandon just stood still, looking at the figure. "" He couldn''t make out who the person that entered the room was. But he was certain about one thing... ''So it can''t see me...'' He was intangible. The figure just phased through him. It stood up, peering down at the other Brandon that seemed to be sleeping. -Brandon? A muffled voice, yet Brandon wasn''t sure where it wasing from. Suddenly, the figure lifted its hand. Its palms facing down at the other Brandon. -Brandon? Hey...? The muffled voice rang again, but Brandon''s attention was solely focused on the figure. With the figure''s hand lifted, it seemed to be chanting something. Yet Brandon couldn''t hear what it was saying. -Brandon? Still muffled. Brandon paid no heed to it, trying to read the figure''s lips to make out what it was saying. He couldn''t tell. He could deduce that it wasn''t English. But suddenly, the figure''s hands started to glow. Marks that seemed to be runic symbols etched on the figure''s arms gradually glowed. -Oy, Brandon, wake up! The glow started getting brighter, and at the same time, the other Brandon started glowing as well. A magic circle materialized, hovering above the other sleeping Brandon. Oneyer... Twoyers... Threeyers... Five... Eight... Ten. A total of ten magic circleyers materialized, hovering above the other Brandon. -What''s wrong with him? -I don''t know More muffled voices. But Brandon couldn''t discern them anymore as his attention was fixated at the sight before him. ''What the fuck is going on?'' Rumble... Rumble... The entire room started to shake. But due to Brandon''s intangibility, he couldn''t feel the vibrations. Suddenly, the other Brandon''s eyes started to glow a pure white hue. "..." Creak- The door behind him creaked open again. It seemed like another figure entered the room. Realizing, Brandon abruptly turned around. But just as the figure started to enter his peripheral view... "Huaak...!" He was jolted awake. "Brandon?" The voice reached his ears. But his thoughts were too upied with the vision. Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump! He could feel his heartbeat quicken. "Haa... Haa..." Taking deep heavy breaths, Brandon tried to calm down. The vision was etched in his memory. Everything felt vivid. He was unsure about what he just saw. He knew it wasn''t a memory. But could it have been the original Brandon Locke''s memory? No, that didn''t seem to be the case. After all, he saw the other Brandon Lockeying down on the bed with his eyes closed. Then... Whose memory was it. Or was it... A vision? A hallucination? "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..." He took deep heavy breaths again, as his heart rate started to stabilize. Drip. Drip...! A wet sensation dripped down from his nose. Realizing, he touched it. As he removed his hand from his nose, he looked at his fingers. His eyes shot wide open when he realized his fingers were stained red. "Brandon?" In a daze, Brandon looked up to find Raven, tilting his head at him. Beside Raven was Reinhard and Rachel, looking at him with a worried expression. "Brandon, your nose-" "It''s bleeding." Before Raven could finish, Rachel leaned forward and wiped Brandon''s nose with a handkerchief. Brandon didn''t respond. His eyes were wide open as he looked down at his fingers. Wiping his bloody nose, Rachel''s worried voice reached his ears. "What happened?" "...I don''t know." There was something clearly wrong with him. Looking up, he could see Rachel''s face up close, and before he could react she pressed her hand against his head. "!" "You''re burning up..." || || "...Yourplexions are quite pale as well." After her assessment, she took both of her hands away and took another handkerchief to wipe the other hand. After wiping her hand, Brandon nced down at her handkerchief, only to find that there was a wet stain on it. Realizing, he pressed his hand on the side of his head and felt a wet sensation. He was sweating. A cold sweat. Pinching his forehead, he tried to calm down. ''What the hell is going on with me?'' As his senses gradually returned, Brandon began to feel the onset of fatigue. His insides started heating up and his stomach started churning. His entire body was soaked in sweat. He could feel his shirt sticking to his body. ''Could it have been because of [Mana Burst]?'' It was a usible theory. But he instantly dismissed it. It had already been a week since his fight with Jin. It wouldn''t make sense if he was still suffering the bacsh from the overuse of his skills. But he was unsure. If he wanted answers, there was only one person he could ask. Jin. Abruptly standing up, Brandon immediately headed for the exit. Rachel was surprised and tried to follow him as Raven and Reinhard did so as well. From behind him, Rachel, Raven, and Reinhard''s voice reached his ears. "Brandon? Where are you going?" "Slow down!" "Oy!" But Brandon paid no heed to their worries and tried to retrieve his phone. After he did, he turned around to meet their gazes. With a phone in his hand, he pursed his lips. "I''m fine, I''ll go to the nurse''s office. You guys don''t need to follow me." The three seemed hesitant to believe him, but eventually nodded with a worried expression, and did not press further. As Brandon was about to leave, he turned around once again. "Ah, and Rachel." At his call, Rachel turned around and met his gaze. "?" "Thanks." Rachel seemed taken aback, but eventually nodded with a smile stered on her face. Turning around, Brandon beckoned for the nurse''s office. But instantly took a detour after their figures were nowhere to be seen. "H-haa... Haa..." With each step he took, he felt his breath grow heavier. Ba... Thump! Ba... Thump! The sound of his heartbeat rang in his head. Looking down, his legs started to shake. Because of that he decided to pause, using the wall to support himself. "Fuck is going on..." ncing around, it seemed like no one was around. Realizing that the coast was clear, Brandon scrolled his contact list and immediately clicked on ''Alpha''. Ring... Ring... Click- "Jin!" -I thought I told you to wait for three yea¡ª "There''s something wrong with me." -Hm? That''s not my problem. "You''re the only one I can ask." -I''ll hear you out then. Brandon decided to tell him about his symptoms. From his paleplexions, the nose bleeding, the fatigue, the stomach churning, to how his body felt weak. The only part he omitted was about the vision that he had. He was quite unsure if it had any connections to his current predicament. And in the first ce, Jin wouldn''t understand anyway. After he finished exining, Jin''s voice rang. -Ah, that. "Do you know what it is?" -Yeah, but Evelyn can probably exin it better. "I''m too light headed to find her, just tell me." ¡ªJust tell her these exact two words. But after this, don''t call me again unless it''s about ''that''. "H-haa... Yeah, now tell me." -Mana Poisoning. Click- Chapter 61: Mana Poisoning [1] Chapter 61: Mana Poisoning [1] ? "H-haa... Haa..." With each step he took, Brandon could feel his breath grow heavier and heavier as he clutched his chest tightly. Looking up, students looked back at him with worried gazes. Yet none of them dared to approach him. "Is that Brandon Locke?" "What''s happening to him?" "Wasn''t he fine earlier?" He could hear their murmurs-though-for him, it was muffled. "Haa..." Evelyn''s office was only a few distance away, all he had to do was continue to take each step. Thud-! But he couldn''t take it anymore, as his heartbeat continued to quicken, slumping down, supporting himself on one knee. "H-haa... Fuck..." As he tried to get up, a student abruptly approached him, giving him assistance. "Hey..?" Looking up, Brandon felt like he''d seen the student from before. He just couldn''t put a finger on it. But now wasn''t the time to ponder on such things. "Haa... Thanks." But when he locked eyes with the student, it was then he remembered. "You." He had realized that it was the earth mage. The one he had fought during the Battle Royale. "Brandon Locke, right?" "Haa..." That was all Brandon could say. He felt like he was losing his breath each second. But regardless, he had to reach his destination. Taking deep heavy breaths once again, he opened his mouth. "Evelyn''s... Haa... Office..." "Okay." The student nodded,pletely supporting Brandon up, arms ced on the student''s shoulder. Brandon was quite taken aback. After all the students he had passed by while trying to head towards Evelyn''s office, the only one to have helped him was the student he had threatened back then. As they finally reached the door to Evelyn''s office, Brandon turned to look at the man. With deep heavy breaths, he pursed his lips. "Thank... Haa... You.... Haa... Name?" "A-Ah, it''s Liam." "Haa... Liam... Got it." Liam nodded and knocked on the door for Brandon. From behind the door, Evelyn''s muffled voice rang. -Sorry, I''m currently on break. I won''t be entertaining students until 1:00 PM. Brandon knitted his brows and opened his mouth. "Haa... Brandon... Locke..." -Brandon? "...Open." At his call, the door peered open. Liam seemed confused, but quickly changed his expression, as he spoke with an anxious tone. "Miss Evelyn, there''s something wrong with him." Once again, Brandon was bbergasted at Liam''s sudden goodwill towards him. Looking up, Evelyn wore a look of worry as she pursed her lips. "...Bring him inside." At her instructions, Liam took Brandon inside the room, assisting him down on the couch. After that, Liam headed for the door trying to leave. "I''ll be on my way now." "Wait, don''t leave." Liam flinched and instantly removed his hand from the door knob. He turned around to meet Evelyn''s gaze. Seated on the couch, Brandon lifted his head up while looking at the ceiling. "Haa..." With deep heavy breaths, he closed his eyes as he opened his mouth. "Help... Mana Poisoning." "...What?" Evelyn tilted her head but immediately approached Brandon. She pressed her hand on his forehead. "You''re burning up." "Mana... Haa... Poisoning..." "I can see that. I''ll ask youter how this happened." "...Help." "Mhm, sit tight. This is going to take a while." Evelyn turned around to look at Liam as she opened her mouth. "Name?" "Ah, it''s Liam, I''m actually in your ss." "Oh, I see, sorry for not recognizing you." Liam shed her a smile as he rubbed his head. "Haha, you have a lot of students, Miss. It''s understandable." Evelyn nodded and returned his smile. Then, her expressions became serious. "Could you do me a favor?" "Ah, yes." "Could you bring anyone you know? Preferably, a mage with the ice, wind, and lightning affinity." The exact three elements that Brandon had revealed to the entire Academy. Liam seemed confused but eventually nodded as he left the room. nk-! Brandon continued to breathe heavily, as he covered his eyes with his arm. Evelyn''s worried voice then reached his ears. "This is the problem with Deviants..." "....?" Brandon was confused. But he couldn''t show it in his expression. While Evelyn had the [Celestial] affinity, she wasn''t exactly a Deviant. Her affinity was an innate skill, something she was born with. Hence, the [Celestial] affinity was the only affinity she had. Evelyn seemed to notice that Brandon didn''t know what she was talking about. Her voice reached Brandon''s ears as she continued. "When Deviants use too much of their elements, to the point where their mana is drained, they suffer severe drawbacks." She approached Brandon and removed his arm that was covering his eyes. She leaned close and thoroughly scanned Brandon''s face. Brandon could practically hear her breathing at how close her face was. Evelyn then pursed her lips. "From your symptoms, it seems like this has been going on for a while." She leaned back and ced her hands on her waist, letting out a heavy sigh. "Haa... If you knew you were having Mana Poisoning, why did you let it get this bad?" Brandon shook his head, unable to answer. "?" Evelyn seemed to not understand his gesture. Brandon shook his head again but spoke up this time. "Haa... Didn''t know." Seemingly unconvinced, Evelyn spoke up. "Let''s leave it at that then. Just wait for a while until Liames back." Brandon nodded at her instructions and closed his eyes. Creak- Suddenly, the door opened and seven figures emerged. "Brandon?!" "Brandon!" The muffled voices rang in his ears. Brandon opened one of his eyes, scanning the figures. What met his sight was Belle, Amy, Raven, Reinhard, Rachel, ire and Liam. Liam had brought way too many people. Evelyn tilted her head as she knitted her brow, looking at Liam. "Didn''t I tell you to bring only three people?" Liam stifled augh as he rubbed his head. "Yes, I initially approached Reinhard to help me find the students you''ve asked for." Liam looked around at the people he had brought and continued. "But once I mentioned that Brandon was in trouble, these guys jumped me and asked to bring them with me." Evelyn let out a sigh as she looked down. She then lifted her head up and looked at the people around her. "That''s fine. You at least filled the criteria." Liam awkwardly nodded, rubbing his head once again. The first one to have spoken up was Belle as she hurriedly approached Brandon. "Miss Evelyn, what''s wrong with him?" "Mana Poisoning." Evelyn tly stated. It seemed like Brandon was the only one in the room who didn''t know about mana poisoning, despite reading the novel. After all, the story closely followed Raven-who was never a Deviant in the first ce. And it wasn''t like he would remember a minor scene of an extra, experiencing mana poisoning. ''I mean... there were over 4,000 chapters.'' Is what he thinks. Despite having read a lot of books, most of the books he had read were about swordsmanship. He couldn''t have known anything about mana poisoning. As he was lost in his thoughts, Evelyn''s authoritative voice rang. "Rachel, ire, Belle,e here." Rachel and Belle immediately followed suit. ire seemed hesitant for some reason, but eventually nodded. Evelyn''s muffled voice then reached his ears. "The three of you at least have an idea about Mana Poisoning, right?" "Yes." "Yeah." Rachel seemed to pause in reluctance, but eventually spoke up. "I''ve read about it." Evelyn didn''t mind it. "That''s good enough." Nodding, she then instructed them. "I want you three to channel each of your mana into Brandon. Make sure to use the ice, wind, and lightning affinity." The three followed suit and approached Brandon. Brandon''s eyes were still closed, taking deep heavy breaths. They lifted their hand and Brandon began to feel mana pouring into him. Brandon could somewhat feel like his body became lighter. The treatment was supposed to be a sess. However... Evelyn headed towards Brandon, leaning close and scanning his face. At her sudden gesture, each and every one of the crowd''s mouths were left agape. She was too close to his face. Continuing to pour mana into him, Belle''s voice rang. "Miss Evelyn? What are you d=" "...It''s not working." Chapter 62: Mana Poisoning [2] Chapter 62: Mana Poisoning [2] ? "...It''s not working." "What?" Belle knitted her brow, as her tone had a tinge of worry. Evelyn pressed her hands on Brandon''s head. "All he needed was for mana of the same affinities as his to cleanse his core." At the mention of ''same affinities'', Brandon peered his eyes open. Looking around, his gaze eventuallynded on Amy and Reinhard, who stood near the door beside Raven and Liam. If he needed mages with the same affinities as his, then he needed Amy''s [Water] affinity, and Reinhard''s [Fire] affinity. He didn''t want to reveal his capabilities so soon. Especially since he had finally cleared any link between him and Moriarty. Amy''s beliefs were questionable. But he left that all up to Raven to exin. He had no other choice. The pain was too much for him. He had to save himself. He wasn''t sure what would happen if he allowed the symptoms to worsen. ''Should I do it?'' A wise man once said. ''Fuck it.'' He then locked his eyes with Evelyn as he opened his mouth. "Evelyn..." Evelyn knitted her brow since Brandon dropped all formalities with her, but decided to let it go. "What?" "Pour... Haa... Mana... Amy... Reinhard..." "...?" "Haa... Water... Fire... Affinity..." "What are you-" Oh. Realizing, Evelyn''s eyes shot wide open. The same went for everyone else in the room. Belle''s shocked voice reached his ears. "Brandon... You''re-" "Haa... Penta... Elemental... Haa... Mage..." He finished for her. Once he muttered those words, everyone''s mouths contoured to a silent ''o'' shape. Brandon could hear Liam gasp as well. It seemed like the revtion had left them astonished. But Brandon couldn''t ponder on his decisions at the moment. Closing his eyes, he pursed his lips. "Help." At his instructions, Amy and Reinhard immediately approached him. The five stood next to each other, lifting their hands, and pouring their mana into Brandon. Rumble... Rumble... Due to vast amounts of mana condensing, the room began to vibrate. As they continued to pour mana into Brandon, Evelyn inched close and scanned his face once again. Letting out a sigh, Evelyn''s voice reached his ears. "It''s working. I can''t believe it." "You have a lot of exining to do after this, Brandon." Knitting her brow, Belle chimed in as well. The other seven people in the room nodded their heads together-including Liam. ''Why is Liam still here?'' There were too many people... Brandon appreciated the amount of people that cared for him... Including Liam? He was unsure. But regardless, he appreciated him to a certain degree. ''I have to talk to him after this...'' As they continued to pour their mana, Brandon could feel himself start to stabilize. The beating of his heart began to slow down, and he was finally able to catch his breath. Rumble... Rumble... The room continued to shake. Belle spoke up once again. "Miss Evelyn, how long is this gonna take?" "A bit more. The colors in his lips are starting to return." She leaned even closer. "It''s starting to get moist as well." "E-eh?!" Everyone was left bbergasted. Evelyn leaned back and turned to look at them. She tilted her head. "What...?" "N-nothing..." Belle answered for her. Her mouth was twitching. Brandon frowned. "This woman...'' Evelyn just couldn''t stop to think before speaking. Brandon could hear Liam in the corner silently muttering to himself. "...I should''ve left as soon as I got here." Raven ced his hand on Liam''s shoulder, nodding his head with his eyes closed. He was as much of a bystander as Liam was at the moment. Since Liam was in the corner, he could see the entire ordeal from the side. Evelyn was bending down up close to Brandon, to the point where if you didn''t look properly, it would look like they were- Yeah. * At the end of it all, everyone who contributed slumped down on the ground. "§¯§Ñ§Ñ... §¯§Ñ§Ñ..." They were all catching their breaths. Noticing it, Brandon abruptly stood up and headed for the exit. He turned his head to meet Raven''s gaze who stood beside him. He then muttered. "Help me escape." Raven sighed and nodded. "Go." Brandon then turned his head to look at the rest who were still trying to catch their breaths. "Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it." With his hand on the door knob, he twisted it slightly and turned his back to them. "I''ll repay all of you soon. I have another lecture to attend. So if you don''t mind I-" "Hold up." He paused as soon he felt a hand pressed on his shoulder. Turning around, what met his sight was Belle with an expression that said ''Where do you think you''re going?'' Brandonposed himself and shed her a smile. "Sis, I-" "You have a lot of exining to do." Brandon slumped his shoulder down in defeat. There was no winning against an angry Belle. From beside him, Raven just gave him a shrug. Nothing I can do about that. * For the next thirty minutes or so, the only ones to have spoken were Brandon and Belle. The others were quite taken aback that even Belle-Brandon''s own sister didn''t know. They gave the two space while silently listening to them. Seated face-to-face, Belle let out a heavy sigh. "Haa.. So you''re saying you''ve only recently awakened?" "Yes." "How recent?" Brandon pondered for a while. Pinching his chin and looking up, he opened his mouth. "Three weeks ago." "You mean..." "The start of the semester." It was quite convenient that it happened on that day. But Brandon decided not to lie. It would further support his reason for not knowing anything about mana poisoning, since he was a newly awakened Deviant. Now that he''s revealed all of his affinities, there was a possibility that Raven might link him to Moriarty. Not just him but Amy as well. ''As long as I don''t use [Mana Disruption]'' If he told Belle that he had been hiding his abilities for a long time, he would lose the trust of everyone around him. In short, he would be suspicious again. At the end, Brandon had asked them to hide it for the time being. Everyone else understood and decided to keep it a secret for a while. Once the government finds out about Brandon''s existence, it would prove troublesome for him. ''Especially if that ''man'' finds out.'' Lucian Frost. The strongest mage of the current era. Not only a mage but a duelist as well. Aplete package. As everyone left the room, the only ones who stayed were Brandon and Evelyn. Brandon had a few more questions for her, which is why he decided to stay. Looking up, Evelyn was... Well... Unwrapping a lollipop. Scrunch. She gave it a lick before shoving it in her mouth. Slurp~ She must''ve not wanted the others to see this side of her. But Brandon respected it. Though Lucian was the strongest known human. Brandon had recently found out that it wasn''t the case. There was someone else. Someone who had stayed out of the limelight. Brandon pursed his lips as he spoke with a serious tone. "Evelyn." Evelyn''s expressions crunched up, knitting her brow. "Where''s the formalities?" "Evelyn." "" "Have you heard of the name..." Brandon paused. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Jin." "...Jin?" Evelyn tilted her head. It seemed like she didn''t know. Thus, Brandon decided not to question further. "Nevermind." The reason he had asked her was because it seemed like Jin knew Evelyn, considering he had mentioned her name twice. But for some reason, Evelyn had no idea what he was talking about. Which is why Brandon decided to change the topic. "How do I avoid Mana Poisoning?" As Evelyn was indulging in her lollipop, she removed it from her mouth and pursed her lips. "Youck mana control. I''ve seen it in the Battle Royale. I knew this was going to happen eventually." "So what do I do?" Evelyn tilted her head. Huh? "Just learn to control your mana efficiently." She spoke with a matter of fact tone. "Don''t worry, I''ll teach you. I decided to take you under me after all." "...What?" Chapter 63: Electives [1] Chapter 63: Electives [1] ? "Congrattions for surviving your first month in the Academy." Vanessa''s voice echoed throughout the lecture room. "I know we might have been strict with the expulsions and all, but you were all aware the moment you applied for this Academy." She continued to walk around the podium. Silence ensued the entire lecture room, as each student''s attention was solely fixed on Vanessa. "After the initial one month screening process, the expulsion policy has been lifted for the time being." The moment those words left her mouth, several murmurs from the students reverberated around the room. "But-" She paused. And as soon as she did, the room fell silent once again. "Just because the policy is lifted, doesn''t mean you can all start to rx. She spoke with a matter of fact tone. "The real curriculum starts now. I expect all of you to continue improving yourselves." Walking around, she paused and closed her eyes. She then opened them and looked at each student in front of her. "Here are the new rankings for the first semester." She then clicked on the white circr device on the table. A blue hologram materialized behind her. Standing in front of the hologram, Vanessa continued. "Just like I said at the start of the semester, the rest of the rankings are in the Astrea Academy app." But unlike the first day of ss, Brandon didn''t need to do that anymore. After all.. [Brandon Locke 1/1,943] For the rest of the rankings... [Raven ckheart: 2/1,943] [Reinhard Van: 3/1,943] [Rachel Asami: 4/1,943] [Amy Ashfield: 5/1,943] . [ire Victoria: 7/1,943] And unlike the first day, there were noints about the rankings. All of the students seemed to understand the hierarchy. Brandon Locke and Raven ckheart had cemented their positions within the Academy. Not even the Raven faction could deny Brandon Locke''s efforts. Each and everyone of the students who couldn''t find their names on the screen were peering down on their phones. Once again, Vanessa''s voice rang, catching all of their attention. "But that''s not all. As of July 1, 2148..." She paused. The tension became evident as each student''s gazes were solely fixed on her. The room waspletely silent. Then, Vanessa''s voice echoed. "Official Ranked Duels are now open for the first years." Vanessa extended her hand and pressed the white circr device. Click- As soon as she did, the hologram behind her shifted into a different screen. The screen seemed to disy the details for the official rank duels. Brandon squinted his eyes, focusing on the contents of the hologram. [Official Rank Duels] An opportunity for students who believe their rankings should be adjusted to prove themselves. [General Information] [Eligibility and Agreement:] - Students have the right to challenge any ranker, provided both parties mutually agree to the duel. [Application Submission:] - Once an agreement is reached, both participants must fill out an application form and submit it to the General Hub. [Approval Process:] The application will be reviewed, and once approved, the duel will be scheduled. [Duel Scheduling:] - Approved duels will take ce seven days after the application is submitted. [Venue:] - All official rank duels are held at the Virtual Astrea Colosseum, ensuring a proper and fair environment for the contestants. [Conduct:] -Participants must adhere to a code of conduct, maintaining respect and sportsmanship before, during, and after the duel. Any form of cheating, sabotage, or unsportsmanlike behavior will result in immediate disqualification and potential disciplinary action. As the students continued to read the contents written in the hologram, Vanessa spoke up. "With that being said, I''d like to announce that electives and extracurricrs are now open for application." After her announcement, chatters echoed throughout the entire lecture room. Each and every one of the students'' excitement was evident. After all, ranked duels were not just a way for students to climb the rankings. It was also their chance to catch the eyes of the top guilds in the world. A chance for them to be scouted and secure their future. They didn''t even have to win. All they had to do was show their potential, a reason why they should be invested in. However it wasn''t the same for Brandon. "Haa..." He breathed out a heavy sigh. It was unavoidable that he would be the top student. But he would''ve liked it if he wasn''t. At the moment, he would''ve liked it if he didn''t garner any attention, especially from the guilds. After all, he had an agreement with Jin to join the Primordials. Guilds held no value to him, and if he would catch their attention-in which he most likely will. Then it would be harder to operate once he actually joins the organization. Raven, who sat beside him, looked at him in confusion. "You don''t seem too excited, Mr Ranked One." "I could say the same about you, Mr Ranked Two." Raven furrowed his brows at Brandon''s statement. "Feels like you''re rubbing salt on my wound..." "You started it." "Pft..." The two stifled augh at their exchange. Rubbing his eyes, Raven spoke up. "Brandon, why don''t we have a Ranked Due-" "Nope." A t out refusal. "Why?" "You can just take the ranking from me." "Do I look like the type to actually care about rankings?" Raven had a point. Brandon pinched his chin, thoroughly scanning Raven''s face. "Hmm... Yeah, you do." Raven frowned. "No, I just want to see howrge the gap is between us." "We''ve already fought back then, and you lost." "I never took that seriously." "Sore loser." || || Breathing out a sigh, Raven eventually relented. "Fine, but one day, I''ll catch up to you." "You will." Raven''s eyes widened. It seemed like he didn''t expect that kind of answer from Brandon. Though, he most likely took it as sarcasm, but didn''t press further. Shrugging it off, Brandon shifted his gaze to the hologram. He pursed his lips. "What happened to ire?" Since ire''s rankings dropped down, it piqued Brandon''s curiosity. ''Could it have been because of me?'' Of course, everyone''s rankings dropped down ever since Brandon reached the top rank. But for ire''s case, she dropped to a whole new level. "That''s not the case, right?'' He didn''t know. From beside him, Raven''s voice reached his ears. "Actually, during the Battle Royale, she didn''t contribute much." "Hm?" "While we were getting ambushed, she mostly sat back and left me to do all the work." Raven breathed out a sigh and continued. "Not sure why. But the only time she actually acted was the first ambush. The next was when we encountered you." Brandon pinched his chin, trying to digest everything Raven was saying. "After that, I heard from Amy that her performance was stagnating." "I see." Several theories flooded Brandon''s mind. But in the end, he couldn''t reach a conclusion. He knew ire''s personality. She was often prideful in the earlier parts of the novel. But from what Brandon knew, he had never tried to push ire''s buttons. Breathing out a sigh, Brandon leaned back. "Guess I''ll have to talk to herter." "Why do you have to do that?" "She''s a friend." Chapter 64: Electives [2] Chapter 64: Electives [2] ? Inside the library, ire looked at the rankings on her phone and carefully scanned it. Ever since the new rankings were announced, she had been staring at it for the past few hours or so. "ire." She knew her performance had dropped ever since the Battle Royale. But she couldn''t help it. Her mind was upied with a lot of things. "ire?" She had suffered a humiliating defeat against Brandon. It wasn''t even close. Brandon Locke. The younger brother of the current student council president. A Deviant. A Tri-Eleme- No, a Penta-Elemental Mage. And the man she had initially looked down upon. And to add fuel to the fire, he was now the top ranking student of the first years. "ire...?" She had never cared about him in the first ce. To her he was like an ant. But that was before. In other words, she was wrong about him. Recently, she had beening to terms with epting the fact. She knew Brandon didn''t actually care. He probably didn''t even know how she felt about him. But for ire the situation was awkward. She wanted to ept him, to reconcile with him in her own way. Not like Brandon actually knew. But it was important for ire. She had to let go of her pride and to stop looking down on people on first impressions. "Earth to ire?" "Hm?" Snapping her out of her thoughts was Amy, waving her hand in front of her face. "Sorry..." "Is it about your ranking again?" "...Not really." Amy sat back down and let out a sigh. "Then... Is it about Brandon again?" "..." ire couldn''t respond. Amy was spot on. Breathing out another sigh, Amy grabbed ire on the shoulder. She turned ire around to face her. ire was taken aback as her eyes widened. With a serious expression, Amy locked eyes with her. Both of her hands on ire''s shoulder. "Like I said before, just go talk to him." Amy had recently informed ire about Brandon''s involvement during her rescue. As she did so, ire had started to see Brandon in a new light. He wasn''t so bad. Which is why when Brandon was the one in trouble, ire decided to help him. As if her thoughts were seemingly read, Rachel-who was reading a ''book'' in front of her, chimed in. "He''s not so bad. Talk to him." "...I can''t take you seriously when you''re trying to hide your manga by covering it with a traditional book." That was exactly what Rachel was doing. Rachel looked up to meet ire''s gaze as she put her ''book'' down. "This is actually a trick Brandon recently taught me." So was that her basis on why Brandon isn''t so bad? But something caught ire''s attention. "You." "....?" Rachel cocked her head, meeting ire''s gaze. "You told him about that hobby of yours?" "...Yes?" As soon as Rachel confirmed, ire and Amy''s eyes shot wide open. Amy turned around to face Rachel. "I thought you were going to take that secret to the grave. Since when did you two be close enough for you to tell him?" "Ah, that. We''re actually neighbors now." Rachel nonchntly replied. Thump-! "What?!'' "Eh?" Amy abruptly stood up, smacking the table. While ire tilted her head with widened eyes. Amy leaned forward and grabbed Rachel''s shoulder. She waved her around. "Since when did something like this happen?!" Rachel''s expressions remained nk while she was casually being waved around. "Last week." She nonchntly replied. "Has he done anything to you?!" Before Rachel responded, she looked down and gave Amy a sad look. Pursing her lips, she looked back up to meet Amy''s gaze. "Yes." After Rachel''s confirmation, Amy stiffened up and let go of Rachel. ire abruptly got up, smacking the table. Thump! ire turned to look at Amy as she knitted her brow. "Not that bad my foot. I knew I was right about him." Amy cracked her knuckles as she agreed with ire''s statement. "I mean... I knew he was quite casual with me, but I didn''t expect this." She then turned her head to look at Rachel. "I know Brandon was one of the people to have saved me, but..." She paused, clenching her teeth. "That doesn''t give him the excuse to mess with my sister." "Agreed, let''s go Amy." "Right." The two nodded at each other, seemingly about to leave. But that was until... "Pftt..." A strange sound reached their ears. The two turned around to trace the source. Rachel''s shoulders trembled as she lowered her head, covering her mouth. Noticing, Amy immediately approached her. "Rachel?" Fearing the worst, Amy grabbed Rachel''s shoulders. "Rachel what''s wrong?" "Pff." Pff...? ire approached them as well, standing behind Amy. As Rachel continued to hold her mouth, a strange sound escaped her lips. The two were taken aback. With her hand on Rachel''s shoulders, Amy spoke with a tinge of worry. "Rachel, what''s wrong?!" "Amy, I think she''s about to vomit..." Was she? Amy clenched her fist as she knitted her brow. "Rachel... You should have told us. I can''t believe he took it that far." ire was angered as well as she turned around, seemingly about to leave. "That bastard. I bet he forced himself on y-" Before ire could finish, a strange sound echoed. Turning around, she saw that Rachel''s shoulders continued to tremble. Then... "Pfftt... Hahahaha." Augh escaped Rachel''s lips. Amy and ire cocked their heads. Tears started to roll down Rachel''s eyes. ire returned to Amy''s side as she spoke, "Rachel...?" "Pfft... Yeah, he did something. He cleaned my ce." At Rachel''s revtion, the two were taken aback. What the hell is wrong with her? Growing up with Rachel, the two were used to this side of her. They should have known. The two breathed out a sigh. "Hahaha-Ukeh!" Amy smacked Rachel''s head. Smack! ire did so as well. * At the end of it, Amy and ire sat back down. Rachel turned towards ire and pursed her lips. "Like I said, ire, he''s not so bad. Just go talk to him. Breathing out a sigh, ire replied, "Haa... I guess I will. But how can I approach him? He''s always around Raven and Reinhard." Before she got an answer, Rachel and Amy turned to look at each other. ire alternated her gaze between the two. Then, the two of them simultaneously turned to look at ire. The first one to have spoken was Amy. "You want to get back up the rankings, right?" "Yes...?" "Join his elective." Rachel and Amy spoke at the same time. ire was taken aback as she widened her eyes. "What do I have to do that for? Can''t any of you just tell him that I had something to say?" Amy shook her head and shot ire down. "No, no, ire. If you want him to take you seriously, then you have to do at least this much." Rachel chimed in as well. "Agreed." Pondering, ire pinched her chin. She then opened her mouth. "But why do I have to join his-Oh, I see." Amy nodded in approval. "Right?" Since Brandon was nning on joining Advanced Spellcasting, then it would give ire the excuse to speak privately with Brandon once she joins. Advanced Spellcasting was a difficult elective for a first year. No, it was even unheard of for a first year to join. But if ire wanted to improve and climb the ranks, then she had to to put in the same kind of effort as the current top student. She had never nned on joining the elective in the first ce. But after falling off the ranks, it was now something to consider. With her thoughts gathered, she lifted her head up and alternated her gaze between the two. "I guess I''ll do that." Chapter 65: Electives [3] Chapter 65: Electives [3] ? The next day. After applying for Advanced Spellcasting, Brandon''s application was immediately epted. Entering the lecture room, a burly man who seemed to be the Professor in charge stood on the podium. Currently, he thoroughly scanned the document he was holding. Flicking his eyes up, he called out for each student''s names then looked down to check for the next name. He was taking attendance. This persisted until a particr name was called up. "...Brandon Locke." "Present." As soon as his voice became audible, all eyes tried to trace for the source of the voice. Brandon had just entered the room. He currently stood at the back entrance. And as soon he stepped forward to find a seat, all eyes were on him. Brandon paid no heed to it and continued ascending the stairs. He could feel all their gazes on him as he eventually sat down. The lecture room was currently filled by second, third, and fourth year students. But even the news about Brandon Locke''s performance had reached their circles. He was the talk of the entire Academy, and it seemed like it wouldn''t die down for a while. But Brandon was already used to this as he breathed out a sigh. The Professor continued to take the attendance. Shortly after, Brandon''s attention was caught as the Professor called out for a familiar name. "ire Victoria?" But there was no response. "No way." Brandon muttered in disbelief. From what he remembered, ire was supposed to choose a duelist type of elective. Yet for some reason, her name was mentioned in the attendance list. Could it have been a mistake? "ire Victoria...?" The Professor called again, looking left, then right, trying to find the specific person. "...ire Victo-" "Present." Before he could finish, a voice rang from the back entrance. Everyone''s attention was immediately drawn towards the back where a figure stood. With short purple hair and purple eyes, she stepped forward and ascended the stairs. All eyes fell on her as well, but not for the same reason as Brandon. Paying no heed to it, ire continued to walk until she paused in front of Brandon. "...?" Brandon cocked his head. Tucking her lip under her teeth, ire''s voice reached his ears "Good morning." "...Good morning?" Brandon was taken aback. Nodding, ire pulled the seat and sat beside Brandon. "''...'' Yet it seemed like the current situation was awkward, evident by the silent that ensued. ire seemed reluctant to speak to him. Brandon broke the awkward silence first. "...Why are you here?" But to his surprise, ire-who supported her head with her hand, replied immediately. "Because of you." "Huh?" "I heard what you did for Amy, and also for Rachel. If you didn''t know, the two are like sisters to me. Thank you, and..." She paused, biting her lip. "Sorry." "Sure, but sorry for what exactly?" Brandon was taken aback once again. The former was no new information to him, he already knew that from the novels. But thetter? He had no idea why ire was apologizing to him. But his confusion was soon resolved as ire opened her mouth. "At first, I thought of you as an ant. But it turns out, you are a much bigger ant. A bigger ant than me." "I guess what I''m saying is, I was wrong about you." "Ah, that doesn''t really bother me." Brandon just casually waved her off. "Just ept the goddamn apology." ire frowned. "Also, the reason I''m here is because Amy and Rachel put me up to it." "So it''s not your own choice?" "Technically, it is. In the end, I was the one who sent the application form." At that, Brandon finally got the gist of what happened. "This is good.'' From what he remembered, ire wouldn''t have this kind of development during the first year. Once again, his involvement had significantly influenced the main cast, and for the better. The first was igniting a friendly rivalry with Raven, so Raven would push himself into improving faster. The second, though he was quite unsure, would be Amy. He knew Amy wasn''t a pushover. In fact, Amy was secretly more prideful than ire. Her pride wouldn''t allow herself to let the incident weigh her down. Nor let the people around her pity her. If it meant that they would get this kind of development early on, then it was another step into changing the novel''s ending. Snapping him out of his thoughts was the Professor''s voice who was still taking the attendance. It seemed like he went back to the top of the list, to check if the student was actuallyte or absent. But the name that came out of his mouth left Brandon stunned. "Sarah Aurae?" "Present." Brandon''s head immediately flicked to the direction of the voice. And as soon as he found her, their gazes met. ''I knew it. It is her.'' Brandon had actually forgotten about Sarah. But now that he remembered, he was quite bbergasted that Sarah decided to stay in the Academy. Not only that, but she took the same elective as him. An elective that wasn''t quite popr with the first years, due to its sheer difficulty. But now that he thought about it, it wasn''t quite surprising at all. "This girl...'' If she failed the elective, then she would be expelled. But if she passes it, then it would mean she had significantly improved in her magic. In other words, she was betting her chances. Sarah was currently seated a few rows below Brandon. Realizing, Brandon abruptly stood up and descended the stairs. ire, who was taken aback, called out for him. "Brandon? Where are you going?" But Brandon didn''t respond. All eyes were on him as he descended the stairs. The familiar ck ponytail came into view. Hervender eyes instantly met Brandon''s gaze, but she immediately looked away. And she seemed to be... Shuddering. In fear? ''Ah.'' Right, thest time she had met Brandon was when he wiped out her entire party, killing her in the process. It would make sense that Sarah was quite afraid of him. But regardless, Brandon dismissed his thoughts. To his convenience, the seat next to Sarah was unupied. Thus, he decided to sit next to her. He turned to look at her and opened his mouth. "Sarah Aurae, huh?" She didn''t respond. In fact, she was looking to the side, avoiding Brandon''s gaze. "I know why you''re here." Immediately, Sarah''s body twitched as those words left Brandon''s mouth. "Like I said back then. I''lle find you, and I did, which is why I''m here." It sounded like a threat. But for Brandon, he was merely teasing her. Sarah''s entire figurepletely shuddered. She then turned around to face him and stuttered. "B-Brandon L-Locke, w-what a c-coincidence..." Brandon waved her off and leaned back. "Don''t worry, I''ll help you pass this ss." Sarah tilted her head at his words. "?" "Your talent would be a waste if you were expelled." Sarah looked down and frowned. There was a reason why Brandon was so fixated in sound magic. There were countless affinities, and Brandon knew that. But what made the sound affinity so intriguing to him was because of its intangibility. For him, it was one of the most versatile affinities. Of course, the wind affinity had some simrities. After all, it was an evolved form of the wind affinity. If he were to be a seated member in the future, he would certainly prefer having a subordinate with a sound affinity. Snapping him out of his thoughts was ire, who had followed him down the stairs. Alternating her gaze between the two, she sat down next to Brandon. "Friend of yours?" "Yeah." "...No." Brandon nodded, and Sarah frowned. ire pinched her chin and turned to look at Brandon. "Hm? I''ve never seen this side of you before." "...?" Brandon tilted his head in confusion. Sarah''s entire body shuddered in fear. ire thoroughly scanned Sarah''s features, in which Sarah looked away. "I see. So that''s your type, huh?" She leaned back and breathed out a sigh. "Someone I know would be disappointed. But nothing I can do about that." "...?" Brandon tilted his head again, unable toprehend just what ire was saying. Shrugging, Brandon turned to look at Sarah. And she was... Completely trembling. || || Chapter 66 Electives [4] Chapter 66 Electives [4] A week had passed without any trouble. Though the Advanced Spellcasting elective did indeed prove to be difficult, Brandon was able to keep up. It had to be said that in the elective, a student needs to show their growth every month. If they can''t meet that criteria, then they would most likely be expelled. Electives had a harsh policy. But since the students would be the future protectors of the country. No, the world. Then they had to be pressured under that kind of environment. In the first ce, it was their choice to apply for Astrea Academy. If they wanted to take it easy, they could have opted for a different Academy instead. But the benefits that Astrea Academy had, far outweigh the punishment. Since Brandon had only revealed three of his elements to the public, his growth in those specific elements had significantly gotten better. Sarah on the other hand faced some difficulties at the start. But apparently she was a schr. She was quite disheartened at first, but seeing all the students around her pushing themselves to the limits seemed to have motivated her. Her application with sound magic was quitecking as well. But her contributions to magic theory made up for it. Even the higher years were surprised. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om In ire''s case, she had some difficulty with advanced forms of lightning magic. But it seemed like she let go of her pride as she had asked Brandon to help her. Help in how exactly? They were¡­ nk¨C! Sparring. Evelyn stood at the back, acting as a spectator. Since Brandon was Evelyn''s assista¡ªprot¨¦g¨¦, Brandon had asked her if ire could join their training as well. Of course, Evelyn agreed. It was a good chance to see Brandon''s growth inparison to his peers. She knew nothing about sword fighting. But what she was currently evaluating was Brandon''s mana control, in order for the mana poisoning incident to not happen again. Because of Evelyn''s authority, they were allowed to utilize the Virtual Simtion. But of course, the pain parameter was disabled. They could fight to their heart''s content. To kill each other. The two were currently exchanging blows with their swords. nk¨C nk¡ª! Sparks flew in the air at each parry, while the two continued to leave trails of lightning at each step. They had a simr way of fighting in the way they use their lightning affinities. But there was a certain person Brandon wanted to imitate. The strongest person he knew. Brandon took a step back and conjured a myriad of ice crystals from behind him. Unlike Jin, Brandon couldn''t materialize the ice from anywhere beyond his radius. For that, he would need the [Space] affinity. Tszz¡ª Wrapped in an aura of purple lightning, ire used the opportunity and instantly appeared before Brandon. It was a new technique that ire was trying to learn. "Tsk." Brandon clicked his tongue. His casting time was still too slowpared to Jin. nk¡ª! Parrying ire''s rapier, the ice crystals behind him dematerialized, shattering. Without [elerated Cognition] helping him, Brandon knew he was quitecking in the sword department. Compared to someone who had actually trained with the sword, Brandon only knew the theories. Application was different. nk¡ª! It became evident as he was being pushed back at every exchange. Before he was pinned to the wall behind him, Brandon shed to the side, leaving trails of blue sparks. But as soon as he did, ire had already chased him. nk¡ª! Once again, Brandon was being pushed back. Sparks of lightning fluttered in the air, and it actually seemed like Brandon would lose. ''Think back to that day.'' Brandon blinked back and motioned his hand for ire to stop. "Wait." At his call, ire tilted her head, smirking. "Had enough?" But Brandon didn''t respond, and gradually closed his eyes. "What are you doing? Channeling your inner power or something?" Brandon brows twitched. But he couldn''t deny it. ire was somehow not that far off. With his eyes closed, Brandon inwardly thought. [elerated Cognition] Suddenly, the world became dull. Everything became silent. It was only him and his thoughts alone. Focused. Thinking back to that day. Trying to recall the fight. Each of Jin''s movements. His swordsmanship. The way he used his magic. The precision. The force of each strike. "Oy?" Deactivating [elerated Cognition] Brandon slowly opened his eyes. *** ''What sort of¡­.'' Observing Brandon, ire was bbergasted. ire definitely knew that she was winning the spar. For some reason, Brandon wasn''t performing the same way he did during the Battle Royale. But ire could tell that he was trying to do something different. No, the entire fight, it didn''t seem like she was fighting Brandon at all. Back in the Battle Royale, ire and Raven werepletely outmatched by Brandon. But now? That didn''t seem to be the case anymore. But she knew it wasn''t a fluke. Could it have been a skill? She didn''t know. "Ready." She was snapped out of her thoughts as Brandon''s voice reached her ears. Scanning, she locked gaze with him. For some reason, the air around Brandon shifted. ire could feel some kind of pressure from a distance. ''His eyes¡­.'' It was somehow different nowpared to earlier. But it wasn''t the same during the Battle Royale as well. During the Battle Royale, it felt as if all of Brandon''s moves were automated. But that didn''t seem to be the case during the entire spar. But now the way he looked at her. ''His gaze....'' It felt... ....Creepy. A sudden chill ran down ire''s spine. Tszzz¡ª And before she knew it, Brandon had already appeared in front of her. nk¡ª! ire was somehow able to parry his sword, despite being caught off guard. But for some reason, the moment the swords met, the force of Brandon''s swing was now heavier. nk¨C nk¡ª! Brandon was relentless in his attacks, giving ire no breathing room. His swordsmanship and the fluidity of his movements now felt different. If earlier he was having a hard time parrying her blows.... Now? She was now the one who had to keep up. nk¨C nk¡ª! They continued to exchange blow after blow. Brandon''s swing became heavier and heavier. Then... Crack¡ª! Brandon''s ice sword had shattered. But for some reason¡­ Cr¡­Crack. Her rapier started to crack. Was Brandon''s swing just that strong? Suddenly, Brandon stepped back. And as soon as he did, ire was lifted up by a gust of wind. "....Ahp!" She let out a yelp of surprise. Before she knew it, a myriad of ice crystals were already raining down towards her. Brandon''s casting time was signifcantly slowerpared to earlier. But he seemed to have improvised by conjuring his skill while parrying her blows. It had to be said that simultaneously using magic skills and closedbat fighting took real skill. By slowing down his casting time, Brandon was able to segregate his focus, allowing for the attack to work. Realizing, ire dded herself in an aura or purple lightning and instantly blinked away. Tszzz¡ª Just narrowly, she was able to avoid the attack. But as soon as she recovered, Brandon once again appeared before her. He left her no breathing room. nk¡ª! Barely parrying his strike, Brandon crouched down. "Huh¨C" BOOM¡ª! The ground beneath her suddenly exploded. mes fluttered in the air as a result. ire was sent hurling away due to the explosion. "....Fucking Deviants." She muttered, clenching her teeth. Getting back on her feet, a force of wind suddenly pulled her towards Brandon. But she abruptly negated the force as she smacked her feet on the ground. Tszzz¡ª Brandon appeared in front of her once again. But ire had already anticipated this, thrusting her rapier forward. However Brandon easily dodged it and reappeared behind her. "Huh¨CUkh!" At that, ire desynchronized. She waspletely overwhelmed. She could feel like she was fighting apletely different personpared to earlier. ''So all I have to do is close my eyes, huh?'' Chapter 67 Electives [5] Chapter 67 Electives [5] A man with light blue hair and sky-blue eyes walked around the hall of his apartment. nk¨C! Closing the door, he immediately sat down on the couch. Looking at the window, the moon was already up. His stature was quite small which was unsuitable for his age. 22-years-old, and yet people would often mistake him for a teenager. No, maybe a child. But despite his small stature, people regarded him as the strongest ranker of the current era. Lucian Frost. But Lucian knew it wasn''t the case. He knew there was someone else more befitting of the title. And that said someone had already appeared before him. A portal materialized in the corner of his apartment and a figure emerged from it. The figure''s jet-ck hair fluttered around from the portal''s pressure. As soon as he fully entered the room, his ink ck eyesnded to meet Lucian''s gaze. Knitting his brow, Lucian spoke lethargically. "You again." Before the man spoke up, he took a seat in front of Lucian as if he was familiar with the ce. No, he was familiar with the ce. This was not the first time that the two had met. Truth be told, Lucian never knew the man''s real name. The man had only told him an alias. Lucian locked his gaze with the man and uttered the name that he knew. "Mahesvara." The man stifled augh before speaking. He then leaned back and replied. "It''s been a while since someone called me that." Lucian''s curiosity was piqued. But his expressions remained indifferent. "Hm?" "I go by Jin now." "Jin." After that small talk, Lucian had already grown uninterested. Such was always the exchange between the two. The two would often converse monotonously, as if their tone had no life to it. Leaning down on the couch, Lucian pursed his lips. "What are you here for?" "Can''t I meet up with an old friend?" "..." Lucian had no reply to that. For him, everything that Jin says was bullshit, evident by his tone of speaking. But in the first ce, a regr person wouldn''t be able to discern a change of tone in the way the two spoke. For some reason, the two were just in sync, to the point where they could convey their tone despite speaking monotonously. "Hahaha." Jin stifled augh, though theugh was eerily creepy for Lucian, due to how lifeless it was. Afterughing, Jin''s voice reached his ears once again. "I''ve confirmed it." "Hm?" "Another one." "What are you¨C" Oh. Those were all the words Jin needed to say for Lucian to understand. Despite Jin''s usual lethargic demeanor, there was one thing that irked him. And Lucian wanted to poke his buttons. Jin was stronger. But Lucian was strong as well. "Another Sov¨C" Lucian was abruptly paused as the air around Jin shifted. Scanning his face, Jin''s eyes suddenly changed. No, his entire expressions changed. Darkness began to spread on his face as he looked at Lucian indifferently. "Heh." But Lucian shed him a smirk. It had been a while since he had seen Jin make the kind of face he was making. With a press of his finger, Lucian monotonously said, "Zone." "Zone." But at the same time, Jin had activated his Zone as well. But¡­ Lucian was faster. Cr¡­Crack! All of a sudden, the space around them fluctuated. The apartment room that was once there was nowhere to be seen. Ice had started to creep up and cover their entire surroundings, and a frozen wastnd came into view. It was one of Lucian''s skills. [Zone: Cocytus] An ability that allows the wielder to materialize a different realm, isting individuals entirely within its confines Within the confines of the realm, the user wields absolute authority over the surroundings and circumstances, isting their targets within the zone. It had to be said that, an individual can only tap into their Zones, once they reach the fourth star of mastery of their affinities. For Lucian''s case, he had the [Frostborne] affinity. As the entire area waspletely isted within the domain, Jin amusingly spoke up. "Not bad. You were 0.1 second faster than me this time." "Heh." A thin smile spread across Lucian''s lips. Truth be told, this was the first time Lucian was faster than Jin. Walking towards him, Jin''s voice reached his ears. "Because of that, I''ll let this slide. Know your ce, Lucian." Jin leaned close to Lucian. But due to his height, Jin had to look down to meet his gaze. "That name shall not leave your mouth." All of a sudden, pressure emanated from Jin, instantly boring down on Lucian. But despite the threat, Lucianposed himself and a smirk escaped his lips. With a press of his finger, the zone was lifted. The frozen wastnd began to dematerialize until they were back inside the apartment. Though Lucian won the Zone sh, he knew it was still not enough to defeat Jin. No, in the first ce no one could defeat Jin. Lucian was only regarded as the strongest due to Jin''s anonymity. The two sat back down and turned to face each other. The first one to speak up was Jin. "They''re about to move again." Pinching his chin, Lucian locked eyes with Jin. "The Wraiths, huh? Do you know where?" "Most likely the Academy." "Will you intervene?" "No." Lucian was taken aback. Whenever it involved the Wraiths, Jin would usually involve himself. So what was different this time? "You should stay back as well." "Huh?" Lucian tilted his head. Now he was even more confused. There were certain names he could remember at the top of his head, who were quite formidable in the Academy. One of them was Evelyn Cessna, a fellow ranker with the S+ rank. There were others as well, but Lucian couldn''t remember most of them. But it had to be said that most of the Professors in the Academy were S- ranks and below, with the exception of Evelyn. A Wraithbound was usually ced between the S- to S rank tier. Evelyn wasn''t enough to defend the Academy or protect the students. So why is Jin allowing it to happen? n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Was he now betraying humanity? Or¡­ Was there a secret trump card that Lucian didn''t know? The next words that Jin said made Lucian even more confused. "The Academy will be fine." "...?" "He''s there." "You mean¡­" "That." "I see." That was all Jin needed to say for Lucian to get the gist of the situation. ''So it''s a student, huh?'' That being said, Jin stood up and motioned towards the corner. With a wave of his hand, a portal materialized out of thin air. Before Jin left, he turned around to meet Lucian''s gaze. "You''ll see soon. This one is quite creative with his methods." Staring at Jin''s departing figure, Lucian was about to open his mouth but no words came out of it. In the end, all he could make out was how cryptic their conversation was. Standing up, Lucian walked towards his bed. With a smile on his lips, Lucian muttered to himself, "System." But nothing happened. Lucianughed at himself. "Heh, as if I had one." He then turned his head towards the window, where the moon was visible. "....Three years." Chapter 68 Preliminaries [1] 68 Preliminaries [1] "Today is July 24. All of you know what that means right?" Vanessa walked around the podium, staring at each of her students'' bewildered faces. The fact that they had no idea made her sigh in disbelief. "Haa¡­ Do none of you read the Academy''s curriculum?" All of a sudden, a certain student raised their hand. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Raven?" It was Raven. Standing up, all eyes fell on Raven. Even Brandon wasn''t an exception. "This week is the preparation for the preliminary exams for next week." Raven nodded to himself with a smile after uttering those words. What a teacher''s pet. The bewildered gazes of the students contoured into a fearful expression. And then¡­ "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck¡­" "Shit, I haven''t prepared." "Does anyone have the past test questionnaires from the second years?" Chaos ensued. A sudden wave of panic swept through the lecture room like wildfire. Urgent whispers filled the lecture room. Widened eyes darted around searching desperately for an exit. As the students continued to panic, Vanessa''s hushed voice rang. "Quiet." As soon as those words left her mouth, all of the students abruptly settled down. "Good." Nodding, Vanessa extended her hand forward towards the white circr device in front of her. Click¡ª As soon as she did, a familiar hologram materialized from behind her. Pursing her lips, she then went on to exin. "The written exam will be split into four parts. [Mana Theory], [Magic Application], [History], and [Wraiths]." Listening to Vanesa, Brandon let out a sigh. Truth be told, he was already aware of the uing exam. But in the first ce, he didn''t need to study that much. Compared to the start of the semester, Brandon now had an ability to aid him. His trump card. [elerated Cognition] Which is why he had let Vanessa''s voice out the other ear as he stifled a yawn. "Huaam¡­" Noticing it, Raven turned towards him and opened his mouth. "You seem confident." "I am." Raven widened his eyes and scoffed lightly at Brandon''s reply. "Lucky¡­ I''ve been preparing for the past five weeks. I don''t even think it''s enough yet." ''Is this guy serious?'' He knew Raven was quite the diligent student. But seeing it up close and personal made him secretly knit his brow. He had seen his fair share of diligent students back in his old world. ''But this¡­'' It basically meant that Raven had been preparing for the exams, a week after the semester started. ''Yet this guy still isn''t confident?'' How absurd. *** After the lectures ended, Rachel immediately went back home to study. Just like Raven, she was quite the diligent student as well. But unlike Raven, she had only prepared for two weeks. For her it still wasn''t enough. Behind her was Brandon, seated on the couch. The two would often visit each other whenever they were free. After all, their units were directly facing each other. Rachel didn''t live with anyone. And though Brandon lived with his sister, Belle would oftene homete due to her duties as the Student Council President. As such, they would take turns visiting each others'' unit. For today, it was Rachel''s turn to be visited. ncing behind her, Brandon seemed to be reading a book about music. But why music when it wasn''t rted to academics at all? She wasn''t sure just how smart Brandon actually was. But from what she remembered, Brandon was ranked pretty low at the start of the semester. Since Brandon waspetent in magic, then there was only one reason as to why that happened. He must''ve scored ridiculously low on the first test. Yet for some reason, Brandon seemed like he didn''t care. Was he actually that negligent with his studies? Shrugging, Rachel continued to fill the answer sheets. Whatever Brandon was doing was out of her business. If he fails, then it would help her shoot to the top of the rankings. But¡­ Admittedly, she was curious. Why does he seem so confident? Does he want to get expelled or something? Which is why she nced back at him. "Aren''t you going to study?" Brandon lowered his book and locked his gaze with her. "Already did." "Hm? Prove it." "Do I have to?" "Not really." There was no need for it. Rachel just wanted her curiosity to be resolved. But it seemed like Brandon had already prepared. Just in the nick of time, Rachel was actually struggling with the current question on her sheet paper. ''Ah.'' Turning towards him again, she pursed her lips. "Since you''ve already finished studying, could you help me out?" Lowering his book, Brandon frowned. "No I''m serious, I''ve hit a wall. I can''t get past this question." This was good. If Brandon had really prepared, then he would be able to prove it if he actually resolved Rachel''s question. It was a win-win situation for Rachel. Sighing, Brandon put down his book and sat beside her. Grabbing the answer sheet, Brandon thoroughly scanned it. "Hm¡­" "So?" "Hold on." Currently, Rachel was having trouble with the [Wraiths] category. Though the book provided vivid descriptions about Wraiths, how to fight them and such. It was quite difficult for Rachel¨Cwho had never seen a Wraith or a Wraithbound in the first ce. All of a sudden, Brandon grabbed a book¨Cspecifically¡ªabout Wraiths. "Hey, no chea¡ª" Before she could finish, Brandon ced a finger on her mouth, silencing her. Flip¨C Flipping the book, Brandon''s eyes thoroughly scanned its contents. But for some reason, he was continuously flipping the pages. Flip¨C Flip¨C Flip¨C Rachel''s eyes widened in confusion. It was just like back in the bookstore, where Brandon was skimming everything. No, he was skimming way too fast. His eyes were darting way too fast as well. ''What sort of¡­.?'' mp¨C! Closing the book, Brandon turned his attention back towards the answer sheet. Rachel was quite taken aback. It took Brandon a total of eight seconds to finish the thick textbook. Did he even read all that? All of a sudden, Brandon started filling down the answer sheet. "What are you¡ª" Rachel''s eyes widened once again. Tak. Tak. Tak. And before she knew it.... "Done." "..." Rachel immediately grabbed the answer sheet. Scanning, the entire sheet really was filled in. But were they correct? She had to check. As if her mind was read, Brandon''s voice reached her ears. "They''re all correct. You can confirm it with the book." At that, Rachel grabbed the book and flipped it open to confirm his statement. And to her surprise, he was right. Each and every question was filled in correctly. Abruptly turning towards him, Rachel pursed her lips. "How did you¡ª" "Secret." Brandon shed her a smirk, motioning his finger in front of his mouth. All of a sudden, Brandon walked towards the piano on the corner and sat down on the seat. Rachel was proficient with the piano. Which is why she had joined the Musical Magic and Harmony elective. But¡­ ''Does he even know how to y¡­?'' Brandon then pointed towards the music book he had left on the table. "I''ve been trying to learn with that book over there." "That''s not enough though?" "I know." Brandon tapped on the first key, then nced back towards her. "Which is why I''ll try to put it to the test." "..." Tum~ He tapped on another key. Tum~ Num~ And another¡­ Tum~ Then another¡­ Num~ Until the music started ying. Rachel''s eyes shot wide open. The musical piece that Brandon was currently ying was a piece that Rachel found difficult to master. No, she wasn''t even confident that she could actually y it without making any mistakes. Though Brandon was making a few mistakes here and there. But for some reason... ''He''s not using any music sheets....'' As if he had already memorized the entire piece. The silence that once filled the room was now drowned out with Brandon''s piano ying. Tum~ At that, Brandon tapped the final key, signaling the end of the piece. Turning around, Brandon nced at her once again. "How was it? My fingers were quite stiff¡ª" "How did you¡ªUkh!" Before Brandon could finish, Rachel immediately rushed towards him. Thud¡ª! Rachel tripped on her own foot and fell over Brandon, causing him to fall off the seat with hernding on top of him. Their faces inched close. "Hoo...." Too close, to the point where Rachel could feel his warm breath. The two''s eyes widened in shock. Ba¡­ Thump! Her heartbeat quickened, and she could feel her face starting to get hot. Silence filled the room, as neither could utter any words. But that was until¡­. Knock¨C! Knock¡ª! Someone suddenly knocked on the door. The two immediately snapped out of it and abruptly stood up. A muffled voice then reached their ears from behind the door. ¡ªRachel? Is Brandon here? It was Belle. Rachel was unable to speak due to the shock. Brandon answered for her, stuttering. "A-ah, yeah, Sis. I''m here." ¡ªOkay, just letting you know I''m home. I''ll be sleeping immediately, so please try to be quiet when you enter the room. "Sure." Turning towards Rachel, Brandon spoke up. "I should get going now." Not meeting his gaze, Rachel pursed her lips. "Y-yeah." Nodding, Brandon headed towards the door and left the room. Chapter 69 Preliminaries [2] 69 Preliminaries [2] Tap. Tap. Tap. Tapping her pen on the paper, Rachel had been staring at the answer sheet for an hour or so. The entire time, she had been unable to focus and continue her studies. All she had been doing was recounting the event that had just transpired. "That really happened didn''t it¡­." Sighing, she lowered her head and leaned down on the table. "....He didn''t move away either." She pressed her finger on her lips. Then lifted her head and ruffled her hair. "Haaa¡­ Wasn''t that one of those clich¨¦d rom manga scenes?!" Bang¨C! Bang¨C! She banged her head on the table. "....Since when did I be a rom female lead?!" Her tone gradually got louder. "In the first ce, it''s his fault for surprising me like that!" She then looked down at the answer sheet. Smiling, she softly muttered to herself. "Thanks for the answers¡­." *** ¡ªAt the same time in the other room. "That really happened didn''t it?" Slumping down on the door, Brandon tried to recall what had just happened as well. He wanted to have a positive impact on the cast. To indirectly push them to be stronger, even stronger than their novel counterparts. But¡­ "Not like this¡­." Back in Rachel''s room, Brandon tried to pull away. But Rachel''s weight pressed down on him, making him unable to do so. Yet for some reason, Rachel didn''t move back. In fact, it felt like her face was getting closer to his. "It was just an ident." There was no time to ponder on such thoughts. Recently, Brandon had not received any quests from the system, ever since the day Amy was rescued. He hit a brick wall, and his progress was stagnating. It wasn''t a good look for him. He needed a way to quickly raise his levels and his stats. But to his surprise, ever since he had reached level four, a new menu popped up on the system shop. [Stat Points] For 200 system coins, he could buy five stat points. It was a bundle, and it seemed like that was the only option avable. He had goals he needed to achieve. People he needed to catch up to. And¡­ Solving the mystery behind his transmigration. Sighing, he abruptly got up and headed to his room. Laying on his bed, Brandon dismissed his thoughts and tried to recall something. The vision from a few weeks ago. He had been pondering about it ever since it happened. The only conclusion he hade up to was that it was the reason for his transmigration. But¡­ "Just who were those two people in the room?" The figures were blurred, he couldn''t see their faces, nor could he determine their builds. He was even unsure if the figures were a man or a woman. Too many questions. But no answers. "After the exams, I need to investigate Brandon Locke''s identity." His first agenda was to visit the Locke estate. In other words, the original Brandon Locke''s home. *** Letting out a deep heavy sigh, Amy walked around the Academy hallways alone. Since ire was busy with her elective, Amy decided to head to the library on her own. Recently, she had been having a hard time studying on her own. Which is why she opted to go to the library for a new perspective. Perhaps she could find an answer there? n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om And to her surprise, a familiar figure was in the library alone. His jet-ck and ocean-blue eyes made him stand out. Recently, Amy had been curious about Raven. She was quite taken aback when she found out Raven was working with the Special Force. Or was he? She didn''t know since Raven''s involvement was omitted to the public. Which probably meant that he was still under training. But regardless, Amy didn''t care. Of course, she knew Brandon was there as well, and she appreciated it. But in the end, it was Raven who had risked his life¡ªjust so the Special Force could cut the mana shackles and set her free. She owed her life to both Raven and Brandon. But recently there had been no opportunities to approach Brandon. He was quite busy, and the entire Academy''s attention was on him. She turned her attention back to Raven. Approaching him, Raven lifted his head and their gazes met. "Amy?" "Hello, Raven." Making her appearance known, Amy sat down on the seat opposite from him. Taking something from her bag, she ced her books and pens on the table. As she did so, Raven opened his mouth. "Studying as well?" "Yup." "Need any help?" She did. But she was quite reluctant in epting the offer. She didn''t want Raven to think of her as someone who is academically challenged. But¡­ She really was having a hard time. And Raven was an honor student. Pursing her lips, she tucked a hair strand behind her ear. "....Actually, yes." "Which topic?" "This." She pulled one of the books for Raven to see. "Mana Theory?" "....Yes. I know the application. But the written aspect gets me confused." "I see." Pinching his chin, Raven abruptly stood up and sat beside her. "....!" She was quite alerted, but dismissed her thoughts. He was just asfortable with girls as Brandon was. Weird. But she didn''t mind it. All of a sudden, Raven leaned down to grab something from his bag. He then ced it on the table for Amy to see. It was an answer sheet. It waspletely filled out as well. Amy turned to scan the contents thoroughly. As she did so, Raven''s voice reached her ears. "You can use that as a guide to help you." Her eyes lit up and she turned to look at him. "Really? But won''t you need this as well?" "I have two copies." Raven lifted another paper and shed her a smile. "You can take that one." "I see. Thank you." "You''re wee." At that, Amy continued to scan the contents of the answer sheet. Noticing her frown, Raven leaned close and tapped his pen on the answer sheet. "Having trouble with that?" "...Yeah." Slowly, Amy began to understand the topic with each of Raven''s exnations. "Ah, I see." It was an addicting feeling for her. To have her questions easily resolved. Looking up slightly, her eyes paused on Raven who was opening his mouth to speak. Everything he said went in and out the other ear. She was drawn to his ocean-blue eyes. She couldn''t describe what she was feeling. All she could think about was that it was¡­ ''Nice.'' It felt nice to have someone as patient as Raven to teach her. *** ¡ªOn the other side of the library. Peeking at the small window of the door, ire and Reinhard continued to stare at Amy and Raven. Nodding, ire pursed her lips. "Good." "You owe me one for this." Reinhard frowned. "Shut it." "I had to take a raincheck on my ns with Raven and Brandon, you know?" "Don''t care. Now shut up. Brandon would''ve passed on you anyway." Sighing, Reinhard turned his attention back to the two who continued to study together. "So? What''s all this about?" Surprisingly, ire responded honestly. "That girl. She doesn''t seem to realize it, but she has been talking about Raven a lot recently." "Oh?" Reinhard raised his brow. "Then does that mean¡­." "No idea. But looking at her now, that might just be the case." "I see. Then what about Rachel? Where is she?" "She''s studying with Brandon." Reinhard was taken aback. What the hell was going on behind his back? "Looking at them, I think I need to study as well." "Go ahead, go away." Frowning, Reinhard turned to look at ire. "I might need some help too." ire turned around and shed him a smile. But it was the kind of smile that sent chills down Reinhard''s spine. Pursing her lips, ire tilted her head with a smile. "Fuck off." She flipped him off. Reinhard frowned even deeper. ire was way too harsh when it came to him. That being said, it seemed like everyone was busy with their preparations. Until¡­ The day of the exams came. Chapter 70 Preliminaries [3] 70 Preliminaries [3] The exams spanned a total of four days. Each day was dedicated to a different subject,prised of 200 items for every subject. "That''s enough. Pen''s down." As Vanessa''s voice rang, each and every one of the students did as she instructed. Flip¨C They flipped the papers back and passed it all to the front rows. Vanessa walked towards them and gathered each stack of papers. As she returned to the podium with the papers in her hands, her voice echoed throughout the lecture room once again. "Congrattions on finishing your preliminaries exam. I know how hard each and every one of you worked, which is why¡­." She paused, allowing the tension to sink in. She really liked doing that for some reason. Silence befell in the lecture room. No words slipped out from any of the students. She then continued. "The Academy has rewarded you with a school trip to start off the midterms. Two sections will be paired up for this trip. In your case, Section A will be paired up with Section B." As soon as she mentioned ''school trip'', all of the students'' eyes lit up. This became evident as their chatters began to echo throughout the lecture room. "Maybe I''ll pick out new clothes for this trip." "I''ll go with you!" "Section B? I''ll go with my girlfriend then." "Eh? Then who am I going to pair up with?" But as Vanessa''s voice rang, they all fell silent once again. "Pairs of two will be formed. You''re only allowed to pair yourselves with the other section. Think of it as expanding your connections." More or less, Vanessa''s debrief could be summarized as; Each section pairing will be assigned to different locations for their trip. For section A and section B, the location of the trip was Everde. Everde was a town that was situated far out the countryside. It was located on the northern side of the country, meaning the climate would be cold. Though rural, there were urban aspects to it as well. It seemed likely that ''rural'' had a different standard in this world, as far as Brandon could remember. At that, they were given two days to prepare and such. And on the day of the trip, the meetup would be at the Academy''s gate. Amidst the noise that continued to echo, all of a sudden, a faint glow emitted from Vanessa and a sudden pressure bore down on the students. In doing so, silence befell the lecture room once again. Walking around the podium, Vanessa squinted her eyes as she pursed her lips. "I hope you all control yourselves throughout the trip. Remember, each and every one of you carries the pride of Astrea Academy." For some reason, Vanessa had yet to debrief what the pairs were actually for. It seemed high likely that there was going to be a task that the students need to fulfill. That being said, the debriefing was finished and they were all dismissed. Brandon wanted to investigate his identity first. But there was a change of ns. If the main cast were to go on the trip, then he had to go there as well. After all, wherever the main cast would go, trouble would always follow them. They were given two days to prepare, sure. But from what he knew from Belle, their hometown was quite far from the main city. It would be a lot of trouble just to go back and forth within two days. He had to prepare for the trip as well. It became apparent to Brandon that this kind of school trip had never happened in the novel. Could it have been because of him? After revealing three of his affinities, Brandon had noticed that the teachers were buttering him up. Maybe the Academy was trying to curry favor with him. Since he was a first year, the school trip privilege would be given to the first years as well. But then again, it was all spection on his part. Once again, it was another storyline that he didn''t know. To make up for it, he had already decided on his partner. Section A was Brandon, Raven, Reinhard, and Rachel''s ss. While Section B was Amy, and ire''s ss. But there was another person Brandon wanted to pair up with. Which is why he headed directly towards section B''s lecture room. Standing by section B''s door frame, it seemed like they were already dismissed as well. While waiting for ''this'' person, Brandon''s gaze met two familiar faces¨Cleaving the lecture room. The two''s purple and blonde hair made them stand out. Brandon was able to distinguish them easily amidst the crowd. The first one to have spoken was Amy. "Brandon, good timing. Want to pair up?" "Nope." A t out refusal. "....Okay, I''ll ask Rachel instead." "Sure." But then, ire motioned for Amy to stop. Pursing her lips, ire''s voice rang. "Hold up, I''ve already spoken with Rachel. We both agreed that we would pair up." Amy''s brow suddenly furrowed as her tone raised. "Eh¡­ Then who do I¡ª" "Raven." "A-ah, yeah. That''s right." Amy''s hesitation instantly piqued Brandon''s curiosity. It seemed like something was going on between Raven and Amy without him looking. But not like he actually cared. Brandon didn''t actually know who Raven had ended up with in the novel, since he had never finished it in the first ce. But then again, it was none of his business in the first ce. That being said, the two bid their farewells and Brandon stood alone, waiting for the specific person. Just as his patience was about to run out, the person he had waited for had finally left the lecture room. Her ck hair tied to a ponytail instantly registered within Brandon''s vision. Hervender eyes scanned the surroundings and eventually meet Brandon''s gaze. That being said¡­ As soon as Sarah recognized him. She instantly ran away. "Hey, wait!" Chasing her, Brandon grabbed her shoulder. "Where are you going" "A-ah, Brandon¡­ What a surprise." Bullshit. She obviously saw him. She just pretended she didn''t. Brandon frowned, but immediately changed his expression. He then opened his mouth. "Sarah, want to pair up?" "W-why me?" "You know where we''re going right?" "Yes." The reason why Brandon opted to pair up with Sarah instead of Amy or ire, was simply because Everde was actually Sarah''s hometown. If he didn''t know how the storyline would unfold, then it was better to at least have someone who was familiar with the ce. Sarah''s face scrunched up. It seemed like she wanted to pass on the offer. "But¡ª" She paused as her eyes darted away. She seemed like she wanted to say something as she opened and closed her mouth back and forth. "But what?." "I¡­" She hesitated once again. "I won''t bite." As those words left Brandon''s mouth, Sarah''s shoulders suddenly trembled. But eventually, sheposed herself, and hesitantly spoke up. "...I don''t think I''m going on the trip." "Hm? Why?" Brandon tilted his head. "Don''t you want to visit your family?" "It''s not that. It''s because¡­. I don''t have any money for souvenirs¡­." Blinking, Brandon was taken aback. Tilting his head, he opened his mouth. "I don''t think your family would mind it." "Yes, but¡­ After all my has Mom done for me, I want to at least give something back." Once again, Brandon was taken aback. He had never seen this side of Sarah before. Not like he was particrly close to her. He had only known her for a span of two weeks. But because of what she said, Brandon now respected her. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It was quite wholesome. As someone who cherished his own mother back in his past life, it touched his heart. Which is why he had decided. Pursing his lips, Brandon met her gaze. "I''ll give you money." "What?" Her eyes widened. "You don''t need to do that." "I know, call it an investment." Brandon then turned around. His back facing Sarah, as he walked ahead. "Be sure to pay me in the future." Sarah stood speechless, staring at Brandon''s departing figure. He didn''t even give her a chance to refuse. But in the end, she appreciated his kindness. He wasn''t as scary as she initially thought he was. She then called out to him with a shout. "Thank you!" Brandon turned his head back and nonchntly nodded as he continued to walk away. At that, he had secured his pair and a tour guide for the trip. A win-win on his part. Chapter 71 Everglade [1] Chapter 71 Everde [1] ¡ªSunday, August 1, 2148. "Everyone! Please form a single line." Vanessa was the one in charge to escort them to the bus. Beside her was a man with gray hair and ck eyes, adorning sses. Apparently he was Section B''s Professor, Oliver White. He had quite the youthful appearance despite his age, 25-years-old. Following as instructed, each student lined up in front of the bus. There were a total of 80 students. 40 students from Section A, and 40 students from Section B. The initiation was brief as Oliver''s voice rang. "Inside the bus, you are to sit with your pair. The trip will be quite long, so I hope you''ve brought something to entertain you throughout the ride." Standing in front of the bus, it was quiterge. It seemed to be able to fit at least 200 people. But as Brandon stared at the bus, a certain memory surfaced in his mind. One that he would rather not want to remember. That being said, everyone had started to enter the bus with their pair. *** Seated next to each other, Rachel and ire continued to converse with each other. Rachel''s gaze eventuallynded on Amy and Raven. The two sat next to each other on the other side of the row in front of her. Putting up a smile, Rachel pursed her lips. "I''m happy for her." "Guess the n worked out. That guy''s quite dense though." "True. I guess Amy has to up her game." Amy appeared to beughing as she conversed with Raven. It was a wholesome sight. After everything that had happened to Amy, she deserved this kind of happiness. From beside her, ire''s voice reached her ears. "And what about you? How are you holding up?" "....What do you mean?" "That." ire extended her hand, pointing towards a familiar figure¡ªfarther out in the front row. His pale-white hair, that was once long, was now shorter than before. Brandon seemed to have gotten a haircut. He appeared to be nonchntly reading a book, while replying once in a while to the figure that sat beside him. As Rachel turned her head to Brandon''s direction, she immediately looked away and turned towards ire. Blinking, Rachel pursed her lips. "What about it?" "You''re seriously not bothered by it?" "No¡­?" Indeed, why would she be bothered with whoever Brandon had paired up with. Of course, she knew who it was. Sarah Aurae. She had seen her a couple of times whenever she would wait for ire to finish the Advanced Spellcasting elective. But whatever ire was talking about, she had no idea. Breathing out a heavy sigh, ire turned her attention back to the window beside her. N?v(el)B\\jnn "Haaa¡­. Whatever you say." Shrugging, Rachel got back to reading her ''book''. But unknowingly, she would sneak a couple of nces Brandon''s way. All of a sudden, Brandon turned his head back slightly and their gazes eventually met. As soon as it did, Rachel abruptly peered down back to her book. From a distance, she felt like she had heard Brandon murmuring to himself. "Must''ve been my imagination." At that, Rachel silently chuckled. *** Everde. Arriving at the town, the first thing that everyone agreed with was¡­ "Brrr¡­" It was cold. Too cold. Which was why Brandon had thoroughly prepared. He currently adorned a white turtle neck underneath a long ck winter coat. Pulling his gloves, he let out a smile. His sense of style was usually bad. But currently, he was quite proud of his outfit. It was the first outfit that Belle had approved of. "Brrr¡­ so c-cold." Stepping out of the bus from beside him was Sarah, who was relentlessly rubbing her shoulders. Brandon turned towards her, giving her a skeptical look. "Thought you were used to this?" "....No, t-that''s why I m-moved out." "Makes sense." It didn''t. But Brandon shrugged it off anyway. All of the other students continued to step out of the bus. Eventually, a familiar figure registered within Brandon''s vision. Her pitch-ck hair was tied to a ponytail simr to Sarah''s. Her dark-crimson eyes swept the view and before Brandon knew it, their gazes met. Calling out towards her, Brandon waved his hand. "Rachel, want to eat with¨C" Step¡ª Rachel walked ahead as if she had never heard or seen him. "..." Brandon was taken aback. As he stared at Rachel''s departing back, another voice reached his ear. "Despite how smart you are¡­ You''re an idiot." "..." Frowning, ire passed by him and joined Rachel''s side. The hell was she talking about? Bunch of nonsense. Brandon just shrugged it off. It was most likely a girl thing. Maybe it was that time of the month for Rachel. And maybe ire too. Yeah, definitely ire. ''ire seems like she''s always on her perio¡ª'' Snapping him out of his thoughts was Oliver. Since Vanessa was currently checking in with the hotel''s reception, Oliver was the one in charge at the moment. pping his hands, ''p¨C p¡ª'' it immediately gathered the students'' attention. "Recently, Everde has had a shortage of rankers. Each and every group will have toplete a single quest everyday." The moment those words left Oliver''s mouth, the students'' had already mouthed their protest. "Eh¡­ I thought this was a reward." "Do we really have to do that?" "Quiet. Let me finish." Oliver''s deep voice eventually rang, silencing the students. "As I was saying, in doing so, you will receive an allowance and be given the leisure to rx for the day." He had definitely grabbed the attention of the students as soon as he mentioned ''allowance''. Everyone''s eyes lit up, and it seemed like they were eager to go. That being said, Oliver continued on. The quests would be picked up inside the city''s main guild hub. It was a firste first serve basis. Meaning, it was a race to grab whichever the easier quest was. There weren''t any punishments if the quota isn''t fulfilled for the day. It was just that they wouldn''t receive an allowance. They would have to use their own money. At that, Vanessa had returned from the hotel, and everyone quickly beckoned inside. As Brandon stepped forward, he came to a sudden pause. It seemed like he had stepped on something. Looking down, what met his sight was¡­ "....A doll?" How peculiar. Leaning down, he picked up the doll. It had a design that could be described as a little girl. But having had his fair share of horror movies back in his old life, the doll''s figure sent chills down his spine. As Brandon continued to scan the doll, the hair on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end. "Goosebumps¡­." It was eerily creepy. From beside him, Sarah chimed in. She leaned close to scan the doll as well. Her brows were raised skeptically as she pinched her chin. "....This doll looks oddly familiar." "Is it yours?" Sarah then took the doll away from Brandon, and hugged it tightly. "No, but I have a feeling I should keep it." "Aren''t you too old for that?" Brandon tilted his head with a smirk. Sarah turned towards him and frowned. "It''s cute." "..." Brandon stepped ahead of her. Turning around, he opened his mouth. "Don''t let that thing near me." "Oh? Is Mr. Ranked One afraid of a little doll?" "I''ll burn it." Chapter 72 Everglade [2] Chapter 72 Everde [2] "....I can''t believe we''re staying in the same room." "Neither can I¡­.." Sarah and Brandon had just entered their assigned quarters in the hotel. It was instructed for each pair to stay in the same room. "This is just irresponsible, even for Astrea Academy." "Agreed¡­." Nodding at Sarah''s words, Brandon stepped forward and flicked the lightswitch on. Flick¨C "..." "..." What met their sight was¡­. A single bed. A King sized one. For them to sleep next to each other? "..." "..." The two were utterly speechless as their expressions froze. From behind him, Sarah motioned to leave as her face scrunched up slightly. "....Yeah, I''m sleeping in the lobby." "Hold." "....?" Cr¡­Crack¡­ An ice sword materialized in Brandon''s hand. He then walked towards the bed, gripping the ice sword tightly. sh¡ª! "Good enough." "..." He cut the bed in half. It was cut cleanly as well. Sarah''s voice raised with an anxious expression. "What the hell is wrong with you?! We''ll have to pay for that, you know?!" "I can pay." Brandon shrugged and walked towards the other half to the bed. "Would you rather sleep in the lobby or here?" "But¡­. I don''t want you to watch me sleeping." Foooo¡ª! A gust of wind blew the other half of the bed away, keeping a fixed distance from the other half. Cr¡­Crack¡­. With a wave of his hand, an ice wall materialized to separate the two beds even further. "Good enough?" "....The ice is transparent." Brandon extended his hand to grab the nket that was covering his bed. He then draped it all over the ice wall. Now the other side couldn''t be seen. "Any moreints?" "..." Letting out a sigh, Sarah walked towards the other half of the bed and sat down. Brandon did so as well, settling his bag beneath the bed. Suddenly¡­ Knock¨C! Knock¡ª! Someone knocked on the door. Turning towards Sarah, Brandon nudged his chin, signaling for her to go to the door. Sarah''s face scrunched up. Brandon shrugged as she did so. "I did everything. It''s your turn." "Haaa¡­." Letting out a heavy sigh, Sarah walked towards the door and slowly opened it. "Yes?" What met her sight was her Professor, Oliver White. He seemed anxious as he spoke. "Sarah, apologies. There was a mistake in giving you the keys. This isn''t your room." "..." "Sarah?" Oliver then peered at the room. Then, his eyes widened in shock as he loudly spoke up. "What¡­ What happened here?!" Sarah turned towards Brandon¡ªwho was nonchntly reading a book as if Oliver''s voice never registered in his ears. Extending her arms, she pointed towards him. "He happened." "..." * Entering the hotel''s buffet restaurant, it bustled with activity. Students filled the entire room as they sat on the tables. Chafing dishes were aligned, separating it from the beverage dispensers. It was currently 3:00 PM, and students had yet to eat. The same went for Brandon who had already picked up his food and sat at a table. Seated at the opposite side from him was Sarah, who had already picked up her food as well. Butpared to Brandon''s te¡ªwhich was filled to the brim with whatever exotic food he could find¡ªSarah was quite picky with her food. As the two continued to eat in silence, two familiar figures approached them. His deep-red hair and ck eyes made him stand out. Beside him was another male student with brown hair and green eyes. Brandon was quite familiar with him as well. This was especially so as Liam was the one who had significantly helped Brandon during the mana poisoning incident. It seemed like Liam was Reinhard''s partner. "Yo, Brandon. Mind if we join you?" "Go ahead." Giving his go signal, Reinhard sat beside him. Liam on the other hand, seemed reluctant to sit down. With the te in his hand he turned towards Sarah and asked for permission. "Hey, Sarah. Mind if I sit next to you?" "Go ahead." Sarah waved him off without sparing him a nce. This piqued Brandon''s curiosity. From what he could remember during the Battle Royale, Liam was the one who instigated to kill Sarah. Sarah must still be bitter about it, evident by her gesture. Because Sarah and Brandon had gotten quite acquainted¡ªbeing in the same elective and all, the two had fixed their rtionship. He could admit they were good friends. Liam gave an awkward smile and sat down beside Sarah. Brandon realized that he had never asked Liam about the change in heart. Indeed, why did he help Brandon that day? It was the perfect opportunity to ask. Turning towards Liam, Brandon opened his mouth. "Liam." Liam was about to feed himself before his body twitched slightly at Brandon''s call. "A-ah, yes?" "I''m quite curious. Weren''t you about to drop out of the Academy?" "Ah, that." Liam rubbed his cheek with an awkward smile. The guy was way too awkward. "I was about to actually. But Reinhard talked some sense into me¡­." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He paused and nced at Reinhard. He then continued. "I heard what you said to Sarah on the screen. At that moment, I realized we were the ones in the wrong and that you were actually a nice guy." Liam awkwardly scratched his cheek and shed Brandon a smile. Brandon was quite taken aback. His actions had indirectly affected a character that isn''t in the main cast. It was a good feeling. Nodding, Brandon looked and tried to digest what Liam had just said. Eventually he lifted his head up and met Liam''s gaze. "I see." He then turned to look at Sarah who was eating her meal silently. It was the perfect opportunity to bring it up. "Sarah." "...What?" "That doll." As soon as those words left Brandon''s mouth, Sarah''s expressions froze. It seemed like she didn''t want the two other people to know about the doll. "What are you nning on doing with it?" Sarah''s eyes darted around, trying toe up with a reply. Her eyes then lit up as she spoke. "I''m thinking of giving it to my little Sister." "You have a Sister?" "Yes." "I see. When are you nning on visiting them?" Sarah seemed to already have an answer for that question as she spoke up without any hesitation. "Maybeter." "I see." It was a brief conversation. At that, the group continued to eat their meal in silence. But the silence was soon broken by Reinhard who had already finished his meal. "You guys want to go to the Guild Hub, together?" Brandon turned towards him and pursed his lips. "Sure." Liam seemed to share the same thoughts as well as he nodded. But Sarah was of a different opinion as she opened her mouth. Each pair was advised to choose only one quest and that they would aplish it together. "I''ll visit my Family first, you guys go on ahead." * Brandon, Reinhard, and Liam had arrived inside the Guild Hub. She had told Brandon to pick up a quest before she returned. Each pair was advised to choose only one quest and that they would aplish it together. The Guild Hub was quite advanced. Though Everde was a rural town far out the countryside, the hotel that they stayed in was quite luxurious. The same went for the Guild Hub. The three approached the receptionist as they asked for directions on where to pick up the quests. They were instructed to go up the second floor, and a bulletin board would be situated at the center. Doing so, the three approached the bulletin board and there were a bunch of papers pinned on the board. There were other students as well who were pondering on what quest to pick. As Brandon scanned the board, it seemed like there were still a bunch of easy quests left. "This one seems good." As Brandon was about to grab an easy quest, he immediately paused. A peculiar poster that was pinned on the far corner of the board had caught his attention. He extended his hand and picked up the quest poster As he read the contents, his eyes widened in shock. He was quite confused but he had quicklye to a conclusion. It wouldn''t take a genius to know just what the quest was about. [Missing Person] "....Aurae?" Chapter 73 Everglade [3] 73 Everde [3] Sarah stood in front of her family home with the doll clutched tightly in her arms. It was a small and humble house. Her family didn''t have much. But despite that, they were happy. It was a small family of three consisting of her mother, Sienna Aurae and a six-year-old sister, Emma Aurae. When Emma was born, their Father had gone missing. As she remembered the memory, Sarah clenched her fist. But she instantly dismissed her thoughts and fixed her expressions. ''I shouldn''t have those kinds of thoughts.'' After all, she was about to reunite with her family after two months. Sarah approached the door and inserted her key into the keyhole. Creak¡ª! Opening the door with a wide grin, Sarah enthusiastically opened her mouth. "Surprise! Mom, I''m ho¨C" She paused. What met her sight was her mother who sat in front of their dining table. Her mother stared at the table with a nk expression. Herplexions were pale, and her body was frail. She appeared to not have eaten for days, maybe weeks, as she looked severely malnourished. Her arms were thin and her cheekbones were visible. Sarah could see dark circles beneath her eyes as well. Thud! She dropped the doll and immediately rushed towards her mother. "Mom!" It seemed like her mother hadn''t noticed her arrival as she turned her head towards Sarah. sping her mother''s hand with a worried expression, Sarah pursed her lips. "Mom, what happened to you!? Where''s Emma?!" Her mother met Sarah''s gaze, and as soon as she did, tears started flowing down her cheek. Sob. Sob. Seeing her mother''s current predicament had made Sarah''s heart sink. Her mother then embraced Sarah as she continued sobbing. The tears had started to stain Sarah''s clothes. Sarah returned her embrace and her eyes started to moisten as well. "....Mom, what happened?" Sob. Sob. "Y-your Sister¡­." Sarah had a rough idea. Emma wasn''t around the house. Usually she would run towards her and give her a wide smile, hugging her. But¡­ She wasn''t here. Sarah didn''t want to admit it. She wanted to deny reality. The next words that her mother spoke made Sarah''s heart crumble into pieces. "Your Sister¡­ She''s¡­ Haaa¡­ She''s been¡­ missing for the past month¡­" Just like her father who had gone missing a few years ago. Sarah''s eyes widened in shock. Her mother¡ªwho was crying¡ªcontinued with a sorrowful tone. "...I''ve sent a request¡­. A request to find her at the Guild Hub." Sob. Sob. Tears continued to flow down her mother''s cheek. "...I''ve used up most of our money¡­ For the reward." Sob. Sob. "But¡­" Ba... Thump! Sarah''s heart became heavier and heavier with each passing word. But she continued to listen to her mother. "No one¡­ No one¡­ No one took the request¡­" Sarah clenched her fist as she listened to every word her mother spoke. Drip. Drip. Her expressions then froze as her eyes widened. She clenched her fist tightly. "T-this¡­. This can''t be real¡­." But it was. "....Y-you''re joking, right, Mom?" But her mother didn''t reply and continued to break down. Sarah¡­ She couldn''t ept it. There was no way it was real. For a six-year-old to have gone missing for a month. That long... She would most likely be¡ª "No!" Lifting her head up, Sarah raised her voice. "...Emma! Come out¡­ T-this isn''t funny¡­ Huaa¡­" She was about to break. Her heart, It was about to break. "Please¡­. Huaaa¡­. Please¡­.. Huaa¡­." She started to hyperventte. "Haa¡­ Haaaa¡­. Emma!... Please!" Deny, The reality. "Please¡­. Haaaaa¡­. Huaaaa¡­" Sarah eventually broke down. "Please¡­ Emma¡­. Please¡­." This... It isn''t real. There was no way that¡­ Emma was¡­ Missing. "Huaaa¡­ Emma¡­" Sarah slumped down as her legs eventually gave out. "Emma¡­ Please¡­" The image of Emma instantly etched in her memory. The day Emma was born. It was one of the happiest moments of their lives. "Huaaa¡­" The first time Emma learned how to walk. Her first words. The first time she had spoken Sarah''s name. "Huaaa¡­" The first time she had learned how to write. All her birthdays. Everything. The memory of Emma crying when Sarah was about to leave for the Academy. That was herst memory of Emma. "Huaa¡­. Please¡­" From beside her, her mother kneeled down and embraced her. The two cried together as they embraced each other tightly. "Emma¡­ Please¡­" Despite everything, Sarah still couldn''t ept the reality. Heartbroken. That was the only thing that could describe what the two were feeling. ''Someone... Help... Me... Please...'' *** [Date Posted: June 27, 2148] [Missing Person] [Emma Aurae] [Reward: 27 Copper Coins] Brandon''s eyes widened as he stared at the quest poster. "Emma Aurae¡­" There was an image attached to the quest. It disyed a little girl who had strikingly simr features as Sarah, only that the girl was younger. There was no doubt about it. It was in fact Sarah''s little sister. Realizing, Brandon gripped the poster tightly, to the point where it started to crease. He then turned around and looked at the Rankers present. They sat around and continued to converse andugh with one another. Clenching his teeth, Brandon screamed out loud. "Hey!" He immediately grabbed the Rankers'' attention as they turned to look at him. He had caught the other students'' attention as well. But that didn''t matter. Brandon raised the poster for everyone present in the room to see. "You useless fucks! Why is this quest still here?!" From behind him, Reinhard and Liam were taken aback. Liam stood silent throughout the whole ordeal. For Reinhard, it was the first time he had seen Brandon act like this, much less curse. "Oy, calm down." Brandon then turned his head and red at Reinhard. But he quicklyposed himself. Reinhard wasn''t to me. He then forcefully shoved the poster at Reinhard''s chest without saying anything. Thump! As Reinhard scanned the poster, Brandon approached one of the Rankers. Clenching his teeth, he scruffed the cor of the Ranker closest to him. It was a man with green hair and green eyes. The man''s eyes widened. He then frowned as he red at Brandon. "Fucking kid. Let go of me." The man grabbed Brandon''s wrist, trying to let go of his hold. But Brandon had gripped it too tightly for his hold to budge. ring, Brandon spat out. "That quest. Why didn''t any of you take it? It''s been sitting there for more than a fucking month!" 23:02 "Fuck are you talking about?" "This." Reinhard spoke for Brandon as he stood beside him. He raised the poster for the man to see. The man scanned the poster and alternated his gaze between Reinhard and Brandon. His gaze then eventuallynded on Brandon. ring, the man opened his mouth. "Do you see the reward? It''s too fucking low. I need to make a living. 27 Coppers is as good as one meal." Snap Something snapped within Brandon. If it was all on impulse, he didn''t know. ''This world...'' It was filled with garbage. And to the author of this world? ''Fuck you.'' Thud! Brandon then forcefully pushed the man down on the table, gripping his cor tightly. "Reward? There''s a little girl missing out there. And all you care about is the fucking reward?!" "You kids don''t know shit!" The man spat at Brandon''s face and continued. "Astrea Academy? A school for stuck-up brats. That''s what you are." As soon as the man spoke those words, blue mes materialized from Brandon''s hand. Voooosh¡ª! The mes gradually started burning the man''s cor. But the man only red at him. "Choose your fights, kid." "Fight? I''ll kill you instead." All of a sudden, mana started to emit from the man. It seemed like he tried to conjure up a magic skill. But¡­ It didn''t work. It was way too subtle for anyone to notice. Not the man, not the rankers, not the other students, not even Reinhard. The man''s eyes widened in shock. "Huh...?" He tried to conjure up another magic skill again. But once again, it didn''t work. "Fuck, what''s going¡ª" All of a sudden, ice started to materialize from Brandon''s hand. Cr¡­ Crack. The ice gradually crawled on the man''s neck. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om And before he knew it, the ice had already encircled around his entire neck. Because the climate was cold in Everde, the ice left the man with an agonizing frostbite. "Akhhhhh!" The man screamed. "D-deviant¡­ Khhh¡­" Brandon knew this was all he could do at the moment. If he killed him then and there, another Felix incident would happen again. He had already managed to clear any connections between him and Moriarty. The man wasn''t worth all the trouble. But¡­ Foooo¡ª! With wind in his hand, Brandon thrusted his palms forward sending the man hurling away. Crash¡ª! Crashing on the wall, the man slumped down with his eyes wide open. The other Rankers stood there in shock, but no words escaped their mouths. Thest thing they wanted was to mess with an Astrea student. No, to mess with Brandon Locke. The other students stood in shock as well. But they were utterly speechless at what had just happened. This time, Reinhard understood the situation and did not try to stop Brandon. At that, Brandon strode forward towards the exit with the quest poster in his hand. No words needed to be said as Reinhard and Liam followed him shortly after. There were no guarantees if he could aplish the quest within a day, let alone aplish it at all. In the first ce, he had no leads. But there was one person he could ask to assist him in solving the missing person case. Who else but Sherlock...? Chapter 74 Everglade [4] 74 Everde [4] Seated face to face with Amy, Raven sipped on his coffee. As he did so, his eyes lit up. In front of him, Amy shed him a wide grin. "How is it?" "It''s good." For the first time in his life, Raven had finally admitted to himself that coffee was good. But it wasn''t the kind of bitter coffee that he was used to. With a smile, Amy held her head with her hands, leaning close to look at Raven. "Hehe, I told you." "This coffee, it''s different. What is it called?" "A mhiato." "Mac¡­? "Mhiato." "Hehe." It became apparent to Raven that Amy had been quitefortable with him, ever since they studied together. Brandon was usually cold towards him. While Reinhard would often teach him things he would rather not want to learn. For him, being with Amy felt quite refreshing. ''She''s a good friend.'' Is what he thinks. cing the coffee down, Raven looked at Amy who was sipping on her own coffee. "About the quest. I haven''t picked one yet." "Hm? That''s fine¡­" Sip~ "We can pick one together." "Yes, but I don''t believe in easy quests. There''s a reason they were requested in the first ce. Raven paused and looked around. He then looked back at Amy and continued. "Which is why I gathered information first." "Oh." Amy was quite taken aback. Raven was really thorough when it came to anything. This was a habit he had built up ever since he was young. And because of that, he was now a Special Officer trainee. Sherlock. The title he had earned within the group. Looking around, Raven leaned close to Amy''s ear. "Eh!?" Amy flinched slightly. Her ears instantly turned red. But Raven didn''t notice and softly whispered in her ear. "This city¡­ At first nce, it seems peaceful. But¡­" He paused and took a deep breath, then continued. "Every year, there''s a missing person case." Amy''s eyes shot wide open. She stayed quiet for a moment to digest the information. Once she did, she looked at Raven who leaned back in his seat. "...Why haven''t they reported it back to the main city?" "They couldn''t." "What?" Amy leaned back in her seat in shock. "Then what about the Rankers here? Can''t they put up a quest for it?" Raven crossed his arms. He then opened his mouth. "That''s the thing. It wasn''t explicitly stated, but from what I could deduce, most of the rankers who tried to leave this ce had gone missing as well." Once again, Amy stayed silent. The sudden revtion seemed to shake her to the core as she started rubbing her shoulders. There was one thing she wanted to ask. But the very thought of it made her shudder in fear. Lifting her head up she looked at Raven. Pursing her lips, she asked the very same question she didn''t want an answer to. 23:03 "....Then, will it happen to us too once we leave?" But Raven didn''t respond. He wore a look of anxiety. It was then when he opened his mouth. "I''m not sure¡­." For whatever reason the Academy sent them to Everde, Raven didn''t know. It seemed less likely that the Academy even knew what was going on in Everde. If it was just a normal trip where they would have the leisure to rx, then Raven wouldn''t have snooped around and discovered Everde''s dark secret. The quests. It was for that reason that Raven did so. Then did the Professors know anything? Raven didn''t know. He was at a loss once again. If even Rankers would go missing, then what about students? How could the Academy or the Professors expect a bunch of first years to resolve Everde''s problem? While he was lost in his thoughts, he was immediately snapped out of it as his phone started to vibrate from his pocket. Noticing, Raven retrieved his phone. As he scanned to find out who the caller was, his anxiety had toned down a bit. It was the person he had wanted to brainstorm with about the current situation. Click¡ª "Hello?" ¡ªRaven, where are you? It was Brandon. "I''m in the hotel''s cafe." ¡ªOkay, wait for me. I''ll be there in an hour. "Alright, I wanted to talk to you about something too." ¡ªHave you found out as well? As expected, Brandon knew something. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Raven knew that Brandon was smart. If there was someone who could keep up with his intellect, then it would be none other than Brandon. "Yes." ¡ªOkay, that makes things easier. See you then. "Okay." Click¡ª Putting his phone back in his pocket, Raven nced at Amy who seemed like she wanted to say something. And so she did as she opened her mouth. "Who was that?" "Brandon." "I see. Maybe he can find a solution to this." "I hope so." *** "....She''s not responding." After leaving the Guild Hub, Brandon had been trying to call Sarah for thirty minutes or so. But everytime he did, Sarah wouldn''t respond. Because of that, Brandon had split up with Reinhard and Liam started running around the city. He had asked the citizens if they knew where the Aurae residence was, but all they would tell him was that they didn''t. "H-haaa¡­" Taking deep heavy breaths, Brandon decided to stop for a while. His method was inefficient, which is why he decided to go to the hotel and meetup with Raven. Catching his breath, Brandon entered the cafe. From a distance he immediately spotted Raven and Amy. Realizing, his brows raised skeptically. ''This is definitely a date.'' And he was about to third wheel them. But there was no time to think of such thoughts. He immediately approached them. They noticed his sudden appearance. Raven moved aside and Brandon sat next to him. Since Brandon ran towards the hotel, his mouth was quite parched. Noticing the coffee on the table, he extended his hand to grab it. But before he took a sip, he turned to look at Raven who looked at him back skeptically. "May I?" "....Go ahead." "Thanks." Sip~ Sipping on the coffee, he redirected his attention to Amy, who looked at him with widened eyes. cing the coffee back down on the table, Brandon cocked his head at her. "What?" "..." But Amy didn''t respond and continued to stare at him with an open mouth. It seemed like she wanted to say something but the words wouldn''t leave her mouth. But then it did as she pursed her lips. "You." "....?" "That was¡­." "What?" "An indirect¡­" "..." Amy muttered thest words as silently as she could. But she failed to do so as Brandon heard it anyway. "K-kiss¡­" "..." But Brandon shrugged it off and turned his attention back to Raven who seemed to not have heard Amy. Shrugging, Brandon opened his mouth. "So? What do you know?" Taking a deep breath, Raven briefly looked at Amy, then back at Brandon. He began to recount everything he had told Amy. It took no more than five minutes, and by the time he finished, Brandon was pinching his chin, appearing deep in thought. 23:06 "I see." "....There''s definitely something going on in this city." "Agreed." "Alright, it''s my turn." Brandon then retrieved the missing person quest poster and ced it on the table. It was now his turn to debrief on them on what happened. Raven appeared to be listening the whole time as he stayed silent. But as soon as Brandon finished, Raven''s eyes darted around as if he had not listened at all. ncing around, Raven awkwardly opened his mouth. "Uh..." He seemed to be struggling to choose his words. But eventually, he spoke up. "Who''s Sarah....?" "..." "..." Even Amy was taken aback. *** Inside her office, Evelyn was piling up the documents which contained details about the trip the first years were having. But as she piled them up, one of the documents slipped out and slowly fell on the floor. cing the stack of documents on the table, Evelyn leaned down to pick up the fallen document. "....Everde?" Her eyes widened. The other sections had their trip in urban ces. Much less, they didn''t even have quests unlike Section A and B. And in the first ce, Everde wasn''t a popr city to visit. She had heard rumors about the ce during her time in the guild. It was quite peculiar. It was supposed to be a trip, and yet they had given the students a task. "Isn''t Vanessa their adviser? How did something like this get approved?" But as she continued to scan the document, the signature section caught her attention. "....This." The Headmaster''s signature... It was forged. Chapter 75 Everglade [5] 75 Everde [5] Drip. Drip¡­! It had already started raining. Inside the small house was Sarah and her mother, seated face to face in the kitchen. The two had not spoken for more than fifty minutes or so. The silence¡­ It felt suffocating. What should''ve been a loud and lively house was now nothing but a reminder of their loss. Loss? "She''s out there somewhere." "S-arah...?" "Mom¡­ I''ll find her." Standing up, Sarah locked gaze with her mother. Her eyes were puffy and snot started to drip down. But her eyes were determined. But the determination was all on the surface. Her heart was heavy, and she could feel herself break down at any moment. "No matter what it takes, I''ll find Emma." "..." Her mother sat in silence. But Sarah knew what that silence was. Doubt. Her mother had started doubting whether Emma was still alive or not. But this didn''t infuriate Sarah. Not the least bit. It was a given. Her mother had been living alone for the past month. Sarah couldn''t me her mother. Her mother had already suffered enough. Now, it was time for Sarah to do her part. As a daughter, and¡­ As an older sister. Looking at her mother for thest time Sarah''s heart grew heavy. Nodding, she left shortly after. The only one left in the room was Sienna and her thoughts. She had lost all hope in finding her daughter. Everyday she would try to find Emma from dusk till dawn. She had put up a request. Yet despite all that, she had still yet to find Emma. Was she even still alive to begin with? Staring at the door that was slowly closing, Sienna''s attention was caught by something peculiar on the ground. It was a doll. But for some reason, it looked familiar. Standing up, Sienna slowly approached the doll. Picking it up, she thoroughly scanned its features. Drip. Drip¡­. Her tears, It started dripping once again. Before she realized it, her hands had started trembling. Her mouth had started to twitch, trying to find the words to say. But the words wouldn''t leave her mouth. Thump! Her legs gave out and before she knew it, she had already started to break down again. "E-mma¡­." Drip. Drip¡­. *** After exchanging information, Brandon had decided not to involve Raven and Amy further. The current predicament was out of the novel plot line. Brandon wasn''t sure what kind of growth it would give the main cast. It was too risky. The case might be even bigger than they thought and would eventually lead to one of the main cast''s deaths. Brandon couldn''t allow that. At time like these, he had wished that he still had Alpha, a subordinate to assist him, Ah. "Right, there was no Alpha in the first ce." But there was one specific detail that caught his attention. It was Amy who had brought it up. The entire trip, Amy was in contact with her friends from the other sses. And it seemed like only Section A and Section B''s school trip was unusual. While they were running around doing quests in a rural countryside city, the other sses were having the time of their lives in a more popted and urban city. Everde. Quests. There had to be a connection. It was with that conclusion that Brandon had decided to approach a specific person. And that person was where he was headed to. Hopefully, he would get all the answers he needed. Drip. Drip¡­! Walking around the city with an umbre, his footsteps were drowned out by the sound of the rain. From what he had heard from the other students, the person he needed to find was in the Guild Hub. Drip. Drip¡­! He continued to walk around until¡­ A familiar figure appeared before him. Her ck hair that was supposed to be tied in a ponytail was now flowing down her shoulders. The rain had drenched it to the point where she looked like she had just taken a shower. Her entire figure was drenched. From a distance, she looked tall. No, she was tall. Taller than all of the girls in Brandon''s friend group. She appeared lost. Her eyes were puffy and Brandon couldn''t tell if her face was wet due to the rain or because she was crying. But most likely it was thetter. Eventually their gazes met. Thump! Her legs gave out and she slumped down on the ground. Realizing, Brandon immediately rushed towards her. Sob. Sob. And as expected, she was crying. Protecting her from the rain with the umbre, Brandon stayed silent, letting Sarah break down under the rain. This persisted until Sarah lifted her head up to look at Brandon. Her mouth opened but no words came out. But Brandon just looked down at her with a worried expression. Eventually the silence was broken by Sarah. Sobbing, her lips parted open. "Brandon¡­." She seemed hesitant. But Brandon had a rough idea of what she wanted to say. Sarah''s mouth was left agape. She didn''t finish her statement. Thus, Brandon decided to finish it for her. "I''ll find your Sister." As those words left his mouth, Sarah''s eyes widened as if she was saying, ''How did you know?'' Sob. Sob. Her eyes squinted and she broke down once again. She leaned down on the cold hard ground, just in front of Brandon''s shoe. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Brandon stood still in silence with the umbre in his hand. Drip. Drip¡­! No words were exchanged between the two as the rain continued to heavily pour down, drowning out Sarah''s cry. Brandon clenched his fist at the sight. Looking ahead, he narrowed his eyes. His mouth parted open to silently mutter, "Oliver White." *** Inside the Guild Hub, Oliver had a serious situation. Walking around the halls, he had finally found his destination. He was supposed to be familiar with the Guild Hub''s interioryout. But recently they changed it. Where was he headed to? The bathroom. . . "Ah¡­ Much better." Coming out of the bathroom, Oliver zipped his pants up. "Oliver." It was Sarah. 23:07 A voice suddenly reached his ears. Turning around, what met his sight was a man with pale-white hair and ice-blue eyes. He was taller than Oliver as well. Of course, Oliver knew who this was. Who else could it be? The man that called out to him was regarded as the strongest first year. Scanning, Brandon seemed to have waited for him. He was leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. But Oliver wasn''t startled. In fact, it was better than he thought. "Brandon? What are you doing here?" "The missing person case." And as expected, Brandon picked up on it. "You know something about it, don''t you?" "...Yes." Oliver had never nned on denying it in the first ce. Looking around there was no one around. He then looked back at Brandon who was narrowing his eyes at him. It made sense why Brandon would act that way. In Brandon''s eyes, Oliver was suspicious. Brandon was silent. Thus, Oliver was the one to break the silence as he walked slowly towards Brandon. His lips parted open and silently spoke. "The matter is quite private. Let''s discuss it somewhere else." Brandon didn''t respond and nodded. Oliver then walked ahead of him and Brandon followed shortly after. Noticing someone peeking from the hallway, Oliver paused. It was Sarah. "That girl¡­ Don''t involve her further. She''s already lost enough." "What do you know about her?" "A lot more than you know." Chapter 76 Curse [1] 76 Curse [1] "More than enough." "I see." Brandon slowly closed his eyes. Opening his eyes, Brandon pursed his lip. "That''s all I needed to know." Kracka! Blue sparks of lightning started to coil around Brandon like a snake. At the same time, a wind barrier had formed and meshed around the lightning. Step¨C! Walking towards Oliver who''s eyes were shot wide open, he was being pushed back onto the wall by the wind pressure. Cr¡­ Crack. "Khh¡­ W-hat are you¡ª" Brandon suddenly grabbed his neck. Narrowing his eyes, Brandon tightened his grip on Oliver''s neck. Of course, if it was a normal fight, Oliver would be leaps and bounds stronger than Brandon. But that was if Brandon was any other regr mage. [Mana Disruption] No matter what kind of skill Oliver would use, it wouldn''t materialize. He didn''t know how to counter Brandon''s outrageous skill. Not like he was actively trying to hurt Brandon in the first ce. But still, it was absurd. "Wait¡ªUkh!" Brandon gripped his neck even more tighter. Oliver''s veins had started to pop out and his face was slowly turning purple. Holding onto Brandon''s hand, Oliver tried to formte his words. "T-this is¡­ a misunderstanding¡ªKhh!" Squinting his eyes, Brandon''s lips parted open. "What am I supposed to be misunderstanding here?" "Let me go¡­ first¡ªKhh!" But Brandon didn''t budge. "....!" All of a sudden, the area around Brandon had started shifting. Widening his eyes, Brandon looked around . Green mes had started to wrap the area. The space around him was slowly bing isted. Brandon knew what this was. [Zone] Oliver used his Zone. At that very moment, green mes had started to form around Brandon''s hand and slowly crept up on his arm. "Akhhh!" The green mes had started to burn his entire arm, and his grip on Oliver''s neck immediately gave out. Massaging his neck, Oliver looked at Brandon. Snap¡ª With a snap of his finger, the green mes had disappeared. His voice then reached Brandon. "Like I said, you''re misunderstanding everything." Brandon knew he was acting on impulse. But it couldn''t be helped. Oliver was way stronger than him. The surprise attack was his only advantage. But Brandon kept his guard up and turned to look at Oliver. Narrowing his eyes, Brandon''s mouth parted open. "...What do you mean?" "I need your help." Brandon''s eyes widened. Oliver continued. "You''re the only one who actually cared about the missing person case. All the other cowards actively ignored it. You''re the only one I can ask¡­." All of a sudden Oliver kneeled down and pleaded in front of Brandon. "Please, help Everde." At that, Brandon''s eyes shot wide open. It was for that reason that he decided to approach him once he found out that the other sections didn''t have any quests. It could''ve been Vanessa, but she wasn''t there when they were debriefed about the quests. And most likely, she didn''t even know. But why him? Oliver was way stronger than him. If Everde was in trouble, then he could''ve done it alone. Much less, ask help from the Academy. But as if his thoughts were seemingly read, Oliver turned to look at him. "I can''t do it alone. I''ve pleaded¡­ I''ve fucking pleaded with the Guild. But they¡­ They wouldn''t help a small city like Everde¡­" He clenched his fist and as soon as he did, green mes had started to form. "I''ve told them everything, and yet¡­" The green mes had started to wrap his behind like an aura. "They think it''s a fucking joke. Children have gone missing for the past year, and they won''t even let me meet with the strongest Ranker." He turned to look at Brandon with pleading eyes. "This was the only thing I could do to get the Guild''s attention. I know it''s ridiculous to ask a student, but¡­" Oliver looked down with a sad expression. Clenching his fist, his mouth parted open. "Please, help me." With widened eyes, Brandon was taken aback. His mouth opened but no words came out. He couldn''t find the right words to say as silence filled the entire zone. There were others he could''ve asked for help from. With his thoughts gathered, Brandon eventually broke the silence. "You could''ve asked Evelyn, or Vanessa. In fact, Vanessa''s already here." "I''ve already done that." "Oh¡­." Brandon blinked. "Then what about Evelyn?" "I couldn''t ask her directly. But I''ve left some clues behind." "..." ''Is this guy serious?'' What''s with being so cryptic about it? The entire trip wouldn''t have happened if he had just asked Evelyn directly. But in the first ce, Evelyn probably wouldn''t ept it unless it had anything to do with Wraithbounds. Looking at Oliver, Brandon asked, "But if you''ve already asked Vanessa, then why did she approve of this trip?" "I told her everything after we got here." "..." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ''This guy¡­'' He had dragged everyone into this mess out of their own volition. It wasn''t right. Oliver wasn''t right. But looking at him, he seemed to look desperate. No, it wouldn''t be a stretch to say that he might have a screw loose in the head. If this was hisst attempt in saving his city, then it was a stupid n. He could''ve done something else. But no, this was the conclusion he hade up with. In the end, Brandon could only offer his assistance. After all, it was rted to the missing person case. All to save Emma Aurae. It''s not like he was doing it to score points with Sarah. No. Just the thought of a little girl out there lost and crying made Brandon''s heart heavy. Once again, this world¡­ It was garbage. At that, Oliver started to recount everything that had happened in Everde. *** After leaving Amy back at the hotel, Raven decided to roam around for more information Despite Brandon assuring him that the current information was sufficient, Raven decided to offer additional help anyway. The first thing on his agenda is to go to the nearby police station. Entering inside the police station, there were officers who sat around everywhere. They looked ipetent. There were empty cups on the floor and donutsying around the table. Some of the officers were asleep, while some were fiddling on their phones. "..." Raven was taken aback. The entire station was a mess and it seemed like none of the officers took their job seriously. With such thoughts, Raven called out to them. "Hey!" At his call, some of the officers were startled as they looked back at him. While the ones who were asleep continued in their slumber. Raven then retrieved something from his pocket. shing it for everyone present to see, their eyes were wide open. "...Oy wake up. A Special Force officer is here." "Nghh, shut up." Smack¡ª! One of the officers smacked the one who was asleep. Rubbing his head, the officer frowned. "Fuck was that¡­ for¡ª" He then noticed Raven''s appearance. "O-officer, what can we do for you¡­?" Breathing out a sigh, Raven stepped forward. "I need all your documents regarding missing person cases." "All of them?... Officer that''s a bit¨C" "Now." Raven squinted his eyes. Realizing the seriousness in his tone, all of the officers quickly got to work. It took more than an hour for the officers to gather all the documents. And by the time they were done, the sun was about to set. For the next few hours, Raven sat on one of the chairs and thoroughly scanned each document. Flip¨C Flipping each document, there was nothing peculiar about them. Or at least, nothing that had caught his attention. After flipping for the 267th document, Raven''s eyes widened in surprise. "....What?" [Missing Person] [Date: October 30, 2142] [Oliver White] "Six years ago¡­?" Chapter 77 Curse [2] 77 Curse [2] "Oy! Come back here!" "That''s why it''s running away ire. You keep scaring it." "Ahh! Fuck." For the entire day, ire and Rachel had been trying to aplish their quest. What quest? Finding a lost cat. Though they''ve already found it a few hours ago, it would always escape their grasp. And before they knew it, they were already far out into the forest. Scrunch. Scrunch. Silence gripped the entire area with only the sound of foliage breaking it. Once again, the cat was gone. "There! There it is!" Extending her hand in the cat''s direction, ire pointed at it. Noticing the raise in her tone, Rachel turned her head towards the direction. But before the cat could enter her peripheral view, ire had already run off to chase it. "ire, wait!" "No, I''m already starving. We''ve been at this for the entire day." Truth be told, they didn''t have to do the quest, it was optional. But ever since falling off the rankings, ire had been on a tight budget. Her allowance was cut off for the time being. And Rachel¡­ She was a cheapskate. "Where is¡­" Shading her eyes with her hand, ire tried to look for the cat who was ''gone'' again. "There!" "Where?" Nyaa~ Because of ire''s voice, the cat was startled once again. "It went inside that run down cabin." "That makes it easier then." 22:54 "Mhm." The cat had isted itself. Something that mages could work with. "But doesn''t that cabin look kind of¡­ creepy?" "...Yeah." Rubbing her shoulders, Rachel was hesitant to step forward. "Oy. Creepy or not, let''s just get this done." Rachel nodded and stepped forward. She had a bad feeling as she silently muttered. "....This feels like a horror movie scene." "What was that?" "N-nothing." At that, the two beckoned inside the cabin. Arriving at the entrance the two took silent steps to avoid alerting the cat. "The door is open as well¡­" ire had a bad feeling as well. But in the end, they were mages. Just a little creepy old cabin wouldn''t scare them. As soon as they entered the cabin, a chill ran down the two''s spine. "....What the." "Are those¡­. Dolls?" Looking around, the entire cabin was filled to the brim with dolls in each shelf. "What kind of sicko would collect these kinds of dolls?" ire roamed around the room and scanned the dolls. The dolls appeared to be handmade, most likely sewed. Rachel approached one of the dolls and extended her hand to grab it. As she scanned the doll, a sudden chill ran down her spine. "These dolls¡­ Don''t they look kind of real?" "Don''t be crazy, Rachel. How could a sewed doll look real?" "The clothes look sewed. But the face¡­ It looks¡­. Real." But Rachel was snapped out of it as she turned her head to look at ire. "Wait the cat." "Ah, right. Fuck where is it." Rachel lowered her head to look at the doll again. Only to find¡­ The doll''s eyes suddenly turned pitch ck. And she could''ve sworn it was smiling back at her. "....!" Thud! A chill ran down her spine and she dropped the doll. "....What in the." But when she turned to scan the doll again, it appeared normal. Was it just her imagination? But whatever it was, Rachel could say that it was definitely creepy. "..." ire seemed to have the same thoughts as her, as her voice reached Rachel''s ears. "This ce is creepy...." Fucking creepy. Rubbing her shoulders, Rachel took a step back. She was then snapped out of her thoughts as ire called upon her. "Rachel, the cat¡­ It isn''t¡ª" ire turned her head only to find Rachel in a kind of trance. "Rachel?" "A-ah." Rachel was snapped out of it as she spoke with an urgent tone. "Forget the cat. Let''s just get out of here, please." "Then what about the rew¡ª" "I''ll pay for all your expenses." ire was taken aback. Ruffling her hair, she seemed to have noticed the urgency in Rachel''s voice. She then cursed under her beath. "Ah, fuck. All that running around for nothing. Alright, fine." At that, the two then turned around to leave. But as they arrived at the exit a shadow loomed over them. A thin man with gray disheveled hair andvender eyes stood by the exit. "...!" "Uh?" ire was startled but not as much as Rachel. Skeptically raising her brow, ire greeted the figure that had arrived. "Uh, hello. Do you live here?" "Yes." His voice was raspy, and just the sight of the man sent chills down Rachel''s spine. Her rm bells were ringing. But ire seemed to have not noticed it. Rubbing her head, ire pursed her lips. "We''re sorry for the intrusion. We didn''t think anyone lived here. We''ll be going now." "It''s nothing." "..." Rachel couldn''t speak up. There was something eerily creepy about the man that she couldn''t quite put her finger on. Noticing her silence, ire turned to look at her and frowned. "Rachel, don''t be rude." But Rachel didn''t respond and shook her head. ire then turned to look at the man and tried to be as polite as she could. "Sorry about my friend. She''s quite the introvert." The man then stepped forward and he opened his mouth. "What about a doll before you go?" "No." This time, Rachel finally voiced out her thoughts. Laughing, ire tried to keep her tone polite to avoid being rude to the man. "S-sorry. We don''t need anything. You can keep the doll, Sir." "Hmm¡­" ire then walked ahead, leading Rachel''s hand and stood by the exit. Turning around, ire gave her farewells. "If you excuse us, Sir. We''ll be going now." "Mhm." It was at that moment when they realized. "...!" They couldn''t move. "What the¡­" The two quickly turned their heads around. "..." The man wasn''t there anymore. An ominous presence started to bore down on them. A sense of pressure started to grip them. And the pressure¡­ It came from the front. The two slowly turned their heads back in front. And that was when they saw the man from a distance. "..." "..." The two were taken aback. With wide eyes, they started to tremble. Fear. The sense of dread loomed over them. And the two could not find the right words to say. The man¡­ He was smiling. "His eyes¡­" They were pitch ck. "Hehehe." The sound ofughtering from behind them. A child''sugh. "Hehe." Turning around to trace the source of the sound. What met their sight was a doll that stood on its own on the floor. "Hehe." Its eyes were pitch ck, just like the man''s. "Hehehe" Moreughter. Another doll chimed in from the shelf. "Hehe." And another one. "Hehehe." More dolls. "Hehe." Until an innumerable amount of dolls had all started to move gradually. Rachel''s body continued to shudder in fear. Even if she wanted to move, she couldn''t. And even if she could move, the fear had already gripped her to the point where her legs were frozen. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Her stomach started to churn from the gripping fear as her mouth continued to twitch. "Hehe." The only sound that echoed throughout the entire cabin was the sound of children''sughter. "Hehehe." "Hehehehehe." When Rachel turned to look at the man, that was when she noticed. Threads. They were unable to move due to the threads. The man stood still with a smile. His pitch ck eyes staring deep into their souls. And that was when.. "Hyaaaaaa¡ª" The sound of a little girl screaming. Chapter 78 Curse [3] 78 Curse [3] ¡ªSix years ago. It was another cold day in Everde. In fact, it was snowing. The sun was nowhere to be seen and it was freezing cold. But growing up in Everde, Oliver was used to the cold. "Come on, Oliver. Hurry up!" A voice called out to him. With ck hair andvender eyes. It was his senior in the small guild he was in. "Yeah, yeah, David. Have you told your Family we''re all going out today?" "Uh¡­ I forgot." "..." "Haha, we''lle back anyway. What''s the big deal?" Oliver was used to this. David was always quite the entric person. "...Are you sure you should even take part in this subjugation? Your wife is pregnant, you know?" "I know, I know. Which is why it''s better if I didn''t tell her." "..." What kind of Father¡­ But Oliver cleared his thoughts. David''s family was none of his business. "Ah, right. Your soon to be born child, have you given the name some thought?" Pinching his chin, David pondered for a while. Oliver was quite taken aback. After spending time with David in the guild for three years, he was still as irresponsible as ever. "...Seriously?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Wait, wait. Give me time to think." "..." And then, David''s eyes lit up. Pursing his lips, he turned to look at Oliver. "If it''s a boy, I''ll name him David II." "..." "And if it''s a girl¡­ Maybe Emma?" "Hmm¡­ Emma Aurae, not bad." "Right? I''ll have you know I was the one who named Sarah as well." "Ah, right, your first born." "Yup." Noticing that the other guild members were by the exit, the two hurriedly made it to their side. Currently, there were some disturbances in the forest. There were no reports on what was the cause but they decided to take action. Unlike the main city, Everde was far out in the countryside. There would often be reports of Mana Beats or Wraith Beasts. Mana Beasts were within their capabilities. While for Wraith beasts, they would have quite the difficulty. But if it were Wraith Beasts, then they had their trump card. David Aurae. A mage with the [Curse] affinity, and an A ranker. Despite the prejudice of the [Curse] affinity, David had built up quite the reputation. Oliver had the [Curse] affinity as well. Normally, he wouldn''t even qualify to join the guild, but David decided to pick him up. At that, the group ventured forth, arriving at the city''s main gate. But then they paused as a little girl stood in front of them. Her long flowing ck hair cascaded around her shoulders. Hervender eyes sparkled from the sunlight. Her expressions formed a frown as she called upon her father. "Dad, you''re leaving again?!" David was startled to see his daughter, he didn''t expect Sarah to be waiting for him by the gate. "Ah, Sarah¡­ What a surpr¡ª" "Mom is about to give birth. Are you not gonnae to see my little sibling?" David leaned down and patted the ten-year-old Sarah on the head. "Sarah, if I don''t do this, then we wouldn''t even live to see tomorrow." "..." Oliver stood there in shock. What kind of Father would say such scary things to his own daughter? "Sarah, don''t worry. Daddy will be there in time to see¡­ David II? Emma?" Sarah''s eyes lit up. "You''ve finally thought of a name?" "Of course, what kind of Father wouldn''t?" "..." Once again, Oliver was taken aback. In fact, he gave him a skeptical look. Ruffling his Daughter''s head once more, David shed the little Sarah a smile. He then grabbed something from his bag. Leaning down, he extended his hand to give it to the little Sarah. "Here." "What is this?" "..." Seeing the sight, Oliver stifled augh. David had given his daughter a doll, and yet she couldn''t even tell if it was. "...I''ve been learning how to make these, Sarah." "A handkerchief?" "..." "...Daddy will see youter, Sarah." "Mhm." At that, the beast subjugation had begun. In the first ce, they didn''t think it would be that difficult. Turning around, David turned to look at the ten-year-old Sarah¡ªwho waved at them with conflicted expressions. He then shed his daughter a smile. That smile¡­ It was hisst smile. . . . At the start, there were a total of 15 members in the group. Now? There were only two left. What they thought were just some beasts was actually a Wraith. "Fuck¡­" "H-haaa¡­" In front of the Wraith, they were helpless. Not once had they even managed to leave a scratch on it. The Wraith was of a lower ss. A lesser to be exact. Ifpared to a ranker, a lesser would be of the same rank as an S+ ranker. But unfortunately, the highest ranker they had was an A rank, David Aurae. Olivery on the ground while David gave it his all to buy some time. "I¡­" Oliver didn''t want to die. No one wanted to die. But the fear had frozen Oliver in ce as he watched David singlehandedly fending off the Wraith. Run. His instincts told him so. Run away. He got up. Save yourself. His legs had started to move. "Oliver?" When David turned around, Oliver wasn''t there anymore. Realizing that his guildmate and friend had abandoned him, David stifled augh. "I can''t me him. He''s still young." Drip. Drip. Tears started to flow down his eyes. "But I have a fucking Family!" With the cursed threads in his hand, David thrusted his palms onto the Wraith. "If this could buy enough time for the main Guild to take notice, then so be it." A magic circle had materialized. Splurt! The Wraith had thrusted its fist inside David''s chest. "Khh..! Bastard, I''ll seal you if it''s thest thing I do." At that moment, the Wraith had gradually merged with David. He wasn''t confident that he could even overpower the Wraith with his mental strength. But it was all he could do. The Wraith would suffer the limitations of the human body. But to his surprise, the Wraith was far stronger than his mental strength. "Sienna¡­ Sarah¡­ Emma¡­or David II¡­ I''m sorry." Thest words he could ever mutter before the Wraith took hold of his body. But¡­ "Huaaaaa!" A final ditch attempt. With thest of his strength, David ced a curse on his own body. A binding vow. In exchange he would lose all sense of reasoning. The Wraith possessing his body would be unable to leave the forest. If it does then his body would perish. Was it a good idea? David didn''t know. From a distance, Oliver watched the entire scene unfold. The guilt gripped him immensely. He had abandoned the man who took him in when he had nothing. Drip. Drip¡­! Tears flowed down his cheek. He knew the kind of sin he hadmitted. He was a coward. "Fuck¡­" A weakling. "Fuck¡­" He slumped down. Bang! And smacked the cold hard ground. Drip. Drip¡­! Tears kept flowing out. But what was the point? His tears were nothing but a means to justify his actions. "Fuck¡­" On that day, thirteen deaths were confirmed, leading to the guild''s disbandment. It was then announced that two were missing, as their bodies were never found. David Aurae and Oliver White. And on that day, Emma Aurae was born. Chapter 79 Curse [4] 79 Curse [4] "Sarah had that kind of past¡­" Brandon was taken aback. For someone that wasn''t part of the main cast, Sarah''s past was even more deeper than the others of the main cast. Looking up, Oliver had a resigned expression. Just like Brandon he didn''t know what to say next. Silence gripped the entire zone. And before they knew it, it had already started to dematerialize. Slowly, the green mes around the area diminished. The dark veil that wrapped the sky like a dome had gradually started cracking. Cr¡­ Crack. At that, the Zone was lifted. As Brandon looked around, it seemed like Sarah was nowhere to be seen. He then turned to look at Oliver. "So¡­ Meeting his gaze, Oliver''s mouth parted open. "David might still be inside there somewhere." It was less likely. It had been six years since the incident. Recalling Oliver''s story, Brandon pinched his chin and pondered. "Those missing person cases. They were the people that had entered the forest, weren''t they?" "Most likely¡­" "And what happened to them?" "...I''m not too sure." How useless. N?v(el)B\\jnn Just like he was in the past. Oliver had never changed. All of a sudden, Brandon''s phone rang. Reaching for his pocket, he then retrieved his phone. [Raven ckheart] Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Click¡ª ¡ªBrandon, we have a situation! "Talk." ¡ªRachel and ire, they''re nowhere to be seen. Brandon''s eyes widened in shock. Frowning, he clenched his phone tightly. "Forest, now." Click¡ª The conversation was brief. But he knew Raven would understand. At that, Brandon immediately rushed towards the hallway''s exit. Noticing Brandon''s sudden urgency, Oliver called out to him. "Where are you going¡ª" "Fast. Lead me to the forest." Oliver was taken aback. But it seemed like the situation was dire. At that, he immediately rushed towards Brandon and led the advance. Arriving at the Guild Hub''s exit, a familiar figure stood by the exit. "Sarah, no time to exin,e." "W-haa." He then grabbed Sarah''s hand and continued the advance. Oliver was ahead of them. Brandon and Sarah followed him closely. Rachel and ire continued to stand still. Fixed in position, the threads gripped their body tightly. Rachel could feel the threads slowly sapping away her strength and stamina. Why? ''What kind of threads are the¨C'' Her thoughts were then broken as ire''s voice anxiously rang. "Rachel¡­" As Rachel looked ahead, figures started to emerge from the bushes. "Hurrrrrr¡ª" A sudden growl echoed from the distance. Rachel had a rough idea of what it was. She had read about them when she was studying on Wraiths with Brandon. As her lips continued to tremble, she muttered out the words that not even ire wanted to hear. "...Wraith Beasts." A cmity that is usually in the B to A rank category. There were exceptions... However, those exceptions were one of myths. A regr Wraith Beast was currently out of their league. Most first year students would be categorized in the F to E rank. With the exception of Brandon and Raven, who would most likely belong to the D to C rank. While the rest below the top ten to three, would most likely be in the E to D rank. It was absurd. But there was no use inparing. Brandon was unique, having five affinities. While Raven had a special affinity. But recently, Rachel could feel like she was about to break through. She could feel her mana core starting to progressively grow. Just a bit more and her [Ice] affinity might evolve. Turning towards ire, Rachel opened her mouth. "ire, can you do something about these threads?" "I''ve been trying, but it won''t budge." Frowning, Rachel started to channel her mana. Cr¡­Crack. All of a sudden, frostbolts had started to materialize behind Rachel. With a slight movement of her hand, the frostboltsunched towards the man. Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! The man''s figure blurred giving the illusion of him disappearing, dodging all the frostbolts in the process. "Tsk." Clicking her tongue, frostbolts continued to materialize and pierced through the air. But once again, it was to no avail. Kracka...! From beside her, purple lightning engulfed ire and started crawling up to the threads. However, the threads adjusted, and both ire and Rachel instantly crashed onto the wall behind them. Boom¡ª! Splinters scattered everywhere. A hole etched onto the cabin. Slowly getting up, Rachel had realized that victory was impossible, as long as the threads still wrapped them around. No, the man waspletely out of their league regardless. With such thoughts, Rachel decided to break the threads in any way she could. ''If I seed¡­ I''ll make a run for it.'' It was cold logic. How could she save ire if she couldn''t even save herself? If both of them were to fall, then who would avenge the other? Thus, Rachel started to channel her mana once more. Ice started to crawl from her feet, to her legs, to her torso. Slowly and slowly¡­ Until they started engulfing the threads. "Hyaaaaa¡ª" The children''s screams. "Hurrrrrrr¡ª" The Wraith Beast''s growl. Step¡ª The man slowly walked towards them. All of a sudden, his hands started moving and the threads started tightening. Whatever Rachel was trying to do, it was to no avail. Cr¡­Crack. The ice had wrapped the threads, only for it to shatter. No matter what she did, the threads wouldn''t break. In the first ce, Rachel didn''t know what kind of affinity the threads belonged to. But¡­ She had to keep trying. Drip. Drip¡­! The threads were tightening and blood started to drip, leaving a slit on Rachel''s torso. Turning beside her, ire''splexions start to pale. Unlike Rachel, who was slowing down the blood loss with ice, ire couldn''t do such a thing. The man waved his hand around, as if he was a puppeteer. All of a sudden, Rachel''s body was lifted up. Drip. Drip¡­! As the threads got even tighter, blood kept dripping. What was the man''s goal? Was he trying to torture them? What were the dolls even for? Why do they sound like children? And¡­ Just what kind of creature is the man? No, Rachel knew it already. But she didn''t want to admit it. The sheer fact that if her spection was proven true made her entire body shudder. "Hurrrr¡ª" And before she knew it, three Wraith Beasts had already encircled them. "Ah." They were being fed to the beasts. After all, just like Mana Beasts, Wraith Beasts would empower their strength by feasting on mana. In that case¡­ Cr¡­ Crack. Rachelpletely encapsted herself in a thick shell of ice. Then, extending the radius of her mana, the ice slowly crawled to her side. Crack! All of a sudden, ire was inside the thickyer of ice as well. Arge ice shell in the shape of a gem had now encapsted the two. Crack... Crack! The Wraith Beasts had started biting into the ice. Cracks had started to form. But as Rachel continued supplying it with mana, the shell would instantly fix itself. She could feel her mana starting to drain, but she had to persist. If they were gone for far too long, the Professors would notice. Brandon would notice. Would they be able to find them in time? Rachel didn''t know. But it was worth a try. ''Better than letting ourselves be Wraith food.'' *** "Raven?" "Brandon?" The two had finally caught up, just in time, as they were about to enter the forest. "Amy." Amy was there as well, surprised by Brandon''s sudden appearance, along with several others. Noticing Oliver, Raven turned to meet his gaze. "Professor¡­" "Raven." The only exchange the two had. It was quite awkward. Then, Raven noticed the girl behind Brandon. "Is this¡­ Sarah?" "Yeah." Brandon responded as he nced at Sarah from behind him. Noticing his gaze, Sarah awkwardly introduced herself. "Uh. I''m Sarah Aurae." She gave a light bow. Raven nodded and squinted his eyes as he turned to look at Oliver. It seemed like he was wary of the Professor. Which is why Brandon had recounted everything Oliver had told him in detail. Sarah wasn''t an exception and she had finally learned the truth about her Father''s disappearance. Her eyes shot wide open as she silently listened to everything Brandon was saying. She couldn''t find the right words to say. Grasping her hands, her hands were trembling. But seeing her expression, Brandon gave her a look of understanding. It was all too much for her at the moment, that much was certain. "So¡­ My Father¡­ Is still alive?" "...There''s a chan¡ª" "No." Before Oliver could spout more bullshit, Brandon cut him off. "Shut up, Oliver. Don''t give her false hope." "..." "..." "..." "..." The others were immediately taken aback. But in the end, Brandon was right. With a conflicted expression, Sarah lifted her head to meet Brandon''s gaze. "...My Sister, is she¡ª" Before Sarah could finish, Brandon approached her and extended his arms to her shoulders. Locking gaze with Sarah, he pursed his lips. "I''ll do my best to find her. But there are no guarantees." "..." Sarah couldn''t respond. Of course she couldn''t. Brandon was beating around the bush. Even he had doubts whether Emma was still alive or not. And in all honesty, Sarah had started to doubt it as well. It was the cold hard truth. Truth be told, Sarah didn''t know how to feel after finding out the truth. She was a logical person, even if Oliver had stayed and fought the Wraith, he would''ve died in the process. But... "..." She secretly gritted her teeth. "Oy! You don''t have to say it like tha¨C" Oliver stopped as soon as Brandon turned his head to re at him. His eyes spoke enough to say that Oliver should stop butting in. In the end, Oliver could only stay silent. Suddenly¡­ "Hurrrrr¡ª" A strange growl echoed from the bushes. As Amy traced the source of the sound, she anxiously spoke up. "...What was that?" Walking ahead of everyone, Oliver braced himself. "Wraith Beasts." Chapter 80 Curse [5] 80 Curse [5] ''If no one''s going toe and save us, then I can only do what I can.'' Inside the ice shell, Rachel continuously channeled her mana. Cold. She was feeling cold. Something unheard of for a mage with the ice affinity. Crack. Crack¡­! For what she could think have been a few minutes already, the Wraith Beasts were relentless in their attacks. Her mana reserves have been strained for quite a while. Her body was getting weaker and weaker and herplexions were pale. But¡­ After studying ice magic ever since she was young. There was a specific line from a book she just couldn''t forget. ¡ªTo advance in the arts of ice, you must be one with the ice. And in the current situation, the words were taken literally. She was literally inside her own ice magic. Because it was made with mana, she could breathe inside. The same went for ire. Crack. Crack¡­! Her mana reserves were rapidly depleting. But¡­ She let out a smirk. ''This situation. This moment.'' She could feel it. Her ice affinity was evolving. Looking at her hair strand, it was gradually turning white, slowly crawling towards the crown. This¡­ Crack. Crack¡­! If it was ast ditch attempt, then she had to try. ire was out ofmission at the moment. It was all up to Rachel. All she had to do was to break the threads. Crack. Crack¡­! ''Just a bit more.'' Her body was growing numb from the cold. She didn''t even shiver. *** ''Fucking cold.'' The entire time, the vibrations of the Wraith Beasts attack on the ice shell had made ire''s stomach churn. No, she knew she was about to vomit. After all, she didn''t have that strong of a stomach. Looking at Rachel, ire couldn''t tell what was happening. Her hair was gradually turning a snow-white color, and despite being in such a helpless situation¡­ Rachel''s expressions. They were cold. One of indifference. As if the entire situation was nothing to her. ire was taken aback at the sight. Growing up, ire knew Rachel was the most talented between herself and Amy. The only reason Rachel was ranked lower than the two at the start of the semester was because¡­ She wanted to y the act of a mob character, inspired by a recent manga she had read. Of course, Rachel failed terribly, and still ranked inside the top five. But that¡­ It spoke volumes of Rachel''s talent. She didn''t even try, and yet her talent still shined. All of sudden¡­ Crack¡ª! The ice shell that was supposed to encapste them shattered. "...!" And as soon as it did, ire fell on her butt.The threads still wrapped around her body, sapping away her strength. And because of everything that happened, including her strength diminishing¡­ "Blergh!" Turning around, she vomited. "..." And as soon as she did¡­ "Hurrrrrrr¡ª" One of the Wraith Beast that encircled them jumped her. Realizing, ire braced for impact, shielding her body with her arms, as she wrapped her entire figure with purple sparks. Cr¡­ Crack. "Uh¡­?" For some reason, the attack never came. Peering one of her eyes open, what met her sight was¡­ The Wraith Beast stood frozen. Not because of ice. Its entire figure had be white. No, its entire hide was draped in a pristineyer of snow. "Rachel¡­?" Turning her head to look at Rachel, a sudden chill ran down ire''s spine. Rachel''s entire hair had turned snow-white. Her eyes¡ªwhich was once a crimson red¡ªhad now be a nk-gray. It felt like apletely different person. ire had a rough idea on what Rachel''s new form was. An ability that mages with the special affinity had. Elemental Assimtion. Evelyn was the same, as her eyes would turn a radiant gold color. But¡­ ''Since when did Rachel breakthrough?'' Fuuuuuu! A snow-like aurapletely engulfed Rachel''s figure. She took a step forward and the next thing she knew, the threads that seemed to wrap them had been cut off. Looking at the current Rachel, ire could tell that she would give Reinhard a run for his money. And adding to the fact that Reinhard was a mage with the fire affinity, aplete counter to Rachel. ''She''s way stronger¡­'' Cr¡­ Crack! Unfortunately, the Wraith Beast had broken free from its frozen state in a manner of seconds. Despite Rachel''s breakthrough, it still wasn''t enough to kill an A rank cmity beast. But still¡­ The threads were gone. Therefore, "ire, run!" At Rachel''s call, ire tried to get up, but she could still feel motion sickness. However, she persisted. dding herself in purple lightning, she immediately grabbed hold of Rachel. She then carried Rachel. A Princess carry. And¡­ Tzzz¡ª They sprinted away from the cabin. But to their surprise, the man immediately took notice and gave chase. Scrunch. Scrunch. The sound of foliage echoed at every step that ire took. Trails of purple sparks fluttered in the air. From behind her, she could hear the man pursuing them. "How is he so fast?!" It made no sense. But at the same time, it did. ire had already realized the man was anything but human. The purple sparks continued to empower ire''s entire being as she sprinted as fast as she could. "...!" All of a sudden, the sense of dread washed over ire. Peeking behind, the threads were about to reach her once again. Realizing, she immediately paused and crouched down, dodging the threads. 21:00 But that split second she took to pause was all the man needed to catch up to them. "Hehehe." The sound of children''sughter echoing from a distance. As ire tried to stand up, a thread had managed to wrap itself around her leg. "Uwaa!" She was lifted up on one leg. Thud! And dropped Rachel. *** Standing up, Rachel''s snow-white hair fluttered, cascading around her shoulders. Looking at the man, his pitch ck eyes stared deep into her soul, sending chills down her spine. Her body felt heavy. The strenuous usage of her mana should''ve gripped her with pain. But everything else was numb. Everything. The more she stayed under her current form, the more she knew just how severe the bacsh would be. But Rachel didn''t care. If she didn''t give it her all, then she would die. It was a life and death moment. Step¡ª The man stepped forward. His index finger was lifted up, indicating the thread he used to lift ire up. Noticing his left hand, his fingers started moving. Swoosh¡ª! Noticing the approaching threads, Rachel immediately blurred backwards, leaving a trail of snow. "Ukh¡­!" But another thread struck her calf from behind. Immediately, Rachel draped the thread in a frozen ze,pletely dismantling it. Drip. Drip¡­! A hole etched on her calf as blood seeped from it. Gritting her teeth, she froze the gaping hole and stopped the bleeding. ''Should I just leave ire and call for help?'' No. She instantly dismissed her thoughts. Impulsive thoughts like these often etched themselves into her mind. But Rachel was never that kind of person. Thoughts. They were just thoughts. "...!" All of a sudden, the man abruptly rushed Rachel. Threads loomed from all sides. Realizing, Rachel blurred away dodging each thread with effort. Each step Rachel took would leave snow and ice in its wake. But no matter how fast she moved, a thread would alwaysnd a hit. Truth be told, Rachel''s eyes weren''t fast enough to track the threads. She was only waving her hand around wherever she thinks a thread was looming. Drip. Drip¡­! Slits had started appearing all over her body. But she would instantly freeze them to stop further blood loss. "H-haaa¡­" Taking deep breaths, Rachel continued to narrowly dodge the threadsing from each side. Swoosh¨C Swoosh¡ª! Everytime the threads manage to wound her, she could feel her strength sapping away. It was as if the threads were eating away at her life force like a curse. A curse thread. That''s what she decided to call them. "H-haaa¡­." Swoosh¨C Swoosh¡ª Swoosh¡ª¡ª! Narrowly dodging the threads, Rachel managed to get close to the man. With a swipe of her hand, pristineyers of snow were left in its trail. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om And¡­ BOOOM¡ª! She managed to strike the man on the torso with her palms. Looking at him, a white circr frost appeared in his body. Despite putting all of her strength in the attack, the man didn''t even flinch or stagger back. The man''s index finger was slightly lowered. Noticing the subtle change, Rachel immediately turned around to see the threads around ire loosen. Fuuuu¡ª! Swiping her hand, a thickyer of snow cascaded from above, aiming for the man''s eye. If she can''t beat him with strength. Then¡­ She had to at least y dirty. Rachel moved around and swiped her hand up. Pristineyers of snow erupted from the ground. Fuuuu-! Cuts and grazed appeared all over her body. Gritting her teeth, Rachel persisted. Swiping her hand in a circr motion, a thick wall of snow and ice gradually materialized. If Rachel was in her normal state, she would definitely stifle augh. But she wasn''t. Though her impulses still got to the best of her as she continued to block the man''s peripheral view. Walls of snow and ice filled the entire forest area. With that diversion, Rachel jumped up. Swiping her hand, the thread that wrapped around ire''s leg started to freeze. Crack! And shattered. "ire!" Tzzz¡ª-! Chapter 81 Curse [6] Chapter 81 Curse [6] Step¡ª Stepping forward, Brandon stood by Oliver''s side. He then smirked. An opportunity presented itself. Brandon had been frustrated, due to theck of progress. Of course, he knew his strength wouldn''t be enough to defeat the Wraith Beasts. But Oliver was here. If Brandon could just sneak and deal thest hit, it would be free EXP. Raven was here as well, he must have had significant progress in the past month. After all, unlike himself, Raven had ess to the system dungeons. "Hurrrrrr¡ª" The bushes rustled and the Wraith Beasts emerged. The Beasts stood tall, a little over 8 feet. Their mouths were wide open, boring sharp fangs. Thick dark gray hide served as their defense. "Hurrrrr¡ª" Looking around, there were a total of five beasts. Something Oliver could work with. Surely, Oliver should have gotten stronger after six years. An Astrea Academy Professor was at least an A to S- Rank after all. "Hurrrr¡ª" With a loud growl, the Wraith Beasts jumped them from all sides. Immediately, everyone dispersed, setting a fixed distance behind Oliver. With the sole exception of Brandon and Raven. Noticing, Oliver screamed out loud. "You two! What are you¡ª" Turning around, he could see Raven holding a dagger in each hand. Brandon on the other hand held an ice sword in each hand. "...Don''t tell me." "We''ll assist you." "..." Sighing, Oliver stepped forward. Snap! Snapping his fingers, cursed mes engulfed the Wraith Beast in front of them. Smirking, he turned his head around to look at Brandon and Raven. "Let me handle this." Flicking his head, he met Brandon''s gaze. "I''ll need your help with something elseter. Save your strength." "..." With what? But¡­ Brandon wasn''t going to miss the opportunity. "Hurr¡ª" Splurt¡ª! Brandon instantly shed forward and finished off the burning Wraith Beast. Everyone''s eyes widened and their mouths formed an ''o'' shape. Oliver was no exception as he looked at Brandon with wide eyes. "You." Brandon just shrugged it off. [You have in a Wraith Beast!] [+200 EXP] At the same time, the other beasts growled and jumped on Brandon. Snap. As Oliver snapped his finger, all of a sudden, the beasts were engulfed in cursed mes. They were gradually weakening and burning to death. Realizing, Brandon shed forward and thrusted the ice sword inside the Wraith Beast''s hide. Cr¡­ Crack! The hide was thick and Brandon''s sword was starting to crack. He had to use up a lot of strength. [+200 EXP] But at the same time¡­ Swoosh¡ª! Raven followed his example. Cuts and grazes etched all over the Wraith Beast''s body. This persisted until he made sure the Wraith Beast was dead. It was a battle for EXP gain. And they were both using Oliver to do so. "..." Oliver was quite taken aback. What was the point in doing that? Raven and Brandon turned to look at each other with a smirk. The Wraith Beasts presented had all disintegrated, leaving no flesh nor bones. Cursed mes. The exact opposite of Reina''s holy mes. While holy mes would buff the user, even healing them in the process. Cursed mes would damage the user if caught in their own mes, in exchange for destructive power. If burnt, the mes would slowly sap the victim''s strength and energy. Such was the [Curse] affinity. A hazard to both the user, and the assant. Rustle. Rustle. The bushes suddenly rustled. Noticing, the five immediately kept their guard up. Squinting his eyes, Brandon thoroughly scanned the bushes, awaiting for whatever emerged from the bush. And that was when¡­ Tzzzz¡ª A purple spark shed and ire emerged from the bushes. On her arms was Rachel, who appeared to have passed out. "..." Recognizing, Amy abruptly rushed towards ire. "ire! What happened to¨C" ire motioned for her hand to stop. "Stay back!" "Wha¡ª" Rustle. Rustle. The bushes rustled and another figure emerged. A man with disheveled gray hair and pitch ck eyes. He appeared to be walking. Realizing, ire''s eyes widened. "He was chasing us¡­ Why did he¡ª" The man stopped and stared at everyone. His pitch ck eyes stared deep into their souls with a smile that sent chills down their spines. Threads loomed all over him. But it seemed like the threads only stopped there. As if it couldn''t reach them. Brandon had a faint idea on who the man was. From what Oliver told him, David ced a curse in his body. If he left the forest, his body would perish. "David¡­." Oliver stepped forward and called out to the man. "...D-Dad?" Sarah chimed in as well. sping her hands. She walked towards Oliver''s side. ire''s eyes widened, as well as everyone else. Turning towards Sarah, ire loudly spoke. "...That''s your Father?!" "I''m not sure¡­" Ignoring them, Oliver stepped forward to approach David. "David, it''s me. I''m sorry." "..." But David stayed silent, and stared at Oliver with a smile. Of course¡­ David was long gone. It was a hopeless wish. And Oliver knew that. But¡­ Drip. Drip¡­! The tears wouldn''t stoping out. A sin that Oliver carried for six years. And now¡­ It was his time to repent. Taking a step forward, Oliver looked back at Brandon. "Brandon." "...What?" "Find everyone." Brandon''s eyes widened but immediately changed his expression and nodded. ire turned to look at Brandon. "What does he mean, find?" "This city¡­ People have gone missing for the past six years. Children and adults alike." Brandon then pointed at David who stood still, as if waiting for them to enter the forest. "Oliver believes it was all caused by¡­" He clenched his fist and sneaked a nce at Sarah who had a conflicted expression. He then turned to look back at David. "...That man." "..." ire didn''t know how to respond to that. But that was when she realized. "Brandon!" "What?" "I''m unsure about this. But inside the forest there were dolls." "...What about it?" But the next words that ire said shook Brandon to the core. "I think¡­ I think the missing people you are looking for are inside those dolls." Thud! All of a sudden, Sarah''s legs gave out and she slumped down on the ground. "No, no, no, no, no." Noticing, Brandon immediately rushed towards Sarah. "Sarah¡­" "No, no, no, no." She ruffled her hair and continued to mutter to herself with wide eyes. "No, no, no, no, Emma¡­" "Sarah¡­" Hearing his voice, she looked up at Brandon. Grabbing his arms, she pursed her lips. "Brandon¡­ Don''t you get it? That doll I picked up¡­" She didn''t finish her words. She couldn''t finish it. How could she? Drip. Drip¡­! But that was all Brandon needed to hear to understand the situation. Oliver was eavesdropping as well. Before entering the forest, he paused and turned to look at Brandon. "Fucking Wraiths." It was a Wraith''s ability. The same way as they possess a human with a weak mind. They could transfer a weakened person''s soul. But¡­ "Why dolls?" Brandon questioned himself. It was way too specific. All of a sudden, David¡ªwho was silent throughout the whole ordeal¡ªfinally spoke. "Sa-rah¡­" His voice was hoarse. As if he was using thest of his strength just to mutter thosest words. "Dad!" "David!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Sarah and Oliver immediately called out to him. "...I ma-de ¡­a doll ¡­for y-ou and¡ªUh.... Will¡­ Emma ¡­like it¡ªUkh!" Thosest chilling words. Thest of David''s will before the Wraithpletely took over six years ago. That was when they realized. The entire time¡­ Those people¡­ "The dolls¡­" They were all made for Emma and Sarah. And yet¡­ The Wraith had used those dolls to trap a human''s soul. And one of them¡­ Was Emma. Chapter 82 Voices of the Chord [1] Chapter 82 Voices of the Chord [1] Facing off with David, Oliver couldn''t spare any attention to his surroundings. The David that he remembered was an A ranker. But the current David, in which the Wraith had possessed him was unknown. ''How strong is the Wraith?'' Six years ago, Oliver was only a C Ranker. Now? He was an S- Ranker. "Hehehe." Inside the forest, he could hear the sound of childrenughing. ''...It must be them.'' Hearing the sound, Oliver''s heart started to grow heavy. For some reason, the dolls only contained children? Why? ''Then¡­ What happened to the missing Rankers?'' "Hurrrrrrr¡ª" His question was soon resolved, as a huge Wraith Beast emerged from the bush. Oliver''s eyes widened at the sight. He had never seen a Wraith Beast with such thick miasma. ''I see.'' But that was all he needed to know to confirm what exactly transpired. In other words, they were being fed to Wraith Beasts. The huge Wraith Beast must''ve greedily consumed most of the Rankers. Meaning, the beast was at the peak of its strength. Estimating, it was most likely in the A+ category. Oliver''s stomach started to churn as he thought about it. "Hoo.." Taking deep breaths, Oliver stepped forward. There were no other backups, and the Wraith Beasts were currently way too strong for the children behind him. Oliver had enough of running away. This time¡­ It was his turn to protect. ncing at Sarah from behind him one more time, Oliver walked forward.: Looking up, David''s eyes were closely following him. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Step¡ª As soon as he stepped within radius, threads appeared and tried to coil at him. Snap. With a snap of his fingers, the threads immediately burned away. At the same time the curse mes dispersed as well. But from that¡­ Oliver could tell. He was definitely stronger than the current David. However¡­ "Hurrrrrr¡ª" The Wraith Beast jumped and appeared to mangle him. Waving his hand, curse mes materialized in the air. Pushing his palms forward, the mes pierced through the air and struck the Wraith Beast. BOOM¡ª! As soon as it did, an explosion resounded in the forest. The curse mes exploded like bombs. Green mes had started to fill the area. At the same time, threads once again coiled around like snakes. Noticing, Oliver immediately jumped back. Waving his hand around, each thread would burn and the mes would disperse at the same time. The mes dispersed right in his face, blocking his view.As soon as the sight was clear, a palm appeared and thrusted in his face. Thud¡ª! Oliver skidded back several meters. His face was etched with cuts. Drip. Drip¡­! Blood had started dripping from his face from the cuts. "Hurrrrrr¡ª" At the same time, the Wraith Beast yet again, mangled him from the side. With his quick reflexes, Oliver immediately skidded back several meters. Snap. Snapping his fingers, curse mes erupted from the Wraith Beast''s foot. BOOM¡ª! The green mes towered above, burning everything in its wake. Just like that, a Wraith Beast that had consumed over 300 rankers was killed. Yet again, at the same time, threads loomed around him. However this time, it managed to grab hold of his leg. Realizing his leg was caught, Oliver waved his hand to try and burn it away. However¡­ Swoosh¡ª! He was immediately pulled towards David. David swiftly maneuvered the fingers in his other hand. As soon as he did, threads from all over coiled in the air. Flicking his head, Oliver pped his hands vertically. BOOM¡ª! Curse mes erupted from his right side, immediately burning away the threads. Yet at the same time, he had already appeared before David. David''s fingers suddenly turned into ws, most likely, formed with threads. Before David could graze him¡­ ''Zone: zing Hex'' At that, the threads burned away. All of a sudden, the atmosphere gradually shifted. Using David''s torso, Oliver immediately kicked and recoiled back. The ground suddenly ckened, turning into an expanse of cracked obsidian. The sky distorted, a roiling vortex of gray and green gradually filled the sky. Green ash and embers started to flutter in the air. The forest that was once there had disappeared. And standing between all that was Oliver and David, looking at each other face-to-face. "David¡­" "Zone, huh? Not bad, human." The first words that David¡ª No, the Wraith had ever spoken to Oliver. "David, I know you''re in there." Oliver knew it was less likely¡­ But¡­ He had to hope. Hope that his mentor, and friend was still in there somewhere. It was all wishful thinking. The sin had continued to eat away his sanity for six years. "David, I''m sorry for abandoning you on that day¡­" He clenched his fist. "I''m sorry I couldn''t save Emma." Drip. Drip¡­! And tears started flowing down his cheek. "I should have stopped you from going that day." He gritted his teeth. "I should have done all I could just so you could have been with your Family instead of facing off with that fucking Wraith." He looked up. "It should have been me who had ced that binding vow." Most curse affinity users had binding vows. An ability only avable to them. He lifted his head down and stared deep into David''s pitch ck eyes. "I''m so sorry, Sarah¡­. Emma." Drip. Drip¡­! Oliver wasn''t sure who was to me. Was it him? Or was it actually no one? In the first ce, they didn''t know that tragedy would befall them that day. "Haaa¡­." In the end, it was all just miserable luck. Wrong ce, ¡­Wrong time. "Huuu¡­" He took deep heavy breaths. And¡­ Voooosh¨C! Curse mes erupted, surrounding him like an aura. With proficient control, the mes didn''t touch him, despite being close enough. His eyes started to glow a neon green color. With tears in his eyes, Oliver took a step forward. Step¡ª *** ¡ªMinutes before Oliver entered the forest. "Brandon." "What?" "Come." Brandon immediately followed suit. Oliver leaned close to whisper. "Destroy the dolls." Brandon''s eyes shot wide open and his expressions turned grim. "Why?" "The Wraith won''t die, as long as its soul is still bound somewhere." "..." "Inside those dolls¡­" Oliver paused for a second. Taking a deep breath, he muttered. "...Two souls, the children, and the Wraith itself." A sudden chill bore down on Brandon''s spine after hearing those words. He couldn''t respond to that. How could he? The souls of children were inside of the dolls. And yet Oliver was telling him to murder them. Brandon clenched his fist. No, they were already dead the moment the Wraith got to them. He gritted his teeth. "Damn it." After all the people present, why did it have to be him? As if his thoughts were seemingly read, Oliver added. "You aren''t like Raven ckheart. I know you''re capable of cold logic. I can see it from your eyes." "..." "You probably assume some degree of sacrifice is needed to make certain to achieve your goals." "..." "Now is that time, Brandon Locke. Please, help me save Everde. Help me save David." "...So this was the kind of help you needed." "I''m sorry..." "How selfish. You knew this whole time, didn''t you?" Oliver didn''t respond. But that silence was all that Brandon needed to confirm. "You knew and yet..." Brandon clenched his fist. "...You fucking let Emma die." "I didn''t know!" Oliver screamed. Taken aback, all eyes were fixed on him. Calming down, Oliver pulled Brandon to the side where the others couldn''t hear him. "How was I supposed to fucking know that Emma would be a victim!?" "Coward. And now you''re putting the burden on me." "We have to do this. More lives will be taken if we don''t." "I know." Clenching his teeth, Brandon look down. Frowning, he looked up to meet Oliver in the eye. "Please turn yourself in after all of this is over... If you''re even alive that is." Chapter 83 Voices of the Chord [2] Chapter 83 Voices of the Chord [2] Step¡ª Stepping forward, Brandon immediately halted after hearing Raven call out to him. "Where are you going?" "I have something to do." He couldn''t tell him. He couldn''t tell any of them. Especially Sarah. "There''s Wraith Beasts inside that forest." Sporting a frown, ire chimed in as she held the unconscious Rachel in her arms. "...I know." "Then if you knew, then why go?" Brandon didn''t respond. But the look in his eye told ire what he was about to do. She turned to nce at Sarah who looked at her back with a confused expression. "Uh¡­" Everything revolved around Sarah. She didn''t need to involve herself even further. She had lost enough already. "Brandon, you should wait." All of a sudden, Raven approached Brandon. "Vanessa''sing, along with Reinhard and Liam." "...I see." If Vanessa were to assist them, then the Wraith Beasts would easily be dealt with. Meaning, Brandon could enter the forest with ease. And in the nick of time, Vanessa had already arrived, along with two familiar faces. "What''s the situation?" As expected, she was Professional. She didn''t even need to ask about the grim atmosphere. She was straight to the point. Turning around, Raven alternated his gaze between Reinhard and Liam. He then turned to look Vanessa in the eye. "Brandon needs to go through the forest." "I see. I can sense a high concentration of mana in there. Wraith Beasts, perhaps¡­?" "Yes." Brandon immediately responded. "Understood." After those words left her mouth, Vanessa stepped forward. Entering the forest, she turned to look at everyones gazes. "I''ll handle the Wraith Beasts. Most likely, there are Mana Beasts as well. It''s a good experience, if any of you want to follow, thene along. The Wraith Beasts will be dead before you know it." After all,pared to Wraith Beasts, Mana Beasts are in the E to D category, something manageable for first year students. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om In fact, in the middle of the semester, one of their exams will involve Wraith Beasts subjugation. It was a chance to get ahead of everyone. And everyone understood that. At that, Reinhard, Liam, Raven, Amy, and Brandon made their way towards Vanessa. Sarah and ire stayed behind with the unconscious Rachel, seemingly about to leave. Whatever happened to Rachel, Brandon didn''t know. But he nned on asking herter. That being said, everyone entered the forest. However¡­ Tzzz¡ª¡ª! Brandon immediately shed forward, leaving everyone else behind. "Eh, wait!" But Raven''s voice didn''t reach him. He couldn''t let them see what was about to happen. ''Never.'' *** Waving her hand, the atmosphere around Vanessa shifted. Compared to other mages with special affinity, Vanessa''s form didn''t take a drastic change. She remained the same. "Hurrrrrr¡ª" Six Wraith Beasts had surrounded her from each side. But it didn''t faze her. She was an S ranker. Just a tad bit weaker than Evelyn. Clenching her fist, the ground suddenly shook. Cr¡­ Crack! And the Wraith Beasts around her had been heavily forced down on the ground. "Hurrrrr¡ª" Gradually adding more force to the gravity, cracks started to form on the ground. The Wraith Beasts were slowly ttening as ck blood started to drip from their eyes. Slowly moving her hand even more downwards, a massive crater started forming from where the Wraith Beasts stood. The sound of the Wraith Beast''s howl echoed in the air. Crack! The sound of their bones were like music to Vanessa''s ear. Crack¨C Crack¡ª Crack¡ª¡ª! And¡­ Spurt! All of the Wraith Beasts gruesomely ttened, as ck blood sttered in the air. Just like that, six Wraith Beasts, a cmity in the B to A rank tier, were easily dealt with. Lifting her head, she looked behind her. Scanning, the students seemed to be working together to handle the Mana Beasts. "Good." She nodded in approval. *** They were supposed to work together. At least, that''s what Amy proposed. However, Reinhard and Raven¡­ They werepeting¡­ ¡­On who could score the most kills. "Monsters¡­" Liam could only stand and watch the entire ordeal, even Amy only stood back, they couldn''t do a single thing. BOOM¡ª! Explosions resounded from every corner. Towering mes incinerated the mana beasts in seconds. sh¡ª! No matter where they looked, Mana Beasts would be cut apart in a sh. Reinhard and Raven¡­ They were monsters in their own field. Even more so than the Mana Beasts themselves. *** Throughout the entire fight, for some reason, Oliver and David were at a stalemate. Oliver should have been stronger, but most likely, due to experience, the Wraith possessing David''s body was keeping up. This persisted for the next few minutes. But that was until¡­ The Wraith was slowing down. ''He actually did it¡­'' Brandon¡­ He was doing what needed to be done. The threads¡ªwhich were hard to follow at first had now be slower. But that was only from Oliver''s perspective. Lower ranked mages would still have a hard time in following such threads. Zone''s weren''t an absolute cheat skill. It would just expand the caster''s magic radius. Meaning, Oliver could cast his magic from anywhere. Yet David was still skilled enough to dodge and disperse the mes with his threads. Swoosh¡ª! Using the opportunity, Oliver swiftly evaded the threads and dashed towards David, leaving curse mes in his trail. Snap. Snapping his fingers, curse mes erupted below David. BOOM¡ª! Explosions echoed throughout the entire domain. Looking up, David was sent flying. nting his feet on the ground, Oliver jumped up as high as he could. Thrusting his palms on David''s chest, another explosion echoed. BOOM¡ª! The curse mes sent both Oliver and David flying. The green mes fluttered and burnt a bit of Oliver''s flesh. "Khh!" Gritting his teeth, he recoiled back andnded on the ground with both legs. Crash¡ª! Looking in front of him, David crashed down on the ground. His entire clothes were burnt and scorched marks appeared in his body. Not giving David any time to recover, Oliver immediately dashed towards him. Snap. With a quick snap, a myriad of cursed mes materialized behind David¡ªwho was trying to get up. As soon as Oliver lifted his hand down, the mes rained down on David. Boom¨C Boom¡ª Boom¡ª¡ª! Dozens of explosion sounds echoed throughout the entire zone. Looking at David, his entire body had turned into charcoal ck. At that, David was unable to move. The sheer destruction that ensued from Oliver''s curse mes had damaged his body significantly. He then approached him. nting his feet on David''s torso, Oliver''s mouth opened. "Be free, David." But that was when¡­ Spurt! Threads that he hadn''t seen struck him from behind. A dozen of them. Spurt, spurt, spurt¡ª! Blood sttered everywhere. "Ukh!" Oliver spat out blood. With the threads piercing his entire body, Oliver was lifted up. Due to his sentiments, he did not finish David off when the opportunity presented itself. A blunder. David was already weakened, most likely Brandon''s doing. And yet Oliver had let his guard down at thest moment. However¡­ Vooosh¨C! Curse mes erupted and burnt the threads down. Thud! And Oliver dropped down. Holes etched in his body as blood seeped down from it. Drip. Drip¡­! Taking a step back, his vision started to get hazy. A sense of vertigo washed over him. Looking at David, it seemed like he was the same as well. In fact, he looked like a walking charcoal. "Hooo¡­" Oliver took deep heavy breaths. Wooosh¡ª! And sprinted. Behind him, the Zone was about shatter. His advantage will soon be gone. Waving his hand, a ring of cursed mes materialized. Pouring most of his mana into the ring, the heat intensified. Booom¡ª! Oliver didn''t need to do this. But for him¡­ It was his final requiem. His own way to atone for his sins. With such thoughts gathered, his mouth parted open to say, "Binding vow." Chapter 84 Voices of the Chord [3] Chapter 84 Voices of the Chord [3] [Disimer: This chapter may contain some sensitive scenes. It might be tame to some of you, and might even disgust others. So please read with an open mind.] Tzz¡ª Maneuvering through the forest, Brandon swiftly avoided the Mana Beasts his way. "Hehehe." The sound of children''sughter was nearing close. ''A bit more.'' But that was until¡­ "Hurrrr¡ª" A horde of Mana Beasts blocked his path. Just up ahead, the cabin was visible. If he were to finish his task, then the Mana Beasts would surely disrupt him. Swoosh¡ª! Swinging his sword, a beast was cut in half. Spurt¡ª! And blood sttered in the forest. [You have in a Mana Beast!] [+EXP 20] Unlike Wraith Beasts¡ªwhose blood was ck, Mana Beasts'' blood was pure white. After killing the second beast, Brandon followed it up with another swing of his de. Spurt¡ª! Waving his hand, mes materialized and engulfed the other beasts from behind him. Voooosh¡ª! This persisted, an ice sword in one hand, and mes in another to deal with the beasts jumping him from behind. He had other elements to use, sure. But for now¡­ He had to get used to this sight. To get used to the mes. [You have in a Mana Beast!] [You have in a Mana Beast!] [You have in a Mana Beast!] . . . "Hooo¡­." Taking a deep breath, Brandon walked towards the cabin. Step¡ª Each step felt heavy, and he could feel like his chest was getting heavier and heavier. Just the choice of doing it himself was already weighing down on him. But there was no one else up for the task. He couldn''t ask any of the main cast to do it. Not like he had actually nned on letting them in the first ce. "Haa¡­." Each step towards the cabin had made it hard to breathe. "H-haaa¡­. Haaa¡­. Haaa¡­" It wasn''t because of the Mana Beasts he had dispatched. No, it was because of the act that he was about to do. "Hehehe." The sound ofughter was getting closer and closer. Step¡ª "Hehehe." Step¡ª "Hehehe." Step¡ª Until¡­ He made it to the cabin''s entrance. Looking ahead, a doll stood on its own two feet, just at the door frame. "..." It was eerily creepy. But¡­ Now that Brandon knew just what it actually was¡­ "Hoo¡­" His heart, It hurt. They were nothing but lost souls. Children who strayed too far and entered the forest. Only to be met with their fate. It was a gruesome thought. "Haa¡­" Brandon closed his eyes. A me gradually materialized in his hand. "Fuck, fuck, fuck fuck, fuck." Voosh¡ª! "Hyaaaa¡ª" The sound of a little girl screaming rang in the air. The doll continued to burn down, and down, and down. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." His stomach started to churn. "Hyaaaaa¡ª" All of a sudden¡­ "..." A memory etched in his mind. It was¡­ The child''sst moments. "...Fuck, why am I seeing this?" . . It was a cold day. Just like everyday in Everde. A little girl with bright blonde hair and blue eyes. ¡ªVerina, take a picture with the snowman. A voice rang, a woman. It was the little girl''s mother. The little girl''s name was Verina. Brandon wasn''t sure what year the vision was. But by estimation, it was within six years before the present timeline. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡ªLike this? ¡ªYes, Verina, say cheese! ¡ªCheese! Verina posed with two of her hands up. A peace sign. Click¡ª The picture was taken. ¡ªHehe, can I y now, Mom? ¡ªHmm¡­ Don''t stray too far, okay? ¡ªOkay. Just like that, Verina strode off. It became apparent to Brandon that there were no strange rumors in Everde yet as of this time. There was a sense of youthful excitement from the little girl, a sense of adventure. He watched her y. He watched her smile. He watched herugh. . . ¡ªMom¡­! He watched her die. "Haa¡­ Fuck." The memory ended there. It was at that moment when Brandon realized¡­ Verina was the first victim. With wide open eyes, Brandon''s eyes started to moisten. "Why, why am I seeing this?" A Wraith''s curse on the dolls? What kind of sick joke? But knowing a Wraith, it was possible. They liked to feed on one''s sorrow and agony. "Haa¡­." Brandon slumped down on both knees, both hands on the ground. "Fuck... I can''t..." But he knew that if he didn''t, then more lives would be taken. "Fuck, fuck..." With such thoughts, Brandon got up. "Hehehe." Looking up, the dolls had already gathered before him. "..." A sick joke. "Hehehe." Theirughter echoed in his ears. But thatughter, It gripped on his heart tightly. With his hand on his chest, he clenched his chest. "Haa¡­" The air was cold, it was clear, and yet it felt like it was getting harder and harder to breathe. "Haa¡­." He suddenly recalled a previous memory. The past conversation with Sarah. ¡ªDon''t let that thing near me. ¡ªOh? Is Mr. Ranked One afraid of a little doll? ¡ªI''ll burn it. Looking up, he startedughing to himself. "Hahaha." Clenching his fist, he started to regret muttering those words on that day. Vooosh¡ª! The sound of mes echoed in the air. Smoke protruded and filled the entire surroundings. [You have in a curse doll!] [+30 EXP] And what stood in the center of it all was a man with pale-white hair, and ice-blue eyes. ¡ªHyaaaa! Their screams. ¡ªPlease, please! Their plea. ¡ªHuaaa¡­ Their cries. ¡ªI don''t want to die! Their fear. ¡ªDad, please help me! Their sorrow. ¡ªNoooo! Their suffering. Their pain. Their agony. Torment. Anguish. Despair. Dread. ¡ªAkh! Their youth, gone, just like that. As if their lives never had any meaning in the first ce. They were treated as if they never mattered. Path of Ascension. ''A sick book by a disgusting author.'' The novel closely followed Raven. But the journey was never this bad. The fact that a scene like this would happen somece else in the novel made Brandon''s stomach churn. "Fuck, fuck." The memories of the children''sst moments continued to surface in his mind. Every detail. He felt it all as if he had followed them closely from behind. From the youthful start, until the very end of their lives. With each doll he burnt, another memory would ovep the other. All happening at the same time. "Hahaha." He startedughing again. "Hahahaha." And again. Drip. Drip¡­! As tears started flowing down. Vooosh¡ª! Until¡­ The one memory he had never wanted to see had finally surfaced. A little girl, with ck hair andvender eyes, with strikingly simr features to Sarah. Brandon could tell that Sarah looked like her when she was younger. ¡ªWe''re going to visit your Sister today! ¡ªReally? ¡ªYes, I know how much you missed her. Roaming around the city, Emma and her mother spoke to each other. Stopping, just outside the gate, her mother leaned down. ¡ªEmma, wait here. ¡ªHm? Why? ¡ªHehe, I have a surprise. Just like that, her mother left, seemingly about to get something. Emma stood there alone for a few minutes. But that was until something caught her attention. ¡ªHmm? From a distance, a doll sat on the grass, just outside the forest. Emma walked towards it and picked up the doll. She was raised to be courteous. Emma looked around to see any signs of the doll''s owner. But that was when she saw a peculiar man, standing just by the bushes. There were strange rumors about the forest. And Emma had heard about it as well. Thus, Emma decided to ignore him. ¡ªE-mma¡­? The man called out to her. Emma was alerted. Thus, she decided to ask the question. ¡ªHow do you know my name? ¡ªE-mma¡­ It''s me¡­ Y-our¡­ Fa-ther." The man''s voice was hoarse, as if he was dehydrated. Emma skeptically raised her brow. That can''t be, Mom said Dad was gone. But¡­ ''Gone.'' It didn''t mean he was dead. That was when Emma thoroughly scanned the man''s features. And in fact¡­ He had the samevender eyes as her and her older sister, Sarah. Emma was curious. Was the man saying the truth? And that was when the man lifted a doll up for Emma to see. It was a poorly made one. However, it looked oddly simr to the doll that her older sister had when she was younger. It had the same style and pattern. Could it be? ¡ªDad? ¡ªY-es¡­ E-mma. With that confirmation, Emma decided to approach the man. And it was at that moment, when Brandon screamed out under his breath. "Don''t you go there!" But it was futile. It was nothing but a memory. Minutes passed and Emma was brought to a small cabin. The man had nothing prepared. No food, no water, nothing. Yet it looked as if he hadn''t aged for years. Just that his hair was gray and disheveled, with dark circles in his eye. As Emma looked around, the ce was filled with dolls. The man turned to look at Emma. ¡ªDo y-ou¡­ Want a d-oll¡­?" ¡ªUh? Emma tilted her head. Before she could react, the man had started knitting a doll. A few minutes passed and he handed it over to her. The doll was poorly made, but the man gave it to her with a warm smile. ¡ªT-thank you? The man shed her a warm smile. And that was when¡­ Threads starteding out from the doll. Swoosh¡ª! ¡ªAkhh! She screamed out in agony. The threads loomed over Emma and coiled around her torso, immobilizing her. ¡ªStop, stop! The man pleaded, as if he was talking to himself. "Huh?" Brandon was taken aback. Was David''s consciousness still in there somewhere? Yet the threads didn''t stop. Spurt! The threads loomed around and pierced Emma in the right eye. Drip. Drip¡­! Her right eye had started bleeding profusely like a fountain. The threads continued to loom around and pierced through her skull. Spurt! Just like that, her body had be limp. Emma was dead. A button that was attached to the thread was being pulled towards Emma''s eye. It seemed like it was recing her eye. ¡ªStop, please! The man screamed out once again, but his tone was a contrast to his actions. It was like he had no control over anything besides his speech. Spurt! Another thread pierced through Emma''s other eye, and a button reced the eye. The threads gruesomely pierced through her torso, thoroughly ripping the little girl apart. And before Brandon knew it, Emma was being pulled inside the doll. And that was thest thing Brandon saw. "Haaa¡­ Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­" Drip. Drip¡­! Down on both knees, Brandon took deep heavy breaths as tears started flowing down. "Why, why, why." Looking up, a familiar notification appeared in his view. [Secret Conditions met!] [You have unlocked the Curse Affinity!] "..." Brandon was speechless at the sight. "...Is this a joke?" What happened to all the children had deeply imprinted itself in his mind. Memories that he would never forget until he died. "Brandon?" A voice called out to him. Looking up, a figure stood from a distance. mes filled the entire surrounding. Amidst those mes, he could see Sarah. Standing behind her were the others. No, for some reason, everyone was there. Everyone but Oliver. Chapter 85 Sorrow [1] 85 Sorrow [1] They didn''t see the visions, but they watched the entire scene unfold. They heard the screams. The plea. The children. But¡­ They''ve also seen the look on Brandon''s face. They could all tell. Even an idiot could tell. ''He didn''t want to do it.'' He took it upon himself. To deal with it alone. To ce the burden on himself. It became apparent to them that whatever Brandon did was what he secretly talked about with Oliver. But Sarah¡­ She heard her little sister''s scream. All of a sudden, Sarah stepped forward. The atmosphere around her shifted, and an immense amount of mana gathered around her. With tears dripping down her eyes, she opened her mouth, And screamed. "Nooooo!" Her scream echoed like waves, reverberating throughout the entire forest. The others covered their ears, yet it felt like their ear drums were about to burst. Then¡­ Woooosh¡ª! The screams rang out loud, creating arge trail-like crater. The waves pierced through the air and hit Brandon¡ªwho was down on his knees like a tidal wave. Crash¡ª! Brandon was immediately hurled away, crashing on the ground. Drip. Drip¡­! His ears started to bleed. Yet it seemed like he felt no pain as his expressions were nothing but nk. He looked exhausted, and it seemed like he was done with everything. Brandonid on the ground, not even sparing a single nce at everyone. He continued to stare at the ground with a nk look. "Why, why, anyone, but Emma!" Once again, the waves echoed and rang throughout the entire forest. Brandon''s ears continued to bleed, while the others covered their ears. It was then when Vanessa intervened. Clenching her hands together, a sudden pressure bore down on Sarah. Thud! She fell face t as the weight around her atmosphere shifted. Yet she persisted. Lifting her head, she turned to look at Brandon¡ªwho stillid on the ground. "Why!" And yet again, the waves echoed. Truth be told, Sarah didn''t know what to do anymore. She knew she was doing the wrong thing. But she had been keeping everything bottled up inside ever since she found out the truth. But hearing her little sister''s scream was her breaking point. And Brandon was her only outlet. After all, she watched him burn the doll in which her little sister was in. For some reason, the doll was there. She had left it back in her home, and yet it appeared before Brandon. As if Emma was asking for her soul to be set free. But Sarah couldn''t control herself. "Why!" She continued to scream. And Brandon''s ears kept bleeding profusely. "Why!" Step¡ª Until a figure stepped forward. With pitch-ck hair and dark-crimson eyes, her arms were spread out and her ears had started to bleed as well. "Rachel!" N?v(el)B\\jnn "What are you doing?!" The others called out to her, and yet it all went to deaf ears. With her arms spread out wide, Rachel stood before Sarah. Realizing the figure standing before her, Sarah screamed. "Move!" Rachel staggered back from the waves, but she persevered. Just like Brandon, her ears continued to bleed. Yet she stood in front of Sarah. "Please!" Wooosh¨C! "Get out of the way!" Wooosh¨C! Rachel continued to skid backwards. Before she knew it, Brandon was already behind her. "Emma!" Wooosh¨C! "Hold her head down!" At Vanessa''s call, everyone followed suit. Raven immediately made his way towards Sarah. Holding her head down, the others did the same. But yet again, Sarah''s muffled voice continued to echo. "Nmmm!" Boom¨C! "Nmmm..! Nm!" Booom¡ª! The ground continued to shake intensely at each of her screams. Yet the other persisted and continued to hold her head down. "Sarah, it''s not his fault." Breaking the others silence, Rachel spoke up. "Brandon never wanted this to happen. No one wanted this to happen." "Nmmm!" Booom¡ª! "If there''s anyone to me, then it''s the Wraiths." "Nmmm¡­" Booom¡ª! "Sarah, please. Don''t take it out on him. Like Rachel said, no one wanted this to happen." Holding her head down, Liam''s voice followed. "Nmmmm!" Booom¨C! The ground continued shaking. Despite her voice being muffled, it was still loud enough as the others'' ears had started to bleed. Everyone except Vanessa. "Sarah, please." Liam pleaded. "Hmf¡­" A strange sound came from Sarah. "Hmfff¡­." Her shoulders started to tremble. Sob. Sob. But everyone realized what was happening. At that, they slowly removed their hands from her head. "Hmff¡­ Hmfff¡­" Sarah''s shoulders continued to tremble, but the shaking had already stopped. The others looked down on her with a sad expression. Everyone had the same thoughts. ''Wraiths¡­ They should all be wiped out from existence.'' Turning around and looking down at Brandon, Rachel pursed her lips. "...Can you get up?" 22:20 But she was met with silence. Brandon continued to stare at nothing with a nk expression. Rachel couldn''t find the right words to say to him. Before she could speak, Raven was already behind her. "I''ll take him." Lifting him up, Raven offered his shoulder, cing Brandon''s arms around it. "..." Brandon continued to stay silent. But they all understood his silence. No one med him. In fact, they respected him even more. It was a task that none of them would have ever done. Yet Brandon decided to take the heavy burden all alone. *** Oliver and David''s body was nowhere to be found. But from the abundance of lingering mana that was left behind, Vanessa had a rough idea of what transpired. She knew Oliver was a mage of the curse affinity. That was all that needed to be said. Sarah decided to stay with her mother for the meantime, while Brandon had isted himself inside the hotel room. No matter how much the door was knocked, Brandon wouldn''t answer. A nket all around him, Brandon continued to ponder about the visions he saw. Drip. Drip. And tears continued to flow down his cheek. This trip¡­ It had traumatized him deeply. Drip. Drip...! No matter how much he tried to forget, his heart kept squeezing tightly. But he then recalled something. "...Ah, right. I leveled up." With a pained and hoarse voice, Brandon muttered to himself, "...System." ¡ª--------------------------- [Name: Brandon Locke] [Level: 5] [EXP: 250/1500 [ss: Anomaly] ¨N You are an entity that does not belong to this world, an anomaly. [Passive] ¨N Skill Weaver: ¨N Create any skill possible within the user''s capabilities. ¨N Increase your Skill Weaver capacity by +1 per level. ¨N Total Skills: 4/5 [Skill Tab] [Stats] [Stat Points Avable: 5] ¨N STR: F+ [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N MP: E [¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N DEF: F+ [¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N AGI: F [¡ñ¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N INT: E [¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] ¨N CHA: E [¡ñ¡ð¡ð¡ð¡ð] [System Shop] [System Coins: 20] [Quests Avable: 0] ¡ª--------------------------- After leveling up, Brandon had unlocked the [Earth] affinity. Opening his skill tab, a new menu popped up under the Elemental Maniption tab. ¡ª--------------------------- [Special Affinities] ¨N[Curse] ¨N [Cursed Threads]: 1% ¨N [Cursed mes]: Locked ¨N [Mark of Despair]: Locked ¨N [Abyssal Chains]: Locked ¨N [Soul Drain]: Locked ¨N [Binding Vow ]: Locked ¡ª--------------------------- "Haha." He weaklyughed. "...Curse, what a sick joke." * The trip that was supposed tost for three days had only spanned for a single day. The other students were confused as to why. The section B student''s started questioning where Professor Oliver was. But Vanessa had already informed the Academy on what transpired during their trip. It was then announced that a statement would be made. All of the other sections were called to return from their trips to avoid another disaster like what ensued in Everde. Chapter 86 Sorrow [2] 86 Sorrow [2] The Guild was quick to act. As soon as the Academy sent out the request for investigation, the Guild immediately sent out rankers to investigate. "Bunch of hypocrites." Investigate? What''s there to investigate? Brandon was no idiot. It was obviously a publicity move. Just to show that the Guild did notpletely abandon Everde, and that the students are always protected. After their ''investigations'', several Wraith and Mana Beatss bodies were found. Using that as a leverage, the Guild soon confirmed it to be the reason for the missing person cases. And for Oliver, they had pronounced him ''died in the line of duty.'' The entire ordeal infuriated Brandon, even Vanessa. It was disrespectful to the victim''s families. Excuses after excuses, all just to cover up the Guild''s ipetence. Even more reasons just for Brandon to not join any guild in the future. It has been a few hours since his return from Everde. For the rest of the trip, Brandon sat alone in the backseat. The same went for Sarah¡ªwho sat with Vanessa on the front. The two had not patched up yet. But Brandon couldn''t me her for her reaction. It was only logical. Out of his request, the Academy did not inform Belle and their parents about Brandon''s involvement. He didn''t want to worry them. But that proved to be useless. Ever since arriving back in the apartment, ording to Belle, Brandon appeared lifeless. Seated on the couch, dark circles were visible under his eyes, as his expressions remained nk. Ever since that night, he had been unable to sleep. He was exhausted. Both physically and mentally. There wasn''t even any effort to hide it as Belle seemingly noticed. "...Brandon." Though Belle didn''t know what transpired during the trip, just the look on her little brother''s face told her as much. He was having a hard time. It looked as if he was about to cry, but he was holding back. As Brandon was stayed on the couch, staring at nothing but air, that was when Belle approached him from behind. "...!" With widened eyes, Brandon was taken aback. A sudden warmth enveloped his body. Looking down, a familiar arm was wrapped around him. Realizing what was happening, Brandon''s eyes started to moisten. His shoulders started trembling, and a strange sound escaped his mouth. "Hic." Closing her eyes, Belle continued to embrace her little brother. "I don''t know about what you''ve been through. But I can tell that the path you took wasn''t an easy one." "..." Softly rubbing Brandon''s head, Belle leaned close to his ear and whispered. "It''s okay to cry. Let it out. Your Sister will never judge you." "..." Opening her eyes, she looked at Brandon who looked at her back. With a warm smile, she softly spoke. "It''s been hard, hasn''t it?" Drip. Drip¡­! As those words parted her lips, the tears that refused toe out of Brandon''s eyes had started flowing down. "Ever sinceing here¡­" Despite his best attempts, his voice gradually cracked. "...E-everyday has been so hard." Drip. Drip. The tears wouldn''t stop. And Belle just continued to listen to him. "...Expectations, expectations, so many expectations." And then¡­ His voice eventually cracked. "Everyone''s been¡­ been putting so much pressure on me¡­" Frowning, his tears continued to stain the couch. "...But w-what about me? I¡­ I don''t get a say in it?" Drip. Drip¡­! "I''m just¡­ so tired." Shortly after those words left his mouth, silence filled the room. No words were further exchanged between the two. The only sound that came was from Brandon''s asional sobbing. Belle continued to embrace her little brother, as he cried his heart out in her arms. The entire time, Belle did not leave his side. Softly rubbing his head until he fell asleep. Brandon had finally fallen asleep. Realizing, Belle left him in his slumber on the couch, and went inside her own room. . . "Thank you." All of a sudden, a voice reached Brandon''s ears. A little girl''s voice. Then, a figure appeared before him. Brandon was familiar with her. After all, she was in the first vision he had seen. Verina, the first victim. Brandon was taken aback. ''Just what am I seeing?'' The space was dark. A vast expanse of darkness. The only ones that stood in the middle were him and Verina. Was this his guilting back to him? Another curse? He was unsure. But¡­ He needed his own peace of mind as well. "Please, rest." Her voice yet again reached his ears. "But¡ª" "Because of you we are now free." Verina stepped forward and Brandon stepped back. "Because of you we can now rest." As soon as those words left her mouth, several figures emerged from behind her. They were¡­ The other children. They looked at Brandon with warm smiles on their faces. "So please be at ease. Do not worry about us." All of a sudden, another little girl ran towards the front. Approaching Brandon, her eyes lit up. Looking at him, she opened her mouth. "Thank you." "...Emma." All of a sudden, all the children present spoke up in unison. "Thank you!" Drip. Drip¡­! Though Brandon was unsure if it was all a dream, at the same time, it all felt real The emotions he felt were definitely real. The tears he had thought had already been cried out had begun pouring down once again. All of a sudden, the children started glowing a bright gold. The children at the back had turned into bright gold particles. The particles fluttered above. The same went for the other children at the front. ¡­Verina followed shortly after. With a warm smile on her face, she too had turned into gold particles. Andstly¡­ Thud! Emma embraced Brandon. Due to the height difference, she was only able to hug his leg. 22:21 She was gradually glowing as well, just like the other children. Before she turned into particles, her mouth parted open to say, "Take care of my Sister for me¡ª" After imparting those words, Emma had turned into particles as well. Brandon''s mouth continued to twitch, unable to find the right words to say. Drip. Drip¡­! That day. Everde had never gotten its closure. The families had never gotten a proper closure. But the children¡­ They have finally gotten theirs. Brandon had given it to them. And the children had given it to him as well. *** ¡ªThe next morning. Brandon had finally been able to rest. Leaving his room, an enticing aroma reached his nose. Tzzz¡ª n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om And a sizzling sound followed. Tracing the source, it came from the kitchen. Walking towards the kitchen, the person he had least expected was present. Her pitch-ck hair was neatly tied to a ponytail. She wore some kind of ck dress while adorning an apron at the front. But for some reason the turtleneck was a little off¡­ The upper part of her back waspletely exposed for Brandon to see. "...Uh?" He had expected it was Belle, preparing breakfast for him like she always does every morning. But¡­ "Goodmorning." As soon as she turned her head back, her hair smoothly swayed to the side. Her dark crimson eyes met his gaze. With a smile, she turned back around and continued cooking. "Feeling any better?" "Uh? What are you doing here, Rachel?" "Hmm? Your Sister asked me to take care of you for today." "..." "Take a seat, and¡­" Her lips pulled to a curl. "Enjoy the view." "..." Chapter 87 A Week Off [1] 87 A Week Off [1] Yet again, Brandon was never picky about his food. The only time he would inwardlyin would be when it was Belle''s cooking. But recently, Belle improved. Which is why Brandon could now indulge in her food everyday. But today¡­ Belle wasn''t here. Surprisingly, Rachel was. And her food? "..." "Eat up." A smile was stered on Rachel''s face, as if she didn''t think there was anything wrong with her cooking. "The egg will go cold." "This is¡­" Brandon poked the ''egg'' with his fork. As soon as it did, a strange crunch sound rang in the air and the food started crumbling. "...An egg?" "Yup, it''s called charcoal egg." Smiling, Rachel poked the egg with a fork. Extending her hand, she motioned to feed Brandon. "Now open up." "..." "Hm?" She cocked her head. "What''s wrong?" "...I''ll feed mys¡ªUngk!" Before Brandon could finish his words, Rachel shoved the food in his mouth. Munch. Munch~ n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It was at that moment that it became apparent to Brandon that Rachel knew nothing about cooking. ''Charcoal egg my ass.'' It was just a burnt egg. Swallowing, Brandon turned to look at Rachel. Frowning, he pursed his lips. "You did this on purpose, didn''t you?" "Huh?" Brandon stood up as Rachel decided to y dumb. "H-haa, set aside, I''ll handle breakfast¡ªUh?" Before he could leave, he felt a small tug behind his shirt. Looking back, Rachel looked at him with a warm smile. "You''re looking a lot better today..." She looked away and silently muttered, but it was to no avail as Brandon was able to hear it. "...I''m d." At her words, Brandon was taken aback. ''I see¡­'' Noticing a small hair strand covering Rachel''s face, Brandon brushed it behind her ear. "....!" Rachel blinked her eyes repeatedly and looked away. "Ukeh!" She let out a strange sound as Brandon''s fist softly smacked her head. Holding onto the top of her head, Rachel slowly looked at Brandon with a pout. "What was that¡ª" "Thanks." Rachel''s eyes widened, but instantly fixed to a smile and nodded. Brandon didn''t need to say it. Rachel had already understood what Brandon was thanking her for. Massaging his shoulders, Brandon started heating up the pan. Truth be told, Brandon was pretty decent at cooking. His experiences in his past life carried on, adding to the cook books he had read in this world. *** "So good¡­ I didn''t know you were good at cooking." "I''m not¡­" Brandon shrugged. "...I''m just not bad at it." He quickly nced at the ''charcoal egg'', then back to Rachel, who looked at him with a frown. Pursing her lips, Rachel sighed. "Okay, okay." As if she had something to say, the words wouldn''t leave her mouth. "Uh, hey¡­" "Hm?" "Do you¡­ Uh¡­" Rachel''s eyes darted around. Her gaze eventuallynded on Brandon. "Want to go out?" "Hm?" Cocking his head, Brandon had to rify. "Outside?" "...Uh, yeah?" Rachel cocked her head as well with an expression that seemed to say, ''What did you think I meant?'' Since his spection was confirmed, Brandon inquired. "Why?" "During the trip, my favorite outfit got torn. Can you apany me to the mall?" "Uh¡­" Brandon pondered as he pinched his chin. Looking at Rachel, his mouth parted open. "What about Amy, or ire?" "I''ve already asked them. They declined." "I see." Nodding, Brandon eventually relented. "Give me twenty minutes, I need to shower first." "Sure." While Brandon was showering in his room, Rachel thoroughly prepared inside her own room. "This¡­" Holding onto a bunch of cloth hangers, Rachel pondered on which outfit to wear. "Hm¡­" "This?" "No." "Ah, this¡­" "No¡­" In the end, she decided to go for a maroon turtleneck, a short ck skirt, ck heels, and a ck beret to top it off. "Ah, almost forgot." Opening her drawer, she grabbed a luxurious golden bag. It was a luxury brand. Given to her by Amy on her 16th birthday. Looking at the mirror onest time, Rachel nodded. She could definitely say that her outfit quite highlighted her charms. Leaving her apartment, it seemed like Brandon wasn''t finished yet. "..." Entering his apartment, Brandon wasn''t in the living room either. "..." Rachel frowned. ''What''s taking him so long?" Rachel had prepared for at least forty minutes, and yet despite that, Brandon wasn''t even done. Thus, Rachel decided to go to his room. "....Uh?" The door was slightly open. Surely, Brandon had at least finished preparing since he left the door open. Creak¡ª Pushing the door, it slightly opened. As the door slowly opened even more, what met her sight was¡­ "..." "..." m¡ª! Rachel instantly mmed the door shut. With her hands on her face, her face flushed beet red. 22:22 ''He had a towel¡­'' ''...He had a towel.'' "He. Had. A. Towel¡­!" Rachel immediately left his apartment and went back to her own. Her face continued flushing red, and the image of Brandon''s bare upper body wouldn''t leave her mind. *** "..." Brandon was taken aback. He didn''t expect Rachel to barge into his room. In the first ce, why did she¨C Brtt¡­ Cutting him off was his phone that was ced on the table. It vibrated. Walking towards it, he extended his arms and opened his phone. [Rachel Asami] ¡ªPlease hurry up. ¡ªYou''ve been at it for more than an hour already. "Uh?" What did she mean more than an hour? As to what Brandon could remember, he had only showered for fifteen minutes. There was no way an hour had¡­. passed¡­ Looking around, lots of outfits were spread all over the bed. "Ah, that''s right." Before Rachel barged in his room and saw him ''naked'', he had been pondering the entire time on what outfit to wear. Ever since Belle had approved his outfit during the trip, he had been conscious about what he wore recently. And now that he was about to go to a public mall, he had to be in his best form. "Ah." That was when an idea struck him. If he didn''t know what to wear¡­ Then he just needed to wear something simr to Rachel''s. "Let''s see." Pinching his chin, he grabbed a ck shirt. For his pants, he wore a ck one as well. And to top it off, he wore a maroon zer. Looking at the mirror, Brandon nodded to himself. "Perfect." It looked almost just like Rachel''s outfit. But for Brandon''s case it was the male variant. *** Creak¡ª Stepping outside of her apartment, Brandon stepped out of his at the same time. Noticing, Brandon waved his hand. "Yo." "..." Rachel''s eyes widened. "You." "Uh?" This¡­ Is he stupid? "Nothing." Rachel immediately looked away. Click¨C Click¡ª! And immediately sprinted. "Oy!" Brandon chased her. But Rachel continued without looking back. Was Brandon that dense? Or did he do it on purpose? ''He definitely saw my outfit when I entered his room.'' The two of them were currently wearing matching outfits. But, Pursing her lips, Rachel softly muttered to herself. As silent as she could so Brandon¡ªwho was still chasing her, wouldn''t hear. "It''s not his color, but... Her lips curled up into a smile. "...He looks good." Chapter 88 A Week Off [2] Chapter 88 A Week Off [2] "Eh? You can drive that thing?" "Yup." Approaching the motorcycle, Brandon turned on the engine. VROOM¡ª! This was actually the first time that Rachel had ever seen this. While Belle would leave early for school, Rachel would follow her shortly after. Brandon on the other hand would stay a bit behind, and once he''s ready for school, he would opt to take his motorcycle. "Here." "Ah¨CWoah." Brandon tossed her the helmet, and Rachel clumsily caught it. Donning the helmet, Rachel approached Brandon. "Wear it properly." "...Sorry." Fixing the helmet, Brandon motioned for Rachel to sit. "Come." "Okay." "Hold on tight." "Huh¨CUwaaa!" VROOM¡ª! Almost falling off, Rachel immediately locked her arms around Brandon. The wind pressure tickled her legs. Looking up, she could see Brandon''s wless face, focusing up ahead. Truth be told, Rachel was physically exhausted. After her evolving her affinity, and immediately using her Elemental Assimtion, Rachel''s body was quite fatigued. Though Brandon couldn''t see it, there were dark circles under her bags, but she hid it with a concealer. Her body was quite heavy, and she could feel herself getting sleepy. But she had to do this. To cheer Brandon up. Belle had specifically asked for her to do this. Belle didn''t know how Rachel was feeling. But the sheer fact that she had asked Rachel to take care of her little brother meant that she trusted her. Though her head was covered in the helmet, she inched it close to Brandon''s back. Closing her eyes, she smiled and pursed her lips. "Cool." She could admit, Brandon was definitely at his coolest right now. VROOM¡ª! *** Inside Victoria Supermall, Raven, Reinhard, ire, and Amy, stood by the entrance. They had formed a group chat without Brandon and Rachel, for the sole reason of discussing what they were about to do for the day. It was all Amy''s idea, but everyone was on board. They knew Brandon was severely depressed, after what happened in Everde. While Rachel was out ofmission, after suffering the drawbacks of her newfound power. Which is why the group decided to meetup today, to buy gifts for the two. The first one to have spoken was Amy. "I know what Rachel likes, but what about Brandon?" "Now that you mention it, we know nothing about the guy." The rest immediately nodded at Raven''s words. Brandon was aplete enigma to them. "Should I go ask Rachel what Brandon likes?" "Don''t, it would ruin the surprise." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Reinhard immediately shot down Amy''s suggestion. "We should have thought of this more beforeing here¡­" Once again, everyone nodded in defeat at Raven''s words. They were grasping for straws. Just what kind of gift would a guy like Brandon even like? From what they knew, Brandon wasn''t a materialistic type of person. From what ire told them, the Lockepany was quite wealthy, and yet it wasn''t evident by Brandon''s mannerisms. In fact, it looked like he grew up as a normal boy. The regal just wasn''t there. Sighing, ire opened her mouth. "Haaa¡­ Let''s just pick Rachel''s gift first." "Good idea." Reinhard snapped his fingers. The girls knew what Rachel liked. As long as they had already chosen Rachel''s gift, then they would have the whole day to pick one for Brandon''s gift. Just like that, the group beckoned for¡­ The Bookstore. * Entering the bookstore, Amy was quite conflicted. After all, it was the Asami Bookstore. And the CEO was none other than her biological father, Rafael Asami. Her father was actually quite fond of her, but in the end, Amy decided to stay with her mother. If her mother was left alone, who knew what she would do? But Amy instantly dismissed her thoughts. Now was not the time to think about it. The Asami bookstore staff would be able to recognize her. Just like Rachel, she was allowed to take any book for free. In other words, they were VIPS. Which is why Amy decided to don a disguise, a ck cap, paired with a couple of shades. Good thing she had already worn it before the meetup, else, Raven would find things suspicious. After all, Raven was the only one who didn''t know about her special rtionship with Rachel. And maybe Brandon didn''t know either. Most likely¡­ Looking up, books from any genre were neatly assorted. Business books, educational materials, young adult, fiction,ics, manga, ssics, all you can find. Asami Bookstore had it all. But for some reason¡­ "Uh?" "Where are the staff?" The staff were nowhere to be seen. No, they could definitely hear their murmurs. In fact, they were all huddled up on the corner, just up ahead. It seemed like they were peeking at something or someone, just in the manga section. "..." What sort of¡­? Just what was going on that made the staff abandon their posts? Curious, the group joined in and peeked from a corner as well. And that was when¡­ "..." "Huh?" "Wha¨C" "..." They were utterly speechless at the sight. Two familiar figures were currently looking through the mangaics avable. In fact, their basket was full. But what surprised them was who the figures were. Wearing a maroon turtleneck, her pitch ck hair gently cascaded around her shoulders, with a ck beret to top it off. The figure that stood beside her adorned a ck shirt, with a simr maroon zer. If one were to look properly, then they could basically identify the two as a couple. Why wouldn''t they? The two were practically wearing matching outfits. Speechless, the first one to break the silence was Amy. "...This is way too sudden." "Those two¡­" "Are they¡­" "Dating?" The rest finished each other''s sentence, while Raven had asked the real question. Brandon and Rachel¡­ Were they dating? Looking to the side, one of the staff had a wide grin. Listening to their murmurs, it seemed like one of the staff was crying. "Huaaa¡­ Miss Rachel, you''re all grown up now!" "Indeed, the Miss is now a Lady." "Who is that guy though? Does the Boss know?" "Who cares? He''s handsome." "Agreed, the little Miss has quite the taste." "..." The group was bbergasted. Whatever the staff was doing¡­ They had way too much free time on their hands. And it seemed like Brandon and Rachel didn''t even notice the attention they had gathered. As soon as they turned around, the staff immediately got back to work, as if nothing had ever happened. "Fuu~ Fuu~ Fuu~" While the group immediately hid. They could have revealed themselves. But instead they decided to hide. What was once a meetup to buy gifts for Brandon and Rachel, had be a stalking mission. To observe and confirm whether Brandon and Rachel really were dating. Turning around, ire cursed under her breathe. "Fuck, they''re gone." "Huh?" Before they knew it, Brandon and Rachel had already gone off somewhere. Fast. Way too fast. "There!" Reinhard pointed at the exit, where Brandon and Rachel were seemingly about to leave. Immediately, the group inconspicuously followed suit, hiding behind every corner, and turning away each time Brandon looked back. Brandon¡­ His senses were way too sharp. It wouldn''t shock any of them if he had already noticed their presence. But it seemed like he didn''t. Or maybe he decided to let it go. The thought of Brandon and Rachel together in the mall quite shocked them. Thest time they saw Brandon, he was definitely down in the dumps. Something must have happened in the past two days. Like maybe Rachel confessed to him suddenly and the two decided to go out then and there. Yeah, that wouldn''t be too far-fetched. But Brandon¡­ He didn''t seem like the type to do that. But as they looked at him now, it was a new side of him. "Matching outfits, huh?" "Indeed." "Matching what now?" Raven was unsure what ire and Amy were even talking about. The hell is a matching outfit? Sighing, ire turned to look at Amy. "Haaa¡­. I feel bad for you." "H-huh? What are you t-talking about?" Amy was flustered. Looking ahead as if he didn''t notice, Raven pointed towards a certain direction. "Guys, they''re entering the department store." Chapter 89 A Week Off [3] Chapter 89 A Week Off [3] After leaving the department store, Brandon decided to carry all of the bags. Of course, he didn''t mind it. He had bought some stuff as well, and Rachel was the one who paid for it. "Just like I suspected...." Turning around slightly, Brandon narrowed his eyes. From behind him, a few figures seemed like they were trying to mask their presence. "They''re following us..." But they failed terribly at it. Especially the girl with blonde hair. Her reaction time was way too slow for Brandon to not have noticed. "Haaa..." Brandon let out a long audible sigh. For some reason, they were at the mall, just like Brandon and Rachel. And for some reason, they had been following them ever sinceing out of the bookstore. They had way too much time on their hands. It became apparent to him that Rachel was, without a doubt, trying to cheer him up. Rachel was an avid reader of the romance genre. But throughout the entire bookstore trip, Rachel had been trying to endorse him on thetest isekai mangas, Brandon''s favorite genre. Adding to the fact that their friends were inconspicuously following them, albeit failing, Brandon''s lips pulled up to a smile slightly. Then, "Pfft..." He chuckled. Everything that was currently happening¡­ He didn''t realize how much he needed it. A break, ...He needed it. Something, anything¡­ Just to upy his thoughts, away from Everde, the children, and¡­ Oliver. Just remembering his name made Brandon''s expressions scrunched up. His mind, ...It was a mess. He knew it. His sanity was slowly slipping away. Ever sinceing to this world¡­ Everything, and everyone had been putting insurmountable pressure on him. The system, the quests, Evelyn, Oliver, and the one who had ced the most pressure on him.... Jin. Too many expectations. "What''s so funny?" Breaking him out his thoughts was Rachel, who was looking up at him. "...Nothing." Brandon shook his head. Rachel waspletely oblivious to the fact the their friends were following them. Sighing, Rachel turned to look ahead. "Okay." "Pftt..." "What?" Before Brandon responded, he quickly flicked his head back. A particr blonde hair once again stood out. Looking back at Rachel, he smiled. "Nothing." "..." Not questioning further, Rachel grabbed his hand. "Let''s go." "Uh?" For some reason, Rachel was enthusiastic all of a sudden. "Ah." Looking ahead, Brandon cocked his head. "Arcade?" "Mhm,e." Just like that, Rachel dragged him by the hand, entering the arcade. The arcade was packed with children and teenagers alike. The certain sound of 8-bit games, and the familiar ''womp womp'' audio, of someone failing. Despite the year being 2148, Brandon could agree that the games were quite retro. He was even familiar with some of the games, back in his old world. Truth be told, Brandon was quite excited. Back in his old world, his other forms of entertainment would have to be arcade games. And one thing he was definitely good at were w machines. While he was busy looking at the games avable, Rachel proceeded with the token exchange. "Hmm¡­" As he expected, there were dozens of w machines. The prizes, all ripe for the taking. Rubbing his hands together, Brandon was feeling good. After finishing the exchange, Rachel returned to his side. "Let''s go, I want to try this game first." "Sure." Brandon nodded, as the two walked around the arcade. Stopping at one of the machines, Rachel turned to look at Brandon. Cocking his head, Brandon gave her a stupefied look. "Uh?" "Want to try?" "I can''t dance." "Neither can I." Chuckling, Rachel approached the dance machine, and inserted a coin. "Come." "..." Brandon gave her a skeptical look. Frowning, Rachel grabbed his hand yet again, and dragged him towards the dance machine. Just like that, the dance machine began. Or rather, the dance battle. Doing his best, Brandon tried to copy the moves disyed on the screen as best as he could. But he was quite stiff. He was yer 2, while Rachel was yer 1. [PLAYER 1: 10,237 POINTS] [PLAYER 2: 3,457 POINTS] ''Neither can I, my ass.'' Brandon was losing badly, Rachel was just that good. Sure, he was good at arcade games. But not these kinds of games. All of a sudden, Rachel shed him a cheeky smirk. Smoothly moving her body, she pursed her lips. "Loser has to pay for everything that''s bought today." "..." Two can y at that game. "Sure, but we have to y all of the games." "Oh?" Rachel''s brows raised. "I like that." Rachel was extremelypetitive. But so was Brandon. That being said, Brandon lost the dance machine. But it was only the beginning. He was confident with the other games, especially the one they decided to save forst. In the end, the two were tied neck-and-neck. The current score was 34-34. Thest game being the tie breaker, and the ultimate showdown. Rachel''s previous confident demeanor was nowhere to be seen. With sweaty palms, she started biting her nails. She was nervous. Very nervous. She didn''t expect Brandon to be good at arcade games, especially fighting games. Looking at him, his expressions never changed at all. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But this should at least end in a tie right? w machines were often known to be rigged. There''s no way Brandon would win anything. "You first." "..." Brandon motioned with his hand, and Rachel epted the gesture. Inserting the token inside the machine, Rachel reached out for the joystick. With her hand carefully moving the joystick, Rachel''s focus was entirely fixated on the w. Sweat started beading from forehead as she licked her lips. She was fully immersed, as if her life was on the line. Lowering the w, to her surprise, it was able to pick up the stuffed panda plush. "Oh!" Rachel''s eyes lit up. It was a cute sight. She turned to look at Brandon. Eventually her lips pulled to a smirk. "First try." "Look again." But reality soon dawned upon her as she looked back. Thud! The panda plush fell before it could even reach the hole. "No, no, no, no!" She bent over as she smacked the ss. Her face contoured to a dejected look, and it seemed like she was about to cry. "It''s rigged! I swear it''s rigged!" Her voice rang throughout the entire arcade. The people around started looking at her as if she was some kind of weirdo. "Oy..." Noticing that the staff was about to intervene, Brandon approached her and ced his hand on her shoulder. As soon as he did, Rachel gave away and rubbed her eyes with a handkerchief. "It''s rigged anyway. Let''s just call it even¡ªHuh?" As she looked at Brandon, he was fully immersed as well. Observing the w, it was able to pick up¡­ "Two?!" Two plush pandas. "What in the¡ª" Thud! It made it through as well. Bending down, Brandon grabbed the two pandas and clutched it tightly in his chest. Looking at Rachel, he pursed he mockingly tilted his head "What was it about being rigged again?" "..." Frowning, Rachel walked towards the w machine again. She was extremelypetitive. And yet again¡­ Thud! "Urghh!" Thud! "Why." Thud! "Can''t I." Thud! "Do this?!" "You''re doing it wrong." "Huh?" All of a sudden, Brandon appeared behind her. "...!" Standing behind her, he inched real close. Brandon inserted the coin, and before Rachel knew it, Brandon''s hand was already wrapped around hers. He controlled the joystick for her, using her hands. "Watch" "..." Rachel was speechless. She wasn''t even looking at the game. She was looking directly at¡­ "That''s how you do it." Looking down, he gave her a smile. "..." The two''s eyes met, and Rachel''s face suddenly flushed red. She could feel the warmth of his hand around hers, as well as the beating of his heart. Ba¡­ Thump! Her heart started beating faster as well. ''No way¡­ What is this?'' Looking at Brandon, her gaze wouldn''t tear away. But her thoughts were soon broken as Brandon leaned down to grab the prize. "Here." Shoving the doll in her arms, Brandon looked at her with the same nk expression. "Take it." "Ah¡­ Eh¡­ Uh¡­ T-thanks?" "Mhm." His lips curled up. "35-34. You''re paying for everything today." "..." Chapter 90 A Week Off [4] 90 A Week Off [4] After the whole arcade ordeal, the two decided to go for lunch. Since Rachel was paying, Brandon was given the right to choose the restaurant. It wasn''t an everyday urrence that an heir to a conglomerate would pay for his expenses. Which is why¡­ He decided to go to a luxurious restaurant. "..." Rachel was speechless. Clearly, Brandon was taking advantage of her kindness. She was peeved. After saving for quite a while, who knew most of her savings would blow through the roof in a single day? Brandon was way too heartless "Haaa¡­." Sighing heavily, she eventually relented. Brandon deserved at least this much. But in the first ce, Rachel deserved a bit of rest. She had only noticed it recently, but cold sweat was beading down her forehead. There was something wrong with her. And she was already quite aware of what it was. Most likely, the bacsh of overexerting her mana core. She had felt it for quite a while already, but due to mana''s nature, it would take several days for the symptoms to show. And today seemed to be that day. But nheless, she waved it off forter. Currently, it was Brandon''s time to be pampered. Therefore, the two entered the restaurant. Stepping inside, golden chandeliers hang from the ceiling. From a distance, musicians filled the room with their music. Male customers, wearing fancy zers, much simr to Brandon''s. While thedies wore dresses or skirts. They all sat by rounded tables as they continued to cheer with their goblets,ughing at each other. Truly, a richman''s paradise. But this didn''t faze Rachel. No, in fact¡­ She knew she was much richer than them. Evident by the fact that once she entered the establishment, all eyes were on her. Most of the people present¡­ She was familiar with them. Without a doubt, they were working for the Asami Company as well, albeit, some of them. But Rachel ignored their stares. Closing her eyes, she walked towards an empty table. Brandon followed her closely. Brandon wasn''t fazed either. Not because he knew he was rich, but mostly because he had no idea how rich the people in the room were in the first ce. To him they were an enigma. And to his surprise, they were all wearing matching zers. ''I knew it, this really is the trend.'' Looking at the menu, Rachel ced it down and stared directly at Brandon. "Have you chosen yet?" "Uh¡­" Waving him off, Rachel leaned back. "Okay, take your time." Not. Waving her hand, Rachel whistled. "Fuuu~" It was just wind. "Waiter! Fuuuu~ Over here!" Shortly after, a waiter appeared. Holding onto a notepad and a pen, he asked, "What would the two of you like to order?" With a roll of her tongue, Rachel smoothly replied. "I''d like a Homard ¨¤ Presse." "One Homard ¨¢ Presse¡­" "And for you Sir?" Before he answered, Brandon blinked continuously. "A homie a what now?" "Homard ¨¤ Presse, Sir. It''s on page 34." Flip¡ª Flipping the menu, Brandon thoroughly scanned the menu as he narrowed his eyes. "I see. One of these then." "So that''ll be two of those. Anything else?" "Hmm¡­" Brandon continued to ponder for a while. Just like that, Rachel was taken aback. She had finished her order forty minutes ago, and yet Brandon had yet to finish his. "Uh¡­ One Croque Monsieur." "Excellent, will that be a¡ª" "Uhh¡­ One Quiche Lorraine." "...Okay." The waiter''s brows started twitching all of a sudden. There was a brief silence before the waiter continued. "Are you finished with your order, Sir? Let me rep¡ª" "No, I''m not done yet." "..." "..." Even Rachel was taken aback. "One Cassoulet." "One¨C" "One of these." "..." . . "And this." "...So basically, one of everything?" "Yes." Brandon could hear the waiter murmur in a low voice to himself, ''I can''t believe I''m asking this,'' before continuing. "...So anything e-lse?" "Nope, that''d be¡ªUh wait." Brandon opened the menu again. Pinching his chin, his mouth opened. But before the words left his mouth, the waiter cut him off. "So that''ll be all. The waiting time will be one hour." For a second, Brandon could see the waiter''s entite body shudder. But it didn''t matter. The most important reaction was from the girl who sat in front of him. Looking at Rachel, her eyes were shot wide open, as her mouth formed an ''o'' shape. There was just something about Rachel that made Brandon want to tease her. Looking to the side, a suspicious group of individuals sat together. Noticing his gaze, the figure with blonde hair twitched as their gazes met. "..." They¡­ They have been following all day. *** Huddled up behind the menu, Amy anxiously spoke up. "He didn''t see me right?" "Nope." "Definitely not." Simrly huddled up in their own menus, Raven and ire sarcastically remarked. And it seemed like Amy bought it as she breathed out a sigh of relief. "Haaa¡­ Good." Leaning back, a shadow loomed over them. "Good day, may I take your ord¡ªHuh!?" As the waiter''s eyes flicked to the side, his eyes widened at the sight of the girl with the short purple hair and purple eyes. After all, most of the staff working at the mall knew who the big boss was. And knowing who the big boss was, meant knowing the daughter was as well. "Miss Victoria, I''m so¡ªNmmh!" Before the waiter could finish his words, ire pulled him down and covered his mouth. "Shhh, keep your voice down." "Nmmh¡­! Huaaa, okay." "Good." Pointing at two particr figures, ire pursed her lips "Do you see those two over there?" "Ah, yes. What about them?" "I''ll pay for their entire meal. But don''t tell them. Instead, say it''s on the house." "Understood, Miss Victoria. I will inform their assigned waiter as soon as they receive the bill." "Good." Looking at the others, ire cleared her throat first before speaking. "Kuhum¡­ Now, it''s time for our order." *** "So ire''s paying¡­" Brandon couldn''t help but overhear the conversation from the other table. They weren''t doing an exact good job in whatever covert mission they were doing. Truth be told, Brandon was nning on paying for the entire meal. Though it was supposed to be Rachel, Brandon felt bad about letting the poor girl handle the bill. Not like she was poor. She was in fact the third richest in their group, following after Reinhard, then ire. Atleast, that''s to Brandon''s knowledge. Breaking him out of his thoughts, a pleasant smell wafted in the air. Their food was here. Waiters approached them, carrying a bunch of tes. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om They started cing the tes down on the table. nk. One te. nk. nk. Two tes. nk. nk. nk. nk. . 18:44 "The fuck?" From the other side of the table, a familiar figure abruptly stood up as she smacked the table. Her brows twitched, and just slightly, Brandon could see a vein popping out of her forehead. But before Rachel could take note of ire, Amy immediately pulled ire down, smacking her head on the table identally. Flicking her head back to Brandon, Rachel pursed her lips. "What was that?" "Beats me." Brandon shrugged. "Eat a lot. You might not know, but most of these foods can help replenish mana reserves." Indeed, it took him a while to order since he had to check for the ingredients. There were certain ingredients he had recognized. After the mana poisoning incident, Brandon decided to read a lot of books about mana. In there he had realized there were certain herbs that would replenish or directly boost mana. And to his surprise, the current restaurant they were in served a decent portion of those herbs in their meals. It was truly a luxurious restaurant. Rachel seemed to hesitate. Realizing, Brandon reassured her. "Don''t worry. I''m paying for the entire meal." He wasn''t. But Rachel didn''t need to know that. "You." With widened eyes, Rachel struggled to speak. "H-how did you know?" "You''ve been quite drowsy the entire day." "..." Rachel continuously blinked. "I see." Closing her eyes, she shed him the warmest smile she could give. "...Thank you." "Sure." That being said, the two continued to enjoy their meal in silence. * And after everyone finished their meal¡­. [BILL: Brandon Locke] [TOTAL: 65 Gold Coins] "..." Crunch. Crunch¡­! Crumpling the paper, ire walked heavy steps. Brandon''s neck¡­ It was ripe for the taking. If she just continued to advance a few more steps, ire could reach out for his neck. His neck¡­ It looked like it wanted to be squeezed. No, it needed to be squeezed. Just a little bit? "I''ll fucking kill him." "ire, no!" Chapter 91 A Week Off [5] 91 A Week Off [5] "The Foundation Festival, huh?" Putting on her ck framed sses, Belle squinted her eyes and carefully scanned the documents in front of her. Inside the Student Council office, documents were strewn on the table. The only ones who had a week off were the first years. On the other hand, the second years still had to attend. Currently, she was thoroughly checking the students'' suggestions for the uing Astrea Foundation Festival, which would be held on September 5. A box was ced, just outside the Student Council office. In the box, students can ce their suggestions on what kind booths would be possible. At the moment, the suggestion box was still up. But due to Belle''s curiosity, she wanted to see what the students'' havee up with. Since the first years still had a week off, the suggestions woulde from the second to fifth year students. Squinting her eyes, Belle read the contents of the small papers. ¡ªMaid cafe. ¡ªDwarf tavern. The ideas were¡­ Interesting. ¡ªHorror house. ¡ªScience Showroom. ¡ªRed light district. Crunch. She immediately crumpled the paper. What sort of¡­ ¡ªElf themed brothelhouse. Crunch. "..." Belle flushed bright red after reading the inappropriate suggestions. "The hell is wrong with these students?" Clearly, she was just wasting her time. There were barely any serious suggestions. In the first ce, the suggestion box wasn''t her idea. It was proposed by another member of the council, her secretary. The council currently only had three members; The President, The Vice President, and the Secretary. And clearly, three people weren''t enough to sufficiently manage council duties. "Haaa¡­" Letting out a heavy sigh, Belle rubbed her eyes. She was overworked. "What''s wrong, Belle?" A voice suddenly reached her from the side. Seated on the couch, long dark onyx hair cascaded down her shoulders. Her yellow eyes were fixed on simr documents that Belle also had on her table. "...We need more members, Charlotte." Charlotte Flynn, her Secretary, and a fellow second year. Also the second strongest second year student, only second after Belle. "Right¡­ I thought our work would be halved if we put up the suggestion box, but¡­" Charlotte turned to look at the small papers strewn all over Belle''s table. "...Looks like it was a waste of time." "Recruitment won''t be open until the second semester anyway." Another voice chimed in, seated in front of Charlotte. A man with an athletic build. With light blue hair, blue eyes, and sses toplete the look. Adrien Frost, currently a third year, and the Vice President. He was the previous council President, and decided to join for the council for another year further increase his resum¨¨. "We have yet to establish a disciplinarymittee. We need one before the festival happens." "...Right." Belle nodded as Adrien continued to scan the documents. Looking at Belle, an idea struck him. Thus he opened his mouth and suggested. "For the disciplinarymittee, I have a friend in mind, Amelia Constantine." At the mention of ''Amelia'', Belle''s eyes lit up. "I had the same thoughts. Could you send her the proposal to head themittee?" Belle''s curiosity was piqued. But as soon as the words left Adrien''s mouth, Belle''s face crunched up. "...Your younger Brother, Brandon Locke." "..." "President?" "Rejected." A t out refusal. "Unless my Brother volunteers, none of you are allowed to force him into any responsibilities." Adrien stood up as he approached Belle. Pursing his lips, he went on to borate. "President, we may not know what happened in Everde, but it shouldn''t have been that bad, right?" All of a sudden, Belle''s eyes started glowing a bright blue glow, and an immense pressure bore down on Adrien. Looking at Adrien, Belle knitted her brows. "My Brother may be strong. But mentally, he is weak. Ever sinceing back from Everde, I have never seen him so depressed." She stood up and stared at Adrien, her face started darkening all of a sudden, and the atmosphere gradually became heavier. "So please don''t make such insensitivements." Though the pressure was gradually getting heavier and heavier, Adrien remained unfazed. He was, after all, the top ranking student among the third years. Belle knew Adrien was way stronger than her, but she was no pushover. She was also the top ranking student among the second years. It was nothing but a show of strength. "Calm down you two." Startled, Charlotte''s anxious voice rang in the air. She as well, was unfazed by all the magic pressure. Adrien was a man of reason. Thus he backed down and stifled augh. "Understood, President. I will not pursue the matter. But that is only under the conditions of forcing him. I will send out a proposal in the form of a document." Belle''s eyes widened for a while, trying to digest his words. But eventually, she resigned. "Alright, granted." Sitting back down, she looked at Adrien. "But why are you so bent on my Brother joining themittee?" "Just curious. As another fellow was granted the title of the strongest, I just want to see how capable he is." Turning around, Adrian returned to the couch and sat back down. "What was he again? A Tri-Elemental Mage?" "..." Belle twitched all of a sudden. "Y-yes." Ignoring her weird gesture, Adrien cleared his throat. "Kuhum¡­ Also, I''d like to ask for your permission, President¡­" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Looking at Belle, his expressions became serious. "I''d like to test him first." "Absolutely n¨C" "That''s fine." All heads flicked to trace the source of the voice. Standing by the door, a familiar figure with dark purple hair, and azure eyes grabbed their attention. "Miss Evelyn?" Belle was startled. But immediatelyposed herself. Evelyn was recently appointed as the student council head. Her sudden appearance in the office wasn''t out of ce at all. "Ah, Miss Evelyn, I heard he''s your assistant. Can you vouch for his capabilities?" "He''s capable enough. More than average for a first year." As her curiosity as piqued, Belle decided to ask. "Then what if he was a second year?" Looking at Belle, Evelyn tly replied. "He''s weaker than you, Belle. But he could easily make it into the top 15s" "Wew." Adrien whistled with a raised brow. "If Miss Evelyn is the one saying it, then it must be true." Standing up, Adrien approached Belle. 18:45 "President, grant me permission." Seeing the serious look in his eye, Belle deeply sighed. "H-haaa¡­ Alright, but it will be held in the Virtual Simtion." "Of course." "But as soon as I approve this¡­" Belle looked up with a serious expression, her eyes started glowing blue yet again. "...You''ll do all of my work for the entire month." "..." Speechless, Adrien''s mouth formed an ''o'' shape. But as heposed himself, he spoke up. "...That''s absurd. There''s no benefits for me here." "So? Do you still want to proceed?" "...Alright, understood." "Pfft¡­" From the side, Charlotte chuckled. Belle¡­ She was scary. Everyone present in the room would agree. And for a younger brother who held the same position as her as the strongest of their respective years¡­ Just what kind of monster was he? Adrien''s thoughts were soon broken as his phone started ringing. Retrieving it, a familiar name shed on his screen. A name that sent chills down his spine. [Lucian Frost] Chapter 92 Home [1] 92 Home [1] ¡ª9:00 PM. After returning home from the ''date'' with Rachel, the two bid their farewells and entered their respective rooms. "Khh¡­!" Finally having some time for himself, Brandon had started exploring his new special affinity. Curse threads¡­ They were difficult to use. And, "Kuhh!" They hurt. A lot. Recalling the way David manipted the threads, Brandon found himself perplexed. David was able to use numerous threads. While currently, Brandon was only capable of one. Special affinities truly lived up to its name. It was a lot more difficult to master than the normal affinities. "Akh!" Drip. Drip¡­! His index finger¡ªwhere the thread materialized from had started bleeding. For him, it felt as if a needle was piercing through his finger. The thread he could create was only about four centimeters long. That''s how much his current capabilities allowed him. Yet Brandon persisted. "Ukhh!" Just one thread. If he could sessfully manipte one thread, then it was a good stopping point for the night. Focusing the mana on his finger, the thread started extending. But not for long, as the thread loosened and limply descended on the floor. Drip. Drip. And his finger started bleeding again. "Fuck¡­" Then again, Brandon didn''t stop. Cutting the threads, it dematerialized. Gritting his teeth, another thread extended from his finger. One centimeter. Two centimeters. Three centimeters. Fou¡ª "Aghk¡­!" It limply loosened once again. It became apparent to him that special affinities had different properties. It was evident on the screen, a feature in his system. ¡ª--------------------------- [Special Affinities] ¨N[Curse] ¨N Cursed Threads ¨N Cursed mes: 1% ¨N Mark of Despair: Locked ¨N Abyssal Chains: Locked ¨N Soul Drain: Locked ¨NBinding Vow: Locked ¡ª--------------------------- He didn''t know how to progress, nor how to increase the percentage of mastering the curse mes. He hit a roadblock. Not like he was in any room to be thinking about the next phase. Drip. Drip. His fingers continued to bleed. . . Time passed. And throughout the entire time, he tasted failure. Again. And again. And again. "Akh!" Four centimeters. The single thread cut off from there. Time and time again, Brandon continuously extended a single thread from his finger. Drip. Drip. And his progress regressed once again. Yet again, four centimeters was his record. "....This is going nowhere." If Skill Weaver had some way to make things easier, then he would''ve chosen that method. But... Recently, he had realized that taking the shortcut did him more harm than good. This was especially so with the drawbacks of each skill. Which is why he had decided that it was much better to thoroughly learn the elements given to him. Each detail. The different ways mana flowed. All to avoid any more incidents. Looking down, blood had already stained the floor. His chest trembled and his eyes narrowed. A sense of vertigo washed over him. "Ah." His mana core. It was rapidly draining whenever he used the threads. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But it was most probably because of his poor application of mana when using the curse affinity. "..." Fear started to take hold of him. If he were to suffer another case of mana poisoning, then finding another mage with the curse affinity to heal him would be quite troublesome. With such thoughts, Brandon decided to stop from there. At the moment, it wasn''t worth it. That was the goal. As long as he did it everyday with some proper precautions, then surely mastering the threads would happen sooner orter. "Haaa¡­." Just like that, Brandon decided to rest, slumping down on the ground. "Ah, right." Belle was going toe home soon. Extending his arm, his hand started to emit a blue glow and water started pouring down on the blood stains. Ssh! Grabbing a towel, just as he was about to wipe it, the dangling of keys echoed behind the door. Creaaak¡­. And the door creaked open. "I''m ho¡ªUh?" Just as Belle was about to finish her words, the sight of Brandon rapidly wiping the floor startled her. With a bright smile, Brandon thoroughly wiped the floor without looking away from Belle. "Wee home, Sis." "What are you doing?" "This? Ah¡­ Just spilled some water." No biggie. Keenly looking at Brandon, Belle decided to let go of the matter. She seemed exhausted. "Alright," She then walked towards the kitchen. "I haven''t eaten yet. I''ll whip something up. You want some?" "No need for that, I''ve brought take out. It''s in the fridge." "Take out? You ate outside?" "Yeah." Pinching her chin, Belle halted her steps and looked at Brandon¨Cwho had just finished wiping the floor. "...With Rachel?" "...Uh, yes?" "I see¡­" She closed her eyes. Opening her eyes, Brandon could see it was slowly moistening. "...I can''t believe my baby Brother is growing up." She started exaggerating. "Back then, you used to be this small," She motioned with her hand down, inching it on her waist. "Always following your Big Sister around." Walking towards the fridge, she opened it. As soon as her gazended on the stic bag, her eyes widened. Taking it out, she looked at Brandon with a shocked expression. "...Shadow Garden? Isn''t this that one expensive restaurant?" "A friend paid the bill." "Ah, so¡­" Her eyes started darting around. But eventuallynded to meet Brandon''s gaze. "...It was with your group of friends then?" "Uh¡­ Somewhat like that." "Eh¡­ And here I thought it was a date." "..." Brandon knew the conversation would lead to that topic. Which is why he had to redirect it in some way. "Nope." He denied. Approaching the microwave, Belle turned to look at Brandon and asked, "Want some?" "I''m good." "Suit yourself." Putting the appropriate amount of food in the microwave, Belle turned it on. Click¡ª Waiting for the food to reheat, Belle walked towards the dining table and sat. Looking at Brandon, she pursed her lips. 18:46 At her words, Brandon sat down on the opposite seat. Looking at Brandon, Belle smiled. "You seem to be doing a lot better." "Is that so¡­?" Belle leaned a bit close and scanned his face. Her lips then parted open. "Yourplexions look pale. But at least you''re speaking now." "Ah, haha." Rubbing the back of his head, he awkwardlyughed. Brandon was feeling light-headed. But that was for a different reason. Leaning back, Belle didn''t pursue the matter. Whatever it was, she knew the topic of Everde was sensitive for Brandon. Ding¡ª! And before things took an awkward turn, the food had finally finished reheating. Just like that, the food was ready, and Belle started eating in front of Brandon. With food in her mouth, Belle decided to speak anyway. Munch. Munch. "So¡­ I ackshually¡­ Havda¡ª" "Chew your food properly." He cut her off. Munch. Munch. Gulp~ Swallowing, Belle repeated her words. "As I was saying. I actually have the whole week off from council duties." "No lectures?" "...And as the Council President, I can skip a week or two." "Why would you do that?" Before answering, Belle chugged a ss of water. Slurp~ "Ahh¡­ Since you''re free for the week, I thought it would be a good chance to take a break as well." Feeding herself, Belle continued to speak. "With¡­ Bosh of ush¡­. Being fshree¡­" "Chew." Brandon frowned. The hell is wrong with Belle''s table manners? Or was she justfortable at home? That seemed to be the case. Outside, Bellecarried an air of regal wherever she went. Students even started calling her ''The Madonna''. But there were no signs of The Madonna here. Burp. Covering her mouth, Belle flushed red for a bit, embarrassed. Composing herself, her lips parted open once again. "With both of us being free for the week, it''s a good opportunity to visit home." "Home?" "Yup, I kind of miss the mansion. Don''t you?" Mansion? Ah. So the Locke family really was that rich. Then¡­ "...I guess so?" "Right? I told the driver to pick us up tomorrow at 10:00 AM." Driver? ''Why am I only knowing about this now?'' Finishing her meal, Belle continued. "Be early, alright?" An opportunity. Brandon had always wanted to visit the Locke family''s home. Hopefully, to find out more about the original Brandon Locke. Just that he didn''t know where ''home'' actually was. Asking Belle would raise suspicions. But since Belle brought it to the table, there was no hesitating. With such thoughts, Brandon nodded. Chapter 93 Home [2] Chapter 93 Home [2] "Brandon!" Belle''s muffled voice rang from the other side of the room. And as for Brandon¡­ "Haa¡­ H-haa¡­" Waking up around 5:00 AM, he picked up on his curse affinity progress. Drip. Drip. He was drenched in sweat while the floor was sttered with dry blood droplets But¡­ "Haaa¡­ Yes¡­" He had finally made significant progress. Materializing from his fingertip, the thread continued to extend further One centimeter¡­ Ten centimeters¡­ Two meters¡­ Until the thread coiled around like a snake. He had sessfully manipted a single thread. It took him a total of three hours. But after getting used to the pain and the way mana works with the [Curse] affinity, the bleeding had stopped. For one finger that is. And for the other finger¡­ Drip. Drip¡­! One centimeter. "..." He was used to the pain by now. No more grunting. Just like that, the threads cut off. Two threads were all he was capable of currently. "H-haaa¡­." "Brandon!" "...Yes?" "You ready?" Ah. upied by the threads, he hadn''t realized that a lot of time had passed. So¡­ "...No." "Hurry up. The driver will arrive in thirty minutes." "Got it." Just like that, Brandon cleaned up the blood stains before swiftly heading to the bathroom. Twist¨C Twisting the faucet, the cold water poured down on his entire figure. And the time spent for showering¡­ Was another time for training. Brandon had recently realized that wherever he went, trouble would always follow. He was a cmity ma. And every free time he would get was an opportunity to train. Therefore¡­ ¡ª¡ª! Threads started looming around once again. Drip. Drip¡­! And blood had started dripping. But would wash away along with the water. *** Stepping outside the gate, a ck car was parked outside, and a man adorning a suit stood beside it. ''A butler?'' That seemed to be the case. "Lady Belle, Sir Brandon, good morning." Greeting them, the man walked towards them and picked up their bags. "Good morning to you as well, Alfred." Adorned in casual clothing, Belle''s sweet voice greeted the butler. "Good morning¡­ Alfred." Skeptically, Brandon followed Belle''s flow. After cing their bags in the car''s trunk, Alfred motioned to open the door. Nodding, Belle entered the car''s backseat. "Thank you." As well as Brandon, who nodded with a smile. That being said, the car drove off. Apparently, their home was quite far. The city of Avenie. A city that was about a six hour drive from the main capital. In the middle of the road trip, Brandon had fallen asleep. Leaning his head on his sister''s shoulders, Belle gave him a warm smile. "The Young Master seems tired." ncing behind while driving, Alfred spoke up. "I''m d to see the two of you are still close, Lady Belle." "Mhm." Belle responded with a soft hum. "He''s experienced quite a lot in the past two months." "Is that so¡­? The Young Master was always a curious schr." "Schr?" It was quite the news to Belle. She had never known just what Brandon was up to in the past few years they were apart. "That''s right. The Young Master would always dive into magic research, back when he was still living in the mansion." "Oh¡­ That''s quite surprising." Belle was taken aback. Brandon was already strong. And the fact that he was apparently good in his studies was quite a shocker for her. News of Brandon''s performance in the Academy had yet to reach their family. Which is why the next set of words that left Belle''s mouth shocked Alfred. "He''s the top performing student in his year. The same rank as me." "Is that true?! Then the Lord and Madame would be delighted by the good news." Huh? Something caught Belle''s attention. If Brandon was that strong, then shouldn''t their parents already know about it? ''Was he¡­'' She nced at Brandon, who was sleeping deeply on her shoulders. Just the sight of him made Belle dismiss her thoughts. Right. ''If Brandon hid his abilities, then it must be for a reason.'' And Belle respected whatever his secrets were. But just as she was about to let go of the matter¡­ "..." She felt a trickling wet sensation on her shoulders. "..." Is he¡­ He was. "Uh¡­" Grabbing a tissue, Belle slightly lifted Brandon''s head up and wiped his drool off her shoulders. Sure, it was her blood rted sibling. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But Belle was a clean freak. Laying his head back on her shoulder, Belle looked outside the window to view the scenery. Lushes of greenery entered her peripheral view. The vast expanse of the forest filled the entire surroundings. Mountains that peaked at the sky had starteding into view from the front. It was a familiar sight. And Belle was nostalgic about it. Truly, Avenie was her home. No, it was their home. "..." She was snapped out of her thoughts as yet again¡­ Brandon was drooling on her shoulders. "..." *** ¡ª4:00 PM Wiping the drool off his mouth, Brandon stepped outside the car. Doing so, arge gate stood tall to block their path. "Wee home! Young Masters!" And the guards stood by both ends of the gate greeted them at their arrival. "Mhm." "..." Belle nodded with a smile, as Brandon was utterly speechless. What kind of¡­ It was now apparent to him that the Locke family was in fact even wealthier than he thought. There were certain times when Brandon was jolted awake during the road trip. And overhearing Belle and Alfred''s conversation, he had found out that the city that the Locke family resided in was called Avenie. Avenie¡­ It was unfamiliar to him. Just what kind of city was Avenie. And, What kind of family were the Lockes? Entering the estate, a cobble stone path weed them. Bushes that were symmetrically cut stood at the mansion''s sides. It was a beautiful path. Looking ahead, maids stood by therge door, waiting for them. "Wee home, Young Masters!" The same line greeted them. And Belle gave the same response as well. "Mhm." "..." And also Brandon, who was still bbergasted by the entire thing. Creaaak¡­ As therge door opened, a woman with strikingly simr features to Belle, stood with a smile. Beside her was a tall man with a bulky frame. With jet-ck hair, and hazel eyes. He stood with regal, and exuded an air of authority. Brandon tried to recall their names as abruptly as he could. ''Brianna Locke, and Omar Locke.'' If he recalled correctly, then there would be no problems. Not like it mattered. He could just call them Mom and Dad. Smiling, Brianna greeted them with a hug. "Wee home, you two must be tired." As those words left her mouth, the two returned her embrace with a warm hug of their own. On the other hand, Omar stood silent as he stared at Brandon with an intimidating gaze. "..." "...Here hees." Stepping to the side, Belle''s voice reached Brandon''s ears. What is she¡­ "My Boy!" Omar immediately made way towards Brandon and lifted him up. "How have you been?" "..." "Did they do anything to you in the Academy!?" His ecstatic voice soon lowered down as his brows furrowed. "What''s wrong?! Why aren''t you saying anything? They did, didn''t they?" "...No, nothing happened." Skeptically raising his brow, Omar turned his head to look at Belle, who was gradually fading away. "Nothing happened?" "Nope." Belle shook her head. Breathing out a sigh of relief, Omar lowered Brandon. Locking his gaze with Belle, the bulky man rushed towards her with his arms wide open. "Ukeh!" But before he could, a gust of wind blew on his leg and tripped him. As Brandon turned to look at Belle, her arm was raised, pointing at Omar. "..." This¡­ What kind of family was this? "No, Dad. We''re not kids anymore." "I just wanted to hug my children¡­." Belle shook her head with a frown, as Omarid on the floor as if he was crying. What sort of¡­? Stepping over Omar, Brianna alternated between Brandon and Belle. Smiling, her lips parted open. "After the two of you have settled, let''s have a family dinner tonight." Chapter 94 Unravel [1] Chapter 94 Unravel [1] A lot of things were possible in the new world. So somehow¡­ Maybe somehow. Just a fleeting thought. Brandon hade up with a theory that his memories were tampered with. Creaaak¡­. But as he entered the original Brandon Locke''s childhood room, there were no hints of feeling nostalgic. Just unfamiliarity. The sight before him waspletely new to him. "Hahaha." Just the thought of it made him stifle augh. After all the rtionships he had built up with the people around him, he had started hoping that he was at least part of their story. But¡­ "No." He was a stranger. A fake ying the role of Brandon Locke. That much became clear to him. "Right." Shaking his head, he entered the room. With his hands on his waist, Brandon thoroughly scanned the room. Doing so, he hade to realize that the original Brandon liked to keep things minimalistic. The room was as in as a room could get. As ifthat original Brandon had never been a child in the first ce. A in white bed on the corner. A table beside it with ampshade on the top. A bookshelf that was filled to the brim with books, situated on the other side of the corner, and a balcony to top the whole room''s aesthetic. And that was it. A boring room. Settling his bag on the side of the bed, Brandon turned his head to take in the view outside the window. It was dusk. The sun was about to set, and the moon was about to rise. He then turned his head to nce at another shelf. Picture frames. There were a bunch of picture frames. Standing up, he walked towards it. Picking up the frame to scan the picture, an image of a young boy with pale-white hair and ice-blue eyes registered. He was smiling. A bright smile. Just like how any child would smile. "Hm?" But what caught his attention were the boy''s eyes. He was smiling, and yet¡­ His eyes¡­ They seemed, Sad. Or detached. The thought had left Brandon puzzled. From what he could make out with the just the few conversations he had with Belle and Brianna back then, Brandon Locke seemed to be an enthusiastic person. And yet there were no signs of such enthusiasm in any of the photos. Sure, he was smiling. But his eyes told a different story. Why? The original Brandon Locke had the privilege anyone would wish for. A loving family, wealth, looks, some kind of status. And¡­ Aplete family. So why? Was he ungrateful? Brandon felt a bit bitter. The thought irked him as he unknowingly gripped the frame tightly. But as he scanned the photo even more, the boy¡­ He didn''t seem ungrateful. He just looked as if he was done with everything. As if he feltpelled to live. From what he could make out, the boy seemed to be five years old. Too young to have such scary thoughts. Yet another mystery to ponder about. But since there were no answers, Brandon put the frame down and started scanning the rest of the photos. Another one. This time, there were two of them. The same boy, but he stood next to a girl taller than him. With the same pale-white hair, and ice blue eyes. It was none other than his older sister, Belle Locke. In the photo, her hair was tied to a ponytail, as she adorned ck framed sses. The two wore wide smiles. There was nothing peculiar that caught Brandon''s attention about the younger Belle. She seemed like a lively little girl. But yet again, the boy¡­ His eyes were still detached. "..." Once again, there was no point in pondering about it as he ced the frame back down. For the next few minutes or so, Brandon scanned each of the picture frames present. There were a total of seventeen picture frames. A family photo, a solo photo, another photo with his older sister. The setting was different in the next set of photos, like they were capturing significant moments in the original Brandon Locke''s life. And that was when guilt started to take hold of him. "Haha." He stifled augh. But it was one of shame. He was a stranger. A novel reader who had reced a youth who was a son, and a sibling to the family. And an extra in the Path to Ascension novel. But even extras had their own lives to live. Their own story. That much was certain. Whatever happened to the original Brandon Locke was out of his control. He had never asked for any of this to happen. "Haaa¡­." cing the photo back down, Brandon let out an audible sigh. Looking around, his next agenda was to scan the drawers. And with such thoughts, that was what he did. Surely, there was more information lying around. Like a diary of some sort. The first drawer had nothing that caught his interest. But the second drawer on the other hand had notebooks. Flip¡ª The first notebook wasn''t a diary, nor did it have any stories of Brandon''s childhood. The same went for the other notebooks, which were nothing but a bunch of doodles. "Wait." As Brandon continued to scan the notebooks, he hade to realize that they were not just random doodles. They were¡­ "Magic Circles?" Another mystery. And thus he ced the notebook in his bag. He then scanned more of the notebooks. There were a lot. Some had random doodles, while some had magic circles. They had to be of some use. Which is why Brandon ced the interesting ones in his bag. With the notebooks in the drawer dwindling, the end of the drawer caught his attention. "..." There was arge thick book that seemed to have been hidden by the other notebooks. No, as he picked it up, he had realized it was a tome. On the front cover, there was an initial on it. B. Most likely meant Brandon. His interest immediately skyrocketed as his eyes lit up. Brandon Locke was a lot more interesting than he gave him credit for. Opening it, the pages seemed old. The words were written with ink. "So it wasn''t printed?" Hand written. The penmanship was extremely professional as well. Flip¡ª He started flipping the pages. Flip¨C Flip¡ª And as he continued flipping, his eyes widened. "This¡­" That was because it seemed to be research. Magic research. More so about the basic affinities. But what was the point? There were textbooks to help one master their basic affinity. But maybe Brandon was just that kind of person. "So he was a schr?" Or a researcher? Or maybe a mix of both. Most likely. "....Huh?" His eyes widened. Flip¡ª As soon as hended on a certain page, he continued to flip the pages. Flip, Flip, Flip¡ª "Is this¡­ Real?" It seemed to be a research on a certain affinity. An affinity that Brandon now had. The [Curse] affinity. "What in the¡­" To all the kinds of abilities a [Curse] affinity user had. Cursed Threads. ¡ªToo much mana can make the threads brittle, while too little can make them weak¡­. He started skimming. He can read it properlyter. Just the confirmation was enough. ¡ªEnhance the strength of the threads byyering mana¡­. ¡ªKeep your hand movements smooth and controlled¡­. . . And he continued skimming. Cursed mes. Mark of Despair. Abyssal Chains. Soul Drain. Binding Vow. They were all there. The same abilities that presented itself in his system. "So these really were the only curse abilities¡­" He frowned. "But how does he know all this...?" The information was detailed. As if it was a guide made just for him. But the [Curse] affinity was rare, even frowned upon. There were no such books about it so to speak. So where did he get all the information from? "Did he have the [Curse] affinity as well?" He had to know more. Flip¡ª Flip¡ª¡ª He continued flipping the page. And as he kept doing so, his eyes widened even more. The book had more than just the [Curse] affinity. "What¡­?" Celestial affinity. Quantum affinity. Light affinity. Holy affinity. Shadow affinity. . . There were a lot of special affinities written down in detail, with all of the abilities and how to properly execute them. "..." ¡ªTime affi¡­. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om And the page ended there. "No¡­" It was thest page. Chapter 95 Unravel [2] 95 Unravel [2] Time affinity. "....So it was indeed possible." But¡­ "How did the original Brandon know about it?" The more he discovered, the more questions he got. The page was torn off, and he had no other leads to it. But who could''ve done it? Was it his parents? The maids? The other staff? Regardless, he couldn''t specifically ask them. But he could indirectly. "Later." There was something else he needed to do. Thud! He started thrashing the room, in hopes of finding more clues. Starting off with the drawers, he started pulling the containers and tossing them on the ground. Thud¨C Thud¡ª Thud¡ª¡ª! "None." There was nothing peculiar under the drawers. Looking around, he made his way to the bookshelves. They were mostly novels. [elerated Cognition] And thus he started reading each book, in hopes of finding even more clues. "Nope." There was nothing in the first book. Thud! Nor the second. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! None so far. "...!" But in the sixth book, something caught his attention. Nestled tightly on a certain page, there was a small paper. As he scanned its contents, it was yet again, a magic circle. Could it be a clue? He decided to tuck it inside his pocket. And if it was stuck on a certain page, then could the page have anything useful? "Nope." Thud! It was just a novel page. Thud¨C Thud¡ª Thud¡ª¡ª! . . . Time passed. As he looked around, half opened books were scattered all over the floor. He had already checked behind the bookshelf, and yet there was nothing. From his findings, he had a total of eighteen small papers that contained magic circles. But what were they for? Magic circles obviously had some significant meaning to the original Brandon Locke. But for what reason, he didn''t know. Children would often hide things under their bed. So¡­ With such thoughts, he approached the bed. It was the only furniture left in the in and boring room. "Seriously¡­" Carrying the mattress, he tossed it on the floor. The bedframe''s polished wood was exposed as soon as he did. "...!" There were faint traces of mana on it. Hence, he started tracing the wood with his finger. Nothing. Again, but this time, with mana. Conjuring mana in his hand, he started tracing the wood with his fingers. "..." There was definitely something. Unlike the previous try, he could feel a slight bump somewhere in the middle. And thus, he kept tracing it. Following the bump, he hade to realize that his finger was being led into forming a circr shape. "...!" The circr shape started emitting a white glow all of a sudden. Circle¡­ So did it have some corrtion to the magic circles? Tracing the wood once again, he started tracing the middle of the circle. And yet again, there was a bumpy feeling. Only this time, it didn''t form a circr shape. It was a peculiar shape¡­ Just like that of the middle part of a magic circle. "..." So it did. Retrieving the magic circles in his pocket, he scanned its contents. Tracing his finger on the middle part of the wood, he started copying the magic circle''s design. . . Minutes passed, and as soon as he was done, the middle part of the circle''s design started glowing white. "...Is this it?" Nothing was happening. Was there something more to it? But what? "Ah." The notebooks. With such thoughts, he retrieved the notebook from his bag. "..." It was the same design as the glowing magic circle, and the magic circles on the small papers. But then again, what was he supposed to do with it? And so he started doing whatever he could just to activate the magic circle. Like incantations. Not like he knew any. "Abrakadabra!" It was a bust. Maybe from the animes he knew? With such thoughts, he covered one of his eyes with his hand. "Kuhum¡­" Clearing his throat, his lips parted open, and thus he started chanting. Darkness cker than ck and darker than dark, I beseech thee,bine with my deep crimson. The time of awakeningeth. Justice, fallen upon the infallible boundary, appear now as an intangible distortion! I desire for my torrent of power a destructive force: a destructive force without equal! Return all creation to cinders... ...Andeth frome the abyss! "Explosion!" And nothing happened. "..." One more? "Arise." None. "Infinite Void?" Nothing happened. With nothing else to do, he ced his hand on the glowing magic circle. 14:18 Closing his eyes, he started gathering mana in his palms and poured it onto the circle. Pursing his lips, he chanted once again. "I am the bone of my sword¡­." . . "Unlimited de¡ªHuh?" Before he finished his chant, he peered one of his eyes open. As he did so, the glow became brighter. Was it because of his chant? He shook his head. It would be ridiculous. Most likely, it was because he started pouring mana onto the magic circle. Looking down, the magic circles on the small papers started glowing as well. "...!" And they started floating. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª¡ª! The papers flew towards the glowing circle,tching onto it. Rumble¡­ The room started shaking slightly. The circle started glowing even brighter. Flip¨C Flip¡ª Flip¡ª¡ª! The thick notebook which contained the magic circle doodles abruptly flipped on its own. What in the¡­ Until itnded on a certain page. "..." The magic circle imprinted on the page was of the same design as the magic circle that kept glowing brighter and brighter. Tzz¡ª! Blue sparks of lightning rippled around the page like shockwaves. The same went for the glowing magic circle. And then¡­ All of a sudden, symbols started appearing on the notebook. The symbols¡­ Hopefully, it was the final step. So he wasn''t far off with the chanting then? How peculiar. Opening his mouth, he started to chant. The frenzy has begun. The moon is red. We''re out of time. There was no use in pondering whatever the cryptic chant was. And as those words left his mouth, Wooosh¡ª! The world turned dark shortly after. * Opening his eyes, he found himself in the same room. Only that, it wasn''t a mess. "..." The colors were all drained. A monochromatic color. Looking around, the room was left as it was before his arrival. "...!" And looking at the side, the door gradually opened. A figure emerged shortly after. Just like from the vision he had back then, the figure was blurry. He couldn''t guess who the figure was. "So this is a vision¡­." That seemed to be the case. The figure was carrying some kind of notebook. Just like what Brandon did, the figure tossed the mattress on the ground. Thud! cing the notebook on the wooden bedframe, the figure retrieved small papers from his pocket. "..." Stacking the papers on his hand, he lifted up his other hand. His lips parted open, seemingly chanting something. Everything was silent, and thus Brandon couldn''t make out what the figure was saying. The figure''s mouth continued moving. The papers in his hand started floating in the air. Tzz¡ª Monochromatic sparks of lightning started rippling around the wooden bedframe, as well as the paper. Tzz¡ª n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om And that was when a small magic circle materialized out of thin air. Oneyer. Twoyers. Three. Six. Ten¡­ Ten smallyers of magic circles hovered in the air on top of each other. Theyers gradually descended onto the wooden bedframe and started condensing. It coalesced with one another, and it started expanding. Wooosh¡ª! All of a sudden, the notebook that was supposed to be on the wooden bedframe had disappeared. The magic circle''s glow started fading. "..." And the man stopped chanting. But that was when¡­ His figure started to register. It was gradually unblurring, and its pale-white hair came into view. Suddenly, the figure abruptly turned his head in Brandon''s direction. "....!" His cold ice-blue eyes, detached of any warmth pierced through Brandon''s gaze. "Haaa...." The vision abruptly ended there. Swoosh! As it did, Brandon was hurled backwards by an unseen force. Opening his eyes¡­. "....The notebook." The notebook from the vision appeared in the middle of the wooden bedframe. Chapter 96 Sibling Bonding [1] 96 Sibling Bonding [1] Tak¨C Tak¡ª Tak¡ª¡ª! Footsteps echoed from outside the door. Realizing someone was about to enter the room, Brandon immediately sprinted towards the notebook. Opening his system, he ced the notebooks and the small papers inside the inventory. Knock¡ª Knock¡ª! Since he had locked the door before he entered the room, the door rattled. And when they realized it was locked, they started knocking on the door. "Brandon?!" A muffled voice rang behind the door. A male''s voice. Most likely, Omar, Brandon''s father. Two other voices followed shortly after. It seemed to be Brianna and Belle. "What''s going on?" "Wait, move aside." Perplexed, Brandon blinked his eyes. ''Move aside? What does she m¡ª" BOOM¡ª! The door burst open and a gust of wind followed, blowing Brandon along the process. "Khh¡­!" As he skidded back, two figures entered the room, while Belle stood at the entrance with her hand lifted up. "Brandon? What ha¡­" Omar''s words halted mid sentence as his eyes widened. The same went for the two women as their eyes darted to scan the room. Blinking, Brandon tried to articte his words. "Uh¡­. I¡ª" "Brandon!" Rushing towards him, Brianna spoke with an anxious tone. "Are you okay¡­?" "What happened here?" Belle slowly walked and stood beside Brianna. The same went for Omar who looked stupefied by the entire ordeal. Brandon stayedposed. He had alreadye up with an excuse about the entire thing in the first ce. Which is why he did what he did in an unprofound manner. "Hoo¡­" Taking a deep breath, he pursed his lips. "I was trying to change theyout of my room¡­" Was it a good excuse? Of course it wasn''t. But would they buy it? Could be. It was all to confirm just what they thought of the original Brandon Locke. Did they think he was weak before he took over? Belle probably already knew that something was up. But it was also to test her. Just how much could the current Brandon trust her? Omar''s suddenugh broke him out of his thoughts. "Hahaha. You could''ve asked the staff for that." He flexed his biceps. "Or even me. Heavy lifting is still too much for you, my boy." Brandon cocked his head. ''I see.'' That was all the confirmation he needed. That meant that the original Brandon Locke wasn''t the athletic type. ''No wonder my stamina was so bad when I first arrived here.'' This was especially so during the first Combat ss test. Slowly walking towards him, Brianna rubbed the back of head. Her soft voice followed shortly after. "You don''t have to do it by yourself." She turned and looked around. "I''ll call the staff to clean this up. You can tell them how you want your room to look." "No, it''s okay, Mom." He shook his head. "I''ll clean this up myself." "Are you sure¡­?" 14:19 Brianna looked hesitant. As if she wanted to refuse his refusal. But she eventually relented as Belle reassured her. "Mom, if he wants to do it himself, then let him. I''ll help him out as well." "...Okay." A hesitant reply. The serious tone in Belle''s voice spoke as much as if she was used to the sight. ''Ah.'' Their parents¡­ They were way too clingy to their children. And to think Brandon was sixteen, and yet they still acted that way towards him. As if he was some kind of ss. But for Brandon, it felt nice. Aplete family. So why did the original Brandon look like that in his photos? There was clearly nothing wrong with his family. So why? "Hoo¡­" Taking a deep breath, Brandon dismissed his thoughts. Leaning down, he started picking up the strewn books on the floor. N?v(el)B\\jnn Realizing that he really was cleaning his own mess, Brianna and Omar left the room shortly after. It was now only Brandon and Belle left. "So?" Belle''s voice reached his ears. Skeptically raising her brow, she crossed her arms. "What was all this about?" "Well¡­" * At the end of it all, he had managed to convince Belle that he was practicing some form of wind magic. Which was the cause of the entiremotion. Which led to this situation¡­ Fwooo¡ª! Outside the mansion, and in their courtyard, she had started teaching him different ways on using wind magic. Belle was, after all, a Deviant with the [Wind] and [Light] affinity. Standing next to each other, Belle instructed him. "Focus all of your mana into your palms. Feel the wind coalescing." "Like this, right?" "Yup." Belle nodded. In another attempt, a small tornado started forming from his palms. Quickly lifting his hand up, a ripple pierced through the air, making their hair flutter. "Good. Your casting time is getting faster." "All thanks to you." "Mhm." Belle did it as well. As soon as she lifted her hand up a gale of wind rippled like a tidal wave. Fwoooo¡ª¡ª! Just the sheer force of Belle''s wind being sent upwards blew Brandon as he skidded back. "..." Speechless. Belle''s wind magic was on a whole different levelpared to his. Turning towards Brandon with a smirk, she pursed her lips. "Wanna spar?" "Spar¡­?" Brandon cocked his head. "You mean with¡ª" "Swords." She interjected before he could finish. "You haven''t seen me use one yet, right?" "Right." "Follow me." * Belle led him towards an underground basement that could be taken using shiftporters. After the whole Felix incident, shiftporters were easily recreated by anotherpany called Deus Company. Just the sight of the new shiftporters being put to use made Brandon smirk. "Heh." "What''s so funny? "...Nothing." Arriving inside the basement, a vast space became visible. nk¡ª nk¡ª¡ª! "Come on! Put your asses into it!" "You think you can protect the Lord and the Madame with that?!" Voices reverberated throughout the entire space, as the sound of metal shing against metal followed it. Brandon was taken aback. ''A training hall¡­.?'' A bunch of men and women were using the entire space to train. What seemed to be instructors would order them around. It looked like the military. ''Is this really under the mansion?" It didn''t seem like it. But he couldn''t ask Belle. Yet again, another question without an answer. They continued to walk around the dimly lit hallways. This persisted until the light at the end of the tunnel came into view. ng¡ª! As they stepped outside, a colosseum-like arena came into view. What sort of¡­.? A familiar figure''s back registered in their peripheral view. Noticing them, he turned around. "Ah, kids. What are you doing here?" "Hey, Dad." Belle spoke up as she turned to look at the fight happening from way below. Walking towards Omar, she stood beside him as she rested her arms on the railing. The same went for Brandon¡ªwho followed her example. Looking at the arena from up above, Belle opened her mouth. "Any arena we could use?" "Arena? What for?" Belle then looked at Brandon before she turned back to meet Omar''s gaze. Pursing her lips, she smiled. "Me and Brandon are going to spar." "A spar, huh?" Understanding his daughter''s words, Omar nodded. "In that case, let''s use the main arena. " Looking back at the arena, Omar loudly pped his hands. p! p¡ª¡ª! As soon as the sound echoed, all of the people present abruptly stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Omar. "Everyone, clear the area ande up here. My kids are about to spar." As those words left his mouth, everyone present''s eyes lit up and immediately got moving. In just a short amount of time, the arena was cleared, and everyone made their way up and sat at the seats avable. "Mhm." Letting out a small hum, Omar nodded. "Go. I''m quite excited to see this." He alternated his gaze between Belle and Brandon. His mouth then parted open. "I haven''t seen you fight in a while, Belle. And I''d like to see what Brandon can do after being Academy for two months." The two nodded at his words as they walked the flight of the stairs down. Omar stayed above as he leaned forwards, his hands resting on the railing. Staring at the arena, Belle spoke up. "Don''t hold back, okay? Show Dad what you can do now." "Sure¡­" Staring at Belle''s back, Brandon opened his mouth. "Any rules for the spar?" Before she could answer, Belle pinched her chin, pondering. "Hmm¡­." Her soft lips then parted open. "Use all your affinities. You don''t need to hide it anymore. I''ll be solely use [Wind]." Brandon cocked his head at her words. "....Okay. But just wind? Wouldn''t that be unfair?" "Think of this as training as well. I''ll show you the different applications of wind." "I see." Then there''s no need to question her. He knew that Belle was in fact stronger than him. As they made their way down, the two were given wooden swords. After wearing protective gear, they made their way towards the arena, where a referee stood at the center. Swoosh¡ª! Testing the sword out for a swing, Brandon nodded as he looked at Belle who had already gone into a battle stance. The referee''s voice echoed shortly after. ¡ªGo! Chapter 97 Sibling Bonding [2] 97 Sibling Bonding [2] "Woah, the Young Masters are going at it." "How well do you think Sir Brandon would fare against Lady Belle?" "That''s an unfairparison, don''t you think? Lady Belle''s number one among her peers." "Ah, right. I forgot about that." "Yeah, and you know just how Sir Brandon was before attending the Academy." "..." Brandon''s face scrunched up as he overheard the crowd''s conversation. The original Brandon Locke¡­ Just how ipetent was he...? When Belle had told Omar that they were about to spar, Omar looked as if he was in disbelief. As if he didn''t expect the current Brandon to ept the sparring session. ¡ªGo! Breaking him out of his thoughts, the referee''s voice boomed and the match had started. "Wooooh!" The screams and cheers of the crowd followed shortly after. ''Right, Belle told me to show them everything.'' Why? What was the purpose? Regardless, he had to pay attention towards the opponent in front of him. Belle Locke. Just howrge was the gap between the first year and the second year''s strongest? *** Tzz¡ª! As soon as Belle blinked her eyes, Brandon disappeared all of a sudden, and blue sparks rippled in the air from where he once stood. Closing her eyes, Belle tried to feel the mana around the atmosphere. "...There." Crack! With her superb reflexes, she was able to react to Brandon''s attack. Turning sideways, a single swing of her sword had managed to parry Brandon''s quick swing. As the two wooden swords shed, blue sparks coiled around. Foooo! Overpowering Brandon, a gale of wind pushed him, as he skidded back several meters. "Eh..?" She tried to follow up with a counter attack, but found herself unable to move. Looking down, ayer of ice encapsted her entire feet as it rooted her in ce. "Wooooh!" "The Young Master is a Deviant?!" Astonished, the crowd''s screams echoed, reaching Belle''s ears. ''That''s right, my little Brother is amazing.'' Beaming with pride, Belle nodded her head. Ever since they''d arrived at the house, Belle had only ever heardpliments about her from the staff. But never about Brandon. And just the way their parents reacted when Brandon clumsily gave the excuse of changing his room''syout had irked her even further. Her little brother¡­ He was amazing too. Even more so than her. She took pride in him. Which is why she had asked him to spar in their arena. Locke Family. They were a family of military personnels. Apany that specifically trains and fosters Rankers. It was kind of like an Academy, but on the military side. And her Father, Omar Locke, was none other than its General. The shiftporter didn''t lead to the basement, nor anywhere around the house. No, it immediately led to the military base. An expensive shiftporter that could travel long distances. Such was the financial power of the Locke Family. It was only introducedtely in the market. But as soon as it did, Omar bought it without question just to try out the new gadget. 14:20 Omar had introduced it to her a couple of hours ago, which is why Belle knew its secret location. Tzz¡ª! As Brandon disappeared, Belle closed her eyes yet again. "There." Swoosh¡ª! But instead of parrying his strike, a gale of wind blocked the attack for her. There was a reason why Belle was the strongest second year. And that was because in all of her matches, she had never been hit once. But of course, that only stemmed from the second years. The third years were a different matter, and she hadn''t faced any of them yet. Her defense was imprable, and her sensitivity to mana allowed her to sense where an attack woulde from. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! Brandon tried to strike her in a fury, but his sword couldn''t find its way to even touch her. But that was when¡­ Swoosh¡ª! "Uwaa!" A sudden gust of wind lifted her up and sent her flying vertically in the air. Tzz¡ª! Brandon shed upwards and swung the de down at her. Swoosh! Belle dodged the strike with ease as she pushed her feet in the air and skidded sideways. Channeling wind on her feet, Belle started walking in the air. "Wooooh!" The crowd was yet again astonished. What she just did needed expert mastery in their mana control, as well years of cultivating their [Wind] affinity. Wherever she would step, a gale of wind would support her. After being able to do it for so long, it became second nature to her. It was as simple as breathing. As Brandon was up mid-air, Belle used the opportunity to strike him down. Boom¡ª! Her wind empowered sword made contact with Brandon, and he was sent crashing down on the ground. But that was when¡­ "Uwaaaa!" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om She was sent falling down along with him. As if an invisible force was pulling at her leg. What in the¡ª And that was when she saw it. Threads. There was a thin thread that coiled around her leg. The mana on the thread was faint, but Belle managed to notice it in time, as she broke free from its grasp with a small tug of her wind. ''Is this one of his abilities?'' Brandon had surprised her yet again. Looking in front, Brandon was able to mitigate his fall with his wind, as Belle did the same. "Wooooooh! Three affinities?!" And once again, the crowd''s cheers boomed, astonished whenever Brandon revealed his affinities. ''Yes little Brother, show them everything. Show them just how strong you really are.'' She nodded with a smile that beamed with pride yet again. Her brother was an amazing mage, and Belle knew that. She could tell he was going somewhere, and how bright his future actually was. The same went for her. She started envisioning a future where the two of them would be top generals in the military. But she broke free from her thoughts. "Ah." Right. Guilt. She started feeling guilty. Leaving Brandon behind six years ago¡­ Did he resent her for that¡­? She was unsure. Which is why she had tried to rebuild their rtionship ever since she returned from abroad. They¡­ The day she left. They didn''t exactly part ways on the right foot. The fact that her brother had be somewhat a bit cold had made her even more anxious. ''Does he resent me?'' He was an enigma. He was cold, even aloof. And the way he looked at her as if she was a stranger¡­ She felt ufortable. But in the first ce, it was her fault. "Haa¡­." She breathed out a sigh. "Right." Everyday was a chance to rebuild their rtionship. To start anew with her younger brother. It didn''t seem like he hated her. And that was enough assurance for Belle. Kracka! Bolts of blue lightning headed towards her. Empowering herself with wind, Belle easily dodged it. But the moment she did, Brandon had already appeared in front of her. Swoosh¡ª! And yet again, a ripple of wind had managed to block his attack. "Show them everything Brandon. Don''t hold back against me." Brandon''s eyes widened at her words. But contorted to a smile as he nodded. "Alright, Sis." Belle nodded as well with a smile. ''Ah, so he really doesn''t hate me.'' His smile. He was able to give her a warm smile. Crackle! All of a sudden, the ground beneath her began to shake. Looking at Brandon, she gave him a stupefied look. "Earth?" "Yup." How? When? "What the¡­" An earth pir protruded from the ground and lunged towards Belle''s face. Crack! But it immediately shattered from her wind before it made contact. Her peripheral view was blocked from the earth dust. And as the dust settled, water bullets pierced through the air towards her. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! Supporting her wind defense with her swinging, the water bullets sshed around and drenched her slightly. But Belle wasn''t anxious. She was smiling. Show them everything. Your strength. Prove them wrong. Let''s be the strongest together. Such were her thoughts. "Five affinities!?" And the crowd went wild. ''One more. He has one more.'' And as if her thoughts were seemingly read, fire started cascading around Brandon''s palms. "Six?!" Belle nodded as the crowd''s roars reverberated throughout the entire arena. The sheer sight of Brandon''s affinities had made them go wild. Penta Elem¡ª No, for some reason, Brandon was now a Hexa-Elemental Mage. Of course, Belle was taken aback as well. But she decided to put her question on hold. Brandon would tell her sooner orter. She was counting on that. She continued nodding as she smiled. As soon as he sends the torrent of mes, Belle would end the sparring session. "...!" But that was when¡­ "Huaaaaaaaa....!" The mes dissipated, and Brandon had started screaming. Thud! He fell on both knees and started ruffling his hair into a mess. His eyes were wide open as tears had started to form. "Haaa¡­. Haaa¡­!" He started breathing heavily, to the point where even Belle could hear it. Thwack! And he started smacking his head on the ground. "Brandon!" She screamed but it all went to deaf ears. Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Her younger brother¡­ He was losing it. Chapter 98: Sibling Bonding [3] He had realized what Belle was trying to do. The entire sparring session was a stage set by Belle for Brandon to show everyone what he was currently capable of. That much was certain. He didn''t mind it. The people around them respected him, only because he was Omar''s son. Not because he was Brandon. Raising Brandon''s status in the family and to the people around them was the least he could do for the original Brandon Locke. Hence why he went along with Belle''s n. Belle¡­ She didn''t question the threads, but she obviously noticed it. He could trust her. Her warm smile towards him during the entire session had made it clear to Brandon that she adorned her brother. It tugged Brandon''s heart knowing he wasn''t the real Brandon. A fake merely pretending. But, ¡­He could take the mantle. Lightning. Ice. Wind. Curse. Earth. Water. And¡­ Fire. He thought he was fine. He was supposed to be fine. That he had alreadye to terms with what happened in Everde. As the fire cascaded from his palms, an image ovepped with Belle¡ªwho stood in front of him. "No¡­!" Verina. She was suddenly in front of him. All of a sudden, the scenery shifted. He was supposed to be in the arena, sparring with Belle. Yet. Why? He suddenly found himself back in Everde. Back to that night. Voooosh¡ª! mes engulfed the forest''s edge as it tried to envelop the entire surroundings. Dolls stood in every corner, their ss eyes reflecting the fire. Shadows flickered on their faces, creating an eerie scene. "No, no¡­!" He thought he was okay. Thinking he had already convinced himself that he was already okay. "Please¡­." The dream from back then. They¡­ The children. They had already thanked him. The children were free. He had set them free. That''s what they told him. To be at ease. He gave them closure, and they had given it to him as well. But¡­ "Hahaha." He stifled augh. It was nothing but a delusion A delusion just to give him any ounce of assurance. But all along¡­ ¡­This whole time he was merely blinding himself. But now he had finally realized it. He had not moved on from Everde. As he looked at the dolls, they had started ovepping with the images of the children from his memories. ¡­Until there were no more dolls in sight, reced by the children. He lowered his head to look at his hand. Intense mes enveloped his entire arm. Looking ahead, the children had started burning alive. And the mes¡­ They came from him. He was the one burning them. Killing them. The mes were out of control. They started burning everything. The children. Everything just kept burning, and burning, and burning, and¡ª "Hyaaaa¡ª" All of a sudden, a child''s scream echoed in the air. Brandon covered his ears. Verina. Emma. . . All of them. "Get out of my head!" He fell on both knees. "Hyaaaa¡ª" And all the children had started screaming in unison. Despite covering his ears, he could still hear the scream clearly, as if they were screaming right in his ear. "Huaaaaa¡­!" He screamed back to drown out the sound. He couldn''t bear it anymore. "Please, stop¡­!" "Hyaaaa¡ª" Thwack! Thwack! He started banging his head on the ground. Feeling a trickle on his cheek, Brandon paid no heed to it and continued banging his head. Thwack! Once more¡ª "Brandon!" But before his forehead made contact with the ground, a sudden warmth enveloped his entire figure. The screaming had stopped, as well as the sound of the mes crackling. Lifting his head up, a figure blocked his peripheral view. But that''s when he realized. Yet again, just likest time, Belle had locked him in an embrace. Realizing, he hugged her back tightly. His eyes started itching all of a sudden, and before he knew it he started sobbing. "I never wanted to do it¡­" His voice started cracking. "They told me it was okay¡­ That I had already given them closure¡­" Tears started beading down. "Yet why¡­ Why am I still being haunted by them¡­?" And it flowed down his cheek. "I can''t live like this¡­" No matter what he did to distract himself, no matter how convincing, even to the point where he had dreamt about them, he still couldn''t find the peace within himself. Sobbing, the two siblings were locked in a tight embrace for the next few minutes. * He had already proven his prowess towards everyone that was present, including Omar. After Brandon''s panic attack, the family dinner was abruptly canceled as he isted himself in his room. Seated on the floor, as his back was against the bed frame, Brandon took a deep breath. "Hoo." Using his fire affinity somehow triggered some kind of episode. Most likely, post traumatic stress disorder. He needed time. Time toe to terms with everything. He had never even faced Sarah after the incident. But most likely, she resented him now. "Right." Standing up, Brandon walked towards the balcony. It was already 9:00 PM, and he had yet to eat anything. Rumble¡­ A rumbling sound rang from his stomach. Gazing outside, the night was beautiful. There were no clouds, and the stars became visible. The gentle cold wind breezed on his face. Knock. Knock. Someone knocked on the door and a voice followed shortly after. "Brandon, can Ie in?" "Yes." The door opened, and a familiar figure emerged. Her long pale-white hair came into view as her ice blue eyes locked gaze with him. Adorning a night gown, Belle slowly walked towards him and stood by his side. With her hand on the balcony''s railing, her soft voice reached his ears. "How are you feeling?" Looking at the distance, Brandon replied. "Better than earlier." "Hey," She grabbed his attention. Turning his head towards her, their gazes met. Belle continued. "What happened in Everde?" There was no room for hesitation. Belle was the person he could trust the most. That being said, he started to recount everything that had happened in Everde. Their gazes swept the entire courtyard. Brandon continued speaking. While Belle silently listened to his story. As he finished recounting the entire thing, Belle''s eyes widened and she covered her mouth in a state of disbelief. She seemed to struggle in articting her words. The silence continued, but not until Brandon broke the silence as he opened his mouth. "I know it wasn''t my fault, and I know it had to be done. I just don''t understand why I refuse toe to terms with it." "Refusing toe to terms with it? It''s because you''re kind." "..." He didn''t expect that reply. Kind? He had never thought of himself as such. He was merely going with the flow, trying to achieve his goals step by step. To change whatever the novel''s ending was. "You''re a kind person, Brandon. And that stems from your experiences." "..." For all Brandon knew, Belle was probably talking about the original Brandon Locke. Not him. He was nothing but a fake. His thoughts were broken as Belle continued speaking. "I know I haven''t seen you in six years. But these past two months of getting to know the new you, I could definitely say you grew up just fine." Ah. Two months. The exact amount of months he had stayed in this world. "You''re only human, Brandon. Don''t carry this kind of burden as if you''re some kind of broken hero. Like you said, what you did wasn''t your fault¡­" Brandon was perplexed. What was she even trying to say here? "But if you truly knew that, then tell me. Did you even realize that nobody had ever med you for what you did?" And that was when Brandon''s eyes widened. "Sure, that Sarah girl might resent you a bit. But I would''ve reacted the same way as her, if I were in her position. If she was truly smart as you said she was, then she wouldn''t me you." Brandon turned to look at Belle¡ªwho was already looking back at him. "You did what had to be done. Those children¡­ They''re free now, you tell yourself that and yet you contradict yourself." She shook her head. "I''m not trying to invalidate your trauma. But please, Brandon, don''t lose yourself along the process. You''re only sixteen." Brandon could only stay silent the entire time. Belle''s words pierced right through his heart. Everything she said was right. The fact that he had to convince himself that he was alright, and that he had to distract himself from thinking about Everde was indeed contradicting himself. Belle. She wasn''t speaking to the Brandon that she knew from the past. Her words were in fact for the Brandon that she knew now. The fake. The transmigrator. And¡­ The person she considers as her younger brother. Right. Even if he was a fake, he was still his own person. Belle had made it clear to him. ''I''m not her real Brother, but she¡­. She''s my Sister.'' The silence continued, and Brandon found himself smiling. The silence¡­ It wasforting. That was until Belle spoke up. "Hey," She grabbed his attention and he looked at her once again. "Do you¡­" She seemed to struggle finishing her words. "Yes?" He tilted his head. Belle continued, giving him an anxious look. "...Do you still resent me for leaving you back then?" Chapter 99: Enigma [1] ''Resent?'' Just what did the original Brandon do for Belle to feel like he resented her? Another opportunity presented itself. Therefore¡­ "...What do you mean?" "So you don''t remember?" "It''s been six years." "It''s been guing my mind these past few months. But turns out, you actually forgot." Cold sweat started beading from Brandon''s forehead. Looking at Belle, she seemed anxious. ''So their rtionship ended off on the wrong foot then?'' Belle then shook her head. "Since you''ve forgotten about it, that means you actually don''t resent me then." She smiled. "That''s good enough for me." "..." Where the hell is this conversation going? "It''s funny." She snapped him out of his thoughts as she spoke while looking at the distance. "You were begging for me not to go. To the point where you cried. You begged for everyone not to go, to stay at home. You even told Mom and Dad to retire." "..." "You were eight, and yet you looked so tired. I could still vividly remember it. You spoke as if something bad was about to happen to all of us." Something bad? This¡­ "Mom and Dad found it cute, I myself felt the same way. But when I looked into your eyes, I realized there was nothing cute about it." It was all starting to click. "Hey," She turned to look at Brandon as he looked back at her. "If it was as irrelevant, to the point where you''ve forgotten about it, then what was all that about?" "..." He couldn''t respond. He couldn''t formte any words, much less be able to give Belle a reasonable exnation. But he had an inkling. Thest page on the tome clearly stated Time affi¡­ Though thest page was torn in half, it wouldn''t take a genius to know that it was supposed to be affinity. So¡­ Did it have something to do with time? Did the original Brandon have the time affinity? Was he really just a mere extra? Did he know what was about to happen in the future, which is why he had begged for his entire family to stay¡­? Stay away from harm? So that meant¡­ The novel''s ending was just as he feared then? A bad ending. It was a usible theory. Then¡­ ''Why did I rece him?'' Why did he suddenly inhabit Brandon Locke''s body? Ah. The notebook. The one that was hidden away with a magic circle. Could it have the information he needed to solve the puzzle? He couldn''t tell Belle about any of it. With his thoughts gathered, he pursed his lips. "What kind of child wouldn''t be attached to his family?" He decided to lie to her. "Even now, I don''t want to see any of you go." A half life. It went for Belle. He had now considered her as family. But he couldn''t say the same for Brianna and Omar. They were still strangers to him. "Right." Belle nodded her head as she fixed her gaze at the stars. "That''s a reasonable exnation." Her lips curled into a sorrowful smile. "So you don''t resent me, right?" Brandon shook his head. "I can''t say for the me back then. But I definitely don''t resent you now." He had finally epted the mantle. In a way, the transmigration saved his life from his supposed death. And he had the original Brandon to thank for it. There was no need to feel guilty about any of it anymore. As long as he picks up where the original Brandon left off, then maybe he could be forgiven. It was the least he could do for the original Brandon. He was a fake. Yes. But he was also the sessor. Simrly looking at the stars, he silently muttered to himself. "My name is Brandon Locke." *** Sitting on his desk, Omar recalled what had transpired earlier in the arena. After finding out that Brandon was a bonafide Hexa-Elemental Mage had left him no words. The same went for the other Rankers who were present in the arena. Was this really his son? Being a Deviant was already amazing in itself, but being a Hexa-Elemental Mage at that¡­ It was absurd. He could think of a few names on the top of his head that had the same amount or even more affinities just like his son. But then again, it was only a few. When? Since when did Brandon be such an enigma? His son had already been quite entric during his younger years. Now he was even more so. Even Belle, his daughter, was already ridiculous. Butpared to Brandon, she somehow seemed normal inparison. Brandon¡­ He could definitely say that his son was about to be an important figure in the future. It was the start of a new era. "A new era of mages¡­" Staring at the envelope in front of him, Omar opened it. It was sent only a few hours ago. The sender was none other than Astrea Academy. While he was in the arena, his wife received the envelope in his ce. Brianna stood just behind him, and her voice reached his ears shortly after. "See it with your own eyes and tell me what you think." He was aware why Brianna was acting this way. After all, it was none other than their children''s report card. It would usually be sent to the guardians, whenever a term ended. In other words, it was Brandon and Belle''s report card for the preliminaries. Opening it, he took out the two documents. Firstly, Belle''s report. Scanning it, he wasn''t surprised. His daughter had been consistent in her entire first year in the Academy. It wouldn''t be a surprise to see that she still remained at the top. Especially because of her credentials. Sending her to Britannia to master her [Light] affinity was definitely worth it. "Mhm." He nodded and ced the document back on the table. And for the next document. The reason why Brianna was acting differently. Brandon''s report card. Swallowing, he thoroughly scanned the document. As he did so, his eyes widened. Noticing his reaction, Brianna''s voice reached his ears. "What do you think? Is there some kind of err¡ª" "No." He cut her off decisively. "This is no mistake." "What makes you say so?" That was when Omar recounted everything that had happened in the arena. Though Brandon had some kind of episode at the end, he had still proven his prowess. Brandon was old enough to handle whatever gued him. He also had the support of his older sister, Belle. Truth be told, he was only overprotective of his children on the surface. But he was mostly overprotective of his son, Brandon. That was because, from what he remembered, his son was weak. Since Omar was a General, it was highly likely that his son would be exploited by his enemies and would be used against him. He couldn''t allow that. No one messes with his family. Not the Academy, not the rankers, not the guild, not even the strongest, Lucian Frost. As he finished recounting all the details, there was still some hint of doubt from Brianna. "...I can''t believe it." "Then believe it. Our son will be quite the figure in the future." But surprisingly, Brianna allowed his words to digest and she shook her head. "No, both our children will." Omar smiled. "Top one, huh?" Brandon would have to face a lot of problems in the future, given his current standing. "We have to support him as much as we can." "Obviously, he''s our son." Brianna then inched real close behind his back and wrapped her arms around him. She seductively whispered in his ear. "Our children are quite something, aren''t they?" Omar then grasped Brianna''s hand and softly pressed his lips on it. "This calls for a celebration." Just like that, the two ''celebrated'' inside Omar''s office. "...Wait, lock the door first." Brianna sighed. Chapter 100: Enigma [2] After Belle left the room, he finally had time for himself. Sitting on the bed, Brandon retrieved the notebook from his inventory. "..." It was quite thin, and he wasn''t confident there were a lot of pages. But he couldn''tin. Flip¡ª And thus he started scanning its contents. He wanted to take his time and read it slowly. Plus, elerated Cognition''s cooldown wasn''t worth it. "It''s so thin." He could estimate there were only a total of ten pages. And to his surprise¡­ "...A diary." Yet for some reason, the pages weren''t utilized efficiently. The words were written quitergely with nk ink, which filled about the entire page. The first page. ¡ªStop. And that was about it. ¡ªPlease, don''t leave me. The same went for the next page. ¡ªWhy won''t anyone listen? "..." What did it all of it even mean? Who was it even implying to? If he put the three page''s words together, then it could form an entire sentence. "Please don''t leave me. Why won''t anyone listen?" ¡ªDon''t go. And that went for the next page. ¡ªI can''t do this anymore. ¡ªNo matter what I do. ¡ªNo one listens. ¡ªDon''t have much time. ¡ªVisions. ¡ªI need to find him. And that was thest page. "..." Cryptic. Way too cryptic. Who was him? Who did he need to find? "...!" Something caught his attention, and Brandon''s eyes widened. There was some kind of doodle on the back cover of thest page. "This¡­" It was yet again, another magic circle. Was it the final piece of the cryptic puzzle? "..." And it was already glowing. Reaching out for it, he felt the smooth surface of the notebook. Pouring mana into it, the circle started emitting an even brighter glow. "Khh¡­!" A sudden pressure bore down on his hand. His hand started losing its color. The veins were popping out and his hand was gradually turning purple, as if it was losing blood. But he persisted. Not until he had poured enough mana for the circle to activate. And once he did finish¡­ "Akh!" Visions started flooding his mind like a fever dream. mes. The once elegant Academy had turned into nothing but rubbles. "Ukhhh!" His head started aching unbearably. Thud! He slumped down on the ground and gripped his head tightly. He felt like wanting to rip all the hairs on his head. The sky had turned dark, and the moon was up. But the moon¡­ It was red. "Aghh!" He rolled around relentlessly, unable to find any respite. Thwack! And banged his head on the ground. The visions continued. The scenery shifted. The area seemed to be a bunker of some sort. Notebooks, tomes, elixirs, magic circles, all strewn on the floor. A familiar man with ck hair and gray eyes stood with wide open eyes. Blood seeped from his mouth as well as his eyes. It was none other than Jin. BOOM¡ª! A blinding light engulfed the entire scenery, once it faded, there was nothing left. Arge crater was left behind it, and Jin was nowhere to be seen. Was he¡­? And yet again, the scenery shifted. Long golden locks, azure eyes, adorning what seemed to be battle armor. An unfamiliar figure. The scenery was nothing but rubbles and mes. The same red moon was up, casting its red glow on the surroundings. She stood rigid, and was fixed in her position with a sword in her hand. Behind her was a myriad of different weapons that stayed suspended in the air. And¡­ Blood seeped from her mouth. Spurt! A hand impaled right through her. Thud! As the hand was recalled back, she slumped down on the ground. And she closed her eyes. Who¡­? It was all too fast for Brandon toprehend anything. The vision''s scenery had shifted yet again. Portals opening. Wraiths emerging from the portals. A single g that impaled on the ground. And it burned until it was nothing but ashes. A familiar man stood alone amidst the wreckage. His jet-ck hair ruffled by the breeze. His ocean-blue eyes squinted, as blood trickled down his face. It was none other than Raven ckheart, the protagonist of the story. "Kahhh!" The pain persisted, piercing through his head like sharp daggers. It was all vivid, unlike the previous visions the auditory senses were there. "Haa¡­ H-haaa¡­" And he could hear Raven''sborious breathing. The Wraiths weren''t the only ones present. What Raven was currently facing didn''t even nearly fit a Wraith''s description. Several blurry figures descended down from the sky. A hollow blinding light cast down on Raven. The ground shook intensely as the entire atmosphere was engulfed by the blinding light. And as the light faded¡­. Raven disappeared. No traces, nothing. As if he was never there in the first ce. He was, Dead. And the visions that were akin to a fever dream ended there. "Haaa¡­." Gasping for air, Brandonid on the ground, transfixed by what he had just witnessed. It looked like¡­ The end of the world. Was that the novel''s ending? How? How was he able to see those visions from the magic circle? He had seen three figures from the vision, precisely, their deaths. Jin. An unfamiliar woman. And Raven ckheart. But the woman was someone he didn''t know. Why had he seen her death as well? What happened to the rest of the main cast? What was the woman''s importance for Brandon to have seen her death? And, ¡­Just who is the original Brandon Locke? What was his role in all of this? In all of those visions, he had not seen himself nor his own death. Was it his point of view? If that was the case, then how did he survive to witness all their deaths? So it wasn''t his point of view then. So were they¡­ Prophecies? Foresight? Was it the original Brandon Locke''s ability? Questions. Too many questions. And yet he had no answers to them. "Hoo." Catching his breath, Brandon got up and sat down on the bed. Retrieving his phone, he scrolled through his contacts and dialed a specific person. Jin. Ring¡­ Ring¡­. Ring¡­ The call didn''t get through. "Tsk." He clicked his tongue. Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Once again, Jin didn''t pick up. "Damn it." He continued calling him. Again. And again¡­ And again¡­ . . Over thirty five calls, and Jin had never picked up a single one of his calls. "Fucking pick up. I''m trying to save you." He called him once again. "So. Fucking. Pick. Up!" And yet again, Jin didn''t ept his call. But that was when Brandon recalled something from the visions. "The bunker." He might be able to find Jin there. However, he didn''t know where the bunker even was. He recalled once again. The notebooks, the tomes, they were eerily simr to the ones Brandon had. So did that mean¡­ "Jin knew the original Brandon?" Another question. "Fuck." And yet again no answers. But now his goals were clear. The novel''s ending really did end in a tragedy. He was now determined more than ever to change it. The reason for his transmigration¡­ It must''ve been a call for help. From the diary, the original Brandon seemed like he was grasping for straws. He must''ve had those visions as well, trying to tell the people around him but no one would listen to him since he was still a child. It was of course spection. The one person who must have the answers to everything was Jin. But for the meantime, he seemed to be ignoring Brandon at the moment. Three years. That was the deadline Jin gave him to join the Primordials. Looking at the time on his phone, it was already 11:00 PM. But this was no time to bexed. With such thoughts, a single thread extended from his finger. Every second, the future was looming close. And thus he trained for the entire night. Chapter 101: Banquet [1] Two days went by in a sh. It was Thursday, August, 9. 9:00 AM. The Locke family had received yet again, another envelope. Opening the envelope, Omar took out what seemed to be a letter inside. ncing at the letter, his brows twitched at the sight of the stamp embedded on it. A ck stamp that he was all too familiar with. The Imperial Army. The main military organization that facilitates the entire country, and the group that Omar belonged to. He was one of the top ranking officers within the Imperial Army. In particr, a Field Marshal. Hence a letter from the organization weighed significant importance. === To: Locke Family. The Imperial Army cordially invites you to a formal banquet in honor of our esteemed supporters. The event will be held on August 10, 2148, at 7:00 PM. Your presence at this banquet would be a privilege as we celebrate the invaluable contributions of families like yours. The event will be held in La Britannia, Vale City.... . . . And he skimmed through the rest of the contents. "I see." He pinched his chin. Vale City was the main capital of the country. Also where Astrea Academy was located. After finding out his son''s current prowess, there was no hesitation. A chance for him to show off his children to the generals and other military officers. With such thoughts, he called out loud. "Alfred!" nk¡ª! The door abruptly opened, and out emerged a man adorning a butler uniform. "Yes, my Lord?" "Gather the Family." *** After Omar informed the family, they were immediately dismissed and were instructed to prepare for their departure. "Haa¡­ We just got here.." Belle let out a heavy sigh as she sat face-to-face with Brandon. "Nothing we can do." Brandon shrugged. Scanning Belle''s displeased face, he opened his mouth. "You don''t seem eager to go." "Because I''m not." She replied decisively. "Why not?" "That guy will be there." "Hm?" Who¡­? What kind of person was able to make the sweet Belle react this way? Frowning, Belle resolved his confusion. "H-haa¡­ My Vice President, Adrien Frost." Again, Who¡ª "Ah." "Hm? You know him?" He did. Adrien Frost, a major character in the novel. And, The younger brother of the current strongest ranker, Lucian Frost. "Yes. The strongest third year student, right?" "It''s nepotism." Belle crossed her arms and frowned. "If you ask me who the strongest third year student is, I''d ce my bet on the top two." "Top two?" A character he had never seen in the novel. But if Belle spoke this highly of this person, then Brandon could only agree. "Yeah, Amelia Constantine." Again, Who? "I''d like to meet this person someday then." "You''ll meet her sooner than you think." "What do you mean?" Belle pinched her chin, seemingly pondering. As soon as she knew what to say, the words left her mouth. "The Constantine Family, ring any bells?" "..." Brandon knitted his brow. Just tell me. Why did she have to leave it in riddles¡­? "No." Belle then nodded at his words and finally informed him. "The Constantine Family''s head is the Grand Marshal of the Imperial Army." "Ah." Brandon''s eyes lit up. "So Amelia Constantine is the Daughter of this Grand Marshal?" "Yup." "So that means she''s going to be at the banquet?" "Exactly." She nodded. "You were still way too young back then, so Dad never brought you to these banquets. But Amelia and I were oftenpared to each other by a ridiculous criteria." "What?" "...Which one of us would grow up to be a beauty." "..." Then Belle frowned, voicing out her displeasure. "Those disgusting old toads¡­" "..." Indeed. If her words are true, which they most likely are, then it meant those old military officers were eyeing on young girls. "..." The thought made Brandon''s face contort into one of disgust. "Haa¡­." Taking a deep breath, Belle leaned down on the table with her arms covering her face. "This is why I don''t want to go. Too many problems." "Makes sense." That being said, the two stood up and walked separate ways as they headed to their own rooms. "Haa¡­" Sighing, Brandon started packing his things. Knowing that two bigshots of the Academy were going to attend the banquet, he couldn''t shake off the feeling that something was about to happen. Not just them, but there was a high chance that a specific person would attend. Lucian Frost. He was only stated as the strongest in the novel, but he was barely explored by the author. Just what kind of man is he? * It was a long road trip. At 8:00 PM, they stopped at a restaurant in the city and had dinner. "Eh¡­? So the two of you are living with a pretty girl?" Throughout dinner, Brianna and Belle started gossiping. For some reason, Brianna was only listening to whatever she wanted to listen to. And Brandon shook his head at that statement. Belle clearly told her that Rachel was their neighbor. And for some reason¡­ Belle yed along with her. "That''s right, Mom." Belle then looked at Brandon with a smirk in which Brandon rolled his eyes. Brianna gasped and covered her mouth. "And this pretty girl is cooking for Brandon? I bet she''s a good cook." And as a matter of fact, Belle had never said anything about Rachel cooking for him. Brianna was filling in the nks with her imagination or something. The entire time, Omar would teasingly nudge Brandon''s shoulder. "If you need advice, your old man is always free." He then leaned into Brandon''s ears and whispered. "I know a cheap ce where you could get contraceptives." Brandon''s entire body twitched at Omar''s words. What kind of advice was that to a sixteen-year-old boy? Thoughts such as those had never even registered in Brandon''s mind. Not even romance. He had goals he needed to achieve, and romantic rtionships were not one of them. Omar continued to whisper indecent topics in his ear, but it all went to deaf ears. * After dinner, their parents decided to stay in the Asami Complex apartment. Thankfully, they didn''t run into Rachel. Who knows what Brianna would do once she meets her. But it wasn''t because Brandon told Rachel to hide. For some reason, Rachel wasn''t in the apartment. Wherever she went, Brandon had no idea. The two never really texted each other that much. As they entered the apartment, they were greeted by the sight of a spotless and pristine living room. But what caught their parent''s attention was the peculiar instrument situated on the corner. "Piano?" Brianna''s brows raised. "Yup." Belle nodded. "You know how to y?" "Brandon does." "Really?" They all turned to look at him. "Still practicing." "Show us." "It would ruin the surprise." Brandon smirked. And as those words left his mouth, Brianna''s eyes lit up. "Surprise?" "Brandon''s nning on having a piano recital during the festival." At Brianna''s confusion, Belle informed her. Brianna then looked at Brandon with widened eyes. "Is this true?" "Yup." Smack! "That''s my boy!" Omar smacked Brandon''s back as he let out a heartyugh. "We''re kind of tired. Where should your Mother and I stay?" "You can stay in my room." Brandon answered him. "I''ll sleep in the living room." Noticing his courtesy, Brianna anxiously asked. "Are you sure¡­?" "Yes, please make yourselves at home. Both of you are paying for this entire ce anyway." "Sob, sob. I''ve raised you¡­ So well¡­" Brianna started exaggerating as teardrops trickled down her cheek. That being said, their parents entered Brandon''s room. Belle entered her own room as well. Time passed and it was lights out. Laying on the couch, Brandon tried to sleep, but he couldn''t. Strange muffled sounds echoed from his room. Realizing themotion, Brandon covered his ears with a pillow. ¡ªOh, oh! Omar¡­! ¡ªI''m... But no matter how much he tried to drown out the sound, it would always reach his ears somehow. What the hell. "Can''t believe they''re at it again.... And in my room¡­" It was the same when they were back in the mansion. Inside Omar''s office, strange sounds such as these echoed throughout the entire mansion. On their first day in the mansion at that. ¡ªOh my god! There''s a lot....! Chapter 102: Banquet [2] Tak¡ª Tak¡ª¡ª! Roaming the Academy halls, the clicking of her heels echoed throughout the entire hallway. Her bright golden locks fluttered at each step, and she could feel several gazes follow her. "Ahh¡­ It''s Amelia." "She''s as pretty as always." The murmurs of the other student reached her ears, but she paid no heed to them as she continued to stride forward, not sparing them any nce. It was the same as usual. Growing up, she was often told how pretty she was and she would soon grow up to be such a beauty. Nothing new. She frowned at the thought. There was more to her than her beauty, and yet it would always outshine her other perks. Her azure eyes swept the view, eventuallynding on a familiar figure that stood to block her path. "Amelia, you''re going to the party, right?" "Yes." "Then," Adrien paused and shed her a slight bow. "Will you give me the honor of being your escor¡ª" "No." Refusing him, Amelia walked forward and left the academy without even looking back. Adrien. They knew each other for a long time. They could even consider each other as childhood friends. But for Amelia, the friendship ended when he tried to court her a while back. Too many admirers. Yet she knew all too well how shallow his feelings were. The way he looked at her as if she was some kind of prize, a trophy. Amelia shuddered at the thought. "Disappointing." She clicked her tongue. Looking ahead, a white car was parked outside the academy. A man stood with a butler uniform and greeted her. Looking at her butler, she fixed her expressions and shed him a smile. "Good evening, Richard." "Good evening, Miss Amelia." Richard opened the car''s door for her. Nodding, Amelia gave her thanks. She then entered the car as it drove off shortly after. *** 7:21 PM, La Britannia Venue. ¡ªIf I may have your attention, Field Marshal Locke has arrived as well as his family. Pay your respects, officers. As the Locke''s family name resounded across the entire hall, the previous noise and chatter immediately silenced. Tak! Everyone present stomped their feet and straightened their postures. "Wee, Field Marshall Locke." The words were spoken loudly and in unison, and all the officers present gave a salute. From beside Brandon, Omar gave his salute and nodded back with a smile. Waving his hand down, he motioned for them to stop. "At ease." And as those words left his mouth, everyone halted their salutes. The banquet hall was spacious and elegant. Long tables covered with crisp white linens stretched across the room, set with polished silverware and sparkling sses. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a bright warm glow over the room. The walls were adorned with gs and insignias, the significant symbols of the Imperial Army. The guests present were dressed in their finest attire. Men wore tailored suits and polished shoes, adorned with medals and insignias. Women donned elegant dresses in various colors,plemented by expensive jewelry and graceful hairstyles. As the Locke family made their way further in the venue, the officers continued to mingle with one another. A burly old man with white hair approached them. "Field Marshal Omar, pleased to see you again. And to his family, wee! "Haha, likewise, General Chrome." Turning his head back, he looked at his family. "I''m sure you''re familiar with my Wife." "Greetings, General Chrome." Brianna gave a light bow and greeted the man. "Greetings as well, Lady Brianna." Chrome then looked at the two siblings, who stood with regal and confidence. Looking back at Omar, he opened his mouth. "I presume they must be your children?" "That''s right." Omar nodded with a smile. "Allow me to introduce you." He then motioned his hand and introduced the youngdy. "This is Belle, you may have seen her a couple years back." Belle stepped forward beside her father, and gave Chrome a smile of her own. "Greetings, General Chrome." With a heartyugh, Chrome waved his hand down. "Haha, at ease, Lady Belle." She adorned a graceful white dress which entuated all her curves, a pair of gold dangling earrings on both her ears. And makeup to finish her look. Most of the guests present werepletely entranced by her beauty, and she could as well feel their gazes. Chrome then looked at Omar and pursed his lips. "Belle''s grown up to be a fine woman. I remember the little girl, always hiding behind your back during these parties." "She''s my Daughter after all." Omar then frowned and motioned his hand in front of Belle. "Now don''t get any funny ideas, Chrome. I''ve known you for over 23 years. Stay away from my Daughter." "..." Belle''s brows twitched at the sight. What the hell was her Father doing in such a public ce? Slightly, Chrome twitched and retorted. "Calm down, Omar. I''ve recently found myself a girlfriend." "Oh? You''ve managed to trick a poor soul? I''m impressed." "Trick? Nonsense. This woman loves me. In fact, we went all down and dirty before this party¡ª" "Kuhum..." A cold cough cut him off. Noticing the icy gaze from Brianna, Chrome immediately shuddered from the sight. "If the two of you are going to continue with these topics, then please go away. In fact, please leave, my children are here." Omar then shuddered at her words again. "Haha, now, now Brianna. Chrome here is just as excited as I am. We haven''t seen each other in two years after all." "And the two of you are still the same from your Academy Days." "..." They were silenced at her icy voice. Truth be told, Omar and Chrome could consider each other best friends. It was a familiar sight for the three of them, Brianna being their mitigator. Composing himself, Chrome turned to look at the tall young man with strikingly simr features to his mother, as well as his sister. "And this is your Son?" Omar then motioned his hand to introduce his son. "Yes, this is Brandon. It''s his first time in an Imperial Army setting." "I can see that." Chrome then gestured his hand in front of Brandon for a handshake. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Sir Brandon." "The pleasure is all mine, General Chrome." "Haha, what a dignified boy. At your age, your Father here¨C" "Kuhum..." Brianna once again cut him off. As they continued to mingle, they were soon halted and the entire venue fell into a hushed silence as another announcement resounded. ¡ªThe Grand Marshal has arrived as well as his family. Pay your respects, officers. A tall bulky man with golden hair entered the venue, followed by a youngdy with bright golden locks and azure eyes. The entire family walked with an air of authority. But what caught Brandon''s attention wasn''t the Grand Marshall. No, his gaze was fixed at the youngdy who continued to walk graceful steps. Her azure eyes continued to sweep the view, slightly bowing and smiling at the guests that would greet her. The image of the youngdy who had just arrived was deeply imprinted in Brandon''s mind. She was familiar. He had definitely seen her before. He had not met her, not even once. But the sight of her left him with wide open eyes. "I see Amelia has arrived." Belle scanned the Grand Marshal''s family as well. Brandon was transfixed and his eyes continued to follow Amelia''s figure. She adorned a graceful golden dress, etched with all kinds of silverware jewelry. Her hair fluttered at each step she took as all eyes seemed to follow her. The entire room waspletely captivated at the sight of Amelia. Brandon was no exception, but for a different reason. "She¡­" There was not a hint of doubt in his eyes. Amelia Constantine was the woman from the visions. Chapter 103: Banquet [3] "Lady Amelia, I''d like to introduce you to my Son, Wesley." "Always as beautiful as ever, Lady Amelia." "Lady Amelia, if you would spare us a little bit of your time¡ª" As soon as her parents separated from her, several military officers would approach, bringing their children along to introduce themselves. And each time she would decline their offer as kind as she could. She was sick of it. All she wanted to do was walk towards her only friend at the party, Belle. But she would always be halted by the officers. She couldn''t be rude to them as much as she wanted to. As the daughter of Albert Constantine, the Grand Marshal, she had to exhibit proper decorum. "Thank you for your kind offer. But I''d have to ask my Father first." Those were the magic words she''d often use for the officers to back down. She knew what they were up to. To climb the ranks of the Imperial Army in a cheap way, getting on her good side. But for some reason¡­ "There''s no need for that, Lady Amelia. Just a brief conversation is all I ask for." Her words didn''t reach the officer and he crossed the line. "No." A t out refusal. There was no other option. Just like that, she continued to walk towards her friend. Her familiar long pale-white hair came into view, and what stood beside her was a tall man with strikingly simr features as Belle. But yet again¡­ "Lady Amelia¨C" "Thank you, I will get back to you shortly after the banquet." She halted the officer''s son''s words before he could even finish, not paying a single nce at his dejected look. Annoying is all she could describe the entire ordeal. All of them¡­ They were only after her looks and her status. All they could ever see was the Constantine blood running through her veins. Not Amelia, the eighteen-year-old girl who had only wanted someone to see her for true self. Not her status, not her looks, not her wealth, just Amelia. Despite being ranked as the second strongest third year student, none could see how much effort she put into herself. ¡ªIt only makes sense since she''s the Grand Marshal''s Daughter. ¡ªThat''s because she''s a Constantine. ¡ªSecond? Maybe it''s because she''s a woman. And in the end, the first rank was given to a man due to nepotism. She was more than just the Grand Marshal''s daughter. Why were efforts always invalidated? She even had a special affinity, but it was looked down upon since it wasn''t as shy as the others. The thought made her clench her fist. "Haa¡­" As she breathed out a small sigh, she had finally made it to Belle. "Amelia, d to see you." "You too, Belle. This party sucks." "Tell me about it. I''ve been hit on thirteen times." The two breathed out an audible sigh andughed in unison. "This party was way more bearable when we were younger." "Right?" "Ah, let me introduce you to my Brother." She was well aware of Belle''s younger brother. Amelia had never met him, not even once. She had only heard about him from conversations with Belle when they were younger. But at the start of the semester, news about him had reached her ears. The young man stepped forward at Belle''s call and he gave her a light bow. "Pleased to meet you, Amelia. My name is Brandon Locke¨CUkh!" Frowning, Belle nudged his elbow. "Formalities." At the sight of the two siblings, Amelia pressed her lips with her hand and stifled augh. "Haha~ You two seem close." "Please don''t mind him, Amelia." Amelia waved her hand down to calm Belle. "It''s fine, Belle. I''d rather have him call me Amelia without the formalities." "If you say so." Belle''s expressions contorted to a defeated look. Changing the topic, Belle looked at Amelia and pursed her lips. "That aside, have you received the documents?" "Yeah, I didn''t n on epting at first since Adrien presented it. But when I saw your signature, I guess I had to do my friend a favor." "Thanks, I couldn''t think of anyone more fitting for the job other than you." Belle then looked at Brandon who looked at her back. "Don''t worry, this guy will be working under you. So you can use him as you please to lighten your load." "Really¡­?" Brandon then nodded and opened his mouth. "Yes, I didn''t know the head would be you. But it''ll be a pleasure working with you." He then extended his hand and gestured for a handshake. Amelia took the offer and they shook hands. "Likewise, Brandon." As she looked at his expressions, she felt something off. The way he looked at her¡­ It wasn''t like the look she was used to. The way others would look at her as if they were snakes trying to snag a trophy. No, the way Brandon looked at her made him seem as if he was¡­ Afraid? Wary¡­? Why was he wary of her when they had just met? It was quite peculiar, and it was something she was not used to. She felt ufortable under his gaze. Just what was on his mind to be looking at her with such expressions? But it seemed like Belle didn''t notice as she yfully nudged at his elbow yet again. Belle leaned close to Brandon and whispered something. But failing to do so as Amelia was able to hear it. "You''re staring at Amelia quite a lot." She then smirked, as if Amelia couldn''t see it. "She''s out of your league, little brother." Amelia rolled her eyes as she heard that. What the hell was Belle even talking about? The two''s hands then departed from the handshake. Belle rubbed her elbows and turned her head to look towards a specific entrance with tall windows. "Anyway, why don''t we all head out the balcony? This ce feels kind of stuffy." "Agreed." Amelia nodded. *** The three then beckoned towards the balcony. "..." "..." "..." But were immediately halted as another familiar announcement resounded. ¡ªAttention! Field Marshal Frost has arrived as well as his family. Pay your respects, officers. All heads flicked towards the venue''s entrance and out emerged a short framed man with light blue hair. Behind him followed a tall man with light blue hair, and blue eyes. Brandon looked at the two girls behind him. Scanning, their expressions were fixed into one of disgust. ''So that''s him, huh?'' And it was then when a sudden pressure bore down on everyone present. ''It''s him.'' Another figure emerged from the entrance. Walking calm steps, he followed the two men in front of him. With simr small stature as the Field Marshal, his light blue hair waved at every step he took. His cold blue eyes seemed detached as his expressions disyed visible confidence. The entire venue was filled with powerful military officers. But under the presence of the neer, they seemed to pale inparison. His image was deeply imprinted in Brandon''s mind, sending shivers down his spine. Not just him, but the two women beside him seemed to shudder at the sight of the man. Brandon''s gaze was fixed on him and for a brief second, he felt as if the man stared right back at him. "..." The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. ''Goosebumps.'' The man was a fixed distance away from them. He didn''t look at the other officers, yet he met Brandon''s gaze. Lucian Frost, the strongest ranker had finally made his appearance. Chapter 104: Banquet [4] In the presence of his brother, Adrien was once again outshined. "Sir Lucian, my Family would like to thank you for your service." "If there''s a possibility, can I arrange a meeting with you, Sir Lucian?" "Sir Lucian!" "Sir Lucian¡ª" Always Lucian and never Adrien. They were both from the Frost family, but not once had he ever been approached like this outside the Academy. It was a familiar sight. He was irritated. Butposed himself. It only made sense knowing how strong his older brother was. He was the pride of humanity, a height no one could ever dare to reach. There was no point inpeting with him. It wasn''t just Adrien. The entire hall was filled with military officers who were more powerful than him, and yet even they couldn''t live up to his brother. And thus he decided to leave it there. Sipping on wine for the next minute, he frowned. He had been trying to look for a specific person the entire time. But for some reason, she wasn''t present. Didn''t Amelia say she was going to attend? Then where was she¡­? "Haa¡­" He breathed out a sigh as he fixed the cor of his suit. The entire party felt suffocating. For him, the only one who could make it bearable was the presence of Amelia. And yet she wasn''t here. There was also another person he wanted to see, yet she wasn''t here either. Just where could Belle and Amelia be? Though his feelings weren''t as strong towards Bellepared to Amelia, he had still found her attractive. Which is why he wanted to be on her good side when he tried to appoint her brother for the disciplinarymittee position. Though Belle refuted, and it was something he hadn''t expected, the proposal was still approved in the end. He had shown her that he was a man that wouldn''t back down. Surely, Belle was impressed by his prowess. Surely. He was recently informed that her younger brother, Brandon, had epted his proposal. He was going to test him for a light spar, in which he would lose on purpose just to get on Belle''s good side. A fool proof n. If he couldn''t win Amelia over, then Belle was his second choice. Both were beautiful women that no man could dare to touch. Besides him, of course. He was a man of lofty status. Adrien Frost, second son of the Frost family, and the younger brother of Lucian Frost. No other man is more worthy than him for Amelia or Belle. The two of them together didn''t sound too bad either. Amelia had been quite stubborn in recent years, so his chances were quite low. Belle on the other hand was the President he worked under. Pinching his chin, he started measuring his chances with the two. And as he found his conclusion it was¡­ 70% with Belle, and 30% with Amelia. Closing his eyes, he nodded with a smile. Such thoughts were the only thing that kept him in a good mood. Setting his goblet back on the table, he decided to go to the balcony for fresh air. The room felt quite stuffy. "Sir Adrien, where are you going?" "Just going to take a breather, don''t mind me, Sir." Giving the officer a light bow, Adrien continued in his steps. "..." But he was soon halted by the sight that greeted him. "...What the fuck?" Amelia¡­ She was outside this whole time. On the balcony. Standing, Andughing. Next to¡­ ¡­A man. A sudden rage boiled within Adrien. Amelia had neverughed like that whenever she was with him. So who, "Who the fuck is that man standing right beside my Amelia?!" A sudden ringing sound echoed in his ear. All the sounds were drowned out as a vein popped in his forehead. Step¡ª He walked heavy steps as headed towards the balcony''s entrance. m! The door mmed open and he immediately caught their attention as their heads turned towards him. Amelia called out to him, but it all went to deaf ears as he continued to walk towards the man with pale-white hair. The man tilted his head, perplexed by Adrien''s sudden appearance. "Adrien, what are you¡ª" "Quiet." He then gripped the man''s cor tightly. Staring into his ice-blue eyes, he voiced out his disdain. "Who the fuck are you?" "Adrien let go of hi¡ª" "I said quiet. How could you let a guy like this¡ªUkh!" A sudden pressure bore down on him. But as he looked at the man, it seemed like it didn''te from him, evident by his confused expression. No, it came from Amelia. "Leave, now." "Amelia, why?" He then looked back at the man who continued to look puzzled. "What does he have that I don''t?" "Leave." But Adrien didn''t stand down. The man in front of him¡­ He looked familiar. But the rage engulfed his mind toprehend just who he was. Ignoring Amelia, he looked back at the man. Gripping his cor tightly, he frowned. "Who are you? Who''s son even are you¡ªAkh!" Another pressure bore down on him. With two pressures on him, he fell on one knee. "Who the fuck¨C" As he turned around, his words were immediately halted by the sight of a familiar figure who had just entered the balcony. Her long pale-white hair was brushed in an elegant hairstyle as her ice-blue gaze was fixed on him. She was as beautiful as he remembered. And her brows were knitted tightly. He could sense the rageing from her. Both of the women he was eyeing on¡­ They¡­ They were furious at him. Furious for the sake of the man that stood before him. Just who was he for them to react this way? But it was then when he looked back at the man and realized something. His eyes widened. "You." "...?" The man tilted his head. "Can you let go of me now?" "You''re Brandon Locke." "Yes?" And as his suspicions were confirmed, he looked up at Brandon. The pressure dissipated and he got up. He stood stupefied with his eyes wide open. This¡­ The situation took a wrong turn. His ns were obstructed by his blinding rage. He had angered the women around him. And now he had made a bad impression on his junior, Brandon. Bad was an understatement, but he couldn''t admit that. Staring at Brandon, his mouth opened and he gave him a low bow. "I apologize, I don''t know what came over me." Fixing his cor, Brandon waved him off. "I''m fine, but what about you?" "What do you mean?" "Look." Extending his hand forward, Brandon pointed at the windows behind him. Turning around, what greeted his sight were all the guests who looked at the entire scene with shocked expressions. But that wasn''t what caught his attention. A sudden chill ran down his spine. Just near the window, his brother, Lucian, looked at him with a cold gaze as his face darkened. Others might not have noticed the sudden change in Lucian''s expressions, but Adrien could. His brother''s usual indifferent expression was nowhere to be seen. He had never seen his brother make such a face. His body shuddered as he continued to stare at his brother. And before he knew it, Lucian was already by the balcony''s entrance. Everyone looked at Lucian with widened eyes, even Brandon who was previouslyposed. He could see Belle and Amelia suddenly grow wary at the sight of Lucian. Most likely afraid of what Lucian would do. "Adrien." As his brother''s cold monotonous voice reached his ears, Adrien continued to shudder in fear. "B-brother¡­" "What do you think you''re doing?" "T-this is a misunderstanding¡­" Adrien looked at Brandon with pleading eyes. "I-isn''t it, Brandon¡­?" "..." Chapter 105: Banquet [5] Time passed like a blur. Belle had left Amelia and Brandon to go to the bathroom. Brandon would then emptily listen to Amelia''s stories about the times she spent with the younger Belle. She would evenugh at her own jokes from time to time. For some reason, Amelia was trying to ease him. There was a certain tension that Brandon felt around Amelia. After all, he had witnessed her death, albeit¡ªthrough a vision. He couldn''t help but stand in a daze, seeing the same person alive and breathing. Then as he was lost in his thoughts, for some reason, Belle''s Vice President was scruffing his cor. But still, Brandon was stupefied at the sight. Just what the hell did he do for Adrien to react that way? It was peculiar. But he couldn''t do anything to retort, not now. He couldn''t allow another Felix incident to happen. If it did, who knows what Lucian would do. And thus he continued to ponder to himself throughout the entire ordeal. Everything happened way too fast that when he was snapped out of his thoughts, Lucian was already standing before him. Staring at Lucian''s cold gaze, Brandon looked at him with widened eyes. He didn''t expect to interact with Lucian so soon. In fact, he would''ve liked it if he could avoid him for as long as he lived. But it couldn''t be helped. Thanks to the randommotion that this so-called Vice President caused, he had already caught Lucian''s attention. "I-isn''t it, Brandon?" "..." Isn''t what¡­? He wasn''t paying attention in the first ce. "Doesn''t matter." Lucian''s monotonous voice resounded. Immediately, everyone stood frozen as an ominous pressure gripped them. "Adrien." And as the next words left his mouth, Adrien seemed like he was about to bawl into tears. "Get down on your knees and apologize to him." "B-brother! I''ve already apolog¡ª" "Adrien." Adrien''s voice was immediately halted as Lucian cut him off. Lucian''s voice felt dry and empty, but it held a certain weight that even Brandon found himself speechless. It was then when Adrien followed Lucian''s instructions and got on his knees. "I''m sorry¡­ Brandon¡­" All of a sudden, Lucian appeared before them and forcefully pushed Adrien''s head down. "Lower." Lucian bowed before Brandon as well and opened his mouth. "I apologize as well for my Brother''s behavior. I''ll see to it that something like this never happens again." "...Uh?" What the hell just happened¡­? Lucian Frost, the strongest, was prostrating himself before him? m! The door abruptly mmed open, and out emerged another man with a small stature. It was Field Marshal Frost. "Lucian, apologizing is enough. There''s no need to do all that. We''re the Frost Fami¨C" And yet again, their father''s words were cut off as Lucian turned his head to re at his Father. "Is that how you''re supposed to raise your children?" Lucian got up and walked towards his father. "Adrien here has more than humiliated the Frost Family. A little something like this wouldn''t hurt, no?" "Lucian¡­ I don''t know why you''re reacting this way but¨C" "Silence, Field Marshal Frost." Despite being of the same height as his father, it felt like Lucian was towering over him. No, everyone. Was this what it means to be the strongest? "You seem to have forgotten your ce. That man over there¡­" Lucian pointed towards Brandon''s direction. "...Is the son of Field Marshal Locke, the same rank as you." He red coldly at his father, and continued. "But unlike you, Field Marshal Locke was handfully picked as the Grand Marshal''s right hand." "...Is that true?" Lucian ced his hand on his father''s shoulder. Leaning close to him, he whispered in his father''s ear. "Unlike you, who had only climbed the ranks due to my standing, Field Marshal Locke actually attends the meetings." "..." "Go home, my presence here is enough." Step¡ª As he finished his words, Lucian calmly walked away as if nothing had ever happened. Speechless. Everyone was utterly speechless, unable to do or say a thing to Lucian. Adrien then got up and brushed the dust off his clothes. "Sorry you had to see me like this, Brandon. I hope to show you a better side of myself back at the Academy." He walked towards his father and ced his arm on his shoulder. "If you''ll excuse us, we''ll be going now." "Wai¨C" But Brandon''s words reached no one as he stared at the father and son''s departing back. This¡­ It was all a mess. And now¡­ He had grabbed all the officers in the room''s attention. They looked at Brandon as they spoke to one another. Brandon couldn''t hear them since they were on the other side of the room. "You okay?" Belle approached him and ced her hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, just confused." "I don''t me you." Amelia spoke from the side as she leaned on the railing. "I''ve seen Sir Lucian a couple of times as a child. Not once had he ever acted that way, despite Adrien''s personality." "..." If Lucian was really watching out for the Locke''s, then he should have been looking for their father, Omar Locke. Yet for some reason, the moment Lucian arrived at the venue, his gaze immediatelynded on Brandon. And not once had Lucian ever spoken to their father throughout the entire party. It was now all clear to him. Lucian Frost valued Brandon highly. But in the first ce, how had he evene to know about Brandon? But Brandon dismissed his thoughts. He was at a party. And it seemed like Lucian meant him no harm. Snapping him out of the daze was Belle''s voice. "You''ve been staring at Amelia for a while¡­" "Uh?" He hadn''t realized since he was lost in his thoughts that his gaze was fixed on Amelia. All he felt was tension as he looked at her wless face. Right. The girl beside him¡­ She was going to die in the future. *** Before Adrien and his father left, a certain voice resounded and they halted in their steps. "Wait." Turning around, what greeted his sight was Lucian, standing with his usual indifferent expression. "Yes, Brother?" "Let me exin myself." He walked towards them. Alternating his gaze between his younger brother and father, he opened his mouth. "Brandon Locke and I share a mutual acquaintance. And this acquaintance of mine values him highly." Again, a sudden pressure bore down on the two. Just not as intense as the previous time. But it was strong enough to make the hair of the back of Adrien''s neck stand on end. "So from now on, the Frost Family will treat Brandon Locke like a VIP." The pressure was then released. Turning around, Lucian walked away. "Brother, wait!" Adrien called up to him. "What about his Family?" Lucian turned his head back. Before he could answer, there was a brief pause. Pinching his chin, Lucian answered. "What do I care about his Family? I specifically stated Brandon Locke, and Brandon Locke only." Just like that, Lucian left. There was definitely more to Brandon Locke than meets the eye. This acquaintance of his brother¡­ Just who was he for Lucian to be subservient towards him? There was definitely something going on behind the scenes. The winds were about to change. And if Adrien wanted to survive, then he had to y all of his cards right. Adrien clenched fist at the thought of disrespecting Brandon. It was truly a dumb move. Of course he would be friends with Amelia. Belle and Amelia were pretty close after all. It wouldn''t be far-fetched to say that she would be close to Brandon as well. Adrien smiled. Yes. If he were to salvage his rtionship with Brandon, then he still had a chance with the two women. "Let''s go, Father." That being said, Adrien left the venue with a smile on his face. Chapter 106: Festival Preparations [1] Three days went by in a sh. Their one week off had finallye to an end and it was already Monday. Currently it was time for homeroom. It was yet again, a familiar sight. Students mingled with one another as they discussed what they had done during the break. The entire lecture room bustled with activity. But was soon put to a hushed silence as a familiar figure emerged from the door. All eyes fell on her as her smooth brown hair flowed freely. She was a sight for sore eyes. One of the most beautiful Professors in the Academy. As she made her way towards the podium, Vanessa settled the documents in her hand and ced them on a nearby table. Her hazel eyes turned to scan each poor student''s anxious faces. That was because everyone was well aware of what today entailed. Their preliminary exam results would finally be distributed. A tense silence gripped the room. But the silence was then broken as Vanessa''s voice echoed in the air. "Firstly, I''d like to congratte these three students for making it into the top three performers of the recent exam." She extended her hand and clicked on the white circr device on the podium. Click¡ª All of a sudden, a blue hologram frame materialized itself behind her. On it disyed a familiar face. One that Brandon knew all too well. [Brandon Locke] [Score: 800/800] [ced: 1st] Brandon''s eyes widened at the sight. But soon contorted it back to his usual expression. It was expected. If he didn''t get a perfect score, then his skill was a load of bull. Technically it wasn''t cheating. He still had to read the books after all, but with the assistance of [elerated Cognition]. Right, it wasn''t cheating. ''Of course not.'' Definitely. "Woah, a perfect score? That''s crazy¡­" "He''s not just strong and handsome, he''s smart!" "I''m so jealous¡­." Brandon''s face twitched hearing thements of his fellow ssmates. "Congrats." Raven''s voice reached him from the side. Turning his head to look at him, he returned the gesture. "You too." "Thanks." After all¡­ [Raven ckheart] [Score: 799/800] [ced: 2nd] One mistake. "Haa¡­" Raven could only sigh at his blunder. "...It was because I ran out of time." "It''s just prelims. You might top midterms." Brandon then turned back and his eyes met with a familiar dark-crimson gaze. Pursing his lips, he shed her a nonchnt smile. "Congrats to you too." Rachel smiled back at him. "A perfect score is crazy though. I don''t think I canpete with that." Her shoulders slumped down. [Rachel Asami] [Score: 772/800] [ced: 4th] And for the rest of their friends¡­ [Sarah Aurae] [Score: 797/800] [ced: 3rd] . [Amy Ashfield] [Score: 745/800] [ced: 5th] . [ire Victoria] [Score: 688/800] [ced: 11th] . [Reinhard Van] [Score: 578/800] [ced: 220th] . . "Damn it, my allowance is gonna get cut off because of this!" "Haa¡­ Should have studied harder." "I wish I was as smart as Brandon¡­" The students continued to voice out their frustrations, while some would actively praise the top scorer. ''I did not cheat.'' Brandon kept telling himself that. ''Nope.'' Definitely not. The room was once again silenced as Vanessa pped her hands. p! p! Immediately gathering everyone''s attention. "The Foundation Festival is right around the corner. All of you will be given the right to suggest the events you would like to happen during the festival and the events you n on participating in." Brandon was well aware of the possible events that would happen. After all, it was one the perks he had for being the Student Council President''s younger brother. Belle was the type to discuss her duties with him. "Each ss will have their own booths. You will all work together in doing so. There will be a ranking held for the ss that umtes the most ie. I''d like for someone to step up as the Leader." "..." As soon as the word ''leader'' left her mouth, for some reason¡­ "Uh?" All eyes fell on Brandon. Since when had he be such a figure for the ss to immediately see him as the leader? Sure he was ranked first in every category. But that didn''t mean he had the qualities fitting for a leader. In the first ce, he was quite the introvert. He had zero experiences in leading a ss as well. Someone like Raven would qualify better than him. "Brandon,e here." His fears were soon realized as Vanessa instructed him to step into the podium. "Can I refuse¡­?" "No." What the hell? There''s no getting out of it. He then stood up hesitantly and walked down the flight of stairs. Stepping into the podium, he looked at each and every one of his ssmate''s faces. "..." His social anxiety started acting up. Sure, he had met several important figures, even meeting with a CEO once. But he was only able topose himself after some preparations. An abrupt impromptu act in front of fifty people wasn''t his forte. Which was what dictated his next course of action. ''Fuck it¡­'' [elerated Cognition] And just like that, the fog within his mind started to clear. His social anxiety had instantly drowned out, reced by the speeding of his thoughts. Composing himself and straightening his posture, he leaned his hand down on the podium. "Since all of you nominated me as the leader without considering my feelings, then I don''t want to hear anyints about the way I''ll be handling things." All eyes fell on him as they listened to each and every word that left his mouth. "Firstly, I need volunteers to be my assistants. If any of you could step forward, then it would speed up the process." There was a hint of hesitation from the students'' eyes. They turned to look at each other, and it seemed like none of them nned on stepping forward. Thump! But that was until a familiar figure stood up without any hesitation. Brandon smiled at that. He had already expected Raven to volunteer. He was a teacher''s pet after all. He couldn''t miss an opportunity to contribute to his ss. And Raven''s gesture sparked the motion, and the hesitation was all cleared up. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Several figures stood up from their positions and walked towards the podium. Brandon''s gaze fell on Rachel who was still seated and seemed to turn away from his gaze. As Rachel whistled to herself, Brandon could feel like he heard her mutter, ''Damn it'', before standing up. Thump! Just like that, Brandon had managed to gather six volunteers to assist him in managing the ss. At the end of it all, it was decided that Raven would be his right hand, while Reinhard was his left. The rest were assigned to be officers and would help lead and assist the ss. ¡ªRachel Asami. ¡ªCyrus Rosewill. ¡ªZayn Westwood. ¡ªKathlyn Venice. These were the names that would serve as ss A''s officers for the Foundation Festival. * After they were dismissed from the homeroom session, there was a two hour vacancy for their next lecture. But currently, Brandon couldn''t spare the time to rx. Today was scheduled for his first meeting with the disciplinarymittee. He was initially informed that he would be tested first. But for some reason, it was canceled and he was immediately epted as a member. The requirements to join the disciplinarymittee would be a rmendation from the student council, and to be ranked significantly higher than average for their respective years. Currently, he was the only first year student who was part of themittee. He had tried to bring Raven along, but when he proposed the idea to Belle, it seemed like themittee was already full. Arriving at his destination a familiar figure greeted his sight. Unlike back in the Imperial Army banquet, her golden locks flowed freely down her shoulders. Her wless face was clear of any blemishes, with a hint of small makeup to highlight her beauty, and Brandon could smell the pleasant smell ofvender perfume wafting in the air. Lip gloss served to moisten her lips, and her azure eyes instantly met his gaze. She was a prim and proper beauty. Even Brandon could admit that Amelia was in fact beautiful. She couldn''t be measured by his previous world''s standards. Most of the beauties in his world would be put to shame if they stood next to Amelia. Noticing his arrival, Amelia''s soft voice reached his ears. "You''re here." "Yes." "The others aren''t here yet." She then opened the door for him. "We can wait for them inside." "Sure." Brandon nodded and the two entered the disciplinarymittee office. Chapter 107: Festival Preparations [2] There were a total of six members in themittee, including Brandon and Amelia. Fourth and fifth year students were currently focused on their Guild Internships. Which is why themittee consisted of second and third years, with Brandon being the only first year. Standing in the center, Amelia was the first one to speak. "During the week of the Festival, we''ll split the work into shifts." ¡ªBrandon and Oscar, 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM. ¡ªAmelia and Lilith, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM. ¡ªSimon and Cain, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM. And that would be for the first day. For the next few days, the order would rotate, as well as the partners, in order for everyone to learn to work with each other. The meeting spanned for a total of thirty minutes. They had discussed the small restrictions they ced on themselves if conflict arises. While magic wasn''t allowed to be used for fighting inside Academy grounds, the Committee had the privilege to do so. But it would only serve to incapacitate. If they had somehow managed to inflict a wound, then they would have to settle it themselves. Abuse of authority was strictly forbidden and would immediately result in expulsion. It was strict with its members, but the credentials and rewards reaped was well worth it. Committee members would be given the luxury to skip out on lectures whenever they pleased. There were other incentives as well such as free lunch, and the opportunity to be referred to a guild as soon as they graduate. But the discussion was mostly a reminder. Most of the information was already given¨Cvia¨Cdocument. Which is why Brandon had formally epted the proposal. After their brief discussion, themittee was then dismissed and was scheduled for another meeting in the afternoon. Just like that, everyone turned to leave the room. Brandon was just about to leave when he was halted by Amelia''s voice. "Wait." Turning around, Brandon tilted his head. "Uh¡­ Yes?" "I''ve wanted to ask this for a while now." Brandon closed the door and sat back down on the couch. Locking gaze with him, her lips pulled up. "Before that, care for some hot cocoa?" "...Okay?" * Setting down the mug, Brandon sat face to face with Amelia. He couldn''t fathom just what Amelia wanted to talk about. Slurp~ And as Amelia finished sipping, she ced the mug down as well. Looking at him, she licked the residue off her lips before opening her mouth. "I only want things to be clear with you since you''re my best friend''s younger brother." She paused and looked at him intensely. Where was this conversation going? "But be honest, Brandon. Do you have a problem with me?" "..." What? What was she talking about? Tilting his head, Brandon asked. "Uh? Why do you think so¡­?" "I might be jumping into conclusions here. But back during the party, and now as well. You look at me as if you''ve seen a ghost." "..." Ah. He thought he was being subtle about it. The tension he felt. Raven didn''t seem to notice it when they met up. But for some reason, Amelia was able to notice. "Haha¡­" Heughed. "...?" And Amelia skeptically tilted her head. Clearing his throat, Brandon spoke up. "I don''t know what all of this is about. You''re just overanalyzing things, Amelia." "Eh¡­?" "Don''t you think you''re just paying too much attention to me?" "..." This was the only thing he could do. To fluster Amelia and to divert the topic away. He couldn''t tell her that he witnessed her death in a vision. Amelia sipped on her mug, seemingly unable to reply. Swallowing, she pursed her lips. "So¡­ Is it all a misunderstanding?" "Yes." It worked. "Is it all cleared up now?" "...I guess so." "If that''s all, I''ll be going now." "Sure." At her approval, Brandon got up and started walking towards the door. Opening the door knob, he paused and turned towards Amelia who continued to sip from her mug. "If you need anything else, just call me." She set down the mug and pursed her lips. "Wait." "Hm?" "I don''t have your number." *** There was a certain spot in the Academy that Sarah would often go to kill time or relieve some stress. The rooftop. Very typical, and yet for some reason, it wasn''t a popr spot. At the end of the trip, she had nned on dropping out of the Academy. The first agenda was to find a job after dropping out. But right after she was about to, when she checked her bank ount, she was horrified by the sight that greeted her. For some reason, her ount disyed a total of 4 tinum Coins or 400 Gold coins. She had thought it was some kind of error. But when she checked with the bank, the ount was traced back to Oliver White. She was unsure how to feel about it. But in the end, she got the hidden message that Oliver wanted to convey. ''Take this money and live in peace.'' At least, that''s what she thought it meant. Four tinum Coins was enough for two people to live peacefully. If it were spent wisely, then the money couldst for their entire lifetime. There would even be some remaining after their deaths. In other words, it was a lot of money. The first thing they decided to do was to finally leave the hellhole known as Everde. Moving into Vale City, Sarah and her mother had found a middle ss apartment to move into. And that was what they did during the entire break. As she recounted everything that has happened so far, Sarah let out an audible sigh. "Haa¡­" Leaning on the railings, Sarah lowered her head down. She had been elected as ss B''s leader for the Foundation Festival. She was quite unsure how to proceed or how to handle her ss. She was never that relevant, nor noticeable in the beginning of the semester. But as the midterms started, her ssmates had been paying a lot more attention to her. Scanning the view of the entire Academy grounds below, her eyes paused at a certain figure. "It''s him¡­" His pale-white hair instantly registered in her mind. How can it not when it was the same man she had attacked a few weeks prior. She knew she was in the wrong. She had alreadye to terms with Emma''s death. Brandon wasn''t the one to me. It was the Wraiths¡­ But she didn''t know how to tell him that, nor how to approach him. Squinting her eyes, she continued to scan him. Hey on the grassfields alone, eating what seems to be a sandwich. Once again, he was the most talked about student within the first years. After acing the prelims with a perfect score, news of his achievement instantly made waves throughout all the other sections. Since he was alone, now was the perfect chance to approach him. Who knew when she would get another chance to do so? But her eyes widened shortly after that. "Huh¡­?" A beautiful woman with golden locks and azure eyes approached Brandon and sat beside him. "Is that¡­" As she sat beside him, she unwrapped thin foil she carried with her, revealing a sandwich simr to Brandon''s. "I see." It made sense. For someone as handsome as Brandon, he would obviously have someone who could match his looks. She was a total beauty, even Sarah could admit that. She focused more on the woman''s identity. Squinting her eyes, all of a sudden, her mouth formed an ''o'' shape. "Isn''t that¡­" Who else could it have been? Amelia Constantine. A third year student, and was considered to be the most beautiful student in Astrea Academy. Considered, since the most beautiful title was also given to Belle Locke, Brandon''s sister. In other words, it was a sh of beliefs. "An older girl, huh?" So that was his type. She continued to scan them. The two were eating together. Brandon was nonchntlyying on the grass while reading a book. Amelia on the other hand was eating a sandwich. "...At least pay attention to your girlfriend." Brandon was taking her for granted. Sarah decided to leave it at that. It would be rude to continue staring at the two while they were spending time together. Patching things up with Brandon would have toe for another time. With such thoughts, Sarah left the rooftop. Chapter 108: Festival Preparations [3] "Uh¡­ Aren''t we getting too much attention?" Brandon tried to ignore it as much as he could. But no matter how much he tried to distract himself with his book, he could feel several gazes his way. "Right¡­ Where the hell is Belle?" Amelia was quite embarrassed as well. And for a second, she could feel her face start to flush. That was because¡­ "Woah, is that Amelia?" "Who''s that guy with her?" "You live under a rock or something? That''s Brandon Locke." "No way, that''s him?" "What are the two of them doing together?" And their gossiping went on and on. It wouldn''t take a genius to know what they were trying to imply. In the first ce, the only reason why they were together in public was because Belle had asked them if the three could eat lunch together. Since Brandon and Amelia were already together, the two decided to rendezvous at the meeting point. The grassfields. They had been sitting together for almost thirty minutes. In fact, they had already finished their lunch. And the whole time, Belle had yet to show up. At this point, the two just wanted to leave before a scandal ensued. Astrea students love gossiping after all. The two were already fairly popr in their respective years. Something was bound to happen eventually. "...Should we just?" "Yeah." Amelia asked while Brandon immediately answered her. And at that, the two went their separate ways. *** A few minutester. "Hmm~ Hm~" Galloping, Belle continued humming with a joyful smile on her face. The basket on her hand swayed at each hop she took. "Hmm¡ªUh?" But her pleasant mood was soon broken and her face scrunched up. Looking around, there was no one in sight. She had told them that they were supposed to meet up at 12:30 PM. So¡­ "Where¡­?" She then nced down at her phone and opened her text message with Brandon. ¡ªI''m here, where are you?" ¡ªNot there. ¡ªI''m serious. ¡ªYou took too long, Sis. Belle frowned. What did he mean, too long? She was there just in¡­. ¡­Time? "Ah." As she scrolled up, her brows twitched. What she thought she had texted was 12:30, was actually 11:30. "..." Embarrassed, she immediately closed the chat box and walked ahead. Hopefully, no one saw what happened. "Sob¡­ Sob." And her eyes started to moisten as she walked away. *** The next day. It would be the same for the month of August. There would only be two lectures each day. The entire afternoon was given to the students to make time to prepare for the festival. Brandon stood on the podium as all eyes fell on him. "We''ve discussed this during thest meeting. Please step forward and present your proposals." Brandon had already debriefed his ssmates during thest meeting on what would happen today. Students were grouped into five, and would present their proposals on what the ss should do during the festival. Brandon gave the stage and sat on one of the seats in front of the podium. He would act as a panelist alongside the officers that sat beside him. Shortly after, a group of students stood on the podium and presented their proposals. Their ideas were interesting. But Brandon and the rest of the officers could agree that they couldn''t stand out. They needed something else. Something more¡­ "This is the idea we''vee up with." Click¡ª Clicking on a white circr device, a hologram materialized behind the presenters. "..." It was¡­ A powerpoint presentation. "We''d like to propose a maid cafe." It was amon idea. Nothing special. "But with a twist. The main attraction will be¡­" However, as the next slide switched, multiple gasps resounded in the lecture room. "Tada~" The slide presented the title screen, ''Maid Cafe''. But that wasn''t what caught everyone''s attention. There was an image of a figure that stood behind the title screen. His pale-white hair came into view, as his ice-blue eyes lit up. A faint blush was visible in his cheek, and¡­ He adorned a maid uniform. It was an image of Brandon wearing a maid uniform. "What the fuck¡­" Brandon cursed under his breath. And it was at that moment, when everyone''s eyes widened in shock. The same went for Brandon and a chill ran down his spine. His brows twitched and he felt like wanting to leave the room in that instant. Turning his head to the side, Rachel''s eyes lit up as she covered her mouth. "Oh my." And from the other side, a strange sound escaped from Raven''s mouth. "Pfft¡­" Brandon nkly stared at the ceiling with his mouth agape. He could feel like his soul was leaving his body. "No way. Why does he look good?!" Reinhard was astonished at the sight. Brandon could see Reinhard''s face flush a slight beet red. "..." "...He looks prettier than me." "Smash." "Not would, not will, but did." Composing himself, Brandon gathered his thoughts. Frowning, his mouth parted open. "Rejecte¨C" "epted." Before he could finish, Rachel interjected and shed them a thumbs up. "epted." "epted." . . And the rest followed her example. All odds were against Brandon. It was a 1-6 difference. An overwhelming defeat. And since the rules were set by him, the idea was final. ss A would establish a maid cafe, with Brandon as its main attraction. And to his horror, the presenters continued as he realized they were walking towards him. "Actually, we''ve brought a prototype." "..." Oh no. And thus Brandon tried to stand up. To get away. Far away from everyone. Everyone, everything. "This is a mistake¡ª" But before he could stand up, his body was pushed down back on the chair, Looking up, Raven and Reinhard had both of their hands on his shoulders. He tried to move, but it was to no avail. A sudden chill ran down Brandon''s spine as he looked at their eyes. A sinister-like smirk escaped the two''s lips and Brandon''s entire body shuddered. "Hehe." And an ominous chuckle escaped their mouths. As Brandon turned his head, the presenters had already appeared before him. They held the maid uniform. For some reason, it was the appropriate size for Brandon. "Stay still, ss Leader. It''ll be quick and painless." Just like Reinhard and Raven, the presenters had a sinister smirk marred on their faces. "Hold him." "No, no, no no¡­.!" * Brandon stood on the podium. His eyes were detached, and there were barely any signs of life from him. "It''s even better in person!" "Why does it actually suit him? I''ve tried maid uniforms myself. But he looks much better than me with it." "He''s so pretty¡­" Comments and praises about his current appearance continued to ring in the air. Brandon tried to not notice it, but some of his male ssmates definitely had a nosebleed. His arms were raised wide open, with Raven and Reinhard on both sides holding him. Squinting her eyes and inching her chin, Rachel thoroughly scanned Brandon. Nodding to herself, she pursed her lips. "This could be a hit." "Yes. With this, we could definitely reach first ce." Cyrus Rosewill chimed in from beside Rachel. The officers continued to nod as they stared at the half-dead Brandon. "Someone, take my picture!" Click¡ª! Realizing that they were taking pictures with Brandon, Raven had a sudden idea. One that made Brandon shudder in fear. "We could offer this kind of service as well. A photo opportunity with Brandone." As those words left Raven''s mouth, Brandon horridly turned his head and met his gaze. His mouth twitched and a certain curse escaped his lips. "Motherfuck¡ª" Chapter 109: Festival Preparations [4] Two days had passed and it was currently Thursday. Everyday was the same. Lectures in the morning. Committee meeting before Lunch. ss festival preparations in the afternoon. And anothermittee meeting before they head home. Brandon''s schedule waspletely packed. He had barely gotten any wink of sleep the past few days. The moment he arrived home, he had to handle several paperwork. Such as sourcing materials, and phone calls with suppliers. Such were his tasks as the elected ss leader. Massaging his be, Brandon leaned on the desk and stared at the podium. A burly man with dark green hair stood poised. All eyes fell on him as he continued his lecture. He was a Professor that was recently assigned to ss A to tackle a new subject for the midterms. Magic Circles. The Professor carried on. A Magic Circle was a way to embed magic towards a specific spot. It could be an inanimate or animate object. What made it different from regr spellcasting was that all it needed was mana to supply it. Once a specific mana count was appropriately filled, the magic embedded would then materialize. It would be more stable and precisepared to regr spellcasting. Adding to that, the more mana it''s filled with, the stronger its potential output would be. Mages could even coborate to hasten the process, even increasing its potential output to the maximum. Those were more or less, the words of the Professor. But for some reason, Brandon was hearing the words a bit muffled. Squinting his eyes, he pinched his be. The lecture was important. He had to listen. Of course, he could just read a book with that cheat skill of his. But he refrained from doing so. The topic was interesting. And there were things that were exined much better than the information in books. Such as the way a magic circle was made and how many uses it had. There were certainyers to it. A specific design would be needed for each affinity. It could be written anywhere. But most mages prefer using parchment papers. It could easily be pocketed for emergency use. The lecture continued and spanned for a total of two hours. "Don''t forget to review the sybus. We''ll be exploring magic circle creation tomorrow." They were dismissed shortly after those words. As the Professor''s figure gradually blurred, he was immediately halted by a hand that reached out for him. "Professor, wait. I have a question regarding magic circles." Turning around, what met his sight was a student with pale-white hair, and ice-blue eyes. There seemed to be slight dark circles in his eyes, but the professor ignored it and replied. "Let''s talk in my office, Brandon." * Entering the Professor''s office, Brandon couldn''t describe its current state. There were books strewn on the ground. Magic circles embedded on parchment paper etched itself on the wall. The room was quite cramp and dusty. This was especially so when Brandon found himself covering his nose. Looking around for a brief moment, he then looked at the Professor. His name was Thomas Reed. A schr that specializes in magic circle research. A respected figure in the academy with multiple award winning theses under his name. "Take a seat Brandon." At Thomas'' instruction, Brandon did just that and sat at the wooden chair in front of the desk. Silence filled the room and the two looked at each other. The silence waster broken as Brandon''s mouth parted open. "Professor, about magic circles¡­" "Hm¡­?" "Is it possible to embed memories or even visions on a magic circle?" "..." He was met with silence at his question. Thomas seemed to ponder for a while as he pinched his chin. But judging from his expression, Brandon had an inkling of what the answer was. Clearing his throat, Thomas replied shortly after. "That''s an interesting question. But I''ve never heard of something like that being done." Staring deep into Thomas'' gaze, Brandon could tell the passion he had for the topic. There were no traces of lies from his tone. The man was honest about hisck of knowledge at Brandon''s question. "But the way magic circles work. Once your magic is embedded in it, there would be a permanent exchange such as mana." Brandon listened carefully to every detail Thomas'' spoke. "I doubt it''s possible. But if it were possible to embed memories, then the memory would be one of the exchanges." "...So." "So the specific memory you embed would disappear from your mind." "...I see." Even if Thomascked the knowledge, he still had an idea about the exchange a magic circle had. If it were true then that meant¡­ The original Brandon Locke lost the memories about the visions¡­ A sudden shiver ran down his spine as he thought about it. Just what kind of lengths was the original Brandon willing to go? ''Goosebumps.'' "Does my answer satisfy you, Brandon?" "Yes, Professor. Thank you." Brandon gave Thomas a bow to show his appreciation and left shortly after. Staring at the seat where the youth once was, Thomas began to recall his question. "Hmm¡­" Thomas found the question quite ridiculous, but as he remembered Brandon''s status, he dismissed his thoughts. From what he knew, Brandon Locke was quite the popr student. He was strong and smart as well. So whatever question he had there must''ve been a deeper reason for it. Pinching his chin, he quietly mumbled to himself. "Memories, huh?" It was a question worth pondering over. If such a thing were possible, then a lot of the world''s blurred history would unravel itself. When he thought about it, it would be good research to pass the time. *** With his connections to the Student Council President, as well as his status in the Academy, Brandon was given the privilege to use a private room for himself. The festival would be held in less than thirty days. He hadn''t had the time for himself to practice like this. In the far corner of the dimly lit room, the silhouette of a piano registered in his sight. It was his piano. Due to his proposal, one of the festival''s events would include a talent show. It was still in it''s preparation phase. But the students warmly epted the idea as they submitted their applications. Brandon was one participant of the talent show. Walking towards the piano, his fingers traced its ivory surface. Sitting back down, he fixed his zer for the edge to hang loosely. Num~ And he tapped the first key. Just like that, he started ying a musical piece. He had no audience. Just himself, immersed in his ying. He had only been ying for a month, but he did not neglect polishing his skills. Added to the fact that he had a skill to assist him, his piano skills were top notch. Hum~ He continued immersing himself in his ying. The only sound that filled the room was the elegant melody of a piano. As soon as he finished the first movement, he would immediately transition to the next. This persisted until he finished the piece. Num~ And he tapped thest key. Just like that, he had performed the same performance he would do during the festival. A third party would say his skills were good. But not for Brandon. "Again." He didn''t mind making small mistakes. But when it came to the piano, he was strict with himself. "There''s still room to improve." Not just the piano, but in his current strength. His fingers danced mesmerizingly around the keys. And the strings that extended from his finger continued to y the harmonious tune of the grand piano. Yes, that''s right. The melodic strings of the grand piano were reced with his cursed threads. It was not just the piano he was practicing, but in his curse maniption. "Again." And this persisted for the next hour. Before he even realized it, the system had updated itself. ¡ª--------------------------- Cursed mes: 16% ¡ª--------------------------- "Again." Chapter 110: Confronting His Trauma [1] Trauma creates change you don''t choose. Healing is about creating change you do choose. And to prove his point, he decided to confront his trauma. It was finally a weekend. And Brandon decided to use his weekend for three objectives. To progress his system. Use his curse affinity in actualbat. And, ¡­To confront his trauma. After a five hourmute, he had finally arrived at the ce that changed his views. He was back in Everde. Stepping foot into the city, certain memories shed in his mind. Ones he would rather not want to remember. But he needed to do this. It was the only ce he currently knew with no regtions outside the city. In other words, the forest. Unlike Raven, he didn''t have the system dungeons. Progressing was quite difficult. He''d only been progressing due to quests that the system gave him. But it had been awhile since he received a quest. Donning the mirage mask, Brandon made his way to the heart of the city. nk! The entrance shut as he entered the city''s tavern. The putrid scent of alcohol immediately registered in his nose. Dim light from the hearth flickered. Wooden tables and benches filled the room. People sat drinking, talking quietly, or staring into the fire. A few meters away from the entrance, a bartender stood. Behind him were alcohol bottles and he was currently wiping a wooden mug with a towel. Adorning a zer, Brandon walked calm steps towards the bartender. The tip of the zer fluttered at each step he took. His appearance instantly grabbed the attention of everyone in the room as all eyes fell on him. Taking a seat, the bartender spared him no nce as he continued wiping the mug. "Kuhum¡­ " But as he cleared his throat, the bartender still paid no heed to him. Brandon took it as a sign to continue. "How bad is the forest situation?" He could''ve asked the nearby guild. The guild would most likely have the information as well. But he wanted to go incognito. Bartenders had eyes and ears for these kinds of situations. The only way he would speak is if money was brought into the table. At least, that''s how they work from the novels Brandon had read. "..." To his surprise, the same cliche was happening right in front of him. The bartender outright ignored him. "...Typical bartender." He muttered under his breath. He could see the bartender''s brows twitch slightly. "Let me ask again." Clink! Flipping a silver coin, as soon as itnded on the table, the bartender''s eyes briefly darted. "..." So he wanted more. Clink! Another silver coin. But it was only enough for the bartender to meet his gaze. Clink! "Sorry, Sir. Didn''t notice you. Anything you would like to order?" Brandon''s brows twitched slightly. The bartender was way too greedy. "I need information." "Information? Unfortunately, that drink isn''t on the menu." "..." Clink! "What do you want to know?" "..." Too greedy. "The forest situation." "The forest, huh? Doesn''t ring any bells." "..." Seriously? Clink! Cink! Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink¡­. "Still doesn''t ring any bells?" Brandon was losing his patience. ''I should have gone to the guild instead¡­'' "No, my memory''s starting to return. Just a bit hazy." Bullsh¨C "Kidding." "..." "Where do I start¡­?" The bartender then started recounting everything that had happened in Everde the past two weeks. People had stopped going missing. The amount of Wraith Beasts present had significantly dwindled ever since the rankers started doing their jobs. It was a good development. However, ever since it did, the mana beasts situation was starting to get out of hand. Brandon hade to a conclusion that ever since the Wraith that took hold of David died, there was nothing to keep the mana beasts in check. "That''s about it. Any more questions?" "Just one." And as those words left Brandon''s mouth the bartender''s ears perked up. ''Might as well rob me at this point.'' Realizing he was about to get scammed, Brandon stood up and motioned to leave. "Wait." But just as he was about to leave the establishment, he paused as the bartender called up to him. Brandon turned around to look at the bartender. His voice then reached his ears. "Name?" Name, huh? He wanted to use the previous moniker he had. But refrained from doing so since the Moriarty name was considered a criminal in Vale City. For all he knew, the bartender might sell him out for the right price. Pinching his chin, Brandon pondered for a while. His lips then pulled up and he found himself smiling slightly. "Jack the Ripper." Surprisingly, the bartender exchanged contacts with him. Brandon was d to have brought a burner phone for situations such as these. "John Smith, huh?" Kind of fancy. Another alias. Smith patted his clothes and reached for his pockets, seemingly trying to get something. "Here." He tossed something towards Brandon in which he was able to catch with ease. Lowering his head to look at what Smith gave him, Brandon''s eyes widened. It was a ck card. On it, disyed a peculiar logo. One that Brandon was unfamiliar with. Twilight Syndicate. At that, Brandon sat back down and continued to converse with Smith. Apparently, the tavern was an extension of an underground channel where the lowest of the low make their shady dealings. ''As expected¡­'' One of the reasons he decided to go to a tavern instead of the guild was because taverns were filled with shady characters. It wouldn''t be far-fetched to say that most of the people present were criminals or shadow brokers. After all, Everde was a city that was far out in the countryside. Criminals would seek refuge in such cities. Clink! As Brandon flipped a gold coin on the table, Smith went on to borate. The branch was established years ago, way before David had turned into a Wraith. When people started going missing, the branch shut down and tried to leave the city. But they soon stopped trying to leave when their people went missing as well. There was a scarcity in information as to what had actually happened. The branch had only started resuming operations recently, ever since they found out the truth of the matter. Brandon was one of their first customers. Which was why he was given the privilege for a ck card. He was then debriefed that the card could be used for any of the organization''s branches. It had certain privileges. Such as being the first in line for important information. He still had to pay. But the card offered him a ten percent discount. Though they went on to live their lives for a while, their skills were still up to par. Finding information about the Academy''s business in Everde two weeks ago was nothing to them. "Do you want to know what happened in the forest two weeks ago?" "..." Brandon pondered for a while. He was one of the people involved. He didn''t need to know. But it was a chance to know just how good the organization was. Clink! And thus Smith started to recount. The information was quitecking, which was a contrast to Smith''s confident tone. But the details were the same. Astrea Academy students gathering in the forest at night. A fire that seemed to spread out and engulfed the forest. The sound of childrenughing resounding in the air. It wasn''t detailed. But Smith had the gist of what happened. But the honesty was there. Smith didn''t exaggerate to fill the gaps of the entire ordeal. It only made sense that the information wascking. They had a shortage of brokers due to most of them going missing throughout the years. Just being able to gather that much was quite a feat and Brandon could agree. "I see." That was about much Brandon needed to know at the moment. Brandon then stood up from his seat. Clink! "For the card." Nodding, Smith started scanning the coins on the table. "Pleasure doing business with you, Ripper." Chapter 111: Confronting His Trauma [2] It was dusk. The sun was about to set. The sky above turned a mix of purple and orange. The paths were narrow and almost hard to see. The forest came into view. And as the darkness grew, the forest became quiet. Once again, Brandon started recalling the memories of that night. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! His heartbeat quickened and the air suddenly felt a little colder than usual. He¡­ He was going to be fine. Coming to Everde was to prove that he was fine. Yes. Heposed himself. "Hoo." Taking a deep breath, Brandon nkly stared at the trees in front of him. Heading into the forest, he kept his guard up and his eyes peeled for any sudden movement. After a while, he made it further into the forest. Not once had he ever kept his guard down. "Hurrrr¡ª" And a subtle growl resounded in the air. One that he was all too familiar with. Rustle. Rustle¡­! The bushes rustled. Shortly after, several figures emerged. Their sizes vary. From a small pup, to one as big as a lion. "Hurrr¡ª" Their mouths were left agape as saliva dripped down. Their sharp fangs became visible, baring against Brandon. "Mana Beasts¡­" The origins of the Mana Beasts were unknown. The only thing that everyone agreed with was that they started appearing well over 432 years ago. Whoever coined the term was unknown as well. Just that, everyone started calling them Mana Beasts. A creature with no thinking capacity. "Hraaaa¡­!" The smaller beasts lunged themselves at Brandon. Moving his fingers around, threads extended from his fingertips and coiled around like a snake. Spurt¡ª! The threads pierced through the air, immediately skewering the beasts. [You have in a Mana Beast!] [+40 EXP] . . At that, the smaller Mana Beastsid lifelessly on the ground. But as soon as they died, therger beasts jumped Brandon from all sides. "Hraaaa¡­!" Maneuvering the threads with his hands, the threads rippled and danced in the air. Spu¡­ Spurt! Several threads skewered the beasts with each thread impaling them and piercing out their other side. The threads met the other point and stopped at the trees. The Mana Beasts hung in the air, motionless. Fine thin threads pierced behind them as they limply hang. Brandon then flexed his fingers. As he did that, the threads began tightening. Spurt! Blood sttered in the air, and the light from the beasts'' eyes faded. Drip¡­ Drip! Mana Beasts hanged, as blood slowly dripped from the threads Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!... Cutting the threads off, several Beasts fell to the ground, lifeless. [+40 EXP] [+40 EXP] . . Just like that, he had sessfully in a horde of Mana Beasts single handedly. Opening and closing his palms, Brandon muttered to himself. "This¡­" He nodded. "I could get addicted to this." Unlikest time, he was now able to maneuver eight threads at once. Each thread was sharp, and as soon as it made contact with the Beasts, they would start slowing down. It was one of the effects of the [Curse] affinity. It would slowly drain the energy of anything that it made contact with. And it was being proven as even more Beasts lunged themselves at Brandon. Dodging each bite, Brandon''s fingers elegantly danced as each thread rippled and coiled around. Spurt¡ª Spurt¡ª¡ª! A simr scene urred with several Beasts hanging suspended in the air. "Hurrrr¡ª" Pulling one of the threads down with his finger, a growling sound echoed in the air and blood seeped down from the Beasts. [+40 EXP] [+40 EXP] . . Making his way further into the forest the sun had already set. The moon was out as Brandon basked in its light. The Mirage Mask''s blue rune marks color glowed even brighter under the moonlight. Looking around, there were several scorch marks etched on the ground and on the trees that surrounded him. "Hoo¡­" Brandonposed himself. "This ce¡­" It was ''that'' ce. In the far corner, wooden nks with burn marks piled themselves on top of each other. "Hoo¡­" It was the cabin. He looked down at his hands. They were trembling slightly. Holding his wrist with his other hand, he tried to stop the trembling. The air was even cooler than earlier and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. "Hoo¡­" Closing his eyes, he continuedposing himself. He was fine. He had to be. That much was certain. This persisted until he had managed to calm himself down. "Hurrrr¡ª" His attention was alerted as a growling sound rang in the air. Rustle¡­ Rustle¡­ The bushes rustled, and once again, several beasts emerged from them. Looking ahead, Brandon stepped one foot forward and squinted his eyes. There was one more he needed to do. It was the final step. He had to take it. "Hoo¡­ Hoo¡­" Closing his eyes, Brandon started channeling his mana on his palms. A low ember started materializing from his palms. "Hoo¡­" Voooosh¡ª! mes ignited and crawled around his arm. Opening his eyes, the Mana Beasts were close. It¡­ It wasn''t the same asst time. He could still feel like his body was trembling slightly. Step¡ª But he was able to step forward. The next step. It was a significant progress. "I''m fine." He was. Voooosh¡ª¡ª! Waving his hand, a torrent of mes crackled and cascaded themselves as it headed towards the Mana Beasts. "Hraaaa¡­!" The Beasts rushed towards him, only to find themselves engulfed in mes. A wall of mes instantly emerged and towered, separating himself from the Beasts. Wooosh¡ª! Lunging his body forward, he emerged from the depths of the mes and appeared in front of the Beasts. Forcefully crossing his arms, the mes rippled in the air and engulfed the Mana Beasts. Voosh¨C Voosh¡ª Voooosh¡ª¡ª! Unable to do a thing, the Beasts continued burning down from their flesh, down to their bones. This persisted until they were left into nothing but ashes. "Hoo¡­" The mes dissipated as he took calming breaths. Themotion must have alerted the Beasts that resided in the forest as several figures emerged from all sides. He stared at the sky once again as the Beasts began to inch closer. Until¡­ Vooosh¡ª! [You have in a Mana Beast!] [You have in a Mana Beast!] [You have in a Mana Beast!] [You have in a Mana Beast!] . . [You have leveled up!] [You have unlocked the Nature affinity!] *** A week had passed since then. The news of the forest''s current situation made big waves in Everde. It was a significant progress. Now rankers could solely focus on dealing with Wraith Beasts. It was unknown how it actually happened and who had done it. But whoever the person is, was a blessing for the citizens. A group of rankers tried to subjugate and control the first parts of the forest. As soon as they did, the sight that greeted them were several lifeless Mana Beasts on the ground. Heading deeper, scorched marks etched itself with piles of ashes scattered on the ground. But amidst the bustling tavern, a man stood behind the counter. Wiping a wooden mug, his lips curled up into a smile. "Jack the Ripper." He muttered under his breath. "I may have been inactive for years. But I know talent when I see one." John Smith. One of the highest ranked individuals within the Twilight Syndicate. It was an alias he had always used in the underworld. Contorting his expressions, he set the mug down on the table. "I''ll be expecting your calls soon." Chapter 112: Problems Before the Festival [1] Monday. August 28, 2148. A week had passed since he started his solo subjugations in Everde. On weekdays Brandon would diligently attend lectures. All while meeting with the Disciplinary Committee. Then in the afternoons, he would continue leading his ss. Once those ended, another meeting with themittee would ur. The days went by like this. And before he knew it, the Foundation Festival was set for next week. Things were progressing pretty smoothly. But that was until¡­ "What do you mean the supplies were stolen?" Currently, Brandon was on the phone with their food supplier. ¡ªWe''re really sorry, Sir. The delivery would be pushed back for the next two weeks. "I can''t have that. The Festival is next week." ¡ªTopensate, we''ll be delivering 60% more goods than the amount you''ve requested. And all for the same price. "Haa¡­" Brandon massaged his temples. "Could you provide any details on what actually happened?" At that, though it would have been confidential. Thepany couldn''t refuse once Brandon mentioned the Locke and Constantine name. "''I''ll pay you back for using your family''s name, Amelia." She wasn''t actually present. But Brandon silently bowed. Apparently, the crime happenedst night. The thieves were able to bypass security and managed to steal a substantial amount of supplies. It was a heist. The only thing they knew from the security cameras was that it was done by a group. But as to what group...? They didn''t know. It seemed to have been nned since the thieves were able to escape before the guards could stop them. "Useless Guards." ¡ªSir? "Nothing." Brandonughed and massaged his temples once again. It was irritating and the thought made him squeeze his temples. But there was no other choice. "I''ll be there in an hour." ¡ªSir? What are you¨C "An hour." He decisively cut him off. "I''ll investigate." ¡ªThe police are already doing tha¡ª "And I''m from the Locke Family." He didn''t want to use his family''s name like that. But he had no choice. It was the only way he could involve himself in the case. ¡ªAlright, Sir. I''ll inform the police about your arrival. "Thanks, it won''t be just me." Brandon looked at the familiar figure that stood beside him. With such thoughts, he openly informed. "I''ll being with a Special Force officer." ¡ªSpecial Force?! Click¡ª Crossing his arms, Raven pursed his lips. "So? What''s the situation¡­?" That was when Brandon informed Raven on the gist of what happened. It took about ten minutes before they finished and discussed their next course of action. "I see." Raven squinted his eyes. "Are you confident we''ll be able to find something?" "No¡­" "Then?" "It''s worth a try." "Agreed." Nodding, Brandon stood up and pulled back the ck zer that was draped on his seat. In one swift motion, the zer cascaded down and freely flowed down like a cape. Looking at the other figure that stood with his arms crossed and his eyes closed, Brandon nodded at him. "Let''s go, Reinhard." "Got it." Reinhard nodded. The three beckoned outside, only to be halted in their steps as a woman stood to block their path. Her dark-crimson gaze alternated between the three of them before eventually meeting Brandon''s gaze. "Where are you going?" "Something''s happened with the suppliers. We''re going there to investigate." "Pftt¡­" "..." Brandon frowned. Trying to stop herself from furtherughing, Rachel covered her mouth. Uncovering her mouth, she pursed her lips. "Can I join?" "No." "Come on, I''m sorry forughing. It just sounded like some chuuni''s detective fantasy." "..." "Can''t me me when you talk all serious and stuff." "..." "Let me join. Sounds like fun." "No." "Eh¡­ It''s so boring here¡ª" Cutting her off, Brandon sighed and looked at Rachel seriously. "Stay here and keep the ss in check. I''ll give you the highest authority." Rachel looked back at him and contorted her expressions into something serious as well. "...Okay." "Good." Brandon nodded and continued to walk forward. Raven and Reinhard followed closely from behind. Easy. Way too easy to convince Rachel. They continued to roam around the halls. Passing by students, most of their gazesnded on the three. "Woah¡­ It''s Brandon." "Raven looks as cool as always." "Yuck¡­! Why is Reinhard always with them?" Reinhard''s brows twitched as he heard thements about him. "Pftt¡­" Brandon and Raven tried to hold back theirugh as they both covered their mouths. But it was to no avail as a strange sound escaped Raven''s mouth. "Hahaha." And Brandon followed shortly after. "Hehe." "Shut up, you two." His shoulders slumped down. "This is unfair. Why am I the only one gettingments like those?" "No idea." "Beats me." Raven and Brandon nonchntly shrugged their shoulders. But they knew why it was the case. Reinhard was a well known womanizer and a party boy in the academy by now. He was, of course, a responsible student with the strength to back it up. It was only when women were involved when his personality became questionable. But Brandon and Raven didn''t mind it. Reinhard''s rtionships were none of their business. In the end, he was a good friend. As soon as the exit was within sights, they once again halted in their steps as a voice called out to Brandon. "Brandon!" The three turned around, and what greeted their sight was a sight to behold. Her golden locks were tied to a ponytail as her azure eyes met Brandon''s gaze. She adorned a white sports bra with a white jacket to cover her shoulders. Sweat trickled down her forehead and the sun''s glow reflected the sweat on her body. Reinhard''s eyes widened at the sight of her. Realizing who she was, Brandon opened his mouth. "Amelia? Why so sweaty¡­?" "Haa¡­ I was training." "I see." She approached Brandon and turned to look at the other two behind him. She then looked up at Brandon who was taller than her. "Going somewhere?" "Yep." "Alright, just wanted to give my greetings." She then turned back around and Brandon nodded at her. They parted ways but was halted yet again as Amelia reminded him. "Oh, and don''t bete for the meetingter." "Sure." Just like that, they parted ways and the three finally stepped outside of the academy. Shortly after, Reinhard''s voice reached his ears. "Dude, how did you stayposed after seeing that?" "...?" "Haa¡­ You''re so lucky to be able to talk casually with Amelia Constantine." "Uh¡­?" "You don''t get it, Brandon." What the hell? Where was all thising from? It was then when Reinhard passionately informed him. "Just like President Belle, Amelia Constantine is considered a Goddess in the Academy." "..." "People like me could only hope to look at her. She''s known to ignore most men. But you¡­" "..." "...You are an exception. You are an anomaly Brandon. That''s what you are¡­!" At the mention of ''anomaly'', Brandon''s brow twitched slightly. Reinhard wasn''t far off. ording to the system, Brandon was an anomaly. "Heh." Brandonughed at thatment. He could very well agree with most of Reinhard''s statements. Goddess was just exaggerating it. But he couldn''t deny that Amelia was a beauty. It left him puzzled why Amelia treated him differently. But it was most likely because he was her best friend''s younger brother. It had to be that. Else, it would make no sense. But he dismissed all his thoughts. She was out of his league and a senior at that. She was also his older sister''s best friend. Not that he had any feelings for her. She was more like eye candy. Someone that''s pleasant to look at. At that, the three motioned for a taxi and headed for Quine Food Corp''s Warehouse. Chapter 113: Problems Before the Festival [2] Arriving at the location, several police officers stood on edge. Police tapes were present and blocked the entrance, and there was a huge gaping hole that etched on the side of the building with debris scattered all over the ground. The building was a warehouse that was situated by the pier. "Let us through." Raven instructed officers present. They were skeptical at first. Why are teenagers here? But as soon as he shed his Special Force badge, the officers'' eyes widened in shock and gave way for Raven and his friends to pass. "What''s the situation?" Brandon turned around and talked to the officer that seemed to be leading the case. "Uhm¡­" The officer seemed hesitant. But that was when a man appeared. Shoving the other officers, he immediately appeared before Brandon. The man spoke with an anxious tone. "He''s from the Locke Family." "Oh, fuck. You mean that Locke Family?" "Yes." "Shit, okay." The man then walked towards Brandon and introduced himself. "Good morning, Sir Locke. I''m Lucas Lennon, a direct secretary to Quine Food Corporation''s CEO." He extended his hand and gestured for a handshake in which Brandon took the offer. The two shook hands at that. "And this is?" "Raven ckheart. The Special Force Officer I mentioned." "Ah, nice to meet you, Officer." Raven and Lucas shook hands as well. He then looked at the tall man with red hair. Brandon noticed it and introduced him as well. "And this is Reinhard Van. He''s just tagging along." "Oh¡­" Reinhard''s brows slightly twitched but epted Lucas'' handshake. With the introductions out of the table. The officer in charge of the case debriefed them on their findings. There were only three things left at the scene. A ragged ripped piece of cloth. A small chunk of metal. And a bandage. Apparently, all of it was found outside. Pinching his chin, Brandon turned to look at Raven who seemed to be pondering as well. "What do you think, Raven?" "Nothing yet. It''s way too assorted." "Same thoughts." Brandon then turned his head to look at the officer. "Do you have any ideas?" "We have our spections. But it''s too soon to jump to conclusions." "Right." There were no other leads. The thieves were skilled enough to barely leave any traces. The officers tried to peer for any fingerprints but ultimately found nothing in the end. Massaging his temples, Brandon silently muttered to himself. "...Should I do it then?" Skill Weaver. He was currently level seven with three slots to spare for Skill Weaver. "But will it work¡­" It was too much of a gamble. He didn''t want to waste any space for the future. In the end, he decided to put it on hold for now. Raven was here. If he were toe up with something, then the slot for Skill Weaver would''ve been wasted. "Right." Turning his head, he looked at Raven who was crouching down with his eyes squinted. Massaging his chin, Raven thoroughly scanned the surroundings. His mouth then parted open and asked. "Has the forensics found anything yet?" "Not yet, Sir." The officer informed him. "But ording to them, the results wille in five hours." "Five hours, huh?" "We still have to return to the Academy¡­" Reinhard said as he crossed his arms. "Yeah." Raven nodded in response. He then stood up and alternated his gaze between Brandon and the officer. His gaze eventuallynded on the officer and he pursed his lips. "For now, let us jump to conclusions. I have some ideas in mind." "..." The officer seemed hesitant as his expressions contorted into one of worry. Noticing it, Raven gave him a smile to ease the officer. "Don''t worry. I''m an Officer too. It''ll all be under legal jurisdiction." He wasn''t. To be precise, he was an officer¨Cin¨Ctraining. But he didn''t want the officer to know that. "Pftt¡­" A strange sound escaped Brandon''s lips as his shoulders trembled. Frowning, Raven shifted his gaze at Brandon. "What¡­?" "Nothing." The officer then agreed to listen to Raven under the premise that he would handle things legally. More or less, Brandon could summarize Raven''s debrief. Through Raven''s spections, there were several suspects in mind. A rivalpany. The delivery personnel. An inside job by an employee. An ex-employee with a grudge against thepany. Or an opportunistic thieving group. But the fifth suspect seemed less likely. Which is why they narrowed it down to the other three suspects. "I see. A rivalpany was one of our suspects as well." The officer informed as he took in all of Raven''s words. "But then again, we couldn''t jump to conclusions. With so many foodpanies andcking evidence, we can''t even request for a search warrant." "Right, I don''t me you." Raven nodded. "Which is why you officers will handle things under legal procedures. We''ll handle the other aspects." "But you said it will all be under leg¡ª" "Legally." Raven decisively cut him off. He then walked towards Lucas and met his gaze. "Could you narrow down any rivalpanies...? Along with a list of the employees thepany fired from the start of its operations until now. Give us the documents about the delivery details as well." "Uh¡­ That would be a bit¡­" But noticing Raven''s serious gaze, Lucas eventually relented. "...Alright, I can do that." "Okay." Raven nodded and alternated his gaze between Reinhard and Brandon. He pursed his lips to say, "Let''s go back to the Academy. There''s nothing we can do for now." "Right." "Yeah." The two nodded and were about to leave before Raven turned back around slightly and imparted his words. "Call the Special Force once you guys find anything out. Just tell them you want to speak to Raven ckheart." He specifically emphasized ''Special Force'' for them to take him seriously. That being said, the three left and returned to the Academy shortly after. * "I bet one gold coin it''s that sketchy secretary." Reinhard grumbled. "Right, what makes you think so?" Raven skeptically raised his brow. Reinhard continued with his conjecture. "I mean, things always end up that way in detective movies. It''s always the person you least expect." "But he''s the first person you''re suspecting though?" "Yeah, but¡­" "We''ll find out the truth eventually, Reinhard." Brandon patted Reinhard''s shoulder and consoled him. He then looked at Raven while they continued to roam around the Academy halls. "You think it''s the secretary too, right?" "Yeah." Reinhard blinked and alternated his gaze between the two. What the hell man? Clearing his throat, Raven spoke up. "Once you mentioned that I was the Special Force officer, it was subtle, but his brows twitched slightly." "Yeah, I noticed." "When I debriefed them about the suspects in mind, I purposely said ''inside job'' in the middle just to see how he would react to each of the suspects I listed down." Pausing for a while, Raven let out a smile and continued. "There were no reactions to the first two suspects. But as soon as I said ''inside job'', his eyes darted around slightly. It was subtle. But I was able to notice it though." "Same. He was also silent the entire time. And thatst bit where he seemed to hesitate when you asked him to provide you details about the case." "Mhm, I did that on purpose just to see how he would react." "..." Once again, Reinhard blinked and alternated his gaze between the two. His mouth contorted to an ''o'' shape before he eventually snapped out of it. Pursing his lips he spoke with a slightly raised tone. "What the hell¡­ I noticed thest bit. But doesn''t that mean you two were already suspecting him from the start?" Brandon and Raven blinked as they looked at each other. Eventually, their gazended on the dumbfounded Reinhard as they spoke in a matter of fact tone. "Yeah?" They spoke in unison. "...Why?" "...Why, huh?" Raven pinched his chin and looked at Brandon who looked back at him. "Care to do the honors?" "Sure." Brandon nodded and looked back at Reinhard. "...What about his watch?" "It''s hard to notice. But there''s a missing piece on the bracelet strap." "A missing¡ªWait." "Yeah." Reinhard massaged his chin and pondered hard. As soon as he finally made the connection his eyes lit up and looked at Raven and Brandon. He then spoke up as the realization dawned upon him. "You mean that small chunk of metal¡­" "Yup, it oddly looked like the bracelet strap of his watch. The size fits as well." Reinhard''s eyes widened as Brandon finished his sentence for him. Reinhard then rubbed his shoulder as he spoke under his breath. "Chills... Literal chills..." He finished hisments and cursed under his breath. "...You two are fucking crazy." Chapter 114: Problems Before the Festival [3] "If it really is him. We don''t have any solid proof. That piece of metal isn''t enough." "True." Brandon nodded at Raven''s words. "Evidence aside. What about his motives?" Reinhard added. The three currently sat together in one of the Academy''s gazebo. "I have a couple of guesses. But it would only throw us off." Raven replied to Reinhard''s question. "Let''s just stick with what we have currently." "Alright." Reinhard nodded. He then looked at Brandon who looked back at him. "Do we tell the ss about the situation, Leader?" "No. They''re already stressed enough. Let''s handle this by ourselves." "Same thoughts." "Yeah." Brandon then stood up and informed them. "I''ll be meeting with the Committee now. Call me if there''s any developments on the case." "Sure." "Lucky." Raven nodded while Reinhard frowned at him. Reinhard then turned towards Raven and continued their discussion. "Still going with that n?" "Yeah. He''s dealing with too many tasks at once. We should deal with this case ourselves and leave him out of it. He deserves at least that much." "Agreed." The entire discussion, Brandon seemed like he was in a daze. The two could see subtle dark circles in his eyes. When they noticed all the signs, they privately discussed behind Brandon''s back to leave him out of the case. If they couldn''t do this much for him, then what was the point of being his assistants? "Right." At that two stood up and roamed the halls together. Shortly after, they arrived at their destination and entered the lecture room. As soon as they entered the room¡­ "Wee home, Mast-er¡­" What greeted their sight was Rachel who adorned a maid uniform. Her expressions were lively at first. But soon contorted to a sad look. "..." Reinhard was taken aback. Noticing the displeasure on Rachel''s face, Raven leaned close and whispered to Reinhard''s ear. "It''s because Brandon isn''t here." Reinhard''s eyes lit up and a smirk escaped his lips. He leaned close and whispered back at Raven. "Ah, right. She does have a thing for him after all." "..." They then shifted their gaze at Rachel whose brows were knitted as her face scrunched up. "I can hear you two, you know. What do you mean I have a thing for him. I don''t like¡ª" "Shh now, young Rachel." Reinhard cut her off as he motioned his finger on his lips. "We know." "...What are you¡ª" "All of us in the group knows." Raven interjected her to support Reinhard''s statement. Rachel then darted her eyes around and her face flushed red slightly. She mumbled in a low voice for only the two of them to hear. "Do¡­ Do you think he knows?" Blinking, Raven looked at Reinhard before answering. "Pftt¡­" "Pftt¡­" A strange sound escaped his lips and the same went for Reinhard who was having a hard time holding back hisugh. Raven then looked back at Rachel as his shoulders trembled. "Pfft¡­ That guy? He won''t notice until you say it right to his face." "Yeah, he''s dense as fuck." "..." Rachel was taken aback. But the fact that Brandon didn''t know but their friends knew made her lips unknowingly pulled up. She appreciated the fact that they hid it from him despite knowing all this time. But truth be told, she was unsure about her feelings for him. They started out as friends and she could agree that they were good friends. She could even consider him a best friend. But after spending time with him alone in the apartment for the past two months, something changed about her feelings for him. She didn''t know when it even began. But before she knew it, she started looking forward to spending time with him alone in their apartments. Was it a crush, or was it something more than that? She didn''t know. But what she was certain about was the fact that she was most especially conscious of Brandon. ''Yeah, I like him.'' She admitted to herself. Snapping her out of her thoughts was Raven''s voice. "You should ask him out during the festival." "..." Rachel was taken aback. Her friends¡­ They were good friends. Looking down, she nervously replied without meeting their gazes. "...Would he agree? I don''t think he sees me that way." "That depends¡­" Raven crossed his arms and continued. "But what I do know is that nothing will happen between the two of you if you don''t make the first move." "...Okay, I''ll try." She lifted her head up and finally met their gazes. "Thanks for not telling him, and for helping me out." The two nodded with a smile. That being said, the preparations carried on and they entered their lecture room. *** Themittee members sat on their seats. In front of them was a rounded table shaped like a ring. And what stood in the center of the ring was a figure with golden locks. Her appearance grabbed everyone''s attention at every word she spoke. Adorning a simple white jacket, her curves were highlighted by a ck crop top that fit her like a glove. "The Festival will officially kick off next week. I want all of you to be present two hours before the opening ceremony." The entire room was silent with only Amelia''s voice resounding. They were instructed to adorn a simple outfit that was light and would allow them to move freely. While the opening ceremony entailed a parade. Themittee members won''t be joining their ss for the parade. Instead they will stand in specific locations. In particr, the checkpoints of the route the parade will be heading. There were a total of six checkpoints. Each checkpoint would only have onemittee member standing and would lead the parade to the next checkpoint. Their objectives were to keep the parade in check and to ensure the students would follow procedures. The discussion continued on for the next hour. There were several questions, but Amelia was able to answer all of them. Silence ensued as no other questions emerged. They took it as a sign to end the meeting and they were then dismissed. Themittee members got up and left shortly after. The only ones left in the room were Brandon and Amelia. Amelia turned to look at him and asked. "Still have something to add?" "No." "Then?" "Could you give me advice¡­?" Noticing the seriousness in his tone, Amelia sat down beside him. Pursing her lips, he mouth parted open. "Advice on what?" "Actually, I''m the one leading my ss right now. Things were going well until something happenedst minute." "Hm? What happened¡­?" At that, Brandon started recounting the events that transpired. Amelia stayed silent the whole time and listened attentively to Brandon. As soon as he finished, Amelia pinched her chin and pondered. This persisted for a few seconds until her voice reached his ears. "This is actually serious¡­" "Yeah. And if things don''t work out, we won''t have anything for the Festival." "I''ll try to ask my contacts if they know anypany that could supply you immediately." "Oh, you don''t have to¡ª" "It''s fine, I insist. I''ll help my junior out in any way I can." Brandon was taken aback. He was only there for advice on how to handle the situation. He didn''t expect Amelia to offer assistance on the issue. Gathering his thoughts, Brandon met her gaze and nodded in appreciation. "Okay, I''ll repay you someday." "No need. I''ll even cover the cost." "But¡ª" "In exchange, I need you to apany me during the Festival." Blinking his eyes repeatedly, Brandon was once again taken aback. "Sure, but what for?" "A Delegate from the Imperial Army is going to visit. Belle is really busy during that time. And I don''t want to ask Adrien." Brandon had an idea of where this was going. Amelia continued. "So that leaves you as the only option. We''ll be attending to the Delegate during the festival. Will you help me?" There was no room for hesitation. Amelia was the one asking. She was also helping him out in return. It was a mutual exchange. With such thoughts, Brandon pursed his lips and met her gaze. "Sure." Chapter 115: Problems Before the Festival [4] "Any developments on the case?" "None, unfortunately." As Brandon asked, Raven responded in return. "Alright." "Hm?" Raven tilted his head. Brandon seemed less dejected than he should be. "I didn''t expect that kind of reaction." "If things don''t work out I''ve got it all sorted out." "What do you mean?" "I''ve got us a sponsor." "Oh?" Raven''s eyes lit up. "Who?" "Amelia." "Ah." Then¡­ That meant there was no point in following up on the case, right? "Do you still want to solve the case then?" "I want to. But honestly, I''m really exhausted." "Then what about the cost?" "She''s covering for it." "Brandon¡­" Noticing the displeasure on Raven''s face, Brandon waved his hand to calm him down. "Not for free, of course." "Oh." "Yeah, I''ve got it covered. Don''t worry about me." "...Alright." At that, the brief conversation ended and the two immediately parted ways. Staring at Brandon''s departing back, Raven secretly clenched his fist. His friend¡­ Once again, he was handling everything on his own. "Damn it. Rely on us more, dude." He clenched his fist even more tightly. And he muttered to himself. "We''re friends, aren''t we?" *** A few days had passed. It was currently a weekend. A Sunday. And a weekend meant¡­ ¡­Another trip to Everde. Entering the tavern, all eyes immediately fell on Brandon. The room was lively at first. But as soon as he arrived, silence gripped the entire surrounding. Then¡­ "Ripper, wee back." "Good to see you, Ripper." "Another subjugation today?" Brandon didn''t respond with words but he nodded his head to reply. "As quiet as ever, eh¡­?" "He only talks to Smith, I''m jealous." "Don''t tell me you swing that way, man?" "Don''t twist my words, Erick." The livelymotion continued and Brandon made his way towards the counter. Seated on a stool, Brandon fixed his attention towards a certain bartender who was pouring a drink. "The usual, right?" "Yeah." There was a certain feature that the Mirage Mask had. If he poured mana in it, the blue runic symbols would glow and Brandon would be able to contort the mask into any shape. Grabbing the wooden goblet, Brandon gulped down the drink. Thump! And as soon as he finished, he smacked it back down on the table. "Another?" "Nah, this is enough." "Alright." What Smith considered as Brandon''s usual was none other than ''brandy''. Brandon had never had anything like it, be it in his past life, and his current life. But as soon as he heard about the drink, he suddenly grew curious. Not because of the drink itself. But it was because of¡­ ''What does a drink with the name ''Brandy'' taste like?'' Yeah. It was because of the name. "Hehe." Heughed at the thought. "Creepy¡­" Smith shed him a skeptical look. "Whatever." And Brandon waved him off. Wiping the wooden goblet, Smith spoke up without looking away from the goblet. "So, what do you need?" "Nothing." "Hm?" Smith tilted his head. "That''s strange." Everytime Brandon woulde to the tavern, he would gather as much information he could from Smith. Once he did, he would head back out into the forest and continue to subjugate the Beasts. But today, he didn''t n on doing that. What he came to Everde for was to take a breather. Away from the main city for a while. Coming to the rundown tavern filled with smelly men was surprisingly a good stress relief for him. For him, it felt quite refreshing. And the people around him considered him as a friend, including Smith. It was his own getaway. A ce for his solitude. In this shady tavern, Brandon could feel like himself. Of course, he was hiding his identity. But he didn''t have to put up an act. People didn''t look at him as if he was some kind of figure to look up to. No, they looked at him like an equal. And for Brandon, a ce like this was just what he needed. But to his surprise, Smith voiced his disdain. "If you don''t need anything. Then get out." "..." "Kidding." "I know." "Hahaha." The twoughed heartily at that. Most of the people in the Academy had never treated him like this. They would often show respect and revere him. Sure, it felt great at first. He could even admit he got an ego boost from it. But the more it happened, the more it started to irritate him. Which is why he had barely made any friends outside of his social circle. Would they actually treat him as a friend, or would they actually be afraid of him? Brandon was sick of it. He knew it was probably hypocritical for him to say it. He does, after all,e out a bit intimidating. But nheless, making connections outside of the Academy seemed to be in his advantage. Sooner orter, he would join the Primordials. And connections such as Smith was just what he needed. "You know what? Pour me another drink." "Brandy, right?" Heughed again to himself. Brandy. It was quite a funny nickname for him. Thump! "Here you go." "Thanks." He then grabbed the goblet and gulped it down. Thump! And smacked it back on the table. Smith frowned at the sight. "Sooner orter, the goblet will break. You''ll have to pay for it." "Don''t worry, I can pay.... How much?" "One¡­" Clink! He tossed a single gold coin. "There." "You didn''t let me finish." "...?" "I was going to say One Hundred Gold Coins.: "...Might as well rob me." "Hahaha." The two once againughed to themselves. As theugh ended, Brandon looked at Smith and said, "Join me, Smith." "Join what?" Brandon then pointed at the ss of brandy behind Smith. "Drinking." Smith pinched his chin and pondered for a while. His eyes then lit up and he opened his mouth. "On one condition." "Sure." "Show me your face." "..." No. A definite no. Shady guys like Smith could sell him out anytime. They were friends. But Smith was also a professional. It would be an idiotic move if he revealed himself just because they were friends. Noticing his hesitation, Smith waved him off. "Alright, alright. I respect that. But I''ll be drinking something else." "What?" Thump! Smith set an alcohol ss down. On it disyed ''ck Label''. And as Brandon read the text underneath, his eyes widened. Not like Smith could see. "96% Alcohol?! You''re a lunatic." "Lunatic?" Smith shrugged and started pouring the alcohol on his own wooden mug. "This much is nothing." He then gulped it down as Brandon''s mouth was left agape. Thump! "See? Completely fine." "..." Smith then had an idea as he spoke up. "Since you''ve asked me to join you. It''s only right if I request something from you, right?" "..." Brandon had an inkling on where this was going. "Drinking match." "Uh¡­?" "Don''t back off now. I''ll pour just a bit on your brandy. You can ept those terms, right?" "...What do I get if I win?" "What do you usually ask when youe here?" What is he¡­ Ah. "Information." "Yep." "About what?" "Something that might catch your interest." It was then when Smith started talking about a secret organization. One that Brandon was all too familiar with. Smith left it at ''secret organization''. But that was enough for Brandon to ept. If his conjecture was correct, then Smith was most likely talking about the Primordials. How he got the information, Brandon couldn''t even begin to ponder. "Alright, I ept your terms." At that, the two began their drinking match. And at the end of it¡­ "Fucking.. Shmith¡­ Justh let me¡­ Buy thath¡­ Informashon off of you." "No can do, Ripper. This is top quality stuff." "Then¡­ Hic¡­ I demandth¡­ A remastch¡­" "Nah man, you can''t even speak properly anymore." Noticing how drunk Brandon was, Smith left his desk and offered his shoulder. "There''s a spare room upstairs. Use that." "G-get¡­ Hic¡­ Off me¡­. And¡­ Rematsch!" "No,e on, Ripper let''s go." "Ripper¡­ Who¡­ The fucksh¡­ thath?" Brandon wobbled around as Smith tried to help him up the stairs. "My¡­ Nameshh¡­ Nmhhh!" Smith then covered his mouth before Brandon could utter his next words. He was, of course, curious. But Smith respected Brandon and their friendship. "Nmhhh¡­!" "Stop talking before you''ll regret it." Smith then pushed Brandon into the room and locked the door. Thump! Brandon immediately slumped down andid on the cold wooden floor. "Khhh¡­." And he passed out. Chapter 116: Foundation Festival [1] "Haaa¡­" Brandon was jolted awake in the middle of the night. He could feel an unbearable headache and he started massaging his temples. Standing up, his body pushed itself on the wall. The world seemed to spin. A sense of vertigo washed over him. "Fuck¡­" And as soon as his senses starteding back¡­ "Ukhhh¡­" His stomach started churning. "Ugkk¡­" His gag reflexes started acting up. But he persisted and tried to fight off the feeling. "Blergh¡­!" But it was to no avail as he started puking profusely on the floor. "Blergh!" This continued on for the next few minutes until he could finally fight against the vertigo. "Hoo¡­ Motherfuck¡ª" He then realized something. Wiping the puke residue off his lips, he retrieved his phone with his other hand. Checking his phone, it was currently 4:00 AM. And his eyes went wide open as he saw the text below it. [Monday, September 5.] It was the day of the festival. And he had to be at the Academy before 8:00 AM. "Fuck." He cursed under his breath. At that, Brandon immediately rushed towards the door. nk! nk! "Fuck¡­ Smith, let me out!" Smith''s voice echoed from below shortly after. "Twist the lock, idiot." "Oh." nk! The door abruptly opened and Brandon immediately rushed down the flight of stairs. Bang! He stumbled down and crashed against the wall. "Fuck¡ªUgkkk!" His gag reflexes started acting up again. But he fought back against it and rushed out of the hallway. His world continued to spin. But eventually he found his way to the tavern''s main area. Looking ahead, all eyes fell on him and he continued wobbling around. His gaze eventuallynded on the bartender who stood at the counter. With his hands on his forehead, Brandon nodded at him. "Thanks, Smith." Clink! Brandon tossed a gold coin on his desk. "The drinks are ten gold coins. Hey¡­! Heading for the exit, Brandon shed his middle finger. Smith did so as well and cursed. "Fuck you too." Brandon then left shortly after. * Arriving at the Academy, it was 7:45 AM. The students had all lined up and the parade was about to start. Looking around, his gaze eventuallynded on Amelia who was holding a bunch of documents. He hadn''t taken a shower at all. "Fuck it." But his duties were more important. His symptoms were slightly better than they were a few hours ago. But he could still feel a migraine aching in his head. Paying no heed to it, he then made his way towards Amelia. In the midst of his steps, he almost tripped but was caught by Amelia who looked at him with a worried gaze. "Careful." "What happened? You''re almostte." "...Sorry." Amelia then covered her nose and knitted her brows. "Have you been drinking?" "...No." "Haa¡­ Just get into position. Let''s see." She peered down on the documents in her hands. "Checkpoint number six. Thest checkpoint." "..." So this meant¡­ "Run." He had to rush towards thest checkpoint¡­ All while having a hangover. "Haa¡­" He took a deep breath. Channeling mana in his legs, Brandon closed his eyes. "What are you¡ª" Tzz¡ª And he sprinted, leaving sparks of blue lightning in his trail. He continued sprinting without sparing a single nce at the students who looked at him back with a skeptical expression. "Ukhh!" He started gagging again but he fought against it. A burning sensation rushed towards his stomach. "Fuck." But yet again, he persisted. It took about twelve minutes as he took pauses in between. But eventually he had finally arrived at the final checkpoint. "Haa¡­ Haa¡­" Taking deep heavy breaths, Brandon supported himself with a wall. "Ugkkk¡­!" Another sense of vertigo washed over him. But since no one was around, Then¡­ "Blergh¡­!" He puked on a bush nearby. And once again, this continued on for the next few minutes. Supporting himself on the wall, Brandon nkly stared at the ground. The vertigo washed away and his stomach stopped churning. Lifting his head up, Brandon stared at the sky and took a heavy breath. "Haa¡­" Wiping the puke residue off his mouth he looked ahead. The parade had already started but it seemed like they were still quite far from where he was. "Good, no one saw¡ª" "What was that?" He stopped mid sentence as a familiar figure appeared before him. Her long dark purple hair cascaded down her shoulders and her blue eyes met his gaze. "Evelyn¡­ What are you doing here?" "I''m the Professor assigned for this checkpoint." "Right, Amelia did debrief that¡­" Scanning his face, Evelyn opened her mouth. "So¡­ What was that about?" "What was what?" Brandon yed dumb. But then she covered her nose with a handkerchief. "You smell¡­" "Smell¡­ Good?" "You''ve been drinking." "No." As Brandon denied her suspicions, Evelyn shook her head and took a step back. "I didn''t expect that from you." "Then stop expecting¡ª" "No, I didn''t mean it in a bad way¡­ I''m d." Brandon''s eyes lit up as soon as those words left her mouth. Evelyn continued. "You really are a teenager. I''m d you''re finally acting your age." "..." This¡­ Was that how the others saw it as well? Was he just putting everything on his te¡­? "I¡­" "I won''t tell anyone. But get some rest after this, okay?" "...Thank you." *** Bang! A loud banging sound echoed in the air as a variety of confetti scattered in the air. Dozens of gs stood tall on each side as the student''s assigned gripped the pole tightly. The parade had finally kicked off. Students had lined up with their sses and continued walking ahead. At the front were the seniors who were ying drums and started chanting the Astrea Academy hymn. Bam! Bam! Bam! The sound of drums rang and was followed by the sound of trumpets being blown. "H-hey, stop pushing." "Move¡­!" "Fuck." It had only been two minutes and there were already severalints. "Everyone¡­! Give space!" The leaders assigned to each ss would then intervene whenever a small conflict arises. Since Brandon wasn''t present, the one who stepped up and took the mantle was none other than Raven. Unlike the other sses, their sses were united. Raven didn''t have to do as much as he thought he would. "Hehe." Heughed at the thought. "Do you know where Brandon is?" A familiar voice reached his ears. Turning around, what met his sight was Rachel who looked back at him. Seeing her curious gaze, Raven answered. "I think he''s at thest checkpoint." "Oh, I see. No wonder he ran." "Yeah, I wonder why he''ste though." Rachel didn''t know either. What she only knew was that Brandon wasn''t home the entire day. But she dismissed her thoughts. Whatever he was up to was none of her business. Ever since the start of the preparations, Brandon was arriving home less and less. Thest time they were alone together was a little over two months ago. July to be exact. Whenever she would try to visit their apartment, Brandon was never there. It was like that during the weekends too. Rachel pouted at the thought. She had no chances of ever asking him to explore the festival together. But¡­ Today, Hopefully. She could finally ask him out. Rachel then smiled. Right. There was no need to rush. Brandon was here to stay. They lived close by too. There would be a lot of chances to approach him. With such thoughts, Rachel looked ahead. For now, she had to focus on the parade. She also had duties to attend to once their maid cafe starts its operations. As soon as she finishes her duties, then she could ask him out. "I hope he''ll ept¡­" She muttered under her breath. This festival¡­ She wholeheartedly looked forward to it. Chapter 117: Foundation Festival [2] As soon as they arrived at thest checkpoint, Brandon joined the parade back to the Academy. The entire paradested for a total of three hours. "Ukhh¡­!" And at the end of it, Brandon immediately rushed towards the Academy. "Hey!" Amelia called out to him but it all went to deaf ears. Clenching his stomach, Brandon continued running around the halls until he had finally arrived at the bathroom. "Blergh¡­!" And he puked once again. After finishing, he turned the faucet on and water started cascading down the sink. The puke drained down along with the water and Brandon washed his face. A cool sensation washed over him and he looked at himself in the mirror. He was a mess. There were dark bags under his eyelids and hisplexions paled slightly. "Fucking¡­ Smith." He cursed under his breath. "I shouldn''t have drank¡­" It was stupid. But, "Hehehe." He found the entire situation funny. It was refreshing, to say the least. He had never felt this way before. He then recalled Evelyn''s words from earlier. "Finally acting like my age, huh?" Right. "Yeah." It was fun. Turning the faucet off, he wiped his drenched face with a towel. Staring at the mirror once again, he thoroughly scanned his appearance. His cor was slightly drenched and his hair was a mess. He briefly fixed his hair with water before eventually leaving. Walking around the hallways, he breathed out a heavy sigh. "Haa¡­" Just the thought of the duties in the afternoon made him feel exhausted¡ªalbeit¡ªmentally. The hallways were quiet with no students present. But there was a reason for it. Perking his ears, a certain sound reached his ears. ¡ªToday, we gather to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter in our academy''s history. This festival is a tribute to the hard work, dedication, and spirit that define ourmunity. ¡ªAstrea Academy is more than just a ce of learning. It is a ce where dreams take flight, where friendships are forged, and where knowledge grows. Together, we create a bright future. ¡ªAs we kick off this festival, let us remember the values that unite us: curiosity, kindness, and perseverance. Enjoy the festivities, make new memories, and embrace the spirit of our academy. It was the inauguration speech for the Foundation Festival. As the festivities would kick off, Belle would give a speech to inspire the masses. But because he immediately rushed towards the Academy, he missed it. But it didn''t matter. He shrugged. He had already known what would happen in the inauguration ceremony after peeking at Belle''s documents back in their apartment. Thankfully, he wasn''t part of the council. He didn''t have any duties assigned during the ceremony. He continued walking around the halls. He then paused in his steps as he finally arrived at his destination. Opening the door, what greeted his sight was Amelia who was seated at her desk with a bunch of documents on the table. Noticing his sudden appearance, Amelia''s brows were raised. "Good work. Take a rest for now." "Thanks." Brandon then motioned towards the couch and threw himself on it. "Wake me up once it''s time." "Alright." At that Brandon closed his eyes. . . But all of a sudden, he felt his head starting to elevate and a feeling of warmth followed shortly after. A sudden sensation on his hair followed from there as well. He then peered one of his eyelids open. "..." His eyes shot wide open. What greeted his sight were two azure eyes staring back at him. Her beautiful face immediately registered in Brandon''s eyes. Her lips pulled up to a smile and Brandon couldn''t find a way to articte his words. His head was situated on Amelia''sp. She brushed his hair with ab before eventually speaking. "Your hair''s a mess." "..." He still couldn''t find the words to say. But that was when¡­ Ba¡­ Thump! His heartbeat quickened. "Sleep. You''ve worked hard these past few weeks. You deserve the rest." "..." Amelia continued brushing his hair with ab as she shed him a warm smile. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! The quickening of his heartbeat had sent him in a state of panic. ''This is bad.'' He¡­ He couldn''t understand what was remotely going on. A heart attack? Was it because of all the alcohol he had drankst night? That should be the case. He abruptly closed his eyes. Ba¡­ Thump! A sudden warmth started enveloping inside his body. But yet again he couldn''t understand what the feeling was. Whatever it was, hopefully the sensations would reside sooner orter. It would intervene with his duties forter. He couldn''t allow that. Not when he had worked so hard. Silence gripped the entire room. But Brandon had a hard time sleeping. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! He could hear the banging in his heart echoing within his head. It was the only sound he could hear amidst the silence. Ba¡­ Thump! But despite the panic, he felt like he was at peace. This sensation¡­ It felt nice. Brandon was able to sleep shortly after calming down. Amelia stayed still for a while until she realized that Brandon had finally fallen asleep. After fixing his hair, she gentlyid his head down on a pillow and stood up. Looking at the sleeping Brandon''s face, she muttered under her breath. "...Cute." He was a cute junior. * After a few hours, Brandon had awakened from his peaceful slumber. Slowly lifting his body up, he rubbed his eyes. "Morning." A soft voice reached his ears. Turning around, what met his gaze was Amelia who seemed to be writing something down on a document. His hoarse voice followed shortly after. "M-morning¡­" He stuttered. Why? "What time is it¡­?" "It''s 10:30. You wanted me to wake you up at 11:00, right?" "A-ah¡­ Yeah." "Still want to sleep some more? You have a few minutes to spare." "No, this is enough." "Okay, then." Brandon then got up and walked towards the door. He reached for the door knob and twisted it slightly. He paused for a brief moment and turned around to look at Amelia who met his gaze. "Hm?" "T-thank you." He abruptly left shortly after. He¡­ "Why?" He suddenly grew conscious of her. For what reason? He didn''t know. But he dismissed his thoughts. He had duties to attend to. He continued to walk around the halls before pausing at a certain door. "Right." As soon as he opens this door¡­ "Haha." He then opened it and what met his sight had left him speechless. "Wee back, Master." A girl in a maid uniform greeted him with a bow. It was one of his ssmates, Emily Hawthorne. "Ah." "Guys! Brandon''s here¡­!" Emily''s loud voice echoed and immediately grabbed everyone''s attention. He started shuddering in fear knowing what would happen next. "Hehe." "I thought you weren''t nning on showing up." "Come on, Brandone. It''s time to change." An ominous smirk etched on his ssmate''s faces. "...I think I''m in the wrong room." He turned around and tried to leave. But he was then halted in his steps as a man stood to block his path. "Go on, Brandone." Reinhard stood tall with a simr ominous smirk etched on his face. He hesitantly turned around, only to find that his ssmates had already appeared before him. "No, no¡­! This is a mistake¡­!" Chapter 118: Foundation Festival [3] It was 11:30. The booths that were restaurant themed were finally open. While booths that were of a different genre were opened a few hours ago. One such booth was ss B. In other words, Amy and ire''s ss. Under the leadership of Sarah, ss B decided on a horror house. "Boo¡­!" Adorned in a ghost costume, Amy popped up out of nowhere. "Cute¡­" But that was the only reaction she got. "Wahhh¡­! She''s so cute¡­!" "Hehe." "..." Frowning, she forcefully stomped her foot on the ground. "Damn it. I''m supposed to be scary. What do you mean cute?" This was the eighth guest they had. And more or less, she would often get the samements. "Haa¡­" Stepping outside of their horror booth, Amy let out a heavy sigh. "...This isn''t working out." "It actually is." A voice reached her from the side. Turning around, a figure stood with her arms crossed. Her purple hair was covered in bandages. But some of the strands would peek out. Her purple gaze met Amy''s shortly after. "What do you mean¡­?" Puzzled, Amy frowned. "At this rate, our booth''s gonna fail badly." "Nope." Shaking her head, ire pointed towards a certain direction. "Look." Amy turned around and scanned. "..." She was speechless. Several students lined up for their booths. They all seemed excited with smiles etched on their faces. And¡­ They were all males. "Ahh¡­ I heard they had a cute marshmallow here." "Isn''t it a nket?" "No, it''s definitely a marshmallow." "Whatever it is, this cosy booth''s making me excited." "..." Marshmallow? nket? Amy stood petrified. She¡­ "...I''m a ghost." Her face contorted to a sad expression. And for a second, she felt like her eyes were starting to moisten. "Pftt¡­" A strange sound escaped from another figure, who was seated on her desk. On her desk were colored papers cut into small pieces. Her ck hair was tied to a ponytail and witch hat to top it off. It was Sarah, their ss leader. "It may not be working out as we had imagined. But nheless, our tickets are selling." "...Yes, but¡ª" "It''s mostly thanks to you, Amy. Good work." Praising Amy, a smile shed across Sarah''s features. "You can take a break now. Use this time to explore the festival." Amy smiled back and nodded. "Okay, thanks." She then turned around to look at ire. "Want to visit ss A''s booth?" "Yep, that''s why I waited for you." Nodding, ire walked to Amy''s side and the two headed for the exit. "Wait." But they halted midstep as Sarah called out to them. Turning around to look at Sarah, she stood up from her seat and started rummaging her purse. "I''ll join you. I want to see what that guy''s nned." "That guy¡­?" Amy pinched her chin and pondered. Who? Oh. "You mean Brandon?" "Yeah, he''s the one leading their ss." Amy and ire were taken aback. Sure, Brandon was at the top of the first-years. But he had never really struck them as the proactive type. He was smart and he was strong. But he was a bitzy. That''s how they at least saw him. Since there was apetition between booths, most of the leaders kept their ideas confidential. And only the leaders knew the other leaders, since they would submit their proposals at the same time. That being said, the three left their lecture room and roamed around the halls. They passed by several students and most of the attention fell on Amy who was still in her ghost costume. Male students blushed while the girls seemed to have sparkles in their eyes. "So cute." "..." Amy paid no heed to them but her brows unknowingly twitched at every instance. Eventually, they made their way towards ss A''s lecture room. "..." "Is this¡­" "I didn''t expect this from him." Amy and Sarah were speechless while ire crossed her arms with a smile on her face. What greeted their sight was a girl adorning a maid uniform. She stood by the door. Noticing their arrival, she opened the door for them. "Wee home, Master¡­!" And she followed up with the introductory greetings. "..." "..." "..." They stood motionless for a few seconds until they fixed their expressions and entered the room. As soon as they did, all the maids present turned their attention towards them. "Wee home, Master¡­!" They all spoke in unison. "Pftt¡­" "...Is this really Brandon''s idea?" "Woah." ire tried to hold back herugh while Sarah and Amy were stupefied. A maid with pigtails approached them and led them to an empty table. Taking a seat, the maid handed each of them a menu. Cups were ced and the maid poured their beverages. The maid nodded with a pitcher in her hand. "A maid will be assigned to you shortly after. Enjoy your stay." She strode off as her pigtails swayed with each step she took. Checking the menu, Sarah nodded. "Not bad. The theme aside¡­" Sarah turned to look around. The ce bustled with activity. Just like their booth, most of the customers were men. Sarah then continued. "Things are looking good for them." "Agreed." ire nodded as she scanned the menu as well. "Check this out." She leaned forward and showed the menu for Sarah and ire to see. Her fingers were currently pointed at a peculiar drink that was priced heavily. But the price aside, something else caught their attention. "A photo opportunity with a maid of your choosing?" Amy''s eyes lit up. Since her sister, Rachel was in this ss, she wanted to get a picture with her. Buying the drink would immediately get them registered in the raffle. Every ten minutes, the lottery will be drawn, and whoever''s names were present on the paper would win a photo opportunity. Pinching her chin, Sarah acknowledged. "This is definitely Brandon''s idea¡­ How smart." "Still¡­" ire shrugged. "I didn''t expect this from him." "True, but at this rate, they might sweep thepetition." They then turned towards Amy who looked back at them as she covered her mouth with the menu. ire''s voice reached her ears shortly after. "Step up your game, Amy. You''re our mascot from now on." "What are you¡ª" "Fuck, stop pushing." Amy stopped mid sentence as a male voice reached their ears from the side. Turning around, a door was opened slightly, but themotion seemed toe from there. But that was when¡­ "..." "Holy fuck¡­!" A beautiful maid jumped out of the door. Her pale-white hair was cut short, and her face seemed to flush a bright beet red. On her chest, was a brooch pin with the name ''Brandone'' etched on to it. Her ice-blue gaze eventually met theirs and her body shuddered shortly after. Everyone present turned to look at the beautiful maid, all while blushing red in return. "Who''s that¡­" "Fuck it, I''m buying twenty drinks." "I''ve already bought thirty. I''m winning that photo-opp." Comments about the maid''s sudden appearance rang in the air. Everyone in the room would agree that she was the most beautiful maid present. Covering her face, Brandone hesitantly walked towards the trio''s table. "W-wee¡­. Kh¡­!" She stuttered. Smack¡ª! One of the maids appeared before them and lightly smacked her on the back. "Come on. Do it for the ss." She shook her head. "F-fine¡­" The maid then lowered the note that was covering her face. She eventually pursed her lips. "W-wee¡­ Home¡­ Kh¡­ Master." "Pftt¡­" "Holy fuck. Brandone¡­?" "Hahaha~" "Pftt¡­" Even the maid beside Brandoneughed. "..." Chapter 119: Date [1] The Academy was currently open to the public during the festivities. Outsiders such as parents and alumni were allowed to enter the premises. Though there were more students than guests that visited their cafe, Brandon still shuddered at the thought. "Fuck¡­ Embarrassing." For what seemed to be hours, Brandon was finally relieved of his duties. It wasn''t actually hours. It was currently 12:30. There were several students who had tried to take a photo opportunity with him. But out of respect, his ssmates had actually banned the idea. "Huu¡­." Just the thought of it sent shivers down his spine. Removing the maid uniform, Brandon quickly buckled his pants. Looking at the mirror, he turned the faucet and thoroughly washed his face. What''s next was¡­ Psss¡ª Psss¡ª Perfume. Spraying it all over his body, the pleasant scent ofvender wafted in the air. As soon as he was satisfied, he nodded. Quickly adorning his white zer, Brandon fixed his hair up and looked at the mirror once again. "Nice." He nodded. He was scheduled to apany Amelia to amodate the delegate from the Imperial Army. He had to look presentable. That being said, he left the bathroom and roamed around the halls. Immediately, he caught the attention of several people as all heads flicked towards him. "Woah." "He looks different today¡­" Compliments reached his ears and Brandon nodded in appreciation. Yes. Despite not taking a shower, Brandon looked his best today. At least, he hoped so. He continued to walk around the halls but made a quick detour to his ss. Entering the lecture room, just like earlier, it still bustled with activity. His previous performance had gotten a lot of attention, and most of the customers visited their cafe for lunch. Approaching the counter, a familiar sight greeted him. With ck hair and golden eyes, Cyrus Rosewill, one of his officers. Seated on the counter, Cyrus looked up to meet his gaze. "Ah, Brandon. You finished changing?" "Yeah." "Thanks." Cyrus then peered down at the documents before him. Without looking at him, Cyrus reported. "So far, we''ve umted a total of fifteen gold coins. We''re currently first ce." "Oh¡­?" "Yep, all thanks to you actually." Brandon nodded, and a smile spread across his features. His agenda was for the report of their current progress. It seemed like things were going well. Thepetition was separated between each years. Meaning, there would be five winners. It seemed like their ss was leading for the first-years. Noticing his fancy attire, Cyrus looked up at him. "Going somewhere¡­?" "Yeah." "Uh¡­ No? I havemittee duties after this." "Alright." Finishing their brief discussion, Brandon walked towards the exit. But he stopped mid-step and turned back around. "Call me if there''s any trouble." "Sure." The two nodded at each other and Brandon left the room. Staring at Brandon''s departing back, Cyrus let out a heavy sigh. "Haa¡­" They weren''t that close. But during the preparations, they''ve had several interactions. He was initially intimidated by Brandon. But after finding out what his personality was actually like, he began to respect him. In fact, he started looking up to him. The amount of extracurricrs Brandon was currently juggling had left him inspired. He too, wanted to be as responsible as Brandon. All of a sudden, a familiar figure appeared before him. She adorned a maid uniform as her ck hair was tied to a ponytail. Her dark-crimson eyes met his gaze and her voice reached his ears shortly after. "Where''s he going¡­?" "Committee duties." Though it was subtle, Rachel''s expressions contorted and her shoulders dropped. Cyrus was observant, and thus he could tell what her reaction was. But he shook his head. Whatever was going on between the two was none of his business. "Keep up the good work." "Thanks." Giving his thanks, Rachel shed him a smile and returned to her duties shortly after. *** "You''re here early." "Didn''t want to bete." "You''ve dressed up as well." "So did you." Brandon wore a fancy white zer, one that nobles would use in fancy banquets. While Amelia adorned an elegant white dress thatpletely highlighted her features. For some reason¡­. They were matching. Yet the two were dense to notice as they sat beside each other on the couch. Amelia''s soft voice reached his ears shortly after. "The Delegate informed me that he would bete." "Oh, then¡­?" "I''ve already cleared up our schedule for this. This is the only time I''m free." She twirled her hair and met his gaze. Pursing her lips, she continued. "I haven''t had a chance to enjoy this festival. So before the delegate arrives¡­" Brandon had an idea where this was going. And he was on board with it. He too had yet to enjoy the festival. Amelia stood up and offered her hand. "...Want to explore this festival together?" But despite the fact that he knew she was going to say that. Her words had still taken him aback. With wide eyes, Brandon hesitated for a bit. Why? Shaking his head he dismissed his thoughts. Reaching out for her hand, Brandon epted her gesture and stood up. Meeting her gaze, he opened his mouth. "Sure." "Haha~ Let''s go then. I want to see how your ss is doing." "Uh¡­?" Nevermind. He wasn''t looking forward to it. Not at all. "Hehe." But he found himselfughing at the thought. The two walked around the halls and immediately caught the attention of several students they had passed by. On second thought¡­ "Let''s leave my ss forter." "Hm?" They paused as Amelia turned around to look at him. "Why?" "Leave the best forst?" "Oh? You''re that confident¡­?" "Yep, we''re actually first." "That''s amazing...!" Her lips curled up into a smile. Stepping forward, she stopped and looked back at him. "I''m quite hungry." She rubbed her stomach. "Have you had lunch yet?" "Nope." Brandon shook his head. "There should be some vendors around the gazebo." "Ah, let''s go there then." Brandon nodded and the two continued their venture. * Arriving at the gazebo, vendors lined its perimeter. Their stalls brimmed with colorful goods. Students mingled around the stalls. Theirughter and chatter blended into the lively atmosphere. A pleasant smell wafted in the air and Amelia''s noise perked up. Tracing Amelia''s line of sight, Brandon turned to look. What greeted his sight was a stall that seemed to sell grilled food. Amelia''s mouth opened and closed repeatedly and her eyes seemed to sparkle. Noticing the hungry look on her face, Brandon pursed his lips. "You want to try that?" "Yes." The two approached the stall shortly after. But that was when¡­ "..." "Hm?" Amelia scanned Brandon''s stupefied expression. "What''s wrong?" "Yo, Brandon." A voice called out to him. It came from the vendor. "Liam¡­?" Chapter 120: Date [2] Apparently, the vendor stall was a branch of Liam''s parents'' restaurant. He was helping out after he was relieved of his duties in their horror house. Truth be told, Brandon hadn''t had a single meal sincest night at the tavern. "Enjoy." "Thanks." And once the enticing aroma of the grilled pork reached his nose, he immediately devoured it. Munch. Munch. "Slow down¡­" Shaking her head, Amelia bit into her food. This persisted for the next few minutes. The two ate in silence. The only sound that reached their ears were the idle chatter andughter from the people around them. Time passed slowly, and the two enjoyed each other''spany. Not a single exchange urred. But that was until Brandon finished his food first. "Pftt¡­" A strange sound escaped Amelia''s lips. Blinking his eyes, Brandon looked at her. "What¡­?" She pointed at her own lips. "There''s ketchup." "Oh." Brandon reached out for the tissue and wiped the corners of his mouth clean. ''Cute¡­'' Amelia found the entire thing cute. She had only known Brandon for a month. But she knew how close they had gotten. Brandon appeared stiff at first, even nonchnt. The same went for her who kept her guard up. This was because of her past experience with most men. She had only tried to be proactive with Brandon since he was a junior, and her best friend''s younger brother. But the more she spent time with him, the more she realized how pleasant it was to be with him. And slowly, though Brandon was still quite nonchnt, he was showing even more sides of him. His facade was slowly breaking and his guard was down. Before she realized it, she¡­ She too had let her guard down around him. It was pleasant. Brandon had now be one of the few people she could be herself around with. He was a cute junior. Like a younger brother she never had. She nodded. Right, he was¡­ A younger brother. "Hm¡­?" Brandon looked up at her and she was snapped out of her thoughts. "Ah, n-nothing¡­" She waved him off. Munch. Munch. And she continued eating her meal. Brandon leaned back on his chair and crossed his arms. Once again, silence ensued. She ate her meal, as Brandon respectfully waited for her. And as soon as she finished, she leaned back on the chair as well. Looking at him, he seemed to be nkly staring at nothing. She pursed her lips. "Where do you want to go next?" "Hmm¡­." Brandon pinched his chin and pondered. He then looked back at her, and his voice reached her ears shortly after. "Seems like my friends are having a horror house." But as those words left his mouth, Amelia''s figure involuntarily twitched. Brandon didn''t seem to notice and continued. "Wanna go¡­?" "Uh¡­." She hesitated. "Hm¡­?" Brandon tilted his head. He leaned close and she unknowingly leaned back. "So¡­?" He asked. "Wanna go?" "..." But yet again, Amelia didn''t respond. Brandon tilted his head at that. "Wait, are you sca¡ª" "N-no, let''s go." She briefly cut him off and stood up. Dumbfounded, Brandon looked at her with a stupefied expression. "....Okay." He looked back at Liam who was grilling something. "We''ll be going now Liam. Food was great." "Sure, thanks for stopping by." Brandon nodded and Liam nodded back. That being said, the two left the gazebo, and headed towards ss B''s booth. And yet again, they''ve gathered the attention of the people they passed by as heads flicked towards them. They stood out, since they were the only ones wearing formal clothing. Their hair was styled differently from their usual hairstyle as well. "Who are those two¡­?" "They look like celebrities!" And It seemed like the students didn''t recognize them. But the two paid no heed to it and continued striding forward. Finally, they arrived at their destination. The line was quite long, and Amelia found herself smiling at that. She turned around and seemed to leave. "Seems like this''ll take a while. The Delegate will be here soon. Let''s just¡ª" "Wait." Brandon interjected. He reached for his pocket and retrieved a white ticket to show to Amelia. "I''ve got a pass to cut in line." "..." Her eyes widened. "T-that''s great¡­." And she stuttered. Once again, Brandon didn''t seem to notice and walked ahead. "Come on." Amelia hesitantly nodded and followed him closely as they cut the line. And yet again, they stood out as all eyes fell on them. *** "Didn''t think you''d actuallye." "The pass would go to waste." When ire and the others left the maid cafe, they gave Brandon a pass to cut in line. And it seemed like ire was the one in charge at the reception for their booth. "You look fancy. Going somewhere?" "Yep,mittee duties." "I see." ire nodded at that. She then grabbed a line of tickets and cut a piece of it. But she was halted as Brandon informed her. "Two tickets please." "Two¡­?" ire looked behind Brandon. "You''re not with anyone though." "Ah, she went to the bathroom." "She?" "Uh¡­ Yeah?" "Your sister?" She skeptically raised her brows. "No?" He shook his head. "Then¡ª" "Brandon, thanks for waiting." Amelia appeared behind him all of a sudden. ire stared at him with wide eyes. But fixed her expressions and abruptly pulled Brandon close. "Fucker¡­ Don''t tell me¡­." "...?" Brandon was dumbfounded. The hell is she doing? "Nevermind. It''s none of my business." She then shook her head and dismissed him. "Enjoy¡­" Brandon scratched his cheek and Amelia''s voice reached his ears shortly after. "What was that about?" "No idea." At that, the two entered the horror house together. "Eeek¡ª" Whenever a jumpscare popped up, a strange sound would escape Amelia''s lips. "Eeek¡ª" "Ah¡­!" "Uwa¡­!" "..." So that''s why she hesitated before. She couldn''t take scary things well. But¡­ ''This isn''t even remotely scary.'' At least, not to Brandon who was an avid fan of the horror genre. Maybe his tolerance for horror was high¡­? "Boo." "Wah¡­!" "..." A ghost with a small stature suddenly popped up. "Ah, Brandon?" "Hm? Amy¡­?" "How''s my act?" "Cute." "...Damn it." Brandon then turned around but there was no one behind him. "What are you doing?" "Mypanion disappeared¡­" "Oh, you mean¡­" Amy pointed below Brandon. Brandon followed her hand and looked down. "..." Amelia was crouched down and her body shuddered. She looked up at Brandon and fixed herself up. "Scared?" "...N-no." Brandonughed at her denial. "No need to be ashamed. I just have a high tolerance for these things. But¡­" He pointed towards Amy. "Look at her, she isn''t even scary." "Hey¡­!" Amy retorted. Amelia pinched her chin and leaned close to scan Amy. "You''re right. She''s cute." But Amy didn''t retort and seemed to be taken aback. "L-Lady Amelia?" "Oh, you recognize me?" "...Y-yes." "Nice to meet you then. A friend of Brandon is a friend of mine." Amelia gestured for a handshake in which Amy epted. Amy then looked at Brandon with a frown and abruptly pulled him close. Again? What sort of¡­. Amy whispered in his ear. "Don''t tell me¡­." "...?" And Brandon found himself dumbfounded once again. Isn''t this the same thing with ire? But she then dismissed him. "Nevermind. I just hope she doesn''t let this get to her." "Her?" "Not surprising. Just go, the exit is up ahead." Brandon scratched his head at that. Everyone seemed to be so cryptic today. Shortly after, they finally found the exit, and the two left the horror booth. "That was fun." Grabbing a water bottle that was offered at the exit, Brandon chugged it down. "It actually was." Amelia''s eyes lit up. "We should do this again¡­!" Brandon was taken aback. But unknowingly, the corner of his lips pulled up. This¡­ This was what the festivities were all about. To have fun. Amelia, He enjoyed herpany. And it seemed like she enjoyed it as well. All of a sudden, Amelia reached out for her pocket and retrieved her phone. She took the phone call, and as soon as she finished, she looked at him seriously. Clearing her throat, she pursed her lips. "The Delegate has arrived." Chapter 121: Afternoon Festivities [1] The two abruptly rushed towards themittee room. The reason the delegate called was because he was already here a few minutes ago. But ording to the delegate, someone else received him. He was currently on standby in themittee room. If they didn''t show up in the next minute or so, he would leave and it would greatly impact the Constantine family name. Rushing their steps, the two had finally made their way to themittee room. "..." But their steps were halted as a familiar figure stood by the doorway. "What took you so long, Amelia¡ª" Noticing her arrival, Adrien greeted her. But soon paused as he noticed the man that stood beside her. "I see." He frowned. But fixed his expressions shortly after he met Brandon''s indifferent gaze. "I''m not going to ask where the two of you have been. But please be professional." Hearing his words, Amelia sported a frown as well and stayed silent. She entered the room followed by Brandon and Adrien shortly after. Creaaaak¡­. What greeted their sight was a man with ck hair, sporting the familiar Imperial Army uniform. He stood poised with an air of authority surrounding him. Noticing that they had finally arrived, he looked back to meet their gaze. "Finally." The man''s deep heavy voice reached their ears. He walked around before taking a seat on Amelia''s desk. "I''ll let this slide under the request of Sir Frost over there." "Apologies, Sir Hall." She gave him a light bow. "No worries. But there won''t be a next time¡ªHm?" His gazended on the figure that stood behind them. He was taller than the rest of them. With pale-white hair and ice-blue eyes, adorning an elegant zer that was of the simr hue as Amelia''s white dress. "Why is an outsider here?" "He''s not an outsider." Amelia stepped forward and shook her head. She then turned around and looked at Brandon. Signaling with her chin, Brandon stepped forward. "Good evening, Delegate. My name is Brandon Locke." The delegate pinched his chin and seemed to ponder. But his expressions betrayed his hesitation and he spoked up as if it took him a while to recognize him. "Locke, I see. I was wondering where Lady Locke was. But you seem to havee as her proxy." The delegate nodded and introduced himself. "Very well. This is our first time meeting each other." The delegate stood up. "I''m Field Marshal Louise Hall. Your Father and I have known each other for a long time. Pleased to have you join us, Sir Locke." Brandon nodded respectfully at Louise''s formal introduction. "Good, you know your manners. At ease now, young cadets. I''ve let the matter slide, so take a seat." Maintaining their proper decorum, the three sat down on each couch. Adrien sat at the couch in front, while Brandon sat beside Amelia. "Kuhum¡­" Louise cleared his throat. He was about to speak before the door opened abruptly. nk¡ª! A figure emerged from the door. It was Belle. She adorned a simr elegant dress as Amelia. But her pale-white hair wasn''t fixed up as it flowed freely down her back. "Pardon my intrusions." She lowered her head respectfully before Louise waved her off. "Take your seat. We were just about to start." She nodded at that. But shortly after, her gazended on the figure that sat beside Amelia. "Brandon¡­? What are you doing here?" Belle spoke with a raised voice. Louise waved her off once again and asked. "Hm? So he wasn''t a proxy." He shook his head. "Doesn''t matter. A member of an Imperial Army officer''s family is a cadet." Belle seemed anxious. But eventually relented and sat beside Brandon. For a second, Brandon could hear Adrien mutter, ''No one wants to sit next to me?'' But as soon as Adrien met his gaze, he straightened his back and shook his head. ''How peculiar.'' Adrien was definitely wary of him. For what reason, he didn''t know. With the confusions out of the way, the meeting began. All eyes fell Louise as he spoke with an air of authority. "As you all know, the Headmaster has been missing for a year. But finally, the Imperial Army has decided to share with the public about the cause." Brandon''s ears perked up. I didn''t know that. But it wasn''t the same as everyone else who listened attentively without changing their expression. He was the only one left in the dark about the Headmaster''s current predicament. But there was one thing that he did know. The rift incursion. It was an event that he was familiar with in the novel. However, he didn''t know what happened after its revtion. It was supposed to happen a bitter, and Raven was supposed to participate in the incursion. In other words, it was in theter chapters he hadn''t read. Therefore, he didn''t know the conclusion of that story arc. He was snapped out of his thoughts as Louise continued. "A year ago, a crack appeared in the Delta Region and a small rift opened up. Officers had tried to find the cause of the rift, but it was to no avail. Initially, we wanted to observe it first before diving in to see where the Headmaster had left off to." As soon as the revtions left his mouth, the others gasped in unison. The first one to speak up was Adrien, who spoke anxiously. "So this rift was the reason the Headmaster disappeared?" "Correct." Louise nodded. "It was all coincidence. But the crack formed just at the spot where the Headmaster stood. Unlucky, I''d say. Due to this, we''ve taken proper precautions to avoid another incident where someone would enter the rift." He sighed. "But after preparing for a full year. The Imperial Army has finally decided on an incursion to take ce next month." ''As expected... They really were about to start an incursion...'' His thoughts were broken as Louise abruptly stood up to continue. "I''m here on behalf of the Imperial Army to inform you of your respective Family''s participation in the incursion." And he lowered his head. "We don''t know what will happen during the incursion. Please rest assured as the Army will do everything to avoid casualties, and¡­" He peered his eyes open to look at Adrien. "Sir Lucian will be participating as the Guild''s representative." Brandon''s eyes lit up at that. This¡­ Lucian wasn''t supposed to be part of the incursion. It was supposed to be Raven instead. Truly, the storyline was changing. But if Lucian was participating, then that meant the incursion''s sess rate had increased up a notch. No one else would be strong enough to rece Raven besides Lucian. Right. The storyline was progressing differently and he was well aware of that. But at least some aspects stayed the same. The strongest was still present. A tentative silence gripped the room as everyone tried to digest all of the revtions. But the gesture was well appreciated. The Army did not neglect informing the children about the matter, and for that everyone took the news better than what should have been expected. "I understand." Amelia broke the silence and nodded. She looked at Louise with a serious expression and added. "Sir Louise, I wish the entire Imperial Army the best of luck." Everyone seemed to feel the same way as they nodded after Amelia. They stood up and lowered their heads as they all spoke in unison. "May the sun find its way to shine down on the Imperial Army." *** Despite the fact that Brandon decided to let go of the matter¡­ Raven and Reinhard didn''t. After working on the case for a week, they had finally gathered substantial evidence that points to the fact that the secretary was the perpetrator for the crime. It seemed like ss A''s booth wasn''t the only target. Companies that the other sses reached out to were targeted as well. It was all one big crime. Clearly, someone was trying to obstruct the festivities. The secretary was arrested, as well as the other perpetrators. The motive for the crime was still unknown. And it stayed unknown until the secretary finally had enough. "I was coerced¡­!" He spat out. Deep inside the Special Force Headquarters, there was a cell that held most of their criminals. Raven, Reinhard, and Reina stood by the cell as they peered down on the chained secretary. "borate?" "They¡­ They suddenly appeared before me¡­" He shook his head and blood sttered on the floor. "I don''t know their identities. But if I didn''t do what they asked, they''d kill my family¡­" Skeptically raising her brows, Reina looked at Raven. "What do you think?" Pinching his chin, Raven continued to look at the beaten up secretary. "He seems to be telling the truth." He sighed. "This is a lot moreplicated than we thought." Chapter 122: Afternoon Festivities [2] A few weeks before the festival. Inside the tavern, Brandon sat at the counter as the familiar bartender entertained him. Smith was wide eyed as he looked at Brandon. "You want to climb the organization''s rankings?" "Yeah." "Why¡­?" "I need more people like you. People who won''t hesitate to get their hands dirty." "...I see." Brandon knew he couldn''t bring any people from the Academy with him once he became a Primordial member. What he needed were people from the underground channels of society. But all he could ess were the public taverns of the Twilight Syndicate. He needed an invitation. An invitation to enter the syndicate''s main circle. Which is why he needed to climb the ranks. To get the syndicate''s attention. "There''s one thing you can do." "Tell me." Snap! Smith snapped his fingers. Brandon rolled his eyes in response. Clink! And a gold coinnded on a table. Smith nodded and went on to borate. "There are certain ways to shoot up the rankings. But if you really want to get the heads'' attention, then do something unthinkable." "..." Brandon pondered as he pinched his chin. He had several ideas in mind. But his moralpass wouldn''t allow it. "What''s with that look?" "...?" The hell was he talking about? Brandon was clearly wearing a mask. "Uh?" "It''s your gestures." "..." Weirdo. "Anyway, do something unthinkable." "Like?" Smith pondered for a few seconds. But then he looked back at Brandon with a smirk. Noticing the sly smirk on his face, Brandon flipped another coin. Clink! "Fucking cheapskate." "It''s business. Anyway, there''s a new group in the syndicate who''s trying to make a name for themselves. Bunch of deviants." "Oh?" "They''re nning on obstructing this Academy called Astrea during their festival. Maybe you can use them as a reference." Brandon''s eyes widened behind the mask as those words left Smith''s mouth. Smith may have not known, but the information that he gave was worth more than a gold coin. "...What are they nning?" At that, Smith shed him another smirk and Brandon rolled his eyes. Clink! "I heard they''ve been messing withpanies that''ll be involved in the festival, threatening their families and stuff." "..." Brandon''s eyes widened once again. This¡­ He could definitely use this to his advantage. "Do something unthinkable, huh?" *** The present. After working for two hours, Rachel was finally relieved of her duties. Changing into her usual clothes, she stepped out of the changing room. "Good work today." ''Good work, Rachel." "Thanks." She nodded at their appreciation. With a smile stered on her face, she left the lecture room shortly after. Yes, Finally. It was time to explore the festival. An image ovepped in her mind. The thought of exploring the festival with him made her excited. "I wonder where he is." She didn''t know where he was. But she was resolved to find him. The festival was lively, and it seemed to be fun. But it would be more fun if she spent it with him. She wasn''t exactly sure about confessing. It all depended on how he would react once they did spend time. Walking around the halls, her gazended on the window. Approaching it, she peered down to find several stalls in the gazebo area. Right. She ate a bit before working, but she was still quite hungry. With such thoughts, she walked down the flight of stairs. The lively chatter of the students reached her ears as she continued to walk each step. "Did you see those two earlier?" "The ones wearing formal attire?" "Yeah, them." Formal attire? Brandon was wearing formal attire. Could it have been him? She approached the two students. A boy wearing ck framed sses and a girl with green hair. "Oh, Rachel?" They seemed to recognize her. But it wasn''t surprising. The top rankers of their respective years were quite famous after all. "The one you were talking about. What color was his hair?" "Uh¡­" "Wasn''t it white?" The girl answered while the boy found himself pondering. "White? Was it Brandon?" "Brandon?" Now the girl was pondering. "Now that I think about it, he did look like Brandon. But¡ª" "Do you know where he is now?" She unknowingly cut her off. "Hm¡­ I think someone saw him in the gazebo. Not sure." "Okay, thank you." Excited. After waiting for half a day, she could finally see him. She wanted to approach him during his work hours, but refrained from doing so. In case he would shoot her down under the premise of, ''Sorry I can''t. I''ll be busyter,'' she decided to put it on hold. There were too many people at the time. It would''ve been embarrassing. She left the two to their own devices and walked towards the gazebo. The pleasant aroma wafted in the air and reached her nose. She looked around and as she did so, she found herself disappointed. "I can''t find him¡­" Just where could he¡ª "Rachel?" A voice called out to her. From one of the stalls, a familiar figure stood as he met her gaze. "Ah, Liam." Recognizing him, she approached the stall. And the first question on her mind was¡­ "Have you seen Brandon? I heard he was here." "Yeah. Though, he left a little while ago. He was with¡ª" She unknowingly cut him off and left shortly after. She returned to the building and sported a frown. "Haa¡­" She breathed out a sigh. Clearly, she wasn''t going to find him anytime soon. That must''ve meant he was busy withmittee duties. With such thoughts, Rachel returned to the gazebo and ate by herself. *** The meetingsted for a total of three hours. As members of the student council, Belle and Adrien continued to entertain Louise, guiding him around the Academy. While Brandon left themittee room to meet up with a certain someone. Due to the fact that he had slept during his shift, his schedule was moved to 3:00 - 5:00. Not just his, but also his partner''s schedule. And as he gazed ahead, a familiar figure, with brown hair and green eyes quickly entered his peripheral vision. Noticing his arrival, he turned around to meet Brandon''s gaze. "Oscar, thanks for waiting." "No problem." Oscar nodded with a smile and leaned forward. Brandon quite liked the guy. He was aloof, just like him. During the time of their meetings, Oscar would often give him tips on how to manage and lead. Brandon could admit that he was a good senior. The two engaged in conversation as they roamed the halls. Themittee had certain privileges. One of them was the privilege to use magic on academy grounds. There were already severalints of unwanted guests, and problems arising. And as if the world had jinxed him, it happened shortly after. "How unprofessional." Inside one of the lecture rooms, a voice reached them. As they entered, what greeted their sight was a guest whose clothes were drenched. "This suit cost me a fortune. I hope you have the means to pay." "Sir, it was an ident. We''re still students, so we can''t pay. But we''ll offer a refund instead." "Refund¡­? Your drinks were shit." Students encircled him with a horrified expression. "What''s going on here?" Oscar approached the man and grabbed his attention. "Who the fuck are you?" "I''m a member of the Disciplinary Committee." He sternly stated. "If you continue acting like this, then you''ll have to leave the premises." "What? I''m the victim here. These kids dropped juice all over my suit." "I understand. But please be civil, they''re kids. They can''t pay a fortune." "Why not?" The man spat out. "You''re Astrea students. Your tuition is a hefty sum. And you can''t pay for my suit?" "Some of us are under schrship." "Excuses." Oscar frowned as those words left the man''s mouth. "Fuck, I''m leaving." The man turned around and left after muttering curses under his breath. And that was the end of it. The situation was dealt with quite smoothly. "Ahhhh¡­!" But then a scream echoed from the other lecture room. Looking at each other, Brandon and Oscar rushed out of the room and followed the source of the scream. What greeted their sight was yet again, another man whose hands were raised at a student. There were ss shards on the floor. With cracked tes scattered all over. Students sported a horrified expression as they stood and watched. The man seemed like he was about to p the student. But that was until¡­ Woosh¡ª! As Brandon retracted his arm, a powerful gust of wind yanked the man backward. Thud! "Ukh!" The man fell on the ground with his front facing the ceiling. He got up and looked at the two with his eyes wide open. Brandon''s cold voice followed shortly after. "Get out." Brushing his clothes, the man sprinted and left the room. When they thought they could finally rest for a bit, another scream ensued. "Ahhh¡­!" And they followed the source shortly after. Thud! "Akh¡­!" Thud! "Ahhhh!" nk¡ª! "Fuck." "Ahhhhh!" Problems after problems. After managing to resolve each situation, Brandon breathed out a sigh. "Haa¡­" "Tired?" "Nope." Brandon shook his head. "I don''t me you." Oscar leaned on the wall with his arms crossed. "It wasn''t this bad during the previous festivals. For some reason, there were more uninvited guests this year." "I see." Brandon nodded. Indeed. Though the Academy was open to the public, they still needed confirmation that they were a family member of a student. An invitation needed to be checked by the guards. On it, there''d be a stamp that confirms the validity of their invitation. But Brandon was well aware of the reason why this was happening. There was a rat. Invitations were sent out like flies, allowing anyone to enter the academy. How did he know all this? That was because¡­ Brandon was the rat. Chapter 123: Exhibition Matches [1] Two days went by in a sh. It was currently thest day of the festival. For two days, it was mostly just booths and stalls. But for thest day, it was when the festival became really interesting. In the afternoon, exhibition matches would be held. And at night was when the performances would start. The talent show. Brandon was one of its participants. Using his connections with the student council, he scheduled himself to best. Not only that, but he was a secret performer. No one else besides Belle and Adrien knew he was participating in the talent show. But for now¡­ Bang¡ª! He was currently fighting in the exhibition matches. It wasn''t a full blown tournament. Just a form of entertainment for the guests. Each participant would have two matches scheduled. Right now was Brandon''s first match. And he was up against Reinhard. Voooosh¡ª! A torrent of mes headed towards him. Waving his hand, the mes dissipated. But as soon as it did, a hand appeared before him. Before Reinhard''s hand could touch him, the earth shifted and a solid wall protruded from the ground. Booom¡ª! An intense explosion urred and the ground shook. Debris scattered, as rock dusts filled the air. "Huh¡­? Earth¡­?" Reinhard was taken aback. Crouching down, Brandon touched the ground. The ground shifted, and Reinhard''s legs were encapsted by a thickyer of earth. Booom¡ª¡ª! The earth around Reinhard''s leg ignited. Giving him no time to react, Brandon extended his palms towards him. Fooooo¡ª! "Akh..!" A gale of wind sent Reinhard hurling away. Crash¡ª! And he crashed onto a nearby rock. "Woah!" "Wooo¡­.!" The audience''s cheers reached his ears and echoed throughout the entire stadium Tzz¡ª Empowering his legs with lightning, Brandon rushed towards him, leaving trails of blue sparks. mes materialized and coiled around his arm. He swung his fist at Reinhard. Thud! But he was stopped mid-strike as Reinhard caught his hand. Expecting it, a gust of wind blew from Brandon''s leg, and Reinhard was sent vertically up. "Ah." Reinhard was startled. Suspended mid air, Reinhard recoiled upwards, igniting mes towards Brandon. Boom¡ª Booom¡ª¡ª! Dashing to the side, Brandon quickly dodged the crackling mes. Swoosh! Looking up, he could see that Reinhard was up even higher. Brandon continued looking up and he closed his eyes. He wasn''t as good as Belle. He wasn''t even sure if he could master it to the same degree as Belle did. But¡­ Swoosh! Empowered by wind, Brandon was lifted up. Swoosh, swoosh¡ª! He walked in the air, as if he was walking a flight of stairs, nearing close to Reinhard. One step. Two steps. Three. Fou¨C "Ah." As expected. It was too hard for him to do the movements at the moment. And as if he misstepped, Brandon gradually fell from the air. Boom¡ª! An explosion echoed from above and Reinhard instantly headed towards him. In just a few seconds, he had already appeared before Brandon. Crossing his arms, Brandon braced for impact. Boom! An explosion ignited, and Brandon was sent crashing down on the ground. "Akh¡­!" "Woooh¡­!" "Get him!" Once again, cheers erupted from the audience. The exhibition match was good training. Brandon didn''t want to rely too heavily on his skills at the moment. He wanted to master the basics ofbat first. Brandon tried to get back up, but Reinhard didn''t let him as he followed up with another attack. Boom¡ª! However, Brandon shed forward and narrowly dodged the iing strike. Brandon stepped forward and let the mana flow around his body. A myriad of colors emitted from him. Red. Orange. Yellow. Green. Blue. Purple. Swoosh¡ª! Brandon instantly blinked away and appeared before Reinhard. "Shit¡ª" Reinhard cursed under his breath. He tried to move, but realized he was locked in ce as earth encased his legs. Boom¨C Boom¡ª Boom¡ª¡ª! Explosions repeatedly urred, and debris continuously scattered. But it was to no avail as the earth around his legs would materialize at the same time. And that was when¡­ BOOM¡ª¡ª! An explosion erupted from below him and he was sent upwards once again. Ssh! A wave of water washed over him and Reinhard hurled downwards. Tzz¡ª A bolt of lightning followed shortly after. "Akhhh!" Reinhard twitched spontaneously. All of a sudden, Brandon appeared before him. Wind and lightning coalesced on his fists. And¡­ BANG¡ª! Reinhard flew a significant distance away. Crash! Brandon tried to follow up with that attack. But that was when¡­ ¡ªThat''s enough. Brandon Locke wins. The referee''s announcement echoed, and Brandon halted before he could burst. "Woooh¡­!" "Crazy!" "So that''s the first-year''s top ranker." Cheers resounded and echoed throughout the entire stadium. Brandon shook his head and paid no heed to it. He looked ahead.. A gaping crater was stered on the wall as Reinhard was slumped down. Brandon walked towards him. And as soon as he neared Reinhard¡­ "Uh¡­?" Reinhard''s eyes were shot wide open. But his pupils weren''t present. He seemed to have passed out. "Heh." Augh escaped Brandon''s lips. He might''ve gone a bit too far¡­ *** Seated with their audience around her, Rachel''s eyes lit up. "He''s gotten stronger¡­" Indeed. The current Brandon was leagues above his former self. She clenched her first. "I want to catch up to him." She solemnly stated. She didn''t participate in the exhibition matches, since the girls decided to cheer for the boys. "Me too." A voice reached her from the side. It was ire. "Me too, me too." Amy chimed in as well from Rachel''s other side. They didn''t know about her ns about confessing to Brandon. The only ones who knew were Raven and Reinhard. ''I''m not confessing.'' Is what she said in her thoughts. She just wanted to spend time with him. To see how Brandon felt about her. Yes, her ns kept changing. "Haha~" She suddenlyughed. Of course, she knew how Brandon felt about her. It became evident to Rachel that Brandon treated her more or less like a little sister. "Haa¡­" She breathed out a sigh. She hadn''t seen him for the entirety of the festival''s first day. While on the second day, there was a substantial amount of trouble that urred. Brandon was significantly busy yesterday. He wasn''t even able to help out with their cafe. She respected his duties and didn''t bother him. "Look, there he is." Their heads flicked towards the entrance of the audience area. A figure emerged. And Rachel''s eyes lit up as soon as she recognized him. Thus she called out to him. "Brando¡ª" But she was halted as Brandon didn''t seem to notice them. They were several meters away after all. Rachel''s eyes widened all of a sudden. A figure approached Brandon. Her golden locks were smooth and styled to perfection. Azure eyes that could captivate anyone who meets her gaze. Beautiful face that would leave most men breathless. Even Rachel could admit how beautiful she was. And she was well aware of who she was. Amelia Constantine. One of the most beautiful students in the academy. Of course, she knew Amelia was the head of the Disciplinary Committee. A group that Brandon was a part of. Unknowingly, Rachel''s expressions contorted to a disheartened look. They¡­ They seemed really close. Too close as the two seemed to heartilyugh at their conversation. Amelia nudged his shoulder and Brandon pushed her back. Too close. Rachel''s heart gripped tightly as she stared at the two. It''s¡­ ''It''s strictly a professional rtionship, right?'' It should be. But¡­ ''Why does it hurt¡­?'' *** Committee duties included maintaining order during the exhibition matches. The current rotation was Amelia and Brandon. They were stationed at the stadium. While the others maintained order in the main building. "Those affinities¡­ How many do you have?" "Do I have to answer that¡­?" "Not really." Amelia shook her head. "I heard you had quite a lot. But seeing it with my own eyes was still shocking." "I have seven." He actually had eight. But Amelia didn''t need to know the other one. "Seven?!" Amelia was taken aback. "Monster¡­" The only words she could muster up. But Brandon shook his head. "Not really. The only monster here is you." "Eh¡­?" The exhibition match was scattered throughout each year-level. But they could only face off against someone of the same year-level. The match before his was actually Amelia''s. And she won by a wide margin. ¡ªUp next. Raven ckheart! The announcer''s voice echoed and a figure emerged from the arena''s entrance. Brandon and Amelia''s heads flicked towards the silhouette. He smiled as soon as Raven stepped foot into the arena. ''How strong have you gotten, protagonist?'' Chapter 124: Exhibition Matches [2] It all happened way too fast before anyone could react. One moment Raven was standing there. The next¡­ Swoosh¡ª! He had already appeared in front of his opponent. Cyrus Rosewill. His golden eyes shot wide open. Bang! Cyrus skidded back several meters. Giving him no time to recover, Raven followed up with another attack. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! He appeared from all sides, and each time, Cyrus would be struck by his fist. They weren''t allowed to use their weapons. Just their elements. But since Raven didn''t have any attack skillswith his [Shadow] affinity¡­ He made use of whatever had. His fists. Bang! And his legs. Swoosh¡ª! Raven twisted his body sideways and kicked Cyrus straight on the abdomen. "Akh..!" Touching his abdomen, Cyrus groaned. But yet again, Raven gave him no time to recover as he appeared before him. Bang¨C Bang¡ª Bang¡ª! Raven''s hits would alwaysnd. Wounds and grazes etched on Cyrus'' face. Having had enough of the beating, Cyrus surrounded himself with an armor made entirely of water. Raven''s attacks seemed to have slowed down. But still, ¡­It packed quite a punch. Bang! "Ukeh¡ªDamn it." Cyrus spat out. The gap was toorge between him and Raven. There was no helping it. Raven was ranked second. While Cyrus was ranked twelveth. But still, he persisted. "Ukeh!" "Akh¡­!" "Ukhh!" He¡­ He too wanted to be strong. To catch up to both Raven and Brandon. Waving his arms, a wave of water rippled down towards Raven. "Akh!" Yet it was to no avail. The water cascaded down on the ground, and Cyrus skidded back several meters. Blood started dripping down his nose. Gritting his teeth, he clenched his fist. "Gaaaahhh¡­!" A final ditch attempt. Bang¡ª! Yet Raven appeared right in front of him, and an uppercut to the jaw followed shortly after. Blood sttered in the air, and Cyrus went wide eyed. His pupils dted and he passed out. ¡ªThat''s enough. Raven ckheart wins. It was way too one sided. In any normal case, Raven wouldn''t have gone that far. But he did so since Cyrus specifically asked for it. ''Don''t hold back, please.'' He quickly recalled Cyrus'' words. "Haaa¡­" He breathed out a sigh and shook his head. He truly felt bad. And as he gazed at the audience, they all wore horrified expressions. Silence gripped the entire stadium, and what stood in the middle of it all was Raven. But that was until¡­ "...T-that was a good m-match¡­ T-thanks for not h-holding back." Cyrus briefly woke up. "Khh¡­" And he fainted once again. "Woooh¡­!" "Now that''s sportsmanship!" The audience''s cheers finally erupted. Praising Raven for the way he respected his opponent. "Hehe." He let out augh. "Good match, Cyrus." *** "Shit." Brandon cursed under his breath. The entire fight, his eyes could barely follow Raven. He had gotten way faster than thest time they fought. ''What level is he?'' Clearly, Raven had significant progress with his system. He didn''t even use [Shadow Step], and yet he was still that fast. "Haha." The corners of his lips pulled up to a smirk. "Good." Keep getting stronger. Save this world from its tragic ending. I''ll support you every step of the way. Such were his thoughts. He was snapped out of his thoughts as Amelia''s soft voice reached his ears from the side. "Raven ckheart, right? Your friend." "Yeah." But that was when Brandon had an idea. "Amelia." "Hm?" "Who do you think is stronger¡­? Me, or him¡­?" "Hm¡­" Pinching her chin, Amelia pondered to herself. But shortly after, the corner of her lips pulled to a smirk. "Probably Raven." She turned around and sped her hands behind her back. Not sparing him a nce, she teased. "Yup." "I see." Two can y at that game. Brandon shook his head and approached her. Leaning close, he whispered behind her neck. "I think Adrien''s stronger than you." Amelia''s body twitched all of a sudden. Brandon purposefully let his warm breath bathe on herneck. Amelia seemed unsure of what to say as she hesitantly turned around. Brandon could see her face flush a slight beet red. Her soft voice followed shortly after. "...He''s not." Brandon shrugged. "Sure he isn''t." He sarcastically remarked. * The exhibition matches took a short break. It would continue in the afternoon. It was currently lunch. Amelia had asked Brandon to eat lunch together with Belle. But he politely rejected and the two parted ways shortly after that. "So? What did you call me here for¡­?" Currently, Brandon entered a secluded area within academy grounds. Secluded is what he wants to say, but it was the rooftop. From a distance, two figures stood by the railings as they peered down below. Noticing his arrival, they turned around and looked back at him. Raven''s voice reached his ears. "It''s about the issue from before." "Issue?" Brandon yed dumb. He knew where this was going. He had set it all up after all. "Thepany." Raven then began to inform him about their findings. The secretary''s arrest, and the conspiracy that was bound to happen during the festival. "I see." "Sorry, we left you out of it. We know how busy you are." Brandon waved him off. "Thanks." He shed a smile and walked towards them. He leaned on the railings and peered down. Silence gripped the vicinity, as the three continued to gaze down. But shortly after, it was broken as Raven turned to look at him. With a serious expression, he pursed his lips. "Let me ask you something. You don''t have to answer. It doesn''t really matter." Brandon turned to look at him as Raven looked back. "What?" Brandon tilted his head. Raven continued. "What are you?" He shook his head. "I don''t understand. Every time I see you fight, you suddenly have a new element. And from the mana poisoning case, it seemed like you didn''t have the [Earth] affinity at the time." Brandon was taken aback for a brief moment. He fixed his expressions shortly after. He had already expected this to happen after revealing his [Earth] affinity. The reason why he did so was because it would hinder his progress if he had to hide everything. "I''m a mage that continues to awaken." Raven and Reinhard''s eyes shot wide open. Of course. There were no such cases of mages awakening several affinities in a short period of time. And all basic affinities at that. "I see. Well if it''s you, nothing surprises me anymore." Surprisingly, Raven took it calmly. Raven looked at Reinhard who seemed much more taken aback than him. With a shocked expression, Reinhard pursed his lips. "So¡­ You awaken affinities¡­ randomly?" "Seems to be the case." Brandon shrugged. Reinhard was even more shocked. "Seems to be the case...?" He looked down as he covered his face with his hand. "This is crazy¡­ Don''t you even know what that means Brandon?" "I do." Brandon nodded. "Once the public finds out, things will get a bit troublesome for me." "A bit troublesome?" Reinhard shook his head. "You might be the seconding of Lucian Frost. Paparazzi would swarm you, follow you everywhere. The whole world will have its eyes on you." "Haha." Brandon chuckled at that. Lucian Frost? No way. There''s someone way stronger. A being that couldn''t be measured by the world''s standards. And the person that Brandon needed to find as soon as possible. He was snapped out of his thoughts as Raven''s voice reached his ears. "Thanks for trusting us." Raven shed him a smile. "Yeah, rely on us more, dude." Reinhard did the same. "Sure." Brandon nodded and peered back down. He had already relied on them. Much more than they had thought. Truth be told, Brandon had already known about the coercedpany heads. And despite knowing, he allowed everything to happen. The main reason he didn''t join the investigations, was because he knew Raven wouldn''t leave it at that. After reading the novel for so long, he knew just how Raven would think. And his conjectures were proven as Raven and Reinhard discovered key information to the festival''s uing obstruction. There were two objectives to his n. To easily sweep the boothpetition. And to not alert the new group of syndicate members who nned on obstructing the festival. He had sent out invitations for the festival, allowing for it to spread, just so unwanted guests could enter the academy premises. Why...? Just so the real ''guests'' could easily sneak into the academy. And he was already quite aware that they were amongst the audience of the exhibition match. He had pulled the strings. Now he didn''t have to exin everything to Raven and Reinhard just to get their assistance. There was one specific event that everyone was required to attend. The talent show. Every guest present were required to be in the theater room, leaving the Academy to its own device. Besides the guard of course. And if it all went ording to n, those syndicate members would most likely strike once the academy was clear. Brandon quickly recalled the words he said to Smith the other day. ¡ªDo something unthinkable, huh? And that was¡­ To oppose the uing attack. It was expected for most syndicate members to do small time heists just to get their name out there in the organization. But Brandon thought differently. He wanted to prove his skills. That he was someone the organization couldn''t take lightly. Someone they would want on their side. "Haha." Brandon chuckled once again. The pieces were now in ce. All he had to do was move each piece ordingly. And the uing talent show was his grand stage. Chapter 125: Grand Performance [1] The exhibition matches continued in the afternoon. Brandon dropped out of thepetition. And thus Raven won for the first-years. The results went on: ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ?First Year: Winner: Raven ckheart. . ?Second Year: Winner: Oscar Regius. . ?Third Year: Winner: Amelia Constantine. . ?Fourth Year: Winner: Daphne Lavine. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª And that was it. There were fifth year students, but they were never in the academy much. Fourth year would entail the preparations for guild or military internships. While fifth year would mark the start of said internships. Most of the students were excited for the internships. And one of them was Raven. After winning the exhibition match, he was given a substantial amount of coins. Currently, he was exploring the festival. Booths were still up, though not as active as the first two days of the festival. And since he won the exhibition match¡­ "Let''s go there." "Damn it, ire." "Shut up, Amy." His friends requested that he should treat them during the festival. Reinhard had left off to go somewhere. Currently it was only him, Amy, Rachel, and ire. Amy and ire seemed lively, especially Amy. But for some reason, the atmosphere around Rachel was quite gloomy. "Cheer up." As those words left his mouth, Rachel turned to look at him. "Hm? What are you talking about¡­?" She fixed her expressions and tilted her head. "It''s fine. It''s just us here." ire and Amy had already run off to the stalls. "So? What happened¡­?" He decided to ask. "Haa¡­" Rachel breathed out a sigh. "Things aren''t looking good for me. I''ve barely seen him these past few days." "Ah, he is really busy though." "Yeah, I know¡­." Rachel seemed to suppress her words. Noticing, Raven skeptically raised his brow. "But is that the only reason why you''re down in the dumps?" "...No." Rachel shook her head. "Do you think¡­" She bit her lips. "...He''s seeing anyone?" "Huh?" Raven was dumbfounded. Shaking his head, he pursed his lips. "That guy? No way." "But¡­" She hesitated once again. Biting her lips, she continued. "...He seems to be having fun with Lady Amelia." "Lady Amelia? Hismittee head?" "Yeah." "Hm¡­" Raven pinched his chin. "They did seem quite close." But Raven shook his head and reassured her. "Still, I can''t see that guy liking anyone on his own. No offense." "No, I understand, I¨C" "Hm? Whatsh thish aboutch Lade Ameliuh¡­? ire appeared all of a sudden. She spoke with bread in her mouth. "Ah, it''s nothing." Rachel dismissed her. "Is this about Brandon?" And Amy chimed in as she stepped beside ire. On her hand were a couple of paper bags. "Let me get that." Raven offered to hold the bags for her. "Thanks." Amy shed him a wide grin. Looking at the two, Rachel wore a bittersweet expression. The three looked at her back with a conflicted look of their own. "We know you like him." "Eh?" ire''s sudden revtion took Rachel aback. "Yup, it''s written all over your face." Rachel touched her cheeks as soon as those words left Amy''s mouth. "Is it that obvious?" "It is." "Yup." "Told you." Rachel averted her gaze and looked away at their confirmation. "It''s not that obvious to him, though." She muttered barely audibly. "Don''tpare us to him." All of a sudden, ire sped both sides of Rachel''s cheek and turned her head to meet her gaze. "We all know how dense he is. He won''t notice anything unless you say it right to his face." "That''s what I said." Raven chimed in from the side. ire knitted her brows and turned around to re at Raven. "Shut up. Like you could talk." "Uh¡­?" Raven sported a stupefied expression. The hell is she talking about? ire then looked back at Rachel¡ªwho still wore a disheartened expression. "Back to the topic of Lady Amelia. I don''t think they''re dating." "Yeah, it didn''t seem that way to me as well." Amy joined in on the conversation. Hearing their words, a sudden hope boiled within Rachel. Unfortunately, it was shattered as fast as it came by Amy''s next words. "But if they like each other, that''s another story." "..." Once again, Rachel was disheartened. If they did like each other, then there was no way she could even begin topete with Amelia. She had the looks, the brains, the strength. When she thought about it, she was perfect for Brandon It wouldn''t be surprising at all if Brandon liked her. ire locked her gaze with Rachel and spoke seriously. "Are you just going to give up?" "..." Rachel couldn''t respond. And ire continued. "Nothing''s confirmed yet. If you really like him, then let that dense fucker see it with his own eyes." "...Right." Rachel couldn''t find the right words to say. But she wasn''t feeling disheartened anymore. Right. There were no confirmations to anything. They were merely jumping into conclusions. And as long as nothing was confirmed, then she had a chance. "...!" All of a sudden, all heads flick towards a certain corridor. "Huh?" For some reason, everyone had the same reaction. Rubbing her shoulders, Amy anxiously spoke. "Is it just me or does it feel like someone was watching us¡­?" "I got that feeling too¡­ Fucking chills." ire cursed as her face contorted to a disgusted look. Raven looked ahead with his arms crossed. He then narrowed his eyes as he continued gazing at the hallway. Something¡­ His instincts told him something was going to happen during the talent show. *** Inside a room with barely any visible light, aside from the sun, a lone man sat in front of the piano. Num~ The melodious tune of the piano filled the room. While threads meticulously danced around his fingers. Slowly, the threads merged with the piano strings. Swoosh! A myriad of threads extended from his fingertips. Threads coiled the space around him. Num~ Each press of the piano key, threads danced with the fine tune of the melody. Num~ Num~ The piece''s name was Avid. One of the most hardest musical pieces to master due to itsplicated transitions in each movement. Though it wasn''t in this world, but in his previous one. It was the piece he''d been practicing for months. And¡­ His mother''s favorite musical piece. 1st Movement: Don''t you get there. Num~ His fingers moved elegantly at each key as the threads loomed in the vicinity, dancing at each tune. Num~ This persisted, but slowly, he transitioned. 2nd Movement: It calls. Num~ The piece''s second part. A slightly different melody, and a bit faster. Num~ The silence that once gripped the room, now drowned out by the harmonious melody of the piano. Num~ Third movement: Echoes. He smoothly transitioned. The piece''s third part. A more aggressive melody, and even faster than the usual pace. Num~ Even more threads extended from his fingers, filling the atmosphere. Num~ Fourth movement: Voices of the Chord. The piece''s fourth and final part. It signaled the climax. The hardest part of the piece. Even professionals struggled to y the fourth movement perfectly. But Brandon¡­ In just two months of ying the piano, he had quickly caught up to professionals under the assistance of [elerated Cognition]. His fingers moved smoothly with regal. Each key he pressed, the threads wove around. There were a total of 72 sharp threads that danced around the air. It was his current progress. And shortly after, a notification popped up. ?Cursed Threads: 96% But Brandon paid no heed to it and his fingers continued to move gracefully over the piano keys. Each movement, an image ovepped in his mind. His mother. This performance¡­ It was for her and for her alone. He could imagine his mother, seated on the stool in front of him. Smiling at him warmly. ¡ªOh, you''re back from school? ¡ªMy sweet boy, I''m so proud of you. ¡ªHehe, I''ve made some new clothes for you. ¡ªSurprise! I''ve got you a pair of new shoes! Now you can be just like your trendy ssmates. ¡ªI''m home! Oh? Did you miss me that much? Hehe, love you too. ¡ªCome home early today. I''ve managed to earn a bit more from work today. We''ll be having your favorite for dinner. ¡ªMy sweet boy. Mom will always love you. CRASH¡ª¡ª! Num~ And that final key signaled the end of the musical piece. Before he knew it, tears were already pouring down his face. The piano, a bit drenched from his teardrops. Sob. Sob. Silence gripped the room as only the sound of his sobbing echoed. His mother¡­ He missed her. Everyday, he would try to forget about his past life. It wasn''t anything grand. He was no one special. But just the thought of leaving his poor mother alone gripped his heart tightly. His mother loved him and so did he. He was her world. Her sweet little boy. If only¡­ Just a fleeting thought. If he coulde back. But he knew that was impossible. And just the thought made him clench his chest. Chapter 126: Grand Performance [2] In a dimly lit room, there were several figures. One sat on the bed, another on a wooden chair, some on the floor, while the rest were standing. They weren''t from Vale City, and thus they rented out an inconspicuous room far out in the slum area of the city. A man with dark onyx hair and green eyes leaned on the wall with his arms crossed. But he wore an ink ck mask, the others didn''t know his identity. Just that he was a high ranking member of the syndicate. He was the group''s current advisor. Zed Alistar. One of the Twilight Syndicate heads. A high ranking member, but a low ranking head due to inactivity. Today would mark the full fruition of their ns. But that was what the group around him thought. For Zed, it would be hisst gig. There was no way this ragtag group of new syndicate members could sessfully attack the academy. Their n was sloppy, and there were no goals to it at all. It was all for the purpose of having the credentials of sessfully obstructing the most influential academy of the century. Yes. That was it. All so they could gather the other head''s attention. And Zed was the one assigned to observe this batch. Why? Because if they did fail, then there was a chance the organization could be leaked. He couldn''t allow that. The organization couldn''t allow that. If they failed, then he would end them. But for some reason, their ns were going smoothly. There was someone from the inside helping them. An image of a man ovepped in Zed''s mind. And he smiled at the thought. "Could it be him¡­?" He muttered. He didn''t expect that man to help out. Maybe¡­ Maybe this n was going to work. Flip¡ª He flipped a coin in the air and caught it. "Nah." He shook his head. It would be too good to be true for this sloppy n to actually pull off. The only reason the organization even allowed for it was because of its beliefs. Freedom. Each member, be it high ranking or not, were free to do as they wished. "...?" Zed looked ahead. The group got up and were about to head out for the door. "Is it time?" "Yes. Our contacts just informed us that the talent show was about to start." "Ah." "Will you help us, Sir?" "No." Zed shook his head. He wasn''t part of the uing attack. Just a mere observer. Flip¡ª Zed flipped a coin and gazed at the man in front of him. "Get going now." And he caught it as the moonlight reflected from the coin. Staring at the door slowly closing, Zed stared at the coin on his palms. The corner of his lips pulled up shortly after. "Are you the one pulling the strings, Ripper?" *** 6:00 PM. Finally, it was time for the long awaited talent show. Audience quickly filled the seats and their chatter filled the entire room. Judges were seated in front consisting of Professors and student council members. The only ones Raven was familiar with were Evelyn, Vanessa, Gavin, Oscar, Belle, and Adrien. There were a total of 12 judges. For the rest, he didn''t know. ording to the posters, there were over 27 participants that passed the screening test. With one secret participant that didn''t undergo the said test. Why? Because this mysterious participant''s talent was superb. Vouched by the student council, as well as several professors. Whoever this participant was, everyone was excited. The main attraction, and therefore he or she wasst. "Woooh¡­!" Cheers resounded throughout the entire theater room. Flick! The lights went out and the curtains closed shut. Crunch! Seated in his seat, a crunching sound echoed from beside Raven. "Wantsh shome?" Two dark crimson eyes met his gaze as her cheeks were puffed from stuffing it with popcorn. It was Amy. "Thanks." Raven epted the gesture, and turned his attention back towards the stage. Without looking, he reached out inside the popcorn bag. "Ah¨C" "Eeek¡ª" A certain squeal escaped Amy''s lips and Raven pulled his hand back abruptly as he realized he had touched something else. Though what it was, he wasn''t sure. Just that¡­ Squeeze. Squeeze. It was soft. Looking at his palms, he closed and opened his hand repeatedly. Turning his head to the side, Amy was wide eyed and her face seemed to flush red. Flustered, Raven tried to clear it up before it got worse. "S-sorry. It was an ident¡­" Not sparing him a single nce, Amy dismissed him. "I-it''s fine. It was an ident¡­. An ident." Amy turned to the side as she continued averting her gaze. For a second, Raven felt like he had heard her mutter in a barely audible voice, ''You don''t have to apologize though.'' Raven was flustered even more. Surely, he heard it wrong. Definitely. Flick¡ª! His attention was soon shifted in front of him. The spotlights flickered, shining down on the center of the stage. Slowly, the curtains spread open And shortly after, a figure became visible. A familiar man stood in the center. And Raven found himself wide eyed. "Holy shit, Reinhard?!" Even Raven couldn''t contain himself as he cursed. It was too shocking. "Greetings, my name is Reinhard. A first-year student from ss A. And today, I''ll be showcasing my talent, and that is¡­" Reinhard closed his eyes. Clearing his throat, he opened his eyes. His gaze lingered all over the audience, and for a brief second, his gaze locked on Raven whose eyes were shot wide open. "Boo...." "Get Reinhard out of here." Raven could hear some of the students showing their disdain towards Reinhard. But they were of the minority, and thus it seemed like Reinhard didn''t hear them. "Stand-upedy!" Once again, Raven cursed under his breath. He quickly retrieved his phone and started taking a video of the entire ordeal. "Too bad Brandon isn''t here." Disciplinarymittee duties entailed that members peer out for any trouble. Currently, since Brandon wasn''t present, he must''ve been stationed outside. "He''s gonna wanna see this." And so he clicked on the record button. Shortly after, Reinhard started his performance. "As a kid, I was told practice makes perfect. Then I was told nobody''s perfect. So I stopped practicing." Badum¡­ Tss! "..." "..." Absolute silence. Was that even a joke? Wasn''t he just talking about himself...? Yet Reinhard continued. "What did the horse say after it tripped?" "..." No one responded. But as his friend, Raven stood from his seat and responded loudly. "What?" All eyes flicked towards him. But Raven paid no heed to them and earnestly stared at Reinhard. Meeting his gaze, Reinhard nodded appreciatively. "Help! I''ve fallen and I can''t giddyup!" "..." "..." What the fuck... Raven could feel the second hand embarrassment from a mile away. But since he was the only supporter, he remained standing. How did he even pass the screening test? Shortly after, he gripped his stomach. And¡­ "Hahahaha~" He was dying. He could feel it. Please get out Reinhard. And yet again, Reinhard continued. "What did the man say after getting into a traffic ident?" "What?" "I refuse to be reincarnated!" "..." ...Please stop. Someone, stop him. "Boo¡­" "Please, I want to live a long life." "Get off the stage!" Audience''sments reverberated throughout the entire theater room. Unlike earlier, it wasn''t just the minority. Before he realized it, Raven was slowly sitting down. "...You''re on your own now." He hesitantly muttered under his breath. Yes, they were friends. He should be supportive no matter what. But as he recalled Reinhard''s jokes, Raven found himself clenching his teeth. "Maybe I should cut him off¡­" Reinhard paid no heed to the haters and continued. "For the grand finale. Why did the bicycle fall over?" "..." This time, Raven didn''t respond. But shortly after, Reinhard''s pleading eyes met his gaze. Alright. It was for his friend. Raven scoffed at the thought of betraying Reinhard. He could do at least this much for a friend. With such thoughts, Raven stood up with a smile. "Why?" Reinhard nodded at him with a smile stered on his face. Clearing his throat, Reinhard continued with a confident tone. "Because it was two tired." "..." ''Okay, I''m done.'' Silence gripped the room. No one could utter any words. Grand finale¡­? Bullshit. Raven instantly sat back down as he tried to mitigate the second hand embarrassment. The entire session... No oneughed. "No one." Literally, no one. Not a single one. "Tough crowd¡­" Reinhard scratched his cheek. "Just get out." And one of the panelists instructed him to go. Just like that, the first participant of the talent show ended. Shortly after, Raven''s phone vibrated. Retrieving it, he opened the screen and found a text message. ?Brandon Locke? ¡ªIt''s time. Acknowledging the message, Raven stood up. "Where are you going?" "Bathroom." Amy asked and Raven answered. He made his way towards the exit, and as he opened the door, the familiar figure stood, waiting for him. He adorned an elegant ck zer, and his hair was styled differently from the usual. "Fancy getup." Chapter 127: Grand Performance [3] "What''s taking him so long?" Peering down on his phone, Raven opted to check for the time. Brandon leaned back on the wall with his arms crossed. Creaaaak¡­ The entrance of the theater room gradually creaked open and a figure emerged. "Took you long enough." Acknowledging, the neer, Brandon stared at Reinhard who wasing outside from the theater room. "I had to sneak out¡­" Reinhard spoke in a defeated tone. "...The audience would''ve killed me if I hadn''t." Brandon looked at Raven who looked back at him. "Was it that bad¡­?" "Let''s not talk about please." Raven pleaded. Noticing the awkward atmosphere, Reinhard alternated his gaze between the two. "Hey! Give me a little cre¡ª" Creaaaaak¡­. He was halted mid-sentence as the door behind him peered open. "Who''s th¡ªSarah?" From the entrance, Sarah emerged and was stunned by the sight of several people. Shortly after, she shook her head and walked towards Brandon. "Good¡­" Brandon nodded. "Now that we''re all here, let me debrief you on what''s about to happen." Most likely, there were already intruders inside the theater room. But they shouldn''t act with so many powerful figures inside. If his conjectures were proven correct, then they would most likely wait for reinforcements. And even if they did act out, he had already informed Eveyln beforehand. The purpose of Sarah''s assistance was for her sound barrier. If chaos ensues, themotion would reach the theater room. Thus, the intruders would be alerted and would start acting out to save themselves. "I see." Raven pinched his chin and digested everything Brandon told them. With a conflicted look, Sarah opened her mouth. "I understand your n. A small sound barrier is one thing. But I don''t have enough mana to fill the entire theater room." Brandon responded as soon as she finished speaking. "I know." "Then¡ª" "I''ll supply you with mana." "Ah." "Simple, right?" "I guess so." All of a sudden, Reinhard chimed in with a question. "But are you confident in your mana reserves?" "Yeah." His fifth skill. He had created just recently all for the sake of the n. [Mage''s Resolve] ¨N Allows the user to naturally replenish their mana reserves. ¨N When the mage refrains from using their mana for any spells or magical abilities for a duration of two minutes, they begin to regenerate mana at a rate of 1% of their total mana every ten seconds. "A sound barrier already depletes 20% of my mana. Are you sure?" Sarah inquired with a worried tone. Brandon waved her off and reassured her. "Don''t worry. I wouldn''t have gone with this if I wasn''t confident." "...Alright." She eventually relented. "Should I start now?" "Yeah." Following his confirmation, Sarah crouched down and extended her palms to the ground. Closing her eyes, the mana around the air started to coalesce around her, and Sarah''s figure started emitting a bright purple glow. Themotion inside the theater room gradually diminished. Sweat started beading down Sarah''s forehead as her brows knitted. Biting her lips, she urged. "Now, Brandon." Brandon stepped behind her and gently traced the back of her neck with his fingers. "Eeek¡ª" Sarah squealed and her body twitched. But sheposed herself shortly after. It was necessary. With mana on his fingertips Brandon continued tracing her nape, and eventually, his fingers moved down her back. Zoom¡ª! All of a sudden, a small magic circle materialized. Sarah''s expressions graduallyposed. The sound from the theater room slowly diminished until they couldn''t hear anything from the inside anymore. "Hoo¡­" Sarah took a deep breath. "Good job." Brandon nodded in appreciation and pulled his hand back. Sarah got up and wiped her sweat with a handkerchief. Taking another breath, she pursed her lips. "Hoo¡­ The barrier shouldst for thirty minutes." "Alright, that''s enough time." Brandon leaned back on the wall and crossed his arms. "So? What''s going to happen next¡­?" Raven''s voice reached his ears. Brandon raised his head to meet his gaze. "We wait." "Uh¡­?" "They''lle. There are only two entrances to the theater room. Anothermittee member is stationed there. If there''s trouble, he''ll directly inform me with this." Brandon raised his hand for everyone to see what he was holding. "Ah, a hand-held transceiver." In other words, a walkie talkie. Nodding, Brandon confirmed. "Yeah." "By the way¡­" Raven inquired all of a sudden." "I want to ask you something." "Hm?" Brandon met his gaze and tilted his head. "You don''t have to answer it if you''re ufortable." "Just say it." "Thatmittee head of yours. Amelia Constantine." "What about her?" All heads flicked towards him. Brandon could see their curious gaze. What sort of¡­. Raven looked at Reinhard and the two nodded at each other. Brandon was confused once again. Where was this going? Breathing out a sigh, Sarah frowned. "Haa¡­ What''s with all the suspense¡­?" Eventually, she turned her head towards Brandon and spoke in a matter of fact tone. "They want to ask if you two are dating." "Eh¡­ Yeah. "...Basically." Raven scratched his cheek and Reinhard seemed embarrassed. "Uh?" Brandon was taken aback. He started connecting the dots from the first day of the festival until today. The image of Amy and ire pulling him close just to dismiss him ovepped in his mind. ''So that''s what all of that was about.'' Makes sense. Astrea students loved to jump into conclusions after all. "So?" Are you¡­?" Raven followed up with an inquiry. What in the¡­. Sarah was one thing. But he didn''t expect Raven and Reinhard to even be curious about his love life. Not like he had one to begin with. "No." He decisively shook his head. "We''re just friends." "Ah, okay." Raven spoke as if he just had an enlightenment. What are you a girl? But it seemed like Raven wasn''t done as he followed up with another question. "But¡­ Do you like her?" "Uh?" Once again, Brandon was taken aback. This¡­ Could it be¡­? "Don''t tell me you''re actually in love with me or something¡­?" Brandon rubbed his shoulders and his expressions contorted to a disgusted look. He didn''t expect for Raven to actually swing that way. But thankfully, his suspicions were shot down instantly. "What? No! Fuck, no. Eeeeh¡­ Why would you even say that?" Raven rubbed his shoulders as well. Brandon could see the hairs on his arm gradually standing. "Good." Brandon frowned. "I would''ve left the academy if that were the case." "Haa¡­" Raven breathed out a sigh. "I''m only asking because¡ªUh¡­" He pointed his fingers at the man that stood beside him. "Reinhard likes you." "What?" "Fuck." Reinhard''s body twitched as Brandon cursed under his breath. Raven and Reinhard looked at each other. The two repeatedly nodded but their mouths weren''t moving at all, as if they weremunicating with their minds. What in the¡­. Eventually, Reinhard turned to look at Brandon with pleading eyes. Step¡ª Brandon stepped back. Reinhard''s voice reached his ears and Brandon found himself petrified. "Yes, I like you Brandon. But if you like someone else, then I''ll stop." With an indifferent expression, Brandon raised his middle finger at Reinhard. "Alright, alright. Chill¡­" Reinhard waved him off with both hands. Brandon shook his head. "Yes, I like her." "Ah." Sarah''s eyes lit up. Brandon continued. "She''s nice, and she treats me well. How could I not like her?" "Then¡­" "As a friend, of course." Brandon scoffed. That''s for jumping into conclusions. They blinked for a few seconds, perplexed about what he had just said. But they eventually relented. "Guess we''ll leave it at that then. Sorry for the sudden interrogation." Raven apologized and Brandon waved him off. But just as he was about to say something¡­. "....!" All heads flicked towards a certain corridor as several figures made their presence known. Brandon quickly urged. "Sarah, get back inside." "Alright." Following his instructions, Sarah quickly headed inside the theater room. nk¡ª! The door shut close, and it was only the three of them now. "Ready?" Brandon inquired. "Yeah." "Yep." And the two responded with no hesitation. Quickly, Brandon retrieved the hand-held transceiver, and briefly informed Oscar of the situation. From a distance, he could hear one of the figures panic as they spoke to each other. "I can''t reach them from the inside?" "What?" "Look, the call is through. But there''s no audio." There were two features to a sound barrier. Phone calls could reach, but there wouldn''t be any sound audible from the connection. It made it disadvantageous to Brandon¡ªwho¡ªin the worse case scenario, would need back-up. But¡­ Step¡ª He stepped forward. He didn''t need backup. Reinhard, Raven, and Oscar were enough. The less people that knew, the better. Else, it would make things moreplicated with his ns. The intruders'' silhouettes basked down under the moonlight. Before they could make out the sight in front of them¡­. Vooosh¡ª! Swoosh, swoosh¡ª! Tzzz¡ª¡ª! The three started their frontal assault. "What the¡ªUkeh!" Raven stepped out of the man''s shadow and appeared before him and speedily thrusted his dagger forward. Kracka! Bolts of lightning headed his way. But Raven was able to dodge it just in time. Swoosh, swoosh¡ª! Darting around the room, Raven dodged and recoiled each magic attack back. Recently, Raven had just broken through level 10. Along his progress, came a new skill. [Reflection] As long as his body could keep up with the immense pressure, he could recoil back any magic attack that''s hurled his way. And it was the perfect skill to mitigate any damage that would be done to the academy. At first, he was quite confused why Brandon didn''t ask for help from the professors. But it meant that Brandon was confident they could beat the assants all on their own. He trusted both Raven and Reinhard. And not wanting to betray that trust, Raven didn''t question his intentions. In the first ce, it was good practice. The assants weren''t as skilled as he thought they were. "Fuck." "Weren''t they supposed to be kids?" They started panicking. All of a sudden¡­. Boom¡ª! A red streak shed all of a sudden, and the space between the assants ignited. Raven could feel the intense heat, and amidst the mes Reinhard stood with his arms extended forward. "...Crazy." He had never doubted Reinhard''s prowess. The first-year students started calling them the "Three Heavenly Kings." There was disdain towards Reinhard''s behavior, but it was mostly from women. Besides that, his strength had earned him enough respect. Yes, enough respect. "Pftt¡­" Raven stifled augh at the thought. What respect? He quickly dismissed his thoughts shortly after. Looking around, he could see that the assants before them have already been dealt with. However¡­ "Huh?" He looked around. He was perplexed. For some reason¡­ "Where''s Brandon?" Brandon wasn''t here. Chapter 128: Grand Performance [4] It became apparent to Brandon that there were only four figures present. That meant¡­ They wereing from the other side. Tzz¡ª Brandon immediately bolted past the assant, giving the impression of a blue streak. It was fine to leave Reinhard and Raven to their own devices. Most likely, the ones sent to the entrance were diversions. The real assants must being from the back-entrance. Why? Because it led to the backstage. And the backstage was the best ce to gather their group. There were already intruders amongst the audience. Which meant that if they had ess to the back-stage, then they would be able to cover the entire theater room. "Ukh¡­!" Thankfully, they didn''t notice him as their attention was diverted to Raven who had just taken out one of their members. Tzz¨C Tzz¡ª Tzz¡ª¡ª! Brandon continued blinking forward as blue sparks left his trail. Just up ahead, he could see several figures being held back by one lone man. But Brandon knew this wouldn''tst for long. Oscar was strong, but not as strong as Amelia. Brandon and Oscar were more or less almost the same level. Oscar was more on the leader-ship side of themittee. Hence he was Amelia''s right hand man in the group. Kracka! Three bolts of lightning were about to pierce Oscar. Cr¡­ Crack! Brandon quickly intercepted. With his palms faced forward, a wall of ice materialized just in time to save Oscar. "Brandon?" "Just in time." Brandon nodded at Oscar who was shocked by his sudden appearance. "How many are they?" "A little over 36." "That many, huh?" As expected. Despite holding them back, Oscar''s observation never faltered. Vooosh¡ª! A torrent of mes quickly headed their way. The two nodded at each other and instantly dispersed. Swoosh¡ª! A gale of wind erupted from Oscar''s palms. With that diversion, Brandon bolted like a streak of lightning and appeared in front of the assants. "You fucking ki¡ªAkh!" Spurt! Waving his hand forward, an ice sword instantly materialized and cleanly sliced the man''s arm off. Blood sttered and marred Brandon''s cheek. Thrusting his palms forward, a gust of wind hurled the figure back and collided with the other assants. Giving Brandon no time to rest, more figures rushed towards him. Gripping their swords, Brandon swiftly dodged each swing. [Mana Burst] Mana started condensing in Brandon''s body, and he could feel his strength shoot through the roof. With heightened reflexes, he swiftly dodged each oing strike. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! He twisted his body sideways and his footnded on one of the assant''s jaws. Thud. Thud. Thud! A flurry of fists headed his way and Brandon caught each attack with his palms. Forcibly pulling one of the figure''s arms down, Brandon struck the assant''s face with his elbow. Woosh! He crouched down and swiftly dodged another attack. Lifting his body up, he jumped from his spot and kicked the assant on the sr plexus. Another assant swung his fist down at Brandon. Shifting his body, he paused mid-somersault and his footnded on the assant''s nose. "...!" All of a sudden, five more assants jumped him from all sides. However¡­ Wooosh¡ª! While they were suspended in mid-air, a wind current hurled them back and they crashed down on the ground. Crack! The windows around them shattered as ss shards scattered in the air. This¡­ No matter what they did, they couldn''t mitigate the damage as well as they had hoped. Turning his head towards Oscar, Brandon nodded in which Oscar nodded back. And that was when¡­ Cr¡­ Crack! Oscar pressed his fingers together, and the area gradually shifted. Oscar''s domain. The sky slowly shifted into a bleak gray color. But as Brandon gazed ahead, the far-ends of the hallway were still quite visible. Though it was still quite far. A seven minute walk. The domain was quite iplete. He didn''t have full mastery over the skill. Hence, only 90% of the area shifted. But it was enough. With this, Oscar had full control over the radius that his domain covered. The sky was a bleak gray color. But as Brandon gazed ahead, the hallway was still visible. But still, ¡­He wasn''t limited by the tight space of the hallway around him. The sky was limitless. And thus it was time to reveal his sixth skill. [Aeolus Blessing] ¨N Grants the user the ability to harness the power of the wind, allowing them to walk in the air. ¨NThe skill requires concentration of their mana to maintain the automated wind current in each step the user takes. It was almost the same as what Belle could do. Only that, for Brandon''s case the effect was automated. In turn, Brandon didn''t have to fully focus on his [Wind] affinity just to maintain it. And due to the fact he had created the skill at the level he currently is, then there were no limiters. The same went for [Mage''s Resolve]. It meant, the system acknowledged that his body could handle the skills without breaking his body. It was a cheat. And it was well appreciated. At that moment, wind started to coalesce on Brandon''s foot. Step¡ª He took a step forward. Step¨C Step¡ª Each step he took, as if he was walking a flight of stairs, he gradually levitated in the air. From behind him, Oscar couldn''t hide his astonishment from what he was seeing. From his point of view, it meant that Brandon attained an expert mastery in wind. "Hehe." Brandon scoffed at the thought of it. Mastery? Bullshit. It was Skill Weaver''s magic at work. And as he turned his gaze to the front, the assants were wide eyed at the sight of him. Slowly, he was already high up in the air. And that was when¡­ Kracka! Waving his hand down, blue bolts of lightning rained down and pierced the ground. Due to lightning''s nature, his uracy wasn''t fixed. Hence, he missed his target. But that was enough. The assants seemed to shudder at the sight of Brandon¡ªwho was high up in the air as if he was some kind of deity. He extended his arms on each side. Gradually¡­ Tz¡­ Tzzz! A ball of lightning materialized on each side. Tzz¡­ Tzz¡­. It gradually grew evenrger andrger. Then¡­ Tzz¡­. TZZZZ¡ª¡ª! Brandon thrusted both of his palms forward. The ball of lightning condensed and grew enormously. But that wasn''t all. Cr¡­ Crackle! Crackling mes materialized and ignited around the enormous lightning ball. It contoured itself into a ring of inferno and started rotating around the lightning ball. "Holy fuck, run!" The assants started sprinting away. Swoosh¡ª! But it was to no avail as a gale of wind faded inside the domain and pushed them back from where they once stood. With an ominous smile etched on his features, Brandon lifted the giant ball of lightning and mes up in the air. Then¡­ VOOOOO¡ª! Like pitching a baseball, Brandon mercilessly hurled it down towards the assants. This was the fruition of his endless training. Condensing his elements. All to form¡­ One giant nuke. BOOOOOM¡ª¡ª¡ª! A blinding light pierced his eyes. An intense heat followed shortly after, and Brandon was forcibly hurled back from the sheer impact akin to a tidal wave. Crash! And he crashed down on the ground. "Hahaha." He couldn''t contain the adrenaline that coursed through him as he stifled augh. As he nced to the side, Oscar was several meters away from him. He too was blown away. At that, the domain gradually diminished as the hallway came into view. Thankfully, it mitigated most of the damage as only¡­ ¡­All of the windows shattered. It was a small price to pay. Brandon slowly got up, and as he gazed ahead there was nothing left. No flesh, no bones, nothing. He had managed to kill over 36 assants with one attack. In the first ce, they weren''t skilled at all. By estimation of the guild''s ranking, most of them were probably in the C to B rank. Just a bunch of idiots trying to make a name for themselves within the syndicate. But Brandon couldn''t me them. If his conjectures were correct, then they were misled. Someone pulled the strings for them and opened the door to attack the academy. Brandon was one of them. And for the other one¡­ He would soon find out. All of a sudden¡­ "Ah¡­" He slumped down on both knees. His mana was drained. But it was fine. With [Mage''s Resolve], he could fully recover his mana in 17 minutes. That''s if he stops using any magic skills. Just like that, Brandon managed to stop the academy attack. Tak. Tak. Tak. Footsteps echoed and reached his ears. ncing behind him, Raven and Reinhard were running towards him. "Everything done on your side?" "Yeah. Took us a while. We thought there were only four. But suddenly, several others joined in." "...I see." Guess not everything was taken into calction. But in the end, it all worked out. He trusted their skills. If they couldn''t handle that much, then scratch changing the future. And as he thought about the bleak future that awaits them, Brandon frowned. ''No.'' Shaking his head, he quickly dismissed his thoughts. As long as he was still in the present, and with the knowledge of the future in hand, then everything was possible. Hopefully. He just had to do what he could at the moment. Slowly, the future will change. And he was counting on that. He slowly got back up with the support of his leg. Retrieving his phone, he opted to check for the time. "Ah." He was a little bitte. Late for what? His grand performance. Shortly after, Raven spoke up. "We still have time to watch that mysterious performer or something. Hope he''s great as much as they make him out to be." "Nah, I bet he couldn''t top mine." Reinhard retorted. Guess there was only one way to find out. With such thoughts, Brandon walked around the hallways towards the main entrance. The two followed shortly after, leaving Oscar to stand guard. Looking at the trio''s departing back, he stifled augh. "Hah." He¡­ He had an inkling as to who the mysterious performer was. There was a time when Oscar was roaming around the academy, and the melodious tune of the piano reached his ears. "Good luck, Brandon." Chapter 129: Grand Performance [5] Several performances had already finished. From dances, instrumentals, solo opera, and even spoken poetry. Several talents had made themselves known and the audience appreciated them. A stark contrast from the disaster of whatever the first performance was. In fact, most of the audience had already forgotten what it even was. And after a long while, it was currently the 26th performance. After this would be the long awaited secret performer and the final performance that would mark the end of the three-day festival. "Wooooh¡­!" Cheers erupted from all sides as it filled the entire theater room. Smilesced with joy etched on their faces as they continue to listen to the melodious voice of the current performer. But amidst all that, Rachel found herself frowning. With conflicted feelings, she bit her lip. The current performer was the one person she was conscious of the most. Adorned in a beautiful white dress. Her golden locks were elegantly styled to perfection as her azure eyes gazed at the audience. It was none other than Amelia Constantine. Right now, at this moment, she seemed like a deity who descended from the heavens. Her voice, as sweet as honey, hadpletely captivated the audience. ¡ªDon''t you get there? It calls, it calls. Her voice waspletely stable. It was evident that Amelia had vocal lessons from the way she expertly transitioned from a head voice to a falsetto. She was amazing. Even Rachel couldn''t deny just how talented Amelia was. ¡ªMy naked heart can hear echoes, echoes. Her passionate expressions were there. The performance was absolutely perfect. Once again, Rachel bit her lip. This¡­ There was nopeting with Amelia at all. Everything about her seemed perfect already. And now¡­? She had fully cemented herself as aplete package. A perfect woman. And as Rachel gazed to the side, several men''s attention werepletely transfixed on Amelia. Their eyes sparkled and an obvious blush marred their facial features. They werepletely entranced. ¡ªWhisper your name again. ¡ªThen restart it right away. Amelia suddenly stepped forward. Each lyric she voiced out, she would gesture hands. The spotlight was shined down on her and her alone. This was her stage. It wasn''t even a talent show anymore, but an actual concert. Thump! Thump! Thump! All of a sudden, several figures stood from their seats and started cheering. "Woooooh¡­!" "Lady Amelia, I love you!" "Wew~ Wew~" Whistles and praises blended itself along with Amelia''s beautiful voice. And shortly after¡­ ¡ªAvidity¡­ She spoke thest words, signaling the end of her performance. p. p. p. p. Apuses and praises resounded the entire theater room. Bouquets and flowers were thrown towards the stage, and amidst the lively ordeal, Amelia stood at the center of the stage with a beautiful smile etched on her face. She was sweating and she seemed to be breathing heavily. But regardless, her smile never faltered as she took in the sight of the audience who continued to praise her. No matter who the final performer was, Rachel was sure that nothing could top Amelia''s performance. "Thank you!" Amelia took an elegant bow as flowers continued to rain down on the stage. Raising her head, Amelia turned around and walked towards the curtains. The curtains slowly pulled towards each other and closed shut. And shortly after¡­ Flick¡ª! The spotlight flickered off. But still, the cheers continued to echo throughout the entire theater room. But it slowly faded as everyone waited for the final performance. The long awaited mysterious performer. The one that everyone was waiting for. But for some reason¡­ "..." "What''s taking so long?" Several minutes had passed, and yet nothing was happening. Did this performer back out after seeing Amelia''s performance or something? "Hahaha." Rachel stifled augh at the thought. It was possible After all, just from the way the audience reacted made it clear to everyone who the winner was going to be. Flick¡ª! The lights flickered on and the curtains spread open. In the middle of the stage, a grand piano was situated. But currently, there was no one there. "..." "What?" "Where''s this, ''mysterious performer''?" "Did he back out?" The audience seemed to share the same thoughts as Rachel. However, for Rachel¡­ "No way¡­" Her eyes were shot wide open. Seeing the grand piano, the image of Brandon ying the piano a few months back etched itself on her mind. Could it be¡­? However, if Brandon was a performer, then he should''ve been there by now. After all, he was only stationed outside. Someone should''ve informed him already of his uing performance. Rachel shook her head and dismissed her thoughts. It seemed like it wasn''t Brandon. And as Rachel nced around, the audience seemed to be losing their patience. Was it just a hoax then? Just so the academy could sell out their tickets? Then what was all the hype for? But that was when¡­ BANG¡ª! The entrance abruptly opened. All heads flicked towards the loud banging sound of the door. A figure emerged, one Rachel was all too familiar with. His pale-white hair was quite a mess and his ck zer had visible brown dust on it. "Brandon, let''s sit here." Two more figures followed Brandon closely. Raven pointed at a seat as he called out to Brandon. "Uh¨CAh?" Raven was perplexed as Brandon paid no heed to him and continued to stride forward. "No way." Rachel was wide eyed as her eyes traced Brandon who was making his way towards the stage. He was aplete mess, and yet he took confident steps. Gradually, Brandon ascended the flight of stairs and made his way towards the stage. Making himselffortable, he sat in front of the grand piano. Shortly after, one of the judges briefly introduced him. ¡ªAstrea Academy would like to present¡­ Brandon Locke. The mysterious performer you have all been waiting for. Rachel found the voice all too familiar. It was Belle. But still, Rachel found herself astonished. Brandon¡­ Thest time he had seen him y, Brandon was stiff, and his skills were quite awkward. Just how good had he gotten at the piano for the academy to acknowledge him that much? But it seemed like the audience didn''t appreciate it that much as they voiced out their disdain. "Piano? Is that it¡­?" "Isn''t this a little bit underwhelming?" "What a waste of time." Hearing their hatefulments, Rachel frowned. It was unfair to judge a performer when the performance hasn''t even started yet. But it was understandable. Rachel couldn''t me them. There were several instrumental performances, and with Amelia''s previous performance, another instrument seemed to pale inparison. The audience continued to spat venomously. But that was until¡­ Num~ Brandon pressed the first key. Num~ Num~ Num~ His fingers elegantly slid against each press of a key, and as his performance seemed to start, the audience found themselves sitting back down. Silence gripped the room with only the melodious tune of the piano filling it. Num~ Num~ "What the¡­" This song¡­ She wasn''t familiar with it at all. And yet each melody was yed to perfection. Was it a selfposed song? Was this the reason why Brandon was selected as the mysterious performer? Num~ Num~ Num~ As she stared at Brandon, Rachel''s eyes shot wide open. There was a certain passion that emitted from Brandon. And he looked a bit¡­ "...Sad." The entire song was sad. Num~ Num~ As she nced around, the previous hateful expressions from the audience were nowhere to be seen. Their eyes were wide open just like hers. They werepletely enthralled. And Rachel was one of them as she looked back at Brandon who skillfully moved his fingers around the piano. Num~ Num~ The melody was sweet and pleasant to the ears. Yet for some reason, there was a tinge of sorrow that came with it. As if Brandon was speaking from the heart with his ying. Drip¡­ Before she realized it, a single tear flowed down her cheek. The music piece was beautiful. If Rachel could describe it, the music seemed to tell a story. A story of a mother and a child. Why? Just why was she feeling this way¡­? Brandon¡­ Just what did he go through for him to fully express this kind of sorrow...? And before she realized it, tears started pouring down her cheek. Num~ She instantly recalled her childhood. When her family wasplete. Amy. Her father. And¡­ Her mother. They were aplete and happy family. But one day, it all came crashing down. And because she chose her father, her mother had cut all ties with her. But her mother was never like that in the past. She was a sweet and caring mother who adored her family. And Rachel loved her with all her heart. She was told it was because of her father''spany not wanting to be fully absorbed by the Ashfield''s. But as Rachel grew older, the entire thing seemed ridiculous. There was surely something else behind it. But she had never known what it was. As she nced around, she realized she wasn''t the only one feeling this way. Most of the audience were teary eyed. While some werepletely breaking down. Looking back at Brandon who was passionately ying the piano, Rachel found herself astonished. Just from the melodious tune of his ying, he was able to touch the hearts of each audience. That kind of skill was something only professionals were capable of. No, not even professionals could manipte emotions this way just from a simple press of a key. Brandon¡­ He was something else. Right now, Brandon didn''t seem like the strongest first-year student. Not the mage who hadpletely dominated the virtual simtion. Nor the cold and indifferent person she had known for these past few months. At the moment, he seemed like a lonely boy who was longing for his mother. Before she knew it, the piece shifted. It was now faster and more aggressive. ¡­And it seemed even more sadder now. She waspletely captivated by his ying. There were no mistakes at all, nor had the key ever been off. The piece seemed to be at its climax. ¡­And the story it told. As if he hade to terms with his predicament and left everything behind. The entire room waspletely captivated. If Amelia''s performance sparked joy within the audience. Brandon''s yingpletely shifted the mood into one of sorrow. It was a stark contrast. Num~ And it seemed like Brandon had finally pressed thest key as the sound of the piano rang and gradually faded. Silence gripped the room and Rachel found herself speechless. Flick¡ª! The lights flickered off and the curtains pulled towards each other, closing shut. There was no apuse. No praises. Nothing. Just the sound of the audience in tears. His performance was perfect. No, perfect couldn''t even begin to describe the entire performance. It was all a wave of emotions, crashing down like a tidal wave. Rachel started breaking down as she thought about her childhood. She¡­ She missed her mother. She missed the time when her entire family was happy. p. p. p. All of a sudden, a certain p echoed from one of the audience. Shortly after, the entire room started pping. p. p. p. p. p. Truly, It was the performance of a lifetime. A performance no one would ever forget. Chapter 130: The Threads that Connected [1] "He''s amazing¡­" Evelyn waspletely astonished by the sight of Brandon. Not only that. But added to the fact that he was able to make it in time. Themotion that ensued outside wasn''t as well received as they had hoped. Though the students didn''t seem to notice, most of the professors, and even some of the guests had easily discerned the unstable fluctuation of mana that urred outside the theater room. But with Evelyn''s influence, she was able to convince her fellow professors and the guests that everything was under control In turn, the guests settled down and respected the academy''s protocols. But when it seemed like a domain popped up, once again, the guests became rowdy. Thankfully, the students and guests were separated. The professors and Evelyn were able to take action without alerting the students. At first, she was quite hesitant with Brandon''s request. But as he went on to borate that some of the intruders were now amongst the guest''s, Evelyn could only listen to him. She trusted his decisions, and he trusted her back. Shortly after, Brandon''s performance ended. Silence ensued, but was soon broken by a lone guest''s p. p. p. p. Then, it was soon followed by several apuse. Evelyn, along with the other judges followed from there as well. Brandon had lived up to the mysterious performer hype. Even Evelyn found herself in tears. *** It would''ve been a shame if no one gave their apuse. And so, a lone man showed his appreciation as he broke the silence with his pping. p. p. p. At first he was skeptical. But as he observed the way the performer''s fingers gracefully moved against the piano keys. "The precision¡­" It was a sight he was all too familiar with. And it was something he, and only he, could''ve noticed. After all, he had seen ''that'' man''s abilities several times. "Threads¡­" If his conjectures were correct, then the man who was up on the stage a few minutes ago was the same man he was looking for. p. p. p. "Sir, I think something went wrong with the n." From beside him, a man''s worried voice reached his ears. He had already expected for the entire n to fail. Their n was sloppy, and there was no way they could even touch any of the powerful professors present around them. Yes, everything was expected. But what he didn''t expect was the way the man handled things. His methods¡­ "Unthinkable." He stifled augh at the thought. What he thought was them receiving assistance from the man, turned out to be something entirely different. Instead, he interfered with them. It was truly unthinkable to go against the organization. They were lured in like rats, only to be cornered in the end. That was an unexpected development. To think the n was bound to fail from the start. The man shook his head. He¡­ He wanted the entire n to fail from the start. The entire ordeal was set up by none other than him. All so he could assess ''that'' man. And truly, he surpassed his expectations. As he continued staring at the dark stage, he could vividly remember the sorrowful music from earlier. He quickly recalled his family. His daughter¡­ ¡­And his wife. For him, the day he had lost them both was the day he died. All because of one organization that he had worked so hard to build. An organization that was never meant to grow into what it was now in the first ce. Twilight Syndicate. He closed his eyes, recalling the performer. An image ovepped with the performer, and the man he was looking for. "...So he really was a student after all." He stifled a chuckle. Looking around, the entire theater room was dark. Silence gripped the entire room, blending it with the asional sobbing from the audience. Drip. He was no exception, as before he realized it, a single tear flowed down his cheek. Shortly after¡­ Flick¡ª! The lights flickered on and the man turned away. This persisted for a few seconds until his eyes slowly adapted to the blinding light. "Sir¡­ What do we¡ª" The man extended his hand forward and his subordinate paused mid sentence. Though, calling him a subordinate was exaggerating it. The man was nothing more than their supervisor. "The n failed." He solemnly stated. His subordinate quickly retorted. "Sir, we can still salvage this. Let us prove ourselves¡ª" He decisively cut him off. The man stood up from his seat. The men gathered around followed suit and stood up from their own seats. He walked towards the exit. But he stopped as he noticed something peculiar. He looked down, and the light''s reflection shone down to reveal a single line following his leg. "Haha." He stifled anotherugh. "He''s seen through me as well hasn''t he¡­?" It wasn''t surprising. After all, he had never hid his face in the first ce. "So it really is him." The man left shortly after muttering those words, and his subordinates followed him closely. *** After his performance, Brandon headed backstage. Leaning on the wall, he crossed his arms. "Haa¡­." And he took a heavy breath. His entire performancested a total of 28 minutes. But during the entire ordeal, his attention was upied by a certain guest. He had his suspicions right from the very start. But the sight of him still took him aback. "You were great out there." A soft voice reached him from the side and Brandon shifted his attention. There stood Amelia in her beautiful white dress. Her eyes seemed a bit puffy for some reason. Acknowledging her, Brandon nodded in appreciation. "Thanks." "Still¡­ You could''ve at least told me you were the mysterious performer." "Uh¡­?" "Kidding." Her lips suddenly pulled up into a sly smirk. "Anyway, you were great. Got me a bit teary eyed back there¡­" Teary eyed, huh? As he scanned her features, there was no way it had just ended with ''a bit teary eyed''. In fact, it seemed like she had just finished crying. He was soon snapped out of his thoughts as Amelia inquired. "Did you see my performance too?" "Um¡­. Uh¡ªAh?" He couldn''t find the right words to say. His eyes darted all around, and eventually, his gazended on Amelia who opened her mouth. "You didn''t¡­.?" She breathed out a sigh. "Haa¡­ I told Oscar to get someone to cover for you." "..." What sort of¡­. The entire time, he couldn''t find any way to articte his words at all. "So?" Amelia suddenly changed the topic. "Did you get them?" Them? Oh. "Yep." Brandon confirmed. It seemed like Amelia noticed themotion outside. "That sound barrier helped settle the guests down. Good work." Brandon nodded at her words. Amelia continued. "After this, you wanna¡ª" "Later." Brandon suddenly cut her off. The string attached to his fingertip suddenly tugged. ''He''s on the move¡­'' During the performance, as subtle as he could, he extended a single thread with as little to no mana to avoid detection. The thread loomed through the audience and wrapped itself around a specific person''s foot. The same person Brandon couldn''t take his mind off. He suddenly rushed off. "Wait, where are you¡ª" And Amelia called out to him. Her voice soon faded as he abruptly headed for the back exit. nk¡ª! Looking at the thread, he followed its direction. Tak. Tak. Tak. His footsteps echoed around the hallway until he reached the stairway. Looking up, he could see the threads extend up the stairs. And so he followed suit and ascended the flight of stairs. Tak. Tak. Tak. Tak. He rushed without pausing. Tak. Until he arrived at the rooftop''s entrance. nk¡ª! He forcefully pushed the door open. And what greeted his sight was¡­. "Took you long enough." A lone man stood by the railings with his back faced towards Brandon. He turned around to meet Brandon''s gaze. His face was smeared with blood as the corner of his lips pulled up to a smile. He had already been suspicious a while back. Whatever his motives were, if he was even on Brandon''s side, he was quite unsure. There were often times when the man had helped him. It made his motives even more confusing. Just what did he want? Brandon took in the familiar sight. His familiar dark onyx hair and green eyes instantly registered within Brandon''s peripheral view. At that, the man cut off the thread that was attached to his leg. ''So he noticed¡­.'' It was expected. If he didn''t, then he wouldn''t have waited for Brandon by the rooftop. "This is our first time meeting without your mask. You don''t look so bad yourself, Jack the Ripper." The man shook his head. "...Or should I say, Brandon Locke." Brandon stifled augh and stepped forward. The door slowly closed and now only two people stood on the rooftop. Acknowledging the man, Brandon shed him an indifferent smile. "Good to see you again, Smith." Chapter 131: The Threads that Connected [2] "Great performance by the way." "Thanks." The man stepped forwar¡ª "...!" But he stopped before he could take that step as he noticed a line of thread had already been wrapped around his neck. "Don''t move." Brandon red at him. The man gestured with his hand to stop. "Woah, woah. Calm down, this isn''t like you, Ripper." "..." Yet Brandon didn''t respond and continued to re at him. Extending from his fingertip, the thread tightened and a miniscule amount of blood seeped from the man''s neck. "Talk." Brandon coldly spoke. The man traced his neck with his finger and peered down to look at his blood. Shortly after, he responded. "Alright, where do I start?" The man spoke as if the whole situation didn''t bother him at all. Pinching his chin, his eyes darted up as if pondering. Shortly after, he spoke up. "To ease your tension, my name is Zed Alistar." "..." "I''m telling the truth,e on now. Since when have I ever given you false information?" Zed retrieved something from his pocket and¡­. "Here." Clink¡ª! He tossed a coin and itnded on the ground. "A shadow broker''s honor. Use that." "Heh." Brandon stifled a chuckle. He leaned down to grab the coin and sped it in his palms. Then¡­ Clink¡ª! "What''s your motive?" Zed leaned down to grab the coin that Brandon tossed. He responded soon after. "To find you." "..." "Without breaking your trust." "Why?" Clink¡ª! Zed shook his head. "It''s my turn to ask the questions." Brandon frowned at his words. The threads tightened even more and blood continued seeping out of Zed''s neck. "Are you really in the situation to ask questions?" Brandon venomously spat out. Zed closed his eyes and chuckled. "Fair. Alright, ask away." Clink¡ª! "Since when did you know I was an Astrea student?" "I didn''t know. But from your irregr appearance in Everde, I had a couple of theories in mind." "Irregr appearance?" "You only appear on the weekends." "Ah¡­" Makes sense. "And the theories?" "Either you were a student, a civil worker, or someone who just enjoyed visiting Everde on the weekends." "Then when did you confirm I was a student?" Zed pinched his chin at Brandon''s question. This persisted for a few seconds until he had finally found the right words to say. His mouth then parted open. "The forest fire a month ago, that was you wasn''t it? The one caused by Astrea?" "..." "So I was right. Anyway, do you remember the first thing you asked me when we first met?" "Hm?" Brandon pondered for a while. What was the first information that he bought off from¡ª Ah. "I asked about the forest situation." "Yep. Connect the dots from the forest fires that you''ve recently caused and the previous incident. Sure, the puzzle doesn''t quite fit properly. But it leaves me wondering." "So you just jumped into conclusions then?" "Call it instincts." What sort of¡­ Their conversation continued on from there. "If you wanted to confirm my identity, then why did you stop me from blurting out my real name when I was drunk?" "Same as you. Why did you let your guard down when you were wary of me the whole time?" "To assess how much each side could trust the other." "Exactly." In other words, to gain Brandon''s trust. The same went for Brandon who had gotten himself drunk that day just for Zed to let down his guard around him. The reason why Brandon grew wary of him was because of the specific information that Zed had told him. He quickly recalled his words a few weeks back. ¡ªThey''re nning on obstructing this Academy called Astrea during their festival. Maybe you can use them as a reference. Yes, that. The information was way too specific. At that moment, Brandon got the gist that Zed had an inkling of his identity. An Astrea student. Just that Zed wasn''t quite there and needed some kind of confirmation. Was Brandon a malefactor or not? If Brandon wasn''t the kind of person Zed thought he was, and would contribute in the academy attack, or maybe partake in a different kind of crime, then Zed''s efforts would''ve gone for naught. After all, a normal student wouldn''t even think of partaking in shady deals or joining an underground syndicate. Thankfully, Zed''s conjectures were proven correct and Brandon wasn''t a student on the wrong path. At that, Zed had finally assessed his character. Looking at Zed, Brandon pursed his lips. "Are you satisfied with the results?" "More than satisfied." Zed nodded. Brandon went against the syndicate, despite wanting to climb its ranks. Something unthinkable if he were a shady character. "Congrattions." Zed stepped forward and threads tightened even more. "I said don''t mo¡ª" "Let me introduce myself. Once again, I am Zed Alistar. A Twilight Syndicate head. You''vepletely captured my interest, Brandon Locke." Zed extended his hand. "I would like to formally invite you to work directly under me." "..." Brandon was taken aback. He had known Zed was a member. But wasn''t he just a lowly bartender? ''So he was a head this whole time.'' Something he hadn''t taken into ount. Brandon chuckled at the thought. The threads loosened, and eventually it cut off. He looked at Zed who looked at him back with a serious expression. epting Zed''s handshake, he pursed his lips. "What will this work entail?" "The organization''s destruction." *** Soon after the talent show ended, the results were finally being announced. Standing on the center of the stage, Belle stood at the center as the spotlight shined down on her. She adorned an extravagant red dress as her hair was styled in a elegant fashion. A small touch of makeup was visible on her face and a tinge of red lipstick etched on her lips. She was a bonafide beauty. And it was evident as the audience were all awestruck. The women were captivated as the men had visible blushes on their faces. With the microphone in front of her, Belle leaned close. Tension gripped the entire room. The audience were separated on who deserved first ce. Was it Amelia or Brandon? Shortly after, Belle''s sweet voice echoed throughout the entire theater room. ¡ªFirst ce¡­. She paused as she let the suspense sink in. Shortly after, she announced. ¡ªBrandon Locke. Pleasee to the stage to receive your award. "Wooooo¡­.!" "Wew~ Wew~" p. p. p. p. Cheers and apuse instantly filled the room. Despite the fact that Amelia had lost, her fans didn''t take it to heart and chimed in on the praises. This persisted for a few seconds but that was until¡­ ¡ªBrandon Locke. Pleasee to the stage to receive your award. Belle''s announcement repeated yet the man of the hour had never appeared. Shortly after, Amelia appeared from the curtains and walked towards Belle. Leaning close, she whispered something in her ear. As soon as she finished, Amelia went back behind the curtains and Belle announced once more. ¡ªApologies for the dy. It seems like Brandon Locke currently isn''t present. I will then proceed to the next awarding. And the awarding ceremony continued on from there. The results? ¨N 1st. Brandon Locke ¨N 2nd. Amelia Constantine ¨N 3rd. Cyrus Rosewill Honorable Mentions: ¨N Reinhard Van . . The judges handled the voting, and after they had chosen their top three, the honorable mentions were based onmunity votes. For some reason, some of the male students voted for Reinhard as a joke. Just like that the awarding ceremony had ended. And now¡­ It was time for the fireworks disy to mark the end of the three day festival. The audience were instructed to leave the theater room and were allowed to go anywhere to watch the disy. Most opted for the school''s courtyard, while some decided to leave the premises. As Rachel nced around couples started forming and gazed from the window, waiting for the fireworks disy to start. Though she couldn''t openly admit it, in her heart, she wanted to watch the fireworks with Brandon. But she knew that was impossible. In the first ce, Brandon wasn''t even present during the awarding ceremony. Most likely, he had already left the building due to exhaustion. Rachel once again nced around to look for her friends. But for some reason, she couldn''t find them. Her shoulders dropped and she breathed out a heavy sigh. "Haa¡­." She had barely seen the one person she had wanted to be with the entire time. Much less, even talk to him. For all she knew he might still be in the academy and was nning on watching the fireworks with Amelia or something. No. She shook her head at the thought. It would be unfair to think about Brandon like that knowing how busy he was. ncing around, Rachel roamed the hallways. Each step felt heavy, and she could feel like her heart was slowly sinking. This festival that she was wholeheartedly looking forward to¡­ It was a disappointment. Turning her head, the sight of the stairs registered in her eyes. The rooftop should be closed during the talent show. But Rachel didn''t care. She could just break the lock. If she was going to watch the fireworks all alone, then she might as well get the best view. With such thoughts, she started ascending the flight of stairs, until she had finally made it at the entrance. Creaaaaaak¡­. And as she pushed the door open, what greeted her sight made her eyes widen. Ba¡­ Thump! Her heart skipped a beat as she took in the sight of Brandon who''s back was faced towards her. Slowly¡­ He turned around. Ba¡­ Thump! Her heart quickened, and she felt like running away as of this moment. There was no way Brandon was here. "No way¡­" The one person she had been actively seeking this entire time. The only person she wanted to be with during the festival. There was just no way that Brandon was here, alone. She must''ve been seeing things. And so she rubbed her eyes. Blinking, the sight of Brandon hadn''t faded away. ...He really was here. And as she stood frozen in her feet¡­ "Rachel¡­?" He called out to her. Chapter 132: The Threads that Connected [3] "Rachel¡­?" Why was she here? It was known that the rooftop was closed at this time. So why did she decide to go to the rooftop? Brandon pondered. Thankfully, Zed had already left before Rachel could arrive. "...Brandon." She called out to him. Looking at her, Brandon could see the conflicted expression on her face. He had barely seen Rachel during the entire festival. ''So why is she looking at me like that¡­?'' With his thoughts gathered, Brandon decided to ask. "What are you doing up here?" "I could say the same for you." Brandon''s eyes widened. She had a point. "Fair." Brandon stifled a chuckle. He turned back around and leaned his arms on the railing. Tak. The sound of footsteps echoed from behind him, and as he looked to the side, Rachel simrly leaned on the railings as well. Clearing her throat, Rachel pursed her lips. "So¡­ What are you doing here alone?" "¡­Enjoying the view." "I see." Looks like it worked. Sneaking a few nces at Rachel, the air seemed tense around her. A bit awkward he could say. Silence ensued and filled the entire surroundings as none had spoken any words. At that, Brandon pondered on what he had just discussed with Zed a few moments ago. ording to Zed, he would send the location on their burner phones, and they would meet up tomorrow around the same time, 7:30 PM. Brandon''s lips pulled up to a smile at the thought. Finally, after Alpha, he had finally gained an ally. And this was just the start. The sooner he could build a team, the better. Sure, he worked under Zed now. But that was only on the surface of the Syndicate. The two acknowledged that they were equals. Brandon then recalled the reason why Zed had wanted to destroy the organization. Apparently, the Twilight Syndicate started out as a small group that consisted of Zed and his friends. For whatever reason why Zed wanted to betray the organization he had built, Brandon didn''t know. But when he stared into Zed''s green eyes, he could see the sorrow from within him. If Zed was on his side, he truly didn''t know. It was nothing but a rtionship that would be built on trust. Though Zed had instigated the attack on the academy, it was only to assess Brandon''s identity. If Jack the Ripper was nothing but a malefactor, or a regr student attending the said academy. And even if he did instigate it, Zed had only gathered men that he was confident Brandon could beat. They were never strong in the first ce. Even a flick from Evelyn''s finger would''ve blown them away. For whatever tomorrow would entail, Brandon had no idea. Zed was an enigma at the moment. Brandon then peered down. What greeted his sight was the courtyard. Several students were gathered. As he shifted his gaze even further, professors had begun to encircle a specific area in the courtyard. "Is the fireworks disy starting?" "Yes." "Is that why you''re here?" "Maybe¡­" "..." Cryptic¡­ In the first ce¡­ ''Why is it so awkward¡­?'' Rachel was never this tense whenever she was with him. At least, from what he could notice. Could she be¡­? ''Nah.'' Brandon shook his head. Ridiculous. There was no way Rachel felt that way about him. After all, their bond was like an older brother and a younger sister. She was often clumsy and he would clean up after her back in their apartment. There was no way Rachel liked him when she''d let her guard down around him. Right. There were more pressing matters at the moment. He had no time to think of such thoughts. Asides the Twilight Syndicate, there was something else that was on his mind. The uing incursion. ''The rift¡­'' Somehow¡­ For some reason, He had a premonition. *** The entire time, Rachel couldn''t find a way to articte her words. So many things she had wanted to ask, and yet she found herself suppressing her words. The entire atmosphere was tense, awkward even. But Brandon didn''t seem to feel the same as he kept his usual aloof expression. Between the two, she was the only one conscious of the other. Rachel pouted at the thought. How dense. ''Can he not see how flustered I am¡­?'' She wanted to tell him. Tell him how she felt. She wanted him to know. Only him. ''I like you.'' But each time, she would hesitate. ''Brandon, I like you.'' The words were at the tip of her tongue, yet she couldn''t voice it out. Tak. Tak. Tak. She stomped her foot. "....?" Perplexed, Brandon skeptically raised his brow and tilted his head. "Ah." Rachel clumsilyposed herself. Twirling her hair, she sneaked a couple of nces at Brandon. He seemed to stare at nothing, as if he was lost in his thoughts. "Haa¡­" Rachel breathed out a sigh and sneaked another nce at Brandon. Despite his clothes being ragged, and dust seemed to smear his face, he was still handsome. Really handsome. He was just her type. In the first ce, he was always her type. The first time she had seen him was during the first day of ss. His looks had immediately caught her attention, but it was purely out of curiosity. Just what kind of person was he? At first he was funny. Then suddenly, he became aloof, as if his personality had suddenly shifted. But it made him even cooler. Rachel could admit that. When they suddenly became neighbors, Rachel grew even more curious of him. And sooner, before she even realized it, that curiosity had developed into something more. She wasn''t quite sure what the feeling was back then. Just that, she started bing conscious of everything he did around her. But as Raven and Reinhard blurted it out recently¡­ It was then when she realized what the feeling actually was. It was too soon to call it love. It was nothing but a crush at the moment. That''s right, a crush. "Hm?" All of a sudden, Brandon turned his head slightly and met her gaze. Flustered, Rachel averted her gaze and her eyes darted around. "What''s wrong?" "...N-nothing." "....?" This wasn''t going anywhere at all. She had finally gotten some alone time with him. And yet she continued to hesitate each second. She clenched her fists. If she wasn''t going to be proactive¡­ Then nothing would happen. Brandon would continue to perceive her as a friend. At that, Rachelposed herself. ''Just do it, Rachel. Come on, you can do it. Why are you hesitating now when it actually matters? What were all those romance mangas for then?'' "Hooo¡­." Taking a deep breath, Rachel gathered her thoughts. Turning her head, she looked at him. "Brandon." "Hm?" Brandon turned around and met her gaze. Ba¡­ Thump! Staring into his ice-blue eyes, Rachel found herself drawn to it. No, drawn to him. She was still a bit flustered. But she continued to look him straight in the eye. "Hoo¡­" She took another breath. "Brandon." "What?" This was it. All or nothing. "...I like you." *** Seated on the grass, Raven gazed up at the sky as his eyes lit up. In particr, the stars. "Stars¡­" Yeah, he liked the stars. Stargazing was one of thest memories he had with his parents. ¡­Before they disappeared. "Before they abandoned me." And now he felt a bit depressed. "Raven?" But his attention shifted as a familiar voice called out to him. "Can I sit here?" "Yes." He nodded and Amy sat on the grass beside him. And at that, he continued gazing at the stars. His eyes seemed to sparkle as he followed the stars and tried to form a constetion within his mind. "...Cute." "Hm?" He turned his head back to look at Amy who looked back at him. Throughout the months, the two had gotten pretty close. At the start of the semester, it used to be Brandon who was close with her. But after the previous incident, Amy had gotten a lot more friendly with him. And Raven appreciated that. He didn''t have a lot of friends to begin with. Unlike Brandon who seemed to be a social butterfly, Raven was quite the introvert. But recently, Amy''s influence was getting to him. Amy as well was a social butterfly. From the bottom of his heart, he truly appreciated her. Being with her was quite refreshing. It was a different kind of experiencepared to when he was with Brandon and Reinhard. Meeting her gaze, Amy spoke seriously all of a sudden. "I know I''ve said this a lot of times, but thank you for saving me back then." "You''re wee." He shed her a serene smile. Amy continued, but her expressions contorted into a sad look. "That day was the darkest moment of my life. If you hadn''t saved me, I wouldn''t be here right now." Raven was taken aback. He would do the same for all of his friends. At that, Raven smiled yet again. Truly, it felt nice that he was able to positively impact a person''s life. Snapping him out of his thoughts was Amy''s voice as she continued. "Raven, I''m not going to beat around the bush like my sister." Huh? Sister? Since when did Amy have a sister¡­? And.. Beating around the bush? Where was this go¡ª "Rachel Asami is my biological twin sister. My real name is Amy Asami." The sudden revtion shocked Raven even further as his eyes shot wide open. Was it true¡­? But why was she telling¡ª "I''m telling you this because I trust you." "Right now, you are one of the most important people in my life, and¡­" She paused. Raven found himself speechless. Where was all thising from? Why was Amy suddenly telling him all thi¡ª "...I like you." BOOM¡ª! The booming sound of the fireworks erupted. The dazzling colors shone down on Amy''s beautiful features as she shed him a wide grin. This¡­ It wasn''t a bad feeling. He was unsure how to respond to the sudden confession. But he didn''t hate it. "You don''t have to give me a response." Amy shook her head. "I just want to get my feelings across." Scanning her face, Amy was flushed beet red. In fact, she looked like a tomato. "Raven, look." All of a sudden Amy pointed towards the sky. Following her direction, Raven turned his head and looked up. And that was when¡­ Smooch~ Something warm and soft pressed against his cheeks. Ba¡­ Thump! His heart quickened. As he turned around, Amy had already run off. "..." Ba¡­ Thump! The beating of his heart wouldn''t settle as his eyes were shot wide open. Tracing his cheek, he stared at Amy''s departing back. "I¡­" He couldn''t find any way to articte his words. Just that, he could feel his face start to flush. BOOM¡ª! Chapter 133: The Threads that Connected [4] "...I like you." BOOOOM¡ª! The words she held back this whole time. She had finally managed to say it. As soon as she did, she averted her gaze. She could feel her face start to flush. Her hands trembled and cold sweat protruded from her back. BOOOM¡ª¡ª! Looking up, she could see the fireworks disy had already started. The beautiful myriad of colors registered in her eyes. Her body started trembling, and a feeling of anxiety started kicking in. She was nervous, embarrassed in fact. And with such thoughts. Tak. Tak. Tak. "Rachel, wai¨C" She sprinted off without ever looking back or listening to Brandon. nk¡ª! Instantly shutting the door closed, Rachel slumped down as she leaned on the door. Covering her face, she started murmuring to herself. "Oh my god, I actually did it. I actually confessed to him." p! She pped both sides of her cheek. "Calm down, Rachel. Calm down¡­" She eased her tension. Standing up, she turned her head to look at the door. She wasn''t able to see his reaction. Not like she allowed him to respond in the first ce. If she hears his response, she could feel like her heart would burst. "This is enough¡­" It was enough for now. As long as she had managed to get her feelings across, then she was satisfied. She didn''t need a response at the moment. He could even reject her and she would be fine. She just wanted him to know how she felt. "Yes." At that, she jumped and clenched her fist in the air. In the end, ¡­This festival. It was a mission sess. Satisfied, Rachel turned back around and descended the flight of stairs. *** "Uh¡­.?" Staring at the door, Brandon stood perplexed. Due to the loud booming sound of the fireworks, he was unable to hear Rachel''s next words. And as he tried to call out to her, she had already rushed towards the door. What in the¡­ He scratched the side of his face. Scratch. Scratch. It was truly peculiar. Brandon shrugged at that. If Rachel didn''t want to talk anymore, then it probably wasn''t important. He could just ask her to rify anytime. They were neighbors after all. Turning around, he leaned his arms on the railing as he took the breathtaking sight before him. The fireworks¡­ It was nostalgic. Back in his world, his mother would take him to watch the fireworks disy in the urban part of the city. Since they lived in the rural side, it was quite the trip. He smiled bitterly at the thought. Even when they didn''t have much, his mother would do everything she could just to make him happy. She was the perfect mother. Brandon gazed up and continued staring at the fireworks. His eyes sparkled in the same hue as the colors before him. "...How are you doing, Mom?" He extended his hands forward. BOOM¡ª! The colorful light from the fireworks filtering his face as threads started loomed outof his fingertips. "I just want to tell you that I''m okay." Brandon helped himself up, standing on the railing. He took in the sight in front of him before gently closing his eyes. With his eyes closed, as if he was ying the piano, Brandon started drumming his fingers in the air. In his mind, he was ying the piano. The same piece he had yed a little while earlier. 10 threads. 18 threads. Swo¡ª BOOM¡ª¡ª! "I''ve made a lot of friends now, Mom." 54 threads. 68 threads. ¨N[Cursed Threads]: 98% "You''ve always wanted that for me, right? That''s why you''ve been making all those clothes and shoes. Just so I could fit in with my peers, right Mom?" 72 threads. 76 threads. BOOM¡ª! "Hehe, it''s funny, Mom. I have a sister now. She''s really nice and she treats me well. My friends are pretty nice too. There''s Raven, Reinhard, Rachel, Amy, ire, Sarah, Liam, and Amelia." 82 threads. ¨N[Cursed Threads]: 99% His voice started cracking. "I''m pretty strong now too, Mom. I could protect you, protect us from those loan sharks." 89 threads. BOOOM¡ª! "I just¡­. I just wish I could see you, Mom. I''m really sorry for leaving you like that¡­ Hic¨C" He started sobbing. A single tear flowed down his cheek. 96 threads. He continued drumming his fingers in the air. It was the climax of the music piece. 98 threads. BOOOM¡ª! "I miss you, Mom." 100 threads. ¨N[Cursed Threads]: Complete Mastery. He peered his eyes open after finishing the piece. The grandeur sight before him had taken him aback. A myriad of threads loomed around him, dancing as if it had a mind of its own. While the shing lights of the fireworks highlighted his features. And as he looked down¡­ Everyone was looking at him. With wide eyes and open mouths, they stared at him as he stared back. There was no point in hiding his abilities any longer than he should. The world was changing. The plotline wasn''t even the same anymore. Swoosh¡ª! At that, the threads instantly cut off and dissipated. He looked down at his palms. Channeling mana into it, a small ck spark started emitting. Spark. Spark..! This persisted until¡­ Crackle! A pitch ck ember ignited in his palms. It was small, but he did it on his first try. Nodding his head, Brandon looked ahead. Pursing his lips, he muttered under his breath. "System." ¡ª--------------------------- [Special Affinities] ¨N[Curse] ¨N [Cursed Threads]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Cursed mes]: 1% ¨N [Mark of Despair]: Locked ¨N [Abyssal Chains]: Locked ¨N [Soul Drain]: Locked ¨N [Binding Vow]: Locked ¡ª--------------------------- He had finally unlocked the second phase of the [Curse] affinity. [Cursed mes] *** Situated in the far east of the country, with steep rocky mountains, the Azenia Valley. The valley was scorched under the high sun. Jagged rocks and boulders were scattered around. And¡­ A split by a huge rift that cut through the earth. The chasm divided the valley with an oppressive atmosphere around it. The heat was intense, making the air shimmer. The once colorful valley was now a dull mix of grays and browns. The few remaining nts were dry and brittle. The drought had drained thend of life, leaving it barren. Tents spread around as men and women, adorning ck military uniforms, stood by on end. The atmosphere was tense, each of them wearing anxious looks. Ruffle~ But then, all heads flicked towards a tent as an imposing figure emerged from it. With golden hair, and azure eyes, each step he took held a certain air of authority. The Grand Marshal of the Imperial Army, Albert Constantine. Behind him, another man followed closely. With jet-ck hair and hazel eyes, just like the Grand Marshal, he too imposed an air of authority. Field Marshal, and the right hand of the Grand Marshal, Omar Locke. As soon as they revealed themselves, all of the officers present straightened their backs and saluted on the spot. Standing in the middle, with Omar right beside him, Albert waved his hand down and cleared his throat. "Kuhum¡­ At ease, soldiers." As soon as those words left his mouth, the salute died down and the soldiers stood straight and poised. "As you all know, two weeks ago, we sent out scouts to investigate the rift." The atmosphere was silent and tense as they took in every word that left Albert''s mouth. Albert looked to the side, just before the cliff. Due to howrge the rift was, it was easily discernible, despite it being situated in the valley. He looked back at his officers and his face contorted to a sorrowful expression. "They were given a deadline to return two weekster. That''s right, that day is today." Albert looked around. ¡­And continued. "But as you can see, there were no signs of them returning whatsoever. This has led us to believe that something has gone wrong in those two weeks." He clenched his fist. "Over 20 men in the S- rank were sent, and yet none had returned." As soon as those words left his mouth, everyone''s expressions cracked. "This marks a huge loss in the history of the Imperial Army. But now we have an idea of what the rift entails." A dejected look, mixed with frustration etched itself on the officer''s present. "Adding to the fact that Astrea Academy''s Headmaster, an influential figure ranked SS- was one of the victims." At that, fear started gripping the room. None had spoken as they digested each and every word that Albert spoke. "The rift has been marked a hazard, and will now be under the difficulty of SS and above." Step¡ª All of a sudden, a figure appeared in the vicinity. The speed in which he appeared had caught everyone off guard. His light blue hair and light blue eyes deeply imprinted itself in everyone''s mind. They had already known the man would participate in the uing incursion. But the sight of him adorning his signature battle armor, along with his signature katana that was situated in his scabbard, had left everyone taken aback. Nodding his head at the neer, Albert continued. "But fret not, soldiers. For he has received our call, and has dly epted our request for assistance. Give your apuse to the strongest ranker in the world, Lucian Frost." p¨C p¨C p¡ª Albert stepped back and allowed Lucian to take the center of the stage. Gripping the hilt of his katana, Lucian started his speech. "My name is Lucian Frost, an SS+ ranker, and the strongest man in the world. As long as I''m present, do not fear your safety, for it will be guaranteed." As always, his voice was monotonous, as if the entire ordeal was nothing to him. Yet everyone present understood the weight of his words. Their expressions, once gripped with fear, now had a tinge of determination. Lucian continued on with his speech. Just like what was debriefed a few weeks ago, the incursion would take ce next month. To be exact, October 1, 2148. p¨C p¨C p¨C As soon as Lucian finished his speech, a fiery determination was evident in everyone''s eyes as cheers and apuse echoed in the air. Standing just beside Albert, Omar looked at Lucian. With a smile stered on his face, he nodded his head. This was just what they needed. The soldiers seemed disheartened the past two weeks. But with the presence of Lucian, all of it changed. As long as the strongest was present, the incursion was bound to be a sess. Were they going to return? Yes. Omar didn''t doubt it. Chapter 134: Syndicate [1] With the festivities finally over, sses resumed normally. There were lots of viral topics that were discussed amongst the students. But everyone could agree on the hottest topic at the moment. Brandon Locke. From the elements he revealed in the exhibition match, to his grand performance, following the stunt he pulled during the fireworks disy. It was for this reason that all attention fell on him during the lecture. But unlike back then, Brandon paid no heed to them and nonchntly paid attention to the lecture. He had already expected such a scenario in the first ce. Nonchntly fiddling his pen, Brandon turned his attention to the professor. A burly man with purple hair and thick framed sses. He spoke so fast that it felt as if he was murmuring every word that left his mouth. Shortly after, his voice resounded and all attention shifted to him. "Can anyone tell me the names of all the four regions in this continent?" Thump! Immediately, the sound of a chair pulling back echoed and the familiar figure beside Brandon stood up. "Ah, Raven again. Go ahead." Again. The entire lecture, whenever the professor had a question, it would always be Raven that would answer it. Everyone was already used to this sight. He was a teachers'' pet and a diligent student after all. Clearing his throat, Raven spoke up. "Residing in the Holy Britannia Continent, we are split into four regions. The north, Vsco region, the south, Aldoran region, the east, Azenia region, and the west, rian region." "Thank you, Raven. You may take your seat." Raven nodded his head and slowly sat back down. With his gaze fixed on the students who were eagerly listening to him, the professor carried on. "You might be wondering why I asked for a recap of a previous lesson all of you already know. So I won''t beat around the bush." The professor approached the white circr device on the podium and rested his hands on it. Click¡ª The all too familiar blue hologram materialized. On it disyed a bulky man, with golden hair and azure eyes, adorning a ck military uniform. The man was seated on his desk and it seemed like the camera was pointed at him. Brandon found himself familiar with the man. After all, he had seen him a while back during the banquet. His eyes seemed to be fixed straight at the camera. A recording perhaps? Or a livestream¡­? Brandon''s question was soon answered by the professor, who gave a brief introduction. "Allow me to introduce the Grand Marshal of the Imperial Army, Albert Constantine. This livestream is being yed around the world right now, and was mandated by the government for everyone to see¡ªLooks like it''s starting." Visible confusion was etched on the student''s faces. This was the first time in the history of humanity that the Imperial Army reached out to the people. "I see." And Brandon already had an inkling on what the livestream would entail. Finally, the livestream started. Albert''s deep authoritative voice had gathered the attention of the masses as they paid close attention to each and every word he said. Silence gripped the room as Albert continued debriefing on what would take ce in the following month. The incursion. It was of great importance that the people were informed of the incursion. After all, over 5,000 soldiers would partake in it. If it were to fail, then the continent of Holy Britannia''s military power would greatly diminish. But there was one keen detail that had caught Brandon''s attention, more so than he had thought. ¡ªThe rift had appeared a little over a year ago. At first it was the size of a pea pod, but as time passed, the size had increased drastically, and unfortunately¡­ The students'' eyes widened by the next set of words that left Albert''s mouth. ¡ª...Your Headmaster was a victim of this rift. Along with other powerful rankers, they were sent to investigate the sudden appearance of the rift. It was shortly after the rift cracked again and expanded when they were pulled in. "...Is that true?" "Of course it is, the Grand Marshal is the one speaking." "I know, but isn''t this a little too crazy?" Several theories welled up within the students'' minds. But they all shared the same thoughts. The words were there, and yet no one dared to say it. The Headmaster was dead. in and simple. Everyone wore a look of worry and unease about the entire ordeal, even Raven was no exception as his brows furrowed. But regardless, there was nothing they could do. They were nothing but students well below the E to D rank if they were to be ranked by the guild''s standards. Not like they could make a difference in the first ce. But suddenly, a figure suddenly appeared in the livestream. As soon as he arrived, everyone present''s eyes lit up as they stared at the man. "Is that Lucian Frost?" Immediately, his appearance had changed the tense atmosphere in the room. At that, Lucian''s monotonous voice quickly resonated, and despite theck of life in his tone, the crowd erupted into cheers. p¨C p¨C p¨C ¡ªI hope all of you will pray that the incursion is a sess. May the sun find its way to shine down on the Imperial Army. After those words left Lucian''s mouth, everyone present stood up from their seats. Even the professor turned around and looked at the livestream. And then¡­ Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump¡­.! As they stomped their feet, everyone shed a salute in honor of the Imperial Army. Shortly after, they all spoke in unison. "Glory to Holy Britannia, and glory to the Imperial Army!" In the next few minutes, the livestream ended and the hologram dematerialized. The students sat back down in their seats and started their discussions about the livestream. Since the lecture seemed to end there, the professor left shortly after, leaving the students to their own devices. Brandon stood up from his seat and left the lecture room as well. Roaming the halls, he started to ponder. Once again, he couldn''t shake off the feeling that something bad was about to happen during the incursion. If things went south and the entire incursion failed, who knows what would happen. But just like the other students, Brandon couldn''t do a thing to help out. The only thing he could do was offer moral support. With such thoughts he retrieved his phone and dialed a specific contact. [Omar Locke] Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Click¡ª ¡ªBrandon? The familiar deep voice reached his ears and Brandon found himself smiling. As always, Omar was as lively as he remembered him to be. Omar wasn''t his real father. But for Omar, Brandon was his real son. And for the current Brandon, he wanted to be his son as well. This was the least he could for the Locke family. ¡ªWhat''s with the sudden call? "I think you already know." ¡ªHaha~ You got me. Here to wish your old man good luck? "Something like that." ¡ªBrandon. All of a sudden, Omar''s tone became serious. Brandon listened attentively. ¡ªIf¡­ Hypothetically, if I don''t make it back alive. Then I want you to promise me something. Brandon was taken aback. Despite the confidence that Albert boasted during the livestream, Lucian seemed to have a grip on reality. The reality that not everything would always have a happy ending. "What is it, Dad?" ¡ªProtect your Mother, and your Sister. Brandon''s eyes shot wide open. Omar¡­ He was entrusting the entire family to him. Despite the fact that Belle was a renowned prodigy, Omar was most probably confident in Brandon''s strength. Gathering his thoughts, a serene smile etched on Brandon''s face. He pursed his lips. "Understood, Field Marshal." Brandon shed a salute of his own. The call ended from there. And at the same time, he had finally arrived at his destination. To Tok¡ª Knocking on the door, a familiar voice reached his ears shortly after. "Come in." Nodding his head, Brandon opened the door and a familiar sight greeted him. Turning her head to meet his gaze, Evelyn stood at the center of the training grounds. And giving him no time to react¡­ Boom¡ª! She burst forth from her position and appeared before him. But despite the spontaneous attack, Brandon managed to narrowly dodge her fist. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! A flurry of punches were sent his way. Shifting his body, Brandon maneuvered in the air and dodged each strike. Thud! But he was caught off guard as Evelyn had managed tond a kick on his sr plexus. "Akh¡­!" Skidding back several meters, Brandon clenched his stomach. "No remorse¡­" "Not with that stunt you pulledst night." Boom¡ª! Once again, Evelyn appeared before him. Her fist was an inch close to his face. But that was when¡­ Swoosh¡ª! [Aeolus Blessing] Kicking the air, Brandon dodged her attack and appeared above her. Twisting his body sideways, he had managed to kick Evelyn¡ª Thud! It was to no avail as Evelyn caught his feet. "That''s new." "Hehe." Swoosh¡ª! Kicking the air with his left foot, Brandon managed to escape Evelyn''s grasps. But Evelyn followed up as she jumped from her position and struck Brandon right on the chest. Thud! Brandon was hurled several meters away in the air. But due to [Aeolus Blessing], his body stayed high up as if the air was solid ground. "...Since when did you get so good with your [Wind] affinity?" "Recently." With a smile etched on his face, Brandon got up as he stayed fixed in the air. "..." Evelyn frowned. "I''m not going to ask at this point." Looking at him from above, Evelyn stepped forward. "I''ll only empower myself with mana. Use your magic." "Are you sure?" "Yes, use those strings or whatever they''re called." "Threads." At that, Brandon stepped forward. Crossing his arms on both sides, threads started extending themselves from his fingertips. It started from ten threads, then quickly multiplied. A myriad of threads loomed around him, dancing like snakes. "Here Ie." Swoosh¡ª! Kicking the air, Brandon bolted towards Evelyn. The threadsshed around and seemed to entangle Evelyn, while the other threads aimed to pierce her. Yet Evelyn dashed to the side and dodged each threading her way. But that was when¡­ "Wha¡ª" A thread managed to attach itself to the back of her clothes, and Evelyn was reeled backwards. As she was caught off guard, Brandon followed up with another attack. ck mes started igniting within his palms. Extending his palms towards her, Brandon was about to touch her sr plexus. But Evelyn twisted her body sideways and grabbed his wrist. Thud! Thud! Thud! Her fists struck Brandon''s side thrice, and that was when she followed up with a devastating blow. Booom¡ª! Brandon was hurled away and crashed on the wall. Crash¡ª! Slumping down, he raised his head to meet Evelyn''s gaze as she had already appeared before him. Looking down at him, Evelyn shed a serene smile. Pursing her lips, her mouth parted open. "Good work. Let''s stop here for today. Go patch yourself up in the nurse''s office." "..." Despite all his efforts, he had barely managed tond a single hit on Evelyn. The gap between an S+ ranker, and an assumed to be B ranker was that wide. But added to the fact that he had only used one of his skills, the results were expected. At that, he started pondering. ''If an S+ ranker is this strong, then just how difficult will the incursion be?'' For it to be on the SS difficulty, Brandon couldn''t even begin to wonder. "Hoo¡­" Chapter 135: Syndicate [2] nk¡ª! Stepping out of the apartment room, Brandon fixed up his cor. His hair was well groomed as he adorned his signature white zer. It was a little over 7:34 PM. His meeting with Zed was scheduled for 7:30 PM. Why was hete? Just to spite him. "...?" And just around the same time he left the room, Rachel seemed to have just arrived home. For some reason, she averted her gaze from him. Yet at the same time, it seemed like she wanted to say something. And that she did as she spoke in an awkward tone. "...Brandon." "Yes?" He tilted his head. "Just got home?" "...Yes." "Well, go in now. I''ll be going somewhere." "Okay¡­" The conversation was brief. Nodding his head Brandon walked ahead and left. *** How heartless. Rachel stared at his departing back with a conflicted expression. Despite having confessed, it seemed like Brandonpletely dismissed it. Did he forget? No. She shook her head. There was no way someone would forget a confession. Was he that uninterested in her? Was this really the man she hade to like? A man whopletely disregards others'' feelings? "Haha." She stifled a bitterugh. From the fact that he was all dressed up, it seemed like he was going somewhere. Was he meeting someone? A date perhaps? Then¡­ Could it be with Amelia? She bit her lips. "No." An image ovepped in her mind, one where Brandon was happily on a date with Amelia. If that was the case, and if he actually did like her, then he should''ve just rejected her instead. "Haa¡­" She breathed out a sigh. If he really was about to go on a date with Amelia, then Rachel needed confirmation. The fact that Brandon had only said he was ''going somewhere'', meant that he probably didn''t want to tell her. She clenched her fist. That was unfair. All she needed was a straight up rejection. Then could she finally drown out her feelings for him. And with such thoughts¡­ Rachel decided to follow him. Just a little peek. Once she sees who he''s meeting up, if it was a girl¡­ "If it was Lady Amelia¡­" Then she would leave. That''s it. Call it stalking, but Rachel didn''t care. She needed this. If he didn''t respect her enough topletely disregard her feelings, then a little stalking wouldn''t hurt. With her thoughts gathered, Rachel quickly put on a cap and some shades. *** Inside a dimly lit coffee shop, soft light from old sconces lit up the wooden tables. The smell of fresh coffee, vani, and cinnamon filled the air. People talked quietly, their voices mixing with soft jazz. A barista in a clean apron meticulously craftedtte art. The ce was a mix of both fancy and cozy. And seated in the VIP lounge, two figures sat opposite each other. Documents were neatly stacked on the table. Brandon found himself curious on its contents. After sipping on his coffee, Brandon settled his cup down and raised his head to look at Zed. Shortly after, he opened his mouth. "So? Why this ce¡­?" Brandon turned his head to look around. "I don''t think it''s a good ce to discuss private matters." "Why this ce, huh?" Zed extended his hand towards a circr button on the side of the table. "Just because." "Just becau¡ªAh." "Yep." As soon as Zed clicked the button, a sound barrier materialized and isted all the sounding out of their table. Nodding his head to acknowledge the sound barrier, Zed turned to look at Brandon. "The barrier will onlyst for five minutes. After that, we''d have to provide it with mana." Leaning back, Zed rxed himself as he sped his hand behind his head. "Firstly, take a look at those documents." Following his instructions, Brandon extended his arms and pulled the documents towards him. Flipping the pages, Brandon took his time reading its contents. There were severalpany names on the documents, some of which he was unfamiliar with, while some were well knownpanies. Along with it were thepany''s contributions. Stopping just at the middle of the document, he raised his head and looked Zed in the eye. "Is this what I think it is¡­?" Companies involved in shady dealings with the syndicate. "Yes." "And what am I supposed to do with this information?" "Just for context. We''ll be interfering with their shipments." "I see." That made sense. With this they could cripple the syndicate''s supplies and finances. Zed went on to borate. It was nothing but a small-scale diversion. If it all works out, the heads will host a summit to gather all the top-dogs of the syndicate to address the issue. With Zed''s appearance, it was a chance to introduce Brandon to the other heads, cementing himself as a potential member. Since Brandon would have to prove himself first, the heads would have to make use of him to assess his capabilities. "So if this n seeds, I''d have sessfully infiltrated the syndicate, right?" "Yes." At Zed''s confirmation, Brandon continued flipping the documents Flip¡ª There were majorpanies, ones that made his eyes widen. Who knewpanies such as those were involved in shady dealings? It was only until thest page when Brandon was really taken aback. With shaky hands, Brandon''s eyes shot wide open. There was no way. Crumple¡­ Unknowingly, his grip on the paper tightened and he was in a state of disbelief. "What''s wrong?" Noticing his unease, Zed asked. "..." Yet Brandon didn''t respond. "Brandon?" It was only when he was snapped out of it when he noticed Zed calling out to him. Raising his head, he looked at Zed who looked at him back. "Zed¡­ Is this some kind of mistake?" "What are you talking about? Of course not. That''s ssified information that only the heads have ess to." "Then¡­" Gritting his teeth, Brandon struggled toprehend just why thispany was listed. But as heposed himself, he turned the document to show it to Zed. Pointing at a specific spot on the document Brandon spoke with a certain tension. "Why is Asami Incorporated here?!" *** The whole time, Rachel followed Brandon, fixing a set distance. For some reason, she found herself entering sketchy alleyways with shady characters around. "Where are you going, little boy?" "Are you lost, boy?" Due to brushing her hair all the way up her cap, she probably looked like a boy. But Rachel paid no heed to them as she continued following Brandon. This persisted until Brandon stopped at some kind of fancy tavern or something. Cling¡ª Rachel waited for a few seconds after Brandon entered the ce. Shortly after, she entered the premises and the chiming sound of a bell rang. Cling¡ª Looking around, it seemed like Brandon wasn''t on the first floor. Since he was most likely on the second floor, Rachel headed the stairs. But she was soon paused as the barista called up to her. "That area is for VIP guests only. Either buy a lounge, or secure a VIP card." VIP? Just who was Brandon meeting up with? "How much is the lounge?" There was no need to buy a card. Despite howvish it was, she couldn''t see herselfing back to this sketchy tavern. "25 gold coins." "..." What in the¡­ ''''Might as well rob me at this point.'' Shaking her head, she dismissed her thoughts. It was something she could manage to afford. With such thoughts, Rachel walked towards the barista and set her coins on the table. The barista scanned the coins first, as if making sure it wasn''t counterfeited. After confirming, the barista ced a card with a number on the table. [25] "Table 25." Nodding her head, Rachel headed up the flight of stairs. ncing around, Rachel found a lounge with the number 25 on it. Next up was to look for wherever Brandon was. For some reason¡­ Her lounge was right behind where Brandon sat. And as soon as sheid eyes on him, she instinctively fixed her disguise. Looking at the opposite side of Brandon, Rachel breathed out a sigh of relief. "So it wasn''t Lady Amelia." Instead, it was an older man with dark onyx hair and green eyes. Rachel had never seen Brandon with the man before. But the kind of person she was, she didn''t judge Brandon''s friends. For some reason, Brandon was reading some kind of document. What is he doing¡­? It seemed to be important as Brandon narrowed his eyes while reading. Trying to look away, she headed for her seat. She perked her ears up to try and eavesdrop on their conversation. Yet for some reason, she couldn''t hear them at all. How was that possible when they were right behind her. And so she tried to sneak a nce. Peeking from the side of her seat¡­ "Ah." There were faint traces of mana around their table. Since it seemed like Brandon was moving his mouth, and yet she couldn''t hear him, it must''ve meant only one thing. "A sound barrier." And thus she stopped peeking as she leaned back on her seat. "Haaa¡­" She was disappointed. But this was enough. For whatever reason why Brandon was in this shady tavern, it was none of her business. It was only after some minutes when Rachel decided to leave. Standing up, she fixed her disguise first before walking ahead. But that was when¡­ "So Asami Incorporated was in this kind of business this whole time¡­" "During their early days of operation, the syndicate provided Rafael Asami with¡ª" "Hm?" "The barrier." "..." The sound barrier had lifted. They spoke inaudibly. But since Rachel was quite close, she was able to make out some of their words. Rachel stood frozen, trying to digest what she had just heard. ''That''s a lie¡­'' It had to be. In the first ce, why was Brandon even conferring about her father with a stranger that Rachel didn''t even know? And syndicate? What the hell was that? How was her father involved with this syndicate? There was no way her sweet father was involved in something like this. But as she gathered her thoughts together, a memory ovepped in her mind. Her mother and father''s arguments. Her father having a heated dispute with her grandfather, Aaron Ashfield. "..." Did it have anything to do as to why her father rejected the absorption of hispany to the Ashfields? If this was the reason for their divorce, then Rachel had to get involved. If this syndicate or whatever it''s called was the one responsible for it, then it was her duty as an Ashfield, and an Asami. But¡­ What did it have to do with Brandon and that stranger? She had to know more. Turning around, she walked towards the lounge in which Brandon and the man sat. "...?" "Can we help you?" Ignoring them, Rachel removed her disguise. A sense of familiarity seemed to wash over Brandon. But not just him, but the man as well. Shortly after, Brandon spoke with wide eyes. "Rachel? What are you doing he¡ª "Tell me more." Chapter 136: Syndicate [3] Brandon couldn''t believe that Rachel had appeared before him. Added to the fact that the coffee shop was quite secluded, Rachel shouldn''t have known about the ce. Then that could only mean one thing. "Rachel, did you follow me here?" "Yes, sorry. I''ll tell you whyter. But can you tell me about what you two were discussing just now?" She spoke way too fast that it gave off the feeling that her apology wasn''t sincere. But now that she was here, and had confirmed that she had overheard their conversation, then there was no need to beat around the bush. A little part about Brandon didn''t want to tell Rachel. If possible, he wanted to deal with everything without Rachel knowing. "Tsk." Clicking his tongue, he clenched his fist. This uing operation might be the most dangerous one he had ever faced. Knowing Rachel, she might offer assistance and involve herself. Brandon didn''t want that. He didn''t want to put her in harm''s way, when the entire scenario had never even been revealed in the novel. In the novel, from what he could remember¡­ Rafal Asami died during Rachel''s second year. But that''s when an idea sparked inside Brandon''s mind. ''This¡­'' He could change his fate. To save Rachel''s father. A sudden surge of determination washed over Brandon. This was the first time he would ever change the plotline like this. Preventing someone''s death. But regardless, he could do so without Rachel getting involved. "That''s unfair." As if his mind was read, Rachel bitterly spoke. "I can see the look in your face. Please, Brandon. That''s my Father. I have the right to know." "..." Right. She had a point. Brandon raised his head to look at Zed who seemed to have a conflicted expression. It seems even he too didn''t want to involve others. But the way Zed reacted when Rachel revealed herself. It gave Brandon the feeling that he recognized her. If there was some kind of history between Zed and the Asami''s, then Brandon would get to the bottom of itter. Nodding his head at Zed, Brandon was about to speak when Zed tried to stop him. "Brandon, don''t." "Who are you to tell him that? Are you his Father?" Frowning, Rachel spat. "Whoever you are, please just tell me everything." Zed bitterly bit his lip and relented. Leaning back, he nodded his head at Brandon. Giving him the go signal. "Rachel, I''ll tell you. But promise me something." "That depends." "Don''t get involved. Just know that I''ll do everything in my power to deal with this." "..." "..." Absolute silence. All of a sudden, Rachel frowned. "That''s unfair. Really unfair. You''re caring about me now when you''ve been disregarding my feelings." "..." What? The hell was she talking about¡­? "Rachel, wait." Gesturing his hand for Rachel to stop. He looked at Zed and nudged his chin the other direction. Zed seemed to realize what he was trying to say. Getting up from his seat, Zed headed down the stairs. After confirming that Zed had left, Brandon looked at Rachel who wore a look of anxiousness. "Take a seat first, Rach¡ª" Before he could finish his words, Rachel immediately sat beside him. Her head was lowered, and it seemed like she was about to cry. Thus Brandon shook his head and dismissed his thoughts. This was going to be a long talk. A personal one. "Firstly, what do you mean disregarding your feelings? I''ve never done th¡ª" "Are you that heartless?" "Huh?" Once again¡­ What the hell was she talking about? Could it perhaps be¡ª "Last night. I know I ran. But you didn''t even try to talk to me about it the entire day." "Actua¡ª" "You never even tried to approach me at the Academy. Immediately heading off to who knows where." "Rache¡ª" "And even earlier, we were alone in the apartment corridor. It should''ve been the chance for you to talk to me about it. But you just nonchntly walked away." "Just le¡ª" "If that''s not disregarding my feelings, then I don''t know what is. You could''ve just rejected me. Just a simple, ''I don''t feel the same way,'' and I would''ve epted it." "..." Rejected? He had an inkling on where this was going. Sost night¡­ Thosest words that were drowned out by the fireworks. It was a confe¡ª "...And now you''re trying to be overprotective of me as if you actually cared. What the hell is wrong with you?" "..." "Tell me, Brandon. Am I that unlikeable¡­? Just a simple ''no'', and I''d stop chasing after you." "No." Brandon shook his head. Rachel''s entire body twitched as soon as he muttered those words. Eventually, her voice cracked. But she seemed to persist. "See? Was it that hard¡ª" "You''re not unlikeable. Not at all." "..." Rachel''s eyes lit up. If he was going to do this. Then he had to do it right. For the sake of the girl who had gathered the courage just to confess to him. This was the first time he had ever received one. And the fact that she had said itst night without him even hearing had made him want to punch himself. Rachel Asami¡­ Before he knew it, he had grown conscious of her as well. Because of that, it didn''t register in his mind that maybe she liked him. All those times spent with Rachel. He would be an idiot not to fall for her charms. He tried ignoring the feeling. Even thinking of her as a little sister in his head. The thought of having any romantic developments with a character he had read in a novel for so long felt quite ridiculous. Sure, he was recently flustered by Amelia. But that was a spontaneous fluttering feeling. But what he had for Amelia was respect. It was the same feeling with Belle. Like another older sister. He was a 15-year old in a 16-year old''s body. He didn''t know anything about romance in the first ce. For Rachel, he didn''t want to admit it. But he had been avoiding her. For whatever reason, he was unsure. Just that, as long as he kept himself busy, then the feeling would soon fade. But seeing her here, with her face flushed beet red because of him¡­ "The first day of the semester. The moment I caught sight of you, the only thing I could think of was, ''Wow, she''s so pretty.''" "..." With wide eyes, she averted her gaze. Brandon felt his body flush with heat. He was, in a matter of fact, deeply embarrassed. But he continued. "The thing you did for me in Everde, I really appreciated it. If it weren''t for you, my eardrums would''ve burst." He scratched his cheek. "In fact, I tried to be proactive when we were at the arcade. Just to get some kind of reaction out of you. But it seemed like you¡ª" "No¡­" She turned around and shook her head. Brandon could see her face was akin to a tomato. But he knew he was more or less the same at the moment. "You''ve caught me off guard back then. I was so nervous I couldn''t speak." Thud! Frowning, she lightly punched his elbow. "I hate how nonchnt you are when you do those things. Could you me me for falling for you?" "Haha." All of a sudden, she buried herself in his chest. "Say it again." "Say what?" "Tell me I''m pretty." "...I''m pretty." He yfully teased. She hugged him even tighter. "You''re pretty." "Tell me how you feel." "Suffocated." And she hugged him even more tightly. "I like you." Burying herself inside his chest, she spoke in a muffled voice. "Say it again." "I like you." "Say my name." "My name¡ªOw!" She pinched him. "I like you, Rachel Asami." With a serene smile on his face, Brandon lightly brushed her hair. All of a sudden, while buried deep in his chest, Rachel spoke up again. "Can we give it a try¡­?" "What?" "Dating." That¡­ He wasn''t against it. But, ¡­With the uing operation, he was pretty sure he couldn''t find any time for them to go out on dates. "Can I give you my answer next time?" "..." Silence. Slowly, she raised her head to meet his gaze. She seemed dejected. There was no need to rush. And so¡­ "But I hope this can buy me some time." Brushing her bangs from her delicate forehead, he pursed his lips. And¡­ "...." Smooch~ His lips pressed against her forehead. It onlysted for a few seconds. But it was enough for Rachel to be taken aback as her eyes widened in shock. With her face flushed beet red, she, yet again, buried her face deep in his chest. Even Brandon felt embarrassed as he scratched his cheek and looked away. Gently brushing her hair, the two stayed fixed in their position for a few seconds. But that was until¡­ "Uhm¡­" A voice reached his ears. It came from the lounge behind him. "That''s nice and all. Congrattions? But I hope you know the sound barrier is off." "...." "...." Shit. How embarrassing. Chapter 137: Syndicate [4] Shortly after clearing up the misunderstandings, Brandon quickly called for Zed toe back up. With Rachel sitting beside him, Zed sat on the opposite side. Looking at Zed, Brandon reassured him. "It''s fine, Zed. I''ll be keeping an eye on her. So you can tell her everything." Pouting, Rachel turned her head and frowned at Brandon. But Brandon''s lips pulled up to a serene smile. Alternating his gaze between the two, Zed skeptically raised his brow. "The hell happened between you two?" He shook his head. "Nevermind. None of my business." At that, Zed properly introduced himself. "Greetings, Rachel Asami. My name is Zed Alistar¡­" He paused and secretly met Brandon''s gaze. Brandon could more less tell what that brief look was. Since Rachel didn''t have the full context, Zed introduced himself as Brandon''s friend. They shook hands. And after they did, Rachel secretly intertwined her fingers with Brandon''s under the table. How clingy. With the introductions out of the way, the discussions began. Apparently, the syndicate had a hand in Asami Incorporated''s rise. It was during the early phase of thepany, when the syndicate had seen Rafael''s potential and offered to provide assistance. In exchange, Rafael would own half, while the syndicate owned half of thepany. There was a time when Rafael proposed to buy back the other half. But the syndicate rejected his proposal. If he would propose it again, then¡­ Zed paused there. At that, Rachel seemed to be in disbelief. She turned her head to look at Brandon, looking for any signs of confirmation. "I''ve just heard all of this now. But whatever he says is probably true." "But how does he know all this? Even the Ashfields were kept in the dark." Brandon turned to look at Zed. This was the hard part. The two nodded at each other, and Zed slid a ck card on the table. With her brows raised, Rachel grabbed the card and scanned it. "Twilight Syndicate¡­?" "I''m one of its heads." Thump! Immediately, Rachel stood up and smacked the table with both hands. "So it was you¡­!" She spat out. "You''re the one responsible for breaking my family apart¡­!" "Rachel, calm down." Brandon sped her hand. She turned her head and frowned at Brandon. "How can I remain calm?!" She pointed at Zed. "This man¡­ It''s all his fault¡­! Why are you taking his side, Brandon?" "Because we''re working together to destroy the syndicate." Rachel''s eyes shot wide open as the revtion dawned upon her. Slowly, she sat back down. She grabbed Brandon''s hand and clenched it tightly. There was still a hint of disdain towards Zed. But that was understandable. Even Zed couldn''t deny that he had yed a part in it. Turning around to look at Zed, Brandon had several questions in mind. But to better assess his character¡­. "Zed, how did it all start?" At his inquiry, Zed pinched his chin and seemed to ponder. But after a few minutes, he took out his wallet and retrieved something. He slid it on the table for Brandon to see. Curious, Brandon scanned its contents. It was a photograph. On it disyed six children. Raising his head, Brandon asked. "What''s this?" "Including me, those are the heads." "I see. So it goes way back¡­" Nodding his head, Zed went on to recall the details. The syndicate was a small group formed by a bunch of orphans who never had the luxury to be taken in by orphanages. "At first, it was fun. We considered each other as siblings." "Then, what happened?" "Yearster, the group expanded. It all changed when ''that'' person joined us." "Who?" "You''ll find out eventually." Brandon took in every detail that came out of Zed''s mouth. The members, including Zed, began to change. They diverted from petty thievery, into something even more. The group grew evenrger andrger by then. It started from in robbery and ckmail. As they got older, a man took notice of their talents, and offered to sponsor them. Engaging in coercion, they began their shady dealings. Some members started their own factories and dens, with the assistance of their sponsor. Zed was no exception as he partook in smuggling. "So what happened to you? Why the change of heart¡­?" That was when Zed''s expressions cracked. Biting his lip, Zed yet again, slid another photograph towards Brandon. On it, disyed Zed with two other people Brandon was unfamiliar with. But he had an idea. "Is this¡­" Several theories emerged in Brandon''s thoughts. But not jumping into conclusions, he attentively listened to Zed. "The Heads never knew that I started a Family. But what was the point of all that?" He smiled bitterly. Thud! And mmed the table. "I made sure they were as far away from the syndicate as possible. Hiding them all the way out in Everde." "...." It all clicked now. "But ten years ago. The syndicate had an operation there¡­" Zed clenched his fist. Scanning his expressions, he seemed to bite his lip forcefully as blood began to seep. "My wife¡­ My daughter¡­ They killed them, Brandon." He shook his head. "Coteral damage or not. In the end, the syndicate was the reason why they died." ''So it''s that kind of story¡­'' That more or less exined Zed''s situation. The n to destroy the syndicate was his revenge. It was hypocritical of Zed to have a change of heart only when his family was involved. But Brandon dismissed it. He had one more thing he needed to confirm. "I understand. But what makes you so sure I''d help you out, knowing how dangerous the syndicate is?" "Your performance in the talent show¡­" "...." "That was for your loved one, wasn''t it?" He¡­ He was spot on. "Along with my revenge, we can save Miss Asami''s father. It''s a mutual partnership." "I understand. But I''m a student. I don''t have the strength to back you up." "But you have the skills and ingenuity. I''ve been inactive as a Head for over ten years. But you''re a new face. All you have to do is build up a foundation. Gain their trust." It seemed like a straightforward n. But things weren''t that simple. If Brandon slips up, it would undoubtedly cost his life. But¡­ "Alright." The thought of having ess to the entire continent''s underground channels outweighed the cost. Information that not even the government would know, all ripe for the taking. His knowledge from the novel wasn''t enough. If he wanted to guarantee the future, then this was another step. He quickly recalled the visions from back then. ''Raven¡­. Amelia¡­. I''ll save you both.'' Anything in his power. Just to avoid that bleak future. Rachel was silent the whole time. Turning his head, to look at her, he opened his mouth. "Rachel, remember what we talked about. Don''t get invo¡ª" "I understand." Brandon was taken aback. He had thought it would take some time to convince Rachel. Thankfully, she had managed to calm downpared to earlier. "But in exchange, let me take a load off your shoulders." "What do you mean?" "I''ll help you with the shipments." That¡­ He could ept it. The first operation would start a bitter. Since thepany they would be targeting were small, then the cargo wouldn''t be heavily guarded. He could more or less handle it if things go south. And since Rachel was here with him, her assistance would be well appreciated. All of a sudden, Rachel leaned in close. Feeling her warm breath, Brandon twitched. It was ticklish. Shortly after, she whispered "In exchange, I want you to spoil meter." "...." Chapter 138: Shipments [1] ording to Zed, it wouldn''t be wise to target a big shipment from a majorpany. So as a test, they decided to go for a small boutiquepany. Thepany''s name was ''Diou''. It was a newpany that the syndicate had formed a contract with. In other words, both Brandon and the syndicate were using ''Diou'' as a test. From the documents that Zed gave him, Diou was assigned to smuggle a crate of hallucinogens. And that time was now. 12:30 AM. Midnight. The vast expanse of the dark ocean came into view view. Situated around the pier, two figures stood above shipping containers. The two wore simr ck masks that covered their entire face. For Brandon, since it wasn''t the Mirage Mask, his hair color was a dead giveaway. Hence he wore a ck hood that was deeply attached to the mask. Rachel for some reason, adorned a thick ck fur-coat along as her pitch-ck hair was neatly tied to a ponytail. Sure, it was night. But it wasn''t too cold that Rachel had to wear something baggy. But ording to her, Brandon had to wait and see. Though Brandon just yed along, he was well aware why Rachel wore the outfit in the first ce. Scanning down, a cargo truck had just turned on. He muttered. On the truck, a container was attached to the back. On it disyed the logo, ''Diou''. Too obvious. But for a boutique store, it was enough to smuggle the hallucinogens. Just stow it away somewhere no one would expect to find and it was done. Finally, the truck started moving. "Let''s go, Rachel." [Aeolus Blessing] At that, he carried Rachel as he burst in the air in rapid session. Tzz¡ª Traversing in the air at a respectable speed, Brandon closely followed the truck without alerting his surroundings. He was high up. Really high up. "Please don''t drop me." "I won''t." "Are you confident we won''t fall?" "Confident enough." "...." She just had to trust him. Tzz¡ª The air rippled at each step he took, leaving trails of blue streaks his way. They had to wait for a while. Just until the truck reaches a more isted area. Tzz¡ª Tzz¡ª Tzzzz¡ª¡ª! It took a significant amount of minutes since the truck moved slowly. But that was until finally, it was time to strike. Rachel immediately tightened her arms around him. Lifting his hand up in the air, a myriad of ice crystals materialized in the air. Cr¡­ Crack! And waving it down, the crystalline of ice started raining down on the truck from above the air. Looking down, some of the ice missed while some pierced the container. But the real target was the wheels. And it was a sess. Immediately, the truck skidded sideways and gradually descended. At the same time, Brandon started descending like walking down an invisible flight of stairs. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! This persisted until they were finally near the ice. Swoosh! And he dropped Rachel on top of the container. Staying up in the air, Brandon acted as a mediator. The car eventually stopped skidding and came to aplete halt. Bang! The door opened, as well as the container, and several men emerged from it. "An attack!" "Hurry, call the manager!" They screamed. But as soon as the man who seemed to be the leader retrieved his phone, it was instantly pulled in the air. As they gazed up, what greeted their sight was a lone man with a ck mask, adorning a ck zer that stood above them in the air. The phone was reeled in and eventuallynded on Brandon''s hand. "Shit." The man cursed. But that was when their gazended on another figure that stood on the container they were carrying. She adorned a thick fur coat. A ck fur cape draped down her legs, and her hair that was once pitch-ck was gradually turning snow-white. Brandon unknowingly smiled as he scanned the change in Rachel''s appearance. "So she''s awakened¡­" Truth be told, Brandon could much or less admit that Rachel''s potential even exceeds Reinhard. While far from Raven, Rachel would be in a league of her own. And that was because of her special affinity. The highest tier an [Ice] affinity mage could awaken. The same special affinity as Lucian Frost. [Frostborne] And from what Brandon knew, only Rachel and Lucian would have this affinity. Snow started to permeate the air around Rachel. Her hair had fully turned a snow-white color. But not giving her any time to attack, sparks of magic flew,pletely disregarding the container, and headed towards Rachel. "Did we get her?" "We probably did." Is what they thought. And so they shifted their attention back towards the man above. But as they kept staring at him¡­ "Huh?" "Snow?" Snowkes gradually fell from where they stood. As they gazed down a sleetyer of frost began spreading around. Unlike Raven, who could overpower his foes with brute strength. Or Reinhard, who relied on his destructive fighting style. Rachel''s approach to fighting relied more on strategy. And once she had finally assessed her opponents, it was her time to counterattack. Immediately, ice started crawling up their legs, encapsting them. Voosh¡ª Voosh¡ª! Some of the men tried to heat away the ice. But as the ice melted, another would start crawling. Xiu! All of a sudden, one of the men was hurled away as blood sttered in the air. ng! Crashing on the container, his blood spilled down from his back. Gazing ahead, what greeted his sight was the snow-white haired woman. Her finger contoured in a manner of holding a bow. But there was no bow. Instead a mixture of cier and frost in the shape of a bolt hovered above her. "Tsk." Having caught off guard, he clicked his tongue. Xiu! The bolt pierced through the air and struck his skull. Just like that, he was dead. "Holy fu¡ª" Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! As the others were immobilized on the spot, bolts of frost rippled in the air and struck them one by one. The same scenario urred as the second wave of bolts had sealed the deal. But shortly after, the sleetyer of frost on the ground faded. Immediately, they got up and moved. Swoosh¡ª! Voosh¡ª! Kracka¡ª! Sparks of magic flew and headed towards the woman. But it was to no avail as she disappeared before it could even strike her. Trails of snow would be left from where she stood. Some of the men opted for closebat. But whenever they did¡­. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! Threads would dance around and pierce right through their sh. Some men hung in the air due to the threads. They couldn''tprehend where the threads were evening from. And¡­ Spurt! Their lives shed before their eyes as the threads tightened its grip and gruesomely cut them apart. Thump! Thump Thump! Blood scattered on the ground as severed flesh and body parts fell on the ground. "Boss, we can''t beat them." "Fuck." They could only plead to their boss. But they knew there was no escaping the inevitable. None of them could handle the woman as she would quickly vanish and strike whenever there was an opening. Much less would they be able to handle the man that stood above the air, watching the entire scene unfold. Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! The ones who remained were instantly dealt with by the bolts that pierced through the air at astonishing speeds. Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! That was until only the boss was left. Xiu! He was immediately hurled away as a bolt pierced through his shoulder. "Akhhhh¡­!" Clenching the gaping wound on his shoulder, he screamed in pain. Raising his head, two figures had appeared before him. A masked man, and a masked woman. The two shared simr white-looking hair. Just that, the woman''s hair seemed radiant, while the man''s hair seemed like a fading gray. "Euuhhh¡­" He squealed in fear. "S-stay back¡­!" "Sure." The man''s voice seemed yful. But the way he nonchntly replied sent chills down his spine. Throughout his history in the syndicate, an attack during a smuggling operation had never happened in a long time. The syndicate was usually careful, especially when it''s a smuggling operation. Just because thepany he was handling was new, didn''t mean the syndicate wasxed in its methods. Sure, it wasn''t as heavily guarded aspared to biggerpanies. But that doesn''t answer the question as to how the two masked figures knew about Diour''s involvement in the syndicate. Was there a leak¡­? That was impossible. The Heads would instantly dispose of any traitors amidst their ranks. So¡­ "Why is this happening to me?" "Beats me." He could imagine the face the man was making from behind the mask. The confidence in the air around him spoke enough of his strength. "...!" With a horrified expression, he looked at the man who extended his hand towards him. In hisst moments, the only thing he saw were threads that extended towards him. Spurt! *** "Is that all of them?" "Yes." Brandon asked as Rachel confirmed. Looking around, dead bodies were strewn everywhere as blood scattered all over the floor. It was a gruesome sight. But they were criminals. They didn''t need any mercy. Weeooo¡­. Weeooo¡­. And just in the nick of time, the familiar sound of a police siren resounded from a distance. Their job here was done. p! The two gestured for a high-five. But the night was still young. And so their operation continued just like that. Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! Tzz¡ª! Boom¡ª! Chapter 139: Shipments [2] The entire night, Brandon and Rachel took down three smuggling operations. Immediately, it made headlines. [Small timepany, Diou, engaged in illegal business?" [CEO of Vainglory Company, arrested for illegal smuggling.] [Crypth Pharmaceuticals, a drugpany in disguise?] While the ones responsible for the attacks were unknown, the public could very much say that they had good intentions. Vigntes. That''s what they started calling them. But because of those activities¡­ "Brandon¡­?" Drowsy, Brandon responded to Raven who frowned. "Nevermind. At least it isn''t as obvious as her." Raven pointed towards a familiar figure with pitch-ck hair. She seemed like she was offering a prayer. But if one were to look closely, they could see that she was definitely drooling. Raven turned his head back to face Bran¡ª "...." He fell asleep. "...." And Raven fixed his attention back towards the professor. Raven could more or less tell something was up. But out of respect for both of his friends, he decided not to snoop around. *** Entering a certain room, a man with purple hair and a well trimmed beard nced around before settling his gaze on a figure that sat in the middle of a round table. Meeting the figure''s gaze, he lowered his head. "You''ve called, Sir?" "Sit down, Dwight." At his instructions, Dwight found a seat from across the round table. He sat there for a few moments. Silence gripped the room, and the way the leader looked at him made him uneasy. Dwight was unsure why the leader called for him. But he wanted to leave as soon as he could. That was beca¡ª "I heard three of our shipments failed." "...." Oh no. Dwight''s entire figure twitched as soon as those words left the leader''s mouth. The heads had kept that fact to themselves for a while. So how in the world did it reach the leader? Thump! The leader stood up from his seat and started walking around. A tentative silence urred as none had spoken. Eventually, the leader neared Dwight''s seat before he realized it. "....!" The leader clenched the back of his seat tightly. Dwight flinched abruptly as his eyes shot wide open. Shortly after, the leader''s chilling voice reached his ears. "Now why hadn''t any of the heads reported this to me?" "S-Sir, they werepanies that were recently signed to us. The heads have been investigating these cases. We didn''t think the matter was of grave importance just to bother you, Sir." The leader was known to be busy aspared to the heads. And for them, the smuggling operations were nothing but passive ie from drug dens they worked with. "Fool." He felt the leader''s hands gripping his shoulders tightly. "Every venture of this organization is of the same importance. Since you and the other heads are trying to track down these assants, then I''ll look the other way for now. But if you fail, we''ll be having a summit. Do you understand¡­?" "...." A summit entails a meeting between all of the heads along with the leader. And a summit meant that one of the heads will get evicted. What happens to those evicted? They''d get disposed of. in and simple. "I said, do you understand?" "Y-yes, Sir!" "Good, now go. I''ll be expecting results soon." Dwight abruptly stood up from his seat. Approaching the door, he shed the leader a light bow before eventually leaving. Staring at the spot where Dwight once stood, the leader breathed out a sigh. "Haaa¡­ Useless bunch." Leaning on his seat, he nced at the ceiling. "So Zed''sing back, huh?" He was the only man he could trust. It delighted him that Zed gave him a heads up on the situation. But for some reason, Zed went inactive some years ago. But out of his respect for his best-friend he allowed it. Still, the two kept in close contact since then. He chuckled at the thought. "Ten yearster, his skills haven''t deteriorated. d he''s still got my back." Staring at the documents that were strewn before the round table, the man began to ponder. "Will it be a sess?" He shook his head. "Regardless, they''ve alreadye up with a countermeasure if ''that'' man survives." Pulling the drawer from beneath his part of the round table, he retrieved a small photograph. On it disyed a little boy with red hair and yellow eyes, and an older girl with the same features. "I''ll be seeing you soon, Sis." Shortly after, he ced it back inside the drawer and locked it with his key. His eyes fell on the name tag that was situated on the table. Lancelott That was it. Nost name, or any other fancy followup. An orphan. The leader of a syndicate. A soldier. And¡­ An illegal immigrant. *** Having rested for a while, Brandon attended his lectures normally until they were finally dismissed. The moon was high up with not a single cloud. It was a beautiful night. And it was time for another smuggling bust. Only this time, Zed was present. ording to him, there was a high chance the difficulty would increase, regardless of thepany they were targeting. But on the brightside, it meant that most probably this would be thestpany they would target. While Zed stood on guard, he would only intervene if things got dicey. Tzz¡ª! Swiftly maneuvering about, Brandon supported Rachel with his threads. Just like the operationst night, whenever Rachel was about to get attacked, supported with his [Wind] affinity, the threads would quickly reel her to the side. Giving off the illusion that Rachel was moving around swiftly. With this strategy, Rachel could solely focus on offense. Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! Bolts of ice pierced through the air and struck several men. While most arrows couldn''t actually kill them, Brandon would secretly finish them off with a thread. Rachel''s bolts were nothing but a diversion, a means to stagger the men and give them wounds. As soon as the final bolt that seems to finish them off strikes, a secret thread would assist and deal the finishing blow. It was the same strategy as always. The reason why they opted for this was so they would stay intimidated by Rachel. And with intimidation,es fear. Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! The strategy still seemed to work. But for some reason, something about the shipment was off. Gliding along with the threads, Rachel asked. "Is it just me, or are there less guards?" "Then¡­" In particr, there were only eight guards. A stark contrast to the previous shipments. ng¡ª! The container behind the truck smashed open. Shortly after, several robed figures emerged. "Makes sense." Brandon shrugged. But¡­ He could feel it. He couldn''t shake off the feeling that something ominous was within the container. Shortly after, Zed''s voice reached his ears from his earset. ¡ªBrandon, Rachel, get out of there. Chapter 140: Worse Case Scenario [1] ¡ªBrandon, Rachel, get out of there. BOOOOM¡ª¡ª! All of a sudden, the container blew open. While the other robed figures had already left the container from the other side, another figure emerged and¡­ Tzz¡ª! "Shi¨CUkh¡­!" "Brandon!" Brandon had no time to get away as a fist d in lightning struck him straight in the face. Crash! He flew several meters into the forest. Crashing onto a nearby tree, Brandon immediately spat out blood. Feeling light-headed, he nced in front of him¡­. ¡­And the figure had already appeared before him. "Akhh¡­!" Having no time to react, another fist thrusted in his chest. Bang! Once again, his body flew several meters away. Trying to counter attack, he kicked the air. But before he could recoil his body back, yet again, another fist struck him straight in the head. Boom¡ª! His body forcefully impacted down on the ground. BOOOOM¡ª¡ª! Lying face-t on the ground, he felt another fist smack his back. Each hit he took felt like a bullet train. Despite only taking four hits, it was enough to sap away all his strength as he felt like his body was growing limp. "....!" Immediately, the back of his head was lifted up and¡­ BANG! His face met the cold hard ground, as his entire head was forcefully smashed down. Grrrrrrr.... The ground shook intensely. Debris and dirt scattered in the air as his entire head was dragged around and thrashed. The cold hard ground pierced through his skull as a throbbing pain followed. Boom¡ª! A booming sound echoed and he came to aplete halt. Laying on the ground, with nearly zero consciousness, he looked at whatever had just happened. What met his sight was Zed facing off against the figure. "....." "Brandon¡­!" Rachel rushed towards him. But it all went to deaf ears. A ringing sound echoed, and everything seemed to be muffled. "Brandon!" Cr¡­ Crack! The sound of fighting rang in the distance and before he realized it, Rachel had already neared him. But slowly, his vision was getting even more hazy. Blurry¡­. "Brandon!" Blurrier¡­. "Brando¡­." His eyelids were slowly closing. "I''ll take you to the hosp¡­." Just a bit more. "Please, don''t d¡­." And those were thest words he heard before he passed out. *** Brandon was in a bad state. His body brutally battered and she could see the back of his head was bleeding profusely. If she didn''t act fast, Brandon might suffer permanent brain damage. Seeing him, her heart ached. Her hand started trembling and she could feel like she could burst into tears at any moment. But she had to do something. Something, ¡­Anything. But that was when an idea sparked. She wasn''t sure if it was a good idea. But she couldn''t think of anything else. Brandon was on the verge of death. She had to do something. Gently lifting his head up, she froze wherever the bleeding wasing from on the back of his head. Cr¡­ Crack¡­! Hopefully, it was a temporary solution. Just until Brandon was treated in the hospital. Looking behind, Zed was a few distance away. Precisely, he was on the road, fending off against several figures. She knew she couldn''t do anything to help him. Not like she would anyway. She despised the man. But in the first ce, this was no time for that. Immediately, she lifted Brandon''s body up. Supporting his arm with her shoulder, she began dragging him. ¡­Away. Far away from the fight. From everything. This¡­ It was the worst case scenario. Even if her father was somehow involved in this business, they shouldn''t have gotten themselves involved. Just what were they thinking? This was way out of their league. And to think this was just the first phase of whatever n Brandon and Zed had. "Brandon, please don''t die¡­ Haa¡­" She continued dragging him. "Haa¡­.. Haa¡­." Breathingboriously, she persisted. He was heavy, and the height difference made it even harder as Brandon''s feet would skid on the ground. "Haa¡­. Someone, help!" Immediately she retrieved her phone and dialed an ambnce. It was currently 1:00 AM. Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Ring¡­ "Pick up, pick up¡­!" Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Click¡­! Finally, the hospital picked up. It took a while for Rachel to recognize thendmarks. But thankfully, she was able to find out where they were. The hospital immediately got to work, and an ambnce was on their way. The problem was that they were quite far from the city. So it would take a while for the ambnce to arrive. After several minutes, Rachel had managed to bring the unconscious Brandon to the other side of the forest. In front of her was the road. It was dark and there were no headlights around. "H-haa¡­. Haa¡­." Breathing heavily, she slumped down on the tree as she clutched Brandon in her arms. Feeling the ice on the back of his head, it was slowly melting. But pouring mana into it, the ice returned to its original state. This¡­ wasn''t supposed to happen. It was only the fourth shipment. And it was supposed to be thest. Why did it all go wrong? Why¡­ Why did Brandon have to get involved with Zed? What was the point in putting himself in danger when there were no benefits? His family wasn''t even involved with the syndicate. Then¡­ Was it because of her father? Was he doing all this¡­ for her sake? Truly, she couldn''t find the words to express how much she liked him. No. At this point, she could admit to herself that she loves him. "Brandon, please don''t die¡­." *** "You fucking bastard." Zed spat out. He had already killed the assants wearing robes. It wasn''t too much trouble. Maybe Brandon and Rachel would''ve had difficulty with them. But Brandon would''ve definitelye out on top. But¡­. Because of the man in front of him, Brandon didn''t get that chance. "Tsk." Brandon¡­ He was lunatic. A fucking lunatic. In the first ce, Brandon was the one who had told Zed to inform Lancelott about what was happening with the shipments. Of course, Zed was entirely against it. Why would they even inform the enemy in the first ce? "Lunatic." The appearance of the man in front of him was within Brandon''s calctions. But what he didn''t expect was for him to be defeated so easily. But what if¡­. What if this was all part of his n as well? Just so he would have a reason to back out? Zed couldn''t me him. If that was the case, he should''ve just told him up front. Why put himself in danger? Truly, Brandon Locke was an enigma. Zed couldn''t even begin to fathom what goes on inside that kid''s head. "After all this time, I can''t believe you were a rat, Zed. You should''ve stayed in whatever hole you were hiding." "...." Zed didn''t respond. The man in front of him was none other than his fellow peer. One of the orphans he grew up with. ¡­And a syndicate head. Dwight. Chapter 141: Worse Case Scenario [2] nk! The door to the intensive care unit mmed open. A stretcher emerged. Surrounding it were several nurses, and amidst all that was a man with pale-white hair. His body was in a bad shape with possible hemorrhage. Beep... Beep.... Beep.... Standing behind the ss, Rachel scanned the entire process with an agonizing look. She bit her lip tightly. Before she realized it, it started to bleed. However, she didn''t care. Brandon was in a perilous situation. nk! "Rachel!" The door abruptly opened, and emerged the familiar figure, with long lustrous pale-white hair. Her ice-blue gaze instantly met Rachel''s, and her expressions seemed to crack. "Belle..." "Rachel, what happened?! Why is--Oh my god..." Belle covered her mouth as soon as her eyesnded on Brandon. As soon as the ambnce arrived, Rachel had already called Belle. She had only told her which hospital they were going to. For the other details, she panicked too much to think of any exnations. And now came the hard part. Exining to Belle how everything happened. It became apparent to Rachel that Brandon was--in fact--a secretive person. But, This was no time to be hiding any secrets. Not when it was the sole reason why he fell in this predicament. But for the time being, she allowed Belle to break down. Beep... Beep... Beep... Minutes persisted like that. The asional sound of the beeping, mixing along with Belle''s sobbing. Rachel had already cried her eyes out. But still, Seeing Brandon in that state. Belle''s agonizing cries... ...Even Rachel found herself in tears once again. Drip. Drip...! *** "Zed, you fucking bast-ah..." Unable to finish hisst words, Dwight breathed hisst. Thump! Limply falling on the ground, several crystals etched on his back. "Hoo...." The fightsted for an entire 32 minutes. If Zed was at his prime, it would''ve been shorter. Dwight was always weaker than him. Moreso, because he mostly fought with his brawns and not his brain. "Tsk." Zed clicked his tongue. Now that Brandon was out ofmission, he didn''t know what to do next. This n... "It''s a bust." Cli... Click--! Lighting a cigarette, Zed took a long nice drag. *Puff* Regardless of how smart Brandon was, and despite him being strong for his age, there were limits to what he could do. "What was I thinking, relying on a 16-year-old kid?" He regretted it. This was especially so, as he started flipping a coin for no reason. The gesture of coin flipping became an inside joke to the two of them. "Heh." He stifled a chuckle. In the past month of knowing Brandon, he had grown rather attached to the boy. If he had a son, he would want him to be friends with Brandon. "...." On second thought... "Never mind." Brandon would be a bad influence. But truth be told, not all hope was lost into aplishing the n. Surely, Brandon had something in mind when he had asked Zed to inform the leader, Lancelott. Yes, Zed didn''t know what to do next. But what he did know was not to doubt Brandon. *Puff* And so he retracted his previous thoughts. He had to wait. *** Out of respect for Belle, Rachel had told her everything there was to know. Belle''s reaction ranged from worry, to sad, to disbelief, and fear. Now that Rachel thought about it, what Brandon was doing transcends insanity. Infiltrating an underground organization. What kind of lunatic would even begin to think of doing that? Even if her father was involved, Rachel couldn''t see herself following Brandon''s footsteps. "...." Her father. The topic of her father was quite sensitive to her at the moment. But, She turned her head to look at the unconscious Brandon. "...." ...She would go out of her way for the man she loved. Then, she turned to look at Belle who had already calmed down. ording to the Doctors, they had managed to stabilize Brandon''s conditions. It took over seven Doctors with the [Holy] affinity, just to achieve the feat. A total of 78 fractured bones. A broken spine, and 11 missing teeth. But thanks to thebined efforts of the hospital, most of the injuries would heal above human capabilities. They were advised to give him time to rest. There was a high chance he would beatosed for a long while. But by the time he wakes up, hopefully... Hopefully, Rachel will have the tools and the necessary information that would be of use to Brandon. And all of that starts with confronting her father. *** Beep... Beep... Beep... Midnight, 2:00 AM. The hospital room was clean and bright, with white walls and floors. Fluorescent lights hum softly overhead. On the bedy a man with pale-white hair, unconscious. His figure was connected to various machines that beep and whirr quietly, monitoring his condition. A single window allowed some of the moonlight to seep, but the blinds were partly closed. And on the far corner stood a figure. A man with jet-ck hair and ink ck eyes revealed himself under the moonlight. His face was indifferent. But his lips pulled up to a smile. "Fucking lunatic." He stepped forward. "Can''t believe he managed to lure me out like this." Opening his system, he took out a peculiar item from his inventory. A healing potion. Opening the lid of the potion, he neared Brandon. Opening Brandon''s mouth, he slowly poured it inside. "Now wake up... You crazy bastard." Just as he spoke, Brandon''s eyes slowly opened. His vision was hazy, hence he blinked repeatedly. Slowly, he took in his surroundings. The familiar man stood beside his bed. As expected. Jin was here. Just before the operation, Brandon had specifically sent a text message to Jin. Just a simple, ''I''m going to die.'' That was it. It became apparent to him that Jin didn''t want him dead. So maybe... Just maybe... It would lure him out. And to his surprise, it did. Slowly, Brandon spoke with a hoarse voice. "Cough... You''ve finally... shown up." "Yeah, now make it quick. I''ve got somewhere to be." "Why.... Cough... have you been... ignoring my calls?" "You think I''ve got the time for that?" Jin''s expressions were indifferent as always, as well as his tone. "I''ll only save you once. Next time, you''re on your own." "Twilight Syndicate, have you heard of them?" A sense of familiarity seemed to etch itself on Jin''s face. "That ragtag group of children? What about them?" "Tell me what you know." "You sure you want to know?" There was no sense of hesitation in Jin''s voice. Clearly, he knew something about the syndicate. "...Yes." "It''s better if you find out slowly. If I tell you now, you might go and kill yourself again." "...." That was enough. It meant there really was something important going on in that organization. Even Jin spoke a bit highly about it. "If that''s all, I''ll be going now. I told you, three years." Jin walked towards the window. "Wait." But halted as soon as Brandon called out to him. "What?" "What do you know about the rift?" "...." This... Now he hesitated. At that, a sudden chill ran down Brandon''s spine. Was there really something ominous beyond that rift that even Jin couldn''t articte his words? So... "They..." Brandon''s eyes were slowly peering wide open. There was a sense of tension in the way Jin spoke. But his next words... "They''re going to die." Flooded Brandon''s thoughts like a tidal wave. Chapter 142: Worse Case Scenario [3] "They''re going to die." Brandon''s eyes shot wide open. His mouth was left agape, and he couldn''t find any way to articte his next words. "If that''s all, I''ll be going now." "Wait." Reaching out, a thread extended from his fingertip. However, it was instantly caught by Jin, who clenched the thread tightly in his fist. Turning back around, his expressions remained indifferent. He was hard to read. Whether he was angry or not, Brandon had no idea. "If you know what''s going to happen, then why won''t you save them?" "It''s necessary." "What do you--" Before Brandon could finish his sentence, Jin instantly disappeared. He was like a ghost. Appearing and disappearing whenever he pleased. "...." There were a lot of things he had wanted to ask. He hadn''t expected Jin to just leave off like that. However, that was enough. He got what he currently wanted. "So the incursion..." It was bound to fail. The incursion was set to start in 26 days. "Can I even convince them?" He was a son of a Field Marshal. But his words had no force in the military. But maybe... "Lucian Frost." Maybe that man would listen to him. With such thoughts, he retrieved his phone and immediately dialed his father. Ring... Ring... Ring... "Come on, pick up." Ring... Ring... The call didn''t go through. But he persisted. Ring... Ring... "Come on, Omar." Yet again, his call didn''t go through. Were they asleep then? It was 2:00 AM. But still, it was worth a try. Ring... Ring... . . He had called a total of 27 times. And yet none of the calls got through. Either there was no signal from where Omar was, or the army really was asleep. "Guess I''ll try again tomorrow." And with such thoughts, Brandon wrapped himself under the nket. He wasn''t sleepy after having rested for quite a while. And so he began to ponder. From what he could make out from Jin''s words, the syndicate was even more important than he had initially thought. Much to the point that even Jin wasn''t confident Brandon would stay put. Just what was the syndicate even nning? And why hasn''t Zed told him about it? Did Zed even know? Most likely, he didn''t. "Ah, right. I have to call Zed." But just as he was about to, the door opened slightly. Creaaaaak.... "...." Who would even visit him at this hour-- "Ah." A familiar figure emerged, her pitch-ck hair that was tied to a ponytail, immediately registered in Brandon''s sight. Her dark-crimson met his gaze, and as soon as it did, her eyes shot wide open as the paper bag she was holding fell on the ground. Thump! Her eyes seemed to moisten and her mouth contorted to an ''o'' shape. Rachel struggled to speak as she stood frozen in her position. "Hey." He waved with a smile. Immediately, Rachel ran towards him and plunged herself in his chest. Sob. Sob. Brandon couldn''t see her face. But he could more or less tell the expression she was making. He gently ran his hand through her hair and spoke. "Did I worry you?" Sob. Sob. She didn''t respond and continued sobbing in his arms. "Sorry." She slowly raised her head and met his gaze. Brandon could see her face moist with tears. Immediately, she scanned his body for any signs of injuries. "I''m fine..." Opening his mouth, he pulled his cheek to show her that his teeth had grown back. With a hoarse and shaky voice, she spoke up. "...How is this possible? The Doctors said you wouldn''t wake up for the next few weeks." "Because I''m Brandon Locke." He flexed his muscles. "Hehe." And smiled. Rachel didn''t seem to believe him. But thankfully she let go of the matter and buried herself in his chest, hugging him. "Please, stop." Brandon was taken aback. Stop? "Stop what?" "This, all of this. Why are you even helping Zed out? There''s nothing to gain." "...." He couldn''t respond. In her perspective, there really was nothing to gain for him. However, he couldn''t tell her the reason. It was better if she was left in the dark. In fact, he would''ve liked it if she wasn''t involved at all. "Rachel." His tone became serious. "This is something I must do." "Why? Is it for my sake? Because of my Father? I''ll tell him to sell everything so the syndicate won''t go after him anymore." "It''s not that simple." She bit her lip. "I know that. But... this... this is all so messed up. Never have I ever thought that my Father was involved in some kind of crime." "From what I could make out from Zed, your Father doesn''t even want to do this anymore." "...." "Just like you, he wants all of this to stop, and that will only be possible if me and Zed continue." "...But--" She halted mid sentence as Brandon brushed a hair strand behind her ear. "I have to do this, okay...?" "...Okay." "Okay." He nodded. Rachel seemed to have calmed down. Nextes the hard part. However, he had to do it. At the moment, Rachel''s mental state was at its lowest. The entire operation came with a lot of risks. If something were to happen to him in front of her, Brandon couldn''t even begin to think what Rachel would do. She, ...She had to stay behind. "Rachel." "...What?" "From here on out, I''ll be handling things on my own." "Why? You said you would let me help out with--" "The shipments." That was what she said initially. However, looking at the way things were going, it seemed highly likely that Rachel was nning on joining the infiltration. He couldn''t allow that. Too many variables would ruin his n. And he didn''t want to ce her in danger. "Please, Brandon. Let me--" Before she could finish, Brandon immediately leaned forward closely. Very closely. "....!" His lips pressed down on hers and Rachel''s eyes shot wide open. However, she didn''t pull away as she closed her eyes. It was a fleeting moment. Silence ensued as the two shared a soft kiss. Pulling away, Brandon scanned her expressions. She seemed taken aback as she gently ced her finger on her lips. Looking at her, Brandon stifled a chuckle. ''Cute.'' Her entire reaction was cute as Rachel stayed speechless. The first one to have broken the silence was Brandon. "That was my first." "...." He stifled another chuckle, seeing Rachel flushing beet red. But slowly, the corner of her lips pulled up to a smile. "So was mine." Chapter 143: Worse Case Scenario [4] At the end of it, Brandon had managed to convince Rachel not to get involved anymore. By the morning, Rachel had gone home to prepare for her lectures. Belle on the other hand, had visited him as soon as she got the call that Brandon would soon be discharged. At first, she couldn''t believe it. However, as soon as she heard Brandon''s voice on the call... "Hey, Sis." --.... "Can youe pick me up?" --Wait there. And that was it. Judging by her tone, she seemed angry. Brandon put his phone back in his pocket and nced at the Doctors who seemed to be bbergasted. Obviously, the Doctors were all shocked by his sudden recovery. "Broken bones all healed." "His teeth had all grown back too..." "How is this possible?" But for a Doctor''s code of conduct, confidentiality mattered. It was a world with magic. Anything was possible. In other words, they bought his bullshit that it was somehow a miracle. "...." They decided not to press on the matter. A few more tests urred until he was officially discharged. "...." Walking outside the hospital, the light from the sun shone down his face. Shading his face with his hand, he retrieved his phone with his other hand. And so he called once again. Ring... Ring... Ring... But there was still no response. "The hell is going...?" It was 8:00 AM. The army should have been awake by now. Was there something wrong? "Damn it." He clicked his tongue. This was getting home nowhere. "....?" From a distance, he could make out a taxi halted and a familiar figure wearing shades emerged. Adorning casual clothing, her long flowing pale-white hair fluttered by the breeze. Removing her shades to unveil her ice-blue eyes, his gaze instantly met with hers. "Sis, I''m here!" He waved his hand. Belle stood for a few seconds as she waited for the pedestrian lights. It took a few seconds. But those few seconds seemed kind of awkward for Brandon. He wasn''t sure what Belle would say. "Haha." Seeing his sister anxiously walk the pedestrianne made him chuckle. Despite the pedestrian lights giving a clear go signal, Belle still carefully looked at all sides. The cars had all stopped too. Belle might be older than him. She may have been the student council president, someone the students'' looked up to. But seeing her like this.... She has her moments. Oh, right. "There''s also her cooking..." "What about my cooking?" "Ah." Before he realized it, Belle had already appeared before him. Heposed himself. "Nothing." "Hmm..." Belle frowned. "Good to see y--" He was stopped mid sentence as Belle abruptly embraced him. His eyes widened. Then, he returned her embrace. "If you weren''t going to wake up, I wouldn''t know what to do." Her voice cracked. Brandon gently brushed her hair to ease her. This was his fault, and he knew that. Belle might have not been his real sister. But for her, he was her real brother. Her reaction was understandable. However, her next words. "...Brandon, please stop whatever you''re doing." ...Took him aback. Even Belle... In the first ce, how did she kn- Ah. Rachel told her. It wasn''t as if he hadn''t seen iting. Just that, he would''ve hoped it wasn''t the case. This... It was troublesome. He couldn''t me Rachel though. She must''ve panicked, and there was no other way to exin his previous predicament. Though, "Haa..." Troublesome. "Brandon, pleas-" "Okay." He reassured her. It was a bold-face lie. But there was nothing he could do. "Are you sure?" "Yes, I don''t want to experience anything like this ever again." Definitely. Now, he had to walk eggshells around Belle. Too troublesome. At least, he had managed to ease Belle''s worries. "Now," Belle pulled away and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. "...How did you even recover this fast?" "Uh...." *** Laying on her bed, her pitch-ck hair sprawled around the pillow under her head. Due to the entire incident, she didn''t feel like attending her lectures. And so she decided on skipping for the entire day. Scrolling on her phone, her face contorted to a conflicted look. She had sent several messages to her father about wanting to meet him. But in the end, he hadn''t responded to any messages. She tried calling him too, but that didn''t work. This had never happened before. Usually, her father would instantly respond to her messages. He was a doting father. Something must''ve happened, and Rachel had a bad feeling. But as she was lost in her thoughts, her phone started ringing. Brtt... Brtt... Click. "Dad." --Rachel, sorry for thete response. Daddy''s kind of busy at the moment. --Why do you sound down? Did something happen? "Yes, pleasee here quickly." --What?! Okay, I''ming. "Hurry, Dad." Click. And that was it. If she didn''t make the matter seem urgent, then it was highly likely that her father wouldn''te since he had said that he was busy. She had a lot of questions for him. In fact, she could say she had nned on interrogating him. It wasn''t for Brandon. "Not at all." It was for her and Amy. But for now, she had to wait. Wait for him to arrive. *** It took all of his resources to convince Belle on how he recovered so fast. Much to the point that he had to ask Raven to help him out. "You see, Raven has this friend named Alexandra. She''s a capable healer from the Special Force." A bullshit excuse. But one that left Belle to ponder. Troublesome. Is all he could describe the entire situation. At the moment, they were at their apartment. Since Belle had skipped out on her early lectures just for him, she decided to stay for a while. She had told him to rest and skip out on today''s lectures. And it was well appreciated. However, being alone with Belle in the apartment meant... "All done." ...She had time to cook for him. Truth be told, Belle''s cooking skills had improved recently. But there was a heavy emphasis on ''improved'' since Brandon could say that her cooking skills were just... "Shi-" Not up to standards. Belle ced the pot and slowly unveiled the lid. As always, the enticing aroma wafted in the air and instantly registered in his nose. She had talent. ''Maybe she could start her own perfumepany in the future.'' "....!" He was instantly snapped out of his thoughts as Belle looked at him with a frown. "You''re thinking of something rude again." Again? Since when has he ever done that? "I don''t know what you mean." Slowly, Belle picked up thedle and poured down the soup--along--with the contents in his bowl. But as Brandon scanned the bowl, his eyes shot wide open. The vegetables... "They''re cleanly cut." "Hehe." She smirked. As she continued pouring down the contents, Brandon was taken aback even more. The meat looked fresh. And now that he noticed it, the soup looked edible. No, the entire thing looked edible. Was this really Belle Locke? "Try it." At her instructions, Brandon swallowed his saliva first and braced for whatever was about to happen. He shouldn''t judge a book by its cover. Sure it looked enticing. But this was Belle. However, he couldn''t resist. The food definitely looked good. Swallowing, Brandon picked up the spoon. Slowly, he tasted the food. Closing his eyes to let the vors sink in, his conclusion was.... "It''s good...!" Surprisingly. Chapter 144: Choice [1] Shortly after finishing their meal, Belle began to prepare for her afternoon lectures. Brandon didn''t want to waste any time, and so he began preparing to embark to the Academy as well. There was a specific person he wanted to meet. Someone who might or might not know something about the incursion. Amelia Constantine, hismittee head. After the festival, themittee had cemented its establishments and were set to resume operations. This meant that Brandon was now a full fledged Disciplinary Committee member. Looking at the mirror, Brandon scanned his body for any impurities. "Nice." His body was speck and clean as if he had never suffered any injuries a night ago. He went on to ponder. Even if Amelia didn''t have the relevant information that he needed, surely she could get him in contact with her father, Albert Constantine. Gathering his thoughts, Brandon neatly fixed up his cor and turned to have one final look in the mirror. "Nice." He gave a thumbs up. Leaving his room, what greeted his sight was Belle--bent down--and tying her shoce. Slowly, she raised her head and raised her brows. "Huh? You''reing to school?" "Yes." "But you''re supposed to rest." He gave her a smile. "I''m all healed up..." And flexed his muscles. "See?" "Haa... alright. Since we''reing to school together, can we use your bike?" "Sure." Since Belle would usually leave early, this was one of the few rare moments where the two woulde to the academy together. Belle would usuallymute by taxi. While Brandon opted to ride his ck motorcycle. It was a shame. He would''ve liked it if Belle were toe to school with him. After all,muting was tiring. But nheless, he didn''t have the willpower to wake up early. Soon this would all change in his second year. Advancing a year level entails advanced lectures. And with advanced lectures,es new schedules. One such schedule was 6:00 AM. Which was the sole reason why Belle had always needed to leave early. But for today, she had to skip out on such lectures. The two continued conversing, just until they had reached theplex''s parking lot. There, situated with the other bikes, was Brandon''s motorcycle. Sitting on the front, Belle followed closely and sat behind him. "Put this on." At his instructions, Belle donned a simr looking ck helmet as his. And as soon as he turned on the motorcycle, Belle hugged him tightly from behind. After the amount of people that had ridden his motorcycle, there was finally someone with the brains to hold on before they departed. Truly, Belle was a genius. *** The rift had fully manifested. It''s void-like space that transcends humanprehension--had now expanded to the brim. And that was when... "Hurrr--" Wraith beasts emerged. Spurt! Wraith beasts were typically ranked from the B to A category. Meaning, it was well on the ranks of a ranker who''s ranks were around that level. However, despite thatmon knowledge, the soldiers found themselves having a bit of difficulty. That only meant, "S- Ranked Wraith Beasts." And it wasn''t just one. ...But all of them. "Hurrr--" Its daunting maw opening with a soft growl, the beast nuzzled against the soldier''s hand. The soldier--though--did not struggle, it still took quite the effort to y the beast. Sparks of magic continuously flew towards the rift down below. Whenever a beast emerged, it would immediately be struck down. But due to the amount of beasts emerging from the rift, it wasn''t possible to get them all. But that was what the strongest was here for. To turn the tide of the battle. To make the impossible possible. Slowly, the sky was turning gray. A dull color. Up above, a man indifferently levitated in the air. Snowkes gradually faded in and fell from the clouds. His hands started contorting into a set of patterns, hand signs. Whiii-- Slowly, a magic circle materialized below him. It started out small. But as time passed, and as he continued weaving his fingers into hand signs, it slowly expanded. Voosh--! Kracka--! Sparks of magic continued to hurl down and strike the Wraith Beasts, sending them back into the rift. "Keep pressuring. Until Sir Lucian finishes his magic skill!" "Raghh...!" The soldiers continued their onught of attacks. Allowing for Lucian to focus on his skill. Time slowly passed, but the Wraith Beasts continued emerging from the rift. It seemed to be endless. They started crawling out from the pit and lunged themselves at the soldiers. However, withbined efforts, the situation was manageable. Kracka! The soldiers gazed above with visible astonishment etched on their faces. The magic circle below Lucian had grownrge enough to cover the entire pit. The sky--which was once a dull gray color, had dimmed even darker. Just a bit more. Then... Lucian spoke loudly for all to hear. WOOOOSH----! Layers uponyers of snow, cial, and ice condensed and rained down at rapid speed. All the Wraith Beasts that had tried to crawl up were instantly decimated. The beasts that had tried to emerge were vanquished as soon as their head peeked out. The ground shook intensely as all the soldiers watched with widened eyes. This was, ...What the strongest was capable of. And apparently, it wasn''t even the peak of his power. The onught of ice and snow continued relentlessly, pummeling the rift and the emerging Wraith Beasts. Lucian''s magic skill was a sight to behold--a winter storm contained and focused with deadly precision. WOOOOSH--! As thest of the cial shards rained down, a tentative silence fell over the battlefield. The soldiers stood in awe, their weapons still raised, ready for any sign of movement from the rift. Lucian descended slowly, his feet touching the ground with a soft crunch of freshly fallen snow. "Hoo..." His breath formed small clouds in the frigid air as he surveyed the damage. "Sir Lucian," One of the soldiers approached and shed him a salute. "That was... incredible." "It''s not over yet. Stay alert." Lucian nodded as he continued gazing onto the rift, not giving the soldier his attention. However... Rumble... Rumble... As if on cue, a low rumble emanated from the depths of the rift. The ground trembled slightly, causing some of the soldiers to stumble. This... There was no end to it. But all of the soldiers could agree on one thing. If they wanted this to end, ....Then they had to cut out the root. Meaning, the incursion must be pushed ahead of schedule. Chapter 145: Choice [2] The afternoon lectures carried on. It was time for none other than Combat ss. Along with the perks that came with being a disciplinarymittee member was the right to skip out on lectures. Though, Amelia wasn''t the type to do that. With such thoughts, Brandon attended his lecture. "Hmm..." It became apparent to Brandon that Rachel wasn''t around. For whatever reason, he had no idea. But he decided to leave it at that. She had her internal issues to resolve. One such issue was regarding her father, Rafael Asami. Most likely, she had contacted him. "Haaa..." Brandon breathed out a heavy sigh. Truth be told, he would''ve liked it more if that didn''t happen. "Hopefully, she didn''t." After all, it wouldplicate things even more. It was better for things to remain as it is at the moment, just until he had finally infiltrated the syndicate. Too many variables that would change. At the moment, Rachel was an unpredictable variable. He just had to hope that Rachel wouldn''t blurt out the fact that things were about to change. "Hoo..." He wasn''t quite sure if things would proceed as he nned. In the worst scenario... "No." He shook his head. This was the first time he would prevent someone''s death from the plot. Saving Rachel''s father was to assess whether it was possible to save a predetermined fate. Hopefully. "Okay, now find your groups." "Uh-Ah? He was snapped out of his thoughts as Evelyn finished her instructions for today''s lesson. "I hope we don''t get matched against Brandon''s group." "Yeah, I''d like to have a fighting chance..." "...." He didn''t even know who''s group he belonged to. "I''ll be in your care." Approaching him with a wave, Cyrus Rosewill. A ssmate he had begun to notice during the festival. After all, he was one of the few who had volunteered themselves to be his officers. "Likewise." He nodded. At that, the two stood next to each other. "Where''s the other member?" Looking around, he asked. "Huh, that''s weird." Cyrus tilted his head. "I saw her making her way towards you. She should''ve been--Oh, there." Cyrus stopped mid sentence, and pointed towards a figure that stood behind Brandon. A girl with bright pink hair, and red eyes. Her entire stature could be well described as petite. Though, her chest told a different story. A ssmate that he was aware of, though never reached Brandon''s radar. Julie Watson. She was the typical shy girl who had almost next to no presence as she always hid behind the back. But despite that, Brandon knew her true potential. Gravity Magic. But that was in the far off future. At the moment, she was nothing but a mage with the [Earth] affinity in the top 100 rankings. "...H-hello." She waved her hand with an awkward smile. Giving her a smile of his own, Brandon responded. "Hey." Looking at her, she seemed tense. To ease her tension, he shed a smile and broke the silence with a question. "Actually, I didn''t hear Evelyn''s instructions. What are we doing again?" The one to answer his question was, of course, Cyrus. "We were told to prepare and discuss our strategy for tomorrow." "Strategy for what?" "Teamfight Tactics." That was quite vague. "Ah, sorry. From what I could make out from her instructions, it''s something simr to capture the g, I guess?" "I see." It was true to its name, Teamfight Tactics. A way for students to learn how to cooperate together in abat setting. Pretty straightforward. With everything out of the way, the three discussed their ns for tomorrow. It was only brief, since it was more important to learn if the team could synchronize their attacks. Though Brandon could most likely win the entire thing with a snap of his fingers, it was better to tackle the test together as a team. After all, although they weren''t part of the main cast, it was still important for the others to be stronger. The more the powerfulbatants in the future, the better. Not everything had to rest on his or Raven''s hands. Plus, he was going against Raven. ording to Cyrus, everyone would be matched in a raffle style. But from spending time with Evelyn, Brandon knew how she would think. Most likely, she would match his team with Raven''s team, just to even the ying field. It wasn''t bad at all. In this way, Brandon could find himself challenged. Ever since the Battle Royale, he had never faced Raven yet. He was curious who was now stronger between them. After a few hours, the meeting was adjourned and ss was dismissed. The three decided to meet sometimeter as Brandon had to make a quick stop by themittee office. "Hoo..." Finally, after roaming the halls, he had finally stopped by the familiar door. Creaaaak..... The door creaked open slightly and the familiar figure of Amelia Constantine came into view. "Brandon?" *** Tak. Tak. Tak. From his seat, Albert Constantine could hear several footsteps that seemed to be getting louder by the moment. Shortly after... Knock. Knock. With a deep and authoritative voice, Albert gave his permission. "Enter." Creaaaak.... Gradually, the door opened and two familiar men emerged. They held high-ranking positions within the Imperial Army. ude and Louise. Generals. Just two ranks below Grand Marshal, and a rank below Field Marshal. He had an inkling of what the two came here for. After all, the series of rumblings had yet to stop. Not only that, but the Wraith Beasts continued emerging from the portals. "Grand Marshal." "Grand Marshal." Scanning the two, they offered their respects in the form of a salute. "At ease." At his instruction, the two lowered their hands and straightened their backs. "What are you two here for?" "Sir," The first one to have spoken was Louise as he stepped forward. "I''m here on behalf of Field Marshal Omar to inform you of our situation." "Alright, speak." Albert nodded. Given the permission, Louise continued. "We''ve given our best efforts to suppress the Wraith Beasts, Sir. But regardless, there''s no end to them. ording to Field Marshal Omar, if we don''t start the incursion now, the situation might get out of hand." Albert attentively listened to each and every word that Louise spoke. He knew the other soldiers'' shared the same sentiments. Buting from his right hand man, Omar Locke, had put the situation of grave importance. He would''ve liked to wait things out to further assess the situation. However, seeing the dire state that the Imperial Army was in had him decide on his next course of action. Though there were no casualties, resources were only being wasted by the day. At this point, there was no more point in waiting things out. Yes. Slowly, Albert stood up. "I''ve already made my decision on the matter." His tone was quite strict, which might be why Louise took it the wrong way. "But Sir-" "Rally up, men. Today, we cut to the root of the problem. The incursion has been pushed ahead of schedule." Scanning their faces, Louise and use''s eyes seem to lit up. "Understood, Grand Marshal!" "Understood, Grand Marshal!" The two spoke in unison as they shed their Grand Marshal a salute. "Good." Albert nodded. "Let''s go." Chapter 146: Choice [3] "Brandon?" "Good afternoon, Amelia." Scanning Amelia, she seemed to be brewing tea at the moment. Her gaze met his, and she shed him a smile. "What do you need?" Before he could give her a response, Brandon made his way and sat down on the couch. Looking at her, he pursed his lips. "It''s about the uing incursion." "Hm?" "Have you been in contact with your Fathertely?" At his words, Amelia shook her head. "Unfortunately, no." "Ah." Well, that was it. He didn''t need anything else. "That''s really all I came here for. Thank you for responding. I''ve got to go somewhere." "Alright, take care." The two nodded at each other. But just as Brandon was about to make his way towards the door... "Huh?" He turned around as a strange sound escaped Amelia''s lips. "What is it?" With a perplexed expression, Amelia was looking down at her phone. Slowly, she raised her head to meet his gaze. "My Father just texted me." "Oh." Then did that mean the incursion hasn''t started yet? Could he somehow get through Omar now? But shortly after... "The incursion has started..." His eyes shot wide open. "What?!" How could that be? The incursion wasn''t set until next month. Why was it pushed ahead of schedule...? Several questions, and yet he could not find an answer for any of them. "Amelia, quick!" He abruptly rushed towards Amelia with a horrified expression. "Give me your phone!" "Uh--Ah?" Flustered, she immediately gave it to him. Clicking on the message, the profile of [Daddy] came up. Immediately, Brandon clicked on the call button. Ring... Ring... Ring... Click. Thankfully, the call got through as a deep baritone voice reached his ears. However, Brandon found himself horrified by the sound that came. He could hear the sound of rumbling, as well as several screams echoing in the background. --Amelia? What is it? Make it quick. "Sir Constantine." --Who is thi-- "My name is Brandon Locke, son of Field Marshal Locke." --.... There was no response. But Brandon took it as an opportunity to continue. "Sir Constantine, please listen to my request. I highly advise you to stop the incursion at this second." "Brandon, what are you--" Confused, Amelia spoke with a raised tone. However, she was halted by Brandon''s hand. --What are you talking about, boy? "I''ve received a tip that something humanity can''t handle resides beyond the rift." It was half the truth. He didn''t exactly know what was beyond the rift. Just that, whatever was in there, would spell the end of humanity. --Do you even know what you''re saying?! The tip aside, how does this informant of yours even know? His anger was understandable. This meant that if he really did receive a tip, which he did, then this informant was nothing but a traitor to humanity. After all, he kept it strictly confidential. "I''ll exin everythingter. Please, Sir. Listen to me, we have no time." His tone was grave as all he could do was plead. --No. Without any concrete evidence to back up your statement, I can''t blindly trust a single word from this informant of yours. You don''t even know how critical the situation is. Just trust that the Imperial Army can handle this matter. "Sir, please!" All of a sudden, Amelia grabbed the phone and ced it near her ear. Meeting her gaze, she looked at him with a merciful expression. "Dad, I trust him. Please listen to him." Thankfully, the phone was on speaker. Brandon could hear Albert Constantine''s response. --Haa... Even if I could listen to him... There was a brief silence as Albert paused. Brandon and Amelia could definitely hear the screams echoing from the background. And those screams could only mean one thing. A battle charge. That meant... --Half of the army had already gone through the rift. Just a few more, and it''ll be my turn. At those words, Brandon''s eyes shot wide open. A chill ran down his spine as his lips began to twitch. With a trembling voice, Brandon spoke. "...Sir Constantine, what about my Father?" --Field Marshal Locke has already gone in. He led the charge along with Sir Lucian Frost. "Is there a way to recall them back?" --I''ll give it a try. From the phone, Brandon could hear the Grand Marshal calling out to one of his men, and said along the lines of, "As soon as you enter, tell Field Marshal Locke to recall the army." --Now, we wait. And he did wait. They waited for a long while. The longest ten minutes that he had ever waited. The only thing he could hear was the continuous screaming of the soldiers. However... --Nothing. All the men who had entered had nevere out. "Does that mean there''s no way to leave the rift once you enter?" --I''m not too sure. We''ve got practically zero information about what''s beyond the rift, nor what the rift really is. Just that, it connects to somewhere. "How do you know that?" --Kuhum... Albert seemed to clear his throat. Shortly after, he continued. --This is ssified information at the moment. But I''m only saying this because the two of you are connected to the Imperial Army. Brandon listened attentively to each and every detail that Albert spoke. However, --It''s been happening for a week. But from the rift, Wraith Beasts started sprawling out. Not just any regr Wraith Beasts, they were of a variety. Some had humanoid shapes, but with dark green skin. While some were huge with what seems to be a pig''s snout. Those are only the brief descriptions I could make out. There were several others as well. Listening to Albert''s words, Brandon''s hand began to tremble. Those descriptions... They were the exact same from the monsters that Raven tackled inside the system dungeon from the novel. ''No way. Aren''t those Goblins and Ogres?'' There was no doubting it. And to think there were more. This... This had taken a turn for the worse. It meant that there was no way to leave the rift once they entered. There was nothing he could do now. But, He was practical. He knew how cold his next words were. However, there was no helping it. Anything. ...Just anything to salvage the situation. "Sir Constantine. Don''t go." Those were the only words he spoke as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. --Are you mad, boy? My men are out there fighting for their lives, and you''re telling me to stay behind?" "Dad, please!" --Amelia! Not you too...! "Dad..." --I can''t Amelia. This is for the sake of humanity. If I stay behind and leave my men to die, then I''m no better off than those Wraith Beasts. "Dad, please!" --I must go now, Amelia. The Imperial Army will emerge victorious, I assure you. Despite speaking to his Daughter, his tone remained strict and dignified. Evident of his lofty position as the Grand Marshal. Brandon began to question just what kind of rtionship the father and daughter had. However, for just a brief second, there was a change in his tone. One akin of a father giving his daughter his farewells. --Daddy will return soon, Amelia. "Dad...!" Shortly after, the call was cut off. Brandon forcefully bit his teeth to the point where blood began to seep. Clenching his fist, he muttered under his breath. "How foolish." The entire situation could only be described as foolish. That battle charge was nothing less but a suicide march. And the only thing that kept Albert back from not going through with his ns was none other than his pride as a military man. ''What''s the use of your pride when you''re going to die?'' Sure, the timing was off. He wasn''t able to warn them in time. But that was out of his control. Truly, the entire ordeal was... Chapter 147: Teamfight Tactics [1] At the end of it all, he couldn''t do anything. All he could do was wait until whatever was about to happen. However, he had hope. Hope that Jin''s prophecy won''te true. He shouldn''t be omniscient, right? In the first ce, how does Jin even know? The only reason Brandon believed him was because he knew he was the strongest. Not Lucian, but Jin. But... "Who exactly is Jin?" There were so many questions regarding his character. But despite that, he knew he would get no answer. The Primordials, ...They were an enigma. A group so covert that the only one who knew about them was him, the novel reader. As he continued pondering, from a distance, he could see two familiar figures, seated on the gazebo. Cyrus Rosewill, and Julie Watson. Right, for whatever was about to happen during the incursion, all he could do was pray. For now, he had to focus on what was on his te. The uing Teamfight Tactics, and... "No." He shook his head. At the moment, he was still too weak to confidently infiltrate the syndicate. The experience with that figure from back then had brought him to a reality check. But that was when he realized. "Zed!" He had forgotten about the man. What happened after that night? Did Zed win? He was unsure exactly just how strong Zed was. However, since Rachel was able to bring him to the hospital, then Zed should''ve been strong enough to upy the figure. Much less, even defeat him. And with such thoughts... "Guys, wait. I need to call someone first." He turned back around and walked to a more discrete location. Retrieving his phone, he scrolled down his contacts until he could see the familiar contact. [John Smith] He hadn''t changed his contact information yet. "And I don''t n on changing it anytime soon." That being said, he dialed him. Ring... Ring... Ring... Click. --I was wondering when you''d call. "...." Brandon too wished he could be as lively as the way Zed spoke. There were too many problems in his mind. And so, he cut to the chase. "Zed." --What? And don''t worry, I''ve cleaned it all up. The police are off our trails at the moment. So he did win. Now he had some kind of assessment of Zed''s actual strength. The figure from before... Brandon could definitely say that he was strong. He was caught off guard andpletely beaten to a pulp. That was the first time he had ever lost like that. And now he began to wonder... "Who was that guy?" --An old mate of mine. Ah. So that meant... --One of the Heads of the syndicate. So that was the case... Then did that mean... "How strong are the other Heads?" It was at that question that Zed began to debrief them on the Heads. There were a total of twelve heads within the organization. Much simr to the Primordials. Apparently, the Head''s strength was mostly jumbled. Some were well within the S category, if they went by the guild''s standards. While some were below mediocre, an average of a C rank. But what made them Heads in the first ce, was the ingenuity that came with them. In other words, they were smart. "Who''s the strongest Head?" --Not too sure. But ten years ago, it was me. "...." --.... There was no way that was the case. "If you''re that strong, then why couldn''t you have taken down the organization by yourself? It was a good question. There shouldn''t have been a need to involve Brandon. As much as he hated to admit it, he was nothing but dead weight. --The Leader is leagues above me. Oh. "How strong are you exactly?" --If we go by the guild''s ranking category, I''d say I''m an S-. "So this Leader of yours, what about him?" --An S+ So the Leader was on par with Evelyn. Crazy. But in the first ce. "What am I needed for, exactly?" --You said you wanted to climb the rankings. I could use you to peer out information with the Leader. But that didn''t make any sense. "Aren''t you close with this Leader?" --Yes, but the syndicate has a strict confidentiality matter. If you be his subordinate, you''d get ess to much more information that would usually be let on. Fair. "How are you so sure I''d get that close to the Leader?" --Your methods. That was it. No followup whatsoever. However, now he could see a clearer picture of the puzzle. "Alright. But Zed." --What? "I''ll get stronger first. I''m not too confident I could even save my own skin." --That''s alright. We''ll take things slow. This is a long term n after all. However, there''s a bit of a problem. "What?" --A summit has been called upon. The Heads are all instructed to attend. So soon... --If you don''t want to join the meeting, then that''s fine. This was an opportunity. However, as things were, Brandon''s thoughts were a mess. There was no such time to even infiltrate the organization at the moment. Truly, it was a waste. However, that was only for the moment. For what was toe if and only if the incursion indeed does fail, then he had to get stronger. Even stronger than Raven himself. "I''ll have to decline at the moment." --Alright. I''ll attend and debrief you about what was discussed. Just so you could get references for the future. "Sure." That much was fine. At the end of it, he had still gotten a shadow broker, and an informant out of Zed. He was useful. Much more so than he initially thought. As per Zed''s words, it was a long term n. But that would only entail if the future was still there. --If that''s all, I''ll be ending the call now. "Onest thing." --What? "What''s the Leader''s name?" --....Lancelott. Shortly after, the phone call ended from there. With this, Brandon now had a brief idea of Zed''s n for the long term. "Lancelott, huh?" A code name? But in this situation, Zed wouldn''t hide things. Then, "His real name." It made sense. They were a group of orphans after all. The syndicate was the start. And the next was the Primordials. Organizations he would join sooner in the future. But for the meantime, the syndicate was first on the agenda. With that being said, Brandon returned to the gazebo and his two ssmates greeted him. In the middle, sat Brandon. On each of his sides were Cyrus and Julie. The discussions started from there. Once again, they began to discuss their current strategy for the uing Teamfight Tactics. Brandon would act as support, while the two acted as vanguard. With Brandon''s connections to Evelyn, they were given the opportunity to train in a more private training ground. After all, the public training ground was currently full at the moment. Most of the students started training there as well. Since most likely, they were given the same Teamfight Tactics task on hand--albeit--from a different Professor. "Julie, go!" "Okay." Julie nodded and the earth below her erupted. The ground below contorted into a giant boulder, and headed towards Brandon. "Cyrus." "Okay." And at his instructions, Cyrus began his own attack. Water materialized from where Cyrus stood and had shaped itself into a whip. The water immediately coiled in the air like a snake, and had managed to wrap around Brandon''s leg. Unable to move, boulders immediately neared Brandon. However... Flick--! With a flick of his finger, ck mes ignited and the boulders blew into cinders. Swoosh--! The water-like whip pulled Brandon''s leg and hurled him closer towards Cyrus. But that was when... [Aeolus Blessing] Kicking the air, Brandon twisted sideways and aimed to kick Cyrus. Thud! With his quick reactions, Cyrus managed to block his attack on time. "Good." Brandon nodded. "...!" But from behind him, Julie grabbed the scruff of his clothes and pulled him back. "What the--" Despite her small stature, there was a certain strength that came from Julie, as she managed to pull Brandon back. Swoosh, swoosh--! Having no time to react, water bullets headed towards Brandon. Julie skidded to the side to avoid friendly fire. Crossing his arms, the earth protruded from the ground and instantly blocked the water that neared him. Ssh! Instantly, the water dispersed and sshed down on the ground. Rolling over, Brandon immediately recoiled and got up. Nodding his head, he instructed. "Okay, enough." "How was it?" The first one to speak was none other than Cyrus. Though the tension from Julie was nowhere to be seen, she still remained quiet. It was a shame. She seemed like a lively girl, from the way she interacted with her friends. But it was understandable. The three were mostly strangers at that. Just that, Brandon had some interactions with Cyrus. "The teamwork was good. However, the offense department is quitecking." If Cyrus was able to improve his mana control, the water wouldn''t have dispersed as soon as it met the rock. Instead, it would''ve been able to cut through the rock and pierce Brandon. Brandon was by far, not a genius when it came to mana control. Just that, with the help of Evelyn, he was well above averagepared to his peers. Scanning their faces, they seemed disheartened. "Don''t worry. I''m only saying that, but this is actually enough for tomorrow." "Really?" It was at that moment, when Julie finally spoke up. Her eyes lit up, and she seemed to be looking from validation from Brandon. "Yes." He nodded. "Just the fact that you two were able to work together, despite it being the first time, means we could definitely do well for tomorrow." He paused and scanned their serious expressions as they listened to him attentively. "I''ll be there to support you guys, so let''s win." "Alright." "Yeah!" Cyrus nodded and Julie clenched her fist in the air. Since Brandon had all the basic elements, he could definitely fix up the synergy with the two. After all, water and earth were quite hard to synergize together. But with the affinities at his disposal, Brandon could definitely make it work. But that was if he could get himself together. At the moment, they were a mess. "Haa..." Chapter 148: Teamfight Tactics [2] "Dad." Seated on the couch of her apartment, she greeted the familiar sight of her Father who had just arrived. Though he looked more like Amy, as his hair was blonde, the resemnce was still there. Adorning a business suit, Rafael nced around first before eventually, his gazended on his daughter. "Rachel, I thought there was an emergency?" "There is." She solemnly spoke. At the moment, the lively demeanor of Rachel Asami was nowhere to be seen. "Can you sit down? This will take a while." Noticing the seriousness in his daughter''s tone, Rafael resigned himself and sat beside her on the couch. Shortly after, he asked. "What''s all this about?" "Dad, why did you and Mom divorce?" "...Is this what all of this is about? I thought I''d already told you. There was a disagreement--" "Then why didn''t you agree?" "It''s mypany, Rachel. The Ashfields should''ve respected that." She understood that. However, she was well aware of what her father was hiding. Clearly, it seemed like he nned on hiding it until the end. But she knew she shouldn''t blurt out information that she wasn''t supposed to know. Which is why she wanted to hear it from his own mouth. But leading the conversation to that was the hard part. "Why did you and Mom divorce?" "...." "Tell me the truth, Dad." The truth was basically what her father had just said, a disagreement. "Rachel, you''re young, so you don''t know much about business. But as a businessman, protecting one''spany alwayses first." "Even if it meant the family falling apart?" "...." "What are you, Dad? A businessman, or a father?" "...." "Was thepany really that much more important than our family?" "...." "Why aren''t you saying anything?" That... He was utterly speechless. He seemed to struggle articting his words as his eyes squinted with an agonizing look. It was a confrontation. No, at this point, this was an interrogation. She wanted to ask him. Ask him everything, about the truth. She gritted her teeth. But shortly after, her father finally spoke as he met her gaze. "...I did it to protect you, Amy... and Samantha." Rachel''s eyes shot wide open at the sudden revtion. She didn''t see thising at all. Did that mean that her father still loved her mother? The way he spoke, there was a tinge of sorrow in his tone. Clearly, there was something amiss. Something that deeply held her father amidst everything. However, she needed to confirm her conjectures. "...What do you mean?" Slowly, Rafael stood up. "I have to go." "Dad...!" She reached out to him. He walked ahead, but turned his head slightly to look at his daughter. "Just know that everything that''s happened, was all for our family''s sake. Even if the Ashfield''s may resent me for it." "...." Utterly speechless. Staring at her father''s departing back, Rachel couldn''t find a way to articte her words at all. All she could do was grit her teeth and silently watch her father walk away. But... "Dad, look at me." Rafel paused and turned around, meeting her gaze. The look on his face told Rachel everything she needed to know. Her father was clearly being held against his will. To be forced to distance himself from his family. "...I love you." Rafael''s eyes shot wide open. But all of a sudden, his expressions broke. His mouth began trembling, and his fist clenched tightly. Without even realizing it, a single tear trickled down Rachel''s cheek. Drip. All of a sudden, Rachel stood up. Running towards her father, she hugged him tightly as he returned her embrace. "Rachel..." Rafael''s voice cracked. But he continued. "Daddy''s doing everything he can. Just continue with your studies. Be a good girl as always." "...Yes." She agreed as she buried herself in his chest. She was well aware that her father couldn''t tell her anything. No, everything. But it was for her sake. Now everything made sense. Why her father had given her an apartment of her own. She could well agree that the apartment was well guarded. The staff treated her well, and was often there, in ce of her father''s absence. Usually, she would only meet him during the weekends. Which was why Rachel was usually gone during those days. Sob. Sob. She sobbed as her father caressed her hair gently. However, Rachel began to ponder. It made no sense that the Ashfield''s would resent and cast him away, just because he wouldn''t allow hispany to get absorbed. From what she knew, there was a disagreement between her father and her grandfather on her mother''s side. But those were nothing but rumors. Rumors she had often heard from the maids of the Ashfield residence. But now that she was old enough, she knew she couldn''t believe those rumors anymore. Her father wouldn''t tell her anything, and she was well aware that he had his reason. Then... Would she find something out if she visited the Ashfield estate...? *** Next day. Students gathered around thebat area as they awaited Evelyn''s instructions. Today was the day for the Teamfight Tactics session. In the morning, Brandon went to the academy with Rachel. For some reason, Rachel wouldn''t tell him the reason for her absence on the day before. Due to her absence, she wasn''t allowed to participate as she sat down on the spectator aisle. But as he looked at her from down below, he could see how she wasn''t bothered by it at all. In fact, she seemed to be lost in deep thoughts as she stared nkly at the entire scene. Clearly, she had her own internal issues to resolve, and Brandon respected that. He would have to wait for her to tell him everything. In the novel, Rachel''s family issues were never resolved, as far as what he could remember. However, things were now different. She was now aware of her father''s current predicament. But truth be told, he didn''t want to involve himself in others'' family matters. ...But Rachel. She was precious to him. Even if he had such thoughts, if she asked for his help, he would offer his assistance in a heartbeat. But for now, he had to wait out. Clearing his thoughts, he redirected his attention back to Evelyn. Her instructions were more or less simple. A typical capture the g game. The two opposing groups would work together to defend their g, and capture the enemy''s g in the process. However, her next words were what made things seem even moreplicated. "Instead of using actual gs. A person would take that role instead." "...." So that meant... "I can see the visible shocks in your faces. That''s right, you will each select a single member of your group to act as a g. The first one to take down the opposing team''s g wins." All of a sudden, someone raised their hand. Nodding, Evelyn called upon the student''s name and allowed him to pose a question. "Are the gs allowed to join the battle?" "Yes." Evelyn nodded. Looking around, it seemed like no one had any other questions left as they all stood in silence. "Okay, if there are no other questions, I''ll give you five minutes to choose who would act as your respective gs." At her instructions, all the groups present quickly huddled up and began their discussions. And for Brandon... There was no need for a discussion. He didn''t even need to meet their gaze, to know that Julie and Cyrus were already looking at him. Stifling augh, he nodded. "Alright." At that, five minutes went by in a sh and each group had selected their teammate, to act as their group''s corresponding gs. Shortly after, Evelyn''s voice rang in the air as she instructed each g to step forward. Students immediately followed suit and Brandon stepped forward. Looking around, he could see the familiar figure who was already looking at him. With a smile, Brandon nodded at Raven. "As expected." And as he turned his head to the left, another familiar figure was looking back at him. With the same nod he gave to Raven, Brandon nodded his head at Reinhard. Shortly after, Evelyn began the draws for the uing matchups. Squinting his eyes, he could definitely see mana slightly pouring out of Evelyn''s hand. It was subtle. But spending time with Evelyn, he could more or less tell when Evelyn would use mana, ording to her gestures. And as expected... "For the first match..." A tentative silence lingered as Evelyn paused. But unknowingly, the corner of Brandon''s lips pulled up to a smile. "Raven ckheart''s team." And if his conjectures were correct, the next words that Evelyn would utter would undoubtedly be his name-- "Reinhard Van''s team." "...." Oh. Guess he was wrong. Chapter 149: Teamfight Tactics [3] The Teamfight Tactics session carried on from there. Students all stood by the side to witness the ongoing match. The abundance of mana rippled in the air as the ground shook intensely. zing embers filled the arena grounds, along with ice shaped spikes protruding from the ground. Kracka! The sound of lightning roared in the air, but would be drowned out by the sound of mes igniting. Boom¡ª! The battle was intense. Sparks of different magic continued to be unleashed. The general consensus could agree that the battle was hard to follow due to the chaos. Rumble! Rumble! The ground shook intensely as neither Reinhard''s team or Raven''s team refused to budge. At the moment, it seemed like Reinhard and Raven were facing off against each other, while the rest of their team members were against their respective opponents. It was a battle of numbers. If even one of their numbers dwindles down, it would most likely be a deciding factor on who the victor was. And at the moment, it seems like Raven''s team member was about to fall as heid on the ground. No, he had already fainted. His opponent used that chance to quickly assist his team member. It was now a two versus one. Two of Reinhard''s team members, up against a single opponent from Raven''s side. Swoosh¡ª! And as expected, the numbers advantage was too much for Raven''s team member, as he was defeated so easily. Now the only one left was Raven, and unironically, he was the g. It was, in fact, the best strategy that any team coulde up with. The g being the strongest member was the best decision. Up against three opponents, Raven dashed from all sides as he dodged the oing sparks of magicing his way. He was fast. However, Reinhard was fast as well as he was already upon Raven. Vooosh¡ª! In rapid session, Reinhard sent his mes towards Raven. But quickly maneuvering about, Raven instantly dodged his mes and twisted his body, aiming to kick Reinhard''s side. It seemed like Reinhard had already expected it as he was well prepared to guard Raven''s oing attack. And with his quick thinking¡­ Boom¡ª! Raven''s feet met Reinhard''s palms, and instantly, the sound of explosions could be heard from where Brandon stood. He continued looking at the ongoing battle. But his thoughts were fleeting as his attention was fixed on something else. The incursion. Not once had he ever managed to distract himself after finding out about what resides in the rift. Coming from another world, the concepts of otherworldly creatures weren''t unknown to him. Especially as a reader. It was amon trope in fantasy books he had read a while back. However, in the world he was in, Path to Ascension, he was well aware that these otherworldly races had never appeared. Was it because he had never finished the novel? Did they appear in the arc, just after he stopped? It was a dilemma that filled his mind. But even if that were the case, howe the revtion was happening this early on? On the first day of his arrival he should''ve been in the 20th chapter of the novel. And since only four months have passed as per his arrival, the 3800''s chapter should still be a few years away. "Wait." That was when he started recalling Jin''s words. ¡ªThree years. Does three years mean something? Were theter chapters a three year timeskip in the novel? Does the whole concept of Path to Ascension change after three years? "Fuck." So many questions. But he knew there were no answers to it. "...." Jin. In the first ce, why was Jin so fixated about waiting for three years¡­? Was he¡­ "...Another transmigrator." Was that it? Did he finally solve the mystery of Jin''s omniscience? "Damn it." And so his thoughts ended there. Before he realized it, Cyrus and Julie were looking at him with raised brows. "What?" "Didn''t know you were rooting for Reinhard. I thought you''d be neutral." Fixing his gaze on Julie, it seemed like she shared the same thoughts as Cyrus as she nodded her head continuously. Nod. Nod. "What do you¡ªOh." Turning his head to the side, a cloud of dust blocked his peripheral vision. However, as the dust faded, he could make out the silhouette of a lone man. He stood upright while bodies were strewn on the ground before him. "He won." "Yep." He had initially expected Raven to win. But when the tides were turned against him, he quickly dismissed those thoughts. Even Brandon would have a hard time facing off against several elite Astrea Academy students all on his own. If it weren''t for [Mana Disruption], he would''ve lost so many fights where the numbers were against him. And at that, the first Teamfight Tactics match ended. "Winner. Raven ckheart''s team." "Wooo¡­!" "Whew~ Whew~" The sound of praises and whistling echoed throughout the entire academy arena grounds. Amidst the uproar, he turned his head to the audience side of the stage, only to find¡­. No one. "Huh?" For some reason, Rachel had already left. *** Quickly exiting the academy arena grounds, Rachel roamed the halls of the academy. Tak. Tak. The sound of her footsteps echoed as she hurried her pace. There was no point in staying around since she wasn''t even part of the current Combat ss session. It was a waste of time. Shortly after, she paused as she had arrived at her destination. The library. Creaaaaak¡­. Slowly opening the door, the familiar sight of the library immediately registered in her peripheral vision. The library was quiet, with rows of tall shelves filled with books. Soft light filtered in throughrge windows, as they cast their gentle glow. People moved silently, browsing through the aisles or sitting at wooden tables, reading. As she nced around, she immediately spotted a familiar figure, seated at a table. Her long blonde hair and crimson eyes immediately made her stand out. At the moment, she was alone. As soon as she spotted Amy, she instantly made her way towards her. Noticing her sudden arrival, Amy drifted her attention from her back and raised her head. Meeting Rachel''s gaze, her eyes lit up. "Rachel?" "Amy,e with me." "Huh?" "Let''s go to the Ashfield residence." Perplexed, Amy stammered at Rachel''s words. "H-huh? Why do you wanna go there?" "I''ll tell you everything on the way. Come on, you''ve got nothing to do anyway." "Right. My lectures had already ended an hour ago. But are you sure¡­?" Amy seemed like she didn''t want to bring up the topic. However, Rachel knew all too well what Amy was trying to imply. The fact that Rachel wasn''t on good terms with the Ashfields. However, Rachel didn''t care anymore. It was finally time to find out the truth. "Yes. It''s about time we fix our family, Amy." "What do you¡ª" "This isn''t the appropriate ce to talk about this. I''ll tell you once we arrive at your home." "...Alright. I haven''t visited the estate in a while anyway." She had managed to convince her. Just like her, Amy was living separately with the Ashfields. But it was for a different reason. For Amy to learn how to live independently. Quickly exiting the academy, the two stood by the exit as they waited for Amy''s car. They waited for a few minutes until the familiar ck car arrived. Though it belonged to the Ashfields, and the driver worked for them, Rachel wasn''t ufortable at all. After all, the driver had worked for them for as long as Rachel could remember. The driver''s seat window slowly rolled down. A man in histe fifties registered in her view. His eyes were wide open as he looked at Rachel. "Lady Rachel?" "Good to see you again, Vincent." Despite the fact that Rachel had left the Ashfields a long time ago, she was still doted upon by the Ashfield staff. One of them was Vincent, a driver that served the Ashfields. Amy entered the backseat first and Rachel followed shortly after. Truth be told, Rachel still used the perks that came from being an Ashfield. This wasn''t the first time this had ever happened. Clearing her throat, Amy instructed. "Ashfield estate, please." "Eh?" Vincent was perplexed. "I get that you want to visit, since you haven''t been in the estate for a long time, Lady Amy." His gaze fixed on Rachel who looked at him back. "But since Lady Rachel is here with you. Does that mean¡­" "Yes. I''ll be visiting the estate as well." "...O-oh." At that, Vincent relented. It was none of his business on what the youngdies were up to. He just had to follow their orders. Vrooom¡ª! Shortly after, the car drove off. Chapter 150: Turning Point [1] The Ashfield Estate. As the gates opened, Rachel took in the familiar sight. "It''s still the same¡­." The estate was vast, with a grand mansion at its center. Neatly trimmed hedges lined the long driveway. Tall trees stood tall around the grounds. The house, with itsrge windows and sturdy doors, had an air of dignity. Gardens filled with flowers added color to the scene. The estate held a lot of cherished childhood memories, back when things were fine. Rachel felt quite nostalgic. As they walked the path that led to the mansion, the door mmed open and a maid emerged out of it. She quickly ran towards the two and greeted them with a smile. "Lady Amy, and¡­" Her eyes widened. "Lady Rachel!" "Good to see you again, Edna." With a casual demeanor, Rachel gave her a warm smile and nodded. She was fond of Edna, as Edna was fond of her. After all, Edna was the maid that took care of both her and Amy when they were younger. "...What brings you here, Lady Rachel?" "Is Grandfather home?" "Oh. Uh¡­ yes, he is." Edna stammered. Rachel couldn''t me her. For the staff, it should be quite ridiculous to hear that Rachel was looking for her grandfather. The same grandfather that had casted away and cut off all ties with the Asami''s. "Grandfather? Why are you looking for him, Rachel?" Perplexed, Amy asked from beside her as they continued walking towards the entrance. "You''ll know." "...." Turning her attention back to Edna, Rachel pursed her lips. "Where is he?" ''In the study room." As expected. From what she could remember from her memories, her grandfather would always be holed inside the study room. Despite running apany that specializes in potion crafting, most of the branches were managed by her mother, aunts, and uncles. It had to be noted that despite specializing in potions, most of the potions they had managed to brew were akin to medicine. They were more expensive than what pharmaceuticalpanies sold, but the effects were instant. Her grandfather, Edward Ashfield, was a mage of the [Water] affinity. But what made him special was the way he could contort the healing properties of water. It was a highly advanced technique. Which was the sole reason for his research. To create potions that would instantly heal wounds and injuries. For him, it was his whole life''s purpose. Which was why it was quite peculiar to Rachel that he would cut off the Asami''s, just because her father didn''t want his business to be absorbed. They continued walking inside the estate. But paused as they finally arrived at the door. The study room. Gathering her thoughts together, Rachel knocked on the door. To¨C Tok! "...." No response. To¨C Tok! But after the second knock, a deep voice resounded from across the door. "What?" Turning her head to look at Amy, Rachel nudged her chin towards the door, signaling for Amy to respond. "Alright." Amy responded. "Grandfather. It''s me, Amy. Can Ie in?" "Amy? Alright." Creaaaaak¡­. The door slowly creaked open. What greeted their sight was an old man that seemed to be in histe sixties. However, he only ''seemed'' that way because Rachel and Amy were well aware of how old he was. If a stranger were to meet him for the first time, they would undoubtedly think that Edward Ashfield was in his forties. After all, his body was well built, with pitch-ck hair, simr to Rachel''s, and his eyes were crimson. In fact, he looked a tad bit simr to Rachel. Just that he was a man. Seated at his desk, Edward greeted his granddaughter. "Amy, what brings¡ª" But as his gazended on Rachel, he paused and his eyes shot wide open. Seeing his reaction, Rachel felt intimidated. After all, she had not seen her grandfather in over eight years. But she quicklyposed herself and straightened her back. However, what happened next had left her speechless¡­. Creak¡­ Edward abruptly got up and the chair he was seated on creaked behind him. His eyes seemed to moisten, and¡­ "....!" He ran towards her and embraced her tightly. "...." What the¡­ This¡­ She didn''t expect this at all. "I''m so d you''re doing okay." "...." Even Amy was taken aback, as she watched the entire scene from the side with widened eyes. "...Grandfather, I don''t understand." She wasn''t particrly close to him, as far she could remember. But actions spoke louder than words. Clearly, her grandfather cherished her deeply. Then why¡­ "Grandfather, please stop." It was ufortable. Very. "Sorry." Pulling away, her grandfather seemed to have gathered his thoughts and appropriately stood up. "You must''ve been startled¡­" Not just startled, but she was absolutely confused. Looking at Amy, Edward approached her and gave her a hug of his own. "You too, Amy. I''m d you''re doing well." Hugging him back, Amy responded. "You too, Grandfather." The whole scenario was way too peculiar for Rachel. This was the first time she had reunited with her grandfather in a long time. But seeing the sight¡­ Unknowingly, the corner of her lips pulled up. This¡­ No. She shook her head. She had a lot of questions for him. And with such thoughts, she sternly spoke. "Grandfather, why did you push my father away?" The first question she had. "The way you reacted just now, you clearly didn''t want me gone. Am I wrong?" "...." Silence. He pulled away from Rachel and looked at Rachel with a serious expression. All of a sudden, he shook his head. "I''m happy to see you, my dear Granddaughter. I truly am." "Then¡­" "But please leave." "...." What in the world. Is this man bipr? "Grandfather, please. I need to know." "You''re not ready for this talk." "Rachel¡­" Amy chimed in and consoled her. However, Rachel stepped forward. ¡ª¡ª! All of a sudden, the air around Rachel grew heavy. The atmosphere''s temperature gradually lowered. Starting from a strand, white began to creep on her hair. The color on her eyes slowly drained, and her expressions contorted into one of indifference. [Elemental Assimtion.] "Rachel, what is¡­" Shocked, Amy stepped back and focused on her twin sister, who''s form was gradually changing. "...." Their grandfather was utterly speechless as his eyes shot wide open. Rachel''s hair had fully turned white, as her eyes were now a dull gray color. Snow seemed to materialize beneath her foot. Shortly after, she spoke. "Am I not ready for this talk?" "...." "What is yours and my father''s connection to the Twilight Syndicate?" Chapter 151: Turning Point [2] It was at that moment when they began a long discussion. Seated at his desk, Rafael looked away. Rachel and Amy were seated on two wooden chairs, just in front of their grandfather. The first question he had asked was how in the world did Rachel know about the Twilight Syndicate. Truth be told, Rachel had never wanted to even mention the syndicate. She would''ve wanted it for her grandfather to tell her the truth of the matter, without her having to mention the syndicate. However, it was impossible as he tried to push her away. Yes, she could''ve asked her father. But seeing the look in his eye, she didn''t want to burden him with any more trouble. Her father just had to do what he was doing, while Rachel would do her own task behind the scenes. To free her father from the syndicate. She wasn''t sure how she would aplish it. Just that, she could somehow get involved with Zed. ''Brandon doesn''t have to know.'' She nned on taking matters into her own hands. There was no need to involve an outsider. Besides Zed, of course. She had never been this decisive in the past. She was oftenzy, and was never a dedicated worker. However, seeing all of Brandon''s aplishments in the four months they had spent in the academy had lit a fire inside her. Brandon was initially looked down upon by their peers, calling him a fake for a blunder he made at the start. However, those rumors quickly died down, all because of his efforts. Now, he was one of the most respected students in the academy. She too wanted to be like that. She never had these kinds of goals before. But she wanted to stand by his side as an equal. Someone who was as responsible as him. "Grandfather, tell us everything." Please. "Me and my Sister have all the right to know." Amy sat in silence. However, she was probably aware of what Rachel was trying to peer out of their grandfather. ¡­The real reason why their family fell apart. Their grandfather seemed hesitant. But when he gazed into the eyes of both of his granddaughters¡­ "You two have grown so much¡­" It was at that moment, when their grandfather had finally spilled the truth. "Where do I begin¡­?" . . Apparently, there was nopany absorption in the first ce. However, the argument between their grandfather and father was in fact, real. Whichever side was in the wrong, the two sisters could definitely agree that it was their father. After all, he had hidden the fact that he was involved in organized crime, just for a chance to start-up his business. Knowing this fact, their grandfather was furious. The Ashfields became unknowingly involved in the Asami''s business, whether they liked it or not. "They used your father''s business as a cover, for their¡­ transactions." Rachel could tell which parts were omitted. But it was for the best. Amy was still quite in the dark about the entire ordeal. She would most probably not take it well, if she finds out their father''s shipments were being used to smuggle goods. Amy was quiet, seemingly pondering, and listening attentively. Rachel was quite proud that Amy was mature enough not to interrupt. ''I should learn more from her¡­'' "Then why didn''t any of you stop me from going with my father¡­?" "That was the argument." "...." So their quarrel¡­ ''Was all because of me?'' "No matter what, you took your father''s side." That was when Rachel began to recall. ¡­Memories she kept locked away inside her heart. ¡ªDad, I want to go with you! ¡ªI don''t like it here. I want be with you, Dad! ¡ªI love Mom. But if you go, then who''s going to be by your side?! Seeing the look of recognition in her eyes, her grandfather spoke. "Do you remember now?" "...." On that day, her father had undoubtedly pushed her away, leading for her to rebel. "...." And on that day¡­ Was the day she ran away. "We looked everywhere for you, Rachel." "...." And her disappearance was the reason for their parents'' divorce. Staying together wasn''t optimal anymore. After all, what kind of wife would want a criminal for a husband? Even Rachel was smart enough to realize that. "We checked everywhere in the house. But we couldn''t find you anywhere." Realizing that, they poured all of their resources, all of their connections, just so they could find Rachel. "But who knew¡­ the next day, one of the maids suddenly report that you were in your room, sleeping." "...." Certain memories emerged within her mind at that moment. The memories were quite hazy. Drip. Drip¡­! She could recall the sound of rain, pouring down. Her entire body drenched in water as she wandered around the forest. "...." But that was when she recalled meeting a certain boy. ¡ªWhy did you run away from home? ¡ªWhat''s your name? ¡ªRachel Asami? Nice to meet you. My name is¡­ "...." For some reason, she couldn''t remember the boy''s name. However, she knew that he had left a deep impression in her. Particrly, his eyes. There was no way she could forget his blue gaze. They were detached, as if he was tired of everything. They should''ve been about the same age. But for some reason, there was a deep sense of maturity that the boy exuded. But that wasn''t all. She could remember that their conversation was interrupted by a man. He seemed to be with the boy. Either it was his father, or his brother. And just like the boy, his gaze left a deep impression on her. There was a sense of nonchnce that came from the man''s expressions. His eyes were empty. Ink-ck eyes, and an indifferent look. The fact that there was a sense of mystery regarding the two, was probably the reason she forgot. Adding to the fact that she would rather not remember that day. However, something was peculiar. As she recalled even more, she could definitely remember certain events of that day. Just that, when it came to the two, everything was quite hazy. Who where they? And why couldn''t she remember...? "...." Her head began to ache as she tried to dive deep into her memories. She tried to recall everything. The forest. The cold night. The boy, seated right beside her under the tree. She couldn''t remember his face, nor his hair color. Just his eyes. The same went for the man. "Rachel?" "...." Before she realized it, her grandfather had already finished speaking. She was so lost in her thoughts, that she had detached herself from reality. However, she knew what exactly to say. "I''m sorry for the trouble that I caused." "It''s okay. You''re not at fault. You were a child, it''s the adults'' fault for not thinking about how you feel." "...I''m so sorry." She felt mncholic. However, she didn''t feel like crying. She was furious. Furious at her herself for being so selfish back then. She gritted her teeth. She understood that her grandfather had never found her at fault. And probably, her father did too. However, she couldn''t ept that. There were a lot of factors that led to her parent''s divorce. She knew that. Even Amy should be aware of that fact. But the actions that she took on that day had left her frustrated. She was immature. She shouldn''t have troubled her family, when they were already facing a lot of problems. She continued reflecting. But that was when¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­! "....!" "Huh?" "What''s going on?!" The ground began to shook intensely. Pieced of debris fell from the ceiling. Her grandfather abruptly stood up and a barrier made out of water materialized around them. "Get down!" The two girls'' crouched down as they followed their grandfather''s instructions. They could hear the panic echo throughout the entire estate. The maids began screaming, and the sound of falling furniture resounded. "...!" Crash! The ceiling fell, but instantly bounced off the water barrier. In most cases, for a mage that wasn''t as highly advanced as their grandfather in the [Water] affinity, wouldn''t be able to shape their water as solidly as him. The ground continued to shake. But as Rachel turned her head to look at the window, her eyes shot wide open. "What?" "What''s wrong, Rachel?" "The sky." As their grandfather worriedly asked Rachel, Amy pointed at the window. ¡ª¡ª! What greeted her sight was¡­ Chapter 152: Turning Point [3] Whiii¡ª The incursion. It has finally started. The rift was a jump down below the valley. However, as soon as they emerged from the rift, the entire Imperial Army immediately fell from the sky. However, the army was quick to react. The fall was instantly mitigated by Imperial Army mages with the [Wind] affinity. And the rift? "Where the fuck are we?" "We''re in another world¡­!" It was connected to another ne. An anomaly that transcends humanprehension. It wouldn''t be too far-fetched to say that they were now in another realm. After all, the sky, which was supposed to be a shade of blue, was now a deep purple color. Trees, although the trunk was brown, the leaves had a different variety of colors. In particr, some leaves were pink, while some of them were light blue. The ground was the same as back on earth, as well as the gravity. And to their surprise¡­ Otherworldly beasts of all shapes and sizes were already upon them. Just like the beasts that emerged from the rift, the descriptions vary. Some beasts were a deep shade of green with a small stature. Their eyes were yellow, as their mouths were agape with visible fangs. But what set them apart from the usual Wraith Beasts, were the fact that they harbored all different kinds of weapons. Not just them, but the other variants as well. The other variants could be described as inhumanlyrge, tall, and having a disproportionatelyrge head, abundant hair, unusually colored skin, and an ugly face. Their different quirk? They donned what seemed to be armor, as they gripped their huge club-like weapons tightly. But that wasn''t all. Another variant. Easily discernible due to their green to gray skin, lupine ears, lower canines resembling boar tusks, and their muscr builds. They stood in a bent over shape making them appear as ape-like humans. And though they didn''t carry weapons or armors, unlike the other variants, theirrge fists made up for as they smashed the ground. There were more. Way more. Flying beasts. The army had never seen such otherworldly creatures before. None of them would shame the other if they would admit that they were horrified. However, none of them relented. It was a testament to their pride as the Imperial Army. "Men! Attack¡­!" Omar''s scream instantly rang in the air and the entire army quickly got to work. Kracka! BOOOM¡ª! Cr¡­ Crack¡ª! Fwoosh¡ª! Fwooosh¡ª¡ª! Sparks of all kinds of magic were dished out. Boom¨C Boom¡ª BOOOM¡ª¡ª! The entire scenario was chaotic, despite the fact that the army had positioned themselves to support each other. Beasts attacked from all sides, but the army''s fierceness never wavered. ROAR¡ª! The beasts'' loud cry reverberated throughout the entire ne. Whichever variant it was, they had no idea. But clearly, they had some kind of intelligence as they attacked in toons. The entire scene was like a battle, straight out of mythology. Who knew that they would live to see the day to witness such a battle. Imperial Army soldiers continued emerging from the portal. As soon as theynded on the ground, they quickly got into position and joined the fight. It was a war. A war between humans, and the otherworldly beast races. Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Boom¡ª¡ª¡ª! The ground shook intensely, as mes ignited from all sides. A myriad of different kinds of magic circles filled the space as they blended in with the chaos that ensued. At first, the space they covered was small, akin to a circle. However, as time continued to pass, and the battle raged on, they were able to take more space with each beast they killed. Blood sttered in the air. However, they were all well aware that it wasn''t theirs, due to the deep shade of dark blue color that sprouted. Each soldier''s faces, armors, weapons, were stained with the other beasts'' bloods. They could all very well agree that the green-like small creatures posed no threat as they were easily able to deal with them. Boom¡ª Boom¡ª! More space was covered, in each passing second. But by the time that thirty minutes had passed, everyone was starting to feel exhausted. However, their determination was unwavering. So far, there were no casualties. Whenever someone was about to be in deep trouble, a member would instantly notice, and offer their assistance. They were all trained to work together in groups of five. All of them, except for one person. The strongest, Lucian frost. His de seemed to scatter as he quickly made work of the beasts around him. Due to the cmity that ensued in each and every one of his attacks, the soldiers gave him more space to cover and left him to his own devices. Just one swipe of his katana, and blood would be left in his wake. With immense speed, he had managed to cut down an estimation of 1,826 beasts. However, there were too many of them for it to be a significant amount. But unlike the other soldiers, not once had he ever felt exhausted. In fact, for a long while, some of the soldiers could see that there was a smile etched on his face. "Crazy¡­" That was how they could describe Lucian Frost. A battle maniac. And¡­ A war machine. Soldiers continued to emerge from the rift above and fall from the sky. Until finally, the familiar voice of their Grand Marshal echoed in the air. "Men! Hold the line!" Grand Marshal Constantine''s loud voice rang out over the fighting, cutting through the noise of shing weapons and roaring beasts. The Imperial soldiers, though tired, felt new strength at the sound of their leader''s voice. Grand Marshal Albert Constantine had finally arrived, his big figure falling from the rift with a powerful presence that seemed to push back the very air around him. As hended, a wave of magic energy spread out, knocking back a group of approaching beasts. The Grand Marshal''s eyes glowed as he looked at the battle before him. "Omar! Are you around?" "Yes Sir!" Despite the ongoing chaos, Omar''sposed voice immediately reached the ears of everyone present, as well as Albert''s. All of a sudden, Omar Locke, his sword still cutting through beast after beast, suddenly appeared at Albert''s side. Blue blood¡ªdripped from him, but Albert was well aware that it wasn''t his blood. "Sir, more ground is being covered. However, their numbers don''t seem to be dwindling. The small green ones are easy to kill, but the bigger ones proved to be a bit difficult." Just then, a huge, armored beast with a big head came charging through the fight. Its club-like weapon swung wide, and each Imperial soldier instantly dashed from all sides. Albert''s eyes narrowed. He raised his hand, and a bright light came down from the sky, covering the charging beast. Swoosh¡ª! When the light faded, there was nothing left but a smoking hole in the ground. "Good work as always, Sir." Nodding his head at Omar''s praise, Albert stepped forward and took in the sight of all of his men fighting with their lives on the line. "We need to push further in. Find where these creatures areing from, their base. If we stop their leader, the rest will fall." If they even had a leader. However, with an army asrge as theirs, the beasts'' had to have some kind of leader that controlled them. None of them had doubted that they indeed had some form of intelligence, evident in the way that they didn''t attack each other, despite being of different variants. "Sir Lucian!" Albert called out. Lucian Frost appeared right away, his armor covered in the blue blood of dead beasts, and a smile etched on his features. "Yes, Sir?" "Do you have any idea of where we are?" Though, it was a question with an obvious answer. Everyone needed to hear it. "Most likely another realm." "I see." He knew, but kept up an act. All so the soldier''s wouldn''t growcent. Looking around, the Imperial Army had taken a big area, but the beasts kepting. For every one killed, two more seemed to take its ce. With a nod, Albert recalled the phone call with his daughter and Brandon Locke a few minutes ago. "Omar." He turned his head to look at Omar who had appeared by his side. Acknowledging, Omar responded. "Yes, Sir?" "I''ve called for someone to find you earlier. Did you not get the message?" "I did, Sir." Chapter 153: Turning Point [4] "I''ve called for someone to find you earlier. Did you not get the message?" "I did, Sir." Omar confirmed. "However, breaking formation is impossible. There are too many of them, there are even some who are capable of flight." Omar turned his head slightly and pointed at the sky. There were beasts with wings that span a few centimeters wide. But for some reason, they didn''t join in the battle. Then that could only mean¡­ "So they''re blocking us from leaving the rift." "Most likely. We don''t know how strong they are. So retreat is impossible at the moment, until we''ve fully gauged their difficulty." Albert nodded at Omar''s words. Without even realizing it, Lucian Frost had gone off and joined the battle once more. Several strategies of retreat sparked in his mind. One where they would all focus on retreat as Lucian Frost would serve to buy some time. However, he knew how risky that n was. Yes, Lucian Frost was strong, the strongest even. But one man alone couldn''t cover for over 15,000 soldiers and aid in their retreat. There were simply too many variables to count. He couldn''t risk unnecessary casualties. That''s because, once they all start flying, it would leave them defenseless from oing attacks. Flight entails extreme focus, and although simultaneously attacking was possible. However, it was too risky because of how unstable flying was. And with so many flying beasts around, clearly, it wouldn''t be a smooth exit out of the rift. Looking around, more ground was being covered and the army continued to push forward. All of a sudden, Albert''s deep voice rang in the air as he voiced out his instructions. "Men!" And though no one turned to look at him, due to their attention being fixated on the attack, Albert knew they were listening attentively. "We''re going to charge into their lines. Find me their leader, their source, whatever''s controlling this horde." As Omar ran off to join the battle, Albert raised his voice again, making it resound across the entire battlefield "We''re at the start of a new time! Push forward! Show these beasts how strong humans are!" A loud cheer rose from the Imperial ranks. Spells flew harder, swords struck faster. The battle began to turn in their favor. Albert himself joined the fight, every move he made incredibly powerful. Where he walked, the ground shook. Beasts fell in huge numbers with each wave of his arm. But even as the Imperial Army pushed forward, all sorts of beasts came from the depths of this strange world. But the army did not waver and pushed forth. The battle seemed to be in their favor. However, that was when¡­ "Hwoooooar¡ª!" From a distance, the sound of a bellowing roar echoed throughout the entire battlefield. It was so loud as it served to rip apart their eardrums. However, condensing mana in their ears proved to counter the after effects. And as all the soldiers'' fixed their gaze to trace the source of the scream, they could see a silhouette that was obscured by fog. From what they could make out of it, it seemed like giant snake-like heads. No. As Lucian narrowed his eyes to fully focus on its figure, the giant snake-like heads seemed to be attached to a single body. "Holy fuck¡­" "Fuck is that?" The soldiers'' horrified tone. Lucian frowned as his gaze was fixed on the giant beast. It was far and he was aware of it. However, despite that, it seemed to tower over the mountains from a distance. He was well aware of what it was. Jin had told him what resided in the rift, and had given him the task to subjugate it. ording to Jin''s words, it was something called a Hydra. For whatever reason why Jin didn''t do it himself, he didn''t know. However, he knew the man had his reason. "....!" All of a sudden, his attention diverted and he looked to the side. A head flew as blood sttered in the air. The looks of shock and horror etched on the soldier''s faces. The blood was red. The first casualty. Immediately, Lucian was quick to react, instantly appearing before the beast. With his gaze fixed on the Hydra from a distance, his de swung down sideways at the beast that was responsible for the soldier''s death. nk¡ª! However, it was to no avail as it was instantly parried. "...!" Finally, he fixed his attention from the Hydra, and onto the beast. What greeted his sight was¡­ "You." It was a Wraith. A full fledged, genuine Wraith. The Wraith stood tall. Pale skin, long tinum blonde hair and deep dark eyes that stared deep into Lucian''s soul. It held a long broadsword in its hand, clenching it tightly. Of all the monsters present inside the rift, the Wraith resembled a human the most. This was the second time that Lucian had everid his eyes on a Wraith. The first one was when he was younger. On that day, he was powerless before the cmity. He was only alive today thanks to a certain someone. Jin. But now, he had power. No longer will he be the powerless boy in tears before the Wraith. The presence of the Wraith made Lucian feel uneasy. After all, if a Wraith was here, what other creatures resided in this realm? And, ''How many Wraiths are there?'' nk¡ª! nk¡ª! The sound of metal, shing against metal rang in the air. Not one side refused to budge. For a second, it seemed like they were at a stalemate. However¡­ Whiii¡ª Flexing his fingers into hand signs, a magic circle materialized below the Wraith. The main reason why Lucian used hand signs was because it gave him the psychological effect that his mana control would be focused. Like how mages focused their mana into their palms, and how the firepower increases as they contort their hands, Lucian had his own methods. Cr¡­ Crack¡­! All of a sudden, ice began to seep from the ground and crawled below the Wraith''s feet rapidly. In a split second that passed, the ice had managed to crawl all the way to Wraith''s neck, immobilizing it. Swoosh¡ª! With a single swing, the ice split apart and ck blood sttered in the air. Just like that, he had killed a Wraith that should''ve been in the S+ category with ease. Looking around, the tide of the battle seemed to be in their favor. More space was covered, and each soldier continued to fight with their lives on the line. However, as Lucian gazed into the distance, the sense of foreboding washed over him. The Hydra¡­ His instincts told him that something was about to happen. ¡­That the Hydra wasn''t something he could easily handle. He clenched the handle of his de. "This isn''t like me." The operation must continue. Until everyst creature in this realm was exterminated. Lucian''s resolve hardened as he surveyed the battlefield once more. The Imperial Army was making progress, but the onught of beasts seemed never-ending. He knew that to truly turn the tide, they needed to strike at the heart of this monstrous horde. With his usual indifferent demeanor, Lucian charged forward, his de a blur of motion as it cut through beast after beast. Swoosh¡ª! sh¡ª! His movements were fluid, almost dance-like, as he weaved through the chaos of battle. "Lucian!" Albert''s voice cut through the battle, reaching Lucian''s ear. "We need to push deeper into their ranks!" Nodding in acknowledgment, Lucian began to carve a path through the sea of monsters. Soldiers rallied behind him, inspired by his fearless advance. As they pressed on, thendscape of the rift became more alien and twisted. The ground beneath their feet pulsed with an otherworldly energy, and the air grew thick with mana that made breathing difficult. "...!" From the swirling mists emerged a creature unlike any they had faced before. It was a hybrid of sorts, with the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle, and a serpent for a tail. "Stand your ground!" Lucian shouted as the beast charged towards them. The hybrid''s ws raked across the ground, leaving deep furrows in its wake. Its eyes glowed with an unholy light as it fixed its gaze on Lucian. Time seemed to slow as Lucian faced off against this new threat. He could feel the eyes of his fellow soldiers upon him. "Hoo..." With a deep breath, Lucian centered himself. In a sh, he was moving, his sword a silver arc through the air. Swoosh¡ª! "Hieeek!" The hybrid roared in pain as Lucian''s de found its mark. Itshed out with its serpent tail. However, with his quick reflexes, Lucian dashed to the side and dodged the attack. Seizing the opportunity, Lucian leapt into the air, his de infused with crackling energy. Swoosh¡ª! With a thunderous strike, he brought his sword down upon the hybrid''s head, cleaving it in two. Thud! As the beast''s corpse hit the ground, a cheer went up from the Imperial ranks. "Damn." But Lucian paid no heed to them and fixed his gaze on the ominous silhouette from a distance. He knew this was just one battle in a muchrger war. In the distance, the Hydra''s silhouette loomed everrger. Lucian could feel its presence weighing upon him. But that was when... "Hyeeeeek!" A piercing shriek filled the air. Chapter 154: Turning Point [5] The mes of the war raged on. Casualties were the least of their priorities now. It was impossible to keep track of every soldier. If they couldn''t protect themselves, then they were worthless. This cold logic wasn''t present at first. The first death, everyone was left in shambles as they started to panic. And with the second death, fear started to grip their hearts as they began to hesitate whether all of this was worth it. And they continued to fall, one after another. The fifth demise. The eighteenth. The nieth. . . Until their hearts grew numb. Watching theirrades they had spent years with,ughing, attending their weddings, witnessing the birth of their child, die just like that. They had lost quite a lot of men. However, they gritted their teeth and persisted. This was war. Hesitate, and they would find themselves in the same ce. At this point, they had begun to question what their purpose even here was. Why? Because they were nothing before the Hydra. The only one who could even stand toe to toe with it was Lucian Frost. They were nothing but mere extras. Each men, dying from mere coteral damage. It was ridiculous. "Haa¡­ Haa¡­ We''re all going to die." "Fuck¡­ Fuck¡­ Fuck¡­" "Do not falter! Continue assisting Sir Luc¡ª" Just like that, a toon''smander was gruesomely decimated before he could even finish his words. "Hieeek!" They could only scream in horror. There was nothing else they could do but provide their meaningless assistance. However, that was only as per their thoughts. For Lucian, their assistance was greatly appreciated. It worked to buy a split second for his attack to prate the Hydra''s defenses. Thankfully, the soldiers still followed orders, despite the look of horror on their faces. From what Lucian could deduce, the Hydra was leagues above him. If he wasn''t provided assistance, in the form of barrier magic, then he too would be wiped out from existence. And the war carried on. Soldiers loomed on each side by the shore. From a distance, the towering figure of the Hydra stood way above sea level. Some of the soldiers worked together to clear the horde of the iing beasts. While the rest were working together with Lucian Frost. They were the defense squad of the Imperial Army. Mages well versed in all forms of barrier magic. Unlike the regr affinity magic, barrier magic was possible with advanced control in pure mana. And despite it being called ''Pure Mana'', it was one of the hardest forms of magic to utilize. Which is why most mages took the easy route and focused on their birth-given affinities. Everyone knew well how flexible pure mana was when ites to magic, but research on the types of magic they could use was limited. One of them was barrier magic. A way to trap a third party in a contained space, while the mana''s pressure is bearing down on them. A regr person, to be inflicted by barrier magic, would most likely be immobilized to a certain degree, depending on the caster''s mana capacity. But despite the amount of mage''s present, all casting barrier magic simultaneously, they could only slow down the Hydra''s advance towards the shore. Seizing the opportunity, Lucian fought alone to suppress the Wraith in whatever methods he could use. Freezing the sea. Crack! But it was to no avail as the ice would instantly shatter in each step the Hydra took. It became evident to them that the only reason the Hydra hadn''t left this realm was because of its sluggish movements. The rift was a significant distance away from them. By estimation, it would take the Hydra another month to reach the rift. But that sheer thought alone sent shivers down everyone''s spine. It meant that if the incursion had started on its initial schedule, then they would''ve been toote. The Hydra would''ve most probably been on Earth by that time. Pushing the incursion ahead of schedule was the best decision that the Imperial Army had ever made, and no one could disagree on that fact. A myriad of ice-shapednces materialized in the air. There were a lot. Much more so than anyone could begin to count. With a press of his finger, thences pierced rippled through the air with rapid speed as they made their way towards the Hydra. "Hwoooooar¡ª!" A chill-sending shriek cut through the air like a chalkboard being scratched. The Hydra made no effort to dodge the iciclences as it directly pierced through its flesh. However, they didn''t strike deep enough. The Hydra continued its advance, as if it had never suffered any damage at all. "Tsk." Lucian clicked his tongue. None of his attacks seemed to be prating through the Hydra''s defenses. As much as it disappointed him, the Hydra loomed closer. In a few days, most likely, it would''ve already made it to the shore. There was no other choice. His mana was already draining, and yet despite that, his attacks have been proven useless. And with such thoughts, he muttered under his breath. "Zone." He pressed his fingers. Cr¡­ Crack! The atmosphere gradually shifted. Snow started cascading down. Since the soldiers'' barrier magic would be cut off if he isted himself alone with the Hydra, he paused, just before the zone sealed the surroundings entirely. An iplete zone. The sky was now a dull shade of gray. The sea began to freeze. Crack! Crack! Theyers of frost above the sea would cracked in each step the Hydra took. But would instantly freeze again. Turning around, Lucian could see the soldiers by the shore. "Huuu¡­" He breathed out a sigh. The zone was just enough for the barrier magic to go through. And finally, he fixed his attention on the Hydra. With extreme focus, he narrowed his eyes. His fingers started contorting into hand signs. A magic circle materialized above the Hydra. With each passing second that the Hydra loomed close, the magic circle gradually grewrger. Larger, andrger. The light that emitted from the magic circle shimmered down, casting its glow on the Hydra. Lucian didn''t move. He couldn''t move. Just a single second of distraction would break the spell. However, it was a risk he was willing to take. By his calctions, the spell would bepleted, even before the Hydra could manage to get close to him. The magic circle grew evenrger. The Hydra continued moving forward. "...!" One of its headsshed out and coiled towards Lucian. However, Lucian didn''t flinch. Its head stopped abruptly, and its mouth snapped shut, just before it could reach him. It was a danger zone. If the Hydra moved even an inch closer, it would undoubtedly kill him. ¡­And he wasn''t confident he could survive. "Tsk." He clicked his tongue once more. He had never felt this way before. Never in a million years, had he ever thought he would face an enemy he wasn''t confident in defeating. Besides Jin. But Jin was a different story. "...!" The Hydra''s head zoomed in towards him once more. But thankfully¡­ Cr¡­ Crack! The spell wasplete. He muttered. A piercing light bore down from the magic circle. A mixture of ciers, frost, snow, and ice, cascaded down forcefully. The ground shook intensely. A cold fog permeated in the air. The disruption caused by the quake, had rippled the tides of the ocean. Large waves formed and flowed in every different angle. "...." However, something was wrong. "...." He turned his head to the side. "...." His arm. "...." It was no longer there. Blood started gushing out as his shoulder bled profusely. Holding onto his shoulder, ice began materializing and had stopped the bleeding. Due to the extreme adrenaline coursing through his veins, he couldn''t feel the pain. ....Yet. He fixed his attention on the Hydra. It had stopped moving. He could feel his mana drained to the brim. His attack continued, boring down on the Hydra. It should''ve worked. It was the strongest spell in his arsenal. An arm was a small sacrifice to pay. The cold fog gradually faded. "...!" But to his horror, the towering silhouette stood upright. The spell¡­ It wasn''t enough to finish it off. "Fuck." With his mana drained, the zone gradually distorted. The sky had returned to a deep shade of pink. There was nothing he could do at this point. Thest of his mana was only good for flight at the moment. His instincts told him to run. ¡­But his pride wouldn''t allow it. He was the strongest. But even the strongest wasn''t enough to subjugate the Hydra. Then¡­ Was there really nothing he could do? To only ept the fate of humanity''s extinction? "No." He shook his head. But before he could react, the Hydra''s head struck his entire figure, sending him hurling away. "....!" He felt his bones crack. His hears began to ring. And blood seeped from his mouth. "Sir Lucian!" From a distance, he could hear the muffled screams of the soldiers calling out his name. However, his vision grew hazy in each passing second. Ssh! Just like that, the strongest had fallen, sinking deep into the cold depths of the ocean. *** "Shit." Gritting his teeth, Omar''s eyes shot wide open as he witnessed Lucian falling into the ocean. The loss of someone like Lucian had left a deep mark on humanity. But at this point, there was nothing the Imperial Army could do. If Lucian was unable to subjugate the snake-like beast, then they had no chance. Their sliver of hope was gone, and the soldier''s had all lost morale. The incursion¡­ It was an utter failure. It was humanity''s loss. However, Omar''s hopes didn''t falter. As a leader, he could only salvage whatever was salvageable. And that was¡­ "Retreat!" It was a cold decision. He was unsure if Lucian was still alive. But it wasn''t like they had any luxury to save them. Their numbers continued dwindling at the oing siege of the monsters surrounding them. At his call, the soldiers quickly snapped out of it and returned their attention to Omar. "...Sir, is retreat even possible?" "It is." Albert''s deep voice resounded as he neared Omar, standing by his side. "But how? They''re everywhere. There''s no escape¡­!" The young soldier had dropped all respect towards his superiors. But it was understandable. In a life or death situation, there were no such things as superiors. It was either his life, or theirs. Omar could understand him. "I''ll clear a path. Seize that opportunity. Don''t look back. Just head for the rift." "Sir¡­" "Follow your orders, soldier. Right now, retreat takes the utmost importance." "...Understood." The young soldier shed a salute, and Omar nodded. He turned his head back. Since they had cut off the barrier magic, the Hydra was moving quite faster than before. But it was still far away. Escape was still possible. With such thoughts, Omar stepped forward and Albert followed closely. Fixing his gaze on the monsters from a distance, Omar opened his mouth. "This reminds me of the old days." "Back when we were still rankers, huh?" "Yeah." The two smiled as they faced the onught of the monsters before them. Magic circles filled the air. The soldiers from behind them continued providing assistance. Omar extended his palms forward, a blinding light cut straight in the air, killing off all the lesser monsters. Just like his daughter, Belle, Omar had the [Light] affinity. The spell he was currently using, cost him a significant amount of mana. But the effects were well worth it. Magic circles surrounded Albert, who stood before Omar. All sorts of weapons peeked out from the circles. And just like his daughter, Amelia, he had the [Armament] affinity. Clenching his fingers, the weapons cut through the air and pierced each monster in its wake. Their attacks persisted, and a narrow pathway began to form. "Charge!" At Albert''s call, the soldiers rushed through as they followed closely behind theirmander. None of them looked back and they could hear the screams of their fellow soldiers from behind them. Screams of horror. Though they could kill the little critters with ease, the ones that proved the most difficult were the giant monsters. But yet again, none looked back as they continued their charge. The looks of shock etched on the soldiers faces as theirrades'' screams rang in the air. From a distance, the rift was still quite far. But Omar and Albert served as the vanguard while soldiers who were capable of fighting assisted them. However, that was when¡­ "Hwoooooar¡ª!" The piercing shriek cut through the air, reaching their ears. The air suddenly grew heavy, and a sense of foreboding washed over Omar. "...." He had an ominous premonition. And his fears were instantly realized as¡­. .....A blinding light rippled from where the Hydra stood. A breath attack. "We''re all going to d¡ª" And to his horror, the soldiers'' screams gradually died down. If the Hydra was capable of this feat, then why hadn''t it done it back then? But that was when he realized. It was because of Lucian. Due to Lucian''s presence, the Hydra was on guard, despite being stronger. Most probably, it took a significant amount of time for its breath attack to fully charge. And before Omar realized it¡­ "I''ll leave our family to you, Brandon." He too was engulfed in the Hydra''s attack. Chapter 155: Turning Point [6] The main reason why they called the monster-like creaturesing out of the rift ''Wraith Beasts'', was because of theck of general knowledge. From their perspective, anything that doesn''t resemble any ounce of humanity were nothing but Wraith Beasts or Mana Beasts. However, from the perspective of someone who was near-omniscient, they were well aware of what those creatures actually were. "Other races." Whiiii¡ª Beyond space and time, a lone man with jet-ck hair and pitch ck eyes had been suppressing these so-called other races for as long as he could remember. With his hands extended forward, an overwhelming force of mana served to push back the slit crack of space upon him. A slender hand peeked out from it, however the slit crack began closing. Gazing in front of him, an otherworldly creature with long silver hair and pointed-ears, registered in his peripheral vision. The creature seemed to reach out to him, its expressions, as if it was asking for help. But Jin paid no heed to it. He was well aware of what the otherworldly creature was. An Elf. And the crack in front of him? "...A gateway that crosses both our worlds and the elven realm." While the term was never coined in his current world, Jin was exactly aware of it. A smile creeped up on his face as a figure ovepped in his mind. A man with pale-white hair and ice-blue eyes. He knew as well what those otherworldly races were. Finally, he had managed to close the narrow slit sessfully. "Shit." It had taken him a significant amount of mana. For years, he had been trying to suppress these other worlds. He turned around. Lifting his hand, a dark void-like portal materialized in front of him, and he entered it shortly after. He emerged from the portal, and what greeted his sight was a dimly lit hall. "Haaa¡­." All of a sudden, his legs gave out and he slumped down on the ground, using the wall to support his aching back. Looking at his arm, visible cracks were etched on his hand. "Shit." He cursed under his breath. "I don''t have much time." In particr, he could estimate that he only had three years left. Someone needed to take his mantle soon, and he had already found a candidate. Just that, the person wasn''t strong enough. He didn''t want to risk losing that sole person. Which was why he had given three years. From what he remembered, in three years, the world would undergo a catastrophic event. And that scenario was what he had been trying to prevent all these years. But recently, he had made a blunder. A crack that slipped under his watch. From the other side of the continent, a crack appeared and tore open a rift. Slowly, the rift expanded and thus, he didn''t have the amount of mana capacity to close it. In other words, he was toote. Due to a fixed set ofws that were set upon him, he was not allowed to enter these rifts. But the same went for the others¡­ At that, another image ovepped in his mind. Lucian Frost. He was fairly weak in Jin''s eyes. However, he was the absolute pinnacle of the world''s standards. If it were him, he might be able to close the rift and defeat whatever resides in it. "There''s no other way¡­" If that rift expands even more, a monster would be unleashed on this world. And that, he cannot allow. He had already informed Lucian beforehand. Under normal circumstances, Lucian would not even involve himself in Imperial Army matters. But due to his instructions, Lucian made his appearance during the banquet, as well as the uing incursion. "Can he do it?" He could only hope so. Brandon Locke was still too weak for him to rely on. Tak. Tak. From a distance, he could hear the sound of heels, clicking on the marbled floors of the halls. Scanning, a figure''s silhouette came into view. Gradually, under the shade, her features became visible. Pale wheat hair and hazel eyes. Jin was well aware of who she was. The Second Seat, Ciel. As soon as Ciel''s gaze met his, her eyes widened. Shortly after, her voice reached his ears. "...These days, whenever a portal opens, I get paranoid." "Haha." Jin stifled augh. "I don''t me you. This timeline is different after all." "Is that a good thing?" "As long as it''s not the same¡­ What else could be worse?" "No idea. I''ve never seen the others." "Fair." He lowered his head and began to ponder. All the pieces have been set in ce. Though he was unsure how things would unfold from this point forward, it didn''t matter. Anything. Just anything. From setting up random variables, to actively making his appearance here and there. But truth be told, he didn''t know what he was doing. Just that, things had to be different. If it would make things worse early on, then he could only ept that fact. "As long as things are different¡­" Then surely, the ending must be different? For the better or for the worse. This was hisst chance. "So¡­?" He raised his head as soon as he heard her voice. "How''s his progression?" "Better than I expected." "That''s surprising." "A lot better than me when I was starting out, at least." "You''re the weakest, after all." At herment, Jin''s lips pulled up. "That''s true." Approaching him, Ciel sat down beside him and gazed up. "And what about the other one?" "Even better than before." "Oh? How did that happen?" "Because of thetter''s influence." "I see." Ciel turned her head to look at him. But Jin didn''t look back as he continued looking down. "Brandon Locke and Raven ckheart, and¡­ who''s the other one again?" "Amelia Constantine." "Right, her." "She''s not the same as us. But she''s the closest." "I honestly thought it would be Lucian." "Nah." Lifting his body, Jin stood up. "But he''s the best one we got." And held out his hand for Ciel to grab. epting his gesture, she stood up. Shortly after, she asked. "What''s next?" "Same as always." Looking at him, she frowned. "Don''t you feel bad for them?" "Sure, but¡­" Jin shook his head. "It''s either them, or us. I can''t have the Sovereigns descending this early on." "You really can''t stop them all by yourself?" "If I could, I would''ve done that eons ago." "And what about Brandon Locke? Could he do it?" "Maybe. He''s the only one who can ascend through the ranks." Pinching her chin, Ciel gazed up. "Can''t you just take his fragment?" "That''s impossible. Not his." "What makes him so different from you and the others?" "It''s simple." He looked at her as she looked back. "He''s the origin, and¡­" He smiled. "Our Sovereign." She seemed taken aback as her eyes widened. But shortly after, she frowned. "Still. Don''t you feel bad for him?" "Him?" "Brandon." "Ah." The original Brandon. The child with the most talent in pure mana maniption. Even more profound than Jin''s. It got to the point where the child''s mana was too unstable for him to control. In exchange forbat prowess, the child had abundant knowledge of the world and its structure. Jin was d to have met him in this progression. "It couldn''t be helped." He shook his head. "His body is the only one capable of handling the fragment. Plus, everything was to his volition." "Do you miss him?" "...Who can say?" After all, that child¡­ He was with Jin throughout all progressions. And in each progression, it ended in the world''s destruction. No matter what, it could never be avoided. "He sacrificed himself. How can I not respect my old friend''s wishes?" "Old?" Cielughed. "He''s way younger than us." "To me, I''ve been friends with him for as long as I can remember." The conversation ended there. Jin walked forward as Ciel followed closely. "How are the other seats?" Gazing ahead, she responded. "We''re working to stop the syndicate''s ns." "Ah, that." "You make it sound so simple." Ciel frowned, and her cheeks puffed at his nonchnt tone. "You know as well as I do what they''re doing." "Sure. Butpared to the scale of what I''ve been dealing with, it''s nothing but child y." "Then can''t you just¡­" Snap! She snapped her finger. "And poof. They''re gone." "Hm¡­" Jin pinched his chin. "Maybe I should. It''s been troubling Brandon after all." "Then¡­" "Let''s pay a visit." Ciel''s eyes lit up, and Jin extended his hand forward. Gradually, a small portal materialized. However¡­ "Huh?" He felt his mana dwindling, and the portal wouldn''t expand. Perplexed, Ciel asked. "What''s wrong?" "...." He didn''t respond. No, he couldn''t. Thud! His knees gave up, and he slumped down on the ground, grabbing his head. "Jin!" "....!" "....!" Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ All of a sudden, the halls began to shake intensely. Debris started falling off the ceiling. "What''s happening?" She yelled. "Hey, Jin. What''s going on?!" "Haha." Despite the throbbing pain in his head, and his body weakening, Jin stifled augh. "...It''s way ahead of schedule." "What?" "The cmity." An event that was supposed to take ce in three years. And yet certain variables had altered the course of events. Jin was aware of which variable it was. The current Brandon Locke''s appearance in this progression. Did he make a mistake? No. That shouldn''t be the case. As long as¡­ ¡­Things were different. That''s all that matters. If the event was pushed ahead of schedule, then it must''ve been for the best. "They''reing." However, Jin knew what he had to do next. Dy the Sovereigns'' descent. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The halls continued to shake intensely. With a hoarse voice, he called out to her. "Ciel." "What?" "Find him." "What about you?" "This is goodbye." "Huh? Jin¡ªWait!" She reached out, but it was to no avail. A small portal materialized below Jin and sucked him whole. Whiii¡ª Emerging from the portal, Jin fell on a void-like space. The main reason for his instability, a few seconds ago, was because of the mana''s unstable fluctuation. Though, it affected others, in which their capabilities were boosted, for a system user, it messed with their system. System. But as Jin would like to call it¡­ "Sovereign''s Will." The reason for the system''s unreliable statistics was because of the will''s influx. Though, for Jin, he was at a bottleneck. Stuck in the SSS+ category. "But not him." Brandon Locke. That child''s will would shoot up in numbers, whenever a rift opened up. And most likely, because of him¡­ The cmity was pushed ahead of schedule. Jin knew that there was no stopping it. Closing the rift was out of his capabilities, as much as he hated to admit it. And so, he could only do what he could. He gazed ahead. A rift tore open the space around him. A blinding light protruded from the rift. "...!" And a hand extended forward. Chapter 156: Turning Point [7] The Teamfight Tactics session carried on. It was currently the fourth session. Brandon''s team. Swoosh¡ª! Sparks of different kinds of magic flew in the air. While Cyrus and Julie acted as vanguards, and the main offense, Brandon stayed back and offered support from behind. Each time Cyrus'' water whip wouldtch onto someone, Brandon would immediately freeze the whip, immobilizing the poor student. As soon as that would happen, Julie''s earth magic would finish off the job. But ''finish'' was quite an overstatement. The other team would quickly assist and stop their attacks. Though Brandon could probably wipe the floor with them all on his own, he refrained from it. It wouldn''t do good to steal the spotlight from his teammates. Even they need to gain some experience. And so the same strategy continued to be implemented. Not one side was giving out. The other students'' knew they couldn''t begin topete with Brandon. However, that didn''t mean they would give up so easily. They persisted. In the face of an adversary, using the fight as a learning experience, they carried on. Earth being hurled. Boom! Exploding into cinders as mes ignited. Lightning sparks heading towards the other. Kracka! Kracka! But would be instantly blocked and redirected by a wall of water. Wind des piercing the air. Swoosh! Swoosh! Immediately countered by an earth wall. The ground shook intensely. Dust clouds obscured the vision of everyone watching. While all kinds of shing light emitted from the ongoing battle. It was intense. Everyone''s attention was peeled to the battlefield. The way Brandon supported his teammates had left them in awe. Using all of his elements efficiently, while trying to prolong the fight. Everyone knew that was the case. That he was prolonging the fight. However, it made it even more engaging how the fight didn''t end in a single second. Seeing all of Brandon''s elements had left them excited. After some minutes, the battle was at its climax. As everyone had expected, Brandon''s team had suffered no casualties. It was now a three versus one. Thest one being the gbearer. And as courtesy calls, Brandon stepped forward, giving the enemy an option for a one versus one. He was up against a woman. Kathlyn Venice, with long flowing ck hair and deep ck eyes. She was another one of the school''s beauties. Brandon was quite familiar with her. After all, she was one of the students that volunteered themselves to be his officers. "I appreciate it if you don''t go easy on me, Brandon." She elegantly bowed. It was one of her demeanors. An elegantdy-type. "I didn''t n to." He nodded. Out of respect for his opponent, he would give it his all. With such thoughts, he took another step as Kathlyn stood still with her eyes closed. Cyrus stood with his arms crossed, while Julie''s hands were sped behind her back, watching the entire scene. Kracka! Blue streaks coalesced in his foot. Brandon pushed his foot forward and bolted towards Kathlyn. Reacting immediately, Kathlyn followed suit. Wind wrapped around her entire figure. Swoosh! Swoosh¡ª! Wherever Brandon appeared, wind des would automatically sh towards him. However, with his reflexes, Brandon instantly dodged her attacks. Swoosh! Swoosh¡ª! Time had passed, and not once had Brandon taken the initiative to attack. This thought alone irritated Kathlyn. "I thought you said you weren''t going to go easy on me?" Swoosh¡ª! "I''m¡­." Swoosh¡ª! "Not." Swoosh¡ª! What he was currently doing was using Kathlyn''s attacks as practice. Was he going easy on her? "Nope." He shook his head. Swoosh¡ª! And he continued swiftly dodging each wind de. Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! "Then why aren''t you attack¨Cing¡­" "Boo." He appeared right behind her. "Eh?" The wind surrounding her figure expanded and tried to push Brandon back. But as soon as Kathlyn turned around¡­ "...." He wasn''t there. "Oh no." Tzz¡ª "Good job." His voice reached her from behind. Since the wind was nowhere around her, Brandon had managed to get close to her. Kracka! Just like that, he had managed to subdue Kathlyn as he tapped on her neck. Lightning coalesced from his fingertips, and Kathlyn''s entire figure stumbled on the ground. Shortly after, Evelyn''s announcement rang in the air, signaling the end of the current matchup. "That''s enough. Winner, Brandon Locke''s team." "Woooo¡­!" "Goddamn." "Brandon''s crazy¡­" Cheers erupted from the crowd. Looking down at Kathlyn, Brandon offered his hand. With a smile on her face, she epted his gesture and got up. That being said, Brandon''s match had finished for the day. The session would continue until 2:00 PM. And tomorrow would be his next match. At the moment, it was around 12:00 PM. Removing his top, Brandon looked at the mirror inside the changing room. "Nice." He gave a thumbs up as he scanned his figure. His body was developing nicely. His muscles were firm, and not a single scar defiled his wless skin. He knew that shouldn''t have been the case. After all, he had suffered major damage just recently. But due to whatever Jin did to heal him, it all disappeared as if it were never there. That kind of healing magic was impossible, as far as he knew. For some reason, Jin''s healing had the same after-effects as a healing potion. Jin was even more powerful than he had initially thought... Brandon shifted the topic from there. The thought of healing potions filled his thoughts. In the first ce, what was in the system shop''s potion? For quite a while, he had never received a single quest from the system. With that reason, his coins stagnated, and he couldn''t buy a healing potion for himself. He knew that in this world, injuries were quite severe. There were potions, but only for enhancing one''s mana core. Healing was out of the question. Then, could he somehow benefit from the potions? "I could sell them to the Ashfields for research." It would be a great boost to his ie. Due to being a major shareholder in Deuspany, he would receive a cut from all the ie. A passive ie. But that wasn''t all. After the whole Francis incident, Brandon had managed to find the blueprints for the shiftporter. Yes. That was the game changer that had boosted Deus Company to the top. In other words, he was the reason why shiftporters were still being produced in the market. "Haa¡­" He breathed out a sigh. At the moment, the potion n was nothing but a fleeting dream. He had no system coins to buy one in the first ce. And the system provided him with no quest. Was there something wrong with the system? It became apparent to him that¡­ For some reason, the system''s statistics were quite unreliable. Did stats even matter at this point? All of his stats were in the D+ category. Yet for some reason, he had managed to keep up with most of his enemies. It made no sense whatsoever. And for some reason, the system wouldn''t tell him his mana core level. He had no idea what his mana core was even at. Seeing Rachel''s [Elemental Assimtion], it became apparent to him that she managed to break through the tier three ranks. But for him, he had realized it wasn''t possible to assimte with any of his elements. Did that mean he was a tier two? "Haa¡­" He had no idea. If he were a measly tier two, then howe he was stronger than all of his ssmates? With such thoughts, he stopped pondering. The system was a mystery. It was as if it was there to mislead him. To distract him from something. But that something.. He had no idea what it was. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ "...!" All of a sudden, the ground began to shake intensely. Thud! He felt his body weaken, and he slumped on the ground. "Akh!" A throbbing pain pierced his skull like sharp daggers. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The ground continued to shake. Crack. Crack. Crack. The mirrors began to crack. Crack! And immediately shattered as the quaking intensified. "The hell is going on¡ªAkh!" He clenched his head and gritted his teeth. The pain persisted and he felt like wanting to pull his hair out. "....!" All of a sudden, the familiar sight of the system interface materialized in front of him. [Error! Mana Fluctuation! Error!] "The hell¡­?" [Due to the abundance of mana in the vicinity, your body is now capable of fully integrating with the Sovereign''s Will.] "Sovereign''s Will?" [Would you like to proceed?] [Yes][Yes] "...." It didn''t give him a choice. But in the first ce, what the hell was going on? He had never seen this happen to Raven before in the novel. What the hell was a Sovereign''s Will? However, it seemed like it was a direct power boost. If it could somehow subside the aching pain, then there was no other answer. "Yes!" [Acknowledged.] [Integrating with your Sy%*^em...] [Integrating with your Sovereign''s Will.] [ETA: 24 Hours.] "...." For some reason, it was about to say ''system''. But it seemed to have glitched and corrected itself. So by Sovereign''s Will¡­. Did it mean the system? But before he could continue to ponder, his vision gradually grew hazy. "Akh!" The pain intensified, he scrunched his entire face. It seemed like whatever the integration was, had made the pain even worse. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The shaking continued. He started crawling towards the door. "Someone¡­" He reached out for the door. "Save¡­ m¡­." ...And his voice died down as he nked out. Chapter 157: Turning Point [8] At the same time. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The ground shook intensely. Thud! Raven''s knees gave out and he slumped on the ground. A stabbing pain pierced his skull like sharp daggers. "Ukh¡­!" Scrunching his head, he peered his eyes open and looked around. Unlike him, his ssmates didn''t seem to be experiencing the same pain as him. "What''s happening?!" "An earthquake?!" They screamed and panicked. It was indeed an earthquake. However, it was too intense from the norm. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Debris started falling off the ceiling. The walls began to crack. Shortly after, Evelyn''s instructions rang in the air. "Everyone! Remain calm and stick to me!" At her words, the students'' seemed to haveposed themselves as they quickly ran towards her. Vooooom¡ª! Waving her hand in the air, mana gathered in her palms, and a golden barrier materialized. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The ceilings cracked, as cement started raining down. However, it bounced off the barrier present. But for Raven, he couldn''t move. Small rocks fell on his face and he closed his eyes. The pain emitting from his head was way worse than the falling rocks. Gazing ahead, it seemed like no one noticed him as they all crouched down around Evelyn''s barrier. With a hoarse voice, he called out. "Someone¡­ help¡­!" Thankfully, someone had managed to hear him. "Miss Evelyn! Something''s wrong with Raven." Immediately, Evelyn turned her head and looked at Raven. Raven looked at her back as his face scrunched. The sharp pain wouldn''t subside. With an anxious expression, Evelyn''s barrier began to expand, gradually reaching Raven. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ "...!" It was at that moment, when the ceiling copsed. Debris of all shapes and sizes fell down. The barrier was only a few inches away. "Raven!" "Shit." Resigning to his fate, Raven abruptly closed his eyes. Crash! "...." For some reason, he was still alive. As he peered his eyes open, thankfully, the barrier had managed to reach him just in time. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The shaking intensified. Since the doorway was narrow, it would be too hard to escape with everyone present, while keeping the barrier up. Raven understood that, despite his attention fixed on the pain in his head. And as if his mind was read, Evelyn stepped outside the barrier. "Miss Evelyn, what are you doing?" A student worriedly called out to her. However, she spoke in a calm manner. "I''ll destroy the wall." She extended her hand forward. Mana coalesced in her surroundings and her palms glowed a bright golden glow. Her focus was fixed on both the barrier, and the magic she was currently condensing. Boom¡ª! A blinding light protruded from her palms. The wall exploded, and arge gaping hole was left in the wake of her attack. "Go, now!" At her instructions, students began flocking towards her, and immediately escaped the academy''s arena grounds. But there was one student who didn''t move. Fixing her gaze on him, a worried expression marred Evelyn''s features. "Raven? What''s wrong?!" "I can''t¡ªAkh!" Raven was quite perplexed at how he was the only one suffering. That meant that there was something clearly wrong with him. Did it have something to do with the earthquake? "Haaa¡­." He couldn''t tell. However, just as he was about to reach out to Evelyn, the familiar system interface materialized in his peripheral view. [Error! Mana Fluctuation! Error!] "...." [Due to the abundance of mana in the vicinity, your body is now capable of fully integrating with the Sovereign''s Will.] "What the¡ªUkh!" [Would you like to proceed?] [Yes][Yes] "...." Was there any other choice? In the first ce, it seemed like refusing was out of the option. But with the chaos surrounding him, now wasn''t the time to be messing with the system. And so he closed it, leaving it for him to decideter. Who knows what kind of aftereffects it would give him? Right. It wasn''t the time for that. Raising his head, Evelyn appeared before him. "What''s wrong?" "My¡­ head¡ªAkh!" He clenched his face. Despite several minutes passing, the pain had never subsided. In fact, it felt like it was hurting even more. "....!" He felt his body lifting up. His arm was raised and wrapped around Evelyn''s shoulder. "I don''t know what''s happening to you. But unfortunately, we don''t have the luxury to get you checked." "You''ll just have to grit your teeth through it until things settle down." As they made their way outside, what greeted their sight was several students gazing up with horror etched on their expressions. Following their direction, Raven and Evelyn gazed up at¡­ "The sky." "What in the¡­" The shock had managed to divert Raven''s attention from the pain. His eyes widened in horror as he scanned therge crack forming in the sky. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The shaking continued to intensify. The crack expanded and the rift tore open. It was¡­ "The end of the world!" One of the students screamed out loud. It truly did feel like the world was ending. Students started panicking. Some crouched down as they hugged their knees. Though human instincts would tell them to run at this moment, they at least still had some rationality. They knew Evelyn was the strongest professor present. If they stuck with her, then their safety should be guaranteed. However, as Evelyn looked around, she began to panic. Someone was missing. ...Brandon wasn''t here. "Has anyone seen Brandon?" Scrunching his face, Raven''s eyes widened as well. That''s right. He hadn''t seen Brandon around either. But he quickly recalled his conversation with him a few minutes ago. "Miss Evelyn!" She continued looking around, as she responded. "What?" "I think he''s still in the changing room?" "Huh?! His match ended for quite a while already. Why would he still be there?!" "I don''t know¡ªAkh!" He scrunched his hair. "Thest time I saw him, he was entering the changing room." "Haaa¡­ Got it." She nodded. Gazing ahead, she called out. "Can anyone assist Raven?!" At her call, a student immediately ran towards her. ck hair and golden eyes. Acknowledging him, Raven voiced out his appreciation. "Thank you, Cyrus." Cyrus nodded and offered his assistance, wrapping Raven''s arm around his shoulder. Looking at Cyrus, Evelyn instructed. "I''ll go find Brandon. Can I assign you to lead the ss?" "Yes, Miss Evelyn." "Alright. I''ll be right back. Make sure no one leaves the premises until things settle down." Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ At that, Evelyn stepped inside the academy arena grounds once more. Truth be told, she didn''t need to wrap a barrier around her. Condensing her body with mana was enough. Debris fell over her, but would shatter in half as soon as it grazed her skin. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ But despite herposed demeanor, Evelyn panicked. If something happened to Brandon, she didn''t know what to do. But that shouldn''t be the case. Brandon was strong. She could even say that he had the potential to surpass her in the future. In fact, his growth was scary. But Raven was strong as well. And yet she had never seen him look so weak, just like how he was earlier. Then¡­ Was the same thing happening to Brandon? Was that why he hadn''te out of the changing room? nk¡ª! The door to the changing room abruptly opened. However¡­ "...." Brandon was nowhere to be seen. What in the world. *** Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ "What''s happening to you, Raven?" "I don''t know¡­" No matter how many seconds passed, the pain continued to grip his entire being. He clenched his forehead as he continued gazing at the expanding rift. The rift''s cause was unknown to him. In fact, it seemed like even Evelyn had no idea of its sudden appearance. But that was when Raven recalled something¡­ The Imperial Army''s incursion. By instinct, he was able to connect the dots of the crack in the sky, and the rift that the Imperial Army was about to tackle next month. "...." Then that could only mean that the rift was something that was out of their hands. It was an Imperial Army level threat. But¡­ What could they even do in front of the cmity before them? Nothing. He didn''t have the power. He could only resign himself to his fate. "No." He shook his head. There might be something¡­ Something he could do. With such thoughts, he muttered inaudibly under his breath, just so Cyrus couldn''t hear. "System." [Due to the abundance of mana in the vicinity, your body is now capable of fully integrating with the Sovereign''s Will.] [Would you like to proceed?] [Yes][Yes] Sovereign''s Will, and integration. It must''ve been a power up. "...Yes." [Acknowledged.] [Integrating with your Sy%*^em] [Integrating with your Sovereign''s Will] If this worked out, then maybe the tides would be in their favor. But seeing the next message... His expressions cracked. [ETA: 24 Hours] Nevermind. "Shit." Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! His heart began to quicken. The pain in his head intensified. And he could feel like his mana core was heating up. His whole body started heating up. "...." His vision grew hazy and his world began to spin. "Raven?" "...." He didn''t respond. No, he couldn''t respond. With his vision hazy, he gazed at the sky one more time. "....!" And that was when he noticed several figures emerging from the rift. Their structures seemed to be human-like. However, they came in all shapes and sizes. And their skin¡­ It was different. Green skin. Pale skin. Giants. . . His eyes widened. "Aren''t those..." They were the monsters he was facing in the system dungeon. Goblins. Orcs. Ogres. Lizardmen. Werewolves. Minotaurs. And thest thing he could make out was humanoid figures with pointed ears and silver hair. ¡­Thest thing he saw. Before. He. ¡­cked out. Chapter 158: Turning Point [9] Everything changed on that day. Otherworldly creatures descended in their world. After two weeks, the crack in the sky abruptly closed. Towns, viges, cities all crumbled under the sheer destruction of the catastrophic event. Chaos ensued everywhere, and as a result, survivors living in the continent took refuge inside the capital, Vale City. Due to that there was a significantck of resources to distribute to the refugees. People started living on the streets. Crime rate statistics shot at an all time high. Wherever the otherworldly creatures vanished off to, no one knew. Just that, they knew they were now living amongst them. Several weeks passed, and it was revealed that the incursion had already started, even before the cmity happened. 50,000 Imperial Army Soldiers participated in the incursion. Conclusion? Zero survivors. Not a single one. As a result, the continent''s military power significantly decreased. But that wasn''t the worst of it. ¡­Lucian Frost was deemed dead. As well as Grand Marshal, Albert Constantine. Thankfully, there were still military personnels who weren''t strong enough to join the incursion. Before the incursion, they were severely demoralized. But now, they had realized it was a blessing in disguise. They were still alive, and were now handling Imperial Army matters. At the moment, there was no Grand Marshal. Several elections were held on who should take the position. "I vote for Sir Adam Frost." Lucian Frost''s Father. He was weak, despite being a Field Marshal. After all, he had only risen to that status due to his son. But now that Lucian Frost was dead, he had nothing but his title to hold to. And so votes for him were of the minority. "I vote for Sir Chrome Answorth." He was a General. The rank, just below Field Marshal. However, he was close to Omar Locke and Albert Constantine. He was grieving for the death of both of his friends. However, he persevered. He could drown in griefter. But now was not the time for that. Humanity was in a perilous situation. If he didn''t set his thoughts aside, then it was bound for extinction. Not just him, but the entire Imperial Army. The government was one thing. They were in charge of taking the initiative in managing the dire states of affairs. For the army, what they would tackle was humanity''s protection. Protection against the otherworldly creatures. Only time would tell when they would begin their rampage. In fact, there were already several sightings outside the city. The green-midget looking ones resided in grass ins and meadows. The army collectively agreed that they would be ssified as goblins. There were also lizard-like humanoid figures who took control of swampy areas. Lizardmen. During their travel to the city, survivors of the cmity, who resided in towns, had reported sightings ofrge humanoid creatures with snouts and weapons. They took hold of the mountains. The army had ssified them as ogres. For the survivors who used to live in the hotter areas of the continent, they had reported sightings of simr looking creatures. Orcs. There seemed to be more, and the sightings were being reported everyday. But the one that caught their attention the most were the ones residing in the forest. From all the creatures that descended in their world, the ones in the forest seemed to resemble humans the most. However, there was a key difference that separated them from humans. These creatures all share the same hair color. Silver. But what was most peculiar were their leaf shaped pointed ears. And so they ssified them as elves. Maybe¡­ Maybe they were capable of vocal interaction. There were more. So much more. But for some reason, these creatures were only taking territory. They weren''t actively trying to attack the city. If so, then what was their purpose? As they tried to assess the situation even more, it seemed like they were¡­ Taking refuge? But that was nothing but a hypothesis. Sooner orter, they would soon bare their fangs against humanity. And so, humanity had to prepare for that day. Their debriefing ended there, and they returned to their previous discussion. The next Grand Marshal. It had to be noted that there were fresh recruits. They were young. Some of them were previously students. But had dropped out due to the events that transpired. After all, the academy was shut down. With no Headmaster, and the ongoing problems, there was no one present to actively volunteer to teach. The new recruits were humanity''s next hope. And to the Imperial Army''s surprise, a certain someone had decided to join their ranks. Evelyn Cessna. A renowned ranker of the S+ rank. Guild operations were closed, and with nothing to do to prevent humanity''s setback, she had decided to join the Imperial Army. At least, that''s what it said in her r¨¦sum¨¦. But she wasn''t the only one that caught the Imperial Army''s attention. Two new recruits. Amelia Constantine. And¡­ Belle Locke. The sessors of thete Albert Constantine, and Omar Locke. Immediately, as soon as Amelia joined, she was instantly up for nomination for the Grand Marshal title. She had several supporters. After all, she was a known leader during her academy days. But s, there were also soldiers who were against it. After all, she was too young for the leadership position. The role would put too much pressure on her. And so, their voting ended there. In the end, no one was elected as the next Grand Marshal. *** "Haa¡­" Stepping out of the meeting chamber, Belle breathed out a sigh. She was a recruit, and yet, there was already a lot of pressure ced on her. But the pressure was nothingpared to the atmosphere around the room. It was suffocating. Just being in the same room as where her father once stood had left her suffocated. After the death of her father, things were never the same. Her mother had suffered severe depression. And so she had decided that her mother moved in with her. Thankfully, their city hadn''t suffered too much damage. It was still a ce that they could live in. However, it wasn''t safe. Being in the capital was much safer. At the moment, the maids and several house servants were taking care of her mother. And during the night, Belle would often be there for her. The world was undergoing significant changes. With such thoughts, Belle decided to join the Imperial Army, just so she and her mother wouldn''t be swept up by the changes. But the world aside, something inside Belle changed. She had put a boundary between her and her peers. At the thought of the cmity, Belle clenched her fist. "Shit." She cursed under her breath. Her mood became sour. Her previous lively demeanor was nowhere to be seen. She had set aside the thought of her previous life. ¡­When her family was stillplete. But it was to no avail. Two months had passed since the cmity, and yet she could never forget him. Her precious little brother. Why? That was because¡­ Brandon Locke was dead. * * [AN] I decided to prolong volume one, up until this point. But this officially marks the end of volume one. Volume two starts in the next chapter. Thank you so much for the overwhelming support. Chapter 159: Brandon Locke [1] On the day of the cmity, the moment Evelyn realized Brandon was in the changing room, the room was nothing but rubbles. Mirrors shattered as shards scattered on the ground. But what truly caught her attention was the strand of hair and the sight of blood on the ground. "...!" Clearly, the hair belonged to Brandon. Meaning, the blood could only be his. But for some reason, his body was missing. Then¡­ Was he crushed under all the debris? That shouldn''t be the case. Though mages with a tier 2 to 3 mana core would still suffer significant damage from impacts¡­ He was Brandon. Brandon Locke, the man she had specifically chosen as her prot¨¦g¨¦. He should''ve had the means to survive. At least, that''s what should have happened. But when she saw Raven''s state¡­ Then¡­ Evelyn ruffled her hair. Nothing made sense. Bang! She pped the desk in front of her. Two months had passed since the cmity, and yet she had never forgotten that day. With no signs of Brandon''s whereabouts, and the chaos that ensued, he was deemed missing. But everyone in the continent knew it was nothing but to sugarcoat the fact that someone was dead. In other words, Brandon Locke was deemed dead. For whatever reason he disappeared, Evelyn couldn''t even begin to think of a reason as to how or why. But in the first ce, leaving the city was akin to suicide. So where did Brandon go on that day? How would he be calm enough to leave the city, under the sheer destruction of the cmity? And why would he leave? There were so many questions regarding Brandon''s disappearance. But after several months of pondering, for the sake of her peace, she decided to believe that he was dead. Though she had never seen his corpse, it was the only logical conclusion. Brandon Locke was dead. His friends believed that. Even his own sister did. She pinched her brows. The stress that came with being a general was weighing down on her. "Haa¡­" Breathing out a sigh, Evelyn stood up and gazed upon the window. Fixing her attention outside, she looked ahead at the ongoing construction. Last month, humanity poured their resources on reconstruction. She looked ahead even more. A wall was being built. Along the reconstruction, came the ns of constructing a wall. It was too dangerous to venture out. Only the Imperial Army was allowed to cross the barriers. It was one of the main reasons why Evelyn decided to join the ranks of the Imperial Army. Shortly after joining, she was immediately promoted to General status. After all, her feats and aplishments were known throughout the entire world. Due to theck of control, there was no point in calling thend they lived in ''a continent''. And calling it a city seemed too much, when they didn''t belong to a continent anymore. Whatevernd they would take control of, they decided to call it part of the human domain. "Not like we had managed to take control of any of it." It was the truth. The army was currently assessing what the other races would do. But it seemed like nothing was happening at the moment. As if the other races were still settling down. But Evelyn knew the peace wouldn''tst long. "Peace¡­ Haha." She stifled augh at the thought. Sure, the other races hadn''t done anything. But they were the least of their problems. Crime was happening all over the human domain. And it was up to the Imperial Army to regte these instances. There were also several groups who would help mitigate these urrences. The Special Force. And there was one such member in the Special Force she was well acquainted with. Raven ckheart. *** December 1, 2148. Three months had passed since the cmity. After the system''s¡­ "No." Raven shook his head. It wasn''t a system anymore. After the Sovereign''s Will integration, Raven underwent several changes. One of them was the system. It was now called the Sovereign Fragment. He didn''t even need to mutter the words ''system'' anymore. All he had to do was focus on the thought, and the familiar interface materialized itself. ¡ª¡ª[Sovereign''s Will]¡ª¡ª [Name: Raven ckheart] [Mana Core: Tier 3] [Status: B+] [Innate] ¨N Sovereign of Creation ¡ª Level 14 ¨N Experience ¡ª 23% [Skills] ¨NEye of Time ¨NAdrenaline Surge ¨NShadow Step ¨NVital Strike ¨NContract Expertise ¨NEnvenomed Mind ¨NReflection ¨NShadowme ¨NRecall [Inventory] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª After a day, Raven woke up and the integration process finished. For some reason, the entire stats interface disappeared, as well as the leveling feature. He was unsure why it happened. But in the first ce, it didn''t matter. He hade to realize a long time ago that the system was somehow unreliable. Especially the stats interface. The stats made no sense. It was as if it was only there for a moment. But there were times when Raven found a surge of power. And in one such fight, he had noticed that his stats rose up to the B+ category. Then that could only mean one thing. His stats were always ranked B+. But the system would correct itself, as to what his body was able to handle. However, after his body had fully integrated with whatever the Sovereign''s Will actually was, this was the result. And as to how he would progress from this point forward, he was quite unsure. But from what he knew, mages were always assessed as to what their mana core tier was. So that meant, his current progression had to be focused on his mana core. "That should be the case." But at the moment, it was not the right time to peer around his newfound power. He was currently chasing a perpetrator. Swoosh¡ª! Jumping from roof to roof, he continued to chase the perpetrator. Running, the man turned his body and pointed his gun at Raven. Bang! Bang! Swiftly dodging the bullets, Raven bolted from his position and extended his hand to grab the man. Realizing his pursuer was close, the man jumped down from the roof andnded safely on the ground. Bang! Bang! Before he sprinted, he fired several bullets at Raven. The bullets grazed some of the rooftiles and missed their mark. Raven immediately jumped down and continued his pursuit. He was now part of the Special Force. One of the organizations assigned to regte order in the human domain. Extending his hand forward, he activated his skill. [Recall] The familiar sight of his dark-purple dagger materialized in front of his palms. Clenching the dagger, he blinked forward. [Shadow Step] Appearing behind the man''s shadow, Raven lightly grazed the man''s shoulder. "Akh!" The man stumbled down, and Raven subdued his arms. The crime rate was high. But this was especially so in the rural areas of the human domain. Which is why he roamed the slum areas of the city. That was when he had caught sight of the man, seemingly holding a civilian at gunpoint. Whatever his motives were, Raven didn''t care. He wasn''t the same Raven ckheart from three months ago. After Brandon''s death, something changed within Raven. On that day, he was thest person to have seen Brandon, And after finding out he had died in the changing room¡­ He felt deep regret. Regret in having not done anything to save his best-friend. But there was a lot of mystery regarding Brandon''s death. One of them was Evelyn''s im that Brandon disappeared. It didn''t make sense. Nothing made sense. However, it was the truth of the matter. Three months had passed, and there were no signs of Brandon anywhere. That could only mean that he was dead. But Raven¡­ He couldn''t ept that fact. There were a lot of mysteries regarding the cmity. Maybe it had something to do with Brandon going missing. However, it was nothing but a wishful thought. His best friend was dead. And that was it. The cold truth of the matter. Had had to move on. "...I have to." For the sake of humanity. "But still¡­" His expressions cracked and he clenched his fist. Despite wanting to move on¡­ He missed his friend. Chapter 160: Brandon Locke [2] December 25, 2148. It was Christmas. Snowkes fell from the sky. The rough patch of grass had now be obscured by piles of snow. Amidst the gentle fall of the snowkes, a woman stood with a nk expression with flowers in her hands. Her pitch-ck hair fluttered by the snowy breeze. Her dark crimson eyes narrowed as she stared at the wall before her. There were several names embedded on the wall. Since one of the people, she came here for had ''A'' as the starting letter of his surname, Rachel was able to find him easily. [Here lies the brave souls who had lost their lives during the cmity.] She was at the cemetery. After finding the first person she was here for, she crouched down and ced a flower in front of the wall. Edward Ashfield. 2083 - 2148. On that day, her grandfather protected both her, and her sister, Amy. However, an incident urred. The density of mana in the world fluctuated. And for a few minutes, mages lost control of their mana. The same was said for Evelyn. Which was why it took her quite a while to set up the barrier. In that brief one minute, the water barrier dispersed. But he was able to react quickly, pushing granddaughters aside as the ceiling fell from above. Unable to strengthen his body with mana, therge debris fell over him, as the two sisters watched their grandfather''s immediate death. It was a tragedy. The two sisters could do nothing but save themselves, just so their grandfather''s death wouldn''t be in vain. The mana fluctuation incident had caused the deaths of several others. Rachel clenched her fist as the thought of that day resurfaced in her mind. Lowering her head, her expressions cracked. She pursed her lips. "...Thank you for everything, Grandfather." She truly appreciated him. She didn''t grow up with him. But from that day, she realized just how much her grandfather loved her, sacrificing himself in the process. To Rachel, he was her hero. She continued expressing her appreciation as she sped her arms together. Afterwards, she raised her head. On to the next person. The one she was the most conflicted about the most. Since the other person also had an ''A'' as the starting letter of his surname, it didn''t take long for Rachel to find him. And as soon as she found the name, she narrowed her eyes. Rafael Asami 2101 - 2148. Unlike her grandfather, who was confirmed dead, her father was deemed missing. But a collective had agreed that the missing were most likely dead at that point. There was no surviving outside the human domain. And so, the missing had been presumed dead, just a little over a month ago. Rachel felt conflicted about everything. There were so many loose ends she was unable toe to terms with. But after all the confliction, she could very well agree that there was guilt. Unsure why, she had felt regretful about everything surrounding her father. If only¡­ If only she hadn''t let him go on that day¡­ To force him to stay with her and tell her everything. But not everything came straight out of a fairy tale. And after everything, she hade to realize that there were no such things as happy endings. Gathering her thoughts, she crouched down and gently ced another flower. sping her hands together, she offered a silent prayer. She wasn''t typically a religious person. But after everything that happened, she would like to believe that there was a god out there and that her family was in a safe ce. "...I hope the two of you have found sce up there." She silently spoke. But truth be told, she didn''t know what to do next. The academy was closed. The Ashfield and Asamipany were in a dire state of affairs. The more time passed, she knew bothpanies would shut down at some point. She didn''t have the skills to take the mantle and lead thepanies. But what was the point? Humanity was doing its best to recover at the moment. Companies that didn''t focus on products that would benefit humanity''s recovery were useless. Since Rachel was the only heir to Asamipany, she had all rights to thepany. She could start a charity program. But since thepany didn''t have any means to gain mary value, it would significantly decrease her financial status. She had to step up. To find her own way to help humanity''s recovery. Yeah. Now she had some ideas on what she should do with her life. Clearing her thoughts, she walked ahead. ¡­To thest person she was here for. The first wall she approached were all the people dead with ''A'' as the starting letter of their surname. For the next person¡­ [Here lies the brave souls who had lost their lives during the cmity.] "...." She averted her gaze. Seeing his name made her heart sink. She truly couldn''t believe that he was gone. But just like her father. ¡­He was deemed missing. Three months had passed, and yet he was nowhere to be seen. But¡­ "Damn it." She clenched her fist. Finally, she had gathered the courage to look at his name. Brandon Locke. 2132 - 2148. "Why¡­." Why did you have to die? Why did you have to leave me? Why did I leave on that day? She couldn''t believe it. She truly couldn''t. She could never ept it. Over her dead body. But unconsciously, she knew the truth. In the back of her mind¡­ He died. And that was it. The harsh truth. She wasn''t even there when it happened. And just that thought had made her feel immense guilt. She truly missed him. But she had to move on. However, just saying it and actually moving on was two different matters. Before she realized it, tears started trickling down her cheek. This was the first time she had ever visited his grave. She couldn''t find the courage to visit him in the previous months. "...I have to move on." She said to herself. Humanity was in a perilous situation. She didn''t have the luxury to drown in her sorrows. Brandon''s sister, Belle, had joined the military. She was trying to move on in her own way. Raven had joined the Special Force and served to settle disputes all over the human domain. Even he too¡­ Brandon''s best friend was trying to move on in his own way. All of them. Reinhard. ire. Amy. Sarah. And now? It was her turn. She had to. For the sake of her peace of mind. Crouching down, she gently ced a flower in front of the wall. sping her hands together, she offered a silent prayer. And after finishing, she pursed her lips. The fog breath from the cold flowed out as she spoke. "...Give me the courage to continue, Brandon." Drip. Drip...! Chapter 161: Brandon Locke [3] It was dark. All Brandon could see was nothing but darkness. "...." At the same time, he couldn''t move. "Khh¡­!" Then, all of a sudden, his head started to ache unbearably. It was as if sharp daggers were piercing his skull. Simultaneously, his body started heating up. He felt his stomach start to churn. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! His heart quickened. A throbbing pain followed shortly after. However, the pain didn''t seem toe from his heart. It came from his chest. His chest started heating up, and he tried to clench it. But it was to no avail as he couldn''t feel any of his limbs. "Fuck." He muttered. But his mouth didn''t move and no sound escaped his lips. It was as if he was speaking sub-consciously. There was pain. But he couldn''t feel his limbs at all. It was like he was floating in water. And the pain continued to intensify. As if a bolt of electricity struck him, his body continued ringing. "Akhh¡­!" Fear started to grip him, unable to do a thing about the pain. Most of the pain seemed toe from his chest. But for what reason, he was unsure. The symptoms seem toe from inside. "...." That was when he realized¡­ It wasing from his mana core. "Kah!" Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! All sorts of throbbing rang throughout his entire body. His mana core continued heating up. It was the worst pain he had ever experienced. He could solemnly swear that there was nothing else worse than this. "Fuck is hapenni¡ª" Before he could finish his thoughts, something peculiar popped up. [Sovereign''s Will integration failed!] It was the system interface. [Restarting process.] And his suffering continued. "Ukh!" . . [Sovereign''s Will integration failed!] [Restarting process.] "Aghkk¡­!" Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! His heartbeat rapidly pulsed. The heat intensified, and he felt like wanting to tear his heart out. . . [Sovereign''s Will integration failed!] [Restarting process.] "Khh¡­!" And the same scenario persisted. . . [Sovereign''s Will integration failed!] [Restarting process.] "Why isn''t it fucking working?!" He cursed in his thoughts. He had already regretted agreeing to the integration process. What was even the point of all this suffering when it would fail in the end? [Sovereign''s Will integration failed!] "Motherfuck¡ªKhh!" [Restarting process.] Ba¡­ Thump! Failure after failure. "Fucking sh¡ªShaaat!" [Restarting process.] "Just fucking kill m¡ªFuaack!" [Restarting process.] Time and time again, the process failed. He had lost count on how many times the process failed. He wasn''t even sure what the time was anymore. He was unconscious. Yet at the same time, he was. [Restarting process.] "Go fucking kill yours¡ªSahh..!" . . The 357th process, he had grown numb to the pain at this point. [Restarting process.] "Die." [Restarting process.] "Happy to see you again, you fucking bast¡ªArhh!" [Restarting process.] "Hahaha." [Restarting process.] The 1,348th process. "Hahahaha." [Restarting process.] The 1,983rd. "At least tell me what time it is you fucking¡ªBhhh!" The 2,436th. "...." The witty remarks were over. He had lost all will to live at this point. The 3,899th. [Restarting process.] "...." By now, he was in a daze. Though he couldn''t feel anything, he could more or less tell what sort of expression he was making. nk. Indifference. Nothing fazed him anymore. [Restarting process.] "...." [Restarting process.] [Restarting process.] . . But in the 8,238th process¡­ [Integration Complete.] [Despite several modifications, your body was unable to withstand the Sovereign''s Will at its full capacity.] "...." The message was quite long. Regardless, he didn''t have the energy to read it at all. For him, it was another ''Restarting process'' message. [Instability is expected. Therefore, we''ve adjusted the will as to what your body could handle.] "...." Now it had caught his attention. "Hahaha." Are you fucking kidding me? Is all he could think of. All of a sudden, a ck rectangr interface materialized in his vision. The previous system interface used to be blue. However, now it was ck with a tinge of gray. ¡ª¡ª[Sovereign''s Will]¡ª¡ª [Name: Brandon Locke] [Mana Core: Tier 4] [Status: A] [Innate] ¨N Sovereign of Creation ¡ª Level 7 ¨N Experience ¡ª 16% [Skills] ¨NElemental Maniption ¡ª Total: 8 ¨NMana Disruption ¨Nelerated Cognition ¡ª Timer: 1 Hour. ¨NMana Burst ¡ª Timer: 1 Hour. ¨NMage''s Resolve ¨NAeolus Blessing [Inventory] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª "Huh?" Skill Weaver¡­ It wasn''t there. The skill he had been one with all this time had disappeared. Reced by something else called Sovereign of Creation. What in the world. [Innate] ¨N Sovereign of Creation ¡ª Level 7 ¨N Experience ¡ª 16% "...." The experience and leveling tab was transferred to the skill. Then that could only mean¡­ ¡­This whole time. The one he was leveling wasn''t his system, nor himself, but the skill. As if the skill was the entire system itself. Then where did his status go? With just that single thought, the status interface materialized. [Half of the Sovereign''s real status was integrated.] ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: B ¡ª[0%] ¨N MP: A+ ¡ª[0%] ¨N DEF: C ¡ª[67%] ¨N AGI: B ¡ª[0%] ¨N INT: A+ ¡ª[0%] ¨N CHA: S ¡ª[0%] [AVG: A] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª "...Real status?" Then what was the previous status for? That was when he had realized the system status'' unreliability. There were certainly moments when he felt like his capabilities didn''t match his status. So then, all this time¡­ He was always an A tier ranker? Just that, his body couldn''t fully handle the system¡­ Or rather, the Sovereign''s Will? There were several theories that sparked in his mind. But what was most peculiar was the loss of the system shop, and the system coins. What were they even? He hade to realize a long time ago that most of the system''s features defied all thews of this world. And what the hell was a Sovereign''s Will? Questions, questions. No answers. All of a sudden, another interface abruptly materialized. ¡ª¡ª[Main Act]¡ª¡ª Sovereigns'' Descent. Progression: ¡ª 0% ¡ª¡ª[Sub¡ªAct]¡ª¡ª Wraiths'' Descent. Progression: ¡ª 17% ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª What in the¡ª At the same time, a hollow bright glow shimmered from the interface. All of a sudden, a hand seemingly emerged from the main act interface. It loomed close, its palms open, about to grab him. Fear started to emanate within Brandon. It was just a hand. But for some reason, though he couldn''t actually feel it, all the hairs on his neck stood on end. It loomed even closer. But before it could grab him¡­ "Huak!" He was jolted awake. "Haaa¡­ H-haaa¡­" Taking deep heavy breaths, his chest heaved up and down. "Haaa¡­" Finallyposing himself, the realization dawned upon him. "...?" Thest thing he could remember was crawling in the academy''s changing room. But currently, he was in a different room. He lowered his head. There was a nket on top of him. Looking around, he was situated on a bed. The room was dimly lit. The only source of light came from the moonlight that casted its glow through the window. "...!" His eyes widened as he took in the sight of the room. There were cracks all over the floor, and the ceiling. But that wasn''t all, there were holes all over the room. Clearly, it wasn''t the after effects of the earthquake that had happened recently. Recently¡­ "...." His bangs obscured his vision. Brushing his bangs up¡­ "Huh¡­?" He realized that his hair had grown longer than what he remembered. It didn''t make any sense. That was when the realization dawned upon him. Time. How much time had passed? Creaaaak¡­. "...!" All of a sudden, the door slowly opened. Chapter 162: Brandon Locke [4] On the day of the cmity. September 9, 2148. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The building shook intensely. Debris fell from the ceiling. Passed out on the ground, and unable to conjure any mana, small debris grazed all over Brandon''s body. His uniform had tears and with light cuts underneath. Whiii¡ª All of a sudden, a portal materialized in the room. A figure emerged, with wheat blonde hair, and hazel-brown eyes, adorning a ck dress that seemed to entuate her curves. "Whew." Ciel breathed out a sigh of relief. "The coordinates are correct." She used a device that was given to her by Jin. A dimensional ring. A ring that activates a portal, with set coordinates. Once used, it won''t be avable for use for 240 hours. Ciel had a special skill. [Tracking] She could find anyone she sets her mind to. Just as long as she had already met the person. Partnered with the dimensional ring, she could open up a portal that''s set in the same location as the person she''s looking for. "Uh¡­?" ncing down, what greeted her sight was the familiar figure of the man with pale-white hair,ying on the ground. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Despite the intense tremors, Ciel remained calm. The quaking wasn''t enough to ring her danger rms. "...Why is he here?" For some reason, she was in the changing room. She hadn''t expected this at all. But what she did expect was for Brandon to be passed out. After all, from what she knew, the mana influx would permeate the air. For this reason, any person capable of harnessing mana would slowly integrate the mana within their cores. Yes, gradually, mages and duelists all over the world would get stronger at an astonishing rate. But for system users¡ª "Sovereigns." But for Sovereign''s they would instantly integrate all of the mana into their core. This meant that their body would enhance itself in that instant. With such a reason, the system would unravel itself, unveiling its true self. The Sovereign''s Will. Fixing her attention on the passed out Brandon, it seemed like the integration process had started. "...Is he an idiot?" She tilted her head. It wasn''t the right time to start the integration process. Especially so, due to the chaos happening around them. If she hadn''t made it on time, Brandon would get buried under all the debris. ¡­Ultimately leading to his death. But she couldn''t me him. He didn''t know what an integration process entailed. He must''ve thought it was a powerup or some sort. But truth be told, Ciel didn''t have the Sovereign''s Will. Just that, she was Jin''s most trusted person. His right hand, and the person he had entrusted to lead the Primordials. ording to Jin, Brandon should be well aware of who she was. And for Ciel, she knew the boy quite well. Just¡­ "Not the current one." She shook her head. She was tasked to find him. Seeing Jin''s reaction to the sudden mana influx, Ciel knew she had to hurry up and find Brandon. If someone as strong as Jin had reacted that way, then how bad was Brandon''s state? It seemed like things weren''t looking good for him as he passed out on the ground. "For the other one¡­" She shook her head. Jin had told her to leave him alone. At the moment, Brandon was alone. She was the only one who could save him. "...!" All of a sudden, a blinding light emitted from Brandon. His mana started leaking out. Boom¡ª! Boom¡ª! The mana around him thrashed around the room. Cracks expanded, and holes etched on the wall. "His mana is unstable." With such thoughts, Ciel crouched down. Extending her hand, she traced the unconscious Brandon''s nape, slowly maneuvering her way down his back. Mana started pouring out from Ciel, and coalesced with Brandon. She didn''t have the Sovereign''s Fragment. Nor did she have the Sovereign''s Will. But what she did have was a fraction of Jin''s power. And thus, her mana was purer than most mages. But not as pure as a Sovereign Fragment''s mana. Realizing that she had managed to stabilize Brandon''s mana, Ciel pulled her hand away. "Haaa¡­" She took a deep breath. Just that act alone strained her mana core. But at the moment, the stabilization process was a sess. Clearly, Brandon was unstable at the moment. If he were around other people¡­ They would most likely suffer from mana poisoning. He was a hazard to regr mages at the moment. For that reason, Ciel lifted Brandon''s body, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Then, she returned to the portal with the unconscious Brandon, and emerged on the other side. "Haaa¡­" He was heavy. And so, she immediately set his arms free. Thump! But with theck of care, Brandon forcefullyid on the ground. "Oh no." She covered her mouth in shock, realizing what she had just done. Flustered, Ciel crouched down and lifted his body up once again, gentlyying him down on the bed. The location she was in, was none other than the Primordials'' base. In particr, where the seated members would gather. At the moment, it was the safest ce Brandon could be. It was built to withstand all sorts of earthquakes. And with the powerful seated members around, its defenses were imprable. Not like anyone could find the base in the first ce. They operated covertly, under the public''s eye. But truth be told, each Primordials member operated undercover in the government. Exhausted from giving her mana, Ciel slumped down on the side of the bed. She had an abundance of mana. But the Sovereign''s Will demanded way too much that even Ciel hadn''t expected it. "Haaa¡­ H-haaa¡­" Taking heavy breaths, Ciel rested for several minutes before deciding it was time to leave. Walking towards the door, she took a good look at the resting Brandon. "Heh. Despite how old you look, you''re still the same child from back then." The same¡­ With that thought, Ciel''s expressions contorted into a sorrowful look. For how long the integration process wouldst, she had no idea. But she was willing to help him whenever he became unstable like earlier. That being said, Ciel left the room. * September 10, 2148. The next day. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Despite the fact that the tremors had already stopped, the building shook. However, the epicenter of the quaking was obvious to everyone present in the building. "Ciel, the hell is going on?" Perplexed, one of the seated members asked Ciel. "Is it him?" "Yeah, I''ll deal with it." Ciel nodded and sprinted through the halls of the building. nk¡ª! The door abruptly opened, and the same scenario from yesterday urred. A blinding light emitted from Brandon. The room shook intensely. But despite that, there was no damage to the room. It seemed like Brandon''s mana had be unstable again. Realizing, Ciel neared the unconscious Brandon and started the process. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumb¡­ After a few minutes, she had finally managed to stabilize him. "Haa¡­" Exhausted, Ciel almost stumbled, but supported her weight with her hand as she leaned on the bed. "How long is this gonna take?" It''s been a day since she had brought Brandon here. And not once had he woken up. But thankfully, he was still alive. Ciel rested for a few minutes before deciding to leave the room. Tak. Tak. Walking around the halls, the sound of her heels clicking on the marbled floors echoed. "Good afternoon, Ciel." She had passed by one of the seated members. "To you as well, Kael." With red hair and green eyes, Kael. The Sixth Seat. Gazing ahead, Kael asked. "Is this going to happen everyday?" "...I have no idea." Ciel shook her head at Kael''s question. She really had no idea. The conversation ended there. Most Primordial members were busy at the moment. After all, most of them worked for the government. But truthfully, they worked for Jin. At the moment, the sky was still split apart. And though the tremors had stopped, humanity was in a perilous situation. Most of the members worked to mitigate the dire affairs of humanity at the moment. And since Ciel was tasked to look out for Brandon, she couldn''t leave the base. * September 28, 2148. Rumble¡­. Rumble¡­. The same scenario had urred everyday. In fact, it seemed like the frequency increased with each passing day. And whenever Brandon''s mana became unstable, Ciel would stabilize him. Small cracks had already appeared in the room. Evident of the frequency of his instability. * October 12, 2148. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ * October 29, 2148. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The cracks had already expanded. Small holes started appearing all over the walls. The frequency of Brandon''s instability had significantly increased. Ciel could count that it would happen at least 16 times in a single day. For this reason, Ciel was severely exhausted. Bags were evident under her eyes. * November 22, 2148. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ And the same scenario urred. "Haa¡­ Haaaa¡­." Ciel couldn''t take it anymore. "When the hell is he going to wake up?" * December 12, 2148. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ It was the same with each passing day. "Each¡­ passing¡­ day¡­. Haaa¡­." * January 6, 2149. The new year had already passed. But Brandon had yet to wake up. Looking at him, his hair had already grown quite long. The frequency increased even more. At least, 29 times in a single day. But Ciel was already used to handling the situation. But still, she was tired. Really tired. * February 14, 2149. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ * March 1, 2149. "Damn it. Just wake up!" * April 22, 2149. . . June 1, 2149. Chapter 163: Brandon Locke [5] ''Who the hell¡­?'' Brandon thought to himself. A woman emerged from the door. She adorned a ck dress, only showing enough skin. But her chest was undoubtedly voluptuous. Though¡­ who? He squinted his eyes, scanning her figure even more. Shortly after, the woman''s voice reached his ears. "...You''re finally awake." "Where am I?" He politely inquired. "Firstly, do you know who I am?" "...." Pinching his chin, he took a good look. He tried to recall several descriptions of the characters in the novel. She seemed oddly familiar, wheat blonde hair, hazel brown eyes. But he can''t put a finger on it. ''The novel had too many blondes¡­'' Amelia was one such character. But she was never mentioned in the novel. Sure, the Imperial Army was mentioned. But the author would only describe them as ''soldiers'', or the Imperial Army. The author was definitely a shit writer. What was his name again? Athex. He could never forget the author until the day he died. In the first ce¡­ This was the first question he was supposed to ask, as soon as he descended. ''Why am I even inside his novel?'' It was absurd. "Ciel." "...." That name. It was familiar. But, ¡­Why was she here? "So you recognize me." "...Yes." "Then I don''t have to make any formal introductions. Firstly, rest up. I''ve prepared some clothes for you in that closet over there." She pointed at the cab on the corner. "I''lle back with a meal prepared. Make yourself at home." Turning around, Ciel was about to leave until Brandon called out to her. "Wait." "Yes?" She turned around. Brandon clenched his forehead. He felt his head start to ache. Gritting his teeth, he asked. "...What day is it?" "Oh." Her next words¡­ "June 1, 2149." Sent shivers down his spine. His eyes shot wide open, and he clenched his forehead even tighter. A year has passed? That was a lie, right? He was about to say something, but stopped as he realized Ciel had already left the room. "...." A year shouldn''t have passed. The system clearly said that the integration would take only a day. But as his bangs obscured his face, things were starting to make sense. His hair was longer than before, and there was reason for Ciel to lie. He knew what her personality was like in the novel. Out of all the seated members, she was the most passive. If he wanted a seated member on his side, it would definitely be Ciel. But in the first ce¡­ Why was he with her? He continued to ponder for several minutes, before Ciel entered the room, pushing what seems to be a trolley. Scanning, there was a te and a bowl on top of the trolley, with utensils and a goblet. How fancy. The enticing aroma of the food permeated the air and reached his nose. Unknowingly, he started drooling. If a year really had passed, and he was unconscious the whole time, then how was he still alive? He should''ve starved or dehydrated to death. There were several questions about those mysteries. But he left it at that. He was still alive. That was all that mattered. "....!" He tried moving his legs, but it was to no avail. "Uh¡­." "Oh, you can''t move?" "....I''m trying." "You''ve beenatosed for almost a year. Your receptors must still be trying to activate. Justy your back on the bed''s headboard." "Then how can I eat?" Ciel unveiled the lid and picked up a spoon. With a smile on her face, she spoke. "I''ll feed you." "...." What in the world. "Don''t worry. It''s just soup. Your body might still be unable to digest proper food." She was too meticulous. Even taking that detail in ount. But no. That was too embarrassing. He shook his head. "I should at least try to feed myself." "You''ve just woken up. Your muscles should still be quite weak." At the mention of ''muscles'', Brandon folded up his sleeve and scanned his arm. Despite beingatosed for almost a year, he wasn''t malnourished at all. In fact, it felt like his muscles were more defined than before. Was this because of the S charisma? How scary. "Alright, here." Ciel offered the spoon, and ced the bowl in between his legs. This was unsafe. If he moved a bit more, the bowl would undoubtedly nt sideways and pour all the soup on the bed. Ciel was obviously trying to prove a point. But Brandon still couldn''t ept the offer. It seemed like she saved his life. He could feed himself at least. Gazing at the soup, he licked his lips. The heat from the smoke felt refreshing, and despite the fact that it was just soup, it had a certain aroma that made him lick his lips even more. "...." His hand. It was shaking. No, his entire arm was shaking. He clearly had no control over the spoon. As if his hand and eye coordination wasn''t working. But still, he persevered. "...." The soup spilled from his spoon, drenching the nket a bit. "...." "See?" Ciel tilted her head. "Haaa¡­." He breathed out a sigh. "Now open wide." ¡­And resigned himself to his fate. There was no helping it. And clearly, Ciel wanted to feed him for some reason. This was embarrassing. He had just met her, and she was already doing this much for him. She was like a mother. This carried on for the next few minutes. But that was when¡­ "Ukh!" His head started aching unbearably, as if sharp daggers were piercing through his skull. "What''s wrong?" Ciel anxiously asked. He tried to respond, but he couldn''t. All he could let out were groans of pain. "Khh¡­!" All of a sudden, his mana started leaking out. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The room gradually shook. The nging sound of the te rang. "....So it''s still happening." What was she talking about? ''Still''? Then this wasn''t the first time this happened. He wanted to ask her. But his world started spinning, and his body was heating up. It was the same sensation when he was still half¨Cunconscious. It came from his core. Or rather, his mana core. His mana glowed, but it was pitch ck. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The shaking started to intensify. "Lay down." Cielmanded. As soon as she did, Brandon immediately slumped on the bed face first. "Khh¡­!" His body flinched as he felt Ciel''s finger traced his nape, making its way down his back. He was familiar with this. It was the process of transferring mana. A feeling of warmth followed shortly after, and the pain in his head slowly subsided. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Rumb¡­ The shaking gradually slowed down until it stopped. Finally, the pain in his head was gone, as well as the heat. Massaging his head, whileying on the bed, he pursed his lips. "What''s happening to me?" "It''s your Sovereign''s Will. It''s trying to fully integrate itself in your body. But currently, it''s too much for your body to handle." "...." His eyes widened. She knows about¡­ the system. "Yes, I know about the system." She spoke as if she had read his mind. Clearly, she knew more about the system than he did. And he was a novel reader too. Shame. "I can only stabilize your core temporarily. I thought it would stop happening after you woke up. But it seems like I was wrong." "...So this has happened before?" "A lot more during your slumber than I can count." That exined the room''s poor state. "We need a permanent cure to stabilize your mana." "Where do we find that?" "A Sovereign''s Fragment needs to be the one to stabilize your core." "...." There it was again. The mention of ''Sovereign''. The hell was a Sovereign. It was a concept that was never introduced in the novel. And in the first ce, why was it happening now? Did Raven get this Sovereign shit as well? It seems like it only happens to system users. Then¡­ did it happen to¡ª "Jin!" "Hm?" "Where''s Jin?" He abruptly lifted his body up and asked in a hurried tone. "...." She didn''t respond. It seemed like she hesitated as her eyes darted down. But the next words she spoke made his eyes shoot wide open. "He''s gone¡­." Chapter 164: Brandon Locke [6] ''He''s gone¡­?'' How could he be gone? Wasn''t he the strongest? What kind of monster would be capable of killing him off like that? Just the thought sent a shiver down his spine. Surely, he wasn''t dead. He couldn''t imagine anyone, or anything capable of killing Jin. "Is he¡ª" "I don''t know." She decisively cut him off. "But I trust him. If he''s dead, then that''s that." She shook her head. "I just have to do what I can. For now, I have to look out for you." "Why?" It didn''t make any sense. He knew he was heavily favored by Jin, but there should''ve been no reason for the Ciel to do all of this. "Because it was Jin''sst will." "...." He could understand that. Scanning her, he could definitely see that she was exhausted, evident by the slight creases in her eyelids. The lengths she was going through for a stranger, even supplying him with her mana to the point where she was overfatigued¡­ Even if Jin had told her to do so, it was too much. Just what kind of rtionship did the two have? "He''s my brother." Again. Was she a mind reader? "I''m not." "...." "I can tell from the expressions you''re making." "...." That aside, the sudden revtion of her rtionship with Jin had taken him aback and his eyes shot wide open. Jin''s identity was never revealed in the novel. As for Ciel, she had made several appearances. But due to the nature of the organization''s secrecy, and as for the author''s writing style, it would always leave things vague. Again, shit author. But now that he was experiencing everything with his own eyes, more and more information gets revealed. He had already doubted a long time ago whether he was actually in the novel, or just a world that was simr to it. If he were actually in the novel, then he could solemnly swear that he had long surpassed thest chapter he had read. Sure, he had altered the plotline of his own volition. But the author had clearly left things far too vague. From what he knew, he was near the novel''s ending. There was no time to flesh out Ciel''s character, nor give her a backstory like this. ''...This isn''t a novel, isn''t it?'' It was a usible theory. There were key concepts that werepletely left out in the novel. One such concept was Jin''s identity. The other, was Brandon Locke, the character he had transmigrated into''s actual identity. If he wasn''t that important, then there was no reason for Jin''s favoritism towards him. Andstly¡­ "The rift!" That was when he realized he hadpletely forgotten about the rift. "What happened after?!" He abruptly asked, changing the topic. But her response was the shaking of her head. "It''s better if you see it for yourself." "Do you know what happened to my family? My sister? My friends¡­?" "Unfortunately, I don''t." "...." Understandable. "What about the incursion?" "...It was a failure." "...." Then that could only mean¡­ His father was dead. ''Damn it.'' The thought of his death had left him conflicted. He wasn''t particrly close to him, and he wasn''t his real son. But somewhere inside, he felt like he had let the original Brandon Locke down. If that was the case, then how was Belle holding up? "...." The thought of Belle had made him feel mncholic. She was the closest person to him. The only one he could truly open himself up to. Her father had died, and he wasn''t by her side to console her. She had consoled him whenever he was down. She was a beacon of hope, the one who had saved him from himself more than he could count. And that was when he realized his current predicament. If Ciel didn''t know Belle''s current state, then that could only mean that Belle didn''t know where he was. "....What happened to me?" "I don''t know either. I took you in under Jin''s instructions. But I realized why, as soon as I found you unconscious." "Why?" "Because of your instability. You''re a hazard to the others, Brandon. I was able to stabilize you these past few months. But clearly, it''s a temporary solution." Brandon listened attentively to each and every word she spoke. "I''m sorry I couldn''t inform them. But you should be well aware of my status." Yes, she had to hide identity. She had her own reasons, and Brandon could respect that. "From what I''ve heard from the reports of the other members, on the day of the cmity, a lot of people died." He understood where this was going. But he didn''t want to hear it. Just the thought of it had made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "To the world, it seems like Brandon Locke is dead." "...." Of course the others would think that way. After all, he had been missing for over nine months. "...Can I go back and see them?" "No." She shook her head. "You might be fine now. But once you go unstable, it''s highly likely that they would get affected. From what I can see, you seem to be a lot stronger now. People below your strength would most probably die once they get exposed to your unstable mana." "If that''s the case. Then why aren''t you affected?" "Because I''ve received a portion of his power." "His power?" Was she talking about¡ª "Jin." As expected. But that still didn''t answer most of his questions. The Sovereign''s Will clearly entailed some sort of power. Since she said that it would affect mages, then even someone as strong as Belle would get affected. But in the first ce, what kind of power did Jin give her? And why was she able to stabilize him? With such thoughts, he arrived at a question that he had wanted answers to for so long. "Who is Jin?" "Another one like you." "...." Well that was vague. "Like me?" "A system user." "...." What the fuck? Is all he could think of. Once again, the revtion had left him in shock. His mouth was left agape as it contorted to an ''o'' shape. There were already several surprises that took him aback. But this revtion took the cake. But now everything made sense. Jin''s strength. The mystery around him, and his favoritism towards him. "I see." But despite the shock, he responded maturely. "Then¡­ are there any others like us?" "Not that I know of." She shook her head. He appreciated Ciel''s honesty in her answering all of his questions. He realized he was asking too much, but it couldn''t be helped. He was too in the dark by all of this. "Are you a system user as well?" "No." "So this power he gave you, is it rted to the system?" "You could say that. But to be precise, the power he had given me is rted to the Sovereign''s Will." "I see. Then why can''t you cure me yourself?" "The power I have is nothing but a portion of the will. I can only stabilize you for a few hours before you go all berserk again." That made sense. Ciel had made it clear from the beginning that her method was inefficient. "Then how can I be cured?" "We need a Sovereign''s Fragment to stabilize you." "Then how can we find that?" "Apologies for being vague. But the Sovereign''s Fragment isn''t an object. It''s a person. We need to find ''her'' to stabilize your core." Her? "Who?" "Amelia Constantine." Chapter 165: Sovereign Fragment [1] "Haaa¡­." After changing out of her military uniform into lighter clothing, Amelia slouched down on the couch. A lot of things had changed. And after a year, she had climbed up the military ranks at an astonishing pace. A speed that was never seen before. She was now a General at 19 years-old. The youngest in the Imperial Army''s history. After the cmity, she could solemnly swear that she had some kind of boost in strength. At first, it started with a light migraine. But progressively, in the next set of months, she could feel like her mana core had increased exponentially. And that was when something peculiar popped up in her peripheral view. With just that thought¡­ ¡ª¡ª[Sovereign Fragment]¡ª¡ª [Name: Amelia Constantine] [Mana Core: Tier 5] [Status: A+] [Innate] ¨N Gate ¡ª Level 10 ¨N Experience ¡ª 2% ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: A- ¡ª[3%] ¨N MP: A+ ¡ª[2%] ¨N DEF: A+ ¡ª[67%] ¨N AGI: A- ¡ª[0%] ¨N INT: B+ ¡ª[0%] ¨N CHA: SS ¡ª[0%] [AVG: A] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª An interface popped up. This was something relevantly new to her. But after seeing it for over nine months, it wasn''t as shocking anymore. [Gate] Apparently, that was what her ability was called. She had the [Armament] affinity, and it seems like it was connected to her innate skill. Gently raising her palms, a sword materialized in her peripheral vision. Raising another palm, another weapon materialized. It was a knife. Ever since awakening her affinity at a young age, she could only materialize small weapons like knives. And it seemed like weapons were the only thing she could conjure. Though, she did know it was the same as her father''s ability. But the difference was that her father could only materialize five weapons at once. For her¡­ Her capacity increased progressively. And now she could do ten, the same as her Gate''s level. And though her father could only materialize melee weapons, for Amelia¡­. Dematerializing the melee weapons, she extended one of her hands forward. A gun materialized and she clenched it tightly. Standing up, she pulled the trigger. Bang! Bang! A normal gun would need bullets. But supplying the gun with mana, the gun would consume her mana in exchange for bullets. Dematerializing the gun, she slumped back down on the couch. "Huu¡­" Scruffing her cor, she hade to realize how hot the room was. Ever since the cmity, the weather had been quite unstable. And though it was night, she could well agree that it was quite hot, despite the air cooler present. With such thoughts, she took off her shirt, unveiling her usual sports bra. "Much better¡­" Raising her head to look at the ceiling, she began to ponder. In the past few months, things had significantly changed. The Special Force was absorbed by the Imperial Army, and are now working under their orders. The hierarchy went; Imperial Army, Special Force, Guild, Police Department. While the Imperial Army served as their main defense, and the main organization that heads all these departments, the Special Force acted as a sub-group. Police department on the other hand worked to solve issues within the Human Domain. And the most interesting one out of all these departments were the Guilds. Guilds had significantly changed throughout the past months. To be allowed to leave the human domain, you need to be a certified ranker, or at least have two rankers with you. There were oppositions from the citizens at first. After all, they needed to pay to hire rankers to apany them. But it quickly died down as they realized there was no point in leaving the human domain. Everything they needed was in the human domain. They were able to cover morend, and continued to do so. As for the creatures, the ssifications were made public, as well as their difficulty. The hierarchy went; Goblins ¡ª F Rank. Kobolds ¡ª F+ Rank. Direwolves ¡ª D Rank. Mana Beasts ¡ª C Rank. Lizardmen ¡ª C+ Rank. Golems ¡ª C+ Rank. Manticores ¡ª B Rank. Orcs ¡ª B+ Rank. Ogres ¡ª A+ Rank. Wyverns ¡ª S- Rank. There were more races, but they were unable to assess the difficulty, due to the mystery that shrouded them. Sightings of different creatures were being reported everyday. But so far, these were the only ones that rankers were able to assess. But from what they could tell, the most mysterious races were the Elves. They knew they resided in the forest, yet their sightings were low. People had begun to doubt whether these leaf pointed eared humanoid creatures actually existed. But still, the amount of ims that swore they saw them descending on the day of the cmity said otherwise. Also, all of the sightings'' stories aligned. Silver hair, and leaf pointed ears. Once they were sighted, they mysteriously vanished. And rankers who had explored that forest could swear that the mana density was thick. As if a significant amount of mana had gathered in the forest. For the other creatures, they resided all over the continent. While some of them seeked refuge in cave-like structures. Humanity had begun to call these caves, byrinths''. And thesebyrinths were being explored everyday. More creatures were being sighted and reported in the guild. And though the rankings were nothing but assessments, it was used as the basis for what sort of party the rankers would form. "It''s all too crazy¡­" It was as if the fairy tales that Amelia read hade true. ¡­And not the good kind of fairy tale. Turning her head to the side, she looked at the picture frame that was on her table. It was a picture of her as a child and her father. Her heart grew heavy as he recounted those days. "...I miss you, Dad. I wonder how you''re doing up there." If only¡­. "Haaa¡­." If only he had listened to Brandon on that day. Then things would''ve been a lot better today. After all, in nine months, there was still no appropriate candidate for the Grand Marshal position. She was always nominated, but she would always refuse the position. She didn''t feel like she deserved the position at the moment. "I want to earn it with my own achievements." Nepotism was out of the picture. There were several other picture frames on the desk. Photos of her time in her academy with her friends, the events she had participated in and such. But her gazended on a specific picture frame. A photo of her and a man with pale-white hair and ice¨Cblue eyes. It was none other than Brandon Locke. Her junior. Her best¨Cfriend''s younger brother. ¡­And the only student who was deemed missing on that day. She was fond of him, and she could definitely say that she missed him. Amelia was well aware of how strong Brandon was. In fact, she wanted to form a squad with him and Belle, once they graduate from the academy and join the Imperial Army. But fate wasn''t so kind to him. His death made no sense. And truth be told, her instincts told her that he was still out there. While Belle had already epted the fact that her younger brother was dead, Amelia''s instincts said otherwise. As if some kind of strange connection told her that he was still alive. But still, what happened to Brandon was a tragedy. For that reason, she continued to support and console her best-friend, Belle. Though Belle had epted his death, her feelings would pour out from time to time. Everyday in fact. "...." Without realizing she had been deep in thoughts for a while, her stomach grumbled. "Guess I''ll order take out." With such thoughts, she dialed for a delivery service and quickly ordered her meal. * To. Tok¡ª After waiting for thirty minutes or so, someone knocked on her door. It must''ve been her food. She quickly put on a t-shirt and neared the door. Creaaaaaak... What greeted her sight was a woman with wheat blonde hair, and hazel brown eyes. She was beautiful. What''s a beauty like her, working as a delivery driver? Smiling, she greeted the delivery woman. "Good afternoon." "Amelia Constantine." "...Yes, that''s me?" Her name was registered in the delivery app. It wasn''t weird for the delivery woman to know her name. "....!" But what happened next had left Amelia in shock. Behind the woman, a portal materialized. How did she do that? After the cmity incident, humanity had only begun to research these rift portals of some sort. Yet the woman had done it so easily. On high alert, Amelia took a battle stance. A sword materialized in her hand and she gripped it tightly, ready to strike at any time. "Who are you?" "Calm down. I''m not your enemy." "What you''re doing says so otherwise." "Don''t you want to see him?" "See who?" "Brandon Locke." Chapter 166: Sovereign Fragment [2] Emerging out of the portal, what greeted Amelia''s sight was a dimly lit room. "...." And the room was in a poor state. However, as her gazended on the figureying down on the bed¡­ "No way." Her eyes shot wide open. "Brandon?!" "Hey¡­ Amelia." Brandon waved with an awkward smile. "...Long time no s¡ª" Immediately, Amelia ran up towards Brandon and hugged him tightly. Sure, by instinct, she didn''t truly believe he was dead. But seeing him here? Alive and well? It took her aback. She was happy to see him. And happy for the fact that Belle still had another family member alive. She wasn''t alone with her mother. But if he was alive all this time¡­ Then why is he staying here? Shouldn''t he have made his survival known? Realizing such a fact, Amelia pulled away and looked at him seriously. "I''m truly happy to see you, Brandon. But where have you been?" "Uh¡­" "He''s beenatosed this whole time." The woman who had brought her here''s voice cut in their conversation. Amelia''s eyes widened and turned to look at the woman. "What?!" Then turned her head to look back at Brandon. "Is this true?" "...Yes. I just woke up." "I see." Now everything made sense. But for why he wasatosed, she had to ask. As soon as she did ask, the woman introduced herself. She then began to recount everything that had happened on the day of the cmity. From saving Brandon, to looking out for him everyday for nine months. She spared no details. It left Amelia in shock. But if supplying mana to his core was all it needed to stabilize him, then she or Belle could do that. There was no need for Ciel to do all this by herself. But that was when Ciel revealed a certain fact that had finally left Amelia confused. "Sovereign''s Will?" She inquired. The hell was that. And Ciel began to exin. Although she listened attentively, Amelia still couldn''tprehend anything. Like¡­ "Sovereign Fragment?" "Yes." And again, "What is that?" Despite asking, she was familiar with the Sovereign''s Fragment. After all, it was what the interface called itself. It seemed like Ciel knew a lot. With such thoughts, she used it as a chance to find out more about the Sovereign''s Fragment. "I don''t know much about it. If I''m going to be honest." Ciel shook her head. "But just know that only you alone have that special power." "...." She was taken aback. But she was still unable to process everything Ciel had said. Just the fact that Brandon was actually still alive had already overwhelmed her. "And why are you telling me all of this?" She had only asked about what happened to Brandon. She didn''t expect for Ciel to know about the Sovereign Fragment. "Because you''re the key to curing his Sovereign''s Will." "Tell me what I need to do." There was no hesitation in her tone. If she could cure whatever gued Brandon, then she was all in for it. Just imagining Belle''s reaction that he was alive had made her feel somewhat excited. The thought of reuniting the Locke family had made her heart feel warm. She had no family left. She didn''t want the same to happen to the Locke family. "Like what I told you. Supply him with your mana." "Is that it?" Seems easy enough. . . "Aghk¡­!" Nevermind. She began the process. Brandonid on the bed as her hand was on his back, passing her mana onto him. She could feel her body start to fatigue in each passing second. Just from the first few seconds had already made her feel quite sore. How the hell was Ciel able to do this everyday? But Amelia persisted as she gritted her teeth. Time passed like that, and before she realized it, the process was done. At least, she thinks it was done. "Haaa¡­." After all, she had no mana left. "Careful." Her legs gave out, and she was about to hit the bed with her knee before Brandon caught her, holding her arms. "Haa¡­ Thanks." Brandon nodded and helped her settle on the bed. *** As soon as the process finished, he felt the fatigue in his body begin to settle. In fact, he could now move his legs. And so, he stood up. He wasatosed, and scientifically he shouldn''t be able to move around this easily. But it seemed like what Amelia did had somehow worked to ease his muscles. His body felt light. But before he could celebrate, the system interface popped up. [Sovereign''s Will integration process: 10%] "Oh." A rain on his parade. So this was still ongoing, huh? "What''s wrong?" Amelia asked as she met his gaze. He hurriedly closed his system. "It''s fine, Brandon. She has one too." Ciel assured him. He turned to look at Amelia and asked. "Amelia, can you see the system-like interface?" "Y-you have one too?" She stammered. After all, Ciel had only mentioned things such as ''Sovereign''s Will'', and ''Sovereign Fragment''. But that didn''t equate to the subject of the system interface. It was quite refreshing to be able to talk about the system with someone else. At that, the two began their long conversation. Although they couldn''t see each other''s system, Brandon still continued a walkthrough on every key detail of the system. "So this means strength?" "Yes." "And this is agility?" "Yes." This. That. This? But for her next question, Brandon couldn''t find an answer to give. "How can I increase these stats?" "That¡­ I''m not actually sure. Before it turned into the Sovereign''s Will, there was a stat distribution feature." "...." "Sorry." It was too technical. "But basically¡­." And he continued his exnations. The two continued conversing for what seemed to be hours. And by the time they were finished, the sun was already up. Turning his head to the side, it seemed like Ciel was asleep. "...." ¡­She was drooling. And this was supposed to be the Second Seat of a secret organization. But Brandon truly appreciated her from the bottom of his heart. If it weren''t for Ciel, he wouldn''t have known what would happen to him. "...." He tried to carry her, but it was to no avail. His strength still wasn''t quite there at the moment. But still¡­ He grabbed a pillow and a nket from the bed and gentlyid Ciel on the ground. A pillow was on her head, and he draped a nket on her to top it off. "Huaamm¡­" He stifled a yawn. And as he turned his head to the side¡­ Amelia had fallen asleep as well. Her legs were dangled on the bed as sheid on her side. Thankfully, he found a set of clothes in the closet. Using those, he stacked a bunch of clothes to support Amelia''s head and draped a long zer on her. And finally, it was his turn to sleep. On the ground. With only a towel to support his head. Chapter 167: Sovereign Fragment [3] Brandon wanted to leave. To see his sister, and to finally see his friends. To let them know of his survival. "Don''t you want to use this opportunity?" "Opportunity?" "You''re not bound by your connections anymore. You can use this opportunity to grow." That¡­ It was a proposal that left him to ponder. There were merits to Ciel''s statement. But still. He feltpelled to at least let them know of his survival. But it seemed as though Ciel was able to tell the conflicted look on his face as she spoke her next words. "If you want to heed my advice, then you can tell your sister. For the others, it''s up to you." "...." And with that, Brandon began to ponder. Certainly. For the rest, they could live without his presence for the time being. The most important one was Belle. Ah. And that was when he recalled a certain someone. ''Rachel¡­'' Thest thing he could recall was howplicated the situation was regarding her. If Rachel was doing well now, then his appearance would impede her of some sort. The same went for him. He could recall how uncertain his ns became when Rachel got herself involved. She was a variable he couldn''t take into ount, no matter how much nning he did. This was especially so with herplicated family matters. In the not so distant future, he could picture just how a burden they would be to each other. It''s better to leave her in the dark for now. Just until he was strong enough to ignore these variables. Thinking of such thoughts might''ve made him feel ungrateful, after what Rachel did to save him. But in the first ce, everything was taken into ount. On that very same day he almost died, Jin was there. He had sensed his gaze on that day. The only reason the situation escted to a near-death situation was because of Rachel''s appearance. Jin couldn''t just abruptly show up in front of Rachel. But besides that, they were good friends. He couldn''t obstruct her current state, just because of her feelings for him. And truth be told, ¡­He was quite unsure of his feelings for her now. Everything happened so abruptly. From the way sheshed out at him back in the shady coffee shop with Zed. It was as if he hadn''t done what he did, then things would''ve been worse for Rachel. He didn''t want that. She was part of the main cast. But inpensation, he knew his next course of action. And it was still the same. To somehow save her father from the organization. Was the organization even still under operations, after the cmity? He was unsure. But he would soon find out with just one phone call. After pondering, he voiced out his response. "Okay, I''ll do that." "Alright." Ciel nodded. "I can open up a portal that would directly lead to your sister. But I can''t guarantee there won''t be people around. They would see the portal and you''d have a whole lot more to exin." "...." She was right. "Then¡ª" Amelia''s voice cut in. She nced at her watch to check the time and nodded her head. "Around this time, Belle would usually be in church with her mom." She then nced up to Brandon. "After your father died, and your sudden disappearance, it took Belle a long time to recover. In fact, she''s still recovering. The same went for your mother." There was a certain sorrow in her expressions as Brandon scanned her face. He could immediately tell how good of a friend Amelia was to his sister. And also¡­ ''So¡­ the incursion¡­'' It was a failure. Brandon gritted his teeth. He had hoped that Jin''s prophecy wouldn''te true. But there was nothing that could be done. And if the incursion failed¡­ ''Then her father was also head¡­'' That¡­ Was Amelia some kind of saint? She seemed to be unbothered by that ordeal. Her father was dead. Why was she so eager to help them, when she herself had lost someone so dear to her as well? With such thoughts, Brandon locked his gaze with her. And that was when he realized¡­ The look in her eyes. She was holding back the entire time. She was the daughter of the Holy Land of Britannia''s Grand Marshal. Of course. As the daughter of a military¨Cmen, she was taught how to steel herself from a young age. Military professions entailed sudden deaths. And this¡­ She must''ve been prepared for this kind of scenario her entire childhood. But still. It wouldn''t hurt to let her feelings out. With such thoughts, Brandon neared her. "Amelia." She raised her head and his gaze was locked with hers. Her expression was the same. But her eyes told a different story. "Thank you for everything you''ve done for my sister up to this point." He took her hand, resting it in his palms. His other hand, on top of it. With a mncholic look, Brandon lowered his head. "And I''m so sorry for your loss. You have my full condolences." Amelia''s eyes widened. Her mouth stayed closed. And her expressions didn''t seem to change much. However¡­ A single tear trickled down her cheek, as her eyes stayed wide open, looking at him. The Imperial Army''s failure was a deep loss to humanity. But for both Amelia and Brandon, they had also lost their fathers. And though Brandon wasn''t particrly close to Omar, the thought of his death had still affected him somewhat. "...!" All of a sudden, Amelia''s shoulders began to tremble as she lowered her head, averting her gaze. Brandon was at a loss for what to do next. And with such thoughts, he stood still and allowed his senior to cry in front of him. The two stood still at that moment. Silence permeated the room. Even Ciel didn''t speak as she gazed outside the window. Shortly after, Amelia''s voice reached his ears, cracking. "...Sorry. I got a bit emotional there." He shook his head. "I''ll look away this time." "...." And so he did. *** Sob. Sob. The asional sound of sobbing broke the silence in the room. For Amelia, she had to steel herself, despite her father''s death. Imperial Army members would offer their empty condolences, but in the end, would return to the topic of finding a recement for her father. Though Amelia understood how dire the state of the human domain was, it felt disrespectful. They had even asked her to fill his role while she was grieving. ¡­As if her father had never meant anything to the army. He was that easy to rece. Her thinking might''ve been selfish. But she couldn''t help it. She was nothing but a daughter who had lost her father. *** June 2, 2149. 3:00 PM. It was a Sunday. And a sunday entailed going to church for the Locke family''s religion. pping her hands, she offered a prayer. Beside her was her mother. The two kneeled as they offered a silent prayer. Her prayers were the same as always. For the deity to protect them, guide them, and for everyone in the world to find peace. And also¡­ In hopes that her younger brother and father are somewhere up there. Time passed. They finished their prayer. The mother and daughter conversed after, roaming the halls as they made their way to the exit. It seemed like her mother was finally recovering. "Haaa¡­" Belle breathed out a sigh. Realizing her mother was ahead of her, Belle tried to catch up to her. But when she realized her mother had stopped walking, Belle tilted her head. "Mom?" Her mother''s attention seemed to be fixed on the far¨Cend corner of the halls. Following her line of sight, Belle turned her head in that direction. "...!" A silhouette emerged amidst the shade. Gradually, his features became visible. Belle''s mouth formed an ''o'' shape, and here eyes shot wide open. No way. There was no way. "...Brandon?" Chapter 168: Reunite [1] "....Brandon?" It didn''t make any sense. He was missing¡ª No. He was dead for nine months. Why is he showing up now? And in the first ce, is he even real? She didn''t want to ept it. She had already managed to recover somewhat. But if he was nothing but a sick illusion¡­ ¡­She would revert back to day one. "Sis, mom." That was definitely his voice. Although his hair might be long, she couldn''t forget her brother''s figure. He was definitely Brandon Locke. Just a bit taller. Brandon stood still. He seemed like he didn''t know what to say as he averted his gaze. Just like him, their mother stood in silence as well. Her gaze widened, and it seemed like her eyes were moist. "...My baby boy. It''s you, isn''t it?" "Yes¡­ mom." But despite confirming, Brandon''s head was lowered, not meeting their gaze. Tak. Tak. That was when Brianna immediately ran towards Brandon and hugged him tightly. With a smile on his face, Brandon returned the hug. "...I can''t believe it. I really can''t believe it. This is really you, right? Where have you been? Where did you run off to? Why would you make us worry? You''ve been gone for so long. And your father¡­" Brianna spoke too fast. But eventually, she paused and her voice cracked. Shoulders trembled, and Brandon caressed the back of her head. No words were exchanged between the two. Brandon must''ve had his own circumstances. Brianna seemed to understand that. But Belle on the other hand, stood still as she watched the entire scene in disbelief. Caressing his mother''s back, Brandon''s gaze eventuallynded on Belle. As soon as their eyes met, Belle flinched. Despite the confirmation of his survival, she was still in denial. If somehow, he wasn''t actually Brandon, but a mere illusion, then her heart would undoubtedly shatter. Drip. Before she realized it, a single tear trickled down her cheek. She missed him. It was then when Brandon''s lips pulled up to a warm smile. That smile¡­ There was no mistaking it. It was really him. Tak. Tak. ¡­And she too joined their embrace. The mother and daughter duo''s shoulders trembled under the arms of Brandon. Sob. Sob. The silence being broken by the asional sound of their sobbing. They were the only Locke family members left. All of Belle''s problems werepletely drowned out at this moment. Just the confirmation of Brandon''s survival had lightened the load on her shoulders. This was the best news they had ever gotten in the past month. And at that, the Locke family had finally reunited. *** ''So much has changed¡­'' The family roamed the streets of the human domain. ''Apparently, it''s called the human domain now.'' The streets bustled with activity. Vendors and merchants filled the streets. The pavements seemed like they were newly carved. ording to Belle, in the first four months, it wasn''t like this. But when humanity realized that the other races had never attacked them, they poured their resources and settled down. Oh, and there was a wall now. A really tall and big one. But still, humanity wasn''t stupid enough to be at ease. They knew it was only a matter of time before something happened. But here in the human domain, they could at least find peace. For now. They seemed to gather the attention of several people. Belle and Brianna were beauties after all. But for some reason, there were gazes fixed on Brandon as well, despite being with these beauties. It couldn''t have been because of his long hair¡­ And that aside, he was less buff than he was back then. His muscles were more defined. But they''re more constricted now. And the fact that he wore a white long sleeve¡­ It covered most of his features. So¡­ ''Ah, they think I''m a girl.'' Made sense. "Won''t you get a haircut?" Belle''s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She pinched her chin and scanned his face. "You kind of look like me now¡­" "Isn''t that for the best?" "Ah, right. You want to go all mysterious on your friends." "For now." "But that reminds me. Why?" And now this was the hard part. To convince Belle of his future activities. Not only that, but their mother was here and she was listening attentively. But Brandon had already rehearsed his lines with Amelia and Ciel. He knew just what to say. Probably. "I''ll tell you after we get a meal. What''s the most popr ce at the moment?" "Oh." Belle looked at Brianna who looked back at her at that moment. Then, they fixed their gaze on Brandon. "...." * They arrived at the restaurant. Apparently, it was a steakhouse. It was supposedly one of the most popr restaurants in the human domain and as expected, it was jam-packed with people. "What would you like to order?" "Ah yes. Can we have three of the most expensive steaks on your menu?" "Noted. Three A5 Kobe beef. Would that be all?" "Wait." Brandon''s voice cut through Brianna and the waiter''s conversation. "Make it five." "...." "...." Belle and Brianna seemed speechless. The steak was expensive after all. But Brandon used this chance. He was being treated. And this was his first solid meal in nine months. Their reactions were expected. But what he didn''t expect was the eventual smile stered in their faces. For whatever reason they were smiling, Brandon was unsure. Now it was time to get down to business. He brushed his bangs back and looked at the two seriously. Shortly after, he pursed his lips and began exining what he ns on doing. "So¡­" It took a whole lot of convincing. "No, absolutely not!" "She''s right, Brandon. You just came back, and now you want to go and get yourself killed?" He was met with opposition. A lot of opposition. In fact, it didn''t even feel like he would manage to convince them. "Sis, mom." Out of respect for his family, he had to tell them. Even when he knew he would be met with opposition. Time passed, and the three continued to argue. Attention was fixed on them, and whenever the two girls'' realized it, they would lower their voices. "When I return, I''ll join the army and support you, sis." And that was his proposal. "Not you too, Brandon!" Brianna''s reaction was expected. Her husband died as a military man. It seemed like even Belle had a hard time convincing her when she was about to join the army. And now the topic shifted. It seemed like his n worked. Now Belle couldn''t retort, when even she was met with opposition by their mother. Belle now argued with their mother. The topic hadpletely diverted. It was then when Belle''s gazended on Brandon. The expression on his face told her all she needed to know. As if he was saying, ''This is how it feels like.'' Time passed like that. The conversation died down, and Brandon had managed to convince both Belle and Brianna. But in exchange¡­ "Visit us every month, please." Belle seemed to share the same thoughts as Brianna as she nodded at her words. He had already nned on doing that. He couldn''t worry them. And eventually, their food arrived. But that wasn''t the only surprise. Brandon''s eyes shot wide open. Several employees encircled them, wearing party hats. And they began singing. What in the world. ¡ªHappy Birthday, to you~ This¡­ It was his birthday? Even he didn''t know. All of a sudden, an employee appeared with a chocte cake. On it had a candle that seemed to form the number ''17''. "Your birthday was yesterday. But still¡­ Now that you''re here, we have to celebrate it." It was a pleasant surprise. So Brandon Locke''s birthday was June 1¡­ ¡­On the same day he was transmigrated a year ago. That mere fact had left Brandon conflicted. It meant that he had reced the original Brandon Locke¡­ ''On his birthday¡­'' The only words he could think of were¡­ ''That''s kinda fucked.'' He blew on the candle, and the family enjoyed their meal shortly after. Chapter 169: Reunite [2] Friday. June 6, 2149. "Alright, you may go." "Thank you, Sir." Thump! Straightening her back and stomping her feet, Amelia shed a salute to her officer before leaving the room. She had requested for a leave of absence. Due to her father''s contributions, her superior officer epted. It was under the proposal of her bing a ranker and venturing forth. It was a good proposal. Amelia would be well knowledgeable of the other races, once her ranker license gets verified. She knew the army was setting her up as the next Grand Marshal. And so the experience of bing a ranker was well received. Her next destination was the guild. "Eh?! Amelia Constantine¡­?!" The receptionist seemed to be in shock. After all, her family was well known throughout the entire human domain. Thus, she was able to skip the long line. The process was smooth. All she had to do was sign a few documents, take a photo, and wait for a few minutes. "Here you go." Just like that, she received her card that validates her identity as a ranker. Now she had every permission to leave the human domain. Although she didn''t actually need one, being a general, she had a severe case of OCD. She wanted to follow procedures. "Ah, there he is." From a distance, she could see a familiar figure. His previous long pale¨Cwhite hair had been tied to a man bun. And as always, he adorned a ck zer. Typical Brandon. Ever since Brandon had returned, the aura around him significantly changed. The only reason she was able to recognize him back then, was because Ciel had already imprinted in her mind that she was about to see Brandon. If she wasn''t told that, she most probably wouldn''t be able to recognize him at all. He was way taller than back then. And his face seemed more chiseled. He was even more handsome now. Although she never voiced it out loud, she admitted it in her thoughts. "Oh, hey." He seemed to have just noticed her as she got near him. "You got yours?" "Yes." She nodded. "See." She extended her palms for Brandon to see her card. Grabbing something from his pocket, Brandon showed his card as well. "Same." She leaned forward and scanned his card. "Eh¡­? Cid Kage?" That was the name that was imprinted in Brandon''s card. An alias. "Yeah." "And you were able to bypass their identity checker?" "Yep." "How?" "It wasn''t that hard. I just told them I''m one of the refugees who lost their family. That, and my phone number for some reason." "Phone¡­ number?" She tilted her head. Brandon nudged his chin towards a certain direction. Following his direction, Amelia turned her head and saw the receptionist blushing while looking at a small paper in her hand. What in the world. And the fact that Brandon seemed unaware of what he did had left Amelia in shock. "Just gave her a fake number." He shrugged. Guess it was his perks for being handsome. All of a sudden, she felt a sharp re. "...." She definitely saw the receptionist''s expressions crack. But quickly fixed it and turned around, as soon as she met Amelia''s gaze. "...." It was then when another familiar figure caught sight of her. It was none other than Adrien Frost. ''Damn it. That''s right, he works here now.'' After the cmity, Adrien was at a loss. The Frost family, while still quite in power in the army, had lost their key central figure. Lucian Frost. Due to this, Adrien seemed to be pressured to take his mantle. And immediately, he was given a high ranking position within the guild. As soon as Adrien stepped down the flight of stairs, all eyes fell on him. But it seemed like he ignored all the intention as his gaze quickly locked on Amelia. Amelia''s face scrunched the moment their gaze met. She turned towards Brandon and grabbed his hand. "Come on, let''s go." But before she could leave and drag him away, Adrien called out to her. "Amelia? Pleasant surprise. Didn''t know you''d be here." "Tsk." She secretly clicked her tongue. ''Surprise my ass¡­'' It shouldn''t be a surprise at all. As soon as Amelia had registered in the guild, her data should''ve been updated in their database. Which should be the reason why Adrien made his appearance. Amelia turned back around and awkwardly smiled. Despite having distaste for Adrien, she shouldn''t let the public know about it. After all, they were both family members of those involved in the tragic event known as the incursion. "Hey, Adrien." She put up an act. No longer could she act like back then where she would tantly ignore him. They were adults in the working world now. Admittedly, Adrien was a good connection, whether she liked it or not. But if she had to be honest, Adrien changed these past few months. He was no longer as arrogant as before, and he had stopped chasing her and Belle. He was changing for the better, and was responsibly doing his tasks in the guild. "Oh?" He caught sight of Brandon. "Who''s this?" "Uh¡­ he''s¡­" She wasn''t quite sure what to tell him. *** Since Amelia seemed to hesitate, it was Brandon who spoke for her. "I''m Cid. Adrien Frost, right?" "Yes." They shook hands. Adrien''s gaze switched to Amelia, then back to Brandon. Shortly after, he pursed his lips. "It seems like you two are nning on taking a quest. If I may ask, what''s your rtionship with Amelia?" "..." "...." There was a tentative silence that urred. The two weren''t quite sure how to answer his question. They haven''t even gotten their stories straight if they would meet a ranker on the job. "Are you two¡­ uh¡­" It seems like Adrien was able toe up with his own conclusion. Now that he thought about it, there was no getting out of this unless he revealed his identity. And he didn''t want to do that. But Brandon had an idea on what Adrien was trying to say. After all the misunderstandings that urred during the festival, Brandon was now aware of such misunderstanding urring. And for some reason, it always happened whenever he was with Amelia. So¡­ "No, we''re not." Adrien winked. "....?" Amelia alternated her gaze between the two, perplexed. "Pftt¡­" Seeing her confused state, Brandon couldn''t help but hold back hisugh. Seems like Amelia was unable toprehend just what the two were getting at. Too innocent. She was fun to tease. "Well, I''m not gonna hold you two back. The request board is over there." He pointed and walked away shortly after. Even Brandon was quite taken aback at Adrien''s sudden change in behavior. "Oh, and¡­" Adrien paused and turned his head back. "It was nice meeting you, Cid." "Thank you. You too." Shortly after, Adrien headed back upstairs. It seemed like he had only wanted to greet Amelia, an old acquaintance. He had changed for the better. ''I hope it wasn''t an act, though.'' Dismissing his thoughts, the two headed for the request board. There were several requests posted on the board. At the moment, they were ranked F. Despite knowing how strong Amelia was, the guild had this kind of initiation. It was for precautionary measures. New rankers would immediately be ranked F, and could only take on F ranked jobs. If they managed toplete the job, they would automatically increase in rank. The next rank was E. "Which one do you think?" "Hmm¡­" Pinching his chin, Brandon pondered. There weren''t too many requests that were worth taking in the F rank category. But weighing the pros and cons, Brandon was able to pick a request. "That one?" "What do you think?" "Well it''s up to you." "Alright." After having decided, they submitted the request to the receptionist. ==== Please, we beg of you to help us. We had to leave our vige in a hurry because of the cmity, and we left behind something incredibly important. We need to go back to our vige to get it, but the journey is too dangerous for us to handle alone¡­. Rewards: 5 copper coins. Chapter 170: Sub Act [1] Inside a run¨Cdown tavern. It was in the middle of the outskirts. There, Brandon and Amelia could see a young boy¨Ca little over 14 years-old, sitting on one of the tables. "Should be him." As soon as the process to ept the request finished, the receptionist gave them a phone number. When they called it, they were told toe to the tavern. They neared him and sat down in front of the boy. "...!" The boy flinched, seemingly startled. But as his gaze lingered on Amelia, he seemed to haveposed himself. Shortly after, he spoke. "....Thank you so much for epting my req¨Cuest." His voice cracked. Probably undergoing puberty. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much." The boy lowered his head. "No worries." Brandon set him at ease, waving his hand down. "We''re just doing our job." And shed him a warm smile. The boy''s eyes glistened. "Ah, right. I haven''t introduced myself yet." The boy cleared his throat. "Keum. My name is Carl. Just Carl." "Nice to meet you, Carl. I''m Cid." Brandon turned his head at Amelia, and Amelia introduced herself. "And I''m Amelia." She shed him a warm smile. Carl seemed bashful at the sight of Amelia. It couldn''t be helped. Amelia''s [CHA] stat was SS. It was even higher than his. A bonafide beauty. But as heposed himself, it was then when he started to recount his story. Carl and his little sister were actually in Vale City, the capital, when it happened. The reason for this was because they were sent by the vige head to trade their crops. Of course, they had adults to escort them and deal with the trade. They were only tasked to spectate and learn the craft of trading. It was then when the cmity happened. As the two siblings were about to head to the trade, the world shook intensely. Carl paused and lowered his head with a conflicted expression. Brandon was able to fill in the details by that point. The look on Carl''s face told him everything he needed to know. That the traders that escorted them, and most probablythe customers, died from the earthquake''s aftershocks. That was it. "And what''s the important thing you needed to get back in your vige?" He needed to confirm. However, as soon as he said that, the boy''s eyes darted around suspiciously. "..." Eventually, Carl raised his head and looked at Brandon seriously. The look on his face¡­ It was not the look of a child a few minutes ago, but as if his resolve was hardened. Finally, Carl revealed the matters in his requests. "Closure." "...." "...." Brandon and Amelia turned to look at each other. "I know I''m asking for too much. Most rankers turned away at this point after realizing how useless this request is. I wouldn''t me the two of you if you want to reject me. The rewards aren''t much anyway. But I can''t do anything about that, it''s all the money I could use without damaging our finances." He murmured and bowed his head. "But still, thank you for listening to¡ª" "Who said we were leaving?" It was Amelia who spoke. The boy raised his head slightly. "Hm?" "You need an escort right? Since you can''t leave the domain." "....Yes, that''s basically what this quest is about. I''m sorry if it''s misleading." "Then we ept." "Eh?" "....?" Brandon and Amelia tilted their heads. In fact, the three of them did. "Are you sure? This has happened before. As soon as me and my sister finished preparing, the rankers never showed up by the gate. Please don''t give us false hope." Brandon spoke. "Does thisdy over here seem like the type to do that?" And pointed at Amelia. "Uh¡ªAh." Carl stammered. He looked flustered as well. Most probably smitten by Amelia at first sight. "Okay, thank you so much." The boy bowed his head once again. "Me and my sister need to prepare. So can we set the departure date for tomorrow?" "Sure, just give us a call." "Okay." The boy got up and left shortly after. And so, Brandon and Amelia started to assess the situation. Carl. The vige boy was without a doubt, well spoken. He knew his manners, and when to push and pull to avoid being obnoxious. For what reason, they''d find outter. Although he seemed to be wary of them, that should be understandable. The boy and his sister were all alone in this new city. No family, no friends. It wouldn''t be a stretch to say that they didn''t have the most pleasant time in this ce. Especially by the fact that they most probably lived in the slums. "Are you sure you still want to join me?" "Yes." Brandon asked and Amelia confirmed. "I needed a little break. And this could be good experience as both a mage, and an Imperial Army officer." She smiled. "Plus, you''re going to teach me all about the system, right?" This was the best quest they could''ve gotten in the F rank category. Most of the quests were scouting jobs, or finding a lost cat in the human domain. This was the only quest that involved, leaving the human domain. And it was understandable why most rankers turned away. The rewards were low, and high ranking rankers would most likely take high ranking requests. Plus, there seemed to be no purpose for this request. But for Brandon and Amelia, it was perfect. Cars weren''t allowed outside the human domain. For transport, they would have to hire a wagon, or go on foot. Wherever this vige was, by the fact that most rankers turned away, it should be quite far. That meant, Brandon and Amelia could use the opportunity to experience the new world outside. That, and an opportunity to test the new system. For however they could raise their stats, Brandon now had an idea. If it went experience wise, then maybe if he did the action, then a stat would raise. It was then when the familiar system interface popped up. ¡ª[Sub¨CAct]¡ª [Escort Carl to his vige.] [Rewards:] [Sovereign of Creation: EXP ¡ª +10%] [Wraith''s Descent: ¨C2%] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª How peculiar. It seemed like the request had something to do with pushing back the Wraith''s descent. For whatever reason, Brandon didn''t know. But truly, this was the best request they could ever pick up. That and, it had an increase in the Sovereign of Creation skill''s progression. So this was how he was going to progress it now? Surely, he could also progress with killing monsters, right? But the rewards aside, was there really some kind of importance in escorting Carl? But it seemed like it wouldn''t be as easy as it sounds since the system put some kind of importance to it. As he turned his gaze to look at Amelia, it seemed like she didn''t receive a quest. Her gaze lingered outside, and he could definitely tell that she sneaked a quick nce at him, and returned her gaze back outside. "It''s getting kind of cold¡­" Amelia rubbed her shoulders. Now that he thought about it, it was. He followed her line of sight. The sky seemed to turn a pale white color. And the temperature was definitely rising gradually. ording to Belle, the seasons have been quite unstable. Around this time, it should''ve been quite hot. But he could surmise that it was about to snow. "We should go prepare too." Amelia nodded at his words, and the two left the establishment. Looks like his promise with Belle and his mother was bound to be broken in just the first month. After all, he could tell. This request¡­ It was going to be¡­ A long journey. Chapter 171: Sub Act [2] Brandon and Amelia arrived at the market. After the cmity, malls were still under reconstruction. They reverted back to their old ways. Public markets. "We should split up." "Why?" Amelia asked. Brandon looked around. They seemed to have gathered quite the attention as all eyes fell on them. However, it wasn''t because of him. Most probably, because of Amelia. "Ah~ So pretty~" "Anyone know who she is?" "I know the blondie. But who''s the white haired beauty?" Should be the case. "I''ll get unwanted attention if I stick with you." "Huh? Why?" "Look." He nudged his chin. Amelia followed his direction, and found several men sneaking nces at her. She was used to this by now. Everywhere she went, she would always attract attention because of her looks. "It''s because you''re beautiful." "Eh!?" Her eyes widened and she flicked her head towards him, speechless. She was used to these kinds ofpliments. But she didn''t expect that kind ofment from someone like Brandon. Especially Brandon. However, she didn''t disagree with him. Being with him would only attract unwanted attention. And at the moment, Brandon was trying to stay low. With such thoughts, she nodded. "Alright." But she was a professional. Probably. He was a guy much younger than her, a two year gap. Plus, he was the younger brother of her best¨Cfriend. She shouldn''t be swayed by his words. And so, with such thoughts, she silentlyposed herself, and the two parted ways. *** "Whew." Brandon breathed out a sigh. Amelia seemed reluctant to leave. But he couldn''t have that. Most people in the human domain knew who Amelia Constantine was. Just being with her would probably expose his identity sooner orter. And so, he had to make that flirtatiousment just so she would leave. Of course, he could''ve done something else. But teasing Amelia was fun. Brandon looked around. There were several officers on patrol. The one person he didn''t want to run into was none other than Raven. Since Raven was now part of the Special Force, he was tasked to patrol around town. Hopefully, he wouldn''t run into him here. But for precautionary measures, Brandon donned a ck hood. And with that, he began shopping. There were items he needed to buy for the journey to be smooth. First was¡­ "How much for this fur coat?" "Three gold coins, Maam." "...." Maam? ''Shit.'' But, he could monopolize this situation. "Kuhum¡­" He cleared his throat. "...Any discounts?" And raised his pitch. "Uh¡ªYes, of course! Sorry, the pricing was wrong. It''s actually one gold coin." "Deal." And the transaction proceeded smoothly. The next item was¡­ "How much for this?" Brandon pointed at the ck colored gloves. "A single gold coin, sir!" Finally, someone didn''t think he was a girl. However¡­ ''Why are all the prices here inted?!'' It must''ve been because of theck of resources at the moment. The human domain was still in its progress for recovery. "Enjoy your gloves." The next on his agenda was to stock up on food and other survival necessities. He still had a lot of money left from investing in Deus Company, a little over a year ago. Was the business still under operations? Brandon was unsure. But at the moment, the business'' survival was not his priority at the moment. Deus Company was now supplying shiftporters. Surely, the government ced grave importance on them. "A hundred of these, please." "This." ''That." "Any discounts?" "This." "Thank you." And so, he had finished restocking. The only reason he was able to buy a substantial amount of supplies was because he had the system''s inventory. He had already taught Amelia on how to use her inventory. Hopefully, she was able to use it to its full potential. Most likely, Carl and his sister didn''t have the money for such supplies. And so, Brandon bought enough for all of them to share. "Ah." He raised his head up. It was starting to snow. Snowkes gradually descended down andnded on his palm, melting shortly after. Truth be told, he was excited. He wanted to venture out into the world. And though he had to escort a bunch of kids, it was fine. Hopefully, he was strong enough to protect them. And Amelia was with him every step of the way. Tomorrow¡­ Would mark the start of a new journey. *** Inside a rundown home. Several cracks etched on the cemented wall, unpainted. The window was nothing but shattered sses. Thud! A tall man with a round belly kicked Carl straight in the stomach. "Kh¡­!" "You dare talk back to me when you''re due the deposit for this ce?" The man was none other than thendlord''s henchmen. Before the cmity, Carl, his sister, and the adults that were with them rented this ce. But when tragedy befell, the adults had died during the cmity. Danger lurked from all over outside the domain, due to this, Carl and his sister were unable to return to their vige. That is¡­ if there was still a vige to return to. Stuck in the human domain for the past few months, thendlord was kind enough to allow them to stay, just as long as Carl and his sister put in the work. In exchange for theirbor, they were allowed to stay. However, there were some inconsistencies with their deal. One, Carl put in the work, but thendlord still charged them half of the agreed transaction. And since Carl had no money¡­ ¡­He was met with beatings every day. Every. Single. Day. His little sister was too young, so every work was up to Carl. There, he could see his little sister, standing by the door. It seemed like the man was about to go near her. Frightened, Carl yelled. "Don''t touch Emi!" The man turned around and red at him. "Fuck are you talking about¡­? Looking for another beating?" However, Carl red back and that was when the man became furious. Thud! Thud! Thud¡ª! And after a few minutes, the man finally got sick of him and left the room. "Huuu¡­" Carl rested on the cold hard floor and stared at the ceiling. Blood dripped from his nose, but that was it. The man was smart enough to not leave any scars, or any visible injuries on his body. This was life in the slums. ".....Emi." He spoke under his breath. He turned his head to look at his little sister, who was walking close to him. Just like Carl, the two shared the same features. ck hair, and ck eyes. Emi was a little over five years¨Cold, while Carl was fourteen. "Emi. I''m sorry you had to see that." "Big bwother, okay?" "I''m fine, Emi." Carl got up. "Big bwother is strong, see?" "Un! Big bwother is the stwong!" Emi was young, and so, the entire ordeal should be iprehensible to her. Hopefully. And so, the two siblings hugged each other. Caressing her soft hair, Carl spoke in a sorrowful tone. "Don''t worry, Emi." He looked around. "This life will be over soon. Kind people are willing to help us return to the vige." "Weally?" "Yes." "Yay!" Again, hopefully. Carl had only wanted to confirm whether the vige was still there. Thoughts of returning to the vige gued his mind everyday, after the harsh life he had to live with Emi for nine months. If the vige was there, then he could at least stop these thoughts. For the sake of his peace of mind. Closure. But for now, all he really wanted was to leave this kind of lifestyle with his little sister. Anything was better than living like this. The two continued to embrace each other, basked under the moonlight. Chapter 172: This is what winter feels like [1] It was a cold day. Snowkes gradually fell from the sky. The ground, covered by sleek snow sheets. Carl adorned a white sweater with tears and holes etched on it, and a pair of worn-out brown boots. Looking at his side, it seemed like Emi had finished her preparations. Finishing up his shoce, Carl stood up. "Let''s go Emi." "Un!" Creaaaak¡­. "Huuu¡­" Carl rubbed his shoulders from the cold breeze. Despite bundling himself up, it still wasn''t enough. Looking around, the people living in the slums looked at him with pity in their eyes. He was used to this sight by now. People pitied the two siblings, and yet none would rise to the asion and help them. Bunch of hypocrites. But not all of them were like that. "Good morning, Carl. Going somewhere?" There was a kind old man who would always try to give them food. "Yes, Mister Eren." "You seem cold, here." Old man Eren crouched down and wrapped a red scarf around his neck. "Oh, thank you." "You''re wee, and this is for Emi." The old man extended his hand. He offered a flower. For whatever reason why the old man gave it to him, Carl was unsure. But it was a beautiful flower. Emi didn''t need the scarf since she was already bundled up enough. A pink fur coat. New boots, and a simr red scarf draped around her shoulder. "Thank you." "Mhm." Carl epted the flower and turned towards Emi. "Here, Emi. Don''t forget to say thank you." "Thwank kyuu!" Emi epted the flower and looked at it with stars in her eyes. "Hm?" Old man Eren tilted his head. "What did she say?" "She said thank you, Mister Eren." "Oh, it''s my pleasure." Old man Eren shed the two siblings a warm smile. "Goodbye, Mister Eren." Carl strode off while holding Emi''s hand. "Say bye to Mister Eren, Emi." "Bai¡­ Bai¡­!" Carl nodded with pride and the two continued in their steps. The walk to the gate wasn''t far. About a ten¨Cminute walk from the slums. As soon as they were near, Carl spotted the two familiar rankers, all bundled up and waiting for them. "Come on Emi." "Un!" Carl sprinted, dragging the little girl along. "Good morning, Mister Cid and Miss Amelia." "Good morning, Carl." "Good morning." The two rankers returned his greetings. Thedy named Amelia looked around, eventually, her curious gazended on Carl. "Where''s your little sister?" "Hm?" Carl looked around, but Emi wasn''t by his side. "Emi?" He continued to scan his surroundings. There, he could see Emi, hiding behind amp post. He turned to look at Amelia. "Oh, sorry. She always does this with strangers." Then returned his attention to Emi and called out to her. "Emi! Don''t be rude,e greet the kind people who are willing to help us." "Sowwy." Emi came out of her hiding ce and appeared behind Carl. sping on his pants, Emi peeked at the two rankers. "Say hello, Emi." "Hewwo¡­" The two rankers seemed to exchange worried nces with each other. It was the kind of look Carl was all too familiar with. But he was used to it by now. ''I get it. Everyone pities us.'' The two rankers weren''t any different. But still, Carl appreciated them. All of a sudden, Amelia bent down while holding her knees. "What did she say?" And it was another question Carl was used to hearing. Since Emi was still five, and didn''t have the proper education, her speech was a little bit impaired. "She said hello." Carl responded. "Oh. Hello, Emi." Amelia shed a warm smile. A smile that Carl could describe as a goddess'' smile. Carl could admit that Amelia was the prettiestdy he had ever seen. But he immediately snapped out of his thoughts. Amelia was way out of his league. An older girl. And it seems like she already had someone. He looked at the man standing right behind Amelia. Cid. Carl had still felt a bit intimidated around him. Despite Cid being kind towards him, his expressions would remain nk after showing a bit of emotions. He was kind of gloomy. A contrast to Amelia''s radiant personality. But it was then when Carl''s assessment of him changed. All of a sudden, Cid stepped beside Amelia. On his arm was a fur coat and some gloves. He bent down and offered the items to Carl. "This is for you." "Oh, thank you." "I''ve got some for Emi as well¡­. But it seems like she''s already bundled up enough. But¡­" Cid rummaged for his pocket. "Here, just a spare, whenever Emi needs it." It was a scarf. A white scarf. "Thank you very much." Cid and Amelia exchanged nces again and nodded their heads at each other. It was as if they were exchanging thoughts. How peculiar. Car quickly adorned the new set of clothes Cid had given him. As soon as he finished, he looked ahead. Cid and Amelia were already ahead of him and a wagon was waiting for him and Emi. "Come on, Emi." "Un!" Holding onto her hand, Carl strode off and neared the two rankers. Carl helped Emi up the wagon and the two siblings sat next to each other. On the opposite side, Cid and Amelia sat next to each other. Their bags were stowed to the side, and everything seemed to be ready for departure. It was then when the driver turned his head and asked. "Where to?" Cid and Amelia looked at Carl, giving him the signal to instruct the driver for directions. Carl was the only one who knew where their vige was. And so, he gave the driver proper directions on where to go first. Just like that, the wagon started to ascend. Carl''s gaze lingered on the city gate. The human domain, Vale City. .....He didn''t have many pleasant memories of the ce. It was a ce he would rather not want to remember. All of a sudden, he felt Emi''s headying on his side. Immediately, he rested her head on hisp. "Pshh¡­ Pshh¡­" His little sister was sound asleep on hisp. Carl gave her a warm smile and caressed her hair. His little sister was the most important person to him. Everything he''d done up to this point was all for her. The siblings couldn''t live in the kind of conditions the city had given them. He wanted to return home. Back to their vige. Was he confident the vige was still there? No. He wasn''t. But still, he didn''t want to hope that the vige was there anymore. To hope that there was still a ce he and Emi could return to. If the vige wasn''t there, then there was nothing to be done. It was all he really needed. A confirmation. And a closure. Just like that, their journey began. The start of a long journey. Chapter 173: This is what winter feels like [2] The main reason why cars were banned outside the human domain was due to the possible loss of resources, and the fact that danger lurked everywhere outside. Despite the year being 2149, humans had yet to discover other ways to fuel a car besides gas. There were electric cars. But they needed a substantial amount of lightning, the kind of amount that would drain one''s mana core to the brim. It wasn''t practical. And so wagons had been implemented, a little over four months ago. "Huuu¡­" Brandon let out a breath. The fog smoke faded in and gradually dissipated. Looking at Carl, he seemed to be asleep. The journey was smooth in the first five hours. No trouble. Since the road wasn''t paved, there were times when it was quite bumpy. But there were noints from both parties. Brandon turned his head to look at Amelia who looked back at him. The two exchanged worried nces. A worry for Carl. But the two stopped there. They had an unspoken agreement not to speak of the matter. Whatever gued Carl was none of their business. They were merely here to escort. Though the request seemed rather boring, the two had never thought of it that way. Being outside of the human domain was quite refreshing. Although Brandon had left Vale city a couple of times in the past, things were different now. The world had significantly changed. ording to reports, terrains and different biomes started to form. Brandon was quite excited to see the sight. And this vige of Carl''s¡­ He wanted to see it for himself as well. To see the extent of the cmity''s aftereffects. After all, Vale city was structured to withstand earthquakes. And though there were several buildings that were destroyed, it wasn''t to the point where it couldn''t be repaired. One such building was Victoria Mall. ire''s family business. Now that he thought about it, how were his friends doing? He had already promised to himself that he wouldn''t see them until he was strong enough. But still, he quite missed them. Especially Rachel. That was when he turned to look at Amelia and asked. "Could you give me some advice?" Amelia. By now, he was used to going to her for advice. It was always like this in the past. Whenever a problem gued him, he would always ask Amelia. And all the time, she would always give him the right answer. He could count on her. "About what?" "....You see, there''s this girl. Before I disappeared, things were a bit rocky with her. She had several issues, and I knew that. Which was why I held off on¡­ uhm¡­" "Dating?" She finished for him. "Yes, that." "Go on." "As you know, I refrained from meeting my friends. But, do you think she still feels the same way about me?" "Hmm¡­ that depends." "....?" He tilted his head. If he wanted to know about women, then the best person to ask was a woman. Though he knew Amelia had never dated, surely, she knew the way women''s minds worked. "But let me ask you first. Do you still feel the same way about her?" That¡­ He was actually unsure. But he feltpelled to respond to her feelings. ¡­.That was if she still felt the same way about him. "I don''t know actually." That was the truth of the matter. And that was when he realized that the only reason he was pushing her away was so he coulde to terms with himself. If he still felt the same way about her in a year, then he would undoubtedly begin dating her. He didn''t want to date her, just because of the heat of the moment. Rachel didn''t deserve that. He was indecisive. He could very well agree that it was an asshole move. But it was for himself. "Well I don''t want to give you an answer if you''re this indecisive." Amelia crossed her arms as if she was judging him. "But what do you n on doing if she finds someone else?" "Then that''s for the best. Rachel deserves someone better. Someone that isn''t as indecisive as me." It was then he realized he had blurted out her name as his eyes widened. "Oh, so it''s her. Well¡­ at least you''re aware of yourself. But¡­" She paused, letting the tension sink in. But continued as Brandon urged her. "To her, you''re dead, you know?" "I know." "Then¡­?" "It''s for the best. I''m still unaware of my feelings right now. Who knows? Maybe my feelings will change in a year or two." "So you n on disappearing for two years? Isn''t this needless?" She had a point. The way he spoke seemed as if he was just running away. But still¡­ Again, if his thoughts were jumbled up like this, then Rachel truly deserved better. Not someone as indecisive as him. "It is. I don''t know anymore." "Well you have to gather your thoughts." Her gaze lingered on the sleeping Carl. "For now, focus on the request. We''ve got an escort mission to do." "I guess you''re right." And the conversation ended there. He cleared his thoughts. Right, it wasn''t the right time to be thinking of such thoughts. They had a mission, and a journey toplete. And so his gaze lingered outside. It was noon by now. The snow seemed to be getting stronger in each passing second. It was then when the wagon stopped. Immediately, Brandon neared behind the driver. "What''s wrong?" "Goblins." The driver pointed ahead. The way the driver spoke was as if this was the new norm. Creatures such as goblins would roam thends outside the domain. And Brandon''s conjectures were proven correct as Amelia confirmed. "I''ve heard reports about this. But it''s still shocking to see them up close¡­." Right. Brandon felt the same way. He had only read books about goblins in his past life. But he had never seen one in person. Just like the typical goblins, they were green. Bunch of midgets if he had to be honest. And they seemed to carry weapons, short swords to be urate. For wherever they got those, Brandon had no idea. But they posed no threat. The swords were mostly rough, some even chipped. Poor goblins. It was then when Carl woke up from themotion. "Huam¡­ What''s going on?" "Don''t worry." Brandon assured him. "Just rest there. We''ll handle this." "Huaa¡­ okay." Brandon and Amelia immediately hopped off the wagon and walked in front of it. Five goblins stood to block their path. Piece of cake. Chapter 174: This is what winter feels like [3] Standing in front of the goblins, Brandon clenched his fist. "Kuuuu!" "Kukaka!" "Kukukou¡­?" What the hell. Seems like they had some sort of intelligence as they seemed to speak to each other. Then, ¡­.Would it be possible tomunicate with them? With such thoughts, Brandon stepped forward. Step¡ª "Kuhum¡­" Brandon cleared his throat. "Ku?" "Ku?" One of the goblin''s eyes lit up and leaned his head close. Brandon continued. "Kuak?" "Kukuku?" "Kukukurooor?" "Kuah?" "...." Amelia seemed speechless as her brows furrowed in astonishment. "Kht." Brandon held hisugh back as he turned towards her. "What are you doing?" Amelia tilted her head. "Communicating." "...." Brandon just shrugged as Amelia remained speechless. Stepping forward, Brandon got closer to the goblins. But they seemed to be on guard as they took a step back and gripped their weapons tightly. Brandon waved his hand down, gesturing for them to be at ease. "Kukuuu." "Kuuu?" The goblin''s eyes lit up. They continued to converse. Amelia stood motionless, watching the entire scene unfold. It was as if Brandon wasmunicating with toddlers and he was the leader. Before Brandon realized it, their conversation was starting to make sense. "Kukuku." "Kuakaka." "What are your names?" ¡ªI''m Kukoro. This is Kuah. The goblin who seemed to be the leader of the pack, pointed at one of the goblins behind him. ¡ªHere''s little Kuoh. Kukoro pointed towards a goblin of even smaller stature than them. ¡ªThis is Kukukuo, and this is Kakuku. "Nice to meet you, I''m Goburin yer." ¡ª...Guoberin? "Something like that." It had to be noted that Brandon was speaking in theirnguage. He was only interpreting as to what he thought they said. "Why are you guys blocking our paths?" ¡ªBecause that''s our way of life. Just like the typical goblins from the novels you''ve read, we''re programmed to act that way. "Really? You''ve read about goblins too?" ¡ªOf course. Why wouldn''t we read about our own race? That made sense. At this point, Amelia returned to the wagon with a nk expression on her face. The driver however, was watching the entire scene with genuine curiosity. "Sir!" He called out to Cid. The goblins flinched hearing his voice and stood on guard again. "What?" Brandon turned his head, but felt a bit irritated as it seemed like his progress in befriending the goblins regressed. The driver continued. "Maybe you can get them to apany the wagon?" "Oh." It was a good proposal. If he were sessful, then the goblins could be unpaid guards of some sort. With such thoughts, Brandon flicked his head back to the goblins. "Kuhum¡­" And cleared his throat. "Kuu..." Operation befriending the goblins started once again. "Do you see that wagon over there?" Brandon pointed at the wagon. The goblin leaned his head to the side and took a peek at the wagon. Seemed to be working. "If you guys are willing to apany us, then I''ll spare your lives." Brandon shed them a cold smile. ¡ªSpare our lives? But aren''t we friends¡­. Why the threat? "You''re right. I''m sorry, I misspoke." Now that he thought about it, unpaidbor for the goblins seemed too much. Even goblins deserved love. "If you apany us, I''ll reward you guys." ¡ªReally? What reward? ¡ªDon''t listen to him, Boss. He might kill us off once we''re done. One of the goblins chimed in. Brandon looked at him and raised his hand, gesturing for the goblin topose himself. "Calm down little Kuoh. I''m not that kind of person." ¡ªDon''t worry little Kuoh, I trust him. Kukoro set little Kuoh at ease. ¡ªThis reward you speak of. Kukoro raised his head and asked. ¡ªHow much are we talking? "How does three copper coins sound?" ¡ªHmm¡­ Kukoro seemed to ponder at Brandon''s offer. Or was he? Brandon thought so anyway. ¡ªOkay, deal. At least prices weren''t inted amongst the goblinmunity. Humanity needed to learn from them. "Looks like we''ve got ourselves a deal." Brandon extended his hand, motioning for a handshake. ¡ª....? Kukoro and the other goblins stepped back, wary of what Brandon was about to do. "It''s a handshake. A gesture for us to seal the deal." ¡ªI see. Fascinating¡­. Kukoro leaned close and tilted his head. He poked Brandon''s palms. "Take the handshake." But it seemed like there were some trantion errors as Kukoro never did that. It was then when Brandon grabbed Kukoro''s hand and shook it up and down. ¡ª....! Kukoro seemed startled at first. But since Brandon didn''t do anything, he let the entire gesture happen. In fact, Kukoro seemed perplexed about the entire handshake as he shook Brandon''s hand continuously. At that, the negotiations finished. Brandon returned to Amelia, and the goblins surrounded the entire wagon. He now had a small goblin army under his disposal. For how that even worked, Brandon couldn''t even begin to ponder. Amelia flicked her head, noticing his arrival and asked. "Oh, you''re done?" "Yep." Brandon confirmed. He hopped on the wagon and sat beside her. "I don''t know how you''ve even managed tomunicate with them. All I could understand was, ''Kukukuku''. Whatever that meant." "Guess I''ve got a knack for this." He shrugged. His gaze then lingered on the sleeping Carl. For some reason, Carl was the type of person to sleep a lot. Once again, Brandon and Amelia exchanged worried nces. But decided to leave it at that. Gazing ahead, the snow seemed to be getting stronger. By the end of this, they would have to walk to their destination. The driver specifically stated that there was a certain point that wagons never crossed. The reason for this was because of the danger that lurked, the further they venture outside the human domain. Despite being with rankers to protect them, rankers could only do so much. For that reason, the wagon driversmunity implemented such a policy. That being said, the journey continued. The goblins continued apanying them. The snow seemed to be getting stronger, possibly a blizzard iing. But thankfully, Brandon had already prepared for such a predicament. He was confident they could survive the oing blizzard. The tripsted for a total of twelve hours. The group was dropped off and the driver gave his farewells. Carl seemed startled by the goblins at first. But Brandon eased him, telling him that they were friendly. The goblins seemed confused at the departing wagon, but probably left it at that. Brandon gazed ahead and a forest came into view. It was obscured by what seemed to be dense fog. But ording to Carl, they needed to trudge and cross the forest, since it was the route he took when he headed for Vale City. And the journey continued from there. Carl called upon his little sister, and the two held his hands as they stood between Brandon and Amelia. "Let''s go, Emi." Chapter 175: Blizzard [1] ording to Carl, the forest wasn''t like this back then. It must''ve been one of the aftereffects of the cmity. Now, the terrain changed drastically. Some parts of the forest seemed to be elevated. The undergrowth of trees were dense, with foliages scattered all over. "This is the first I''ve seen of this. There hasn''t been any reports of a forest with mana this thick." Amelia stated as she gazed ahead. It seemed like this phenomenon had only recently happened. This meant they had no prior knowledge of whatever danger lurked in the forest. "Are you sure about this, Carl?" Brandon asked. "....Maybe we can take a detour. Just until the fog clears?" "The fog isn''t clearing anytime soon." Amelia''s voice cut in. "We don''t know anything about the forest. It''s too dangerous to navigate." "....Yeah." Carl lowered his head in disappointment. "I guess we were asking for too much." "Don''t worry. We''ll get you there." Brandon reassured him. "The forest is pretty cliche. It''s fairly obvious there''s some kind of danger we would struggle against in there." He stifled augh. "If we don''t have any choice but to cross the forest, then¡­" [Aeolus Blessing] Mana started coalescing around Brandon''s feet. A cool breeze brushed past his bangs. The ends of his fur coat fluttered from the wind, even blowing Amelia''s hair. Step¡ª He walked in the air as if he was walking up a flight of stairs. Each step he took, he gradually ascended up in the air. "Woah." Carl voiced out his astonishment. "Emi, look. He''s flying." Carl turned his head to look at his little sister, then pointed up at Brandon with a shocked expression marred in his face. Though Amelia was used to seeing the exact same ability from Belle, it seemed like she couldn''t hide her surprise. "Kukoo!" Even Kukoro was astonished as his eyes widened. The same went for the other goblins who were jumping up in the air. They seemed to be copying him, but failed to do so as they fell t face on the ground. Brandon continued to ascend in each passing second, and finally, he was high up in the air. Looking down, he could see the entire overgrowth of the forest. "Hmm¡­" The forest stretched far wide. The thick fog permeated the air. It looked as if it filled the entire forest. He scanned each nook and cranny, but he couldn''t find any shortcuts to cross the forest. Was there really no other choice? The forest aside, the only thing that concerned him was the fog. It somehow felt eerie. Brandon descended down and deactivated [Aeolus Blessing]. "What did you find?" It was Amelia who asked. Brandon then gave his report. Carl listened to him and the disappointment in his face became even more visible. "So there''s no other way, huh?" Amelia pinched her chin as she seemingly pondered. Actually, there should''ve been a way. Brandon had already thought about it. But he wasn''t sure he had enough mana capacity to cross the entire forest. [Aeolus Blessing] would most probably drain his mana before they even crossed half of the forest. But that was when he had thought of another n. But for the moment¡­ "For now, we should find some ce to recuperate. The fog aside, this snow isn''t going down anytime soon." As he gazed up, the sky seemed to darken several distances ahead. Most likely, a blizzard wasing. If he were to execute his ns, by the time they would cross half of the forest, the blizzard would''ve already struck. With such thoughts, the group set the forest aside for now. Looking around, a cave was situated several distances away from them. Although it was far, there was enough time before the blizzard arrives. "Let''s go there, guys." Brandon pointed at the cave and the group followed his direction. "Kukoro." "Kuuu?" "For now, we''ll recuperate in that cave over there." ¡ªI see. "Sorry, but I don''t have enough supplies to feed all of you." ¡ªOh, that''s fine. Goblins don''t need to eat as much as you humans. "That''s great." That was at least¡­ ¡­How he interpreted the entire conversation. "Come on, Kukoro." Brandon turned to look at the other goblins. "You too, guys. You don''t want to get swept up by the blizzard." ¡ªYou''re so nice. ¡ªSo handsome too. "Haha, no need to tter me little Kuoh." That was totally how the conversation went. Brandon then looked at Amelia who seemed to have the look on her face as if she had given up on him. Tilting her head, she spoke. "Kuku." "...." She seemed to be mocking him. "Kukukuku?" "Kuku?" And Brandon returned her mocking. "Kukuku!" "Kuahhh!" The two spoke in goblinnguage as if they were the only people around. The others looked at them as if they were crazy. Even the goblins were no exceptions as they stood stupefied. Probably. "This is kind of fun." "Yeah." Amelia chuckled and Brandon agreed. At that, the group ventured forth. The goblins followed them closely from behind, acting as bodyguards, while the humans were their VIP guests. After several minutes, the group finally arrived at their destination and entered the cave. The cave was dark and cold. Snow fell outside, making the air inside icy. Drip. Drip¡­! Water dripped softly, echoing in the silence. Thankfully, Brandon had already prepared for such a scenario as he quickly took out antern from his inventory. He did it as discreetly as possible, just enough for Carl not to notice where it came from, as he pretended to take antern out from his bag. "Kwooah!" The goblin that seemed to be Kukoro was surprised at the source of light. Actually. Truth be told. .....Brandon couldn''t even begin to distinguish who was who. The only one he could make out was little Kuoh since he was the smallest goblin present. The one who he deemed as Kukoro was the goblin who would always stay close to him. But honestly, he wasn''t even sure if he was Kukoro. All the goblins looked the same, and he didn''t care enough to try and distinguish them from each other. Brandon set themp down, and the others rested, crouching down on the cold hard ground. Brandon quickly took out several sleeping bags from his bag, and set it for Carl toy on. "Here you go." "...Thank you." Carl voiced his appreciation. It was big enough for him and his little sister, as Carl bundled up inside the sleeping bag. "And this one''s for you." This time, it was for Amelia. "Thanks." "Mhm." Then, his attention was fixed on the goblins who were walking around themp. It couldn''t be helped. It must''ve been their first time seeing such a thing. "Kht." Brandon covered his mouth, trying to hold back hisugh. There was a certain mncholic feeling about the journey. But the goblins were a nice change of pace. Looking at Amelia, Brandon leaned close and whispered something in her ear. "Eh? Are you sure that would work?" Amelia asked. "Probably." "...Probably?" "Kuku." "Pfft¡­" Amelia chuckled at his goblin impression. "Kukuku?" And she returned his gesture with an impression of her own. "Kuahh!" "Kuoooooh!" "Kukukaa!" "Kuaku¡ª" Brandon paused as he noticed Carl was sleeping yet again. The young boy seemed to sleep a lot. And Brandon was well aware of the reason. It was one of the symptoms of¡­ ¡­.Depression. Chapter 176: Blizzard [2] "Hngg¡­?" Carl was jolted awake. As soon as he woke up, the enticing aroma of food permeated the air and reached his nose. Looking around, it seems like Cid was cooking something up on the grill. The goblins were gathered around him, baffled by the sight. But the first thing that Carl had thought of was his sister. "....Emi¡ªAh." Immediately, he found her sitting beside him, watching Cid cook with curious eyes. Hearing his voice, Cid turned his head slightly and opened his mouth. "Oh, you''re awake now. You must be hungry. Food will be ready in a few minutes." "Ah, yes, okay¡­" Carl stammered. It had been a long time since someone, besides old man Eren, had been this kind to him. He truly appreciated the people who epted his request, despite the reward beingckluster. But in the first ce, why did they even ept such a ridiculous quest? The contents of the request were misleading, and Carl knew that. Living in the slums, which were filled with shady and ruthless characters, Carl was not one to trust a person so easily. The only reason he had shown a glimpse of trust towards the two rankers was because of the fact that they were rankers. Rankers had a reputation to uphold, being one of the pirs of the current state of the human domain. But still¡­ Carl was suspicious. But he shouldn''t show such suspicion towards them. Especially by the fact that they had tamed the scary creatures known as goblins. The thought was honestly quite ridiculous. Carl had never seen someone brave enough to even try to talk to these other races. But Cid aside, there was a certain air around thedy named Amelia that set Carl at ease. Although he wasn''t familiar with her, it felt like he had seen her somewhere before. As if he had seen her somewhere before without realizing it. But he left it at that. "Here, Carl." Snapping him out of his thoughts was Cid who offered a bowl and a couple of utensils to him. "Thank you." Carl epted the bowl. Then, he turned to Emi who looked at the bowl with stars in her eyes. "Uhm¡­" He looked at Cid who was still cooking some of the meat. "Yes?" Cid returned his gaze and tilted his head. "What about my sister?" "Oh¡ªUh¡­ that''s for her. This one''s for you." "Oh." That made sense. But, "Actually, nevermind. I think Emi''s still not hungry. But if she is, I can just share with her." "Are you sure?" "Well, she doesn''t really eat much." And that was the truth of the matter. Since Emi was still a child, she didn''t eat as much as him. Carl would often feed her bread and water, the only meal he could provide for her. But even then, Emi would often be unable to finish her food. There were certain days when Emi wouldn''t even touch the food. But regardless, she looked much more healthy than him. Maybe old man Eren was kind enough to feed her somehow. Most probably the case. "You want some, Emi?" "Un!" Oh. Seems like Emi actually wanted to eat. It couldn''t be helped. The food looked enticing. Cid was probably a professional cook or something. But it couldn''tpare to the vige head''s cooking. Now that he remembered, he too wanted to be a cook when he grew up. There was a time when Carl and Emi had nowhere to go. They stumbled upon the vige, and the vige head happily adopted the two. He missed those days. The thought gripped his heart tightly as he swallowed down his food. "Here, Emi." "Hehe~" But as always. Emi only took a small bite, it could even be called¡ªjust a small nibble. It was a sight all too familiar to Carl. But still, Emi looked healthier than him. ¡­.And that was all that mattered. *** A few hourster. 7:38 PM. The blizzard had already struck. Outside, the blizzard raged, a wall of white. The wind howled, its cold air creeping into the cave. Snowkes spun, hitting everything outside with force. Brandon had set up fire, big enough to somewhat warm the group. Not only that, but he arranged several magic heaters to fill the room. But regardless of that, it was still chilly. "Huuuu¡­." Turning around, the sleeping boy shuddered. Brandon''s brows worriedly knitted. It couldn''t be helped. Carl was malnourished, causing him to be vulnerable from the cold. With such thoughts, Brandon quickly took out a fur nket from his bag and draped it over the sleeping Carl. And to top it off, Brandon took off his fur coat and bundled up Carl even more. It seemed to have been enough to warm Carl up as his sleeping expressions rxed. Brandon gave a warm smile and nodded his head. However, "Hurrr¡­" He too was feeling cold. Turning his gaze, once again, the goblins seemed to be dancing around the fire with smiles on their faces. From what he could interpret, it seemed like these groups of goblins didn''t eat meat. How convenient. And so, Brandon didn''t need to feed them. Probably. Initially, they stared at the meat he cooked a little while ago with curious gazes. But Brandon shook his head and Kukoro lowered his head in disappointment. ''I mean¡­ I think it was Kukoro.'' He truly couldn''t tell. Feeling cold, Brandon crouched down on the ground and crossed his arms. Closing his eyes, he fought off against the cold through sheer will. "....!" But it was then when he felt something draped around his shoulder. Opening his eyes, what greeted his sight was Amelia who sat beside him and shared her fur coat with him. "Belle would kill me if I didn''t look out for you." She stated. "I''ve ced a magic heater close to Carl. That should keep his temperature from dropping." She puffed her cheeks and frowned. "But you on the other hand, are you trying to freeze to death?" "...." "You can rely on me, you know?" Amelia took out a scarf from her inventory and wrapped it around Brandon''s neck. Brandon was already wearing a scarf, and so, the other scarf was wrapped all over it. Brandon gently raised the scarf and covered his mouth with it. "Thanks." "Mhm." And so, the two sat beside each other, sharing the same fur coat. They had no idea when the blizzard would stop, but they couldn''t do anything under its force. "....!" "....!" It was then when Brandon''s rm bells rang. It seemed to be the same case for Amelia as she flinched. Ever since the system had upgraded to the Sovereign''s Will, Brandon''s senses became even more keener. Back then, he had sensed the goblins approaching the wagon. But Brandon realized they posed no threat as he realized they were merely goblins. Goblins were nothing but cute toddlers in his eyes. "Hurrrr¡ª" A growl echoed outside the cave, akin to a wolf. In that instant, Brandon and Amelia stood up and the goblins were alerted by their actions. "Kukoro!" Brandon called. Immediately, the goblins gathered around Brandon. They too, seemed to sense the danger that lurked outside. With their weapons out, the goblin fixed a battle stance. "Hurrr¡ª" And the pack of wolves revealed themselves. Chapter 177: Blizzard [3] The fluctuation of mana had greatly impacted the world. The same went for the creatures that resided, just before the cmity struck. A pack of wolves entered the cave. However, there was a stark difference in the wolves they were used to. While wolves were the typical canine hounds with gray fur, these wolves had icicles protruding from all over their body. Their eyes glowed an ominous icy glow as they red at the group. ¡ªAwooooo! A shrilling howl echoed throughout the cave. Immediately, the wolvesshed out. "...Hua?" Carl was jolted awake from themotion. "Stay put, Carl. We''ll handle this." Brandon gestured his hand for Carl to stay still behind him. "....O-okay." Carl seemed to have been frightened as he pulled the fur coat that was draped around him, covering his eyes. Brandon returned his attention to the ice-like wolves. But since they were wolves¡­ "Goblins! Go¡­!" Brandon wanted to test what the goblins were capable of. At his call, the goblins bolted from their positions and attacked the wolves. However¡­. Cr¡­ Crack! These wolves were different. ¡ªAwoooo! They howled, and ice that contorted into spikes¡ªmaterialized from where they stood and headed for the goblins. One of the goblins was caught off guard, and the ice spikes deeply impaled the goblin''s body. "Kunana¡­ no!" Brandon cried out. He didn''t know which goblin it was. He just hoped it wasn''t Kukoro or little Kuoh. In fact, he had forgotten all of their names besides the two mentioned¡­. The goblins looked at their deadrade, before the spikes impaled them. "Shit." Brandon cursed out. "I should''ve done it myself¡­" And regretted. There were five goblins at the start. But now, there were only two left. Thankfully, one of them was little Kuoh. Brandon could make out his small stature. Extending his hand forward, threads loomed out from his finger tips and wrapped themselves around the remaining goblins. Pulling his arm back, the two goblins were hurled back to safety. "Kuakaka!" "Kwaaa!" The goblins seemed to be enraged at Brandon''s actions. "I''m sorry, little Kuoh. And¡­ probably Kukoro. But let me handle it this time." ¡ªIt''s fine. No worries, my King. ¡ªThroughout heaven and earth, you alone are the honored one. "Thanks, Kukoro and little Kuoh." That was how he interpreted it. Turning his attention to Amelia, her expressions cracked, a look of disapproval. "Did you understand that?" Brandon asked. "....I think so?" Amelia tilted her head with a stupefied look. It was then when Brandon had an idea. Counting the wolves, there were at least ten of them. The wolves took a step back as Brandon stepped forward. They seemed to be on guard against him. ¡­.They were probably a log smarter than the goblins too. Brandon had already exined beforehand about the system''s previous leveling feature. Although he was unsure if that leveling feature was still active in the new system. And with such thoughts, he opened his mouth. "Want to split up the wolves, fifty¡ªfifty?" "Ah, sure." Amelia nodded. Brushing his bangs back, Brandon neared the wolves, trudging forward. It was finally time to test out his new stats. One of the main reasons why Brandon had stopped using [Mana Disruption], was for situations such as these. Not all enemies he''d face would be mages. Relying on [Mana Disruption] too much would hinder his skills in a battle. But since these wolves seemed to use some type of magic, Brandon had to try if [Mana Disruption] worked on them. And since the wolves were affliated with ice, then¡­ Voosh¡ª! Fire should work as a counter to them. He didn''t want his baggy outfit to burn. And thus, the ck mes materialized from his palms. [Cursed mes] After the Sovereign''s Will process, his cursed mes instantly shot up toplete mastery for some reason. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨N[Curse] ¨N [Cursed Threads]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Cursed mes]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Mark of Despair]: 1% ¨N [Abyssal Chains]: Locked ¨N [Soul Drain]: Locked ¨N [Binding Vow]: Locked ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Tzz¡ª! Empowered by lightning, Brandon shed forward at breaknecks speeds. ¡ªAwooo! Ice spikes shot from the ground and headed towards him. Waving his hand, ck mes burned through and melted the ice in an instant. Waving his hand back, the mestched onto one of the wolves and the wolf cried out in pain. ¡ªAwooo! However, it seemed like his attack wasn''t enough as the wolf covered the burn, materializing ice on it. This gave Brandon the impression that the wolf was on the B to B+ tier category. But still¡­ They didn''t pose a challenge. Clenching his hand, threads instantly wrapped themselves around the wolf and lifted it up. He clenched his hand tightly. The wolf''s hide seemed to be thick as Brandon was unable to tear the wolf apart in one go. And so, he exerted more strength. Blood started seeping from the wolf''s mouth, as well as its eyes. ¡ª¡ª! Splurt! [You have in a Frostwolf!] [+0.3% EXP] So the leveling feature was still there. How neat. The other wolves seemed petrified as they red menacingly at Brandon, their eyes, glowing a icy re. A myriad of ice spikes protruded from the ground. Brandon swiftly dodged the attack as he leapt upwards. Voosh¡ª Voosh¡ª Voosh¡ª¡ª! Throwing the ck mes at the wolves, they howled in pain as burn marks scorched their hide. Brandon continued this strategy for a while until he quickly finished them off. An ice sword materialized in his hand and he gripped the handle tightly. Swoosh¡ª! Since the ice that served as the wolves'' armor had melted, Brandon was easily able to to slice them apart. [You have in a Frostwolf!] [You have in a Frostwolf!] [You have in a Frostwolf!] [You have in a Frostwolf!] Just like that, he had quickly decimated five ice wolves without breaking a sweat. However, there were still five more as they bore their fangs against Brandon. ¡ªAwooooo! A shrilling howl rang out and once again, ice shot from the ground and headed towards Brandon. Brandon leapt backwards, giving Amelia the go signal to switch with him. But that was when¡­ Crack! Before Brandon was able tond on his feet, a sword pierced through the air and struck the ice, shattering it in the process. Brandon turned around, and several swords that seemed to be made from magic floated around Amelia. "It''s my turn." Amelia spoke. "Go." Brandon nodded and Amelia instantly bursted forward. The swords closely followed her, floating all around her. Brandon had already seen this before, back during the exhibition match. But the sight had still left him astonished. Bang! Bang! "....?" Brandon tilted his head as he watched Amelia fought off the ice wolves. There was a pistol in her hand. So she had a new fighting style¡­ Chapter 178: Blizzard [4] Amelia Constantine. The inheritor of Albert Constantine''s [Armament] affinity. However, what set them apart was the fact that Albert could only summon five multiple weapons at a time. In Amelia''s case, her slot continued to increase, ever since she turned nine. At first, she could only do one. But by the time she turned 18 years-old, she was already able to summon eight. It was an astonishing feat if she were topare to her father. After all, her father had only been able to summon five, at the age of 49. But by the time the cmity struck, and the appearance of her system, it instantly rose to ten summons. It was by then that Amelia had realized why her growth was exponential, aspared to her father. [Innate] ¨N Gate ¡ª Level 10 ¨N Experience ¡ª 2% It was because of her Gate ability. Each level, it would increase her slot. Meaning, if she continued to progress, her summons would continue to increase. It was due to the fact of the mana''s fluctuation, that the system had revealed its true identity. The Sovereign''s Will, and the Sovereign''s Fragment. In Amelia''s case, she had thetter. Only a portion of a Sovereign''s energy. "Hurrr¡ª" The wolves took a step back as Amelia approached them. On her hand was a pistol she had materialized out of mana. Around her, were nine floating magic swords. Growing up, Amelia had been trained to fight like a duelist. Due to her family''s status, and her talent, she was one of the rising stars that the Imperial Army was eyeing out for. It wasn''t just her, but her best¨Cfriend, Belle Locke. ¡ªAwoooo! The pack of wolves started howling, and ice shot up from the ground, heading for Amelia. Crack! However, before it could reach her, one of the magic swords shot down and shattered the ice. In the process, the sword dissipated, but Amelia had materialized another one to rece it. The swords continued floating around her. Pointing the gun''s barrel at the wolves, Amelia rxed her fingers on the trigger. After the cmity, Amelia''s stress bottled up. Her father''s death had cemented her orphaned status. When she was young, she never had a mother. For unknown reasons, her father had never disclosed the reason for her mother''s death. But it was fine for Amelia. Her father was a great father. The best father she could''ve ever asked for. And after finding out about his death¡­ ¡­Itpletely shattered her heart. Truth be told, she had nevere to terms with his death. Using the amount of work that the Imperial Army had to do as a way to distract her. It was her way of coping. She didn''t have anyone else. Her friends from the Academy were too busy dealing with their own matters. They didn''t even have the luxury to spend time with Amelia. ¡­.Not like she had ever reached out to them in the first ce. Not even to Belle. But Belle''s case was different. Just like her, Belle had lost her father. But to make things even worse, she had also lost her brother, Brandon. Amelia had to steel herself tofort her best¨Cfriend. By the time Belle hade to terms with her loss, Amelia hadpletely shifted her demeanor. And so, the two joined the Imperial Army together. But regardless, Amelia had still built up quite the amount of stress. It was then when she discovered a way to alleviate her stress somewhat. Guns. Bang! Bang! Gather mana on her gun, the barrel red and pure magic energy shot out. Though she had mixed her fighting style with guns, the guns weren''t actually lethal. Their purpose wasn''t to kill their opposers. But what they were used for was¡­. Knockback. The wolves tried to lunge themselves at her, but the bullet instantly pushed them back. Extending her hand to the side, a magic sword floated towards her hand. Clenching the sword''s handle, Amelia burst forth and thrusted her sword forward. Spurt! She had already seen from Brandon how tough the wolves'' armors were. For that reason, Amelia opted to pierce the wolves'', instead of going for a clean slice. It was a sess as the de pierced through the wolf. It''s eyes flickered before life in its eyes died out. [You have in a Frostwolf!] [+0.3% EXP] Interesting. So this was what Brandon was talking about. It was the first time she had seen such a thing. She had never yed a single game in her life. And thus, the sudden notification pop up had taken her aback. However, she had no time to scan it as she was instantly met with opposition. ¡ªAwoooo! The wolves howled. Ice spikes shot up from the ground, and some of the wolves lunged themselves towards her. Crack! Crack! Crack¡ª! Magic swords rained down and shattered the relentless ice, shooting up from the ground. For each magic sword that dissipated, another would materialize. But these swords weren''t that strong. As soon as it makes contact with anything, it would instantly shatter in the process. The real deal was the swords she would hold in her hand. As soon as the sword met her hand, it would cement itself as a solid object. "Hurrrr¡ª" Wolves leapt up, boring their fangs against Amelia. Skidding back, she instantly dodged before her skin met the wolves'' sharp teeth. Bang! Bang! Bang! Shooting her gun, pure magic energy shot out from the barrel and forcefully pushed the wolves back. Crash! Some wolves crashed on the wall, while some staggered on the ground. Using the opportunity, Amelia neared the wolves'' on the ground thrusted her sword forward. Spurt! For the other wolves thaty on the ground, magic swords relentlessly rained down on them until their body had grown limp. [You have in a Frostwolf!] [+0.3% EXP] [You have in a Frostwolf!] [You have in a Frostwolf!] Just like that, she had managed to y three Frostwolves. But what caught her interest were their names. Clearly, they weren''t ordinary wolves. But for some reason, the system had already known what to call them. She would have to document thister. It was the first sighting of such creatures. And for the wolves that crashed on the wall¡­ Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! Magic swords relentlessly pierced through the air, killing the wolves in the process. [You have in a Frostwolf!] [You have in a Frostwolf!] And just like that, she had quickly wiped out a pack of Frostwolves, even faster than Brandon. A sort of adrenaline coursed through Amelia. "This¡­" Seems like she found a new way to release her pent up stress. Killing these creatures¡­ It felt exhrating. She had never felt this way before. After all, she grew up a bit sheltered. This life or death scenario had sparked something inside her. Truth be told, Amelia had never wanted to follow in her father''s footsteps. What she wanted was to carve her own path. To be a ranker. But out of respect for herte father, she joined the military. But now? She was finally living her dream. And she had Brandon to thank for that. With him, she felt like she could experience so many new things in life. "Good job." Brandon''s voice reached her ears from behind her. "Thanks." p! The two high¨Cfived, celebrating their first victory. Chapter 179: Blizzard [5] Day two. The blizzard hit hard. Snow fell thick and fast, and the wind howled. They huddled in the cave. Brandon and Amelia, providing supplies for the group tost the entire day. Brandon had tried using his phone, but for some reason, there was no signal. Since it couldn''t be helped, Brandon swallowed his food and turned his attention to the goblins. The goblins¡­ of course, did not need to eat. "You sure about this, little Kuoh and Kukoro?" ¡ªOf course, we don''t want to drain your supplies, my Lord. "Alright, thanks for that, little Kuoh." But it had to be noted that the goblins were shuddering in the far corner of the cave. For this reason, Brandon gave them their own fire to warm them up. For water and other necessities, Brandon provided clean drinking water with his magic. "I''m so d you''re here." Amelia spoke appreciatively. "Here." Brandon offered a cup filled with water, and Amelia instantly gulped it down. Since they were quite dirty from the Frostwolves'' blood, Brandon created a washing area, utilizing his earth affinity, and replenishing the water with his water affinity. Several magic heaters were ced inside the washroom, for the purpose of insting it from the cold. With a fire underneath the rock¨Cformed a tub, the water was fairly heated. On the usual case, taking a shower while it was snowing was a bad idea. But by now, the room was well heated, due to the amount of magic heaters that filled the room. To make matters better, Brandon filled the room with several torches, just to add to the heat. But still, since he didn''t actually need to, Carl didn''t take a shower. The goblins on the other hand¡­ ¡­They were a curious bunch. The next to take a shower, was of course, Brandon. He was well used to walking around his apartment with no shirt on. Due to this fact, he instantly took his top off with no regards to thedy in the room. "Eh?!" Stunned, Amelia looked away. Brandon curiously tilted his head. "Hm?" He leaned close and scanned her face. She was covering her face with her hands. "What''s wrong?" "N-nothing¡­" She stammered. How peculiar. Andstly, it was Amelia''s turn. "...Don''t peek." Her face was red. "I won''t." Day five. The snow piled high, blocking the cave entrance. The wind kept howling, and the cold air slipped inside. The world outside was buried in white. By then, Brandon grew a bit desperate. He tried creating a skill that would somehow stop the weather. But it was to no avail, as the system told him his level was insufficient for such a skill. The heaters died out, but Brandon and Amelia quickly replenished them with mana. "Could you tell us more about your vige, Carl?" "...Okay." It was then when Carl began to recount his experiences back in the vige. The vige was a small and humblemunity. They lived by growing crops and trading them in the city. Apparently, their crops were of fine quality, due to the soil they sprouted from. In the morning, Carl would wake up early to help the vigers maintain their farms. And by the afternoon, Carl and his little sister, Emi, would often run around the vige, ying with the other children. It was a peaceful and lively vige. And as Carl noticed the terrain from where they started off from, it seemed like the vige was still quite far. "I see." Day fifteen. The storm raged on. The sky stayed dark, and the freezing air crept deeper into the cave. Every sound was muffled by the constant snow. By now, the group had formed some kind of bond. Especially Amelia and little Kuoh. "Hm?" "What?" "I can see the expressions you''re making. Don''t tell me you''re jealous?" "I''m not." Brandon shook his head. "Hmm¡­" Amelia scanned his expression. He was, in fact, jealous. "Are you jealous your senior isn''t giving you any attention." "Uh¡­ no?" That wasn''t the case at all. He was jealous of Amelia, hogging little Kuoh. By now, Brandon had grown fond of little Kuoh. He was a cute little goblin. "Hehe~" Amelia chuckled and hugged little Kuoh. Little Kuoh seemed startled at first. But his expressions seemed to ease as his head met Amelia''s chest. "...How could you betray me, little Kuoh?" Brandon frowned in disapproval. ¡ªSorry¡­ my handsome Lord. But despite being apologetic, little Kuoh shrugged. Brandon shook his head and looked to the side. There was a new bond that formed. Carl and Kukoro. Brandon looked at them ying together with a smile on his face. "Hehe~ Catch, Kukoro!" They were ying catch with a rock. But only Carl was the one throwing the ball. It was as if he was ying with a dog. "It''s your turn, Emi." Hearing that, Brandon''s lips curled down. Day thirty. The blizzard seemed to be slowing down. It was still cold outside, but not to the same degree as day five. Brandon and Amelia could now roam around outside. But it was still too risky for Carl. With such thoughts, the group continued to seek refuge inside the cave. By now, the cave looked like a house. There were several pieces of furniture made out of rocks, courtesy of Brandon''s [Earth] affinity. And though they weren''t up to quality, they served their purpose. Brandon seemed to have a talent for molding rock sculptures. The group was now undoubtedly close. Each passing day, Carl''s sleeping habits dwindled. There were times where he would smile. It was a stark contrastpared to the first day. Brandon''s lips curled up to a smile as he watched the children y around. The goblins were included, of course. Brandon regarded them as toddlers at this point. It seemed like Amelia shared the same thoughts as she sat next to him, smiling as her gaze lingered on the children. "Huam¡­" Amelia stifled a yawn. "I''m kind of sleepy. Let me borrow your shoulders." "Sure." Amelia rested her head on Brandon''s shoulder and closed her eyes. The two were now super close. Much too close that Brandon could admit he was asfortable with her as he was with Belle. He draped a fur coat around her and Amelia pulled it closer, falling asleep shortly after. Day forty. A month and ten days had passed. The blizzard had cleared, and it was finally safe for the children to go outside the cave. The group helped around, clearing the supplies, cing them in bags, as Brandon and Amelia secretly stashed some of them inside their inventories. By group, in particr, Brandon, Amelia, and Carl. The other children were useless in this aspect as they continued ying around inside the cave. After leaving the cave, they finally returned to the forest. But to their surprise, the fog still permeated the air. And it was even thicker than before. "Do you sense it?" "....Yeah." Amelia asked and Brandon nodded his head. There was something ominous inside the forest. Brandon could surmise that it was the sole reason for the fog. After all, the fog was pure mana energy, condensed in gaseous form. And the mana energy seemed to be intense as he scanned deep into the forest. "....!" Brandon flinched as he felt two cold eyes stare back at him. Chapter 180: Chain Act [1] "...!" What the hell was that? Feeling the ominous gaze, a sudden chill ran down Brandon''s spine, as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. And that was when¡­ ¡ª[Chain¨CAct]¡ª [Find the source of the mana density.] [Rewards:] [Sovereign of Creation: EXP ¡ª +2%] [Act Progression: 5%] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡­.The system notification popped up. A chain act. Meaning, the quest would continue to progress uponpletion of each chain. It was interesting. Ever since the cmity, the system had surprised Brandon even more. It was as if the system was leading him to something. And despite its unreliability in the early stages, Brandon trusted the system. The system had always saved him in the past. Surely, the system is leading him to the right path. Looking ahead, the only problem was how thick the fog was. It obscured their vision, making it hard to see ahead. Initially, Brandon wanted to utilize [Aeolus'' Blessing], and traverse the entire forest by air. Though he knew he could barely traverse 15% of the entire forest, he had Amelia to supply mana to him. By his calctions, they should be able to cross at least 30%. But now that the system had given him directions, there was no other choice. They had to trudge the forest thoroughly. It was risky. Especially with the children around. Looking ahead, the spine chilling gaze had faded. The fog continued to obscure their vision. Since the fog seemed to be mana, in its gaseous form, an idea sparked inside Brandon. With such thoughts, Brandon silently muttered. "Mana Disruption." All of a sudden, the fog in front of them scattered like dust. They were still there, but a small path became clear. ".....So it works." Just like the mana empowered security cameras, back during the acquaintance party, he could definitely tamper mana in its purest form. ¡­Then could he tamper with Amelia''s magic swords? He could only find out. But now was not the time for that. "Let''s go." He urged. With [Mana Disruption] active, wherever Brandon looked, the fog would scatter. But there was a fixed cool down of three seconds. Thankfully, Carl was not well versed with magic. He didn''t question whatever Brandon was doing. To him, it looked as if Brandon was probably using wind to scatter the fog. And for Amelia, Brandon had already told her everything she needed to know about his system. He knew the ins and outs of her system, and the same went for her. She was the only person who knew that secret of his. After all, they both borrowed power from the system. In the future, Brandon hoped that by the time the [Wraith''s Descent] progression had reached a hundred, him, Raven, and Amelia would be strong enough tobat those forces. It became apparent to him that the system was leading him to that act. It was inevitable. The progression continued to increase, but certain acts would decrease its progress. Currently, ¡ª¡ª[Sub¡ªAct]¡ª¡ª Wraiths'' Descent. Progression: ¡ª 18% ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª And for the other act¡­ ¡ª¡ª[Main Act]¡ª¡ª Sovereigns'' Descent. Progression: ¡ª 1% ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Everyday, Brandon would check the main act''s progression. There were certain days when it increased by one. But the next day, it would decrease back to zero. For whatever reason, Brandon didn''t know. Rustle¡­ Rustle¡­ The bushes rustled, and Brandon sensed movement. "Stay behind us." At his instruction, the children gathered in between Brandon and Amelia. "Not you guys." The goblins lowered their heads in disappointment, and fixed a battle stance. "Hurrr¡ª" From the bushes, emerged a pack of Frostwolves. As expected. ¡ªAwoooo! And the Frostwolves quickly got to work as their howls rang in the air. Ice¨Cshaped spikes protruded from the ground, heading towards them. He tried to use [Mana Disruption], but it was to no avail. He couldn''t find a fixed spot to disrupt the Frostwolves'' magic attack. Crack! Before the spikes reached them, a magic sword rained down, shattering the spikes in the process. Brandon nodded his head at Amelia who narrowed her eyes, focusing on the battle. It was finally time to use it. His [Nature] affinity. Unlike the other affinities, which conjured the affiliated affinity, [Nature] worked in the same way as the [Earth] affinity. They were not conjure type elements, but maniption type. And since they were in the forest¡­. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! All of a sudden, vines rippled from the trees and coiled around the wolves like a snake. "Hurrr¡ª" The ice¨Clike crystals around the wolves hardened, the vines instantly cut off. ¡­..He was not too well versed in the [Nature] affinity. "Stay here, Carl." Gathering mana in his palms, an earth shield encircled Carl. Having secured Carl''s safety, Brandon bursted forward. The ends of his fur coat fluttered by the wind. ck mes materialized in his palms, as threads extended from his fingertips. The threads loomed around and wrapped around the wolf. But due to the hard ice crystals on their figure, the threads could only do so much. Something was different about the wolves. It seemed as if the dense fog of mana had increased their strength. d in ck mes, Brandon struck the wolf with his fist. Thwack! The wolf staggered back, but another wolf lunged themselves towards Brandon. Swallowing, Brandon leapt up and dodged the wolf''s attack. "...!" And yet again, another wolf lunged themselves towards him. There was no end to it. They were too coordinated. Gathering mana on his arms, Brandon spun around. A tornado slightly formed, pushing the wolves back. It was then. [Aeolus Blessing] Brandon walked up in the air, as if he was walking a flight of stairs. ¡ªAwoooo! The wolves'' shrilling howl rang in the air. Ice crystals sprouted from their bodies. Swish, swish, swish¡ª! Ice crystals shot from their figure like rapid bullets, rippling in the air towards Brandon. "Shit." Caught off guard, he cursed under his breath. He didn''t expect the wolves to have a ranged attack. The only thing he could do to mitigate the damage was to wrap himself around an ice shell. Swish, swish, swish! But that proved futile as the ice crystals cut through the shell. Cuts and grazes etched all over his body. It seemed like the wolves had some kind of counter to whatever he would do. With such thoughts, his assessment was over. All preparations wereplete. He had managed to lure the wolves towards a certain area. Gathering information about them in the process. He clenched his fist. "Huurryaaa¡ª" The wolves were instantly pulled in the air. Threads wrapped themselves around the wolves'' ice covered figure. And though the threads weren''t capable enough to tear through their torso, it was still durable enough to lift the wolves up in the air. Looking around, all of the wolves that had tried to attack him hung in the air, threads coiled around their figures. Gently cing his index finger on the threads, a ck ember ignited. Vo¡­ Voooosh¡ª! The small ember gradually crawled the threads. VOOOSH¡ª! As soon as the ck mes met the wolves'' body, the mes instantly expanded, burning the wolves alive. Truth be told, cursed mes were less hot than normal mes. But cursed mes had a debuff effect. Burning the opponent alive would gradually sap away their strength, and eat away their mana. The same went for cursed threads, the energy would pass onto the user. But¡­ It wasn''t without its side effects. "Heh." Using too much of his cursed affinity at once¡­ "Hehehe¡­" ¡­..Took a toll on his already damaged mental state. "Hahahah!" Heughed a sinisterugh. As he watched the wolves, burning and burning and burning. There was a reason why the [Cursed] affinity was frowned upon. The more they used it against an opponent..... "Hahahahaha¡­!" .....The more their inner desires consumed them. Chapter 181: Chain Act [2] It was going on for quite a while. "Hahaha¡­." For nine months, he was unconsciously awake. And for nine months, he was arduously subjected to a lot of stress. The pain. ¡­..He could never forget the pain. This was especially so whenever he tried to sleep. Whenever he closed his eyes. For forty days straight, not once had he ever slept. But due to Amelia and the childrens'' presence, he had to control himself. All so he wouldn''t lose himself. Pain. He felt like he could still feel it. Everyday. Like sharp daggers stabbing his skull. The intense heat that rose from his mana core. Burning his entire body. Burning and burning and burning¡ª "Haha¡­.!" And due to the side effects of the [Curse] affinity¡­. ¡­.He couldn''t suppress the bottled up stress any longer. Vooosh¡ª! ck mes crackled, burning the frostwolves until their body had grown limp. Slowly, their bodies withered, turning into ashes. [You have in a Frostwolf!] [You have in a Frostwolf!] [You have in a Frostwolf!] [You have in a Frostwolf!] . . "Haha¡­" Yet Brandon didn''t stop from there. The mes continued to expand. The snow around the area started to melt. The heat wasn''t as intense as regr mes. But mes were still mes. The rough patch of grass revealed itself and the mes gradually spread. *** The frostwolves gathered around Amelia. "Hurrr¡ª" ¡ªAwooo! They coordinated with each other. Ice¡ªshaped like spikes shot up from the ground. Wolves lunged themselves, baring their fangs against Amelia. "Hraa¡ª!" Gripping her sword, Amelia swung up. Magic swords shot down and shattered the spikes heading towards her. ng! However, the crystalline ice around the wolf served as its armor. Her sword recoiled back as soon as it impacted. It was now apparent to her that these wolves were somehow different. They were stronger, and their ice-like armor was thicker. Realizing that she couldn''t finish this off in one fell sweep, Amelia leapt backwards, distancing herself from the wolves. Extending her hand, the magic sword in her hand dematerialized, and another weapon appeared in her hands. A sniper. Or as she liked to call it, "Railgun." Yet again, the wolves lunged themselves towards her. ¡ªAwoooo! It was the same strategy. But this time, there were more wolves up close. It was fascinating. The wolves seemed to adapt, as if they knew that closebat was the optimal choice. But Amelia wasposed. A thick ounce of mana coalesced around the railgun. With her finger¡ªright on the trigger, Amelia steadily aimed. Eight wolves red at her as they jumped mid¨Cair. Thirteen wolves at the back, as ice spikes headed towards her, shooting from the ground. Bang¡ª! Pulling the trigger, the muzzle ignited. Heavy magic energy shot from the gun. The sheer force of her attack was so great as it pushed Amelia back. Pure magic energy rippled in the air, hurling the wolves, suspended in mid¨Cair, along the process. Crack! Their armor instantly shattered, and an opportunity revealed themselves. Using the opportunity, Amelia burst forth. The railgun dematerialized, and a magic sword appeared in her hand. Clenching it tightly, Amelia thrusted the tip of the de. Spurt! Confirming the kill, and that the de cut deep, Amelia instantly maneuvered the sword in the air. The wolves with broken armor were instantly cut down, blue blood sttered, staining her cheek. Their eyes flickered before the light in their pupils faded. sh, sh, sh¡ª! With swift and precise movements, Amelia employed the same strategy for the other wolves with broken armor. No movement was wasted, each step served a purpose, and Amelia quickly dispatched the wolves. [You have in a Frostwolf!] [You have in a Frostwolf!] [You have in a Frostwolf!] [You have in a Frostwolf!] . . But she was given no time to recover as the ice spikes had neared her. "Ah¡ª" Bracing for impact, Amelia positioned her sword, motioning to block the ice. Thankfully, she didn''t suffer any damage. The ice met her sword, narrowly saving herself from getting impaled. ng! Skidding back, Amelia materialized several magic swords behind her. The swords loomed and floated around her. Extending her hand forward, a pistol appeared in her hand. The pack of wolves sprinted and encircled her. ¡ªAwoooo! They all howled in unison, and ice spikes shot up from all directions. Closing her eyes, Amelia focused on the magic energy around her. Half a second passed. And¡­ "Now." In an inch of a second, before the spikes reached her, Amelia leapt up from the ground, elegantly twisting her body. The floating magic swords followed her, and the spikes met each other, shattering in the process. Safelynding on the ground, the wolves instantly rushed towards her. Their eyes flickered and red ominously at Amelia. They leapt up from the ground, while some ice spikes shot towards her. Turning around, Amelia pulled the trigger. Magic energy rippled, and the spikes shattered. Magic swords rained down, dematerializing as soon as it met the wolves. But instantly reappeared and rained down. However, the impact of the swords weren''t enough to even chip their armor, as they were forcefully pushed back. Feeling her mana gradually drain, Amelia rushed forward. One of the swords disappeared, and another weapon materialized on her left hand. A rapier. She had realized that there was a gap in their armor. There, she could see the narrow gap of the ice on their body, and a small strand of fur could be seen. With such thoughts, Amelia gripped the rapier tightly. Her entire focus was on the tip of the rapier''s trajectory. She was talented with the de. Even more so than her father. Trained in all sorts of swordy, Amelia recalled her experiences with the rapier. Swoosh¡ª! On the first try, her calctions were correct. The de''s trajectory instantly cut through the narrow gap of the armor, and the rapier deeply impaled the wolf. Bang! The wolf was pushed back by her gun, and Amelia employed the same strategy. But this time, she increased her pace. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! A flurry of strikes thrusted through the wolf. The rapier''s edge pierced through the other side of the wolf. Bang! The wolf was pushed away by the gun, its body limp and lifeless. Maneuvering in the air, Amelia swiftly headed towards the wolves with graceful movements. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! [You have in a Frostwolf!] [You have in a Frostwolf!] . . By the end of it, despite the cold, sweat trickled down Amelia''s cheek. "Haa¡­. H-haaa¡­" She took deep heavy breaths as she focused her attention on the goblins, surrounding the earth formed wall around Carl. Thankfully, the wolves ignored them as they seemed to be safe. But as she gazed ahead¡­.. "....!" The forest had started burning. Chapter 182: Chain Act [3] "....What?" Amelia was perplexed as she watched the ck mes spread across the forest. What the hell is Brandon doing? He was currently facing no enemies. So why is he just standing around? He seemed to be staring at the sky and his shoulders were trembling. "...." But it was then when Amelia noticed something peculiar. The atmosphere around Brandon changed. The mana around him suddenly grew heavy, and it seemed magic energy was leaking from him. She hadn''t actually seen his instability, but this was how Ciel described it. The mana around him began thrashing around, relentlessly spreading the ck mes. Amelia was taken aback. From what Brandon had told her, the pain agonized him for nine months straight. But for some reason, his body didn''t flinch at all. However, she could feel the intense atmosphere around him. At this moment, Brandon was a hazard to everything, and everyone around him. Everyone but her. With such thoughts, Amelia ran towards him. "Bran¡ª-" But she halted in her steps as she noticed movementsing from the bushes. More Frostwolves? They were annoying. It became apparent to Amelia that the Frostwolves'' difficultyy in their defense. She could surmise that due to their tough armor, they should be ranked within the A- category. "¡­.!" However, what she thought were more Frostwolves, was actually something else. From the bushes, emerged two tall¡ªlike moving statues. Just like the wolves, their figures were covered in ice¡ªlike crystals. But as she narrowed her eyes and focused her attention on the statues, she realized they were quite different from the wolves. Their armor. "¡­." There was no gap. Their builds were bulky, and they were tall for Amelia''s height. Butparing them to Brandon, they were only a bit taller than him. Amelia realized they would be impossible to kill with her swords. A creature of the A+ category? ¡­.Maybe even S-. A sudden feeling of fear rose within Amelia. At the moment, she knew she couldn''t count on Brandon. He looked as if he was fighting off the feeling that gued him. But Amelia had to try. The statue''s eyes suddenly flickered and glowed an ominous blue glow. In an instant, Amelia''s rm bells rang and she quickly returned to the children. The goblins bore their weapons forward and red at the statues. The statues'' movements were quite sluggish. But each step they took, it felt like the ground shook slightly. Gathering the magic energy around her, magic swords materialized in the air and floated around Amelia. Pointing her finger at one of the statues, a magic sword cut through the air and struck the statue. Crack! But it was to no avail, as the magic sword quickly dissipated and the statue only staggered slightly. "Tsk." Amelia clicked her tongue. Extending her hand forward, a magic sword floated towards her and Amelia clenched the grip tightly. The tip of the de suddenly extended at that moment, fully materializing itself. Closing her eyes, Amelia prepared herself for an uncertain battle. *** The integration process. Due to his Sovereign''s Will, being too strong for his body, his mana core rejects the integration process. For that reason, the mana core inside his body purifies itself of the Sovereign''s Will. And it was for such a reason that caused the instability. Which is why he needed a Sovereign''s Fragment. The only living fragment. Amelia Constantine. ording to Ciel, with how pure Amelia''s mana was, directly injecting it inside his body would help stimte his mana core, purifying it in the process, and assisting the will''s integration. But it wasn''t a one time process. What Amelia needed to do was to inject it during its crucial point. When his mana core bes unstable again. And that day¡­ ¡­.Was today. He hadn''t realized it. But the pain was real. "Kh¡­! Haha." And by now, he was well used to it already. Much to the point where he could delude himself that it wasn''t. Thud! He fell on both his knees as ck mes continued to spread around him. Due to the instability, he couldn''t stop the mes. His mana continued to dwindle in each passing second. But he didn''t want the mes to stop. The mes. ¡­.They were beautiful. As if they were the sole manifestation of his darkest thoughts. Brandon Locke. He was tired of pretending. Tired of hiding secrets. Bound to the restrictions of being Brandon Locke. This world was real. Killed and he would undoubtedly die. And this world was on the brink of destruction. The syndicate''s ns. The cmity. Lucian''s death. Jin''s death. Wraiths'' Descent. ¡­.And, Sovereigns'' Descent. If that were the case, then it meant that he had some kind of connection to whatever a Sovereign even was. And since the system had deemed it as the main act, then¡­. ¡­.They were the end game. What he thought the end game was Wraiths, wasn''t actually the case at all. And now, he was thrusted into this world. Just to die? No. He refused. As he gazed ahead, a sharp and agonizing pain pierced his skull. But unlike before, Brandon didn''t groan in pain. The mes in his peripheral vision hadpletely captivated his attention. Beautiful. The sheer destruction the mes had brought. With that kind of power, he could change the world''s fate. ¡­.But that kind of power. It was out of reach for the moment. He was still too weak. Even weaker than his teacher, Evelyn. At the moment, she was his only basis. Jin was gone, as well as Lucian. He hadn''t met the other strong figures of the world just yet. There were more. Others who were below Lucian, but above Evelyn. And most of them operated differently. Staring at the burning trees, his lips unknowingly pulled up. Burn, keep burning. Burn everything. Burn them all. The syndicate. The other races. The Wraiths. The Sovereigns. All of his enemies. Destruction. Burn them all down. Until nothing but ashes were left. Such were his thoughts. Helping himself up, he looked around. A smile crept up on his features as he took in the sight of the ever expanding ck mes. Smiling, he turned around. There, he could see Amelia fending off against tall looking¨Ccrystal statues. "....Huh?" Since when did they get there? Scanning, it was then when his eyes shot wide open. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as his mouth was left agape. His body was already heating up several minutes ago, and the sharp pain in his head continued to grip him. Realizing he was suffering the same symptoms as back then, he clenched his chest tightly. The situation finally clicked. The goblins. "...." They were dead. Chapter 183: Crystallize [1] Inside the earth shell, Carl trembled as he held his little sister in his arms. "¡­..We''re going to be fine, Emi." He assured his frightened little sister. "These people are strong. We''re going to be fine." "I''m scared¡­ Bwother." "I know, I know. But big brother is here to protect you." "Hnghh¡­" Emi quickly hugged him tightly. Caressing his little sister''s hair, Carl closed his eyes. The sound of explosions could be heard outside, as well as ringing sounds. The ground shook and the explosions continued. Each time it reached Carl''s ears, his body shuddered. But despite that, he steeled his resolve as he embraced his little sister tightly. "We''re going to be fine, Emi¡­.." *** With a battle cry, Amelia lunged forward, gripping the sword in her hand tightly. Supporting the weight of the de, she swung the sword down forcefully. ng! As expected, she didn''t have enough strength, or magic power to even chip the golem¨Clike crystal statue¡ª "Ah." That''s it. It was a golem. Her sword met impact with the golem. Due to the sheer toughness of its crystalline armor, Amelia''s de instantly recoiled back and a ringing sound echoed. Skidding back several meters, Amelia focused her attention on the two crystalline golems. The name fits their category. From just the first attack, Amelia realized that their armor wasn''t ice at all. They were in fact crystals. "Tsk." She clicked her tongue. This was going to be even more difficult than she thought. Behind her, the earth shell that served to protect Carl and his sister registered in her thoughts. ¡ªKuku! The goblins appeared beside Amelia. In particr, Kukoro and little Kuoh. They seemed enraged as they red at the two golems. With weapons out, the two goblins rushed towards the golems. "Wait¡ªNo!" Amelia reached out to them. But it was toote. Smash¡ª! The golem''s eyes flickered and itsrge fist swung down. The ground shook intensely. Snow dust permeated the air, as soon as its fist impacted the ground. Amelia''s eyes shot wide open as she took in the sight. The golem raised its fist up and bluish blood dripped down. "¡­." Kukoro was dead. His body, gruesomely sttered down on the ground as if his life meant nothing. The golem turned its head slightly and flickered its eyes at little Kuoh. It seemed like little Kuoh wasn''t frightened by the least, as he red back at the golem. Little Kuoh burst forth. The golem stood tall. The height difference was ridiculous. Little Kuoh''s broken sword was lifted up, aiming to strike the golem. But Amelia knew that wouldn''t do anything at all. Woosh¡ª! Amelia was quick to react as she bolted from her position. Nearing little Kuoh, Amelia grabbed him before the golem''s fist struck down. Crash! The ground shook as snow dust fluttered in the air. "Little Kuoh!" "Ku?" Ah, right. Goblinnguage. "Kukuku?" "Ku¡­." "Kukukoo¡­?" "Kukaka." Amelia had no idea what they were even talking about. But what she was trying to say was for little Kuoh head back to the earth shell. But her thoughts didn''t get through him as little Kuoh''s arms iled around. How was Brandon evenmunicating with these midgets? Then Amelia could only make do with what she had. Her and little Kuoh against the golems. Victory was undoubtedly slim. She wanted to run. To take Carl and little Kuoh away from this ce. But she couldn''t leave Brandon, who seemed to be having an episode. Plus, if Brandon''s unstable mana inflicts Carl, who knows what would happen. Not only that, but she received something peculiar. ¡ª[Chain¨CAct]¡ª [Find the source of the mana density.] [Rewards:] [Gate: EXP ¡ª +2%] [Act Progression: 5%] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª She received her first quest from the system. There was no escaping this. There seemed to be some kind of grave importance deep inside the forest. The system had deemed it so. "¡­.!" Her rm bells rang and arge crystalline fist appeared in her peripheral vision. "Damn it¡ª" Unable to react fast enough, Amelia took the full brunt of the attack as she held her arms up to guard. Bang¡ª! Just that single attack had sent her hurling away, and she felt like the bones in her arms cracked, despite condensing herself with her mana to defend. "Khh¡­!" Impaling the sword on the ground to support her herself, she fixed her attention on the golems. "¡­." But it was then when she realized what had just happened. Right. Little Kuoh was with her. The two of them took the attack head on. But unlike her, little Kuoh had no means to defend himself. Narrowing her eyes, she could make out the blue blood dripping from both of the golem''s fist. And as she turned her head to a certain direction, there, she could see some kind of green figure sttered on a nearby tree. Oh, no. His poor figure, gruesomely bludgeoned, taking the attack, and crashing on a tree. At that moment, Amelia''s arms involuntarily shuddered at the sight. Little Kuoh¡­ ¡­..He was dead. The sword in her hand shook and her mouth twitched. A sudden chill ran down her spine as she realized how easily the goblins died. "Huu¡­." Closing her eyes, sheposed herself. Was there really no other way? Should she just abandon the quest, take Carl and Brandon, then run? It seemed like the most rational decision. With such thoughts, Amelia dematerialized her sword and wrapped her entire figure with mana. Swoosh¡ª! In an instant, Amelia bolted from her position and quickly rushed to the earth shell. But before she could reach her destination¡­. Vooosh¡ª! All of a sudden, a torrent of ck mes ignited and cascaded around the golems. Brandon. He had finallye to his senses to assist her. "Brandon! Let''s run¡ª" She halted mid sentence as she noticed there was something wrong with Brandon¡ªwho stood several meters between her and the golems. His body trembled and there was an ominous smile etched on his face. What in the world. Scanning, she realized the expressions Brandon was making. His eyes were shot wide open and they seemed a bit¡­. indifferent. But it was the smile that took her aback. All of a sudden, the magic energy around Brandon shot up. The atmosphere became heavier in each passing second. ck mes started cascading around Brandon''s figure. And that was when¡­ Vooosh¡ª! The fight started. Since Brandon seemed to want to take thebat up close and personal, Amelia could only offer support. Extending her arms forward, the familiar sight of the railgun materialized. Crouching down, Amelia positioned herself as her finger was on the trigger. BANG¡ª! Chapter 184: Crystallize [2] Seeing the golems easily overpower Amelia, Brandon muttered under his breath. "elerated Cognition." Tzz¡ª He blinked ahead, wrapping himself in a mixture of lightning and cursed mes. Under the effects of [elerated Cognition], Brandon couldn''t stop the smile creeping up on his features. It had been a while since he hadst used this skill inbat. But at this moment, there was no need to hold back. ce a handicap on himself, and he would undoubtedly die. That much was certain. With such thoughts, he muttered once again. "Mana Burst." All of a sudden, he felt his physical strength gradually rise. The sharp pain in his head continued agonizing him and the heat from within engulfed him. But gritting his teeth, Brandon pushed forward. The mana around himshed out and snow dust fluttered in the air. All the adrenaline surge mitigated most of the pain he was feeling, except the sharp pains. Instantly, he appeared in front of the golem and struck his fist forward. Bang¡ª! His fist met the golem''s crystalline armor, but despite that, he had dealt no damage at all. This was going to be harder than he thought. Thankfully, the golem''s were sluggish. They followed up with a counter attack, but Brandon blinked backwards and dodged it with ease. There was no point in using an ice sword since he knew it would instantly shatter on impact. He had to use his fist. Voosh¡ª! ck mes and blue lightning coalesced around him. elerate Cognition served to enhance his senses and reaction time as it came up with a thousand ways to counter the golems in a split second. With his thoughts gathered he hade up with a strategy. Tzz¡ª Blinking forward, Brandon gathered the mes and lightning in his fist and dealt a blow on the golem''s armor. A certain booming sound echoed in the air. But regardless, there was no damage. The golem''s fist struck down but he instantly dodged it. With [Aeolus Blessing], Brandon kicked the air and twisted his body. Bang¡ª! Suspended mid air, mes and lightning surge on his legs and he struck the same spot with his feet. ¡­And there was still no damage, even when he was under the effects of [Mana Burst]. The golem''s armor was tough. He hade to realize that it was even harder than Jin''s crystal sword. All of a sudden, arge fist appeared before him. Bang! But in that instant, a banging sound echoed and the golem staggered back. The attack didn''tnd and Brandon turned his head to the source of the attack. There, he could see Amelia, crouched down as she held a railgun in her hands. Nodding at her, Brandon returned his attention to the golem in front of him. Boom¡ª! Boom¡ª! Boom¡ª¡ª! A barrage of heavy blows were sent out and the golem staggered in each attack. Punch. Kick. Punch. Punch. It was working. Finally, a crack started to form. In all of his attacks, he had only targeted one spot. Specifically, the golem''s chest. Bang! A shot fired, and the other golem continued to stagger back, unable to attack him. It was the perfect strategy. With his speed, the golem in front of him was unable tond a single blow. But it took all his focus just for one attack. With Amelia''s assistance, Brandon could focus all his attention on one golem. ¡­And he continued employing the same strategy. Boom¡ª! Boom¡ª! Each attack, the ground shook intensely. Brandon''s manashed around, providing its own form of assistance as it struck the golem randomly. Time passed, and cold sweat started trickling down his cheek. Boom! Boom! Boom! Each strike resonated through the air, the sound of his fists meeting the golem''s armor echoing across the battlefield. The crack expanded with each sessive hit. Throughout the fight, several system notifications popped up. [STR: +5%] [STR: +5%] [STR: +5%] [STR: +5%] His strength stat was rapidly increasing. It was for this reason he had realized the new stat distribution system. Then¡­ If he took a blow, would the [DEF] stat increase? He would never have thought of it if he wasn''t under the influence of the [Curse] affinity. But he was. And¡­ BOOM¡ª! He took the attack head on and was sent hurling away. "Brandon!" Amelia called out to him, but Brandon paid no heed to her words. "Haha." [DEF: +5%] He was right. But regardless, due to how low his defense was, he felt like the bones in his arms cracked. He was done experimenting. There was still one more golem left, and looking at Amelia herplexions started to pale. Most likely, the mana she used for her attacks was much more significant than his. He had to finish this so she could rest. Looking at the golem and seeing all the cracks, he surmised that one more major blow should finish the job. With such thoughts, she stepped forward. Step¡ª Massaging his neck, ck mes engulfed his entire figure. His fur coat had already burnt down to smithereens. The cold breeze washed over him, but Brandon paid no heed to it. Tzz¡ª He blinked forward, as blue streaks and ck mes left his trail. The golem''srge fist was raised up as it aimed to strike him. Gathering a substantial amount of magic power in his palms, the ck mes gradually expanded and blue sparks coalesced. The atmosphere became heavy, and the snow around them fluttered, revealing the rough patch of grass. Arge fist loomed over him, shading his entire figure. But before it could reach him¡­ BOOM¡ª¡ª! His fist met the golem''s chest as it staggered backwards. Immediately, the cracks expanded. Cr¡­ Cr¡­ Crack¡­! The golem''s blue eyes flickered. Eventually, it faded and its entire figure dispersed. Sharp crystalline debris scattered in the air. [You have in a Crystal Golem!] [+20% EXP] The system notification popped up, but Brandon had no time to check. Another fist loomed over him. But Brandon was quick to react as he blinked backwards, narrowly dodging the attack. Boom¡ª! The ground shook as the other golem''s fist struck down. "Huu¡­" There was one more golem. One left. But the thought of having to go through the same lengthy process made Brandon breathe heavily. However, as he scanned the golem''s figure, he realized there were several cracks in its armor. It seemed like Amelia''s relentless attacks had done its job. "....!" His rm bells rang. The crystal fragments from the previous golem started shaking. Swoosh¡ª! All of a sudden, all the crystal fragments floated towards the other golem. Thump! Thump! Thump! The fragments engraved itself on the golem and its entire figure gradually expanded. At first, it was only a bit taller than Brandon. But as the fragments continued to mix with the golem, it stood at a towering height, way above the trees surrounding the forest. "...." Shit. "....!" Its eyes flickered, and as it glowed, it started to move. Boom! Boom! Each step it took, the ground shook intensely. ¡­.There was no point in fighting this behemoth. Chapter 185: Crystallize [3] The towering Behemoth loomed close. It''s blue glowing eyes flickered menacingly. Boom¡ª! Boom¡ª! Each heavy step it took, the ground shook. Piles of snow scattered in the air. Its movements were sluggish, but the sheer impact of its steps sent a cold breeze, brushing past Brandon. He had to keep [Mana Burst] up. If he were to disable it, the side¨Ceffects would wash over him. It was not the time for that. He had to take the others with him and run away. Screw the quest. His life was on the line. "Emi!" What was the point in progressing the Sovereign of Creation skill if he was going to die anyway? ¡­And for a meager 5% increase at that. Not worth it. Nope. But as he was about to rush towards Amelia, Brandon stopped in his tracks. Gripping his head, he had finally felt the rush of sharp pain. Adrenaline still surged, but would only serve to mitigate the pain to a degree. His mana continuedshing out. It was then he realized he shouldn''t go near Carl. "Amelia! Take Carl and¡ª" Brandon paused and his eyes widened in shock. What the fuck is this kid doing? *** Inside the earth shell, Carl huddled up with his little sister. By now, fear started to grip him immensely as fixed his gaze up. There, he could see the towering figure of the Behemoth. Its eyes flickered menacingly as if it was staring deep inside Carl''s soul. Carl shuddered, flicking his head down. "....!" It was then he noticed. "...Emi?" Emi was gone. Wasn''t he just holding her a few seconds ago? Where the hell did Emi go? It was for that reason that Carl peeked out of the narrow hole of the earth shell. There was no roofing so oxygen could smoothly flow inside. "....!" There, he could see her running inside the forest. A sudden chill ran down his spine and a cold breeze washed over him. "Emi!" He screamed. But it all went to deaf ears. Emi never looked back and continued running inside the forest. Carl lowered his gaze. His hand. ¡­It was trembling. "No." Not again. No. No. "No, no, no." Instinctively, Carl rushed out the shell and headed deeper into the forestt, paying no heed to Amelia, Cid or the Behemoth. "Emi!" Don''t go. He reached out to her departing back. She was running faster than him, despite how small her legs were. *** "Amelia, go after him!" Brandon urged with a raised tone. He knew he shouldn''t get close to Carl at the moment. Not just him but Amelia as well. He knew he was a hazard. Amelia was the only one who could temporarily cure him, but there was no room for such a decision. At the moment, he could still bear the pain. Amelia nodded at his instructions and instantly headed deeper into the forest. The same went for Brandon as he ran away from the Behemoth. He hade to realize by now that the source of the dense mana in the air was due to the Behemoth. That, or there was something else inside the forest. He then recalled the two blue eyes from back then. By instinct, he knew that it wasn''t from the Behemoth. It was something entirely different. His gaze fixed ahead. There, he could see Amelia reaching out for Carl. The hell was he doing to endanger himself like that? Boom¡ª! Boom¡ª! A loud booming sound echoed from behind him. The ground shook intensely. The trees started breaking down in each step the Behemoth took. Screw the rewards. He had to make it out of here fast. Thankfully, the Behemoth''s movements were sluggish. ¡ª¡ª¡ª! It was then. "....!" His rm bells rang. Instinctively, he dashed sideways. As soon as he did, a trail of crystallinesshed out and registered in his peripheral vision. "...." Shit. The Behemoth had a ranged attack. One simr to the Frostwolves. But unlike the wolves, they were crystals. Now things were getting even more difficult. Currently, he was deemed an A ranker by the system. But he knew, the Behemoth far surpasses that. Most likely an S- rank. He couldn''t fight it alone. This was especially so as he was quite unstable at the moment. ¡­.Mentally, and physically. He felt his body breaking in each passing second. But gritting his teeth, he persevered and continued sprinting. "Carl!" He called out Carl. But it all went to deaf ears. Since Carl was running in the same direction as them, there was no reason to stop him. "Carl¡­! Why did you put yourself in danger like that?!" He couldn''t be lenient. His mind was jumbled, and his body was breaking down. Whatever gued Carl wasn''t of his priority at the moment. They had to survive. "It''s Emi." Finally, he replied. "She''s gone!" "Wake up, Carl!" Brandon screamed. "Brandon, wait." Amelia''s worried voice reached his ears. Brandon shook his head. "She''s been gone the entire time!" The cold harsh truth. "...." "...." Even Amelia was speechless. But he had to say it. It was a reality call for Carl. The further they let this on, who knows what kind of stunt the kid would pull next? "Wake up. Your little sister is¡ª" "Stop." Amelia cut him off before he could went way out of line. "...." It was then when Carl stopped running. Due to that, they overtook him. They halted in their steps. Brandon was several distances away for Carl''s safety from his mana. Turning around, Brandon screamed. "Why are you stopping now?!" "Brandon!" "Tsk." Brandon clicked his tongue as Amelia''s brows furrowed. Looking back, the Behemoth was still quite far. But each second was crucial. Carl needed to get his shit together. "Carl, we need to go, please." Amelia pleaded. But it went to deaf ears as Carl''s gaze lowered and his fist, clenched. Amelia continued. "Your little sister¡­. I know how you fe¡ª" "I know." Carl spoke almost inaudibly, cutting Amelia off. "I know, okay?!" Amelia''s eyes widened. The same went for Brandon as they stared at the boy who seemed like he was about to cry. "I know Emi is dead. Damn it." She was dead for a long time. The boy was merely deluding himself this entire time. But it wasn''t Brandon or Amelia''s ce to tell him such a fact. "She was¡­. all I had¡­" His voice cracked and he covered his face with his hand. "We were orphans. She was the only family I had left." Drip. Drip¡­! Tears trickled down his cheek and his tone trembled slightly. "The cmity¡­ it took her life. It took Emi away from me¡­." Sob. Sob. "Damn it." He wiped his tears with his arms. "Sorry, I''m fine now." Brandon and Amelia exchanged conflicted looks. But eventually, they nodded at each other. The cmity¡­ ¡­It changed a lot of lives. It took a lot of lives. And it changed the world. At that, the three continued running. Away. Far away from the Behemoth as possible. Brandon led the group''s direction. Time passed and the mana density gradually became heavier. On his timer, there were two minutes left before [Mana Burst] would be on cooldown. But this was bad. They knew they had only crossed 40% of the forest. But Brandon''s instincts told him they were going the right direction. It was as if the mana was calling out to him, leading him to a certain point. And with such thoughts, Brandon followed the mana''s density. "....!" They halted in their steps and their eyes widened in shock. What the¡­ There, they could see a towering crystal shaped like a tree. Inside the crystal tree, there was a figure with a small stature, seemingly frozen inside the crystal. With pointed ears and lc hair, Brandon was well aware of what the figure was. "....An elf." Chapter 186: Crystallize [4] ¡ª[Chain¨CAct Complete!]¡ª [Find the source of the mana density.] [Rewards Obtained:] [Sovereign of Creation: EXP ¡ª +2%] [Act Progression: 5%] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª "Ah." So the elf was the reason for the mana density in the forest. Figures. Not only that, but what is this act progression feature? No matter how much he looked, he could never find its progression in the system. "...." Turning back, there, he could see the Behemoth''s towering figure. It was a significant distance away. By estimation, it would reach them in nine minutes. "....What is that?" Carl spoke with a horrified tone. They were still several steps away from each other. Brandon turned around and stared at therge crystal tree. "It''s an elf." "An elf?" "The hair color is a bit different. But the leaf pointed ears matched the reports." Amelia''s cool voice cut through. "I can''t believe it. It really looks like¡­ a human." This was the first time Brandon had seen one as well. But he was used to the sight from all the media he consumed in his past life. Thus, it wasn''t quite a shock for him to see one up close. If the concept of elves were the same as from what he knew, then it exined the heavy mana in the atmosphere surrounding the elf, trapped inside the crystal tree. Elves were always described to be loved by mana. Therefore, it wasn''t a stretch to say that the mana in the air gathered around the elf and had caused the atmosphere in the forest. It was then. ¡ª[Chain¨CAct]¡ª [Save the Elf.] [Rewards:] [Act Progression: 5%] [Wraiths'' Descent: ¨C2%] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Once again, the system had given him directions. It was never this constant in the past. In the first ce, how can such meager quests such as this and escorting Carl would even prevent the Wraiths'' descent¡ª He paused his thoughts. Everything started to click. If his conjectures were proven correct, then the quests weren''t actually preventing the descent. Otherwise, it wouldn''t make sense. "Then¡­." All of this. The system was leading him to this exact moment. As if the system knew that escorting Carl would entail stumbling upon this elf in front of him. Then the elf up there¡­. Could she be the key? The elf''s features were quite visible. Long lc hair, and pointed ears. Its stature was quite small, hinting to a young elven child. It was a little elven girl. Scanning the expression she was making, her eyes were fully closed. But there was a tinge of sorrow from the way her lips curled. "Kh¡­!" The sharp pang pierced his head and Brandon''s expressions cracked. Clenching his face and gritting his teeth, Brandon staggered for a moment. "You okay?" "...Y-yeah." Amelia worriedly asked but Brandon assured her. "I want to heal you. But I''m not confident with the amount of mana I have currently." "It''s fine. I can handle it." He knew that once Amelia poured her mana in, she would be drastically weakened. This meant that she would be a burden, if and only if more monsters were to attack again. "Huu¡­" Composing himself, Brandon removed his hand from his face and stared at the crystal. Pursing his lips, turned his head and looked at Amelia. "Did you receive one as well?" "Yes." She nodded. Amelia had already told him back then that they received the same quest. In particr, the chain act. But unlike Brandon, Amelia didn''t have the main act feature. It was something only unique to him. "Can you do it?" "I can try." At his instructions, Amelia bent down. "...." Brandon looked away as soon as his eyes met her plump butt. Extending her hand forward, a railgun materialized on her arm and Amelia fixed a posture. It was the strongest offense in her arsenal. The mana in the air gradually pulled towards Amelia. The air around her brushed the snow surrounding her. Magic power started coalescing on the barrel. Peering one of her eyes closed, Amelia steadily focused her sight on the railgun''s scope. Then¡­. BANG¡ª¡ª! The ground shook as the railgun shot out argeser like bullet. Boom¡ª! The bullet forcefully reached the crystal tree, and it shook upon impact. "...." But it was to no avail as nothing happened. "It''s fine." He shook his head. "We can try again another time. For now, we have to get out of here fa¨CKh¡­!" Once again, tremendous pain pierced his head and he felt like his body started heating up. Thwack! He forcefully punched his face. Thwack! Again. Thwack! And again¡­ Thwack! "Brandon!" Thwack! Until he was able to trick his brain that the pain came from his punches. "Haaa¡­" He took a deep heavy breath. His face was battered and his nose started to bleed. Clenching his face, he looked ahead. There should be somece they could hide to rest. But his vision started getting hazy, and he couldn''t look properly anymore. Realizing what he was doing, Amelia scouted ahead as well. "There." She pointed ahead. "Just take the lead." He didn''t have the luxury to look anymore. Amelia nodded her head and led the group. Carl followed her closely, and after the distance was maintained, Brandon followed suit, clenching his face tightly. [Mana Burst: 57 seconds] "Tsk." He clicked his tongue as he continued following Amelia. 30. 23. 13. 7. 4. 3. 2. Without any concern for his surroundings, Brandon immediately slumped down and leaned behind what seemed to be a wall. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The unstable mana around himshed out and the surroundings shook intensely. 1. "Akh!" Overexerting [Mana Burst], adding to the fact that his mana was eating away at him, and his body breaking, the pain was too tremendous for him to handle all at once. Rumble¡­ Ru¡­ The shaking intensified. But all he could hear was constant ringing in his ears. Peering his eyes open, there, he could see Carl and Amelia outside. They were in, yet, another cave. Amelia seemed to be running towards him. Her expressions,ced with genuine concern. His vision was blurry, and the world started spinning. Ru¡­ ...And he nked out. Chapter 187: Crystallize [5] "Carl, stay here." She urged and Carl nodded in response. Amelia abruptly rushed towards Brandon who leaned on the wall, unconscious.. His manashed out like whips. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The cave shook intensely. The whip¡ªlike mana violentlyshed towards Amelia. "Ahk¡­!" The mana struck Amelia¡ªwho raised her arms to guard herself. A sharp pang rang in her body, and a burn¡ªlike mark etched on her arms. All of a sudden, Brandon''s mouth twitched while his eyes were closed. "Motherfucker." Oh, my. "¡­.?" Amelia was stupefied. Was he unconscious or not? "Ahkk!" The mana attacked her arm once again. Gritting her teeth, Amelia pressed forward, keeping her guard up. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ "Kuhh!" Her clothes started tear. The fur coat flew back as the fabric attaching it around her neck was cut loose. "Go fucking¡ªKhhh¡­ Kill yourself you extra bastard!" Oh, no. Extra what now? Brandon had quite the sharp vocabry. Amelia persevered. Visible burn marks appeared on her cheeks, arms, waist, thigh. All over her body. Finally, she had neared the unconscious Brandon. Amelia had no idea how Ciel was able to do this everyday for nine months. The thought seemed absurd. "Fucking bi¡ªNghh¡­" Before he could finish, Amelia covered his mouth. "¡­." But his mouth continued moving and she felt a wet sensation on her hand. "¡­." "Mnghhh." He continued. "Stop talking!" Amelia urged. By now, her hand was wet from Brandon''s saliva. Amelia shook her head. She could clean her handster. Extending her palms forward, magic power began to seep, crawling from her arms towards her hand. Her hand emitted a bright glow and she pressed her palm against Brandon''s chest. The mana started pouring inside Brandon. She could trace where the mana was going. The mana loomed inside him. Closing her eyes, she focused on its directions. "Nmfff¡­." "Shut up." ording to Ciel, she had to pour her mana all the way inside his core to purify it. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The cave continued shaking. Debris started falling from the ceiling and cracks started form on the walls. Amelia gritted her teeth. She started losing strength in each passing second of the purifying process. She felt her mana drain at a rapid pace and herplexions were starting to pale. But this was for Brandon. "Ahhk¡­!" She clenched her hand, tightly gripping Brandon''s shirt. She gritted her teeth. "¡­.How long is this gonna take!" She screamed. In a few more seconds, she knew her mana would be drained to the core. In the first ce, she never had much to give. She used too much of it during the fight. This was all to stabilize Brandon, and for Carl to safely enter the cave. Gradually, the whip¡ªlike mana began to stabilize as it started seeping back inside Brandon. The cave stopped shaking along the process. "Akhhh¡­.!" For what felt like a century, it seemed like she had finally stabilized Brandon. But for Amelia, her mana core was drained to the brim. With paleplexions and almost no strength, she slumped down on the unconscious Brandon''s legs. It was quite ufortable with the way his knees were positioned. With such thoughts, Amelia crawled upwards andid her head on Brandon''s chest. "Haa¡­. H-haaa¡­." She took deep heavy breaths. Her chest heaved up and down as she closed her eyes. "Haa¡­. Carl¡­." Carl immediately turned back around. His expressions seemed to say ''Yes?'' "Haa¡­. You can go¡­. inside." At her instructions, Carl hurriedly entered the cave and leaned back on the wall. "Haaa¡­." Taking more heavy breaths, Amelia lightly bumped Brandon''s chest. She pursed her lips. "Idiot." He was an idiot for fighting in such conditions. If he wasn''t fine, he should''ve urged the group to go and rest up somewhere instead of focusing on his quest. Was he a masochist¡­? Amelia was genuinely concerned. *** It was dark. All he could see was darkness. Sharp pangs rang inside his body, tormenting him. But regardless, he was well used to the pain. "Khh¡­.!" He wasn''t. All sorts of pain rang inside his body. But Brandon couldn''t do a single thing to help himself. He couldn''t feel his arms or legs. He knew he was unconscious. It was the same feeling back when he wasatosed. It was then. [Integration Process: 11%] "¡­.!" And it was the same as back then. The integration process only increased when Amelia was the one purifying his mana core. "Once again¡­." She was saving him. He truly felt greatf¡ª "Akh!" The after¡ªeffects of [Mana Burst], and his mana core''s instability gripped him yet again. "Fatherless fu¡ª" *** Two days had passed since then. Amelia had fully recovered her mana. But Brandon¡­. He was still in deep slumber. It was a good thing that she had stocked up on her own food supplies as well. Since she didn''t have the means to start a fire like Brandon, she bought food supplies that were readily edible. In the first ce, she had no survival skills. For two days, she offered her food to feed Carl. At the same time, she fed the sleeping Brandon with food that was easily digestible and didn''t require any chewing. Unlike back then, it was quite lonely. Carl would only speak if he was spoken to. But he wouldn''t start any conversations. But regardless, Amelia tried to liven up the mood. It was really¡­ lonely. The goblins were gone. Brandon was unconscious. She had nothing else to do but entertain Carl and wait for Brandon to wake up. As if her thoughts were seemingly read¡­ It was then. "Hua¡­." Brandon''s mouth moved and a strange sound reached her ears. Amelia immediately turned around and scanned. She pursed her lips. "Brandon?" His eyes began to twitch. "Uhmil¡­. Amelia?" "Yes, it''s me. How are you feeling?" A smile escaped her lips. Finally, good news after two days. She rushed towards him and leaned close. "¡­.I think I''m fi¡ªKhhh¡­" It seemed like he tried to move as his legs twitched. But seeing the expression he was making spoke enough. His body must''ve been aching all over. Brandon had told her back then about his skills. The one with the most severe after¡ªeffects was his skill called [Mana Burst], which would decline his body after overexertion. The thought was crazy. Unlike him, she didn''t have much skills. In the first ce, her skills didn''t ce such a burden on her. "I''m fine. Just need rest." Brandon clenched his face and assured her. Amelia''s expressions contorted into genuine concern. *** Next day. His body was still fatigued. But he could finally move around normally. [Integration Process: 20%] For each integration process with Amelia, it would shoot up by ten percent. "So I have to do this eight more times¡­." The thought sent chills down his spine. But the good news was¡­. [DEF: C+] His defense stat had increased. Looking up, the towering figure of the crystal tree registered in his peripheral vision. He hade to realize that there was no way for them to break the tree no matter what they did. They would have to return in another time. It was too risky with Carl being here. With such thoughts, Brandon decided. "Let''s go." The two nodded at his words and Brandon led the way. It was time to leave the forest and escort Carl back to his vige. If¡­. ¡­.There was even still a vige to return to. Chapter 188: His long journey [1] While resting in between, it took a total of seven days to fully cross the forest. An entire week. And after leaving the forest, finally, his phone started picking up a signal. There were several notifications on the home screen. [Belle: 73] And¡­. [Brandon''s and his sidekicks: 22] It was the group chat with his friends. Instantly, Brandon swiped it away. Unlocking his phone and opening the app, he quickly turned off his active status. There was one person he needed to contact. Not Belle. After pondering for a while, it was now time to contact him. He clicked on the username and tapped the [Call] button. His phone began ringing. Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Ring¡­. But after a few seconds, there was no response. He clicked on it again. Ring¡­. Ring¡­ Ring¡­ And yet again, there was no response. Irritated, Brandon quickly sent a message. [Wakey, wakey.] Click¡ª As soon as he sent the message¡­. Ring¡­ Ring¡­ His phone began ringing. Brandon shed a smirk while reading the caller''s name. [John Smith] The name oddly felt nostalgic. ¡ª¡­.Who is this? Hearing Zed''s voice, Brandon''s lips curled up to a smile. ''So this bastard''s still alive¡­.'' Brandon cleared his throat. Shortly after, he spoke with a deep voice. "Zed Alistar?" ¡ªI said, who is this?! And why do you have this number?! Zed seemed irritated. Brandon continued. "I know what you''ve been up to. The government ising for you." ¡ªI''m hanging up. "Wait." Brandon urged. He was done messing with Zed. "Don''t you recognize me?" ¡ª¡­.No way. Brandon stifled augh. It seemed like a sense of recognition washed over Zed. ¡ªYou back from the dead or something? "Something like that." ¡ªHaha. I never really believed you died anyway. "Thought so." His reaction was evident after realizing he was speaking to Brandon. Someone who was supposed to be dead for¡­. ''Ten months?'' By now, it seemed like a month had passed since he started this journey with Amelia. He could surmise that they were now in the middle of July. ¡ªWhere have you been this whole time? "You know. Climbing up all the way from hell or something. No biggie." ¡ª¡­. "I''ll tell you all about it next time." ¡ªAlright. So¡­? What''s with the sudden call¡­? "About the syndicate. Is it still operating?" ¡ªYeah, it is¡­. I''m d you''re here. I finally found out what they were nningst time. "Hmm?" Brandon''s ears perked up and he grew curious. "What?" ¡ªInvasion. "¡­.Huh?" ¡ªLast time, they were smuggling illegal immigrants into the country. This is serious shit, Brandon. "¡­." ¡ªSome of them seemed to have already seamlessly blended in society. Thankfully, the cmity pushed their ns back. The syndicate suffered a loss during the cmity. The huge ship that held a lot of military personnels from another country mysteriously vanished. Brandon listened attentively to each and every word that Zed spoke. Invasion? It was then things began to connect. "I see. And the reason the syndicate held back for so long with their ns to invade was because¡­" ¡ªLucian Frost. Zed finished his statement for him. Now that Lucian was gone, their ns could finally begin its full fruition. But since they were held back due to the cmity, and the borders being closed, they seemed to be waiting for something. "Any predictions on when they would start again?" ¡ªWith how things are proceeding, maybe a year or two. "I see¡­. Make it urate." ¡ªI can''t predict that man. But¡­ "Can you hold them back for two years?" ¡ª¡­. "I''m nning on returning after a year." ¡ª¡­.I''ll see what I can do. But return? Where are you? "On a journey." ¡ªAre you still dead? "Probably." Brandon shrugged. "Brandon, you done?" Amelia''s voice rang from behind him. Brandon lowered the phone and turned around slightly. "Almost." "Okay." He put the phone back in his ear. ¡ªWith a woman, huh? Is it Rachel? "Nah." ¡ªOh. "None of my friends know I''m still alive. Don''t tell them. ¡ªSo I''m the only one who knows, huh? Guess I''m quite special. Brandon''s expressions cracked after hearing such a ridiculous statement from Zed. "My family knows as well." ¡ªHaha. "Speaking about Rachel. What about her father?" ¡ª¡­. A brief silence rang in the atmosphere. "¡­.?" Brandon was curiously perplexed. After a few seconds, Zed finally spoke through the phone. ¡ªHe''s here in the syndicate. "Huh?" ¡ªAfter the cmity, he suffered major injuries. The syndicate took him and began treating him. But¡­ things aren''t looking good. "¡­." The plotline totally deviated. Or did it¡­.? Rachel''s father was meant to die in the novel. The reason was unknown and was never mentioned in the novel. And the cmity? The cmity had never happened in the novel. But for some reason, it was now the reason for her father''s suffering. So¡­ Is it toote to save him? "The syndicate. Does Rachel know her father is there?" ¡ªNo. "¡­." ¡ªShe thinks he''s dead. "¡­.I see." The conversation totally took a turn. But after hearing Rachel''s current predicament, Brandon felt conflicted. ¡ªAh, but don''t worry. She''s doing pretty well these days. "Hm?" ¡ªAfter her father''s passing, all of the Asamipany''s assets went to her. She''s the one controlling the business now. And since she has several connections with the Imperial Army, the syndicate hasn''t done anything. "Ah." He was relieved. It seems like Rachel has now changed. From how highly Zed spoke of her, she was probably more responsible than she was in the past now. It was a surprising turn of events. But still, it was for the better. It seems like a lot of things had changed, and Brandon¡­ He needed to be stronger. ¡ªAh, I forgot to mention. A new Academy is being implemented. But this time, it''s focused more on military activities. Now, aspiring military personnels need to undergo training over there to join the Imperial Army. "What''s the point of mentioning all this?" ¡ªI heard Rachel and your other friends are nning to attend. "I see." And after conversing for a few minutes, the conversation ended there. Click¡ª Brandon turned around and looked at Amelia, seated next to Carl on a rock. The sun was up high, casting a glow on all over the snowy surroundings. The snow was clearing. Brandon stared intently at the sky. Things were definitely changing. "Military, huh?" He stepped forward. He had already nned on joining in the first ce. And since the only way to increase his current stats was through training, the academy had piqued his interest. But for now, he needed to increase Sovereign of Creation''s slots. And it was for that reason that he started the journey in the first ce. Brandon stifled a chuckle. "Oh, you done?" Amelia turned around and nced at him. "Yep." Brandon nodded. "Let''s go." Chapter 189: His long journey [2] After exiting the forest, the journey was smooth. A pathway revealed itself. But despite that, there were no wagons around. They had to go by foot. The group continued to converse with each other. A smile seemed to etch itself on Carl''s features. Brandon stifled a smile at the thought. After being quiet for several days, it seemed like the boy had finally found it in him to smile. The destination was quite far. It took them several days to finally leave the snowy terrain. Looking at his phone, he checked the date. [July 24, 2149.] A total of 51 days had passed since they started this journey. The only reason it took so long was due to the blizzard. There were asional rests in between, but it was needed. Unlike them¡ªwho were mages¡ªCarl didn''t seem to have awakened yet. It was quite odd. But there were several people who didn''t have the luxury to awaken. It seemed like Carl was one of them. It was then. [Belle Locke: 21] More notifications. He had already replied to her back then. But Belle seemed so ecstatic since he was finally replying after starting this journey. [Belle Locke: I still can''t believe you''re with Amelia. :sob emoji: [Belle Locke: I don''t know how you''ve managed to brainwash her. I swear, if you do anything to her¡­.] Brandon''s expressions scrunched up. The hell was Belle talking about? [Belle Locke: Eh, at least someone''s looking out for you. I''m so relieved it''s Amelia. :saluting emoji:] "Heh." Brandon let out a chuckle. It was her best¨Cfriend, of course Belle would trust him with Amelia. [Belle Locke: I hope you don''t trouble her too much. She''s got a lot on her mind as well. :facepalm emoji:] There were several more messages from Belle. But they weren''t that important. With such thoughts, he continued scrolling down until thest message, [Belle Locke: Anyway, take care of her for me, and stay safe always. Also, send me a pic! :grin emoji:] "I guess I could do that." "Hm?" Amelia leaned close. "My sister wants a picture." "Ah, alright." The two halted in their steps and Carl paused as well. His head tilted, perplexed about the entire ordeal. Firstly, a picture of the two of them. Holding the phone up, he reversed the camera. On the screen disyed both Brandon and Amelia. Amelia leaned close and shed a wide grin, holding two of her fingers up. A peace sign. Brandon gave a smile of his own. Click¡ª Click¡ª Click¡ª He took several pictures. Next on the agenda. "Carl,e here." "Uh¡ªAh?" "Let''s take a picture." "Oh." "Come on." Carl approached them and stood at the center. Since he was quite short, Brandon leaned down a bit and raised the phone even higher. "Everyone, smile." Carl''s eyes seemed to dart around. But eventually, itnded on the camera and he shed an awkward smile. Brandon stifled a chuckle after seeing that. The boy seemed to have suffered a lot. Brandon had seen the purple bruise marks in his body when the boy would secretly change his shirt. But sadly, he couldn''t heal him. The system shop''s features disappeared. There were no other ways to get a healing potion. And sadly, he couldn''t create a healing skill no matter how much he tried. But what he did was use his [Ice] affinity to alleviate the bruise marks. It was the least he could do for the poor boy. Click¡ª Click¡ª He took two photos. "Now do something funny." "Ah¡ª" Carl seemed to stammer. But what he did was give a peace sign with a wide grin on his face. For Amelia, she crossed her pupils and let her tongue out. And for Brandon¡­. Click¡ª Click¡ª Click¡ª Then, he sent all the photos to Belle. The group continued walking after that. It was then. Brrt¡­. His phone buzzed in his pocket. Immediately checking, Belle was sending a lot of messages in a short amount of time. "....What now?" [Belle Locke: LOL!] [Belle Locke: Amelia''s so pretty~ :blush emoji:] "...." Noment about him? Belle seemed to be an Amelia fanatic. Wasn''t she an Evelyn fangirl? How peculiar. [Belle Locke: Eh?! Since when did you have a child with Amelia?!] "...." His face cracked. ''This sister of mine¡­.'' He had already told her back then that he was on a journey after taking a request from a boy named Carl. [Belle Locke: Hehe~ Just messing with you. :lol emoji:] "...." "What''s wrong?" Amelia leaned close and asked. "Uh¨Cnothing." He quickly pulled the phone away. [Belle Locke: Thanks for the pics! Mom will be happy to see these.] Brandon let out a warm smile after that message. [Belle Locke: Stay safe as always. Love ya! :heart emoji:] Brandon replied back with his own message. ¡ªYou too, sis. Take care of Mom until I return. At that, the conversation ended and Brandon put his phone back in his pocket. "I''m happy for you." Amelia suddenly said. Brandon looked at her. Her lips pulled to a warm smile, and the sun casted a bright glow across her features. Her bright golden locks of blonde hair fluttered by the breeze, and her bangs brushed up, revealing her clear forehead. Brandon''s eyes widened, and all he could think of was¡­ ''Beautiful.'' Amelia was undoubtedly beautiful. But he quickly shook his head and dismissed his thoughts. She was out of his league. And she probably didn''t feel that way about him. "Thank you." "I wish I had a family like yours." Suddenly, Carl chimed in. Brandon turned his head and looked down at him. He didn''t know what to say. He didn''t want to tell him ''You''ll meet your family soon once we take you back to the vige.'' He didn''t want the boy to have his hopes up, only to be utterly crushed when things weren''t as they seem. And so, he stayed silent. Thankfully, Amelia was there to liven up the mood as she somehow managed to make Carl smile with her words. After several hours of walking, Carl suddenly spoke. "I think we''re near." "Really?" "Yeah, the area looks familiar." This journey. It was about to end soon. Not his journey. But Carl''s journey. His long journey to find closure. Chapter 190: His long journey [3] While walking, Carl nced to the side and looked at Brandon. He was way taller than him, despite the three year gap. So he had to look up. "So your name is¡­ Brandon?" "Ah, yeah." "I see¡­." Different people had different circumstances. For whatever the reason why Brandon used an alias, it wasn''t his business. Looking ahead, a sense of familiarity washed over Carl. The path to the vige. It came into view. The familiar looking hill. The hill where Carl and Emi would ofteny down and gaze at the stars. His eyes lit up, a sense of excitement. Looking around, the sun seemed to shine down and the sky was a beautiful clear and blue color. Roses seemed to sprout in every corner, and it looked as if a rainbow had formed in the sky. At that moment, an image ovepped. The vige head being overjoyed by his return. The vigers, celebrating with wide smiles on their faces. Immediately, Carl frolicked and trudged the small grassy hill. The sunlight casted down on him and Carl shaded his face with his hand. He was home. Finally. After a long time. After all the suffering. He was finally back home. His mouthed curled up into a wide grin. "Come on, Emi!" "Un!" Holding his little sister''s hand the two ran further up the hill with smiles on their faces. And as expected. "...." There was no vige. Nothing but a pile of rubbles. Destruction ensued everywhere. The crops had all withered out, and the once¨Crich soil seemed to have died out due to drought. Turning his head to the side¡­. "...." ¡­.His sister wasn''t there. He was holding on to nothing but air. "Haha." He could onlyugh at himself. Right. This whole time. She was dead. Ever since ''that'' day, he had stopped seeing illusions of his little sister, Emi. It wasn''t as if he had just epted her death. No, he had already known she was dead the whole time. But he was lonely. Tired. Battered. Bruised. His mind yed tricks on him, and Carl happily epted his delusions. It was his only way to cope with his suffering. His little sister. She was everything to him. The only one who was by his side during tough times. From going door to door, asking for food and the door being mmed shut in front of him. Stealing food just so they could have something to fill their bellies for the day, and being roughly beaten up because of it. All the kids he had fought for bullying his little sister because of her speech impairment. All the towns they visited. Everything. He had done it all for his little sister. And just when they had thought they had finally found a home. The cmity. As if the world was mocking them. As if they never deserved to live a happy life. He looked up. "...." The sky was never blue. It was nothing but a bleak gray color. There was no rainbow. Drip. Drip¡­! And it was already raining. This was reality. The world¡­. ¡­..It didn''t want them here. They had no ce to be here. No ce to be happy. He cursed the gods. And he as well¡­ He was probably cursed. How could one person suffer this much? He was nothing but a poor orphan. A 14 year¨Cold boy. He lost his family, and he had lost his adorable little sister. He lost everything. Carl stood motionless, staring at the ruins of his vige. Drip. Drip¡­! The rain intensified, soaking through his clothes. But he barely noticed. His eyes wandered over the devastation, searching for any sign of life, any hint that his memories weren''t just cruel illusions. There was nothing. Noughter of children ying. No smell of freshly baked bread. No warmth ofmunity that had once embraced him and Emi. Emi. The thought of her name sent a fresh wave of pain through his chest. He could almost hear her voice, soft and slightly stumbling over words, calling out to him. "...." But it was just the wind, whistling through the broken remnants of homes. From behind him, footsteps could be heard, muffled by the wet grass. "Carl... I''m sorry." Brandon''s voice. "...." Carl didn''t respond. His eyes were fixed on a particr pile of rubble¡ªwhat used to be their home with the vige head. The ce where he and Emi had finally felt safe. Where they had dared to dream of a future. He slowly walked towards it. Each step felt heavy, as if something was dragging him down and stabbing his heart. Kneeling down, Carl began to dig through the debris with his bare hands. Splinters dug into his skin, but he didn''t care. He had to find something, anything. Anything so he could never forget Emi for as long as he lived. "What are you looking for?" Amelia asked, concern evident in her tone. "Her doll." Carl muttered, as he continued searching. "Emi''s doll. I made it for her birthday. It... it has to be here." The two didn''t seem to try and stop him. He understood the need to cling to something, Carl needed this. The doll¡­ as if it was his only source of salvation. Just anything, when everything else had been taken away. As Carl dug, memories flooded back. The day he had given Emi the doll. Her eyes lighting up, her arms wrapping around him in a tight hug. The way she had carried it everywhere, even as the fabric became worn and dirty. "I promised her." Carl whispered, his voice breaking. "I promised I''d always protect her." Drip. The rain mixed with tears on his face. His hands seemed to bleed, but he couldn''t stop. He had to find it. He had to have something left of her. Hours passed. The rain eventually stopped, but Carl continued his desperate search. Brandon stood watch, keeping an eye out for any danger, asionally trying to tell him to stop and take a break. But asionally, he would help it out with the frantic search. Not just him, but Amelia as well. As the sun began to set, Carl''s hand brushed against something soft. "...!" His heart jumped as he carefully pulled it free from the wreckage. It was the doll. Dirty, one arm missing. But unmistakably Emi''s doll. Carl clutched it to his chest, a sob escaping his lips. For a moment, he was back in their old home, Emi snuggled up next to him as the vige head read her a bedtime story. Herughter, her warmth, the unconditional love in her eyes¡ªit all felt so real. "...." But then reality crashed back. The cold, the emptiness, the aching loss. Carl looked up at the darkening sky. His brows furrowed and he clenched his fist. Seething anger and despair boiled within him. "Why?" He shouted. His voice echoed amidst the wreckage, mixing with the soft drop of rain. "Why did you take her? She was innocent! She never hurt anyone!" His words faded into the night. There were no answers here. Nofort. No justice. No god to even grace him. Carl slumped to the ground, still holding the doll. He felt hollow, drained of everything but pain. It was then. "....Emi." Another illusion. No, she seemed real. That smile on her face. It was her. Emi. She was alive. How? This whole time. Where were you? My little sister. My dear sister. "Emi!" He ran. "Emi!" He shouted. "Emi!" "Carl!" Amelia and Brandon spoke in unison. But it all went to deaf ears. Carl continued running. "Emi! I''ve missed you!" He leapt forward with his arms wide open, gesturing to embrace her. "Haha." He looked down and the ocean came into view. Falling from a massive height, he turned around with a wide grin. Of course, he knew. She was never there. Emi was always dead. And for him, there was no point in living. This was what he needed to find. The sole purpose of the request he had sent. To return to the vige that he knew was already destroyed. To find the only trace of histe little sister. And, ¡­.To finally end his journey. Chapter 191: His long journey [4] "Carl!" Brandon''s expressions turned grim as he called out for the boy who was running towards the edge of the cliff. The vige was way too remote. A cliff was closeby, and a vast ocean came into view. Drip. The rain continued pouring down, drenching his clothes. Honestly, he didn''t expect the boy to run like that. But it seemed like he had those sorts of tendencies. The signs were there, and he noticed it. Which is why he paid closer attention to Carl, especially when they arrived at his vige. Brandon and Amelia immediately ran towards him. But Brandon gestured his hand for Amelia to stop. Carl. He was awakening. Brandon could see it. Mana seemed to coalesce around Carl, and each step he took left wind gusts in his trail. The patch of grass was pushed back, and wind continued to wrap itself around Carl''s legs. And then, he took it. The leap of faith. His hands were stretched wide open as if he was about to hug something. Immediately¡­ Tzz¡ª Brandon blinked forward. [Aeolus Blessing] Under the effects of Aeolus Blessing, Brandon shed downward, walking in the air as if it was solid ground. "Carl!" He reached his hand out. Of course, it was stupid to let the boy jump. But, It was for the boy''s sake. His call to reality. And because of that, the boy had finally awakened his mana core. A wind affinity. Despite free¨Cfalling from a massive height, Brandon was way faster than Carl. The boy''s eyes were closed, unconscious. But despite that, there was a smile on his face as if he had finally found salvation. And so, Brandon abruptly caught him, clutching him in his arms. His life was already tragic. But it shouldn''t be the end. No one deserved to die. For what he thought was the end of his journey, was actually the start. Even when life hadn''t been so kind to them, the sun would soon shine on them. *** "Hua!" Carl was jolted awake, immediately lifting his body up. Looking up, the stars hung in the sky and the moonlight casted its luminous glow on him. And as he gazed around, there, he could see Brandon sitting on a log, looking at the stars with Amelia seated by his side. "You alright now?" Brandon turned his head back slightly and his voice reached Carl''s ears. Hearing his voice, Carl nced down and checked his body. "I''m¡­ alive¡­?" "You are." Brandon stood up and Amelia looked back slightly, seated on the log. "Care to exin why you pulled that stunt?" "Ah." Carl couldn''t find any way to articte his words. His mouth hung open and closed repeatedly. "I''m sorry." And that was all he could say. "Do you really want to end your life that badly?" "...." Brandon''s tone was stale. It felt like he was reprimanding him, but the way he spoke as if he was trying to console him had left Carl speechless. Carl lowered his head and Brandon crouched down. "Look at me." Brandon lifted Carl''s chin. But still, Carl averted his gaze to the side. "Do you really think that''s what Emi wanted for you?" "...." "I know you''ve lost a lot, and I''ve sympathized with you. But what you did¡­" "What do you know?!" Carl screamed and it was then when he met Brandon''s gaze. "Unlike me, you''re strong. You have a happy and loving family. A mother, a father, a sister. But me¡­" His voice cracked. "...I have nothing left." He gritted his teeth. "You''re alive." "And what the hell is the point of being alive?!" Carl stood up andshed his arms around. "A second chance." "...." "After everything that''s happened to you, you''re still alive." "...." Carl lowered his gaze, and Brandon continued, standing up. "The world doesn''t want you dead. No one wants you dead. Not me, not Amelia, not the vige head, not even Emi." "...." Then, he raised his head and met Brandon''s gaze. Scanning, his expressions were serious, and his tone was serious. Not a hint of pity. It was a full on unadulterated tone. As if he was speaking right through his soul. Why? Unlike him, Brandon''s life was amazing. So why does it feel like he''s speaking from experience? As if he had lost something as well. "There was a time when I was lost too. I lost my life, my identity, my¡­ moth¡ª" And he stopped there, biting his tongue. What was he about to say? Mother? Didn''t he have a mother? But seeing Brandon''s expressions right now. Carl could tell. There was a tinge of sorrow in the face Brandon was making. He was genuinely speaking from the heart. Brandon shook his head. "But I''ve epted reality and moved on. I know it''ll take a long time for you. But¡­" If earlier, Carl was only taking the words in and out the other ear, now he was listening attentively. "You''ve survived the cmity. You''ve survived when the world turned its back against you. You''re still fighting until the end. That''s why you''re here now." "...." "You should take pride in that¡­. Don''t end your life so meaninglessly." "Then.,. What should I do?" He was truly lost. But Brandon''s words had definitely touched his soul. There was more meaning to life. His past. His experiences. His sorrow. His suffering. It wasn''t the end. No, this was only the beginning. He was only 14 years¨Cold. Barely, half the lifespan of a normal human. "Lift your hand up." "...?" Carl tilted his head. But he did just as Brandon instructed and raised his palms. Amelia hopped down the log and walked towards them. "...!" She grabbed his hand and Carl''s palms started emitting a bright glow. "...?" The hell was going on¡ª It was then. "....!" Woosh¡ª! A gust of wind escaped his palms and Amelia''s hair fluttered in the air. "Huh?" "It''s your power." "What do you¡ª" "I only guided the flow of mana into your palms. The wind was your doing. Congrattions, Carl! You''re a wind mage." She shed him a warm smile and Brandon chuckled from the side. "A wind¡­ mage?" The thought was quite absurd. But after staying with both Brandon and Amelia for almost two months, he knew they were genuine people. There was no need for them to lie. So¡­ "I hope to see you in the academy, Cadet." Amelia stomped her foot on the ground and gave a salute. "Ah." It was then when he realized. His eyes widened. Amelia¡­ Amelia Con¡­ Amelia Constantine. The woman he had been on a journey with was Amelia Constantine, a prominent military personnel in the human domain. What in the world. Carl and Amelia sat on the log, while Brandonid casually on the patch of grass. The group gazed up, looking at the stars. The sky was clear as if it had never rained earlier. All of a sudden, Brandon pointed his index finger up. Magic power coalesced on his fingertips and emitted a bright glow. A small ember sparked, and shortly after¡­. Vooosh¡ª! A bright blue me escaped his finger tip, heading up towards the sky. Boom¡ª! Carl''s eyes lit up as he looked at the mes, rippling and exploding in the air. He had never seen such a beautiful scene before. Truly, there was so much more to experience in life. And thanks to the people who opened his eyes, he started looking forward to it. His past was still there, and still gripped his heart immensely. But for the sake of the people he lost, he had to carry on. Chapter 192: Change [1] It was midnight. "Haaa¡­." He couldn''t sleep. No matter what he did, he couldn''t sleep. Everytime he closed his eyes, he felt as if his mana core was heating up, and he knew all too well the kind of pain that would follow. The only time he had gotten rest was when he was knocked out cold for two and a half days. After that, he couldn''t find it in himself to sleep at all. He stood up. Looking down, he could see Amelia and Carl, sleeping on their respective sleeping bags. With nothing to do to pass the time, he ventured out, heading towards the ruined vige. This had been going on for two months. Unable to sleep, he would often roam around. There was something quite peculiar that had been guing him this whole time. ¡ª[Sub¨CAct]¡ª [Escort Carl to his vige.] [Rewards:] [Sovereign of Creation: EXP ¡ª +10%] [Wraith''s Descent: ¨C2%] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The quest was still iplete. But he had already brought Carl back to his vige. So what did the system want from him? Regardless, he couldn''t get any answers. And so, he looked around. There, he could see the remains of the devastation the cmity left the vige in. It was rough. All of the structures around him seemed to have crumbled down. But¡­ "Where are the bodies?" There were no bodies. No blood. No remains left behind. "...." A sudden chill ran down his spine. Something must''ve happened. Something else aside from the cmity that was responsible for the destruction of this town. But still. He looked around. To find any clues, anything. He approached a crumbled down house. Pushing the rubbles aside, there, he could see picture frames of a happy family. A mncholic feeling followed. He set the picture frame down and looked around. It was then when he realized. "...!" The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. It was suddenly snowing. "...." It felt as if eyes were watching him. Following him. Each step he took. Made him shudder. "...." He kept his guard up. The air suddenly grew cold. All of a sudden, he felt something touch his leg. He looked down. "....!" What seemed to be pale white hands sprouted from the ground, crawling up, grabbing his leg, inching close. What the fuck. Immediately, he gathered the mana on his leg and ck mes ignited. Vooosh¡ª! But it was to no avail. Nothing happened, as if the hands were seemingly unaffected. They crawled, and crawled and crawled. Brandon shook them off and sprinted as he realized his attack didn''t work. Drip. Drip¡­! Suddenly, it started raining. It poured down, fast. There was no build up at all. The rain continued pouring down, mixing with the snow that gradually fell. It didn''t make any sense at all. Kracka! The sound of thunder suddenly echoed. He ran. "Haa¡­. Haa¡­." He wasn''t tired at all. But the immense fear that gripped him had exhausted him. "What the fuck is happening." Shortly after, he arrived at where Amelia and Carl were sleeping. At least, ¡­Where they should''ve been. "...." But there was nothing. They weren''t there. No signs of the sleeping bags, or other items they had set down. It was then. "Found you." A chilling voice reached his ears from behind. He turned around and his eyes widened. There, he could see a hooded figure, slowly walking towards him. He couldn''t see its facial features, but the long tinum blonde hair stood out, cascading down its shoulders. It was slim and tall, even taller than him. Eventually, the figure''s eyes flickered and Brandon met its gaze. A chill ran down his spine. His rm bells rang. His mind told him to run, but his legs wouldn''t move, frozen in ce. Seeing the figure''s gaze, a sense of familiarity washed over him. He suddenly recalled a memory. Back during the banquet. The time when he stole the mirage mask. "....Sh-it." He cursed under his breath. His brain told him everything he needed to know, and he was well aware of what it was. But he wanted to deny it. How could it be here? With such thoughts, he checked. [Wraiths'' Descent: 99%] "...." It was a Wraith. A fucking Wraith. Not a Wraithbound. A full fledged one. "...." The Wraith suddenly disappeared. And¡­ [Wraiths'' Descent: 23%] The progression bar jumped back down. Then¡­ ¡­.The wraith reappeared. On the same spot, still walking towards him. [Wraiths'' Descent: 99%] "F-fuck¡­" There was no way he could beat a Wraith. Just seeing the ominous aura that surrounded it had already told him of its strength. It was way beyond his capabilities at the moment. He shuddered and took a step back. Step¡ª "....!'' He tried to run away. But hands sprouted from the ground and grabbed his leg. "Shit¡­ shit¡­ shit¡­" He cursed and cursed. "Get the fuck off m¡ª" A hand suddenly appeared before him and grabbed his face. He clenched the hand, trying to break free from its grasp. But regardless, his strength wasn''t enough. The hand didn''t even budge as he relentlessly tore with his nails. Vooosh¡ª! ck mes ignited. But still, he was being lifted up slowly. Threads extended from his fingertips as he clutched the hand. "Akh!" But all it did was bounce off the arm and rippled back, grazing his fingers. mes Vooosh¡ª! Ice Crack¡­! Wind. Swoosh¡ª! Nothing. Nothing at all. [Mana Burst] Pouring all of his strength, he grabbed the arm, forcefully twisting its flesh, trying to break its bones. But regardless, he was still being lifted up. There was nothing he could do under the Wraith''s prowess. "Khh¡­!" All of a sudden, something pierced right through him. Drip. Drip¡­! Blood seeped down his mouth, and his chest started bleeding. His body grew limp, and whatever pierced him recalled back and his chest started gushing out blood profusely. At that moment, his thoughts became empty. Nothing was making sense. Nothing. In front of the Wraith, he was nothing. Just a boy who had grown overconfident due to a system assisting him. All of a sudden, his body dropped down on the ground. Thud! Thest thing he could see was the Wraith, slowly lowering down his hood. Its chilling blue eyes flickered, and on the top of its head, Brandon could see a crown. A Monarch of some sort. His vision was hazy, and he couldn''t move a single limb at all. He epted his fate. His life was worthless. He aplished nothing. In a span of a year, he got himselfatosed and was only able to progress to the A ranks. He was tooidback, despite everything being fed to him. If only¡­ If only he had done more. It was then. "Huaaa¡ª" He was jolted awake. Looking around, Amelia and Carl looked at him with a worried expression. The stars still hung high in the sky and the moon continued to cast its glow. "Are you okay?" "...." Amelia asked with a concerned tone. But Brandon didn''t respond. No, he couldn''t respond. His thoughts were all jumbled up. "Haaa.... H-haaa...." And he took deep heavy breaths, trying to understand what just happened. Instinctively, he touched his chest. Relief washed over him as he realized there was no wound, no blood, no hole in his chest. Then that means. It was¡­ ...An illusion. Chapter 193: Change [2] "Hieaaaa¡ª" A scream suddenly rang and Amelia was jolted awake from her sleep. Her guard was immediately up and she turned to look at Carl who was also awake. And as she turned her head to the side¡­. "Hieaaaa¡ª" Brandon. He was the one screaming. His eyes were closed and his body twitched spontaneously. "Brandon!" She got out of her sleeping bag and neared him. "Hieaaaa¡ª" His screaming intensified and he started clenching his face. Amelia was worried. Was it another case of his mana being unstable? But that shouldn''t be the case. His mana wasn''t leaking. A nightmare, perhaps? But the way he was reacting was concerning. Brandon was clutching his chest and tightening the grip on his face. "Brandon!" She called out to him as she tried to shake off his hands away from his face and chest. Since her strength was higher than his, she managed to pin his arms down whileying on top of him. "Hieaaaa¡ª" Brandon''s head shook from side to side and his scream continued to echo. All of a sudden, ck mes started condensing around his arm and Amelia backed off as soon she felt the heat. Brandon had told her about his mes. It would sap whatever it was burning''s strength away. All she could do was watch as all sorts of elements escaped Brandon. mes Vooosh¡ª! Ice Crack¡­! Wind. Swoosh¡ª! It was only for a brief second and Brandon clutched his stomach once again. The only thing Amelia could think of to help him was give him her mana. She knew howpatible their mana was, and though she wasn''t a healer, for some reason, her mana was like a source of medicine to Brandon. With such thoughts, Amelia extended her hand forward and her palms started emitting a bright glow. She reached forward, but before her palms met his body¡­. "Huaa¡­!" Brandon awoke from his slumber and immediately lifted his body up. "Haaa¡­." He took a deep heavy breath and Amelia and Carl exchanged worried looks. She looked back at him and pursed her lips. "Are you okay?" "...." He didn''t respond and he continued clutching his face. "Brandon?" "We need to go." He suddenly replied and stood up. Immediately, he started folding his sleeping bag. "Brandon, what happened?" "...." There was no response as he finished folding his sleeping bag and ced it inside his own bag. Then, he moved towards Amelia''s sleeping bag and started folding it as well. His movements looked mechanical, as if it was the only thing in his thoughts. "Hey." "...." He wasn''t responding. Because of that, Amelia neared him and grabbed his wrist. Brandon''s head suddenly flicked and their eyes met. "Tell me, what''s¡­ wrong?" There was a certain pause in her words as she noticed the expression Brandon was making. She had never seen that look in his face before. Fear. His eyes were wide and Amelia could see how tired his eyes were. His mouth trembled and his pupils seemed to dte. "Brandon, talk to me." "...." He suddenly shook his head and continued folding. Whatever gued him wasn''t just any nightmare. Amelia was sure of that. Since Brandon wasn''t responding Amelia inched even closer and¡­ "Talk to me." "...." Embraced his back, wrapping her arms around him to stop him from continuing what he was doing. Brandon shook her off but Amelia persisted as she tightened her arms around him. Warm mana suddenly gathered around Amelia, and shortly after, Brandon''s muscles rxed. She rested her head on his back and closed her eyes. "Talk to me. Rely on me." *** "...." There was a sense of urge that rose within him as soon as he woke up. But feeling the warmth of Amelia''s mana, and her genuine concern for him, he was able to ease himself. Throughout the journey, there were often times Brandon would see Amelia, crying to herself alone. But despite that, she set her thoughts aside and consoled him. She was like this back then as well. Noticing that he had managed to calm down, Amelia pulled away. "Eh?!" But Brandon grabbed her wrist and allowed her arms to wrap around him. "Sorry." He apologized. "And thank you." Amelia seemed perplexed at first. But her body rxed and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his back. It was then when he told her what happened. That was no mere nightmare, or a vision. "The Wraiths areing." It was a warning. Some sort of transcendent being managed to slip into his consciousness and gave him a warning. Or maybe the Wraith had done it to break his flow, his confidence. Regardless, there was no hesitating. There were two goals for this journey. To be strong enough in a year, and¡­ ¡­To find the rift that took the lives of the Imperial Army. It was a certain condition that Amelia had set. Either, she denied her father''s death, or she wanted to avenge him. They knew the location, they just needed to find it. But at the moment, they were still building up their strength. Thankfully, the Sovereigns'' Descent progression bar refused to move. But on the other hand¡­ [Wraiths'' Descent: 24%] Again, it moved up a number. By estimation, it might shoot up to a hundred in a year or so. And somehow, it coincided with the uing invasion. Then¡­ The two seemed to be rted. There was no doubt in Brandon''s mind that whatever the syndicate was nning was somehow rted to the Wraith''s. And for the Primordials, what were they really? They seemed to be against the syndicate. So, were they really a criminal organization? Or were they just the type of group who wouldn''t mind getting their hands dirty to achieve their goals? They were an enigma. But regardless, they seemed to be on his side. "We need to go." "You need to rest." Brandon urged, and Amelia responded. "Didn''t you hear what I said? The Wraith''s areing." "And in your current state, what are you gonna do?" "¡­." Yeah, he was a mess. His hair was disheveled and his eyes felt heavy. But he couldn''t sleep. It became apparent to him that the only reason he was able to close his eyes earlier was due to the warning. But now¡­ He was afraid. Afraid of a sudden instability, and afraid of another warning. The pain was real, and he definitely felt it. "Rely on me. I''m here. I''ll protect you." Her words. He couldn''t respond. Heid back. "¡­." But as soon as he did, he felt the curves on her chest at the back of his head. "Ah." He pulled back andid his head on herp. Amelia caressed his disheveled hair and her hands emitted a bright glow. Feeling the warmth of her mana, he grabbed one of her hands and clutched it. Their fingers intertwined and Amelia''s mana began to seep into him. He felt like he was at peace. This feeling. It was familiar. The same as back then in the student council room. But he soon recalled the certain vision he had back then. Amelia was going to die. His grip on her hand tightened at the thought of it. He secretly promised to himself. ''I''ll protect you too.'' Chapter 194: Elf [1] "Kuhah¡­" Inside a ruined temple, a man sat on his throne. Long tinum blonde hair flowed down his shoulders, and a purple zing crown seemed to float above his head. He gazed up and his eyes flickered a purple glow. There, he could see an attendant, with sleek gray hair and hazel eyes. "Did it work, Lord Ezekiel?" "Better. I found something more interesting." Ezekiel spoke with a calm and authoritative tone. "It seems there was a second one." "Another Sovereign?" "Yes." "Wouldn''t that push back our ns?" "No." Ezekiel raised his head to meet his attendant''s gaze. The attendant swallowed, and his ears perked up. "We''ll proceed. This is even better than I imagined." "I see." Ezekiel turned his head to the side. Chains wrapped around both of his arms, legs, and neck, connecting to the ground. It was a curse ced on him. Despite being summoned for a century, he couldn''t break the chains no matter what he did. "Go." "Understood, Lord Ezekiel." Ezekiel. Otherwise known as one of the Circles of Hell, Mncholy. And, ¡­A high Wraith. *** The next day. The journey continued from there. But it was the journey back to the forest. "Have you told them?" "Yes, the Army is currently investigating." Brandon asked and Amelia responded. He had already told her about the situation regarding the syndicate, right after the phone call with Zed a few weeks ago. It was only now that he had gotten the confirmation. It took the army a lot of convincing that Amelia''s ims were true. But after reports of ships being sighted, the army finally got to work. And now, the army seemed to be peering out for any suspicious individuals that had managed to slip into the human domain. With Zed on his side, Brandon had given a tip¡ªin which Amelia passed to the army regarding the syndicate''s next meeting. Hopefully, it would push their ns behind. But he doubted it would change much. A war wasing. And Brandon had to be strong enough by then to cross those tides. But for now, he had to trudge the forest ahead of him. It was still snowing. The cold breezes brushed over his bangs, and piles of snow scattered in his steps. The quest was still there. ¡ª[Chain¨CAct]¡ª [Save the Elf.] [Rewards:] [Act Progression: 5%] [Wraiths'' Descent: ¨C2%] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª That, and the quest to escort Carl. For some reason, it was still iplete. Brandon was unsure what conditions he had to meet to aplish the quest and receive his reward. But regardless, he could only trust in the system. A n arose in his mind as he recalled the quest to save the elf. If somehow, he managed to aplish the task, he could use the elf child as a bargaining chip to meet with the elves. If he were sessful, the elves'' assistance in the war would be greatly appreciated. But it was a wishful thought. He didn''t know the elves'' nature. A friend, or a foe? He could only find out. They continued their march. The forest stretched far wide. It took them a whole week just to cross it. ¡ªAwooo! Frostwolves loomed in every corner. Brandon and Amelia quickly got to work, assisting each other in every chance they got. Voosh¡ª! Brandon felt his strength continue to increase, as well as his intelligence stat. Crack! With too many Frostwolves, baring their fangs, attacking them during every encounter, before he knew it, he had broken through the A ranks. [STR: A-] Time passed, and the fighting persisted. But they were well used to the Frostwolves'' pattern already. It was¡­ Cr¡­ Crack! Bang! Bang! A piece of a cake. Time passed, and finally. "...." There, they could see the tall crystal tree. However, only this time¡­ "...." Boom! Boom! The Behemoth was there, sluggishly walking around, each step heavy leaving a booming sound. It walked around the crystal tree as if it was protecting it. "Ah." It definitely was. Brandon realized there were simrities with the way the crystal looked from both the Behemoth, and the crystal tree. Not only that, but the mana signature the Behemoth emitted was strikingly simr to the crystal tree. Then¡­ "Ah." An idea suddenly sparked. However, he had to prove his suspicions correct. "Carl." Carl immediately nodded his words. Brandon extended his palms and an earth shell materialized from the ground, shielding Carl. A hole pierced right through the shield for oxygen purposes. After finishing his preparations, Brandon turned his head to look at Amelia who looked back at him. The two nodded at each other without exchanging any words. Immediately, the two bolted from their position in two opposite directions. [Mana Burst] Brandon felt his body surged with power, and his body felt lighter and lighter in an instant. [Aeolus Blessing] Swoosh! He ran. Each step he took lifted him upwards as if he was walking a flight of stairs. Wind fluttered and brushed the snow in the vicinity. His zer fluttered along with the breeze. "....!" The golem took notice of him. Its glowing blue eyes flickered continuously as it slowly turned itsrge head, looking at him. Its arms suddenly raised up high slowly. Brandon felt a gust of wind brush past his bangs. Extending his palms forward, an ice sword materialized in his hand and he clenched the handle tightly. Despite the fact that there were no gaps in the Behemoth''s army, there was a certain spot that had caught his attention. It''s eyes. They were unprotected. Surely, it was its weak spot. And since Brandon had the ability to go up high in the air, he was the perfect candidate to deal the blow. Itsrge fists suddenly swung down at him. Boom¡ª! All of a sudden, an abundance of light pierced from the ground, pushing the Behemoth''s fist back. No cracks were formed. But the Behemoth definitely felt the sheer impact of Amelia''s railgun. Brandon smiled at the thought. With Amelia''s assistance, he can focus on getting the high ground. Boom¡ª! After the Behemoth''s several attempts, Brandon had finally neared its head. Itsrge eyes continued to flicker and Brandon met its ominous gaze. Magic power started to gather on his ice sword. A sudden glow suddenly emitted, and Brandon felt the ice sword grow heavy. Lightning started to surge within him, and he felt all his muscles contract. "Huuu¡­" Taking a deep heavy breath, Brandon braced himself. "....!" His rm bells suddenly rang, and the Behemoth''srge fist swung straight towards him. Tzz¡ª Brandon blinked forward, using the Behemoth''s arm as his foothold. He sprinted, leaving blue streaks in his trail. Tzz¡ª Extending his left hand down, ck mes suddenly ignited and Brandon directed the attack on the Behemoth''s arms as he continued to dash ahead. And finally, tworge blue eyes flickered in front of him. . . [[You have in a Crystal Golem!] [+40% EXP] ¡ª¡ª[Sovereign''s Will]¡ª¡ª [Name: Brandon Locke] [Mana Core: Tier 4] [Status: A] [Innate] ¨N Sovereign of Creation ¡ª Level 8 ¨N Experience ¡ª 3.5% ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: A- ¡ª[2%] ¨N MP: A+ ¡ª[27%] ¨N DEF: C+ ¡ª[12%] ¨N AGI: B ¡ª[29%] ¨N INT: A+ ¡ª[14%] ¨N CHA: S ¡ª[0%] [AVG: A] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Safely reaching the ground, Brandon looked at the crystal golem. Amelia appeared by his side and the two watched as cracks appeared all over the crystal golem. Slowly, it crumbled down in bits. Crack! A cracking sound rang all the way from behind, and the two flicked their heads towards the direction. Scanning, the crystal tree began to crack as well. And shortly after¡­ The little elven girl with lc hair broke free, gently falling on the ground. Chapter 195: Elf [2] Brandon and Amelia quickly rushed towards the little elven girl, keeping their guards up. They were unsure if the elf was friend or foe. But the system clearly told them to save her. They approached carefully. Magic swords floated around Amelia, as a crystal sword was clenched in Brandon''s hand. "Nnh." A strange sound escaped the little elven girl''s lips and her brows furrowed. "Nmh¡­" Her body started to twitch and her eyes opened slightly. It was then. Her two lc eyes blinked as she took in the sight of the vicinity. As soon as their gazes met¡­ "Hieek¡ª" She screamed. She seemed startled, as her body shuddered in fear. Realizing the little girl was scared, Amelia slowly approached the girl and all the swords around her dematerialized. "Uhm. We mean no ha¡ªWait." Amelia paused. "Do they even speak english?" She turned her head back to look at Brandon, and he just shrugged his shoulders. "¡­." Amelia fixed her attention back to the little elven girl. Oh, no. A sense of wanting to protect surged within her. The little girl was shuddering, not just out of fear for them, but from the cold as well. Realizing the poor girl''s current predicament, Amelia slowly took off her fur coat and took careful steps as she approached the girl. Brandon tilted his head and crossed his arms, curious of Amelia''s approach. The little elven girl seemed to realize what Amelia was doing as she rxed her body. It seemed to have been a sess as Amelia managed to get close to the little elven girl and drape the fur coat around her. The elf epted the offer and clutched the fur coat. ¡ªUnzazahash. She suddenly spoke. "¡­.?" Anguage, both Amelia and Brandon didn''t know. "Uhm¡ªHey." Amelia turned to look at Brandon who looked back at her with his brows raised. "What?" "You speak to her. You have a knack for this, right?" "¡­." But truth be told, Brandon was quite puzzled on how he was able tomunicate with the goblins. If it worked with the elves, then it was definitely a game changer. With such thoughts, Brandon carefully approached them. "¡­.!" Once again, the elven girl was startled as her brows furrowed, staring at Brandon. "Uh¡­ Uzaza?" Brandon gestured both of his hands as a sign of surrender, speaking in whatever elvennguage the girl spoke. The girl''s eyes widened and she pursed her lips. ¡ª¡­Azasawasu? "¡­." Wow. ''Thought they started their words with ''un'', like how the goblins start with ''ku''. How versatile. "Azashu." He had no idea what he was talking about. But it seemed to be working as he had fully caught the little elven girl''s attention. ¡ªRekonsee. "Razashi." At this point, he was just speaking whateveres to mind. However, there was a certain thought he was trying to get across. That they meant no harm, and that they wanted to know where the girl came from. Unlike the goblins, of course, elves were highly intelligent. He couldn''t make up their response as much as he pleased now. In other words, he couldn''t understand what the girl was saying at all. ¡ªHehe~ The girl suddenly chuckled, covering her mouth. ¡ªIngreshu? "Ingreshu¡­ Ah." English. "Yes, english." But how did she know that? "Can you speak in english?" ¡ªLittle. "¡­I see." Brandon looked at Amelia and her eyes seemed to sparkle. Just that look from her told him all she needed to say, ''I want to be the one tomunicate this time.'' Brandon chuckled and nodded his head. Amelia shed him a warm smile. She turned to look at the girl and the two began to converse. Brandon left after that and returned to the earth shell where Carl was being held. He extended his hands forward and the earth shell gradually cracked. Crack! The earth shell crumbled and Carl quickly approached Brandon. "You were so cool!" "Hehe." Brandon ruffled the boy''s hair, and the two approached Amelia and the little girl. Scanning, Amelia looked like a mother talking to her daughter. "What did she tell you?" Amelia noticed his arrival as she stopped mid conversation and turned to look at Brandon. She flicked her head back to the little elven girl and she stepped forward. The elven girl''s lips gently parted open and her sweet voice reached Brandon''s ears. "My name, Aurelia." "Ah. Nice to meet you. My name is Brandon." "Buh¡­ Ran¡­ Den¡­?" "Brandon." He corrected her. The little girl seemed to struggle pronouncing his name as she looked like she was about to overload from thinking. "Uhm. Something like that." He decided to drop the matter. It wasn''t important at all. "Could you tell us more about you?" "Oki." Aurelia nodded her head. "I am elf." "¡­." Obviously. "Uhm. Anything more? Like where your home is¡­?" "Home¡­?" She tilted her head. It seemed like she didn''t know what the word was. "Home is the ce where you feel safe. Where you can be yourself. Afort zone. A ce where you and your family lives." Aurelia seemed to listen attentively. But listening to him, her expressions suddenly cracked. "No home." She shook her head. "No ce." Brandon exchanged conflicted looks with Amelia and Carl. From how he could interpret it, Aurelia basically meant she had no ce to call home. No ce where she feels safe. Several theories started to spark in his mind. The girl could''ve been a rare elven race, judging from her appearance. Separated from her people when the cmity struck and all the races descended down on earth. Or, she could''ve been a runaway. A child who refused to go back home. This conjecture arose when he realized the look on Aurelia''s face when he mentioned ''family''. Of course, it could''ve also meant that her family died. But that shouldn''t be a sole reason for the girl to leave hermunity. If there actually was an elvenmunity. That, or she had no memories of a ce called home. It was truly fascinating. "Howe you can speak english?" It was definitely odd. "Don''t know." She shook her head. "I was mess with you first. You speak weird words. But some reason, I understand you." "¡­." "Ingreshu. I don''t know. I can speak it." "I see." He left it at that. Either Aurelia was hiding secrets, or she truly didn''t know. Regardless, Brandon decided to drop the matter. If Aurelia was speaking the truth, then only time would tell. But due to Aurelia''s current predicament, his ns to use her as a leverage to meet with the elves weren''t possible anymore. However, there was one more question. "Crystal." Aurelia, who seemed to be in deep thought, raised her head as soon as she heard his voice. Brandon continued. "Is it your power?" All of a sudden, Aurelia sped her hands together and magic energy started to gather around her. The mana swirled and shortly after¡­ Cr¡­ Crack! "¡­." A tiny crystal golem suddenly materialized. Chapter 196: Changing Tides [1] The human domain. The Imperial Army''s full focus was expanding its military power. They had lost a lot during the incursion. First on their agenda was to finally open up their military academy. Several academies had already opened. But the elitist culture, such as the previous Astrea Academy, were no longer present. They were now epting students, regardless if they were adept or not. But for Raven ckheart, he chose to admit himself in the new Imperial Academy. Of course, he had already passed the screening test. And today, September 13, 2149 was its opening ceremony. After the cmity, the only friends he kept in contact with were Amy and Reinhard. For the others, they would asionally converse on the phone. He was never that close to Rachel and ire anyway. "....!" The students quickly fell into a hush silence. All heads suddenly flicked towards the podium. There, a figure walked the flight of stairs, making his way towards the center. His military robe fluttered in each step he took. He took a good look at all the students present. His gaze also met Raven''s and Raven immediately straightened his posture. "That''s Field Marshal Bellion, right?" "Yeah, he looks just like on TV!" Field Marshal Bellion. A name Raven was all too familiar with. After the death of Lucian, the expectations around Bellion blossomed. After all, he was the ranker, second to Lucian. Bellion Van. The uncle of his best¨Cfriend, Reinhard Van. ¡ªKuhum. Testing. Testing. Shortly after, his deep voice echoed throughout the entire vicinity. ¡ªI see a lot of eager faces out there, and I can tell you''re excited to start this new chapter. Each of you, young cadets, has shown great promise, and that''s why you''re here today. At Imperial Academy, we''re dedicated to helping you grow, learn, and reach your full potential as the future of the human domain. . . Raven listened attentively, his eyes glistened with expectations. After all, throughout his entire time in Astrea Academy, he had only been there for four months. Not once had he even participated in a single ranked duel. The academy was a mess. But it was now fairly obvious why their standards were so high, and why they were eager to weed out the crops. "Because the academy was nning on shutting down in the first ce." The same went for all its students. It had its problems. It shouldn''t have been running when its Headmaster was¡­ dead. ¡ªAnd with that, I officially dere the entrance ceremony open. Take this time to meet your fellow students and professors, and start building those connections that willst a lifetime." Before he realized it, the opening ceremony ended. Everyone present seemed to brim with expectations, just like him. Bellion gave a light bow after his speech. p¨C p¡ª And cheers, apuse, and whistles, echoed. Looking around, Raven saw some familiar faces, mixed with new ones. Some of them were previous Astrea Academy students, while some were probably from the other academies. "Yo." A voice reached him from the back. Turning around, what greeted his sight was a tall man with fiery red hair and blue eyes. "Who are you?" Raven tilted his head. Reinhard''s expressions cracked. "Seriously? How could you forget this handsome face¡­?" "Hmm¡­" Raven pinched his chin and scanned Reinhard''s face. "Nah. I don''t know who you are." "...." "Heh." Raven stifled a chuckle. "Good to see you, man." "Good to see me? This is the first time we''ve met I believe." And now Reinhard shot back. "...." What a reunion. "Yeah, yeah. Where are the others?" Raven waved him off and asked while looking around. "ire''s probably runningte. For Amy and Rachel, not sure." "I see." Raven looked around once more. "Huh?" There, a figure caught his attention. No, two figures. "Isn''t that¡­" "Yo, Sarah and Cyrus? Didn''t expect to see you guys here." Before Raven realized it, Reinhard was already making his way towards Sarah and Cyrus, going through the crowd of students. Since Reinhard was the nephew of the current Headmaster, all eyes fell on him and they quickly moved away. Wow. What a stark contrastpared to Astrea, where Reinhard was hated by all the female students. Raven suddenly had a bad premonition. Reinhard and nepotism. "Not a goodbination¡­." He breathed out a sigh. "Raven?" A voice reached his ears and his heartbeat quickened. This voice. He knew it all too well. He turned around. "Amy¡ª" In that instant, Amy seemed to jump into his arms and locked her arms around him. Raven couldn''t help but smile as he returned her embrace and caressed her hair gently. "Hehe. I''ve missed you." "I''ve missed you too¡ª" "Kuhum¡­" Before Raven could finish his words, a dry cough cut him off. He fixed his attention towards the source of the sound and his eyes widened. "Rachel. Uh¡­" He was deeply embarrassed. All that flirting with Rachel''s twin sister, and right in front of her as well. "Good to see you, Raven." Rachel''s cold voice cut through, and Raven couldn''t help but shudder. "....You too, Rachel." He was quite unsure how to approach Rachel. After Brandon and her grandfather''s death, everyone tried reaching out to her. But Rachel tantly ignored their messages. It was only monthster when Raven realized what Rachel was up to. She appeared on billboards. Not just her, but Amy as well. The two of them¡­ They were now co-owning the Asamipany. One of the biggest business conglomerates in the human domain. During the early months, the Asamipany instantly disappeared. But it seemed like through Rachel and Amy''s efforts, they rose back to the top. It was an insane feat for two seventeen¨Cyear olds. But ording to Amy, they had several people helping them. One of them was their mother, Samantha Ashfield. Seems like some form of reconciliation happened. "What''s with that look on your face?" "Hm?" Raven tilted his head. Was he being that obvious? "I''m fine. People move on, you know?" "Ah." Then there was no need to approach her as if she was a stranger. If her words were true, and she had moved on from her loss, then it was for the better. The world was changing, and everyone had to look forward to the future. If they couldn''t adapt, then they wouldn''t be able to cross the tides that were changing. The world had significantly changed. Rankers were being put to work like adventurers, and there were new sightings of new races everyday. But still. Brandon Locke. The thought of histe best¨Cfriend. A bond he had formed for four months. He couldn''t forget him. And the same probably went for everyone else. Chapter 197: Changing Tides [2] The Imperial Army meeting room. A general meeting was called. A round table situated in the middle with all the highest ranking officers sitting on their respective seats. In particr, the Field Marshals. While on the corners stood the Generals. One of them was Belle Locke. The youngest General, and one of the rising stars of the Imperial Army. Evelyn Cessna was supposed to be here. But currently, she was on an important mission. "Kuhum¡­" One of the Field Marshals cleared his throat. Bellion Van. The Field Marshal closest to the Grand Marshal position. The only reason he wasn''t elected yet was due to circumstances that had recently happened. And that was what the general meeting was for. The tension in the room was palpable as Bellion Van cleared his throat, signaling the start of the meeting. All eyes turned to him. "We are gathered here today to address the rming reports we''ve received," Bellion began. "Reports of the sudden deaths of several rankers within our ranks." A murmur ran through the officers seated around the table. The severity of the situation was evident on their faces. Bellion raised a hand to quiet the room before continuing. "It hase to our attention that these deaths may be linked to a tip received from General Constantine. ording to her intelligence, there are illegal immigrants who have managed to infiltrate our society and blend in unnoticed." Belle Locke, standing among the Generals, clenched her fists. She had a deep respect for Amelia and knew the tip must have been significant if it warranted such a high-level meeting. Bellion continued, "These infiltrators pose a serious threat, and their presence has now led to the deaths of our esteemed rankers. We need to address this issue immediately and take decisive action." One of the Generals, an older man with a beard and stern expressions, spoke up. "Field Marshal Bellion, do we have any leads on the identities of these infiltrators? How have they managed to remain undetected for so long?" Bellion nodded, acknowledging the question. "So far, we''ve only identified one. But his current whereabouts are unknown." Belle Locke stepped forward, her voice firm and confident. "Field Marshal, with your permission, I propose we form a specialized task force to track down these infiltrators. We need our best men and women on this, and I am ready to lead the effort." She decisively stated. Bellion regarded Belle for a moment before nodding. "Your initiative ismendable, General Locke. You have my permission to form the task force. We must act swiftly and decisively to protect our ranks and prevent further loss of life." The room fell silent again, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on everyone present. The Imperial Army had a new mission, and failure was not an option. Belle''s volunteerism was greatly appreciated. The Imperial Army''s hands were currently full after all. Tracking the syndicate''s whereabouts, as well as these ''immigrants'' had put them through a lot of stress. It was then when an attendant appeared behind Bellion, giving him a white device. Bellion nodded and epted the device. She bowed her head to the officers present in the room and left shortly after. All eyes fell on the device in Bellion''s hand. He clicked on the device. Whiii¡ª A hologram materialized and all officers thoroughly scanned the contents. One of the officers suddenly asked. A woman with red fiery hair and green eyes. "Is this him? Field Marshal Bellion?" "It is." Bellion confirmed. The hologram disyed a man with navy blue hair and red eyes. A scar seemed to be etched on his left brow. It seemed to have been surveince camera footage of whatever event that transpired. Noticing the tension in the officers'' faces, Bellion yed the video footage. The man on the footage held what seemed to be an odachi. Around him were several rankers present. And¡­ ¡ªHieaaaa! ¡ªDie you fucking basta¡ªKh! ¡ªNo, no. Get away! It was a one¨Csided massacre. And to their surprise, they couldn''t identify the malefactor''s affinity at all. Just that, he used his odachi to swiftly murder the rankers. A duelist, perhaps? The thought was quite absurd. They had identified the victims, and they were well on the A ranks. That, and they were all mages. Yet for some reason, a duelist was swiftly able to take them down with ease. The video ended there, and thest thing the footage caught was the malefactor''s face. A tentative silence fell in the room as everyone tried to make out what they had just witnessed. The first one to speak was once again, Bellion. "As you can all tell, we have no records of the man in our database at all." "Agreed." "If there was someone that powerful under our nose, and yet none of us know of his identity, then we could only conclude that he''s one of the illegal immigrants, right?" "That''s right." Bellion nodded at one of the officers'' conjectures. He turned towards Belle and opened his mouth. "You can choose anyone to join your task force, General Locke. You have my full permission to do so. We must quickly apprehend this murderer before more trouble ensues." "Understood, Field Marshal Van." Belle saluted and stood up. "If it''s possible, could we recall Field Marshal Cessna? I''d like for her to participate in this hunt." "Approved." Bellion immediately epted. After all, what Evelyn was currently tasked to do was join up with the rankers and investigate outside the human domain. The meetingsted for two hours before it was adjourned. Belle quickly left the room and gathered her thoughts. She already knew which officers she wanted to join her task force. And coincidentally, one of them was standing right by the window. A man with blue hair and golden eyes. It was her assistant, Ray Arcadia. An officer, just a rank below her. Lieutenant General. They were more or less on the same skill level. The only reason Ray was still a Lieutenant General, was due to theck of feats under his name. "We''ve got a lot of work to do today, Officer Arcadia." "Understood, General Locke." Ray straightened his posture and shed a salute. The two strode off the hallways shortly after. For some reason, Belle had a bad premonition. She halted in her steps. As if by instinct, she reached out for her phone and called a specific contact. [Brandon Locke] Ring¡­ Ring¡­. Ring¡­ And for some reason, Brandon wasn''t picking up. This has happened before, and Belle was, of course, worried. Ring¡­ Ring¡­ Ring¡­ And the call still didn''t go through. Ring¡­ Ring¡­ . . She had called a dozen times, and not once did Brandon pick up. It was for that reason that she decided on sending him a message instead. [Take care always, Brandon.] Chapter 198: Push and Pull [1] The journey continued from there as they had finally crossed the forest. Throughout the entire time, there were several attacks from Frostwolves. But Brandon and Amelia quickly dealt with them with ease. It became apparent to them that the Behemoth was caused by Aurelia''s mana, spiraling. As if it was something out of her control, Aurelia had never shown them any feats simr to the Behemoths. She had no attack skills, and all she could do was materialize small crystal golems. They were kind of cute. The group stopped and set up camp. "Channel your mana from your mana core." "I''m trying." With gritted teeth, Carl did as Brandon instructed. But it seemed like he was having a hard time as his face scrunched up. "It''s fine, you''ve just barely awakened two weeks ago. For now, just continue to feel the mana around you." "...Okay." "Mhm." Brandon nodded. They took breaks throughout the journey. During these breaks, Brandon or Amelia would teach Carl how to use his mana and utilize his affinity. At the moment, they needed to take Carl back to the human domain. Carl''s journey was over. There was no need to bring him along with them. It would only put him in danger. But for Aurelia, Brandon was quite at a loss. He didn''t know where to bring her. She wouldn''t tell them where the elven forest was. Or rather, she didn''t even know where it was. He couldn''t bring her to the human domain. It would start an uproar, and who knows what the humans might do to the little elven girl. The next time they stopped, Brandon and Amelia gathered Carl for another lesson. The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves. They decided to stop there and set up camp. Brandon sat cross-legged on the ground and motioned for Carl to do the same. "Alright, Carl. Let''s try again. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Feel the mana within you and around you. Let it flow naturally." "Okay." Carl closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Huuu¡­." For the past few weeks, Brandon could well agree that there was improvement. Looking at Carl, he could see faint traces of mana coalescing around the boy. Amelia added gently, "Remember, mana is like a river. It needs to flow freely. Don''t force it. Guide it." Carl nodded slightly, trying to absorb their instructions. All of a sudden, the mana around Carl started gathering in his palms. And his figure started to emit a faint glow. "That''s it." Brandon encouraged. "Now, try to direct it to your hand." Carl''s brows furrowed. But slowly, his palms were starting to emit an even brighter glow. The wind around him seemed to flutter. "Good." Amelia praised. "You''re getting there. It takes time and practice, but you''re making progress." "Hoo¡­" Carl let out a breath, and his lips pulled up. "Thank you. I''ll keep practicing." Brandon pped him on the shoulder and nodded. Turning his head to the side, there, he could see Aurelia¡ªwho seemed to be doing the same as Carl. Her legs were crossed and her eyes were closed. "Hah~" Brandon stifled a chuckle, seeing the sight of the little elven girl puffing her cheeks. Aurelia could already use some form of magic. Yet for some reason, it seemed like she was struggling. Brandon approached her and Aurelia suddenly flinched. "Oh?" "Ah." Aurelia shook her head. "Sorry." Aurelia seemed to be hyper¨Csensitive to mana. There were instances when she would sense dangering from miles away. And despite her small stature, Brandon could surmise that Aurelia wasn''t a little girl at all. With each passing day, Aurelia''s English was improving. It wasn''t as broken as when he had met her for the first time anymore. "Aurelia." She raised her head slightly as soon as she heard his voice. "Yes?" "Do you remember now?" "...." Aurelia shook her head. "No." "Okay." Brandon could surmise that Aurelia had lost her memories of her past. The only thing she knew was that she was an elf. As to how she found herself inside the crystal tree, she didn''t know. Either that, or she was lying. But Brandon could see how genuine Aurelia was. She meant no harm. She was just a lost elven girl with no memories of her past. Brandon nodded and left Aurelia to her own devices. Looking up, the sun was about to set. For the sake of Carl and Aurelia, they decided to rest for now. Lowering his head, his attention fixed on Carl. He was a hard worker. He continued practicing. Since Aurelia and Carl were busy, Brandon decided to approach Amelia¡ªwho was preparing dinner. "Need any help?" "It''s fine. You can sit back and rx." "Sure?" "Yes." Brandon did as she instructed. No, he didn''t. He appeared behind Amelia and leaned close to whisper something in her ear. But before he did, he¡­ "Fuu¡­" Blew on her ear. "Hiee¡ª" She yelped, but instantly covered her mouth. "Let me help." Brandon whispered. "Like how I''ll rely on you. You can rely on me as well." But truth be told, Amelia was an excellent cook. Even better than him even. He wasn''t that good, just passable. But Amelia on the other hand, Brandon could consider her a professional. He was relieved. Finally, someone who actually knew how to cook. She was fun to tease. And Brandon¡­ He was taking his time. Trying to score points with her. He couldn''t deny it anymore. This girl beside him. Amelia Constantine. She was slowly capturing his heart. But did she feel the same way as him? He looked at her. Her full focus was on the stew she was stirring. "Heh." He chuckled. He couldn''t tell. Amelia had tons of admirers. He could even tell from the way Carl looked at her as if he was smitten. ''Sorry, you have no chance.'' He didn''t want to lose her to anyone else. Push. "Amelia." She turned around slightly and met his gaze. "Yes?" And, He neared her once again. He suddenly leaned close, right behind her ear. Pull. "Will you give me a chance?" Chapter 199: Push and Pull [2] "Will you give me a chance?" "Eh?" Amelia found herself perplexed. She was already used to Brandon teasing her. But this¡­ This took the cake. Several thoughts emerged within her thoughts. Before she realized it, she felt her face starting to heat up. He was close. Too close. She could hear the sound of his breathing right close to her ear. Chance. What kind of chance? Was he talking about¡ª "A chance to repay you." Oh. So that''s what he meant. "...I told you." She shook her head. "Just sit back and rx." "Heh. It was worth a try." Brandon pulled away and shrugged. Heid down on the grass with his hands behind his head. Amelia turned back around and fixed her attention towards the stew. "Haaa¡­" She breathed out a sigh. ''Why does he keep teasing me¡­'' She found herself rubbing her right ear. *** The stew finished and the group enjoyed the meal. "Thanks, Amelia. Food''s good as always." "Thank you, Amelia." "Thank you." Brandon, Carl, and Aurelia gave their thanks. Amelia nodded in appreciation with a smile stered on her face. "Mhm. You''re wee." They sat together, enjoying each other''spany, faces illuminated by the flickering campfire. The night was serene, with the moon hanging high and the stars twinkling brightly in the clear sky. Right in the middle of their meal, Aurelia suddenly stopped and ced her meal down. Noticing her sudden demeanor, Brandon asked. "What''s wrong, Aurelia?" "...Someone." They immediately understood what Aurelia meant. She sensed someone''s presence. Rustle¡­ Rustle¡­ Just at the right time, the bushes suddenly rustled. "....!" They immediately settled the bowls down and stood up. Brandon and Amelia positioned themselves in front of Carl and Aurelia. Aurelia clung tightly to Brandon''s pant leg. Brandon gazed down and shed her a warm smile, ruffling her lc hair to ease her tension. Aurelia closed her eyes and pressed her head on the cloth of his pants, bracing for the worse toe. The little elven girl was clearly shaken. All of a sudden¡­ "Hua¡­ help." A man emerged from the bushes, crawling down on the cold hard ground. "...." "...." "...." They were speechless. But regardless, Aurelia was still rmed. There was clearly something off about the man. Brandon kept his guard up. Mana coalesced in his palms. "...Wa¨Cter." The man suddenly stammered. "...." Should he help out? Brandon turned his head slightly and looked at Aurelia. She looked back at him and shook her head. He then turned towards Amelia who gave him a conflicted look. Eventually, she nodded her head. They collectively agreed to leave the man alone. They turned around, but soon halted as the man called out to them. "...Wa¨Cit." Brandon looked at Amelia and nudged his chin, signaling for them to go ahead. He could at least hear out the man before abandoning him. At that moment, Carl, Aurelia, and Amelia went ahead. Staring at their departing backs, Brandon turned back around and looked at the man who was reaching his hand out to him. "Haaa¡­." He breathed out a sigh. He approached the man. "Yes?" "Please¡­ give¡­ wa¨Ctah." "What do I get in return?" Brandon narrowed his eyes. Whatever gued Aurelia earlier, Brandon had to at least listen to her. "Th¨Cis." Clink¡ª "...." The man suddenly let down a sack in front of Brandon, making a clink sound. Most probably coins. "Alright." He could only agree. A sack of coins for water? Why wouldn''t he? "Open your mouth." "Aaa¡ª" "...." Brandon sighed. Extending his hand close to his mouth, mana started to gather in his palms and water started dripping down, entering the man''s mouth. "...." Brandon averted his gaze during the entire process. "Mmh." A strange noise escaped the man''s mouth. "Nngh." What the fuck. "Mmhh." Holy shit. "Okay, that''s enough." "Th¨Canks." The man wiped his mouth with his hand. The man slowly got up, supporting his body with his hands. Brushing off the dirt and dust from his shirt, the man looked at Brandon and shed a wide grin. "I''m a man of my words. Take the coins." "...Okay." He didn''t seem like a bad guy at all. Brandon scanned his features. Navy blue hair and red eyes. But the most noticeable feature was the scar on his brow. Kind of badass. Brandon approached the sack of coins and clutched it. "I''m going now." Brandon turned around. "Wait, wait." "Hm?" He stopped in his steps again and turned around slightly. "As my savior, you must tell me your name. If you ever need help, I''m one call away." "...." One call away? He didn''t n on giving the man his number in the first ce¡­ Guess an alias would do. "It''s Cid." "Hm¡­ Cid, okay. I''m Lumian, nice to meet you." He gestured his hand for a handshake and Brandon epted it. "Is that all? I''ll be going now." "Wait¡­" Again? "What?" "Uh, I''m actually quite lost. Are you guys nning on leaving the forest?" "Yeah." "Oh, great. Can I join you guys, just until we exit the forest?" "Uh¡­." Brandon pondered for a while. He remembered Aurelia''s expressions earlier. It seemed like she didn''t want the man around. "Actually, we''ll be camping here for months before we leave." "Oh. I''m actually in a hurry¡­ thanks anyways." The man turned around and waved his hand. He started walking back and Brandon walked ahead as well. "Ah, wait. Your number?" "Uh¡­." He gave a fake number. "Saved. Alright, see you around, Cid." "Sure, you too, Lumian." "Brandon?" Amelia''s voice suddenly reached his ears from behind. "Ah, Amelia. What are you doing here?" "I came to check up on you." She leaned her head and looked at Lumian who was about to leave. "Everything settled?" "Yep." "Okay, let''s go." "Amelia¡­ hmm¡­" But yet again, they halted in their steps as Lumian suddenly spoke. "Yes?" Amelia asked. "Do you know me?" "...." It was then. The atmosphere suddenly changed around Lumian. Brandon and Amelia''s rm bells rang. "Amelia Constantine, huh?" "Yes, that''s me. Do you know me?" "Blonde hair and blue eyes. Imperial Army. General Amelia Constantine." All of a sudden, zing dark¨Cpurple embers appeared around the Lumian''s hand and a sword materialized shortly after. "....!" "....!" Brandon realized. This man was trouble. He didn''t notice it earlier, but the mana around Lumian suddenly shot up. Swoosh¡ª! Lumian instantly appeared before them and Brandon had no time to react. All he could do was leap backwards. Lumian was fast. Extremely fast. His eyes weren''t able to keep up at all. Lumian''s sword swung vertically, aiming for his arm. "Shit." Again. He couldn''t react. The swing was way too fast. His arm. It was about to be severed. Chapter 200: His Fate [1] ng¡ª! Before the sword reached his arm, it was immediately repelled back by Amelia''s de. Sword fights. It wasn''t Brandon''s forte. Against a real swordsman, he stood no chance. With such thoughts, Amelia pushed Brandon away and took the lead of the fight. ng¡ª! ng¡ª! A flurry of strikes headed towards her. The man was extremely fast. Amelia could only parry so much. As soon as her de met Lumian''s, another attack would swing down towards her. Bang! With her left arm, she shot the gun down the ground. The sheer force rippled, and the two were instantly separated. "Ah." Too immersed in the fight, she hadn''t realized the grazes all over her body. This man. She couldn''t picture herself winning at all. His swings weren''t too heavy. It was manageable. But his speed was astonishing. Swoosh¡ª! At that moment, Lumian suddenly disappeared from her peripheral vision and a de appeared before her. Instantly swinging diagonally, she managed to repel the de in the nick of time. ng¡ª! Lumian leapt back. All of a sudden, Lumian started swinging his de in the air. No. As Amelia narrowed her eyes and scanned, he seemed to be cutting off threads. There were no wasted movements at all. Each swing, a thread would immediately dematerialize, and another thread would loom towards him. With swift and agile movements, Lumian twisted his body and perfectly dodged the threads. It was insane. Even Amelia couldn''t see herself achieving the same feat as him against Brandon''s threads. Seizing the opportunity, magic swords materialized and floated behind her. Waving her hand down, the swords rained down towards Lumian as he fought off the threads. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! But even her surprise attack proved futile as Lumian would instantly parry the des away, all while dodging the looming threads. Somersaulting backwards, Lumian narrowly dodged the raining swords. He suddenly disappeared and the threads followed him. With such ease, Lumian cut off each thread that headed towards him. At this point, he was superhuman. There was no winning this fight. The only thing they could do was fight Lumian from a distance. A closeup fight against him is impossible. His swordsmanship was way above the Constantine''s style. All sorts of elements suddenly headed towards Lumian. Ice spikes protruded from the ground and aimed to encapste his leg. But it was then. Vooosh¡ª! Lumian impaled his sword down on the ground and purple mes enraptured the vicinity, instantly melting the ice. The earth suddenly shook and tworge boulders shot from the ground on both Lumian''s sides. The boulders locked themselves towards each other like mas as Lumian stood right in the middle. Swoosh¡ª! The boulders were suddenly minced into smithereens. Rock dust obscured where Lumian stood. Amelia could only make out his purple silhouette. But as soon as the boulders scattered like pebbles, swords rained down on Lumian. Extending her hand forward, Amelia pulled the trigger a significant amount of times, desperate to at least get a hit. But that was when Lumian bolted from his position. The swords shot down the ground hitting nothing. With his sword swinging forward, Amelia''s mana bullets instantly dispersed as it met Lumian''s de each time. But it was then. "Woa." Lumian was suddenly hurled back. Scanning, threads seemed to have attached themselves, piercing Lumian''s calves as some threads wrapped around his entire leg. With a fierce expression, Lumian cut the threads mid¡ªflight, ignoring the threads that pierced his calves. But it was then when he crashed towards a nearby tree. With the opportunity right in front of them, Amelia and Brandon kicked the ground. Empowered by lightning, Brandon blinked forward, appearing before Lumian before Amelia neared them. ck mes wrapped around Brandon''s entire figure. No. This¡­ This wasn''t Brandon at all. She didn''t realize it as she was fully immersed in the fight. But this man. It was Brandon. But at the same time, it wasn''t. His previous pale¡ªwhite hair hadpletely turned ink¡ªck and his eyes were wide open. His eyes. They were ink¡ªck as well, the same color as his hair. An Elemental assimtion, perhaps. But it was when Amelia noticed the expression he was making. He was smiling. As if he was enjoying the fight. A sudden chill ran down Amelia''s spine as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. What the hell happened to Brandon in the five minutes she wasn''t looking? Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! As his entire arm was wrapped in ck mes, Brandon swung his fist down. But slumped down on the tree, Lumian''s de met his fist, parrying each flurry of attacks. But the sheer force of Brandon''s attack rippled the air and pushed Lumian back. The root of the tree was pulled apart and the tree instantly tumbled down. Boom¡ª! Brandon''s fist swung down and Lumian immediately blocked it with his de. But the impact instantly hurled Lumian away. Tzz¡ª Brandon immediately gave chase. Amelia kicked the ground once again and joined Brandon. As Brandon''s fist swung down, Amelia thrusted her sword on the narrow gap. Swoosh¡ª! Lumian twisted his body sideways as he blocked Brandon''s burning fist with his de. Amelia was able to damage him slightly as her de lightly grazed his waist. Insane. This man was insane. He was dealing with both of them, an A ranker and was able to match them. It was then. Lumian pressed his fingers. "Zone." *** The Primordials base. Ciel stood by the window, taking in the beautiful sight of the moon. "Lady Ciel." A man''s voice suddenly reached her ears. She was well aware of the voice. The Third Seat. The man continued. "Is it really different this time?" "It is, and it isn''t, from what I know." The reply she gave was based on the descriptions that Jin had told her. "You could say it was just pushed ahead of schedule. But at the moment, things should still be the same." "Then¡­" "But don''t worry. Things are about to be interesting." This moment. Ciel could tell. The tome in front of her told her. The tome that told her of his fate. Ciel turned around and their gazes met. "As of this moment, nothing will be the same." "I see." "And the tome." Ciel turned back around and looked at the tome ced on the table in front of her. It was gradually disintegrating. That was the sign. She hadpletely rewritten his fate. No. Her and Jin. The man quickly left her room after that. Ciel raised her head and looked at the moon once again. "Jin, just hold on. Please. Keep it all together. Your sister won''t let your efforts be in vain." Their goal. To break Brandon Locke. To break his system. And to fully unleash his Sovereign''s Will. Raven ckheart was a failed attempt and Jin had already told her that. The world''s fate fell on this one singr anomaly. The strongest Sovereign''s Will known as Brandon Locke. Break his system. Break it. It had to break. It was the only thing holding the Sovereign''s Will back. The syndicate. The invasion. They didn''t matter. Not under the sheer force of the strongest Sovereign''s Will. Chapter 201: His Fate [2] He truly didn''t know what he was doing. It became apparent to Brandon that his elements were bottlenecked. Unlike the others who could continue improving their elements, reaching tiers and such, it wasn''t an option avable to him at all. This meant that no matter how strong he got, he could never assimte with any of his elements, nor could he learn how to conjure a zone. Then what was he supposed to do? Simple. Force it. "Sovereign of Creation." He muttered under his breath. As if it had somehow read his thoughts, the Sovereign of Creation skill quickly got to work. [Curse Assimtion] ¨N Fully assimte with the Curse Affinity. ¨N Complete ess to all the Curse skills. No. This wasn''t it. This wasn''t what he wanted at all. But it was as if the system was pushing him towards the curse affinity. There was no other choice. He had to make do with what he had. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª [Special Affinities] ¨N[Curse] ¨N [Cursed Threads]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Cursed mes]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Mark of Despair]: null ¨N [Abyssal Chains]: null ¨N [Soul Drain]: null ¨N [Binding Vow]: null ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª *** The scenery suddenly shifted. Purple mes enraptured the sky, gradually creating an isted barrier. But Brandon didn''t care. "Haha." As if he had no control with his thoughts whatsoever, he stifled augh. His ink¨Cck hair fluttered, as ck zing mes wrapped his entire figure. His buff skills were active. [elerated Cognition] [Mana Burst] [Aeolus Blessing] But despite all that, he hadn''t managed to beat Lumian. He had tried and tried to fully utilize [Mana Disruption]. But there was no point. Lumian was a swordsman. Magic wasn''t his forte. Most probably. And the purple mes around him? Brandon was unable to disrupt its mana. But in the first ce¡­ The mes. It didn''t feel like it came from mana at all. As if the power was derived from something else. Something oddly familiar. A Wraith''s power. But Lumian totally felt human. The Wraith back then was somehow differentpared to Lumian. And he wasn''t a Wraithbound. Brandon was sure of it. Then¡­ "A human with the powers of a Wraith." He smiled. "Interesting." Fucking interesting. "I''ll fucking kill you." Swoosh¡ª! With no regards to the change in scenery, Brandon kicked the ground and ran as if he was walking in the air. And he was. "Aeolus Blessing." Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¡ª! Several swords pierced through the air from behind him, heading towards Lumian. Amelia''s power. "I want it." He muttered under his breath. "Sovereign of Creation." He tried creating her skill. "...." And yet nothing happened. As if the system denied his request. "Tsk." He clicked his tongue. "Fucking useless." Cursing, Brandon extended his hand forward. There, he could see Lumian parrying Amelia''s de with ease. Tzz¡ª He blinked forward and appeared before Lumian. Lumian''s eyes flicked towards him in an instant. Boom¡ª! Lumian''s de met Brandon''s fist, wrapped around ck zing mes. He felt the sharp tip of the de, grazing his knuckles slightly. Clenching his left fist, ck chains sprouted from the ground and loomed in the air like snakes, coiling around Lumian''s leg. At that moment, Brandon felt a surge of power surged within him like never before. His wounds started healing, and his strength gradually increased. But Lumian didn''t slow down at all. No. It seemed like he was even faster than befo¡ª sh¡ª A de swung down towards Lumian. But at that moment, Lumian suddenly vanished and appeared behind Brandon. "Shit." ng¡ª! Lumian swung sideways, aiming at Brandon''s back. But immediately, Amelia repelled the de and a magic sword that floated in the air swung towards Lumian. But it was then when Lumian disappeared once again. Fast. Too fast. *** "Reports say of a suspicious man, leaving the city." Belle began her debriefing. A round table situated in the middle. All of the officers she had appointed for her task force sat in their respective seats. Unfortunately, Evelyn Cessna was unavable. For reasons unknown, no one could reach her, not even the Field Marshals. To avoid alerting the suspect, they had only informed officials and gate guards of the man''s description. And to their surprise, the descriptions matched. Navy blue hair, red eyes, and a scar on his eyebrow. Due to the potential danger, they were instructed not to instigate or arouse the man''s suspicions. Their orders were clear: report immediately upon sighting him. They were only told to report, as soon as they caught sight of him. And today was that day. "General Locke." An officer suddenly called out to her. Ivan Albarn. An S ranker to rece Evelyn. They needed an S ranker to ensure the mission''s sess. Ivan wasn''t part of the Imperial Army. But Belle had the authority to appoint anyone she deemed necessary for the mission. Or rather, a subjugation. This was a hunt. Dead or alive. Belle turned to face Ivan with a serious expression. "Yes, Sir Ivan?" "We''ve received a report from the eastern gate. A man matching the description was seen leaving the city an hour ago." A murmur spread through the room as the officers exchanged nces. Belle raised a hand to silence them. "This is our chance. We need to move quickly and decisively." She unfolded a map on the table, tracing a path with her finger. "The eastern gate leads to the forest. We''ll split into two groups. One will follow the main path, and the other will circle around to cut him off." "I''ll lead the main group." Ivan nodded. After all, he was the strongest present. Belle and her group should only serve to cut off the exit to ensure their safety. Belle met his gaze and pursed her lips. "Good. I''ll take the second group. Remember, our priority is to capture him alive if possible, but we cannot afford to let him escape. Stay alert and report any sightings immediately." The officers stood up at that moment with serious expressions.. They moved swiftly to prepare, checking their weapons and gear. Belle watched them with a mix of pride and concern in her heart. This mission was critical, and failure was not an option. As they headed out, Belle''s mind raced with the details of the mission. The suspect''s unusual appearance and the fact that he had eluded them for so long suggested he was no ordinary man. Of course, he wasn''t. The fact that he was leaving the city without any proper reasoning had more or less confirmed their conjectures. He was one of the illegal immigrants. An invader. Time passed and they reached the edge of the city. "Let''s move out." Bellemanded. The groups split off immediately, moving swiftly and silently throughout the night. Belle''s group took the longer route, cutting through the dense underbrush. The forest was eerily quiet. The only sounds that ensued were their muffled footsteps and the rustle of leaves. After what felt like hours, they reached a clearing. Belle raised a hand to signal a halt. She dismounted and approached the edge of the clearing, scanning the area. "Any sign of him?" She whispered to one of her officers. The officer shook his head. "Not yet, General." Chapter 202: His Fate [3] The moon was high up in the sky. They had cleared the entire forest mostly but there was no sign of the man. Then was the route they had followed wrong? It seemed most likely. When they took the cleared pathway, they stumbled upon the forest. It took at least six hours for the entire journey. By now, the sun was about to rise. With such thoughts, they decided to set up camp. They sat around by a campfire. Its mes crackled, casting a warm glow on their features. "You''ve been looking uneasy this whole time, General. What''s on your mind?" The one who posed the question was Belle''s assistant, Ray. Belle stared at the campfire and hugged her legs. "I just can''t shake off this bad feeling." "Don''t worry, General." Ray consoled her. "Everyone here is strong. We even have Sir Ivan with us. Just focus on protecting yourself." "....You''re right." But that wasn''t what Belle was actually worried about. She knew everyone in the task force was strong. What she was worried about was the premonition she had about Brandon. As if something bad was about to happen. With such thoughts, she pulled out her phone once again. "...." There was no reply, and the message wasn''t read. *** "What''s taking them so long?" "I don''t know." Carl asked as Aurelia poked the campfire with a stick. On his hand was a phone. It was Brandon''s phone. Being inexperienced with technology, Carl didn''t know what to do. Just that, there was a message. [Belle Locke: Take care always, Brandon] It must''ve been his sister. Carl was worried. It has been thirty minutes now, and no sign of Brandon or Amelia. But it was then. Whiii¡ª A strange sound echoed through the forest, reaching Carl and Aurelia''s ears. "....!" "....!" They had to check it out. "Aurelia, wear your hood." "Un." That reply from Aurelia. It somehow resonated with Carl. *** Inside the zone. ng¡ª! ng¡ª! Time and time again, Lumian was able to repel most of their attacks. But he knew he couldn''t keep this up for long. His soulme was starting to get to him. His body started heating up. But regardless, throughout the entire fight, he had barely suffered any damage. The same couldn''t be said for his two opponents. They were severely wounded, especially Cid. Cid. He was quite surprised by the new appearance that Cid took. Ink¨Cck hair and ink¨Cck eyes. But as he recalled Cid''s previous appearance, there was a sense of familiarity that washed over Lumian. His looks, especially his face. It was familiar. As if he had seen it before. Which is why he was so adamant to talk to Cid. But seeing Amelia Constantine, one of his targets, Lumian immediately knew. Cid was working for the government. Unfortunately he had to kill him. He was instructed to stir up trouble within the Holy Britannian continent. But now, they call themselves the human domain. ng¡ª! Lumian parried each attack from Amelia and would immediately switch his focus towards Cid. The two were absurdly coordinated. As if they had been fighting together for a long time. Lumian could tell they were way weaker than him. In fact, if it was a one¨Con¨Cone, he could easily wipe the floor with them. But this duo in front of him¡­ ng¡ª! ng¡ª! They made things quite difficult. Not just difficult, but insanely difficult. By the Holy Britannian standards, he would be on the S rank. But the two''s coordinations had bridged the gap between the ranks. Especially Cid. He was a lunatic "A fucking lunatic." The entire time, Cid would attack him with his bare knuckles, wrapped around what seemed to be dark mes. Whenever the mes struck him, Lumian could feel a bit of his strength sapping away. But it still wasn''t enough for him to slow down. Next were the chains. ka! ka! Chains sprouted from the ground and would wrap themselves around Lumian''s legs. At that, he felt his strength sapping away even more. Crazy. This was the [Curse] affinity Lumian had heard about. There was no doubt. But¡­ ''How is he doing all this?'' From what he knew, [Curse] affinity users attacks varied. They could mostly only do one. Either mes, chains, or threads. But Cid could do them all. Not only that, but he had way too many affinities in his arsenal. But regardless of that thought, he was weak. Hisbat style was way too convoluted, as if he hadn''t learned how to fight at all. The real threat was Amelia Constantine. She couldn''t keep up with his swordsmanship. But with the swords floating around her, it made up for herck of expertise. Lumian knew he couldn''t keep this up for long. The longer usage of his soulme would burn his inside sooner orter. It was the drawback that came from the power bestowed upon him by Lord Ezekiel. ng¡ª! ng¡ª! Lumian leapt back and distanced himself from the two. Extending his hand forward, his odachi was wrapped around the crackling soulmes. But it was then. Tzz¡ª A fist suddenly shed in front of him. But reacting at the exact same second, Lumian twisted his body sideways and dodged Cid''s fist. Swoosh¡ª! An opportunity presented itself before Lumian. He swung his de horizontally, aiming at Cid''s exposed torso. Bang! Bang! "Tsk." A banging sound echoed and Lumian was suddenly pushed backwards. It was annoying. Whenever he got close to Cid, Amelia would shoot her gun. Since she seemed to be aiming for the ground, Lumian couldn''t deflect the bullet in time and was pushed back by an unseemingly invisible force. The same went for Cid was pushed sideways, giving himself distance away from Lumian. Annoying. This duo was annoying. He had to end this fight. One decisive move. One that would catch them off guard. With such thoughts, Lumian closed his eyes, feeling the mana around him. Soulmes suddenly materialized in the air. Inside the zone, soulmes served to boost Lumian''s strength and speed. But due to the nature of soulmes, excess use of the ability burnt his core. After all, he was still human. Feeling the mana in the atmosphere, there, Lumian could feel Cid heading close to him. It was that moment. He opened his eyes. Swoosh¡ª! He quickly disappeared, leaving trails of soulmes in his wake. Cid brushed past where he once was. His target? Amelia Constantine. His de swung forward, and Amelia reacted in time to repel his attack with her own de. There. It was the same pattern. Cid was close. Lumian didn''t exert enough force in his swing so he could quickly swing the de in a different direction. The real target. It was Cid. Tzz¡ª At the right time, Cid appeared before him, ck mes crackled in the air. Swoosh¡ª! Lumian smirked, twisted his body, and swung his de diagonally. Cid''s eyes widened and blood sttered in the air. Thud! "Aghkkk¡­!" Cid screamed and Lumian thrusted his de forward. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh¨C! But before his de impaled Cid''s chest, magic swords rained down where Lumian stood. With bated breaths, Lumian narrowly dodged the de. But it wasn''t enough as a de pierced right through his thigh. "Kh¡­!" Distancing himself, Lumian took in the sight before him as he clenched his wounded thigh. An arm was down on the ground, and Cid was clutching his shoulder tightly. Blood profusely sttered from where his arm once was. Cid''s arm. He had managed to cleanly sever it. Chapter 203: His Fate [4] "Akh¡­!" Brandon screamed in agony. Amelia was anxious, but she couldn''t let down her guard at all. But his arm. The damage was major. But it was cleanly severed off. If they had time to go to the hospital, th it could be reattached. That is¡­ if they had time. It was nothing but a fleeting thought. "Brandon!" She approached him, cold sweat beading down her forehead. Brandon clutched his shoulder tightly as it bled profusely. Cr¡­ Crack. Ice started materializing and the bleeding stopped. It was his only choice. Flicking her head towards Lumian, Amelia narrowed her eyes and red at him. Seething rage boiled within her. All she could think of at the momt was killing him. This man. He had to die. For Brandon''s sake. Swoosh¡ª! *** He tried creating a skill to regerate his limb. [Error!] He tried creating a healing skill. [Error!] He tried creating a skill that creates healing potions, just like the previous system. [Error!] "Please." [Error!] "Save me." [Error!] "Why!?" [Error!] Why? It felt as if the system had deemed it taboo to heal him. In the past, whever he leveled up, the first skill on his mind was a healing skill. But as always. [Error!] "Give me a fucking reason!" [Error!] "Haaa¨CKhh¡­!" Brandon gritted his teeth and clutched his shoulder. The ice served to stop the bleeding, but there was nothing to alleviate the pain. It fucking hurt. A lot. He felt his stomach churn as cold sweat continued trickling down his cheek. His world spun and breathing becamebored. "Haaa¡­. Haaa¡­" Pain. Too much pain. Everything. Pain. "Pain." Life was too painful. Every day. "Every¡­ single¡­" Fucking. Day. As if the world wanted him to suffer. He gazed down and looked at his arm. A chill ran down his spine and his ears started ringing. Thump! His knees gave out and he slumped down on the g. "Mmh¡­" A sound escaped his lips and he puffed his cheek. Clching his shoulder where the ice was, he felt his stomach continue to churn. Th. "Blurgh¡­!" Due to the severe panic attack, he puked. A buzzing sound continued ringing in his ear, and he raised his head. There, he could see Amelia fighting Lumian. But it was th wh he realized the zone was slowly dematerializing. Amelia just had to hold out. Once the zone disappears they could make a break for it. Run away. Away from Lumian. There was no beating him. He was simply too strong. From all the seemingly impossible fights he had, there was always someone prest strong ough to defeat the foe. But this time. He knew. There was no one. No one to save them. To save him. He realized that. *** ng¡ª! ng¡ª! Amelia swung down heavily and Lumian immediately parried the de, counter attacking in each exchange. ng¡ª! ng¡ª! Amelia''s thoughts werepletely jumbled. She hadn''t noticed the wounds etched on her body. Drip. Drip¡­! She persisted, gritting her teeth. Each strike took more effort than thest. Her vision started blurring as fatigue set in. "Haa¡­." ng¡ª! "H-haaa¡­." ng¡ª! ng¡ª! They continued exchanging attacks. She could tell that Lumian was somehow slowing down. The zone was dematerializing. Although Amelia wanted to kill Lumian, she wasn''t an idiot. She still had her thoughts gathered. Realizing the opportunity, she leapt backwards. Lumian could die another day. In fact, she hoped he''d die the next day. But she knew there was no point in prolonging the fight. She was more injured than Lumian. The only reason she was able to survive the tire time was due to the sudd adraline surge. At that momt, she recalled her father''s words. ¡ªA swordsman who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day. It was a swordsman''s code of conduct. There was no shame in retreating. If she died here, th she couldn''t avge Brandon. Lumian immediately rushed towards her. Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! But magic swords rained down and blocked his path. Not once did Amelia turn her back on Lumian as she sprinted back towards Brandon. Magic swords continued to protect her, raining down on where Lumian stood. "Brandon, can you move!?" She anxiously spoke. "Haaa¡­ Haaa¡­." But Brandon didn''t respond as he took deep heavy breaths. His head was lowered, slumped down on both knees, clutched his shoulder, with wide eyes. The situation was critical. Brandon was having a massive panic attack. But it was th. Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! Crystals suddly rippled in the air and headed towards Lumian. Mixed with the ongoing magic swords, Lumian couldn''t move and parried each attack. Ev Lumian seemed tired as his chest heaved up and down. Amelia turned her head slightly and she could see Carl and Aurelia¡ªwhose hands were extded forward. "Huaaa!" Carl''s eyes wided and covered his mouth in shock, seeing the state Brandon was in. The same wt for Aurelia as her eyes shot wide op. Cr¡­ Crack! A magic circle suddly materialized on the g and a medium¡ªsized crystal golem appeared. Not just one. But two. Another magic circle. And another. Three. Crack! Three medium¨Csized ice golems rushed towards Lumian. "The fuck?" Amelia could hear Lumian curse as he continued parrying each attack. But what caught Amelia''s atttion was the fact that Lumian wasn''t looking at the attacks at all. No. His eyes were glued to the oing golems. Another magic circle appeared. And another. Crack! More crystal golems appeared and rushed towards Lumian,pletely circling him. p¡ª! Aurelia pped her hands together, and golems suddly expanded in size. Their figures towered over Lumian and Amelia''s eyes shot wide op. "Let''s go." Aurelia''s voice reached her ears and Amelia turned her head towards Brandon who was most definitely out of it. "...." Amelia neared him and pulled his shoulder. But Brandon wouldn''t budge. "Brandon!" "Haaa¡­." Amelia flicked her head towards the arm on the g. With gritted teeth, Amelia grabbed the arm and lifted Brandon''s chin. She raised the arm on her hand and showed it to Brandon. "Do you see this?" "...." "It can still be reattached. So please, let''s get away from here." "...." Brandon didn''t respond. But it seemed like her words managed to reach him as he lifted his body up. Amelia nodded her head and waited for Brandon to start running. As soon as he did, Amelia followed. Vooosh¡ª! Running with no direction on where they were supposed to go, Amelia could hear mes ignite behind her, a few distances away. "....!" Her rm bells rang and Amelia turned her head slightly. But it was th wh Lumian''s figure registered in her peripheral vision. He was fast. Too fast. There, she could see him already close, running towards them as his expressions cracked. "You''re not getting away!" Lumian screamed and Amelia panicked. There was no way to shake off this man. But regardless, Amelia could only do what she could. Magic swords floated a her and headed towards Lumian. ng¡ª! Lumian immediately parried a de and dodged the others. But due to Amelia''s attack, she was able to stall for an ounce of a momt as Lumian was halted in his chase. Just a single second. She continued employing the same strategy. It seemed to be working as they were several distances away from Lumian now. Amelia fixed her atttion back to Carl¡ªwho was carrying Aurelia. Wind seemed to coalesce a his leg and boosted his speed. But it wasn''t him that surprised her. It was Aurelia. But in that fraction of a second she had stopped her attack. Swoosh¡ª! Lumian appeared right behind her. Chapter 204: Wildflower [1] "Haha." Lumianughed as he kicked the g with the de in his hand. Amelia was undoubtedly caught off guard. His eyes abruptly flicked towards Cid who was running ahead. His previous appearance had returned. But the momt Cid returned to his original appearance. No. Brandon. His name was Brandon appartly. The momt Lumian caught sight of the look on his face, his mind was flooded with several thoughts. A sse of familiarity washed over him A girl from his past. Pale¨C hair, and ice¨Cblue eyes. Belle Locke. He looked just like her. It was during his academy days wh he was younger, back in his country. She was a studt who had just transferred from overseas. Her beauty was breathtaking, and Lumian found himself awestruck. It was love at first sight. Since Belle was new to the country, and she didn''t have any frids, Lumian offered himself as a guide. The two quickly became frids after that, But. Wh he died. He was abandoned. Abandoned by everyone. Abandoned by Belle. Flicking his eyes back towards Amelia¡ªwho turned her head slightly with wide eyes, Lumian swung his de, aiming for her torso. But it was th. ng¡ª! *** The sun was about to rise. "....!" But it was th that the group heard a suddmotion from the forest. Belle flicked her head towards it, and she could feel the thick manaing from that direction. ng¡ª! The sound of swords shing. It was muffled, giving her the hint that it was several distances away. They immediately turned their heads and looked at each other. "Let''s go." Nodding their heads, they immediately got up and fled towards the source of themotion. The forest was dse, the underbrush making it difficult to move swiftly. Belle led the way as she traced the mana''s source. ng¡ª! ng¡ª! The sounds of battle grew louder as they approached, the shing of swords and shouts bing more distinct. Time passed and they had finally brok through the trees into a small clearing. The sounds of shing had stopped for a few seconds. But as she made it through the bushes¡­ "...." Her eyes wided in shock. There, she could see Amelia, running, seemingly exhausted, holding onto an arm. Ahead of her was¡­ No way. It was Brandon. And¡­ His arm. "....!" Belle covered her mouth in shock as she realized Brandon had lost his arm. She couldn''t believe it. She felt like bursting into tears. But it was th. A man suddly appeared right behind Amelia. Navy blue hair and red eyes. It was the man from the descriptions. His sword was up high, about to swing down towards Amelia. Swoosh¡ª! Belle kicked the g and burst forth. Unsheathing the sword on her waist and empowering her legs with wind, Belle kicked the air and got in betwe Amelia and the sword. "Geral!" A voice reached her ears, one of herpanions. ng¡ª! Belle''s sword met the man''s with a resounding sh. Sparks flew in the air upon impact. The force of the blow reverberated through her arm. But she held firm, staring down at the man with narrowed eyes. "Belle Locke!" The man''s eyes wided as if a sse of familiarity washed through him. He knew her? How? Ev Belle didn''t know who he was. "This day just keeps getting better and better." The man spoke as they continued their exchange. A magic circle appeared beath his feet and the man quickly leapt off, distancing himself from Belle and the magic circle. "Stay the fuck away you extras!" The man cursed out loud. Belle''spanions appeared by her side and Ivan stepped forward. He gestured with his hand to stop Belle. "I''ll take it from here. Go assist Geral Constantine." Belle reluctantly looked at him. But evtually, she nodded her head and fixed her atttion back towards Amelia¡ªwho stood still and held an arm on her hand. Belle didn''t need to ask to know who''s arm it belonged to. A sudd chill ran down her spine just by the thought of it. She scanned Amelia. Her body was covered in cuts, blood trickling down. Dirt smeared on her face and her chest heaved up and down. Th, she looked at Brandon who slumped down on the g, clching his shoulder. There was ice on it, to stop the bleeding. "What happed!?" Belle asked. "Tsk." Amelia clicked her tongue and gritted her teeth. "That bastard." She pointed at the man who was gaged inbat with the task force. The g shook as all sorts of magic flew in the air. A sudd rage boiled within Belle as her eyes locked on her younger brother who looked lost. She neared him and crouched down, holding his other shoulder. "...Sis." Brandon spoke and his voice cracked. "...." Belle shook her head and her expressions turned grim. Gritting her teeth tightly, she Drip. Drip¡­! Tears trickled down her face, sorrowed by her younger brother''s currt state. "If only¡­" If only she hadn''t allowed him to leave on that day. "Fuck." She held him in her arms. "Fuck." She cursed. "Fuck." And cursed. "Fuck¡­" And cursed again, her voice cracking. She truly couldn''t believe it. Amelia appeared behind her and held his arm for Belle to see. "There''s still hope." Amelia assured her. "I know." Belle calmed her thoughts. It was possible. With the technological advancemt in this world, assisted by magic, reattaching Brandon''s arm would be done in no time. They just had to get out of this ce. But she couldn''t abandon herpanions. She was currtly on a mission. It was th wh she realized. "Amelia, did you get the message?" "What message?" "On your phone. The army st it to every officer." It was information about the man. Amelia retrieved her phone and oped it. After she checked, her expressions became perplexed. "I did, but¡­. Isn''t this a bitte?" "What do you mean?" The message was st a few weeks ago. What did she mean it waste? "Look." "...." Belle checked Amelia''s phone as she held it out for her to see. Her brows suddly raised. [0 minutes ago.] Chapter 205: Wildflower [2] It must''ve be due to the dsity of mana that permeated the air, that the signal was unstable. After all, phones were powered by mana. Radio waves were a thing of the past, and would never work due to mana influcing it. Belle immediately realized that as she stared at Amelia''s phone. "Okay, that answers everything." It did. The fact that Brandon never replied to her, and the warning the Imperial Army st to Amelia. "Brandon." She turned her head and looked at Brandon. Hisplexions looked better, relieved of her arrival, and the idea of his arm being immediately reattached. "Go with Amelia. Return to the capital and get yourself treated." "What about you?" "I''ll meet up with you in the city after we deal with this." She fixed her atttion back to the fight. Herpanions seemed to be sessful in suppressing the man. "Okay, sis." Belle nodded at Brandon''s words and stepped forward. "Take care of him, Amelia." "Of course." "Mhm." Belle shed a smile and turned her head. The mana a her suddly gathered. The air grew heavy, thick from the dsity of mana. Her figure suddly emitted a bright gold glow. Her hair fluttered and gradually changed hue. From the tip of her hair, up until the crown. Her hairpletely turned gold. Blinking, her eyes glowed a bright gold glow. [Elemtal Assimtion] The bright gold aura a her seemed to form a flower. But as Belle liked to call it¡­ Wildflower. Belle kicked the g and bolted from her position, joining the fight. Scanning, her subordinates sured the man from all sides. Wounds seemed to etch all over his body. The man''s eyes wided as he caught sight of her and oped his mouth. "Don''t you recognize me, Belle Locke?!" The man seemed to know who she was. But had no idea who he was. "No, I don''t." She really didn''t. "Haha. You fucking bitch." The man immediately disappeared. Belle ssed the fluctuation of mana and swung her de in that direction. ng¡ª! Their des shed, and Ivan''s lightning magic cut through, piercing the man''s shoulder. "Akh¡­!" "Pin him!" Ivan''s voice rang out and everyone prest immediately threw all sorts of magic towards the man. Narrowing her eyes, Belle red at the man, and thrusted her de forward. ng¡ª! But her de was immediately parried and purple mes suddlyshed out. Belle swiftly maneuvered, her wind magic increasing her speed as she kicked the air. The man''s attacks were reltless. But Belle evaded and retaliated with precision, the light emitting from her continuing to glow. Tzz¡ª Streaks of lightning suddly rippled and the man was hurled sideways. Blinking, Belle could see Ivan, pinning the man down. Tzz¡ª Tzz¡ª Tzz¡ª The sizzling sound of lightning rang out. Belle and the rest of her subordinates kicked the g and neared Ivan¡ªwho was on top of Lumian. But it was th. Voosh¡ª! Purple mes ignited and Ivan leapt backwards, distancing himself from the man. Ivan patted his pants, th lifted his arm to inspect his palm. A scorch mark marred the skin. "Tsk." Ivan clicked his tongue. But giving the man no time to retaliate, Ivan bolted from his position as lightning rippled all a him. Belle swung down her de. Closing her eyes, mana started gathering a the tip. Slowly, the de started to glow a bright hollow glow, crawling from the tip, all the way down to the hilt. The tire sword was coated in a bright glow. The point of the de suddly extded and Belle oped her eyes. At that, Belle kicked the g and headed for the man¡ªwho was facing off against four mages. Ivan blinked in front of Lumian. The man''s de swung down and Ivan dodged. But as soon as he did, another strike headed for him. But it was th wh Ivan caught the man''s de, blood dripping down his palms. Clching the sword, it began to crack and Ivan gripped the man''s throat all of a sudd. "Now, Geral!" Belle nodded and her sword thrusted through the man''s chest, piercing his heart. "Kuh¡­!" Blood poured down the man''s mouth and Belle twisted the de on his chest. "Still a bitch¡ªKhh¡­" "Quiet." How was he ev still talking? Belle narrowed her eyes and red at the man, her de sinking deeper. "You forgot your¡­ old buddy, huh¡ªKhh¡­" "You know this man, Geral?" Ray¡ªwho froze the man''s leg, capsting his tire leg in the process, asked. "No." Belle shook her head. "I''m sadded." But despite the words he said, he was contradicting as his lips pulled to an ominous wide grin. Blood smeared his teeth as it continued pouring down his mouth. "Don''t tell me¡­ you''ve forg¨Cott¡­ Lucas Freyd¡­ The man you fu¨Cckers abandoned." "...." A sse of familiarity washed over Belle as her eyes wided. Lucas Freyd. The name was familiar. No, she knew exactly who he was. It was one of her closest frids, back wh she was studying overseas. But that didn''t make any sse. Lucas was dead. And the man in front of her held no resemnce to the Lucas she knew. But the way he spoke to her had told her the story she didn''t know. He was Lucas. And he was alive. She suddly recalled the memories she had wh she wt overseas. ¡ªHey, you''re the transfer studt, right? ¡ªIs your hair real? ¡ªOh, you have a younger brother back home? ¡ªI don''t think he hates you. ¡ªSee you tomorrow, Belle. This. That. The experices she had in that country. Lucas was there with her wh she was still quite new. Her very first frid. But it was during herst year, wh Lucas suddly disappeared. They were memories she buried deep in her thoughts. It was high time she forgot about that ce. She didn''t have too many fond memories of the country. It was heavily military focused. And since Belle had a military backg, the academy seemed unwilling to let her go. But Belle didn''t want to serve a country she wasn''t ev born in. And with the fact that she had received an invitation to attd Astrea, wh Belle decided to go back home, right after graduating, and pursued her studies there. Th that country¡­ It was the one trying to invade them. No, it wasn''t a country at all. It was a whole differt contint. Milis Contint. Belle''s expressions cracked. She pulled the sword and kicked Lucas down. Lucas fell down and Belle stepped on him. Lucas. Her thoughts about himpletely changed. He was the one who severed Brandon''s arm. And an arm¡­ sh¡ª! For an arm. "Gahhh!" But that wasn''t ough. He had to die. sh¡ª! "Kuhhh!" Another arm. Blood sttered in the air and smeared Belle''s cheek. "Disgusting." She muttered, ring at Lucas. But it was th wh Lucas suddly screamed. "You have my full permission, Lord Ezekiel!" Chapter 206: Turning Point 2.0 [1] Brandon stood up as Amelia assisted him. Belle left them to their own devices and joined the fight. Brandon met Amelia''s gaze and asked. "Where''s Carl and Aurelia?" "There." Amelia pointed in a seemingly distinct direction. Brandon followed her direction, and there, he could see Carl and Aurelia¡ªwho was wearing a hood, hiding behind a tree. There wasn''t a problem if they found Carl. The main problem was Aurelia. After all, she was an elf. Brandon nodded his head and the two walked towards Carl and Aurelia. "Carl, we''ll go back to the city." "...." Carl looked at the missing arm with a worried expression. Noticing the look on his face, Brandon shed him a smile and ruffled his hair. "I''m fine." "Okay." "Mhm." Brandon nodded his head and turned towards Aurelia. She looked at him with wide eyes. "Aurelia, you can''t ter the human domain. But don''t worry¡­" He turned his head slightly towards Amelia and the two nodded at each other. Brandon continued. "Amelia will stay with you." "Okay." Aurelia nodded her small head and the group left shortly after. They ran swiftly through the forest, careful not to attract the atttion of any monsters nearby. But it was th wh Brandon halted in his steps. Noticing, they stopped running and turned back, looking at Brandon. "What''s wrong?" Amelia asked. Brandon didn''t respond as a peculiar notification appeared in his peripheral vision. [Don''t go!] "Brandon?" "...Did you receive one too?" "Receive what?" "A notification." Amelia tilted her head and started fiddling her fingers in the air. It was a funny sight, it looked as if she had lost it and was clicking on nothing. "Nope." She shook her head. "I see." Now that was odd. There were certain quests, such as the main act¡ªwhere only Brandon received it. But throughout the tire journey, Brandon and Amelia seemed to share the same quests. It felt as if¡­ ¡­.The system wasmunicating with him. It was truly odd. "It tells me not to go." "But you have to get treated." "I know." But for some reason, he felt like listing to what the system told him. Step¡ª He took another step, just to test it. [Don''t go!] Another one. How peculiar. The system had never acted like this before. And most of the time, its messages seemed robotic. But now, it truly felt like it wasmunicating with him. Step¡ª [Don''t go!] "I think we should go back." "Brandon¡­." "I know, I know. But look." His eyes flicked towards the ice on his shoulder¡ªwhich was prevting the bleeding. "I think I''ll be fine. I''ll just¡­" Brandon suddly neared Amelia and leaned close, whispering something in her ear. "...ce my arm inside the invtory." "....Is that a good idea?" "It probably is. Could you distract them for a second?" "Okay." With such thoughts, Brandon walked back, fixing a set distance from them. Oping his system, he ced his arm inside the invtory. A sudd chill ran down his spine, and he felt subtle goosebumps run down his body. The thought of cing his own arm inside his invtory made his skin crawl. Th, Brandon turned back a and gave Amelia a thumbs up. Amelia returned with her own gesture, and approached him shortly after. Carl and Aurelia followed closely. "Why do we have to go back?" Carl asked. "Don''t you have to get your arm healed?" "Yes. But I''d like to wait for my sister." "Oh. I understand." Brandon gave him another smile. Suddly, Aurelia neared him and hugged his leg. The little elv girl was attached to him for some reason. And he too was fond of her as he crouched down and looked her in the eye. Her expressions told him all he needed to know. He had only met Aurelia rectly, but they had already formed quite a bond. He hugged her and caressed the back of her head, reassuring her. "I''ll be fine. Please, don''t worry." "Un¡­" Brandon pulled away and stood up, holding Aurelia''s small hand. That being said, they ran back and headed towards where they once were. It wasn''t that far. It took them three minutes, and by the time they got there¡­ "...." "...." "...." "...." They were speechless. Brandon''s expressions turned grim and his eyes shot wide op. All of the hairs on the back of his neck stood on d and he felt his hand start to tremble. He was horrified by the sight that greeted him. He truly couldn''t believe what he was seeing. "Haa¡­" His mouth oped but no words escaped. Just the sound of his shaky breathing. "Haa¡­" With wide eyes, he turned his head slightly and scanned Amelia''s expressions. Just like him, her eyes were shot wide op and she covered her mouth with her hands. It looked as if she was about to burst into tears at the momt. But Brandon¡­ he didn''t feel that way. Reality hadn''t sunk in yet. No, he wanted to dy it. "Haa¡­" He turned his head back and stared in the distance. A tall figure stood with long¨Ctinum blonde hair. Purple mes seemed to velop his figure. His arm was extded forward, piercing right through a certain someone''s body. "No¡­" No fucking way. "This isn''t real¡­" He was just here a few minutes ago. How did the situation escte for the worse. Why is Belle¡­ dead? And why is she¡­ the only one dead. "What the fuck are you useless bastards doing?!" He screamed. Seething rage, mixed with sorrow coursed within him. After all, they stood froz with horrified expressions, staring at the Wraith who had just killed his sister. "Bullshit." Ba¡­ Thump! His heart started tighting, and he clched his chest. Thump! Amelia''s legs gave out and she fell on both knees, covering her mouth, as tears started trickling down her cheek. "Belle¡­" After meeting several people in this world, the one he didn''t want to lose the most was Belle. He had already epted her as his own sister. He loved her like family. And again¡­ ¡­His family was tak from him. Just like how his mother lost him, he had now lost a person he truly considered family in this world. [Curse Assimtion] It was at that momt wh cursed mes gulfed his tire figure. Crack¡­! The g suddly cracked, and Brandon''s hair started turning ink¨Cck, as well as his eyes. Tzz¡ª Kicking the g, Brandon blinked forward, leaving a mixture of cursed mes and lightning in his trail. "I''ll fucking kill you!" But before he neared the Wraith, the purple mes fully gulfed his figure. The Wraith turned his head to meet Brandon''s gaze. "...." The Wraith''s lips pulled up to a chilling wide grin and a chill ran down Brandon''s spine. That was thest thing Brandon saw as the Wraith''s figure burnt into a crisp. Ashes fluttered in the air and Belle''s body fell on the g. Her torso marred a gaping hole as it bled profusely. But there were no signs of life as Belle''s eyes remained close, her body froz still. "Skill Weaver!" He yelled. "Revive her!" [Error!] "Bullshit!" [Error!] "Revive my sister!" [Error!] "Go fucking kill yourself you useless piece of shit!" [Error!] The system was of no use. Brandon crouched down and held Belle''s hand tightly. "Belle¡­! Belle¡­!" "You." He felt a hand touch his shoulder and Brandon turned his head to re at the man. "Don''t fucking touch me." Th, he looked at all of the people prest a him¡ªwho stood still with horrified eyes. "Don''t you dare get fucking close you useless shits." His palms touched Belle''s torso, blood smeared his hand, and stained his clothes. Cr¡­ Crack! Ice materialized out of thin air and the bleeding stopped. "Belle¡­! Please! You can''t be dead. Not now. Not like this¡­!" Drip. Drip¡­! "Belle¡­ please!" His voice cracked. "Please wake up! Belle! Belle¡­!" Drip. Drip¡­! Before he realized it, tears poured down and heid his head on her chest. Sob. Sob. "Belle¡­ Belle¡­" His shoulders trembled. Silce permeated the surings. The only sound that urred were his asional sobbing as he muttered his dear sister''s name. "Belle¡­." Chapter 207: Turning Point 2.0 [2] "Haha¡­" Ciel couldn''t help butugh as she stared at the tome¡ªwhich was disintegrating right in front of her eyes. "It''s happening." The tome that had given her¡ªandJin¡ªess to his system. Brandon Locke''s system. She had fully manipted the boy to a full blown extent. From giving him the idea of bing a ranker, to him being forced to explore the forest. And the final piece of the puzzle that wove the events together. The man known as Lucas. Regardless of who was in control of the body, it was a tragic event that was set in stone. Just that, the schedule was pushed forward for the current progression. Belle Locke''s death. And now things were about to be more interesting. Just how would her death affect the current Brandon Locke? They had to break him. Break his will. Break his system. "And in the end, he will consume him." We will consume him. *** All Brandon could hear were ringing sounds as he held his dear sister''s arms in his hand. "Belle¡­ please." He was desperate. "Skill Weaver!" The system notification popped up. "Sovereign of Creation!" He screamed. "Please¡­ I beg of you¡­ save my sister." His voice cracked. [Error!] Yet the system refused his plea. "Please." [Error!] "Please¡­" [Error!] "Please!" [Error!] Drip. Drip¡­! He wasn''t even looking at the system as his heady on Belle''s chest. Blood smeared his hand, as well as his cheek as tears stained Belle''s clothes. He knew there was no life in her. Her heart had stopped beating. Brandon refused to ept it. "Brandon¡­." All of a sudden, a familiar voice reached his ears, and he felt someone embrace his back. He didn''t need to look to know that it was Amelia. She too had shared his sorrow as he could hear the sound of her sobbing. For Amelia, she had lost her one and only best¨Cfriend. And for Brandon, he had lost his one and only sister. The person he had fully epted as his family in this new world he was thrusted in. And yet again, it was taken from him. Drip. Drip¡­! "Please¡­" [Error!] Sob. Sob. He felt his chest tighten as if it gripped his entire being. "Huaa¡­." His breaths came in ragged gasps, each one more painful than thest. The world around him blurred, his vision clouded by tears that refused to stop. The weight of loss was unbearable for him. "Why?" He whispered, his voice barely more than a breath. Amelia''s arms tightened around him as her own tears soaking into his shoulder. "I''m so sorry, Brandon." She choked out as her voice trembled and cracked. The moments they had shared¡ªtheughter, the arguments, the quiet times¡ªshed through his mind in that instant. Belle''s smile, her reassuring words, her unwavering support¡ªthey were all gone, just like that. "Please¡­" [Error!] His hands trembled as he clung to Belle''s lifeless form. His heart grew heavy with each and every passing second. The system, his one hope, had failed him. The powers he had relied on this whole time¡ªthey were all useless in the face of this adversity. Sob. Sob. Amelia''s sobs grew louder, and she buried her face in his back. Raising his head, Brandon''s tears fell onto Belle''s still figure, mixing with the blood that stained her clothes. He felt utterly helpless. "Belle¡­ I''m so sorry." He murmured, his voice breaking. "I should have listened to you¡­. I should have¡­." After all, Belle had told him not to embark on this journey. Brandon knew. He fucking knew. All of this was indirectly his fault. If he hadn''t helped Lumian¡ªoffering him water. If he hadn''t fought Lumian¡­. ¡­.Then Lumian would''ve left the forest. He was looking for an exit, yet Brandon had dyed his escape. Due to the battle that ensued, Belle must''ve heard the fight from a mile away, and quickly followed the source of the sound. Belle and her subordinates wouldn''t have encountered Lumian. "This is all my fault¡­." "What are you talking about¡­." Amelia suddenly spoke. "It''s my fault, Amelia¡­. Belle''s like this because of me!" His voice continued to crack. "Brandon, stop!" Amelia tightened her embrace and Brandon''s shoulders rxed, his shoulders, trembling. "It''s not your fault. It''s no one''s fault. It was an unfortunate encounter." "Please¡­" [Error!] He clung to Belle, wishing for a miracle, begging for onest chance to see her smile, to hear herugh. All of the times she had consoled him. And not once had he ever done anything to repay her kindness. "Skill Weaver¡­ please." [Error!] "Damn it!" Heshed out and punched the system. But his fist phased through. "Useless." [Error!] "Useless¡­." [Error!] "I''m fucking useless¡­" [Error!] Brandon raised his head and red at Belle''s subordinates. Their expressions were one of sorrow, just like his. But¡­ "Bullshit." He cursed. "Don''t give me that. What were you fuckers even doing?!" They all looked at him. But none had the courage to speak up as their expressions turned grim. "I saw all of you. You all stood still and watched that bastard kill my sister!" He shook his head and clenched his forehead. "You all killed her as well¡­. And you¡­." He red at the man with the strongest mana signature. The man''s brows raised but he remained speechless, listening to Brandon. "The fuck were you doing?! Aren''t you the strongest one here?! Why is my sister dead?!" "Please, calm down." Another man spoke. With blonde eyes and blue hair, adorning a military uniform. "It all happened so abruptly¡ª" "Bullshit!" Brandon cut him off. "You''re telling me none of you were able to react fast enough?! Why are you even an officer if you can''t save your own?!" Thwack! He forcefully smacked the ground. By now, the [Curse Assimtion] skill had already deactivated. "How could you expect to save a life when you couldn''t even save my sister?!" "...." At this point, he knew was being unreasonable. If there''s anyone to me, then it was the Wraith. But he couldn''t help it. He turned his attention back towards Belle. His system was still open. "...." It was then when he realized. [Binding Vow: Locked] Binding Vow. A skill exclusive to only the curse affinity. From the information that flooded in his thoughts, he knew exactly how it worked. "Amelia, stand back." "What are you¡ª" "Please." He pleaded. Amelia stood up, supporting herself with her hands and stood back. Brandon crouched down and extended his hand forward. "What are you doing?" The man who he deemed the strongest suddenly spoke. "Something you fuckers can''t do." Vooosh¡ª! All of a sudden, ck mes engulfed Brandon''s figure. His hair gradually turned ink¨Cck, as well as his eyes. "Don''t tell me you''re going to burn her body?!" The man with blue hair suddenly screamed. He stepped forward and extended his hand. Magic power gradually coalesced around him, and a sudden chill permeated the air. Crash! But it was then when a magic sword pierced through the air and struck the ground, just in front of the man. It was Amelia¡ªwho looked as if she had decided on something. "Ridiculous." She shook her head. "That''s his sister. You really think he''s going to do that?" "But¡ª" "Quiet. As of this moment, I, General Constantine, will now take over this operation. You will all follow mymands, and you will all stand down!" Amelia authoritatively instructed. At that, the officers present stood down and lowered their hands. The mana in the air dwindled. With themotion settled, Brandon focused all his attention on the mes. This had to work. A life for a life. His life for hers. A sacrifice. With how useless he was, he might as well just die anyway. With such thoughts, Brandon muttered under his breath. "Binding vow." Chapter 208: Turning Point 2.0 [3] "Binding vow." At that moment, the mes spread across the vicinity, unveiling themselves, as if the pitch¨Cck color wasn''t its true form. Gradually, the color of amethyst crackled, coalescing itself with the mes, crawling, seamlessly blending in. Until all the mes had turned amethyst. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The ground shook intensely, and the mana in the atmosphere suddenly grew heavy. Brandon gritted his teeth, furrowed his brow, and tears continued dripping down his cheek as he poured in all of his focus on the skill. The amethyst mes engulfed his entire figure, burning him. Scorch marks appeared all over, and cracks started to spread all over his body. The pain was unbearable. But Brandon persisted "Wait, Brandon. What are you doing?!" Amelia suddenly screamed desperately. "I''ll save her." "But your body¡­. You''re not going to make it!" Everyone watched awestruck, their eyes wide open, and their mouths hung agape. "It''s a binding vow¡­." Ivan said as he felt goosebumps all over his body. Amelia''s eyes widened. "A binding vow?!" "A special trait only avable to curse affinity users¡­ I''ve seen my fair share of binding vows. But I''ve never seen one this intense¡­." Ivan screamed with raised brows. "Stop what you''re doing, boy! One death is enough! We can''t have two!" Amelia flicked her head from Ivan, back to Brandon. "Brandon, stop! You know it''s impossible to bring the dead back to life! Cold sweat trickled down her face as she desperately pleaded. Pleading for him not to die too. Bringing the dead back to life was unheard of. Not a single curse affinity user had managed to do so. In the first ce, there was prejudice, disdain, towards curse affinity users. The way curse affinity users deal with their exchanges left a bitter taste in everyone''s mouth. It wasn''t worth it. An affinity that continuously harms the user upon each use. And sadly, Brandon was one such user. Suddenly, Brandon turned his head slightly. The air thick with anticipation, growing heavy in each passing second. He suddenly spoke. "Even if it''s impossible, what kind of brother would I be if I won''t even try and put myself at risk?" He fixed his attention back to his lifeless sister. The mana permeated heavily in the air. Everyone could feel the vibrations, the shaking, the intensity of the situation. ¡­.The desperation in Brandon''s tone. The mana grew even heavier and Amelia found herself suffocated. Amethyst mes spread all over the ground, scorching everything in its wake. "Even if this is a futile attempt, and that this decision of mine would lead to my death, then so be it." "Brandon, please!" Amelia raised her hand, extending her palms towards him. Magic swords materialized around her. The tip of the de tilted, as if it was aimed towards Brandon. Step¡ª "...." Amelia stepped forward. But she soon halted as she felt like she had stepped on something. Lowering her head, she looked down and found herself utterly shocked. There, she could see the amethyst mes, distorting. As if it was warping itself into an odd shape. No, Amelia could well guess what it was. Purple hyacinth flowers. Just that they were in a form of crackling, zing amethyst mes. The flowers. The mes. They were beautiful, and Amelia found herself momentarily taken aback. The sheer intensity of the amethyst colors reflected itself in Amelia''s eyes. "A zone¡­" A voice suddenly reached her ears. She had her suspicions that they were in fact inside a zone. Particrly, Brandon''s zone. After all, theprecision in the way the mes were controlled, just so it wouldn''t hurt her would only be possible inside the user''s zone. "Crazy¡­" She was truly astonished. "This is insane." "How is this possible?!" And the same went for the others. But she refused to believe in her conjectures since she had never seen such a zone before. She raised her head and looked around. The zone. "...." It wasn''t isted. An open zone that stretches far¨Cwide, and Brandon had full control over the entire vicinity. It was absurd. Amelia could see Brandon''s body breaking. The cracks spread wider and she could barely see his back, covered in amethyst mes. "Brandon, please stop!" She desperately pleaded. Brandon responded without looking back at her. "If I die, then I''ll just meet my sister in the afterlife." He shook his head. "If she isn''t there, then I will find her. No matter what, I will find Belle." Then he turned his head slightly and met Amelia''s gaze. Drip. Before she realized it, a tear trickled down her cheek. Scanning Brandon''s face, tears spread across his features. There were bags under his eyes, and his lips turned pale white. "You can doubt my decision. But Belle¡­ she was always there for me during my highs and lows. When I was still quite new to this world, she weed me with open arms." "What are you¡ª" "She treated a fake like me as if I were her real brother. She epted the current me for who I was without looking for the old Brandon." "...." What is he¡­. "Someone like her¡­ Her life is worth more than mine. I don''t wanna say I''m God, but¡­." "What are you trying to say¡­?!" "...I''ll take her to heaven even if I die." A sudden chill ran down Amelia''s spine as she stared at Brandon¡ªpouring all of his mana into his final skill. "Brandon!" A magic sword pierced through the air, aiming to strike Brandon''s calf. But itpletely disintegrated as amethyst mes consumed it. "I''ll save you, Belle." Brandon said, pushing all of his feelings into his mana. His desperation. His sadness. His sorrow. His despair. ¡­..And his hope. He turned his head slightly, giving Amelia onest smile. "Thank you for everything." And then¡­.. "Stop¡ª" He vanished. The amethyst mes had fully engulfed both him and Belle, as if they were never there to begin with. The purple hyacinth mes gradually dematerialized. Thump! Amelia''s jaw cked open and she fell on both knees, speechless by what she had just witnessed. Drip. Drip¡­! But the tears. "...." They wouldn''t stop pouring down. Chapter 209: Turning Point 2.0 [4] Voosh¡ª! Looking around, Brandon could see gray hyacinth mes spread all over the ground. The world had lost its colors. It was all grayscale. At that, he had realized that this was his doing. The flowers. "This is my¡­ zone." He whispered. "....?" He was sure he had finished the skill. Yet for some reason, he was still alive. And as he gazed down, what met his sight was¡­. "...." Belle. She was stillid on the ground lifeless. But that wasn''t the most surprising thing. There were at least five people, including Amelia, that encircled him. But for some reason, they were gone. As if they were never there to begin with. What in the world. Brandon peered every corner. But it was then when he noticed the mes. They weren''t moving. And the trees, which were supposed to be swaying by the breeze, had stopped moving as well. It looked as if time had stopped. Panic started to arise within him at that moment. "The hell is going?'' Brandon turned his head and crouched down, staring at his lifeless sister. "....!" His eyes shot wide open. The gaping wound had disappeared. "Belle¡­?" He tried moving his sister slightly. "Belle¡­" But there was no response. With no way to confirm her status, Brandon leaned close to her chest and listened for any signs of heartbeat. "...." But again, nothing. It was truly odd. It was then. "You can''t just kill me like that, man." A familiar voice reached his ears. Brandon immediately flicked his head toward the direction of the voice. "We''ve finally met." "....!" His eyes shot wide open in disbelief. What greeted his sight was a tall man with pale¨Cwhite hair and ice¨Cblue eyes. He was way taller than him. ''Wait¡­ how is he¡­" It was then when Brandon realized his height had changed. As if he was shorter than before. Then¡­ "...." Blonde bangs drooped down and obscured his vision. He pulled his bangs forward and scanned. "Is this¡­." It was his hair. Things weren''t making sense at all. Yet at the same time, he had an idea of what just happened. He had reverted back to his previous look. And the man in front of him¡­. "Brandon Locke¡­." "Yep." Scanning his features, the man truly was Brandon Locke. But his eyes¡­. There seemed to be bags, and he looked extremely exhausted. "Why are you¡ª" "Firstly, do you remember who you are?" "I''m¡­" "Your true name." One of the main reasons why Path to Ascension was his favorite novel was because¡­. "It''s¡­. Raven ckheart." He shared the exact same name as the protagonist. "Good." Step¡ª The Brandon in front of him stepped forward. It was then when the gray hyacinth mes'' colors returned to its deep amethyst color, spreading all over. As if the colors had returned. Not only that, but the mes had started moving again, swaying, as if they were real flowers. They were mes, and yet Raven couldn''t feel its heat at all. He raised his head and met the other Brandon''s gaze. Staring deep into his ice¨Cblue eyes, Raven felt goosebumps all over his body. "Where are we?" "Inside my consciousness." Raven looked around, taking in the sight of the zing purple hyacinth flowers. So this zone wasn''t his then. Then, he looked back at Brandon. "Why am I here? And¡­." His words ended there. He turned his head slightly and looked at Belle. He bit his tongue, pained by his inability to save her, despite everything he did. But seeing the sudden appearance of Brandon Locke, maybe¡­ ¡­.Maybe he could do something about this. "You must be confused about everything. But we''ve got all the time in the world, you see?" Snap! The other Brandon snapped his fingers. The mes had stopped moving and had lost their color. Snap! He snapped his fingers again, and the mes began to move, the colors suddenly returning. Despite the sad state he was in, Raven could see the other Brandon smiling merrily. This irked him somewhat. Everything he went through, and yet this guy was acting like nothing had ever happened. "Calm down." The other Brandon seemed to notice the expressions he was making as he waved his hand down. Raven fixed his expressions andposed himself. "Firstly, sit down." Raven lowered his head and looked at the mes. "It''s safe, don''t worry." Listening to his words, Raven sat down on the ground. Truly, the mes didn''t burn him. It felt as if he was sitting down on a rough patch of grass. The other Brandon neared him and sat directly in front of him. He leaned his head to the side and seemed to stare at Belle¡ªwho wasying right behind Raven. A warm smile spread across the other Brandon''s features. "Thanks for trying to save her." "I didn''t¡­." "I know. But because of your binding vow, I was finally able to let my consciousness sink in." The life he had sacrificed was not his, but the one dormant inside of him. "And that''s me." "...." "Haha. Confusing, right?" "No. I get it." Raven pulled his bangs again and scanned. "That''s your true self. You haven''t forgotten, no?" "No, of course not." He could never forget the life he had lived for fifteen¨Cyears. "Tell me, what do you think about the curse affinity?" "Insanity." Raven decisively spoke. That was how he could describe the curse affinity. Pure, utter insanity. An affinity that has the option to sacrifice the user. It was absurd. "Haha. I understand the disdain towards curse affinity users. But you see¡­." Snap! The other Brandon snapped his fingers once again. Brandon''s eyes shot wide open as he took in the sight of the burning flowers, gradually turning red. The shape distorted into a newly odd flower. Spider lilies. "If used appropriately, it bes the most beautiful power." Raven stared directly at the other Brandon''s hand. "But your hand¡­." "Oh, this? It isn''t real. I''m just showing you how a little sacrifice can change everything." It was a binding vow. In exchange for his finger, he hadpletely shifted the zone''s appearance. "A power that bypasses thews of the world, just for a little sacrifice. That is the true nature of binding vows." "...." "You might think something like the space affinity is more powerful, right?" "...." "But you see, it has a certain set of rules it has to follow. The same goes for time." "...." Raven listened attentively to each and every word that the other Brandon spoke. "I''ll give you advice. Doubt Jin. But don''t oppose him." "....Tell me, who is he?" "Let me start from the beginning." The Path to Ascension novel. The novel that Raven had closely followed, but stopped to stack chapters. The story follows the journey of the protagonist who shared the same name as him. "That story you''ve read¡­ That journey you''ve followed¡­ It isn''t the Raven you know." Raven had an inkling of where this was going. "It was the journey of Jin, before he became who is now. The first progression." Raven''s eyes shot wide open. A sudden chill ran down his spine, and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. "And what about me? Who am I¡­?" "Good question." And again, Raven knew where this was going. It was way too good to be a coincidence for him to share the same name as the protagonist. "You''re Raven ckheart." Chapter 210: Turning Point 2.0 [5] 263 total progressions. And each one had ended in tragedy. "You''re Raven ckheart." To be precise, Raven ckheart of a progression where mana had never existed. A timeline where Jin fully cut the flow of mana, in hopes of ending it all. The 262nd progression. And yet tragedy befell that timeline. "So my mother¡­." "That''s right." She''s dead. "Each timeline flows continuously. And we thought you were our best chance to finally end it all." Because he had lived a whole different life than them. A variant of Raven ckheart who had grown up in a world with no magic. He was the only one different, throughout all the progression. And what Jin needed was ''something different.'' Anything. Just so things would finally be¡­. "Different." "You are his gamble." "And are you working for them?" After all, he said ''our''. "Just like how he''s manipting you, I''m manipting them." "...." "I was gullible at first." A child born with the curse affinity. The Cursed Child, Brandon Locke. The curse of having the ability to peek through every timeline, giving him the impression of visions. It was spontaneous, and he never had control of it. "In the first progression, I''ve seen everything." The deaths of his loved ones. The Wraith''s descending. The Sovereign''sbatting the force. And the world being the battlefield, a pathway that crosses both realms. "My sister''s death was the first event. I''ve pleaded with Jin to save her each time, and yet¡­" The other Brandon stifled a chuckle and looked at his lifeless sisterying on the ground. "It was never possible." They saw it as an opportunity. "I''ve found out their schemes without alerting them." An opportunity to crush his soul. Much to the point where he would give up. "After they saw my desperation, they stopped trying to save her. I found out about it in the 157th progression. It was then when they began scheming to indirectly kill her." To make him give up. "They wanted something from me. Something that Jin could never get, despite pulling so many strings." "That''s¡­." "The curse affinity." The power to bypass thews of the world for a meager sacrifice. "The strongest and most beautiful affinity." "If curse is the strongest, then couldn''t you bypass thews and save the world?" "You''ve been in my body. You know how weak I actually am, right?" Just because he ims the affinity was the strongest, didn''t mean he was the strongest. Raven understood that. "Plus, binding vows are the only things essible to me. I can''t do what you can." "I see." "Thews of this world are heavily strict with life and death. Why do you think humanity has nevere up with a healing potion before¡­?" Nor was the life affinity able to revive the dead. "Then how was the system granting me healing potions?" "Good question. I was about to borate on the system." An ability only avable to beings closest to the Sovereigns. The Sovereign''s Will. And the Sovereign''s fragment. It was a way for them to slowly integrate the Sovereign''s powers safely without destroying their bodies. Amelia Constantine. Raven ckheart. §®@?*?¦®??$?§Á Jin. And the current Brandon. "But here''s the catch." "...." "Since you came from a world with no mana, you never had an ability to begin with." Skill Weaver. "It''s a fake. The system had led you to believe you could create skills with it." Skill Weaver. Sovereign of Creation. And his stats. All false pretenses that led him to believe that he was getting stronger. "But that''s not it." The other Brandon shook his head. "Your system¡­" "...." "It''s been tampered with." The other Brandon began to borate further. Skill Weaver, a false skill given to him as soon as they took his fragment, imnting him inside Brandon Locke''s body. A skill given to him by none other than Jin. "It''s Jin''s way to peek into your system, giving you his power in the form of stats. And that skill creation of yours¡­" A way for Jin to transfer all of his abilities inside the current Brandon Locke''s body. "He knows all of the skills you''re about to create. It''s written in the tome connected to your system. All he had to do was give you something simr that he already has." And the quests? "All from Jin." Which was the main reason why he had stopped receiving quests at some point. "Because he was busy preparing for the Sovereigns'' descent." "What is the point of all this?" Raven asked. "That Skill Weaver or Sovereign of Creation of yours¡­ It''s cancer. With that, he can take your body anytime." And his main goal? "To get the curse affinity." Something he could never manage to do. "He wanted me to give up, fully manipting me into epting his demands." "...." "But you see, I''ve made my own set of preparations for that. When finally, I was ready, it happened." His transmigration. "All I had to do was find you through visions. It wasn''t too hard, you were the previous progression after all." Upon finally finding Raven, Jin had imnted the tome, ensuring he read it to prepare for his transmigration. "Or rather¡­." The novel. The story of his first progression. "I get it. So the two of us, we''re nothing but a means to an end." Raven stated. "All of this, he''s gambled it all on this progression. So that means¡­" "It''s thest one." "Makes sense." He had lost the ability to regress, in exchange for creating the false Skill Weaver skill. "But that doesn''t answer everything. If Jin had schemed all of this. Then what was the purpose of killing Belle? They knew I wasn''t you anymore, so what''s the point¡­?" "Haha." "Are you reallyughing right now?" "No, I just thought of something funny." "...." "Belle''s death¡­. Ciel wanted to use it to break you." "...." "Just like what they did to me, they want you to rely on them. To fully be their subordinate. You''ve had such thoughts, right?" He in fact did. The thought of fully joining the Primordials, taking in tasks without a care for others¡­. Of course he had thought about it. "But this is where they made a blunder." The curse affinity. "They have no knowledge of you ever having it." Chapter 211: Turning Point 2.0 [6] The curse affinity. "They have no knowledge of you ever having it." It was his only ability that was never directly given by Skill Weaver. "Hence, they could never see it in the tome." Then that could only mean¡­ "....You were the one who gave me the curse affinity." "Correct." "...." It was the only elemental ability that he could continuously progress. After all¡­. "That is my power, and that is the power that''s inside that body of yours." "...." "The more you use the abilities that Skill Weaver has given you, the more you''re allowing Jin to fully assimte with your body." "Then why haven''t you warned me?" "I couldn''t. The only thing I could do was give you the curse affinity. It was my way of protecting you from its influence." Snap! The other Brandon snapped his fingers once again. "You''ve been relying on it more often, right?" "Yeah." "I know how tempting it is to use elerated Cognition and Mana Burst, even Mana Disruption. But let me tell you of its true nature." elerated Cognition. Jin could see what he was seeing through his lenses. Mana Burst. Jin had full ess to his muscle fibers and mana core. Mana Disruption. Full ess to the Sovereign''s abilities. "....I fought himst time. So this doesn''t make any sense." "Did you really think you were fighting the real him?" "....A doppelganger." "Precisely. Good catch." "And the hospital? I''ve used my strings. He must''ve seen the curse affinity by then." "I''ve configured it whenever I sensed his presence. You might not have noticed, but the threads were entirely made of pure mana." At that moment, the other Brandon stood up and sped his hands behind his back. Then, he approached the lifeless Belle¡ªwhoid on the ground. "Back to Belle. This is where Ciel had made a blunder." Since she didn''t know of his curse affinity. She didn''t take a binding vow into ount. "That system message¡­." The one that screamed ''Don''t go''. "It was you, right?" "Pretty obvious, no?" Then, the other Brandon bent down and tucked Belle''s hair right behind her ear. "If others were in your position, they would''ve told Belle straight up they''ve lost their memories." It was an easy way out. "It might''ve been stupid to pretend as if you were someone you''re not. But it''s actually the smartest thing you did." "What are you¡ª" "Belle would''ve treated you like a patient if you told her. She''s just that kind." "I know. She''s one of the kindest people I''ve met in this world." "But because you pretended, while having no knowledge of my past, Belle was able toe to terms with her inner turmoils." Since she didn''t doubt him as a fake, Belle hade to terms with their past. "For each and every progression, I''ve been using binding vows to transfer my memories into the next progression." But it wouldn''t transfer to another version of him, where his mana core was undeveloped. He couldn''t use a binding vow just yet. "All I could see were visions. I went crazy, and crazy. You can connect the dots now, right?" "Youshed out at Belle for never paying heed to your warnings." "I even called her a dumbass." "...." How could he do that to someone as sweet as Belle? "Thanks for helping my sister." "She''s as much as my sister as she is to you." "I can see that." Then, the other Brandon raised his head as if he had just remembered something. "Ah. Rachel. Right. You''re free to love whoever you want." ???§Ô§å&-?$§à?§ñ?#?&- "...." Why did the topic shift to this¡­. What in the world. "When I''ve finally managed to tap into your system, I think there were some lingering feelings mixed in." "Wait so¡ª" "In every progression, Rachel was my lover." "...." "But that aside, you''ve felt it, right?" "The emotions." His sudden infatuation towards Rachel, and the sudden feeling of bond with his new family. "I think I''ve cleared everything up. Any more questions?" "Binding vows. Can''t I just take a shortcut and erase the Sovereigns, and the Wraiths?" After all, he only needed a sacrifice to bypass thews,pletely rewriting fate. "No." The other Brandon shook his head. "There is no such exchange that allows you to wipe them out from existence. Be it your life, or whatnot. It just isn''t bnced." "I see." "But that''s a good question. Don''t you want to fully cleanse yourself of Skill Weaver?" "How?" "Sacrifice it." "Wouldn''t they find out?" "If you make such an exchange with a binding vow, you can ensure they are given false information." The other Brandon turned his head back and looked at Belle. A warm smile spread across his features as he gently caressed her hair. "I''ve used up everything in me from the previous progressions for a binding vow." To prepare for the event in which Raven had finally used the ability. "All of this. My consciousness, the affinity imntation. Everything." From the 158th ability, he had sacrificed a part of himself just for this moment, to finally give it all to Raven. "Could you do me a favor?" The other Brandon asked without looking back. "Anything." And his preparations to ensure he achieved his goal. "Please save my sister. I wish for there to be one timeline where she is alive and happy." To finally save his sister. "Sacrifice Skill Weaver in exchange for my sister''s life." And as for the other Brandon''s sacrifice¡­. "My final will." Snap! An influx of memories surged within him. From his childhood throughout his death. His entire journey. All in one fever dream. It was at that moment that he had now fully be Brandon Locke. Sharp pangs attacked Raven''s cerebrum like sharp daggers. A myriad of pain coursed within him, and Raven found himself on both knees, clenching his head. And by the time he was done¡­. ".....You could''ve done that from the start." "It wouldn''t work since you aren''t me. You think I haven''t tried that this entire time?" "Excuses." "No, no. A certain condition had to be met." "Condition, huh?" "Fine, I just wanted someone to talk to this whole time. Someone that isn''t actively trying to manipte me. It gets pretty lonely inside your head, you know?" There was still a sense of childishness in the way he spoke. He was, but a boy who had never fully experienced his childhood. "Heh." But as Raven raised his head¡­. "...." The other Brandon had already disappeared. Even if he had never asked a favor, Raven would''ve done it anyway. He neared Belle, crouching down and extending his arms towards her abdomen. "Binding vow." Chapter 212: Consume [1] Staring at the space where Brandon and Belle were, Amelia found herself speechless. Utterly speechless. She raised her head. She could see the officers talking to each other, panic seemed to be evident in their expressions. But gradually, their voices became muffled. A ringing sound drowned out all the sound in the vicinity. "Haaa¡­." She started hyperventting. Amelia Constantine. To an outsider''s perspective, she seemed to be perfect. Her work ethics weremendable, and the way she couldpartmentalize and push her feelings aside made even the army wonder. ¡ªCondolence, Miss Constantine. ¡ªToday, we have a new member joining us. Please wee, Captain Amelia Constantine. ¡ªYou''re so strong, Amelia. I don''t know how you could even keep a straight face in front of those officers when you yourself are in grief. Belle''s words. "....I''m not." She gritted her teeth. Certain words flowed as she recalled her father''s previous words. ¡ªRemember. You must be strong, Amelia. ¡ªEveryone out there is eyeing my position. Show any signs of weakness, and they wille and bite you when you''re in your lowest. ¡ªYou want to follow in my legacy, right? No, she didn''t. But after the cmity, she didn''t have any choice. She wanted to contribute to humanity''s recovery, and since she was the Grand Marshal''s daughter¡ªexpectations were ced upon her. Expectations she had never asked for. But her father was a respectable man. And she did in fact love her father. He wasn''t perfect. But for Amelia, she was the perfect father. She had to be strong and set her feelings aside. Show any signs of vulnerability, and the Imperial Army would use her¡ªknowing her status. After all, the Constantine name was met with half¨Cdisdain. Two opinions shed. Others state that the rift subjugation was needless, and had only sent soldiers to their deaths. While others saw it as a tragedy, and Albert Constantine shouldn''t receive the me. At the moment, everyone was walking on eggshells around her. Regardless of all the opinions, Albert Constantine had dedicated his life to serving the army. Amelia had to be careful. Any mistakes¡ªand the Constantine name would be tarnished. Her father''s fruitful years of service would be wasted. After all, people will always remember the one mistake you made, overshadowing the thousand good things you''ve done. Amelia knew that. With all of those facts pressuring her, Amelia had to grit her teeth and smile through everything. But seeing Belle''s lifeless body, and Brandon dying right in front of her¡­. "...." ¡­.It was her breaking point. *** When a life is taken, the soul bes null. Despite the fact that binding vows had the power to bypass thews of the world, it couldn''t create something out of nothing. Hence Belle''s death was set in stone. Her soul was gone, and there was no way to get it back. That is¡­. in the current progression. But regardless, Brandon didn''t have the time affinity. And ording to the other Brandon, the time affinity was long gone. This was the final progression. However, the exchange was already done for him. "Binding vow." To push his memories back in exchange for his life. Not his life. But the other Brandon¡ªwho was dormant inside him this whole time. "The fuck¡ªKh¡­!" Brandon clenched his face as he felt a rapid surge of memories in his head. A binding vow. An exchange that would only take ce if a sacrifice of equal value was made. The memories were pushed back two hours behind. It was by no means time travel. Just memories and visions of a different timeline. "Haha." Brandon scrunched his face, his eyes peeking through the gaps made by his fingers. "This is it?" Just a measly two hours. That was how much value the other Brandon¡ªwho was already dead in the first ce¡ªwas worth. But¡­ "Can''t believe it worked." He was back. "What worked?" A familiar voice suddenly reached his ears. ?+?¦Ò§Ô¦×-$§¾§å+-?&¢¥?§Ö@?¦Ñ#?§ñ He turned around and met her beautiful gaze. "Nothing." He shook his head. Amelia tilted her head, perplexed. "Hmm¡­? Should we set¨Cup camp here?" Brandon looked around after hearing her words. It was the same ce they had set¨Cup camp back then. The excitement of the sessful exchange had died down¡ªas fast it came. He now had Brandon Locke''s memories. ¡­.This was nothing new. And seeing all of the exchanges the other Brandon did throughout every progression¡ªjust to push his memories back¡­ "You''re crazy." He whispered¡ªbarely audibly. Crazy was all he could describe¡ªthe other Brandon Locke. His eyesight. His senses. His blood. His muscles. His nails. His limbs. His emotions. And it didn''t stop there. Brandon could recall it all. The pain each exchange took. And a certain message the other Brandon had left for him. A memory¡ªof him talking to himself¡ªwhich was clear to Brandon that it was a message meant for him. ¡ªYou''ve probably thought of doing the same thing as me. But I suggest you refrain from such actions. ¡ªRemember, you are an anomaly. Binding vows may bypass thews of the world, but you¡ªmaking that vow might bring in severe consequences. ¡ªYou have the Sovereign''s Will after all. Such were his words. ¡ªI''ll do it for you once you make the exchange. Thews shouldn''t do anything to you by then. It was a warning. Whatever might happen to him, he was unsure. And he didn''t want to find out. It was way too risky¡ªknowing the other Brandon called this the final progression. Looking around, Amelia was setting up camp, unfolding the chairs as Carl and Aurelia were helping out. "Amelia, I''ll be right back." "Okay." Given the go signal, Brandon walked ahead, leaving the three to their own devices. He trudged the forest, pushing the bushes aside, and peering out for any suspicious movements. Brandon knew the task he was given. He couldn''t save Belle. But given this opportunity¡­. ¡­.He could prevent it. And after several minutes had passed¡­. "You¡­. wa¨Ctah." He had finally found Lumian. An eerie smile spread across Brandon''s features as he approached Lumian. "Hm¡­? Water¡­?" "....Yes, do y¨Cou have any¡­ wa¡ªtah." His voice was hoarse, and his lips seemed chapped. "I do." "Please¡­ give me¡­. I''ll repay¡­ yo¨Cu." "Sure." He did his best to hold back his amusement. ''You made a mistake, Brandon Locke.'' He covered his mouth, and his shoulders began to tremble slightly. ''I may share your memories now. But you''ve forgotten one little detail.'' And that was¡­. ''I''m still Raven ckheart.'' He knew what the other Brandon meant by sacrificing Skill Weaver to save Belle. It was to sacrifice Skill Weaver, in exchange for Lumian''s life. The ultimate revenge. ''But you see, your methods are inefficient.'' He had found Brandon Locke''s entire n ridiculous. ''The way I see it, your n wouldn''t change a thing. The world will still be destroyed, and your loved ones will still be taken away from you.'' Snap! He snapped his fingers. ''Skill Weaver isn''t cancerous.'' It was an opportunity. ''Did you not take into ount that no matter how strong I get, I wouldn''t be able to kill Jin anyway?'' It was too risky, especially given the deadline that was ced upon him. ''The best way to get rid of Jin¡­'' Is to kill him from the inside. Consuming him in the process. Chapter 213: Consume [2] read-only-on-MvLeMpYr "Please¡­ give me¡­. wa¨Ctah¡­ I''ll repay¡­ yo¨Cu." "Sure." He knew just how powerful Lumian was. Things would''ve been much easier if he sacrificed Skill Weaver, in exchange for power. But would the power actually be permanent? "...." It was too much of a gamble at the moment. He needed Skill Weaver. He needed the cancer inside of him. But of course, he had no such ns to use the skills it gave him. It was too risky. Borrowed power would halt his progression. And in the first ce, he didn''t want Jin¡ªto be alerted about his actions. "Ah." It was then when he realized. elerated Cognition. If it gave Jin ess to his lenses, then shouldn''t Jin have seen him use the curse by now¡ª ¡ªYou''re probably gonna create a cognitive skill. Jin has one called elerated Cognition. A certain memory he had recalled. ¡ªI''ll alter most of what he sees. In fact, it should''ve been altered from your point of view as well. "...." ¡ªTo him, it''ll look like you''re using regr mes. For the chains, it''ll look like ice. And the threads, it''ll look like pure mana. ¡ªIf you''re lucky, and he didn''t have ess to your mana core yet, then you don''t have to worry. Sovereign''s core was different, it was his system. "Too prepared." However, since the other Brandon had now ceased to exist, then it wasn''t possible to manipte it anymore. But it didn''t matter. He didn''t want to rely on borrowed power anymore. "Water, right?" "...Yes." Snap! "What¡­ was¡­ that?" "Don''t worry, I''m a water mage." "Ah. Thank god." "Agreed." When he snapped his fingers, a binding vow urred. "Wait¡­ what happened¡­ to your nails¡­.?" "Hm¡­?" Brandon tilted his head. "Ah, this?" He turned his hand around and scanned his nails. Back and forth for Lumian to see. Blood trickled down where his nails once were. "They''re¡­ gone." Lumian hoarsely spoke. "Really? Seems alright to me¡­" "...." The vow he had made. To rip off all of his nails, for a boost of power. Yes, all of his nails. From the nails in his fingers, down to the nails in his feet. But he knew such exchange was only temporary. Nails grew overtime, and so, the power boost was most likely temporary. But at the moment¡­. ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: S- ¨N MP: A+ ¨N DEF: B- ¨N AGI: B+ ¨N INT: S ¨N CHA: SS [AVG: S-] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª He had segregated the boost into his strength and intelligence. Yet it only amounted enough to barely step into the S rank. It wasn''t enough. One more sacrifice. Hopefully, it was enough. Snap! The emotion of fear, and elerated Cognition. They were sacrificed. He needed a revamp anyway. And in return¡­ ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: S ¨N MP: A+ ¨N DEF: B- ¨N AGI: B+ ¨N INT: S+ ¨N CHA: SS [AVG: S-] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª [Dominion] ¨N Instills profound fear towards the opposers.. ¨NMay be effective upon individuals up to one rank higher than the user, but its effect diminishes significantly if the rank difference exceeds two. "This will do." "Wha¡ªKh¡­!" Instantly, Brandon thrusted his foot forward, forcefully sinking his feet down on Lumian''s face. Lumian clenched Brandon''s feet, and at that moment, soul mes began crackling over his figure. But Brandon was indifferent to it. "Dominion." He whispered coldly. All of a sudden, the soul mes died out and he felt Lumian begin to tremble under his feet. Brandon pressed his fingers together. "Zone." And he whispered once again. At that moment, amethyst mes shaped like hyacinth flowers began to sprawl all over the ground. Swoosh¡ª! Lumian recovered and kicked the ground, distancing himself from Brandon. But scanning his face, Brandon could see panic spread across his features. He was¡ªwithout a doubt¡ªafraid. "...What are you¡­ Who are you¡­?!" Lumian asked as he held the hilt of his de tightly. "Me?" Brandon tilted his head. "Moriarty." Brandon stepped forward, blue streaks of lightning started coursing with him, coalescing in the air. "Ah." But the streaks died out¡ªas fast it appeared. "Old habits. My bad." SHIIING¡ª Despite Lumian''s feet trembling, he unsheathed his de and fixed a battle stance. Swoosh¡ª! Suddenly, he disappeared from Brandon''s peripheral view. But Brandon had already prepared countermeasures for this. Seeing the thread in his finger begin to twitch, he could trace the direction of Lumian''s movements. sh¡ª! Lumian swung his de down. But it was at that moment when chains shot up from the ground, rupturing it as cracks spread. ng¡ª! Rock dust permeated the air, and the chains repelled Lumian''s de. He was still fast as always. But Brandon could tell there was a decrease in speed. *** "Hoo¡­" Lumian took a deep breath as he leapt back. His attack didn''t work, and¡­. "Haa¡­." He couldn''t find any openings. No matter what kind of pattern he came up with, he couldn''t see his attack breaking through. He felt pressure, standing before the man as cold sweat trickled down his cheek. It felt as if he was standing before a Sovereign. A feeling he was all too familiar with. As if he was fighting Lord Ezekiel himself. The two gave off simr auras, and he felt like the air suddenly grew heavy. He looked at his sword. His hands were trembling and the sword shook continuously. "Huu¡­." In front of this man¡­ "...." He felt helpless. But he gritted his teeth and kicked the ground. He had insurance, in case things went awry. But in doing so, would take his life. He at least had to try before he attempted it. Moriarty''s figure came close and Lumian swung his sword down. ng¡ª! But again, chains shot up from the ground,pletely parrying his de. ng¡ª! ng¡ª! Lumian appeared from all sides, brandishing a flurry of attacks. But each attempt was futile as chains continued repelling his attacks. All of a sudden, Lumian felt his body forcefully pulled towards Moriarty and his eyes widened. Meeting Moriarty''s gaze, Lumian''s body shuddered and his chest tightened. Thwack! "Ukeh¡ª!" Moriarty''s fist¡ªwrapped in chains struck his abdomen, and Lumian was hurled backwards. Lumian rolled on the ground and recovered, supporting his body with his knee. "Hoo¡­" Taking a deep and heavy breath, he gently swung his de forward. ''Calm down, calm down¡­.'' He told himself. Voosh¡ª! Soul mes ignited and spread across his de. Seeing the mes, a sense of confidence started to seep within him. But as he looked at Moriarty¡­. "...." His de trembled. The pressure was ominous, and he felt like he was being choked. Scanning, Moriarty had an indifferent look in his expression. His blue eyes seemed dead, and the way he looked at Lumian as if he was nothing but human garbage¡ªmade him shudder in fear. All of a sudden¡­ "....!'' Moriarty appeared before him. Chapter 214: Consume [3] Brandon hade to realize that without the lightning affinity, his speed was significantly decreased. With such thoughts, another binding vow urred. For this, Aeolus Blessing, and Elemental Maniption were sacrificed. He couldn''t configure the new skill. It was then when Elemental Maniption and Aeolus Blessing disintegrated from his system. Forming¡­. [Phantasm] ¨NAs the skill activates, a thick, ominous fog fills the vicinity, saturated with cursed energy. ¨NThe user harnesses this energy to move instantaneously through the fog, appearing like a phantom and leaving ghostly afterimages that haunt and disorient their foes. "Good enough." This was the exchange that the binding vow had made. He had no full control of it. A movement skill that pairs with his zone. And thankfully, his zone was active. But this zone¡­. "...." It rapidly drains his mana. For some reason, the zone he has was barrierless. There was no istion, and it stretched far wide. "Not bad." Then, he whispered coldly. "Phantasm." All of a sudden, fog gradually enveloped the vicinity. The fog became thicker and thicker, permeating the air in each passing second. Looking ahead, Brandon could see purple zing dots in his peripheral view. They were the pathways. Pathways enshrouded in cursed mana. And all he had to do was grab them. He extended his hands forward. "Huu¡­" Took a deep breath. There, a pathway seemed to be floating in front of Lumian. And so, he grabbed it. Swoosh¡ª! In that instant, Brandon felt his entire being shift, as if he was being pulled towards the pathway. For a second, his body became ethereal, mixing in with the fog. Then, he appeared in front of Lumian. *** "....!" ng¡ª! Instinctively, Lumian brandished his sword forward. But instantly, the sword was repelled by chains that quickly shot from the ground, sparks flying in the air. Lumian recoiled backwards, taking two steps back. But immediately recovering, Lumian kicked the ground and swung his de forward. Swoosh¡ª! "...." Time passed. His sword continued cutting nothing but air. It made no sense. Moriarty was standing there, unguarded. But the moment his sword seemingly swung down at his body, Moriarty disappeared and the fog spreaded, his sword phasing through. "...." An afterimage. Thwack! "Ukh!" Another fist swung down on Lumian''s back, and he felt the pain course within him. But throughout the entire fight, Lumian had yet to suffer grave injuries. No blood, no grazes, no cuts. Nothing. As if Moriarty was ying with him. "No." Lumian refused to believe it. Despite knowing he was the weakest among his peers, he was not supposed to be this helpless against the people of this continent. Especially against a no¨Cname like Moriarty. Who even is he? The Milis continent had done thorough research on the most powerful figures of the Holy Britannian continent. This man¡­ ¡­.There was no information about him. It was like he was a ghost. If someone as strong as him was around this whole time, then¡­. "Huh?" He suddenly recalled. Moriarty''s features were familiar. Pale¨Cwhite hair, ice blue eyes¡­ A certain memory shed in his mind. A memory he would rather want to forget. "You¡ªAkh!" Another fist swung down on his abdomen. Lumain swung his de forward, cutting nothing but air. "Belle Locke?" But Lumian was able to say the words that were stuck in his tongue. It was then when he caught sight of Moriarty''s figure, paused, a few distance in front of him. "I knew it. Belle Locke, you''re rted to her, aren''t you?" "Mayhaps." Moriarty shrugged. All Lumian could see was his silhouette. But as Moriarty stepped forward, his features unveiled themselves and Lumian''s eyes widened. Staring deep into his cold ice¨Cblue eyes, Lumian felt the immense pressure boring down on him. It was as if Moriarty was staring deep into his soul. Then, Swoosh¡ª! His figure disappeared once again. In an instant, a fist appeared in front of Lumian. Thwack! With his reflexes, Lumian shielded his face and the fist swung on his arm. "...." But he felt nothing. Just slight pain. It was then when Lumian realized. This man¡­. He was holding back. "You fucker!" Soul mes wrapped his sword and Lumian kicked the ground, swinging at every silhouette¡ªknowing it was probably an afterimage. Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! Thwack! "Kh¡­!" And yet again, another fist struck his back. But not forceful enough to make Lumian to injure Lumian enough. Just slight bruises. It didn''t make any sense. There was a space around Lumian and the mes around him that allowed him to sense any movement. With his reactions, he could immediately react once he sensed anything touch his mes. Yet they could never sense Moriarty. Was it¡­ because of the fog? Was it somehow tampering with his ability¡­? He truly couldn''t tell. "Come out, you fucking pussy! Use your chains! Come on, do it!" "Alright." A cold voice suddenly reached his ears from behind. Lumian immediately swung his de¡ªd in soul me back. Swoosh¡ª! And yet again, there was nothing. "....!" But as Lumian looked down, chains had snaked around his leg. All of a sudden, his right leg was suddenly hurled back, and Lumiany face t on the ground. Striking his de on the chains, the chain broke with ease and Lumian was able to recover. But as he tried to get up¡­. Thwack! "Conditions met." Moriarty''s cold voice. *** Another binding vow. ''If I can survive for twenty minutes without spilling a single blood, then his mana gets sealed for five minutes.'' If Brandon somehow spills even a single drop of blood... ''Then I shall offer my life.'' The vow was given, even before the fight started. Since Lumian was way stronger than him, in both the physical and magic aspect, then the deal had a certain bnce to it. It was approved. Feeling the chains wrapped inside his heart, with a pointed tip of the de against it, Brandon clenched his chest. "Conditions met." At that moment, the chains inside his heart shattered and he looked down on Lumian¡ªwho was down on the ground beneath him. At that moment, a chain¡ªwith the tip pointed like a sharp de shot up from the ground and pierced through Lumian''s palm. "Akh¡­!" And another one for his other palm. "Fuck¡­!" "How many bones does a human body have again¡­?" Brandon asked. "206? 207? 205?" Of course, he knew. But¡­ He wanted to toy with the bastard. "Guess we''ll have to find out." "Fuck did you do to me? I can''t feel my mana¡­!" "Starting from the arm." Brandon crouched down, paying no heed to Lumian, extending his hand towards Lumian''s wrist. Lumian was immobilized, the chains piercing right through his palms as his entire figure was stuck on the ground. This was especially so as his mana was sealed. "Five minutes is all I need to find out." "What are you¡ªAkh!" Crack¡ª! Brandon twisted Lumian''s forearm, and a cracking sound rang. "There''s one bone called the humerus in the upper arm." Crack¡ª! "The forearm isposed of two bones." Crack¡ª! "Ukhh!" "The bone I broke just now on the pinkie finger side is called the ulna." Crack¡ª! "Ughk¡­!" "This one on the thumb side is called the radius." Crack¡ª! "Kahh! Lord Ezekiel, I give y¡ªNmmh." Chains shot up from the ground andpletely wrapped around Lumian''s mouth, his teeth shattering in the process, and his words¡ªhalted. "Shh¡­" Brandon ced a finger on his mouth. "I haven''t finished my lesson yet¡­. Anyway, the hand bones are split into three different parts." Crack¡ª! "The carpus." Crack¡ª! "The metacarpus." Crack¡ª! "And the phnges." "Nnnmh¡­!" Crack¡ª! "There are eight bones making up the carpal group. But these bones are all clustered together, so they can all be broken together too." CRACK¡ª¡ª! "The metacarpals are five bones numbered from one to five." CRACK¡ª¡ª! "Nmmmh...!" "There are three kinds of bones making up the phnges. The thumb is the only bone without a distal bone." Crack¡ª! "So there are 14 bones making up the phnges in one hand." CRACK¡ª¡ª! "Nmmh¡­!" "If we finish breaking the humerus¡­." CRACK¡ª¡ª! "....Then we have gotten all 30 bones of the arm." Each bone that broke, Lumian''s body twitched spontaneously and Brandon could see sweat and tears trickle down Lumian''s face. "Oh. Compared to my arm you took, this is nothing. Just a little light¨Cy." Brandon shrugged. "Next one, let''s do the leg." "Nmmh!" Crack¡ª! "If we count the femur, then there are 30 bones just like with the arm. But if we include the sesamoid bones, then there are 32 bones." CRACK¡ª¡ª! "Nmmh...! Nmh...!" Thwack! Thwack! Thwack¡ª! Unable to bear the pain any longer, Lumian started banging the back of his head on the ground. "Up to you." Brandon shrugged his shoulders again. . . "There are 24 rib bones in total. The maxi and mandible are made with two bones." CRACK¡ª¡ª! "Now that we''re done with that, let''s proceed with the skull." "Nmmh...!" Thwack! Thwack! "Doing it yourself, huh? Let me help you out." Crack¡ª! "The ethmoid bone." Crack¡ª! "Then, the sphenoid bone." Crack¡ª! . . Time passed. CRACK¡ª¡ª! "And that makes a total of 206 bones. Thanks for your cooperation." 5 minutes, and 26 seconds. That''s how long it took for Brandon to fully break all of Lumian''s bones. In the middle of it, Lumian had long passed out. Looking down indifferently, Lumian seemed to have passed out already. His eyes were shot wide open and there were no visible pupils. Blood seeped from his mouth as his mouth hung agape. "Did it hurt¡­? I think it didn''t amount to the pain you''ve put Belle through." Waving his hand up and clenching his fist, a chain shot from the ground and pierced right through Lumian''s heart. Spurt! Brandon turned around without batting an eye. The zone was lifted, and the fog had already faded. "How does it feel to be so helpless in front of death itself, you fucking bastard?" Chapter 215: Proposal [1] "Huh?" Ciel was perplexed as she stared at the tome. It didn''t disintegrate, nor did the system break. "....Something went wrong." And so, she opened the tome, the pages flipping instantaneously towards a certain page. ¡ª¡ª[Sovereign''s Will]¡ª¡ª [Name: Brandon Locke] [Mana Core: Tier 5] [Status: A] [Innate] ¨N Sovereign of Creation ¡ª Level 8 ¨N Experience ¡ª 31.5% [Skills] ¨N]Elemental Maniption ¨N]Mana Disruption ¨N]elerated Cognition ¨N]Mana Burst ¡ª Timer: 1 Hour. ¨N]Mage''s Resolve ¨N]Aeolus Blessing [Inventory] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª "There''s nothing wrong¡­." How could this be? With everything she had set up, especially by the fact that she had chased Lumian out of the city, Brandon should''ve encountered him by now. By now, Brandon should''ve struggled, losing a part of himself in the process. And in the process, Belle would arrive and¡­ ¡­..Her death would be cemented. Due to that fact, Brandon would sacrifice everything to try and revive her. In particr¡­.. "His Sovereign''s Will¡­." But it wouldn''t work as the Sovereign''s Will wouldn''t allow itself to be sacrificed like that. For that reason, his connection to the Sovereign''s Will would grow faulty, and Jin could easily take him over anytime. With all the instability surrounding him, Brandon would have no choice but to rely on Ciel. But¡­. "There''s no cracks in his system¡­." Undoubtedly something went wrong. "Tsk." Ciel clicked her tongue. Either was able to retreat safely, or¡­. "No." Ciel shook her head. "He couldn''t have beaten Lumian. It''s impossible. I can see his status, and he''s too weak for that low blooded half¨CWraith." What went wrong¡­.? Ciel could never tell. Not unless Brandon tells her himself. Good thing she had made a good first impression on him. "As long as he trusts me¡­." Then there were plenty more opportunities to break him. *** "Ah, Brandon. Great timing, we were just about to eat." Approaching the group, Brandon emerged from the bushes. There, he could see Amelia¡ªseated by the campfire, Carl and Aurelia¡ªseated on opposite sides. "Oh? Stew?" "How did you know?" "Just a hunch." He shrugged his shoulders. Amelia narrowed her eyes and scanned his hand¡ªin particr¡ªthe gloves he was wearing. "Feeling cold?" "Ah. Yeah." With a casual movement, Brandon tucked his hands into his pockets nonchntly, approaching Amelia. Sitting beside her, Brandon turned his head and looked at her intently. Amelia seemed to have felt his gaze as she looked back at him. "What''s wrong?" "How do you feel about the Imperial Army?" "...." Amelia seemed to have been taken aback by his question as she paused. After all, Brandon could quite guess her inner turmoils. "You want to quit the Army, right?" "...How did you know?" Brandon shrugged his shoulders at her question. He continued. "You want to be a full fledged ranker, right? To explore the world. To be free." "...." "But at the same time, you want to serve the army to salvage your father''s reputation." "...." "With two separate factions, one backing you up, while one is fully against you¡­ It has you conflicted." "....Stop." Amelia whispered, barely audibly. "You want to leave. Yet the same time, you don''t want to let down the people who still harbor respect for your father." "...." Brandon hade to realize by now that Amelia Constantine wasn''t as strong as she presented herself on the surface. "Compartmentalization." "...." Her way of coping with everything that has happened. ''Due to my past dilemma, Amelia Constantine has projected herself into me, using me as an escape to push her issues aside.'' At first nce, it was an honorable thing to do. ''But prolonging it even further, adding to the fact of future issues ahead of her, then this woman would break eventually.'' The woman who seemed perfect at first nce, was actually the most fragile. ''You are a parasite who''s too co¨Cdependent on helping people resolve their issues, to further push your own internal issues aside.'' In turn, deluding herself that she was fixing her own inner turmoils, under the satisfaction of helping someone. ''She still sees me as a child, a little brother¨Cin fact. What she should rely on is not the moral dilemmas of others, but on a sole person that''s willing to listen to her.'' Belle may have been that person. But Amelia understood it would ce even more burden on her best¡ªfriend. After all, Amelia was never the type of person to rely on others. She wanted to be perfect. To appear perfect. It was her father''s teachings. ''And that is wrong.'' "But are you really sure you don''t want to aspire for the Grand Marshal position¡­?" "....That''s not something for you to trouble yourself with. Come on, let''s have dinner¡ª" As Amelia tried to get up, Brandon grabbed her wrist and she halted her words. However, she didn''t look back at him. It was for that reason, that Brandon stood up and gently grabbed her chin, turning her face close to his. Staring deep into her blue eyes, Amelia seemed to have been taken aback as her eyes widened. "Tell me, you want to live up to your father''s legacy, right? In your heart, you want to be a daughter¡ªAlbert Constantine would be proud of." "...." She looked away. Brandon leaned even closer, too close that he could hear her panicked breathing. "You want to be a ranker as well. And it seems like it''s the best choice for you. You''re scared of someone eventually stabbing you in the back if you actually be the Grand Marshal." After all, there was disdain towards Albert Constantine. "In the process, the Constantine name would be tarnished, and your father would lose the respect he still had." "....Please, shut up." "Look me in the eye, Amelia, and tell me I''m wrong." "Uhm, Brandon¡­" Looking at them with panicked expressions, Carl suddenly chimed in. Brandon turned his head slightly and shed him a smile. "Don''t worry, Carl. Just continue your meal." Then, he looked back at Amelia¡ªwho had a conflicted look on her face. Eventually, she exploded. "You''re right. I can''t deny it. Everything you said is correct. But what''s it to you?! Why are you suddenly saying all this?! "Because further down the line, you''ll break. Relying on no one, never asking for help. It''ll backfire on you eventually." "So what?! That''s not your problem!" "Maybe not. You''re right. It isn''t my problem. I should just leave you alone." "...." "That''s what you want me to say, right?" "...." She stayed quiet. The words seemed to be stuck in her tongue, unable to voice out her thoughts. "Amelia Constantine. The Golden Child. The perfect daughter." "Please, shut up¡­." She quietly mumbled. Brandon continued, staring deep into her blue eyes. "Admired by everyone. She doesn''t need any help. Her coping mechanism is to run away from her problems after all." "Shut up¡­!" "Hm? Isn''t this what you want to hear?" "...." "Tell me what you really want." "Then what do you suggest I do?!" She screamed. Brandon couldn''t help his amusement as a smile spread across his features. He had seeded. To fully break Amelia Constantine. She was finally listening to him. "Be the Grand Marshal." He stated. "...I don''t want to." "Are you sure?" "...." "Or are you just running away again?" "Then what¡­ If I be the Grand Marshal, I''ll just fuck it up again just like my father." Brandon was taken aback as Amelia suddenly cursed. He had never heard her curse before. But his words were finally reaching her. But listening to her words, these were her real thoughts. Undoubtedly, even Amelia was in the minority of the conflicted faction. The faction that took no side. Was Albert Constantine in the wrong? Or was he just a victim? It was due to the phone call with her father back then that had left her conflicted. The pride of a military man. And that pride had sent a thousand of young and innocent soldiers to their deaths. Suddenly, Brandon leaned close to her ear and whispered. "Rely on me. I''ll make you the greatest Grand Marshal this continent has ever seen." "You aren''t even in the army." "You can vouch for me. My sister can vouch for me. And with my strength, I can easily be a General, a Field marshal, or whatever." "Pftt¡­" Amelia chuckled. "You sound so confident in yourself." "Maybe so. But it''s that sheer confidence that had pushed the great Albert Constantine to the top and retained his position for years." "I don''t have that confidence." "You do. You have it in you this whole time." "...." Suddenly, Brandon kneeled down on one knee and grabbed her hand. "Will you ept my proposal, Amelia Constantine?" "...Okay." She whispered. All of a sudden, he leaned close to her hand and pressed his lips against it. "...." Amelia''s eyes widened in shock but she didn''t look away. Brandon pulled away and looked at her straight in the eye. "Couldn''t hear you." "....I said okay." "That''s good enough for now." If it all worked out, Amelia Constantine would be the Grand Marshal, having full control over the entire military power of the continent. With this stunt of his, he had cemented himself as her close aide and confidant. Her assistant, and the person she would rely on the most. And with that fact, Brandon would easily be the second most influential person on the continent. "Kht." Brandon held back hisugh. His interest in Amelia had skyrocketed, the moment he had gained all of Brandon Locke''s memories. Not once in those memories was Amelia Constantine mentioned. ''So that begs the question.'' Who are you, Amelia Constantine? Why do you have the Sovereign''s Fragment? What is your connection to the Sovereign? Are you a friend, or a foe? He had to keep her close. With her influence backing him, Amelia Constantine was his only shot at breaking through the highest positions in the military. But if she were an enemy, a threat to this world. ''Then I''ll kill you myself.'' And in the end, he would be the Grand Marshal in her stead. Chapter 216: Proposal [2] After finishing dinner, Amelia sat on a log as she stared at the campfire. Carl and Aurelia held sticks with marshmallows at the tip, pointing at the fire. Amelia rested her chin on her palms as she pondered on the events a while ago. Something about Brandon was off. After dinner, he hadn''t spoken a single word. It was as if he was apletely different person. His eyes were sunken deeper, and his tone became colder. In fact, the way he looked at her was off. For the past three months they had been traveling together, Brandon seemed fragile. As if he was about to break any time. It was for that reason that Amelia was careful with him, and kept a close eye on him. This whole time, she saw him as nothing more but a younger¡ªboy¡ªshe had to look out for. But the way he spoke to her earlier¡­. Amelia truly felt off. But despite how she felt¡­ ''Why does it make him seem hot?!'' She shook her head at the thought. Unconsciously, she touched her chin, recalling the way he held it earlier. ''What the hell am I thinking¡­.?'' Then, she nced at him, who was peering down on his phone. MVLeMpYr-only But as she looked, she found herself stupefied. He was looking at the lock screen. The time¡­. perhaps? How peculiar. All of a sudden, Brandon stood up and tucked his phone inside his pocket. He flicked his head and his cold eyes met her gaze. "Let''s go." "Go where?" "Belle''sing." "Eh¡­?" But as Amelia stared at his gloved hand, her eyes widened in shock. There, she could see stains at the tip of glove on each finger. The gloves were ck. But as the stain grew even darker, something red dripped. "...." *** "So you fought someone?" "Yeah." Amelia asked and Brandon confirmed. "Why didn''t you call me?" "Didn''t have time to." Brandon shrugged his shoulders. Then, Amelia grabbed his hand. "Show me your hands." "Ah." Brandon pulled away. "It''s fine." "It''s still dripping." "It doesn''t hurt." "Don''t be stubborn." "...." Amelia grabbed his hand again and slowly unveiled the gloves. "Look away, Carl. You too, Aurelia." Brandon nonchntly turned his head slightly and warned. "Uh." Carl¡ªwho was taller than Aurelia¡ªlooked away and covered Aurelia''s eyes. After unveiling the gloves, Amelia''s eyes widened in horror and she let out a gasp. "....Your nails." "Like I said, it doesn''t hurt." Amelia pulled away and seemed to be getting something from her inventory. ''Inventory, huh?'' It became apparent to him that his inventory was rted to Jin''s space affinity. But for Amelia¡­ he had no answers as to where her inventory was actually stored. Brandon turned around again slightly. Carl and Aurelia were still covering their eyes. "Keep your eyes closed." ".....Okay." Then, Brandon turned around again as he felt something wrap around his index finger. "...." A bandage. Amelia was wrapping bandages around his fingers. "Why? I said it didn''t hurt." Brandon tilted his head, perplexed. But Amelia didn''t respond as she continued wrapping bandages on each of his fingers. "...." Nothing was gonna hurt him anymore. The pain in his fingers was nothingpared to what he had seen from Brandon Locke''s memories. Then, Amelia''s soft voice reached his ears. "I don''t know why you suddenly changed. Honestly, you were gone for thirty minutes¡­." As Amelia finished bandaging thest finger, she looked at him and shed him a warm smile. "Since I''ll be relying on you¡­ Well¡­ I know I''ve said this before, but I hope you rely on me as well." "...." Brandon stared intently at her deep blue gaze. The moonlight cast its glow on her beautiful features, and Brandon found himself speechless. ''Right, I''m not Brandon Locke.'' He thought to himself. ''Nor will I be Raven ckheart.'' He wanted to be¡­ ''I''m my own person. Bound by no identity.'' He had Brandon Locke''s memories, sure. But he didn''t want to be Brandon Locke. He was also Raven ckheart. But that was when he began to ponder. Was he actually Raven ckheart? He was an anomaly amongst the Raven ckhearts. A nk canvas. And a nk canvas was yet to be filled. Seeing Brandon Locke''s memories, he knew that wasn''t the way he should go about. Everything he''s done was a failure. And all he did was pass the torch onto him. Not just Brandon Locke. But Jin¡­. Raven ckheart. They were all failures. And he didn''t want to be identified as either of them. "Thanks." "Mhm." The two nodded at each other. Brandon put the gloves back on. Then, he pursed his lips. Enough time has passed. Belle was about to arrive in ten minutes with her subordinates. With such thoughts, Brandon got up and led the group, trudging the forest. *** "General¡­." They had barely crossed the forest, and they had already stumbled upon a body. One that was gruesomely killed. They had conflicted reactions. Scanning, the body undoubtedly belonged to the man they were sent to go after. But¡­ He was dead. "I don''t know if I should be happy or scared¡­." The other officers began mumbling to one another. They could all tell the way the man was killed. His body seemed deformed as his limbs were all distorted. In the center¡ªwhere his heart was supposed to be¡ªwas a gaping hole, blood smeared all over the torso. Blood seeped from the man''s eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. Whoever did this definitely held a deep grudge against the man. Rustle¡­ Rustle¡­. "....!" All of a sudden, the bushes rustled and the entire group was alerted. Mana started to gather around them, preparing for the foe they were about to face. But as their silhouettes emerged from the bushes¡­. "Yo." Belle''s eyes widened as she took in the familiar sight of Brandon and Amelia. "....General Constantine?" One of the officers¨Cwho stood beside her, spoke. "Yes, who are you?" Amelia responded. Realizing there was no threat, Belle instructed. "Stand down everyone." Since Amelia was well known throughout the Imperial Army, there was no hesitation as everyone lowered their hands. Belle stared at Brandon¡ªlooking into his cold ice¨Cblue eyes. "Uh." She was unsure of how to refer to him. After all, he was hiding his identity. "It''s fine." At his words, Belle immediately rushed towards her younger brother and locked him in a tight embrace. "General¡­?!" Ray reached his hand out to Belle, perplexed by her impulsive action. "Brandon, I was so worried. You weren''t replying to my texts." "Ah. Actually, I didn''t receive it." "Really?" "Yeah, the mana in this forest is thick. Our phones probably had no signal." "...." That¡­. It was a hazard. If something were to happen to Amelia and Brandon, especially by the fact that the man was in the same forest as them, then Belle didn''t know what to do. Thankfully, the man was killed before Brandon and Amelia encountered him. Ah, right. Belle quickly pulled away as she recalled. "This man¡­. A fight seemed to have urred here. Did the two of you not hear anything?" Brandon and Amelia exchanged looks at that moment. Then, Brandon looked back at her with a serious expression on his face. He pursed his lips. "I was the one who fought him." Chapter 217: Proposal [3] exclusive-to-MvLeMpYr It took a while to convince them, but with Amelia''s backing, Brandon managed to persuade Belle''s subordinates that Lumian was already weakened when he beat him. "Are you hurt anywhere?" Belle spoke in a worried tone as she grabbed Brandon''s shoulder, peering out for any signs of injuries. "No, I''m fine." Brandon shook his head. Once again, Brandon and Amelia exchanged nces, her brows furrowed. Belle didn''t seem to notice the exchange as she was already staring at Amelia. "Amelia, did you not get the announcement?" "Announcement?" "Check your phone again." Amelia did just that. Shortly after, she shook her head and showed her phone to Belle. "There''s nothing." "Alright. Seems like the mana is still disrupting the signal." Belle retrieved her phone and showed it to both Amelia and Brandon. "Here." Brandon and Amelia leaned close and scanned. Brandon was indifferent about the whole thing but Amelia''s eyes widened in shock. Amelia turned her head and looked at the body before speaking. "So this man is one of them¡­." "Exactly." Belle nodded her head. "We were sent to take him dead or alive." Those words weigh heavily. After all, they needed to interrogate Lumian for information. But it was for the reason of Lumian being powerful, that he was sentenced dead or alive. It just went to show how powerful he really was. But yet again, Brandon harbored no such feelings for the entire ordeal. Lumian was dead. Belle was still alive. And that''s the end of the story. He hadpletely rewritten Belle''s fate. But regardless, he knew this wasn''t the end of it. A war wasing, whether he liked it or not. And with wares death. "This is quite a feat. The army will reward you generously." One of the officers spoke up. ck hair and yellow eyes. Brandon was well aware of who this was. Ivan Albarn. An S ranker. He had appeared briefly in one of Brandon Locke''s memories. And it was of a simr scenario as well¡ªbeing Belle''s subordinate. Brandon shook his head at his statement. "No. I don''t need any reward." "I''ve heard about you from General Locke. It''s quite shocking to see you''re still alive, Sir Brandon." Another voice cut in. Blue hair and blonde eyes. Ray Arcadia. Belle''s assistant officer. Ray continued. "Circumstances must''ve forbidden both you and General Locke to reveal your survival, Sir Brandon. Still¡­ we need to reward you with something." ''Got them.'' Brandon thought to himself. "Like I said, I don''t need any reward." "General, please convince¡ª" "However," Brandon cut him off. "I might need your help." Brandon turned around and looked at Belle, asking for permission. "Is it alright, sis?" "Sure. I holdplete authority over all actions taken by this task force." "Okay, thanks." Brandon nodded his head and looked back at Ray. Scanning her subordinates expression, they had a serious look on their faces as they listened intently. Brandon opened his mouth. "I know where the syndicate is." He began to borate on his ns. Of course, they had questions for him, such as ''How do you know all this?'' But Belle immediately cut them off, telling them that questions will be entertained after Brandon finishes. Brandon continued. The entire operation needed to be covert, and the small task force was sufficient for this purpose. If too many people were involved, the syndicate would be suspicious and the entire n would fail. "I understand. But how do you expect us to infiltrate?" Ivan suddenly chimed in. Brandon had more or less finished proposing his n. For that reason, he started entertaining questions. "I''ll handle the infiltration. I have an insider who will assist me." "What?" "Huh?" They were taken aback. Even Belle had simr reactions as her brows raised. Brandon continued. "I was the one who gave Amelia the tip." He had to reveal it to gain their trust. The fact that he knew the syndicate''s location was suspicious enough. But since he had an insider, it all made sense to everyone present. "For how this happened, I''ve been tracking the syndicate since a year ago." "What? Is this true?" Belle suddenly spoke with a raised tone. Brandon confirmed. "Yeah." "Then, that time¡­. When you were in the hospital¡­." "I''m alive, aren''t I?" "...." Belle was speechless and Brandon shrugged his shoulders. Ivan''s voice cut in. "This is big news. But are we sure we can trust your informant?" "Yeah. Don''t worry about it. If you can''t trust him, then trust me." "...." "Alright. But if you want this n to seed, the army should at least know about it." "That''s where you guyse in. I''ll start infiltrating once I''ve finished my preparations. But remember, none of you must make a move until I give the go signal. Resume your regr army operations." Ivan looked at Belle¡ªwho stood behind Brandon, asking for permission. Brandon didn''t need to see to know that Belle epted the proposal. Brandon continued to borate. He had told them he would send the location of the syndicate in a few weeks, after confirmation. At the end of it, everyone understood the tasks given to them as they all discussed. Giving them space, Brandon returned by Amelia''s side. She raised her head and met his gaze. Brandon opened his mouth. "This is goodbye for now. You''ll be returning with them once we get back to the human domain." "Ah.. Uh¡­" She seemed to hesitate as her mouth opened and closed continuously. Brandon shook his head. "Your face is too recognizable. The syndicate would easily identify you." "Right." "Don''t worry. I made a promise, didn''t I¡­?" "Okay. But¡­ be careful." "Since when was I not?" Brandon chuckled. Amelia frowned and stared at his gloved¡ªhand. "You two sure have gotten close." A voice suddenly cut through, and Amelia flinched. It was Belle. "Wonder what happened when I wasn''t looking." "A lot." "Oh¡­? Is this true, Amelia?" Belle looked at Amelia¡ªwho seemed to have been embarrassed. "N-No, no." She stammered. Brandon continued. "You don''t even want to know what happened, sis." Yeah. ''I lost an arm. You died. I saved you.'' A lot happened. "What are you saying¡­." Amelia suddenly leaned close and whispered in his ear, she seemed like she was about to burst. "What? I wasn''t lying." Brandon shrugged his shoulders. Technically, he wasn''t lying. "Something like this happened, sis." All of a sudden, he grabbed Amelia''s chin and raised her head, their eyes locking. "Ah." And Amelia twitched. Her eyes seemed to be spiraling, flushing beet red out of embarrassment. Belle sighed and shook her head as she stared at the two. "Haaa¡­." Chapter 218: Infiltration [1] Allowing everyone to discuss their next course of action, Brandon and Amelia returned to the forest under the gist of unpacking their camp. "Carl, you''ll go with Amelia. I''ll set up a ce for you to live and provide you with daily necessities." "Uh¡­." "No. You can''t live with her." Brandon solemnly stated with no hesitation. Brandon turned his head and looked at the little elven girl¨Cwho looked back at him with her wide eyes. "And you, Aurelia." "....?" "Can you do something about your ears?" "...." "We''ll have to enter the human domain. If they find out you''re an elf¡­." "I think I can do something¡­." Brandon was aware. This was not the first time that elves descended in this in. ''In another progression, that is.'' There, he could see some elven folks, morphing their figures. In particr, the color of their hair, eyes, and ears. Most likely, Aurelia had done the same to her hair. This gave Brandon the idea that Aurelia had such abilities. The ability was rare among the elven folks. All of a sudden, magic energy began to gather around Aurelia. Then, her ears began to change shape. The previous leaf pointed shape slowly decreased in size. Shortly after, it becameparable to human ears. "Okay." Brandon nodded his head and gently ruffled the little elven girl''s hair. "Hehe." The little elven girl chuckled in amusement. Brandon turned his head and looked at Amelia. He opened his mouth. "Amelia, can Aurelia stay with you?" "Ah." "Don''t worry. I''ll visit and help look after her." "In that case. Don''t you just want to move in with me?" "...." "N-No, that''s not what I mean." Amelia stammered, waving her hand around. "You don''t have anywhere to stay at the moment, right? Belle practically kicked you out." "...." Belle had told him that their mother was in a better state now. And it would do good for their mother if Brandon moved out and became independent. It would make their mother happy, seeing her two children growing up to be such responsible adults. However, this offer¡­. "But isn''t this arrangement¡­." Brandon halted his words. Amelia immediately knew what he meant. She seemed to not have realized what she said at first. Her mouth hung agape and her face was slowly turning red. "Well if you''re fine with it. Then I''ll ept your offer." "....Okay." Amelia didn''t know what to say anymore. Then, Brandon looked at Carl. "You, young cadet. About that ce I''ll set you up with, you''ll be living in the Imperial Academy Dorms. You want to attend, right?" "Yes." "Okay. I''ll tell my sister to assist with your admission. I''ll be providing you with your allowance every week." "...." Carl was speechless and he lowered his head. The look on his face gave Brandon the impression that the boy was about to cry. Brandon neared him and ced his hand on his shoulder. He pursed his lips. "We need all the help we can get. You don''t have to think about repaying me. After all, we''re doing this for the Holy Britannian continent." "....Okay. Thank you." "Raise your head, young cadet. This is only the beginning." Thump! Carl stomped his feet, straightened his back, and shed Brandon a salute. "Understood, Sir." "Mhm." From behind, Brandon could hear Amelia whispering to Aurelia. ''He''s not even in the Imperial Army¡­.'' "I can hear you, you know?" "Hehe." Amelia chuckled. Brandon shook his head. "I''ve served the military before, don''t worry." "Eh¡­?" Amelia tilted her head. Brandon continued. "A total of 260 lifetime''s worth of service." "....?" "Heh." Brandon smirked. After finishing their preparations, the group trudged the forest and returned to where Belle and her subordinates were. "All ready?" Belle noticed their arrival as she turned her head slightly. "Yeah. Let me introduce you to these two." "Hm¡­?" MVLeMpYr-your-novel-source "You''ve probably seen Carl from the picture we sent." "Ah, so this is him. Hello there." Belle gave a smile and waved her hand at Carl who stood transfixed. Does this kid freeze up whenever he sees attractive people? Carl didn''t even look like a kid if Brandon had to be honest. He was 14 years¨Cold. Just that, he was short. Especially when he stood next to Brandon¡ªwho was 6''2 by now. "H-Hello¡­" Carl stammered. Then, Aurelia revealed herself¡ªemerging behind Brandon. "And this is Aurelia." "...." Brandon scanned Belle''s expressions. She seemed speechless. Did the disguise not work¡ª It was at that moment, when Belle rushed towards Aurelia and crouched down. Belle''s eyes seemed to sparkle as she stared at the little elven girl. "Hello, there, little Aurelia." Belle''s lips curled up to a warm smile. Aurelia seemed to have been taken aback. "She''s saying hello." Brandon gently urged. "H-Hello¡­." "Ah~ She''s so cute." Belle gently ruffled the little elven girl''s hair as her grin pulled up wider. "Kuhum¡­" Brandon cleared his throat. "Ah, sorry." Belle snapped out of it and stood up. After their introductions, the group set off. They led Brandon, Amelia, Aurelia, and Carl, towards their wagon. Aurelia sat first, followed by Carl. Then, it was Amelia''s turn¡ªseated next to Carl. Brandon followed and sat next to Amelia. On the opposite end were the rest of the officers. It was a small group, consisting of five members. The one who drove was none other than Ivan Albarn. Next to him was Ray Arcadia. The two agreed to take turns. After all, from where they were located, the human domain was significantly far. Feeling sleepy, Brandon rested his head on Amelia''s shoulders. Amelia did the same¡ªresting her cheek on top of his. "Kuhum¡­.." Belle cleared her throat. "Ah." "Ah." Brandon and Amelia were taken aback as they gasped in unison, pulling away from each other. "Old habits¡­." *** Inside an office. A man with brown hair was seated on his desk. In front of him were a bunch of documents¨Cstrewn all over the table. "Haaa¡­." Sighing tiresomely, he leaned back on his chair and looked up. He was exhausted. A task was given to him to involve himself in a criminal organization. He had no idea what it was even for. It was dangerous. However, he had been doing this for almost a year now. In particr, 11 months and 2 weeks. That, and he was told of the rewards they would reap, once his partner was done on his side. But that partner¡­ ¡­.He was dead. For a year now. But still, he was introduced to a man who was involved with the organization. "Zed Alistar." That was the name of the man. And so, the two worked together for the past year. It was for this reason that thepany was still stable, despite the cmity that ensued. The syndicate was a huge help. He recalled certain words that Zed had told him a few months back. ¡ªKeep your toes up. Things are about to get real interesting. Brtt¡­ Brtt¡­. Just as he was about to doze off, his phone suddenly buzzed. Fixing his sses, he leaned forward and retrieved his phone. "...." His eyes widened in shock. "This¡­" [Sir Locke] Is this real¡­? He asked himself. But what Zed had told him back then¡­ Was this what he meant? Is that man actually still alive? Immediately, he epted the call. Shortly after, a familiar voice rang from the phone. ¡ªYo, how have you been, Deus? Chapter 219: Infiltration [2] Arriving back in the human domain, Brandon headed home with Belle first. Along with him was Carl. Amelia held Aurelia''s hand, and they bid farewell, taking a taxi. For the rest of the officers, they gave Belle some time off to spend with her brother¡ªtaking the deceased''s body for further inspection, and to follow up a report to the Imperial Army. Brandon gazed up. The sun was about to rise. Despite being indifferent about everything, relief washed over him. He had survived this encounter, saving Belle, and killing Lumian in the process. "Not bad." Is all he could say for himself. But he knew it wasn''t the end of it. Regardless, a win''s a win. Brandon and Belle called for a taxi and got in. Brandon rested his head on his hand, taking in the view of the city. He knew what Belle wanted to talk about. But before Belle could speak, Brandon nudged his chin at the taxi driver. Belle seemed to understand what he was trying to say. ''Anyone in the city could be part of the syndicate.'' They had to be careful. And so, silence filled the taxi until they got home. They arrived at the apartment, the early morning darkness still present. Belle flicked the switch, and light filled the surroundings. It was quiet. It seems like their mother was still asleep. After all, it was still 5 AM. Brandon walked towards the couch and slumped down. Belle filled her ss with water and gulped it down. Then, she put the ss down and looked at Brandon. She opened her mouth. "Care to exin?" "I was just about to." Brandon began to borate. "First of all, if you think what I''m doing is dangerous, I''ll say that it is." "Then why¡ª" "Because I''m the son of thete Field Marshal Omar Locke." "...." Technically, he was. He seemed to have gotten his point across. After all, he knew Belle the best. Belle was as much of a risk taker as her father. Brandon took that opportunity to mention theirte father''s name. Belle gently bit her lip and breathed out a deep sigh. "Haaa¡­. What am I gonna do with you?" Brandon shrugged his shoulders. "So, what are you nning then?" This was the first step. He had to reveal it. No more lies. Belle would always be on his side. In all the timelines, the other Brandon had failed. And so, he had to do things differently. Before he responded, Brandon stood up and approached his bag, pretending to get something inside. Then, he pulled away and revealed the item for Belle to see. "This." "....A mask?" It was the Mirage Mask. "Belle, I know it might sound crazy, but¡­." He paused, allowing the tension to sink in. Belle''s eyes narrowed and thoroughly scanned the mask. Brandon continued. "I''m Moriarty." Brandon began to exin. At first, Belle was in disbelief. However, as Brandon exined his side of the story, Belle listened attentively. "So this whole time¡­." "Yeah." "And that mask can seal your identity?" "Only if you hadn''t seen me holding it." "Ah. But¡­ Okay, first of all. What the hell have you been doing?" Of course, he omitted the part about him stealing it. Belle didn''t need to know that. However, Belle was still his sister. Of course she would be worried. "I''m still alive. The Moriarty moniker had died down, and because of my actions, the Wraithbound known as Francis Osborn was dead." "...." "I did it all for this country. Are you gonna berate me for that?" "No, but¡­." "Belle, I''m strong. You know that. I may be your younger brother, but I''m also my own person. Are you gonna keep on treating me like a child?" "...." "Have some faith in me." Belle hesitated. It seemed to have been too much for her at the moment. "So your father''s blood really runs inside of you." A voice suddenly cut through. The two siblings flicked their heads towards the source of the voice. There, they could see their mother¡ªwho had just woken up from her slumber, leaning on the doorframe. "I understand where you''reing from, Brandon. You seemed to have matured a lot." Then, Brianna walked towards him and held his shoulders firmly. She continued. "I won''t stop you. But please promise me one thing¡­." "Mom!" Belle suddenly screamed. Brianna looked at Belle and opened her mouth. "He''s a year younger than you, Belle. And look at you. You''ve been putting yourself in danger this whole time. Are you really in a position to scold him?" "...." "I know we''ve just lost your father. And to be honest, it pains me to see my two children walking in the same path as him. But you see, your father''s tenacity¡­ It was the reason I fell for him." "...." "It was unfortunate. But thates with the pride of a military man. I knew what I was getting into when I married him. I haven''t moved on, honestly. But still¡­." "Okay, Mom." Belle seemed to understand what their mother was getting to. The family continued their conversation. By the time they finished, the sun had fullye up. And so, they enjoyed their breakfast. "You''re moving out, right?" Brianna¡ªwho had just finished her toast, said. "Have you found a ce to stay?" "Yeah." Brandon nodded. "Do you need any money?" "No, it''s okay mom. I have my ways." "Ah, right. Thatpany you''ve invested in. That''s amazing, you know? I''ve heard how expensive Deus Company''s stocks are. To think you''ve invested in such apany before it boomed." "Actually¡­. I''m its CEO now." "...." "...." He dropped a bombshell. "Yeah, so we don''t have to worry about any financial matters." Ever since Brandon had given the blueprints for the shiftporter, Charles Deus had fully relinquished his position as the CEO. Deus was only the CEO in name. The real CEO¡­.. "Is me." * Belle and Brianna continued their meal. Brandon walked towards the balcony and retrieved his phone. He called a number. The call connected, and Brandon opened his mouth. "Yo, Deus." ¡ªHaha. I knew it¡­! You''re alive¡­! "Did Zed tell you?" ¡ªNo. But I had an idea. "Alright." Brandon began to debrief on their next course of action. "I''ll need you toy low for a while. The two of us will finally infiltrate the syndicate." ¡ªWhy do you need me? "I''ll be infiltrating under the Moriarty moniker. I''ll need you toe with me to back up my credentials." ¡ªAh. After all, Charles Deus was quite known in the syndicate by now. "I''ll start preparing today. Do so as well on your side. We''ll start the operation next week." ¡ªUnderstood, Sir Locke. "Alright." The call ended there. Then, he called another number. "Zed." ¡ªIs it time? "It is." Brandon began to exin the entire time to Zed. ¡ªAre you sure this will seed? "Trust me." ¡ªAlright. But it''s not easy to get the attention of the other heads. However, there''s an auction that''s about to take ce in two weeks. All of the heads will be attending, and that includes me. "I see." An auction. How interesting. They then agreed that Brandon and Deus would participate in the auction, invited by Zed. After conversing for a while, the call ended. It was time for his next course of action. "Moving out." ¡­..And living with Amelia for the time being. Chapter 220: Infiltration [3] "So, have you found a ce to stay¡­?" Belle asked¡ªseated face¨Cto¨Cface with Brandon. "Yeah." Brandon nodded. "Ah, really? Where?" "Amelia''s." "...." "Oh, my." Belle was speechless, and Brianna covered her mouth in astonishment. Belle tilted her head in disbelief. "Seriously?" "Seriously." Brandon decisively stated. Then, Belle turned to look at her mother, and asked. "I didn''t expect this development at all. Is this allowed, Mom? He''s still 17." "Hehe~ Grandchildren~" "...." But their mother seemed to be out of it, mumbling a bunch of nonsense to herself. Shaking her head and massaging her temple, Belle turned to look at Brandon and pursed her lips. "Tell me. Who fell for who first? And what about¡­ her." Her. Brandon was well aware of who Belle was referring to. "You seem to be misunderstanding something here, sis. No one fell for anyone. Amelia just offered me a ce to stay temporarily." Leaning back nonchntly, Brandon sped his hands behind his head. "And as for Rachel. Well¡­ we''re doing our own thing. Plus, it''s been a year. We''ve never dated, and people''s feelings change." "I guess you''re right. But hold on¡­ You''ve basically confirmed you have feelings for Amelia." "I''ll leave that up to your imagination." He nonchntly shrugged his shoulders. "Since when were you this cool¡­." "...." After the cmity, the Asamiplex was destroyed. In the process, most of Brandon''s belongings were destroyed. And so, he barely had anything. "Do you want me to go shopping with you?" "Nah. I can do it myself. You should return to the army soon. You''ll probably have to debrief them further on the n." "Right, that¡­." "Yes, ''that''. Good luck vouching for me, sis." "...." Brandon looked around. The entire room was big. In fact, it was way too spacious for two people living alone. "Ah. What happened to the housekeepers working for us?" "They''re still working for us. But on a fixed schedule. Right now, it''s still 6:00 AM. They usuallye by around 6:30." "Oh." Belle began to borate. The Locke family was benevolent to the people working for them. It was for that reason, that the servants had never abandoned them. And chose to support, and work for them, even during these times. That being said, time passed, and the door creaked open. Servants began to enter the huge apartment. The room really was huge. In fact, there were about two floors. Why did they need that much space¡­? Brandon shook his head and dismissed his thoughts. After greeting all the servants, and bidding farewell to their mother, Brandon and Belle left the apartment room. Belle called for a different taxi and left shortly after. Brandon did the same, giving the taxi driver directions to Amelia''s house. Leaning his head on his hand, and gazing outside, Brandon started to ponder. Recounting all the events that had just transpired, and the uing operation, he breathed out a sigh. "Haaa¡­." There was still so much left to do. And the first step was to clean the human domain off the Milis Continent filth¡ªkilling the trespassers who had stepped foot inside the city, blending in with its citizens. Despite all the progressions, Brandon was unaware of their identities. There was a certain risk in involving the army. One of the immigrants might''ve infiltrated the military itself. It was for that reason, that Brandon had specifically told them to only confide in Bellion Van. It was a covert operation. It wasn''t unlikely that a traitor was amidst their rankings by now. The giveaway was Lumian''s sudden actions. He had left the city, in the same week he was being secretly hunted. ''That was your mistake.'' Before he realized it, he had arrived at his destination. "That''ll be five silver coins, sir¡ª" Clink¡ª Brandon flipped a gold coin towards the driver. The driver found himself flustered. "Ah." "For your service towards the syndicate." Brandon winked. "Okay. Thank you, sir." Brandon left the taxi, the door slowly closing. "Heh." He stifled a chuckle as the taxi drove off. "To think even that taxi driver is somehow part of the syndicate." After the cmity, panic arised. The syndicate seized the opportunity when the citizens were at its lowest¡ªwhispering sweet words and promises to help them recover. Truth be told, not everyone involved with the syndicate were immigrants. While the syndicate was the group that held everything firm, most people took part in it due to its operations. Twilight Syndicate. But as to what regr folks associated it with¡­. "The ckmarket." ¡­ Brandon arrived at Amelia''s ce. Entering the door, and seeing the sight of Amelia, wearing a loose fitted white shirt. It seemed to have been too big for her as it fully extended down, covering her short. only-found-at-MVLeMpYr Or was she even wearing shorts¡­.? Brandon couldn''t fully tell. That, and her hair was still a bit wet. Most probably, she had taken an early shower. "You didn''t bring anything?" "Nope. I lost all my stuff." Amelia asked and Brandon shook his head. The only thing he had brought was a stic bag. "Brandon!" Suddenly, a little girl''s voice echoed. Aurelia¡ªwho wore light¨Cblue pajamas¡ªrushed towards Brandon and immediately hugged him. Brandon bent slightly and ruffled the little elven girl''s hair. Scanning, her ears had returned to its usual leaf¡ªpointed shape. After all, it took mana to maintain the changes. "She''s been asking all this time when you''d arrive." "Really?" "....Yes." The little elven girl replied, a little bit bashful. "Guess what, Aurelia." "....?" She tilted her head. Brandon continued. "The two of us will go shopping today." "Shopping¡­.?" "Uh. Buying stuff. Just like¡­." His hands¡ªwhich were sped behind his back¡ªhiding the stic bag, extended forward for Aurelia to see. "This!" Brandon retrieved a small tub inside the stic bag, and Aurelia tilted her head in confusion. "....?" "It''s called ice cream." "Ice clean¡­?" "No, no. Ice cream." "Ice cream¡­." "Want to try?" All of a sudden, Amelia''s voice cut through. "Let''s have that after breakfast." "Oh," Brandon raised his head and met Amelia''s gaze. "You guys haven''t eaten yet?" "No, we just woke up." "Ah." Amelia walked towards the kitchen, taking a pan out of a cab. "What about you? Do you want anything?" "I''ve already had breakfast. You guys go ahead." "Okay." Brandon looked around and took in the sight of Amelia''s ce. It was a bit too spacious for a single person living here. Brandon could tell she kept the ce thoroughly clean. There was not a single speck of dust, nor any garbage strewn all over the floor. But along with that, Brandon could tell how it must''ve been lonely for Amelia to have lived in this ce all these months alone. Sending Aurelia to live with Amelia was a good decision. Then, Brandon lowered his head and looked back at Aurelia¡ªwho stared at him with wide eyes. "Why don''t you give me a tour of this ce, Aurelia?" "Hm¡­ Okay!" Holding Aurelia''s hand, the little elven girl took him around the house. "Living room!" There, Brandon could see a wide couch in an ''L'' shape. A huge t¨Cscreen TV. And to top it off, there was a tall window with a view of the whole city. How neat. "Bathroom!" "Oh." It was quite spacious as well and clean,plete with every necessity. And to think it was only the bathroom for the guests. "Aurelia''s room!" "Hm?" So Amelia was kind enough to give Aurelia her own room. It seemed to be big enough for the little elven girl. There were stuffed plushies on the lc colored bed sheet. "Mama''s room!" "Oh¡ªWait." What the fuck? "Mama?" Since when did Aurelia start calling Amelia, ''mama''. What in the world. "Wait, don''t go there!" Amelia suddenly screamed. But it was toote. "Ah." Brandon took in the sight of Amelia''s room. There, Brandon could see a set of lingerie strewn all over the bed. He flicked his head away as fast as he looked. "...." m¡ª! Amelia suddenly mmed the door shut with no hesitation, her face flushing beet red as she stared at Aurelia with incredulous expressions. Brandon found himself speechless as he stared at Amelia¡ªwho then stared back at him¡ªlooking deeply embarrassed. "You." "I¡­ I¡­ They were newly bought! I was just¡­" Her eyes darted around. "....Testing them out." "....I didn''t see anything." And they left it at that. Brandon walked towards the couch and slumped down. He could hear Amelia mumble something to Aurelia, words like, ''How could you betray me like that?'' ''I thought I locked the door¡­.'' Brandon shrugged his shoulders. "Where should I sleep?" Brandon suddenly asked. He had caught their attention. Amelia and Aurelia turned their heads and looked at him. "Do you want to show him, Aurelia?" "Yes!" Chapter 221: Infiltration [4] 1:00 PM. The public market. Brandon wore his casual ck zer. He let his mid¨Clength white hair flow down smoothly, and to top off his outfit, he wore a pair of ck sunsses. Beside him was Amelia, who wore¨Ca beautiful white cardigan¡ªand a white skirt¡ªher long wless legs, for the onlookers to see. In fact, she had captured the attention of several men as they roamed the streets. Not just men, but women too. Since she was quite well known, she wore a ck hat as she donned a simr pair of ck sunsses. And in the middle was the little elven girl, Aurelia, holding both of their hands. Aurelia as well, wore simr clothes to Amelia. But her color palette matched her hair. Lc. And just like them, she also donned a pair of sunsses. The reason for this was because¡­ ¡ªI want what Brandon and Mama are wearing too! Yeah, a serious case of ''fear of missing out''. "You''re returning to your duties tomorrow, right?" "Yes." Brandon asked and Amelia confirmed. She nodded her head. "Technically, I''m still on leave. I''ve filed for a leave of absence for a year after all. But ns have changed." "Heh." Since she had submitted her report about her findings outside, such as the Frostwolves, Frost Golems, and the gimmicks of goblins¡ªactually beingmunicable, she was given the day off. Looking around, the public market bustled with activity. Stalls lined the cobblestone paths, with neat signs and tasteful disys. Fresh breads sat next to a colorful disy of exotic fruits and vegetables. Vendors offered gourmet cheeses, truffles, and aged wines. The scent of coffee and pastries filled the air, mingling with the scent of perfumes. Shoppers moved leisurely, chatting quietly as they browsed the selection of goods. But at the moment, food wasn''t on their agenda. Not yet. What they were looking for was the clothing section. After all, Brandon barely had any clothes for himself. The same went for Aurelia. Apparently, her current outfit was Amelia''s when she was younger. MVLeMpYr-chapter To think she had still kept that all these years. Attachment issues, perhaps? All of a sudden, Aurelia halted in her steps. Noticing her pause, Brandon and Amelia stopped and looked at her. The little eleven girl''s eyes seemed to sparkle as she stared wide eyed at a direction. Following the direction of her eyesight, Brandon and Amelia turned their heads. "Ice cream! Come get your ice cream~!" "Ah." The little elven girl wanted ice cream. She was practically drooling at the sight. Guess the ice cream she had after breakfast earlier had really piqued her pte. Brandon and Amelia exchanged looks and chuckled. Then, Brandon lowered his head. "Aurelia." The little elven girl stared at the ice cream vendor before she abruptly flicked her head and stared at Brandon, her eyes sparkling. "You want ice cream?" Nod. Nod. The little elven girl suddenly dragged them. She was small. And so her strength didn''t amount to much. But Brandon and Amelia allowed her to drag them towards the ice cream vendor. The line was rather short. The vendor was a woman with long brown hair. Most probably in her mid¨Cthirties. "Ho, ho! What vor, Sir and Madam? Is it for that cute daughter of yours?" "Uh¡­." Is that how it appeared to the others? A smile creeped up on Brandon''s lips. Then, Amelia tried to correct the vendor. "She''s actually my litt¡ª" "Yes, it''s for our daughter." Before Amelia finished her words, Brandon cut her off. "Eh¡­ Uh¡ªAh?" Amelia seemed to have exploded as she continuously stammered, fidgeting, and her face flushing a tinge of red. Brandon chuckled, seeing the colorful expressions she was making. Ignoring her, Brandon bent down and asked Aurelia. "What vor do you want, Aurelia?" "Mmm¡­." The little elven girl pondered, pinching her chin. "Pink!" "Strawberry?" The vendor spoke. Brandon nodded his head and the vendor grabbed a cone, scooped up an ice cream, nestling it down on the cone. Then, the vendor handed it over to the little elven girl. "Will that be all, Sir?" Before giving his response, Brandon turned his head slightly and looked at Amelia. She was still fidgeting as she mumbled, ''Daughter? Am I actually a mother now? But who''s the husband? Is it Brandon? No way, no way, no way. He is quite handsome. Still, this is way too fast! "...." In the middle of it, Brandon couldn''t even tell what she was saying anymore. Probably a bunch of nonsense. "Amelia." "But that means I''d have to change my name to Locke. Hmm¡­ Amelia Locke. Has quite a ring to it. Wait, wait, wait. What am I even saying?!" "Amelia." "Ah?" "You want one?" "Hm¡­? Ah." Amelia turned her head slightly and snapped out of it as she noticed Aurelia,pletely immersed and indulged in her strawberry ice cream. "The same as hers." * "Thank you. Hope youe again~!" They continued their walk. It only took two minutes and Aurelia halted her steps again. "....?" Brandon looked down. The ice cream in her hand was nowhere to be seen. And Aurelia¡­. "Cotton candy! Get your cotton candy!" She waspletely staring at the cotton candy vendor. "You want that too?" Aurelia instantly flicked her head and looked at Brandon. Nod. Nod. She decisively nodded. "Haha. Okay." Like that, they were dragged again. "Thank you¡­.. Next¡­!" The little elven girl had quite the pte for sweet things. "Waffles!" Nod. Nod. "It was a pleasure serving you." Nod. Nod. "Next!" Nod. Nod. "That?" Nod. Nod. "You want to try that?" Nod. Nod. They had practically bought one from each stall that piqued Aurelia''s curiosity. "You should stop spoiling her, Brandon." "Can''t help it." Brandon grabbed Aurelia and lifted her up. "She''s too cute." "Haaa¡­." Amelia breathed out a sigh and shook her head. After walking for a few minutes, they had finally arrived at the clothing section. Brandon picked out whatever was in the line of ck, gray, and white. Monochromatic colors. Amelia and Aurelia shopped together, Amelia picking out new clothes for the little elven girl. Brandon finished first and paid for his shopping. Turning his head slightly, he looked back. Amelia and Aurelia were still picking out clothes. In fact, Amelia was picking out clothes for herself as well. "Guess I''ll leave them to it." Brandon shrugged his shoulders. That being said, Brandon left the premises. He traversed the cobblestone path until he arrived at his destination. A coffee shop. Cling¡ª The chiming of bells rang as he entered the coffee shop. Looking around, there, a hand waved out to him¡ªthe table was nestled in a peculiar spot. Brandon neared the table and settled down. "Zed." He whispered, barely audibly. "Call me Smith when we''re in public." And Zed replied. "Alright." Brandon leaned back and scanned. Two coffees were settled on the table. Fixing his attention on Zed, the man was donning a pair of sunsses as well. Was this a new trend or something? Shortly after, Brandon opened his mouth. "You got the files?" "All here." Then, Zed inconspicuously passed a small device, as if they were exchanging a handshake. A sh drive. Pulling away, Brandon squeezed his hand and tucked the sh drive inside his pocket. "So¡­?" Zed asked. "When are you making a move¡­?" "Tonight." Chapter 222: Infiltration [5] After buying new clothes for her and Aurelia, Amelia realized Brandon left ahead of them. But as she checked her phone, Brandon had informed her he was waiting at a restaurant. And so, Amelia and Aurelia arrived together and sat across from him. Amelia stared at Brandon¡ªwho seemed to be pondering. This guy¡­.. ''He''s been teasing me the whole time¡­..'' Amelia found herself perplexed. In the first ce, what was their rtionship exactly¡­.? She had no clue at all. He had been teasing her this whole time. But whenever she looked at his eyes, there was no shift in his demeanor. His eyes remained utterly lifeless and indifferent. However, despite that¡­. ''It makes him seem more attractive¡­.'' For some reason, she found herself flustered whenever she stared deep into his cold eyes. She had never felt this way before about him. She had only seen him as someone to look out for. "Haaa¡­." Amelia sighed and covered her face with a palm. ''Why did I even offer my ce¡­.'' It was spontaneous. The thought of not being able to see him made her uneasy for some reason. Thankfully, he epted her offer, albeit temporarily. But that begs the question. ''Why¡­?'' Did he¡­. Was he¡­. ''Does he like me?!'' She truly couldn''t tell. Brandon was way too nonchnt with her. discover-stories-NovelFire She truly couldn''t read him. He wasn''t like that back then. From the past few months, he looked miserable. Especially with the instability in his Sovereign''s Will. But now, it was as if a flip switched inside him. Aplete 180 turn. It made him seem more¡­. charming. And to her surprise, she hadn''t realized this was what she was looking for in a guy. Someone that seems like he doesn''t care about her. ''Am I the weird one?!'' She shook her head, covered by her palms, as she felt a sudden rush of heat on her face. ''What am I even saying¡­.'' Yeah, she was at a loss. But this dilemma of hers¡­. It was a breath of fresh air. It made her forget all of her problems. This day¡­ It was pleasant. Slowly removing her hand from her face, she stared at Brandon. ''Do I like him¡­?'' She began to question herself. But she was quick to push down her thoughts as she shook her head. ''I''ll give it some time. It doesn''t seem like he feels that way about me anyway.'' Or maybe he did¡­? He often gave signs. But Amelia had only noticed those signs recently, after being conscious about him. The thought of dating her best¡ªfriend''s younger brother¡­. ''Is it weird¡­?'' No, no. ''Why did I immediately think of dating?!'' Another dilemma. Ah. It was then when she realized. Wasn''t there a girl he had confided with her about three months ago¡­? What was her name again¡­.? "Enjoy." She was quickly snapped out of her thoughts as the waiter arrived with their meal, setting each of the tes down on the table. The enticing smell of the food wafted in the air and Amelia''s nose perked up. This arrangement between them¡­. She was fine with it. Noticing her demeanor, Brandon''s voice reached her ears. "What''s wrong?" "Nothing." It wasn''t nothing. But regardless, she shook her head. "Let''s eat." *** Brandon found himself perplexed as he stared at Amelia. He had already finished his meal. Amelia was still indulging in her own meal silently. In fact, she was silent the whole time. No words were exchanged between the two. A smile crept up on Brandon''s lips. He wasn''t blind. He could tell the signs. At least,pared to back then. Especially when it was from someone he was actually attracted to. He paid close attention to her. Though he did not regret confiding in Amelia back then. He wanted to be honest with her. To tell her of his dilemma back then concerning Rachel. But now that the other Brandon had revealed everything to him, he finally understood the inconsistency in his emotions regarding romance. The other Brandon''s feelings regarding Rachel were simply too strong. In every progression, he could see that even if the other Brandon knew of the beginning and the end, he had always courted her. However, he wasn''t the other Brandon Locke. Nor did he want to be Raven ckheart. And though he was a mix of the two, he wanted to carve out his own story. He didn''t agree with the other Brandon''s methods. The same went for Jin''s desperation. He wanted to be¡­ "Different." And that difference was what this progression needed. But truth be told, he wanted to suppress the other Brandon. And that was what he was trying to do. Topletely deny him. To shut down his ideologies. ''You wanted me to be you. A better version of you. But you are a failure.'' To fully reject him. ¡­ Night struck. 11:00 PM. Adorning a newly bought ck¨Czer, the ends extended down and fluttered. And finally, donning his sunsses. Why was he so fond of these sses? Because it was the mirage mask, fully contorted into sunsses. It was for that reason that he was confident enough to stroll the public market, without any regard of exposing his identity. Except for a few individuals¡ªcurrently¡ªto the world, Brandon Locke is still dead. One of the reasons why he had kept up this status was to fully infiltrate the syndicate. ''After all, they would never conclude that Moriarty is actually a dead man.'' And the fame of Brandon Locke had already died out. To the world, Brandon Locke was just a child with potential. A child that was on the rise¡ªbut fate wasn''t as kind to him as it took his life. That was Brandon Locke. nk¡ª! Closing the door to his room, Brandon turned around slightly and halted. There, he could see Amelia, wearing a white nightgown. She seemed to have been waiting for him as she sat on the dining table. "Is it time?" She asked. Brandon nodded. "Just some preparations." "Okay." Brandon walked ahead, about to head for the exit. Before he could twist the door knob, he felt a hand tug the back of his clothes. Turning his head slightly, Amelia looked at him with a worried expression. "Please be careful. Belle told me about what happened back then when you were dealing with the syndicate." Brandon''s lips curled up to a smile. Despite Amelia''s confliction earlier, she seemed to have made up her mind. "I will." "Good." But Brandon continued staring at her, standing still. Perplexed, Amelia pressed her face awkwardly. "....Is there something on my face?" "There is." "What?" "This." Brandon pressed his finger on her face. In particr, the mole under her eye. "Eh?" "Heh." He chuckled and left the room shortly after. Staring at the close door, Amelia stood transfixed, touching the mole under her eye. A mole. But others liked to call it a beauty mark. Then¡­. "Did he just call me beautiful¡­?" Indirectly. But it''s not like he hadn''t done that before. Was he just teasing her again? Or did he actually mean it? "Haaa¡­." She truly couldn''t read him. But the signs he gave¡­. "Haaa¡­." She ruffled her hair. She quickly dismissed her thoughts. Tomorrow, she would return to her duties. They had already decided on what to do with Aurelia. She was a child. But she was still capable. All Amelia had to do was prepare her meals for the day. Aurelia already knew how to take care of herself and such. Gathering her thoughts, she flicked the lights off. Switch¡ª Chapter 223: Infiltration [6] 11:27 PM. A man with green hair and ck eyes unbuttoned his vest. He was inside the changing room. He was assigned for cleaning duty today. After finishing, he was tasked to close up shop. Of course, not just him. There were several others as well. "Good work today, n." "You too, Matthew." The man''s name was Matthew. He was a waiter for the establishment. "Good work everyone. See you tomorrow." "Good work everybody!" "Goodnight!" That being said, the rest of the staff parted ways. Matthew walked ahead, taking in the sight of the city. Just like everyone else, he too had lost a lot during the cmity. His girlfriend, his previous job, his home. But his girlfriend¡­ she had only left him. Why? Because he lost his job and was struggling. That''s it. Reaching the pavements, he called for a taxi and got on. The ride wasn''t long. Only ten minutes. By the time he had arrived, Matthew was feeling drowsy. But pushing through, he entered his small apartment. Slouching down on his bed¡ªor rather¡ªthe couch he slept in, Matthew removed his tie. "Haaa¡­." Breathing out a heavy sigh, he retrieved his phone and unlocked it. He looked at his bank ount. [11 Gold Coins.] And so, he began to calcte his expenses for the month. "Minus all the expenses, that leaves me with two gold coins. Fuck." He stated. Despite the fact that the apartment was discounted to him at fifty percent, the expenses were still too much for him. It was due to the intion that the living standards of the human domain shot up. "Guess I should go back there, huh?" With such thoughts, he tucked his hand inside his pocket. His wallet. Opening it, the familiar sight of a ck card registered in his peripheral view. Grabbing it, he scanned the ck card. [Twilight] It was his membership card for the ckmarket. On it, engraved his membership status. [Orange]] Each member had different rankings to their status. Starting from the bottom: ¡ªRed ¡ªOrange ¡ªYellow ¡ªSilver ¡ªWhite ¡ªTwilight For white ranked members they were considered as VIPs. While Twilight ranked members were considered SVIPS. Then, he grabbed a device and stuck his card inside. The screen shed open. [Credits: 8,000,000] It was his credits for Twilight. 250,000 credits equated to 1 gold coin. Inside the ckmarket, only credits were used. It was for that reason why he had never withdrawn the credits. It couldn''t be converted back to credits once it was converted into gold coins. He was a waiter. But that was only on the surface. In the ckmarket, he was a broker¡ªwell versed in tech. But was he popr? Not at all. The reason was because he didn''t like taking illegal jobs. And so, he only did things legally. Which he found ironic since he did his business on an illegal tform. But what kind of legal jobs? Fixing devices that were deemed unfixable by techpanies. That, and hacking into ounts that have been lost by the client, under confirmation that it was their own ounts. All thatme stuff. ording to him anyway. "Should I lower my prices?" He began to question himself. "Nah." He shook his head. His prices were reasonable. That was what he thought anyway. He leaned his head back, resting his arm on his eyes, slowly dozing off. Suddenly, a chilling voice reached his ears. "Matthew." "....!" Alerted, Matthew flinched and looked around. But there was nothing. Was he just imagining things? He had to be. He was exhausted after all. "Dominion." A sudden chill ran down his spine. "Haaa¡­." His breathing grew heavy, and he felt his throat stuck. Blinking, he traced the source of the voice. From a dark corner, emerged a man with mid-length pale¨Cwhite hair that flowed down his chin. Matthew couldn''t see beneath the man''s sunsses At that moment, all the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. The whole experience was suffocating. And cold sweat started to trickle down. "A Twilight Regr. Ranked Orange. Alias: Zero. Real name: Matthew Jaune." "...." Hearing the man''s cold voice, Matthew couldn''t help but shudder. There, he could see a sword on the man''s waist. Matthew trembled. "Please¡­. D-Don''t kill me¡­." He pleaded, his voice cracking. "That''ll depend on your answer." "W-What do you want¡­?" "Work for me." "...." What¡­? Work for him? "W-Why?" Matthew asked. Before the man answered, he grabbed one of the wooden chairs in Matthew''s room. Settling it down, the man sat, leaning his arms on the rail, and resting his chin on his arms. Matthew scanned his features. He looked eerily familiar. He just couldn''t quite put a finger on it. Then, he opened his mouth. Matthew listened attentively. "I need your skills. If you work for me, I''ll pay you handsomely." "Why me?" He was confused. Truth be told, he was a nobody. He knew he had the skills, but he never put it to work. Only taking simple jobs. It was for that reason, that he had only managed to save up 8,000,000 credits, and only managed the orange rank, despite joining the Twilight ckmarket tform before most of the other brokers did. But hearing the tone in the man''s words, it seemed like his decision was set in stone. His decision to recruit Matthew seemed to be serious. However, seeing the sword on his waist, Matthew couldn''t help but reject his offer in his head. He had to ask. "W-What if I refuse¡­.? What''s gonna happen to me¡­.?" "Nothing." "...." Nothing? What in the¡­. "But. I''ll have to destroy your card." "...." Card. So the man knew his connection to the ckmarket. "Why would you¡ª" "You want to work legally, don''t you?" "...." The man seemed to have noticed the change in his eyes, as he said. "I''m just helping you out." Suddenly, the man approached him, unsheathing the sword on his waist. SHIIING¡ª Cold sweat beaded down Matthew''s cheek and his body trembled. "W-Wait, don''t kill m¡ª" Paying no heed to his words, the man forcefully grabbed the card from his device and set it on the table. The sharp tip of the de pointed at the card. The man opened his mouth, and Matthew''s eyes widened. "Onest chance." Matthew knew that he couldn''t lose the card. If he loses his job at the restaurant, the ck market would be his only source of ie. It was his contingency n. The card. "Wait." As much as he liked, he couldn''t lose out on the ckmarket''s benefits. "Okay. I''ll work for you." He had no choice. After he survived this encounter, he nned onying low for a while. Maybe for two months inside the ckmarket. "Then sign a contract with me." "C-Contract¡­?" Why? How would he even get such a thing notarized¡­? This encounter had told Matthew all he needed to know about the man. Just like the psychopaths that took killing jobs in the ckmarket, he was as much of a psycho as them. "Just say these exact words." "....?" A voice recording then? "I, Matthe Jaune. Agree to get into an agreement with Moriarty. If I abandon, betray, or leak any of our exchanges, then I shall offer my life." "Huh?" "Say it." Whatever. He was sure the man had a voice recorder somewhere. But with the technology of today, those things were easily fabricated. No matter what, he couldn''t use it in court. If he would even be put on trial if he breaks this agreement. With such thoughts, Matthew opened his mouth. "I, Matthe Jaune. Agree to get into an agreement with Moriarty. If I abandon, betray, or leak any of our exchanges, then I shall offer my life." "Conditions met." "....?" This-is-a-NovelFire-special ¡ª¡ª! All of a sudden, Matthew felt his chest tighten. Something¡­. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! Something seemed to be wrapping in his heart. He could hear the quickening of his heartbeat, and what seemed to be the sound of chains rattling. He felt it. There were chains wrapped around his heart. Ba¡­ Thump! Then, the man''s cold voice reached his ears. "If you vite the agreement, the de at the end of the chain will pierce your heart." "...." It was a warning. And hearing the seriousness in his tone, he wasn''t joking. This man. ''Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. What did I get myself into?!'' He began to panic. "Don''t worry. The chains will disappear in a month." "...." "If you want to stop working for me by then, I won''t stop you." "...." Now, Matthew found himself confused. The man seemed to have set his sights on him. And the way he spoke, as if he was confident Matthew would continue working for him. However, Matthew was quick to push down his thoughts. He could never do anything illegal on his own volition. He just had to suck it up for the entire month. The man extended his hand for a handshake. "Good to have you." Chapter 224: Infiltration [7] A new skill after sacrificing [Mana Disruption] and [Mana Burst]. The conditions were met for such a skill. [Retribution] Duration: 744 Hours. ¨N Binds the victim to their own vows through a cursed chain. A de at the chain''s end pierces the victim''s body and wraps around their heart. ¨N Effective against someone who''s morale is low. Almost surrendering to the user. ¨N The user also binds themselves with a simr chain around their own heart, sharing the risk and pain. That, and it was only effective against anyone ranked lower than him. A high risk high reward skill. He had no control over it. But regardless, this was exactly what he wanted. Clutching his chest, he felt the chains wrapped around his heart. It felt sort of itchy. A tingling feeling. Staring at Matthew, Brandon began to ponder. The main reason why he had specifically chosen that restaurant was to see Matthew up front. After looking through the sh drive that Zed had given him, it was filled with information on brokers that worked under the syndicate. Checking the files, the one that had piqued his attention the most was Matthew. After all, he was the most peculiar among the rest. It was with such reasons that Brandon specifically analyzed his file. After all, signing up with the syndicate entailed personal information. An assurance in case of potential leaks. Brandon recalled. [Matthew Jaune] [Age: 24] [Code Name: Zero] Description: ¡ªHi! I am Zero¡­. Of course, his name was omitted from his actual profile. But since Brandon had specific administrator ess, thanks to Zed, he could see his entire resume. ¡ªI can solve most of your tech problems. Even ones your neighborhood tech store can''t. Don''t believe me? I can offer a free trial! thanks-for-reading-on-NovelFire It was sort ofckluster. Overall, he had an overall review of 4.3 out of 5. That, and hisments were pretty well received. His entire profile gave Brandon the impression that this man didn''t even want to work under the syndicate. Just that, perhaps, circumstances had forced him to make such a decision. Staring at him¡ªwho was seated on the couch with his back straight, and his hands on hisp, Brandon realized. This man had no backbone. But Brandon couldn''t me him. Maybe he was too harsh. ''Nah.'' He quickly dismissed his thoughts. He didn''t know much about Matthew. Just on the surface. If he were to betray him, then Brandon needed assurance. The moment Matthew betrays him, he will undoubtedly die. "Are you scared?" "....No." But his bodynguage told Brandon otherwise. "First of all, what''s your agenda?" "A-Agenda¡­?" Matthew stammered, fiddling his fingers. "What''s your aim? Why are you in this ckmarket business¡­?" "So you aren''t¡ª" "No, I''m not from the ckmarket." "Then?" "I work for the Imperial Army." "Ah." The color from Matthew''s face suddenly drained. His eyes widened, and his hands trembled. "Don''t worry, I''ve looked through your files." "...." "There''s a reason why I chose you. Will you help me?" "I¡­." "I''m not lifting the chains. You could probably understand from my position. But I''m not lying. The pact will lift in a month. Even if you decide not to work for me anymore, I won''t harm you." Brandon decisively stated. To build an actual foundation with potential allies, trust needed to be established. The chains only served to enforce that purpose. From where Matthew stood, regardless of his intentions, he was still involved in illegal business. For that reason, standing in front of someone who worked for the Imperial Army, Matthew couldn''t retort. However, Brandon gave him a leeway. His actions weren''t out of pity. It was only to serve his purpose. He had given Matthew an offer¡ªin which he couldn''t refuse. But regardless, there were mutual benefits for the two. Brandon''s offer wasn''t so bad from Matthew''s perspective. Working from Brandon¡ªwho was working for the Imperial Army¡ªmeant Matthew would be working under legal jurisdictions. It gave Matthew a chance to prove himself, and Brandon knew that. "Y-Yes." Matthew swallowed and nodded his head. "Where do I begin?" And so, Matthew began to recount his experiences. ''This man¡­.'' His entire life seemed pathetic. Kind of sad, actually. No wonder he had no choice but to resort to an illegal tform. ''No family. Girlfriend left him. Working part¨Ctime with bare minimum wage. Fixing tech, or helping clients regain ess to their ounts.'' No, actually, his tenacity was admirable. ''Guess I picked the right guy.'' Brandon scoffed slightly and fixed his sunsses. Then, he asked. "How good are you at hacking?" This was the real intention. To fully assess Matthew''s value. "I think I''m pretty decent." "How decent¡­.?" "Do I have to say it?" By now, Matthew seemed to befortable as he stopped shaking. "You might arrest me or something¡­." "I won''t do that." "Okay¡­. Uh¡­." And so, Matthew continued. Apparently, after his girlfriend left him, Matthew was at his lowest. Losing his job, and losing everything else, he resorted to hacking bank ounts,pletely erasing his trace in the process. "Then why are you still living in this dump?" "....My conscience took over. It was all spontaneous. But when I calmed down, I realized what I''ve done. With the money that I stole, I returned it all to those exact bank ounts." Completely erasing his trace once again. "Pretty good." Is all Brandon could say. He wasn''t that well versed with hacking, despite having all of the other Brandon Locke''s knowledge. And so, that feat of Matthew''s had him left surprised. That being said, they began talking about their deal. Matthew would work for him, no questions asked. And Brandon would pay him 15 gold coins every week until the month ended. A total of 60 gold coins. It was quite pricey. However, if he had to be honest, Matthew deserved to be paid more. His work ethics hadpletely met Brandon''s criteria. That, and his moral conduct. Brandon was sure by now that this man wouldn''t betray him. And even if he did, there were no problems at all. "And what''s your affinity?" Thest question. "Uh¡­." All of a sudden, mana started to gather around Mathew. Tzz¡ª Tzz¡ª Lightning started to emit from him slightly. "Lightning, huh?" Perfect. No wonder Matthew opted for the tech route. "Since you''re a broker. You could rmend me, right?" "Ah. Yes." After all, brokers entailed scouting for potential ckmarket customers. "Then let''s go." "Huh?" "The ckmarket. Take me there." Chapter 225: The Blackmarket [1] Brandon, Zed, and Deus had made an agreement. Brandon would make no contact with them, just until he had settled in the syndicate''s ckmarket. The reason for this was to prevent any sudden connection with Zed. It was too risky if the other heads suddenly became suspicious of him. For that reason, Brandon had to make a name for himself first. That, and to assess the value of the Moriarty name in the ckmarket. After all, although the issue had died down, Moriarty was still a fugitive. Surely, ckmarket regrs would be aware of him. And so, he recalled a memory again. A memory that wasn''t his. ¡ªI''ve been to the ckmarket. But not for the purpose you might think of. In every progression, war was bound to happen. But from the memories of Brandon Locke, he wasn''t active in each and every one of them. Why¡­? Because he was always dead before it did happen. Despite knowing everything, he had always died, due to how weak he was. ''A failure.'' That''s all he could think of. Everything he had tried to prevent had ended up in failure. And the same went for Jin. ''If war is inevitable, and even prevention isn''t viable, then what was the point of your existence, Brandon Locke?" For Jin, or rather, the other Raven, Brandon couldn''t fault him for his failures. He was always a failure from the start. ''This is the problem when someone can freely jump into different timelines. They think they can make a difference, just because they were given a second chance, a third chance, a fourth chance.'' And in the end, it ended up breaking Raven ckheart. He had fully turned his back on his ideals. The ideals of saving everyst person. A hero''s philosophy. A selfless act. ''But thinking you can save everyone is selfish in itself.'' Especially when his methods were inefficient. It felt rather arrogant. ''If you want to save someone, then only save within your capabilities. Do not lose yourself in the process.'' But it was toote for Jin. He hadpletely abandoned every ideology of his. For him, being a hero is saving the world. ''Even when everyone dies in the process.'' Yet again, it all ended in failure. ''I should go about this carefully.'' "Uhm¡­ We''re here. Lost in his thoughts, he was snapped out of it, realizing they had arrived at their destination. "This is¡­" It was the same as in his memories. An abandoned ruin, far out into the slum area of the city. Scanning, Brandon could see crumbling walls covered in vines and graffiti. Shattered windows and a sagging roof exposed the interior to the ce. And to specifically enter¡­. ''A card.'' They needed a card. Of course, the ce was closely monitored. The main reason why the military had never been suspicious of the ce, was because they had found nothing in the ruin. They had already inspected the area. Yet they found nothing. They had interrogated on goers who had often entered the ruin. Yet with no warrant, and no evidence, they could only search so much. After all, their suspects had a strict silent policy. Do so, and their rights to enter the ckmarket would be revoked. That, and they would probably lose their life before they know it. Basically, at this moment, Matthew was breaching the policy. Convincing him took a long while. He was reluctant. But since he was under [Retribution], he could only retort so much. For why there were never snitches, most probably, they stand to gain more within the ckmarket, than they do working for the government. "Code Name: Zero." Matthew whispered, barely audibly. All of a sudden, Matthew began to shift, glowing. Then, he disappeared, leaving a trace of white particles. Staring at the ce where Matthew once stood, Brandon crossed his arms. "Good luck negotiating." Then, he leaned behind the wall, closing his eyes, and pondering. "Space affinity, huh?" The ckmarket¡­. They hadpletely recreated the space affinity, through sheer technological advancement. "No wonder we''ve always lost the war." *** The scenery shifted around Matthew. If before, he was inside the ruin, now he had suddenly appeared inside a small room. There was a door in front of him. A windowframe to peek through. Shimmering rays casted its glow in the room. Matthew was familiar with this sight. The ckmarket was thorough with its checks. Then, a deep voice resounded. "State your business." Matthew flinched a little. Then, heposed himself and gathered his thoughts. ''State your business.'' They were not asking for his business at all, or whatever he had nned on doing inside the ckmarket. It was sort of a riddle. Matthew opened his mouth. "I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but Ie alive with wind." The first step. Then, the deep voice resounded again. "It marks the end of day and the start of night, A fleeting moment of fading light. Neither day nor night, it''s caught in between, A tranquil time that''s rarely seen. What is it?" Matthew closed his eyes as he listened attentively. Swallowing, he spoke. "Twilight." "Granted." Just like that, the door opened. Step¡ª Matthew took a step forward. But halted just at the door. Turning his head slightly, he could see a buff man with tattoos in his arms. "Sir." "Hmm¡­?" "I have a rmendation." Then, Matthew took out something from his pocket and handed it to the man. A ck card. The man''s brows raised skeptically as he scanned the ck card handed to him. The man thoroughly scanned, turning the card on each side. Then, his eyes shot wide open. "You¡­." Suddenly, he scruffed Matthew''s cor and pulled him close. Matthew flinched and his eyes darted around, cold sweat beading. "Where did you get this?!" *** Brandon waited for hours. He still had the card given to him by Zed. However, it would only serve to further the process. He still wasn''t registered. Just rmended. But Brandon was well aware of the card''s value. Most probably, he would start at the same rank as Matthew, with some better benefits than him. After all that card¡­ It proved that he was one of the more older members. It was basically a renewal of a license or some sort. Then suddenly, behind a pir, Matthew emerged. "It''s done¡­. Haaa¡­." "How''d it go?" "Huuu¡­." Matthew breathed out deeply and shook his head. "Please, don''t ask me." Then, he handed a ck card to Brandon. Brandon asked. "Are the settings all configured?" "Yes, yes, yes." read-on-NovelFire "Heh." Brandon chuckled. Gathering mana into the card, he muttered. "Code Name: Moriarty." Chapter 226: The Blackmarket [2] "This looks¡­. Different." That was all Brandon could describe the ckmarket. It did not align at all to the ckmarket in the other Brandon Locke''s memories. However, "Different." It was good. As long as things were different, then it was for the best. "Shit, I''m starting to sound like him." He pinched the middle of his brow. Then, he took in the sight of the ckmarket. It was huge. No, huge was an understatement. It seemed like an entiremunity. And as he looked around he could surmise that the entire space was deep underground. It was as if an entire undergroundmunity had sprung to life beneath the surface. The cavernous space stretched endlessly, with vaulted ceilings supported by massive stone pirs. Cool, damp air echoed with the faint drip of water from an intricate overheadwork of pipes. Stalls and makeshift shops lined thebyrinthine pathways. They sold an array of goods. Neon signs flickered, casting its colorful glows on the pavements. While corners remained dark. Since the ckmarket was strict with secrecy, even its patrons wore masks. The same went for Matthew, who wore a ck mask that covered his entire face. Brandon on the other hand, kept his ck¨Cframed sunsses. Fixing it up, a blue runic symbol emitted its glow slightly, but faded as fast as it glowed. Pulling his ck gloves, Brandon turned to look at Matthew. He pursed his lips. "So? What do you know about this ce?'' He had to ask. All to confirm how well versed Matthew was with the ckmarket. Matthew answered, taking in the sight of the vicinity. "It''s divided into zones. One area features rare and illegal tech gadgets. Another section is for fabrics, ornaments, artifacts, and such." "Gadgets, huh?" "There''s a technician that''s making waves nowadays in the ckmarket." This¡­ He had to hear it. Even Zed didn''t have this information. "Despite his small stature, the technician is well respected amongst the gadgetmunity, because of how wless his gadgets and artifacts are." "Take me there." Brandon spoke with no hesitation. This ''technician''. It intrigued him¡­. It almost sounded like it was¡­. ''That can''t be.'' He was quick to push down his thoughts. Just like the elves, dwarves had also kept themselves hidden. While elves seemed to have a hint of elegance. Especially so, by the way they carried themselves, Brandon had seen different progressions of humanity''s connection with them. And in each progression, elves were always on their side. They loved nature, almost as much as they loved humans. It was due to how humanity treated nature, that they hade to love humans as well. On the other hand, dwarves¡­ They were arrogant. There were other such races in which humanity hadmunicated with. One such race was the lizardman. Brandon Locke and Jin were negligent when it came to interpersonal rtionships with these races. Due to desperation and struggles, they were quick to push their agendas. Though in the first progression, these races had never even appeared. The world had ended, before they got to do so. For whatever their purpose here on earth, Brandon was well aware of it now. All because of Brandon Locke''s memories. They were exiles. Whoever exiled them, even the other Brandon had no such knowledge of it. However, he could surmise it was either due to the Wraiths, or the Sovereigns. ''But that begs the question.'' Wraiths¡­ Sovereigns. ''They are one and the same.'' Brandon looked ahead. He snapped out of his thoughts as he realized they had arrived at their destination. It was a hut. Apparently, it was the dwarf''s workshop. There was a long line ahead of them. "This guy''s pretty popr, huh?" "Yes." Matthew answered, sporting a frown. "He''s the reason business has been slow for us in this part of the market." "Oh¡­? What''s his code name?" After all, ckmarket patrons did not know each other''s names. Just their code names. Matthew responded, narrowing his eyes. "Ironaxe." "Pftt¡­" "....?" Matthew tilted his head, perplexed by Brandon''s reactions. "Couldn''t be more obvious." Brandon shook his head. Then, he could hear Matthew mumble discreetly. However, it was to no avail as Brandon was able to hear it just fine. "...Talking to himself again." "I think you''ve forgotten the hierarchy here, Zero." Brandon ced a hand on Matthew''s shoulder, a grin creeping up on his face. Matthew flinched, flicking his eyes slightly at Brandon''s hand. Then, he looked at Brandon and swallowed. "S-Sorry¡­. Boss." "Good." Matthew seemed to have gotten a bit toofortable with him. And they had only met four hours ago too. All of a sudden, a deep voice rang from ahead of them. "Get the fuck outta here!" "Ah." Matthew turned his head slightly. He was in front of Brandon. Matthew scratches his cheek. "I forgot to mention. Ironaxe has a short temper. And he often judges his clients on first impressions." "...." Eh, whatever. Brandon shrugged his shoulders. "Doesn''t matter." Read today at mvl _em _pyr. He was confident. "Okay, boss." Another deep voice rang ahead of them. It was Ironaxe, most probably. Brandon couldn''t see inside the small hut after all. "Get lost!" "Hmm¡­ Next!" "Rejected." The guy was popr alright. He turned down clients, and yet it seemed like the line was getting longer behind them. Must''ve been a really good technician. After waiting for a while. It was finally their turn. Brandon was indifferent about the whole thing. Ironaxe had rejected most of the clients who were ahead of them, only epting most likely, five out of twelve. If he were to be rejected, then that''s it. He was merely curious as to what the dwarf looks like, and his skills. Though he began to ponder again. He looked around. ''Do these people not realize this guy is a dwarf?'' But then, it actually made sense. None have ever seen a dwarf up close. There were only sightings and reports. They must''ve thought Ironaxe was a midget or some sort. "Get lost, kid." "Eh?!" Ironaxe was quick to dismiss Matthew¡ªwho was ahead of him. Matthew turned around slightly with a pleading expression, meeting Brandon''s gaze. Brandon nodded his head, and Matthew walked away dejected. Putting his hand on his pocket, Brandon stepped forward and entered the hut. Looking around, the room was hot. A furnace nestled deep in the corner. Cabs situated all over. All sorts of gadgets were strewn all over the floor. Weapons such as swords, maces, sabers, and axes, hung on the walls. Then, a small robust man revealed himself, walking slowly towards Brandon. Scanning, he looked exactly like the dwarves from the movies Brandon had watched in his previous life. Thick brown beard that flowed down. Long brown hair but tied back. Wrinkles all over his face. A typical dwarf cliche. Ironaxe leaned up close, scanning Brandon. His gazended on Brandon''s ck¨Cframed sunsses. "Hmm¡­." Then, his eyes widened. "This¡­." "Hmm¡­?" Brandon tilted his head. Had he somehow caught Ironaxe''s attention? "Can I touch this¡­ gadget of yers?" He spoke in a rather thick ent. But Brandon was able to understand it clearly. ''No wonder he was able to blend in. He knows English, huh?'' It''s not that dwarves weren''t capable of learning English. It was just that, humanity hadn''t made contact with them yet. ''How long has this guy been here to be that fluent in English?'' And¡­ ''How did he even get in here¡­?'' It was a mystery. "No." Brandon shook his head, refusing Ironaxe. "Then get out!" Ironaxe eximed. Brandon shrugged his shoulders. "Alright." And turned around, walking to the exit. But then, he halted in his steps as Ironaxe''s voice resounded again. "Wait. Yer just leaving¡­ like that?" "Huh? You told me to go." "Yes. But¡­." "What¡­? Did you want me to beg not to get kicked out¡­?" "That''s what they usually do. Why aren''t ye the same¡­?" Ah. "I see." Brandon pinched his chin, nodding. Ironaxe''s brows raised. "Huh?" "You''re a tsundere." "....?" Chapter 227: The Blackmarket [3] "So, yer not gonna let me touch that device of yers?" "What''s in it for me?" "Stingy, eh? I''ve seen my fair share ofds like ye." Brandon leaned back confidently. A trick to negotiation was to never willingly show your cards. But if he had to be honest, he didn''t want anything from Ironaxe. He was just curious. Seeing dwarves from his memories, and seeing them up¨Cclose was a different experience. And in the first ce, it wasn''t his memories. Brandon looked at Ironaxe. He seemed to be retrieving something from a chest box. It was Ironaxe who wanted something from him. And so, he nned on using that to his advantage For his curiosity about his sunsses. Or rather, the Mirage Mask, Brandon found it peculiar. Did he find out the Mirage Mask''s secrets? Truth be told, Brandon only knew the history of the mask. But he had no idea where it actually emerged from. And seeing that this great technician was so curious about it, the Mirage Mask must''ve been peculiar to him. "If ye let me peek into that device of yers, I''ll let ye hold onto this." He tossed something and Brandon caught it. Unclenching his hand to reveal the item, it was a ring. "What''s this?" "Yer a swordartist, aren''t ye?" Swordartist? Ironaxe''s gaze was on the sword on his waist. It wasn''t Brandon''s sword. No. It was Lumian''s sword. The same sword he had used to cut down his arm, before he pushed back his memories. ''I''ll take whatever''s free.'' It was a good sword. Brandon hade to realize that when he saw how it withstood Lumian''s soulmes. "Nah, I''m not." Brandon shook his head. Ironaxed sported a frown. "Aye?" "Not yet. I''m a mage trying to learn swordsmanship." "A mage, eh?" "But now you''ve got me curious." Brandon raised the ring for Ironaxe to see. "What''s this ring for?" "If ye wear it, and inject mana into it, ye''ll feel yer muscles rxed." "Oh?" Interesting. "Test it out, boy." At Ironaxe''s instructions, Brandon put on the ring. Injecting mana into, the ring began to glow, runic marks suddenly revealed themselves. Runes¡­. Just like the mask. Brandon could now tell where this was going. Suddenly, just like what Ironaxe had told him, he felt the tension ease off his shoulders. "Pretty good, aye?" "Hmm¡­" "Try it out, boy." "Here?" "Just a light swing." Brandon nodded his head. SHIIING¡ª Unsheathing the de, he pressed his foot forward and got into a stance, sword up front. Suddenly, Ironaxe''s voice reached his ear. "I can see now why ye ain''t a swordsman." Brandon turned his head and looked at Ironaxe. "Really?" "Aye. Your posture''s all wrong. Eh, not my problem." "...." However, despite his remark, Brandon actually felt light on his feet. He knew he had never formally learned swordsmanship. He was a mage after all. And the original Brandon Locke was never even a fighter. Then, he recalled a certain memory again. ¡ªDon''t forget, you''re no swordsman. Focus on your curse abilities. "Nah." Brandon smirked. ''I will not let anyone drag me around anymore.'' Why should he listen to the advice of a failure? Because they became wiser through their mistakes? That could be the case. However, what set it apart from the typical philosophy, was the fact that the other Brandon had never found sess. ''If I were to follow all of your advice, wouldn''t that just lead me to the same ending as you?'' Gripping the handle tightly, Brandon took a deep breath. "Hoo¡­" Then¡­ sh¡ª! One quick sh. The speed had actually left him stunned. It wasn''t as fast as when he still had the lightning affinity. But it was still fast for his standards. The ring¡­. "How much is this?" "Not fer sale." "Huh? Why?" "I''ve abandoned this project." "I''ll buy it off you." Brandon hade to realize the benefits that the ring entailed. It would help him progress much faster when it came to physical training. And amazingly, it didn''t consume too much mana. So why did he abandon it? The gadget was perfect. "No can do. It may be effective now. But the more ye prolong it''s effects, sooner orter, that head of yers will get fried." "As in¡­?" "Gah! It''ll fuck up that small human brain of yers." Human, huh? How hasn''t anyone exposed this guy yet? Though the thought of his brain frying. A smile pulled up his lips. Wasn''t he used to his brain getting fried with information by now? "Doesn''t concern me. Name your price." "Are ye crazy? Or just a fucking idiot?" "If you let me buy it off you. I''ll let you in on a little secret." "....?" "It''s about these sunsses. You''re curious, right? You must''ve seen it. The runes and all." "....Yer right." Ironaxe seemed to be thinking about his offer. Shortly after, he opened his mouth. "Haaa¡­ 20,000,000 credits." "...." In other words, 80 gold coins. "Any discount?" "No." He had a trump card up his sleeve. One that would grab the favor of this midget in front of him. "If you give me fifty percent off, I''ll hide your little secret." "...." "What''s it going to be?" "Don''t know what yer talking about." "Suit yourself, dwarf." As soon as those words left Brandon''s mouth, Ironaxe scruffed his cor and pulled him close. With widened eyes, Ironaxe whispered barely audibly. "How the fuck do ye know that?" "It''s pretty obvious, you know?" "Aye? I''ve been here for ten months. Not once have they ever figured out what I am." "But sooner orter, they will. Now tell me, how did you even make it all the way here." Ironaxe didn''t respond and shook his head. "Get out." He seemed rather adamant this time. His face was serious. "You sure? This will be thest time you''ll ever see this mask. I''m the only one in the world who has it." "Fuck!" Ironaxed scruffed his hair, then pulled down on his beard. A vein seemed to pop on his forehead. "Ye little shit. Show me first. Then I''ll tell ye." "Alright." He could do that at least. "Close the doors first. Close all the windows as well." "Aye?" "Do it." And Ironaxe did just that. Hurriedly running towards the door and mmed it shut. The curtains all pulled. The light from the sun drained. The only light present were from the furnaces. Then, Brandon removed his sses. "Uglyd, ain''t ya?" "...." Brandon gathered mana into the sunsses. Blue runic marks started to glow, blue light shimmered on their faces. Then, the sses distorted, revealing its true form. The Mirage Mask. The familiar sight of the white mask with blue runic symbols registered in Brandon''s sight. Raising his head slightly, Ironaxe''s eyes shot wide open. His mouth hung agape, and it seemed like the sight had left him breathless. Shortly after, he spoke. "This¡­. This is lost dwarven technology¡­." Chapter 228: The Blackmarket [4] "Lost dwarven technology?" That was rtively new. The Mirage Mask was given information in the tome¡ªor rather, the novel he had read. It dated back centuries ago. If it was lost dwarven technology, then how was it present on earth? Not even Brandon Locke had information on this question. However, several theories flooded his thoughts. "How long have you been here, Ironaxe?" "Aye? "On this." "Human years?" "Yeah." "400." "...." However, he remained calm. "I see." This was what the professor meant back then about the world''s lost history. It seemed like dwarves have been omitted from the records. And most likely, they went into hiding. "How did youe to be?" "Too many questions,d. I ain''t here to teach ye history." "No biggie." He could find out on his own. However, this was perhaps interesting. If dwarves have been here for so long, then what about Aurelia? Was she also a lost part of history? An elven race that had long disappeared? Or were they in hiding as well. Interesting. Truly, interesting. This progression. It was way too different. "Anyway this ring. I can buy it off you, right?" "Eh, whatever. Do what ye want. I''ve warned ye anyway." "On a discount." "Aye, aye." Then, Ironaxe walked towards a desk. Seemingly retrieving something from the drawer. It was the same device that Matthew had. He neared Brandon and said. "Put yer card here." Brandon did just that. Beep¡ª A beeping sound rang out. Then, on the screen of the device disyed: [Transactionpleted! Client: Moriaty Total Credits: 10,000,000] "Moriarty, aye? Shit name for a shitd." "...." "Now give me that mask of yers." "How long will it take?" "Maybe a day." "....I need that mask." "Aye, aye. Give me an hour then. In exchange, I''ll give ye permission to take one of the masks I have stored over there." Ironaxed pointed on the side without looking at Brandon, his eyes glued on the Mirage Mask. "Anything?" "Aye, aye. Yer my VIP customer now." "Heh." Brandon scoffed slightly. He didn''t expect this kind of encounter at all. He had found out more about the world''s history, a new artifact that would greatly assist him, and now he had be an important patron to this crazy old midget''s shack. Brandon strode ahead, entering a different room. There, right above the furnace, there were several masks with runic symbols engraved on it. Scanning, Brandon could tell. The magic powering from the masks paled inparison to the Mirage Mask. And most probably, it didn''t have the same effects. But regardless, he shrugged his shoulders. Identity aside, wearing a mask was the norm in the ckmarket anyway. And so, he picked up whatever color looked nice. And for him, it was always¡­ "This ck one looks good." Grabbing the mask that was attached to a nail on the wall, Brandon donned it. Tracing the mask with his fingertips, he injected mana into it. "Wonder what the effect is¡ª" He felt it. It was sudden. But he knew. "....!" His eyes widened. "This mask¡­." It entirely masked any trace of his mana. He knew it. He could feel his mana stuck tightly in his bones, ready to be unleashed anytime. And so, several ideas flooded his thoughts. If he could summarize his thoughts, it was all directly rted to covert operations. With the mask, he could entirely hide his trace. For that reason, he couldn''t be sensed. The ckmarket had truly left him astonished. Then, he rushed back towards Ironaxe. "Ironaxe! How much is this?!" "Aye?" Ironaxe turned his head slightly. "Phantasm Mask?" "Yes. This. How much?" "20,000,000 Credit." "Discount?" "Only 20%" "I''ll take it." And so, the exchange began again. At the end of it¡­ [Credit: 5,000,000] In other words, 20 coins. He still had some left to spare. "To say the least." That being said, Brandon walked towards the door and twisted the door knob. Before leaving, he turned his head slightly and said, "I''lle backter, Ironaxe." "Aye, I hope ye don''t. Also, tell those idiots outside that the shop is closed fer today." "Heh. Sure." He scoffed and left the shack. Slowly closing the door, he turned around and paused. "Uh¡­." There was a long line ahead, and all eyes fell on him. "Took you long enough, bastard!" "Why did Ironaxe close the doors?" There was a bit of a ruckus outside. It seemed like he was in the shack for way too long, angering the other clients. "Ironaxe has asked me to announce that the shop is closed for today. Come back tomorrow." "Huh?!" "Bullshit!" "Eh. Suit yourselves." Brandon shrugged and walked away. Walking ahead, he could hear the ruckus behind him. "Sir Ironaxe! Are you there?" "Sir Ironaxe! Please, we''ve been waiting for a long time." nk¡ª! The door abruptly opened, revealing the robust midget with a long beard, wrinkles all over his face. "Didn''t that boy tell all of ye that shop is closed fer today?!" Ironaxe eximed. Experience adventures on m _v _lempy _r. "If ye don''t leave in ten seconds, yer all permanently banned from this establishment. Ye hear me you fuckers?" Everyone looked stunned, eyes wide open. And in that instant, they all dispersed like flies. "Haha." Brandon couldn''t hold back hisugh. "Guess that midget really is popr." Continuing to walk, there, the familiar figure of Matthew registered in his peripheral vision. "How''d it¡­ go?" "Pretty good mask, right?" "Uh." "Let''s go, Zero." The two walked ahead. Then, Brandon halted, turning his head slightly to look at Matthew. He pursed his lips. "Also, do you have any spare credit?" "...." * For this day, he had only nned to sightsee. To peer out on the changes of the current ckmarket, inparison to the previous ckmarket throughout every progression. And in his conclusion, this version of the ckmarket was the most different of all. ''Especially because I met a dwarf that easily.'' But that made him ponder. Was the dwarf on the Milis Continent side? Or was he just¡­ there? Strictly for business? "Eh." He shrugged his shoulders. "I''ll find out eventually." Once they take control of the ckmarket, interrogating Ironaxe would be easy. And so, wandering around with Matthew, Brandon stopped by the drug section. "Are you interested, Sir?" "...." The pills had caught his attention. These pills¡­. He knew. These strictly government confidential pills. Pills that would help someone break through the S- Ranks. It was popr a decade ago. But after the side¨Ceffects were known, it was quickly recalled by the government, and was banned. Yet for some reason, they were still surfacing in the ckmarket. ''Interesting¡­'' He had never seen these in Brandon Locke''s memories. Because Brandon Locke didn''t go to the ckmarket to buy these pills. What he went there for was to plead pathetically. One of the progressions where he had gotten way too desperate, he walked into enemy territory, and prostrated himself in front of the enemy. He was truly pathetic. Brandon leaned close, scanning the pill. "How much?" Chapter 229: The Blackmarket [5] "Thank you for your purchase!" It only cost him a little bit of 1,000,000 credits. He had never shopped this much. Everything in the ckmarket had always caught his eye. After all, everything was useful. Things that were often not sold on the surface. He tucked the pill tightly inside his pocket. The pill would only work once he was about to breach S- Rank. If used incorrectly, the side¨Ceffects were severe. Worse case, he would die. But death¡­. ¡­.He didn''t fear dying anymore. If killing himself was what he needed to change this progression. To improve himself. To be strong enough. Read today at mvl _em _pyr. Then it was a small price to pay. ''I''ll juste back from the dead.'' "Where are we going next, boss?" "Where I came here for." "Ah?" "This ce." Brandon and Matthew scanned. A white building stood tall, shading the sun as it cast a shadow over them. It had dark polished stone walls and fancy metalwork. Tall arched windows showed stained ss scenes. Heavy wooden doors with iron bands were guarded at the entrance. Realizing what the building was, Matthew spoke skeptically. "The auction house?" "Yes." "I''ve heard about the uing auction next week. But wasn''t it invite only?" "I''ll get an invitation." "How?" "You''ll see." Matthew tilted his head in confusion. "Let''s go, Matthew." It wasn''t time to make contact with Zed yet. Brandon walked ahead. Matthew followed shortly after, pulling his eyes away from the auction house. Then, Brandon paused. Turning his head to look at Matthew, he pursed his lips. "Know any good ces to eat?" *** Imperial Army headquarters. Bellion Van''s office. Seven officers stood upright. In particr, Belle''s task force. A total of six, including Amelia. But it had to be noted that Amelia wasn''t part of the task force. A deep voice rang. It was Bellion. He wasn''t the Grand Marshal. But he was one of the nominees, and the most likely to seed the position. "How sure are we that this informant would reply back to us?" "I trust him, Field Marshal Bellion." Belle stepped forward. "If it ends up meaningless. I will shoulder all responsibility." "Admirable. But do you understand the risk of this n of yours?" "We do. Which is why we''re here to convince you of ourmitment." Bellion shook his head at Belle''s words. "A spy inside the Imperial Army¡­ Ridiculous. Don''t you realize how much you''re undermining our security right now?" "Sir Bellion, it''s better to be safe than sorry. We''ve proven our respect for the Imperial Army by confiding in you, and asking for your permission." "Haaa¡­. I wish my nephew was as responsible as you, General Locke." Then, Bellion stood up, hands sped behind his back as he walked towards the window. Scanning, he spoke without looking back. "I''ll let you in on a little secret. Hopefully, it will assist you somehow. Actually, I''ve had my suspicions as well. Which is why I''ve been discreet with this. However, since the goals are aligned, I''m inclined to tell you." Bellion turned around slightly, meeting the gaze of all the officers present in the room. "Your informant, or insider. He''s not the only one that has infiltrated the syndicate''s ckmarket." "...." Everyone''s eyes widened in shock. "You see, to fool your enemies, you must first fool your allies. One of our Field Marshal''s, and one of the strongest rankers in this continent has sessfully infiltrated this organization we''re fighting. Currently, she''s in no contact to assure her mission is a sess." Bellion stepped forward. "Field Marshal Evelyn Cessna will be joining your operation. Please inform your informant to find her and pass this message," His face seemed to gloom, and his expressions turned serious. Swallowing, he pursed his lips. "Taking control of this ckmarket is the utmost priority. While killing the heads onlyes second." "But Sir Bellion, shouldn''t it be the other way around?" "No." Bellion shook his head. "These heads of theirs¡­. They''re nothing. The only head that truly matters is the leader of the syndicate." "Do we know of his identity?" "Not yet. That''s what Field Marshal Cessna is trying to uncover. You said there would be an auction, correct?" "Yes." Belle nodded her head. Bellion continued. "Then if it''s true that the leader was participating, most probably, Field Marshal Cessna''s operation truly starts there. Please assist her, and let her assist you." Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! All the officers stomped their feet on the ground and shed a salute. "Understood, Field Marshal!" "Good." Bellion nodded his head. "All of you except General Constantine are dismissed. I need to have a word with her." Amelia stepped forward, and everyone else left the room shortly after. Bellion sat on top of his desk, and retrieved a pack of cigarettes. Biting on the cigarette, he snapped his fingers. Snap¡ª Then, the tip of the cigarette lit up. He took a long drag. *Puff* "Huuu¡­." A cloud of smoke formed and slowly faded. Then, Bellion opened his mouth. "So you''ve made your decision?" "Yes, Sir." Amelia responded, standing straight. "Good. Your father¡­. I''ve respected him since I was still a child. You could say he''s my hero. Which is why I had never epted the Grand Marshal position. I knew one day you would take it." "...." "We all know power isn''t what decides the Grand Marshal position. However, General Constantine, you stillck sufficient power for a General itself." "....Yes. I know." "I''ll give you time. You n on joining the operation, right?" "Yes, Sir Bellion." Amelia nodded her head. Bellion took a long drag again and puffed. Then, he pursed his lips. "Good. If the operation seeds, it would be a significant boost to your achievements. Although, like I said, I''ll give you time to get stronger." "....Eh?" "After the operation, I''d like for you to attend the Imperial Academy. We have great instructors there, and the facilities are centered to help you break through the S- Ranks." "Then what about General Locke?" "We''ve had this conversation before. She''s agreed under the pretense of allowing another person to enter the academy, under her rmendation. No questions asked." Amelia was well aware of who it was. She was sure it was none other than Brandon. "But wouldn''t it be quite ridiculous, Sir Bellion? A General going back to school?" "Nonsense. You''re all still children to me. Plus, you two aren''t the only Generals attending the academy during the day anyway." He had a point. There were lots of officers who attended the academy under their own fixed schedules. The facilities the academy offered catered to training, and increasing their strengths. There was no such thing as hierarchy, and everyone was focused on improving themselves for this uing war. A stark contrast to the previous Astrea Academy. "Just think of yourselves as celebrities when you attend the academy." "...." "What do you say?" "I ept." Chapter 230: A Fateful Encounter [1] "Ah, right." Brandon was about to check his phone. But quickly put his phone back as he reembered there was no signal. They finished eating and quickly left the establishment. "That old midget should be done." "You mean Sir Ironaxe?" "Yeah, him." "I''ve never heard anyone refer to him that way before¡­." For some reason, Brandon felt oddlyfortable with the dwarf. The same went for Ironaxe as the two exchanged crude remarks with each other, despite only having just met. He was a potential ally. He was done sightseeing. He had seen where the auction house was located, and though it wasn''t part of the n, he had bought items that would assist him in the future. However, there was still one more ce he had to check out. When Zed had told him, it was quite unbelievable at first. But he was quick to push down his shock. He had to see it with his own eyes. "I''ve heard there was this weekly event called the Colosseum." ".....Yes?" "Take me there." * Arriving at the colosseum, they were greeted by massive stone arches adorned with carvings. Inside, a bustling reception area featured a long wooden counter where uniformed attendants registered visitors and handed out stamped tickets. Once registered, they were directed through doors leading to the audience area, where Brandon could hear the sounds of the crowd awaited. "Two tickets, please." "Understood. Please insert your card here." Brandon leaned behind a pir with his arm crossed, scanning the entire process. Matthew inserted the card inside the device, and the receptionist began typing on the keyboard. Then, she announced. "Codename: Zero. Two Tickets. 20,000 credits." The receptionist nodded her head. "Transactionpleted. Here are your tickets. If you''re unsure of where your seats are, you may ask the guards for assistance." "Thank you." Matthew epted the tickets, and took his card back. Then, he walked towards Brandon, and handed out a ticket. "It says box number three." "Alright." They roamed the halls. On the walls, there were specific numbers engraved on it, with arge door attached to it. "Why do you want to see the colosseum?" "Just curious." He was curious. After all, it wasn''t just any regr colosseum, where mages and duelists fought. No. ¡­..It was a chance for other races to fight each other. After sessfully capturing these races outside the human domain withbined efforts, apparently, they were drugged, and were taken to the ckmarket. It was rather insane how they were able to do it under the peering eyes of the human domain. However, seeing how advanced the technology they sold here was¡­. "Woooh!" Brandon could hear the cheers of the crowd from right behind the door. Scanning, it was the door that led to box number three. After all, there was arge number three engraved on the wall. "...." Creaaaak¡­. The door creaked open, and there, Brandon could see a flight of stairs. A glimmer of rays casted down, almost blinding Brandon and Matthew''s vision. "Woooh!" "Wew~ Wew~" The sound of screams of excitement, and whistles reached their ears. Walking up the flight of stairs, finally, the sight of the entire colosseum came into view. m _vl _em _p _yr only The colosseum was a massive, circr arena with towering stone walls and tiered seating packed with cheering spectators. Torches along the walls cast a warm glow. The arena floor, a mix of sand and dirt. Above, a canopy provided shade. The air buzzed with anticipation and the roar of the crowd. "Wooooh!" Brandon fixed his mask and walked forward. Then, he leaned in front of the railing and swallowed. Blinking his eyes, he scanned. "...." There, he could see a mage. What seemed to be ck hair under her hood, and azure eyes. No, rather, it was a duelist. She stood stall, chest out, and her sword forward. Mana seemed to gather around her. And her opponent, who stood in front of her, several distances away¡­. "An orc?" The orc was tall and muscr, with green, scarred skin. Sharp tusks stuck out from its wide jaw, and its golden eyes glowed fiercely. Tangled ck hair framed its face. Wearing rough leather and metal armor, the orc carried a big, worn weapon. In particr, arge wooden club. All of a sudden, the woman leapt from her position. nk¡ª! A metallic sound rang out. And the orc took a step back and stumbled. "Huaa!" The sight had left the audience astonished as they let out a bated gasp. The woman was small inparison to the orc. However, the force of her swing was strong enough to push the orc back. She rushed towards the arc with no hesitation. Brandon could tell there were no wasted movements, especially in the way her de arc upward. ng¡ª! She swung down and the orc repelled her attack. ring at the woman, the orc screamed. "Hwoooooar¡ª!" However, the woman''s expressions were calm, unfazed by the menacing aura the orc emitted. It was then. cing her hand over the sheath of her de, the woman took a stance as mana erupted all over her body. It was subtle. Perhaps, even faint. But Brandon saw it in that split second. Her sword. It glowed a bit. And the mana seemed familiar. The air crackled with tension as Brandon''s eyes locked onto the glowing sword. In an instant, the orc charged forward, its massive club raised high. The ground trembled with each thunderous step, cracks started to spread. The woman remained motionless, her grip steady on her sword''s hilt. It seemed like she was waiting for the perfect moment. Just as the orc''s club came crashing down, she sidestepped with a swift, fluid motion. Swoosh¡ª! Her de shed, slicing through the air with precision. "Wooo!" Crash¡ª! The crowd roared as the orc''s swing missed, crashing into the ground and sending a cloud of dust into the air. The orc screamed in frustration, swinging its club sideways in a wide arc. The woman ducked, rolling gracefully to avoid the blow. She sprang to her feet, her sword already in motion. Swoosh¡ª! The de cut through the orc''s rough armor, drawing a line of green blood. "Hwoooar¡ª!" The orch screamed in pain, and staggered. The woman pressed her advantage. Her movements were a blur. She was fast and yet again, there were no wasted movements. The orc swung its club desperately. But the woman was always a step ahead, dodging and countering in each exchange. It was then. "Huh¡­?" A sense of familiar washed over Brandon. The woman''s eyes. It was faint. But he saw it. Her eyes¡ªwhich were supposed to be azure¡ªwere glowing gold. "Isn''t that¡­.." Chapter 231: A Fateful Encounter [2] It happened way too fast for anyone to coprehend. In one instant, the orc was upon the woman, and the woman stood still. The next second, the woman hadpletely disappeared. It was subtle, but there was a faint hollow light that shimmered. Swoosh¡ª! Just like that, the orc slowly fell on both knees. Blood gushed out from its neck. As the woman reappeared, registered within everyone''s peripheral view. Her coat seemed to flutter, her hood pulled down, unveiling her ck hair and azure eyes. However, as soon as it did, she quickly pulled her hood up and looked away. She slid her sword back in her hilt, and walked towards the podium. Cheers erupted from the crowd as they screamed what seemed to be the woman''s code name. "Woooo¡­! Evangel¡­!" "Evangel! Evangel¡­!" "Woooh!" Brandon''s eyes traced this¡­. ''Evangel'' woman''s figure, as she walked towards the exit. Her figure slowly faded within the darkness. Truth be told, Brandon hade here to watch the uing fights against the other races. However, seeing the woman¡­. ¡­.His ns shifted. "Stay here, Matthew." "Uh¡ªAh?" Matthew stammered, reaching out for Brandon. However, before he could even get the words out of his mouth, Brandon had already rushed down the flight of stairs. nk¡ª! Shutting the door, Brandon nced around. "...." He was about to head right when the clicking of heels echoed from the other side, catching his attention. Click¡ª Click¡ª It was the woman. Her hood was pulled up. The only part Brandon could make out was her nose. Click¡ª Click¡ª The clicking of her heels continued to ring. Scanning, the woman wore a fitted ck cloak that hugged her body tightly, highlighting her voluptuous figure. "...." The woman''s head raised, and Brandon met her azure gaze. She wasn''t wearing a mask. How peculiar. The woman walked ahead of him,pletely ignoring his presence. Brandon shook his head and stared at her departing back. As soon as a fixed distance was established, Brandon fixed his mask. The mana around him began to dwindle, until it became unperceivable. Then, he followed the woman, trying not to alert her of his presence. There was something about her that made Brandon eager to uncover her identity. The air around her seemed strangely familiar. In fact, Brandon already had an idea on who it might be. But he quickly shook his head. Her hair was ck. And though, it could''ve been dyed. The woman was a duelist. "That''s impossible¡­." The woman on her mind was a mage. There was no way someone like her had decided to pick up on swordsmanship. *** Someone was definitely following her. And though she couldn''t really sense the presence of this person, her instincts told her otherwise. That something was off. That someone was following her. And so, she became wary of her actions. ''Have they caught on to me?'' She shook her head and pushed down her thoughts. It was impossible. There were only two others who knew about her mission, and her current whereabouts. The head she was working for seemed to have trusted her. There was no way an assassin was sent to get rid of her. Not during these dire times. The organization needed her. And so, aftering to a conclusion, this person who''s following her¡­. ''He or she is doing this under their own volition.'' Perhaps she had gotten the interest of this person after taking down the orc with ease. The colosseum was an interesting pastime. She had to make several reports as to how they had gotten the other races¡­ Those beasts¡­. inside the ckmarket, without attracting the attention of peering eyes. She trudged along the alley, paying no heed to anyone, pretending to not have noticed the stalker. Continuing to walk, she flicked her eyes towards the rooftop. "...." There was nothing. They were fast. Step¡ª She ignored and continued taking her steps. Just a bit more, and she could shake them off her tail. It was a shortcut. Only she knew of it, after spending six months inside the syndicate''s ckmarket. Minutes passed. "Huu¡­.." She took a breath and fixed her hood, pulling it up. The main reason why she had never worn a mask was because she didn''t need it. Because she was already wearing a mask. A mask that changes appearances. An artifact. And so, finally arriving at the narrow alleyway, she closed her eyes. Mana started to gather around her legs. Though faint, her legs were glowing a hollow color. Swoosh¡ª! Kicking the ground, she bolted and traversed the alleyway. The main reason why she had led the stalker here was because there was no gap in the roofing. Meaning, if the stalker wanted to keep following her, they had to enter the alleyway. She looked back. "...." She had caught sight of the stalker''s silhouette. Her eyes traced, it appeared to be a man. He had a ck mask. That mask¡­. She was familiar with it. "Ah." She recalled. It was the man from the colosseum. Meaning, she had caught his attention and he decided to follow her. But for what reason? She had to find out. She was fast, much faster than him on her feet. Looking back, the man was far behind. The alleyway was like a maze, and so the man had to trace the source of mana she had intentionally left behind. She wanted to be found. It was better to hunt than to be hunted. Besides, she was strong. She was confident there was barely anyone who could defeat her within the syndicate, and especially inside the ckmarket. That was because she had broken through recently. Her Mana Core shot up to Tier 7. And the magic orb had deemed her to be an SS- ranker. It was an astonishing feat for a 24 year¨Cold. And though it didn''tpare to the previous top ranker, Lucian¡ªwho was an SS+ ranker at 21¡ªyears old, it didn''t matter. Lucian was an anomaly himself. A once in a lifetime talent. "....!" Then, her instincts told her. The man was close. With such thoughts, sheposed herself and held the hilt of her de, preparing to unsheathe it at the right time. However, it was then when she noticed¡­ "Eh?" The sun''s rays shined down, and she could make out its reflections on what seemed to be a thread attached to her wrist. "...." Threads¡­? Seeing the thread, she was lost in her thoughts for a second. It was nostalgic. An image ovepped in her mind. Pale¨Cwhite hair and ice¨Cblue eyes. She frowned, and a mncholic feeling washed over her. It was her student. Her favorite student. She regretted not being able to save him back then. And despite proposing for him to be her protege, all she was able to teach him was basicbat techniques, and mana control. But throughout the time spent together with him, it was obvious that he wanted to learn swordsmanship. He seemed really interested in it. ''Brandon¡­.'' She thought of his name. It was for that reason why she had picked up the sword after the cmity. If she were to find another student, she wanted the flexibility to be able to teach her students anything. Closing her eyes, magic energy rippled around her. The treads became loose and seemed to have cut off. "Now." In a sh, she unsheathed her sword and sliced the air. The man appeared before her, and just before the tip of his neck, her sword stopped. No, she stopped it herself. With a frown, she muttered. "Who are you?" Chapter 232: A Fateful Encounter [3] "Who are you?" Brandon was surprised. The woman had stopped her de before it fully severed his neck. Feeling the cold metallic sharp edge of the de on his neck, blood trickled slightly. "You are¡­." Brandon traced the woman''s de, unfazed as he smirked. Then, he continued with a whisper. "Evelyn Cessna." The de pushed deeper. Brandon felt a stinging sensation, as his blood continued trickling down. "You seem to be mistaken." The woman spoke. Brandon tried to scan her face. Indeed, she didn''t look like Evelyn Cessna. Her hair was ck, and her facial structure was entirely different. However, he wasn''t mistaken when he saw her power. And though most people would mistake the Holy and Light affinity for each other, after spending time with Belle and Evelyn, Brandon couldn''t differentiate the light affinity from the Holy affinity. And since the Celestial affinity somehow looked simr, Brandon could narrow the power emitting from the woman. Either, it was the Holy or Celestial affinity. Read first at NovelFire _em _pyr. However, seeing the hollow glow in her eyes¡­. Brandon knew without a doubt. His instincts told him it was most definitely his teacher, Evelyn Cessna. He pressed forward. "Am I¡­?" "You''ve gotten the wrong person. Now who are you¡­.? Why are you following me¡­.? Or else¡­" Brandon felt her sharp re. She seemed ready to kill him to push her de even deeper in his neck. However, Brandon could see through the facade. She was without a doubt shaken. Shaken by the fact that he had unmasked her identity. Most probably the case. Brandon held her de and pushed it back slightly. Then, he leaned close. She didn''t pull away. Threads escaped Brandon''s fingertips, attaching themselves to the back of Evelyn''s hood. Her eyes traced the threads, and Brandon could see a slight change in her expression. She didn''t seem to be against it. The string slowly lowered her hood, revealing her ck hair. "Can you tell?" Brandon leaned close, cing his hand on his mask. As he slowly removed his mask, Evelyn raised her head and her eyes widened. "You''re¡­." The mask hade off. Revealing his mid¨Clength white hair that extended down his chin. Brushing back his bangs, he looked around. They were in a narrow alleyway with no one around. Then, Brandon looked back at Evelyn. Her wide azure gaze met his ice¨Cblue eyes. "That can''t be¡­." She was in disbelief. Brandon felt her hand touch his cheek gently. Brandon shed her a smile. "d to see you again, Miss Evelyn." "....Brandon." * "So on that day¡­. When you disappeared¡­. Someone saved you¡­.?" "Yes." Brandon began to recount the details. Evelyn had taken him to where she was currently staying. It was a small room. But furnished enough, with the necessities for a grown woman to get by every single day. Brandon sat on the white bed, as Evelyn sat across from him¡ªon a wooden chair. He got his story straight. He knew that once he met up with the people he used to know, they would start to interrogate him. He was prepared for this to happen. But surprisingly, the first person he met was his old teacher, Evelyn Cessna. He did not expect this development at all. Especially seeing the sword on her waist. In every progression, Evelyn Cessna had never be a swordsman before. But this was the first progression he had be her student as well. Perhaps, he was the reason. Most probably the case. And so he continued and exined his journey. In the end, it was finally his turn to ask the questions. "Enough about me, Evelyn. Why are you here?" "You never change¡­ Haa¡­." Evelyn frowned and sighed. "....For the same reasons as you." "Ah, I see." That made sense. Just like him, she was also undercover. But what made it different was that Evelyn was thorough with her mission. She went into no contact, and had blended in deep inside the syndicate''s ranks, under the code name, ''Evangel.'' A femme fatale of some sort. "What''s your code name?" "Uh¡­." Right. He had to tell her that. Hopefully, it wouldn''te as such a shock. "Moriarty." He looked at her with a serious expression. Evelyn''s brows raised and she pinched her chin. Then, she tilted her head. "Are you a fanatic¡­.?" "...." "Wasn''t that the name of the criminal everyone was talking about a year ago?" "Yeah." "To be honest, I thought he was a vignte. It kind of felt like he was controlling everything behind the scenes, just for the purpose of capturing Francis." She spoke as she lowered her head. It was subtle, but she was sneaking a couple of nces at him. ''So she knew¡­..'' That seemed to be the case. After all, the Mirage Mask would only mask the identity upon the wearer''s usage. At the moment, he wasn''t wearing the Mirage Mask. It was for that reason that perhaps, Evelyn was able to put two on two together. But it seemed like she understood the silent agreement as she didn''t press further. "Are you the only one here?" "Yes. I''m the only Imperial Army soldier to infiltrate the organization." "What rank are you currently?" "Right below the head. White. In fact, I''m actually working under a head." A head was called ''Twilight'' in the rankings. While VIPs who had contact and could sometimes work under them were the ''White'' ranked members. "What a coincidence." Brandon leaned close. His eyes darted around, and seeing that the room was well isted, he whispered in her ear. "I''m also working for a head. Well, working together." "Eh? What rank are you¡­?" "Orange." "Then¡­." Brandon looked at her. His eyes told her everything she needed to know as she leaned back on her chair. "Ah. So¡­." "Yes¡­. We''re not the only ones." "I see. Well¡­ the head I''m working for is called John Smith." "...." This¡­. It can''t be a coincidence. Most probably, Zed had nned this encounter from the start. The giveaway was that Zed informed him about the Colosseum. He must''ve known that Evelyn, or rather, ''Evangel'', was a spy from the start. "Regarding the Colosseum. What''s it for, and why are you a participant?" "It''s a show of power. You see, I''m tasked as a bodyguard for the uing auction. Have you heard of it before?" "Yes, that''s the whole reason why I''m here." "Okay. As you know, the ckmarket iswless. There''s a chance trouble might ur during the auction. For that reason, everyone assigned as guards is tasked to show off their power around the ckmarket. In my case, I chose the colosseum." Of course, she wasn''t the only one. "What about you? What do you n on doing, Brandon¡­.?" "I''ll be at the auction as well. Just a few more strings to pull and I can elevate my position as a guard." Chapter 233: Colosseum [1] "I''ll see you next time, Evelyn." "....When are you going to refer to me as ''Miss''...?" Evelyn breathed out a sigh. Honorifics were very important to her for some reason. Brandon knew that and for that reason, he had always teased her. As if they were of the same age. "Whatever. Be sure to contact me using the Twilight Device." The Twilight Device. The device that all patrons used inside the ckmarket. With the device, they can use their ckmarket ounts. It had everything. From their credit banking, to surfing the deep web, and is even used to handle transactions. Underground, the signal was blocked. However, the Twilight Device was still in operation. "Sure." Brandon nodded his head and left. Seeing Evelyn was a breath of fresh air. He hadn''t seen her for a year. The change she underwent had taken him aback. He had asked her to teach him swordsmanship. Thankfully, she agreed. But only after the operation. Apparently, Evelyn was appointed to be an instructor for the Imperial Academy. Though the offer was still on hold. But it seemed like due to Brandon''s appearance, and the fact that he had told her he would attend, Evelyn seemed to be on board with bing an instructor. "Ah." It was then when he remembered. "Matthew!" He hadpletely forgotten. With such thoughts, he retrieved the Twilight Device from his pocket and opened Matthew''s ckmarket ount. Just below his ount, there was a description of his identity scripture. [124636969] And so, Brandon typed down the exact numbers. Ring¡­. Ring¡­. Click. ¡ªAh, Boss! Where are you?! "Just met up with an old acquaintance. Are you still at the colosseum?" ¡ªBoss¡­! They''re looking for you here! "What do you¡ª ¡ªIs that him? Can we borrow your phone¡­.? A different voice chimed in. A woman''s voice. ¡ªHello¡­? Is this Codename: Moriarty¡­? Listening attentively, it seemed to be the receptionist. "Speaking." ¡ªYour match is up. It''s been ten minutes. If you don''t show up in the next five or so, you''ll be disqualified. "...." Find your story on NovelFire,mp _y,r. What in the world. ''Since when did I¡ªAh.'' He realized. ''Zed, huh?'' The man set him up again. The edges Brandon''s lips twisted upwards. Though it wasn''t exactly to n. It was still going in that direction. * Brandon arrived at the colosseum. Walking towards the receptionist, Brandon gave a curt nod and opened his mouth. "Am I disqualified?" "Codename: Moriarty?" "Yes." "4 minutes and 39 seconds. A close call. Please insert your card here for confirmation. Brandon shrugged his shoulders and did as instructed. "Codename: Moriarty confirmed." Receiving his card, Brandon tucked it back inside his pocket and raised his head. He looked around first before meeting the receptionist''s gaze. He pursed his lips. "Where do I need to go? And who or what am I fighting?" "That''s the surprise. Please go to area number five. Someone will be on standby to guide you." "Okay, thanks." Brandon nodded his head and left. Wandering around the hall, Brandon looked ahead. "Hmm¡­. area number one¡­ area number two¡­ area number four¡ªAh." And after a while, he blinked his eyes. "Area number five." Swallowing, Brandon beckoned inside, pushing the door. nk¡ª! Looking around, it was a hallway. The hallway stretched out wide, and there seemed to be light at the end of the tunnel. "Codename: Moriarty. Before you start, I''ll debrief you on the rules." A deep voice rang. Brandon fixed his attention to the side. A robust man who was significantly taller than him, with a beard and bald hair, stood at the dark corner, crossing his arms. Tattoos seemed to be engraved on his rather muscr arm, and he spoke with a deep voice. "Since this is more for entertainment, you''ll be given a leeway of five minutes to adapt to your opponent. If you think you can defeat your opponent in less than a minute, please refrain from doing so." The man turned his head to the side and continued. "If you think you''re about to die, don''t worry. We''ve put shock cors on those beasts. Just one press of a button would disarm them." Then, he looked at Brandon and narrowed his eyes. "I heard you''ve been rmended by a Twilight. I hope you don''t dare disappoint." "Heh." Brandon scoffed and walked ahead. From behind him, he could hear the man mutter, ''Arrogant bastard.'' Brandon couldn''t me him. He had to keep up the arrogant facade, especially inside the ckmarket. The light permeated from the exit of the hallway. ¡ªWooooh! ¡ªWew~ Wew~ Brandon could hear the cheers erupt from the audience chamber. Holding the hilt of his de, Brandon took confident steps. Step¡ª Step¡ª Light casted down on his face, and he took in the sight of the entire colosseum. ¡ªWoooooh! ¡ªCodename: Moriarty? Doesn''t that name sound familiar? ¡ªCould it be that guy? ¡ªI heard he was rmended by a Twilight. ¡ªIn that case, it has to be him. As soon as he walked out of the hallway, he could already hear the murmurs and chatter that echoed. And indeed. It seemed like the Moriarty moniker was still somehow relevant in the ckmarket. For however that came to be, Brandon had no idea. He looked ahead. There, he could see a huge beast with chains all over its figure. Chains wrapped themselves around both of its legs, arms, and neck. Standing nearly seven feet tall, its muscr body was covered in deep green and mottled brown scales, as if it were natural armor. Its head, crowned with bony ridges, featured glowing amber eyes and a snout full of sharp teeth. "Lizardman, huh?" Brandon crossed his arms. A guard seemed to be atop the chamber, acting as a referee from a safe point. "Are you ready, Sir Moriarty?" The guard spoke. "Sure." Brandon nodded his head as he held the hilt of his de. nk! nk! nk! nk! A loud metallic sound rang out, and all the chains on the lizardman''s body fell to the ground. However, despite its rough appearance, Brandon could sense a certain regal exuding from the lizardman. It stepped forward and massaged its wrists, twisted its neck, and stretched its legs. Then, it stepped forward and calmly spoke. "You. Warrior." "....?" "Come." WHII¡ª A ring horn echoed throughout the entire colosseum, signaling the start of the match. Chapter 234: Colosseum [2] He chose to participate in the arena battles to test his skills and create an alibi for why a head had selected him. Specifically, to create a reason for Zed to approach him. Staring at the lizardman, Brandon unsheathed his de. No magic, no zones, no binding vows. All pure body strengthening. SHIIING¡ª! He knew he was never good at the sword. Reason being, he had never formally learned swordsmanship. It was then when he recalled a certain memory. m|vle mp _yr novel source ¡ªRemember, you are no duelist. That body isn''t fit to fight like a duelist. It''s not even fit at all to fight as a mage. ¡ªBut with your involvement, it should be enough to at least beparable to mages. It was for that reason why his defense stat was always low. ''No.'' Brandon shook his head. The least person he wanted to listen to when ites to fighting was the other Brandon. Call it ego or maybe arrogance, but he was determined to do things his own way. Extending the de forward, mana gathered around his body. Small runic marks glowed on the ring in his finger, and he felt his muscles rxed. His body felt light. The lizardman. He was the one who told Zed he wanted to fight it. It was because he knew of the lizardmen''s inner nature. They were proud warriors. One of the few races that humanity was in good rtions with in the previous progressions. And ording to Zed, they had been able to capture at least four lizardmens. "Come." Swoo¡ª! Hearing the lizardman''s voice, Brandon kicked the ground. He felt light in his feet. However, his speed was disappointing by his standards. He kind of missed the lightning affinity. He had a skill to make up for hisck of speed. But he didn''t want to reveal all of his cards. For this fight, he had nned on relying only on his purebat skills. The umtion of all the memories of previous progressions. Seeing Jin''s fighting style. His swordsmanship. The way the other Brandon was getting thrashed around in every duel. It was as if he was experiencing it for himself. The lizardman had his own weapon. It was a spear. The trademark weapon of all lizardmens nk¡ª! His de and the spear shed, sparks flying in the air, as a metallic sound echoed. nk¡ª! nk¡ª! Brandon was able to keep up as a flurry of strikes hurled his way. But he knew he was at a disadvantage. The spear was long, allowing the lizardman to keep a fixed distance from him. For that reason, his de had a hard time reaching it. ''Guess I have to use it.'' Extending his left hand, threads flew out. nk¡ª! With the de on his right hand, Brandon repelled the spear and leapt backwards. Threads loomed around the lizardman. The lizardman jumped back and thrusted its spear on the threads. At that, the threads cut off and Brandon rushed for another attack. Brandon''s de drew an arc in the air. But the lizardman was quick in its feet as it twisted its body to the side, dodging the attack. Brandon''s eye flicked and traced. Swoosh¡ª! Kicking the ground once more, he rushed towards the lizardman. nk¡ª! nk¡ª! nk¡ª! He was persistent in his attacks, not giving the lizardman any breathing room. If his technical skills were subpar, he could make up for it with his speed and the versatility in his attacks. Threads extended from his fingertips, and sessfully coiled themselves around the lizardmen''s leg. Brandon clenched his hand, tightening the threads. "...." He was only able to close his hand so much. The lizardman''s flesh was tough, as if it served as its armor. Swoosh¡ª! In that instant, a spear thrusted forward and Brandon narrowly dodged, feeling the cool sensation of metal grazing his cheek. Leaping backwards, he touched his cheek and felt a wet sensation. "...." He looked at his hand. There was blood. Feeling blood trickle down his cheek, Brandon wiped it off. "Huu¡­." Taking a deep breath, Brandon continued his relentless attacks. nk¡ª! nk¡ª! nk¡ª! "This. Futile. You. No. Skill." "...." Hearing the lizardman''s words, Brandon paid no heed to it. The lizardman was trying to provoke him, and he knew that. He was well aware he had no skill, or talent with swordsmanship or anything regarding weapons. And in the first ce, Brandon hadn''t given it his all. Not once had he taken the fight seriously. The colosseum staff had told him to prolong the fight. He was only following instructions. "Cocky lizardman." Swoosh¡ª! Brandon bolted from his position and appeared before the lizardman. "...." "Heh." Brandon scoffed. Clenching his hand tightly, he could see the lizardman struggle to move. "...." nk! His spear fell on the ground, and the lizardman''s back straightened up. Threads wrapped around his body and its eyes widened. "You. How¡­.?" "...." Brandon didn''t respond, tightening the grip of the threads. Although the threads weren''t strong enough to decapitate the lizardman''s body, it was still capable enough to subdue and immobilize it. "You see this?" "....?" There was one thread on each fingertip. But that was all on the surface. While lizardmen were warriors, they weren''t well versed with magic. No, that was the elves'' territory. On the other hand, lizardmen were physically adept in nature. Simr to the way duelists and mages were categorized. While the orc that Evelyn had fought earlier was a mix of both spectrums. It wasn''t that each race leaned more to specific abilities. There were, of course, some exceptions. But it was for that reason, that the lizardman was unable to notice the extra threads, subtle enough, where one needed to focus mana into their eyes to notice. Brandon leaned close to the lizardmen. "...." Spurt! He thrusted his sword, piercing through the lizardman''s chest. Thump! The lizardman''s body grew limp and stumbled down. Just like that, the lizardman was dead. "...." A tentative silence filled the colosseum, and Brandon looked around. Shortly after¡­. "Wooooooh!" "Moriarty¡­.!" Screams erupted, cheering for him. Brandon turned his head slightly. Two green eyes met his gaze, with a sly smirk on his face. "Ha." Brandon scoffed and stared at Zed¡ªwho was atop the chambers, seated on his seat. With this, the first phase of their n would be set in motion. Chapter 235: That Night [1] Inside the VIP chamber. "I''ve heard of his name before. But is it really him?" "It has to be. Otherwise, why would Zed pick him specifically?" The other heads began discussing among each other. The revtion of the masked man''s codename had taken them aback. Moriarty. A name some of them were quite familiar. After all, it was the most gossiped news a little over a year ago. But as fast as the news came, it quickly died down shortly after. However, the chain effect of Moriarty''s actions. From killing the CEO''s son, to exposing the CEO''s biggest secret, andpletely destroying thepany. Others specte it was all ording to n. But then¡­. Moriarty disappeared sooner after. And now, a yearter, a masked man who imed to be him suddenly appeared inside the colosseum. They couldn''t believe it. "Zed, are you really sure about this? He could be a fake." "I''m not sure. I''ve only seen his registration. That''s why I specifically registered his name for the arena battles, just so we could catch a glimpse of this man." Zed stated as his gaze lingered down. For him, the words that seamlessly flowed out his mouth were all bullshit. ''Haha.'' Indeed, everything had been going ording to n. Leaning close and pursing his lips, Zed massaged his temple. "We have no confirmation if we have the right guy. But he has proven his strength, right?" Zed looked around, scanning all the other heads present. Discover content at NovelFire|em|p|yr. The looks on their faces told him they had the same thoughts as him. Nodding their heads, one of the heads spoke. "He has potential. He''s probably stronger than some of us here." "Indeed. In my opinion, we must get him to our side. He''ll be a valuable asset during the war." As the word ''war'' came out of the head''s mouth, Zed sported a frown. They had knowledge about this ''war'', since it was leaked to the public a while back. After pulling some strings, Zed had managed to frame someone as the ''potential leaker'', andhad him executed. ''This war¡­.'' They had no idea just how massive the scale was going to be. For the heads, they had only thought of a war between the syndicate, and the Imperial Army. The Milis continent¡­. They were the invaders, hell bent on taking control of the entire continent. For reasons, Zed had no idea. In fact, he was quite unsure how the leader had managed to get in contact with them. Their goals, their purpose, Zed was truly at a loss. Regardless, he couldn''t allow their ns to flourish. The syndicate had to be destroyed, and the war had to be prevented. Then, one of the heads turned his head and looked at Zed. "We''ve all got our own bodyguards, Zed. Although you''ve brought that man here, you already have a bodyguard of your own, right?" "Yeah." ''Got him.'' "Then, I''d like to propose to Sir Moriarty to apany me during the auction as my bodyguard." Then, the Twilight head looked around, observing the looks of the other heads. "Does anyone object?" "No. Regardless of who that man works for, in the end, he works for the syndicate." "Indeed." Zed turned around and subtly shook his head. ''Greedy fucks.'' Then, as he was about to lean back, one of the head''s voices reached his ears. "Okay. If no one else voices their objection, I''ll call for that man toe up here. We can evaluate him then." *** "Uh¡­" Brandon stood by the chamber''s entrance. It felt like a job interview. The entire time, the heads had asked him to confirm his identity. Since he actually was Moriarty, he was able to answer their questions with ease. Thankfully, they had never asked for him to reveal his identity. It was then when they started asking for his whereabouts, and why he had only appeared now. "Here and there." That was all he could say. The man who seemed bent on appointing him as a hired bodyguard, had introduced himself as Kael. Kael, a Twilight Syndicate head. "Here are the terms of the contract." Kael handed a document and Brandon epted, scanning the contents thoroughly. [800,000,000 Credits per month.] Even the sight had left Brandon breathless. It was a lot of money. Kael followed up. "If you sign now. You''ll receive a downpayment of fifty percent." "....I see." He had already read the contract thoroughly. Despite the syndicate indulging in illegal matters, it was surprisingly fair and honest with its clients, and workers. If only they weren''t in cahoots with the invaders, then thismunity would''ve been left alone. Brandon nced at Zed subtly. Zed shed him a wink. Brandon understood the message. The contract was safe, and there was no foul y involved. With such thoughts, Brandon nodded his head. "Okay, I''ll sign." * "Huaam¡­" It was an exhausting day for him, if he had to be honest. It didn''t seem like Ironaxe would return his mask at all. And so, it took him a lot of convincing for the midget to give the mask back. Thankfully, there were no hassles after signing the contract. Finally, he had managed to infiltrate the syndicate''s ranks that easily. It was all thanks to the Moriarty moniker, and Zed. Cautious of peering eyes, Brandon took detours before he headed home. Even hiding and activating his [Curse Asssimtion], just to change his whole appearance. Finally, he safely arrived home. "Haaa¡­" "Shhh¡­." "...." As Brandon entered the apartment, what greeted his sight was Amelia¡ªseated on the couch, putting her finger on her lips. On herp was a sleeping Aurelia. It seemed like she had just put the little elven girl to sleep. Then, Amelia stood up and carried Aurelia, walking towards Aurelia''s room. "...." Brandon scanned, unable to make out of the situation. It was then when he started to ponder, walking towards the couch. ''Aurelia¡­.'' Sooner orter, humanity woulde into contact with the elves. And most likely, Aurelia would be a game changer when it came to the negotiations. Brandon could already surmise what Aurelia actually is. She could''ve been the lost elven princess for all he knew. It was a usible theory. "Did it go well?" He was snapped out of his thoughts as Amelia came out of the room, slowly closing the door. nk¡ª! "Yep. Even better than I hoped." "Good work." Amelia neared him and sat beside him. Brandon raised his sleeves, and slowly took off his gloves, revealing his hands with bandages on each tip. Amelia stared at his hand with a worried gaze. But it seemed like she pushed down such thoughts as she spoke. "My proposal has been epted. Though I have to attend the academy after the operation." "Oh? That''s great. Guess we''re attending together then." "Yup. And I''m not your senior anymore, since we''ll be in the same grade level." "You''re still a General though. That still makes you my senior." Brandon leaned back, nonchntly sping his hands behind his head. Amelia frowned at his words. "Yeah, yeah. I get it, I''m old." Amelia leaned back as well and looked up. She changed the topic, and the atmosphere in the room became serious all of a sudden. "That girl you talked about. Rachel, was it¡­? How do you n on approaching her¡­? I heard she was at the academy." This question again. Amelia was the least person he had expected to ask this question. Brandon already knew how to respond. "It was a year ago. You could say we were kids. Kids often have crushes, right?" Brandon turned his head and looked at Amelia¡ªwho looked back at him with a curious gaze. "I''ve never had one¡­." Amelia bashfully responded. Brandon continued. "That''s you. But that''s not my point. People''s feelings change. She''s probably moved on. I wasatosed and was deemed missing for a year after all." ''Plus, those feelings¡­. they were never mine to begin with.'' He thought to himself. But he couldn''t tell Amelia that. "So¡­ what''s on your mind?" Amelia asked. "Uh¡­. I''m not romantically interested anymore?" "Ah." Amelia looked away. The look on her face told Brandon that she seemed disheartened. As if the words he had said were meant for her as well. Brandon pressed further. There was no doubting it. This senior of his who was two years older, and his sister''s best-friend¡­.. She was developing feelings for him. It was obvious in in¨Csight. However, developing feelings, and actually bing in love were two different matters. For all he knew, it could''ve been infatuation. But he didn''t want to lose this chance. A chance to keep her close by his side. "In her." "Hm¡­?" Amelia abruptly flicked her head. Then, she asked. "In her?" "I said what I said." "What do you¡ª" "But there''s someone else I''ve begun to be interested in." "Ah¡­." Amelia looked away. Her face seemed to gradually turn red. ''Wow, how arrogant. I only said those words, and now she''s jumping to conclusions.'' But¡­.. ''She''s not wrong.'' All of a sudden, Brandon gently touched Amelia''s chin, turning her head for her eyes to meet his gaze. Then, he leaned close to her ear. "Hieee¡ª" Amelia yelped in shock and closed her eyes. Brandon whispered into her ear. "Can you guess?" Chapter 236: That Night [2] "Can you guess?" Hearing his voice, and all of his implications, Amelia found herself flustered. Really flustered. "I''ll give you two chances." Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! Her face felt hot and her heart was pounding. All of the sound seemed to have drowned from the tremors of her heartbeat. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! ''Guess¡­.'' She was no fool. It was tantly obvious, the way he was looking at her right now. The desire in his eyes. The same went for her. Her thoughts were empty, and she couldn''t deny the overwhelming feelings flooding her. She felt her body tense and shaking, and she couldn''t help but stare at only one specific spot. His lips. As if an invisible force was pulling her to press her own against his lips. However, she refrained from doing so. If Brandon was going to tease her like this, she had to y along. Gathering her thoughts, she responded, stammering. "I-is it a g-girl you''ve met r-recently¡­?" "Wrong." "...." "One more chance. I''ll give you a hint." "....!" All of a sudden, Brandon touched her shoulders and slowlyid her down on the couch. She didn''t resist and allowed him on top of her. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! Her heart pounded immensely. At this moment, she wanted to pull him close. Her eyes were fixed on the glistening of his lips, and seeing that the button on his top hade undone, Amelia swallowed and stared at his exposed corbone. Brandon lightly grabbed a strand of her blonde hair. "She has blonde hair. Kind of the same color as this." Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! Then, he brushed her bangs, revealing her smooth forehead. Amelia squinted her eyes closed. "On top of that, she''s beautiful." read more on NovelFiremp-yr Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! Once again, Brandon leaned close and whispered in her ear. Feeling the warmth of his breath tickle her ear, Amelia felt goosebumps all over. "Do you have any guesses now?" "Ah¡­." Yes, she could guess. It was obvious. Staring into his cold indifferent eyes, Amelia felt the rush of heat to her head. Her head was filled with all sorts of thoughts. As of the moment, she couldn''t think clearly at all. "I have a guess." "Hmm?" Amelia scruffed his cor and pulled him close. Their faces inched close. If either of them moved just a little bit, their lips would seal. "I should take this as a confession, right?" Amelia asked. "Who knows? I''ve never confirmed anything." Brandon responded with a sly smirk on his face. His confidence. His nonchnce. His demeanor. For Amelia, it ticked all the checks. "Do you want to know who I''m interested in?" Amelia suddenly spoke. She felt as if she was drunk on something. At the moment, she couldn''t contain herself. No filter. No control. "Who?" Brandon asked. Amelia extended her hand and held a strand of his hair, then responded. "He has white hair. Kind of long actually." "Long hair, huh? Shouldn''t he cut it¡­?" "No. I like it that way. Makes him seem even more attractive." "Then it seems like he''s never cutting his hair again. Brandon smiled. Then, she traced his neck, slowly moving down the buttons. "He''s wearing a cored shirt." Amelia started unbuttoning his shirt, revealing his bare chest. Then, her eyes shifted down. "And his hands seem to be touching my waist¡ªOh? It seems like he''s slowly moving down." "Ha." Brandon scoffed. "Do I have your permission?" Amelia raised her head and stared deep into his eyes. Her thoughts were all fuzzy. She couldn''t even feel embarrassed anymore. "You can do whatever you want." She stated. Her eyes seemed to spiral, and her face was flushing red with heat. Brandon''s face was inching closer. Amelia closed her eyes and braced herself. It was then. Creaaaaak¡­. A door creaked open, and they flicked their heads towards the direction. It was Aurelia''s room. "Bathroom¡­ Bathroom¡­" The little elven girl emerged from the dark room, mumbling ''bathroom''. Then, she paused and blinked her eyes. Amelia snapped out of her daze at that moment. "Ah¡­!" She pulled away from Brandon and sat up straight. Brandon¡ªwho sat beside her scoffed slightly. ''Does he have no shame?!'' She could admit they were equally to me. After all, they had seduced each other. However, Brandon seemed like he wasn''t flustered at all when Aurelia caught them. "Ah, Aurelia. Why are you up?" The little elven girl rubbed her eyes and blinked. It seemed like she didn''t see anything. ''Hopefully.'' "Bathroom." "Ah, okay." Amelia got up and walked towards the bathroom. Opening the door, she flicked the lights on. Aurelia was short, so she couldn''t turn the lights on by herself. Closing the door, and waiting for Aurelia to finish her business, Amelia turned her head and looked at Brandon. The mood was now awkward. After all, they seemed like they were about to do the deed. But was halted as if some deity out there put a stop to it. ''Haaa¡­ What the hell was that?! And in the living room?! I must be going crazy¡­!'' Amelia stumbled, covering her face. Peeking through her fingers, she looked at Brandon¡ªwho was looking back at her. There was a tentative silence that filled the room. However, unlike her, he waspletelyposed. Amelia frowned and puffed her cheeks. Creaaaak¡­. Then, Aurelia emerged from the bathroom. "All done?" "Un." Aurelia nodded her head. Her eyes were squinted. Most probably, she was still sleepy. She walked past Amelia and headed for her room. "Thank you." She voiced her appreciation. "Good night." And Amelia wished her a good night. nk¡ª! The door closed and Amelia headed for her own room. Before twisting the doorknob, she turned around slightly. "Uhm¡­ Do you want to stay in my room tonight?" "...." There was no response. Amelia fixed her attention towards Brandon. "Ah." He fell asleep. What sort of¡­. All of that, just for him to fall asleep in the end. "...." Amelia couldn''t help but massage her temple. Rubbing her shoulders, she realized how cold the room actually was. Heading inside Brandon''s room, she grabbed a nket from his bed. Approaching Brandon, whoid on the couch inside the living room, asleep, Amelia gently draped the nket all over him. "Hehe." She couldn''t help but chuckle, seeing the sight of his vulnerability. If earlier, he was leaking with appeal, now he was nothing but a teenage boy sleeping soundly. Realizing she should go to sleep herself, Amelia turned and walked away. "Nmmh¡­" "....!" However, she paused. Brandon held her hand. Amelia turned around, but she could see that his eyes were still shut close. But she could see the crease in his brows. As if he was ufortable. "Mom¡­. Dad¡­. Sis¡­.. Don''t go¡­." "...." Chapter 237: Pseudo Swordsmanship [1] The next day. Seated on a white stool, Brandon sipped on his coffee and turned his head at the door. Emerging from the door, which was slowly opening, was Amelia. There seemed to be bags in her eyes. Most probably, she hadn''t slept well. Putting the mug down, Brandon''s lips pulled up as he looked at Amelia. "Morning." ".....Morning." Amelia rubbed her eyes. "Have you had breakfast yet?" "Nope." Brandon shook his head and took another sip. Rubbing her eyes again, Amelia walked towards the kitchen. "I''ll cook something up. Anything you want...? Something that won''t take too much time. I have to leave in two hours." "It''s fine." "Hm?" "Sit down. I''ll do the cooking." Recalling the events ofst night, Brandon could only sigh. He had teased her too much. It must''ve been the reason why she had a hard time sleeping. However, it wasn''t without reason. Now he had finally confirmed Amelia''s feelings for him. She hadpletely opened herself up to him. "No, it''s okay." Amelia refused his offer. "Sit down." And Brandon refused her refusal. Amelia shook her head and massaged her neck. "Fine¡­. Thank you." "Mhm." Walking towards the kitchen, Brandon brought the kitchen pan and started cooking. Just a light breakfast. For him, Amelia, and Aurelia¡ªwho was still asleep. While cooking, he continued to ponder. He could openly admit to himself that he felt the same way. However, circumstances had made him indecisive to pursue those feelings. His heart wants what it wants. He had no control over it. But in a certain future, Amelia could be a potential enemy, given her connection to the Sovereign. That, or she would be a key to a certain something. Brandon just couldn''t shake off that feeling. It was for that reason that he needed to keep her close. To get her attached. But in the process¡­. ''It''s been getting harder to hold back these days¡­.'' His teenage hormones backfired against him. Having memories of all of the previous progressions, yet he still had no control over his hormones. ''Shame.'' If Aurelia hadn''t woken up, he would''ve made his move. ''Damn it, Aurelia.'' Amelia hadpletely surrendered herself to him. "Oh? Looks good." All of a sudden, Amelia''s voice reached his ears. Turning his head slightly, she appeared behind him, sping her hands behind her back and stared at the pan. "Yeah, you do." "Eh?" "I said, what are you doing here? Sit down." "I want to see you do your thing. Don''t mind me." "...." Amelia had seen him cook before during their journey. Yet for some reason, she still wanted to watch him again. ''Ah, she''s¡­.'' She wasn''t even focusing on his cooking. Brandon could feel her sneaking several nces. And so, Brandon paid no heed to her as he continued cooking. asionally, Amelia would lean close and scan his face. But seeing his expressionless reactions, she walked back towards the couch. Creaaaaak¡­. The door slowly opened, and the little elven girl emerged. "Morning." "Huaam¡­." She yawned. As if in a daze, she walked towards the couch, dragging a plush bear, andid down beside Amelia. Shortly after, Brandon finished cooking, and they ate their breakfast together. ¡­ Amelia was about to leave as she finished preparing. She bent down and tied her shoces. The auction wouldn''t start for another two weeks, so the Imperial Army could only wait until Brandon''s call came through. With such thoughts, Brandon asked. "What do you n on doing?" "Ah. I''m preparing for my admission in the academy. My first day''s actually scheduled next week." "I see." Though¡­ "Wasn''t it supposed to be pushed back after the operation." "Yes, it should''ve. But I pushed my admission ahead." "Why¡­? You might not be able to join the operation if the schedule interferes." "I will. Don''t worry. I just don''t want to be idle while we wait for the operation. I''d like to use all that spare time to train." Finishing thest shoce, Amelia slowly got up. "What about you? Are you training properly?" "Yeah." No. he wasn''t Not yet, at least. He was waiting for the perfect facility. The right time. And that time waster. "Ah, by the way. I forgot to mention. But we''ve been recently informed about Miss Evelyn''s whereabouts. Sir Bellion had told us to pass onto you this message." "Message?" "Field Marshal Evelyn Cessna will be joining your operation. Taking control of this ckmarket is the utmost priority. Something like that?" "I see. Actually, I''ve already stumbled upon her¡­." * Returning to the ckmarket, Brandon was called upon by Kael. He was to be debriefed on his duties and was informed of the auction hall''syout. Standing beside him were several other guards, who worked for the other heads. They too, were called upon by the heads they were assigned to. They were in some sort of training hall, isted from the public. Of course, the heads did not have a single guard. They had several of them. And so, the guards had all aligned themselves. There were a total of twenty elite guards. All on the fourth to fifth mana core tier. And by estimation, around the A- to S- ranks. Turning his head to the side, there, Brandon could see the familiar sight of the woman¨Cwho covered her features with a hood. In front of all the guards present, a man stood. It wasn''t the leader. But it was a person Brandon was familiar with. It was Zed. "I know we''ve specifically hand¨Cpicked all of you. However, training should not be neglected. We don''t know what might happen during the auction." After all, the ckmarket was awless ce. And though some of the heads were strong enough to be able to handle such a situation, it was better to have others do it for them. The auction would house the rarest of rarest of artifacts, and any other necessities. Once that the government had deemed it illegal, or lost throughout history. ''At least, that''s what it said in the auction''s general information.'' "This training hall has all you need to hone your strength." Brandon looked around. Indeed, there were several devices and dummies, as well as weapons to choose from, to assist their training. "In a few days, just for sport, we''ll be hosting a sparring session between all of you. Winner takes 30,000,000 credits up¨Cfront." That was 120 gold coins. A significant amount. Once again, Brandon turned his head slightly, looking at Evelyn. She seemed indifferent about everything. It didn''t seem like she wanted to participate at all. "Though all of you should learn to work together, regardless of thepetition. I advise you all to guide each other with areas you arecking." ''Good one.'' It was a specific request that Brandon had told Zed. After all, Zed had known about Evelyn''s identity. Though Evelyn didn''t actually know Brandon was in cahoots with Zed. The reaction would be pretty funny. Shortly after, the guards began their individual training. Chapter 238: Pseudo Swordsmanship [2] "Haah!" With all of the guards present, all of them seemed to be mages. It seemed like the only ones present with weapons were Brandon and Evelyn. Though they weren''t duelists at all. Evelyn was a mere pretender, and Brandon was just fixated on learning the sword. While the rest of the guards trained separately. Some even loitering around,pletely content with their current abilities. Brandon on the other hand, continuously swung his de forward. sh¡ª! He tried to get the timing right. Increasing the force of the swing, at the same time his foot stomps the ground. sh¡ª! Sweat trickled down his face with each swing. His clothes started sticking to his back. An hour passed. The heads had already left to go about their own business. It was time for lunch. For that reason, the guards left the private training grounds. Everyone except Brandon. And¡­. "What were you doing?" Evelyn. She approached him, lowering her hood. Brandon halted his movements and turned his head, acknowledging her presence. "Waiting for you. I had to do something. Else, I would''ve died from boredom." "Hah." She chuckled. "We can''t be too suspicious. If they see us suddenly be close, they''ll be suspicious. My reputation is kind of¡­. aloof?" "I see." Makes sense. Now that they were on the topic. "Actually¡­." Brandon leaned close and whispered in her ear. Evelyn''s eyes widened. "Really?!" "Mhm." "That''s such a coincidence¡­. Do you trust him?" "Yes. Just like us, he wants the syndicate to fall." Brandon paced himself and walked towards a more open area. Evelyn followed closely from behind. Since the two were the only ones who used weapons, it wouldn''t be weird if they got along. They just needed to make the pace more believable. "For now, let''s use wooden swords. Here." Evelyn tossed him a wooden sword and Brandon caught it with ease. "First, I need to assess where you stand. Remember, no magic." "Okay." Brandon nodded his head. The entire arrangement was ironic. The two were mages, and yet, they were having lessons about swordsmanship. Evelyn stood straight and extended her hand forward. The tip of the sword facing Brandon. "To be honest, you were the reason I decided to learn swordsmanship." "Me, huh." "I could tell how fixated you were, despite being a mage. I felt like I had let you down. For that reason, I wanted to increase my diversity when it came to teaching." "Fixation¡­." It was truly odd. His body, his memories, they were all Brandon Locke''s. And Brandon Locke was a mage. Not even thebat type of mage. Then was it¡­. ¡­.Because of his soul? Because he is Raven ckheart¡­? ''Probably.'' The body may not be the same. But the soul never forgets. Raven ckhearts were always meant to be duelists. "Show me what you got. Don''t hold back." Those words from Evelyn signaled the start of the spar. There was a sense of familiarity with their current exchange. They had done this a couple of times a year ago, back when Brandon was still a student of Astrea Academy. They would often spar. And Evelyn would help him control his mana more efficiently, even helping him control his deviant abilities. However, thetter was now useless. He was no longer a Deviant. Brandon kicked the ground and drew an arc with his sword. Thack¡ª! The wooden swords shed in that instant, and Brandon staggered back from the force. He kept going. Unleashing a flurry of swings, aimed to strike wherever he deemed Evelyn was open. However, she was quick to react in exchange. Thack! Thack! Thack¡ª! Swinging down forcefully, his sword was instantly repelled. And at that moment, the wooden sword broke in half. "Okay. I think that''s enough." Evelyn looked at her wooden sword. There were cracks all over, and the sword looked as though it was bent. It was no good. Thump! Tossing the sword to the side, Evelyn looked at Brandon. "You at least know the basics. Good. You must''ve read books about it." She started her evaluation. "However, books can only take you so far. I can see how technical your approach towards swordsmanship is. The way you move, looked so textbook. There''s no flexibility, or creativity in the way you fight." "...." "I''ve noticed you''ve had that problem as wellst year. Not with swordsmanship. But fighting in general. It''s as if you''re imagining an image of someone or something in your mind, and you seemed hell bent on bing an imitation of it." "...." He had no words¡­. He couldn''t fully refute her assessment of him. ''She''s right¡­.'' No matter how much he tried, he couldn''t erase the image of Jin''s fighting style, especially throughout all of the progressions. He was the strongest person he knew. Unconsciously, he was copying the way he fought. "Tsk." He clicked his tongue. ''He''s a failure¡­. So why am I¡­.'' Clicking his tongue once more, he raised his head, meeting Evelyn''s gaze. "Don''t be disheartened. Just like me, your body isn''t built to be a duelist." All of a sudden, Evelyn''s eyes began to glow a hollow color. "Since I needed a proper identity, I had to develop my own way of fighting, without relying too much on my affinity." Evelyn picked up another wooden sword, facing the tip forward. "I did study swordsmanship. Along with my knowledge, and a bit of creativity, I''vee to develop something for myself." "That is¡­?" "Well, it''s general knowledge that mages cannot ever be as physically strong as a duelist, right?" It was for that reason why most mages had never picked up the sword. "Yes." Brandon nodded his head. Evelyn continued. "Then I''ll show you what I''ve been working on for the past six months." Her brows suddenly knitted, and Evelyn fixed a battle stance. "Come." Listening to her provocation, Brandon picked up another wooden sword and positioned himself. Swoosh¡ª! All of a sudden, Evelyn disappeared from his peripheral view. Brandon kept his guard up and looked around, trying to trace her figure. ''Didn''t she say no mana¡­?'' Although despite hisint, he could tell Evelyn had not used mana at all. There were no traces of mana from where she once stood. "....!" Suddenly, Evelyn appeared right below him. The tip of her wooden sword aimed to thrust at his sternum. Having no time to react, Brandon only reacted as much as he could before the sword met his sternum. "Ukeh!" Too fast! He was caught off guard, causing him to let out a groan, feeling his rib crack a little. Staggering back and clutching his chest, Brandon started coughing. "Cough! Cough! What¡­ was that?" "I only said no magic for you." Then that meant, she was using magic. However¡­. "I couldn''t sense your mana though?" "Yes. This is the sole principle of my swordsmanship. Subtly using mana in bursts to assist and enhance our muscles." For that reason, they can enhance the speed and force of their attacks. "At the same time, it simultaneously trains your mana control efficiency." She had a point. Though mana was present inside everyone, the abundance was different. For that reason, not everyone chose to be mages. And unluckily born with a fragile body, they opted to be normal people instead. ''Skill issue.'' Is all he could say. Chapter 239: Pseudo Swordsmanship [3] "Pseudo Swordsmanship." It''s what Evelyn decided to call this new technique she had developed. "Come." Swoosh¡ª! Immediately, at her call, Brandon rushed towards her and thrusted the wooden sword forward. Twisting her body, Evelyn easily dodged his attack. "Do it in bursts. You''re still fully tempering your body with mana normally." Because of that, Evelyn could calcte the speed and force of his attack. The purpose of Pseudo Swordsmanship was for its unpredictability. With unpredictability, mages could bridge the gap between duelists when it came to closebat. Especially when it came to sword shes. Although there were hybrids. People who were born with both the abundance of mana, and a tempered body, could opt for either of the two paths. Or, they could choose to be hybrids. Such examples were Lucian Frost, and ire Victoria. Swoosh¡ª! Brandon began his attacks once again. Thack! Thack¡ª! Evelyn continued repelling his wooden sword with her own. "...." He was talented. Evelyn knew that. But clearly, he was having a hard time. "Okay stop. Let me give you a better example. Though I''ll warn you beforehand." At her words, Brandon clutched his sternum, then his abdomen. "It''s okay. I have a rough idea of what''s about to happen¡­.." "Mhm." Brandon took a step back and Evelyn fixed a stance. "Watch my sword closely." Raising the sword up, Evelyn kept a calm expression. "First, I''ll give you a demonstration from the side." Meeting his gaze for a brief second, it seemed like Brandon was watching intently. Nodding her head, Evelyn swung the sword down. Swoo¡ª! "...." "Did you see that?" "Yes." Brandon nodded and continued his assessment. "Right in the middle of your swing, the speed of the swing abruptly changed. It looked as if time had stopped for everything but the sword. And as if time resumed, the next second, the sword had been fully swung down." "Oh? That''s quite an evaluation." "I think I understand now, Evelyn." "It''s Miss." Then, Evelyn turned around and looked at him seriously. "Now, for an upfront demonstration." "...." Evelyn raised the sword up and spoke. "Try to block or dodge if you can. But only move through sheer reaction time." "Uh¡­. okay." "3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­" Evelyn swung her sword down at that moment. Thwack! "Ukh!" Unable to react in time, the sword bluntly struck Brandon''s head. Tilting her head, Evelyn asked. "You didn''t dodge?" Rubbing his head, Brandon responded. "I tried to focus on any variance, any traces of mana being used. But I couldn''t sense a thing. Since I used that as some sort of rm¡­. Yeah." "That''s the point." "I get it now." "Now try it on me." Brandon nodded his head at her words and neared her. Scanning his expression, Evelyn braced herself. Brandon was closing his eyes. Most probably, focusing on his mana control. At the moment, just like before, the main focus was mana control. Swordsmanship came after. "I''ll keep my eyes closed." Brandon stated, raising his sword up. "That''s fine." If it''d help him control his mana more by closing his sense of sight, then it was fine. ''There''s no point in me standing here then.'' Discreetly walking to her side, Evelyn crouched down, resting her head on her hand, and scanned Brandon¡ªwho''s eyes were closed. "I''m ready, Evelyn. 3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­" His sword swung down. Swoo¡ª! It wasn''t perfect. And Evelyn had still sensed a trace of mana. However, his efforts weremendable. Just the fact that he had seen her demonstration, was already enough for him to nearly aplish the task. "....So it''s a failure, huh? You were able to dodge it in the en¡ª" Brandon peered his eyes open. Realizing, Evelyn wasn''t in front of him, he looked to the side. "Oh. You cheated." "No?" Evelyn shook her head. "I dodged and sat here at the same time." "...." Their training continued from there. *** For the entire day, Brandon focused on controlling his mana temperament in bursts. It was the first assignment Evelyn had given him. He was given three days to perfect the technique. Gazing ahead, the sun was about to set. From time to time, the other guards returned and trained by themselves. There were asionalments. ¡ªHuh? Why is Evangel paying attention to that newbie? ¡ªDamn. Lucky. ¡ªShould we go teach him a lesson? Comments like those. Brandon could only sigh after overhearing it. Even when Evelyn was under a disguise, she couldn''t hide her well endowed body. For that reason, the guards must''ve been eyeing her out. ''A lesson, huh?'' He was looking forward to it. "I hope you''re not thinking what I''m thinking." Evelyn suddenly spoke. Wiping his sweat with a towel, Brandon brushed his hair back. His face glistened with sweat. He pursed his lips. "What do you mean¡­.?" "Don''t do it. It''ll raise suspicion, and they''ll rece the guards. It''s not worth it. We already have information on what they can do. If they were to be reced, we''d have to start from scratch." "Hmm¡­ you have a point." She did. However, a little scare wouldn''t hurt. Eventually, Brandon and Evelyn parted ways. The message had been passed to her. But still, she remained under no contact for the time being. Brandon was acting as the middleman. For reasons unknown, Evelyn refused to return to the surface. But Brandon didn''t question her. She must''ve been nning something. He was well aware of that fact. Guards and syndicate staff had ess to different kinds of portals that led to the ckmarket. After bing a guard, he was instantly promoted to White. For that reason, he had ess to his own personal portal. It was a ring. ''Haha.'' Brandon could tell. The technology behind the ring was way too advanced. Shiftporters could only mimic a percentage of what the ring could do. And shiftporters already needed a significant budget. Brandon walked ahead. "...." It was night, and intentionally, Brandon walked towards a more secluded part of the city. ''Three people.'' Three people were following him. Most likely, the other guards. However, Brandon could tell they were concealing their identities. It was an idiotic reason. If they were out to kill him, then it was betrayal to the syndicate. He was a guard assigned to a Twilight head, Kael. Killing him was treason. Regardless, Brandon''s lips pulled up. "Come." He whispered. Reaching a dead end, Brandon turned around. There, he could see three silhouettes wearing masks. One of the figures suddenly spoke. "You''ve purposefully led us here, correct?" "Guess you aren''t that dumb." "Then you probably know of our identities." "Maybe." Brandon shrugged his shoulders. "Guess we don''t have to exin ourselves. The figures walked forward in different directions. The man in the middle opened his mouth. "You seem to be getting along with Evangel." "What about it?" Brandon provoked him. "You jealous?" "Hah! Not at all. We''re tired of that bitch." "Hmm¡­" Now that was new. He had thought they were after him for some idiotic reasons. Ones simr to Adrien''s previous behavior in regards to beautiful women. However, it seemed like that wasn''t the case at all. "Wait." The man''s tone suddenly changed. As if he had realized something, he spouted. "Why don''t you join us, Moriarty?" Chapter 240: Setting the pieces [1] "Join you, huh¡­." Brandon nced down at the de on his hilt. Then, he looked at the hooded figures in front of him. He had to at least hear them out. But it''s not like he would change his mind after. Killing was out of the question. Their deaths would be detrimental to whatever Evelyn had nned. Secretly, he clenched his phone and clicked a button. Then, he gazed ahead. One of the men spoke up. "It''s not like we''re actually against her. But she''s the one we can''t convince." "....?" Brandon tilted his head. Several thoughts flooded his mind. He knew where this was going. "Since you''re new to the syndicate, we''ll give you a chance." The man''s expressions became serious. "You do know what will happen anyway, right?" "Most probably." The fact that he was being cornered¡­. He was given no choice. To eitherply with their demands, or be silenced. "So? What''s your cause¡­?" Brandon asked, pretending to lower his guard. The man turned and looked at hisrades. They all exchanged looks, smiles on their faces, and nodded to each other. Then, he went on to borate. "Can you see the potential profits we could reap off the auction?" Ah. So¡­. "You n on causing a ruckus, stealing the actual goods in the process." After all, the auction was an borate scam. The real goods were stowed away, only selling replicas. Typical auctions. "Bingo!" The man snapped his fingers. "Since you''ve figured that out, what do you say? It''s not just us. Don''t worry. The other guys are in on it as well." It was interesting. If Brandon had to be honest, he could admit they were partially on the same side. It wasn''t a bad offer. However, these guys¡­. ''Their methods. It''s too unrefined.'' There could even be potential leaks. With such thoughts, Brandon asked. "How sure are you that the other members won''t leak to the heads? Don''t you think there could be a traitor in your midst?" "We''ve been nning this for months. You''re still new, so you might be unaware of it. But the syndicate deals with traitors as soon as word gets out." "And none of you have been silenced?" "Exactly. If we had a traitor this whole time, we''d be dead by now." "You have a point." No, they didn''t. Even if that were the case, circumstances could vary. For all they knew, the syndicate was just waiting for the right time for them to be silenced. And knowing the informationwork that Zed had, most probably, they already knew. Meaning, joining their entire cause was a risk. If his participation is leaked, then¡­. "How confident are you that your n would even seed?" "I get it, I get it. You''re that type of guy. I don''t mind it. Overly cautious is a good trait. I like it." "Then¡­" "I can assure you that this n will work. We have a trump card." Interesting. This guy¡­. ''He''s a real idiot.'' "Trump card?" "I can''t show you since I don''t trust you. You haven''t even epted our offer yet." Slowly¡­ Brandon''s words seemed to be getting through to him. At first, they had cornered him, giving him no leeway to reject. And now, they revealed several key pieces of information. "So if I join your cause right now, are you willing to show this trump card of yours?" "Don''t push your buttons. The way you''re acting right now, it makes you suspicious, you know?" "And that''s the sort of person you need, no?" Brandon gave him a confident smile. "Exactly." The man nodded his head and massaged his temple. Meeting his gaze, Brandon asked. "Codename?" "Link." A decisive answer. "I take it this is your response?" "Maybe." Brandon couldn''t specifically state his eptance. After all, they could have recording devices. It could be used against him, pushing down any sorts of excuses. Just like they said, the syndicate doesn''t treat traitors kindly. Even a single hint of betrayal was detrimental. Most probably, they wouldn''t even give him a chance to exin himself. Zed couldn''t back his ims. It would only serve to harm Zed''s status in the syndicate. Although they seemed to be on the same side¡­. ''Their ns go against mine.'' Not exactly, but Brandon didn''t want to handle too many unpredictable variables. Brandon looked ahead. There, on a rooftop, he could see the reflection of light. ''Good.'' He had a certain habit that arose after the entire Lumian incident. His right arm. It felt itchy. As well as his fingers. Often, he would crack the knuckles on his right arm. It had be an unconscious habit at this point. And for some reason, it seemed to trigger something inside his thoughts. Crack¡ª! He cracked his index finger. Then¡­ Bang! A loud banging sound echoed from a distance. "Ukh!" "What?!" "Get down!" Something pierced through Link''s shoulder, and blood sttered on the ground. Clenching his shoulder, Link immediately moved away and hid behind one of the waste containers. They were under attack. "It''s a sniper!" The men immediately dispersed, alerted by the sudden attack, and hid behind any cover they could find. *** After freshening up, Amelia left the bathroom and walked towards the kitchen. Twisting the stic bottle lid, Amelia was about to chug down the water when her phone suddenly vibrated inside her pocket. Retrieving her phone, Amelia opened the screen and notifications alerted. ¡ªCome. It was from Brandon. Amelia''s brows raised and immediately chugged down the water. Wiping her lips, she peered her eyes open and scanned. The only message was ''Come.'' However, there was a specific location sent. Curious, Amelia clicked the location banner. "Ah." There was a red dot that moved, and there seemed to be a pin that said, ''Brandon.'' It was a tracker. "When did he install this app¡­." However, Amelia immediately knew what the message was for. Just from how concise the message was, she surmised that he was in trouble. With such thoughts, Amelia immediately headed for her room and changed her outfit. Donning a ck zer, and a ck hat, Amelia wore a full ck attire. Since it was night, she had thought it was good camouge. "Aurelia, I''ll be back in a bit." "Un." Letting Aurelia know of her departure, Amelia quickly left the apartment and scanned the location. Brandon wasn''t that far. Tempering her legs with mana, Amelia quickly rushed the bustling streets. Scanning her phone, another message was sent. ¡ªSniper. "Okay." Amelia nodded and continued running. It took her about fifteen minutes. Realizing Brandon was close by, Amelia rushed towards a secluded alleyway. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her legs with even more mana and jumped, using the close walls of the alleyway as her steps to quickly arrive on the rooftop. Getting into position, Amelia scanned. There, she could see Brandon walking towards another alleyway that was in front of the building she was on top of. "...." After a few seconds, she could see three men entering the alleyway. They seemed to have been following Brandon. "I see." She understood her task. Extending her hand, and waving it, as if she was tracing the air, a sniper rifle materialized in her hand and Amelia clutched it. She got into position. Scanning through the sniper''s sight, she could see that Brandon had reached a dead end, and the men had revealed themselves to him. They seemed to have engaged in conversation. And so, Amelia waited for the signal. Though the alleyway was secluded, Amelia had positioned herself perfectly to scan the entire alleyway. She was high above. Minutes passed. There were no subtle changes in Brandon''s movements. But as she waited further, Brandon raised his arms close to his face and cracked his index finger. It was a habit Amelia hade to notice. And that habit¡­. "The signal¡­." After all, it was subtle, but she had met Brandon''s gaze. With such thoughts, Amelia settled her finger on the trigger. Positioning the reticle correctly, Amelia focused her aim. She knew Brandon was strong. Most probably, he could even deal with the men that had cornered him. But for some reason, he didn''t lift a finger against them. Most probably, he didn''t want them to die. She just needed to do her job. And so, she clicked the trigger. Bang¡ª! Chapter 241: Setting the pieces [2] It was her railgun. But condensing the mana, she could make the bullets smaller. Bang! Commotion arose from outside the alleyway. But Brandon was counting on that. Looking at where Amelia was positioned, their gazes met for a brief second and Brandon shed a wink. Due to the distance, he could barely see the expressions Amelia was making. But as Brandon pointed at his shoulder, Amelia leaned close towards the sight. Bang! "Ukh!" Pretending to find cover, a bullet pierced right through his shoulder and he let out a sharp groan. "Fuck." "Does anyone know who the assant is?" Link and the rest of the men began to panic. Letting out a cough and hiding behind cover, Brandon dropped a bombshell. "The Imperial Army." "What?!" Immediately, they all turned to look at him with wide eyes. "How did one end up here?" "Link¡­ this is bad!" "At least we''re wearing masks." Unlike the rest of hisckeys, Link remained calm. "Let''s get out of here. The sniper seems to be wary of us." "Yeah, before reinforcements arrive." With such thoughts, Link waved his hand towards Amelia''s direction. Brandon found himself curious of what Link was about to do. Evelyn seemed to know all of the guards'' abilities. However, she had never told him of it yet. All of a sudden, mana began to gather around Link''s hand, and a magic circle materialized. Cr¡­ Crack! Simultaneously, the light of the bullets pierced through as an ice wall materialized. The wall shook for a brief moment as cial shards spread on the ground. One of the men left his cover and lifted his hand up. "Aqua!" He called out and another man lifted his hand. A magic circle materialized in front of Aqua''s palms. "Infernis!" "Got it." At that, the two rippled out their magic at the same time. mes escaped the magic circle in front of Infernis, and water rushed out of Aqua''s. The two elements coalesced together, canceling each other out, creating smoke. Smoke filled the entire alleyway. It was a smoke screen. Bang! Bang! Bullets pierced through the ice wall. But due to the vision being obscured, itnded on no one. "Let''s go!" At his call, the group immediately rushed towards Brandon. "Moriarty, can you move?" ".....Yeah." Brandon gradually stood up with a pained expression. The group turned towards the dead end. "Stand back." At Link''s call, they stood behind him as he lifted his hand forward. Mana once again gathered around his palms and an ice spike lunged forward,pletely shattering the wall. Boom¡ª! The vicinity shook for a few seconds. Rock dust mixed with the smoke, obscuring the entire vicinity. As the smoke cleared, a gaping hole on the wall revealed itself. Nodding to each other, they escaped the alleyway through the gaping hole. Turning his head slightly, Brandon smirked and thought to himself. ''Good job.'' Running through the alleyway, they made it to the other side of the streets. Lamp posts filled the vicinity, and the pedestrians looked at them with shocked and confused expressions. But since they were all wearing masks, it didn''t bother them. At that, they continued running, paying no heed to everyone around them. Time passed. By then, it was around 1:00 PM. After escaping the peering eyes of everyone, they gathered at a secluded part of the city. The slums. Though it was possible to stay in the ckmarket, they decided not to do so. "Haa¡­. H-haaa¡­." "Haa¡­. That¡­. Haaa¡­. Was a disaster." "Fuck, who''s idea was this again?" Aqua and Infernis turned their heads to look at Link and frowned. Motioning his hand, Link assured. "Calm down, calm down. This was out of our expectations." "Yeah, whatever." Aqua spat out and stood straight, leaning on the wall. "Thatmotion would cause panic. It wouldn''t be surprising if it gets on the news. Good going, Link." "Fuck off." Link waved him off. "Whatever, so¡­?" He looked at Brandon. "We''re all in this together now. There''s no reason for you to refuse." "Sure." "This wouldn''t have happened had you epted it on the spot." "Can you me me?" "Guess not." Link shook his head. "Since we''re probably in the clear, guess we should separate here. Be sure to leave one¨Cby¨Cone so we aren''t too suspicious." Shortly after, the group did just that. Leaving one¨Cby¨Cone in different directions. *** Returning to the apartment, Amelia immediately walked towards the couch and slumped down. She was exhausted. It seemed like she hadn''t done much, but the control it took to make the bullets smaller, and to lower the sound of the railgun had taken a toll on her. Regardless, it was still loud. "Haaa¡­. I should work on my mana control more." After all, despite her abilities, she was still a duelist. Mana control was harder for them. Realizing she hadn''t turned on the living room''s cooler, she unbuttoned her vest. It was hot. Sweat trickled down her forehead and Amelia sighed. It was 12:38 AM currently, though she had to wake up early to prepare for tomorrow, she decided to wait for Brandon. He had some exining to do. And after waiting for a while, the man she was expecting arrived. The door¨Cknob twisted for a bit, the sound of keys rattling echoed. Creaaaak¡­. The door opened gradually and a man wearing a long sleeved white cored shirt emerged, wearing his usual ck framed sunsses. It was Brandon. Realizing she was still awake, Brandon''s brows raised. But he fixed his expressions and approached her. Standing tall and looking down at her, he opened his mouth. "Thanks for the help." "You''re wee." Sitting next to her, Brandon scruffed his cor. "It''s hot." Without responding, Amelia inched close and grabbed his ck tie. "What are you¡ª" Pulling his tie, Brandon''s face neared her. "Now exin." Brandon seemed startled for a bit. But then, he went on to exin. Amelia listened attentively, and took in his exnations appropriately. "I see. It couldn''t be helped then." "You were pretty cool." "Wasn''t I?" Amelia smirked. Then, she looked at the hole on his shoulder where blood had stained his clothes. Noticing her gaze, Brandon covered his shoulder. "It''s nothing. I asked you to do it for me anyway. It served as a good alibi. Now, they won''t be suspicious of me anymore." After all, he was the only one injured out of the group. All of a sudden, Amelia pushed him down the couch and got on top of him. "Hey¡ªUh?" "You''re crazy for that¡­.." "Yet you''re on top of me." "I guess I''m crazy too." "That doesn''t make any sense." "Neither do you." "Ha." Brandon scoffed and pulled her close. On top of him, he embraced her as sheid on his chest. Amelia pursed her lips and rxed her muscles. "You''re tired, aren''t you?" "For two hundred something years, yes." "That doesn''t make any sense." "You don''t make any sense." Wrapping his arm around her, and covering his eyes with his other arm, Brandon stayed silent. The two stayed like that for a few minutes as silence filled the room. The first one to have broken the silence as Amelia as she went on to say, "How are you feeling?" "I could stay like this forever." "Let me turn on the cooler first." Amelia tried to move, but Brandon''s arm around her tightened. "No." "But it''s hot¡­?" "It is." "...." Several thoughts flooded Amelia''s mind. "You know what? It is kind of hot." Brandon removed his arm around her for a moment. Amelia got up slightly and allowed him to unbutton his shirt. His chest wasid bare for her to see. Light reflected and glistened his chest. Feeling bashful at the sight, Amelia stammered. "I¡­ I should turn on the cooler." However, as she tried to get up, Brandon grabbed her arm. "Don''t." "You''re being weird." "The heat is nice." Brandonughed to himself and covered his eyes. Although Amelia really was feeling quite bold, she looked away and felt the heat rush to her face. Brandon''s eye peered open, ncing below his arm while Amelia was still looking away. "We should sleep." "We should¡ªAh." All of a sudden, Brandon pulled her close and Ameliaid on his chest. Once again, wrapping his arm around her, Amelia rxed her tense muscles. Feeling his bare skin touch hers, Amelia somehow felt at peace. But shortly after¡­. "Huuu¡­." Brandon started snoring. "...." ''Again?'' Seriously? She was feeling bashful as she bit her lip. However, she didn''t pull away and closed her eyes. Suddenly, she felt his hand go lower down her waist. "Ah." He was awake. "You''re such a tease." However, she allowed him. She was aware of her feelings for him, and she could surmise that he felt the same way about her. No certain vows were exchanged between the two. With his hand on her waist, Amelia closed her eyes. She knew he was exhausted, and so she didn''t press him further. Shortly after, the two slept. Actually sleeping. Chapter 242: Setting the pieces [3] Whenever he slept, the same dreams haunted him. Dreams of every progression that the other Brandon had experienced. From the time of his birth, when past memories hadn''t flooded yet. To when he had fully manifested his curse affinity and the memories had finally surfaced. It was the same throughout every dream. As if Brandon was experiencing the progressions himself. At first, it felt as if his memories were locked, like trudging every experience he had until he had turned ten years old. As soon as he turned ten, and the curse affinity manifested, Brandon saw everything. Akin to a fever dream, the entire progression shed before his eyes. And in every progression, Jin¡­. Or rather, Raven had always found him. ¡ªMom! Spurt! ¡ªDad! Boom¡ª! ¡ªSis! sh¡ª! He had witnessed their deaths. ¡ªUkh! And he too, had died. Then¡­. Another reset. His memory waspletely wiped of it. The scenery shifted. It was now most probably, the second progression. His childhood shed before his eyes. Once again, by the time he turned ten, he had seen all of it. And as his entire lifespan of the second progression flooded his thoughts¡­. ¡ªAkh! He had died once again. It repeated. ¡ªPlease! Again. ¡ªRaven, please save them! Boom¡ª! And again. ¡ªBinding vow! And again. ¡ªSis, don''t go. Just stay here, please! And again. He had felt the other Brandon''s desperation. His struggles. His sorrows. His pain. Every heavy emotion that had gripped his heart, tearing it apart¡­. Tearing him apart. And in one of the regressions. ¡ªWhat''s the fucking point. ¡ªI''m powerless. ¡ªI can''t save them. ¡ªSo many fucking tries, and yet it all ends up the same. Every method he had done, trying to make things different. ¡ªIt''s all the fucking same! ¡ªAh. Even they¡­.. They''ve given up. Spurt! And yet again, he had ended up the same way as his family. Dead. Another one. ¡ªI''m tired. ¡ªI''m useless. ¡ªI should just die. ¡ªAt least that''s the difference I''ll make. As soon as he received the memories¡­.. ¡ª..... .¡­.He offed himself. Then again, another progression. ¡ªUseless, useless, useless. ¡ªYet I''m a fucking pussy¡­.. Why do I even keep trying? Despite giving up, he couldn''t find the courage to stop transferring his memories to his ten year old self. Throughout every progression, slowly, he had started feeling numb to the feeling. Towards everyone, everything. ¡ªAh, a way for me to pass the torch? ¡ªA version of you, huh? ¡ªI''m tired anyway. ¡ªIt''ll take a couple hundred more, huh? And a few more progressions passed. ¡ªAh. Haha. ¡ªSo it was them this whole time. ¡ªThey had given up trying to save my family. Brandon could feel all the sorrowful thoughts that echoed within his mind. ¡ªThat makes them responsible for their deaths. ¡ªThey killed them. ¡ªThe blood is on their hands. He was insane, shifting the me onto others. Those schemes¡­.. They were never even schemes at all. Just that, Brandon Locke had gaslighted himself that Raven should shoulder the me. ¡ªThey tricked me. ¡ªNo, I fell for their tricks. ¡ªNo, there were no tricks. ¡ªNo, they tricked me. It was his own experiences that had pushed him past the point of no return. And in a different progression before he started scheming, preparing certain vows for the current progression¡­. ¡ªHey. You can see this can''t you? ¡ªYou''ve probably taken over my body, right? Yeah. I can see myself agreeing to their proposal soon. ¡ªIn the future, I n on making a vow that lets me stay dormant inside my own body. ¡ªWhatever my future self tells you, I hope you take it as a grain of salt. ¡ªAnyway, let me tell you onest thing before I lose all sense of rationality. Hisst words¡­. ¡ªGive up. But that begs the question. "Mori?" What was he offering in exchange for such binding vows? ".....His soul." "Hey¡­.?" Throughout every progression, he had been sacrificing fragments of his soul. In the end, he became nothing but a hollow shell. And for hisst performance¡­. "To look for me." He whispered. "To take my soul and blend it with his." "Mori¡­.?" As soon as he received Brandon Locke''s memories, he had seen all of these memories flood his thoughts like a fever dream. And everyday, he would always ponder on them. "Mori¡­." Even haunting him in his sleep. And everyday, he would find himself in a daze as he pondered on the thoughts. Everyday he would always wonder to himself. ''Who truly are my enemies?'' It could''ve been Jin¡­. Ciel¡­. Or even¡­.. ''Brandon Locke himself.'' It was all too convoluted. Everyone had their own agendas to fulfill, a sh of ideals that differed from his. Regardless, he had made up his mind. To go against the ones who had failed. To make a difference. "Uh¡­.?" To aplish what they had failed to do. To stop the world from copsing. Not out of heroism, nor out of patriotic ideals. Simply, just for his own survival. He had been thrusted into this world out of his own volition. A world that was doomed to copse. Nobody would me for such a simplistic goal. And if he had the power to save the people he had formed bonds with, then it was for the better. It was his life from now on. ''And if I were to get my hands dirty, then it''s a small price to pay.'' But those memories¡­. They weren''t his, and yet, ''It hurts.'' He had felt mncholic about the entire ordeal. "Annoying." Is all he could say. "Mori!" "Ah?" He was snapped out of these thoughts as a voice called out to him. Raising his head to meet Evelyn''s gaze¡ªwho stood in front of him, he massaged his temple. "Annoying?" "Hm?" "What''s annoying¡­.?" "Life." "...." In the past few days, Brandon had started learning swordsmanship from Evelyn. He had nearly mastered the previous technique Evelyn had taught him. In three days, the auction would start. At the moment, it was dusk. The other guards had already left. ''Not like there were a lot that trained to begin with.'' It was only asional, but either one or two would stop by to quickly let off some steam, letting their magic out. Most of the time, Brandon could notice res Evelyn''s way. But as for him, they had ignored him. After all, he was now a part of their cause. "Again." At Evelyn''s instructions, Brandon rushed towards her and swung the wooden sword. Thack! The swords shed and a loud banging sound echoed throughout the entire training hall. As soon as the swords met, Brandon immediately poured mana into the sword and shifted it to the side. Ducking down, the air rippled and he felt Evelyn''s de on the strand of his hair, narrowly missing. However, her attack abruptly stopped right on the top of his head. "Ah¡ªUkeh!" The wooden sword forcefully struck his head and Brandon let out a pained groan. Rubbing his head, he went on to say, ".....Ouch." "Your fault for losing focus." "Haha." Heughed to himself. If he had to be honest, this psuedo swordsmanship of Evelyn''s¡­. There was nothing special about it. It relied on feints and misdirection. And that was what Evelyn did. It was a technique she had taught him. To make it seem like she had exerted enough force, just for her to halt her attack and change the trajectory with its speed assisted by subtly pouring mana and dismantling the said mana. Just like that, it was hard to guess just how strong, or how fast the attack would be once it was actually upon you. However, it was the perfect swordsmanship for him. Tricks and feints were all he could do to match with actual duelists with real experience. The only reason he was even able to match Lumian was because he had yed it safe, and of the sacrifices in exchange for a temporary surge of power. However, he knew he couldn''t rely on those sacrifices in the future. There was only so much of himself that he could lose. "Let''s stop here. Make sure you keep practicing your control. You''ve improved tremendously in a week. If you keep up that pace, not just your strength, but your overall mana output would have quite a boost." It was true. He felt his overall constitution rise. In the A ranks, it was hard to progress his status. This was especially so, as most mages and duelists had been capped at the A tier. And it was even harder to progress in theter stages. The S category. Evelyn herself was an anomaly amongst mages, one of the youngest to have reached SS- at only 24 years¨Cold. After bidding their farewells, Evelyn went ahead and left before him. Brandon turned around slightly, and the familiar sight of the system appeared before him. ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: A ¡ª[23%] ¨N MP: S ¡ª[11%] ¨N DEF: B ¡ª[55%] ¨N AGI: A- ¡ª[12%] ¨N INT: S- ¡ª[66%] ¨N CHA: SS ¡ª[77%] [AVG: A] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Of course, [CHARISMA] wasn''t part of the weighted average. He had felt it. Soon, he was about to break into the A+ ranks. A pseudo rank of the S- ranking. All of that aside, Brandon continued training. By the end, it was already night. Sweat trickled down his cheek as he continued his training, taking in the mana around him, and subtly pouring it into his sword, dispersing it in a fraction of a second. All of a sudden, he was halted in his training as he felt someone''s presenceing from behind. Turning around, what greeted his sight was the familiar sight of the man who seemed to have just entered the training hall. "Zed." "Yo, traitor." Chapter 243: Setting the pieces [4] "Yo, traitor." "Ha." Brandon scoffed and met Zed''s gaze. "Everything ready on your side?" "Yeah, and good work on that recording you''ve sent. The other heads checked the files, and concluded it wasn''t tampered with." "Did you expect any less?" "Nah." Zed shook his head. He looked around the training hall. It was dark, but the moonlight shimmered down from the windows above. Eventually, his gaze lingered on Brandon as he went on to say, "So? Are you ready¡­.?" "Yeah, I''ve finished everything on my side, you?" "About done as well. If this n of yours goes ordingly, then we might reap control over the syndicate and the entire ckmarket." Tic. A metallic sound rang from behind, followed by an audible gasp. Brandon didn''t turn around, but Zed''s eyes flickered momentarily towards a certain corner. Without looking at Brandon, Zed asked. "Friend of yours?" "Maybe." "You''re quite sly for this." At Zed''s words, Brandon shrugged his shoulders. "Mori¡­ Ah¡ªSir Smith." Link slowly walked towards them, Brandon turned around slightly and noticed the look of disbelief in his face. "....Sir Smith. I don''t think I''ve misheard. Does this mean you''re on our side?" "...." However, Zed didn''t respond to his question and only looked at him. Startled by the silence, the pale expression on Link''s face told Brandon that Link wanted to run. "Yeah, he''s on our side." Brandon spoke for Zed. Link''s brows raised and the life in his eyes returned. "Ah. This is great!" Then, Link looked at Brandon who''s back was turned towards him. "This is the reason you called me, Mori?" "Yes." Brandon scoffed. Turning around, his lips curled into a grin. "He''s on our side. But the thing is¡­." "Akh!" "You are not regarded as ''our''." As soon as those words left Brandon''s mouth, he cracked his index finger. All of a sudden, threads manifested themselves, filling the entire vicinity as they tightly wrapped around Aqua''s neck, legs, and shoulders. Clutching the threads on his neck, Link tried to break free, pulling the threads away but it was futile. "Fuck¡ªKh! You two are¡ªKh! Traitors!" "Kind of ironicing from you." Brandon walked towards him and cocked his head. "They''ll know about this! The heads won''t take lightly once they find out I''m dead¡­.!" "Why wouldn''t they?" "Because¡­." Just as Link was about to speak, Brandon retrieved his phone from his pocket and showed it to him. Clicking the y button, the audio recording yed for Link to hear. It was during their confrontation in the alleyway while they were trying to recruit Brandon. "...." The exact dialogues and themotion that urred during the sniper attack. It was all yed out for Link to hear. "That recording Sir Zed mentioned¡­. You¡­. You recorded us the whole time!" "Uh, yeah?" It was for that reason why Brandon was reluctant to specifically voice out his eptance towards their recruitment. It could''ve been used against him, regardless of whatever strings Zed may pull. "But why! We''re supposed to be on the same side." Then, his gaze lingered on Zed as he continued. "You''re a traitor, aren''t you? So are we¡­ So why¡ªKh!" The threads around his neck tightened even more, halting his words as blood started trickling down. Brandon remained indifferent as he opened his mouth to speak. "You are a means to an end. All of you." "Fuck you¡ªUkh!" Thump! Those were thest words that escaped Link''s mouth as his head toppled on the ground. Blood gushed out from his exposed neck, sttering all over the ground, and staining Brandon''s face. "No remorse?" "Nah." Brandon wiped the blood stain on his check and turned around. Meeting Zed''s gaze, he pursed his lips. "Is this good enough?" "Yeah. You''ve passed." The main reason why Zed was here was because he was tasked to supervise the current ordeal. A task that was given to him appropriately as the highest ranking head. And for Brandon, since the leak came from him, he was instructed to confirm his alignment. Killing whoever was deemed a higher¨Cup in whatever stupid revolution the guards had plotted was enough, especially with Zed''s testament. Regardless if Link was a higher¨Cup or not, it didn''t matter. Their ns were leaked, and it was all due to Brandon. A snitch if they want to call it. And with that, he had now captured the attention of all the heads, slowly receiving their trust. "So, what now?" "We wait for the auction." *** Inside the meeting room. Twilight Syndicate. Arge round table sat in the center, made of polished mahogany. Eight figures sat in high-backed chairs around it with their faces hidden in shadows. They were the syndicate heads. They focused on the table, where papers and documentsy scattered. The walls were lined with dark wood. Tick. Tock¡ª A single clock ticked quietly in the background. The air was thick with anticipation as silence filled the room. The first one to have broken the silence was the man who sat in the middle. The one deemed as the leader of the entire syndicate. The man behind it all. Lancelott. "How are the preparations?" "There seems to be no issue, Sir Lancelott. The products are all ready, and the invitations have been appropriately sent to the big names of the ckmarket." "Good." Lancelott nodded his head. "Now onto the main topic." At that, the other heads looked at each other as they all nodded in agreement. Then, one of them spoke. It was Kael. "Though there are no issues in regards to the actual event. The guards are without a doubt, all colluding against us." "Ha. What a bunch of idiots." The heads went on with their discussions. Lancelott and Zedd stayed quiet as they listened to their exchange. "Good thing their ns were leaked. Honestly, after working for us this whole time, none of them were even loyal to us?" "Indeed. It''s quite ironic that a newbie is the main reason for the leak." "Well, it''s not just him. There seems to be another one who was aware of it, yet for some reason she stayed silent about it." "Evangel, huh?" "Yes, her. Although it''s quite understandable. She''s a quiet one after all." Then, they all turned to look at Zed and asked. "Sir Zed. Did she really not tell you anything?" After all, Evangel was specifically recruited by Zed, and was assigned as his guard. "No." Zed shook his head. "But it all boiled down to our agendas. If she yed her cards wrongly, then we''d have no choice but to silence her." "True. But still, she could''ve told you something. You could testify that she wasn''t involved, no?" "Right. But I''ve spoken to her about it once the leak happened. She had her reasons." "Reasons being¡­?" At that, Zed started recalling her words. As soon as he gathered his thoughts, he continued. "She had nned on stopping it herself. Quitemendable how she didn''t trouble us with the matter." "Still, the matter is of grave importance." "Agreed. But you do realize our policy?" "....." "....." "....." "....." There were no words exchanged as realization dawned upon them. Zed continued for them. "Secrecy. Although it was against us, it wasn''t her fault. After all, they''re nothing but mercenaries we had personally hired." "That makes her even more suspicious." "This entire room is filled with suspicious individuals." "Haha." And they allughed in unison. But their joyfulughter was broken from the sound of Lancelott drumming his fingers on the table. It was his turn to speak. "Kael." At his words, Kael looked at him. "Zed." And so did Zed. "I''ll be taking those two off your hands. Evangel and what was his name¡­?" "Moriarty." "Right. From now on, they''ll be guarding for me during the auction." "Ah¡­ But¡­." Kael seemed reluctant to let go of Moriarty. After all, he was the main star of the entire leak. He was a talent, and Kael didn''t want to let go of him. However, Zed had thought differently as he spoke with no hesitation. "Understood." Seeing how easily Zed had epted it, Kael had no choice as he went on to say, ".....Understood." Chapter 244: Setting the pieces [5] After the meeting was adjourned, all the other heads left, leaving Zed and Lancelott in the room. Lancelott sat in his usual seat, as Zed sat a few rows to the side. Looking at Lancelott, Zed broke the silence. "So? When are you nning on dispatching our traitors?" "Haven''t you already done that?" "Ah." Of course he knew. The two were long time friends. Even he knew most of Lancelott''s tendencies. "Just give them a little scare. Kill off a few. They''ll realize someone is onto them, but we won''t give them any confirmation that we know." Then, Lancelott raised his head, meeting Zed''s gaze. With a cold expression, he spoke indifferently. "But you''ve already done that, haven''t you?" "You know me well. I''ve put Moriarty to work. He should be done by now." And the first topic ended there. Shifting to the next topic, Zed carefully looked at the keen expression on Lancelott''s face as he went on to say, "That aside, any reason why you wanted Evangel? I can understand Moriarty, but for the former¡­." Hearing his words, Lancelott''s eyes momentarily flicked towards his direction as his fingers drummed the table. Then, he opened his mouth. "She''s interesting. It''s like she''s here for no reason, no aspirations, no goals, simply just here." "Then¡­." "She''s a nk canvas." "Ah." Realization dawned upon Zed as he heard those words from Lancelott. Evangel. Or rather, Evelyn Cessna had sessfully created a new identity. One that Lancelott had found to his taste. An aloof individual with mysteries surrounding them. Someone that isn''t a ''yes'' man. The kind of traits Lancelott seemed to be looking for. Zed had been aware of this for a long time. It was for that reason why they had been best¨Cfriends ever since meeting each other. Most people would be intimidated by Lancelott, which is why he had only regarded Zed as his only friend. For reasons unknown, Lancelott had never changed his ways and had never formed close ties with the other heads. While all the heads grew up together, Zed and Lancelott had always seen them asckeys. A thought suddenly surfaced in Zed''s mind and he secretly clenched his fist. His family''s demise. All because of the syndicate''s actions under Lancelott''s instructions. Even if Lancelott hadn''t known about Zed''s family, the deed was done. At the time, he had already distanced himself from the syndicate after they started engaging in illegal business. Yet regardless, his past had followed him. Then, he was broken out of his thoughts as Zed''s voice reached his ears. "For that Moriarty guy, well¡­ I wasn''t really interested in him at first. But I heard he was the only Evangel often talked to." "Yeah." "Mhm. Which is why I want to see him for myself. Just what kind of person had caught her attention?" Listening to Lancelott''s words, it sounded as if he was in love or something¡­. How peculiar. The only times Lancelott had met her was whenever Zed brought her. And during those times, Evangel had always stayed silent. "But there''s another reason." Hearing his next words, Zed felt a chill down his spine. "She''s hiding her strength. I can''t exactly estimate how strong she is, but I could make a guess she''s stronger than all the headsbined. Even stronger than you, Zed." "...." He noticed. However, Zed didn''t show his shock in his expressions as he went on to say, "I know. But I can assure you that she''s been loyal to me this whole time, neverining and all." "Good." Zed nodded his head. The two continued their discussions for the next few minutes or so until Zed was dismissed. Staring at the closing door, Lancelott leaned back on his seat and gazed up the ceiling. "Haaa¡­." Letting out a deep sigh and covering his eye with his arm, he began to ponder. The auction. Truth be told, the actual event wasn''t important to him at all. What mattered the most were the specific guests he had invited. One of the natives of the continent he had belonged to, and a high ranking member of their military brigade. The auction''s main purpose was to gather all the big names of the ck market in one ce to shift their allegiance to the Milis continent, swaying and bribing them with Milis technology. After all, only so many people would partake in war. Which is why they needed to be convinced, to be assured that they would emerge victorious in the war. Standing up, Lancelot was just about to leave until he noticed there was something missing from his pocket. "....." After looking around, he picked it up from the ground and sighed in relief. "Haaa¡­." It was a pocket watch. Click¡ª It was a pocket watch. Clicking it open, inside the pocket watch, there was a small photograph of a young boy and girl¡ªwho was taller than the former. It was his sister, and the boy was him. The same sister he had never seen in more than twenty years. Feeling mncholic, he whispered. "Just a bit more, sis. Then I can finally go back home." *** "H-haaa¡­." With bated breaths, Aqua sprinted all over the ckmarket. It was night. And so, the streets were quite empty. He had to get away. "Someone, help!" He screamed. Yet, it was useless. The ck market waswless and had almost no regtions. It was a dog eat dog world. And so, whoever had seen him, heard him, they chose to ignore, afraid of getting involved. "Fuck! Please¡­.!" The man who was chasing him. He was well aware of who it was. Moriarty. The person he had now regretted recruiting along with histe friends. Infernis and Link. They were both dead. Killed by the same man who was hunting him. It made no sense. He knew Moriarty was about the same strength as them. Yet for some reason, in each turn, they just couldn''t touch him. As if everything had been specifically curated to work in his favor. But what he had found outrageous was the fact that he had never used magic. Just his sword. And that sword¡­. They couldn''t predict it. He had never faced a duelist with that kind of technique before. And due to that, his two friends were killed. There was no use in fighting him. It was for that reason why Aqua chose to shamefully flee. Pride? Such bullshit wasn''t present anymore. He had to run for his life. "Haa¡­ Get away!" Waving his hand without looking back, a magic circle formed and water bullets shot behind him, rippling towards Moriarty''s direction. Swoosh, swoosh¡ª! However, he missed. "Tsk." Clicking his tongue, Aqua was about to stop and fight for his life when all of a sudden, fog started to permeate the entire vicinity. "...." He nced around, scanning, only to realize Moriarty had disappeared. Then, a cold voice echoed from behind him. "Dominion." And those words¡­. It was the same he had muttered back then. He felt the ominous pressure boring down on him, as he felt the back of his throat tighten, as if something was choking him. His legs slightly shook, and far started to grip him, but he stood his ground. He had to¡ª "Akh!" A sharp pain struck his back as he stood frozen. Drip. Drip¡­! He nced down, only to find the tip of a sharp de pierce right through his chest, blood dripping. No, his heart. Thump! Gradually, he was losing strength as his knees gave out and his vision grew hazy. Drip. Drip¡­! Thump! He saw his life sh through eyes until eventually¡­. Darkness. Chapter 245: Setting the pieces [6] There was only a day left before the auction. And with such thoughts, Brandon decided to visit Ironaxe''s shack. Staring at his shack, as always, there was a line that had formed. It was quite long. Even longer thanst time. However, since Brandon was now a white ranked member¡­. "Excuse me." "Huh?" He had all the authority to cut the line. "Coming through." "The fuck?" "Excuse me." "Get in line!" "Excuse¡­.." "Hey, what are you doing?" He had felt ominous res from behind him as all eyes fell on him. However, all it took was for him to show that his Twilight Device was white. All the res settled down as their expressions changed. "Ah. We''re so sorry, Sir." "...." Brandon let it go and entered the premises. Creaaaak¡­. Looking around, the familiar sight of Ironaxe''s ce entered his peripheral vision. The scent of smoke reached his nose and his gaze lingered on the dwarf who was looking at him with a shocked expression. At the moment, Ironaxe was currently entertaining a customer. The customer looked at him with wide eyes. Frowning, Ironaxe spoke up. "Anyone ever told ye to learn how to knock?!" "...." And yet again, Brandon didn''t respond as he looked at the customer who looked back at him. "Get out." He coldy spoke. However, the customer didn''t budge as he too was frowning. "Who are you to tell me to leave?" "...." Then, Brandon''s gaze fell on Ironaxe. His expressions were serious. After all, he was here for an important matter. "Haaa¡­." Realizing the look on his face, Ironaxe massaged his temple and shook his head as he went on to say, "Come backter,d." "Yeah. That''s right, leave. Can''t you see Sir Ironaxe is busy dealing with me?" The customer''s eyes narrowed. However, he was quickly shot down by the next set of words that Ironaxe spoke. "I meant ye,d." "Huh¡­.?" The customer was baffled. "What do you¡ª" "That man¡­. He''s a guard and a white ranked. Ye know what that means." "Ah." Realization dawned on the customer as his eyes widened in shock. He turned his head slightly and his gaze fell on Brandon. "I¡­ I''m so sorry¡­. Sir." He stammered. The man quickly got up and left the premises. Ironaxe removed his apron then turned around, pping his hands off dust, p¨C! p¡ª! "I hope ye have a good reason fer this." "It''s about ''that''." "That¡­ aye?" Then, Ironaxe grabbed a chair and sat down. "Why don''t ye sit down too, aye?" Brandon nodded his head in response and grabbed a chair, sitting down. The first one to have broken the silence was Brandon. "Did you finish that device Imissioned you for?" "Aye. But it''s not an exact replica. Ye have to configure it yerself." He tossed two devices and Brandon caught it. It was a ring. Sliding both of the rings, Brandon scanned. There were a total of three rings in his hand. The ring that helps his body feel lighter. The original ring that granted the guards ess to their own way of entering the ck market. And the ring that Ironaxe had given him just now. Clenching and unclenching his hand, Brandon raised his head and leaned back. Crossing his arms he looked at Ironaxe. "Now, for what I came here for. Have you made up your mind?" Ironaxe''s reason to join his side. It was to finally leave the ckmarket, after being thrusted in the ce for nearly twenty years. He wanted to go home. To finally go back to the dwarven kingdom that was hidden deep beneath society. It was lost in history. ording to Ironaxe, the dwarves have been omitted from the textbooks, as well as the other races. The elves. Not just dwarves, but elves were also omitted. They have been here this whole time, hiding, isting themselves. It was a fact he hade to confirm after gathering key pieces of information from his memories. There was something that oppressed them. Something that had kept them sealed, unable to surface and reveal themselves. And it was the being that Brandon was well aware of. Ironaxe''s gaze lingered on the replica ring he had just made before eventually looking back at Brandon. "I think ye have yer answer already." "Okay. Because if you changed your mind¡­." Brandon tilted his head as his lips pulled up to a grin. "I would have killed you for treason." However, Ironaxe wasn''t intimidated. "Yer as much as a traitor as me,d." "You''re mistaken." Brandon stood up. "I was never on their side to begin with." *** It was time for his meeting with Matthew, bringing Zed along. In the human domain. Precisely, Matthew''s apartment. "Yo, Matthew." "Ah, boss¡­." Matthew''s gaze trailed and he flinched as soon his eyes met with Zed. "....S-Sir." Brandon walked around and sat down on the couch. Zed on the other hand looked around before eventually, he found a chair. The first one to have broken the silence was Brandon as he went on to say, "Are you ready?" "Yes, boss. I''ve familiarized myself with the interior. It should be a cinch. But¡­." He alternated his gaze from Brandon to Zed and continued. "....Is my safety guaranteed?" "Ask that guy over there." Brandon pointed towards Zed. Zed responded, nodding his head, giving Matthew assurance. "Haaa¡­. Okay." He breathed out a sigh of relief. "If you still find yourself conflicted, Matthew. Just remember the benefits will reap from all this." "Yes, of course." Matthew nodded his head. He seemed to have made up his mind. It was good, the tension around him gradually settled as Matthew leaned back. "Bing a head¡­. It''s still quite unbelievable." "You aren''t a head yet." Brandon shot all his hopes down. "Right, right. I got ahead of myself there. Haha~" And they began their long discussion, reviewing their ns as each side gave their opinions. Matthew stood up and walked towards the fridge. Grabbing something from the fridge, he turned around slightly and looked at the two. "You guys want some?" It was a beer can. 30 percent alcohol. Brandon turned to look at Zed who''s eyes glistened. Typical alcoholic. But Zed''s next words¡­.. "You got anything harder?" "Ah. I think I got one with 60¡ª" "What about 90?" Zed cut him off. "...." Matthew''s brows raised. "Uhm. The most I have is 83 percent¡­." "Tsk." Zed clicked his tongue. "How weak." "I can''t handle too much. This isn''t actually mine. It was given by a friend." "Same." Brandon spoke, leaning his head back. "I can''t handle too much alcohol either." "Look at this guy. ''I can''t handle too much alcohol either,'' my ass." And Zed mocked Brandon. Matthew''s gaze alternated between the two. "So do you guys¡­." "Sure." "Alright." "Okay." Matthew tossed a beer can towards the two. Grabbing his own, he popped it open. The night was still young. The three were engrossed in their drinking as they yed a bunch of board games. "Checkmate." "Fuck. Why are you so good at this?" But the board games were set aside as they yed chess. "Checkmate." ".....You''re way too good at this, boss." Brandon kept winning. "And that''s a check." "Haaa¡­. You have to be cheating." Zed couldn''t ept it. "Sore loser." And Brandon shot him down. . . "Check." "How? I was definitely winning! You only had pawns left¡­.!" At the end of it, Matthew was knocked down. It was only Brandon and Zed left as they continued their games of chess. Brandon scanned the chess board. "Just move the King." "...." Chapter 246: Auction [1] Brandon''s two weeks of preparations were done. Now, it all relied on his execution. The auction was scheduled to start in four hours. With such thoughts, Brandon stepped out of his room after checking he had brought everything he needed. nk¡ª Closing the door, his gaze lingered on Amelia, who was currently fixing her hair. Scanning, she wore the standard Imperial Armybat military uniform. On her chest embedded three gold stars. It was the first time Brandon had seen her wearing it. She¡­. "Looks good on you." Looked good. Really good. "Thanks, and you look the same." "What can I say?" Brandon scoffed. After all, his wardrobes were mostly the same. "Are you ready?" "Yes. Me and Belle are about to meetup after this." "Okay." He walked towards Amelia and said, "Amelia." "Hm?" "I have a gift." Amelia''s brows raised at his words. Then, Brandon crouched down on one knee and retrieved something from his pocket. Amelia cocked her head in confusion. "Uh¡­?" Brandon gently grabbed her hand and slowly slid a ring in her finger. "Ah." Amelia couldn''t help but let out a gasp. "...." However, Brandon didn''t respond as he stared deep into her blue eyes. Amelia''s face was in disbelief as her eyes widened and she covered her mouth. "Brandon¡­. I¡­. I don''t know what to say. This¡­. Haaa¡­." "...." Yet again, Brandon didn''t respond. Amelia didn''t pull away as her fingers rested on his palm. "I¡­. But we''re still¡­." She stammered. "Can''t we wait? I¡­. I don''t want to rush into this, I mean¡­. We aren''t even¡­." However, it was then when Brandon cocked his head in confusion. What is this girl talking about? He scoffed. He knew exactly what he was doing. However, he pretended to be dense about the entire thing. "....?" Amelia seemed to notice the grin on his face as she tilted her head as well. "What are you¡­." "We''ve got matching ones." "Ah." Once again, Amelia gasped in shock. "You¡­." "Hm?" Brandon looked at her in confusion. By now, her face was flushing beet red as she held his hand. It was enough. Sooner orter, Amelia would burst out of embarrassment. "It''s that." "That?" "This ring will give you specific ess to the syndicate entrances. The same portal my friend uses." The portal would lead them to a more secluded area, something that Zed had configured specifically for the Imperial Army to use. "Ah¡­. Ah¡­. Haha. Of course." As the realization dawned upon her, she squeezed his hand tightly and her brows furrowed. "That hurts." "Does it? Does it? It does, doesn''t it¡­?" "You''re cute." "Haaa¡­. Fine." Brandon stood up, still holding her hand. "Let''s go." *** Amelia, Bell, and the rest of the taskforce had gathered. It was a small task force,posed of six members in total. And though their firepower might''ve been considerablycking, especially as they were about to undergo an important mission, there was no helping it. They were the first to have known about Brandon''s entire n in the first ce. Bellion couldn''t risk any potential leakage, especially knowing there might be potential spies inside the Imperial Army. For that reason, they had to rely on each other. But that aside, they had all averaged the A+ to S ranks. And for assurance, they had the presence of Evelyn Cessna. One of the few 40 rankers that had broken through the SS ranks. Turning around, Belle''s gaze lingered on each one of them. Though she was the leader, she wasn''t the strongest present, only in the A+ ranks, but slowly she had felt like she was about to break through. But there was a missing factor to it. For everyone, the missing factor was varied. She had to find it out on her own. Then, she nodded her head. "All of you ready¡­?" Thump! "Yes, General." "Yes, General." "Yes, General." "Yes, General." "Yes, General." They all spoke in unison as they stomped their feet on the ground and shed her a respectable salute. "Amelia." Belle spoke, looking at Amelia. Amelia nodded her head in response and stepped forward. Extending her hand forward, the ring glowed and a portal gradually emerged. They braced themselves for what was toe as they entered the portal. Whiii¡ª *** The grand auction. The event that everyone in the ckmarket had been waiting for. The only ones invited were the people who had made a name for themselves in the ckmarket. Regardless of their status, they all sat inmon seats, as the heads all sat in their appropriate chambers above. Brandon and Evelyn stood on the corner of a specific chamber. The chamber where Lancelott was currently in. In the middle, Lancelott sat on his chair, ncing down from the railings. Chatter and murmurs echoed throughout the entire auction hall as all the guests engaged in conversation. Brandon''s gaze lingered down. There, he could see the familiar sight of the dwarf he had recently met. It was Ironaxe. And in his pocket was his phone. Currently he was on a call with a specific person. Matthew. All the puzzle pieces were now on the table. And now, all he had to do was move those pieces,pleting the puzzle. All of a sudden, Lancelott''s voice reached both Brandon and Evelyn''s ears. "What do you two think about the current affairs of this country?" It was a question Brandon hadn''t expected from him. And so, he pondered. He had to be careful of what he nned to say. As he arrived to an answer, he went on to say, "It''splicated. With the borders closed, Holy Britannia had cut off possible supplies from other neighboring continents." Then, it was Evelyn''s turn. "I have the same thoughts as him. Ever since Lucian Frost''s death, it seems like this continent is afraid of the outside." "Right." Lancelott nodded his head. "But what Holy Britannia trulycks is a leader. The ones who took the mantle are too unqualified for the position. They know of it, and yet no one refuses to step up." Lancelott stood up and drummed his finger on the railings. Not looking back, his gaze continued to linger down. "What this country needs is a reform." Brandon couldn''t deny Lancelott''s statement. All the points he had made were urate. However, it was bullshit. ''Reform my ass.'' Then, Lancelott turned around, taking a good look at the two. He spoke. "Do any of you know how to y chess?" Fixing his masquerade mask, Brandon stepped forward. "I do." Chapter 247: Auction [2] The chess game began. Brandon had volunteered himself as Evelyn watched from the side. Tak. The first one to have made a move was Lancelott. Tak. Brandon didn''t hesitate on his turn. It was the opening move after all. His own pattern had been imprinted in his mind. However, ironically, Brandon wasn''t that much of a chess fanatic. It was the other Brandon instead, who was quite good at chess. ''Guess I could make use of his habits for now.'' Ironic. Tak. After moving his piece, it was then when Lancelott finally spoke. "Tell me. Why didn''t you join the guard''s revolt?" The guard''s revolt. After they had found out that three of them were killed yesterday, panic arose. However, since they had never confirmed who or what killed them, they settled down. Of course, they weren''t stupid. While there were some who thought they could redeem themselves by showing up in the auction¡ªin particr¡ªthey were currently in the other head''s chamber, taking the same task as Brandon and Evelyn, the others fled. And those others were being hunted down. "I think it''s idiotic." Tak. Brandon replied as he moved his piece. "Oh?" Tak. "How so¡­?" "There''s no point. I''ve only been in the syndicate for two weeks." Brandon''s gaze lingered on the auction hall. It hadn''t started yet. "But I can see immense potential brimming from it." Then, he returned his gaze to the chess board and made his move. Tak. "I see no point inpromising my position. Especially given how fast I''ve climbed the ranks." He boldly stated. "I see¡­. I''ve more or less assessed your character now. So¡­." Tak. cing his piece, Lancelott raised his head and looked at Brandon who looked back at him. "Where does your allegiance lie?" Just like Brandon, Lancelott was also wearing a masquerade mask. It waspulsory for everyone participating in the auction to wear it. But for Brandon, his mask was the Mirage Mask¡ªcontorted into a masquerade mask. Tak. "Myself." "Haha. That''s a good answer." Tak. The number of pieces on the board continuously dwindled. The more time passed, the more pieces were taken. It was a close game. And truth be told, unlike his match with Matthew and Zed, Lancelott was quite a difficult opponent. But in the first ce, Matthew wasn''t that good anyway. For Zed however, before he had met Lancelott, Zed might''ve been the toughest opponent he faced in this current progression. Their games were often close. But Brandon would win in each game. That night, he was unbeatable. All of a sudden, the auction hall became silent. Tak. "Looks like it''s starting." Lancelott said as he took a piece. The queen. Tak. "You don''t seem too interested, Sir Lancelott." And Brandon replied, taking a piece for his own. The rook. "I''m not participating after all." Tak. Time passed. And at the end of it¡­. "Checkmate." It was Brandon''s win. "You''re pretty good. I haven''t lost like that in a long time." "I think you were holding back, Sir." "Not at all. I thought it was my win the moment I took your queen. But you sacrificed it on purpose, huh?" "It was a gamble. Haha." Truth be told, Brandon couldn''t tell. While the game was close, only having his rook and bishop left as his special pieces left, it seemed as if Lancelott''s focus lingered elsewhere. "I think it''s about time the two of you should go." At Lancelott''s instructions, Brandon pushed the chair back and stood up. His head flicked towards Evelyn and they nodded their heads. Then, he turned his head back towards Lancelott. "Understood." Brandon and Evelyn left the room shortly after. *** Lancelott leaned back and stared at the empty chair where Moriarty once sat. He really wasn''t holding back. Just that, his attention was fixed on his opponent. Whenever Brandon made a move, an image ovepped in his mind. He kept recalling the good old days with his sister. Lianne. The only person he couldn''t beat in chess, no matter how much he tried. And when Moriarty had beaten him, memories continued to surface and all he could do was scoff. "Ha." Time passed and he stood up. He leaned on the railings and swept the view. The auction had already started. But of course, he wasn''t particrly interested. The same couldn''t be said for the participants. "And for the next item¡­." There was a pir that settled on the podium. On it, there was a veil. The veil was removed, unveiling the item. It was a ne. The auctioneer''s voice cut through the chatter, drawing all eyes to the stage. "Specifically drafted from the Milis continent. The Amulet of Sevenfold Resonance." The room stilled, attention fixed on the amulet. "This ne allows the wearer to wield any of the seven basic magical affinities; fire, water, earth, wind, nature, lightning, and ice." A murmur of interest swept through the crowd. They had never heard of such an artifact before. "Unlike others, this amulet lets anyone, even those without magic, use these affinities." Eyes widened at the revtion. "However, that is for this item''s ssification. This one in particr allows the wielder special control over the ice affinity." Lancelott watched the crowd with mild curiosity. The tension in the room was thick as participants weighed their chances. "The bidding starts at 80,000,000 credits." Hands shot up immediately. Voices ovepped as bids escted. Lancelott leaned against the railing, scanning. The numbers climbed, fortunes gambled for the promise of obtaining the artifact. The room buzzed with excitement and tension as the bids climbed higher, each masked figure eager to outbid thest. The auctioneer''s voice rose over themotion, announcing thetest offer. "100,000,000 credits!" The stakes were high, and the atmosphere was charged with an obvious hint of desperation from the bidder. As the bids escted, one participant emerged as the frontrunner. A tall figure in a silver masquerade mask raised their hand with confidence. "600,000,000 credits!" A hushed silence fell over the room. The auctioneer paused, allowing the weight of the bid to settle over the hall. "Do I hear 600,000,000 Million?" The room remained silent as the silver-masked bidder nced around, as if daring anyone to challenge their bid. Finally, the auctioneer raised his gavel. "Going once, going twice¡ª" Tak. "Sold to the bidder in the silver mask!" The gavel came down with a decisive crack, sealing the deal. Lancelott watched the entire ordeal as he went to say, "This is just the start." Knock, knock¡ª! All of a sudden, the door to his chamber was knocked. Lancelott walked towards it and opened the door. Creaaaak¡­. Chapter 248: Auction [3] "You really are quiet here, huh?" "I was always quiet." "Not in front of me. I can still feel the bruises fromst year, you know?" Brandon and Evelyn roamed the hallway as soon as they left Lancelott''s chamber. After all, they were tasked with a job. They were the only guards the heads could trust at the moment. That, and they were the only ones qualified. "Couldn''t be helped. I didn''t want too many people approaching me." "I see." That simple reason. "Is this n of yours proceeding well?" "Everything''s in ce. There could be variables. Just focus on the task for now." "Okay." "Ah." A voice cut through. In a separate hallway, a man who seemed to have been walking halted in his steps as he noticed both Brandon and Evelyn. On his hand were a couple of pastries as his mouth was stuffed with them. Looking at Evelyn, her facade broke for a second as she stared at the pastries. ''Is that¡­ drool?'' However, she soon fixed her expression and Brandon turned as the man they had encountered spoke. "Mori and Evangel? What are you two doing here¡­?" "Just because." "Huh¡ªUkh!" Before the man could voice out his words, a thread extended from Brandon''s fingertip and speedily headed towards the man. nk¡ª! However, the man was fast to react. Thump! The pastries abruptly fell to the ground, and as he swallowed the pastry in his mouth, he brandished his sword, cutting off the thread. It wasn''t surprising. Brandon recognized the man after all. One of the few guards who were in the S ranks. Particrly, the man was an S- ranker. "I''ll handle this." "What are you two doing?! Fuck, wait tell the heads know about thi¡ª" "Why do you think we''re doing this?" Evelyn cut him off. "...." The man found himself speechless. A cream smudged his face and he wiped it off as he took a stance. "So that''s how it is. Haha. I thought we were safe since they didn''t know of our involvement." "...." Not responding, Evelyn extended her hand forward. Magic energy gathered around her and her hood fluttered down. Her eyes started glowing a hollow glow. "...." Brandon could see the looks of anxiousness on the man''s expressions. "You''re¡­ You''ve been hiding your abilities this whole time?" "...." And yet again, Evelyn didn''t respond as a magic circle hovered in front of her. The mana around her skyrocketed for a brief second. And in that brief second¡­. Spurt! A hollow light shimmered and Brandon looked away. It was too bright. As soon as the light faded, Brandon turned his head slightly. Only to find¡­. "...." Nothing. No flesh. No bones. No traces. As if the man had never stood there to begin with. But on the ground smeared an ash mark. Then, Brandon turned and met Evelyn''s gaze. Pulling her hood back up, she went on to say, "Okay, let''s go." "...." Speechless. Brandon was utterly speechless. Evelyn¡­. She was way stronger than she was back then. ''This is the gap between me and an SS- ranker, huh?'' He had yet to breach the S ranks. And now he had seen a glimpse of what an SS- ranker could do up close. ''Still¡­. This isn''t enough to defeat Jin.'' Pushing down his thoughts, only to see that Evelyn was walking ahead of him, Brandon followed suit. "Let''s make this quick." Evelyn suddenly spoke as they strode the hallways. "Those pastries looked good." "...." That was all on her mind, huh? After all, as soon as his n started, there was no time for Evelyn to visit the food hall. A few minutes passed, and as soon as they arrived at the vantage point, they halted. Then, Evelyn turned around, meeting his gaze. "Are you sure you can handle it? It''ll take time, but I can do it for you. Your safety is more important." "It''s fine." Brandon shook his head. "I''ve gotten pretty strong myself." "Have you?" "...." "Just kidding." Evelyn''s lips curled up to a smile and left shortly after. Brandon was stunned as he stared at her departing back. "So she can crack jokes like that now, huh?" Shaking his head, Brandon walked to his own direction. It took a few minutes, and finally he arrived at his destination. The first chamber. Knock, knock¡ª! Knocking on the door, it opened in a matter of seconds and what greeted Brandon''s side was the familiar sight of a guard. "Mori?" The guard spoke with raised brows. "What are you doing here?" "The head called for me." The guard turned back slightly, seeking permission from the head present in the room. "Let him in." The head nodded his head, and the guard stepped aside for Brandon to enter the room. Brandon looked around the chamber. It had the same interior as Lancelott''s chamber. In the room, there were two guards present. "All of you,e here." At the head''s instructions, Brandon and the rest of the guard approached the head¡ªwho was seated in his seat, watching the entire auction y out. Standing behind the seat, Brandon shared subtle nces with the head. Shortly after, the head''s voice reached their ears. "I need all of you to cancel the mana in your body. We have an important guest in the other room. It would be quite rude if you actively show a hint of your hostility." Then, he stood up, walking towards the railings. "And besides, there seems to be no trouble. I''ll permit you all to rx." The guards exchanged looks with one another, and then to Brandon, nodding their heads. "Understood, Sir Astelle." Just like that, the mana surrounding them gradually dwindled until they were unnoticeable. Then, the head turned back around. Looking at the guards with a smile on his face as he went on to say, "Thank you for your service¡­ traitors." "....!" SHIIING¡ª Swiftly unsheathing his de, Brandon shed forward in one wide quick swing. Thump! Thump! Two heads fell to the ground as blood sttered on the floor. A clean kill. Blood smeared Brandon''s face as he wiped his cheek. Raising his head, his gaze met with the head who had a look of approval in his expressions. "Not bad." The head nodded, scanning the ground. Raising his head, he looked at Brandon who looked back at him with indifferent eyes. "Quite a technique you got there. I could barely sense your intent." It wasn''t as if his intent wasn''t noticed. Particrly, his mana. He had just refined it to the point where it was barely noticeable. Still,pared to Evelyn, who hadpletely concealed it, Brandon was still at surface level. Regardless, this was his confirmation. This head¡­. He couldn''t notice his intent. The head turned back around and scanned the vicinity once again. Brandon narrowed his eyes as he listened to the auction. ''That amulet¡­.'' Milis continent technology. It was at a whole different levelpared to what Holy Britannia had. And to think they had only shown one of it. It was obvious. These artifacts. These weapons. They were mass produced. Regardless, he can only do what he can. Brandon stepped forward. Hiding all of his intent. Clearing his mind. Tak. Tak. Tak. The sound of his footsteps. "Hm? You still need something, Moriarty?" "Yes." "Well speak up, you still need to clean the other cham¡ªUkh!" In an instant, Brandon unsheathed his sword and shed forward. The head was able to react in time. But in exchange, his arm was cleanly sliced off. Thump! Holding onto his shoulder as blood gushed out profusely, the head''s expressions crumbled. "Fuck are you¡ªKh!" At that moment, the threads revealed themselves, wrapping around the head''s neck. The entire time, Brandon had discreetly set up threads in the entire room. Since the head and the guard present in the room were mostly in the same level as him, just subtly canceling his mana had allowed him to conceal them. That, and he had sacrificed his half grown nails for a bit of power. ¨N STR: A A jump to A rank. The pain didn''t matter. He was used to the pain. Drip. Drip¡­! Regardless, blood dripped from his gloves. At that moment, magic power surrounded the head. But regardless¡­ sh¡ª! He waspletely defenseless. All of his limbs had been neutralized. No mana was going to save him, especially against someone on the same level as him¡ªwho had thoroughly prepared for this exact scenario. Thump! And his head dropped on the ground. Chapter 249: Auction [4] The next chamber. "Akh!" "Kh¡­!" As easy as that. After all, the heads had collectively decided on the same strategy. To trick the guards into dampening their defenses for a quick and easy kill. sh¡ª! In a matter of seconds, the guards were no more. Inside the room it was only Brandon and the head left. "Good work." However, this head was indifferent to the whole thing. Business is business. "Go on now." He waved Brandon off. At his instructions, Brandon turned around and headed for the door. But soon halted in his steps as the head left a few words. "Ah, before you go, I need you to fetch the item for me." In particr, the item he had just won in bidding. "I need to try it right now." An impatient man. Brandon nodded his head. "Understood." Then, the head turned back around and leaned on the railings. Brandon reached for the doorknob. In that instant, he clenched his fist. Splurt! Threads revealed themselves,tching all over the room as they twisted the head''s entire figure, blood sttering all over. The head let his guard down. But in the first ce, this head was way weaker than him. Shortly after, Brandon left the room. *** It was quite a breeze for Evelyn. Although the heads had devised a strategy, there was no point in following it. With a snap of her fingers, light filled the entire room. However, Evelyn didn''t look away. She was used to the light. It was her power. The [Celestial] affinity. The affinity to harness the celestial bodies. And whenever it was night, she could feel the pinnacle of her power rise. As soon as the light faded, there was nothing left. No traces. None at all. As if the room was empty in the first ce. Just like that, Evelyn had finished cleaning thest chamber. A total of thirteen minutes. And the reason for that five minutes¡­. Munch~ She took a quick detour. A snack break. Munch~ Realizing that Brandon was still upied with his task, Evelyn decided to approach the seat and sat down. Crossing her legs, she scanned the auction. She couldn''t believe it when she saw all the artifacts. They were all weapons. Weapons that would undoubtedly be used in the war. And this country¡­. "We aren''t ready." They weren''t ready for the war that is approaching. Even if the n seeds, and they had cleared out the ckmarket, it wouldn''t stop the Milis continent from invading. This ckmarket. This syndicate. This auction. It was all to recruit people to their side. To destroy Holy Britannia from the inside. She had to get stronger fast. "Damn it." She cursed. It had been about four months since she had ascended to the SS ranks. Particrly, the SS- rank. But she couldn''t find the missing piece to ascend higher. The S ranks were hard to progress. Even if she trained everyday, she still wouldn''t be able to progress so easily. No amount of meditation wouldn''t help her case. Especially given how hard her affinity was to use. Yet regardless, whenever she had asked advice from her fellow S rankers, they would all tell her the same thing. "Training." She was past the point of training. There had to be something. Something else. There was only one person she could ask that might give her the right answer. But that person¡­. ¡­.He was dead. "Lucian." He was her junior in the guild. Joined three yearster than her. Yet he had be the strongest in the world. But even the strongest had died. Truly, what is this country''s future¡­.? The ones who reigned at the top were incapable. They didn''t know what they were doing. Cowards, hiding in a wall, afraid of change just because their safety had died. There was no one fit for the position of leader. And the one who was currently leading the Imperial Army, Bellion Van, knew he wasn''t right for it. For that reason, he held off on taking the position. The Grand Marshal. Yet she found herself hypocritical for making suchints. Even Evelyn knew she wasn''t fit for it. There was no one. Truly no one. This country was doomed to lose the war. However, what Brandon told her¡­. He saw the bigger picture. It was for that reason why this n was executed. "I hope it all works out in the end." As soon as those words left her mouth, Evelyn got up and left the room shortly after. *** Time passed. It was thest chamber. But it proved to be difficult as the head was able to fight back. About simr strength as Brandon. But regardless, it was manageable. After all, Evelyn took the chambers with the stronger heads. He was prepared. nk¡ª! His sword met with a magic circle. It was barrier magic. However, threads maneuvered around and pierced the head on the shoulder. It was quite hard to aim. "How dare you fucking betray us?" "You must be misunderstanding something." nk¡ª! "You''re the traitor here. You have betrayed Holy Britannia." nk¡ª! nk¡ª! "This entire organization must fall." "Who the fuck do you think you are spouting all that bullshit?" nk¡ª! nk¡ª¡ª! However, Brandon didn''t respond to his question. Instead, he muttered indifferently. "Dominion." At that, his eyes flicked abruptly, gazing at the head''s legs. It was trembling slightly. And the speed at which the magic circles formed had begun to slow down its pace. nk¡ª! nk¡ª! "What are you!?" The head screamed as he tried to block all of Brandon''s attacks. Blocking was all he could do. After all, Brandon was fast. His sword swung at normal speeds, but the pace would instantly increase mid¨Cswing. Brandon could tell this head wasn''t well versed in closebat. A typical mage. After all, he had thrown feints. Even purposefully striking in the air, and in each exchange, the head would move his hand to block, regardless if he was defending himself or not. As if he was tracing the sword on autopilot. It was quite funny, and Brandon found his lips curling up. Swoosh¡ª! Brandon''s sword swiftly breached past the head''s defense, grazing the side of his torso. A flurry of attacks were sent and grazes etched, tearing the head''s clothes. "Kh¡­!" Brandon raised his sword up. Voosh¡ª! Amethyst cursed mes engulfed his sword and Brandon bit his lip. The mes. It hurt. He felt like his body was burning internally, as if he was burning alive himself. This had never happened in the past. But as soon as the entire Lumian ordeal happened, the mes had started hurting him. It was for that reason why Brandon refrained from using his cursed mes too much. Especially while he was still at the surface level of learning Evelyn''s pseudo swordsmanship. Regardless, he had to try it. Swoosh¡ª! Brandon swung down and blood sttered all over, smearing Brandon''s entire figure and the mes dispersing as soon as the attacknded. Wiping his cheek, Brandon turned around. His job was done. It was time for the second phase of his ns. With such thoughts, he left the room. Chapter 250: Auction [5] Thest chamber. Or at least, the only chamber he didn''t need to handle. Creaaaaak¡­. Pushing the door open, what greeted his sight was the familiar sight of a man¡ªwho had his hands sped behind his back as he looked down the railings. Brandon looked around. Lifeless bodies etched on the walls, crystals impaling their torsos. The entire room was smeared with blood. "No remorse?" "Nope." Zed turned around and their gazes met. Then, Zed asked, "All done?" "Yes. Evelyn''s waiting for you." "Okay." Zed nodded his head and walked towards the exit. Brandon walked ahead, the two passing, as he neared the railings. nk¡ª! The door behind him shut close and Brandon leaned forward, scanning the entire auction. The entire n had changed for the better. Although he wasn''t able to utilize Deus originally as he hoped, it didn''t matter. It was due to Evelyn''s sudden appearance that the n had changed. Originally, he wanted to enter the auction as another businessman with Zed backing up his credentials. However, regardless of that, Deus had still yed a role. The most important role even. The discussion had only been between Zed and Deus. After all, Brandon couldn''t y a part in it. It was only between higher branch management in the syndicate. "I trust them." Pushing his thoughts aside, Brandon peered down. Two brown eyes met his and the two nodded at each other. It was time for the second phase of his ns. With such thoughts, Brandon received the Twilight Device and dialed a contact. Ring¡­. Ring¡­. Click¡ª A voice reached his ears shortly after. ¡ªBoss. It was Matthew. "On my instructions." *** Evelyn finished her tasks. Since she finished quite fast, she waited for time to pass. Once she surmised that it was the right time she knocked on the door. Knock! Knock! "I''ve finished, Sir Lancelott." ¡ªCome in. Hearing Lancelott''s instructions, Evelyn twisted the doorknob and entered the chamber. Scanning the room, there were two people leaning forward on the railings. Lancelott, and another man with a hat. Evelyn didn''t know who he was. But she had an idea. ''So this is him.'' She recalled Brandon''s words back then. ''To what extent did he foresee everything?'' His foresight was astonishing. No, it was scary even. Evelyn felt goosebumps at the thought. ''At least he''s on our side¡­.'' "Who''s this?" The other man asked as he looked Evelyn up and down. Lancelott answered. "Evangel." "Ah, so this is her." "Yes." A sense of recognition. Evelyn became wary. After all, she knew he was strong. But how strong¡­.? She didn''t know. Regardless, she had to do what Brandon had asked of her. Brandon was counting on her. She couldn''t let him down. "Evangel." She was broken out of her thoughts as Lancelott called out for her. Evelyn raised her head, staying silent. It was the persona she was currently ying, and so, she still had to y her part. Just until he arrived. "Where''s Moriarty?" "I don''t think he''s finished yet." "Ah. Do you think he''s having difficulties?" "Not sure." Evelyn shook her head. "Should I check?" "No." Lancelott shot her down. "If he can''t do this much, then there''s no use for him." Then, Lancelott turned around. "But you see, there are two types of people I can''t trust." "...." Evelyn unconsciously straightened her back as the tension settled in the room. "People who can''t do what they''re told, and¡­." Evelyn listened attentively. Staring deep into Lancelott''s cold eyes, she braced herself. "People who can beat me at chess." "...." However, nothing happened. "Why so tense, Evangel? Is it because of Sir Rodd over here?" Lancelott pointed at the man beside him. "Know your ce, Lancelott." Rodd frowned. "I''m still your superior officer." And those words from Rodd were enough confirmation for Evelyn that Branon was indeed right. Right. This man beside Lancelot¡­. ''A military official from the Milis continent.'' And since he said he was Lancelott''s superior officer, this meant that Lancelott himself was a military officer as well. ''These guys¡­..'' They had cleverly snuck inside Holy Britannia. ''But for how long had Lancelott been here¡­.?'' Evelyn pondered. "Rx yourself, Evangel. You''ve been with us for quite a while. And I''ve been thinking of having you work under me." Lancelott extended his hand. "Would you like toe to the Milis Continent? Seeing how you''ve been living in the ckmarket, you don''t have any attachments to Holy Britannia, don''t you?" "...." Evelyn nodded her head decisively. She had to buy time. "Is it allowable, Sir Rodd?" Lancelott looked at Rodd who looked back at him with crossed arms. "Do what you want. You''ll be promoted if this auction of yours seeds." "Thank you." It was only after a brief moment passed when the door was knocked once again. Knock! Knock! "That must be Moriarty. Could you open the door for us, Evangel?" "...." And Evelyn nodded her head yet again. "She really is the silent type, huh?" "Yes. That''s the kind of soldier I need working for me." "Haha. Indeed." Evelyn walked towards the door and opened. Creaaaak¡­. However, what greeted her sight wasn''t Brandon. The door opened wide, and both Lancelott and Rodd turned their heads and scanned. "Zed?" "Yo, Lancelott." "Friend of yours?" Rodd cut in. "The man I had nned on bing my second inmand." And Lancelott answered. "What are you doing here? Has Moriarty finished his job?" "We''ve made a fatal mistake." "Hm?" Lancelott cocked his head in confusion. "Has he betrayed us?" "Yeah. He tried to kill me as well. But I''ve quickly dealt with it." Evelyn listened attentively to the two''s conversation. Whatever Zed was doing seemed to be working as she looked at Lancelott. She could tell he had lowered his guard. "It''s a shame." Zed shook his head in disappointment. "I had hopes for him." Then, he looked at the chessboard on the table. "I thought I had found a new chess buddy." "You can always y with me, you know?" Zed walked towards the chessboard and started fixing the pieces. "Nah." A t out refusal. "I lost to him. Though you are a good opponent, I want to beat Moriarty as well." "What was our score again? 55 to 56?" "I think so. I was leading though." "What about another match?" Zed asked. Then, Lancelott turned his head towards Rodd who listened to everything. "No. But since you''re all here. Let me introduce you to someone." Rodd stepped forward, gazing at both Evelyn and Zedd. His aura had quite the pressure to it. But Evelyn didn''t falter. It was at that moment that gave her confirmation. She could handle him. And so, Lancelott introduced Rodd and his position, trying to recruit Zedd. "I''ll go wherever you go." "You really have no loyalty to this country, don''t you?" "Ha." Zed scoffed at Lancelott''s voice. "That''s the thing." A smile creeped up on Zed''s face and Evelyn discreetly took a stance. "I have no loyalty." Lancelott''s eyes widened in confusion. Magic power began to gather around Zed. At that moment, Evelyn stepped forward and unveiled her hood as she went on to say, "Zone." Chapter 251: Burning alive [1] The Imperial Army emerged from the portal. What greeted Mattew''s sight were several people who adorned the Imperial Armybat uniform. Their presence had left Matthew intimidated. The one who took the initiative was the woman with pale¨Cwhite hair and ice¨Cblue eyes. "Are you perhaps, Matthew?" Matthew seemed to have been taken aback by the beautiful woman''s appearance. And he in fact was, as he stammered. "Y-Yes." She was beautiful. A goddess even. He had never seen anyone as beautiful as her before. Then, the woman stepped forward. "I''m General Belle Locke. "Uh¡ªAh. Okay, I''m Matthew Jaune." Belle nodded her head at his words and he scanned the other members. Then, his gaze lingered on the woman with striking red hair and golden eyes. Another beauty. "Greetings." The woman nodded her head. "I''m Lieutenant General, Artoria Watson." Eventually, the others introduced themselves. "I''m Lieutenant General, Ray Arcadia." "Lieutenant General, Alexander Bet. At your service. "I''m Lieutenant General, William Anderson." Then, a tall bulky man stepped forward. Meeting his intense gaze, Matthew unknowingly flinched. The pressure that protruded from the man was heavy. "I''m an S ranker, Ivan Carter." However, Matthew counted. There were only six of them. Moriarty had told him he would be meeting seven of them. It was at that moment when thest figure emerged from the portal. "...." As soon as she took her confident first step, the portal closed shortly after. Scanning her appearance, her silky golden¨Clocks fluttered in the air. A well endowed figure, and two beautiful blue¨Cjewel¨Clike eyes that scanned the vicinity. Her face appeared wless, clear from any blemishes. Just like the rest of the members, she too adorned the Imperial Army uniform. She was stunning. If he had thought Belle was goddess, this woman appeared like a deity, descending down from the heavens to bless his eyes. He was exaggerating. Her appearance had truly left him breathless. However, as soon as his gazended on the ring on her finger, Matthew was quick to push down his thoughts. That ring. He knew of it. It was debriefed during the revision of their ns with Moriarty and Zed. Moriarty would give the ring to someone he was closest to, allowing the Imperial Army specific ess to the ckmarket. "Ah." Too bad. ''I''m so jealous right now, Boss¡­.'' "Could you lead us the way?" He was then broken out of his thoughts as Belle''s voice reached his ears, urging him. Matthew''s eyes traced Belle. A sense of familiarity washed over him. ''Doesn''t she kind of look like Boss?'' Indeed, she did. Then, Matthew nodded his head and turned back. "Understood." *** Brandon scanned the entire auction as he leaned on the railings. He was waiting for the signal. At the same time, he was on a call with Matthew. ¡ªOn standby, Boss. "Sure." He waited. He had grown bored as time passed. The entire time, he was looking at Ironaxe who nced back at him from time to time, waiting for his signal. The auction was ongoing. It was the sixth item by now. And after waiting for a while, Finally. The signal was there. The mana from the other room fluctuated. Brandon immediately raised the device to his ear as he went on to say, "Now." Zaam¡ª¡ª! As soon as those words had left his mouth, the entire auction hall turned dark. The power was cut off. Brandon could hear themotion from below. "What happened?" "Is this part of the auction?" "Exin yourself!" "Calm down folks! The power seemed to have cut off, but we are working to address this issue." Panic and rage were starting to rise. ¡ªI''ll get going now, Boss. I''ve told the military about your location, they should be arriving soon. "Good job, Matthew." ¡ªGoodluck, Boss. Beep. The call ended there. Brandon closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. "Hoo¡­." This was the most important part of the n. ¡­.And it was the most brutal one. These people. "They had to die." In the first ce, they were all fugitives who had seeked refuge inside the ckmarket. There was no point in letting them live. Information? "Nah." He didn''t need that. He had Zed. With such thoughts, Brandon removed his glove extended his hand forward. Drip. Drip...! Blood dripped down from his missing nails. The cold air stung his fingers. Crack¡ª! And he cracked his index finger. At that moment, the atmosphere around him changed. Starting from the strand, his hair was gradually turning ck, and he felt his control over the [Curse] affinity rise. Then, he opened his eyes. His previous ice¨Cblue eyes were no longer there, reced by an inky ck color. Elemental Assimtion. Then, Brandon pressed his fingers as he coldly muttered. "Zone." *** Ironaxe had one simple task. A few seconds passed, and the audience had grown rowdy. "This is extremely unprofessional!" "Please be on standby, folks!" However, the emcee was trying his best to control the enraged audience. Then¡­. "Huh?" "What?" "What''s going on?" Amethyst light suddenly filled the entire room. Ironaxe looked down. "Are these¡­ mes?" "No, it''s flowers!" "Purple hyacinths?" "Is this part of the show?" Gradually, purple hyacinths sprouted from the ground and started to spread. The flowers. They were beautiful. They looked like mes, but Ironaxe couldn''t feel it burn. Ironaxe raised his head and looked around. Some of the audience had crouched down and tried to touch the flowers. "Why can''t we touch them?" Their hands were phasing through the flowers. However, Ironaxe knew. This was the signal. He recalled certain words that Moriarty had told him back then. ¡ªMake sure you coat yourself with the strongest protection you can use. It was a gamble for his life. But if he couldn''t gamble his own life, then he was better off dead inside the ckmarket. He wanted to go home. That much was certain. In the past, he had given up on the idea. But meeting Moriarty, an opportunity presented itself. He couldn''t miss that opportunity. It was for that reason why he epted such a ridiculous n that would ce him in danger. Ironaxe peered for his pocket and grabbed something. It was the device he had built as per Moriarty''s instructions. Ironaxe squeezed the device in his hand and braced himself, taking a deep breath. "Hoo¡­." Then, he clicked the device. It opened slightly. Swoosh¡ª A soft swooshing sound echoed shortly after as he tossed the device high up. It was still dark. The light from the flowers was quite faint. It was for that reason why the audience were unaware of what he had done. Then, he clicked on the amulet dangling on his neck. As soon as he did, he felt his body course with thick barrier magic. The pressure was heavy. As if his entire figure was lifting weights. Short brief seconds passed. But those mere seconds felt like an eternity as Ironaxe swallowed his saliva. This was the decisive moment. And it was at that moment. Sprinkle~ Sprinkle~ The device he had tossed high up activated. "Now what?" "Is it raining?" "How is it raining inside here?" From the flowers to the device, the audience had been utterly clueless as random scenarios urred. However, it wasn''t water that sprinkled from the device. It was in fact, alcohol. Theoretically, the device wasn''t that difficult to create. However, the device contained a ton of alcohol. Enough to fill the entire auction hall. It was at that moment. "These aren''t flowers. It''s a zone!" One of the audience noticed. Ironaxe stood up and took deep heavy breaths. "Haa¡­." And he quickly sprinted towards the exit. He turned back and scanned. VOOOOSH¡ª¡ª! *** The deciding factor. As soon as Ironaxe''s device sprinkled alcohol all over the auction hall, Brandon extended his hand forward once again. At that moment, magic power began coursing in his veins. Snap¡ª! With a snap of his fingers, a low amethyst ember sparked and gradually fell down the auction room. Seconds passed. The decisive second. And shortly after¡­. VOOOOSH¡ª¡ª! The entire auction hall was engulfed in amethyst mes. Chapter 252: Burning alive [2] "Kh¡­!" He felt his knees weak. Cursed mes. They truly were cursed. "Ahh¡­!" He could hear the entire auction hall filled with screams. The chamber was high above. And he was standing there, assisting himself as he held onto the railings. But the screams. As if they were all screaming right in his ears. And the mes. "Akh!" It felt as if he was burning alive. He could feel the heat internally, eating him away from the inside. At first it was unbearable. But the more time passed, the more he had grown ustomed to it. Pain. He was used to pain. He could take it. "Khh!" He bit his lip forcefully, blood dripping. Squeezing his chest, he helped himself up. The pain was still there. It felt really hot. His stomach churned, and he wanted to let it all out. But still, he resisted the urge to do so. Cold sweat beaded from his forehead as he nced down. Amethyst mes had spread all over the auction hall in a matter of seconds. The screams. They echoed in the back of his mind. And they in fact were screaming as they participants ran out with amethyst mes engulfing them. Cursed mes. Not just his insides, but he felt it corroding his mind every time someone dropped dead on the ground. Everyone''s figures were gradually turning charcoal¨Cck. The glimmer of amethyst reflected in his eyes. "Ha." Unknowingly, a grin spread across his features. Burn them all down to the ground. Burn it all. Let the world burn. Until nothing was left. Under the sheer force of his cursed mes, nothing would be left. Such were his thoughts. As if a voice was resounding in his head. He looked ahead. "....!" The people that stood on the podium began moving. The emcee had already turned to ashes, but the ones who stood behind met his gaze. Brandon knew exactly who they were. "...." The illegal immigrants that had sneaked in. nk¡ª! The door behind him abruptly opened and Brandon turned around, meeting their re. "You!" "It was you who did this!" Several figures emerged from the door and entered the room. About three people. Brandon had to finish this fast before reinforcements came. His own reinforcements had yet to arrive. For that reason, Brandon squeezed his chest and muttered. "Dominion." At that moment, meeting their gazes, he could see a hint of fear in their eyes. This skill was truly amazing. Just a single activation had always thrown his opponents off, refraining them from performing at full focus. However, regardless, it didn''t amount to much. Just a little debuff skill. They quickly rushed towards Brandon. But before they could arrive, Brandon went on to mutter. "Phantasm." In an instant, fog enveloped the entire chamber as sparks of magic flew towards him. At that moment, Brandon saw the cursed pathways and he grabbed it. Boom¡ª! In an instant, Brandon''s figure blurred, narrowly dodging the attack as the railings were destroyed. Appearing beside one of the assants, Brandon unsheathed his sword. sh¡ª! Caught off guard, the assant was able to dodge in time. However¡­. "Ukh!" Thump! At the cost of his arm. Yet Brandon was relentless as he kicked his feet off the ground and followed up with another attack. nk¡ª! However, the attack was met with a response. A magic circle appeared and blocked his attack. Barrier magic. And it came from another assant as Brandon''s head flicked to the side. There, he could see a man who had his arm raised forward. Kracka! Kracka! A flurry of lightning bolts headed his way and Brandon grabbed another pathway, disappearing and dodging the attack. However, he was sort of handicapped due to the mes eating away at the audience. He squeezed his chest and braced for impact, and in the next instant, he staggered and crashed onto the wall. "Kh¡­!" It was manageable. He was prepared for this scenario. He raised his head only to find magic attacks heading towards him, and once again, he grabbed the pathways and his figure blurred. Appearing in a corner of the room, Brandon clenched his hand and threads revealed themselves. Threads loomed from all sides and tried to wrap themselves around the assants. But it was to no avail as barrier magic covered their bodies at the exact moment. The threads died down and Brandon clicked his tongue. "Tsk." Swoosh¡ª! Appearing before the assant who had lost his arm, Brandon thrusted his sword forward. Spurt! His attack sessfullynded as his sword pierced through the assant''s chest. Blood seeped from his mouth and the assant''s figure fell on the ground. Sensing magicing from behind him, Brandon grabbed a pathway. Swoosh¡ª! Gritting his teeth, he squeezed his chest and stumbled down. "....Fuck." He cursed under his breath. p¡ª! pping his hand, chains protruded from the ground, snaking around the entire chamber room. The chains blocked the oing magic attacks, giving Brandon time to catch his breath as he helped himself up with his hand. Brandon''s breath was ragged, every inhale as if stabbing him. The air was thick with ash and heat, each sound drowned out in the chaos. All sorts of magic flew towards him, but he would narrowly dodge in each exchange. Kracka! Kracka! And in each passing second, he felt the mes burning him from the inside. There were no such mes, but he had felt them anyway as if he was experiencing the audience''s agony for himself. Brandon lunged his sword forward, shing against a barrier. He pressed harder, watching cracks form under the strain. The other assant began weaving a spell as a magic circle formed. Brandon had to act fast. "Phantasm." Fog enveloped the room once more, blurring the vicinity. Brandon disappeared before the attack struck him. Then, he appeared before the assant. Caught off guard, and had just brandished his spell, his eyes widened. He was defenseless. Swoosh¡ª¡ª! Brandon seized the opportunity and in a quick sh, the man jumped back. A wide deep cut appeared in his chest. "Ughk!" Brandon swung and blood sttered from his sword. Giving the man no time to recover, Brandon kicked the ground once more for one more decisive strike. He felt manaing from behind him but Brandon paid no heed to it as he lunged his sword forward. A barrier magic circle seemed to form in front of him, but Brandon was quick before the magic circle fully formed, immediately, the circle shattered and his sword pierced right through the man''s chest. One more. Kracka! But it was at that exact moment when lightning struck Brandon from the back and he was hurled away. nk¡ª! As he crashed onto the wall, the door abruptly opened and several more figures emerged. Reinforcements had arrived. And they were not on his side. "Shit." He cursed under his breath. Chapter 253: Burning alive [3] After traversing the ckmarket for a long while, they had finally arrived outside the auction hall. Immediately, Matthew crouched down and retrieved aptop from his bag. He was given ess to the database of the entire auction hall thanks to Zed. For that reason, Matthew only needed to configure the settings. The air filled with anticipation as Amelia, Belle, and the rest of the Imperial Army waited for this decisive moment. Tap. A single tap on his keyboard, and all of a sudden¡­ Zaam¡ª¡ª! The entire auction hall turned dark. At that moment, Matthew grabbed his phone. He was on a call with Brandon. Belle felt worried all of a sudden as she lowered her head. This entire n revolved around her younger brother. But the n had already been pushed forward, and truth be told, she was never keen on it. Regardless, she can only do what she can. This was her responsibility, and it was Brandon who insisted. She had to stop seeing him as the same child who would always follow her around back then. The child who would always cry whenever she, her father, or her mother, weren''t around. And the child who was the sole reason why she returned to this country. It wasn''t the academy that had pushed her to make the decision to return. It was the lingering she felt back then whenever she remembered the tears in his face. The desperation in his eyes. Seeing him now. He truly had changed. "He''ll be okay." "...." A hand suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision, grabbing her own hand. She raised her head to see Amelia, who was looking at her with a smile on her face. Squeezing Belle''s hand, Amelia assured her. "I''ve been with him everyday for three months. I''ve seen his struggles, and I''ve seen his growth." Amelia squeezed her hand even tighter and Belle squeezed back. Amelia continued. "He''s strong. Really strong. I have full confidence that this n of his will work. So don''t worry, Belle." "....You''re right." Of course. She had seen Brandon''s strength as well. And the fact that he had been involved with the syndicate''s business this whole time, adding to the fact that it was his actions that had brought the downfall of the Osborn''s spoke enough of his capabilities. "Thanks." The two nodded their heads at each other and turned to scan at the window. Seconds passed. The tension was palpable in the air. And at that moment¡­. VOOOOSH¡ª¡ª! Amethyst glow flickered from the auction hall, casting a faint purple glow deep within the auction hall. That was the signal. Belle turned around and looked at each and every one of the Imperial Army members. "Let''s go." They entered the auction hall shortly after. *** He was surrounded. "Holy fuck." "How did two of us die already?" A total of five people entered the room. Overhearing them, apparently, there were uninvited guests. For that reason, they split up. The corner of Brandon''s lips pulled up after hearing those words. ''They''re here¡­.'' And so, he had to buy time. His gaze lingered down the railings. He could jump and escape. However, he refrained from doing so. Why? "Hah." He wanted to test himself. Just how strong would he truly get? What lengths could he truly go? Brandon turned his head. Magic attacks were heading his way. Bang¡ª! Brandon crashed onto the wall. He could feel something sweet in his mouth. Since his defense stat was low, the attack had done a significant amount of damage. Feeling the burning inside him, and the burning from the attacks that struck him, he bit his tongue and squeezed his chest. Drip. Drip¡­! Blood dripped down from his forehead, and he raised his head. Scanning, all the assants surrounding him were walking towards him. Feeling his shattered bones, his hand twitched. Immediately, they raised their hands. At that moment, magic circles began to materialize one after another. Brandon looked at each and every one of them with an indifferent expression. "Die, Britannian." As those words reached his ears, Brandon cocked his head and grinned. There, he could see a pathway. And so, just before their attacksnded, he grabbed it. Swoosh¡ª! Appearing behind them, Brandon staggered for a bit, but found his bnce soon after. They flicked their heads abruptly and red at Brandon, hands extending forward. Magic circles materialized once again. However, Brandon felt indifferent. The pain had grown numb by now. There was no pain. Nothing. Just a ringing sound echoing in his forehead. Crack¡ª! He cracked his index finger. Voosh¡ª! All of a sudden, amethyst mes materialized around him, crawling from his leg, to his torso, to his arm. The assants were rmed, wide eyed. But still, they were relentless. Three of them kicked the ground and headed towards Brandon. Behind them were magic attacksing from the assants who stood still. Brandon grabbed the pathways and his figure blurred soon after. From their perspective, he must be fast. But from Brandon''s perspective, whenever he grabbed the pathways, it felt as if his lungs were being suffocated. Such was the drawback in using [Phantasm]. "....!" As soon as he appeared to the side, an inch close to one the standing assants, he unsheathed his sword. SHIIING¡ª His sword, d in a zing amethyst ember, moved swiftly. Having no time to react¡­. Swoosh¡ª! His sword cut through the defenseless mage, splitting him apart as blood profusely gushed out, staining Brandon''s entire figure. Red. "Haha." He wanted to see more red. "Hahaha." Seeing red, he found himself amused. It was fun. Seeing his enemies turn red was fun. He felt his mind corrode with the [Curse] affinity in each passing second. However, seeing all the red around him¡­. "Hahaha." It was beautiful. *** On the way, they were met with several assants. It took a while. However, through sheer teamwork, they were able to defeat them. They faced several difficulties. But with the presence of Ivan, who took care of the more difficult opponents, they were able to make it to the auction hall. Two had been gravely injured, they were out ofmission. For that reason, they were tasked to retreat back to Matthew. And so, the only ones left were Belle, Amelia, Ivan, Ray, and Artoria. "Holy shit." "...." "...." "...." "...." While Ivan eximed, the rest stood speechless at the sight. The entire auction hall was empty. zing amethyst mes spread all over the ground. And as Amelia looked down, she stepped back, surprised. Ashes. Ashes spread all over the ground. "...." They trudged the entire hallway and headed towards the stairs,pletely ignoring the horror behind them. They were given instructions by Matthew. Chamber 8th. The hallways were dark and empty. For such a reason, Ivan conjured a fire ball to illuminate the path before them. Tak. Tak. The sound of their footsteps echoed as they kept their guard up, peering out for any suspicious movement. But to their surprise, there really was nothing. It was entirely empty. However, as they passed by a chamber, specifically, chamber one, they felt heavy pressureing from the chamber. The mana from the room seemed to have fluctuated. And they all knew the exact reason for it. "Zone." Most probably, it was the chamber that was debriefed in the n. To use Evelyn to iste the head, and the foreign military official. It had truly astonished Amelia of how far Brandon had foreseen everything. Time passed, and finally, they had arrived at the 8th chamber. Suspiciously, the room was quiet as well. A sudden chill ran down Amelia''s spine. Couldn''t that mean¡­. The fight was over? Then, "He might not be here." Belle suddenly spoke. "The room is quiet. It makes sense if Brandon retreated. He might not be able to handle too many of them." However, Belle''s expressions betrayed her confident tone, and Amelia could see that. Belle too had felt the same way as her. "Regardless, it wouldn''t hurt to check. Be ready for whatever happens next, everyone!" After uttering such words¡ªIvan¡ªwho stood in front of them with his guard up, twisted the door open. They were armed and ready to face several assants. Magic circles began materializing as the door slowly opened. The tension was palpable in the air. "...." However, what greeted their sight was not what they expected at all. "Hua¡­." It took their breaths away as Artoria covered her mouth with wide eyes. In fact, all of their eyes widened. The entire room was dimly lit with an amethyst glow. No, not glow. Amethyst mes. The entire room was filled with a sea of amethyst mes. Blood sttered all over the room, the floor, the walls, the ceiling. Bodies sprawled all over, torn, halved, and Amelia could even see bodies with no heads. It looked like a scene from hell itself. And what stood in the middle of it all was a lone man with a sword in his hand, looking down indifferently as if what he had done was something normal. His mid¨Clength ck hair fluttered. Two cold ink¡ªck eyes narrowed as blood dripped all over his figure. The entire room was silent. The only sound they could hear was the crackling of mes. Step¡ª Amelia stepped forward and called out to him. "....Brandon." And then, Swoosh¡ª His head flicked in their direction as his cold indifferent eyes met each and every one of their gazes. Amelia secretly swallowed her saliva as a chill ran down her spine. The air around Brandon. It felt¡­. Suffocating. Chapter 254: 10,000 [1] Inside Evelyn''s zone. The Zone was an isted domain that was clearly tied to the [Celestial] affinity. Stars shone brightly, casting a steady, hollow light. The air shimmered with celestial energy, and Evelyn felt like she had full control over the entire domain. It should''ve been an easy fight. Evelyn should''ve been able to overpower them. Yet it proved to be a more difficult task than Evelyn had initially thought. They were tricky. It wasn''t a contest of strength at all. More like who could outsmart the other. Extending her hand forward, Evelyn clenched her fist. At that moment, a blinding light escaped her palms. However, as always, her attack was tanked by Rodd¡ªwho seemed to greatly specialize in barrier magic. A defense type mage. And for Lancelott. Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! He appeared everywhere. Golden light left his trail whenever he disappeared and reappeared. At the moment, he was against Zed. But seeing the state Zed was in, he wouldn''tst for long. Evelyn had to wrap this up fast. With such thoughts, she kicked the ground and unsheathed her de. SHIIING¡ª! Her de shimmered, enshrouded by a hollow glow. The atmosphere around Evelyn was intense, and as she gazed ahead, Rodd seemed to be conjuring his barrier magic. His barrier magic was impossible to breach through, despite Evelyn clearly being stronger. It was as if Rodd had sacrificed his growth of strength in exchange for his unparalleled defense. As if his sole purpose in life was barrier magic. Was this how the Milis continent soldiers operated? She found the thought insane. The entire time, Evelyn had fought like a mage. After all, she was a mage herself. But seeing how her attacks had yet to work, she decided to change her strategy. If fighting like a mage wouldn''t work, then she needed to think things clearly. To fight like a duelist. With such thoughts, Evelyn appeared right in front of Rodd and swung her sword down. With Pseudo Swordsmanship, her de moved at an astonishing speed. As if the sword had teleport to finish the attack. nk¡ª! Even the sound of her sword meeting the magic circle was dyed as she was already ready for a followup attack. nk¡ª! nk¡ª! She could see it. There was definitely a dy in which the magic circle was conjured to block her attack. Whenever she swung, Rodd would take a step back. And he in fact was stepping back, trying to distance himself from Evelyn. Clearly, fighting like a duelist was working. And though there didn''t seem to be a dy when the magic circle conjured, it was visible to Evelyn''s line of sight. With her hyper¨Csensitivity to mana, her observation of change in regards to mana was top notch. For that reason, she could surmise that there was a 0.1 second dy for each magic circle that was conjured. nk¡ª! A loud metallic sound rang whenever her sword struck the magic circle. At that moment, the magic circle shattered, and she could see Rodd start to panic as his chest heaved up and down. Swinging horizontally, a magic circle met her de and Rodd skidded back several meters. Regardless, Evelyn gave him no time to rest as she quickly kicked the ground and headed towards him. p¡ª! Rodd pped his hand and a magic circle appeared right above Evelyn. With her sensitivity, she had also felt a magic circle appear right below her. "Got you." Rodd suddenly spoke, and as he twisted his hand the magic circles pulled itself together like mas. Regardless, Evelyn was fast on her feet as she had quickly dodged his attack. A fixed distance was set between her and Rodd. For a brief second, Evelyn began to ponder. ''To think barrier magic could be used like that.'' If his attack had seeded, Evelyn would''ve been crushed. Although she knew it wouldn''t be enough to actually kill her, she would still suffer significant damage. Mages, after all, were fragile. Regardless, Evelyn pushed through. Behind her, several hollow spears materialized. Squeezing her hand, the spears rained down on Rodd. However, pressing his foot on the ground, magic circles appeared and the spears shattered. Crack! The same went for the magic circle as it shattered like ss. Her firepower, and his defense were on par. It was a contest on who couldnd the first hit first. For such a reason, Evelyn reached out. Magic power started coalescing around her palms, shimmering brightly that for a second, Rodd blinked his eyes. An opportunity presented itself and Evelyn took the opportunity. The trajectory of her hand abruptly shifted, missing the magic circle and nearly touched Rodd''s abdomen, when¡­. Bang! Due to her extreme focus on her attack, she had neglected her senses and before she knew it, she felt something struck her side as she was sent hurling away. Supporting her body up, she raised her head and found Lancelott standing next to Rodd. "...." Massaging her side, she got up and turned her head. Scanning, she could see Zed whoid on the ground, helping himself up. "Tsk." She clicked her tongue. *** Evangel was strong. Even stronger than Lancelott. It was quite shocking at first when she unveiled her hood, revealing her hollow golden eyes. However, seeing her affinity, Lancelott was able to conclude her identity. Evelyn Cessna. The only mage with the [Celestial] affinity. There was no mistaking it. It was her. An SS level threat. From reports, everyone started calling her the seconding of Lucian Frost. It was insane. To think she had grown this much. And to think there was another mage besides Lucian Frost that posed a threat to the Milis continent. Lucian Frost''s death was a blessing. But seeing Evelyn Cessna and experiencing her magic first hand, Lancelott began to doubt his chances of surviving this ordeal. Retreat? It was possible. But that begs the question. Did he even want to retreat? "...." No. The entire auction was a failure,pletely cementing the syndicate''s fall. It was supposed to be his final task. His twenty long¨Cyear mission. He had been sent to this country since he was eight years old for the sole purpose of infiltration. He could''ve lived a new life. Topletely cut off the Milis continent, and to fight for Holy Britannia instead. However, he had a sister. An older sister. About three years older. She was used against him the moment she joined the army, and for that reason, Lancelott couldn''t refute. They were both orphans, and his sister had finally found a job. But the main reason why he was chosen for this mission was because of his rare affinity. The [Quantum] affinity. Experimented on and drugged, he was predicted to be a force to be reckoned with. And up to this point, everything was proceeding well. He had to do everything he could. Even betraying his only friend, Zed. He knew. He knew of Zed''s circumstances. But theck of human kindness had stunted his emotional growth. What he didn''t expect was for Zed to betray him. It was his w. Zed was his w. And now that everything hase to this decisive moment¡­. Spurt! "Wha¨CKh¡­!" His hand pierced right through Rodd, grabbing his heart. "Fuck off." Spurt¡ª! Blood gushed out as Lancelott''s heart waspletely coated with Rodd''s blood. Pulling his hand back, Rodd fell t face on the ground. Thump! Chapter 255: 10,000 [2] If he was going to be abandoned by his homnd anyway just because he had failed his mission, then enough had been said. He was going to abandon everything. And to use their own abilities against them. An ability resulting from his affinity mixing with the drugs inside his body. [Grasp] It allowed him to use the abilities of anyone whose DNA is inside of him. The Milis scientists had thought it was a failure. But no, Lancelott discovered the ability soon after. And soon after, it helped him be as strong as he was now. Dipping Rodd''s heart inside his mouth, a bitter metallic taste filled his tongue as he chewed for a bit. Gulp¡ª "Fucking disgusting." He cursed under his breath. Wiping his mouth, blood smeared all over his left arm, but Lancelott waved it off. Then, he looked around. "What?" Evelyn and Zed were looking at him with horror in their faces. Silence permeated the entire zone. Feeling Rodd''s ability course through him, Lancelott stumbled for a bit before he found his bnce. Clenching his face, he red at Zed. He was the reason for it all. That much became obvious to him. Family? Fuck his family. He had a family too. Yet nobody cared. His parents were killed by the military themselves. Lancelott had only found out about itte. Toote that his sister was already an officer herself. He could''ve told her. He wanted to tell her. But he was prohibited from reaching out to her until the mission wasplete, to prevent any distraction that might divert Lancelott''s focus. "Fuck you." Muttering, Lancelott disappeared as golden particles fluttered in his trail. As soon as he appeared right before him, Zed held up his arm¡ªcoated in a thickyer of crystal. Bang! Zed was sent hurling away as the crystals shattered. Lancelott stood still and turned his head slightly, noticing Evelyn had appeared right before him. Clenching his hand, a magic circle appeared and blocked her de. In the process, the magic circle shattered and Lancelott skidded back several meters. "I''m envious." He spoke indifferently. "If I were as strong as you, none of this would''ve happened." "...." However, Evelyn remained silent and was already upon him. nk¡ª! nk¡ª! Sparks flew in the air as several magic circles appeared and shattered instantaneously. As if it were automated, Lancelott continued looking down and spoke. "I could''ve left it all. I would''ve burned that entire ce down." Then, he raised his head and screamed for all to hear. "Give me my sister back!" His sister¡­. She was brainwashed. Brainwashed into thinking the Milis continent was the best in the world. There was no lie in that. Milis continent technology far surpassed Holy Britannia''s. However, the way they treated their people, and the fact that the country was ruled under dictatorship¡­. There was nothing great about it. Then, Lancelott reached out,pletely neglecting defense. Zoom¡ª A hollow glowing magic circle appeared and stung his hand as Evelyn jumped back, distancing himself from him. "Oh?" Lancelott looked at his trembling hand. It was burnt. Then, he cocked his head and stared at Evelyn. "Are you scared?" "...." "Haha." Stumbling back again, Lancelott clenched his face and spoke. "Hey." He stared deep into Evelyn''s azure eyes. "Do you know how to y chess?" Swoosh¡ª! In an instant, Lancelott disappeared and reappeared right before Evelyn as his hand was extended forward. At the same time, another magic circle appeared and blocked Lancelott''s hand. Feeling the sting, Lancelott paid no heed to the pain and attacked relentlessly. All of a sudden, Lancelott bent down and dodged Zed''s unforeseen attack. Touching the ground with his palms, the quantum particles of the ground dismantled and exploded soon after. Boom¡ª! The ground shook intensely, and Lancelott looked up. The zone was lifting off. After all, zones had a time limit. "Too bad." Lancelott spoke. "Despite your strength, you struggle with utilizing your zone, don''t you?" "...." "Haha. What''s with that look on your face?" Then, he turned his head to look at Zed¡ªwho was all battered up and bruised. "Why are you still here? You should''ve realized by now you aren''t at this level." "Fuck off, Lancelott." "No." Lancelott appeared before him, his hand reaching out for Zed''s face. "You fuck off, traitor." A hollow glowing magic circle appeared at that moment, blinding Lancelott''s peripheral vision and he skidded back, feeling the burn in his hand. "Annoying." He muttered as he red at Evelyn. However, at that moment, a sudden chill ran down his spine as Lancelott swallowed. The air around Evelyn changed. As if a switch was flicked. Her entire face darkened and her eyes glowed brightly, ring at Lancelott. Step¡ª Evelyn stepped forward, and unknowingly, Lancelott took a step back. Crack! The ground cracked in each step Evelyn took. This woman. She''s dangerous. But was he scared? No, he wasn''t. If he were to die, then it had to be at the hands of the strongest opponent he had ever faced. For that reason, Lancelott threw everything aside and charged towards Evelyn. The entire chamber shook at that moment, unknowingly manipting the quantum particles around him. p¡ª! pping his hands, the ground shook intensely, and several magic circles appeared all around Evelyn. Then, he blinked behind her. *** Evelyn''s head abruptly flicked, sensing the mana permeate around her. She was in a pickle. At least, that''s what Lancelott should''ve thought. However, her thoughts were clear. This moment, she was in control of everything. She had finally realized what she needed to break through. To ascend higher. She had abandoned all thoughts of him. The man who had saved her life. The strongest celestial mage she knew. She had forgotten his name by now, but his ink¨Cck eyes were deeply imprinted in her mind. She could never forget his face for as long as she lived. However, she needed to stop chasing after him. She was, after all, chasing after him this whole time. Fifteen years. Not once had she ever seen him again. But regardless, his movements, his magic, and the way he utilized the celestial affinity¡­. Yes, she couldn''t forget it. It wasn''t as if she had never abandoned those thoughts before. However, seeing Brandon again, she recalled those moments. For some reason, his image ovepped with Brandon''s. The air around him. It was simr. They were simr. But now was not the time for such thoughts. She narrowed her eyes, feeling the air of the quantum affinity around her. With such thoughts, she clenched her fist. Kracka! And the magic circles around her shattered in that instant. Feeling Lancelott''s fist upon her, a magic circle abruptly appeared and repelled his attack. Lancelott crashed onto the wall, and a figure blurred past, leaving crystals in his trail. It was Zed. This entire fight. He was useless. A fraud even. But fighting wasn''t his main arsenal. It was his ingenuity. So Evelyn could understand that. However, "...." She looked down. She noticed itte. Her abdomen. "...." It was bleeding profusely. Blood gushed out and Evelyn''s brows raised. It was at that moment when Evelyn finally felt the pain rush through her senses.. "Akh!" She groaned in pain as she held her abdomen. She felt the sting and the heat that came from the wound and she fell on both knees. Thump! When? When did it happen¡­.? She knew she hadn''t let her guard down. As her gaze lingered to the side, it seemed like her attack had damaged Lancelott significantly as well. A stalemate? Or perhaps, her win. "Win." That was a stretch. She was slowly losing consciousness as her vision grew hazy. A ringing sound echoed in her head. But thest words she could hear¡­. "Lord Ezekiel! I give you my full permission." Swoosh¡ª! A figure blurred past her, crashing onto the wall. Her head flicked towards it, and though it was blurry, she could make out who it was. It was Zed. And just like her, blood gushed out of his figure. "...." Chapter 256: 10,000 [3] Brandon had lost himself in the moment his gaze fell on the amethyst mes. The mes were beautiful, captivating his full attention as if the entire surroundings didn''t bother him. The light shone from the mes reflected in his eyes and he calmed down soon after. Truth be told, he hadn''t realized what he had done. The entire time, all he did was follow the cursed pathways that permeated the surroundings, grabbing them, and appearing all around the room as if it was a game. It was fun. He had fun. "....Brandon." A voice suddenly reached his ears. A familiar voice. He flicked his head towards the source with an indifferent look. He met all of their gazes, scanning each and every one of them. Their eyes widened and some of them had grim expressions. Then, he looked around. It was then when he realized what exactly transpired. Bodies sprawled all over the ground, some even leaning on the wall. Blood smeared all over the room, as some of the bodies had lost their heads in the aftermath. And as he looked down, there seemed to be a head right next to where he stood. "...." It all clicked. These guys. They all fell before him. And he didn''t even realize it until he snapped out of his daze. Silence gripped the room. Step¡ª But that silence was soon broken as a footstep echoed. Brandon''s eyes flicked and scanned. It was Belle. "Ah." "Stay calm." "....?" Her words made no sense to him. And then, it finally registered. He had been gravely injured himself. "Akh!" He groaned in pain. The blood that smeared in his features were mixed with the assants and his own. nk! A loud metallic sound rang as he dropped his sword. Holding onto his arm, blood dripped down profusely. His entire body had been etched with deep cuts, ones that tore his flesh. The stinging sensation echoed throughout his body as the cold wind brushed past his wounds. It hurt. "Kh¡­!" But all he could is suck it up and grit his teeth. "We need to get you treated, fast!" Belle approached him along with a woman with red hair. Brandon didn''t know who she was, but he could surmise she could do something about this. "These wounds are fatal." Belle urged. "Lieutenant General, Artoria. Can you stop the bleeding?" "Y-yes. I think it''s manageable. But the treatment will be temporary itself. He needs to get to a hospital as soon as possible." Then, Belle raised her head and looked at Amelia who stood rigid at the sight. "Amelia, can you leave this ce with Brandon?" After all, the mission wasn''t over yet. But Brandon was already out ofmission. He had yed his part. Now he had to leave it to the rest of the Imperial Army. "Of course." Amelia nodded her head and watched the entire treatment. The mes around Brandon gradually dispersed as he stood still, allowing Artoria to treat his wounds. "Damn, did he do all this alone?" "It''s quite an unpleasant sight. But he had no choice." The others looked around. Particrly, Ray and Ivan, scanning whatever transpired inside the chamber. Belle secretly gritted her teeth. Her brother had been severely injured. But she had to stay professional. Losing her focus would be detrimental for the mission. After all, there might still be enemies lurking around. "Brandon, I''ll let you rest for now. But I need a detailed reportter." She yed it off. But her heart was hurting. Seeing her precious younger brother in this state had hurt her immensely to the point where she wanted to cry. And as Belle nced at Amelia''s direction, she could tell she felt the same way as her. Her expressions told her all she needed to know. Regardless, for now, they had to stay professional. Time passed, and the treatment was nearly finished. But it was then. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ The room shook and loud banging sounds echoed from the other room. Something went wrong. "....!" "Quick!" Immediately, Ray, Ivan, Belle and Amelia''s rm bells rang as they kept their guard up. Belle''s gaze lingered on Brandon who had an exhausted look on his face. He was the wounded, and so, they encircled around him and Artoria who continued treating him. Brandon felt it. This ominous presence. A familiar feeling. But¡­. he had felt nothing towards it. Indifferent to the whole thing. But the others in the room with him were clueless. "Get away!" He cried out. All heads flicked towards him in confusion. And shortly after¡­. Boom¡ª! The entire chamber shook intensely and a figure blurred past them, crashing onto the wall right behind them. Brandon immediately turned his head and cold sweat started beading down. He recognized who had just crashed onto the wall. It was Zed. Then, he turned his head back towards the area where Zed came from. Rock dust obscured his vision. But as the dust slowly faded, he could see arge gaping hole had just formed, connecting this chamber to another chamber. "....!" Shit. It was toote. A tall silhouette emerged from the hole, adorning what seems to be tinum armor. Long¨Ctinum blonde hair and empty eyes that stared right back at Brandon. As soon as their gazes met, Brandon felt chills all over. It was a Wraith. How in the world¡­. However, that wasn''t the worst part of it. The Wraith smiled and raised his hand for all to see. There, clenched inside his hand was Evelyn''s neck. Evelyn hung limply and blood dripped down from her entire figure. "...." This¡­. Everything had gone bad to worse in an instant. Brandon''s eyes widened. And as he looked at the Imperial Army, they too stood frozen as their entire figure trembled. "F-Field Marshal¡­. E-Evelyn¡­" Belle''s voice shook. The fear was evident in her tone as her sword was brandished forward with trembling hands. Fear. Brandon could feel no such thing. Just shock. Brandon stepped forward, but was halted as Artoria grabbed his arm. "...." She spoke no words The same went for the entire Imperial Army. Silence gripped the room as they watched the Wraith slowly enter the room and tossed Evelyn''s body aside. Thump! If she was dead, Brandon couldn''t tell. However, now that it hade to this, there was only one thing left to do. Defeat the Wraith. Everyone else only stood to block his path as Brandon waved Artoria off. Step¡ª Brandon took another step and they looked at him with horror in their faces. Then, he looked at Amelia. She shook her head as if telling him, ''Don''t do anything.'' However, Brandon looked back indifferently and his gaze returned to the Wraith. "I''ve found you." The Wraith spoke. His voice carried a hint of malice and authority. Such things that Brandon had felt. Yet regardless, he had felt no fear. He had already sacrificed such emotions back then. And it was for the better. He recalled a certain scenario back then. The lines the Wraith spoke in the previous progression. It was the same. This Wraith clearly knew something, and was after him. That meant, this was his fight. Step¡ª Brandon stepped forward again. But it was then when Belle too had grabbed his arm. The look on her face as if she was pleading. But regardless, Brandon waved her off. Step¡ª And took another step. "Please." Amelia''s voice. It was faint. But he could hear it. Yet again, Brandon paid no heed to it as he coldly muttered. "Dominion." At that moment, he knew everyone in the room felt it. Fear. In fear of the Wraith and him. Just so they would stay back. Belle had already died once while he was in possession of this body. He couldn''t let it happen again. In that instant¡­ Swoosh¡ª! The Wraith''s figure disappeared. "...." And arge hand appeared right in front of him. Chapter 257: 10,000 [4] An ability that resigned themselves to their fates. [Possession] Due to the capabilities of the human body, the effects would onlyst for thirty seconds. But those ten seconds were the deciding factor. It was, after all, Ezekiel himself who could materialize, as soon as his subjects willingly utter the phrases. Though it wasn''t possible for all. Just the ones who Ezekiel gave blessings to himself. And Lancelott was one such person himself after meeting Ezekiel, just before he was sent for this mission. Ezekiel looked ahead. There was not much to do. Just the fact that he had freedom for a few seconds was enough for him. However, he sensed it. The Sovereign. He was here. And he was standing right in front of him. He didn''t have much time left. And clearly, it wasn''t enough time to kill this Sovereign. Standing in front of him gave him chills all over, even as a Wraith himself. However, seething rage boiled inside him as well. These Sovereigns¡­. It was them that had exiled the Wraiths, or rather, Sovereigns themselves. And seeing the fearless look in this Sovereign''s expressions¡­. It had made Ezekiel curious. Just what made these Sovereign''s fearful? And¡­. ¡­..Who is this Sovereign? Ezekiel at least had to know that before this body perished. And so, he reached out for the Sovereign as fog began to gradually fill the room. However, it proved to be a difficult task as chains shot from the ground, blocking his path from the Sovereign. Crack! Immediately, the chains shattered before it could even reach Ezekiel. "You really are a weak one, aren''t you?" Ezekiel scoffed. Everyone in the chamber was weak. They posed no threat to him, and in fact, he could barely sense their presence. They were just that weak. The celestial mage wasn''t bad, but she clearlycked something. And for that reason, she was able to save herself. Her affinity would go to waste if Ezekiel killed her now. He wanted her abilities. For that reason, he allowed her to live. Just a few light injuries here and there. To his standards anyway. All of a sudden, the Sovereign''s figure blurred. Ezekiel''s head flicked to the side, noticing the But he stood still. Despite the fact that he could sense it, the body''s muscles weren''t fast enough to react. Bang! Feeling the Sovereign''s fist struck his side, Ezekiel skidded to the side slightly. It felt like he was pushed. That was it. Just a light push. SHIIING¡ª The Sovereign''s relentless with his attacks as he brandished his sword. As his sword came cleaving down, Ezekiel felt a tingle. The sword tickled. So this was all the Sovereign was capable of. Then where did that sense of profound confidence stem from? Ezekiel couldn''t deny that the Sovereign was fast. And since he was unustomed to this body, he couldn''t trace the Sovereign''s movements. Truly, the human body''s limitations held their growth back. Ezekiel could tell what the Sovereign was doing. To buy time for the others to escape. But seeing how they all stood frozen in fear for him, it seemed like the Sovereign''s efforts were for naught. "Go! What the fuck are you guys doing?!" The Sovereign screamed. They all snapped out of it at his words. "Artoria, you go first!" One of the cannon fodders spoke. A woman with pale¨Cwhite hair and ice¨Cblue eyes. She must''ve been the leader. How idiotic. The woman was way weaker than the man that stood beside her. Specifically, the man with a robust figure. And yet he wasn''t the leader¡­.? This continent clearlycked reform. All of a sudden, the air around Ezekiel changed. Magic circles materialized all around him as the man with a robust figure sped his hands together. At that moment, ice slowly crawled from the ground, encapsting Ezekiel''s leg all the way to his torso. Kracka! Kracka! Then, two lightning bolts pierced through the air and shot towards him in an instant. The lightning struck his body, or particrly, Lancelott''s body, and Ezekiel spasmed slightly. Annoying. They were annoying. Like flies buzzing his ears. Bang! Bang! All of a sudden, a loud banging sound echoed and bullets charged. Upon impact, Ezekiel felt his body tremble as he staggered back slightly. "Ah." The manaing from the bullets. It was familiar. How didn''t he notice it? The signatureing from the woman with blonde hair was faint. However, as Ezekiel stared intently, it was definitely there. Another Sovereign. Ezekiel''s eyes widened in amusement. Who knew he would encounter two Sovereigns at the same time? And for that reason, she was the target. Ezekiel''s figure blurred at that moment as he appeared right in front of the woman who held a pistol forward. But the woman was quick in her feet as she leapt back. sh¡ª! Feeling something sharp strike his body, Ezekiel turned his head slightly and met two ink¨Cck eyes. They fared well against him. But that wasn''t without reason. This body was weak after all. He couldn''t just physically transcend. If he did, the body would perish instantly. Since it proved to be an impossible task, Ezekiel decided to deal with whatever he came here for. And with such thoughts, he focused on the Sovereign. Since there were two Sovereigns at the moment¡­. He reached out for the woman. Swoosh¡ª! Once again, his figure blurred, appearing right beside the woman. This time she was caught off guard, confused as to why she was targeted. "Ah." The woman''s eyes widened as she took a step back. And it was then, Another figure blurred, appearing right behind the woman. His two ink¨Cck eyes red at him as if he was the most repulsive being he had ever seen. Time seemed to freeze at a standstill as he reached out for the blonde woman''s neck. "Amelia!" A scream resounded. His hand was close, and so was the Sovereign''s sword as it glimmered. There, Ezekiel could see the sword start shimmering an amethyst glow. "What is your darkest dreadful memory?" Ezekiel''s lips curled up to a wide grin. Spurt! The trajectory of his hand shifted abruptly. Blood dripped as his hand cleaved right through the sword. Not only that, but what seemed to be light magic struck his body. All sorts of magic rushed towards him as the entire chamber was filled with a myriad circles. A joint attack between everyone present in the room. It was admirable. And it was toote. 28 seconds. Those were the only seconds he had left before his body perished. But it was a sess. "Let me see right through you, Sovereign." "Brandon!" Another scream resounded. The blonde woman tried to push the Sovereign aside. Ezekiel''s palms touched the Sovereign''s face slightly. And that was all he needed to do. The Sovereign may have tempered his body with mana. However, he was vulnerable to mental attacks. As soon as his palms touched the Sovereign''s face¡­. He saw it all. In a matter of seconds as if it were a fever dream. One second was all it took. And Ezekiel froze. "Kh¡­!" He groaned slightly. "Wha¡ª" Truly, he saw it all. The Sovereign''s darkest dreadful memories. A memory that had been locked away deep inside. The Sovereign''s death. The 1st death. The most important one. A world with no magic. The Sovereign looked different. Jet¨Cck hair and ocean¨Cblue eyes. His name was Raven ckheart. Chapter 258: 10,000 [5] Was this really him? The Sovereign found something he shouldn''t have found. And that resigned his death. However, it gave him an ability. The ability to regress. And what seems to be¡­. Ezekiel couldn''tprehend it at all. A rectangr icon filled with text. Strength¡­. Defense¡­. Agility¡­. The hell is this? And the Sovereign died as soon as he received those abilities. The 2nd death. The 3rd death. They were all idiotic. He had died from all sorts of reasons that Ezekiel couldn''tprehend. Practicing his magic? His magic was enough to kill him? What sort of magic is that supposed to be? The 10th death. The 11th. All for the same reason. But in those deaths, the Sovereign had aged for a bit. However, the deaths took a toll on him. It seemed like he received his memories in each death. The 23rd death. He could tell. The Sovereign was now afraid of using such abilities. And in a world with no magic, what was the point in using them? For that reason, the Sovereign lived a leisurely life, never progressing his abilities. And for that reason, the Sovereign had finally seen through it all. The cmity. And that cmity resigned his death. The 24th death. The Sovereign realized he couldn''t act casually. And so, he decided to grow stronger. A smart decision. But his actions¡­? Not so smart. His death was rapid. Reaching until the 90th death, where he had grown used to his powers, never dying anymore. But still. It wasn''t enough. The cmity took his life. It was only until the 263rd death where he had finally found the solution. And he had finally found it. A way to spread mana in the world permanently. In exchange, he would lose all of the memories he had up till this point. In other words, a binding vow. The [Curse] affinity. And he regressed, losing his memories in the process. His 264th regression. This life was different. He had a friend. A boy with pale¨Cwhite hair and ice¨Cblue eyes. The current appearance the Sovereign took. Again, Ezekiel couldn''tprehend anything. The boy. His name was Brandon Locke. And in a world filled with magic, he was the only boy with no mana. Time passed. The boy died. A sorrowful feeling gripped the Sovereign. However, he had no knowledge of his power to regress. For that reason, he continued living. Much until the cmity transpired, ultimately killing him in the process. He regressed again. And he continued to regress. His 500th life. All of his deaths had been the same. Due to hisck of knowledge of harnessing his abilities, he continued to die in stupid ways that Ezekiel had found incredibly ridiculous. And it continued. No matter what he did, he couldn''t prevent Brandon Locke''s death. He wasx, using his regression as assurance to save the boy. Ultimately leading to his 2644th life. ¡ªWhy can''t I save him? The Sovereign began to question himself. No, he had alway questioned himself. As if saving Brandon Locke had be an obsession for him. Ezekiel couldn''tprehend why. Why go through such lengths for a single person? The Sovereign gave up. He gave up on everything. In turn, he decided to live a life of leisure, settling with a woman. Blonde hair and blue eyes. The same woman who was in the room with Ezekiel just now. The other Sovereign. And to his surprise, Brandon Locke had lived throughout as well. The two remained close friends. Brandon Locke as well, settled with a woman. Deep¨Cck hair and red eyes. And in the end, the world ended. However, it was a life the Sovereign lived fulfillingly. And that same life continued. 6835th regression. All lived fulfillingly. Until he had grown numb to it all. The same boring life. Why couldn''t everyone have a happy ending? Why does the world always end the same way? And, ¡ª¡­.Why am I the only one cursed with immortality? It would''ve been fine if he had lost his memories. But he would always keep them with no way to lose them. It was exhausting. And in his 6324th life, the Sovereign decided to make a change. To ultimately stop the world''s destruction. And he had always failed. He himself was a failure. 6777th. 7431th. 8673rd. All regressions ended up the same way. In some he would progress far. While some, trying to do things differently, had killed him early on. Until¡­. The 9999th regression. Regressing so far, he had finallye far. He had finally stopped the world''s destruction. Completely wiping off the Wraiths and the other Sovereigns from the world. And in the end¡­. He lost everything. ¡ªThis isn''t it. This is not how I wanted things to go! It wasn''t worth it. And in the end. Spurt! He killed himself. The mental toll that entire life took. He had grown numb. He had given up once again. How couldn''t he give up when he had done everything. Yet when he had finally aplished his task, there was nothing left. His life wasn''t worth it. Living wasn''t worth it. If at first he wanted to live, to finally see the end. Now, he wanted to die. ¡ªFuck everything. Raven ckheart had finally given it all up in his 10,000th regression. However, he couldn''t do so without passing the torch. With such thoughts, a binding vow urred. To pass his Sovereign''s will to the two people he had trusted the most. The two people he had cherished the most. Amelia Constantine. And¡­. Brandon Locke. However, an error urred. Amelia was split apart into two. Ultimately turning into a Sovereign''s Fragment. While the other, while having no such abilities of the Sovereign, had received all her memories throughout every regression. Her eyes turned a dull color, and her blonde hair had turned hazel. As if her identity was taken from her. And for Brandon Locke, he had received something else. The [Curse] affinity. He had cursed his best¨Cfriend. And everything resetted. His life wasn''t taken at all. Just his memories. An ultimate reset. 10,001th life. And everything progressed the same way. Only this time, he had never met his best¨Cfriend, Brandon Locke. He continued to live without knowing anything of the 10,000th regressions. The only ability he had left after sacrificing everything. The [Shadow] affinity. And throughout his lifespan, he had met and formed the same bonds with all of the friends he had made in his previous regressions. Reinhard Van. Amy Ashfield. Rachel Asami. ire Victoria. Not once had he ever formed the same rtionship with his previous lover, Amelia Constantine. But instead, the lingering feelings were still there. Blonde hair. That was all he could remember, And with such a reason, he fell for Amy Ashfield instead. A misunderstanding, perhaps? There was something different as well. A group that obstructed his path. They called themselves the Primordials. To his understanding, it seemed to be a mercenary group. A group led by a woman with pale¨Cwheat hair and hazel eyes. But that woman¡­ there was a look of sadness in her eyes. As if she had never wanted to approach him. But Ezekiel could or more less tell why. After all, she was Amelia Constantine. Or rather, as she liked to call herself, Ciel. Time passed, andRaven ckheart joined the group. He lived a double life. A member of the Primordials, and a ranker himself. An SS+ ranker, to be precise. The Primordials goals after all, aligned with his. They were strong, and they were on humanity''s side. Wars erupted soon after. A war between other races. A war between the Milis continent. And in the end, his life ended the same way. The world was destroyed. And he regressed, keeping his memories intact. But in the next life, he decided to do things differently. At first, he was confused. Why did he regress? Was it all just a dream? It took time until he hade to terms with it. It was the 10,002nd regression. She had finally appeared. Ciel. She had finally revealed all of her secrets after Raven had regressed. And apparently, it was not just her memories that were kept intact, but she had also received his memories. She had seen his memories of every regression. As if two people were living in the same body. And she passed the memories onto him. The stress it took on him as he remembered everything took a toll on his body. His hair had turned even darker, as well as his eyes. He remembered all the previous regressions. In return, Ciel had lost her own memories of the previous regressions. She had be a nk canvas. An entirely new person. No longer was she Amelia Constantine. But Ciel herself. A total of 10,000 regressions surfaced in his mind. And he called them the 0 progressions. The most useless ones. Regressions were useless. If he were to make it right, then it was better for all the counterparts to live in the same timeline. For that reason, he had a goal. To find the [Time] affinity. But in the 10,046th life, he had found out that it was impossible. Time affinity was locked behind thews of the world. And that was unfair. Thews had locked his only solution, yet thews continued to make him suffer. But he had realized there was a way. Thews were only present when mana was present. And so, he had finally found it. A way to cut the world''s mana. To sacrifice his ability to regress with a binding vow. A vow that was made through Brandon Locke. The 10,003rd regression. It was the most dangerous life he had ever lived. If he were to die, then there was no turning back. Just until he had found the [Time] affinity. The ability that allowed him to leap through time. It was differentpared to regression. After all, his counterpart would still be present. That being said, he had finally acquired the [Time] affinity. And so, his scheming had begun. To acquire abilities that would aid him. However, he knew his body was permanently breaking down. Until, once again, he had fully recreated a world that was most simr to his first life. The 10,263rd regression. A nostalgic feeling. But that aside, he had realized how much he neglected his best¨Cfriend. Brandon Locke. Because of his thorough search for life with no mana, he hadpletely neglected his best¨Cfriend''s request. However, he was not in the right state of mind. Brandon Locke must''ve been paranoid. Stealing his affinity? That was his to begin with. He knew of Brandon''s paranoia towards him. However, that goes without saying. They needed him to break. Brandon Locke was acting against his n without knowing it was the opposite. He felt sorry for him. For that reason, he allowed Brandon Locke to scheme against him. He moved ording to his will. Brandon Locke had given up, And finally, the 10,264th life. The current progression. His counterpart had possessed his best¨Cfriend. The version of him that lived in a world simr to his first life. As if it was a full reset to him. Only this time, he had kept the [Curse] affinity. It was the greatest result he had ever produced. It was then. Two ink¨Cck eyes looked back at him. Changing colors abruptly, ice¨Cblue, ink¨Cck. Those eyes. As if it stared deep within Ezekiel''s soul. ¡ªForget. Two cold words. Clearly, Ezekiel had witnessed something he never should have. Crack! And Lancelott''s body perished soon after. Chapter 259: Reunion [1] Deus was sent toplete the objectives that Brandon had instructed him to. To find his business rival, Rafael Asami, and to save him in the process. Zed had set the stage for him. He was informed that Rafael Asami was located in a hospital inside the ckmarket. And so, he had arrived at said hospital. Entering the hospital, he looked around. There, he could see the receptionist. It was a nurse. How neat. To think the ckmarket had this kind of profession. However, he knew it wasn''t as simple as that. The ckmarket''s hospital dealt with illegal ways to treat their patients such as drugs and so on. It wasn''t a good look. However, Rafael Asami was favored by the leader. For such a reason, his treatment must''ve been for a good reason. That being said, Deus approached the receptionist. "Good evening." Tipping his hat, he gave the nurse a smile and the nurse smiled back. "I''m looking for a certain man, Rafael Asami? I heard he was here." The nurse''s expression turned grim at that point. "Sorry. I think you are in the wrong ce." Of course. Rafael Asami''s information was confidential. For that reason, the hospital''s staff must''ve been instructed not to give ess to unidentified guests. He couldn''t me her. His overall appearance made him look suspicious. Especially the hat he wore. Major creepy vibes. It was then when Deus shed his Twilight Device. [White] A VIP. And under his name was his employer, Zed Alistar. The nurse''s eyes widened in shock. "A-Apologies¡­. Sir Zeus." That was his Codename. Then, the nurse scanned theputer. Her brows raised and she looked at Zed after confirmation. "Yes, Rafael Asami. Room: 505." That meant, the fifth floor, and room five. The fifth floor was usually restricted to VIP only. That much was obvious to Deus. "Thank you." Tipping his hat and giving a light bow, Deus left shortly after. The elevators were separated and he was instructed to take the elevator that VIPs took. Inside, there was only one button. It was the button for the fifth floor. And after taking the elevator, he had finally arrived at the fifth floor. He roamed the halls. It was bright, and as he looked at the window he could see the entire ckmarket. Until he had finally arrived at the right room. On the side of the door, there was a ck gadget etched on the wall. The device lit up upon detecting movement. Deus allowed the gadget to scan his Twilight Device. Beep¡ª A beeping sound urred, and the door slid open. He was granted ess. Stepping inside the room, what greeted his sight was a dimly lit room. And it was then when he saw it. The familiar sight of his business rival, Rafael Asami. His deep¨Cck hair had grown longer than what Rafael had remembered. That, and he looked severely malnourished. But regardless, there was no doubt in Deus'' mind that the man¨Cwhoid in the hospital bed with his eyes closed was Rafael Asami. There were wires attached to his body,ing from several devices. Beep¡ª Beep¡ª And a beeping sound continued to ring, breaking the room''s silence. Clearly, he was in a dire state. He was told to leave with Rafael Asami. If he were unconscious, he was given a device by Zed to immediately leave the ckmarket along with Rafael. But seeing the state he was in¡­. "He should stay here." That was his conclusion. If the wires in his body were removed, then who knows what would happen. It was fine. If Brandon''s n seeded, they would have full control over the ckmarket. If it fails, Deus couldn''t give a damn. Profit wise, it was better for Rafael Asami to stayatosed. But since Brandon was his boss, he had to do his task. With such thoughts, Deus retrieved the Twilight Device and dialed a number. Ring¡­. Ring¡­. Ring¡­. But Brandon didn''t respond. It made sense. Most probably, Brandon wasn''t done. So Deus decided to wait as he walked towards the window, taking the sight of the ckmarket. It was beautiful. It looked like an entire underground city. For how this was even possible, Deus couldn''t even begin to think how. Time passed. Deus had grown bored and turned around, wanting to leave. He was just about to leave when his rm bells rang. "....!" Boom¡ª! An explosion resounded and the entire ckmarket shook. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­ Thankfully, there was no damage to the hospital room. Immediately, Deus sprinted back towards the window and scanned. He looked around to trace the source of the explosion. His wide eyesnded on a sea of mes, a bit further away from the hospital. The mes deeply imprinted in his mind as it reflected in his eye. A sudden chill ran down his spine. That location¡­. "...." It was the auction building. *** It had to be said that Brandon had seen the visions as well. Albeit¡ªin a fever dream, and in a form of fragments. The visions were scattered like puzzle pieces waiting to be pieced. It was too much for him. Much to the point where he started. "Hieaaaa¡ª" Screaming. In a matter of seconds, the Wraith instantly perished away and Brandon found himself down on both knees. Thump! "Hieaaaa¡ª" ''What the fuck is this?'' He could see it all. All the deaths. All his deaths. Living a totally different life from what Brandon Locke had initially told him. Did he lie? What the fuck did he mean by 263 progressions? There were way more. A life way before the 263 progressions. He couldn''t believe it. ''Who the fuck am I¡­!?'' ''Am I Raven ckheart!?'' ''Am I Brandon Locke!?'' He couldn''t fathom it anymore. He had seen Brandon Locke''s memories, and now he was seeing Raven ckheart''s memories. This didn''t make any sense. None of this shit made sense anymore. He didn''t see it all. But he had a general knowledge of the amount of Raven ckheart regressions there were. A total of 10,000. That much was certain. It was all too confusing, even for him. Especially so in his fragile mental state. He wanted to forget. He didn''t want to see it all. "Hieaaaa¡ª" "Brandon!" "Brandon!" Belle and Amelia reached out to him, crying out his name. But it all went to deaf ears. "Get the fuck away!" He waved them off as amethyst mes shot out. Everything rushed through his head and a stabbing pain urred as he clenched his head, gripping it tightly. "Hieaaaa¡ª" ''Who am I?'' ''Who really am I?'' ''Who the fuck am I!?'' Was he truly a Raven ckheart variant? A Raven that had lived a life with no magic? Or was he the first Raven ckheart, before all the progressions? His mind was all jumbled up, and¡­. Thwack! Thwack! He started mming his head as he continued screaming. "Hieaaa¡ª" *** Amelia had just caught her breath. Initially, she thought she was about to die. But when the Wraith''s hand recoiled towards Brandon, she felt her heart drop. She couldn''t let him die. The Wraith could take her life, but not his. She couldn''t allow it. Over her dead body. Regardless, it was toote. The Wraith''s hand had reached Brandon. However, in a matter of seconds, the Wraith perished, disintegrating. Thwack! Thwack! Brandon started smacking his head as his screams continued to resound. His scream had sent a chill down Amelia''s spine as she rushed towards him, pleading for him to stop, embracing him tightly. "Brandon!" "What''s wrong with him?" "That Wraith must''ve done something!" The Imperial Army starteding up with their own theories as they stared at Brandon with grim expressions. "Can anyone relieve him? Some sort of mental magic?" "We don''t have anyone like that in the squad!" "Tsk." Ivan clicked his tongue. Of course, Amelia knew that as well. But they grew desperate. Especially stemming from the fact that they had almost died to a Wraith. Artoria was already upon Evelyn, treating her injuries. "How''s Field Marshal Evelyn?" Belle had lost all rationality, as she too rushed towards Brandon. It was Ivan instead who took charge of the situation. "She''s in a critical state. Her abdomen was cut deep open, but I was able to stabilize her wounds. She needs to get to a hospital, fast!" A simr state to Brandon. In the corner of the room, a man stood up. Brandon had called him Zed. Holding onto his arm, Zed appeared battered and bruised. Artoria seemed to want to treat his injuries as well. But Zed held his hand up, stopping her. "I''m fine. I haven''t done much but drag Evelyn down. Please continue treating her." Artoria nodded her head and continued to do so. "Hieaaaa¡ª" "I don''t know what''s wrong with him. But¡ª" Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­. All of a sudden, the chamber shook, cutting Zed off. No, the entire auction room shook. At that moment, everyone in the room knew. The scent of gunpowder permeated the room, especially when their senses were enhanced at the moment. The entire building was about to explode. Zed hade up with several reasons as to why. But ultimately, he ended up with nothing. Most probably, it was Lancelott''s doing. Immediately, Zed urged. "Quick! Inside Evelyn''s pocket, there''s a device that will transport us out of here. I''m not sure where she configured it, but we have no other choice." It was a device given to her by Zed. A safety. He wanted to give Brandon one as well, but he denied it, telling to keep it for his own use. However, his own device broke during the fight with Lancelott. In fact, he wasn''t sure if Evelyn''s device was still functioning, but he could only hope to do so. "This one?" "Quickly!" Artoria tossed the device to Zed. Catching it in his palms, Zed immediately activated the device. BOOOOM¡ª! As if time had frozen still, a sea of mes immediately registered in the peripheral vision in the middle of the auction hall. The mes were thest thing they saw as each and every one of them was teleported away. Since they were scattered around the room¡­. ¡­.They were sent to different locations. Chapter 260: Reunion [2] Brandon''s head was a mess. He was a mess. Everything had grown numb to a certain point. However, despite those feelings, there was an undeniable fact he hade to a conclusion. Brandon Locke was his best¨Cfriend, even before the 263 regressions. And ultimately, it was he who had cursed his own best¨Cfriend. In the end, he hade into possession of his best¨Cfriend''s body. The former might''ve been out of his control, knowing how there was an error. But regardless, he had manipted Brandon Locke. Jin, or rather, Raven, wanted it all back. A version of him before all the regressions. A version of him that lived in a world without mana. Despite all those efforts, it had all gone to naught. He had seen it all. Visions he was never meant to see. It truly was outstanding to see someone fall so low. To see him give up, try, give up, and try again. And when the opportunity presented itself, an opportunity to finally break the curse of immortality, he never took it. But that begs the question. If the book he had read was the 10,001st regression, then who kept record of the entire thing? Of course, the answer was obvious in in sight. Amelia Constantine. Or rather, Ciel. Ciel''s bodynguage made sense the moment he had asked about Jin. ¡ªMy brother. In the Sovereign aspects, she wasn''t wrong. It had given them a connection even more profound than blood ties. ''You meant to say your lover.'' Amelia was just another victim of his selfish whims. "Haaa¡­ I''m so tired." He truly was exhausted. His body felt light all over. As if he was gradually descending, submerging in water. He opened his eyes. "Ah." It was dark. Utter darkness. But the sensations. It felt as if he was submerging deep underwater. But regardless, he could breathe. It was then when he saw it. A fixed distance away stood a piano. "A piano, huh?" The thought was funny. Why was there a piano underwater? His thoughts were jumbled up, and so, setting all logic aside, he swam towards the piano. The piano. His only identity that made him himself. The only thing that gave him sce, a piece that didn''te from either Brandon Locke, nor Raven ckheart. The piano was his, and his alone. Extending his hand forward, he pressed the first key. Num~ The melodic tune of the piano rang and he felt at peace. It would be unfair to say Raven ckheart had descended from righteousness. From the start, he was already broken. His mother took her own life right in front of him. For that reason, Raven ckheart had sealed off his own heart. Ultimately, the events led to him finding the Sovereign''s Will. And that was where it all started. Things got progressively worse from then on. He had tried to save her to the point where Brandon couldn''t keep count. But it all ended the same way. As if his mother was fated to die. That meant, that in his own timeline, the timeline before he was thrusted into this progression¡­. In the end, the two were simr in a way. "Mom¡­." He had his memories. "Why¡­.?" He, in fact, was also Raven ckheart. "Why did you leave me alone¡­.?" He was unsure who was speaking. Him? "I missed you¡­. I hate being alone¡­." Or the Raven ckheart inside of him¡­? "I wish¡­ I wish you would have chosen me¡­!" Ah, of course. It was both of them. He had been deluding himself. Did he truly have a mother? Or was everything a figment of his imagination, even the text before he died? "I wish you would have lived¡­ for me!" He cried out in agony. Num~ The fine tune of the piano continued to echo. By now, he was in the middle of the second movement. The novels he had read. It was all to distract himself from such a reality. The reality that he had been living alone for half of his life. Ah. Then, it was not Raven ckheart who was to me for all this. It was his mother. All of this had stemmed from the trauma his mother''s death had caused. She was the one to me. She was the selfish one. Not him, not Raven ckheart. "Why didn''t you choose me!" He screamed, gritting his teeth. But no one heard him. He was all alone. Just like before. Belle and Amelia were nowhere to be seen. They had abandoned him as well. It wouldn''t be a stretch to say they might''ve killed themselves as well. Yes, that must''ve been what happened. He was always alone in the end. Hee had nevere to know the truth regarding his mother''s death. Just that, when he had arrived home from school, he found her hanging from the ceiling. "Why?!" He screamed as he continued tapping on the keys. It was the final movement. The fourth movement. "Why didn''t you live for me!?" Path to Ascension. A novel that closely followed Raven ckheart''s story. The protagonist with the same name as him. The protagonist that had an oddly simr childhood as him. It was the ultimate self insert. For that reason, it was his favorite novel. Despite all the screaming, not once did the tears fall down. He couldn''t cry anymore. He couldn''t plead anymore. After all, he had been crying for over 10,000 regressions. Num~ And soon after, his performance had ended. A performance with no audience. Just him and the voices in his head. His sanity was gradually descending. It truly was his descent. All of a sudden¡­. "...." There was light. *** It was their exams for the preliminaries. Particrly, the students of Imperial Academy. And for the exams, they were given the task for abyrinth raid. Killing a monster would give them one point. Thebyrinth was in control of the rankers. For that reason, the entirebyrinth had been well supervised. Most of the students in the ss were in the C to B ranking, it was manageable. All except for one person. Raven ckheart. The only student in the ss that had ascended to the A ranks. To be precise, an A- ranker. He was exceptional. For that reason, he was the only one who tackled the exams alone. But regardless, he had umted the most points. sh¡ª! Wherever he went, a streak followed his trail and blood would stter around. "Come on, Raven! That was my hunt!" One of the students voiced out in frustration. "This is an exam. Do it faster." Raven shed him a smirk. "Hngg¡­" The student gritted his teeth in frustration. And so, Raven continued to dive deeper into thebyrinth. However, he soon halted. "....?" Ice bullets pierced right through the air, almost hitting him. "Hey, what gives¡ªAh." He turned around. There, he could see Rachel and Amy. After all, they were paired with each other. "Don''t get ahead of yourself, Raven." The one who spoke first was Amy. "You guys. How many points do you have?" "About 267." Rachel answered. "I see." Raven pinched his chin. The points were kind of close. He had about 312. He needed to keep up his pace. The best part about thebyrinth were the chambers. Though they could find monsters along the way as they travel the maze, if they were lucky, and breach the walls, they could find an entire colony of monsters hidden. "You guys want to team up?" "Hm¡­?" "I think I can sense monsters nearby." "So you''ve noticed too¡­." Amy sighed. It wasn''t as if they were following Raven. But they too had sensed the colony of monsters from the wall across them. Tzz¡ª And it wasn''t just them. "Oh?" ire had arrived along with Reinhard. "You guys are here too?" "Okay, this is too much." Raven massaged his temples. "What are you guys here for?" He had to ask. Maybe they hadn''t sensed it. "That." ire pointed at the exact wall where Raven could sense the colony of monsters. "Okay." Raven shook his head and pushed down his thoughts. He could share. "You guys want to distribute evenly¡ª" And he was soon cut off as students began pouring from all sides. They too had sensed the colony of monstersing from the other side of the wall. "...." His mouth hung agape. His ns had been thrown off. But regardless it would be a waste to abandon the chamber. If distribution wasn''t possible, then he should just kill them as fast as he can. The students began discussing with each other. Raven looked at Reinhard. "Rein, can you do the honors?" "Sure." However, as Reinhard stepped forward, something went wrong. They had all felt it. The number of monsters inside the chamber dwindled rapidly. Something was wrong. Raven had a bad feeling. Raven and Reinhard exchanged looks with one another. Since they were the two strongest students in the ss, they took charge of the situation. "Everyone, stay back." Raven waved his hand. The Imperial Academy students were more professionalpared to Astrea Academy. For that reason, listening to the leader wasn''t so hard for them as they stepped back. Then, Raven and Reinhard nodded their heads. Reinhard extended his hand forward and an orange magic circle materialized soon after. At that moment¡­ Boom¡ª! mes shot out from the magic circle, destroying the wall and opening arge gaping hole. They allowed the rock dust to fade as thebyrinth began to stabilize. As soon as it stabilized, Raven and Reinhard exchanged looks with one another as well. The hole wasrge, and for that reason, they had instructed their ssmates to follow them closely. Something was definitely wrong. And if it turned out as he expected, it would need thebined efforts of the students to handle the situation. Step¡ª They stepped inside thebyrinth. However, what Raven had witnessed was out of expectations. "....!" His eyes widened and a chill ran down his spine. The same went for the other students as they kept their guards up, wide eyed. Raven scanned the room. Bodies of monsters were sprawled all around as blood smeared the wall. Their blood. It was only a few minutes before their numbers dwindled. However, now that he realized it, there were no monsters left. And as his gaze lingered at the center, there could see a man with mid¨Clength ink¨Cck hair and ink¨Cck eyes. He stood still. However, Raven could see the room was filled with a myriad of threads. Familiar threads. These threads. Only one person was capable of such a thing. However, that person was dead. The man in front of him couldn''t be him. He looked entirely different. For such a reason, Raven shook off such thoughts. Swoosh¡ª The man''s head flicked abruptly towards them and Raven met his ink¨Cck gaze. The man looked exhausted. The entire air around him gave Raven a dreadful feeling, sending a chill down his spine. Not just him, but everyone else had simr reactions. Rachel herself looked stunned. Raven couldn''t me her. All of a sudden, the man spoke. "Hey." His voice was indifferent, even monotonous. "Can you kill me?" Chapter 261: Reunion [3] Two instructors were currently having a conversation. An unidentified man was reported to have been sighted. For such a reason, they were called upon and took custody of the man. They had been interrogating him for the past two hours or so. "Have we identified the man?" "No." The instructor shook his head. He was the instructor that arranged the exams. Delton Clive. "He keeps on saying the same thing. Get General Belle, Amelia, or Bellion Van here." "Sigh." The one who let out a sigh was the instructor who was in charge of ss A. The ss that Raven was in. Zeke Wesley. "Should we just meet his demands then?" "Are you nuts?" Delton retorted. "We can''t bother the Field Marshal with something so trivial." "Then what do you n on doing?" Before Delton responded, he turned his head slightly to look at the man first. The interrogation room was separated from the area they were currently in. And so, at the moment, he couldn''t hear their conversation. Then, Delton opened his mouth. "He''ll budge eventually. He hasn''t done a crime, so there''s no reason for him to withhold information." "There''s been rumors going around, you know? About suspicious individuals lurking in the city." "I know. If he''s one of them¡ª" "Sir." A voice cut in and their heads automatically flicked to the source. "Raven?" Thump! Raven shed them a salute and stomped on the ground before he spoke. "Can I speak to him?" "Absolutely not." A t out refusal. "Sir, he''s looking at me." At Raven''s words, the two instructors turned their heads, looking at the man. Indeed, it seemed like Raven had caught his attention. Something they were never able to do. "Should we let him try, Delton?" "Haa¡­ What''s the worst that could happen?" Still, regardless, they entered the room with Raven. They couldn''t allow such a promising cadet to endanger himself. "Get out." Upon noticing they had entered the room with Raven, the man immediately spoke in a tone that Delton could admit he didn''t like. "No can do." Delton''s eyes narrowed, a crease forming in the middle of his temple. "I will only speak to Raven ckheart." The three people who had just entered brows raised for a second. There was a sense of recognition. The man clearly knew who Raven ckheart was. "It''s fine, Sir. He doesn''t seem hostile towards me. Please do as he says." "Alright, if you say so. But the moment I sense mana, I''m taking you out of there." "Understood." At that, Delton and Zeke left the room, leaving Raven with the man alone in the room. Raven took a seat across the man. Drumming his finger on the table, Raven was just about to speak when the man beat him to it. "Long time no see." A smile spread across his features. A familiar smile. One that Raven couldn''t put a finger on. "You know me?" "More than yourself." "...." The hell. But his voice. It was also familiar. Raven began to recall the threads from back then. But it can''t be. He was dead. Plus, this man looked nothing like him at all. Regardless, Raven couldn''t shake off the thought. "Do you know who Brandon Locke is¡­?" That name. Raven bit his lip as soon as that name left his mouth. "Yeah." "Really?" Overjoyed, Raven leaned forward, smacking the table. "How do you know him? Are you two rted? Where is he? Is he still¡­." "You''re speaking to him." "...." Ah. There was no way. "Brandon?" "Good to see you again, Raven." "Wha¡ªWhat happened to you? Howe you look like this? How did you survive? You were missing all this time¡­. If you were still alive, why didn''t youe see us?" Questions began pouring out of his mouth one after another that even Brandon found it hard to follow them as his brows raised. "Calm down." Brandon gestured with his hand. At his words, Raven immediately sat back down and took a deep breath. "Alright, sorry." "How have you been?" "Ah, doing well. I think I''m about to break through the A rank." "That slow?" "...." "Haha." The way he poked fun at him got on his nerves. It truly was Brandon. There was no doubt about it. "What rank are you then?" Raven frowned. "A+." "Wha¡­." Raven found himself speechless. He thought he was at the top of his ss. Especially since the others were still trying to climb in the B ranks. But it was understandable. After all, it was Brandon. "Why won''t you identify yourself? All you have to do is tell them your name, they''ll call your sister for confirmation. Wait, does your sister know?" "She does." "Ah, at least you told her." Then, Raven took good a look at him and said, "Still, what happened to you? Howe you look like¡­. this?" "Elemental Assimtion. For some reason, I''m still stuck. Don''t know when the effects will wear off." "Ah, of course you could do that." Raven felt envy hearing the words, ''Elemental Assimtion.'' After all, it was something only avable to mages. Duelists couldn''t hope upon such an ability. But it wasn''t like they could make use of it in the first ce. Elemental Assimtion gave them full control over their affinity. Something Duelists didn''t need. Regardless, seeing Brandon right now¡­. He looked cool. But he couldn''t say that out loud. "Can you get me out of here? I need to go inform Bellion Van." "Hm? What business do you have with him?" "I can''t tell you." "I see." A trait that Raven knew Brandon liked. To not be so nosy in others'' matters. Compared to the girls, he respected other people''s privacy. It must''ve been for that reason why Brandon didn''t reveal his survival. "I''ll do what I can." Raven stood up and walked towards the door. "Let''s catch up after you''ve finished whatever it is you''re going to do." "Sure." The two shared a smile and nodded at each other. Brandon seemed exhausted, evident in his tone. For that reason, Raven didn''t press any further and left the room. "What did he tell you?" Delton inquired. "Everything. But it''ll be much easier to exin if you get Field Marshal Van here." Delton and Zeke exchanged looks before eventually resigning. "If Raven''s saying it, I don''t see why not." "Haaa¡­. I''m gonna get an earful after this if it goes for naught." Coming to a collective agreement, Delton contacted Bellion Van. *** Brandon raised his head and looked at the ceiling. Then, he leaned back and covered his eyes with his arm. "Haaa¡­." Taking a deep breath, he began to ponder. The entire conversation with Raven¡­. He was holding back. He had the sudden urge to kill him on the spot. Raven had let his guard down. Just a single thread would''ve been enough to¡­. He clenched his fist. "Plop!" The entire room would be dyed in red. Regardless, he held himself back. It was irrational. This Raven hadn''t done a thing. In fact, he could use this Raven as an ally. He was still Raven ckheart after all. Thankfully, he didn''t do such a thing. But recalling Raven''s words, particrly, about his sister, Brandon began to wonder. What the fuck happened? Where had everyone gone off to? Hopefully, they were teleported somewhere safe. ording to Zed, the device was configured only somewhere around or near the human domain. Thankfully, thebyrinth he was teleported to was near, and was being upied the moment he had arrived there. But what didn''t make sense was the time. He knew the auction had started at night. But the moment he left thebyrinth, it was day. Then there was only one answer. "A timeg." Most probably, there was a dy. That had to be it. nk¡ª! Upon realizing that someone had entered the room, Brandon took a peek. There, he could see a robust man with red hair and blue eyes, adorning the Imperial Army uniform. He looked like an older version of Reinhard. Of course, there was no questioning it. "Field Marshal Van." Bellion took a good look at him first before settling down on his seat. Crossing his leg on the table, Bellion crossed his arms and eventually spoke. "I can more or less guess you''re the informant. But who are you?" "My name is Brandon Locke." * * [AN] End of Volume 2. Chapter 262: Return [1] "So you were alive all this time, huh? Who knew." It took a lot of convincing just to confirm his identity. Thankfully, all the information he told him aligned with what the Imperial Army had debriefed. Especially about the informant''s information. There was no reason for him to lie about his identity. For that reason, Bellion had to give him the benefit of the doubt. "Have the others been found?" "Yeah, you''re thest one. No wonder General Locke was panicking." "What about General Constantine?" "She seemed out of it. So I decided to let her go." "I see." Brandon raised his head, meeting Bellion''s gaze. "How long have I been gone for?" "Seven hours. For the others, they appeared all over the city. It didn''t take long to find them since they had trackers before the operation started." "Oh." Things were starting to click. There really was a dy with his teleportation, inparison to the others. "Don''t worry. I''ve received all the reports of what went down. Evelyn Cessna is currently being treated as we speak. You can ask your sister for details regarding that. The Imperial Army will soon conduct a raid on the ckmarket. You''ve done your part. Good work, Young Cadet." Bellion shed him a salute. "You have made your country proud. I hope to see you in the academy soon. We need more soldiers like you." "Understood." Brandon nodded his head in response. He nned on visiting Evelyn soon. However, now that he remembered, what happened to his injuries? They seemed to have disappeared the moment he teleported. "You''re free to go now. But do something about your appearance¡­." Bellion gave him a disgusted frown. "I can sense the ominous manaing from you¡­." "Nothing I can do about that. Seems I''m stuck in this form for now." "Form?" "Elemental Assimtion." "Oh? No wonder your hair changed. I saw you some time ago when I visited the academy." "Really?" "Yeah, the festival, to be precise." "So¡­. you saw¡­. That?" "That¡­ yes I did." A gentlemen''s agreement. To not speak any of whatever Reinhard had done during the talent''s show. "He''s a couple years too young to match the likes of me." "You?" "That kid must''ve gotten the idea from me." "....." No. "Don''t do it¡ª" "How much does a chimney cost?" "Please, don''t do this to me¡ª" "Nothing, it''s on the house. Haha!" Bellion smacked his thigh and started bursting outughing. He was even worse than Reinhard. At least Reinhard had neverughed at his own jokes. But this old fart¡­. "Haha!" Brandon could only y along. "Another one. What did¡ª" "Thank you. Goodbye." nk¡ª! Brandon had to leave before things got worse. Making his way outside the interrogation hall, a peculiar figure stood by the window with his arms crossed. "Yo." It was Raven. "Yo." Brandon waved back. "What do you n on doing after this?" Raven asked. "It might be a shock to the others once they find out your identity. Maybe it''s better if you reveal yourself now." "Nah. I''ll be joining the academy soon. It''ll be a much better surprise there." "Oh? When does your semester start?" "I got a head start. I''m in your ss. I''m scheduled to start as soon as I''m ready." "Really!?" Raven seemed ecstatic. Much too ecstatic that even Brandon found himself exhausted. "Yeah. I''ll go home for now. I need to sort things out." "Oh." A disappointed look spread across Raven''s features. Noticing it, Brandon put his hand on Raven''s shoulder and assured him. "I''m not going anywhere. I''m here to stay for good. We''ll have more chances to catch up." "You''re righ¡ªAh, that hurts." "Oh, sorry." The urges were still there. But he suppressed it. An awkward silence filled the surroundings for a while. The two didn''t know what to say to each other. However, Raven soon broke that silence and asked. "Hey, what did you mean by ''Can you kill me?''" "That was nothing." "Ah." Just like that, another awkward silence ensued. Not until Brandon bid his farewells. "I''ll be going now. I''ll see you tomorrow." Just like that, he walked ahead. But he halted in his steps as Raven called out for him. "Tomorrow? You''re attending tomorrow?" "Yeah." And Brandon continued walking. Raven left off some words before hepletely left. "I''m happy you''re alive, bud." Brandon couldn''t help but smile hearing those words. Right. This Raven was different. And so, he had to set his priorities straight. To prevent this Raven from bing Jin. "Plop!" Brandon pursed his lips. *** Amelia sat on the couch, hugging her legs, and burying her face in her arms. Right beside her, was Aurelia, trying to console her. "Mama, don''t cry¡­." The entire operation, she felt useless. Not in the sense that she hadn''t done anything, because she did contribute in killing the assants. But recalling how frozen she was in front of the Wraith¡­. "Damn it." It ate away at her thoughts. Not just her, but the Imperial Army was frozen as well. They couldn''t do a single thing against the Wraith. Only until thest second did they move. And thatst second¡­. Brandon could''ve died. "Damn it. Damn it." She beat herself up for it. Even when everyone present were in the A ranks, even one at the S, and Evelyn in the SS- rank, they still couldn''t scratch the Wraith. Just what rank did they need to reach to stop such a monster? Is it even possible to stop them? She was at a loss. Her mind was all jumbled up. And Brandon¡­. He was still missing. He was severely injured as well. Just where did he teleport off to? nk¡ª! It was only until a few minutes passed when she heard the door close. "Mmm¡­?" "Brandon~!" Aurelia jumped up from the couch and ran towards the door. "Brandon¡­?" Amelia turned her head slightly. There, she could see Brandon who picked Aurelia up. "Brandon~ Brandon~! What did you do? You made Mama sad." "Really? Did you help Mama feel better?" "Un! I did¡­!" "Haha. Good job, Aurelia." "Hehe~" "Can you help me unpack this, Aurelia? I''ll go see Mama." "Aaang¡­. Oh! Ice cream!?" "That''s right. We''re having a celebration. My mom and sister areing too." "Ice cream~ Ice cream~" Aurelia took the bag and ran towards the table,pletely engrossed by the ice cream. Brandon nodded his head and walked towards Amelia. Seeing the memories, all Brandon had felt towards Amelia was gratitude. She had taken his burdens upon herself, even starting a mercenary group to fight against Wraithbounds in his ce. In particr, Jin''s burdens, and as Ciel herself. They may have not been the same person, but Amelia was still Amelia. And to sacrifice her own part of the memories, just to give it all back to Jin, even blindly following him henceforth¡­ "Amelia." He didn''t know how to approach her anymore. Kill her¡­? He had those thoughts before. But knowing where her abilities came from¡­ Yeah, he had realized where her connection to the Sovereign came from. It was because of him. Or rather, Jin. But to be precise, Raven. He had no idea what to call him anymore. They were all the same person. And that person was him as well. "...." However, Amelia remained silent as she buried herself in her arms, hugging her legs. "I''m back." ".....You could''ve died." "But I''m here. I''m right beside you, and I''m not going anywhere." All of a sudden, Amelia embraced him, burying herself in his chest. Brandon was startled for a brief second, but returned her embrace and gently caressed her hair. "I''m sorry. I was so useless." Amelia spoke, her voice cracking. "No. You''ve done way more than you think." "You''re just saying that. But we both know¡ª" "No. I know more than you think." "...." Amelia remained silent at that. However, she soon pulled away upon realizing something. "Wait, your injuries." "I''m healed." Amelia scanned his body. Currently, he was wearing a long ck sweater. He had to change since his zer was all torn after all. "How? You were¡ª" "Shh¡­." Brandon put a finger on her mouth, shushing her. "I''m here. I''m alive. That''s all that matters." "Okay.... I''m so d you''re safe." She embraced him once again, pushing him down on the couch as he continued caressing her hair. She seemed really clingy today. Brandon looked to the side. "Aurelia can see us." "She''s busy with her ice cream. Let me stay like this for a while." "Okay." Silence filled the room. The two stayed still. Amelia on top of him, as he continued gently caressing the back of her head. It was peaceful. The warmth was peaceful, pushing all his thoughts aside as he focused on the girl on top of him. They had only snapped out of their thoughts when the door was knocked. To¡ª Tok. "Ah." "Looks like they''re here." Chapter 263: Return [2] The wee party started. It was hosted by Brandon and Amelia, and their guests were Belle and Brianna. The entire time, Belle was glued to Aurelia. "She''s so cute~" "Aaang¡­." Aurelia, on the other hand, seemed annoyed. She tried to pull away, but it was for naught. She couldn''t escape Belle''s grasp. "Brandon, Brandon!" "Hehe~ Where are you going, Aurelia~!" "Aaang¡­. Help!" Brandon stayed seated as Belle was chasing Aurelia around. But truth be told, it was a wholesome sight. The smile on Aurelia''s face told Brandon enough that the little elven girl was having fun. "Hehe~" These past few days, he and Amelia were barely home. The little girl must''ve been lonely. Sooner orter, the elves would reveal themselves to the world. After all, there were certain events that stayed consistent throughout every progression. For that reason, Brandon had to get stronger. No, humanity had to get stronger. Else, they would be in the middle of the other races. At the moment, the current strongest was Bellion Van. A mage on the SS rank category. And thought it didn''t seem like much of a gap with Evelyn who was an SS- ranker, it actually was arge gap. The reason why it was so hard to progress in the S ranks and above was due to howrge the gap was between each rank. "I got you, Aurelia~!" "Aaaang¡­. Mama, help!" At that moment, Belle and Brianna''s heads flicked towards Amelia. They looked back and forth between Brandon and Amelia, eventually narrowing their eyes at Brandon. "Mama?" "You two. Are you¡­." "N-no, no, no. Haha. You know how kids are." Amelia stammered. "Hmm¡­?" Brianna leaned close. "I''m not against it, you know?" "Same." Belle joined in. "However, this yboy right here has loose ends." Belle pointed at Brandon. "...." Brandon could only remain silent. Belle was right, he did have loose ends. However, that wasn''t what was important right now. Romance was the least of his priorities. Regardless, he owed the people he had formed interpersonal rtionships with at least that much. There was no one else that could fill the hole inside his heart. Or rather, the Raven ckheart inside of him. "No, we aren''t at that stage. Just friends." "Yes, yes. That''s right. We''re just friends!" Amelia joined in. "Hmm?" Belle looked around as she held Aurelia in her arms. "This entire set-up screams, ''married couple,'' you know?" "Hngg¡­. Married couple¡­. Married couple¡­." Amelia started murmuring to herself, letting out a cute sound. But failed to do so as she was audible to Brandon. Looking at him, Brianna pursed her lips. "Still, what do you n on doing with Aurelia? Don''t you want her to attend a pre¨Cschool?" "School, huh?" It was an interesting proposition. However, it was too risky. If Aurelia''s magic fails, the real shape of her ears would reveal itself. Brandon wanted to tell them. But refrained from doing so. It woulde as a shock for them. At least, not until the elves revealed themselves. "No, I''m overprotective." And he decided to go with that reasoning instead. "Instead, I could hire a private tutor." "We can''t trust strangers nowadays, you know that." "Of course, this is where youe in, Mom." "Me?" "Can you use your connections to find a tutor for Aurelia? Since me, Belle, and Amelia will be busy with academy matters, maybe you can supervise her? It''s a win¨Cwin situation for the both of you." Indeed, Brianna had been quite lonely ever since the cmity. Aurelia should be quite lonely as well considering the events that led up to now. To make matters worse, Brandon and Amelia would attend the academy everyday, making Aurelia even lonelier. "Grandchild~ Grandchild~" And Brianna was now lost in her own fantasy. Snap! Snap¡ª! Brandon snapped his fingers and Brianna snapped out of her thoughts. "Okay, but that depends upon Amelia. This is her house after all." "Of course, it was just an idea. I n on consulting Amelia first." "Married couple¡­. Married couple¡­." Snap! Snap¡ª! "Ah?" Amelia too had snapped out of her fantasies. "What do you say?" "About what?" "Let''s merge our families together." "Eh¡­?" *** The party ended then. Belle and Brianna returned home after helping clean. 11:00 PM. Amelia seemed to have fallen asleep on the couch. Brandon stared intently with a worried gaze as he started to ponder. ''You''re too pure for this world.'' Just like him, Amelia was cursed. However, hers was different. She had the option to live a different life than his. While he was born cursed, bad decisions led to another which led to this point. And that bad decision¡­. ''Was falling in love with Raven ckheart.'' That was her fatal mistake. And now, it was his duty so she wouldn''t end up the same way as Ciel. ''I''m sorry for doubting you.'' For considering her as a future enemy. ''I''ll make things right.'' To protect her smile. Brandon approached the sleeping Amelia and pulled the nket up. A few secondster, he left the apartment. It was night. Time passed for a bit. It was currently 11:43 PM. Brandon stood atop a rooftop, peering down, taking in the sight of the city''s nightlife. It was quite lively. It seemed like humanity had recovered somewhat. Then, he retrieved his phone and sent a message. ¡ªLet''s meet up. Shortly after, a portal opened. A woman emerged soon after. Brandon turned around and scanned. Her long hazel¨Cbrown hair fluttered from the portal''s wind pressure. Two hazel eyes met his gaze. "Ciel." "Why aren''t you doing your quests?" "Hm?" Ciel appeared panicked. Perhaps she was in a rush. Regardless, it seemed like she abandoned all thoughts as she continued. "Don''t you know what will happen if¡ª" "The Wraith''s descent?" He cut her off. Ciel caught herposure and sighed. "Yes, good that you''re aware." "How sure are you that the Wraiths won''t descend just because Ipleted some meager tasks?" "Meager? You haven''t done a single thing¡­!" Brandon opened his system. [Quests Avable: 43] It had been piling up since then. And not once had he looked at it. "There''s misinformation. Completing these quests won''t stop the Wraith''s descent. It''s the progress I get throughout the quest." Meaning, it was a measure on how he fared against a Wraith. [Wraith''s Descent: 43%] With his stats at A, he only had a 43% chance to defeat a Wraith. That was, at least, without any preparations. "Also, can you stop giving them to me?" "...." It was an intervention. It was for that reason why he called Ciel in the first ce. "....How did you know?" "The question is, what don''t you know?" "...." Brandon neared her and grabbed her wrist. Ciel looked away. "What are you doing¡ª" "Thank you." "....What?" "For everything you''ve done this far." "...." She may have schemed to kill his sister, her own best¨Cfriend. However, just like Raven, she too had descended without turning back. They were a mess. "You''ve done enough, Amelia." Ciel''s eyes widened in shock. Despite having no memories of the previous timelines, she knew exactly who she was. ".....How did you¡ª" Cutting her off, Brandon embraced her. Ciel stood frozen, her arms hanging low. "You may not remember. But I remember it all. Amelia, it''s me, Raven." "...." She remained silent for a moment. But as she finally gathered her thoughts together, she opened her mouth. "....How can that be?" Her voice started cracking. Her whole facade started to break. "You''re just¡­. a variant. A version of him from a timeline he created with no mana." "Doesn''t matter. In the end, I am still Raven ckheart." Ciel knew. Which was why she was fond of him. Especially so, as she took care of him all those months he wasatosed. Yes, she might not have the memories. But the fondness was still there. "Please rest and let me handle the rest, Amelia." Brandon pressed on her temple. "I''ll show you exactly what you''ve lost." A binding vow. To transfer the memories of the life Raven ckheart had lived with Amelia. The progressions in which he had given up and continued stuck in that loop. He didn''t need those memories. It wasn''t his in the first ce. If he were to make things right, then he didn''t want to have feelings for Amelia under outside influence. It was his story, after all. Shortly after, he pulled his hand away from her forehead. "I¡­ I don''t¡­." Ciel stammered. "I''ll make sure to protect you. So your variant doesn''t end up like this." This entire mess. "....Do me a favor." "Anything." "Please kill me¡­." "...." He hadn''t expected this at all. Ciel was a potential ally. It was for that reason, why Brandon had given her back her memories in the first ce. That, and the lingering guilt he felt. She deserved to know the truth. However, it was her wish. It was Amelia''s wish. Regardless, he had to ask. "Are you sure? We can work together to stop him¡ª" "No." Ciel shook her head. "I''m tired. Knowing that you''ll protect a version of me is enough for me. I can die happily knowing there''s a world out there where I''m happy." It was not as if she wasn''t treated right. Raven loved her so. It was out of his control on whatever happened afterwards. Regardless, it was his actions that led to this moment. He had to take ountability for it. And Brandon took on that mantle. "Can you promise me you''ll make her happy?" "I''ll never hurt her. I''ll never hurt you." "Thank you." A brief silence overtook the surroundings. No words needed to be said and no words were exchanged. Now he had full control over the Primordials. A group he had never even met in this progression. Then finally, his Elemental Assimtion wore off. The threads dissipated, and his ink¨Cck hair gradually faded, reced by the usual pale¨Cwhite color. The same went for his eyes. Brandon looked up and stared at the sky. The stars were twinkling brightly, reflecting in his eyes. He allowed the silence to take over for a while as tried catching his breath. It was then when it hit him. ¡­.That was hisst meeting with Ciel. Chapter 264: Return [3] The next day. September 29, 2149. "This isn''t my style¡­.." "No? You look good." Brandon adorned the Imperial Academy uniform. It was simr to the Imperial Army''s officer uniform. The only difference was the red tie. "It''s your color too." Amelia said, as she fixed the tie for him. It was ck, just like his usual wardrobe. However, the fact that there wasn''t a tail simr to his usual zers felt unsettling. Yeah, he was conscious of his outfits. "All done." Hands on her waist, Amelia shed a wide grin. Breathing a sigh, Brandon asked. "What ss are you in again?" "Didn''t you check your registry?" "No¡­.." "You''re in ss B. While I''m in ss A with Belle." "Oh?" How surprising. Surely, Belle pulled some strings for that to happen. "Who''s in my ss?" "Your friends." "Ah." Of course that was the case. However, despite hisx demeanor, he was quite excited to see them again. Although now came the hard part. How should he mend his rtionships with his friends again? They thought he had died, or that he was missing. Whatever it was, Brandon wasn''t sure how they would receive the news of his survival. Ah. An idea shed in his mind. "Are theying right now?" Amelia¨Cwho was in the kitchen, suddenly spoke. "Yeah, they should be¡ª" "Brandon! Brandon!" Just as he was about to leave with Amelia, the little elven girl emerged from her room and ran towards him. Brandon picked Aurelia up. "Good morning, Aurelia." "Good morning, Brandon~!" "What about me, Aurelia?" Amelia appeared jealous, puffing her cheeks. She looked like a hamster. "Hehe~ Good morning, Mama!" Amelia approached them and ruffled the little elven girl''s head. Aurelia smiled widely, Brandon found the sight cute. Ruffling Aurelia''s hair, Amelia pursed her lips. "Be a good girl. Okay, Aurelia? Don''t give Miss Brianna and your tutor a hard time, alright?" "Un! Aurelia will be a good girl~!" "Hehe~ Good girl." That was the agreement. Amelia agreed on Belle and Brianna moving into the Constantine apartment. After all, it was a big apartment. Even bigger than where they stayed. It was too much for Amelia to live by herself. Now, Brandon didn''t need to find a new ce to move into. To¨C Tok. The door was knocked. "Oh, looks like they''re here." Amelia opened the door and the familiar sight of the two identical women came into view. It was Belle and Brianna. They brought four trolleys with them. "Wee!" Amelia greeted them with a smile. "Thank you for agreeing, Amelia." "Thank you." "Hehe, it''s no problem." Amelia looked back and looked around the apartment. "It was kind of lonely here the past few months. Plus, our family''s have always been close." That was the truth. Their fathers were best¨Cfriends. The two families had known each other for a long time. Even before Belle was born. After they settled in, Brandon, Amelia, and Belle left, leaving Brianna and Aurelia alone in the apartment. The conversation between Brianna and Aurelia continued to ring in his mind. ''Remember, call me Grandma. Grandma~'' What in the world. *** They arrived at the academy. "Follow us. We''ll lead you to your lecture hall." Belle took the lead, walking alongside Amelia, while Brandon walked at the back. Eyes fell on them as they continued roaming the halls. "Woah, it''s the two Generals!" "They look as beautiful as always." Brandon was quite used to this. It was always the same back during Astrea Academy''s operations. Belle and Amelia would always garner attention wherever they go. "Who''s that guy behind them? "He looks kind of familiar¡­." Brandon averted his gaze and continued walking with a nk look. He wasn''t embarrassed, nor was he ufortable. They''d find out soon anyway. There were familiar faces. But regardless, it seemed like they couldn''t recognize him. How could they? He was way taller than he was before he disappeared. That, and his hair was longer. For that reason, he tied his hair to a man bun. ording to Amelia, it suited him. And it seemed like she was right, as several girls stared at him intently. At that moment, Amelia nced back slightly and their eyes met. However, Brandon continued putting on a nk expression. "Hold up." They halted in their steps as a voice rang from behind. They turned around and scanned. It was Bellion. The Headmaster for the current Imperial Academy. "Good morning, Headmaster Bellion." "Good morning, Headmaster Bellion." The two girls bowed their heads in respect. Belle looked at Brandon''s and whispered audibly. "What are you doing?" "Hm¡­?" Brandon tilted his head. He knew what she was trying to tell him. However, he didn''t want to do it. Why¡­? He turned around and two blue eyes met his gaze soon after. A smile spread across Bellion''s features. "Good morning, you two can head on over to your lecture. I need to speak with Mr. Locke over here." "Ah." "Understood, Headmaster." The two girls left shortly after. Bellion''s gaze shifted to Brandon. "Here''s a quiz for your first day." ".....Spare me." "Which letter of the alphabet has the most water?" This¡­. Brandon had a guess. Since he was on Bellion''s good side, it wouldn''t hurt to humor the guy. "The C." "Oh?" Bellion''s eyes widened. "You''re right¡­.." "I left." He turned around and walked away. "Hold on¡­." "What?" Brandon paused in his steps as Bellion called out to him. "Come to my office." And so, they entered Bellion''s office. "...." Compared to Evelyn''s office back in Astrea, it was quite a mess. Papers were scattered all over, and several supplies were misced. ''Did he call for me to clean this up¡­..?'' That''sabuse of authority. There''s no way, right? "I''m not gonna tell you to clean it. Don''t worry." "Oh, thank god¡­." Brandon breathed out a sigh of relief. Bellion furrowed his brow as he took a seat at his desk. "What''s with that reaction¡­..?" Bellion shook his head and changed the topic soon after. ".....Nevermind, I called you here to offer a proposal." "What?" "You know how you''ve been missing for a year, and that your friends have no idea you''re still alive?" "Yes¡­.?" Where is this even going¡­.. "I''ve always wanted this kind of scenario to happen. Too bad I couldn''t find a way to die myself. You''ll have to fulfill this fantasy for me." "Go on." Brandon was starting to like this old man. "How would you like your school year to start with a bang!" Thump! Bellion smacked the table. Brandon''s expressions turned serious at that moment. "Let me hear what you have in mind." An ominous smirk spread across Bellion''s features after hearing those words. "I''m d we''re on the same page." Chapter 265: Return [4] Their exams for the preliminaries were over. However, they were given no breaks. It was understandable, it was a military academy after all. For that reason, the ss was relocated to thebat hall. It was time for the monthly duels. However, since this was the first month, this marked the first duel. It was a way to check how cadets would fare against humans instead of monsters. After all, it was much harder to fight something with the capacity to think. The cadets all lined up in six rows. There were a total of sixty people in ss B. Meaning, ten people in each row. The instructor, Delton, stood in front of all cadets present, putting on his usual stern demeanor. He was the one in charge of this ss'' monthly duel. Raven stood and listened attentively. Truth be told, he liked this instructor. While other cadets were usually intimidated by Delton, Raven knew another side of him. He was a hardcore karaoke addict. The past few months, Raven had been engrossed in singing. Aside from training, Raven practiced singing everyday. It was because of the talent show during the festivalst year. Raven too wanted to stand at the center of the stage after seeing Brandon''s performance that year. But he had no talent for instruments. Regardless, he loved music. ording to Delton, he wasn''t that bad at singing. Yes, the two were karaoke buddies. During Friday''s they would sneak out with disguises and enter karaoke buildings, drinking and singing to their heart''s content. Not just them, but Reinhard too. Though it was much harder for Reinhard since eyes were on him. After all, he was the nephew of the current Headmaster. Reinhard wasn''t that bad either. A bit out of tune, but it was at least better than hisedy acts. However, now was not the time for games. It was time to get serious. The entire session, Raven had been looking around. As if he was looking for someone. And he in fact was. "Where is he¡ª" "Raven?" A voice cut in. "Ah." It was Rachel who stood beside him on the opposite row. "Who are you looking for?" "Didn''t you see the message?" The two were currently whispering to each other. "I did. What do you think? Could his phone be stolen and someone is ying a prank?" There was a message that was sent to their group chat about five minutes ago. A group chat they had abandoned a year ago. ¡ªI''m back. It was from the person, who was the sole reason why they had decided to abandon that group chat and create another. A dead man. Brandon Locke. There was a reply to that message as well. ¡ªFuck of. Of course, it was from ire. ¡ªReturn that phoun from where you stolw it. ¡ªOr else, I''ll do everything in my powrr to fidn you. She made several typos. A usual habit from hers. And of course, there were follow¨Cup replies as well. ¡ªOff* ¡ªPhone* ¡ªStole* ¡ªPower* ¡ªFind* It seems like Reinhard wanted to die early. "Could it really be him?" A voice cut in from the side. It was Amy. She too was whispering. "I mean¡­. I know he was pronounced dead. But his body had never been found. Maybe he really was missing all this time¡­.?" "And he decides toe back now?" Rachel crossed her arms. Her brows furrowed in disbelief. "Still, isn''t this kind of crazy?" Amy''s eyes were glued to the phone the entire time. "If it really is him, then wow! I mean¡­. wow couldn''t even begin to describe my reaction." "If it is him, then we''ll see him eventually." Raven cooly added. Amy tilted her head in response. "You''re way too nonchnt about all of this. It''s your best¨Cfriend, you know?" However, despite his cool facade, Raven''s palms started to sweat. In fact, his eyes kept darting around. ''Where are you? Come on, Man! Stop edging us!'' Raven had be engrossed in social media as well. Even learning inte lingos and so on. Amy''s influence rubbed off on him. All of a sudden, Delton''s voice echoed throughout the entire vicinity. "Raven ckheart, please step forward." "Huh?" All eyes fell on Raven. "Me?" He pointed at himself. "Yes, this was requested by the Headmaster. That you, Raven ckheart, will showcase your skills in front of all the cadets present. You are held as the strongest in this ss after all." "Ah." Raven could tell where this was going. ''This must be his doing¡­..'' Breathing a heavy sigh, Raven resigned himself and stepped forward. "For your opponent, you will be fighting¡­.." It was then. An ominous pressure bore down on Raven. No, not just him, but to everyone present. It was getting harder to breathe, as if something was choking him. He looked at his hand. "...." It was trembling. What the hell is this? The pressure grew heavier and heavier in each passing second. Even Delton''s facade seemed to be breaking. However, it seemed like he was having an easier time than Raven and the other cadets. It was then. nk¡ª! The door abruptly opened. All heads flicked towards the source of the sound. A man with ink¨Cck hair and ink¨Cck eyes walked towards them. Despite sweat beading down, Raven''s lips pulled up to a smile as his eyes continued tracing the man. The man walked with authority, much to the point that took the other cadets'' breaths away as they started murmuring with one another. "Eh? Isn''t he that guy from the exam?" "The guy who cleared the entire chamber all by himself?" "Yeah, the instructors counted the bodies. It was a total of 98 points." "Damn." Then, all eyes fell on Raven. He could tell what their gazes meant. ''Is he supposed to fight that guy?'' However, there was one person who''s gaze continued to linger on the man. It was Rachel. With wide eyes and furrowed brows, her head moved slowly, following the man, until he stood next to Raven. All of a sudden, Delton''s voice rang. "Cadet, identify yourself." The man raised his head after hearing Delton''s voice. He took in the sight of each and every cadet present. Until eventually, his gazended on Raven. A smirk etched on his features. Raven couldn''t help but smile as well. The two nodded their heads at each other. And it was then. The man opened his mouth, and his next words¡­. "Cadet, Brandon Locke." Left everyone stunned. Chapter 266: Imperial Academy [1] "Cadet, Brandon Locke." "Huh?" Rachel was petrified. There was no way. It had to be a joke. The suffocating feeling seemed to have faded, and Rachel scanned the man who imed to be Brandon''s features. He looked nothing like him. His hair was longer, and the color was different as well. Ink¨Cck. The same went for his eyes. Now that she took a good look, his gaze was even colder than Brandon''s. In fact, he seemed even taller than him, and his body looked more refined. However, it was at that moment when the ink¨Cck color suddenly drained, reced by a pale¨Cwhite color. He blinked his eyes, and that was when Rachel saw it. It was ice¨Cblue. The same as Brandon''s. It really was him. Brandon brushed his bangs back and turned to look at Raven. Step¡ª Unknowingly, Rachel stepped forward. "Ah, hey, Rachel!" Amy called out for her. But it all went to deaf ears. Rachel needed answers. Step¡ª The next step she took had caught Brandon''s attention as he met her gaze. ".....Is it really you?" "Yeah, I''m back¡ª" Immediately, Rachel rushed and embraced him. Brandon seemed startled, unsure of what to do. ".....Uh, this isn''t the ce for this, Rachel." "Be quiet. You don''t know how much I''ve missed you." She had be bold. After all, she was now a CEO of Asamipany. It was a trait she hade to learn after dealing with all the other businessmen. "Uh¡­.." Brandon was quite stunned as he looked around. "Cadet, Rachel! Please move back!" Delton''s voice rang out and Rachel moved back before she got reprimanded. "Sorry." All eyes fell on Rachel, but she paid no heed to them as she returned to the row. She was too emotional to care about them in the first ce. She had visited his grave. All of her friends did. And now that he was standing before her, before everyone¡­.. It was unbelievable. Although she was unsure if her feelings were still there, regardless, Brandon was still a friend. No one would me her for such a reason. And besides, this entire ss¡­.. They were all Astrea Academy students. Rachel looked around. There, she could see ire, Sarah, Cyrus, and even Julie, staring at Brandon intently. "You okay?" Amy suddenly spoke, and Rachel flicked her head in her direction. "Yeah." "Good, I was worried for a second. We can''t overwhelm him too much, he just got back after all." "Right." And so, they returned their attention at the front. It seemed like the fight was about to start. ¡ªStart! And it did, as Delton''s voice echoed throughout the entirebat hall. *** Brandon stared at Rachel''s departing back, unsure of how to approach her. Seeing how bold she was earlier, it seemed like she had changed. She was always bold, she had the trait with her the entire time, but she would only show it to people she wasfortable with. "Ready?" But now was not the time to ponder on those thoughts as Delton asked them. "Yes." "Yes." Brandon and Raven nodded their heads and distanced themselves from each other. As soon as they were ready, Delton''s voice echoed. "Start!" This was one of Bellion''s ideas. The two had thought up a n to cement Brandon''s return in the minds of every cadet present. After all, Brandon was known as the strongest in his batch, during his time in Astrea. For that reason, Bellion had high hopes for him, and hopefully would motivate the other cadets in their training. It had to be said that the text message was Brandon''s idea. It was funny. ''I''m back.'' He imagined if a dead person suddenly sent that text. It might''ve been creepy to the recipients, but it was without a doubt, funny to him. After several ns, they decided to go with Brandon''s proposal. A duel with ss B''s strongest. And that was Raven ckheart. There were two objectives to this. To see how strong Raven had gotten in the past year. And the second reason¡­.. It was personal. But Bellion didn''t need to know that. It had to be said, This was a military academy. And so, real weapons were used. Brandon immediately unsheathed the de on his waist, and as he gazed ahead, Raven''s brows widened for a brief second. It seemed like his usage of a real sword was quite a surprise to him. Even the others were surprised. Brandon could see familiar faces. No, all their faces looked familiar. It seemed like strings were pulled to ce him in this ss. Though not all of them were his previous ssmates, he knew most of them anyway. nk¡ª! All of a sudden, Raven appeared before him. Immediately reacting, his sword and his dagger shed. But what Brandon didn''t expect was another dagger, as Raven quickly shed. Brandon immediately flicked his head to the side and dodged the dagger. Seems like Raven was pulling no punches. But Brandon didn''t want to show all his cards. Not out of pride, but to see how he fared against a duelist like Raven with his raw skills. No, not even a duelist like Raven. But Raven himself. The current one. Thump! Brandon twisted his body, trying tond his knee on Raven. But Raven caught it and skidded back. A distance was fixed between them once again. Tempering his body with mana, Brandon kicked the ground and rushed towards Raven. Raven braced for impact, guarding himself. Swinging his sword to the side, Raven seemed to have predicted the sword''s trajectory as his dagger was ready to block. However, bursting mana into his sword, the speed of Brandon''s swing abruptly changed. That, and the trajectory. Bang! Caught off guard, Raven was sent hurling away. Giving him no time to catch his breath, Brandon rushed him. Impaling his dagger on the guard, Raven raised his head and was just about to block, when he noticed chains heading towards him. However, he had a hidden card up his sleeve. [Reflection.] But just as he was about to reflect the chains back, Brandon was already upon him. nk¡ª! With no other choice, Raven repelled Brandon''s sword with his dagger, and the onrush of chains struck his body. "Kh¡­!" Brandon was strong. Even stronger than before. Raven couldn''t deny that. Raven''s body started aching all over as he was hurled back once again. Supporting his body with his hand, Raven pursed his lips. ".....Where are your elements?" "Gone." Brandon''s figure suddenly blurred, and the light reflecting on his de entered Raven''s peripheral vision. No, it wasn''t a de. "Haak!" It was threads. Threads wrapped themselves around his body, and Raven was pulled towards him. Gritting his teeth, Raven activated [Shadow Step] to try and get away. However, "....." Hecked the mana for it. How¡­. Ah. It was the chains and the threads. Brandon used them to convert the mana into his own. Crazy ability¡­.. However, it had to be noted that Raven''s mana capacity wasn''t all that surprising. He was a duelist after all. Raven tried to budge, but it was to no avail. He was heading straight to Brandon. Bang! He felt his abdomen crushed by Brandon''s fist. "Akh¡­.!" The hell. This was supposed to be a friendly spar. Bang! And another fist straight to his jaw. The threads faded, and Raven was down on his knees. "Enough! Brandon Locke wins!" Raven hadn''t even scratched him once. In fact, he hadn''t been able to retaliate even once. Brandon had ended the fight in under a minute. Way too strong. Chapter 267: Imperial Academy [2] "Could''ve gone easy on me¡­.." "Suck it up, cadet." "....." Raven frowned. The two were currently in the changing room. They had umted quite the sweat. All of a sudden, the air around Raven changed. "Wait, Brandon." Realizing how serious Raven''s tone was, Brandon found himself curious as he tilted his head. "Hm?" "Get out of here." What is he getting at¡ª Ah. "You think I''m going to disappear again?" "Yeah, changing rooms are cursed for you." "Watch me disappear." nk¡ª! Brandon immediately closed the door and scoffed, leaving Raven alone in the changing room. Beating Raven to a pulp¡­.. "Feels good." Brandon looked around. The duel matches had begun. Since they were told they had the choice to leave after their matches were done, Brandon was just about to leave when someone called up to him. "Brandon!" Brandon turned around. It was Cyrus. "Oh, hey. Long time no see." Just like Rachel, Cyrus hugged him. "Good to have you back, man." Brandon was startled at first, but returned the hug eventually, and tapped on Cyrus'' back. After a brief conversation, Cyrus returned to the row. His fight turn hadn''t started yet. Brandon shook his head with a smile and turned around. "Brandon." Another voice called out for him. He turned around once more. It was Reinhard. "Yo, uh¡­." Unlike Cyrus'' directness, Reinhard seemed awkward as he scratched his cheek. Breaking the awkward atmosphere, Brandon opened his mouth. "What did one toilet say to the other?" Reinhard curiously tilted his head. "What are you¡ª" "You appear a bit flushed." "...." Reinhard''s eyes widened. However, Brandon seemed to have sessfully broken the awkwardness as Reinhard covered his mouth, shoulders trembling. "Pfft¡­.." "Good to see you again, Reinhard." "You too¡­.." Reinhard approached him and the two hugged, tapping on each others'' backs. Pulling away, Reinhard shed a wide grin. "We should catch up after dismissal. We''re nning on celebrating your return,e with us." They were already nning? That fast¡­.? "Sure." Brandon nodded his head in agreement. "Great. Oh, and check your phone. There should be a new group chat in your app by now." "Hm?" Brandon looked at his phone. "Ah." And it was there. [Reinhard''s opps.] A group chat. "Opps?" The hell is that. "Ah, don''t mind the group name. A little joke from ire." ".....Oh." "Well, just check the group chatter. We still haven''t chosen the location. But most likely, a karaoke ce." Brandon took in his words as he opened the group chat. There were about seven people in the groupprising of; Reinhard, Raven, Amy, Rachel, ire, Sarah, Cyrus, Seems like Sarah and Cyrus made it to the friend group. The development was surprising. "I''ll get going now. Don''t want to keep you here for long. See youter, man." "You too, and goodluck with your duel." "Thanks." Just like that, Reinhard returned to the row. "Opps, huh?" Seems like there were new lingos he had to learn. As he raised his head and looked up, he could see Sarah running to him. "Sarah?" "Uhm¡­. Good to¡ª" "Have me back?" Yeah, everyone''s been saying that. "....Yes." "How have you been?" Brandon asked. "Oh, I''ve been great. About to reach the B rank soon." "Really?" Another surprising development. "Yes. I think I''m getting stronger." Of course, this was important to Sarah. Brandon was the first one to have noticed her potential after all. "Hey." Sarah suddenly added. "What?" "I know we''ve never really talked about ''that''. But just know, I''ve never resented you for it." Brandon was well aware of what, ''That'' meant. Everde. "Even if you did resent me, I wouldn''t mind. I could understand it." "No, that''s unfair to you. I know how hard that decision was to make. I''m sorry I''ve dyed this conversation for a long time. When you died, I felt guilty about never confronting you properly." "Disappeared." "Ah, yes." "So, water under the bridge?" "Water under the bridge." An agreement to never speak about it again. Sarah left shortly after. Brandon turned around. And just as he was about to leave for the third time¡­. "Hey." This time, Brandon didn''t need to look to find out who it was. The voice was discernible. It was Rachel. "Hey." She seemed awkward. "Can we talk after this?" She suddenly asked. Brandon had been waiting for this moment, if he had to be honest. A long talk with Rachel. "Sure, are you done?" "Not yet, but I think I''m next after this. Can you wait for me?" "Okay, I''ll be waiting by the gazebo." "Thanks." Rachel was just about to leave as she turned around and scurried off. But she then turned around, leaving him a message. "We''re all happy you''re back. You should visit your grave soon." An ominous smirk spread across her features and she left shortly after. "...." Now that was the Rachel he knew. "Grave?" The fuck¡­.? No one ever told him he had a grave. Just like that, he left thebat hall. Brandon waited by the gazebo for a while. There were a couple of students who took nces at him. Most probably, familiar with him. However, Brandon paid no heed to them and continued to wait. Until finally, the familiar figure of Rachel registered in his view. She seemed to be drenched in sweat. On her shoulder, a towel was draped. It seems like she was in a hurry, and decided not to change yet. "I''m not going anywhere¡­." Brandon silently muttered. Then, Rachel appeared before him. "Hey." Taking a seat across from him, she rested her chin on her hand. "Haa¡­ H-haaa¡­." She tried to catch her breaths first. Most probably, she ran to get here. "Here." "Hm?" Brandon pushed a water bottle towards her, sliding it across the table. "Oh, thanks." "Mhm." Gulp~ "Ah¡­.." Rachel put the water bottle down after chugging on it. Then, she wiped the glistening sweat all over her face. After she was done, it was time to get down to business. However, the atmosphere seemed awkward. As if Rachel had no idea where to start. For that reason, Brandon cleared his throat. "Kuhum¡­." Then, he met Rachel''s gaze. "So, long time no see." "Ah, yes." Regardless, it was still quite tense. "I heard you took your father''s role." "Yes, I did. But things aren''t quite busy these days. I have a secretary to manage small matters for me." "Oh? Same old Rachel shoving her work to other people¡­?" "Eh¡­." Rachel frowned. "N-No, for your information, I''ve been attending business meetings diligently." "Haha, I was kidding." "Hehe~ I know." Then, Rachel averted her gaze and looked down. Shortly after, she switched the topic. Brandon had been waiting for this moment. "Uhm, about that stuff between us in the past¡­. Can we forget about it and reset our rtionship?" Brandon''s brows raised at her words. He had prepared all sorts of replies to whatever Rachel would propose. Despite taking all of it into ount, the fact that she opted for this decision had still taken him quite aback. "We weren''t really in a good ce, and I kind of felt like I forced you to it. I was immature, I know. And I honestly regretted the decisions I made back then." Brandon listened attentively to each of her words. Despite the fact that Rachel wasn''t seeing him eye¨Cto¨Ceye, her message got through to him. "We kind of rushed into it, and when you died, I didn''t know what to do." "Disappeared." "Right, disappeared. Anyway, I hope we can start out as friends again. If something blooms, then we can take our time and develop things naturally¡ª" "Rachel." Brandon cut her off. "Yes?" That was when Brandon began to exin his circumstances during his disappearance. The reason why he had never revealed his survival, and the time he spent with Amelia. It was mostly because he needed a break. Time away from his friends to sort everything out. Of course, he omitted parts Rachel didn''t need to know, such as the Sovereign''s will and Belle''s death. Maybe from Rachel''s perspective, it might''ve been an excuse. But regardless, he was honest. "Oh, I see¡­.." "Yeah." "Thanks for clearing things up. I remember seeing you two during the festival, you two look good together." Rachel sped her hands and stood up. "Anyway, I hope things don''t get too awkward between uster. You''reing, right?" "Of course, it''s a party for me, isn''t it?" "Yeah. Also, don''t tell anyone, and don''t say you heard it from me. But the party is actually nned by ire." "Eh?" Now that was a bombshell. Even more surprising than the change everyone had. "Hehe. I''ll get going now. See youter." "Mhm. See you." Just like that, Rachel left. A smile spread across Brandon''s face as he stared at Rachel''s departing back. To his surprise, Rachel handled the news maturely. However, his smile soon faded as he remembered. ''I''m sorry things ended up this way. But I''m not the man you''re destined with.'' ''And that man¡­. He''s long gone.'' That man, ¡­..Was Brandon Locke himself. *** Rachel stood by the gazebo entrance, leaning on the wall. She breathed a sigh and looked up. "I guess this is for the best." That was all she could say to herself. Truth be told, the feelings she had for Brandon now were quite different. She was more d to know that he was alive, than d that she could reset her rtionship with him. As if the fact that Brandon was alive was enough for her. "I really hope things aren''t too awkwardter." She walked ahead and entered the changing room. She was just about to enter the stall, when she stopped and gazed at the mirror. Pulling the strand of her hair, she then went on to say. "Should I dye my hair blonde¡­.?" Chapter 268: Imperial Academy [3] Lectures continued from then. Brandon sat at the back. For some reason, he was instructed to sit next to ire. The two hadn''t had a conversation in over a year. Despite the fact that the others approached him, ire didn''t. Amy as well. However, it couldn''t be helped. Before he left thebat hall, it was Amy''s turn to duel. The current ss was magic theory. The instructor walked around the podium. Even while there was a new student, he held no regards to it, and carried on with his lecture as if it was a regr day. But during the moment, Brandon and ire exchanged messages. ¡ªI heard you and Rachel made out. ¡ªHuh? What the fuck. ¡ªSorry, that was a tpyo. I meant, ''made up.'' ¡ªOh, yeah. We did. You mean typo, right? For some reason, ire kept on making typos. She was like that in the past, but it seems like she hadn''t changed that habit of hers. Now that he took a peek, it made sense why ire made so many typos. Tap. Tap. Tap. Her fingers were way too big for her phone. ¡ªI feel like you''re thinking of something rude. "...." Can she read minds now? ¡ªNope? ¡ªFuck off, I saw you smirk. Despite how hostile ire was, it was a breath of fresh air. While the others seemed to walk on eggshells around him, ire remained the same old bitch. Besides, the two were quite close a year ago. After all, they used to train and spar together under Evelyn''s supervision. It was then when an idea shed in Brandon''s head. He sent a message. ¡ªSo, have you chosen a ce? ¡ªYeah. In thend, everyone voted for a karaike ce." ire sent a follow¨Cup message. ¡ªIn the end* Karaoke*. ¡ªYeah, I got that. Thanks for setting this all up, ire. ¡ªHuh? All of a sudden, he felt an intense gazeing for ire. She sent a message. ¡ªNo, this was abined idea. Wow, a perfect message. ¡ªI heard it was your idea actually. ¡ªNo way! Why owduklijg. "Kuhum¡­." ire coughed and redid her message. ¡ªWhy would I do that? ¡ªDunno, because we''re friends? ¡ªWho told you this anyway? Brandon''s lips curled up to an ominous smirk. This was what he was waiting for. ¡ªWho else? Raven. At that moment, ire''s head abruptly flicked to the front and red. There, Raven sat in his seat. Currently, he was taking notes of the lecture. "Achoo!" Raven sneezed. That aside, the lecture carried on. *** It was now lunch break. Brandon, Raven, Amy, Reinhard, ire, Rachel, Sarah, and Cyrus, sat together at a big table. They were a big group. Eyes were fixed on Brandon once again. It seemed like the friend group was actually quite popr in the academy. And the fact that there was a new addition had caught the interest of the other cadets. While some paid no heed to them, already knowing Brandon belonged in the friend group, some watched with curious gaze. While waiting for their food to arrive, Brandon was on his phone. ¡ªWhere are you? ¡ªI''m on the cafeteria''s rooftop. I''m eating with my friends, why? He was currently chatting with Amelia. ¡ªYou have friends? ¡ªThat''s rude. (¨i©n¨i) ¡ªI''m joking. Want me to pay you a visit? ¡ªThat''s fine. But don''t you want to spend more time with your friends? You haven''t seen them in a year after all. She had a point. All of a sudden, Raven, who sat beside him, asked. "Who''s that?" "A friend." "A friend, huh?" Raven inched close, trying to take a peek. "Hey, no peeking!" "Ah." Then, Raven''s expressions change. Maybe even distorted. Raven leaned close and whispered in Brandon''s ear. "Since when were you in that kind of rtionship with¡­." His voice became even more inaudible. "...The Princess?" "The Princess?" The hell kind of nickname was that? "Let me educate you in this academy''s hierarchy." "....?" Brandon''s head tilted. Since when was Raven like this? What kind of difference happened for Raven to even act like this? Seeing all the variants of Raven. Or rather, Jin, in his memories, this version of Raven seemed to be the quirkiest. Maybe even annoying? However, it was good. He feltfortable with this Raven. Brrt¡­. Then, his phone vibrated. Raven had sent a message. "...." And it was a really long one. Raven leaned close once again and whispered. "I only copied that for your information." "Right." Brandon scanned the contents of the message. [Imperial Academy''s Goddesses] He already had a bad feeling. [Ranked #1. Amelia Constantine (The Princess) "...." What kind of weirdo¡­.? "Who wrote this?" "Some sicko put that in the Imperial Academymunity page. The page is managed by the cadets. So there''s no supervision in regards to the contents there." "....." Some major creepy vibes. He had to report this to Bellion before things got out of hand. Seriously, in the past few months, he was in a life and death situation. And the cadets in this academy were wasting time with this nonsense? That, and there was an uing war. A war that he had managed to push further back. Brandon continued reading. Already well known during her time in Astrea Academy. Amelia Constantine continues to take the breaths away of everyone in her presence¡­..] And he stopped reading the message from there. "Why did you even send me that¡­.." "So that you''re well aware of the social circle within this academy. Only three weeks had passed since its establishment, yet deprived from academy social life after the cmity¡­." Brandon got the gist. Major degenerate vibes. "I''m reporting that website. Send me the link." "You think we haven''t done that? The website gets taken down. But a new one emerges soon after. No one even knows who keeps making the website." "Hmm¡­." It was interesting. An idea shed in Brandon''s mind. "Send me the website anyway. I''ll do something about it." "Alright." Just like that, he received the website link. Then, Raven changed the topic. "So, what''s your rtionship with the Princess?" "I''m not telling you." "Fair." Brandon was still taken aback. To think he would have this kind of conversation with Raven. He actually had changed. He seemed to be more sociable now. "What are you guys talking about?" Amy''s voice cut in. "Nothing." Raven quickly shot down. "He''s asking where he should take you for your anniversary." Brandon said with a grin. "Eh?" "Huh?" The two''s brows raised. Amy''s face seemed to flush a slight beet red. "Anniversary? But we aren''t even dating¡­.." For a second, he could hear Amy murmur, "Yet." "Oh?" Brandon started poking Raven. "You''re taking this way too fast, Raven." "You¨Cyou¡­." Raven stammered. Unable toe up with a remark. It seemed like their rtionship hadn''t progressed at all in the past year. "Pussy." Brandon added. "You¡­.." Raven had a defeated expression on his face. Despite the casual atmosphere, there was something more important. Their food was here. "Enjoy." *** The sses for the afternoon ranged from Physical Exercise, Mana Core Training, Weapon Development, Magic Circle Configuration, and Affinity Progression. It was a long and exhausting day. But it was expected for a military academy. But Brandon received it well. It was way more productive than Astrea. In fact, he could see the percentage of his stats rise just a bit. ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: A ¡ª[12%] ¨N MP: A+ ¡ª[58%] ¨N DEF: B- ¡ª[24%] ¨N AGI: B+ ¡ª[49%] ¨N INT: S- ¡ª[7%] ¨N CHA: SS ¡ª[88%] [AVG: A] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The most noticeable change was his defense and strength stat. Though it wasn''t because of today''s session, it was because of the auction. His defense stat increased exponentially, as well as his strength. Because of today''s session, most of his stats rose a percentage. They were already dismissed, and his friends were outside, waiting for a ride. While the others engaged in conversation, Reinhard noticed Brandon''s arrival first. "Yo, you''ve seen the message?" "Yep, a karaoke ce, right?" "Yeah, you ready to depart?" "Wait, you guys go on ahead. I have to stop by some ce first." "Oh, okay." "We''ve reserved room number three. Come whenever you''re ready." ire suddenly informed him. "Sure." They called for a taxi, which drove off soon after, leaving Brandon standing alone by the exit. He looked around. Cadet''s startedmuting, or walking home. Some looked at him and waved their hand after recognizing him. Brandon waved back. However, he had no idea who they were. Turning back around, Brandon called for a taxi and entered the vehicle. The taxi driver asked ''where to,'' and Brandon replied as he leaned back in his seat. "Vale General Hospital." Chapter 269: Homecoming Party [1] Brandon arrived at the hospital and stepped inside. Looking around, there, he could see the receptionist, wearing a full white attire. He approached her. "Good evening, I''m here for Miss Evelyn Cessna." "Evelyn Cessna? Could I ask for your identification card, Sir?" "Okay." Brandon handed his identification card to the nurse. "Okay, let me check if your name is in the priority list." The nurse began typing on her keyboard. "Let me see, Brandon Locke¡­. Brandon Locke¡­. Ah, there it is." Tap. Tap. Tap. Then, the nurse raised her head, meeting Brandon''s gaze and returned his card. "She''s in room 305." "Thank you." Just like that, Brandon walked ahead and entered the elevator. Ding! A chiming sound rang, and Brandon arrived at the third floor. After roaming the halls, looking for the right room, Brandon found the room soon after. [305] Creaaaaak¡­. The door opened slowly, and Brandon took a deep breath. The entire room smelled quite like how a hospital was supposed to smell. Smells like alcohol, if he had to describe it. "Evelyn¡ªAh? Miss Vanessa?" There were two people in the room. Evelyn, whoid in her bed with a smile stered on her face, and the familiar sight of Vanessa Glory, seated on a stool. "Brandon?" "You really are alive¡­.." While a sense of familiarity washed over Evelyn, Vanessa had a different reaction. Most probably, Evelyn had told her what had happened, meeting him inside the ckmarket, and such. After all, Evelyn had been gone for quite a long time. For that reason, Vanessa must''ve been keen on the stories she had to tell. "Long time no see, Miss Vanessa." "You''re calling her ''Miss,'' but not me?" Evelyn retorted, while Vanessa stood up and gave him a hug. "Still fixated on that?" Brandon tilted his head and Vanessa pulled away. He hadn''t realized it back then when he first met Evelyn. But the moment heid eyes on her, he felt strangelyfortable. Now that he could peer into the memories of Raven ckheart, he understood why. It was because Raven, or rather, Jin, was Evelyn''s benefactor. The person who had taught her how to control the [Celestial] affinity. There was a reason for Jin''s actions. Because he knew of Lucian''s death, and he knew of Evelyn''s potential. As if the novel, or more precisely, the tome had only told the story that he was supposed to know, there was a bit of fixation on Evelyn''s strength. It was so Brandon would be interested in her. For that reason, Brandon was quite fond of Evelyn. Like she was a little sister to him. It was quite ironic now that he thought about it. But regardless, this was information that Evelyn didn''t know. Brandon neared Evelyn. "How are you feeling?" "Great. It still hurts to move around, but Doctors say I''ll be out in about two weeks or so." "Oh, are you going to ept that teaching job?" "We both are." Vanessa''s voice rang from behind, cing her hands proudly on her waist. "You got offered too, Miss Vanessa?" "Why do you look so surprised?" She honestly asked, tilting her head with a frown on her face. "I thought you''d return to your modeling job." "I''m still doing that on the side. Besides, I like teaching." Of course, that had always been Vanessa Glory''s personality. But what''s surprising was Evelyn''s. She would most probably grow far¨Cstronger if she focused on herself instead of others. As if Evelyn had read his mind, she opened her mouth. "It''s much better if the youth gets stronger as well. I''m not one to speak, but this is where Lucian Frost was wrong. While he became the strongest, the others were left in the dust. Now that he''s gone¡­.." She stopped speaking further. But Brandon surmised what she was trying to imply. This entire continent relied way too much on a single person. For that reason, the moment he died, the Milis continent saw it as an opportunity. It was much better to have ten stones instead of pebbles and a single stone. For how Evelyn was discovered, apparently, Zed threw the ring directly at her the moment it activated. The ring was actually configured to the Academy. As soon as it activated, Evelyn appeared in the Academy halls. It was most probably why Brandon appeared inside thebyrinth. However, there was still a mystery. His injuries had magically disappeared. That, and his teleportation had a timeg. Something must''ve happened in those seven hours. Regardless, Brandon had no clue. The memories inside his head¡­. Jin''s memories weren''t omniscient. He only knew what he knew, and the same went for Brandon Locke. After conversing for a while, they decided it was time to leave and let Evelyn rest. With such thoughts, Brandon and Vanessa stepped out of her room and left the hospital shortly after. "Where are you going after this, Miss Vanessa? I can give you a ride." "Thanks for the offer. But I''ll have to refuse." Vanessa''s eyes darted around. As she realized the coast was clear, she breathed out a sigh and whispered. "...You know how the media are these days." "Right." Bunch of nonsense. "It was nice seeing you, Brandon." "You too, Miss Vanessa. See you at the academy." "Mhm." After leaving off with those words, Brandon called for a taxi and got on. Vroom¡ª! There were certain calls he was waiting for. He had already left a message for the specific people. However, there was still no response. "Seems like I can take it easy for today." *** Brandon arrived at the karaoke ce. It was quite noisy. The sound of music echoed across the hall, despiteing from the other rooms. He halted in his steps as soon as he arrived at the right room. "Ah, room three." To¡ª Tok. He knocked on the door. But there was no response. In fact, he couldn''t hear anythinging from the room. To¡ª Tok. "...." Still nothing. Were they ying a prank on him? To¡ª Tok. He knocked three more times. With a frown on his face, Brandon checked the group chat. ¡ªI''m here. Where are you guys? He waited for about three minutes for a response. But the response never came. For that reason, he scrolled up the group chat. He stopped at a certain point after a certain message from a certain purple¨Chead caught his attention. ¡ª@Brandon Locke. We left the door unlocked. Just open it when you arrive. He did do that at first before he knocked. But it was locked. "....?" Now that he twisted the doorknob, it seemed like it wasn''t locked. No, it was definitely locked at first. Brandon was sure of that. Creaaaaak¡­. Slowly pushing the door open, what greeted his sight was¡­. Bang¡ª¡ª! Confetti. And, "Surprise!" They all shouted in unison. "Wee back, Brandon!" As if it was his birthday, confetti slowly fluttered all over the room. On the table, Brandon could see cake. Brandon blinked his eyes, startled. Blinking again, he voiced out his appreciation. "Thanks." "Come in,e in." Amy slowly closed the door for him. Brandon took a good look at each and every one of them. Raven, Reinhard, ire, Rachel, Sarah, Cyrus, and Amy, who was standing right behind him. "Go on, sit down." "Woah." Amy pushed him from behind, leading him to sit in the middle. Beside him, was Raven, and on his left was Reinhard. "Is this¡­.?" "Chocte cake. You like chocte cake, right?" Reinhard asked. "Yeah." He did. It was most probably Rachel''s doing. "Hehe~ Now that the man of the hour is here¡­." Amy seemed to be up to no good. "You have to sing first!" She presented the songbook, as well as the remote. "Eh, me?" "Of course." Brandon shrugged his shoulders nonchntly. Though he wasn''t quite confident in his singing, he appreciated their goodwill. "Thanks for this, guys. Really feels like I''m home again." "Now''s not the time to be emotional. Let''s save that forter." ire rebutted his attempt. "Later?" "You''ll see." Seems like they prepared a lot for today. Brandon couldn''t help but smile as he continued looking for a song. As soon as he did, he entered the correct number on the remote. Shortly after, the song started ying. ire seemed to have been taken aback by his choice. "Eh? A foreign song? Can you even sing that?" "That one''s pretty old as well. 2008?! Are you some kind of grandpa now?" Amy eximed. "Just caught my attention." Brandon shrugged. "The song is pretty popr. But for some reason, the artist is unknown, as if he vanished out of thin air. No one knows anything about him." "Oh, you''re pretty knowledgeable about this, Sarah." ire raised her brows. Sarah responded. The words wouldn''t stoping out of her mouth. "Yeah, I heard it was quite popr back in the day. They said it was actually a student who sang this for their school''spetition." It was a song he had once seen in Amelia''s ylist. It was her most yed song on her app. Brandon stood up with the microphone near his mouth. The others sat in silence, waiting for him to start singing. [Kim Hajin ¨C If] Chapter 270: Homecoming Party [2] The image of Brandon singing wouldn''t leave Amy''s mind. He was amazing. His voice was amazing. ''Is there nothing he isn''t good at?'' His talent was truly envious. The song was foreign. A differentnguage. Despite the lyrics just rolling off his tongue, Brandon was able to get the feelings across. Then, Amy had a sudden thought. She didn''t know how to feel regarding Brandon and Rachel, her sister. Rachel had told her earlier about Brandon''s circumstances. However, Amy was mature enough to understand it. She didn''t hold it against him. It wasn''t her ce to speak of anyway. "Good job, you were actually pretty good." "Thanks." Raven and Brandon high¨Cfived and Brandon sat down next to Raven right after. Then, Raven reached out for the microphone. "Since no one''s going next, I guess it''s my turn." All of a sudden, Amy had a dangerous thought. So dangerous that she suddenly felt goosebumps all over. Not just her, but the others seemed to have the same reaction. Sarah''s pupils dted. Rachel''s mouth hung open. ire started rubbing her stomach, and Cyrus started rummaging his bag for his headphones. "Yeah! Let''s go!" The only ones who reacted differently were Reinhard, who seemed to be hyping Raven up, and Brandon, who looked at them with a question mark on his face. Amy reached out and grabbed Raven''s wrist, right before he could pick up the microphone. "Hm¡­?" Raven met her gaze and tilted his head. "What''s wrong?" As soon Amy heard his question, she felt her palms start to sweat. In fact, it felt like cold sweat was beading on her forehead. "Uhm¡­. Why don''t we save the best forst?" "Best?" Raven''s eyes widened, as if he realized what Amy was trying to say. "Oh, Amy. You don''t need to be so biased. I don''t think I''m that good. But still¡­. It feels nice knowing you think I''m the best singer here." "Yes, of course. Haha~ Hehe~" Amy could onlyugh awkwardly. Raven sounded humble, however, that was far from the truth. She knew Raven held a certain pride when it came to singing. After all, she was always the recipient of his singing. "Then someone else should sing." Raven looked around, trying to meet the other''s eyes. As soon as the words left his mouth, Amy breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew. "Phew." "Haaa¡­." And of course, the others had the same reaction. Even Cyrus had stopped rummaging his bag and leaned back. "Uh¡­.?" Brandon still had a question mark on his face. It was for the best. If Brandon were to find out the truth this early on, it might''ve spoiled the party. "Is Raven really that good?" Brandon asked. Amy met the other''s eyes first. They all nodded in agreement. A silent agreement. Then, ire stood up and pped her hands. p¡ª! "He is. He fucking is. I don''t want to lose my heari¡ªEr, the battle this early on." "Wait, you think so too, ire?" Raven scratched his cheek in embarrassment. "Yes, you are. I don''t want Brandonparing us so soon. He needs to hear all of us first." "Oh,e on, you''re capping. " There he goes again with his inte lingos. Someone has to tell him soon. But he was too nice. No one has the courage to say it right in his face. "You''re pretty good yourself, ire. Brandon doesn''t need topare any of us." "Cap¡­ Cap¡­. Right, yeah. Haha, of course." And ire sat back down. Amy looked at the others aside from Brandon, Raven, and Reinhard. She secretly held her thumbs up, and the others did the same, as if they were saying, ''We''ve managed to avoid it for now.'' At that moment, Reinhard reached out for the remote. "Guess, I''ll go ne¡ª" "No!" Sarah suddenly screamed, startling everyone in the room present. "....?" Reinhard tilted his head in confusion. "What?" "Kuhum¡­." Sarah cleared her throat and pped her hands. p¡ª! "You guys are Brandon''s best¨Cfriends, right?" "Right." "We are?" "Yes, you are, Reinhard. Anyway, since that''s the case. Don''t you want to surprise Brandonst? He must have some expectations for you two." "I see." Reinhard pulled away from the microphone and pinched his chin. "You have a point. Okay, Brandon." All of a sudden, Reinhard pulled Raven and wrapped his arm on his shoulder. "Your two buddies over here are the main event for today." "Yep." Reinhard and Raven nodded their heads with pride. Brandon seemed even more perplexed about the entire thing. "Uh, okay? I don''t get it." "You don''t have to." Reinhard wrapped his arm around Brandon as well. The three were practically in an arm¨Clock right now. "We''ll make this party we threw for you memorable." Reinhard said with a grin on his face. Amy sat back down. It seemed like Sarah had managed to convince Reinhard. Amy met Sarah''s gaze and moved her mouth, ''Good job.'' Once again, the others breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back. Sarah reached out for the microphone. "I''ll go next." "Woooh!" "You go, Sarah!" They started cheering for her. From Amy''s own experience, Sarah was the second best singer among the girls. While the title of best singer belonged to ire. Amy wasn''t half¨Cbad herself, as well as Rachel. For the guys, it had to be Cyrus. But now that Brandon had revealed his talent, Amy wasn''t sure anymore. No, maybe Brandon was the best singer among the guys now. For the other two¡­.. Then, Sarah started singing. "Oh? Another foreign song?" Rachel asked. "Well, Brandon did it. I felt kind of inspired to do so as well." "Okay, good luck." Sarah nodded her head at Rachel''s words. Then, her mouth opened with a ''hum.'' Her voice was beautiful as always. Completely captivating everyone in the room. When she finished, everyone apuded. p! p! p! "You should go next, Cyrus." Sarah offered the microphone to Cyrus. "Eh? I don''t know. I don''t feel like I''ll live up to your performance just now." "Don''t be like that. We''re notparing anyone here. Besides¡­." Sarah leaned close to Cyrus'' ear and whispered something. Amy overheard. She was sitting next to Cyrus after all. ¡ªDon''t you want to surprise your idol? ¡ªAh, you''re right. This is my chance! Sarah nodded after managing to convince Cyrus, sitting back down. Of course, everyone in the room knew how much Cyrus looked up to Brandon. When Brandon suddenly disappeared, Cyrus too was devastated. Often, Cyrus would talk about his past experiences with Brandon. During times of difficulty, he would often mutter to himself, ''What would Brandon do?'' ording to Raven''s words, he was a Brandon zer. Honestly, he needed to stop scrolling on TokTok. It was a bad influence for him. Or maybe it was her fault for introducing the app to him? She suddenly felt guilty and offered a silent prayer for Raven, sping her hands together. Then, Cyrus opened his mouth, signaling the start of his song. He was good. Really good. The way he transitioned to falsetto was smooth. But after hearing Cyrus, Amy hade to a conclusion. Brandon really was on a different level. Did he take singing lessons? That must be it, right? To¨C Tok. Suddenly, the door was knocked. "I''ll get it." Cyrus set the microphone down and opened the door. "Your drinks are here." One of the staff entered the room, bringing a bundle of drinks. It was time for the climax of this party. "Enjoy." The staff left shortly after. Brandon leaned close and scrutinized the drinks. "Soju?" "Oh, you''ve heard of this?" "Yeah." It was a new kind of alcohol introduced in the human domain a few months back. They enjoyed it for its sweet taste. That, and the alcohol percentage was convenient. Just enough for teenages to enjoy. However, it was then when Brandon asked, pinching his chin. "Isn''t this kind of low?" "Eh?" "Huh?" "....?" They all froze, perplexed. "What do you¡ª" "Fifteen percent. You guys call this alcohol?" "...." "...." "...." If he was saying that, then how high was his tolerance? Amy seemed to have the same amount of tolerance as Rachel. "I''ll be back. I''ll show you guys ''real'' alcohol." Just like that, Brandon left the room. "...." Their mouths hung agape and leaned back. Then shortly after, Brandon returned to the room, carrying a bottle with a stic that says, ''98%.'' "Now this is real alcohol. The fun''s about to start." He had a grin on his face. However, despite their perplexion, they actually were quite curious. If Brandon imed it as ''real alcohol,'' then how much could their tolerance keep up. Brandon poured the alcohol inside the shot¨Css, then raised it. "Who wants to try first?" "Me." Reinhard raised his hand. It was to be expected. Reinhard had the highest tolerance among them all. "Here you go." Receiving the shot¨Css, Reinhard drank it down at that moment. Everyone looked at him with curiosity. Thump! Reinhard abruptly set the ss down and wiped his mouth. "Haa! That''s good. You sure know your stuff, Brandon!" "Of course." Reinhard then looked around, meeting the others'' gazes. "What are you guys waiting for?" That¡­. Just one shot, and Reinhard''s face had already started turning red. Chapter 271: Homecoming Party [3] They had a couple of drinks. Brandon could tell that everyone was feeling tipsy. On the other hand, he was pretty cool headed. "Haha! Go on, ire! Let Brandon hear your ''okay'' voice!" Reinhard seemed to be out of it. These might be hisst days. Brandon wouldn''t be surprised if he found him lifeless on the street. "Fuck off, tone deaf." ire had her middle finger up. "I''m sorry, My Queen." Reinhard lowered his head like a loser. He was really drunk. He drank the most after all. Compared to them at least. About four shots. ire reached out for the microphone after inputting her song. Then shortly after, she opened her mouth and started singing. "Oh?" Brandon was quite surprised. He thought Sarah and Cyrus were amazing, ire was in a whole different league. In fact, this entire scenario wasn''t in his memories at all. Who knew these guys actually enjoyed a hobby such as karaoke. What''s most surprising was Raven. His development in this timeline was significantly different. It''s kind of funny. He seemed like a delinquent. However, that didn''t seem to be the case. He was still the goody two shoes Raven he knew. p¨C! p¡ª! They then apuded when ire finished her song. "Nice one, ire." "Still keeping your title as the Karaoke Queen." "Eh, it was so¨Cso." Reinhard cut in with his arms crossed. However, ire just shook her head with a frown and sat back down. "Don''t be like that, Rein. But hey, if ire is the Queen, does that mean I''m the Karaoke King?" Raven chimed in. "...." "...." "Uh, yeah, sure¡­.." The others shared the same reaction. "Really?" Raven seemed like he was about to cry out of happiness. "My hard work really did pay off." Raven clenched his fist in the air with a smile. This guy¡­. Brandon picked it up the moment he realized the looks on their faces. Was he that bad for the others to have such a strong reaction? Poor guy. For him to best¡­. He couldn''t be that bad, right? Surely, Reinhard was way worse than him. The next one. Amy. Amy stood up and reached out for the microphone. Looking to the side, Raven stared intently at Amy with stars in his eyes. Seems like he''s Amy''s number one fan. Then, Amy started with her own melodic ''hum.'' "Woooh~!" Raven had already started cheering. They all gave him the side¨Ceye without speaking. Amy continued singing, sneaking nces at Raven. It seemed as if the song was for him. Even the lyrics were rted to love. As soon as she finished, she took a shot¨Css and gulped down the alcohol. "Ahh¡­." "Pour me one too, Amy." Rachel instructed, reaching out for the microphone. It seems like it was her turn. She was thest one as well. After this, it would be the duo who everyone had been trying to prevent from singing''s turn. "Here." "Thanks." Rachel drank her own shot before the song started. Then, she set down the ss and nced at Brandon for a brief second. Brandon noticed. The entire time, Rachel had been sneaking nces at him. However, there was nothing he could do. He had already gotten his point across. That their past couldn''t go back to the way it used to. But they could still remain friends. He already had Amelia in his heart. He would never do anything to hurt her. But that aside, even if he wasn''t with Amelia, dating Rachel would make him feel guilty. After all, he had already stolen Brandon Locke''s life. No, Jin had already ruined Brandon Locke''s life, the moment the [Curse] affinity was passed onto him. He couldn''t go any further than that. Then, Rachel started singing. She was definitely good. Her singing voice sounded a bit like Amy''s. The twin sisters were definitely good at singing. Seems like the girls had the knack for this. Brandon was still quite curious. Just how bad were Reinhard and Raven? Rachel finished singing, set the microphone down, and tried to grab another shot. However, she staggered, and Brandon grabbed her before she fell. "Take it easy." ".....I''m not drunk." Her face was full¨Con red. It was hard to discern at first since the room was quite dark. But now that she was quite close, Brandon could see it. "I can go on." "No, you''re flushed." "Why are you acting like you care now....?" "...." "...." "...." "...." Those words that left Rachel''s mouth had woken everyone up from a daze. They were tipsy. But they still had control over themselves, including Reinhard. "Just let me¡ª" "Rachel, stop." Amy too had joined in, pulling on Rachel. "Sorry about this, Brandon. She usually doesn''t drink this much." "It''s fine. It''s my fault." "No, don''t say that. Haaa¡­. Rachel, let''s step outside for a bit." "Let go¡­. Come on, just one shot¡­. I won''t ask for another." "No, Rachel." "Haaa¡­." Rachel surrendered. Amy draped Rachel''s arm around her shoulder and stepped outside. It seemed like the mood turned sour in an instant. "What''s with you guys? Give me that." Reinhard suddenly shifted the topic and grabbed the microphone. "It''s my turn¡­. Feast your eyes, Brandon!" "Alright, Rein. Show me what you got." "Hehe. I''m d you said that." Reinhard inputted his song. It was a song Brandon wasn''t familiar with. Some kind of song called¡­.. [Skibidi Toilet (TokTok Remix)] The hell kind of song is that? Brandon looked to the side. Cyrus had already worn his headphones. While Sarah was offering a silent prayer. ire on the other hand was busy fiddling with her phone. Most probably, talking to Amy. After all, Brandon noticed their subtle nods with each other. Despite the sour mood from earlier, Reinhard''s initiative had changed the atmosphere. Finally, Brandon''s curiosity would finally be answered. Just how bad is¡­. "Skibid Toilet! Skibidi~ Skibidi~" Oh, no. ''Oh, fuck.'' It was even worse than he had imagined. "Let me join you, Rein! This is a top three on my ylist!" Raven abruptly stood up and neared Reinhard. For a second, Brandon could see Sarah start tearing up. A crease seemed to form on Cyrus'' temple. While ire was still busy on her phone, as if she couldn''t hear the chaos around her. Brandon on the other hand¡­. ''What the fuck am I hearing¡­.?'' His eardrums were about to burst. If he were to describe both Reinhard and Raven''s voice, it sounded kind of like the screeching of the chalkboard. Crack! ''No fucking way.'' He definitely saw it. A crack had formed on the shot ss. Was this some kind of magic? But there was no mana emitting from Raven and Reinhard. They seem to be even more powerful than Sarah''s sound magic. Or maybe either of them had awakened a [Sound] affinity. "I''ll check up on them." ire stood up and walked towards the door. "Skibidi¡ªOh, ire. Where are you going?" Reinhard paused for a second. "Keep singing. Please don''t stop. My ears are in heaven right now." "Will do~! Skibidi~ Skibidi~" For what felt like an eternity, finally, the song finished. "How was that, Brandon?" Raven and Reinhard turned their heads and looked at Brandon. He could see the glimmer in their eyes. They were most definitely proud of what they had just done. Brandon gave them two thumbs up. "Haha. Yes!" Reinhard smacked Raven''s back and sat back down next to Brandon. Finally, it was Raven''s turn. "Wait, Raven." Brandon motioned with his hand for Raven to pause. "What?" "I need to take this call." Yes, at that moment, Brandon''s phone rang. But even if Raven''s singing was horrible, Brandon still wanted to hear it. "Okay." Raven paused the song, and Brandon stepped outside. Brandon walked towards a corridor first. Then, he took the call. Click¡ª ¡ªBoss. It was Matthew. "You guys finally got out?" ¡ªYes, the interrogation took a while. But thanks to your Sister''s group, the Imperial Army epted their testimony and let us off. "That''s good. And did you receive the money I sent?" ¡ªYes. Me and Sir Deus bought the building you told us to buy. Currently, me and Sir Ironaxe are staying here. "Okay." ¡ªThere better be an exnation fer this, Lad! This is not what I signed up fer! It was Ironaxe. It seemed like he took the phone off of Matthew''s hands. "Of course. This is all part of that n, Ironaxe. I''ll borate further once I get there." ¡ªAnd when are yeing? "Tomorrow." ¡ªOkay. Beep. The call ended there. Ironaxe ended the call for some reason. Brrrt¡­. Then, Brandon''s phone rang again. He immediately picked up the call. Of course, he still had something to talk about with Matthew. ¡ªSorry about that, Boss. "It''s fine. Now tell me all about ''that''." ¡ªThanks to Sir Zed''s gadget, we''ve managed to transport the items safely. "Oh? Is Zed there¡­? I couldn''t reach him the entire day." ¡ªNo, he''s still being interrogated as we speak. "Not even my Sister''s testimony saved him from it?" ¡ªWell, the Imperial Army seems to have a lot of questions for him. "Figures." Of course, despite the fact that Zed had clearly helped out with the operation, he was still an active member of the Syndicate. The Imperial Army couldn''t lose the chance to interrogate such a high profile individual. "Call me if anything else happens. I''ll try to get Zed out soon." ¡ªUnderstood. Beep. Brandon couldn''t help but grin. Besides Zed''s current predicament, things were going ording to n. He stepped outside the hall. But as soon as he arrived at the room''s door, he paused. Sob. Sob. He could hear the sound of someone sobbing. Along with the conversation, he began to eavesdrop. It was ire, Amy, and Rachel. They seemed to beforting Rachel by the stairs. "I don''t know. I don''t know. Things are just so different now." "Still, Rachel. You can''t hold it against him." "I know that. But thinking about it still hurts. Hic." Brandon knew he was one to me. But regardless, it shouldn''t be him tofort Rachel. Anyone would do, just not him. It was for the best. He didn''t want to give Rachel the wrong idea, and clearly, no one wanted that as well. There was nothing he could do about it. He stepped inside the room shortly after. Giving the girls the privacy they needed. Privacy from him, at least. "Yo, Brandon." "Hey." "Yo." Reinhard, who had just taken another shot. And Raven, who was about to take his own shot, greeted him. It seemed like Cyrus had changed seats as well, drinking with Raven and Reinhard. Sarah, on the other hand, was singing. "Thank god." "How were they?" Cyrus suddenly asked. "Seems like it''ll take quite a while." "Oh." Then, Brandon looked at Raven, who had just set the shot ss down. "Can you wait until they get back?" Raven stared at Brandon for a second before responding. It seemed like he understood what Brandon was trying to imply. But if it was the right implication, only time would tell. "Sure." Chapter 272: Homecoming Party [4] "We''re back." "Hey~ Fuck off, Reinhard~" "Huh!?" "...." While the girls entered the room, Rachel remained silent and approached Brandon, who was seated. She was sober. Her head was clear. She knew what she was doing. "Hey, uhm¡­.." "Hey." Brandon raised his head, meeting Rachel''s gaze. The moment he did, the room fell silent. "Ah." Rachel flinched momentarily, butposed herself. Things really were different. Even he looked different. ''Even his hair¡­..'' She had to ept it. Not as if she was fixated on him, but just the thought of how different things were, especially in regards to her overall family situation, took a toll on her mental health. She tried not to think about it this whole time. But seeing Brandon brought memories of her father, and the entire cmity. And¡­. The old days. When things were still good. She had to ept it. Things were never going to be the same again. After what felt like an eternity, the words she had wanted to say flowed out of her mouth. "I''m sorry, Brandon. She lowered her head. Truth be told, she felt quite embarrassed in letting the others see this. But¡­. she wanted them to see this. To let them know of her resolve. Her resolve to ept how different the current circumstances were. "Friends?" "Hm?" Rachel raised her head. "Friends...?" "Yes, do you still want to remain as friends?" "...." This was just like Brandon. He might have been stoic from what she remembered, evening across as aloof, but¡­. "Yes, of course!'' It seemed like he didn''t hate her. The two shook hands at that, and Rachel took a seat shortly after. p¡ª! pping his hands, Raven went on to say, "Now that we''re all here. It''s time for the main act." "...." "...." "...." And the room fell silent once again. Of course, except for Reinhard. "Wooooh~" Rachel looked to the side. Seeing the face Brandon was making, it seemed like he had caught on. The moment Raven picked up the microphone, Rachel wanted to leave at that moment. Raven''s singing¡­. It wasplicated. Even Reinhard was way better than him. But she had to take points off Reinhard for his music taste. However, Rachel leaned back and closed her eyes. After everything that happened, the cmity, and the stress that her work put on her,, this was just what she needed. No, this is what everyone needed. To revel in the chaos that is Raven''s singing. Seeing everyone finally reunited, Rachel couldn''t help but smile. The group wasplete. Brandon was finally here. At least, this remained the same. ''These guys¡­.'' For Rachel, this is her family. They made her feel at home. It was then. Raven opened his mouth. Oh, no. She suddenly regretted it. "Never gonna give you up~" . . At the end of it, everyone looked drained. Everyone except Raven and Reinhard. "Great as always, Raven!" "Thanks, Rein." The two high¨Cfived at that. Then, Raven offered the microphone to Brandon. "Uh¡­.?" Brandon snapped out of a daze and epted the microphone. The night was still young. They were teenagers, enjoying their youth. "Eh, another foreign song?" "You really like this ''Kim Hajin'' guy, don''t you?" Brandon only shrugged in response. "It was a coincidence." *** Brandon returned home. He felt quite tipsy. Despite things going south in the middle, he could admit it. He had fun. Brandon entered the apartment. It was quite dark. However, as he was about to enter his room, he noticed one of the room''s doors was left open. It was Amelia''s room. Was she up¡­.? At the moment, it was 3:21 AM. If she were asleep, and had left the door open, Brandon nned on closing it for her. But just as he was about to do so, there, he could see Amelia, sitting on the bed with theptop on herp. "Amelia?" "Oh, you''re home?" "Yep. But what are you doing¡­.?" "I''m working on the contract proposal for the ckmarket workers. The Imperial Army hade to a conclusion that the ckmarket was quite an asset for this country. It would be a waste to strip them off their jobs and send them back to prison." Apparently, several officers were tasked with the job. After all, the higher¨Cups had too much in their hands at the moment. She set herptop aside, and looked at him. "What are you standing there for? Come in." At her words, Brandon stepped into the room and sat down on the bed next to her. Amelia pursed her lips. "How was it? Did you have fun¡­?" "Yep. You should meet them, they''re good people." Then, Brandon leaned his head on her shoulders. "I missed you." "Hm? But we saw each other this morning though?" "But not at the academy." "Well, I wanted to give you some space to spend time with your friends." Brandon wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I want to spend some time with you too." "I don''t mind. What time is good for you? Send me your schedule so we canpa¡ªAh." Cutting her off, Brandon pushed her down on the bed. On top of her, their gazes met. Amelia seemed startled, wide eyed. "Amelia Constantine." ".....Y-Yes?" Amelia''s face slightly reddened. Brandon continued. "I like you. You know that, right?" "Ah? Uhm¡­. I had an idea¡­. But I wasn''t sure¡­." "Oh, really? Were my hints not obvious?" "N-No¡­. I knew. Yes, I knew you liked me." Amelia stammered. Brandon asked. "Can I ask how you feel?" "M-Me? Ah¡­." Amelia''s eyes darted around. Then, she swallowed and nodded her head slightly. "Un¡­." He could barely hear it. But¡­. It was cute. Amelia was cute. "Sorry, I couldn''t hear you." "Y-Yes¡­. I like you too. But¡­. since when did you start liking me?" Of course she had to ask that. Amelia was always this kind of girl. When it was about her, she was always curious how others thought about her. "10,263 lifetimes ago." "....You''re so unserious." "I''m only being honest." "Sigh." Then, Brandon asked in return. "What about you?" "Uhm¡­. I''m not sure actually. Before I knew it, I grew conscious of you. To the point where I became conscious of what I wear." So there was no definite answer. He could ept that. "You look good in anything." "No, no. That''s because I try to look my best everytime." "You were waiting for me, weren''t you?" The signs were there. After all, why would she leave the door open for no reason? "N-no¡­. Yes, I was. I wanted to see you too." Amelia extended her hand forward and touched his cheek. Brandon leaned close. Seeing Amelia this up¨Cclose, she was truly beautiful. "Can I kiss you?" "...." Amelia closed her eyes and remained silent. But shortly after, she let out a sound and nodded her head. "Un." Brandon leaned even closer. Much to the point where he could hear her subtle breathing. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! In fact, it felt as if he could hear the drumming of her heartbeat. Ba¡­ Thump! And his heart too was racing at the moment. This feeling¡­. It all made sense to him now why his heart raced for Amelia a year ago. The moment heid eyes on her, he could admit he felt somewhat of an attraction towards her. After all, Amelia was undoubtedly attractive. That, and her work ethics, her personality, and her selflessness, and her motives. While he was unsure of his feelings for Rachel a year ago, he was sure of his feelings for Amelia now. Shortly after, his lips nted on hers. All sorts of thoughts washed away at that. All he could think about was how important she was to him. Unknowingly, he felt his tongue start snaking around. Amelia seemed to have the same thoughts as her mouth opened subtly, their tongues intertwining. What started off as a soft kiss, had turned into a passionate one. Amelia''s hand slid up to his cheek, her fingers cool against the warmth of his skin, and she pulled him closer, wrapping her arm around his neck. Their tongues continued to dance, moving in perfect synchrony, a slow sensual waltz. Time seemed to be at a stand¨Cstill, silence permeating the room. Shortly after, they pulled away from one another. He could feel the heat rising between them. Tasting the lingering sweetness of her breath, Brandon looked at her with a smile on his face. The words that flowed out of his mouth. The look on Amelia''s face after saying these words deeply imprinted in his mind. A memory he could never forget. "I love you." Chapter 273: Mercenary [1] The next day. Brandon attended the academy. It was a lot more physically taxingpared to his first day. Maybe it was because of the hang¨Cover, or maybe because of all the physical activity they had done, exhausting their mana, and their energy to the brim. They were dismissed soon after changing into cleaner clothes. Feeling the tension, Brandon massaged his shoulders. "Hey, we''re renting a training facility to spar with each other. Wannae with?" Raven''s voice reached his ears. Brandon turned around, meeting his gaze. "Not today. I''ve got some things to do." "Oh, okay. I''ll send the address anyway. We''ll be there for quite a while. Stop by whenever." "Alright." The two ended their conversation there, and Brandon stepped out of thebat hall. There were things he needed to do at the moment. To¨C Tok. A single knocking on the door, and a voiceing from the other side of the door echoed shortly after. ¡ªWho is it? "It''s your favorite cadet." ¡ªOh,e in, Cyrus Rosewill. "...." The hell? That was surprising. Brandon scoffed and twisted the doorknob, pushing the door open. Bellion raised his head and soon frowned. Tiling his head, he pursed his lip. "Oh, it''s just you. How can I help you?" "Just me¡­?" Brandon''s brows twitched slightly. ''This old man¡­.'' "Wait, who are you again?" "...." Brandon shook his head and sat on the seat across Bellion. "About thest surviving syndicate head you took custody of, is he still being interrogated?" "Yes. He''s being cooperative. But even if others testified for him, we can''t let someone like him loose." "You have a point. But there''s a better way to utilize him. Think about it, he''s an invaluable asset." "Still, we can''t assure where his loyalty lies. Didn''t you say you two were working together under mutual benefits? And now that he''s gotten what he wanted, what makes you so sure he won''t betray you?" Brandon leaned back and crossed his arms after hearing those words. Bellion''s words were quite valid. He couldn''t deny that his partnership with Zed was now null. "What if I tell you there''s a way to guarantee he won''t ever betray us?" "Go on, I''m listening." "But before that, can I trust you, Bellion?" Bellion''s brows furrowed, hearing those words. "That''s Field Marshall Van to you." "No, no. I''d like to form a partnership with you, Bellion. For that to happen, you must see me as an equal." It was a bold statementing from a 17¨Cyear old. Though what Bellion didn''t know was that Brandon was mentally older. Way older. "I''ll hear you out. Don''t expect anything from me though." Thankfully, his stunt during the auction had bought Brandon enough respect for Bellion not to look down on him. "So¡­." *** After convincing Bellion, Brandon was taken to the Imperial Army''s penitentiary center. Standing right behind the ss window, Brandon surveyed the room. There, he could see Zed, sitting on a chair in front of a desk. He looked like a psych patient, if Brandon had to be honest. After all, he was wearing all white. Behind Brandon, was Bellion, crossing his arms. "Go, but remember, the entire conversation will be recorded. If he tries anything funny, the deal is off." "Have some faith in me, Bellion." "It''s not you, it''s him. I don''t trust him. For that reason, I don''t trust this will work out at all." "You''ll see." Snap¡ª! Snapping his fingers, Brandon winked at Bellion and entered the interrogation room shortly after. Zed''s eyes traced his movement as Brandon slowly walked towards the seat across from him and sat down. "Yo, Zed. You look like shit." "...." Zed raised his middle finger with a frown on his face. He may have looked like a psych patient. But it seemed like Zed was doing fine. "As promised, I''ll get you out of here." "Oh? You''ve managed to convince thatedian?" "Comedian¡­? Pfft¡­." Brandon couldn''t help but chuckle. Then, Brandon turned around and looked at Bellion. Pointing at Zed, Brandon opened his mouth. "Does this count as something funny?" "...." However, Bellion just frowned. Then, Brandon turned back around. "It''s simple, Zed. We just have to renew our contract." "Oh, nah. I don''t even think I want to leave this ce. It has everything I need, it''s kind of like a five¨Cstar hotel if I had to be honest." "I helped you with your revenge, it''s your turn to help me out." Zed pinched his chin. "You''re ying that card then¡­. Alright, you have a point. I''ll hear you out." "Here, read this, no skimming." Brandon retrieved the documents from his envelope and slid it across the table. Zed leaned close and scanned for a brief second. Then, he raised his head and looked at Brandon. "An actual document contract now, huh?" "Just read it." "Alright, alright." Zed began reading the terms of the contract. By the time he finished, Zed set the paper down and closed his eyes, seemingly pondering. Then, he blinked twice and pursed his lips. "I get it. It''s not a bad offer. But that ''guy'' over there doesn''t seem to trust me. How can a piece of paper be a form of assurance? If anything, I can just flee this country, you know?" "You skimmed." "No?" Zed tilted his head. Brandon added. "Read thest part." Zed scanned the documents again. "Read it out loud?" "Yes." "I don''t see the point of this, but whatever. Kuhum¡­." Zed cleared his throat, then began to utter the exact words written on the contract. "I, Zed Alistar, will be working under Brandon Locke. I vow to finish each and every request of his to my utmost capabilities. If I were to betray, or even have any thoughts of betraying him, or the Holy Continent of Britannia, then I shall offer my life." Brandon''s lips curled up to a smirk. "Conditions met." "Huh¡ªAh!?" "You feel it?" Zed clenched his chest. A crease formed on his temple. He looked as if he was having a heart attack. After the pain seemed to have subsided, Zed''s eyes widened and opened his mouth. "You¡ªWhat did you do?" "It''s a contract. If you break your vow, the chains will pierce your heart. It''s as it says in the contract. I told you, don''t skim." "I didn''t¡­.." As expected, [Retribution] worked. It was an ability Brandon had to reveal to Bellion, just so this exchange could be granted. Bellion didn''t believe him at first. However, after experiencing it for himself, Bellion couldn''t doubt his words any longer. Yes, at the moment, Bellion too had chains ensaring his heart. "It''ll expire in a month. But just like what the contract says, we have to renew it every month for assurance." "Assurance, huh? Guess they really don''t trust me." Clink¡ª! Brandon flipped a coin towards Zed and smiled. "Guess you work for me now, Mister John Smith." "Now that I think about it, you''re thirteen years younger than me. Shouldn''t you treat me with respect?" "Respect this." Brandon held up a finger. The same finger Zed held up in response. *** Brandon, Bellion, and Zed, arrived at a secluded building. The same building Brandon had instructed Matthew to purchase. Despite being located in a secluded area, it was quite expensive. But it came with a reason as it was fully furnished. "Yer finally here, Lad!" Ironaxe turned the seat around and hopped down. Scurrying off to Brandon with his small legs, he took in the sight of the people along with Brandon. "Yo, Ironaxe. How''ve you been?" "Pretty shit. Took ye so long." "Sorry, I had to tie up some loose ends." "Whatever, don''t care as long as ye fulfill yer promise. So? Who are these people with ye?" Brandon turned around, meeting Bellion''s gaze. Since Zed already had an idea of what was about to happen, there was no need to debrief him. "Bellion." "What''s all this?" "Thepany the Imperial Army will be supporting." Then, a couple of figures emerged. Matthew and Deus. They stood right next to Brandon, along with Ironaxe and Zed. Brandon spoke with a determine looked on his face. "Locke Enterprise." Chapter 274: Mercenary [2] The entire Locke Enterprise, consisting of; Brandon, Zed, Deus, Ironaxe, and Matthew, sat on the desk. Across the desk, sat Bellion, who''s legs and arms were crossed together, waiting to hear their proposal. p, p¡ª! pping his hands together, Brandon instructed. "Ironaxe, if you please." "Aye, aye." Ironaxe rummaged through his bag, seemingly grabbing something. As soon as he found what he was looking for, he set it on the table for Bellion to see. "Hm?" Bellion leaned his head close and scrutinized the items. "These are¡­?" "Artifacts." As soon as Brandon answered his question, Bellion picked up one of the artifacts and scanned. "Can I inject mana into it?" "Go ahead." Bellion did just that. Injecting mana into the artifact, soon after, Bellion''s eyes widened. "This¡­." Bellion raised his head, meeting Brandon''s gaze. Brandon couldn''t help but smile seeing the expressions Bellion was making. "Is it the same for the other artifacts?" "Yes, all of them serve to boost the capabilities of the user. You felt it, didn''t you? The way your muscles constrict, your body getting lighter, artificial adrenaline pumping in your veins." "This is crazy¡­. To think artifacts like these were being put into auction¡­. But since all of these are Milis technology, then that means¡ª" "Weapons of war." Brandon cut him off nonchntly, sping his hands together under his chin. "But you see, this is where my team specializes in." Brandon looked at Ironaxe and nodded. Ironaxe nodded back and rummaged his bag once again. Setting the item on the table, Bellion immediately grabbed it. "A duplicate?" "An exact replica created by this guy." Brandon wrapped his arm around Ironaxe''s shoulder. Ironaxe held the same stern expression as before. "I see. So this partnership¡­. Your team can recreate these artifacts and sell them specifically to the Imperial Army." "Correct. But if you''re still not convinced¡­." Giving his signal to Ironaxe, the dwarf set another item on the table. This time, an amulet. "What''s this?" Bellion asked as he scanned closely. "Put it on." "Okay." The moment he did, Bellion''s eyes shot wide open. "Wha¡­." Bellion looked taken aback, astonished even. Who wouldn''t be? After all¡­. Crackle¡­.! "The Ice Affinity¡­." It allowed Bellion to harness the [Ice] affinity, despite being a [Fire] affinity mage himself. "How''s this possible¡­?" Bellion looked as if he truly couldn''t believe it. Brandon couldn''t me him. There was no need to hesitate. "This partnership¡­ I ept¡ª" "Hold on. I have another proposal." "What is it? Anything, is it resources? The Imperial Army will help you source out the appropriate materials for your projects." "That too, but I have another request." Brandon looked at the ring on his hand for a brief second. Then, flicked his eyes back to Bellion, allowing the tension to sink in. "This partnership, I''d like for it to be under Amelia Constantine''s name. Each and everyone of Locke Enterprise''s contribution will go under her credentials." This was the first step into starting an Amelia Constantine faction. Bellion knew just how invaluable Locke Enterprise was. Despite the little results shown at the moment, it was apany worth investing in, especially during war preparations. "I don''t mind it. But I''d like to ask. Any reason why?" "Because I will shape Amelia Constantine into the greatest Grand Marshal this continent has ever seen." *** By the end of it, Bellion epted all of Brandon''s terms and conditions. Although he wasn''t the Grand Marshal, the rest of the Imperial Army thought otherwise. For them, even though he rejected the position, he was the current Grand Marshal. Holy Britannia''s Leader. For resources, Brandon had already decided on whichpany to form a partnership with. "A sess. Good job, guys." "I did most of the work." Ironaxe shot back with a frown on his face. "Don''t worry. It won''t be like that soon. I''ll handle looking for manpower. This entire business is too much for five guys anyway." "Good." "Ironaxe, did you finish that thing I asked you to do?" "Of course. Who do ye think I am?" Then, Ironaxe turned to look at Matthew. The guy flinched for a second beforeposing himself. "Go get it, Matthew boy!" "Understood, Sir Ironaxe." Matthew left the room as Ironaxe instructed. Shortly after, he returned with three artifacts. In particr, three rings. Brandon scrutinized the rings closely before sliding one of them on his finger. "Here, Zed." He tossed the ring to Zed, who caught it with ease. "Put it on." "Alright." Zed did just as instructed, sliding the ring into his finger. "Does it work like how I asked it to, Ironaxe?" "Stop underestimating me,d, and do yer thing." "Heh." Brandon scoffed and injected mana into the ring shortly after. At that moment, he felt the mana surge through him. But it wasn''t his mana. "What is this supposed to do?" Zed asked, scanning the ring. "It will tell you if the user with the same configurations as your ring is still alive or not." "...." The mana he felt was Zed''s, signaling that Zed was still alive. Brandon looked at ring and said, "Looks like it works." Then, he raised his head and looked at Zed who had adumbfounded expression, staring at the ring in his finger. "Now give it back. It isn''t for you." "...." Zed slid the ring off his finger and tossed it back to Brandon. "Thanks." "You don''t want to know if I''m still alive?" "You survived a Wraith. You''re not dying anytime soon." "...." *** There were a couple more things he had to do for the night. Sitting on the edge of a rooftop, Brandon dangled his feet and scanned the entire city. He was quite high up. And at the moment, he was waiting for someone. Tak. And that person had arrived shortly after. His footsteps echoing from behind. However, despite waiting for quite a while, Brandon didn''t look back as he went on to acknowledge the neer. "You''re here." "What''s this about, Brandon Locke? I don''t know why you called me up here. Heck, do you even have ess to this building?" "I''m sure you''re aware of it." "Aware of what? Why you called for me? If so, no. I have no idea." "Your Leader''s sudden disappearance." "...." Their Leader''s disappearance. Or rather, Ciel''s disappearance. "Leader? What are you talking about? Are you saying your sister, Belle, disappeared?" Brandon finally stood up and turned around, meeting the neer''s gaze. The neer frowned and crossed his arms. "This isn''t a joke. Why did you call for me? I''m a busy man." Step¡ª However, Brandon didn''t respond and stepped forward. The neer took a step back. Most probably, keeping his guard up. Brandon neared him, putting his hand on his shoulder. Shortly after, Brandon''s lips parted open. "Ivan Millet, an S ranker. Participated in the recent ckmarket raid under General Belle Locke''s leadership." And¡­. "The Primordial''s Tenth Seat." Chapter 275: Mercenary [3] Of course, Brandon had known the entire time. The moment he had met Ivan, a sense of recognition had washed over him. It was for that reason, why Brandon had barely interacted with him. Most probably, he was instructed to keep a close eye on Belle, and allow the circumstances to flow naturally. Circumstances regarding Belle''s death. He was strong. He should''ve been able to hold the Wraith back for a bit, just enough for Belle and the rest of the Imperial Army to retreat safely. However, he pretended to freeze and allowed the Wraith to kill Belle. "P-Primordials? The hell are you¡ª" "I have it here." Brandon held up a recording device. "Ciel''sst words before she¡ª" Tzz¡ª At that moment, bolts of electricity surged within Ivan, and he disappeared from Brandon''s peripheral vision, his fist appearing before him. Caught off guard, Brandon took the full brunt of his attack, straight to the jaw, and staggered several meters back. But he held onto the recording device tightly. It was his assurance. Massaging his jaw, Brandon spat out blood to the side, smearing the floor with the red liquid. Ptui! "That hurts." "So it was you. I don''t believe you were able to kill her. But you must''ve done something." Lightning began surging within Ivan once again, preparing for another attack. However, he soon paused as Brandon held his hand up. "Wait, hear me out for a second." "Then where is she?" "Let me y the recording." At Brandon''s words, Ivan rxed his muscles, fully canceling his attack. Then, he opened his mouth. "y it." Click¡ª Brandon did just that. Ciel''s familiar voice echoed from the recording device shortly after. That entire night, Brandon had prepared a recording device, just in case Ciel blurts out important information. However, he hadn''t expected that conclusion. Her death. ¡ªFrom now on, all of you will follow one man, and one man only¡­. Brandon Locke. ¡ªI hope all of you respect my decisions. If you believe this recording has been altered, you are all free to inspect it. ¡ªBut if you truly respect me as your Leader, then my disappearance should be enough to tell you of my whereabouts. There is no whereabouts. Ciel was dead. That was the truth of the matter. ¡ªListen to him, for he is the man I''ve deemed appropriate for the position of First Seat. A seat that has been open for a long time. A seat that not even me, the Leader, had taken for myself. ¡ªThat''s right. The First Seat had always been rightfully his. ¡ªIf you can''t ept it. You''re all free to leave the group. I will not hold any of you against it. You''re all free to choose of your own volition. ¡ªBut I beg all of you. Please support him. He is on my side, as well as yours. Click. The recording ended there. Brandon looked at Ivan closely. Ivan had a look of shock on his face as he clenched his fist. "Like she said, if you don''t believe me, then you can check if the recording is¡ª" "I believe you." "Oh?" "That sounded like something Ciel would say. There''s no way anyone can replicate her tone." "Is that so?" Ivan raised his head, meeting Brandon''s gaze. Thump! All of a sudden, Ivan took a knee and opened his mouth shortly after. "What do you wish for me to do?" That was fast. But it was good. Thankfully, it all worked out in the end. "Just like what I did, I need you to inform the other seats of this matter. If they decide to leave, let them. I don''t need people who won''t follow me. But for the ones who are willing to ept me as the new Leader, bring all of them to this location." Clicking his phone, Brandon sent a message to Ivan. Ivan scanned his phone, then raised his head once again. "Understood, Sir Brandon." "Not Brandon, call me¡­." Brandon pinched his chin, pondering for a brief second. Shortly after, the name rolled off his tongue. "nk." *** After the meeting with Ivan, Brandon realized he had time. 8:00 PM. If they were still in the rented training facility, Brandon decided to stop by to check. Boom¡ª! Booooom¡ª¡ª! And it seemed like they were, as sparks of magic resounded outside the training facility where Brandon stood. Hearing the sound of explosions, it must''ve been Reinhard. Brandon approached the entrance and clicked the button right next to the door. Ding! Waiting for a while, the entrance slid open like an elevator. "Oh, you''re here." It was Amy. "Come in,e in. You came at the right time. Raven and Reinhard are sparring at the moment." "Oh?" Brandon''s curiosity piqued. The main reason why he hade in the first ce was to see how strong the others had gotten. Brandon entered the room led by Amy. Arriving at where the seats were located, Brandon sat down. "Hello." Rachel, who sat beside him, nodded her head, greeting him. "Hey." "Spar with me, Brandon." ire''s voice rang from beside him. "We haven''t sparred in a long time. I''m curious how well I can fare against you." Brandon leaned back and breathed the air in. "Huuu¡­." Shortly after, his lips parted open as he went on to say, "Sure." *** Bang! Seeing Reinhard bolt from his position, fire cascading in the air around him, Raven''s figure blurred like a shadow, appearing right before the rushing Reinhard. Thrusting his dagger forward, Reinhard was able to react fast enough as he kicked his feet forward,ing to an abrupt stop. sping his hands together and twisting them, the space around him exploded like a fiery inferno. Boom¡ª! "Cough! Cough¡­!" Raven leapt back and coughed. The past year, Reinhard had gotten really strong. His mes packed more firepower than before, and his battle senses seemed to be on par with his. However, Raven had a trump card up his sleeve. [Reflection] Swinging his dagger, the mes around Reinhard scattered, and his familiar figure registered in Raven''s peripheral vision. Raven kicked the ground in an instant, then came to an abrupt stop mid¨Cflight. Gathering his mana, Raven''s figure blurred once again and appeared behind Reinhard. Reinhard''s head quickly flicked, his eyes seemed to glow blue at the moment,pletely immersed in the fight, and twisted his body. His palms exploded at that moment, right before it met Raven''s dagger. Since [Reflection] was sort of an activation skill instead of a permanent buffer, Raven couldn''t cut off the mana flow of his mes. Leaping back, Raven took a breath. "Haah¡­ Haaa¡­." The two continued their exchange shortly after. The entire facility echoed with the sound of explosions, the ground shaking spontaneously. At the end of it, Reinhardid on the ground. It was Raven''s win, but he knew that wouldn''t have been the case if he didn''t have [Reflection]. Clearly, Reinhard was bridging the gap between them. Raven clenched his fist in frustration. He had been training endlessly for a long time. Yet regardless, he felt his growth stagnate. Followed by the thought of his humiliating defeat against Brandon, Raven clenched his fist even tighter, his nails dug deep in his palms. Reaching out for Reinhard, Raven offered his hand. "Thanks." Reinhard stood up, supported by Raven. Their clothes were smeared with ashes. Dusting off the ash, Raven turned his head to look at the audience area. There, he could see; Rachel, Sarah, Cyrus, ire, and¡­. "Brandon?" Brandon was here. Chapter 276: Sparring Session [1] While Brandon epted ire''s invitation, Rachel had a different idea in mind. "Wait, I was gonna ask him¡­." She wanted to spar with Brandon first. But she didn''t get the chance to speak since ire cut straight to the chase. "You can go next, Rachel." "Fine¡­." "I have an idea." Brandon alternated his gaze between the two as his lips parted open to say, "Why don''t I spar with the two of you at the same time?" Immediately, the two''s brows raised. Rachel had a look of astonishment, while ire on the other hand, looked skeptical. "Oho¡­? Just what kind of secret training were you doing when you were gone?" "His words hold some value, ire. He was able to beat Raven unharmed." Amy chimed in from the back, resting her head on the back of Rachel''s seat. "Can I join in, Brandon?" "Sure." Brandon nodded his head. It was not as if he wanted to show off in front of everyone. But because, in the first ce, he was here to evaluate how strong they had gotten. For that reason, it would be way more efficient if they fought him all at once. Now that Brandon thought about it, he could feel subtle ncese his way. Looking to the side¡­. "....?" He definitely saw it. Cyrus was stealing eager nces at him and looked away the moment Brandon turned his head. "You can join in too, Cyrus?" "Huh¡­.?" Cyrus tilted his head looking perplexed. "Three at once is already difficult. Can you even manage four?" Then, Cyrus covered his mouth as if he had said something he shouldn''t have. Cyrus waved both of his hands in repetition. "Wait, wait. It''s not like I''m underestimating you¡ª" "I know." Brandon cut him off decisively. "It''s fine. If I fight all of you, I can go all out. Maybe show a few tricks or something." As those words left his mouth, Cyrus'' eyes glimmered. What a fanboy. Next, there was only one person left who seemed to be looking away. They all turned their heads to look at her. "What about you, Sarah?" Brandon asked. "Uh? You''re fighting four people at once already. You sure you want one more? Besides,pared to them, I''m not that strong. From Raven''s words, I''d only be a fodder." "Fodder¡­.?" Brandon shook his head. Another Raven brainrot it seems. "Anyway, join us. It''ll be fun." "Fun for you¡­. Okay, but please go easy on me." * "Hey, you''ve made it!" Raven ran up towards Brandon. Then, he tilted his head to the side, noticing the crowd behind Brandon. "Where are you guys going?" "To spar." Raven flicked his eyes back towards Brandon. "Spar? All of you together?" "All of them against me." "Oh." Raven stood frozen. Then, he neared him, wrapped his arm around Brandon''s shoulder, then whispered something in his ear. "I get that one of them won''t be enough for you. But you might traumatize one of them¡­." Noticing the subtle nces Raven was giving, Brandon had an idea who he was talking about. "Are you talking behind my back?" Of course, it was Sarah. "No, he''s talking behind ire''s back." Brandon greatly informed. Snap! Something snapped from behind. "Oh? Is that true¡­?" They didn''t need to look to know who it was. "No, ire! We''re talking about Reinhard!" Even Raven seemed frightened as hepletely shifted the topic. "The hell?" After speaking with Raven, he and Reinhard walked back towards the audience seats and stared at the arena with anticipation. Brandon stood in the middle. Each and every one of the participants encircled him a few distances away. "Ready when you are, Brandon." ire, who stood right in front of him, announced. Brandon closed his eyes as he went on to say, "Assimte." At that moment, he felt [Curse] affinity course within his veins, a sudden increase in his efficiency in using his techniques urred. Slowly opening his ink¨Cck eyes, he took in the sight of each and every one of them. "Go." As soon as his voice rang, giving the signal, he felt ire and Rachel''s figures blurred in an instant. No, not just them, Cyrus was upon him as well. Feeling their presence close, Brandon muttered indifferently. "Dominion." As the word left his mouth, he felt them pause mid¨Cattack. There were three figures upon them. Cyrus, who stared at him wide eyed, grabbing his own neck. ire, who stopped her attack as her rapier slowly trembled. And Rachel, who''s hand was raised, her snow¨Cwhite hair fluttered a gentle breeze. Seemed like she too had activated her [Elemental Assimtion]. Bang! Brandon kicked the ground and began moving. His first target was the startled ire, who took in the full brunt of his fist. "Ukeh!" Brandon didn''t n on using his sword. Now that he thought about it, it was quite funny how he''s using Lumian''s sword. The same bastard who was the sole reason for his sister''s death. It was out of taste. But it couldn''t be helped. It was a good sword. He couldn''t let it go to waste. ire was sent hurling away upon impact. Impaling her rapier on the ground, ire managed to stop herself mid¨Cflight and recovered, taking one knee. However, Brandon paid no heed to her. There were other important matters. Just like the icicle that was about to reach him. Swoosh¡ª! Swiftly dodging to the side, Brandon appeared right before Rachel, who seemed startled as well by his speed. Unlike in the past, Brandon relied on the [Lightning] affinity to increase his speed. But now, it was pure mana temperament. To enhance his body with mana, in the same manner as duelists. Bang! With no hesitation, Brandon''s fist struck Rachel, and was sent hurling away the same way as ire. His eyes swiftly flicked to the side upon noticing Cyrus appearing before him. "Hm¡­." It seemed like Cyrus had improved tremendously. In fact, it became clear to Brandon that Cyrus had be a deviant, awakening his second affinity. But that affinity¡­. It was the same as Lancelott''s. The [Quantum] affinity. But still, he wascking. Clearly, he still had no control over his newfound ability. Bang! Twisting his body to the side, Brandon narrowly dodged Cyrus'' attack and kicked him on the side. At the same time, water bullets headed towards him. However, as Brandon tried to get away, he felt his senses disorient all of a sudden. Swoosh¡ª! One of the water bullets grazed his shoulder, but Brandon had managed to dodge in time, skidding his body back several meters. He looked around. ire had gotten back up to her feet. Rachel was rubbing her abdomen, and Cyrus was massaging his side. While Amy and Sarah stood on opposite ends with their hands stretched forward. Step¡ª Taking a step forward, all eyes fell on him. Their guards were up, most probably waiting for what Brandon was about to do next. At that moment, mana began to gather around him. Gathering his thoughts together, his lips parted open. "Phantasm." Chapter 277: Sparring Session [2] Raven felt it from a mile away. That same ominous feeling from back then. Tracing Brandon''s movements, he felt his throat start to constrict. And his pupils started to dte. It didn''t make any sense. Why was he feeling this way? ''Why am I¡­. afraid?'' Afraid of Brandon. It wasn''t just him. Looking to the side, Reinhard had about the same expressions as him. It must''ve been one of Brandon''s abilities. It was terrifying. Brandon''s development was terrifying. And to top it off, he hadn''t used his affinities even once in this battle. Yet despite that, he was able to keep up. No, keeping up was an understatement. He was towering all over them. ''Can I even do that¡­.?'' Even Raven would have a hard time taking all five of them at once. Not exactly five people, but precisely, fighting ''them'' at once. As Raven''s eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the entire vicinity, it was then when he noticed the sudden fog gradually filling the entire space. "....?" Yet seated far away, and with all the lights illuminating the training facility, their silhouettes were quite visible. It was then. "Wha¡ª" Brandon''s silhouette, who was just standing a few seconds ago, suddenly disappeared. "Akh!" "Kh¡­!" "Ukeh¡ª!" Raven could hear the sounds of several groans from where he sat. Groans of pain. What in the world is going on. Brandon''s silhouette continued to reappear and disappear. A silhouette of what seems to be ire was caught off guard by Brandon''s sudden appearance. "Ukh¡­!" Only for Raven to hear her groan as well. Brandon appeared all around her. His fist swung down at her from all sides. He was here. Then he was there. He was all over the ce. Bang! A loud banging sound, and Brandon''s figure disappeared once again. And as Raven scanned closely, all he could see left was ire''s silhouette lying on the ground. Despite the fear gripping him, Raven leaned close and gripped on the metal railing. "You want to join too?" Reinhard''s voice reached his ear. "No, I¡­." "Me too." Reinhard shared the same sentiments as him. In fact, Raven could see Reinhard''s lips pulling up. "Should we¡­.?" "It''s still their turn. Wait for a while. Just until Brandon beats all of them to a pulp." There was no shred of hesitation in Raven words. It seemed like Reinhard was of the same thoughts as he nodded solemnly nodded. There was no hope for them. There was no doubt about it. They were all going to lose to Brandon. *** While ire and Cyrus showed steady development, the others remained unchanged. Brandon couldn''t say the same for Sarah. While it''s true that she had developed her affinity somewhat, herbat instincts seemed to stay the same. She waspletely defenseless with several openings, as if she was used to fighting in the backline, hoping for the closebatants to defend her. Even if her affinity pertained to fighting from a distance, still, it was much better to find a way to defend herself. It was for that reason, why Brandon targeted the closebatants first. To show the long ranged fighters what happens once the closebatants lose. Appearing before Cyrus, he was just about to blink away, when Brandon reached out for his neck. Bang! His fistnded on Cyrus'' abdomen, and Cyrus let out a pained groan, his grip on Cyrus'' neck tightening. "Akh¡ª!" Just before Cyrus was about to counterattack, Brandon grabbed the curse pathways, and his figure blurred once again. Bang! Bang! Bang! Appearing from all sides, Brandon swiftly swung his fist down without any shred of mercy. The chest, the abdomen, the jaw¡­. Nothing was safe. Brandon was ruthless against him. "....I give." Seeing that Cyrus had surrendered, Brandon locked onto his next target. Rachel. Bang! There was no need to hesitate. Fun and games were fine from time to time. But this was training. A war wasing, and if they couldn''t handle at least this much, then there was no point in training them. Sure, they had no idea a war wasing. But in the first ce, they chose to admit themselves in Imperial Academy. Bang! Brandon swiftlynded his fist on Rachel''s torso, sending her back several meters. However, Rachel had a determined look on her face. Gritting her teeth, she looked around, trying to find any signs of Brandon''s figure amidst the fog. But it was to no avail. Brandon was way too fast for any of them to keep up with. Bang! Another attack. Straight to her side. Bang! Bang! And another. A flurry of attacks struck Rachel who was unable to do a thing about it. Seriously, has none of them mastered barrier magic? It seemed like the only ones who were able to use barrier magic to a certain degree were ire, Raven and Reinhard. But during his previous fight with Raven, it seemed like Raven abandoned all defenses, most probably, taken aback by Brandon''s sudden change. Additionally, the effects of Dominion must''ve affected him as well. However, during Raven''s fight with Reinhard, the two had several exchanges, and Brandon could see barrier magic put to y. Bang! But it was then. As if his thoughts were seemingly read, a magic circle appeared before Rachel, blocking Brandon''s fist. "Good." Despite her disheveled appearance, Rachel smiled at his words. Brandon looked down, noticing ice crawl beneath his feet. Tempering his body with mana, the ice instantly shattered, and Brandon''s figure blurred once again. Bang! And that was it for Rachel. Tzz¡ª The sound of sizzling reached his ear, and Brandon instinctively turned his body to the side. As soon as he did, a rapier shed in his peripheral vision, dded in what seemed to be purple sparks. It seems like ire had managed to recover as she tried to catch him off guard. But Brandon''s thoughts were clear. He wasn''t taking this sparring session lightly at all. He wanted to teach them a lesson. Yet regardless, ire met the same fate as Rachel and Cyrus. "Fuck¡­" ire cursed under her breath, massaging her shoulder as she took a knee. It was then. A myriad of water bullets seemed to head his way. But it was no use. Swoosh¡ª! Brandon appeared before her in an instant, and Amy''s eyes widened in horror. She seemed to panic as she screamed upon noticing him, iling her arms as magic circles appeared right behind her. nk¡ª! However, as he was about tond his attack, a fist deftly blocked his own. Brandon raised his head. His cold indifferent eyes traced the neer. "Mind if I join?" It was Raven. "Sure." Brandon nodded his head slightly. Just as he was about to strike Raven, mes erupted from the side, and he was forced to back away. "Mind if ''we'' join?" It was Reinhard. Things were starting to get interesting. But truth be told, he had expected this already. That Raven and Reinhard would jump in the middle of the frenzy. It was one of his objectives from the beginning. He wanted to test himself against the two at the same time. No, against everyone at the same time. With a solemn nod, Brandon opened his mouth. "Come." Chapter 278: Sparring Session [3] Maybe he wasing up with excuses just to fight them. In truth, there was something lingering in his mind. And it was, ¡­.He wanted to smoke them. Rolling his sleeves up, he then pulled his gloves, fastening it. Feeling the ring on his finger, he felt his body lighten as if he could stretch his muscles. Swoosh¡ª! Immediately, Brandon''s figure blurred away as he grabbed the pathways, appearing right before Raven. Bang¡ª! The two''s fist''s collided, sending shockwaves as if the air had been distorted by a single exchange. Brandon immediately leapt back, setting a fixed distance from Raven. But it was then when he felt his senses disorientated. Or most probably his hearing? Was he hearing right? He could hear a couple of footsteps around him, but as his eyes abruptly flicked all around, there was nothing. Most likely Sarah''s ability. To think she could create such realistic auditory hallucinations. Maybe he had too many expectations for herbat capabilities. Clearly, she seemed to excel in support. And that was his assessment of Sarah. Boom! All of a sudden, explosions rang from the corner. Crackling mes ignited, obscuring his vision as it sent tremors, shaking the ground with intensity. A hand engulfed in mes appeared right before his peripheral vision, only for Brandon to twist his body to the side, barely dodging Reinhard''s attack. At the same time, Brandon felt a sharp, heavy pain in his stomach, right before he noticed Raven''s fist imnted right in his abdomen, sending him hurling back several distances away. Just as he was about tond on his feet, water bullets pierced right through his leg in rapid sessions. Condensing with purple electricity, his drenched figure spasmed spontaneously. Abo attack between Amy and ire, perhaps? "Khh¡­!" Boom¡ª! Sensing Reinhard rushing towards him, as mes loomed around him, he was about to grab the pathways, when he realized his legs had been encapsted in ice, swiftly crawling up to his waist. Boom¡ª! An explosion resounded, and Brandon gritted his teeth as he was sent flying upwards. While recovering from the pain that had just urred, he felt the back of his head mmed, and Brandon was sent flying down, crashing hard on the ground. "Akh!" Spitting out blood, Brandon massaged his head. His hair had alreadye undone and he brushed his bangs back, the ends of his mid-length hair smoothly flowed down. This was no sparring session anymore. They were out for his blood, as if they wanted to deny his strength, his dominance over them. Brandon couldn''t have that. It should''ve been a friendly spar at first, to teach them of the world''s strength, but this¡­. He wanted to win. Out of sheer pity, Brandon''s figure blurred in that instant, the fog scattering from where he once stood as he appeared right before Reinhard. His fist d in amethyst mes swiftly struck Reinhard''s cheek, sending Reinhard flying back. Smoothly swaying the hand that had just struck Reinhard to the side, Brandon felt a light tug on his fist, and as he subtly increased the mana output, his hand moved fast as if disappearing. He did not know who he had just hit, just that, he knew his attack worked as he felt the vibrations all over his arm. Then, once again, his senses disoriented. No, as of this moment, he could see several silhouettes emerging from the fog. Sending his hand forward, chains shot from the ground, scattering the fog and the silhouette''s. However, There was nothing. "....?" "Nice one, Sarah!" A scream resounded. He surmised that Sarah''s sound illusion was much more immersive than at first nce. The auditory illusion was powerful enough to trick the brain, or more precisely, his sense of sight. He had to give her credit for it. Sarah was the most annoying opponent at the moment. With such thoughts, his first priority was taking Sarah out. Swoosh¡ª! Before Raven and ire could hit him, Brandon''s figure blurred once again, sending the fog in a scattered manner, and appeared right before Sarah. Sarah''s eyes widened at that moment. But it was only for a brief moment, as she sped and twisted her hands together, a veil of sound materialized, and Brandon paused in his attack. He felt his ears start to bleed from the static sound, a frequency high enough to make him feel like his eardrums were bleeding. "Ukh!" A shadow entered his peripheral vision, and he felt his ribcage shatter as he took in the full brunt of Raven''s attack. But pain. He could handle pain. Pain was nothing. Gritting his teeth, Brandon recovered before he was sent flying and appeared right behind Raven. Catching him off guard, Brandon reached out with his hand. Chains sprouted from the ground,tching onto Raven''s key points. Both of his shoulders, and both of his legs. It seemed like he tried to break free from the chain''s hold, it was to no avail as Brandon heavily struck him in rapid session, amethyst mes procuring from his attack, dancing in the air. At the moment, Raven had to recover somewhat. Before that could happen, he needed to take out the other variables that would make him lose this fight. This fight would''ve been way easier if he used his sword, but he refrained from it. The only one who used a weapon as of this moment was ire, who''s rapier shimmered closely, catching his attention. Chains appeared at that moment, easily repelling the tip of ire''s spear. Brandon rushed through the chains and swung down hard at ire, sending her head in collision with the cold, hard, ground. BANG¡ª! The ground shattered on impact, and ire''s body grew limp. She had passed out. "That''s one." Brandon indifferently muttered. Swoosh¡ª! Just as his leg was about to be wrapped in water whips, Brandon blurred away and Amy''s figure registered in his sight. "You just don''t fit in with this crowd." He provoked her. But that was the truth. Amy had contributed the least in this fight. Wherever he went, the others would try to follow him. In fact, he could still feel the cold breeze beneath him. Rachel was onto him. Snow started to congest his body, trying to freeze him, and before he noticed it, his fingers had been affected by frostbites. But still¡­ Gritting his teeth, Brandon pushed through. "Amy!" A resounding scream. But Brandon was ruthless. His fist, dded in amethyst mes ignited as it rushed through the fog. But in that instance, he felt his hand phase through a bubble of water, the sheer speed of his attack decelerating. Realizing that, Brandon grabbed the pathways once again, repositioning himself before Amy from another angle. Bang! Bang! Bang! A rapid flurry of attacks reached Amy, and she too had passed out on the ground. "Two." Flicking his head to the side, Brandon reached out and grabbed something. "Hua!" Rachel gasped in horror as she realized Brandon had grabbed onto her wrist before she could even do anything. Brandon pulled Rachel''s arm close and struck her abdomen. In response, Rachel''s saliva spattered in the air. Bang! Bang! Ruthlessly mashing his fist with her figure, and in thest attack, Brandon let go of her wrist and swung hard for onest attack. Bang! Rachel''s figure was sent flying in the air and she crashed on the ground soon after. "Three." "At least go easy on them, man!" Raven scolded with a frown as his fist met Brandon''s palm, sending the fog scattering, as the ground trembled from the sheer impact of the exchange. "No." Brandon shook his head. This was training. They knew that, which was why they had never asked him to go easy on them. Except for Sarah, at least. Just as he was about to deal another exchange with Raven, a throbbing pain echoed all over his back and an explosion rang once again. "Ukh!" Then, he felt his entire cheekbone shatter as Raven twisted his body in the air, striking heavily on hisjaw. He was sent flying, rolling all over the ground. A stinging, burning pain seethed all over his back as he felt the pain on his jaw vibrate. Lifting his body up, his eyes widened upon noticing a boot wrapped in shadow aimed squarely at his face. However, swiftly grabbing the pathway, he managed to dodge Raven''s kick in time. The moment he did appear, he felt another attacking his way as explosions rang, the ground shaking intensely. By instinct, Brandon moved his arm somewhere, blocking the iing attack. Boom¡ª! Feeling a hand brush past his arm, an explosion ignited, sending him toppling back once again. Just as he was about to grab a pathway mid¨Cair, he felt an attacking from the back of his head. In that instant, a chain shot from the ground and he used it as a foothold, backflipping, narrowly dodging Raven''s surprise attack. Amethyst mes erupted, engulfing his entire leg as he counterattacked, hitting Raven squarely on the face, sending him away. However, Brandon extended his hand forward. Threads shot from his fingertips andtched around Raven. Clenching his hand, Raven was pulled back towards him and Brandonnded another attack. Bang! Bang! Attack after attack. The same instance urred, but that was until what seemed to be a ming arrow shot towards his direction. However, the arrow''s trajectory was slightly off, piercing brushed past him. At that moment, an explosion echoed from behind Brandon and he looked back. There, he could see arge gaping crater etched on the ground. The sheer destructive force of the arrow amounted to that much. It was quite scary. But most probably, Reinhard missed due to theck of control over his attack. That was the most optimal conclusion Brandon coulde up to. Seeing Raven down on his knees, Brandon''s rm bells suddenly rang and he looked up. Arge magic circled hovered above him, and ice began to encapste his legs once again, swiftly crawling up. Just as Brandon was about to break free of the ice''s hold¡­. Tzz¡ª Sparks of purple lightning entered his peripheral vision. That, and searing mes ignited from a different direction. Having no time to grab a single pathway, Brandon crouched down and chains shot from the ground,pletely repelling the oing attacks. nk¡ª! ire''s rapier seemed to be stuck in between the narrow gap of the chains, while Reinhard''s attack scattered away. Brandon turned to look at their directions. There, he could see ire ring at him, her chest heaving up and down as she tried catching her breath. Reinhard, who seemed to be ring at him as well, his blue eyes flickered ominously. Rachel on the other hand, had her hand held up as her chest heaved up and down in the same manner as ire. They all seemed to be on edge. But the same could be said for Brandon. He too was on edge. He wanted to go all out. To use everything in his arsenal. But just as he was about to continue¡­ Beep¡ª A beeping sound rang from somewhere, and a static voice followed shortly after. ¡ªAttention! Your time is up! If you would like to extend, ring the button once. If not, please proceed to the exit. It seemed like their rental had expired. "Looks like this is it for today." Brandon shrugged as he looked at ire. nk¡ª! Immediately the chains dispersed, and ire''s rapier fell on the ground. "Haaa¡­ H-haaa¡­" ire went down on both knees and tried to catch her breath. "You''re fucking¡­. Haa¡­. Insane." "You guys almost got m¡ª" Boom¡ª! Another attack pierced through. But Brandon was able to block just in time with his chains. The mes immediately dispersed soon after. ire turned her head to the side. "Reinhard, what are you doing!?" However, Reinhard seemed out of it. As if he had never heard the announcement, he bursted forward, mes igniting behind him, and appeared right before Brandon. However, at that moment, just before Reinhard''s palms reached him, threads loomed in the air andtched onto Reinhard. "Rein, didn''t you hear the announcement?" "Fuck why am I so¡­. Hm? What announcement?" A look of realization washed over him as his brows raised. "We''re done here." "Oh." He may have sounded like he had just realized it. But Brandon could see Reinhard biting his lip in frustration. It seemed like he was still on edge. Shortly after, they cleaned up after themselves, changed their clothes, and stepped outside the training facility. Chapter 279: Labyrinth Dive [1] "You alright, Rein?" "Huu¡­ Yeah, sorry about that." The rest of the group gathered just outside the training facility. Reinhard sat on the stairs, while Brandon stood right next to him. It seems like there was something wrong with Reinhard. However, Brandon knew Reinhard was one to keep secrets. For that reason, he didn''t press further. Brandon looked around. At the moment, everyone had changed into cleaner clothes, and was probably waiting around for ire''s driver to pick her up. Then, ire asked. "You need a ride, Brandon?" "No." Brandon shook his head. "I got my own bike." "Okay." But now that they were on the topic, Brandon pulled ire to the side after exining he needed to talk to her privately. The others gave space and conversed with each other while waiting. "What''s this about?" "How would you like to form a partnership with me?" "Partnership?" "A business partnership." "Sorry, I don''t think my Father''s looking for partnerships at the moment. But business¡­. you have a startup?" "Something like that." ire pinched her chin, seemingly pondering. Then, she opened her mouth. "What''s it about? Maybe I can convince my Father if your business is interesting." It seemed like ire was up for the idea. All it needed was Brandon''s proposal. "Well, it''d be much better if I were to propose this with your Father around. Can you set¨Cup a meeting in advance?" "I don''t think it''s possible. My Father is quite busy these days. You should do it now, he might catch interest in it." Brandon knew this was the case. But he had a trump¨Ccard up his sleeve. It was for that reason why he consulted Bellion first. "Tell him I have full funding support from the Imperial Army." "Eh?" ire tilted her head. "You''re joking?" "Nope." "But how is that possible? For that to happen, you need approval from Field Marshal Van. He''s known to be stern and would brush off anyone who tries to convince a partnership with the Imperial Army." "Stern? That old¡­. Kuhum¡­" He paused there. "That''s exactly the point. My business had caught his interest as well. That should be reason enough for your Father to meet me." "Well, if you''re telling the truth. Then I will inform him of this matter. But be sure to provide evidence of your partnership with the Imperial Army." "Of course." And their conversation ended there. But just as Brandon was about to leave, he felt a light tug on the back of his clothes. Turning around, ire looked at him bashfully. "Uh¡­?" The hell? The sight of ire looking shy and all sent a shiver down his spine for some reason. He had never seen this side of her before. Not in this timeline, and not in any other timeline as far as he could remember from the fragmented memories. "No, nevermind." ire shook her head. "I shouldn''t trouble you with this matter." "...." "Weirdo." Brandon walked away after that. ire stared at his departing back for a brief moment until she snapped out of her thoughts. Right, it was none of his business. Nor was it hers. Sure, Brandon was strong, and he could definitely help out. But strength could only amount to much. Not even Bellion was able to do a thing about it. Then, her gaze slowlynded on Reinhard, who was seated on the stairs with his hands sped around his mouth, appearing to be lost in deep thought. Right, it wasn''t her problem. ''So why the fuck should I care?'' With such thoughts, ire made her way towards them. *** Several days passed after that. It was currently Friday, thest school day of the week. Currently, Brandon was inside the lecture hall. It was the final lecture for the morning, with more lectures nned for the afternoon. However, they would have a two hour vacant after this lecture. Brandon felt his body sore all over. He had never exerted his body this much before. For the past week, he had been diligently attending lectures and training, and after they were dismissed, the friend group would often spar in the training hall, or go out on ventures. Brandon didn''t want to waste any chances of spending time with his friends, for that reason, he had participated in every venture they had thus far. At the same time, he had been waiting for the result of his team''s project, while also waiting for the business proposal meeting with ire''s father. However, it seems as if he was being ignored by thepany at the moment. That, or ire couldn''t grab a hold of him. After all, he had always followed¨Cup with ire every two days. ire would often say, "I haven''t had a chance to talk to my Father. He''s still really busy, see? He isn''t even epting my calls." That, and so on. At this point, it sounded like excuses. But Brandon quickly pushed down such thoughts. In the past, he was already quite close with ire. And even now, it seemed like their rtionship was progressing smoothly. He could undoubtedly say they were close¨Cfriends. However, on another topic, there was one person who was solely missing during their ventures. Reinhard. There were times when Reinhard would reject their invitation. He wasn''t like that in the past, but now¡­. things were quite suspicious. But Brandon didn''t pry on his matters. It was none of his business to begin with. Maybe he had a secret girlfriend or something. "Could be it." Then, Brandon''s attention hovered over the podium where the instructor stood. It was the instructor assigned to their ss. Zeke Wesley. His voice echoed shortly after. "As you all know, we''ll be having abyrinth dive on the following Monday. Be sure you are all prepared and well rested. We''ll be leaving at 8:00 AM, if any of you arete, we will leave you behind. It goes without saying that you will receive an F." Abyrinth dive. It quite piqued Brandon''s interest. While he had several experiences with the other races, but as what the human domain terms as monsters, he hadn''t been in abyrinth dive before. But now that he thought about it, he could see a bit of memories about Raven inside abyrinth in the form of fragments. The memories were quite scattered in his mind, and it was hard to remember each memory. For that, he would have to dive deep in his thoughts. Something that had no guarantees. "That being said, you are all dismissed. Have a great weekend." Right, as if they didn''t have lectures in the afternoon. The cadets emerged out of the lecture hall shortly after. Their lively chatters began to resound around the hall, topics such as; ''Where should we eat today?'' ''What should I get today?'' And so on. It was currently lunch time. Brandon had an appointment with someone for lunch. He had already informed the friend¨Cgroup beforehand. For that reason, he went ahead. *** "Where should we eat today?" Rachel, who seemed to be in a joyful mood today, asked, taking in the sight of everyone present. In particr, Raven, ire, Amy, Reinhard, and Cyrus. Sarah had a bunch of extracurricr activities scheduled at the moment. For that reason, she seemed to be eating with other people. ire, who was peering down on her phone, responded. "I heard there was a new coffee that opened just down the street. Want to give it a try?" "Does anyone have any other suggestions?" Rachel looked around, meeting everyone present''s eyes. "Nope." "None." "A new ce? Sounds good." "I wish Brandon was here." While Cyrus was muttering a bunch of nonsense, the others happily epted the idea. "Alright, since there''s no other ideas. Guess we''re going there." As they made their way to the exit, ire stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Don''t forget. I''m not paying for any of the meals today. I repeat, don''t forget. Especially you, Cyrus." Cyrus looked around first before eventually meeting ire''s fierce gaze. Then, he pointed at himself. "Me?" "Yes, you. There''s no one else but you." It was always him who relied on ire''s financial capabilities during their ventures. But it had to be said that ire would often treat them out. Cyrus seemed to have gotten a bad habit of ordering whatever he wanted on the idea that ire was paying for it. For that reason, Cyrus had mistakenly ordered something expensive in the past. Since he couldn''t pay for it, ire was the only choice. "Okay, I''m sorry." "Good." Just like that, they left the academy''s premises. *** Brandon peered down on his phone after receiving a specific message from Matthew. "Hm¡­" Brandon scanned the contents of the message. ¡ªI''ve tracked down the source, Boss. The site belongs to some guy called Nathan Ramsay. Brandon had informed Matthew a few days ago that he wanted him to check something out. In particr, the forum page that Raven sent him. It took Matthew a while. It went to show just how good this ''Nathan'' guy was. Nodding his head, Brandon replied back. ¡ªGood work. As for their agreement, if Matthew were to seed in this task, he would have a sry raise. Since he did, Brandon had to keep his promise. Putting his phone back in his pocket, Brandon looked around. The cafe bustled with activity. It was filled with cadets and other academy students alike, enjoying the serene atmosphere of the cafe. Brandon continued waiting for his order, sping his hand around his mouth. Though¡­. It wasn''t just him. "Hehe~ This boba tea is really good. Want to try it?" Amelia was seated across from him. The two were currently out for lunch. A date, basically. "Boba¡­ tea?" "It''s new. Kind of like tea but with milk? There''s this gooey pearl substance as well." "Oh? Hold on, let me find a straw¡ª" "Here." However, Amelia cut him off, urging him to try with the straw she had just used a second ago. "Heh." She''s kind of clingy. Brandon found it cute. He had to tease her more. With such thoughts, he stared at the straw and said, "I don''t want to use your straw." "Oh¡ª" She seemed to have a dejected look on her face as she tried grabbing another straw for Brandon to use. "Instead, I''d like to drink it from your mouth." "Eh!?" Amelia paused, her expressions faltered. At the moment, she lookedpletely frozen as her face gradually rose a deep red color. Her eyes darted around, her hands paused on the straw she was just about to grab. For a second, Brandon could hear her murmur, "I don''t mind." Thump! Brandon mmed the table abruptly and sipped on the straw at that moment. He had only wanted to tease her. But it seemed like it backfired on him. That attack took 10 years off his lifespan. Amelia was good. And she wasn''t even trying. Amelia stared at him wide eyed with a blush on her face. Then, she looked away and murmured once again. "I would''ve done it¡­." "Kh¡­!" Brandon felt his throat choke on something as he smacked his fist on his chest continuously. Thump! Thump! Thump! "What''s wrong?" "Wa¨Cter¡­.." Chapter 280: Labyrinth Dive [2] "So¡­.." "Uh¡­.." The image of Brandon earlier wouldn''t leave their minds. They hade to the newly opened cafe, but it took them quite a while to realize that Brandon was seated across from them. To be specific, Brandon and the Princess. "I never thought I''d see the Princess make that face." It was Cyrus who made that statement. All their heads nodded in agreement as they sipped on the drinks they had just ordered. "Scratch the Princess! Didn''t you see the face Brandon was making?" ire eximed and took a long sip of her drink. They could still recall it. No, he was still making that face. "Goosebumps¡­." ire felt chills all over. Was this really Brandon? The same guy who had mercilessly beaten them to a pulp a couple days back? However, they respected his privacy and decided not to pry on his matters further. But still¡­. they could say that, but it was hard to actually do it. Too hard. They couldn''t help but steal subtle nces on the table across from them. "Chills¡­. Chills¡­. Chills¡­." ire rubbed her shoulder as her eyes continued to alternate. They wanted to leave. They regretteding to this ce. It was not as if they had found the couple ufortable, but it was the sudden shift in Brandon''s personality. He appeared mostly stoic, sometimes teasing, maybe even annoying for ire. But seeing the expressions he was making¡­. They had never seen that look on his face before. They had truly found it shocking. It was as if he was a different person. But the realization had dawned upon them shortly after. It was because of the woman across from him. Amelia Constantine, or as everyone liked to call her, The Princess. In the past, she was usually unapproachable when it came to men. Women had no problems approaching her, and she would often help them out. The kind of senior who would happily help out her juniors. But her reaction towards men was understandable. After all, she was undoubtedly beautiful, and with her status, a lot of men often tried hitting on her. Most probably, she had set a boundary between any potential men that woulde to like her. In fact, now that they could remember, there were a couple of men that tried hitting on her in the current Imperial Academy as well. But often, she would ignore, or reject them on the spot. Cementing her reputation as a flower that could only be admired, but never to be touched. It was for that reason, she had earned the nickname, "The Princess." But now, the rejections made sense. It was because she already had someone. Brandon. However, how Brandon was even able to woo her was a mystery to them. But they had several theories in mind. After all, they were in the samemittee in the past, at that time, they must''ve gotten close. That still couldn''t exin how Brandon was able to break through the boundary she had set up. No, it was actually quite obvious. It was well known that Amelia Constantine and Brandon''s sister, Belle Locke, were best¨Cfriends. That must''ve been the reason why Amelia didn''t set any boundaries with him since he was her best¨Cfriend''s younger brother. Now that they thought about it, he was quite lucky. All feelings of difort vanished as they hade to an understanding. They couldn''t help but feel happy for Brandon. The couple looked good together. Then, their gazes eventuallynded on Rachel. She was the only one who hadn''t said a thing the entire time, appearing nonchnt while reading a book. Noticing their gazes, Rachel put her book back down and frowned, staring at them. "What?" "Nothing." ire dropped the topic. It seemed like Rachel was trying to ignore it. There was no need to push the topic. Shortly after, their food arrived. "Enjoy." *** Brandon had felt their gazes from where he sat. Why were they even there? He should''ve chosen a different ce instead¡­. ''Nah.'' Brandon shook his head and pushed down that thought. Amelia really liked the food. It might be her new go¨Cto ce. They had just finished eating, and were currently taking a break, rxing and conversing with one another. "Don''t you want to say go and say hi to them?" Amelia too had noticed their gazes. But she didn''t try to look at them once since Brandon was clearly ignoring them. "No." He shook his head. "They know anyway." "Your dynamic with them is kind of weird. But okay, I understand. I''d feel quite embarrassed too if I were in your position." "I''m not embarrassed though. Why would I be? I take pride knowing I''m dating the most popr girl in the Academy." "Pfft¡­ What''s that? Popr? There''s no way!" She must''ve had no knowledge about that forum page. ''Good.'' It should stay that way. "Also, I''m not embarrassed that I''m dating you too. Just embarrassed of what my friends might think when I''m being all girly like this¡­." She tucked her hair behind her hair after speaking those words. "You have friends?" He teased and Amelia frowned. "Hey! That''s really rude. You''ve already met them yesterday¡­!" Prior to today, Brandon had joined Amelia and her friends for lunch. It was mostly people he knew already, like; Ray, Artoria, and Belle. But there were a couple of others too that he didn''t know. It was quite an ufortable experience. Not because of her friends, but the presence of his sister. No, it was really ufortable. "Right, I did. What did they think?" Amelia took a sip of her drink first. As soon as she set down the cup, she pursed her lips, allowing the sweet taste of the boba tea to linger on her tongue. "Actually, they already knew you from your time in Astrea. You were actually quite popr back then among the women, if you didn''t know." "Oh? That''s weird. I don''t remember interacting with a lot of people." "Well, there was a time when you were the talk of the academy after that Virtual Simtion thing." Amelia looked away bashfully. "Adding to your looks, several gossips about you started spreading in the Academy. Even I couldn''t help but overhear some of them." "Is that when you fell for me?" Brandon teased, a smirk spreading across his features. "No, not really." She shot him down. "More like I was intrigued. ''Brandon Locke?'' The name was quite familiar, and of course, I couldn''t ignore the Locke name." Then, her head turned and she looked at him intently. "That''s when I realized you were probably Belle''s younger brother. I''ve seen you a couple of times when we were kids. Honestly, it was quite shocking how much you''ve changed." "Ah, I see." The memories of Amelia when Brandon Locke was a child were quite hazy to him. After all, she was never the focus in the first ce. "Then how does it feel knowing you''re dating your best¨Cfriend''s younger brother? Someone you''ve probably regarded as a child back then?" "To be honest, it''s kind of weird. Just thinking about it is weird. But¡­." She paused, taking a breath. "I can''t ignore my feelings. The others never thought about it weirdly either. If Belle doesn''t mind, then who am I toin?" She smiled brightly. It looked as if the sun''s glimmer shined down on her face. "I don''t care if it''s weird. I like you. That''s all that matters." "...." Brandon found himself speechless hearing those words. Eventually, heughed. "Haha." "What''s so funny?" "Nothing. I just feel like another ten years were taken off my lifespan." "What does that mean?" Amelia tilted her head in confusion. "It means¡­." Brandon paused, giving her a smile of his own. A smile that took Amelia aback as her eyes widened. He moved his mouth, but no words came out. Just slow enough for Amelia to read his lips. ''I love you too.'' * They stepped outside the cafe shortly after, leaving his friends inside. With their fingers intertwined, Amelia looked up, meeting his gaze, and asked. "We have an hour left until we''re supposed toe back. Where should we go next?" Truth be told, he didn''t have any ns after. Since he had given all the memories of the time Raven spent with Amelia in the previous progressions, this dating thing was quite new to him. They had been dating for only five days, but he could tell he was probably doing a good job. But now that he thought about it, there was a ce he had just remembered. "It''s not much. But I want to show you something?" "Oh?" Amelia''s eyes glimmered at that moment. "Take me there~" Brandon felt his lips pull up and he tightened his hold of her hand. They raced the road on his bike and they arrived at the destination in a couple of minutes. It was a rooftop with a clear view of the city. Though it was illegal to be here, they could probably get away if they were caught due to Amelia''s credentials. Amelia immediately ran towards the railing and took in the sight of the whole city. "This view is amazing~" Brandon walked towards her, and stood right behind her. Leaning close, his arms wrapped around her as his chin rested on her shoulder. "Right?" The weather was perfect. The sun''s rays shine down, casting a glow all over the city. He could see a couple of cars down below. From where they were, the cars appeared smaller than they should. In fact, they looked like toys. From a distance, Brandon could see the wall, protecting the human domain. And as his gaze lingered further, he could see towering mountains and the lush greenery of trees around. The cold wind brushed past them as Amelia''s hair fluttered sideways. It was the perfect time to give it to her. "Amelia." "Yes?" They continued looking at the view as they spoke to one another. "I got you something." "Hm?" Brandon grabbed her hand and slid a ring into her finger. "Oh? Amelia stretched her hand forward, taking in the sight of the ring. The sun''s glow reflected on the ring. "Thank you. It''s beautiful." Her soft voice reached his ears. It felt as if his heart was about to melt at the moment. "Just like the wearer herself." As those words left his mouth, Amelia turned around slightly, pressing her lips on his cheek. Brandon was taken aback for a brief second before heposed himself. Amelia turned her head once again, looking at the city, her hands on his arm which was wrapped around her torso. Then, Brandon opened his mouth. "Try injecting your mana into it." "Hm?" Amelia lowered her hand and looked at the ring. Shortly after, she did as he instructed and gathered her mana into the ring. "This¡­." "I might be gone sometimes. With that ring, you''ll be able to tell of my current status." It was a double edged ring. Sure, it might give her a sense of assurance. But if he were to die¡­. "Don''t worry. Just think of me, think of how much you want to see me while focusing your mana on the ring. It will open a portal to my location, that way, you will never truly be away from me." A ring that implemented the same kind of technology as the ring Ciel had. A project he hadmissioned Ironaxe a couple of weeks back during his time in the ckmarket. "I see." Amelia turned around, looking at Brandon. Her face seemed slightly flushed and her blue eyes shimmered. "You want to see me that much? "I want to see you everyd¡ª" Amelia tiptoed, her arms wrapped around his neck. Her lips pressed on his as she closed her eyes, cutting off his sentence. The two shared a sweet kiss at that moment. Silence filled the surroundings, the cold breeze brushing past them. Then, she pulled away, a teasing smile spread across her face. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. But Brandon could read her lips. ''I love you.'' This woman in front of him¡­. The woman he had deeply embraced in his arms. He might''ve been selfish for pursuing her knowing what was toe. But it couldn''t be helped. If it weren''t for her, he might''ve gone insane a long time ago. No, he still had the urges. But he could only hold himself back in front of everyone. He needed her to keep himself sane. And in the off chance that he changes his mind, she would be the sole reason. Amelia Constantine. His source of salvation. Chapter 281: Labyrinth Dive [3] The strike of midnight. Inside the Primordials base. The room was quite dim, a faint blue light illuminated the entire room, as the walls seemed to be made of cobblestones. It was just as he remembered. He had received a message from Ivan about the matters regarding the Primordial. ording to him, most of them left. The only ones who remained without question were Ivan, the Third Seat, and the Sixth seat. It seemed like their respect for Ciel only remained for Ciel. They couldn''t ept a new leader. However, some of them gave Brandon a chance to convince them. To convince them that he could lead the group. But only two remained. The Seventh, and the Ninth seat. In total, there were five seats present. After all, they took on dangerous tasks. It was them who had kept the Wraithbounds at bay without even any recognition, while at the same time, living their lives anonymously. Some worked for the government, while some lived as regr citizens. But it had to be said that there had been a long partnership between the Primordials and the Imperial Army. After all, the Imperial Army couldn''t ount for all the Wraithbounds. Brandon sat on a seat. In the middle was arge oval table, coupled with several seats on each side. In total, six seats were filled, leaving six empty. The first one to speak was the Sixth seat, a woman with hazel locks and blue eyes. She stared at him intently, her gaze felt quite pressuring. "First of all, what do you n going forward?" Of course, Brandon had to be pressured. He had just killed their Leader, a person they had blindly followed throughout the years. The person who had most likely given them a home when no one would take them in. That was the kind of person Ciel, or rather, Amelia was. Regardless if she didn''t have her memories, she was still Amelia. And for scheming to kill his sister, Brandon had already forgiven her. Circumstances vary, and Ciel was put in a position to kill Belle under Jin''s orders. He couldn''t me her. Not her. Anyone but her. After pondering for a while, Brandon hade to a conclusion. "To dismantle this entire organization." Thump! One of the seats stood up, smacking the table. A man with ck hair and a single silver eye, his other eye had been covered with a patch. Most probably, a scar from a previous job. The Ninth seat. "That''s it!" He red at Brandon, his tone told Brandon all he needed to know. The man disliked him. Maybe even disgusted. Not just him, but the others had mixed reactions as well. Apathy, interest, dissatisfaction, they all had their own opinions. "I stayed because it was Ciel''s order. You could''ve said something else, but really!? You''re starting off with that!?" "Calm down, Hein." One of the seats motioned with his hand. A man with fiery red hair and green eyes. Kael, the Third seat. "Let him finish." "Tsk." Hein, the Ninth seat, sat back down and crossed his arms, showing clear disapproval of Brandon. Kael turned his head to face Brandon, a faint smile on his lips. But that smile¡­. It sent a chill down his spine. As if Kael was telling him to, ''Choose your next words carefully.'' Of course, he was not stupid. He knew just what he was saying. He had to appear bold, to show them that he isn''t a pushover. To show them that he wasn''t a clueless 17¨Cyear old. Feeling the pressure, Brandon swallowed his saliva and continued. "Like I was saying, I n on dismantling this organization and reconstructing it anew. For instance, the seats that have been left open. At the moment, this continentcks manpower. For that reason, I n on decreasing the seats and slowly fill them up with members I trust." Kael pinched his chin as he tried digesting Brandon''s words. Shortly after, he responded. "I get what you''re trying to say. While it is true that the seats are currently vacant, it''s not so easy to fill them. Added to the fact that we need to trust these ''new'' members first, in any case, we don''t even trust you yet." Kael grabbed a cup of water and gulped it down. Then, he continued. "Where was I? Ah, right. The way you''re talking, it seems as if you n on fully revamping The Primordials without asking for any of our opinions." "Opinions?" Brandon scoffed, showing them that he isn''t intimidated in the least. "This is a mercenary group. Since when were your opinions validated?" All the members scowled at that moment. All of them, except Ivan, who looked frightened. No, there was one more. Kael, whose lips were slowly pulling up. "Heh. You got me there." Kael shrugged his shoulders. This was not an interrogation. They didn''t care whatever changed Brandon nned for the organization. It was a test of character. To see if Brandon was actually up to the task. It was especially important since Brandon was clearly the weakest present in the room. But from the Fifth to the First seat, strength didn''t matter. It was ingenuity. Ciel was clearly not that strong whenpared to the Third Seat, Kael. Yet regardless, she took pride in the Second Seat. The Leader herself. The woman who had brought them all together. They had never once questioned why Second, why not First? But now, it all made sense to them. Because the First seat belonged to someone else. "Let me show all of you what I have in mind." With that, Brandon presented several documents. Each document contained all of his ns going forward. From his business, to several Wraithbound locations he could remember from Raven''s memories. And also¡­. "Are you sure about this?" People he suspects to be illegal immigrants. "Yes." Brandon nodded his head at Kael''s words. Each and every seat member were currently scrutinizing the documents strewn before them. "Any evidence?" "Not yet." "Then¡­?" "For that, I need all of your help." *** It was a Sunday. Brandon had finished his preparations for the Labyrinth Dive that would ur tomorrow. But today, he had an appointment. ¡ªMy Father would like to meet you this Sunday, October 2, 2149. 1:00 PM. It was a message from ire. Sent about two days ago. But there was something way more important. ¡ªSorry it took a while, they had to validate the evidence of your contractual rtionship with the Imperial Army. ire''s typing had improved. Was this really ire? ¡ªPlease be ready and be sure not to make any mistakes. My Father is a busy man. Even if you were someone important to the Imperial Army, my Father could care less. Her father''s personality was quite understandable. After all, even he had the Imperial Army under his paycheck. Victoria Corporation was just that influential in the continent. However, Brandon had a trump¨Ccard. "Ye sure about bringing me with ye,d?" He had brought Ironaxe, who wore a clever disguise, with him. Brandon knew just what kind of person ire''s father was. All he had eyes for was money. And Brandon''s business was a money making opportunity. Gathering his thoughts together, Brandon stepped inside the Victoria Corporation building. Brandon looked around first. The lobby of Victoria Corporation was sleek and orderly. The polished marble floors gleamed under bright, evenly spaced lights. As he looked in front of him, arge reception desk dominated the center, manned by a receptionist who greeted visitors with a courteous nod. To the left, a small waiting area featured leather chairs and ss-topped tables, offering a clear view of a manicured courtyard through wide, floor-to-ceiling windows. On the right, a row of silver elevators quietly opened and closed, carrying employees to and from their destinations. The entire ce screamed, ''A nine to five job.'' They may have appeared quite jolly, but as Brandon looked closely, there were clearly heavy bags in their eyelids. Yep, it was a nine to five job. Ding! The elevator resounded, a small ding! And ire emerged from its sliding doors. ire appeared rather differentpared to her usual look. In the past, she had often worn casual clothing. While in Imperial Academy, of course, she adorned the standard uniform. But at the moment, she was currently wearing what seems to be business attire. A navy¨Cblue vest paired with a red tie. A ck skirt that was rather quite bold, showing off her pale¨Csleek legs. Her hair which had grown quite longpared to the past, seemed to be done as well, fixed into some sort of hairstyle. She looked like a secretary, if Brandon had to sum it up. She then appeared before him. "Good, you''re just in time." Then, her gaze lingered on the suspicious looking midget right beside Brandon. "And this is?" ire asked. "One of my employees." Brandon felt a long stare from Ironaxe as he uttered those words. However, he waved it off andpletely ignored the dwarf. "Right, follow me." Just like that, they stepped into the elevator. Click¡ª Brandon stealthily took a picture of ire. However, he had failed to hide it from her since he forgot to put his phone on silent, a clicking sound ringing. "Hey! What¡ª!" With widened eyes, ire eximed. However, despite that failure, Brandon used it as an opportunity. "Reinhard''s gonna wanna see this." "You¡­" Ding! They arrived at their floor. "Damn it. Delete that you fucke¡ª" "Nuh¨Cuh." Brandon waved his index finger. "Tsk. At least let me see if I look good in it." "Don''t worry. You look the same every time." "And is that good?" "See for yourself." Brandon showed her the picture. "Oh, I look quite sexy." "Pfft¡­" Brandon couldn''t help but chuckle, hearing those words. Sexy? As if. ire only frowned and shook her head. Arriving inside a fine¨Clooking office, Brandon and Ironaxe were instructed to sit on the couch while they waited for ire''s Father to arrive. "Coffee or tea?" ire asked, standing right behind the refreshments. "Coffee." "Okay, what about your little friend over there?" "Little¡ªNmh!" Ironaxe was just about to burst before Brandon quickly covered his mouth, and said, "Tea for him." "Uh¡­. Okay." Truth be told, Brandon felt a little bit nervous. It had to be said that ire''s father was a powerful mage who had made a name for himself in the past. Not like Brandon hadn''t met any powerful mages throughout the progressions, but at the moment, he needed something from ire''s father. For that reason, he wore his best attire and even fixed his hair. But that nervousness quickly died down as soon as he gathered his thoughts. ''Right, this is nothing.'' They were nothing. Compared to the bleak future that he saw, none of them mattered. Using those thoughts as a coping mechanism, Brandon took a deep breath. Creaaaaak¡­. At that moment, the door slowly creaked open and a man emerged soon after. Step¡ª The man stepped in the room with caution. The air around him told Brandon of the authority the man held. Brandon traced the man''s steps. Dark¨Cpurple hair that resembled ire''s, a beard coupled with sses that etched on his features, while he too, wore business attire. The man that was once called the "Lightning Emperor" in the past. The man that had trained Bellion Van during his youth. And currently, the man that had all the businesses in the continent groveling at their feet. The CEO of Victoria Corporation, and the Father of ire Victoria. Jain Victoria. Chapter 282: Labyrinth Dive [4] After their brief introductions, Brandon finished setting everything up. To add to his look, he currently adorned ck¨Cframed sses. Pushing the sses up slightly, Brandon turned his head slightly to check if the powerpoint presentation was still working. Nodding his head in approval, Brandon turned his head back, meeting Jain''s gaze. Currently, Jain was seated at his desk. On his right, stood his daughter, ire Victoria. Apparently, ire was training to be his secretary. It was a needed development for her, much so, to expand her connections until she eventually took over the business. "Kuhum." Clearing his throat, the business proposal began. At that moment, Brandon''s mouth began to move. He had rehearsed this a couple of times with his team, even Bellion was present for that. It was quite difficult at first since he would often stutter and forget his lines. However, after practicing a lot, they soon approved of his presentation. It was not as if their product wouldn''t be approved. Brandon was sure it would be approved. But that was only one criteria. He had to show Jain that he was apetent business partner. For that reason, he had kept practicing, muttering things to himself with shcards. Eventually, he perfected his presentation. It didn''t need to be said. His presentation was perfect. To the point where he didn''t need to look back and read the text written on the powerpoint. The words just came out naturally. In fact, he may have forgotten some lines, but he memorized the ins and outs of their product to the point where he could impromptu his way out of anything. Of course, it had to be said, there were looks of doubtsing from ire and Jain, especially from Jain. After all, they had never heard of such artifacts before. It was too surprising, especially knowing Brandon was just a 17 year¨Cold. Still, they remained silent throughout the entire presentation, keenly listening. "Hm¡­" Jain, who sped his hands in front of his mouth, began to hum, seemingly in deep thought. Brandon had just finished his presentation and stood with his back straight. The entire time, it was only him who spoke. Ironaxe wasn''t good at this sort of stuff. However, he was brought here for a different purpose. "I have a question." Jain asked. "If what you say is true, then I agree that this product is revolutionary. But it had to be said, do you have a sample?" "I''m d you asked, Sir Victoria." Then, Brandon turned his head, looking at Ironaxe. Nodding his head and giving him the signal, the little dwarf walked towards Jain, carrying a briefcase. Click¡ª A soft clicking sound echoed, and the briefcase opened. On the briefcase, there were two objects present. An amulet, and a ring. The first product that seemed to have intrigued Jain was the amulet as he picked it up and scrutinized it closely. "This is the one where I can use a different affinity?" "Yes, it''s as it says in the presentation." Brandon nodded his head. Yet again, there was a look of doubt in Jain''s features. "Mr. Locke, I heard you were a Penta¨CElemental mage. So I can''t ask you to test this item. Apologies, but I''m quite wary. If it were to malfunction, who knows what the aftereffects would be? You''ve never stated them after all." His caution was understandable. He was a prominent figure in this continent. His safety was a priority. "Can I ask that little friend of yours to test it?" "Little sh¡ª" "Ah, of course." Brandon cut Ironaxe''s words off before he could say something he shouldn''t. "Ironaxe, if you please." Ironaxe frowned, but eventually, walked back towards Jain. "Wait." Just as Ironaxe was about to ask for the amulet, Jain pulled back. "Now that I think about it, you''re ire''s friend, correct?" "Oh, yes. We''re actually the best of friends." "Wha¡ª" "Right, ire?" Brandon tilted his head, smiling at ire. ire stood petrified. She seemed to have remembered what had just happened a few days back during their spar. "Right, yes. That''s right, Dad. We''re friends." "Good, ire. Be sure to continue expanding yourwork. Treasure this friendship of yours with Mr. Locke." "Of course." It had to be said, ire was smiling awkwardly, and it looked as if sweat started trickling down her forehead. "I''ve fully assessed your character, Mr. Locke. Since you''re friends with my daughter, you must have good intentions." "Huh¡ª" "Dad, what are you¡ª" "I''ll trust this product of yours isn''t faulty by any means." "There seems to be a misunderstanding¡ª" "We''re not dati¡ª" At that moment, Jain put on the amulet, and a surge of mana began to spiral in the air. Jain''s eyes widened and immediately stood up. "This¡­.." With raised brows and a shocked expression, Jain turned his head and looked at Brandon. "Is this for real¡­?" "Yes." Brandon nodded his head, a smirk creeping up his face. At that moment, Jain extended his hand forward. Magic power spiraled, the room slightly shaking. "Wait, Dad. You might destroy the room!" "It''s okay, ire. I can control it." Brandon didn''t doubt Jain''s words. Someone as powerful as him must have profound mana control. "No, Dad. Mana control is exactly what you''re bad¡ª" It was then. Boom¡ª! Arge ice crystal emerged and the wall, along with the bookcases shattered at that moment. "...." Jain scratched his neck in embarrassment. Amotion urred downstairs, gasps and screams echoed throughout the entire building. On the hole, a small head peeked out. "Uhm¡­." "Ah." ire could only breathe out a sigh and clicked on the transmitter. "Haaa¡­. Earth Mages, please gather here, quickly!" * After cleaning up, Brandon and Ironaxe sat back down on the couch. Jain had finished evaluating the product, sitting on his desk. It had to be said. It was a sess. Though Jain didn''t specifically say it, the look of exhration on his face told Brandon all he needed to know. They had passed. "It''s a good product, Mr. Locke. Victoria Corporation will happily establish a partnership with Locke Enterprise. What you need are resources, correct?" "As it says in the documents, Sir Jain." "Of course, of course." Now that the resource problem was out of the way, it was time to solve the next one. "But I have another condition, Sir Jain." "Hm? What is it?" On normal asions, this wouldn''t even be approved of. But since Brandon was also in a coborative partnership with the Imperial Army, Jain gave him the limelight to do so. "Currently, my team iscking manpower. I''d like to propose for some of your workers toe work for me, Sir Jain." It was a bold proposal. A really bold one. But Brandon was confident. "I understand, but that''s not possible, Mr. Locke." "What if it''s in the form of a loan?" "No can do. You know of our business ventures. Victoria Company needs as many workers as it can get." It might''ve been for that reason, why their employees seemed tock any sleep. It was then when Brandon stood up and slid another document in front of Jain. Jain leaned close and scanned the document. As soon as he finished reading, a crease formed in his temple. "Respectfully, Mr Locke, are you insane?" "Sir?" "This is clearly an attempt to swallow my business." Thump! Jain smacked the table. "I will not stand for this!" Then, Brandon turned around. He wasn''t intimidated by the least and motioned for Ironaxe toe close. "I''ll let you in on a little secret, Sir Jain. You too, ire." "Hm?" "What?" At that moment, Ironaxe unveiled his disguise. His dwarven features became present for everyone to see as his beard reached the floor. "You look like¡ª" "A dwarf!?" ire''s words were immediately cut off as Jain screamed. It had to be said that they had never actually met a dwarf. None of the humans had ever met a dwarf. But by some sheer coincidence, dwarves were mentioned in children''s fairy tales, and a couple of novels published. But Brandon already knew why that was the case. It wasn''t just dwarves, but elves were also mentioned. And from what he knew about Ironaxe, he had been here way before any of them were born. Yes, that meant that there had been several sightings of them in the past. But were most likely omitted from history textbooks for some unknown reason. "Correct, Sir Jain." It was an agreement Brandon and Ironaxe hade to terms with. That Ironaxe would reveal himself to the world and cement the identity of dwarves. On the off chance that dwarves would begin to reveal themselves, they would be epted in society. After all, humans would be frightened by the unknown. But if that unknown became the known, then there was no need for them to be frightened. That was his n. To lure the dwarves out into the open, hopefully, forming a rtionship with them. And eventually, Ironaxe would meet them and they would take him home. "Those artifacts have dwarven technology." * And of course, the entire business proposal was a sess. Though Brandon had failed to swallow the business, they had formed a partnership with good incentives. Manpower would be sent to hispany, and surprisingly, the resources became free of use. But it had to be said that Victoria Company took a 5% cut in all the profits Brandon made. That, and Brandon too had be an important figure in thepany. It was basically a jointpany now. After all, how could Jain miss such a money making opportunity? He had an eye for such things. That Brandon''spany would soon rise to the market, and that dwarven technology would be the future. Shortly after, Brandon bid his farewells and left the building with Ironaxe. *** ire recalled the events that had just transpired. Truth be told, she was astonished by what Brandon had just aplished. In fact, she found it quite unbelievable. How long had he been nning all this? Was this the reason for his disappearance as well? How had he aplished so much in a span of a year? She had way too many questions for him, but refrained from doing so. Her respect for Brandon had just gone up a notch. "Make sure you maintain that rtionship of yours with him." "Dad, you''re misunderstanding things. We''re not dating." "Oh." Jain looked as if realization had washed over him. "That aside, it seems like you two are good friends. That boy has a bright future ahead of him. I''m d I''ve be someone respectable enough for that boy to approach first." "Yes." ire nodded her head. She wasn''t listening at all, the words just flowed in her ear and out the other. "But why not?" Jain suddenly asked, turning his head to look at her. "Not as good looking as me, but I approve of him. He seems quite aplished. And his credentials from Astrea adds more to his name." "Pftt¡­.." ire couldn''t help but let out a chuckle. In truth, she actually did find Brandon quite attractive. But attraction didn''t mean feelings. "You''re still hung up about ''that'' boy?" "That boy?" "You know who I''m talking about." Of course. Who else but Reinhard Van? Her childhood friend. "Hung up? As if. I can''t even stand hi¡ª" "Even if you say that, you can''t ignore your feelings. But that''s good. That boy can''t be helped. Not even that Bellion boy can do a thing about him." "I don''t understand why no one is stopping him." "A man''s pride. If I were in his position, I''d do the same, even if it kills me." "...." Reinhard had gone too deep in the rabbit hole to be helped. No, he had been in the rabbit hole for a long time. Just thinking about the fake smiles he had been giving since his childhood frustrated ire. All the jokes, and all the misunderstandings around him. The fact that he didn''t care about the rumors surrounding him frustrated ire even more as she clenched her fist. But her thoughts were soon broken by Jain, who looked at her with a frown. "Your clothes." "....?" "How many times have I told you not to wear such obscene clothing?" Chapter 283: Labyrinth Dive [5] Monday. 8:43 AM. It was time for the scheduled,byrinth dive. Labyrinths were a new phenomenon that started to emerge shortly after the cmity happened. Inside, mixed races of monsters often upied thesebyrinths. Since the mana inside was quite distinct, they had discovered that the minerals took a new form. These minerals had a hefty price after they discovered its properties. The minerals had mana so pure that it had caught the attention of guilds. The minerals uses vary, from powering houses, to even powering a small city itself. But what was booming in the market were magic weapons. Weapons enhanced by these minerals. For that reason, guilds ced importance in thesebyrinths. Whilebyrinths were owned by guilds, they could be rented by anyone for use. This was the structure that was implemented when establishing guilds. To start a guild, they must first own rights to abyrinth. Newbyrinths themselves were being discovered everyday. For that reason, new guilds had been emerging day by day after applying for a license from the main guild. Though it had to be said, guilds could own multiplebyrinths. Since the Imperial Academy was owned by the Imperial Army itself, it took no trouble for them to rent out thesebyrinths. At that moment, they stopped in their steps as soon as Zeke paused. Zeke turned around, looking at each and every one of the cadets present. "The rules are more or less the same as thebyrinth dive during your exams." The exam Brandon wasn''t actually present in. "Please be aware that the level of difficulty will not remain constant. With each subsequent exam, thebyrinths we face will be progressively more challenging. For this semester, we will be navigating B+ rankedbyrinths." ''Seems easy enough.'' Then, Zeke raised his hand and pointed at the white bracelet on his wrist. "For safety reasons, simply activate the bracelet, and it will trigger an rm if you ever encounter danger. It will also transmit your location to me, allowing me to assist you. However, please be aware that once the bracelet is activated, you will be assigned an ''F'' grade." That was about it more or less. With that being said, they were soon instructed to enter thebyrinth along with their pairs. But if Brandon had to be honest, this pairing system was a hindrance to his ns. "Guess we''re working together again." "Kind of brings back memories. Hehe~" It had to be said, ¡­.His pair was Amy. "What''s the point based system again?" Brandon asked as they trudged thebyrinth. Thebyrinth was a vast maze¨Clooking cave, stretched out in an expanse of darkness. "One monster equates to one point. That''s the gist. Though there are variables depending on the monster''s difficulty. This bracelet is responsible for that evaluation." "I see." It was quite interesting. Thebyrinth system aside, the bracelet''s mechanism piqued his interest. Just how was it possible for the bracelet to evaluate the happenings of this test when thebyrinth itself was a natural urrence and not artificial? He had to get it checked with Ironaxe soon. "Brandon." "Yeah." It was then when they sensed something lurking in the corner. Immediately, they kept their guard up. SHIIING¡ª While Amy''s arm extended forward, Brandon unsheathed the de on his waist. "You know, the fact that you use a sword now still surprises me. Those chains as well. Your entire fighting style has changed drastically." Then, Amy turned towards him. It wasn''t actually the time to do so. But Amy seemed to be confident that Brandon could handle whatever happens inside the B+ rankedbyrinth. "Why aren''t you using your elements?" "I don''t have them anymore." Simple as that. "I''ve never heard of a phenomenon where someone loses their affinities. But okay, I won''t ask." "I just lost them at some point. That''s really it." "Is that so?" At that moment, a magic circle materialized and water bullets shot out. The monster hadn''t even emerged yet. So Brandon was unsure what kind of monster it was. ¡ªKuu! But hearing the resounding scream, he now had an idea. "A goblin?" "I think so?" Amy curiously tilted her head. An innocent look spread across her features as if she hadn''t just murdered three goblins at once. If goblins were here¡­. "Wait, Amy. Lower your hand." "Hm?" Amy did as instructed. But followed up with a question. "Why?" "I have an idea." A way to swiftly breach the top ranks. *** At the moment, the ranking goes; ¡ªRaven and Reba: 22 Points. ¡ªReinhard and Klein: 17 Points. ¡ªRachel and Cyrus: 9 Points. . . Brandon and Amy weren''t even in the top 10s yet. But it had to be said that they had barely found anything in the five minutes that had passed. The goblin encounter was the first. They trudged thebyrinth until they finally encountered another group of goblins. ¡ªKuku! The goblins were immediately alerted, raising their weapons, and rushing towards Brandon. However, Brandon reacted indifferently and walked towards them, de sheathed. "Brandon, what are you doing!?" Amy, who stood behind him, screamed. "Rx. I''ve got this." Brandon nonchntly assured her, looking at the goblins with a calm expression. ¡ªKuu! The goblins had started attacking him at that moment. However, Brandon swiftly dodged each of their attacks without retorting back. Amy could only stand dumbfounded by what he was doing. Is he an idiot? But that aside, Brandon maneuvered through their weapons smoothly with no wasted movements. She had seen him take them all alone a couple days back. And it was true, his increase in strength was truly surprising. She looked at her hand and wondered. "Can I be as strong as him?" She whispered, then raised her head and looked at Brandon, who was dodging each attack effortlessly. "Huh?" It was then when she noticed. His mouth was moving. Was he chanting something? No, as she looked closely, she listened more intently. "Kuku¡­." ¡ªKukaa! What in the world. She listened even more closely. "Kukuku!" There was no misunderstanding. Brandon was definitely trying tomunicate with the goblins. Has he lost it? He must''ve had. That must''ve been it. Else, there''d be no other reason. Amy was just about to leave and scream, "Help! Brandon has gone crazy!" But she paused in her steps upon realizing themotion had died down. Amy turned back around. Brandon was currently standing still, and the goblins¡­. "Kukuko?" ¡ªKakaka! They were listening to him. No way. "No way!" This is insane. How did he even¡­.? "Amy!" "Ah?" Amy couldn''t help but show her perplexion as she tilted her head. "Come here." "Uh?" She hesitated. On the off chance that the goblins would attack, well¡­. Nevermind. They were goblins. The lowest in thebyrinth''s hierarchy. Even someone like her could handle them. "Huu¡­." Right, there was no need to think too deeply about it. Brandon had already shown everyone unexinable things. This might have taken the cake as probably the strangest thing he had ever done, but still¡­. Clearing her thoughts, Amy approached Brandon and the goblins. *** "Amy, meet Kuzo, this group''s leader." "...." "Don''t be rude. Come on, shake hands." "No, no way!" She screamed. Immediately, the goblins were startled and raised their weapons once again. Brandon had to ease them once more. "Kukoko¡­.." ¡ªKuu¡­. "This is my friend, Amy. Don''t be startled, she''s got a few screws loose, but she''s a good girl." ¡ªI see. That can''t be helped then. You are the only human with such profound understanding, and handsomeness added to that. "Haha. Of course, Kuzo, but no need for such ttery. Anyway, can you lead us to your camp?" ¡ªNo worries. Follow me, my handsome lord. Brandon nodded his head in response, and the goblins soon walked forward. Then, he turned around, only to see Amy frowning. "What''s wrong?" "You just insulted me, didn''t you?" "No? Why would I?" "How did you even do that?" "Do what?" "Talk with those goblins." "No idea." Brandon just shrugged and walked away. "Youing, or not?" "Ah, wait." Amy ran towards him and walked side¨Cby¨Cside. Ahead of them, were the goblins who walked with little legs. Now that she thought about it, they were kind of cute. "Where are we going?" "You''ll see." It would be way easier to exin once they actually get there. A couple of minutes passed, and they soon arrived in a location where several goblins gathered. There were actually quite a lot. The entire space was illuminated by torches strewn all over the cold rocky ground. Most probably stolen from rankers who had left the torches behind. "You get where I''m going with this now, Amy?" "So you asked them to lead us here, only for us to kill them all? Am I understanding correctly?" "You are." "That''s kinda brutal¡­." "You see that?" Brandon pointed at a peculiar corner. "That''s¡­." It was a skeleton, adorning armor. Most likely, a ranker they killed. "Still hesitating?" "No." "Good." Swoosh¡ª! Immediately, Brandon''s figure disappeared, and blood started spattering in the air. Thump! In just a few seconds, heads started rolling on the ground. Once again, Amy was taken aback by Brandon''s sheer prowess. However, sheposed herself soon after and extended her hand forward. Magic circles started appearing from where she stood. At that moment, several water based magic attacks lunged out of the magic circle and headed towards several goblins. Amy started attacking the side Brandon wasn''t currently covering. But it had to be said that wherever Brandon went, heads started rolling on the ground. Goblins started falling, one after another from their attacks. While Amy''s eyes could more or less follow his movements, there were brief instances where all she could see was the reflection of his sword. "Strong¡­." * At the end of it, the chamber fell silent. Blood filled the entire ce, and the two currently stood by the exit. Peering into the bracelet, Brandon scanned the rankings. ¡ªBrandon and Amy: 67 Points. ¡ªRaven and Reba: 54 Points. ¡ªReinhard and Klein: 42 Points. ¡ªRachel and Cyrus: 33 Points. . . They were currently in first ce. "Now what?" Amy asked. "We find more monsters." Just like that, they left the chamber and began their hunt for more points. Brandon had to clear this exam. The goal for today was 150 points. If the objective is aplished, they could leave thebyrinth anytime they wanted. He had to finish as fast as possible while they were waiting. Waiting for his signal. At that moment, Brandon''s phone rang. Immediately, he checked the message. ¡ªWe''re in position, nk. Chapter 284: Labyrinth Dive [6] "I still can''t believe they managed to overtake us." Raven, who pulled his dagger after impaling it deep inside arachnoid, checked his bracelet. His pair, with long navy blue hair and red eyes, Reba Stone, responded shortly after pulling her rapier back. "Is it so surprising? I''m not quite familiar with Brandon Locke, I did watch your duel with him. But in my opinion, I think you were holding back. Though Amy is really good it shouldn''te as a surprise." An arachnoid. One of the phenomenons that urred after spiders insidebyrinths were exposed to the vile miasmaing from monsters, permeating the air. Then, Raven''s head raised, meeting Reba''s gaze, her red eyes flickered and looked back at him. "I may have held back. But to be honest, he had barely lifted a finger during that fight." "Is that so?" Reba hade from a different academy, but enrolled in Imperial Academy as soon as it opened. For that reason, she wasn''t quite familiar with Brandon. "I guess he really is good as the rumors say. I''ve heard about them from time to time a year ago. Who knew a prodigy was just about our age." Then, she shook her head. "Now that I think about it, you''re quite a prodigy yourself, Raven." "That''s not true. Compare me to Brandon, then I''m honestly average." "Not at all. You''re well on your way to breach the A rank. Most of our ssmates are still at the B. In fact, some are still struggling to even be a B- ranked. Have some pride." Raven could only scoff hearing her words. She had a point. While he may have still been an A- ranked, he could tell he was well on his way to reach the A rank. At the moment, he was on par with Reinhard when it came to ranks. Though strength always varied. If he yed his cards right, he could beat Reinhard most of the time. But he could surmise that Brandon was a league above him. Most probably, A or A+. ''Insane¡­.'' Brandon was honestly quite insane for that feat if that were actually the case. Most humans often had a limit on what rank they could achieve in their entire lifetime. It was for that reason, why no one had ever surpassed Lucian Frost, who was the only known human to breach the SSS ranks. In particr, he was SSS- ranked. Humans couldn''t tell what their limits were. Not until they had reached that pinnacle, and realized they couldn''t go further. And if he had to be honest, Raven found himself pathetic. He had the system. An ability that allowed him to break past the limit of the human body. Yet this whole time, he could barely keep up with Brandon, who didn''t have the system aiding him. Just why is he so strong? He truly couldn''t fathom it. But he had never seen Brandon aspetition. More like, he saw him as an inspiration. A person he wanted to catch up to. Now that he thought about it, Cyrus kind of made sense now. "Thanks." "Mhm. Now, let''s catch up to them. You don''t want to lose to your girlfriend, right?" "Girl¡­. friend?" "Amy Ashfield? Isn''t she your girlfriend?" "Ah, no." Raven shook his head and waved his hand awkwardly. "Well, I''m not sure. There''s barely been any progression this past year. I honestly think she''s losing interest." "Are you stupid?" Reba suddenly frowned. This confused Raven even more as he scratched his neck and awkwardly smiled. "Yes?" "How beta are you?" "Be¨Cta?" Wait, everyone knew this term. It was everywhere in his TokTok for you page. He started recalling, and as soon as he did, he snapped his fingers, snap¡ª! "You mean that!" "Yes, ''that.'' Man up, Raven. Don''t wait for the girl to take initiative. Do it yourself before you lose her." "You''re right. Thanks, Reba." "Mhm." Ending the conversation there, they tried to venture out of thebyrinth. After all, they had already passed. There was no need to waste any more time. It was then. A voice rang from somewhere. "Zone." Immediately, the scenery shifted. *** "Are you feeling better now, Rachel?" "Hm? I''ve always been fine, Cyrus." Truth be told, Rachel was actually quite fine now. It wasn''t the fact that Brandon now had someone else, that hurt her. But it was more of how different her current reality is now. The entire Brandon issue was the final nail in the coffin, and Rachel couldn''t help but breakdown. However, she was fine now. She could tell herself that she hade to terms with it. She just wanted to move on, while still remaining friends with him. Did she still have any lingering feelings for him? ''No.'' She could wholeheartedly admit to herself that she didn''t have the same feelings towards him anymore. And that was the truth of the matter. That aside, there was something quite peculiar that had caught their attention. "Is it just me, or are there barely any monsters inside thisbyrinth?" Cyrus, who was walking ahead of her, began investigating the peculiar urrence. "We haven''t seen any monsters for ten minutes already." "Wait." Rachel, who looked down at her bracelet, called for Cyrus to stop. As she did so, Cyrus paused in his steps and turned around, looking at Rachel. "What is it?" "The scores aren''t moving." Rachel''s eyes narrowed as she looked at all the scores on the ranking list. ¡ªBrandon and Amy: 172 Points. ¡ªRaven and Reba: 155 Points. ¡ªReinhard and Klein: 123 Points. ¡ªRachel and Cyrus: 98 Points. The scores had stopped moving for everyone. But the most noticeable ones were Brandon''s group, and Raven''s group. Their scores had stayed the same from twenty minutes ago. No, it wasn''t just them. As Rachel continued scrolling them, none of the scores had moved. It felt as if the monsters Rachel and Cyrus had just killed were thest of thebyrinth''s upants. Something was definitely wrong. Eventually, Rachel and Cyrus arrived at the meeting zone. The ce where the cadets were told to gather after finishing their tasks. Looking around, several cadets were present. They too had a confused look on their faces. "Has your group encountered any monsters?" "At first, but then a certain time came when we couldn''t even sense anything anymore." "Yeah, same. We decided it was useless and decided toe back. Hopefully, the instructor arrives soon." Rachel couldn''t help but overhear conversationsing from the other cadets. But one key detail caught her attention. She looked around, and indeed, the instructor wasn''t present. Just where could he have gone? They needed to report their findings soon. But from her surmission, there was only one thing that would make the instructor venture into thebyrinth. Most probably, someone had clicked on the bracelet''s rescue function. But help? Why? Was someone lucky enough to encounter a chamber where all the monsters were hiding? If so, it must''ve been a curse and a blessing at the same time. Cursed because cadets must''ve been way too weak to kill all of the monsters present. And a blessing, since unbeknownst to them, there were barely any monsters in thebyrinth. In fact, barely was an understatement. There was literally nothing. And her conclusion was soon proven as more cadets emerged from the darkness. At the moment, the entire room was filled with cadets, who had more or less the same topic of discussion. But that aside, she couldn''t find her friends. "Ah." She soon spotted them. In particr, Sarah and her pair ire. There was also one other person, Reinhard and his pair, Klein. Now the only ones who weren''t here were Brandon. "...?" "Ah, guys. The instructor is back." A silhouette appeared inside the darkness, slowly walking towards them. At first, they thought it was the instructor. But their conjectures were immediately proven wrong. The figure soon entered the light, revealing her features. Hazel locks fluttered by the breeze, as the woman adorned a rather provocative outfit. Though Rachel couldn''t see her face since the woman was wearing a white mask, Rachel could tell she was quite a beauty. And of course, not once had she ever let her guard down. After all, thebyrinth had been rented out. So why would there be uninvited guests? It was then. The woman coldly muttered. "Zone." The scenery began to shift, isting everyone in a sea of darkness. At that moment, light protruded, blinding everyone for a brief second. As soon as the light died down, Rachel looked around. A look of panic spread across every cadet present. What the hell is going on? *** They continued walking around the maze¨Clike cave. But there was something strange that bothered Amy. "Is it me, but it''s eerily quiet?" She asked as she turned her head towards Brandon, who was walking right beside her. Without looking back, Brandon responded. "You''re right. We''ve been roaming this ce for quite a while now, yet it seems like we''re the only ones here." Not once had they encountered a single monster, or any signs of cadets. "Maybe we should head ba¡ª" Amy paused upon noticing a silhouette emerging from the dark corner. "...." rmed, Amy raised her guard up, taking a battle stance and extending her hand. "Brandon¡­." "Yeah." From the corner, two figures emerged at that moment. Adorning masks. Amy couldn''t see their faces. But judging from their build, it seems like they were both men. Something was off. And Amy was no idiot. Most probably, the masked individuals hade to obstruct theirbyrinth dive. However, the moment she narrowed her eyes and scrutinized the masked individuals, Amy began to shudder. She could tell from the mana emitting from them that they were not one to be trifled with. They were way stronger than her. Maybe even Brandon. This wasn''t a fight they could win. In the span of a few seconds, Amy surmised that they must''ve been the reason why thebyrinth was quiet. Then did that mean¡­.? A chill ran down her spine as soon as her thoughts urred. ''Could they have¡­. killed the monsters and cadets alike?'' It was a usible theory. "Amy, call the instructor. I''ll hold them." Brandon suddenly instructed. There was no need to hesitate. Even if they failed, the instructor would understand that it wasn''t the time to conduct thebyrinth dive activity. At that moment, Amy clicked the emergency button on the bracelet. Because if she did hesitate and wasted time, then Brandon would have no choice but to fight them. It wasn''t as if Brandon was weak, it was simply because they were way out of their league. "It''s done. We have to go now. The Instructor should know about this location alr¡ª" However, those were thest words that left Amy''s lips right before she.... nked. "...." Out. Chapter 285: Labyrinth Dive [7] Brandon stared ahead as his gaze lingered on the individuals wearing masks. A smirk creeped up on his face at that moment. ''They''re here¡­.'' Then, his gaze lingered on Amy''s neck as he started removing his gloves. "It''s done. We have to go now. The Instructor should know about this location alr¡ª" Swoosh¡ª! One swift chop on Amy''s neck, powered with mana, was all it took for Amy to lose consciousness, cutting off her words. Laying the unconscious Amy in his arms, Brandon gazed ahead. Then, their voices rang. "So we just wait now?" "...." Brandon was familiar with them. Why wouldn''t he be, when they were the Primordials'' seated members themselves? A woman with long lustrous peach hair, Illya, the Seventh seat. Followed by a man with dark¨Cbrown hair, Ivan, the Tenth seat. Though he couldn''t see their faces since they were wearing masks, Brandon knew it was them. After all, he had already borated his n and had managed to convince them to participate. The only voice that resounded was Ivan''s. After all, Illya was not one of many words, often reserved. "Yeah." Brandon nodded his head. Truth be told, there was no need for them to be here. But on the off chance that Brandon fails, they were regarded as his contingency n. But it had to be said, He didn''t n on failing. "Are you sure you''re going ahead with this?" Ivan asked. "Yes." And Brandon nodded his head, bracing himself for what was toe. "Okay, it''s going to sting a bit." Then, Ivan turned to Illya as she stepped forward. "...." *** Zeke traversed the maze¨Clike corridors with profound speed, blitzing through the vast darkness that obstructed his vision. Now that he noticed it, there were barely any monsters present. No, not barely, he hadn''t encountered anything at all. Not just the monsters, but cadets alike. Where the hell is everyone? But he could surmise that maybe, the cadets were working together to face a certain monster they had found difficulty against. For that reason, someone must''ve sacrificed their grades and clicked on the emergency button. And most likely, it was around a certain area where Brandon Locke, Raven ckheart, and Reinhard Van weren''t present. He gazed at his own bracelet. He was close. "...." But then, he paused in his steps as a voice echoed throughout thebyrinth. "Help! Over here!" It seemed to be a male''s voice. Alerted, Zeke hurriedly followed the source of the voice. Trudging the maze¨Clike corridors until finally, it registered in his peripheral vision. "Sir Zeke!" There, he could see Brandon Locke, smeared with blood, with wounds etched on his body. On his arms,y an unconscious Amy, who seemed to fare better than him. They seemed to be in a chamber with torches on the ground, illuminating the vicinity. It seems as if Brandon Locke had managed to prevent any harm towards Amy. "What happened? Is it a monster?" Immediately, Zeke ran towards them. On the outside, he was worried. But on the inside, he could care less. It may have been the opportunity to eliminate Brandon Locke, a cadet with brimming potential. To snip the bud before it could bloom. But at the moment, he couldn''t blow his cover. Not now, it''s too soon. Especially knowing the fact that Brandon Locke was quite close to the Headmaster, Field Marshal Van. "No, no. We were a-attacked by a bunch of m-mages. As you can see, Amy has passed out. I b-barely managed to get away, good thing you''re here, Sir Zeke!" "It''s alright now. Who was chasing you? Did you see their faces?" "N-no, they were wearing m-masks¡ªAh! They''re here!" Hearing the trembling of Brandon''s voice, Zeke couldn''t help but smile. Though he had managed to hold himself back somewhat. This kid had irked him. He appeared overconfident, maybe even looking down on all the other cadets. But now? Faced with actual danger, he was just like the rest of them. Truly, the kids in this continent don''t know anything. Zeke turned his head to the side upon noticing the presence of two individuals. "Stay behind me." His hand extended, and Brandon did as instructed, carrying the unconscious Amy in his arms. "Once the fighting starts, I need you to go back outside and alert the academy. Can you do that for me?" "O-of course." Zeke could do at least this much. In truth, he didn''t even n on fighting them. All he needed was for Brandon to flee the scene, and he too would leave. Since there were no other cadets around, the situation wouldn''t backfire too much on him. And even if it did, and it would be found that several cadets had died, could they truly pin the me on him? After all, the assants right in front of him seemed to be professionals. And at the moment, he was the only instructor assigned to conduct thebyrinth dive. The ones to me should be Imperial Academy itself for insufficient safety protocols. But now that he thought about it, this was an expected oue. It was a military academy. If the cadets were unable to adapt and protect themselves in unforeseen situations, then what was the point? "Identify yourselves." As if he was unbothered, Zeke asked. Two assants stood right in front of him, both wearing masks. They appeared to be a man and a woman. And from the looks of it, they seemed to be weaker than him, judging from their mana signatures. In fact, they seemed to be weaker than Brandon Locke as well. But most probably, they had the skills that would bridge the gap between mages or duelists stronger than them. That had to be it. After all, if one were skilled enough, they could ovee someone a bit higher than them in the rankings. About a two rank gap. But still, that expectation varies. Just as long as they''re able topletely counter said opponent. For that reason, Zeke didn''t let his guard down one bit. "I said, identify yourselves." "...." But again, he was met with no response. All of a sudden, the entire chamber gradually engulfed in fog. Cr¡­ Crack! At that moment, Zeke''s magic power surged, the ground beginning to show signs of cracking. However, noticing the same presence from behind him, Zeke turned around slightly and screamed. "Go now!" "Understood." Zeke then redirected his attention back towards the two figures. "....!" But as soon as he did, their figures disappeared. As if they were never there in the first ce. Immediately, Zeke''s senses heightened, trying to find any signs of the masked assants. There, he could see a single silhouette and his eyes widened. Then in the far corner, he could see another woman, who seemed to be the woman. Just as he was about to blitz towards the man¡­. Crack! The sound of cracking echoed from behind him. Spurt! "Akh!" Blood sputtered from his peripheral vision. And it was then when he realized what had just happened. It was his blood. There, he could see the light of the torches reflect on a thin set of threads, piercing out of his chest. "I missed." A voice muttered. It was Brandon''s voice. The pain reverberated inside his body as Zeke clenched his chest. "You fucker!" Cursing, magic powershed out from Zeke, a veil of lightning wrapping around him. Kracka! Wrapping his fists in an aura of sparks, Zeke thrusted his fist forward. But at that moment, Brandon Locke''s figure disappeared. "...." Zeke looked around. "....?" Several silhouettes revealed themselves around the fog. "Fuck, where are y¡ª" Spurt! Another set of threads pierced right through his thigh, and Zeke gritted his teeth, fighting against the pain. His legs lowered slightly, feeling the stabbing pain of the threads. What the fuck is wrong with Brandon Locke? ''Why is he attacking me?'' He had several questions in mind, and ultimately he had arrived at only one conclusion. Brandon Locke must''ve found out. But how? He had managed to sneak into society, evennding an instructing job in the academy. It didn''t make any sense. If he had managed to trick the Imperial Army, then how does Brandon Locke know of his true identity? That he was a native of the Milis continent. Tzz¡ª Frustrated, Zeke beganshing out, zooming around the vicinity, trying to find any signs of Brandon Locke. Each step he took, the fog scattered, but would cluster themselves together in an instant. But regardless of where he went, he couldn''t find Brandon Locke. He could see his silhouette, but whenever he neared the silhouette, there was nothing. As if it were a fake, trying to lure him. "Surprise." An indifferent voice reached his ears, and the reflection of a de entered his peripheral vision. Spurt! Blood gushed out from somewhere. It took a second for Zeke to realize what just happened. Thump! "....!" A thumping sound echoed, and Zeke''s eyes widened in horror. An arm had fallen on the ground. And as he turned his head to look at where the blood wasing from, that''s when he realized it. It was his arm. "Kaaaah!" Zeke screamed and held onto his shoulder, blood gushing out from the narrow gaps of his fingers. "Fuck y¡ªUkeh!" An intense pain surged from his abdomen, feeling a heavy blow had just struck him. In that instant, Zeke was hurled away as he crashed onto a wall. But it wasn''t the end of it. Chains shot from the ground andtched themselves onto Zeke''s body. At that moment, Zeke felt his strength starting to fade as hisplexions began to pale. It felt as if his mana was being sucked away. "...." And as he gazed ahead, there, he could see the silhouette of a man. Emerging from the fog was Brandon Locke, his ink¨Cck eyes stared back at him and a feeling of dread bottled up inside Zeke. Swallowing his saliva, it felt as if Brandon Locke''s gaze wanted to swallow him whole. Crack! Thest thing Zeke saw was Brandon Locke cracking his fingers. His hands had been stained red, blood dripping from where his nails were supposed to be. And then, Darkness engulfed his vision. Chapter 286: Labyrinth Dive [8] "H-haaa¡­. Haaa¡­." Raven''s chest heaved up and down as he took deep heavy breaths. He had no idea how long he had been fighting the masked assant in front of him. While Raven found no difficulty fighting mages due to his [Reflection] skill, it was another story when he was up against another duelist. And a superior one at that. His opponent used a rather unique weapon. A weapon that Raven had no experience fighting against. Ance. Swoosh, swoosh¡ª The masked assant twirled hisnce around, then pointed it towards Raven and Reba, who also seemed exhausted. But despite their opponent being obviously more skillful than them, for some reason, they had suffered no injuries at all. As if they were being kept in the domain to stall for something. Everytime Raven caught the assant off guard, his attack would instantly be repelled. It seemed like the assant had several openings, yet regardless, Raven couldn''t breach through his defense. It was absurd, knowing it was two against one. With Reba''s [Gravity] magic support. Yet again, Reba would easily be overpowered. Raven clenched his fist at the sudden thought. He had the system aiding him, providing him with cheat¨Clike abilities. As well as being under the tutge of Sir Gavin, one of the strongest duelists in the world. So why¡­. ''Why do I always lose?'' He was tired of losing. Tired of being overwhelmed by his adversities. It felt as if the system was being wasted on him. When it could''ve been given to someone superior instead like Brandon. It didn''t make any sense whatsoever. He had been training daily, as well as maintaining his physical attributes. So why¡­. ''Why can''t I win?'' Raven''s attention was caught by the assant who peered into something as he said, "Looks like my job here is done." "....?" "You two weren''t half bad. Especially you, dagger boy." "Wai¡ª" Raven reached out, extending his hand. But in that instant, the zone was lifted off and the assant disappeared into the darkness. Thump! Frustrated, Raven smacked the cold hard ground. "Damn it¡­.." Thinking back when he was regarded as the strongest in his ss¡­. The thought was somehow funny looking back to it. Strongest? He couldn''t help but chuckle at the thought. "Pfft¡­." When ever since Brandon had returned, all he had ever known was defeat. Gazing ahead, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the dark, Raven clicked his tongue. "Tsk." "You good?" Raising his head, he met Reba''s gaze, who offered her hand as support. "Yeah." Nodding his head, Raven epted the offer and got up. Now that he thought about it, it was unlikely that they were the only ones who were attacked. "Let''s go back. The others might be in danger too." "You''re right." Just like that, the two turned around and retraced their steps, trying to find any signs of the other cadets. It was true, they weren''t hurt at all. Now that he thought about it, it felt as if the man was ying with them. No, maybe testing? Or training them? It was really weird. As they continued sprinting through the maze, Raven began to wonder. ''Did Brandon beat his opponents?'' *** It was the same case of Rachel and the other cadets. But for her, there were two assants present. And just like Raven''s case, they were all overpowered, yet left uninjured. But it had to be said that everyone present were in the mid to low B rank. The exception being Rachel, and ire, being B+, and Reinhard, being borderline A- ranked. "Haaa¡­." Rachel found the entire situation suspicious. What was their purpose even? Wasting time? Now that she thought about it, it felt as if they were evaluating them. To assess where they currently stood. And if she had to be honest, they had probably disappointed them upon hearing the robust man with ck hair start to yawn. "Huaam¡­. Are the two of us really needed for this?" The man asked the other masked assant, a woman with fiery red locks. "His orders, we just have to see this through." The woman spoke without looking back at him. Him? At that moment, several theories flooded Rachel''s mind. It was already quite obvious that this attack was orchestrated. But it was quite interesting how they all fell under some kind of leadership. ''His orders¡­..'' One person. The thought sent a chill down Rachel''s spine. She was already quite aware how strong the two are, and to think there was someone else that was above them in the hierarchy. "Looks like we''re done here." The woman spoke and turned around. "Fucking babysitting job." The man cursed under his breath and turned as well. At that moment, the zone was lifted, and no one could do a thing as they disappeared into the darkness. "...." "Again¡­." Rachel nced to the side upon hearing Reinhard''s voice. Reinhard had done the most during the entire fight, yet not once had he managed tond a single hit. "Why can''t I¡­.. Haaa¡­.." Reinhard let out a defeated sigh. Rachel had felt the same way, if she had to be honest. While Raven and Brandon continued to reach new heights, the same couldn''t be said for them. It''s not as if they weren''t training hard, they knew the amount of effort they put in. And byparison to the cadets, they were considered talented for their age. "Right." There was no useparing themselves to Brandon and Raven. And now that she thought about it. ''What happened to them?'' There were no signs of Brandon, Raven, or Amy around. Could they have¡­.? Even if they did encounter the assants, most probably, they weren''t harmed, just like them. But that was when she began to wonder. ''Did Brandon and Raven beat them?'' *** "Just a bit more." Brandon stared at his status interface. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª [Special Affinities] ¨N[Curse] ¨N [Cursed Threads]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Cursed mes]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Cursed Chains]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Binding Vow]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Mark of Despair]: 94% ¨N [Soul Drain]: Locked ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Mark of Despair. He was unsure what the skill could do, but he had been trying to unlock it for a long while. That, and recently, he had finally increased his strength stat after isting himself in training whenever he had the chance to do so. ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: A ¡ª[12%] ¨N MP: A+ ¡ª[88%] ¨N DEF: B- ¡ª[66%] ¨N AGI: A ¡ª[6%] ¨N INT: S- ¡ª[2%] ¨N CHA: SS ¡ª[55%] [AVG: A] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª That being said, it was time to get down to business. Brandon lowered his head and stared at Zeke''s unconscious body. He could''ve killed him, however, that wasn''t the n. He had yet to gain evidence from him. For that reason, he couldn''t consult Bellion about it. However, he knew Zeke was of Milis descent from Raven''s fragmented memories. After all, there was a certain scenario where Zeke exposed himself and started attacking cadets. For that reason, he surmised that Zeke was an enemy. "...." At that moment, Brandon felt several figures emerging from the dark corner. It was the entire Primordials seated members. There, he could see Kael, who was the one in charge of stalling Raven. Hein and Alice, who were in charge to stall the cadets who had returned to the starting point upon realizing there was no point in delving further into thebyrinth. "Take him. I''ll handle the interrogation, contact me once he wakes up." Brandon instructed while staring at Zeke. "Right, right. And let me guess, we''re handling the cleanup?" Kael, who approached Brandon, spoke. "I''ve cleaned up quite nicely. There shouldn''t be any traces that would lead back to the Primordials." The masks they adorned were, of course, an Ironaxe creation. Though it wasn''t quite simr to the Mirage Mask, it more or less had the effects that would leave witnesses confused about their identities, regardless if they could see simrities such as hair and so on. "What happened to your hands?" As Kael asked, Brandon turned his attention towards his missing nails. Casually putting on his gloves, Brandon pursed his lips. "None of your business." "Right." And they left it at that. After all, the Primordials had a code of conduct to never peer into the private lives of their members. "So can you handle things on your side?" Alice, who was slowly walking towards them, said. "Yeah, I''ve narrowed down the story and all. There should be no problems." "Alright, we''ll contact you." Just like that, the Primordials left along with Zeke''s body. Then, Brandon walked towards where he left Amy''s unconscious body. Brandon then looked at his own figure. His clothes had been roughly torn, and several wounds etched in his body. He had instructed the Primordials not to harm the other cadets. However, he had an exnation for his injuries. "Let''s go, Amy." Carrying Amy, who was still unconscious, Brandon sprinted through the darkness. Chapter 287: Labyrinth Dive [9] "Huu¡­.." All of a sudden, as Rachel and the other cadets turned their attention to the chamber''s entrance, a figure emerged and copsed on the ground soon after. Of course, they recognized the figure. It was Brandon, who fell on the ground, dropping Amy down. "Brandon, Amy!" Immediately, they rushed towards the two figures. It seems like Rachel''sck of concern was to naught. Clearly, something went wrong. But that begs the question. ''Why does it always happen around Brandon?'' Thinking back to all the major events that transpired, things always go wrong when ites to Brandon. It felt as if he was a ma for cmity itself. "Brandon, what happened to you!?" The first one to voice out their concern was¡­ Surprisingly, it was ire, who approached Brandon first. While Reinhard helped Brandon get up. "Kh¡­!" Brandon let out a groan first before he continued. "We were attacked¡­. It seems like their goal was the instructor¡­." "We were attacked too¡­. But they didn''t harm us unlike you." Reinhard, who took Brandon off ire''s shoulders, supported Brandon with his own. Alternating his gaze between the two, Brandon pursed his lips. "Huu¡­. Go see Amy. I was able to protect her somehow. But she fell unconscious from their attacks." "I see." "Okay, rest for now." Just like that, ire left and walked towards Amy. A concerned expression etched on her face. The othersid Amy down on the ground, allowing her to rest. Brandon, on the other hand, was being treated. Though most of the attention was fixed on the unconscious Amy, they needed answers from Brandon. While Brandon appeared to have injuries, he was conscious. But since none of them had the [Life] affinity, they could only stitch up his wounds and bandage him up. "What happened to the instructor?" Reinhard asked. Then, a grim expression spread across Brandon''s face. "I''m not sure¡­. Sir Zeke told us to return here as soon as the fighting starts. Of course, I tried to help, but¡­." Then Brandon paused and looked around. Upon realizing something was off, he turned towards Reinhard and asked. "Where''s Raven?" "I don''t know." Reinhard shook his head. "He isn''t back yet." Brandon suddenly grew confused at that moment. Why isn''t Raven back yet? Did something perhaps go wrong? But he had specifically instructed Kael not to harm Raven. ''Did that bastard actually¡­..'' *** Deep utter darkness. "Are you sure this is the right way?" Raven asked. Despite leading at first, he had realized he was going the wrong way. "It should be." Reba responded. "I think?" The two were lost. Due to the adrenaline that coursed through him a few moments ago, Raven remembered just how bad his sense of direction was. For that reason, the two collectively decided for Reba to lead the way instead. "It seems like another dead end." Reba scratched her cheek in embarrassment and turned around, meeting Raven''s gaze. "...." "Okay, let''s go." "Hold up." As soon Reba walked past him, Raven immediately grabbed her wrist. "This is the fifth time." "Fifth¡­.?" Rebeca''s eyes started darting around. For a second, Raven could swear he had seen sweat starting to trickle down her cheek. "Trust me, Raven." Reba lowered Raven''s hand, a warm smile spread across her features. "I know what I''m doing. We''ll be there in no time." "Haaa¡­. Alright, I''ll give you the benefit of the doubt." After all, he was bad with directions. There was no way he could lead. * Another dead end. This made it the ninth. "...." "Haha. Trust me, this will all be worth it in the end. Now we know there are nine dead ends, right?" "...." Raven could only stay speechless. He was a fool for trusting Reba. They were both horrible at directions. Horrible couldn''t even begin to describe it. Unable to bear it any longer, Raven sat down. "We should just stay here before we get even more lost." "Ah¡ªNo, I swear I''ll definitely get us ou¡ª" "Sit." Raven''s face began to gleam a little darker. A face he usually didn''t make. "....Okay." Just like that, Reba sat down and leaned on the rocky wall across Raven. Raven began to ponder. He couldn''t help the unease he felt. He was concerned about the others since most probably, they could''ve also been attacked as well. All of a sudden, Reba''s voice reached his ears. "Hey." "Hm?" Raven raised his head, meeting her gaze. "What is it?" "That Brandon guy. I''m quite curious. Why do you all respect him so much?" "Ah?" A question Raven didn''t expect. Unknowingly, a smile spread across Raven''s features. The words flowed out smoothly. Despite the fact that Brandon was quite brutal when it came to spars, even fighting, he couldn''t help but acknowledge his respect for him. "Well, first of all, he''s freakishly strong." "That should be obvious. He beat you to a pulp right in front of all of us." "Y-yeah¡­." Raven scratched the back of his neck out of embarrassment. "That''s actually the first time I''ve fought him after he disappeared." "Ah, really? It seemed as if you were actually aware he was alive. The others were kind of shocked and all, but you on the other hand¡­. You were smiling." "Oh, you noticed?" "Well, yeah. I didn''t actually know who he was. He was kinda scary, and I couldn''t help but see how the others reacted." "Is that so?" Scary? Now that he thought about it, there were times when he could admit Brandon was scary. However. "Pftt¡­." He found the thought kind of funny. "Don''t worry. He''s only intimidating at first, but he''s actually a nice guy." "I see." Time passed, and the two continued to converse with one another. Certain topics were exchanged between them such as academy life, how life was before the cmity, and so on. "Reba! Raven!" A scream echoed from somewhere. The two were immediately alerted and turned their heads towards the source, screaming in response. "We''re over here!" *** Everyone was quick to act. They hade to know of Zeke''s disappearance, yet they didn''t let it get to them and focused on their priorities first. For that reason, they were able to leave thebyrinth under Reinhard and ire''s leadership. Raven and Reba on the other hand, were banned from taking the lead going forward. They returned to the academy soon enough after realizing there was no sign of Zeke returning anytime soon. As soon as they arrived at the academy, they had all reported the urrence inside thebyrinth, and the circumstances regarding Zeke. At that moment, a search party was sent to find Zeke. However, they had found no traces of him. The only thing they had found was a single chamber where a colony of all sorts of monsters were found, lifeless. Clearly, the entire situation had been orchestrated. Yet there were no traces found. The academy could only rely on reports of masked individuals suddenly appearing within thebyrinth, ostracizing their test. That being said, Brandon had managed to aplish his objectives, and was called upon by Bellion. Brandon looked around Bellion''s office. "...." It was a mess as usual. Bellion stood right by the window, hands sped behind his back as he was turned away from Brandon. Without looking back, Bellion opened his mouth. "I''ve got their reports. But I want to hear it from you. I assume you know something?" "Hm? Why do you think so?" Brandon walked around and sat on the seat, tracing his fingertips on the desk. At that moment, Bellion turned around. His blue eyes seemed, aiming to intimidate Brandon. But it was for naught as Brandon could care any less. If he wanted to fully hide his traces from Bellion, he would''ve done it. Of course, Bellion would be the only one to notice it. "You''re the only one injured. Reports say they weren''t harmed even once. So why only you?" "Hah." Brandon couldn''t help but chuckle. "How much do you trust me, Bellion?" "I want to trust you. That''s it." "That''s enough for me." Brandon shrugged his shoulders. At that moment, he began to recount everything. "So¡­." Chapter 288: Awarding Ceremony [1] "Just how many groups are you involved with?" Brandon had told Bellion as much as he needed to know. Of course, there were certain omissions. Such as; the fact that he was the current Primordials'' First seat, and details regarding how he was able to defeat Zeke. "So?" Brandon began to ask, crossing his arms as he leaned back on the chair. "Do you still trust me?" "Do I have a choice?" Right, even if he had antagonized Bellion due to this event, there was nothing Bellion could do. After all, [Retribution] was in effect. Chains were ensnared around Bellion''s heart, ready to crush it at any moment if he ever brings harm to Brandon. In the first ce, how would Bellion know Brandon had such an ability? For that reason, Brandon used this opportunity to his advantage. To show Bellion he could be trusted, and the full fruition of his ns in theing future. Bellion was an important asset he couldn''t lose. He had to gain his trust. The kind of trust that would never question whatever he did, regardless if they were morally wrong or not. The same kind of trust Amelia and Belle had for him. Brandon needed those kinds of allies. "I will provide evidence. You don''t have to worry." Brandon boldly stated. But then, a question popped up. A question Brandon hadn''t expected. "Who are you, really?" "Hm?" Brandon tilted his head at Bellion''s question. "You''re way too involved in these¡­. kinds of matters. I''ve never seen a kid like you. So tell me, who are you, Brandon Locke? What''s your purpose?" "Hmm¡­" At that, Brandon lowered his head and pinched chin, pondering. As he arrived at an answer, Brandon raised his head, meeting Bellion''s blue gaze. With a smile on his face, Brandon''s lips parted as he went on to say, "Just trying to fix the shitty ending." "....?" Of course, Bellion couldn''tprehend what Brandon just said as he tilted his head in confusion. Brandon just dismissively waved him off and stood up. "I think we''re done here?" "I guess so. Alright, you may go." With Bellion''s approval, Brandon approached the door. But just as he was about to reach for the door knob, he halted upon hearing Bellion''s voice. "Wait." "Hm?" Brandon turned his head slightly. "Since we''re in a mutual partnership, you''ll fulfill a few requests of mine, then?" "Sure." "Can you look out for Reinhard?" "Reinhard?" Brandon found himself perplexed. Reinhard? Why did he have to look out for him? From what he could remember, there was nothing too major surrounding Reinhard in the previous progressions. "Just observe him. That''s all I ask." "Sure, I can do that." "Alright, you may go now." Just like that, Brandon left the office. *** It seems like rumors began to spread in the academy. Rumors regarding Zeke''s mysterious disappearance, and the identities of the masked assants. They were quite ridiculous. Saying Zeke was a trial member for their organization, and the entire incident was his test of some sort. The closest theory was the entire incident was organized to assassinate Zeke. Of course, that was the only thing they got right. What followed after was the reasoning behind the assassination. That Zeke was an alcoholic in the past, and had messed with the wrong people. Or, he had borrowed arge sum of money in his younger days, and his past caught up to him. It had to be said that there was a certain dislike towards Zeke. Prior to Brandon''s return, rumors began to spread that Zeke fancied the younger cadets, even calling them for extra hours after dismissal. It was disgusting. Looking at the mirror, Brandon''s face imprinted in his vision. Pulling his gloves out, he stared at his hand for a few good seconds. It was still bleeding. It wouldn''t stop. Twisting the faucet, water began to pour down and Brandon washed his hands, scraping the blood off. A cold sensation washed over his hand. And a stinging sensation urred, meshing with the cold water. He tried to smear the blood off where his finger nails once were, but it seems like they were still bleeding. Truth be told, it did hurt. But he was used to the pain by now. It was nothing. Upon noticing his hands were now clean, Brandon washed his face with cold water. Staring at the mirror once more, he looked at his drenched face. "This isn''t me." He stated. This entire body didn''t belong to him at all. However, the guilt had already drowned out. The previous Brandon Locke''s story was over. It was now his turn to take the mantle. To clean up whatever mess Brandon Locke and Raven ckheart had left him with. Dampening his hands and face with a towel, Brandon brushed his white hair back, nibbing on a hair tie. Then, he tied his hair back to a man bun. His hair had grown quite long. For that reason, the bun bulged a bit much on the back of his head. Emerging from the bathroom, Brandon looked around. Several cadets'' eyes flicked towards him at that moment. A look of concern seemed to spread on their faces. After all, there were still bandages around him. It had to be said that his heroism during thebyrinth dive had also spread. The fact that he faced the assants, and that he saved Amy was well appreciated by the other cadets. With an awkward smile, Brandon scratched his cheek. There were no familiar faces around. And judging from the time, it seems like it was still break time. With nothing to do, Brandon tucked his hand inside his pockets and leisurely roamed the halls of the academy. "Brandon?" A voice rang from behind. A voice he was all too familiar with. Brandon turned around, taking in her beautiful appearance, her blue gaze meeting his. At that moment, it felt as if the tension on his shoulders faded. "Hey, Amelia." "...." Amelia looked around first. Her sudden acknowledgement of Brandon seemed to have surprised the other cadets. After all, Amelia was regarded quite highly in the academy. Known for her beauty, her strength, and her achievements. For that reason, cadets who aspired to join the Imperial Army put her on a pedestal. And it had to be said that their rtionship¡­.. They were being private about it at the moment. However, Amelia breathed out a sigh and walked towards Brandon. Eyes fell on her, and Brandon could hear murmurs around them. "Oh, my, that''s Senior Amelia, isn''t it?" "It is. How does she know Brandon Locke?" Scanning, Amelia''s face was gradually turning red. Before he knew it, Amelia was now in front of him and¡­. "....?" She linked her arms around his. "What are you¡ª" "You don''t like it?" "No, I do. But¡­." Brandon paused and looked around. Cadets began averting their gazes as soon as they met his. Thereafter, looking back at Amelia, he whispered. "I thought we''dy low for now¡­.?" "No, I''ve changed my mind." Yet despite her words, her lips trembled nervously. Her expressions, betraying her words. "Hmm?" Brandon tilted his head in confusion. Amelia wasn''t usually this bold when others were around. Especially people she didn''t know. The only reason she wasn''t this embarrassed during their date was most probably because it was a date. However, this was the academy. A ce for them to maintain their professionalism. "Did something happen?" Brandon asked. "....N-no." Yet again, her expressions and tone told Brandon all he needed to know. "Should we take this somewhere else?" "....Yes." * Seated side¨Cby¨Cside on the academy benches, Brandon looked around. Although there were still cadets passing by and eyeing them, it wasn''t as overwhelming for Amelia aspared to the academy halls. "Haaa¡­.." Amelia breathed out a sigh of relief. "If you were that embarrassed, then why did you do that? I don''t mindying low." "N-no, uh¡­." Amelia stammered. But as soon as she found herposure, she continued. "Fine, it''s just that, I saw some girls tried hitting on you¡­. It was ufortable." "Oh?" Hit on him? When did that happen¡ª "Ah." He recalled. Indeed, there were girls who asked for his phone number, back when he was being treated in the nurse''s office. Some even used it as an opportunity to get close to him, asking him if he wanted to be friends. They flocked to the office upon realizing ''Brandon Locke is injured!'' Bunch of nonsense like that. So¡­. "You were jealous?" "N-no¡­. Yes, yes I was." "Haha." Brandon couldn''t help butugh. Looking at Amelia''splicated face right now¡­. She was too cute. "It''s the same case with you, no?" "Well, yes. But I''d usually ignore them or respectfully reject them." "I''ll still get jealous." "Really?" Theplicated look on Amelia''s face was reced with a bright expression upon hearing his jealousy. "Yes, I mean. They can approach you so easily. Do you know how much I want to be with you during breaks without hiding?" That was often the case. If they were to eat lunch together, the two would leave the academy separately, trying to peer away from prying eyes. "Sorry, it''s just that, I wasn''t ready for what the other cadets might say. It''s a fault on my part. I''m sorry." Way too cute. Brandon couldn''t help but want to tease her. "Ah, as you can see, I was injured during thebyrinth dive." "Yes, does it still hurt?" Truth be told, he wasn''t injured at all. They were mostly light injuries inflicted by Illya. "It does, none of the nurse''s treatments soothed the pain." For that reason, Brandon took the opportunity handed to him like free cake. "Oh, we should get you checked by a doctorter. You can still move, right?" "No, no. Akh! It''s starting to hurt again." He exaggerated. However, Amelia took him seriously as she stood up and looked around. "Stay here, I''ll tell the instructors and we can take you to a hospital fa¡ª" "No, no. The nurses told me just what I needed." "Really?" She was way too gullible. "Akh¡ª! They said¡­. affection. I think I need a kiss." "Eh?" Amelia''s panic washed away and she tilted her head. Then, as if she had realized something, she looked at him seriously. "You¡­." "Ah, it hurts!" Brandon leaned back at that moment and covered his eyes with his arm, pretending to look in pain. "Couldn''t you have just asked those girls to give you a kiss? Then you wouldn''t be in this pain anymore." "...." He was just about to say something, when he felt a soft sensation on his cheek. And he peered one of his eyes open. He could see Amelia up close, her lips pressing on his cheek. Then, she pulled away and looked at him funnily. "Hehe~ Just kidding. As if I''d let that happen." "You¡­." Seizing the opportunity, Brandon pulled her close and locked her in an embrace. "I''ve been wanting to do this for so long." "In the academy?" "Of course. I wanted to announce to the whole world that Amelia Constantine is taken. So all of you should stop shooting your shots." The two stayed like that for a good few minutes. Cadets passed by, but realizing the air surrounding them, they tried their best not to stare. "Kuhum¡­." Suddenly, a cough rang from behind them, and the two pulled away from each other. Turning their heads to the source of the sound, a sense of familiarity dawned upon them. It was Belle, who stood still, looking as if she had caught second hand embarrassment as she spoke with her eyes averted. "Public disy of affection is banned in the academy. Please read section nine of the student handbook." Chapter 289: Awarding Ceremony [2] Evelyn stared at the hospital window as she stood still. She was told she would be discharged tomorrow. However,tely, Evelyn was facing some issues. For some reason, her mana core would fluctuate spontaneously. Sometimes, a rapid outburst of mana whenever she tries to channel her core, or,pletely nothing. As if she was never a mage in the first ce. She had consulted the doctors about it, and all they really told her was that it was a normal urrence when a patient loses too much blood. After all, mana travels from the bloodstream. It must''ve meant that her blood cirction was still unstable at the moment. For that reason, her mana too was unstable. But regardless, Evelyn couldn''t shake off the feeling that something was wrong. The thought had stressed her out even more. Tzz~ A sizzling sound urred as Evelyn took a long drag on her cigarette. Ever since the cmity, Evelyn had been feeling stressed. After losing her teaching job, and the fact that she was unable to save her pupil, all the issues piled up one after another. For that reason, she joined the Imperial Army to somehow find value in herself. But also for the purpose of contributing to this country. However, all it had ever brought her were expectations. They had started calling her the seconding of Lucian Frost, putting great pressure on her. And Evelyn did not like pressure. Not that she wanted to take things at her own pace, which would give them the impression that she wasx, but because of her own anxiety. What if she could never meet their expectations? Especially so, when she felt like she hit a bottlenecktely. Stuck in the SS- rank. Unable to find a way to cope with her stress, she started¡­. Tzz~ Smoking. "Huu¡­." The smoke escaped her lips and faded soon after. The bitter smell of smoke reached her ears as Evelyn was close by the window, peering down, taking in the view of the city. Knock, knock¡ª! All of a sudden, someone knocked on the door. "Come in." The door opened, and a familiar man emerged. "Brandon?" "Yo, Evelyn." "...." Again. He never addresses her as Miss, unlike with the others who he shows formality with. However, Evelyn had grown used to it by now. It was just like him. Often appearing stoic or intimidating towards others, yet always this casual around her. It felt as if she had an annoying little brother. "Are you smoking?" "Ah." Right, she didn''t want to show this unsightly side of hers. Not even Vanessa knew of this bad habit of hers. At that, Evelyn dropped the cigarette and stepped on it. Tzz~ "I won''t judge. But I advise you to stop." "Sure." Evelyn sat down on the bed. Then, she looked at Brandon, who was standing up, and asked. "What are you doing here?" "I heard you were getting discharged tomorrow." "Ah, yes." "Then I expect you''ll start your teaching job soon?" Teaching job¡­. Was she even qualified for that right now? Teaching teenagers how to use magic when she herself had trouble in regards to mana at the moment. "Hmm, I''ll probably rest for now." "I see. But will you still teach me, regardless if you were teaching at the academy?" That¡­. Evelyn wasn''t sure how to respond. Brandon Locke had immense potential. Someone like him deserved a better teacher, not someone like her who had trouble breaking through to the next rank. As if her mind was read, Brandon''s voice reached her ears soon after, breaking her out of her thoughts. "You''re the best teacher I could ask for. I don''t want to ask anyone else." "...." Hearing those words. Her efforts were appreciated. Someone that had expectations for her, not to rece someone, but to positively rely on her because she was Evelyn Cessna. Evelyn couldn''t help but smile warmly. "Okay." *** Friday came. October 7, 2149. The efforts of the soldiers who took part in the auction raid was regarded as a historical moment for the Imperial Army. Managing to take down an organization they were never able to catch before was extremely important to the Imperial Army, and to the audience present. Cadets and Imperial Army officers alike were present for this grand event. Officers sat at the back, while cadets were told to sit at the front for a clearer view of the officers they should aspire to be. As Brandon looked around, he could see the color of reactions the cadets were expressing. Some showed genuine curiosity. The others were excited, evident by the joyful looks on their faces, while some showed obvious boredom. Flick¡ª All of a sudden, the lights were abruptly switched off. Flick¡ª A single light shimmered down, illuminating the sole center of the stage. It was a spotlight. Swoosh¡ª Then, the curtains pulled away from each other. Visible silhouettes stood side¨Cby¨Cside. In total, there were seven silhouettes. Recently, Amelia had beening homete due to rehearsing for this event. After all, Amelia was one of the participants of the auction raid, one of the receivers of the awards. Then, a voice rang out. ¡ªThank you all foring on this pleasant evening. I''m sure all of you are aware of our recent activities. Thementator continued like that in the passing minutes. Announcing the technicalities of the ckmarket''s auction raid. While the next raid was still on schedule, the Imperial Army had already thoroughly prepared for it. They had isted the residents of the ckmarket, forbidding them from ever escaping, just until the next raid was conducted. They had wished for everyone''s prayers that the raid would conclude peacefully, and an agreement could be settled with the ckmarket residents. That being said, it was time to hand out the rewards. ¡ªThanks to these brave soldiers who had risked their lives. The Twilight Syndicate was sessfully taken down. ¡ªPlease step forward and receive your medals. ¡ªGeneral Ray Arcadia. At that moment, a silhouette stepped forward, revealing his features. Blue hair and blonde eyes, while adorning the Imperial Army uniform. Of course, Brandon was quite familiar with him. After all, he was part of the raid, and also a good friend of Amelia''s. Apparently, this guy was dating one of his team members. ''Workce romance¡­..'' How unprofessional. Ray soon received his award and stepped into the center of the stage. p, p, p¡ª! A cheer of apuse echoed throughout the entire venue as Ray bowed his head deeply. By sheer coincidence, the next name was¡­. ¡ªArtoria Watson. It was Ray''s girlfriend. A woman emerged from the darkness shortly after. Red hair and golden pupils. Just like that, the two couples had received their awards and stood at the center. This continued on until Brandon finally showed interest. The next one was none other than¡­. ¡ªIvan Millet. The Tenth Seat of the Primordials himself. Though, of course, no one knew of his identity. Just that, they were well aware that he was a ranker, and that he was never part of the Imperial Army. Still, he had participated in the raid, and deserved the award. For that reason, he was invited to this event. It didn''t matter. Cadets could still look up to him. After all, it wasn''t as if joining the Imperial Army was the only option cadets had after graduating. They too could be rankers. And Ivan was perfect as a role model. And the next one¡­. ¡ªAmelia Constantine. As soon as her name was called, cheers resounded once more, filling the entire venue. Amelia was truly popr, even amongst the women themselves as they all screamed in unison. "Woo~" "General Amelia~!" Amelia was a perfect role model for aspiring female cadets. After receiving her medal, Amelia too stepped to the center of the stage and bowed her head. As soon as she raised her head, for a brief second there, Brandon felt like she was looking at him. No, she definitely was looking at him as the two stared at each other intently, even when Brandon was amongst the innumerable amount of cadets present. "Hah." Brandon couldn''t help but scoff. Thereafter, he joined the apuse as well. He was proud of her. For the next one was none other than¡­. ¡ªBelle Locke. His sister. Belle emerged from the darkness and received her medal. But unlike the others, she received two medals. Most probably because she was the sole leader that made the entire raid sessful. As soon as Belle reached the center, standing right next to Amelia, she too had met his gaze. Brandon pped at that moment, a smile spreading across his features. He recalled the events a month ago. The one when Belle died. "...." He would never allow such a thing to happen ever again. And the next one¡­. It was thest one¡­. ¡ªEvelyn Cessna. She wasn''t part of the silhouettes present. No, she herself appeared out of nowhere, catching the eyes of everyone present. While Belle received two medals, Evelyn received ten. After all, she had contributed the most during the raid. The announcer continued announcing her achievements. ¡ªShe had infiltrated the entire organization earlier this year. Even cutting off all contact from the outside just to sell the part. ¡ªFor that reason, the Head, who had terrorized the underground channels, was killed. Truly, Evelyn was the NovelFireP for the entire raid. The announcer continued to list down the set of objectives Evelyn had aplished, and as soon as she stepped into the center of the stage, even in front of the other awardees, the audience cheered like never before. p, p, p¡ª! "Wooo~" "The Celestial Witch~!" "Evelyn Cessna~!" Apparently, they had started calling her the Celestial Witch. After the cheers died down, silence befell the venue. No, p. p. There was one more who continued pping. It came from behind. Brandon couldn''t help but be curious. Who is¡­.. Then, Brandon saw her. A woman, with tinum blonde hair, and dazzling crimson eyes. Brandon stared at her for a brief moment. But when she stopped pping, Brandon turned his head back towards the stage. ''What a weirdo.'' Yet surprisingly, he couldn''t shake off a weird feeling. For that reason, he looked back. However, "...." There was no one. Gone. As if the woman was never there in the first ce. ''Am I imagining things?'' Had he gone that crazy? That could''ve been the case. It was truly odd. Just who was she¡­.? Chapter 290: Interrogation [1] Of course, Brandon didn''t let the opportunity slip. He had never seen that woman before. With so many suspicious individuals roaming the city, sneaking into the heart of society, even they had managed to get an instructor job in the academy. For that reason, he surmised that the woman might''ve been one of them. Immediately, he stood up, alerting the cadets around him. "Where are you going?" Raven, who sat beside him, nced up. "Bathroom." If he wasn''t toote, surely, the woman was still in the lobby. As soon as he arrived at the lobby, his conjectures were correct. "...." There, he could see the woman, walking towards the exit. This aroused suspicion even more, the awarding ceremony had yet to end, but it seemed like the woman had lost interest. And also, Who invited her? Brandon took a good look at her back. Her figure, akin to an hourss, most probably honed her body to perfection. Amelia was quite the same in that aspect, and of course, Brandon found it quite arousing. For that reason, conjectures pile up one after another. This woman must''ve had extensive training. "Hello?" Brandon called for her. "...?" The woman halted in her steps, turning her head to his direction. Brandon met her crimson gaze, her tinum blonde hair swayed to the side. Their gazes locked in a stand¨Cstill for a brief second until the woman''s lips parted open. "Yes? How may I help you?" Her voice, a perfect blend of low and high pitch, a bit captivating if he had to be honest. "Where are you going? The awarding ceremony hasn''t ended yet." The woman''s head tilted sideways, a question mark spread across her features, a look of confusion. "I didn''t know we weren''t allowed to leave until the ceremony ended?" "Well, no. You can. I was just curious. I was actually heading for the bathroom when I saw you." "Ah, are you here for directions then?" The woman''s fingers traced her lips, a blend of innocence and allure. "Yes." Brandon nodded his head. "Take that corridor over there. Turn left, then right at each end. You should see the bathroom from there." "Ah." Then that meant she was aware of the venue''s blueprints. Was he wrong then? Was this woman simply just trying to leave after losing interest? No, he couldn''t shake off his suspicions. "Thank you, Miss¡­.?" "Ah, it''s Lianna." "Miss Lianna. Okay, thank you." "Mhm, I''ll be going now. I''ve got some important matters to attend to. Keep up the good work, cadet." Just like that, Lianna turned around and left. Brandon stared at the slowly closing door for a second, trying to surmise his conjectures. Since he knew he shouldn''t push too much, he had only left the conversation like that. Lianna¡­. Lianna¡­. He had no idea who that was. But maybe someone did. Bellion. He had to ask himter. That being said, Brandon returned to the ceremony shortly after. *** After the ceremony ended, Reinhard returned to his house. To be precise, Bellion''s mansion. He had been living here since he was eight years old. Ever since¡­. ''that'' incident. The incident that imed the lives of both his parents. And for ten years, it had been his driving force to make it this far. To avenge them. Yet ten years, trying to find who the perpetrator is, there was not a single clue to the perpetrator''s identity. Entering his room, as always, it was a mess. Papers and documents strewn all over the floor. On the corner were bookshelves, yet there were no books arranged there. It was all a bunch of case files regarding the incident. An incident that had turned into a cold case. Much to the point where even his own uncle, Bellion Van, had stopped looking for the perpetrator after years of investigating. But Reinhard¡­. he had yet to give up. Sitting on his bed, he looked at the whiteboard on the corner of his room. Several papers were pinned to the board. Theories, and such, on who the suspect might be. Yet in the end, it had all proven for naught. All of his suspects had alibis on that day. It had to be said that he did put a substantial amount of effort on the case. There were no clues, nor any evidence left at the scene of the crime. Yet by his own efforts, interviewing and interrogating several people, he hade up with a list of suspects, regardless if they were remotely rted to the case or not. Changing into a set of clothes, Reinhard fixed his cor. It was time for that again. As soon as he stepped out of his room, a deep voice resounded, reaching his ears. "Where are you going this time?" It was Bellion. "None of your business." Reinhard immediately dismissed him without looking back, walking towards the exit. "It''s not worth it. There''s a chance the perpetrator could be dead by now. Regardless, a time wille when he will be discovered." "Yeah, yeah." The same warning time and time again. Twelve years, and there was no news of such. It was ridiculous. For all Bellion knew, the perpetrator could be living a life of luxury right now. Animosity began to boil within Reinhard upon the thought of the perpetrator, forgetting the crime he had done in the past. It was truly hard. After all, his parents were respectable people. There shouldn''t have been anyone to bear a grudge against them. For that reason, the motive of the crime was unknown. And it was still unknown. "Don''t try to stop me." "I would''ve done that long ago. I understand where your anger resides." "Then why the fuck aren''t you doing anything? She was your sister, for fuck''s sake." Bellion Van was his uncle from his mother''s side. Her mother''s younger brother. "Like I told you, I''ve tried and tried again." "Try harder. You''re a Field Marshal now. You have all the resources, yet you''re doing fucking nothing." "Haaa¡­." Bellion let out a heavy sigh. "You don''t understand. The scope of my position''s importance weighed a lot more. There''s so many things I have to do¡ª" "Even more important than finding your sister''s killer?" "Tsk." Bellion clicked his tongue, a crease forming on his temple. "Don''t go there." "Haha. Field Marshal. Apprentice of the famous Lightning Emperor. Imperial Academy''s Headmaster, and next in line for the Grand Marshal position. But he can''t even find his own sister''s murderer" ".....Reinhard." "Just shut up and let me do my own thing." m¡ª! Reinhard left the room at that moment, mming the door. Bellion massaged his temple shortly after that encounter. "You think I haven''t tried?" He felt frustrated. "You think I didn''t put in as much effort as you?" Thump! He smacked the table. "You think I don''t care about my sister?" He clenched his fist. He might''ve warned Reinhard several times. But this was the first time they had argued in a long while. And Reinhard had tugged his heart strings, telling him words he didn''t want to hear. "Tsk." His fest clenched even more tightly as he felt his nails dug deeper in his palm. *** Brandon had received the call stating Zeke had woken up. It was the fourth day since Zeke had been held captive. And not once had he given any important information. But regardless, Brandon needed the guy to talk. For that reason, he returned to the Primordials base. It was the best time to return as well since most of the members were busy around this time. It was a group that would only gather together when the need arises after all. Asides that, they would take on contract jobs on their own volition. For who was hiring them, Brandon had no need to find out. After all, these guys would never take on jobs that would bring harm to humanity. Ah, no. There was someone here. A woman, with lustrous peach hair and captivating pink eyes. "Hey, Illya?" "...." Illya just nodded her head without saying anything. Right, this girl was a quiet one. "Is he there?" Brandon pointed at the door that led to the chamber. "...." Illya nodded her head once more. Good talk. Brandon entered the chamber soon after. The familiar sight of Zeke, with mana shackles. Artifacts that suppresses mana, ensnared around his arms, as he sat with dead eyes. His lips looked dry, showing signs of cracking. After all, Brandon had told them to deprive him of basic necessities, such as; water, and only a little amount of food. Just enough for the guy not to pass out. Shortly after, Zeke spoke with a hoarse voice. "Bra¨Cndon Locke¡­" As Brandon stepped forward, narrowing his eyes, he soon halted his steps upon noticing a presence looming behind him. Flicking his head, there, he could see Illya once again, adorning an elegant ck dress. "...." "...." He knew he had entered the room alone, and not once had he heard the door open for Illya to enter. Creepy. Chapter 291: Interrogation [2] Brandon ignored Illya, and neared Zeke. "Yo, Zeke. What does this make it? Five times?" He had been tortured four times, making this the fifth. However, Brandon was confident he could get something out of Zeke this time. Fifth time''s the charm. "Fu¨Cck you! Ptui!" Zeke spat out, his saliva almostnding on Brandon. However, a malicious grin spread across Brandon''s features. "You shouldn''t waste your spit like that, Zeke. Who knows when you''ll be able to drink¡­." At that moment, Brandon revealed what he had been hiding behind him. With his hands sped behind his back, Brandon presented a bottle of cool water. Then, he continued. "Water." "Haaa¡­." Zeke''s mouth opened wide. His lips looked parched, and for a second, Brandon could see his mouth start frothing. "Plea¨Cse¡­." Brandon waved him off and started twisting the bottle cap. Then, he gulped down. "Haaa¡­.." Zeke looked at him with a defeated expression. Wiping his mouth, Brandon looked down at Zeke. The corner of his lips pulled up to a grin. "Oh, sorry, was quite thirsty." Setting the bottle down, Brandon pursed his lips. "Now where was I?" "Wa¨Cter¡­. Please¡­." "Heh." Brandon couldn''t help but scoff. This entire situation was quite familiar. In fact, his hands were quite itchy. For that reason, he scratched the itch. Crack¡ª! He cracked his knuckles. Crack. Crack¡ª! He felt like cracking this bastard''s bones right now. For some reason, the image of Lumian wouldn''t leave his mind. He could remember the day he had killed him as if it were yesterday. Good times, if he had to say. Maybe he should just¡­.? But he broke out of his thoughts as he turned to the side. He didn''t want Illya to see an unsightly sight of him. At the moment, his image from the Primordials'' members was still good. No, should he just¡­.? "Maybeter." Then, he returned his attention back to Zeke. "Feel like talking now?" "Wa¨Cter¡­." "This?" Brandon grabbed the water bottle. Then, he twisted the cap and began to slowly pour the water down on the ground. "It''s yours by the way. The longer you stall, the more I do this." "....Wa¨Cter." "Clock is ticking." "I''m¡­. inno¨Ccent." "Sure you are." Drip¡­. "Tick. Tick. Tick. Clock is ticking." "Don''t know¡­. what you¡­. wa¨Cnt." "Milis." "...." "What do you know about them?" It was not as if they weren''t aware of the Milis continent. They were quite well versed about the country. However, what they needed to know was the motive for why they wanted to wage war against Holy Britannia. Brandon had an idea after peering into his memories. But it was too vague to be confirmed. Jin hadpletely disregarded the war. Was he an idiot? Maybe because the war wasn''t the reason why the world ended? That''s what he could surmise after peering into his memories. However, Brandon wanted to solve every issue before Jin returned. To clean up all the mess he disregarded. Drip¡­. The water kept pouring down. Zeke''s mouth twitched, seeing the sight. "Tick. Tick. Tick." Brandon''s head tilted sideways in each ticking sound he made. "Still won''t talk?" "....Inno¨Ccent." "Let me." All of a sudden, a soft voice rang from behind Brandon. It was Illya, who suddenly appeared right in front of him and took the water bottle off his hands. "Uh¡­.?" Drip~ Illya poured all of the water down. At that moment, Zeke''s face went even more pale. Then, Illya waved her hand up. Swoo¡ª All of the water on the ground began floating up. The water, in its fluid state, meshed with one another, forming arge bubble. Then, Illya waved her other hand up. Stretching her arms away from each other, the water narrowed, contorting into a whip¨Clike shape. It was a water whip. However, as Brandon scrutinized the whip, he could tell there was a difference from other mage''s water whips. For instance, the mana surrounding the water was abundant. Brandon could feel the heavy weight surrounding the water. It had to be said that the whip was thin. However, Brandon knew it packed quite a punch. Then¡­. Was she nning on¡­. beating him¡­? "Here''s your water." Illya stated, her tone monotonous. Swish¡ª! "Akh!" She was. Contouring her fingers, the water whip struck Zeke from all sides. His clothes began to tear, blood smearing down. It was quite ironic. Swish¡ª! Swish¡ª! "Ukh¡­!" But despite Illya''s brutal beating, her expression remained calm and steady, kind of empty even. Her entire demeanor was eerie, and for a second, Brandon could swear he felt goosebumps all over. "Uh, Illya?" "Hm?" Illya turned around, her head tilting. "Yes?" "I think that''s enough. You might kill him at this point." "...." Illya nodded her head in response. Then, she stepped back, allowing Brandon to move close to Zeke. Lifting Zeke''s head up, Brandon stared indefinitely at Zeke. "Still feel like talking?" "....Wa¨Cter." "Illya!" Brandon eximed, calling for Illya. For that reason, Illya did what had to be done. Swish¡ª! Swish¡ª! "Kah¡­!" *** "Good job, Illya. But he still doesn''t want to talk." "...." A sad expression spread across Illya''s features. She had done all she could to assist Brandon. Truth be told, she didn''t particrly care whether they got something out of Zeke or not. She was merely here because she was bored. That, and she wanted to observe Brandon. After all, Illya harbored a lot of respect for Ciel. Of course, it wasn''t just her, but every Primordials seated member. But for Illya, she could admit to herself that she was the closest with Ciel. Often seeing her as a big sister figure. After finding out Ciel had died¡­. Killed¡­. by this man in front of him, Illya harbored malicious intent towards Brandon. She was still feeling it now, and if she could, she would kill him on the spot. However, that isn''t what Ciel wanted. For that reason, she wanted to understand Ciel''s decisions, why she chose Brandon Locke, and why she allowed Brandon Locke to kill her. Is following this man worth it? "I''ve got an idea. But keep it a secret between us." "....?" Illya tilted her head curiously. This man had a lot of secrets, Illya was quite aware of that. However, the fact that he openly admitted he had killed Ciel, maybe there was something more to him. Then, Brandon grabbed Zeke''s head. "Hey," "Huu¡­." "Open your mouth." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 292: Interrogation [3] "...?" Illya could only stand perplexed. ''Open your mouth?'' What kind of implication was that? Though Illya often appeared cold, she was not dense in these kinds of matters. At that moment, Brandon rolled up his sleeves and tightened his gloves. "Open." However, Zeke did the opposite, biting his lip tightly. "Illya, can you gather the water again?" Brandon turned his head slightly, meeting Illya''s gaze. Ah, right. nk. They were to refer to him as nk. Illya nodded her head and waved her hand. Magic power began to gather and the water on the ground floated into small bubbles, gathering together until they formed a big bubble. Then, Brandon returned his attention to Zeke, who was still biting his lip. For a second, Illya could see blood start dripping from his bottom lip. "Don''t you want water?" Zeke seemed hesitant at first. But that hesitation soon vanished as he slowly opened his mouth. However, Illya didn''t expect the next action Brandon took. "Nmmh!" Brandon reached out and inserted his hand inside Zeke''s mouth. Then, he leaned close to Zeke''s ears. Since the room was quite isted, also silent, Illya had no problems overhearing. "How many teeth does it take for you to talk?" "....?" Again, What? It was then. "Hieaaa¡ª!" Zeke started screaming. Blood spattered in the air, and as Brandon pulled his hand back, Illya could see a single tooth between Brandon''s thumb and index finger. "...." He was ripping his teeth out. Now, Illya was a contracted killer, but she had her own boundaries when it came to violence. Quite ironic, if she had to be honest. But Illya stood and watched the entire scene unfold. She had to see it for herself. What Brandon Locke would do. If Zeke were actually innocent, then all of this would be for naught. That, and they would lose the little amount of trust they had in Brandon. However, seeing the expression Brandon was making¡­. "...." Was he grinning? Illya could swear she saw Brandon grin, just before his face was covered from her angle. Ah, so this is his true color. All those times when he showed his cool andposed demeanor was nothing but an act. Internally, ¡­.He was insane. *** Brandon removed his gloves and tossed it in the trash bin. Then, he put on another set of gloves and returned his attention back to Zeke. Blood smeared all over his features. Of course, Brandon had left some of teeth, just so his speech wouldn''t be too impaired. It took about three teeth ripped out just for Zeke to start speaking. However, still, he wouldn''t provide as much information as Brandon needed. Not enough to count as evidence that he was of Milis descent. For that reason, Brandon stopped ripping his teeth out. But it was not for naught. Clearly, Zeke was now fearful of him, evident by his dted pupils, and his constant trembling whenever Brandon neared him. Like¡­. Swoosh¡ª "Hieaaa¡ª" The moment Brandon flicked his head towards Zeke, his body shuddered, yelping audibly. Swoosh¡ª "Hieaa¡ª" Again. Swoosh¡ª "Hieaaa¡ª" It was kind of funny. "I didn''t want to resort to this, Zeke. But you leave me with no choice." Brandon cracked his knuckles once again. However, surprisingly, Illya spoke more than one sentence. "What if he''s innocent?" "Hm?" Brandon halted in his steps, turning his head slightly, meeting Illya''s gaze. "You''ve done a lot, but he isn''t saying anything at all." "Maybe you''re right." No, he was confident. He just had to push his agenda harder. "Give me onest try. If not, well¡­ I''ll stop." But clearly, Illya started doubting whether Zeke was from Milis or not. She was starting to doubt in him. That much was certain. However, Illya gave him the limelight, nodding her head as she remained silent. For whatever reason why she was still here, Brandon was unsure. Maybe to monitor him? At that moment, Brandon neared Zeke once more. As soon as he did, Zeke flinched and turned his head away, iling his arms around out of fear. However, it didn''t amount to much as the shackles only rattled everytime he moved. "Get away¡­!" Zeke eximed. But this only served to push Brandon more. But firstly, he had to check up on Illya. "Maybe you want to close your eyes for this." It''s not as if he couldn''t be explicit in front of Illya. After all, Illya was older than him. ''I think she''s 23.'' But the signs told him Illya didn''t fancy torture. "...?" Blinking her eyes, Illya tilted her head in confusion. "Hmm¡­." Maybe he was being too careful around her. For that reason, Brandon waved it off and ced his hand on Zeke''s shoulder. "Hieee¡ª" Zeke yelped, his body jolting. At that moment¡­. Crack¡ª! Exerting mana in his palms, Brandon clutched Zeke''s shoulder tightly and a cracking sound echoed, reverberating around the isted chamber. And of course, Zeke screamed. "Hieaaaaa¡ª!" Really loudly at that. "Are you from Milis?" "...." Yet regardless, Zeke stayed silent, biting his lips with whatever teeth he had left. Crack¡ª! His other shoulder. "Hieaaaa¡ª!" "Are you from Milis?" "...." "You know, this isn''t gonna kill you. I can break as many bones, enough just for you to stay alive." "Nmm¡­." Zeke let out a low sound. "Hm?" Brandon leaned slightly close, just enough to hear whatever Zeke was about to say. However, as he did so¡­. "....Fu¨Cck you." Crack¡ª! "Hieaaaa¡ª!" "Are you from Milis?" "Fuck you, fuck you!" Crack¡ª! "Hieaaa¡ª!" "Are you from Milis?" "Fuck. You." However, just as Brandon was about to crack another set of bones again, he felt a hand ced on his shoulder. It was Illya. "I think that''s enough. He clearly doesn''t know anything." "No, it''s because you say that¡ªwhy he isn''t saying anything. He thinks he''ll get out of this if he just perseveres." As those words left Brandon''s mouth, Illya pulled her hand back and shook her head, returning to where she once stood. She looked as if she had given up on convincing him. Then, Brandon turned his attention back to Zeke. And of course, Crack¡ª! He broke another pair of Zeke''s bones. "Hieaaaa¡ª!'' Zeke''splexions started to pale severely. He looked like utter garbage. "If you pass out, I''ll make sure you stay awake. If there''s no bones left to be broken, I''ll get someone to heal you." Brandon stated, narrowing his eyes. "Now tell me, are you from Milis?" "...." And Zeke still remained silent. Truth be told, Brandon started to doubt himself too. Time had psed for who knows how long, yet Zeke wouldn''t say anything. Could it be somehow different in this progression? Crack¡ª! "Hieaaa¡ª!" Since he had broken quite a lot of bones to his liking, Brandon opted for another choice. His skin. SHIIING¡ª! For that reason, Brandon unsheathed the de on his waist, allowing Zeke to take in the sight. However, Zeke''s reaction was beyond expectations. He was smiling. As if he was happy, thinking Brandon was finally going to kill him. "Are you just going to kill him?" Illya, who watched the entire thing with a nk expression, asked. "Yeah." Brandon nodded his head in response. "Then what about the evidence? Have you given up?" After all, regardless if Zeke was of Milis or not, his death was set in stone. He had seen the Primordials. For that reason, they couldn''t allow him to live. "Maybe." "...." Brandon could feel the disappointmenting from Illya''s face. However, he waved it off. And judging from Zeke''s expressions, it was a contrast to Illya''s. He looked hopeful. Hopeful that he could finally die and get away from his suffering. Exactly what Brandon wanted. And at that moment. "W-wait, what are you¡ªHieaaaaa!" Brandon began to carve Zeke''s skin, scraping the skin off his chest. Blood seeped down, and Brandon continued scraping his skin off. This sheer act alone seemed to have been too much for Illya as she looked away. Brandon continued. "Are you from Milis?" "...." Yet again, Zeke remained silent. For that reason, Brandon retrieved something from his pocket. Something he had been saving if things went awry. A small alcohol bottle. Although it was a bit overwhelming, it served a purpose. Then, he began pouring alcohol all over Zeke''s wounds. "Hieaaaa¡ª!" Yet again, Zeke screamed. Though his voice was now hoarse due to screaming too much. "Open your mouth." "Nmmh¡­!" And Zeke retorted, biting his lip with whatever teeth he had left. For that reason, Brandon forcefully opened Zeke''s mouth and poured alcohol in. Since his teeth had been ripped out, there were visible wounds in his gums. Meaning, the alcohol''s effects kicked in. Drip¡­. "Are you from Milis?" "...." "Tsk." Crack¡ª! "Are you from Milis?" "Just kill him. You''ve wasted enough ti¡ª" "Yes! Yes I am¡­!" Illya was just about to advise him, when Zeke finally spoke up. However, it''s not enough. If he were to submit it as evidence, it would sound forced. As if Zeke was only forced to admit it. Brandon pushed further. "Why do they want to wage war with Holy Britannia?" "I don''t know!" Frowning, Brandon cracked one of Zeke''s bones again. Crack¡ª! "Hiee¡ªI don''t know, okay?! I was merely following orders!" "Who are you? What''s your standing in Milis?" "R¨CRoy Fitz! Republic of Milis, Lieutenant General! Zeke was just an alias!" He eximed. He finally budged. Brandon turned around slightly, and for the first time in his life, he had finally seen a change of expression on Illya''s face. "Hah." Brandon couldn''t help but scoff, as if he was saying, ''I told you so.'' However, Illya remained transfixed with wide eyes. Brandon returned his attention back to Zeke as he went on to say, "Answer all of my questions." Chapter 293: Interrogation [4] "Keep him locked up. Let nature take its course." Brandon had just finished interrogating Zeke of every information he had in regards to the Milis continent. Currently, he and Illya stood by the chamber''s entrance. "How did you know?" "Hm?" Brandon tilted his head. Of course, Illya''s reaction was expected. If any other sane person were in the room, they would probably falter and believe Zeke was innocent, realizing Brandon''s mistake. However, Brandon wasn''t sure how to respond to her question. For that reason, he answered her casually, pointing at his temple. "Instinct." "...." "Do you trust me a lot more now?" "I think so." Thankfully, his efforts weren''t for naught. For a second there, Brandon had also believed an off chance that Zeke was innocent in this progression. "Okay, that''s all I need. Can I ask you to share the recordings with the other members?" "Yes." Illya nodded her head with no hesitation "Thanks." With that, Brandon walked ahead, leaving Illya to her own devices. "Oh." However, he halted in his steps and turned back around. At the same time, Illya was still looking at him. Brandon ced his finger on his lips. "Remember, for however we''ve managed to squeeze the information out of him, let''s keep it a secret between us." Just like that, Brandon left. Illya stared at the space where Brandon once stood. She began to ponder on the moments before his departure. "Instincts?" The hell was that about. It was realistically impossible to convict a man that he was guilty, just by sheer instinct. Especially so, when it felt as if Brandon had just randomly chosen someone, naming them one of the illegal immigrants. "Absurd." Truly absurd. Then, her gaze lingered on the chamber''s door. The results were unexpected. If Zeke hadn''t cracked at that moment, Illya would''ve given up on Brandon and left. But now? She didn''t doubt him anymore. He might''ve been ruthless, a facade he masked under his usual charming andposed demeanor. But¡­. Now she could see why Ciel had chosen him. Because he was capable. He was weaker than Illya, evenpared to the other Seats. But in the distant future, Illya couldn''t tell just how strong he would be. At 17¨Cyears old, his mana core was already at tier five. That, and the connections he had been cultivating up till this point was astonishing. Much to the point where Illya found herself bewildered. To think he held a lot of important factions in this continent within his grasp. He was a leader worth following. That much was certain. *** Finally, Brandon was left alone. There was no one left in the base at the moment, besides Zeke who was at death''s door. For that reason, Brandon sneaked around until eventually, he entered Ciel''s room. He needed to find something. Thankfully, Ciel had told him where it was. And so, he began looking around. "Hmm¡­" In a matter of minutes, he had found it. The tome Ciel and Jin had used to alter Brandon''s system. Theoretically, it actually was connected to his system. But could only configure a set of certain words. For example, his quest tab. And, of course, his stats. From what he knew, they were altered way before, giving him the impression that he had started out from the bottom of F rank. Or maybe, they had done it for his own good. After all, upon realizing some of his previous skills with [Skill Weaver] had severe drawbacks, it gave him the impression that he needed to get his stats to a certain point. Additionally, there were certain moments where he had felt an influx of strength seemingly from nowhere. The kind of strength that wasn''t equivalent to the stats shown on his status. However, now that he thought about it, they must''ve configured it that way for his body to get used to his stats. After all, his mana core around that time was still around the first tier. That must''ve been it. "...." But as he flipped the first page, Brandon was taken aback. ¡ª¡ª[Sovereign''s Will]¡ª¡ª [Name: Brandon Locke] [Mana Core: Tier 5] [Status: A] [Innate] ¨N Sovereign of Creation ¡ª Level 9 ¨N Experience ¡ª 44.3% [Skills] ¨N [Elemental Maniption] ¨N [Mana Disruption] ¨N [elerated Cognition] ¨N [Mage''s Resolve] ¨N [Aeolus Blessing] [Inventory] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Brandon could see his status in a single page. Seeing the previous skills he had felt quite nostalgic. At that, Brandon finally confirmed that the binding vow, pertaining his system status wouldn''t be altered while sacrificing his skills, on Ciel''s side, had worked. Now that he took a good look, it looked strikingly simr to the tomes he had found back in the Locke residence. For that reason, Brandon retrieved each tomes and notes he had kept stored in his inventory. "Hmm¡­." Of course, the initials ''B'' were still there. But¡­. "Who is ''B'' supposed to be?" While it was obvious it had meant Brandon, there were other notes, especially the ones containing magic circles, that he had found rather peculiar. After all, Brandon Locke shouldn''t have any ess to magic. For that reason, the magic circles weren''t a product of his power. While the diary with the B signature should''ve been Brandon''s, clearly, there were other variables that convinced him it wasn''t his. Why? Simply because the diary contained magic circles. Meaning, there was a third party. At that, Brandon started to surmise,ing up with several theories as he tried racking his brain. To his conclusions, it was highly likely that it was Jin who had assisted him. After all, B could also mean ckheart, Jin''s true name, Raven ckheart. And at that, he continued to peer into his brain, trying to gather as much information as he could, as well as delving right into the fragments of memories he would forget soon enough. There was only so much information he could retain after all. "Ah." He soon recalled. The vision from the magic circle he had seen back then. After everything that happened, how could he forget? Jin, Raven, and Amelia''s death. He had never seen that alternative in any of Jin''s memories before. "...." Then¡­. Which progression did it belong to? The distant future? Regressions that happened even before Raven had gotten the system? The mystery went deeper. And he had no answers to them, as much as he liked. "Haaa¡­. I''m gonna go crazy." His head was hurting, and so, he massaged his temple. "It should be the future." He hade to that conclusion, after leaving him with no other theories. Else, he would go insane, just trying to ponder it. "A future I must avoid at all cost." That being said, he took all the tomes present and ced that back in his inventory. Why inventory? Because most likely, Jin had sess to his inventory. He wanted Jin to know. To know that he was onto him, and that he had found everything out. "Huu¡­." Soon after, he left Ciel''s room and returned home. Chapter 294: Circles [1] The next day. Brandon closely observed Reinhard as per Bellion''s request. At the moment, they were currently practicing their magic circle refinement, under Delton''s guidance. Of course, it was general knowledge that the more intricate their magic circles were, the stronger the magic was. However, it varied, depending on a mage''s magic core tier. If a tier five mage''s magic circle wasckluster, it would contain more firepowerpared to a tier three''s perfected magic circle. However, Brandon had a slight problem in blending in with the ss. None of his skills required perfecting magic circles. They were already perfect as is by automation. Brandon had already known it was because of the system. For that reason, the ss was useless to him. But still, he didn''t miss the opportunity. "Cadet Brandon Locke." Delton, who caught sight of him doing push¨Cups, approached him. "Why aren''t you practicing?" "Huu¡­." Brandon got up and dusted his clothes, stopping at the 129th push up. "Sir, I''ve reached the limit to how much I can alter my circuits in relevance to my mana core." "Is that so?" Although Brandon''s rtionship was quite good with Delton, he could see the look of doubt in Delton''s eyes. "Then show me." "Uh¡­." Brandon didn''t mind. Since what he had just stated was quite bold, maybe appearing arrogant, he took on the challenge. Most probably, Delton wanted to assess whether his words were true. After all, during his public humiliation of Raven, it would be quite hard to observe his magic circle''s intricacies amidst the chaos. Brandon felt several nces his way, but dismissing them, he extended his hand forward. Whiii¡ª At that moment, a magic circle materialized on the ground, a chain peeking out. Delton leaned close and observed the magic circle, pinching his chin. Then, his eyes widened in astonishment. "This¡­." Delton''s eyes immediately flicked towards Brandon. "What tier is your mana core?" "Five." "...." Delton pped his mouth at that moment. Brandon could hear audible gasps around him, mixed with murmurs, and the sound of magic circles materializing. A mixed reaction, some were probably shocked, while some were busy and stuck to their own business. "It all makes sense now." As if realization had washed over him, Delton''s eyes grew wider. "This magic circle had been seamlessly altered to perfection¡­. Much more so than any tier five mages¡­. Even me¡­." That meant, Delton, the instructor appointed to this ss after Zeke was pronounced missing, was a tier five mage himself. "Can you spar with me, Cadet Brandon Locke?" "Hm?" Spar? Was this just his childish tendencies? Was his ego hurt? Or does he simply just want to assess him? Regardless, Brandon epted the offer. After all, who wouldn''t miss out on the opportunity to spar with an instructor? While being of the same tier, experiences vary. For that reason, Brandon wanted topare their experiences. Just like that, the two stood opposite ends. Since Brandon was well versed with fighting with a sword, Delton allowed him to do so. He, on the other hand, was a full fledged mage. The other cadets, including his friends, stood and watched the entire ordeal with curious gazes. Just who was stronger between them? Brandon Locke, who had overthrown Raven ckheart as the strongest in their ss. Or Delton, their current instructor, who had been with them ever since the school year started? Now that Brandon thought about it, his appearance here was quite funny. His entrance was humiliating Raven right in front of everyone. And now? The same might happen to their instructor. Not out of sheer arrogance, but Brandon just felt it happening. "You may be a tier five just like me, Cadet Brandon Locke. But how far have youe in manifesting your zone?" "I do have a zone." "...." Yet again, audible gasps arose, filling the entire training hall. But that reaction was expected. After all, it was highly likely that Brandon was the only cadet who could manifest a zone in this ss. Especially so, since he was the only fifth tier mage present, with the exception of Delton. "But are you aware of zone''s varieties? How everyone''s zone''s are quite different." There were two categories of zones. Internal, and external. For Brandon''s case, it was external. Of course, he was well aware of that. External zones, where an istion domain materialized,pletely trapping their opponents inside a ne where they had full control. Internal zones on the other hand, did not create an istion domain. Instead, their abilities heightened ording to their will during the manifestation procedure. Brandon was well aware that his zone did in fact, note from his system. For that reason, he needed to perfect his zone. At the moment, all his zone could really do was widen the range of his magic. Having full control of where his zone stretched out, manifesting magic in its in. "Yes, I''m aware. In my case, mine''s external." "Ah, as for me, it''s internal." So it seems like Brandon''s conjectures were correct. Delton''s zone was internal. "But apologies, Sir. I don''t n on showing my trump card anytime soon." Not as if Brandon''s zone was his trump card. But he was well aware how absurd his zone is. A zone that was neither isted, nor stuck close to him. A mix of both. Meaning, he lied. Brandon''s zone was a mix of both. Internal, and external. By Delton''s signal, the fighting started. At that moment, Brandon''s figure blurred, the ground split from where he once stood, appearing right before Delton with his sword aiming to strike. nk¡ª! However, Delton was quick to react, immediately conjuring barrier magic. A magic circle materialized,pletely repelling Brandon''s attack as Delton skidded back several meters. "Huu¡­ If I waste by a sheer margin, I would''ve lost there." Delton began to assess, keeping his guard up. "That attack packed quite a punch. I didn''t see your sword move at all." At this moment, Brandon knew his training was well worth it. The speed of his swinging had gone faster, to the point where one needed to focus just to follow his sword''s trajectory. But still, Evelyn''s was faster. It wasn''t enough. "Let me show you a little trick or two, Cadet Brandon Locke." At that moment, Delton pressed his fingers. The air began to change around him as magic power surged, converging themselves, fixing a golden aura around Delton. It was his zone. Magic circles began to scatter around Delton. "....!" Brandon''s rm bells rang. Kracka! Kracka! Bolts of lightning shot out from the circle, heading towards Brandon in rapid session. Immediately, Brandon kicked the ground, narrowly dodging the attack. However, as he flicked his attention back to Delton, there, Brandon saw a ball of fireball, blocking his peripheral vision. "Ah." So Delton, Swoosh! .....Was a Deviant. Chapter 295: Circles [2] Brandon hurriedly scurried away upon realizing the fireball upon him. But as soon as he did, another bolt of lightning was on its way. Kracka! Kracka! A myriad of attacks, consisting of mes and lightning were hurled towards him in rapid session. They seemed endless. For that reason, Brandon surmised it corrted to Delton''s zone. Most probably, his zone allowed him to unleash a barrage of magic,pletely disregarding theplexities of conducting a magic circle. However, Brandon could do just the same. Without a Zone at that. At that moment, while swiftly dodging the sparks of magic, Brandon muttered. "Phantasm." Fog began to fill the room gradually, its monochromatic colors seeped in, obscuring the vicinity. "Woah." "What kind of affinity is this?" Mixed reactions urred from the cadets'' present. A blend of awe and perplexion, trying to peer into Brandon''s peculiar skill. At that moment, Brandon saw the pathways in his peripheral vision, scattered through the fog. And of course, he could see Delton''s silhouette a mile away. Then, he reached out and grabbed the pathways. Swoosh¡ª! He appeared before Delton, Brandon cleaved down. But in an instant, a small magic circle, just urate enough to block the trajectory of his de, materialized. nk¡ª! Both Brandon and Delton skidded back on impact, sparks flying in the air. However, Brandon didn''t give both of them time to catch their breaths as he appeared before Delton once again. This time, he lowered the output of his attack. Sparks flew once again as his de and Delton''s barrier magic shed. Subtly maneuvering his fingers, enough for Delton to miss, threads loomed,tching onto Delton''s muscles. With a light tug of the string, Delton''s arms abruptly raised up and he gnashed his teeth in frustration. At that moment, Brandon swung forward, swiftly cleaving Delton''s torso, sending him flying back. Bang! Brandon followed up, grabbing the pathway ahead of him, and appearing in front of Delton, who was down on one knee. However, as soon as Brandon appeared, sparks of magic conjured from all sides. Lightning and mes stuck to him close and ignited Boom¡ª! "Kh¡­!" Brandon groaned in pain. He knew his defenses werecking, but he didn''t think it would hurt this much from a single attack by Delton. He had to give him credit for it. Trying to get up, Brandon felt several gazes on him. Most probably they began to question whether Brandon could actually beat the instructor or not. While losing didn''t actually amount to much since he was fighting an instructor, and most likely wouldn''t affect his standing in the academy, regardless, Brandon wanted to win. He had fought several opponents stronger than him in the past. The most notable one being Lumian, an S ranked mage. Most probably, of the sixth tier. As long as he was thoroughly prepared, he knew he could beat anyone up to a certain point in the ranking''s hierarchy. Phantasm had two unique distinctives. One was the emergence of fog, filling the vicinity with pathways in the manner of mist¨Clike appearance, allowing Brandon to merge himself with the fog in a maic manner, pulling himself to the said pathway. Second, a distinction he had yet to master. To intricately contour the fog, forming a silhouette akin to his own figure. He had only been able to use it during the fight with Lumian after boosting himself with sacrifices through binding vow, and setting the stage where Lumian couldn''t fight back. Hence, thorough preparations. It was a pity how he had sacrificed most of his previous skills. He was well aware of Skill Weaver''s potential, giving him the flexibility to adapt to any fight with his skills. But now that he had restricted himself, forbidden from ever using Skill Weaver, he could only rely on his sole affinity. [Curse] However, it wasn''t all that bad. After all, he now had to trudge each fight skillfully instead of relying on an abundance of skills he did not deserve. For him, fighting with pure skill, calcting each of his movements and its effects was much better than repeatedly throwing skills around meaninglessly. ng! ng! Their attacks shed continuously, not one side giving out as the audience watched in awe. At that moment, chains appeared from all sides, repelled by an equal amount of magic circles¡ªbarrier magic. ng¡ª! Delton had let his guard down, his sole focus on the chains. Then, Brandon''s sword cleaved down. However, as if a miracle happened, another magic circle appeared and instantly blocked Brandon''s attack. Brandon could see the look on Delton''s face, as if he were carrying weight, brows furrowed and teeth gritted. However, one fatal mistake was all it took for Brandon to seize victory. Delton hadn''t noticed it. After all, Brandon was subtle with it, pretending like each his sword was the main attack. "It''s my win, Sir Delton." "....?" At that moment, the threads revealed themselves as Brandon expended quite a bit more mana, enough for Delton, who focused everything on blocking the chains and his sword, to perceive them. The threads had been wrapped around Delton''s neck. All Brandon needed to do was clench his fist, and the threads would do their job. "I guess it is¡­." A defeated look spread across Delton''s face as his head dropped down. "Damn!" "That''s crazy¡­." And the cadets began to react, murmuring with one another. *** There was absolutely no reason for the spar to even ur. It was nothing but the instructor''s ego hurting That''s how it seemed to Brandon anyway, judging by how the fight went. He could swear Delton was out for his blood. However, Brandon was given clearance for that reason. If he would rather ascend to ss A, learning what the other cadets'' who were well on their way to breaching the S rank. Of course, Brandon didn''t want to miss the opportunity. To be in the same ss as Amelia and Belle. But he had some conditions in mind. That was the reason why he was now standing right before Bellion, who was seated on his desk. After checking the documents, Bellion raised his head and looked at Brandon. "I can approve this. There was no reason for you to be in that ss anyway." "You''re the one who assigned me there¡­." "Well, it was requested by your sister." Ah. So his conjectures were correct. It really was Belle who set it all up. "But can I make a request?'' Brandon asked. "If it''s not too tedious, then it''s fine. What is it?" "I''d like to take Raven ckheart with me. And since you''ve asked me to observe Reinhard closely, would it be possible to set it up?" "Raven ckheart, huh? It''s possible, but he might not be able to keep up. As for Reinhard, I don''t think it''s possible." "Then what do you expect me to do about him?" "You don''t have to watch him ''too'' closely." There was a heavy emphasis on ''too'' in Bellion''s tone. "Just look out for him like a friend. You two are close, right?" "Yeah. Okay, I can do that." "Okay, that''s all I need. For Raven¡­. Hmm¡­. He''ll need to prove himself first." "I see." Then, Brandon changed the topic. It was time for ''that'' conversation. "Anyway, about Zeke. I''ve got evidence." "Oh? About time. I was just about to throw you to jail for abducting in broad daylight." "You would''ve died if you had done that." Brandon''s lips pulled up into a grin after those words left his mouth. Hearing those words, Bellion clutched his chest. "When is this¡­. curse gonna lift?" "Give it three weeks." That being said, Brandon presented the recording device on Bellion''s table. Bellioned looked at it intently. The recording device¡­. Knowing what was recorded in the device, if Brandon had to be honest, it was the most valuable item in this country at the moment. Then, he yed the recording. The first audible sound was the rattling of chains. ng! ng! Then, Zeke''s hoarse voice echoed shortly after. ¡ªI don''t know. I''ve been merely following orders. Brandon''s cool voice echoed as he asked questions, and Zeke would answer each of them, his tone carrying hopelessness. The exchange between the two continued like that for a while, until the words naturally flowed out of Zeke''s mouth, to the point where Brandon didn''t even need to ask. ¡ªYou¡­. Zeke''s voice trembled. ¡ªYou have no idea what they are¡­. They¡­. I¡­. I''ve seen them only once¡­. ¡ªMonsters¡­. Monsters that transcend all reasoning¡­. Our military aside¡­. It''s way more superior than what you folks have here¡­. ¡ªBut they aren''t even the main thing¡­. Those monsters¡­.. Then, Brandon''s voice followed. ¡ªSpit it out! What are you talking about!? Brandon''s voice, a bit panicked. He could recall the entire ordeal, and he knew just what he felt at that moment. Fear. Despite sacrificing the fear emotion, he knew that was what he was supposed to be feeling. ¡ªThey¡­. They call themselves the Sin of Archbishops¡­. They have these powers¡­. I can''t exin it¡­. But¡­. Wraiths¡­. Yes, simr to Wraiths! ¡ªBut no, they aren''t Wraithbounds¡­. Far from it¡­. Far stronger¡­. Humans, yet not humans¡­. ¡ªStronger than anything I''ve ever seen¡­. Brandon knew just what those entities were. Not exactly what they were, but who they served, and where their power came from. The Circles of Hell The strongest Wraiths, consisting of; Sloth, Pride, Wrath, Gluttony, Envy, Lust, Greed, Mncholy, and Vainglory. And it had to be said¡­. His memories of Raven ckheart of the previous regressions. He had only met one of the Circles. The Sin of Mncholy. And ultimately, ¡­.It led to Raven''s death in one of the progressions. Chapter 296: Circles [3] "Archbishops¡­." Brandon could see the look of confusion in Bellion''s face. But it couldn''t be helped. He didn''t know anything. In fact, this was the first time Brandon had heard of such a group. He was only aware of their corrtion to the Circles of Hell, but the full extent of their powers and their identities were a mystery to him. For some reason, no matter how much he peered into the memories of Raven, there were no signs of any Archbishops, or any Milis officer that harbored simr traits to a Wraith''s power. Was it for the best? Because this progression is ''different?'' Whichever it was, Brandon could care less. Whatever foes he might face in the future, he only had one objective. To thoroughly crush them. With those thoughts in mind, he clenched his fist. But he was soon broken out of his thoughts as Bellion spoke. "Good job. I''ll ry this to the other officers." "Sure." Then, Bellion changed the topic. "How are those artifactsing along?" "It''s going smoothly so far. Thanks to Sir Jain¡ª" "Hiee¡ª" "....?" He could swear he had just heard Bellion yelp, his body twitching. However, he quickly dismissed it. There was no way someone as imposing as Bellion would make such a sound, akin to a little girl screaming. ''Must''ve been the wind.'' "Kuhum. Sorry, I thought I heard something. Anyway, thanks to Sir Jain¡ª" "Hiee¡ª" "...." Okay, now he wasn''t hearing things. This old fart¡­. "Sir Jain¡ª" "Hieee¡ª" "The fuck is wrong with you?" "Sorry. Just some¡­. trauma." Right, his reactions were understandable. Brandon would be a hypocrite to judge him for reacting that way when it came to trauma. For whatever kind of past Bellion had with Jain, Brandon could care less. "Thanks to ''him,''" He had to change his wordings. "We were able to increasebor. Prototypes safe for use should be ready in two months." "Is that so? I''ll be expecting them then." With that out of the way, there was one more question lingering in Brandon''s mind. "Bellion, do you know anyone named Lianna?" "Lianna?" Bellion rubbed his chin, seemingly pondering. "Lianna¡­. Lianna¡­." "I saw her during the awarding ceremony. I didn''t know who she was. For that reason, I couldn''t help but think she might be from Milis." "Ah, Lianna Venice." "So you know her?" "Yes, one of our fresh recruits. Her background checks out, she''s not from Milis." "I see." Brandon felt relief upon hearing the confirmation. There was no need to be on edge. "Any other questions?" Bellion asked. "None that I can think of." "Alright. Anyway, about your ss transfership, are you sure about this? No need for any paperwork, I can approve it right now." "Yeah, I need to take those upper sses. I''m pretty sure I''m overqualified for ss B." "How arrogant." A smirk spread across Bellion''s face after saying those words. "Delton said it. Can you me me?" Brandon just shrugged his shoulders in response. "Yeah, yeah. Approved, you''ll be taking them starting from tomorrow. Make sure you don''t get lost trying to find the right room." "Who am I, Raven?" "Haha! Not bad." "Pfft¡­." The two found humor in talking behind Raven''s back. "Ah!" As if Bellion had just recalled something, he snapped his fingers. Snap¡ª! "We''ll be conducting the raid next week. You wanted to take part in it, correct?" "Yes." Brandon nodded his head. It was about time. However, he particrly didn''t care about the raid. He had just wanted toplete a certain objective. To retrieve theatosed Rafael Asami. After all, Brandon tasked hispany to create a facility to specifically treat Rafael, using medicated technology often used in the syndicate. He could do at least this much for Rachel. "Anyway, that''s all. Your break should start soon. Can''t believe you skipped out on your lectures." "Can''t learn anything from there." "I wonder where your arrogancees from¡­." "Heh." Just like that, Brandon headed for the door. But just as he was about to twist the doorknob, he had to leave Bellion with a parting gift. "Jain." "Hieeee¡ª" "Heh." *** "Psst¡­" Brandon, who had volunteered to get something from the academy''s storage room, was walking around the halls, when he spotted the familiar sight of Amelia, and called out to her. "Hm?" Amelia turned back around. As soon as she did, their gazes met. "What are you doing? Shouldn''t you be in ss?" Amelia asked. "I can say the same for you." "Ah, I was just in the bathroom." "Oh, I was told to get something from the storage room. Something called a mana regtor. Wanna help me find it?" "Hmm¡­." Amelia began to ponder, rubbing her chin. "I think I know where it is. Alright, I''ll take you there." "Thanks." Truth be told, he had barely seen Amelia in the past few days. She had been busy juggling academics and Imperial Army matters. For that reason, she had beening homete. It had to be said that Brandon had beening homete as well. He had barely seen Aurelia as well, these past few days. Whenever he arrived home, Aurelia would always be asleep, apanied by Brianna. Of course, Belle had also beening homete. They had all been quite busy with their own matters. Then, they entered the storage room. Brandon stood and looked around as Amelia looked for the mana regtor. There were several artifacts stowed in the room. Artifacts that would most probably be used in specific tests or exams. "It should be here." Amelia, on her tippy-toes, extended her hand up, reaching out to grab the artifact. "Found it¡ªAh?" But just as she was about to grab it, Brandon appeared right behind her and wrapped his arms around her abdomen, his chin resting on her shoulder. "What are you doing¡­.?" "I missed you." Amelia lowered her hand and wrapped her arm around his, her other hand on his cheek. "Me too. I''m sorry we can''t spend much time togethertely. Things have been really busy." "It''s fine. I''ve been quite busy as well. But I''ve got good news." "What is it?" Amelia asked as she caressed his cheek. "I''m moving to your ss starting tomorrow. We''ll be able to see each other everyday." "Really?" "Yeah. It''s been approved since there was nothing for me to gain in the lower sses." "Guess you''ll be stuck to me like glue then." "...." Brandon remained silent. However, at that moment, Amelia, whose back was still against his body, turned her head slightly. She pulled Brandon''s head closer to hers, their lips barely an inch and he could feel her warm breaths on his face. Then, Amelia leaned her face close, their lips pressed against each other. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! Brandon felt the quickening of his heartbeat, its drumming sound echoing in his ears amidst the silence that overtook the room upon realizing that Amelia took the initiative, kissing him. Then, Amelia pulled back, smiling teasingly as her index finger pressed on his lips. "That''s your reward for working hard. It''s kind of disappointing how you didn''t receive a medal¡­. I would''veined if you allowed me to." "I don''t mind. It was my request after all. Plus, this reward is way better than any kind of medal." "Is that so~?" "I need more." This time, Brandon took the initiative and leaned his face close. Amelia had no objections as the two kissed each other yet again. However, unlike before, it was just the simple act of their lips pressing against each other as Amelia pulled away. "I think that''s enough. Any more, and I''d be spoiling you¡ª" "I want more." "Eh¡ªNmh¡­" Brandon paid no heed to her words as he leaned closer once again. With his hands on her waist, he turned Amelia around. The two, facing each other without breaking the kiss. "We''ll bete¡ªMmh~" Once again, ignoring her words, Brandon continued to seal another kiss. Amelia''s arms wrapped around his neck as her back imnted on the wall. At that moment, Brandon lifted her leg up, pressing his body against hers, his other hand snaking around her waist. "Mmmh~" In the passing seconds, while the sound of Amelia''s asional whimpers echoed, the kiss grew more intense¡­. More passionate. "Nmmh~" Their tongues intertwined, as if they were beasts fighting for control. The taste of Amelia''s tongue around his felt intoxicating, as sweet as nectar, and Brandon''s head began to spin. "Mmh¡ªPwah!" Finally, the kiss broke. A line of saliva connecting both of their tongue, dripping down as they pulled away from one another, Brandon could see the reddening of Amelia''s cheek, as well as her ears. ''Cute.'' He felt incredibly lucky. Lucky that this beautiful woman was his, and that he was hers, Amelia wiped her drenched mouth with a handkerchief before speaking. "What''s with you today?" She said with a warm smile on her face. "That was your reward." Brandon, who was wiping his mouth as well with a handkerchief, said. "Hm?" Amelia''s head curiously tilted. With her finger on her lips, she went on to say, "I think I need more too?" "...." A sudden urge rose within Brandon upon hearing those words. If she said that¡­. Then how could he hold back? Just as he was about to lean in for another kiss, Amelia flusteredly waved her hand. "Ah, wait, wait! I was kidding...!" "You asked for it." "Ah¡ªWe''ll bete¡ªNmh...!" Chapter 297: District [1] "Looks like I''ll be transferring sses tomorrow." "Huh? But you''ve only been in this ss for two weeks¡­." A dejected look spread across Raven''s face, hearing the news of Brandon transferring sses. Seeing this, Brandon ced his hand on Raven''s shoulder, consoling him with a smirk. "But it''s not just me." "Hm?" "Good luck, cadet. You''ll need it." "Uh¡­.?" Then, Brandon walked away. Raven stood alone at the center of thebat hall, bewildered by the other cadets watching him. After all, Brandon had specifically told Delton to keep it a surprise. Why? Just to mess with Raven. Brandon sat right next to Reinhard and watched the entire scene unfold. He nced at Reinhard at that moment, stirring up a conversation. "Do you want to transfer sses too?" Reinhard turned his head slightly, meeting Brandon''s gaze. "I don''t think I''m qualified for it." "You''re pretty strong yourself, Rein." "Nah, I honestly don''t know why I''m still here." As if realizing what he had just said, Reinhard shook his head and changed the topic. "Nevermind. Yeah, I don''t mind transferring sses. It''d be better for me in the long¨Crun if I underwent their hellish trainingpared to this." Of course, Brandon picked up on everything. From his tone, to the little gestures he made from time to time. Just those signs were enough for him to tell that there was something internally wrong with Reinhard. For a second there, Reinhard sounded like he wanted to drop out of the academy. "Okay, good luck then." "Hm?" "You''re next after Raven." "Wha¡ª" "Use this chance, Rein. I''ve set it up for you." "...." Reinhard just sat still, looking at him with a dumbfounded expression. However, Brandon''s words seemed to have reached him as he stifled a smile shortly after. "Alright." Maybe that''s what Reinhard needed. Someone who didn''t try to stop, but a friend who actively believes in his endeavors. But if that''s the case, does Raven know? Probably not. Of course, Brandon could''ve asked Bellion. But judging by how the request was given, it seemed like Bellion wouldn''t say anything. Meaning, the only way for him to find out is to personally ask Reinhard if he ever opens up to him. At that, the two fixed their attention on the ongoing fight between Raven and Delton. For some reason, they used Brandon''s basis as a clearance to ascend to the upper ss. No, it seems like they added something to the criteria, now that Brandon took a good look. *** The mana regtor. An artifact that lowered the output of mana cores. It was albeit¡ªdifferent from Brandon''s, since Delton himself suppressed his mana core to be of the same tier as Raven''s. Meaning, Raven had a fighting chance. Most probably, instead of assessing where his manay, Delton had chosen to evaluate Raven for his raw skills alone. After all, Raven was a duelist. And so, he had to prove himself as a duelist. At that moment, Raven''s figure darkened like a shadow, appearing before Delton¡ªwho had the look of fire in his eyes. A bright golden aura surrounded Delton after activated his zone. A myriad of magic circles began to appear. A mixture of lightning and fireshed out in rapid session. But what Delton didn''t know was Raven''s skill. [Reflection] Raven was at his best whenever he fought a mage. He was a perfect counter against any mage in this generation. Swoosh¡ª! Just as the magic was about to hit Raven, swiftly swinging his dagger, the charge of magic reflected back and headed towards Delton¡ªa look of surprise shed in his face as his eyes shot wide open. However, quickly reacting, a magic circle appeared,pletely dismantling the onrushing magic. Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! The air around them grew heavy as the two exchanged attacks one after another. "Uh¡­?" Brandon found himself stupefied upon seeing the sight. It looked as if they were ying¡­. Tennis¡­? As if the fireball was the golf ball, the two''s attacks continued to repel towards each other. It was getting ridiculous at this point. "That looks kind of fun." Amy¡ªwho was leaning right on the chair''s recliner, the same seat Brandon was seated on, said. However, just as the exchange was about to ur, something different happened. "Hm?" With his arms crossed, Brandon scrutinized intently, squinting his eyes. For a brief second, he could swear he had just seen a veil of shadow coalesce around Raven, but disappeared as quickly as it appeared. ''Am I seeing things right?'' It looked like¡­.. an internal zone? But that didn''t make any sense. He could solemnly swear Raven''s mana core was a tier four. If that''s the case, then he had to give Raven a lot more credit. *** "Huu¡­.." Raven took deep heavy breaths, exhausted by the repeated usage of [Reflection]. However, Delton seemed to share the same sentiments as him. Evident by his chest heaving up and down, and his rather distorted expressions. Sparks flew in the air, Raven¡ªwho could instantly shatter any barrier magic¡ªor rather¡ªthe magic circles barrier magic produced. He knew it was unheard of. That he¡ªhimself was an anomaly amongst duelists. The only duelist who could easily bridge the gap between mages and duelists. He had been frustrated for a long while. That his efforts went unnoticed. Hailed as the strongest in his ss due to his strength¡ªbut never having the approval of the instructors¡ªjust because he was a duelist. They may have never stated it. But he could tell that was the exact reason why they never noticed his abilities. For that reason, he took the challenge. This stage was set for him. For him to shine. To show the instructors what he was truly capable of. But if he had to be honest. If he didn''t have [Reflection], this fight would''ve been a lot harder. Swoosh¡ª! With bated breaths, Raven cleaved down. Magic circles shattered around Delton. Seizing the opportunity, Raven''s dagger swung forward, right until the tip of his dagger was an inch close to Delton''s neck. Raven wanted to pat himself in the back for this. After losing to Brandon twice, especially in front of his ssmates, he couldn''t help but feel an overwhelming sense of achievement. That he too was strong. "Haaa¡­. I win." Delton, who stared at the dagger for a brief moment, before eventuallynding his gaze on Raven, opened his mouth. "Congrattions." And that was it. This entire ascension opportunity wasid out by Brandon. It became apparent to Raven after Brandon''s recent endeavor. It might''ve not been possible to have this opportunity as a regr cadet, but with Brandon''s connections, he had made it possible. While thinking back on what might happen tomorrow, a mix of excitement and dejectment boiled within him. Excited that he could finally take the upper sses after a month and two weeks in the academy, and sadness that he would have to leave his friends'' sses. To leave Amy''s ss. But¡­. He knew it shouldn''t be like this. He was well aware that his friends didn''t want to hold him back. A decision to choose his future overcency. If the others wanted to catch up with him and Brandon, then they had to work hard. Raven shifted his gaze towards the audience. Two ice¨Cblue eyes looked back at him, giving him a thumbs up and a smile. Raven returned the gesture, clenching his fist in the air. For him, he had given his all in this fight¡ªevident by the adrenaline and the sweat dripping down. It was for that reason why he couldn''t hold back on celebrating. "Yessssss!" His scream echoed throughout the entirebat hall, his fist clenching in the air. Finally, after all those grueling training inside the Special Force headquarters. The beatings he took from Reina and the other members. His efforts¡ªafter cutting out on sleep just to train¡ªto finally increase his stats to the A ranks¡­. Had finallye into fruition. Chapter 298: District [2] While everyone had mixed reactions for Reinhard. Some curious, some showing contempt, while some could care less, his next words however, had grabbed all of their attention. "I give up." "Hm?" Delton curiously tilted his head. The same went for the others, who looked at Reinhard dumbfounded. "Are you serious?" "Seeing how Raven had a difficult time against you, I realized I had no chance, Sir." "Is that the kind of attitude a future officer of this country should have?" Delton''s brows furrowed, a look of displeasure. "I don''t think I should aspire for such a grand future, Sir." "You¡­." Delton couldn''t find any words to retort with. If this was Reinhard''s conviction, then who was anyone to say otherwise? Reinhard''s future was none of their problems. Brandon scanned the entire ordeal with narrowed eyes. ''The fuck are you doing, Rein?'' He had initially thought his words had reached Reinhard. Turns out, it was nothing but a fleeting thought. It seemed like Reinhard hade to a decision to stay in this ss, letting the opportunity of ascending to upper sses slip away. Clearly, there was something wrong with him. As Brandon turned his head to the side, he could see the look of concern on ire''s expressions, clutching the handle of the railings tightly. Now that he thought about it, recalling back a week ago, there seemed to have been something ire wanted to say to him, but hesitating to do so. As if she had a request for him. Could it have been rted to Reinhard? Then, Does she know something about it? Brandon returned his attention back to the center of thebat hall. He had to ask ireter. "Yo, guys." Reinhard approached them. In contrast to what he had just done, he looked to be in a jovial mood. As if giving up without even fighting back didn''t bother him at all. "Why did you do that, Rein?" Brandon asked just as Reinhard was about to take a seat beside him. "Oh?" Reinhard paused with raised brows. "It''s just not my time yet. I know how to choose my fights. I''ve got no chance against the instructor." "...." Brandon remained silent, digesting Reinhard''s words as Reinhard took a seat right beside him. When he put it that way, what he said made kind of sense. After all, why would anyone waste time in a fight they were bound to lose? However, there were certain implications a few seconds ago. Ones that Brandon couldn''t ignore. Such as; ''I don''t think I should aspire for such a grand future, Sir.'' It was off¨Cputting. It sounded as if Reinhard wasn''t looking forward to the future. With those thoughts ingrained in his mind, Brandon turned his head and looked at Reinhard. "Is there something wrong?" "Hm?" Reinhard looked at him back, tilting his head. "Why do you ask¡­?" "It''s nothing. But if you have any problems, you can talk to me. To us." "Where''s all thising from?" "Just saying." Brandon leaned his head close to the railings, resting his chin on his arms. "Heh. Okay." At that, the two fixed their attention to Delton, who had just finished patching things up. Shortly after, his voice echoed. ¡ªWill that be all? This is only the opportunity you have to ascend to the upper sses. For a second, Brandon had definitely heard Delton mutter, ''Please end this. Why am I the instructor appointed for this?'' But it had to be noted that if they were to fail the upper sses, they would return to ss B. Meaning, it would be a waste of time. However, there were others who didn''t want to miss the opportunity. "I''d like to try, Sir." "Me!" ¡ªHaaa¡­. Delton breathed an exhausted sigh. But quicklyposed himself, exuding his usual stern demeanor. ¡ªI mean¡­.e. Line up. Only a total of five participants will be epted. For the others, you''re free to leave. After all, the lesson had already ended. The ascension procedure took ce right after the lessons. *** Reinhard''s issues aside, there was something Brandon had yet to aplish. For that reason, he immediately headed for the lower floors of the academy. Precisely, the first floor, where the sses D to F were located. From what he knew, the students who were well below average were in those sses. But maybe below average was too harsh. They were mostly students who had still yet to grasp the usage of mana. For that reason, the demographic age group varied. It was also a good chance to visit an acquaintance. Carl. ''I wonder how he''s doing.'' He had left the boy under the Imperial Army''s hands, providing him with shelter¡ªthe Imperial Academy dorms, and tuition fee. After all, it was a request from Field Marshal Omar Locke''s son himself, how could they refuse? Brandon peeked through the small window of the door. There were cadets present, but no instructor. It seems like some cadets stayed behind during break, and as he looked to the side, the halls bustled with activity. Cadets chattering with one another, deciding on where they should eat. That being said, Brandon entered the room. Creaaaaak¡­. Immediately, eyes fell on the opening door, hearing the creaking sound, and eventually, their gazesnded on Brandon, who had just entered the lecture hall. "Anyone know who that is?" "No." Seems like they didn''t recognize him. It was an expected reaction. After all, these guys had barely scratched the surface of magic, focusing more on the basic applications. While some¡ªhere without a care in the world. Most probably because their parents had forced them to attend the academy. Regardless, Brandon paid no heed to them, walking nonchntly. However, as he looked around, it seemed like Carl wasn''t here. However, "Ah." The person he was looking for was. His features exactly matched the description from the files Matthew had sent him. A scrawny blonde boy¡ªa little bit on the shorter side, with green eyes, adorning sses. Brandon approached him. The boy was fiddling on his phone. But soon, a figure shaded over him. Upon realizing Brandon was standing next to him, he immediately flipped his phone on the table and raised his head, meeting Brandon''s gaze. "Uh¡­. How can I help you?" "Nathan Ramsay?" "Yes, that''s me. You are¡­?" "Brandon Locke, ss B." "Oh¡­. shit." He had definitely heard Nathan whisper a curse upon hearing the ''Locke'' surname. However, Brandon dismissed it and continued. "I''d like to ask you something." Brandon looked around. The others, who seemed to be staring at him, averted their gaze. In particr, the girls. Then, he looked back at Nathan. "But this isn''t the appropriate ce to ask. Can we take this somewhere else?" "Uh¡­. Just ask here?" "Are you sure?" "Yeah, sure." The boy appeared ratherx. Unknowingly, the corner of Brandon''s lips pulled, grinning. "If you say so." "....?" "Kuhum." Brandon cleared his throat and swallowed, loud enough to the point where the room fell silent, attention fixed on him. With his thoughts clear, Brandon spoke barely audibly, just enough for Nathan to hear. "I heard you''re the one who created that blog ranking the women in the academy?" "What are you¡ª" p¡ª! Immediately, Nathan flinched and his eyes shot wide open. He abruptly stood up and was just about to cover Brandon''s mouth, when Brandon smacked his hand away and continued speaking for everyone to hear. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." However, Nathan feigned ignorance. Regardless, his expressions betrayed his words as Brandon could see his brows start to twitch. Brandon leaned close to Nathan''s ears and whispered. "Why don''t we take this outside? If you refuse, I don''t mind exposing you to the whole academy. You know what that means, right?" "Expose? I don''t even know anything about tha¡ª" However, at that moment, Brandon held his phone up, showing the screen which disyed Nathan''s key information. The sheer act alone was enough to silence Nathan as he nodded his head with no objections. "Good." *** The two were currently in a spare lecture room. It was dark, and there was no one around. "Anyway, let me re¨Cintroduced myself." The first one to have broken the silence was Brandon. "I am Brandon Locke. The younger brother of Belle Locke, and Amelia Constantine''s boyfriend." "....!" Hearing those names, Nathan shuddered. Brandon hadn''t even shown his abilities yet, but Nathan was already reacting as if he couldn''t retaliate. This gave Brandon the impression that this boy''s magic power wascking, having no confidence in his own abilities. "You know where I''m getting at, right?" "....Y-Yes." "Take down the site." Brandon''s eyes narrowed. "Now." "Y-Yes, I will! I''m sorry¡­! P-Please don''t tell anyone¡­.. I''ll lose my future!" "I won''t." "Y-You won''t¡­.?" In the first ce, Brandon had never nned on doing so in the first ce. He saw potential in Nathan. After all, a boy as young as him was able to create something that barely had any trace leading back to him. The only reason Matthew was able to find him was because of his magic. And still, it took him a whole week just to find key information regarding Nathan. "On the condition that you work for me." "....W-Work¡­ for you?" Chapter 299: District [3] Thankfully, he had managed to get Nathan on his side. Though the boy may have still harbored fear for him. After that, Brandon diligently attended his lectures. Once again, his muscles were sore. For that reason, he massaged his tense shoulders. It was currently night. Brandon adorned a ck hoodie and a ck cap, blending into the shade of night. That being said, Brandon began his operation. *** Reinhard had been doing this for three years. For that reason, rumors about him began to sprout. Stating how he was a womanizer, and he would have a different girlfriend every week. But it was bullshit. Just a stupid misunderstanding. Regardless, he didn''t care. Nor did he try denying those rumors. There was no turning back from them. However, recently the rumors began to die down. After all, he didn''t need to expose himself so tantly now. Why? Because he had somewhat climbed the hierarchy of the group. But that begs the question? What group? The red light district. "Ah~ Reinhard~! Wee back~!" Upon entering the establishment, what greeted Reinhard''s sight was a woman with sleek ck hair, wearing rather obscene clothing. Around him, there were several customers being served drinks and food. Waitresses wearing clothing that exposed a bit too much skin entertained them. "Madam is waiting for you. But¡­." The woman looked at him seductively, licking her lips. "Maybe you can take a small detour~? I''m kind of lonely these days~." "No." Reinhard dismissed her immediately. Of course, the woman had already expected this reaction from Reinhard. After all, despiteing here for three years, not once had he ever indulged in their requests. "I''ll be going now." "Ah~" That being said, Reinhard took the stairs, heading into an authorized room. A woman stood by the window, taking in the sight of the city. Her silky tinum blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders. And as she turned around, noticing his arrival, her crimson gaze met his and Reinhard swallowed. For some reason, whenever he was in the same room with this woman, Reinhard felt a sense of arousal within him. Shortly after, Reinhard opened his mouth. "I''m here. Miss Lianna." *** "Am I seeing this right?" The hell¡­.? What''s Reinhard doing in the red¨Clight district? "I mean¡­." He had heard of the rumors of surrounding Reinhard, but judging from his actual personality, they all seemed pretty far¨Cfetched. After all, not once had Brandon ever seen Reinhard with a woman. "Ah, wait." Nevermind, there was one person. ire. "And¡­. Nevermind, that is no woman in my book." ire was more like a gori. Seeing how Reinhard had just entered the establishment, Brandon knew just where to go. However, he didn''t want to expose his identity. He would be in deep trouble if Amelia found out. For that reason, he quickly put on the Mirage Mask¡ªcontorted into ck framed¡ªsunsses. Fixing his disguise properly, shortly after, Brandon entered the establishment. "Oh~ A new customer~?" A woman, with purple hair, and of course, clothing that exposed too much skin, greeted him. "Uh, yes." Truth be told, this was the first time Brandon had been in such a ce. What do they even do here? "Hehe~ Wee! Would you like to eat? A bath?" The woman began tracing her lips, licking her fingers. "Or perhaps¡­. me?" "...." No way. If he had to be honest he felt no such arousal towards the woman, or anyone of the woman present at all. Amelia was way better than them in every aspect. Brandon''s gazended on the man with red hair. His back faced against Brandon as he headed up the stairs. "Ah." It was Reinhard, who was heading up the stairs. Most probably, a VIP or something, evident by the, "No unauthorized personnel" sign. "...." VIP¡­.? So his conjectures were correct. Reinhard really was a regr in this establishment. "Sir?" He was broken out of his thoughts as the woman''s words reached his ears. "Ah, sorry. I''d like to order." "Oh¡­." The woman seemed to have a dejected look on her face. ''Does she want to sleep with me or something¡­?'' No can do. He hasn''t even slept with Amelia yet. But that aside, cheating is a big no¨Cno. ''Why am I even here?'' That being said, he was led to his table and began ordering. Scanning the menu, and seeing the variety of meals avable, a sudden thought rose in his mind. ''Could their meal be spiked?'' For example, putting aphrodisiac? Since this was a red¨Clight district, then they would want to maximize profit from any potential customer. If a customer were to be affected with aphrodisiac, then their sexual drive would shoot through the roof, losing all sense of self¨Ccontrol. In the end, well¡­ Yeah, enough had to be said. "I''d like to order this." Brandon pointed at a meal on the menu. If he wanted to stay and y the part of a gullible customer, then there was no other choice. For whatever sexual urges arose if the meal were indeed spiked with aphrodisiac, then he could only brace himself. Surely, he could relieve himself. Peering on his phone, he checked the time. [11:23 PM] He nned on waiting it out, just until Reinhard went back down. "Enjoy~" After waiting for a while, his food was here, served on a hot tter. If he had to be honest, it looked surprisingly enticing. Especially for a ce like this where their main attraction should be the bedrooms instead of their food. Brandon leaned close, the steam heating his face, and¡­. Sniff~ Sniff~ His nose perked up, sniffing the food. If it wereced with aphrodisiac, then surely, he would feel the effects sooner orter, just by inhaling the smoke protruding from the food. And that''s what he did as he waited for the effects to kick in, the food turning cold. If one of the waitresses were to approach him, asking why he isn''t eating, he would just reply with, "It''s still hot." But thankfully, no one approached him¡ªbusy entertaining the other guests. No, there was one woman who was tantly paying attention to him, nibbling on her handkerchief. There was also another woman, standing right beside her, with pink hair. Perking his ears, Brandon tried to eavesdrop on their conversation. "Hngg¡­! Why isn''t he eating it!?" "Who?" "Him." Thankfully, Brandon wasn''t looking at them, pretending to fiddle with his phone. "Ah, then¡­. did you spike his meal?" "J-Just a bit¡­." "That''s odd. You don''t usually do that." "Y-Yeah¡­ but¡­ he''s kind of handsome¡­." So he was right. The food really was spiked. But if that was the case, why hasn''t the effects kicked in? In the first ce, they had only mentioned ''spike.'' So¡­. maybe it wasn''t aphrodisiac, but something else? Ah. What''s the use of hesitating? He could just go home ande back tomorrow. With those thoughts in mind, Brandon took the first bite. "Ah." He could hear the woman yelp, a look of relief shed across her features. Brandon allowed the taste to savor in his mouth, until eventually, swallowing. "Hm¡­." And that was the only bite he took as he settled the utensils on the table. nk! Then, returned his attention back to the two women without directly looking at them. "Oh no¡­. He looks dissatisfied¡­." "Maybe there''s something wrong with it? What did you even put in it?" "Just a bit more vor than usual¡­. Our food is usually nd¡­ But I want him toe back and be a regr, that''s why I added a bit more taste to it¡­." "Oh, Alina¡­. Love at first sight¡­. What am I going to do with you?" "...." Brandon sat dumbfounded after eavesdropping on their conversation. Yeah, his food was spiked. Spiked with salt. Now that he thought about it, the food was way too salty than normal. Does this girl have no sense of taste¡ª Wait. He began to recall Belle a year ago. Back when she was still shit¡ªa bit challenged when it came to cooking. "Uh¡­." ''Yeah, no. I can''t eat this.'' Soon after waiting a while, Reinhard had finally emerged, walking down the stairs. However, there was someone with him. Squinting his eyes, Brandon scanned the person that was walking down beside Reinhard. A woman, with silky tinum blonde hair and captivating crimson eyes. Body shaped like an hour¨Css, proportionately perfect. She had captivated everyone present, all attention fixed on her regardless of gender. "Isn''t that¡­.?" And a sense of familiarity washed over him. "Miss Lianna¡­?" Chapter 300: District [4] Reinhard followed Lianna''s direction, paying no heed to captivated gazes she had captured. It was a sight Reinhard was used to by now. "...." Staring at Lianna''s delicate back, Reinhard couldn''t help but reminisce the first time he had met her. Meeting Lianna a little over a year ago had changed his course of action. While in the past, when he was sixteen, would often sneak into the backwater alleys of the city, attempting to forge connections with the underbellies of society. For reasons being, peering out for any information directly connected to his family''s murder. But all he was met with were grubby scams, and attempts on his life. It was only during the summer break, right before he was admitted into Astrea Academy¡ªwhen he met Lianna, a peculiar woman who owned most of the establishments in the red¨Clight district, and epted his request. That was all Reinhard really ever needed. Initially, Reinhard was skeptical. Maybe this woman was another scammer? However, to his surprise, Lianna had shown results. In just a day, she had managed to easily present the time¨Cframe of when the time urred, who was around the vicinity, the weapon used at the scene of the crime, officers directly rted to the case, and so on. For that reason, Reinhard couldn''t help but trust her. But that was really it. Lianna provided him the resources, but couldn''t pinpoint exactly who the suspects were. Regardless, Reinhard couldn''t begin to appreciate her from the bottom of his heart. Lianna had helped him without ever asking for anything in return. How can he leave her when she had done so much for him? Others may call him gullible, maybe she had a hidden agenda? But no, Lianna was never that kind of person. He had never seen any hint of malice, nor any hidden intentions. After all, while Lianna engaged in a rather questionable business venture. Her funds directly went to sponsoring the Imperial Army. For that reason, she was regarded as an Imperial Army sponsor, and due to her strength, was offered a spot inside the Imperial Army itself. However, Reinhard had been secretive about the whole thing. His uncle, andst remaining family member, Bellion, was unaware of his rtionship with Lianna. Now that he thought about it, it was quite peculiar why Lianna decided to help him. No, Reinhard had several theories in mind. From what Lianna had told him, she was looking for her brother, who went missing over a decade ago. Maybe¡­. she had seen herself in him. A lost child, trying to solve the mystery regarding their family. "We''re here." "Ah?" Her soft noblewoman-like voice reached his ears, snapping him out of his thoughts. After walking down the sealed basement for a while, they entered the room at the end of the corridors. Reinhard had been in this room a few times in the past. It was Lianna''s personal chamber¡ªwhere she kept a lot of hidden documents stored. Lianna walked towards the desk and lightly traced the wooden fiber with her fingertips. "Recently, I''ve discovered something new." "Hm?" Reinhard listened attentively, digesting Lianna''s words. "My brother¡­.. he was never missing. I only found out a few days ago." "Really? That''s great. That means you can find him, right?" Reinhard spoke with genuine happiness for her. "No." However, Lianna shook her head and took a seat. "Then?" "He''s dead. Or more precisely, murdered." "...." Reinhard''s brows knitted upon hearing the revtion. "Do you know who did it?" But still, he had to ask. He wanted to help her find the perpetrator and seek the justice Lianna deserved. "Sadly, no. But¡­. I know someone who does. But I''m unable to reach her at the moment." "Who?" "A woman named Evelyn Cessna." That¡­. He knew that name. How could he not when it was his professor a year ago? A name he could never forget. After all, Evelyn Cessna was now regarded as the seconding of Lucian Frost. "Should we ask her then?" "Well, I can''t. It''s hard to arrange a meeting with someone high in stature such as her." "Then let me arrange it." Reinhard volunteered himself. He was confident he could do it. After all, he was close¨Cfriends with someone who harbored a close rtionship with Evelyn Cessna. Who else but Brandon Locke? "Hm?" The depressive look in Lianna''s face vanished as she blinked her eyes out of curiosity. "I know someone who can help us. Leave it all to me, Miss Lianna." "Really? You''d do that for me?" "Yes, after all you''ve done for me, I can at least do this much." "....Thank you." Reinhard nodded his head after Lianna thanked him. Finally, he could return the favor to her. Not once had he contributed to finding her brother. But now, she finally found him¡­. And to their surprise¡­. he was dead. He wanted to console Lianna in any way he could. ''Leave it all to me¡­.'' *** There was not much Brandon had found out regarding Reinhard''s circumstances. Just that, there was a connection between him and the woman named Lianna. For that reason, right before he attended his first lecture in his new ss, Brandon stopped by Bellion''s office. Laying several photographs on the table, Brandon sat back and allowed Bellion to scrutinize the photographs. In his hand was a cigarette. *Puff* Seeing Bellion taking a drag, he was reminded of Evelyn. Evelyn should''ve been discharged a few days ago. However, not once had she appeared nor contacted him. But in the first ce, why would she even contact him? "I know I told you to look out for him. But I didn''t expect you to tantly stalk him¡­.." Bellion, who had just finished scanning the photographs, raised his head and looked at Brandon. "Still¡­. I guess I should talk to him." Clearly, there were mimunication issues between the uncle and nephew duo. If Bellion had wanted to, he could''ve asked one of his officers to stalk Reinhard. However, it was clear to Brandon that it wasn''t what Bellion wanted. Giving Brandon the impression that Bellion was being cautious about all this. Regardless, Brandon paid no heed to it. He wanted results fast. But still¡­ since he had already disobeyed Bellion''s unspoken instructions, it was finally time to ask. "I''m still in the dark about all this. What exactly is going on with Reinhard?" "Has he ever talked about his family with any of you?" "No." From what he remembered, Reinhard lived avish and happy childhood. But soon afterwards, he had a fallout with his family and lived with his uncle shortly after. That''s at least what he could recall from Raven''s memories. After that, Bellion told him something that was quite unexpected. "When Reinhard was eight, he lost his family¡­. I¡­. lost my sister¡­." "...." This wasn''t how things were supposed to go. It seems like there were variables that had affected Reinhard. Variables that only existed in this progression. "My condolences." "I know you''re still a child yourself, but¡­. I''m pretty sure you''re an old man inside your head." "...." The fuck? "I''m sure others think the same way. Whenever I speak to you, it doesn''t feel like I''m talking to a 17¨Cyear old." "....?" But Bellion''s statements were quite understandable. Who in their right mind would think a 17¨Cyear old was a member of a mercenary group? "I know most of your secrets. It''s only fair that I share a little bit about myself." "Yeah, okay. Spill." However, what Bellion said next had truly taken him aback. "The perpetrator responsible for Reinhard''s parent''s demise¡­." Brandon''s eyes widened in shock, hearing the next set of words that came out of Bellion''s mouth. "Was me." Chapter 301: A sudden situation [1] "You? Why¡­?" Brandon stood dumbfounded, hearing Bellion''s sudden revtion. "Will you believe me if I tell you it was for a good cause?" A good cause, huh? How could killing his own sister and her husband be for a good cause? "Yeah, I understand your reaction. You have a sister as well." Brandon was snapped out of his thoughts as he unclenched his fist. "Let me exin." Thus, Bellion began to recount how the events transpired. "My sister¡­." Bellion''s expressions cracked. "She was turning into a Wraith." "...." *** Brandon roamed the halls, recalling Bellion''s story just now. It all matched whatever he saw in Raven''s memories. Humans, tainted, slowly turning into lesser versions of Wraiths. These Wraith, or even Wraithbounds¡­. tainting a person''s mana core. That, or appearing in a weak minded person''s vision, whispering promises of a better life. "Huu¡­." This was something Reinhard should never find out. But¡­. If it were rted to the issue, then why was he meeting Lianna? He had no answers to such questions. The conversation they had¡­. The information was withheld. After all, Bellion couldn''t begin to exin how or why it was even possible for a human to turn into a Wraith, rather than a Wraithbound. To think it happened early on¡­. Ten years ago at that. Shortly after emptying his thoughts, he halted in his steps, standing in front of his new sses'' door. "I''mte." Bellion was talking for quite a long time. As soon as he finished his story, Brandon was already twenty minuteste. For that reason, he was soon dismissed. They would continue their discussionter. Shortly after, he entered the room. The lecture seemed to be ongoing. However, paused as the instructor and his ssmates fixed their attention on him. "Uh¡­." "So you''re the new addition. No worries, I just received word from the Headmaster that you would bete. Please find an empty seat." "Okay, thank you." At least that was the end of that. The situation felt rather nostalgic. The time when he was still quite new to this world. Several eyes followed him as he looked for an empty seat. As he looked around, his gazended on Amelia¡ªseated right next to Belle. The two waved their hands at him and Brandon responded with a wink. Then, as Brandon''s gaze shifted towards an empty seat¡ªbeside the seat, he could see Raven¡ªwaving his hand. Brandon smiled and sat right next to him. "Hey." "Yo." "This ss is kind of crazy. I''m having a hard time following¡­." "What''s the current topic?" "They''re already discussing zone creation." "Oh." This was a topic he needed to listen to. While he could see Raven''s zone in the memories, zones varied from person to person. After all, zones corrte to the physical manifestation of a person''s soul. "External zones are what most people imagine when they think about zones. Picture it as an istion zone, a territory that expands outward, creating a space that reflects the nature of your soul." Theinstructor paused, letting the ss process the information. Scanning their expressions and realizing that the cadets were taking notes of his lecture, the instructor continued. "Inside that space, the rules are yours. Reality bends. It''s like building a little world of your own, and anyone who steps inside is at your mercy. Your emotions, desires, even your intentions¡ªall of it leaks into that area." He took a step forward, scanning the faces in the room. "Now, internal zones? That''s where things get personal. This type doesn''t extend out to the world¡ªit stays close, clings to you like a second skin. It enhances your abilities, gives you powers that just don''t make sense by human standards." The instructor smirked, leaning against his desk. "You could say it''s more subtle, but far more potent because it directly alters you. Speed, strength, reflexes¡ªeven reality-warping abilities¡ªit all happens within your immediate body." He looked around the room, his purple gaze meeting everyone else''s eyes. "But all of you might be asking. Just how exactly are we able to trigger this phenomenon?" Of course, everyone was well aware how mages triggered their zones. Mostly, by pressing their fingers. But that gave them the question. Just how did it corrte to triggering zones? While there were prodigies such as Oscar, one of themittee members during his time in Astrea¡ªwho had manifested their zones early on by the time they reached the fifth tier. "Triggering a zone isn''t just about mental focus or raw power. It''s about creating a link between your body, your mana, and your soul. Think of it like muscle memory." He pressed his fingers together more deliberately, and the ss leaned in. "Pressing your fingers together acts as a trigger, training your body to recognize it as a signal for your mana to flow. Like muscle memory, the motion bes second nature over time, helping your mana respond and contort in alignment with the stimulus." He paused, locking eyes with a few students. "With practice, the motion bes instinctive, allowing you to ess your zone almost instantly with this small gesture. But this is just the start¡ªthe real challenge lies in controlling the immense power you unlock." Shortly after, several questions emerged. Of course, there were some who were quite indifferent to the introductions of zones. For reasons being¡ªthey had most probably already manifested their zones, and were trying to improve on it. Shortly after, the lectures were adjourned. The students flocked towards the exit, engaging in conversation¡ªabout the lecture that was just discussed. They all seemed to be in a jovial mood, excited for the next [Zone Creation] ss tomorrow. After all, one of the most exciting parts of reaching tier five was the possibility of manifesting their zones. Brandon¡ªwho was walking right beside Raven, was just about to start a conversation, when he felt something pressing on his shoulder. As he turned around, two blue eyes looked back at him. It was Amelia. "Hey." "Hey, we''re finally in the same ss. And you are Raven, correct?" "Yes, nice to meet you, Miss Amelia. I''ve heard a lot about you." Raven looked at Amelia, then alternated his gaze on Belle, who had just left the lecture hall. Thereafter, returning his attention back towards Amelia, who was about to respond to him. "No need for honorifics. Any friend of Brandon''s is a friend of mine. Hope we get along. Hehe~" "Ah, Haha. Okay." Raven seemed slightly embarrassed, scratching his cheek. "Hey, Sis." Belle had just joined them, walking side¨Cby¨Cside with the group of four. Currently walking right beside Amelia. "Hey, I didn''t know you would be in this ss. It was quite a surprise to me¡­.." "Didn''t Amelia tell you?" "No, well¡­.. She did say there would be a surprise today¡­.." "Hehe~" Amelia chuckled. Brandon then shifted the topic. "What''s the next lecture?" He asked. He had yet to check his new curriculum. The one to have responded to his question, was none other than Raven. "It''s [Affinity Maximization]." "Oh." The group of four engaged in conversation as they headed for the next lecture. The two girls tried to help Raven ease his tension around them. Shortly after, they arrived in the lecture hall. The entrance bustled with activity as cadets began pouring in. However, as they entered the room, the situation was rather peculiar. None of the cadets had settled in their seats and stood frozen. Brandon''s curiosity sparked. For what reason were they¡ª "...." It was then. A beautiful woman stood on the podium. Purple locks cascaded down her shoulders and she tucked the strand behind her ear. She tilted her head, looking rather confused. Her azure gazes scanned, and eventually met Brandon''s gaze. "Ah." Now he understood why they were all frozen. Who wouldn''t be under the presence of someone hailed as the seconding of Lucian Frost? And to think she was in the academy, teaching cadets. It was an opportunity no one would ever want to miss. That being said, it was none other than¡­. "Miss Evelyn?" Chapter 302: A sudden situation [2] Everyone took a seat shortly after gawking at the new instructor. "Good morning, goodmorning~" Evelyn began her lecture as soon everyone settled in. At the moment, it was 10:00 AM. "Some of you may have recognized me during your time in Astrea Academy." She walked towards the whiteboard and began writing her name. "But for those who don''t know me, my name is Evelyn Cessna. A Field Marshal, and a current SS- ranker." It had to be said that there was not a single person in the room who hadn''t heard the name, ''Evelyn Cessna,'' evident by the awe that filled the room. Cadets began to whisper with one another, "No way, she''s my favorite ranker!" Things like those. She was akin to a celebrity at this point. "With that out of the way, let''s begin our lecture. For starters, can anyone tell me what an affinity is?" Then, Evelyn pointed towards a cadet who raised their hand¡ªseated at the front. "You there." A woman, with fiery red locks and golden yellow eyes. Brandon was familiar with her. After all, she took part in the auction raid, and appropriately received her medal during the awarding ceremony. It was none other than Artoria Watson, who stood up as soon as she was recognized. "An affinity is a natural alignment with a specific type of elemental or magical energy. It determines how easily you control certain mana types, like fire, water, or lightning, and shapes your strengths and the development of your zone." "Excellent answer. Thank you, you may take your seat." Then, Evelyn pped her hands. p¡ª! "But what exactly is affinity maximization? How does it differ from the affinity sses you took during the early phases of your training?" After all, the [Affinity Maximization] lecture was never present, even in Astrea. At that question, everyone began to ponder. However, there was one student who wanted to shoot their shot. "You there." Evelyn directly pointed towards the cadet who raised their hands. Surprisingly, the cadet sat right next to Artoria. The cadet stood up. Blue hair and blonde eyes. It was Ray Arcadia, Belle''s assistant. "I think¡­. affinity maximization is far more intense than regr training. In typical lessons, we bnce our affinity with other mana types to gradually improve control and efficiency." "Almost there." Evelyn nodded her head and gestured for Ray to take a seat. "But let me add further. Affinity maximization, you take it to the extreme. You iste your affinitypletely, shutting out any other kind of mana. You focus solely on one element, nothing else." Some of the cadets exchanged nces, listening attentively to the lecture, some taking notes. "The goal is to push your affinity beyond its normal limits, even if it means putting yourself under a lot of strain. It''s not gradual like normal training. It''s an intense, high-pressure process." Suddenly, Evelyn''s tone grew serious. "But there''s a big risk. You can end up overloading yourself or losing control of other types of mana. That''s why it''s considered so dangerous and why it''s much more advisable for someone in the fourth to fifth tier of their mana core." The lecture continued, Evelyn exining the variance of one''s affinity. How exactly it is possible to efficiently maximize their usage to the brim, and so on. Brandon listened attentively, crossing his arms. From beside him, Raven was diligently taking notes. ''He''s still the same.'' And right beside him, Amelia too was diligently taking notes. No, it wasn''t just them, everyone was. Even Belle. He was the only one who took the lessons rather casually. Listening to Evelyn, there were some slight deviations from what he knew about affinities. Clearly, the research hadn''t progressed that far off yet. However, it was more ofcking, in certain aspects. Still, knowledge and practicality was different. Actually putting it into practice is where things change. For that reason, Brandon was quite excited too to explore his affinity more. After all, [Curse] was such a peculiar affinity. With his arms crossed, Brandon rested his head to the side, right on Amelia''s shoulder. "Hm?" Amelia stopped writing and turned her head to the side, looking at him. "I''m sleepy." It was because he stayed up quitete, tailing Reinhard, just until he returned home. Belle too had stopped writing, and looked at him with a frown. "You two¡­.." Soon after, the lecture ended. But not until Evelyn left off some parting words. "Alright, everyone. Before you go. As per Headmaster Bellion''s instructions, we''re about to take things up a notch. This Saturday, we will all meet at exactly 9 PM for a two-month-long training camp." A ripple of whispers spread through the room¡ªsurprised by the sudden announcement. But Evelyn cut them off with a sharp look. "This isn''t your typical training. Over the next two months, we''ll push you harder than ever before." She paused, locking eyes with each cadet. "Be prepared." *** "Yo, Rein. You wanted to meet with me?" "Yeah. Sorry to take up some of your time." Brandon had received a text from Reinhard¡ªasking to meet him right by the stairs. It was currently lunch break. For that reason, there were barely any people around. "Can I ask you for a favor?" Reinhard asked. "Sure. What is it?" "So¡­. you''re rather close with Miss Evelyn, right?" "Yeah? What about it?" "Can you reach her? I have a friend who wants to meet with her." Brandon''s brows raised slightly. ''Friend.'' Most likely, it was Lianna. But for what reason did she want to meet with Evelyn? "I can set it up. But I think she''s quite busy today." After all, there were lots of things Evelyn needed to sort out. The uing ckmarket raid in two days. And the training camp that would start on Saturday. "Oh." "Actually, she''s in the academy right now. She''s an instructor for one of ss A''s lectures." "Is that so? I see, thanks." And their brief conversation ended there. On normal asions, the two would leave together and have lunch with their friends. However, today, Brandon had an appointment with Amelia, Belle, and Raven. That being said, Brandon arrived outside the academy where the people in question were waiting. It looks like Belle and Amelia were talking to Raven. However, as Belle''s gazended on the approaching Brandon, she quicklyposed herself. Brandon could swear she had said, "He''sing. Now act like we weren''t talking about him just now." "...." Yeah, that was definitely what he heard. "Okay guy, now be cool¡ª" "Yo?" Brandon nonchntly approached them, hands inside his pocket. "Where are we eating today?" He yed it off, pretending like he hadn''t heard them just now. Belle briefly nced at her phone. "Artoria and Ray went ahead to get us a seat." "Ah, okay." While Raven may have been a stranger to them. It was important for him to get to know his new ssmates. For that reason, he agreed to have his lunch with them. The group of four walked towards the gate''s exit. Standing right next to Amelia, Brandon leaned in and whispered. "What were you guys talking about?" "Ah?" Amelia''s eyes darted around innocently. "N-Nothing?" "Hmm¡­." Brandon pondered on how to peer the information out of Amelia. Then, he whispered once again. "If you tell me, I''ll buy you a boba tea. The most expensive one at that." Amelia''s mouth hung open. He knew just what her weakness was. Her fixation over boba teas. It was her favorite drink at the moment. However, Amelia''s gaze fixed towards Belle. The two exchanged nces. They looked as if they were talking with their eyes. Then, Amelia looked back at Brandon. "I wish I could tell you. But it was really nothing¡­.." She slightly deviated from her statement. ".....Can I still have the boba tea though?" "...." Brandon twitched slightly, seeing the innocent look on Amelia''s face, the glimmer in her eyes. If she looked at him like that¡­. Then how could he refuse? "Of course." At that, they continued walking. However, Belle''sment made him frown. "Simp." Chapter 303: A sudden situation [3] "Hm~ Hmm~" Amelia joyfully hummed after taking a sip of her boba tea. The one Brandon had just paid for. "Let me have a sip." From the straw that Amelia just used, Brandon leaned in and took a sip. "It''s good." "Right?" "...." "...." The others who looked at them, petrified by the sight. "...?" As soon as Brandon finished, he looked at them curiously. "What?" Even the other couple, Artoria and Ray, seemed rather perplexed. Though why were they even reacting like that? ''It''s not like I kissed Amelia right in front of them.'' But despite the curious eyes, Amelia didn''t seem to notice them and happily continued sipping on her drink. Brandon dismissively shook his head. It was just a drink. No need for such a reaction. Changing the topic, Belle cleared her throat. "Kuhum. Anyways, regarding the training camp, I have some information about it. We''ll be asked to form a group of six and tackle the tasks together. Though I''m unsure what the tasks exactly are, since we have the right amount of people here, why don''t we all form a group?" "Sounds like a n, General." Ray immediately epted her proposal, along with Artoria. Then, Belle looked at the others. "What about you guys?" "Sure." "Okay." "Alright." The remaining three had noints as well. That being said, their food was served and the group enjoyed their lunch break. As soon as they finished, a sudden headache surged in Brandon''s head. "Haaa¡­.." It was getting harder to breathe as he clutched his chest, trying not to alert them of his sudden predicament. For that reason, he stood up. They all looked at him, and Amelia asked. "Where are you going?" "Bathroom." Brandon did his best not to stumble as he headed for the bathroom, taking deep heavy breaths. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­" As soon as he entered the bathroom, he immediately retrieved a small bottle from his pocket. Opening the bottle, he peered one of his hands through and grabbed what was inside. It was a pill. It had been happening for quite awhile. Ever since he had seen the memories of Raven ckheart¡­. Their sufferings. Their agony. Their deaths. ¡­.He would asionally get panic attacks. "Haaa¡­ Haaa¡­." He had tried his best to forget the memories. Specifically, about their deaths. He had never asked to see the memories in the first ce. If he could, he wanted to forget them. However, he couldn''t. Because they were needed. An asset. If he were to sacrifice those memories, then he would lose his advantage. His knowledge of everything that had happened in the previous regressions. "Not enough¡­." His heartbeat drummed, and his chest kept tightening, regardless of the pill he had just took. For that reason, he chugged a bunch of pills until he finally calmed down. "Haaa¡­. Fuck." The pills were nothing special. Just a drug he had bought from a pharmacy store. However, they were enough to do the job. For now. At first, all he needed was one pill. Then the next, three pills. Untilter on, he had stopped counting how many pills he needed exactly. Everyday, he felt like he was losing more of himself. However, he had to put on a smile just so the others wouldn''t be alerted. If it weren''t for the pills, he couldn''t even begin to tell what would happen. It was his only way to alleviate the issue. "Haaa¡­." Clutching his chest, he stared at the mirror, taking in his disheveled appearance. "I''m fine." He was fine. "Whatever I''m doing now¡­. It''s still not enough. There''s so much more to do." After washing his face and fixing his appearance, he left the bathroom shortly after. *** Two dayster. The raid was set in stone. The Imperial Army wanted to avoid conflict, knowing the ck market wouldn''t back down easily. So, they offered a deal. Protection in exchange for cooperation. The market could continue under government oversight, as long as their activities didn''t threaten the country. The warning was clear. Any involvement in treason or dangerous crime would make them targets. If their business led to chaos, the government would strike without hesitation. It wasn''t about approval. It was about control. Cooperate, or face the consequences. Thankfully, it didn''t end in bloodshed. They may have been startled at first upon the sudden appearance of an army, but since the Imperial Army quickly announced their motive¡ªwith the help of [Sound] magic, the ckmarket regrs settled down. Brandon on the other hand, wasn''t part of the Imperial Army just yet. But under the approval of Bellion, he was allowed to participate. However, he would only deal with his own business. After it was dealt with, he was told to leave and refrain from interfering. With those thoughts in mind, Brandon immediately headed for the ckmarket''s hospital. And it had to be said, he was currently wearing a disguise. None of the Imperial Army noticed "Brandon Locke." Not even Belle or Amelia. After finding the right room, Brandon entered soon after. There were two reasons why he wanted to save Rafael Asami. One; regardless of his disappearance, Rafael Asami''s influence as a businessman in their generation was respectable. For that reason, he wanted him on his side and to leave Rafael indebted to him. Secondly¡­.. he felt like he owed it to Rachel. That being said, Brandon stepped forward. At that moment, the sight of Rafael Asami, resting on the hospital bed, wires attached on his body, entered his peripheral vision. Blonde hair that had grown quite long. He looked malnourished, evident by his thin appearance. Brandon had already prepared a facility. A facility that was built upon ckmarket technology to treat Rafael Asami. Brandon scanned up close. From what Zed had told him, Rafael Asami had beenatosed ever since the cmity. It was quite peculiar. There were no visible injuries on his features. And from what he knew, there was nothing wrong in his head, or any other reason for thea tost this long. And also, Beep. Beep. His heart was beating. Quite healthily as well. However, he would soon find out the cause of his predicament. That being said, magic power embellished from Brandon''s ring. WHIII¡ª A portal materialized soon after, and several men emerged. They moved the hospital bed, as well as the machines attached to Rafael. Then, they re¨Centered the portal along with theatosed patient. Brandon too had entered the portal along with them. WHIII¡ª * "How are his vitals?" "They''re¡­. Stable. Just like before. I still don''t see anything wrong with him." Brandon asked Zed. After all, Zed was well versed in the intricacies of the medical field. "That''s really odd." Brandon rubbed his chin. He had wished for Rafael Asami to wake up first before telling Rachel. In the off¨Cchance that Rafael Asami was permanentlyatosed, then¡­. There would be no other choice. Regardless, he wanted to wait it out for a bit. Just so he wouldn''t instill a false sense of hope in Rachel. "Do keep finding. You owe her a favor too, right?" "Yeah, I guess so." After all, if it weren''t for Rachel, Zed wouldn''t have the funds to continue in his own operations, back when he was still a ckmarket head. Of course, it was a mutual partnership. The two would help each other out in a time of financial crisis. Additionally, Zed served as some sort of mentor to Rachel when she had just started her business ventures. "Thanks. Contact me if you need anything. Though I''ll be gone for two months, if it''s that important, I''ll quicklye here." "Where are you going?" "Training camp." *** The next day. Since they had to prepare for the two month long training camp, Brandon and Amelia decided to go to the newly reconstructed Victoria Supermall. However, there was a third party. A little girl who insisted for them to take her with them. How could they refuse such a cute little girl? It was none other than Aurelia. Currently, she adorned a beautiful white dress and a ck beret top to it off. She was really cute. "Look, Aurelia, it''s so pretty." They stopped by one of the clothing department windows. Amelia crouched down and pointed at one of the clothes, specifically catered to children. "Wow~" Aurelia''s eyes glimmered as she stared at the clothes. "Do you want Mama to buy you new clothes?" Aurelia turned towards Amelia, her mouth opened slightly and her eyes sparkled out of joy. "Un!" Aurelia bobbed her head twice, and that was the deciding factor. The two entered the clothing department as if they had forgotten Brandon was there. "...." Eh. Brandon shrugged his shoulders and entered the clothing department. "Want to try this, Aurelia?" "Un!" "Hehe~ Look, Mama''s got the same outfit~!" Brandon sat down on one of the rounded couches, watching the two girls pick out clothes. While it wasn''t the first intention on why they wanted to go to the mall, it didn''t matter. Seeing the smiles on both of their faces, delighted by their bonding, Brandon couldn''t help but smile. If only¡­. "If only things could stay like this forever¡­." Chapter 304: A sudden situation [4] After purchasing what they needed for the training camp, Amelia, Brandon, and Aurelia decided to bond onest time before the two left for tomorrow. For that reason, they opted to watch a movie together. It was Aurelia''s first time, so she was quite excited. But while they were lining up for tickets¡­. Brrt¡­. Brrt¡­. Brandon''s phone began to vibrate in his pocket. Retrieving his phone, he scrutinized who the caller was. [John Smith] It was Zed. He still hadn''t changed his contact name yet. "Amelia, can you get the tickets? I need to take this phone call. "Okay." Just like that, he left the two their own devices and headed for somewhere more secluded. Click. "What is it?" ¡ªBrandon, I think we might''ve found the cause of the issue. "Hm?" ¡ªWe''ve been checking his vitals, and yet we''ve always found nothing, right? "Go on." ¡ªBut what if it wasn''t his health that was malfunctioning, but somewhere else? Brandon pondered for a while until he reached a conclusion. "His mana core?" ¡ªPrecisely. We''ve looked everywhere, his organs, his mental, yet it alles out healthy. For that reason, Ironaxe used the magic scanner since maybe, there could be other irregrities like a curse, and guess what we''ve found. At that moment, Brandon''s phone vibrated. Notifications shed on his screen. Zed had sent a bunch of photos. Brandon narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the photos. It looked like an X-Ray photo. However, it was more focused on the mana core. On the mana core, there were light particles surrounding it. However, as Brandon scanned further, his brows furrowed. There were cracks in the mana core, and mana continued seeping out which was the reason for the particles. "It''s¡­.. broken." ¡ªIt is. I''m not sure if we can mend it, but we''ll do all we can. "Please do so." Stabilizing the core was easy. All they needed was to pure the right basic affinity into the core. However, if it was possible to fix the cracks, then Brandon couldn''t tell. But since Zed had mentioned they were going to try and ''mend'' it, maybe he had experience of fixing broken mana cores. "Contact me if you''ve got any updates." ¡ªYeah, it''ll take a while. Just focus on your training camp or whatever. I''ll be using some of our funds to hire surgeons for the procedure. It might take a month or two. "Alright, that''s fine. Go ahead." ¡ªAlright. Beep. At that, the call ended. However, Brandon felt a slight unease. From what he knew, this was the exact scenario where it was possible for a Wraith to taint a person''s mana core. A broken mana core. He quickly dismissed that thought. There was no way to check until it was toote. If he were to kill Rafael Asami now, and turns out, his core wasn''t tainted¡­.. "Tsk." If that''s the case, then he had to wait until Rafael Asami woke up. This gave him even more reason to keep it from Rachel until everything was certain. Realizing the atmosphere was getting somber, Brandon raised his head and brushed his bangs back since it was obscuring his vision. That being said, he returned to Amelia and Aurelia, who were waiting for him with popcorn and drinks in their hands. "Hey." "All done?" Amelia asked after shoving popcorn in her mouth. "Yep, let me get those off your hand." "Thanks." Brandon received the popcorn and drinks from Amelia. Then, as he lowered his head and looked at Aurelia, she immediately looked away. Her cheeks were puffed. Guess she liked popcorn. Nom. Nom. "Hehe." Brandon ruffled the little elven girl''s hair. "Shall we?" "Un!" They entered the movie theater soon after. It wasn''t much. Just a cartoonish film that was safe for children. Aurelia sat at the center between the two and stared at the wide screen which was ying advertisements. Her eyes glimmered with interest as she continued munching down on the popcorn. "Wow~!" "You like it, Aurelia?" Brandon asked. "Un! Ah, Brandon! Brandon!" Aurelia eximed. "Shh¡­." Brandon ced a finger over his lips. "You can''t be too noisy here. We have to be respectful to the other people watching the movie." "Ah, sorry¡­." The little elven girl had a dejected look on her face and lowered her head. "It''s okay. Anyway, what is it?" "Umm¡­." Aurelia turned to nce at Amelia. As soon as their gazes met, Amelia nodded her head at the little elven girl and smiled. "....?" Brandon tilted his head curiously. What are these two up to? "Yesterday, during arts and crafts ss. I made this for you¡­." Aurelia, looking bashful, handed something to Brandon. Brandon held his hand and allowed Aurelia to hand him the item gently. It was a ne. Brandon immediately noticed the pendant¡ªa sleek, crystal letter B¡ªdangling from the delicate chain, catching the light from the wide screen with a subtle shimmer. At that moment, Brandon''s brows raised. Warmth boiled from his heart, and he couldn''t help but smile joyfully. It felt as if all of his problems vanished at that moment. He looked at Aurelia with a delicate expression and immediately embraced the little elven girl. "Thank you. It''s really wonderful." Aurelia hugged him back, delighted at how appreciated her gift was. "Grandma and Big Sister Belle said you would like it." "I do. You''ve done a good job, Aurelia. I''ll treasure it." "Hehe~" Then, Brandon pulled away. Aurelia turned her head towards Amelia. "And this one''s for Mama." "Oh?" Amelia''s brows raised. "There''s one for me too?" Although Amelia seemed aware of Aurelia''s gifts for Brandon, she waspletely in the dark about hers. "Un!" Aurelia handed her the ne. Just like Brandon''s, the pendant was a beautiful crystal letter A. "It''s beautiful. Thank you, Aurelia." "Hehe~ You''re wee~" Amelia too, had embraced the little elven girl and caressed her back gently. Then, they pulled away from each other and Aurelia leaned back in her seat. "Aurelia has one too!" The little elven girl eximed once again. However, in a jovial mood, Brandon didn''t reprimand her. Let the little elven girl speak! Aurelia wore her own ne. However, the design of the pendant took Brandon and Amelia aback. A crystal letter AB. "A¡­. B?" Amelia and Brandon asked simultaneously. Though they had an idea what it could have meant, they wanted to ask her anyway. "Amelia~" Aurelia nced at Amelia. "Brandon~!" And nced at Brandon. Before they could react, something else happened that had caught their attention. The movie started. But it didn''t stop them from showering Aurelia with praises, ruffling her hair and hugging her. Much to the point where she seemed annoyed. "Aaang~!" *** The next day. 7 PM. They were set to depart, and were instructed to arrive at the academy before 9 PM. Their bags were assorted, packed with everything they needed that wouldst for two months. Precisely, Brandon, Amelia, and Belle''s bags. Aurelia seemed to be busy at the moment. Her tutoring sessions had finished for the day. However, Brianna was currently helping her with her homework. "I have 3 apples in my basket, and I just picked 3 more from the tree. How many apples do I have now¡­?" Aurelia was wriggling her little fingers and working on a math problem. As soon as she arrived at an answer, her brows raised innocently, picked up the pencil, and started writing. "Six~ Six~ Six~" Brandon sneaked behind Aurelia, who was seated on her little desk. Beside her, was Brianna, Brandon and Belle''s mom. "Aurelia?" Then, he whispered her name. Aurelia stopped writing and turned around. When she saw him, she smiled. "Yes?" Aurelia looked at him with her cute eyes. Brianna too looked at him and said, "You''re going now?" "In a few minutes. I''m waiting for Sis and Amelia to finish changing." "Ah." Then, Brandon returned his attention to Aurelia. "Be a good girl, Aurelia, and don''t trouble Mom too much." "Un! Aurelia is always a good girl~!" "Hehe. Okay." Brandon ruffled her hair. Then, his gaze lingered on the paper on Aurelia''s table. "Math?" "Mn. Aurelia is pretty good~!" "Really? Can I ask you a question then?" "Un!" Aurelia nodded her head with a youthful smile. "She''s a fast learner by the way." Brianna added ament. "Oh?" Brandon''s head tilted. He felt like wanting to tease the little elven girl. With those thoughts in mind, he asked. "If you have 12,143 apples, and then you magically get 13,812 more apples, how many apples do you have now?" "Mmn¡­." "...." Aurelia started wriggling her little fingers again while Brianna remained speechless and stared at him with a frown on her face. Realizing that all her fingersbined couldn''t exceed ten, Aurelia''s brows knitted. "I didn''t learn that¡­." "Hehe. If you can tell me the answer by the time Ie back, I''ll get you anything you want." "Anything¡­.?" Aurelia''s eyes sparkled. "Anything." "Un! Aurelia will study hard." "Good girl." Brandon ruffled her hair once more. Then, he looked at Brianna. "We''ll be going now, Mom. If you need anything, just call me. I''ll be here before you know it." "Okay." Brianna stood up and embraced her son. Brandon stifled a smile and returned her embrace. "Be safe." "You too, Mom." Chapter 305: Training Camp [1] A little over a year after the cmity happened, Holy Britannia had learned how to harness portals at an astonishing scale. However, they still couldn''t manage to mitigate the sheer capacity of the portal. For that reason, it took a lot of magic power just to empower a single portal scale, the size of a two story building. That was because that size was all they were capable of. However, after the ckmarket raid¡ªor rather¡ªpartnership, they uncovered what the ckmarket was actually capable of. From their words, they called it a "Nexus Ring." To be able to harness portals at a smaller scale. Which is of course¡ªunder a cooldown. But at the moment, they didn''t want it to be released to the public yet. So they had to take the bigger portal instead. "Woah!" "I''ve seen it on TV before, but I never expected it to look that big." For everyone, this would be their first time using a portal, evident by their gawking eyes, staring at the portal in awe. Everyone with the exception of Brandon, Amelia, Belle, and the others who participated in the auction raid. That being said, they all entered the portal in clusters. WHII¡ª *** " I know they said it would be cold, but I didn''t think it would be this cold¡­." Amelia, who was wearing a thick fur coat, a scarf, gloves, and boots, casually said. "Yeah¡­." Brandon agreed, fading white mists leaving his breath. Although the two had experience with snow in the past, the current climate took it to a whole new level. It was quite peculiar. The ce was called Aetherwild Woods. Reasons being; its mystical atmosphere. In the past, Aetherwild was known for its perfectly green scenery with healthy tall trees and abundance of wildlife. However, right now, it was nothing but and of permafrost. The trees, once tall and full of life, now stood frozen and pale. Their branches, once filled with birds and animals, were covered in frost, shining faintly under the weak sunlight. The ground was solid ice, with snow piled thickly over it. Everything was quiet. The usual sounds of the forest¡ªrustling leaves, birdsong¡ªwere gone, as if the cold had not only frozen thend but silenced it. Even the streams had stopped flowing, now locked in ice beneath the dim light filtering through the frost¨Ccovered trees. "W-What is this¡­." "Huu¡­ huu¡­." However, the others had a more colorful reactionpared to Amelia and Brandon. Belle was rubbing her shoulders profusely, shivering intensely, even under the baggy set of clothing. The same went for Artoria and Ray, who looked as if they couldn''t bear the climate anymore. Brandon and Amelia did feel the cold. However, they had built up quite the tolerance. For that reason, their reactions were much more tamepared to the others. As Brandon looked around, every cadet present had the same response. "Huu¡­. Can''t we have the training camp somewhere?" "Haaa¡­. I''m gonna freeze to death." p, p¡ª! A sudden p resounded from somewhere, grabbing everyone''s attention. They all turned their heads towards the source. There, the familiar sight of Bellion, adorning the Imperial Army''s official uniform, stood proudly. Beside him were the instructors. For some reason, every instructor in thebat department was present. Then who remained in the academy? It was then. WHIII¡ª Portals appeared from the side. Several cadets emerged from it and Brandon''s brows raised, scanning further. His gazended on Reinhard who had just emerged from the portal. Followed by; ire, Amy, and Rachel. "Hmm¡­." He had initially thought this training camp was only for ss A. But now that he took a good look, ss B and C were also present. Those given facts told him enough of what this training camp entailed. It was a joint training camp. For whatever reason it was a surprise, Brandon couldn''t tell. But most probably, since ss A had actual Imperial Army members such as; Belle, Amelia, Ray, and Artoria, and they had ess to private information, especially regarding the training camp. Meaning, they''ve done it to keep information from leaking further. No matter what they did, it was impossible to keep information about the training camp hidden. Especially if someone were as sneaky as Belle, who took a photo of the training camp''s information. It was then when Bellion''s voice echoed, cutting through the cold. "For the next two months, you''ll be on your own. Survive in this frozen wilderness, face monsters, and adapt. This isn''t about your mana core; it''s about your flexibility in the unknown. No help wille. Your survival depends on how well you can handle unpredictability." All of a sudden, Bellion''s eyes narrowed. The air around him shifted and Brandon swallowed his saliva. "I''m well aware the information was leaked. However, did none of you think that we allowed the leak to happen?" "Hah." Brandon sneered. This old man¡­ "The group of four you''ve formed? They''re your rivals. You''ll each receive badges with trackers, holding your information. If you lose your badge, you fail. Of course, you can also take the badges of the other participants. However, it will fetch you a few points. Your rivals should be your priority." He paused, scanning the baffled looks on the cadet''s faces. "Teaming up is strictly forbidden for ss A. For sses B and C, you may work together with your rivals if you wish." The scoring system could be summarized as; Priority badges: 20 points. Regr badges: 1 point. To qualify as a pass, they must have twenty points by the end of the training camp, giving the weaker ss B and C a dilemma if they should even team up with their rivals or an outside party. "One badge, or it''s an automatic fail. Trust no one but yourselves. This is not just survival. It''s apetition." And finally, he finished his announcement. "Your mission is to prove you can thrive in any situation. Strength and power alone won''t save you here. Use your instincts and endure the cold. Good luck." At that, despite the harsh climate, the mes ignited in all the cadets present. What was once a pact forged between friends¡ªhad turned into a heated sense of rivalry. They all looked at each other with obvious malicious intent. Brandon and Amelia were no exceptions. Amelia looked at him with an innocent smile. However, Brandon could tell there was hidden meaning beneath her smile. "We finally get topete. I won''t be holding back, so make sure you don''t either." "Sure." "Don''t leave us out of it." Belle cut in. Behind her was Raven, Artoria, and Ray. "None of you hold back just because you''re¡­. couples," Belle definitely hesitated there. "Of course, General." Ray shed a salute. "Yes, General. Don''t worry. I can finally vent my frustrations to¡­. Ray." Artoria narrowed her eyes at Ray. "E-Eh¡­. What did I do?" "Forget it." "...." Ray tried to ease Artoria. "A-Art¡­. we can talk about this¡­." "Hehe." However, Artoria just shed him a mischievous smirk. "...." Before they could argue even further, all of a sudden, magic circles materialized right above them and every cadet present. A small insignia fell from the magic circle. It was the tracker. Once again, Bellion''s voice resounded. Bellion''s voice rang out once more as the insignias fell into the cadets'' hands. "These are your trackers. They hold your identity and will log your performance." He held his badge aloft. "Inject a small amount of mana into the tracker. When you do, a screen will appear showing your name and image. This is the key to your sess¡ªor your failure. If your badge is taken, you fail. Guard it with your life." The cadets followed his instructions, their badges glowing as each screen shed to life. Brandon''s showed his name, followed by a clear image of his face. He nced at Amelia, whose badge also flickered with her own identity. Bellion continued. "You are responsible for your badge. Lose it, and you''re out. Take others, and you rise." For sses B and C, ss A students were akin to a boss fight, and a psychological battle between their fellow peers. While for ss A, it was a bounty hunt. Enough had to be said, they were immediately dismissed soon after. Cadets wasted no time and began to disperse, disappearing into the cold forest. "I guess this is where we part ways." Belle''s voice echoed, their attention fixed on her. "I''ll go ahead first. I know you guys are¡­.." Belle''s words trailed off from there and walked ahead. "Wannae with me, Raven?" As she walked, she looked behind, meeting Raven''s gaze. "I''ll pass, General. I''ll definitely lose my badge to you." "You caught on¡­." Belle shook her head and disappeared into the forest. "Guess I''ll be going too, guys." Raven soon followed and left. The air around Artoria and Ray were quite heated at the moment. For that reason, Brandon ignored them and grabbed Amelia''s wrist. "Hm?" "Come with me for a second." "You gonna try and steal my badge?" "Maybe." The two headed into the forest and stopped as soon as Brandon realized there was no one around. Silence ensued until Brandon broke the said silence. "After this, we''ll be enemies." "Mhm." Then, he leaned close, pressing his lips on hers. Amelia had no objections, epting his passionate affection, her back pressing on the tree. Then, they pulled away from one another. The corner of Brandon''s lips pulled up as he raised his hand. Amelia''s eyes widened upon noticing the item in his hand. "H-hey!" "Just kidding." Brandon returned her badge and walked away soon after. "I won''t be returning it the next time we see each other¡ª" Boom¡ª! A magic sword flew from somewhere, piercing the ground, halting Brandon''s words. With a smirk, Amelia said, "And that sword won''t miss the next time we meet." "Hah." Brandon sneered at her. "Scary¡­." Chapter 306: Training Camp [2] Bellion stayed at the camp where all the other instructors were mingling or discussing amongst each other. Only twenty minutes had passed since the training camp started. But themotion never died down. Boom¡ª! Boom¡ª! Explosions echoed from all sides,pletely reverberating the entire forest. The signs of fighting never ceased. The mana was palpable in the air, and from a distance, Bellion could see messhed out from high above the trees. The reason why they had chosen Aetherwild Woods was because of its known peculiarity. The trees were known to be sturdy, protected by its own veil of mana. There were two objectives Bellion wanted to aplish. Firstly, to find out why Aetherwild suddenly froze. Of course, after the cmity, the climate had been quite unstable. But never to the point where it would permanently change the entire atmosphere. The climate would usually change then cease. But for over a year, Aetherwild stayed frozen. Furthermore¡­. it wasn''t even snowing. As if the entire terrain was a sheet of permafrost itself. Secondly, to help the cadets improve. ss A was getting further and further ahead. And while ss B onlygged behind quite a bit, the academy wanted to bridge the gap. ss C on the other hand, they were ratherx in their practices. Hopefully, this training camp would serve as an eye opener for them. For everyone to realize where they currently stood. Especially so, once they realize their fellow cadets won''t be the only battles they''ll face. If things continued on like this, then forget about winning the war. They wouldn''t even survive. At least, these were the objectives Imperial Academy wanted to achieve. For Bellion he had a personal reason in mind. To keep Reinhard away from Lianna for the time being, just until he could assess her motives. Reinhard turned his head to the side, ncing at the woman with purple hair. "Can you handle things while I''m gone, Field Marshal Cessna?" "Of course, Field Marshall Van." He had already debriefed Evelyn that he wouldn''t present after the announcement beforehand. After announcing that Evelyn was in charge for the entire training camp, Bellion left via portal shortly after. WHIII¡ª "Evelyn~" An annoying voice rang from behind. Evelyn didn''t need to look to know who it was. "...." For that reason, she remained silent. "Evelyn~" A head peaked out. Still, Evelyn tantly ignored. She had an idea of what Vanessa was gonna ask of her. "Evelyn~" Vanessa''s head peaked out from the other side again. Suddenly, she felt a tug on her side. "Kht." Evelyn twitched slightly. "Evelyn~ Evelyn~" "Kh¡­." "Evelyn~ Evelyn~" "Pfft~ Okay, stop! What is it?" Evelyn finally acknowledged Vanessa''s presence, unable to bear the poking any longer. Evelyn was quite ticklish. No, she was ticklish. "Are you okay now?" Vanessa asked, the look of concern was evident on her face. Evelyn peered down and looked at her hand. "It''s still unstable, but it''s much better than it was a few weeks ago." "Hmm~ Okay, that''s good. You got it checked, right?" "Yes, my mana core seems to be healing steadily." For that reason, the doctors told her there were never any problems. Evelyn''s mana was abundant and served to self repair her mana core. At least, that''s what the doctors told her. "I was told to keep using magic so my mana would flow more smoothly." "Is that so? Then do you n on going first?" "Yes." One of the instructions given to them was that instructors would roam the forest in disguise and ambush the cadets. Each instructor would be on duty for a week before rotating with another. This procedure would repeat until the two month long training camp ends. It served as a challenge for the cadets, and assurance. After all¡­. this forest¡­. Dozens of monsters lingered, down from the lower ranks of F to the upper echelons of A. They would need all the help they could get. *** Brandon nonchntly roamed the forest, writing something on his notebook. There was a faster way to umte points. Instead of finding enemies, it was much easier for them to find him. For that reason, he continued walking like a gullible target. Boom¡ª! Boom¡ª! Of course, from somewhere, fighting rang out. Explosions resounded, and the sound of magic crackled in the air. It had been like this for the past thirty minutes or so. However, Brandon had no ns on interfering for the time being. If he were to pass with flying colors, he wanted to do it wlessly. For that reason, as he traversed the forest, he continued drawing a map on his notebook. From his conclusions, the forest was huge. Much to the point where huge was an understatement. It was way bigger than the human domain itself. "Hoo¡­." Fading white mists left his breath as he looked around. "Permafrost." Theyers of snow consistently spanned the entire forest. However, it was evident that there were no signs of snowkes gently falling on the sky. Was it possible that the cmity tampered with the forest''s climate? From what he could tell, mana was present everywhere, even on the piles of snow itself. "Magic." It was obviously made out of magic. But the sheer scale of this¡­. "It''s impossible." Brandon made it deeper into the forest. The mana gradually grew heavy. And¡­. ¡ªUooo! A peculiar creature stood out, dangling from the tree. It was a monkey. Its fur¡ªinstead of brown¡ªwas gray. Its entire color scheme was monochromatic, and as Brandon''s gaze lingered on its tail, it looked like a thinyer of ice. Additionally, it was the size of an adult man. Way bigger than a regr monkey. "The fuck?" From what he remembered during the lectures, it was called a frost monkey. "This must be it." Its features matched the descriptions. All of a sudden, the frost monkey screamed loudly. ¡ªUoo! Uoo! Uaaa! Uaaa¡­.! It was calling for its tribe. "Hmm¡­." However, Brandon stayedposed. Frost monkeys ranked around the C to B tier. Something he could handle by himself. It was getting quite boring anyway. For that reason, Brandon crossed his arms and allowed the frost monkey to call for its tribe. The frost monkey stood on the branch and pounded its chest repeatedly. ¡ªUooo! Uooo¡­.! At that moment, the bushes and leaves started to rustle around him. Rustle¡­. Rustle¡­. ¡ªUooo! ¡ªUaaa¡­.! Frost monkeys revealed themselves one after another. Brandon tilted his head curiously. "I wonder how capable you guys are." For that reason, he allowed the frost monkey to make the first move. Swoosh¡ª! The monkeys were nimble, moving fast and encircling Brandon soon after. They jumped one after another, their fists aiming to pound Brandon. However, Brandon easily dodged all of their attacks. It was nothing too troublesome. Brandon used the opportunity to serve as practice, dodging attacks one after another with his footwork. No matter what, as long as the opportunity arises, Brandon would always find a way to use it as training. Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! ¡ªHaaa! ¡ªHaa¡­. Haaa¡­! The monkeys looked exhausted. Their attacks gradually slowed down as their chests heaved up and down. "You guys done?" ¡ªUaaa? A monkey tried to attack him. But Brandon immediately caught its fist and gripped it tightly. His face darkened and his lips pulled up, grinning. "Then it''s my turn." ¡ªUaaaa! The monkey screamed in agony as Brandon tightened his grip on the monkey''s fist. Bang! Coated in mana, Brandon swung his first forward, dealing a blow on the monkey''s abdomen. The frost monkey he had just struck flew back several meters and all the other monkeys nced back with wide eyes. Then, they returned their attention back to Brandon. Their eyes widened further, and for a second, despite the harsh climate, Brandon had definitely seen sweat beading down their forehead. It looked like a scene from a cartoon itself. SHIING¡ª! Chapter 307: Training Camp [3] After quickly disposing of the monkeys, Brandon trudged the forest once more. He had tried conversing with them just like what he had done with the goblins. However, when he thought he was getting through them, the monkeys suddenly attacked him once more. That gave him the impression that the monkeys didn''t want to be controlled by a human. Brandon continued on his way. After about thirty minutes of walking, realizing there were nomotions, he decided to rest by a secluded spot deep within the forest. Putting his bag down, Brandon sat and leaned his back on the tree. He was well aware of the true nature of this training camp. The real thing would start once only a week was left. In about a month or so, there would be cadets carrying several badges. They were the ideal targets. Why should he trouble himself by working hard when it was much better for others to do the work for him. Additionally, it was much better to take it slow and conserve supplies. If he were to fight all the time, he would burn way too much calories, making him hungry. Furthermore, in this kind of environment, it was much better to conserve and drink clean water. "Done." The entire vicinity was now under his control after discreetlytching threads everywhere. If someone was near, the threads would tug, alerting him. At that moment, Brandon checked his current stats. ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: A+ ¡ª[0%] ¨N MP: S- ¡ª[9%] ¨N DEF: B+ ¡ª[0%] ¨N AGI: A ¡ª[45%] ¨N INT: S- ¡ª[12%] ¨N CHA: SS ¡ª[62%] [AVG: A+] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª His stats were nearing the S- rank by now. Some were already capped. While some stats such as his [MP] and [INT] refused to move. "It should be safe now." Safe¡­. Right. From what he knew, taking the pills to break through the S ranks would bring him immense pain. But pain. He was used to pain. There was no need to hesitate. Now was the right time to take the pill. At that moment, Brandon retrieved the pill he had bought from the ckmarket from his inventory. "Here goes nothing." Swallowing his saliva, he took the pill shortly after. "Hmm¡­." The first five minutes, he felt nothing. But after ten minutes or so, a sudden heat rushed inside his body. But it was still at a point where he could tolerate it. However, after thirty minutes, things took a sudden turn. "Haaa¡­." He felt the back of his throat tighten and it was getting harder to breathe. His vision grew hazy and the world started to spin. As he looked at his arm, his veins bulged out and started throbbing spontaneously. "Haaa¡­ Kh¡ª!" Trying to breathe, Brandon couldn''t help but bite his lip, trying to bear the sudden jolts of pain echoing in his body. "Bad idea¡ªAkh!" *** Fighting rang out from everywhere for the past two hours. However, Raven paid no heed to them and continued traversing the forest. There was no need to get so excited this early on. It was much better to conserve his strength and avoid any injuries before the training camp reached its final week. However, things didn''t work out as nned. "Guys, it''s Raven." "Long time no see, man." Cadets who seemed to have teamed up had spotted him. Raven turned around to the source of the voices. There were a total of four cadets who emerged from the same bushes. Two male and two female cadets. It was a well¨Cbnced group. And Raven was quite familiar with them. Who else but his old ssmates from ss B? "Raven, want to team up with us?" One of the male cadets spoke. "Aren''t you guys rivals?" "Yes. But we decided to wait it out. Who knows? There might be other cadets who could gather twenty badges or more. We n on distributing them equally if we were to find one." "Sounds like a good n." "Mhm, so what do you say?" He knew none of his ssmates harbored any ill will against him. After all, Raven had always been nice towards all his ssmates. For that reason, his ssmates respected him too. But for this test, Raven wanted to do things on his own. If he were to group up with other cadets, he''ll be forced to protect them. He didn''t want anything holding him back. Especially so, when he could finally go all out against a certain someone. Brandon. The sudden change in his abilities had caught Raven off guard. For some reason, Brandon wasn''t using any of his affinities¡ªunder the excuse of ''losing them.'' But that can''t be true. Losing affinities was unheard of in the first ce. Maybe Brandon was holding back. But still, Raven had to admit how strong Brandon was now. "I''ll have to respectfully decline." "Oh, I see." A dejected look spread across the cadets'' features. "We''ll go ahead then. Goodluck, Raven." "Sure, you too." At that, Raven walked ahead, passing by the four cadets. Voosh¡ª! A fireball rang out from behind him. Raven swiftly turned around and extended his arm. A dagger materialized in his hand, and instantly, the fireball dispersed. Although the exchange seemed friendly, not once had Raven let his guard down. The same could be said for the four cadets. They respected Raven enough to see him aspetition, instead of a wall they could never hope to cross. That''s how it should be. At that, the fighting rang out. Raven swiftly dodged their attacks, while reflecting some of them. "....!" Raven appeared right in front of a male cadet, who''s eyes widened in shock. Raven''s dagger cleaved forward and sent the male cadet flying several meters back, crashing into a nearby tree. Boom¡ª! Raven tried to move his feet, only to find out his leg had been encapsted in ayer of ice. However, Raven used [Shadowstep], and appeared right behind a female cadet. "Alliyah!" A voice rang from somewhere, and the female cadet in front of him flinched. Raven cleaved his dagger down and the female cadet named Alliyah was hurled away. These might''ve been his old ssmates. However, the gap between them and Raven was wide. For that reason, Raven easily dealt with them, dodging each attack and reflecting them back. The fightingsted for about fifteen minutes or so. And enough had to be said. Raven came out on top, unscathed. "No hard feelings, guys." On his hand were four badges which he put inside his pocket. He might''ve felt bad for them. However, he knew his ssmates were capable. If they wanted to pass now, then each of them needed to umte a total of thirty badges each. Either that, or to retrieve their badges from Raven. "I''ll be waiting if you guys want your badges back." Just like that, Raven disappeared into the forest. *** Amelia and Belle had been fighting for the past hour or so. It''s not as if they were an equal match. Offensively, Amelia held the advantage. However, Belle''s defense was not one to be trifled with. For that reason, they were at a stalemate for the time being. But if the fight prolonged even further, Belle was aware that Amelia woulde out on top. Amelia''s offensive capabilities far exceeded hers. Furthermore, the gap in stamina was ridiculous. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." Belle''s chest heaved up and down, taking heavy breaths while she held onto her shoulder. As she scanned Amelia, she could tell she was not tired in the least bit. Swoosh¡ª! A magic sword rippled through the air, heading towards Belle. However, the wind around Belle served to slow the sword in its path, allowing Belle to deflect the sword away. nk¡ª! But Belle knew her trump card wouldn''tst for long. She was slowly running out of mana. Chapter 308: Training Camp [4] Under the harsh cold climate, Brandon''s body heated up all over like bathing in moltenva. Sweat beaded from his forehead, and unable to bear it any longer, Brandon removed coat, revealing his long sleeved buttoned shirt. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." Rolling up his sleeves, he fixed his cor and continued taking deep heavy breaths. The pain continued growing more and more intense in each passing minute. Brandon could honestly admit he had regretted taking the pill. Yeah, he was used to pain. But not to this extent. It may have been less intense than when his mana core was unstable due to the Sovereign''s Will integration, but it was still unbearable. "Fuck¡­!" Thwack! Thwack! To mitigate the pain somehow, Brandon continuously smacked the ground with his fist. His chest tightened further, and he couldn''t help but clench his chest tightly with his bleeding hand. "Shit¡­!" To his horror, he sensed several mana signaturesing from somewhere. The threads attached to him vibrated. Cold moisture seeped all over his skin, but Brandon remained unbothered. He should''ve been shivering at the moment as his hand scattered the snow below him. However, due to rushing heat inside his body, sweat continued dripping down. As if protecting him from the permafrost. The entire ordeal may have been taken into ount. However, he didn''t expect to be immobile. "I think I sense someone over there." "The mana signature is intense¡­." Cautious voices rang from somewhere. With no other way to defend himself, Brandon had no other choice. He hadn''t perfected the technique yet. However, it was worth a try¡ªconsidering the adrenaline coursing in his veins. With no time to waste, he hoarsely whispered. "Pha¡ªntasm¡­.." At that moment, the entire vicinity was gradually submerged in ayer of swirling mist. Gritting his teeth, Brandon poured in as much mana as he could. The mist thickened in a matter of seconds, obscuring his vision. "What''s going on?" "Is a snowstorming?" They seemed to have misunderstood the sudden turn of events¡ªand while the mist did indeed contain mana, it seemed to have blended in with the sporadic atmosphere. Clenching his fist and gnashing his teeth, Brandon closed his eyes and sharpened his focus. "Huu¡­." *** Three cadets from ss C had formed a group. After all, they had no chance against the other sses unless they teamed up. In the first ce, this entire set up was unfair. How could they evenpete with the other sses? It felt as if this entire training camp was designed for cadets outside ss A to fail. However, they didn''t voice out theirints. It''s not as if they were focused onpeting with the other ss. They should solely focus on their own ss, and their rivals. Of course, wary of their rivals, they formed a group outside of the previous group they had formed. Their main objective was to help each other out in taking out their respective rivals. "Should we¡­. retreat?" One of the cadets asked. A woman with pink hair. "Not yet, we might uncover something here." The cadet acting as the leader responded to her question. A man with brown hair. "I''ve got a bad feeling, Morgan." The third member spoke to the acting leader named Morgan. A man with dark green hair. Morgan quickly dismissed his worries as he walked forward, acting as the vanguard. "If we want to be as strong as the upper sses, we must face challenges head on." "I guess so." As they continued traversing the mist, they soon halted in their steps as the woman whispered with caution, pointing her finger ahead. "T-There''s a person¡­.." Morgan squinted his eyes, focusing his vision on where the woman was pointing. Indeed, there was a person. However, it was nothing but a silhouette of a man standing still in the middle of the mist. It felt rather uncanny, making them feel a sense of difort. For that reason, they raised their guards up. Magic power surged within them as they extended their hands forward. Shortly after, Morgan''s voice echoed. "Reveal yourself!" However, he was met with no response. The silhouette stood still as if it hadn''t heard Morgan. "Last warning, we won''t hesitate to attack you. Reveal yourself!" And yet again, his warning was tantly ignored. The silhouette stood unbothered. "Don''t me us for what happens next." Morgan narrowed his eyes. Magic circles materialized around them and sparks of magic flew towards the silhouette''s direction. The mist scattered slightly as the air rippled. "Okay, that''s enough." Morgan gestured with his hand to the side, signaling to halt their attacks. The other two nodded their hands in response and scanned ahead. Despite the onrush of their attacks, the mist thickened once again, obscuring their vision. "He''s gone¡­." "Did we get him?" "Or¡­. killed him?" "Shit. She''s right Morgan, we might get expelled for this!" But despite their exmations, Morgan shook his head dismissively. "Ridiculous. We''ve alerted him of our presence. Any cadet would immediately defend themselves from that attack. Especially knowing what the current session entailed." "So he just¡­. dodged, right?" The woman asked. "Exactly, keep your guards up. He might attack soon." And Morgan was right. In a matter of seconds, a silhouette appeared right in front of them. "Hieee¡ª!" "....!" The woman screamed while the two men swallowed in horror. Swoosh¡ª! Water bullets abruptly shot out from the woman''s magic circle. However, the silhouette dispersed and the bullets phased through. "...." They found themselves perplexed by the entire situation. Clearly, it was nothing but a silhouette with no solid structure beneath it. As if the entire mist was an illusion of some sort. "Wha¡ª" "....!" But in the next second, something entirely different happened. Silhouettes appeared from all sides, encircling them. No, as Morgan focused his attention, the single silhouette moved fast enough, giving the illusion that there were a lot. Morgan had a bad feeling. "Get out of here." A whisper brushed past Morgan''s ear. Immediately, they turned around to the source of the sound, only to find a silhouette standing right in front of them. A look of horror spread across their features, and shortly after¡­. Bang! "Ukh¡­!" Something impacted Morgan''s back as skidded away several meters. "No second chance." The whisper brushed past their ears. His members stood frozen in horror, as if their legs were locked in ce. "Go, now!" Morgan cried out, snapping them out of a daze. There was no time to think. The misty area was a hazard. Thankfully, they were offered a chance to live and Morgan immediately took the opportunity. Massaging his side, Morgan got up and eximed. "Run!" The other two immediately rushed towards Morgan and he too ran ahead. Just like that, they left the misty area. *** Brandon stumbled and immediately plummeted down¡ªface first¡ªafter returning to the boulder. He had only wanted to scare them off with the silhouettes. However, it seemed like they steeled their resolve and tried to fight back. For that reason, Brandon had to grab the pathway, instantly traversing through the fog. He didn''t want to reveal himself. For that reason, he distracted them with a silhouette and blended his voice amidst the fog, forcing them to turn around. Seizing that opportunity, Brandon poured in the little amount of strength he had left and struck the man with brown hair''s back. "Haaa¡­. Haaa¡­.." Brandon clutched his chest as he turned around, staring at the grayscale sky. His body ached all over, and it took all the strength he had just to achieve that feat. He wanted to close his eyes. However, the pain didn''t allow him to sleep as much as he liked. "Kh¡­!" But as the pain continued to intensify even further, Brandon found himself grinning. "It worked¡­. Haaa¡­." He was able to distort the mist, creating an illusion, even blending his voice within the mist. But that happiness had only been brief as his body continued heating up. Since his mana was quite abundant, Brandon had no ns of lifting the mist even further. The entire vicinity was his domain, and with no way to defend himself, he could only rely on the mist to scare off any unwanted visitors. "Fuck¡ªKh! When is this going to end¡­.?" Chapter 309: Two Months [1] Of course, the fight between Amelia and Belle did not end in a stalemate. Amelia, being older and more experienced, had pushed Belle back to the brink. ng¡ª! ng¡ª! The two swords shed. A repeated exchange urred, the sound of metal against metal echoing throughout the entire forest. Sparks flew in the air as Amelia''s magic sword, and Belle''s sword continuously collided with a metal ng, each strikes sending vibrations through their arms. Amelia''s attacks were precise, focusing on straining Belle''s arms. It was the way the Constantines fought. Meanwhile, Belle''s movements were quick and lethal, reflecting the swordsmanship she had perfected from the Milis continent¡ªaimed at precise and lethal blows. However, it was to no avail against Amelia¡ªwho had more endurance and stamina than hers. Additionally, Amelia''s body was just built for duelists. Belle''s own strength couldn''tpare, and had to support herself with wind and light magic. This was the first time they had dueled ever since Belle left the country years ago. Amelia pressed forward, her footwork deliberate, as Belle barely parried each strike. ng¡ª! Another collision rang out, and Belle gritted her teeth as Amelia''s sword swept dangerously close. Sparks flew again as Belle attempted a counter, aiming for Amelia''s side with a swift, precise sh. But Amelia was relentless, deflecting Belle''s de with ease. Her experience shone through¡ªeach movement calcted, each strike designed to break Belle''s defenses bit by bit. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­.." Belle, breathing heavily, found herself retreating, forced on the defensive by Amelia''s unyielding barrage. Belle spun out of reach, aiming for distance. Her strikes became more focused, aiming for Amelia''s weak spots. But Amelia, as always, stayed calm. Her eyes locked on Belle, watching, waiting for the perfect moment. And then it came. A quick feint, a flick of her wrist, and Amelia''s sword slipped past Belle''s defense. Bang! Unable to conjure her imprable wind defense, Belle was blown away, crashing into a nearby tree. It was the decisive factor as Belle felt a surge of pain all over her body. Her back pressed against the tree, her neurons sending her warning signs that it was unsafe to press forward. In front of her, piles of snow scattered, revealing white patches of grass. Amidst it all, was Amelia who stood tall, her appearance remained wless. A contrast to Belle¡ªwho''s appearance looked rough with disheveled hair and tattered clothes. Yet regardless of that, her beauty never fades. It might not match up to Amelia''s, but Belle was a bonafide beauty in her own right. "Okay, it''s my loss¡­. Haaa¡­." Belle openly admitted and tossed her own badge, falling right beneath Amelia. Amelia bent down and picked up the badge. However, her lips pulled and looked at Belle as she tossed the badge back to her¡ªBelle clumsily catching it. "It''s fine. I didn''t n on taking it." "What? You deserve it¡­.." "Maybe, but I don''t want you to fail." "Is this because of Brandon¡ª" "No." Amelia decisively cut off her words. "It''s because we''re friends." While taking friendship into ount would definitely hold anyone back in this training camp, Amelia was confident enough she would pass. "Ah." Belle lowered her head in defeat. Before she knew it, a hand reached out for her, appearing in her peripheral vision. epting Amelia''s gesture, Belle got up, holding onto Amelia''s hand. Amelia looked around while dusting her coat, and said, "Speaking of Brandon, I wonder where he is." "We''ll probably know once this training camp reaches the final week mark." "I thought so as well. Someone like him would definitely take on that challenge." The challenge of fighting actual strong cadets who had gathered several badges for themselves. The two went on their way, traversing into the forest. "We haven''t had the chance to speak privately like this." Belle initiated a conversation, trudging deep into the snowy forest. "How''s your rtionship going?" "Hm? Why do you ask?" "I''m just curious about my brother and best¨Cfriend''s love life. Hehe." "Uhm¡­. It''s going great? We focus on our own things, but would find some time to spend together. He''s kind of mature about all this." While talking about Brandon, Belle could see Amelia''s ears reddening slightly. ''She really does like him. I''m d.'' Truth be told, Belle found the entire set¨Cup peculiar. To think her decade old best¡ªfriend would be dating her younger brother. The same panicked child who had always stuck close to Belle like glue in the past. Belle began to reminisce about the old days. Back when they were still children. Oftentimes, Amelia would visit their home with her father and vice¨Cversa. There were definitely moments where the younger Brandon would join them in their ventures. However, afraid of strangers, Brandon would stick close to Belle. For that reason, Amelia, stupefied by the younger Brandon''s antics, would try to befriend him, often ending in failure as Brandon wouldn''t speak to her properly. Only giving her nods or a yes or no answer. To think time had passed in a blink of an eye, and now that scared little brother of hers had caught up to her, advancing into ss A¡ªa ss for full elites in the A to A+ ranks, nearly breaking through the S ranks. She was truly proud of him from the bottom of her heart. However, Brandon was now her opponent, and Belle didn''t n on holding back once she encountered him. At that, the two beckoned on their way before halting in their steps. Movements entered their peripheral vision and monsters blocked their paths. But the two seamlessly worked together, vanquishing whatever foe they met on their way. Eventually, they separated, disappearing respectively into the forest. "See you soon, Amelia." "You too, Belle. Goodluck." *** Eighteen hours after the training camp started. The moon hung high, casting a luminescent glow over Aetherwild Woods. And amidst the forest''s enchanting beauty, was¡­. "Someone kill me¡ªKh¡­!" Brandon, who could wholeheartedly swear he wanted to end himself. The pain surging within him never resided, intensifying in each passing second. Much to the point where he felt like passing out. However, he fought off the feeling, gnashing his teeth and smacking his bloody fists on the ground. Thwack! His gloves were shredded, torn apart from the relentless pounding. Blood seeped from his fists as he kept striking the ground, fighting against the pain. Thwack! Thwack! Each blow sent fresh agony through him, yet he gritted his teeth and refused to give in. Reasons being, he had started getting paranoid. If he let his guard down and allowed himself to pass out, it was highly likely someone would attack him. For that reason, he pushed through. "Suck it up, you useless bastard¡ªAkh!'' Thwack! Thwack! "Fatherless fucke¡ªKhh¡­!" In the first ce, it was entirely his fault. However, despite his struggles, he felt his strength slowly increasing. His senses sharpened due to his paranoia, and at the same time, he used this chance to hone [Phantasm]. The mist''s true nature were its illusory effects, capable of throwing off anyone within the mist. Additionally, his perception for the cursed pathways proficiently increased further. For that reason¡­. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª [Special Affinities] ¨N[Curse] ¨N [Cursed Threads]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Cursed mes]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Cursed Chains]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Binding Vow]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Mark of Despair]: Complete Mastery ¨N [Soul Drain]: 0% ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The skill [Mark of Despair] was now atplete mastery. For some reason, while it was still in its progress bar stage, he couldn''t find a way to utilize the skill. "Ah?" As the information surged in his brain, rting to [Mark of Despair], it was then when he realized. Mark of Despair. ¡­.Were the illusory effects themselves. Chapter 310: Two Months [2] A week had passed since the start of the training camp. Evelyn''s shift was about to end soon, switching with another instructor. However, before the day ends, she wanted to investigate something. She had faced several cadets on the way, only lightly bruising them, giving them a scare. While she did so, an interesting rumor reached her ears. Apparently, Aetherwild Woods had a dense misty area. Cadets had started calling it the Mist of Deceptions, a hazardous zone within the forest. A thick veil of mist enshrouded a peculiar area. Once someone wasinside, they would be met with horrifying illusionary silhouettes. Each of the cadet''s attacks would phase through and scatter the silhouettes, along with the mist. However, once they did so, they would feel a barrage of heavy attacks. The thought was rather terrifying. To think a variable like this was hiding right under their noses, regardless of the thorough scanning they implemented in the forest, right before the training camp started. Evelyn continued on her way. Monsters emerged from the bushes, the trees, and so on. But Evelyn effortlessly dealt with them. "...." Finally, a trail of mist entered her peripheral vision. With that thought in mind, Evelyn submerged herself inside the mist. Her vision grew obscured, and the density of mana surrounding her thickened. "...." She had definitely felt it. Despite the distortion in the atmosphere, due to her hypersensitivity to mana, Evelyn could send a dense mana signature from somewhere. For that reason, Evelyn followed the path, leading to the mana signature. However, she was forced to halt in her steps as a silhouette stood to block her path. "Hmm¡­." Indeed, the rumors were true. Initially, she thought it was ridiculous. However, she had talked to several cadets the past week. All of their stories seemed to match, regardless if they were in the same ss or not. However, judging from the mana signature, Evelyn assessed that whatever lingered in the vicinity¡ªwas weaker than her. But the cadets'' fears were understandable. Especially so, when Evelyn realized this was not something a regr cadet in the C to A rank could handle. At that moment, the silhouette blurred and Evelyn looked back. The silhouette reappeared right behind her. Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! The fog scattered as the silhouette rapidly appeared around Evelyn, giving the illusion that there were a lot of them. However, Evelyn could tell there was only one silhouette. She dismissively shook her head and massaged her temple. It was kind of ridiculous. She felt iting from a mile away. An attack. Bang! Evelyn was struck on the side, sending her skidding back slightly. But she was able to block the fist on time with her palm. But as her gaze lingered on where the attack came from, there was nothing. Just a silhouette standing frozen. It was then. "Run." A hoarse voice whispered from behind her, and Evelyn turned around once again, only to find¡­. "...." Nothing. It was fast, skilled maybe. Much to the point where Evelyn was unable to perceive if there was someone actually behind her. An illusion, perhaps? She understood now why the cadets had looks of horror when mentioning this area. "Mist of Deception, huh?" After all, who wouldn''t be horrified when male voices echo around them, silhouettes shaped like a man suddenly appearing, and getting attacked without seeing whatever struck them in the first ce? Bang! Bang! A barrage of attacks struck Evelyn from all sides, but Evelyn took it all appropriately, trying to gauge the right time to strike. As soon as she got the timing right¡­. Thud! She caught it. On her hand, was someone''s fist. Swoosh¡ª! But immediately, whoever it was, had disappeared in that split second. But it was enough for Evelyn to make it who it was. "B-Brandon?" So this entire situation¡­. Was it because of Brandon''s magic? That seems to be the most probable conclusion. However, in that case, why was Brandon attacking her, when she wasn''t a cadet, nor just any random acquaintance? "Brandon,e out!" She had to make her presence known. At that moment, the silhouettes stopped appearing and a voice echoed from somewhere. "Here!" Immediately, Evelyn headed to the source of the voice. Traversing through the fog, Evelyn finally made out the familiar sight of Brandon. However, she didn''t expect the current state he was in. "Brandon?" "H-hey¡­." He limplyid on the ground. His hair had been disheveled, and hisplexions looked pale with bags under his eyes. That''s when Evelyn started to wonder. If he was under this kind of condition, then why was he attacking cadets instead of seeking help from them? "You''re in no condition to be undergoing this training camp. I understand you were wary of getting attacked. Don''t worry, I''ll bring you with m¡ª" "No." With a hoarse voice, Brandon cut her off. "Leave me¡­. alone. I''m fine." "No, you''re not. It''s not worth it risking your life over this. I understand, so I won''t fail you." "No, I''m¡ªKh!" Brandon''s words trailed off from there and groaned in agony. Thwack! With a single smack of his fist on the ground, he continued. "Give me¡­. a month¡­. I''ll show you¡­. results." "Results? What are you¡ª" Wait. That was when Evelyn noticed. The fluctuation of his mana signature. It was exponentially increasing. "You''re breaking through¡­.the S ranks?" "Yes¡ªUkh¡­!" Then why was he in pain? Evelyn had never heard of such a case before. But despite that lingering question in her mind, she never asked. Brandon was clearly in no condition to respond to her questions properly. "Trust me¡­.." "...." But despite Brandon''s best attempts to assure her, blood seeped from his nose. "I understand." Evelyn left with some assuring words and left shortly after, fading within the mist. Brandon stared at the space where Evelyn once stood. Finally, he could stop trying to tough it out. At that moment, gnashing his teeth tightly, a crease forming in his temple, blood seeped from his eyes. Thwack¡ª! Thwack¡ª! His hand had now turned red from the relentless pounding. He had not been able to rest for a week. He had initially thought pain would subside after a week. However, it had only gotten worse and worse. Hopefully, things get better next week. Chapter 311: Two Months [3] Evelyn returned to the camp not long after and immediately called for attention. All eyes fell on her at that moment as she went on to announce: "Things are progressing well so far. The first few days were¡ªchaotic, to say the least. But now, everyone seems to be handling the situation more strategically." "Did you deal with the rumors, Field Marshal?" One of the instructors asked. "I have. And they were nothing but rumors." The rumors had been a bit¡ªexaggerated. A story about ghosts and whatnot. Even going so far as saying a wyvern was hiding deep inside the mist. But that shouldn''t be the case. After all, the wyvern had yet to be set free. Yes, in the final week, they would set the wyvern they had captured free. All for the sole purpose of cadets¡ªworking together to subjugate such a beast. After all, wyverns were well within the S¨C to to S rank. Of course, they would strictly supervise the entire ordeal¡ªin the off chance that a cadet would clumsily die in the middle of the fight. "However, the mist is real and I have seen it for myself. I will tell all of you this¡ª" Evelyn paused, allowing the tension to sink in. "Do not interfere with the mist. It''s nothing but another cadet''s strategy." "Is that so? Have you verified this cadet?" "I have." After debriefing them for a while about the current situation, Evelyn entered a tent and began resting. Another instructor took her ce and entered the forest soon after. *** Two weeks had passed since the start of the training camp. Rachel and Amy teamed up right at the start. They''d offered the same proposition to ire. However, to their surprise, ire shot their offer down immediately under the pretenses of; "I want to challenge myself." They respected her decision and did not press further. At the moment, the two had secluded themselves inside a cave they had been upying for a week now. The two might''ve been rivals, and it was much faster if the two of them duke it out and retrieve either''s badges. However, the two decided to wait until the end. But still, they didn''t remain stagnant. They had gathered a total of 18 badges so far, only needing 22 more for both of them to pass without fighting each other. It had to be said that not everyone could revel in this strategy. After all, each ss had about ny or so cadets. Meaning, there were 270 cadets scattered around Aetherwild Woods. For a single group to pass without fighting their rivals, they would need to umte a total of eighty badges. For Rachel and Amy, they only needed to secure forty badges to pass with flying colors. It was currently daybreak. And it was cold. Really cold. Bundled under a fur nket, Rachel and Amy stared at the campfire as they sipped on their mugs filled with hot cocoa. They had packed quite a lot. Enough tost for more than two months. After resting and having breakfast, light shone outside the cave and the two cleared their camp, beckoning outside the cave soon after. They had understood the true nature of this training camp. Under the exposure of dense mana in the atmosphere, they felt their mana in their cores rise gradually. For that reason, if they were to expend and perfect their techniques, it was highly likely they would break through the A ranks soon. Especially in the case of Rachel, who was regarded as probably the strongest cadet in the B tier, followed after ire. But Rachel knew that shouldn''t be the case. It was only because of her elemental assimtion awakening. If she had to be honest, she would ce Amy above her in terms of raw skill. Especially so, knowing Amy''s ridiculous mana capacity. Destructive wise, Amy onlygged behind Reinhard slightly. Yet for some reason, it seemed like Amy was holding back. But despite the questions bottling up in her head, Rachel had never asked. After all, it seemed as if Amy was hiding something. As they continued traversing the forest, they were halted in their steps upon noticing several presences from all sides. "Rachel." "Yeah." Their guards raised, and the two women fixed into a battle stance. Mana beasts emerged from the bushes, around four of them. This took Rachel aback, reminiscing over a year ago. Particrly, their school trip. Everde. Back then, they would struggle defeating a single mana beast. But now¡­? A piece of cake. Rachel didn''t even need to activate her assimtion to handle the beasts. Swoosh¡ª! At that moment, water bullets caneered towards the mana beasts, prating right through their skin. As Rachel clenched her hand tightly, the water bullets instantly froze. Amy contorted her hands and the frozen water expanded, the mana beasts starting to balloon in size. p¡ª! pping her hands together, Rachel distorted the frozen water''s shape into jagged crystalline ice spikes, protruding themselves, rupturing through the mana beasts flesh. Just like that, they had easily vanquished four mana beasts. Monsters ranked within the C to B ranks in a matter of seconds. Their affinities were scarilypatible. At a young age, the two had already been training together. Despite their parent''s divorce, they had never cut each other off. Shortly after, they headed deeper into the forest, heading straight towards the sound of magic shing against magic a few kilometers away. *** ire had subjected herself to intense meditation, seated with her legs crossed and her eyes closed. "Huu¡­. Haaa¡­." Allowing the abundance of mana in the air inside her lungs, ire took deep heavy breaths, white mists fading from each breath she took. Despite the harsh climate, she removed most of her clothing. Only wearing a ck sports¨Cbra and a pair of shorts, exposing her skin to the frosty chill. Her body shuddered slightly, but ire never faltered. "Huu¡­. Haaa¡­.." ire''s meditation deepened as she embraced the cold, letting the harsh air hit her exposed skin. She focused on the mana swirling around her, allowing it to seep into her body, feeling it resonate with her core. Her breathing was steady now, controlled. Each breath pulled in mana, expanding her reserves. She could feel the raw energy coiling within her like a tightly wound spring. Three weeks had passed since the start of the training camp, yet not once had ire engaged inbat. And since she had ventured deep within the forest, clearing hordes of monsters that obstructed her path, until finally¡ªshe had found a secluded area where a river¡ªsurprisingly unfrozen¡ªwas avable. She had been sitting on a protruding rock amidst the center of the river for as long as she could remember. Her focus only halted whenever she needed to replenish herself with food and water. She nned on waiting it out until there were only two weeks left, aware of the most optimal strategy to pass the training camp. For that reason, she continued isting herself. However, her brows twitched slightly at that moment. Her perception heightened. There, on her left, she could sense mana signatures looming close. But from the fluctuating distortions, she could tell it wasn''t human. Which meant only one thing¡­.. Monsters. Immediately, ire opened her eyes and held onto her rapier which was carefully ced right in front of her. The sound of rabid dogs reached her ears and ire turned her head to the left slightly. There, she could see a pack of wolves, as big as an adult human. Their fangs gleamed and their red eyes flickered menacingly. "Huu¡­." Taking a breath, ire closed her eyes. Purple sparks rippled around her, and she felt the rapid pace of mana surging within her. Her blood pumped with artificial adrenaline, and as ire peered her eyes open¡­. Tzz¡ª Her figure shed at an astonishing speed. Without any wasted second, ire appeared right in front of the pack of wolves. Their towering figures blocked any light, shading ire. However, ire wasn''t frightened in the least bit. In a sh, ire blinked forward, leaving streaks of purple sparks. A split second had only passed, and she appeared right behind the pack of wolves. Purple streaks of lightning crackled around the wolves. Shortly after spasming slightly, the wolves plummeted down, shaking the snowy ground slightly. Swinging her rapier to the side, blood spattered, staining the sheets of white snow. "Ah." As ire lowered her head, she pulled up the strap of her bra that had loosened due to the fight. Instinctively, she rubbed her shoulders. "Since when was it this cold?" Shortly after, she returned to rock and continued to meditate. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 312: Two Months [4] November 1, 2149. A total of four weeks had passed since the start of the training camp. While thest week would be the ideal time to hunt, Amelia decided to change her course of action. After all, the situation could vary¡ªa high chance she would have topete with the others who had the same thoughts as her. At the moment, she had collected a total of six badges¡ªall from her own ss. For some reason, she had never encountered a single cadet from ss B or C. But that didn''t matter. There was something that was lingering in her mind. ''Where is Brandon?'' For the past month, not once had she ever seen Brandon¡ªeven though she had met up with everyone in her group. It was a curious question¡ªnot out of her feelings for him, but genuinely, she wanted to know what the hell he''s up to. In any case, Amelia wasn''t worried. Brandon probably had a n in mind. It was just like him. That aside, Amelia traversed the snowy forest¡ªfollowing the direction of the sound of magic crackling in the air. Swoosh¡ª! At that moment, Amelia intervened between two cadets¡ªwho''s magics were about to sh, a collision of mes and frost. Her hands shot towards the sky, then dragged downward. A hail of magic swords rained down, incapacitating the two cadets instantly. The cadets stared at her wide eyed. "Shit. It''s Senior Amelia." "Ah¡­." At her sudden appearance, it seemed like they had instantly given up. "Hm? Do you know who I am¡­?" Amelia asked. She wasn''t familiar with any of them at all, giving her the impression that they were cadets from the lower sses. "The General¡­." "Haa¡­.. This is unfair." But their expressions did not escape Amelia''s keen sight. That subtle change on their faces was enough for her to know that something was amiss. Kracka! At that moment, a jagged bolt of lightning sparked across her back. Realizing this, Amelia deftly spun her body and avoided several other spells targeting her. The ground shook,yers of snow scattering as sparks of magic fail to hit their target. So it was an ambush by using the two cadets as bait. Either¡ªtheir target was Amelia, or the higher sses overall. From the amount of cadets that had just emerged from the lush greenery, Amelia surmised that 1/3rd of ss C had formed onerge group. Meaning, they opted for that strategy in order to survive from the upper sses untilthest week. No wonder it was hard to find a cadet from ss C. It was because they had all beenmoving as one this whole time. Amelia couldn''t help but be impressed. It takes a certain skill to resonate with over thirty people, persuading them all under one fixed leadership. And although she was strong, she wasn''t confident she could take on thirty cadets at once. With those thoughts in mind, she swiftly maneuvered through the attacks. Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! A flick of her wrist sent magic swords raining down on the cadets that had managed to get close to her, halting them in their pursuit. It had to be said that in the past few months, Amelia had managed to increase her magic sword [Gate] ability by one more extra weapon. A total of eleven weapons. Layers of snow on the ground scattered one after another, the ground cracking on impact with the magic sword. Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! As Amelia continued to traverse, to safely make a retreat, dozens of magic attacks from the cadets continued to hiss through the air around her. "Don''t let her escape!" A voice rang from somewhere. At that moment, caught off guard, Amelia collided with an earth wall. Boom! Voices began to echo from all sides. Several behind her, and dozens behind the earth wall. Most probably, reinforcements. After all, each ss had about ny people. Since the ambush group she had encountered had about thirty people¡ªthe ones responsible for the earth wall must''ve been the other thirty. At that moment, all sorts of magic shot out from the direction of where she was running from. With no time to get away, Amelia decided to block with her barrier magic. A magic circle materialized right in front of her. A ringing sound echoed as all sorts of spells¡ªelementally attributed¡ªstruck her magic circle, gradually pushing her back against the earth wall. It seemed like she had no other choice but to fight back, regardless of her disadvantageous position. Crackle¡ª! That one attack had managed to shatter Amelia''s magic circle. However, Amelia swiftly leapt upwards, imnting her feet on the earth wall, and flipped her body backwards over the wall. Amelia''s breath steadied as shended lightly behind the earth wall, her blood pumping with adrenaline to process her next move. The cadets were closing in, their footsteps crunching through the snow, magic crackling ominously in the air. Her eyes darted across the battlefield, searching for an opening. Suddenly, a barrage of elemental magic rained down from above¡ªfireballs, icy shards, bolts of lightning. Without hesitation, Amelia drew her hand back, conjuring her magic swords. She flicked her wrist forward, and the des spiraled upwards, intercepting the attacks with a metallic ring as they shed in midair. ng! ng¡ª! The air crackled with residual magic as Amelia shot forward. The cadets had formed a semi-circle, trying to pin her down, but she wasn''t one to be cornered easily. As she weaved through the barrage of spells, she slid her feet across the ground, propelling herself with a surge of mana. Her magic swords danced around her, deflecting strikes aimed at her vitals skillfully. Boom! A thunderous impact resounded as a particrly strong fireball collided with her sword, sending sparks and mes flying in all directions. The heat seared her skin slightly, but not to the point where it would leave longsting injuries. Her lips curled into a determined smile. She focused, and in an instant, three of her swords shot forward, piercing through the gaps in the cadets'' formation. The first cadet staggered, clutching at his chest as a de embedded itself in the ground next to him. Bang! Bang! The second went down just as quickly, the sword hitting its mark with precise uracy. "Damn it! She''s picking us off!" One of the cadets shouted with a hint of desperation. More cadets lunged forward, but Amelia was already moving. With a fluid motion, she spun, her swords tracing arcs through the air, slicing through the iing magic. The ground trembled beneath her feet as earth-based spells erupted around her, but she sidestepped each one wlessly, her body a blur of motion. Kracka! A bolt of lightning struck where she had been standing mere moments ago, but she was already airborne, flipping gracefully over the head of one of the cadets. As she descended, her sword swung down in a perfect arc, smashing into the ice shield the cadet had hastily conjured. The shield shattered, and with a swift kick, Amelia sent the cadet sprawling. "Ukeh¡ª!" Her senses sharpened. Ny cadets or not, as long as she yed her cards right and picked them off one by one, she knew there was a chance it could all work out in her favor. However, Amelia wanted to y it safe. Ny cadets would take a lot of time and would burden her stamina. She didn''t have enough patience, nor the endurance to actually pick them off single handedly. For that reason, the sword in her hand distorted¡ªrematerializing into a different weapon. It was a handgun. While barrages of spells caneered towards her, Amelia swiftly dodged each of them and extended her hand, pointing the gun in the air. Bang! Bang! Bang! With her finger on the trigger, the gun banged loudly, sending deafening reverberations throughout the entire forest. At that, for a second, attacks stopped and all the cadets looked for any signs of attacks that might''ve been the result of the gun. However, in the brief second that passed, nothing peculiar happened. Amelia seized that exact opportunity to swiftly disappear into the forest. With over eleven badges in her hand, she tucked them inside her pocket and swiftly rushed through the visible greenery without looking back even once. However, in the next ten minutes or so, she had no choice but to halt in her steps. There was a woman, with long lustrous ck hair, her body wrapped in frost, and was facing several monsters all on her own. She gracefully blitzed through all the monsters without even moving once from her position. Amelia could recognize her, but was unable to recall exactly what her name was. However, at that moment, the woman turned around. Her crimson gaze met Amelia''s, and a sense of recognition seemed to wash over the woman. "Lady Amelia?" Chapter 313: Two Months [5] "Lady Amelia?" Rachel was baffled by the situation. She had only followed the source of what seemed to be a fight nearby, but paused as monsters obstructed her path. "Ah¡ªSorry, General Amelia." Rachel corrected herself. Now that she took a good look, Amelia seemed to havee out of where the fighting wasing from. "You are¡­?" "Ah, yes. I think this is the first time we''ve spoken to each other. I am Rachel Asami." "I see¡­." The conversation trailed off from there. It may have only been a few seconds, but Rachel could solemnly swear it was probably one of the most awkward moment in her life. "A friend of Brandon''s is a friend of mine. Let''s go, before they get here." "Y-Yes¡ªAh? They¡­?" Rachel stammered. Unable to articte her words in front of Brandon''s girlfriend. Kracka! A bolt of lightning rippled from the forest undergrowth. Amelia, who was in front of Rachel, reflexively turned around. A magic sword materialized in her hand¡ªinstantly repelling the sparks, sending a gust of wind that fluttered Rachel''s ck hair. "They." Amelia informed her once again. "Oh." Rachel couldn''t help but be astonished at the sight. ''Would I be able to react to that?'' She asked herself. At that moment, Amelia rushed towards her and grabbed her wrist, dragging Rachel further away from the onrush of magic attacks. "They''re from ss C. We might be able to defeat them together, but I don''t want to risk it." Amelia spoke as she traversed the dense undergrowth of the snowy forest. Rachel stared at Amelia''s hand which was on her wrist, the two fleeing from the fight. Due to the fact that Amelia was a senior, and everything surrounding her about Brandon, Rachel initially found Amelia quite intimidating. However, now, her assessment of herpletely changed. ''She''s nice¡­.'' They quickened their pace until eventually, the coast was clear. "Haaa¡­. Haaa¡­." "H-haaa¡­. Haaa¡­." Supporting themselves with a tree, the two frantically caught their breaths. "Haaa¡­. Did we lose them¡­?" Rachel asked. "Most¡­.. Haaa¡­. Probably¡­." Amelia, slumping down on the tree, responded. A week after separating with Amy, Rachel started her own set of hunts. At the moment, she had a total of nine badges¡ªequally segregating them with Amy. "Are you in the safe zone, General?" "Please, call me Amelia. "Uhm¡­. I¨C" "I insist." Amelia nodded her head, giving Rachel the go signal. Rachel had no choice but to give in to Amelia''s good will. "Okay¡­. Uhm¡­. Amelia." "Mhm, I have a total of eleven badges. What about you?" "I have nine so far." "I see. So you didn''t go bounty hunting?" Bounty hunting. The term the cadets started to use¡ªreferring to the action of hunting their rivals. Or more precisely, their team members. "No, I want all my friends to pass this test." "I see." Once again, the conversation trailed off from there. The atmosphere grew awkward, and Rachel didn''t know what to say. However, the silence was soon broken by Amelia, who remained vignt, peering her eyes for any signs of movements. "Do you want to venture together? I''m not sure where yours or my friends are, but ss C seemed to have formedrge groups. I think it''s too dangerous for our sses to traverse alone right now." Hearing the sudden news, Rachel found it quite ironic. To think the weakest ss had now be the greatest threat. For Amelia''s proposal, Rachel had no objections. She was well informed with how strong Amelia was. Meaning, she was a great asset. Furthermore, there was one thing Rachel wanted to know. Why did Brandon fall for her? Not like she was still hung up, but she was honestly curious. Especially so, when Brandon had told her he was the one who confessed first. With those thoughts in mind, Rachel spoke with no hesitation. "Yes, I''d like that." Just like that, a partnership between the two formed. *** Six weeks had passed since the start of the training camp. November 15, 2149. Despite the amount of powerful cadets in ss A, Raven had been regarded as one of the major threats. After all, he was aplete counter against mages, and oftentimes, he would appear out of nowhere, catching anyone off guard. He had already gathered enough badges to pass the training camp, surprisingly. It wasn''t his fault. Cadets, for some reason, would always find a way to ambush him. But due to the nature of his abilities, Raven had no difficulties picking them off. However, during one of his ventures, Raven encountered someone familiar for the first time. "That you, Raven?" "Rein?" It was Reinhard. As expected. Despite belonging to ss B, Reinhard had no qualms with tackling the training camp solo. Raven truly thought it was a waste how Reinhard didn''t try his luck against Delton on that day. He would''ve liked it if Reinhard had ascended to ss A along with him back then. But what''s done is done and Reinhard wasted the opportunity. Simultaneously, as a dagger materialized in Raven''s hand, mes began to creep up, engulfing Reinhard''s whole arm. Raven''s eyes narrowed, his body tensing as the shadows around him seemed to ripple and shift, responding to his will. The dagger in his hand gleamed ominously, cloaked in darkness, while Reinhard''s arm red up with fiery intensity. The air between them crackled with tension, as two opposing forces¡ªshadow and me¡ªprepared for the inevitable sh. Reinhard looked at him with a condescending look. One that Raven was all too familiar with. "Just like always, huh?" "You bet." Swoosh¡ª! Reinhard was the first to move, his fist aze as he lunged forward, sending a wave of fire in Raven''s direction. But Raven had already blended into the shadows, disappearing from sight as the mes scorched the ground where he once stood. The snow melted near¨Cinstantly, revealing a scorched patch of grass. Suddenly, a shadow darted from behind, and before Reinhard could react, Raven''s dagger was aimed at his back. ng¡ª! Reinhard barely managed to twist his body in time, blocking the strike with a fiery shield. The force of the impact sent sparks flying, but Raven was already gone, disappearing into the shadows once again. After drowning in his ipetence, Reinhard realized just howcking he was in the defense department. For that reason, he trained in a way to specializebat against duelists¡ªwhile being a mage himself. "Tsk." Reinhard muttered, shaking off the impact. He raised his hand, unleashing a pir of fire into the sky. The mes exploded outward in a wide arc, illuminating the area and forcing Raven to reveal himself. Vooosh¡ª! Reinhard yelled as he charged, his fist zing with fire. Raven''s expressions hardened, his eyes gleaming as he side-stepped the attack, the shadows coiling around his form like tendrils. With a flick of his wrist, his dagger sliced through the air, aiming for Reinhard''s exposed side. But Reinhard wasn''t slow either. In a split second, his arm swung up, blocking the strike with a wall of me. The two forces collided once more, sparks of shadow and fire dancing in the cold air. Boom! The ground shook beneath their feet as Reinhard unleashed a fiery explosion, pushing Raven back. But before Reinhard could press the advantage, Raven vanished into the shadows again, his form blending seamlessly with the darkness. Suddenly, Raven emerged from the ground beneath him, his dagger aimed for Reinhard''s legs in a swift, lethal motion. But Reinhardjumped back just in time,unching a fireball in retaliation. BOOM¡ª¡ª! The fireball exploded as it hit the ground, sending a shockwave of heat across the snowy battlefield. Without another word, the two shed again¡ªme against shadow. Every strike Reinhard threw was met with Raven''s evasive movements, the shadow wielder darting in and out of the darkness. And yet, every time Raven attacked, Reinhard''s mes red up, blocking his strikes with a barrier of intense heat. As the fight dragged on, Raven faced difficulty for the first time in a while. His [Shadow] affinity allowed him to dart in and out of range, always keeping Reinhard on the defensive. But Reinhard''s fiery offense was relentless, pushing Raven to his limits with every strike, despite Raven having the [Reflection] skill. Finally, Raven saw his opening. As Reinhard unleashed another wave of fire, Raven ducked low, his dagger slicing through the air in a swift, deadly arc. "...!" Reinhard''s eyes widened as he realized his mistake. The shadowy de struck, grazing Reinhard''s side just as the mes around him erupted,pletely igniting the snow away. Boom! The explosion sent both fighters flying in opposite directions, the impact creating a crater in the snowy ground. "Cough¡­! Cough¡­!" Raven coughed, his body aching from the force of the st, but a grin tugged at his lips as he stood up. However, at that moment¡­. Rumble¡­. Rumble¡­.. The entire forest began to shake intensely. Theyers of snow atop the trees droop down, and Raven and Reinhard began looking around, remaining vignt due to the sudden turn of events. It was then. ¡ªHwooooooar! A deep, guttural scream pierced the air, an earth shaking bellow that seemed to haunt the snowy fields. "What the¡­." "The hell was tha¡ª" "Hieaaaa¡ª!" Before they could even collect themselves, another scream rang out. However, this time, it was a girl''s scream. The two nced at each other before nodding, putting their fight on hold. At that, they disappeared deep into the forest, heading straight to the source of the scream. "Hieeeeaaa¡ª!" Chapter 314: Subjugation [1] Evelyn, who had just finished taking a nap, emerged outside of her tent. Finally, it was time. "Everyone!" She called for attention, pping her hands. p¡ª! Immediately, all eyes fell on her, awaiting her next words. Evelyn closed her eyes and took a breath. Everyday, it seemed like it was getting harder to breathe. She had to go get her follow¨Cup check up soon. That being said, she announced, her face darkening. "Release the wyvern." The wyvern may have been rated at the S¨C to S rank. However, for discretion purposes, and to allow the cadets to adapt to its attacks, the Imperial Army had ced a strict restriction on the wyvern. In total, there were two wyverns to be set free during the training camp, the actual challenge¡ªto be scheduled for the final week. The wyvern they had recently released for the current week had been greatly restricted under the ratings of A¨C to A+ rank. While it equaled ss A, the lower sses would find difficulty in subjugating the beast. That is unless they would all work together, and abandon all discrepancies with their rivals¡ªprioritizing their lives than mere grades. After all, the end of the training camp was near. Some cadets¡ªwho had previously aligned themselves under leadership may be growing desperate now. It was all up to them now. And it was all up to ss A cadets on how they would protect the lower sses¡ªwhile keeping the wyvern at bay. There was a hidden rule to this test. To the ones who would participate in subjugating the wyvern¡­. ¡­..Then they would all pass with flying colors, regardless of the amount of badges they had umted. And the true nature of this test? To seek out cadets who would flee from the battlefield. The ones who refuse to cooperate with a clear leader. And the ones who would grow hostile to their own allies due to desperation, clinging for their lives. *** ¡ªHwooooar! The wyvern''s piercing cry reverberated throughout Aetherwild Woods. As soon as it did, a wide panic arose. Cadets, some heading towards the source, while some directly going the opposite direction. However, the former immediately regretted that decision. It seemed like they weren''t the only ones alerted. Monsters too began to panic, and undted from whence they came from. They began to attack any cadets they encountered on their path. However, far more superior than them, the cadets fought back. All sorts of elemental attributed magic flew in the air, heading directly for the monsters. Immediately, the monsters perished. However, whenever a monster fell, another emerged and would lunge themselves towards their opposers. There were simply way too many monsters. Much to the point where they pounced on some cadets. The entire forest had been plunged in chaos. Footsteps akin to a stampede echoed in the air¡ªalong with the sound of magic. The shing of lightning, the ignition of mes, the crisp and sharp sound of ice, the cracking of earth, and so on. "Move back! The Seniors are here!" A cadet announced loudly from somewhere. As soon as the announcement came, a dozen or so cadets acknowledged and stepped back. However, some, trying to escape the clutches of the monsters, were unable to move, panic etching on their faces. Cadets tried to help out, sting their own magic towards the monsters. Some emerged sessful, while some gathered attention to themselves. For that reason, monsters shifted their target. Boom¡ª! A magic sword flew from somewhere, immediately piercing right through a horde of monsters just as they were about to pounce on another poor target. As the monsters continued to pour out of the forest''s undergrowth, a barrage of ice¨Cshaped spikes rippled through from somewhere, instantly blowing the monster''s torsos off. At that moment, the ss C cadets turned their heads towards the neers. "Who is it?" "Is that¡­." A woman appeared, walking calm and confident steps. Blonde hair fluttered from the snowy breeze. Her eyes, sparkling blue with facial features that took everyone''s breath away. It was Amelia. Crack¡­! From the far corner, ice spikes continued caneering towards the monsters, piercing right through their repulsive hide. Another woman appeared right behind Amelia. Long lustrous ck hair, gently cascading down her back. Two crimson gaze that swept the vicinity, remaining vignt. While her appearance paled inparison to the blonde woman beside her, she was still a beauty in her own right. It was Rachel. "G-General!" "Is that Senior Rachel?" It seemed like Rachel too had been recognized by the lower ss. How could they not when she was the only cadet in ss B who could assimte with her affinity? But the momentary recognition of the two''s arrivals quickly shifted as more seniors from ss B and A emerged. An array of elemental attributed magics were instantly sent out. The air had been convoluted with a myriad of magic circles. Multiple battles at once, the sound of blood gushing, and magic resonant in the air. As Amelia recalled her magic swords back, a shadow quickly loomed past her and appeared right before a towering wolf. sh¡ª sh¡ª! A multitude of shing attacks shimmered, d in dark shadow as the wolf''s blood sputtered out from its flesh. The shadowy aura loomed aback. The air distorted around him, revealing his true form. It was Raven, who had just appeared in the middle of the battlefield. Upon noticing, Amelia rushed towards him, shing monsters on her way. Voosh¡ª! However, she was forced to halt in her path. A torrent of mes rushed out from somewhere, setting everything aze as its heat immediately scorched the unlucky monsters. Trails of smoldering grass revealed themselves as the snow melted away. A man with red hair quickly made it to Raven''s side. It was a man Amelia was familiar with. She had most probably seen him once, but she couldn''t put a finger on what his name is. Now that she thought about it, he looked kind of like Bellion. For that reason, Amelia surmised it must''ve been his nephew. But then again, what was his name again¡­? "You''re here, Rein." "The hell is going on, here?" "Ah." Amelia finally recalled his name. Looks like Brandon''s friends were here. "Amelia?" Raven, who was talking to Reinhard just now, finally noticed her. "Hm? Amelia¡­?" Reinhard turned around, noticing her presence. His brows raised and noticed the girl who had just appeared right behind Amelia. "Oh, Rachel?" "Hello, Rein¡­. Raven." At that, Amelia felt out of ce. Thankfully, she didn''t had to go through the whole process of just standing there and watching the others talk as the battle continued. Tzz¡ª! As they stopped the monster''s advance, sending their own wave of attacks, purple sparks suddenly flickered. Heads started falling one after another. Blood gushed out from their exposed necks like a water sprinkler. A woman, with sleek purple hair that was tied to a ponytail. Amelia too was familiar with her, her name just at the tip of her tongue. All she knew was that this woman was a big¨Cshot outside the academy. "ire?" A voice that sounded like Reinhard rang out from the side. Ah, yes. "ire Victoria?" Amelia, recognizing ire''s presence, asked. "Oh? General Amelia." ire smeared the blood off her cheek, straightened her back, and shed Amelia a salute. Amelia met more of Brandon''s friends. They conversed with one another for a bit after seeing each other for the first time in a while. Then, the fighting continued from there. Surprisingly, despite the ongoing chaos that emerged from every side, the terrain remained unchanged. Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! Another one of Brandon''s friends appeared. This time, Amelia knew who she was. It was Amy. After all, unbeknownst to the others, Amy was a diehard Amelia fan, and would often greet her whenever the two passed each other in the academy. More and more cadets appeared from ss B and A, stopping the stampede of monsters with ease. Brandon''s friends had already gathered, a woman with ck hair and purple eyes, and a man with ck hair and golden eyes. "Looks like everyone''s here, huh?" However, one question lingered in everyone''s minds. "Has anyone seen Brandon?" Chapter 315: Subjugation [2] Monsters obstructed her path on the way, but Belle handled it with ease. Wherever she went, radiant light engulfed the vicinity, leaving a trail of blood in her wake. But in the middle of her endeavors, Belle, who had been traversing for a long while, suddenly grew panicked. "I''m lost¡­." Belle may have always appeared calm and collected. But she had a secret fear that she had kept to herself. She was afraid of getting lost, especially when she was alone. This stemmed from her trauma, when she found herself lost during her time in Milis. Suddenly, while she continued to traverse on the path she thought she took, it was then when she noticed. "...." Mist. A trail of mist lingered in the air, and at that moment, a sense of fear welled up inside Belle. She had heard of the rumors. A certain area within the forest, mist engulfed the entire vicinity, and whenever someone entered the mist, they would be attacked by apparitions. With those thoughts in mind, Belle felt goosebumps all over, sending a shiver down her spine. Just that alone was enough for Belle to take a step back and change directions. As Belle tried to retrace her steps yet again, it was then. ¡ªHwoooooar! A deep guttural roar echoed in the air, reverberating the forest. Belle had ventured far within the forest, deep into where most monsters reside. For that reason, just a few seconds before whatever that scream was, Belle heard the sound of a rushing stampede ahead of her. SHIIING¡ª! Remaining vignt, Belle brandished her sword forward. Her eyes narrowed, and magic power gathered on her sword. The tension was palpable in the air as Belle awaited the for her opposers. Gradually, the stampede grew louder and louder. As soon as they entered Belle''s peripheral vision, her eyes widened. "Wha¡ª" There were way too many of them. Much more so than she could count. She was confident she could take out at least forty of them before her stamina ran out. For that reason, she concluded that it wasn''t worth it. Fighting them with other cadets was the best course of action. Sheathing her sword back in her scabbard¡ªwhich was attached on her waist, Belle rushed back from whence she came. "Ah." The stampede loomed close, growing louder, and once again, Belle found herself back in front of the mist. Of course, she could make a detour and run around the mist. However, there was no time for that. In a few seconds, the stampede would overrun her. But still, the thought of entering the mist and seeing ghosts made Belle hesitate for a bit. But her hesitation was only momentary as mana began together on her legs. If she were to enter the mist, then she wanted to get out fast. Boom¡ª! At that moment, the ground shattered, sending rubbles flying as Belle kicked the ground and bursted from her position. But it had to be said. "Hieaaa¡ª!" Belle screamed as she peered her eyes closed. She didn''t want to see even a single sign of the paranormal. Of course, Belle opened her eyes asionally, squinting them as narrow as she can, just so she can see where she was going. A sudden chill ran down her spine as she felt an abundant amount of mana ahead of her. The mana was ominously thick, and she felt like something was stuck at the back of her throat, choking her. Belle suddenly had second thoughts. She shouldn''t have entered the mist at all. But it was toote to go back. Swallowing her saliva, Belle pressed forward without ever looking back. "Sis." A whisper suddenly reached her ears. A familiar voice, whispering out to her. A voice she had always feltfortable with. There was only one person, other than her own mother. Especially when the voice just called her, ''Sis.'' Brandon. Belle had never seen Brandon the past month. It was strange, Knowing how Brandon was, he would''ve made himself known by now. Yet for some reason, not once had she ever noticed signs of him. Not even his friends¡ªwhich Belle had encountered back then¡ªhad seen him. Truly, it was strange. But now that she thought about it, if Brandon was within the mist, then everything made sense. After all, cadets often avoided this area. But that begged the question. Why was Brandon even here? And that ominous mana she had felt back then¡­.. Was it him? "Sis." "Brandon!?" Belle¡ªwho had just opened her eyes, responded. But at that moment. "Hieeeeaa¡ª!" A sudden silhouette¡ªlike apparition stood right in front of her, sucking the soul out of Belle''s body. She shuddered from fear as all the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. "It''s me¡­." The whisper was rather hoarse, as if it was exhausted. No, not it. "Brandon?" "Follow¡­. Me¡­" The silhouette faded and reappeared way ahead of Belle, urging for Belle to rush towards it. ''So he''s the reason behind all this?'' The mana signature gradually became closer, and the sound of the stampede grew louder and louder, giving Belle a sense of unease. "We''ve got no time for this, Brandon!" However, her brother didn''t respond. The silhouette continued to fade and appear way ahead of Belle¡ªinstantly traversing the mist. "They''rei¡ª" But Belle couldn''t finish her sentence. How could she? When her brother looked bruised and disheveled, leaning his limp figure on a boulder. Water bottles and wrappers scattered on the ground, and amidst all the mess, was Brandon, who looked like he hadn''t slept a wink for a year. It was a total mess. He was a total mess. "What happened to you¡­.?" "Don''t worry." Brandon, who had bags under his eyes, met her gaze. Belle''s brows furrowed out of concern. "Exin everything to meter. We''ve got no time!" Belle cut straight to the point and neared Brandon, offering her shoulder as support. "Don''t." However, Brandon refused her offer, limply holding his hand up. "What do you mean don''t?" Belle eximed. "I don''t know what''s going on. But we have to get out of here!" "I''ll stay here. You go ahead¡­." "Brandon, now''s not the time to y the hero. You''re in no condition to move even!" Belle''s concern flowed out of her mouth and her expressions distorted. What is Brandon even thinking? There was no way she would allow her brother to die in this ce. Not here, not anywhere. Never. "Let theme¡­. Cough¡­!" Brandon whispered, then coughed. "What?" "Trust me." "...." "If you want to stay, then don''t ask. But I advise you to¡­. Cough¡­! Go!" Ask? "What are you¡ª" Belle turned around. All sorts of monsters that reside in the forest¡ªmonsters that Belle had been fighting for the past month, began to emerge within the mist. To her shock, there were far more than she had ever anticipated. "Brandon¡­." However, as Belle turned to nce at where Brandon wasying¡­. "...." He was gone. Swoosh¡ª! Belle felt the cold mist brush through her skin, its smoky white mist flowing, scattering. It felt as if something had just phased through her. And it was then. Voooosh¡ª¡ª! The sound of mes crackled from behind her, and Belle turned around, only to see amethyst hues rippling¡ªobscured by the mist. The sound of screams echoed. But it wasn''t Brandon''s scream. It was the monsters. Chapter 316: Subjugation [3] Pain echoed all over Brandon''s body, so much so than Belle could even imagine. So much mana built up that the fine bones in his body began to ache. His body heated up like molten magma consuming him from within, internally melting his organs, making him feel like his stomach was twisting. Much more so as all he could do was grit his teeth and pray that time would pass. However, sensing the sudden familiar mana signature within the mist, Brandon''s expressions eased. It was Belle. Mustering the little amount of strength he had, Brandon distorted the mist, creating a silhouette in his form. For some reason, Belle looked panicked and kept urging him to leave. Brandon couldn''t understand why. He had heard of the sudden scream But in the few seconds that passed, he finally understood why. An uncountable amount of monsters were approaching, and Brandon felt their presence within the mist. However, it was way too hard to even move a single joint of muscle, especially in his legs. Belle may have offered her shoulders as support, but he could tell one way or another that she didn''t have the speed to outrun them, especially if he was dragging her down. ''There''s no other choice.'' He had to fight them head on. Maybe Belle would have a hard time against so many enemies at once due to her mana capacity. But Brandon, ¡­..He was swimming in intense pent¨Cup mana. It was hard to stand up. Just moving his legs slightly felt like his bones were cracking, enough pain that would make him lose his mind. Moving his arm was bearable, just a sharp stabbing pain that would make any normal person cry out of agony. Nothing much. The mist was his territory, and within the mist, purple pathways flooded the vicinity. Pathways that only he could see, allowing him to traverse within the mist with just a simple notion of grabbing them. His perception heightened to its maximum potential, and Brandon felt a sudden rush of adrenaline pumping in his blood. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! His heartbeat drummed loudly. Much to the point that it was drowning out whatever Belle was currently saying. Every second counted, and if he wasted too much time, the monsters would surround them. There was only one thing he could do. And that was, Swoosh¡ª! To grab the pathways. It felt like the air was sucked out of his lungs. This was always how it felt like whenever he instantaneously traversed the mist. But now it was somehow different. Like the very foundation of his lungs were being ruptured. "Huuu¡­." For that reason, he sucked the cold air out of the atmosphere in, taking a deep heavy breath. It was hard to keep his legs standing. Thump! No, it was impossible as he stumbled down instantly. It was gonna take a while to get used to. However, he knew just how exactly to tackle this unforeseen situation. At that moment, a monster lunged at him, its ws baring to sh. Thick bloodlust emanated from around him, much to the point that it suffocated his throat. However, gritting his teeth, Brandon''s figure faded within the mist, reappearing right above the monsters. Since he couldn''t keep his legs locked steadfast on the ground, there was only one approach to this. And that was to utilize [Phantasm] as his mode of transportation. He tried to unsheathe his sword, but found no strength to do so. With no other weapon to use, threads started to protrude from his fingertips. Brandon''s body trembled as the threads extended from his fingertips, glowing faintly in the mist. Each movement sent searing pain through his limbs, his muscles seemed to scream, begging for him to stop, but he pushed the agony to the back of his mind. The monsters looked up to him, their forms distorted in the swirling fog, and the air around him thickened with their bloodlust. Swoosh¡ª! The threads responded to his will, shifting and coiling like serpents. But even as they moved, Brandon felt the weight of his mana building up, an unbearable pressure threatening to tear him apart from the inside. His vision blurred, his lungs struggling to take in the cold, suffocating air. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! His heartbeat pounded louder, drowning out everything else. The growls of the monsters, even the rustling of the mist. Time seemed to tick amidst the silence, and he could feel the monsters surrounding them. There was no other choice. He had to use everything he could in his arsenal. With a grimace, Brandon thrust his hand forward, the threads whipping out in an instant, shing through the mist like des. Swoosh¡ª! They cut through the first wave of monsters, sending their twisted forms crumpling to the ground, but more reced them, surging forward. "Brandon!" Belle''s voice finally broke through the fog in his mind, but he couldn''t afford to look back. Each attack sent ripples of pain through his body, but there was no stopping now. He grabbed the purple pathways in the mist, phasing in and out of visibility as he teleported from one side of the battlefield to the other. His movements were unsteady, fueled by the drive to protect his sister, his body barely holding together as his mana swirled wildly. A wed hand shot toward him from the mist, but Brandon was faster. Swoosh¡ª! His body blurred as he phased through the air, the threads wrapping around the creature''s arm and slicing cleanly through it. The monster''s scream of agony was cut short as it copsed to the ground, its body dissolving into the mist. But the tide wasn''t slowing. More monsters were closing in, their forms growing clearer as they pushed through the mist. Crack! Pain shot through Brandon''s chest, and he stumbled, his knees wanting to give out under the pressure. He could feel his bones straining against the weight of his mana. Even the slight movement of his fingers felt like ss shattering inside his body. But even as the pain threatened to overwhelm him, something else stirred deep within¡ªsomething darker. His expressions cracked, and he felt his lips pulling up to a wide grin. There was so much pent¨Cup mana, and the fastest way to deal with this and to empty out his core was to utilize that one skill. The skill that had the most bacsh, yet the most destructive output. [Cursed mes] The threads that had been glowing faintly suddenly burst into vivid amethyst mes, the fire crackling and dancing along the fine thin threads. The cold mist hissed and sizzled as the mes ate away at it. The monsters recoiled, their movements hesitant and enraged as the mes burned brighter. Brandon hurled the threads forward, now imbued with the searing heat of the mes. The fire spread quickly, the threads acting as conduits, cutting through the monsters like a de through paper. The amethyst mes consumed them, turning their grotesque bodies to ash before they could even react. But the cost was immense. Every flicker of me drained more mana from Brandon''s already strained body, and he could feel the cracks deepening inside him. "Haa¡­. Haaa¡­!" His breath came in ragged gasps, and the edges of his vision blurred, darkening with each passing second. "I''ll take this side!" He hadn''t noticed it, but Belle seemed to have already joined the battle with him, light flickering from her bloodied sword. Her sword extended and distorted into a radiant bright glow. A gust of wind fluttered around her, swaying her hair and spreading the mist around. The mes roared, spreading wider, creating a barrier between him and the onught of monsters. The mist swirled violently around him, but the amethyst fire continued to burn, pushing back the dark tide. The monsters, once relentless, hesitated momentarily before they pushed through, trying to w away at the siblings. Brandon''s body screamed for release, for him to stop and let the mana flow dissipate before it destroyed him. His core was practically aching. Cursed mes undting the vicinity, flickering its amethyst hue across the vicinity, its burning effects lingering inside his body, eating away at his core. But he knew. There was no stopping. Not until they were safe. Vooosh¡ª¡ª! Brandon threw his arms out, the amethyst mes roaring to life as the threads expanded, wrapping around the monsters in every direction. The battlefield exploded in a ze of light and heat, the air filled with the sound of their dying screams. The fine threads imbued with amethyst mes were relentless. Whenever a monster escaped his grasp, attacking him, Brandon''s figure would seamlessly blur, fading into the mist, reappearing somewhere within the battlefield. He had only realized now that he was standing, and as soon as he realized such a fact, an indescribable pain ruptured within him. Supporting him from across the battlefield was Belle. Her sword extended upwards and shone brightly, clearing the horde of monsters that seemed to have escaped Brandon''s perception. The mist distorted and scattered, as Belle swung her sword skillfully, blood spattering in the air as it smeared her face. Her expressions hardened, but Belle pressed on. With a flick of his wrist, the threadsshed out, wrapping around the massive monster''s arm. The mes hissed and crackled. At this point, Brandon didn''t even know where the threads were going anymore. Simply just trying his best not to inflict friendly fire against Belle. The fighting carried on, and Brandon''s strength was slowly fading. His white cored long¨Csleeve shirt had been torn, exposing cuts on his body from the attacks he was unable to dodge. Then, silence. Thump! "Haaa¡­. Haaa¡­." Brandon copsed to his knees, his vision dimming, his breath shallow. The mes flickered, then died, leaving only the charred remains of the monsters scattered around him. His body felt like it was tearing itself apart, but he had done it. They had done it. To clear an insurmountable situation with only the two of them. ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: S- ¡ª[0%] ¨N MP: S ¡ª[0%] ¨N DEF: A ¡ª[0%] ¨N AGI: S- ¡ª[0%] ¨N INT: S ¡ª[0%] ¨N CHA: SSS- ¡ª[0%] [AVG: S-] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Sheathing her sword back, Belle rushed towards her brother, helped him up by offering her shoulder. Shortly after, her eyes widened in astonishment. "Brandon, you''re¡­." It was the birth of a new S ranker. Chapter 317: Subjugation [4] Several instructors hid themselves, blending with the snowy trees as they scanned the vicinity¡ªthe ongoing battle. It was the final week of the training camp. The real hurdle¡ªin which they had to face after surviving in the permafrost climate, fighting other cadets on their journey, experiencing cold betrayals, and working together despite the clearck of resonance. The horde, while not fully cleared, but numbers had greatly diminished An instructor ran back towards the camp and gave his report. "It''s working just as predicted, Field Marshal." "Hm?" Evelyn, who was sipping on a coffee mug, turned around, acknowledging the neer''s presence. "It took a while, but the cadets greatly handled the situation. Though some fled, there were a lot more who took on the challenge than expected." "Is that so?" "Yes, led by Amelia Constantine, along with other ss A students, they were able to take out the wyvern without too many casualties. It''s safe to say the future is bright, Field Marshal." "General Constantine, huh?" Evelyn massaged her chin, squinting her eyes. "What about General Locke?" "Surprisingly, she''s nowhere to be seen. She didn''t take part in any of the battles. In fact, along with her brother, they''re the only ss A students that had yet to be sighted." "That''s odd¡­." At least, that''s what Evelyn wanted to assume from the outside. However, in her head, she could more or less deduce the whole story. ''So she met up with her brother.'' Find joy at m-vl_e That was most likely the situation. Unknowingly, the corner of Evelyn''s lips pulled up. ''At least he has someone to look out for him.'' "Is there something, Field Marshal?" Noticing the look on her face, the instructor asked. "No." Evelyn shook her head and returned her usual nk expression. Then, she called for everyone''s attention. p¡ª! The instructors paused and stopped their ongoing activities at the moment, fixing their attention on the Field Marshal. It was time. The stage was set for all. The cadets had been hardened enough, ready to face any unforeseen adversities that woulde their way. Much to the point where they hadpletely abandoned the initial instructions. With a serious expression, Evelyn announced, a sinister grin creeping up her face. "Release the second one." *** There were four days left in the training camp. Raven traversed the forest with Amy by his side. "How many badges do you have?" Raven asked. While badges didn''t even matter anymore, especially when everyone just wanted to go home and rest, regardless of whether they failed or not. Still, Raven wanted to strike up a conversation. "...." However, Amy, who walked while keeping her head down, remained silent. "Amy?" "Hey." Amy raised her head, meeting his gaze. Wetting her lips, she opened her mouth. "This training camp¡­. What are we even training for?" "What do you mean? Obviously, so we can be stronger. So we can serve this nation." While Imperial Academy may be a military academy, cadets were free to choose their profession after graduating. Raven had two choices, and oftentimes, struggled between the two. To be a ranker, and fully be a Special Force guild member. Or, to join the Imperial Army. "Yes, but¡­. This training¡­. Doesn''t it feel like we''re being prepared for¡­. war?" "War?" It never really crossed Raven''s mind. But now that she mentioned it, the current circumstances¡­. The cadets being forced under leadership roles¡­. The battle with the monsters, and that final battle with the wyvern, where all cadets fought in union, led by different leaders from ss A¡­. It did feel like they were fighting in a war. Of course, it was a military academy, so their teaching methods made sense. However, this frantic pacing. As if they were rushing their training, rushing for something since they were running out of time. "It is weird¡­." Raven began to surmise, peering into his mind, assisted by his cognitive skills. Rubbing his chin, he continued speaking. "The fact that the Imperial Army started an academy, advertising it as military training in the promise of a higher position if we join the Imperial Army¡­." Additionally, even though Imperial Academy had partnerships with the main guild, there were no additional benefits if they actually became a ranker themselves. "Could it be?" Amy frowned. "That might be the case. I think the Imperial Army is hiding something from us." "So you think so too, huh?" That they were being prepared for war. *** Amelia had one of the biggest contributions during the battle. Her magic swords dazzled and rained down, saving a lot of cadets, and ultimately dealing the final blow on the wyvern¡ªgreatly assisted by Raven, Reinhard, and Rachel. For that reason, she was hailed as a hero amongst the cadets. They looked up to her like a beacon of strength, an inspiration to the aspirants. But unbeknownst to them, Amelia waspletely oblivious of this fact. After the battle, there was one thought that never left her mind as theories spun around in a circle. Where is Brandon and Belle? While she had seen Belle oftentimes in the past month, during the fight, she was nowhere to be seen. And the biggest mystery was Brandon. She had asked all of his friends, yet they all imed the same thing. That they had never seen Brandon. This sheer fact disappointed Amelia. She had initially wanted to face him head¨Con with her skills. But now? ''I miss him.'' She just wanted to see him. But even with those thoughts in mind, she wasn''t worried in the least bit. Especially since Belle had been missing. It was highly likely that the two were together. No, maybe she was kind of worried for Belle. Brandon on the other hand, the two shared an identical ring that told each other if either were alive or not. She had often checked the ring daily. Thankfully, Brandon was alive and breathing. Brandon had told her it came with a feature that allowed her to know of his location. Or was it to enable her to go to him? Something along those lines. However, she was told it had a cooldown. For that reason, she didn''t want to waste it. In any case, Amelia was deeply concerned about Belle. But still, she knew how strong her best¨Cfriend was. Since this forest had been monitored already by the Imperial Army, they had most probably known cadets would be able to face any adversities residing in the forest. After all, the wyvern was obviously something they could handle. While other cadets thought the wyvern was an unforeseen variable, Amelia was sure of it. The Imperial Army was responsible for the wyvern. It was a great move on their part. The wyvern served as a catalyst to unite the monsters¡ªinstilling fear in them, and starting a pseudo war between them and the cadets. "Amelia?" Rachel, who was sitting beside her while reading a book, suddenly asked. "Hm?" Amelia was lost in deep thought as she stared at the sky, responded. "I know it might be weird of me to ask this, especially since we''ve been interacting with each other the past couple of days, but are you aware of my previous rtionship with Brandon?" "Yes." Amelia spoke with no hesitation. Of course she knew, Brandon had told her himself. That trait alone told Amelia that she could trust him in regards to this kind of matter. Especially so, after finding out Brandon had confessed to her only after clearing things up with Rachel. "Do you think it''s¡­. weird? Hanging out with me and all¡­." "Not really." Then, Amelia curiously tilted her head. "Why? Do you find it weird hanging around with me?" "N-No¡­." Rachel stammered. "You''re a really nice person. I can see why Brandon is head over heels for you." "Is that so? Haha~ You''re really nice too, Rachel." Amelia wasn''t exactly sure how to speak casually with Rachel. For that reason, she hadn''t brought up her rtionship with Brandon once. However, Rachel opened up the topic, and Amelia grew awkward. She didn''t want to rub salt on wounds. Especially knowing her history with Brandon. But from what she knew, they were never really an item. Just youths having a crush on each other. The feeling of having a crush gradually diminishes as time goes on. "I hope we remain good friends, Amelia. Don''t worry, I can assure you I harbor no feelings for Brandon anymore." "Of course, I like being friends with you, Rachel. For Brandon, well¡­. he has a lot of admirers. I mean, it''s Brandon after all. So I understand whenever someone has a crush on him." The same went for her. Amelia was quite aware of the looks other male cadets gave her, regardless if their rtionship was public. Those feelings couldn''t be helped. Just as long as they didn''t cross the line, then Amelia didn''t mind it. She already had this conversation with Brandon before, and he shared the same sentiments with her. They trusted each other. "Y-Yes, but¡­." Rachel''s words trailed off from there. Amelia suddenly stood up, dusting the snow off her coat. "Let''s go. The others must''ve finished off the remaining monsters by now." "Okay, I¡ª" Rachel''s words were abruptly cut off as a familiar guttural scream echoed, alerting the two women as their eyes shot wide open. ¡ªHwooooooar! However, this time, the scream was much more intense than before. Much to the point that it shook the entire forest, the ground trembling intensely. Amelia felt a sinister miasmaing from somewhere. Exactly where the scream seemed toe from. ''So it wasn''t over.'' It felt like the wyvern was the training camp''s main event. But even if they had ughtered the beast, the training camp continued. Things made more sense now. Amelia perceived that this new wyvern was much more stronger than the previous one. But if they were ready to actually face the new wyvern, Amelia couldn''t tell. She could only do what she could. "Rachel." "Understood." Just like that, they returned to where the cadets had previously gathered. Chapter 318: Wyvern [1] Out of concern and worry for her brother''s health, Belle decided to stick around and aid him after they cleared off the horde of monsters. Seriously, why is it always Brandon who''s always at risk of dying? Belle was tired of it. She didn''t want to see her brother suffer anymore. Yet for some reason, it''s as if suffering seemed to follow Brandon wherever he went. Or more like, Brandon himself reveled in the suffering. Belle couldn''t do a single thing about it. She had reprimanded him numerous times in the past. Yet it always ended up the same way. ''Please, stop hurting yourself.'' But she kept it in her thoughts. There was no use scolding her brother for it now. Especially knowing what was happening to him now. Belle had noticed it too. The fluctuating influx of his mana core. The signs of an S ranker. It was absurd. To think her brother had caught up to her, even surpassing her soon after. But Belle didn''t feel a least bit of envy. On the contrary, she was happy and truly felt proud of him. She too needed to catch up. It felt as if Brandon and Amelia were leaving her behind. In any case, she fixed her attention on Brandon. Hisplexions and overall state looked better nowpared to a week ago. Especially so when Belle helped him groom himself just so he could look presentable. After all, Brandon looked like he hadn''t showered in a year. "Thanks, Sis." Brandon had just finished the meal Belle had prepared for him. "How are you feeling?" Belle asked. Brandon flexed his muscles. "Better than ever." Noticing sauce smeared on the side of his lips, Belle let out a deep sigh and neared him, wiping the sauce off with her handkerchief. "Ah." Brandon looked as if the realization washed over him, and Belle just shook her head dismissively. No matter how strong Brandon gets, he will always be her younger brother. And as his older sister, she couldn''t help but look out for him, supporting him in every step towards his sess. That much was certain. As the two siblings continued conversing with one another, it was then. ¡ªHwoooooar! "...!" "...!" *** Some monsters, initially unfazed by the first wyvern''s arrival, had hesitated in the shadows of the forest. But now, as the second roar echoed through the clearing, they surged, pouring from the dense underbrush like a tidal wave. The air crackled with tension, the ground trembling under the weight of the approaching horde. They bore their ws and their weapons against the cadets, who were desperately defending themselves. Thankfully, the ss A and B students acted fast, protecting ss C and giving them the time to recuperate as they offered their assistance from the backlines. It was the same situation as the first wyvern. However, this time, everyone was calm and collected. They knew just how to handle the situation appropriately. "Squad B, fall back!" A certain cadet announced. He was one of the appointed leaders, a cadet of ss A. "Squad D, switch!" Another cadet instructed. Another appointed leader from ss B. There were five leaders for each ss. A total of fifteen leaders overall. All sorts of elemental attributed magic filled the air as the screams of monsters rang out. However, the cadets pressed forward. The closebat fighters rushed in, supported by the backliners. "Charge!" A scream rang out and cadets rushed in. It was as if they were the monsters and thetter was under siege. It took no difficulty to clear the monsters out. Until eventually, the wyvern became visible for all to see. The ground shook as the wyvern stepped out of the forest, its massive wings sending gusts of wind through the clearing. The beast''s dark, metallic¨Clike scales gleamed under the light, each one sharp and deadly. Its body was long and powerful, with horns curving back from its head and glowing red eyes fixed on the cadets below. When it opened its jaws, sharp teeth glinted in the light, and a deep roar erupted, shaking the air around it. ¡ªHwoooooar! The sound was deafening, causing the air to vibrate and the ground to crack beneath its weight The wyvern''s ws dug into the ground as it crouched. Its long tail, tipped with spikes, whipped through the air. The cadets could feel the weight of the creature''s presence. It stoodrger than the previous wyvern, and the cadets could feel the difficulty exponentially heightened. Fear ran through them, but they prepared themselves, weapons drawn, as the wyvern''s wings spread wide, shading over the battlefield. "Stay sharp!" One of the leaders shouted, his voice cutting through the tension. Raven''s brows furrowed. Scanning the wyvern''s scales, Raven looked at his dagger soon after. He pondered whether his dagger would actually be able to cut through the wyvern. While the previous wyvern posed only moderate difficulty, this wyvern on the other hand was on another level. "This is insane¡­." Raven had surmised this was all ording to the Imperial Army''s n. But do they really think the cadets would be able to defeat the wyvern? Much more so, when it took a while to y the first one? In any case, they had no choice. Magic attacks pierced through the air, heading directly for the wyvern. However, the wyvern, as if unbothered, took the full brunt of the attacks. Soon after, it retaliated. ¡ªHwoooooar! A deep guttural scream reverberated throughout the entire forest. Raven felt like his eardrums were being ruptured as he covered his ears. A gust of wind sent out as the wyvern pped its wings. Cadets'', who werexed in their defense, were sent flying away. Xiu! Xiu! Xiu! Arrows of mes and frost rippled from somewhere, aiming to pierce right through the wyvern. However, it dissipated upon impact. The wyvern''s defense was no joke. While scorched marks etched on its scales after taking mes and lightning attacks, it stood unbothered and continued to retaliate. Its movements were slow, itsrge ws aimed to decapitate the cadets. However, the closebatants were quick in their feet, swiftly dodging the sharp ws. A group of duelistsnded on the wyvern''s figure. Their weapons traced on the wyvern''s scales as they rushed forward with a battle cry. Raven seized the opportunity, entering one of the cadet''s shadows, instantly teleporting, standing on the wyvern''srge figure. Raven''s eyes narrowed as he precisely cut through the wyvern. However, the wyvern''s wings pped once again, throwing off everyone''s bnce as they fell from its back. At that moment, a gust of wind brushed past them to support theirnding, recalling them back to safety. The cadets all worked in unison, supporting one another. The cadets braced themselves against the wyvern''s relentless attacks, the battlefield echoing with the sh of steel, magic, and the deafening roars of the massive beast. With each p of its wings, powerful gusts of wind sent the less experienced cadets tumbling across the clearing, their defenses barely holding against the sheer force. But no matter how much time passed, it felt as if they were wasting their time. The wyvern. ¡ªHwoooooooar! It was as if it suffered no damage at all. Chapter 319: Wyvern [2] Raven''s heart raced as he quickly scanned the wyvern''s massive frame, its scales gleaming under the light of the cadets'' attacks. His mind worked fast, trying to assess the best point of attack. A voice rang out among the chaos, one of the ss leaders shouting. "We need to distract it! Form two groups! First group, draw its attention. Second group, get behind it!" Boom¡ª! Magic attacks flew through the air. Elemental spells of all sorts exploding on impact. Fireballs, lightning bolts, and shards of ice pelted the wyvern''s thick scales, but the beast barely flinched. It moved slowly, but with terrifying precision, each swipe of its ws or tail sending cadets scrambling to avoid being crushed. "Uwaaa!" "Huu¡­ Huuu¡­." Once more, Raven, along with a group of duelists, attempted to leap toward the wyvern''s back with their weapons drawn. They ran up and hacked at its scales, but their des barely scratched the surface. "Tsk. Damn it." Raven grimaced as his dagger scraped uselessly against the thick armor-like scales. The wyvern''s defense was imprable, its body seemingly impervious to their attacks. "We can''t break through!" One of the cadets shouted, panic rising in his voice. Raven clenched his teeth, trying to stay calm despite the rising tension. "We need to find a weak spot." He muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the wyvern''s massive form. The wings, its underbelly, maybe the eyes¡ªbut getting close enough to strike any of those weak points seemed almost impossible. ¡ªHwoooooar! The wyvern roared again, a guttural sound that reverberated through the forest, shaking the ground beneath them. With a powerful p of its wings, it sent another shockwave of wind across the battlefield, scattering the cadets. "Huaaa!" "Shiiit¡­!" At that moment, just when they least expected it¡­. Boom¡ª! A myriad of magic swords came from somewhere, caneering towards the wyvern. Everyone turned towards whence it came from with widened eyes. A stunning woman, with blonde hair and blue eyes entered the scene amidst the snow dust. Her wless facial features shone through, taking everyone''s breaths away. Magic swords hovered around her, the edge of the des pointing right towards the wyvern. With no time wasted, Amelia extended her hand forward. The magic swords shot out in rapid session. "Quickly follow through the General''s atta¡ª" Xiu! A crystalline of icicle arrows cut through the battlefield from somewhere. Its massive size and reflective surface casting a shimmering light over the snowy ground. The arrow struck with a force that rattled the earth, embedding itself into the wyvern''s side, splintering into shards of frost that erupted on impact. Boom¡ª! The explosion sent a flurry of snow and ice across the field, coating the ground in a frozen sheen. ¡ªHwooooaar! The wyvern roared, its massive form reeling from the blow, and for the first time, its movements faltered. Amelia, her expression calm and focused, stood tall amidst the falling snow, her hand still outstretched from the relentless barrage of her magic swords. However, this sheer act alone was rapidly draining her mana. Thankfully, she put a lot of focus on her mana capacity''s growth. ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: A+ ¡ª[23%] ¨N MP: S- ¡ª[4%] ¨N DEF: A- ¡ª[67%] ¨N AGI: A+ ¡ª[0%] ¨N INT: B+ ¡ª[0%] ¨N CHA: SS ¡ª[44%] [AVG: A+] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Sooner orter, she would finally break through the S ranks. Beside her, Rachel prepared to draw another arrow. The mana around the girl with crimson eyes intensified, much to the point where Amelia found herself swallowing her saliva. They had just joined the battle after finishing off a horde of monsters who seemed to have escaped the first charge. "Rachel! General Amelia!" A man with red hair and blue eyes, sporting an exhausted expression, ran up to them. It was Reinhard. On the outside, Amelia wanted to be referred to as just Amelia. But in the battlefield, honorifics were important as it signified an individual''s pride. "What''s the situation?" Amelia asked. Her voice soft amidst the ongoing chaos, elemental attributed attacks dishing out in the background. "It''s not looking good. We''re quickly running out of mana. We''ve been managing by switching with a different squadron at intervals. But sooner orter, it''s bound to catch up soon." "I see, and the wyvern? Has anyone discovered its weakness?" "No, but its defenses are tanky." Another voice cut through. It was Raven, who appeared right before him. "In my opinion, if we continue to relentlessly barrage it with heavy attacks, its defenses should falter soon." Amelia pondered as she rubbed her chin. Clearly, there was no other strategy to go about. Their strength alone wouldn''t suffice to take the wyvern down in one swift blow. But her thoughts were broken as Raven added: "However, General. That goes for magic. During one of our attacks, my dagger seemed to have scratched its scales albeit slightly." "So you''re saying, its magic defense is high. But it''s not the same for its physical defense?" "Most probably, General." "I see. So that means we should ce grave importance on our duelists." Then, Amelia looked around before her eyes fell on Raven. "Do you know anyone with a spare sword I could borrow?" It was one of the moments where Amelia regretted never having her own physical sword. If Raven''s conjecture were correct, then her magic sword¡ªthough the impacts were immense¡ªa physical sword might prove better. "Thanks. Okay, listen up." As soon as Amelia received a sword of her own, she quickly called for attention. "I need you three to ry this information to all the Leaders. Mages will continue supporting the closebatant fighters from the rear. As soon as we find an opening, all duelists present will tackle the wyvern once more." It was a simple strategy. However, the main difference would be its coordination. "I can help with distraction, General." Another voice cut through. A woman''s voice. Coming from the deep undergrowth of the forest. Her purple hair was tied to a ponytail. While her purple fur coat fluttered in the snowy breeze. It was ire¡ªwho had just arrived at the battlefield as well after helping injured cadets retreat. They continued formting their n despite the battle happening in front of them. "Okay." As soon as they finished, Amelia nodded her head and the four dispersed soon after. Amelia''s hand extended forward and magic swords continued to rain down on the wyvern. If it could expose cracks on the wyvern, then Amelia didn''t want to waste a single opportunity. Time passed for a while, and at that moment, cadets brandishing swords stepped forward. That was the signal. Amelia, sword in hand, rushed forward to join the group of duelists. ¡ªHwoooooar! The ground trembled beneath their feet as the wyvern roared again, its powerful wings sending gusts of wind that threatened to topple the cadets. Amelia quickly assessed the battlefield. Her sharp blue eyes took in every detail. The mages were positioned strategically in the rear, hurling elemental attacks at the wyvern to keep it distracted. While the duelists advanced from all sides with brandished weapons. However, there were also two others who didn''t quite fit the bill. "You ready, Amy?" "Yes." It was ire and Amy. While ire may have had a rapier of her own, she didn''t quite fit the description of duelists¡ªwhose bodies are augmented physically. "Go!" Tzz¡ª! At Amelia''s call, like a thundering charge, ire blinked from her position, leaving a trail of purple sparks as she dded her body in an aura of intense, electrifying purple lightning. p¡ª! At the same time, Amy''s hands sped together. A small part of the sky right above where the wyvern stood, somehow, darkened. "...." Amelia''s brows raised as she took in the sight. She had never seen anything like this before. To think the woman who introduced herself as her fan was capable of this kind of magic. At the moment, despite the falling snow, rain began to gently pour down at the same time as barrages of all sorts of magic attacks dished out. Boom¡ª! Wrapped in an intense amount of purple lightning, ire threw herself into the wyvern, stabbing her rapier all over. The lightning''s sparks flowed through the rain currents, electrifying the wyvern. However, in retaliation, the wyvern''s tail sweeped the ground. But quick on her feet, ire leaped out on time, narrowly dodging its attack. The ground shook intensely as it split and cracked, cadets tumbling from the sheer impact. At that moment, the rain gradually froze and Rachel''s hair fluttered, its hue slowly changing from ck to snowy white. The sky filled with an icy substance, slowly contorting intonces. Tension sunk in as everyone waited for Rachel''s attack. And shortly after¡­. Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! Swoosh¡ª! A myriad of icences, assisted by Amy''s water magic, rained down on the wyvern. Followed by an onught of magic attacks from the other cadets, the duelists stood with bated breaths, staring at the magical scene they had never seen before. Mists of snow obscured their vision, and as soon as it faded, they all scanned the wyvern with narrowed eyes and visible tension. There, cracks started to appear all over the wyvern''s scale. For that reason, without wasting a single shred of the moment, duelists leapt up and poured out, swords brandished as they hacked away at the scales. But to their horror. ¡ªHwoooooar! The scales were nothing but ayer. The wyvern''s true form unveiling itself as it shed its scales and let out a deep guttural roar. Its wings pped, sending the duelists hurling away as audible gasps rang out from all sides. Amelia too was sent hurling away, but quickly supporting herself as her sword impaled the ground. "...." She scanned the scene. As if they were being ridiculed, all their efforts going for naught, the cracks had disappeared. Its scales unshed, revealing the wyvern''s glossy pale scales. Scales beneath the scales. "Damn it." It wasn''t the end of it. Chapter 320: Wyvern [3] "You done over there, Sis?" "Yeah, that should be thest one." Belle, who pulled out her sword of a monster, casually replied as she wiped the smeared blood off her cheek. "Okay, give me a minute." "Seriously, why are you taking your time?" She asked. "I''m just testing things out. Can''t have things fail once it actually matters, right?" While Brandon''s body still ached all over, it was at a level where he could manage just fine. His eyes narrowed, staring at the cursed pathways paved out for him. Swoosh¡ª! With a single thought, Brandon instantly traversed the mist and sheathed his sword back in the scabbard on his waist. "Alright, I''m done." "Hm?" Brandon casually walked ahead and Belle tilted her head in confusion. Dumbfounded, her brows raised. Thump! Thump! Thump! Heads started rolling on the floor btedly, blood gushing out of the headless necks until the bodies stumbled. "Let''s go, Sis. They could be having a hard time." "...." Belle dismissively shook her head thereafter and rushed towards Brandon''s side. She needed no exnation for what had just transpired. She should''ve been used to the sight by now after clearing the stampeding monsters for an hour or so. Mostly, Brandon was just testing his newfound abilities. But still, it was baffling. To say the least. *** It was utter chaos. Even with the presence of over eighty ss A students, followed by seventy ss B students, just keeping the wyvern at bay exerted a substantial amount of strength. So much so, that everyone found themselves exhausted. Cadets switched out, but the cadets that switched were them had barely recuperated. For that reason, their barrages of attacks had been slowing down as more time passed. nk¡ª! "We''re losing morale¡­." Amelia frowned as she tossed the broken sword on the ground. They hadunched multiple charges against the wyvern, but their efforts had proven futile each time. "Press forth!" However, they remained hopeful. Clearly, their attacks were working. It may have taken an uncountable amount of attempts. But the continuous heavy barrage of attacks had damaged the wyvern. Amelia surmised that they had taken over thirty percent of the wyvern''s health, evident by the chipped scales and its movements slowing down. All under two hours. What they needed to do now was to persist. "General Amelia!" One of the leaders of ss A eximed. "We need a new strategy. We''re losing more and more cadets!" Amelia nodded, her mind racing. They couldn''t afford to lose momentum now. "I know. We need to keep it focused on the frontlines. If we can buy some time for the cadets in the rear to recuperate, we might be able tounch a coordinated assault." "Easier said than done." Another cadet grimaced, ring at the weary cadets around them. "Tsk." Amelia clenched her fists, frustrated by theck of progress. Despite the damage they had inflicted on the beast, it felt like a small victorypared to the number of cadets lying on the ground, struggling to recover. "Everyone! Form defensive lines and keep the pressure on!" Amelia ordered, hoping to reignite the fighting spirit among the cadets, despite the fact that she too was exhausted. "Understood!" "Understood¡­." The cadets obeyed, albeit with less vigor than before. They moved into position, mages in the backunching spells while the duelists continued to hack away at the wyvern''s legs. ¡ªHwooooooar! It roared in defiance, swiping its tail in a wide arc that sent a handful of cadets sprawling. Amelia''s heart sank. They were running out of time¡­. and energy. Tzz¡ª! Surprisingly, out of all the duelists and mages present, the one who seemed to have an infinite amount of stamina was the woman with purple hair, wielding a rapier. It was ire, who had just charged heavily, colliding with the wyvern. Her attacks, while providing not as much damage as Amelia''s, served as diversion. ire''s attacks dealt heavy blows, forcing the wyvern to recoil, unable to attack. Boom¡ª! It was also followed by another cadet, with most probably, the highest destructive output. mes shot from his fiery bow, intertwining with an icy st, the two forces merging into a spiraling vortex of hellfire. Theirbined attack struck the wyvern with devastating force, causing the beast to stagger under the impact. It was none other than Reinhard and Rachel. ''They deserve a promotion¡­.'' From Amelia''s perspective, Rachel, Reinhard, Amy, and ire deserved to be promoted to the higher ss. ss A. They, who were ss B students, had contributed the most out of all their ssmates, even more than some ss A students. Especially ire and Amy. The two stood out the most with their shy attacks, catching everyone''s attention each time. Amidst the barrage of attacks, Amy moved with fluid grace, her water magic rippling through the air. Streams of water coiled around her like a serpent. Swoosh¡ª! With a single gesture, Amy summoned a massive surge of water from the atmosphere,pressing it into a high-pressure stream that sliced through the wyvern''s defenses. The water twisted and turned as though alive, crashing into the beast with the force of a tidal wave. Furthermore, Amy seemed to be tactically aware, using her affinity to support herrades as well. When the wyvern''s tailshed out in retaliation, Amy responded instantly, creating a barrier of condensed water that absorbed the blow, shielding her allies from the impact. Her water magic was versatile¡ªoffensive, defensive, and adaptive to the flow of battle. On the other hand, ire''s rapier glinted as she surged forward, her speed almost impossible to follow. The battlefield seemed to blur around her as she closed the gap between her and the wyvern, her body surrounded by arcs of purple lightning. Tzz¡ª! Each step she took left a trail of crackling energy in her wake, the sheer speed of her movements making her appear as a streak of light across the battlefield. All sorts of magic spiraled through the air as the battle raged on. The once-exhausted cadets, who had barely managed to recover, continued pressing on. Elemental spells¡ªfire, ice, wind, and lightning¡ªintertwined above the battlefield, raining down upon the wyvern. The air crackled with the force of theirbined magic, each cadet pushing beyond their limits to contribute whatever strength they had left. Gritting their teeth, the mages in the backline continued to unleash volleys of spells. Swoosh¨C Swoosh¡ª Swoosh¡ª¡ª! Fireballs streaked across the sky, colliding with sts of wind as their destructive powers amplified. Ice shards shot through the air, freezing the wyvern''s exposed wounds, while bolts of lightning arced from mage to mage. "Just a bit more¡­." Chapter 321: Wyvern [4] "Just a bit more¡­." Amelia bit her lip. Her hands shot towards the sky, then dragged downward. In response, a myriad of magic swords materialized in the air above her, glimmering like an ethereal glow. Each de, sharp and radiant, hovered for a brief moment before descending in a coordinated barrage. Boom! Boom¡ª! The swords rained down upon the wyvern, piercing the tough scales. ¡ªHwooooooar! The beast roared, its massive form trembling under the relentless assault. The magic swords struck with incredible power. Amelia''s heart raced as she watched the barrage take effect. The sheer force of her attack, coupled with the cadets'' continued efforts, seemed to push the wyvern back. Just a bit more. Just a bit more¡­.. Even if over a day passed, Amelia had no thoughts of ever faltering. She hoped the cadets shared the same sentiments as her. "...." The snow obscuring the vision faded, revealing the towering wyvern on its two feet, as if it was unfazed by the en masse of attacks. ¡ªHwoooooar! The wyvern roared and its wings pped, sending a whirlwind that blew the weakened cadets away. Then, its massive w struck the ground. Boom¡ª! The already cracking ground widened even more as the ground shook with intensity, akin to an 5.8 magnitude earthquake. Duelists who hacked away were swatted down like flies, tumbling on the ground with injuries. "No¡­." Amelia froze at that moment. Her previous thoughts, her determination, her strength, shattering as she watched in horror. "No¡­." Amelia''s hand reached out, a magic sword shot out in response, piercing the wyvern''s w and saving a cadet. However, as her gaze switched to another w, there, she could see a cadet limply lying on the ground. The wyvern''s talons hovered above him, descending down, aiming to crush the cadet in the process. "No!" Amelia''s legs moved reflexively, rushing towards the cadet with her hands extending forward. Magic swords surged forward, colliding with the wyvern''s massive talons. However, all it did was slow down its descent. "Keep running." A desperate voice whispered, streaking past Amelia like a shadow. It was Raven, who traversed the battlefield, appearing right before the cadet and tried dragging him out. "Raven!" However, the wyvern''s talons loomed close barely an inch and Raven had no time. In a second or two, Raven and the cadet would be crushed instantly. "Haa¡­. H-haaa¡­." But Amelia frantically ran with bated breaths. Magic swords shooting out, hoping for the wyvern''s talon to burst. Hoping to save Raven and the cadet. She couldn''t allow a single cadet to die. Why is the academy even doing this? Why are they sending these¡­. children to their deaths? A ming arrow ignited past Amelia like an inferno. Followed by an icicle arrow that gleamed amidst the snow. Tzz¡ª! Streaks of purple lightning rippled out, and a water barrier started to form around Raven. Right, Amelia was never alone. She wasn''t the only one who refused to let anyone die. And she wasn''t the only one trying to save Raven and the cadet. But she knew. Those attacks wouldn''t suffice. It took a collective effort just to damage the wyvern to this degree. How could she expect these attacks to even work? When her own singr attacks could barely scratch the wyvern''s surface? It was then. Just when all hope was lost. Just when she thought it was toote for Raven and the cadet he so desperately was trying to save¡­.. ¡ªHwooooooar! The wyvern roared and its talons froze, barely an inch above Raven''s head. "....?" Amelia stared wide eyed at the scene. Followed by audible gasps resounding throughout the entire forest. The obscuring snow dust faded, revealing a man in the center, standing an inch close in front of the wyvern. Pale white hair fluttered like a gentle breeze. Despite the harsh cold climate that contributed to the cadets'' exhaustion, the man wore a white cored long¨Csleeve. However, the sleeves were rolled up, revealing his well defined forearm. Thump! Amelia''s legs gave out from the exhaustion as she watched the entire ordeal with her mouth cked open. Thin fine threads wrapped around the wyvern tightly, halting it from making any small movements. Due to that, Raven immediately rushed out, carrying the cadet with him. "Haaa¡­ Haaa¡­." And before Amelia knew it, Raven was right beside her, breathing frantically as he gentlyid the cadet down. Realizing that their attacks could interfere with whatever the neer was doing, the air grew silent. Tension sinked in as everyone stared at the man with pale¨Cwhite hair, standing tall in front of the towering wyvern. "Took him long enough." ire, who had just joined Amelia and Raven, spoke. "Seriously, where was he all this time?" Amy too had joined them. "I knew he woulde." Reinhard, who rushed towards them and immediately fell on his butt, confidently said. "...." And Rachel, who joined them silently, stared at the scene with widened eyes. "Showoff." Raven shook his head and scoffed to the side. Brandon''s hand extended forward. His fists clenched and the threads seemed to tighten around the wyvern further. Brandon''s expression remained calm, almost unnervingly so. His lips moved, mouthing words no one could hear Then, his lips pulled up into a smile. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! Feeling a sudden rush of heat on her face, Amelia''s heartbeat quickened. Seeing that smile gave her assurance as a sense of relief washed over her. It was then. Vooosh¡ª! Suddenly, mes¡ªbrilliant amethyst mes¡ªignited along the threads, swirling magically, taking everyone''s breaths away. The mes danced across the thin lines, consuming the wyvern''s form inch by inch, casting a purple ethereal glow. ¡ªHwooooooar! For the first time, the creature let out a guttural scream in agony. The scene crackled with tension, the amethyst mes around the wyvern growing more intense as Brandon''s threads pulsed. The cadets watched in awe and disbelief. The mes surged, wrapping tighter around the wyvern''s limbs, inch by inch consuming the mighty beast. Amelia could barely keep her eyes off Brandon. Her heart raced not just from the battle, but from the sight of his power. She had seen him fight before, but never like this. Never with this kind of raw, unrestrained control. She recalled the conversation she had with Brandon two months ago, right before they separated. ¡ªAnd that sword won''t miss the next time we meet. She could almostugh at herself from uttering those words. Seeing Brandon now, her swords wouldn''t even touch him. Much less, faze him. Clearly, he was on a whole other level now. And clearly, he had surpassed her. "In just two months¡­." What was he even doing? Then, as if Brandon''s sudden appearance wasn''t surprising enough¡­. Boom¡ª! A streak of golden light tore through the air, cutting across the battlefield and mming into the wyvern''s exposed side. The beast staggered, its bnce thrown off by the sudden blow. Amelia turned, her eyes widening in shock. "Belle." She whispered. There she stood, Belle, her sword glowing with a radiant, golden aura. She had arrived at just the right moment. Her stance was calm, confident, as if she had been waiting for the exact moment to strike. As of this moment, the Locke siblings had joined the battlefield. Chapter 322: Wyvern [5] Despite the clear gap in power between the cadets and the wyvern, there was a reason why no deaths had urred. It was because instructors strictly supervised the entire ordeal, hiding several meters away. When cadets were at death''s door, they would subtly save them using their magic in any manner. Truth be told, any of the instructors on the S¨Crank could take the wyvern on. Not as if the wyvern was weak, but it was extremely sluggish. The only reason the guild ssified it as S¨Crank was due to its exceptional endurance against magic. Especially so, in the case of Evelyn, who could most definitely y the wyvern in under one minute. But despite all that, they left the cadets to their own devices. They were strictly there to avoid any deaths. Injuries? They deserved it for beingx. As they continued to watch the scene, to watch the chaos unfolding, suddenly the tension sank in. There, they could see a cadet, about to be crushed by the wyvern''s talons. In the next instant, a shadow streaked and a man with jet¨Cck hair appeared before the cadet. He was the newest addition to the higher ss, and from what they''ve seen, they had evaluated him highly. Especially during the wyvern subjugations. It was none other than Raven ckheart. He had contributed far more than anyone had anticipated. Instead of focusing on shing through the wyvern''s scales as a duelist should, Raven used his speed to rescue cadets, often at the expense of his own safety. Together with the blonde cadet, Amy, and other supporters, they managed to save several cadets. It was admirable. And now, he was doing it again. Disregarding his own safety just to save the cadet. For that reason, several instructors raised their hands forward, gathering magic power around their palms with the intent to save Raven and the cadet. "Wait." Evelyn extended her hands to the side, motioning for them to stop. Due to her hypersensitivity to mana, she had felt it. He wasing. Of course, since she was in charge, the instructors paused. But confusions were etched on their faces as they questioned her sudden cold decision. "But Field Marshal, he''s about to¡ª" Their words abruptly cut off as they gazed at the scene. Mist slowly rolled in, but given how high up they were, visibility was not an issue. All of a sudden, "...." Silence. -l-em,py-r "What happened?" "Why isn''t the wyvern moving?" Questions rose one after another, baffled by the sudden turn of events. Evelyn pointed ahead. "Look." The instructors squinted their eyes, scrutinizing whatever the hell just happened. "Who''s¡ª" "Is that Brandon Locke?" "Yes." Evelyn nodded her head at an instructor''s conjecture. The wyvern hadpletely stopped moving, and amidst it all, was Brandon Locke. It looked as if time had frozen, the snow gently falling. "How is this even possible? There''s no way an A-ranker could pull off something like this!" "You are all about to witness¡­." Evelyn spoke with a hint of pride. She was truly proud of Brandon from the bottom of her heart. "The birth of a new S ranker." *** Despite the sheer destructive force Brandon unleashed with the cursed mes, the wyvern remained standing. This led him to conclude that its magical defenses were definitely at the high¨Cend for its rank. Thankfully, the threads restrained the wyvern''s movement somehow. However, he was aware it wouldn''t be enough. Especially seeing the threads beginning to break apart. Brandon quickly recalled the threads back, the amethyst mes dissipating. ¡ªHwoooooar! The wyvern roared out in anger. Its tail sweeped the ground in one swift motion, the ground shattering. Brandon instantly traversed through the mist, appearing right above the wyvern, dodging the attack with ease. However, unable to fly, Brandon descended downward rapidly. p¡ª! "Huu¡­.." With a sharp inhale, he sped his hands together, channeling far more mana than he ever had for this skill. The air around him crackled with energy as the ground beneath trembled. Suddenly, massive chains erupted from the snowy ground, surging upward before wrapping themselves around the wyvern. Rapidly descending, his hand shot downward. BOOOOM¡ª¡ª¡ª! In an instant, the wyvern mmed into the earth with a thunderous crash, the sheer force of the impact rippling through the forest, shaking its very foundation. The wyvern let out another furious roar, its wings beating against the chains, sending a whirlwind of snow and debris spiraling through the mist-filled air. Cracks etched across the ground from the force of its struggle. SHIIING¡ª! Unsheathing the sword on his waist, Brandon faded in the mist once more, appearing atop the wyvern''s head. There were different ways to go about this. But clearly, magic would only hinder him back. The most optimal course of action was to hack away with brute strength. But clearly, the other duelists had already done that. Evident from the marks embedded on the wyvern''s scales. And clearly, their strength didn''t suffice. ''I have to shatter its scales before I sear through the flesh then.'' Brandon thought to himself. ''Will I have enough strength to do so?'' He wasn''t a duelist. And so, despite being an S¨Cranker, maybe his strength wouldn''t be up to par. If it were Raven or Amelia, it would make things much easier. However, he had no other choice. He was well aware the instructors were hiding somewhere, preparing if the worst would transpire, but he knew they wouldn''t do a single thing to assist in the wyvern''s subjugation. He was the only S¨Cranker present. The cadet with a real shot of actually taking the wyvern down individually. At that moment, magic power surged, coursing through his veins and isting in his arm. His eyes narrowed, focusing on the wyvern''s jagged scales. He felt the muscles in his arm start to ache, strained from the surge of raw power. With a swift motion, he brought his fist down on the wyvern''s skull. CRACK¡ª¡ª! The sound reverberated through the air as his punch connected, sending shockwaves rippling through the wyvern''s body. The force of the blow caused the beast to stagger, its massive frame trembling under the impact. Brandon wasted no time. His fist rose again, with intense focus, he drove it down once more. BOOOM¡ª¡ª! The ground beneath them trembled, snow scattering in every direction. At that moment, a metallic sound rang out as the chains constrained around the wyvern shattered. "Tsk." Clicking his tongue, he stared at the scale he had struck twice. With two strikes, arge crack spread across the wyvern''s scale¡ªprotecting its skull. He could tell he only needed to do it once more for the scales topletely shatter and expose its vulnerable skin. Sadly, the wyvern moved once more and Brandon''s figure blurred within the mist, reappearing on its lower back. In that brief instance, Brandon stared at the scene below. Cadets watched with awe, some with open mouths, and some with widened eyes. Most probably, they didn''t want to interfere with his actions, in fear of identally inflicting friendly fire. And that''s exactly what he wanted. p¡ª! Brandon''s hands sped once more, shooting massive chains up from the ground,tching themselves onto the wyvern again, pinning its body back down on the ground, crashing. BOOOOM¡ª¡ª! The sheer scale of this skill significantly decreased his mana capacity. He surmised that he could only do this skill once more before his mana drained. Meaning, he couldn''t do this again, unless he fully replenished his mana. With a single thought, he blurred into the mist, reappearing atop the wyvern''s head once more. Staring at his trembling knuckles, the wounds from his previous stunt reopened. But Brandon quickly dismissed the pain. His muscles tightened as he raised his fist, his arm quaking from the immense magic power channeled into it, the air crackling with magic energy. With all the strength he could muster, Brandon mmed his fist down onto the wyvern''s cracked scale. CRACK¡ª¡ª! The impact sent shockwaves rippling outward from the point of contact. The ground beneath them shuddered violently as Brandon''s fist connected. "Haaa¡­. Haaa¡­.!" Brandon''s breathing came ragged as he wasted no time, unsheathing his de once more. Hopefully, its skull was its weakness. After all, ¡­..The scales finally shattered open. Chapter 323: Wyvern [6] "How did the gap between me and him widen by this much?" "Between him and us." ire corrected Raven''s statement. After the chains erupted from the ground, they immediately knew what was about to happen. For that reason, they distanced themselves before the wyvern came crashing down. "He''s an S¨Cranker now." A voice cut in and the group abruptly flicked their heads back. It was Belle, who had just joined them. "How is that possible?" Amelia asked. She was most definitely confused. Just two months ago, she was clearly stronger than him. Especially so, when they had checked each other''s status daily. ''Did he lie?'' Amelia quickly shook her head and pushed down such a ridiculous thought. There was no reason for Brandon to lie about his status with her. That meant, something must''ve happened in the two months he was gone. "Haaa¡­. even I have no idea." Belle sighed, lifting her gaze to the towering wyvern, once the terror of the cadets. Now, that same creature was being brutally beaten by a single man. "It''s Brandon. He''s always done unexinable things¡­." Amy added her ownment. How could she not, when she was the first person to have ever seen Brandon''s prowess up close, back during the virtual simtion? However, right now, this scene definitely took the cake. There was no denying Belle''s previous statement. Clearly, he was an S¨Cranker as of this moment. Amelia looked around, seeing the looks of shock in the cadets'' expressions. She couldn''t me them at all. She too was baffled. "Shouldn''t we go and help him?" Rachel, who was previously silent, finally let out a few words. "No." Belle shot her down. "It''s unfortunate. But we''d only get in the way¡­." Then, her eyes lingered on each and every one of them. "Take this time to recover. You all look exhausted. If Brandon can''t finish off the wyvern alone, you''ll need your strength to back him up." "Then what are you gonna do, Belle?" Amelia, who had just sat down on the snowy ground, asked as her gaze fixed on the wyvern who was fighting for control, trying to break free from the chain''s grasps. "Be a good sister." Swoosh¡ª! In an instant, Belle''s body shimmered with radiant light, her form dissolving into a brilliant sh before vanishingpletely. She had advised them not to interfere. And yet she didn''t heed her own advice at all. *** While their attacks would indeed interfere with whatever Brandon was doing, he needed a bit of help. Particrly, a wind¨Cattributed mage he could trust. Who else could he ask but his own sister, Belle? For that reason, his gaze lingered on her and their eyes met. Around her, he could see Amelia and the rest of his friends. Brandon nudged with his chin, ushering for Belle to go to him. Belle nodded her head, and in that instant, a radiant glow condensed before him, shimmering into the form he was familiar with. It was Belle. Her figure hovered in the air, stepping lightly on what seemed like solid ground, her mastery over wind allowing her to harden the air beneath her feet. Brandon reminisced the times when he had [Aeolus Blessing], a skill simr to what Belle could do. Brandon was aware that it was too tall of an order to request for every single cadet to channel barrier magic onto the wyvern to restrict its movements. In fact, most of the cadets wouldn''t be able to do that at all. "What do you need me to do?" A rattling sound echoed as Belle asked, never pulling her gaze away from the wyvern who shook with a roar, fighting against the chains. "Restrain his movements with your¡ª" Booooom¡ª¡ª! "....Wind magic." "...." Belle blinked her eyes, perplexed by the strength Brandon showed up close, smacking his fist on the wyvern''s exposed skull. But she quickly pushed such thoughts down and asked. "You''ll be affected too." "It''s fine. I wouldn''t be asking this of you if I couldn''t handle it." Belle nodded her head and stepped back, distancing herself from Brandon and the wyvern. She continued to elevate higher in each step she took. Brandon looked down at the wyvern. He could see cracks starting to form on the chains. In any second, they would soon shatter. All of a sudden, he felt the weight on his back starting to press. Wind spiraled in the air, and the cracks scattered more and more. He braced himself for what was toe, focusing mana on his legs. His muscles squeezed and tensed, imnting his foot hard against the wyvern. Then, "Khh¡­.!" A whirlwind mmed down against him and the wyvern as his back hunched slightly. Gritting his teeth, Brandon raised his body as the weight pressed on him heavier and heavier. The wyvern''s massive frame pressed against the shattering snowy ground. Time seemed to be at a standstill as Brandon adapted to the weight. Of course, this same act could''ve been possible with a gravity¡ªattributed mage. But Brandon couldn''t risk the off¨Cchance the mage was inexperienced. Gathering mana in his knuckles, Brandon swung down with brute force. BOOOOM¡ª¡ª! More of the wyvern''s skin was exposed as the scales shattered wider. Brandon''s arms trembled under the strain, his knuckles bruised and bloodied from the relentless blows he had already delivered. The muscles on his legs flexed as he nted himself firmly atop the wyvern''s skull, resisting the crushing pressure from the wind magic. Every breath felt like fire, but he couldn''t falter. Not now. His eyes narrowed, focusing on the deep cracks spreading across the wyvern''s skull. He could feel the creature''s magical defenses weakening, but it wasn''t broken yet. The scales, though shattered in ces, still clung to the beast like armor. Again, there were roundabout ways to handle the situation. There was a strong possibility that anotheryer of defensey hidden beneath the spot where he stood. If the skull truly was the wyvern''s weak point, it would undoubtedly have some form of protection to shield it. Brandon took every possibility into ount. For that reason, instead of focusing solely on exposing the skull, the better approach would be to create multiple weaknesses across its body. Swoosh¡ª! Brandon''s figure blurred as he melted into the mist, reappearing atop the wyvern''s back, the wind howling around him. "Huu¡­." With a sharp inhale, he gritted his teeth, fighting against the crushing force of the wyvern''s sheer presence. His fist came down with brutal force. BOOOOOM¡ª¡ª! The impact rippled through the beast''s body, but Brandon didn''t stop. In a blur of motion, he traversed to the wyvern''s side. His next strikended with thunderous power. Immediately, like the speed of a train, Brandon descended down due to the wind pressure. However, grabbing a pathway, he vanished once more, imnting his feet on the wyvern''s lower back. BOOOOOM¡ª¡ª! The wyvern reeled, but before it could react, Brandon vanished once more, grabbing hold of the curse pathways. BOOOOOM¡ª¡ª! BOOOOOM¡ª¡ª! Blow after blow, he moved like a shadow, striking from all angles as the mist concealed his movements. Each punch echoed like an explosion, his figure barely visible as he unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks, hammering the wyvern''s defenses from every side. Brandon''s knuckles burned, the sensation almost lost to him amidst the chaos as he drove punch after punch into the wyvern''s body. BOOOOOM¡ª¡ª! Each blownded with a thunderous boom echoing through the battlefield as cracks continued to spread across the beast''s armored scales. The wyvern writhed in agony beneath the relentless assault. He moved like a phantom in the mist, his form barely visible as he darted from one position to the next. The cursed pathways allowed him to traverse the battlefield with inhuman speed, vanishing and reappearing atop different parts of the wyvern''s massive frame. His fists pummeling the beast down. Every breath felt like fire in his lungs. His arms were screaming in protest, his muscles straining with each attack, but gritting his teeth, Brandon pushed through the pain. Cracks spread across the wyvern''s figure, some already shattering, exposing its vulnerability. Blood trickled down his bruised knuckles, but Brandon merely grinned, unbothered despite the pain. As the battle raged on, Belle''s wind magic faltered as the crushing pressure lifted. However, he didn''t have the luxury to check on her condition. He had to finish this before the wyvern regained its footing. The wyvern was battered and bruised, its skin exposed across the shattering scales. SHIIING¡ª¡ª! With no hesitation, Brandon was already moving. His figure blurred as he hacked away at the wyvern, his sword aze with amethyst mes. Brandon moved with blinding speed, the amethyst mes zing across its de as he carved through the wyvern''s exposed body. His figure blurred, shifting through the mist, leaving afterimages in his wake as he raced up the creature''s form. The sound of his sword slicing through scale and flesh echoed through the battlefield. His mind was calm as he darted from one position to another, his body flowing with the pathways only he could see. With each strike, the wyvern''s body trembled. Its skin, once protected by the thick armor of scales, nowy exposed as blood spattered in the air. He felt the heat of the amethyst mes intensify as they danced along the de, searing through the wyvern''s body with each sh. .....And he felt the heat burning him internally. Each movement was getting harder to breathe as he felt his lungs suffocating. But Brandon was relentless, disregarding his own health¡ªhis own state. He felt his lips pull up and the sounds of chuckles escaping. "Ah¡­.." He had never let loose like this before. To revel in his own power. It felt addicting. Screams from below echoed, barely reaching his ears. What the hell are they trying to tell him? Lost in the chaos, Brandon''s hold over the de loosened. The sword fell from a towering height and Brandon gasped in shock. "Shit!" He eximed, but his body gave out. Unable to find strength in his legs any further, his bodyunched upward as soon as he grabbed hold of the pathways. "Ah." He had run out of mana from thest pathway. The mist gradually faded, and Brandon''s figure descended down rapidly. A normal person might''ve panicked at that moment. However, Brandon was indifferent towards it. He felt at peace. His arms outstretched, iling, as blood trickled all over. He would most probablye to regret it soon once the adrenaline wears off. Shortly after, Brandon closed his eyes, allowing his body to free¨Cfall, the cold air brushing against his bare skin. He was satisfied. Chapter 324: Consequences [1] Truth be told, they wanted to assist Brandon. They were just raring to go, trying to find an opportunity to join the battle without holding Brandon back. However, their legs were frozen in ce. Truth be told, this is Amelia''s first time seeing Brandon fight like this, and she found herself baffled. Wasn''t he a mage? Where is all the raw powering from? "What the hell¡­.." "What am I seeing!?" Comments poured out from the cadets one after another. None couldprehend the spectacle before them. No one even tried to help. They all stood and watched the two siblings,pletely suppressing the wyvern. Something that took a collective effort for them to even achieve. Brandon was there, and in the next instant, he was somewhere else. Chains wrapped on the wyvern. Chains that were supposed to shatter earlier, given by its poor state. However, the older sister''s efforts dyed the binding chains'' copse. They could feel the intense amount of mana pouring out of Belle. Much to the point where her body was shaking slightly. Her control over wind magic truly was top¨Css, even amongst wind mages themselves. In the next instant, Belle''s mana slowly died down and her figure started descending. Audible gasps echoed amongst the cadets. Amelia steadied herself. Just as she was about to burst and save Belle, Raven held his hand to the side. "Let me, General." "...?" All of a sudden, Raven''s figure blurred like a shadow. Amelia''s gaze flicked up, only to find Raven had caught the falling Belle. Once again, like a shadow, Raven appeared before them and gentlyid Belle down. "Thank you¡­." With paleplexions, Belle spoke with a hoarse voice. Raven nodded his head thereafter and lingered his gaze back to the scene. Belle''s eyes looked heavy, and Amelia''s brows furrowed out of concern. However, Amelia dismissed her thoughts and nodded. "Good job, Belle. You can rest now." Then, Amelia instructed the other five. "Can anyone bring Belle to the healers¡ª" Amelia''s words halted as Belle grabbed her arm, holding onto it tightly. "No." Belle shook her head. "I want to see it through." "...." No words needed to be exchanged. Amelia respected her best¨Cfriend''s wishes and settled, turning her head back towards Brandon. The chains hadpletely shattered, and most probably, Brandon would have to conjure them again. Yet for some reason, he hadn''t done it. This was the perfect opportunity to help him, and it seemed like the others had the same thoughts as her. ire''s sword brandished out, and magic power began to gather around everyone. Seeing the wyvern''s vulnerability exposed, it was now or never. But just as they were about to join the frenzy, and just as Amelia was about to instruct the other cadets to help out¡­. "What is he doing¡­.." "Holy shit¡­!" Amelia could see everyone frozen once again. Even Raven and the others paused. Realizing the sudden turn of events, Amelia nced at the wyvern. "...." Brandon''s figure was blurring like a phantom, and she could see cuts starting to appear all over the wyvern''s towering figure. Blood spattered in the air, staining the white snow below them. "He''s insane." "How strong is he!?" "Is he going to defeat the wyvern all on his own!?" Brandon was relentless as his blurry figure raced the wyvern imposing form, hacking and shing away. There was no room for them to involve themselves at all. However, as Amelia squinted her eyes, her brows knitted and her mouth hung open. Despite the immense disy of power, Amelia could sense that Brandon was on the edge of his limits. For just a brief moment, she saw it. "...!" His figure wavered, his steps faltered, as if his body was moments away from giving out. But then, he vanished into the mist once more, refusing to relent. As if he was operating on auto¨Cpilot, his sword continuing to tear into the wyvern. Boom! With a deafening crash, the wyvern finally lost its strength, its massive body copsing to the ground. The force of its fall sent shockwaves rippling through the earth. Even though the wyvern had already fallen, Brandon seemed oblivious to it. His movements were frantic, almost instinctive, as he kept hacking away at the beast. His body stumbled under the weight of exhaustion, but each time, he recovered instantly, forcing himself to continue the assault. "Brandon!" "Stop! It''s already dead!" "He''s lost it¡­." His friends called out to him one after another, urging him to stop. Yet amidst the chaos, Amelia remained silent, her fists clenched tightly in frustration as she watched Brandon''s de starting to fall, grip on it loosened. Then, his body was suddenly thrown upward,unching off the wyvern''s head. He spiraled downward from a dangerous height, his arms outstretched and iling helplessly, as if all strength had drained from him. At that moment, everything else disappeared. The battle, the wyvern, the mor, it all faded into the background. All she could see was Brandon, falling, vulnerable, and broken. Her fists, clenched so tightly moments before, now loosened as instinct took over. Without a second thought, her body moved, every ounce of focus narrowing down to one singr goal. Reach him. "Brandon..." The whisper left her lips, almost involuntary, as she lunged forward. Amelia threw herself forward, her arms stretching out, reaching for him. Swoosh¡ª! Her fingers brushed against his shirt, just as he plummeted toward the earth. "Brandon!" Amelia gasped, her arms wrapping around his limp form, pulling him into her embrace as they both tumbled to the ground. Her body shielded his from the worst of the impact, and they rolled across the snowy sheets,ing to a stop just a few feet away from where the wyvern''s bodyy still. The cold snow bit into her skin, but she barely noticed it. All she could feel was the rise and fall of Brandon''s chest against hers. "Brandon¡­.." She whispered, her voice cracking. His face was pale, his breathing ragged, but he was alive. That was all that mattered. She wasn''t exactly sure why she was feeling emotional. But the sight of him injured tugged painfully at her heart. Blood trickled down his arm, his knuckles swollen and bruised, a deep purple hue settling in. "You''re safe¡­." She murmured, her voice thick with emotion as she cradled him in her arms. *** "Evelyn." Evelyn was just about to leave, until Vanessa called out to her. "Hm?" Evelyn halted in her steps and turned around, meeting Vanessa''s gaze. "Did you know this would happen?" "Yeah." "I figured." Vanessa sighed, shaking her head slightly. "I was about to lose it when you told us to stop trying to save Raven." "Why would I allow him to die?" "I know. That''s why I was shocked. It was so unlike you." Then, Vanessa approached her, changing the topic. "That kid. Brandon, can you believe it?" "Even I can''tprehend what just happened." Evelyn sighed and massaged her temple. Vanessa mulled it over, pinching her chin. "An S¨Cranker at seventeen years old¡­. It''s almost unheard of¡­. Kind of like¡­." "Lucian Frost." Evelyn finished Vanessa''s sentence for her. Vanessa continued, seemingly finding the entire ordeal unbelievable. "Still, at this stage, he''s still an S¨Crank. He shouldn''t have been capable of subduing the wyvern with his sister, who''s still at the A+. Much less, killing it all on his own." Then, Vanessa raised her head. Her eyes widened as if the realization had dawned upon her. "Unless¡­. he has the experience to bridge that gap." "That should be the case. If I were to evaluate things to a miniscule level, he fought tactically at first, restraining the wyvern before he started his assault. Though I''d have to take a few points off for his recklessness afterwards." "I agree. I couldn''t bear to watch him abusing himself like that. You should educate him properly, Evelyn." Evelyn sighed and shook her head after listening to Vanessa''s words. "Yeah. In any case, there''s two days left for this camp. It was unexpected that the wyvern would be taken down in just a day." For that reason, there was no need to dy it further. The training camp woulde to an end. Chapter 325: Consequences [2] The first one to be dismissed was Brandon. It didn''t take long for the news of his ascension to the S¨Crank to spread across the instructors. It had to be said, some of the instructors were from the guild themselves. For that reason, the sudden news of a new S¨Cranker piqued their interest. They wanted to evaluate him using the crystal to confirm his status. However, Brandon wasn''t in such a state to even move. For that reason, an argument ensued. "Like I said, he''s not in the condition for evaluation!" Evelyn eximed, speaking to one of the instructors. "Field Marshal, it''s just a quick evaluation. You know how long these things take, so we have to get it done as soon as possible." "And like I''ve said time and time again, he can''t do that. The kid can''t even move!" This was the first time Evelyn had raised her voice like this, startling the other officers. It had to be said, the instructor she was speaking with was of a lofty status within the main guild. Evelyn could tell what the instructor''s intentions were. To recruit Brandon for the guild. Suddenly, the tent was pulled open. "Miss Evelyn¡­." An exhausted voice chimed in. It was Brandon, who could barely walk, supported by Amelia. His arm hung over her shoulders, and the two entered the tent. "Brandon, what are you doing here? You should be resting." Evelyn spoke. "I''ll do it and get it over with." After all, the Imperial Army couldn''t simply ignore the guild''s requests. They were partners¡ªsupposedly equals¡ªand had to treat each other as such. Evelyn''s gaze lingered on Amelia, and Amelia merely shook her head as if she gave up. "Great." The instructor pped his hand and smiled as if he wasn''t arguing with Evelyn just now. "We''ll get the mana crystal ready. Please sit down and wait for a while." "Sure." Looking around, Amelia found a nearby seat and helped Brandon sit down. The instructor left the tent shortly after, and Evelyn walked towards the two. Evelyn pinched her temple and let out a deep sigh. "Haaa¡­. I''ve had the situation under control. You didn''t have toe." "It''s fine." Brandon leaned his head back pointing at the canopy with his eyes closed. Clearly, he was exhausted. "It won''t take that long anyway." Indeed, it wouldn''t. But a ranking evaluation test would siphon all the mana outside the mana core, regardless of the current capacity. But unbeknownst to them, Brandon''s mana had fully recovered thanks to the only skill he had left from [Skill Weaver]. [Mage''s Resolve.] The skill that allowed him to recover mana as long as he stayed idle. But truthfully, his body ached all over. ''Why did I do that.'' He could wholeheartedly admit he regretted it. However, thinking back, maybe it wasn''t so bad. It was the first time he had enjoyed himself, ever since Belle died¡ª "...." His chest tightened at the memory, and he quickly pushed the thought away, shaking his head as if trying to clear it from his mind. He didn''t want to be reminded of Belle''s supposed death. "I''ll see myself out and check to make sure the guild won''t try anything funny." Evelyn said softly, breaking the silence. Without waiting for a response, she slipped out of the tent, leaving Brandon and Amelia to their own devices. Amelia''s hand hovered gently over his wrist, her fingers lightly tracing the bruises beneath the fabric. Brandon had been wearing gloves¡ªnot to hide the swelling, but to conceal the missing nails underneath. Her touch was gentle, but the concern in her eyes was hard to miss. Brandon gently turned his hand over, intertwining his fingers with hers, locking their hands together. "....I told you, it''s not so bad. It''ll heal quickly." He assured her. But Amelia''s expression said otherwise. She clearly wasn''t convinced. "Uhm, I''m sorry we didn''t get to face each other like what we''ve promised. Things happened and¡ª" "That''s not important right now." She spoke gently, but clearly frustrated, brows furrowing as she cut off his sentence. "You''re always hurt, always disregarding yourself, putting yourself in pain." Amelia''s fingers tightened around his gloved hand, her brows furrowing deeper. "It¡­. hurts me too." "...." Brandon opened his mouth to speak, but the words didn''te. He wasn''t sure how to respond. He''d expected concern, maybe even disappointment, but not this raw frustration. He lowered his gaze, suddenly unable to meet her eyes. He couldn''t deny the truth in her words. He had been reckless¡ªhe knew that¡ªbut hearing the pain in her voice made it real in a way he hadn''t allowed himself to feel. "I mean, I understand. The wyvern wouldn''t have been defeated that fast if it weren''t for you. You were amazing, you were really strong, and¡­ and¡­." Her words trailed off from there. Clearly, she was trying to praise him, despite the abusive method he chose. He wasn''t sure how to exin the need he felt, the relentless drive to be stronger, to protect everyone. ¡­.And his desperate struggle to avoid that bleak future. But now, looking at Amelia''s pained expression, he realized it wasn''t just about him anymore. It hadn''t been for a while. Was it a mistake to pursue her? "...." No, he felt like punching himself for even having such ridiculous thoughts. He couldn''t hold back his feelings for her. He wanted her, and so, pursued her. As simple as that. And he could see from the look on Amelia''s face that she was trying herself not to hold him back from his endeavors. Then, Brandon finally met her gaze, and in her eyes, he saw something deeper than just concern. Iit was fear. Fear of losing him to his own recklessness. "Hah." He scoffed. "....What''s so funny?" Amelia asked, confused by his sudden reaction. "Nothing, it''s just that, I couldn''t imagine we''d be in this kind of rtionship now. Especially thinking back during our time in Astrea." "How does that connect to this?" It didn''t. He just wanted to shift the topic. "I understand now why Belle is so supportive of us." "Hm?" Previously, whenever he was troubled, he didn''t have anyone tofort him closely like this besides his own sister, Belle. Belle understood Amelia''s caring nature well, and likely anticipated moments like these would happen. And arguably so, Belle was probably aware of Brandon''s self destructive tendencies. For that reason, Amelia was most probably his shackle so he wouldn''t lose himself. "It''s ready." Suddenly, a voice cut through. The tent peered open, and Evelyn''s head peeked out. Brandon nodded his head and got up, supported by Amelia once more. They left the tent and followed Evelyn closely until they arrived at their destination. It was a separate tent, and at the center, was a table. On top of it was a pearlescent circr device. It was the mana crystal. Shortly after, the instructor''s voice reached his ears. "Sorry for rushing this, but you know how long the evaluation process can take. The guild''s about to get swamped in theing months, and with a potential S-ranker on the horizon, we needed to act fast. Bing an S-ranker practically turns someone into a celebrity, you know?" The instructor''s words flowed in his ear and out the other. He practically could care less whatever the guild thought of him. In the first ce, he had never nned on joining the guild. But hearing the words ''Swamped,'' Brandon''s curiosity was piqued. Evaluation processes were usually one of the guild''s services. The fact that the instructor imed they wouldn''t have time for it in the following months was quite peculiar. |em|p,yr He had to investigate this further. "Yeah, yeah." Brandon merely shrugged nonchntly and walked towards the mana crystal, arms hanging around Amelia''s shoulder. "Just ce your hand here and pour a miniscule amount of mana. You''re probably aware it would consume your entire capacity. But don''t worry, we''ve got that covered." "Hm?" Brandon tilted his head in confusion. Covered? What did they mean by that? "As a reward for putting up with us, you get to try one of the guild''s newest products. We''re still in the manufacturing phase, but it''ll be released to the public soon." Brandon peered into his memories. Mostly, about the guild''s endeavors that hadn''t happened yet in this timeline. ''Could it be?'' The inventions of¡ª "Here. We decided to call this product the mana elixir. Drinking this substance will replenish your mana to a certain degree. At the moment, it can only recover about twenty percent of it." He was far off. But mana elixirs were also one of his conjectures. ''Not bad.'' "I can see the look of disapproval on your face, General Constantine." The instructor continued, looking at Amelia. The words continued to flow out of his mouth seamlessly. Was he really a ranker from the guild, or a salesman? Maybe even a scammer? "It''spletely safe as long as prescriptions are followed." "Still, isn''t this basically a drug¡ª" "It''s fine, Amelia. The guild wouldn''t do anything to harm me." "Alright." "If they did¡­." Brandon''s blue eyes flickered, his face darkening as he red at the instructor. His eyes seemed to glow, focusing his intent on him. "Then they''ll get what''sing for them." "Ah¡­. Of course, of course. We wouldn''t want to mess with this country''s future." Cold sweat seemed to trickle down the instructor, intimidated by Brandon. Shortly after, Brandon''s hand outstretched. Feeling the cool touch of the mana crystal, his mana began to siphon out of his core. Brandon felt his strength loosen as the mana crystal started glowing. A few minutes passed, and the process was finished. At the end of it, Brandon felt his body grow heavy, as if a heavy weight pressed down on him. The instructor quickly offered the blue liquid¡ªthe mana elixir¡ªwhich Brandon grabbed with disregard to his decorum. Quickly chugging down the elixir as if this wasn''t the first time, he felt his core begin to refill. The tension around his shoulder eased slightly, but not to the point where he could say it was normal. "Haaa¡­." Brandon drew a heavy breath in and wiped the bluish liquid smeared on his lips. ",,,,Are we good now? Haaa¡­.." He hoarsely spoke. "Didn''t you just¡­. fight the wyvern a few hours ago?" The instructor''s brows knitted in disbelief. "How did you fill the mana core to this extent!? In fact, what is your mana capacity even!?" He looked astonished as he scrutinized the mana crystal. "Two months¡­.. it''ll only take a day to evaluate your rank with this much mana!" The instructor eximed. "Yeah, yeah. See you." Before the instructor realized it, Brandon and Amelia had already left the tent. The two quickly returned to the tent Brandon had been resting in. On their way, cadets stared at them with a look of awe and admiration. However, Brandon didn''t have the luxury to entertain any of them. Nor did he realize his friends weren''t around. Amelia gentlyid him down on the camping cot. "Close your eyes, I''lle backter to check up on you." However, just as she was about to leave, Brandon grabbed her wrist, urging for her not to go. "Stay with me." Amelia nced back at him and smiled. "I know. I just wanted to hear you say it." It seemed like she was teasing him. With that, Amelia sat down on the chair beside him. "On the bed." "Oh." Chapter 326: Consequences [3] The next day. November 29, 2149. They were scheduled to depart, only missing one day to fulfill the two month long training camp. However, there was no point in staying in Aetherwild Woods any further. Unless they wanted to freeze to death. "Huaam¡­." Brandon had just woken up and looked around. Thest thing he could remember was falling asleep with Amelia right beside him. However, as he tried to get up, he felt his muscles starting to sore. "Ukh¡­!" He groaned unconsciously. Things were somehow manageable yesterday. But today, everything seemed to be hurting. His body felt like it was being stabbed by pins and needles. The bones in his arms were most definitely fractured, and his internals felt like he was bathing in inferno. However, Brandon was insistent, forcing himself through the pain. All while keeping a straight face. Brandon helped himself up the bed, pushing with his arm. It took every ounce of strength in his body just to push himself up> "Huu¡­." Thankfully, that was the end of it. The first thing he had to check first is if he could manage to walk. Thankfully, it seemed like he was faring better in that departmentpared to yesterday. The parts that hurt the most were his hands, arms, shoulders, and upper torso. Brandon tried to get off the bed. To his surprise, standing on his own two feet was manageable somehow. His gaze lingered on the hanging curtain, acting as the tent''s entrance. Now that he realized, it was eerily quiet. There were supposed to be over 270 cadets present. But for some reason, he couldn''t hear any activity outside. It was peculiar. Cracking his neck, moving his head left and then to the right, Brandon left his tent soon after. "Hm?" He wasn''t hearing wrong. There really was no one around. Where the hell did everybody go? Currently, Brandon was in an area of the camp regarded as the infirmary. However, yesterday, it still bustled with activity. After all, there were several tents to be used for resting. Since some of the cadets had pushed themselves the past two months, all of the tents were quickly filled. As if everyone ran off somewhere. But now, it was empty. Brandon walked around from there. As he made his way to the main tent, there were instructors loitering about. Some were enjoying their breakfast, conversing with one another, while some busily fiddled with their phones. Brandon was looking for Evelyn, but he couldn''t find her for some reason. For that reason, Brandon approached someone who might''ve known. Her hazel¨Cbrown hair flowed freely, cascading down her shoulders. Two peach eyes blinking with regal. As if everything she did was somehow calcted. After all, Vanessa was a well¨Caplished model. She had to maintain a prim and proper decorum. Vanessa''s head raised slightly, fixing her attention from her phone to Brandon. "Brandon? Should you be moving right now?" "I''m managing. Do you know where Evelyn is?" "She left, but she''ll be back soon. Just some things she needed to sort out." "Oh." And that was that. Not like he actually needed something important. Just some things he wanted to ask her. Brandon looked around once more, then asked. "Where are the others?" "Training." "....?" Training? Weren''t they set to depart today? His thoughts were soon broken by the next set of words that flowed out of Vanessa''s mouth. "It''s because of you." "...." "Your performance yesterday ignited a fire within them. Now, everyone wants to push themselves just like you in hopes of bing strong." "Ah." Brandon''s lips pulled up to a smirk. Of course, that was one of his objectives while fighting the wyvern. To be a catalyst to the current generation''s rise. Not out of arrogance, but because he was capable of doing it. But most of all, he wanted to set an example for Raven. He wanted him to be strong, but to a certain extent. A level where Brandon still had full control over him, yet enough power to assist him in the future "You seem happy. Congrattions, you''re a celebrity now." Then, as if a light bulb just lit up, Vanessa''s eyes sparkled. "Hey." "....Yes?" For some reason, Brandon had a bad feeling. "You know, your looks are definitely above average. You should be in the top five most attractive guys in the academy." "...?" "Why don''t you join my agency?" "...." Brandon looked around as if he hadn''t heard anything. "Hey?" "Yes?" "Join my agency. You''ll bepensated well. "Ah, I think I see Bellion over there." Brandon walked ahead,pletely ignoring Vanessa. "Huh¡ªHey!" Brandon quickened his pace and Vanessa started chasing him. "Give me a chance! I swear, we''ll pay you a sum!" "Can''t hear." Brandon pointed at his ear and continued running. It had to be said. It wasn''t as if he wasn''t aware of Vanessa''s agency. It was a guild, who''s financial operations relied on magazines and such. And Vanessa, was one of the higher ups. Meaning, it wasn''t just a recruitment to be a model of some sort for their agency. It was a guild recruitment. It was finally happening, and Brandon had seen thising. Due to the sudden news of his ascension to S¨Crank, albeit unconfirmed for now. It was highly likely that guilds were keeping an eye out for him now. He soon stopped running upon noticing Vanessa wasn''t chasing him anymore. "Hehe." He chuckled. *** sh¡ª! Like a shadow, Raven''s figure blurred and a shing sound echoed in the air. He swung his dagger to the side, smearing blood on the snowy sheet. "This isn''t it¡­." He wasn''t satisfied by the least bit. There were barely any monsters around that were on his level. Seeing Brandon''s performance yesterday ignited a fire within him. He too wanted to defeat something on the level of a wyvern. But sadly, he had lost that opportunity. Not to say he regretted it. Since, of course, he wasn''t strong enough to stand up against the wyvern. Still, he wanted to be on that level. He wanted to be strong. But, why¡­.? Truth be told, Raven didn''t have any further reason to be strong. Just that, he wanted to excel and not let the opportunities given to him go to waste. Now that begged the question. Was he just pressured? Because the Special Force was particrly funding his education? He was unsure. "...." His mood began to sour. Raven ckheart, did he truly have no aspirations? Just a blind goal for strength? Then¡­. "Why did the system choose me?" He didn''t deserve it. But he didn''t want to waste it, when it was already being wasted on him. Chapter 327: Consequences [4] As soon as Evelyn woke up, she felt her chest tighten. Much to the point where she started groaning in pain. She knew there was something wrong, and there were certain instances during the day where she couldn''t feel any mana. But still, it had never gotten this bad. It was for that reason, why Evelyn didn''t stress her mana core too much, barely using her magic. She had to get it checked as soon as possible. Which is why she left early, and directly headed for the hospital. At the moment, she was seated in front of the doctor and had just told him of her symptoms. "I understand." The doctor did tell her it was normal after suffering a major injury. Which was the main reason why Evelyn was eased this long while. "But it shouldn''t havested this long. We''ll need to run some tests." "How long will the tests take?" "Not too long." The doctor started to reassure her. "We''ll start with a mana resonance scan to check the flow through your core and see if there are any blockages or disruptions. After that, we might need to do a deeper analysis." Evelyn swallowed her saliva, hearing the doctor''s words. A part of her was scared to know what might be wrong, but another part knew that answers were the only way forward. As she followed the nurse down the sterile white hallway towards the scanning room, she couldn''t help but reflect on the weeks leading up to this. The gradual loss of mana control, the strange disconnect she''d been feeling with her own magic. It had all started after the battle. The battle against Lancelott, followed by his Wraith transformative. "Be at ease, Miss Cessna. It''s a painless process." The doctor reassured her once again, setting up the machinery. Evelyn clenched her fists as shey down on the cold table for the scan. Shortly after, the hum of the machine started up, and she could feel the subtle vibrations through her body as the device began to analyze her mana core. Her mind wandered back to the injury¡ªwhere her abdomen was split open. She had barely survived. The memory of that moment, where she found herself powerless against the Wraith resurfaced. Could it have something rted to the Wraith''s power? Minutes felt like hours as the scan continued. She stared up at the ceiling, trying to keep her breathing steady. Beep. Eventually, the machine beeped, signaling the end of the procedure. The doctor re-entered the room, holding a tablet. He skimmed through the results, his brow furrowing the slightest bit as he mouthed its contents, reading. Evelyn sat up, her heart pounding. "What did you find?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She was worried, most definitely afraid even. "There''s a disturbance in your mana core. It''s not fully stable... and the flow of mana is disrupted, which exins your symptoms." The doctor started. He looked at her seriously, and Evelyn''s heart raced. The doctor looked up, meeting her gaze and Evelyn swallowed. "Miss Cessna, it appears there are small cracks in your mana core." "Cracks¡­." Cracks. The word hit her like a punch to the gut. She''d heard of this condition before, though it was rare. Mana cores were resilient, but when damaged, recovery wasn''t guaranteed. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to speak. "....How bad is it?" "They''re not severe yet, but they are spreading. The strain from your past injury has likely caused these fractures to form over time. If left untreated, it could lead to aplete copse of your core." Her hands clenched tightly in herp, and she felt she was about to burst into tears at that moment. The thought of losing her connection to mana, to everything she had built her life around, terrified her. "Is there a way to fix it?" The doctor nodded, his tone careful but hopeful. "There is a procedure¡ªmana surgery. It''s delicate, but if we perform it soon, we can repair the cracks before they get any worse. The surgery will allow the core to heal and restore its stability." "Haaa¡­." Relief flooded through Evelyn at the prospect of a solution, but it was quickly dismissed due to the gravity of the situation. "What are the risks?" "Mana surgeries are generally safe, but because the core is fragile, there''s always a chance ofplications. The recovery process will be slow, and you''ll need to avoid using magic for a while to give your core time to fully heal." Evelyn nodded, her mind racing as she absorbed the information. She knew she couldn''t afford to wait any longer. The cracks would only grow if left unchecked, and the consequences would be irreversible. With a resolute look on her face, Evelyn went on to say, "I''ll do it." *** December 1, 2149. After returning to the human domain, Brandon was forced to stay home for the time being to recover. His injuries, while painful, would heal as time passed. It didn''t need the kind of delicate treatment that Rafael Asami needed. However, there were important matters to attend to. Finally having time to check his phone, as soon he did, he had found several missed calls. [Missed Call: 19 Contact: Zed] They were all from Zed. There were also several text messages¡ªregarding updates of Rafael Asami''s condition. But the most important one. ¡ªThe surgery is done. There should be no furtherplications of this matter. ¡ªRafael Asami is still asleep. But he should wake up sooner orter. ¡ªCongrattions, you''ve gotten another powerful business partner indebted to you. "Heh." Brandon couldn''t help but scoff at the situation. Things led to another, and everything had been going well so far. He had nned on visitingter. It was still too bright outside, and Brandon didn''t want to step foot outside the house this early. Especially when¡­. ¡ªAn emergence of a new S¨Cranker!? It didn''t even take a day for the evaluation. This was especially because of the unusual abundance of mana that poured inside the mana crystal. They had mana samples to use, and it was for that reason why the process didn''t take too long. ¡ªAn S¨Crank awakened,parable to Lucian Frost''s awakening? After all, Lucian Frost too had ascended to S¨Crank at the youthful age of seventeen. Thankfully, his identity wasn''t revealed to the public. But just to be on the safe side, Brandon wanted to stay indoors for now. Brandon looked in front of him. Aurelia was currently studying on her own. Brandon sneaked up behind Aurelia, who was ncing back and forth between her notes and the answer sheet. It had to be said, it was basic kindergarten math. "....Aurelia?" Brandon whispered and Aurelia was startled. She turned around and looked at him, then smiled. "Aurelia is studying." She fixed her expressions, and pretended to look busy, whispering back proudly. "Want me to help you?" "...." However, Aurelia struggled to respond. "Don''t worry, I won''t tell Mom." "Really?" Her eyes glimmered as she looked back. "Of course." "Please help Aurelia, this is too hard¡­." "Haha. Okay, let me see." Brandon passed the time by helping Aurelia study from there, giving her hints, or tantly giving her the answer itself. The apartment was currently empty. Brianna had gone shopping. While Belle and Amelia were at the academy. Just like that, the clock continued ticking. Brandon spent his entire afternoon with Aurelia. It was now 5:00 PM, and Brianna had returned home carrying shopping bags. Brandon helped her settle, then informed her of his departure. He had sent a text to Zed about his arrival, then called for a taxi. After all, he was still physically incapable of driving his motorcycle. ¡ªI''ll be there. Chapter 328: End of the First Semester [1] "All of you look so serious." Delton sighed, genuinely astonished at the sight of an attentive ss. It might have been the first time since the school year started that ss B''s cadets were so focused, no unnecessary chatter or distractions. All cadets of ss B listened keenly without any unnecessary chatter. Of course, Rachel had always been a diligent student¡ªjust like Raven. So her behavior wasn''t surprising. Rachel recalled everything that happened during the training camp. From the cadets she had fought¡ªtaking their badges in the process. To the monsters she encountered, gaining experience all for her own. And especially, thest scene. Brandon¡ªtaking the wyvern down all on his own. The same creature over 200+ cadets had trouble suppressing, only surviving due to their collective efforts. ".....Crazy." She muttered under her breath. Of course, it had to be said. Rachel passed with flying colors. It was the same for her friends. In any case, while there were several S¨Crankers who didn''t get publicity of this scale after awakening, Brandon bing an S¨Cranked awakened at 17¨Cyears old was astonishing. Much to the point where several users started theorizing his identity, after the article was posted in Ranker Weekly. Ranker weekly. A forum website personally hosted by the main guild, revolving news about rankers, guilds, and such. While Brandon wasn''t a ranker, it was still a topic that got a lot of attention. It was also a website Rachel was an avid follower of. She nned on bing an apprentice of the current number one guild, ''The Crimson Veil.'' They would surely ept her. Especially knowing her financial power. Any guild would want Asami Company under their belt. Rachel''s mind wandered back to Delton as she snapped out of her thoughts. She focused her attention on the front of the room where her instructor stood, hands sped behind his back, a stern yet somewhat rxed expression on Delton''s face. Delton was pacing slightly, as if collecting his thoughts before delivering the next big announcement. "The final exams for this semester are approaching fast, and they will determine not only your standing but the course of the next semester." A palpable tension spread through the room as the cadets sat up a little straighter, listening carefully. "The midterms will consist of both theoretical assessments and practical exams. As always, your performance will directly affect your rank within the academy." Delton''s eyes scanned the room. "However, this time, there is an additional incentive." Rachel''s heart raced, wondering what it could be. "As some of you may know, those who manage to break through to A-rank within the next month will be promoted to ss A at the start of the second semester." Murmurs spread through the cadets as the announcement sank in. For Rachel, this was it¡ªthe opportunity she needed to finally prove herself and rise to the top. She could feel it. After all, she had been evaluated to be B¨Cranked. Specifically, B+. If she continued applying what she learned, she would soon break through the A¨Cranks. Even if it wasn''t possible this week, or even this month, ording to their curriculum, the second semester would start in three months. She had enough time to break through. "And after the midterms, your winter break will start. Use this time wisely. Recover, but don''t let your guard down. The second semester will be even more grueling." With that, he turned and walked toward his desk. "That''s all for today. Dismissed." Rachel stepped out of the lecture hall soon after, and gathered with her friends. Rachel, ire, Reinhard, Cyrus, and Sarah gathered somewhere outside the academy. Cyrus, though not a central figure in the wyvern subjugation, had used his abilities to save several cadets, pulling them out of harm''s way. Sarah, on the other hand, had served as part of the effort to distract the wyvern. But distraction might''ve been overestimating it. The wyvern hadn''t been capable of thought or strategy. It was a mindless beast driven by primal instincts. Amy started the conversation. "It''s lunch¨Cbreak, where do you guys n on eating?" "I think I''m going to study at the library." Rachel responded immediately. While practicals were important, theoretical was important too. Especially the implementation of their fundamentals when it came to breaking through the ranks. That, and increasing their mana core tiers. After all, mana cores and ranks were rather rtive. Mana cores acted as a foundation, allowing one to harness greater amounts of mana. Without a sufficiently advanced mana core, breaking through to higher ranks would be near impossible, as the body wouldn''t be able to handle the surge in power. A strong mana core amplified one''s control, endurance, and power, which directly affectedbat ability. Sarah had the same thoughts as her. "I''ll join you, Rachel." "I''m probably going to train." ire responded as well. It was quite understandable. ire was already at the top when it came to theoretical¡ªalongside Rachel. "I''ll join you, ire." Cyrus voiced out his own ns. "Sure." ire nodded her head. At that moment, her face darkened, and an ominous grin spread across her features. "I actually needed a punching bag. Thanks, Cyrus." "Uh¡­ Okay?" Cyrus tilted his head in confusion. No, maybe not confusion, but ying obliviously. "I''ll probably train as well, but separately." It was Amy''s turn. After all, ire and Cyrus fought like duelists¡ªdespite being a mage. Amy, on the other hand, fought like a true mage. Then their heads turned towards Reinhard, who had kept silent this whole time. "What about you, Rein?" As if he was snapped out of his thoughts, Reinhard lifted his head up and met all of their gazes. "I think I''ll¡ª" The moment Reinhard was about to speak¡­. Brrt¡­.. His phone began ringing. "....Take this call." With that, Reinhard left. It looked as if he was in a hurry, and the others found it rather peculiar. But they could care less, and were more focused on themselves, shrugging their shoulders. With that the group dispersed. Each one going to their appropriate destinations. *** Amelia had been engrossed in the library for a while now. Currently, she was studying, while at the same time, finishing the backlog of tasks given to her by the Imperial Army. They were mostly paperwork for particr proposals. But Amelia had her own project she was working on. She had gathered a respectable amount of backers that would support her and her faction. But still, it was hard to top her opposing factions. She was in a dilemma, and she wasn''t sure how she could raise her credentials further. Her achievements and the academy were already substantial enough, especially for a cadet of her age. But at this pace, Amelia couldn''t see herself increasing her faction size soon. "Haaa¡­." She sighed exhaustedly, resting her head on the desk. There were so many things she had to get done, and she was only one person. She didn''t want to ask Brandon for help. If he wanted to, he would help her in his own way. But still, Amelia didn''t use that as a reason to bex in her endeavors. She raised her head and continued finishing the paperworks again. Lunch¨Cbreak would end in three hours. She needed to get the documents done so she could focus on other matterster. She had to study for the finals, find a good time to train¡ªall while keeping up physically for the practical exams. Amelia lifted her head, her tired eyes catching the delicate flurry of snowkes outside the window. "Hm?" It was snowing. "Again¡­." It would''ve been peaceful if it wasn''t the third time this year that the cold had worn her down. She was tired of it. The constant chill that seemed to hang in the air, much like the pressure she felt from the endless tasks piled in front of her. "Haaa¡­" She sighed, dragging her attention back to the paperwork. The snow outside, once calming, only reminded her of the long winter that showed no sign of ending. Chapter 329: End of the First Semester [2] Brandon arrived at thepany building. It was 6:00 PM. "Damn, you look like shit." "...." Zed looked at him with an expression Brandon couldn''t quite read. Just that, he found himself frowning. As a response, Brandon held his middle finger up. Zed raised an eyebrow, chuckling softly. "Nice to see you too. Anyway, should you even be here? I mean, I know I called you, but you literally look like shit." "I''m managing." He actually was. Brandon may have looked exhausted, but he was recovering at quite a decent rate. "Can you show the way?" Zed nodded his head in response and led the way. Brandon followed closely while looking around. Things had gotten pretty lively sincest he was here. There were new faces¡ªhired employees, busily aplishing their tasks. They turned their attention towards him, looking confused at his sudden arrival. For reasons being, they didn''t know Brandon was actually responsible for the entire operation. They had no idea he was the CEO. After all, he had discussed with Zed that he would be the CEO to the public. After all, Brandon was still physically 17¨Cyears old. For that reason, employees might hesitate working for apany run by a 17¨Cyear old. Jain was already an example of the business world underestimating him. Thankfully, he had ire to put in a good word for him. "He''s there." Zed stood by the door, pulling it open for Brandon, who stepped inside without a word. Rafael Asami was sound asleep. Hisplexions looked better than the first time he had seen him. His hair¡ªwhich was long back then¡ªhad been trimmed and properly groomed. Beep¡­. Beep¡­. Machinery was connected to him, a beeping sound echoing. Brandon turned around. Zed was standing right behind him, holding onto a document. Then, he gave it to Brandon and he started scanning. Brandon flipped through the report, his eyes catching the key points quickly. Rafael Asami''s mana core had been dangerously close to copsing, causing wild fluctuations in his power. The surgery had been a necessary gamble, involving the repair of the cracks that had been slowly weakening him. The details were clear: the operation had stabilized Rafael''s core, but his rank had dropped to C-Rank temporarily. The recovery process would take months, with no guarantee that his core would return to its former strength. His condition was stable now, but any strain on his body could trigger another copse. Brandon handed the document back to Zed, his eyes lingering on Rafael''s still figure hooked up to the machines. "I''m d there were no issues¡­.." Brandon sighed in relief. Previously, he was concerned if there were other internal issues they were incapable of repairing. Such as, his core being tainted by a Wraith. But from what he could see, it seemed like it wasn''t the case. "Any estimation on when he would wake up?" Brandon asked. "It''s still uncertain. The surgery finished two months ago, and he hasn''t shown signs of waking up yet." Zed''s gaze lingered on the beeping machinery. "But everyday, the pulse is getting stronger, and his health is faring better. There''s a chance he might wake up soon." "I see. Once he wakes up, we''ll transfer him to a regr hospital." Brandon''s gaze lingered on Rafael. There was a calcted reason why he''d taken on the responsibility of overseeing his treatment personally. The goal wasn''t just to ensure Rafael''s recovery. It was to bind him to Brandon, creating a debt that couldn''t easily be repaid. The Asami name was influential, and having someone like Rafael in his debt could prove advantageouster on. But more than that, their technology was far superior to that of a typical hospital. The advanced equipment used at Brandon''s facility meant Rafael''s chances of recovery were significantly higher. However, this wasn''t a ce designed to care for patients the way traditional hospitals did. It was only currently possible because of the handpicked crew hired by Zed. However, the contract would end sooner orter. "Nnng¡­." A groaning sound escaped Rafael Asami''s lips, and Brandon and Zed''s attention flicked towards him. Rafael Asami''s brows knitted, as if he was having a bad dream, and strange sounds continued escaping his mouth. "Is that normal?" Brandon asked. "No." Zed quickly shot him down. "It''s the first time we''ve gotten a response." *** Evelyny on the operating table, the bright overhead lights making her feel exposed and vulnerable. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! Her heart raced as the soft beeps of the monitors echoed through the room. She had just signed the waiver, acknowledging the risks. There was no guarantee the surgery would seed. She knew the risks of the procedure, especially with theplexity of her cracked mana core. The surgeons were silent but efficient, setting up their tools and equipment. The lead surgeon approached, his calm, steady voice breaking through her anxious thoughts. "We''re ready to begin, Miss Evelyn. Are you sure you''re prepared?" Evelyn gave a slight nod. Her voice felt stuck in her throat, so she didn''t speak. She wasn''t just risking failure. She was risking everything. Her abilities, her future, and potentially her life. But she had no other choice. As shey back and closed her eyes, she could feel the cold surface of the table beneath her. One of the nurses approached her bedside, adjusting the IV drip. "Are you feeling alright?" The nurse asked softly, her voice warm, trying tofort Evelyn. "...." Evelyn swallowed hard, nodding slowly. The surgeon put on his surgical gloves. "We''ll do everything we can. I need you to rx, Miss Cessna. Take calm and steady breaths." She focused on her breathing, trying to calm her racing heart. The sound of the anesthetic machine hummed beside her as the doctors prepared to start. The world around her began to blur, and she could feel herself drifting into unconsciousness. Inside the room, time slowed as the procedure began. *** December 2, 2149. Brandon returned to the academy soon after. The instructors had already informed the cadets that Evelyn would be absent for a while. Despite knowing that, Brandon couldn''t shake the concern gnawing at him. Why now? There was a feeling of unease that kept bothering him, even though the exnation given was vague. After all, thest thing Brandon had heard about Evelyn was that she needed to "get things sorted out." It wasn''t much to go on, but it was enough to raise questions. Her sudden absence, especially for an entire week, seemed odd. What exactly did she need to sort out? It couldn''t just be personal matters, at least not the usual kind. Brandon tapped his fingers on the desk, lost in thought. The substitute instructor was exining the midterm evaluations, but his focus kept drifting back to the missing instructor. There was something he needed to discuss with her about. For that reason, he couldn''t help but think about her. "Are you alright?" Amelia, who stopped taking notes down, asked. "Yeah." Brandon nodded his head in response. "Is it about Miss Evelyn?" "Hm? Why do you think so?" Brandon''s brows raised. Amelia was spot on. "I know how close you two were during our time in Astrea. Obviously, you would be worried about her sudden disappearance." ".....Yeah, you''re right. But it''s more like I need to discuss something with her. But she isn''t around." More particrly, regarding his ascension to the S¨Crank. He wanted her tutge to efficiently handle his newfound power. After all, if every fight he''d have to face would break his body down, he would soon find himself in a wheelchair. Or maybe it was an internal problem? Maybe he needed to rehash his fighting style. "Hmm¡­.. I see." Amelia tapped her pen on the notebook, and continued. "I don''t think you need to worry though. Miss Evelyn is strong. She must''ve been sent out for a mission somewhere." If that were the case, then he knew just the right person to ask. When ss finally ended, Brandon left the lecture room. He had informed Amelia that it wouldn''t take long. As soon as the familiar door entered his peripheral vision, Brandon knocked three times before the given permission to enter. ¡ªCome in. Entering the room, Brandon''s brows immediately furrowed. "What can I do for you, Brandon?" Bellion asked as if his entire office wasn''t a mess. Papers were scattered across the desk, files stacked haphazardly, and books were piled in the corners. But that wasn''t important right now. In any case, he asked. "Do you know where Evelyn is?" Chapter 330 : End of the First Semester [3] Bellion had been busy preparing for an important mission. For two months, his focus was on gathering the best officers for a covert operation. The goal was simple¡ªinfiltrate Milis with spies, a response to the fact that Milis had been doing the same to them. He knew the operation had to be handled carefully. Carefully, Bellion had handpicked the finest officers from across various sectors. Each one had been thoroughly vetted, chosen for their loyalty, skills in espionage, and ability to blend seamlessly into enemy territory. Every detail mattered, especially knowing Milis already having their own people embedded in the academy or military. Much to the point where he found himself extremely exhausted. ''An eye for an eye.'' He thought, pacing around his cluttered desk. He was worried. Worried that they might be caught, and it would finally ignite the start of the war. Bellion was well aware why Milis hadn''t invaded them directly, and relied on discreet matters. Most probably, they were afraid of the other countries interfering. After all, if they were to frontally assault Holy Britannia without any reason, the other countries would most definitely be on Holy Britannia''s side. For that reason, Milis had relied on espionage, trying to set Holy Britannia up into making the first move¡ªgiving Milis a reason to wage war against them. Bellion was most definitely worried if results wouldn''t produce out of the operation. He needed information. The Imperial Army needed information. Despite listening to the voice recordings Brandon had sent regarding Zeke''s interrogation, sadly, they had never uncovered the reason for Milis''s hostility. Bellion was just about to listen to the voice recordings again, when someone knocked on the door. "Come in." He permitted. The door opened and the familiar sight of Brandon emerged. Brandon cut to the chase. "Do you know where Evelyn is?" "No." And Bellion was quick to shoot down his question, shaking his head. "She''s at least informed about her sudden absence. Did she exin where she was going?" "Unfortunately, no. She had only told us she would be gone, and hopefully, return after a week." "I see." Not that it wasn''t important to have a valid reason for absence. But knowing Evelyn''s position and reputation, there was no need to question her privacy of whatever gued her. "In any case, I actually wanted to talk to you." Bellion began, his gaze alternatingfrom the documents piled on the desk and back towards Brandon. "I heard of your awakening to S¨Crank. Congrattions. It''s bing a buzz in Ranker Weekly as we speak. I honestly didn''t expect this." "Thanks. Even I didn''t expect it." Brandon smiled and sat across Bellion. Bellion could tell the hints of sarcasm in his tone. Truth be told, though it was an unremarkable possibility, Bellion had foreseen iting. For a man of Brandon''s caliber, awakening into the S¨Crank would''ve happened sooner orter. For that reason, Bellion wasn''t surprised. Especially since this wasn''t the first time he had seen it up¨Cclose. Lucian Frost. Bellion too had seen his awakening at the same age as Brandon, followed by Evelyn, who awakened at the age of eighteen. It had to be said, the faster you progress during your younger years speaks of your limits. Bellion awakened at twenty, and is currently an SS¨C ranker. And that was his limit. He was already pushing fifty. He couldn''t awaken anymore no matter how much he tried. The further a mage''s rank increased, the slower the progression was. That was Bellion. An SS¨C ranker, with an eighth tier mana core. In any case, Bellion set aside the praises. It was time to get down to business. "I''ve had my men watch Lianna''s movements closely, but so far, I haven''t found anything outright illegal in her dealings." Bellion paused for a moment, carefully choosing his next words as he sifted through the documents on his desk. "She''s careful. Very careful. Almost too careful for someone in her position. Either that, or she''s got nothing going around." "Is that so? Then do you think she''s just blindly helping Reinhard out of her goodwill?" "That could be the case. But still, the situation bugs me." "She''s in partnership with the Imperial Army, right? What does she do particrly?" Brandon asked. "Just like what you uncovered, she operates a pub in the red¨Clight district. Other than that, she owns a rather popr casino. It''s her financial capability why we agreed to the partnership." Because they needed the funds. "I see." Brandon folded his arms, contemting the situation. "A pub in the red-light district and a casino¡­ It sounds too convenient, don''t you think? Perfect spots for underground dealings." Bellion nodded slowly, mulling over Brandon''s words. "I thought the same. But without proof, there''s little we can do. As far as we can tell, everything is running smoothly on the surface. The Army has been benefiting from her contributions, so there''s no reason to investigate further¡ªat least, not officially." Brandon raised an eyebrow. "So you think there''s more to her?" "I''m really not sure. But regardless, keep an eye out." "Understood." Brandon nodded his head. Bellion drummed his fingers over the desk, allowing the silence to sink in. Then, realizing there were no other topics at hand, Bellion leaned back. "I think that''s it. You should go prepare for your final examinations. And about Evelyn, I don''t think you need to worry. You know she is, no?" Brandon scoffed and smiled, just as he was about to stand up. "Yeah, I guess so." Just like that, Brandon was just about to leave, when Bellion''s voice reached his ears. "Good, now don''t get too testy about those exams." "...." Brandon''s expression cracked before his lips pulled into a grin. "I''ll just have to pencil in some extra study time. Don''t worry, I''ll write my way out of this one." "Ha!" "Hah¡­." Bellion chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. Just don''t go erasing all the progress you''ve made." "I''ve got it all in lead." *** Raven roamed the halls of the academy, his footsteps echoing softly in the quiet corridor. He had just finished reviewing his notes, and was currently looking for someone. His mind was upied with the uing final exams, and while he was confident in acing the theoreticals, he didn''t feel the same for the practicals. Especially considering which ss he was in. ss A was filled with older cadets who had more experience than him. Most of them being in the A ranks to A+ ranks. Raven on the other hand, was barely at the threshold of the A¨Crank. He paused by one of the tall windows, staring out into the academy grounds. Students bustled outside, some practicing their spells, others going overbat forms. It seems like everyone was serious this time around. "Gotta work harder." He muttered under his breath, clenching his fists. As he continued walking, a door towards a certain office opened, and a man emerged from it. "Ah." It was the person he was looking for this whole time. "Brandon." He ran up to Brandon, who had just noticed him. "Yo, Raven. Need something from Bellion too?" "No, actually. I was looking for you." "Me, huh? What is it?" "Uh¡­." Raven''s words trailed off from there. While his next words wouldn''t be regarded as embarrassing, Raven had a hard time letting the words flow out. Brandon had just awakened to the S-rank. A feat that left most cadets in awe, including Raven. It wasn''t jealousy that held him back, but a sense of inadequacy. While he wasn''t ashamed of Brandon''s sess, the reality of their differences in strength had started to weigh on him. Brandon was soaring ahead, and Raven felt like he was stuck in ce. The thought of being left behind wasn''t just embarrassing¡ªit was painful. "What is it?" Brandon''s head tilted, urging for Raven to speak. ''It''s now or never.'' Raven thought to himself. That being said, the words had finally left his mouth. "Can you train me?" Chapter 331 : Preparation for the Finals [1] "Can you train me?" "...?" Brandon''s head tilted further in perplexion. Train him? Why should he do that? Unless Brandon wanted to reveal his tricks to Raven, there was no reason why he should train him. In the first ce, Raven already had a teacher for himself. ''So go ask him.'' Brandon thought to himself, keeping his expressions steady. "So? Can you train me?" "No." A t¨Cout refusal. "....Of course." A defeated expression spread across Raven''s features as he lowered his head with a somber smile. He looked like a defeated puppy. However, training was the only problem. Helping Raven be strong in his own way wasn''t. "Alright, I kinda expected that answer. Forget I ever asked, thanks for hearing me out." Just like that, Raven walked ahead. "Hold on." But stopped as Brandon called out to him. "Yes?" Raven turned around, meeting Brandon''s gaze. Despite Brandon''s refusal, Raven didn''t seem disheartened in the least bit. "I did say I wouldn''t train you. But I never said I wouldn''t help you." "Oh, you will?" Raven''s eyes glimmered. "Firstly, are you a validated ranker?" *** "So this is what you were up to when you were gone?" "Something like that." Raven asked and Brandon shrugged. It didn''t take long for them to arrive at the main guild. The hub that oversaw all the present guilds, requests, andbyrinths. The two stepped inside the building soon after. It had to be said, Raven was already a verified ranker, and was ranked a bit higher than him. Afterpleting his first job¨Cregarding Carl''s matters, Brandon was given the right to be evaluated. Of course, he had already gotten his evaluation, the moment he turned in Carl''s request¡ªstampedpleted. Currently, his card disyed ranked¨CA. "Wee." The receptionist greeted them as they entered the bustling guild hub, filled with the hum of rankers going about their business. Notices covered the walls, disying jobs, and missions. It had to be said. Brandon was already well aware of Raven''s current standing within the main guild. He was an A¨Cranker as well. Brandon''s ranking on the other hand, was outdated. However, he knew that it wouldn''t take long for his information to be updated. But for now, it seemed like the guild kept his ranking a secret. "Raven ckheart and Brandon Locke, A-ranked. Here''s your confirmation for thebyrinth ess." The receptionist handed a documentto the two, ncing at the name. Raven''s eyes widened slightly as he epted the papers. "Labyrinth? That''s what we''re doing?" "You wanted to get stronger, didn''t you? Thebyrinth is a good start." Brandon smirked. He was the one who had personally chosen the request. Raven let out a low whistle, flipping through the details. "Ah, I see. An A+ rankedbyrinth. Alright, I see the vision." Just like that, after getting everything else validated the two set off for thebyrinth. "Follow me." One of the guild staff led them towards a peculiar basement. As they looked around, several rankers were already present. Large portal frames were neatly arranged. Some deactivated, while some shimmering a purple swirling glow. "You''ve rented a total of five hours. If you go over the timer, you''ll be charged extra." The guild staff informed them before activating one of the portals. Atop the frame¡ªembedded; ''A+''. Most likely categorizing each portal to their designated rankedbyrinths. "Enjoy." Brandon and Raven stepped through the portal, emerging into the mouth of the A+ rankedbyrinth. The first thing that hit them was the sheer size of the entrance. Thisbyrinth was rather different from thebyrinth Imperial Academy usually rented out. The stone archway towered above them, its surface covered in ancient, glowing runes. A cold draft swept past, carrying with it the scent of damp stone and something else. An immediate hint of danger. WHIII¡ª Raven''s hand extended forward, and a dagger immediately materialized. Pulling back, Raven held the dagger in a stance, peering out for any signs of danger. Brandon on the other hand, casually walked ahead, hands sped at the back of his head. "Aren''t you supposed to stay focused?" "I am. But I want to see what you can do first." "Huh? But you''re already aware? We''ve fought dozens of times." "Not that. I wanna see what you can do without mana." "...." Raven looked at him with an expression as if saying, ''Are you crazy? After all, thisbyrinth was ranked a bit higher than him. Tackling thebyrinth without any usage of mana was probably a death sentence for anyone. Brandon merely shrugged and sat on one of the boulderstones. "Trust me. I won''t let you die, don''t worry." ''I''ll just mess with you a bit.'' Brandon thought to himself, holding back a sneer. "Okay, I trust you¡ª" Raven''s sentence cut off as something shot out of the darkness. nk¡ª! Immediately, Raven held his dagger up and sparks flew in the air. Gritting his teeth, Raven was pushed back. Out of the darkness, a beast emerged¡ªa Scale Ravager. Itsrge, reptilian form was covered in jagged ck scales that glistened under the faint light of thebyrinth. Its yellow eyes gleamed fiercely, and its ws scraped against the stone floor. It wasted no time, lunging at Raven with a speed that didn''t quite match its size. The Ravager''s fanged maw opened wide, aiming straight for him. Raven barely had a moment to react. nk¡ª! The impact sent sparks flying as he parried the beast''s massive ws with his dagger. The force of the blow pushed him back once more, feet scraping the ground as he struggled to maintain bnce. "Nice reflexes." Brandonmented from the side, leaning casually against a rock. He still didn''t n on intervening. "Not helping!" Raven growled through gritted teeth, repelling the Scaled Ravager''s attacks without any mana to help him. Cuts began to appear on Raven''s clothes as he was having a hard time to evennd a counter¨Cattack. Brandon shook his head and held his hand up. A thread extended from his fingertip and whistled in the air. Raven hadn''t realized it, but a thread hadtched onto his leg. Just as the Scaled Ravager was about to swipe its ws at him¡­. Swoo¡ª "Ah¡ªUkeh!" Thud! Raven fell t on his face as Brandon merely pulled his hand back. "Dude!" Raven eximed. He didn''t seem angry, but rather baffled as he noticed the threads wrapping around his right leg. "I helped you. Now roll to the right." Raven blinked his eyes before realizing the Scaled Ravager was about to swipe at him again. Brandon''s initial action wasn''t without reason. Raven had been too upied with its ws, that he hadn''t realized he was being pushed back to the wall. For that reason, Brandon gave him space to recover his thoughts. Crack! ws scraped the ground where heid a moment before. The force of the swipe sent dust and small stones flying. Brandon''s voice came out calmly from the side. "You''ve got some room now. Make it count." "I hate how you''re enjoying this¡­." Raven cursed under his breath, quickly getting back on his feet. He tried to catch his breath but there was no time. The Scale Ravager was already preparing for another attack, its muscles coiling for another deadly leap. "Alright, I see where this is going." Raven muttered to himself, flipping his dagger back into a defensive stance. The Ravager lunged forward again, and this time, Raven was ready. sh¡ª! He sidestepped just enough to avoid its strike while shing upward across the creature''s exposed underbelly. "Hueek¡ª!" The beast screeched in pain, but it wasn''t done yet. It snapped back at Raven with lightning speed, forcing him to jump back to avoid its gnashing fangs. "Huaam¡­." Brandon watched the scene unfold and yawned, still rxed but his eyes were sharp, analyzing every movement. Chapter 332: Preparation for the Finals [2] "So?" The two traversed thebyrinth from then. Not once had Brandon lifted a finger to assist Raven. Instead, he continued messing with him. "Why did you suddenly ask me to train you?" Brandon asked, his eyes peering around for any danger. "I actually have a personal trainer. But I just felt like asking you too. Had to take my chances, you know?" "No, I get it." Brandon shook his head and smiled. "It was the same with Evelyn as well." Of course, it was Evelyn who proposed to be her prot¨¦g¨¦. But Brandon had no real reason to deny her. It was as if Evelyn just felt like choosing him too. "About her, why do you call her Evelyn without the honorifics? I mean, I know you''re pretty close with her, sure." "Hmm¡­." Brandon mulled the question over, rubbing his chin. "Just because?" "...?" Raven tilted his head curiously. Brandon was actually quite unsure. It just felt right to call her without any honorifics. But things began to make sense once he received Jin''s memories. Because he was Raven ckheart, and Evelyn was one of the children Jin had saved more than decade ago. So for Brandon, Evelyn was like a little sister to him. But age¨Cwise, probably from Evelyn''s point of view, he was the little brother. In any case, Brandon saw her as family. Another older sister¨Cor maybe a little sister didn''t sound too bad. It was kind of conflicting. "...." Maybe even weird. Looking around, Raven asked. "Anyway, when are you going to do something?" "What do you mean?" "You haven''t done anything. I feel like I''m only dragging you around." "Oh, that. Don''t worry. I wasn''t standing idle." He actually wasn''t. "Huh?" "Why do you think you''ve only been fighting 1¨C2 monsters at a time?" "...." Raven halted in his steps, speechless by Brandon''s statement, as Brandon nonchntly walked ahead,pletely ignoring him. Brandon could hear Raven mutter from behind, "So you''re at that level¡­." Brandon paused and turned around, looking at Raven. "You must be forgetting you weren''t using magic, you know?" "Ah." Raven scratched his cheek in embarrassment. "Right." He ran up towards Brandon. Brandon''s sudden ascension must''ve gued Raven''s mind. For that reason, it was highly probable he was growing restless. And Brandon had an idea why. ''Because he had lost the system dungeon.'' Raven was at a loss on how to properly progress, especially within the confines of A¨Crank. A¨Crank was mostly a deciding factor if a person would actually ascend further. If they were left stuck in it after a long time, it meant that A¨Crank was their limit. It was probably, for that reason, why Raven was troubled. "Don''t worry. You''ll be fine." "Yes?" "You''re going to be strong. Trust me." "....Okay, thanks." It seemed to have reassured Raven, who had a smile on his face. But his joy soon died down as Brandon left off with ament. "Not as strong as me though." "...." *** "Haaa¡­." Amelia had just finished studying two topics for finals, and a week worth of paperwork. She slumped down and leaned her face on the desk. It was now 4:00 PM, but there were still cadets staying behind at the library. Just like her, they were also studying. Amelia packed up her things and was just about to leave, when she turned her head to the side and noticed a familiar face. "Ah." It was Rachel and Amy, who were studying together. Their faces were gradually contorting to a frown as their pens hung in the air, unable to write something down. "So they were here the whole time." It wouldn''t hurt to give her greetings, and for that reason, Amelia approached them. Since Rachel was sitting across Amy, her peripheral vision aligned Amelia''s direction. Her head raised slightly, and her brows raised upon noticing her. "Hello, Amelia. Are you here to study too?" "Hey~ I had actually just finished, and hello, Amy." "Ah, hello, Amelia." Scanning, Amelia could tell the two girls were stuck on the same question for probably a while now. "Do you girls need any help?" "It''s okay. You must be busy, we can handle it." Rachel spoke with a calm smile on her face. "Well I was actually just about to go home. But it wouldn''t hurt to review with you two. If none of you mind, I can help out." "Oh, uhm. Then¡­." Rachel''s gaze lingered on Amy, who sat across from her. "...." Amy abruptly nodded her head twice, and Amelia chuckled. ''How cute.'' "Then we''ll be in your hands." Rachel presented her questionnaire sheet for Amelia to see, and Amy stood up, sitting right beside Rachel. "Let me see." Their studying session started under Amelia''s tutge from there. "How do you do this?" "It''s like this." "What about¡­." "This." "That." "Ah, let me check my notes." *** ire''s approach towards the final examinations were rather differentpared to Amy and Rachel. For her, just a passing mark was enough for theoreticals. Not to say ire was stupid, she was rather confident in her capabilities. Just that, she wasn''t aiming for a perfect scorepared to the other two. What she wanted this time around was to get a perfect grade for practicals. For ire, practicals were way more importantpared to theoreticals. For that reason, she had isted herself in training once again. Imperial Academy had several facilities for this. For ire, she had isted herself in the Assimtion chamber. The Assimtion Chamber at the Imperial Academy was designed for cadets to enhance their magical abilities. This sealed zone allowed the elemental affinity of each cadet to linger in the air, creating an ideal environment for training. For ire, with her lightning affinity, it was perfect. Since she knew she would sweat a lot, ire adorned herself in sportswear. She wore a ck sports¨Cbra that appropriately hugged her bust. Sleek white leggings that wrapped around tightly on her legs. The chamber buzzed with static, and she could manipte the electrical energy surrounding her. It enabled her to control the output of her power and practice using it at different levels of intensity. But despite the appealing training, it was the most unpopr training facility. "Ukh¡­!" Reasons being, it dealt intense pain and pressure on the cadets. Just because they could manipte the specific affinity, didn''t mean they were immune to it. Tzz¡ª! ire''s training was intense and focused. Lightning crackled through the air, every bolt she summoned tested her control. The pressure in the chamber was crushing, and every misstep brought sharp pain, but she pushed through as she gritted her teeth. She had been engrossed in this kind of masochistic training for a while. Her body was starting to shape itself. Her abs were defining, and her overall physical features were glowing. "Haaa¡­." That was enough. She stopped the artifact and stepped outside the facility. "Huu¡­." Drenched with sweat, ire started wiping herself with a towel and drank water from her sk soon after. "Ah." She looked at the clock. [5:03 PM.] She had isted herself in intense training for about four hours or so. *** Brandon and Raven made it all the way to thebyrinth''s bottom floors. They had met several rankers on their way, who wished them goodluck. Raven was improving without using his mana. His reaction time was sharper now, and his reflexes were faster. But it had to be said, wounds spread across his form. Still, Brandon had helped him out from time to time, pulling him out of harm''s way. As they continued in their ventures¡­. Boom¡ª! An explosion rang out from somewhere, and the two rushed towards the source. As soon as they arrived at the narrow entrance, a familiar sight registered in their peripheral vision. One that left them baffled. What was he doing here? The first one to call out for him was Raven, who''s mouth parted open to say, "Rein?" It was Reinhard. Chapter 333: Preparation for the Finals [3] "Rein?" A familiar voice rang from the back corner from where Reinhard stood. Reinhard abruptly turned around after finishing off the monster. There, his gaze met with two familiar eyes. "Raven? Brandon? What are you two doing here¡­?" He hadn''t expected them to be here at all. Especially when Reinhard had been doing this for six months now. Solobyrinth diving. It was a way for Reinhard to himself. But recently, it had been quite a breeze. This was especially so¡ªas Reinhard''s abilities catered towards fighting arger crowd. Buttely, he wanted to focus on frontalbat against an enemy more powerful than him. To see if he coulde out on top relying on tactical strategy, rather than brute forcing his way through. This thought rose to him because of Brandon, who had single handedly taken down the wyvern in front of every cadet present. Just the thought of it sent goosebumps all over. The other two approached him from there. "Brandon''s uh¡­. helping me out." For some reason, Raven hesitated for a moment. Reinhard ignored this and asked. "Is that so?" A light bulb shed in his mind. "Can you help me too, Brandon?" "...." Brandon''s head tilted. He looked like he wanted to refuse. Just as Reinhard was about to take his words back, Brandon''s mouth parted open. "I don''t mind. But it''ll be different from Raven''s. Your objectives would sh." "Ah? What did you make Raven do?" "He''s making me fight with no mana." Raven''s voice cut in, answering Reinhard''s question. "...." Reinhard''s expressions twisted. What the hell kind of training is that? Especially in abyrinth like this, which was ranked the pinnacle of A¨Cranks. This was a death sentence in itself. Now that he took a good look, under the dim¨Clight of the torches, there were visible cuts all over Raven''s features. "...." He looked at Raven, and asked. "And you''re fine with this?" "I''ve gotten used to it. It''s actually not that bad." "Oh? Let me in on it then." "Sure." Brandon nodded his head in agreement. The three ventured forth from there. Soon after, monsters obstructed their path. Reinhard was just about to send a torrent of mes, when Brandon extended his hand to the side, gesturing for him to stop. "Wait." For a second, Reinhard felt like he had seen Brandon''s eyes narrowed, focusing. "Let Raven handle this." In an instant, Raven bursted from his position. They weren''t kidding, there was no mana present surrounding Raven. How is he nning on defeating those monsters¡­? Reinhard stood, watching Raven charge forward with no mana. Shock rippled through him as Raven dodged the monsters'' strikes with precise, fluid movements. His raw speed was surprising enough. But it wasn''t until Ravennded a solid blow on one of the monsters, taking it down with sheer force, that Reinhard''s eyes widened. Bang! "...." However, it wasn''t all perfect. Distracted, his focus solely fixated on a single monster, a monster lunged towards Raven''s back. "Watch ou¡ª" Just as Reinhard was about to intervene, Raven twisted his body mid-air and used a well-timed kick to parry an iing attack. Swoosh¡ª! "...." What in the world. Reinhard muttered under his breath. He had underestimated Raven''s capabilities without mana. And while Raven was clearly pushing his body to the limits. Especially so as blood trickled down his arm. It wasn''t without merit. Clearly, what he and Brandon were doing was working. Reinhard looked to the side where Brandon was standing. His arms were crossed, and his eyes darted around abruptly. Most probably, analyzing every detail. "Hey." He called for Brandon''s attention, who turned his head and met his gaze. "Tell me what to do." *** "So you want to focus on solobat?" Brandon asked, his arms crossed as he massaged his chin. "Yes." Brandon considered the kind of training Reinhard needed. He was already well aware that Reinhard excelled inrge-scale battles, where his strength shined when facing numerous opponents at once. However, what Reinhard wanted now was to hone his one-on-onebat skills, which required apletely different approach. But helping him fight head¨Con didn''t sound too bad. As he stared at Reinhard, who looked at him with interest, Brandon recalled Reinhard''s recent dilemma. About Lianna. He was still unaware of the two''s rtionship. And from what he could tell, Reinhard didn''t aspire to join the Imperial Army. This was especially so, as Reinhard never attended Official Military Training. Most probably, Reinhard wanted to be a ranker. In different progressions, Reinhard''s career had always varied. So it wasn''t so surprising. "Alright," Brandon began, his voice steady. "We''ll focus on increasing your adaptability and reaction time. You''re great with handling groups, but in a head-on fight, you need more precision and control over your power." Reinhard nodded his head, eager to begin. "First, I''ll push your limits by reducing the number of your options in a fight," Brandon began to exin. "We''ll limit your elemental magic. You''ll have to rely on smaller bursts of mana to strike efficiently without overextending." Reinhard furrowed his brows furrowed. Most probably mulling over Brandon''s words. "Next, you''ll practice against stronger, singr opponents. You''ll fight enemies that can match or surpass your strength. I''ll observe and tweak your tactics as we go." "Why is his training more detailed than mine?" Raven asked, his expressions twisting. "Suck it up." Brandon sneered. Just as Reinhard was about to ask, a sudden sense of danger rang out from the dark corner. A group of monsters emerged, and the three''s eyes narrowed. Reinhard and Raven took abat stance. "Let''s start by limiting your mana output. No overwhelming power moves, just sharp, concentrated attacks. The goal is to finish an opponent without relying on brute force alone." The instructions given to the two were kind of a contrast to each other. While Reinhard had to rely on short bursts, maintaining his output for a more precise attack, Raven''s on the other hand, relied on sheer brute force. Raven and Reinhard started from there,unching their attacks against the monsters. Brandon stifled a yawn and walked to the side. Raven had asked him earlier what he was even doing here, when he wasn''t nning on lifting a finger. "Ha." Brandon scoffed and peered open his inventory. Several cores from monsters were in his inventory. Resources he could use to provide for hispany. It had to be said, when Raven''s hands were full, Brandon discreetly blended in the mist and attacked monsters on his own. As soon as he felt the threads around Raven rx, it was the sign to return. This entire ordeal¡ªdisguised as Raven''s training¡ªwas nothing more than a money making opportunity for him. "Training¡­." There was nothing for him to gain here. But this day wasn''t a waste. Especially when he had nned on isting himself on training the next day. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­. We''re done." "Haaa¡­." Brandon''s thoughts were then cut off as his attention flicked towards Raven and Reinhard, who looked exhausted, their breathing ragged. He could understand Raven, but Reinhard had barely just started. "...." Is he going to be alright? *** The next day. Brandon skipped out on all his sses, and secluded himself somewhere far from the human domain. It took a couple hours to hike the mountainside, but as soon as he reached the peak, he peered down with his hands on his waist. "Huu¡­." He drew a couple of breaths in. The air was fresh, and mana was prevalent in the air. It had to be said. This entire mountainside. ¡ªHwoooooar! ¡­..Was a den for wyvern''s and other monsters alike. Chapter 334: Preparations for the Finals [4] It was cold. Winter was actually here. Not some climate affected by the world''s imbnce after the cmity. "Huu¡­." Brandon popped a pill and stared at the horizon. It was currently 7 AM. Then, Brandon looked down. Monsters¡ªresiding on the mountainside roamed around,pletely oblivious to his presence. Then, Brandon looked up. Wyvern''s ruled the cold white sky, traversing the air with impressive speed. However, they hadpletely ignored Brandon. After all, for a scary appearance such as theirs, wyvern''s were rather passive creatures. They would only be hostile, if their opposers were hostile. The final examination was set in ten more days. To be precise, December 12. It was kind of peaceful, if he had to be honest. There were no humans around, and Brandon could be lost in his thoughts. That was when he began to recall everything that had happened so far. A sudden doubt rose within his thoughts. "Will things really be different this time around?" He smiled a somber smile. Truth be told, he was tired. Exhausted even. But he could only push through everything. He had done everything he could to give Holy Britannia a fighting chance. And he wasn''t even done yet. There was so much left to be done. So many pieces he hadn''t set up yet. Things would''ve been much easier if Jin was present. While Jin was probably his enemy, he was still on humanity''s side. For that reason, Brandon felt conflicted. The only reason Jin was his enemy was because he worked against him. If that was the case, then¡­.. "Am I the enemy?" Whatever Jin had nned was probably for the benefit of humanity. "But he''s failed every damn time." Brandon was nothing but an anomaly to Jin''s ns. An anomaly that had gotten consciousness. An unknown variable. To the point that Brandon didn''t even know his purpose once the endgame happened. "....I don''t want to die." At least, died as someone else''s pawn. Brandon raised his head, looking at the sky. The exact same area where the sky tore open a year ago. His mouth parted open, whispering. "Jin." There was a high chance Jin was inside whatever space the rift led to. "No, Raven." He corrected himself. "Come out and exin yourself before I make the wrong choices." He didn''t know who to believe. Brandon Locke, a man who had made his own fair share of mistakes? Especially when he hade to realize that the other Brandon''s goals were inefficient. From what he could tell, the other Brandon had only wanted revenge on Jin. But Jin on the other hand, wanted to save everything once and for all. A man who prioritized his own well-being, his survival, his own happy ending. Or a man who was relentlessly pursuing change, regardless of what it would cost? Brandon was stuck feeling conflicted. His thoughts stopped there. Any more, and it would trigger his panic attack once more. "Huuuu¡­." Brandon sat down on the cold rocky ground and drew in a few more breaths. His goal today was to see how much he could build his mana core, just from the abundant mana present in the air. At the moment, he was at tier five. He didn''t expect much growth today. Especially so, as tier five was relevant to S¨Crank. It was harder to progress from here on out. He was well aware of the difference in system with Raven''s. While Brandon''s system would only level his Sovereign of Creation skill, a cancer that Jin had imnted inside him, Raven''s worked differently. For Raven, it worked like a videogame. But there was only so much Raven could do to progress like that. For that reason, he must''ve felt like he hit a wall. Brandon closed his eyes from there. Then, he muttered. "Zone." He pressed his fingers together. *** "Hmm¡­." Evelyn had just woken up from her slumber. An IV drip clung to her hand, and she was resting on a hospital bed. She woke up staring at the ceiling, and as soon as he did, a nurse, who was about to check up on her, was present. "Ah, I''ll call the Doctor." The nurse left the room from there. Evelyn looked around. There was no one. No visitors, no family. None. But she had already expected this. After all, she was quite private with this matter. She didn''t want anyone to pity her. Not even her only friend, Vanessa. This stemmed from Evelyn''s childhood. She had grown up as an orphan, and so was often disconnected socially. For her, istion was normal. She wasn''t used to dealing with too many people, and she wasn''t used to having a social life. There was no need to tell other people about her problems. She could do it alone because, nk! "Ah, Miss Cessna. Goodmorning." ¡­.She was used to being alone. The doctor entered the room and Evelyn traced his figure with her eyes. "Congrattions, Miss Cessna." The doctor began. "The surgery was a sess. We have fully stabilized, and patched up the cracks in your mana core, and found no issues after running some tests." The doctor shed her a warm smile as he lowered the clipboard on his hand. "You can be discharged tomorrow." But despite the doctor''s reassuring words, Evelyn still had some doubts. "Are there really no issues?" Frowning, she clutched at her chest, the same area where her mana core was located. "I still can''t feel any mana." "That''s a normal side¨Ceffect. You had just woken up after all. You''ll start feeling mana eventually. But if you still face that problem within this day, rest assured. We are on standby." "....I see." Evelyn looked down with a somber expression. The doctor parted with a few words. "Rest for now." With that, the doctor left the room, leaving Evelyn alone with her thoughts. Turning her head to the side, Evelyn grabbed her phone that was ced on the table beside her. Opening the screen, there were several notifications for her to see. It was only from two people. Most of it was from Vanessa. A total of 54 text notifications, and 23 missed calls. "...." She could checkter. The other one was from none other than Brandon. So he was concerned. She felt her lips pull up into a smile. It might''ve been less than Vanessa''s, particrly, five text messages and two missed calls. But Evelyn appreciated the gesture. At this point, her rtionship with him was akin to an older sister and a younger brother. Evelyn had seen him as a younger brother. A person she had wanted to properly guide in this world where no one else had done the same for her. No one else, but that man. She could only remember his smile, but that was enough for her. Most likely, that person was dead. But she could remember a piece of his name. "Ra¡­." Ra something. "Rapheen probably?" That couldn''t have been the case. It was merely conjecture. Evelyn lowered her phone and stared at the ceiling. "Haaa¡­." She let out a deep sigh. She wanted to go back to the academy soon. Before she knew it, the next day had arrived and she was discharged soon after. For now, Evelyn decided to take a rest. *** December 4, 2149. Eight days left before the final examination. "Has he reached back?" Belle stopped taking notes, turned her head to the side, and asked Amelia, who was also taking notes. They were currently taking a review lecture¡ªto better prepare themselves for the theoretical exams. "No." Amelia stopped writing, her pen rolling on her notebook. In fact, Amelia couldn''t focus at all. She had only been scribbling the whole time, her thoughts upied with Brandon''s whereabouts. Brandon had suddenly disappeared yesterday without informing anyone at all. The only assurance Amelia had was the ring¡ªwhich connected the two¡ªon her finger. The ring told her that he was still alive. Amelia could go to him anytime. However, she refrained from doing so. "Did you ask his friends?" "Yes, but none of them know of his whereabouts. Infact¡­." Amelia''s gaze lingered on the two empty seats beside her. The two seats belonged to Brandon, and Raven, who had also disappeared on the same day. This gave them the impression that the two were together. "Seems like they''re nning on giving it their all for the practicals." Belle casuallymented and started taking notes once again. "Right? I wish we could do that." Amelia sighed and set her notebook aside. Truth be told, she couldn''t find any proper time to train. This was because she was up all night studying instead. After all, theoreticals were important in the Imperial Army. Just because an officer was powerful, didn''t guarantee them the highest position of authority possible. The review lecture ended from there. The next lecture was scheduled inside the same lecture hall. For that reason, they were told to stay. Soon after, the entrance opened. All eyes fell on the door, and a familiar figure emerged. "Ah." Amelia''s brows raised. The figure walked with regal. Silky dark¨Cpurple hair cascaded down, flowing freely off her shoulders. The female cadet''s eyes sparkled in awe. After all, the neer was an instructor that was popr with women. They had looked up to her, and Amelia was the same. She too wanted to be an officer just like her. "Good morning. Apologies for my absence, something came up." It was none other than Evelyn Cessna. *** "You let her die." Brandon, was lost in deep meditation, when a whisper rang from behind him. A familiar voice. A voice that made his brows scrunched up. "You will never save anyone." "Shut up." Brandon cursed under his breath, trying to ignore the voice. "You are a hypocrite yourself." "...." "Get off your high horse." "Shut up." Brandon cursed once more, annoyed by the voice. "Let me take over, and I''ll solve your problems for you." "Shut up." Crack¡ª! The ground around Brandon crackled as his magic energy spiraled, losing his focus. "Do you really think she won''t die again?" "Fuck off." Brandon''s eyes abruptly opened, his brows knitting. There, he could see the familiar sight of Lumian, sping his hands behind his back and tilting his head, standing right in front of him. "Can you save her again? You probably can''t. You can''t save anyone. You had only been bailed out back then." "Get the fuck out of my head." "Suit yourself." Just like that, Lumian''s image faded. "Haaa¡­.." Brandon took a deep heavy breath and popped another pill. As soon as he did, his mind was set at ease. His gaze then lingered on the sword right beside him. Of course, it had to be said. The sword he had been using this whole time. "I should get a new one¡­." ¡­.Was Lumian''s sword. Chapter 335: Frozen Mountain [1] "Rein, let''s split evenly. Can you take on three?" "Sure." Raven and Reinhard peeked behind a corridor. There, they could see six Reapersnakes, slithering silently in the cave''s shadows. The torches'' dim light cast a reflection off their glossy scales. Tsss~ Their forked tongues flicked in and out. Raven tightened his grip on his dagger, analyzing the situation. From what he knew of Reapersnakes¡ªinformation provided by the main guild¡ªthey were around the A¨Cranks. Furthermore, they were known for their ability to blend into the darkness and ambush unsuspecting prey. Raven nced over at Reinhard. "I''ll keep mine busy and make sure they don''t nk you." "Sure." Reinhard nodded and stepped forward. Tsss~ As they approached, the snakes reared back. Their eyes glinted with dangerous intent. The bloodlust surrounding them was palpable. Crack! Flexing his muscles, Raven kicked the ground, sending pebbles scattering away. Raven''s dagger extended forward, ready to cleave down. The Reapersnakes hissed in response, their bodies coiling tightly as they prepared to attack. Then, without warning, they struck. Swoosh¡ª! Raven twisted his body to the side, narrowly dodging the first snake''s lunge, while bringing his weapon down on its exposed nk. The strike was clean, and the creature fell to the ground with a final hiss. He was getting stronger. Raven was getting used to manipting his body without the help of mana. In any case, "That''s one." He muttered, narrowing his eyes. Raven''s grip tightened as the second Reapersnake lunged at him, its fangs gleaming. He shifted to the left with precise movements. In one swift motion, he countered, driving his dagger deep into the snake''s side. sh¡ª! Another clean kill. "One more." Turning his attention towards Reinhard, Raven informed. "Yeah, nice. Let me finish this quickly." Reinhard, meanwhile, engaged the other three. mes erupted from his arm as he swung his fist in the dark, illuminating the cave with every swing. Voosh¨C Voosh¡ª! The first Reapersnake darted toward him, but he blocked it with a quick burst of fire, disorienting the creature before swinging down. Raven, watching him from the corner of his eye, noticed thest of his two enemies preparing for a strike. The snake coiled, ready to lunge. Timing his movements, Raven feinted to the side just as the creatureunched itself at him. Swoosh¡ª! He ducked low, then spun, shing the dagger upward through its underbelly. Blood sttered across the cave floor as thest of Raven''s targets fell. "Looks like I got three." Raven said quietly, catching his breath. He turned to Reinhard, who finished thest of his targets with a final, zing strike. The cave fell silent, except for the crackling embers of Reinhard''s me. "Good work." "You too." They exchanged a quick nod and bumped their fists. "Ah." They continued roaming thebyrinth''s floors, but suddenly, Reinhard paused as if he had just realized something. "....I haven''t studied." "...." Raven stood baffled. How irresponsible is he? Before Raven would leave for abyrinth dive, he would always make sure to review his notes first to ensure the knowledge would remain. "You''re only realizing this now?" "...." *** "How arrogant of you to think you''d make a difference." "Shut up." The whispers echoed once more. It had been like this for five days now, serving as a distraction to Brandon''s meditation. "If only you realized it." "...." "You''re turning into him." "Fuck off!" Crack¡ª! The ground cracked once again, snow scattering as Brandon''s magic power erupted. Due to this, one of the wyverns who was near the vicinity was alerted. "You''re never enough." "Tsk." Brandon clicked his tongue, popped a pill, and Lumian''s image once again vanished. Picking up his sword, Brandon took a stance. The wyvern was looming closer, shading above him. He hadn''t fully recovered from his previous injuries yet. So he wasn''t confident he would make it out of this unscathed. However, that was exactly what he needed. A reason to push himself further. But now that he took a good, close look¡­ "...?" The wyvern was muchrger than it appeared to be when it was initially high up in the sky. "Ah." This meant. ¡ªHwoooooar! ¡­.It was much stronger than the wyvern Brandon had killed back then. "Shit." There was no need to hesitate. Brandon had no chance against the wyvern. Especially with his sore body. Regardless, of whether he was an S¨Cranker or not. Pouring mana in his leg, Brandon gritted his teeth and dashed to the side. Crash¡ª! In the next instant, they wyvern crashed onto the mountainside,pletely shaking the vicinity with horrifying intensities. Brandon was just about to turn and leave, when¡­. "...?" The wyvern, who was supposed to tower over him, disappeared. "What the hell¡­." Was he losing it? Did he just imagine the wyvern? Brandon retrieved the pill from his pocket and scanned. "A side¨Ceffect?" Could''ve been the case. No, he wasn''t serious. It was clearly real, when arge crater etching on the ground revealed itself as soon as the snow¨Cdust faded. However, "Where the hell?" Brandon looked around, and clearly, there was no sign of the wyvern. "...!" A lot of conjectures rose in his mind, and Brandon was alerted, taking a battle stance. It could''ve been anything. Maybe the wyvern had a skill that could cloak itself. "There." Brandon swung his de behind him. "Hush." His sword came to an abrupt stop, and a whisper echoed. "...." Brandon''s eyes shot wide open, and a sudden chill ran down his spine. His de had been stopped by a single fingertip. A boy, who didn''t look to be older than fifteen, stood right in front of him. Lc hair and silver eyes that seemed to stare straight in his soul. His body was refined with silvery scales that were formed to look like armor. Just from the scales alone told Brandon enough. However, he still had some doubts. After all, he couldn''t see enough from Raven''s memories to make a conjecture. He couldn''t remember every detail. "You." The boy''s eyes narrowed. Bloodlust emanated from him, making Brandon swallow deeply. "How are you here?" The boy asked. "Uh, I¡­." Brandon stammered, the grip on his de trembling. Not that he was afraid, but the pressure exuding from the boy was palpable. "I climbed the mountain¡­?" "Not that." The boy quickly shot him down. He traced his finger on the de, and a scratching metallic sound rang. But to Brandon''s surprise, the point of his finger didn''t bleed. "This world. How are you here?" "Huh?" Did he know¡­? If so, how¡­? "Are you¡­. a wyvern?" Brandon had to ask, quickly shifting the topic aside to better confirm his surmissions. "Yes, and you are¡­." The wyvern''s next set of words. "A wraith?" ¡­.Sent a chill down Brandon''s spine. Chapter 336 : Frozen Mountain [2] "A wraith?" "Huh?" Brandon''s head tilted sideways. The hell was this pipsqueak talking about? Flick¡ª! The wyvern merely flicked his finger, sending Brandon''s sword upwards. His strength was no joke. "No, I don''t think that''s the right term." The wyvern leaned close and scanned, pinching his chin. "You exude their aura. Yet at the same time, you aren''t them¡­.?" "...?" Brandon couldn''t make out what the wyvern was trying to say. The wyvern leaned even closer, perking his nose. Sniff. Sniff. "What are you¡ª" "Hey." Once again, a sudden pressure emanated from the wyvern as soon as he stopped sniffing Brandon. Narrowing his eyes, the wyvern ced his hand on Brandon''s shoulder. "Who are you?" Questions one after another, leaving Brandon baffled. It was already astonishing by the mere fact that he was conversing with a wyvern in a humanoid form. And that they were bothmunicating in English. "Why do you have my daughter''s scent?" "Wha¡ªUkh¡­!" Flick¡ª! Brandon barely had time to process what was happening. One moment, the wyvern was bombarding him with cryptic questions, and the next, he was flung into the sky like a ragdoll. "Hah!" Brandon''s sharp gasp echoed through the air as he fought to regain control. The force of the wyvern''s flick had left him disoriented. His body twisted mid-air, instinctively reacting to the threat of impact. His hand shot out, and a glowing magic circle materialized on his palm. "Huuu¡­" Gritting his teeth, chains burst forth from the circle, anchoring themselves to the jagged side of the mountain. nk¡ª The chains clinked and tightened, halting his fall just in time. "Ukh¡­!" He grunted as the impact tugged at his body. The chains wrapped around his arm strained, but they held firm, saving him from plummeting down. "...!" Looking down, Brandon''s eyes widened. If he waste by a few more seconds, it would''ve been the end for him. Currently, Brandon was still suspended in the air, holding onto the chains with his life on the line. Panting, he nced up at the figure of the wyvern in its humanoid form, still watching him from above. The creature''s gaze pierced through him, sending a chill down his spine. In an instant, the wyvern''s figure disappeared. "Not a Wraith then." A voice suddenly echoed from the side. Standing on the mountainside''s path¡ªwas the wyvern, crouching down and staring at him. Swoosh¡ª! Suddenly, the wyvern''s figure blurred once again. "I''ll give you this one chance. Why do you have my daughter''s scent?" The wyvern''s youthful voice rang once again, and Brandon turned his head to the side. The wyvern, still in its humanoid form, was hovering right beside him. Its wings protruded from its back, keeping him aloft with ease. Brandon tried to process the bizarre situation. The wyvern was clearly fixated on the question, and wouldn''t let him go unless he gave a satisfactory answer. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." "You''re lying. There''s no mistaking it!" The wyvern narrowed its eyes and eximed. "You reek of her." The chains anchoring Brandon to the mountain creaked under his weight. He had to think fast, but he wasn''t about to let himself be cornered by the wyvern''s strange usations. "....If you let me get my footing first, I might be able to fix this¡­. misunderstanding." "You think you''re in any position to negotiate?" "If you kill me now, you won''t get your answers." "Tsk." The wyvern clicked its tongue. Brandon''s words must''ve gotten through him. At that moment, the wyvern neared him and grabbed the cloth of Brandon''s winter¨Ccloak. "Uh¡ªHaa¡­!" Before Brandon had anytime to react, he was sentunching upwards. Things one after another. Seizing the opportunity, Brandon grabbed onto the mountain''s cliffside and pulled himself up. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." Crouching down, and taking deep heavy breaths, Brandon raised his head up, meeting two silver eyes. He had finally taken a good look at the wyvern''s features, and an image ovepped. A sense of familiarity washed over him. There was no way. "Could¡­. Haaa¡­. Your daughter be¡­. Aurelia?" It shouldn''t have been possible. Aurelia was clearly an elf, not a wyvern. "I knew it." Crack¡ª! A heavy pressure exuded from the wyvern once more, as magic aura emanated from him. It felt suffocating, and Brandon felt the back of his throat stuck. "Wait." Brandon got up and extended his hand forward. "Aurelia. She''s your daughter?" For some reason, those words tugged at his heart. "You do know her. What did you do to her!?" The wraith''s eyes narrowed tighter, and the aura around him widened. "Hold on. Hold on." Brandon dismissively waved his hand, trying to set the wyvern at ease. "Firstly, she''s safe." He assured the wyvern. "Then where is she¡ª" "Secondly, the Aurelia I know is an elf. You''re clearly a wyvern, does this make any sense?" But it wasn''t out of the question. Maybe, just maybe, the two races had crossbred. This seemed highly possible after seeing the wyvern''s human form. But whatever kind of elf would agree to be bred by a little boy like this was rather¡­. questionable. But Brandon kept those thoughts strictly in his head. If he were to voice them out, his life would sh before his eyes. "Before I answer your question, human. Where did you find her?" There was a heavy emphasis on ''human.'' Clearly, the wyvern was trying to intimidate him. However, Brandon had already calmed himself, setting his mind at ease. He wanted a proper conversation with this wyvern, who imed to be Aurelia''s father. This entire encounter was out of his expectations. He had onlye here because of the heavy mana lingering in the air. He knew wyverns weren''t a hostile race, unless provoked. Needless to be said, Brandon answered honestly. "In a forest, somewhere far from here. I found her frozen in a shell of crystal¡ªcontorted into a tree¨Clike shape. Ever since then, I''ve taken custody, and took care of her. "...." The wyvern''s eyes shot wide open, and the aura around him dissipated gradually. "Human." The wyvern started. "Follow me." Chapter 337 : Frozen Mountain [3] "Why did you choose to believe me? I could''ve lied, you know." Brandon was led up the mountain''s slope. Wyvern''s freely traversed the air around them. However, theypletely ignored the two. "Because of that." The wyvern pointed at the ne around Brandon''s neck. "Oh." Brandon gently held on to the crystalline pendant¡ªshaped to a letter ''B.'' "I knew there was something behind the scenes when I sensed my wife''s power emanating from it." "Aurelia''s mother¡­. An elf?" "Correct." "What happened? And how did Aureliae into the state that she is?" "...." The wyvern merely shook his head dismissively, a sorrowful smile etching on his face. "It''s a long story. A story I had long put in the back of my mind." "I see." Now that he had realized it, he had never asked for the wyvern''s name. "By the way, I''m Brandon Locke." "Androxus." Short and simple. They soon stopped at the entrance of a cave, gaping open inside the mountain''s cliffside. "You''re not supposed to be here, to be honest. What I''m about to show you will only be a glimpse to the unknown." "...." Brandon listened intently. "I will only favor you for finding my Daughter and taking custody of her." "Do you¡­." Brandon was hesitant to ask the question. But out of respect for a father who was most likely separated from his daughter, he feltpelled to do so. "Want to see her again?" "Yes. But¡­." Androxus'' head lowered, his face darkening. "She''s better off not finding out anything about this." "...." Clearly, there was something deeper behind the story. But it seemed like Androxus didn''t want to exin everything to happen. Just relevant exnations. "Wait here." Swoosh¡ª! Just like that, Androxus'' figure blurred. Brandon turned around and scanned the vicinity. The sun was about to set once more, marking another dayplete. Wyverns, who were present earlier, were now scurrying away into hiding. Towering peaks with jagged edges cut sharply into the sky, their surfaces marked by deep crevices and sheer cliffs. The whole vicinity was a mountain¨Czone. It was a rather known area where wyverns and other monsters alike inhabited. For that reason, it was a danger¨Czone. "Here." A voice rang out from behind him. Turning around, Androxus reappeared, holding onto a crystalline¡ªlooking device. "That''s¡­?" "My wife''s final will. Once the time is right, it''ll have all the answers you seek." "Should I give this to Aurelia?" "No." Androxus dismissively shook his head. "It''s for you." "Hmm¡­." Walking towards Androxus, Brandon received the device and held it in his hand. He had wanted to ask so many questions. But it seems like the device Androxus had given him was his answer. Androxus looked down. "I can''t believe it." His fist clenched tightly. "I can''t believe¡­. My daughter is alive¡­." The emotions he had kept bottled up inside started pouring out. At first, it seemed like reality hadn''t settled in for him yet. But now, he probably couldn''t help but ept it. But what filled Brandon''s thoughts were the coincidences. To think he would meet Aurelia''s father, when he was only out to train. Was it actually a coincidence? Or was there¡­. a hidden power at y here? Brandon stared at the wyvern, a tad foot shorter than him, who was breaking down into tears. However, Brandon''s thoughts were upied by Androxus'' initial words. ''Wraith?'' He was aware of the Wraiths and Sovereigns rtionship. That they were one and the same. And his system was the [Sovereign''s Will]. Then¡­. Was his system actually based on¡­. a Wraith? Questions probed his mind one after another. But he had no confirmation. "My¡­. daughter." Time passed by like that. Brandon couldn''t offer Androxus anyforting words. For some reason, he couldn''t sympathize with Androxus at all. He knew he wasn''t like this in the past. But day by day, it felt like he was losing a part of his former self. "Is¡­. Is she doing okay?" Androxus asked, wiping his tears away. Brandon raised his head, meeting his silver gaze. "Ah, yes. I''ve provided her food, shelter, and education." Brandon proudly spoke. This time, a sudden surge of happiness rose within him. ''Ah.'' He hade to realize just where he stood. He would rather, for things to benefit him, than if they benefited others more. "Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you." Androxus took a deep breath, regaining someposure, but his eyes still shimmered with the remnants of tears. He nced down at the ground before meeting Brandon''s gaze once more. His eyes narrowed from there, aplete contrast to his previous expressions. "Sooner orter, the elves wille out of hiding. Whatever you do, protect Aurelia with your life." "Oh?" That made Brandon curious. Just what kind of ill fated rtionship did the elves and wyvern have for Aurelia to be disdained that much? "What happened?" "The Oracle of Crystallia will tell you everything once the time is right." "Then why won''t you tell me?" A curious question that was stuck in the back of his throat. But if it was actually that important, then why hide it? It was much better to have information before he made any mistakes. "Because I can''t." "How so? There''s no one around to hear us." Without saying any words, Androxus pointed at his chest. "...?" Then, dragging his hand up, Androxus made a slit gesture on his neck. "...." "Exactly that." "You''ll die." *** Androxus couldn''t tell him anything. "...." Because he was bound to a soul contract. All wyverns, after the death of Crystallia, Aurelia''s mother, were cursed to never speak of the war, or inflict harm on anything with elven blood. Androxus stared at Brandon Locke''s departing back. He had given him the go¨Csignal to stay in Cavern''s Peak for as long as he wished, just as long as he didn''t bother the other wyvern''s. Truth be told, he had felt deep envy for Brandon. But there was nothing he could do. He was already thankful enough that he had found Aurelia, and took care of her. "Your prophecy was right, Crystallia." Androxus began to whisper, recalling Crystallia''s words back then. ¡ªOur Daughter is meant for greater things. This war between the wyverns and the elves should not be the reason her life is taken. Androxus clenched his fist as his brows furrowed. ¡ªOne day, someone will upy this area. So for whatever wyverns survive in the next centuries, please do your best to relocate there. Androxus had already been aware of his fruitful encounter with Brandon. For centuries, he had been waiting for Brandon. ¡ªHe wille. The person who will save our Daughter. And this person will be responsible for setting all of us free. But thest part of Crystallia''s prophecy still lingered in Androxus'' mind, leaving him confused. ¡ªBut at the cost of his demise. When that happens, I wish for you to be on Aurelia''s side. ''Demise'' and ''Aurelia''s side¡­.'' From those words alone, it became apparent to him that there was a future meant in store for Brandon Locke. Then did that mean¡­. "He''s going to die?" At the moment, Androxus could tell Brandon Locke was weak. Really weak. To the point where he would probably pass out if Androxus were to release his Wyvern''s Intent. But seeing how much Brandon cherished Aurelia¡­. He didn''t want him to die. If there was a way to change Crystallia''s prophecy, Androxus was on¨Cboard. ''If I could provide him with the necessary weapons¡­.'' Would it be possible? With those thoughts in mind, Androxus followed Brandon. *** Brandon continued meditating, sitting crossed legged on the cold snowy ground. "Human." A voice echoed from behind him. Brandon''s brows perked up, somewhat annoyed by the distractions. Opening his eyes, he turned around. Androxus stood, sping his hands behind his back. He was as tiny as always. "Yes?" "Your trainingcks bnce. If you want maximum efficiency, your body and magic must work together." "I''m aware. But I''m not exactly in a state to push my body." "No excuses." "...." "I''ll be overseeing your training for as long as you stay here." "Huh?" "If you''re going to be Aurelia''s protector, then you''ll need to be as strong as I am." "...." "Stand up." Chapter 338: Interlude [1] Crash¡ª! "Akh¡­!" With no room to even retaliate, Brandon was sent crashing towards the mountain''s jagged cliffside. For the past few days, he had been sparring with Androxus. But sparring seemed to be a bit too far fetched. To say the least. It was nothing but one¨Csided massacre. He had just broken through S¨Crank, yet reality seemed to p him immediately. Against actual strong beings, Brandon was nothing. He wasn''t even close. Crossing his arms, Androxus narrowed his eyes and frowned, looking at Brandon as he went on to exim. "It''s been two, and this is all you''re capable of!?" "Haaa¡­. I''ve been telling you this whole time, I''m injured." "I expected more from someone who imed to have taken down a new¨Cborn wyvern." "...." Brandon had already exined his circumstances that led to his injuries. Thankfully, the fact that he had killed a wyvern didn''t irk Androxus in any way.. ording to Androxus, new¨Cborn wyverns were more or less artificial. Born under the influence of mana in this world, they were a far crypared to a wyvern who had been born centuries ago. Wyverns who emerged from a different realm. Not wanting to divulge more information, Androxus'' exnations trailed off from there. "Get up." "Huu¡­." But despite Brandon''sints, he appreciated the first¨Chand training experience. Brandishing his sword forward, magic power began to coalesce around Brandon. His body enveloped a pulsating purple hue, and he felt the tension in his legs flexed. Swoosh¡ª! Kicking the ground, Brandonunched forward. His attacks connected one after another, but Androxus had no thoughts of letting him break through his defenses. All Androxus needed were his fists topletely repel Brandon''s attacks unharmed. In the first ce, it wasn''t like Brandon could even harm him at all. nk¡ª! nk¡ª! Each time his sword collided with Androxus'' knuckles, a metallic sound seemed to ring in the air. His skin was as hard as diamond. Much to the point where Brandon felt the vibrations intensify through the sword¡ªconnecting to his arms. "Too slow." "...." The entire ordeal seemed nostalgic for some reason. "Too weak." "Give me a break." "Too obvious." Bang! Unable to track Androxus'' attack with his eyes, in an instant, Brandon felt his stomach twist, colliding with something that was akin to a bullet train, and was sent hurling away once more. "Ukh!" Down on both knees and massaging his stomach, Brandon coughed out blood. "Stand up." "Ho¨Cld¡­. on." Brandon hoarsely responded, clinging onto his sword which was impaled on the cold hard ground. Giving him no time to rest, Androxus'' voice rang out once more. "Again." *** December 11, 2149. Amelia was currently training. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she held her sword forward. "Huu¡­.." Drawing a few breaths in, Amelia focused on the targets ahead of her. At the moment, she was inside the simtion room. She had wanted to do this inside abyrinth, but refrained from doing so. Mostly, because she didn''t want to leave the academy since she had nned on studying after. Her days repeated like this until the day before the examinations. Gradually, a golden hue pulsated from her body. Sliding her leg on the ground, Amelia gripped on her sword tightly. There were five targets in front of her. All of them within the S¨C ranks. Monsters of all shapes and sizes, registered within the simtion system. "Hah!" With a battle cry, Amelia lunged forward, kicking the ground. The monsters were moving, they were agile, and Amelia had a hard time tracking them with her eyes. Swoosh¡ª! Amelia''s sword shed through the air with precision. The first target, a towering beast with jagged horns, lunged at her. Amelia''s first strike barely grazed the beast. The monster reacted faster than she expected, swinging a massive arm toward her. She ducked, but the force of its blow sent a shockwave through the air, knocking her off bnce. Bang! Stumbling back, Amelia quickly regained her footing as the creature lunged again. This time, she dodged to the side, her sword scraping against its thick hide. A faint glow marked the hit, but it wasn''t enough. "Damn it." She cursed under her breath, her grip tightening on the hilt of her de. The monsters were faster, more aggressive than she had anticipated. She had to focus. Tss~ The serpentine creature struck next, its body weaving unpredictably. Amelia tracked it, but it moved too quickly for a clean hit. Itshed out, coiling around her leg, and she felt the pressure instantly. Panic red in her chest as she struggled to shake it off. "Khh¡­!" With a grunt, she swung her sword down, severing the creature''s body. It dissipated into nothing, but the moment of distraction had cost her. Two more targets were already closing in. The hulking armored figure charged, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground. Amelia barely had time to dodge, its massive arm grazing her shoulder. The pain shot through her, but she gritted her teeth and pushed forward. She had to be faster. Her breathing became ragged as she slipped behind the armored target, her sword finding the gap between its tes. sh¡ª! With a sharp thrust, she pierced through its core, but the effort left her winded. "...." Just as she pulled her de free, the wolf-like monster leapt at her from behind, ws extended. She spun around, but it was too quick. Its ws grazed her side, tearing through her uniform and drawing blood. While a simtion, its inflictions were real, making it a popr training method for the cadets to quickly gain experience. But needless to be said, it had a safety feature. It didn''t give the same psychological effects of a life or death scenario. "Ukh¡­!" Amelia winced, pain ring in her side. The creature didn''t let up and started encircling her. ¡ªHwoooar! The wolf charged again. Amelia braced herself, brandishing her sword. This time, she waited¡ªcalm and focused. Swoosh¡ª! At thest second, she sidestepped and brought her de down in a swift arc. The monster disintegrated, leaving her standing alone in the empty simtion room. Panting, she nced at the clock. She was bleeding and was exhausted, but there was still time. Time for the second phase of her training. Recently, Amelia''s system had leveled up again. ¡ª¡ª[Sovereign Fragment]¡ª¡ª [Name: Amelia Constantine] [Mana Core: Tier 5] [Status: A+] [Innate] ¨N Gate ¡ª Level 12 ¨N Experience ¡ª 21.5% ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: A+ ¡ª[2%] ¨N MP: A+ ¡ª[43%] ¨N DEF: A ¡ª[21%] ¨N AGI: A+ ¡ª[11%] ¨N INT: B+ ¡ª[44%] ¨N CHA: SS ¡ª[55%] [AVG: A+] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª She now had twelve storage capacity for her magic swords¡ªrtive to her innate skill. [Gate]. Now, she could summon twelve weapons at the same time. But that much at once strained her neural senses. She could only keep up with so many weapons at the same time. For that reason, Amelia needed to be proficient with it. Activating the simtion again, Amelia got into a battle stance once more. She had just finished her physical training. Now, she had to focus on her ability. One day left before the examinations. *** The entire week, everyone focused on training. The training facilities bustled with activity, as cadets engaged in their own type of training, helping one another, while some opted for solo training. There were separate training facilities for everyone, depending on what they needed. This was the main reason why Imperial Academy was highly regarded as the best academy currently. Rachel, who had decided she had studied enough, opted for the same training as ire''s. To iste herself in a chamber that contained an abundance of mana¡ªrtive to her affinity. The entire chamber was frozen solid, to the point that Rachel had a hard time concentrating. ording to ire, exposing mana to the bare skin was the most efficient way when undergoing this type of training. ''Easy for her to say.'' ire''s affinity was lightning, while Rachel''s base affinity was ice. If she were to expose her skin as much as ire did, she would most probably freeze to death. "Huuu¡­.." At least, that''s what she initially thought. But seeing ire''s sudden growth, especially in her efficiency and body structure¡­. "Huuu¡­. Damn it¡­!" Rachel had to try. For that reason, she had exposed much of her skin under the sheer coldness. Currently, she had stripped herself, leaving her bra exposed, but due to her embarrassment, she wore a skirt to cover up her underwear. "Cold¡­. cold¡­. cold¡­." For the next few hours or so, those were the only words that left her mouth. asionally, she added a few curses. "Shit¡­. shit¡­. shit¡­." She started wondering why she even did this. But as she started getting used to it, Rachel''s mind was at easepletely resonating with the cold mana. "Huu¡­.." Her breaths were steady, and gradually, her hair started turning white, crawling from the strands, all the way to the crown. "Huuu¡­." . . On the other side of the room. Amy too had undergone the same training. But if she had to be honest, she was having some difficulty. "Guuu¡­! I''m drowning¡­!" Chapter 339: Interlude [2] Evelyn decided to take it easy for the day. Cadets had started skipping out on review lectures. For that reason, she decided not to hold one, and spend her time for herself. Evelyn stared at her phone. [Your birthday ising up in three days.] December 14. That was Evelyn''s birthday. But for Evelyn, it was just another day. But still, it was the only thing she could remember from her parents. For that reason, Evelyn always tried to remember it. But of course, for someone with barely any friends, to the point where she honestly felt like Vanessa was her only friend, Evelyn didn''t see the need to celebrate it. While she was highly respected in Holy Britannia, it only ended there. Her status seemed to have intimidated people, making them keep a set distance from her. To make matters worse, Evelyn had zero social skills, and was always awkward. But as a professor, she was like a different person. As if a switch flicked inside her. This was why Evelyn always found joy in teaching. "Hmm¡­." She opened the messaging app. As always, it was filled with notifications of her subscriptions. A group chat with other instructors, and two conversations of specific people. Vanessa Glory, her best¨Cfriend. And of course, Brandon Locke. She had sent a reply message to him a while back. But Brandon had never responded. She was aware he was off somewhere. But if he was looking for her, then why not respond? "He might be busy." Who knows? *** "You''re going now?" "Yes. Thank you for these past few days." Brandon, who wanted to let Androxus know of his departure, lowered his head in appreciation. There wasn''t much to be done in just seven days. But Brandon could tell a drastic improvement in the technicalities. Also, ¨N DEF: A+ ¡ª[1%] His defense had broken through the A+ ranks. How could it not, when Androxus thoroughly crushed him physically? Seeing the cumbersome look on Androxus'' face, Brandon couldn''t help but assure him. After all, this wyvern would be a good asset for the future. "I''ll do my best to take care of Aurelia. So don''t worry, Androxus." "Hm?" "I know you''re thinking about her. If that''s the case, do you really not want to see her?" "It''s for the best. Now is not the right time." "Is that so?" Brandon mulled over his words. From everything he could surmise from the subtle hints that Androxus gave off, clearly, Aurelia wasn''t a ten¨Cyear old. Additionally, there was so much more regarding Aurelia that Androxus refused to disclose. Whenever Brandon tried to ask any questions regarding Aurelia, Androxus would just tell him the Oracle of Crystallia would reveal everything he wanted to know regarding the matter. For that reason, Brandon had stopped asking questions. However, there was one more question lingering in his mind this whole time. Androxus was without a doubt, strong. Stronger than Evelyn for that matter. "Androxus." "...?" "If something were to happen, will I be able to rely on your strength?" Particrly, the war that was soon toe. "No." A t¨Cout refusal. "Just like you humans, us wyverns have our own matters to settle. I don''t think I''ll be able to assist you soon." "I see." That made sense. But for what those matters were, Brandon couldn''t begin to tell. "Then let me rephrase my question." Brandon cleared his throat. "If I were¡­. to lose myself. Can Ie back here?" Androxus'' brows raised as he remained silent for a while. Thereafter, mulling over his words, he calmly said. "No." Androxus decisively refused. However, Brandon could tell that was all on the surface. Seeing the expressions he was making, it became apparent to him that he was Androxus'' only connection with Aurelia. "You can be more honest with yourself, you know?" "...." Androxus'' brows scrunched up, clearly irritated by Brandon''s statement. Brandon was well aware that somewhere deep inside, Androxus felt a bit of envy towards him because of Aurelia. "You''ll see her soon." Brandon shed him a reassuring smile. "I''ll make sure of it." Leaving off with those words, Brandon massaged his shoulders and left the mountain soon after. He didn''t expect any kind of physical training. He had only wanted toe here due to the abundance of mana lingering in the atmosphere. His shoulders were tense. No, his entire body was sore with clear bruises visible around his figure. *** Androxus stared down from the cliffside. His eyesight was much better than humans. Squinting his eyes, and scrutinizing Brandon Locke''s departing back a few feet below him, Androxus started recalling the events of the past few days. While still weak, Brandon Locke showed potential. There was not much Androxus could do, given the short deadline, but Androxus could swear he was efficient enough during their spars. Brandon Locke had imed to be injured, and Androxus could tell he wasn''t lying. However, to his surprise, Brandon Locke seemed to dismiss his injuries, and fought unbothered. The way he fought seemed desperate. Like he was willing to cast himself aside to reach new heights. It wasn''t a bad mindset. But neither was it a good fighting habit. Sooner orter, if Brandon Locke didn''t fix that bad habit of his, it would be the reason for his fall. Androxus had tried getting his thoughts across, but Brandon, as if blinded by something, refused to take his words in. Additionally, Brandon Locke kept asking him a specific question. After all, Androxus had blurted something out. If Brandon Locke was a wraith. "No." Androxus dismissively shook his head. Evaluating his abilities and his mana, Brandon Locke definitely wasn''t a wraith. However, he wasn''t far from it. "....His power." He definitely gets his power from a source. Androxus was sure of it. There was a certain fairy tail often told to the denizens of his realm. A fairy tail that parents would often tell to put their children to sleep. A Wraith belonging to the Circles of Hell¡ªwho was banished from their realm. For that reason, the Wraith was used as a bedtime story, iming the Wraith had been banished to their realm. For some reason, the idea just wouldn''t leave his mind. Just one word. That word flowed out of his mouth, "Vainglory." ¡­.Sending a chill down his spine. *** December 12, 2149. The day of the examinations. It would range from a five¨Cseries of written tests, each spanning for an hour each to ascertain their general knowledge. "Begin." Evelyn''s voice rang out,mencing the start of the examinations. Flip¡ª The sound of papers flipping echoed one after another, and immediately a curse rang out from somewhere. "Fuck!" Whoever it was must''ve been neglectful after studies. After all, the first phase of the theoretical examinations were nothing but a test ofmon knowledge. Knowledge that should''ve been etched into their minds since childhood. For Amelia, it was a breeze. In under ten minutes, she had finished over twenty¨Cthree questions. However, she soon stopped and nced at the empty seat on her side. Beside the empty seat was upied by Raven. Apparently, Brandon and Raven weren''t together during the days they disappeared. "...." Amelia started to worry. Her mind, both upied by Brandon''s whereabouts, and the test. "What is he thinking¡­.." She whispered, sporting a worried look. However, she held it off for now. The ring had told her he was alive, so she had to focus on the test for now. Amidst the sound of scribbling pens, the door slowly opened. Creaaaaaak¡­.. All heads raised and flicked towards the neer. He was arguablyte. He strode with calm and confident steps. Adorning a ck turtleneck, along with a white zer, his pale¨Cwhite hair was neatly tied to a man¨Cbun. His entire appearance looked fresh, and Amelia couldn''t help but look at him dumbfounded. "Ah." A sound of realization echoed from beside her. Belle, who had stopped writing, traced Brandon''s moving figure with a baffled look. "What the¡­." Amelia couldn''t help but voice out such thoughts. Brandon stood face¨Cto¨Cface with Evelyn. Amidst the cadets, who looked like they wanted to drop dead after studyingte at night, evident by the dark circles around their eyes, Brandon looked the freshest. "You''rete." "I know." "Haaa¡­. Go find an empty seat." Handing out the questionnaire to Brandon, along with the answer sheet, Evelyn sighed as if she had given up on him. "Thanks." "Really?" That was all he had to say? Brandon walked confidently, ignoring the attention fixated on him as he walked towards his seat. Appearing right in front of Raven first, Brandon greeted him. "You look like you''ve aged." Brandon casually teased as he sat right in¨Cbetween Raven and Amelia. "I had to pull an all night¡ªUh?" Raven, who had just stopped writing, raised his head and looked at Brandon. Blinking his eyes as if he couldn''t believe what he was seeing, Raven''s mouth parted open. "You¡­ Look like you''ve been on vacation." Brandon grinned, leaning back in his chair as he grabbed a pen out of his bag. "Good guess." "Did you even study?" "I studied¡­. in spirit." Brandon shrugged as he wrote his name down on the answer sheet. "Pftt." Amelia chuckled as she returned her attention on her own test. It was inly obvious to Raven, Amelia, and Belle, that most probably, the main reason why he waste, was because he wanted to look his best during the examinations. At the moment, he looked like a celebrity. Having just written her answer down, Ameliamented from the side. "You always know how to make an entrance." Maybe for the others, he looked over the top. But in Amelia''s heart, he was the coolest. Chapter 340: Finals [1] Brandon started scribbling his answers down. This was the first test he had done after losing [elerated Cognition]. But he had another weapon in his arsenal. By incorporating what he remembers from Raven''s memories, he could more or less ascertain the correct answers. At least, that''s what he was counting on. ¡ªWhat is the significance of mana cores in determining a mage''s rank and progression? Brandon paused for a second and mulled the question over. It was the first question, and he had about 48 minutes left to actually finish the first phase of the examinations. If it was going to be this easy, then the entire test was a breeze. Pressing the tip of his ballpen on the paper, Brandon started scribbling his answer down. [ ? Mana cores are the catalyst for breaking through ranks, advancing to higher tiers, and serve as the basis for evaluating a mage''s strength. Based on the development of one''s mana core, mages are assigned appropriate ranks corresponding to their overall power.] The answer should be appropriate enough. That being said, Brandon faced no difficulty answering all the questions. By the time he was finished, he had about 18 minutes left on the clock. Some cadets had already left the lecture hall as soon as they finished their test. "Fuck." "Hey, what''s the answer to number 36?" "....Shit, I should''ve reviewed." However, there were still some who were still around. Their faces could only be described as akin to ''The Scream'' painting. That being said, Brandon left the ssroom, and joined up with Amelia, Raven, and Belle. The next phases of the theoretical examinations were to be heldter. *** "Anyway, where were you? No one could reach you for the past week." After taking their lunch, Brandon went out on a stroll with Amelia. "Cavern''s Peak. I wasn''t nning on staying that long." "You should''ve told me¡­. I would''vee with you¡­." Amelia pouted and blurted to the side. Brandonughed and tucked his hands inside his white winter¨Ccloak. "I thought about it, but you wouldn''t have the luxury to finish your backlogs." "That''s true. Did you have fun? You did stay for quite a while after all." The two found an empty bench to sit on, watching the snowkes fall gently. Brandon shifted in his seat, pulling his cloak tighter around him, while Amelia stared at the snow-covered trees that lined the pavements. "I did¡­. I guess? It was interesting." Brandon massaged his shoulders unknowingly, feeling his bones ache slightly. "Interesting?" Amelia raised an eyebrow. "I thought you''d say ''dangerous.''" "I would say it was worth it." Amelia pouted once more. "Still¡­. I wouldn''t have minded falling behind on some paperwork." Brandon didn''t respond right away. Instead, he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. Amelia''s head naturally came to rest on his shoulder. As her shoulders rxed, smiling gleefully, Brandon sat in silence, feeling the warmth of Amelia next to him. The time of December was always cold, but used to this kind of atmosphere already, the two didn''t seem to mind it that much. As they looked around, the academy''s open area bustled with activity. Cadets, carrying a bunch of books, walked around. Some, after finding an open gazebo, delved right into studying. "Quick, before the second phase starts." "I''m getting to it." "Write faster!" Frowns formed on their faces. Clearly, they had neglected studying and most probably put in most of their efforts into the practicals instead. Now that Brandon listened more intently to their conversation, the group of cadets weren''t even studying. "Aren''t they making¡­. cheat notes?" Amelia seemed to have had the same thought as him as she blurted out her words. "They are¡­.." But Brandon Amelia let them off. Truth be told, the fundamentals were detrimental to progressing in theter stages of their mana cores. If they didn''t cement the knowledge in their head, they would soon have trouble in the near future. "Amelia." Brandon whispered. "There''s something you should know about Aurelia." *** The examinations continued from there. Each phase became progressively harder and harder, so much so, that Brandon wasn''t confident anymore. "Uh¡­. Amelia¡­." Brandon whispered, calling out for Amelia, who''s entire focus was fixed on her answer sheet. She seemedpletely absorbed in her work, scribbling notes quickly as her eyes darted over the page. Her lips moved silently, forming the words, but Brandon couldn''t make out a sound. For that reason, Brandon''s head turned towards Raven. He too seemed absorbed in his work. But in any case, it was Raven. "Raven¡­." "...." But Raven had no luxury to respond. Just like Amelia, he too seemed to have not heard him. Either that, or the two were tantly ignoring him. "Raven¡­." "...." Again, no response. "Psst¡­. Raven." "Ah?" Raven''s brows raised as well as his head, turning towards Brandon. Brandon whispered barely audibly, just enough for Raven to hear, and Evelyn not to find out. It had to be said, this was the fourth phase. Meaning, it was thest theoretical exam. "What''s the answer to question 86?" "Uh¡­. You do know the questions are scrambled for each questionnaire, right?" Raven informed him, looking at him with an awkward expression. "Shit, really?" "Yeah, goodluck." He was on his own. ¡ªMana affinity is understood to influence both the efficiency and specialization of a mage, but the rtionship between multiple affinities and a mage''s mana core can lead toplex interactions. Analyze how the development of dual¡­. Brandon''s skimming trailed off from there. They had made the question way moreplicated than it should be. For that reason, Brandon couldn''t find a proper answer. "...." He started peering into his memories. Trying to assess if he had seen anything remotely rted to the question. His thoughts ran like never before, much to the point where he felt like he was having a headache. Then, a sudden memory ovepped. Unlike some of the others, who only had a single affinity, Brandon had first¨Chand experience having more than two. "Hmm¡­." Scritch. Scratch. He started scribbling down his answer, corrting to what he had felt during his time as a Septa¨CElemental mage. Hopefully, it was the correct answer. *** Ririring¨C Ririring¡ª As the final bell rang, Evelyn stood at the front of the room, her posture straight and her voice firm. The room, filled with tired but focused cadets, instantly quieted down into a hush silence. "First and foremost, congrattions on sessfullypleting all phases of the theoretical exams. Your hard work and preparation have paid off, and I hope you recognize the significance of this milestone." She paused for a moment, scanning the room, ensuring she had everyone''s full attention. "However, this is just one part of your assessment. Tomorrow, we begin the Practical Exams. The entire day will be dedicated to testing your skills, stamina, and ability to apply everything you''ve learned so far. The practical exam will be far more demanding¡ªphysically, mentally, and strategically." The cadets exchanged nces, some whispering among themselves. "I advise you all to rest well tonight. Ensure youe prepared, not just with your equipment but with the right mindset. This is your opportunity to demonstrate that you are not only capable in theory but also in practice." Evelyn''s gaze swept the room, her tone calm but authoritative. "You''ve done well so far, but tomorrow will require everything you have. Be ready. Dismissed." The cadets began to pack their belongings, their minds clearly shifting towards the next challenge as they murmured about the impending day. "...." Evelyn remained still, watching them leave with an air of quiet confidence. On her desk were stacks of answer sheets, ready to be marked. She watched the room begin to empty out as cadets left the lecture hall one after another. Raising her head and staring at the ceiling, Evelyn recalled her meeting with Reinhard a few days back, way before the examinations. ¡ªMiss Evelyn, I have a favor to ask. ¡ªI have a friend who wants to meet with you¡­.. The meeting had been pushed ahead since Evelyn couldn''t find any free time on her schedule. But tonight, she was finally free. For that reason, a meeting with this ''friend'' of Reinhard was scheduledter, over dinner. Evelyn was quite skeptical at first, but apparently, it was a woman. While Evelyn wasn''t familiar with her, she was told the woman was one of the Imperial Army''s sponsors. "What was her name again?" She mulled over her thoughts, trying to recall the name Reinhard had told her about. Le¡­.. Lea¡­. "Leonna?" It was probably something like that. Chapter 341: Finals [2] Evelyn was taken aback by the grandeur of the meeting ce. A restaurant called'' "Le Pce Hors d''oeuvre" exuded luxury, far beyond what she''d expected. Just how wealthy was this ''Leonna'' woman? "So that''s why I was asked to wear something fancy¡­." She muttered, ncing around at the elegantly dressed patrons. Her midnight-colored dress, styled with Vanessa''s help, matched the atmosphere, but it still felt overwhelming. She had heard of the restaurant''s name, "Le Pce Hors d''oeuvre," before, but this was the first time she had ever been anywhere near it. "Good evening, do you have a reservation?" "Ah?" Evelyn was snapped out of a daze as the receptionist''s voice reached her ears. "Y-Yes, I believe so¡­." Feeling a bit nervous, Evelyn couldn''t help but stammer. "There should be one under the name¡­. Leonna?" "Leonna. Hmm¡­. Let me check." The receptionist nced down on the reservation list. His eyes quickly darted, and it didn''t take more than ten seconds for him to raise his head, meeting Evelyn''s gaze. "I''m afraid there''s no reservation under that name. Would you like to be ced on the waiting list?" Evelyn''s heart raced as she fumbled for an exnation. "A-Actually¡­ I might have the name wrong. Is there anything simr to Leonna?" The receptionist''s professional demeanor didn''t waver. "I''m sorry, but I cannot disclose that information." Just as Evelyn reached for her phone, flustered, a calm voice spoke from behind her. "Good evening. I believe I made the reservation under the name, ''Lianna.''" A woman, with tinum¨Cblonde hair exuding elegance, styled to perfection. A white slit dress that exposed the right amount of skin, even highlighting her well¨Cendowed curves. The woman was stunning, so much so, that Evelyn could see the receptionist starting to blush. ''So her name was Lianna¡­.'' Evelyn thought, feeling bashful. How could she forget such a simple name? The woman''s ruby eyes met Evelyn''s, and as if realization washed upon her, the woman''s brows raised. "Are you¡­. Miss Evelyn Cessna?" "Yes. Are you the person I''m supposed to be meeting?" "Yes, thank you for epting the invitation, and apologies for beingte." "Oh, no worries, I''ve only just gotten here myself¡­.." Then, interrupting their formal introduction, the receptionist''s voice rang out once more. He smiled at them after confirming the reservation. "Wee, Miss Lianna. Right this way, please." With a quick nod, Lianna motioned for Evelyn to follow. "Shall we?" "Of course." The two walked through the softly lit corridor, passing by elegant chandeliers and finely dressed patrons engaged in quiet conversation. A waiter soon approached, bowing slightly. "This way to your table,dies." He led them through thevish dining area as the soft clinking of silverware and the murmur of voices added to the overall grandeur. Evelyn couldn''t help but feel a bit out of ce in such a refined setting, though Lianna appeared perfectly at ease. The waiter stopped by a window-side table, offering them a perfect view of the cityscape below. "Here we are. Please make yourselvesfortable. Your server will be with you shortly." Evelyn sat down, trying to rx as she took in her surroundings. Lianna settled into her seat across from her with an effortless grace, offering a polite smile. "Thank you for joining me, Miss Evelyn. Or should I say, Field Marshal Cessna. I hope you find the evening enjoyable." Evelyn nodded, though she was still slightly nervous. "It''s my pleasure. This ce is¡­.. stunning." Lianna''s smile deepened, the hint of amusement dancing in her eyes. "Yes, it certainly has its charm." Evelyn started to wonder what someone as ssy as Lianna wanted from her. "So, uhm¡­. I heard you had some connections with Reinhard?" Instead of asking for the meeting''s purpose, she was more curious about Lianna''s rtionship with Reinhard. After all, it wasn''t so often a seventeen year¨Cold boy would have some kind of connection in the business world. And clearly, Lianna was the kind of woman who had those connections. The only exceptions she could remember at the top of her head were Rachel and Amy. "Yes, that boy. I met him quite a while back. He was the reason I invested in Imperial Academy." "Oh, I heard you were one of the Imperial Army''s sponsors. But I had no idea you had also funded Imperial Academy. Thank you." Evelyn lowered her head in appreciation. "It''s nothing, it''s nothing. Just doing my duty as a Holy Britannian. I''ve actually joined the Imperial Army myself, but under the operations team." "Really? I''ve heard of the newly formted operations team. To think you were also a part of them, I had no idea." The operations team was responsible for logistical and strategic support during military campaigns or missions. "I''m not too strong myself. But I''d like to serve my nation in any way I can." Lianna nced down, looking rather cumbersome. It was true, just by peering into Lianna''s mana signature, Evelyn could tell she was only average. Most probably, she would be ranked around B. It was a shame. But it couldn''t be helped. Every person was born with a natural limit, though it remains undiscovered until they actually reach that limit. Just as Evelyn was about to speak, the server arrived and handed out the menu. Evelyn thoroughly scanned the menu. Immediately, after seeing the prices, she frowned. [Rib eye steak: 5 Gold Coins.] [Ossetra Gold Caviar: 12 Gold Coins.] "...." What in the world. She knew Lianna was paying for everything, but to think the restaurant was this costly. Evelyn would be ashamed to order something so expensi¡ª "Order anything you like." Right as Evelyn was about to choose something below the bar, Lianna''s voice cut in, preventing her from making a mistake. "I was the one who took up your time. Please, I insist." "...." Evelyn nced up, her hesitation still visible as she scanned the menu again. She felt uneasy ordering such expensive dishes, but Lianna''s gentle insistence was hard to ignore. "Are you sure? This ce is¡­ extravagant." Lianna smiled warmly. "Please, consider it my treat. After all, you''ve earned a bit of luxury after all your hard work. Besides," She winked. "I''m happy to spoil my guests a little." "...." Slightly taken aback by Lianna''s flirtatious demeanor, Evelyn nodded and nced down at the menu once more, finally deciding on a dish that didn''t make her feel too guilty. "An excellent choice." With that, the server took the menu''s back and left, leaving the two to their own devices. Finally, it was time to ask the question. "Miss Lianna." Evelyn started. "What is this meeting for?" This was the two''s first official meeting. Evelyn was aware how Lianna might''vee to know about her. But still, if she had a specific request that needed Evelyn''s power, she would have to reject it. Evelyn was still hesitant in using too much of her power. While the pain had subsided, and the disruptions in her core seemed to have vanished, she didn''t want to take any chance. For now, she wanted to take it easy. "I had a brother¡­.." "...." . . After Lianna exined her story, Evelyn only had one thought. ''Who the hell is her brother?'' It seemed as if Lianna had gotten the wrong person. Because of that, Evelyn felt deeply awkward. Lianna was treating her out to such an expensive meal without realizing she had gotten the wrong person. Evelyn didn''t know how to tell her. But seriously, ''Who the hell is Lance?'' Evelyn didn''t know anyone named Lance. But there was someone in the back of her mind with a simr name. But it wasn''t exactly the same. Additionally, the stories didn''t exactly match up. For that reason, Evelyn quickly dismissed the connection. ''I have to tell her the truth¡­..'' But of course, Evelyn had to savor the meal. She was guilty. But a treat is a treat. This would be the first andst time Evelyn would ever enjoy such an expensive meal. Discover hidden tales at m,v l''e-NovelBin "Enjoy." The meal was absurdly enticing, and for a second, Evelyn felt like she was starting to salivate. But that shouldn''t be the case. She was a woman of esteemed decorum. ¡­.At least, that''s what she thinks. *** It was the next day. "Please step into the portal as soon as your name is called." A voice rang out from the loudspeaker. The exam officials stood at the ready, marking down names as each cadet''s name was read off. The academy courtyard was buzzing with tension. Cadets stood in clusters, some silently psyching themselves up, others muttering strategies under their breath. The portal in the center flickered ominously, exuding a swirling purple glow. Brandon, Raven, Amelia, and Belle stood nearby, equally focused. "You nervous?" Brandon whispered, ncing at Amelia. With a smile, Amelia responded. "A little. But it''s nothing we can''t handle." The practical exam was in session. The hardest exam they would ever have to face. Even more so than the training camp. They quickly debriefed, but for some reason, the information given was scarce. As if they had to trudge the exams with only as much information that was given. "Rachel Asami!" "Amy Ashfield!" The names were called one by one. Each cadet disappeared into the portal, and the courtyard grew quieter with every name announced. Finally, it was Brandon''s turn. "Brandon Locke!" The proctor announced. "Good luck." Amelia wished him luck. "Thanks, see you on the other side." Taking a deep breath, Brandon nodded to his friends and stepped forward. He stepped into the portal, the world around him dissolving into a swirl of light. When he emerged on the other side, he was standing in the center of a vast, barrenndscape. A battlefield. The entire vicinity was empty. This told Brandon that the portal''s coordinates changed for each cadet. Furthermore, it had to be said. The only information he knew..... "...." ¡­.Was that they were supposed to ascend a tower. Chapter 342: Finals [3] A night before the practical examinations. 7:00 PM. Brandon returned home with Amelia and Belle. In the living room were Brianna and Aurelia. Brianna was currently seated on the couch, watching Aurelia, who was wearing a pretty pink princess dress. Waving the wand in her hand, Aurelia performed a magical dance routine. "Sparkle Star Burst~!" She was currently copying a magical princess show for children that was disyed on the TV. "Twinkle Flower Spin~!" It was a reward on her own¨Cright for the hard work she did. By estimation, her knowledge should be on the same level as a grade one elementary schooler. "Rainbow Heart Beam~!" Aurelia really loved the TV show. "We''re home." Belle announced, catching both Brianna''s and Aurelia''s attention. "Oh, wee back¡ªBrandon¡­.?" Brianna''s eyes widened in shock. This was the first time Brandon was home in over a week. "Brandon, Brandon~!" Aurelia hurriedly ran up to Brandon. Crouching down, Brandon took Aurelia in his arms and carried her up. "Hehe~ Did you miss me?" "Yes¡­.." Aurelia''s little arms wrapped around his neck. Despite the fact that Brandon was barely homepared to Amelia and Belle, Aurelia was fixedly attached to him. Of course, she was also attached to Amelia. "Aurelia~ Aurelia~" Belle sneaked up, twiddling her fingers as if she was about to yfully tickle Aurelia. "Aaang~ No!" Aurelia eximed. The only person she seemed to dislike in the house was Belle, even though Belle was the most yful with her. "...." Belle''s face contorted to a sad look as her head lowered down. She started walking away dejectedly. "Aurelia, be nice. My sister only wants to y with you." "But sister Belle is scary¡­.." Of course, most probably, Aurelia found Belle annoying since she would always tease her. Brandon''s head turned towards Belle who looked like something had just broken inside of her. Teary eyed, Belle walked towards her room and closed the door. "What about me, Aurelia?" Poking Aurelia''s cheek, Amelia asked. Her body bent forward with one arm on her knee while poking Aurelia''s cheek gently. "Aurelia loves Mama!" Aurelia hopped from Brandon''s arms to Amelia''s, who easily caught her, embracing the little elven girl in her arms. "Hehe~ Your dress is so pretty." "Grandma Brianna bought it for me!" "Did you thank her?" "Uhm¡­." Aurelia''s face turned pale. Then, she turned her head to Brianna''s direction. Currently, Brianna was fiddling on her phone. From the sound emitting from her phone, it seemed like she was scrolling on TokTok. "T-Thank you, Grandma Brianna." "So if I start mewing today¡­.. I might¡ªHm?" Without finishing her words, Brianna''s attention turned towards Aurelia, who was cradled in Amelia''s arms. Tilting her head to the side, Brianna shed a heartwarming smile. "You''re wee, Little Princess~" Time passed like that for a bit. Belle came out of her room after changing into a nightgown. Brianna, feeling tired early into the night, entered her room shortly after, deciding to rest for the day. "Aurelia~ The boogeyman ising~!" "Aaang!" Belle chased Aurelia around the living room. Belle really liked teasing the little elven girl for some reason. Of course, they had no idea she was an elf at all. No, that wasn''t urate either. ''A wyelf?'' Brandon thought to himself. ''An Elfvern?'' A hybrid of the two. In any case. "Belle." Amelia called out to Belle. Hearing her words, Belle abruptly stopped chasing Aurelia and turned towards Amelia, who had just put on a hoodie. ''Isn''t that mine¡­.?'' It was too big for her, which told Brandon enough that it was his hoodie. "Wannae with me? Just a quick trip to the convenience store." "Oh? Sure, I wanted some chips and cookies." "Can Aureliae?" Aurelia turned to the two girls, her eyes glimmering, trying to appeal to them. "It''ste, Aurelia." Amelia shot her down, her tone gentle. Aurelia''s lips creased down, looking disappointed. "....In exchange, do you want anything?" "Uhm¡­." Aurelia pressed her index finger on her lips, seemingly pondering. Brandon wondered what the little elven girl was thinking. Most probably, it would be something she had seen on TV. As soon as she arrived at an answer, Aurelia''s eyes sparkled, and she beamed with excitement as she pped her hands together. p¡ª! "I want Princess Starbloom from Magical Sparkle Adventure! She''s the one who can summon the Rainbow Gxy with her star wand!" Her mouth moved so fast that Brandon had a hard time following her words. A dumbfounded expression spread across Amelia''s features. "Hmm¡­. I don''t think the convenience store has tha¡ª" "Okay, we''ll get it." Belle immediately jumped in, cutting off Amelia''s words. "Wait, Belle, they don''t sell toys at the conveni¡ª" "A quick trip to the mall should do." "Ah¡ª" Without allowing Amelia to retaliate, Belle immediately grabbed her wrist and scurried off, leaving Brandon and Aurelia in the living room. The entire n had abruptly changed thanks to Belle. But it didn''t matter. It was time to get down to business. "Aurelia." Brandon whispered. "Un?" Aurelia turned around and looked at him. She looked excited. "Do you remember anything about your past?" *** Lianna stared at the empty seat where Evelyn once sat. After parting off with a few words, Evelyn had already left a few minutes ago. Swirling the wine on her goblet, Lianna recalled the conversation she just had with Evelyn. ¡ªSorry, but I don''t remember anyone named Lance. Nor do I remember any murders rted to anyone for that matter. A sudden crease formed on Lianna''s face and she took a sip of her wine. ¡ªI appreciate the gesture, but I believe you got the wrong person. But it didn''t matter. Lianna had sessfully established a connection with Evelyn, the two exchanging contacts as a result. Not like the contact actually mattered. "Kht." A strange sound escaped Lianna''s lips as she tried to hold back her amusement. She couldn''t help it. It was just too funny. Especially the corrosion surrounding Evelyn''s core. She hadn''t noticed it, but Lianna certainly did. That was the entire purpose of the meeting. To let Evelyn''s guard down and peer into her core without her noticing. It was one of Lianna''s abilities. An ability that allowed her to see through anyone who had let their guard down in front of her. With her abundant knowledge about mana cores, Lianna had sessfullye up with a technique to block her mana channels. In the process, she could mask her mana signature. "Of course you don''t remember him, his name isn''t Lance." Lianna swirled the red wine on her goblet once more. With a sudden grin, Lianna''s face darkened, her red eyes shimmering ominously as she muttered. "It''s Lancelott." *** Brandon was already quite aware of what the practical examinations were. After all, he had pestered Bellion enough for him to divulge the information, even though he wasn''t supposed to. All he had to do was bribe him a discount on the uing products hispany was going to produce. They were now in the testing phase of their artifacts. In a few weeks, he would present the products to the Imperial Army higher¨Cups. In any case, Brandon stared at the ceiling, recalling his conversation with Bellion. The practical exams would take ce in a simtion¡ªentailing a tower. It might''ve been no problem for Bellion to divulge the information since¡­. he might''ve thought it didn''t matter. Tower would be a broad word for the other cadets. But unbeknownst to him, Brandon was aware of what towers were. "Dimensional Towers." He muttered, his hands sping right behind his head. After all, Dimensional Towers¡­. ¡­.Was exactly what Raven''s system dungeon is. In any case, Brandon switched the topic. He was unaware just how much they were able to simte Raven''s system dungeon. For that reason, he decided not to trouble himself with it too much. "So she doesn''t remember, huh?" He recalled the conversation with Aurelia from there. "Or she could be lying?" Aurelia''s bodynguage didn''t tell him much. She was the same awkward little elven girl. Staring at the Oracle of Crystallia in his hand, Brandon muttered. "I''ll find out eventually." Chapter 343: Dimensional Tower [1] About three months after the cmity, during one of the guild''s expeditions, they stumbled upon a towering structure near the site of the rift that had been tackled by the Imperial Army under Albert Constantine''smand. The main guild sent out multiple scouting missions to thoroughly survey the area. When the scouts returned, they delivered unexpected and rather shocking information that immediately caught the army''s attention. That the tower''s first floor was akin to another dimension. It was an entirendscape with its own life, filled with creatures they had never seen before. At least, up til that point. They were already familiar with these creatures, as they belonged to the same species as the monsters that dominated the continent, where humanity no longer had control of. After months of exploring the first floor, they discovered that each level was connected by a portal. The portal''s coordinates led them directly to the next floor, which featured an entirely differentndscape and monsterspared to the previous one. It was absurd, andpletely beyond the bounds of reality. As of now, the main guild had sessfully ascended to the 32nd floor. Naturally, this information was kept strictly confidential for security reasons. Only rankers and guild members from various branches were privy to this knowledge, bound by a strict code of silence. The guild''s progress remained under tight control, as the dangers beyond each floor increased exponentially. With the tower''s abundant drops and rewards, rankers discovered new items daily. The potential seemed limitless, and the guild soon realized they could transform this opportunity into their primary financial stream. Of course, as partners, the guild and the Imperial Army saw no harm in giving cadets a first-hand experience of the tower, albeit through a simtion. Dimensional Tower. That was the name they had coined the tower with. "They''ve all sessfully entered the tower, Field Marshal Van." It was Evelyn who reported this, ncing at the monitoring device on the wall. "Good. Are the systems functioning properly?" "Yes, everything''s working smoothly, and their vitals are being disyed in real-time." There were several instructors, who had subjects assigned for their respective sses. On their hands were devices that disyed the vitality rate and status of each cadet ranging from ss A, B, and C. The lower sses of D and E weren''t allowed to take this kind of exam. For that reason, their exams werepletely separate. "Make sure to double check if a cadet isn''t in their respective Tower IDs." Tower IDs. The information that specified that each cadet was separated for the first floor. The initial phase consisted of three tutorial floors. Afterpleting the third floor, cadets would be assigned a Tower ID, enabling them to either coborate orpete against each other. They had 24 hours to clear all five floors, and those who seeded would automatically pass the practical exams. Suddenly, a voice rang out. "There seems to be a problem." "Hm?" Bellion''s brows perked up and nced at Evelyn, who made the report. "Brandon Locke and Raven''s Tower IDs are¡­.." "What about it?" *** Brandon looked around the vast barrenndscape,pletely devoid of nt¨Clife. The sun zed overhead, heat radiating from every direction. The air was thick, dry, and heavy, making each breath feel like swallowing warmth. "...." Brandon''s skin prickled, the intensity of the heat was already weighing down on him. It was really hot. So much so that Brandon, who was wearing a winter¨Ccloak since it was snowing in the real world, had to remove it, revealing his white cored¡ªlong sleeve. Pulling the sleeves up, Brandon wiped the already trickling sweat from his forehead. The entire floor was filled with monsters, corresponding to the appropriate biome. Brandon scanned the barrenndscape, the heat pressing down on him. Creatures roamed thend. They were the only signs of life present. Crag Hounds, their stone-like skin blending with the cracked earth. Sand Serpents, slithering beneath the surface as their golden scales shed in the sunlight. Ash Drakes, circling overhead, leaving trails of ash behind, and so on. Brandon couldn''t describe all of them. [Wee to the Dimensional Tower.] A sudden interface with blue words popped up in peripheral vision. [Difficulty: Hard.] "...." It seemed like Imperial Academy deemed it appropriate to set his level to the max. After all, he was the only S¨Cranked cadet. It would be a breeze otherwise, and would ruin the entire purpose of the examination. [You are in the tutorial phase. Please clear the first floor by eliminating five Ash Drakes and locating the exit portal.] [Clue: The portal is hidden within one of the Drakes.] Brandon scanned above. There was only one Ash Drake in sight. Its wings spread wide, gliding effortlessly through the hazy sky. The system''s instructions echoed in his mind. Find and eliminate five Ash Drakes. It was going to take a lot more time than he had initially thought. But in any case, at least there was one in in sight. SHIING¡ª Unsheathing his sword, Brandon''s eyes narrowed as he scanned up. Immediately, the sun''s rays shone down on him, forcing his eyes to recoil back as he covered his eyes with his hand. Extending his hand forward, a thread loomed out of his finger tips, immediately piercing the air and traveled all the way to the Ash Drake, who seemed to have been oblivious to anything. ¡ªHieeeek! The beast screeched as the thread tightened around its body, dragging it down toward the ground. "I''ll count that as one down." He muttered, feeling the heat gradually intensify in each passing second. As the Ash Drakended with a thunderous crash, dust and ash scattered into the air. Its wings pped violently, but the thread held strong. Moving swiftly, his sword slicing through the air,nding a clean blow on the Ash Drake''s neck. sh¡ª! The Ash Drake crumbled under the strike, disintegrating into white particles. [One Ash Drake eliminated.] [1/5] Brandon scanned the horizon again, but no other Drakes were visible. "Great." He muttered, ncing around the barrenndscape. He realized this was going to take a lot more time than expected, and it was only the first floor. The tutorial phase at that. The only way to draw the others out was to cause a disturbance. He needed to force them to appear. Brandon gathered mana into his palm, creating a massive, glowing energy orb. He released it into the sky. Boom! The orb exploded with a blinding sh, sending shockwaves across the desert-like terrain. Momentster, a shadow flickered in the distance. "Here theye." As the dust settled from the explosion, Brandon squinted at the horizon. "...." What he saw wasn''t the expected Ash Drakes but a swarm of creatures quickly closing in on him. Their forms were sleek and serpentine, almost gliding above the cracked earth as they moved in unison. "Sand Serpents?" It had to be said, there was a system interface hovering above each creature that registered in his peripheral vision. The interface contained relevant information such as; the creature''s hp, and its name. ¡ªKiiiik! Their dark, ashy bodies twisted and undted in the air, and they emitted sharp, high-pitched screeches as they approached. The ground trembled beneath them as they slithered forward, creating a wave of shifting sand in their wake. "Of course, it couldn''t be that easy." He muttered under his breath, readying his sword once more. There were too many to fight head-on, so he opted for strategy instead. Brandon quickly shifted into a defensive stance, his eyes tracking the swarm of Sand Serpents as they closed the distance. They were fast, moving in erratic, unpredictable patterns, making it hard to focus on just one. Tss~ In an instant, the first few Wyrms lunged at him, their sharp, fang-filled mouths snapping open as they sought to sink their teeth into his flesh. Swoosh¡ª! Brandon shed downward, the de of his sword glowing as he channeled mana into it. His strike cleaved through the first two Serpent Snakes, turning them into clouds of ckened dust. But the rest kepting, leaving him with no room to adjust himself, He pivoted, dodging another lunging Serpent, and sent a burst of energy toward the rest, knocking them back temporarily. His eyes darted to the side as more shadows appeared from the distance. "Hmm¡­." It was interesting. He wasn''t facing too much difficulty, but the idea of having freedom to let¨Cloose in this ce echoed in his mind. *** It took no time to clear the horde. By the time he finished, most probably seven minutes had passed. But still, a frown spread across his face as he realized there were no signs of Ash Drakes around. He traversed the vicinity, following thepass on the blue interface. His direction was north. After walking for about twenty minutes, in the process, fighting a couple of monsters, in the distance, he could make out the silhouette of a humanoid creature, engaged in battle with several monsters "No wait?" Brandon''s words trailed off, reced with another conjecture. "It''s not a creature¡­.." It was a human. Chapter 344: Dimensional Tower [2] [Wee to the Dimensional Tower.] Raven had just emerged from the portal. Immediately, his brows raised as he took in the surroundings. "....Hot." The first thing he hade to realize was that it was agonizingly hot. Furthermore, a vast barrenndscape stretched out before him. "Oh¡­." As he surveyed the scenery, all sorts of monsters entered his peripheral vision. It was then. [Difficulty: Hard.] Blue text appeared before him, a system interface he was tired of by now. "...." [You are in the tutorial phase. Please clear the first floor by eliminating five Ash Drakes and locating the exit portal.] "Ash Drakes?" [Clue: The portal is hidden within one of the Drakes.] From the lecture notes he had written down, Ash Drakes were quite hard to find. "Tutorial Phase, huh?" This was by no means a tutorial phase at all. There was a one in one hundred chance to spot an Ash Drake. Whoever would find them this soon was quite lucky. But in any case. "There''s no one here?" The expanse was wide, yet Raven couldn''t find any signs of human¨Clife. "So everyone''s separated then." He hade to that conclusion after realizing he was most probably alone. ¡ªKiiik! "Haah!" A winged creature dove from above¡ªa Scorched Hawk, its talons outstretched and aiming for Raven''s exposed side. The creature wasn''t what the system had tasked him to find, but it seemed the Tower had more than just Ash Drakes to worry about. Swoosh¡ª! With a swift movement, Raven spun, his dagger tracing a clean arc through the creature''s outstretched wing. ckened feathers scattered across the dry ground as the Scorched Hawk tumbled down with a soft thud. "This isn''t the target I''m after." Raven muttered, his eyes darting around the empty wastnd. He could feel the intense heat pressing down on him, making it difficult to think clearly. He recalled the system''s message. [Eliminate five Ash Drakes and locate the hidden portal.] But where were these elusive drakes? Raven scanned the empty sky and barrennd. For a "tutorial," it sure wasn''t forgiving. ¡ªKiiiik! Just as he lowered his guard slightly, another sharp cry pierced the air. "Another one?" Raven braced himself as another Scorched Hawk swooped down. *** Brandon rushed ahead. There were several hawk¨Clike creatures hovering above the figure. It was hard to discern who the person was due to the sunray''s blockage, along with the visible heatwave distorting the air. It was really hot. In any case, Brandon got closer, the shrill growing louder. "Ah?" As soon as the hawk¨Ccreatures spread out in alert, the figure instantly registered in his peripheral vision. "Raven?" How was he here? Shouldn''t each cadet be separated for each floor? Despite Brandon''s sudden arrival, Raven was too distracted to deal with the hawks. Swoosh¡ª! Brandon moved quickly. Dashing forward, threads extended from his fingertips andtched themselves around two of the hawks. Yanking them down, their wings pping frantically as they hit the ground with a dull thud. The creatures screeched as they struggled, but the threads held firm. "Raven!" Brandon shouted as he pulled the hawks closer. Raven, who was still fending off another Scorched Hawk, nced in Brandon''s direction, clearly surprised. Then, he asked between swift strikes of his dagger. "Brandon? What are you doing here?" "Clearing this shitty exam.''" Brandon replied, stepping in to help Raven finish off thest of the attacking hawks. sh¡ª! With a swift slice, Raven downed the final bird, its body hitting the ground before it disintegrated into white particles. "Thought we were supposed to be separated?" Raven muttered, sheathing his dagger. "What''s going on?" "No clue. Could be a bug." Brandon frowned, looking around at the barren wastnd and the endless horizon. Then, he turned towards Raven, and asked. "What kind of clearing conditions did you get?" "Kill five Ash Drakes." "Same as me then." The reality washed over them as they both realized what they needed to do. Raven massaged his chin, pondering on what they should do. "So that means¡­.. We need to kill ten in total so we can both pass?" "Seems to be the case¡­.." A frown spread across Brandon''s face as he muttered those words. Finding a single Ash Drake should''ve already been hard enough. He had only been lucky to find one as soon as he spawned. "Haaa¡­. It''s so hot." Raven wiped the sweat off his face and removed his zer, letting it fall on the sandy ground. "Brandon, what should we do?" There were two different ways to go about this, and Brandon was aware of that. Either to split, increasing their chances in finding an Ash Drake individually. Or, to stay together, increasing their chances of survivability. "For now, let''s stick together. There''s no guarantee we would find an Ash Drake anyway. Plus, you''re pretty knowledgeable about this, right?" It was true. There was no one else who studied as hard as Raven did. Amelia was a close second, but when it came to persistence, Raven took the cake. "I guess so. Alright, but we need to do something about this heat." Raven said, as he shaded his face from the sun''s scorching rays. But to their horror, there was no shelter in sight. "Raven." With nothing else to resort to, Brandon turned towards Raven, who looked back at him. "We have four hours toplete each floor. Do you know of a faster way to find these Ash Drakes?" Raven mulled over Brandon''s words, pinching his chin as his brows furrowed. Shortly after, he looked at Brandon with a serious expression as he went on to say, "Instead of using to them, why don''t we have theme to us?" *** "Why are Brandon Locke and Raven ckheart inside the same Tower ID?" A female voice rang out inside the simtion''s observation chamber. There were several screens above to monitor each cadet. "Did none of you check for any bugs?" She eximed. She was mostly furious because she was responsible for disseminating information about the real Dimensional Tower. Meaning, she was the most excited about this entire examination. Yi Jihyeon, a foreigner, and the guild leader of Blood Crescent Moon. "There should''ve been no bugs, Miss Jihyeon. I don''t know why, but it''s not that Brandon Locke and Raven ckheart are in the same Tower ID. The problem is, their souls are registered as the same ID." The one to respond was the official technician for Imperial Academy. The man responsible for the Dimensional Tower''s simtion. n Ross, a direct higher up of the Iron Fist guild. "Does that make any sense? How can the system deem two people to have the same soul?" Yi Jihyeon eximed. "Wait, wait, Miss Jihyeon." Bellion dismissively waved his hand. Yi Jihyeon''s fuse was blowing over the top. Someone had to ease her down. "Don''t you think this would make it more interesting?" "How so?" Yi Jihyeon frowned. "Those two are actually close friends. Furthermore, they were also deemed as the strongest in their respective year during their time in Astrea." "Where are you going with this, Field Marshal?" "This would make things a lot more interesting. You know, regarding the fifth floor of the highest difficulty." The Fifth Floor of the highest difficulty. It wasn''t exactly the fifth floor of the real Dimensional Tower, but actually the 31st floor. Thest floor the guild had cleared before they decided to recall back. "Oh?" A sudden realization washed over Yi Jihyeon as her brows raised. "So the n was implemented in the end." "That''s right." "Well good luck to those two." After all, the reason why they decided to separate each cadet into Tower IDs was because of the 31st floor. ¡­..The floor that was the sole reason why the previous top guild had disbanded. Chapter 345: Dimensional Tower [3] [Time Remaining: 23:29] "How do we go about this?" "Just turn your mana off. You''ve got the strongest signature between the two of us." Apparently, Ash Drakes were hyper¨Csensitive to mana. For how Brandon was able to kill one, he had no idea. Most probably, his mana was in its conglomeration phase when he had just entered the simtion. In any case. "They''re scavengers if I can recall correctly. The problem is, they''re picky with their food." "What do they eat?" Raven informed and Brandon posed a question. It was really hot. So much so that he felt his shirt stick to his skin. "Dead things." "...." *** "Code Red! Code Red! There''s a massive outbreak happening in the city!" At the same time, while the examinations were ongoing, there was a sudden problem that emerged. "What do you mean an outbreak?" Yi Jihyeon eximed once again. She seemed really on edge, a contrast to her stunning appearance. She, while not so strong, was an excellent leader. Especially during the present, when the Blood Crescent Moon guild was the current top guild. This stemmed from the fact that Yi Jihyeon was already a famous ranker, the Vice¨CGuild leader of the previous top guild, Incandescent mes. And it had to be said. Evelyn was an ex¨Cmember of Incandescent mes. "Monsters are loose all around the city!" A guild member who had just barged in the room, dampened cold water over the instructors and guild administrators present. "...." "...." A tentative silence befell the room. A silence that Bellion broke as his authoritative voice echoed throughout the room. "I believe this is under your jurisdiction, Miss Jihyeon. As well as all of you, esteemed Guild Leaders." While the Imperial Army was responsible for the continent''s protection against foreign attacks, monsters were rankers'' specialty. "Haaa¡­. This is so annoying." Yi Jihyeon let out a deep heavy sigh as she massaged her temple. Why was she so irritated? She turned towards Bellion and asked. "Can I borrow one of your people, Field Marshal?" "Who?" "Her." Yi Jihyeon pointed towards the woman with dark¨Cpurple hair, who was busy monitoring the vital status system. "M-Me?" A bit flustered, Evelyn pointed at herself. She wasn''t that fond of Yi Jihyeon. It was mostly the reason why she never joined Blood Crescent Moon in the first ce. "Yes, you. But I should call you Field Marshal Cessna now, right?" Yi Jihyeon scoffed. "Ah, how time passed in a blink of an eye. You were just a child when the guild leader took you in." "...." "So, are you in?" "Of course." Evelyn had no refusals. Not as if she wanted to abandon her post, but it had been a while since she had used her power. It was more like a light¨Cstretch exercise for her. That being said, all the rankers present, including Evelyn left the room, leaving only the Imperial Academy instructors to monitor. *** p. p¡ª The rhythmic pping of wings echoed through the oppressive heat of the sun. The Ash Drake''s nostrils red, catching the faint scent of blood in the air. Licking its lips in anticipation, it prepared to indulge in what would be its first meal of the day. Of course, this stemmed from the fact that it was just a simtion. So realistically, it was akin to the birth of a new world. ¡ªHooouu! Its mouth parted open, emitting a strange sound. The sound of an Ash Drake who had just found its prey. Or rather, a dead prey, so to speak. As its gaze shifted down, it saw the sight of a single humanoid figure. Inky¨Cck hair that looked disheveled. Its eyes were closed, but that wasn''t enough to trick the Ash Drake. No, to fully assess whether a creature is truly dead, it needed to smell the scent of dread. And to its surprise, that was exactly what the Ash Drake was smelling. Swoosh¡ª! Its wings dove down gently. The Ash Drake felt itself starting to froth, eager to indulge in fresh food. Landing gently on the sandy ground, the Ash Drake leaned forward. Opening its beak, its tongue pressed against the humanoid figure''s face, licking the blood off clean. Savoring the taste, the Ash Drake was overjoyed. The humanoid figure was of refined taste. A taste the Ash Drake had never had before. In any case. Bon appetit. Swoosh¡ª! Just as the Ash Drake was about to take a big bite, threads suddenly appeared around the figure, wrapping itself around the Ash Drake, immobilizing it in the process. ¡ªHouuu! Blinking its eyes, the Ash Drake squealed and shook, trying to budge away from the threads. But s, it was for naught. With the threads wrapped around its legs, the Ash Drake tumbled down, fear evident in its big wide eyes. ¡ªHouuuu! As it squealed and retorted, a shadow loomed over him. There, a humanoid figure looked at him. The Ash Drake blinked its eyes profusely, staring at the figure''s ink¨Cck eyes that seemed to be devoid of any warmth. The Ash Drake realized. It had fallen for a trap. *** Brandon stared down at the Ash Drake as he smeared the blood off his form. He had no choice but to be the bait. After all, ording to Raven, whenever Elemental Assimtion was triggered, Brandon reeked of death. There was no one else more perfect to bait out a scavenger, than him. For that reason, he purposefully wounded himself, smearing his blood all over his form. "It''s done." Brandon''s mouth opened. Immediately, a figure, not so far from the distance, walked towards him. It was Raven, who shed him a wide grin. A face that Brandon could swear, he wanted to punch right now. "I''ll get back at you." "What did you say?" Raven said, as he stood next to Brandon, staring down at the poor Ash Drake who couldn''t do a single thing. "Nothing." Brandon dismissed it. Now was not the time to get back at Raven. They had decided to give themselves a deadline of four hours for each floor. And for the record, two hours had passed since the start of the examination. Raven spoke with pride, cing his hands on his waist. "Now, we wait." [Time Remaining: 21:52] Chapter 346: Dimensional Tower [4] [Time Remaining: 20:14] ¡ªHouuuu! ¡ªHouuuu! It took them a long while to lure the appropriate amount of Ash Drakes, using the Ash Drake they had caught to call for its friends. Brandon was quick, precisely maneuvering his threads totch themselves onto the creatures before they could notice the sudden influx of mana. ¡ªHieeeek! ¡ªHieeeek! ¡ªHieeeek! The Ash Drakes squealed out of fear. They weren''t anything strong, and they typically didn''t fight back. They were nothing but scavengers with a huge appetite for quality mana. "Leave some for me." "Got it." Raven nodded his head and quickly moved. Swoosh¡ª! With a dagger in his hand, he made quick work of over four Ash Drakes. In a matter of seconds, unable to break free of the thread''s hold, they soon disintegrated into white particles that fluttered in the air. "That''s four. Your turn, Brand¡ª" His words trailed off from there. "¡ªon." In that instant, the threads tightened their hold around the Ash Drakes. Blood started to seep from their forms, and the Ash Drakes squealed in agony. Spurt¡ª The threads mercilessly ripped them apart, sputtering blood in the air. [Three Ash Drakes eliminated.] [4/5] Brandon had left off one Ash Drake. The first Ash Drake they had captured. They had waited for a while, but it seemed like there were no other Ash Drakes that woulde. Which is why they decided to kill them all in one go. "You''ve got four too, right?" Brandon asked, the thread on his fingertip still holding onto the single Ash Drake. "Yeah. But¡­." A frown spread across Raven''s expressions. "We''re running past the deadline." In five more minutes, they would hit the agreed deadline they had ced themselves on. "Guess all we can do ispromise." Brandon nonchntly shrugged his shoulders. "For the next floor, we''ll just have to clear it as fast as we can." But for the record, they had no idea what the second floor was. That was because they had scrambled the floors appropriately. ¡ªHuoooo! They waited once more, the Ash Drake squealing continuously every second. About thirty minutes had passed while they waited, but there were no more Ash Drakes around. If that was the case, then they were just wasting time by now. [Time Remaining: 19:34] A sudden thought rose in Brandon''s mind. "Hey, Raven." But while Brandon called out to him, he wasn''t looking at him. Instead, he looked down at the Ash Drake, who was shaking profusely, trying to budge the thread''s hold. "Hm?" Raven tilted his head, dumbfounded. A grin spread across Brandon''s features. "This is an exam." "Wait, wait. What are you¡ª" Spurt¡ª! ¡ªHieeeek! Before Raven could finish off his words, a certain squeal echoed in the air, followed by blood. "See you on the other side." Brandon waved his hand, his grin growing wider. [One Ash Drake eliminated.] [5/5] But in the next second or so. "...." "Uh¡­?" Nothing happened. Then, blue words suddenly appeared in Brandon''s peripheral vision. [Objectives Cleared!] [Wait for your partner to ascend to the next floor.] "...." This¡­. Brandon couldn''t even begin to describe the disappointment in his face. And the look that Raven was giving him was indescribable as well. "You¡­." "Yes?" But Brandon yed oblivious to it, his grin changing into a heartwarming smile. A smile that seemed to disgust Raven to the core. "You were about to ditch me, you bastard." "Me?" Brandon pointed at himself. "I would never. Ditch? No. Pftt¡­ No." "...." Raven frowned, then let out a deep sigh. Brandon shrugged and turned away. "I think we have a situation, Raven." "You only realize that now!?" "Raven." Pretending like he hadn''t heard Raven, Brandon continued, staring down at the space where the Ash Drake wasying a second ago. "The Ash Drake is dead. We can''t use it to call for its friends anymore." Brandon looked at Raven with a horrified expression. "...." But Raven looked at him back with a dumbfounded face. Deadpan even. Sighing deeply, Raven shook his head and massaged his temple. He looked as if he had given up on Brandon. "Raven, Raven. I was kidding." ".....We''re going to fail the first floor." *** Thirty more minutes passed since then. [Time Remaining: 19:04] They were way beyond their initial deadline. Additionally, it was hot. Really hot. Much to the point where Brandon could swear his skin was starting to tan. "Haaa¡­." "We''re gonna fail. We''re gonna fail. We''re gonna fail¡­." Raven started panicking. Failing the exam wasn''t just the only problem. "Haaa¡­." Due to the excessive heat, Brandon''s lips were parched. Furthermore, the inside of his mouth was dry. All he could do was swallow his saliva. "...." "...." It got to the point where they had stopped speaking to each other just to conserve their saliva. [Time Remaining: 18:54] [Time Remaining: 18:42] Time continued to pass by like that. The two sat on the sandy ground amidst the zing heat. Brandon felt like his head was starting to spin. ¡ªThis is your fault, you know? A sudden voice rang. With his vision hazy, Brandon blinked twice before noticing a set of boots in front of him. Looking up, his eyes tracing the figure, Brandon''s brows creased. "Fuck off." He cursed under his breath. "Hm?" From the side, Raven turned towards him. But Brandon''s focus was fixated on the figure, standing before him. Pushing his body up, Brandon scanned. ¡ªYou know, there''s one way to pass this exam. It was Lumian, who stared down at him indifferently. ¡ªI''m sure you know what that is. "Shut up." "Brandon?" Raven called out for him, but it all went to deaf ears. ¡ªKill him. Then the tower won''t recognize you as having a partner. *** The streets were filled with chaos. Screams echoed through the air, blending with the sound of crumbling buildings. Rubble littered the streets, and destruction loomed in every direction. WHIII¡ª Suddenly, portals appeared, unleashing hordes of monsters. Creatures flooded through, their growls and roars mixing with the cries of civilians. Cars were overturned, and fires broke out, adding to the panic. "Help!" "Hieaaa¡ª!" "Mommy, where are you!?" People ran in every direction, desperately searching for safety. But there was nowhere to go, and the destruction spread as fast as the fear in the air. Crash¡ª! All of a sudden, a streak fell from the sky,pletely obliterating the monsters in the vicinity. Civilians, who were just panicking, turned towards the suddenmotion. As soon as the rock dust settled, two figures appeared, standing amidst the cluster. A woman, with sky¨Cblue hair and light¨Cblue eyes, wearing an elegant dress that didn''t quite fit the battlefield. Beside her, was another woman, with dark¨Cpurple hair and azure eyes, adorning the Imperial Army''s uniform. They were none other than Yi Jihyeon, Blood Crescent Moon''s guild leader, the current top guild. And Evelyn Cessna, the Imperial Army''s Celestial Witch. And of course, the civilians were familiar with them. How wouldn''t they be, when they had seen them on TV several times? "We''re saved!" A sudden feeling of hope washed over the panicked civilians. Boom¡ª! Not so far from where they stood, the sudden sound of magic echoed throughout, as rankers had finally arrived and worked to control the situation. From a distance, a hulking figure appeared. Its giant club smacked the ground, sending the surroundings scattering. "Since this is ranker jurisdiction, I will refer to you normally, is that alright?" Yi Jihyeon asked, turning towards Evelyn. "Of course, Guild Vice¨CLeader Jihyeon." It was Evelyn''s old habits. Before she became a higher¨Cup in Incandescent mes guild, she had worked under Yi Jihyeon. "That Guild had disbanded long ago. I''m a Guild Leader now, and you aren''t a part of my guild." "Oh, right. Apologies." "No need, Little Eve." "...." Evelyn wasn''t fond of her. But they were close. It was akin to a mother and daughter rtionship, where the daughter would always avoid her mother. "Let''s have coffee after this. My treat." Yi Jihyeon suddenly proposed, leaving Evelyn baffled. Coffee? Why so sudden? Now wasn''t the time in the first ce. "Uh¡­." "It''s your birthday tomorrow after all. I''d like to celebrate it with you early, just the two of us." "...." Evelyn stood dumbfounded. This was the first time Yi Jihyeon had ever celebrated her birthday with her. Furthermore, how did Yi Jihyeon even know tomorrow was her birthday? "....Okay." But Evelyn had no refusals. She wasn''t fond of Yi Jihyeon, even afraid of her. But she respected her. That being said, Evelyn stepped forward. Swoosh¡ª! Radiant wings suddenly materialized, hovering behind her. Gradually ascending, Evelyn extended her hand forward, aiming right for the hulking figure, who''s red eyes flicked, staring back at her. Then¡­. Swish¡ª! Evelyn clenched her fist. Chapter 347: Dimensional Tower [5] Indeed, there was a chance Brandon could ascend if he killed Raven now. It''s not like he was going to die. It was nothing but a simtion. Furthermore, it was an examination. One man for himself. ¡ªDo it. The image of Lumian urged, standing before him, his features visible. Brandon was about to consider it when¡­.. "Brandon." Raven''s voice reached his ears. Raven looked at him with an expression that seemed to say he had just figured something out. "Look." Raven pointed at the sun. Brandon followed his direction, standing up. Brandon''s eyes narrowed and shaded his face. The sun was too bright. But he couldn''t tell what Raven was trying to sa¡ª "Huh?" "You see it?" "The sun." It was hovering up and down slowly. From this, Brandon came up with three conclusions. Firstly, there was a bug in the simtion and the sun is glitching out. But he was well aware who was behind the simtion. There was no way they would make a mistake in coding a simple sun cycle script. Secondly, the sun cycle is different in the simtion. But that wouldn''t make sense, there was no way this detail wasn''t intentional. In any case, the sun hovering up and down would make for an unusual cycle. Andstly, "The surface is moving." Maybe, it wasn''t the sun that was moving. "But us." Raven finished Brandon''s words for him. Immediately, Brandon crouched down and scrutinized the ground. Tracing his fingers on the hot surface, a dust of sand stuck to his fingers. Amidst the cluster of sand, the ground looked rocky, with rough cracks and a shallow fault line spreading across, interconnecting with each other. As Brandon scanned further, he hade to realize that the cracks and shallow lines formed a distinct pattern, not random but almost¡­ alive. The texture wasn''t just rocky. It had an organic quality, a pattern resembling scales, each ovepping slightly, all part of arger whole. Brandon quickly backed away, his hand still brushing against the surface. It could only mean something. But Brandon took the chance, this detail was definitely intentional. "This whole area¡­." Experience tales at m v|l e''-NovelBin Brandon spoke up, voiceced with urgency. Raven nced around before nodding. The ground beneath them shifted subtly. A barely perceptible movement. The "surface" rippled, revealing its true nature. They weren''t standing on ordinarynd. They were on the back of a massive, camouged Ash Drake. Thendscape itself was the creature. Then that meant it was an easy kill. [Time Remaining: 18:33] They had wasted nearly six hours already on just the first floor itself. To think the hardest difficulty didn''t only need strength, but also perception and observation skills. Around them,y dead bodies of all kinds of creatures residing within the in. They had killed each and every creature that got too close. It wasn''t that difficult. But now it made sense why that was so. Because it wasn''t the main objective. It was never the focus in the first ce. Then, a sudden cold water poured over Brandon as the realization washed over him. If Raven weren''t here, and he hadpleted the floor''s objective, most probably, he wouldn''te to realize the entire floor was an Ash Drake itself. "Raven." "Yeah." Raven turned towards him and nodded his head. Extending his hand forward, a dagger materialized. Striking down, a metallic sound echoed. It was too dense, they needed more power. Brandon stepped back and considered their options. They needed to strike hard, and they needed to do it fast. "Not enough power." Raven muttered upon realizing his dagger barely scratched the thick scales. "Stand back." Brandon ordered. Between the two, he had the most strength. It was ironic, considering his body was initially built like a mage. In any case, siphoning mana his hand, he focused, channeling the energy into his de. With a burst of mana, Brandon lunged forward, his sword glowing brightly. He aimed for a crack between the scales, thrusting with all his strength. CRACK¡ª! The de sank in and the surface shuddered violently. Thendscape beneath them shifted as a deep rumble echoing from the creature. Raven followed up, attacking the same point. Together, they forced the de deeper until the ground gave way beneath them. A roar erupted, and the entirendscape began to move. ¡ªHieeeeek! In contrast to the previous Ash Drakes, the roars were guttural and deep, almost unnervingly so. As Brandon continued forcing the de deep inside, blood seeped from the surface and sputtered. With the de in his hand, Brandon drew a circle on the surface. Blood started gushing out profusely, staining their figures. Pulling his sword back, Brandon scanned. He had managed to open up a hole on the surface, revealing the gruesome innards of an Ash Drake. "...." "...." The putrid smell of rotting flesh hit them, causing both to recoil slightly. Brandon held his breath as he observed the opening they had made. "Fuck." Brandon cursed under his breath as he scanned the entrance. Raven nodded, clearly hesitant. But they had no choice. It was their only option. The Ash Drake was massive, and the portal could be anywhere within its body. Brandon took a deep and heavy breath. "Huu¡­." Then¡­. Plop! ¡­.Dove straight in the bloody innards. Swinging with no aim, Brandon started hacking away, blood smeared his features, drenching his entire figure with its putrid stench. His body felt all sticky, but Brandon had no luxury to even care about it. sh¨C sh¡ª sh¡ª! "...." Then he paused upon realizing he was now stepping on a rough white surface. He had made it deep inside the Ash Drake''s innards, standing on most probably its ribcage. Light shone down from the hole he made and Raven''s familiar figure descended down. Ravennded beside Brandon, taking in the grotesque sight. The air was thick with the stench of rot. "Any idea where you think the portal might be?" Raven asked, peering out for any clues of the portal. "No, but¡­.." Brandon could only rely on his instincts. "It could be the heart." "Isn''t that too obvious?" "Got any better ideas?" Brandon and Raven exchanged nces, and then both nodded in silent agreement. They didn''t have much time to figure this out, and the heart was as good a guess as any. "Let''s go." Brandon took the lead, cautiously stepping forward across the slippery ribcage. Squelch. Squelch. Each step made a squelching sound as they trudged deeper into the drake''s body. The pulsating flesh around them seemed to be alive with a rhythm, making it feel like they were moving through a living maze. "Do you feel that?" Raven asked, ncing at the rhythmic vibrationsing from deeper within. Brandon nodded. "Yeah. It''s getting stronger." Thump¡­ Thump¡­! The vibrations grew more intense, a steady thump echoing through the creature''s insides. They were getting closer to the source. Suddenly, they were met with arge, pulsating mass in the center of the hollow, buzzing in a dim red glow. There was no mistake. It was the heart of the Ash Drake. Veins crisscrossed all around it, and the heart pulsed rhythmically. The two nodded their heads and brandished their weapons forward. SHIIING¡ª! Without hesitation, Brandon charged forward, channeling mana into his de. The heart beat faster and faster. Swoosh¡ª! With a swift, powerful strike, Brandon''s sword cut into the massive organ. Raven joined in, attacking from the other side with his dagger, each strike causing more damage. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! The heart began to rupture, and the drake''s body convulsed violently in response. ¡ªHieeeeek! A shrill scream echoed through the chamber, and a blinding red light suddenly erupted from the center of the heart. The two closed their eyes and looked away. Rumble¡­ Rumble¡­! The entire vicinity shook and blood sputtered from all sides. For what felt like an eternity, finally, the system''s message finally popped up. [Floor 1 Cleared.] The next moment, they found themselves standing on solid ground, the suffocating heat reced by a sudden cool breeze. The surroundings had changed entirely. Drip. A liquid sensation suddenly trickled around Brandon''s body. Opening his eyes, it was¡­. Drip. Drip¡­.! ¡­.Raining. Chapter 348: Rain of Reflections [1] "What?" Bellion''s eyes widened in shock upon staring at the screen. There were several cadets, but their main focus was Brandon and Raven. Ideally, since the two had the most unusual exam. "What''s wrong, Field Marshal?" One of the officers present asked. They were unaware of the simtion''s intricacies. Additionally, not one of the officers, including Bellion, had ever stepped foot inside the real Dimensional Tower. But Bellion was at least informed of what each floor entailed, and each Tower ID''s order. He was aware of how to clear the floors, and the gimmicks it had. "Can anyone bring me the Tower ID order list?" Bellion ordered. "Understood." The officers quickly got to work, and in a matter of minutes, a document was presented to Bellion, who stood still. Staring at the monitor that disyed Brandon and Raven for a few seconds, Billion''s gaze shifted towards the documents in his hand. Flip¡ª Flipping the pages, soon hended on page 233. "...." Bellion''s expressions broke. "What''s wrong, Field Marshal?" "The order is all wrong. The floor they''re in isn''t what the second floor is supposed to be¡­.." "What? How is that possible?" The officer eximed. It was ridiculous. To think there were so many bugs. Soon after, Bellion pursed his lips. "Pause their examination for now. Bring them out." "Understood, Grand Marshal." All the officers spoke in unison. *** Drip. Drip¡­.! It was raining, a full contrast to the previous floor, which waspletely desert. But for the two, who werepletely covered in blood, and most probably the thirstiest they had ever been, saw it as a blessing. "Haaa¡­." "Huu¡­." The two''s mouths parted open, and the rain water washed over them. Was it safe? Maybe not, or maybe it was. Regardless, it was a simtion. If they died, they would only be taken back to the real world. They were really thirsty, and it would be hard to continue forward under the state. In any case, as soon as they finished, Brandon took a deep breath and looked around. "...." The sky was rather bleak, with clouds constantly pouring a heavy, chilling rain. The rain looked like it had no ns in stopping, highly likely the fixed environment for the floor. Furthermore¡­.. "Hmm¡­." There were several mirrors, all in the size of an adult human,ying out before them. Brandon could wholeheartedly swear the entire scenery looked familiar. But he couldn''t peer that far into his memory to remember. "What do you think these mirrors are for?" Raven asked. Brandon looked around first before responding. "Why are you asking me?" "You look like you had an idea what was going on." "Ah, no. It''s not that. Just that, this rain¡­.." For some reason, the rain felt rather¡­. oppressive. The entire atmosphere felt cumbersome. But in any case, that''s how rainy seasons always felt like. But still, Brandon couldn''t help but think of the things he had been trying to bury deep in his heart. It was especially harder knowing Raven was around. Raven was the sole reason for the heavy thoughts in his mind. The only reason he could put up with him was due to the sheer fact that he could turn things around as long as he influenced him. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! At that moment, his heartbeat started to quicken, and he felt something stuck in the back of his throat. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." It was getting harder to breathe. Brandon turned around while Raven was busily checking the mirrors out. Taking something from his system inventory, Brandon opened the lid and chugged down a bunch of pills. "Haaa¡­. Haaa¡­." The other instructors might''ve been watching. But that didn''t matter. It was his business. As soon as he calmed down, Brandon drew another breath in, then looked ahead. Raven seemed to be ying with his own reflection. Additionally, he had juste to notice the system message. [Clear the Rain of Reflection Maze.] "...." ''A maze, huh?'' Soon after, Brandon approached Raven, asionally ncing at the mirrors around him which showed his reflection. "So, have you found anything?" Raven''s fingers traced the mirror''s surface first before responding. "No, but¡­." Raven''s gaze lingered ahead. "This maze is confusing." "Oh?" Brandon''s brows raised. He scanned the surroundings, his eyes darting from mirror to mirror. Every path seemed identical, soaked in fog. "No markings, no clues... It wants us to guess. Raven sighed, his fingers brushing over the mirror onest time before turning towards Brandon. [Time Remaining: 18:04] Brandon''s eyes narrowed at the timer: 18 hours. They had three floors left, and each one would be harder than thest. That being said, they traversed the mirror maze. The further they went, the stronger the rain poured. Brandon kept moving, his focus sharp despite the increasing downpour. The rain was relentless, pounding against his shoulders, each step feeling heavier than thest. But that wasn''t the main problem. The reflections. "...." ¡­.They were distorting. As if they were reflecting the inner depths of his soul, his hidden feelings, his emotions. A twisted version of themselves. But¡­. Brandon couldn''t deny it couldn''t be further from the truth. But it wasn''t the same case for Raven. "That''s cruel¡­.." Raven''s expressions cracked, his eyes scanning the mirrors, each reflecting twisted versions of themselves. The oppressive atmosphere pulled at their emotions, attempting to draw out his insecurities. Brandon could see a reflection of Raven, who looked sorrowful. "This isn''t real, right?" He turned towards Brandon and asked. "...." But Brandon remained silent. Brandon wasn''t oblivious to the fact that his own reflections harbored a bit of truth. Suddenly, one of the reflections caught Brandon''s eye. "...." Himself, alone, standing over a broken Raven. A chill ran down his spine, and he clenched his fists, forcing himself to look away. "Ignore it." He whispered, more to himself than for Raven. They continued traversing. One more reflection, and the atmosphere grew heavy. Unknowingly, Raven began to distance himself from Brandon. An unspoken discrepancy. And the next reflection, "...." "...." The two paused. In the mirror, not so far from them, a reflection of Brandon killing Raven disyed. "Ignore." Brandon muttered once more, the rain cascading down, drenching his bangs, his face darkening. "....Yeah." Raven replied hesitantly. Drip. Drip. The air grew silent. Only the sound of raindrops remained as their heart grew heavy. Brandon and Raven pressed on, the rain unrelenting as the reflections grew darker. But in the next few minutes¡­. "...." Raven stopped as his eyes widened. In the mirror, Brandon was walking away, leaving Raven alone in a wastnd. Raven''s fear of abandonmentid bare. "Don''t look." Brandon urged, voice tense. "Why does it always show us like this?" Raven whispered as he stepped back. "Keep moving." Brandon said without even looking back. The reflections were getting worse. It wasn''t even looking into their souls anymore. It was directly reflecting their imagination. Exactly what was in their head at that moment. But of course, Raven didn''t know that. At least¡­. He shouldn''t have. Another reflection. Raven standing over Brandon, a weapon in hand as Brandony on the ground, defeated, eyes vacant. There was no denying it. If the reflections Brandon had seen about himself were a figment of his imagination, then that meant Raven''s reflections were also within his thoughts at that moment. It wasn''t like that at first. But the stronger the rain poured, the darker their thoughts went. Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin "It''s not real¡­" Raven muttered, tearing his eyes away. Raven saw Brandon''s tension and felt the growing gap between them. Next reflection. "...." "...." Raven alone, surrounded by shattered mirrors. His eyes looked hollow as if his spirit broke. Brandon''s gaze shifted, seeing himself surrounded by several bodies. But, "Brandon." "...." They were his own bodies. The silence between them grew, the rain feeding their doubt. "Ignore. Ignore. Ignore...." Brandon continuously said, avoiding Raven''s eyes. "Yeah¡­.." Until finally, they paused. In front of them were tworge mirrors. They looked akin to gates. Then, the system message appeared in Brandon''s peripheral vision. [Choose one gate and enter.] Brandon scanned. The right gate showed a future where they rose to the third floor. On the left, however, showed a future where they were both surrounded by monsters. Brandon could tell at a nce that they were at a level he couldn''t handle. The reflections couldn''t be more obvious. The mirrors didn''t lie. They had only shown the truth, and Brandon was aware of that. The two nced at each other before briefly nodding, a silent agreement. "Right." "The left." Their voices shed. Two opposite answers. [Time Remaining: 16:54] Chapter 349: Rain of Reflections [2] "What do you mean you can''t bring them out?" "The Tower IDs all match, but it doesn''t register anyone there." "Huh? Then what about their vitals?" Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e -NovelBin Bellion was currently discussing with an officer, who was responsible for operations during the absence of n Ross, the Guild Leader of Iron Fist. "Why are there so many bugs? Damn it, if I knew this would happen, I would''ve never allowed it!" Smack¡ª! Smacking the table, Bellion gritted his teeth in frustration. It wasn''t that he was against the exam''s proposal, but he wasn''t in for it either. The other Field Marshals voted in agreement, and Bellion couldn''t do a thing. "Can anyone contact Sir n?" As soon as he finished his orders, Bellion turned towards the monitor. "...." He froze and nced down at the document in his hand. [Phase 2: Mirror Amalgamation ¡ªThe Mirror Amalgamation is a unique psychological trial within the Dimensional Tower, designed to test the participants'' trust and resolve. It presents two mirror gates, each reflecting a different potential future based on the individuals'' fears, desires, and uncertainties. Each participant may see conflicting visions in the mirrors,pelling them to either align their choices or face internal discord.] "...." Bellion''s eyes narrowed. This floor was never meant to be in the exams. There were too many errors, and Bellion couldn''t help but pinch his temple. "Field Marshal, I''ve finally figured the issue¡­.." A voice rang out and Bellion turned towards the source. An officer, who had a panicked expression on his face. "What is it?" "This exam¡­. It''s been¡­." The officer bit his lip and hesitated. But as soon as he gathered the courage, he shook his head and continued. "It''s been tampered with, Field Marshal¡­. What we''re seeing¡­. It isn''t a simtion. The cadets are actually inside the tower in real time!" "Exin." He demanded. The officer took a deep breath. "Someone must have overridden the system. The feeds we''re watching are real, directly from the tower. The cadets aren''t in a simtion." Bellion''s fists clenched. "Who could do this? And why wasn''t it detected earlier?" The officer shook his head, fear evident and his voice shaky. "W-We don''t know yet¡­. But the tampering was deliberate. Someone wanted them in the actual tower." "Get me a full report. And find n Ross¡ªnow!" He looked back at the monitor, a chill running down his spine. The cadets were in real danger, and he couldn''t do anything but watch. The only person who could answer his questions was n Ross. But unfortunately, he had joined the other rankers solve the issue in the city. *** Drip. Drip. "Right." "The left." The two had opposing answers. "Hold on, why left?" Brandon asked. There was clearly something wrong with Raven''s answer. Staring directly at the two mirrors, Raven''s mouth parted open. "The mirrors are clearly showing us the conclusion of each mirror, depending on what we take." He took a deep breath, the rain thoroughly drenching his figure as he continued. "The left shows a future in which we ascend to the higher floor, isn''t it the same for you?" He looked at Brandon. Brandon''s brows furrowed in return. The same for him? That was clearly not the case. "No, what you''re seeing on the left is what the right is showing me." Raven frowned, confusion etched on his face. "What do you mean? The left gate shows us seeding." "No, Raven. The right gate shows that for me. The left leads us to a ce we won''t survive¡ªmonsters beyond our limit." Raven''s eyes widened, uncertainty twisting in his chest. "But the right one shows that for me. How can it be so different?" Drip. Drip¡­! The rain poured, soaking them, pressing on their shoulders like the weight of their doubt. The two stood in silence in the passing minutes. They couldn''t choose. Clearly, the floor was messing with them. Brandon clenched his fists. "It''s ying with us. It wants us to argue." "But we can''t both be right. How do we decide, Brandon? What if we make the wrong choice?" "Doesn''t matter." Brandon shook his head. "We just have to choose." "Then let''s go left." Raven urged. Brandon''s eyes narrowed. "No. We''re going right. That''s where we make it." Raven''s voice rose, frustration boiling over. "I''m telling you, Brandon. The left is the answer. I see us seeding there!" Brandon stepped closer, his voice strained as he stood right in front of Raven. "And I see us failing if we go left, Raven! Why can''t you trust me just this once? You''ve always trusted me before." "Doesn''t mean you''re always right. What if it''s your vision that''s wrong?" Drip. Drip¡­! The rain beat down on them, each drop amplifying their growing discord. Brandon''s voice cracked. "We''re wasting time. We have to choose, or we''ll fail." "Like I said. Let''s go left." Yet again, they couldn''te to a singr answer. Brandon was growing frustrated as he clenched his fist. "Just trust me. If we choose wrong, I''ll just kill the obstacles head." "And the reflections show you can''t even handle them." Brandon''s brows furrowed and he couldn''t help but re at Raven, who had just voiced out his doubts about him. But Raven, unbothered by the brief killing intent Brandon had shown, red back. Brandon''s brows raised in surprise. This version of Raven had never given him this kind of look before. "What''s that look supposed to mean?" Brandon asked. A rather hypocritical question. "I could say the same for you." Then, Raven asked. "Hey¡­. Do you hate me?" "Huh?" A question Brandon hadn''t expected, and a question that was never supposed to have been asked in the first ce. "I''m not that dense. I''ve picked up on these things, but ignored them thinking you just liked messing with me. I mean, we''re friends after all, and you kind of do the same with Rein and ire, so I just thought it was normal." Raven continued, as he stared at the reflections. "But those reflections¡­. Unlike mine, which showed¡­. Alright, I''ll be honest, they were my insecurities. But that''s not what matters." Raven shook his head. "In your reflections, it always showed you¡­. killing me, or abandoning me. Does that make any sense?" "...." Brandon''s expressions cracked. He didn''t want to hear those words from Raven. But he couldn''t deny the hidden truth in them either. "No, that''s why I told you to ignore them. It just wants us to distrust each other, can''t you see what it''s trying to do?" The words flowed out of Brandon''s mouth smoothly. Words made up of lies. "I don''t think so. If that''s the case, the reflection is probably lying to you. But it''s not the same with me." Raven shook his head. "I''m just being honest here, the mirrors were reflecting my inner thoughts. If it''s not the same with you, then you must be pretty special. I mean, you''ve always been extraordinary." "What are you trying to say, Raven?" "I can''t trust you." Chapter 350: Rain of Reflections [3] While the situation was a mess, it wasn''t anything the guilds couldn''t handle. Especially with the presence of Evelyn Cessna. Swoosh¡ª! She quickly moved, her figure flickering. One second she was here, the next second she was there, saving civilians in the time of crisis. "She''s changed." A deep voice echoed beside Yi Jihyeon. It was her Guild Vice¨CLeader, Leon Viesse. "Right? To think that gloomy kid from back then would change so much." A smile spread across Yi Jihyeon''s face as she spoke those words. "To think she''d surpass us so soon." Leon Viesse wasn''t any more than correct. Yi Jihyeon and Leon, being an S+ ranker, were at their limit. They couldn''t progress anymore, unlike Evelyn. The two were already pushing thirty, there was no more hope for them. Evelyn on the other hand, was still 24 years¨Cold, and was already an SS¨C ranker. So far, there had only been thirty or so rankers, and military men alike, who had broken through the SS¨C rank. And unfortunately, the two weren''t a part of the list. But still, with their achievements, they had managed to push Blood Crescent Moon to the top. "But have you heard about the news, Guild Leader?" "What news?" "It''s been making waves online. A new S¨Cranker who awakened at only 17¨Cyears old." "What?" Yi Jihyeon''s attention flicked abruptly from the monsters¡ªto Leon. "You''re kidding?" "Well it''s only a rumor. Nothing''s confirmed for now." "It''s probably bullshit." Yi Jihyeon cursed. There was no doubt in her mind it wasn''t anything but a hoax. She didn''t want too much TV since she hated propaganda. ''Ah.'' Then, a thought flickered in her mind. Turning towards Leon, she asked. "What''s the basis for this rumor? How did it emerge?" If it were some random user on the inte, it was obviously bullshit. But if it came from a valid source, then it was worth peering into. With a calm and collected expression, Leon responded. "An employee from the main guild." "...." Pursing her lips, Yi Jihyeon''s mouth opened, but no words escaped. She was speechless. If it came from the main guild, then it had to be true. "Apparently, there was a fuss in the main guild. Some employee was screaming ''An S¨Crank!?'' Some of the rankers heard this, and starteding up with their own theories." "How''d they know it was a 17¨Cyear old then?" "Apparently, some of the documents were leaked. The name was blurred, but everything else was documented. Though the post was taken down as soon as it was leaked." Yi Jihyeon pinched her chin, mulling over Leon''s words. It seemed way too convenient that the name was blurred. "And what did the documents say?" "An Imperial Academy cadet. 17¨Cyears old. The ss he was in. Just a typical student identification." The realization washed over Yi Jihyeon. This was no mere hoax. It was obviously intentional. As if the main guild wanted to promote such a fact, but didn''t want the kid''s identity revealed. Most probably, to ignite hope to the people that a new superstar was emerging. After all, the death of Lucian Frost struck a heavy blow to Holy Britannia. This was especially so, as Milis saw this as an opportunity to finally scheme against them. Yi Jihyeon clenched her fist upon pondering that fact. "Reminds you of him, doesn''t he?" "...." Him. Yi Jihyeon''s heart tugged as an image ovepped in her mind. A man with sky¨Cblue hair and ice¨Cblue eyes. But she quickly dismissed those thoughts. Now was not the time to think about him. In any case, Yi Jihyeon let out a deep sigh and returned her attention to the vicinity. "Haaa¡­. Let''s talk about thister." "Understood, Guild Leader." Monsters loomed from all sides. The situation had been mitigated, and the civilians had been evacuated with the help of several rankers who appeared at the scene. The sound of magic crackled in the air as rankers worked to suppress the monsters. But still, a question lingered on every ranker''s mind. "Why is this happening now?" There hadn''t been an outbreak in over nine months, shortly after the cmity happened. Regardless, they could only do their jobs. Step¡ª Yi Jihyeon stepped forward. "You handle those filths over there." She ordered. Leon Viesse nodded his head in response and his figure blurred. Yi Jihyeon focused her attention on the hoard of monsters ahead. Their races varied, but Yi Jihyeon looked at things differently. She had tendencies of estimating ranks ording to the mana signature protruding from any individual. And from the looks of it, the monsters weren''t anything more than C to S¨Cranks. A piece of cake. Boom¡ª! However, there was a slight disturbance that echoed from the side. "...." Sparks of lightning, crystalline ice, and mes pierced the air from where Leon stood. After all, Leon was an anomaly himself. One of the rarest types of mages. A Tri¨CElemental mage. But that didn''t matter. Yi Jihyeon was used to this by now. She was stronger when it came to the battlefield in the first ce. Stood¡ª In any case, Yi Jihyeon took graceful strides until she stood right before the horde of monsters. They hissed, they growled, their eyes flickered ominously. But Yi Jihyeon stood unbothered, the air began to freeze and Yi Jihyeon''s eyes flickered an azure glow. Then¡­. Snap¡ª! Her fingers snapped. Crack¡ª All of a sudden, most of the monsters present suddenly froze and shattered. [Permafrost] That was Yi Jihyeon''s affinity. Yet again, an image ovepped in her mind. The same man from before. It was her student. The child she had mentored, during her teaching days. The child she had considered like a son to her. Lucian Frost. "....The strongest." *** "Miss Evelyn and Miss Vanessa?" "Reina?" "Reina?" Evelyn and Vanessa spoke in unison. During one of Evelyn''s fights, she had encountered Vanessa somewhere. The two worked together to help civilians evacuate. Just as they were about to return to the battlefield, a familiar figure suddenly appeared. It was Reina Ataraxia. Their junior during their time in Incandescent mes. Now, amander for the Special Force Guild. "Miss Vanessa is one thing, but I haven''t seen you in a while, Miss Evelyn." There was a hint of joy in the way Reina spoke. "One thing¡­. What''s that supposed to mean?" Vanessa frowned. "You''re always trying to recruit me, Miss Vanessa¡­.." "I told you, that guild isn''t good. I don''t want to see my junior ving away for a guild with such a huge debt." There was an issue in the past that forced the Special Force to umte such a huge debt. Of course, it was none other than the Dimensional Tower expedition. Although that was the case, every guild that participated in the subjugation umted a substantial amount. But the Special Force, being a rather small guild, took a huge blow financially. But the guild that took the full brunt of it all was the previous top guild, Incandescent mes. The guild had umted an insurmountable debt, to the point where the guild copsed. The loyal members on the other hand, had no other choice, despite their loyalty. ¡­.Because the guild leader died in action. "That might be true, Miss Vanessa. But I have no intention of abandoning my guild mates." Because for Reina, the Special Force was her family. The only guild that took her in when she branched out from Incandescent mes three years ago. She had no regrets in her decision, especially now when Incandescent mes were no more. "My offer still stands, Reina. Full perks with privileges including the guild members you want to take with you." Vanessa winked at her. "Think about it." Reina could only sigh and shake her head. Vanessa was too stubborn. But her persistence was understandable. Because Vanessa''s guild was run by her brother, another SS¨Cranked superstar. That being said, the three worked together and killed all the monsters invading the area. All of a sudden, an announcement sounded out from somewhere. ¡ªAttention, attention! ¡ªIron Fist Guild¨CLeader n Ross. Your presence is requested by the Imperial Army. Please return to Imperial Academy once you hear this message! It seemed like there was an issue. Evelyn, suddenly alerted, looked at the two women. "I need to go." "Of course." "We''ll handle things from here, Miss Evelyn." Immediately, Evelyn''s figure vanished, golden particles fluttering in the air. Soon, she appeared before the familiar sight of Imperial Academy. "Huu¡­." She clenched her chest. For some reason, it felt tight. But it was most probably the bacsh of expending too much of her mana after a short hiatus. That being said, Evelyn entered the building. Chapter 351: Rain of Reflections [4] Drip. Drip¡­! ¡ªJust kill him. Brandon froze, but quicklyposed himself. A figure stood not so far from Raven. A figure Brandon was all too familiar with. Of course, needless to be said, it was Lumian. "You''re an idiot." Brandon sighed and massaged his temple. It was more so, for Lumian, than it was for Raven, who had just blurted out that he couldn''t trust him. "Oh, so I''m the idio¡ª" "Just do whatever you want." Brandon decisively cut him off. There was no point in arguing with Raven further. After all, he couldn''t me Raven for losing his trust in him. The rain dampened their features as Raven stared at him briefly before turning back around, his focus on the two mirrors. ¡ªIt''s an exam, just kill him and ascend the floors on your own. You were meant to take the exam alone anyway. Brandon waved his hand to the side and quickly dismissed Lumian. Raven''s voice followed shortly after. "I''ll take the left mirror, you don''t have any problems with that, right?" "Right." "...." Raven frowned, then sighed. "I see what you did there." Turning around, Raven stepped inside the mirror and his figure vanished. The right mirror started fading, and Brandon stood still amidst the cascading rain before shaking his head and entering the mirror soon after. Stepping right beside Raven, Brandon looked ahead. Mirror tforms that seemed to to look like disconnecting stairs scattered in the air. But something else alerted him. Drip. Drip¡­! Inparison to before, the rain was way stronger here So much so that Brandon could feel the floor was slippery. Looking down, an abyss spread wide from below, sending a chill down Brandon''s spine. "...." Brandon steadied himself on the slippery surface, his eyes fixed on the disconnected mirror tforms ahead. It seemed like the objective was to climb the tforms. Above them was arge mirror surface, expanding wide. Raven nced back, his eyes meeting Brandon''s. A flicker of doubt crossed Raven''s face, but he said nothing and turned forward again. "Lead the way." Brandon gestured. "Sure." Raven nodded his head in response and took that first step. Step¡ª "Ah¡ª" Raven stepped forward, his foot slipping slightly on the wet tform. He steadied himself, then jumped to the next, the rain pounding on his back. "...." Brandon stared for a brief second before nodding and taking a deep breath, bracing himself. He stared at the timer. [Time Remaining: 16:34] It was the second floor, and seven and a half hours had already passed. Screw the deadline. That being said, Brandon too had joined Raven. Step¡ª He stumbled for a bit and he felt his life sh before his eyes as his palms started to sweat. ¡ªFall. Jump down. I know you want to do it. A voice echoed from behind, but Brandon paid no heed to the words. "Shitty voice inside my head." He cursed. Step by step, they progressed, Raven leading and Brandon close behind. The rain made every surface treacherous, and Brandon felt his heartbeat quicken each time he would almost slip. His entire figure, drenched in a mix of cold sweat and the pouring rain. "Ah." Suddenly, Brandon''s foot slipped on a particrly slick tform, and he teetered on the edge. Raven lunged, grabbing his arm and pulling him back to safety. Brandon nced at him, briefly meeting his gaze. "Thanks." Raven nodded his head, but his eyes remained vignt, keeping a fixed distance from Brandon. Brandon sighed and followed closely from behind. As they climbed higher, the rain intensified, and the mirror tforms grew increasingly slippery and smaller. Until finally, after twenty more minutes or so, they reached the top. Step¡ª As soon as Brandon stepped on the ssy surface¡­.. WHII¡ª A blinding light shed before his eyes, and Brandon couldn''t help but recoil back, closing his eyes. Opening his eyes, all of a sudden. "...." The scenery changed. "....Raven?" Not only that, but Raven disappeared so suddenly. The entire in was rather empty as the rain continued pouring down, intensifying the further Brandon trudged. "The hell am I supposed to do here?" There were no given instructions by the tower''s system. ¡ªWhat else? Jump. "Fuck off." He cursed. Lumian in his head was getting annoying. But in the next few minutes or so, as Brandon continued looking around, mirrors started to appear. Thump! The right. Thump! The left. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Mirrors started appearing and imnting themselves on the ground from both sides, forming a visible path. "...." Brandon stared at the grayscale sky for a moment, wondering where Raven had gone. Clearly, something happened. But that didn''t matter. It was a simtion. If Raven had died off somewhere, he would only be ejected from the simtion. Right, now was not the time to worry about others. Step¡ª And so, Brandon trudged the pathid before him, asionally ncing at the mirrors. First, the left, next, the right. His reflection was visible. Pale¨Cwhite hair, ice¨Cblue eyes. Well proportionate features that would put male idols to shame. Step¡ª All of a sudden, Brandon''s steps halted and he neared one of the mirrors. Immediately, his eyes widened and he swallowed his saliva. Touching the mirror, Brandon stared at his reflection. His hair, his eyes¡­.. They were ink¨Cck. Swoosh¡ª He nced back, staring at the mirror on the other side. "...." In that mirror, his reflection was normal. Pale¨Cwhite hair and ice¨Cblue eyes. "...." It didn''t make any sense. Was it showing his¡­. real reflection? But if that was the case, shouldn''t it show his past appearance? Not the handsome Brandon Locke figure, but his original features, blonde hair and ck eyes. "Haha." Heughed. All he could do wasugh. It was funny. This exam was funny. "This exam is fucking insane." It felt like it was breaking his mind. A floor that never seemed to harm him physically, but corroded his mind the longer he stayed. "I need to get out of here." Drip. Drip¡­! The rain poured down relentlessly. His bangs, drenched in rain water, obscured his vision as he stared at the mirror. Moving back, Brandon brushed his bangs up and walked ahead. As soon as he arrived at the end¡­. Bang! Something struck his back and he was sent skidding back several meters. Holding onto his back, Brandon turned around and scanned. A figure stood not so far from him, holding two daggers up. Jet¨Cck hair and red eyes that looked at him indifferently. A face that Brandon was all too familiar with by now. A face he was sick of. And the person he wanted to kill the most. He clenched his fists, wiping the wet hair from his eyes, focusing on the enemy in front of him. Drip. Drip¡­! Amidst the pouring rain that seemed to never end, Brandon''s mouth parted open and a whisper left his lips. "Raven." *** Raven stared ahead. The moment he reached the end of the mirrored path, a figure stood and blocked his path. Two ice¨Cblue eyes stared at him indifferently, and Raven couldn''t help but frown. He couldn''t believe it at first, and he didn''t want to believe it. But it was clear to Raven by now that Brandon harbored some kind of hate towards him. He couldn''t understand why. But all of Brandon''s actions after he returned from who knows where now made sense. The realization twisted something deep inside him. It clicked at his insecurity, but furthermore, his trust. He wanted to trust him as his friend, but all it took was a few hours on this floor for it to alle crumbling down. ''That must be how shallow our friendship is.'' "What did I do?" Raven asked aloud, his voice cracking amidst the sound of raindrops. "What did I ever do to you?" His thoughts spiraled, trying to remember if he had ever wronged Brandon. But that wasn''t the case. Raven was always well¨Cliked by his peers, and he was well aware how he treated Brandon. In any case, it was more so Brandon who had always teased or messed with him. "...." But there was no response. If Brandon really was a good friend, he would''ve made an effort to fix any kind of misunderstanding that this exam had imnted in his mind. But he didn''t. He stayed indifferent,posed, unbothered. Raven should''ve seen the signs before. If Brandon was annoyed by him, then he should''ve spoken up instead of keeping him close. A lot of things didn''t make sense. But the rain fogged his mind, clouding his judgment, and making his heart grow dark. He needed to get out of this ce. The entire atmosphere was wrong. Was he confident he could beat Brandon? ''No.'' He shook his head. He couldn''t see any future at all in which he could even best him. Not in academics, not in a fight. Nothing. ''Ah.'' "Haha." Heughed. He was a hypocrite himself. He hade to realize by now. Brandon Locke''s entire existence. ¡­.Was the living proof of his insecurities. Chapter 352: Rain of Reflections [5] Drip. Drip¡­! The rain intensified further, dampening all the sound as Brandon stared down at Raven¡ªwho took a knee. For why Raven started attacking him, he couldn''t begin to tell. He had asked him several times, but was met with no response. But the Raven''s eyes told him enough of what he wanted to say. ''I hate you.'' Brandon merely tilted his head, staring at Raven indifferently. "You can never beat me. Do you have any idea why?" "...." But silence befell the encounter. Raven had no intention of speaking up as he forced his body up, grabbing onto his shoulder. The fight hadsted a measly three minutes. That was how long it took Bradnon to subdue him while barely using magic. Brandon''s face darkened, his words seamlessly flowing out of his mouth. "Because I''ll never let you. Not you, not him. Not anyone." "...." "Of course, you can''t respond." Why? "Because you''re merely an illusion." A clone made out of the fractured mirrors. His figure, reflected by the raindrops toplete the look. That was the only exnation. "Despite everything, you have no real reason to attack me, Raven." That was his basis. Enough had to be said. sh¡ª! In a blink of an eye, Brandon''s figure blurred and the sound of ss breaking rang out. Then, he turned around. Blue words appeared in his peripheral vision. [Objectives Cleared!] [Wait for your partner to ascend to the next floor.] "Heh." Brandon scoffed. Of course, Raven was still here. And most probably, he was also undergoing the same trial. But at that moment, Crack¡ª! The mirrors shattered. *** Drip. Drip¡­! Raven stood battered and bruised, the rain washing his blood off. Of course, he had no chance against Brandon. He had yet to even scratch him. Despite how hard he had trained for the past few weeks, he could never bridge the gap against Brandon. ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: A+ ¡ª[2%] ¨N MP: A- ¡ª[22%] ¨N DEF: A ¡ª[13%] ¨N AGI: A+ ¡ª[55%] ¨N INT: B+ ¡ª[14%] ¨N CHA: S ¡ª[66%] [AVG: A] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª He felt like he was about to break through soon. But after fighting Brandon yet again, it felt like reality washed over him. He was delusional to think he even had a chance. Technique didn''t matter against someone with real talent. ''Why can''t I ever beat him?'' Their win¨Closs ratio was 3:0. And by the looks of it, it seemed like the gap was about to get wider. Raven stood there, drenched, his blood mixing with the rain. "Haha." Heughed. A hollow, broken sound. "Why can''t I beat him? Why always him?" Raven muttered, his eyes starting to ze. He stared at the sky, rain streaming down his face, masking the tears. "A wannabe duelist... beating me. A system user?" He spat, the words dripping with disgust. The metallic taste lingered as he bit down harder on his lip. "Is this what I am?" Raven whispered, his voice shaking. "Just a shadow chasing him forever? Always beneath him?" Drip. Drip¡­! He stumbled, his bangs covering his eyes, the rain pouring downpletely drenching his figure. The bitterness, the resentment. It boiled over. He couldn''t contain it any longer. As if the rain was an eye opener for him. A feeling he had long bottled up inside his heart, putting on a mask that pleased others. Or others liked to call it, a people pleaser. "Ah... the rain." He stretched his arms wide, as if embracing the downpour. "Feels so good¡­" As if this rain was what he was looking for his whole life. So much so that he wanted to drown in its essence. Raven lowered his head and stared at Brandon, who stood still without ever muttering any words like a robot. "Damned reflection." He was aware it wasn''t the real Brandon. The real Brandon would''ve finished him off easily. After all¡­. "Because you hate me. You''re disgusted by me, my existence. I''m not sure what I''ve ever done to you¡­." Raven''s head tilted. His lips curled into a twisted smile. "....But you know, I could never hate you." He shook his head, gripping on the dual daggers in his hands. "How could I? Why would a fan ever hate his idol?" He sneered, clenching his face as he stumbled back. "Show me more, Brandon. Show me why life is worth living. Why someone like me, with no aspirations, deserve to live after leeching off of others." His tears streamed down along with the rain''s downpour. "Why someone like me, who had given up so easily¡­. Someone who had to force himself to smile everyday just because he was blessed by a curse?" The damned system who had given him false hope. Hope that he could find meaning in his life. If he never had it, he wouldn''t find himself in this position. The Special Force¡ªReina, wouldn''t have found anything interesting about him. They never would''ve taken him in. He could''ve just¡­. died the day he tried to jump off that building. "....Why this life would be worth living, even after my mother died!?" Stay connected through m-v l|e''-NovelBin He spat out. That was the truth. His mother didn''t abandon him. She was dead. She had long been dead. "Do you hear me, Brandon?!" He shouted at the unresponsive figure. His voice cracked, filled with raw desperation. "Why won''t you answer?!" Swoosh¡ª! He lunged at the clone, shing wildly, even recklessly with his daggers. Brandon dodged and blocked with mechanical precision, no emotion, no reaction. "Of course," Raven muttered as his face twisted in a smile. "Because you''re just a fake. A reflection." He took a shaky breath. "But isn''t that fitting? Even in this exam, even in my own head, you never see me as worth responding to." Raven''s voice dropped to a whisper as his hands trembled. He paused, the rain cascading down, his expression twisted in both hatred and longing. "But I still want to prove myself, even if it means tearing myself apart." Swoosh¡ª! He lunged again, his daggers aimed at the unresponsive Brandon. Tears mixed with rain as he fought. His strikes became increasingly desperate. "I need to know! What makes you so much better?!" Brandon''s entire existence. His connections, his family, his status, his strength. Too wless, too blinding. To the point where he was aware he had often felt slightly envious in the past. sh¡ª! sh after sh, Brandon merely defended, no retaliation, no emotion. Raven screamed in frustration, mming his daggers into the ground, his breathing ragged. "Why did youe back!?" He paused. Despite the madness of the rain corroding his mind, he had uttered words he had never meant. "Ukh¡­!" Brandon''s sword cleaved forward, sending Raven hurling back. He fell to his knees, his vision blurred. His shoulders shook, his tears hidden by the rain. "I want to hate you... but I can''t." He gripped the daggers in his hands tightly, desperately never wanting to let go of his only weapon. His partner. "Because¡­. despite all this. Despite everything I said¡­." He smiled. His thoughts were all over the ce. Emotions heightened, then dampened, then skyrocketed. As if he wasn''t in the right state of mind. "....I still acknowledge you as a friend." He smiled, a bittersweet smile. It was then. Crack¡ª! The scenery shattered like ss. The sky''s previous bleak¡ªgrayscale tone brightened, and the rain abruptly stopped. Swoosh¡ª! Brandon''s figure shattered before him, and Raven''s eyes widened. "You''re taking too long, idiot." There stood Brandon, sword in hand, appearing before him. The real one. Not a fake, not a reflection, a real, responsive Brandon, who had just killed the mirror''s illusions. "Ah." The moment the rain stopped, Raven''s mind cleared. The heavy emotions inside of him, the emotions he had bottled up andpartmentalized deep inside his heart subsided. Reced by nothing but relief. Relief that¡­. he had finally vented out all of his frustrations. It might''ve been a fake, but¡ª "I heard you loud and clear." Brandon''s voice cut off his thoughts. "I''m not good at consoling people. But neither are you, I know that like the back of my hand." "...." Raven could only listen, speechless. Where was Brandon going with this? But Brandon''s next words¡­. He had never heard it from anyone before. Not once had anyone ever mentioned it, afraid of striking a chord. But for some reason, when it came from Brandon, it felt like he was talking to¡­. ¡­.Himself. As if another version of him was telling him the exact words. As if Brandon too was in the same position as him. "Your mother would be proud of you." ¡­.The tears wouldn''t stop pouring down. [Floor 2 Cleared.] Chapter 353: Timeless [1] Bang! The door mmed open as Evelyn bursted inside the room where the examination was being monitored. Alerted eyes fell on her. But Evelyn''s gazended on Bellion and n Ross who were currently under a heated debate. "I never should''ve trusted the guilds for this." "Field Marshal, like what I''ve been saying this whole time, I don''t know how it happened." "Don''t know how it happened, don''t know how it happened." Bellion repeated as if he snapped. His face darkened and he pressed his finger on n Ross'' chest, ring at him. "If anything happens to the cadets, that''s on you. That''s on all you fucking rankers." But Evelyn could see the look of tension in Bellion''s face. What''s going on? Evelyn was confused. But clearly, there was a problem. "So, have you confirmed anything?" Bellion sighed, shook his head, and massaged his temple. n Ross, who was checking the vitals monitor, responded. "The vital rates are¡­. normal." "Then¡­? Are you suggesting an Imperial Army officer was lying!?" Bellion eximed, a vein popping on his forehead. "No, no. Wait, I''m trying to eject them¡­. But¡­. there''s something wrong with the system." n Ross was clearly bothered by it. "Wait, wait." His head flicked towards therge gaping gateway. Then, he rushed towards it. "What''s going on?" Evelyn finally involved herself. She got the gist of what was happening, but still confused of what was actually wrong. "Field Marshal Cessna, you''re back." "I am, what happened, Field Marshal Van?" Bellion began to exin everything as concisely as he could. But Evelyn finally understood what happened. Before she could open her mouth, n Ross'' panicked voice rang out. "Field Marshals." "What?" Bellion and Evelyn inquired in unison. Looking at the gateway, n Ross'' voice shook. "The portal''s configurations¡­. It''s all wrong¡­.. The cadets with mana cores above four''s coordinates are somewhere else. There''s no problems with the others but¡ª" "Where is it?" Bellion cut off his words, panic spread across his features. Evelyn was about the same, but all she could do was swallow deeply. "Inside the tower." *** Composed of rankers, a rescue squad was immediately sent out. n Ross and a few of the Iron Fist guild were under scrutiny despite their ims of a third party tampering the portal. In other words, they were being investigated. It was ridiculous. The responsibility ultimatelyy with Yi Jihyeon and her guild, Blood Crescent Moon. After all, they had proposed the exam, believing that some cadets might aspire to be rankers in the future rather than pursuing military service. In any case, it was all so frustrating. So much so that Yi Jihyeon''s manashed out in anger. There were a lot of things that didn''t make sense such as; ''How could the portal even be configured inside the tower?'' That was the exact reason why n Ross was being investigated as of the moment. If the exam really was tampered with, then there was no question about it. "Milis." Yi Jihyeon whispered. Even if n Ross was lying, they needed to be cautious. Just in case it really was true and that there actually were cadets from ss¨CA inside the tower. "Commence the operation!" Yi Jihyeon led her guild, Blood Crescent Moon, into the tower. Their expressions were grim as tension was thick in the air. "Stay focused," Yi Jihyeon ordered. "We have to find those cadets before it''s toote." The tower''s lower floors had already been cleared, making their progress swift. Still, the uncertainty of where the cadets might be weighed on them. The tampered portal and n Ross''s shaky ims didn''t sit well with her. They cleared every nook and cranny of floors one to four, but there were no signs of the cadets as of the moment. "Still nothing, Guild¨CLeader." "Haaa¡­. This might just be a waste of time." Even if the portals were configured inside the tower, there was no way the cadets were taken to the higher floors. But for some reason¡­. "...." Yi Jihyeon had a bad feeling. She couldn''t shake it off. Her instincts told her it¡­. ¡­.Might be possible. But still, it wouldn''t hurt to search all the floors. Monsters loomed in every corner, but they were quickly dealt with. Blood Crescent Moon was that powerful. Soon after, they had finally ascended to the 16th floor. It was then when they paused. Continue your saga on m|v-l''e -NovelBin A sinister auraing not so far away lingered. Yi Jihyeon felt her chest tighten at that moment, and a sudden chill ran down her spine. There was something wrong. Something so wrong. Something unexinable that Yi Jihyeon''s fight or flight was triggering. But as an adult responsible for leading the continent''s youth¡ªthe continent''s future, Yi Jihyeon had no thoughts about abandoning her mission. Step¡ª Footsteps echoed from somewhere. "Guild¨CLeader¡­." A deep voice whispered from her side. A person who had been by her side for so long, ever since her time in Incandescent mes. It was her Vice¨CLeader, Leon Viesse. "Yeah." Yi Jihyeon''s head nodded. "Men!" She raised her voice and ordered all her guild members present to stay vignt. "We''ve been set up." "Indeed." "That bastard n Ross¡­." Leon cursed under his breath. There was an enemy. Their figures became visible a few distances away. "There''s two of them. What do you suggest we do, Guild¨CLeader?" "Like what we''ve always done." Crush them. *** "Field Marshals, please believe me. I''ve done nothing, nor did I have any intentions of harming the cadets!" n Ross eximed. The rest of his guild members have been put to shackles, thrown in a cell. n Ross on the other hand, his arms had been cuffed with mana¨Cshackles. "We''ll see once Yi Jihyeon returns." Bellion spat out. There were no formalities unlike before. He was frustrated by the guilds. They had called a bunch of professionals who were well versed with simtions. He couldn''t trust anyone unless they were hand¨Cpicked by him. Bellion stepped out of the interrogation room and returned to the monitoring room. He approached the experts. "So? Has anything been confirmed?" "The portals have been fixed, Field Marshal. For the cadets on the other hand, we can''t bypass the firewall that was set up. We can''t eject them, and so, we can''t confirm if they are actually in the simtion, or inside the real tower." "Tsk." Bellion clicked his tongue. He had a bad feeling. His gaze lingered on the monitor. [Time Remaining: 4:56] Five hours left until the examinations finished. He was told they would be ejected once the timer reaches zero, but he doubted that was the case anymore. Most of the cadets faced no issues in ascending the floor levels. Currently, almost all of them were tackling the fifth floor. His hopes were all on the blonde woman with blue eyes, gripping on the sword in her hand. She was the fastest cadet to have ever progressed so far. By estimation, in an hour or so, she would most probably be the first cadet to pass the exam and be ejected from the simtion. Either that, or she would find herself tackling a sixth floor if she was inside the actual tower herself. After all, she belonged to ss¨CA. All of the students there had a fourth¨Ctier mana core. Enough had to be said. It was none other than Amelia Constantine. Bellion was proud of her. She was well on her way in breaking through the S¨Cranks. "Neen years¨Cold. Not bad." It wasn''t the fastest, but it was faster than most. Then, the channel switched. Two men. Pale¨Cwhite hair, ice blue eyes. The other man, jet¨Cck hair and ocean¨Cblue eyes. "Oh?" Bellion''s brows rose. From what he hadst seen, the two were tackling the second floor. A floor that was described to create internal strife between whoever was inside the floor. He had heard it was the reason why several rankers had to exit the tower due to bing a liability. It reduced their numbers, and they had to tackle the 32nd floor with the amount of numbers they had left. And that floor was thest floor they had cleared. Thest subjugation before most of Incandescent mes guild members were ughtered. Thinking back on the news, it wasn''t a pleasant memory at all. But still, the mystery never left his mind. Why were Brandon and Raven thrusted into the same tower ID? Or maybe¡­. "....They could be in the tower itself." Chapter 354: Timeless [2] The simted Dimensional Tower, probably giving them a break from all its psychological intricacies, had be significantly easier after the second floor. The third floor, apletion to the tower''s "tutorial phase," was nothing but a grind floor. [Objective: Wipe out every creature residing within the floor.] A simple ughter objective. Additionally, it had a feature that had greatly assisted them. [NW: 300m.] It had apass system. Apass that directly led to the monsters. For that reason, Bradon and Raven had easily ughtered the monsters with a bit of teamwork. It took a total of three hours toplete the initial tutorial phase. But Raven could solemnly swear that wouldn''t have been the case if Brandon wasn''t around. Everytime he would see him, he would always surprise him. A sudden pang of envy flooded his thoughts. But Raven quickly shook off those thoughts every time they did. If he had to describe it, he felt like a jealous bitch. He didn''t want to feel like that anymore. ''I should focus on myself.'' That was the most important part. While there was still a sense of distrust towards Brandon, the second floor had actually deepened their bond somewhat. No lies, no facades. If there were discrepancies during their ascents, the two didn''t need to hold back, easily voicing out their thoughts. From Brandon''s side, it wasn''t pleasant at all. "You''re fucking holding me back!" Brandon eximed. "...." All Raven could do was sigh and move out of the way. But¡­. there was a sudden change inside Raven''s heart. A typical goody two¨Cshoes who had always put on a mask just so others wouldn''t dislike him. Why did he need to trouble himself like that when he could just be his real self? Why suffer in self deprecation, when he could just¡­. "Fuck off." Curse. "...." It felt good to finally open himself up like that towards Brandon. And Brandon, who looked at him with surprise, would always scoff or smile. "Haha." Ravenughed. If this was the kind of bond they would foster further in the future, then Raven was all in on it. Much better than drowning himself in the suffocation of expectations from others. It felt rather¡­. Thrilling. *** Soon after, they emerged to the fourth floor. But this floor was rather different from the rest. It was smaller in size¡ªan open field dome. But the problem was theplete utter darkness the room shrouded itself in. "Not again." "...." Raven suddenly felt worried. The second floor''s psychological break had already worn him out. So much so that he intended to remain quiet if that was the case on the current floor. But that never happened. Instead. Voosh¡ª! A blue torch lit up from one side. The left. Voosh¡ª! The right. Voosh¡ª! Voosh¡ª! Voosh¡ª! Voosh¡ª! Several blue torches started to lit up, casting an eerie blue glow, allowing the two to see the long winded corridor forming like a path towards some kind ofrge gate entrance. An entrance that had yet to be opened. Brandon and Raven exchanged wary nces before nodding their heads. The blue torchlights were barely enough to reveal the path ahead. Tak. Tak¡ª! Silence gripped the surroundings as the sound of their footsteps could only be heard, reverberating throughout the entire corridor. Raven followed, staying close behind. The air was thick, the shadows between the torches seemingly alive, flickering with every step they took. As they approached the gate, it loomedrger¡ªa massive, dark structure covered in unfamiliar symbols. Raven hesitated for a moment, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The entire atmosphere reminded Brandon of a show he had watched before. Something about some swordsman who had to reveal his trump¨Ccard against a floor boss, dealing with it solo since his friends were about to die. ''I should try dual wielding one day.'' Brandon thought to himself. In any case, the two exchanged brief nces before Brandon stepped forward, cing his hand on its cold surface. His thoughts were clear and empty, remaining vignt. There were two ways this floor would go down, and Brandon was ready for it. Rumble. Rumble¡­.! The moment his hand touched the entrance, the symbols glowed, and the gate began to rumble. With a deep groan, the gate slowly opened, revealing a dark void beyond. A gust of cold air rushed out, sending a shiver down both his spine. "Ah." A dome¨Clike chamber spread wide, blue torches sputtering an eerie glow. He had seen Jin. Or rather, Raven, tackling this floor in his memories. And he couldn''t solemnly swear it wasn''t an easy fight. The darkness swallowed them, the torches behind flickering out, leaving only an ominous, empty silence ahead. "...!" "...!" Brandon and Raven immediately took their stances, eyes narrowing as a sinister aura filled the air. From the darkness, two red eyes flickered, locking onto them. Voosh¡ª! A massive blue torch ignited on the center wall, revealing a towering figure seated on a grand throne. The creature''s eyes glowed, the torch further casting a blue glow, revealing two shaped horns protruding from both sides of its head. As Brandon looked to the side, Raven looked like he was trembling. As if a wave of realization hit him. "That''s¡­." "You know what that is?" Brandon asked. He knew exactly what it was, but pretended to be oblivious. It was a creature unique only to the tower. At least, ¡­.As of this moment. "....It''s a minotaur." Raven''s eyes trembled, a sense of hesitation in his voice echoed as he stared at the minotaur. "Scared?" Brandon sneered. But a contrast to his confident tone, he wasn''t confident at all. But for the record, he just wanted to set him at ease. After all, Raven would be a key figure in the fight. More so, because of his skill, [Reflection]. "Nah." But Raven merely shrugged it off, a grin etching on his face. "Oh?" Brandon''s brows raised. "So you can make a face like that now, huh?" "And who do you think was a bad influence?" "Ha." Brandon scoffed. Maybe¡­. Maybe this is why Jin turned out the way he did¡­.. Brandon could onlyugh himself upon pondering on that thought. In any case. Thump! The entire room shook. The minotaur stood up, hands on his weapon¡ªa talwar. "Hm?" Brandon had just begun to notice it. Talwar? That wasn''t what he had seen in the vision. It was something else. ''Am I just overthinking it?'' Might''ve been the case. It was then. Thump! Thump! The minotaur took two heavy steps, its weight echoing a loud thumping sound within the entire chamber. There was often an unspoken rule in the shows Brandon had watched in his previous life. While an enemy is about to awaken, most of the time, the main characters would stand still and allow it to happen. But in the first ce, why? Wouldn''t it be more advantageous to just¡ª Swoosh¡ª! "Ah, hey!?" Brandon was moving, his figure like a blur as Raven''s surprised voice echoed from behind. Mist gradually permeated the air around Brandon as his figure continued to blend seamlessly. Why wait? When they could just¡ª sh¡ª! Like a phantom, Brandon leapt up, cleaving his sword to the side. Blood spattered in the air as hended swiftly on the ground. Swinging his sword to the side, the blood smeared on it stained the ground as Brandon stood right beside the minotaur, who was just about to brandish its weapon. Brandon gave it no time to do so and immediatelyunched his attack. Without looking back, nor looking at the minotaur, Brandon muttered. "Dominion." Chapter 355: Timeless [3] Brandon was well aware his sword wouldn''t cut it. Not that he didn''t have enough strength, but the minotaur waspletely impervious to melee attacks. It was the minotaur''s main defensive ability. However, just like everything was rted to magic, the minotaur''s defensive skill was a creation of the minotaur''s mana. Meaning, Raven would be its natural counter due to his [Reflection] skill. An ability that allowed him to tear¡ªor repel magic, rtive to his strength. However, Raven was still an A+ ranker, he couldn''t deal with the minotaur mechanically. But regardless, all Brandon needed to do was create an opportunity for Raven. Crash! The chamber shook violently as the minotaur''s talwar crashed down, but Brandon''s figure swiftly faded within the mist, hovering right above him. Tossing his sword in the air, unarmed, Brandon''s knuckles connected with the minotaur''s head, the impact reverberating through the chamber like a thunderp. Bang¡ª¡ª! The massive creature''s head jerked to the side, momentarily disoriented. Brandon''s ice¨Cblue eyes flickered, his body twisting mid-air, catching his falling sword andnding behind the beast. ¡ªKaaah! The minotaur roared, the sound shaking the very walls, its red eyes ring in rage. It spun, swinging its massive talwar with lethal intent, but Brandon was already on the move, his figure blurring, evading the de by inches. "Raven!" Brandon roared, his voice drowned out by the beast''s rage, but Raven was already moving. Raven dashed in, two daggers in his hands glowing faintly. Brandon''s eyes locked onto the minotaur''s movements, his sole focus on creating openings for Raven. The minotaur swung its talwar in a vicious arc, and Brandon ducked low, skidding beneath the blow. Heshed out with his sword, aiming at the minotaur''s knee. Just enough to throw its bnce off. "Now, Raven!" Nodding his head, Raven seized the opportunity, leaping forward. Swoosh¡ª! He drove his dagger into the minotaur''s side, piercing through the defensive mana under the effects of [Reflection.] The creature howled in pain, stumbling slightly, but the mana shield was already starting to reform. ¡ªKaaaaah! It recovered, swinging its talwar wildly. Brandon dashed forward, slipping inside its guard, and delivered a swift punch to the creature''s ribs. Bang¡ª! The force of his blow reverberated through the chamber, causing the minotaur to stumble again. Raven saw his chance. He lunged in, his daggers glowing brightly, and sliced at the beast''s chest. The mana shield cracked, the light of [Reflection] allowing the daggers to cut deep. The minotaur let out another furious roar, swiping at Raven in retaliation. But Brandon was already there. He moved quickly, intercepting the attack with a powerful kick to the minotaur''s arm, redirecting its momentum. The talwar swung wide, and the beast''s bnce faltered. "Go!" Brandon yelled. Swoosh¡ª! Raven dashed in, using the opening Brandon had created. His daggers found their target, driving into the creature''s side, weakening the shield further. The minotaur roared in rage, but Brandon didn''t let up. He moved swiftly, dodging another sh from the talwar and delivered a knee strike to the minotaur''s back. The impact caused the massive creature to stumble forward, its bnce thrownpletely off. "Again!" Like a phantom, Raven leaped again, his figure blurring like a shadow, two daggers aimed at the beast''s neck, shing through the mana barrier. ¡ªKaaah! The creature howled, its body shuddering, the shield flickering. The minotaur turned, enraged, swinging its massive arm down towards Brandon in speed. Having no time to grab a pathway, Brandon caught the force with his forearm, sending a flood of pain surging within his bones. Crash! "Kh¡­!" Brandon gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain shooting up his arm. Butpared to the blows he took from Androxus, it was nothing. The minotaur was nothing in the face of a wyvern. Brandon, used to a wyvern''s strength by now, found it to be tolerable. But still, It hurt. ¡­.A lot. The ground beneath his feet cracked under the force, but he used it as leverage tounch himself sideways, away from the minotaur''s reach. He lunged forward again, driving his knee into the beast''s ribs, forcing its arm up and exposing its side. "Go!" Without hesitation, Raven dashed in, his daggers glowing with [Reflection] as he drove them into the exposed spot. The mana shield shattered for a moment, allowing his des to pierce deep into the creature''s flesh. The same exchange continuously repeated. Brandon created opportunities, taking significant damage in the process as his speed started faltering. Raven, unharmed, didn''t waste the opportunity presented before him. The two''s attacks coordinated, they were inplete unison as if they were one person fighting. The entire exchange repeated until there were six hours left on the timer. A total of two hours had passed since they tackled the fourth floor. The minotaur swayed, weakened, but it refused to fall. With a furious growl, it attempted onest desperate swing of its talwar, aiming to crush them both. Brandon didn''t hesitate. He rushed in, throwing his body against the beast''s arm, redirecting the blow. Read thetest on m_v-l''e|-NovelBin Crash! The talwar crashed into the ground, leaving the minotaur open and vulnerable. "Finish it!" Nodding his head, Raven''s eyes narrowed. He poured every ounce of mana into his daggers, the glow intensifying. With a swift, powerful leap, he drove both des into the minotaur''s chest, piercing through thest vestiges of its defense. ¡ªKaaaaah! The minotaur let out one final, guttural roar before copsing, its massive form hitting the ground with a resounding thud. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." "Haaa¡­." Brandon''s breathing came in ragged, his chest heaving, adrenaline coursing in his veins as he felt his heartbeat quickening. "Haaa¡­." He nced at his arm, purple bruises entered his peripheral vision, the pain throbbing with each heartbeat. He''d put everything into keeping Raven safe and creating those openings. "H-haaa¡­. Haaa¡­." Raven, too, was catching his breath, his daggers slick with the minotaur''s dark blood. He looked at Brandon, concern flickering across his tired expression as he went on and asked, "Your arm¡­ You okay?" Brandon forced a confident grin, shaking his head slightly. "I''ll live. We needed that win." Shortly after, blue words appeared. [Objectives Cleared!] [Floor 4 Cleared!] WHIII¡ª In the next moment, a blinding light engulfed the chamber, forcing them to look away. Chapter 356: Timeless [4] There were twists and turns during Amelia''s ascension. But she skillfully managed to get through each and every one of them, using her wits and overall capabilities. There floors such as the third and fifth that nearly broke her mental, especially so when it directly attacked her psyche. But still, Amelia never faltered. Her will¡ª "Haaa¡­." Her head was a mess. She needed a break. The exam was too much. Not physically, but mentally. What kind of exam¡­. "Haaa¡­." She wanted to rest, to get away from people at the moment. The examination was albeit in the middle ground of medium and hard, but it was attuned to each cadet''s overall rankings. It was too hard for her. That was when she remembered. ''How is Brandon doing!?'' ''He''s an S¨Cranker, just how difficult is his exam!?'' She wasn''t worried about his skillful approach, she was worried about the mental toll it would take him. Brandon was mentally weak. Amelia was well aware of that. It was even still prevalent today, where she would often see glimpses of his vulnerability. But Brandon was going through it all on his own. Amelia had no room to involve herself when Brandon was keeping quiet about it. All she could do was support him as best as she could. The next instant, as she gathered her thoughts together, the words appeared in front of her. [Examination Cleared!] "Finally¡­." Her mind was at ease. She was tired. All she could think about now as of this moment was how her bed would feel against her skin. "Ah¡­!" She felt ted. Her bed. It would feel. "...." So. Thump! Good. Amelia plopped down face¨Ct on the ground. Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e -NovelBin WHIII¡ª Shortly after, a blinding light engulfed her entire being. *** The moment Amelia was ejected from the simtion, curious gazes fell on her. "Amelia!" A deep voice rang out from somewhere. Amelia helped her body up, only to find Bellion rushing towards her with concern in his expression. "Ah." Bellion grabbed her shoulders, startling her as her brows raised. "You¡­." Bellion started patting her body. Then, went on to grab her shoulders once again, wide eyed. What in the world. "It really is a simtion. Thank god¡­." Bellion exhaled in relief. "Uh, yes?" What in the world is going on? And why was everyone staring at her with interest. But as Amelia looked around, there seemed to be no cadets around. Then did that mean¡­. "Am I the first one to pass?" She posed the question. "You are. But that''s now what''s important right now." "Huh¡ª" "Thankfully, we''ve confirmed through you that the tower is a simtion." It was then. Bellion''s eyes narrowed, his tone grew serious, and his face darkened as he spoke seriously. "Listen to me, Amelia." Amelia felt the tension, sending chills all over. Seeing Bellion''s grim expression, her back straightened unknowingly. "...." "Trust no one." *** An hour or so passed, and there was only one hour left before the examination was done. Several cadets emerged one after another. Instructors quickly listed off each cadet that escaped the simtion. A wave of relief washed over Bellion upon realizing the fact that the examinations had really taken ce in the simtion, and not inside the real tower. But furthermore, a sense of unease crept up on him as this confirmed another fact. Because there was a firewall put up, restricting them from forcefully ejecting a cadet outside the simtion, it meant that the exam had really been tampered with. There was a traitor. And there was only one suspect. nk¡ª! For that reason, Bellion burst the door open, entering the interrogation room. Looking in front, n Ross seemed to have been jolted awake, lifting his head up from the table, and wiping the line of saliva trickling down his lower lip. "Fucking bastard." "Huaa?" In a daze, n Ross stared back at him in confusion. "Tell me the truth!" Bellion eximed as his brows tightened further, furrowing. His blood pressure was rising, and rage was boiling within him. "What''s your aim!? Because of you, Yi Jihyeon and the rest of Blood Crescent Moon entered the tower!" All because n Ross let slip that there might be a chance the cadets were actually in the real tower. It totally threw everyone for a loop. They had expended a lot of time and resources because of that. They were totally in circles, and to think that by the end of it, they were inside the simtion this whole time. It might''ve been harsh, and Bellion might''ve jumped to conclusions too quickly, but there were no other suspects. n Ross and his guild were the only ones who had full ess over the simtion. There might''ve been a traitor, but each member of Iron Fist guild was currently being interrogated. They would get their results soon, whether n Ross and his entire guild intentionally tampered with the exam, or whether there was a traitor within his own guild. But Bellion had to be cautious. Milis had most probably slipped high up thedder of Holy Britannia. He had posed the question to n Ross several times, but the man would deny every allegation. Frustrated, Bellion mmed the door shut and left the room afterwards. From what he knew, the Dimensional Tower blocked all signals. There was no way to contact Yi Jihyeon, or her Vice¨CLeader. And ideally, Bellion didn''t want to expend more resources to enter the tower and recall them back. Sooner orter, they would end up realizing they were wasting their time, and decide to leave the tower. Yi Jihyeon had no right toin, when everything was the product of her initial proposal. Most of the cadets had already passed the exam. It was a cinch. Some may have had traumatic experiences, but that was part of the exam in the first ce. All for the sole purpose of hardening their resolve. It was a needed trait for any aspiring Imperial Army soldier, or ranker. Cadets started to exit the facility one after another, chattering amongst themselves. Most of their topics were the horrifying psychological aspects of the exam. However, there were some who stayed, staring directly into the monitor. Surprise and confusion etched on their faces as they stared intently. "Ah." Bellion had just remembered. His mind had been jumbled up with all sorts of thoughts that he had nearly forgotten. Brandon Locke and Raven ckheart weren''t around. This was especially noticeable since Brandon Locke wasn''t there to pester him around just yet. There was one hour left on the timer. "...." Bellion tried switching the screen to check if there were still other cadets taking the examination. But it seemed like Brandon and Raven were thest examinees, still taking the exam. Bellion''s brows furrowed. "...." ¡­.They were going to fail. Chapter 357: Timeless [5] Kracka! Kracka! All sorts of magic flew in the air. The entire floor shook violently as rankers in the ranks of B+ to S¨C engaged inbat against two people. Two people. "Two people¡­." Yi Jihyeon whispered hoarsely. She had not joined the battle, but led each of her members to attack in coordinate. But¡­. "Akh!" "Kh¡­!" It wasn''t enough. They were being pushed back. Two figures, whom Yi Jihyeon had no information about, had been easily holding her members off. A man and a woman. And the fact that Yi Jihyeon had no idea who they were, despite the strength they held, told her enough of their identities. ''They''re from Milis.'' Yi Jihyeon refused to shake these thoughts off. It was the only possible answer. A sudden chill ran down her spine, as cold sweat trickled on her back upon realizing this fact. ''Just two people from Milis¡­.'' And they were already at this level. A level that a mere S¨Cranker couldn''t handle. But Yi Jihyeon was by far not just a mere S¨Cranker. While S+ was her limit, she had fifteen years of experience under her belt. However, during this moment, her thoughts drifted somewhere else. The cadets. This continent''s future. ''They mustn''t die.'' ''If they really are in this tower, then they should never encounter them!'' ''Someone has to alert them.'' On the off chance a cadet would explore the lower floors in an attempt to go back home, and would find themselves witnessing this entire catastrophe, the two figures from Milis could use them as leverage, taking them as hostage. Yi Jihyeon couldn''t allow it. For that reason, she screamed, calling out for her Vice¨CLeader. "Leon!" Leon fared a bit betterpared to the other members, especially in thebat department. He had exchanged the most blows against the two figures. After all, he was only second after Yi Jihyeon. "Guild¨CLeader!?" A bit startled, maybe annoyed that his name was being called during battle, eximed. His head flicked towards Yi Jihyeon with raised brows. "Find them, Leon!" Yi Jihyeon''s desperate voice resounded. Just how did things escte like this? Hours ago, she was just in the academy, monitoring the students undergoing the exam. And now, ¡­.She was fighting with her life on the line. Leon was confused for a brief second, but his thoughts suddenly broke as Yi Jihyeon took that first step. Tak. The sound of her heels clicked. Tak. Tak¡ª! Attention fell on her. The guild¨Cleader was finally about to go all out. That was what the ted expressions of her guild members had told her. Leon nodded his head briefly before rushing ahead. However, the two figures didn''t allow him. One of the figures blurred, appearing right behind Leon who was running without ever looking back. Before the figure''s attacknded, Yi Jihyeon was already moving. Yi Jihyeon''s hand, wrapped in ice, shed with the woman''s fist. Bang! The impact sent a shockwave through the chamber as Yi Jihyeon gritted her teeth, her feet digging in as she absorbed the blow. Ice spread up her arm, forming armor. Frost spread under her feet as she twisted, deflecting the next strike. The woman retreated, and Yi Jihyeon seized the chance. "Leon! Go, now!" She roared out. Leon sprinted away. However, the male figure moved to chase him, but Yi Jihyeon blocked his path. mming her foot down, ice erupted, forming a barrier. Cr¨CCrack! Yi Jihyeon''s eyes flickered, emanating a chilling blue glow as her face darkened. ring at the man, her lips parted open, her tone sounding cold. "Messing with Holy Britannia''s youth is the worst mistake you''ve ever made." *** Brandon and Raven entered the fifth floor. It was the final floor. "...." "...." The sheer sight had taken them aback. A vast garden extended endlessly before them, filled with beautiful, alien nts. The sky was filled with a golden color, and a hollow light shimmered, casting a fixed radiant glow in the distance, most probably the center of the floor. It was beautiful. Aplete contrast from the other floors thus far. The two exchanged brief nces before nodding. Then, they made their way towards the light''s direction. The two looked around, taking in the beautiful fight. There wasn''t a single monster on sight. Nothing but floors as far as the eye could see. But regardless, the two remained vignt. The flowers must have their own gimmicks. After all, this was the fifth floor. It should be the hardest one thus far. As Brandon further scrutinized the vicinity, he could see the flowers blooming at an unusual pace. "...." They navigated their way through the path spread out for them, trying not to harm the flowers in any way. "Raven." Brandon''s mouth parted open. "What?'' "It''s probably not the time for this, but could you help me out tomorrow?" "Sure, what do you need?" "It''s Evelyn''s birthday tomorrow, so I''m nning on throwing a surprise party for her. Could you let the others know?" "Oh? Sure, though why¡ªAh." Raven paused in his steps, brows raised. Brandon halted as well and nced back. "You¡­" "...?" Brandon''s head curiously tilted. It seemed like Raven had a sudden realization. "Don''t tell me¡­." "What?" "Do you¡­. perhaps¡­. like her? Our teacher!? You damn cheater!?" It was only when he had heard Raven''s ridiculous statement, did Brandon react. His brows knitted, and a look of disgust spread across Brandon''s face. "But like¡­. I don''t think she''s interested in you like that, dude. You''re a kid in her eyes¡­. You''re like¡­. probably not even her type." It wasn''t just the fact that he was getting used of cheating, but Raven''s look of disapproval irked him for some reason as he looked at Brandon from head to toe, grimacing. Not that Brandon was interested in Evelyn in that way. But not her type? ''Did he just call me ugly?'' That seemed to have been the implication, especially by the looks Raven was giving him. ''I definitely look better than you, bastard. Have you ever seen yourself?'' "First of all, go look in the mirror." Brandon''s words trailed off from there. It felt like he was dissing himself for some reason. "Secondly, no, I don''t like her like that. The hell is wrong with you?" Brandon spat out. "Then¡­?" "Because she''s like family to me." "Oh." Silence. The entire exchange became awkward as the two stood still momentarily. However, the silence was soon broken by Raven, who seemed to have just realized something. "Hey...! What do you mean go look in the mirror!?" But Brandonpletely dismissed it off, shrugging his shoulders and walked back towards the center. "Did you just call me ugly!?" Raven chased him and started yapping. "You know, I received over a dozen of confessions throughout my li¡ª" Brandon raised his hand, shing his middle finger, silencing Raven. "...." Raven paused once again as if he couldn''t ept it. Then, he rushed towards Brandon, who waspletely ignoring him. But Brandon could hear Raven continuously mutter, "I''m not ugly, am I? Now that I think about it, Amy''s never called me handsome before¡­." Poor guy. In the end, they reached the center. Blue words suddenly entered Brandon''s peripheral vision. [Time Garden.] [Time Remaining: 3:48] [Guidelines and Objectives:] [Guidelines: Time moves differently depending on the area of the garden. Some areas speed up the growth of the flower, while others slow it down. The challenger must control the bnce of time to allow the seed to bloom. The passage of time is tied to the challenger''s emotions. If they are impatient, time speeds up too quickly, causing the nt to wither. If they are too passive, time slows to a crawl, dying progress indefinitely.] [Objective: The challenger must learn to regte their emotional state, maintaining calm focus to keep time flowing in the garden at a steady pace. Meditation or mental rity techniques are key to controlling the flow of time and ensuring the flower blooms perfectly.] "Oh." A sudden memory triggered, and Brandon realized what this floor was. "Isn''t this kinda easy for the final floor?" Raven massaged his chin as he mulled over the instructions. However, Brandon remained silent, peering into his thoughts. "This floor¡­." ¡­.Was the 32nd floor. Chapter 358: Timeless [6] Staring down, there was a seed that was situated in the center, the light shining down on it. "So how does this work?" Raven asked, crouching down and looking at the seed from all sides. "Am I supposed to¡­." Extending his hand, mana began to pour out of Raven and into the side, his hand emitting a dark¨Cpurplish glow, a hue simr to his shadows. It was then. Brandon scrutinized the sight with his arms crossed. The seed began to sprout, tiny green tendrils pushing through the soil. However, the next moment, despite Raven''s efforts, the sprout started to wilt. "...." Its green leaves turned yellow, then brown. Raven''s eyes widened, frustration creeping in his face. "Why is it withering¡­" Brandon frowned and stepped closer. "Your emotions, Raven. Even if you think you''re calm, maybe there''s something deeper affecting you." Raven clenched his jaw, trying to suppress the annoyance. The sprout withered further. "Damn it¡­" Raven muttered, taking a shaky breath. He forcefully shut his eyes. Sweat began trickling down his face. Stay connected via m-v l|e''-NovelBin But the seed continued to wither, and Brandon could only watch, his brows furrowing. "This isn''t working. Let me try." "Hold on." But Raven, giving it his all, found no sess. "Stop! The seed''s going to wither further." Hearing Brandon''s exmation, Raven pulled away and took deep breaths. "What''s the problem?" Brandon asked. There might''ve been discrepancies between them during their ascensions, but Raven should''ve been the best shot they had in the emotion department. Realistically, if Brandon were to tackle this floor all on his own, there was no way he would clear the objective. His mind was a mess. The only reason he could hide it all under the surface was due to the pills and rxants he took. That, and he would often force himself to act normal in front of everyone. Even Amelia. He didn''t want to worry her. "I don''t know." But Raven couldn''t find an answer to the question he posed. Squench. The sound of roots echoed from somewhere. "...!" Brandon looked around. The flowers around them seemed to have withered along with the seed. They took a distorted form, then further contorted into something unexinable. Squench. "...." Brandon''s eyes widened as the once withered flowers twisted, morphing into grotesque creatures. Squench. Squench. The sound of their transformation echoed around them as they contorted, rising up into monstrous forms, thorned vines moving like limbs. "Brandon, why don''t you try?" Raven asked, ncing back and forth between him and the creatures, frustration still etched on his face. Brandon shook his head, expressions tight. "I can''t. It''d be a waste of time. We only have three and a half hours left." Raven stared at him, then nodded, understanding the weight behind Brandon''s words. "....Alright." He turned back to the seed, refocusing his mana, breathing in deeply. Brandon''s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the creatures that were looming close, his hand resting on the hilt on his waist. "Then I''ll hold them off." "Huu¡­. Okay." Raven took a steady breath, extending his hand once more towards the seed. SHIING¡ª Brandon unsheathed his sword, the de glinting under the light protruding from the sky. "Then I''ll leave it all up to you." He muttered, stepping forward. He swung the sword, slicing through the thorned limbs of the nearest creature. Swoosh¡ª! sh¡ª! The creature''s vines fell, but momentster, they began to regrow, twisting back into shape. Brandon''s eyes narrowed. "....Cliche." Another creature lunged, and he cut through it effortlessly, only for it to reform. "This isn''t working¡­." Brandon hissed, frustration spreading across his features. He needed more. Voosh¡ª! Without hesitation, Brandon dded his sword in amethyst mes. The de burst into a deep, amethyst ze, casting a radiant purple glow. "Burn." He swung, the amethyst mes cutting through the creature. This time, the vines turned to ash. The regeneration halted. But as he used the mes, a searing pain burned within him, spreading through his body. His grip tightened on the hilt as he gnashed his teeth. "Haaa¡­" He exhaled sharply, his vision blurring. The mes were corroding his mind, burning him from within. But he had no choice. It seemed to be even worse nowpared to when he was still an A¨Cranker. This meant the mes were stronger. And stronger means better. Brandon lunged forward, swinging his ming de at the next monster. Swoosh¡ª! ¡ªHieeeek! The creature''s torso erupted in mes, writhing as it disintegrated. Another lunged from the side. Brandon twisted, slicing it in half, the amethyst mes consuming it entirely. The pain intensified, his chest felt like it was on fire, but Brandon forced himself to focus. sh¡ª! Another creature down. He could feel the mes eating away at his sanity, each swing feeling like his nerves were set aze. But the more he continuously repeated the same process, the more tolerable it became. His rtionship with his [Curse mes] had always been this way. He was used to it by now. He nced back after cutting a creature down. However, seeing the face Raven was making, there seemed to be no progress. At that moment, the twisted flowers sprouted once more, contorting into monstrous forms,rger and more grotesque than before. Brandon''s grip tightened around his de, the amethyst mes still flickering, searing his veins. "Huu¡­." He ignored the pain, taking a deep breath. "Raven, focus! Keep your emotions steady!" Brandon shouted, his voice strained as he dodged another lunge, slicing the creature''s limb. sh¡ª! *** "Tsk." Raven gritted his teeth, desperately trying to regte his emotions. The seed sprouted, the tendrils pushing up, but each time, it would wither, turning brown before dying entirely. "Huu¡­." Raven took a deep breath, closing his eyes, trying to clear his mind. But the sounds of the ongoing battle¡ªthe crashing of monsters, Brandon''s grunts of pain¡ªbroke his focus. The flower sprouted, only to wither again. Raven''s frustration grew, and time sped up. The growth was too fast, the nt fragile and weak. It copsed under the pressure. "No¡­. no¡­!" Raven muttered, panic setting in. He clenched his fists, but it only got worse. Time seemed to be at a standstill for Raven. However, time only moved forward. Memories of his childhood ovepped in his mind, he couldn''t find it in himself to settle his mind at ease. Especially so, because of the objective pressuring him. Keep a calm and collective mind? Emotions? The further the objective echoed in his head, the more it pressured him, the more bad memories shed in his thoughts. His childhood¡ªwhen his mother left him. That was how Raven interpreted it. His mother leaving him. Leaving him alone in this cold world. A life with no luxury, no money, scummy adults taking advantage of his vulnerability. Forced to dobor just to feed himself at the tender age of seven. Forced to do "favors," just so he could get a raise¡ªa mere three copper raise. However, his resolve never waned. Raven knew he would see the light at the end of the dark tunnel. He was living exactly that life now. Living under a warm shelter, loved by the people who took him in. Reina, the other Special Force guild members, Amy, the first person to have ever confessed her feelings to him. But Raven, afraid that he didn''t deserve her, never responded to those feelings. He lived a life of hardship. His aspirations, only to live. To live a decent life. Was his life actually decent now? ''Yes, way better than where I was ten years ago.'' ''Five years ago.'' ''Three years ago.'' But the trauma. "Haaa¡­." ¡­.It ate away at him. Chapter 359: Timeless [7] "Haaa¡­.." With every swing, pain shot up Brandon''s arm. This was especially so, as his arm had already been injured after dealing with the minotaur''s blows. Swoosh¡ª! Brandon swung wide, no technique¡ªpure raw destruction. Amethyst mes flickered, igniting all around him. RIIING¡ª But Brandon couldn''t hear anything. His mind was a abuzz¡ªa certain ringing sound flooding his thoughts as he continue hacking away. Amethyst mes. That was all he could see¡ªreflecting in his eyes, a purple tanget that would streak past his peripheral vision¡ªdrowning out all the other colors. "Ah." Beautiful. And, "Akh¡­!" Painful. While things would be way easier if he had triggered his zone, it wasn''t logical in the long¨Cterm. Especially when it didn''t seem like Raven would cultivate the seed enough so soon. The hell was his problem? If anything, he shouldn''t have any prob¡ª Find more adventures on m-v|-NovelBin "Ah." A sudden wave of realization panged his thoughts at that moment as he continued hacking away with no aim. ''Right.'' How could he forget? Because he had realized they were the same person, he had forgotten that Raven ckheart was an alternate version of him. A version that lived¡­. a harsher life than him. "Shit, now I feel bad." Swoosh¡ª! Brandon had already given up. [Time Remaining: 46:22s] There was less than fifty minutes left on the timer, and Brandon felt like he had been doing this for way too long now. So much so that his arms felt numb¡ªthe pain drowning. ''Wouldn''t hurt to try it myself.'' They were going to fail the exam anyway. After incinerating one of the withered creatures, Brandon pressed his fingers together and muttered. "Zone." At that moment, amethyst mes sprouted from the ground, distorting in to purple hyacinths. The distance gradually spread around him, forming a circle, then expanding. It was quite ironic. His flowers against the flowers. Narrowing his eyes, he focused on the visible pathways in his surroundings¡ªpouring his mana¡ªskillfully distorting the lingering magic in the air. Sweat trickled down his face as he felt his mana core draining¡ªexhausting him. Until¡­. Voosh¡ª! The pathways became tangible, contorting into cursed¡ªamethyst mes¡ªburning in a fixed distant radius around him. Brandon rushed ahead, sprinting towards Raven. The mes acted like a barrier, scorching any creature that got too close. Despite the mes around him, Brandon felt the air growing cold¡ªa sudden chill crawling all over him. As he continued his sprint, he looked down at his hand. "...." It was white. ¡­.Pale¨Cwhite. And his bangs obscured his peripheral vision slightly. Ink¨Cck. "Ah." He was under the effects of assimtion before he realized it. But Brandonpletely ignored hisplexions. "Step back." Brandon muttered, crouching right beside Raven, who too looked pale. Frustration seemed to creep on his expressions as his brows raised. "Brandon¡­. I¡­." "I know. I don''t care. This floor was designed for us to fail." "...." "Now move back." Raven bit his lip and moved back. He looked around, only to find amethyst flowers spreading in the vast distance. Furthermore, amethyst mes seemed to re around them in a fixed radius. "So this is¡­. your zone." He whispered. There was not much he needed to do. The mes acted as a barrier, immediately scorching the creatures. Brandon extended his hand forward, his other hand extending to the right¡ªkeeping both his focus on the mes¡ªand the mana that was pouring into the seed. Squench. Squench. "...." The seed immediately began to wither, even faster than when it was Raven. Brandon''s eyes narrowed as he tried to focus. He poured his mana into the seed, attempting to control his emotions. But the amethyst mes surrounding them raged, mirroring his inner chaos. Squench. Squench. The tiny green tendrils shriveled, turning brown at an rming rate. "Haaa¡­" Brandon exhaled, trying to calm his breath. "...." But the more he tried, the faster the seed deteriorated. His frustration grew, and so did the withering. Right, there was no way they were going to pass this floor. It just wasn''t tuned to them. Raven, who''s past was rather traumatic, and Brandon who had memories of three different lives. The results were expected. Time seemed to be at a standstill, as the ringing in his ears echoed. But of course, the timer ticked down relentlessly. [Time Remaining: 14:12s] The seed was dying before their eyes, despite his efforts¡ªhis focus alternating between the seed¡ªand the mes. Raven watched, helpless, the color draining from his face. "Brandon¡­.. stop." But Brandon could care less. They were going to fail. Then it was much better to fail faster than dy the inevitable. [Time Remaining: [8:22s] The seed had turned almost entirely ck, brittle and lifeless. [Time Remaining: 00:00] [Objective Failed.] The words appeared in blue, hanging in the air, as if it were mocking them. Brandon''s mes flickered, dimming until they vanished. He pulled his hand back, staring at the dead seed, his shoulders slumping. Failure. "...." Raven stood speechless, his expressions frozen,plexions pale. Brandon too felt exhausted. Indescribable pain flooded internally, but all he could do was grit his teeth. "....?" But as his attention returned to reality, he hade to realize that the creatures¡­. ¡ªHieeeek! They were still there. And additionally, [Return in 150d 23:59:59] Of course, because once the highest floor ascended to had failed, the path to the higher floors closes¡ªonly opening after five months. But furthermore, a question probed his mind. "Why aren''t we ejected yet?" Ten seconds or so had passed. But they were still here. He looked around. The withered grotesque creatures slowly returned to the ground. However, there was a root¨Clike vine connecting to the seed¡ªconnected to the creatures themselves. "Raven." "....What?" "Run." Brandon muttered. He was aware. He had seen this in his memories before. The floor had failed in some progression ago, leading to the imminent death of the top guild, Incadescent mes. Why? Squench Squench. Because the flowers were all connected to the seed. When the seed died, the flowers would return to it, revealing its true form¡ªthe floor''s true nature. Squench. Squench. Raven, albeit confused by the sudden order, assisted Brandon up, lending his shoulder. "What''s going on? Why are we still here? Shouldn''t we have failed the exam already?" "I don''t know how it''s possible, but¡­." Brandon bit his lower lip. "We might be in the real tower." Chapter 360: Timeless [8] "What''s going on?" "Didn''t they just fail the exam?" "Why aren''t they being ejected?" A sudden rise of panic began to fill the monitoring room, as the cadets who stayed behind spoke with tension in their tone. On the monitor, disyed Brandon and Raven, who were running for their lives, trying to dodge the towering creature''s attacks. "...." Amelia stood frozen, staring at the scene nkly. "Ah." Her mouth parted open, her hands trembling. "He''s doing it again¡­." Brandon had broken his promise. His promise to never fight recklessly again. Every fight, it looked as if he was throwing his life on the line. She clenched her fist in frustration. "...." She didn''t want to see him in pain. In suffering. "...." Amelia turned around at the moment and strode off, her bangs obscuring her face. She was quite aware of what was going on. They weren''t in the simtion. It was obvious from what she had heard from the officers. She had no idea where the tower was, but her mind was in a fog. Panic rose within her when she realized the ring that connected her and Brandon wouldn''t activate. As if something inside the location was tampering the ring''s ability. The moment she reached for the doorknob, another hand appeared on top of hers. "...." "...." It was Belle, who had just reached for the doorknob as well. Her expressions were nk, and she looked like she was out of it as well. "Where are you two going?" A deep voice resounded from behind them. Turning around, what met their sight was Bellion. "This exam is a mess." Amelia muttered. "I got the gist of what''s happening." Belle too had shared her own thoughts. After all, Belle was the second cadet to have passed, only five minutes after Amelia. They had seen the officers operate. Some were leaving the room alternately. Amelia had sneaked a couple of nces, realizing they were heading for the interrogation rooms. There were a lot of things that made no sense whatsoever, such as the streaming function. Clearly, Brandon and Raven were facing a life or death situation. But for some reason, they were able to watch the entirety of it. Lots of things didn''t add up, and the Imperial Army withheld concealed information. "Tell us, Field Marshal. What exactly is going on?" And¡­. "Why aren''t they in the simtion?" Thud! A resounding thud echoed from right behind Bellion. It was Amy. Her expressions were grim, and she had just dropped her phone. "What¡­." Her brows raised, her shoulders trembling. "Is that true¡ª" "Holy shit!" "Why are they bleeding!? They''re not supposed to bleed inside the simtion¡­!" Gasps and concern resounded from the cadets, who were watching the monitor in horror. Amelia and Belle exchanged nces, and immediately rushed. As soon as they arrived, they tantly stared at the screen. Amy too had joined along. "Hua¡­!" Amelia gasped, covering her mouth. *** Brandon and Raven rushed outside the vast expanse of withered flowers. The exit portal, which most likely headed for the lower floor, was just up ahead. Swoosh¡ª! Brown tendrils and vines swiftly pierce the air. Behind them, the seed hadpletely turned into a horrifying towering treant. Its body was twisted and malformed, made of darkened, withered bark, with a gaping maw split across its torso. Swoosh¡ª! The treant''s brown tendrilsshed out, slicing through the air like whips. Raven dodged, leaping to the side. "Shit." But Brandon, already drained, wasn''t quick enough. "Brandon!" Raven shouted, horror evident in his expression. Thud¡ª! The vine wrapped around Brandon''s leg, yanking him back. His body hit the ground with a painful thud. He groaned, struggling, trying to sever the vine with his bare hands. But it tightened, thorns digging into his skin, and he felt his blood starting to drain. Brandon tried to muster the mes, his figure aze, trying to scorch the vines. "Fuck, fuck!" But it was to no avail. His mana output wasn''t enough. Raven skidded to a stop, eyes widening as he saw Brandon struggling. "No¡­. Brandon!" Raven cursed, sprinting back toward Brandon. Another vineshed toward him, but Raven ducked low, dodging just in time. He leaped, his daggers glowing faintly with [Reflection], aiming at the vine coiled around Brandon''s leg. sh¡ª! The vine split apart, loosening its hold on Brandon. Raven grabbed Brandon''s arm, pulling him up. "Come on!" Raven urged, his eyes frantic. Brandon stumbled to his feet, his leg still bleeding, pain shooting up his body with every step. The treant roared behind them, a guttural, deep sound that reverberated across the field. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! A ringing sound echoed in his ear, drowning out all the sound as all he could hear was the frantic pace of his heartbeat quickening. "Go, go!" Raven yelled, practically dragging Brandon forward. The treant raised its massive arm, the withered bark twisting grotesquely, and swung at them. Boom¡ª! The ground erupted, dirt and debris flying everywhere as they narrowly avoided the attack, diving to the side. Brandon''s breaths were ragged, his body feeling like it was on the brink of copse. He could barely stand, let alone run. Thud! And he stumbled, his legs were practically screaming from the bacsh of everything that had happened thus far. But it couldn''t be helped. Raven was too weak to even tackle any of the floors by himself. Brandon had to exert his all in assuring they would ascend every floor. Furthermore, Raven had no chance against any of the withered flowers, who relentlessly attacked them like mindless zombies earlier. [Reflection] only worked to distort magic. It wouldn''t cut a living creature down. But now that his thoughts were cleared, that was when he started deducing everything. ''Why are we bleeding?'' ''Why are the pain receptors real?'' ''Why haven''t we been ejected after failing?'' ''Why are we on the 32nd floor?'' These questions confirmed his suspicions. ''It really is the real tower.'' Now that he thought about it, the floors after the first floor didn''t have portals upon aplishment. That stark difference only became obvious to him now. The Dimensional Tower may have had exit portals, but it never had entrance portals. Just that, the scenery would change uponpletion. However, the simtion had no way to replicate the scenery change without a portal. ''I should''ve noticed this detail sooner¡­.'' That after the first floor, they had most probably been thrusted inside the real tower. It didn''t make any sense at all. "...." A sudden chill ran down his spine as soon as he realized Raven might''ve died for good if he had actually killed him on the second floor. A lot of theories flooded his mind in that brief instance. And in the next. Spurt¡ª¡ª! Something warm seeped from his chest, trickling down¡ªa certain dripping sound harrowing in his thoughts. "Brandon!" Raven screamed, extending his hand out,plexions turning abysmally pale. Blood trickled down Brandon''s mouth as he was yanked away from the vine that had justtched onto him. nk¡ª! A metallic sound rang out as the de attached to his chest fell on the ground. The floor was too difficult, especially for the two of them. The field, the flowers¡­. the treant¡­. They had fed off their negative emotions, empowering the treant by this much. [Phantasm] could''ve been possible. But he had expended too much mana for it to even be effective. By estimation, the mist''s coverage wouldn''t expand enough to even be useful. It would be nothing but a waste of mana. And currently, Brandon was trying to save as much mana as possible. Brandon''s mouth parted open, staring at him with a nk expression. But no words woulde out. His voice wouldn''te out. He couldn''t smile, nor mirror the look Raven was giving him. But if Raven could read his lips, he had told him only one word, trying to mouth it with his lips instead. ''Go.'' Chapter 361: Timeless [9] Raven''s thoughts could only be described as inexplicable. It all happened so fast. The moment he had cut off the vinestched on Brandon''s leg, things took apletely different turn. Brandon had just impaled his own chest. The impalement may have seemed shallow, evident by how easily the sword fell from his chest as soon as Brandon was yanked away, but the action seemed needless. It was too much for him toprehend at the moment. But one thing was for sure. Brandon had just sacrificed himself. All for the sake of his survival. He couldn''t let his sacrifice be in vain. And so, He ran. "Haaa¡­." He was powerless against the treant, that much became obvious to him when it took a lot of power to cut down a single vine. But what he had over the vines at this moment was speed. There were several vines and trickles chasing after him, but they seemed to have slowed down as the treant pulled Brandon closer to it. "Fuck." Raven gritted his teeth in frustration, realizing the exit portal was just a reach away. "Brandon." His hand touched the portal''s surface, extending it. "If somehow¡­. some way¡­. you''d survive this adversity¡­. then I''ll return with help." The portal''s surface touched his face, his figure seamlessly blending with the portal. "I won''t give you up like that." It was nothing but a wishful thought. WHIII¡ª As soon as Raven took the exit portal, the familiar sight of the fourth floor appeared before him. But Raven immediately dashed, if there was a slim chance Brandon would survive the encounter, then he needed to find help as fast as he could. Blue words appeared in his peripheral vision. [Floor Reconstruction: 69:59:59] Three days. Then it must''ve been the same for the other floors. [Exit Portal: NE] North east. All he had to do was follow the directions. His breathing was ragged, but unlike Brandon, he didn''t suffer too much damage. The wounds surrounding him were manageable. Shortly after, with no hesitation, Raven took the exit portal. WHIII¡ª But this time, the third floor was muchrger. It would take a lot of time to reach the exit portal. [Exit Portal: SW] But Raven was moving, tempering his legs with as much mana as he could to quicken his pace further. In the next moment, after about ten minutes of running, his steps halted. ".....Who are you?" A man who seemed to be in his thirties stood before him, looking at his clothes, Raven could make a definite guess. Most probably, a ranker. Raven felt ted. Finally, this man might''ve been capable of dealing with the treant. "You¡­. Are you a cadet¡­?" The man asked. "I am¡­. Please, help me. We don''t have enough time!" "Hold on." The man gestured with his hand. "How many cadets are here¡­?" "Huh? I''m not too sure. But we haven''t encountered a single one so far." "We? Where''s the other one then?" "Help me! We need to save him¡­!" Raven eximed, panic evident in his tone. "There''s only two of you?" "Yes, but we''ve got no time, we have to¡ª" "Which floor did you separate?" Raven paused for a second. This was no time to chat. "The fifth." "Fifth?" "Yes?" "You know¡­." Raven had a premonition, a sudden chill ran down his spine as he listened intently. A reality he hadn''t expected at all. "This is the 29th floor." "...." The man revealed everything to Raven¡ªhis identity, and the true nature of the floor they had just tackled. Leon Viesse. That was his name. The Vice¨CGuild Leader of Blood Crescent Moon. "We have to go." Leon spoke seriously. "Wait, we can''t leave hi¡ª" "He''s gone. Didn''t you listen to what I just told you?" But Raven didn''t want to ept it. It was Brandon. There was no way he would fall that easily. "No, I''m telling you, he''s fucking alive! He''s an S¨Crank!" "So what!? Our Leader was an SS¨Crank!" Leon eximed,pletely shooting all of Raven''s hopes down. "...." Raven stood momentarily speechless, his expressions frozen. He had a point. But¡­ "Tsk." He couldn''t ept it. "Listen to me, kid. We have to go before they catch up to us." Leon shook his head and massaged his temple. "Take this." Leon handed him something¡ªa bracelet that was unfamiliar. "I''ve been given this task to save the cadets. And I don''t n on abandoning it." "You''re fucking abandoning one right now!" Raven screamed, clenching his fist in frustration. "And what!? Compromise yours and my safety just to save a single cadet who''s survival isn''t even guaranteed!?" "...." He had a point. If Raven was being rational, then leaving now while they had a chance was the best course of action. "If you die, then that''s on me. My Guild¨Cmembers are risking their lives as we speak!" "...." "Now let''s go. Anything beyond this floor is a hazard. We can only use the exit item once." The Bracelet of Adieu. An item that would take them to the lower floors¡ªparticrly, the first floor. It was handed out to every tower participant after clearing the first floor. But the moment they did receive the bracelets, they had all surrendered it to their Leader¡ªYi Jihyeon. It was discussed that they would give it to the cadets they would encounter. However, it seemed like it was done in vain. Leon harbored deep regrets, but he was instructed to never return to the floor where he had abandoned his guild members. Leon had a bracelet one too, and the replica he had just given Raven¡­. ¡­.Was Yi Jihyeon''s. *** Brandon turned around, a grin creeping on his face as he looked at Raven getting up on his feet, abandoning him. ''Haha.'' Heughed internally. It was just too funny. ''Too ironic.'' "Cough! Cough¡­!" Brandon coughed, clutching his throat, feeling his voice returning. The treant loomed closer than ever before, its towering figure shading the light embellishing the entire floor. However, it was then. "Conditions met." He muttered. He had tried several exchanges the moment his impulses kicked in. The exchange to sacrifice his blood through a binding vow. Was it rational to risk dying by impaling his chest? It probably was, but the risk itself heightened the effects of the exchange. At the moment. [MP: SS+] Brandon Locke''s mana capacity was even above Evelyn''s itself. At that moment, before the treant consumed him whole, a myriad of magic circles materialized behind Brandon. Swoosh¡ª! The chainstched onto the treant, who had remained immobile this entire time, covering its gaping maw. Brandon immediately crashed onto the chains surrounding the tree, a metallic sound echoing. The vines thrashed, but Brandon lunged forward, his hands gripping the chains, pulling with all his might as he dded himself in amethyst mes. ng¡ª! Metallic echoes filled the air as the chains tightened around the creature, constricting its massive form. The treant thrashed, vines swinging wildly. Brandon''s muscles screamed in pain, the mes scorching him from the inside. But he pulled, forcing the creature to stay down. Amethyst mes danced around him, his face twisted in agony, eyes flickering with determination. This was all he could do. A fleeting attempt to survive. Victory was impossible. All he could do was hold it back. Until the mistpletely enveloped the floor. Soon after, it did. The pathways became visible for him to see. And the result? Swoosh¡ª! His figure blurred within the mist,pletely freeing from the vines'' grasps, the chains shattering. Brandon reappeared on the other side of the room. The portal was just a meter away. He could hear the treant''s vines heading towards him from behind, but Brandon didn''t hesitate. WHIII¡ª ¡­.And took the portal. Chapter 362: An Unfamiliar Burden [1] It took no time for Raven and Leon to return to Imperial Academy. The two remained silent throughout the entire travel. Raven was frustrated with him. But seeing the grim expression Leon had often made, Raven didn''t voice out any of his frustrations. For the both of them, their worries were unconfirmed. Whether each of their allies would escape the tower alive or not. But it fared better for Leon, who was confident his guild members would survive the ordeal. Raven on the other hand, was nothing but a wishful hope. In any case, they soon arrived at Imperial Academy. Bang! The door mmed open, and the two emerged into the room. "...." "...." However, their return wasn''t anything but unpleasant. The tension was palpable in the room. Everyone wore grim expressions, some even pale. And those pale expressions¡­. Were none other than his friends. "Raven¡­." Amy whispered barely audibly, and rushed towards him, locking him in an embrace. "...." However, Raven stood still, unable to reciprocate¡ªhis thoughts in disarray, thest moments of Brandon guing him. Much to the point where he could only stare at the ceiling, inadvertently turning his gaze away from Amelia and Belle. He couldn''t meet their eyes. Much more so than shame, he had felt an inexplicable amount of guilt. There were several officers in the room as well. But they were currently focused on the task at hand. Silence gripped the room. No one dared to utter any words. Tak. Tak¡ª! But amidst the silence, the clicking of boots resounded. It was Bellion who was walking towards Raven and Leon. "You did all you could." Bellion assured him, gripping his shoulder. His face seemed to darken, and Raven turned his head away, gritting his teeth. All he could? He was weak. He had barely done a thing to help Brandon during their ascensions. And in the end, he had sacrificed himself just for Raven''s survival. If anything, Brandon deserved to live. ''....Not me.'' "Fuck." He cursed. Thwack! And pped himself, his cheeks turning red. Deserved to live? ''Why am I thinking like this¡­?'' It was as if he was confirming in his heart that Brandon was dead. But more than that, the thought of thinking ungratefully gnawed away at him. "Leon." Bellion looked at Leon, who stared back at him resolutely despite his own struggles. "Yes, Field Marshal." Leon responded, nodding his head. Bellion turned towards Raven and opened his mouth. "If you''ll excuse us, Raven. I need to speak with Leon." "Of course." Raven nodded. The two men walked away after that. Then, Raven''s head tilted down, staring at Amy, whose arms were still wrapped around him. He couldn''t see her face¡ªit was pressed against his chest. But the way her shoulders trembled told him enough. But still, Raven couldn''t reciprocate her feelings back. It wasn''t the time for this. It wasn''t the¡ª "You." Cutting off his thoughts, a certain voice resounded. Raven tried his best to look back at her¡ªBelle¡ªbut the guilt in his heart remained. All he could do was stare down. "Look at me." "...." "You deaf? I said look at me." "...." The harshness in Belle''s tone convinced him, and he btedly raised his head up, meeting her gaze. Belle was currently ring at him, and he could see Amelia pulling her arm back, muttering, "It''s not worth it." ''Haha.'' Heughed internally. To think the person who should''ve been furious at him the most was trying to save him from the inevitable. "Belle¡­." Bellepletely shrugged Amelia off and walked towards him. The sound of her heavy footsteps echoed in Raven''s mind. He had predicted this would happen. He was all ready for it. He clenched his fist. ''If only I was strong enough.'' ''If only I wasn''t a burden to him.'' ''It''s my fucking fault.'' All sorts of negative thoughts gnawed in his mind¡ªhis own way of consoling his vulnerability. "You abandoned him." Belle''s cold voice echoed, washing away all his thoughts at that moment. "You left him to die." Raven stood still, allowing Belle to throw all sorts of curses at him. But it was then when Amy pulled away from him, a single teardrop stained the floor. "What are you saying!?" Amy spat out, clenching her fist and ring at Belle. "Amy, stop. She''s not wro¡ª" "That''s unfair! Raven was struggling too! He doesn''t deserve this!" Amy eximed. "If he was that weak, then why take the exam at all!? Why are you even here!?" But Belle shot back, clenching her fist and raising her tone, immediately silencing Amy. "You think this ce is all fun and games!?" "I¡­" Amy stammered, unable to articte her words. "Please stop, General Locke. Leave her out of this. This is my fault to begin with." Raven stepped forward, trying to protect any ounce of dignity Amy had. Because from the looks the other cadets present were giving them, they seemed to be on Belle''s side. "I''m d you understand that. Indeed, it is your fucking fault." Belle cursed. "Belle, stop it¡­." Amelia tried pulling Belle back, holding onto her arm. But her dark expression told Raven all he needed to know. She too seemed to hold disdain towards him, but out of the kindness in her heart, decided not to furtherplicate the issue. "Amelia, what''s wrong with you? You should be even angrier than me!" "It''s not worth it. Let''s just all calm dow¡ª" "No." Belle shook her head dismissively, cutting off Amelia''s sentence. "Is that how much he meant to you!? This guy¡­." Belle pointed at Raven, who stood still, epting all the harsh words. "This guy fucking abandoned my brother!" It may have seemed over the top. But as a soldier, desertion was akin to betrayal. Of course, they didn''t know that Brandon had specifically told him to leave him. If anything, he wanted to tell them it was consensual. But¡­. Raven couldn''t. The guilt wouldn''t allow him. Because during his struggles¡­. ¡­.He too had thoughts of abandoning Brandon. The guilt in his heart was due to the relief he felt. Relief that he had survived. Relief that¡­. his insecurity was finally gone¡­. It was nothing but a fleeting thought. But the fact that those thoughts even urred¡­. He could only feel disgust for himself. "I had lost my brother once¡­. I thought he was dead for a year¡­." Belle gritted her teeth. "....Damn it Brandon." She clenched her face, a tear trickling down. Belle''s shoulders trembled, her hand covering her face, tears staining the floor. No one could offer her any words of constion. Because the woman beside her¡ªAmelia, she too was drowning in tears. How couldn''t they, when thest scene they had seen in the monitor was the sight of Brandon being pulled towards the horrifying treant''s maw? In their point of view, Brandon had died before their very eyes. Even Amy couldn''t utter any words, her head lowered, face darkened. "Hey." Belle''s cold words resounded once again, uncovering her face and staring coldly at Raven. "Do us all a favor and drop¨Cout before another cadet gets abandoned." Leaving off with those words, Belle turned around and walked away. It was unfair. Totally unfair. The exams had clearly been tampered with. It wasn''t as if Raven had wanted it to happen. But he couldn''t refute any of what Belle had told him. Amelia stood still in front of Raven. She raised her head, meeting his gaze. "...." Her expressions werepletely pale. Her eyelids seemed to have bloated, her eyes bloodshot. "Don''t misunderstand my silence. I can''t forgive you. Firstly, as Brandon''s girlfriend, and secondly, as an officer." "Wait." Before Amelia could walk away, Raven feltpelled to tell her something. "I don''t know if these words would console you. But¡­. just know that this is Brandon we''re talking about. He wouldn''t¡­. die that easily." His wording hade out wrong, and now he feared if he had said the wrong thing. "He told me to leave him. He must''ve had a n. Please, believe in him." Finally, the words stuck in the back of his throat finally escaped his mouth. Words he had failed to say to Belle, a sister in grief, fearing that his words wouldn''t reach her anyway. "Please pass this message to General Locke. And¡­." He lowered his head. "I''m sorry." With that, Amelia left him and Amy to their own devices. Raven''s fists tightened, staring down. "Raven¡­. Forget what they said, it wasn''t your fault¡­." Amy''s voice echoed, but it all went to deaf ears. "Haaa¡­." Raven took a deep breath and his shoulders slumped down. He was exhausted. "This ce isn''t for me." * * [AN] I''d just like to announce that I''ve started a patreon in case any of you would like to support me outside of WN. Link is in the synopsis, as well as my profile. Chapter 363: An Unfamiliar Burden [2] Brandon''splexions were pale due to the amount of blood he had lost. He had managed to stop the bleeding in his chest somewhat, blocking the drain with his mana. But still, It hurt. A lot. The effects of his binding vow were still there. It would take a lot of consumption just to drain all the abundance of mana he currently had. For that reason, gritting his teeth, Brandon traversed the floors, blending within the mist. Each floor''s expanse varied. On average, efficiently conserving his mana, it took about five minutes topletely envelop a single floor Brandon didn''t want to expend too much mana, in the off chance that he would have to face another foe. Thud! Oftentimes, he would stumble. And oftentimes, he would get back up on his feet. He had to leave this deathtrap before the floors were reconstructed. WHIII¡ª Portal¡­. WHIII¡ª After portal. WHIII¡ª After portal. He was getting nauseous due to the instantaneous traveling. "Uekk¡­!" He would even gag, a retching sound echoing, but he held it in. Head spinning, his body stumbled slightly. He had reached even the lower floors. Floors he had never tackled with Raven. They werepletely empty, some with unique looking terrains, somepletely in. Much to the point where he thought he would go insane¡ªseeing the emptiness the floors had. He had to pause on the 16th floor due to motion sickness. Stumbling down, his vision grew hazy and his entire world was a blur¡ªspinning. And, "Blergh¡­.!" Unable to hold it in any longer, crouched down on the ground, he puked. As soon as he finished, he wiped his face with his clothes and stood up. Pulling his gloves tightly, Brandon reassessed his thoughts before continuing. WHIII¡ª "Uek¡­!" WHIII¡ª Thud! His eyes bulged, and the only sound he could make was a painful cough as he stumbled down on the ground. His stomach felt like it was twisted in knots. Much from the nausea, and from the starvation. He hadn''t eaten a single meal in a day. But still, he persevered, lifting his head up from the ground, propping his body up. WHIII¡ª He couldn''t make sense of the floors anymore. Just that, he was aware it was all cleared. Questions filled his mind one after another; ''Who cleared the floors? How were we thrusted in the higher floors? How¡­.'' If he didn''t flood his mana over the brim, it would probably take a whole week to venture down, knowing how vast the floors were. Each time he fell, his hands fumbled the ground, the dirt staining his gloves. There were puke stains on his clothes as well, but once more he continued. WHIII¡ª Stay connected with m-v l|e''-NovelBin "Haaa¡­." WHIII¡ª "I''m tired¡­." WHIII¡ª "Fucking annoying." WHIII¡ª He had continuously traversed the floors, using the same strategy of immediately teleporting to the other side of the room using¡ª[Phantasm]. There were certain floors where it wasn''t possible, and he needed to cross certain paths for the portal to be reachable. It was only until the sixth floor, when things got a bit shaky. "Ah." Swoosh¡ª! Darkness. Complete utter darkness. Furthermore, he couldn''t feel the solid ground, and from the sound of wind whistling in the air, he was most probably¡­. "Fuck." ¡­.Falling. It was only when he realized the state he was in, when he turned his head down, staring at the ground. There was water, and it seemed like the ground was illuminated. From the looks of it, the water was shallow. "Shit, shit¡­." His voice came out hoarse¡ªmouth parched. He had about three hundred yards before his body hit the ground. There had to be a way to stop the fall. The air whipped past Brandon''s face as he continued falling. Two hundred yards. Time was running out. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! He clenched his teeth, his heart pounding in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears. "Think¡­. think¡­.!" He muttered, forcing his clouded mind to focus. The wind roared around him, the ground rushing up to meet him. Could there be¡­. a wall? With those thoughts in mind, Brandon outstretched his arms wide. A magic circle materialized in his palms, and chains erupted, piercing the left, and the right side. However, "Fuck!" The chains hadn''t managed to strike anything solid at all as it iled downwards uselessly. Nothing totch onto. Panic surged within him. "Damn it!" He cursed, heart hammering harder as the ground rushed closer. Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! His chest felt tight. He needed another n¡ªfast. "Come on¡­!" The shallow water glinted in the dim light below. He had onest chance. Gritting his teeth, Brandon summoned every ounce of mana he could muster, his body igniting in amethyst mes. "Slow¡ªdown¡­" He twisted his body mid-air, the mes erupting below him. Voosh¡ª! The mes pushed against the air, attempting to slow his descent. The heat seared through his body, agony ripping through him. Five hundred feet. Three hundred feet. One hundred feet. Thirty¡­. Ten¡­. CRASH¡ª! Brandon hit the shallow water, the mes flickering out on impact. Despite the leaking mana tempering every fibers in his muscles, pain shot through every bone, his body folding, and the water erupted around him. "Kh¡­!" He gasped, struggling to breathe, his chest on fire, his vision blurred. He had survived. Barely. Brandon dragged himself out of the water, his limbs heavy, and copsed on the wet ground. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." Each breath was a struggle. His body ached, his bones throbbed, but he was alive. That had to be enough. He needed to move. Slowly, painfully, Brandon pushed himself up, his hands trembling. He stumbled forward, his eyes fixed ahead. "Get¡­. out¡­. Cough!" One step at a time. He couldn''t stop now. The shallow water soaked his body, his limbs aching, his vision blurring. He tried to stand, but his legs buckled. He fell to his knees, coughing, tasting the metallic tang of blood. He whispered, dragging himself forward, his hands trembling. Every breath hurt. Every muscle screamed in pain. But he couldn''t stop. Not here. Not like this. He pushed himself up, his eyes fixed on the faint light ahead. "Fucking hell¡­." He muttered, his voice almost a whisper. His legs shook, his body swaying, but he moved forward. The light grew brighter each step he took, dragging his body and gritting his teeth¡ªfighting off the pain. Until finally, WHIII¡ª He had entered the fifth floor. Just a bit more. "A bit more¡­." He could finally go back home. Who knows how much time had passed? He had lost all senses of time. In any case, light finally engulfed his vision. The darkness that seemed to creep behind him had almost made him mad. So much so that he felt most of his senses numb by now. But this floor¡ªthe fifth floor¡­. "...." His body froze, steps halted as he stared in horror. "What¡­." A sudden chill ran down his spine as a memory triggered. Memories he had mostly put in the back of his mind¡ªmemories he never needed to remember. But¡­. he stared at the scene. He could''ve just traversed the entire floor instantaneously, engulfing it in mist. But he couldn''t peel his eyes away. He couldn''t make sense of it either. What the hell happened here!? There shouldn''t have been anyone else besides him and Raven inside the tower. "...." Corpses. Corpses of humansy strewn everywhere. Chapter 364: An Unfamiliar Burden [3] Bellion and Leon had just finished speaking. Leon debriefed him of everything that happened inside the tower. From the facts and information that was exchanged, it was clear to them that everything had been an borate scheme to lure Blood Crescent Moon guild inside the tower. The two hoped every member survived, but from the way Leon exined how the fighting went down, chances seemed to be slim. Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin However, the two firmly believed at least five or six people would survive the encounter. Nevertheless, it was guaranteed Yi Jihyeon would survive. Hopefully, after her return, they could uncover these two figures'' identities. But the facts presented, and from every dilemma that had happened thus far, Bellion was aware of the origins. "Milis." He muttered. "Tsk." And clenched his fist. So far, this was the most major event to this day. But that aside, there was something else that troubled Bellion more. The spies he had sent over two months ago had stopped reporting back. Did something happen? A sudden chill ran down his spine as he pondered on these thoughts. Then, his thoughts drifted somewhere else. Brandon Locke. He had seen it in the monitor himself¡ªBrandon Locke¡ªheading straight first to the treant''s gaping maw. The streaming stopped there, as if it were mocking them, creating an air of mystery regarding his survival. In all honesty, he was furious with Leon for his decision in not checking the higher floor. But still, he couldn''t me him. He had heard of the stories of the 32nd floor. Furthermore, he had seen it himself. The moment this information was disclosed, Leon was horrified. In any case, it was without a doubt, that this marked the end of Blood Crescent Moon. A guild that had reigned the top for a year. Just how many losses were they going to suffer during this cold war? ''How long will this cold warst?'' Problems after problems probed his mind one after another. So much so, that Bellion didn''t even have the luxury for the events to actually register in his head. He realized the graveness in the situation, but his mind, exhausted, seemingly about to break, couldn''tprehend anything anymore. But still, standing firm, focusing on the task at hand, Bellion and Leon headed directly to the interrogation room. Iron Fist guild had denied all allegations, but Bellion couldn''t trust them. They were the only suspect, and for what reason, Bellion couldn''t even begin to think. But one thing was certain. They were traitors. They had most probably sold themselves out in guarantee for survival. This meant they had no trust that Holy Britannia would even win this war, regardless of the positive results that happened in the past year. They had concluded this continent had lost before the war had even officially begun. Bibibiiip¡ª A beeping sound echoed as Bellion unlocked the interrogation room''s passcode. "...." "...." As soon as they entered the room, the two stood still, staring at the window separating the room, horrified. Blood spattered inside the separate room, staining the walls. Around the table, whom a certain person should''ve been seated at, nowy on the ground lifeless. "Fuck!" "The hell happened here!?" The two immediately rushed inside the room and checked for the lifeless n Ross'' vital signs. Goosebumps crawled over Bellion''s skin as his index finger pressed on n Ross'' neck. Only to find no pulse. Dead. Who in the world could''ve done this!? "Who dares to trespass Imperial Army grounds!?" Bellion eximed, a vein popping in his head. He had told the other officers that the room was unauthorized. . The room had been locked with a barrier field, and only Bellion knew of the passcode. There should''ve been no one else that could''ve entered the room where n Ross was detained. "...." A certain detail caught his eyes. On n Ross'' chest, where the mana core should''ve been, there were roots that epassed around his skin. A hole seemed to have torn through his mana core, blood staining the area around the hole. Blood trickled down n Ross'' mouth as well, and his eyes werepletely wide open with no pupils. And furthermore, there was something else that was even more peculiar. "Is that¡­." "Cherry blossom leaves¡­?" There were small pink petals¡ªcherry blossom leaves, that seemed to have grown from the roots. "Field Marshal, isn''t this¡­." "It''s mana." In other words, n Ross was murdered by a mage. And from the looks of it, the mage''s affinity was rted to [Nature]. Or rather¡ªan advance alignment to [Nature]. A mage that had ascended passed their basic affinity. There were only so few mages in the Imperial Army with the nature affinity. Bellion had known them for years, and none of them were capable of this. Much less, ascended their affinities in this way. "Fuck, Leon. Close the perimeters!" He instructed, raising his voice. "Understood." Leon nodded his head. Immediately, he rushed out of the room with Leon. The two went in separate directions. There was no time to waste. The next moment, he called for every officer in charge of interrogation. "...." But to his surprise, there were no certain changes to the other detained Iron Fist guild members. "I''ve checked the surveince footage, Field Marshal. No one had entered the room after you left." An officer, after instructing him to check the surveince, entered the room and announced. Then¡­. who? Just who¡­.? Bellion furrowed his brow and rubbed his temple. He felt like he was having a headache. By now, the entire academy had been closed. Any cadet that was still within perimeters were instructed not to leave until further notice. "Haaa¡­. Fuck, make sure nothing happens to the othe¡ª" Just as he was about to finish his next set of instructions¡­. It was then. "Uekh¡­!" "Akh!" "Kh¡­!" "Haak!" Groans echoed one after anothering from the cells around him. Bellion looked around in horror and rushed, grabbing the iron bar, gripping tightly. "Oy! What''s wrong!?" He asked, his tone panicked. The other officers in the room did the same, grabbing onto the iron bars, asking the same question as Bellion. "Akhh¡­!" "Speak, damn it!" An Iron Fist¡ªGuild member staggered inside the cell, clenching onto his face as if it was about to burst. "Oy!" Blood seeped from his nose, mouth, and then¡­. "Oy!" ¡­.His eyes. Spurt¡ª! Blood spattered, gushing out from the man''s chest as if his flesh had exploded, staining the cell room. Thud! The man copsed, his hands weakly hitting the ground. His mouth hung wide open, blood trickling down, eyes pure white and lifeless¡ªhis face drained of color. As his gaze lowered, he could see roots emerging from the man''s chest. It was the same as what happened to n Ross. And shortly after¡­. Squench. Cherry blossoms. Small pink petals began to germinate gradually from the roots. "...." Bellion stood motionless, staring into the cell, struggling toprehend the sight before him. The silence of the room seemed to press in on him, a chill running down his spine. "...." The man inside the celly crumpled, his lifeless body twisted unnaturally, blood pooled beneath him. But that wasn''t all. His gaze swept the room.and the truth sank in, heavy and cold. They were all dead. Every Iron-Fist guild member, each body scattered like discarded dolls. Lifeless eyes, pale faces, and grotesque roots sprouting from some of their chests. Pink petals growing from the roots. "Hukk...!" Bellion''s breath caught in his throat. This was no ordinary death¡ªit was something far worse. Something twisted and unnatural. ....The entire cell was a scene from a nightmare. Chapter 365: An Unfamiliar Burden [4] The rise of a new dawn came up. Twenty four hours had already passed since the exam started¡ªor rather, the failure of an exam. Evelyn''s thoughts were in disarray after what happened to Brandon¡ªadded Yi Jihyeon''s unconfirmed fate. However, she had a job to do¡ªto close the academy ground perimeters¡ªprohibiting anyone to step foot inside¡ªor any of the cadets to leave the premises. The entire day, she had been so busy that the events hadn''t registered to her yet. But then, after a moment''s silence¡ªallowing her to get her thoughts together¡ªit finally hit her. Something bad could''ve happened to Yi Jihyeon, and Brandon might not be¡­.ing back. "...." She turned her head outside, staring at the window. The rise of a new dawn. But it was snowing heavily. An oppressive feeling bottled up in her chest. A feeling she shouldn''t have been feeling. Especially because¡­. [December 14, 2149]. [Happy Birthday!] Phone notifications flooded her screen. It was her birthday. *** Brandon stood still, staring at the scene nkly. "...." Corpses of humansy strewn everywhere¡ªsending chilling goosebumps all over his skin. The ground, once green, was now soaked in blood. Bodiesy scattered like broken dolls, limbs twisted, faces frozen in terror. Pools of crimson seeped into the earth, staining the grass. He looked up at the sky¡ªan oppressive shade of gray, no light prating the heavy clouds. The trees surrounding the area, what should''ve stood tall and proud, were now shattered. Branches torn apart, trunks splintered. Among the twisted roots, bodies slumped, lifeless eyes staring into the void. Some had gaping wounds, others were barely recognizable¡ªfaces frozen in terror. Thirty, fifty¡ªtoo many to count. Squench. Squench. Each step echoed, the wet soil squelching beneath his boots. The air reeked of death, a scene he should''ve grown used to by now. Thirty, fifty bodies¡ªtoo many to count. A horrifying sight. What the hell happened here!? Certain memories were triggered in his head¡ªgiving him a massive headache as he tried pushing them all back down. But Brandon could only give an incredulous look. There was no way the tower''s fifth floor had wiped out an entire battalion¡ªmuch less a group of powerful rankers. It was not the death itself that gripped his chest, but rather, the turn of events. From the exams, the tower''s reality, his fight to escape the tower, and now this. It was all too much. Squench. Squench. However, he continued to walk, unable to utter any words. It was hard to discern their identities, their faces were drenched in blood. From what he knew thus far, the Dimensional Tower were guild jurisdictions. Meaning, they were on his side. Holy Britannia''s side. Assets that boosted their firepower in the war. But now, they were all here. Dead. ¡ªYou hypocrite. A certain voice rang from behind him, making his brows furrow. ¡ªYou''re about to gag aren''t you? It was Lumian. He could hear his voice as if he was really there, crystal clear. ¡ªAfter everything you''ve done so far, it only affects you if you''re at the short end of the stick, huh? Brandon clenched his jaw, trying to ignore Lumian''s voice echoing in his mind. Squench. Squench. He walked through the field of corpses, the scent of decay clinging to the air. It was then. "...." Halting in his steps, his eyes drifted to a familiar insignia on the ground, stained with red¡ªBlood Crescent Moon. "Shit¡­." He knelt and picked up the insignia. A Guild¡ªone of their own. But not just any Guild. The strongest Guild currently. ¡ªLook at you, pretending to care. "Shut up." Brandon''s eyes narrowed, his hand trembling as he squeezed the insignia in his hand. These people were supposed to help, protect, support. Now they were nothing but broken remains. Squench. Brandon forced himself back on his feet, swallowing the bile rising in his throat. The scene, the smell¡ªit was overwhelming. Memories triggered once more, a familiar gruesome scene just like this. But memories¡­. they were nothing but fragments. The real deal was much more different¡ªmuch more suffocating. He needed answers ....He needed to know why they were here and what killed them. ¡ªYou know nothing, Brandon Locke. And that''s the truth. Brandon shut his eyes, blocking Lumian out, and pushed forward. Things had been going well so far. But this¡­. This took the cake. Itpletely shattered his firm belief that this cold war was possible to win. Just as he was about to drown in the abyss of his thoughts¡ªtrying to push the triggered visions in the back of his mind¡­. "Is¡­. anyone there?" A female voice rang from somewhere, hoarse and exhausted. Brandon raised his head. "I''m over here." The words had managed to leave his mouth. "Please¡­. Help me¡­." Her voice reached his ears, it sounded like she was trying to muster her strength just to speak clearly for Brandon to hear. "Hold on." Brandon rushed to the source of the voice. In the next moment, he saw it. "Huuk...!" Brandon''s breath caught in his throat as he saw her slumped against the shattered tree, her face pale, her eyes half-open. Yi Jihyeon¡ªthe examiner¡ªBlood Crescent Moon''s Guild¨CLeader. She should''ve been a valuable asset in the uing war. Brandon was without a doubt familiar with her. How could he not when she was the renowned Yi Jihyeon? In every progression she was relevant, the woman who was known as Lucian Frost''s mentor. "Yi Jihyeon¡­?" She shouldn''t have fallen like this. Not in a ce like this. "Who...?" She blinked, struggling to focus, her voice weak, barely a whisper. "Hold on, I''m here." He quickly looked over her injuries¡ªdeep gashes, blood still flowing. She was barely holding on. She tried to speak, her gaze distant and filled with regret. "Please... help..." "Don''t talk. Save your strength." Brandon muttered, voice cracking slightly. She shook her head, her words faltering. "They... They were¡ªCough!" A cough interrupted her, blood trickling from her lips. Brandon swallowed hard. He knew time was running out, and there was nothing he could do for her. Certain sacrifices could''ve been made to save her, but¡­. weighing the pro''s and con''s, it wasn''t worth it. And additionally, he could sacrifice the mana he had now for her too, but it wouldn''t be enough to save her. It would only dy the inevitable¡ªher death. He too needed to escape, to prioritize his survival over hers. And so, the only logical thing he could do was extract information from her. "What happened here?" "You¡­." However, Yi Jihyeon replied differently, her hands drenched in blood¡ªmixed with the dirt, touched his face. "Why are you here¡­. cadet?" Chapter 366: An Unfamiliar Burden [5] ¡¯Why am I here¡­?¡¯ He thought inwardly. ¡¯How should I answer?¡¯ It was kind ofplicated. He was just taking the exam¡­? Then suddenly, not taking the exam? It was hard to exin. He was just about to open his mouth, when Yi Jihyeon spoke first, her bloodied hand caressing his cheek. "Where is¡­. Leon? You should¡¯ve left him with him. Don¡¯t tell me¡­." Her breathing grew ragged with anxiety. "Calm down, Miss Jihyeon. Easy breaths, easy¡­." "Huu¡­. I¡¯m fine¡­." "I don¡¯t know anything about this¡­. Leon, but do know there¡¯s no other cadets left besides me." "You were¡­. abandoned?" "I believe so. But that¡¯s not important right now¡ª" All of a sudden, Yi Jihyeon¡¯s hand on his cheek began emitting a pure¨Cwhite glow. At that moment, Brandon felt the pain in his body soothe to a certain degree. "You¡¯re hurt¡­." "...." Brandon was speechless. Instead of healing herself, despite her seemingly fatal injuries, she could have at least alleviated her own pain rather than focusing on him. Yi Jihyeon looked like she wanted to curse, to berate this Leon guy, but held back as she drew another breath in. Then, he looked around, scrutinizing at the gruesome sight before turning back towards her. Staring at her blue sky¨Cblue eyes intently, Brandon asked. "Miss Jihyeon, tell me everything that¡¯s happened here." Yi Jihyeon stared lifelessly at him, her mouth hanging agape. Brandon could hear small breaths drawing in¡ªYi Jihyeon¡ªtrying to muster up her courage to recall whatever tragedy befell. Shortly after, the words she could barely suppress flowed out of her mouth gradually. "They left me¡­. alive¡­. I watched my men die one after¡­. another¡­. I¡­. It hurts. Cough¡­!" Yi Jihyeon twitched slightly as she coughed, blood sputtered out of her mouth and stained the ground. "They? Who? And why are you here? You should¡¯ve been conducting the exams." Brandon questioned one after another, but stopped at his third question, realizing it might¡¯ve been too much for Yi Jihyeon to answer all at once. However, to his surprise, she answered each of his questions to the best of her capabilities. "We came here¡­. to save¡­. you¡­. But were intercepted by¡­. Cough! ¡­.Two people." "Save me? How did you know I was here in the first ce?" It might¡¯ve been imptertinent to ask a dying person everything, but Brandon needed to know all the facts. He had to. For her sake. So Yi Jihyeon¡¯s life wouldn¡¯t be in vain. "They found an error¡­. That¡­. n Ross¡­. They concluded¡­. Cough! ¡­.That it was highly likely you were thrusted in the tower¡­. Reasons unknown¡­. unthinkable¡­." Indeed, it was obvious to Brandon by now that the exam had been tampered with. But to be able to redirect a simtion¡¯s portal inside the tower? It was unheard of. And in the first ce, the 27th floor!? It was truly insane. "I understand. Thank you for telling me as best as you can." Yi Jihyeon nodded her head lifelessly, her expression nk, and her facepletely pale. "About those¡­. two people¡­. Please, don¡¯t¡­. Fight them¡­. Save yourself¡­." Brandon only had one thought that came to mind when he heard her words. "Milis, right?" "...." For the first time, Yi Jihyeon showed a reaction, her eyes widening. "Milis¡­. How did you know?" After all, in fear of a mass panic, the cold war between Milis, and the uing war had never been disseminated to the public. Even if the cadets refuse to join the war, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to arm the youth the necessary weapons to fight their adversaries. Brandon closed his eyes. Then, opening them, he looked at her seriously "I¡¯m the secret benefactor responsible for Twilight Syndicate¡¯s downfall." "...." Yi Jihyeon could only stay speechless after his revtion. "I see, so you¡¯re¡­. Cough! ¡­.The new S¨Cranker¡­. I¡¯m so d¡­. You¡¯re¡­. alive." Brandon nodded his head, responding to the faint smile Yi Jihyeon was giving him. "As you said¡­. There¡¯s no doubt about it¡ªCough! ¡­.It¡¯s Milis." Brandon mulled over her words and looked around. "You said there were two? How powerful were they to have¡­." His words trailed off from there, afraid of uttering the certain words that could crush Yi Jihyeon¡¯s heart. "Nothing I¡¯ve¡­. Ever seen before¡­. Iprehensible¡­. But there was one thing I felt from them¡­. The way they spoke¡­. Their approach regarding the battle¡­." "What is it?" "Pride." Your next read awaits at m v|l-e¡¯m,p| y- r "...." A sudden chill ran down his spine as those words left Yi Jihyeon¡¯s mouth. Pride? The Seven Circles? It couldn¡¯t have been. If that were the case, Yi Jihyeon would¡¯ve tantly told him it was a Wraith. But from what she said, they seemed to have been human. It was then. Brandon recalled the time he had tortured Zeke. ¡¯The Sin of Archbishops.¡¯ He felt like he hit the mark. No, he was certain. It was most probably them. The reality of the situation washed over Brandon like a tidal wave. He stared at his hand, realizing the silence that seemed to grip his heart. "...." It was trembling. "Haha." He could onlyugh at himself. He had long sacrificed the emotion of fear, yet the body seemed to have reciprocated the effects anyway. Noticing the grim expression he was making, Yi Jihyeon broke the silence with a cough. "Please, run¡­. Tell everyone¡­. This war isn¡¯t worth it¡­. You¡¯re still young¡­. Don¡¯t throw your life so¡ªCough! ¡­.Needlessly." Blood trickled, sputtered, and drenched Yi Jihyeon¡¯s figure in herst dying breath. "There might¡¯ve¡­. been a chance if he was still¡­. alive." "He?" "Lucian." Of course, because Lucian Frost¡¯s death sparked the start of this cold war. No, even if Lucian Frost was still alive, Milis had schemed for who knows when. His death only served as their motivation¡ªa chance for them to finally bare their fangs against Holy Britannia. "That boy¡­. he was so young¡­. I had taught him everything he knew¡­." Yi Jihyeon started reminiscing about her time mentoring Lucian. Back when she was still an Astres Academy instructor. Furthermore, she started recalling her life story. From her childbirth, the people she met, her journey, her experiences. As if she was lost in a daze. "Brandon Locke¡­. correct?" "Yes." Brandon nodded his head, sping Yi Jihyeon¡¯s brittle and rough hands, listening to her entire story intently. It was the least he could do for her. "I¡¯ve heard¡­. about you¡­. you were quite famous a year ago¡­. Evelyn wouldn¡¯t stop boasting about you¡­. How you were her student¡­." Yi Jihyeonughed for the first time ever since the encounter. "Aww¡­. It¡¯s her birthday too¡­. I¡ªHic." Those words¡­. Realizing the depth, the weight of Yi Jihyeon¡¯s fondness for Evelyn felt as if something inside him shattered. Seeing tears start trickling down, mixing with the blood on her face, her cracking voice blending with her asional coughs and hups broke Brandon¡¯s heart. He wasn¡¯t particrly close with Yi Jihyeon, and normally, her death wouldn¡¯t have affected his emotions to this degree. Sadness. That was all he could feel at the moment. "I wanted to celebrate it with her¡­. I guess¡­. We¡¯ll never have that¡­. coffee¡­." She smiled a cumbersome smile as the tears started pouring down. "She¡­. She would always forget her birthday¡­. calling it a regr day¡ªHic." "...." "Now who¡¯s going to remind her¡­?" To remind her that she mattered. For Evelyn, her birthday might¡¯ve been a painful reminder. A reminder that she had parents. And most probably the reason why she had never wanted to celebrate it. But for the people around her, it was a reminder that Evelyn Cessna existed. To the public, she was their hope. But to the people close to her, though she was blind to see it, she was a blessing, a mentor, and a friend. "Do me a favor¡­. will you?" "Anything." Brandon nodded his head, holding onto Yi Jihyeon¡¯s hand. "Please be kind to her." "Of course." To think that in her dying moments, Yi Jihyeon prioritized her loved ones instead of her own self. Brandon could only imagine how much it tormented her the moment Lucian¡¯s death became public. Silence. "Hic." Nothing but silence amidst the carnage around the vicinity. "Miss Jihyeon." Brandon whispered. He couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. Even if it meant that things would end in vain, he didn¡¯t want Yi Jihyeon¡¯s death to be for naught. "Pass your burdens onto me." "W¨CWhat?" Yi Jiheyon stared at him with raised brows, tears trickling down, but her crying paused. "I solemnly swear to you I¡¯ll avenge you¡ªNo, that¡¯s not right." He shook his head. "I¡¯ll avenge Blood Crescent Moon." "No¡­. Didn¡¯t you hear what I told you? It¡¯s not worth it¡­. It¡¯s no¡ª" However, seeing the determined look in Brandon¡¯s eyes, Yi Jihyeon stared at him baffled. "You look¡­. just like him¡­. The same eyes when he begged me to mentor him¡­." Brandon solemnly nodded his head. "I don¡¯t know what you mean by¡­. burden¡­." "Your ability." "Yes¡­?" "Pass it onto me. Your struggles, your burdens, your sorrow¡­. I¡¯ll carry it all." "Is that even¡­. possible?" It was unheard of. But for Brandon, it was possible. He knew it was possible. Because he had first¨Chand experience in it. "Just repeat after me." A binding vow, mixed with his ability, [Retribution]. And so, rather confused by everything, Yi Jihyeon followed his words. And by the end of it¡­.. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª [Special Affinities] ¨N[Permafrost] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª His very own affinity¡ªcorrting to [Ice]. No, it was Yi Jihyeon¡¯s will. And he nned on carrying that will until the end. By now, Yi Jihyeon looked drained, even more so than before. "Brandon Locke¡­. Please see it till the end." Her voice started to fade, growing weaker in the passing seconds. "Please win this war." Chapter 367: White Christmas [1] From everything he had been told so far, it became apparent to him now. Yi Jihyeon¡ªBlood Crescent Moon Guild. They were set up. An borate ploy to annihte the top guild. Brandon wouldn¡¯t let this slide. This cold war¡­. Despite their disadvantageous position. He didn¡¯t n on fleeing. As long as he yed his cards right. Because he knew. He was already well aware of it this entire time. "Lucian Frost." That Lucian Frost should be somewhere out there alive. That he was inside the rift. But Brandon didn¡¯t have the confidence he could pull him out of the rift. Nor did he have the power to dive into the rift and pull him out, all while guaranteeing his own safety at the same time. But he was out there somewhere¡ªand would be a substantial asset in the war. ¡¯Don¡¯t die.¡¯ He solemnly hoped. Because if it wasn¡¯t actually the case then¡­. "Huu¡­." It didn¡¯t matter. "I¡¯ll do it all myself." His thoughts gathered together. In front of him, Yi Jihyeon¡¯s life was fading¡ªa broken shell of her former self. "I¡¯m sorry, Miss Jihyeon. But I can¡¯t prepare a proper burial for you." His muscles were screaming in pain. He didn¡¯t have the luxury to prepare a proper burial for her. For all of them. "Ah, it¡¯s really hitting me now¡­. I really am about to die¡­. aren¡¯t I?" Snap¡ª! Brandon snapped his fingers. At that moment, amethyst mes ignited, contorting into a flower. "I can¡¯t offer a real flower. But I hope this makes up for it." Brandon gentlyid the zing amethyst flower right beside Yi Jihyeon. Yi Jihyeon stared at it intently, her eyes flickering with signs of life. "It¡¯s beautiful." That was all she could say, staring at the flower with her fading eyes. Then, she returned her attention back to Brandon. "But¡­. can I make onest request¡­?" "Of course." Brandon nodded his head. What more could she ask for? There was not much he could do at the moment. But he would try his best to fulfill any of her wishes as possible. "....Hold me?" "Yes?" Was he hearing it right? "I don¡¯t want to die alone." It was one of the reasons why Yi Jihyeon took up mentorship. So she could surround herself with people she woulde to love. And now, it must¡¯ve pained her heart to know she was thest one alive amongst the people that died. Her people. Brandon nodded and leaned in, carefully wrapping his arms around Yi Jihyeon, mindful of her wounds to avoid causing her pain. It was finally when he noticed it. No wonder Yi Jihyeon had only been using one hand this whole time. "...." ¡­.Because she had lost the other one. It was clearly deliberate. They had tortured her, leaving her alive to watch everything she had worked so hard for crumble. The two remained still as Yi Jihyeon¡¯s shoulders trembled frequently, the dreadful silence punctuated by her asional sobs and whimpers. Unable to find any proper words to console her, Brandon could only grit his teeth, softly stroking Yi Jihyeon¡¯s hair as her breathing grew weaker with each passing second. And momentster¡­ Voosh¡ª! The amethyst mes died out, and¡­. "...." Yi Jihyeon passed away in his arms. *** A day had already passed since the final examinations. Things had been quite hectic inside Imperial Academy. The news of the Iron Fist¨Cguild members¡¯ sudden deaths had been kept strictly confidential. However, as an Imperial Army officer, Amelia and Belle had the right to know what happened behind the scenes. In just a single day, so much has happened. The order to close academy grounds had already ceased, and cadets were instructed to go home for the day. But Amelia didn¡¯t feel like going home. Her house¡ªthe apartment she grew up in¡ªnow finally had people. Yet for some reason, it felt lonelier than ever. And it seemed like Belle had the same thoughts as her as she sat right beside Amelia. The two were currently by the academy entrance, seated on the flight of stairs as they stared at the snowkes. [1:00 PM.] It was currently the afternoon. The sky was a bleak shade of gray, and the heavy snow showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Amelia nced at Belle. She seemed to be doing a lot better nowpared to the exhausted look on her face earlier. Amelia had told her about the ring she shared with Brandon¡ªrevealing his current status. He was alive. Amelia was sure of it. If he wasn¡¯t¡­. "...." Amelia didn¡¯t want to even think about it. "I don¡¯t regret what I said. Desertion is a grave sin¡ªyou know that, right?" Belle asked, her voice rather soft. "Of course, I understand. But did you really have to tell him to drop out? That¡¯s really harsh." "Well, if he does drop out because of what I said, then that just proves my point further. This ce isn¡¯t for him." "Trying to justify yourself now, Belle?" "....Now I feel bad." Belle hugged her knees, feeling remorseful. While she didsh out, Amelia couldn¡¯t me her. If she wasn¡¯t aware of Brandon¡¯s survival, maybe she would¡¯ve reacted the same way as Belle. "Just go and apologize." "You¡¯re right, I should." And that was that. A few moments passed, and suddenly, the door behind them creaked open. A woman, with dark¨Cpurple hair and azure eyes emerged, looking rather exhausted. On her hand was a cigarette which seemed to have been unlit. "Miss Eve¡ªField Marshal?" Amelia corrected herself. "Never thought I¡¯d be so d to see it snow." Flick¡ª Evelyn lit the cigarette, taking a long drag before exhaling, letting the smoke dance gently in the air. "Now I don¡¯t have any reason to go outside. It¡¯s been kind of painfultely." She spoke as she stared at the gentle snowkes not sparing the two girls any nces. It was her birthday. She had never looked forward to it. Because it had always disappointed her. It may have seemed ungrateful, especially knowing how much Yi Jihyeon, Vanessa, and the other Incandescent mes guild¡ªmembers¡ªhad always thrown her a party. But Evelyn could never shake off the feeling of disappointment whenever it was her birthday. She had never told anyone why. Because it hurts. Because her birthday entailed a promise. A promise that was broken¡ªbut somewhere inside Evelyn¡¯s heart, she was still waiting for it to be fulfilled. For her father to return. But that had never happened. She recalled his words from back then. ¡ªHehe~ Happy Birthday, Eve~! ¡ªAfter Daddy gets his paycheck for the day, we¡¯ll have a big feast tonight~! Growing up in the slums, they didn¡¯t have much. But Evelyn was quite content with her family. A family of two. After all, Evelyn¡¯s mother had died after giving birth to her. Somewhere deep inside her, Evelyn med herself for her mother¡¯s death. The reason being, Evelyn was born with greater mana than normal. Her mother, being a subpar mage, couldn¡¯t handle the pressure during childbirth. It might¡¯ve been mitigated if her mother had been born in a better environment, given proper guidance, and given the opportunity to improve her mana core. But unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the case. But despite all that, her father had never med her for it. He had worked hard for her. ¡¯Liar.¡¯ And he had never returned on that day. "Ah." She massaged her temple. It felt like she was having a headache. She didn¡¯t want to remember those painful memories. Then, she nced at the two girls, seated by the flight of stairs beneath her. Experience more content on m v|l e¡¯m,p| y- r "Hello." She smiled, holding the cigarette up. The two girl¡¯s nodded their heads in response. As Brandon¡¯s mentor, Amelia had told her about the ring. She was truly d. But that emotion was only brief, as she remembered the uncertainty regarding Yi Jihyeon. She wasn¡¯t fond of her, finding her annoying, maybe even afraid of her. But¡­. ¡¯Maybe that¡¯s how it feels like to have a mother?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure. Because she grew up without one in the first ce. All of a sudden, there was amotion outside the academy gate. Tak. Evelyn dropped the cigarette and stepped on it, before ncing at the two girls, giving them a nod. The academy was in shambles at the moment. If there was amotion happening now, it would most likely be rted to the incident. Evelyn clenched her fist at that moment. Another shitty birthday. The two immediately rushed towards the academy gates, only to find the guards trying to push someone back, a metallic sound ringing from the gate. "Please go back, Sir. The academy isn¡¯t epting any visitors." "In the first ce, you should be at a hospital. Please follow our advice, look, I¡¯ll call an ambnce for you." The guards were currently trying to control the situation. There seemed to be an unwanted guest. Evelyn stared intently, narrowing her eyes as she tried to recognize the guest. He was familiar. Really familiar. Much to the point where Evelyn had no doubts of his identity. Additionally, his appearance was rough. His pale-white hair was unkempt and disheveled, his face smeared with dirt. His outfit was torn, riddled with holes, and the sleeves had been ripped off, revealing visible wounds on his body. And, on top of it all, "...." He reeked. It seemed like the guards didn¡¯t recognize him due to his rough appearance. But on normal asions, he should¡¯ve been able to enter the academy easily. It goes without saying. "Brandon¡ª" Before Amelia could finish her words, Brandon¡¯s voice echoed amidst the cold wind, silencing the guards. "My name is Brandon Locke." He stared straight ahead with wide exhausted eyes, paying no nces to Amelia, Belle, Evelyn, even the guards. "And I¡¯d like to make a report." Chapter 368: White Christmas [2] "Brandon, you have to get treated first!" "No, I have to ry the message." "That can wait. How will you ry the message if you die from blood loss!?" Brandon walked around the academy, followed by Belle and Amelia, who was trying to advise him to take it easy. They couldn''t help it. Because he would stumble asionally as he walked, and the two had no choice but to support him. In fact, it looked like he was about to pass out from exhaustion, evident by the exhausted look in his eyes. Leading them to where Bellion was, Evelyn strode forward. She had nced behind her asionally, meeting Brandon''s gaze. But all Brandon would give her was a sorrowful look. "...." It was as she feared. It was highly likely, the urgent message entailed the fates of Yi Jihyeon and the rest of Blood Crescent Moon. Because Brandon was the sole returnee from the tower. Clenching her fist tightly, she gritted her teeth. It truly was a shitty birthday. She didn''t know how to feel at the moment, the reality hadn''t sunk in just yet. Because she couldn''t believe it. ''Miss Jihyeon is¡­. dead?'' She kept questioning herself the same sentence, repeatedly echoing in her mind. She continued following them, but she was lost deep in her thoughts. Her mind reyed core memories of her time with Yi Jihyeon. ¡ªRepeat after me. It''s Yi¡­. Ji¡­. Hyeon. ¡ªYou might be strong, but you severelyck in the social department, Eve. ¡ªDo it once, pretty please~ Call me Big Sis Jihyeon~" ¡ªOh? You want that? I can buy it for you. She was still a child at the time, about 13¡ªyears old. Yi Jihyeon and the rest of Incandescent mes found her passed out deep within the forest. She recalled her words back then, the moment she woke up, only to find several strangers around her. ''....Please don''t hurt me.'' ¡ªWhat''s your name? Where are your parents? ''Evelyn, I don''t have parents¡­. Only a friend¡­. Where is he?'' ¡ªEvelyn¡­. A friend? Can you describe what he looks like? ''It''s¡­.'' Evelyn''s head started to hurt, and the memory suddenly grew fuzzy. It had always been like that. Whenever she tried to remember the man with ck eyes, pain would engulf her head. And additionally, she couldn''t remember his face. Just his eyes. But Evelyn had already put him in the back of her mind. If she couldn''t remember him, then so be it. Just like her father, he had abandoned her. The man that had taught her everything she knew about [Celestial] magic. In any case, they arrived at the room where Bellion was, and entered. Bellion was slumped on the table. An officer was standing right beside him, seemingly debriefing him something. Or was it a ranker? Brandon couldn''t tell. He wasn''t paying attention to him in the first ce. However, upon their entrance, Bellion raised his head, and the officer turned around. "Isn''t that¡­." "You''re back." While the officer stared at him baffled, Bellion seemed to have never doubted his survival. Brandon stepped forward, and Evelyn stepped to the side, giving him space. He could see the look of unease in her face. However, Brandon had no time to amodate her at the moment. ¡­.Because he felt like he was about to pass out from exhaustion. Furthermore, the facts and information of what he had witnessed must be disseminated before something else happened. To everyone present in the room, Brandon started to debrief them on what happened. He had omitted some stuff¡ªparticrly¡ªacquiring Yi Jihyeon''s affinity. But everything else was nothing but the truth. December 13, 2149. On that day, 46 rankers¡ªincluding Yi Jihyeon¡ªpassed away. It was a tragedy that would etch in their minds forever. And it was Holy Britannia''s biggest loss after the incursion. "I want to request a proper burial for them." Brandon lowered his head. The man who stood beside Bellion¡ªLeon¡ªcould only stay speechless, unable to utter any words at all. "That can''t be true¡­." "...." Bellion, on the other hand, remained silent. His fingers inteced as his elbows rested on the table. All he could was tilt her head downwards, his forehead touching his hand. Then¡­. "Damn it!" Thump! He smacked the table. "Tsk." Evelyn clicked her tongue and bit her lip, turning her head to the side. Her face darkened, and it seemed like she was on the verge of tears. Then, she headed for the door, seemingly about to leave, but not before leaving off with a few words. "....I need some air." With that, Evelyn left the room. "This can''t be happening¡­." Leon crouched down, covering his face with his hand. He was in disbelief. Yi Jihyeon, the woman he had blindly followed for over thirteen years. One could say it was love, but the bond ran even deeper. Much to the point where he had never confessed his feelings, overshadowed by the sense of respect he had for her. He was regretful. "I never should have followed her order¡­. Haaa¡­." His voice started cracking. If he were to die, he had wished it would be in the battlefield with his guild mates. But that seemed to be impossible now. Time could only move forward, and it was impossible to return what was lost. *** Evelyn stepped outside of the academy, bathing herself in snow, the cold wind breezing her skin. Cold? For some reason, it didn''t feel so cold, despite the snow getting stronger. Instead, she felt rather warm. It was as if Yi Jihyeon was there herself. She recalled certain moments with Yi Jihyeon once again as she took a long drag of her cigarette. *Puff* ''Jihyeon, your affinity is so pretty~'' ¡ªIs it? Yours is way prettier though. ''Mine''s boring¡­. The icy flowers you make are way prettier~'' ¡ªIs that so? You know my enemies would say otherwise. The cold. It reminded her of Yi Jihyeon. The memory felt so distant now. In a blink of an eye, she had turned twenty five. A total of twelve years had passed since they had met. At first, she found Yi Jihyeon tiresome. No, tiresome was an understatement. But Evelyn didn''t want to speak ill of her anymore. "If you had just stopped teasing me¡­." Now teasing was just her sugarcoating it. When Yi Jihyeon got serious, she had a personality. It was the sole reason why Evelyn was a bit afraid of her. "Big sis¡­." She muttered after exhaling, the smoke blending with the icy mist that left her breath. ¡ªYou''re so gloomy Eve, you''ll never get a boyfriend like that. Evelyn''s brows furrowed as she recalled a certain memory. But now that she pondered deeper, maybe¡­. Maybe she was just looking out for her, when everyone else had already left? The teasing¡­. was her own way to cheer her up? *Puff* "Hic." A strange sound escaped Evelyn''s lips, and her vision started growing blurry. Something seemed to be stuck in the back of her throat, and Evelyn didn''t feel like smoking anymore. Evelyn dropped the cigarette to the ground and crushed it beneath her foot. Tak. "Hic." That felt oddly relieving. Tak. She crushed it again. Tak. And again. Tak. And again. Tak. Until the strange sounds frequented, turning into sobs. Her chest seemed to tighten, and Evelyn couldn''t help but clench her chest. And then¡­. Drip. Tears. Chapter 369: White Christmas [3] There was onest thing he needed to do on his checklist. For that reason, he left Bellion''s office, leaving Amelia and Belle behind. "Where is¡­. she?" Brandon looked around as he roamed the academy halls. There were no signs of Evelyn. He was afraid she was about to go do something stupid. For instance, entering the tower by herself. "Can''t have¡­. that." Because Evelyn was the most valuable asset after the assumed to be deceased Lucian Frost. However, the emotional turmoil might hinder her growth. Right now, what Evelyn needed was emotional support. "Where¡ªUkh!" Brandon stumbled, his vision growing blurrier in each passing second. The world seemed to spin, and everyone was looking at him with concern. Amelia had already cleaned the blood off, and bandaged his wounds. While Belle provided him with cleaner clothes. But still, awake for twenty four hours and non-stop fighting, even injuring himself several times was catching up to him. And to be frank, injury was an understatement. His bones and muscles felt constricted, and all he could do was fight off the feeling. As long as he continued tempering his body with mana, it was manageable. "Ah." And there, just outside the window, he spotted her. Standing alone amidst the harsh snowfall, a woman with dark¨Cpurple hair that swayed gently from the cold breeze. By the way her shoulders trembled, Brandon didn''t need to guess what she was doing. At least she was still in academy grounds. Brandon was just about to twist the doorknob and go outside, when he felt something pull his clothes from the back. "Brandon¡­?" Turning around, what greeted his sight was Raven, who looked at him with concern etched on his face. "Oh, hey." Brandon casually replied. He couldn''t show Raven his weak side. Amelia had told him what happened, prior to his return. And in all honesty, the thought was quite funny. ''Belleshing out at Raven? ¡­I wanna see that.'' Though if he were to pass out now, it might trigger Raven''s guilty conscience, and would push the agenda of him dropping¨Cout. He couldn''t allow that to happen. ''I gotta push Belle to apologizeter¡­.'' Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin "I''m so d you''re alive, dude." Raven leaned close and gave him a hug. "Uh, yeah¡­." Brandon looked around, feeling bashful. This was really weird. "H-Hey¡­. people are watching, could you get off¡­?" "Ah, right." Raven pulled away. "That was pretty ga¡ª" "And he''s back." A voice cut in from the side. It was Reinhard, who was walking towards them, followed by Amy, Rachel, and ire. "Wee back, Brandon." Rachel shed him a smile. "Not for one second did I think you were dead." ire, coolymented, crossing her arm. "Oh? Weren''t you the one that proposed to use all your resources in hiring the best rankers to find him?" "W¨CWhat!? When the fuck did that happen!?" While Reinhard was teasing her, ire''s face seemed to redden. Brandon met her gaze, and ire looked away, slightly bashful. ''So it did happen¡­.'' Brandon felt goosebumps all over. When the hell was ire that nice? "You''re thinking of something rude, aren''t you?" Before he realized it, his friends were already upon them, ire giving him a frown. "What? N-No¡­. Of course not!" "Forget it, bastard. And just so you know, that did NOT happen." There was a heavy emphasis on ''not''. "Sure, sure." Brandon turned to the side and muttered. "Tsundere." "I heard that." ire''s frown deepened. From the way her hands trembled, it looked as if she wanted to grab his neck, but held herself back. "Are you supposed to be here now?" Rachel asked, staring at his bandages with a worried gaze. "Just had things to sort out, but it''s all good now. I''ll probably rest in the following days." "Good, you look like you haven''t slept a wink." "Is it that obvious?" His eyes felt like they wanted them shut off any time soon. While the group engaged in chatter, there was one person who remained silent. Brandon couldn''t help but notice the pensive expression she was making. It was Amy, who seemed like she wanted to say something. But Brandon was blunt about it. "What''s wrong with her?" He nonchntly pointed at Amy, catching her attention as her brows raised. "Uh¡ªAh? Wee back?" That was all she could say. "Mhm, thanks." Then, he shifted the topic as soon as the atmosphere grew silent. Alternating his gaze between Raven and Amy, thereafter, Brandon said, "I heard my sistershed out at you, Raven." In the first ce, he had told Raven to abandon. If anything, the responsibility fell on him. "Oh, what? It''s fine, dude. Raise your head." However, Brandon bent down even more, crouched down and picked something up. Then, straightening his back, he looked at Raven and tilted his head. "The hell are you talking about?" Brandon held out a gold coin he had just picked up. "Uh?" Raven tilted his head in perplexion. Then, rummaging his pocket, he frowned thereafter. "Wait, that''s¡­." "Finders keepers." Brandon tucked the coin inside his pocket. Seeing the support Raven had, and that he didn''t seem to be distraught, Brandon couldn''t help but mess with him. Right, there was no way this guy would drop¨Cout. If all it took for him to drop¨Cout for Belle to yell at him, then what kind of man was he? "Kidding." Pulling it back out of his pocket, he tossed the coin back to Raven, who caught it immediately. "You could''ve kept it. I wouldn''t mind giving it to you." "It''s fine. You''re going to need it." "...?" And that was the end of it. They surprised him all of a sudden,pletely catching him off guard. "Look." ire held out a paper. Flip¡ª The sound of papers flipping, as the others followed suit, holding out a paper for Brandon to see. "We''ll be joining the two of you now." Indeed, as Brandon scrutinized the paper, he had realized what it was. [ss A Promotion]. However, as he leaned in close and scanned further, there were set requirements they needed to aplish. But still, the fact that they were qualified for the promotion spoke volumes of their achievements. "Good job." They had talked for a while, exchangingughters and conversation, even nning how they would spend their three month long winter break. However, in the middle of it, the moment Brandon remembered what he was here for, turning his head to the side, his breath caught in his throat. "...." Evelyn wasn''t there. Chapter 370: White Christmas [4] Evelyn walked through the snow covered streets. Despite the bustling activity, in her mind, the city had never felt so lonely. Snowkes drifted down, settling on her dark-purple hair. The cold bit at her skin, but she barely noticed. The abandoned building loomed ahead, its structure still standing but lifeless. No one came here. That''s why she did. Because there was no one else that woulde besides her. Her steps felt heavy, the silence pressing down on her. It was her birthday, but it meant nothing. Just another day, another bitter reminder of everything she had lost thus far. Reaching the door, her fingers brushed the cold handle. "...." Her voice faded into the quiet. It was Incandescent mes¨Cguild building. The ce she had once considered home. She soon made it all the way up, taking the flight of stairs. Each step felt heavy as she recalled the past. When the guild was still around. These stairs she took¡­. She couldn''t count how many times she had climbed these set stairs. Soon, she made it all the way to an empty room. Memories of her time with the guild. And, "Big Sis Jihyeon¡­." The words slipped out, her voice barely a whisper. Memories of her old mentor¡ªYi Jihyeon¡ªflooded her mind, a person she could well consider her family. Every teasing word, every smile, every moment they had shared. Now, Yi Jihyeon was gone. Evelyn stopped at the top of the stairs, staring nkly at the room where the guild members used to gather. She was alone. The snow outside continued to fall, but in that room, all she could feel was the weight of her loss. And today, of all days¡­, her birthday. She let out a shaky breath, but it wasn''t enough to stop the sob that followed. "Hic." The tears fell, quiet but endless. Maybe there were others, such as Vanessa and Reina, who could share her sorrows. But they were unaware of the news. Evelyn didn''t have the strength to tell them either. Flick¡ª She lit up a cigarette and took a long drag. For today, all she wanted was to be¡ª Creaaaaak¡­. Alone? The door creaked open. Wiping her tears, Evelyn turned her head. "Smoking again? What happened to the lollipops?" There stood a man, looking as if he was about to copse from exhaustion. "Brandon." Why was he here? How did he know she would even be here? However, despite the fact that she had acknowledged his presence, Brandon remained quiet and walked towards her. Feeling a bit bothered, Evelyn managed to utter the words out. "....Could you please go? I''d like to be alone for today." "Why?" Before she realized it, Brandon was already beside her, looking down the window, taking in the sight of the cold city. "No one should be alone on their birthday." "...." Birthday? How did he know? She had never told any of her colleagues about her birthday. There was no point to it after all. "I just want to be alone. " She insisted, her voice quieter now, almost pleading. Because being alone felt right. Why connect with people when they were going to leave in the first ce? It hurt. People hurt. "You''ve been alone long enough." Evelyn wanted to argue, but couldn''t find the right words. She felt like she was drowning, suffocating. She clenched her chest once more. It was tightening for some reason. "Miss Jihyeon wanted you to know something." Finally, he had caught her attention. Evelyn turned her head, but Brandon didn''t look back at her. "But before that, I want to ask something." "...?" "You pushed her away, because you were afraid weren''t you?" "...." "Afraid of getting attached to someone." Evelyn bit her lip. He hit the mark. While she told herself otherwise, her heart knew the exact reason. She was afraid of people leaving her. And so, before she could even form a close bond with them, she pushed them away. But of course, there were stubborn people like Vanessa, who just wouldn''t leave her alone. Yi Jihyeon was the same. "What are you trying to say?" She asked. Brandon stayed quiet for a moment, still staring out at the falling snow. His breath fogged the ss, and for a second, he seemed lost in thought. "You forgot something important." He began. Evelyn''s eyes narrowed. "And what''s that?" He finally turned to her, his expression soft but firm. "People leave. They die. But the memories, the moments¡ªthose stay. Even when it hurts. That''s the whole point." She clenched her fists, her chest tightening even more. The weight of his words settled heavy on her shoulders. "I didn''t want to lose her." Evelyn whispered. "I didn''t want to lose anyone." Brandon nodded, understanding. "But you did. And now you''re hurting alone, which is even worse." Her breath hitched, tears threatening to spill again. "Miss Jihyeon wanted you to know that," Brandon continued, his tone gentle. "She knew you were afraid. But she loved you like family anyway, even when you kept pushing her away." Evelyn''s heart thudded in her chest, the words cutting deep. She had pushed Jihyeon away, thinking it was for the best. But now, it felt like a mistake she couldn''t undo. Brandon ced a hand on her shoulder. "You don''t have to face everything alone, Evelyn. No one does." She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Then why does it feel like I''m always losing people?" "Because life''s like that," Brandon said quietly. "But shutting yourself off? That''s not living. Miss Jihyeon wouldn''t want that for you." Drip. The tears spilled, and the room became quiet. The asional sobs broke the silence, but Brandon remained quiet, hands in his pocket as he continued looking down. "I want to let you know, she''s notpletely gone." "...." Evelyn raised her head and turned towards him. "....What?" Brandon removed his right hand from his pocket and extended, palms faced up. At that moment, magic power began to coalesce around his palms. Evelyn tilted her head in confusion. She could recognize the mana signature. It was eerily familiar for some reason. Cr¡­ Crack! And then, a flower made of frost materialized in Brandon''s palm, a chilling mist seemed to wrap around it. "What are you trying to show me?" There was nothing odd about it. Brandon was just being cryptic as always. Wasn''t that just his [Ice] affini¨C No. Her eyes widened, and her breath caught in her lungs, gasping. She couldn''t believe it. There was no way she could believe it. "It''s Miss Jihyeon''s power." "...." So her suspicions were correct. But¡­. ''How is it possible?'' "She entrusted it to me." Then, he looked back at her, finally meeting her gaze. "And most probably, she wanted you to help me master it. As the person closest to her, you know this ability like the back of your hand." "...." She could understand that. It was just like Yi Jihyeon, who always passed the work to someone else. "Give me that." She insisted, and Brandon gave her the icy flower which closely resembled Yi Jihyeon''s power. It was the same one Yi Jihyeon used to make. The flower Evelyn always found beautiful. The one she''d ask for whenever she was feeling down. "Hic." Her vision grew blurry once again. Drip. And for some reason, there was a liquid sensation in her hand. "Ah." Before she realized it, the tears poured down once more. Drip. Drip¡­! "Happy Birthday, Evelyn." It was the greatest birthday gift she could ever ask for. Chapter 371: White Christmas [5] Dimensional Tower. 32nd floor. The moment Brandon Locke disappeared into the exit portal, a magic streaming device abruptly fell on the ground out of thin air. Crack¡ª! And immediately shattered. Then, the wind around the broken pieces changed. Pink petals fluttered in the air, and as if appearing out of thin air, a woman with tinum¨Cblonde hair revealed herself. Her foot seemed to be stepping on the broken pieces, and she stared at the treant intently. "Interesting." The development was indeed interesting. It wasn''t hard at all to bring Brandon Locke inside the real tower. All she had to do was manipte n Ross, change the portal''s coordinates once Brandon Locke''s soul was registered, and stall the Imperial Army before they found out the truth of the matter. However, there was a discrepancy that didn''t go ording to calctions. The appearance of a second person. From her informationwork, the man should be called Raven ckheart. It was peculiar. But nheless, everything else went ording to n. All she had to do was request the help of her fellow colleague. The Archbishop Sin of Pride. The man capable of distorting wavelengths. Much to the point where he could even manipte the tower''s wavelength to a certain degree. "I still don''t understand why you let those kids go." A voice suddenly cut in from the side, and the woman turned to look. From a distance, two family figures were walking towards her. It was none other than the Archbishop Sin of Pride himself, and his vassal. "Greetings, Miss¡ª" Swoosh¡ª! All of a sudden, the treant''s vines pierced the air, cutting off the Vassal of Pride''s words. Snap! However, all it took was a snap of the woman''s fingers, and the vine immediately dispersed as cherry blossom petals fluttered. "Kuhum. Can you see it now?" She turned her head towards the treant. This was her favorite floor. And it was the only floor none of humanity had ever cleared. "I never thought I''d see it get that dark." The man replied. Then, he turned his head towards her. "So have you finally found your vassal, Lust?" "Might be¡­. With that face, that power, that darkness residing within him, he''d have no problems carrying the authority." The woman was none other than the Archbishop Sin of Lust. Brandon Locke was indeed a peculiar person. She hadn''t noticed him before after infiltrating Holy Britannia a year ago. But she had heard stories about him. Still, it wasn''t to the point where she would be interested in him. However, when she had heard he was someone Evelyn Cessna was keeping a close eye on, things took a turn. And so, she wanted to test him. To see the darkness in his heart. Would it be possible to turn him against his own country? To put him on a leash? To be her vassal? She wanted to own him. As if he was a prized possession. "You know, what was so surprising?" "What?" The man tilted his head in confusion. While Lust wasn''t incredibly strong, she was the most calctive amongst the Archbishops. In a fight, she would most likely lose among the other sins. However, in a psychological warfare, she would obliterate anyone. She would stop at nothing to get whatever she wanted. "The two of them had this kind of darkness in their hearts. Something I can''t reallyprehend, it was differentpared to everyone I''ve encountered so far." She continued. "I thought the other kid was already talented. But get this¡­. the moment the white haired boy poured his mana, all it took was thirty minutes for the treant to be such a monster!" She eximed. She couldn''t hold back the smile pulling up. Just the thought of Brandon Locke made her face flushed. "So you think it''s possible to corrupt him?" "Possible? Hah!" She scoffed. "He''s already rotten to the core!" "That makes sense." The man nodded his head in understanding. "And what about the other kid? Are you abandoning him?" "Reinhard? I''ve long abandoned him honestly. He''s not suited to be my vassal." "A filthy woman you are." "You''re not that far off from me, sadistic pervert." The woman''s crimson eyes glimmered, and her face darkened. "You let that woman watch everything on purpose. But you know, it wasn''t a bad idea." Her lips pulled up to a sinister smile. Because in the first ce, their mission here was to discreetly announce the start of the war. In hopes that war wouldn''t happen, and Holy Britannia would surrender. There was no need to expend so much resources, nor waste a lot of men. A cold war was better economically. All it took was a little scheming, and things would progress naturally. "Honestly, all it takes is a little¡­." She traced her curves, all the way down to her waist, and continued. "''Incentives.'' ¡­.And they''d start doing whatever they''re told, no questions asked." "And when am I getting my incentive?" The woman could sense the tensioning from Pride. However, it shouldn''t have been the case. Because she had never activated her [Authority] in the first ce. Continue your journey on m|v-l''e -NovelBin ''Ah.'' It was because of the scent of her mana. But still, an Archbishop with an [Authority] shouldn''t be affected by each other''s abilities. Pride was just that sexually aroused towards her. But it was something she was used to by now. Because every man she had encountered thus far had reacted the same. Because she was the very embodiment of lust herself. "Don''t get ahead of yourself there, Pride. I''m saving it all for when the right timees." Because the power of [Authority] needed to be saved up before it could be used. Not like she needed to use her [Authority] against a dog, who practically had his tongue out for her. And from the way his Vassal kept avoiding her gaze, it seemed like he too shared the same sentiments as Pride. "Just a little touch?" Pride insisted, wearing a smirk. "No." A t out refusal. "Haha. I was just kidding. No need to look so disgusted." Pride shook his head as soon as he uttered those words. "Anyway, if you''re this obsessed over the boy, shouldn''t you help him escape this death contraption?" "Now why would I do that?" The woman retorted. "I want to see the face he makes when he''s hurt. When he''s in despair. When he''s happy. When he''s crying." Feeling her face flushed with heat, she bit her lip. "Ahh¡­. I think I might be in love~!" The image of Brandon, all bloodied and bruised wouldn''t leave her mind. "Crazy¡­." Batshit crazy. This wasn''t the first time Pride had seen her act like this. In the past, she would react like this whenever she talked about her brother. The brother she had abandoned all these years. What kind of face does he make when he thinks of her? Does he still think of her? How is he doing in a foreign country, after being fed lies all these years? She may have been the weakest of the Archbishops, but Pride would still put her at the very top of the list of people he''d never dare to cross. Because once she set her sights on something, she would never stop until she achieved it. Until it waspletely hers. Until she hadpletely broken it. Because ording to her words, this entire world belonged to her. But still¡­. "...." Pride couldn''t stop but stare at her curves. ''Goddamn it.'' In front of her, it felt as if the meaning of pride was nonexistent. "If you need anything else, don''t hesitate to ask." Pride and his Vassal were just about to leave, when Lust called for him. "Wait." "Hm?" He turned his head. "I''ve heard about Lord Ezekiel''s state. Am I supposed to remain in my post?" Lord Ezekiel. The Wraith they had all revered to. However, there was a recent incident that seemed to have¡­. broke him. For that reason, the Archbishops were slightly panicked. "Wrath is in charge for now. Just continue what you''re doing. The contract is still there." A six hundred year contract that entailed, a Milis descendant could never step foot inside Holy Britannia. A contract¡ªis what it was¡ªbut for them, it was a curse. But finally, in about five years, the contract would finally expire. The only reason Lust and Pride were able to step foot inside the continent was because they were of Holy Britannian origins. "Huh!?" Lust''s brows furrowed. "You''re kidding!? The same Wrath who couldn''t even keep his vassal under control is in charge!?" The Vassal of Wrath, who was none other than Lumian. His sudden death still sparked an air of mystery. But he had iting after getting himself exposed. "Yeah, well. Nothing we can do about it." Because Wrath was the strongest. There were about seven Archbishops. Supposedly, there were supposed to be nine. However, there were two avable authorities that wouldn''t surface no matter what. Mncholy, and Vainglory. But they had never questioned it. Because Mncholy and Vainglory, of the Circles of Hell had long been banished. Their powers seemed to have disappeared along with them. At least, that''s what the Lord Ezekiel, the Circles of Hell''s Pride, had told them. In any case, a portal materialized, and Pride and his Vassal was about to step foot into it, before Pride turned around and said, "Keep up the good work as always, Lust." Then, he paused as he realized something. "Right, you''re known differently here. What was your name agai¡ª" "Just get out of here! I don''t want to see your ugly face anymore!" With a frown, Lust kicked Pride into the portal. Chapter 372: White Christmas [6] The days continued like that. And in the end, they had never found the perpetrator. It was nothing but a cold case. December 18, 2149. Apparently, Brandon had an important meeting today. Since it was winter break, Amelia didn''t know what to do. At the moment, she was still waiting for her faction to finish the task on hand. Additionally, she had finished her paperwork for today, and had already submitted twenty proposals. Despite being a Constantine, she was quickly making a name for herself as ''Amelia'', instead of being known as Amelia Constantine. It was all thanks to the fruition of her efforts, that the Imperial Army had finally started seeing her for her true value. However, since there was nothing left to do for today, then all she could do was immerse herself in training. Amelia didn''t like standing idle. For that reason, she tended to cut her sleep short by six hours instead of the usual eight. All for the purpose of sneaking in extra time to study, or train. Recently, Wraith cultist attacks had increased for some reason. The Imperial Army¡ªalong with a bunch of rankers would quickly dispatch to resolve the situation. But there was only so much they could do. For that reason, Amelia joined a dispatched teamposed of rankers and mercenaries. A total of six people. Apparently, the group of cultists they were hunting had been caught smuggling psychedelic shrooms. They quickly trudge the forest discreetly. But there was something that just wouldn''t leave Amelia''s attention. "...." Ahead of her, it would only be brief, but Amelia could solemnly swear their eyes met a couple of times. It was a powerful mercenary that was hired by the Imperial Army to assure their survival. She was beautiful, with pink hair, and pink eyes. Curious, Amelia couldn''t help but ask. "Excuse me, do you need something?" "Ah? Oh, no. Sorry, you just remind me of someone." The woman quickly dismissed it and turned her attention ahead. Swoosh¡ª! Like a phantom, they quietly traversed the forest. Until finally, they finally arrived at the location. Positioned between trees, while some were standing in branches, they scanned the vicinity. Ahead of them, was a shabby warehouse. However, it was all on the surface. The oppressive mana seemed to linger in the air. "They''ve ced a barrier." One of the members informed. All it took was a quick nce, and he could immediately tell. Amelia on the other hand, couldn''t tell. Her recognition of tangible mana wasn''t as sensitivepared to mages. But if what the mage was saying was true, then this was the ce. Luckily, they had prepared for every kind of situation. "I''ll deal with it, but it will only be brief. The longer I cancel out the barrier, they''ll soon notice something is wrong. Use that chance to infiltrate the field." Another member spoke. There wasn''t a fixed leader. However, due to their professionalism, they were chosen for the job. Truth be told, because of the recent incident, Bellion wasn''t keen on allowing Amelia to tackle such a dangerous task. But with her insistence, added to the fact that she was well on her way in breaking through the S¨Cranks, Bellion had no other choice but to approve. Amelia could tell he was being overprotective. If it were someone like Brandon, he wouldn''t even retort. In any case, Amelia needed first¨Chand experience. This had been the first time in a while since cultists started being active again. She didn''t want to miss the opportunity. "Once I give the signal, quickly go in." With that, the member stepped forward. A man in his early twenties. Apparently, he was a ranker from a guild called "Oath Sign". Education wise, from his resume, he was an Astrea Academy alumni. The man quickly disappeared into the darkness. The five other members looked down and scanned. The man retrieved something from his sling¨Cbag. A device with magic stones engraved in it. Suddenly, the device glowed and touched the barrier. It was only brief, but Amelia caught a glimpse of a transparent purple dome that quickly faded as soon as it appeared. Purple sparks wrapped around the device, and Amelia could see the man struggling from the pain that came with it. Then, a hole tore open on the dome around the device. That was the signal. Swoosh¡ª! The group of five quickly moved and entered the barrier one by one through the hole. Amelia too had entered, and as soon as the numbers added up, the man quickly pulled the device back and joined them. At that moment, the hole reconstructed itself. There were a bunch of trees in the vicinity which they used to hide for the time¨Cbeing. Next up was the woman with pink hair. Apparently, she excelled in reconnaissance and espionage. The woman once again turned to nce at Amelia, but quickly turned back. "...?" Amelia found it odd. It was as if she couldn''t help but look at her. But in any case, Amelia didn''tin. Because out of everyone present, the woman with pink hair was the strongest among them. "Illya." That was her name. "I''ll remember that." Amelia whispered to herself. All of a sudden, Illya''s figure grew transparent¡ªturning into a shade of blue. Then¡­. Ssh! She turned into water and vanished soon after. "Woah¡­." It was still hard to believe that someone had fully mastered their affinity to the point ofplete fusion, even though she had heard of such people and seen it before. The sight still left her astonished. Truly, in Imperial Academy, she was nothing but a big fish in a small pond. There were much more talented and powerful people out there. This mission served as a great experience. In any case, Amelia''s task was simple. A sniper. For that reason, Amelia positioned herself high above the snowy trees, and the other members neared the warehouse. *** Illya easily entered the warehouse. By submerging herself in her [Water] affinity, she could traverse the warehouse like a small blob. It was her [Assimtion]. For some reason, she couldn''t help but stare at Amelia. She looked oddly familiar. Whenever he eyesnded on her, an image would always ovep. ''Ciel.'' She looked oddly identical to Ciel. It was rather peculiar. The whole situation was nothing but a coincidence. Illya was well aware of her identity. Amelia Constantine. nk, or rather, Brandon Locke''s significant other. In any case, Illya focused on the task at hand. Her role was espionage and information gathering such as; the enemy''s numbers, their positions, where the shrooms were, and so on. They couldn''t notice her presence. Because Illya hadpressed her mana, to the point ofpletely silencing her presence. There were a bunch of people wearingb coats engaging in experiments. Furthermore, there were others who seemed to be the guards. They were all cultists. Mages or duelists who had sold their souls to Wraiths¡ªin exchange for power. Illya was efficient, memorizing precise locations of where the guards were, the best location to infiltrate with as fewer guards present. But Illya wasn''t here to do everything on her own. She was only paid the amount to guarantee their survival. It was only of her own volition, why she helped out this much. In other words, she was a babysitter. Illya materialized silently behind a water tank, her body reforming from the previous liquid phase. She quickly fixed themunication device in her ear, her tone sharp and to the point. "Three guards at 080." The moment those words left her mouth, the guards on the fixed coordinates silently fell. "...." Her brows raised slightly. It was the first time she had shown such a reaction in this mission so far. ''Talented.'' That was all she could describe the sniper to be. Of course, the information she had given was only rtive to the guards who were safe to kill¡ªwithout alerting anyone. "Two at 120. Lab entrance, 045." She paused, observing the movement of the cultists. "Target storage at 230. Minimal resistance. Labs clear for now." There was no need for unnecessary details. She was efficient, and the rest of the team knew it. Her role was to deliver information, not handle the entire operation. Her voice was cold and detached. She''d seen enough of this to know how it would end. "Move now." *** Amelia positioned herself high in the trees, the snow brushing on her figure, her eyes locked on the targets. The railgun in her hand hummed faintly. She had trained hard for this in case a situation arises where she needed to be discreet¡ªperfecting the art of silent shots. No sound, no trace. "Huu¡­." She adjusted her aim, breathing steady, as Illya''s coordinates echoed in her earpiece. "Three guards. 080." Amelia locked onto them, her finger brushing the trigger. "Got it." Swoosh¡ª! The first shot flew. Silent. Lethal. Three down. She shifted her aim, barely a moment''s pause. Swoosh¡ª! Another shot flew. Several bullets silently pierced the air. Two more down. The rest of the team moved in. Amelia hadpleted her task for now. Her brows furrowed then. Because her phone had been vibrating this entire time. She retrieved her phone, and her eyes widened. "Huh?" There were a bunch of emails. Not just a bunch. There were a lot. She quickly opened one of the emails. [Greetings, I am¡­..] [....This is my formal request to join your faction¡­.] It was a resume, specifically requesting to join her faction. And as she further checked the other emails, they were all the same content. "...." What the hell is going on? Chapter 373: White Christmas [7] 6:00 PM. Brandon had just finished his meeting with the Imperial Army''s higher ups. The Field Marshals. The artifacts had finally finished its testing phase. For that reason, Brandon showcased the products in front of the Field Marshals. "Haaa¡­." There were twists and turns along the way. The other Field Marshals seemed to have been skeptical, knowing a 17¨Cyear old cadet was in charge of the entire operation. However, the moment it was revealed that Brandon was the newly ascended S¨Cranker, the reception took a turn. And in the end, It was a sess. The artifacts had been greatly approved, and would be supported for mass production. They''ve seen the potential Brandon Locke had. And so, they wanted to invest in him. Because he was exceptional. However, Brandon didn''t need that kind of support unless it was financially. And Brandon seized the opportunity to mention Amelia''s name. That he was her benefactor, and hispany supported her faction. To try and get on his good side, they imed to pay more attention to Amelia. And that was all he needed to do. For them to finally notice Amelia''s efforts. There was a chance it could backfire in the future. After all, though they im to see things out, their objective in the end, was Brandon. But if Amelia were to show them valid and positive results, she would be able to retain her uing supporters. From here on out, it all depended on Amelia''s efforts. Brandon had done his part. Sooner orter, she would soone to find out of his involvement. He couldn''t wait to see the look on her face. "Heh." He scoffed. "d to see you''re feeling good, Boss." Zed, who stood right beside him, casually spoke. "Right? I wonder what kind of reward Miss Amelia would give him." Matthew said with a grin, raising his eyebrows continuously, making Brandon frown in response. He had brought the two of them along to assist him in disseminating the artifact''splexities. He wanted to bring Ironaxe instead, but the dwarf was too busy. "You''re both fired." *** There was still time left today. For that reason, though it was winter break, Brandon headed for the academy. He had an agreement with Evelyn to assist him in mastering the [Permafrost] affinity. He was well aware the affinity wasn''tpatible with his body. For that reason, progress was slow. [Permafrost] ¨N [Eternal ciate] 7% ¨N [cial Bloom] Locked ¨N [Winter''s Aegis] Locked ¨N [Aurora''s Embrace] Locked ¨N [Veil of Eternal Frost] Locked ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The [Permafrost] affinity''s understanding was rather different to [Curse]. And so, he needed someone with profound understanding to guide him. For a week now, Brandon would train with Evelyn for a good two hours everyday. Although it was winter break, instructors still needed to work. Brandon was the first to arrive inside the empty training hall. He sat around and waited for Evelyn. At the moment, she should be discussing with the other Field Marshals after his presentation. Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into hours. After about two hours, Evelyn finally arrived. "Took you long enough." "And who''s fault do you think that is?" "Amelia''s." "...." Evelyn could only frown at his words. How shameless can he be? But she could see what he was trying to do. His willingness to support her was rather admirable. Much to the point where he established his ownpany, became responsible for replicating Milis technology, all for the sole purpose of directing attention to his girlfriend. In any case, Evelyn finished changing and stepped outside the changing room. Looking ahead, Brandon was dangling his feet as he sat high above the podium, reading a book. Evelyn couldn''t help but smile. She was proud of her student''s achievements. Brandon had a bright future ahead of him. At the age of seventeen, he had already aplished so much. But despite that¡­. "...." He didn''t look happy at all. As if everything he had done so far wasn''t enough. ''Isn''t it enough?'' What was his goal in all this? Evelyn realized she had never once asked what his aspirations were. But if he wasn''t satisfied with his aplishments now, just how high was he aiming? ''He''ll burn himself out¡­.'' Evelyn could only support him here on out. In any case, the moment magic power began to swirl around Evelyn, Brandon''s gaze met with hers. Brandon set the book down, and hopped off the podium casually. Fixing his gloves, Brandon slowly walked towards her. However, Evelyn quickly moved. Her body emanated a radiant light, and Evelyn blinked forward. Thwack! But Brandon, seeing iting, swiftly adjusted, catching her fist coated in [Celestial] mana, with his palm. However, the strength disparity was still there. Brandon was pushed back a couple of meters away, and he could already feel the painful sting in his palm. "Oh?" Evelyn''s brows raised. "Did you get stronger?" "Did you not hear my bones crack just now?" Indeed. The moment her attack collided with his palm, Brandon could solemnly swear his shoulder had dislocated somewhat. Or maybe he was just imagining it. The first thirty minutes of their training focused solely onbat. For the rest, it was focused on adjusting to his [Permafrost] affinity, circting and properly redirecting appropriate mana, andunching it from his core. It was hard. Being a Deviant itself was hard. More so, because it was different from the case of [Skillweaver] where the information was downloaded in the brain instantly. But in any case, Brandon was determined. Because his new affinity would serve as his trump card. If there were spies close by, they must''ve known his abilities by now. For that reason, Brandon had agreed with Evelyn to keep his new power hidden from the public eye for the time being. Before he realized it, two hours passed by in a sh. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." Sweat trickled down his back as he took deep heavy breaths. His entire body was drenched in sweat. Much to the point where he felt his clothes stick to his skin. "....I think I''m starting to¡ªHaaa¡­.. Grasp it." "Are you?" Evelyn tilted her head. He was NOT grasping it at all. From what Evelyn could see, it was another wasted day. But there were slight improvements. Like for example¡­. "Uh¡­." His body seemed to be getting more toned? "And uh¡­." His hair was getting longer? "What are you thinking about?" Brandon suddenly asked, cutting off her thoughts. "Ah?" Flustered, Evelyn''s brows raised. "N-nothing¡­. Uh¡­. you''re doing great!" She gave him a thumbs up. Brandon frowned, noticing her reluctance in acknowledging his statement. But it was the truth. After all¡­. ¨N [Eternal ciate] 13% The percentage increased. ''So I did grasp something, right?'' Right!? In any case, today''s training session was adjourned, and Brandon left the training hall. As soon as the coast was clear, Evelyn slumped down on the ground, exhausted. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." She clenched her chest tightly. For some reason, ever since the surgery, her stamina seemed to drain really fast. Much to the point where it was asionally hard to breathe. She had consulted it with the surgeon before, and she was told it was a side effect after the surgery. So for that reason, Evelyn had no choice but to wait it out. Time was the best healer. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 374: White Christmas [8] December 21, 2149. Christmas was looming close. The group decided to meet up. Apparently, unable to bear the cold winter any longer, a new initiative had been established. And today was its grand opening. "Excuse me,ing through!" "Hey!" "Who do you think you are!?" ire skipped the line, inciting frustration from the other customers in the line. She turned around and lifted her shades up. "ire Victoria. Daughter of Jain Victoria, and the heir to Victoria Corporation." She solemnly stated, giving the man an indifferent look. "You think I''d believe that half¨Cassed excuse of yours?" "And do you think I care about what you think?" The man''s mouth trembled and a vein seemed to pop. Is this how the kids are like these days!? ire had all the rights to cut through the line. After all, Victoria Corporation was one of the stockholders for this new business. However, the man was uninformed about Victoria Corporation. Not everyone cared about the bigpanies in this world, after all. With furrowed brows, the man''s eyes closely traced ire''s figure. The moment she paused at the entrance, the guards raised their hands and stopped here. "Hah!" The man scoffed. "A lousy excuse like that won''t work. Only idiots would fall for that." But now that he thought about it, didn''t it just work on him? Victoria Corporation sounded fancy. Maybe that''s why he fell for it? "...." And so, he stared at the scene dumbfounded. It had to be said, the man had been waiting here for over four hours. It was because there were slots to enter the building. And since the slots were currently full, customers had to wait until there was a vacancy. The customers were just that determined by the ecstasy that awaited inside. "...." But the moment ire shed her ID, the guards immediately stepped to the side and opened the entrance. "No way." The man''s jaw dropped as ire strutted past the guards like she owned the ce. "Hey! Wait a minute! I''ve been here for four hours!" ire turned her head, raising an eyebrow. "And I''ve been rich my whole life. We all have our struggles." The man''s face flushed with anger. ire stood by the entrance as if she was waiting for someone. "Unbelievable." He muttered, staring at the closed doors. "Who even is she?" A voice from behind piped up. "Didn''t you hear? ire Victoria. She just said it." The man rubbed his temples. "It was a rhetorical question!" The guy next to him nodded like a wise old man. "You either have patience¡­. or you have money. And it looks like we''re fresh out of the second one." "I¡ª" All of a sudden, several other people started cutting the line, halting his words. A man with pale¨Cwhite hair, donning a pair of shades, passed through him. He was tall, and he looked like a celebrity. Next, a woman, with blonde hair and blue eyes, rather tall for an average girl. She was extremely beautiful, most probably another celebrity. Then, a man with jet¨Cck hair. He too, was tall, and judging from his looks¡­. "Another fucking celebrity!?" But that wasn''t the end of it. Behind the man, another woman followed. Blonde hair and crimson red eyes. Compared to the first blonde woman, she was short and petite. "His daughter, I bet!?" Then, another one closely followed, standing right beside the man with ck hair. Red hair and blue eyes. "His fucking husband!?" His thoughts were all over the ce. But no, that wasn''t all. Even more people followed, cutting the line. A tall woman with ck hair and purple eyes, followed by another woman with ck hair and crimson eyes. Your next chapter is on mvl "Huh!?" Judging from the way they were talking, they looked like a couple. The fuck was going on!? Why are random people cutting the line!? The first four people made sense, they seemed to have rich daddies or something. But the others¡­.? Even the other customers were enraged. "Why are they just cutting the line like that!?" "Why did the guards even let them in!?" "Hey, hey! Didn''t the first guy look just like the idol, Go¨CJo?" "I thought so too¡­!" "Kyaaa...! Do you think we could get an autograph!?" Indeed, so the first guy really was a celebrity. A light bulb shed inside the man''s head, a sudden idea. An ingenious one. "Kuhum." Clearing his throat, the man took out a pair of shades from his bag and donned it. Then, walking with poised confidence, he stopped right in front of the guards. "ID?" One of the guards asked. "ID? I don''t need that. Those people earlier didn''t even need them as well." "They were Miss Victoria''s guests." "And didn''t you hear? I''m one of the guests Sir Go¨CJo brought along." "Sir who now?" The guard tilted his head in confusion. "Uh¡­." Cold sweat began to run down the man''s back. "Just call him, he''ll confirm my identity." He didn''t have any high hopes. But a celebrity should pity amoner''s harmless problem, right? If he denied the man''s entrance, those fan¨Cgirls at the back would see him in a different light. ''So, if he doesn''t want to ruin his image, then he should let me through!'' The two guards whispered amongst each other. Then, one of the guards entered the building. It took no time to wait as the guard then appeared with this "Go¨CJo" guy. "Ah, Sir Gojo. Please tell these people I''m one of your guests." The man shed him a not so subtle, probably disgusting wink. "Pftt¡­." He could hear the guards mock him. But there was no going back. He had to see this through. All for the sole purpose of experiencing this haven before his other colleagues did. "You¡­?" However, the moment the man lifted his shades up, revealing his rather "average" features¡­. ''He''s not so handsome at all!'' A sense of familiarity washed over the man. "You¡­." Indeed, he had seen him before. He could never forget his face. "You''re Raven ckheart!'' A name he could never forget. How could he, when this man had scammed him after giving him a taxi ride over a year ago!? Yes, the infuriated man was none other than the taxi driver. "I''ve finally found you. You fucking scammer!" The man threw a fit. Maybe a man¨Cchild''s tantrum. Raven ckheart merely tilted his head dumbfounded, then looked at the guard on his left. Pointing at the man, Raven ckheart casually spoke. "Who is this guy?" "Beats me." "I knew this would be entertaining." They were messing with him. The guards had nned this all along. Everyone seemed to scheme against him, just because he was a mere taxi driver. His colleagues, his wife, everyone¡­. they had all mocked him! They were all jealous! Because he was the protagonist of this world! He was aware of this after a fortune teller told him of the sealed ck dragon inside his arm. The ck dragon that would soon unleash upon this world and wreak havoc! Truly, he was a hero for sealing the ck dragon for this long. "And this is how you all thank me!?" "Just get lost." "Okay¡­." *** "You''re back. What did the guards need?" Raven, who had just finished changing into his trunks, asked. "Some weirdo was looking for me." "Oh? You gotta be careful, dude. Lots of weirdos these days." "Right, right." Brandon then turned around. "I''ll go change." "Alright." Brandon headed for the changing room and removed most of his clothes, only adorning his swimming trunks. After all, this ce that everyone crazed for, was none other than an indoor insted heated resort. Brandon stepped outside the changing room. Then, he looked around. The entire ce was packed, filled with people adorning their swimwear. Some were enjoying the heat instion, resting in lounge chairs, while some others were enjoying the heated pool, swimming to their heart''s content. Then, Brandon trudged ahead, heading towards where Raven and the others were. "Wait up!" However, he halted in his steps as a familiar voice rang from behind. Turning around¡­. "Oh¡­." It was a sight to behold. As if a Goddess had appeared before him, gracing his eyes. Brandon''s eyes widened as Amelia approached him, her two-piece swimsuit clinging perfectly to her figure. The way the fabric hugged her curves left little to the imagination, every stride she took drawing his every attention. Her toned abs glistened slightly under the soft resort lights, and her long legs moved with a graceful yet confident stride. He was soon snapped out of his thoughts as Amelia tilted her head, a slight blush on her face. "Uhm? Is it¡­. bad?" "No." Brandon shook his head. Bad? If her current appearance could be described as bad, then every woman in this world was even worse. "It''s perfect." She was wless. Chapter 375: White Christmas [9] The group of seven enjoyed the pool for a couple of hours before exploring the vendor stalls and booths. The resort was called "Blue Haven Escape," and truly, it really was an escape. Additionally, the ambiance was warm and tropical. Palm trees lined the pathways, soft lighting creating a cozy, rxing atmosphere. It felt like they had been transported to a summer paradise, far removed from the harsh winter outside. The scent of grilled food filled the air as they explored vendor stalls. Raven munched on a skewer, eyes ncing around. "Hard to believe it''s freezing out there¡ª" Munch. Munch. On the other hand, somewhere not so far, Brandon leaned against a palm tree, watching the others browse the stalls. Then, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he found Amelia standing there, a yful smirk on her face. She was holding two drinks, her bikini-d figure catching his eye momentarily before his gaze shifted on the drinks. How could he not? It was his girlfriend. "Thirsty?" She asked, offering the drink in her hand. "Yep, thanks." Brandon graciously epted the drink and took a sip. It was good. Not too sweet, nor too nd. Staring at his friends enjoying the heated pool, Brandon recalled what happened two days ago. ire had given them invitations for Blue Haven Escape''s grand opening¡ªtelling them they can bring whoever they want, as long as they informed them beforehand. Initially, Belle was excited. Really excited. To the point where; the moment Brandon mentioned "Blue Hav¡ª", Belle immediately headed to the mall and picked out a bunch of swimwear. ¡ªWhich one do you think looks good, Amelia? ¡ªYou think I might find a boyfriend there? ¡ªIs this my color? Brandon could practically hear their conversationing all the way to the living room. And in the end¡­. ¡ªYou''re burning hot, Belle! ¡ªYou mean me in my bikini¡­. right? Brandon could practically hear his dear sister''s hoarse and exhausted voice as she spoke with Amelia. ''She coped so much¡­.'' ¡ªNo¡­. 40¡ãC. Your fever''s really high! Belle suffered from a fever just the day before the entire thing. But in any case, it was for the best. The air around Belle and Raven seemed kind of awkward for the time being, despite the fact that she had already apologized to him. Amelia, too, had apologized. Raven was kind enough to forgive the both of them of course, telling them, "There''s no need, it was my fault in the first ce." In any case. "Want to explore the stalls?" Amelia asked. "Sure." Brandon and Amelia strolled through the vendor stalls. Amelia''s attire caught the attention of several men, who could only gawk at her before Brandon would turn his head and shoot them a piercing cold re. It was as if his eyes were saying, "Fuck off." "What''s wrong?" Amelia paused and nced at him as the two continued walking. "N¨CNothing¡­." Then, she spotted a booth selling funny hats and immediately dragged Brandon over. "Try this one." She said, holding up a huge sombrero. Brandon put it on, the brim almost covering his entire face. "Here,plete the look." Brandon put on the fake mustache she handed him, looking like a cartoon character. "How do I look?" He asked, his voice muffled under the hat''s brim. "Pfft¡­. Like an uncle." "...." Brandon tilted his head with an incredulous expression. "Your turn." Then, a lightbulb lit up. "Close your eyes." "Ah?" Brandon grinned mischievously as Amelia obediently closed her eyes. He quietly picked up a few items from the vendor stall: a red nose, bright face paint, and a rainbow wig. "Hold still." He said, suppressing augh while dabbing paint on her face. "What are you doing?" "Trust me, you''ll love it." He reassured, carefully cing the rainbow wig on her head. "Done." She opened her eyes to see Brandon suppressing augh. "What did you¡ª?" She nced at the small mirror the vendor handed her. "...." Her reflection stared back at her,plete with a bright red clown nose and full clown makeup. A literal clown. "You look... incredible." Brandon stated, giving her a thumbs up. Then, taking a good look in the mirror, Amelia caressed her cheek. "You know, I still look pretty despite all this." "That''s kinda arrogant." She turned around, meeting his gaze and tilting her head. "Is it? Do you not think I''m pretty¡­?" She looked at him with sparkling eyes, as if she were a puppy seeking validation. "...." Now that he took a good look, despite the clown makeup and the nose, she was still beautiful for some reason. "Brandon?" "No, you''re pretty." "Oh¡ªUhm¡­." Perhaps, expecting Brandon to say otherwise since they were in a yful mood, Amelia was taken aback¡ª "Pretty ugly." *** "Hey, Raven." "Hm¡ª" Ssh¡ª! Before Raven could respond to ire''s call, a sudden ssh of water washed his face. Raven blinked, water dripping from his hair and face. " "What the¡ª?" He barely had time to react before ire sshed him again, grinning mischievously. "Oops, sorry!" The scene was rather nostalgic. Amy, standing beside her, giggled and joined in. "Looks like you''re the target, Raven." Raven wiped his face, grinning. "Oh, it''s¡ª" Ssh¡ª! Another ssh of water cut off his words,ing from a different side. Turning around¡ª "Hey¡ª" Ssh¡ª! Your next chapter awaits on mvl "You¡ª" Ssh¡ª! "You''re supposed to be on my side, Rein¡ª" Ssh¡ª! Raven spun around, trying to dodge iing sshes, but it was hopeless. ire, Amy, and now Reinhard were all teaming up against him. "Reinhard! Traitor!" Raven yelled, ducking as another wave of water hit him square in the face. Reinhard grinned, "I''m just here for the fun." Amyughed, sending another ssh toward Raven, who was iling at this point. "You''re outnumbered, Raven. Give up!" "Never!" Without warning, he scooped up a huge handful of water and sent it flying toward Reinhard. However, moving quickly, Reinhard ducked behind ire, who shrieked as she took the full hit. "Hieeek!" Just as Raven thought it couldn''t get worse, another ssh hit him from the side. He turned, blinking through the water. "Sarah?" Sarah stood there, grinning innocently. "What? I thought you could use a little more water." "You too?!" Raven eximed, wiping his face. The four of them sshed water back and forth, drawing attention from others in the pool whoughed at the chaos. Brandon and Amelia, watching from the sidelines, chuckled. "Do you think we should join the¡ª" Ssh¡ª! He blinked, turning to her slowly as water trickled down his face. "Really?" Amelia gave an innocent smile. "Payback." Brandon smirked and then suddenly, with one swift motion, pulled her into the pool. "Brandon!" *** Inside Blue Haven Escape, arge, cozy hut stood at the far side of the resort. Unlike the vendor stalls, this ce was different. It was a casino. Rachel entered with her usual cool demeanor, her eyes scanning the room. The faint sound of cards shuffling, chips clinking, and low murmurs of old men filled the air. One particr table caught her attention¡ªa ckjack game surrounded by shady characters. With a casual smirk, she walked over and sat down. The dealer gave her a nod as she joined the round. One of the older men nced at her, his wrinkled face twisting into a sneer. "Little girl, you sure you know how to y ckjack?" Rachel''s eyebrow twitched, but she remained calm. She was used to this. Due to the anime she had watched in the past which focused on gambling¡­. What was its name again? ''Kake¡­. Something¡­.'' She couldn''t remember. In any case, Rachel put on a smug expression. "Better than you." In ces like these, one must put on a confident facade. Or rather, a wise old man aura. The old man snorted, clearly not taking her seriously. "Let''s see about that." The game began. Cards were dealt, and the tension rose. Rachel kept a calm expression as she nced at her cards. 17. The old man beside her, still sneering, stood with a 16. "Hit me." Rachel said, her voice confident. The dealer slid her a card. It was a 4. 21. She smirked. The old man blinked, his sneer faltering. "You''re just lucky." Round after round, Rachel wiped the floor with the men at the table. Each time, her pile of chips grew while theirs dwindled. The same old man, now sweating, stared in disbelief. "How...?" Rachel cooly leaned back. "Like I said. I''m just better." One of the other men grumbled, "You must be cheating." "In a ce like this? If I''m cheating, what does that say about you?" The men around the table exchanged nervous nces. Another round started, and once again, Rachel yed wlessly. She beat them in ckjack, poker, even roulette. One by one, the old men got up and left with empty pockets. Rachel collected her winnings, standing up with a smug smile, wearing a bunch of jewelry as she donned a pair of shades. "Pleasure doing business, gentlemen." She had immersed herself in the part too much, to the point she unknowingly deepened her voice. Even her voice sounded like that of an old man. "Next time, bring more money." With that, she walked away, her pockets full of chips. As she exited the hut, she ran into Raven and Reinhard both drenched and dripping, and for some reason, the liquid was a translucent white-ish color. The hell happened to these two? She wasn''t sure if Raven swung the other way. But after a year, not once had he made a move on her sister, Amy. No, she was sure of it. The way Raven looked at Reinhard and Brandon¡­. "You guys look¡­. wet." But unbeknownst to Rachel, they had been sshed with coconut milk identally. For that reason.... "Why are you looking at us like that?" Her imagination ran wild. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 376: Turning Point 3.0 [1] By the time Brandon finished changing, it was already afternoon. He stepped out of the changing booth, towel in hand, drying his damp hair. As he nced around, his eyesnded on Amelia sitting by a bench, her attention focused on something in herp. "...?" Curious, he walked closer and noticed she was writing in a notebook. A diary? Brandon raised an eyebrow. "Didn''t know you kept a diary." Amelia didn''t look up, continuing to scribble. "I''ve been keeping one since I was a child. Helps me process everything." He sat down beside her. "What are you writing about?" "Just recording the day. I like keeping track of everything that happens. It''s a habit." She paused, ncing up at him with a small smile. "You might make it in there too, if you''re lucky." Brandon smirked. "I better be the main character." "Hehe~ What do you think?" She chuckled, giving him a warm smile. Brandon chuckled at Amelia''s yful tone, feeling the warmth in her smile. As she returned to her writing, he pulled out his phone, idly checking the notifications. The first message caught his eye. [Kael] ¡ªInfiltrating Milis isn''t easy. The upper echelons are heavily guarded, and security''s tighter than expected. But I''ll get it done. Don''t worry, I''ll meet your needs. It was from Kael, the Primordials Third Seat. Brandon frowned. He knew it would be tough. Illya might''ve been the better choice for the job, but if things went south, Kael had the strength to safely retreat. Then his eyesnded on the next message. [Zed] ¡ªRafael has woken up. Brandon''s heart skipped a beat. Rafael? Awake? He stared at the message, disbelief washing over him. Rafael had been in aa for so long, no one expected him to wake up. Especially today. Brandon''s heart pounded as he reread Zed''s message. For a moment, he couldn''t move, his mind trying to process the words. Rafael¡ªwho had been in aa for months¡ªwas awake? His thumb hovered over the screen, and he tapped the message, quickly opening it. ¡ªYeah, you read that right. He woke up today. I saw it with my own eyes. He''s not fully lucid yet, but¡­ he''s awake, Brandon. Brandon blinked, his grip on the phone tightening. "Brandon? What''s wrong¡­?" Amelia noticed his sudden change in demeanor. Brandon blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. "Ah? Oh, nothing. Just some progress with the artifacts." "Right¡­. the artifacts." Amelia puffed her cheeks, pouting. "I can''t believe you didn''t tell me¡­. I could''ve better prepared for it¡­.." "It was a surprise. I told you, I would support you, and now that I''ve established my value, my backing would greatly support your reputation." "I¡­. I guess so." Although her reaction seemed to becking, Amelia was truly grateful. The moment she found out about her mysterious backer, it didn''t take long for her to piece the puzzle together. Locke Enterprise? Who else could it have been but Brandon? It surely wasn''t Belle, she was already busy enough with paperwork. And Brandon''s mother was heavily busy monitoring Aurelia''s tutoring. That left the only person who always left the apartment without prior notice. "But still¡­. You could''ve told me, I would''ve helped out with your presentations and pitches." "I appreciate the gesture, but you''re already busy enough. In any case, this is my own way of assisting you." Indeed. Initially, Brandon had told her he would greatly assist her in her endeavors¡ªto be precise¡ªher goal in bing the Grand Marshal. However, over the past few months, Brandon hadn''t shown any signs of following through on his words, leading her to believe it might take a few more years before he actually started. At least, that''s what Amelia initially thought. But now? Things took a turn. Thingspletely took her aback. He had been hiding something this grand. He really was amazing. Brandon had told her how lucky he was to have her, but Amelia thought otherwise. For her, she was the one who was lucky. She felt her face flush with heat, and she couldn''t help but¡­. "Anyway as I was say¡ªNmh!?" Kiss him. "...." Cutting off whatever he was saying. Amelia pulled away after a brief kiss, a smile forming on her face as she gently touched her lips with her finger. "What was that for?" Brandon stared at her dumbfounded, tilting his head. Smirking, Amelia''s lips parted open to say, "Your reward." *** Raven wandered aimlessly through the stalls, his hands tucked in his pockets. Reinhard and Rachel trailed close behind, chatting about some random snacks they''d found. "Hey, Raven, try this." Reinhard tossed him a weird-looking fruit skewer. Raven raised an eyebrow but took a bite. His face immediately scrunched up. "Huekk! What even is this?" Reinhardughed in response. "No idea, but it''s terrible, right?" Rachel shook her head. "You two do know the vendor is right behind us?" "...." "...." They moved on, exploring more of the vendor stalls, asionally grabbing random snacks or checking out strange trinkets. The atmosphere was light, and the banter between them made time pass quickly. But then, something caught Raven''s eye. "...?" Just for a second, a glint of tinum blonde hair flickered in the corner of his vision. He paused, his yful mood shifting instantly. He turned around, scanning the crowd. Nothing. Just the usual buzz of peopleughing, talking, and enjoying the resort. Raven had sensed something. There was someone. The signature was rather familiar. "Hey, you okay?" Reinhard''s voice snapped him back to reality. Raven blinked, his gaze still lingering where the figure had been. "Yeah, I''m fine¡­ thought I saw something." Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Someone you know?" "Nah¡­. must''ve been nothing." *** Brandon immediately headed back to hispany building after departing with everyone else. He informed Amelia he would be home in a bit, and she should head back home first. Amelia noticed something was up, and didn''t pry further. Must''ve been importantpany stuff. In any case, Brandon immediately headed to the room where Rafael Asami was resting. Brandon stepped into the dimly lit room where Rafael Asamiy, staring nkly at the ceiling. "...." Zed stood silently beside him, arms crossed, his expression grim. "He''s been like this for a while." Brandon approached the bed, ncing between Zed and Rafael. "What''s his condition?" Zed sighed. "Physically, he''s stable, but... mentally, it''s like he''s not here. He doesn''t recognize anything, or anyone." Brandon leaned over, looking directly at Rafael. "Sir Asami?" There was no response. Rafael''s eyes remained fixed on the ceiling, devoid of any recognition or emotion. Brandon feared this would be the case the moment he woke up. But then, an idea lit up. "Do you remember your daughters?" Suddenly, Rafael''s eyes flickered, his fingers twitching slightly. "...." His lips parted, barely mouthing a word, but no sound came out. It was the first sign of recognition. Brandon leaned in closer. "Your daughters¡­. do you remember them...?" Rafael''s gaze, though distant, held a spark of something familiar. It was faint, but it was there. Zed shook his head. "It''s like his memories are just¡­. gone. He woke up, but his mind hasn''t." In any case, his conditions seemed to be stable. Once there were more responses, they had nned on bringing him to a real hospital to further check his conditions. In any case, the next day came before he knew it. December 22, 2149. The day of the scheduled funeral for the brave rankers who died in the tower had arrived. Evelyn''s heart was heavy as she stood before the monument, her gaze fixed on the names engraved in stone. The air was cold, but she barely felt it. Her eyes focused on one name, the only name that mattered to her. ¡ªYi Jihyeon. Chapter 377: Turning Point 3.0 [2] Out of respect, the Imperial Army did not cover up Blood Crescent Moon¡ªguild''s death. However, the reason was slightly altered. Because they couldn''t reveal it to the public just yet. Not yet. In any case, after the funeral, perhaps missing Yi Jihyeon, Evelyn conducted Brandon''s training. "I don''t get why it''s so hard for you. Don''t you have the [Ice] affinity? Wouldn''t it be simr in a way?" She asked with furrowed brows. While Brandon was showing steadfast results, it only amounted to much. He could manipte the mana, but it only ended there. He was unable to do any of the shy attacks Yi Jihyeon could do. But it was quite understandable. Only when onepletely mastered their affinity, could they contort into their mana, resulting in a unique trait. Brandon was well aware of those unique traits. An example would be his [Cursed mes] or [Cursed Chains]. While for a third person, Reinhard would be a great example with his [ming Bow], or Raven with his [Shadow Step]. "[Ice] affinity huh? About that¡­." Brandon stared at his hand. Then, raising his head to meet her gaze, he spoke. "I don''t have any of those affinities anymore." "Huh?" Evelyn looked at him dumbfounded. "Are you serious?" "When have I ever joked around?" Brandon had alreadye up with an excuse once someone had actually asked seriously. The only one who knew the truth, of course, was Amelia. "But how is that possible¡­? I''ve never heard of such a case." It was the truth. Throughout history, no mage or duelist had ever lost their affinity naturally. Of course, there were cases of mages who lost their affinity after their mana core broke. But in Brandon''s case, his mana core was the healthiest it could be. Much to the point where even Evelyn felt envious. Because her mana core¡­. ''Right, it will heal soon.'' It wasn''t as bad as before. But there were asional moments where she felt a stinging sensation on her chest. But recently, that stinging sensation seemed to have frequented less. She felt like it was healing. She was told she should use her mana to cleanse her core and help its repair, despite the pain it would bring. And so, training Brandon served as a good exercise for that. Evelyn closed her eyes as her gloved hand gently touched Brandon''s back. Her hand emitted a radiant glow, and Evelyn felt the mana inside Brandon''s passage as if it were tangible. "Now follow my direction." The process was the same. They had been doing this for a week now, yet for some reason, despite how strong or knowledgable Brandon was, he couldn''t grasp it at all. Yes, his mana gradually distorted into something cold, but it only ended there. "Did you get that?" Pulling her hand back, Evelyn opened her eyes and asked. She had posed this question everyday. "Yeah, I think I get it now." Brandon responded, but Evelyn thought so otherwise and stepped back, fixing a set distance between the two of them. However, it was then. While it took Evelyn''s assistance for the mana around him to distort, things took a different turn today. Swoosh¡ª! The aura emanating from Brandon flickered. White, ck, then light¨Cblue. It started off faint, even small, to the point Evelyn found it ridiculous how someone would output such faint elemental magic. No, it wasn''t ridiculous. As she scrutinized, she finally realized something. ''Is he doing it on purpose?'' If that was the case, then it was rather skillful. His control over the [Permafrost] affinity was weak. But to make up for it, his mana control was ridiculously skillful. The aura around him gradually expanded, and Evelyn felt the chilling from him. It was indeed the [Permafrost] affinity. And if it was passed onto him by Yi Jihyeon, which Brandon wouldn''t exin to her how it happened, then the mana signature should be familiar. But it wasn''t. It was as if it were his own identity. His aura gradually expanded, and the ground seemed to freeze from his feet slightly. Then, it quickly faded, and Brandon turned around. "How was that?" He asked, as sweat trickled down his face. "You¡­." Evelyn could only stay speechless, unable to articte her words. Yes, the mana was his own identity. But the way he controlled its flow, the chill it emanated, and the alteration of the circuits¡­. "Are you mimicking Lucian Frost?" *** From what he could remember, there were two people who were given the title; "The Second Coming of Lucian Frost." The first one being Evelyn, after bing the strongest ranker in the world. And the second one was none other than his dear friend, Rachel Asami. Of course, it happened in a far distant future, but the strength only amounted to much when the world had crumbled. In any case, for Evelyn, it was because she had be the strongest, ascending into the level of deities known as the SSS ranks. For Rachel, it was because of her unique affinity which closely resembled that of Lucian Frost. While not exactly the same, every affinity rted to frost all stemmed from the [Ice] affinity. But only the truly skillful ones inherited that title. Lucian Frost was just that influential. A symbol of strength. ''And he''s alive somewhere out there.'' Brandon was sure of it. This winter had further confirmed his conjecture. After all, after the cmity, the climate had be unstable. There was an imbnce of snow and summer. He had thought of it before, especially during the training camp. The reason why Aetherwild Woods froze to the core was because of his influence. Somewhere out there, Lucian Frost held up to his name. He was frozen, out there somewhere, greatly influencing this world''s terrain. And most probably, he was inside the rift. In other words, the rift would''ve probably turned into a deste expanse of ice. In any case, Brandon wanted a piece of that title. No, not just the title. But that n would be pushed after graduation. "Here, take this." Evelyn handed him something. A sword. After the Dimensional Tower fiasco, Brandon had lost his sword. ¡ªIt was my sword, fucker. ''Yeah, shut up and be a good boy, Lumian.'' Brandon tested the sword for a few swings before nodding his head in acknowledgment. "It''s a good sword." "It''s mine." "Oh?" Brandon scrutinized the de in his hand. Indeed, it was the same sword Evelyn had used during the auction raid. "Are you ready?" Before he realized it, Evelyn was a few distance away. "Huh¡ª" Swoosh¡ª! All of a sudden, her figure blinked radiantly. Instinctively, Brandon swung his sword forward, colliding with a radiant glowing sword. Then, her figure blinked once again. She was fast. Too fast. To the point Brandon had a hard time keeping up with his eyes. Her movements were quick, fluid, each strike more intense than thest. "Your swordsmanship is stillcking." She called out, her radiant de pushing him back. He blocked, dodged, and countered, but she deflected every move with ease. How could he keep up against an SS¨C ranker in the first ce!? "Focus." Evelyn said, her eyes sharp. "Anticipate, don''t just react. Incorporate the affinity until you get used to it." Brandon gritted his teeth, adjusting his stance. He could feel the [Permafrost] affinity stirring, the chill seeping into the ground beneath him. Swoosh¡ª! He dodged another swing and swung back, their des meeting once more. This time, he held firm, feeling his control sharpen. Evelyn smirked. "Better." They continued sparring, the cold air filled with the sound of shing steel. By the end of it, Brandon slumped down on the ground, trying to catch his breath. The sweat had umted to the point his shirt stuck close to his skin. "You''re too¡ªHaaa¡­. strong." "You''ll get there. You''re still seventeen." "Seventeen, huh?" Brandon raised his head, staring nkly at the ceiling. Evelyn looked at him with furrowed brows. Brandon was rushing too much. Sooner orter, he might burn himself out. Despite the cold war ongoing, it wouldn''t hurt to go outside and hang out with people his age. Though sometimes, Brandon had an air around him that resembled an old man. It was weird. She was older than him, yet it felt like she was the younger one. But the feeling was nice. He was like family. Like a younger br¡ªAn old uncle. It really was weird. "Uncle?" "Huh?" *** In any case, after changing into cleaner clothes, Brandon looked ahead, keeping the new sword on his waist. ''Ah.'' He had almost forgotten something. For that reason, he approached Evelyn, who was cleaning the ce. "Evelyn." "Hm?" She paused, and turned around, meeting his gaze. "Are you free on Christmas?" "I should be. We''re given a week off during Christmas Eve." "Oh, good. My family and I are thinking of celebrating with everyone. You cane if you like. You can invite Miss Vanessa too." "That sounds nice. I''ll give Vanessa a call." Then, as if remembering something, Evelyn continued. "Ah, can I invite another friend too?" "You have other friends?" "...." Evelyn frowned. She may have zero social skills, but she had friends too! For example¡­. She counted on her fingers, only to stop at the third. "...." "I''m kidding. Go ahead, the more the merrier." "Okay, I''ll give them a call." The moment Brandon left the training hall, Evelyn removed the glove and stared at her hand. "...." She had been suppressing it this whole time, thinking it would disappear if she used her mana for a bit. And indeed, it did subside for a bit, she had noticed it. But again, it was still there. Her hand had turned an eerie pale color. Chapter 378: Turning Point 3.0 [3] Things were progressing really smoothly. Trying his best to peer into his memories as much as he could remember, this was most likely the best progression thus far. At least, if things really did indeed go well. He had equipped this continent with the necessary tools and weapons. If the technicians could learn from the ckmarket''s artifacts and gadgets, then it would all work in his favor. However, there was still so much more to do. But regardless of that, today, Brandon could take a break. Because today was none other than Christmas Eve. December 24, 2149. Snowkes drifted softly from the sky as Brandon walked with Amelia and Aurelia through the bustling streets. "Are we really going to the carnival~?" Aurelia asked, her eyes sparkling Amelia smiled down at her. "Yep, and we''re going to have so much fun. Games, rides, and the big Christmas tree lighting tonight!" "Yay~!" They arrived at the Christmas carnival. The ce was alive with holiday cheer. Strings of glowing bulbs crisscrossed the streets, casting a myriad of colorful glows. The sounds of games, bells, and carols filled the air. "Where should we start?" Amelia asked, looking at the map of the carnival. Aurelia immediately pointed toward the merry-go-round. "The horses!" Brandon smirked. "Merry-go-round it is." They made their way over, and soon, Aurelia was perched on top of one of the colorful horses. And then, it started, the horses going around in circles. "Uwaa~!" "Aurelia, look over here?" "Un?" Click! With her smartphone, Amelia took a picture of the joyful Aurelia. After the ride, Aurelia tugged on Brandon''s sleeve, her eyes shimmering. "Brandon, Brandon~!" "Yes?" Brandon held her up, cradling her in his arms. However, what was confusing was why she didn''t run up to Amelia. If anything, the two were closer. But his confusion was soon answered as he turned to the side and noticed Amelia drooling over the food vendors. She didn''t even try to hide it. "You want something?" "Slurp~ Ah?" She shook her head. "No, I''m good. I''m not that hungry." Brandon raised a skeptical eyebrow, clearly not convinced by Amelia''s answer. She had been eyeing the food stalls since they arrived, and he knew better than to believe her "not hungry" excuse. "Really?" "Fine. Maybe I''m a little hungry." Brandonughed. "Let''s grab something to eat, then." They made their way toward a vendor selling an assortment of carnival snacks. "Uwaa~" Aurelia''s eyes widened as she looked at the colorful cotton candy, the smell of caramel apples, and the sight of huge pretzels hanging on disy. "Which one, Aurelia?" Brandon asked, ncing at the options. "Cotton candy!" Amelia, however, was already fixated on something else. "Funnel cake¡­. Blueberry pie¡­. Apple candy¡­. " She muttered, her eyes practically shining as she stared at the mentioned food, her mouth moving rapidly. "A little, huh?" Brandon tilted his head, dumbfounded by the sight. Amelia blinked, snapping out of her food trance, her face slightly flushed. "Okay, maybe a lot hungry. I haven''t had anything for lunch¡­." Brandon chuckled, stepping up to the vendor. "Alright, cotton candy for Aurelia and¡­. everything Amelia just mentioned." The vendorughed as he quickly prepared their order. Aurelia giggled, already bouncing up and down in excitement as the fluffy pink cotton candy was handed to her. "Cotton candy~ Cotton candy~ Cotton¡ªUwaa~!" After a little snack, they wandered around the carnival, ying games and stopping at various booths. Aurelia tugged on Brandon''s sleeve again as they passed a ring toss game. "Brandon, Brandon~ Can I try~?" He handed her a ring, crouching beside her to help with the throw. "Okay, aim carefully." Aurelia tossed the ring, and it missed by a mile,nding nowhere near the bottles. "Noo~!" A disappointed look shed across her features. Amelia, meanwhile, was busy taking pictures of Aurelia''s every move,ughing at how cute her concentration was. "You''ve got thish, Aurelia¡ªMunch." ¡­.While chewing on a piece of apple candy. Brandon handed over a third ring, and with a focused little grunt, Aurelia tossed it. It still missed, but by a much smaller margin. "Let me try." Brandon paid for another round again. It took no effort as he casually tossed the ring,nding it urately on the bottle. "How!?" Aurelia asked with wide eyes. *** They yed more games, with Brandon winning a stuffed giraffe at the dart balloon pop. Amelia confidently tried her hand at it but struggled, missing the first two shots. "I swear, it''s rigged!" But on herst throw, she finally popped a balloon. "Aha! See? Skill." Sheughed, receiving a small prize which she gave to Aurelia. Brandon shook his head, grinning. "Sure you are." 11:30 PM. They soon found themselves in front of a brightly lit Ferris wheel. They bought tickets and boarded one of the small cabins. As the Ferris wheel slowly began to rise, the lights of the carnival below twinkled. Aurelia pressed her face against the ss window, watching the ground get smaller and smaller. "It''s so high up!" Brandon and Amelia sat close together, her head leaning on his shoulder as they watched the view below them. "This day was so nice." "I hope this peace willst forever." Brandon replied softly, wrapping an arm around her. As the wheel reached its peak, they had a perfect view of the human domain''srge Christmas tree, which was located in the central park not so far away. Brandon raised his head and pondered. For the second semester''s curriculum, there was an academy exchange event. The academy festival¡­. A tournament¡­. Exams¡­. Artifacts he nned on proposing¡­. Meetings¡­. Presentations¡­. Training¡­. Exams¡­. Milis¡­. "What are you thinking about?" "Ah?" He was snapped out of a daze. "Just¡­. rx. Feel the festive mood, look at your eyes, you''re barely getting any wink of sleep these days." Amelia said, pointing at the bags under his eyes. She was right. He had to¡­. rx. The Ferris wheel slowly descended, and once they stepped off, they made their way toward the city''s Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the central park. The massive tree stood tall, glowing with thousands of lights. They found a spot near the front of the crowd, waiting for whoever was in charge to give the signal for the tree lighting. "When''s it gonna light up~?" Aurelia asked, her voice filled with anticipation. "Any minute now," Finally, someone took the stage, a man who seemed to be of relevant importance, giving a short but heartfelt speech about the importance of family and the joy of the holiday season. All that stuff. "And now, for the moment we''ve all been waiting for¡­." "Five¡­ four¡­ three¡­ two¡­ one!" Flick¡ª! As the Christmas tree lit up, casting a warm glow over the entire square, the crowd erupted in unison. "Merry Christmas!" But Brandon and Amelia didn''t join them. They stood slightly apart, their eyes meeting under the glow of the lights. A soft smile tugged at Amelia''s lips as she leaned closer. Brandon, without a word, gently cupped her face. And under the dazzling lights of the giant tree, they shared a long, sweet kiss. The world around them seemed to fade. The noise of the crowd seemed distant as they embraced the quiet moment, wrapped in the warmth of each other. Aurelia, holding her cotton candy, nced up at them with a knowing smile. "What are you two doing~?" Brandon chuckled, breaking the kiss but keeping Amelia close. "Merry Christmas." He whispered, his forehead resting against hers. Amelia smiled softly, whispering back. "Merry Christmas, Brandon." And soon after, they returned home as Belle, Brianna, and a bunch of other people who used to work for the Locke family finished their preparations. The party was underway. And after waiting for a few minutes. Their guests had arrived. Chapter 379: Turning Point 3.0 [4] "Eh, who''s this?" "Brandon, don''t tell me¡­." It was their first time inside Brandon''s ce. Or rather¡ªAmelia''s ce. And so they looked around. At least, at first. Until the little elven girl emerged from the room with her sleepy eyes, all dressed up for the party while dragging a stuffed teddy bear. "Ah?" Aurelia rubbed her sleepy eyes and was immediately startled upon noticing the new faces. Her eyes started to moisten as she looked around for the faces she was familiar with. Eventually, her eyesnded on Brandon. With no moment of hesitation, she rushed towards him and hid behind his back. Everyone else, to be precise, Raven, Reinhard, ire, Amy, Rachel, and Cyrus stared at him with incredulous expressions. "Uhm¡­." "You¡­." "You''re a father?" While the others hesitated speaking up to blurt out the truth considering Brandon''s family was here, including Amelia, ire on the other hand was bold enough to pose the question. "...." Brandoon stood speechless for a moment. The others instinctively turned their heads towards Amelia, who was helping Belle, Brianna, and the other staff in setting up the table. "No?" Brandon tilted his head, dumbfounded. What went in their heads to even ask that? "Firstly, I''m a minor." Technically. But they gave him the look as if they couldn''t believe it. "...." Anyways. "Secondly, does the timeline make any sense? I''m seventeen, and she''s ten. Are you saying I became a father at seven years old?" And of course. "Lastly, do I look like her?" Your next journey awaits at mvl Brandon pointed at Aurelia''s hair, then her face. "Wait, he''s right, guys. She''s way too cute to be rted to Brandon." Raven said, pointing at Aurelia as he looked at the others who still didn''t seem to believe in Brandon. "...." For some reason, those words were kind of annoying. In any case. "Go on, Aurelia. Like we rehearsed." "....Un." Aurelia nodded her head, albeit reluctantly. She looked at the people around her, who looked back at her with interest. "My name¡­. is¡­. Aurelia¡­." She recited the lines she had practiced dozens of times with Amelia. "Hello there, Aurelia." The first one to have greeted her was ire. Brandon could tell she was immediately smitten by Aurelia''s charm. Then, it was Raven''s turn to greet her. "Nice to meet y¡ª" "Uhm¡­. My name is¡­. is¡­. Aurelia¡­." "Yes, hello. I''m Rache¡ª" "Aurelia¡­. I''m Aurelia¡­. My teddy is Bran¡­. My friend is Princess Sparkle¡­. I''m¡­." Aurelia was repeating the same lines over and over again, flustered. The others, on the other hand, found the sight cute. "I''m Aurelia¡­. I''m¡­." "She''s so cute~!" ire couldn''t help it anymore, and grabbed the little elven girl, hugging her and pressing her cheek against her cheek. "Aaang~!" "Have fun, Aurelia. Be nice to her, guys." Brandon turned around, leaving them to their own devices as he heard the door was knocked. However, before he could reach for the door, Amelia suddenly appeared. "I''ll get it. I think my guest arrived." "Oh? You invited someone?" "Yeah, a new friend I recently met." Brandon was curious. Just who could Amelia''s new friend be? From what he knew, most of Amelia''s friends were busy due to Imperial Army matters. The moment the door opened, Brandon''s eyes widened in shock as he took in the familiar sight. "...." All he needed to see was the strand of pink hair to know who it was. And she too blinked her eyes. They momentarily stood still and blinked their eyes together as they looked back at each other. "...." "...." Amelia alternated her gaze between the two, rather confused by their frozen expressions and asked. "Brandon? Have you met Illya before?" It was Illya. Yeah, the Primordials Seventh Seat, Illya. A cold blooded killer. A mercenary. And now? She was dressed really girl¨Cishly with a santa hat to finish the look. "No, just surprised you made a friend." "....What do you take me for?" Amelia frowned. In any case, Illya stepped inside the apartment room and briefly nced back at Brandon before entering the living room. She only had one thought in her mind at the moment. ''....So that''s how nk looks when he''s not trying to gouge someone''s eyes out.'' It was surprising. To think he could appear normal in front of so many people. No wonder his influence was spreading fast. Illya was d she had never antagonized him unlike Hein, the Ninth Seat. If anything, the normal Brandon seemed scarier knowing how he actually was. In any case, there were still other guests that hadn''t arrived yet. p¡ª! Belle pped her hands together, grabbing everyone''s attention, and they all gathered around the table. "Woah¡­." "These look amazing!" "Thanks for preparing all this, Miss Locke and Belle." The others stared at the foodid on the table in awe. A perfectly roasted turkey sat at the center, surrounded by mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and rolls. Mini quiches,sagna, and fresh sdpleted the spread. Belle and Brianna had added festive touches, red and gold table runners, pinecones, twinkling lights, and flickering candles. Belle smiled. "The staff did most of it. We just added some charm." Of course, the staff were dismissed after getting paid, with incentives for the additional help. By now, they too should be enjoying Christmas with their families. Then, all of a sudden, the door was knocked once again. "That should be my guest." Brandon spoke, heading for the door. And indeed, the moment he opened the door, the familiar sight of Evelyn entered his peripheral vision. However, there was a person right beside her, carrying a bottle of what seemed to be a really expensive wine. While he expected it would be Vanessa, it seems like it wasn''t the case. In fact, the person right beside her was even more surprising as he was taken aback. "Miss Lianna!?" Reinhard''s voice rang out from the back, clearly surprised by the guest Evelyn had brought. So Lianna¡­. was the friend Evelyn was talking about? How surprising¡­. Just a couple months back, Brandon and Bellion were spying on her activities, only to find nothing about her. "Miss Lianna?" Brandon spoke with familiarity. "You''re¡­. Brandon Locke, right? The one from the awarding ceremony?" "Yeah, that''s me." Evelyn alternated her gaze between the two. "You two know each other?" "We''ve met." In any case, Lianna stepped inside the apartment. Reinhard suddenly appeared and helped her take her coat off, and took the wine off her hands. "Let me get that." "...." "You know her too, Reinhard?" "Yes, Miss Evelyn. I owe her quite a lot." "Is that so? My, what a small world we live in." Indeed, it was. Evelyn made a friend, huh? "I''m not that ipetent¡­." Evelyn frowned, as if she read his mind. "I didn''t say anything." That being said, it seemed like all the guests had arrived, and they all gathered around the table. Chapter 380: Turning Point 3.0 [5] The sudden appearance of a beauty like Lianna seemed to have taken some of them aback, especially ire and Rachel, who was familiar with Lianna, since they were both figures in the business world. Lianna seemed to be an important figure in the business world, and who knew someone as rich as her would be celebrating Christmas along with everyone else? It was truly surprising, to the point that ire seemed to have a hard time believing. Evelyn on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the entire thing. For her, she had just brought a friend to enjoy Christmas with. Apparently, Vanessa was really busy, to the point where she couldn''t even celebrate Christmas for herself. A pity. Amidst the pleasant scent of food, there was a sudden fragrance that wafted in the air, which seemed to have emitted from Lianna. Must''ve been a really expensive perfume. "Aren''t you going to take your gloves off?" Brandon asked Evelyn, who seemed reluctant to do so. "Uhm¡­. I''ll keep it on for a bit. I''m still feeling the cold from outside." "Is that so?" That was weird. They had kept the air at room temperature, so it shouldn''t be too cold. That being said, the party went underway. "Merry Christmas, everyone!" *** Time passed by in a sh, everyone enjoyed the meal, and the desserts which were brought by the guests as offerings. But that was only the start of the party. "One more shot!" Alcohol was where the real party started. "Underage drinking¡­." Evelyn frowned. These kids weren''t even eighteen yet, but everyone seemed to be engrossed in alcohol. Of course, Aurelia was already put to sleep since it waste. About 3:20 AM. Brianna had also gone to sleep, and so, the only legal adults present were Evelyn, Illya and Lianna. They had done a couple of party games, but then grew bored of it. Instead, they engaged in chess with some rules restricting them. "Give him another shot!" Everyone''s faces were flushed red, and some seemed to be drunk already. Particrly, the ones with weak tolerance like; Rachel, Amy, and Amelia. "Ahh, seriously~ Why are you so good at everything~" Amelia seemed to be out of it as she clung to Brandon''s arm. Her eyes spiraled, and her face was akin to a tomato. She was practically kissing his arm affectionately. Brandon gentlyid the sleepy Amelia''s head on hisp, and it wasn''t long until she was snoring. "Really? In front of my sd!?" Belle said, hardly focusing on the chess match between Brandon and Rachel. Apparently, Rachel was pretty good at chess. Tak. "Checkmate." But Brandon was better. "Ahh! No way I lost thirty gold coins like that¡­!" She screamed, ruffling her hair. She too was drunk. "We''re not wagering that, you know?" "Ah, right¡­." Each time Rachel won against the others, she would ask them to forfeit their money. But she would be told there were no such wagers like that. It was as if it were a habit. What does she do in her pastime for her to instinctively think she was betting in a chess game while she was drunk? "No backing out now, Rachel!" ire appeared right behind Rachel with a smug, holding onto a bottle of alcohol. Indeed, while the wager wasn''t money, the agreement was the loser would chug a bottle of alcohol. "Chug! Chug! Chug¡­!" "Ahh! Damn it! Hit me!" And so, opening her mouth, Rachel dly epted the alcohol being poured in her mouth by ire. "Pwah!" "Woooh!" "Hah! How does it feel now, Rachel!?" ire, clearly amused by the entire scene after losing to Rachel a couple of times and being forced to chug, eximed. However, Thwack! Rachel''s head mmed on the table, clearly way too drunk to even keep her head stable. "Ouch!" On the other hand, Evelyn, Lianna, and Illya were sitting quietly by the couch, staring at the chess game with drinks in their hands. "Sorry for this, it feels like we''re just babysitting these¡­. teenagers?" "It''s fine. Haha~ This is kind of fun. I appreciate the invitation." "Oh, is that so? I''m d." Experience exclusive tales on mvl Evelyn smiled. Despite how chaotic the party had gotten, she too had enjoyed it. It was a nice change of pace. "Why don''t we join?" "You know how to y chess?" "I''m not too bad at it." "What about you, Miss Illya?" "Ah?" Illya was snapped out of her thoughts as Evelyn asked. "Yes?" "Do you want to y chess too?" "Oh.... I''m good." She said. She wanted to go home. Her thoughts were only filled of the time when Brandon came to the base, only to stare at Zeke while eating food or drinking water right in front of his face. ''There''s no way this is the same guy....'' And so, Lianna and Evelyn joined them, leaving Illya on the couch. "Don''t do it, Miss Lianna. Brandon''s gonna eat you up!" Reinhard, obviously drunk as well, informed. He was currently slumped down on the ground. "Are you sure about this, Miss Lianna?'' Brandon asked as he set his pieces on the board. "Yes, I''ve seen you were pretty good. I hope you go easy on me." She gave him a smile and Brandon nodded. Despite the smell of alcohol lingering in the air, Lianna''s perfume seemed to overpower it. Really, what kind of perfume is this? And so, The chess match between Brandon and Lianna began. Tak. Within moments, Lianna surprised everyone by swiftly cornering Brandon. "Checkmate." Brandon blinked,pletely stunned. He hadn''t expected Lianna to be this good at chess. While he could admit he didn''t take it so seriously, it was still surprising, especially when he had beaten everyone, even Rachel with minimal effort. The room fell silent before cheers erupted, the drunk guests suddenly waking back to life. "No way¡­." "She beat Brandon! How crazy is that!?" Brandon blinked once more, then looked at Lianna, who looked at him back with a smile, her crimson eyes glimmering. "Go easy¡­. You''re not a beginner at all, Miss Lianna." "I never said I was. Hehe~" "Guess I owe you a drink." He reached for a bottle and chugged as everyone cheered. But he wasn''t done. Wiping his mouth, he grinned. "One more game. Rematch!" This time, he nned on taking it seriously. His pride was on the line. The second match began, and this time, Brandon decided to use a bold strategy¡ªthe Queen''s Gambit. Tak. He sacrificed his queen early, hoping to throw her off bnce. It was risky, but if it worked, it could change the tide of the game. But Lianna wasn''t fazed. In fact, she yed even sharper this time, expertly countering his every move. Within minutes, she cornered him again. Tak. "Checkmate." "...." There were no excuses this time. Lianna was clearly better than him. To think he would lose in a chess match, when he had beaten even someone like Lancelott, who seemed to have been an expert at chess. "Chug! Chug! Chug¡­!" As the party wound down, everyone''s energy faded. One by one, the group passed out in the living room, sprawled across couches and the floor. The festive chaos turned into quiet snores and the asional murmur. Evelyn, Illya, and Lianna stood by the door, getting ready to leave. "Thanks for having us." "Thank you. It was a great party." "...." Evelyn and Lianna said softly, while Illya nodded her head, ncing at the sleeping figures. Brandon, still tipsy but smiling, nodded. "Anytime. Thanks foring." With a final wave, the three women stepped out of the apartment. It was a good party. Hopefully, things stayed the same next Christmas. *** The moment Evelyn returned home, she immediately removed her gloves and stared at her hand. "Haaa¡­." She breathed a sigh of relief. Her right hand had returned to normal. And so, she checked the other hand. "...." It was a haunting pale color, spreading all the way to her arm. "What''s happening to me?" At that moment, her chest tightened once more, a stabbing sensation erupted. She clutched her chest as it was getting harder to breathe. Pouring mana into her arm at the same time, the color returned to her arm, and she slumped down, leaning on the door. She stared nkly at the ceiling. She had to get a check¨Cup tomorrow. Standing up, she was just about to enter her room and change, when she passed by the mirror in her living room and noticed something. "Huh?" She could''ve sworn she saw it. For just a brief instance, half of her face had turned ghastly pale, and her sclera, a chilling pitch¨Cck color. "Haaa¡­. I need some sleep." Probably, under the influence of alcohol, she was seeing things. Right, it was just her imagination. Chapter 381: Turning Point 3.0 [6] Rafael Asami had finally started showing response a few days back. For that reason, Locke Enterprise took him to a hospital, cing him in their care under a mysterious benefactor. Of course, the hospital was already aware of the identity, but was under a hushpliance. In any case. December 30, 2149. "How are you feeling, Sir Asami?" "Never been better, Haha." Rafael Asami was currently under rehab. A nurse was helping him walk, while Brandon stood on the side with his arms crossed. After the rehab, Rafael Asami was brought back to his hospital room andid on the bed. "Good work today, Sir Asami." The nurse said before exiting the room, leaving Brandon and Rafael to their own devices. In the past few days as Rafael finally started responding, Brandon had been speaking to him everyday. But unfortunately, Rafael seemed to be suffering from Amnesia. ¡ªI can see them¡­. But¡­. I can''t see them¡­. Brandon recalled his words. Apparently, he had the memories, but they were all a mess, and quite frankly, it seemed like he couldn''t recognize any of his daughter''s faces. But he was aware he did indeed have daughters. "Do you want to see them?" Brandon asked. Rafael remained silent for a bit, seemingly pondering as he stared nkly at the ceiling. Truth be told, his condition was getting better physically, and while his previous abilities were gone, being strong wasn''t all that defined a person. He had a family to return to. Brandon was unsure about the current state of affairs with his wife, but for his daughters, Brandon was sure of it. They missed him. "Do I¡­. have that right?" "...." Brandon''s brows raised at his response. Did he have the right? While he could barely remember things, the lingering feelings of guilt were still there. But Brandon knew exactly how to respond. "Does a father need a reason to want to see his family?" *** After a business meeting, Rachel suddenly got a call from the hospital. ¡ªA rtive wants to see you. A rtive? Rachel found herself perplexed. She had cut off most of her ties with her Ashfield rtives, and from what she knew, she didn''t have any rtives from herte father''s side. So, Rachel only had one conclusion. "They probably need money¡­." In particr, the Ashfields. After her grandfather''s death, as the eldest daughter, and ording to herte grandfather''s will, all assets and subsidiaries went under her name, and not her mother''s. At first, her mother was furious. But Rachel gave her no chance to retort. Find exclusive stories on mvl During half of the year, her rtionship with her mother was sour. But Rachel wasn''t all too heartless. She was secretly supporting her mother despite everything that happened. But secret¡­. "Haaa¡­. Amy." Amy was too much of a bbermouth and revealed everything to their mother. A few months passed, and she had managed to rekindle her rtionship with her mother somewhat. But it was not to the point where they could say they were close. But still. They were getting there. Hopefully. It was still somewhat awkward. In any case, her mother didn''t need to work, and her two daughters were supporting her every whim. Why wouldn''t she submit to it, when everything was basically for free? She may have sounded like a free¨Cloader in Rachel''s mind. But a mother¡­. was still a mother. Rachel had only found out recently that her mother started working at a part¨Ctime job, particrly, a coffee shop to decrease the load off her daughters. And secretly? Rachel bought shares for thepany. All to support the increase in her mother''s sry. It was that kind of rtionship. In any case, if her conjectures were proven to be true, and it was indeed an Ashfield in need of financial help to pay for her medical bills¡­. "How shameless¡­." It was all she could say. She didn''t even n on supporting them. But still, she wanted to meet them. Just to stomp on their faces after how much they backtalked her in the past. In any case. She arrived. The moment she did, there was a familiar face that arrived before her, standing by the receptionist. "Amy?" It was Amy. Immediately, her brows furrowed. They even called Amy? How shameless could they get!? Rachel clenched her fist. "Ah, Rachel? Why are you here?" But her anger quickly subsided as Amy turned around, giving her an innocent look. Her younger twin sister. Everything Rachel had been doing thus far was to protect her innocent little sister. And now? She was being dragged into this? Rachel couldn''t stand it. "I got a call." "You too?" "Yes, have you found out what it was about?" Rachel asked as she stood by Amy''s side. "The doctors are being vague about it. They said to wait for one more person, and they''ll take us to the room." "Huh?" Rachel''s brows raised. One more person? Who the hell did the Ashfields call this ti¡ª "Rachel, Amy?" All of a sudden, a female voice rang out from the entrance. A voice the two girls were all too familiar with as they turned around. "Mom?" It was their mother, Samantha Ashfield. And now. "Mom¡­." Rachel blew a fuse. They even called her mother, who was lying low after everything that had happened, living her own life quietly, away from the business side of things, away from the Ashfields. "I see everyone is here." Before Rachel could voice out herints, the doctor approached them. "Why were we called here?" Amy asked, and Samantha made her way to their side. Their mother nced at her two daughters, and eventually gave Rachel a smile. Rachel returned the smile, then turned away, still feeling quite bashful, unsure of how to actuallymunicate with her mother. "Follow me." The doctor quickly led them to the elevator, then took them to a peculiar room. A VIP room. Now, things had gotten quite confusing. If whoever Ashfield rtive was inside the VIP room, then why were they called? ''So they didn''t need financial help?'' In any case, her questions would soon be resolved as soon as they stepped inside the room. "Do be gentle with the patient. He''s only gotten better recently. Try not to startle him too much." "Ah?" "Recently? "Who?" He? Who was ''he?'' Ba¡­ Thump! For some unknown reason, Rachel''s heart began to quicken. It felt like she was expecting something, but afraid of disappointments, Rachel quickly pushed down her thoughts. Once they entered the room¡­. "...." "...." "...." They werepletely petrified, unable to believe the sight that greeted them. "Hello¡­. Are you people¡­. my family?" There, he sat on his hospital bed, adorning a hospital gown. Blonde hair that looked strikingly simr to Amy''s. Crimson eyes that deeply reflected the two girl''s eyes. A face Rachel could never forget. No, a face Rachel, Amy, and Samantha could never forget. "Dad¡­." "D-Dad¡­?" "...." While the two girls mouthed out their thoughts, Samantha''s breath seemed to have stuck in her lungs, gasping as she covered her mouth. It was a miracle. They couldn''t fathom how this could happen as they stood frozen. But regardless, despite the iprehensible fact that Rachel''s father was alive¡­. Drip. The tears started trickling down. *** Brandon outside the room''s entrance, crossing his arms. He could hear the family''s heartwarming reunion, and the asional sobs and breakdowns that followed. "Looks like it was a sess." He smiled. "Happy New Year, Rachel." After whispering those words, Brandon left the hospital. Chapter 382: Turning Point 3.0 [7] December 31, 2149. New Year''s Eve. For the past few days, it was about the same. asional training with Evelyn, helping Amelia out with her paperwork, and discussing with hispany. However, things took quite a turn in the past two days. She had told him she had something to do, and so, they held off training for a while. Instead, Brandon trained by himself in istion, trying to direct the mana pathways in his body by himself. He had found sess recently, it was only a matter of time until he unlocked the first skill of his newfound [Permafrost] affinity. In any case. During New Year''s Eve, Brandon and Amelia were set to have a dinner date. This time, without Aurelia. Just the two of them. But Brandon decided to leave early, and told Amelia he had already reserved seats in the restaurant. He had something to check out first. He received a message recently, after all. ¡ªI''ve finally figured out a way to greatly help with your training. It was from Evelyn. It seemed like she had done some research by herself without telling him. She truly was a great mentor. Brandon truly appreciated her. Recently, Evelyn had stopped smoking after Brandon told her it wasn''t good for her. Not that mages would actually suffer from the smokes after¨Ceffects, but it wasn''t a good look for her. There were better ways to cope with stress. Having scolded Evelyn, she had promised him she would stop, and surprisingly, she had told him of her New Year''s resolution. To be a better mentor, finally surpass Bellion, and finally live up to the expectations the people had for her. Because Evelyn Cessna would soon be the strongest. That much was certain. It would greatly assist his ns, and if it did happen, there was a high chance this cold war would be quickly resolved. "Haha." He could practically imagine Evelyn snapping her fingers and ending the war. "Oh, right. She said she wanted to make more friends too." It was a great start for the new year. In any case, Brandon soon arrived at Evelyn''s apartment. "Apartment¡­." The ce was huge. It was practically a condominium. Of course, despite herck of friends, Evelyn was a famous figure in Holy Britannia. She had saved dozens of people in the past, and even till this point, she had continued saving them. Especially recently, when she had contributed the most in stopping the dungeon outbreaks. "Hmm¡­." It took no time as Evelyn had already told him her room number. To¨C Tok. He knocked on her door, standing excitedly. Just what was she going to teach him? Brandon could practically imagine how strong he would get after finally figuring out the [Permafrost] affinity. Stay tuned with mvl "Hmm?" But there was no response. To¨C Tok. "....?" Still nothing. Was she not home? To¨C The moment he knocked for the third time¡­. Creaaaaak¡­. The door opened slightly. "Did she forget to lock?" How irresponsible. But maybe, she had delved way too much in her research, and forgot? Did she even take her meals properly? However¡­. "...." ¡­.He couldn''t believe what greeted his sight. *** ¡ªIt''s a side effect. Just give it time to heal. The same words. ¡ªIf you''re really worried, we can run some tests. Over and over again. ¡ªThere''s nothing, Miss Cessna. The results say you''re normal. But since he was a doctor, and the surgeon responsible for her surgery, Evelyn had no reason to doubt his words. And so, Evelyn persisted. Without telling anyone. In the first ce, what could they do? A licensed professional had already told her she was fine, and there were no concurring problems. There was no need to make them worried. It was her problem. And she would¡­. "Ukh¡­!" Heal soon. "Kh¡­!" She was, "It¡­ hurts." Going to be fine. "It hurts so much." It had gotten worse day by day. While she could return the color in her skin by imbuing mana, it was nothing but a temporary solution. She had managed to help herself up, grabbing the table under the mirror. The mirror. It was her only sense of assurance. She had tried using her phone''s camera, but for some reason, it couldn''t capture what she could actually perceive. It had led her to believe she was seeing things. But what she was seeing in the mirror right now¡­. "...." It was a horrific sight. Half of her hair strands had turned a ghastly white color. Furthermore, half of her face was hauntingly pale. "...." But that wasn''t the end of it. As she blinked her eyes, her right sclera had turned a pitch¨Cck color. "Huu¡­." She could faintly recognize the figure she was seeing in the mirror. A Wraith. But¡­. why? ''Am I turning into¡­. a Wraith!?'' She questioned herself. She questioned her whole being. Her hands trembled, nails digging into the edge of the table beneath it. "Huukk¡­!" Her breath stuck in her lungs, gasping. A deep mark etched on the table the moment she scratched it. "...." Her nails had grown a long, dark crystal color. "Haaa¡­. H¨Chaaa¡­." Her breath quickened, shallow and ragged. The pain¡­ It was unbearable. Her thoughts twisted into dark whispers, flooding through her mind like a sweet luby. Why is this happening? ¡ªYou''re a monster¡­. The voice was her own, distorted. Her reflection grinned at her, a sinister smile. The pale figure, half her, half something she could no longer recognize, stared back with hollow, soulless eyes. The ck sclera of her right eye oozed something¡­ something wrong. ¡ªYou can''t fix this. No one can. A violent shiver ran down her spine. Her mana surged wildly within her, wing at her from the inside, as if it wanted to tear her apart. The familiar warmth was gone, reced with a freezing sensation that wrapped around her bones, turning her insides to ice. "Hueek!" She gasped, clutching her chest as the frost crept up her throat, suffocating her. ¡ªYou''ve failed. "No¡­" She whispered, her voice cracking as her fingers dug into her skin, trying to feel something¡ªanything¡ªthat wasn''t cold, wasn''t dead. "Stop¡­." She tried to fight back, tried to summon her strength. But the dark thoughts wouldn''t stop. They wouldn''t leave her alone. ¡ªYou''ll kill them all. Kill them¡ª Crack¡ª! Her hand shot out, shattering the mirror. ss rained down, cascading, shards embedding themselves into her flesh. She didn''t feel the pain. She couldn''t. ¡ªYou''re weak. Evelyn''s breath hitched. Her vision tunneled, shrinking to a tiny hole of light surrounded by a sea of darkness. The room felt impossiblyrge, distant, like she was floating away into an abyss. The voices in her head grew louder, more violent. Feed the pain. Take the power. Give in¡­. Thud! She dropped to her knees, clutching her head as her hair fell around her like a curtain of white strands. Her fingers brushed her cheek, feeling the unnatural coldness of her skin. The Wraith''s face¡ªthe one in the mirror¡ªwas bing hers. Her mind spiraled deeper into the void. Suddenly, a loud knock echoed through the apartment, jarring her. To¨C Tok. Her heart skipped. The door. To¨C Tok. Who? "Don''te¡­.'' Her voice was barely a whisper. The door creaked open, and she heard footsteps. She didn''t turn around, her body too consumed by the cold. She heard someone approach. "Don''t¡­." Her lips trembled. The darkness inside herughed. And then, mustering up all the strength that she could,, she managed to lift her head, turning to face him. Her eyes, one filled with the void of ckness, locked onto a familiar figure. Why was he here? She had told him she would be busy this week. So¡­. Why? Why are you here? "....Brandon." Chapter 383: Turning Point 3.0 [8] Amelia finished changing, ready to head out for her date. Stepping out of the room, she was just about to walk towards the door, when she noticed something peculiar on the floor. "....?" It was a small picture frame, which seemed to have fallen off the shelf. As she picked it up, she hade to realize which photo it was. The photo they took during the Christmas party. Amelia frowned, picking up the fallen frame. The ss had cracked, right over Evelyn''s face in the Christmas photo. "Strange..." She whispered. Memories of the Christmas party shed in her mind. Laughter, drinks, gifts exchanged. Evelyn had been quieter than usual that night, but she hadn''t thought much of it. "Guess I''ll have to get it fixedter." She whispered once more, shaking her head before heading towards the door. Yet a strange chill lingered in the back of her mind. *** Brandon''s breath caught in his lungs the moment he stepped inside Evelyn''s apartment room. She was¡­. "...." Without a doubt¡­. "....Brandon." ¡­.Turning into a Wraith. "Evelyn!" Brandon rushed towards Evelyn, who had just copsed on the ground. Evelyny cold in his arms, her skin pale, her hair ghostly white. The ckness in her eye spread. Her entire mana core seemed to be consuming itself from the inside. "Evelyn!" His voice cracked. Her lips quivered, whispering. "It hurts¡­." But Brandon remained quiet, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized Evelyn''s current predicament. Humanity could never figure out the origin of a Wraith. They knew the name, feared the entity, but that''s where understanding stopped. Wraiths were a mystery, and the Wraith Seed¡ªwhat Evelyn had after her mana core was damaged¡ªby Ezekiel, was unknown up to now. Brandon had only learned of it from fragmented memories, but there were no real answers. Records existed of people turning into Wraiths, but no one knew why or how. It was an enigma humanity couldn''t solve. Even now, with all they knew, the transformation remained a mystery. Yet in the first ce, transformations were rare. There were certain cases like; Francis Osborn, and Sarah''s father, David Aurae, who were possessed by a Wraith, but of different circumstances. Yes. possession. In Evelyn''s case, it was a transformation. She was turning into a Wraith herself. But from an outsider''s perspective, they couldn''t tell if one had transformed or was possessed. Brandon knew of it, but couldn''t exin the phenomena. A Wraith seed? How could he exin that? Who would even believe him? Not even someone like Bellion, who had believed in him blindly this whole time, would. Wraith''s cases were a sensitive matter, and with no solid evidence of a Wraith''s seed existence, Brandon couldn''t do a thing. And then, a memory brought up. Rafael Asami, who he initially thought would be corrupted by a Wraith seed. He had saved him, and found out that wasn''t actually the case. He clenched his teeth. Continue reading at mvl "Why didn''t you tell anyone?" He could''ve saved her too if he only knew. If he only fucking knew. "Why didn''t you tell me!?" He screamed. But screaming was all he could do. Surgery¡­. it could''ve saved Evelyn. A surgery under his jurisdiction, just like what he did for Rafael. "I could''ve saved you!" He could''ve¡­. "This all started from the auction, didn''t it!?" "...." "Tell me! This¡­. I could''ve¡­." The Wraith seed seemed to be in its final stage. There was nothing he could do for her now. Why did she hide it from him? All she needed to do was ask for his help. Help me. Just two words. That was all she needed to say. "I¡­. I was afraid¡­." Her voice finally broke out of her trembling lips. "Afraid of what?" However, Evelyn stopped there, unable to meet his gaze as she forcibly shut her eyes. "Akh¡­.!" A painful groan escaped her lips. Brandon''s heart sank, and a chill ran down his spine. "I''m sorry¡­. I''m sorry¡­. I¡­." Brandon''s voice grew shaky. He held Evelyn tighter, his chest aching with every shallow breath she took. Her body felt colder by the second, her fragile frame trembling against him. Finally, she responded. "I''m sorry¡­. I didn''t want¡­. to be a burden." She whispered, her voice cracking. "A burden? Why would you¡ª" Brandon''s brows raised, realizing something. A detail that had always been there. Yet a detail he had missed. Of course, Evelyn was introverted, and didn''t rely on anyone at all. So¡­. she was used to bottling up all her problems, used to never sharing with anyone, and used to confronting everything all on her own. Because Evelyn had grown up without anyone, and whenever she thought there was finally someone there for her¡­. They abandoned her. And so, she closed off her heart. To pretend like she was strong, just like how the public perceived her to be. "....I could''ve saved you¡­. I could''ve¡­." Before he realized it, his vision started to blur, a wet sensation trickling down his face. "....Brandon." Evelyn spoke, barely mustering up her strength to do so. "Am I¡­. going to die¡­?" Evelyn''s voice was so faint, almost as if she didn''t want to ask. Like she already knew the answer. "...." Brandon couldn''t speak. His throat was clenched shut, his heart hammering in his chest, suffocating him with a weight that felt unbearable. Ah, it hurt. His chest hurt. His heart hurt. It was heavy. It was all too heavy. With all those memories, all those deaths he had witnessed, he still¡­. couldn''t get used to it. "Ah, there was so much¡­. more I wanted to do too¡­." Evelyn''s voice continued to crack, exhausted, her voice mixing it with Brandon''s asional sobs. "I''m scared, Brandon¡­." She had been an important figure in this life. She''d been an older sister, keeping him in check, but also a little sister, vulnerable and human in ways few people ever saw. He looked up to her. She was supposed to be the strongest. She shouldn''t die. Not here. Not like this. This¡­. grotesque figure she was turning into. "I don''t want to die¡­.." Brandon embraced her tightly, the two''s shoulders trembling as their sobs mixed in sorrow. "I''m sorry¡­. I''m sorry¡­. If only I paid enough attention¡­." Brandon''s heart was breaking. But then, a sudden thought arose. There was a way. He wasn''t sure if it would work. But he was desperate. The skill he had solemnly sworn to himself he would never use again. "Skill Weaver!" He screamed out of anguish. The scene was rather nostalgic. Just a few months back he had done the same for Belle. And it never worked. But now, maybe it will. He didn''t want to make the same mistake again. And so, Brandon had created as many skills as possible with the amount of space he had left for [Skill Weaver]. A total of four skills. "Binding vow!" He screamed. Yet¡­. For the first time. Binding vow didn''t work. It didn''t solve his problem. It had betrayed him. "Why!? Why!? Why!?" And furthermore, he had lost the skills too. All it did was return the color in Evelyn''s skin, and revert her sclera back to its original color. "...." ¡­.Only for it to be corrupted by the Wraith seed once again. There was no going back once the Wraith''s seed had progressed in its final stages. The Binding Vow¡ªa skill that defied all reason. But Wraiths? They defied reason too. Pitting the two against each other would yield nothing. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!" He cursed. What else? What else could he do? "What should I¡ª" It was then when his impulsive thoughts took over. A different sacrifice. ''Should I just¡ª'' Kill myself? ''No.'' He couldn''t. He couldn''t sacrifice himself in exchange for her life. Guilty slowly crept up. Because there was only one thing he could do. If Evelyn were to sessfully turn into a Wraith¡­. A wraith as strong as her¡­. Humanity would undoubtedly copse. He had to¡­. "No." ¡ªKill her. "Shut up!" He had to kill her. "Brandon¡­." Her voice was barely a whisper, but it cut through the noise in his head like a knife. "No." He shook his head, tightening his hold on her. "No, I won''t do it. I won''t." But her body trembled in his arms, growing colder, slipping further away from him. "Please¡­. don''t make me¡­." His voice cracked, his chest heaving as tears fell uncontrobly down his face. To think he would face another ordeal like this again. This progression was supposed to proceed smoothly. He had ticked everything in the box. He had done everything he could for humanity. Ah, just a few days back, he had celebrated Christmas with everyone. Theughter, the joy, the fun he had on that day. Just where did it all go so wrong? The room felt colder with every second that passed, the weight of Evelyn''s body growing heavier in his arms. "Brandon." Her voice was faint, barely audible, like thest breath of a dying ember. "I''m sorry¡­." She coughed, her body convulsing slightly before settling back into his arms. "No, don''t¡ª" His voice wavered. "Don''t say that. You don''t have to apologize." Evelyn''s trembling hand reached for his face, her long dark¨Ccrystal nails brushing against his cheek as her hair had fully transformed white, reaching all the way to the crown. He was running out of time. He had to kill her now. He couldn''t hesitate. Or else, he''d be toote. SHIIING¡ª! Reluctantly, Brandon unsheathed his sword and pointed the tip at Evelyn''s chest¡ªwhere her core was located. He could end it. End her suffering. It would be so easy to stop her heart before she fully became the monster she feared. But the thought shattered him. His vision was blurry. His hands trembled uncontrobly. Holding the sword with both hands, he did his best to stop the trembling. He stared at the sword. It was the sword Evelyn had given him. Pain shook his heart, and sorrow suffocated his throat. He was afraid. "I''m¡­. sorry." Despite being incapable of feeling fear, he was afraid. Afraid of the pain he would feel and the wound he woulde to bare once all of this was over. But he had no choice. Gritting his teeth, Brandon was just about to pierce his de right through her core, when Evelyn''s trembling voice reached his ears as she closed her eyes. "Please, don''t hate me¡­. I didn''t think I would abandon you like this¡­." "...." But he didn''t stop. Because of the fact that she had gently closed her eyes, her decision was clear. Brandon couldn''t betray her conviction, despite the fact that she didn''t want to die. Pouring his mana into the sword, the air around him swirled with an inky ck aura. Swoosh¡ª! Before the sword dug deep, memories of his time with Evelyn flooded his thoughts like a fever dream, and before he realized it, he couldn''t hear anything anymore. RIIIING¡ª Just a strange ringing sound reverberating in his ears. "Haaa¡­.." Evelyn Cessna, his mentor, and an unexpected parental figure in his life. Despite her cold outward demeanor. Despite everything she had gone through, all the sufferings, the loss, and the abandonment she had faced. "Fuck, fuck!" She was a kind, warm, selfless, and righteous person until the end. "Ah...." An indiscernible sound escaped his lips, leaving him unsure if it was the cry of a human or a beast. On that day, December 31, 2149, just a few hours left before New Year. "I could never hate you...." Evelyn Cessna had passed away. * * [End of Volume 3] Chapter 384: Evelyn Cessna [1] "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." His breathing grew frantic, and his heartbeat quickened. He was having a panic attack. "Huuu¡­." He felt his sanity slowly slipping away in each passing second. "Haaa¡­." Brandon took deep and heavy breaths, the moment he turned to look at Evelyn''s lifeless figure, he felt his stomach twist. "Hueek¡­!" He rushed towards the bathroom and puked on the toilet. Anxiety slowly crept in, and he looked at the mirror after washing his face. ¡ªYou''re weak, Brandon. The world stopped. His reflection spoke to him. A man with ink¨Cck hair and ck eyes, that seemed to stare right through the depths of his soul. ¡ªIt was your ipetence that killed her. His reflection sneered back at him. The dark bags under his eyes, the hollow look. He couldn''t even recognize himself anymore. "...." ¡ªYou can''t keep anything safe. "Shut up¡­." Clenching his fists, he punched the mirror, and it shattered, the shards cascading all over the ground. It wasn''t real. It was just his anxiety, the voices in his head speaking to him. His inner self. Right, the pills. Take the pills, and the voices would stop. Like it always had. The pills. ¡ªLook at you, falling apart over and over. You''re pathetic. The pills¡­. The¡­. ¡ªShe''s dead because of you. It all fell out of his trembling hands. "Ah¡­." The pills scattered all over the ground. Brandon crawled trying to pick each of them up, only for it to fall again out of his shaky hands. It all fell down. "Akh¡­!" ss shards grazed his fingers the moment he tried picking up another pill. Brandon stared at the pills scattered across the floor, his hands trembling as blood dripped from his fingers. The ss shards had dug into his skin, but the pain barely registered. It was drowned by something far worse. His chest felt tight, like a vice squeezing the breath out of him. Every beat of his heart lingered with guilt, every breathced with regret. Despite the circumstances telling him otherwise, he knew. He killed her. And in one of the shards, he saw it. ¡ªYou''re useless. Worthless. Weak. No, he had finally realized it. This form he took. The ck hair, the ck eyes. He had been denying it this whole time. He¡­. ¡­.Was turning into Jin. He bore a striking resemnce to Jin. Much to the point where he couldn''t even differentiate it anymore. But Jin was Raven. He was supposed to be an uncanny, twisted form of Raven. ''But I''m also Raven¡­.'' Yet at the same time, he wasn''t. Could it actually be¡­.? The Raven Jin was supposed to be¡­. Could it actually be him? ¡ªLet me in. I can take it all away. And he finally felt it. A hand seemed to touch his face, slightly embracing him from the back. ¡ªYou know you need me. A whisper in his ear. A voice that sounded the exact same as his. It was his voice. Yet at the same time, it wasn''t. As his bangs fell on his face, obscuring his vision, he hade to realize that his hair was still pale¨Cwhite. Yet the reflection told him otherwise. ¡ªDo it, ept me. All the pain. The guilt. It''ll be gone. Just ept me. He pressed his palms against his temples, trying to shut it out. But the voice only grew louder. ¡ªCome on,e on,e on,e on,e on,e on. More distorted. The room seemed to shrink around him, suffocating. "Huekk¡­." He couldn''t breathe. His heart was pounding in his ears, drowning out everything else. He could barely think, barely see within the tunneling of his vision. The bathroom felt too small. Too cold. Too loud. He wanted to scream, to tear everything apart, but he couldn''t move. ''I killed her. I killed her. I killed her. I killed her. I killed her.'' Brandon''s throat tightened, choking on a sob. It was like sinking into quicksand. The more he struggled, the faster he was dragged down. ¡ªJust let go. His reflection smiled back at him. "...." And a figure that looked eerily simr to Jin stood right in front of him. Brandon considered the offer. He was tired. Exhausted. Just when everything started going right, one thing kept happening, and it all came crashing down like a domino. He was the domino. His chest tightened, every breath a struggle. But in the quiet corner of his mind, all that remained was a dull ache. His reflection leaned in, face inches away from the cracked ss, the final whisper slithering in his ears. "Ah¡­. Is that so?" The voices finally resonated with his own. ¡­.Because this whole time, he was the one whispering the words. Every whisper the reflections spoke came from his own mouth. That much became obvious to him. "I''ve had enough of dreams." The world went ck. Brandon''s pale hair bled to ck, his eyes turning an inky void as amethyst mes erupted out of his body, seamlessly crawling all over his figure. His reflection disappeared as he became the very thing he despised the most. *** Brandon stepped out of the bathroom, his eyes dull, his face drenched with sweat and water. Being in the room was still painful. He turned and nced at Evelyn''s lifeless figure, a stabbing pain piercing his heart. But pain didn''t hurt the same anymore. The anxiety crept in, but the voices had stopped. There was no point in ingesting the pills anymore. Because there was a much better solution. *Puff* "....Bitter." He cursed. But it was soothing, alleviating the sorrow he felt. No wonder Evelyn was addicted to it. To think the very item he had confiscated, after telling her it wasn''t a good look for her, was his solution. The very item he had forgotten to remove from his zer''s pocket. In any case, there was still some stuff left to do. To figure out the mystery regarding his arrival. Because as he looked around, Evelyn''s phone was nowhere to be found. "It wasn''t her." She wasn''t the one who sent him the message. There was someone else pulling the strings, someone else that lured him here. This was going to take a while, and so, Brandon pulled up his phone to send a quick message to Amelia. ¡ªLet''s call it off. I don''t feel so good today. He wasn''t in the mood to go out on a date in the first ce. In a matter of seconds, notifications flooded his phone. ¡ªHuh? ¡ªWhat happened? ¡ªI understand, but are you okay? ¡ªWhere are you? I''lle over right away. Brandon immediately put his phone to sleep before he''d identally epted a call from her. Amelia already had a lot on her hands. He couldn''t drag her into this. Otherwise, he would lose her too. He couldn''t allow that to happen. And so, Brandon started snooping around, to find any leads. If Evelyn was suffering from the Wraith seed for the past few months, then surely, she had undergone some kind of treatment. Especially since she was able to hide it for so long. There had to be something. Documents. Anything. Stay connected through §Þ?? In under an hour, he had managed to find several documents rting to Evelyn''s activities within the frame of September to December. "The first hospitalization¡­." It was shortly after the auction raid. "So she had done frequent check¨Cups¡­." But had kept everything to herself. Finally, something interesting came up. [Patient Name: Evelyn Cessna Date of Surgery: December 2, 2149. Surgeon: Dr. Ben Dover Procedure Performed: Mana Core Concealment Surgery] The patient presented with a damaged mana core, suffering from severe mana instability due to cracks in the core structure. Over the past few weeks, symptoms have worsened, manifesting in uncontroble mana surges¡­.] All of the check¨Cups had been done by the same surgeon. *Puff* "Ben Dover, huh?" While Wraith seeds weren''tmon knowledge, even a surgeon should be able to tell there was something wrong. But from the check¨Cups conclusions, it had always stated that nothing was wrong. "She frequented check¨Cups even after the surgery¡­." It almost seemed deliberate. As if the surgeon wanted to cast her aside. Most probably, had noticed something was wrong, but didn''t have the sufficient technology to deal with the process. "If that were the case, the surgeon kept taking her money without even properly conducting her check¨Cups." He had to pay a little visit. Then, he nced once more at Evelyn. Her hair was fully white, and her skin was hauntingly pale. His stomach twisted, his expressions hardening, but he gritted his teeth. "Ah¡­." Without realizing it, he was clutching the document too tightly, crumpling the paper. There was one more thing he needed to check to be certain. He approached her. Step¡ª Every step he took ached his heart, but he had to get closer to her. "Huuu¡­." He took a deep breath and crouched down. Narrowing his eyes, he scrutinized the hole on Evelyn''s chest. "Hueek¡­!" He gagged once more, but persisted. It was sickening. So much so, that the world seemed to spin, and the air suddenly grew cold. Trying his best to focus, he saw it. It was the same as what happened to n Ross and the Iron Fist guild. He could see it, sprouting not so deep from her inner core. ¡­.A single cherry blossom petal. Chapter 385: Evelyn Cessna [2] Brandon''s brows raised as the realization washed over him. His mind was running in circles, and to calm his beating heart, he took another puff on the cigarette, only to cough as he felt the heat stuck in his throat. The moment he turned away from Evelyn''s grotesque figure, he couldn''t help but have the urge to gag. "Huekk¡­!" The cherry blossoms¡­. It was the person behind everything wrong that happened so far. "Ah." He was lured here just for the sinister purpose of killing Evelyn. And the fact that the person responsible wasn''t around, meant he was just being toyed with. Someone was pulling his strings. "Fuck." And he had zero idea who it was. He nced once more at Evelyn. "Ah?" While her skin was still pale, her hair was slowly returning to its original color, making her recognizable. Brandon tried his best not to nce at the hole on her chest. He grabbed a nket from her room and covered her up. All of a sudden, as he tried standing up. Bang¡ª! The door mmed open. *** Spectral Hounds. A profession that specialized in suppressing people. Experience exclusive tales on §Þ?? They operated differently from the police, rankers, or the army, with their main focus being to keep everyone in check. Not even the Imperial Army had control over them. In other words, they were hunting dogs. Mercenaries personally working for the government themselves. While individually, they weren''t too powerfulpared to the top rankers, they had the tools and the skills to suppress almost anyone, given they were in the advantageous position. Moreover, they had also contributed during the recent auction, and ckmarket raid, working behind the scenes without the Imperial Army''s knowledge, tracking down the escapees and such. They were also the organization responsible in uncovering the truth behind Lumian, and disseminated the information, using the Imperial Army to finally hunt down the bastard. However, this task was rather unofficial. It was a personal request from a friend. A man in histe twenties, Isaac, stood outside the room of a certain condominium. Beside him was his partner, Seth. After countless pleading, even offering a sum of money, Isaac had no choice but to take the job, despite the fact that he was doing it behind the government''s back. He was aware of who the room owner was. But Isaac didn''t care for that matter. But Isaac had to double check his phone. ¡ªPlease, Isaac¡­. I''ll do anything¡­. His friend had begged him to the point where Isaac had felt like something was wrong. After all, his friend was never one to ask for favors, especially something like this. If Evelyn Cessna was in trouble, then as someone on the same side as her, Isaac feltpelled to do so. Then, he nced at Seth. "Did you bring the tools?" "Yeah, on it." Seth got to work, working to unravel the magic lock ced on the door. Generally, a certain set of tools were needed to unseal a magic lock. The tools in question were only essible to the government, and any higher government affiliated organizations. As a Spectral Hound, Isaac and Seth were equipped with the necessary tools to suppress mages, and bypass restrictions such as these. "Done." As soon as Seth finished, Isaac nodded his head. The two braced themselves thereafter, coating their bodies with mana. From his investigations, there was indeed something wrong with this room. There were reports of strange sounds urring nearly every night for the past week. Indeed, so his friend''s pleading wasn''t for naught. But that still raised the question. But why was Evelyn Cessna unaware of this? How did he know about this when his friend didn''t even live here? ''So the mystery runs deep.'' At that moment, lifting his hand up, magic power surged in his arm. Bang¡ª! The door burst open. What greeted their sight was a dark room, but there was no one around. "...." "Isaac¡­." "Yeah¡­." ss shards scattered all over the ground, as documents were strewn all over the floor. A ransack? No. "Hey¡­." "...." "Do you think that''s¡­." "Stay sharp, Seth." Isaac''s breath caught in his throat as his eyes locked onto the figure on the ground. The two stepped cautiously inside. The room was thick with tension, and each step felt heavier, his mana swirling as if anticipating an attack. The nket-covered figure remained unmoving. Isaac knelt beside the figure. His hand hesitated over the nket, but with a quick motion, he pulled it back. Beneath it, a woman with dark¨Cpurple hair greeted his sight. Her pale, lifeless face stared back at him. As Isaac lowered the nket further¡­. "....Shit." A rare reaction jumped out of Isaac, seeing the gaping hole on the woman''s chest. After killing several mages and duelists in the past, Isaac was used to this sight. However, he couldn''t help but react upon realizing who the woman was. She was a famous figure. Almost everyone knew who she was. "Evelyn Cessna." She was dead. "Who the hell did this?" Isaac murmured to himself, but there was no time to dwell. From what he had made out in just a few seconds, he could tell the blood was still fresh, despite how pale her body was, hinting that the murder could''ve happened a few days back. But that raised the question. "Who the fuck is capable of killing Evelyn Cessna!?" Seth, who stood behind on the door, keeping watch, eximed. "This might be a bigger case than I had initially thought¡­." They knew there was no one else in the room, given the mana signature on their device never detected anything. Isaac immediately retrieved his phone and sent back a message to his friend. [Raven ckheart] *** The moment the door burst open, Brandon immediately grabbed the relevant documents. He wasn''t sure who was about to enter the room, but circumstances told him he had to leave as soon as possible. He gritted his teeth knowing he had to leave Evelyn like this, but there was nothing he could do. This mysterious killer was most likely too powerful for him to handle at the moment. For that reason, having no other ways to escape before his face was seen, Brandon activated the ring that linked him to Amelia. Soon after, his figure vanished, and the scenery changed. "Ah¡­." He appeared in a rather bustling part of the city. The mall. "....Brandon?" A familiar voice rang from behind, and Brandon turned around. He was just about to respond, when he noticed the figure standing right next to Amelia. "Miss Lianna?" Chapter 386: Evelyn Cessna [3] Amelia was just outside the restaurant, waiting for Brandon, when she received a message. ¡ªLet''s call it off. I don''t feel so good today. "What?" And so, she sent messages back, rather confused by the sudden situation. ¡ªHuh? ¡ªWhat happened? ¡ªI understand, but are you okay? ¡ªWhere are you? I''lle over right away. However, her messages were only on sent recipient. Brandon had stopped reading her messages after the first message. "...." But instead of feeling dejected, a sudden sense of concern grew inside her heart. Brandon had always been diligent whenever they were out on a date. From what she knew, Brandon was just picking something up from Evelyn''s ce. Did something happen there? She couldn''t wave off the feeling of unease. But Brandon was never one to be unreasonable. Undoubtedly, something must''ve happened. Like maybe, he had to train, and it would upy most of his time unexpectedly? Amelia''s cheeks puffed, pouting, as she pondered on those thoughts. "Jeez, he needs to learn how to take a break." Training¡­. always training¡­. In some days, Brandon woulde back battered and bruised, and would just doze off randomly around the apartment. Thinking waiting here would be a waste of time, Amelia pocketed her phone, her breath visible in the cold air as she walked ahead. The city buzzed with excitement, snow falling softly as people hurried by, ready for the New Year. About five hours left until the calendar turned over. Amelia recalled the events that happened this year. While the year had started off shaky, she was in a better ce now. And it was all thanks to Brandon. Amelia raised her head upon noticing a familiar figure, holding an umbre. Beautiful tinum blonde hair fluttered amidst the cold breeze, dazzling crimson eyes, and a pleasant fragrance that wafted in the air. It was a face that would be imprinted in anyone''s mind, iparable to any beauty Amelia had ever seen. "Miss Lianna?" A woman Amelia had met recently during the Christmas party they held. "Oh?" Lianna, noticing her, their gaze meeting. "You''re¡­. Amelia, correct?" "Yes, that''s me." "What a coincidence!" Lianna''s voice was soft. Despite her age, her voice was a bit high and sweet. "What are you doing here?" Lianna asked. "Oh uhm, nothing. I was just about to head home." Amelia rubbed her cheeks in embarrassment. There was no way she could tell her she was stood up. It was embarrassing. "Is that so? You want toe with me? I was about to head for the mall." "The mall? Won''t you be spending New Year with your loved ones?" "Ah¡­. Haha." Lianna let out an awkwardugh. It seemed like she had said the wrong thing. Noticing this, Amelia retracted her statement. In any case, since there was time left to spare before New Year, Amelia went to the mall with Lianna. "Thanks for apanying me. Do you want anything? I''ll pay." "Ah? It''s fine, Miss Lianna. You don''t have to." "No, no. I insist. I didn''t know we were exchanging gifts during the party. So I wasn''t able to get anything." Lianna sped Amelia''s hands together, and her face glimmered with matured innocence. "Uhm¡­." Amelia considered the offer. From what she knew, Lianna was scarily wealthy. She could probably get an expensive dress out of this. All of a sudden, Amelia felt the mana fluctuate inside her body, and in between her fingers and Lianna''s hand, a sudden faint glow emitted. She felt it. The ring that linked her and Brandon. It was activating. Amelia pulled her hand back and turned around. There he was, and he looked¡­. different. No, different wasn''t the right word to put it. His hair was a mess, strands falling haphazardly, but what stood out was its unnatural ink-ck color. His eyes, once filled with life, now appeared as empty pools of ck. His entire being seemed drained like a hollow shell, as if all the energy and warmth was sucked out of him. Experience new stories on §Þ?? The unease deepened within her heart. As she nced to the side, she noticed it for a brief second. Just a fraction of a second. But Lianna looked visibly shaken, beforeposing herself. "....Brandon?" Amelia called out to him. However, Brandon was looking at someone else. The woman beside her. "Miss Lianna?" "A-Ah¡­. Hello?" Lianna alternated her gaze between the two, looking perplexed by Brandon''s sudden appearance. Then, she leaned close to Amelia''s ear and whispered. "Who''s this? Are you having an affair with another person named Brandon?" "E¨CEh!?" Amelia stammered. Affair? There was no way she would do that. But Lianna''s reaction made sense. After all, the person right in front of them barely looked like Brandon. "What are you doing here, Amelia?" "Oh, I just stumbled upon Miss Lianna." "That so?" Brandon neared her and grabbed her wrist. "Anyway, let''s go. We don''t have much time." "A¨CAh¡­! Hey, this is awfully rude to Miss Lianna." "Just listen to me." Brandon forcefully dragged her away. Amelia looked back at Lianna trying to fix the misunderstanding. "Sorry! I had fun! Happy New Year, Miss Lianna!" "Y-Yes! Happy New Year!" *** "Hey!" Brandon didn''t have time to think about it deeply. The only thing that probed his mind was that no one could be trusted. He knew there was no time. And while his face wasn''t seen, he had left a bundle of evidence around. "You''re hurting me¡­." To be precise, his DNA. His DNA could be found all over Evelyn''s room, and it would only take a matter of time before everything would lead back to him. He had to prepare thoroughly when that time came. If it were the police, the Imperial Army, or the hunting dogs, then it was highly likely they would already know his whereabouts right about now. They had eyes and ears everywhere. It was especially scary in the hunting dog''s case, where they disguised themselves as regr people. There were cases in the past, where criminals had been living scot¨Cfree for years, taking a different identity, only to be arrested by someone they had been friends with for years. With the gadgets they had, it would only take a brief second to figure out he was in the room. And with their informationwork, all they had to do was disseminate the information. "Brandon!" "Ah?" Amelia pulled her arm back and rubbed her wrist. There, Brandon could see a slight bruise on her wrist. Realizing he had probably gripped on her wrist tightly, he shook his head and dismissed his thoughts. "Sorry." "It''s okay. Tell me, what happened? Why do you look like¡­. this?" Brandon held onto her shoulders at that moment. "Listen to me, Amelia." His face was rather nk. But his trembling eyes told a different story. "From this point forward, no matter what happens. Believe in me." "What are y¡ª" "Brandon Locke." A sudden voice rang from behind Brandon. Amelia leaned to the side and scrutinized. There, two people stood, holding mana shackles. "You''re under arrest for the murder of Evelyn Cessna." Cuffed by mana shackles, Brandon felt all the mana in his body restricted. Looking at Amelia as he was being taken away, he mouthed. "I trust you." Chapter 387: Evelyn Cessna [4] Amelia pleaded, desperate. "Why are you taking him!?" The situation was all so sudden that Amelia didn''t have time to think. "What''s the meaning of this!?" She had fought for him, using her Imperial Army perks to her favor. But it was all futile. Because they were out of the Imperial Army''s reach. An organization that operated outside of everyone''s jurisdiction. Seeing Brandon not even trying to resist, Amelia had no choice but to stay down. ''Why, Brandon!?'' ''Murder of Evelyn Cessna!?'' There was no way that was true, and in the first ce, Brandon wouldn''t even be capable of doing that! ''So¡­. wh¡ª'' Before she could even voice out any of her thoughts, Brandon''s hollow voice reached her ears before he was taken away. "I trust you." "...." Amelia could only stand perplexed as they vanished with Brandon soon after. It was hard to process what just happened. Realizing something, Amelia grabbed something from her coat''s pocket. Folded papers. Brandon had ced it in her pocket a while back while he was dragging her outside the mall. She was just about to unfold it, when someone called for her. "Amelia!" Amelia turned around. "Miss Lianna¡­." "I saw everything, why did they take Brandon away?" "....I''m not sure." Amelia had no energy to even converse. She was really drained mentally. "I should probably head home for now¡­." "Uh, okay¡­." That being said, Amelia headed home. The moment she entered the living room, she slumped down on the couch, her mind in disarray. Fireworks reverberated outside, everyone being excited for New Year. But Amelia couldn''t feel the New Year spirit anymore. "Oh, Amelia? You''re back. Where''s Brandon?" Emerging from the kitchen, Belle looked around. Amelia''s mouth opened, but no words came out. She couldn''t articte her words properly, and remembering how Belleshed out at Raven a few weeks back, she was afraid it would happen again. But they had the right to know. "Belle, listen¡ª" But before she could finish her sentence. ¡ªBreaking News! The television sounded out. ¡ªThe murder of Evelyn Cessna, a high-ranking mage and prominent figure in the city, has just taken a shocking turn. Authorities have arrested Brandon Locke, an Imperial Army student, as the primary suspect. Sources im there is substantial evidence linking Locke to the scene of the crime. Amelia''s hand flew to her mouth. Belle, who had been setting down a ss of water, paused mid¨Caction, her eyes wide. "What¡ªwhat did they just say?" Belle stammered, her voice barely audible. Amelia didn''t respond. She couldn''t. Her mind was reeling, her body felt disconnected, as if she was watching everything happen from a distance. Belle rushed to the TV, turning up the volume. ¡ªording to reports, Locke was apprehended earlier this evening by a specialized unit. No further details have been released regarding the evidence or Locke''s motive, but this development has sent shockwaves throughout the city. Amelia''s vision blurred. She felt her breath grow shallow as she recalled the scene in her mind. Belle turned toward her, panic rising in her voice. "Amelia, what is going on? This can''t be true, right?" But before Amelia responded, finally, she unfolded the paper inside her pocket. She read the contents, and immediately her eyes widened. "Come here, Belle." She gestured. Belle swallowed dryly and sat next to Amelia. With trembling hands, Belle read the contents of the paper. "...." "What do you think?" As if unable to believe it, Belle spoke tly. "Is my brother a stalker!?" *** Thwack! "Ukh!" "Who do you work for?" The moment Brandon was detained, he was bombarded by questions. Since he''d always deny the allegations, they treated him roughly. His head hung low, blood dripping from his lip. His arms were bound tightly to the chair, his body aching from the repeated blows. How the tables have turned. "I told you. I don''t work for Milis¡ª" Thwack! Another punchnded square on Brandon''s gut, knocking the wind out of him. "Why did you murder Evelyn Cessna?" "You think I could pull that off? I could barely decide between two women a couple months back." Thwack! "Answer the question." Explore stories on §Þ?? Brandon coughed, spitting blood onto the floor. He lifted his head, smirking through the pain. Another blow to the gut followed. Thwack! "Why did you kill her?" The interrogator''s eye twitched, but he stayed silent, waiting for more answers. When none came, he gripped Brandon by the cor, lifting him slightly from the chair. "Talk." "Tuah!" "...." Thwack! Brandon''s body jerked forward, another punch sending a shockwave of pain through his ribs. He groaned but couldn''t help the grin that crawled across his face. It was just too funny. The situation. It was funny. Everything had yed out ording to the mysterious entity''s ns. He really hadn''t expected it. But now that he knew what he was up against, Brandon had to do things differently this time around. Thankfully, he had put importance in making connections the past couple of months. While he couldn''t do anything at the moment, he had his full trust in Amelia. "You think this is funny? You''re used of murdering a high-ranking mage, and you''re cracking jokes?" "Alright, I get it." "Then talk, and this will all be over with." "Yeah." "So?" "I just talked." Thwack! "Your prints and blood were found at the scene of the crime. No matter how much you refuse to budge, we have circumstantial evidence that it was you. We''re simply here to figure out your motive. You think we can''t execute you on the spot?" "You probably can." A slight grin pulled up on Brandon''s face. "But you absolutely believe I''m a spy, no?" That meant, out of every convict they had, Brandon held the most value. For the hunting dogs, Brandon was probably the most important figure in the continent. "You''re ying with fire, Mr. Locke." This time, it wasn''t the interrogator that spoke. A man, who slipped through Brandon''s perception, stood by the entrance, crossing his arm. Brandon undoubtedly knew who he was. It was a hunting dog close to Raven. A man who had taken down the most notorious convicts to this day, and was the person responsible for Lumian''s revtion. A duelist closest to Lucian Frost, in terms of swordsmanship technicalities. Isaac Sce. Chapter 388: Evelyn Cessna [5] "Good job, I''ll take it from here." Isaac dismissed the third¨Crate actors he just hired. It was all so, for the purpose of assessing Brandon Locke''s personality. And from what he could see. ''He''s not taking this seriously¡­.'' It was fairly obvious to Isaac that Brandon Locke was at the scene of the crime. However, as he recalled the scene, there seemed to be more to the story than just in murder. Of course, the moment he confirmed Brandon Locke''s identity, Isaac had done in depth research in under three hours. From his findings, Brandon Locke was a bigshot. There were too many figures they were keeping an eye out for, so Brandon Locke was out of their radar. But now, things took a turn. ''S¨Crank at seventeen, huh?'' It was scary. But regardless, he had murdered Evelyn Cessna. Isaac was sure of it. He had to get to the bottom of it. "What''s your motive, Brandon Locke? Why throw everything away?" A contrast to the actors he hired, who relentlessly beated Brandon Locke, Isaac spoke calmly. It was clear that intimidation and threats didn''t work on the boy. The look on his face as if he was already used to it set a lingering sense of unease. His eyes¡­. As if he already knew the oue of the situation. "Why murder your mentor? The person who solely believed in you?" "...." However, Brandon Locke remained quiet and only stared back at him with a dull expression. "Let me rephrase the question." Isaac shook his head. "What did you kill?" "...." For just a fraction of a second, Isaac saw the flickering in Brandon''s expressions slightly. While Isaac wasn''t exactly sure, the entire murder didn''t make sense. "Why did Evelyn Cessna allow herself to get killed?" Imaginingy Evelyn Cessna, even the hunting dogs would have a hard time suppressing her. And a seventeen year old S¨Cranker was able to kill her? And in her own apartment at that? Truly, the entire case was unusual. For that reason, they had to detain him and milk information out of him. "Would you believe me if I told you she was turning into a Wraith?" Finally, he had gotten a response out of Brandon Locke. "...." Isaac was taken aback, but didn''t show it outwardly. "That''s all I''m going to say. Do whatever you want." "If hypothetically, what you''re saying is true. Then why were you there at the exact moment?" Isaac had a hard time believing it. Evelyn Cessna turning into a Wraith? Ridiculous. "...." "Not talking?" And Brandon Locke remained silent. He knew why Brandon was silent. Anything he admitted here could be used against him in court. Circumstantial evidence was already piling up, but without a confession, it wouldn''t be enough. They needed something solid. Isaac decided to switch tactics. "We didn''t find Evelyn''s phone at the scene." He said, watching closely for a reaction. "It was gone. You wouldn''t happen to know anything about that, would you?" Brandon''s face remained nk, but Isaac saw the faintest flicker of something. Maybe. He was onto something. "If we hack your phone, will we find anything? Messages? Calls?" Brandon finally moved, sitting up slightly straighter. "There''s a record. A message." Isaac leaned forward. "What message?" "She was looking for me. That''s why I was there." Isaac''s mind whirred. If Evelyn had been reaching out to Brandon before her death, that could change everything. But why hadn''t they found that message in her records? Why wasn''t her phone at the scene? "Who took her phone, Locke? Who else was there?" Brandon didn''t answer, but Isaac could feel it. If it were true, someone else had been involved. Someone who had covered their tracks and led Brandon straight into this mess. Because in the first ce, they had confiscated everything he had on him, and there were no signs of Evelyn''s phone. Either he hid it during the timeframe of his escape, or he was telling the truth. "You''re saying someone else took her phone and called you, leading you to the scene?" Brandon''s silence was all the confirmation Isaac needed. Isaac''s thoughts raced. If it was true, someone had orchestrated this. Someone had stolen Evelyn''s phone and used it to lure Brandon to the scene. It was only a theory. But Isaac''s thoughts pondered deeper, trying to paint the picture. "But you did kill her, didn''t you?" Brandon''s eyes met Isaac''s, and in that moment, the truth settled between them like a heavy weight. Brandon had killed Evelyn. But it wasn''t murder. Not in the traditional sense. Isaac sat back, exhaling slowly. "So you''re telling me there''s no murder here? No crime?" "There''s a crime. But it''s not what you think." Isaac clenched his fists. Brandon was holding back, revealing only what he needed to. But the fact remained. Evelyn was dead, and Brandon had been the one to end her life. Not as if Brandon had voiced it out, Isaac had picked up on the subtle body reactions. "What aren''t you telling me?" Brandon looked at him with a strange calm demeanor. "The person responsible¡­ they took her phone. They called me to find her like that." "Then why?" Brandon didn''t blink. "Because she was already gone. The Evelyn I knew wasn''t there anymore. She was turning into something else. Something I couldn''t save." Isaac stood abruptly. The pieces didn''t fit, but he couldn''t shake the feeling that Brandon was telling the truth¡ªor at least part of it. In the first ce, the only reason Isaac was hearing him out was because of a favor from a friend. "There''s still enough to charge you, Locke." Brandon''s lips curved into a faint smile, one that didn''t reach his eyes. "Do whatever you want." "You''re lucky I''m even hearing you out. Just know that if nothing''s found, you''ll be executed for treason." Isaac was just about to leave, thinking to end it there for today, before he remembered something. "Ah, it''s just for show. The guilds have specifically requested this. You''ll be beaten for the next few days." Opening the door, Isaac didn''t look back, and said, "No hard feelings." nk! Brandon sat and let out a defeated sigh as Isaac left the room. The only reason he had revealed the facts, was because he was aware what kind of person Isaac was. But still, the case was about to get bigger. If he ran out of time, if he was actually convicted and sentenced to death, then he had a back¨Cup n in mind. It was good that he had pieces to use. Now? It was all up to his Queen to turn things around. *** The next day. Amelia''s thoughts were still in disarray, but she hadposed herself somewhat. Looking down from the fifth floor, there was a crowd that gathered. Amelia was aware of their purpose. They were paparazzi, hoping to get a statement out of her. Belle had told her of this the moment she left the house. For that reason, Amelia disguised herself with a cap and a mask, and escaped from the back¨Cexit soon after. There was a ce she needed to go. Belle was currently using her connections to assist in the case. Amelia, on the other hand, nned to do some investigation. Soon, she arrived at the hospital, responsible for documenting Evelyn''s medical record. "Excuse me, is Doctor Ben Dover around?" "Doctor Ben Dover? Uhm, he''s still on leave. What''s your number? I''ll inform him once he returns." "Is that so? It''s fine. I''lle back next time." And the investigation ended there. Amelia clenched her fist, realizing she''d have to wait a couple of days. But it was then. Belle had sent her a message. [Check the news, quick!] And so, she did. The moment the search loaded, Amelia''s eyes widened in shock. [Surgeon for a prestigious hospital found dead in his apartment!] Chapter 389: Evelyn Cessna [6] Raven ckheart had always been a ve to the system. [Save Amy Ashfield.] The system had always told him where to go, at the exact ce, at the right time. [Enter the Hotel''s Reception.] [Ask the city folks about Everde''s inner struggles.] [Find the Hidden Labyrinth.] He just had to be there, and for some reason, things had always worked out, despite the problems that followed. [Hold the Wyvern back.] [Choose the left Mirror gate.] That was all. [Leave the Tower,] He just had to be there. He just had to follow the system. Refuse and he would be punished. [Penalty: Mana Poisoning.] [Penalty: Mana Core Disruption.] [Penalty: ¡­..] . . But now? [Call Isaac and have him investigate Cordillera Towers. Room 512.] ¡ªThe murder of Evelyn Cessna, a high-ranking mage and prominent figure in the city, has just taken a shocking turn. Authorities have arrested Brandon Locke, an Imperial Army student,.... He had no idea what the hell was going on. "Did I make a mistake?" Raven had no energy to get up from his bed ever since he found out the news. "There''s no way Brandon would ever murder Miss Evelyn." While circumstances pointed to his deed, knowing how Brandon is, Raven was sure of it. But in the first ce, the only reason why Brandon had been caught was¡­. ¡ªBastard, the fuck kind of case did you bring me!? ¡ªBrandon Locke. He''s your friend, isn''t he? ¡ªCongrattions, you''re officially friends with a murderer. It was because of him. Because he followed the system''s instructions. Was it a mistake? ''But besides the point, Miss Evelyn is dead!?'' Raven truly couldn''t believe it, but the news had sent shockwaves throughout the entire continent. ¡ªIt wasn''t my intention. But we had to do a thorough investigation of the room. Themotion must''ve attracted the media. Raven had sent a reply back, asking if Evelyn was truly dead. ¡ªIt''s the truth, And he couldn''t deny it any further. It was the truth of the matter. "Haaa¡­. This is crazy¡­." It was all too crazy. So much so that Raven had no appetite to eat, despite Reina''s insistence. After pondering for so long, Raven finally sent a message back, asking where Brandon was being held. However, ¡ªThat''s confidential. Even if we''re close, I can''t tell you. But since you''re affiliated with the Imperial Army, you''ll be granted ess to his trial that''ll take ce in a week. "...." He clicked his tongue. "Useless." ¡ªYou''ve got a lot of exining to do. But I''ll let you off for now, this friend of yours¡­. fucking creepy. "Haha." Raven couldn''t help butugh. It sounded just like Brandon. Creepy in a sense how he didn''t seem like a teenager. Raven sent another message back, asking Isaac his thoughts about the case. ¡ªIt''s really odd. You vouch for him this much, and from what I''ve deduced from the scene, and his current state, it felt as if he had no other choice. Raven''s brows raised. No other choice? Then did that mean¡­. He had to send a message back. ¡ªYes, though he hasn''t openly admitted it. I''m fairly certain he did it. He''s quite lucky I found him first, if this case was handled by someone else, he would''ve been killed already. And their constant messaging ended there. Raven slumped back on his bed, covering his eyes. "Why, Brandon?" He asked. There was so much mystery regarding the matter. But Raven was sure it was out of his volition. Because Brandon would never kill Evelyn. From what he could make out of their rtionship, it looked as if Brandon was treating her as a secondary mother figure. Raven gritted his teeth, thinking how much Brandon must be hurting now. To harbor the hate of the entire continent for killing Evelyn, even when he had no choice. It was all spection on his part, but it was the only usible theory after racking his brain. Raven wasn''t particrly close to Evelyn, to him, she was just that beautiful teacher who was really knowledgeable. But still, Raven knew how it felt to lose a mother. If the entire world turned their backs on him, then Raven would be there to support him. Despite how harshly Brandon treated him, and the two often poking fun at each other, it was the kind of friendship Raven needed. "Don''t worry Brandon, I''ll definitely get you out of this." *** Brandon blinked slowly, his eyes barely focusing on the ceiling above him. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, his body aching from the relentless beating. Every muscle screamed, but the pain had be a background noise now. He wasn''t thinking about the pain. He wasn''t thinking about the room, or if he would even get out of this situation. ¡ªI don''t want to die¡­. The memories of Evelyn turning into a Wraith yed over and over in his mind. The final look he had given him before¡­. He had killed her¡ªhe had done it¡ªbut not in the way they believed. No one would understand what he had been forced to do, and even if they did, it wouldn''t change anything. He felt the weight of the world pressing down on him. The hatred of the continent, the betrayal of everyone''s trust in him, and most probably, the connections he had made turning their backs on him. All he could find sce in was the cold istion, alone with nothing but his guilt. All it took was a singr moment, and the entire progression was even worse than every lifetime Raven ckheart had lived. However, he hadn''t been idle. They may have confiscated every belonging he had. But¡­. [Inventory] He had the system inventory. Due to his overthinking, he had kept several items that could be used for situations he had thought of. One of those items was a burner phone. He had only been restrained, cuffed by mana shackles. But it was still possible to do simple activities like push¨Cups. But that wasn''t what was important. He retrieved the burner phone, and immediately sent a message to someone [Have you found anything?] It was sent to Illya. The two had been exchanging messages for the past few days now. But it was hard to respond properly since guards kept watch over him frequently. He had to be discreet. ¡ªThat Doctor you told me of has been murdered. It''s hard to find anything as of this moment. But the murder had been linked to the Iron Fist guild massacre. Amelia and your Sister are currently using all their connections as we speak to somehow make the documents relevant. Brandon nodded his head. Murdered? Of course, he had seen thising already. The one pulling the strings was very thorough, if things don''t work out, then Brandon had no choice but to go for n B. To flee this continent. But to where? He was currently pondering that at the moment. But escaping this facility wasn''t too hard. He had the Primordials to thank for that. But if he were to do that, he would never be able to clear his name, and all the connections and preparations he had set¨Cup for the war would be for naught. He couldn''t discard it yet, when he still had a sliver of a chance. Sensing a shadow looming over, covering the dim light that shone through the door''s window, Brandon immediately returned the burner phone inside the [Inventory]. Realizing the nk expression on Brandon''s face, the guard stopped peering and pulled back, but not before Brandon called for him. "Wait." "What?" "Let me hit." He was referring to the cigarette. Chapter 390: Evelyn Cessna [7] Bellion had heard of the matter before the incident was broadcasted by the media. It was unbelievable. He had a hard time processing the situation, and the entire ordeal had mentally drained him. It wasn''t even the fact that Brandon was being detained, but the sheer thought of Evelyn dying broke him mentally. ''....It feels like we''re losing people day by day.'' He had not just lost a valuable asset, a soldier, but he had also lost a friend. Bellion had no time to grieve, despite the sorrow he felt in his heart. Not just him, but everyone. Everything was a mess. It may have just been one person, but Evelyn Cessna''s death was even bigger than the Blood Crescent Moon guild massacre. ''....I don''t know what''s going on anymore.'' "Field Marshal, are you listening to me?" It hadn''t even registered to him that Belle was right in front of him, pleading. "Ah?" "Please, help my brother. You know as well as I do he would never kill Miss Evelyn!" "Evidence says otherwise. Your Brother did the deed." It was the cold hard truth of the matter. "Field Marshal¡­." "However, I have insider information. The case is way bigger than it already is." "Tell me, what do you know?" "Your brother ims Field Marshal Cessna was turning into a Wraith. It doesn''t make sense. If she had been possessed, it would take a while for the full possession to process, we would''ve found out about it by now knowing she had been active." People with high sensitivity to mana could sense a possessed right away. The miasma protruding from a mana core''s impurity would never slip anyone''s senses. Which was why the case took utmost importance. Especially when they investigated, and noticed the oddities in Evelyn''s body. "Her body was found pale, the kind of color simr to that of a Wraith. Furthermore, the oddities her body took, to be precise her unnatural crystal nails." "What¡­.?" Belle looked bbergasted, as if she was unable to process everything. How could she, when she had just seen Evelyn a few days back? "But you see, there''s a saving grace. The only reason why your brother wasn''t sentenced yet, despite all evidence against him." Because¡­. "A cherry blossom was found in her body." "...." From their scans, they had found it was the same mana signature emanating from Iron Fist guild. "They are tweaking the scans as we speak. If your brother is telling the truth, which is highly likely by now, they''ll soon find the impurities in her mana core." It was then when Bellion''s expressions changed. "This is highly ssified information, under no circumstances are you allowed to disclose it. I''m only telling you since you''re the perpetrators'' family. Additionally, because he was fond of Brandon, and Belle had been a great asset to the Imperial Army thus far. "I understand." "For some reason, the current technology we have is unable to detect the impurities in her core no matter what they used. Since it was highly probable after all the facts Iid out, the council had a collective agreement." "...." The council,posed of twelve elders that handled all affairs. More precisely, the government that was above every organization handling most important matters in Holy Britannia. "Since Evelyn Cessna had no family to consent to, no one to take responsibility for her¡­." A sudden chill ran down Belle''s spine, swallowing deeply. "....With no other choice, Runic Cadaver Analysis was conducted on her body." A magical autopsy that used runic circles and mana to examine a body. Runes inscribed around the cadaver, activating spells that revealed internal damage, magical imprints, or causes of death that''s unperceivable by a mage''s perception. It wasn''t taboo, but it was a process frowned upon. It had been a long while since the process was done since technology made up for it. In other words, Evelyn Cessna''s lifeless body was no more. To thoroughly evaluate the intricacies of the human''s body to the brim, the body had to be consumed. "And you agreed to that!?" Belle eximed. While it may had contradicted her inner turmoil regarding Brandon''s innocence, A human body, no matter what the circumstances, deserved respect and should never have been desecrated in the pursuit of answers. "I had no say to it. Before I could voice out my opinions, the council already had an agreement. It wasn''t unanimous, about a nine to three ratio." "...." "I''m just as disgusted as you. In fear of Wraiths, I understand where they''reing from. But still¡­." Bellion swallowed dryly. "I''m unsure about the results, but we''ll know during the trial in two days." *** Despite the death of Ben Dover, Amelia was still in pursuit of the truth. She questioned nurses,bed through Ben Dover''s list of patients, probed into his personality and medical history, and used her Imperial Army credentials to dig up personal information. But her efforts led nowhere. Nothing useful. No clues. Each dead end weighed heavier on her, the sleepless nights evident by the dark circles in her eyes. Furthermore, she had visited Ben Dover''s rtives, only for the door to be shut in front of her. Of course, because they had dealt with loss. Most probably unaware of his rtion to the incident regarding Evelyn Cessna''s murder. At this rate, even if Brandon was found innocent, they would never discover the real perpetrator responsible. Just as she was about to return home, Amelia realized the sun had yet to set, and there was still time. It was then when she had finally stumbled upon a nurse with interesting information. "Doctor Ben Dover? I don''t think he''s seeing someone¡ªAh!" As if realizing something, the nurse''s eyes glimmered. "I wasn''t sure if I was seeing it right. But a while back, while I was heading home, I''m certain I saw him entering a love hotel." Indeed, Amelia had posed this question to several nurses. But they had all stated the same thing. ''Doctor Ben Dover was single.'' "A love hotel? Did you see him go with anyone?" "No, he was going alone. But maybe, this secret lover of his was already waiting for him in the room? I''m not too sure." It was just spection. But it was information Amelia greatly appreciated. "Can you tell me the location?" "Of course, it''s¡­.." Amelia quickly wrote the address down on her phone. Finally, there was a lead, after having nothing for the past couple of days. "Thank you so much." "You don''t have to. I''m just happy if this could assist the case. Doctor Ben Dover was such a kind man." There it was again. ''Doctor Dover was a kind man.'' It was as if it was factual. If that were the case, then why did he conduct false check¨Cups on Evelyn? Amelia was sure that was the case after thoroughly going through Evelyn''s medical record. The documents said she was healthy, but the case said otherwise. If there were impurities, and technology couldn''t make a thorough assessment, he could''ve just admitted that instead of taking her money. It was truly odd. So much so that Amelia was sure he had relevance to the case. In any case, Amelia arrived at the love hotel. Immediately, she used her Imperial Army credentials. "I need to see the security footage dating September, all the way to December." However, those words did note from Amelia''s mouth. No, it came from the person who had appeared right beside her. "Amelia?" "Raven?" Chapter 391: Sanctum of Trials [1] Another day passed, and Brandon stared nkly at the ceiling, the dull ache of his body slowly fading. The beatings had stopped, and no one had entered his cell since. ''Seems like they have their answer.'' It was inly obvious for him to see. This was especially so, as Illya had been informing him of the outside world the whole time. While Illya didn''t have every ssified information, all Brandon needed to do was to put two and two together toe to a conclusion. All of a sudden. Creaaaaak¡­.. The room''s entrance creaked open, light spilling into the dim room. He didn''t move. He waited, uninterested in whoever entered. "Get up." A deep voice resounded. He didn''t need to look to know who it was. "It''s time." Brandon stood up btedly and followed Isaac. *** Sanctum of Trials. Filled with big¨Cshots, important rankers, guild, and military leaders. At its heart, the Twelve Elders sat on a raised tform, cloaked in dark robes. No, for some reason, they were missing one seat. An absent Elder. In any case, the Twelve Elders, previously sixteen, wasposed of ex¨Crankers and ex¨Cmilitary leaders who had stood the test of time. Each boast a pastparable to that of Lucian Frost, and other esteemed rankers, but were now past their prime. Still, their aplishments were still relevant to this day. It had to be said, Astrea Academy''ste Headmaster was also a member of the Elders, back when there were still sixteen of them. If there was anyone who knew the happenings of this world, it was them. Which had often left Bellion confused. Why hadn''t they lifted a finger when Holy Britannia was under threat? Holy Britannia was under their jurisdiction, but not just Holy Britannia, but the entire world. They had influence with every country there was. To them, Holy Britannia and Milis'' conflict was probably two children fighting. Not even Milis had dared toy a finger on them. In any case, as the defendant''s family, Belle had every right to be here. Brianna insisted on going, but Belle was afraid her fragile heart might shatter. Amelia on the other hand, as a Constantine, also had the right to be here. But that''s where it ended, they were nothing but an audience in the Supreme Court. "How''s your investigationing along?" Belle asked. She too had suffered sleepless nights, the two working on different aspects of the case. While Amelia investigated the mystery behind Evelyn''s murder. Belle focused on the truth behind Evelyn''s sudden predicament. The entire room buzzed with anticipation, murmurs echoing through. So it was hard to hear each other, while trying to lower their voices as best they could. Belle leaned in closer to Amelia, her voice calm. "How''s your investigation progressing?" Amelia, scanning the room carefully, whispered back. "It''s bing clearer. I''m almost certain there''s a third party involved. Whoever they are, they''re connected to the Blood Crescent Moon massacre." "Connected how?" Belle raised an eyebrow. Amelia nced around to ensure no one was listening. "I requested ess to the surveince footage. Certain time frames were erased, deliberately. The staff couldn''t exin it, but this isn''t just a coincidence. I believe whoever tampered with those recordings is the same person involved in Miss Evelyn''s death." Belle processed the information quietly. "You''re saying this third party was not only present but is trying to cover their tracks, erasing the surveince?" "Exactly. But it''s not just about the footage being missing. It''s the precision. The times when key events happened are gone. It''s too clean." And there was one more thing Amelia was certain of. This third party¡­. "It''s rted to the woman Ben Dover was secretly seeing." "I see." "I dug into his patient records, but none of it leads anywhere substantial, until now. The missing footage, the sudden massacre, and Evelyn''s murder¡ªthey''re all pieces of the same puzzle." Belle crossed her arms. "It''s a stretch, but I see where you''re going. Clearly, the third party is connected to Blood Crescent Moon''s massacre. If that''s the case, they must be targeting high profile rankers." Belle hit the mark. That was exactly what was floating in Amelia''s head. "But if they went to such lengths to delete footage, they won''t stop there. We need more than theories, Amelia. We need solid evidence." Amelia''s expression tightened. "I know. I''m just grasping at straws at this point, only using the hint Brandon gave me to spark the investigation. It''s difficult to pin down who''s pulling the strings." Belle thought for a moment, then leaned closer "Did you try essing any other systems? Maybe records tied to the security firm or higher-level government databases? Maybe surveince footage around the hotel?" "I''ve been pulling strings, but it''s delicate. We can''t afford to tip them off. Whoever is behind this, they''re skilled, and they''re connected. If they realize we''re getting close, they''ll wipe everything clean. Maybe even¡­." Amelia trailed off from there. She was well aware she was trudging dangerous territory. If by any chance, she had gotten too close to unraveling the third party, there was a chance she would be the next target. But if it were to prove Brandon''s innocence in all this¡­. Or at least, paint the entire picture properly to the Twelve Elders, then Amelia would go through such lengths for him. They had no idea what they were dealing with. "Then it''s my turn." Belle briefly nced at Bellion, who was sitting in front of them, then looked back at Amelia, leaned in close, and whispered. "This trial¡­. I''m fairly certain Brandon''s gonnae out innocent." "Really? Then¡ª" Before Amelia could finish her sentence. m¡ª! The massive doors of the Sanctum of Trials mmed open with a deafening thud, drawing all attention to the entrance. Brandon emerged with two guards behind him. Mana shackles glowed faintly around his wrists. His face bore bruises, dark shadows under his eyes, most probably from sleepless nights. He looked entirely different. His hair was an inky ck color, and his eyes bore a hollow dull color. Amelia stared at the mana shackles. From what she knew, this appearance Brandon took meant he was under the effects of [Elemental Assimtion]. She had seen his form revert, the first time he was shackled. The others may not know of this, but Amelia was sure of it. ''The shackles aren''t working.'' Because his [Elemental Assimtion] was active. In any case, despite the visible damage, his expression remained unreadable, cold and indifferent, as if the beatings hadn''t affected him at all. Amelia watched him carefully, her breath hitching at the sight of him. She could see past the bruises and injuries, past the cold expression. She could see the weight of everything he was carrying, hidden beneath that nk stare. But what was truly rming was how resigned he seemed. He wasn''t fighting. Not anymore. Her heart sank at that moment. To stand on trial for the murder of Evelyn, a person Amelia knew, he held closely in his heart¡ªakin to that of a mentor, a sister figure, and secondary mother. Just thinking about it crushed her soul. And the sheer act of killing her, even when it was clear he never wanted to¡­. She clenched her fist, thinking about the entire situation. Brandon was led to the center of the chamber, directly before the raised tform where the Twelve Elders sat¡ªor rather, Eleven Elders. The room fell into a tense silence. Brandon had no one to defend him. It was just him, alone, to verbally exchange with the Elders. The head of the Elders, a silver-haired woman, observed Brandon for a long moment before speaking, her voice echoing throughout the chamber. "Brandon Locke, you stand used of the murder of Evelyn Cessna, a respected figure within our ranks. Do you have anything to say in your defense before we proceed?" "...." Brandon''s gaze slowly shifted up to meet hers. His voice, when he finally spoke, was calm, devoid of emotion. "Nothing that will change your minds." A murmur rippled through the audience at his words. Amelia stiffened, her heart racing. What was Brandon ying at? He couldn''t just stand there and let this happen, not without a fight. The Elder''s expression remained unmoved. "You admit to the crime?" Brandon''s lips twitched slightly, not quite a smile, but something close. "I admit to being there. But the truth is something none of you are prepared to hear." The silence that followed was thick with tension. Belle leaned forward, gripping her seat tightly. Amelia felt the weight of every eye in the room on Brandon. "Exin yourself, Locke." Chapter 392: Sanctum of Trials [2] Brandon arrived outside the Sanctum of Trials. The moment he neared the entrance, a familiar figure approached him. "Brandon." It was Vanessa Grace. Evelyn''s best¨Cfriend. Brandon paused, and so did the two guards behind him. He turned around, meeting Vanessa''s gaze. Just like him, she too looked exhausted. Her eyes were puffy, and her entire appearance seemed bloated. Vanessa''s voice trembled, but her eyes softened as she spoke. "I believe you. You''re thest person in the world who would kill Evelyn." "...." "I know how much she meant to you," Vanessa continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "Whatever happened¡­. it wasn''t your fault. I refuse to believe it." Brandon stared at her nkly before he turned around, the weight of her words hanging in the air. He didn''t want her to see the brief flicker of emotion in his eyes. "You don''t know everything, Vanessa." "Then tell me." She pleaded, stepping closer. "Help me understand." Brandon remained silent for a brief second before nodding. "Watch the broadcast." With that, the guards urged him forward, and he moved without another word, leaving Vanessa standing there. *** "Exin yourself, Locke." The Elder urged him. A stunning woman, with silver hair, and striking purple eyes. Despite the fact that they had lived for a long time, and that they were referred to as Elders, they had all maintained a youthful appearance, thanks to mana. Brandon felt the eyes of everyone present. No, not just everyone present. The entire world. The entire world was watching his trial. He was well aware of the broadcast system the Sanctum of Trials had. Under normal circumstances, regr cases would be taken to a regr court. But this was the murder of a high profile¨Cmage. But still, this had only been qualified as a case worthy of being conducted under the Sanctum of Trials because¡­. ''They''ve figured everything out.'' Because of the variables known as Wraiths. But Brandon was unsure if they would keep things under close¨Cwraps or not. ''Did they know from the beginning?'' This was a stage set¨Cup just for him. And Brandon decided to take the opportunity, standing up, his ink¨Cck eyes staring at the Twelve Elders indifferently, an act not even the Imperial Army would ever think of doing. Brandon stared at the broadcasting device hovering at the side. "Evelyn Cessna was turning into a Wraith." He had to let them know. Because the Twelve Elders had kept the information confidential. His words hung in the air, reverberating through the room, causing a ripple of shock among the Twelve Elders and the audience. Murmurs started to spread across the room like wildfire. One of the Elders, a man with brown hair leaned forward. "You speak of Wraiths as if this ismon knowledge, Locke. Yet we have no solid proof." Brandon didn''t flinch. He had expected this. "That''s because you''ve kept the truth hidden from everyone. From citizens of Holy Britannia. Even silencing the Imperial Army, in fear of igniting a mass panic amongst the people. But no more. I''m done keeping your secrets." The murmurs grew louder, gasps filled the air. This was all being broadcasted live. He could see the staff starting to reach out for the broadcasting systems, trying to disable them. However, it was then. nk¡ª! The mana shackles unlocked, and fell on the ground, a metallic nk echoing. Brandon extended his hand forward, and threads escaped from his fingertip, recoiling the staffs'' hands back. "What do you think you''re doing?" Brandon red, his voice monotonous. The Elders red at him, trying to assert their dominance, but Brandon wasn''t intimidated. His eyes bore into the brown¨Chaired man who had spoken earlier. "I''m done letting you hide the truth from the world." "Enough, Locke. You are already condemned. Don''t dig yourself deeper!" Brandon took a step forward, ignoring the guards who hesitated to move against him. "Condemned? You think I''m worried about what you think? I''m already a dead man walking in your eyes. But I''m not here to save myself, you''ve figured everything out with the autopsy, haven''t you? And you n on silencing me further." Brandon''s eyes narrowed. "Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting." Then, he stared at the broadcasting system. It was toote, and the Elders couldn''t disable them anymore. The entire world had already heard Brandon''s voice. If they were to stop the broadcast, it would only support his statements. "You want to know why they performed a Runic Cadaver Analysis on Evelyn Cessna? It''s because they needed answers. They know there''s more to her death than just murder." Brandon''s voice deepened with intensity, daring anyone to challenge his ims. The Elders shifted One of them, a ck-haired man, stood and spoke with strained authority. "You were detained because you are the prime suspect. You speak of Wraiths, but you provide no evidence!" Brandon''s lips curled into a bitter smile. "You want evidence? You''ve had it the whole time. Evelyn didn''t just die¡ªshe was turning into a Wraith. I''ve said it the first time, I don''t n on retracting my words." Gasps rippled through the room once again, the audience barely able to contain their shock. "Wraith Seeds." Just two words. And those words immediately settled the Twelve Elders, their faces contorting, and their eyes widening. "A dark force that infects the mana cores, corrupting them from the inside, slowly turning them into Wraiths. And it''s already here. Evelyn was just thetest victim. And you, the Twelve Elders, knew this." He pointed at Twelve Elders. Or rather¡ªEleven Elders. Brandon briefly nced back, then returned his gaze. "You kept the existence of Wraith Seeds hidden from the world." Brandon said, stepping closer to the center of the room. His ink-ck eyes locked onto the Elders. "You let innocent people die to maintain control. To avoid panic. You''ve sacrificed the very people you''re supposed to protect. Possession? Sweet whispers in their ear? Even the textbooks have been manipted." Brandon turned around, staring at the audience. "If Wraith encounters are rare, then someone tell me. Why do we have textbook knowledge of them? Why do we know what they look like, knowing how powerful they are? How were the record holders able to survive the encounter?" Murmurs spread once again. "You speak in riddles, Locke. There is no proof of such ims¡ª" "Let me tell you one more thing." Brandon quickly interrupted the Elder before he finished the sentence. "It''s up to all of you if you choose to believe in my words or not. But a year ago, back when Astrea Academy was still in operation. I''ve encountered a Wraith myself, bound by mana shackles under Astrea Venue''s. The basement." ¡ªWhat? ¡ªIs that true? ¡ªA Wraith was hiding under Astrea? "And as you all know, Astrea Academy''s Headmaster, thete Rodd Astrea was a member of the Elders." "You''re ying with fire, Locke. All these statements, yet no solid evidence." "You want evidence? You think my words are hollow?" Brandon''s voice boomed with a sharp edge. For a third party, it looked as if Brandon had pulled something out of thin air, but peering into his inventory, he lifted it on disy for the Twelve Elders to see. "Familiar?" The sheer act incited a reaction out of the Elders, a reaction even the audience had noticed. "You¡­." "That''s right." Brandon donned it. The moment he did, his voice distorted. "The Mirage Mask." Chapter 393: Sanctum of Trials [3] The Mirage Mask. An artifact owned by a Wraithbound in the early 2100''s. The artifact Brandon had stolen during his time in Astrea. It was then when he encountered a Wraith for the first time. He could never forget the encounter to this day. After all, it was the first time he had ever felt fear. "You¡­. Why do you have that?" It was only spection. But Brandon wanted to peer the information out of them. They were clearly visibly shaken. "There were sixteen of you when the council was formed, correct?" Brandon asked. There was no response for a while. But then, one of the Elders nodded. Most probably, one of the three who opposed the Runic Cadaver Analysis. "And this mask¡­. If I''m correct, it belonged to a previous Elder who died, correct?" Loud gasps quickly filled the chamber. Brandon had purposely mentioned ''died'' to elicit a response out of them. "So? Will you deny it?" Due to the mask''s effects, his voice was heavily distorted. Much to the point where it was unrecognizable. "Are the Elders going to continue lyin¡ª" "Yes, that''s correct. You''re clearly knowledgeable about the inner workings of the council. Not sure where you''ve gotten your information from¡­." One of the Elders who tantly agreed with Brandon earlier, spoke. The other Elders, with widened eyes, turned towards him. ''If I''m correct, he''s Charles. The duelist who had contributed the most in the Great War 200 years ago.'' Charles continued. "But that''s besides the point. Instead of feeling shocked, I''m rather baffled by your stance. What is your aim in all this? To put a target on your back?" Charles nced around at the Elders briefly, then returned his gaze to Brandon. "Any one of us here possesses the power to end you in mere moments. Even if you were to walk away from this trial untouched, a singlemand from us would be enough to see your life swiftly taken without question." Brandon''s brows raised upon hearing those words. ''He''s good¡­.'' If that were to actually happen, then one way or another, it would all trace back to the Elders. If Brandon were to die, it would further support the validity of his statements. Should Brandon die under these circumstances, it would only lend greater credibility to his ims, implying that the Elders viewed him as a genuine threat. ''So he''s on my side.'' That much was certain. There were only eleven Elders at the moment. Observing the clear opposition from the majority of the Elders, with only one remaining silent throughout the trial, it became evident that the absent Elder also disapproved of the Runic Cadaver Analysis. "My aim, huh?" Brandon began, taking a step forward. "You''ve kept this secret for too long. You''ve sacrificed innocent lives to ''maintain order.'' But it''s time the people knew. It''s time they understand what''s really happening¡ª" "Enough!" Another Elder, this time a man with a booming voice, demanded. "You are attempting to spread fear. The people don''t need to hear your lies!" Brandon''s lips curled into a nk smile. "Fear? Fear is what''sing, whether you like it or not. You think hiding the truth will protect them from what''s about to happen?" "You¡­!" Brandon turned toward the audience, addressing not just those in the Sanctum, but the world watching through the broadcast. "You''ve all been kept in the dark for too long. You''ve been lied to. Wraith Seeds are spreading, and they don''t stop at borders. But that''s not the only threat you need to worry about." Brandon paused, letting the tension build before continuing. "The Milis Continent is preparing for war. They''ve been nning this for years, and the Elders¡ª" He pointed an using finger at the Twelve. "¡ªknew. They''ve known for months, maybe even longer, and they''ve kept you in the dark." The audience was visibly shaken now, murmurs of fear spreading through the crowd. Brandon could see some of the military leaders exchanging worried nces, while others were frozen in shock. Of course, there was a bacsh to this. The Imperial Army wasn''t any better, keeping everything confidential. "Enough of this madness, Locke." The silver-haired Eldermanded. "We''ve heard enough of your baseless ims. You think you can rile up the people with fearmongering?" Brandon stood tall, his ink-ck eyes staring nkly at her. "Baseless? Tell me, then¡ªwhy haven''t you addressed the rumors of Milis mobilizing their forces? Why hasn''t the Imperial Army made a public statement on their military buildup? Why the sudden construction of the Imperial Academy?" Brandon paused and cleared his throat. Then, he continued once more. "That''s right. All of you Imperial Academy students are being prepared for war. Whether you like it or not, whether you choose to be rankers in the end, none of those matter. We are all on the same page once our borders are crossed." Brandon turned around and pointed at the woman with pale¨Cwhite hair, a striking resemnce with him. It was Belle. "General Locke, currently a student of Imperial Academy under training, but a skilled tactician and Leader of the Imperial Army, with a little bit of nepotism, had managed to climb the ranks steadily." Belle looked bbergasted upon hearing the sudden revtion. "....Brandon, what are yo¡ª" "Could you please stand up?" "You have no right to demand from the spectators, Lock¡ª" "Approved." Charles nodded his head, swiftly cutting off the silver¨Chaired Elder''s sentence. "Charles, why are you so in favor of this?" "It''s toote anyway. The moment this boy entered the Sanctum, we lost control. The world is watching" Belle stood up btedly and rubbed her hands together, her body fidgeting nervously. Meeting Brandon''s gaze, her eyes seemed to silently ask, "What do you need from me?" Brandon wasted no time and asked directly. "You know the inner workings of the Imperial Army, correct?" Belle briefly nced at Bellion, unsure of how to respond. However, Brandon had seen it. Bellion nodded his head in agreement, clearly in favor of Brandon. Getting approval, Belle answered carefully. "....Yes, that''s correct." "And how long have you known about the cold war?" "Ten months." A collective gasp echoed through the chamber, and the audience''s murmurs turned to shock. Brandon nodded slowly, his voice cold and calcted as he continued. "Ten months. Ten months the Imperial Army and the Elders have kept this hidden from the public. Ten months of silence while our enemies prepare for war." Belle looked down pensively. She had known, but like many others in the Army, she was bound by duty to remain silent. Turning back to Belle, he gave her a nod, silently saying; "You''ve done what you had to, Belle. Thank you." Belle, her face pale and eyes wide, nodded back and sat down. The silver-haired Elder''s voice cut through the tension. "This trial is not about war preparations, Locke. It is about your alleged crime¡ªthe murder of Evelyn Cessna. Do not divert the issue." "Respectively, your honor. That''s not a good look. All the ims, all the statements, and all your retorts against it, everyone in this room would collectively agree I''m not just spouting nonsense. Divert the issue? I''m directly addressing it." Another Elder stood up, his voice trembling with anger. "You''re trying to incite rebellion! You''re endangering the very stability of our nation!" Brandon''s expression hardened. "You''ve already endangered it. By keeping the people in the dark, by lying to them, by letting Milis prepare for war unchecked, you''ve done more damage than I ever could. I''m simply pulling back the curtain and showing them what you''ve been hiding." The people were waking up, realizing that everything Brandon said made sense. Brandon took a deep breath and turned back to the broadcast. "To everyone watching, this isn''t just about Holy Britannia anymore. Milis doesn''t care about borders. They want control, and they''ll take it by force. And unless we prepare¡ªunless we face the truth head-on¡ªwe''ll lose everything." Charles finally broke his silence, his voice softer than before, but still filled with authority. "You''ve made your point, Locke. But understand this¡ªyou''ve put yourself in a dangerous position. You''ve exposed truths that many would rather keep hidden. You''ve ced a target on your back." "A target? For whom?" Brandon asked. "Who else?" Charles grinned, his piercing gaze meeting Brandon''s, who grinned back at him. "Milis." Chapter 394: Sanctum of Trials [4] "Milis." Audible gasps erupted throughout the entire chamber. That was it. The final nail to the coffin that confirmed every statement Brandon had made. Brandon, obviously, was aware of what he was doing, but couldn''t help but grin. "Charles, you¡­. What about the neutrality use!? Are you siding with this boy? This continent!?" The Elder, who sat beside Charles, eximed. "There must be some kind of misunderstanding." Charles began. "I''m not siding with this boy, or this continent. I''m siding with humanity itself." "...." "Milis has clearly engaged with Wraith activities, if anything we''re the ones breaking the use by disregarding such matters. This boy is merely a scapegoat to exposing these facts." Then, Charles turned his head, focusing on the man casually seated among the audience with his legs crossed. "But the question still stands, where did he get all this information from?" The man he was staring at nced away at that moment, averting Charles'' gaze. "You, seated over there. Would you care to enlighten us?" "M¨CMe?" The man btedly pointed at himself, flustered. But Charles was well aware it was all an act. "Yes, you. Isaac Milton." It was Isaac. "Or should I say, the Twelfth Elder, who pretended to be absent today. Isaac Sce." Charles smiled widely. The room fell into a tense silence, broken only by the faint murmur of disbelief. All eyes turned toward Isaac Milton¡ªno, Isaac Sce, the Twelfth Elder. Brandon stared at Isaac, who was seated casually until now, and sat up straighter. ''I wanted to expose him.'' He had already known his identity the moment the two first met. Since it was all broadcasted live, Raven should be watching. ''Yeah, Raven. Your long time friend was an Elder this whole time.'' Isaac uncrossed his legs and let out a slow breath before finally speaking. "Twelfth Elder? What are these baseless usations? I''m just a hunting dog working for the¡ª" "You suck at lying, Isaac." Brandon spat indifferently. "...." "You think we haven''t seen through your disguise? Mira was practically ring at you the entire time" Charles said. Mira referred to the other Elder who was in favor of Brandon, and opposed to the Runic Cadaver Analysis. "So that''s why¡­. I thought she wanted to tap or somethin¡ª!" Isaac paused there, a sudden chill running down his spine as he felt the intense reing from Mira. "Keum." Charles coughed, clearing his throat btedly. "Alright, alright. I get it." At that moment, Isaac rose from his seat, smoothing out his coat as if preparing for a speech. But before he could speak, Charles nudged with his chin for Isaac to sit by his side. Isaac casually strode forward. The guards stepped back, giving him space. Before he sat right next to the empty seat besides Charles, Isaac pointed at his own face, holding up a gun sign. All of a sudden, his face distorted into that of a handsome fellow. His eyes, a refreshing blue color, and his hair, gradually changing into navy¨Cblue. ''Light refraction¡­.'' A skill that only mages who had exceeded expertise in the [Light] affinity. Not even Belle could do that. Not in a couple more years or so as long as she continued training with no rest. Sitting down, Isaac turned his head and stared at Mira. A woman who bore a youthful appearance, with radiant orange hair, and crimson irises. They were all Elders, who had lived for years. But their appearance never showed any signs of aging. "Mira, still wanna tap¡ª" "...." "Okay, okay." "Sigh, as problematic as ever." Charles couldn''t help but shake his head. "Anyway, care to enlighten us how the boy has all this information?" "Alright, here''s the truth." Isaac closed his eyes, pausing, letting the tension sink in. But he paused way too long. "Just get on with it!" "Okay, so¡­. I haven''t done anything." "Huh?" Charles blinked his eyes. Haven''t done anything? Then how? "Preposterous!" Another Elder eximed. "His confidence clearly stems from the idea of you backing him." "No." At that moment, Isaac''s demeanor changed. An oppressive aura emanated from him, and his eyes contorted into a slit. "His confidence simplyes from himself." "He reminds me of you in your younger days." Charles coollymented from the side. Isaac nodded, and smirked. "I know." *** The truth was out. There was no doubt in anyone''s mind that all of Brandon''s baseless usations and statements were the truth. This was especially so, as Charles and Isaac had practically confirmed everything. In any case, the other Elders didn''t seem to be amused at all. "You''re asking for chaos, Locke. Do you really believe mass panic is the solution?" "I''m asking for the truth." Brandon shot back. "The people deserve to know what''sing. They deserve to have a choice in how they prepare. You can''t protect them by keeping them blind." Charles, breaking his silence once more, spoke up. "He''s right." The room went still. Charles leaned forward, addressing his fellow Elders. "You''ve all been so focused on maintaining control that you''ve lost sight of the bigger picture. We''ve been lying to ourselves, believing that we could handle this quietly. But the truth is, it isn''t just Holy Britannia at risk. It''s the entire world." "That''s besides the point. We all know the inner workings of Milis, they are not the problem." "What do you mean?" With brows raised, Brandon asked. "So even you aren''t knowledgeable about this. Interesting¡­." Charles responded. The trial had entirely shifted, turning into a discussion. "The reason why we''ve never intervened, is because we don''t even know what we''re facing. It''s not Milis itself actually, but a collective from Milis. We''ve yet to figure out their motives." The reason why they had kept silent this whole time, was because they were the mes of war would ignite. From the council''s perspective, both continents were ignorant of the whole situation. "So in other words¡­." Brandon pinched his chin. "They''re being framed?" "That''s what we think." Now Brandon''s entire perspective changed. In other words, everyone was a victim of the real enemy they were facing. It wasn''t just Holy Britannia, nor would it only be Milis. Most probably, the enemies lingered in every continent, sowing seeds that would spark another Great War. "I know what the enemy is." At that moment, Brandon stepped up. Gasps echoed throughout the chamber, even among the Twelve Elders. Isaac, who had maintained his calm demeanor, shifted. Everyone''s attention snapped toward Brandon, who stood in the center of the Sanctum, his ink-ck eyes cold and calcting. "What did you just say?" One of the Elders stammered, disbelief evident in his voice. Brandon let the tension hang in the air for a moment longer. His gaze swept over the audience. "The true enemy we''ve been facing." Brandon began. "Is not a single force. Not a nation, not even a continent. It''s something else. A hidden group pulling the strings from behind the scenes, manipting entire nations for their twisted goals." Closing his eyes, allowing the tension to sink in as he took a shallow breath, Brandon continued thereafter. "The Wraith Cult." The crowd erupted in a mix of gasps, murmurs, and fear. But the Elders, on the other hand, exchanged incredulous nces. "We''ve known about them for years, boy. They''re nothing but a scattered group of zealots¡ªbarely a threat." There seemed to be a hint of disbelief in the Elder''s voice. This was because the Wraith Cult operated for years. They were a threat, but not to the point where it would cause wide panic. Brandon shook his head slowly. "That''s where you''re wrong, You''ve only seen the surface. What you don''t understand is that they''ve been growing in power, and orchestrating events across the continents." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "What you''ve seen is barely a fraction of their power. There''s something far more sinister above everything." Brandon briefly nced at Bellion before continuing. "They''re known as the Sin Archbishops." The room gasped. Even the Elders, who had maintained theirposure until now, exchanged uneasy nces. This was new information, and they didn''t like where it was heading. Brandon continued, his eyes locking onto the camera, addressing not just the room, but the entire world. "There are seven Archbishops, each representing one of the deadly sins." Brandon said, his voice growing more intense. "They''re not just figureheads¡ªthey''re the ones pulling the strings behind the Wraith Cult, and they''ve infiltrated every level of society." Brandon''s gaze flickered to the Elders beforending back on the camera. "But that''s not all. One of these Archbishops has been operating right under our noses, responsible for the deaths and that recently happened." He took a deep breath, his voice lowering. "The massacre of Iron-Fist Guild. The ughter of Blood Crescent Moon Guild. And¡­." Brandon''s eyes narrowed. Everyone''s attention fixed on him as he focused on the camera. It was time to unveil the hidden truth. "The murder of Evelyn Cessna." "...." A tentative silence followed, everyone trying to process Brandon''s words. "Going back to this trial''s initial objective. I admit, I did kill Evelyn Cessna with my own hands." But unlike previously, there was no disdain towards him. Instead, everyone wanted to know the truth, because clearly, there was something more to the story. "I had no choice." He clenched his fist. "If I allowed the Wraith seed to sprout further. Evelyn Cessna would''ve turned into a Wraith." Despite the sorrow he felt in his heart, Brandon''s expressions remainedpletely indifferent. He wasn''t here to ask for sympathy. He was here to reveal everything to the world. "If my conjectures are correct¡ªNo, I''m a hundred percent certain they are." His gazended on Amelia, who looked back at him. "From Amelia Constantine''s investigations, I''vee to conclude that everything that''s happened thus far was done by the Archbishop Sin of Lust and Pride." Isaac finally spoke up, his voiceced with sarcasm, but his eyes betrayed the tension he felt. "That''s a bold im, Locke. Do you have proof of this, or are you just throwing usations around?" "I do." At that moment, a certain audience stood up. It was Bellion. Soon after, the recording of Zeke''s ''interrogation'' was yed. Despite holding up in a cell for the past week, Brandon was never idle. He too, had been in contact with Bellion with his burner phone. Time passed. The moment the recording ended, silence befell the chamber once again. Of course, there was still a hint of disbelief among the Elders. But it was then when Bellion spoke up. "I, Field Marshal Bellion Van, confirm that this recording is authentic." There were no doubts from the Elders. Their eyes spoke of it. At that moment, Brandon''s eyes locked on the camera. "Archbishops, I know all of you are watching this. I know you all think you''re untouchable." His lips curled into a grim smile. He had done it. He had ced a target on his back. If tracking them down was impossible, then they shoulde to Brandon instead. "But I''ming for both of you. I''ll find you¡ªNo, all of you. And when I do¡ª" Brandon''s voice sharpened, his entire body emanated a inky¨Cck aura, his magic power rising. "I will kill all of you myself." Chapter 395: Sanctum of Trials [4] It wasn''t that hard to piece two and two together. From the information divulged by Illya, after stalking Amelia for the past week, it hade to Brandon''s attention just who the enemy was. The Archbishop Sin of Lust. There was surveince footage of Ben Dover entering the love hotel¡ªadditionally, entering the room as well. But there was no footage of a second party entering that room. Of course, there could be other variables as to why Ben Dover entered the love hotel. Like maybe, he was looking for a cheap ce to rest. But as the investigation delved deeper, following Ben Dover''s tracks with several street cameras, Ben Dover was caughting from the mall. On multiple asions, he was seen purchasing something from the mall''s department store, then heading directly to the love hotel immediately after. This led Brandon to believe that the items purchased should be gifts for Ben Dover''s mysterious lover. In any case, apparently, it was all thanks to Raven and ire, for following Ben Dover''s traces inside the mall. After all, the mall was none other than Victoria Supermall. ''Illya is one crazy stalker¡­.'' Her presence was already subtle enough, but empowered by her abilities, she was practically non¨Cexistent. In any case, Brandon''s conclusion was that Ben Dover''s lover might''ve been the Archbishop Sin of Lust. He had been seduced, brainwashed, and manipted with most probably sexual favors¡ªcorrting to the specific sin, which was lust. It was all spection on his part, but there was not much to go with. The Archbishop Sin of Lust had covered up her tracks well, only slipping up due to a witness seeing Ben Dover enter the love hotel. It was the only usible theory. For the Archbishop Sin of Pride, it was already practically confirmed thanks to Yi Jihyeon. ''Did I do well?'' Brandon thought to himself, staring nkly at the ceiling as he leaned back on the chair. ''Miss Evelyn.'' *** Amelia and Belle couldn''t help but stare at each other. The entire trial raised their blood pressure to the highest level. Especially Belle, who had initially thought Brandon would be sentenced innocent. But the longer the trial went, the more it was unlikely. But things made sense further down the line. Most probably, the council had given them false hope, knowing Brandon''s connections with the Imperial Army, just so they wouldn''t intervene, or snoop around the matter. Their objective, was most probably, to silence Brandon Locke regarding the matter, and to prove to the world that his ims were false. But from what everyone had seen so far, it had backfired on them. No, backfire was an understatement. The council was totally defeated. They had been exposed to the world after Brandon antagonized them. ''The hell is wrong with him?'' Seriously. And furthermore, he had provoked the enemy, boldly iming he would dispatch all of them. Amongst the Elders, the Imperial Army Field Marshals, and the Guild¨CLeaders, Brandon was the weakest in the circle. Yet he stood up to the Elders with his head held high as if it were nothing. "Is he gonna be okay?" Amelia asked, snapping Belle out of her thoughts. "I''m not sure anymore¡­." "He''s going to be free, right?" "....I think so." Belle had checked the inte from time to time during the trial. And clearly, Brandon had won the hearts of the people. If he was still indicted, it would ignite protests and rallies from the people. Which was a direct contrast to the Elders'' objective of avoiding mass panic. Indeed, if they wanted to save face, they''d have no choice but to set Brandon free. As the courtroom settled, the air grew tense with anticipation. The Elder, a woman with silver¨Chair, who had opposed Brandon the entire time, rose from her seat. Then, she began, her voice booming amidst the silence. "After thorough deliberation, the council has reached a decision regarding the charges levied against Brandon Locke." A hushed murmur swept through the audience, but the Elder continued without pause. "Therefore, in the interest of justice and maintaining the integrity of the world''sw, the council formally deres Brandon Locke innocent of all charges. His actions, while unconventional, were found to be within his rights as a defender of the people." The finality in the Elder''s tone left no room for doubt or contest. "The court is adjourned." *** Raven only had one thought during the entire broadcast. "He''s fucking crazy!" "No, he''s batshit crazy!" ire, who was seated right beside him, chimed in. Raven, ire, and Reinhard, met up inside a cafe to watch the entire broadcast. ire wanted to invite Rachel and Amy, but refrained from doing so. After all, their family had just reunited recently. "I''ll do you one better, he''s¡ª" "Shut it, Reinhard!" ire shot Reinhard down instantly. *** While the trial was still ongoing¡­. Rachel and Amy, along with their parents, Samantha and Rafael, sat on the couch inside the living room, their eyes peeled to the television screen, disying the trial. "That''s¡­." But what was most confusing, was their father, Rafael, who''s eyes were practically glued to the screen. "What''s wrong, Dad?" "Do you know him?" "Ah, no. Just¡­. your friend¡­. he''s so young, yet he''s already summoned in the Sanctum." Day after day, Rafael''s condition was getting better. While his memories were still jumbled up, he had finally remembered his daughters, and some of the world''s important matters. "I don''t get all the details, but I know he''s innocent. If they really knew Brandon, they''d see¡ªthere''s no way he could''ve killed Miss Evelyn. He''s always helped people, never wanting anything in return. I''m really grateful for him. Now, with his name out there, it had toe to this¡­." Rachelmented. "Hm?" But there was no response. Instead, her family stared at her, looking bbergasted. "What?" "Nothing¡­. Haha." Samantha, Rachel''s mother, shook her head dismissively andughed. "You''ve never spoken that much whenever you''re with us. It''s just surprising." "Ah?" Realizing that was the case, Rachel stammered, covering her mouth. Indeed, Rachel was rather reserved in front of her parents, unsure of how to approach them, a full contrast to Amy, who was quite lively around them. "Is that so?" "Well¡­. we''re not so close with this¡­. Brandon Locke. But if my daughter is saying it, then it must be the case." Rachel nodded her head btedly. Then turned to look at Amy, who looked back at her with a dumbfounded expression. "What?" Rachel frowned. ''No way, she still has feelings for him!?'' Is what Amy wanted to say, but refrained from doing so, afraid of striking the chord. No, she wasn''t afraid. She was just trying to find the right words. "You still like him?" "Huh?" "Oh, my¡­.." "...." Rachel''s brows raised, an incredulous expression spreading across her features. Samantha covered her mouth, and Rafael''s eyes widened as if realization washed over him. Samantha couldn''t help but ask. "Is that true, Rachel? Was there some hidden history between you tw¡ª" "No, no, no. Absolutely no¡ªUgh!" Rachel nced at Amy, who had a mischievous look on her face. Clenching her fist, Rachel pursed her lips. "Amy¡ª" "Rachel." But before she could scold her younger sister, Rafael grabbed her shoulders all of a sudden. Rachel''s eyes widened, and her pupils darted around. The sheer act had left her flustered, and seeing the serious look on her father''s face, Rachel swallowed deeply. ''Right, Dad was always against me finding a boyfriend so soon.'' But on the contrary¡­. "I approve." "....Eh?" "Let''s go to the Sanctum, wherever it is, and fight for his innocence." "What? No¡ªUgh! I don''t like him anymore! And besides, he already has a girlfriend, and she''s way prettier than me." "Oh." Rafael and Samantha looked down pensively. Amy, on the other hand, wanted to fuel the fire even more. Her eyes aze with intensity, and she leaned forward. "You can''t just give up! Love isn''t easy, it''s messy andplicated, but it''s worth it. If you really care about him, you don''t walk away just because things get hard or someone else is in the picture. You fight. You fight with everything you hav¡ª" "Shut up, Amy!" Chapter 396: Sanctum of Trials [5] As the trial was adjourned, Brandon was immediately free. Amelia and Belle rushed towards him, the two locking him in an embrace. "Brandon!" Brandon ruffled their hair gently, and shed the two a warm smile. "Are you okay? How badly did they hurt you?" Amelia asked. "It''s nothing much. I''m fine." Brandon shrugged it off, and the two pulled away. Amelia and Belle seemed like they wanted to say something, most probably regarding Evelyn''s death, but refrained from doing so. Instead, Amelia posed the same question, trying to ask about his mental health, but in a roundabout way. "Are you¡­. okay?" "Yeah, I''m fine." Brandon flexed his bicep. "See?" And shed her yet another warm smile. "Ah, okay¡­.." She wasn''t talking about him physically¡­. But Amelia stopped questioning there, and Belle remained silent. They knew his smile was a facade, an attempt to reassure them. But behind his eyes, there was emptiness they couldn''t describe. "Listen, Brandon¡ª" Belle was just about to speak, when Brandon suddenly walked forward. "Anyway, let''s go. I''m kinda tired." "Y¨CYeah, okay." Brandon strode off without ncing back, as if he hadn''t realized the two women weren''t following him. Amelia and Belle exchanged nces, a look of concern spreading across their faces. "Is he gonna be okay?" Belle asked. "....I don''t know. But¡­. I feel like things will be different from now on." It became apparent to them after the trial, seeing all the articles, and the posts on social media regarding the trial. The entire world''s eyes were on Brandon Locke. *** Crossing her legs, after the trial was adjourned and the broadcasting ended, Lust blinked her eyes, unable to process what just happened. How did he figure things out? But the bigger question that swirled in her mind was¡­. ''Where did his knowledge regarding the Archbishopse from?'' Things didn''t go ording to n at all. WHIII¡ª All of a sudden, a portal materialized behind her seat, and a man emerged shortly after, causing Lust to frown in disgust. "You again¡­." It was Pride. "You''vepletely fucked up big¨Ctime." "...." Lust had tried to deny it in her heart, assuring herself that in the end, she had broken Brandon mentally. "Look how the turns tabled." "...." Lust''s eye twitched. He''d gotten it wrong. ''Tables turned,'' she wanted to correct him, but she didn''t. She knew he was only trying to provoke her. But Pride wasn''t entirely wrong. She had underestimated Brandon. She had nned to push him to the edge, break himpletely. "Little old Lust thinking everything was under control. What was your motto again? Everything in this world belongs to me! Right? Ha, look at you now!" Pride, his figure standing tall and smug, tilted his head slightly. "You got cocky. You thought you could control everything." Lust crossed her legs tighter, feeling the anger and frustration bubbling inside her. She had erased every trace of her involvement, killed anyone who knew too much. Brandon should have been a broken man by now, framed for Evelyn''s murder and forced to flee as a fugitive. And where would he flee? Of course, to Milis. The root of all problems. That was the entirety of her n. But instead, he had turned the trial into a tform¡ªa tform to expose the truth to the world. "...." "You''ve been outyed. The trial you thought would end him was nothing but a stage for him topletely tear everything down." Lust''s heart pounded faster, but this time, it wasn''t just anger. It was something else. His strength, his resilience¡ªit excited her. The more he resisted, the more she wanted him. The more he defied her, the more she longed to break him, to make him hers in every way. And now, after everything, all she could think about was how much she wanted to crush him, to make him beg for her mercy. But how had he managed to figure it all out? "How did he know?" She muttered under her breath, more to herself than Pride. "That''s the question, isn''t it? How does he know about us? About the Archbishops?" Lust''s fists clenched in herp. That was the biggest mystery of all. There should''ve been no open knowledge about the Archbishops. They had been discreetly manipting everything for years. Yet somehow, Brandon had pieced it together. "He''s¡­. something else¡­." Her voice was soft, almost reverent, her mind, a storm of conflicting emotions. Brandon had ruined everything. Chapter Continue: He had turned her perfect n into a disaster, and yet, she couldn''t stop thinking about him. She couldn''t stop picturing him, standing tall, defiant against her, even as she plotted to destroy everything around him slowly. He was her obsession. "I''ll have him." She whispered. "I''ll break him. And when I do, he''ll be mine." Pride raised an eyebrow. "And if he doesn''t break? What then?" Lust''s lips curved into a twisted smile. "Then I''ll enjoy every moment of it. Every moment until he does. This continent, it can all burn down to the ground." Pride shook his head, sighing as he stood upright. "You''re a hopeless case." "...." She ignored him, her thoughts already spiraling back to Brandon. The trial had been a setback, but it wasn''t over. Everything may have been exposed to the world, but her identity still remained a secret. "Just so you know, it seems like the Elders are on his side, any way you can handle that?" "I know. I''ve already thought of some countermeasures against it." But changing the topic. "Are you going to remain idle? I know you aren''t posted here, but he''s opposed the Archbishops entirely. What about the others? Have they said anything about it?" "It''s not my job to clean up your mess. You know how the Archbishops are¡ª" They all had different objectives that suited their needs. In other words, they were doing whatever they wanted. As if the entire world was their y¨Cpen. "But in the end, you''ve aplished what you were here for in the first ce." While they had all operated under their own volition, the Archbishops had one shared collective. To find every humanoid races'' whereabouts. Holy Britannia might''ve thought they had all emerged from the cmity a year ago. But that couldn''t be further from the truth. They had been here all along, hidden in in sight. Not even the current Elders were aware of this secret. After all, those Elders who knew were long dead. "Someone''sing. Thought I''d give you a heads¨Cup." "Who?" "Greed." *** "Oh?" A man seated in a throne, rubbed his chin with his brows raised. Ghostly strands framed his face, his gaze, a piercing shade of amethyst, gleamed with interest. "Could it be?" He had seen the broadcast for himself. The man was none other than the Archbishop Sin of Wrath. Seeing Brandon Locke''s provocation, a myriad of thoughts filled Wrath''s mind. It was nothing but a broadcast, something he could see on the screen. Yet Wrath could more or less estimate Brandon Locke''s strength. He was weak. Undoubtedly so. But that confidence¡­. It was akin to pride. No, not quite. It was vanity itself. "Is it really¡ª" The thought just wouldn''t leave his mind. "Vainglory?" Chapter 397: This is what regret feels like [1] January 16, 2150. A week had passed since the trial. Brandon hadn''t realized it then, but during his time in the cell, it had already stopped snowing. But as if the world was mocking him for his failures, today, out of all days, the weather was gloomy. It felt rather oppressive. But in any case, Brandon turned to the side upon noticing the vibrationing from his phone, rippling a buzz on the table right beside his bed. [You have 52 missed calls.] Only now did he notice he had several missed calls, eaching from his friends, some of them evening from his mother, Brianna. ''Mother, huh?'' Truth be told, Brandon intentionally distanced himself from Brianna. He couldn''t see her as a mother figure, and he didn''t n on recing his real mother in his heart. No, he couldn''t stomach losing another mother again. For that reason, he had never tried to personally get close to her. But somewhere deep inside him, he longed for a mother figure, whether he liked it or not. He had only realized it now as he stared at Brianna''s name in his contact list, and the word mother shed in his mind. A certain image ovepped. Evelyn. He had told himself that the rtionship was akin to that of an older sister, maybe even a younger sister, considering Evelyn''s innocence. But no. Unknowingly, he had painted Evelyn as a mother figure in his heart, whether he liked it or not. He had onlye to realize it now, as he recalled every reaction he had with her thus far. Brandon was always one to seek validation for his aplishments, but when it came to Evelyn it mattered more to him if she approved of it or not. Just the thought of the times when their opinions shed during his time in Astrea caused him to smile. But it was a rather sorrowful smile. It was just like his rtionship with his mother in his past life. And now, once more, he had lost that kind of figure in his life. Brandon set his phone on the side and slumped down on his bed once more. He wasn''t in the mood to talk to anyone. Nor was he in the mood to see anyone. It was one of the reasons why he had moved out from Amelia''s apartment. More so, because he had forcefully ced himself in danger. And the attention that followed after the trial might impede Brianna, Belle, and Amelia. After all, paparazzis gathered around their apartments a week back. Chapter Explore: But after telling them Brandon had moved out, and with a bit of confirmation, the paparazzis never returned. This world was annoying. Just some issues, and it would immediately be posted on the inte. Articles would be written about you, and strangers would start hunting you down, begging for an interview. Maybe if it was a year ago, Brandon would''ve liked the feeling. After all, he was one to seek attention. But in this case, the attention was rather annoying. But it couldn''t be helped. He had to expose everything to the world when he finally had a chance. It wasn''t a daily urrence to stand in trial, which the whole world could witness. Then, Brandon turned to the side. Garbage bags had already piled up just outside of his room, by the exit door. He couldn''t be bothered to go outside. Tick. Tock. Amidst the silence, the sound of clock ticking caught his attention, and Brandon fixed his attention on the clock. [4:32 PM.] "Ah." It was almost time. Time for Evelyn''s funeral. His chest felt tight all of a sudden, followed by a suffocating feeling in his throat. Brandon merely bit his lip, fighting off the oppressive sensation. Because he was fine. That''s what he had been telling himself, and to everyone else. And yet for some reason, he would get annoying messages asking about his condition. It was annoying. Hadn''t he already replied the first time? Why would they worry so much? Two weeks had already passed since Evelyn''s death, everyone else would''ve moved on already. He had moved on already. He was sure of it. RIRIIING¡ª His phone buzzed once more. The caller was none other than Raven. Irritated, Brandon put his phone to sleep. Most probably, like always, he wasn''t alone. His friends would most probably flock around the phone and start showing their concern. It had always been like that, and it was overwhelming. For the first time, Brandon didn''t like the attention. He had already moved on. He kept telling himself that. "So stop asking me every goddamn time!" A sudden chill crept up on his feet. Staring down, the floor seemed to have frozen slightly. Despite everything that happened, Brandon never once skipped out on training. It was hard. Really hard. Because it hurt. Training alone hurts. Being alone with only his mind guing him was suffocating. Yet at the same time, he wanted to be alone. All of a sudden. Just as he was about to head back to bed. To¨C Tok. Someone knocked on his door. "...." The only people who knew the location of his new apartment were Amelia, Belle, and Brianna. It was a rather humble apartment, despite the wealth he had amassed. He nned to entertain them for a bit, then send them home after. However, the moment he opened the door, what greeted his sight weren''t Belle or Amelia at all. "Brandon." Brandon''s hand remained on the door handle as Vanessa stood there. Her eyes searched his face, as if trying to decipher what was going on behind the cold expression he wore. She looked¡­. tired. A sudden pang of guilt welled up in his chest. Inadvertently, Brandon looked away, unable to meet her gaze. "Why are you still here? The ceremony''s about to start¡ª" "I''m not going." He replied immediately. "Brandon¡­." "Please leave." Just as he was about to close the door, Vanessa''s eyes suddenly glowed, and the door felt heavier, and Brandon was unable to shut it close. "You need to be there. She¡ªEvelyn¡ªwould''ve wanted it." Brandon clenched his jaw, the familiar knot tightening in his chest at the mention of Evelyn''s name. However, seeing the pensive look on her face, Brandon''s brows raised. Please, stop. ''Why are you looking at me like that?'' ''Despite the case I pleaded, I know deep inside I was the reason she died.'' ''I was the reason your best¨Cfriend died.'' ''....I killed her.'' From the n he proposed in the auction¡ªleading to Evelyn''s core being shattered¡ªto neglecting the possibility of a Wraith seed sprouting within her core. But what hurt the most was knowing he had the tools to save her, if he only knew when the seed hadn''t sprouted past the point of no return. He had done it for Rafael Asami, who thankfully, didn''t have the seed. The thought of Evelyn being corrupted never even crossed his mind, especially seeing how calm and healthy she was a few months back. Ah, it hurt. Brandon''s grip on the door tightened, his knuckles white as he stood there, unable to push Vanessa away, unable to speak the words that wed at his throat. Vanessa didn''t move, her glowing eyes staring back at him. She wasn''t angry, she wasn''t using. That''s what made it worse. "Please, just go." Brandon pleaded, his voice cracking. But Vanessa stepped closer, her hand gently resting on the door. "You were trying to save her, Brandon. We all know that. But Evelyn wouldn''t want you to carry this burden alone. She wouldn''t want you to keep punishing yourself like this." "I''m not¡­." His words trailed off. You are. You''re punishing yourself because you know it''s your fault. He bit the inside of his cheek, tasting blood. Vanessa''s gaze softened, but she didn''t let go of the door. "You don''t have to speak. Just be there." "I could have stopped it. I could''ve saved her if I had known sooner. Vanessa didn''t say anything for a moment, and in that silence, Brandon felt the crushing weight of his own words. Vanessa stepped forward again, her eyes reflecting with unshed tears. "Brandon, no one mes you. I don''t me you. So why are you ming yourself so much?" Her words hit him hard, and for the first time, Brandon felt something break inside him. Vanessa reached out, cing a hand on his arm. "Please,e with me." ''Please, stop looking at me like that.'' "Just go." He repeated once more. This time, Vanessa backed down, realizing she couldn''t persuade him. If she couldn''t persuade him, someone who was undoubtedly close with Evelyn, then no one could. But before Vanessa could leave, she rummaged through her purse and handed him something. "Take this. We found it in Evelyn''s room." It was a box, clumsily wrapped in Christmas paper. It was poorly done that it wasn''t even fully covered. "...." It was just like Evelyn. "If you can''te, then at least ept this." Brandon stared at the box in his hand, his face darkening, standing frozen with his hands on the door. "Haha." Chapter 398: This is what regret feels like [2] Brandon sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the box in his hands. "...." It was clumsily wrapped in Christmas paper, some edges not even fully covered, as if the person wrapping it had been in a rush or simply bad at it. A small smile tugged at his lips, but it quickly faded. Vanessa had left it for him, insisting that it was important. He didn''t want to open it. He thought he''d moved past the worst of it, but because of Vanessa''s appearance, and the sight of this gift, this reminder, made everything resurface. With a heavy sigh, Brandon slowly peeled away the wrapping. His hands shook slightly, and for a moment, he paused, staring at the small USB sh drive inside. There was nobel. He already knew, though. He knew it was from Evelyn. His chest tightened painfully as he plugged the USB sh drive into hisptop and clicked the file. The screen flickered for a second before her face appeared. Evelyn. Alive. Brandon''s breath caught in his throat as he saw her. Evelyn was in her room, wearing pajamas, her dark¡ªpurple hair loose around her shoulders. She looked¡­. alive. So casual, so normal, like she''d just recorded this on a quiet night in, without any clue of what was toe. ¡ªIs this thing even on? Her face was close to the camera, brows raised skeptically. ¡ªWhat''s this, like the fifth attempt¡ªAh, wait. It''s working! An innocent smile spread across her lips. Brandon could hear her light chuckle through the speakers, and it made his chest tighten. ¡ªUhm, hello? You might be wondering what this is for, but I thought I''d get you a Christmas present to thank you for inviting me to the Christmas party. Hehe, I couldn''t think of a proper gift, so I thought of doing this instead. Brandon couldn''t help but feel the bitter irony in her words. She had made this video as a lighthearted gift, never knowing that it would be the only thing left of her. ¡ªYou know, when you first invited me to that party¡­. I was a bit surprised. Honestly, I don''t go to many gatherings. I guess you already knew that, though. Evelyn leaned back into her chair, lost in thought. ¡ªI wasn''t sure how to feel about it. I mean, I''m not exactly the ''festive'' type. But... it was nice, in a way, to be included in something like that." She paused again, her fingers ying with the edge of her pajama sleeve absentmindedly. ¡ªAnd I just wanted to thank you for that. For thinking of me. You''re a good uncle. "...." Brandon''s brows furrowed. Uncle? The hell? She hesitated again, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup on the desk, her eyes downcast. ¡ªI''ve been thinking a lot about... you know, things. Life, death, all that. It kind of hit me after we went to Big Sister Yi Jihyeon''s funeral. There were so many people there, so many who cared about her. And it got me thinking¡­. what about me? Sheughed again, but this time, it sounded hollow. ¡ªI wonder, if I died, would anyonee to my funeral¡­. Her voice trailed off, and for a moment, she just stared into the camera with an unreadable expression. ¡ªNevermind, sorry. That''s not the purpose for this video. Just my inner thoughts spilling out. Hehe. Sheughed softly, but it didn''t reach her eyes. Brandon''s hands gripped the edge of theptop. How could she talk like that? How could she have been so aware, yet so dismissive of her own life? The thought of her questioning whether people woulde to her funeral made his heart ache in ways he didn''t know how to process. Shaking her head, she gave a bittersweet smile. ¡ªEnough about that. I''m rambling. She leaned forward, her tone shifting to something more practical. ¡ªI left some files for you on this sh drive. Everything you wanted to know about controlling your [Permafrost] affinity. How to efficiently direct the mana pathways and such. I know it''s been a challenge for you, but these should help in case I''m not there to help you out. Brandon blinked, the words almost not registering as the familiar knot of grief tightened in his chest. She had left him files. It was more than just this video. She had left him her knowledge, her teachings. Even after everything, she had thought about how to help him, how to guide him. ¡ªThere''s also some stuff on my research regarding swordsmanship in there. I know you''ve been working hard to improve. You always were one to push yourse¡ªAh! All of a sudden, Evelyn jumped out of her bed, and the video suddenly cut off. ¡ªSorry, there was a bug in my room¡­. Evelyn sat back down, adjusting her hair casually as if nothing happened. ¡ªAnyway, where was I? Oh, right. The files. Her tone had shifted back to her usual calm self. Brandon could almost hear the teacher in hering out. It was strange how she always seemed soposed, even when talking about something asplicated as mana pathways or swordsmanship. Yet whenever it came to social dynamics, she was often clumsy. ¡ªYou''ve got everything you need in there, Brandon. I know you''re going to figure it out. You always do. A small smile yed on her lips, and for a brief moment. He missed that smile. It wasn''t warm or overly emotional¡ªit was just¡­. Evelyn. Subtle. Quiet. ¡ªBut you have to take care of yourself too. You''ve always been pushing yourself too hard, always injured in every fight. You don''t have to carry everything on your own, okay? You have people who care about you. Let them help. Her words hit him harder than he expected. Brandon''s vision blurred, but he blinked the tears away. He couldn''t cry. Not now. He didn''t want to. After everything that happened, a single tear had never slipped out. Evelyn tilted her head slightly, her expression softening in a way that felt almost maternal. ¡ªYou remind me of me sometimes. I used to think I had to do it all alone too. That if I didn''t, I''d let people down, and I was afraid they would leave me¡­. Her words trailed off from there as he let out a small, almost self-deprecatingugh. ¡ªGuess I''m not really one to give advice on this. I''ve made my own mistakes. Brandon swallowed hard. She never talked about herself, not really. She was always so focused on helping others, on guiding him. And now, this was the closest he''d ever get to hearing her inner thoughts. Her face grew more serious as she continued. ¡ªBut seriously, take care of yourself. And if you ever need to talk¡­. well, I guess I won''t be much help. But there are others. Don''t shut them out. Her voice softened, and she looked directly at the camera, as if she could see him, as if she knew exactly what he was going through. ¡ªI believe in you, Brandon. I always have. You''re stronger than you think, but you don''t have to be strong all the time. It''s okay to lean on others. It''s okay to let people in. Brandon couldn''t hold it in any longer. His hands shook as he covered his face, his chest heaving with silent sobs. Her words, her advice¡ªit was all so casual, so simple. But now, they were everything. Now, they were all he had left of her, his mentor, the unexpected mother figure in his heart. Evelyn leaned closer to the camera, her expression soft. ¡ªI''m proud of you, Brandon. I don''t know if I''ve said that before, but I am. You''vee so far. She paused, her eyes shimmering slightly. ¡ªDon''t ever forget that. No matter what happens, no matter where life takes you¡­. I''ll always be proud of you. Sheughed once more, a warm smile spread across her features. ¡ªMerry Christmas. I look forward to the party. The screen flickered again, and then the video cut out, leaving Brandon sitting there, alone in the silence. He stared at the nk screen, his mind spinning with everything she had said, everything she had left unsaid. Drip. Drip¡­! For the first time since her death, Brandon allowed himself to cry. Not just tears of grief, but tears for everything he hadn''t said, everything he hadn''t done. He cried for the mentor¡ªand mother figure¡ªhe had found in Evelyn, and the hole she had left in his life. Drip. Drip¡­! *** The moment Vanessa returned to the memorial service, she looked around, realizing the abundance of people that had gathered to pay respect. There were a lot. People Vanessa knew¡ªpeople Vanessa didn''t know. Most probably, people who were thankful for Evelyn. After all, she was a famous figure in Holy Britannia. A ranker who had saved an insurmountable amount of people in the past. "Is he noting?" Hearing the question, Vanessa turned to the side and noticed Bellion, wearing a ck suit, crossing his arms as he stood by the entrance. "He is." "Then where is he?" "It''ll take a while. But he''sing. Could you tell them to dy the ceremony for a bit?" "Is that so? Alright, then." With that, Bellion disappeared. Vanessa nced around before finding a seat. She hadn''t seen the contents of the present itself, but the nametag on the present specifically wrote; ''For my Student.'' It was evident to her that it was for Brandon. After all, Evelyn held a certain bias to the boy. ''It was a Christmas present¡­.'' The fact that it was just stowed away in her room told Vanessa enough of what happened. ''Jeez, you''re even that embarrassed to hand your favorite student a Christmas present? Time seemed to pass by in a blink of an eye. People had left flowers for Evelyn, and gathered around in their seats, eagerly waiting for the ceremony. A sorrowful smile tugged at Vanessa''s lips. Everyone in the room present knew. That there was no body to be buried. Yet despite that, people came to pay their respects anyway. That was how influential Evelyn was. All of a sudden, the room fell silent. Eyes suddenly flicked towards the entrance, and Vanessa followed their direction. "Took you long enough¡­." She mumbled. Brandon had arrived. Chapter 399: The First Encounter [1] The moment Brandon arrived, he felt eyes focused on him, Expecting this already, Brandon merely brushed it off and strode forward. The weight of Evelyn''s death still pressed down on him, each step he took getting heavier and heavier. But he couldn''t lie to himself anymore. Despite the suffocating feeling that followed, he knew he had to cross this obstacle somehow. And if he were to numb his feelings in the process, then so be it. He was exhausted. It was impossible to keep everyone safe in any progression. He had only realized now that death was inevitable, despite the foresight, the preparations, and the knowledge. He couldn''t take everything into ount. ''No wonder Jin ended up the way he was.'' It was quite ironic. He had judged a book by its cover, never pondering too deeply about its contents. If anything, he wouldn''t be surprised anymore if he ended up like Jin. In any case, Brandon looked around. There were a lot of people, seated on the rows of chairs that stretched endlessly. He barely knew anyone due to the sheer amount. Then, his eyes shifted upward, towards therge portrait¡ªembedded on the wall. There she was, Evelyn. As if it were a photo of Mona Lisa herself. Right in the middle was arge casket draped in white flowers. Brandon frowned as he stared intently. Because there was nobody inside the casket. But seeing the sea of flowers offered by those who came to pay their respects, regardless if they personally knew Evelyn or not, Brandon''s expressions softened. There were too many flowers to count. There were even children offering flowers out of respect. Recalling the video he had just watched an hour ago, a small smile tugged up his lips. Evelyn''s words from the video echoed in his mind. ¡ªI''ve been thinking a lot about... you know, things. Life, death, all that. It kind of hit me after we went to Big Sister Yi Jihyeon''s funeral. There were so many people there, so many who cared about her. And it got me thinking¡­. what about me? He had watched that part, barely able to breathe, as sheughed softly after saying it, as if it was a passing thought. But now, seeing the overwhelming presence at her memorial, Brandon couldn''t help but think about how wrong she had been. So many people hade. Too many to count. Children, adults, strangers¡ªall of them with flowers, all of them mourning her loss in their own way. ''You were wrong, Evelyn.'' He thought, his heart heavy. ''People cared. They cared more than you ever realized. You had made a significant impact on others lives, lives you''ve saved without ever asking for anything in return, despite you not realizing it.'' It wasn''t just the sea of flowers or the crowd that proved her wrong¡ªit was the looks on their faces, the way people spoke in hushed tones, the way they bowed their heads with genuine respect. Brandon raised his head and stared upward. ''I hope you''ve found genuine peace up there.'' Brandon offered his own flowers, sped his hands together and bowed. Turning around, Brandon strode and found a seat. The ceremony had yet to start. Which was quite odd, considering he was awfullyte. Feeling someone poke his shoulder, Brandon turned around. "You made it." It was Vanessa. "Yeah, you were right. Evelyn would''ve been disappointed if I didn''t show up." Brandon nced around, then returned his attention back to Vanessa. "Where are the others?" "They left a while ago to grab some refreshments," Vanessa replied, ncing toward the entrance. "But they should be back soon. Why don''t you go find them? They can''t be far." Brandon hesitated, his gaze lingering on the portrait of Evelyn. "Hmm¡­." Vanessa noticed his hesitation. "Don''t worry, the ceremony won''t start for a while. People are still paying their respects." "Alright, I''ll be back." *** "So it is true then¡­." Rachel said, massaging her chin. It was the first time in a while since the entire group had gathered. While Raven, Reinhard, and ire had already gotten confirmation of the issue, Rachel and Amy on the other hand, still couldn''t believe it. However, it was only now that they finally had the opportunity to ask someone rted to the Imperial Army¡ªwhich were¡ªof course, Amelia and Belle. "So what do you all n on doing?" Amelia halted in her steps, turned around, and nced at each and everyone present. "Some students have already dropped out as far as I know. No one would me you if you choose to relocate to a different academy." It was true. As a schr, Amelia had to spend her winter break at the academy, helping the instructors prepare for the uing semester. It wasn''t just her, but Belle was also a schr. And so, the two were quite knowledgeable with the inner structure of Imperial Academy. They were both Generals in training after all. "I''m staying." Raven was the first to speak up, nodding his head, his blue eyes lighting up with determination. "Not like I have any other choice." Followed by Reinhard, who shrugged his shoulders. "Well, my father said this would have the most economical impact, so¡­." And ire too. "...." "...." Amelia and Belle stared at them dumbfounded. With an exception to Raven, what kind of sorry forced excuse was that¡­? "What about you two?" Belle asked, looking at Rachel and Amy. They knew the two were working together, and would probably be well off, even if they didn''t choose the battle mage¡ªor the military route. ire was also in the same line as them, but due to her father, a powerful figure in the past, she chose to stay. "I''m dropp¡ª" "I''m staying." Amy and Rachel spoke in unison. "Hold on, Amy was totally about to say¡ª" "I''m staying." "...." pping her hands together, Amelia turned around. "Well that''s that. We should head back, the ceremony might start soon." The group traversed the streets, nibbling on snacks with juices in their hands. However, as they were about to cross the pedestrianne, they paused. "....?" "...." "Uh?" Standing in the center, was a child. And while the pedestrian lights were green, it would only be a matter of time until it turned red. Yet for some reason, the child didn''t move. The sight was rather odd, causing the group to stop as Raven spoke. "What''s wrong?" He approached the child. "Are you lost?" "...." However, the child didn''t respond, his head looking down. Raven nced to the left, then to the right. Cars were eagerly waiting for the pedestrian light to turn red. Crouching down, Raven spoke once more, and the others neared the child. "You shouldn''t stand here. It''s dangerous." The child, with unkempt hair covering most of his face, continued to look down. There was something unsettling about him, something Raven couldn''t quite ce. His small frame didn''t shift at all, even as the group gathered around, unsure of what to do. ire exchanged nces with Amy in confusion. "Is something wrong with him?" Raven, still crouched, tried again. "Hey, it''s okay. Are you lost? Where are your parents?" "...." The child remained quiet. The pedestrian lights flickered, signaling that they would soon change. Cars revved impatiently at the intersection. Belle took a step forward, eyeing the child warily. "Maybe we should take him somewhere safe. He doesn''t seem to¡ª" But before Belle could finish, the child slowly lifted his head, revealing his innocent features. "What value lies in the relentless craving for that which can never be satisfied? Is it not the boundless yearning for more, a thirst so deep it consumes all in its path, leaving only emptiness in its wake?" Raven frowned, confused by the cryptic words. "Uhm, what are you talking about...?" The child''s smile widened, and his eyes suddenly gleamed, a sinister aura beginning to surround him, causing a chill to run down Raven''s spine. "Greed." Chapter 400: The First Encounter [2] "Greed." Boom¡ª! Maybe it was out of instinct, but the moment those words left the boy''s lips, Amelia immediately waved her hand, her magic sword materializing in an instant, shing toward the boy with a burst of energy. The others flinched and jumped back, taken aback by her sudden aggression. "Amelia, what are y¡ª" Belle eximed, questioning her impulsive behavior. "He''s one of them! One of the people Brandon warned us about!" But as the dust settled, the boy stoodpletely unharmed. The sword had not even grazed him. He remained still, a calm smile tugging at his lips. "You strike without understanding. But to destroy withoutprehension¡­. isn''t that the root of all greed?" The boy tilted his head. On his hand was a rock, which he seemed to have grabbed from the shattered ground. The rock shimmered faintly around the boy. No, he was absorbing the mana that still clung to the rock from Amelia''s previous attack. The boy''s smile stretched a little wider, his gaze shifting from the rock back to Amelia. "You give, and Greed takes. That''s the cycle, isn''t it? You''re so eager to rid yourself of power, yet you don''t understand what you truly offer." Before anyone could react, Raven lunged forward, his dagger thrusting toward the boy with a sudden burst of speed. "He''s the Archbishop of Greed!" Swoosh¡ª! The others, spurred by his movement, followed suit. Belle brandished her sword forward, dding it with light, while Reinhard summoned an array of mes, rushing towards the boy. Water gushed out from somewhere, and ice bolts rained down. But the boy didn''t flinch. Instead, he casually lifted his hand, and with it, the rock still brimming with mana. In a single fluid motion, the boy mimicked Amelia''s attack perfectly. The same energy that had failed to hit him before now surged from his hand, a magic sword slicing through the air toward Raven. "Wha¡ªUkh!" Raven, caught off guard, was sent hurling away. His body hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop several feet away, groaning in pain. "Raven!" Amelia shouted, but she couldn''t afford to turn her back on the boy. He hadn''t moved from his spot, still smiling that unnerving smile. "You offer your strength so willingly, and Greed takes it all." Amelia''s magic sword vanished and reappeared in her hand, glowing fiercely as she prepared another strike. "Stay back!" She warned the others, stepping forward to engage the boy directly. After all, she was the strongest one present. But Belle wasn''t going to wait. With a swift movement, she extended her de with light, the glowing energy crackling around the edge of her sword. She leaped into the air, bringing the extended de down toward the boy with incredible force. The boy simply raised his hand, absorbing the light energy from her de before flicking his wrist. Belle''s own light-based attack was thrown back at her, a blinding beam slicing through the air toward her. She twisted in midair, narrowly dodging the attack,nding with a stumble but quickly regaining her footing. "I get it now, he''s replicating everything we do!" She growled, her eyes locking on the boy with frustration. ire stepped forward, her rapier crackling with purple lightning. "Then we''ll just have to overwhelm him, won''t we?" Without hesitation, she dashed forward, her rapier extending with arcs of lightning. Tzz¡ª! She moved like a blur. Each time her de made contact with the boy, a burst of purple bolts exploded from the impact point. Yet, each strike was met with a calm, effortless parry from the boy, who now wielded an exact replica of her lightning-charged rapier. The boy twisted his hand, sending a surge of purple lightning back at ire. She barely managed to deflect it, the force sending her stumbling back. "Greed consumes. Greed learns. Greed takes what it desires and uses it as its own." The boy''s eyes glinted with amusement. Behind him, Reinhard summoned a wall of fire. mes rushed towards the boy. Amy, standing nearby, called forth torrents of water to flood the ground. The boy simply stood there, watching as the mes and water rushed toward him. At thest moment, he raised his hand, and the fire and water froze in mid-air, hovering for a brief second before reversing course. Thebined attacks exploded outward, sending both Reinhard and Amy crashing into the ground as their own elements overwhelmed them. "Akh!" "¡ª¡ª!" Rachel stepped forward, her snow¨Cwhite hair fluttered, an icy aura emanating from her entire figure. "Stop!" Ice bolts formed in the air, their sharp edges gleaming as she sent them hurling toward the boy. They zipped through the air, aiming for his vital points. The boy nced at the ice bolts with mild interest before swiping his hand in front of him. The ice bolts stopped mid-flight, suspended in the air before shattering into a thousand pieces. "Greed takes everything. Even your hope." He whispered, his eyes glowing with an eerie light. Amelia, who had been waiting for her moment, took advantage of the distraction, seizing the opportunity. She summoned two magic swords, one in each hand, and charged forward with incredible speed. The boy turned to face her just as her des came crashing down toward him. For a moment, it looked like she had him. But then, with a swift movement, the boy absorbed the energy of her swords once again, twisting it into his own attack. He spun, a crescent-shaped arc of energy slicing through the air toward Amelia. She barely managed to dodge, the attack grazing her side and sending a sharp pain through her body. She winced but didn''t stop, summoning another sword as she continued her assault. A myriad of magic swords danced around her. Gritting her teeth, a sharp pang pierced her head as she focused on each sword. With a flick of her wrist, sheunched a barrage of swords toward him. He dodged effortlessly, absorbing the energy from her attacks and twisting them into his own. His crescent-shaped arcs of energy sliced through the air, but Amelia managed to narrowly avoid them. Suddenly, one of her des found its mark. sh¡ª! It was a small cut, just barely grazing the boy''s cheek, but it was enough to draw blood. His eyes widened in surprise. He touched the wound, staring at the blood on his fingertips in disbelief. "Huh?" His voice was filled with confusion, then anger. "You¡ªyou''ve managed to cut through my authority?" His calm demeanor shattered, reced by anger. He clenched his fists, his power ring dangerously around him. "Who are you?!" Amelia didn''t respond. Her chest heaved with the effort of maintaining her magic, but she kept her eyes locked on the boy. Before he could retaliate, Raven dashed forward from the shadows, his dagger aimed at the boy''s back. The others joined in¡ªire surged forward, her rapier crackling with purple lightning, while Belle swung her light-imbued sword in a wide arc. Amelia followed suit, her swords shing in tandem with the others. Reinhard, Rachel, and Amy hung back, supporting with long-range attacks. Fireballs from Reinhard streaked through the air, while Rachel''s ice bolts rained down, and Amy''s water tendrilsshed out toward the boy. But the boy was unfazed. With a flick of his wrist, he absorbed Amelia''s magic once again, twisting the energy into a forceful wave that knocked Raven and ire back. They skidded across the ground, barely managing to stay on their feet. Belle, with her light-imbued sword, shed downward, aiming for his chest, but the boy caught her de with his bare hand, stopping her attack mid-air. "You can''t win." He whispered, his voice low and threatening. Amelia gritted her teeth, pushing forward. She summoned another barrage of swords. The boy smirked, absorbing them effortlessly, but in the chaos, she slipped through his defenses once again, her de slicing across his arm. sh¡ª! Another graze. For some reason, it was only her who could manage to bypass his absorption defense. The boy''s eyes narrowed in fury. "You¡­. dare¡­." He swung his arm, and a shockwave of energy burst from him, sending Amelia flying backward. She crashed to the ground, gasping for breath as pain shot through her body. She struggled to rise, but her limbs felt heavy, her magic fading as exhaustion began to take its toll. Raven reappeared, his [Shadow] affinity swirling around him as he lunged at the boy once again. sh¡ª! The dagger grazed the boy''s shoulder, drawing a thin line of blood. For a split second, the boy''s eyes widened in disbelief. With Raven''s next attack, the boy sidestepped his attack, grabbing Raven by the cor and tossing him aside like a ragdoll. "Another one¡­?" He muttered in irritation. His glowing eyes flickered as he looked from Amelia to Raven. ire tried to strike from behind, her rapier crackling with lightning, but the boy caught her de with ease, sending a surge of energy through it that knocked her off bnce. Belle swung her light-imbued sword with all her strength, but the boy deflected it effortlessly. Reinhard, Rachel, and Amyunched their attacks from a distance¡ªfire, ice, and water crashing toward the boy in unison. But he absorbed the elemental magic, twisting it into a destructive force that he unleashed upon them in return. The trio was thrown back, their attacks rendered useless. Amelia forced herself to stand, blood trickling from her wounds as she summoned her magic swords once more. Her vision blurred, but she wouldn''t stop. She couldn''t. "You think persistence will save you? Greed consumes all. Your strength, your hope¡ªit''s all mine to take." The others were all battered, exhaustion palpable in their faces as blood trickled down their forms. However, it was then. Boom¡ª! As if it descended from the heavens, the rain hammered down, each droplet hitting the boy with the force of a thousand storms. The sheer power of it sent shockwaves through the ground, an explosion of water and energy erupting around him. Amelia and Raven staggered back, shielding their faces from the sudden downpour. However, the water didn''t just fall. It was moving, swirling and gathering, as if it were alive. Then, from the depths of the storm, a woman appeared. Her form seemed to merge with the rain itself, droplets clinging to her as she stepped forward. The water twisted around her, as if responding to her every thought. Amelia''s eyes widened in shock, recognizing the neer''s appearance. "Illya¡­." Chapter 401: The First Encounter [3] Brandon walked around. There was no familiar face in sight. Realizing he probably couldn''t find them, he walked towards a nearby tree and leaned on it. Flick. Flick¡ª! Lighting up a cigarette, Brandon took a drag, the bitter taste entering his mouth, followed by the heat that seemed to suffocate his throat. Yet that suffocation seemed to ease his mind as he exhaled, the smoke escaping his lips. Crouching down, he nced at his phone. For the past week, he had sent Illya to watch over Belle and Amelia whenever she was free. In the first ce, Illya was always free. She had barely taken on any jobs, but since Brandon was paying her good, there was no way she would refuse. In any case, Brandon frowned. ''Why isn''t she responding?'' He had asked Illya for their whereabouts. Yet for some reason, she wasn''t responding at all. Brandon''s thoughts were cut short when a voice reached his ears, soft yet clear. "Strange, isn''t it? How people vanish when you need them most." Startled, Brandon turned to the side, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the boy standing nearby. The kid had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. "Where''d youe from?" Brandon asked. The boy tilted his head slightly. "I''ve been here the whole time. You just didn''t notice." "Is that so?" ''Did my senses grow dull after all that istion?'' "People have a way of ignoring what''s in front of them when it doesn''t fit their desires." "Desires, huh?" Brandon nced around, then looked back at the boy. "Are you lost? Or did youe to pay your respects too?" The boy''s lips curled into a small, almost amused smile. "Pay my respects? No, not quite." His voice was light. As if he was talking about something as mundane as the weather. "Respect is given when it''s earned, don''t you think?" Brandon frowned. The kid was oddly weird. "What''s your name?" Brandon asked, dropping the cigarette on the ground and stomping on it. "...." The boy didn''t answer immediately. Instead, he stared at the distant building where the memorial service was held. "Names are just titles, aren''t they? People think they mean something, but they''re justbels for things we want to own." He paused, turning his sharp gaze back to Brandon. "What''s more important to you? A name? Or what someone can give you?" Brandon blinked his eyes, confused by the sudden question. "What are you talking about?" The boy shrugged, taking a step closer, his hands tucked casually into his pockets. "We all want something, don''t we? Whether we admit it or not. We cling to what we think will make us happy, make us whole. But in the end... it''s never enough, is it?" Brandon''s brows raised. "Did you watch too much anime¡­.? What are you getting at, exactly?" "You want to protect them, don''t you? Your friends, your family. But how far are you willing to go? What will you sacrifice to keep them safe?" Brandon''s heart skipped a beat at the words. There was something in the way the boy said it, as if he knew more than he should. "What do you know about me?" The boy''s gaze remained fixed on him, unblinking. "More than you think." Silence hung between them for a moment. Brandon''s eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" "That''s the question, isn''t it? But maybe the better question is, who are you, Brandon Locke? What are you willing to give up to get what you want?" The boy chuckled softly. Brandon took a step back, his instincts on edge. "I don''t know what you''re ying at, but¡ª" "Greed." The moment those words left the boy''s mouth, Brandon''s phone buzzed. Briefly ncing at his phone, he read the message. [Something happened. They disappeared all of sudden. I''ll get to the bottom of this.] "...." Brandon froze. "Greed is what drives us. It pushes us to want more, to take more, even when we already have enough." The boy''s voice was calm, too calm. "And when you want something badly enough, you''ll do anything to get it. Isn''t that right?" "...." Mana started to wrap around Brandon''s figure. But the boy only looked at him with his head tilted. I came to see if you understand." "Understand what?" Brandon asked, his hands trembling. "That no matter how much you try to hold on, it will never be enough. You''ll always want more. More strength, more power, more time. And in the end, you''ll lose everything." Slowly, trying to escape the boy''s perception, a thread extended out of his finger. "Greed takes," the boy said softly, his voice almost a whisper. "It always takes." "...." Remaining silent, Brandon jerked, threads abruptlyshing towards the boy. However, before it could reach him, the boy''s figure blurred. A whisper reached his ears soon after, sending a shiver down his spine. "You can''t bind what you don''t understand." The boy''s voice was low. "Greed is everywhere, even in you." Ba¡­ Thump! Ba¡­ Thump! Brandon''s pulse quickened, and he instinctively stepped back, trying to widen the distance between them. The threads he had summoned hung uselessly in the air, as if frozen in time. Dismantling the threads, Brandon retrieved his sword from the system''s inventory. SHIIING¡ª! The boy remained still, as if the weapon didn''t concern him in the slightest. "You act too quickly. Always rushing to take¡­. but never knowing what it costs." Brandon''s eyes narrowed. He lunged forward, closing the gap between them in an instant, his sword swinging down in a swift arc. But the boy didn''t move. "...." The impact never came. Instead, his sword was stopped mid¨Cswing. Pulling back, his sword wouldn''t budge. He couldn''t move his sword at all. "....!'' The boy''s fingers hovered near the de, not even touching it. But as Brandon narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing, he noticed the glinting from his sword, tracing all the way to the boy''s fingertips. Threads. Threads held the sword in ce. ''A [Curse] affinity user!?'' "Greed stops you," the boy whispered. "It holds you back from seeing the truth." Brandon gritted his teeth as he forced mana into his arms, pulling harder against the resistance. He broke free, staggering back slightly as his sword came loose. He wasted no time, lunging again, swinging the de toward the boy''s chest. "You''re relentless," the boy whispered, "but that only feeds it more." The threads shot out again, this time wrapping around Brandon''s legs, pulling him down toward the ground, stopping his attack. He cursed, shing at the threads with his sword, cutting through them one by one. But more kepting. "You can''t win like this," the boy said. "The more you fight, the more you lose." Brandon ignored him, focusing on cutting through the endless threads. With one final burst of energy, he freed himself, rolling away from the threads and springing back to his feet. The boy''s smile widened. "Do you really think you''re free? Look at yourself." Brandon''s eyes darkened. "Shut up." He kicked the ground, dding his de in amethyst mes, the surrounding slowly enveloping in mist. But just as the sword neared its target, more threads shot out, wrapping around the de, stopping it inches away. "...." "You keep taking¡­. but what do you gain?" Brandon gritted his teeth, pushing against the threads. Slowly, the threads began to tear. sh¡ª! With a surge of power, he broke through, the force sending the boy stumbling back. Brandon didn''t let up. He followed, swinging his sword in a relentless barrage of strikes. The boy dodged gracefully, fluidly maneuvering through the attacks with ease. "You think you''re different?" The boy whispered, continuously dodging with minimal effort. "But you''re just like everyone else, clinging to what you desire, never realizing it''s slipping through your fingers." Brandon ignored the taunt, focusing on each strike, waiting for an opening. But the boy was too fast. Then, in a sh, the boy flicked his wrist, sending a wave of threads toward Brandon. Brandon barely dodged to the side. The boy smiled. "You''re fighting so hard, yet you don''t even know why." Brandon charged again, shing at the threads that came at him from all sides. His sword zed with mana, cutting through them like paper. But for every thread he cut, two more appeared. "You''re trapped, Brandon Locke," the boy said softly. "Trapped by your own greed." Brandon pushed forward, his sword zing brighter. He swung with everything he had, a wide arc aimed at the boy''s chest. The boy raised his hand, as if to stop it. But this time, Brandon''s de met flesh. sh¡ª! A thin line of blood appeared on the boy''s chest. The boy''s eyes widened in shock, his calm expression faltering for the first time. "You¡­. cut through it?" He whispered, touching the wound. Brandon didn''t hesitate. He followed up with another strike, aiming to finish him. Brandon''s de cut clean through the boy''s chest, blood sttering as the boy crumpled to the ground. Panting heavily, Brandon stood over the body, sweat trickling down his forehead. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." His heart pounded in his ears, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He looked down, his sword still clutched tightly in his hand, blood dripping from its edge. The boyy motionless. "Haaa¡­. Is it¡­. over?" He wiped the sweat from his brow, trying to calm his racing pulse. But then¡­. "Did you really think it would be that simple?" Brandon''s entire body tensed. He froze. Slowly, he turned around. There, standing a few feet away, was the boy. Completely unharmed. "You see," the boy said, an eerie smile spread across his features. "Greed never dies. It alwayses back." Brandon''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Seems like time is running out." Snap¡ª! The boy snapped his fingers. All of a sudden, the space surrounding them shattered, and the rain''s downpour drenched his features. Looking around, the boy''s figure was nowhere to be seen, as if he vanished along with the cracks. This entire time¡­. "A Zone¡­." He had been inside a [Zone]. His ck bangs covered his face, blood trickling down, mixing with the rain. "...." The silence was palpable. Chapter 402: The First Encounter [4] The moment they suddenly disappeared out of her peripheral vision, Illya knew something was up. The mana that lingered in the air never escaped her line of perception. ''A [Zone.]'' A [Zone] had been activated. Immediately, Illya sent a message to Brandon, her employer. [Something happened. They disappeared all of sudden. I''ll get to the bottom of this.] Illya walked ahead thereafter, umbre in hand. Indeed, there was something wrong. The moment she traversed the road, she felt like she phased through a thick amount of mana. Looking around, civilians seemed oblivious. After all, not everyone could perceive mana as well as her. For that, they needed to cross the threshold of a tier five mana core. But there were exceptions of individuals who were born with hypersensitivity to mana. Just like Belle. Illya got work, her eyes lit up a clear¡ªblue color. Her eyes scanned the area, tracing the faint ripples of mana that pulsed invisibly in the air. She could feel the edges of the [Zone]. All zones worked the same. They were designed to keep ordinary eyes blind and prevent interference. But Illya had dealt with enough of these to know how they worked. "Hoo¡­." Taking a deep breath, she twirled her umbre once, the motion sending a faint shimmer of mana into the air around her. The ripples responded, warping slightly at her touch. ''An entry point¡­. it has to have one.'' She moved cautiously, feeling for any weak spots in the zone''s structure. Zones, after all, were like any mana rted skill¡ªpowerful but not perfect. They required an anchor point, a small fracture in the mana where it was the thinnest. There. Illya''s eyes narrowed as she found it¡ªa small flicker near the edge of amppost, almost imperceptible. Without hesitation, she focused her own mana, directing it into a needle-thin thread that slipped into the weak point. The air shimmered, and for a moment, everything blurred. Swoosh~ And along with it, Illya''s figure phased like water. No, she was turning into water itself, her body propelling along with the droplets. She saw them, facing off against a boy. Their attention suddenly turned towards the sudden downpour that came along with her, and Illya crashed down along with the water. Boom¡ª! The ground quaked beneath them as rain hammered down. The rain seemed to part for her, bending to her will. Illya walked forward, heels clicking. Her presence was calm andposed, as if the rain obeyed hermand. Water twisted and coiled around her. The boy''s eyes narrowed, irritation shing across his face. "Another one?" Illya didn''t answer. Instead, she raised her hand, and with a subtle motion, the rain intensified. The droplets hammered down harder, striking the boy with relentless force. He flinched, but his smile returned quickly, almost mocking. "What is it you hope to aplish? Do you think Greed can be drowned, overwhelmed by something as transient¡ª" "Enough yapping." "Huh¡ª" Illya, like a blur, blended with the rain, reappearing right before the boy. Without missing a beat, she thrust her hand forward, sending a torrent of water directly at the boy. It crashed into him like a tidal wave, forcing him to stumble back. The boy merely tilted his head, raising his hand. Water began to form in his palm, but before he couldunch it, Illya was already moving again. With a swift motion, she flicked her wrist, and the rain around her solidified into sharp spears. Theyunched toward the boy in rapid session, cutting through the air. The boy barely had time to react, his hands moving to replicate the same water spears, evident by the droplets that formed around him ''No wonder they had a hard time.'' But as he did, Illya unleashed another attack¡ªa massive whirlpool forming beneath him, dragging his feet down with immense force. He gritted his teeth, struggling to keep his bnce as he mirrored her moves. A whirlpool of his own began to form, but Illya didn''t give him a moment''s reprieve. "Go ahead, try." Illya indifferently spoke, her tone monotonous. She raised both arms, and the rain responded, forming a dense, imprable wall of water that surged forward. Crash¡ª! It mmed into the boy, knocking him off his feet. He crashed to the ground, coughing, his own water attacks dissipating in the process. "Greed never stops, you know," he said, gasping for air. "It''s always hungry." He lifted his hand, forming a crude version of Illya''s water spear. Enjoy exclusive content from M-V-L It shot toward her, but Illya merely flicked her wrist. The spear passed through her as she dissolved into water, reforming a few feet away, unscathed. "You''re wasting your breath." She muttered. The boy''s eyes glinted with amusement despite his pain. "Greed doesn''t care. It keeps taking, even when you think you''ve won. It will find a way." He hurled another attack, this time a massive wave, clearly copying her earlier technique. It crashed down toward her, but Illya raised her hand, splitting the wave in half before it could touch her. "Yap." She retaliated, a whirlpool of water spinning around her, shing toward the boy. He copied the move, but his whirlpool faltered, unable to match Illya''s relentless barrage of attacks. Illya''s attack struck him, sending him crashing once more. "Greed is in you too," the boy gasped, forcing himself to stand. "It''s in everyone. You may control water, but you can''t control your desire. It''ll consume you¡ªlike it does everyone." Illya didn''t respond, her expression cold as she shot another wave of sharp water des toward him. The boy tried to summon a defense. But Illya was faster. The des cut through his mana, slicing across his arm. He grunted in pain, blood seeping from the wound. "Do you feel it?" he asked, a strainedugh escaping his lips. "That pull? The hunger for more? That''s greed." Illya phased through another one of his desperate attacks, reappearing in front of him. "Yap, yap, yap." She mocked, her voice ice-cold. She raised her hand, summoning a massive wall of water. It crashed down on the boy, pinning him to the ground. He gasped, struggling beneath the weight of her attack. "Greed¡­. always wins." Illya stepped forward, water swirling around her. "Where do you even get these dialogues?" She clenched her fist, and the water around the boy solidified, locking him in ce. In one swift motion, she released a torrent of water that engulfed him, the force of the attack cut through his body like paper. Crack¡ª! The air suddenly cracked and shattered, and a sudden downpour drenched everyone. Illya stepped forward, water still swirling around her as the boyy motionless, his body seemingly cut apart by the force of her final attack. Amelia, panting heavily, pushed herself up from the ground, eyes wide as she stared at Illya in disbelief. The othersy scattered. Their bodies battered, blood trickling down their forms, all of them silent as they processed what had just happened. "Damn¡­." Reinhardmented, helping himself up. Amelia winced as her hand pressed to her side, ncing up at Illya. "How did you get here?" Illya simply shrugged her shoulders, maintaining a wless calm demeanor. "Coincidence." Helping Amelia up, all of a sudden, before anyone could react, a low voice echoed across the battlefield. "Greed never dies. It only waits." Their heads snapped toward the source of the voice. The boy stood not far away, his figure barely visible through the curtain of rain. They nced to the side where his body oncey. But it was nowhere to be seen. "You think you''ve won? But Greed¡­ Greed is eternal." He gave them onest eerie smile, his form flickering, before disappearing into thin air. "...." Chapter 403: The First Encounter [5] "You should go back to the memorial. Get yourself treated there." Illya announced. At the moment, Evelyn''s memorial was most probably the safest ce in Holy Britannia. After all, Imperial Army officers and Guild rankers were attending. A slight unease crept up on Illya. The entire fight, she had realized something. ''He wasn''t trying at all.'' The moment they started fighting, the boy had never even looked her way. As if the boy was merely gauging their strength. No, not boy. Greed. *** Raven''s mind was gued, thinking back on the situation an hour ago. The situation was¡­. [Quest Complete!] [Join Amelia and the others in grabbing refreshments.] ?| [Shadow] Proficiency + 5% ¡ª¡ª[Sovereign''s Will]¡ª¡ª [Name: Raven ckheart] [Mana Core: Tier 4] [Status: A+] [Innate] ¨N Assassin''s Rush ¡ª¡ª[Status]¡ª¡ª ¨N STR: A+ ¡ª[44%] ¨N MP: A- ¡ª[22%] ¨N DEF: A ¡ª[13%] ¨N AGI: S ¡ª[15%] ¨N INT: A ¡ª[12%] ¨N CHA: S ¡ª[72%] [AVG: A+] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Your next read awaits at M-V-L The absurd quest again that didn''t make any sense. Furthermore, it didn''t even end there. [Quest Complete!] [Approach the boy.] ?| [Shadow] Proficiency + 2% . . ?| [Shadow] ¡ª 44% ¡ª [LVL. 4] "Kh¡­!" And once again, the same effects followed. Whenever hepleted a quest, a sharp migraine would ur. But this time, there was something else. As if the entire world glitched, Raven saw a vision. Just a miniscule of a second. "Akh!" Of his head getting severed. "...." The hell? "You alright?" "U¨CUh?" Standing next to Raven was Brandon. The two stood behind the rows, while Amelia and Belle debriefed Bellion about the sudden ordeal that urred an hour ago. "Yeah, just a headache." Brandon stared at him and frowned. Realizing that it was probably nothing, he shook his head dismissively. From what they uncovered, they were all attacked by the same person simultaneously. Which led to an obvious conjecture. ''The Archbishop of Greed can split himself.'' In that case, it exined why he wasn''t up to par. Most probably, his power halved due to splitting himself up. Apparently, Illya dealt with him easily. For Brandon, it posed a bit of difficulty. If that were the case, then how strong would he actually be if he didn''t split himself up? Iprehensible. If the Archbishops were that powerful, then Brandon had to get stronger fast. "Hey, I''m stepping out for a bit." Hands pressed to the side of his head, Raven walked towards the entrance. "Uh, sure. But the ceremony is about to start." "Yeah, I''ll be back. Just need some air." Brandon tilted his head btedly, staring at Raven''s departing back. "Air, huh?" It was still raining. "...?" But as Brandon scrutinized, he saw it. There, a single strand of Raven''s hair at the back of his head was white. *** Leaning on the wall, Raven stared at the rain, the sound of drizzling echoing in his ear. The roof that seemed to extend from the building protected him from the rain. There were things to ponder about. And while he didn''t think much of it in the past, he couldn''t ignore the frequent urrence of the odd quest anymore. Whenever he followed the quest, situations always urred. It was as if the system was directly leading him to the situation. It was peculiar. For all he knew, he hadn''t done much in any of the quests at all. Things just somehow solved themselves. All he had to do was interfere a bit. "...?" All of a sudden, pushing him out of his thoughts, a ck sedan suddenly arrived. The door opened, an umbre peeking out. As the umbre was raised, Raven scrutinized. A familiar woman, with tinum¨Cblonde hair and alluring crimson eyes, stepped out of the sedan, clutching a bouquet of roses in her chest. Her features could only be described as ethereal. Raven had seen her somewhere. The Christmas party. "What was her name again?" Li¡­. Le¡­. Laa¡­. "Laina?" No, that wasn''t right. "Lianna." He finally remembered. Lianna, the woman from the Christmas party. He hadn''t paid much attention to her back then, but there was something unsettling about her now. Something he couldn''t quite ce. But from what he knew, she was friends with Evelyn. So, her sudden appearance wasn''t anything peculiar. She strode toward him with elegance, her expression unreadable. Raven straightened his back and pushed off the wall. Lianna neared him. Raven stared at the bouquet in her hand, then back to her. "Good evening, you''re¡­. Raven ckheart, correct?" "Yes? Ah, yes. Lianna, right? No, that''s not right. Miss Lianna." He stammered. She chuckled, giving him a kind, elegant smile. "Yes, my name is Lianna." Then, she nced sideways at the entrance, and looked back at him. "Has the ceremony started yet?" "It''s just about to start. The others are inside." "Oh, I see. My schedule was quite hectic. So, I thought I''d bete." Raven listened, unable to find a response to her words. Lianna looked down pensively. "What happened to Evelyn is truly unfortunate. I''ve only known her recently." Lianna paused, her eyes softening as she spoke. "But when I found out¡­. it was hard to believe. She didn''t deserve such a fate." Raven nodded, though his throat felt tight. "Yeah¡­ it still feels unreal." Lianna looked up, her gaze meeting his. There was something in her eyes, a sadness that felt genuine. "I''ve seen many losses in my life. But each one still weighs heavy." Raven sighed, a sorrowful expression on his face. An awkward silence followed, the rain pattering softly around them. Raven wasn''t sure what to say next. Lianna broke the silence soon after. "Would you mind escorting me inside? I¡­. feel a bit out of ce." "Uh, sure." Raven replied, stepping aside and gesturing toward the entrance. Together, they walked toward the memorial, the sound of their footsteps lost in the rain. As they neared the doors, Lianna nced at him once more. "Thank you, Raven. I appreciate thepany." Raven shrugged, feeling a little more at ease. "No problem." *** Brandon sat next to Amelia. The ceremony was already underway. Vanessa stood at the front of the memorial hall, gripping the podium. She pushed forward, speaking into the heavy silence that filled the room. ¡ªI''ve thought a lot about what to say today. Vanessa began, her voice quiet but clear. ¡ªEvelyn wasn''t someone who wanted attention. In fact, she actively avoided it. If she could see all of this right now¡­. Vanessa allowed a small, sad smile to slip through. ¡ªShe''d probably tell us all to go home. A few soft chuckles echoed in the room. Vanessa''s eyes softened as she continued. ¡ªBut here we are. And look at all of you. I don''t think she realized just how many people she touched, how many lives she saved. Her gaze moved slowly across the room. There were so many people, many with tear-filled eyes, others with bowed heads. ¡ªShe never thought of herself as a hero. Vanessa continued, her voice cracking slightly. ¡ªBut she was. Evelyn saved more people than any of us could count, and she did it without ever expecting anything in return. Vanessa took a breath,posing herself. ¡ªI met Evelyn years ago, when we both joined Incandescent mes. Back then, she was¡­. distant, cold even. She paused, remembering those early days. ¡ªI didn''t take it personally at first. She was like that with everyone. But I don''t know, I guess I just¡­ wanted to break through. I wanted to be her friend, even if she didn''t want one. A sad smile appeared on Vanessa''s lips. ¡ªShe ignored me at first. I''d talk to her, and she''d barely say a word. But I kepting back. I kept talking, kept trying. The room was silent, except for the faint sound of rain pattering against the windows. Everyone listened intently to Vanessa''s words. ¡ªAnd eventually, Evelyn opened up. Not all at once, but little by little. I got to see who she really was¡ªa kind, thoughtful person who cared so deeply about the people around her. She just didn''t know how to show it. She wiped a tear that had fallen down her cheek. ¡ªShe never asked for recognition. She didn''t want to be praised for what she did. She just wanted to help people, quietly, in the background. Vanessa''s gaze shifted,nding briefly on Brandon, who sat in the back. Her eyes lingered on him for a moment. ¡ªShe was a mentor to others, too. She guided people when they needed it most. Brandon felt a tightness in his chest. But his expressions remained calm, even indifferent. Amelia, sitting next to him, wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She nced at him for a brief second. Upon realizing the nkness in his face, she remained silent. A few more minutes passed, and Vanessa stepped down from the podium. Her legs trembled as she made her way back to her seat. Brandon closed his eyes, allowing the mourning that ensued to reach his ears. Soon after, he stood up. "Where are you going?" Amelia asked. "Stepping outside for a bit." He gave her a smile. Amelia was just about to say something, but Brandon was already walking away. His lips may have moved, but his eyes weren''t smiling at all. He felt distant no more than ever, leaving Amelia unsure of what to do. *** *Puff* The suffocating heat entered his throat. "Bitter." He muttered. Soon after, a figure stepped outside the ceremony hall too. It was Illya, standing right next to him with her arms crossed, leaning on the wall. "You''re smoking now?" "Helps keep my mind at ease." "I really can''t read you." *Puff* Allowing the smoke to dissipate in the air, Brandon stared at the rain. "So you''ve fought Greed too. What do you think?" He asked. Illya looked at him with her usual stoic expression. She held up her hand. "...?" She held it once more, leaving Brandon confused. "What?" Illya tilted her head and frowned, her pink bangs swaying to the side. "Oh." Brandon realized. She was asking forpensation. "Didn''t I already pay in advance?" "You''re paying extra since I saved them." "Isn''t Amelia your friend? Wouldn''t you save her for free?" "She''s free of charge. You''re paying for the others¡­. I don''t even remember their names." Brandon nkly stared at her back for a brief second before an idea popped up in his head. "Any discount?" "Sure, zero percent off." "...." "Fine, I''ll wire it." "Thanks." Illya walked ahead. It was still raining, but she didn''t use an umbre. In fact, the rain seemed to slip from her figure, leaving her dry. "You''re going?" "I''m not too close with Evelyn anyway. I''ll feel out of ce." "That so?" "Yes, goodbye now." Brandon mumbled to the side. "You''re just shy." Illya paused for a second, as if she heard it. Then, she continued walking. "Hey." Not until Brandon called for her. Turning back, she tilted her head, her expressions remaining stoic. "...?" "Don''t die." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 404: Archbishops of Sin [1] Inside an apartment, a boy, who looked not older than ten stood by the balcony, allowing the cold breeze to brush past his face. But truth be told, his age didn''t fit his appearance. He had lived for over 230 years. The Archbishop of Greed, Orion. The moment his clones died, he felt his magic power rise, returning to him. After all, for each time he split himself, his magic power halved by 50%. For two clones he split, his power was evenly distributed 25¨C25 to each clone, leaving the body he desired to be his main with 50%. That was only one of the essence of the [Authority of Greed] itself. A power bestowed to him, as the vessel of the Seven Circles of Hell''s Greed. In any case, the door to the apartment opened, and a woman emerged soon after. Her crimson eyes flickered for a moment as she noticed someone in her apartment room. "You¡­." She stammered. Looking around flusteredly, Lust then returned her attention back towards Greed. "Why are you¡ªHow did you get here?" "Calm down, Lust. I won''t be here for long." The Archbishop of Lust. She was the youngest, and the newest Archbishop. And she was the weakest. "They''re talking about you. You attacked them in broad daylight! The Imperial Army is looking for you. Do you even know what you''re doing?" Orion, the Archbishop of Greed, didn''t respond immediately. He continued to stare out over the city. "I know exactly what I''m doing," he said, his voice soft but cold. "Greed is never reckless, Lust. Greed knows when to take and when to wait." Lust crossed her arms, trying to regain herposure. "But you''re being reckless now. You exposed yourself. The Imperial Army is going toe down on you hard." Orion finally turned to face her, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Exposed myself? No, Lust. They''ve seen nothing. They don''t know who I am, what I am. They only saw shadows¡ªpieces of me." "Pieces?" Lust frowned. There goes Orion again with his Greed speeches. ''Can''t he just talk normally!?'' If one were to refer to him in a modern setting, they would totally associate him with eighth¨Cgrade syndrome! Orion smiled, though there was no warmth in it. "Greed never gives everything at once. I''ve only shown them a fraction of what I am. And now, they''ll chase shadows while I take what I want." "And what is it you want, exactly?" Orion took a slow step toward her, his hands sped behind his back. "Want? That''s the wrong question." "Then what is it?" Lust''s brows furrowed even deeper. While Orion may have lived far longer than her, it seemed like his brain didn''t develop enough after an otaku phase. "The Elves. I need to find them." "Ah, right. That." Just like all the Archbishops, they all operated under self interest. For Orion, he had lived a life of mockery for his permanent youthful appearance. None of the Archbishops took him seriously, especially Pride, who often mocked him as if he were an actual child. "I''ll find them. And I will rid myself of this curse." Orion, who had been cursed by the Elves during the Great War 200 years ago. He could barely remember how his adult form looked anymore. Each time he looked in the mirror, he would be reminded of his loss on that day. That woman¡­. Crystalia, who had cursed him, and shattered his mana core, permanently ridding him of his affinity. That was Orion, the Archbishop of Greed. A boy who¡ª ''A man!'' A man who had lost his identity, as a ruthless mage¨Ckiller in the past. "Pftt¡­." Lust couldn''t help but chuckle. Orion was totally internally monologuing his past once again. "What''s so funny?" Orion''s brows scrunched up. "N¨Cnothing." Dismissively, Lust turned to the side. "Pftt¡­." Orion, too used to the mockery already, shook his head. "Anyway, I''m here to trade." "Trade what?" "Information." Ah, of course. Because Orion had fought them head¨Con. Something Lust was careful enough not to do at the moment. "Tell me what you know about the Elves. There were reports of them lingering in Holy Britannia, no?" "Yes, reports. But I haven''t seen them for myself." The two settled in the living room, and began exchanging information. While Lust was aware of Brandon Locke and the others'' capabilities, there might''ve been something more. Something that could only be perceivable in a head¨Con confrontation. And her spections were correct as the next words that left Orion''s lips caused Lust to widen her eyes. "They cut through my authority." "...." "I''m not sure if it''s coincidence or not, but the frequency leads me to believe they can." "Hold on, is that even possible?" Lust couldn''t believe it. Only authorities could cancel each other out. So, it didn''t make sense how a bunch of teenagers were capable of such a feat. And in the first ce, how would they even cut through an authority? It just wasn''t possible. "Three of them, to be precise. Amelia Constantine¡ª" Crack¡ª! Something shattered. "Uh¡­." "Continue." "Amelia Constantine¡ª" Crack¡ª! The window suddenly cracked. Orion turned to the side, scrutinizing the window. Something was odd. He put it to the test, speaking as fast as he could. "Amelia Constantine¡ª" Crack¡ª! There, he saw it. A vein seemed to bulge on Lust''s forehead. "...." "What''s wrong? Go on." Lust tilted her head, giving him a smile. But the smile was anything but kind. It was a rather murderous one. As if Lust wanted to choke him. He had heard of this before. Something called women''s intuition. "Uh¡­. Blondie, Raven ckheart, and Brandon Locke¡ª" Lust''s demeanor suddenly changed. The mana she radiated earlier was borderline malicious, now contorted into something serene. ''This woman¡­.'' "Brandon Locke¡ª" "Ehe." A strange sound escaped Lust''s lips. "Brandon Locke¡ª" "Hehe~" "Are you drooling!?" "Slurp~ Huh?" Orion couldn''t help but shake his head. He was getting a headache. "Nevermind. Anyway, I''m quite hungry. Won''t you offer your guest something to eat?" "Cook it yourself." "...." Orion tilted his head. "Brandon Locke¡ª" "Ehe~" "Brandon Locke¡ªI want something to eat." "Hehe~ Why didn''t you say so?" "...." Chapter 405: Archbishops of Sin [2] Milis. January 18, 2150. Silver Archives Institute. The cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me academy of the Milis Continent¡ªwhere most noble families living in every country in the continent send their children to attend. The academy, boasting not just wless affinity control, magic circle dynamics, alchemic functionalities, but even the research and application of lost magic. Runic confluence. A topic exploring the blending of multiple rune systems andnguages, focusing on how different runic ancient alphabets can bebined to create new and more powerful effects. It was the academy''s highlight, and to this day, a new thesis would emerge. Silver Archive Institution was also the academy Belle had tried admitting into during her middle¨Cschool years. But even her talent wasn''t sufficient enough. And so, she settled for the second best academy in Milis. However, she had no choice but to return to Holy Britannia and attend Astrea Academy. "Professor, what do you think of the recent events?" A student, who was currently in his Professor''s office, asked. The Professor, blinking his amethyst eyes, crossed his legs. He remained silent for a second as he sipped on his tea before responding. "I think it''s idiotic how everything''s being pinned to the Great Land of Milis." "I think so too. It''s the first time I''ve even heard of such allegations. Milis preparing for invasion? The soldiers are as idle as they can be!" "Exactly. But if their allegations are proven true, then it must''ve been the convicts that fled this country." "I''ve had the same thoughts in mind. Can they really point their fingers on us, just because their alleged convicts are Milis descent?" The student couldn''t help but sigh. The entire broadcast had left even Milis shocked by the sudden allegations against their continent. "And that guy¡­. What was his name? Brandon Locke? He''s too full of himself." The two engaged in conversation for a while, before the bell suddenly rang, causing the student to stand up. "I''ve wanted to have this conversation for a while. My ssmates don''t seem to think of the situation seriously. Thank you, Professor Fyodor. I''ll be taking my leave now." "Of course. Come by any time, Noah." Noah von Aria. Born from the Aria family, currently the most prestigious student of Silver Archive Institute. A mage who attained the fifth tier of his mana core at the age of neen. "He has potential." Indeed, Noah would make the perfect candidate. The Professor, Fyodor, stood up, ncing down by the window. Students had gathered around the patch of grassfields, mingling amongst themselves before getting up. Then, catching his attention, the door suddenly opened. A man emerged, but Fyodor didn''t nce back. The man sat on the guest couch, showing proper decorum. "You''re here." Fyodor spoke. The man unveiled his hood, revealing his features. "Charles." The man was none other than Charles, of the Twelve Elders. Charles, who would never do such an act for anyone, bowed his head respectfully. "Apologies, it took a while to shake the Elders off my tail." "It''s fine. You''ve done well to salvage the situation,pletely redirecting their attention. Now, there''d be less malice against Milis." "I had no choice, it was a mistake to bring that boy to the Sanctum." Charles may have voted against the Runic Cadaver Analysis, but only because he wanted to keep Evelyn Cessna''s condition hidden. However, there was a variable he hadn''t predicted. Isaac''s interference. Isaac had pushed the agenda, providing facts that led the Elders to vote for the Runic Cadaver Analysis to be pushed through. And as if he was just ying around¡ªhe had voted against it. ''I don''t get him at all.'' To not oppose, then to oppose? It was as if he was ying for two sides of the same coin. ''He even got Mira to join his antics¡­.'' The entire situation led to Brandon Locke facing a trial in the Sanctum. Something Charles had totally tried to avoid. And so, he had to pretend to be on Brandon Locke''s side. Things turned for the worse thereafter as he tried to salvage the situation. ''His knowledge about the Archbishops¡­.'' It waspletely out of expectations. "Don''t sulk too much, Charles. While everything has beenid out in the open, we''ve managed to learn two facts out of the situation." "Yes?" "One¡ªsomeone out of our radar has been revealed to know much more than he lets out." Brandon Locke, a name they had never heard of initially. "And two¡ªHoly Britannia is a top priority." There was a third fact. But Fyodor didn''t feel the need to voice it out. It was something he needed to confirm first. "Y¡ªYes, of course. Then¡­." Charles'' eyes darted around, seemingly hesitant to say something. "About an Authority?" "Yes, that¡­." It had been part of their agreement. To bestow Charles an Authority. "If you''re deemed worthy for it, it''ll awaken. If not¡ª" Fyodor''s amethyst eyes flickered ominously, sending a shiver down Charles'' spine. "¡ªNo hard feelings." "Of course, of course, Sir Fyodor." While Charles wasn''t expecting to be bestowed anytime soon, if he stuck with Fyodor, there was a chance he would be bestowed an Authority. "You do know the conditions don''t you?" "Y¨CYes. There can only be one Authority at a time. At the moment, there are no avable slots. The recent Authority bestowed was Lust." "Then why are you in a hurry?" Charles swallowed deeply, noticing the weight in Fyodor''s tone. "Are you implying you want to me to kill¡ª" "No, no. Of course not, Sir Fyodor! I would never!" "Haha." Fyodor couldn''t help butugh. "I don''t mind doing such a thing. But at the moment, the Archbishops have been useful so far." "Even¡­." Charles hesitated. But knowing the position he held, Fyodor wouldn''t kill him so easily. "Even Lust¡­?" While Lust may have aplished the task of killing Evelyn Cessna, ording to reports made by Pride, it seemed like she started operating under self¨Cinterest thereafter. "Yes, Lust haspletely infiltrated Holy Britannia, the continent we currently have our full attention on." "....Is that so?" Charles waspletely unaware of Lust''s identity. The conversation continued there, but Fyodor had never divulged Lust''s identity. "Keep up the good work, Charles. Even if you aren''t bestowed an Authority, you are the most important piece I have." "Understood, Sir Fyodor. I wouldn''t dare disappoint you." "Good." Fyodor nodded his head, and Charles left soon after. Once more, Fyodor pondered on the situation. Due to Charles managing to salvage the situation, a scenario where every continent in the world would point their weapons on Milis was avoided. While the Archbishops may possess great power, there were even existences in this world they couldn''t dare to fight against. One of them was Lucian Frost. The man who was deemed missing a year ago. No, the man Fyodor was sure of, was dead. Because inside the rift was a being that transcended humanprehension. A Sovereign''s familiar. The Hydra. Chapter 406: Progression [1] Swoosh¡ª! Brandon swung his sword, taking in every detail he remembered at the top of his head after watching Evelyn''s recordings. ¡ªWhile the basics put emphasis on footwork, of course, you already know that. Her voice echoed in his mind. ¡ªBut it''s more than just footwork. You''re not dancing¡ªyou''remanding the battlefield. Evelyn''s teachings were never far from his thoughts. Even now, with her gone, it was like she was right there, correcting his form and guiding his strikes. Thump! His foot hit the ground in a perfect pivot, the weight shifting as his body twisted. His de followed the momentum, cutting a clean arc through the space before him. ¡ªRemember, don''t rely on strength alone. Feel the mana. Let it flow through your limbs, through your weapon. "Huu¡­." Brandon exhaled slowly, feeling the familiar warmth of mana course through his veins. He remembered Evelyn''s calm demeanor as she exined how to weave mana into his attacks. Her swordsmanship, ''Pseudo Swordsmanship,'' wasn''t just about brute force. It was about synergy. ¡ªDespite knowing the basics of Pseudo Swordsmanship, you''ve been forcing brute strength the entire time, overpowering them due to the wide gap you have. For example; Raven. ¡ªBut what if you''re faced with a foe whose gap in strength and skills is far ahead of you? Will you be able to overpower them? Brandon had thought of someone who clearly fitted that description. Someone he had bested by cheating a bit. Lumian. "Hah." He couldn''t help but chuckle at the thought. But he knew that wouldn''t work anymore. He didn''t want to rely on binding vows too much to clear the gap in strength. ¡ªYou did a good job with the wyvern. But what if your opponent isn''t as idle as the wyvern? Swoosh¡ª! ¡ªWhat if your opponent was as fast as you, and had the strength of a wyvern? Would you be able to restrain it? At the time, if it weren''t for Belle''s wind magic suppressing the wyvern, the chains would''ve shattered, and Brandon wouldn''t have been able to dispatch of it. He swung again, this time channeling a thinyer of mana along the edge of his sword. The de shimmered slightly, leaving a faint trail of light in its wake. ¡ªMana amplifies everything. Use it to enhance your strikes, not overpower them. In his mind''s eye, Evelyn stood across from him, her usualposed expression watching his every move. She never had to say much. Her presence alone pushed him to strive. ¡ªThe basics are drilled into you. Let''s go further than that now. Don''t just follow the patterns. Swoosh¡ª! Brandon swung again. This time shifting mid-swing, twisting his wrist in a fluid motion that turned the strike into a feint. ¡ªAnticipate your opponent. Adapt. React. His movements became more fluid. It felt like he could almost see Evelyn in front of him, stepping aside effortlessly, dodging each of his strikes. It was like they were sparring again¡ªonly this time, the weight of her absence made every step heavier. He lunged forward, thrusting his sword. Swoosh¡ª! ¡ªNo wasted movements, Brandon. Economy of motion. That was the beauty of Pseudo Swordsmanship. The swordsmanship, designed for mages who wanted to pick up the sword. He adjusted his stance mid-thrust, pulling back just before overextending. Every ounce of energy was saved. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." Brandon took bated breaths, sweat dripping down his forehead. ¡ªYou''re holding back. Don''t be afraid to push your mana further. Control it. Shape it. Brandon paused, his breathing in steady, measured intervals. He closed his eyes, remembering how Evelyn always talked about the fine bnce between physical and magical control. He extended his senses, feeling the mana within him as it surged through his core. Slowly, he began directing the flow outward, weaving it through his sword like strands of thread binding to the hilt. ¡ªGood. Nowpress it. Use it to reinforce your de. The sword glowed faintly, the mana coiling tighter around the de. sh¡ª! He swung again, and this time, the impact felt different. It was stronger. Cleaner. ¡ªIt''s not just about using more mana. It''s about controlling it precisely. Brandon continued the motions, sparring with the image of Evelyn in his mind. His attacks were sharper now than a few moments ago. But even with this improvement, the weight of her absence hung over him. Every strike, every parry felt like an effort to reach her, to hold onto something that was slipping away. ¡ªDon''t lose focus. Do so, and your strikes will be predictable. You won''t defeat a stronger foe like that. For us mages, we must rely on swift attacks that slip past their defenses. He remembered theirst real sparring session before everything went wrong. Evelyn had been quiet that day, more reserved than usual. He hadn''t thought much of it at the time, but now, looking back, it felt like she''d known something wasing. ¡ªYou have potential, Brandon. Even more than me. You have the potential to surpass him too. Don''t waste it. With each swing, his movements grew more refined. He was faster now, more efficient. The de moved as an extension of himself, slicing through the air. He could feel the mana dancing along the edge of his sword. ¡ªThis is just the beginning. There''s more you need to learn about the connection between your sword and your magic. Brandon was aware. It was much harder to execute properly than the basics he was used to doing. It took a toll on his mental power to focus on his swings, while keeping his mana controlled and efficient simultaneously. He continued like that for eight hours with no breaks in between. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." Taking deep and heavy breaths, Brandon turned his head towards the window, sweat dripping from his face. The sun had already set, marking the end of another day. But he wasn''t done yet. Because it was time for the second phase of his training. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨N [Permafrost] ¨N [Eternal ciate] 15% ¨N [cial Bloom] Locked ¨N [Winter''s Aegis] Locked ¨N [Aurora''s Embrace] Locked ¨N [Veil of Eternal Frost] Locked ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª He had done the same training routine everyday. But it seemed like progressing his [Permafrost] affinity would take quite a while. He looked at his hand. Although there was small progress, he still couldn''t shape the mana how he wanted. He hadn''t even essed the first skill yet! Instead, all he could do was tap into the [Permafrost] affinity slightly, allowing a slight chill to linger around him like an aura. Additionally, he could freeze things a bit slightly. "Hoo¡­." Brandon clenched his fist, trying to steady his breathing. He could feel the frost flickering around his fingers. He needed to tap into it properly. ¡ªRemember, focus on the mana circuits in your body. You already know the basic theory and applications from the lecture discussions. It was heavily different from his [Curse] affinity. Because that affinity was like muscle memory to him. He closed his eyes, visualizing the pathways of mana flowing through him. Different professors and instructors had walked him through this countless times, exining how each affinity required a unique method of channeling through one''s mana core during the lectures. ¡ªMana is tied directly to your emotions. The colder your mind, the more stable the frost bes. Brandon inhaled deeply, trying to clear his thoughts. His mind drifted to the personal lessons Evelyn had shared with him about affinity circuits. She had exined how the flow of mana had to be redirected properly, how each affinity found strength when the correct channels were utilized. What she had just said was textbook knowledge, and was taught during lectures. But what lectures didn''t teach was how to manage affinities as a deviant, after just awakening them. After all, those were taught in kindergarten. Awakening another affinity,pletely different to their birth¨Cgiven affinity was unheard of. ¡ªFeel the cold. Don''t resist it¡ªbe a part of it. The circuits are there, but they need to be reconfigured. Let the chill guide you, not overwhelm you. His mana circuits had always been well¨Caligned with his [Curse] affinity. But with [Permafrost], it was different. It was much harder. He began redirecting the mana, focusing on his core, visualizing the cold spreading through the proper pathways. It was then. ?| [Permafrost] Proficiency + 0.1% Notifications shed in his peripheral vision. ?| [Permafrost] Proficiency + 0.1% ?| [Permafrost] Proficiency + 0.1% The air around him grew colder slowly. Cr¡­ Crackle¡ª! Frost formed around his fingers, solidifying into small crystals. ?| [Permafrost] Proficiency + 0.1% It was a start, but it wasn''t enough. He needed more control. Brandon adjusted his stance, closing his eyes once more. He could feel the frost swirling around him, slowly creeping up his arms. But maintaining the bnce was tricky. As if the cold threatened to shatter his focus if he pushed too hard. ¡ªYour circuits have to match the rhythm of the element. Direct the flow through your core, into the correct channels, then guide it outward. He extended his hand, concentrating on shaping the frost that hovered around his fingertips. Slowly, he tried to form a small structure¡ªsomething simple.. Crack¡ª! The frost flickered and dissolved, unable to hold its shape, and the notifications died down. He continued like that once more. He felt his head pang with a sharp migraine, but he pushed through, gritting his teeth. Notifications shed in fixed intervals. ?| [Permafrost] Proficiency + 0.1% Four hours had passed since then. By the end of it¡­. ¨N [Eternal ciate] 27.3% It was good progress. "Haaa¡­." But it had also left him severely exhausted and drained. Much to the point where he felt his clothes stuck to his skin tightly due to the umted sweat. He slumped down on the ground, too exhausted to move a single muscle. The days continued like that. He had consistently undergone the same training routine everyday. Swoosh¡ª! He swung his de. It was much faster than it was twenty days ago. But recently, he felt like there was no breakthrough. As if he had reached a bottleneck. He needed to train with someone. Someone to spar with. Someone who could keep up with him, even stronger than him would be better. And someone who had all the free time in the world. In addition to training, Brandon would always clear up his responsibilities for the day. Responsibilities such as; managing hispany, evaluating the products, and so on. He had refrained from seeing his friends and family for a while. He hadn''t even seen Amelia for nearly a month. But from what he knew, everyone had engaged in their own personal training. After the encounter with Greed, it had given them all a reality check. They were all still too weak. And with the events nned for the second semester of the school year, they had to be well prepared. "...." A lightbulb lit up in his head. Who else could he train with but Androxus? Chapter 407: Progression [2] Cavern''s Peak. February 2, 2150. Brandon ran around the mountain''s cliffside, looking for any signs of Androxus. But there was nothing. All he could see were the other wyverns flocking around the sky, as they were thest time he was here. They all looked so carefree. As if they had no problems at all. Which was most probably true at the moment, considering the theory he had wrapped around his mind regarding the elves and the wyverns. "Wonder where he is." Standing still by the cliff¨Cside, where he had once trained with Androxus two months ago, Brandon sat down soon after. As always, the mana in the vicinity was dense. "Hoo¡­." For him, it was the best ce to condense and circte his mana core. The sixth tier was still far from his grasp at the moment. If rushed it, it would implode on him exponentially. After all, it took time for a mana core to settle within the body after ascending to the next tier. If he were to rush the process, and started building anotheryer¡ªthe sixth tier, there was a chance he would damage his core permanently. Of course, the potential for each mage was different, and soon after, they woulde to realize the bottleneck of their potential. It was for that reason, why barely anyone attained the eighth tier in Holy Britannia. Those individuals, regarded as the SS rankers. In total, there were about twelve Holy Britannian descended rankers who reached the heights of SS rank. The people he had met that had reached those ranks so far were only two. Bellion and Evelyn. The other SS rankers on the other hand, were scattered all over the world, doing their own thing¡ªwhile their top priority, as is most rankers'' priorities, were investigating the Wraith Cult. Hopefully, due to the trial, which was broadcasted throughout the entire world, it would somehow help in their investigations. "Huu¡­." Sweat tricked down his back, feeling the mana in his body condense rapidly. His brows twitched, feeling a slight migraine. Directing the mana''s flow required meticulous focus¡ªoften straining one''s mental power, after all. It was a strenuous task, and mages and duelists were often advised to only undergo this process once a day for two hours at most. Exceed and face the bacsh. But Brandon didn''t care. While his progression was remarkable for his age, he knew he didn''t have enough time. [Sovereign''s Descent: 11%] While most of his system''s details had been tampered, the quests, the Wraith''s descent especially, being manipted by the tome by Ciel, the only detail that seemed to move, regardless of any third party interference, was the [Sovereign''s Descent] bar. There were certain days where it subtracted itself, but he knew that wouldn''t be for long. Someone was interfering with their descent, and it was most likely Jin, who was nowhere to be seen the entire year. Jin, who had continuously progressed in the past, had always failed. Despite the difference in strength in each progression, he had always failed. That much was certain. For that reason, Brandon avoided all of his methods in this progression. But he began to wonder. ''Am I really doing that?'' It felt like he was making mistakes regardless¡ªevident by Evelyn''s death. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." His body jerked, feeling a sharp pang in his muscles as he continued redirecting the mana into his core. He continued pondering once more. He recalled the entity a month back. The person who had always whispered in his ear. Jin¡ªLumian¡ªwhoever the hell it was. A figment of his imagination? Or was there something more? He had epted it like it was nothing, too tired to even retaliate or fight off the voices in his head. But what was it truly trying to tell him? He couldn''t tell the difference at all¡ªexcept the permanence in the sudden change his appearance took. The ink¡ªck hair that was even darker where the sun didn''t shine. His eyes, which remained hollow and ck¡ªresembling that¡ªof the [Curse] affinity''s hue. If anything, he felt like he was assimted permanently with the [Curse] affinity. And with the [Curse] affinity, he felt his mind numb. Or rather¡ªhe wanted his mind to stay numb. Allowing it all to open again would tear him down from the inside. His mind was barely holding on. It had always been barely holding on. But after Evelyn''s death, he didn''t know what to feel anymore. While it still seemed to strike a chord in his heart, that was all there was to it. Tears? Sorrow? He felt like he had forgotten the meaning of those words. For that reason, he hade to a conclusion. ''I''m fine.'' That he was fine. That everything happened for a reason. ''It is what it is.'' That it didn''t hurt anymore. And so, he could put on a smile for everyone. He could mingle with everyone normally. Because he was fine. Everything was fine. His thoughts weren''t in disarray. He was holding on. "Hoo¡­.." He could smile. He could still work¨Chard. He could still focus. He could still retain his demeanor in front of everyone. That was why he didn''t want to see anyone, right? That was why he had gone off the grid from his friends, because he wanted to gather his thoughts at the moment, right? ''I''m¡­.'' "Haaa¡­." Unable to hold it in anymore, the mana released from his body, as sweat continuously trickled down his forehead. ''I can do it.'' He clenched his fist. He was desperate. Desperate not to lose himself in the process of preventing the world''s destruction¡ªto finally end the progression cycle. After taking a break for thirty minutes, Brandon sat up again. "Huu¡­." Drawing in a sharp breath, Brandon focused on the magic circuits in his body, redirecting the pathways once more. But this time, focusing on the affinity he struggled with. Brandon sat in silence, letting the cool air wash over him as he focused on the magic circuits in his body. His mind wandered to [Permafrost], the affinity he struggled with the most. Brandon closed his eyes, drawing his mana inward and focusing on the chill within. His mana pulsed in sync with his breathing, moving through his circuits like a steady stream. He needed to control the flow, to direct it into the proper pathways. "Huu¡­." Sweat trickled down his forehead as the air around him grew colder, the temperature dropping in sync with his mana flow. Notifications shed in his vision. ?| [Permafrost] Proficiency + 0.1% ?| [Permafrost] Proficiency + 0.1% . . He was close. ¨N [Eternal ciate] 97.23% ''Just a bit more¡­.'' ?| [Permafrost] Proficiency + 0.1% ?| [Permafrost] Proficiency + 0.1% All of a sudden, his focus broke. A voice echoed from behind him. "What are you doing here?" Brandon abruptly opened his eyes and nced back. It was Androxus. Despite the change in appearance Brandon took, Androxus was immediately able to recognize him. However, the moment their eyes met, Androxus looked taken aback for a moment. "You¡­." "....?" "Nevermind." Brandon seemed unaware of it, but for a flicker of a moment, Androxus saw it. ''A Sovereign''s Will?'' No, not quite. He had seen it before, but it wasn''t in the past as it was now. While it was a Sovereign''s Will, it wasn''t the conventional ''will'' he had seen in the past. "Help me." Brandon asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. Chapter 408: Progression [3] "Come." For the entire week, Brandon had been sparring with Androxus. Despite his increase in strength, not once had he ever even scratched the wyvern. Androxus was simply too strong. Probably the strongest he had ever faced, with Jin as the exception. Brandon gritted his teeth in frustration. He lunged forward, pouring mana into his legs for extra speed. But Androxus sidestepped effortlessly, almostzy. "You''re relying too much on your strength." Androxus said, blocking another strike with his forearm. nk! nk¡ª! Brandon jumped back as his chest heaved. His sword glowed faintly with mana, but it wasn''t enough. "H-haaa¡­." Brandon knew he had to change his approach. He couldn''t keep fighting like this. "Haa¡­." But as the days went by, finally, Brandon had made a breakthrough with his [Permafrost] affinity. He had finally unlocked the first skill. [Eternal ciate] Taking a deep breath, Brandon activated [Eternal ciate]. The air around him shifted, growing colder as the wave of cial energy expanded outward. The ground beneath his feet froze, and a biting chill filled the air. Frost spread across the ground, turning the once dry earth into a frozen wastnd. Androxus''s gaze flickered to the ice forming at his feet, but he didn''t move. "Good." Androxus said, his voice still calm. "Now, use it." While Androxus wasn''t surprised by the skill, he had to admit the magic was beautiful. Brandon focused, feeling the [Permafrost] affinity wrap around him like a second skin. He surged forward again, his sword trailing icy mist. Swoosh¡ª! The de came down, aiming for Androxus''s chest, but just as before, Androxus stepped aside, avoiding the attack. However, this time, the ice followed. The ground beneath Androxus''s feet froze instantly, slowing his movements. For a moment, Brandon thought he had him. But in one fluid motion, Androxus shattered the ice beneath him, breaking free as if it were nothing. Androxus stared at him nkly, clearing underwhelmed by the skill. But Brandon couldn''t do a thing. Androxus was simply just way beyond his current strength. The air around Brandon grew colder still, the [Eternal ciate] spreading further, encasing the entire area in frost. The very air seemed to shimmer with the frost. But Androxus remained unaffected, his movements still fluid, still precise. "Your swordsmanship has grown faster." "What''s the point if I can''t even damage you?" "That''s the thing. There is no point. You can never wound me no matter how much you try." Brandon gritted his teeth, forcing more mana into his sword. The de glowed brighter, crackling with frost. He lunged forward again, faster this time. ng¡ª! The sword met Androxus''s arm, but instead of a solid hit, the wyvern twisted, redirecting the force and sending Brandon stumbling back. "Much stronger now, but the mana is still unrefined. Try again." Brandon gritted his teeth, stepping back once more. His breathing was ragged, and he could feel the strain of maintaining [Eternal ciate]. The frost-covered ground stretched as far as he could see, but it wasn''t enough. He needed more control. "Focus," Androxus said. "Don''t just rely on the ice. Use it. Shape it." Brandon closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the cold mana surge through him. He had to refine it, condense it, make it sharper. When he opened his eyes, the frost around him shimmered. He could feel the chill bite into his skin, but he weed it. Without wasting a second, he dashed forward again, faster this time, his sword trailing behind him in an arc,yered with the frost. Swoosh¡ª! Androxus blocked the strike again, but this time, the frost clung to his arm, slowing his movements slightly. Brandon saw the opening and twisted his body, swinging his sword in a wide arc toward Androxus''s side. ng¡ª! Androxus deflected the blow, but Brandon didn''t stop. He moved faster now, his strikes bing more fluid, more calm. The cold intensified, and the air around them seemed to freeze. For a brief second, Androxus''s movements slowed as the frost took hold, but once again, he broke free, shattering the ice with sheer force. "Your control is improving," Androxus said, stepping back. "But you''re rushing it." Brandon clenched his fist. No matter how much he improved, it still wasn''t enough. "You''re not fighting the ice," Androxus continued. "You''re fighting me. Also, why are you in such a hurry?" It was a habit Androxus had noticed. In each spar, Brandon would start off seamlessly, but the further the fight prolonged, the more reckless he got. Brandon knew Androxus was right, but the urge to push harder, faster, was overwhelming. He couldn''t afford to waste time. Without responding, he shifted his stance and surged forward again. Swoosh¡ª! His sword glowed with frost, each swing faster than thest. He was trying to push past his limits. Androxus moved effortlessly, dodging each strike with minimal effort, his expression remaining nk. "You''re still not listening." Androxus said, stepping to the side and letting Brandon''s de pass him by. "Slow down." But it all went to deaf ears. Brandon didn''t slow down at all. His movements became more erratic, desperate even. The frost around them thickened, but it wasn''t controlled. ng¡ª! Another strike was deflected, and Androxus didn''t even break a sweat. Brandon stumbled back, breathing heavily. His body ached from the strain as he raised his head, breathing heavily. "Haaa¡­." "I said stop rushing." Androxus''s voice was firm, but not harsh. "You''re relying too much on brute force." Brandon paused, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. "I''m not rushing." He muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. Androxus raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you fighting like a man with no time?" Brandon couldn''t answer. He didn''t have an answer. He swung again, determined tond a hit, but the result was the same. Androxus easily sidestepped, his expression never changing. "You''re wasting your energy." Brandon froze, his frustration now boiling over. He had thought he had significantly improvedpared to a month ago. However, the pressure of time ticking, the fact he had to face another Archbishop so soon, weighed in his mind heavily. Thinking back during his fight with Greed, while it didn''t prove to be too difficult, he knew that wouldn''t be the case once they met again. In the first ce, he could tell Greed wasn''t at his full strength. Yet despite that, Brandon had to exert effort in defeating him. "I don''t have time to waste." He finally said, his voice low. Androxus tilted his head. "Why do you think rushing will help you? You can''t master this if you don''t understand it." Brandon clenched his jaw, looking at the ground for a moment. "I''m trying." "Trying doesn''t mean rushing." "Haaa¡­." Brandon exhaled, the frosty air around him slowly dissipating. "That''s enough for today. I need to go now." Brandon nodded his head, slumped down on the ground, a metal sound ringing as he let go of his sword. It had always been like this. For some reason, Androxus would only train with him for two hours a day before leaving. While Brandon asked, Androxus wouldn''t tell him anything. But it wasn''t his problem in the first ce. And so, Brandon didn''t pry on his matters. Seeing that Androxus had already left, Brandon continued practicing, swinging his sword. He continued like that for another hour, remembering Evelyn''s teachings. Then in the next hour, he focused on his affinity once more. Sitting down on the ground, Brandon drew a sharp breath in and began to meditate. "Huuu¡­." ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¨N [Permafrost] ¨N [Eternal ciate] Complete Mastery ¨N [cial Bloom] 2% ¨N [Winter''s Aegis] Locked ¨N [Aurora''s Embrace] Locked ¨N [Veil of Eternal Frost] Locked ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª It had been a week since he unlocked the first skill. And he had never cked off in the affinity department. Yet despite that, he had only managed to progress by two percent. Unlike the first skill, the intervals of the notification for the second skill seemed longer. Additionally, it was much harder to redirect the circuits as well. It hurt his head too. But Brandon was persistent. He had about two months left before the start of the second semester. Additionally, there was a Summit that would be hailed in six months. It was a chance for him to meet people around his skill level¡ªmaybe even greater. But in any case, that wasn''t in Brandon''s mind at the moment. He had to be strong enough. Strong enough so a scenario simr to Evelyn would never happen again. Chapter 409: Progression [4] "Rejected, please submit another thesis." Fyodor''s voice was firm but not harsh. The student standing before him, a young mage with hopeful eyes, turned pensive. His thesis had been on fire magic, a topic Fyodor had seen countless times. "Professor, I worked hard on this¡­." "I know," Fyodor replied, softening slightly. "But hard work alone doesn''t make it groundbreaking." The student looked frustrated, clutching his papers tightly. "It''s not a bad thesis." Fyodor continued, gesturing to the pages in the student''s hands. "But it''s nothing new. At the Summit, the standards are higher. You need something innovative." The student''s eyes widened at the mention of the Summit. The Summit was no ordinary event. Held annually in Anemoi, the Greatest Continent on Earth, it was the pinnacle of magic. Professors, researchers, and students from every major academy in the world gathered there to present groundbreaking discoveries and theories on magic. Additionally, the Summit was not only a tform for intellectual exchange but also the most prestigious event where academies from across the globe couldpete directly. Central to the event was the highly anticipated tournament, a grandpetition that showcased the skills, talents, and battle prowess of each institution''s best students. To be epted into the Summit meant prestige¡ªrecognition from the best minds in magic. Anemoi itself was legendary, a continent that faced no internal strife for centuries. Known as the most neutral continent there ever is. Brandon was well aware of this already. However, for the first time after the Great War, during the year 2149, the summit had to be canceled due to the cmity. Which meant participants had a year to prepare, making this year''s summit even more grandiose than every year thus far. Additionally, a new academy had been invited to participate¡ªrecing the previous Astrea Academy. Imperial Academy. "It''s not enough to exin fire magic, especially not at the Summit." Fyodor said, bringing the student back to the present. "The judges have seen fire magic theory a thousand times over. You need something that pushes the boundaries." The student nodded slowly, though disappointment lingered in his eyes. "Think bigger," Fyodor added. "Don''t just show them what''s been done. Show them something they haven''t even thought of." "....I understand, Professor." "Good." The student finally bowed and left. Fyodor watched him go, narrowing his eyes. The Summit was only a few months away, and every student in his ss was hoping for a chance to present. But as the esteemed Silver Archives Institute, they had nned on only bringing fifteen students this year. In fact, Fyodor had no intention of epting that student at all. In any case, Fyodor was quite excited for this year''s summit. After all, he could finally see him for own eyes¡ªknowing he was a student of this¡­. Imperial Academy. Brandon Locke. It wasn''t just him, but every esteemed mage and duelist, who had served as a panelist for the Summit every year¡ªwas keen on meeting Brandon Locke. From what everyone knew, this year was the worst for Holy Britannia. While Holy Britannia was behind the times in terms of magic, for some annoying reason, they had produced the greatest magic warrior in history. Lucian Frost. And now? There was another genius that appeared within their borders. But truth be told, Fyodor didn''t care at all about the thesis itself. He just wanted to see Brandon Locke personally. ''Could he really be¡­. Vainglory?'' To¨C Tok. Snapping him out of his thoughts, was a knock on his door. "Enter." Emerging inside the room was Noah von Aria, who sat down on the couch upon entering. "How are your preparations going, Noah?" "My thesis is far from done. I still need to align the circuits correctly. Additionally, I n on presenting something that''s never been done before." Fyodor raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the bold im. "Oh? Do tell me." "A hexagonal magic circuit based on lightning." Noah said, his voice filled with confidence. "Hm?" Fyodor''s interest piqued further. A hexagonal circuit? That was certainly ambitious. It was textbook knowledge that the most efficient way to channel magic was through a circr magic circuit. "How do you n on achieving that?" Noah leaned forward slightly. "By applying the Law of Gab Song,bined with the Law of Unity and the Law of Zone Corrtion." Fyodor''s brow furrowed. "You''re proposing to stabilize a hexagonal structure with the Law of Gab Song? You do realize that would create an imbnce in the mana flow, right?" "Not if you factor in the Law of Unity." Noah countered. "The unification principle will stabilize the prity between each point of the hexagon, allowing mana to flow symmetrically through the six nodes. And with the Law of Zone Corrtion, I can synchronize the output across multipleyers of mana zones, ensuring no overflow or misalignment." "Ambitious, indeed." Fyodor nodded slowly. It was an innovative theory, albeit extremely risky. "But even if you can theoretically bnce the mana, the energy output might be unstable." "That''s where the unique properties of lightning magice in." Noah replied with a glint in his eyes. "Lightning thrives in instability. The more chaotic the circuit, the stronger the amplification. Holy Britannia doesn''t understand that." Noah''s tone shifted, a trace of bitterness creeping into his voice. "They''re too full of themselves, focusing on constitution and brute force. They rely on their physical resilience, their natural gifts. But do they not realize there are far more efficient ways to increase magical output? By modifying their circuits, by adapting their channels, they could revolutionize their casting." Fyodor chuckled. "They do modify their circuits." Noah shook his head dismissively. "Not enough. They tinker, yes. But they don''t push boundaries. They don''t aim for groundbreaking discovery. It''s all about tradition. It''s stagnation. It irks me even more that someone like Lucian Frost hails from Holy Britannia." Fyodor''s eyes sharpened at the mention of Lucian Frost. "And what of Brandon Locke?" Fyodor asked, gauging Noah''s reaction. Noah''s lips curled slightly. "Brandon Locke? He''s a nobody. He''s two years younger than me, and while he''s talented, he''s just following the same mold as the others. Strong, sure, but predictable." There was a pause, a flicker of intensity in Noah''s eyes. "I''ll crush him." Chapter 410: Progression [5] "How are your studies going, Belle?" Amelia asked. Despite the fact that it was winterbreak, Amelia and Belle never neglected advance studying. The second semester was right around the corner, and things would get harder from there on. "I don''t know. I''ve hit a roadblock recently." "How so?" Amelia curiously tilted her head. It wasn''t like Belle, who, for Amelia, was academically smarter than her. After all, Belle received advanced education in Milis during her middle¨Cschool years. Which must''ve been why Belle''s practice regarding magic was peculiar. Each continent practiced magic differently. For Holy Britannia, they took pride in the expertise of their basics¡ªmaximizing its efficiency to the brim. Of course, there were theories they could study on the inte. But for Amelia, it was tooplex. Not in the way where she couldn''t understand it, but itplicated the norm she was already used to. "I''m having a hard time wrapping my head around the Divergence Law." Belle admitted. "The Divergence Law?" Amelia blinked, finding the term unfamiliar. Belle was always diving intoplex topics that seemed far removed from what they learned in ss. "Yeah, I''ve been trying to implement it in my wind magic." Belle continued. "You see, the Divergence Law focuses on the flow and dispersion of mana in three-dimensional space, particrly when applying it to elemental magic like wind." There she was again, going all nerd mode. "For the past four months, I''ve been researching how thew can enhance the directional force of wind skills, but the problem is maintaining stability when increasing the divergence factor beyond a certain threshold." "...." Amelia stared,pletely lost. "You see, when mana diverges from a central point, it creates turbulence, right? But if I could control the divergence vectors, I could theoretically amplify the wind''s strength without losing control." Belle let out an exasperated sigh. "But I''ve barely scratched the surface. The calctions are¡­. tooplex. I''ve spent months on it, but the corrtion between divergence and velocity is... tricky." Belle paused, finally noticing Amelia''s nk expression. "Uh¡­. Yeah." She had no idea at all. "Sorry, it''s just been frustratingtely." "I get it¡­." She didn''t get it at all. While Amelia was putting her own theories into practice, it was just the basic Carlson''s Earth Attunement Law. Something that all mages of the [Earth] affinity practiced. While Amelia was gifted with the [Armament] affinity, ording to her father, it derived from the [Earth] affinity. "So¡­. do you need help?" "I''m d you asked." Belle smirked. Amelia felt a sudden chill down her spine. In fact, her head was already hurting. "Come." Belle dragged Amelia. Before Amelia realized it, blinking her eyes, they were already at the Central Library. "Uh¡­." "See this." It was all too sudden. Amelia barely had time to think, and she was already sitting beside Belle. Books containingws and theories appeared on the table. Belle, donning her sses,, a pen resting on her hand. "So basically, this¡­." Belle didn''t waste a second. She flipped open her notebook, pages filled with equations, diagrams, and scribbles in the margins. "Okay, so I''ve been stuck on this particr part for weeks." She began, her pen tapping against the page. "You see, when calcting the mana flow divergence, you have to ount for the dispersal rate of mana particles. So, I started with the basic divergence equation¡ªdivergence of the mana vector field equals the mana density over time¡ªpretty straightforward, right?" Amelia blinked. "Uh¨Chuh¡­." "Then, you apply the directional force to the wind current using an inverse squarew to ount for the expansion of the skill''s radius as it propagates¡­.." "...." Amelia''s brain had already checked out after "inverse squarew." She was nodding, but her eyes zed over as Belle rattled on about flux density, divergence integrals, and boundary conditions. "Integrate¡­. Divergence¡­. velocity field¡­. the numbers don''t align¡­.. Density¡­." Belle continued scribbling furiously, drawingplex forms that looked more suited for a math genius than a mage. Belle pointed to a specific form on the page. "See, this is where it gets tricky. I tried using a Gauss theorem variation to simplify the boundary constraints, but even then, the divergence vector still doesn''t align with the wind force¡­." Amelia stared nkly at the notebook, Belle''s words barely registering. She was so far out of her depth, it felt like she was mumbling a bunch of theoretical jargons. But as her eyes drifted across the page, something caught her attention. There was a small error in the equation¡ªsomething simple, like a missed variable or a misced symbol. Amelia didn''t even know what half of this meant, but she recognized that something wasn''t right. "Uh, Belle?" Amelia pointed at the form. "Hm?" Belle looked over, confused. "What is it?" Amelia hesitated. "I think¡­ you missed something here. Like, this variable should be ounted for when you''re distributing the mana, right?" Belle squinted at the page, following Amelia''s finger. "Wait¡­ oh." She blinked, then looked back at her notes with wide eyes. "Oh my god. You''re right!" Amelia blinked, then stared at her. "I am?" "Yes! Ipletely overlooked that! That''s why the flux density wasn''t stabilizing! If I just modify the boundary conditions here¡­." Belle grabbed her pen and began scribbling furiously, recalcting the form. As she worked, Amelia sat back, utterly lost, but relieved that she had somehow helped. "Amelia, this is brilliant! How did I not see this? You just saved me weeks of work!" "Uh, yeah¡­. no problem." She still had no idea what she''d just done. "...." Seeing the books scattered around her, Amelia noticed it wasn''t the conventional textbooks she was used to. They were clearly Belle''s evident by the scribblings, just on the cover page. ''....What the hell are these magic circles?'' Amelia flipped through the pages of Belle''s textbook. These weren''t the straightforward equations she was used to seeing in Holy Britannia''s textbooks¡ªthese were far more advanced. ''So this is Milis magic¡­?'' She had heard of how fancy their practices were, but she had never realized it was to this extent. However, she was unsure how efficient they were. It all looked like fancy magic jargon. "Hm?" She paused as something caught her eye. "Quidell''s Theorem¡­." She read aloud. Her brow furrowed. She had never heard of this theorem before. Curious, she scanned the paragraphs that followed, trying to make sense of the dense text. "Quidell''s Theorem focuses on optimizing mana flow in [Wind] affinity magic by restructuring the magic circle to allow for faster divergence and cirction of mana within the circuit itself¡­." Amelia trailed off. "The theorem suggests that if properly implemented, a Wind mage could reduce casting time by nearly 25% by rerouting the mana through auxiliary pathways¡­." Amelia blinked. She wasn''t a Wind affinity mage, but the theory behind it was intriguing. And if magic circuits were modifiable, maybe¡ª No, it was far-fetched. Magic circuits were extremely difficult to alter, and the risks of attempting it were well¨Cknown. But if she could seed, she imagined how much faster she could cast her skills, even those unrted to wind. "Implementing Parkinson''s Law alongside Quidell''s Theorem results in an increase in mana velocity. This velocitypensates for the inherent instability caused by the initial divergence of mana flow¡­." The page was filled withplex forms, with terms and symbols she didn''t fully understand. "The boundary conditions for stability are set by the proportionality constant derived from the divergence form...." Amelia felt her head spin as the words ran together. She stared at the calctions, trying to wrap her mind around it, but it was like staring into a foreignnguage. Belle, still focused on her own notes, nced up briefly. "Did you say something, Amelia?" "Uh... nothing, just... reading about this Quidell''s Theorem thing." She replied, still staring at the page. "This stuff is insane. I don''t even know what half of this means." Belle looked up, adjusting her sses. "Oh, Quidell''s Theorem? Yeah, it''s meant for Wind affinity mages. The whole idea is to boost their casting speed, but it''s tricky because the magic circle modifications areplex. And if you don''t get the flux density right, you risk destabilizing the entire skill." Amelia''s mind was racing, not so much at the thought of Wind magic, but the possibility of applying the principles to her own. Her magic swords were already fast, but what if she could cut down the casting time even more? "Belle, could this work for someone who doesn''t have Wind affinity? Like... if I tried to modify my magic circuits to use something like this, would it make my casting faster?" Belle paused, raising an eyebrow. "Well, in theory, yes. But magic circuits aren''t meant to be tampered with lightly, Amelia. It''s not just a matter of plugging in a new form. You''d have topletely restructure how your mana flows through your body. It''s risky." Amelia''s eyes gleamed with the potential. "Risky¡­. but possible?" Belle sighed, seeing the look of excitement in Amelia''s eyes. "Yes, it''s possible. But it''s like surgery¡ªyou get one thing wrong, and the whole thing copses." "Hm¡­." Her mind was already racing with possibilities. If she could pull it off... her magic could be faster, more efficient. She could almost feel the speed of her magic swords in battle, slicing through the air faster than ever before. "Wouldn''t hurt to try. Here¡­." Belle rummaged through her backpack and ced something on the table. "I have an extra notebook. You can try formting it there for now." Amelia blinked her eyes once more for a second. Then a sudden determined look shed across her features. "Give me a pen." Finally, something that would take her mind off of Brandon for a while. *** "The summit, huh?" Bellion straightened his back, leaning on the chair. He had just received mail¡ªregarding Imperial Academy''s invitation for the uing summit. He was unsure whether to ept it. After all, things were quite shaky between Milis at the moment. It felt like all his efforts were put to waste, now that the truthid bare to the world. That the entire situation wasn''t exactly what he thought it was. The war regarding Milis. It was nothing but a scheme to ignite hostility between the two continents. But was it actually the truth? From the reports, there was a military¨Cman from Milis during the auction raid. It was odd, and something didn''t sit right with him. Additionally, he had a lot more problems in his hand. The Archbishops were within their borders, most probably, scheming at the moment. And he had no idea who they were! His head throbbed, a sharp migraine buzzing in his head. "Haaa¡­." Too many problems. They had just lost their greatest asset recently¡ªEvelyn Cessna. And now, they were supposed to ept that Milis wasn''t hostile to them at all? However, as Bellion read the contents of the mail, his brows raised. "A meeting?" It was also an invitation for his participation¡ªregarding a meeting between nation leaders. If¡­. he epted the proposal. Then his questions would most probably be answered. "Haaa¡­. Should I?" He was still quite reluctant. He had attended the summit a few times during his younger years. All he could remember were the ridicules against Holy Britannia. Their magic wasn''t as fancy as Milis, or the other nations. But Holy Britannia, fixated on their beliefs, knew simplicity was key. How couldn''t it be when someone like Lucian Frost and Evelyn Cessna emerged from Holy Britannia itself? It was something the other nations just wouldn''t admit to themselves! Even Bellion himself was confident he could wipe the floor with those mages and their fancy magic circuits! "Ha¡­." He recalled a certain memory. It was during the tournament, where he was hailed champion,pletely demolishing the opposition. And then another memory, sending a chill down his spine. "...." His mentor, Jain Victoria, scolding him for the mistakes he had during his fights, embarrassing him in front of the world to see. He was even given the nickname, "Daddy''s Boy" in the past. "...." Yeah, he had to reject the invitation. Chapter 411: Progression [6] Raven''s thoughts were in disarray. For that past month, he had been seeing things. "Ukh¡­!" Things he couldn''t exin. "....I feel sick." He was dying. Spurt! But then he wasn''t. He was clearly alive. "I feel sick." But he kept seeing the scenarios. They were so real, as if he had experienced them for himself. "I feel sick." "Raven, where are you going?" Reina called out to him, but it all went to deaf ears. Raven groggily walked towards the bathroom and turned the faucet on. "I feel sick." It shed in his mind. Him, dying. Over, and over and over over and¡ª "Ueeekh!" His stomach twisted in knots, his head spinning as he puked profusely. They felt so real, so much so that Raven could solemnly swear he felt the pain for himself. "Ueeeekh!" Things didn''t make any sense at all. It was as if he was taken back to the past. Certain scenarios yed out in his mind. Scenarios he had already witnessed himself, yet at the same time, he didn''t. Spurt¡ª! His chest pierced by Francis Osborn. Spurt¡ª! His body, thoroughly torn apart by threads. Threadsing from David Aurae. "Ueeekh!" Him, crushed beneath boulders inside Astrea during the cmity. Swoosh¡ª! Himself, consumed by a Wraith inside a ce that was unfamiliar to him. Behind him, gathered what seemed like Imperial Army officers. Crack¡ª! Thoroughly crushed by a wyvern''s talon. Spurt¡ª! Body, mangled by monsters he couldn''t exin. The scenery, a myriad of mirrors standing tall around him. "Ueeekh!" What seemed to be a Wraith, with white hair and ck eyes with no pupil, her crystal¨Cck nails consuming his entire being. sh¡ª! The boy he had just encountered recently, Greed. The boy who should''ve been defeated. However, instead, it was Raven who suffered the consequences. "Ueeekh!" Two crimson eyes staring back at him, severing his head. He couldn''t see properly who had done it, as before he realized it, he had already been killed. "Haaa¡­. H-haaa¡­." Over and over again. It was all too vivid, different scenarios that had never urred yed out in his head. By the time they stopped, Raven was nkly staring at the ceiling, his face and clothes were all drenched with his fluids. His mind was abuzz. It had been like this everyday, and he never knew of the cause. Twist¡ª Twisting the faucet, water gradually poured down from the shower. Raven looked down with a nk expression, his face darkening. Immediately after those¡­. Visions? Had stopped, Raven would forget most of the details after a few seconds, as if it were all just a fleeting dream. But Raven could somehow still see fragments of it. Not too detailed, just¡­. "Ueekh!" His death. After showering, Raven stepped out, pushing the curtains. Changing into cleaner clothes, Raven left the bathroom. By now, he had forgotten most of what he had seen already, just a sharp feeling on his neck. However, despite that, he couldn''t deny the anxiety creeping up on him. "Sherly¡­." There, Reina sat on the couch, wearing a loosely fitted white string¨Ctop, exposing her cleavage unknowingly. "...." Raven was immediately snapped out of his dilemma, frowning. She was always like thispletely unaware of her surroundings, letting her guard down without a second thought. "You''re leaving yourself open again." Raven muttered under his breath, his voice barely loud enough to reach her. "Hm?" Reina finally looked up, her eyes settling on him. "Did you say something?" He shook his head, brushing it off, the irritation bubbling beneath his skin. "Nothing. Just¡­. I''m heading out." He didn''t want to exin the mess his mind was in, nor did he feel like dealing with Reina''s carefree attitude right now. "You sure you''re okay?" She noticed the strain in his voice, but Raven waved it off. "I''m fine." He wasn''t, but that didn''t matter. Reina sighed, clearly not convinced but deciding to drop it. "You need to take care of yourself, you know." Adjusting her posture, and sitting up a bit straighter now, Reina continued, her eyes softening. "You''ve been¡­. differenttely." "...." Raven didn''t respond. He didn''t need to. She had no idea what was going on in his head. But neither did he, so how could he exin the anxiety building up? "Just¡­. don''t overdo it." "I won''t." The words felt hollow, just like everything else these days. As soon as Raven stepped outside the house, Reina frowned, staring at the space where Raven once stood. She knew the boy was currently facing some issues, but clearly, he didn''t want to talk about it. Reina sighed and switched the channel on the television. Hopefully, it wasn''t anything serious. "If he needs advice, he cane ask me anytime." Reina had several theories in mind. But there was one that seemed the most likely. "Like a way to a girl''s heart." It had to be said, Reina had never had any romantic experiences herself. While she was a stunning beauty, for some reason, men just seemed to avoid her. She couldn''t understand. She had the looks, the figure, she was even an S¨Cranker, an officer of the Special Force guild. "But they''re all avoiding me!" In fact, they seemed rather afraid of her. It was then. Her attention was suddenly caught as she stared just outside the window. It was raining, and Raven was holding an umbre. However, he didn''t seem to be alone. There was someone. A woman with tinum¨Cblonde hair. Reina narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing. She couldn''t see her face since she was turning away from her, but for some reason, she looked oddly familiar. That was when the woman finally faced sideways. Crimson eyes. "Isn''t that¡­." The woman who was present during Evelyn''s funeral. Her appearancepletely shook Reina back then. Not just her, but the others as well. After all, the woman was known to be wealthy, even appearing in magazines. In fact, Vanessa had tried to recruit her in her guild just for her looks. But it had proven futile. And now, she was here. Outside Reina''s house. "Lianna Venice?" Huh. From what she knew, Lianna Venice was 26 years¨Cold, even older than Reina, who was currently 22 years¨Cold. "Hold on, is Raven¡­." No, that couldn''t be. She could remember some blonde girl always following him around. Did he reject her or something? No, no, no. That wasn''t even the issue at the moment! Immediately, Reina changed into a disguise. Once the coast was clear, Reina left the house and decided to tail Raven and Lianna. *** After Evelyn''s funeral, somehow, Raven had formed a connection with Lianna. He couldn''t exin why, but he felt drawn to her. Not in the romantic sense, he knew since he couldn''t feel any infatuation towards her, despite her breathtaking appearance. Instead, it felt like he had to follow her. No, follow wasn''t the right word. Investigate. "Shall we go?" "Yes¡­." The two drove off, Lianna had told the driver of their location. If anyone else were to see this, they would immediately think Lianna and Raven were going out on a date. But that wasn''t the case at all. It was a job¨Cinterview. "We''re here, Miss Venice." "Thank you." Immediately, they got off the ck¡ªsedan. Raven raised his head, staring at the shing neon sign that adorned the entrance. "Casino." It was a casino. Of all ces. The moment they entered the casino, the noise hit him. Bibibiiip¡ª Laughter, cheers, the clinking of coins, and the constant shuffling of cards, the sound of slot machines, clearly indicating whoever was ying was a loser. \\ The atmosphere was lively, but Raven felt disconnected from it all. Lianna led him through the crowds with ease. Raven couldn''t help but notice how people seemed to part for her, as if she was Moses separating the ocean. They reached a door at the far end of the casino, guarded by tworge men in suits. One of them gave Lianna a nod before opening the door, allowing them inside. The room they entered was dimly lit, in contrast to the bustling atmosphere earlier. At the center sat a round table with several individuals seated around it. They all turned their attention toward Lianna and Raven as they entered. "Ah, Miss Venice. We''ve been expecting you." A man, older than the rest, with graying hair and sharp features, spoke first. His eyes flickered to Raven for a moment, but he didn''t ask any questions. "Gentlemen, this is Raven ckheart." Lianna''s voice resounded across the room. "So this is him¡­." "He looks promising." Ady, who sat with her legs crossed, licked her lips. Raven, feeling ufortable, butpletely dismissed it. "Apologies, Raven. But we don''t ept just anyone. Is it fine for you to take a test?" "Yes, I''ve signed up for this, after all." "Okay." Lianna nodded her head in agreement. Then, a bulky man, wearing a suit and a pair of shades stepped forward. "Follow me." Raven swallowed deeply and followed suit. It had to be said, what Raven had applied for was bodyguarding duty. Lianna had offered him the job, and realizing the experience he could gain, Raven epted the offer. Ideally so, as for some reason, the thought of Lianna just wouldn''t leave his mind. It was two birds with one stone! It was good training to prepare himself for the second semester as well. In any case, the man stopped in front of a metal door and gestured for Raven to enter. "Inside." Raven nodded his head, bracing himself. The room was dimly lit, just like the rest of the casino''s back areas, but it was clear this was a ce forbat. The floor was padded, and various weapons lined the walls. However, it wasn''t the room or the weapons that caught Raven''s attention¡ªit was the person standing at the center, stretching his limbs. For a moment, both of them froze in ce, their eyes locking in disbelief. Red hair. Blue eyes. "Raven?" "Reinhard?" *** Reina stopped, blinking her eyes in disbelief. She had followed the car discreetly. The moment Raven stepped outside and entered the room, Reina couldn''t believe it. It was a casino. So¡­. the reason why Raven had been distraughttely was because¡­. "This kid was fucking gambling!?" Chapter 412: Winter-break [1] Raven returned home. The initial test had been a spar between him in Reinhard, ending in his overwhelming victory. Well, not really. "Haak¡­." Raven bit his lip, feeling the scorch marks left on his skin. It would take a while to heal, hopefully, it wouldn''t leave a scar. Noticing that the lights were out in the living room, Raven sneakily entered, trying not to wake Reina up if she were asleep. However. Flick¡ª The lights suddenly turned on. Raven flinched. "So¡ª" "...!" A voice resounded. Raven reluctantly turned around. There, Reina was standing with her arms crossed. "¡ªWhat were you up to thiste at night?" "Uh¡­." Cold sweat beaded from his forehead. He didn''t want to tell Reina. Not because of what the job entailed. But because he knew Reina would try to stop him. Truth be told, they were currently facing some financial issues. Raven, being the way he is, wanted to help Reina out to lighten the burden on their finances. It was the least he could do. After all, he was practically leeching off her. He was truly grateful for her. "So?" "Yes¡­?" "Care to exin yourself?" "Uhm¡­." Raven''s eyes darted around, eventuallynding on the clock. "Oh, look at the time. I better head to bed¡ª" "Hold it." Before he could walk away, Reina grabbed the cuff of his shirt. "I found this lying in the bathroom." "Ah¡­." Reina held out a small bottle. It was the anxiety pills he had bought recently. ''Shit¡­.'' Because of the episode he had earlier, he had to rush taking a shower so he wouldn''t bete for his meeting with Lianna. For that reason, he forgot to stow the pills away. "I¡ª" "Listen." Reina cut him off. Her expressions were soft,ced with a tinge of concern. "You can talk to me, you know? I''m your guardian." "...." There was no way he could do that. He could barely remember the things he had seen. They were all akin to a fever dream, yet at the same time, so vivid. Just that¡­. Scratch. Scratch. His neck felt itchy. Looking at Reina''s eyes, he had a hard time avoiding her gaze. She looked like a puppy. Raven sighed and shook his head. While he couldn''t tell her about something he couldn''t even exin for himself, he could at least tell her about the job to ease her worries. "....Where do I begin?" *** After removing the stuffy clothing, Lianna plopped down on the sofa. It had been a busy day. She wanted to oversee Raven and Reinhard''s match, but she couldn''t due to other matters she needed to attend to. Sitting up, Lianna fixed her bra strap and stared at the documents strewn on the ss table in front of her. They were all rted to showbiz¡ªcontracts, financial reports, schedules for uing releases. While Lianna wasn''t directly involved, the mediapany was under her name. VN Entertainment. Indeed, Lianna Venice was taking the business scene by storm. She had only relocated to this country three years ago, but with her intellect, that was enough time for her to establish herself as one of the up¡ªanding CEOs. All of her experiments had been a sess. Firstly, the bar she had established in Holy Britannia''s entertainment district. It became a hotspot for businessmen and wealthy males, precisely her target demographic. That small venture sparked the beginning of her business empire. Within months, Lianna expanded her influence. A luxury lounge followed, attracting the city''s elite. Then came the fashion line, catering to both high-end clients and the mass market, bncing exclusivity with essibility. Her next move was a mediapany, VN Entertainment, which was steadily growing, producing films that were well received, and gradually, dominating the pop culture scene. She didn''t stop there. Lianna ventured into real estate, acquiring prime locations in the city. Her luxury hotels quickly became a favorite for celebrities and politicians alike. She also established a chain of fine dining restaurants, each offering a unique culinary experience tailored to the upper ss. But her boldest move? The casino. Newly established, it catered only to VIPs, a yground for the elite where fortunes were won and lost in a night. The greatest part of it all was that Lianna had managed to hide her identity, allowing her to live a normal life outside of her business empire. How did she pull it off? Lianna maintained a dual strategy when it came to her business ventures. While VN Entertainment was directly under her name, this was a deliberate move. By publicly associating herself with the mediapany, she created a smokescreen that drew attention away from her other, more discreet ventures. She employed PR teams to craft stories around phantom CEOs. Figures who took the spotlight while she remained hidden from the public. Even the media couldn''t trace her movements. In any case, Lianna leaned forward and took out a pen. Staring at the contract, Lianna nodded her head in approval. [Raven ckheart] [Age: 17] [Rank: A+] [Position: Executive Protection Agent] "He''s qualified." Lianna signed the documents with her signature, then leaned back on the couch, sighing. Then, she nced outside the window. The moon hung high in the sky, casting an ethereal glow that prated her dimly lit room. The sheer size of her condominium unit, vast, filled with luxurious furniture. Yet, at the same time, it felt empty. She was the only one living here. She began to imagine a certain scenario. A loving husband¡ªliving with her, waiting for her return. The moment she returns, her husband would express his affection for her. Hugging her, touching her, kissing her¡­.. Slowly¡­. Slowly¡­. his hands shifting down¡­. inside. Slowly, everything is off. "Ehe~" They lock in a passionate kiss¡­. All the way¡­. "Ehe~" To the bedroom. While there were several men trying to court her, Lianna would coldly reject their proposal for a romantic rtionship. Of course, she had no problems using her body if it meant getting what she wanted. But romantic rtionships were off limits! However, recently, she had stopped sleeping with other men. Because she had solemnly promised to herself her body belonged to only one person. Yet, that person was taken. Lianna frowned at the thought. "I need some sleep." Ziiip¡ª But not before she¡­. Squench. Squench~ Hands inside.... "Mmh~!" *** "So you''re going to be bodyguarding idols?" "Yes¡­. that''s basically the job." Raven replied, leaning back in his chair, trying to seem casual about it. Reina blinked, staring at him for a moment before folding her arms. "But why? You should prepare for the second semester. Why are you looking for a job this early?" Raven sighed, shifting in his seat. "I know, but we need the money, Reina. I''m just trying to help out. And it''s not like I''m cking off. This job is good experience, and it''ll help me in the long run. It''s not just about the paycheck." Reina''s frown deepened. "You didn''t even tell me. I had no idea you were looking for work." "I didn''t want to worry you. But when the opportunity came up, I figured I should go for it. It''s good on-hand experience, and having a work reference like this will help me in the future." She stared at him, still not convinced. "Bodyguarding idols¡­." Reina pondered. The job soundedplicated. Her mind wandered back to two years ago. When they had caught Francis Osborn, she regretted bringing Raven along. Raven had insisted on being part of the mission to save his friend, Amy Ashfield. He was determined and eager to prove himself. She couldn''t say no. She had given him a chance to fight. But that day, Raven almost died. She didn''t want to remember. "It''s not as dangerous as it sounds. Most of the time, it''s just being there, making sure things don''t get out of hand. Besides, it''s a legitimate gig. It''s not forever, just something to help us out." He paused before adding, "Just something to help us out." Reina bit her lip, still uneasy, but she knew Raven wasn''t the kid from two years ago. He had grown stronger since then. Well, he had a point. And money was a bit short right now. It wasn''t her fault to begin with. There was ack of high¨Cpaying jobs for rankers these days. There had been reports of a mysterious individual taking down Wraith cults, immediately after they were reported. The only description they had was that the man wore a hood and a mask. But there was one key factor that wouldn''t leave Reina''s mind. The man used a sword, and had mastery over the [Ice] affinity. But from the mana signature, it wasn''t exactly the [Ice] affinity itself, but rather, an advanced version that derived from [Ice]. A sword and expertise over ice¡­. It almost sounded like Lucian Frost. "So, Reina?" "Hm?" She was snapped out of her thoughts. "Can I ept the job?" Reina sighed and nodded her head. "Fine, but be careful. The inte goes crazy around these idols. Almost everything that happens bes controversial." "Of course, I''m aware of that. Like I said, it''s just a bodyguarding job. I probably won''t even interact with these idols." "Yeah, sure. A seventeen year¨Cold, almost eighteen, around beautiful women his age." Plus, Raven was definitely good¨Clooking. If anything, it might be the women causing him trouble. "...?" Raven blinked his eyes, clearly oblivious of what she was trying to say. Reina sighed. "Just¡­. don''t do anything crazy." Chapter 413 Winter-break [2] 413 Winter-break [2] "Thank you for putting up with me this past month." Androxus had told Brandon that he couldn''t oversee his training anymore. Of course, Brandon wanted to ask, but refrained from doing so. After all, Androxus wouldn''t tell him anything. He had immersed in training for the entirety of the winter break, pushing himself to limits even he didn''t know he had. While winter break wasn''t over yet, and there was still a month before the second semester opened, Brandon had never stayed idle. He wanted to put his training to the test. And recently, his disdain for Wraith cultists had skyrocketed. He absolutely detested them. They all had to die. For that reason, Brandon delved into the dark web, taking on mercenary jobs that involved hunting down Wraith cultists. He donned a dark hood and used the Mirage Mask, twisting its form to hide his identitypletely¡ªwhile also hiding the fact that it was the Mirage Mask. For the past two weeks, he had taken on twenty-three jobs. Twenty-three. The targets were all the same. Wraith cultists scattered across Holy Britannia. But Brandon wasn''t waiting for them. He was hunting them as if they were prey. In any case, his [Permafrost] affinity had be his signature in these jobs. The first time he used [Eternal ciate] in a life or death scenario, it was utter chaos. The moment the cial energy spread, the battlefield became his domain. The ground froze instantly. Enemies slowed under the icy grip, struggling to fight back. Wraith cultists weren''t much of a challenge when they couldn''t move properly. Brandon''s sword,yered with frost, cut through them like a scythe through grass. Swoosh¡ª! sh¡ª! He moved swiftly. Cultists fell one after another. They had no idea who was hunting them, only that death came in the form of ice. The fights blurred together. Each one, faster, more efficient than thest. He no longer hesitated. His [Eternal ciate] turned the battlegrounds into frozen wastnds, making his enemies weaker, slower. It was clear how much he had improved since he first started training with Androxus. Swoosh¡ª! Another cultist fell, their blood freezing as it hit the icy ground. He hadn''t returned home in two weeks. Not once did he contact his friends. Belle and Amelia had no idea where he was, and that was fine with him. They didn''t need to know what he was doing. In any case, there were several job postings regarding suspected Wraith cultists. Some of them, even being high¨Cprofile celebrities and so on. The dark web was full of job postings, many of them regarding suspected Wraith cultists. Some were low-profile targets, while others were people in the public eye, celebrities, politicians, even business tycoons. Of course, the dark web didn''t just ept random usations. Before a job could be posted, the individual offering the bounty had to provide solid evidence. Proof that the target was, indeed, involved with the Wraith cult. Brandon had been selective up to this point, taking on jobs that didn''t attract too much attention. However, that changed with his next assignment. Job number twenty-four was bold. Rian Vnte, an A-list actor and a household name. Known for his charming smile and his lead roles in blockbuster films, Rian was beloved by the public. He was also suspected of being deeply involved with the Wraith cult. It wasn''t just baseless rumors¡ªthere were connections that couldn''t be ignored. Secret meetings, disappearances linked to his name, and enough circumstantial evidence to raise suspicion. Brandon knew this job would be risky. Taking out someone like Rian Vnte would draw attention, but he wasn''t concerned in the least bit. He sat in a dimly lit room, going over the details of the mission. Rian would be attending a private party in one of Holy Britannia''s most exclusive districts. It was a luxurious event, filled with celebrities, politicians, and high-profile figures. The party was set to take ce in a towering building. The building itself was heavily guarded, withyers of security both inside and out. It was perfect. If Rian Vnte truly was a Wraith cultist, then this was the perfect opportunity to eliminate him without raising too many rms. Brandon could use the chaos of the event to his advantage. "Hmm¡­." He began preparing meticulously. First, he studied theyout of the building, memorizing every entrance, exit, and potential escape route. He needed to know the ce inside out, so that when things inevitably went sideways, he could slip away unnoticed. He also gathered intel on the security detail. Most of the bodyguards were A-rankers. With that amount, they wouldn''t be easy to deal with, but Brandon had faced tougher enemies before. Next, he equipped himself with the tools for the job. He wore his usual dark hood and the Mirage Mask, ensuring that no one would recognize him. The mask contorted his features, hiding his identitypletely. His sword, imbued with his [Permafrost] affinity, was strapped to his back. He also carried various throwing knives and gadgets for stealth and distraction. As the night of the party arrived, Brandon moved quietly through the shadows, blending in with the dark streets as he approached the building. ¡ªHaha! ¡ªLady Cersei, I heard your idol group''s new album had just been nominated for an award! ¡ªSir Arthur! Over here! The lights from the party spilled out onto the streets below, and the sound of music andughter filled the air. From a distance, it all seemed so normal. But Brandon knew better. His eyes scanned the area, noting the guards positioned at every corner. He wouldn''t be able to walk through the front entrance without raising suspicion, so he opted for a more discreet approach. He circled around the back of the building, finding a service entrance used by the catering staff. Two guards stood watch at the door. "Hoo¡­" Brandon took a deep breath as he moved silently. Swoosh¡ª! In one swift motion, he appeared behind the first guard. "What th¡ªNmm¡­!" His hand covered the man''s mouth before neutralizing him shortly after. He couldn''t kill him, they were innocent. The guard crumpled without a sound. Before the second guard could react, Brandon suppressed him just as quickly. With the guards dealt with, Brandon slipped inside. The interior of the building was even more extravagant than he expected. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Guests invish attire moved about, mingling andughing,pletely unaware of the danger. Brandon stayed low, sticking to the shadows as he made his way through the building. He could feel the weight of the mask on his face. No one paid him any attention. He had only one goal. Find Rian Vnte. The intel he had gathered suggested that Rian would be in one of the private lounges on the upper floors. That was where the real party happened, away from the public eye. But as Brandon made his way up, things got trickier. The security was tighter the higher he went. Most were A¨Crankers. Brandon himself was an S¨C ranked. Far from S¨Crank itself, but significantly more capable than an A+ ranker. Brandon stayed patient, watching their movements, waiting for the right moment to strike. When he encountered a group of three bodyguards in the hallway, he knew a direct fight would be risky. Instead, he used his stealth skills to slip past them unnoticed, avoiding confrontation entirely. He moved quietly through the luxurious hallways. But as he neared the private lounge, he sensed something off. There, standing by the bathroom a few distance away, were two people he never expected to see. "Huh?" Brandon''s brows raised beneath the mask. He hadn''t seen them in over two months. "Raven and Reinhard?" *** It was Raven''s first big job. While there was no trouble escorting the idols he worked with, today was different. The girl group was called "apsea" and its Leader, stage name: "Katarina," had specifically requested for Raven to escort her today. Additionally, the youngest member of apsea was also invited to the party. Stage name: "Yizhuo," had specifically requested for Reinhard to escort her to the party. And so, that brought them to the current situation. Raven nced around. He had felt something was off, but couldn''t quite ce it. For that reason, he kept a close eye on his client, Katarina. But it proved to be difficult. After all¡­. "Here, Raven, try this!" Katarina, who was wearing a beautiful one piece dress, was openly flirting with him. Raven could practically see her cleavage! And the fact that he couldn''t keep his eye away from her, afraid something might happen, wasn''t helping him in the least bit! But since he was being paid good money, Raven had to heed his client''s requests. As long it wasn''t too troublesome. "Oh, you''re such a good drinker!" "Hehe~" Katarina, her face flushed red, locked arms with Raven. He could feel something soft and squishy pressed on his arm. But Raven quickly dismissed it, fighting the alcohol. Katarina was a bonafide beauty, and the alcohol didn''t help at all! He had to control himself. ''Damn teenage hormones!'' "Raven, I need to use the bathroom. Could you escort me there?" Katarina nced around. She looked uneasy, but Raven could understand why. Several men were eyeing her. They were all celebrities, and other influential figures in the showbiz scene. "Of course, follow me." Raven led her all the way up. "Reinhard?" Reinhard, too, was standing guard outside the bathroom. No wonder he hadn''t seen him around. "Ah, Raven?" "Where''s Miss Yizhuo?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "She''s inside, fixing her make¨Cup. Someone pushed her and her face was smudged by the cake." "Pftt¡­." Katarina, who was standing right next to Raven, chuckled. Then, she entered the bathroom. The two stood outside, guarding. While his head still felt a bit fuzzy from the alcohol, he was managing quite well. Indeed, he had built up quite the tolerance for alcohol thanks to Brandon, bringing whatever kind of alcohol whenever they all hung¨Cout. ¡ªHow''s it going with Raven, Katarina? ¡ªHehe~ He''s really cute, always getting flustered and all. Despite the fact that the two girls were behind the door, Raven and Reinhard couldn''t help but overhear. "Seems like they''re talking about you. Heh." Reinhard looked at him with a smug expression on his face. Raven shook his head, touching the side of his face. ¡ªIf things go well¡­. Hehe~ ¡ªOh? Which hotel are you bringing him? "...." Raven jerked. Hotel? Trivago? He had no idea. Why bring him to a hotel in the first ce? Too expensive 22:16 Too expensive ¡ªNo, I''m actually quite attracted to him. I want to get to know him first. "...." "Hey." Reinhard suddenly spoke, looking at him. "About Amy, aren''t you going to reject her?" "Hm?" Raven turned to look at Reinhard. "What do you mean?" "Really, man? You don''t even like her back, it''s obvious. Are you going to continue leading her on?" "Ah?" Was that how it looked? It was true, he didn''t feel any kind of infatuation towards Amy. But it wasn''t like Amy was proactive either. It felt more like they were best¡ªfriends, rather than lovers. "She confessed to you two years ago, and you still haven''t responded to her. It was quite a surprise for me how you epted this job, knowing what it entailed." "Uh¡­." "Well, it''s your life. I''m just giving you advice before things getplicated." "....Okay?" Raven totally had no idea. Did Amy still have feelings for him? He couldn''t really tell. It was true that she did confess two years ago, before the cmity, and that he never properly gave her a response. It was just Amy, following him around. Was he leading her on then? "....!" All of a sudden, before he could ponder on these thoughts, for a flicker of a moment, he saw a shadow move from the corner. "Did you see that?" He asked Reinhard. "See what?" "...." Was it just the alcohol? "Nevermind." Chapter 414 Winter-break [3] 414 Winter-break [3] "Shit, all that nning for nothing." The fact that Raven was here had torn down his entire n. Despite the opportunity presented¡ªthe chaos he could ensue, he couldn''t let Raven trace it back to him. While the probability was probably zero, it would be a pain for Raven to track down the current persona he took. It was already a pain with the Moriarty moniker. So much for the opportunity. For that reason, Brandon fled the scene. But of course, it wasn''t over. *** "Ahnn~" "Nmh~" Contrary to Brandon''s spections, Rian Vnte wasn''t in the private lounge at all. "Nmmh~!" He was inside the men''s restroom, along with an up¨Canding celebrity, who was just starting to make a name for herself. "Ahh....! You taste so sweet." "Haang~!" It was a woman who caught Rian''s attention. She was beautiful, and her body was to his taste. Promising to offer her a big¨Crole in his next movie, the woman agreed with no hesitation. Of course, it wasn''t for free. But if all she needed was to offer her body to climb thedder, then it was a small price to pay. Moreover, Rian Vnte was attractive. She was a huge fan of his. So the deal was more in her favor than he thought. "Ahnn~!" Finally, after locking into a long passionate kiss, Rian Vnte pulled away, a line of saliva linked their lips together. *** "This party is kinda stuffy. Do you want to book a hotel with me, Miss Rose?" "A hotel¡­." Rose pondered for a bit. It was obvious what Rian Vnte was aiming for. But if it meant she could score a few more points with him, then she didn''t see why not. The initial agreement was a big¨Crole, but if she could negotiate for a main¨Crole instead, then it would boost her career significantly. After all, there were talks within the mediamunity about Rian Vnte''s next film. Crime and Prejudice. There were several A¨Ctier actors in the film as well. That meant, Rose would have several opportunities to interact with them, expanding her connections. Truly, this party was a gold mine. Rose had only been invited to the party because of a minor role in Rian Vnte''s previous film. But in the first ce, she had onlynded that acting gig thanks to the agency she had recently signed with. VN Entertainment. In any case, she wasn''t well-known yet, but she had made enough of an impression to receive the invitation. It was her chance to rub elbows with the elites of Holy Britannia''s entertainment industry. That''s why she had epted the invitation eagerly, even though she barely knew anyone at the party. Rian''s attention was a stroke of luck. She knew the rumors about him, about how he could make or break a career with a single word. She''d seen it happen before¡ªactresses like her who yed their cards right, bing household names practically overnight. And tonight, it seemed like she was the one catching his eye. "Okay, should we leave now?" Rian shed her that charming smile of his, the one that made him famous. "Of course. Let''s not waste time here." They both discreetly made their way toward the exit filled with other celebrities, none of whom paid them much attention. Rose had told Rian that she came here with a bodyguard. However, she had managed to slip past him, telling him she needed to use the bathroom. "...." Rose nced around. She had tried earlier to strike up conversations with a few of the bigger names, but they had barely noticed her. Rian''s offer was everything she needed right now. If she could secure that main role, she wouldn''t need to grovel for attention anymore. The thought of her name in bold letters on movie posters filled her with excitement. "Shall we?" With a smile on her face, Rose linked her arms with Rian''s, and discreetly made their way to his sleek ck car. Rose nced out the window, thinking of her life''s struggles up to now. The drive to the hotel was quiet, neither of them saying much. Rian tapped his fingers on the wheel, asionally breaking the silence. "Wake up, Miss Rose. We''re here." "Huuk¡­. Ah?" Rose jerked awake, blinking rapidly. She wiped her mouth, realizing she had been drooling slightly. "Oh¡­. sorry." Rian chuckled in response. "No need to apologize. You must''ve been exhausted. Long day?" "Yes. I guess so." Rose smoothed her dress, trying to regain someposure as they both stepped out of the car. When they arrived, the hotel was as luxurious as expected. Rian held the door for her as they entered, guiding her toward the elevator. The soft chime echoed through the quiet lobby, and soon enough, they were stepping into a private suite. The room wasvish, with a sweeping view of the city lights. Rose set her purse down, taking in her surroundings for a moment. Rian approached her from behind, leaning closer, wrapping his arms around her. "What do you think?" Rose felt the warmth of his breath, sending a shudder throughout her body. "The view is amazing¡­." Just a few years ago, Rose was a struggling student, majoring in acting. She had no talent for magic. ording to the magic crystal test, she was a D ranked. While she had put in the effort, she knew she had no future in that industry. But growing up, she was told she was good at acting by her teachers, whenever her school had a y. Sniff. Sniff. Rian leaned close, sniffing her golden¨Cblonde hair. "Mmh~" Rose flinched. She had put on a rather weak¨Cperfume. Yet, for some reason, the room smelled extravagant. Rose''s world seemed to spin slightly, and a sudden rush of heat emanated from her body. Her face flushed red, and she could feel the arousal rise. "Just to set the mood." Rianmented. Set the mood? Then that meant the intoxicating smell was probably stimnt! "Ah, I can''t take it anymore, Miss Rose." Rian began to lightly kiss her neck, his hands slowly traveling to her breasts. Rose was quite confident in her body. She had trained day and night to maintain her figure. "Hnm~!" A strange sound escaped her lips. A chill ran down her spine as Rian sucked vigorously on her neck. Slowly, Rian''s fingers slid on the straps of her dress. His hands were precise, almost sensual. Her dress dropped down on the ground, revealing her undergarment. Rian''s brows raised for a moment, taking in the captivating sight. "You''re beautiful, Miss Rose." "T¨CThank you." 22:17 The warmth in his tone told Rose enough that Rian was totally smitten with her. It was practically a blessing! An actor she had looked up to for a long time was taking her to bed, his lean figure bare for Rose to see. "Ahnmm~! Please, enough! Put it in~!" Rian''s teasing was skillful. Rose was going crazy! Rian pulled back, unbuttoning his pants. Rose could see his bulge from his underwear, causing her to swallow deeply. They had already done the deed an hour ago. But Rose, still excited, craved for more! But at that moment, Rose''s excitement quickly shot down. She wasn''t sure if she was seeing things. Her vision was quite fuzzy from the intoxicating fragrant in the room. N?v(el)B\\jnn "Miss Rose? What''s wrong?" "Ah, it''s nothing. Just¡ª" Spurt! All of a sudden, before Rose was able to process the situation, a red hue oozed from Rian. Rose''s vision was filled with red. "Akh!" Rian, with widened eyes, turned around, blood seeping from his mouth. There, a figure adorning a mask stood behind him. The sensation took a while to process, but the moment it did, an indescribable pain boiled within him. *** It was funny. Rian Vnte was practically an open target. Brandon had followed the car with his motorcycle. They were heading for a hotel, and it was fairly obvious what they were about to do. Funny. Too funny. The two were probably drunk. They hadn''t noticed he was in the room the entire time, blending with the darkness. Brandon allowed the situation to escte for a bit, waiting to see if this Wraith cultist would notice his presence. To his disappointment, he hadn''t. Seeing him about to put his shaft inside the woman, Brandon quickly took action. Spurt! His gaze met with Rian''s as he stabbed him in the back. "Boo." Brandon tightened his grip, intensifying the weapon thrusted inside Rian before his figure dropped. "Aaaah!" The woman screamed. Rian''s blood smeared all over her bare figure. Brandon stared at her indifferently. Rian was most probably manipting her. ording to his research, Rian engaged in several rtionships every week. This woman was probably just one of them, and Rian would disappear once the sun was up. She was innocent, but most probably, the crime would lead back to her. Would this event traumatize her? Most probably. But that wasn''t his problem anyway. In any case, Brandon shook his head and tossed the woman''s dress towards her. The woman pulled the dress close, her expressions terrified. Brandon ced a finger on his lip, indicating for her to keep quiet. "Get out of here." He muttered. 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