บท 177: Chapter 92: The Anthology Returns to Despair (Part 1)
Ethan: "Tsk!"
Touching his head because of the headache he feels as soon as he is teleported to Kesley, Ethan clicks his tongue and tries to calm himself.
But in the couple of seconds that he takes to accomplish that, Gabriel appears there as well.
Gabriel: "Sorry about that!"
He says as he knows well about the headache any non-Psychic feels when teleported over long distances like that.
Ethan: "Well, you are not forgiven, you loser!"
He says with a level of plain annoyance that would make most people uncomfortable, Gabriel included.
Ethan: "So, what was it that you needed my help for anyway?"
He asks then, as he looks around and finds the scenery of the city just the way the Hellfire Laurie Brown showed it.
Gabriel: "I need you to find some people."
Ethan: "What?! Do I look like a Sherlock Holmes or something?!"
Gabriel: "Well, you are probably the closest to him this crappy world has to offer."
Ethan: "Heh! I seriously doubt that!"
While using his eyes to try to analyse the state the city is in, Ethan finds something else to be annoyed by.
Ethan: "From what I can pick up, this destruction was definitely done by a Psychic."
Gabriel: "Are you serious?"
To cause this level of destruction, and to do with Psychic prowess, the list of suspects who can pull that off is very short.
Ethan: "It was probably a simple charge of energy you guys do by Aura Manipulation. But, the amount of energy and the amount of willpower required to hold that energy - the guy who did it couldn't have been much weaker than the Phoenix, if maybe not stronger."
He says, already having realized who the perpetrator would be.
Gabriel: "T-that means … I can only think of one person who could fit that description."
Ethan: "Well, I can think of two. And, I guarantee it's not the one you are thinking."
What Gabriel Washington, or any man in his position would automatically consider the prime suspect, would be the strongest man in the world - Walter Schmidt.
But, Ethan knows quite well that he wouldn't have done something like this.
Something like this, it could only be done by a 'God', or someone who thinks they are a God.
Ethan: "Back to our earlier topic though,"
And strongly suspecting that telling Gabriel that it was Ozyllus' handiwork wouldn't convince him, Ethan changes the subject back.
Ethan: "Who is it that you want me to find?"
He asks, reminding Gabriel of the topic, who, quite firmly answers,
Gabriel: "My family."
Ethan: "Your family should be in Ruri, not Kesley."
Without being very surprised, he points that out.
Gabriel: "And how the hell do you know that they were in Ruri?"
Taking Gabriel by surprise though, Ethan still continues in a calm tone.
Ethan: "I keep tabs on the information related to as many important figures, even those that are losers, as I can."
Gabriel: "... is that so?"
With a sigh, the Hellfire says,
Gabriel: "Well, I guess you haven't been able to get the latest information then."
Ethan: "And what is that?"
Ethan asks, his curiosity starting to peak.
Gabriel: "When the Phoenix gave me this mission, coincidentally, I came across something horrible."
Ethan: "Describe 'horrible'."
Feeling uncomfortable but knowing that there's no choice and that he doesn't have too much time to waste, Gabriel explains to him everything.
Gabriel: "My fiance and my in-laws were killed right then."
Ethan: "Oh, the reason for your revenge took place right then, huh?"
Ethan scoffs, not at himself or the Hellfire in front of him, but at a certain word the Hellfire had said a few seconds earlier.
Gabriel: "Anyway, as you know, it was Bronzer who did it. And, since I was going after him, I didn't want him to be able to use the same tactic once again. So I-"
Ethan: "Ahahahaha!!!"
Hearing everything he has said and knowing everything he is going to say, Ethan can't help but laugh.
Ethan: "Y-you … hahaha … you asked the Phoenix … to bring them to Kesley and keep them safe?"
He laughs continuously as he asks, utterly bewildered by the stupidity of the man in front of him.
Gabriel: "What's so funny about that?"
Ethan: "Heh! What indeed!"
Ethan Kales looks at the wreckage all around him, smirking at things no one can see, and tells the Hellfire.
Ethan: "Your family's dead."
Gabriel: "Why you- You haven't even checked yet-"
Ethan: "I don't need to check, you idiot!"
He says with a smirk that doesn't at all mock the Hellfire but hurts him even more than mockery could.
Ethan: "Your family is dead. And they didn't die in this incident by the way. They became Vampire food quite a while before this ever happened."
Gabriel: "What!? What the hell are you-"
Ethan: "When you asked the Phoenix to bring them here to keep them safe, did you tell him to prioritize their safety before they reached here?"
Gabriel: "N-no, but-"
Ethan: "But? Seriously, 'but'? Do you not know a single thing about Rosevelt's personality? If you tell him to keep them safe after bringing them here, he won't let anyone touch a single hair on their body after bringing them here but before they reach here; if they are killed, slaughtered, beheaded, chopped into a million pieces, that's none of his business."
Gabriel steps backs, unwilling to admit the truth in Ethan's words.
Gabriel: "But, why … why would … Rosevelt a-allow that?"
Ethan: "Because you idiot, when you would have ideally come back to this city with us, having completed your mission like the diligent slave you are, and then you would have found all of them dead, and in the worst way possible … it would have been fun to see your reaction."
Gabriel: "..."
Silence, complete silence surrounds Gabriel.
His whole resolve and his firm exterior have come crashing down with the words Ethan has yelled at him.
It's true that the Phoenix, who seems to not care about the consequences of his actions, who seems to think that everything is meaningless because everything with meaning has already ended, it's true that someone like him might use an opportunity like that to his advantage to satiate his boredom.
But,
Gabriel: "What if … what if … how could you possibly know they were attacked anyway!? Maybe no Vampires ever attacked them and they reached the city safely!"
Trying to convince himself rather than Ethan, he says those words, to which Ethan scoffs.
Ethan: "Yeah, right!"
Gabriel: "It … it may …"
Ethan: "You seriously believe it was JUST A COINCIDENCE that Bronzer attacked your family right when you got that order from the Phoenix?"
Gabriel: "It … it's p-possible!"
Ethan: "Possible? Me killing Walter Schmidt with a rock is also 'possible'. But, you know what? The amount of LUCK I will need for that to happen, I will never have it."
Gabriel: "..."
With a slump of his legs, he falls to the ground, staring at nothingness in despair.
Gabriel: "So … so what does this mean!?"
He isn't even sure what he is asking, but he is probably not asking something pointless.
Ethan: "Well, it means that the bastard strategist of the Vampire Kingdom predicted your every move, and because it seemed like fun, Rosevelt let go of countless chances of capturing or killing him, essentially betraying the Dragon Alliance, which is also something that bastard predicted, which doesn't really make sense how and why but …"
Scratching his head over Bronzer and Rosevelt, two of the greatest enigmas he has ever had to deal with in his life, Ethan sighs and looks back at Gabriel as he says,
Ethan: "For YOU though, it just means that you now are where I, Kais and Sona were 12 years ago."
Gabriel: "..."
Ethan: "In a pit of despair, with nothing left to lose."
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