Bab 31: Exposed

"Sonic Thief," said Frank as he gazed through the window, causing his face to be basking in the morning sunlight.

Franks felt the warmth of the sunlight on his face as his eyes were dull, seemingly lost in thought, while his consciousness drifted off the memories of his past. He remembered the prime time of his life. It was five years ago, and the time when awakeners began to escalate, which also signifies the beginning of the Golden time.

Frank giggled as he remembered he was a mischievous and playful person even though he was almost nearing sixty's that time. He wore a cap as though he was a superhero, but he committed the opposite of how should the hero act.

"The mysterious and the fastest person alive," continued Frank. "Sigh, the past is a past. I could only admire those times while feeling regret afterward. Who told me to steal something beyond what I could hold? The pleasure of stealing became a nightmare to me."

Frank shook his head as he let go of the curtain, which immediately returned to its previous position. The morning sunlight was blocked and could not penetrate inside. Frank sat on his chair while he relaxed his body for a moment.

He gazed at the paper lying on the desk as he sighed.

"They are really persistent. Thankfully, I have some connections in the government, and I managed to get out of the hands of the Leo troops. However, the government still persisted in giving a complete report of what transpired in the Dimensional zone. What can I explain, then? That I help the boss escape under their eyes? And that the boss managed to bypass the rule of the Dimensional Gate? And that Draven arose from the dead?"

Frank continued grumbling non-stop as he resigned with a sigh.

"It's useless telling them nonsensical explanations. The only plausible solution to escape from their constant interrogation was to disappear."

The moment he said the last words. A creaking sound echoed from the door. Frank moved his head upward as he gazed at the person entering inside. Frank's helpless expression changed into a mischievous smirk. Frank's head turned sideways while stopping at the assistant once the latter stood before his desk.

"Nicholas, have you found what you are looking for while I'm gone?" Frank asked in indifference as he stood up from his chair.

He strolled over to Nicholas, his assistant, as he tapped his desk in a playful manner while having a casual expression on his face. His question, as though simple and did not contain other meanings.

However, Nicholas was stunned when he heard it, but he immediately composed himself as he asked with an indifferent stare.

"What I'm trying to find, Master? Did you order me something I'm not aware of?"

"Don't call me Master, Nicholas. I don't know you precisely." Frank's death stared closely at Nicholas. "Tell me, who are you? Where is the actual Nicholas?"

The atmosphere turned heavy as the dead silence followed afterward. No one moved, nor even the fish in the aquarium, as it flipped itself sideways. It was dead the moment the atmosphere turned grim and heavy. It was as though the room suddenly increased its gravity by a hundred percent.

"I'm confused." Nicholas's head tilted sideways while his eyebrows knitted at each other. "I don't know what you are talking about, Mas-, Frank."

"Don't take me for a fool, Imposter. Tell me…" Frank's eyes narrowed, and Nicholas groaned from the sudden pressure. "Who are you?! Don't test my patience! Remember, I have tortured many people to the point they would ask for the blessings of death! Their skins were peeled, their eyes were pulled out, their tongue was cut, and their private parts were cut."

Frank continued the threat, and his tone did not betray his words. Nicholas, or rather the imposter, could feel truthful behind those words. Frank's threatening words were casual and as though he only said something he remembered he committed. It was not a lie to say Nicholas was scared.

If only he was aware of his suspicions of Frank towards him. He would have escaped from the very first day. Who was he kidding? It was a man who achieved the Peerless stage, after all. While him? He had only reached the unbound stage, and his Path did not lean to offensive or defensive type.

The Path he awakened was the Path of the Trickster. In addition, all the phase abilities he had, leaned more on disguise. With the combination of his Path and his current job. It would not be an exaggeration to say he was the perfect spy!

However, there was the biggest drawback despite the "Perfect Spy" title he held. He had infiltrated many bigwigs, but this was the first time he was exposed, and the drawback that had been silent for years arise. He could not get out of the circumstances no matter what.

He had been confident that he would complete the mission without any problem, and thus he did not create countermeasures when his drawbacks acted. There was no use regretting now, as the only thing he could do to escape from the clutch of the Peerless Master was something floating on his head.

"L-Let me explain."

Nicholas was having a hard time breathing, for Frank had already grabbed his neck and held it tightly. He could not speak, so he resorted to a pitiful expression painted on his face. He was desperate, and it could be seen from his hand bulging with veins, as it was trying to push Frank's hand away.

"Don't waste my time," said Frank.

Frank did not let go of his hand from Nicholas' neck, but he loosened the grip, so Nicholas could have the time to speak. Nicholas's legs calmed down from the constant wiggled as he felt within his heart that a chance fell, and he should grab it before he lost it.

"It should be better not to tell you. If you realized the client who gave the mission of spying and gathering info about the object he desired, you would have left with cold feet." Nicholas sneered.

Although it appeared he was threatening Frank with nonsensical words, Frank sensed otherwise. Frank felt Nicholas's warning was factual. However, he still needs to attest to it so there would be no misunderstanding circling his head.

"Just tell me! Did you forget the stage I reached?"

"Exactly! The clients behind me were already aware of how strong you are, but still nonchalantly issued a mission of spying and gaining information about you! However, they only did that for the sake of an item or object they were trying to locate! It means they do not even place you in their eyes!"

Nicholas continued to convince Frank stopping him from revealing the information about his client. After all, even he felt fearful of thinking about the background of the person behind him. From the moment he was discovered to awaken a perfect spy Path was the moment he was recruited by them.

By "them" he meant was exactly a group of people, not a single person behind his back. If he revealed even a tiny hint of the background of the group of people behind him, he could not guarantee he could still live in a couple of days.

"Is it one of them, then?" Frank frowned.

Nicholas, the imposter, did not reply but sneered filled with triumph and hope for another day of his life.