Alister’s breath hitched as his gaze shifted to the far corner of the room. At first, it seemed like a trick of the dim light, but then he saw them-two glowing silver eyes staring back at him from the darkness. His muscles tensed, and his heart pounded in his chest. Slowly, the eyes moved, gliding toward him, a figure emerging from the darkness.
As the figure stepped forward, Alister’s own yellow eyes began to glow with a cold, predator- like intensity. His expression hardened, a glimmer of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.
He clenched his fists as he spoke, “What are you doing here… sir?”
The figure paused mid-step, seemingly unfazed by Alister’s sharp tone. There was casual amusement in the stranger’s voice as they chuckled lightly.
“Yikes, calm down, Alister,” the figure said, stepping into the moonlight that spilled through the window.
Pausing to look at the city’s beauty beyond it, “You know, the view up here is really nice. Your sister must have really liked it.” The figure could feel Alister’s bloodlust intensifying.
“If I wasn’t mistaken, I’d say I just felt a trace of murderous intent from you. That is no way to act towards your guildmaster.”
As the figure finally came fully into the light, the silver glow of the moonlight seemed to make their silver hair come alive, shimmering with an almost magical aura.
There was no mistaking that silver hair, nor the confident smirk on the man’s face or his voice. The man standing before him was none other than Yuuto, the guildmaster of the White Comets.
“Sir…” Alister muttered under his breath, still on edge.
Yuuto grinned, a playful glint in his silver eyes. He folded his arms and tilted his head, watching Alister with a calm yet curious expression.
“Surprised to see me, Alister?” Yuuto asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I had a feeling you’d come running here after hearing the news about your sister. Didn’t want you choking the head doctor, so I had to make sure I’d personally inform you.”
Alister didn’t stop glaring, but his fists slowly relaxed as he decided to process the situation.
“What is your reason for being here? When did you even leave the guild?”
Yuuto’s expression became slightly serious as he spoke. “That doesn’t matter, what does is the fact that I was the one who issued the transfer.”
“I sent Aiko over to pick Miyu up while you and the others were back in the wastelands.”
Alister’s brows knitted together. “Why would you do that?”
Yuuto’s gaze slowly turned to gaze back at the city illuminated by the moonlight. “Your sister’s illness was only getting worse, Alister.”
“At the rate things were going, the time she had left would have been cut in half. I couldn’t let her die here while you were out there fighting for the guild.”
Yuuto then turned to gaze at Alister as he spoke with a calm look on his face. “What kind of guild master would I be if I let something like that happen?”
A chill ran down Alister’s spine. “But… the doctor said she had two months. It’s only been half that so far. How can your prediction be better than theirs?”
Yuuto’s eyebrows raised in surprise at Alister’s response. He chuckled lightly, a glimmer of amusement in his silver eyes. “Obviously, because I know better, that’s how.”
Alister’s voice was tense as he asked, lowering his head, “Is she ok?”
Yuuto gave a small nod, his silver eyes gleaming. “Of course. She’s in good hands, although her condition is getting worse but at a slower rate.”
Alister let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. His shoulders loosened, but there was still an invisible weight hanging in the air.
“Why the transfer? Couldn’t you have brought more advanced equipment to her here?”
Yuuto sighed, his expression softening. “Is that question even necessary? This space wouldn’t have been able to contain the necessary equipment needed even if I decided to take that approach. You should be thanking me, not asking unnecessary questions.”
Alister felt gratitude rising in his chest. He opened his mouth to thank Yuuto, but before he could say anything, Yuuto continued, cutting him off.
“Besides that,” Yuuto added, his tone shifting as he smiled, “I couldn’t let her become a target or a bargaining chip to control you…”
“I knew that after the event in the wastelands, you’d inevitably make some enemies. So I decided it was necessary to help you protect her.”
Alister’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean by that?”
Yuuto calmly walked past Alister, heading toward the door. His voice took on a teasing tone as he asked.
“Do I need to remind you who gave you the mask you wear, Mr. Spade? Or the fact you annihilated the Reapers?”
Alister’s gaze sharpened, his eyes narrowing at the mention of those words. The tension in the room thickened as his thoughts swirled. Yuuto noticed the shift in Alister’s demeanor and turned, flashing a grin tapping his shoulder.
“Ease up. I’m not going to punish you for anything. You must have acted in self-defense, I’m sure. I know they were the ones behind all that happened.”
“But you taking out a team of SS ranks is a feat worthy of a medal. Your dragons must have really outdone themselves.” he said with a knowing smile, his gaze locked with Alister’s. Then suddenly, he let out a sigh.
Yuuto waved a hand dismissively as he walked past him and into the hall. “We shouldn’t waste too much time here. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow. So why don’t you follow me? Let’s go see your sister and call it a night.”
Terra’s voice echoed softly in Alister’s mind, ‘My lord…’
Before she could continue, Alister cut her off.
‘I understand, it’s obvious he knows.’
‘But besides that… Something about him is beginning to feel familiar.’
‘Somehow similar to Anya…’
As Yuuto walked down the hallway, Alister’s gaze sharpened. His yellow eyes shifted, taking on a more reptilian appearance as he focused intently, trying to activate his ability to open But just as was about to delve deeper, the system flashed a
Yuuto’s status win
message in front of him.
[Notice! The player currently isn’t allowed to perform this action.]
Alister’s heart skipped a beat, his eyes widening in shock at the unexpected notification. He
slowly refocused his gaze on Yuuto, his mind racing.
‘I may be wrong… but… I think he may be some how related to a dragon.’
‘Or he might just be one.’
Unbeknownst to Alister, Yuuto smiled to himself, sensing the weight of Alister’s gaze on him. He paused briefly, letting his smile fade back to its usual calm expression before turning his
head slightly.
“Why are you standing there like a statue?” Yuuto asked with a touch of amusement. “Come now, don’t tell me you plan to stand there all night?”
Alister nodded silently and fell into step beside Yuuto. Together, they walked toward the
elevator, the soft click of their boots echoing in the quiet hall. As they moved, Alister’s
thoughts wandered.
It was true-a part of him still didn’t like Yuuto. His methods were always so cryptic, and there was something about him that made Alister uneasy. But the fact remained: compared to everyone else, Yuuto was the closest thing to an ally he had beyond his dragons.
As they stepped into the elevator, the quiet sounds of the machinery accompanied the
descent. Alister leaned back against the wall, watching the dim floor numbers tick down. His mind was still racing with a thousand thoughts when Yuuto suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. “Alister,” Yuuto’s tone was calm but serious. “I want you to answer this question honestly. And it has nothing to do with the wasteland display event.”
Alister glanced at him, his yellow eyes narrowing slightly. He wasn’t sure where this was
going, but he nodded after a moment.
“Alright.”
Yuuto’s silver eyes glimmered under the artificial light as he asked the question, his voice
low.
“If a time were to come, and you had to make a choice, would you abandon the world to save your sister, or would you abandon your sister to save the world?”
The question hit Alister like a bolt of lightning, but his answer came in an instant, there was
no need to think about it.
“Abandon the world to save my sister.”
Yuuto paused, his expression unreadable for a few moments. Then, a weak chuckle escaped
his lips, and a touch of disappointment appeared in his silver eyes.
“You’re not ready.”
He said softly, shaking his head. “That wasn’t the correct answer. But I’m sure you’ll find the
right one soon.”
Before Alister could react, the elevator doors slid open with a soft ding, and they both stepped out. The hallway ahead stretched into the distance, but Alister’s mind was elsewhere, racing through the conversation.
‘If the answer I picked wasn’t the correct one, then logically the second option must be…
right?’
His brows furrowed in confusion. ‘But the way he spoke… he made it sound like both answers were wrong. So why ask the question at all?’
His thoughts churned as they continued walking, Yuuto now silent beside him. The question nagged at Alister, twisting around in his head like a puzzle with no solution.
Yuuto’s cryptic ways had always frustrated him, but this time it felt different, more personal.
Alister stole a glance at the man walking beside him.
‘What game is he playing?’