Elizabeth understood something was wrong.
She reread the message.
There was someone who wanted to meet her?
Was this a direct message or a code?
She thought back to everything that happened today.
The only thing that stood out was…
“The coffee shop girl in the disguise.”
Elizabeth frowned.
“No, that can’t be. There is no way Neo would go in such a roundabout way to have me meet someone.
“It doesn’t make sense.”
Then again, this wouldn’t be the first time something about Neo didn’t make sense.
For one, the chaotic time elementals around Neo suggested he had regressed 3~4 times.
However, given his current strength, Elizabeth knew he had regressed far more times.
He somehow found a way to eliminate the chaotic time elementals.
It should’ve been impossible for him.
But the truth was bare before her eyes.
“It doesn’t hurt to try.”
Saying so, Elizabeth closed her eyes.
She chanted a short Spell under her breath.
Her eyes hidden behind the eyelids glowed.
Her vision synchronized with every water surface within the city.
Thousands of images appeared within her mind.
Elizabeth looked through with a practiced motion.
“I can’t find her anywhere.”
The spell ‘Water Reflect’ was a powerful but widely known spell.
The countermeasures against it were not secret.
Elizabeth wasn’t surprised.
Given the woman’s disguise, she had expected this to happen.
The lead disappeared.
Elizabeth would’ve hit the roadblock in her investigation.
But she was an Exalted demigod.
She chanted more Spells, layering multiple chants over the Water Reflect Spell.
The images in her mind moved.
They showed her the memories of the water surfaces.
It was easy to find the girl with her new method.
Elizabeth followed the images in her mind and arrived at the location from where the girl disappeared.
The alley was dark and enshrouded in shadows.
It didn’t take her long to find an invisible magic circle carved on the ground.
There were faint traces of Divine Energy around the place.
Elizabeth crouched and studied them.
“This must belong to the girl.”
Her gaze shifted to the diagram.
“Teleportation magic circle. It will activate with only specific Divine Energy signatures.”
The magic circle would explode if anyone else other than the registered Divine Energy tried to activate it.
Elizabeth stood up.
The Divine Energy around her churned.
She used her Concept.
The signature of her Divine Energy changed, turning similar to the traces of Divine Energy left on the ground.
She activated the magic circle.
Her gaze was on the chats displayed on her device.
“I hope this is something important, Neo.”
Or she would make sure he regretted playing with her heart today.
…
Deepest part of Ares Clan Headquarters.
“You’ve returned home, boy.”
“Greetings to the Clan Leader.”
Mars bowed to the giant seated on the throne.
He had flaming red hair, fierce eyes, a deep, slow voice that made one’s soul shudder.
Mars kept his head down.
He waited for the patriarch to say something.
“Boy…”
Mars’ jaws tightened.
The man never called his name.
He knew it was how the man was.
The man treated everyone the same way.
“I’ve heard about the Press Conference of Hargraves Corporation.”
Mars’ brows rose ever so slightly.
His heart thumped against his chest.
He struggled to suppress the growing excitement.
“Is this why you called me back home?”
Was the man going to ask him about Neo?
The first child of Death was certainly interesting news.
“Neo, he… is my friend.”
Mars did his best to calm himself.
The man – father – questioned him about his friend.
Their following conversation was going to be a familial talk, from a subjective point of view at least.
Not the dry Clan and War God Ares ideology exchange they had been having for years.
“He is the leader of my team—”
“I want to know about the True Soul Weapons.”
The man’s words poured cold water over Mars’ heated head.
“Do they work as Henry Hargraves advertises them?”
“…I do not know.”
“Those weapons can remove the chains that have been binding you until now.
“You are telling me you didn’t use your connection with Neo Hargraves to know more about them?”
The man stared at Mars with a deep, powerful gaze.
Mars felt drained when the surging emotions disappeared.
It was his mistake to have expected a familial warmth from the man.
“I don’t like to use weapons. I’m a martial artist,” he said. “It is my path.”
He wanted to laugh at the irony.
At his own answer.
The man and he were similar.
Both had the ideology of power above all.
They were driven by a flaming desire to reach the apex.
There was just one thing that separated them.
Morals.
The man was ready to sacrifice anything – anyone – for his dream.
Mars was not.
“The Clan’s Council has decided to be generous and buy a True Soul Weapon for you.”
The man ignored Mars words and added,
“You will bond with the weapon and finally break free from the limitations that have been holding you back.”
“Generous?”
Mars almost sneered.
He was thankful that his friends were not here.
He could show his ugly self to the man without any worry.
“The Clan Council that forced me to be the Rank 100, the last rank among all the God Clan members, wants to gift me a True Soul Weapon generously?”
“Indeed.”
The man ignored the sarcasm dripping from Mars’ tone.
“The Clan Council has decided that investing in you in the current situation is the best for the Clan.”
“And I have decided against following their decision.
“I’m a martial artist. I don’t like using a weapon.”
“Why are you being so stubborn, boy?”
“Why? You ask that now?”
Mars barely stopped himself from snapping.
Nothing had changed.
The man remained oblivious just like always. And Mars hated him as always.
“I asked you a question.”
“Mother never used weapons either.”
Mars could’ve kept his mouth shut.
But he answered.
Because this was one of the only topics that hit the man like a slap in the face.
“I want to be like Mother. A shining star. A radiant phoenix.”
“Your mother wouldn’t have liked you giving up a chance of being stronger.” freēwēbnovel.com
The man’s voice grew soft as he continued.
“If she were here, she would’ve told you to take this chance and soar your wings.”
“If she was here.” Mars’ voice was lace with contempt. “But she is dead. Seven feets too deep into the ground.”
The man’s face hardened.
Mars didn’t stop.
“She died and was mocked. Her martial arts—her pride—that she honed for her life was said to be the reason why she died as a weakling.
“You never…”
Mars closed his mouth.
He took a breath and tried to calm himself.
It was not like him to talk back against the man.