Hugh exited the corridor through a different pathway.
The sirens of an intruder alert blared around the whole villa at the very moment they appeared, before they tore down the metal gate.
While the others proceeded towards the master room, Hugh strolled down the swirl of hundreds of marble stairs leading down to a basement.
Squeak—
A pure cry of a squeaky toy echoed down and up the rounding staircase.
He knelt down, picking up the object he stepped on unintentionally— a squeaky toy bear.
Sliding it into his oversized pocket, he continued his journey downwards to the unknown.
——————————
Thirty and more people crowded in the pretty small facility, exchanging gradually faltering comfort and encouragement to the younger children.
This is a safe zone for the protection of the royal bloodline in case of an attack from an enemy. The adults acknowledge that the leader of their bloodline does not do clean business, but even if they request for changes or objections, it would be useless.
"Shh. Someone is here."
"Is it our guard uncle Joe?" A child asked innocently.
She didn't understand the importance of lowering her voice in this grave situation, which was therefore heard by Hugh, word by word.
As the lightly barricaded door creaked open, a shadow formed under the contrast of the faint light.
The large shadow imprinted in the wall increased in size and the people realized that the shadow definitely did not belong to one of their men.
"Squeak squeak!" Instead of a monster pouncing out, a little teddy toy protruded from the side of the wall, squeaking delightfully as if ensuring the safety of the people here.
"Ted!" A little boy escaped his mother's grasp abruptly, chasing for the precious toy he dropped on the hurried way down.
"Here you go little boy." A huge hand gently placed the toy in the boy's tiny hand, creating a vivid contrast.
The boy hugged his toy, raising his head to observe the features of the bald man. "Thank you! Are you here to save us?"
Hugh scanned the whole room of the panicking people. He disliked the faces of worry and fear towards him, a stranger.
"Please. Don't worry. You're all fine. I won't do anything." As the heavy atmosphere dispelled a little more, he continued with a more genuine tone. "Evacuate orderly and you'll be safe. I swear..."
It was not a very good time to see the man who organized a massacre and caused the death of his parents during his childhood.
Chris Rent, the only Warrior out of these commoners, cowering behind women.
Luckily Hugh has already given the bear back to its original owner, or else it would have been squashed in his palms from the emotions causing rampage in his heart.
Makes sense. Chris Rent, whom father accepted as a brother, was after all, the monster who stabbed a lethal weapon into his father's back when father was completely unaware of his unsatisfying greed for the family treasure.
He barely contained the tremendous rage building up, spitting out a few stiff words. "Go evacuate now. Go along the isle carefully and freedom is yours."
With subsiding dubiety, the first man left, then a second woman, then went by people in groups.
He saw Chris Rent nearing him, crouching behind two woman for cover. So weak. So vulnerable. Hugh knew he can crush the man's skull in an instance. And he wanted to.
Hugh felt the earth between him rumble. The earth deep beneath the ground reached equilibrium with the fury he is experiencing. It was without a doubt that he thirsted for Chris Rent's blood as tribute to his family.
But... in front of the children who were climbing up his massive build as a playground despite their parents cautious warning, as well as the child holding Chris Rent's hands, it's not something he can do even though he is a mercenary. A cold blooded mercenary who killed for money.
Yes. He could not do it. It would disobey the regulations he follows, disbanding the core value that keeps him from tilting too far to the point of no return.
He will spare the people he abhors, just to protect the holy innocents from the gore scenes of a violent, revengeful payback, and to prevent a child from experiencing the loss of a loved one.
Chris Rent deserved death, but the children do not deserve the sorrow of losing a loved one.
He has brutally killed the sick bastard who took away his brother's life. All was left in his heart is nonsensical fiery vengeance. He can forgive himself for reaping a person who is maniacal enough to murder a child, as it is seeking purposeful justice, but he won't forgive himself if he went on slaughtering for a desire.
Maybe it's time to forget the past and move on.
As Chris Rent brushed past this dangerous man, safe and sound, his intensely tense muscles relaxed slightly.
Suddenly, his feet stepped into a concave, tripping over the protruding piece of earth, catching off balance.
"Woah sir! Are you alright?"
Hugh grabbed his by the arm, smiling mischievously. A milky substance emitted from his palm.
When a bottle is filled to its brim and excess liquid is still forced inside, there are subsequently two possible scenarios.
One. The cap is uncapped, so the liquid can overflow elsewhere. The bottle is unscathed, the containment area increased.
Two. The bottle breaks. And the liquid leaks. The bottle is still fine as a bottle, but broken so no water can ever be placed.
No matter how strong a container is, once it leaks, it becomes normal like any other vessels that store things.
Meridians and Aura share a common relationship.
———————————
"We've only got a few questions for you." Atlas sat crossed legged on the mat, holding the chain like a leash.
Nova dragged out the Axonn named Zhafir whom they beat up a while ago.
"Where did you get him from?"
"He is an independent mercenary!"
Barnes Rent glared at him. But the eyes tells the truth.
Atlas saw the fear quivering in his wavering pupils.
Cling!
Atlas heard a very robust slash, filled with fury. In the corner, revealed a cage, hidden in the white wall.
Four female lay unconscious on the bottom of the metal cage, one of them clearly still underage. They were sound asleep. From the frequency and amplitude of breathing, they were drugged before brought to that cage.
Blade stood there emotionless, creating another slice for an opening in the cage. He was furious. This is the doing of the leader of a glamorous family?
It was not just crossing his line, but to the all the others too, because Infuriation consumed the whole atmosphere gradually.
"How well do you feel pain?" Nova crept up, wearing a deep yet bland smirk.
His parazonium illuminated eerily dark under the golden light of the chandelier hanging in the ceiling.
Double penetration to his heart and Barnes Rent broke down instantly.
"Please. I don't want to die! Did I kill your family by accident? Please, give mercy! I have money! I can pay you! My company? You want my company? I'll give it to you. I'll sign a contract. No! I'll give you cultivation techniques! Many powerful move sets you can perform!"
Despite all the alluring offerings, Atlas and the others didn't budge their will one bit.
Forgive a cowardly crook who does the most nefarious things? Not gonna happen.
Atlas squatted down, keeping his eyes in line with Barnes's. "I don't want anything. I just need to know, where did you find that bodyguard for your son?"
"Dad? Help..." Bob flailed weakly in the sturdy rope that came in handy of binding him.
"Bob... Bob! Bob!" As his eyes laid onto Bob, he was stunned for a few seconds, before yelling insanely while bobbing his head. "I'm not scared! Why would I be afraid! You are all dead! Dead! You hear me! Even a god won't be able to resurrect you from the wrath of the Sinister Scales! Hahaha!"
Bob frowned at his father's reaction. Nothing felt right. The attitude has altered. Did he just sense, his father displaying an emotion that can be categorized as fear towards his own son?
"Sinister Scales?" Atlas lifted him up by the chain around his collar. He has spoken the key word. "How do they associate to any of you? Or to your son?"
"He's not my son."
These four words spread across the room, amplifying due to the utter silence.
^_^
Bob widened his eye in disbelief and stark shock. "Wha? Dad? What do you mean?!"
"He is the son of Borus! Capturing the only son of lord Borus! His reputation and ego will be disrupted! Your action will only agitate him! There will be no chance of survival!" Barnes released a maniacal laughter.
Atlas remained dumbstruck for a period of time, dazed at his spot.
"You feel that! The tightness wrapping your heart! The traumatization in your head!? Fear! I know you're afraid now! I know you..."
"Wow! That's amazing! This information just saved us a sh*t ton of time and effort." Atlas actually began cheering, as if unaffected by name of Sinister Scales.
[Does this guy even understand the power they possess?] Barnes screamed in this soul. This is bullsh*t! Why can't he see even the tiniest indication of fright in his tone?!
Atlas clasped his hands. "Well then. Since we've finished the current case, how are we handling him?"
"Erase him?" Nova suggested. His parazonium gleamed again, bringing the fear back into Barnes's eyes. "Just kidding. Tell us a way to contact Borus, and give us the techniques you mentioned. Might as well collect all we can."
"In the shelf, third row." Barnes succumbed to the majority.
"One? One scroll? That's it." Nova retrieved a black scroll, frowning with disappointment. Cultivation techniques are rare, most of them being low ranked.
Everything associated with Warrior arts have categories. This scroll is mostly likely a low ranked one, expected from a Tier 1 Axonn.
"It's still something. Let's check it out."
They unfurled the scroll, only to realize it was surprisingly a medium grade scroll! He could tell from the intensity of Aura pervading around the inner surface of the scroll.
"How did you get this?" Atlas questioned Barnes. A Tier 1 Axonn, has a medium grade scroll? He must be damn lucky to obtain it.
"A gift for my loyalty to Borus."
"Slick." He shifted his vision onto the instructions in the medium grade scroll.
The instructions were illustrated with words and occasional ink paintings, guiding the user step by step to mastering it.
'Sinister Dragon Claw'. The title provided its name.
"Is it safe to assume that the Sinister Scales is built off this technique?" Atlas took a gander at Nova. Rather than an independent technique, 'Sinister Dragon Claw' seemed to be more of a combo, a series of move sets.
It somewhat works like 'Punches', which is incredibly powerful after every ascending move.
"Seems legit. Try it, we won't know until we use it."
"We can learn it later." Atlas turned around to glance at Bob and Barnes. "Keep Bob away from all possible contact with the outside world. For Barnes, it's better if we interrogate him for a while longer for more detailed information. Like weaknesses or the specific count of enemies we are facing."
"I still can't believe we're taking someone hostage. Isn't that what bad guys do?" Nova approached Atlas, the Aura pervading around the scroll fading as he furled the scroll nicely.
Atlas opened his pouch to take out a few needles, getting ready to heal and awaken the drugged, unconscious women. "After what these people have done to the innocent, our actions justify."
Everyone proceeded to do their respective jobs.
Even when Bob was taken away, he was silent and dumbfounded, murmuring the same words over and over again. It's definitely going to be difficult to cope with this news, the father he's been with his whole life informing that he wasn't his real father.
———————————
At night. In the mansion of Atlas.
———————————
"Do you play video games?"
"Of course."
"Like what?"
"Pokémon!"
"Same!" Atlas, Nova and Hugh cheered in unison. "All generations from Red, Gold, Diamond, Black to X and Sun."
"What's Pokémon?" Blade, still blur as ever, questioned. Logical question from a person who has stayed in the mountains to train for all his life.
The team from Blood Hound have booked themselves a hotel to stay into. Petal and Tristan were rich enough to afford a luxurious stay in hotels as well, while penniless Blade was offered to occupy one of the many remaining rooms to rest.
The boys were in the kitchen, having copious conversations.
Atlas smiled with nostalgia. "You haven't played it? Then that's sad. You've missed on the best part about life."
"Yeah. He's right. But Atlas, why did you suddenly bring that up?"
"In every video game before a boss fight, what are the items we need to prepare to ensure a certain victory?"
"Weapons, armor... hmmm... oh, and meds! Oh yeah. Meds. You're suggesting us to purchase alchemy pills." Nova nodded in realization.
Atlas swiped out few sheets of paper from an external pocket in his needle pouch. "I was planning to try this out the last time when we were here. Remember, Nova? Those assassins really screwed our plans up badly."
"You've literally got everything! But before you proceed with practicing, shouldn't you acquire a Alchemy Cauldron first?" Nova said.
"Give me a sec. I'll figure it out."
[Yo. Nam. Do you copy?]
{What's up?} Nam leaned against an upside down bell-shaped stool, scrubbing his long white beard. It's funny how his hair is thinning while his beard is growing long and healthily.
[Have things been popping up lately? I don't know, as time progressed?]
{Not really.} Around the arcane shrine, also appeared multiple objects, but most of them being ordinary furniture and indistinct items, for example, this stool like metal pot he's leaning on.
[Come on. There must be something valuable, something unique. Have you seen an alchemy cauldron?]
{Never seen or heard of anything like that.}
[Cauldron... cauldron... a pot like thing... with unfamiliar ruins or patterns? Solid metallic material? Possibly a stand in the bottom? It's hard to explain.]
{Oh.} Nam paused for a while, adjusting to a better position. He looked back all of a sudden, examining the stool he was leaning on to rest. {There is one thing that kinda fits your explanation. But I'm not sure what it is.}
[Great! Can you get it out to the real world like how you inserted the chain technique elsewhere?]
With absolutely certainty, Nam answered confidently. {No, I can't.}
Nova, Blade, Tristan and Hugh waited by the side in confusion as Atlas stood there motionless, looking dumb as he occasionally twitched the muscles around his face.
[Oh come on. Try pressing some button or squeezing it like last time. That might work?]
{Nah. Trust me. This pendant relates to you, so you control it. I remembered you triggering the chain technique last time. What did you do?}
[I concentrated and used my Third Eye to sorta visualize the words in my head. Though I'm pretty sure it won't work as not everything resolves around...]
A wide beam of white light rained from the sky, engulfing the cauldron and vanished without trace.
[Spiritual Energy.]
Atlas's jaw dropped as a metal bell-like object smashed onto the wooden floor, leaving a visible dent as a string of white light dispersed, which connects the object to his pendant before his chest.
{Atlas. A sky-beam just dropped from the sky! And the stool is gone! You won't believe it! I could have died there!} Nam exclaimed with a hint of sarcasm.
{Trust me. If the pendant wanted to end you, you would have been a wisp of air right now. On the bright side, it actually worked. I can remove objects from within the pendant with my Spiritual Energy. Except that I feel really exhausted for some reason...}
Atlas staggered one step forward before tilting too much, showing no intention to stop the fall as if his energy has just been completely drained.
Nova snapped out of awe earlier than Hugh and Blade when a cauldron appeared out of nowhere.
He caught Atlas by one arm, allowing Atlas to slip smoothly on the ground, right beside the cauldron.
Ignoring the snoring Atlas, Nova scrutinized the cauldron, reading aloud the words inscribed in modern language.
'Beginners' Alchemy Cauldron'.
Atlas has from somewhere, and somehow, magically brought them, a Cauldron for Alchemy.
^_^
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