Adrian, his eyes still fixed on the scene before him didn’t need to look at Chen to know he was speaking the truth.
He folded his arms, his expression darkening as he assessed the power of the dragons and the mana he could feel from them.
“I’ll have to agree…”
“By their mana purity alone, I can tell they’re at least SS rank, if not SSS.”
Eryx nodded, “They’re not just any summons. These creatures are strong.”
Chen chuckled lightly, tapping his fingers on his chin. “Oh, I can see that. It’s like a showdown of power-though I doubt Aethel’s even realized just how far out of his depth he is yet.”
Adrian shot Chen a quick, irritated glance. “You’re enjoying this far too much.”
Chen just smirked, clearly unfazed by the exchange. “Hey, you know me. I appreciate a good show when I see one.”
Chen’s expression suddenly changed, now having a more intense look on his face. “But…”
“This is going a bit too far…”
“What’s old Yuuto thinking, letting his kid run wild like this? Someone needs to rein him in.”
Adrian raised an eyebrow at the mention of the old man. “Now that you mention it…”
“…I haven’t seen the old man around for a while. Think he actually supports this?”
Eryx shrugged casually as he spoke. “Beats me. I’ve heard rumors that the immortal geezer and the Union president are old pals,” he said with a sly grin.
“So I doubt they’ll be handing out any heavy punishment to the kid. If anything, they might just give him a little slap on the wrist.”
Chen narrowed his eyes, his mind working through the implications. “That kind of relationship could explain a lot,” he muttered, his tone tinged with skepticism. “But still… it’s a dangerous game they’re playing. I don’t like it.”
Adrian leaned back, his arms crossed. “We’ve seen this before, haven’t we? The kid might be in over his head, but with connections like that, it’s hard to imagine him facing any real consequences.”
Eryx chuckled darkly. “Yeah, but when has that ever stopped things from getting messy?” He glanced over at the unfolding scene. “This might just be the calm before the storm.”
“And by storm I’m sure little miss Aiko will have a thing or two to say after all this is over.”
…
Meanwhile, far away from the Union’s grand hall, Yuuto walked down a quiet sidewalk, his footsteps echoing softly in the stillness of the night as hover cars flew by.
He wasn’t in a rush, despite the task he had set for himself. He was trailing the Li family’s transport, which had departed long ago.
His intention was clear: he planned to offer a little enlightenment on what happens to those who target an overlord. However, Yuuto wasn’t interested in confronting them immediately. No, he had a more satisfying plan in mind.
He wanted them to get home, to settle in, to bask in their perceived victory. Only once they were in the midst of celebrating, believing themselves victorious, would he arrive.
That was when defeat hit hardest-when one believed they had already won, only to discover that wasn’t the case, but in this sense calling want he planned to do a defeat would be taking it lightly. It would be more accurate to say… A purge then reset, to discard the pieces on the table and replace them with new ones.
As he walked through the alley, the world around him seemed oblivious to his presence. Normally, one would expect that a guild master of his standing-especially one with a reputation as old and fearsome as his-would draw at least a few curious glances.
People would look up, recognize him, maybe even whisper his name in awe or fear. But as he moved through the quiet streets, no one took notice. It was almost as if he were invisible, blending seamlessly into the background.
It was due to a strange aura he had enveloped his body in, one that made his dissappear from sight to those without the sharpest of mana perceptions.
As Yuuto continued down the sidewalk, he suddenly felt a small vibration against his chest. He paused mid-stride.
Reaching into his chest pocket, he pulled out a small, with a swift tap, the cube expanded and into his phone.
Yuuto’s eyes landed on the screen, and the moment he saw the name flashing on it, his body went tense, the temperature around him seeming to drop just a fraction.
His already intense expression became something darker, the upper half of his face became almost completely obscured by his hair, casting a shadow over his eyes.
A feeling of irritation-and something much more dangerous-began to swell within Yuuto, his hand tightening around the phone.
He had known this moment would come eventually, but he had hoped, for just a little longer, that he could remain detached from it.
Yet, here it was. The one person who, despite everything, still had the audacity to disturb him.
The call was from him.
The world’s strongest human, the one who held all the power across all the mega cities. The only known EX ranked Awakened.
Galisk.
Otherwise known by the moniker “Monarch Of Light.”
With a slow motion, Yuuto answered the call.
“What is it?”
He asked, his words dry yet intense, as if he were speaking to an insect that had dared to interrupt his peace.
Galisk’s voice came through with a low, almost forced chuckle. “How have you been, old
friend?”
Yuuto’s eyes narrowed, and he leaned back against the cold metal of a streetlight, the irritation in his voice could clearly be felt, though those who passed by couldnt hear him due
to the aura aroud him.
“Fantastic, actually. Ever since I left Mega City X, it’s been bliss. No more seeing your irritating face, if you can believe it.”
His lips curved into a smirk, though there was a touch of bitterness beneath it. “I’ve even relearned how to hope, how to smile… although…” his gaze darkened, “I still haven’t shaken the trauma that the Wastelands left me with. Just looking at those sands… and all I see are
visions of that day.”
“My kids wanted me to join them in the Wasteland Display Event again… but I still turned
them down…”
“Because I knew the moment I stepped out there I’d nearly be paralysed with fear.”
“I wouldn’t be able to properly lead them…” He gritted his teeth.
“I wouldn’t be able to meet their expectations!”