“Hmm…” Victor hummed as he observed the table members of the Arcane Hunter Organization in person for the first time rather than through a hologram.
Seated before him were four table members, along with the Master, each draped in heavy hooded cloaks, their faces hidden in shadows as if they still wished to maintain secrecy even in their own domain.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it… Victor?” the Master spoke softly, his gaze steady as he locked eyes with Victor.
“Indeed… It’s been quite some time, Master,” Victor responded with a slow nod, his eyes lingering on the bulky hooded figure for more than a second before shifting back to the Master.
“You certainly took your time coming here, didn’t you? Even though we called you repeatedly?” the Master questioned, his tone calm, yet there was an unmistakable edge of irritation beneath his words.
Victor remained unfazed. Leaning back slightly, he replied in a relaxed yet firm manner, “I have been occupied with my responsibilities as an Emperor… and, quite conveniently, while I was away, my Empire was invaded.
Almost as if it had been planned in advance.” His voice held a hint of suspicion, his gaze subtly narrowing as he gauged their reactions.
The group of hooded figures exchanged brief glances, their postures stiffening slightly at his words. The Master, however, remained composed and asked directly, “Are you suggesting that… we had something to do with that?”
Victor nodded without hesitation, “Of course. What else am I supposed to think? You summon me there with vague words about some so-called ‘fun,’ and when I arrive, all I find is a stone and some sticky black liquid. No explanations, no real objective, just a pointless wait. And I have been waiting… waiting… waiting… WAITING!”
Slam!
Victor’s hand slammed down on the table, the force of it echoing through the garden. His expression darkened as he leaned forward, voice laced with irritation, “Do you think it’s amusing to waste my time? Let me remind you, it was you who reached out to me.
It was you who approved my entry into this organization. And now, you dare to deceive me? Master… do you truly take me for a fool?” His words carried an unmistakable warning, and for a brief moment, a cold, dangerous aura seeped from him.
The four hooded figures clenched their fists, their bodies tensing as if prepared to strike him down at any moment.
However, before any of them could act, the Master calmly raised his hand, a silent command that made them freeze in place. His voice remained even as he addressed Victor, “I understand your frustration. We called you here, and at the same time, your Empire was attacked. Given the circumstances, it’s only natural that you would start drawing connections and suspecting us… I acknowledge that.”
Victor’s eyes remained sharp, “So, you admit it was you after all?”
The Master, however, merely smiled, shaking his head. “No. We had nothing to do with it, Victor. I can assure you of that. Betraying one of our own is not something we would ever do.” His tone was solemn, carrying an air of conviction.
Victor, however, found amusement in his words. Internally, he scoffed, ‘Of course, I believe that nonsense’….. But aloud, he simply asked, “Then who was it?”
The Master exhaled, his expression unreadable. “We don’t know the answer to that. But what I do know for certain is that no one in this organization would betray you. I will personally vouch for that, Victor.”
Victor, however, “I can’t buy into this bullshit anymore,” he muttered before rising to his feet. “I’m done with this. I will be leaving this organization.”
The Master blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “What?” He had expected resistance, but never did he imagine Victor would outright sever ties with them.
Victor shrugged, “Yeah. There’s no reason for me to stay in an organization that I can’t trust. If you betray me, or even doubt me, then why should I remain loyal? I have better options elsewhere. So, I’ll be joining another organization instead.”
The table members shifted uneasily, their hooded heads tilting slightly as they processed his words. The Master frowned, “Another organization?”
Victor smirked, his expression carrying a hint of amusement. “That’s right. You people spend all your time chasing after these so-called chosen ones, trying to halt whatever process you claim is happening. Meanwhile, there’s another group out there that isn’t just hunting chosen ones… They’re creating them.”
His words struck them. The atmosphere shifted as an almost imperceptible flinch ran through the table members.
“What are you talking about? That’s not possible—” the Master began, but his sentence was abruptly cut off.
Thud!
Victor placed a suitcase on the table.
The reaction was immediate. The table members stiffened, their breathing turning shallow as their eyes darted toward one another in silent unease.
“Where—ahem” the Master cleared his throat before rephrasing his question. “What exactly is that?”
Victor’s smirk widened, his fingers tapping lightly on the surface of the suitcase. “This, my dear Master… has the potential to create a chosen one. You see… I obtained it from the Sovereign…. Or rather, I stole it,” he added with a chuckle, clearly amused by his own audacity.
“And you know what? I find these guys far more entertaining than you. So, yeah… I’m leaving this organization.” His voice dripped with finality as he leaned back, arms crossed.
A heavy silence filled the garden except for the… flowers that swayed in the air.
The Master and the table members remained motionless for a moment as if processing his words. Then, after a brief pause, the Master snapped his fingers.
And in the blink of an eye, everyone except Victor and the Master vanished.
Victor raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting into one of mild disbelief. “What? Are you seriously trying to fight me?”
However, instead of reacting with tension, the Master simply chuckled, a soft, knowing sound, “It’s not that, Victor. I have no intention of fighting you… I simply want to have a conversation.” His words were calm, yet there was something in his tone that suggested this conversation was more important than Victor realized.
Victor shook his head in irritation, his lips curling in distaste. “I’m not interested in your cryptic bullshit. No matter what you say, I won’t—”
“Tell me, Victor,” the Master interjected smoothly, his voice cutting through Victor’s words with precision,
“How exactly are you planning to find that organization? The one responsible for creating those things?” His tone was calm as he slowly stood up from his seat, his movements deliberate as he stepped toward Victor, closing the gap between them ever so slightly.
Victor narrowed his eyes, “That’s easy,” he answered with confidence, “Since Alaric is the one who betrayed the Sovereign, he’s the most likely person to be involved with that group. So, all I have to do is track down Alaric and make him talk.”
The Master hummed softly, tilting his head slightly as if lost in thought. ‘Alaric… that man is proving to be more of a liability than an asset,’ he mused internally before shifting his focus back to Victor. “Tell me, have you ever really wondered about the Chosen Ones?”
“Hmm?” Victor frowned.
The Master took another slow step forward,
“I mean… they all possess that unique Rainbow Arcane Card, don’t they?” He paused briefly before stepping past Victor, moving just enough so that he was no longer directly in front of him but still close enough for his words to linger ominously,
“You see… there are monsters with Golden, Silver, Copper, and even Blank Crystals embedded in their bodies, just like how we have Golden, Silver, Copper, and Blank Arcane Cards.” He turned his head slightly,
“But here’s the real question, Victor. If there are creatures that align with those types… then what about the Rainbow Arcane Card? If someone possesses that, wouldn’t it stand to reason that somewhere out there, a Rainbow Arcane Crystal Monster should exist as well?”
Victor’s frown deepened, “…Yeah. I suppose that makes sense,”
The Master nodded as if confirming something to himself,
“But then… where are they?” His voice became softer, almost eerie,
“Where are these supposed Rainbow Crystal Monsters? No one has seen a single one in thousands of years. Not in recorded history. Not in myths. Not even in the whispers of old tales.” He turned slightly, letting the weight of his question settle, his gaze never leaving Victor. “And yet… we have Rainbow Arcane Cards. Doesn’t that strike you as strange?”
“Just get to the point already”
“Haha… Youngsters nowadays don’t have patience at all…” he muttered softly and…
The Master halted his steps, his smirk deepening as he reached up and slowly pulled down the hood of his cloak.
For the first time, his face was revealed—a pale, almost ghostly complexion, his bald head smooth and unblemished, except for one striking feature: a massive ‘X’ scar that ran across his face, cutting from his forehead down to his cheek.
Victor acted slightly surprised.
“Rainbow Cards… or Rainbow Crystals… are the very foundation of everything, Victor. They are the first” His voice carried an eerie certainty, “And that’s where the real truth lies.
You see, the term ‘Rainbow’ is nothing more than a misinterpretation—an illusion created over time.
The true name of that card… of that crystal…”
His grin widened ever so slightly, a shadow passing over his features.
“Origin.”
“The Origin Crystal… The Origin Card,” the Master continued, his voice almost reverent, as if speaking of a long-forgotten deity. “They were the first of their kind. The predecessor of everything we know.
And do you know how they came to be?”
He paused for a moment before,
“They were created from the merging of two unique energies… Arcane Energy… and Clarion Energy.”
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[Author’s Note: 01/02/2025: The code can be redeemed by 10 different users with 10 FPs/user. Your code number is <ABDHYJEAEFDNAFAYB> and you can find the redemp centre at Profile-Redeem.]