《Hitman x Wives》


 Chapter 1 - 1- The Black Phantom

    <h4>Chapter 1:- The ck Phantom</h4>


    Chapter 1- The ck Phantom


    *5 years ago*


    *Puff*


    Two men stood in front of arge gate in the middle of the night. One of them was smoking a cigarette with an extremely bored expression as he stared dazedly at the horizon. Being awake for 18 hours straight wasn''t the optimal thing for him but since this was his job, he had no desire to anger the boss and end up getting fired or even worse¡­ dead.


    Just the mere thought of that sent a chill down his spine even in the rather hot weather of the night.


    "Hey, you have a cig?" His friend asked with an equally bored tone.


    "Hm, here." Pulling out the packet, he pushed one cigarette out for his friend before he continued smoking his own.


    "It''s a quiet night, huh."


    "Yeah."


    "For fuck sake, why are we supposed to work on a Saturday night?! The boss really wants us to fucking die from boredom!" The second man said with an angry tone.


    "Don''tin. We are getting paid enough to live. It''s better than nothing."


    "If getting paid that measly paycheck means I will lose my weekend then fuck this job."


    "And then what? What are you going to do? Go back to smuggling cheap drugs to junkies all over the town and then never get paid?" Puffing out his smoke, the man said as he gave his friend a judging sidence.


    "Ugh¡­"


    "We dropped out of school at the age of 11 and spent our lives in the streets fucking hookers and sniffing drugs. Don''t whine that we ended up working this job. We''re lucky we didn''t end up in jail, dumbass."


    The second friend couldn''t retort to any of the words the other said so he grumbled and lit his cigarette.


    As the two were enjoying their definitely-not-so-enjoyable night, a silhouette appeared on the horizon walking slowly toward them.


    "Hm? What''s that?" The first to notice was the first guy as he squinted his eyes. Since the street was barely lit, he couldn''t clearly see who it was. "Can you see that?" He asked his friend.


    "I sure do."


    However, when the silhouette got very close, their eyes widened slightly.


    "A kid?"


    No matter how they looked at the stranger, they were quite short in stature, barely over 140 cm tall. His stature was quite small and weak too, provoking a sense of rxation in anyone who saw him.


    "What should we do?"


    "I don''t know. Pick up your gun." Saying that, the first friend stepped forward and yelled.


    "Who are you? This is a restricted area! You can''t go any further! Go back home, kid!"


    However, the kid not only didn''t respond in any form but also continued walking toward the man slowly.


    "Is this kid lost or something? Sigh¡­" After rubbing the back of his head for a few seconds, the man decided to approach the kid. Lost or not, the boss''s orders were straightforward. ''Not even a mosquito is allowed to step inside his residence at all costs.''


    "Listen here, little guy. You can''t go any further. Go back to Mommy now." The man said as he crouched in front of the kid to talk with him.


    "..." The kid also stopped moving barely a meter away. Silence took over the ce for a good three seconds.


    Then, in a split second, the kid''s silhouette vanished from the man''s eyes.


    "Wha-" Before he could even utter a word of shock, he felt two small hands grab his face.


    *CRACK*


    His vision was suddenly twisted upside down without any warnings. His mind wasn''t able to register what happened before his eyes rolled inside their sockets and he fell down motionless. He had died without even noticing it.


    "Huh?!"


    The other guard saw that as his eyes widened to the extreme. The cigarette fell from his mouth and hit the ground. At the same time, the kid turned around and without any hesitation dashed toward the second man at an rming speed that a small kid shouldn''t have.


    "What the fuck?!!" The guard didn''t even hesitate for a second to pull out the gun he had and aimed it at the kid before he fired three sessive shots in a panic.


    The three bullets flew right toward the target but in thest second diverged from their path and hit the ground on both sides of the kid.


    "The hell is this!!"


    Fear took over the man''s mind as he frantically aimed the gun again before firing all the shots he had. But, all of them still reached a certain distance before they diverged as if they hit a hard wall that changed their direction.


    *Click* *Click*


    The guard kept pushing the trigger of the gun but the bullets were over so he could only click his tongue and try to pull out a mag to reload. But, he was far toote.


    The boy closed the distance between them before he sent a flying punch that exceeded in speed anything the man had ever seen in his life.


    *BANG*


    "BLURGH!!" Air was knocked out of his lungs as he fell down to the ground unconscious.


    The boy then casually picked up the gun the man had and the magazine in his hand before he skillfully reloaded the gun. Then, he shot him in the head.


    [From Hawk to Agent 0, do you Roger?] A feminine voice spoke in the boy''s ear through what seemed to be amunication device he wore on his ear.


    "Yes."


    [What''s the current situation?]


    "I neutralized the two guards at the front gates. I''m sensing 8 moreings east and west. They probably heard the gunshots."


    [Good. Continue ording to the n.]


    "Roger." Then, themunication was cut off. After that, the boy continued moving in the darkness, vanishing from sightpletely like a phantom.


    ***


    At the same time, on the other end of themunication device, the woman put down the headphones and looked at the person sitting beside her. Another younger woman had a nervous expression on her face as she fidgeted in her ce.


    "What is it, Lilia?" The woman asked with a sigh.


    "It''s, uh, senpai¡­ Is he going to be ok? Fighting against 8 armed guards seems to be too much."


    "By ''he'' I will assume you mean Agent 0."


    "Y-Yes."


    "You are still very new to this job, huh? Have you never heard of the nickname ''ck Phantom''?"


    "Yes, isn''t that the nickname of the legendary hitman that was able to finish 1000 sessful missions without a mistake?"


    "Yes. Well, Agent 0 is that ''ck Phantom'' and let me tell you something, everything you heard about him, it''s nothing but a watered-down version of the truth. He is aplete monster. At the mere age of 12, he is able to kill 15 ck-belt Karate masters with his bare hands."


    "I-I see¡­" Fear crept down Lilia''s heart as she heard her senior''s words.


    "Whenever Agent 0 takes a mission, the only thing the target could do is eithermit suicide before hees to them or pray that Agent 0 will give him a quick death." The woman said with a cold tone.


    "Then, why is he working in this small branch of the guild? Shouldn''t someone as talented as him work for the main headquarter?"


    "Well, no one knows why. But, ever since he appeared in the guild, he never epted any invitation from the main branch. If it was any normal hitman, he would''ve been killed for their unruly behavior. However, Agent 0 was an exception. They saw how sessful he was and so they left him to work here by his wish."


    "I see..."


    "Well, that''s what the guild said. But, the truth that I believe in is that they probably tried to kill him... countless times. But, they couldn''t."


    "What?!"


    "A monster like him can''t be killed that easily. The guild knows that and so they could not risk sending a high-ranking hitman and end up losing them. He is that much of a monster even though he isn''t even a teenager yet."


    ***


    "Where did he go?!" A group of guards reached the front gates the next second carrying heavy guns and even swords.


    Their faces looked horrifying with scars and tattoos littering their bodies. They were seasoned fighters through and through. Mercenaries to be precise.


    The leader of the group stepped forward and checked the conditions of the corpses. The sight made his face frown.


    "One died after his cervical spine was twisted upside down and the other died from a bullet to the brain." He murmured.


    While the bullet kill seemed very clean which showed how skillful the culprit was with the gun, the cervical spine kill was apletely different story.


    ''The strength needed to twist an adult man''s neck to that degree is unimaginable. Who could even possess such strength? Could it be¡­''


    "Leader, what should we do?!" One of the men asked.


    "Disperse across the house. Make sure to notify the inner guards of the potential threat. We must not let this person pass whoever it was."


    "Yes!" They all nodded and turned around to leave quickly. But, the leader stopped them again before he added. "Tell them that the culprit could potentially be ''The ck Phantom''."


    "T-The ck Phantom? Are you serious, sir?"


    "Yes! Now hurry!"


    "Understood!!"


    After the group dispersed, the man''s strict face changed to a strong frown.


    "If it''s actually the ck Phantom¡­ Like hell, we will be able to stop him. Hopefully, I''m wrong." He murmured before he ran inside to join his group in search of their target.


    Unbeknownst to him or anyone else, a presence was standing close by, listening to their conversation. His face was as cold and emotionless as that of an insect. Not even a shred of thought could be read through his abysmal eyes.


    "8 guards, 8 assault rifles, 5 swords. More guards are inside." After saying those words, he vanished from where he stood. His destination... the house.

 Chapter 2 - 2- My Calm School Days (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 2:- My Calm School Days (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 2- My Calm School Days (Part 1)


    The guards quickly dispersed around the house as they started searching for any weird urrences. Since the only way inside the house is through the main gates, the hitman shouldn''t be able to infiltrate them yet.


    "Did you see anything suspicious?" One of them asked the other as they met near the small pond in the garden behind the house.


    "No, it''s as quiet as ever."


    "Keep looking. He is probably hiding somewhere."


    The two then nodded and walked in different directions. At that moment, a silhouette appeared behind one of them.


    "Hm?" Before the man could even react, his neck was twisted with a crisp cracking sound. Agent 0 then quickly grabbed the corpse before it fell down so it doesn''t make any noise.


    "One down."


    After that, he vanished and headed toward the second one. The clueless man didn''t notice Agent 0 approaching him from behind.


    *Swish*


    The hitman made a sliding kick which made the guard fall down before he swiftly delivered a hit to the throat. His hand dug into his neck as blood splurted out violently. The dead man stared wide-eyed at the silhouette of his killer as he tried to utter a few words, an attempt that ended in failure.


    The hitman then pulled out the man''s throat and threw it to the side as if it was nothing.


    "Two down."


    "Hands up!!"


    Suddenly, a yell reached the hitman from behind along with the sound of a gun being ready to fire.


    "D-Don''t move!"


    The boy didn''t seem bothered by the fact that he was found since he casually stood up with his hands in the air.


    "I found him! I need backup!" The guard spoke on themunication device to his peers.


    At the same time, the hitman who seemed oddly casual moved his left hand nimbly as he flicked something at an inhuman speed toward the guard. The object flew and entered the gun''s barrel secretly.


    Then, without thinking twice, he dashed toward the guard.


    "I said don''t move!!!" Without hesitation, the man pressed the trigger to shoot.


    *BOOOOM*


    But, shockingly, the gun exploded in his face. Sharp metal shards flew everywhere, piercing his skin and eyes.


    "MY EYES!!!!" The man held his face as he yelled in pain.


    *BANG*


    Punching him in the stomach before adding an open-hand strike to the jaw that dislocated his neck, the man was swiftly killed in a moment.


    "Three down."


    *CLICK*


    "I knew it. So it was indeed the ck Phantom himself."


    As Agent 0 stood for a moment to look for his next move, he felt a cold object touch his forehead.


    "It''s my deepest honor to meet you. I never expected you to be a small kid though. What a weird world we live in." The leader of the guards said in a sarcastic tone.


    "... Bullets won''t work on me." Agent 0 replied coldly as he didn''t even bother to look back.


    "I know. I just wanted to have the honor of aiming a gun at your skull if even for a few seconds before I bite the dust."


    "Odd. What makes dying by my hands an honor?"


    "It is. People that work in the underworld know that death is always waiting around the corner. So, if our deaths end up being honorable, it''s like we hit the lottery."


    "Why don''t you try to kill me then?"


    "I know I can''t. Besides, you already have a gun aimed at my skull. How can I beat that?" Looking down briefly, the leader saw the pistol the ck Phantom had been holding since the beginning.


    "The pistol is aimed at your medu oblongata. One bullet is enough to sever your spine from your brain before you could even react. It''s game over." Agent 0 said.


    "I know."


    "Goodbye."


    *BANG*


    The bullet prated the man''s head from below and blood sttered everywhere. The ck Phantom stared at the lifeless body of the guard with an emotionless expression. However, deep inside, he was quite confused.


    "Why are you smiling even when I killed you?" He murmured before turning around and vanishing like a ghost.


    ***


    Meanwhile, inside the house.


    "Ah~ Ah~ Ah~, honey, you''re too rough~~"


    "Hahahaha! Take this!"


    A man and a woman were indulging in the most primal human desire. Their bodies interconnected tightly as the man kept moving, enjoying the woman''s body. His arms were moving all over her body, touching every part he found pleasable and attractive.


    As for the woman, she simply moaned erotically while letting the man do whatever he wanted. The murky smell of the room was a good indication of how long they have been indulging in such acts for.


    At that moment, the two heard a scream outside which made the man stop and look up.


    "Oi, cut it down with the noise, you idiots!" He yelled as he turned around to continue his meal.


    But, at that moment, the door to the room was kicked open as a body flew inside, hitting the wall on the other side and falling limply on the ground.


    "Huh?! Who''s that?!"


    Looking at the door, the man''s frown grew stronger than ever as he stopped everything and jumped on his feet to take a look.


    "What the hell are my useless guards doing?!"


    "I-Is everything ok, honey?" The woman felt anxious for some reason.


    "Target: Kenny Belinder. Age: 56. Owner and CEO of Terilia Co. Apany that sells household electronics during the day and works as a major distributor of drugs at night." Suddenly, a voice reached the man named Kenny.


    "Who are you?! Reveal yourself?!" He shouted as his face grew uglier with fear.


    ''Where are my guards when I need them?!''


    "You are responsible for turning hundreds of children into drug addicts. An order for your elimination has been deployed."


    "So you are one of those bastards from the guild?! How dare you infiltrate my house?! My connection with the guild prohibits such acts!"


    "Your connections are irrelevant. The order came from higher-standing officers."


    "... No, you can''t be serious!!" The boss''s face turned pale as he quickly ran outside only to be met with a sight straight out of nightmares.


    Dead corpses¡­ Dead corpses everywhere. Either from broken necks or bullets to the head, they were all gruesomely murdered without a shred of mercy. One of them even had his head nted into the ground as if he was an ostrich. It was a sight straight out of a horror movie.


    "H-How¡­ My guards! They are all dead!"


    Suddenly, a cold feeling prated his whole being as a presence appeared behind him.


    "Wait! Please! Don''t kill me! I will do anything! I can give you money, women, and anything you want! Hell, you can have everything I own! Just please!"


    *BANG*


    Without hesitation, the bullet was fired at Kenny''s skull, killing him swiftly.


    "I don''t need that."


    After saying those words, Agent 0 turned around and walked back inside the room. The woman, who was still sitting on the bed with a horrified expression, stared at him. Her eyes were stricken with tears and the nket she had covering her naked body was turned wet from the lower part¡­ She had pissed herself.


    "A-Are you going to kill me too?"


    "If I recall correctly, the target''s wife had put a bounty on your head. Besides, since you saw me, I can''t let you off the hook."


    "*Hick* *Hick* Please, spare me. I never even loved that man. He was only after my body. I don''t have anything to do with h-"


    *BANG*


    Agent 0 then fired a bullet.


    "Goodnight."


    ***


    *RING* *RING*


    The heavy eyelids of a young man opened slightly as he stared around dazedly. His groggy mind took a second to register where he was.


    ''The ssroom¡­ I fell asleep, huh? Was that a dream?'' He thought as he recalled the weird dream he had. It was a random memory of his past that he never really bothered to think about before.


    At the same time, the doors to the ssroom were opened and students started walking inside as they chatted jovially.


    Their careless expressions as they talked about nonsense always intrigued Kai. He didn''t understand the point of such conversations but never really bothered to try and actually engage in such an activity with another person.


    He wanted his life to stay quiet, calm, and devoid of any troublesome entanglements with any second party.


    Rustling his ck hair back to its rather messier state and then he stared at the window, not bothering with the background noises of his peers.


    "Look at him, he''s always like that." A student whispered as he looked at Kai secretly.


    "He looks kinda creepy, not gonna lie. Have you ever heard him talk?"


    "No, never. Not even the teachers try to talk with him. Is he a weird murderer or a psychopath?"


    "Or maybe the legendary ''Quiet Kid''."


    ''I can hear you.'' Kai thought as his expression didn''t change one bit.


    At that time, the teacher opened the door and walked inside.


    "Everyone, take your seats. I have a small announcement. We have a transfer student that will join us today."

 Chapter 3 - 3- My Calm School Days (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 3:- My Calm School Days (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 3- My Calm School Days (Part 2)


    "Ah, a transfer student?" Immediately, murmurs erupted in the ss. The students felt curious as to who this person could be. Since their high school wasn''t that popr, transfer students are very rare here.


    "Oh, I hope she''s a beautiful rich girl!!"


    "Wouldn''t that be too much like anime? I mean, a beautiful mdy from a rich family transferring to our ss. Damn, that''s too exciting!" One of them said as he adjusted his sses with a weird grin.


    "Don''t get your hopes up, dude."


    "Guys are disgusting. Why shouldn''t it be a handsome celebrity? Like an actor or an idol?"


    "Yeah~ everyone here is ugly. We want eye candies." Girls interjected with their opinions.


    The only one that didn''t bother with all of this was Kai who only gave the teacher a side nce before he turned to look outside again.


    "Calm down, everyone. Our transfer student is a girl and she''s new in town. Uh¡­" Then, the teacher halted for a second as if he was troubled by something before he shook his head and continued. "Please, treat her well."


    After that, he turned toward the door and called for her. "Pleasee in, Miss Eva." He said.


    ''Eva?'' Kai''s attention was perked as he gave a side nce to the door. He didn''t really know why, but he felt that if he didn''t look now, he would miss out on something.


    Then, the door to the ssroom was slid open and a girl walked inside. Immediately, the noise of the room died down as everyone stared at the girl with eyes so wide they looked like a funny caricature.


    No one was able to utter a single word. The girl was simply that beautiful. Even those who were expecting beauty to walk inside never expected to see such a gorgeous woman at all. She had long ck hair as dark as the night sky. Her eyes were a mysterious red color and her oval-shaped face was so perfect that not even a fault could be seen in it.


    "Hello, my name is Eva Lavine. Nice to meet all of you." The girl said with a professional smile that made her aura even more mesmerizing akin to that of an angel.


    She was rather tall with long, milky legs and a figure that would make the most popr supermodels eat their nails in jealousy.


    "Woahhhh!!!" Suddenly, loud cheers errupted in the ssroom.


    "She''s so beautiful!!"


    "Is she perhaps a goddess that descended on us?! Are we going to heaven now?"


    No matter who it was, girl or boy, they all could only admire Eva''s beauty. Well, everyone except a particr boy sitting at the back of the ss. He squinted his eyes slightly at the girl before he shook his head and looked away as if the matter was none of his concern.


    Eva, who still had the same smile till this point, gave that particr boy a nce as a sh of emotions appeared across her eyes for a split second before it vanishedpletely.


    "Uh, Miss Eva. Where do you like to sit down? We have a few empty chairs there and the-" Before the teacher could even finish his words, Eva had already walked down the third row and only stopped in front of a timid young man.


    "Can you give me your seat? I prefer the backseats, you see." She asked as she smiled elegantly at him.


    The boy was dazedpletely for a few seconds before he blushed violently and stood up.


    "Y-Yes."


    Then, Eva elegantly sat down on the chair under the nces of every single person in the ssroom.


    "Damn it, that weirdo got the lucky seat next to Miss Eva."


    "Shhh, she can hear you. We don''t want to creep her out because of him."


    Some disgustedments could be heard here and there as scornful nces were directed at Kai. Thetter didn''t even bother to give them a nce let alone get annoyed.


    However, another person didn''t have the same idea. Eva''s fists clenched secretly under the table.


    "Teacher, could you please start the lesson?" She said in a noticeably colder tone than before.


    "Ah, yes. Let''s start."


    ***


    After a few hours, lunchtime came and the bell rang loudly. Immediately, everyone stood up and quickly walked toward Eva as they surrounded her from all angles. Then, a hail of questions fell on the ck-haired girl.


    "Where are you from, Miss Eva?"


    "What kind of shampoo do you use for your hair? It looks so smooth~"


    "Can I have a handshake, Miss Eva!"


    ''Noisy.'' Kai, who was close to the chaos, thought as he stood up and carried his bag with him.


    Since he rarely eats lunch in ss, he decided to go to his usual spot so he could have a meal in peace.


    When he exited the ssroom, Eva gave him a nce secretly before she smiled at the students.


    "My apologies. But, I need to go to the restroom."


    "Of course!"


    After everyone dispersed, Eva stood up and left the ssroom.


    ***


    "It''s windy," Kai murmured as he looked at the area around him. He was now on the roof of the school''s main building. Since the ce was inessible to students, Kai had to pick the lock to enter and leave when he needed to. The lock was very simple so it barely took him a few seconds to do so.


    After that, he put down a small nket on the ground and then sat down. Then, from his bag, he pulled out a small box that had his lunch and also a thick book.


    Opening the bento box, it contained a very organized and nutritional meal that would make any student''s jaw drop.


    The boy then calmly started eating while admiring the clear sky of the day. It was a great day to have lunch in peace or so Kai would usually think. However, today, he had an unwanted guest with him.


    ''Is she going to keep spying on me?'' He thought to himself.


    Ever since he left the ssroom, he sensed Eva''s presence following him secretly. Her stealth skills were quite impable. In fact, if it was anyone else than Kai, then they would''ve never sensed her presence at all.


    ''Should I just ignore her? Hmm, I doubt that will make her go away.''


    "Sigh, what do you need?" He asked as he put down the bento box.


    "..."


    However, no one responded.


    "I know that you''re there. Just reveal yourself and spare us the pointless waste of time¡­ Agent 74."


    When Kai finished his words, Eva finally walked out of her hiding spot and looked at him. Her face had a small smile albeit a sad one.


    "Since when did you call me that, Kai?" She asked.


    "..."


    Shaking her head, Eva walked toward him before she immediately jumped on him engulfing Kai in a bear hug. Her eyes welled up with tears as she cried silently in his embrace.


    "Kai¡­ Kai¡­ Kai¡­ I missed you so much¡­" She said as she buried her face in his chest.


    ''Kai''s smell, his warm body. I missed them, I missed them so much. Kai¡­ Kai¡­'' Her mind was only filled with the thought of the young man she was hugging tightly. She had instinctively used all of her power to hug him in fear of him disappearing again.


    However, Kai didn''t bother to hug her back and instead pushed her away.


    "Don''t hug me. Someone could see us." He said coldly as he stood up and dusted his clothes off.


    "*Sniff* Please, let me hug you for one more second. Just one more second." Eva begged with a tearful gaze.


    If anyone saw her current state, they wouldn''t believe that she was the same person they met that morning. Her demeanor waspletely different.


    "Why did youe here, Eva? No, more than that, how did you find me? I''m sure I got rid of all my traces."


    Kai''s cold gaze didn''t seem to bother Eva as she said meekly.


    "After you left, I kept searching for you everywhere. I used all my connections but I still couldn''t find a single clue as to where you went. But, I didn''t give up. I searched in every country in the world for any person that could resemble your traits. But, it still took me 5 years." Then, she quickly stood up and looked at Kai with a worried gaze.


    "Now, answer my question, Kai. Why did you leave without telling me? Why did you leave me?"


    Just a mere nce at her sad, puppy-like expression, even the coldest of hearts would meltpletely.


    However, Kai wasn''t affected at all by her heartful words.


    "If you get your answer, would you leave?"


    "No! I will never repeat the mistake of letting you go!"


    "Sigh, did you even think it through before doing this?"


    "Huh?"


    "Since you forgot, I will refresh your memory. I have a bounty on my head since I left the guild without telling them."

 Chapter 4 - 4- My Calm School Days (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 4:- My Calm School Days (Part 3)</h4>


    Chapter 4- My Calm School Days (Part 3)


    Eva''s face paled slightly before she averted her eyes. It would be a lie if she said she didn''t know about the bounty on Kai''s head. In fact, she was there when that bounty was announced which pushed her even further into trying to find her beloved quickly before theye after him.


    "The guild isn''t a ce to enter and leave as one pleases." Kai continued as he tucked his hands into his pockets. "It''s rule number 1: Anyone who dares to leave the guild without permission will be eliminated immediately, no questions asked."


    "But, why would you risk it to leave? I was worried sick that many woulde after you." Eva said with a deeply worried tone. Even if Kai was capable enough to take care of himself, it doesn''t mean that he was immortal or invincible.


    "Why, you ask?" Turning around, the boy stared at the far distance. "It''s because I got bored."


    "Bored?"


    "I always asked myself this question: Why should work as a hitman? What merit would I get from such a job? And if that''s really my purpose all along?" He said coldly. "I had killed countless people, young and old. But, I could never understand why am I even doing it. Just because I possess the ability to? No, that doesn''t make sense. I don''t find taking lives enjoyable. So, at some point, I grew fed-up and left."


    "... Kai." Eva waspletely speechless.


    Although she had known him for a long time, this side of him was never revealed to her. She always saw his cold, emotionless, and brutal side that killed every single person without mercy. In a sense, he was a monster in human skin and yet, Eva noticed that not even once did Kai show any shred of desire, whether it was money, women, or even glory.


    He was akin to an empty shell that did one single task again and again without everining. That made her take an interest in him. So, she watched his normal life closely, and much to her surprise, other than his hitman persona, Kai was an oddly normal person.


    Outside of his job, he was a normal kid who attended school, lived alone, and cooked for himself. He never tries to abuse his power nor obtain anything from it.


    Eva never noticed when but she found herself always thinking about him. His silhouette, his face, his character, everything about him charmed her to no extent. It was then that she realized she had fallen head over heels for Kai.


    "I decided to quit this job and live my life peacefully. I changed my identity, changed my appearance, and chose to live in this small city. I can now spend my time doing things that people would consider normal. It''s calming."


    "I see¡­"


    "I suggest you just return to your home. You have more important stuff to do." Saying that, Kai turned around and walked past Eva intending to return to the ss.


    But, thetter quickly turned around and grabbed his hand. "There is nothing more important to me than you. I don''t care about anything else."


    "You''re still on with that nonsense." Turning around, Kai''s silhouette vanished like a ghost before he appeared behind Eva with his hand pointing at her neck.


    "If I move my hand now, I will severe your jugr vein and you will die slowly from bleeding out." His deathly cold voice prated her ear from a close distance. "This is my warning to you, leave."


    However, much to Kai''s surprise, Eva turned around and grabbed his hand before she pulled it closer to her neck.


    "I would rather you kill me now than leave you ever again. Go ahead, do it." She said with an extremely determined look on her beautiful face. She was dead serious.


    Kai''s expression didn''t change but he didn''t move either as he stared deeply into Eva''s eyes, not averting them for a second.


    "Why are you even doing this?"


    "You already know. I love you, Kai. I deeply love you. More than you could even imagine." She said with a warm smile on her face.


    Weirdly enough, this wasn''t the first nor the second time Eva told him these words. But, he never gave her an answer nor acknowledged those words. Still, it did intrigue him as to why she liked him.


    "Tsk." Clicking his tongue, Kai released his hand and turned around. Then, he went and sat down on the pic mat he had.


    "Mmm, you aren''t going to kill me?"


    "I wasn''t intending to. I didn''t kill a single person in the past 5 years. I wanted to scare you away." Kai said as he took a bite of the food.


    "Fufufu, so I passed the test?" Eva chuckled as she sat down in front of Kai with a happy expression.


    "No. Since you are ready to die in pursuit of whatever you''re trying to do. I won''t stop you since it''s none of my business. But, I will be setting some rules. If you break any of them¡­" Kai''s tone grew harsher atst. "I will be breaking my rule too." He said as he pointed the spoon at Eva.


    A threat like that would''ve easily made anyone piss themselves off from fear. But, Eva didn''t seem bothered at all as she nodded happily.


    "Ok, I understand. As long as I can stay by Kai''s side, I will ept anything."


    "Rule 1: Don''t talk with me unless I initiate the conversation."


    "Mm, even though I want to talk with you about many things, I still understand."


    "Rule 2: Don''t approach me at school unless I ask you to. I don''t want any attention from the students."


    "Oh, but¡­"


    "Did I make myself clear?"


    "Ok, understood." She nodded with a slightly sad face. The fact that she can''t even talk with Kai at school was already horrible but now she can''t even approach him.


    "Rule 3: The current me is an average high school student. I''m not good academically or athletically. I have no friends either. So, don''t leak anything unwanted about me. Just treat me like everyone else."


    "Of course! I will never do any of that even if I die!"


    After that, Kai went silent as he continued eating food silently while Eva simply sat there, looking at home with a dreamy expression on her face. She still can''t believe that she finally found her beloved after all these years and he seemed to be doing good.


    ''He looks way happier than when Ist saw him. I''m d¡­ truly d.''


    "Don''t you have your own lunch?" He asked as he stopped for a moment.


    "Uh, yes, I do. But, I will eat itter. Just seeing you is enough for me."


    The boy didn''t say anything and instead pulled out another bento box from his backpack before he handed it to Eva.


    "I always make a spare one just in case. Eat it." He said.


    "Huh? No, please. I don''t want to eat the food that you worked hard to cook."


    "Just eat." He ordered harshly.


    "Then, if you don''t mind."


    Opening the lid, Eva''s eyes sparkled as she looked at the box with clear excitement.


    ''I have the opportunity to eat Kai''s food.'' She thought as she felt saliva umting in her mouth.


    Even though Eva was used to eating food by culinary chefs, none of thempare to what her beloved makes. It was safe to say he was better than almost all chefs in the world.


    Then, without any hesitation, she took a bite of the small sandwich. Immediately, an explosion of vors errupted in her mouth which made her eyes widen slightly.


    ''W-What is this?! D-Did he get even better at cooking?!'' She thought as she chewed the bite and then quickly dug in again.


    "So delicious!!" She praised loudly.


    "You should always check for poison¡­ idiot. Didn''t you learn that before?" Kai said with a rather in tone. Although he knew that Eva was a top-notch hitman and such a small detail would never escape her eyes, he still said it for no particr reason.


    "Fufufufu! I don''t mind getting poisoned when eating your food! It''s a blessing to my tongue!"


    As the girl continued eating carefreely, Kai could only stare at her silently.


    ''She''s always been like this.'' He thought as he recalled their first meeting. ''I need to finish my food before the end of the lunchtime.''


    Then, the two continued their lunch in silence. The atmosphere wasn''t particrly awkward or weird. From a third-party perspective, they looked like a couple sharing their lunch under the warm light of the sun.

 Chapter 5 - 5- Mischievous Eva (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 5:- Mischievous Eva (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 5- Mischievous Eva (Part 1)


    After lunch, Kai made Eva leave first so that no one saw them together before he picked his stuff up and walked back to the ss.


    He made sure to keep an eye on the door in case someone was overly curious and tried to follow the new princess of the school.


    During his trip back, Kai heard countless people talking about Eva. In mere hours, she became the topic of every single student in the school. They all had varying levels of interest in her, especially boys.


    Their eyes were either filled with lust or admiration, no third option. Eva had simply transcended the concept of ''She''s not my type'' and became everyone''s type without even trying.


    Kai knew that already and that''s why he made sure to never appear next to her or he will have to bid his life farewell.


    ''But, the fact that she found me is still odd. I left not a single trace when I left. Even the guild couldn''t find me. How did she find me even if it''s in 5 years? Did I leave something behind that made her realize where I went?'' Thinking about the problem calmly, Kai found himself sitting in his seat with Eva beside him.


    ''I should recheck my identity documents again for any ws.''


    Since the teacher wouldn''t being for a few more minutes, he decided to pull his book out and start reading. It was a book about human psychology that he borrowed from the library yesterday that he intended to read during the lunch break. But, the circumstances changed and he became unable to do so.


    Suddenly, he heard a sounding from his pocket along with a small vibration. So, he pulled out his phone, only to find a notification that said ''Eva had sent you a message''.


    It took Kai a great deal of effort not to sigh before he opened the phone and read the message.


    [Thank you for the meal.] it said.


    Without hesitation, he replied.


    [How did you get my number?]


    In real-time, Eva''s face lightened up as she smiled slightly and replied instantaneously.


    [Getting your number is a walk in the park for me :)]


    [Didn''t I say not to talk with me unless I initiate the conversation?]


    [Yes, but I''m not talking with you, I''m simply typing on my phone and coincidentally, what I type ends up appearing on your phone.]


    Kai''s face didn''t change much but the message did almost make him click his tongue.


    [Should I add another rule that chatting is also prohibited?]


    [No! Please, no! Look, no one can notice. They won''t feel suspicious and I also am not gathering attention on you.]


    ''This woman¡­ Did I make a mistake by letting her stay here?''


    Although killing Eva would be the easiest way to get rid of her, Kai will never do it for multiple reasons. First of all, Kai considered himself a hitman, not a murderer. So, he only kills people when they are targets of the guild and even then, he doesn''t kill anyone. There is a set of rules he needs to follow when choosing his target. Second of all, if he kills Eva, he is sure that her whole family wille after him since she probably has some kind of tracking device nted into her body.


    ''Her family aren''t some normal people. They can easily erase this city from existence and get away with it if it meant getting revenge on who killed their daughter.''


    The third and final reason is¡­


    *DING*


    As his trail of thoughts was about to reach that point, another message reached him.


    [How are your grades in school?]


    Kai contemted not replying but then shook his head and gave up. He knew that even if he didn''t reply, Eva would bomb his phone with messages forever.


    ''I will change my sim card to an encrypted one tomorrow.'' He noted in his head. But for now¡­


    [Average.] He replied.


    [I suppose with your character, you got precisely 50/100 in every single subject.]


    Kai didn''t reply and instead put his phone away and focused on the teacher who entered the ss. What Eva said was indeed the truth, Kai had 50/100 on every single subject without fail. Before leaving his previous work, he had studied what a normal high school student should have and he reached the conclusion that 50/100 is the ultimate average score.


    Although this normally could catch attention, this school''s system waspletely different since they only hand the score sheets at the end of the year and so not even one student knew about Kai''s 50% average.


    ''This day is not going to pass peacefully, is it?''


    A few more hours passed as the day was nearing its end. Except for 50 messages or so, Eva also kept a fairly normal attitude.


    As Kai was picking up his stuff, and intending to leave, the door to the ss was opened violently. Then, a tall, muscr guy with handsome features walked inside with a smug expression on his face.


    "Oh, it''s Taro¡­ Shit, what is he doing here?" A boy said as he gulped down a mouthful of saliva.


    "You mean Taro, the upperssman and the ace of the basketball team? Damn, he looks intimidating."


    "Where is the new transfer student?" He asked with a proud tone before his eyes fell on Eva and his breath halted for a second. Then, his grin widened. "You look way more beautiful than the rumors, Eva. I''m truly shocked by your beauty."


    After saying that, he approached Eva''s table and bent forward.


    "Hey, be my girlfriend, would ya?"


    Although his words might sound like a question, it was very apparent that he wasn''t asking her but instead ordering her to do that in a roundabout way.


    However, Eva didn''t seem bothered by it as she smiled at him like she did to everyone.


    "Thank you for your offer but I''m afraid I have to refuse."


    "Oh, why is that?"


    "I don''t have any interest in dating anyone at this time." She said.


    "But, you won''t know till you try. Come on, let''s go on a date and then you can give me your answer." Taro''s face didn''t change but his eyes had a dangerous glint in them as he secretly eyed Eva''s body.


    It was clear that he wasn''t going to make this a normal date at all.


    ''Tsk, I''ve never seen a woman this beautiful. I gotta have her.'' He thought excitedly. Compared to all the girls he dated and bedded, Eva was iparable. She was akin to a rare flower on the peak of a mountain and Taro was eager to get it no matter what.


    "No, unfortunately, I have a ce I need to g-" As Eva was about to swiftly turn him down, a silhouette passed beside her. Looking up, she saw Kai leaving the ss without even looking at what was happening.


    However, when he passed by Taro, their shoulders hit each other which pushed the guy back visibly.


    "Hm?" Looking at the boy who did that to him, Taro''s face darkened slightly as he stood up.


    "Shit, the creepy guy pissed him off!"


    "This is bad! He is fucked!"


    In the midst of the students'' whispers, Kai continued walking away as if nothing happened.


    "Hey, you. Stop right there." Taro said in an angry tone.


    However, Kai didn''t stop, not even for a second.


    "I said stop, you pipsqueak!" Taro repeated as he grabbed Kai by the shoulder violently.


    ''He dug his own grave.'' Eva thought as she got ready to make some calls in case she needed to make a corpse disappear from the face of the world without leaving any traces behind.


    However, Kai didn''t move much as he simply looked back at Taro. The tall delinquent stared directly at him too and instantly, his body froze.


    Then, without any warning, he fell down to the ground.


    "Huh?" The guy didn''t understand what happened. "Hm? Did I trip?" He asked himself as he looked at Kai who already turned around and left.


    "Tsk, that bastard ran away! Don''t test your luck, fucker! Trash like him should be thrown away!" He said as he stood up and dusted his clothes off.


    ''So cool!!! Kai is too cool! I love you, I love you so much!'' Eva, the only one that knew what Kai did, had a small smile on her face as her mind went wild. Hearts exploded in her mind everywhere like a festival of fireworks. But, then when she heard what Taro said, her face immediately changed.


    "Taro-Senpai, can you follow me please?" She said with a smile.


    "Oh, of course! Wherever you want~" After that, the two left the ssroom.


    One of them was having the time of his life while the other was seething with anger far greater than Taro could ever imagine.


    The two eventually ended up reaching the storage room of the school.


    "Oh, why did you bring me here? Aren''t we jumping a few steps?" Taro asked with a perverted grin as he noticed Eva closing the door with a click.


    "Oh, yes we do. Now, can I ask a question?"


    "Hm?"


    "Which is it: the arm or the leg?"

 Chapter 6 - 6- Mischievous Eva (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 6:- Mischievous Eva (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 6- Mischievous Eva (Part 2)


    "Huh?" Taro didn''t understand what she meant.


    "I said the arm or the leg? Choose." Eva repeated as she approached him slowly.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I guess it''s pointless to ask someone with a brain that slow toprehend."


    After saying that, Eva''s silhouette vanished from where she stood as if she was a ghost. Taro''s eyes widened as he looked around.


    What he didn''t notice was that Eva had reappeared behind him. Then, she grabbed Taro''s arm with one hand.


    *CRACK*


    With a simple squeeze, a crisp and loud cracking sound echoed in the whole room followed by a blood-curdling scream that could shake the souls.


    "AAAAAGGHHHHH!!" Taro quickly grabbed his hand and fell down to the ground, tossing and turning as saliva leaked out of his mouth and his eyes cried endless tears. His arm was bent to a shape that should be impossible.


    "How dare a waste like you call him trash? Huh? Are you perhaps implying that you''re better than him? Do you evenprehend what kind of nonsense you''re spouting? Every human is aplete waste of oxygenpared to Kai." She said with chilling cold eyes as she watched Taro suffer.


    "I know that Kai won''t allow me to do this. But, I can''t ept hearing someone insult him. I will kill every person that dares to insult Kai. No, I will skin them alive and then turn them into dog treats."


    After saying that, she lifted her leg and then ruthlessly stomped on Taro''s left leg, breaking it easily as if it was made of thin wooden sticks.


    "AAAAGHHHH!!!" The screams increased a notch as Taro''s face paledpletely. However, he didn''tst long and lost consciousness a few seconds after.


    "Tsk, wasteful trash. Touching you makes me feel disgusted. Only Kai is allowed to touch my body. Human waste as you should just burn and die and then get thrown in the trash where you belong."


    After that, Eva bent down and pointed her fingers at Taro''s forehead. A secondter, the tips of her finger shone with a visible orange light that quickly turned into a small lightning bolt that moved from her fingers to Taro''s forehead, piercing it easily.


    "That should make him forget everything that happened and think that he got injured during training." Murmuring to herself, Eva stood up and walked out of the storage room before she closed the door.


    ***


    "Thank you for your purchase!" A female cashier said with a strained smile as she handed Kai a bag of groceries.


    Thetter nodded his head and took the bag before leaving.


    ''Knowing that Eva¡­ She probably dealt with that guy by now. Tsk, she better not cause any trouble that I need to get involved in.'' Kai thought as he walked through the streets. From a stranger''s perspective, Kai was a tall guy with a lean build that looked quite perfect even under a school uniform. However, the problemy in his face which was coveredpletely by his ck hair. That''s why, most students considered him a weird person and stayed away.


    But, that was Kai''s intention from the start. He didn''t want to create any rtionships with anyone and simply spent his time alone. Even his life outside the school was isted from people.


    As he walked through the streets, he found himself in front of an apartmentplex that was average in size.


    "Good evening, Miss L." As he passed through the main gates, he found a middle-aged woman sweeping the dust with a bored look.


    "Oh, Kai? Wee back." She said with a casual yet friendly tone. Out of all her renters, Kai was by far the least annoying as he never makes noise, neverins, and never brings girls with him to his apartment.


    The boy then walked to his room which was on the third floor.


    "Hm?" The moment he reached the door, he halted in his ce for a split second.


    ''Someone entered my room.'' He thought as he examined the door handle.


    Kai usually leaves the doorknob tilted by 3 degrees whenever he leaves his room ores back. However, from a mere look, he could see that the doorknob wasn''t as he left it that morning.


    ''Is it an enemy?'' Closing his eyes, he could sense a presence inside, walking here and there as if they were searching for something.


    Readying himself, Kai opened the door and walked inside as if he didn''t notice the abnormality while secretly waiting for an ambush.


    But, what weed him was apletely different sight¡­


    "Oh, wee back!" Eva smiled as she weed Kai.


    "... What are you doing here?"


    "Oh, I will be living here from now on."


    "..." Kai stared at her with a deadpan expression.


    "I forgot to tell you, tehe." The girl added with a clumsy expression.


    A few seconds passed before the door to the room was opened and then Eva was thrown outside before the door was closed shut again.


    "Wait! Kai, I was joking! I was just joking! I actually have my own house in this city. But, I wanted to surprise you with a small prank!"


    "Go home." From the other side, Kai replied as he took his uniform off.


    "Uh, can I at least spend some time here? It''s not against the rules, is it? Please, pretty please, I will behave myself, you won''t even feel my presence."


    "No."


    On the other side, Kai was already feeling a headache from this situation. Eva was making too much noise and if someone was to hear them talking and then see her outside his house, Kai would have to deal with a misunderstanding which was a huge hassle.


    "*Sniff* I understand, I will leave." Tears welled up in Eva''s eyes as she stood up. "At least, can I get my purse? I left it inside."


    Kai sighed and looked around the room. It wasn''t that big, barely enough to fit a kitchen, a bathroom, a living room, and a bedroom. However, Kai makes sure to keep it squeaky clean no matter what. There is nothing worse than a dirty house in his dictionary.


    His eyes eventually fell on the purse which was on the sofa. So, he picked it up and opened the door to hand it to Eva.


    "Uh¡­" Eva was slightly hopeful that Kai would let her in but when she saw the purse, her hopes werepletely crushed. Well, that''s what she thought.


    *Click*


    At that moment, the room that was two doors away from them suddenly opened and someone came outside.


    ''Tsk.'' Kai who noticed it before Eva could quickly pulled Eva from her hand and closed the door. He pushed her against the door and put his hand on her mouth.


    "Shh." He signaled with his other hand to keep quiet.


    However, the girl didn''t hear his words at all. Instead, her face blushed violently as she looked at Kai.


    ''Kai is too close! He is too close! I can''t! Uh, he smells so good! I missed this smell so much. Am I in a dream? I''m dreaming, right? Even if it''s a dream, I don''t mind. I''m being blessed.'' She thought as she gazed dreamily at Kai, admiring his face from up close.


    ''Not now of all times.'' Kai thought as he listened to the footsteps of a person approaching his door. Then, the door was knocked.


    "Kai, are you inside?" It was that of what seemed to be a woman.


    ''A woman?'' Eva, who was enjoying her dream world, suddenly woke up from it at the mere sound of a woman knocking on Kai''s door.


    "Follow me, quickly." After that, Kai grabbed Eva''s hand and pulled her inside the house before he made her hide inside the bathroom.


    "Don''t move and don''t make a sound if you don''t want to end up in big trouble." He ordered Eva before he closed the door.


    However, thetter wasn''t even bothered by his warning as her mind waspletely focused on something else.


    ''A woman? Why is a woman knocking on Kai''s door? Is she thendlord? No, her voice is different. Is she his mother? No, as far as I know, Kai is an orphan. Then, is it¡­ Is it¡­'' Even in her thoughts, Eva couldn''t utter that word at all.


    Her face turned dead cold as she looked at the door.


    ''Who is she?''


    On the other side, Kai opened the door only to be met with the sight of a gorgeous woman in her 30s. She had beautiful, blonde hair and a pair of sharp green eyes. However, her biggest feature was the two huge things tightly pressed under her shirt. Even with her shirt buttoned up, the buttons were stretched to their limit without an apparent effort from the woman.


    "What is it, Kaya?" Kai asked as he stared directly at the woman''s eyes.


    "I heard a noise so I thought you finally came back." The woman named Kaya said with a small calm smile.


    "School is over for the day."


    "I see¡­" The woman''s eyes then shifted slightly to look inside the house.


    "Hmm, can Ie inside since you seem to be free?"

 Chapter 7 - 7- Kaya Bladeheart (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 7:- Kaya deheart (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 7- Kaya deheart (Part 1)


    Without showing a single reaction, Kai replied. "I''m about to clean the house soe backter."


    "I see¡­" Kaya murmured as she took another look inside and then turned around to leave. "I will be back in an hour or so. See youter~"


    Kai nodded his head and closed the door.


    ''That was close. But, if it''s that woman, I''m sure she already noticed that I have someone inside. Tsk.'' Rubbing the back of his head, Kai turned around to walk to the bathroom only to find Eva standing in front of him.


    Her eyes looked deathly cold and her aura was nothing short of scary. It was as if she was a step away frommitting mass genocide.


    "Who was that woman? Why does she act all mushy with you? Is she your friend? Your mother''s friend? Your mother''s friend''s friend? Or is she your¡­ G-G-G-Girlfriend?" She asked in quick session.


    "Stop joking. Why would I befriend or date her?" Kai asked as he passed beside Eva and sat down on the sofa with a tired expression. "I''m sure you already determined who she is from her name."


    Those words made Eva wake up from her scary mood and think properly. "Kaya¡­ Wait, Kaya as in¡­ Kaya deheart? One of the 10 Archangels?" Eva asked as her eyes widened slightly.


    Kai nodded his head as he added. "I don''t know the reason why she''s living here. But, she took an interest in me and now she tries to initiate contact with me every time she has the opportunity to do so. That''s why, I had to hide you since if she knew who you are, it''s going to be a hassle."


    ''Archangels aren''t some people you would want to offend on a regr day. That woman could turn into a messy situation if she discovers anything suspicious.''


    The 10 archangels are renowned individuals that work under one organization called ''Divinity''. They are basically monsters with unbelievable strength and power capable of easily defeating an army. The even scarier thing about them is that they aren''t even the strongest rank in ''Divinity''.


    Above them are 7 Virtues, 3 Ophanims, 2 Seraphim, and finally 1 individual that they call ''God''. So, even Kai can''t precisely determine how strong these people are and if he has the choice, he frankly never wants to know as they seem like a pain in the ass in his eyes.


    Divinity worked as a sort of organization that people could join to be ''Ascendants''. Ascendants are very simr to Hitmen in concept albeit a little more versatile.


    They can do many missions such as: Bodyguarding, exploration, archeology, assassination, and all kinds of other things that had a certain level of danger to them. In other words, Divinity was a directpetitor to the guild as they both share a rather simr line of bussiness.


    ''When I left the guild 5 years ago, the situation was already strained between the two organizations. I doubt it got any better by now.'' Kai shook his head and didn''t bother to think about it anymore.


    Whether Divinity and the guild end up fighting each other to death or bing allies is none of his business, he is nothing but a normal high schooler.


    "I see, so that''s why Kai protected me?" Eva murmured as a beautiful blush appeared on her cheeks.


    "You would''ve got yourself killed. Anyway, here is your purse. You should leave before shees back."


    "Tsk, why would she take interest in you? That old hag! Go blow an older man of your age." Eva cursed to herself.


    After that, Kai led Eva to the door just to make sure Kaya wasn''t trying to eavesdrop on them from her room.


    "Uh, so, see you tomorrow?" Eva said with uncertainty.


    "Yes."


    Although the response was nd, it still put a genuine smile on Eva''s face. Knowing the fact that her beloved won''t be going anywhere was the best gift Eva could ever get. Being by his side was her ultimate goal that she would sacrifice anything to get.


    Then, Eva walked away under Kai''s observant eyes. When he was sure she left the vicinity, he closed the door and then sighed.


    "What a long day. I should take a shower."


    Thirty minutester, Kai got out of the shower, his hair was damp and wet as he wiped it with a towel.


    *Knock* *Knock*


    That''s when the door knocked. Knowing who it was already, Kai opened the door. Kaya hade back wearingfortable pajamas that only entuated her great figure.


    What''s even more eye-catching is the unbuttoned upper buttons which revealed her big cleavage. A small mole could even be seen on her left breast.


    "I bought some drinks for the nig-" Kaya said with a calm smile. But, the moment she saw Kai, her smile froze.


    "What?"


    "Were you¡­ taking a shower?" She asked with a rather agitated tone.


    "Yes."


    "I see¡­" Murmuring those words, she walked inside the house.


    "How was school today?"


    "As usual," Kai replied as he went to the kitchen.


    Before her arrival, he made sure to erase any possible traces of Eva left in the house. But, it still didn''t mean that he waspletely safe. Kaya was too observant.


    ''Nothing seems out of the ordinary for now.'' As he thought so, he brought cups to the table.


    "Are you still a loner, as usual, Kai?"


    "..."


    "Sigh, you should really make some friends. Living through high school alone is no good. It''s the prime of your life." Kaya advised as she emptied a can of beer in her cup while giving Kai a bottle of coke.


    "Uh, I wish I could go back to my high school life. It was a great time. You are still young so you shouldn''t waste it and do everything you want. Like dating for example."


    "Dating? I doubt that''s necessary."


    "It is necessary! Finding a good partner for life is an important point in one''s life." Kaya said as she sipped her beer.


    "Then, did you already find this lifetime partner?" Kai asked casually. Although he had no interest in Kaya, it wouldn''t hurt to try and know more about one of the Archangels.


    "Hmm, there are two responses to this question and each of them depends on a certain factor." Kaya''s eyes shed with a weird glint.


    "The first answer is obviously: No, I didn''t find him yet. But, then I would be lying if I said that." The woman then stood up and walked around the table in a slow manner.


    "Then, there is the second possible answer which is: Yes, I found him. However, I still don''t know whether he will really ept me or not." As she finished her words, Kaya pushed Kai against the sofa and sat down on hisp with her legs tucked on both of his sides.


    Then, her arm circled around his neck as she got awfully close to his face.


    "So, tell me, which answer should it be?"


    Kaya''s body was already seductive enough to make any man go wild with a mere nce. However, with her now being this close to Kai, it would''ve been easy for him to lose control and push her down. However, thetter didn''t seem to be affected by it at all as he stared coldly at Kaya''s green eyes that were akin to two mas that pulled anyone into their deep abyss.


    "..."


    "Pffft!! I''m sorry, I was simply teasing you." Kaya chuckled elegantly before she smiled at Kai.


    "I couldn''t resist teasing my cute Kai since he looks so desirable ~" She added as she licked her beautiful red lips seductively. For a moment, her eyes turned from normal to that of a predator eyeing their prey with clear famish.


    As the two were like that, a sound interrupted the conversation.


    *DING* *DING*


    It was a notification that came from Kai''s phone. Thetter immediately realized who it was that would send him a message now.


    ''That idiot.'' Kai''s brows frowned slightly.


    "Hmm, your phone is ringing," Kaya said as she turned to look at it before she stood up. "I will check it myself. You can rx."


    However, Kai had no time to do that as he quickly acted and pulled Kaya back before pushing her onto the sofa with him on top.


    "It''s just an email from the school. Weren''t you saying something else?" He asked.


    "Ohoh~? Is my cute Kai acting more dominant now? This big sister is happy~~" Kaya replied flirtily as she touched his face.


    Although he was pushing a beauty like no other down, Kai had no mind to focus on that. He knew that if Kaya was to merely see the name of the sender, it was game over for Eva. Kaya would easily research it, realize that Eva wasn''t a normal high school girl, and then immediately grow suspicious of Kai himself.


    ''I need to keep her away from the phone at all costs.''

 Chapter 8 - 8- Kaya Bladeheart (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 8:- Kaya deheart (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 8- Kaya deheart (Part 2)


    A few minutes before the message, Eva, who returned to her house, wasying on the bed looking at the ceiling with a dreamy expression. Her head waspletely upied by what happened a few hours ago.


    ''Uh, Kai''s hand rested on my mouth and he pushed me against the wall~'' She thought as her fingers went to touch her rosy lips instinctively.


    Then, her face blushed and she started tossing and turning in the bed fighting her own pillow. After a few minutes, she stopped and murmured to herself.


    "I can''t believe that I finally found Kai. Even though it took a few years, I''m happy that I could finally be by his side again. But, that bitch from Divinity didn''t allow for us to spend time together. Unforgivable! I will kill her! No, I will torture her to death! Tsk, wait¡­" Suddenly, the girl realized something. "Is she in his house now?"


    Kai had said that Kaya would be in his room an hourter which coincided with when Eva came back home.


    Just the mere image of that woman sitting with Kai, touching him, and even trying to be intimate with him sent a shiver down Eva''s spine.


    "I will kill her! I will definitely do that!!" She said as she punched her pillow. "That bitch is trying to steal my man and thinks it would be an easy thing! It''s a life or death battle, whore!" Saying that, she picked her phone up and looked at Kai''s number.


    "Should I send him a message? No, he said that it would be troublesome. I don''t want to trouble Kai." Murmuring so, Eva was about to close the phone. But, then, for some odd reason, her mind told her something.


    ''Why not type what you would want to say to Kai directly and then delete it?'' Her evil side snickered.


    "Uh¡­ It won''t hurt. I will just type it and then delete it." Then, with a blushing look, she opened the phone again and typed something in the chat.


    ''I love you so much, Kai. I want to spend the rest of my life by your side. I want to hug you, feel your warmth, and your strong arms around me. I want you to touch me as much as I want to touch you.'' She typed and then she chuckled.


    "Fufufufuf! Like hell, I would send th-"


    *DING*


    Her finger which was supporting the phone slipped to the sending button and tapped it without her noticing.


    "...!!!!!" Eva''s face paled as she quickly tried to delete the message. But, it was over. The message was sent.


    "I screwed up!!" She said as she threw the phone away. "Oh no! How did I make this mistake?! Kai is going to be pissed!"


    Even though Eva loves Kai madly, she wasn''t crazy enough to get on his bad side which 99% of the time means death.


    ''Hehehe, don''t worry, Eva. You just stopped any potential intimacy between them. That bitch can''t do anything now even if she wants to.''


    "I see¡­ That''s true. Besides, Kai won''t do anything to me. He said that himself." Then, with a smile, Eva sat on her bed. It was time for dinner.


    ***


    "Hmm, are you going to do something inappropriate, Kai?" Kaya asked with a mischievous smile on her face.


    "I doubt it''s legal for an underage high schooler to get into an intimate rtionship with a functioning adult in society. Am I wrong? You can get punished by thew." The boy replied coldly.


    "Hmm, no, that''s right. But¡­" Kaya then pulled Kai''s face closer to hers where their lips were barely a few inches away from each other. "Is anyone watching now?"


    "..." The two stared at each other silently for a few seconds before Kai sighed and then pulled himself away from her.


    "I was simply trying to tease you." He said in a tone that didn''t sound humorous in any way.


    "Bad luck~ I was anticipating something fun."


    "You shouldn''t aim for ''fun'' with a high schooler. You will end up in jail faster than you could think."


    "Don''t worry~ I will only ept Kai in my bed," Kaya said flirtily.


    Thetter shook his head and picked up his phone before he swiftly deleted the message before Kaya could notice. Luckily, Eva didn''t send any more messages which was the optimal situation.


    "Anyway, should we y some console gam-"


    *DING* *DING*


    Suddenly, another ringing sound echoed in the room. But, this time, it wasn''t from Kai''s phone but instead from Kaya''s which made the boy squint his eyes slightly.


    "Tsk, not now," Kaya murmured to herself with an annoyed expression before she returned to normal as she stood up.


    "Or not. Job is calling. Being a nurse is a hassle."


    "I can see that," Kai replied in a mysterious tone.


    "Well, I should leave now."


    After saying that, Kaya walked out of the door before she bid Kai farewell with a warm smile. When the door closed, her facepletely changed. From a mischievous, flirty, and seductive to a coldness that could barely be distinguished from that of a bestial predator.


    "What?" She said as she picked up the phone. A voice then spoke something on the phone.


    "I see. I will be there. Also, I have a request. I want you to hack a certain mobile phone for me. I will give you the informationter."


    Then, she hung up the phone.


    ''Tsk, to think that my Kai would be targeted by a pest. Who dares to go after him? And he even tried to hide it from me. Is she perhaps more than just his schoolmate?'' Many thoughts rushed to Kaya''s mind which made her clench her fist slightly.


    *CRACK*


    The phone couldn''t handle the pressure and started cracking loudly.


    "I guess another person is added to the list of people I should eliminate for my future with my darling~"


    ***


    Kai sat down on the bed and then tapped on his phone a few times. A few secondster, the sound of someone picking up the phone along with a hesitant ''Hello'' reached his ear.


    "Are you that eager to die?" Kai asked without bothering to acknowledge the greeting.


    "H-Huh? What do you mean? I-I don''t understand what you''re talking about, Kai?" Eva replied with a clear nervous tone.


    "I said don''t try and mess with an Archangel and yet you did exactly the opposite of that. If you wish to end your own life, I can help you with that. No need for a troublesome conflict with an Archangel."


    "I-I''m sorry, Kai. I didn''t mean to send it¡­ My finger slipped¡­" Eva replied with a low tone. She sounded like a small child being scolded by their parents.


    Rubbing his temple, Kai replied.


    "Sigh, I don''t like to repeat my words twice. It''s a waste of energy and time. If you want to have a peaceful time living here then listen to me. There are way more dangers lurking in this city than you could think."


    "I understand¡­ *Sniff* I''m really sorry¡­" Sniffling back a tear, Eva replied.


    ''For one of the best Hitmen in the guild to be this clumsy. Is idiocy that contagious?'' Kai thought as he said. "Anyway, I will hang up the phone."


    "No, wait!"


    "Hm? What?"


    "D-Did you read the message that I sent?" Eva asked with an anxious tone.


    "No, I deleted it."


    "..."


    "What did you send?"


    "No, it''s nothing. Just gibberish. Good night, Kai. I love you."


    *Click*


    The boy cut off the call without replying and then put the phone away and then rested his head on the pillow.


    This day was especially hectic for him. Too many events happened that required him to exert more energy than he usually does.


    ''Is it really that hard to run away from the past?'' He asked himself as he covered his eyes. Pieces of memory from a distant past came rushing back to his head.


    None of them were pleasant memories that Kai would want to remember now. The past 5 years were by far the most blissful time he ever had in his 17 years of life.


    Anything before that was pure hell. He hated every single moment of those years and would dly erase them from his memories if he could. Kai was, in a sense, a perfectionist who would only be satisfied with a perfect job in any task he does.


    However, he considered the first 12 years of his life to be a huge, unfixable mistake. None of it was redeemable.


    "I should sleep." Shaking his head, Kai closed his eyes and in less than a minute, he drifted to the dreamworld.


    However, what he didn''t know was that it was only the beginning. The wheel of fate was halted for a few years and on that day, it resumed its movement, carrying along with it years of Kai''s life that he left behind.

 Chapter 9 - 9- Fianc茅 (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 9:- Fianc¨¦ (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 9- Fianc¨¦ (Part 1)


    "Miss Eva, dinner is ready." A maid walked inside Eva''s room and said with a bow.


    "I will be there in a minute," Eva said as she looked at herself in the mirror. Although her appearance was perfect in every way, she was conflicted about something.


    ''Do I not look beautiful in Kai''s eyes? Should I change my hairstyle? Or dye it in another color? Hmm, maybe the color of my eyes is too nd.'' Touching her face, she thought of all kinds of changes.


    However, without something to base her choice on, she can''t change anything. She wasn''t someone who liked gambling especially when this gamble would determine how her beloved would look at her from now on.


    "Sigh, I should apologize properly tomorrow. I''m sure Kai is still angry." She murmured as she turned around to leave the room. "But, at least, I wanted him to read the message¡­"


    The downcast girl then left her room and walked through the long corridor of her luxurious mansion. Even though she didn''t want this extravagant mansion, her parents insisted that if she wanted to really move out and live on her own that she must ept this mansion.


    Eva was born with a golden spoon in her mouth and yet she never really found money that interesting. In her eyes, the people that spend their whole life running after money are nothing but foolish idiots that can''t really live life for its real purpose.


    As her mind wandered to such thoughts, she found herself standing inside the dining hall. In the middle of it, a long table that stretches for at least 25 meters was set up and filled with all kinds of foods cooked by the best chefs that her family could find. It was a feast big enough to amodate tens of people.


    Her maid came forward and bowed again.


    "Please¡­" She said as she pulled the chair for her young mistress.


    Thetter nodded her head and sat down. At a mere nce, the food looked amazing and mouth-watering. However, Eva was someone who tasted heaven before so everything else simply felt nd in her mouth.


    ''I want to eat Kai''s food again.'' She thought as she sighed and grabbed her fork and knife.


    As she ate in silence, her eyes wandered to the other side of the table. There was not a sense of familiarity in this ce. It was certainly a beautiful mansion, no arguing about that. But, Eva didn''t seek perfection but warmth.


    A ce where she could feel warm and happy inside is in her opinion, way better than any extravagant castle or one-of-a-kind mansion.


    "Do you need anything, Miss Eva?" The maid beside her noticed the weird expression on Eva''s face and asked with a concerned tone.


    "No, nothing. I just don''t have the appetite to eat."


    "Is the food not to your liking? I can ask the chefs to cook something else."


    "No¡­ It''s not that."


    *RING* *RING*


    Suddenly, Eva''s phone rang and her eyes immediately lit up as she quickly pulled it out, expecting to see Kai''s name. However, the name that she saw made her face return to its coldness again.


    So, without hesitation, she hung up the call without answering. She had no desire to talk with this particr person, not now, not ever. However, a secondter, her phone rang again.


    So, she hung up the call again. But, the phone rang again the next second.


    ''This bastard.'' Clicking her tongue, Eva simply blocked the number.


    However, a secondter, another number called her.


    "Tsk, I''m going to kill him." Sighing loudly, Eva decided to pick up the phone. Immediately, a voice spoke excitedly.


    "Eva, my lovely fiancee! I missed you so much!" The voice belonged to a man clearly.


    "I think I was clear when I said I don''t want you to contact me ever again, Edward," Eva replied with a harsh tone. Only she knows how much she just wants to murder this man.


    "As cold as ever, I see. How can I not contact my own fiancee? You can''t expect me to do that. Yes, it''s impossible."


    "I''m going to hang up and turn off the phone." She said as she was about to click the red button on the screen.


    "Wait! Please, I heard that you moved out to another city far away. Why?"


    "None of your business."


    "No, no, it is my business to know where my future wife went."


    "I''m not your future wife."


    "You and your shy behavior again. Don''t worry, I''m sure you will soone to ept me as your husband." The man said with a confident, almost cocky tone. "Anyway, either way. I asked your parents about the location you moved to and I have a surprise for you. I''m moving there tomorrow."


    Immediately, Eva''s anger skyrocketed. Not because he was trying to stalk her and not even because her parents gave him her information.


    ''He''s going to annoy Kai.'' She thought to herself.


    She knew that Edward was quite the weird creep who would research everything about Eva no matter how small it was. So, if he ends up trying to harass Kai, it wouldn''t end peacefully.


    ''If I could, I would''ve killed him myself. But¡­ Tsk.'' When Eva remembered the thing that made it impossible for her to kill this man, she could only clench her teeth in anger.


    "Hahaha, are you surprised? I''m sure you are. I missed your face too much, darling. I lo-"


    *Click*


    Eva hung up the phone and rubbed her temples with an exhausted expression.


    "Mia, I want you to send a message to my father."


    "Yes. What should be the content of the message?"


    "''You had done something you will regret a lot.'' Send him those exact words." She said before she stood up and left the dining room.


    ***


    The night passed quietly and the next day arrived. Kai woke up and prepared himself for school before he left his house walking on foot. Since he lived close to the school, he didn''t need to get on a train. It was a simple, 10-minute walk.


    "Hm?" When he reached the school''s gates, he found a weird sight. Many students were standing around looking at something.


    Kai was at first puzzled but when he saw the luxurious limousine, he understood the reason for this behavior.


    ''Another transfer student?'' He thought as he tried to recall ever seeing that Limousine before. However, he couldn''t remember it which meant that it belonged to a new student.


    But, Kai didn''t bother with that as he walked past the group of students and entered the school.


    When he reached the ss, he found Eva sitting quietly on her chair, reading a book.


    The sight of the girl mixed with the rays of light was mesmerizing, to say the least. When she noticed Kai looking at her, she looked up and smiled widely.


    "Good morning!"


    "..." Kai didn''t say much and simply sat on his chair before he looked outside.


    "I''m really sorry about yesterday," Eva said.


    "..."


    "I really didn''t mean to do th-"


    Before Eva could finish her words, students started entering the ss which made it impossible for her to continue.


    Quickly, the ss was filled with students and then the teacher walked inside with a rather pale expression.


    "Uh, we have another¡­ transfer student today."


    "Another one?!"


    " Did you see the Limousine that stopped in front of the school this morning? It must be the new student."


    "Still, I''ve never heard of two transfer students moving to one school back to back."


    Kai, who heard such words, had a weird suspicion. It was indeed odd that another transfer student would appear the next day especially when this school wasn''t even that popr or prestigious.


    Then, his eyes shifted to Eva who had aplicated expression on her face.


    ''It has something to do with her certainly.'' He thought as he looked back at the door.


    Using a small ounce of his power, Kai sensed the presence of the person outside. His eyebrows raised for a second as he quickly recognized who that person was and then returned to normal the next second.


    ''I see¡­''


    "Please,e in."


    The door was slid open and an extremely handsome boy walked in. He had short brown hair and two beautiful blue eyes. He was almost as tall as Kai, albeit an inch shorter since his shoes were rather thicker than normal.


    "Hello, everyone. I''m Edward Chamagne. I''m the heir to the Chamagne family and the world champion for the under-19 category in chess, golf, and Boxing. Nice to meet all of you." He said with a haughty smile on his face.


    Usually, no one would introduce themselves and then add their achievements alongside it as it was a tant arrogance. But, Edward didn''t care about any of that. He was arrogant and everyone should know that as he had every right to be arrogant.


    Immediately, whispers errupted in the ss. The girls blushed at the mere sight of Edward''s handsome appearance and the boy were gritting their teeth in envy and shock. He was simply too handsome for their poor hearts.


    "Uh, Mister Edward¡­ you can ch-" Before the teacher could finish his words, Edward had already walked toward the end of the ss and stood in front of Kai.


    "I want this chair, move." He said without a shred of respect.


    Kai stared at him casually without saying a word.

 Chapter 10 - 10- Fianc茅 (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 10:- Fianc¨¦ (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 10- Fianc¨¦ (Part 2)


    An ufortable silence took over the ss as Kai stared directly at Edward without saying a single word. No one could understand what was running through his mind.


    "Didn''t you hear me? I said move." Edward said as he put his hand on Kai''s shoulder and tried to squeeze hard.


    ''Hm?'' Immediately, the handsome young man noticed something odd.


    He couldn''t feel his grip affecting Kai''s shoulder at all. Mind you, Edward was a boxing champion and someone with extremely strong arms and hands, and yet he couldn''t feel Kai''s bones shuddering from the grip as it should be the case for an ordinary high schooler.


    "Off," Kai said one word.


    "Huh?"


    Without saying another word, Kai pushed Edward''s hand away and then turned to look at the window as if nothing happened.


    Edward''s face immediately blushed with anger as he red at this odd student. Not only did he not seem to be affected by Edward mentally or physically, but he also made him look like an idiot in front of other students.


    "Mister Edward, there is another seat over there." The teacher tried to interject as peacefully as he could.


    "I want this seat," Edward replied as he decided to not pull back or he will be in an even more shameful situation.


    ''He''s as much of a moron as I remember.'' Kai thought disdainfully.


    Meanwhile, Eva, who was watching all of this ur from the side was on the edge. Not because she feared that the situation would escte but because she didn''t want Kai to get any more angry than he was.


    She already ruined his mood and now this human filth was there to potentially make it even worse. Eva would rather skin that man alive than see her beloved angry.


    "Mister Edward. I understand that you want that seat but since the owner of the seat doesn''t want to hand it over, please use that one over there. We don''t have the time for pointless conflicts." The teacher who finally felt fed-up said in a stern tone.


    "W-Who are you to order me?! Huh? With a call, I can demolish this shitty school. Do you hear me?! I said I want this seat and I will get it no matter what!"


    ''Sigh, I guess there is no point in trying to avoid this.'' Sighing, Kai looked at Edward coldly.


    Then, for a split second, his eyes widened as an orange lightning bolt manifested in his pupils and then shot through the air, piercing Edward''s eyes.


    Immediately, thetter''s expression changed from anger topletely nk.


    "Or, never mind, I will use that seat, thank you. I''m sorry for being an annoying piece of shit. It runs in the family. I will make sure to take a shower when I go home since I didn''t take one in years." He said nkly as he bowed to the teacher before he walked to the other side of the ssroom and sat down under the shocked gazes of the students and the teacher.


    No one understood what happened to the young man''s attitude to change this quickly. But, the even more shocking revtion was¡­


    ''He didn''t shower in years?! That''s disgusting!!'' Students instinctively pulled themselves away from him.


    "Pfft!" On the other hand, Eva held her mouth as she tried to suppress the urge tough as much as she could. She was the only one who understood what Kai did and that only made it funnier for her.


    Although Kai was serious 99% of the time, he had these moments that would always make her giggle. It''s a side that she adored about him.


    ''But, is it my imagination, or did Kai''s power increase? He didn''t even need to point his finger at that trash and yet he could control his brain perfectly. Uh, so cool~ I love you~ Kai is still the strongest.'' She thought as she stared at the silhouette of her beloved with a warm expression.


    "Huh?" At that moment, Edward woke up from his trance and looked around confusedly. "What happened? Huh?"


    ''Did I lose consciousness? I don''t remember walking here.'' His eyes then moved to where he was supposed to be sitting.


    The reason he wanted to sit there was because it was the table nearest to his fiance. Yet, not only did he not get it, but he was now getting weird looks from the students as if he was some kind of creep.


    But, since he already sat down, he couldn''t stand up and do it again or he will be kicked out of the ss. His threats from before were nothing but bluffing as he came here without telling his father and he knew if he found out, he would be killed.


    ''Tsk, that little trash! Embarrassing me like that! I will show you how foolish you were!'' His anger rose again as he looked at Kai.


    ***


    The hours passed normally and the lunch break finally arrived. Immediately, stood up and walked toward Eva with a wide smile.


    "Darling! It''s time for our lunch, let''s go." He said as he extended his arm to Eva.


    "Darling? Does he know Miss Eva?"


    "Who knows, maybe he is trying to hit on her?"


    Students murmured as they looked at the two with curious expressions.


    "Sigh¡­" Eva shook her head and stood up before she left the ss.


    "Hey, Eva, wait!" Edward followed after her and tried to grab her hand.


    However, Eva quickly turned around and red at him.


    "Touch me and I will show you how I canmit murder in the middle of a high school and then get away with it."


    "Hey, hey, why the anger? Look, it''s me, your darling. I missed you. Didn''t you miss me?" Edward asked.


    "You should already know the answer to that and also¡­" With her fingers holding her nose, Eva continued. "You smell like sewage. Please, take a shower." She said and then left.


    "Smell?" Instinctively, Edward sniffed himself but didn''t notice any weird smells. "Huh? I took a shower this morning."


    As he stood there dumbfounded, Kai passed beside him without giving him a second nce.


    "That bastard¡­ I will deal with him first and then I can finally focus on Eva." Thinking so, Edward pulled out his phone and dialed a certain number.


    ***


    When Kai reached the rooftop, he found Eva waiting for him there. Her face was far from happy even though she saw Kai which would always put a huge smile on her face.


    She looked at her beloved and then opened her mouth to try and say something, only to end up closing it again.


    "Knowing your fiance, I doubt he will let me be. Should I eliminate him?" He asked Eva a tricky question that he didn''t even need an answer to. Kai had his own will and he could do what he want without asking Eva.


    But, for some reason, he was curious as to what she would say. Something inside of him was telling him to try and discover what the girl in front of him would think. It wasn''t something he usually does but in thest few years, this curiosity to discover the human nature grew on him.


    He had spent 12 years of his life as a machine rather than a human. He couldn''t understand happiness or sadness, love or hate, and even what makes humans¡­ well, humans.


    The books he read gave him different definitions of humans but not a concrete answer that he could understand.


    "Did I tell you about the reason why he is still alive to this day?" Eva asked with a sad expression as she averted her eyes from Kai.


    Thetter stood silently as a signal for her to continue so the girl did exactly that.


    "His family¡­ Uh, the Chamagne family is as you know one of the most prominent families in the medical domain. They monopolize a huge share of the biggest pharmacology industrypanies and they also are the leaders in research for many illnesses."


    "I know that."


    "Uh, recently, and by recently I mean 3 years ago, my mother was bedridden from sudden sickness. We couldn''t understand the origin of it nor could we cure it no matter how many doctors we invite to check on her. So, my father decided to contact the Chamagne family for help and they proposed that their son, Edward would marry me and in return, they will use all of their influence and power to find a cure for my mother''s sickness."


    ''They have Eva''s family underplete control because of this weakness. They are probably trying to take over their power with this marriage.'' Kai thought. Even if Eva''s mother was cured, they will end up being the ones at a disadvantage in this deal. Kai knew that very well and he was sure Eva and her father knew that too.


    But, out of desperation, they probably had to ept this condition as the Chamagne family was theirst chance.


    "I¡­ I couldn''t really do anything as if anything happened to Edward, the Chamagne family would immediately stop the research and my mother would die soon. Her condition is already critical as it is."


    Tears welled up in Eva''s eyes. "I don''t know what to do¡­ Kai. *Sniff* I don''t want to end up being married to that trash but if I don''t do it, my mother would die. What should I do? *Hick*"


    Eva, who was a very known hitman in the underworld, a person that learned how to be cold, calcting and cunning was now crying like a little girl. She had never shown such a weak side of her to anyone except for her parents and Kai. They are the only people she trusted and loved enough to drop down her guard and be herself around.


    She had her worries and fears but for the sake of not being used by someone else, she never allows for anyone to find out about this.


    "What do you want exactly?" Kai asked.


    "I want to heal my mother and get rid of that trash," Eva replied with certainty in her tone.


    Kai''s face didn''t change much as he expected this answer. However, he asked that question simply to prepare for the next question.


    "I can do that. I can cure your mother and eliminate the man named Edward Chamagne. However, ites with a cost." Kai said.


    "Cost?"


    "I can do all of that and in return, you will leave this city and nevere back. That includes never meeting me again. Will you still ept?"

 Chapter 11 - 11- Odd Answer

    <h4>Chapter 11:- Odd Answer?</h4>


    Chapter 11- Odd Answer


    "..." Eva''s eyes widened to the extreme as she looked at Kai speechlessly. She couldn''t utter a single word for a long while.


    "Are you¡­ serious?" She asked.


    "Yes. I can heal your mother." He said with a deadly serious expression. Although Eva knew that Kai wasn''t someone to joke around, she still couldn''t easily believe his words. Not because she thinks he is a liar but because she was aware of her mother''s condition.


    Not even the best doctors in the world could treat her condition and yet Kai said he can do it. Was he a doctor? No, as far as Eva was aware.


    "There isn''t a cure for the illness yet, Kai. How can yo-"


    "I can treat her. Now, answer my question." He said as he cut her off harshly.


    ''Since you seem to be showing affection toward me. What would be your choice? Would you ept and then leave or stay here and allow for your mother to die? Is it family or me?'' He thought secretly.


    His thoughts were nothing short of selfish and self-centered and Kai knew that very well. But, he didn''t ask that question out of arrogancy or from a desire to torture Eva mentally. He just sought an answer to the question that bugged his mind: What makes a human, human? One of the answers that he found was love.


    Humans are humans because they feel love for each other. They create bonds based on this particr aspect. Kai had seen before people that swore their love to each other eternally and even went to say that they will die for each other. However, the moment Kai points the gun barrel at them, they would immediately give up that facade and throw anything at him so that he can spare them including those they boasted their love to.


    That''s when Kai realized one important thing¡­ The true nature of humans appears when they are on the verge of death.


    ''They are all fake emotions that would vanish the moment true fear takes ce in their hearts.''


    So, when Eva somehow barged into his life a few years ago and even dered that she loved him, Kai didn''t even give her a second thought as he knew that she was like everyone else.


    Now, he found the opportunity to test that idea.


    "I see¡­ You are way more amazing than I thought, Kai." Eva smiled slightly with a sad expression.


    "..."


    "My answer to your question is: please help my mother." She said.


    ''Hmm, as I pred-'' As Kai was about to reach a conclusion, Eva continued her words.


    "After that, can you please kill me?" She said.


    "Hm?" Kai''s eyebrows raised in slight surprise.


    "As I said before, I will never let you go ever again. The five years you disappeared in were hell for me. Life became devoid of any color and I couldn''t even find joy in things I used to enjoy doing. That''s worse than death in my opinion. So, if I have to leave you, it better be because my life is over." She said.


    "..."


    "And, I would feel blessed if I die by your hands."


    Kai stared directly at the smiling girl for a long time. His expression was the usual but something shed in his eyes for a second before he sighed.


    "You are very dumb." He said.


    "Huh?! That''s mean!" Eva said with shock before she pouted. "I know I''m not as smart as you but I still have a good head between my shoulders. I can even pass the hardest college exams with a perfect score if I want to. Hmph!"


    Turning around, Kai started walking to the door that led down from the school''s rooftop.


    "This weekend, prepare a ne to your home country."


    "Huh? Why?"


    "Don''t you want to help your mother?"


    "Y-Yes. But, a-are you real-" Eva rubbed her fingers together hesitantly.


    "As I said before, as long as you don''t annoy me, I have no reason to try and control what you do and that includes where you decide to live. Consider my help this time to be for the sake of old times."


    After saying that, Kai left the rooftop without waiting for Eva to say anything.


    "Tsk¡­ Was I supposed to do this?" As he walked through the corridors of the school, he murmured to himself.


    Usually, Kai wouldn''t go out of his way to help someone no matter who they were. But, for some reason, the answer that Eva gave himpletely changed his n. He could only admit that it surprised him.


    ''Why would she go this far? Isn''t she supposed to show her true colors? Isn''t her family more important to her than a stranger?'' He asked himself.


    However, no answer came to mind and so he simply didn''t try to think about it anymore. Hecked the knowledge to answer those questions.


    As Kai continued walking silently, his eyes looked back for a brief moment without showing any weird gestures.


    ''Someone¡­ No, some people are following me.'' He thought as he looked ahead and then changed direction and instead headed to the area behind the school building.


    Since people were still eating lunch, that ce was empty. When he reached there, he stood in his ce and looked back.


    "You can show up, guys." He said calmly.


    A secondter, a group of 5 people appeared out of the corner. Each one of them had a menacing look on their face and muscr builds. It didn''t take a genius to determine that they were a bunch of bad guys.


    "Hahahaha! How did you notice us?" The one in the middle asked with a wide grin.


    "It''s cuz you''re too big, boss. You stand out like a fuckin'' sore thumb." The one next to him who was smoking a cigarette said.


    "Hahahaha! I agree!"


    "Shut up y''all! Let''s focus on our little friend here."


    ''So he won''t even bother to appear himself and instead sent these idiots. Well, not that it matters.'' Kai thought.


    "You know boy! Even though my fellows here look like typical bullies, we aren''t really bullies! But, you seem to have angered someone you should not, and now you''re paying the price for it. Hahahaha! So, don''t take it to heart!"


    As he said so, he approached Kai and then stared at him menacingly. Although Kai was still taller than him, the bully didn''t seem to be that bothered about it.


    "Guys, don''t beat him up yet. I want to give him a few punches since our friend here doesn''t seem that scared."


    Then, without any warning, the bully sent a flying punch toward, Kai''s stomach. Thetter didn''t bother to move as he stared directly at the bully without flinching.


    The punch hit its target. But, oddly enough, it didn''t even make a sound nor did it show any change in Kai''s posture or even made him grunt. Instead¡­


    "Agh!! My hand! What the fuck did I punch?! Are you wearing metal under your clothes?!" The bully said as he grabbed his arm. A huge red spot has appeared on his knuckles.


    ''What the hell?! My hand almost broke from the hit?!''


    "You hit me. The camera registered that." Kai said as he pointed at the camera that was pointing at them. Then, he looked back down and continued.


    "From here on, what I will do is simply ''self-defense''."


    "Huh?" The bully was confused at first.


    But, before he could even react, he felt something smash against his face with overwhelming force.


    *SLAP*


    His neck bent to the side as he was sent flying like a ragdoll. When hended on the ground, his face was buried in the dirt. He lost consciousness immediately.


    ''I don''t think I can make a p any weaker than that. Tsk, annoying.'' Kai thought as he looked at his hand with a nk expression.


    "W-W-W-What?!" The other four bullies looked at what happened as their jaws dropped from sheer shock.


    "What the fuck?! Am I dreaming?!"


    "Oi¡­ How is that even possible?! Boss weighs almost 100 Kilograms!!"


    Fear struck the group as they started retreating back.


    "You guys¡­"


    "Heeee!!!" The moment they heard Kai''s voice, their faces grew even paler. One of them even lost consciousness on the spot. Immediately, they all tried to run away as fast as they could.


    "Sorry, I can''t let you remember what you saw." Kai thought as his eyes widened slightly.


    The same weird, orange-colored energy surrounded his body for a split second before it flew toward the four bullies, piercing through their heads and making them stop dead in their tracks.


    "Huh? What happened?"


    "Hm? Weird, I can''t remember anything. Why are we here? Weren''t we eating lunch?"


    "Well, let''s go back, the lunchtime is almost over."


    "True. I''m very hungry."


    Seeing their reactions, Kai turned around and left as if nothing happened.


    "I forgot to eat lunch¡­"

 Chapter 12 - 12- Traces Of The Phantom

    <h4>Chapter 12:- Traces Of The Phantom?</h4>


    Chapter 12- Traces Of The Phantom


    Meanwhile, in a far-off ce, in another country, a beautiful, blonde-haired woman was walking through the corridors of a massive skyscraper. Her face was as cold as it was mesmerizing. Her aura was also distant yet elegant to an unbelievable degree.


    Reaching a particr door, she walked inside without knocking. Looking around, the ce was akin to a room from 1,000 years in the future with weird technology. Huge screens withplicated data inside of them, machines of all kinds, and stacks of paper filled with information.


    This was one of the more important areas of the Divinity HQ and also the main reason for their quick rise to the top of the underworld.


    "You''re finally here, Kaya!" From behind a desk, a voice called for Kaya with an annoyed tone.


    "It''s been a while, Elu," Kaya said coldly as she walked around the desk.


    "Where have you been?! It''s boring to death here. You think I like to stay behind a screen the whole day?" The person named Elu was a little girl who looked barely 12 years of age.


    She wore ab coat and had a small lollipop in her mouth along with a pair of headphones on her neck.


    Elu was one of the smartest people in the world with an IQ that exceeded 200. She was the brain of Divinity and the one behind all major ns they had. Her analytical abilities and great coding skills made her an invaluable asset for Divinity.


    Kaya smiled slightly and replied in a mysterious tone. "I have been¡­ having some ''fun''."


    In her mind, the silhouette of a young boy shed for a second before it vanished.


    "Tsk, is it that boy you told me about? Poor guy, getting targeted by you." Elu said with a sigh.


    *PINCH*


    "Ouch! Ouch! My cheek! My cheek!"


    "What did you say, my dear Elu?"


    "N-Nothing! L-Let me go! I''m sorry, I''m really sorry!!" As she tried to get rid of the two fingers pinching her soft cheek, Elu started apologizing profusely.


    "Anyway, what did you call me for? It''s not that easy to take a flight all the way here whenever you want me."


    "I know, I know. But, this time¡­ It''s serious."


    Immediately, Kaya''s face turned cold as she dropped down any acts. When ites to work, Kaya is very serious and doesn''t like to joke around.


    "I found some leads to where The ck Phantom is," Elu said.


    "...!!!" Kaya''s eyes widened slightly as she stared at ELu silently for a good 3 seconds. "Are you serious?"


    "Yeah, although I''m not sure. But, after analyzing countless faces and collecting data from the few pics we have of The ck Phantom, I was able to narrow down the area of where he could be at the moment."


    ''The ck Phantom? For how long has Divinity been searching for him? It''s one of the highest priorities for the data team.''


    "So, what did you find?"


    "If my data is right and it always is, he is in C-Country."


    "C-Country? You mean¡­"


    "Yes, he''s in the same country you live in. That''s why I contacted you." Elu said as she took the lollipop out of her mouth.


    "To think such a coincidence will happen. Interesting."


    "What are you thinking of, Kaya? Don''t you dare even entertain the thought of searching for him yourself? I called you here simply to warn you and also to show you what I find in case you stumble upon him."


    "Hm? But, The ck Phantom is a legend and one of the biggest goals that Divinity tries to achieve. Finding him and recruiting him will be like hitting the lottery a hundred times."


    "Don''t joke around, Kaya. That guy isn''t something we can handle. His strength is far beyond what myputers could even handle. As far as I''m concerned, he can be as strong as a Virtue or an Ophanim. He is a monster through and through. Mind you, he is potentially no older than 17 years of age and the data I have was from 5 years ago when he was merely 12 years old. No one knows how strong he became now."


    "...17 years of age, huh?" Kaya murmured as her mind wandered somewhere else for a second.


    "Snap out of it, you big breasts for brains!" Elu yelled as she pped Kaya on the chest.


    "Hm?"


    *PINCH*


    "Ouch! Ouch! I''m sowwy! I''m eally sowwy!! You will break my cheeks!!"


    ''Sigh, what did I even think of? There is no way he could be The ck Phantom. Tsk, well, it''s pointless to worry about it.''


    "Ah, by the way, did you do what I asked of you?"


    "Hm, you mean the phone thingy? Yeah, I did some research. Although I was able to identify who the owner of the phone is, I couldn''t hack it. It''spletely protected. Here." Clicking on a few things on herputer, a data panel appeared on the screen.


    "The girl is Eva Lavine. The daughter of the Lavine family, a behemoth in the world of technology. Age 17. Height: 169 cm. Blood Type: AB. Three sizes-"


    "Eva Lavine? What?!" Kaya blinked a few times as she turned the screen to look at it properly.


    Her eyes were quickly glued to the picture of the girl.


    ''Tsk, why the fuck is a bitch like her after my Kai? I will kill her! No, I will torture her to death!!'' Kaya thought as she clenched her fist. A cold, domineering aura surrounded her body.


    "Hey! You will break my desk! Also, why did you want to know such info?"


    "Tsk, it''s nothing. I already got what I needed to know. See youter."


    "Hey, Kaya, wait!"


    However, the woman didn''t listen and left theb immediately.


    ''Eva Lavine, you pronounced your own death.''


    "Sigh, that woman sure likes to be a headache. Well, whatever, I will just watch Drama and then sleep."


    ***


    When Kai returned to the ss, he sat down on the chair only to notice everyone looking in a particr direction. His eyes instinctively looked there too and weirdly enough, he saw Edward, who was staring at him too with a shocked expression as if he saw a unicorn.


    ''Huh?! Why is he here?! Did those idiots not beat him up?!'' His expression screamed.


    On the other hand, Kai didn''t bother with that at all. When he was walking back to ss, he made a detour to the principal office for a little task and then came here immediately.


    ''This should help him understand what will happen.'' Turning to look at the window, he went back to his own world.


    A few minutester, Eva came back. She looked as usual on the surface but inside, she was having the turmoil of a lifetime.


    ''Kai said he will help me!! Does this mean he cares about me? I mean, this is the only logical conclusion possible. He even said ''for old times'' sake''. That means he loves me! Yes, definitely! Kai¡­ Kai¡­'' Even though it had been almost half an hour since their conversation, she was still far from calm.


    If one looks closely, one could even see hearts drawn inside Eva''s pupils. This was the happiest she''s ever been.


    If they were alone, Eva was sure she would''ve not been able to bear not hugging Kai and fawning all over him like an affectionate cat enjoying her master''s attention.


    At that moment, Edward stood up and walked to the front of the ss before he faced everyone with a confident smile.


    "Ehem, can I have everyone''s attention please?"


    Immediately, the whole ss looked at him.


    "You see, I couldn''t tell you about it this morning. But, I decided to make an official statement. I and Miss Eva over there are betrothed and are going to marry after graduating high school."


    The bombshell was dropped and made the whole ss erupt with gossip and whispers. Everyone looked at Eva and Edward with apprehensive eyes. Mostly because they didn''t think their angel Eva was the fiance of that weird handsome man.


    But, purely from an aesthetic viewpoint, no one would disagree that they both fit each other. A beautiful man and woman that would fit in a piece of art together.


    Well, everyone except two people, one of them didn''t even care at all. The other, on the other hand, had to use all their effort not to stand up and go beat the handsome man to death right there and then.


    ''Kill him! I want to kill him! No, killing him is far too forgiving him! Should I do it now? Should I? I mean, he is going to die anyway and Kai said he will eliminate him. Yes, this makes sense. Let''s end his life here.'' Her eyes turned nk as she coldly stared at Edward with bad intentions oozing out of her every pore.


    But, Kai, who noticed that, sighed and then pulled out his phone.


    "Don''t do anything stupid. Let me deal with him. You will be a hindrance."

 Chapter 13 - 13- Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 13:- Lesson</h4>


    Chapter 13- Lesson


    Eva raised an eyebrow as she read Kai''s message before she nodded her head. Although Kai''s message was arrogant, she understood what he actually meant by it.


    ''If you try to kill him now, there is a chance that the Chamagne family will try to hinder them from traveling back to where Eva''s mother is.''


    When she calmed down, Eva realized the blunder she was about tomit and could only sigh sadly. Usually, she would never lose herposure in most situations but when ites to people she loves deeply, her mind starts to y funny.


    "So, my dear Eva, would you pleasee forward and show yourself as my official fiance." Edward, on the other hand, was still in his world of dreams.


    The looks of admiration he saw on the students'' faces made him feel ecstatic. No, more than ecstatic, he was euphoric at the moment.


    ''Yes, look at me, peasants. I''m far above you. I''m rich, handsome, sessful, and have the most beautiful girl in the world as my future wife. You worthless scum would never be able to get such things. You were born into mediocrity because you aren''t chosen like me.'' He thought to himself.


    Edward was born in raised inplete luxury. Not even once in his life did he struggle with anything. Whenever he tries to do something, he excels at it without trying and could easily beat others that spent a long time doing that same exact thing. This made him believe that he was chosen.


    That''s when he met Eva, at a party a few years ago and immediately fell in love with her. Being one of the Chamagane family, Edward had his fair share of flings with gorgeous women. But, Eva waspletely different. Her beauty, her elegance, her smile, her body. Everything about her captivated him to no extent.


    So, he tried to court her as he always does with any other woman.


    "No, thank you." Is the dry reply she gave him after he tried to speak with her.


    It was quite a shock for Edward who was never refused by any woman before, not even those that were of an equal standing to him. Yet, Eva didn''t even bother to look at him as she turned away and left.


    This reply created a sense of resolve in Edward to try and get Eva. Something about her refusal made her even more attractive to him. So, he started sending her gifts and luxurious items whenever he could and even met her father to talk about potential marriage between the two families.


    However, that''s when he got the biggest shock of his life.


    "My daughter¡­ is already in love with someone." Her father, Damian Lavine, said.


    ''She''s¡­ in love with someone else?! What?! Why?! Who is he?'' All kinds of questions filled Edward''s head but no answer came to mind.


    His shock eventually turned into frustration and then anger.


    ''How dare she fall in love with someone else? That''s unforgivable! Eva is mine and she should understand that!! She has no right to love anyone else except me.''


    But, even with such thoughts, he can''t really pressure the Lavine family into forcefully marrying Eva to him.


    But, by some god''s benevolence, the opportunity came knocking on Edward''s door with Eva''s mother falling sick. He immediately took the opportunity and offered his help and in return, he gets to marry Eva.


    ''Ah~ I''m truly the chosen one. Even the gods would do anything to make my desirese true.'' His arrogance only increased as he basked in the glory and happiness of finally getting his true love.


    At this point, Edward was madly in love with Eva. His mind is only filled with her image 24/7 and also his desire to touch her, hug her, and then do all kinds of things to her as she epted his warmth and love.


    Now, he was closer than ever to getting her to finally sumb to him.


    "No, thank you." However, his thoughts were immediately crushed by three simple words.


    Immediately, the students started talking again as they looked at Eva and Edward with apprehensive gazes.


    Edward''s face particrly was quite eye-catching. It was as if someone forced a bitter bill down his throat.


    "O-Oh, d-don''t be shy, my lovely angel. These people will be happy to see us together."


    "No." She replied as she looked down at her book again, unbothered by his re.


    ''This bitch!'' Edward''s face turned red and blue from anger as he tried to hold himself from cursing at her loudly.


    ''I will definitely make you apologize for every situation you embarrassed me in. I will make you my pet dog! Do you hear me?! My pet dog!!''


    As he was like that, the teacher walked inside the ss which meant the end of his speech and the result was¡­ a resounding failure.


    ***


    The day passed peacefully for most people except for Edward. Not only did his fiance embarrass him but he also couldn''t take the seat he wanted.


    The creepy student that didn''t fear him wasn''t beaten up by the guys he sent after him. When he contacted them, he found out the truth.


    "Uh? What are you talking about, sir? You never contacted us to beat up someone." They said.


    This made Edwardpletely confused.


    ''What the fuck is wrong with these people? Did I get into a school made of the mentally retarded?'' He thought as he held his face. He felt that he grew at least 10 years older with all the stuff that happened in thest few days.


    "Do you know where that guy lives?"


    "W-We can find that out."


    "Then do it immediately and then¡­" As an idea popped into his head, Edward grinned wickedly before he spoke.


    ***


    "Thank you for your purchase."


    After leaving school, Kai went to the store and bought ingredients for his dinner and then went back home. When he reached the apartment, he noticed something.


    ''Hm?''


    The door to his room was open. The lock waspletely broken as if someone barged in without an invitation.


    Kai''s face frowned slightly as he walked closer and took a peek inside. Much to his prediction, his whole apartment was destroyed. Everything he owned was ruined and some kind of paint was used to ruin the walls too.


    "..." Walking inside, he looked around silently. Not even a single thing was left intact even after searching for a while.


    When he reached his bedroom, he found what seemed to be a message written across the wall.


    "Leave, you parentless trash." It said.


    "..." Kai looked at the message for a few seconds before he turned around and walked out of his apartment and vanished in a moment.


    Two streets away from there, a group of 4 people wasughing loudly as they enjoyed a few drinks in the park.


    "Hahahaha! That was fun! Ya know! I never knew breaking into houses and destroying everything and even getting paid this amazing!"


    "Especially that TV! It looked quite expensive! He must''ve paid a shit ton of money for it. Well, rest in peace! Hahahah!"


    The groupughed wickedly as they reminisced about the experience.


    As they were like that, someone approached them.


    "Hm? Oh, look who''s here, guys?!"


    Everyone''s gazes immediately shifted to Kai who appeared in front of them. He had a calm expression that didn''t seem bothered by the fact that his house waspletely wrecked.


    "Are you here to beat us for doing it? Oh no~ Scaryyyy"


    "He is angry, isn''t he? Don''t worry, my friend. Just pay us a couple thousand and we might be able to find you another beautiful house where you cany your orphan ass to sleep!"


    "Oi, guys, chill! That''s brutal!"


    Kai, who was listening to theirughs silently, finally stepped forward. Then, he said.


    "That alley¡­ follow me."


    "Huh? Is he serious? Hahahaha! I can''t stopughing! Are you dumb?!"


    One of them stood up and walked over to Kai. Then, with a smile, he sent a flying punch toward his face.


    "Hm?"


    Kai didn''t try to dodge the hit as he grabbed the man''s fist. Then, without any hesitation, he squeezed on it.


    *CRACK*


    Almost instantly, the boy''s hand was crushed into bits and pieces.


    "AGGGGGHHHHH!!" Immediately, a loud shrill echoed in the whole park as the man fell down to the ground screaming and crying as he held his hand.


    "My hand!! My hand!!!"


    Kai stared at him coldly before he grabbed the bully by the cor and lifted him up in the air. After that, with a casual swinging motion, threw him away like a trash bin. The throw was so strong that the bully ended up flying 20 meters away.


    "That alley¡­ Move." He repeated his words to thepletely shocked group.

 Chapter 14 - 14- Cohabitation! (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 14:- Cohabitation! (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 14- Cohabitation! (Part 1)


    The group of bullies froze in their ces as if they were hit by an ice storm that turned them into ice cubes.


    They couldn''t believe their eyes. A second ago, their friend was about to beat up the gloomy-looking kid and then he somehow ended up being thrown away tens of meters as if he was a ball.


    Their fear didn''t kick in until Kai uttered those words coldly. That''s when they realized that they had screwed up¡­ Screwed up really bad!


    ''What the fuck happened?! How is he this strong? Is that even humanly possible?'' They all shared varying degrees of the same thought process.


    "H-Hey, m-man, l-let''s calm down. W-We''re sorry, ya know?" One of them tried to speak in between his stutters and nervousness. However, with a simple look from Kai, he cowered away.


    "I said the alley¡­ Move there." He repeated his words.


    *GULP*


    "Let''s fucking run!!" Suddenly, one of them shouted, and immediately, everyone scattered as they tried to run away.


    "Why does everyone always choose the annoying way?" Rubbing the back of his head, Kai looked at the group before he unleashed a little bit of his aura.


    *Smash*


    The whole group instantly fell to the ground as if something heavy fell on them, crushing them in the process.


    "W-What¡­ Ugh!! Is happening?!"


    "I-I''m being crushed!"


    "Mommy!!!"


    Kai then approached the group and stopped in front of them.


    "Just for the record, who sent you?" He asked coldly.


    "... W-We don''t know man¡­ Please, spare us?! Please!! We did it under the order of someone."


    "Spare you?" Hearing that, Kai approached the one who said those words and crouched in front of him before he grabbed him by the hair and lifted his head up before he stared directly into his eyes.


    "Why should I spare you? Is it because you are fearing for your life now? Or is it because you found out that you weren''t going to be able to escape?"


    The boy felt the blood drain from his face as he stared directly into Kai''s eyes. Staring at his pupils was the most horrifying thing he ever experienced. Those void-like eyes were so terrifying for some reason. They weren''t human at all. Theycked what make them feel human.


    "I wanted to live my life peacefully and stay away from trouble. Yet, idiots keep trying to hinder my normal life. Why is that? Am I supposed to kill every pest just so I can have my peace? Huh? Do idiots like you spawn out of nowhere just to ruin my day?"


    "...!!" The boy''s mouth opened and closed.


    "Destroying my apartment already ruined my day. I have no intention of letting any of you go. Actions always carry consequences and you must pay it for that. That''s the rule of this world."


    Then, Kai stood up and lifted the bully along with him from the hair. Thetter shrieked from pain. After that, he walked around and grabbed each bully by the hair before he dragged them all to the ground to the hidden alley.


    They all started begging and crying as they tried to resist Kai''s mercy.


    But, thetter didn''t even bother to say anything. Eventually, they all disappeared inside the dark alley. A few seconds after that, loud screams and mind-chilling cries echoed in the whole park. However, for some odd reason, no one came for their help.


    ***


    A few minutester, Kai walked out of the alley. Then, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.


    The receiver immediately picked up the call.


    "K-Kai? It''s unusual that you call me first." Eva said with an extremely excited tone.


    "My apartment had beenpletely destroyed." The boy replied.


    "What?! Who¡­ Oh!"


    "Yes, it''s your fiance. I should''ve predicted he will do such a thing. Anyway, can you find me a temporary ce where I can live till I fix my apartment?" He said.


    "..."


    For some reason, Eva went silentpletely for a few seconds which made Kai slightly confused.


    "Eva?"


    "Hm? Oh, sorry! Y-Yeah of course!" She said with a weirdly mysterious tone. "I actually have the perfect ce where you can stay!"


    "Hm?"


    "Why don''t you crash at my ce? We have plenty of rooms. You can use one of them. Or¡­ Y-You can use my room if you want." She said as she added thest part with a shy tone.


    "..." Kai took a second to think about it.


    Although he knew Eva simply wanted him to live with her if even for a few days. But, Kai had no other choice. He had no ce he could stay until his apartment is restored. Besides, he had no belongings he could use to stay at a hotel.


    "Fine. Give me the address."


    "... I knew that you would refuse so I will try to find a house as qui-... Wait, what?! You agree?!"


    "Yes."


    "I-I-I-I see. Great! I mean, ehem, please wait for a second, I will send you the address right now!" After that, Kai hung up the phone.


    ***


    On the other side, Eva was on cloud nine. She couldn''t believe that her suggestion will be epted.


    "Kai¡­ In my house?! Oh no, I don''t know if I can handle this. Me and him¡­ Together¡­ Uh, I think I will have a heart attack." She murmured as she touched her heart which was beating loudly.


    No one would be able to understand how happy Eva was. This was the best news she had in years. The mere idea of being under the same roof as her beloved would make her grin like an idiot.


    "Oh, right! The address!" Immediately, she sent Kai the details before sheid down on her bed and looked up. Her hands instinctively hugged the phone to her ample chest.


    "Kai¡­ I need to wee him properly! Mia!" Immediately, Eva stood up again and called for her maid.


    ***


    An hour passed before Kai finally reached Eva''s house. He had to go around buying some necessities for the few days he will stay there like towels, toothbrush, and other things. Luckily, his money is in a credit card and he always carries it with him so no cash was stolen from him.


    The house he found himself in front of was quite eye-catching even in the luxurious neighborhood he was in. It was an overkill through and through yet also quite beautiful to look at from the outside.


    As he was about to knock on the door, it suddenly opened and someone ran outside.


    "Kai!" Eva immediately jumped on her beloved and hugged him tightly.


    Thetter didn''t move for a few seconds before he finally pushed her away gently.


    "Is there anyone who lives here apart from you?"


    "No no. It''s only me and my maids, chefs, cleaners, and gardeners."


    "..."


    "Anyway,e on in. I will show you around!" Grabbing Kai by the hand, she walked him inside.


    The interior of the house was as amazing as the outside if not better. It had a beautiful mix between a modern design and an older one. Kai estimated the cost of the house to be at least a few tens of millions.


    "This is the dining room! Although it looks fancy, it''s my least favorite ce in the house. Eating here alone is horrible. Besides, the food tastes subparpared to yours." Eva said.


    After that, she showed him a few other ces until they stopped in front of one particr room.


    "And this¡­ This is my room." Eva said with a slightly blushing face.


    The interior of the room wasn''t eye-catchy per se but it definitely had traces of Eva all around the ce.


    Kai took a look inside with a rather bored look.


    But, even that simple act, made Eva''s face sweat profusely.


    ''He''s looking inside my room! Oh no! This is nerve-wracking! Does it smell bad?! Should''ve I organized it more? Or maybe he will find something weird and off-putting!! Ugh!!'' She thought as she tried to keep her smile from crumbling.


    "You are quite minimalistic for a rich mdy," Kaimented.


    "Ah, yeah, haha, I don''t like fancy things. There are more important things than money out there."


    After that, Eva led Kai outside and to the room right next to hers.


    "This is your room! I made sure to prepare it before you arrived! I also bought some clothes in case you need any. They will arrive an hour from now. Also, the bathroom is inside so you don''t need to go out."


    Kai nodded his head and walked inside.


    "If you need anything, I''m right next to you. You cane to my room whenever you want¡­ At night too~" She said while keeping thest part to herself.


    After that, Eva closed the door and walked away in high spirits.


    ''Not bad.'' Kai thought as he looked around the ce. Although he was more familiar with the old room that he lived in for the past 5 years, this room was technically way better.


    "A few days shouldn''t be a problem." He murmured as he walked toward the mirror inside the bathroom.

 Chapter 15 - 15- Cohabitation! (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 15:- Cohabitation! (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 15- Cohabitation! (Part 2)


    The bathroom was quite big, taking no less than 40% of the room''s total area. It had a huge bathtub, a normal toilet, a shower, and a big sink with a massive mirror stuck to the wall on top of it. Everything was marble with a slightly darker color to entuate the calm, serene atmosphere of the ce.


    Kai gave the ce one single nce before he took off his clothes and walked inside the shower. His body wasn''t dirty but he had an urge to wash himself. Touching his targets was something Kai tries to generally avoid.


    It wasn''t out of disgust but more because every time he kills someone, a weird feeling would linger in his heart. That feeling wasn''t pleasant by any means and would only intensify if the dead target touched him.


    So, for the most part, he either finishes his targets quickly or uses a gun to do the job.


    A few minutester, Kai came out of the shower. His body was steamy and water droplets of water trickled down his extremely toned body.


    Walking to the mirror, he stopped in front of it and stared at the reflection in the mirror. His ck hair that usually covers his forehead and a little bit of his eyes was now pushed back, revealing an extremely handsome face.


    He had a sharp jaw, sharp purple eyes, and an extremely defined nose. To put it into perspective, if Kai was to walk out with his face revealed, he won''t be merely garnering looks. Although he didn''t particrly like his face, he knew that others didn''t think the same way, and that caused him a lot of trouble in the past.


    Even when he was still in primary school, his female teachers tried countless times to do inappropriate things to him under the disguise of ''Tutoring'' or ''Tasks''. However, Kai made each one of them leave the school. That didn''t mean that he wasn''t affected by this behavior at all.


    He instinctively became wary of the opposite sex simply because he knew he was extremely charming in their eyes.


    Then, his eyes shifted to look at his chest and abdomen. Other than his lean yetpact muscles, what catches the eye was the horrifying number of scars he had covering his body. Sword shes, bullet scars, and even a huge, burn mark crossing his chest.


    As his eyes traced each and every scar, a memory rted to that injury came rushing back to his head and made him frown slightly. Especially the burn mark which was the one Kai hated the most. It was rted to the most unpleasant memory he had.


    After that, Kai turned around and walked out of the bathroom to find some clothes. However, at that moment, the door to his room opened and Eva walked inside.


    "Kai, it''s time for dinner. Should I bring the food he-" As her eyes fell on Kai, her whole existence froze in ce.


    The two stared at each other silently for a good 20 seconds. That''s when Eva finally woke up from her trance and her face blushed profusely and she quickly averted her eyes.


    "I-I''m sorry¡­ I-I knocked on the door a few times but you didn''t reply so I thought you left." She said with a low tone. Her whole body fidgeted anxiously as she kept her eyes down.


    "No need to bring it here. I will be there in a moment." Kai said, unbothered by Eva''s reaction.


    "Uh, r-right. T-Then¡­ P-Please take your time!!" After saying that, she ran outside and closed the door shut.


    "Hm?" Kai looked at the door for a few moments before he turned around and started drying his hair.


    Outside, Eva walked a few meters before she rested her back against the wall. Her face was flushed red and her breathing was erratic as if she just came out of a marathon.


    ''I-I saw Kia naked. Oh no! This is bad! I feel like my heart will explode!! This is the first time I saw his naked body! Uh~ It looks so perfect¡­ Beyond perfect. No! It should be put in a museum with how perfect it is! Right!'' As she thought to herself, she bit her lower lip instinctively as she looked at the image of his body that she engraved in her mind.


    A weird feeling welled up in her core as she kept reminiscing about it. Something odd was happening to her.


    ''I really want to touch it! Trace my hand across his chest and abdomen. Touch his shoulders. I want to discover every single part of his body¡­ Oh no! Wait, what am I even thinking?! Get yourself together, Eva!'' pping her cheeks a few times to wake up from her daze, Eva took a deep breath and then walked away.


    However, even then, her mind was still upied by Kai''s looks. She had seen his face before and to this day, it was still the most handsome face she has ever seen. Mind you, Eva had met many handsome men throughout her life, celebrities, models, singers, and many more prominent men that were the best of the best looks-wise.


    But, all of them pale inparison to Kai''s face. His soft yet sharp features mix extremely well together. His hypnotic purple eyes that draw her in every single time with ease and even his thin, perfect lips that she would do anything to taste. They were all so captivating to look at. Like a piece of art made by the best of artists.


    ''Uh, I think I''m falling deeper in love. How is that even possible? I thought I can''t love him any more than this.''


    ***


    After getting ready and wearing his clothes, Kai walked out of the room and went down to the dining room only to find Eva sitting there, waiting for him. Beside her chair, she put another chair. Presumably for her beloved. However, the distance between the two chairs was basically non-existent.


    "Oh, you''re finally here!"


    Kai nodded his head and sat down on the chair. Eva looked at her beloved before she leaned forward and said.


    "I didn''t know what kind of food you like. So I made every possible dish my chefs could think of. Enjoy."


    "... Garlic breadsticks."


    "Hm?"


    "My favorite food is garlic breadsticks," Kai repeated his words as he looked at the long table filled with all kinds of food with a nk expression.


    "That''s good to know! I will make sure to learn how to make them so I can surprise you one day!" Eva said as she beamed happily. "Anyway, let''s dig in."


    However, at that moment, Kai''s face turned serious as he looked up at the ceiling out of nowhere.


    His brows knitted together as he stood up.


    "Hm? Is everything ok?" Eva, who didn''t notice anything yet, asked confusedly.


    "Shhh." Kai rudely shushed her as he walked away from the table while looking up at the ceiling.


    "Someone ising¡­ and they don''t seem to be friendly," Kai said coldly.


    ***


    Sometime before that, back at the apartmentplex where Kai lived. Kaya had finally returned from her trip to Divinity HQ and was quite conflicted. During the trip back, she thought of a million ways how to deal with Eva.


    Most of them included killing her brutally. But, even with her strength, Kaya knew that she can''t simply kill Eva even if she wanted to. The Lavine family had some connections with Divinity and killing Eva would mean severing those connections which ultimately hurts Divinity.


    So, she can''t be impulsive. However, on the other hand, the mere idea of Kai being fawned on and courted by another woman, an excellent one at that made Kaya angry. Kai was hers and hers alone, no other bitch has the right to approach him.


    She even kept an eye on him in school in case any one of them would dare to try and get closer to him. Luckily for Kaya, Kai seemed to be very introverted and so he didn''t have friends or acquaintances he was close to.


    "Hm?" When she reached the building, she noticed some police cars standing there. Her face immediately frowned as she thought of the worst case possible. Immediately, she ran inside as fast as possible.


    Much to her horror, she saw the policemen standing in front of Kai''s apartment. Her face immediately paled.


    "Kai!!" Running up the stairs, she reached her beloved''s room in a moment.


    "Hm? Who are you,d-"


    "Get the fuck out of the way!" Pushing the officer to the side, Kaya barged into the room, looking for Kai.


    However, she couldn''t see nor sense his presence inside the apartment. So, she turned around and grabbed one of the officers by the cor before asking.


    "Where is Kai?! Did something happen to him? Hurry up and speak!!" Her aura leaked a little bit as she lost control of her emotions. This made the officer''s face pale as he looked at the beauty with a terrified expression. In his eyes, she looked nothing short of a god of death at the moment.


    "W-We don''t know, Miss. T-Thendlord reported a robbery and we came here to check. A-Apparently, the owner of the apartment didn''te back here yet."


    ''Didn''te back?'' Kaya asked herself confusedly. ''If he didn''te back¡­ Then, where did Kai go?''

 Chapter 16 - 16- Lover Vs Lover

    <h4>Chapter 16:- Lover Vs Lover</h4>


    Chapter 16- Lover Vs Lover


    Kaya fell into deep thought as she held her chin. Although she was worried sick about Kai, his not being present inside the destroyed apartment meant that he was either abducted or he ran away.


    She was confident that she could find him. But, that will take time, something she doesn''t have at the moment considering the potential urgency of the situation.


    So, Kaya had to cut down the area of search as much sa she could.


    ''Kai is a very smart boy. He won''t stay here if he found his apartment destroyed. Where would he go? Hmm¡­'' At that moment, Kaya realized something and then she quickly ran outside the apartement.


    After going downstairs, she went toward thendlord''s house and knocked on it.


    "Oh, dear, Kaya? What is it?" The middle-aged woman opened the door and asked.


    "Did Kai call you any time this evening?" She asked.


    "Oh? Yes, he did. He told me that he will pay for the restoration of the apartment and that he will be staying with a friend for a while."


    Kaya immediately breathed out a sigh of relief. Kai was safe which was the most important thing to her. However, her face turned sour a secondter.


    ''A friend? Since when did Kai have fri¡­ends?'' That''s when it hit Kaya and her face paledpletely.


    "Don''t tell me!" Turning around, she dashed away at top speed. At the same time, she dialed a number in her phone.


    "Elu, give me the address of that Lavine girl."


    "Good evening, Kaya!" Thendlord said with a smile as she closed the door.


    ***


    "Someone ising? Who?" Eva asked as she also stood up.


    "This aura¡­ It''s Kaya." Kai said as he squinted his eyes.


    ''How did she find out I''m here?'' Kai thought to himself. However, that matter wasn''t important now. He had to actually think of a way on how to deal with the angry woman.


    ''If she meets Eva, it''s going to be annoying.'' His eyes shifted to Eva as he stared at her silently for a second.


    "I don''t think she discovered your secret. However, I doubt she will believe anything you say. So, here is the n."


    ***


    A few minutester, Kaya reached her destination which was Eva''s vi. Her face only grew more and more bitter the more she looked at the house.


    ''Tsk, a rich bitch is after my Kai! If she thinks money is enough to entice him, then she''s wrong!!'' Saying that, Kaya jumped over the gates andnded in the front yard.


    "Kai! Kai, where are you?!" She shouted.


    A few secondster, the door opened and Eva walked outside with a serious expression.


    "You¡­ are you Eva Lavine?" Kaya asked with a threatening tone as she unleashed a little bit of her aura, just to pressure Eva.


    "Yes, and who are you?" Eva asked back.


    "It doesn''t matter who am I. Where is Kai?"


    "Kai? Hm, what do you mean?"


    "You know exactly what I mean. Where is Kai? I know he''s here."


    Eva stared at the woman for a few seconds in silence before she sighed and stepped forward.


    "So, you barged into my house and threatened me just because my friend is staying here with me? How insensitive are you,dy?" Eva asked with a smirk.


    "You¡­" Kaya clenched her teeth in frustration as she fought the urge to instantly shred the girl in front of her to pieces."


    "Me and Kai are very very close and so when he needed my help, I obviously would help him. Hmm, now that I think about it, why are you this concerned about him? Are you his mom?" Eva asked.


    ''Ok, that''s it, I''m going to kill her!!''


    "Oh wait, I know your face. Hmm, where did I see you before?" Making a fake thinking expression, Eva touched her chin before she beamed. "Oh, right! Aren''t you that one gravure idol?"


    "Huh?" Instantly, Kaya''s face turned extremely cold as she unleashed her full aura. Her anger reached a level that couldn''t beprehended. She didn''t care about the consequences anymore. The girl in front of her is going to die and that''s the end of the story.


    However, at that exact moment, Kai walked out of the house.


    "Kaya, is that you? Why are you here?" He asked casually as if he didn''t notice her killing intent that was basically oozing out of every part of her existence. A normal person would''ve instantly fainted if they were exposed to that crushing pressure.


    Immediately, Kaya''s angry expression vanished and instead, a relieved smile appeared in its ce as she quickly ran to Kai.


    "Kai! You little brat, I was worried to death!" She said as she hugged him, shoving his face into her huge breasts.


    "Who did that to your apartment? Tell me the details."


    "It''s fine. A burr barged into the building and decided to rob my apartment." He said without breaking eye contact.


    "A burr?" Kaya raised an eyebrow in confusion at his excuse.


    But, it immediately clicked.


    ''That bitch¡­ She must''ve faked a burr attack just so that she can make him live with her.'' ring at Eva who was smiling proudly as if she won the game, Kaya clenched her fists.


    "It will take a few days but I will be back there soon. Thanks for your concern." Kai said ndly as he gave Eva a secret nce.


    "Hm, but, wouldn''t staying here cause trouble to that bi- Miss over there? You can stay over at my house instead~ I can take good care of you." Kaya mused as she touched Kai''s chin with her finger seductively.


    Seeing that interaction, Eva''s face darkened.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that Kai had made sure that she had to follow exactly what he said, she would''ve started a fight with this woman.


    Archangel or not, Eva wasn''t weak at all. In fact, she was confident she can beat Kaya in a direct fight.


    ''Kai said he will deal with the matter peacefully. I should restrain myself. I will just touch him all over to get rid of her dirty hands.'' Thinking so, Eva kept her cool to a certain extent.


    "It''s fine. I will be back in a few days. Eva was kind enough to let me stay here. I don''t want to spit at her kindness." Kai said with a small smile.


    ''This should be enough to persuade her.'' In his head, though, he kept his calm.


    As a hitman, acting was a part of his skills that he must have. Missions that included persuading someone into believing that he is an ally happened quite often.


    Making a small smile wasn''t that big of a deal even for someone as stoic as him.


    However, even that small, insignificant smile made both girls gasp. Their eyes widened and their faces blushed profusely.


    ''Kai smiling¡­ I-It''s unfair¡­ Why is it this mesmerizing?'' The two thought as they averted their eyes.


    "Is that fine?" Kai delivered thest blow.


    "... Huh? Uh, Y-Yes! But, it''s just because Kai wishes for it. I will make sure the apartment is fixed by tomorrow morning."


    Kaya had already called for a group of her subordinates toe and start working on the apartment beforeing here.


    "tsk! This whore¡­" Eva clicked her tongue.


    "I will leave you for today. But, remember, Kai. You are still too young for anything¡­ Ehem, anything inappropriate. Besides, that girl. She is suspicious. Don''t trust her."


    "What did you sa-" Eva was about tosh out at Kaya for using her of being a liar. But, Kai was the first to speak.


    "She isn''t an enemy, don''t worry."


    "Kai¡­" Eva felt touched by his words as she looked at her beloved with a dreamy look.


    "Tsk¡­"


    Kaya couldn''t say anything else and turned around to leave. As she walked past Eva, she whispered something in her ear.


    "I know what you want to do. But, since Kai trusts you, I will give you a warning. Don''t you dare approach Kai. He is mine and mine alone. If I ever see you try to get close to him again. I will make sure your whole family is erased from existence."


    Her threat was bone-chilling to say the least. However, Eva didn''t show any reaction as gave Kaya a cold side nce.


    "If you want war¡­ Then that''s what you will get. Kai isn''t yours and will never be and I will make sure of that."

 Chapter 17 - 17- Origin

    <h4>Chapter 17:- Origin</h4>


    Chapter 17- Origin


    *RING* *RING* *RING*


    Edward was sitting behind his desk, reading some papers rted to one of the businesses he established in another country. His eyes werepletely focused on the document as he read it thoroughly. That''s when his phone rang which made him put down the paper and pick it up.


    "What? I''m busy." He said rudely.


    "Young master¡­ It''s urgent!" The voice, which clearly belonged to his subordinate, replied.


    "Hm? What? Speak!" Edward replied as he noticed the urgency in the man''s voice which made him worry. He already had enough of problems for the past few days and now another one was possibly getting added to the long list.


    "The hooligans that you ordered to break into that student''s house and destroy it¡­ They arepletely unconscious in front of me now."


    "Unconscious?!"


    "Yes, their blood is smearing the whole alleyway, and every bone in their bodies is broken. However¡­ *Gulp*... By some miracle¡­ They are still alive."


    "What?! How is that even possible?! No, scratch that, who did it?!" Edward asked as he stood up and tapped on the desk roughly.


    "I don''t know, young master. However, the one who did it had left a message on the wall of the alley, written in the blood of the hooligans."


    "What message? What does it say?!"


    The subordinate gulped a mouthful of saliva as he opened his mouth and read the ominous words.


    "Two days¡­. It says that."


    "Two days? What does that mean?"


    "I do not know, young master. However, it''s not something we can take lightly. Someone might be after you."


    "... J-Just deal with the situation quickly ande back here." Saying that Edward hung up and sat down on the chair again with a strong frown on his face.


    ''Who did that? Is it that kid?... Come to think of it. When I squeezed his shoulder, it was as if I was squeezing hard iron¡­ Is he some kind of strong individual undercover? Ugh!!'' Rubbing his hair as if he was suffering from a strong headache, Edward smashed the table angrily.


    "Whoever he is! That kid isn''t going to stay alive! If before, it was simply to sit beside my lovely future wife, now it''s personal! I will eliminate you, you fucking pest!"


    ***


    Meanwhile, after solving the sticky situation, Kai and Eva went back inside the house.


    "It went as you expected, Kai," Eva said.


    "..." Thetter didn''t say anything as he continued walking.


    "How were you able to predict what that woman would do exactly?"


    "I dug a little bit to get to know a little bit more about Kaya. She is a threat to me as much as she''s a threat to you and I don''t like to keep my enemies moving freely. Anything else is simply logical conclusions."


    ''If logical conclusions were enough to be able to read someone''s mind to that degree¡­ Humanity would''ve been hundreds of years more advanced.'' Eva thought with aplicated expression.


    She didn''t know whether Kai was aware that he was an analytical genius or not. However, she could see that he can see things normal people can''t.


    "I will be going to my room." Saying that, Kai walked away.


    "Mmm, goodnight, Kai~" Saying that warmly, Eva also walked to her room.


    After that, the night passed quietly with nothing major happening. Although Eva couldn''t sleep a wink thinking that the only thing that separates her and her beloved is a mere wall. However, other than that, it was a peaceful night.


    The next morning, Kai woke up early as usual, around 5:00 AM. Although he had no reason to wake up that early, he had one single thing he likes to do every morning that he never missed.


    After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he sat down on the bed in a lotus position and closed his eyes. Then, he took a deep, long breath before exhaling audibly.


    A few seconds passed before his heartbeat calmed down, his face turned serene and his aura became tranquil like a crystal pond, untouched by the howling wind. At the same time, an orange barrier appeared around his body, made out of the mysterious energy he used before to deal with many situations.


    This energy was called ''Origin''. A mysterious power only gifted to a few people amongst billions. This power emerges from the very soul of the individual the moment they were born. While no one knows the origin of this power, many link it to religious ideas as the power of god or the ability that the deity bestowed upon the best of humans.


    However, Kai didn''t really care about such ideas. He only knew one thing and that is¡­ Origin is a power that is linked to one''s will. The stronger one''s will is, the stronger his Origin is. However, at the same time, the stronger the Origin power, the stronger its effect is on one''s mind.


    Many lost their minds after they let Origin control them. It was a double-edged weapon in every sense of the word.


    That''s why, the strongest individuals in the world carry the biggest ambitions. However, this is where Kai found his biggest dilemma.


    He was not an ambitious person nor someone who carries a strong will in any shape or form. Yet, since the moment he was born, he carried the strongest Origin. He was bestowed with the best thing anyone could ask for.


    Yet, not even once did Kai understand why or how he ended up having such a power. It defined his whole life without him ever asking for it or wanting it.


    It was a curse that appeared like a blessing in the eyes of others. That''s when Kai discovered this method of meditating. It helped him bnce his Origin power and keep his emotions and nerves stable no matter what.


    ''One''s emotions are one''s end and beginning.'' He heard this saying once and stayed stuck with him.


    Two hours passed inplete silence before Kai finally opened his eyes and exhaled a deep breath.


    After that, he took a shower and left his room. When he went down, he found Eva sitting on the dinner table, waiting for him.


    The two then ate breakfast while chatting. Well, it was mostly Eva speaking and Kai nodding his head from time to time. But, the girl loved such interactions with her beloved. His silent nature was one of the many things she adored about him.


    "So, since we are here! We should go to school together!!" Eva said.


    "No." Kai, however, immediately turned her down.


    "Huh? Why?!"


    "Too many eyes could see us together. Don''t forget the rules I told you about." Saying that Kai walked toward the door.


    "H-How about we go together and then you can stop the car a distance away from school. That way, no one will see you. Please, pretty please~" Eva made a puppy expression as she begged Kai.


    "..."


    ***


    In the end, Kai still refused. Although he could easily sense the presence of anyone around him all the time and could easily evade being seen by anyone, he still didn''t want to give it even the smallest of chances.


    Reaching school first on foot, Kai walked inside the ssroom. There, he only found one person which was surprisingly Edward.


    The handsome young master was sitting on Kai''s chair as if he owned the ce, unbothered by anything. However, when he noticed Kai walking inside, his face turned grim as he stood up.


    "Hearing that you alwayse to ss before everyone else, I had to change my schedule simply to meet you, pest." He said arrogantly. "Did you like the gift I left at your house?"


    "..." Kai simply stared at the young man coldly. Then, he simply walked past Edward.


    "I''m talking to you!" Immediately, thetter threw a punch toward''s Kai''s face.


    Its speed was quite impressive and even its strength of it could easily knock out an average man.


    However, Kai''s hand stopped the punch in its track. Not even a sound was made when he caught it.


    "Haha! As I thought, you were hiding your strength! You little bastard, who are you?!"


    "... I''m someone who likes to mind his own business. You should try that too." Kai replied as he pushed Edward''s punch away and continued walking.


    ''Tsk, this bastard packs some strength! I need to take control of the situation!'' Edward thought secretly as he kept his grin intact.


    "I never thought the person I will target will end up being quite strong for a mere pest. But, a pest with a lot of strength is in the end still a pest. I can easily squash you whenever I want." Edward mused. "I know what you''re thinking of. But, I must tell you, my power is far more unfathomable than you could everprehend. Oh, well, no point in telling you this. Your life isn''t going tost that long after this."


    Then, Edward chuckled wickedly.


    "Curse your luck that you ended up facing me, pest."

 Chapter 18 - 18- Monster

    <h4>Chapter 18:- Monster</h4>


    Chapter 18- Monster


    Kai didn''t reply to his threat as he simply pulled out his book and started reading,pletely unbothered.


    His casual attitude made Edward even angrier. So, he tried to snatch teh book from Kai''s hand. However, thetter moved his hand at thest second, dodging Edward easily without even looking at him.


    Thetter didn''t stop and tried to grab it again but failed. The attempts continued for a good 5 seconds before he gave up and cursed loudly.


    "Sigh¡­" Kai sighed as he looked up at Edward. He had enough of this guy for the time being. Kai''s n wouldn''t start for another two days so he can''t kill him now or trouble will be following him to where he lived.


    Kai''s most important thing at the moment is this city since it''s his hiding ce where he can live his life peacefully. If the people that were after him knew that he was here, he could only bid farewell to his normal life.


    Channeling his Origin, Kai''s eyes shed with a cold glint which sent his energy right toward Edward. The boy''s angry face immediately turned nk before he walked away and sat down in his chair quietly.


    Kai was then able to continue reading his book peacefully¡­ Or so he thought.


    Suddenly, the door to the ss was kicked open violently as a huge group of people came walking inside. Their numbers exceeded 40 people. Each one of them looked extremely intimidating as they carried bats, knives, and even metal bars in their hands.


    "Where is the scrawny kid?!" One of them shouted as he stepped forward.


    "Oh, boss man is here! Heyo, we heard you payin'' for the blood of a little student, right?!" The man approached Edward and said with a wide grin.


    "Huh? What?" Edward, who woke up from his trance, looked quite shocked when he noticed the man''s presence. However, he quickly shook his head and said coldly. "Yes, just go ahead and get rid of him. Beat him up till he''s paralyzed, kill him, throw him in the ocean, I don''t care. I just don''t want to see his face again."


    "Roger! Ya heard him, boys! Time to break some bones, eh!!" As the group turned around and looked at the boy Edward pointed at, they all went silent.


    The whole ss turned eerily quiet as they all stared at the boy who was reading a book as if he wasn''t there at all. Then¡­


    "Pfffft!!!! Hahahahhaha!!!" Everyone exploded inughter.


    Their loud giggles took over the whole ce as tears rolled down their faces.


    "This¡­ This is the guy you want us to get rid of? Hahahahahahaha!!! I can''t!!!" The leader of the group said as he rolled down on the groundughing.


    His group alsoughed as hard as they could. Although they did hear that the guy they were hired by was intimidated by the target and so he wanted them to kill him. However, they never expected the target to be a gloomy student with a book in his hand.


    "Stopughing, you morons, and just do your job before I get rid of all of you," Edward interjected with an annoyed expression. Theirughter made him feel embarrassed.


    "Y-Yeah, hahaha! Sorry! This is just too funny! Anyway¡­" Taking his huge bat riddled with nails, the man approached Kai and said.


    "They call me ''Harvey Dent'' from the Silver Dragon gang. Do you know why, boy?" The man asked. "It''s because I leave dents in the heads of every person I beat up! Look at this bat, it still has all the blood of the people I got rid of!!"


    Saying that he hit the table violently, smashing it to pieces. Finally, Kai stopped looking at his book and closed it calmly.


    "Sigh¡­ One question: Is this your whole group?" Kai said as he stood up and dusted his clothes.


    "Ya right on point, Kid! Are you happy that 40 bastards came here to send you to heaven? Quite the way to leave, no?! Hahahahaha!"


    "I see¡­" Saying that Kai moved.


    A split secondter, 5 silhouettes flew out of the ssroom like arrows and smashed against the wall of the corridor. The hit was so strong that it cracked the wall then the 5 people went unconscious.


    The group inside the ssroom looked at what happened with widened eyes. No one could believe what just happened.


    They all took a look outside before their eyes shifted back to look at Kai. Thetter was still in a punching position. Weirdly enough, his fist had steaming out of it as if it was on fire.


    "The boss is down. Time to get rid of the subordinates."


    Rule one that Kai learned when he was a hitman was: Get rid of the boss before anything else. The boss was akin to the head and the followers are the limbs and body. So, if you get rid of the head, the body will be useless. Besides, getting rid of the strongest one from the start destroys the spirit of the subordinates.


    And that''s what exactly happened. Seeing their boss along with 4 others unconscious, after getting punched once sent a shiver down the spines of all the gang members.


    "*GULP* A-Are my eyes betraying me?" One of them asked.


    "You gotta be kidding me¡­ J-Just one punch¡­ How is that even possible?"


    *CRACK*


    As they murmured to each other inplete disbelief, they heard the sound of bones cracking so they turned around only to see Kai cracking his knuckles and neck.


    "Come at me all at the same time so we can finish before the bell rings."


    His cold words made the gang members pale. But, who were they? They were gangsters from one of the strongest gangs in the city?! How can they be scared of one person when there are 40 of them?


    "We can outnumber him!! Come on, don''t cower back! He''s just one guy! We are all armed!" One of them said as he clenched his teeth.


    Then, with resolved wills, they rushed at Kai, closing all possible escape routes and filling the whole ssroom.


    Kai then took a casual fighting stance. Although he could finish everyone off with a mere look, he didn''t want to rouse suspicion from Edward since he was watching the fight from up close. If he realized that Kai can use Origin, he will only get closer to unveiling his secret which could end up being a problem.


    *Swish*


    Punching forward, Kai''s fist hit the closest gangster, sending him flying back, as he smashed against multiple other gangsters. Then, he crouched down, avoiding all the bats and knives that tried to hit him. As he was down, he made a swiping kick that sent many of the men stumbling and falling.


    After that, he quickly jumped in the air and kicked someone in the face. The hit was so strong, it deformed the man''s face and sted him away, smashing against the ckboard on the other side of the room.


    ''What the hell?! What the hell?! What the hell?!'' Edward, who was watching all of this, had a horrified expression on his face. He couldn''tprehend how Kai was fighting against a swarm of gangsters with ease and sending them all flying as if they were nothing.


    Immediately, his survival instinct kicked in as he stood up and started sneaking out of the ce. Even though his pride was destroyed, he knew that he will be next if he doesn''t escape.


    But, at that second, Kai picked up a knife and threw it at Edward, hitting the fall, mere inches away from his face.


    "Stay there." He said coldly before he grabbed one gangster''s face and smashed it against the ground, destroying his nose and frontal teeth.


    As he was about to stand back up, one of the men jumped in the air and hit Kai on the head with a steel bar.


    "Hah! I got you!!" The man said nervously. That hit would easily knock someone unconscious.


    However, much to his shock, Kai stood there, not affected by the hit. When the man pulled the steel bar away, he realized something terrifying.


    The bar¡­ was bent out of shape.


    Before he could even register how that happened, he found himself upside down in the air as he hit the ground, face first.


    The fight continued and in less than a minute, the whole ssroom was riddled with unconscious men. The whole ce was turned into a chaotic mess. Nothing was intact.


    At this point, Edward was turned into a sheet of paper. The fear he felt in his heart was unlike anything else he ever felt before.


    On the other hand, Kai simply dusted his hands before he walked toward Edward. Thetter started retreating back before he stumbled on a broken desk and fell down. But, he didn''t stop moving till he hit the wall behind him.


    "What happened here¡­ A group of hooligans barged into the ss, intending to wreak havoc in the school and you being the hero of justice beat them up and saved the whole ce. This is what you will say when they ask you. Understand?" Kai asked as he stared coldly at Edward.


    Kai knew that such an excuse won''t make sense. But, he was intending to alter the thought process of the teachers, students, police officers, and everyone that will get involved in this mess.


    It was very annoying for Kai. But, he had no other choice. He either sacrifices some of his peaceful times so that he can preserve his life here in the future or end up opening a huge dam of enemies that weren''t as easy to deal with as the idiot in front of him.


    "Y-Yes!! Yes, I will say that!!" Edward replied as he nodded his head quickly.


    "Also, I don''t need to mention that I was never here in the first ce. If you say anything or do anything that might put me under suspicion¡­" Kai grabbed the knife he threw at Edward and then squeezed it hard. When he released his hand, the de was twisted and bent as if it was made out of y.


    "Got it?"

 Chapter 19 - 19- Flight Trip (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 19:- Flight Trip (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 19- Flight Trip (Part 1)


    The next few hours were by far the most chaotic thing Kai had to go through from the moment he came to the city and started attending this high school.


    When the teachers and students discovered the horrifying number of beaten-up gangsters inside the ss, they were all shocked beyond words. Luckily, Edward did exactly what Kai asked and pretended he was the one who beat them up.


    Granted, most of them didn''t believe that so Kai had to use his origin power to alter how their minds received the news. That, even when rumors spread, no one will link it to him no matter what. All the problems will fall on Edward.


    However, having to control the mind of tens or even a hundred people including teachers, students, police officers, and normal witnesses was very annoying for Kai. Even if he didn''t have that big of a problem doing it.


    It was akin to eating his least-liked dish.


    By the end of the day, Kai was able to finally leave the school after making sure everything was as he nned.


    In the evening, thendlord called him to say that his house waspletely renewed and he cane back.


    So, Kai went to Eva''s house to get his belongings.


    "So¡­ That''s it?" Eva said with a sad expression as she watched Kai gather his things. "Even though I wanted us to spend more time together." She was clearly sulking, not willing to see Kai leave her house this soon.


    "It was temporary. You know that already." Kai said as he turned around and lifted his bag.


    "Yes¡­ But, I still wanted to spend more time with Kai. I mean, this is the first time you ever spent the night in my house."


    "That''s too risky and you know that."


    After saying those words, Kai approached the door to the room and then in a shocking gesture, tapped Eva on the shoulder.


    "I appreciate the help, Eva."


    "...!!!" The girl was struck speechless as she stared wide-eyed at her beloved''s face.


    Then, her cheeks exploded into a visible redness as she averted her eyes.


    "N-N-N-No need to thank me!! I''m always delighted to let you stay here as long as you want!"


    "Mm¡­" Humming in understanding, Kai bid her farewell and left.


    Eva stood there watching his silhouette as he walked out of the vi''s main door. Then, her eyes shifted to the shoulder Kai touched and her face grew even redder.


    ''I will never wash this shoulder!'' She thought as she reminisced about what happened. ''Kai¡­ thanked me again! I can''t¡­ If he keeps doing this, I don''t think my heart could handle it!!''


    Touching her hot cheeks, Eva walked inside the room and then with a wide smile, jumped on the bed, burning her face into the pillow.


    "Kai''s smell¡­ Uh, so good! It''s so manly!! I can''t have enough of it!!" She kept sniffing the bed, tracing any smell of Kai. Her mind waspletely filled with thoughts of her beloved as she tossed and turned in the bed.


    As she inhaled more and more, a weird feeling started rousing in her head as her mind was getting dizzy by the second.


    For some reason, a burning feeling was also welling up in her lower abdomen which made her stop and look down.


    ''Uh, I''m so perverted~'' Eva thought to herself as her hand instinctively traced her body from the upper part to the lower part slowly. Moving through her chest, abdomen, and then finally to the ce where everything would change.


    Her fingers were about to reach their destination when the door to the room was knocked.


    "Mydy, are you there?" Mia, Eva''s maid, spoke with a respectful tone.


    "Huh?! Oh, yes! I will be out in a minute!" Saying that Eva jumped from the bed and fixed her disheveled clothes.


    After that, she looked back at the bed and then licked her lips seductively.


    "I might take this room tonight~" She whispered before walking out of the room.


    ***


    Two days passed quietly and finally, the weekend arrived and the time for Kai and Eva''s flight back to her hometown arrived.


    It was the deal between Kai and Eva. So, early in the morning, the two met in front of Eva''s house. The reason for that was to avoid Kaya''s suspicion. Kai had made an excuse that he was going to visit a distant family member for a few days and will be back.


    Granted, Kaya didn''t fully believe that and secretly followed Kai which made him stop at the bus stop, get on the bus, and leave before jumping out of the bus and then returning to Eva when he made sure Kaya was nowhere near him.


    It was a long process but it seeded. Finally, Eva and Kai got in the car and left for the airport.


    "I never thought our first trip together would be to heal my own mother," Eva said with a small smile as she looked at Kai''s side silhouette.


    "Tell me more about your mother''s sickness."


    Although he was certain that he can cure it even if he had no idea what the illness was, knowing more about it is never a waste of time. Better be safe than sorry.


    "Uh, I don''t know how to describe it myself. But, her skin is now filled with dark spots, and a weird, runic writing that we couldn''t decipher appeared on her chest and abdomen. I tried to search through history books for the origin of those words and even hired the historians of the guild to look too but no one gave me a proper answer."


    "Runic words and ck spots, huh?" Murmuring those words, Kai looked outside the car as he entered his own world again.


    "A-Are you certain you can heal her, Kai?"


    "Yes."


    "I see¡­ Than-"


    "Leave thanking me for after I do what it. We are still far from there." He cut her off.


    Those words put a warm, affectionate smile on Eva''s face. She knew that Kai''s prideful nature won''t allow him to ept gratitude not from her, not from anyone. His reasoning is simply that he does things with his desire put as the top priority. So, why should he be thanked for something he did out of his own ord and for his own sake? It didn''t make sense in Kai''s head.


    That''s why, Eva simply didn''t say much else and simply enjoyed Kai''s presence as the car moved through the highway.


    Eventually, they reached the airport and they proceeded through the check-in counter.


    "Hm, is this your private jet?" Kai asked as he looked at the rather small yet very luxurious ne parked in the airport.


    "Yes, this was a gift from my father for my 15th birthday. It was mostly an attempt from him to try and cheer me up after failing to find you." Eva said with an awkward chuckle. "Ehem, anyway. Let''s get in. We will leave immediately."


    "Good morning, Miss Eva!" The pilot and his crew of hostesses greeted Eva respectfully.


    Eva nodded her head coldly and got inside the ne, followed by Kai who was given weird nces by the crew.


    The interior of the ne was very expensive. There was a kitchen, a bar, and even a bedroom with a king-sized bed in the middle. Not to mention thefy, technologically advanced chairs in the middle of the ne.


    "What do you think?" Eva asked curiously.


    "Not bad." Kai praised as he looked around, analyzing every nook and cranny of the ne just in case.


    "Fufufu! I''m d you like it." Eva giggled adorably.


    A few minutester, the ne left the runway and flew in the air, heading to D-Country which was a few hours away.


    Kai and Eva sat down on the chairs, enjoying the view from the windows. The hostesses made sure to serve them everything they wanted. They even suggested to massage Kai and Eva which garnered a deadly re from Eva that made them quickly shake away the idea.


    An hour or so passed quietly.


    "Hmm, I''m tired. I will be taking a nap." Eva said as she stood up and headed to the bedroom. "If you need me, the room is always open for you, Kai~" Eva said yfully before running away.


    Kai shook his head with a sigh and kept looking outside. As he was like that, he noticed something odd. Immediately, his face turned serious as he took a closer look outside.


    Slightly far away from them, there was the silhouette of what seemed to be another ne. However, that ne was getting awfully close to them at an rming speed.


    "What the hell?" He murmured with a frown as he stood up and called for Eva.


    "Hmm? I was about to doze off. What is it?" She asked confusedly.


    "We have guests," Kai said as he looked outside.


    "Guests?" When Eva saw what he was talking about, her eyes widened.


    The boy didn''t bother to wait for her to recuperate from the shock as he walked toward the cockpit.


    "This isn''t going to end well." He said as he opened the door.


    What he found inside made him frown even harder. All the crew, including the pilot, wereying unconscious in their seats. Their mouths were frothing visibly as if they were poisoned.

 Chapter 20 - 20- Flight Trip (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 20:- Flight Trip (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 20- Flight Trip (Part 2)


    After taking a look around in case if there was any weird gas in the air, Kai entered the cockpit and checked the pulse of the hostess.


    At that time, Eva had already followed after him with a serious expression.


    "What happened?" She asked.


    "They were poisoned. Most likely from the drinks they had. They won''t survive it." Kai replied coldly as he stood up and approached the control panel of the ne


    "The ne is also going down."


    "Why would such a thing happen? Are we being targeted by that Divinity woman?" Eva asked.


    "No, it''s a different person. Someone who is really good with hacking." On the control panel, Kai could see words that were clearly unrted to the ne. It was a message from the other ne.


    "Pray for your lives." It said.


    A secondter, the ne that was following them finally became visible from the side window.


    "Carry them outside. I will take control of the panel. You sit tight on the chair. It''s going to be a rocky ride." Kai ordered swiftly as he pushed the pilot to the side and sat on the chair instead of him, taking control of the ne.


    "You know how to control a ne?" Eva asked with surprise.


    "Not much. But, I can handle one to a certain extent." Saying that, Kai started clicking some buttons and then took the handle which made the ne start rising up again.


    At the same time, the other ne was now within range. Moving to the side a nudge more and the two aircraft will hit each other, resulting in a huge disaster.


    So, Kai without hesitation twisted the handle, making the ne move to the side. Eva''s body swayed as she took a grip on the chair with a worried expression.


    "Tsk." Kai clicked his tongue when he noticed that the other jet was still getting closer to them. The person that was following them, whoever they were, was clearly very skilled in controlling a private jet.


    At that moment, from the other side of the window, Kai''s eyes caught something that made him frown hard. Out of the lower part of the private jet, two automatic heavy guns appeared and aimed straight at them.


    Immediately, Kai pushed the handle of the ne which made it dive down in one single motion, an action that sent everything inside the jet into chaos.


    "Woah!!" Eva screamed as she gripped her seat.


    A secondter, the mounted guns of the jet opened fire.


    *BOOOOOM*


    Bullets glossed over Eva''s private jet and flew in the empty air. But, even with that dangerous move Kai, bullets still hit the upper part of the jet. Fire immediately erupted in the aircraft.


    *DING* *DING* *DING*


    Red alerts rang throughout the jet, announcing the severity of the situation.


    "..." However, even then, Kai kept a fairly calm expression as he skillfully handled the jet, moving up and down, left and right, trying to lose their follower.


    However, no attempts seeded. The guns kept firing at the jet relentlessly, hitting it many times and missing it even more times.


    "Tsk, this won''t work. Eva, take control of the ne for a second. I need to do something." Kai said as he stood up and left the cockpit under Eva''s widened gaze.


    However, being a professional hitman, Eva didn''t say anything and quickly sat in Kai''s ce.


    Thetter moved through the jet, reaching the door that leads outside and then he opened it. Immediately, strong, violent air hit Kai''s face like a truck.


    "What are you doing, Kai?!" Eva asked with a horrified expression. She had a bad hunch about what her beloved was going to do.


    "Just keep the ne steady and when I give you the sign, I want you to lower it down." After saying those words, Kai jumped out of the jet.


    Being at an altitude of almost 9000 meters, the conditions were horrible, to say the least. The air was extremely strong, capable of moving anything and everything. At this level, even professional skydivers won''t be able to control their bodies.


    However, Kai didn''t seem to be affected by it as he straightened his body. Beneath him, the other Jet was flying at a lower altitude. So, Kai twisted his body, changed his position, and then sessfullynded on the roof of the jet.


    Then, he dug his fingers into the outeryer of the jet to get a good grip on it. With his horrifying power, piercing metal wasn''t that hard. Especially a thinyer of metal like that of this aircraft.


    After that, he channeled his Origin powers throughout his body. An orange hue covered his bodypletely from head to toe before it immediately spread to the jet. The energy traveled throughout the whole body of the aircraft, covering itpletely.


    "Deactivate." Saying that one single word, the sound of the jet''s engine suddenly went silent as the Jet started falling down.


    Kai stood up and looked at the other ne before he gave a sign to Eva. Thetter nodded her head nervously and then started descending to a lower level so that Kai can jump back.


    *Swish*


    "Hm?" Hearing a weird noise, Kai looked back at the surface of the jet only to see two missileunchers aiming straight at him.


    Before he could even say anything, the missiles wereunched right at him.


    *BOOOOOOOOOOOOM*


    A huge explosion shook the two jets as a huge cloud of smoke erupted around the area.


    "KAI!!!!" Eva screamed as she felt her heart stop seeing her beloved get hit by two explosive missiles head-on.


    She felt as if her whole world was suddenly turned upside down. Her breathing grew erratic and her heart rate increased to incredible degrees. However, at that moment, she remembered what Kai said.


    ''I-I need to trust him. He is safe. I''m sure he is safe!'' Saying those words, Eva continued the descent of the jet. She didn''t have time to feel worried when her beloved could be waiting for her to get the jet down to a level where he can jump.


    A few moments passed and the jet was finally at the intended level. Eva then immediately looked through the window. The cloud of smoke had already dissipated but there was no trace of Kai.


    ''Where is he? Where is he? Where is he?!'' Eva felt as if she was going to lose her mind. ''Kai, please be safe.'' As tears were about to well up in her eyes, she heard a voice speak from behind her.


    "We need to leave the jet. The fires already caught the engine."


    "Kya!!" With a weird sound, Eva jumped back when she saw Kai who looked pretty much unscathed.


    "W-When did you¡­"


    "No time for pointless talks. Let''s go." Saying that, Kai grabbed Eva''s hand and then moved to the other part of the jet where one pilot chute was present. Because of the chaos that happened, one of the pilot chutes was thrown out of the jet, leaving only one of them barely hanging.


    "We will use this one." Saying that Kai strapped the bag to his back.


    "Huh?! Only one? How are we go-" Eva was about to speak when Kai swiftly scooped her in his arms and hugged her tightly.


    "Don''t let go." He ordered before he immediately jumped out of the Jet. A secondter, the engine errupted, creating a huge explosion that destroyed the whole jet.


    "Woah!!" Eva looked at what happened as she hugged Kai''s neck tightly, not intending to let it go at any cost.


    Bits and pieces of the jet started hailing down on them. However, Kai skillfully dodged them with ease.


    The dive was brutal for normal humans. However, Eva and Kai weren''t normal by any means. Both of them could use ''Origin'' and both of them were very skillful in it. Coating their bodies with it, they were able to protect themselves from the strong air and the cold temperatures.


    As the two fell down, Eva looked at Kai''s face. Because of the strong air, his air was lifted up, revealing his extremely handsome face. For a second, Eva''s whole mind waspletely focused on the young man she was hugging tightly.


    She didn''t care about the situation, or what could happen. At this moment, she was closer to Kai than she could ever be. His strong arms were touching her body. She could clearly feel his warmth from this close.


    It was heaven on earth for Eva. If she were to die this way, she will bepletely satisfied.


    Kai, who didn''t notice that dreamy look on Eva''s face, focused on their fall before he immediately deployed the parachute which instantly stopped the momentum of their fall.


    "Kai¡­ Is it wrong for me to feel happy now?" She asked in a daze.


    "Hm?" Thetter looked at her confusedly as if he didn''t understand where that question came from.


    "Mm, no need to answer that. I already know the answer." Eva replied with a bright smile as she hugged Kai even more tightly.


    The duo then continued their descent slowly, in the middle of the wide sky. The view was magnificent yet Eva didn''t care as in her world now, only Kai existed, and nothing else was more attractive to her eyes than him.

 Chapter 21 - 21- Lone Monster

    <h4>Chapter 21:- Lone Monster</h4>


    Chapter 21- Lone Monster


    The parachute continued its descent swiftly for a while. Since Kai had deployed it slightly earlier than the normal level, the journey down took a long time. During that time, Kai kept his eyes on one thing.


    ''Hmm, it still didn''t hit the ground yet. Is the one inside still resisting?'' He thought as he examined the mysterious jet that followed them.


    Even though Kai had deactivated the engine which made the jet fall down, it still didn''t hit the ground yet which by Kai''s calctions should''ve already happened by the time he deployed the parachute.


    "Do you have any idea who they are, Kai?" Eva asked with a serious expression. As much as she wanted to quietly enjoy Kai''s rare embrace, she knew that they weren''t out of danger quite yet.


    "No. They can be anyone from the Guild or Divinity. Hitmen are all required to have a multitude of talents to be able to perform sessful missions no matter the situation." He replied.


    "But, how would they know your identity? Did that woman Kaya unveil something?" Eva''s face darkened as her aura grew a degree colder for a moment.


    Kai however stayed silent for a while, seemingly in deep thought.


    "No, they aren''t after me. They''re most probably after you."


    "What?" Eva''s eyebrows rose slightly in surprise.


    "Beforeing here, I made sure to pretend as if I''m leaving on a bus to the next city. It was mainly to trick Kaya but that would also work on anyone else that was trying to follow me. Even then, I never noticed any presence near us. That means that this individual knew about the jet, knew when it was going to leave the airport, and even prepared a special aircraft to follow after it and destroy it." Kai replied matter-of-factly.


    "I see¡­" Eva nodded her head as she fell into deep thought.


    ''Ah, Kai is so smart~~ I love you!!'' Her serious expression didn''t project her real thoughts. They were way rosier than normal.


    Eventually, the parachutended on the ground in what seemed to be a forest of some kind. Kai then looked around before he put Eva down.


    "Ugh, where are we now?"


    "A forest of some kind in the north. We shouldn''t be that far away from our destination."


    The normal trip takes around 2 hours and the ident happened around 1 hour and 20 minutes into the flight.


    "I see¡­ Hmm, wait, I''m feeling the presence of something." Eva turned around along with Kai as they were met with the rumbling of the trees. Birds started flying away as if they were escaping from something.


    A secondter, a huge silhouette appeared in front of the duo. Towering over 2 meters in height, a grizzly bear stared at the two with ferocious, hungry eyes.


    Its sharp teeth were baring at them with saliva trickling down from its mouth. Then, the beast charged at them rapidly.


    Eva took a stance ready to fight. However, Kai mysteriously stepped forward casually before he extended his hand forward, aiming at the moment.


    "Sit down." His mouth uttered two extremely cold words as his aura was unleashed, aimed directly at the charging bear.


    Instantly, the monster''s run halted as he looked at Kia with fearful eyes. Its anger waspletely gone and was reced with wariness like nothing else. Its instincts told it that the human in front of it was extremely dangerous.


    Then, in a surprising sight, the monster bowed down meekly in front of Kai as if it was a loyal dog, not daring to look him in the eyes.


    "Wow¡­" Eva murmured in admiration.


    No matter how many times she sees Kai masterfully using Origin, she could never get enough of it. Eva was someone who can use Origin herself and was even pretty good at it. But,pared to Kai, it was nothing, just child''s y. Even amongst the strongest individuals in the guild, Kai was in a different league when ites to controlling Origin.


    There was something about it that was so elegant, so swift and so perfect that she couldn''t grasp yet.


    "Hop on." Waking up from her thoughts to Kai''s voice, she found him sitting on top of the bear cross-legged.


    "Huh? We are going to ride this bear?"


    "Do you want to walk the rest of the distance to the nearest town?" Kai asked.


    "No¡­"


    "Then hop on. We will leave."


    Eva couldn''t retort to her beloved''s logic and so she could only shake her head and jump on top of the bear too.


    "Move," Kai ordered the beast with one word which made it immediately start running.


    Passing through the thick forest, the two made their way north, heading toward the closest vige. Before arriving here, Kai made sure to memorize the general map of the area just in case and he remembers that there was a small town not that far away from where they fell.


    "Keep your eyes open. The jet didn''t fall that far away from here." Kai said as he looked around constantly.


    "You don''t need to tell me."


    Almost thirty minutes passed before the bear finally reached the end of the forest. On the other side, a small town could be seen, located near a small mountain chain that cut through the continent from north to east. Behind the mountain chain was D-Country, their destination.


    "Leave." After the two jumped down from the bear, Kai ordered it to leave. The beast immediately groaned meekly and then ran back to the forest like a scared cat.


    "It became your loyal pet. Fufufu!" Eva chuckled.


    "That bear became more of a servant than a pet. It doesn''t like me, it fears me." Kai said as he turned around and started walking toward the vige.


    However, Eva didn''t immediately follow. For some reason, the words Kai said resonated with her.


    ''It doesn''t like me, it fears me.'' Those words could be said about pretty much everyone who knew Kai''s identity. He was the ck Phantom, the monster that hunts down everyone he chooses and never fails.


    Nobody liked him, they all feared him, his name, his presence, and everything rted to him. He was the boogeyman of everyone, young and old, rich or poor. Being at the peak might be amazing as a notion itself but when someone truly experiences the peak, alone, they will eventually realize that being different isn''t always better.


    The main reason why humans get better, improve, have ambitions or even a desire to live stems from goals and dreams to reach the peak.


    So, what would someone who reached the peak aim for? How could they get close to anyone else beneath them who can never understand them? These questions were something that even Eva can''t answer.


    ''To be feared by everyone and no one to truly trust or rely on. How would he be feeling?'' She thought with a sad expression.


    This was a part she would never understand about Kai. How he felt being alone, being different from everyone, and being treated like a monster when he simply wanted a peaceful life, far away from trouble.


    Till this point, Eva still didn''t understand why he quit being a hitman. But, she now could understand why, to a certain extent.


    "I''m sorry, Kai. It must''ve been painful. I''m sorry¡­" She murmured to herself as she looked at Kai''s lone silhouette moving through the dirt road. Then, the young man turned around, staring straight at Eva.


    "Eva?"


    "Mm, I''ming." Nodding her head, Eva put on a warm smile before she approached Kai.


    ''For all the suffering you went through. I will do everything I can to ease that pain, Kai. I will never allow you to feel lonely ever again.''


    At that moment, a new resolve spurted inside Eva''s heart. What the girl wasn''t aware of was that this small moment of enlightenment will be the reason why the future willpletely change. When the momentes for her deep love for Kai to finally show its true power, Eva''s desire to make Kai happy will be at the center of that.


    But, that''s a story for another day.

 Chapter 22 - 22- Mercenary Village (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 22:- Mercenary Vige (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 22- Mercenary Vige (Part 1)


    The dirt road extended for a few kilometers, leading straight toward the vige.


    "Hmm, doesn''t this vige look odd?" Eva asked as she gazed at the entrance of the vige. Being this deep into the forest and hidden between the mountains, this vige was very open to all kinds of attacks from monsters.


    Normally, that would make the vigers build some kind of wall around the ce so that they can protect themselves. However, this particr vige didn''t seem to be protected at all. In fact, it didn''t even seem to have a main entrance.


    Kai squinted his eyes silently as he continued walking. No one knew what was going through his head.


    The two eventually reached the entrance of the vige. Looking around, there wasn''t a trace of anyone around.


    "Very suspicious," Eva murmured as she spread her senses to cover the vige. However, she couldn''t feel any living creature inside. That didn''t necessarily mean that the vige was devoid of life.


    Trained mercenaries, hitmen, and even New Ascenders that just joined Divinity are capable of hiding their presence. It wasn''t foolproof but if Eva''s senses were spread over arge area, avoiding them wasn''t going to be that hard.


    "We should just continue on foot. It will take a while bu-" Before the girl could finish her words, Kai had already walked inside the vige.


    "We will find a car here. Let''s go." He said calmly.


    "..." Eva stood silent for a second as if she noticed something before she immediately smiled and ran after Kai. "Hey! Wait for me!" She said.


    The two walked through the deste vige casually as if they were taking a stroll in the middle of a park.


    "Hmm, I actually don''t hate the quietness of this ce. It''s kind of calming, isn''t it?" Eva asked as she stepped forward and took a peek at Kai.


    "..." Thetter didn''t reply and instead looked ahead of him. "Hm, there is an inn over there." He said as he pointed at a building a few hundred meters away from them.


    What was unique about the inn itself wasn''t that it was open nor the fact that the sign on top of it was still working. It was actually the presence of an individual, a man to be exact. He had a big hat on his face as he rested his back on a chair, clearly taking a nap.


    "We should ask him about directions," Eva said cheerfully.


    The two then approached the man.


    "Excuse me~ We are lost. Can you help us?" She asked.


    The man, seemingly noticing their presence, picked up the hat and revealed his face. He was quite old, almost 60 years of age with wrinkles all over his face and a small tattoo on his neck that was hidden behind the cor of his shirt.


    His face was grumpy and menacing as if he hated everyone and everything in this world.


    "What?" He grumbled in a hoarse voice.


    "We are lost and we want a car to leave this ce. Is there perhaps any ce where we can rent or buy one?" Eva asked as she ignored his angry re.


    "No, scram!" He replied.


    "Sigh¡­" Kai rolled his eyes with an exhausted expression before he approached the man and grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up in the air.


    "Car¡­ Where can we find one?" He asked


    "U-Ugh¡­ What the fuck?! Release me this instance!!" The man yelled angrily as he gripped Kai''s hand.


    "H-Hey, Kai. R-Release him and let me talk with him. He is just an innocent old man."


    "W-Who is old, you brat!!" The man yelled back even though he was being strangled alive.


    *Drop*


    Opening his hand, the man fell down to the ground, coughing and heaving loudly.


    "You fucking shit! Do you want to kill me?"


    "..."


    "Listen here, mister. We are just travelers and we need to reach the nearest city as soon as possible. Could you help us with that?"


    "... Tsk! There is a train station nearby. However, the train onlyes once a day, and the time for it had already passed. You have to wait for the next one whiches tomorrow at 12 PM." He said.


    "I see¡­"


    "You can stay over at my inn. I have spare beds and food." He said.


    "What do you think, Kai?"


    "... Fine." Thetter replied as he kept looking around.


    "Tsk, since you two are now customers, I should be more respectful! Ehem, my name is Rami!"


    "My name is Sera."


    "Evan."


    Both Kai and Eva replied casually without thinking for a second. Changing their names to fake ones didn''t take a second of thought at all.


    "Anyway, follow me," Rami said as he opened the door.


    The inside of the inn was quite simple and old. However, that made it quite aesthetically intriguing.


    "Hmm, let''s see¡­ Hm, oh? This is weird." The man said as he read through a thick book.


    "Sorry,ds. We only have one spare room. Do you still want to book it?"


    "O-One room?!" Eva blurted out as she mmed her arms on the desk.


    "Y-Yes." Rami was taken aback by her sudden reaction but he still answered.


    ''One room¡­ One room¡­ Me and Kai¡­ One single room.''


    "We will take it," Kai replied in Eva''s stead as he pulled out a few bills.


    "Hold on! Wait, I''m still not mentally ready! Give me a second! I-Is it a single bed or two beds?" Eva said as she put her hand up.


    "A single bed."


    "Kuh!" That word was akin to a bullet that hit Eva''s chest. Crouching down, she held her face that was blushing profusely.


    ''This is amazing!!'' She screamed in her head.


    She never expected the situation to escte this fast. However, she couldn''t be any more delighted over that fact. The thing she always wanted¡­ To sleep next to her beloved on the same bed.


    "Give me the key," Kai said before he grabbed Eva''s hand and moved toward the stairs.


    Thetter was surprised but didn''t resist as Kai led them to the second floor of the building. The wooden floor creaked with each step they took, announcing its poor state again and again with each creak.


    When he reached the room, he opened the door. The room was as simple as the inn itself.


    "We will stay here till the train tomorrow," Kai said.


    "O-Ok." Eva replied with a nervous expression.


    The young man ignored her reaction and walked toward the bed. He then opened his shirt and sat down.


    Eva, on the other hand, stood awkwardly at the entrance. For some reason, she hesitated to walk inside the room.


    "Why are you standing there?" Kai asked hispanion confusedly.


    "Huh? Ah, why am I standing here?" Laughing awkwardly, Eva walked inside.


    Meanwhile, the boy simply sat in a lotus position and closed his eyes. Eva simply took the chair and sat down, facing the bed as she watched Kai silently. She didn''t mind sitting there, looking at this silhouette for eternity.


    A few minutes passed before Kai opened his eyes again and looked at Eva.


    "What''s your main ''talent''?" He asked.


    Although Origin, the power used to make superpowers possible to a certain extent had a vtile use, that use only bes vtile when fused with another factor¡­ ''Talent''. Talent is the term used to describe certain techniques that require the use of Origin to activate.


    These techniques vary in uses, powers, advantages and disadvantages, and even efficiency depending on the host. For example, what Kai used to control the minds of people was ''Neuro Talent''. That talent is separated into many levels with the lowest level simply distracting the target for a few moments and the highest level capable of making the brain even self-destruct.


    There are talents that can control all elements of nature, talents that can make you smarter, faster, stronger, or a master in any craft, job, or task you want to do. Some are born with these talents naturally engraved into their souls while others, who aren''t as fortunate, have to learn from scratch.


    The number of talents a human could learn depends on their capabilities and their mental prowess to handle the sheer amount of information thates along with learning.


    "Hm? My main talent is ''de Talent''." Eva said as she clicked her finger. Immediately, a sword appeared out of the palm of her hand.


    "I can create all kinds of de-type weapons and I have a mastery over all of them." She said.


    "What level did you reach?"


    "Uh, Level 4 out of 8. I''ve been stuck at that level for a while now. Why are you asking me that, Kai?"


    "... Do you want to reach the next level?" The boy asked coldly.

 Chapter 23 - 23- Mercenary Village (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 23:- Mercenary Vige (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 23- Mercenary Vige (Part 2)


    "Level up? How? I still have at least a few more years before I could reach the next level." Eva said.


    "We can cut down that time to a few hours," Kai said as he kept his lotus position, unbothered by the bombshell he just dropped.


    "A few hours?!!" Eva blurted out as she almost choked on her own saliva.


    "Yes."


    "K-Kai, I do trust you more than my own self. But¡­ What you said is¡­" Eva found it hard to describe what he said. It could be considered a joke, or a foolish thing to say. However, she knew that Kai never spouts anything of that sort so it instantly became a dilemma for the beautiful girl.


    "Do you want it, yes or no?" Kai sighed with an exasperated expression. He really didn''t like it whenever he has to exin his own powers.


    He already knew that they were considered absurd by this world''s standards so no need for someone to try and exin that to him.


    "Yes¡­ I would want to evolve my powers so I can be more useful to you." Eva replied with a determined expression.


    "Come over here." Nodding his head, Kai ordered calmly as he created enough room on the bed for Eva to sit down.


    "T-The bed?" The girl was slightly taken aback as a healthy blush appeared on her face.


    "Yes."


    "O-Ok." Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, Eva approached Kai and mounted the bed before she sat facing him in a strained manner.


    No matter how happy Eva was, being in the same bed as Kai was nerve-wracking and bad for her poor heart.


    "I will be injecting your body with some of my power and doing something that will be too long to exin. Just don''t resist and allow me to do what I need to. Understood?"


    "Y-Yes. Please go ahead, my body is all yours." Eva said in a joking manner. Well, it would''ve been humorous if her tone wasn''t extremely strained from the sheer nervousness she was feeling at the moment.


    "Close your eyes." Kai ignored the girl''s odd behavior and extended his arm forward as he pointed with his fingers to her forehead.


    "Did you memorize the scroll for the ''de Talent''?"


    "Y-Yes."


    "Good, I want you to recall it in perfect detail. If you miss a single letter, everything will fail. Can you do that?"


    "I can! I memorized mostnguages of this world and I can speak them fluently, a few pages of words aren''t that hard."


    "... Then, just do and don''t stop till I give you the sign to stop."


    After saying those words, Kai touched her forehead gently before he also closed his eyes. Immediately after that, an ember of energy manifested in his hand and traveled slowly toward Eva''s forehead. Then, it swiftly entered it.


    Instantly, Eva felt the foreign object that invaded her body. Usually, she would kick it out using her own powers but she knew that this was Kai''s Origin and she trusted him blindly.


    Even if Kai told her to jump inside a boiling volcano with no guarantee that she will survive, she will do it. That''s how much Eva believed in her most beloved.


    The foreign energy started circting around her brain, touching it in certain ces and then pulling away and moving to another ce.


    The feeling was oddly not bad. In fact, Eva was starting to feel a blissful sensation filling her body akin to a cold bath in the middle of a hot summer day.


    The process continued for a while as Eva tried to the best of her ability to keep reciting the Talent scroll again and again like a mantra while waiting for Kai to do what he wanted.


    Eventually, something weird started to change in Eva''s body. Her mind started feeling clearer and her body was getting rejuvenated. However, that wasn''t what caught her attention. In the midst of all that change, right where her heart was.


    Right above her heart, a weird object that looked like a seal started shaking slightly. That seal was called the ''Origin Seal'' or the ''Heart Seal'' and it was the result of Eva learning the ''de Talent''. ''de Talent'' being her main Talent, it upied the most vital part of her body which was the chest. Other Talents usually don''t form Origin seals but the stronger ones do and since Eva did learn multiple other strong Talents, the seals that were formed were spread across her body.


    Anyway, the seal that had been motionless for the past few years started to shake gently while visibly increasing in intensity. The shaking didn''t stop for a long while until finally¡­ The seal was opened.


    The moment it opened, a surge of energy filled Eva''s body and spread throughout every cell of her being. When it reached her brain, a huge amount of information assaulted her like a tsunami.


    Eva felt extremely dizzy for a split second and had the urge to open her eyes. However, a masculine, deep voice stopped her.


    "Don''t open your eyes yet."


    Eva immediately focused on the surge of information, trying to memorize all of it. If it wasn''t for the fact that her mental strength was way above that of an average human, this information dump could''ve easily fried her brain.


    A few minutes passed like that, and Eva was able to sessfully keep all the things that barged into her head intact and memorized.


    "You can open your eyes now," Kai said which made Eva''s beautiful eyshes tter and part slowly.


    The first thing she noticed was that the room had turned dark. Then, her eyes finally focused on Kai. His hair wasbed to the side, showing a part of his face that immediately took Eva''s breath away.


    "Congrattions." He said inly.


    "Thank you¡­" She said as she examined her body.


    Although she can''t believe it, it was the truth. Eva had leveled up her Talent. What should''ve taken years of effort and hard work, studying her Talent, and practicing relentlessly was cut down to a few hours as Kai said.


    "H-How is this even pos-" As Eva was about to ask, a sudden dizziness assaulted her brain which made her sway and fall back.


    However, Kai''s hand quickly extended and wrapped around her waist, keeping her bnced.


    "You aren''t stable enough to speak yet. Rest your body and you should be fine the next day." He said.


    "Uh¡­ I¡­ see." Murmuring so, Eva''s eyes closed as she drifted into a deep sleep from sheer exhaustion.


    Staring at the sleeping girl in his embrace, Kai sighed and then put her on the bed and covered her with a nket.


    After that, he walked to the bathroom and washed his face. His eyes stared into the mirror at his reflection before they shifted to look at his hand. There, Kai could see it, it was subtle but visible to him, and his hand was shaking.


    It might''ve been very subtle but if the people of Kai''s past knew that the ck Phantom showed a single moment of weakness, they would do anything to exploit that moment no matter what.


    "Sigh¡­" Shaking his head, he walked out of the bathroom and headed toward the window.


    The outside was dark and quiet but also eerie considering the fact that the duo were in a deste vige with only another human living inside.


    Then, Kia opened the window and jumped outside, and then swung his body up in the air, using the window frame which made himnd on the roof of the building.


    "Hiding your men inside those houses was a good idea." Then, Kai said as he tucked his hands in his pockets casually.


    Many would think he was a maniac for talking to thin air. However, a secondter, the person he was addressing revealed himself from the other side of the street.


    It was none other than the inn owner, Rami.


    "How did you know, brat?" Rami asked with a cold expression.


    "The nature of the soil of these areas makes it uneven and rough. However, the entrance to this vige was as even as it could get. Now, that could simply be because people paved the roads well but considering the old state of this vige, I doubt that is the case. That only leaves one possibility¡­"


    Saying that Kai looked down with his hypnotizing purple eyes that seemingly glistened under the light of the moon like a wolf standing on top of a hill.


    "A group of people entered this ce and decided to even the ground so they can hide their footsteps. An old trick in the book of mercenaries to hide their presence from targets."


    Although the cold re from the mysterious boy made Rami flinch he didn''t let it show in his face.


    "Hahahahaha! How observant of you, kid! That''s good¡­ very good!" Saying that Rami clicked his fingers together.


    Immediately, silhouettes started appearing from every house around them. Men of all ages jumped out of windows, down from roofs, and out of doors before they grouped around him.


    In contrast to the gangsters that attacked Kai a few days ago, these people had apletely different aura around them. From a single look, Kai could see that they were seasoned fighters who yed on the string of life and death for a living.


    "Wee to our humble Vige¡­ The Mercenary Vige!" Rami said with a grin.

 Chapter 24 - 24- Mercenary Village (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 24:- Mercenary Vige (Part 3)</h4>


    Chapter 24- Mercenary Vige (Part 3)


    Kai observed the huge number of mercenaries that filled the whole main street and stretched across the whole vige. It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that their numbers exceeded 100 mercenaries. All had guns and all other kinds of hand weapons.


    However, that didn''t seem to provoke any kind of reaction from Kai who casually stood in his ce, like a king staring down at mere peasants.


    "Are you the one who followed us in that Jet?" Kai asked coldly.


    "Hm? Who knows, kid? I''m an old man so my memory is quite hazy. Maybe it was me, maybe not." Rami replied with a grin.


    He was simply trying to confuse Kai and y with his head. A tactic that will help in the fight that will ensue.


    "So, kid, tell me, are you the bodyguard of that youngdy?" Rami asked. "You don''t seem like a normal bodyguard, though. My best bet is that you are a hitman, a good one at that. Well, not that good as your mistress foolishly revealed your real name in the spur of the moment, and then you tried to identify yourself as someone else. What kind of dumb mistake is that?" Ramiughed loudly which made the other mercenariesugh too.


    "Well, it''s expected from a clueless mdy that was born into gold. They will never understand the struggles of life."


    "..." Kai didn''t reply as he simply stared at the man with his deathly cold eyes.


    " I see, so you are indeed a hitman. You lot are quite the sophisticated bunch, aren''t you? Looking down on us mercenaries as if we are some kind of lower rank than you. Tsk, so annoying!"


    Rami had a deep hatred toward all hitmen. He had suffered a lot because he was never able to make it as a hitman so he became a mercenary and even created his own organization dedicated to people like him who didn''t have the talent to reach that level. However, he wasn''t spared from the loathing eyes of people who knew from the past who did be hitmen and were now somehow better than him.


    "Don''t link me to anyone¡­ Your anger and hatred are pointless." Kai replied.


    "Who cares?! The most important thing is that yourdy is going to be kidnapped tonight! So, whether you like it or not, your life ends here, kid."


    With a simple nce back, all the mercenaries pointed their guns at Kai and readied themselves to shoot.


    "Don''t take it personally, kid. I''m only after the money."


    Then, Rami clicked his fingers. Immediately, all the mercenaries shot their guns all at the same time. A rain of bullets filled Kai''s vision for a split second. But, he didn''t show any reaction as he leaped in the air, reaching 20 meters high.


    All the bullets went past him without touching him. Then, Kai aimed for the main road as he descended quickly


    "Tsk! Don''t stop shooting," Rami ordered.


    The next round of bullets was more sessful as Kai had no way of dodging them, or that was what Rami thought at least.


    However, the rain of bullets reached a certain distance from Kai before mysteriously diverting and moving somewhere else as if they shed with a strong metal wall.


    "What?!" The man''s eyes popped in shock. For a second, he couldn''t believe his eyes.


    ''The bullets didn''t hit the boy at all. How is that even possible?''


    One of the main reasons why Rami failed in bing a hitman was hisplete obliviousness to the existence of powers called Origin. So, when he saw Kai simply blocking bullets with thin air, he was totally confused as to how that was possible.


    The bullets kept deflecting from the barrier until Kainded on the ground, in the middle of the swarm of mercenaries. Immediately, everyone tried to jump on him and overwhelm him before he could do anything.


    "Sleep." Kai stood up and murmured one word.


    Immediately, an overwhelming aura fell down on everyone present. The feeling was akin to a huge elephant weighing down on them. Even Rami couldn''t handle the pain as he fell down to the ground, withering in pain from the sheer pressure, he stared at Kai who stood in the middle of the sea of bodies that wereying down on the ground.


    For a second there, Rami thought he was looking at a god, standing in the middle of his followers who were praying for him and hailing him.


    "M-Monster¡­ Who are you?!" He murmured.


    That''s when Kai finally looked at him.


    "Who sent you?" Kai asked.


    "... Hahahahahaha!" The question made the mercenary leader erupt inughter. "You are a weird man! I''m a mercenary but I''m still a proud man. I will never allow for the identity of my client to ever be revealed. It''s one of the rules I will never break."


    Kai''s eyes squinted for a second as he sighed and then approached Rami and picked him up by the neck.


    "When I grabbed you by the neck this morning, I did read a little bit of your mind. You do not know who that client is, do you? No¡­ That''s wrong. You do know who it is. But, that person sealed your memory so that his identity isn''t revealed."


    ''The culprit can use ''Origin'' as expected. He isn''t a normal person.'' The boy thought silently.


    When Kai said that, Rami''s face frowned hard. He never expected the boy to reach the truth this quickly and he even did that before Rami could even realize it.


    "Ugh!! You bastard! Do you think I will fall off without sending you to hell with me?!" Rami said in between his grunts and then opened his jacket, revealing strapped bombs to each part of his body.


    Kai stared down at them for a second before he shifted back to look at his face coldly.


    "Hahahaha! These bombs are strong enough to blow this whole goddamn vige out of the face of the world. I doubt someone like you could even survive it."


    "... So your client doesn''t care if Eva was captured dead or alive?"


    "Hahahahahaha! Exactly! The bounty on her head is already massive enough to not bother with things like dead or alive! You two are going to die here tonight!!" Saying that Rami tried to push the button to activate the bombs.


    However, the next second, something moved from the darkness and severed his neck swiftly in less than a second.


    For a second, nothing changed about Rami, and then¡­


    *Drop*


    His head fell down quietly. It took a few more seconds for the blood to finally splurt out. The reason for that was that the body still didn''t realize that the head was severed and so blood continued cirction normally.


    Kai dropped the body down and then dusted his hands before he said.


    "I was going to stop the bombs myself, Eva."


    A secondter, Eva appeared from the shadows and approached Kai with her affectionate smile that she only directed toward him.


    "I couldn''t bear to see Kai being insulted and belittled by an ant. Besides, didn''t you tell me to be ready when he was going to threaten us with bombs?" She asked.


    "..."


    "Now that I think about it. The n worked perfectly. They totally thought we were a clueless duo, didn''t they? I mean, the fact that he didn''t even bother to think for two seconds that mistaking our real names and our fake ones was too suspicious is shocking. Is being stupid the new trend of this ear?" Eva said.


    "No, it''s how normal people are. They live in this world ignorantly, not using their heads to think and see the truth even if it pped them right in the face. That''s what makes them ''humans''."


    From the very moment, Kai and Eva entered the vige, they already created a perfect n and knew what was going to happen exactly. Eva''s innocent attitude that befitted that of a rich youngdy and Kai''s bad attitude created this sense of good cop bad cop interrogation in Rami''s head. He immediately assumed that Eva was a harmless girl while Kai was her guard who used violence as his main weapon.


    That instilled confidence in Rami that he can kill him easily. Then, when the two entered their room, Kai used the fact that he helped Eva to level up so he can make Rami think they weren''t suspicious at all and were idling around in their room.


    When the two finished their session and Eva was about to faint, Kai embraced her so she doesn''t fall, and at that moment, he whispered.


    "In a few minutes, the mercenary and his group will try to attack us. He has bombs strapped to his body. I want you to wait secretly and severe his head when he tries to detonate them."


    Eva didn''t show any reaction and simply replied. "Uh¡­ I-I see." Before she drifted to fake sleep.


    And then, she snuck out and waited for the opportunity before she attacked and finished her opponent in the blink of an eye. A perfectly executed n thatpletely tricked the other party and didn''t leave anything to luck. That was the true difference between elite hitmen and mercenaries.


    "Still, it was extremely enjoyable to work with Kai again. It reminds me of the good old days~" Eva said as she hugged Kai''s left arm and smiled happily at him.


    Not even for a moment did she give the severed head a second look.


    "Not that these days aren''t as good if not better than before." She added.

 Chapter 25 - 25- A Night Of Dreams (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 25:- A Night Of Dreams (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 25- A Night Of Dreams (Part 1)


    *Crack*


    Kai cracked his neck as he looked at the vige around him. After knocking all the mercenaries out cold, it looked as if it was a ughterhouse filled with dead corpses. Kai knew that these people won''t be waking up for at least another day so he doesn''t have to worry about them at all.


    "The train will be here in the morning. We should sleep." Eva said as she yawned gently. Even that small gesture of hers was so beautiful under the faint light of the moon. Her silhouette was worthy of being called a piece of art that will take anyone''s breath away.


    Kai nced at her for a brief moment before he turned to the inn and walked inside followed by Eva. The two went upstairs and as Kai was about to enter one of the random rooms in the inn, Eva asked him confusedly.


    "Weren''t those rooms upied by the mercenary?"


    "Possibly," Kai replied.


    Seeing that, Eva weirdly pouted as she approached Kai and then daringly grabbed his arm before dragging him to the room where they initially were going to spend the day.


    "Those mercenaries are dirty and disgusting. I don''t want Kai to catch their germs or illnesses."


    "I''m immune to all sicknesses," Kai replied ndly. He didn''t get why Eva was even angry in the first ce.


    "But hygiene is still very important. You are going to stay in this room since it wasn''t upied before."


    "I don''t get the point you''re trying to make. All the rooms are the sa-" Kai was about to finish his words when he opened a random room only to find that it waspletely empty with no furniture or a bed to sleep on.


    Eva took a peek inside before a wide, yful smirk appeared on her face.


    "You were saying?" She said teasingly.


    "..." Kai stayed silent as he looked at the empty room with a cold expression.


    "I should''ve predicted this will be the case. It''s an old, uninhabited vige and they simply used it to try and trap us." He said.


    "Fufufufufu! I guess even the almighty Kai can make mistakes too." Eva replied jokingly.


    This was one of the rare times when she found an opportunity to tease Kai. The feeling that came from this was weirdly addictive. Something about teasing the most perfect human being Eva had ever met made her feel really good especially when that person is the man she loved the most and swore her life to.


    Sighing, Kai turned silently and entered the room where they first spent the night. When Eva saw him walk inside, it finally weighed down on her.


    ''Wait, I''m going to spend the night with Kai¡­ all alone¡­ In an empty room and even an empty vige¡­ Isn''t this too hot?!! Oh no! I''m starting to panic! I need to calm down or Kai will feel repulsed!! I must not think like a pervert!'' As she added herst words, her eyes lost focus as her mind imagined a certain scene.


    In the image, she wasying on the bed, naked and Kai was on top of her, staring deep into her eyes with his hypnotizing purple eyes that were akin to a pair of deep abysses that had no end to them.


    Then, he closed up on her face and whispered in her ear with his breathy voice. "Are you ready?"


    Eva then nodded her head as she hugged his neck and then said in a sensual, seductive tone. "Take me~ I want you to mark me and make me your woman."


    And then¡­


    At that moment, her thoughts were halted as she realized that her mouth was hanging open and drool was trickling down her chin.


    ''Oh no! How perverted!! What is wrong with me?! I mean, I won''t mind if Kai made me his and his alone now but it''s still too early. I must first make him love me back and then we can take that step.'' Saying that with great resolve, Eva walked inside the room.


    That''s when she saw Kaiing out of the bathroom with a towel around his lower part and his ck hair was wet. His bare chest and abdomen were naked for Eva to marvel at them.


    "Y-You already took a shower." She said stuttering as she averted her eyes. She knew that if she looked any further at his body, she won''t be able to stop herself.


    "There is no shampoo. Use a bar of soap." He said as he walked to his clothes.


    Eva stood there for a while, looking at him as he was about to start undressing. He didn''t seem to bother with the fact Eva was there.


    From what he knew, that girl can''t look at his chest let alone his lower part so even if he got naked, she will look away.


    Although it was odd to think that way, in Kai''s head, it was the most logical conclusion and he was a faithful follower of logic.


    Predictably, Eva turned around and quickly walked inside the bathroom, and closed the door. After changing back into his clothes, Kai walked to the window and stood there, looking at the star-filled sky. It was one of the few things that brought peace to his mind whenever he was thinking about something.


    Thirty minutester, Eva finally walked out of the bathroom but instead of having a towel around her sensual body, she instead was wearing a simple shirt andfortable pants. Both of them always kept spare clothes in their pockets.


    The way that was possible was simple. Using a form of advanced technology, they are able to create clothes that couldpress to a pocket size and be ready for use at all times. It can also expand to triple its size so that even if their user grew in size, they will be able to still wear these clothes. Since both of them worked as hitmen before, both did own such things.


    It was a useful gadget for such circumstances where they need to sleep in random ces.


    "I-I''m finished," Eva said timidly as she looked at Kai.


    Her beautiful skin was glistening under the light of the night sky and her face had a healthy blush on it from the warm bath. She looked extra seductive at that moment.


    Kai turned around and then walked to the bed and sat down on it. Eva followed suit and sat on the other side. To say that she was nervous was an understatement. One of her dreams was going to be fulfilled tonight. This day was something she will never forget.


    Kai, on the other hand, didn''t seem that bothered as he finally rested his back on the pillow.


    Eva followed after him and finally rested her back on the mattress. The two stared at the ceiling for a long time.


    "Hey, Kai, can I ask a question?" Eva suddenly said as a sh ofplicated emotions shed across her eyes.


    "..." Thetter simply gave her a side nce, indicating for her to speak.


    "Do you¡­ hate me trying to be in your life?" She asked. Although Eva tried her best not to sound hesitant, her voice still faltered slightly.


    This question suddenly popped into her head at this moment when she realized something. All this time, she was the one who selfishly found Kai and selfishly tried to include herself in his peaceful life.


    At first, she justified that with the fact that she loved Kai too much to live without him. However, now that she thought about it, wasn''t she being ridiculous? Kai never said he wanted her. Why would she jump to the conclusion that his life would be better with her included?


    That''s why, when she asked this question, she just wanted an honest answer. However, in all honestly, she had no idea what she should do if he said that he actually hated her.


    "... There is only one person I hate in my life. Everyone else is either annoying or¡­ Someone trustworthy enough that I can ept spending time with them in the same room." Kai replied with a mysterious tone.


    Eva''s eyes widened as she turned to look at Kai speechlessly.


    Out of everything she expected to hear, this wasn''t something she thought he would say in her wildest dreams.


    "You¡­ consider me trustworthy?" She asked in disbelief.


    "I always did. I tested you countless times before and every time, you proved that you aren''t someone I should antagonize. However, you are foolish enough to try and link yourself with me when you know that will only carry trouble and death to your door. I find that odd but not something I would actively dislike."


    ''So¡­ The reason he told me to leave when we met was because¡­ He was worried about me?'' Eva interpreted Kai''s words as such which made her heart skip a beat.

 Chapter 26 - 26- A Night Of Dreams (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 26:- A Night Of Dreams (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 26- A Night Of Dreams (Part 2)


    What is happiness? A question many people would answer with a simple sentence: It''s the feeling of satisfaction after experiencing something good.


    However, for people who rarely experienced it, their answers would vary. Many would deny that happiness is real and it''s a mere moment of intoxication by reality and then things wille back to how they were, nd and normal. Others would say that it''s just a mere feeling, just like any other feeling and there was no point in trying to seek it.


    Humans naturally want to feel good, it''s within their nature to seek pleasure. However, for people like Kai and Eva who saw death and caused death more than they could ever count, happiness wasn''t money, or power, or influence, or even poprity, they had all of that and more.


    What truly mattered was what put their minds at peace. That''s why Eva felt that she fell for Kai. She was the daughter of the Lavine family, a perfectdy who had both looks and brains. She was also a celebrity who appeared in countless magazines and even acted in movies before.


    However, deep down, shecked something. She was a perfect person, on the outside at least and so people would alwayspliment her, ept everything she says, and do anything she asks for.


    She had everything she wanted and more. But, with time, that dream lifestyle became boring, uneventful, and even annoying.


    That''s when she first met Kai and to this day, she remembers the first few words he said to her. They both stumbled upon each other by mistake inside the main headquarters when Eva was about to officially join the Guild to be a hitman. Both of them were 8 years old at the time. Eva waspletely confident in herself as she had been trained very well. Yet, Kai didn''t even give her a nce, let alone acknowledge her presence.


    That caught Eva''s attention since no one had ever ignored her before. Well, some did but she knew it was all acting to grab her attention. However, Kai was different, she could tell that he really didn''t even care about her existence, and that made her quite conflicted.


    ''Why would he not even look? Is he blind?'' She thought. To this day, she still remembers how arrogant she was and would feel embarrassed at that fact.


    "Hey you, watch where you walk!" She said in a cold tone.


    However, Kai didn''t turn around and continued walking as if nothing happened.


    This enraged Eva even more and made her want to catch his attention. She just couldn''t ept that someone wouldn''t even look at her even once. So, under the influence of her frustration, she used a little bit of her Origin power, just to threaten him.


    "Apologise¡­ Now." She said.


    That''s when Kai finally stopped in his tracks which made Eva think he got scared by her pressure. That also made her slightly disappointed as deep inside, she anticipated that Kai would be different from others. However, he turned out to be like everyone else. All bark, no bite.


    At that moment, Kai turned around and said coldly, his purple eyes peering into her very soul.


    "My bad." He said coldly. His voice had not even an ounce of remorse. It was as if he was a machine, reading a response that it was trained to say.


    That made Eva freeze in her ce. She couldn''t understand why, but looking at Kai''s eyes, she found herself lost in them.


    Thatplete disinterest in anything and everything, that depth that couldn''t be fathomed, and thatck of feelings made herpletely captured. In a world filled with boring, predictable people with basic desires, Kai was different. He was simply empty.


    From that moment, Eva''s interest in Kai sparked and continued growing in intensity as days passed until at some point she realized something¡­ She had fallen deeply in love with that boy, to the point where her mind could only think about him at all times.


    Hepletely captured her heart, mind, and soul.


    Her life gained color as she woke up every day wanting to see him, walk by his side, and help him in every way possible. He became her very goal in life.


    Years passed, and those feelings only grew in intensity until she reached this point. The point where he had said he trusted her.


    For a second, Eva felt tears welling up in her eyes from sheer happiness. However, she quickly closed her eyes and turned away from him as she pretended that she was fine.


    "I-I see¡­ I mean, it was expected."


    Kai simply nced at her back for a few seconds before he also closed his eyes, intending to sleep. However, at that second, he decided to just add something.


    "I do consider you as an ally rather than an enemy. However, I will officially warn you. Things aren''t going to stay calm from here on out and your life will be put in danger. You can also potentially die. I suggest that after I heal your mother, we should sever all ties. If you want to live for the sake of your family, that i-" As Kai was about to finish his words, he found Eva on top of him with her hands on both sides of his head.


    The two were barely a few inches away from each other as they stared deeply into each other''s eyes. Not to mention Eva''s plump chest that dangled on top of Kai, touching his chest once every moment Eva exhaled a breath.


    "I said it before and I will repeat it again and again as many times as you want. I would rather die live without Kai. If you want to get rid of me, your only choice is to kill me. Other than that, I will never leave Kai''s side. Now that I know that you trusted me, it gives me more of a reason to be there when you need me."


    Eva didn''t care that she was now literally on top of her beloved and daringly looked at him with a serious face. She just wanted him to know that she had no intention of ever leaving him.


    "If things are going to get chaotic, I will do everything I can to fix it so that both of us can keep a calm life in that city."


    "..." Kai stared silently at the odd girl on top of him.


    With a simple look, he could read what was going through her head.


    "... You are very odd." He murmured with a calm tone.


    "Fufufufu! We are both odd. A perfect match made in heaven~" Eva replied jokingly with a cheerful chuckle.


    "..." The two then went silent and that''s when Eva realized something. This whole time, she was pinning Kai down on the bed daringly and boldly touching his body intimately.


    ''What the hell?!!'' She screamed in her head as she tried to get off Kai. At that moment, her vision swayed as she lost control of her body. Even though all this while, Eva was acting fairly normally, her body was still extremely exhausted after leveling up her main talent.


    So, when she finally rxed, her mindpletely shut off to restore energy and sadly, this happened at the moment when she was on top of Kai.


    Slumping over Kai, Eva lost consciousness and fell into a deep sleep. Her soft bodypletely engulfed Kai and her legs entangled with his.


    "You exhausted yourself." He murmured as he gently tried to push her to the side. However, Eva instinctively grabbed into his clothes.


    "Sigh¡­ Why do I not hate this? Well, whatever¡­" Kai knew that if he tried to push her with more strength, she would be disturbed. Not to mention that her mind wasn''t stable enough at the moment after what happened.


    So, without many other choices, Kai tilted to the side, giving some room for Eva toy on his arm. Her arms were stuck around Kai''s waist and neck. The position was so intimate that anyone would think that they were a lovey-dovey couple.


    When Kai was finally in a positionfortable enough to sleep, he gave Eva''s peaceful expression as she slept quietly ast nce before he also closed his eyes and drifted to the dream world.


    However, he made sure to keep his sleep very light in case anyone would attack them. If even an ant was to enter their room, he would notice it instantly.


    The two drifted into sleep in each other''s embrace. Weirdly enough, that night passed swiftly and it was one of the best nights of sleep Kai had ever. A night where his dreams weren''t for once¡­ nightmares.

 Chapter 27 - 27- Fight Speed with Speed

    <h4>Chapter 27:- Fight Speed with Speed</h4>


    Chapter 27- Fight Speed with Speed


    "H-Hmm¡­" A low, cute moan escaped Eva''s mouth as her eyes fluttered open slowly, soaking in the bright light of the morning. Her groggy mind and heavy eyelids made her frown slightly.


    She couldn''t remember much fromst night as she drifted into a deep sleep. This was the best sleep she had in a very long time. But, because her head didn''t function properly, she didn''t realize the presence beside her.


    As she tried to move her hand, she noticed that it was wrapped around something. Finally, her eyes looked up. What weed her was the sight of the most handsome man she had ever seen. His face was beyond any words as if it was carved by the goddess of beauty herself.


    It was so breathtaking that no matter how many times Eva looked at it, she will always find herself lost in it. The fact that this face belonged to the person she loved the most in this world didn''t help either.


    As she admired Kai''s face for a while, her mind finally realized the odd part of this situation. Why was Kai''s face so close? Wait, why is he asleep this close to her? Wait, wait, why is her hand wrapped around his back and her face buried in his chest?!


    The more Eva asked the more situation started to be more and more shocking until everything finally clicked and her eyes widened to the extreme as a furious blush covered her plump cheeks.


    ''I-I-I-I¡­ I slept while hugging him?!!!'' She screamed in her head. Her memories fromst night flooded in, making her remember what happened. ''I lost consciousness when I was on top of him, didn''t I?! Oh no, this is so embarrassing! But¡­ He didn''t push me away.''


    Looking back at their position, Eva could only feel her heart beating louder and faster. Kai had his hand around her neck, and his other hand was on her waist while she hugged his back while burying her face in his neck and chest.


    No matter how she looked at it, wasn''t this too intimate? Shouldn''t such a position only be reserved for a romantic couple? Not that Eva minded that fact. Hell, she would kill every single existence in this world if it meant Kai will fall in love with her as much as she fell in love with him.


    A few minutes passed as Eva tried to calm herself down. Luckily, she was able to get herself together and keep her position the same way. Now that she understood what happened, like hell, she would get herself detached from Kai. His face, his calm breathing, his warm body, and his smell, all drove her crazy beyond words.


    As she blinked slowly, she admired every part of her beloved silently. Kai''s sleeping face had apletely different charm from the usual charm he had. Normally, he was cold, expressionless, and unwavering no matter the situation however his sleeping face was oddly innocent and serene.


    Both of them captivated her very soul. In her head, she wondered how Kai was able to keep making her fall deeper in love with him. She could swear that her love for him doubled in thest few days which was a scary thought in and out of itself.


    Scary not because Eva didn''t want to fall any deeper in love with him but because she felt that at some point, she won''t be able to hold herself back and she will do something she knew she will regret.


    "You are so unfair, Kai¡­ ying with my heart when yours never wavers. I hate that¡­" Eva murmured with a sulking expression. "Do you want to capture my whole being when I can''t do the same to yours?"


    Meanwhile, her hand traveled to his face as she poked his cheek lightly. After doing that a few times to make sure he didn''t wake up, she finallynded her hand on his face. Maybe it was because her mind was still sleepy or maybe because she simply couldn''t herself back but Eva felt extremely bold at that moment.


    "So unfair¡­ Yet, I still love you." She murmured and closed her eyes again, her mind drifted back to sleep.


    When Eva woke up again, the presence that was next to her was nowhere to be found. Immediately, Eva rose up and looked around frantically, searching for Kai.


    "Where did he go? Wait¡­ Don''t tell me. Was he annoyed that I slept next to him?!" Immediately, Eva''s face paled as she tried to wake up from the bed.


    However, the moment she put her feet on the ground and tried to stand up, her body swayed as she felt dizzy. At that moment, a presence appeared in front of her and supported her body before she fell off.


    "I said your brain is still not fully back to normal. Don''t move that recklessly." Kai''s cold voice prated her ears and made her look up.


    Eva dazedly nodded her head as she asked. "Where did you go?"


    "Food. I went and cooked something in the kitchen of the inn before we leave." He said as he pointed at the table behind them.


    "Fuuuh¡­" Eva exhaled a breath of relief before she stood up slowly. "T-Thank you¡­ for yesterday."


    "Hm?"


    "I know that you could''ve pushed me away but you didn''t because you were concerned about my health. Thank you."


    "I didn''t do it for you," Kai replied coldly as he walked past her toward the table and sat down. "If what I''m thinking of is true, I will need your power for what is going to happen next."


    "Huh? What do you mean?"


    Kai picked up the knife and fork and sliced through the French toast. "We aren''t being chased by anyone normal. He is annoying and on top of that¡­ He is targeting you because of the bounty on your head in the underworld."


    "I already know. But, is he stronger than me?" She asked.


    "No. But, he doesn''t need to be to get your head. Hitmen aren''t supposed to be masters of direct confrontations. All he needs is one single move and¡­ Everything is over." Kai said with a chilling tone. "That''s why, leveling up your talent is crucial if you want to survive."


    ''I see. So he was indeed worried about me. Fufufuf!'' A warm smile bloomed on Eva''s face as she walked to the table and sat down while still grinning like an idiot.


    Then, the two had their breakfast before they left the inn and headed toward the old station near the vige.


    This station was created specifically for vigers who lived here a long time ago but after everyone left, this station stayed active for hikers and people who travel these mountains for hunting and other sports.


    Eventually, the train arrived and the two got on it. Inside, the cabs weren''t that crowded as people who traveled using trains weren''t as numerous as people who took a ne.


    The two then took a seat near the window. The train elerated again and the sight of the old vige vanished eventually and got reced by beautiful natural sights.


    As the train moved through the mountain chains, it reached a point where it intersected with another railway that came from another side of the mountain chain and led to the same destination.


    As Kai was watching the sights outside silently, his eyes caught something far away. Another train was rushing toward them at an rmingly high speed.


    It was clearly way above the speed limit of a normal train. Kai and Eva already predicted that their trip won''t be a smooth sail. It hadn''t been from the start so why would it be now?


    "Sigh, this is annoying." Rubbing the back of his head. "ying the little games won''t get you far." He said.


    "That train will definitely hit us if we don''t stop it," Eva said seriously as she stood up.


    "Even if we did, the trip will be canceled and we will have to find another way to reach the city which will take way longer." Kai analyzed the situation calmly before he also stood up.


    He really had enough of these party tricks that their mysterious chaser was pulling off. If they allowed him to halt the trip again, it will only allow him to create more stupid pranks. Kai wanted to cut that problem from the root and reach the city as fast as possible.


    "We will take another way." He added before he signaled for Eva to follow him.


    "What are we going to do?"


    "Simple. If that train is speeding at us, we will speed past it before it reaches us." He said as they quickly passed from one cab to another.


    "Wait, don''t tell me¡­"


    As the two reached the crewpartment. Although it was locked, Kai simply broke the door with a simple push before he walked inside.


    "Huh?! What the fu-" Before the engineman could even utter a word, Kai made him sleep with a simple nce.


    Then, he looked at the control panel and then put his hand on it. His body slowly charged up with power before he allowed it to stream to the train.


    "We are going to elerate, brace yourself."

 Chapter 28 - 28- Momentum Talent

    <h4>Chapter 28:- Momentum Talent</h4>


    Chapter 28- Momentum Talent


    The Origin ran through the whole body of the train before it resided inside the engine. Immediately, the engine made a loud rumbling sound as steam errupted from the horn-like object on top of the train.


    A few seconds passed and the speed of the train increased quickly. The blurry outside view became even more blurry as the whole ce shook violently.


    Kai grabbed the handle of the train, ready to take control at any second. He knew that this will barely be enough to avoid the ident that will ur.


    On the other side of the cab, Eva was looking at the other train, making sure nothing odd was happening. However, at that second, she noticed something.


    The other train''s speed had suddenly increased out of nowhere even though she was sure that was the speed limit possible for a train.


    "Such a speed¡­ No, don''t tell me¡­" Murmuring to herself, she was about to call for Kai when she noticed that thetter was already there, looking at what she was seeing.


    "Tsk¡­" Clicking his tongue.


    *BOOOM*


    Suddenly, the other train diverged from the trailway with a loud bang and started traveling the rough ground, making a shortcut toward the train Eva and Kai were on. Now, it was certain that the two trains will smash against each other in a horrifying ident.


    Screams errupted from the passengers outside as they started running around panicked. None of them understood what was happening.


    "Should I stop the train, Kai?" Eva asked as she was ready to jump to the roof and deal with the rushing train. However, even if she was able to stop it, there wasn''t a guarantee that this wouldn''t be a trap their chaser nted to stop them from reaching the city.


    Kai''s eyes squinted as his mind analyzed the situation, taking into consideration every aspect of it and forming a n in his head at an rming speed. This was Kai''s fort, analytical power like no other.


    He can see things other humans can''t even start to consider and he can derive many conclusions out of them.


    "No, we will let it try to hit the train." He said as he turned around and left the cockpit followed by Eva who was slightly confused as to what her beloved was thinking of.


    "If he wants to y little games. Fine, I will humor him." Kai murmured as a dangerous glint appeared in his cold, dark eyes.


    After walking for a few moments, he halted in front of one of the windows that had the closest view of the other train. After that, Kai took a deep breath.


    "Stay behind me. It''s going to be loud." Kai ordered before he approached the window and examined the other train thoroughly.


    Eva was confused at first as to what Kai was trying to do and opted to watch silently. She was extremely intrigued to see what he was going to do. Aside from the fact that she loved him, seeing the ck Phantom working was an honor in and out of itself in the underworld. A privilege Eva had full ess to.


    Inhaling breath, Kai put his hand on the window and waited. His sharp eyes peered through the ss like a hawk, eyeing his prey.


    A few seconds passed and eventually, the other train was barely a few meters away from hitting them. The loud screeching of the train''s wheels as they glided through the rough terrain was deafening to the ears. Sparks of metal flew everywhere as the train swayed left and right violently.


    At that moment, energy surged through Kai''s body at an unimaginable speed, way more than anything Eva had seen before.


    At that moment, Kai''s mouth opened and he uttered one word. "Reverse." At the same time, all teh energy that surged through his body exited the palm of his hand and spread across the surface of the train''s walls causing an effect akin to the ripple of a pond after being hit by a pebble.


    Silence.


    Instantly, everything stopped. The loud noises stopped, the rain stopped, and even their train stopped. It was as if for a second, time froze around them. But, Eva knew that wasn''t the case since she could still see clearly and think clearly.


    However, her eyes widened beyond shock to see the train outsidepletely halted. How was that ev-


    Before she could finish her thought, a loud explosion shook the whole ce. Outside, the ground on both sides of the train exploded. It was akin to an earthquake albeit this earthquake''s direction was in the clear opposite of the other train.


    The cracking extended for a few hundred meters before it finally stopped. Then, the train they were on resumed going as if nothing happened.


    The passengers werepletely shocked beyond words. Who wouldn''t after they saw a train, rushing toward them at 200 Km/hpletely halt in a mere instant? Was this some kind of magic?


    Even Eva could barely hold herself from gaping like an idiot at what she saw. How was that even possible?


    "Fuuh¡­" Exhaling a long breath, Kai turned around and said. "Let''s go back to the cockpit." He said as he walked away.


    "H-Huh? Wait, Kai! How did you-"


    "It''s a talent of mine ''Momentum Talent''. I can change the momentum of any object as I wish and apply it in any form I want. I can''t erase momentum though." He exined briefly.


    When Kai used his talent, all the momentum created by the train''s speed was reversed and applied on the ground which created that small earthquake.


    "... How does a power like that even exist?" Eva murmured with a shocked expression.


    If such a talent was leaked to the underworld, a huge war will ensue just for it. Changing momentum as someone wished was something thatpletely ignored thews of physics. Even the Origin power of the strongest people isn''t capable of such a feat without consequences.


    ''What more are you hiding¡­ Kai?'' Eva thought as she looked at the back of her beloved. Something about his lone silhouette invoked warmth and safety in her heart. Even in a world as wide and as dangerous as the one they were living in, he looked so powerful and dependable.


    She felt that even if the whole world was to weigh down on his shoulders, Kai will carry it without a problem.


    ''Now, let''s see whether he will take the bait or not.'' Kai thought coldly as he peered through the window silently.


    He could already predict what the other party will do and he was ready for it. No, even if Kai wasn''t ready, he would still be able to win. He knew that. He always did. Many would think it was pure arrogance to think no one can be Kai''s equal. However, Kai had a deep belief that even the strongest creatures in this world could neverpare to him at all.


    What he showed to this point was nothing but a small percentage of his true power. He never intends to use more than that as he knew it was enough. But, if a dayes when he will have to use his full power¡­ He wasn''t sure if the world will stay the same after that.


    Nothing in this world can be his equal. That is his curse and blessing and he epted it long ago because of a certain someone. The same person he hated with every fiber of his being.


    ***


    *CRUNCH*


    In another ce, somewhere unknown. A mysterious person was crunching down on some snacks as he stared at the screen of hisputer. His eyes were slightly widened when he witnessed what happened.


    "Monster¡­ What a freaking monster!!" He yelled as he tapped the keyboard, repeating what happened again and again as if seeing it once wasn''t enough.


    "You gotta be kidding me! Did he just stop the fucking train with one hand?! How is that even possible? Is he some kind of hacker?!"


    Even though what he saw was horrifying, the individual had a wide smile lingering on his face. He was clearly enjoying what he saw.


    "I fucking hate hackers, man! Just y the game properly!! Our game will be ruined if you keep doing such things!"


    *CRUNCH*


    "Well, whatever. Every hacker might seem invincible but create a proper anti-cheat system and they will all crumble down. They all do."


    Cracking his fingers, the individual grinned and started typing on his keyboard at an inhuman speed. No one couldprehend what he was doing. But, what was certain was, Origin energy seeped out of his body and entered theputer.


    "Let''s see how our game will end, Hacker. I dare you to try and stop this." He said.

 Chapter 29 - 29- Lavine Family (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 29:- Lavine Family (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 29- Lavine Family (Part 1)


    The train continued its journey peacefully, granted people waspletely scared out of their minds over what happened. However, with a simple swipe of his hand, Kai made them forget what happened.


    The mind-control was a very vtile and useful ability not only because of its sheer effectiveness but also because it doesn''t leave a trace or permanent damage on the target''s brain. That''s why most hitmen try to learn it even if they couldn''t achieve high mastery in it.


    After passing the mountain chains, the view of a gigantic, metropolitan city presented itself in front of them.


    The capital of D-Country, Lunaria. Being named after a legendary race of creatures that descended from the moon, this city was one of the biggest in the world and one of the most beautiful too.


    Ironically, because this city never sleeps as it was lit up day and night, the moon rarely appears here. That''s why many call it ''The city of the void sky''.


    "Sigh, I''m back quicker than I expected," Eva murmured as she looked at the city view with aplicated gaze. "My dad is going to nag me like there is no tomorrow because I ran away." Sighing loudly, she slumped on the chair next to Kai.


    Thetter, who was looking outside, turned around and asked. "Is your father still in business?"


    His words were mysterious and encrypted so that only Eva could understand them. The reason for that was the secret that the Lavine family hid frommoners. On the outside, they were a rich family that had countlesspanies under their control and a worth in the hundreds of billions.


    However, in the dark, the Lavine family was renowned as a family of extremely powerful hitmen. Every member of the n trained to be a hitman ever since they were born which was also the reason why Eva became a hitman.


    The reason for such a tradition was unknown but Kai would guess it was because hitmen have the most rooted connections in the underworld. Because they worked for no one, they were able to ept all kinds of missions, automatically expanding their connections.


    That was one of the main reasons for the prosperity of Eva''s family and also one of the reasons why most big shots feared the Lavine family. Well, everyone except the Chamagne family.


    "Yes, well, not as active but he still works from time to time. He says it''s simply to not grow rusty with age." Eva replied inly.


    "Have you ever told him about me?"


    "No. Well, he does know of your existence obviously but I never told him your identity. It''s a secret that will go with me to my grave." Eva said.


    "..." Kai didn''t ask anything else and simply looked outside.


    Finally, the train reached the station and the two got off before they walked out to the main road. Being one of the biggest cities in the world, the number of people that lived here was equally big.


    The main road was bustling with life as if it was filled with ants and not humans.


    As Kai was about to look for a taxi or a way for them to reach their destination, a ck Maybach stopped in front of them, stunning all people around them. The car looked so expensive that even rich people would only eye it with envy.


    Kai already sensed the presence inside but he kept his guard up. They weren''t inside the Lavine territory yet so the chaser could be anyone around them including this person.


    "Hm?" Eva raised an eyebrow as she clearly knew that Maybach. How could she not when it was hers in the first ce?


    The door of the Maybach opened and a man, d in a formal attire that looked elegant and professional at the same time got out before he walked to the duo.


    His eyes calmly looked at Eva as a deep respect and delight appeared in his eyes.


    "Lady Eva, this one is truly d you are safe and sound." He said as he bowed respectfully.


    Eva simply nodded without saying much. She really didn''t care about this servant''s courtesy. However, her face darkened the next second when she noticed how he eyed Kai.


    The servant noticed Kai''s attire. It was clear he was amoner through and through and he didn''t even seem to take care of his appearance with his messy ck hair that covered his forehead and a little bit of his eyes.


    His mind immediately wondered why such amoner was walking with his mistress. Was he hitting on her perhaps? At that moment, a disdainful look appeared in his eyes.


    "Who are you and why are you standing next to Lady Eva?" He asked with clear animosity as he was ready to make the young boy leave.


    Meanwhile, Kai was still looking around the city, searching for anything that could potentially be dangerous. Not even once did he acknowledge the man''s presence in front of him as if he wasn''t even worth a nce.


    "Hey, I''m talkin-"


    Instantly, the temperature around the servant dropped to an unimaginable degree and he felt a chill run down his spine. His eyes then hesitantly moved to look at hisdy and he immediately flinched as his face paled.


    "M-Mydy¡­"


    "Who do you think you are to insult him? Do you want to get fired? Or maybe death suits you more?" Eva said in a low, cold tone.


    If one was to see her current expression, one would never link it to the bubbly, affectionate girl that she always is in front of Kai. Now, she was showing her true colors. The colors she only directs toward her enemies or people she had no particr feelings for.


    ''Shit! I fucked up!! I''m gonna get killed!!'' The man cursed in his head.


    "He is a very special guest that I brought here myself. Bow down and apologize now before I cut your head off. When we get to the house, cut one of your fingers. That''s your punishment."


    "I-I-I-I-I''m¡­ I''m deeply sorry!!" Without hesitation, the servant bowed down quickly till his face was about to kiss his legs. If it was merely a finger getting cut, the servant was truly d since that meant his life wasn''t in danger.


    Finally, Kai shifted his gaze to stare at the servant. But, he didn''t say much before he looked at the car.


    "Let''s go. Time is being wasted." He said.


    Immediately, the servant stood up and opened the door for them. After that, the car drove off into the distance.


    Inside, the chairs were extremelyfy and wide for even 6 people to sit. However, Eva chose to be as close to Kai as possible without annoying him.


    "I''m sorry for his behavior¡­ I should''ve told my family that I wasing back with you." She said with a timid tone. She was truly ashamed Kai was treated this way even though Eva wanted him to be treated like a king.


    "I don''t mind. That''s the reaction I want people to have toward me." He said in a cold tone.


    If his attire and looks invoked such a reaction in the servant, it meant Kai''s disguise was perfect and that was what he wanted.


    As they talked, the car left the main roads and reached an extremely high-ss area uptown. This section of the city was riddled with luxurious vis and extremely beautiful sceneries of the mountains in the distance.


    Eventually, the car passed through the gate of a gigantic mansion and parked in the private parking filled with countless expensive cars.


    When Kai and Eva left the Maybach, they were immediately weed by two silhouettes approaching them quickly.


    "Eva!"


    "Big sister!!"


    The duo of a little girl and an old man, both incredibly good-looking surrounded Eva as they hugged her tightly. Eva was slightly surprised before she smiled slightly and tapped their backs.


    "Why did you leave without telling me, you little rascal!" The man, presumably her father, said with a heavy tone. He was a tall man, almost as tall as Kai with a strong build and an intimidating look. However, he was now nothing more than a loving father.


    "*Sob* *Sob* I-I thought big sister hated me and left!!" The little girl said in between her sobs.


    "There, there. I''m sorry for leaving so suddenly. But, I had a very very important matter to deal with. It''s something that I''ve been working on for a few years now." Eva said as she shed Kai a very affectionate nce.


    "An important matter? What do you mean?" The man asked as his eyes finallynded on the boy that has been standing on the side, watching the whole situation with a calm expression.


    "Who is that boy? Why is he without?" The man''s face darkened slightly as he had a bad premonition about it.


    ''Is he her¡­ b-boyfriend?!''

 Chapter 30 - 30- Lavine Family (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 30:- Lavine Family (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 30- Lavine Family (Part 2)


    The man eyed Kai up and down with a strong look. Being the head of the Lavine family, Markus Lavine is an extremely strong man that would with his name alone send a shiver down the spines of most people in the world.


    He was a monster in the underworld and even as a business tycoon with hundreds of billions of dors of wealth under his arms, he was as close to being invincible as one could get. Any normal person would crumble under his gaze.


    However, Kai didn''t seem to be even that annoyed by it let alone feel pressured. Instead, he simply eyed Eva to speak so they don''t waste time in stupid misunderstandings.


    "Ehem! This here is a very close friend of mine, Kai Miller." She said with a smile as she approached Kai and gave him a secret wink.


    Kai almost rolled his eyes at her words. Very close friend she says. However, he didn''t say anything as that would only make it even weirder.


    "Kai Miller? Hmm, I''ve never heard of him."


    "B-Big brother looks gloomy!!" The little girl, Eva''s sister said with a hesitant expression as she hid behind her father. Her name is Melissa.


    "Don''t be scared, Meli. He won''t bite." Eva said with a chuckle. "Well, as I said, he isn''t someone that you are aware of. Also, the reason why I brought him here concerns the matter I needed to do."


    Markus looked at his daughter with a suspicious expression. He knew his daughter very well so if she was lying, he could most of the time notice it.


    "He is here to cure Mother," Eva announced with a wide smile.


    "..." (x3) The trio of Kai, Markus, and Melissa looked at Eva silently.


    A few seconds passed before Markus sighed and rubbed his hair which was starting to turn white with age.


    "Sigh, Eva, did he trick you?"


    "Huh, no?"


    "Big sister¡­ is weirdly dense," Melissa said with a stupified expression.


    "You do know that your mother''s sickness isn''t curable yet, right? Why would this unknown young man be able to heal her? Is he some kind of renowned doctor?" Markus asked as he gave Kai a cold nce.


    He already had an unfavorable impression of Kai. He was sure that this boy tricked his daughter to try and use her for money or influence. This wasn''t the first time someone tried to do that as the Lavine family was one of the most renowned families in the world.


    ''However, it''s odd that Eva got tricked. She usually never entertains such absurd things especially when it concerns her mother.'' Markus thought.


    "Father, listen to me. I know it sounds weird but Kai will be able to heal Mother. Please, let him try. I guarantee he will be able to do it."


    "Sigh, Eva¡­ You leave out of nowhere and thene back with a shady boy and you expect me to allow him to see my sick wife? I trust you, I really do. But, I can''t allow your mother to be put in danger. Her condition¡­ is already deteriorating as we talk." A pained look shed across Markus'' eyes.


    Even Melissa''s eyes teared up as she buried her face into her father''s thigh as she cried silently.


    "Father¡­ Meli¡­" Eva waspletely speechless. She didn''t know what to say to convince them.


    ''Damn it, think Eva. I must let Kai in. I must convince them. Think!'' She screamed in her head as she tried to find a way to make them allow Kai inside.


    At that moment, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder which made her look back. Kai had stepped forward with a calm expression as all of this didn''t concern him.


    "Your right shoulder¡­ It''s injured, is it not, Mr Lavine?" He asked Markus coldly.


    "....!" Hearing that Markus'' eyes widened slightly.


    "If I have to take a guess, you injured it during training and now you can''t make a full rotation with your shoulder."


    Then, Kai approached the man and continued. "Can I touch your shoulder?" He asked.


    Markus was wary at first but under his daughter''s hopeful eyes, he sighed and allowed Kai to touch his shoulder. Thetter did so and then his eyes widened for a second before he retracted his hand again a secondter.


    "Try moving it." He said.


    Markus was shocked. Was this young man joking? He barely touched him once and his shoulder is healed? Even the best of doctors told him it will take a few weeks before ites back to normal.


    So, with a sigh, he rotated his shoulder. That''s when he realized.


    ''What?! There is no pain?! No, more than that. My shoulder feels sturdier than even before the injury!''


    "How did you¡­"


    "I came here with no ulterior motives. I don''t care about money or fame. I''m simply doing it for myself. So, whether you want to let me inside or not is up to you. I have nothing to lose nor gain." Kai said with an apathetic tone.


    He really didn''t care whether Markus allowed him inside or not. Kaipletely believed that people are responsible for their decisions and actions and the consequences thate with them.


    "..."


    "Daddy¡­" Melissa touched her father who seemed to be deep in thought.


    After a few seconds, the man rubbed the back of his head.


    "I don''t know what magic you pulled off, kid. But, fine, my choices aren''t that diverse anymore. If you are able to truly heal my wife, the Lavine family will be eternally grateful to you. I will be eternally grateful for you."


    "I don''t need your gratitude," Kai replied as he turned to look at Eva.


    Thetter had a dreamy expression on her face and was poring holes into Kai as if he was the sole existence in the world.


    "Big sister?" Melissa murmured as she approached Eva.


    "Huh? Uh, right. Thank you for believing in me, Father. I promise you that you won''t regret this." She said.


    "I hope so."


    ****


    The group then walked inside the house from the main gate. Immediately, two rows of maids butlers weed them with a bow.


    The house from the inside was mind-blowing. This vi was custom-made for the Lavine family which means there was nothing in this world that looked like it.


    The group then went to the second floor and through the corridors of the house until they reached a particr door.


    "Don''t be noisy. My wife is resting." Markus said with a serious tone.


    It was clear that he deeply cared for his wife from his tone alone.


    Then, the door was opened, and the view of a luxurious bedroom weed Kai. The inside of the room was a perfect mix of elegance and simplicity.


    The room was minimalisticpared to the other parts of the house.


    After giving the ce a nce, Kai''s eyes shifted to the huge King sized bed in the middle of the room. On it, a woman could be seen sitting. She had extremely pale skin, a weak build that looked as if it was about to break any second, and eyes thatpletely lost their luster, probably from the sickness. Not to mention the weird, ck spots that riddled her face and neck and probably extended down to her whole body.


    But, beneath all of that, Kai could see that the woman was extremely beautiful at some point in her life. Her beauty didn''tpletely fade even with the sickness.


    "Hm?" Noticing their presence, the woman looked at the door with a confused expression before her eyes widened as a wide, warm smile appeared on her face.


    "Eva! My dear daughter¡­ *Cough* *Cough* you came back." The woman said as she was about to leave her bed just to hug her daughter.


    "No, Mother! Don''t move!" Eva quickly rushed toward her and hugged her tightly. "I''m sorry for leaving. I had to do something important."


    The woman''s face rxed as she hugged her daughter back.


    "Selina. Why were you trying to leave the bed? Didn''t I prohibit you from that?" Markus said with a worried expression as he approached his wife.


    "I''m sorry. I was too excited to see my daughter and could only try to stand up to reach for her."


    "Sigh¡­"


    As the woman named Selina talked with her family and hugged her two daughters, Kai watched from the side with a calm expression. No one knew what was going through his head.


    At that moment, Selina seemed to notice his presence as she looked at him with an interested expression.


    "Who is that young man? Is he your friend, Eva?"


    "Yes!" Eva replied with a smile as her face lit up. Selina noticed that expression and she instantly understood what was going on.


    "Oh my¡­" She murmured as she looked at Kai again. This time, she had a sharper look befitting that of a former hitman.


    ''Eva had never fallen in love before except with that ck Phantom. Who is that kid to make her love him?'' She thought.


    "But, now is not the time for conversations. His name is Kai and he is here to cure your sickness, Mother!" Eva said excitedly.

 Chapter 31 - 31- The Progenitor鈥檚 Language

    <h4>Chapter 31:- The Progenitor¡¯s Language</h4>


    Chapter 31- The Progenitor''s Language


    "Cure¡­ me?" Selina murmured in disbelief as she blinked a few times, staring at her oldest daughter.


    "Yes! He even proved it to Father. He fixed his injured shoulder with a simple touch." Eva said as she gave Kai a nce. In her eyes, anyone could see the admiration she had for him.


    She knew Kai the most and yet she still gets shocked every time he shows a new side of him that he never showed her before.


    Selina shed her husband a nce to which he nodded quietly. At that moment, she sighed and looked at her daughter fondly as she rubbed her head.


    "You did all of this for me?" She asked with a warm smile. "Although I''m not sure whether a cure will ever exist or not. The fact that you are all still trying to save me. Even if I die, I''m truly d I was able to get the best family in the world." Her words sounded happy and serene emerging from the deepest parts of her heart.


    "Mother¡­" Eva''s eyes teared up slightly. The same happened to her little sister as she hugged her mother tightly.


    "Mommy, don''t die!! *Sob* *Sob*"


    As for Markus, he simply had aplicated expression as he tried to keep his emotions at bay especially when a stranger was watching them. If his family was showing weakness, he had to be the pir that keep it high and mighty as it always should be.


    After their emotional moment, Kai stepped forward and said coldly.


    "Madame Selina, I think we should start this. I''m sensing your body deteriorating quickly." He said as he eyed her chest, precisely the ce where her seal for her main talent was. With a mere nce, he could see that it was not stable at all.


    In fact, given his calctions, Kai estimated that Selina''s body will self-destruct in a few hours at most if not less.


    ''The sickness is getting stronger each second.''


    "Is she going to be ok, Kai?" Eva turned around and asked with clear worry in her eyes.


    "Oi, Kid. Don''t tell me¡­" Markus felt as if Kai was trying to tell them some bad news. However, the boy cut him off.


    "There is no sickness that I can''t cure. As long as the target is alive, that''s all I need." His tone was cold and yet extremely confident.


    Markus couldn''t even sense an ounce of hesitation in his tone.


    ''I can''t determine whether he is arrogant orpletely confident in himself.'' The man squinted his eyes as he pondered.


    After working for years and years in the underworld, Markus met basically all kinds of people. However, he had never seen someone this supremely confident before.


    "Now, all of you, get out," Kai said as he approached the bed and pushed his sleeves up, revealing his strong forearms.


    "Ayo, kid¡­ How dare yo-"


    "Father! Let''s listen to him." Eva said before dragging her sister and father out of the room. As she closed the door.


    Finally, Kai turned around to Selina who weirdly had an all-knowing smug on her face. She eyed Kai before she said.


    "For a boy with those looks. Why do you hide them under those bangs?" She asked as she peered through his hair and looked straight into his eyes.


    Even with sickness, Selina didn''t lose her sharp eyes. She was still the same strong woman she was before, albeit she can''t move her body now.


    "Does that question concern why I''m here?" Kai asked back as he stared at her directly.


    "No¡­ But, I want to know more about my future son-inw~."


    "..."


    "Fufufufufu! I''m sure you already noticed it. My daughter seems to be head over heels for you." Selina chuckled jovially.


    "Yes," Kai replied calmly. It was already a known fact that Eva harbored feelings for him and he knew it. He wasn''t dense nor dumb even though he doesn''t understand those feelings at all.


    "So, tell me. How did you meet my daughter~ that little girl never fell in love except with that ck Phantom. He was the only thing she talked about day and night back in the day. But, I consider that to be more of a fan''s love toward their idol. I knew she will be able to move on from that soon." Selina exined.


    Kai kept a stoic face but he still found Selina''s words interesting. He could remember how Eva kept following him back in the day but he never really gave her much attention. Still, he didn''t hate her presence unlike how he felt toward most people. She wasn''t obnoxiously annoying and so he allowed her to do whatever she wanted.


    "Madame Selina. We don''t have time for small chats. Your life is nearing its end." Kai said.


    "Oh my, you''re right! I forgot!" Selina said as she held her mouth with her hand in shock.


    ''How could someone forget that they will die soon?'' Kai almost wanted to ask but refrained from doing so and instead moved on to their main topic.


    "Can you please get undressed andy down? I need to take a look at the runes."


    "Oh my~ Are you perhaps after me instead of my daughter?~ Well, if I wasn''t married¡­ I might''ve considered your offer~" Selina joked before she started getting rid of her shirt, revealing her frail body.


    Even with the sickness destroying every fiber of her being, her body still carried a mysterious charm that Kai couldn''t quite discern.


    However, the boy''s concern wasn''t that. Instead, he looked at the weird, ck words that covered her chest and upper abdomen.


    "Can I touch it?" He asked.


    "Go ahead."


    Nodding his head, Kai approached Selina and put his hand on the runes before he squinted his eyes.


    ''As I thought. I have seen thisnguage before.'' Kai''s memory went back to when he was barely 7 years old. At the time, due to circumstances, he had to read tons of books buried in topics and purposes and memorize thempletely. He was able to memorize thousands of books which made him master all thenguages of the world as a result.


    However, there was one particrnguage that caught his attention. The Progenitor''s Language or as they call it ''The firstnguage'' was a mysteriousnguage that used iprehensible, chaotic shapes and forms.


    It didn''t follow any particr pattern like othernguages which made it exceptionally hard to learn. It took Kai a few days to fully learn it while othernguages were mastered in a few hours.


    However, when Kai mastered it, he realized something. Whenever he wrote down one of the characters of thisnguage, he will lose a small portion of his Origin power with it. As if the mere writing of it required Origin to be possible.


    When he researched more about it, he understood the reason for that. Thatnguage was used eons in the past when the world was still in chaos. Not much was known but the only fact that remained was that this Language could summon and use Talents if the user was able to write the characters in a particr way.


    This was a revtion that could easily turn the world upside down. However, Kai didn''t tell anyone about that. He knew that if he did that, his life will never remain the same.


    Anguage that could summon talents was a weapon that could destroy the world.


    Yet, here he was now, staring at that samenguage written on the body of a woman and consuming her Origin power constantly which deteriorated her condition.


    ''Who wrote this on her body? Did someone learn thisnguage? Why would they target her?'' Kai''s mind was filled with questions with no clear answers. Hecked the information to answer that.


    "Hm, is everything alright? You don''t have to force yourself, Kai. This old woman had already epted her fate. I know that I will di-"


    "As I said, I can heal you, it''s not that hard. However, I was simply examining the curse."


    "Curse?" Selina''s eyes perked up at thest word.


    "Yes, from what I can see, you were cursed, Madame Selina. A very strong curse at that." Kai said.


    The woman''s face frowned slightly as if she remembered something.


    "Do you perhaps have a clue as to who did this to you?"


    "Hm? Ah, no. I don''t know. I''m just shocked that it''s a curse. Curses are very rare and hard to learn."


    "This one was done by a very strong individual. I suggest that you try to remember if you have ever interacted with anyone eye-catching." Kai said mysteriously.


    Watching closely for any change in her expression, Kai couldn''t get much. He knew she was good at hiding her emotions if she wanted to and he didn''t want to read her mind simply because it would only turn her into his enemy.


    Kai wanted to keep their rtionship as neutral as possible.


    "Well, this isn''t important now." Saying that Kai put his hand on Selina''s chest again, garnering a small groan from her.


    "I will get rid of the curse now."

 Chapter 32 - 32- Amazing

    <h4>Chapter 32:- Amazing</h4>


    Chapter 32- Amazing


    Kai''s hand rested on Selina''s body before he channeled his Origin slowly. Closing his eyes, Kai slowly maneuvered it and then moved it to the palm of his hand before letting it enter Selina''s body.


    "Ah~" A painful moan escaped Selina''s mouth as she closed her eyes.


    Kai''s Origin covered her whole body as it started melting the dark spots covering her skin. The effect was visible to the naked eye. The more the ck spots melted, the more Selina''s moans rose in the air.


    Even with her painful condition, her sweet voice was still extremely attractive to the ear. It was like a sweet nectar of the gods.


    But, Kai didn''t care about that as his whole focus was on the runes written on her body. Using his power, he was slowly nullifying their effect as he erased them. It wasn''t a hard process but it still required Kai to focus a little bit.


    ''These words¡­'' As he was erasing them, Kai read the words carefully. As he predicted, they were indeed a curse. Precisely, a curse that consumes one''s Origin power and along with it, their life span.


    ''Even if I erase them fully, she will still die in a few days at most. I need to reverse the effect and restore her lifespan.'' He thought.


    Restoring someone''s lifespan was something this world had never heard of. Well, most people never heard of it as it sounded absurd. But, it was possible theoretically. The Origin power is extremely versatile and could almost do everything as long as it''s possible. However, because no human is able to reach the level required to perform miracles, it all stayed in books, being theorized but never applied. Restoring lifespans was one of those powers.


    A few minutes passed until eventually, thest rune was erased as Kai''s aura erupted, he moved to the next phase of the healing process.


    "This is going to hurt, Madame Selina." He said.


    "Ah~ Ah~ I don''t mind pain. But, I''m already feeling as if the shackles that restrained my body were already starting to vanish. It''s working!!" She replied in between her groans.


    Kai nodded his head calmly as he injected Selina''s body with even more Origin power. Her eyes widened slightly.


    ''H-How is his Origin this¡­ strong?'' She thought to herself with pure shock.


    In her life, she never felt such a pure, rich Origin. It was iparable to anything else. Akin toparing heavenly dew to muddy water.


    As the moments passed, Selina''s body was regaining its energy. Her weak muscles were reviving and her hazy mind was waking up from its slumber.


    The intense pain she felt at first also started vanishing and was being reced by a heavenly sensation as if Selina was flying in the clouds. It was the mostfortable she ever felt.


    Eventually, Kai pulled his hand away and his Origin power melted quickly and merged with Selina''s body. The amazing feeling also vanished which made the woman open her eyes slightly with a dazed expression. The lingering blissfulness still clouded her mind.


    "It''s over. Congrattions on your recovery." Kai said in a nd tone as he turned around to walk toward the door.


    "H-Huh? That''s it?" Selina asked as she blinked a few times before her eyes moved to look at her body.


    That''s when she noticed it. The ck spots, the runes, the feeling of her energy and soul being drained, they were all gone as if they were never there in the first ce.


    Immediately, tears filled her eyes while she was still frozen in her ce.


    "H-Huh¡­ W-Why am I crying?" She murmured as she tried to wipe her eyes. However, the moment she started wiping them, the dam broke and she fell into quiet sobbing as she held her face.


    The emotions she felt at that moment were too intense to be covered. The years of pain and suffering while seeing her family doing everything they could to heal her. The tears her daughters shed as they hugged her, they all tore her heart to pieces.


    At some point, she simply epted that her life was over and that she had to spend whatever was left cherishing every moment with her husband and daughters. They were her most precious treasure that she only grew more fond of them as she realized that death was getting closer and closer.


    Life for her became meaningless except for the existence of those three people. It was an eye-opening experience that she weirdly didn''t regret. In fact, seeing how loved she was was more than enough to make her pass away with a smile on her face. Selina knew that she had truly reached true happiness in herst moments.


    Yet, out of nowhere, in mere minutes, all of that was erased as if it was never there. It was too surreal, too fantastical to be true and yet it was.


    "Thank you¡­ Thank you¡­ Truly, thank you¡­"" She said as she tried to stop her tears but failed miserably.


    At that moment, Kai halted his steps and looked back at her before he asked.


    "Why didn''t you just allow yourself to die?"


    "...."


    "You don''t need to hide it. I know that this curse would''ve instantly killed you if you lost the will to live, even if for one second. Why did you never wish for death?"


    Selina stared at the back of the young man for a few seconds before she smiled warmly. Her smile was as dazzling as the sun.


    "My family still needed me. I couldn''t leave them yet." She said.


    "..." Kai''s eyes shed with aplicated glint before they returned to normal as if nothing happened.


    "Is that so¡­" He murmured before he opened the door, only to see Markus, Eva, and Melissa stumble on their feet, almost falling on their faces.


    "A-Ah¡­ Ahahahaha!" Eva chuckled awkwardly as she stood up. "A-Are you done?"


    Kai didn''t answer and simply stepped aside, showing Selina to them. The moment the trio saw her, their faces froze.


    They stared at the woman as if she was some kind of ghost. Although she was still looking frail and weak, her deathly aura was nowhere to be seen nor were the dark spots on her skin.


    "M-Mommy¡­" Melissa was the first to speak as she hesitantly uttered her mother''s name.


    "Yes, Meli. It''s me. Mommy isn''t going anywhere." With tears on her face, Selina opened her arms wide, ready to ept her adorable little daughter.


    "Mommy!!" Immediately, Melissa stood up and ran toward her mother and hugged her tightly as she started crying loudly.


    "Mommy!! Mommy!! Mommy!!" She called her name.


    "Yes, I''m here." Selina wrapped her arms around her daughter as a blissful smile appeared on her face. "Your mommy won''t be going anywhere. We will always stay together."


    Markus was the second to stand up as he approached his wife, his steps were slow, careful as if he feared if he moved too fast, his wife would vanish from his sight, never to appear in front of him again.


    "Selina¡­"


    "Darling¡­" Selina looked up at her dear husband before she extended her arm for him.


    Thetter gently moved forward and touched her before he quickly engulfed her and Melissa in a tight hug.


    "I can''t believe my eyes¡­" He murmured.


    The only one who didn''t move was Eva, however, her face was already crumbling as she teared up before her eyes moved to Kai.


    Then, she stood up and ran toward him before jumping into his embrace. The overwhelming happiness she felt was indescribable to the point where she couldn''t stop herself from hugging him tightly.


    "I can''t thank you enough, Kai!! I''m truly grateful!! I''m truly d I met you! You are the most amazing person I''ve ever met!" She said as she buried her face in his neck.


    Kai looked at her for a second before he tapped her back once and held her from falling as she had thrown all of her weight on him. For some reason, he didn''t have the urge to push her away yet. He understood that she was engrossed in her happiness.


    His mind lingered on thest few words she said. ''You are the most amazing person I''ve ever met.'' For some reason, as simple as those words might sound, they resonated with him deeply.


    ''Amazing? Me?'' He wondered how the word amazing linked to him in any way.


    He had been called ''monster'', ''freak'', ''Inhuman'', ''Killing Machine'' and all kinds of words that didn''t seem to consider him a human at all. It reached a point where he totally believed that he was indeed a monster in human skin.


    The ck Phantom, a hitman who ended the lives of thousands of people with cold blood. A monster that was never defeated.


    Yet, for the first time in his life, someone called him ''Amazing''. He wasn''t looked at with fear and disgust, he wasn''t thrown away and used for one''s benefit as if he was a robot.


    As his mind swirled with thoughts, he finally put Eva down gently and then turned around to leave. His job is finished here.


    "Where are you going?" Eva asked as she held his arm, unwilling to let her beloved leave


    "I have a matter to deal with. You stay here with your family, they need you." He replied.


    Eva was about to open her mouth to protest but when she saw Kai''s hypnotizing purple eyes, she went silent before a warm smile filled with affection bloomed on her face.


    "I will see you again on Monday?"


    Kai nodded his head and left the room after giving the happy family onest nce. For a second, the image of a person shed in his eyes. It was that of a woman who had the same blissful smile Selina had at that moment. The two women fused together for a second before Kai turned his eyes away quickly, not wanting to see that image anymore.


    The past was already something Kai hated to the bone, seeing shes of it now was something he was unwilling to ept. After all, deep down, his unmoving heart which wouldn''t budge even if the moon fell and the world ended, was at some point brimming with life.

 Chapter 33 - 33- Anti-Origin Bullets

    <h4>Chapter 33:- Anti-Origin Bullets</h4>


    Chapter 33- Anti-Origin Bullets


    Kai walked out of the house casually as he headed to the main street. His face was stoic and cold as he eyed everything around him.


    ''Now, did he take the bait or not?'' Kai thought as he watched people pass beside him. His n was already moving as he wanted. If the chaser was to do what Kai was expecting, he will be able to find him.


    The streets were bustling with people of all kinds. All of them seemed busy with their lives, ignorant of everything around them.


    Kai''s eyes wandered to their faces, their expressions, theirughs, their frowns, their neutrality, and everything they did. It all invoked a sense of curiosity in him. Why were people like this? He asked himself countless times before. That question was the main reason he even decided to just leave the hitmen world and live what people consider a normal life.


    He was curious to see how a normal life would feel. Weirdly enough, it didn''t feel bad. It wasn''t fast-paced and insane inparison to his old life but it had a charm he never found when he was a hitman.


    Every day was like the day before, calm, and eventless, and yet it gave Kai time to notice the smaller things. Instead of thinking about how he is going to infiltrate a base filled with an army of armed soldiers, he would think of what he should eat, or how he should do theundry.


    Many would consider those as boring chores but Kai found them quite interesting.


    As Kai was diving deeper and deeper into his thoughts, his eyes noticed something odd. On the other side of the street, near one of the giant skyscrapers, he noticed a certain someone, standing near one of the pirs. He was an unassuming citizen at first look, but when his eyes connected with Kai, he quickly averted them and then walked away.


    Kai wasn''t dumb enough to think it was a coincidence and so he decided to follow the man. However, at that moment, something unexpected happened.


    *BOOOOOOOOM*


    An explosion errupted on the upper floors of the building. Fumes and fire rose quickly and covered the sky above Kai. A secondter, cries of fear followed and the citizens started running away in a frenzy.


    ss and debris started falling down to the ground. Kai''s eyes squinted slightly as he looked up.


    "So this is what you want to do?" He murmured as he tilted his head, dodging a shard of ss.


    The debris continued falling, hitting unlucky citizens but none of them were killed as they all scattered away. A second after that, another explosion errupted, an even stronger one than the first one.


    This time, instead of debris, the upper section of the skyscraper was sliced clean as it started tilting down slowly.


    Kai kept watching silently with a cold expression. He already knew what was going to happen however he had no intention of moving.


    *BOOOM*


    The upper half was fully tilted and then gotpletely detached from the lower half. In a mere moment, the sky was covered as the building fell down, right on top of Kai.


    *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*


    The collision shook the whole city as if it were a violent earthquake. Bricks and debris flew everywhere as a huge smoke screen covered the area.


    People didn''t even bother to wait as they ran as far as they could in pure horror. Their faces pale with intense fear. No one cared what happened, no one cared whether the upper half of the skyscraper had people in it or not. They were too upied with their lives to think about such irrelevant things.


    ***


    "Pfft!! He didn''t escape?! Hahahahahaha! Come on man, I thought you were better than that. Did you freeze in pure horror? Did you?!" A man yelled with an excitedugh as he shoved potato chips down his mouth while watching the screen of hisputer.


    "And here I was preparing the second part of the finale. Uh, well, whatever, I gave him way more recognition than he deserves. I should now focus on the Lavine gi¡­rl." The man''s words halted at thest part as his face froze, staring right at the screen in bewilderment.


    ***


    Back at the location of the ident.


    Rubble moved slightly at the top of the destroyed building. Then, a huge boulder was kicked high in the air and itnded on the other side of the street as if it was a stic ball. A silhouette emerged from beneath it.


    *CRACK*


    Kai looked around him as he cracked his neck. Not even a scratch could be seen on his clothes or his body. No one would''ve believed that he got directly hit by a falling building weighing hundreds or even thousands of tons and didn''t even get a scratch.


    As he looked around, the street was emptied of people as the ringing sounds of police cars and ambnces took over the ce.


    At the same time, Kai heard many footsteps approaching him from all angles. Then, from behind the smoke screen, men appeared holding guns in their hands as they aimed them at Kai. They all wore bulletproof vests and ck masks.


    "Don''t move!" One of them threatened Kai with a harsh tone.


    "So noisy¡­"


    "Boss said we should open fire immediately! Open fire!!"


    A secondter, a rain of bullets flew toward Kai. Thetter simply lifted his hand and created an Origin barrier around him. It was very simple but strong enough to withstand bullets and even grenades.


    "Hm?" However, the moment the bullets touched the barrier, they pierced it and passed through with great ease before they hit Kai''s body.


    Hundreds of bullets were right on target. Not even the strongest of bulletproof vests could make the target survive such a ruthless attack.


    Kai''s neck arched back as he got hit in the forehead, however, he didn''t fall.


    But, even then, the men didn''t let their guard down, they knew that the boy they were facing wasn''t normal and that''s why they used a special type of bullet, made for the special kind of people that Kai belonged to.


    "Anti-Origin bullets, huh?" Suddenly, Kai''s voice echoed in the whole area, sending a shiver down all the men''s spines.


    Anti-Origin bullets were bullets that were made specially to inflict harm on people that are able to use Origin and strengthen their bodies beyondprehension. It was made out of a rare material called ''Leviathium'' which was discovered to be able to nullify the effects of Origin. The reasons behind that are still unknown but predictably, it was a discovery that shook the underworld.


    This material was the new hope for those incapable of using Origin to finally put up a fight and put a fight they did. For a long while, rich tycoons that were targeted by hitmen were able to massacre countless of them and root their shady businesses into the underworld.


    The Hitmen Guild and Divinity were put under a lot of pressure because of that for 10 long years. None of their clients were willing to pay for their services since mere bullets could end up sending any hitman to their grave. Those 10 years were called ''The Chaos Of Leviathium'' for the mess it created in the underworld. Until at one point, something changed¡­


    Kai''s face arched up as he stared directly at them, his eyes deathly cold. On his forehead, a squashed bullet could be seen sticking to his skin.


    *Drop* *Cling*


    On every other part of his body, hundreds of bullets were sticking to his skin as they were ttened as if they were made out of paper. None of the bullets pierced his skin.


    "What¡­ the fuck?!" One of the men uttered as his face paled. "Why is he not dead?! He got hit with countless bullets without a single cover!!"


    "This is bullshit!!"


    "I-I can''t believe my eyes!!"


    A few of them voiced out, their tone clearly filled with an ever-rising fear. It was as if they were witnessing a nightmare unfolding in front of their eyes.


    *Step*


    Kai then took a step forward, slowly which made the men raise their guns again.


    "O-Oi!! D-Don''t move!!"


    "Shoot!!"


    Another round of bullets was fired at Kai, however, they all hit his body and then broke without leaving a scratch. For a second, the men felt as if Kai''s skin was made out of adamantium.


    Their mouths hang open in disbelief.


    *Swish*


    Suddenly, Kai vanished from where he was only to reappear behind the man that was presumably their leader.


    "Your boss, give me his location."


    "AAAAH!!!" The man yelled as he turned around and backed away. He then fired all the bullets he had in his magazine at Kai. None of them left any effect.


    "Shoot!!"


    As the man ordered them, Kai used Origin and knocked everyone unconscious except the leader with a simple look.


    "W-What?!" Seeing all of his men on the ground, his face paled to the point of looking like a sheet of paper.


    Kai approached him slowly with steady steps while the men started retreating till he stumbled on a rock and fell down. In his eyes, fear could be seen as clear as day.


    "S-Stay away!! You monster!!"


    However, Kai ignored his pleas and insults and grabbed him by the skull before he lifted him up after that, he peered through his brain and read his thoughts.


    "You don''t know either. Useless."


    *Swish*


    Throwing the man to the side as if he was a piece of trash, Kai was about to leave when he heard something.


    "Oi, what happened?! Can you hear me?! I said can you hear me?!" In the man''s ear was a small earphone that was speaking.


    Kai picked it up and examined it for a second then, he said.


    "I will being for you."

 Chapter 34 - 34- Origin Computing Hacker

    <h4>Chapter 34:- Origin Computing Hacker</h4>


    Chapter 34- Origin Computing Hacker


    Hearing Kai''s cold words sent a shiver down the man''s spine. His face slightly paled as he looked at the ever-fading silhouette of Kai, walking behind the fog. He was a skilled hitman and someone who faced some powerful individuals before.


    Yet, those words that Kai said still made him feel as if his death was set in stone. It was simply a matter of time.


    "What kind of freak did I stumble upon? Who is that guy?!" He said as he nervously clicked on the keyboard, revealing a closer picture of Kai. The man did some research on him but couldn''t find anything noteworthy which meant that Kai had a fake identity and even a fake background.


    This rooted the idea that Kai was just like him, a hitman with a fake identity and a pretty amazing ability to hide his own traces. The man was confident that no matter who it was, he will be able to unravel their mysteries yet he couldn''t find a single thing about Kai.


    "Someone with his skill should have at least some traces. Who could he be? No! This isn''t the time to think about that! I need to kil- Huh?" As his mind wandered as to how he can kill this mysterious boy, a weird pop-up appeared on his screen.


    "Huh?! Is someone trying to infiltrate myputer?!"


    ***


    Meanwhile, inside an inte cafe somewhere in Lunaria, Kai sat down on one of the posts and opened theputer. Then, he took a look at the earpiece in his hand.


    ''This thing is linked to that man''sputer. If I hack it, I should be able to locate him easily.''


    Although theputer he will use wasn''t made for such uses, Kai didn''t really find it to be a problem.


    So, with that in mind, he put the earpiece on the table and then used a small quantity of Origin to link the earpiece to theputer. Origin power can also be a substitute for electricity and could even work as a data transfer medium which opened a new field ofputer science called ''Origin Computing''.


    It allowed users to turn their normalputers into weapons, very strong ones at that. A skilled Origin Computing hacker can control anything that is a machine with only his keyboard and a screen.


    Anyway, after making sure that the link was sturdy, Kai''s hands moved to the keyboard and started tapping on it at an extremely fast speed. His eyes kept looking at the screen without bothering to check for keys or wrong inputs.


    A few seconds passed before the ckmand prompts started appearing on the screen. Words and numbers filled them quickly.


    ***


    "He is attacking me from all angles! How fast is he?!" The man gulped down a mouthful of saliva as he moved his fingers skillfully across the keyboard. With each pop-up that appears, he quickly blocks it and then deletes it.


    However, the more he deleted, the more appeared as if they were multiplying in numbers instead of decreasing. In other words, whoever was infiltrating hisputer was gradually increasing the speed of his hacking as if he was toying with the man.


    "Fuck!!"


    ***


    "*Yawn* So boring." Kai yawned as he continued attacking the man''sputer. With each failed attempt, he will increase his speed to the point where unnoticeably, smoke was starting to rise from the keyboard as the keys were getting burned from friction.


    Minutes passed silently until finally, one of themands was activated and a huge map appeared on the screen. On it, a cursor started moving quickly and then stopped at a certain location in Lunaria.


    "As I thought, he was in Lunaria." Saying that Kai picked up the earpiece and crushed it to pieces with his hand before he walked out of the inte cafe and vanished from sight.


    ***


    "Shit! Shit! Shit!! You gotta be kidding!" The man smashed the keyboard as he stood up. "I need to leave this ce now! My hiding location has been revealed!!"


    His heart was beating loudly in his chest and his breathing was erratic, to say the least. The fear of those words, the cold re on the boy''s face, and his inhuman powers that made his jaw drop, the man didn''t know what to fear more.


    As he ran toward the door of the house, it was suddenly kicked open as it flew inside the house, smashing right into the man.


    A silhouette then barged into the house casually. His face was stoic and his hands were tucked in his pockets as if he was going inside a supermarket.


    "UGH!!" The man pushed the door to the side as he held his face. "Hiiiii!!!" The moment he saw Kai, he screeched from fear.


    ''He reached here in a few seconds?! How is that even possible?! Who is this guy?!'' He yelled in his head as he tried to back away.


    Kai simply stared at him as he stepped forward, slowly. As if he was enjoying torturing the man mentally.


    "Name." He suddenly said in a low tone.


    "Huh?!"


    Kai immediately vanished from where he stood and appeared right in front of the man before he picked him from the ground by the neck.


    "Your name."


    "M-Matthew."


    "I don''t care about your real name. I want your agent number." Kai replied coldly. A ''name'' in the terms of the guild wasn''t the real name but the code assigned to that individual. It was to keep anonymity between members.


    "I-I''m agent 879." The man replied.


    ''879? Have they already reached that number in mere 5 years?'' Kai wondered before he looked up again.


    When he left the hitman guild, the newest number was Agent 258. The fact that it quadrupled in mere 5 years made Kai frown slightly. More hitmen mean more trouble and more idiots he needs to take care of in case his identity was revealed.


    "You''re a neer. Did you target one of the Lavine family members because of money?"


    "Y-Yes!! S-She has a huge bounty on her head! 150 million dors!"


    ''Wait, why would Eva have a bounty on her head? She''s still in the guild. Guild members can''t target each other.''


    It was very questionable as this was one of the main rules of the guild. No hitman has the right of killing another hitman unless it was an official duel. Or the punishment will be death. Yet, the fact that Eva has a bounty means only two possibilities; either she left the guild without permission just like Kai did or¡­


    ''Someone is targeting her. Someone that can ignore the rules and never take consequences.'' Kai''s eyes turned a degree colder as he reached that conclusion.


    If what he was thinking of was the case, then this matter wasn''t a mere game. This was a clear threat to Kai''s peaceful life since Eva had integrated herself into it.


    ''But, who could it be? Did she turn one of the high orders against her? No, I doubt that is the case. Those old geezers never contact the hitmen unless it''s a very special case.''


    The more Kai thought about it the more it sounded confusing. Why would a high officer target Eva? High officers are extremely influential people that could turn whole nations into chaos with their connections. Even with Eva''s influence, she wouldn''t be actively approached by a high officer unless there was a very important reason behind it.


    "P-Please spare me!! I only wanted the money!! You''re a hitman too, right? You can''t kill me!! It''s against the ru-"


    "I don''t follow your rules."


    After that, with a speed faster than the eye could blink, Kai severed the man''s four limbs with his bare hands.


    "UUUUUUUUUUGHHHHH!!!" A shriek akin to a pig being ughtered echoed in the house.


    "However, I won''t kill you. A hacker without limbs is a dead man." Saying that Kai tossed the man to the side and turned around to leave.


    In his head, the matter still lingered. Deep inside, he had no idea whether he should divulge deeper into it or not. Eva was being targeted, potentially by a high officer and he could end up getting entangled in it.


    On one hand, if he tried to get to the roots of the matter, it means he will have to go back to the underworld which was something he would try to avoid as much as he could. On the other hand, if he didn''t do anything, he will leave the potential risk that his identity will be revealed and he will end up bidding his normal life farewell.


    "Annoying¡­" Murmuring to himself with a chilling tone, Kai''s silhouette vanished away, like an illusory image.


    For the first time in 5 years or so, Kai was annoyed by something.

 Chapter 35 - 35- The World Is Moving

    <h4>Chapter 35:- The World Is Moving?</h4>


    Chapter 35- The World Is Moving


    A few hours after Kai left Agent 879''s apartment.


    A dark figure entered the house, their face was covered with an odd mask that had one single eye on it. Their body was d in ck which hid their form and their gender.


    They silently walked inside as they approached the limbless man,ying on the ground unconscious.


    "Did you meet him?" With a deep, fake voice, they asked Agent 879 in a nd tone.


    The man''s eyes parted slightly as he looked at the face of this stranger with a weak nce. Somehow, even though Kai had cut his limbs off, he didn''t bleed or die. Yet, he still felt the gruesome pain assault his head every single second.


    But, when he saw who that mysterious person is, his eyes widened as he paled inplete horror.


    "Uh¡­ h¡­ Uh!!" He tried to speak but couldn''t. All he could was utter some gibberish.


    "So you did meet him? The ck Phantom, I mean."


    When they said those two words, Agent 879''s face changed. Who didn''t know about the ck Phantom in the underworld? Certainly not him.


    ''T-That boy¡­ He was the ck Phantom?!'' He screamed in his head as he felt a shudder run down his spine. If he had even known for a second that it was that legendary hitman, he would''ve never even entertained the thought of trying to kill him.


    In fact, if it wasn''t for the fact that he was clouded by the excitement of meeting a strong foe that he thought he could toy with, Agent 879 should''ve been able to reach that conclusion purely from the sheer strength Kai had. However, greed and excitement blinded his judgment.


    "He turned you into a piece of useless flesh and bones. I guess his methods didn''t change after all these years. The same monster is still here, between us." The mysterious figure murmured with a slightly amused tone.


    After that, they bent down and picked up the limbless man before they peered through his mind with great ease.


    "He deleted any memory rted to him."


    After that, they threw the man away and then walked toward theputer. Clicking a few times, they smiled under the mask amusedly.


    "He deleted the footage too. A perfect erasure of his trace."


    After that, they turned back to Agent 879 who was shuddering on the ground as if he was having a stroke.


    "You failed the mission, Agent 879 and you lost your limbs. Your usefulness to the guild is no more. By rule 5 of the Guild; be of use and you live, be a burden and you will be disposed of."


    "N-No¡­ Please!!" The moment he heard those words, he muttered with great difficulty. His voice sounded meek and barely audible. "My mother¡­ is elderly. She¡­ needs me¡­"


    "The underworld isn''t a ce for weaklings. Love and feelings are simply weaknesses and you, Agent 879, had shown yourself why that weakness could be deadly."


    After that, the mysterious figure lifted its hand before suddenly, dark matter started oozing out of its hand and crawling down to the ground before moving toward Agent 879.


    "No, please¡­ No!! Nooooo!!!! Aghhhh!!"


    One second, screams filled the whole room. The next second, an eerie quietness took over the house.


    After that, the mysterious figure walked out of the room, in their hand was a phone and they dialed a number.


    "Renew the contract. The ck Phantom has appeared again after 5 years." Then, he cut off the call and looked at the sky.


    "The underworld had been boring without your presence. Time for the show to begin again! Who wille out as a winner? Who will lose? This is going to be exciting to watch. Will the ck Phantom sit on his throne again? Or will the underworld finally consume him? I can''t wait~"


    ***


    Kai''s trip back to his city was smooth sailing. He got on the train again and it took him more or less ten hours.


    When he reached his apartment and tried to get his keys out to walk inside. The room next to him was kicked open as a seductive blonde woman rushed outside and approached Kai before she hugged him tightly.


    "Kai!! I missed you so much!" Her huge breasts covered his face.


    This position was something that countless men were wishing for and yet Kai didn''t seem to be that into it as he pushed her away.


    "I''ve been away for merely 2 days."


    "More like 2 years~ Your dear big sister missed you so much that I can''t even sleep~" She said with a loving smile as she rubbed his cheek gently.


    "How was the trip? Did you have fun?"


    "I simply sorted out the problem with my financials. No fun in that." Kai replied ndly as he opened the door and walked inside followed by Kaya who had a wide grin on her face.


    Her mind was all flowers and good times. The struggle she felt when she couldn''t see Kai for a whole day made her stay near the door, waiting for him toe back. Her mind was too upied with him to even focus on her work.


    "Fufufufufu~ Didn''t I suggest paying all your expenses and in return, I get to eat your delicious food and sleep with you?~ Why are you still refusing that offer~"


    For Kaya, money wasn''t a problem at all. In fact, if Kai was to ever ask her to buy him anything, she would do it in a heartbeat. All he had to do was give her the green light and she will spoil him rotten till he can''t live without her.


    ''But, I want Kai to willingly let me pamper him and take care of him~ Or it will be no fun~ I want my cute Kai to beg me for attention and love~'' She thought in her head as a weird glint shed in her eyes. Her tongue instinctively licked her rosy, plump lips as she eyed the young man in front of her.


    Only she knew how much she was resisting the urge to simply push Kai down and ravage his body. From the moment she first saw his face under the bangs, she could never forget it. It waspletely etched into her memory. It was simply the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.


    "I don''t like owing people anything," Kai replied as he walked to the kitchen and drank a bottle of water.


    Meanwhile, Kaya simply made herselffortable on the sofa as she arched her neck to look back at Kai fondly.


    "Hmm, Oh! I have an idea! Let''s get married!"


    "..."


    "If we get married, my money will be yours and so you won''t have to think of anything and use it however you want. While you''re at it, you can use me however you want too~~"


    "I can''t legally marry. And no, I won''t marry you." He replied ndly as if what she said wasn''t odd.


    This was in fact not the first time Kaya asked his hand in marriage jokingly or not. However, he refused her offer every single time.


    "Ugh! So rigid, Kai! Hmph! I hate you~" Pouting adorably, Kaya turned around and feigned anger as she sulked on the sofa.


    Shaking his head, Kai quickly made a few sandwiches from what he had in the fridge. He noted down that he needed to buy groceries before he walked to the sofa and sat down.


    "Here."


    "Thank you, Kai~ I love you~~" With a simple hug, Kaya took the sandwich and started devouring it with a happy smile on her face. Ignoring her mature and extremely gorgeous looks that would make any man''s jaw drop, she was now akin to a small squirrel enjoying a nut.


    "Ahhh~ Even a simple sandwich you make tastes heavenly. How is that possible? What''s your secret?"


    "... *Munch* *Munch*"


    "Now tell me¡­" Putting down the te, Kaya turned around and hugged Kai''s neck as she whispered in his ear in a breathy, seductive voice.


    "I think you owe me dessert~ Something that tastes way better than anything you ever made~ Something long and hard~ Does that ring a bell?" Licking her lips again, Kaya was eager to get some kind of reaction from Kai.


    If any of her subordinates saw her act like this, they would all die from a heart attack from sheer shock. Whenever she was the Archangel Kaya, she would be as cold as ice, never smiling, never showing any reaction to anything, as if life itself was disappointing in her eyes. Her methods were ruthless, gruesome, and unforgiving.


    She was even nicknamed ''The Yellow Rose Of Blood'' by the Ascenders of Divinity.


    However, when she''s around Kai, her cold attitude melts quickly and she bes a yful, flirty woman who is deeply in love with a certain someone.

 Chapter 36 - 36- Life Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 36:- Life Lesson</h4>


    Chapter 36- Life Lesson


    At the same time, back in the Lavine main mansion.


    The family spent the rest of the day together. This was the happiest they''d ever been and so they wanted to spend as much time as possible with their mother. Even when they knew she was finally making a recovery, they were still deep down scared that she might disappear again.


    In the evening, a doctor arrived at their mansion to check up on Selina. Markus had especially called him because he wanted to make sure that what Kai did wasn''t some kind of trick. The kid didn''t seem the type to do that but he wasn''t intending to leave it to chance.


    After examining the woman, the doctor''s eyes widened to the extreme and his jaw dropped. He couldn''t believe his eyes.


    "What is it, doctor?" Markus asked as he squinted his eyes with suspicion.


    "S-Sir Markus. I-I don''t know how to say this but¡­ Miss Selina''s illnesspletely vanished. I can''t find any trace of it inside her body at all. It''s as if it was never there, to begin with." The man said in a disbelieving tone.


    "Good¡­"


    "Sir, it''s not just that. Even though she still needs some time to recover and be able to resume her normal life, I checked all her organs, muscles, and bones and they all were restored to peak condition and were fixing themselves at an rming speed. No, in fact, after she recovers, she will be physically better than ever before." He said.


    ''How did this happen?! I checked on Madame Selina a week ago. How did she recover from this sickness in a week?! And her body even seems to have been enhanced!'' He screamed in his head.


    Markus, on the side, had a ratherplicated gaze. He didn''t understand how that kid did it either but he somehow made a miraclee true within a few minutes.


    ''I need to ask Eva about it.''


    On the other hand, Selina had an amused smile on her face. From the moment she saw Kai, he really caught her attention. Everything about him was so mysterious and charming that even though she was deeply in love with her husband, she could only feel slightly attracted to him without him initiating anything.


    Something about his gaze, his presence, the way he spoke and the way he carried himself was so riling up her female instincts. It all screamed that this person was the most perfect man she had ever met.


    Granted, she wasn''t intending to snatch away this young man from her daughter, especially with how head over heels she was for him. But, it still made her question his origin. The fact that he can Origin meant that he wasn''t normal at all. No one who can use Origin would be linked to normal.


    ''What kind of big fish did you catch, Eva?'' She asked as she closed her eyes.


    Even though she should''ve been wary of him, even though she should be worried about her daughter. Weirdly enough, those emotions never crossed her heart. It was as if from the very start, it was established that Kai will be able to protect her daughter and that the safest ce she could ever be was next to him.


    That idea alone shocked Selina yet also made her interest in Kai''s origin peak.


    "Doctor, I want this matter to stay a secret. I do not want anyone to hear about it. You do know the consequences if my words were disobeyed, right?" Markus warned the doctor with his presence and powerful aura.


    "Of of of course!! I dare not anger Sir Markus!"


    After that, the doctor basically escaped the room as he breathed a sigh of relief. Being under the pressure of Markus Lavine was akin to having your head stuck under a guillotine with a high possibility that the de will fall down and cut his head clean off.


    "Darling, I want to tell you something," Selina said as she signaled for Markus to approach her.


    Thetter nodded confusedly before he sat down on the bed near his dear wife. In his eyes, it was clear how much he cherished this lovely woman of his. The pain he felt every day seeing her wither away like a beautiful rose on the peak of an icy mountain that he could never climb.


    However, an angel appeared and carried that rose down to the warmth of his embrace by some kind of miracle.


    Lifting her hand up, Selina touched his cheek and smiled.


    "I think our daughter has finally found the love of her life." She said.


    Immediately, Markus'' face darkened. The room turned a degree colder.


    "Are you talking about that boy?"


    "Yes. Listen to me, darling. We still don''t know that boy''s background but I''ve never seen Eva look that fondly at someone before. I''m sure you already noticed that. She''s deeply in love with him."


    "Selina, this is no joking matter. Are you implying I should hand my daughter to an unknown young man that I know nothing about? I already did a brief background research on him. I couldn''t find anything suspicious about him. He is definitely a very dangerous person."


    "Markus¡­"


    "I know that he saved you and that is a favor that I will never forget. However, I can''t simply hand him my daugh-"


    "You already handed her to that scum son of the Chamagane family." Selina cut him with a serious expression.


    "...." Markus waspletely speechless and also ashamed as he averted his eyes away from Selina. He knew deep down that her words were the truth.


    "It was because I had no other choice."


    "Now you do. You and Eva were ready to sacrifice her happiness for my sake even though the chances that I will live were extremely small. I disagreed and tried to stop both of you but you never listened to me. I couldn''t bear to see my daughter suffer any more after what she experienced thest 5 years. Now, when she finally found her happiness, I won''t allow for anyone to steal it from her, not even you."


    Selina''s eyes looked serious, determined, and unwavering as she gazed directly at Markus'' eyes without averting them for a second.


    Thetter feltpletely captivated by her eyes. Those were the same eyes he fell in love with a long time ago. That strength hidden within her very soul was one of the things he loved fondly in his wife.


    Finally, he sighed as he smiled slightly.


    "You are too strong, Selina. You do know that, right?"


    "I only became like this because I met you." She said as she rubbed his cheek with her finger. "I can feel it within me. Eva will only feel happy if she was with that boy, Kai. I trust my daughter''s choice. You should too, she isn''t a small girl anymore."


    "... Sigh, let me at least talk with her and then decide."


    Smiling warmly, Selina nodded her head.


    After that, the two spent some time alone, enjoying each other''s presence before Markus finally left his wife''s room and walked through the corridor, deep in thought.


    Reaching his daughter''s room, he found her sitting next to the window, staring outside at the dark city with a dreamy, ethereal expression on her.


    Markus understood that expression in a moment. His dear daughter was thinking about that boy, wasn''t she?


    It was to the point where she noticed Markus'' presence a secondter.


    "Father?"


    "Can we talk?" He asked with a gentle tone.


    "Sure."


    Walking away from the bed, Eva sat in front of her father and stared directly at him, waiting for him to speak.


    "That boy¡­ Do you like him?" He asked with a rather hesitant tone.


    Eva was slightly surprised at first before she smiled and replied.


    "I don''t like him, Father¡­. I love him. Way more than I ever imagined." Her voice was clear, honest, and confident. It was as if she was sure 100% of what she was saying.


    "I see¡­" After saying that, Markus stood up before he sat down on his knees on the ground and then bent his head forward, bowing to his own daughter.


    "Because of me, your life was about to be stolen from you. For my selfish desire to save your mother, you were ready to never smile again. I can''t fathom how heavy that was on you, Eva. I could never understand that pain even if I think about it for the rest of my life. I''m sorry, I''m deeply sorry for trying to steal your life away from you." His tone was heavy, sad, and yet also clear and powerful.


    Eva kept staring at her father for a very long time. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stood up and slumped down in front of her father before she hugged him tightly. A blissful smile appeared on her face.


    "For the people I love, I''m ready to give my life away. For you, for Mother, for Melia, and for him¡­ You are the closest people to my heart. If sacrificing everything I own means that you will be able to live, I will do it in a heartbeat." She replied.


    For Eva, life was meaningless if the people she loved weren''t happy. People would think because she was rich, beautiful, smart, sessful, and strong, she would need nothing more. Even Eva herself believed that too for the longest while. But, the truth is, the very moment Eva met Kai and fell in love with him, she learned a lesson in life that she will never forget.


    Nothing willst except the feelings she carries deep within her.

 Chapter 37 - 37- Enraged Eva (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 37:- Enraged Eva (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 37- Enraged Eva (Part 1)


    "You are the greatest daughter I could''ve asked for, Eva. No, far greater than I deserve." Markus said as he grabbed the shoulders of his daughter gently, his arms shook a little.


    "Fufufufufu! You are exaggerating, Father. I still love to be disobedient from time to time. Do you remember when one of my targets pissed me off and so I erased his whole family which led to you having to cover for me?" Eva recalled that memory with a chuckle.


    "You little rascal! Why are you remembering that now? I was really angry at the time."


    "Fufufufufu! Your daughter inherited your impulsiveness so you bear a good chunk of the responsibility for that happening." She replied teasingly.


    Then, the two looked at each other and chuckled jovially. Eva couldn''t recall thest time she joked like this with her father. After losing Kai and her mother''s illness, Eva didn''t smile at all and spent most of her time either hunting down targets or inside her room, staring dreamily at the sky.


    Her father wasn''t faring any better either as he submerged himself in work. If he wasn''t next to his wife, he would be developing his businesses in the underworld and the real world.


    The two rarely talked and rarely spent time together. However, now that her father truly gave her his honest thoughts, she felt that their strained rtionship was starting to get fixed.


    "So tell me, what made you fall in love with that boy?" Changing the topic, Markus asked as he tried to suppress his anger.


    Eva''s smile changed immediately to one of pure fondness and nostalgia as if she was recalling the best memory of her life.


    "His mere presence simply changed my view on life itself. He barged into my heart and took the whole ce for himself without asking or even trying to. He is the most perfect, amazing human being I''ve ever met."


    The way Eva described Kai made Markus'' eyes widen to the extreme. The way she described him wasn''t the first time he heard her talk like that about someone. Years ago, she described another person the same way she described Kai.


    That''s when it clicked to Markus and his mouth hung open.


    "Eva¡­ don''t tell me¡­"


    As he was about to speak, the door to Eva''s room was knocked and a maid walked inside.


    "Master, Lady Eva, my apologies for interrupting your conversation but Mister Edward is here and would like to meet you." The maid said respectfully as she bowed down.


    The moment Eva heard that name, her face darkened and a cold aura surrounded her body. For a moment there, she forgot that there was a pest that was ruining her daily life. The same pest that made her life even more burdening than ever before.


    However, now was the perfect time to face him. No, facing him wasn''t the right word to describe what Eva was about to do.


    Standing up, Eva walked out of the room and straight toward the living room. There, she found a young man sprawled on the sofa as if he owned the ce and had a smug on his face.


    When he noticed Eva approaching him, his smile widened as he stood up.


    "My beautiful Eva, you are as dazzling as always. I missed you so much." He said passionately.


    "What do you want?" She asked coldly.


    "I heard that you went back home and I thought that you finally got bored of that disgusting vige. I''m happy that you decided to do so because I was really starting to grow bored of there and besides, I don''t the poor peasants there to rub their poverty on me. Especially that basta-"


    Eva''s aura erupted immediately as coldness filled her very being. The suppressed anger of years finally came back and manifested in her very being. Long gone the docile and affectionate Eva that only Kai had the right to see.


    Now, she was the monster hitman Eva, the woman that was responsible for killing hundreds of men and women alike. In the light, she is Eva Lavine, the gorgeous daughter of the Lavine family and one of the most popr women in the world. A girl desired by countless men in the world and the target of admiration of the masses. But, in the underworld, she was Agent 74. One of the strongest 100 hitmen in the Guild and someone with enough power to erase a whole army if she wanted to.


    Edward''s face paled as he felt the room''s temperature grow colder and he was the target of two freezing-cold eyes.


    "What were you about to say?"


    "H-Huh¡­"


    "Act dumbfounded again and I''m going to break every bone in your body." Eva didn''t hide her threats.


    Edward waspletely dumbfounded by her words. This was the first time Eva had tantly threatened him and the fear he felt from it was soul-shaking. It wasn''t as horrifying as what he felt from that boy that he hated but it was still enough to make him retreat.


    "E-Eva, calm down. W-What did I even say?"


    "You were about to insult him, weren''t you?" She asked as she stepped forward.


    "I-Insult him? You mean that bastar-"


    *BANG*


    Before he could finish the word, Edward found himself flying as he smashed against the wall violently.


    "UUGHHHH!! My head!!!" He said as he grabbed his head.


    Eva approached him casually, her cold demeanor and elegant steps made her look akin to a goddess that descended on earth.


    When she reached him, she stomped on his hand, generating another blood-curdling scream from him. Her stomp has shattered his left arm.


    "Your dirty mouth isn''t worthy of uttering his name let alone insulting him. No, you aren''t even allowed to think about him in your empty skull. Erase his image from your memory."


    Edward waspletely bbergasted. Of everything, he never expected Eva to be this ruthless. Were they even the same person? The Eva he knew was an unattainable cold flower that he wanted to pluck. However, the Eva in front of him was akin to a demoness emerging from the deepest parts of hell.


    "P-Please wait!! Why are you doing all of this? Why do you care about him?!"


    "Oh, so you didn''t realize already? Let me give you a hint then." Saying that Eva twisted her leg, increasing the amount of pain Edward was feeling.


    "Kai is my lover¡­ My man. He is the one I swore my life to. A pitiful insect like you has no right to get between us. Do you understand?"


    "H-Huh? Y-Your lover¡­ H-Him?!" Edward muttered with a pale expression.


    "Yes. Our lives are peaceful enough without barging into it. However, you still tried to be a stain on the road that ruin our journey. I''ve had enough. I''ve grown tired of tolerating your presence."


    Saying that Eva was about to channel her Origin power and slice Edward''s head off. However, thetter screamed.


    "I-I came with good news!! Here, look!! I was told that the progress to finding a cure for your mother''s sickness is going steadily! A few more months at most and we will find the cure!" Edward said with a panicked tone.


    Eva''s hand stopped and looked at the stack of paper that Edward pulled out. She then took it from his hand and read it.


    In the papers, the progress was shown to a possible cure. It wasn''t guaranteed and the chances of its sess were a pitiful 3%.


    Edward saw that Eva didn''t move and tried to seize the opportunity, thinking she was starting to get convinced.


    "W-We are close to finishing our deal. When that happens, you will have to marry me or your family will get in trouble."


    "Good," Eva murmured back after a while before she threw the pieces of paper in the air.


    *Swish*


    Her hand moved like a sh and the papers were swiftly turned into nothing but garbage. She had sliced them faster than the eye could see.


    Then, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number. A few seconds passed before a cold voice finally spoke.


    "What is it, Eva?" Kai asked.


    Eva''s eyes softened slightly as she replied in a soft, loving tone. The change shocked Edward even more.


    "Did I wake you up from sleep?" She asked fondly. A hint of worry crept into her voice.


    "No."


    "I see, good. I just wanted to tell you something. You did tell me that you will deal with the pest yourself and that I shouldn''t do anything, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Sorry, Kai. I don''t think I could do that. I''m already at my limit and now that I saw his face, I can''t stop myself."


    "... I see." Kai took a second before he replied as if he understood the situationpletely. "I was intending to finish him off the moment I see him but since he already approached you, you can do it yourself. When his familyes after you, I will pluck them one by one."


    "Ok~ Let''s get rid of them together. Goodnight, Kai. I love you~" After saying that she hung up and looked at Edward.


    "Say hello to your ancestors in the deepest parts of hell."

 Chapter 38 - 38- Enraged Eva (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 38:- Enraged Eva (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 38- Enraged Eva (Part 2)


    Edward''s face turned even paler as he stared at Eva''s cold, chilling eyes. Deep down, he knew it, he wasn''t going to survive tonight. However, he couldn''t ept that. How can he die here?! Wasn''t he a chosen one?! Wasn''t he destined for greatness?!


    "Wait, Eva! You do know how my family will react if you end up killing me! It will start a full war!! It won''t end peacefully!!" He yelled desperately, fear nging to his heart as the death reaper''s scythe loomed over his neck.


    Eva didn''t respond as she looked back at her maid.


    "This piece of trash isn''t even worth using my powers on him, get me my gun, Mia." She ordered coldly to which the maid bowed respectfully.


    "Listen here, insect. The moment I end your pitiful life, I will then send your severed head to them as myst gift, and along with it, I will give them a choice. Either they could pretend as if nothing happened and move on with their lives or they will choose to fight back¡­"


    Bending down, Eva''s tone turned even colder.


    "At that moment, even if my darling decided to have mercy on them for barging into his peaceful life, I won''t be as merciful. I will erase each and every one of them and make sure your lineage ends on you, the biggest failure of that family."


    Edward was simply shocked beyond words. Her threats sounded emotionless yet so truthful that he had not even a shred of doubt that she will do exactly what she said.


    "Their lives are their choice."


    Meanwhile, Mia approached Eva and handed her the pistol. It was a silver revolver with a small name itched on it. That name was only two letters ''BP''. This was Eva''s favorite gun to use and she basically killed all of her targets using it for the past few years.


    Taking the gun and tracing its frame fondly as if she was a mother caressing her own child. She opened the magazine and checked for bullets. After that, she emptied the bullets in her hand before she gave them to Mia and only kept a single bullet.


    "One bullet."


    Edward''s face crumbled as he understood what Eva wanted to do. She was not going to even grant him a quick death, she was going to y with his head.


    "Have you ever heard of this game? They call it the Russian Roulette." She asked as she put the bullet inside the hole and then span the magazine. In silence, the clicking sound of the revolver rolling as the bullet vanished under Edward''s horrified eyes.


    He tried to wriggle himself out and run away but Eva''s leg was pinning him down.


    "Since I''m feeling generous, I will give you a chance to survive. Three shots, if you don''t die in one of them, I will spare your pathetic excuse of a life." Eva said coldly before pointing the gun at him.


    "First shot."


    "Wait!!!!"


    *Click*


    Eva pulled the trigger, but no bullet was fired. Edward''s eyes blinked as he felt his heart beat again. The feeling he had the second Eva pulled the trigger was the worst thing he ever experienced.


    "Second shot," Eva spoke coldly as she aimed the gun at Edward again.


    "No, please! Eva, I''m sorry! I will break the engagement! I will do anything you ask! Please spare my life." Tears welled up in the young man''s eyes as he begged for his life.


    His pride was long gone along with his ego. All he cared about now was to hang on for his dear life and if that meant he would beg or kiss her leg, then so be it.


    *Click*


    "Noooo!!" As he closed his eyes with a shriek, Edward didn''t feel anything change. So, he opened his eyes again. The second shot had no bullet either.


    "Hmm, it seemsdy luck is still with you. Onest shot and you can live." Eva said as she pointed the gun at Edward for thest time.


    "Anyst words, Charlemagne bastard?" She asked.


    "Please¡­ *Hick* *Hick* I will never appear in your face again. Just, please! Have it in your heart to let me live." The boy''s face was now ruined with snot and tears as he begged and cried like a little child. Everyst piece of his pride was shattered to pieces as if it was nothing.


    "Ok, nost words. Thest shot it is then."


    "No!!"


    *Click*


    Eva clicked the trigger and yet, miraculously, no bullet was shot. Eva''s eyebrow was raised with an amused look.


    "You are quite lucky, aren''t you?" She murmured.


    "Hahahaha¡­ Hahahahahaha!" Edward''s eyes which were about to die and wither regained their vigor in a second as he fell into a crazedughter. His eyes were still crying yet he was smiling like a maniac. He had lost his mind.


    "Ok, you can go ahead and leave," Eva said as she pulled her leg away and shook it as if she felt disgusted by the fact that she even touched his hand with her shoe.


    Immediately, Edward stood up and started running toward the door. He only wanted to leave and nevere back. This was the worst experience of his whole life and something that will traumatize him for eternity. However, it was all now over. He can finally leave. He can finally escape this nightmare.


    "Just kidding~" Suddenly, Eva smiled coldly and pointed the gun at the running Edward, and then pulled the trigger.


    *Click* *BANG*


    The bullet flew in the blink of an eye and pierced the back of Edward''s head. Because of the sheer strength of the bullet, shards of Edward''s skull and brain matter blew everywhere as he fell down to the ground, a pool of blood already umting beneath him.


    "Why did you even believe that I will let you live, insect?" Saying that Eva pulled the bullet shell out and threw it to Mia.


    "Get rid of the body and severe the head before sending it to Chamagne. They better know that I won''t let them get away with it if they dare to piss me off." She said to Mia before walking away, her cold aura lingering in the room.


    "As you wish, Mydy."


    As Eva walked through the corridor, she found her little sister standing there. Her cute, wide eyes lit up when she saw her big sister.


    "Meli! Why are you still awake?"


    "I heard big sister talking so I went to check," Meli replied as she hugged her sister''s leg. Then, she looked up at Eva with an adorable expression.


    "Big sis¡­ Can I¡­"


    "You already know that you can''t go on a mission yet, Meli. Your training is not over yet."


    The little girl immediately pouted as she looked away.


    "Stingy."


    "Sigh, you are so stubborn."


    "But, after my first kill, you never allowed me to do it again, big sister!" She shouted in protest.


    "That''s because you kept torturing the target for hours. You must not waste time when working. Be as efficient as possible." Eva replied with a warm smile as she bent down and patted her lovely sister on the head fondly.


    "But, I wanted to have fun! When that big bad guy started screaming, I couldn''t stop myself! It was super fun!!" Meli''s eyes glistened with excitement.


    "You little naughty girl. Since when did you have these tendencies?" She asked.


    "Mommy told me that torturing always helps extract information so I tried to do it myself."


    "Well, that is only if you need to extract information from the target. Other than that, if it''s a simple elimination mission, you must not prolong it more than necessary or you could get in trouble. I don''t want my little sister to harm herself, ok?"


    "Ok! I promise that I won''t do it unless necessary, big sister!"


    "Good girl! Your big sister is proud of you." Kissing her forehead, Eva stood up and held her sister''s hand. "Now, you must go to sleep, you have school tomorrow."


    "Ok!"


    The two sisters then walked and vanished inside the house.


    Meanwhile, in a faraway ce, precisely the Chamagne household. A package has been delivered to themte at night.


    Usually, packages like this don''t pass the security but since the sender was the Lavines, it was epted and even delivered to the head of the house, Trevor Chamagane to check it out.


    "What is the meaning of this? The Lavines never sent us anything." An old man, nearing his 60s with a ferocious beard and even more ferocious looks sat on afy chair behind his desk, eyeing the box in front of him. He was a tall, muscr man with a huge scar that slit his face vertically and added ayer of intimidation to his features.


    "Our scanners couldn''t determine the nature of the object, sir. However, it isn''t anything dangerous." The butler replied respectfully.


    "Tsk, it better be worth waking up in the middle of the night for."

 Chapter 39 - 39- Cut The Roots

    <h4>Chapter 39:- Cut The Roots</h4>


    Chapter 39- Cut The Roots


    Trevor''s eyes traced the box before he moved his hand to open it. Inside, he found a lot of foam with a letter on top of it.


    Picking up the letter, he read the content which consisted of one simple sentence.


    "Choose your next move carefully." It said.


    Trevor''s face immediately changed as his eyes darkened and his teeth clenched. It was clear that the Lavines were threatening him. However, he couldn''t quite understand why they would threaten him now.


    He was the one working on the cure for Selina Lavine. If he was to stop the research, she will die sooner orter. That was the biggest trump card Trevor held against the Lavines and he used it fully in the form of a marriage between his son and their daughter.


    "What is that bastard Markus thinking of, sending me this." Throwing the piece of paper aside, he pulled out the foam only to reveal a sight that he never expected.


    His eyes widened, and his breathing halted. For a second, the world around Trevor screeched to a halt as he eyed the object inside the box. It was a severed head with blood still stuck to it and a bullet hole in the forehead. The head had a widened, shocked expression and a lingering maniacal smile as if for a second, the dead person was brimming with crazed hope and then all of it was over a moment after.


    That dead person was none other than his son, Edward.


    "M-Master." The butler''s face changedpletely as he tried to call for his master except that he was a second toote.


    Trevor''s aura erupted like a raging volcano, destroying everything around him. His face was now contorted horrifyingly with endless anger that clouded his very mind.


    "MARKUS!!!! YOU BASTARD!!! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU?!!" He yelled, shaking the whole house.


    He then stood up and looked at his butler.


    "HE KILLED MY SON!!! THAT BASTARD!! HE LOST HIS FUCKING MIND!!!"


    "Master¡­ C-Calm down, it must be some kind of mistake. That can''t be-"


    "That can''t be what?! Huh, this is my son''s head!! That Lavine asshole spat on my face and delivered my son''s head to me!! What more do I need to wait for?!" Saying that, Trevor picked the severed head of his son by the hair and showed it to his butler.


    The way he handled the head didn''t show any sadness or concern over the fact that his son is really dead or not. Instead, the anger that Trevor felt stemmed from the tant disrespect the Lavines showed toward him.


    "I''m sure that bastard''s mind got screwed because of his dead corpse of a wife!!"


    "Master¡­ What should we do?"


    "He asked me to choose my next move wisely, didn''t he?! It''s fucking war!! I will crush that family and turn it into dust!! Tell my sons and daughters to wake up and meet me in the conference room and hire 100 of the best hitmen avable at the moment and send the Lavine family a message! Tell them that Trevor Chamagne epts your deration of war." Saying that Trevor walked out of his office.


    "This isn''t going to end well." The butler murmured as he paled at the mere thought of the Lavine family and the Chamagne family fighting each other to death. This wasn''t a mere war, this was something that will shake the whole world.


    These two families were two of the most influential in the world and a mere rumor about them could make the press turn crazy let alone if they directly fought each other.


    What was even scarier and what truly made the butler shudder in fear was not the fight itself but the parties that will participate in it. One hundred hitmen weren''t something to be joked with.


    Whatever could happen in the next few days will be world-shaking, to say the least.


    ***


    The night passed and the sun rose from the twilight, shining above the world and dering the start of a new day.


    Kai woke up as usual and then went to school. For some reason, even though merely two days passed since Friday, it felt as if he didn''t attend school in an eternity.


    His mind was still bugging him about what he discovered back in Lunaria. Kai knew better than anyone else how annoying it was to deal with a high officer. It would not only take off his effort but will also put some unwanted eyes on him in case something was leaked.


    There was also the matter of the Chamagne family which from his knowledge won''t be backing down from a tant deration of war. He had met Trevor Chamagne before and Kai knew that he was a very hot-blooded and impulsive person that followed his emotions more than his head.


    ''Well, I doubt he will attack them immediately. Considering what Eva said, he sent them back a letter saying that he epted their deration of war. However, he can''t simply prepare enough people to destroy the Lavine household in a few days.'' Kai''s eyes turned a degree colder.


    If his estimation was right, Trevor won''t make a move for a few more weeks. During this time, Kai can make his move and end everything before it even starts.


    Normally, Kai would''ve left this matter as it was none of his concern. However, the moment Edward targeted him, the moment he destroyed his house and tried to hinder his normal life, Kai decided to end his life and end his family''s lineage.


    The reason for that was simple. It was one of the rules he followed in his life to a T.


    ''If you want to erase a problem, pull it out of its roots.''


    If Kai killed Edward, his family will certainly not shut up about it and they will try toe after Kai. So, getting rid of them all will stop any possible problems in the future.


    Unbeknownst to the Chamagne family, their dead son had angered the person they didn''t want to face the most. If Trevor knew that his son had made the ck Phantom himselfe out of retirement and target them, he would''ve resurrected him from the dead, made him bow down before Kai, and then killed him again.


    Trevor knew of the horrors that Kaimitted before and that alone would dissipate any anger he had and would make him personally ask for forgiveness.


    However, it was all set in stone, Kai wasn''t going to let the Chamagne family off the hook.


    "Kaiiiii~~~" As he was in deep thought like that, two hands wrapped around his neck from behind as two soft melons squished against his body. "I missed you so much~~," Eva said happily as she rubbed her face on his cheek like a small cat greeting her owner.


    Kai sighed and put her down before he said.


    "Don''t hug me in the street and didn''t I say not to talk with me in public?" He asked coldly. If it wasn''t for the fact that no one was around them, Kai would''ve had to drag Eva to a quiet ce and scold her harshly.


    "Heeh? But, I made sure no one would see us. I even found a solution so we can go to school every day. All I have to do is to close the whole route there and no one would be able to see us." Eva said with a bright smile.


    Kai''s face didn''t change at the fact that she will deny ess to two main roads and three smaller roads just so that she can walk with him to school. However, he wasn''t going to allow her to do that.


    "No. This is already eye-catching as it is. Your limousine is still there." Saying that Kai turned around and left.


    "Dammit!" Eva cursed her luck as she looked at Kai walking away. Even though he had refused her, she didn''t get annoyed at all.


    "Seeing him in the morning is already plenty enough~" She murmured as she giggled happily and then left. Yesterday, Eva didn''t have time to sleep as she had to discuss what they should do concerning the Chamagnes.


    Her father weirdly approved of what she did. After the disrespect he had to go through from Trevor and his stupid son, he was boiling with rage. They loathed him, his wife, and his daughters.


    After their discussion, she had to quickly travel back to Kai and by the time she reached there, it was already morning. Granted, with Eva''s training she can go days without food or sleep but she was still quite tired. However, one look at Kai and her exhaustion was washed away. He was akin to an energy drink that would pump her with life again whenever she was getting tired.


    ''I promise you to keep our life here a peaceful haven for both of us, Kai. I won''t let anyone rob this from us.''

 Chapter 40 40- School Festival Announcement!

    <h4>Chapter 40 Chapter 40- School Festival Announcement!</h4>


    Kai eventually reached school where he found the students as usual, bustling around the door waiting for Eva to arrive.


    Even though she had barely been in that school for a week, she already had a fanbase and even a secret fan club called ''Queen Eva''s Admirers''. Her beauty and dazzling smile were akin to a blessing from god in the eyes of the students.


    As Kai was about to enter the school, he noticed that the Limousine arrived which garnered whispers from the students as they anticipated Evaing out.


    The door was then opened by the driver and Eva walked out, revealing her stunning beauty. Everyone was immediately frozen in their ces as they looked at her. For some reason, they noticed that Eva was different.


    "Is it my eyes¡­ or does she look even more beautiful than before?" One of them asked as he kept his eyes on her.


    "Right¡­ I felt it too. It''s as if she''s sparkling. Her smile looks even happier than before. Did something good happen to her this weekend?"


    Murmurs echoed in the whole area while Eva simply smiled at them and walked past like a breeze. A whiff of her smell reached the students and made them freeze again. It was as if for a second, they smelled a flower from the heavens.


    It was hypnotizingly good and considering their already high admiration for Eva, they could only follow after her like moths being attracted to bright mes.


    And just like that, a beautiful woman walked, and behind her, a huge group of students were following closely like a personal army. However, the girl didn''t seem bothered at all by their presence as all her thoughts and focus were on the young man walking ahead of her.


    Her eyes didn''t leave him from the moment she left the limousine.


    ''Finally, I got rid of the only insect that kept buzzing around me. I can finally focus on Kai and also that bitch that''s trying to steal him from me. She had too much fine putting her dirty hands on my darling! I will murder her!'' Her aura turned a degree colder, sending a shudder down the students'' spines.


    They all immediately stopped following her as they assumed that she hated the fact that they were barging into her personal space.


    Reaching the ssroom, Kai sat down in his chair and rested his chin on his hand as he looked outside as usual.


    Eva reached the ssroom a secondter and sat beside Kai as she shed him an affectionate smile before she pulled out her phone and sent him a message. (A//N: From now on, I will use [] for messages to make them easier to understand.)


    [Did you sleep wellst night?] She asked as she added a heart emoji.


    Kai looked at the screen for a second before he nodded his head without replying with a message.


    However, Eva noticed the subtle coldness in his eyes. Usually, Kai was a like a calm pond, cold yet also serene as if this world doesn''t bother him anymore. However, that mood was now very subtly changed to be a little sharper, harsher, and rather ominous. Typical signs that Kai wasn''t in a good mood.


    Being next to him, watching him all the time, Eva learned to notice those changes¡­ Not that Kai was trying to hide them actively either way.


    So, with a small sigh, Eva typed again.


    [Are you thinking about something?]


    [I will tell youter. Now, look ahead.] He replied before he closed the phone.


    Those words alone made Eva frown slightly. For Kai to specifically mention a problem to her was something extremely rare. This made her slightly worried. What is something that could bother the ck Phantom himself? The moon was about to fall on their heads? An earthquake will split the world in two? A zombie apocalypse? Such things are the only catastrophes that Eva assumed could pull a reaction out of Kai.


    However, she didn''t send any other message as she shook her head and looked at the ckboard at the same time the teacher entered.


    "Good morning, everyone. Before we start, I have another announcement. We had many of those the past week. Ugh, more paperwork for me." The teacher rubbed the back of his head as he coughed a little. "Anyway, next week is the School Festival. You will have two hours after school to decide on what you want to do this year and assign the ones who will organize the event. The student council will put out more information on the school''s website so please check it out."


    ''School festival?'' At that word, Eva''s ears perked as an idea popped into her head and a mischievous smile followed after.


    ''This is a good idea¡­ A very good idea~'' Snickering evilly like a child that was about to pull the biggest prank ever.


    Hours passed peacefully and finally, the lessons were over and the teacher looked at his students.


    "Who do you want to elect as the ss president? Any volunteers?" He asked as he looked around.


    Immediately, everyone averted their eyes as if they didn''t even want to stare directly at the teacher which generated a long sigh from the poor man. However, at that moment, Eva lifted her hand with a confident smile.


    "I volunteer to be the ss president." She said.


    Everyone looked at her with widened eyes before excited cheers erupted in the whole ss. No one was more perfect than Eva for this role. She was brimming with confidence as if she could carry the weight of the whole world on her back and never flinch. She is the perfect leader.


    In a sense, that was true for outsiders who didn''t know Eva. However, when she''s with Kai, her strong persona drops and she shows her vulnerability to him without thinking twice. She had a belief that no matter what problem she had, Kai could help her and solve it easily.


    He was akin to a magician that can turn her sadness into happiness in a moment. Although Eva felt ashamed that she could only rely on him and rarely had an opportunity to help him out, she still couldn''t stop herself from seeking that addictive feeling of being protected by him.


    It was simply too good of a feeling to be ignored.


    "Miss Eva? Hmm, certainly a good candidate. Who agrees raises their hand?" The teacher asked.


    Immediately, everyone raised their hands. Everyone except Kai, who didn''t seem bothered to even focus on the conversation going on.


    "Hmm, I see. Well then, it seems that Miss Eva is our new ss president. Now, Miss Eva, pleasee over here and select your vice president. You both will share the nning process of the school festival and then ry it to your peers."


    Eva nodded her head and stood up before making her way to the podium.


    After that, she gave the ss a serious look.


    "Thank you all for selecting me. I will do my best to make our event the best one this year. Now, for my vice president, I will choose¡­"


    The atmosphere in the room tensed up as everyone gulped down a mouthful of saliva. Now, everyone wanted to be the vice president at all costs! Just the mere idea of spending time with their Queen nning the festival is like a dream.


    ''Choose me!''


    ''No, choose me!! Please!!''


    ''Mommy!! Please let me be your son!!''


    Intense thoughts filled everyone''s mind. Finally, Eva smiled and said.


    "My vice president will be Kai Miller." She said.


    *Silence*


    At that moment, everything screeched to a halt as silence took over the ce. The sound of a needle dropping on the ground would''ve been heard in that atmosphere.


    A secondter, a freezing cold aura submerged the ss in a chilling sensation. Eva''s face flinched slightly as she looked at a particr person with a nervous expression. For a second, she could swear she saw a snowy blizzard covering the whole room. As if they were sent back to the ice age in a split second.


    ''I think¡­ I screwed up!!'' She screamed in her head as she noticed the chilling cold gaze Kai gave her. His eyes pore daggers into her very being as if he stripped her naked and examined every inch of her body down to her very soul. While that was something she wished for, the current situation wasn''t anywhere near that!


    A few secondster, Kai closed his eyes and sighed before he stood up. His face looked bored and calm but Eva knew that he didn''t just calm down. In fact, the calmer Kai is the scarier he bes.


    ''Gulp! I''m really screwed!! Dammit, I''m such an idiot! I''m a big, huge idiot!!'' Eva screamed in her head.


    "Mr. Miller is your choice? Hmm, well, that''s not bad either. Please, step forward, Mr. Miller." The teacher said.


    Kai nodded as he stepped forward and stood beside Eva, towering over her silhouette that looked smaller than usual at the moment. Was it not for her abnormal ability in hiding her expression, she would''ve instantly crumbled under the pressure Kai was exuding at the moment.


    "Why is that guy?! Why is he chosen?!"


    "Goddamit!! My dream! My goal in life!! It was crushed!!"


    "I swear she looked at me longer than anyone else! She must''ve made a mistake and instead of saying my name, she said his!! Right, guys?"


    "The creepy guy is the lucky one?! Why does that sound like the development of a generic manga?! Is this world not real?! Huh, answer me, god!!"


    Suchments could be heard everywhere but Kai didn''t pay them no heed as he stared at the wall on the other side of the room.


    "Silence! Now, these two are the ones who will organize the n for the festival. Share your ideas with them."


    A//N: For those who question why Kai would go out of his way to help Eva. When their past is revealed, everything will make sense :) Thanks for reading

 Chapter 41 41- Good Intentions

    <h4>Chapter 41 Chapter 41- Good Intentions?</h4>


    After that, the teacher excused himself and allowed his students to discuss the project with each other. This was an important skill to learn before they finally could go out to the real world. The school festival was mainly for students to understand the importance of working together and nning their steps thoroughly.


    So, Eva took the lead in the ss and started asking for suggestions from the students. Some suggested food stalls, others suggested a few kinds of amusement park games and some even suggested opening a crane game shop.


    However, none of these were received positively by the majority until one of them suddenly stood up and said.


    "How about a maid cafe!"


    The moment he said that everyone nodded their heads in approval. The idea seemed very good. But, what made it even more attractive was apletely different reason.


    ''Queen Eva in a maid outfit¡­'' They all thought as they imagined Eva''s appearance wearing that. Immediately, their minds were blown. She looked too divine in that outfit.


    "Sigh, a maid cafe?" Eva murmured as she wrote it on the ckboard and then turned around and asked. "The ones that agree with the idea, raise you ha-"


    Before she could even finish the sentence, everyone raised their hands enthusiastically. For some odd reason, a serious mood took over the ss. A fighting spirit ignited in the eyes of the students.


    "I guess a Maid cafe it is then."


    Cheers erupted in the room. The students from being unwilling to prepare for the festival to extremely hyped for it in mere minutes which was quite the sight to witness.


    "Good, well, since that''s our main idea. Tomorrow, we will start the nning. I and the vice president will get the outline for the project ready. We still need to contact a clothing store for the maid outfits and the food that we will serve."


    After they shared a few more ideas, the ss was dismissed. Everyone left as they talked excitedly about the festival. The atmosphere was great and thatsted until thest student left the ss, leaving Kai and Eva alone.


    The moment that happened, a gloomy atmosphere loomed over the ce as a chilling coldness prated Eva''s senses.


    Turning her neck around rigidly with a nervous expression, she found Kai sitting on the teacher''s chair with one leg on top of the other and his hand resting on the desk as if he was an arrogant king loathing every peasant beneath him. His elegant and powerful aura didn''t help reduce the aura of a royal he had.


    "K-Kai¡­" Eva tried to speak but instantly went silent as she felt the pressure increase.


    "Sit down." He said in a chilling tone. His tone was apathetic and emotionless as if he was a robot talking.


    "Y-Yes!!" Eva instinctively started speaking with a respectful tone as she knew that Kai wasn''t going to tolerate any jokes she would say.


    So, Eva pulled a chair and sat down facing Kai with her head looking down.


    "You have 30 seconds to exin why you did that."


    "I-I-I wanted Kai¡­ To experience how a normal student would be."


    "Hm?" Kai''s eyebrow rose slightly showing a mild interest in what she was going to say next.


    "I mean¡­ Look, you want to live a normal high school life, right? Participating in the school festival is one of the normal things a normal student would do. Like, like, working on the project, making the signs, promoting the cafe. Such things make you very normal!!" Eva said as she tried to find words to describe her thoughts.


    From the start, she had the intention to help Kai get involved more in what he sought after¡­ An average high schooler life. Compared to him, Eva was more knowledgeable about how to live a normal life even though she herself was far from normal. However, what she didn''t know was that her approach to that was quite wrong.


    ''My years of researching how to live normally for my future with Kai finally came to fruition. But, I should''ve not done it this way.'' She thought to herself.


    Seconds passed in silence as Kai kept peering at Eva like a predator eyeing his prey and assessing every part of it.


    "Sigh, since this didn''t carry any potential problems, I won''t go out of my way to change the oue. However, let me make myself clear for the future. I do not tolerate being used without my knowledge, not even if it''s something that you might think will benefit me. I helped you heal your mother and will help you get rid of the Chamagne family because of the debt I owe you from the distant past and because I want to get rid of them too. Do not take it for granted that I will help you again, Eva." He said coldly, his eyes as sharp as daggers.


    "I epted you living here because I do not consider you an enemy and more like an ally. Do not make me change my mind."


    "... Yes¡­ I, I understand. I''m really sorry for doing this. I''m childish for acting like this." Eva''s darkened as a sad smile appeared on her face.


    Although it pained her greatly to get scolded by Kai, she knew that what she did was excessive. The guilt she felt was great but she tried to keep herposure. Except, that didn''tst long.


    "I-I will reflect on what I did. I''m deeply sorry, Kai. Please, don''t hate me. If you hate me... I-I don''t know what to do... I¡­ *hick*" Tears welled up in Eva''s eyes as she looked down at her shaking hands. The sight alone could break the toughest of hearts. This was the saddest Eva felt in a very long time.


    It was akin to a million daggers tearing her heart ruthlessly. The guilt she felt was immense.


    Thetter watched her lonesome figure as she cried silently before he sighed. For some reason, he felt even more annoyed at that moment. However, it wasn''t directed at Eva but somethingpletely different yet he didn''t know what it was.


    This feeling confused Kai as it was the first time he experienced it. Why was he even more annoyed than before? What is this hesitation he was feeling?


    "Sigh, good intentions are only good if the other party knows about them or else they are simply foolish and unnecessary misunderstandings. You should already know that. But, I can still understand what you wanted to do, to some extent."


    After that, Kai stood up and approached her, and tapped her shoulder gently. Eva''s eyes widened slightly as she looked up at Kai. His cold expression had subsided a little and was now back to normal. His hypnotizing purple eyes peered into her very soul and said.


    "Wipe tears and let''s finish nning." Then, he walked toward the door leaving a frozen Eva behind.


    ''What was that feeling¡­'' Kai''s face frowned slightly as he ran his hands through his hair, revealing a glimpse of his unbelievably handsome face for a split second before it was covered with hair again.


    However, he couldn''t reach any conclusion so he shook his head and put the matter at the back of his head.


    Eva on the other hand wiped her tears and stood up before she followed Kai silently. She still felt down deep down.


    "Mmm, Kai¡­ C-Can I ask a question?"


    "..."


    "When you mentioned that you owe me a debt. What do you mean by that? I don''t recall you ever owing me anything and I would never ask anything from you anyway." She asked confusedly.


    "..." Kai didn''t reply for a while. A swirl of memories shed through his head for a split second before he closed his eyes and replied. "It''s nothing."


    "Hm?" Eva felt even more confused as she tried to remember anything remotely close to that. However, none came to mind. Besides, Eva was certain that even if she really did help Kai in some way before, she would never even entertain the thought of turning it into a favor. If Kai was to ever ask her to do anything for him, she would do it no matter what it is as long as it was within her capabilities.


    That''s the least she could do for him, the person that was the beacon of light in her life.


    ''Well, since he doesn''t want to tell me, it''s not that big of a deal.'' She brushed it off and continued walking.


    "So, where are we going now?"


    "To a ce where we can get ideas. A cafe." He said.


    Eva''s expression froze for a second as a blush appeared on her cheeks.


    ''Wait, a cafe?! We are both going there, alone¡­ Does that mean that this is a D-D-Date?!!'' Instantly, all the gloominess Eva felt vanished as a beaming smile appeared on her face. She looked like a sad child that was offered candy.


    Her quick shift in mood was quite impressive.


    Her steps hastened slightly and she reached Kai''s side. The two then left school and headed to a nearby cafe that was quite popr with students.

 Chapter 42 42- The Red Rose Day

    <h4>Chapter 42 Chapter 42- The Red Rose Day</h4>


    The cafe was on one of the popr streets of the city where most entertainment facilities are located. It was one of the few areas in the city that were made especially for that purpose.


    When they reached the cafe, it was oddly quiet, Kai''s eyebrow raised for a second before he looked at Eva.


    "Did you¡­"


    Eva''s eyes immediately averted as she murmured with a hesitant tone. The words Kai said to her a while ago were still resonating with her deeply so her mind would even overthink the smallest of actions she does.


    "This ce is always full so I rented the ce for a few hours just so that you can feelfortable. D-Did I make a mistake? S-Should I not do that?" She asked as she looked down like a sad puppy.


    Kai stared at her for a few seconds before he shook his head.


    "No, I knew you will do that. It''s better than waiting in line and not finding where to sit." Kai replied which made the girl sigh in relief and the two then walked inside.


    Immediately, a man who looked like the waiter ran toward them and bowed down with a nervous expression.


    "Wee to our humble cafe, Miss Eva! P-Please, follow me to your seats."


    The way the waiter was treating Eva showed clear fear and respect. His boss had just called him and told him to close down the ce since a very important guest was about to pay them a visit and they must show them their best service possible. The reputation of their cafe relies on that.


    Eva simply nodded her head briefly before she walked after the waiter with a cold expression with Kai in toe. His eyes kept wandering around, examining every nook and cranny of the ce as if it was a museum.


    This was a habit Kai learned in his days of being a hitman. Whenever he entered a new space whether it was a room, a house, or a hall, he would always examine it thoroughly and then create a three-dimensional map in his head in case he needed one.


    This allowed him to always be ready in case something happened.


    The trio reached the stairs that led to the second floor which was also a part of the cafe. The second floor was an open area that viewed the city from above. The tables here were very expensive and yet always full no matter what time of day it is.


    However, this ce now only had one table and two chairs close to the edge for the best view possible.


    "P-Please make yourselffortable while I bring the menu." The waiter said before he excused himself and walked away.


    The two then sat down and instinctively looked at the world around them. Although the city they lived in was small, it was by no means unpleasant to look at. In fact, since the city was small and was near a forest to the west, the view was quite amazing from a high point. Coupled with the fact that the time was evening and the sun was on the horizon, burning itsst embers before vanishing for the day. The orange color took over, tainting anything and everything in its shades.


    Kai''s eyes turned a degree warmer when he examined the sight. In the past few years, Kai grew fond of looking at the world from a window. There was a certain charm about it that he could only get attracted to. Maybe it was because he had never had the opportunity to appreciate it when he was drowning in the blood of his own victims.


    Meanwhile, Eva''s eyes shifted to her beloved and her breathing suddenly halted. For some reason, Kai''s silhouette was now more captivating than ever for her. His aura, his calm expression, his rather gentle purple eyes. It was akin to looking at a piece of art drawn by a godly artist and colored with the shades of a divine palette. A swirl of emotions filled her very soul like raging waves.


    "So beautiful¡­" Two words leaked out of her mouth without her noticing which made her eyes widen slightly and then went silent, hoping Kai didn''t hear her. Immediately, she felt so embarrassed because she let herself say something so shameless.


    A few minutes passed in afortable silence until the waiter came back and gave them the menu. The mood finally returned to normal as Kai examined the choices before he looked at the waiter.


    "ck coffee, two spoonfuls of sugar, no milk, and a tiramisu, no toppings," Kai said in a precise tone as if he knew what he was going to choose from the start.


    "Get me the same thing," Eva added before she gave back the menu.


    "Tiramisus are still your favorite dessert?" Eva asked with a fond smile to which Kai nodded briefly.


    "It doesn''t taste bad." He added.


    "I see¡­" Eva noted down that detail for the future before she finally moved to the main topic.


    "So, what did you want to tell me this morning? I''ve been thinking about it."


    The boy''s aura turned a little colder. Kai was still annoyed by this matter but he had to get down to the bottom of it if he wanted to get rid of any potential problem that could arise.


    "When I left your house the other day, I located the chaser and was able to extract some information from him. The most important one is¡­ There is a very high chance that a High Officer put a bounty on your head."


    Eva''s eyes turned immediately sharp the moment she heard the two words ''High Officer.''


    "Why would a High Officer target me? I don''t have any connection with the guild''s highest members. Not a direct one at least."


    "Odd¡­ Do you not recall anything you did that could''ve pointed their interest at you?"


    "No. I haven''t visited the HQ for a while."


    Kai''s eyes turned sharper as he realized that the matter wasn''t as simple as he thought. No, it was far moreplicated now that he asked Eva.


    ''A renowned hitman is now a target of an unknown High officer. The reasons are unknown and even the ones that epted the task are unknown. Tsk¡­'' Clicking his tongue, Kai had no other choice but to y along with this mysterious maniptor so he can drag them out of their hiding spot.


    "The Red Rose Day¡­ It''sing soon."


    Eva''s face frowned when she heard those words. The Red Rose Day, three words that would make any hitman from the guild shudder from simply hearing them.


    During that day, the top 100 hitmen in the guild will sit around one table to discuss certain important matters like the current rankings of the guild, the new rules that might be added or retracted, and many other major events that were happening in the underworld.


    However, that part wasn''t the worst thing about the Red Rose Day but whates after that is the thing that made hitmen despise that day. That day was simply important enough to change the rules of the underworld every single year when it happens and even shift the bnce of power.


    "Yes, it''s in a few more months," Eva replied.


    "That''s a good opportunity to reveal the person behind this. I''m certain that if they were really after you, the Red Rose Day will be the perfect day to execute their n. Or, in this case, they will take the bait."


    "But, what are their intentions? I never did anything that could make them target me."


    This was the question that bugged Kai the most. What was their goal? Killing Eva will only carry troubles to the Guild since the Lavine family was heavily involved with them.


    "Something that is worth antagonizing one of their most prominent families for. What could it be?" He murmured as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    However, nothing came to mind.


    "Sigh, it''s pointless to keep thinking about this matter. Just keep an eye out in case any other hitman targets you and try to find any potential leads you could get. When the time for the Red Rose Day approaches, we will see what happens."


    For a predator to catch his prey, patience is important and Kai''s prey wasn''t any prey, it was someone that could easily destroy his peaceful life forever.


    Maybe it''s not Eva that they are after. Maybe it''s somethingpletely different. Something that Even Kai can''t guess or fathom.

 Chapter 43 43- Are You Punishing Me?!

    <h4>Chapter 43 Chapter 43- Are You Punishing Me?!</h4>


    As the two fell into a thoughtful silence, the waiter approached them with their orders and settled them down on the table respectfully.


    "Two cups of coffee and two tiramisus, no toppings. Enjoy!" He said before he left.


    Kai looked at the coffee for a second as if he was examining it and then shifted his eyes to the tiramisu before he picked up the cup and took a sip. Although Kai was immune to all kinds of poisons, it was never bad to make sure there wasn''t something weird in his drink.


    "Not bad¡­" Tasting the coffee, he nodded his head in approval.


    "Mmm, I agree¡­" Eva nodded with a satisfied smile.


    When she was young she didn''t really like coffee, especially bitter ones but with time, she grew to enjoy them and even actively order them whenever she could.


    ''And who''s to me?~'' She thought with a happy smile as she admired Kai''s face secretly while taking another sip of the coffee.


    "Since there is nothing else to do, let''s start nning for the festival," Kai said as he pulled out a few pieces of paper from his backpack along with a few pencils.


    "From what I saw, the cafe kept the decor very minimal and they focused more on the design of the tables and the chairs. The menu isn''t thatplicated either and the main focus of it is sweets and pastries rather than drinks. I''m sure people would want something good tasting¡­" As he gave his analysis, he drew a n on the piece of paper where he linked all of his ideas together with arrows and circles.


    ''He deducted all of that from a few minutes of looking around¡­ As expected of my darling~'' The girl could only admire his sharp mind not that she didn''t notice that either.


    "There is also the design of the cups and ts. They are very minimalistic but elegant." Eva added her notes too which Kai also wrote down.


    The two then continued sharing ideas until they quickly filled the first piece of paper. They had nned the decor, the menu, and how they are going to promote the cafe in the most efficient way and also added a few tweaks to fix the ring problems they found in this cafe.


    If the two were to give this n to the cafe''s owner, this shop''s reputation will skyrocket to a national level.


    "Should we buy the maid costumes or should we design them ourselves?" Eva asked as she took a slice of Tiramisu.


    Kai thought for a second before he took an empty piece of paper and started scribbling on it at an extremely fast pace. Eva watched him confusedly for a few moments until he finally finished and twisted the paper around to show her.


    "You choose, this is a rough design of what I think is a not-bad maid costume," Kai murmured. Because of the nature of his job, he did visit ces with actual maids in them and so he drew a design based on what he recalls.


    Eva examined the paper and her eyes widened slightly before she chuckled amusedly.


    "Calling this ''Rough'' would make all clothes designers in the world die from a heart attack, Kai."


    What Kai showed her was an extremely detailed and intricate design of a very gorgeous and elegant maid costume from 4 different angles with precise measurements of each part and even a detailed process on how to create one.


    ''Such a beautiful drawing. I''ve never seen anything close to this.'' Eva murmured.


    Since she did work as a supermodel before, she had a very in-depth knowledge of the world of designer clothes and how they are made. Yet, what was in front of her was somehow way better than all of that.


    "Did you take a course in designing clothes, Kai?" She asked confusedly.


    "No. I only know how to draw at a basic level." He replied calmly as he ate a bite from the sweets in front of him.


    ''Basic level¡­ I doubt this is called basic¡­ Sigh, my darling is too dense sometimes.'' Eva shook her head as she admired the piece of art and then said.


    "We will make them ourselves then. I will send this to a well-known manufacturer and we should get them ready this week."


    "Before that¡­" Suddenly, Kai stood up and walked around the table, and stood very close to Eva. Then, he bent slightly forward to rest one arm on the table and the other on the chair''s frame.


    "You have more knowledge about this than I do. This part of the arm''s cor, is it good enough?" Kai asked as he gave Eva a side nce.


    "..." However, Eva didn''t respond at all. Her eyes simply stared at him silently while her body stayedpletely frozen in ce.


    ''Close¡­ Very close¡­'' She thought to herself.


    From this angle, Eva could see Kai''s face hidden behind his hair, and her breathing halted. God! He is too handsome for her mind to handle!


    No matter how much she looked at him, he was still beyond gorgeous. Was he even human at this point? She always wondered since no human could look this perfect. His long eyshes, his purple void-like eyes, his nose, his lips, his jaw, his cheeks, everything about him made her heart beat loudly.


    A healthy blush appeared on Eva''s face before she quickly averted her eyes and looked at the paper.


    "W-What was it?"


    "This part," Kai replied with a confused expression.


    "A-Ah, right, yeah, it looks very well made. But, maybe¡­" Taking a pen, Eva started drawing and fixing the design.


    However, even though her speed was amazing, her mind waspletely in a different dimension. Feeling Kai''s breathing near her ear, his presence, his warmth, and even the asional idental touches between them sent her heart flying.


    ''This is torture!! I can''t stay sane like this!! Is he punishing me?! This must be his punishment for me!!'' She screamed with a furious blush.


    So, the duo continued their work in a rather calm atmosphere. Unbeknownst to them, somewhere far away in a different part of the world.


    ***


    "Elu, what''s up with you calling me two weeks in a row?!" Kayained with an angry expression as she red at her friend who was drawing behind countlessputer screens.


    "Uh¡­ Kaya, help meeee~~ I''m dying!!" Elu replied as she fell down from the chair and crawled toward Kay like a Zombie. Her face was extremely pale and her eyes had huge dark bags under them from theck of sleep.


    "What happened to you?" Kaya sighed as she bent down and supported her tired friend.


    "Work¡­ I couldn''t¡­ Sleep for a week¡­" The girl replied weakly.


    "Sigh, you are such a workaholic. Here, sit down while I get you a cup of water." Kaya scolded her friend like a tired mother.


    "Before¡­ that¡­ There is something important I need to tell you." The girl halted her as she pointed at herputer.


    "There is¡­ footage¡­ There¡­" She said.


    "Footage?"


    "Yes¡­ A person was sighted a few days ago in the capital of D-Country Lunaria¡­ I have a suspicion that it could be¡­ The ck Phantom."


    Kaya''s eyes widened slightly when she heard that. Her eyes squinted slightly before she walked toward theputer and clicked on the video. There, she could see the footage camera showing a lonesome silhouette standing in the middle of a street.


    When the camera zoomed in slightly, the silhouette miraculously turned blurry and impossible to recognize.


    ''He used Origin to interfere with the camera''s functionalities. This is not something anyone could do.'' Kaya thought coldly.


    A secondter, a huge building fell down on the figure and a huge cloud of dust covered the camera for a few moments. However, when Kaya looked closer, she could see a huge boulderunching into the air, and someone rose from under the rubble basically unscathed.


    "What¡­ the hell?" She murmured inplete shock.


    She couldn''t believe her eyes. In all her career working with Divinity, Kaya had never seen someone survive a building copsing on them. While many could survive the first impact if they cover their bodies with ayer of Origin, they can''t sustain that Layer for long because of the tens or even hundreds of tons of weight that copsed on them and so they eventually die from the pressure.


    However, this person not only survived a skyscraper falling on him, he somehow dug his way out without sustaining any major injuries.


    "That footage¡­ is horrifying¡­ I doubt even Virtues or Ophanims could survive that."


    "They can''t," Kaya replied with certainty. "The only people that have any chance of not dying from that are the legendary Seraphims." She said as her face darkened.


    Whoever that person was, ck Phantom or not, he was a huge powerhouse that can''t be trifled with.


    "Kaya¡­ He was sighted awfully close to the country you live in. Because hepletely blurred his body and face, I can''t identify him at all but I will still try to. However, be¡­ careful." As Elu said thest few words, her eyes started closing before she dozed off into deep slumber.


    Kaya looked at her friend for a few seconds and then back at the footage. She kept staring at the silhouette of the person for a while. Something about him was familiar but she couldn''t understand what or why it was familiar.


    ''This is odd¡­ Why do I feel like I met him before?''

 Chapter 44 44- Pet

    <h4>Chapter 44 Chapter 44- Pet</h4>


    A week passed quietly with no major things happening. Kai spent his days simply preparing the festival with Eva and helping the other students from the sidelines without standing out too much.


    Weirdly enough, he didn''t hate all of this even though he assumed it will be tedious. Just working on something so simple yet also so new was very much the most fun Kai had in god knows how long.


    It was like a breath of fresh air for his rather monotonous life. That''s when he also realized that the average high schooler life he was living might not be as average as he thought. In fact, seeing how the students worked on the festival, he realized that he was indeed still an odd one.


    So, he noted down in his head to try and participate in future events so he can understand more about this new world that opened to him.


    The progress on the cafe was quite rapid with Eva''s great leading skills and the determination of the students to make the best project out of all the sses.


    Eventually, just a few days before the start of the school festival, the work reached itsst few steps and the students could finally rx and rest.


    "Good work everyone! I''m proud of all of you." Eva said with a confident smile as she stared at everyone. Kai was standing behind her, resting his back on the wall casually as if he wasn''t even a part of this.


    He made sure that Eva would take the lead in front of students so that they don''t get suspicious while he simply worked from the background.


    "If it wasn''t for you Miss Eva, we would''ve never been able to do this! Your nning and leadership skills are beyond impressive!!" One student said with a bright smile.


    "Yes!!" Another nodded his head in approval.


    "Let''s give her a p, guys!"


    Immediately, the whole ss started pping and cheering for their new leader. Eva was slightly surprised before she smiled slightly. Although she was happy, deep inside, her mind only had one thought.


    ''I want them to p for Kai and acknowledge his work too. But, he doesn''t want any attention so I can''t tell them to do that. Sigh, even though he was more efficient in working more than I did.'' She sighed inwardly but kept her professional smile on.


    As for Kai, he was watching her from the sidelines and noticed the subtle change in her expression. However, he simply shook his head and didn''t say anything. Nobody knew what was going on in that mind of his.


    "Now, let''s clean this up and go home."


    Looking at them starting to leave, Kai stood up and walked toward the door. However, he stopped before he turned to look at Eva.


    "In two days, it will start." He said in a mysterious tone.


    Eva was confused at first but then understood what he meant. She also was aware of what the Chamagne family was intending to do. It was quite impressive that they were able to hire 100 hitmen for this all-out war they are intending to do.


    ''I need to go back home soon before anything bad happens.'' Eva had already made up her mind.


    "Yes, I know. But, you don''t have to force yourself to do this Kai. I can deal with the-"


    "I''m not doing it for you. It''s personal now." Kai replied coldly. "You just take care of the ones that escape sneakily. Don''t let anyone survive."


    "You don''t have to tell me." Eva''s beautiful eyes turned sharp in a moment. Her predator-like aura was terrifying to look at.


    "..." Kai didn''t say much else and left quietly.


    On his way home, the street was quiet as it was already nighttime. It was quite thefortable silence.


    "Nyaa¡­" Suddenly, Kai heard a sounding from an alley near him. His eyes shifted to look there.


    "Nyaa¡­" The sound echoed again.


    ''A cat?'' He thought as he curiously walked toward the origin of the voice. The meowing was weak and barely audible for a normal human but Kai wasn''t normal so it sounded clear in his ears.


    When he reached the small alley, he found a catying on a pond of cold water with its eyes half open. Its body and fur were soaked in blood and its mouth was barely moving as it seemingly called for help while shuddering from time to time. A huge, horrifying injury covered the cat''s stomach and chest, and was leaking blood constantly.


    However, even with that, the little animal looked so beautiful. Its ck fur was smooth and shiny even when it was dirtied with blood and mud. Its clear blue eyes were akin to a gxy of stars swirling and moving as they shone brightly. If it wasn''t for its current conditions, Kai was sure that it would''ve been considered a very expensive breed of cat.


    Kai stared at the clearly dying animal for a few moments as if he was examining it before he approached it and bent down.


    "You were attacked by another cat?" He asked coldly. "It really beat you up, huh."


    For some reason, the urge to talk to this animal-filled Kai''s mind and he simplyplied. Something about the cat''s eyes made him unable to turn around and leave.


    "Why don''t you die? What''s there to live for? Do you love life that much?" He asked the cat as if it could reply to him.


    "Me¡­oww¡­" The little animal stared at him as it meowed as if it understood what he meant and was responding.


    "You don''t have the answer either¡­" Murmuring so, Kai put his hand on the creature''s body before magically, all the injuries the creature had vanished. Its weak eyes finally gained light as it stood up and shook its body, getting rid of the water before it approached Kai and started rubbing its face on his leg.


    "Meow!" The creature made a happy energetic sound as if it was telling Kai how grateful it was.


    "You can go now." He said as he patted it once on the head and then turned to leave.


    However, surprisingly, the creature followed after him with its tale up in the air.


    "Meow!!"


    Kia looked at the animal for a moment before he sighed and continued walking. The two kept moving through the street.


    "Go back to your mother." Suddenly, Kai turned and gave it a cold re, and used the same authoritarian voice he directed toward the bear before. A mere word from him could turn the most savage of animals into a docile pet that listens to his orders.


    "Meow!!" However, the cat didn''t seem bothered by it as it reached Kai and started rubbing its head on his leg.


    "..."


    Kai felt confused. Why was the cat not listening? Did he not scare it enough to run away? Or was there something wrong with this cat''s mind? He had no answer.


    "Sigh, what do you want from me? I healed you. We have nothing to do with each other now." He said in an exasperated tone.


    "Meow!!" The cat meowed back with its clear, big eyes staring back at Kai.


    "Sigh¡­ Whatever." Kai murmured as he started walking again with the cat following after him enthusiastically.


    The two eventually reached the apartementplex. Kai was curious as to what the cat will try to do now that he was near his apartement. However, the little animal didn''t seem bothered and continued walking till it reached Kai''s house.


    Then, it stood there, waiting for Kai to open the door with a happy look on its face. The cat was very expressivepared to other cats Kai saw before.


    "Sigh, I can''t let you inside¡­" He said.


    "Meow!!"


    "As I said, I can''t-"


    "Meow!!"


    The cat seemed relentless. So, Kai silently opened the door and walked inside before he closed the door.


    "Meow!!"


    The animal stood watching the door as it meowed endlessly.


    A few minutes passed like that before Kai sighed as he walked back to the door and opened it. Immediately, the little animal''s eyes shone brightly as it approached Kai and rubbed his leg affectionately.


    Kai didn''t understand why but he just couldn''t let it stay outside. This little creature didn''t seem to be scared of him at all and that picked his curiosity. Usually, animals would immediately run away if he gave them as little as a re. Yet, this one only approached him harder the more he tried to push it away.


    "Why do you remind me of someone?" He asked as he allowed it to walk inside. "And you''re a female too¡­"


    After that, he closed the door and walked after the cat as it curiously examined the ce. After that, it walked back to Kai who sat down on the sofa, and then jumped on hisp before it sprawled down and closed its eyes. Kai''s eyebrows rose a little as he watched the animal curiously.


    The way it was behaving was as if it knew Kai for a very long time. In fact, the clear fondness he could see in its eyes was confusing. He doesn''t recall ever seeing this cat before.


    "Meow¡­" Meowing onest time, it fell into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 45 45- 100 Hitmen And a Sleeper

    <h4>Chapter 45 Chapter 45- 100 Hitmen And a Sleeper</h4>


    Kai sat there, motionless, as he looked at the sleeping animal in hisp. The way the creature heaved up and down was weirdly calming especially with its incredibly beautiful appearance.


    Time passed slowly until the clock hit 9:00 pm which made Kai finally look up. He had to eat and then go to sleep since it was getting veryte.


    Coincidentally, the cat also opened its wide, sea-like eyes as it yawned and stretched its body before it stood up and looked at him.


    "Meow!!"


    "Are you¡­ hungry?" He asked.


    "Meow!" The cat replied as if it was approving of what he said.


    ''I don''t have cat food.'' Pondering for a second, the boy put the cat down on the sofa and walked toward the kitchen. A few minutester, he came back with a te for him and a te for the cat.


    Since he had some leftover chicken, he made some curry and he gave some of it to the cat. Thetter seemed to be delighted as it jumped down and ran toward the te before it started eating without even smelling or making sure it was eatable.


    Kai looked at it for a moment before he nodded and sat down to eat. After finishing his food and washing dishes, he was about to walk to his bedroom when the door knocked.


    Kai already sensed the presence of the person behind the door so he opened the door casually.


    "Kaya?"


    "I brought you some sweets. Let''s eat them!" The woman said with a bright smile as she showed him the bag in her hand.


    "..." Without thinking much, Kai opened the door and allowed her in.


    "Sigh, I''m sorry for noting today, Kai. I had to stay at wor- Hm?" As Kaya was talking, her eyes fell on the adorable animalying on the sofa.


    "A cat? You adopted a cat, Kai?" She asked confusedly as she approached the cat curiously. However, the moment she tried to touch the cat, thetter red at her sharply and hissed.


    Its fangs protruded out as it got ready to scratch Kaya at any given moment. This reaction bewildered Kaya as she didn''t do anything that could scare the cat. In fact, Kaya was very good with animals since her aura is friendly around them.


    "Why do you hate me, little thing? Did I do anything to anger you?" Kaya asked gently as she tried to coax the cat. However, that only seemed to anger the cat even more as it retreated back.


    "I didn''t¡­ adopt it. It followed me from outside."


    Kai, who noticed the odd behavior of the animal, didn''t say much and sat down at the table again. Kaya shrugged and didn''t try to pet the cat again and instead sat in front of Kai.


    "I got you your favorite sweets! Look!" Kaya said as she pulled out Tiramisu from the bag. The quality was in no way worse than the one tasted.


    "Thanks," Kai said calmly as he took a bite of the sweets and nodded his head. At the same time, the cat meowed adorably and jumped on hisp before it sat down and started looking at him silently.


    "Oh, it likes you. You charming scoundrel! Didn''t you have enough to steal your big sister''s heart?~" Kaya asked jokingly but with a seductive tone that could madden the sanest of people.


    Immediately, the cat looked at Kaya and red angrily.


    ''Huh? Did this cat¡­ understand?'' Kaya blinked confusedly as she made eye contact with it. Sparks flew between the two.


    Meanwhile, Kai continued eating the Tiramisu with a serene expression. It was clear that he was enjoying it even at first nce. However, at that moment, a little bit of cream stuck to the corner of his mouth.


    "Kai, you have some cream on your lip. How about I lic-" Before Kaya could say anything, the cat had suddenly stood up and closed on Kai''s face before it licked the cream gently. Then, it stared at Kai for a few more seconds as if it was admiring his face.


    It almost looked like a human in love looking at their soul mate. This alone shocked Kaya to no extent.


    ''This¡­ cat¡­ Is it¡­ Don''t tell me?!'' Kaya''s face almost crumbledpletely as it realized oddly.


    "Meow!!" Closing its eyes with a satisfied expression, the animal turned around and gave Kaya a nce. The blonde woman could almost swear that she saw a smirk on the cat''s face as if it was taunting her.


    Clenching her fists, Kaya didn''t consider this animal as a pet anymore¡­ It was an enemy!!


    "K-Kai¡­ This cat, does it not have an owner?"


    "Doesn''t seem so." He replied as he continued eating.


    "So it''s a dirty stray cat? What if it''s dirty or sick? It could carry the illness to you." Kaya reasoned as she hid a smirk.


    "Meow!!" The cat meowed angrily as it rubbed its face against Kai''s stomach and then rested again on hisp.


    "... I will get it checked soon." He said.


    "Wait, you want to keep it?!"


    "It doesn''t seem to hate me. I want¡­ to experience owning a pet." He said as he tapped the animal on the head rigidly to which the creature purred happily.


    ''Damn it! This little shit got into his heart!! How did it even do this in a few hours?!! What''s your secret, cat?!'' Kaya screamed as she didn''t know whether tough or cry over this.


    It was at that moment that Kaya realized something. Her only rival in love had now suddenly turned into two. A girl and a cat.


    ***


    Meanwhile, at the same time, the Chamagne family, a historic moment was urring. For the first time in the family''s history, tens of people wearing masks stood in a huge conference hall. Their auras were cold and the atmosphere was suffocating, to say the least.


    Everyone had a subtle killing intent around them as if they were warning each other not to dare and do anything funny or a deadly battle will ur. If it wasn''t for the money they got paid for this mission, these hitmen will never stand in the same ce willingly.


    In the guild, it was rare for a hitman to make an amicable rtionship with another hitman unless they were both going to benefit from it in the short term. Other than that, everyone is each other''s enemy. The only things stopping the Guild members from brutally murdering each other are the rules, and the rules are absolute.


    *Rule 0 of the Guild: Rules are absolute and any breaking of the rules means death.*


    At that moment, a man walked inside with a very angry expression on his face. His eyes had huge eyebags under them.


    Thest week was quite torturing for Trevor who was dreaming of destroying the Lavine family day and night. The preparations took a long time, way longer than Trevor wanted. But, finally, the time hase.


    "Gentlemen, thank you all foring here tonight!" He said as he stood before everyone, giving them a cold nce.


    "As you may know, I paid a huge amount of money to be able to gather you all and the goal is simple¡­ Crush the Lavine family into rubble!"


    The hitmen didn''t say much as they waited for him to continue. A show of clear professionalism.


    "I want that bastard Markus'' head in my hand! I want to murder his wife, his children, and every single person affiliated with that shitty family! Do you hear me?!" He yelled. "I want theirnd to be soaked in their blood! I don''t ask anything from you to except brutally murder them in the worst way possible! Every method is allowed! Every weapon is also allowed!!"


    The bloodlust that the hitmen hid finally erupted, covering the whole ce. The atmosphere grew even heavier and threatened the break the walls from its sheer thickness.


    "Zzzzzz¡­." At that moment, the loud sound of snoring caught everyone''s attention, mainly Trevor whose face turned even angrier.


    "Gabi, you piece of shit, how are you asleep at this hour?!" He shouted as he red at the man, sprawled on a chair as he slept soundly, unbothered by the heavy atmosphere. Although he had a disheveled appearance, the man named Gbai wasn''t bad-looking by any means. He had a rather cute face that invoked the feeling of familiarity in people. His hair was rather grey and he had a weird tattoo around his neck like a cor.


    "Hmm, what? Where?" At that moment, the man''s eyes opened slightly as he looked around with a dazed expression.


    "It''s time to go and kill those bastards that murdered your brother in cold blood! How are you sleeping?!"


    Finally, Gabi''s eyes turned to look at Trevor, his father. Looking at them, Trevor flinched slightly. Of all the people he met in his life, only a handful had that same look. That empty, emotionless look that could send a chill down the spine. It was the same look someone like Kai had albeit more wild and brutishcking any refined elegance to it.


    Then, the man parted his lips and said in a veryzy tone.


    "Who cares?"

 Chapter 46 46- Visitor

    <h4>Chapter 46 Chapter 46- Visitor</h4>


    Gabi''s tone sounded so casual that for a second, even Trevor forgot that he was talking about his blood-rted brother and that sent a chill down his spine. It was as if his eldest son considered his younger brother as something insignificant to even pretend to care about.


    ''This bastard¡­ He really turned into a monster in and out!'' Trevor clenched his teeth as he held in a sigh from escaping his mouth.


    "You aren''t going to back down when I need you, are you?! We have to destroy that shitty family together!" Trevor decided to change his approach with Gabi.


    Thetter yawned before he shoved his finger in his ear and then said.


    "As I said, old man. I''m helping you. Stop crying, geez."


    "Then get up and move your ass!!" He yelled.


    "Sigh, so dumb, as usual. All muscles and no brains." Gabi said with a soulless tone.


    "What di-"


    "A direct confrontation will send your head rolling down." The cold man''s hand moved and made a gesture of him slitting his own throat.


    "Who are you think that way?! Huh?!" Trevor''s face turned red with fury.


    "I''m stronger and smarter than you," Gabi replied. "Listen here, old man. You are approaching this matter the wrong way. Look at these idiots here. You gathered a bunch of nobodies to take down a family that has three top-notch hitmen." His disdainful remark made all the hitmen re at him coldly, but that didn''t even get Gabi to flinch let alone show a reaction. In fact, he continued talking with azy tone. "I say give them 1 hour and you will find these morons sent back to you in a birthday present."


    Trevor''s face turned sour as he found himself speechless. Although this son of his was aplete monster, he was still extremely smart. If he said that these 100 hitmen he hired wouldn''t be able to do the job, then he was most likely right.


    However, that didn''t make Trevor any happier. Only he knew how much he had to spend just to get these hitmen. It was an astronomical fortune.


    "What do you say we should do then?! Give up?!"


    "Tsk, tsk. The best way to beat them is to break their spirit first. When fear and despair kick in, power bes meaningless. That''s when you truly attack them." Gabi exined with an emotionless tone. His words sent a shudder down the spines of all the people present.


    "Gabi¡­ What the hell are you trying to say?!"


    "Simple, two people you should target first. The youngest daughter of the Lavine family, Melissa Lavine. She''s still too young to be a hitman so she has no power at all. She''s the weakest point they have."


    "..."


    "Then, there is the second person and the one I found the most interesting. Agent 74 or I should say Eva Lavine had made friends with an inconspicuous young man. She seems to be quite fond of him. Kill him and watch how all the familyes crumbling down like a house of cards."


    ''This bastard thought of all of that? Didn''t he seem unbothered at first?'' Trevor was confused but he had no idea how Gabi''s brain even worked. That monster would do anything to take down his targets, even going as far as to use low-handed methods like targeting the innocent just so that he could torture his targets mentally before he finishes them off.


    "Are you certain of this n, Gabi?" Trevor finally asked in a rather lower tone.


    Thetter, however, suddenly turned to look at the door, and then for the first time since he appeared inside the conference hall, a smile appeared on his lips.


    "Oh, we have our long-awaited visitor finally."


    At that second, the door was opened and the dark silhouette of a person appeared in front of the masses. At that exact second, an extremely powerful aura invaded the whole conference room.


    The aura was so powerful that it made all the hitmen in the ce feel as if they were suffocating. Then, the moment the man stepped inside the conference, they all started holding their throats as if the air had suddenly vanished from the ce.


    "Aaaah~ You scared the old man''s chickens. How are they gonnay eggs now?" Gabi asked with a bored tone as he looked at the crushed group of hitmen.


    Trevor''s face turned sweaty as he felt the looming pressure that pressed on his body like a huge boulder. If it wasn''t for his high level of strength, Trevor would''ve ended up in the same state as these hitmen.


    ''This crushing pressure!! It''s as if I''m being strangled alive. Fuck!'' Clenching his teeth, Trevor tried to keep his ground.


    "Patriarch Chamagne¡­" A deep, husky voice finally spoke as the man walked inside the room casually, revealing his appearance.


    He was an old man, probably nearing his 70s. He had long white hair and a rather elegant formal suit. His face didn''t seem menacing at all. However, the robotic expression he held made looking at him for a long time something ufortable. It was as if his face was an uncanny valley concept made into reality.


    "We received the deration of war between the two families. Since neither of you broke the rules, the guild shall not intervene. Rule 10: If a party or an individual sends a deration of war to another party or individual and they ept, the duel is by default eligible and the guild won''t stop it. In your case, the deration of war was your son''s head and since he isn''t affiliated with the guild in any way, shape, or form, it doesn''t break the rules. Am I correct?"


    "... Yes."


    Trevor already knew of that rule and so did Eva and Markus. Fighting the other family directly without sending a warning and a deration of war would make the guild intervene. That''s why Eva made sure to make it formal first and foremost.


    "Good, since both parties ept the duel, the Guild allows it. Sign these papers please." The man said as he finally reached Trevor and handed him a stack of paper that he pulled from somewhere.


    "Eeeeeh? That''s boring. Just get it over with so I can leave, old man." Sighing tiredly, Gabi looked back at the man and a smile appeared on his face.


    "Hey, tell me something, V. The Red Rose Day of this year, it''s going to be fun, isn''t it?"


    The old man''s eyes nced at Gabi once before he said coldly.


    "Agent 34, are you trying to break the rules?" His cold aura concentrated on Gabi for a few seconds. A normal human would''ve instantly lost consciousness under that inhuman pressure.


    "So scary. Of course not, I wouldn''t dare~ I was just curious since my guts are telling me this year will be quite different."


    "..." The man named V didn''t say anything else and waited for Trevor to sign the papers and seal the duel.


    "Aaaah, ever since the ck Phantom vanished. The Red Rose Day became really boring, you know? Everyone used to try and fight him to snatch his rank and yet no one was able to beat him. Hahahaha, he was my idol. The ideal hitman. Is he going to finally make an appearance this year? A little birdie told me he was sighted somewhere in the world, wreaking havoc."


    V''s eyes squinted slightly as he eyed Gabi. Thetter kept bbering on about the ck Phantom with a wide smile. It was clear how excited he was about the mere idea of seeing his idol again.


    "Agent 0 won''t return to the Guild. He is cklisted."


    "Pfft! I still find that word funny, V. The Guild must be on some kind of drug to think cklisting him is going to do anything. That person is a pure monster, a creature like no other. If he sets his mind to it, the Guild won''t live to see the light of day. It''s as if a rat is trying to capture a ferocious bear. Would that make sense?"


    "Know your ce, Agent 34. Any other word and I''m going to consider your words a clear insult to the Guild and a breaking of the rules."


    Suddenly, the room was submerged in an even colder atmosphere as Gabi and V stared at each other silently. Thezy man had a nonchnt smile on his face while V was looking as eerily unthreatening as ever.


    The tension was so high that Trevor felt his body shudder at the mere thought of these two shing here. His whole property will be sted into smithereens!


    "H-Here, I signed the paper! You can leave now!" Trevor said as he coughed and handed back the stack of papers. "And you, Gabi! Just do whatever you see fit! I just want to see the Lavines dead!"


    At that moment, Gabi finally stood and cracked his neck.


    "Yes sir~ Time to have some fun." A wide, maniacal grin appeared on his face.

 Chapter 47 47- Unexpected*

    <h4>Chapter 47 Chapter 47- Unexpected*</h4>


    (This chapter contains an NSFW scene. However, it''s not very smutty.)


    "Kaiiiiii~~" After finishing their desert, Kaya threw herself at Kai and hugged him tightly. Her hands wrapped around his neck and her face was buried in his neck as she inhaled the smell that she grew extremely addicted to. It was the most potent drug she could ever consume.


    Just a whiff of it and her mind was turned into mushed potatoes. If it wasn''t for the fact that she didn''t want to harm Kai because of her desires, she would''ve pinned him down right there and then ravaged him to her heart''s content all day long.


    ''Uh, you had no right being this seductive, you little rascal~'' SHe thought with a dazed expression as she stared deeply into Kai''s face, engraving every detail of it in her head.


    "Hey, Kai. Show me your face. Can I push your bangs away? Please, let me see it again, just a small peek. Please, just once." Kaya said as she begged Kai in a low tone.


    Ever since she met Kai and his breathtaking face was still stuck in her head. It was something she could never get out of her head.


    "No." He said coldly as he tried to push her away. However, Kaya pouted cutely as she looked at him sadly.


    "Why? Just a little peek and I will leave. Please, hubby~" She said as she closed the distance between them and then whispered in his ear. "I might give you a reward too." She added as she licked her lips seductively. At that moment, she looked so erotic as her breasts pressed against Kai''s hard chest.


    Because she wasn''t any undergarments, the sensation of her big breasts was mind-numbing, to say the least. Her eyes twinkled with an odd glint and her face had a small blush on it. Even the dumbest of people could see that she waspletely ready to dive deep into the world of sinful desires the moment Kai gives her the green light.


    "Showing my face won''t change the fact that I will kick you out now," Kai replied harshly as he was about pick her up from their intimate position.


    "Tsk!" At that moment, Kaya felt irritated as she suddenly used extra force and pushed Kai down on the sofa and sat on his crotch. Kai could''ve easily resisted her push but he knew that would risk revealing that his strength wasn''t that of a normal boy at all so he had to follow along with whatever Kaya was about to do.


    "You little brat, why have you never shown any reaction to my advances? Am I that unattractive in your eyes? Be honest with me, Kai. What do you think about my looks?" She asked as she bent forward and moved her hips, grinding ever-so-slowly on his lower half.


    Her plump ass kept touching his private part so softly as if she was teasing him into falling for her charms. Although Kaya had never done this before, she had to learn from books and the inte how to seduce someone and surprisingly, she found that there was a hidden persona of hers that loved doing this to her beloved.


    Deep inside, she wanted to seduce him, to make him beg her for more, and to finally make her his. God knows how many times she had touched herself thinking about Kai. She knew that it was morally questionable, but who was she? She was Kaya deheart. Who will dare take her beloved from her?


    She had promised that she won''t touch him till he reaches 18 years of age. But, that didn''t mean she can''t have some fun with him without getting too into it. Touching his body, kissing him, licking him, and many more things aren''t considered taboo in her book.


    Kai stared at the woman silently for a few moments. Although his mind was calm, his body naturally reacted to her approach. A weirdly good feeling started rushing through his body, especially around his little brother. Feeling her soft butt touching him there again and again relentlessly did make him react.


    However, he couldn''t push her away so he had to resort to the second choice.


    "You know we can''t do this, Kaya. You will get in trouble." He said calmly.


    "Don''t worry, Kai. As I said, I won''t do the deed unless you allow me to. Now, answer my question, what do you think of my looks?" She asked.


    Although Kaya already knew that she was a drop-dead gorgeous woman by all standards, she still wanted to her beloved tell her that while staring deep at her.


    Instinctively, her hips increased in their speed as she started feeling heat building up in her lower abdomen. Her breaths turned slightly ragged as she bent forward and closed the distance between them.


    "Tell me, please. I want to know, what do you think of me?" Her lips were awfully close to his as she kept talking. All she had to do was push a little more and she could finally capture the lips she dreamt about for months.


    "If I answer, would you let me go?" He asked as he squinted his eyes. He knew that Kaya was now acting odd and so he had to test the waters first. He could feel it from her movement, her arms that were rubbing his shoulder and going slowly down.


    "Depends on your answer~" She answered.


    "Sigh, fine." Taking a deep breath, Kai decided to do something slightly risky. Instead of trying to push her away and risk her getting even more heated up, he decided to make her stop by her own ord. And to do that, he had to change his tone a little.


    Raising his hand, Kai cupped Kaya''s cheek under her shocked expression and then he whispered in her ear.


    "I think you are very attractive, Kaya." He said in his calm yet slightly deeper tone. For a master-ss actor like him, sounding a little seductive wasn''t that hard.


    "W-W-Wha¡­." Kaya''s face turned extremely red as she pushed away from him with widened eyes.


    Her heart had almost stopped for a second. She couldn''t believe what she heard. No, this was far more than she ever thought could happen.


    She expected a nd response which will make her try and tease him more. However, Kai''s answerpletely flipped the table. He had woken up her mushed brain from the dreand.


    "K-Kai¡­" She murmured as she slid to the other side of the sofa and covered her face shyly. All her confidence was gone and was reced with the look of a teenage girl in love. The change was drastic but also extremely adorable.


    ''Sigh, that worked.'' Standing up, Kai adjusted his clothes and then looked at Kaya.


    "Why are you acting that way when you wanted an honest answer?"


    "B-Because, I never expected you to say that in my ear that way!! You little rascal, teasing your big sister!"


    "I gave you an honest answer."


    "No, the honest answer I expected was this¡­" Then, Kaya coughed a few times before she deepened her voice and mimicked Kai''s expression.


    "''You are technically good-looking, Kaya. Why are you asking me about it?'' something like that!"


    "..."


    "Tsk, still. I''m very satisfied with that answer. I feel like our rtionship made some progress! Yayy!!" Kaya triumphed as she tried to hide her panic.


    Meanwhile, the cat, who watched this whole ordeal had a strong re on its face. It looked dissatisfied but since it was too tired to move, it simply watched from the sidelines.


    After that, Kaya excused herself and left Kai''s house quickly. When she reached her house, she rested against the door as she heaved up and down loudly.


    "I felt like my heart was about to burst at that moment." As she recalled what happened, her face flushed red again as she felt the heat that umted in her lower abdomen fill her up again.


    Her hand instinctively moved down to her private part, feeling the moist sensation there. She looked at her fingers before she sighed.


    "I guess I''m not going to be able to sleep early tonight."

 Chapter 48 48- Bloody Night

    <h4>Chapter 48 Chapter 48- Bloody Night?</h4>


    Chapter 48- Bloody Night


    *Crack*


    After seeing Kaya off, Kai stretched his limbs, making a crips cracking sound before he turned around and walked toward his room, followed by his newly acquired cat.


    "Meow!!"


    "Hm? What?" Noticing how the creature kept running around him happily, Kai was confused as to what it wanted.


    However, when he opened the door to his bedroom, the cat instantly ran inside and jumped on his bed before it purred happily. Kai watched as it sprawled on the bed as if it was hers and then closed her eyes.


    "..."


    For some reason, Kai didn''t find her actions annoying so he simply shook his head and turned off the lights before hey down on the bed next to the cat. His eyes looked at the ceiling for a few moments before shifting to the cat when he noticed her rhythmic breathing.


    "What an odd creature¡­" He murmured to himself.


    The fact that it didn''t get scared of him still bugged Kai. Animals weren''t sane creatures so when Kai uses his presence to scare them, they instantlyply and run away or listen to him. However, this particr one didn''t even show a sign of fear toward him even though he directed his dark aura right at her multiple times.


    Even the strongest of hitmen couldn''t handle his aura for a long time.


    "Prrrr¡­" The creature purred suddenly and then got closer to Kai before she rested her head on his arm and continued sleeping soundly. So, Kai patted her head a few times and then closed his eyes before he drifted to sleep too.


    *Unknown timeter*


    In the middle of the night, a few silhouettes moved through the alleys nimbly as they approached the apartementplex where Kai lived. The way they made sure no one could notice them was proof of their high skill.


    "Pfft! This will be easy money. We just need to kidnap a highschool kid and get him to the Chamagne family." One of the 10 or so hitmen said with a nonchnt expression.


    "Shut up and focus! Didn''t you see how scary that man named Gabi is? If we fail to do the job perfectly, he might skin us alive for fun!" Another retorted as they continued moving.


    "What''s there to be scared about? It''s just a kid. I still don''t understand why this requires ten of us. I alone should be more than enough. Besides, why this kid precisely, the other ones were sent one hitman each to kidnap them."


    "Who knows? Gabi said that ten of us should take on this mission because ''He doesn''t trust that we won''t necessarily fail because we arepletely useless''." One of them replied as he gritted his teeth.


    "Tsk, looking down on us! That bastard! Just because he is one of the 100 strongest hitmen in the guild, he thinks we are trash?"


    "Hey, it''s those top 100 we are talking about? They are all a bunch of freaks of nature and Gabi is number 34 amongst those monsters. He can easily erase us out of existence if he wanted to."


    "We need to move. The night isn''t that long."


    After that, the ten hitmen vanished as they finally reached the apartementplex and climbed nimbly till they reached Kai''s window.


    Looking inside, they saw him sleeping on his bed peacefully. So, without making any noise, they opened the window and then jumped inside.


    One of the signaled to the others that he will approach the kid. The others nodded and waited.


    *Step*


    Taking slow steps, he made sure not to make noise. He was sure that if the kid woke up and saw them, he will scream or yell which will make the other people in the building wake up. He wanted a clean and perfect job.


    When he was very close to the bed, he noticed something. Two extremely mesmerizing blue eyes were staring at him in the darkness like two azuremps shining bright in the dimness of the world.


    ''A cat? Shit¡­ Don''t make noise now, little thing.'' The man clenched his teeth as he tried to not surprise the cat. However, thetter did exactly what he feared the most.


    "CHHHHH!!!" Screeching loudly, she red at the man angrily. Then, she jumped on top of Kai''s stomach as if she was trying to tell them to stay away from her owner.


    The man''s face frowned as he quickly looked at the sleeping boy before he sighed inwardly. He didn''t wake up.


    ''We are go-'' As the guy was about to touch Kai, thetter''s hand suddenly sprang into motion as it moved like a sh and grabbed the man''s head. The man felt his whole skull shudder in pain from the pressure that the hand exuded on his face. Then, Kai pulled him down, smashing his face on the edge of the bed''s frame.


    The hit was so strong that it bent the wood. Blood splurted from the man''s head as he fell down, unconscious. Then, Kai quickly jumped on his legs and dashed toward the closest hitman, and kicked him in the face, destroying all the teeth in his mouth. Then, mid-air he caught one of the teeth and then threw it with extreme speed toward one of them.


    The teeth were thrown with such power that it was basically a bullet. It easily pierced the man''s throat, cutting his vocal cords before he could say anything.


    Then, Kai''s silhouette vanished and he appeared in front of another and shoved his fingers into his throat, severing any possibility of him making a sound.


    All of this happened in a split second, 4 men were down, drowning in blood. The others were so shocked that they couldn''t even believe their own eyes. What¡­ What the fuck just happened?!


    However, even through their shock, they were still professional hitmen, unpredictable situations were something they had to adapt to even if they were confused. So, without hesitation, one of them pulled a gun and aimed at Kai with a tense expression.


    He didn''t get what happened and he was beyond shocked. But, he knew his goal, get this boy back at all costs.


    However, before he could fire a shot, Kai vanished again like a ghost and appeared in front of him.


    "The fuc-"


    Grabbing the gun with one hand, Kai destroyed the ''slide'' of the pistol and then shoved it in the man''s throat.


    The others already moved and tried to surround Kai before they also pulled out their pistols. With a cold expression, the boy looked around him in a sh, analyzing all the possibilities of the situation and how it could turn out before he grabbed the destroyed pistol and emptied the magazine in his hand.


    Then, he threw all the bullets at the same time, each one aimed at one person. The speed of these bullets far exceeded even that of a pistol. So, they instantly reached their targets and severed the vocal cords of every one of them.


    During all of this, not even a sound was made. Even if someone was deliberately trying to eavesdrop on Kai''s room, they wouldn''t be able to hear a thing.


    "Fuuh¡­" Exhaling a long breath, Kai looked around him coldly as he destroyed the pistol in his hand and threw it to the side.


    "What are these people doing here?" He murmured to himself before approaching one of them and pulling him up. Then, in a moment, he read all of his memories.


    "Gabi¡­" Kai''s face frowned slightly as the image of a man appeared in his head.


    He knew Gbai very well. In fact, he was one of the very few people from the Guild that caught his attention. That man was aplete maniac even amongst the bloodthirsty hitmen of the Guild. He wasn''t human at all.


    "So he wants to hit the Lavine family in their weak points to break their spirit. His methods never change. He targeted the other students too. Tsk, this is annoying." Kai knew that if all the students were killed, his normal life won''t stay normal anymore. He will be suspected of their disappearance since he will be the only one that survived this ordeal. When that happens, who knows what the authorities will try to do.


    Murmuring so, Kai was about to walk toward the door when he noticed one of the men he hit with the bullets pull the gun up and aim it at him.


    ''Tsk, he''s gonna make noise. I can''t let Kaya hear anything.'' With no other choice, Kai''s hand moved like a sh as he pulled something from his pocket. It was a small, sharp razor he always had with him in case such a thing happened. Then, he threw the de at the man, piercing his head. Instantly, the hitman slumped down as even more blood gushed out of his head¡­ He was dead.


    "Fuck¡­" At that moment, Kai''s face darkened slightly.

 Chapter 49 49- Unwanted Old Friends (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 49 Chapter 49- Unwanted Old Friends (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 49- Unwanted Old Friends (Part 1)


    Kai''s aura turned a degree colder as pressure loomed over the whole house. His face looked so scary that it would make anyone faint from merely looking at him. No one, not even Eva had ever seen him in that state. A state of anger.


    His purple eyes, shining in the darkness traced the man that he just killed. At that moment, Kai was barely holding himself from letting his aura cover this whole ce, this whole city even. However, how could he be med when he was forced to break one of the rules he set for himself?


    ''Never kill a single soul again unless it''s necessary.'' This was something he promised himself never to break again. He grew sick of killing, it was never fun, never enjoyable. In fact, the more Kai killed, the more he felt his soul was being burdened.


    It was as if all of them were chasing after him, haunting his dreams at night and his mind during the day. It reached a point where he feltpletely suffocated from that.


    So, even though he did set a condition for himself in which he could kill, it still didn''t make him feel any better.


    Touching his face, he slid his hair back a little as he breathed in and out to calm himself.


    "Meow!" At that moment, the cat approached him before she nimbly jumped on his shoulder and then started rubbing her face against his cheek while purring as if she was consoling him.


    Kai frowned slightly as he watched the cat silently before he sighed and picked up his phone and dialed someone.


    "Hello, Kai? Is everything ok?" He heard Eva''s slightly tired voice.


    "Where are you?" He asked.


    "I just came back to my parent''s house and I''m sleeping now."


    "70 hitmen areing to your house right now and their leader is¡­ Gabi." Kai said.


    Immediately, Eva''s face turned serious as all sleepiness left her eyes. She already anticipated their arrival. But, thest part did indeed quite surprise her.


    "Gabi? Wait¡­ Don''t tell me!"


    "Yes, he is Chamagne''s son. I still don''t understand how I never noticed that."


    Kai didn''t know much about Gabi. In fact, he was one of the very few people that Kai really had no idea about. He was aplete mystery through and through.


    However, some small details were starting toe back to Kai and he realized that he could''ve realized this fact way sooner than this. Ah, well, what happened just happened. He will still have to deal with him.


    "I will deal with him¡­" Eva suddenly dered with a confident tone which made Kai raise an eyebrow. He knew that Eva was very powerful. But, Gabi wasn''t simply strong, he was a monster with no sympathy. He would use any trick up his sleeve to win and that always works.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, I''m confident. Since the moment you helped me breakthrough through with my main talent, I''ve been improving at an extremely rapid pace. Leave it to me to protect my own family, Kai! I''ve already relied on you long enough!" Eva smiled warmly as she touched her chest.


    "... He sent 10 hitmen after me and 20 others, one for each student in the ss. He wants to kidnap them and kill them right in front of you and your family to break your spirit. He is also going to target your little sister."


    When Kai told her, Eva''s face immediately froze before it was reced with a chilling gaze. Her aura broke through and covered her whole body.


    Her anger rose to a higher level than ever before. How dare that piece of shit try and y dirty with her?! Target her ssmates, her little sister, and even her beloved!! He has a death wish! No, he was going to die!!


    "Kai¡­ I want to kill him myself. No, I will make sure he dies by my own hands or I won''t be able to calm down." She said coldly, her words strong enough to make anyone pale.


    "Do what you want. I will deal with the students'' matter and then¡­ I''m heading to the Chamagne household to pay them a visit."


    "Mmm, I understand. Please, be careful, Kai." Eva said as she held the phone with both hands.


    Although she knew that the ones that should be worried were the Chamagnes, she still could only feel anxious whenever she sees her lover doing something with a degree of danger to it. Her heart would squeeze with pain.


    "..." Kai didn''t say anything for a while before he said. "I''m indestructible. Nothing can harm me." He said in an arrogant tone.


    If it was anyone else other than Kai who said those words, everyone would think they are just bluffing words. However, because the ck Phantom said them, no one dares to think they are anything but the truth!


    "Ok, I know. But, just for me to feel at ease, can you promise me that nothing bad will happen?" Eva asked. For some odd reason, she felt slightly uneasy at that moment. Something inside her told her that it may not end as well as she and everyone else would expect.


    "..." At that moment, Kai''s eyes widened slightly as he recalled a memory from the distant past. Someone, somewhere, years ago, had asked him the same question. However, when he tried to remember what he said after that, his head throbbed with pain.


    "Nothing will happen." After getting rid of the pain, Kai shook his head and then hung up.


    He didn''t need promises. Promises are merely a way for the weak to feel assured. He wasn''t weak. If he wanted something to happen, he will make it happen, simple as that.


    After that, he walked out of his room and left his house as he disappeared into the night.


    His speed was inhuman while nimbly jumping from one roof to another crossing whole streets in a few seconds. His cat was sittingzily around his neck as if what was happening was simply a walk in the park on a breezy night.


    ''Good thing that I memorized all the addresses of everyone inside the school. It came in handy.'' He thought as he approached the closest house from him.


    When it came into vision, Kainded in the backyard and looked around, searching for the presence of the hitman. When he located him inside the house, precisely inside the room the student, Kai quickly jumped in the air, reaching the window in one leap.


    The inside of the room looked quite feminine since it belonged to a girl. Kai''s purple eyes analyzed the room before he jumped inside.


    The hitman saw him and was about to freak out when Kai nimbly closed the distance between them and grabbed his face.


    "Sleep." He murmured. The next moment, the man''s strength vanished as he sumbed to sleep. After that, Kai walked to the window and then threw the hitman outside in the backyard. He knew that the family will deal with him when they woke up the next morning.


    However, at that moment, he heard a moan behind him. Looking back, he saw the girl had just stood up from her bed and was staring directly at him.


    Kai was about to erase any memory of her ever seeing him. However, the girl suddenly smiled as she said.


    "My handsome prince~ You finally came for me. I was waiting for you~" She said in a low tone.


    "..."


    Kai understood that she wasn''t actually awake and instead was¡­ Sleepwalking? Surprisingly, his suspicion was confirmed the next second as she turned around and went back to sleep as if nothing happened.


    Seeing that there was no point in staying there anymore, Kai turned around and jumped out before he vanished.


    Then, for the next 20 minutes, he went around catching all the hitmen that tried to kidnap his ssmates and then made them fall asleep. The task was easy enough but Kai knew it was simply the beginning.


    Now, he had to do the annoying part, end the Chamagne family once and for all. However, to do that, he had to pay a visit to an old friend. Or to be more precise, ''friends''. Friends that he wished he would never have to see again.

 Chapter 50 50- Unwanted Old Friends (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 50 Chapter 50- Unwanted Old Friends (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 50- Unwanted Old Friends (Part 2)


    Kai''s destination was a small library on the outskirts of the city precisely to a small library in the corner of a small street. The ce was empty with barely any houses there.


    When hended on top of the library, he opened the door to the roof and walked inside. Kai found this ce a few years ago when he reached this city and decided that it was the perfect ce to hide something he preferably never wanted to pick up again.


    The inside of the library was a wrecked mess of books and broken shelves. Birds and insects took the ce as a new home and turned it into a perfectly haunted building that could scare anyone at a nce.


    Kai''s eyes wandered around as he passed through the wreckage before he stopped in front of one of the broken shelves on the ground. Then, he pushed it to the side and crouched down.


    *SMASH*


    Clenching his fist, he punched the ground, cracking the hard cement as if it was made out of biscuits. Then, he pulled his fist out, totally unscathed, and then smashed down again with a little bit more strength.


    The whole building shook from the sheer impact before all the cement was destroyed and revealed what was beneath it. Buried under the rubble was a big briefcase made out of a ck material that looked like iron but was more stretchy and flexible.


    That material was none other than the same material that created the huge chaos in the underworld ten years ago ''Leviathium''. Not only was it quite sturdy as a briefcase, but it also doesn''t rust and doesn''t get damaged by most Origin attacks so it worked perfectly to transport something very important.


    After pulling out the case, Kai traced the back of the case as if he was remembering something before he sighed and opened it. Inside, there were 4 items, ck flexible clothes, a mask, a silver revolver, and¡­ a sword?


    Kai examined each one of them with his eyes. As he predicted they still were as good as new even though they were buried under cement for almost 5 years.


    The clothes were the ones he used before when he was still in the business. The design made them look elegant yet also perfectly hid the shape of the body like the fur of an animal. The mask was white with no eyes, no nose, and only heavily stitched lips that looked like those of a ghost.


    This mask was the reason why Kai''s face was never revealed to anyone he didn''t want to see his face. It not only didn''t allow any talents rted to vision to peer through it but it also enhanced his vision at night (Not that he needed that).


    Then, his eyes finallynded on thest two items and the ones he didn''t want to see ever again. The silver revolver was of the same design as the one Eva had and with the same initials BP written on the side of it.


    The reason Kai used this revolver was very simple¡­ It could work with or without bullets. The reason for that was the design of the gun itself. Using a small amount of Origin, Kai could form a bullet inside the barrel and then shoot which basically meant that as long as he had origin power, he had infinite ammo.


    On the other hand, the sword was apletely different story. It was Kai''s main weapon and its name was ''Wretched Heart''. It was a ck katana with a horrifying ck de that seemingly turned to that shade of color because of the countless souls it reaped. With that de, Kai was able to kill thousands of people.


    Picking up the gun, Kai looked at it for a moment before he spun it in his hand skillfully and then aimed around at certain things as if he was getting ustomed to it again.


    "Onest time?" He asked as he put the gun aside and then pulled the sword out. The moment he touched it, Kai felt his hands shudder for a second as if the sword had a sane mind and was trying to possess him again. However, with Kai''s aura, he suppressed the bloodlust urges the katana wanted to apply to him.


    "Don''t¡­ Don''t try and take control of me. You are a mere weapon." Kai said coldly as if he was threatening the sword.


    Only he knew how horrible and cursed that sword was. But, for better or worse, their chemistry was perfect. He never found a better sword than that sword and he never found a more evil sword than that sword.


    After making sure he took control of it again, he put it aside, and wore the clothes that he had, and put on the mask. A strong feeling assaulted Kai''s heart when he saw the reflection of his face on a puddle of water near him. Who thought that after all these years, he will see himself with this appearance again?


    A myriad of thoughts shed through Kai''s head for a second.


    "Onest round¡­ Just onest round." He murmured as he exhaled a deep breath and then picked up the gun and the sword before he left the ce.


    And on that night, a legend that was sought after by countless people was reborn to take thest dance or at least what he assumed would be thest dance.


    ***


    At the same time, in the Lavine household. Eva was about to leave her room when she heard a small ruckusing from the outside. Without hesitation, Eva''s body as she jumped beside the bed and hid herself.


    *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*


    A secondter, a rain of bullets prated her windows and destroyed her room. Each bullet was strong enough to render anything it touches into a broken mess.


    ''Anit-Origin bullets¡­. Tsk.'' Clicking her tongue, she waited for the bullets to stop before she finally moved.


    Crossing her room in a second, Eva pulled out her revolver as she dashed toward the window, and aimed her gun. The moment her eyes fell on a target, she shot without any hesitation, hitting the hitman right in the forehead, killing him instantly. Then, her hands moved and in quick session, sniped down four more hitmen as if it was nothing.


    Her aim was inhumane, to say the least.


    The other hitmen quickly scattered and started climbing the walls to reach Eva''s window.


    Eva then quickly put down the gun and then walked a few steps behind. Her cold expression turned sharp before he dashed toward the window and jumped outside.


    Everyone looked at her in utter shock. It was the fifth floor for the love of god!! Does she want tomit suicide?


    However, Eva''s feetnded on the grass as if she was a feather, and then turned around and pulled her gun out. Since most of them were still in the process of climbing, they won''t be able to avoid bullets.


    "Good night, insects." After saying that, Eva pulled the trigger.


    *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*


    The sight was horrifying. These people weren''t just weak nobodies, they were professional hitmen that trained like maniacs for years to be able to be good at their craft. However, they were now turned into targets Eva could use to train just like in a shooting range.


    It was akin to catching insects except bloodier.


    By the time the second minute passed, Eva had killed all of them except a few that were able to run away and enter the house. However, she didn''t mind them at all since her father and mother were still inside the house and they are more than capable of dealing with them.


    Her target was apletely different person.


    "Meli¡­ I need to get to her before that bastard Gabi does." Clenching her teeth, Eva quickly got inside the house and ran to the second floor where her little sister''s room was.


    "Please be ok, Meli." Eva prayed as she elerated her speed even more. However, the moment she reached the second floor, the sight that she saw made her screech to a halt.


    In front of her, a man was dragging his ragged body on the floor as he leaving behind a trail of blood. His legs werepletely shattered if they were squashed under a truck.


    "S-Save me¡­ P-Please." He murmured weakly as he tried to reach out for Eva.

 Chapter 51 51- Sound Talent

    <h4>Chapter 51 Chapter 51- Sound Talent </h4>


    Chapter 51- Sound Talent


    Calling the man''s condition horrid was an understatement. He looked as if he just crawled straight out of the deepest parts of hell. Even his face looked like it had lost 30 years or so in mere minutes since the invasion.


    Mind you, hitmen were people who had an extremely high pain tolerance. The Guild makes sure to test their pain tolerance before officially making them hitmen just to reduce the chances of important information being leaked in case the hitman is captured and tortured.


    So, things like bullet wounds, de injuries of all forms, and other things, didn''t immediately break the hitman''s spirit. That''s why, to counter such a thing, rich families and individuals hired people who mastered the art of torturing for this particr job.


    These people were simply called ''Extractors''. They were able to inflict the highest degree of pain on their target and easily turn them into mindless puppets that answered questions before they killed them.


    However, even those people can''t easily turn a hitman into a desperate mess of flesh, blood, and broken bones. Who did this was aplete monster in and out. A maniac with a thirst for blood. Someone who had no regard for the human life.


    Eva looked coldly at the man before she aimed her gun at him and pulled the trigger.


    "Only Kai can touch me, filth." She said coldly as she stepped forward.


    That''s when a loud explosion caught her attention. Looking in the direction of her sister''s bedroom, she saw the door getting sted as three silhouettes flew out and smashed against the wall before down like used ragdolls. Their bodies were shattered into pieces and their face were ruined beyond recognition.


    "Sigh, Meli¡­ Didn''t I say not to use that hammer excessively?" Eva said with a sigh as she facepalmed. She already who was responsible for that massacre.


    "Big sister!!" Hearing her beloved sibling''s voice, Meli came rushing out of her room and kicked one of the dead hitmen out of the way as if he was a piece of trash.


    Her clothes were coated in blood and her cute, adorable face had a stain on it. However, the little girl had a cute smile on her face as she approached her big sister happily.


    In her arms was a massive hammer made out of steel that was at least 5 times her size. The sight wasically dark since the hammer waspletely coated in blood. However, seeing a kid holding something that big was indeed a weird sight.


    "Did you kill all of them?" Eva asked as she tapped her sister''s head gently.


    "Yes! Oh, no, wait, there was someone that ran away! I will go kill him!" Meli shouted happily.


    "Hold your horses, little girl. You''re staying with me till we meet mother and father." Eva said.


    "But whyyy~? I want to y more~" Meli pouted as she looked away.


    "No, it''s dangerous."


    ''Tsk, I don''t think I can fight Gabi while protecting Meli. I need to make sure she leaves before.''


    *p* *p* *p* *p*


    At that moment, Eva heard pping soundsing from the other side of the corridor. Immediately, she stood in front of Meli with a sharp look on her face.


    "*Yawn* What a crazy family that old man got himself entangled with. Even their youngest brat could be a monster through and through. I guess Birds of the same feather do flock together after all." A man appeared in front of the two sisters, walking casually.


    His signature neck tattoo and harmless face coupled with his dead-fish eyes made Eva''s aura turn even colder.


    "It''s been a while, Evangeline." He said.


    "Didn''t I tell you before that my name is not that, dumbass?" Eva replied.


    "Hahaha! Don''t me me for calling you like that, Evangeline has a good ringing sound to it. It also fits your character very well. Evangeline is a word that means ''Good News'' and your presence itself is good news for me." He said as he tucked his arms inside his pockets. "The only woman to ever approach the ck Phantom. You are a treasure of valuable information about him. Sadly, I couldn''t really extract that information from you because of the rules but since that doesn''t matter now, I can finally get to know more about him."


    ''He is still the same pervert that worships Kai. Disgusting!'' Eva couldn''t hold herself from frowning. She already knew how much Gabi was obsessed with Kai and that made her hate him even more.


    The only person who has the right to obsess over him was her and no one else!


    "Well, that would be the optimal conclusion. But looking at your sister, she seems more than capable of handling herself. As I thought, those weaklings wouldn''t be able to stand a chance."


    "Big sister, is that a bad guy?" Tucking her sister''s, Meli asked confusedly.


    "Yes. But, stay behind your big sis-" Before Eva could say anything, Meli had dashed forward and smashed down with her hammer.


    The moment the weapon connected with the ground, a huge earthquake shook the whole building before a huge crack appeared on the floor that started spreading at an extremely fast speed. Out of that crack, huge rock protrusions rose one after the other.


    Gabi watched the show with an interested expression even though the attack was rushing toward him at an extremely high speed.


    "She also mastered her main talent enough to pull off such a feat? *Whistle*" Whistlingzily, Gabi stretched his arm before he channeled his Origin and created a barrier.


    *BOOOOM*


    The two powers shed violently, shaking the house again.


    "Meli! What are you doing?" Eva quickly rushed toward her sister and pulled her away.


    "But, sister said he is a bad guy. I will crush him." Meli responded with a cute tilt of her head. She didn''t get why her big sister was angry.


    "Don''t attack him! He is dangerous! Stay behi-"


    *Swish*


    "Oh, no, Evangeline. You can''t pull your eyes away from your enemy."


    A sudden chill ran down Eva''s spine as she felt a presence appear behind her before a kick was sent right toward her ribcage.


    In an instant, her body reacted as she guarded against the kick with the revolver. But, even then, Eva found herself pushed back a few meters.


    "Big sister!!" Meli yelled as she tried to hit Gabi with the hammer. However, thetter simply stopped it with his bare hands.


    "Now, now, little girl, don''t be naughty."


    "Hnnng! You are bad! Big bad person!!" Meli''s adorable face turned angry as she red at Gabi.


    At that moment, Eva aimed her gun and shot three bullets at him. At the same time, Meli freed her hammer and quickly followed with another swing. The two were perfectly synchronized as if they fought together before countless times.


    "Hey, hey, don''te at me both at the same time. Where is the fairness? Ah well~"


    Saying that Gabi''s Origin quickly rushed to his hands and then.


    *DIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGG*


    A loud noise prated the sisters'' ears. Pain assaulted their brains as if they were hit in the hair by a train. Around them, mirrors started chattering and the walls were seemingly shaking as they reverberated along with the noise.


    Meli''s hammer stopped midway and the bullets that Eva shot magically fell down to the ground before they reached their target.


    ''My ears!!'' Quickly coating her ears with Origin to reduce the pain, Eva red at Gabi who had a nonchnt expression.


    "You should''ve expected that to happen, Evangeline. Even though you did stop it, apparently your little sister is still too immature to do that."


    Immediately, Eva''s eyes shifted to look at Meli who was on the verge of losing consciousness.


    "Meli!!"


    Her yell made the little girl shake her dizziness as she adjusted her posture.


    "I''m¡­ fine¡­ Ugh! My ear hurt!"


    "Now,e here, little girl. Don''t worry, I will make it quick." Approaching the weak girl, Gabi extended his arm to grab her.


    Suddenly, Gabi''s eyes shifted to look somewhere else before he jumped back, creating a big distance between him and Meli.


    His smile vanished and was reced with hiszy expression again albeit sharper and more serious.


    "And the family now isplete." He murmured as he watched two presences appear next to Meli.


    "Mommy! Daddy!!"


    "Don''t you dare touch my daughter, bastard!" Markus said coldly as he cracked the neck of a man he had within his grasp before he threw him aside.


    "Are you ok, sweetheart? You too, dear?" Selina checked her two daughters with a worried expression on her face.


    "Mmm, I''m fine!"


    "Don''t worry, Mother. Did you get rid of the invaders?"


    "Mmm, they were quite tenacious."


    The situation waspletely turned upside down. From fighting two people, Gabi now had to fight four and not any people. These four were powerful Origin users and three of them were professional hitmen.


    It waspletely over. Gabi had no chance of winning.


    "Pfft!! Hahahahaha!" Instead of looking grim, A loud, hearty chuckle erupted from Gabi as if he just heard the best joke of his life.

 Chapter 52 52- Sword Heaven

    <h4>Chapter 52 Chapter 52- Sword Heaven</h4>


    Chapter 52- Sword Heaven


    Gabi''s chuckles caught the attention of the Lavines and made them look at him warily. They knew that such augh meant that he wasn''tpletely done.


    "You guys are truly admirable. A family of top-notch hitmen. You don''t stumble upon such a thing every day. However, you all missed an important thing."


    After saying that, he clicked his fingers. Immediately, tens of silhouettes jumped inside the house from all the windows around them, surrounding the family quickly.


    "What¡­ Where did these¡­" Eva''s face turned serious when she noticed the sheer number of hitmen that just appeared out of nowhere. They even exceeded the number of the ones that invaded their house!


    "Did you really think those idiots were the real hitmen? Hahahahahaha! Come on, Evangeline, I thought you were smarter than that." Gabiughed mockingly which made Eva frown even harder and look at one of the lying around them, dead.


    With a simple examination, her eyes widened in shock.


    "Mercenary¡­ These are mercenaries." She murmured.


    "Uh, hiring those idiots did take some time but since I knew this will happen, they were worth the time since it grouped you four together," Gabi said. "Hey, old man! Are you not going to make an appearance?"


    "Tsk, shut up, Gabi! I''ming." Trevor said as he walked out of the corner with a menacing expression on his face.


    ''Wait, Trevor is here too¡­ Didn''t Kai say that he was heading toward the Chamagne family.'' Seeing that man here, Eva''s mind was confused but then she understood what happened a secondter.


    Gabi had tricked them, including Kai! He most likely told the people that he sent to Kai that Trevor was going to stay in the household just in case. This would lead any potential support the Lavines could get to never arrive at all because they were heading in thepletely wrong direction!


    However, how did that bastard think of all of that? Eva didn''t understand. Why would he go out of his way to try and trick her ssmates? There was only one possibility¡­


    When Eva''s thoughts reached that point, realization dawned on her. Gabi¡­ was suspecting that the ck Phantom is one of her ssmates. In fact, since he sent 10 people toward Kai particrly, she understood who she was suspecting.


    However, Eva can''t let him realize that so she made sure to quickly get back control over her emotions. Thest thing she will allow this bastard to know was Kai''s identity, that''s something she would even put her life at stake just to keep a secret. Kai must live his life however he wants.


    ''I must kill them all here before the situation gets out of hand.'' She thought as she started channeling her Origin, ready to unleash her true powers.


    However, at that moment, Trevor stepped forward and yelled.


    "Markus! You piece of shit! Come and fight me head to head like a man! Let''s settle it man to man if you have the balls!"


    Gabi''s face turned cold as he stared at his father.


    "Hey, old man. Shut up and let me deal with this."


    "No! I will make sure to kill Markus with my own hands or I won''t be able to calm down."


    "Leave your stupid pride aside, old man. You gonna ruin my ns."


    "I said shut up and move aside, Gabi! You have no right to stop me from getting my revenge myself."


    "Sigh¡­ Dumbass."


    On the other side, Markus had a grim expression. He wasn''t scared of Trevor at all. But, seeing the tens of hitmen around them, he couldn''t let his family face them. He was worried sick.


    "What do you say, Markus?! Do you dare?!"


    "..." As Markus was about to refuse, he felt a tap on his shoulder.


    "ept, Father," Eva said coldly.


    "Daughter, what are you sayi-"


    Suddenly, Eva''s Origin channeled throughout her body. Everyone looked at her with a surprised expression. Was she going to attack?! That would be suicide. Even Eva can''t fight all these hitmen all at once. They weren''t just some weak mercenaries. The fact that they could use Origin was enough to make Eva not underestimate them.


    However, instead of that, Eva''s Origin kept rising and getting stronger at an rming rate which made Gabi''s casual expression change slightly. He felt it in his guts, something was wrong, there was a variable in his n that was about to ur.


    "Attack her, now." He ordered the hitmen and they immediatelyplied.


    Instantly, all the hitmen attacked the family from all angles. However, that didn''t make affect Eva''s expression as she calmly raised her hand in the air. The orange aura around her intensified as her beautiful red eyes shone with mesmerizing light. For a second, all the people there felt as if they were in the presence of a goddess that descended upon them from the ethereal realm.


    Her presence, her aura, her appearance, they all became so divine that even her family could only watch with their jaws dropped from shock.


    "Sword heaven." She murmured as she pointed her arms up.


    Instantly, a weird holographic circle appeared on top of everyone present. The circles were orange colored too with weird runic words surrounding them. From a closer look, those runic words were eerily simr to the ones that Kai saw on Selina''s stomach when he healed her.


    For the first time since his appearance, Gabi''s facepletely shifted showing sheer shock.


    A momentter, from those circles, swords appeared and descended on the targets. Before anyone could react, the swords pierced their skulls. For a second, the whole corridor was covered with a rain of swords of all kinds, shapes, and forms. Some looked old, some looked new, some were traditional, some were extravagant and some were simply out of this world, with designs that no one had ever seen before.


    In a few seconds, corps fell down to the ground with des protruding out of their skulls. Blood soaked the corridorpletely as quietness took over the ce. No one dared to speak or to be more precise, no one could even speak.


    The first to react was Selina who looked at her dear daughter with a shocked expression. She knew Eva''s main talent which was the de Talent that allowed her to create des out of thin air. However, as far as she knew, Eva could only form those des in her hand.


    "Eva¡­ You¡­ Did you move to the next level in your talent?" She asked inplete disbelief.


    Eva''s eyes shifted to look at her mother before she smiled warmly. The memory of Kai''s Origin power surging through her body returned to her head.


    "Yes!" She replied. "I achieved¡­"


    "Runic domain¡­" Gabi finished her words before she could say them. His tone sounded bbergasted.


    The Runic Domain is when an individual reaches a certain mastery over their talent that allows them to evolve it to the next level. Usually, thates in the form of a domain control just like what Eva had just done.


    From being restricted by the fact that she can''t create des unless they were in her hands, she now was able to create them in a precise area around her which allowed her to instantly kill all the hitmen in one single motion. A feat that should''ve been impossible in normal cases.


    ''This is bad¡­ I never expected her to have already achieved Runic Domain this quickly. It shouldn''t be possible with her young age. Even I still didn''t achieve that. What the hell happened?! How did she do it?!'' Gabi wrecked his brain for answers yet nothing came to mind.


    His ns were just pushed to the verge of failure in mere seconds and he could do nothing about it.


    "O-Oi, Gabi! What the fuck?! Didn''t you know that she had achieved Runic Domain?!" Trevor asked with a frown.


    "No shit, idiot. Why would I know that? It should''ve taken her a few more years to pull that off in the best-case scenario!" Gabi replied as he red at Eva.


    "You truly pulled something that I never expected, Evangeline. How did you learn that?"


    Eva smiled at his shocked look and then said coldly.


    "It required a lot of ''Mind your own business''." She said as she stepped forward.


    "You insects had enough fun. You not only toyed with my family for years but you also annoyed me greatly! I will make sure to erase your lineage this very night!" Her aura grew colder which made Trevor flinch.


    "Listen, Old man. Do you still want to fight that Markus?"


    "Huh?!"


    "Do you want to, yes or no?"


    "Y-Yes! Of course!!" Trevor nodded. Anything that would get him away from here would be optimal. He didn''t want to face the monster in front of him that was Eva.


    Gabi nodded before he smiled at Eva and said.


    "How about this, Evangeline? Since you seem eager to kill us. Why don''t we make a deal?"


    "A deal?"


    "Yes, let''s fight. Me against you and the old man against your father. A battle to death." Gabi said with a wide grin. His eyes shone with an excited glint. He never expected this night to turn this exciting this quickly.


    However, Eva shook her head and said.


    "I''m already nning to send you both to hell. I want more. What are the stakes?"


    "If you win. All the Chamagne family properties, wealth, and everything they own will be transferred to you and if we win, the same happens to you. What do you think?" Gabi''s tone was confident.


    "Oi, Gabit! What the fuck are you even saying?!" Trevor yelled.

 Chapter 53 53- Trap Inside a Trap

    <h4>Chapter 53 Chapter 53- Trap Inside a Trap</h4>


    Chapter 53- Trap Inside a Trap


    "Shhh!" Gabi shushed his father before he smiled at Eva, waiting for her reply. He was almost certain that she will ept since she didn''t want to allow Gabi to do anything to her family. He yed on that note to lure her in.


    On the other hand, Eva was aware of Gabi''s suspicious intentions. But, even then, she couldn''t immediately refuse. Fighting him head-to-head was her intention from the start and now that she got what she wanted, she was inclined to ept.


    ''Knowing this cunning bastard, he will try to use low-handed methods to try and kill me.'' Eva''s eyes turned sharp as she red at Gabi.


    However, Eva had one thing in her arsenal that made her very confident about this fight. Since the moment she unlocked her Runic Domain, she felt as if a whole new world of power was unlocked in her mind.


    The sheer amount of ideas she had for her new powers was exciting. It was the closest Eva ever felt to fully evolving. No, it was even better than evolving!


    That''s why, although what she was about to do was risky, she had confidence in her abilities. Besides, deep down, Eva wanted to show Kai that she was working extremely hard to be able to keep up with him and to be worthy to stand by his side and support him whenever he needed her.


    That was her dream and goal that she would put her sweat, blood, and tears into without hesitation and Gabi was in a sense her first hurdle to reaching that level.


    "Fine, I agree," Eva said coldly after a while.


    "Eva¡­"


    "Big sister¡­"


    Her family looked at her with speechless expressions. How could they not when they have seen how cunning and strong Gabi is? Worry was drawn on their faces as clear as day.


    So, Eva turned around and shed a bright smile.


    "Leave it to me! I will make sure to bury him 6ft under by dawn." She said as she tapped her chest.


    "..."


    Those words carried such a resolution and determination that none of her family members could say a word. They simply nodded at her. For them, Eva was their pride, their joy, and someone they knew was destined for greatness, so why wouldn''t they trust her?


    "Please, be careful, daughter," Markus said with a serious tone.


    "Mmm, you don''t need to tell me."


    "Sweety,e here," Selina called for Eva before she whispered in her ear.


    "When youe back, I will show you some amazing techniques to seduce your little lover," Selina said with a smile as she winked meaningfully at her daughter.


    Thetter blushed visibly before her eyes ignited with even more determination. Seducing techniques? From someone as experienced as her mother? She was in!


    "I will definitelye back quickly."


    "Big sister¡­" Meli ran to her sister and hugged her tightly as she looked up. "You must win, ok?"


    "Of course, leave it to your big sister." Patting her little sister on the head with an affectionate smile, she finally averted her eyes from her family and looked at Gabi.


    She could see that his nonchnt smile was still there while his father, Trevor, was looking like an anxious mess.


    "Are you serious, Gabi? Didn''t you see what she did? If you die, I''m dead, you hear me?!"


    "Just kill her father and leave the rest to me."


    "..."


    "Isn''t that what you wanted? Why are you still whining like a little girl?"


    "Tsk, you bastard! Fine, do whatever you want!" Saying that Trevor shed Markus an angry re before the two stepped forward.


    "Location," Trevor said.


    "Follow me," Markus replied before the two jumped out of the window and moved somewhere else. Fighting inside the mansion would make too much noise which could get the police involved and no one wanted that to happen.


    "We should move to," Gabi suggested.


    "There is a forest nearby. Let''s settle it there." Eva replied as her silhouette vanished as if she was never there.


    "Whatever you say, Evangeline." Licking his lips, Gabi followed after her.


    The two silhouettes left the mansion and reached the outskirts of the city before entering the forest. They continued to move until they were deep enough not to be heard by anyone from the citizens.


    Then, they both stood face to face in an open area in the forest. Both of them had a solemn aura around them.


    "One question before we start: Did you find the ck Phantom?" He asked with squinted eyes, trying to analyze even the slightest change in her expression.


    "No." She replied so naturally that even Gabi was slightly confused.


    "Uh, well, even if you are lying, I will find out soon."


    Then, Gabi smashed his fist down before channeling his Origin into the ground. Immediately, the earth shook violently as if it was hit by an earthquake. He had injected the ground with an extremely loud noise which made it start cracking from the sheer strength of it.


    In an instant, an area of a 1 Km radius was turned into crumbles as Eva found herself swaying left and right when she lost her bnce.


    At that moment, Gabi sprinted forward, jumping on the broken rocks to increase his speed. When he reached her, he extended his hand forward, to st Eva''s face with the sounds right to her face.


    However, thetter''s hand moved and she shot three bullets right toward Gabi''s face before she jumped in the air and spun around. At the same time, she created two swords in her hand before she threw them powerfully at him. Her swift movements merely took a split second.


    "Hahaha! Great!" Gabi found himself in the face of bullets and swords. She had countered his attack so fast that he had no time to do anything. Eva was truly exceeding his expectations!


    *ng* *ng*


    Using his arm, Gabi diverted the swords which left a small injury on him before he quickly bent back, letting the bullets barely pass him.


    Eva didn''t stop there as the moment shended, she quickly dashed forward and formed another sword in her hand before shing down.


    "Ooof, close one!" Gabi murmured as he dodged quickly. Eva then followed by a series of stabs and shes in quick session.


    Her speed and techniques were so elegant that it would leave anyone in awe. Besides possessing the ability to form swords, she also trained in swordsmanship her whole life. She was a master swordsman through and through.


    "You know¡­ I always admired the ck Phantom and you Evangeline." Gabi spoke as he continued dodging. "Him for being my idol and the man I consider to be the perfect species on earth and you for¡­ taming that monster."


    "Is speaking like a viin from a B-Rated movie your talent?"


    "Hahahaha!" Chuckling loudly, Gabi jumped back before he pulled out a gun. It was a rather in-looking pistol. Even Eva knew instantly that it wasn''t even able to shoot Anti-origin bullets.


    So, she quickly closed the distance between them to resume her barrage of attacks. Her n was simple, overwhelm Gabi with attacks and never allow him to do any stupid tricks. That was the only she could beat him.


    "No, no, Evangeline. You are being too naive. Why would I use a normal gun in a fight between Origin users?" Grinning wildly when he saw Eva falling into his trap, Gabi pulled the trigger.


    But, instead of firing bullets, the pistol firedpressed sound waves. Eva''s eyes widened in shock as she found herself face-to-face with the attack and no space to dodge.


    *BOOOMM*


    Smashing against her face, Eva was sent flying back. A groan of pain escaped her mouth as shended on the ground violently.


    "AAAGHH!!" She grabbed her head as she tried to suppress the loud noise she was hearing. It was as if someone was hitting her brain with hammers again and again. The pain was extreme.


    "Tsk, tsk, just one sound bullet and you are done for? Is that it? Come on, Evangeline. We barely started." Gabi said as he approached her while wiping the blood on his arms.


    When he was close enough, he pointed the sound gun at her and said.


    "Hmm, well, the sooner the better. I want to extract all the information you have about the ck Phantom as soon as possible." Saying that he was about to pull the trigger. "It was nice meeting you, Evangel-"


    Suddenly, Gabi''s eyes widened as he felt something piercing his back from behind. His shocked expression froze for a second before his eyes moved down to look at his stomach. There, a sword could be seen protruding out as blood was gushing out.


    "Blurgh!!" Coughing out, Gabi felt himself sway as he stepped back.


    At that moment, his eyes quickly moved toward Eva. Although she looked like she was in pain, her left hand was actually pointing toward him.


    "Sword¡­ Heaven." Eva murmured with a grin as she squinted slightly. The ringing sound was still as painful as ever in her head.


    "Got you."

 Chapter 54 54- You Are Dead

    <h4>Chapter 54 Chapter 54- You Are Dead</h4>


    Chapter 54- You Are Dead


    Gabi''s face paled slightly as he tried to keep himself from falling to the ground. The sword had pierced multiple of his vital organs and was bleeding him at an extremely fast rate. Even with his strength, stopping the bleeding would be very hard.


    It was apletely unexpected turn of events.


    "Did¡­ you think that I will make it obvious when¡­ I, ugh, use Sword Heaven?" Eva grinned coldly as she tried to stand up on her feet.


    Looking at her with a shocked expression, Gabi''s mind caught what she meant, and that only further shocked him.


    When she used Sword Heaven for the first time, she deliberately made it look so extravagant and shy so that she can trick Gabi into believing Sword Heaven required all of that preparation. That way, he would never predict or even think that Eva could actually summon it without all of that.


    This meant that from the very start, Eva had predicted that Gabi will propose a face-to-face duel between them. She hadpletely tricked him. A trick inside a trick inside a trick that Gabi would''ve never been able to notice or predict. This level of nning requires an unfathomable cleverness and extreme awareness of the opponent.


    However, instead of frowning at his potential demise, Gabi chuckled instead.


    "So¡­ this is what the ck Phantom''s lover is capable of. Your intelligence is far beyond what I expected. You two are a match made in heaven indeed. Hahaha¡­ *Cough* *Cough*" Gabi said with a low chuckle.


    To that, Eva merely smiled.


    "The moment you decided to target him, you already lost. I would never allow an insect like you to find him, not when I''m alive." Eva said as she summoned a sword and approached Gabi who was already on his knees.


    "Goodbye, bastard."


    As Eva was about to slice his head clean off his shoulders. Gabi raised his hand which made Eva assume he will still resist.


    However, instead of attacking her, his hand moved swiftly and plunged into his chest, destroying his heart.


    "BLUUURGHH!!" Coughing a huge mouthful of blood, Gabi slumped down as he murmured. "I¡­ thought if I will die¡­ It will be by his hands and no one else''s. I won''t allow¡­ for anyone else to take that¡­ from me."


    Eva listened to his words with a cold expression and motionless as she witness Agent 34 slowly dying. Eventually, his body fell down and he stopped breathing.


    When Eva was certain his heart stopped, she fell down to the ground as she heaved up and down. At that moment, blood started leaking out of her ears slowly as Eva squinted from the sheer pain.


    Although she tried to keep herself fairlyposed, the horrible pain she felt in her ears and head was so intense that she could see herself losing consciousness. In fact, Eva was sure that her eardrums werepletely destroyed so she had to read Gabi''s lips to be able to understand what he meant.


    Luckily, that worked since if Gabi realized she was in a very horrible condition, he would''ve never killed himself and would''ve instead risked it to kill her.


    "I¡­ did it¡­ I protected¡­ Kai''s life¡­" She murmured as an image of her beloved shed in her eyes. Her hazy gaze turned warm as countless emotions filled her heart. Then, her eyes slowly closed and she allowed her brain to shut off.


    ***


    Meanwhile, somewhere else, in an abandoned factory, two silhouettes were still shing violently. Gunshots could be heard filling the whole ce along with the sound of grunts.


    The fight between Markus and Trevor was extremely intense. Both parties were very close to each other in terms of power and so no one was able to overpower the other. However, that didn''t mean that they weren''t able to inflict heavy damage on each other.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­" Markus'' breathing was erratic as he wiped the blood on his cheek. His condition was very bad. He had multiple bullet injuries in his abdomen and arms and a big sword injury on his leg.


    However, for better or worse, he wasn''tpletely drained. On the other hand, Trevor seemed to be on the verge of falling down. His clothes were soaked in blood and his eyes were slowly losing their vigor and strength.


    "B-Bastard¡­ I won''t stop till I slit your throat. For killing my son!"


    Markus scoffed loudly, "You have a very noble moral purpose there, friend. Isn''t that the same son you wanted to disown as soon as possible? Now he became the reason for your revenge?"


    "Shut up! What do you know?! The Chamagne family is the greatest family in the world! We have the money, the power, the heritage, everything!! No one dares to disrespect us and think they wille out of it safely. No one!!"


    After saying that, Trevor dashed toward Markus with all of his strength. He was going to go all in! His gun aimed forward and fired countless bullets toward the head of the Lavine family.


    Thetter jumped in the air and tried to fire back with a round of his own. However, he soon realized something. Trevor suddenly changed his trajectory and dashed around Markus before he stopped and then touched the ground.


    "Hahahahaha! I got you! King of nts!" Yelling loudly, the ground suddenly shook as a huge nt-like creature emerged from beneath the cement.


    The monster looked like a carnivorous nt albeit way bigger with sharp teeth inside its mouth and a horrifying acid boiling in the center of its body, ready to digest anything the nt swallows.


    "Shit!" Markus cursed as he found himself falling right toward the nt''s mouth. He couldn''t dodge so he fired shots at it. The moment the bullets connected with the monster''s body, green, disgusting, blood started leaking.


    But, the monster didn''t seem affected at all. In fact, those bullets only made it even more enraged as it waited for Markus tond.


    "Hahahahahaha! Goodbye, fool! May you rot in hell!" Trevor yelled happily.


    "RAAA!!!"


    Eventually, Markusnded inside the monster''s mouth. His arms instantly grabbed into the inner walls of the creature as he used his strength to keep his mouth open.


    "AGH!!" His teeth clenched tightly as he resisted the crushing pressure of the monster''s mouth. However, he knew he can''tst long.


    But, no matter how much he tried to wriggle his way out and no matter how much he fired at the monster, thetter didn''t stop. He waspletely trapped.


    A few long minutes passed before Markus'' strength finally slipped and he found himself falling down to the acid pool beneath him.


    ''I guess¡­ This is the end¡­ Sorry, Eva, Meli¡­ Selina¡­ I didn''t do it¡­'' He thought as he closed his eyes, the feeling of the boiling liquid finally reaching his skin.


    ''Please, don''t feel sad¡­ Live your lives to the fullest¡­''


    Eventually, his body hit the acid as it errupted everywhere, burning his skin and his muscles rapidly. His face scrunched with pain but he didn''t groan nor yell. He had fully epted his death as much as it felt bitter.


    However, at that second, out of nowhere, the nt suddenly shook violently before a huge hole appeared in its stomach. Acid started spilling out violently, carrying Markus outside along with it.


    Thetter, who still had a nudge of consciousness, looked around him in disbelief. What happened? He thought.


    As he was about tond on the ground, he felt the impact lessening slightly as a cold voice spoke to him.


    "The King of nts is only weak to fire, Mr Markus. You should''ve already known that." Kai said as he approached the man that was in a horrible state and touched his forehead.


    Immediately, all of his burns and injuries dissapeared as if they were never there in the first ce. Then, under Markus'' widened eyes, Kai stood up again and nced at Trevor who had the same dumbfounded expression. Since he was wearing his mask, neither of the two could see his expression.


    "W-Who are you?!" Trevor yelled loudly as he felt himself gulp down a mouthful of saliva.


    Just from pure presence alone, Trevor was totally convinced that this mysterious person in front of him was the strongest he ever met. His aura was deadly sharp as if countless des were pointed at every cell of his body.


    "..."


    "I said who are you?! Didn''t you hear me?!"


    "Providing information to a dead person is akin to filling a bucket that has a hole in it with water. It''s pointless. And you, Mr. Trevor, are a dead person."

 Chapter 55 55- Undead (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 55 Chapter 55- Undead (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 55- Undead (Part 1)


    "W-What the fuck did you say?!" Trevor yelled anxiously as he red daggers at Kai, trying to determine who he was.


    Since Trevor has never been able to reach the threshold of the top 100 hitmen in the Guild, he didn''t have the opportunity of meeting the ck Phantom on one of the Red Rose Days. So, even though he heard rumors about him, they were all in the end¡­ Rumors.


    "I-Is my daughter, ok?" Markus asked as he heaved up and down when he realized who the person behind the mask was, he rxed visibly. He knew this person very well.


    "She''s alive," Kai replied coldly as he pulled out his gun and aimed it at Trevor.


    Thetter''s face crunched as he readied himself for the attack. Instead, what happened shook him to the core.


    Kai''s silhouette suddenly vanished from his sight and reappeared again, a few inches away from Trevor with the gun aimed straight at his skull.


    ''W-What?!!! When did he¡­''


    "W-Wait! This is a duel between me and Markus! Why the hell are you intervening?!" He asked.


    "..."


    "You must honor a duel or that man will be considered a disgrace to the Guild. That is how things work! If you kill me, it means that he is a coward that can''t ept defeat."


    When he saw that Kai didn''t pull the trigger, he grinned inwardly, thinking he had tricked the mysterious person in front of him. However, all the things he said were simply nonsense he came up with to stop Kai from killing him.


    While it was indeed true that duels are an honored ritual in the underworld. However, that is only for those who value honor when fighting to death. However, many people don''t see it that way and Trevor was one of them.


    ''Honor?! Psst, what the hell is that? As long as I can win, that''s what matters!'' They all think the same way.


    So, while Kai was still motionless, Trevor''s left hand was moving ever-so-slowly as it did something suspicious.


    "Now, get out of the way and let me finish him off."


    "... Sigh¡­" Sighing, Kai put down the gun.


    "Hey, wait! Young man! Don''t listen to him! He doesn''t care about such antic-"


    *BANG*


    Suddenly, a loud gun sound echoed in the old factory. Markus'' eyes blinked confusedly as he noticed Trevor falling down. A bullet had pierced his skull and exploded inside, turning his brain into mush.


    "I''m not a hitman," Kai said coldly, as he looked at the dead corpse of Trevor with an emotionless gaze. This was the second person he killed tonight.


    "..." Markus waspletely speechless. How could he not be when he couldn''t even see Kai''s hand move and pull the trigger? Such a speed was beyond imagination!


    *Step* *Step*


    Meanwhile, Kai tucked his gun back and walked toward Markus silently. His white mask with the stitched mouth drawing on it looked even more ominous under the faint light of the moon.


    "Thank y-"


    "You aren''t fully healed. Don''t move recklessly." Kai cut him off as he was about to leave.


    "Hey, wait! Are you¡­ that Kai boy?" Markus asked.


    That question made Kai look at him again silently. The sheer pressure of his gaze turned Markus nervous. Even behind the mask, his unfathomable purple eyes seemed to be as sharp and as domineering as ever.


    "Some questions are better left unanswered, Mr. Markus, or I will be forced to get rid of you just like I did to him," Kai said.


    His words were chilling cold and devoid of any emotions, sending a chill down Makrus'' spine. However, when he thought about them carefully, he realized something.


    Kai didn''t deny the fact nor did he need to. After all, if Markus tried to use his identity in a bad way, Kai will nt a bullet in his head. However, he was certain that Markus wasn''t a man who would willingly reveal the information of someone who saved his life.


    Besides, Kai knew that Eva would never allow her father to do anything that could harm him and if a clear threat from the ck Phantom himself didn''t do the job, then surely an angry Eva was intimidating enough for the man to not do anything stupid.


    As the two stared at each other, suddenly, a silhouette appeared behind Kai in a sh and sent a flying punch toward his face. Markus saw that and his eyes widened in shock.


    "Boy, be careful!!" He yelled loudly.


    However, by the time he finished his sentence, Kai had already moved and blocked the attack. His body was pushed a few meters away from the impact.


    ''Strong.'' He thought as he felt slight numbness in his hand. It wasn''t anything painful but it still surprised the boy. When was thest time someone was able to inflict any degree of pain on him? Even he doesn''t remember.


    His eyes then shifted to the culprit and that was an even bigger shock. It was none other than the man he had just killed, Trevor.


    ''Hm? Did he dodge the bullet? No, I can''t sense any pulse¡­ He is dead.'' Kai thought calmly as he analyzed the man.


    Trevor''s body looked rigid and abnormal. It was as if every muscle in his body was contracted which made his posture look bizarre. His face was arched down, but Kai could see the blood still dripping from his forehead where the bullet prated it.


    However, the most noticeable thing was his eyes. They werepletely white with no pupils at all. He was akin to one of those undead creatures in movies¡­ A Zombie.


    That alone was enough to surprise Kai. An undead? How is that possible? Reviving a dead person was impossible even for him let alone other people. In fact, even the most advanced of minds were still stuck on how to make all humans acquire Origin powers.


    ''No, this doesn''t make sense¡­ He isn''t alive. His mind isn''t working either, he is just a brainless puppet. However, how did he be like this¡­''


    No answer came to mind from a mere look, Kai needed to check the body himself.


    *Swish*


    As the two stood like that, the undead creature suddenly lunged at Kai.


    ''He''s even faster than before¡­ By a lot.''


    "RAAA!!!" Screeching inhumanely, Trevor smashed down with his fist.


    The ground cracked violently, making Kai jump back a little. However, Trevor didn''t stop there and continued to run after Kai while punching and kicking everywhere. His attacks were horrifying, to say the least.


    Even Markus could notice the sheer difference between this man and the one he fought a few minutes ago.


    "What is going on?" He murmured as he watched the brutal fight urring in front of him with widened eyes.


    Meanwhile, Kai was racking his brain to understand what was happening. He didn''t want to kill his target yet since he was very curious as to what made this man wake up from his eternal slumber and gain such immense strength.


    His silhouette kept moving around, as he dodged the man''s attacks easily. Even with the boost, Kai didn''t find the fight hard.


    But as it stretched from seconds to minutes, Kai grew annoyed since no matter how much he analyzed Trevro''s body, he couldn''t notice any abnormality. He was a dead man through and through and yet he was moving.


    "Tsk¡­ No choice." Without any other choice, Kai decided to end this fight.


    So, he instantly, halted his movement before he quickly dashed toward Trevor. Thetter didn''t have time to react to this sudden shift of events as he found himself about to be punched in the abdomen.


    *BOOOOOM*


    With one punch, Kai sted Trevor away with a loud noise. The man''s body smashed against the wall of the factory, destroying it in the process.


    "...!!!" Markus'' mouth hung open in pure shock at what he saw.


    At first, seeing Kai only dodging, he thought the young man was unable to fight back and was getting overwhelmed but in a mere split second, he turned the tables¡­ Overwhelmingly so.


    ''What¡­ kind of monstrous strength is that?'' He asked himself.


    "Young man, what happ-"


    "Shhh. He is still moving." Kai said as he watched the cloud of dust rising from the spot where Trevornded. Although a punch of that strength would''ve rendered his organs into a mush, Kai could still see him moving, as if nothing happened.


    ''Damage doesn''t work on him. Well, it''s predictable considering that a bullet to the head didn''t have any effect.''


    Immediately, Kai realized that he was fighting a monster that didn''t get affected by injuries no matter how severe they were.

 Chapter 56 56- Undead (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 56 Chapter 56- Undead (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 56- Undead (Part 2)


    The cloud of dust was eventually swept away by the gushes of the wind of the night, revealing Trevor was standing on his two feet. On his stomach, a huge trace could be seen from Kai''s punch.


    His stomach was deformed beyond recognition and blood could be seen leaking out of it. However, the next second, something shocking urred.


    The monster''s injury suddenly started healing at an extremely fast pace, breaking the limit most Origin users had on their bodies.


    ''Regeneration?'' Raising an eyebrow, Kai could only sigh inwardly. The more he looked at this monster, the more he grew annoyed.


    He was constantly breaking all limits that Kai knew about Origin and its uses. As versatile as it was, Origin was still not apletely invincible power. It had its limits that were mostly set by the human body. For example, depending on the talent a user might have or acquire, their bodies will have to handle that ability and if the body wasn''t tempered to be able to do it, the consequences are terrible, to say the least.


    That''s why, an Origin user must train their body a lot to be able to contain that power or they will eventually self-destruct and die a painful, horrifying death.


    However, the man in front of him was clearly ignoring all of that and basically throwing it in the trash.


    ''Origin can theoretically regenerate the body at that speed. However, the human can''t handle high speeds of regeneration if it''s not strong enough.''


    "RAAA!!!" As the boy was having such thoughts, the undead screeched angrily as it dashed toward Kai maniacally, without any hesitation.


    Thetter didn''t back off and closed the distance between them before he straightened his hand, turning it into something akin to a sharp de, and then pierced the man''s stomach.


    Then, he followed with another attack, to his neck that instantly severed it. The man''s head was sent flying as it fell down and rolled on the ground.


    "..."


    Markus, who was watching all of this, had no idea what kind of reaction he should even put on his face. This was simply too shocking to even be put into words. Even as he was intently watching Kai''s movements, he still couldn''t keep up with his speed.


    ''When did he even severe his head?! His hand didn''t move!!'' Looking at the head, the man could see that the cut was so precise that he would''ve mistaken it to be the work of a de and not a human hand!


    Meanwhile, Kai had a cold expression as his eyes looked at the beheaded corpse of Trevor. He was waiting.


    Then, what he predicted happened. The beheaded corpse suddenly started moving again as it stood up. Blood had already stopped gushing out of the neck as if the injury was healing.


    ''Even severing the head doesn''t work¡­ So the brain isn''t important. Which leaves¡­'' Kai''s eyes shed with a hint of understanding as he looked at the man''s chest, precisely where the seal for his main talent was probably located.


    Then, without hesitation, Kai vanished in an instant as he appeared behind the man with something new in his hand. At the same time, a huge hole appeared in Trevor''s body out of nowhere.


    ''Does getting rid of the seal kill him?'' He thought as he looked behind him. Although researchers had concluded that the brain is the most important part when ites to Origin and manipting it, the seal for the main talent actually yed a role in that too.


    It not only gave the user their very first ability but also determined how talented they will be and that appears in many forms such as: How pure their Origin is? How fast it moves through their body? How efficient is the body in manipting it? And many other criteria that differentiate between a talented Origin user and a not-so-talented one.


    That leads to what Kai did which was pretty much cutting off all supply of Origin power that was still inside Trevor''s body. He suspected that Origin had some kind of hand in this weird urrence. An u


    However, much to his surprise, that didn''t anything at all. Trevor was still moving and he was already approaching him with the intent to attack him.


    "Tsk¡­ So annoying."


    With not much choice left, Kai had to finally rely on something he kept hidden for now. Since smart methods didn''t work, he decided to simply use sheer power to erase Trevor from existence.


    *Cling*


    Taking a deep breath, he put his hand on his sword and then stepped forward. The ominously dark de of the sword looked extremely intimidating. As if the moment Kai pulled it out, a horrifying demon appeared inside the old factory, looming over everything with a wicked grin stered on his face.


    "RAAAAA!!!" The undead monster continued rushing toward him while Kai simply walked.


    Then, when he got close enough, he murmured.


    "Atomic sh."


    *Swish*


    A sh of light assaulted Markus'' retina for a split second before it vanished, showing Kai who had suddenly appeared behind the undead.


    On the other hand, the monster that was still running suddenly stopped.


    ''Huh?'' Markus was confused. What happened?


    Then, the next second, the monster''s body disintegrated into tiny pieces out of nowhere. Every inch of his body was thinly sliced into hundreds of thousands of parts.


    Each piece fell down to the ground making a sound akin to raindrops.


    "..."


    "Fuuuh¡­" Exhaling a long breath, Kai swung his sword to get rid of the blood left on it before he skillfully returned it to its scabbard.


    Looking at his hands, Kai could still feel the coldness of the de on it. His eyes shed with a scary glint as he murmured.


    "Are you that happy to be soaked in blood again?"


    He could feel it through his whole being, that strong bloodlust that could suffocate a human to death. It was alling from the cursed sword. Its desire to kill was by far the most overwhelming Kai had ever seen. If it wasn''t for Kai oppressing the sword, he was sure that it could take over his mind and turn him into a blood-seeking monster.


    Shaking these thoughts away, he looked at whatever was left of Trevor. Luckily, slicing him up into countless pieces seemed to have done the job as the lump of flesh and bones never moved again.


    ''Sigh, whoever made this wanted to hide the secret. If the only way for one of these monsters to be killed is to turn them into paste then no one will be able to properly research them.''


    "Y-Young man¡­ Are you ok?" Markus, who was still in the aftereffect of the shock, looked at Kai apprehensively.


    Seeing how strong he was, Markus was slightly scared. Although this boy was his daughter''s presumable lover, his mere presence was like a scythe tickling Markus'' neck constantly.


    ''H-How did Eva even fall in love with him? I''m here shaking just looking at him. The ck Phantom¡­ So this is that monster I heard about¡­''


    "Keep whatever happened here a secret¡­ Especially this undead thing. I want you to collect every part of his body and hand it to Eva." Kai said as if he was ordering one of his servants.


    "Understood¡­"


    "Then, have a nice evening, Mr Markus." Leaving those words behind, Kai vanished like mist, leaving the man in his ce. After this night, Markus'' view of many things has changedpletely.


    ***


    "U-Ugh¡­ My head¡­"


    An unknown amount of time passed before Eva finally woke up from her slumber. Her head still felt heavy but it was faring way better than before.


    As her senses were slowly waking up too, she noticed that she wasn''tying on the ground.


    "H-Huh?" She tried to speak but only a small groan escaped her lips.


    Then, her eyes moved slowly to look ahead of her. There, on a tree, Kai sat down casually, watching the horizon as the dawn was nearing.


    The moment she saw him, Eva''s eyes widened.


    "K-Kai¡­?" She murmured confusedly. "But¡­ H-How? D-Didn''t you¡­ Go to the Chamagne household?" She asked.


    "I was intending to do so. But, seeing how every hitman I hunted down back in the city had the same information delivered to them that Trevor was still in his house, I found it suspicious. Gabi isn''t dumb. So, I simply came here. I guess I was right." He replied calmly.


    "I see¡­" A weak smile appeared on Eva''s face that looked as warm and as bright as the sun.


    "I-Is my dad¡­ ok?"


    "Yes."


    The two then remained silent for a while. Eva''s face looked as happy as ever.


    "Kai¡­ I killed him¡­ I did it¡­ I was able to protect your life in that city¡­ I was able to help you." She said in a proud tone. Even with all of her sess, Eva had never felt more proud of herself than at this moment.


    "..."


    "Did I¡­ do a good job? Was I useful to you?" She asked anxiously. Her heart rate increased noticeably as she waited for his answer.


    "Yes." Kai''s eyes turned to look at Eva as he answered. His hand moved and got his mask off, revealing his face to her.


    At the same time, the sun rose from the horizon, illuminating his features for Eva to see and admire. Her eyes twinkled brightly as countless emotions shed through her ruby irises and for a good moment, Eva thought she was floating in the sky from happiness. It was a moment of her life that she will never forget.

 Chapter 57 57- SOA

    <h4>Chapter 57 Chapter 57- SOA</h4>


    Chapter 57- SOA


    Eva''s face rxedpletely as she kept looking at Kai, not averting her eyes even once. Maybe it was the orange hue of the sun that gave his face a rather divine look or maybe it was simply because she adored every part of Kai''s face, either way, she found herself encaptured by his features.


    "Did you really kill Gabi?" Thetter, seemingly oblivious to her tantly strong stare, asked as he jumped from the branch andnded quietly on the ground.


    "Huh? Uh, yes! I did! His corpse is over ther-" Waking up from her trance, Eva pointed at where she left Gabi''s corpse before she lost consciousness, however, when she looked there, he was nowhere to be found.


    "What? Where is he? I left his corpse there." She murmured confusedly.


    "So you don''t know either, huh?"


    "What do you mean, Kai?"


    "When I came here, he wasn''t there. He either didn''t die and ran away or someone had picked his corpse up."


    Eva''s beautiful features frowned as she gazed at the bloody, vacant spot where Gbai''s corpse was.


    "No, I''m sure he died. His pulse waspletely gone. Besides, he killed himself after destroying his own heart. He couldn''t survive that."


    "Which means that someone indeed arrived here before me and picked him up," Kai concluded before he looked around him, searching for any traces the culprit could''ve left. However, he found nothing within a radius of a few kilometers.


    ''They are skilled. But, if they were really after Gabi, why didn''t they attack Eva?'' He asked himself.


    The time between the end of the fight and Kai''s arrival was almost 30 minutes. It was enough time for the culprit to kill Eva or kidnap her too. However, they weirdly did nothing.


    Then there was the second most important question, why would they carry Gabi''s corpse away? Did they have some kind of rtionship with him? Or maybe it was simply to bury him? But, that wouldn''t make sense since they left the one that killed him alive.


    ''Their goal isn''t revenge¡­ That is a given. So, what would they want from a dead¡­ corpse.'' Reaching that point, it clicked in Kai''s head.


    Of course, why did he not realize this sooner? It was obvious.


    "Kai?"


    "Hm? Right, I think I know the reason Gabi''s corpse was snatched."


    "Really?"


    Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Kai finally looked at Eva and said. "Can you move?"


    "Y-Yes! I''m feeling better now that you healed me. Thank you!" Standing up slowly, Eva stretched her limbs, entuating her amazing curves before she smiled warmly.


    "Good. Follow me." He said before he vanished and appeared on top of one of the trees with his eyes staring in a particr direction.


    "Where are we going?" She asked.


    "The Chamagne family. If my prediction is correct, the answer should be there."


    ***


    The Chamagne household was located merely 100 kilometers away from the Lavines so the trip wasn''t that long for the duo. One hour or soter, they reached their destination.


    Since the huge vi was near the mountain range, it had a great view that was breathtaking enough to make anyone spend a good chunk of their day merely staring out of the window.


    However, this magnificent ce was now eerily quiet except for the asional guars moving around the ce. Unbeknownst to them, the owners of the house were brutally killed. The whole world was still unaware of the results of this sh between these two prominent families.


    "Ugh!!" Knocking down one guard, Kai looked at Eva who had also easily gotten rid of another one. Then, the two moved inside the house while knocking out all the guards.


    "Why are we here Kai? What is there to find inside their household?" Eva asked for the second time. She still had no idea what was happening since Kai was oddly silent the whole journey.


    Looking back at her, Kai finally decided to tell her what exactly happened with Trevor. He omitted some details like the fact that he used ''Wretched Heart'' to slice the man into countless pieces. Those weren''t fond memories of his, after all.


    When he finished the story, Eva had a shocked expression on her face.


    "An undead? How could that be¡­" She could barely believe what he said. It was akin to a fairytale rather than reality.


    "It is the truth. I did notice that man Trevor doing something with his hand before I killed him. My suspicion is that whatever he did was the reason for his transformation."


    "So, we came here to see if they have created some kind of concoction that makes the dead rise?" Eva concluded. Since she knew that the Chamagne family were the world leaders when ites to medicine, potions, and even Origin-rted abilities.


    In fact, when Trevor summoned the King of nts, it wasn''t a talent but a chemically made capsule that entrapped monsters inside of it to summon them for use whenever the user wanted. These things were called ''Synthetic Origin Abilities'' or SOA for short. Since its discovery years ago, SOA had been a flourishing field that came up with numerous world-changing inventions. In fact, Anti-Origin bullets and Leviathium were the results of researching from that field.


    Granted, both the Hitman Guild and Divinity took that matter very seriously and even invested in it in hopes of one day, in the future, where they could make every single human being on Earth an Origin user.


    Anyway, since the Chamagne family was a prominent powerhouse in inventing and manufacturing top-grade SOAs, they had the highest chance of discovering something as unlikely as undead monsters.


    "Exactly. But, I doubt this was created by the Chamagnes. Trevor is a very impulsive man. If he was to discover such a thing, he would''ve probably told everyone by that point. But, he didn''t. This meant that he either suddenly gained a moment of enlightenment that made him think rationally¡­ Or, someone had given him that ability and made sure he never tells anyone about it."


    Eva nodded her head in understanding. It was very logical. Not to mention the fact that a power like this would rack him an astronomical fortune simply by selling the paper for it. The Hitman Guild and Divinity would kill to be able to get it.


    "It''s not highly likely that we won''t find anything. But, considering how dumb that man is, he could''ve made a mistake or a mishap¡­" Kai squinted his eyes as he walked through the corridors of the house with Eva by his side.


    The two eventually stopped in front of Trevor''s office and opened the door. The inside of the office was still intact.


    The duo then walked inside before they headed toward Trevor''s desk.


    "Search for anything eye-catching," Kai said as he looked at the messy desk of the now-deceased man.


    Kai then started looking through the desk thoroughly, checking the documents, the drawers, and even the cup of cold coffee left on the table.


    However, nothing could be found.


    Meanwhile, Eva was looking through the decorations of the office. The drawings, the vases, the small shelves filled with books, and even Trevor''s license as a doctor.


    ''How did that man even be a doctor with that small brain of his?'' Eva asked herself as she rolled her eyes. The world was truly a weird ce.


    As she walked around casually, her eyes scanning the ce, she noticed something odd. It was a very, very small detail that she missed at first.


    On the wall, there was a particrly beautiful drawing of a red rose inside a vase filled with water. The piece of art was quite known in the world and was worth millions. However, for some reason, this drawing was tilted by 1/4th of a degree to the side.


    This detail would''ve gone unnoticed if it was anyone else other than Eva. So, she approached it and touched the drawing, intending to move it back to its normal position.


    Surprisingly, the moment she moved it, the office shook noticeably as the shelves beside the drawing parted in the middle. The wall had suddenly moved, revealing a secret path.


    Kai looked up from the desk before he nodded his head.


    "Hidden in in sight. Smart." He murmured as he gave Eva a ''Good job'' look or what he at least assumed to be a ''Good job'' look. From a third-party standpoint, his expression didn''t change at all. But, for Eva, it was a world apart.


    Thetter beamed with happiness.


    "N-No need to praise me that much, Kai. I didn''t do much." She said awkwardly as she fidgeted slightly. Her heart fluttered with happiness when Kai praised her even though it was merely a look.


    Thetter ignored her goofy behavior and walked toward the secret door before he peaked inside. It waspletely dark inside with the door being connected to a staircase that went deeper into the darkness.


    "Let''s go. We might''ve found what we''re looking for."

 Chapter 58 58- KAI!!!

    <h4>Chapter 58 Chapter 58- KAI!!!</h4>


    Chapter 58- KAI!!!


    The duo walked inside the dark tunnel silently, going down deeper into the unknown. Neither of them spoke or made a sound just to make sure they wouldn''t alert anyone that could be inside.


    Since they were trained to be hitmen, one of the things they had to master was how to walk without making a sound. Their steps are always quiet and precise making it extremely hard to hear any soundsing from them. It was engraved into their very being even when they are walking normally during the day.


    So, even now, the tunnel was still as quiet as ever.


    ''This is going under the house.'' Kai concluded as he looked back at the entrance. They had been walking for 2 minutes or so now and the end was still not in sight.


    However, what made Kai and Eva tense was the weird feeling of the tunnel. It was cold, humid, and dark as if they were walking inside a cave and not a man-made tunnel. In fact, if it wasn''t for the fact that Kai could feel traces of Origin lingering in the tunnel that proves this tunnel was entered often by someone or some people, he would''ve thought it had been abandoned for tens of years.


    Eventually, after an awfully long time, the stairs finally came to an end. Right in front of them, they could see a metal door, closely shut. It looked like the door to a bank safe albeit it was made out of Origin-injected steel that made it at least 10 times stronger than normal steel.


    Eva and Kai looked at each other as they conversed with their eyes before Kai approached the door and then he looked at the door handle. There, a keypad with 9 digits on it was nted as a lock to the door.


    Putting his hand near the keypad, Kai injected some of his Origin into it. A few secondster, random numbers started appearing on the screen at an extremely fast pace. The boy had simply hacked the keypad into self-unlocking itself by trying all the possible codes until the right one is found.


    Although this method would take some time, it was still the best way to unlock such doors without being noisy. Who knows what could be inside so Kai and Eva wanted to be quiet in their approach.


    After that, Kai turned around and walked back to the stairs before he sat down on one of the steps casually.


    Eva also sat down and rested her back on the wall as she looked around idly. Her careless attitude might make anyone believe that she wasn''t taking the situation seriously. But, only she and Kai knew her senses were already covering the whole ce. If an insect was to enter that area, she would be aware of it.


    As she was looking around, her eyes fell on Kai''s gun. Instantly, her face warmed up. A memory she was fond of passed through her head as her hand instinctively touched the revolver she had by her side.


    That revolver was oddly enough something that Kai gave her personally. Although it was technically a gift, Eva saw it as such, and that only made it even more precious for her. In fact, it was her most precious belonging that she took care of almost every day.


    ''So he''s still using that revolver¡­ Fufufu! So he gave me a copy of something he cherishes.'' Just the mere thought of having something inmon with her beloved made her genuinely happy. Her thoughts told her that Kai had decided to give her something that he likes and that''s alone more than enough to make her jump excitedly.


    As Eva was having her happy thoughts, Kai stood up again when he noticed that the door was unlocked. Eva followed suit and the two walked toward the door before pushing it open.


    Immediately, the inside was illuminated, revealing a giganticb so advanced that it made even Kai quite impressed.


    The ce was wholly made out of white tiles, even the walls, and was filled to the brim with experimental material of all kinds. Some that even Kai didn''t know of. However, other than that, there wasn''t any other presence inside theb.


    "That man had such a ce under his house?" Eva murmured with a surprised expression.


    "Considering how focused Trevor is on the field of medicine and SOA, it''s not that far-fetched for him to create this ce." Looking around the tables and the experimental material, Kai didn''t see anything odd.


    They were all mostly chemicals, upleted SOA inventions, and some other materials. However, none of it was something that he could link to the undead mystery. Which proved that Trevor indeed wasn''t the one who created it.


    ''There is simply no way whoever gave Trevor that ability didn''t leave a trace behind. He would''ve never expected that I would get into this matter myself.'' Kai thought as he squinted his eyes.


    The duel between the Chamagnes and the Lavines had simply too many variables and changes for anyone to predict its course precisely and act upon it. Hell, the conflict itself was something that nobody predicted not to mention Kai''s involvement in it. So, when this mysterious person handed Trevor that power, he was either experimenting on Trevor, assuming the fact that he loses against Markus which will make him use the undead power, of course. Or¡­


    Reaching that point, Kai''s eyes widened slightly as it clicked in his head. The realization made him feel like an idiot for a second! Of course, why did he not think of that? It was never intended as an experiment! It wasn''t even an attempt from this mysterious person to see the effects of this power!


    "Oi, Eva, I think there is somethi-" As he was about to tell Eva, Kai''s senses suddenly heightened as he felt danger around him.


    Instantly, without even thinking twice, his body moved like a sh as he dashed toward Eva before he scooped her up quickly and ran out of the door. A split secondter, the wholeb exploded violently. mes erupted everywhere as they burned everything and even reached the outside of theb.


    Kai''s speed increased, jumping tens of steps in one leap. His eyes looked back at the explosion that was still following them at an ever-increasing speed.


    Although his body could resist mes, staying inside them will eventually burn him. Especially these mes that reached extremely high temperatures.


    Eventually, they reached the exit of the tunnel. The moment he stepped outside, Kai jumped to the side. A momentter, the mes barged out violently, destroying everything in its way.


    "Tsk¡­ They got us." Kai murmured with a slightly annoyed tone.


    Luck wasn''t on his side, the moment he realized what the mysterious individual''s intentions were, theb exploded, burning any possible leads Kai could find.


    Now, even if this person left a trace behind, it was burned to ashes.


    "K-Kai¡­" Eva, who was still being carried by Kai, looked at him with a slightly surprised expression. She was still recovering from what happened.


    "Whoever did this, they aren''t as simple as I expected. They have apparently predicted that someone mighte here looking for evidence." He said as he put her down.


    "Why would they think so? Wait, do you mean¡­"


    Kai nodded his head when he noticed her eyes widen.


    "They saw everything, including what happened to Trevor. They''ve been watching secretly and when they realized that we coulde here, they quickly prepared to destroy theb and burn us alongside it." Kai exined.


    Although he still didn''t understand how this person was able to avoid Kai''s senses that basically covered the whole city but that was the only logical conclusion he coulde up with.


    The situation waspletely turned into a chaotic mess. Nothing made sense and no questions were answered.


    As Kai was trying to make sense of things, his eyes suddenly squinted as he felt a presence looking at him. Immediately, he approached the window and looked outside.


    "Did you feel that?" He asked Eva.


    "No, I didn''t feel anything," Eva said confusedly.


    Her senses were spread across the whole area but there weren''t any out-of-the-ordinary things happening.


    Kai was also not sure if what he felt was real or not. But, he could almost swear he sensed two eyes peering through the walls and looking straight at him. The weirder thing is, this sensation onlysted a split second before it vanishedpletely as if it was never there in the first ce.


    Sliding his hand through his hair, he turned around to walk back to Eva.


    *BADUMP*


    ''Huh?''


    His vision blurred and the sounds around him started to quieten down, leaving only the sound of his heartbeats. All the strength in his body left him as if someone pulled it out of him. However, even though this was sudden, it wasn''t the first time Kai felt this way.


    ''It''s¡­ happening again¡­ Dammit, not now.'' He thought as he tried to regain hisposure. It was all too blurry, too vague to understand.


    "Kai?" Eva, who finally noticed the odd behavior of her beloved, called his name gently.


    The boy, however, didn''t answer as he grabbed his face with one hand and rested the other on the desk for support. But, that didn''t seem to help much as the next second, Kai''s eyes widened as he started coughing.


    The coughs were loud, apanied by something that Eva would''ve never thought she would seee out of Kai¡­ Blood. Kai had vomited huge amounts of it and stained the ground.


    Then, the ck Phantom, the man who turned the underworld into his yground at some point in time, the hitman that reached a level no one could''ve expected before, fell down to the ground as his eyes closed forcefully.


    "KAI!!!"


    [End of Volume 1]


    (A//N: I know many of you have a million questions :) the story will have some elements of mystery but won''t be that heavy or forced. The next arc will cover a lot of those questions and add anotheryer to the plot, hopefully. Anyway, I wanted to thank everyone for their support and hopefully you will still apany the journey of Kai and his lovely (future) wives.)

 Chapter 59 59- 8 Years Ago (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 59 Chapter 59- 8 Years Ago (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 59- 8 Years Ago (Part 1)


    8 years ago.


    The time was night, the weather was cold and snowy as a storm took over the whole world, rendering it a deserted haven devoid of humans.


    "Hah!! Hah!!" A man was running through the alleyways in a hurry. His face was pale and his breathing was erratic. A look of extreme horror was stered on his face as he kept looking back at where he wasing from.


    Although he couldn''t see anything out of the ordinary, that only made him feel even more scared. In fact, the more it was quiet, the more his heart beat faster and the more adrenaline was pumped into his body.


    Taking a turn to the left, he continued running for his life, aiming for the main street. He had been in this state for a few minutes after leaving hispany. Just from his attire, people could understand that he was extremely wealthy. His suit was custom-made and of the highest quality and his watch looked like it cost a few millions at least.


    However, because he stumbled and fell down a few times, those clothes and that watch were ruinedpletely.


    "Is he still behind me?!" He murmured as he stopped to take a breath. His fat body didn''t help his case considering how low his stamina was.


    Heaving up and down, he looked ahead of him.


    "Hah, hah, hah, I need to, continue running. I should''ve lost him by now." After saying that, he started walking. Except, the next second, he halted again as a horrified expression appeared on his face.


    *Step* *Step*


    "Target: Luther Ivlove. Age: 52 years old. Reason for elimination: Corruption, moneyundering, and having multiple affairs behind the partner''s back." An extremely chilling voice spoke as the silhouette of a person appeared.


    "Shit!" Looking at the small boy approaching him, Luther cursed and tried to run back from where he came from.


    However, when he turned around, he found that boy right in front of him as if he was some kind of ghost.


    "AAGHH!!" Screaming from sheer fear, he tried to retreat back but ended up sliding on the wet ground and falling on his ass with a loud thud.


    "W-Wait! Please, young man! You don''t have to do this!!"


    "..."


    "I-I can pay you! Whatever they had on my head, I will give you 3 times¡­ No, 5 times that amount!!" He said as he tried to smile except he looked like a wet chicken trying to coax its predator to not kill it.


    "..." The boy didn''t reply nor could Luther see what his expression was behind the mask.


    "No." Then, the boy''s response came and it was akin to a guillotine that fell on Luther''s head.


    "No! Please, I beg you!! I have a daughter your age!! Please, I love her with all my heart!! I did all of this just so that she can live a fulfilled life!! I don''t want to le-"


    *BANG*


    Before the man could finish, a bullet had already pierced his skill and exited from the other side, sttering blood everywhere.


    The man''s dead body slumped back as blood continued leaking out, mixing with the snow on the ground.


    Looking at the man for a second, Kai''s eyes were as cold as ever. They werepletely lifeless, like two dull pearls that only shone with horrifying light.


    Tucking his gun back, Kai turned around and spoke.


    "Target eliminated." He said.


    "Good job, Agent 0. Come back to the base for your reward." A monotonic, female voice replied.


    "Roger."


    Nodding his head, Kai''s silhouette instantly vanished into the night, leaving behind a distant sound of police sirens approaching the sight of the murder.


    A second after his disappearance, another silhouette could be seen hiding in the corner, as it took a peek.


    "This is his 4th mission in a day and he seeded in all of them without a fault. How could it be that easy?"


    ***


    "Ugh, my neck hurts." A blonde woman stretched her limbs as she rested her back on the chair. After working for 9 hours straight, Talia was feeling extremely sore. However, she can''t really leave her job yet, not before she deals with a certain person sitting quietly in front of her.


    Giving him a nce, Talia said.


    "You really have been making a name for yourself recently, ''Agent 0''. You haven''t been here for a year and you are already on your way to reaching 200 sessful missions. That''s quite the record." She praised honestly as she nced at the screen of theputer, showing the data she had of Kai. Although she didn''t know who his real identity is, she still knew the face behind that mask and she must say that the boy was jaw-droppingly beautiful.


    He was akin to a porcin doll that would make you gaze at him all day long. However, his sharp cold eyes will nullify that effect instantly from how terrifying they were. If she had to describe him he looked like a broken porcin doll. As they say, there''s beauty in the broken and Kai was a great example of that.


    ''To have those eyes at the young age of 9. What did he go through before all of this to get them?''


    Thetter, who was idly sitting on a chair, reading the newspaper, didn''t reply at all. Since the transaction of the money takes a few minutes, he had to wait there.


    "As quiet as ever, huh? I still don''t understand why you were given the alias Agent 0. I assumed the guild''s highest rank is rank 1. Are you perhaps stronger than our rank 1. Or, the zero could simply be interpreted as ''nothing''. You have no rank." Talia said, trying to get a reaction from Kai, except thetter had no desire to engage in any form of conversation.


    ''Tsk, whatever.'' Rolling her eyes, Talia looked at theputer again. Seeing that the transaction waspleted, she said.


    "We''re done."


    Nodding his head, Kai put down the newspaper and stood up.


    "What''s the highest rank I have ess to?"


    "You can easily choose from the 3-star missions. You can also get 4-star missions but not all of them. When you reach 200 sessful missions, you will be able to ess 4-star missions fully." Talia exined.


    "What 4-star missions are avable that I can take?"


    "Now?" The woman''s eyes widened slightly.


    "Yes."


    "Hey, you already finished 4 today. You will only exhau-"


    "What 4-star missions are avable that I can take?" Kai repeated as he cut her off coldly.


    "... Sigh, you are really stubborn." Rubbing her forehead, Talia looked at Kai tiredly.


    Although she usually doesn''t care whether a hitman takes 1 mission or 10 billion missions a day. However, ever since she got to know Kai, she really felt pity for the kid. Although he wasn''t the only kid hitman out there, he was certainly the weirdest one out there and that made Talia feel connected to him, in a sense.


    So, from time to time, she would ask him about his health, how he is living, whether he needs help with something or not, and other such questions. It was simply her way of trying to ease her pity for him. Yes, in Talia''s eyes, Kai was a pitiful, lonely soul that looked too broken to be fixed and too dark to be pushed back to light.


    "Well, there is a good 4-star mission for you. We received an Elimination Request yesterday. The target is pharmaceutical tycoon Loris Berry. He had been under the radar for a while because of his shady dealings with the new and rising Divinity to supply them with Leviathium."


    Kai nodded his head as Talia continued exining the mission. When she finished, she sent him the rest of the information to his work phone. Then, the boy left the office.


    The moment he stepped outside, he looked to the side, noticing someone resting on the wall next to the door.


    She had beautiful ck hair that fell down her shoulders like a waterfall and two piercing red eyes. Her immature face was extremely adorable and perfect.


    Young Eva looked back at Kai and then stood up.


    "Hey, let''s team up." She said in a rather distant tone. Her request was more like an order rather than a request.


    "No," Kai replied as he walked away. This wasn''t the first time Eva had asked him this very same question. It was in fact the 5th time that week and Kai always replied with a No. For some reason, he didn''t find her pestering that annoying.


    Maybe it was because she didn''t seem to carry any malice toward him or simply because she was so stubborn that it caught his attention. She had been the only person to ever approach him willingly inside the Guild, after all. Either way, Kai decided that it wasn''t worth it for him to go out of his way and stop her. Eliminating her was even more so of a hassle.


    "Why not? Am I not strong enough?" She asked as she walked after him. His cold reply didn''t dishearten her.


    "..."


    "Even though we both joined the Guild at the same time, we are both extremely strong. If we work together, we can reach new heights that no one ever heard of. What do you think?" Eva reasoned with him coldly.


    "''If you seek power, seek it alone and never rely on anyone or you will end up being stabbed in the back''," Kai said as if he was quoting the words of someone else. "Look for someone else to team up with. I work alone."

 Chapter 60 60- 8 Years Ago (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 60 Chapter 60- 8 Years Ago (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 60- 8 Years Ago (Part 2)


    Staring at the boy that intrigued her to no end, Eva didn''t understand him or herself. Why was she so interested in him? He was cold, distant, and ruthless even for a hitman and yet she could only look for him whenever she could.


    At first, she thought that it was simply her desire to get a reaction from him since she lived her whole life being showered with attention from every single person she ever meets. Kai was the only one that didn''t even give her a nce.


    So, she started following him and talking to him simply so that she can get the same reaction she always gets from everyone else. She wanted him to be like them, polite and fakely friendly like those bastards. She wanted him to be like everyone else because if he wasn''t, then her idea of people might changepletely and that scared her greatly.


    Eva was the heir to the Lavine family so people of all demographics would look at her with awe, respect, and all possible positive eyes. That quickly turned awfully suffocating for her. She hated those looks because they were all fake.


    They either wanted her favor, money, or reputation. In fact, if it wasn''t for her parents'' clear instructions, she would''ve gone ahead and murdered every single one of those disgusting bastards just so that she doesn''t have to bear with their repulsing smiles and awful sugary words.


    ''All people are the same. If they see someone better than them, they will try to either pull them down or stick to them in hopes of improving their shitty lives.'' She thought to herself.


    However, since the moment she met Kai, that idea was thrown in the bin. He was the first person to not even acknowledge her existence and that annoyed her. How dare he try and ignore me?!


    She assumed he was simply ying hard to get just to get her attention but that belief was soon crushedpletely when she started following Kai. She realized that the boy really didn''t care about her nor did he seek her attention.


    However, Eva didn''t want to ept that. Her pride and childish stubbornness didn''t allow her to ept that! With that, a whole year of stalking and trying to get him to team up with her started.


    She made countless attempts to strike up conversations with Kai, join him on his missions, eat with him whenever he is in the Guild, and even went as far as trying to train with him. But, it all ended in failure as Kai was even more of a stubborn person than she thought.


    He never epted any of her approaches no matter how peaceful they were. That didn''t break Eva''s spirit and in fact, made her even more fired up to make him finally ept her. While she didn''t realize it, Eva started thinking about him every day. He became her goal that she never had and all of her life started revolving around him.


    However, being a mere 9-year-old girl, she still had no idea about the concept of loving someone and so she thought it was merely her determination to get his attention that was making her do all of this.


    "I won''t give up. Even if it takes a billion years. I will definitely make you look at me." She murmured as she clenched her fists before following after him. Her red eyes were akin to two embers of me burning brightly.


    ***


    "AAAH!! Please, let me go!!" A man screamed as he fell down from his bed. His wife, on the side, was looking like a horrified chick about to get ughtered. Both of them eyed the masked person in front of them who had a gun pointed straight at the man.


    "What the hell is going on?! Are you a hitman sent by the guild?!" He yelled fearfully.


    "..."


    "What did I do?! Is this some kind of prank?! My rtionship with the guild is peaceful!! Why am I being targeted."


    "You''re a traitor, Mr Loris. Working with Divinity is against the rules of the deal. You should be aware of that."


    Hearing that, Loris'' face turned even paler.


    "L-Lies! I have no connection to Divinity! This is straight-up bullshit!!"


    "The Guild nted spies in your team and they discovered secret files that say otherwise. Divinity is a direct enemy to the Guild and any deals with them are strictly prohibited. me your foolishness." Kai said as he was about to pull the trigger.


    "H-Honey!" The wife looked at her husband and murmured.


    "D-Don''t move, dear. I will make sure you survive. It''s going to be ok!" He tried to reassure her. Then, he red at Kai and said. He decided it was pointless to lie anymore since he was going to die.


    "Yes! I worked with Divinity and yes I did supply them with Leviathium and I don''t regret that! I saw the future in Divinity. Those people know what they''re doing and their ns are way bigger than the Guild could ever imagine! A direct enemy?! Pfft, don''t make meugh! A few more years and Divinity will topple the Guild over and take control over the whole underworld! The Guild has no chance of stopping them!!" He yelled.


    "..." Kai stayed silent. Although his words did pick his interest, he had no desire to get into these shenanigans between these two Organizations.


    "In fact, ever since ''That man'' joined efforts with Divinity, it''s a done deal for the Guild. They are over."


    "That man?" Kai murmured confusedly. Who was he talking about?


    As Loris was about to speak again, suddenly, a crushing aura weighed down on the room out of nowhere, alerting Kai.


    His eyes widened slightly as he looked around. The sheer pressure that he was feeling at the moment was the strongest he ever felt. It was an evil, crushing aura that was akin to that of the wickedest demon. Also, it was an aura he was extremely familiar with. It was an aura he suffered from for years and was the bane of his very existence.


    A secondter, a pair of eyes peered through the walls, staring into Kai''s very soul. This made him flinch before he turned to look at the outside.


    ''What is this aura doing here?'' His face turned even colder as he appeared near the window and looked outside. However, he couldn''t see or sense anyone.


    Then, as Kai was about to turn around, he felt an extremely strong pain in his chest. It was so strong that it almost knocked him unconscious in a split second. However, with sheer will, he was able to put his hand on the wall and stay standing.


    ''What the hell? Why is this happening now?'' Kai''s face instantly paled as he started coughing, vomiting chunks of blood with each cough.


    Loris saw that weird development and although he was confused, he didn''t want to let this opportunity escape.


    Tapping on a button near his bed, an alert was sent to his whole security team that was located in the building. Although Kai did kill all the guards he found, many others came rushing to the ce a few minutes after that.


    A few moments passed as Kai was struggling to breathe. He knew that his situation was getting worse and worse by the second. This pain he was feeling had weakened him greatly and he was now more susceptible to injury.


    ''I need¡­ to leave¡­ The ce¡­'' Wiping the sweat umted on his face, he tried to walk toward the window and jump.


    However, the next second, the door to the bedroom was barged open, and countless armed guards rushed inside before they aimed their guns at Kai.


    "Kil him!! Kill him now!!" Loris ordered as he hugged his wife and ran behind the guards.


    Immediately, countless guns with Anti-Origin bullets were aimed at Kai. Even though normally, his body could handle these bullets easily, with his now weakened state, those chances are at an all-time low. He could die!


    "Tsk." Clicking his tongue, Kai forced his body to move with all of his will. Just a few more inches.


    But, even he knew that he won''t be able to reach it before he was gunned down. It will all happen in a split second. He had no time!


    As the guards were about to pull the trigger, suddenly, a silhouette passed through the rows of armed men like a sh and reached Kai in a split second before she grabbed him and jumped in the air.


    *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*


    A momentter, shots were fired and the whole room was illuminated by the lighting from the guns. Bullets flew everywhere, destroying the whole room. Chaos ensued and took over for a good 30 seconds before the firing stopped.


    When the guards looked at the wrecked room, their eyes widened. Kai was nowhere to be seen!

 Chapter 61 61- 8 Years Ago (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 61 Chapter 61- 8 Years Ago (Part 3)</h4>


    Chapter 61- 8 Years Ago (Part 3)


    "Where did he go?! What the fuck happened?" Loris yelled as he stepped forward only to find an empty, messy room.


    "We¡­ don''t know, sir. We were sure he didn''t jump." One of them said.


    "No! He is still here! Find him! He knows things that he shouldn''t know!!"


    "Yes, sir!!"


    After that, all the guards immediately spread across the whole building. Even more, were arriving from outside and were quickly closing the perimeter of the building.


    Meanwhile, two silhouettes could be seen falling from the highest floor of the building at an extremely high speed.


    "Shit, what happened to you?" Eva asked as she looked at Kai. Her arms were wrapped around him to keep him stuck to her as they were diving. Thetter seemed to be in a half-conscious state.


    "What¡­ are you doing here?" He asked.


    "Well, you''re wee." Eva rolled her eyes as she looked down. She was sure that if they were to fall to the ground, they were both dead. A 400-meter fall wasn''t something either of the two could handle.


    "Where¡­ are we?" He asked as he tried to fix his gaze at something only to end up feeling even more nauseous. If it wasn''t for the fact that he had an extremely high pain tolerance, Kai would''ve already been long unconscious.


    "400 meters in the air and going down to our deaths! Shit, hold tight!" Cursing, Eva pulled out something from under her dress. It was the pistol that she uses for work. Although it looked normal on the outside, it had a special function that only Eva knew of.


    *Click*


    Switching a trigger on the side of the gun, she then aimed at the building and shot. Immediately, a long, fine rope was fired as it smashed against one of the windows before hooking into the ss.


    "Hold on!!" She yelled as she used the momentum of the rope to swing toward a lower floor.


    *SMASH*


    The two smashed against the thick ss, breaking it into pieces before falling inside the room.


    "Ugh! That was the worstnding possible!" Holding her head, Eva looked at Kai who wasying on the ground beside her.


    "Why¡­ are you helping¡­ me?" He asked with great difficulty.


    "Now you''re asking?!" Eva could only facepalm at how oddly dense the boy was. This was the first time she noticed this side of him. Although he was an extremely smart person, his EQ didn''t seem to be that high. Not that she had any right to say that either.


    "We will talkter. Now, we need to move. I can sense their presence all over the building and we are still on the 34th floor." Standing up, she picked Kai carefully and made him rely on her shoulder.


    ''Tsk, his body is burning hot! Is this kind of fever even human?! How is he still alive?'' Her eyes widened at the realization that Kai''s condition wasn''t normal at all. He was basically on the verge of dying for all she knew!


    ''I need to get him to a hospital now!''


    The two then walked toward the door of the office they were in and opened it. Immediately, Eva noticed countless men approaching them from both directions of the corridor.


    "Search every floor! Don''t let him get away!!"


    "Tsk, hold on tight." She said before she carried Kai to one of the pirs and hid behind it before she aimed her gun toward the other side.


    Then, she waited. With her calctions, this side of the corridor will be filled with guards before the other guardse from the other side. So, approximately, she had 15 seconds to eliminate almost 20 armed before they get surrounded.


    "I can¡­ move¡­" Kai tried to stand up when he also noticed the situation they were in. He won''t just sit idly and wait.


    "No, no, you are already on the verge of dying. If you move, you will certainly be killed. Now, shut up and let me focus." She said coldly.


    A second,ter the guards appeared in front of Eva. Instantly, she fired her gun a few times. All the bullets flew and pierced the skulls of a few guards.


    Then, without hesitation, Eva dashed toward the group fearlessly.


    "What the fuck?! Shoot her down!!" The shocked men recuperated quickly and tried to aim their guns at Eva. Albeit, thetter had suddenly made apletely unpredictable move.


    Jumping in the air, shended her leg on the wall before she jumped again, reaching an even higher height as she continued approaching the guards. They tried to shoot her but her speed made it almost impossible to aim at her.


    By the time her momentum died down, she alreadynded with her feet on the face of one of the guards.


    Then, she fired her gun again as she moved through the rows of guards. Her aim and speed were horrifying, to say the least. Even in such a messy situation, her movements were graceful and swift like the water current of a calm river.


    ''A few more seconds!'' She murmured as she reached one of the guards and then with one hand, twisted his arms and covered herself behind him. A rain of bullets fell down on the two but because of the human meatshield, Eva waspletely safe.


    Then, she kicked the dead man, sending him flying toward the few guards left and swiftly fired her gun at them. However, the bullets were over and one was left.


    "Shit!" She cursed as she tried to get a magazine to reload.


    By that time, the man had already aimed his gun to shoot. Eva''s pupils contracted, she was in a sticky situation.


    But, out of nowhere, she noticed an object flying toward her from the other side of the corridor. Without hesitation or questions, she jumped in the air, and grabbed the object before she spun around and shot.


    *BANG*


    A bullet flew and pierced the man''s skull.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­"


    Looking at the gun in her hand, it was a silver revolver. Then, her eyes shifted to Kai who was nowying on the ground, breathing heavily. He had used all of his strength to throw his revolver toward her.


    "Thank you." Nodding her head, Eva then dashed toward Kai and lifted him as they moved to the elevator.


    "Agh, the building¡­ is already encircled," Kai said as he heaved up and down, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.


    "I know. I''m working on an idea. Give me a second." As Eva''s eyes kept staring at the numbers going down on the elevator''s panel, her mind was working at full throttle, trying to figure out a n.


    "The underground parking lot! Its exit is outside the perimeter of the building!" Saying that Eva''s face lit up.


    They had a chance to leave.


    A minute or two passed before the elevator finally reached the lowest level, the parking lot. When it opened, Eva carried Kia outside while keeping an eye for any guards. Although they can''t technically close the parking lot with how many exits it had, they could still easily spread around and cover the area and that''s exactly what happened.


    "Goddamit! Why are there so many? Are they some kind of ants?" She clicked her tongue and quickly hid behind a car.


    On the other side, countless guards already barged into the ce. Then, her eyes fell on the car and an idea popped into her head.


    On the other hand, the guards continued patrolling the area while keeping an eye out. They had just received the news that a girl was helping their target leave the building and she had single-handedly killed 20 guards in a few seconds. The news sounded extremely absurd but since they had no other choice but to believe it, the guards were feeling even more nervous.


    "Hm?" Suddenly, the lights of one of the cars lit up and the car suddenly elerated out, hitting a few men before it turned around and flew toward the exit, hitting any unlucky one that stood in front of it.


    "Shit!!" The other guards were shocked but they quickly fired their guns at the car''s tires, trying to stop it.


    *BANG* *BANG*


    "Not today, bastards," Eva murmured after she killed the two annoying guards with the revolver. "I like this gun."


    Then, she stepped on the elerator, increasing the car''s speed to dangerous levels.


    "Hold on! We will fly out!" She said to Kai.


    Reaching the gates, Eva ignored the closed gates that stopped them from leaving and barged through violently, breaking the car''s window screen.


    "What the hell is going on?!" The men outside noticed the car leaving and could only stand there, shocked at what they were seeing.


    "Those¡­ Those little bastards!!" Loris cursed as he looked at the hitman that came after his head, escape.


    Meanwhile, Kai, inside the car rested his face against the dashboard and then, he pulled out something from his pocket. Eva looked at the thing in his hand and asked.


    "What is that?"


    "Before facing the target, I nted Explosives¡­ In case the target escapes, I can blow up the whole building." He said as he examined the red trigger in his hand.


    "You nted bombs?" Eva couldn''t believe her ears. How did Kai even think of that measure considering how strong he was? This mission should''ve been a smooth sail, after all.


    "Anything can happen¡­ and I always keep a second n in case of such urrences. This is one such case." Saying that coldly, Kai clicked the button.


    *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

 Chapter 62 62- I Can鈥檛 (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 62 Chapter 62- I Can¡¯t (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 62- I Can''t (Part 1)


    As the car raced on the street, getting farther and farther away from the building, the huge explosion shook the whole city. All the pirs crumbled and teh structure came falling down as if it was a house of cards.


    Those unfortunate enough to be close to the sight were immediately crushed as a huge cloud of dust rose to the sky, covering a huge area of the city sky.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­" When Kai looked back, he finally exhaled and rxed his back against the chair. His face was now even paler than before but somehow, the pain subsided.


    "You are weird," Evamented as she also looked back at the catastrophic destruction that happened.


    "A second n? Did you also have a third n?" She asked sarcastically.


    "Yes¡­"


    "... Sigh, what did I get myself into?" Rubbing her temples, Eva didn''t know whether tough or cry. Who was this guy? She had followed him for almost a year and never knew he had this side to him.


    However, weirdly enough, she found it quite cute and¡­ likable? Even she couldn''t believe that she actually found this absurdity likable. But, for better or worse, it was the first time she genuinely found something attractive in god knows how much time. So, without realizing it, a smile crept to Eva''s face.


    It wasn''t her usual, fake, and forced smile, but a genuine one. Silence took over the car as the two people looked ahead of them at the nocturnal world of the city and its quietness. A feeling of serenity filled them to the brim.


    "Hey, what''s your name?" She suddenly asked.


    "..."


    "Come on, it''s just your name. It won''t help me much to find your identity. Besides, if you had any suspicion before that I want to harm you, it should''ve already been severed by now, no?"


    "..." Kai, who was still struggling with the pain, could only shake his head.


    "My name is¡­ Kai." He replied with difficulty.


    Although he didn''t introduce himself before to anyone mainly because he was wary of them, he didn''t feel the same way from Eva. She was in his eyes an odd exception. She was stubborn, prideful, and even rude, and yet, he didn''t find any of that annoying or a nuisance.


    This feeling was amplified even more after she saved his life. Kai didn''t understand why, but he felt as if he had to say something to her. Why? He asked himself only to reach no conclusion. It didn''t make sense in his head.


    After much contemtion, he decided not to search for the reason and simply looked at Eva as he opened his mouth.


    "Than-" Before he could even finish his words, his vision faltered as a strong pain assaulted every inch of his body. Kai''s eyes widened slightly before he found himself losing consciousness.


    "Kai? Hey, Kai¡­" Eva, who noticed that, called for him. "Hey, stay with me¡­ Are you ok? Kai¡­ KAI!!!" Those were thest words Kai heard before he was submerged in the darkness and coldness of his own dark world.


    ***


    Two purple eyes sprung open. Kai''s breathing was erratic as he looked around with a slightly confused expression. His mind was still hazy from all the stuff that happened.


    ''Where¡­ am I?'' He asked as he scanned the ce.


    He was strapped to a bed with many pipes and weird medical tools sticking to his body. He looked like a terminally ill patient on hisst days. Shifting his gaze away from his body, he looked at the room.


    It waspletely white, from the furniture to the walls. He could instantly tell that it was a hospital room, an extremely expensive one at that.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­" Suddenly, he heard breathing next to him so he looked at it.


    The silhouette of an absolutely beautiful girl filled his vision. Eva was sprawled on a chair with her faceying on the bed. One of her hands supported her head while the other held on tightly to Kai''s hand.


    Thetter kept staring at her nkly, not moving. Nobody knew what was going through his mind.


    A long time passed in that state before Eva seemed to finally notice the two piercing eyes staring at her and opened her eyes slowly.


    "Kai¡­" Before her mind even woke up, she murmured his name as she instantly turned to look at him.


    When her eyes met his, she froze in her ce. Her dizziness vanished and was reced with a nk expression. The two kept staring at each other, one of them was shocked beyond words and the other was simply clueless as to what to say or do.


    Then, a tear trickled down Eva''s face.


    "K-Kai¡­?" She murmured weakly. She still thought it was some kind of dream she was having.


    Thetter nodded his head calmly at her as if he was saying ''Yes, It''s me''. Immediately, when Eva saw that, her face crumbled as she lunged at Kai.


    "Kai!! Thank god!!" Hugging him tightly as she buried her face in his neck, she started sobbing loudly. "I thought¡­ I thought you will never wake. I was scared." She said between her cries.


    All of her pent-up emotions came gushing like a huge damn. She didn''t care how she looked right now or what she was saying. All she thought about was that her beloved finally woke up and she could not be any happier than this ever in her life.


    "Kai¡­ Kai¡­ Kai¡­" She kept murmuring his name like a mantra. "Please, never leave me. I will beg you, I will do anything. Just please, promise me that you will never leave me. I can''t¡­ I can''t live without you¡­ I really can''t do it."


    Thest few days were hell for Eva who had to watch her beloved unconscious, in a hospital bed. She had made sure to get the best doctors possible, the best hospital, and the best room, and all she wanted was for Kai to wake up. However, not only the doctors didn''t know when he will wake up, they didn''t even know if he will ever wake up and that fact alone was akin to the whole world crumbling down on Eva. She felt suffocated and her heart ached horribly like a million knives stabbing it constantly.


    However, she didn''t give up, she would never give up. She kept searching for anything that could lead her to a cure or to at least know what happened. Meanwhile, she spent most of her day next to him, watching over him silently while praying that he would open his eyes the next second or the second after or the second after¡­


    She tried to find any information about what made Kai go into aa but there was no information at all. Even the doctors were confused as to what he was going through. They found that his heart had suddenly reversed the blood flow for a second before returning to normal which should''ve instantly killed any creature.


    However, Kai miraculously survived it. Eva knew that her beloved was stronger than anyone else and so she was sure he wouldn''t die that easily. He wasn''t that kind of person.


    And now, he finally answered her prayers and opened his eyes to her. She didn''t even know what expression to make from sheer happiness.


    On the other hand, Kai listened to her whispers and affectionate words silently. His expression was calm but in his eyes, a myriad of emotions could be seen shing and vanishing.


    Although he did hear Eva say such words before, this time sounded different and he didn''t know why. But, his mind told him that he should simply ept it. It wasn''t a bad feeling at all, in fact, he quite liked it.


    ''What is this?'' He thought.


    For someone who lived a life of misery with no one to trust or rely on, he never understood what that even meant.


    So, to get rid of these confusing questions, he returned to Eva''s request.


    "I can''t¡­ promise you."

 Chapter 63 63- I Can鈥檛 (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 63 Chapter 63- I Can¡¯t (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 63- I Can''t (Part 2)


    Kai''s words echoed in the hospital room and made Eva freeze again, this time while still hugging Kai tightly. If it wasn''t for his calming scent and his warmth, she would''ve panicked immediately but because she was now feeling his presence close to her and touching his body, she could barely keep herposure.


    "Why¡­? No, don''t answer, I understand that I forced myself on you. I''m sorry¡­" As she was about to step back and wipe her tears thinking that she might''ve been too forceful on Kai with her selfish request, thetter did somethingpletely unexpected.


    His hand moved and rested on her back before he stopped her motionpletely, still in their intimate position.


    "It''s not¡­ that. This isn''t something¡­ I can stop." Kai said slowly. The effect of thea was still apparent to him.


    Eva, who was still shocked over the fact that Kai had suddenly hugged her back, woke up from her trance.


    "What? You can''t stop it? Stop what? What do you mean?" She asked worriedly.


    "..." Kai feltplicated.


    A side of him didn''t want to tell her for various reasons. But, another side said otherwise and the two shed in his consciousness. In the end, he sighed and decided topromise.


    "I can''t tell you what happened. But, what you should know is that this is something I can''t stop, and if my calctions are correct¡­ I will die in 2 years or so." He said.


    Die¡­ That word alone was akin to a bombnding on Eva''s mind.


    ''Die? Who is going to die? Kai? Why would he die? What nonsense! Kai is invincible, he can''t die. This is a joke. Yeah, it''s definitely a joke. He must be trying to tease me. There is no other logical answer to that.'' Eva''s mind couldn''t ept that at all.


    She knew Kai more than anyone else and she knew that he was invincible. She had never seen him being defeated or even slightly troubled by an opponent. He was also immune to all poison, all sickness, and all kinds of weather conditions.


    How could someone like that die in 2 years? That didn''t make sense at all.


    "K-Kai, please stop joking like that." She tried to smile slightly as she wanted to pull back slightly to look him in the eyes. Although the boy was still holding her, he seemed to allow her to do that much.


    The duo stared at each other from a very close distance, their noses almost touching. Neither of them cared about their intimate position, not when an important topic like this was being discussed.


    "I''m not joking," Kai replied calmly. "My life will end soon." He reaffirmed his words.


    "..." Eva''s red eyes widened slightly as she kept searching for even a shred of humor in Kai''s eyes. Sadly, she found none.


    "Die¡­ In two years?"


    "Yes. However, that number might be changing since the symptoms came even stronger this time. So it might be less than 2 years." Kai added.


    For some reason, Eva found herself rather calm when after hearing those words. She thought this would make her react in a different way but no, she simply felt eerily calm and serene.


    "Why?"


    "I can''t tell you."


    "Is there a way to stop this from happening?"


    "No."


    "How high are the chances of a cure existing that you aren''t aware of?"


    "Close to zero."


    "Why can''t your body naturally heal from it?"


    "I don''t know."


    Questions and answers kept going back and forth between the two in a calm manner. It was as if they were talking about what to have for dinner and that made it even weirder.


    "I had this condition since the moment I could remember and I knew my life won''t be long. But, because I was stuck with the Guild, I had no idea what to do at the time. So, I decided that living it the way I want is the right thing to do and quit the underworld. I wanted to experience what a normal life could be like before I die."


    A life of blood wasn''t a life that Kai enjoyed. He found it disgusting and horrible even though he was the best at it. The souls of each person he killed weighed down on him like an extra weight. It reached a point where even started questioning why he was alive? why was he even still working as a hitman? Why was he born with such a power that was akin to a curse rather than a blessing?


    He questioned his purpose, his desires, and what he saw and didn''t see. They were all things that bugged Kai''s consciousness constantly and made his already horrible life even worse.


    That''s why he decided to throw everything away and escape. Start a new life somewhere far away where no one could find him and no one could control him.


    Then, five years passed and Kai''s life was starting to be more colorful. It wasn''t as mboyant and as exhrating as his life as a hitman but this simplicity and peacefulness taught him how to be a human, to a certain extent.


    It taught him that life is sometimes more about the smaller details rather than the big ones and that joy could be found in the most mundane of things.


    "I already decided that this is how I will die. I had enough of killing. So, the most logical thing you could do now is leave and return to your life. Forget that I exist. I can erase your memory now, that should be more than enough." He said in a monotonous tone. However, his eyes were looking rather displeased. He didn''t like what he was saying but his mind told him it was the most logical solution.


    Eva can''t simply keep dedicating her life to him. Simply because when he dies, she would find herself with no purpose and that would be as good as death for a human being. A life without a purpose isn''t a life. So, erasing her memory is the best way to do that.


    ''With this, I paid back her favor.'' He thought in his head.


    Although Kai was way stronger than Eva, he can''t easily erase his existence from her life as it was one of the key memories she has. The only way he could do that is if Eva herself gave him ess to those memories without any restraints.


    Silence took over the room for a very long time. Eva''s face was still close to Kai''s albeit her eyes were now closed as if she was trying to digest everything he said.


    "Do you hate my presence next to you?" She asked.


    "..."


    "Please, answer me."


    "... No." Kai shook his head. That''s honestly what he thought. Although Eva was reckless and childish at times, he never hated her presence. In fact, one of the reasons why he left the underworld was because he didn''t want to get attached to her.


    He knew that will only harm her and he wouldn''t want to harm the one that saved his life.


    That''s when Eva''s eyes opened again and stared back at him. A myriad of emotions could be seen in her two irises, like stars twinkling brightly.


    "Then, I''m not leaving. I said it before and I will say it again a million times if you want. I will never leave your side, Kai. Even if you go to the deepest parts of hell, I will follow you." She said as she held his face with her hands. "Please, don''t underestimate how much I love you. Do you think a mere illness will make me give up? I will find the cure. I will scour every inch of this world to find it if that''s what it takes. Even if you give up on finding the cure, I will never do. I will never give up on you."


    Then, a warm smile, as warm as the sun appeared on Eva''s face before she closed the distance between them and kissed Kai''s forehead with her soft lips.

 Chapter 64 64- Too Scary!

    <h4>Chapter 64 Chapter 64- Too Scary!</h4>


    Chapter 64- Too Scary!


    Kai''s whole body froze in ce at Eva''s sudden action, feeling her warm lips on his forehead was thest thing he expected, next to the words she said.


    It was as if the whole world stopped for a second and the only thing he could clearly sense was Eva''s warmth being transmitted to him through that kiss. Even for someone as calm and as collected as Kai, this was still a surprise.


    However, he didn''t hate it. In fact, he enjoyed it more than he could ever admit. Somehow, he could sense the emotions being transmitted through that kiss. He could feel love, reassurance, and trust. He could pain, sadness, and worry too. It was as if Eva was telling him ''If we are going to be happy, we shall be happy together and if we are going to be sad, we shall share that like we are the same person''.


    When Kai came to that realization, it hit him. Although he knew of it for the longest time and Eva didn''t shy away from it at all. But, now it hit him properly¡­ Eva was in love with him, more than he expected.


    Her feelings were literally oozing out of every fiber of her being like a waterfall that never ceases to move. She didn''t hesitate to show him how much she cared for him. As they say, actions speak better than words and Eva was using both to the extreme!


    After a long time, Eva''s kiss ended, cutting Kai''s thoughts along with it. Then, Eva rubbed his cheek gently and said with a tear in her eye.


    "I really love you, Kai." Her smile was so bright that for a second Kai wanted to avert his eyes from her. A smile that pure wasn''t something he saw before and that made him think that he was too tarnished to ept it.


    ''What is wrong with me?'' He thought. Ever since he woke up, his mind was ying tricks with him as if it wasn''t his.


    "Let me be there for you when you need me. Even if it never happens, I''m fine with just standing by your side. Now more than ever."


    "..." Kai''s eyes squinted slightly.


    "Don''t give up on your life yet, Kai. If you truly want to live, I''m sure there is a way. We will find it together and grant you a long and happy life. I will make sure of that."


    Hearing her words, Kai finally realized that he had another question to answer. Does he still want to live or not? Does he want to give this life another chance?


    If he asked this question 5 years ago, Kai''s answer might''ve been different. But, now, he somehow was certain of it. After what he saw and experienced, he reached a good answer.


    "I still¡­ want to live."


    At his answer, Eva''s face brightened even more as she replied.


    "Then, let''s work hard and find the cure¡­ together."


    "Ehem¡­"


    Suddenly, the two heard someone clearing their throat which made them turn to look at the door. There, a nurse was looking at the two with a blushing face. Kai had already noticed her presence from the very start but he didn''t bother to mention it. He didn''t see why he should''ve.


    "S-Sorry to disturb your¡­ conversation. But, I heard that Master Kai woke up and I called the doctors immediately. They will arrive soon." The nurse said as she averted her eyes.


    "Waaa¡­ N-No! We weren''t doing anything! We were just talking!" Eva yelled as she realized the misunderstanding and pushed herself away from Kai. Their faces were inches away from each other, for heaven''s sake!


    Although she wouldn''t mind actually doing it with her beloved, Eva wouldn''t want to trouble Kai since he might not like it.


    ''I didn''t realize it because of the situation b-but, I was so close to Kai''s face and even¡­ Even, dared to kiss his forehead!! What is wrong with me?!'' Her face turned into a red tomato from embarrassment and her heart rate increased exponentially.


    Thetter''s face returned to normal as if nothing happened as he tried to rise up.


    "What are you doing, Kai?!"


    "My body feels sluggish¡­ I feel better, I will leave." He said as he cracked his neck, making a crisp sound in the process. "How long have I been asleep for?"


    "4 days, 15 hours, and¡­ 25 minutes," Eva said precisely as she looked at her watch. "Hey, wait! Didn''t you hear the nurse? The doctors want to check up on you before leaving."


    Pulling the IV chord out of his body, he stood up while Eva was panicking by his side.


    "It''s pointless. I know my body. I''m fine." He replied coldly before stretching his limbs. Except for the hospital gown, Kai looked as good as always.


    "Did something happen in thest few days?"


    "Hmm, no not really. Oh, wait, yeah, something did happen." Eva rubbed her chin as she remembered something.


    "That bitc- I mean, that woman Kaya has been searching for you for a few days now. I did cover for you by saying that you went to visit your rtive but she didn''t buy it. She''s going crazy."


    Just remembering the chaos Kaya made in search of Kai gave Eva a headache. That bitch was too ridiculous!! She was ready to destroy the whole city just to find him.


    "I see¡­" Kai nodded his head.


    "What about the festival?"


    "Oh, It''s tomorrow, don''t worry, we still have time before it starts."


    At that moment, a group of doctors barged into the room in a hurry. They all froze when they saw Kai standing on his feet.


    "S-Sir, you can''t move! Your body is barely alive!! You will kill yourself." One of them said.


    "... I''m fine."


    "Fine?! Sir, your heart reversed your blood flow! How can you be fine?!"


    "My vitals are stable and my heart is also working normally. No need for pointless tests. I''m leaving." Kai said with a chilling tone, making the doctors flinch. His piercing eyes chilled their very souls.


    Meanwhile, Eva was trying to hold her giggles. For some reason, she felt Kai was now simr to a small kid refusing to take the medicine and she found that extremely adorable.


    ''So cute¡­ and cool!''


    "Lady Eva, please stop him. He will harm himself."


    "Huh?~ If Kai said he is fine, then he is fine. Deal with the paperwork for his discharge. The payment ispleted." Eva said, all smiles.


    "I will give you the money back," Kai said.


    "No, no, please don''t. The only thing I have too much of is money. If you want it all, I will give it to you any time. Just ask.~"


    Then, under the doctors'' stupified expressions, the two left the room as they talked like nothing happened.


    "S-Should we stop him, sir?" One of the doctors asked the chief physician.


    Thetter shook his head with a shocked expression.


    "Those¡­ aren''t normal people. If we try to stop them, we will get in trouble. Especially that girl."


    "Why?"


    "Why, you say? She wanted to close the whole hospital just to amodate that boy''s medical care and when she found out I couldn''t do that, she almost killed me!! But, luckily, I could convince her that the VVIP room is enough for the boy. Not even some celebrities or political figures could get that room and she wasn''t satisfied with it!!"


    As the group stared at the duo walking away, they could only gulp down a mouthful of saliva. They were too scary!


    ***


    Meanwhile, far away, a certain scientist was having the hardest time of her life. Looking from behind the screen with a scared expression, Elu eyed her best friend who was sitting on the chair.


    Although Kaya usually had a cold aura around her, today waspletely different. If before she was like a cold fridge, she was now akin to a raging blizzard. Her face was extremely dark and grim too as if she was having the worst day of her life.


    "K-Kaya?"


    "Find Kai, Elu. You have two hours." Thetter replied coldly as she kept staring at the screen in front of her.


    "*Gulp* I-I will try¡­"


    ''Shit, I''m really in trouble! I''ve never seen Kaya this angry before!! Who the hell is this Kai boy she''s searching for?!''

 Chapter 65 65- Secret

    <h4>Chapter 65 Chapter 65- Secret</h4>


    Chapter 65- Secret


    The atmosphere inside the room only grew heavier by the second as Elu tried her best to search for the boy named Kai that Kaya was looking for.


    However, that didn''t turn out to be an easy matter. For some reason, a few days ago, he vanished from his apartement and still didn''t return. She looked at the cameras of the apartementplex, the street cameras, and every single camera in the city but she didn''t find a single trace of him.


    It was as if the boy had suddenly melted into nothingness, leaving behind nothing to find him. This made her quite interested in knowing who he was.


    ''But, should I ask this angry predator inside myb?'' She gulped when she peeked at Kaya again. Thetter seemed to be searching too and the scowl on her face proved that she was also meeting a dead end.


    "Where did you go, Kai?" She murmured through her gritted teeth.


    "Mmm, Kaya? Why don''t you tell me who this boy is? From what I have seen in the records, he is just an average high-school boy. Why are you looking for him?"


    The question made Kaya finally lift her face from the screen and said as a mysterious smile appeared on her face.


    "He is the person I love the most in this world and I''m nning to marry him as soon as he graduates from high school." She said without hesitation.


    *PFFFFT*


    Elu, who was about to take a sip from her coffee, spat it all out as she went into a fit of coughs from sheer shock.


    "L-Love?! Kaya¡­ are you serious?!" Elu asked.


    "Yes. I''m sure. He is the one for me and no one else could even start toe close to that." Kaya nodded her head.


    Staring at her best friend''s eyes, Elu could see it, as clear as day. Kaya was being 100% honest. She knew that because Kaya was actually a really bad liar. For someone with her cleverness, her lies are so bad that even Elu would be dumbfounded sometimes at herck ofmon sense.


    However, in return, that makes Kaya a very honest and straightforward person even when ites to her own feelings. In fact, her honesty is what started their friendship. As Elu recalls, she was a rather lonely person when she joined Divinity and couldn''t make any acquaintances. That''s when Kaya appeared in front of her and said ''You, I like you, let''s be friends.'' In the coldest tone possible.


    ''Fufufu, I remember almost shitting myself from fear.'' Eluughed fondly at that memory. ''No, no, no! This isn''t the time for nostalgia!''


    "How did you even fall in love?"


    "Hmm, I guess we met by coincidence and we just¡­ clicked," Kaya replied as she tried to recall any specific moment she fell in love with Kai but she can''t specify one. It just happened naturally.


    "... Who thought the cold and aloof Kaya would fall in love with a high schooler nheless?"


    "Hey! I''m a human, you know? I can like people too."


    "Knowing how you treat your enemies, I sometimes wonder whether you are human or not." Elu rolled her eyes. She had seen Kaya in ''working'' mode once and she never wanted to see it again. It gave her trauma.


    "Tsk, whatever you say, shortie. Did you find anything?"


    As the two continued searching, Elu sighed and rubbed the back of her head.


    "Does he know about your work?"


    "..." Silence took over.


    "Kaya?"


    "... No, he doesn''t."


    "Sigh, as I expected. You are really clueless about such stuff, aren''t you?"


    "Shut up¡­"


    "Are you intending to keep this a secret?"


    Kaya''s eyes suddenly rose up and she nodded profusely.


    "Yes, definitely. Thest thing I want to do is to drag him into this world. It''s too cruel for my precious Kai."


    Elu found her speechless. Was this woman being serious?


    "You want to marry him and keep the biggest part of your life hidden?" Elu asked.


    "No. Because he is the biggest part of my life now. Besides, when the timees for me to settle down with him¡­ I''m going to leave Divinity."


    *PFFFFT*


    And the second mouthful of coffee was spat.


    "*Cough* *Cough* You''re going to leave?! Why did I not hear about this?!"


    "..."


    "Kaya, you''re going to be the end of me someday. Do you think Divinity will let you leave that easily?"


    "I will figure it out."


    "Figure it out, you say? You''re an archangel, for god''s sake. Divinity already has ns for you to be one of the 7 virtues. It''s not that easy."


    "I said I will figure it out! Tsk!" Kaya replied as she rubbed her head. She already knew all of that and she knew that what she was saying wouldn''t be easy at all but she wasn''t intending to give up on Kai.


    "... You should give up on him, Kaya." Elu suddenly said with a serious tone.


    Instantly, Kaya''s aura erupted like a raging volcano as she red at her friend. If it wasn''t for the fact that she cherished Elu, Kaya would''ve strangled her to death right there and then.


    Thetter flinched from the sheer pressure but didn''t back away. She had to tell her best friend before it was toote.


    "Didn''t you say that you love him dearly? If you truly love him then give up on him. If you get too involved in his life, you will only harm him. He is a normal and fragile human being, Kaya. He isn''t like us. Even the weakest of our Ascenders can kill him with ease."


    "..."


    "What if your enemies found out about him? Do you think they will leave him alone? He is an easy prey. Think about it. Do you want to see him die in your hands and me yourself for it for the rest of your life? I certainly don''t want to see you, my best friend, suffer through that."


    The frown on Kaya''s face turned even grimmer as she clenched her teeth. Although her aura calmed down, it now became a chaotic mess just like how her mind was at that moment. She could see Elu''s words being true and that scared her to the very soul.


    Just imagining Kai''s cold bodyying in her arms was the worst nightmare she could ever imagine.


    At that moment, Elu stood up and walked toward Kaya before she hugged her tightly. A small, sad smile appeared on the scientist''s face.


    "I don''t want you to regret it, Kaya. I know, it hurts. But, this is the right thing to do."


    "But¡­ I love him, Elu. I really do. More than anyone else I ever met before. Why¡­ Why can''t I stay by his side?" She asked as her voice wavered slightly.


    "It''s long been established, sister. Normal humans and Origin users can''t mingle together in society without creating chaos and disharmony. They say that Origin users are humans too but we all know that if our identity was released to the public, we will be considered monsters. That''s our curse and blessing. That''s why, Origin users should only mingle with other Origin users."


    "..."


    "I''m truly happy that you fell in love with him, Kaya and I would''ve liked to cheer for you with all my heart. But, I can''t do it in this one. It will only hurt him and hurt you."


    "... What if I be strong enough so that no one would dare to touch a strand of his hair?" Kaya suddenly asked.


    "Huh?"


    "What if I be the strongest Origin user in the world? Wouldn''t that stop anyone from touching my Kai?"


    "..."


    "I understand your concern, Elu. But, I''m not going to give up on him. I know it''s selfish. But, you don''t understand, I can''t live without him. If my only way to stay by his side is to be the strongest, then I shall do it." Kaya''s tone carried confidence and certainty so deeply that Elu found herself opening and closing her mouth like a fish.


    Although what Kaya said was certainly absurd, Elu knew that Kaya was capable of that. In fact, there was a secret that Kaya hid from everyone. That secret, if revealed, would shake this very world.


    A secret so horrifying that even Elu would shudder just remembering it.


    ''If it''s Kaya¡­ This might be possible.''


    At that moment, Elu''sputer made a ringing sound, indicating that it found a match for the data they have been searching for.

 Chapter 66 66- Suspicion

    <h4>Chapter 66 Chapter 66- Suspicion</h4>


    Chapter 66- Suspicion


    The two looked at theputer for a second before they rushed there to see what the cameras caught. On the screen, the image of a young man walking in the street of the city where Kaya lived could be seen.


    His hands were in his pockets and his signature apathetic look coupled with his mysterious, charming aura were things that Kaya would recognize from a million miles. So, when she saw his face and the 99% match with the picture she provided for Elu, her face brightened as a wide smile appeared on her face.


    "Kai!! That''s him, Elu! It''s him!!" She started jumping like a little girl as she shook the girl violently.


    "Stop, you idiot! I''m gonna throw up!!"


    "Thank you, thank you!! I won''t forget this favor, Elu! I owe you some high-quality ice cream!!"


    "Only ice cream?"


    "The entire ice cream shop!!" Kaya replied enthusiastically. "But, now I need to leave. I gotta go to Kai! We will talkter!!" Leaving those words behind, Kaya flew out of the room in a sh, leaving a dumbfounded Elu behind.


    Thetter stood frozen for a few seconds before a small smile broke on her face.


    "Sigh, that weird girl¡­" She murmured as her eyes shifted back to the camera, looking at the young man intently.


    For some reason, something about him ticked her off. She didn''t know what it was but she could almost swear that this young boy had way more going for him than the image she found in data.


    "Someone that could make Kaya fall in love with him isn''t normal at all. Not to mention the fact that I couldn''t find a single trace of him in thest few days. Who are you?" She asked no one in particr before she shook her head.


    There was no point in trying to search any further. Kaya was a very smart and capable person so she can judge his character on her own. Besides, Elu didn''t have enough free time to waste on a young boy.


    "Whoever he is, time will tell. I hope Kaya never regrets loving him."


    ***


    Meanwhile, Kai had just reached his apartement and opened the door only to be weed by a ck creature jumping in his embrace with a cute meow.


    "Hey¡­" He said as he caught the cat. Thetter purred happily as she rubbed her face on his chest and meowed.


    Then, she looked up before licking his lips once. It was her way of kissing him.


    "Did Eva feed you?" He asked to which the cat meowed happily.


    After that, Kai walked inside the house, the feeling of being back hit him instantly and made him rx slightly. Although he is back now and the difference in time was only a few days, many things have shifted drastically during this period.


    First off, Kai decided to start actively pursuing a cure for his sickness. After his conversation with Eva, he thought that it won''t be that bad to do some research of his own. Although this was something he already tried to find years ago and failed, a second try won''t hurt. Eva decided to keep the matter aside for now since she wanted Kai to enjoy the festival without any unnecessary mood-poopers.


    Second off, there was still the matter of the ''undead project'' as he called it now. He wasn''t intending to get entangled in the mess but he wanted to at least be aware of what was happening in case a potential pest was going to pop up in front of him.


    Besides, this matter linked directly to the weird presence he felt before twice and the two piercing eyes thate with it. Each time this urrence happens, his symptoms kick in and he knew it wasn''t a simple coincidence. Something had to link all these things together to create the answer to his questions.


    The third and final matter was the Red Rose Day and the bounty on Eva''s head. He can''t forget the fact that a potential High-Officer is pursuing Eva for some reason or another.


    ''This year''s Red Rose Day isn''t going to be simple. Especially with Gabi''s death, Eva will have many eyes on her¡­ and on me.'' He thought as he rested his back on the sofa. His eyes were dead cold. This time was akin to the calm before the storm and Kai knew it won''tst that long. It all depended on the oue of the Red Rose Day.


    In fact, that day will determine what will happen in the world in the future, Kai had a hunch about that.


    Many matters needed addressing and all of them could potentially harm his daily life. That is something Kai can''t allow. With a sigh, Kai looked up and pushed his hair back slightly. A look of contemtion appeared in his hypnotizing purple eyes.


    "Meow!" As his mind was creating ns and ideas, the cat''s sound made him look down.


    Then, he felt a presence approaching the door. Standing up, he cracked his neck.


    ''She came earlier than I expected. Does she have a tracking device on me? No, it''s most likely surveince cameras.'' Kai thought as he opened the door to the house only to be met with two soft melons crushing against his face.


    "KAI! Oh, thank god you''re ok¡­ Thank god, truly¡­ I don''t know what I would''ve done if something bad happened to you." Kaya''s soft voice reached his ear. It was filled to the brim with concern and worry.


    Putting his hands on her back to fix his position, Kai put Kaya down and pushed himself away from her breasts.


    "Where have you been? Did something happen? Were you kidnapped? Attacked? Did that Lavine girl do something?!" She asked one question after the other without waiting.


    "I went to visit my rtive. He got sick and I had to take care of him for a few days." Kai said the same excuse Eva said just so that he doesn''t make Kaya suspicious.


    "... Really?" Thetter''s beautiful green eyes squinted. Although she didn''t want to suspect Kai, it still didn''t make sense at all.


    ''The cameras didn''t show him leaving his house nor leaving the city¡­ Were the cameras broken? Or maybe¡­'' Kaya''s mind started going far into theories so she cut it off for now. All she wanted to do now was fawn over Kai like there is no tomorrow and flirt with him.


    "Yes."


    "... then good!! I was really worried, you know? Leaving without saying anything. You really hurt your big sister''s poor heart~" Kaya said with a flirty tone and sat down next to Kai.


    "I had to leave urgently."


    "Then, at least leave me a mess- Wait, we don''t have each other''s contact information, do we?" Kaya facepalmed as if she forget something important.


    "Of course, how can I forget? I''m sorry, Kai. I forgot that. We knew each other for almost a year now and yet we don''t have each other''s numbers. Hey, give me your number~" She said.


    Kai didn''t wait much as he gave her the number. He is already aware that Kaya could use that number to track him down but since he made sure to encrypt his sim card, he was certain that no one in this world can prate his phone.


    In fact, he made sure to specifically lead the conversation this way and give her his number simply to give her a sense of security. She wouldn''t be suspicious anymore when she has his number.


    "Don''t worry, your big sister will use your number wisely." Saying that Kaya bent slightly to the side as she whispered seductively in Kai''s ear.


    "Wait for some naughty pics, tonight." Then, she licked her lips and moved away. "Anyway, it''s alreadyte and you should be exhausted from your trip. Good night and sweet dreams, hubby~" With a blow-kiss, Kaya chuckled and walked to the door before halting and turning around.


    "Oh, right, I forgot to tell you¡­ I will be attending the school festival tomorrow."


    ***


    The Lavine Mansion.


    Markus sat down on a chair with an extremely serious expression on his face. His eyes looked at the hot cup of coffee freshly brewed in front of him before shifting to the man sitting in front of him. The old, harmless man wearing formal clothes was already sipping from his coffee as he casually sat on his chair.


    Sigh, Markus bent forward and asked.


    "So, for what reason are you visiting me thiste at night, Mr. V?"

 Chapter 67 67- Request

    <h4>Chapter 67 Chapter 67- Request</h4>


    Chapter 67- Request


    V looked at Markus for a while as if he was reading through his mind like an open book. Not many people could handle his piercing gaze and even fewer couldpletely resist it.


    Markus wasn''t one of them but he could at least keep a fairly normal face. After what seemed to be a few minutes, V shifted his gaze to the cup of coffee.


    "Guild matters, Mr. Markus. You know the drill. I need to discuss an important matter with you regarding the recent events." He spoke in a cold tone.


    Markus'' hand instinctively gripped the coffee cup even harder as he waited for V to continue.


    "After the end of your family''s duel with the Chamagnes, the news spread quickly like wildfire in the underworld. Of course, it reached all the high officers and I must say¡­ They weren''t happy." V''s tone became a little colder at the end. "Losing a family as strong as the Charlemagnes is a huge blow to the Guild''s influence on the underworld. I''m sure you already predicted that."


    "Rules are rules, Mr. V. We sent an official invitation to the Chamagnes, and the patriarch epted, I doubt the high officers don''t already know the rules they wrote themselves," Markus argued.


    "Indeed, that is the truth. But, rules are bound to be broken when unusual circumstances happen. The Guild never anticipated such a major conflict to happen within the families that work under the guild and now, the milk is already spilled and everyone is not happy with it."


    "What are you trying to imply?"


    V''s posture shifted slightly as he rested his hands on the table as he stared directly at Markus.


    "The Guild asks you to pay for the cost of this huge loss."


    "Huh?" Markus made a weird sound. He wasn''t anticipating such an absurd request.


    "Pay for the huge loss?"


    "Yes, since you are the one responsible for it, you must pay back what you owe."


    "What are you talking about? This is absurd!" mming his hand on the table, Markus red at V angrily.


    "Calm down, Mr. Markus. We are having a civilized conversation here."


    "How can I calm down when I get presented with such a dumb request from the guild?! Pay?! To hell with that!!" Markus'' aura leaked slightly as he fumed with anger.


    However, V didn''t bother to calm him down quietly and instead unleashed his aura, pushing back Markus as he gave him a chilling look.


    "Don''t be a brute, Markus. You are talking to an ''executioner''. Any tant disrespect will be considered as you breaking the rules."


    His words were akin to icy water dropped on Markus''s ming rage. His face soured as he took a deep breath and calmed down.


    "My apologies." He said with a difficult tone.


    "I understand your position in this matter. However, think about it for a moment, the whole world now knows about the conflict that happened. That is including every enemy you have, Mr. Markus. They won''t let this matter slip from their hands, would they? The only reason they didn''t make a move yet is because your family is under the protection of the Guild."


    Taking a sip of coffee, V continued. "Now, imagine that protection suddenly vanished for one reason or another, do you think you can handle the consequences, Mr. Markus?"


    The question was akin to a stab right where it hurts for Markus. The Lavines just like any influential family in the world has its enemies that are waiting for the right moment to destroy it. But, because the Lavine family had a direct connection to the Guild that was built through years and years of business and mutually beneficial deals across generations of patriarchs, not many would dare to strike the Lavines as that is akin to a direct insult to the Guild.


    Even the strongest of individuals in the world, people with enough influence to make the world their sandbox would never even entertain the thought of getting into a war with the Guild as it was almost a certain loss.


    ''Dammit, so they are threatening me with severing our rtionships. Those bastards¡­'' Clenching his teeth, Markus stared at V silently for a while.


    "This won''t end well for the Guild, V."


    "Of course, we already know the consequences of such an event happening. But, the Guild would lose at most an influential family and a rtionship that transcended generations ever since the Guild was created. That''s it, that''s the extent of it. It won''t be the end of the Guild. However, for you, losing the Guild is akin to losing everything¡­ Including your family and loved ones."


    "... Dammit."


    "It''s akin to a game of chess, Mr. Markus. You didn''t make a wrong move but you certainly put yourself in an unfavorable position. Now, you have two choices, eitherpromise to get back in the game or¡­ Well, checkmate."


    As he was speaking, V looked at a cube of sugar on the table before he put his hand on it. Then, with a simple push, he crushed it into small pieces as grains of it exploded everywhere. That alone was more than enough to give Markus horrifying images of what could happen in the future. It was a nightmare.


    "... What do you want? What should I pay?" Finally giving up, Markus asked.


    "It''s simple¡­ Hand over your daughter, Eva Lavine, to the Guild."


    ***


    "Meow!" The morning finally came and Kai was woken up by the sensation of a rough tongue on his cheek.


    Opening his eyes, he looked at the cat by his side. Although it was slightly earlier than when he usually wakes up, he still didn''t return to sleep and got up to prepare for the day.


    Since today was the start of the festival, Kai didn''t have sses. Instead, he will have to do somethingpletely different and a new experience for him.


    Eva had told him yesterday that they had already assigned roles for the cafe and since she knew he didn''t want to stand out as a waiter in the cafe, she had given him another role that would hide his presence as much as possible and that role is¡­


    "Meow!!" As Kai was thinking about how he should do it, he heard the cat meowing, asking for food.


    When he came back home yesterday, he made sure to buy cat food so put some of it in the bowl and handed it to the cat.


    However, weirdly enough, the cat smelled it and then pulled away as if it was disgusted by it. This made Kai question whether the cat food was spoiled or something. However, he made sure to choose the best product.


    As he was contemting what was happening, the cat used that time to jump on the table as she meowed, pointing at the food on the table. It was the breakfast that he just made which was a traditional dish of pancakes, fried eggs, a few sausages, and a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice.


    "Do you want some of that?" Kai asked with squinted eyes.


    "Meow!!" The cat responded.


    ''What an odd cat¡­'' He thought as he cut a portion of the food and gave it to the cat to eat. Thetter immediately dug in.


    ***


    Reaching school, the ce was as Kai predicted, bustling with life as students moved around, preparing the stalls and the signs. Everyone had a happy smile on their faces. Everyone worked hard for the festival and so when the time came for it, they were beyond excited.


    Except Kai who had never participated in the school festival before so he could only wonder where this excitement came from.


    Passing through the hordes of students, he reached his ss which looked drastically different from usual with a huge sign that says ''ss C Maid Cafe~''


    The inside also looked like a cafe with tables, beautiful decorations, and a well-designed menu.


    The moment he entered the ce, a student approached him.


    "There you are, Miller! Are you ready?"


    Kai nodded his head quietly.


    "Good, to be honest, you are the perfect person for the role. We appreciate your help."


    Then, the student walked back and picked up a box before he handed it to Kai.


    "Now, off you go¡­ Nyan Mascot!"

 Chapter 68 68- Nyan Cat

    <h4>Chapter 68 Chapter 68- Nyan Cat </h4>


    Chapter 68- Nyan Cat


    Kai''s expressionless face made the student chuckle loudly as if he was having so much fun.


    "I know, right? Nyan cat?! Come on, that''s the funniest thing to wear as a mascot! I just took a look at the costume and it''s as funny as you might be expecting." He said as he tapped Kai''s shoulder before he handed him the box.


    "Well, good luck anyway. Make sure to get us many customers. The sign is in the box too." He said before he walked away.


    As he watched the student walk away, Kai''s eyes fell on the box only to wonder. ''What is Nyan cat?'' He asked himself confusedly. He never heard of that name before in his life and that fact made him slightly annoyed.


    But, since he had no way of knowing except by looking at the costume, he simply walked toward the changing room.


    Inside, he found a group of guys changing as they talked idly. At first nce, they looked like typical Jocks who were getting ready for some kind of event that Kai didn''t even bother to know about. When they noticed Kai''s presence, their smiles changed.


    Although he was taller than most of them, they still found his appearance like that of a timid guy so they wanted to have some fun before leaving the changing room.


    "Hey, guys! Look who we have here?" One of them said as he stepped in front of Kai. The guy was only in his boxers as he unted his rather muscr body. The others also decided to stop getting dressed and surrounded Kai.


    Thetter looked at all of them for a few seconds before he sighed.


    ''This is pointless.'' He thought as he unleashed his Origin power.


    A few secondster, all the students started walking out of the changing room, naked. They had nk expressions on their faces as they walked through the corridors of the school.


    Not long after that, screams of girls shook the whole ce as chaos ensued. At that moment, Kai stopped the hypnotization. A second after, the jocks screamed loudly like scared girls as they tried to hide their bodies from the disgusted looks of the passersby.


    Kai''s expression didn''t change knowing the fact that he probably ended their student lives as they knew it, forever. He simply opened the box and got the costume out.


    Looking at it, it was predictably a cat mascot with a huge cat head that had a funny smug face on it and three ck dots for the eyes and nose.


    Weirdly enough, Kai didn''t hate the costume as he examined it thoroughly. After that, he wore it and put the head on. Since the mascot covered his whole body, from head to toe, no one would be able to recognize him easily.


    This was the perfect role for Kai to stay in the background while the others get all the limelight. He praised Eva''s choice in his head and walked out of the changing room holding a sign that say ''Wee to ss-C maid cafe, enjoy, Nyan~!''


    Walking through the corridors, students looked at him, especially girls.


    "Oh, my god!! A cute cat mascot!! Guys, look! He looks so cute!!" Girls immediately swarmed Kai. Their hands started touching the fur of the mascot as they took pics.


    "So soft!!"


    "I love it!"


    Thetter stood there silently, searching for a way to escape this mess. He never expected the students to swarm him this quickly. He thought that the mascot is just going to be ignored yet much to his surprise, he was now the biggest center of attention.


    So, with no other choice, he pushed his way out of the group slowly. Although he could''ve used Origin, Kai decided not to do that in the middle of such a huge group of people because it will only make the others suspicious.


    He was already getting deadly res from guys who were watching the show from the side.


    "Wait, Nyan cat!! He is running away!!" The girls noticed that and tried to stop only to notice the presence of a certain someone that made them freeze in their ces.


    With a cold expression and an elegant demeanor, Eva walked toward the mess and gave the girls a deadly re. Her mere aura made them flinch.


    "What is happening here?" She asked the girls.


    "W-We were trying to take pictures with Nyan cat." One of them answered and the others nodded their heads.


    Eva''s eyes shifted to look at Nyan cat who was standing to the side silently and her face twitched. She already knew that Kai was inside and that made her almost lose herposure and explodeughing. Something about the high and mighty ck Phantom wearing cute cat clothes was so funny for her.


    ''H-He looks so cute!!'' She thought as a small blush appeared on her face. However, she quickly shook her head and dispersed such thoughts.


    "Leave Nyan cat alone. It has work to do and stopping it will hinder ss-C''s cafe. Understood?" She said. Although it pissed her off that many girls were surrounding Kai, she knew that they were only there for his custom and didn''t even know who was inside of it.


    "Y-Yes." The girls nodded quickly and walked away.


    "You look dashing¡­ N-Nyan cat." Eva said as she approached Kai and tried to hold herself from smiling. She was really struggling to notugh as it was too funny.


    "I never expected this attention," Kai replied inly.


    "It''s my fault. I epted this role for you because I assumed they won''t choose a popr character as the Mascot. Should I change your role? I can do that if you want." Eva took a few deep breaths as she apologized.


    "No need. As long as I''m hidden behind the mask, it won''t be a problem."


    Then, her face rxed as she tiptoed to Kai and whispered. "Thank you for doing this. You are the best~"


    Thetter nodded his head silently and then started walking away under Eva''s warm gaze.


    When he reached the entrance of the school, it was already bustling with people. They were mostly the students'' families that came there to support their children but the ambient atmosphere was present.


    So, Kai took a position on the corner of the gate and held the sign as he looked at passersby. Some took an interest in him and stopped to take a picture and some even asked for the location of this event.


    All in all, it wasn''t that hard or exhausting. Thirty minutes or so passed before Kai noticed a presence approaching the school. His eyes turned to look to the left only to see a stunning blonde woman walking in the school''s direction.


    She was so beautiful that she immediately stood out like a sore thumb in the masses. Kaya was simply too exotic even with her presence toy low even if she wanted to. She had an air of confidence around her that not many people have. A confidence so strong that it makes people believe that she''s capable of anything.


    Being an archangel, she naturally had a very high pride that never bows down to anything and everything¡­ Except for a certain someone.


    As she walked, countless men and women looked at her with stupified expressions, and yet no one dared to approach her.


    Kai knew that she came here for him so he decided to not show himself at all. With a simple trick, he hid any traces of Origin around him so that Kaya wouldn''t notice anything.


    When she reached the school''s gate, she looked around thoughtfully before her eyes fell on the Nyan cat Mascot and her eyes lightened up.


    Then, she approached the cat and said.


    "Hi, are you from ss-C?" She asked. Her demeanor was casual yet also elegant which would make anyone nervous from merely talking to her.


    Kai nodded his head silently.


    "Great. So you''re one of Kai''s peers. Did the event start?"


    Kai nodded his head again.


    "Well, do you know what Kai would be? Is he a waiter?"


    The boy shook his head before shrugging.


    "I see¡­ Oh, well, I will find him myself either way. Thanks for the help."


    After that, Kaya walked inside in a good mood. Her mind was fantasizing about seeing Kai in a waiter costume and she could only resist drooling.


    ''Uh, no, how shameful of me! I can''t have such thoughts now. But¡­ Maybe I will buy a waiter costume just in case I will need it in the future to spice things up~''


    With such happy thoughts, she strolled toward ss-C, not aware that a disaster will soon ur!

 Chapter 69 69- Face-Off (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 69 Chapter 69- Face-Off (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 69- Face-Off (Part 1)


    As Kaya walked through the school, countless students and even teachers were looking at her. They couldn''t believe a beauty like her was walking right in front of them.


    "Are you¡­ seeing what I''m seeing?" A student asked his friend.


    "Yeah¡­ I think I''m gonna go talk to her." The other said with a dazed expression as if he was smitten by lightning.


    "The fuck? Look at her, man. She''s definitely a big shot! Why would she talk to you?"


    "Have you never heard of the quote ''If there is a will, there is a way''? I can catch her attention if I y my cards right. Besides, I''m extremely handsome." The boy then walked toward Kaya without hesitation.


    Although most people would feel intimidated by her aura of nobility, but there are always dense exceptions that don''t understand such things.


    "Hey, there, Miss. How can I help you?"


    Kaya''s eyes shifted to look at the boy who had a friendly smile on his face and then replied.


    "By minding your own business." Her tone was cold as she immediately realized he was trying to hit on her and that alone annoyed her greatly.


    Although Kaya knew that she was stunningly beautiful she didn''t want anyone to approach her or appreciate her beauty except for her beloved. Every time she remembers how Kaiplimented her that day a chill ran down her spine and she felt a hot sensation in her lower abdomen.


    Her mind would still fantasize about it a lot whenever she was alone. It almost became an addiction for her that she can''t get rid of nor have any intention of doing so.


    Anyway, when the student heard the reply, he froze in his ce in shock. Although rejection was something he anticipated, he never expected to be pped in the face like this.


    "H-Hey, Miss, please don''t misunderstand my intentions. I was just intending to start a¡­"


    "Friendly conversation that has no weird intentions behind it." Kaya finished his words for him and that stunned the guy even more. "Listen here, child. Ignoring the fact that I''m older than you and I don''t take an interest in younger boys (mostly), you look like a rotten eggnt put upside down. Have some decency and don''t approach people again." She said before turning around and walking away.


    The student''s face crumbled as he stood there, his mind ceasing from working properly.


    His friend approached him quickly with a worried expression. He had heard what the woman said and he knew it was a huge blow to his friend''s confidence.


    "Hey, man, are you go-" As he was about to ask, his mouth went silent when he saw the boy''s expression.


    Thetter didn''t look sad or disheartened but instead was¡­ blushing?


    "Hey¡­ Tell me, is it weird that what she said¡­ turned me on?"


    "Huh?!"


    "Sorry¡­ that was a weird question to ask." The boy shook his head. At that moment, something inside of him awakened and he was more than ready to explore it to the fullest.


    ***


    Kaya, meanwhile, reached ss-C''s cafe and walked inside. Looking around with a bored expression, one of the maids came close to her.


    "Wee to ss-C''s Maid cafe~ Please, from here."


    Kaya was then led to one of the tables under the looks of other visitors. Most of the men there were fathers of students that came along with their wives. It was safe to say that their day won''t end well.


    ''Where is Kai? I can''t sense his presence here. Does he work in the kitchen? Hmm, knowing him, he would probably choose that job because he doesn''t want to deal with people.'' Kaya chuckled secretly as she imagined Kai''s bored expression as he prepared food faster than all the other students.


    At that moment, someone approached Kaya, and that garnered the looks of the people. Their eyespletely shifted from Kaya when this person appeared in the ss.


    "Oh, look at that maid, she''s so beautiful!"


    "She looks like she''s straight out of a drawing!"


    "Hurry, take a pi- Oh, right, they took our phones. Pictures are prohibited here."


    This person was none other than Eva. She had decided to also be a maid just to impress Kai when hees back to the cafe. Although she would''ve rather worn it in private, she knew that opportunity might not happen.


    ''Maybe I will show it to him after school? Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.'' As her mind was deep in thought, she approached a random customer.


    "How can I help you tod-" Her voice halted to a screech. Then, she stared at the customer.


    "..." The customer stared back.


    Then, the two frowned as they thought at the same exact time.


    ''What the fuck is this bitch doing here?!!''


    When Eva and Kaya realized the identity of each other, the ssroom''s temperature dropped drastically. The two of them red at each other silently. If it wasn''t for the fact that they were surrounded by people, something even worse than ring would''ve happened.


    "Pfft! You look dashing in those clothes, Miss Maid." Kaya was the first to speak as she mocked Eva.


    "This cafe isn''t for overly old people, Ma''am. I suggest you visit the hospital instead." Eva retorted as she returned to her professional smile.


    "Fufufufu~ to be honest, you might be right. I need a check-up at the hospital. My body feels quite sore after the intense ''training'' I had yesterday with him~ He was quite wild, you know? Didn''t even let me rest for a few minutes." Kaya''s grin widened as she touched her lips and that made Eva''s face darken to a horrifying degree.


    "You are a big fool to think I will buy that nonsense you''re saying."


    "Believe what you want, kiddo. Now, serve me just like you were intended to do. I don''t have the whole day to waste on you." Kaya said as she looked away.


    ''Calm down, Eva! She''s just a lowly insect that is aiming for my Kai! I don''t need to take her seriously. Just calm down¡­'' Eva tried to reason with herself as she knew doing anything extreme will not turn out well especially in a ce filled with innocent civilians like the school.


    Then, an idea suddenly hit Eva and her face rxed.


    "Sure, Ma''am. What do you want to try?"


    "Hmm, a tiramisu and a coffee will do."


    "Coming right up~"


    Then, Kaya walked to the kitchen and took the order. Then, as she was walking back, her left hand skillfully pulled something from her pocket and emptied it into the dish. It was a white powder that quickly dissolved in the coffee in an instant and vanished.


    That powder was a poison known as the ''Angel''s Torment''. It was an extremely potent poison that would make the one to consume it get horrible stomach pain and diarrhea. It was so strong that even Origin users fear it a lot.


    ''A few milligrams of it are capable of destroying the insides of a whale with ease. I put a few grams of it inside the coffee~ This should be fun~'' Eva thought as she walked back to Kaya and served her the order.


    "Enjoy~"


    Looking at the dish, Kaya squinted her eyes as she examined it before she looked up at Eva with a deadpan expression on her face.


    "You do realize that I already know you put something in the coffee, right?"


    "Oh? My apologies, customer but I do not understand what you''re saying~" Eva replied with a professional smile. She deliberately made her voice loud so other customers could hear and look at them.


    Kaya noticed that and her face frowned slightly.


    ''Tsk, this bitch is trying to pressure me into drinking this.''


    "Are you perhaps questioning our work ethic, customer? Even though we aren''t professional maids or waitresses, we still did our best to make this a great experience for our dead customers. I must respectfully ask you to not question our intentions." Eva asked as she pressured Kaya even harder. She had even changed her face to look quite sad. This made the customers sympathize with her.


    "The food is great here."


    "Yeah, even the coffee is great!"


    "Why is she bullying the Maid? Even though she looks beautiful."


    "Does she think she can say anything because she looks gorgeous?"


    Whispers spread through the cafe and the center of it was Kaya who was silently being pressured into drinking the coffee.


    ''Hehehe, now drink that, bitch, and spend the rest of the day in the bathroom.'' Eva snickered secretly.


    "Sigh, fine, I will y your little game. Just remember that you will regret this greatly." Kaya said in a low tone before she lifted the coffee cup and chugged it down in one gulp under Eva''s surprised look.


    She just consumed¡­ the whole coffee!!


    ***


    Meanwhile, unbeknownst to him, the Nyan cat mascot stood outside, advertising the cafe idly.

 Chapter 70 70- Face-Off (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 70 Chapter 70- Face-Off (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 70- Face-Off (Part 2)


    After drinking the whole coffee, Kaya put it down and stared at Eva who was still in her ce, looking stupefied.


    "Delicious coffee indeed~," Kaya said with a yful smile.


    ''Is this bitch insane? Her stomach will explode.'' Eva thought with a frown.


    A few milligrams were enough to destroy the insides of the biggest creature on the and yet Kaya drank the coffee which contained tens of times that amount as if it was nothing. The worst that could happen is that she will literally die because of the poison.


    Eva would be d if that happened but she would''ve rather approached doing that in a more discreet and elegant way. Doing it here will only catch the attention of the public and that would be hard to cover even for someone like Eva.


    The situation wasn''t the best at all but Eva had no choice but to keep going with the act. Or so that was what she was intending to do because suddenly, Kaya bent forward and grabbed her stomach.


    "Ugh, my stomach! It hurts!!" She said.


    "..."


    "W-What is happening?! My stomach feels like it''s twisting!!" She said.


    Everyone looked at Kaya with shocked expressions as they didn''t know how to react. Thetter simply kept groaning in pain.


    ''The effect is already starting¡­ Shit!'' She cursed as she tried to think of a way to handle this situation.


    "Are you ok, customer?" She asked.


    "I''m dying from pain!! I-I can''t even stand."


    The other maids were about to call the teachers since this seemed like an urgent matter. However, Kaya continued. "C-Can you help me go to the bathroom?" Her eyes pointed directly at Eva.


    "C-Customer, let us call help, you are clearly suffering from unusual pain." One of the maids said with a concerned tone.


    "No¡­ need, I just need to wash my face and I should be fine. P-Please, help me." She said again as she extended her hand to Eva.


    Thetter had no choice but toply and picked Kaya up before she rested her hand on her back. Then, the two walked toward the door.


    "M-Miss Eva?" The maids spoke her name as they watched her carry the customer.


    Thetter looked at them before she gave them her usual smile.


    "Don''t worry and just continue serving the customers. I will take care of her."


    Then, the duo left the ssroom and headed toward the bathroom in silence. Although Eva hated Kaya to the guts, she still couldn''t say much. For some reason, she felt slightly bad for the girl.


    When the two reached the girls'' bathroom, they walked inside. The ce was empty as all the girls were busy with their events.


    "Go ahead and wash your face. If you need the bathroom, then you can also use it." She said as she turned around to walk outside.


    Suddenly, Eva''s instincts kicked in as she jumped to the side, barely dodging a flying kick that was aimed at her face.


    "Ohoh, so you''re indeed an Origin user as I expected. A normal human would''ve never been able to dodge that kick." Kaya said coldly as she retracted her leg and stared at Eva with a yful smirk. However, her eyes were still chilling as if they were that of a predator that finally got her prey in the trap.


    "How did you resist that poison? The quantity I put should''ve been enough to wreck your stomach." Eva asked ignoring thetter''s deduction.


    "It''s a secret~ Why should I tell you?" Kaya replied mysteriously.


    Eva stared back at her sharply. She realized that all that Kaya did was simply an act to get her toe along to a quiet, more secluded ce. However, Eva could swear she saw Kaya drink that whole thing. Unless she was some kind of freak of nature like Kai who was immune to all forms of poison, Eva didn''t have any idea as to how this situation was possible. What did she do?


    ''No, point in trying to decipher her. She''s too smart to tell me.''


    "Tsk, for a slut, you do certainly have a good head between your shoulders, Ms. Archangel Kaya deheart," Eva said with a smirk as she dusted her clothes.


    Since Kaya realized her secret, there was no point in hiding it. Not that it mattered since most people in the underworld knew that Eva was indeed an Origin user. The only reason Kaya realized this just now is because she doesn''t take an interest in people that she doesn''t find worthy of her attention.


    "So you do know my identity? Ah, well, not that I''m hiding it anyway." Scratching the back of her head, she moved on to the main topic. "Where is Kai?"


    "Why would you want to know that?"


    "Simple, I came here to meet him and see him work. Now, where is he? Is he in the kitchen?"


    "I''m not telling you where he is. In fact, this is a great opportunity to set things straight since we never had a proper conversation before." Eva said as she pointed at Kaya. "Leave. Kai. alone. I know that you want to snatch him away but he is already mine and I''m never intending to hand him to anyone no matter who they are. Consider this a warning as I will not hesitate to erase your existence out of this world."


    Eva''s aura leaked out, chilling the whole room. Her threat wasn''t just for bluffing, even Kaya knew it, she meant every word she said.


    This, however, didn''t make her angry. In contrast, she chuckled audibly.


    "Erase my existence? Fufufufu~ How amusing! I never thought a day wille when a kid will threaten to kill me. Oh, how did I fall from grace?"


    Eva''s aura grew stronger as she looked at Kaya. The pressure inside the bathroom grew by the second to an unimaginable degree. It was as if the situation was on the verge of falling into chaos.


    "Since your peanut brain can''tprehend it the normal way. Want to try me?" Eva asked.


    "You don''t have any idea how much I want to crush you right here and now. But, I will be a mature person and I will ignore what you said. As for Kai¡­ I don''t know how you ended up approaching him and I don''t care at all, to be honest. However, you''re a rich mdy, aren''t you? Just go and find another guy to put your dirty hands on. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Kai is a normal boy that has nothing to do with the dark world we live in. Don''t drag him into your chaotic life."


    "What right makes you think you can drag him into your chaotic life and not mine? Huh? If anything, your life is even shadier than mine. I heard a lot about you Archangels and the higher ranks of Divinity and I must say, you guys really worked hard to create that shady cult." Although Eva knew that Kaya had no idea about Kai''s identity, she still found her arguments quite annoying.


    "I might agree with what you say. But, you got one thing wrong. Ranks are just for show. I do not have to agree with everything Divinity says or does. I''m a free individual that can do what I want. Besides, I have my own ns to keep Kai away from these things when we finally get together. He will only have to focus on me and just me while I pamper him every day and love him like no other person would ever do. Our lives will be peaceful and happy."


    *Shup*


    Eva''s face darkened as anger took over her mind.


    "I''ve had enough, I''m going to kill you. Screw keeping it a secret. I will drag your dead corpse across the whole school and throw it for dogs to eat it." Eva said as her chilling gaze grew even colder.


    Kaya''s smile also vanished as she unleashed her aura.


    "Let''s end this."

 Chapter 71 71- Consequences

    <h4>Chapter 71 Chapter 71- Consequences</h4>


    Chapter 71- Consequences


    The two girls stared daggers at each other. Neither of them moved first as they tried to assess each other. Both knew that the other was extremely strong and a fight like this no matter what oue it will have, will end up dealing heavy damage to both parties.


    In any case, Eva and Kaya weren''t intending to back down as they unleashed their auras. The ground and walls started shaking and cracks bloomed in the whole ce.


    Since no one could sense this huge amount of Origin power being emitted, the outside was still as calm as ever.


    However, that didn''t mean that someone didn''t sense this. A certain cat Mascot felt his senses tingling and his eyes turned to look at the school''s building.


    ''What in the hell¡­ is happening there?'' He thought as he squinted his eyes before he realized the situation. The sheer bloodlusting out of the two people was strong enough to alert him.


    ''Dammit, I forgot those two don''t get along. But, why are they about to fight? Do they want to destroy this whole ce?'' He thought as he ran inside the school. He couldn''t use his highest speed since many people were looking.


    So, with no other choice, he unleashed his aura and aimed it directly at the women''s bathroom.


    On the other side, as Eva and Kaya were about to sh, the two felt their bodies being smashed against the ground. The pressure was so crushing that neither of them could''ve anticipated it nor reacted to it on time.


    *Drop*


    The two women dropped to their knees. Kaya''s eyes widened from pure shock. She had never in her life felt such suffocating pressure in her life. It was as if she was being strangled alive.


    ''W-Where is thising from?'' She tried to resist it, only to be met with even more pressure.


    On the other hand, Eva was also surprised but to a lesser degree as she recognized that aura. Her face tensed up as she felt two piercing eyes staring directly at her from outside the school building.


    Although he said nothing nor could she hear him from this far, she still understood what he wanted to say.


    ''What the hell is going on there?'' His eyes said.


    "L-Let''s stop." Sighing, she finally stood up and said.


    The pressure was starting to subside and Kaya also was able to stand up. Her eyes, however, didn''t linger on Eva for long before she vanished.


    ''Curse it all! She''s going toward Kai!'' Eva thought as she followed after Kaya at top speed. If thetter were to find Kai, his identity might be revealed.


    The two raced through the corridors, passing beside people without them noticing except after they long moved away. A strong gush of air followed after, blowing every unlucky person to be in its path.


    ''This person¡­ Who is he? Such strength wouldn''te out of anyone. He is strong¡­ extremely so.'' Kaya thought as she looked outside, searching for anything. The aura had just vanished like it was never there.


    ''Tsk, I''m losing his trace¡­ Wait¡­'' Suddenly, Kaya remembered the words Elu said to her a while ago.


    It concerned the matter of a certain person being sighted in D-Country. That person is none other than the ck Phantom. Realizing that this aura could potentially belong to that legendary figure, Kaya''s senses heightened.


    She must find him!


    So, with that in mind, she elerated even more until she reached the outside. The ce was now filled with people to the brim which made it even harder to locate a person in the middle of this swarm of humans.


    "Dammit¡­" Cursing her luck, Kaya stood there looking around silently.


    "You, where do you think you''re going? You almost blew your cover!" Eva said.


    Kaya turned around and looked at Eva.


    "Who is he?"


    "Huh?"


    "I''m talking about the owner of that aura we felt inside the bathroom. Who is he?"


    "Why would I know?" Eva replied swiftly, feigning ignorance. Her acting was impable.


    "I''m certain you know because I saw the realization in your eyes. You do know his identity." Kaya argued.


    "What the hell are you spouting? I also don''t know who this person is so I came rushing outside to check."


    Kaya''s eyes squinted before she approached Eva and said.


    "Fine, you''re lucky I don''t have enough evidence to make a move. But, if I discover that you''re hiding him then I will make sure you regret that."


    "Him?" Eva''s face turned confused.


    "I''m talking about the ck Phantom. I know he is here and he''s hiding somewhere."


    After saying that, Kaya walked away, her eyes wandering around the ce. Eva stood there, shocked.


    ''She knows? Where did she know that from? Did someone discover Kai''s identity? No, she doesn''t seem to have realized it yet. So she simply knows that the ck Phantom is in this city and in this very school.''


    Eva felt like a huge headache had assaulted her head. So, she walked away from the masses and took a turn around the main building. At that moment, a hand grabbed her and pulled her in before she could even react.


    Eva found herself pushed against the wall as a tall figure loomed over her. At first, Eva was alerted but when she sensed who it was, her body instantly rxed and her tense expression loosened up.


    It was none other than Kai, still in his Nyan cat mascot.


    "K-Kai¡­" She said as she looked at him. His aura was colder than usual, a sign that he was angry.


    "Were you intending to destroy the school?" He asked coldly.


    "I''m sorry¡­"


    "Tsk, I should''ve never allowed you two to meet." He murmured as he took a peek to see if Kaya wasing toward them or not.


    "What is the reason for this?"


    "S-She provoked me and I tried to not get angry but I couldn''t do it in the end." Eva looked down.


    "... Sigh." Shaking his head, Kai got rid of the mask and he revealed his face to Eva. His hair was messy from being under the mask for a long time. However, that messiness added ayer of seductiveness to his face that was now more apparent than usual.


    Eva found herselfpletely lost in his eyes without realizing it. It was as if every time he looked at her, he cast a magic spell on her that kept her eyes fixated on him and only him.


    "You shouldn''t be easily provoked by such things. Remember that if the public knew about your powers, you will be in trouble." Kai said.


    Kai''s words were mysterious but Eva understood their meaningpletely. In society, the existence of Origin users was akin to a myth or a conspiracy theory. The general public didn''t acknowledge their existence nor did any government do.


    The reason for that was the Origin users'' unbelievably small numberpared to the normal humans. ording to statistics, of every 500 thousand people, one person with the talent to use Origin is born.


    So, for that reason, every Origin user is heavily monitored from the moment they were born so that their identities remain a secret. The world''s governments, the hitman, and Divinity all had that unspoken rule to keep the identity of Origin users under cover so that they can avoid the chaos of this information being released to the public.


    It''s akin to people realizing that aliens were living amongst them. It would make people freak out.


    All it needed was a small mistake by an Origin user and the world will never be the same ever again. That''s how fragile thisyer of mystery was.


    ''Sigh, I''m such a dumbass. Whenever it''s something rted to Kai, I lose my very mind.'' Rubbing the back of her head, Eva felt a vibration in her pocketing from her phone.


    She picked it up and saw that it was her father speaking so she answered.


    "Hello, father¡­" She said then went silent as if she was listening to something odd.


    However, a few secondster, Eva''s eyes widened to the extreme. This made Kai who was keeping an eye on Kaya turn and look at her. He had sensed the huge disturbance in Eva''s emotions at that moment.


    He immediately understood that something bad happened¡­ Something really bad.

 Chapter 72 72- The Executioners (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 72 Chapter 72- The Executioners (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 72- The Executioners (Part 1)


    The atmosphere tensed up as Eva kept listening to the phone silently. Neither she nor Kai made even the smallest of sounds.


    Although Kia wasn''t interested at first, he found himself listening to whatever Markus was saying on the phone.


    "Eva¡­ I don''t have much time so listen quietly and don''t say anything. The Guild¡­ They betrayed us! They have some shady ns that I''m scared will destroy this very world we live in and those ns for some reason require you. They asked me to either give you to them or they will kill all of us!!"


    Reaching that point, Kai''s face turned even colder. What Markus was saying waspletely shocking and Mind-Blowing. He already was aware that Eva was being targeted by a High-Officer but for the Guild to go this far to acquire her was very odd. However, he couldn''t reallye to conclusions yet.


    "I obviously refused. But, they weren''t intending to ept that answer either way! Listen to me, daughter. You need to run, now! You can''t stay there! They already sent a group of ''Executioners'' after you!!"


    Although he didn''t give it much thought at first, Kai noticed that Markus'' voice was weak and exhausted as if he was struggling against something.


    ''So, they got him, huh.'' Kai''s eyes shed with a weird glint. The Guild was serious about this and they were ready to destroy one of their strongest families just to get it.


    When the call ended, Eva''s face was as pale as a sheet of paper. Kai could see the visible confusion and fear in her eyes. It was understandable considering this sudden news.


    "Get yourself together. You heard your father. Executioners areing here and they don''t seem to have any peaceful intentions." He said as he snapped his fingers near Eva''s face to wake her from her trance.


    "Kai¡­ What is happening? Why am I being targeted? Why is the guild doing all of this?" She asked with a scared tone.


    "I don''t know. But, it''s certainly not something normal. They must''ve noticed something peculiar about you."


    "What peculiar thing, Kai? I''m normal¡­ I-I don''t have anything special about me from other people." Her voice was getting more and more urgent as she looked around.


    "Now is not the time for such things, Eva. We need to leave this ce first and we can talkt-" Before Kai could even finish his sentence, his body moved like a sh as he grabbed Eva and visibly teleported a distance away from where they were.


    It wasn''t teleportation but because Kai used almost 80% of his speed for a split second, it appeared like he just vanished and reappeared somewhere else for the naked eye.


    His mask was already back on when he appeared again to hide his identity. Looking where they were standing before, a person was there. It was a middle-aged woman in a traditional colorful Yukata with a small umbre in her hand that she was using to hide herself from the sun.


    Her skin was so pale it almost looks like snow and she had light make-up on her face that entuated her rather mature beauty.


    "Ara ara~ Who are you, Cat-san? To be able to react to my attack. I didn''t meet such a foe in a while, didn''t I? Fufufufu~" She said as she rolled the umbre in her hand. Her voice was soft and gentle like the spring breeze but deep within itid an ominous tone to it that Kai didn''t like.


    ''Exectuoner X.'' Kai recognized thedy immediately. She was one of the executioners and one of the strongest ones at that. Her nickname was ''The Flower of Death'' for her rather traditional beauty and extremely high speed. She was in fact the fastest member of the Guild for the longest time.


    ''Tsk, she already reached this ce before I could even sense her presence approaching.'' Kai thought as he looked at Eva. Thetter was still in her shocked state so she can''t fight yet.


    "Hmm?~ Are you perhaps worried for the girl? Don''t worry, just give her to me. I will make sure she''s well taken care of~" The Flower of Death said in a light tone.


    However, Kai didn''t reply and merely scooped Eva up again and vanished.


    "Ara ara~ I can''t let you escape, can I, young man?" X murmured before she vanished too.


    Crossing tens of meters in a split second, Kai jumped from one building to another as he moved farther and farther away from the school. His face looked serious.


    "Kai¡­" Eva murmured as she looked at him. Seeing how focused he was, her heart felt extremely happy and sad at the same time. Happy because her beloved was showing clear signs that he was trying to protect her and sad because she had dragged him into this mess without even knowing.


    ''I need to hold myself together. What is wrong with me?!'' pping her cheeks, Eva looked behind Kai.


    The Flower of Death was following them at breakneck speed. Her face had its usual gentle smile and her eyes were closed as if she didn''t need them to locate the duo.


    "Sword Heaven!" Using her Talent, Eva created multiple swords in the air as she aimed them at X.


    The swords immediately flew toward the target, piercing the air with a loud clinging sound.


    "Hmm?~ Runic domain? So, the rumors were true. You are indeed a very peculiar young bud, Eva-san. However, you are still far from a blooming flower." With that, X''s neck tilted as she dodged one sword before she vanished, appearing on another building to dodge another and then on another building to dodge the rest.


    She did all of that without losing too much distance between them. Still, Kai was still significantly faster than she was.


    "Sword Heaven!" Eva used her power again.


    *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*


    The Flower of Death easily dodged all of them, leaving behind trails of destruction. Each sword had enough power to easily pierce concrete and iron.


    "Fufufufu~ That''s really a handful to deal with, Eva-san."


    Minutes passed until they reached the outskirts of the city where poptions decreased. As Kai was about to jump onest time tond on one of the few buildings left there, he felt the ground shake.


    "HORRAA!!! BITCH!!" A loud, hoarse voice echoed in the area as the whole ce was suddenly sted out of existence.


    The ground exploded and rocks evaporated from the sheer strength of the earthquake. Kai found himself right in the middle of it.


    Eva''s eyes widened as she instinctively hugged Kai''s neck.


    "Hold on." He murmured as he pointed his hand down. "Reverse." The moment he said that the whole phenomenon was screeched to a halt.


    Silence took over the whole ce. Using Momentum Talent, Kai reversed the momentum of the earthquake to happen all under the surface of the ground. It wasn''t visible nor audible but tens of meters beneath the ground, it was turning into the inside of a blender.


    When that happened, a silhouette pierced through the ground and jumped into the air.


    "WHAT THE FUCK?! I ALMOST FUCKING DIED!!" A rough, muscr-looking man with a menacing crazy expression appeared.


    ''Tsk, Z too. Did they send all the Executioners?''


    The situation was getting more and more annoying. Kai wasn''t worried about fighting the executioners but about the consequences of such a fight happening.


    If powers of that caliber were to sh, there was no guarantee that an area of tens or even hundreds of kilometers won''t be decimated.


    "As loud as ever, Z~," The Flower of Death said as shended beside the ragged man.


    "SHUT THE FUCK UP, X!! THAT BASTARD ALMOST KILLED ME!!" He yelled.


    "Fufufufu~ How did he do that, I wonder? That earthquake should''ve been impossible to stop. But, that boy did just that effortlessly. It was almost as if... he reversed the effect of the earthquake."


    "WHAT KIND OF HARD WORDS ARE THOSE, X?!!! SPEAK IN A LANGUAGE I CAN UNDERSTAND!!" Z yelled with a confused expression.


    "I think that boy¡­ is someone we might''ve been looking for a while. Five years to be exact~"


    "5 YEARS?!! DO YOU MEAN THE BLACK PHANTOM?!!! ARE YOU SAYING THAT CAT BITCH IS THE BLACK PHANTOM?! I CAN''T BELIEVE IT!!"


    "Fufufufu~ This is getting more and more fun. Who thought we will meet our boogeyman right here and now~ Is this perhaps fate?" X murmured as she slicked her lips. Her closed eyes opened for a second, revealing a weird glint before it vanished again as she closed her eyelids.

 Chapter 73 73- The Executioners (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 73 Chapter 73- The Executioners (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 73- The Executioners (Part 2)


    "They stopped following us," Eva murmured while looking behind them. Kai had already left the city and was now moving through the deserted ins near the highway. His speed was so unbelievable that cars looked as if they were moving in slow motion next to him.


    "No, they still didn''t give up. Besides, there are only two. I''m sure they aren''t the only on-"


    Suddenly, Kai bent down and jumped in the air using the full force of his legs. He reached tens of meters in the air. A split secondter, the whole grassy ins beneath him were suddenly sliced in two by the sweeping wind. The sight coupled with the eerie quietness was terrifying, to say the least.


    Kai''s eyes squinted as he looked around. He had sensed the threat but he couldn''t locate its source.


    "Hold on." He said beforending again and dashed to the side. Behind him, the sound of the wind rustling followed suit. It was seemingly harmless at first nce but Kai knew that wasn''t the case at all.


    "Annoying." He murmured as he smashed his feet on the ground, destroying the whole area as if it was made out of biscuits.


    "Woah." Because of that, a person appeared in their vision, swaying left and right as if he was having a hard time bncing himself.


    The man was in fact quite young looking with weirdly grey hair and a very sad look in his eyes. In fact, his whole aura was so gloomy that people might think he was severely depressed. He had heavy dark bags beneath his ck eyes and a very sickly pale skin tone. His whole demeanor would mistakenly make people think he was a very weak terminally ill patient.


    In his hand, however, was something that would make anyone''s jaw drop. He was carrying a massive scythe, three times his size.


    "Isn''t that¡­" Eva''s face paled when she saw that man. She knew him very well. In fact, every hitman knew him. His name was ''Y'' or goes by another nickname ''The Ailing Death Reaper''.


    Because of his huge scythe and his extremely quiet and fast attacks, he was akin to a death reaper harvesting souls wherever he goes.


    The man looked at the two with his bad posture and hunched back as he said.


    "Why¡­ Why did you avoid that? Why didn''t my attack hit? Why does nothing ever work for me? How can I live being such a failure?" He asked in a low, timid tone.


    Kai ignored the man as he knew his weird character was only a facade for his monstrous strength. So, he turned around and dashed away.


    "No, please wait. Give me another chance. I will make it work this time. Hurricane de." He said as he grabbed the scythe with two hands and swiped with it.


    Instantly, the grassy in was affected by the swipe as the grass danced quietly. However, that silence suddenly was drowned by the sound of loud screeching.


    Kai''s eyes looked back before he halted. He felt it all around him. Something changed.


    "Why did you stop?" Eva asked.


    However, the boy didn''t answer and instead picked up a strand of grass before he threw it ahead of him. The moment the grass reached a certain distance, it was suddenly sliced into small pieces as it passed through.


    "If I passed through that, you would''ve been turned into diced meat." He said as he put her down."


    The words chilled Eva but she ignored them and looked back at Kai.


    Thetter was suddenly channeling his Origin as he said.


    "Hold your breath." He said before he tapped his hands on the ground. Eva didn''t ask why and simply followed his orders. A secondter, the temperature of the whole area started dwindling at an extremely rapid pace.


    Ice started forming on Kai''s arms and moving down to his hands before it started spreading on the ground.


    "Ice age." He murmured and instantly, the air around them froze. It went from its gas state to a solid state, creating a giant ball of ice around them that took the shape of the hurricane trap Y created.


    On the inside, the ball was even and clear while on the outside, it was rough with pointy spikes riddling it.


    Y watched the scene with a sad expression as he rubbed the back of his head.


    "I''m such a disappointment. I couldn''t even catch them. Am I even worthy of this life? Should I just die? Maybe that''s the best thing to do."


    As he kept talking to himself, Z and X reached him.


    "OI, DEPRESSED BASTARD!! WHERE ARE THOSE TWO?! I WILL SMASH THEIR FACES!!"


    "Fufufufu~ Can''t you see the ice ball over there?" X said.


    "I tried to catch them off-guard but the cat mascot realized that and froze my Hurricane de with ice."


    "He did?" X raised an eyebrow.


    ''I''ve never heard of an ice user being able to freeze Y''s wind. Hmm, interesting~ I''ve never seen the ck Phantom work but isn''t he a little bit too scary?~''


    Looking at the encased ball of ice with a small smile as she felt a thrill from the situation.


    "I''M GONNA SMASH THAT BALL INTO PIECES!!" Z yelled as he fisted his chest.


    "No, don''t do that. He probably wants you to do exactly that so he can counter-attack and kill you instantly."


    "ARE YOU SAYING THAT I CAN''T KILL THAT BASTARD?!!!" Z''s eyes turned bloodshot red with anger.


    "Fufufufufu~, Of course, we can''t do that. Remember, he is the ck Phantom. If it wasn''t for the cute girl Eva-san he was carrying, he would''ve killed all of us before we even realize it~"


    Although X''s tone was light-hearted as if she was telling some kind of joke, she was in fact serious about her words. Kai was by far the strongest human she had ever met and the fact that he can easily do things that are impossible even for the strongest of Origin users further proved her idea of him.


    "V-san and A-san are on their way. We must wait for them and then surround the two of them together."


    "I DON''T LIKE TO WORK WITH OTHERS!!"


    "I-I''m scared of working with other people. I might fail you guys and be an even bigger disappointment."


    "SHUT UP AND GO DIE SOMEWHERE ELSE!!"


    "Come on, you two~ Don''t fight."


    As the three of them kept bickering, Kai and Eva were dealing with a whole different problem.


    "We should just fight them," Eva suggested as she looked outside.


    "No, a long fight won''t do good. These three aren''t the only Executioners on this mission. The longer we stay here, the more annoying it will be."


    "Kai¡­"


    "Stay silent and let me think." He said as he looked around him.


    The situation was bad. On one hand, Kai had to protect Eva while also making sure to kill all the Executioners. That won''t be that big of a problem. However, Kai was wary of something that if was indeed the case will utterly make it a hell of a lot harder to solve it.


    ''I need to find a way to hide Eva. If they lose their target, it will be easier to deal with them. However, how can he do that?


    As he was thinking of a way to make that possible, Eva was looking at her beloved intently. Seeing him rack his brain for a n made her feel as if a knife was stabbed into her heart.


    "I''m sorry¡­" She said.


    "Hm?" Kai''s eyes shifted to look at her.


    "For always making you get involved in my problems¡­ I''m deeply sorry." She said. "It''s always because of me that you end up doing things you don''t want to do¡­ And now, seeing you doing all of this for me¡­ Makes me so happy but also so regretful."


    Eva was aware that at this moment, Kai''s peace was getting destroyed bit by bit. The fact that the Guild infiltrated it meant that even if Kai somehow solved this problem, there was still a risk that he will be targeted again.


    "I promised that I will protect your life and yet here I am ruining it with my own hands." Eva clenched her fists tightly till her knuckles turned white. Her eyes wandered down.


    "I should¡­ probably hand myself to them. I will figure out a way to solve this problem when I meet whoever wanted me. I will definitely solve this problem. You don''t have to do any more than this, Kai."


    Eva''s eyes closed as she heaved up and down, trying to calm herself.


    ''This is the right thing to do. I will definitely fix this ande back.'' As her resolve was about to set, she felt a looming presence in front of her.


    "Ka-... !"

 Chapter 74 74- Showdown

    <h4>Chapter 74 Chapter 74- Showdown</h4>


    Chapter 74- Showdown


    Kai suddenly approached her and looked at her closely. Then, with his right hand, he flicked her forehead.


    "Ouch!!" Eva groaned as she grabbed her face with a painful expression. A red mark was left there.


    "Who do you think I am, Eva?" He asked with a cold tone. "Do you think that they can really do anything when I don''t want them to? You are clearly underestimating me. So listen and listen closely since I won''t repeat my words again."


    Kai''s tone sounded so authoritative that Eva felt as if she naturally needed to listen and obey. His aura was akin to that of a king talking to his servant yet the charm exuding from him was so mind-blowing that Eva''s world suddenly became blurry and her eyes only focused on Kai.


    "I''m someone who lives his life however he wants. Be it peaceful or bloody, I will do everything I want to do and no one can stop. Do you know why? Because I''m the strongest. I decided to live a quiet life because my life was going to end soon and also because I got fed up with this job and the powers I have. However, when you came into the equation, you gave me the desire to try and find a cure. You did say you will never give up on me, didn''t you?"


    Eva''s head nodded as her eyes were looking shocked beyond words. In all her life, she never expected Kai to ever speak such words to her and her heart and mind were already a chaotic mess.


    "It''s only natural that I shouldn''t give up on you either. It''s an equal and fair deal. Since I got myself involved in this willingly, I will make sure it''s solved properly. The Guild had decided to do something they should''ve not even entertained and now they will have to bear the consequences." He said.


    Eva''s mind was blown to pieces right there and then. She didn''t even know how to properly react. All she could do was stare at Kai silently.


    "Kai¡­ I-I¡­"


    "No need to say anything. I have a n." He said as he turned around and pulled his phone out and started typing a message toward someone.


    Meanwhile, Eva watched his back silently. A myriad of emotions were passing through her eyes like raging waves. Kai''s reliable silhouette was akin to a drug that she could never get rid of. The sheer happiness and intense emotions she was feeling at the moment were beyond words.


    ''What did I do to deserve meeting him? What luck did I have at the time to bless me with this man. How is he making me fall deeper and deeper in love with him with each passing day? I love him so much it''s driving me insane.'' She thought to herself and yet no answer came to her mind. In fact, Eva firmly believed that this was far beyond anything she should''ve ever deserved in her life.


    Kai was in fact the best thing that could happen to her in ten¡­ No, a hundred lifetimes all put together. She knew that even if she dedicated her whole life and purpose to him, it wouldn''t be enough to ever repay him for everything he did to her.


    So, at that moment, she could only utter four words yet the meaning behind them was far too profound to be fathomed.


    "Kai¡­ I love you." She said.


    Thetter halted his actions for a second as he looked back at her. On Eva''s face was now a smile that was akin to that of a goddess. It was so pure and bright like the sun.


    However, he didn''t linger long on her before he returned to the task at hand. They didn''t have time to have idle chatter.


    After finishing what he was doing, he approached Eva and said.


    "Now, listen closely to what I''m going to say. You must follow every word I say. Any mishap and the whole n will be for naught."


    ***


    A whileter, a silhouette approached the three Executioners. It was none other than V. He had a solemn look on his face. The moment he reached them, he asked.


    "Where are they?"


    "They''re inside that ball of ice, V-san. By the way, is A-sante as usual?" X said with a small chuckle.


    "He had something else to deal with. But, this isn''t important now. Did they try to do anything?"


    "No¡­ Sir, I don''t feel any suspicious behavior inside the ball of ice. My wind is keeping an eye on them. But, I''m sure since I''m a failure, everything will turn out to be a mistake." Y added as he looked down with a gloomy expression.


    "Who thought we will find him here of all ces? We have been looking for him for over 5 years now and yet he was hiding in in sight."


    V nodded his head and then looked at the ball of ice before he approached her quietly.


    "Miss Eva, running away is pointless! You already are aware that I personally talked with your father. He refused and so he must bear the consequences of his actions. I''m holding your family hostage now. With a simple order, they will all be killed. So, either surrender and stop this pointless resistance or we will have to escte the matter. I will give you 10 seconds."


    V''s threats were real and cunning. He already was aware of how much Eva cared for her family so threatening her with them was the best way to make herply and go with them."


    The time ticked slowly as V waited. His eyes were dead serious.


    "You have 5 seconds left. Please, don''t make it hard for us." As he finished those words, the ball of ice suddenly exploded into small pieces, and two silhouettes revealed themselves.


    A cat mascot and a woman stepped forward. Eva looked around with a cold expression before she said.


    "If Ie with you, will you spare my family?" She asked coldly.


    "Yes, as long as youply, we shall not do anything that might harm your family."


    "Why should I believe that?"


    "We aren''t brutes, Miss Eva. Although we were pushed to make an exception, rules are still important and we shall all follow them. This is a fair deal, hand yourself over and your family will be spared."


    "... Fine, I agree." She nodded her head.


    Her words didn''t surprise V as he already anticipated her eptance. However, that would''ve been normal if there wasn''t a particr someone standing next to her. The cat mascot was eerily silent.


    "You¡­ are you Agent 0?" He asked with squinted eyes.


    "..."


    "It has been 5 years, hasn''t it? To think that you will be able to hide from the Guild''s eyes for this long. You truly live up to your name, Agent 0. But, since you are still cklisted, our orders tell us to capture you too."


    "I won''t allow that!"


    Suddenly, a person appeared out of nowhere and reached the group. Kaya''s face had a cold expression on it.


    "Oh? This is getting interesting~" X said as she looked at this new intruder.


    "WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS BITCH DOING HERE?!"


    "Oh, no, this bad, really bad. An archangel is here, why? Why is the situation getting worse? Am I cursed to always have bad luck?"


    V was the only one who stayed silent as he looked at Kaya. His expression is unperturbed but it was clear he wasn''t satisfied with her sudden appearance.


    "Now, what is a Divinity Archangel doing here?"


    "As I said, you aren''t allowed toy your hands on him."


    "What does this have anything to do with you?" V asked as he squinted his eyes.


    "The ck Phantom is under my protection. Unless you want to mess with Divinity then you better get that girl and leave." Kaya said coldly as she unleashed her aura to show that she was ready to make this situation even messier.


    It was a showdown.

 Chapter 75 75- I Am The Black Phantom (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 75 Chapter 75- I Am The ck Phantom (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 75- I Am The ck Phantom (Part 1)


    The atmosphere grew even heavier as if some weight had been added to it. A normal person would''ve lost consciousness from the sheer intensity of the situation. The Executioners stared at Kaya and the other two, ready to move if anything happened.


    V, however, kept a rather calm tone even when he was probably the most annoyed by this sudden change.


    "He is cklisted and should be eliminated. Please mind your own business and leave." He said in a polite yet threatening tone.


    However, Kaya simply smiled coldly.


    "You lot from the Guild love to think that you''re the center of the world. I must say, delusion is the mother of all mistakes. I said he is under my protection and so you can''t touch him. Unless you want to turn this ce into a bloody battlefield. Well, not that I mind that oue." A dangerous look had suddenly crept into Kaya''s eyes as she licked her lips.


    V''s face turned even grimmer as he red at Kaya. He heard rumors about Kaya deheart and her ruthless methods. She was a battle maniac with a desire for blood like no other person. So, when she said she would be d to turn this into a bloody war, she meant every word of it.


    ''Tsk, this isn''t optimal. But, I can''t risk ruining the mission when Eva Lavine is within our grasp.'' Shaking his head, V said.


    "Step forward, Eva Lavine." He said.


    Thetter silentlyplied and when she was close enough to V, he pulled out thick handcuffs and put them on her hand. The shackles were made out of Leviathium so they could stop any Origin user from using their powers.


    Staring coldly at the heavy shackles, Eva turned around and looked at the cat mascot.


    After that, she sighed.


    "Let''s go."


    At that moment, a limousine arrived at the location and the door automatically opened. Then, the group got inside before the door closed and it stormed off.


    The cat mascot and Kaya watched it silently until it disappeared before the archangel finally turned to look at the mascot.


    "Sending me a message from an encrypted number. I heard that your skills in Origin Hacking are second to none. Well, either way, it''s an honor to meet you, ck Phantom." Kaya said.


    Although her tone was casual, inside her head, a huge dilemma was urring. She had a suspicion as to who that person was and that suspicion was killing her. She was almost certain that the person behind that mask was someone she knew. No, she didn''t just know him, he was also the love of her life.


    Her suspicion started when she noticed the rtionship between Eva and Kai. It just didn''t make sense why someone as influential as Eva would take an interest in Kai who was merely an ordinary boy. The second thing was the fact that Kaya wasn''t able to find Kai in the school no matter how much she searched for him.


    Knowing her beloved, he must''ve chosen a veryckluster role in the festival and so there weren''t many things he could be possibly doing. Being a cat mascot was sadly one of those possibilities.


    "Tell me the truth¡­ Are you Kai?" She asked with a hesitant tone. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest. She had never felt this nervous before in her life. It was as if she just realized that her whole life was a lie. How can she react to it? What should she say if it was indeed Kai? She had no idea.


    It was all too chaotic that her mind refused to think properly.


    As she was having such conflicting thoughts, the cat mascot suddenly lifted its arms and pulled the mask up, revealing the face under it.


    Kaya''s eyes widened to the extreme as she looked at the person behind the mask. Her mouth opened and closed like a bird.


    "What¡­"


    ***


    Meanwhile, the limousine raced through the streets till it reached a skyscraper in the capital of D-country. This building was mainly that of a very renowned sports cars manufacturer.


    Getting out, the group carried Eva inside. Since she wasplying with them, the Executioners treated her fairly and respectfully.


    "Wee to Dawn. How can I help you?"


    Reaching the reception desk and seeing the situation, the receptionist immediately clicked a button under the desk before she smiled.


    "Have a nice evening, gentlemen." Her tone had a hint of mystery behind it.


    After that, the group walked to the backdoor and entered inside. Walking through the corridors they reached an investigation room. It was simr to those rooms found in police departments albeit dimmer and more sinister.


    In the middle of it was a Liviathium table and chair that were fused with the ground and countless shackles that linked to them.


    If an Origin user was to get shackled to that table and chair, they won''t be able to even rub their nose let alone escape.


    After that, they strapped Eva silently and pulled away. Then, they walked to each corner of the room.


    "What is the reason for this?" Eva finally asked with a cold tone as she looked around.


    "Don''t ask questions, please," V replied.


    "So, I''m supposed to just ept this? I need at least some exnation."


    "Orders, Agent 74. Capturing you are orders that came from the High officers and we had no hand in them. We are simply doing our job."


    "Then, what is going to happen to me?"


    "That isn''t something within our knowledge. However, one of the High officers is on his way. If he has any intentions to tell you, then you will know from him."


    "..." Eva nodded her head before she closed her eyes and didn''t say anything else.


    Time passed quietly inside the room until one hourter, the door to the room opened and a man came walking inside. He was probably in his thirties, short yet also slightly muscr. He had handsome features but also a sharp look. He wore a pair of sses and a professional suit.


    As he turned around and gave Eva a nce, he said in a calm tone.


    "It''s my pleasure to finally meet you, Agent 74. Although I would''ve preferred a better situation for our first meeting. But, work is work."


    "Who are you?" Eva asked coldly.


    "It''s not that important right now. Let''s get to our main topic now since I don''t have much time." Saying that, the man looked at the chair before he patted the seat to get rid of any dust and then sat down elegantly.


    "I''m sure you have many questions. Since we are doing something against our values as the Hitman Guild, I shall grant you permission to know the truth. It won''t matter either way."


    "..." Squinting her eyes, Eva nodded her head.


    "Then, why am I being targeted by the guild?"


    Adjusting his sses, the man replied. "You have something that we want, Agent 74. Something far more important than you could ever fathom."


    "...?"


    "While you do not have the right to know what this thing is. I shall give you a hint. It''s rted to your main talent. Your de Talent is a very strong ability. It has a bottomless potential that if dug out, we might be able to uncover things that could change this very world we live in. We have been searching for this talent for decades. At some point, we even believed that it might simply be a myth." His tone grew heavier the more he spoke. "However, for better or worse, this talent was acquired by none other than you, Agent 74. You are quite talented, I will give you that. But, sadly, you aren''t talented enough to be able to unlock the full potential of your talent. In fact, you are far from that."


    "So, you want to get my talent?" She asked.


    "''Extract'' is the right word. You don''t need to worry, though. It won''t be a painful death. We will make sure you won''t feel a thing since you have served the Guild for so many years. Your name will also be itched in the Guild''s Hall of Fame for your contributions."


    Silence took over the ce as everyone stared at Eva, expecting any possible reaction from her. The man was basically saying ''You worked for us and now we will kill so that we can benefit even more.''. It was an absurd request that will make anyone enraged.


    However, Eva didn''t do anything of that sort.


    In fact, her casual posture as she sat on the chair made everyone slightly confused.


    "I see¡­ So that''s what this is all about?"

 Chapter 76 76- I Am The Black Phantom (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 76 Chapter 76- I Am The ck Phantom (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 76- I Am The ck Phantom (Part 2)


    Eva''s face looked oddly calm as she stared directly at the man, not averting her eyes. It was as if she was trying to itch his face into her memory.


    "Did my family get released?" She asked.


    The man squinted his eyes for a second. "Well, all I need is a word and your family should be out."


    "Good, do that then before we end this matter." She said.


    The atmosphere inside the room became slightly strained as the two kept staring at each other, trying to read what was on the other person''s mind.


    "Are you not afraid of death, Miss Eva?" He suddenly asked as he bent forward, resting both of his arms on the table.


    "Why should I be?" She asked back. "We are hitmen, death is a normal day on the job."


    "I have seen many hitmen say those same words, Miss Eva. Many of them died with tears on their faces."


    "Some are weaker than others."


    "Indeed, that''s true. But, what''s fascinating to me is that you didn''t really show a single shred of fear even though you cherish your own family. I heard that the more a human loves, the more he fears to lose. Are you not afraid of losing them, Miss Eva?"


    "..." Staying silent for a second, Eva seemed to be thinking for a second before she answered.


    "Maybe knowing that they will be safe is putting my heart at ease. My life didn''t go to waste, after all, did it?"


    "No, it did not. My apologies for the question. I shall release your family immediately." He said as he looked at V.


    Thetter and then held his ear.


    "Release them." After saying that, he was about to turn around when suddenly, he heard a loud cling.


    Before anyone could even react, Eva''s body moved like a sh and tore the shackles from her hands. Then, she jumped over the table and grabbed the man by the neck before she pinned him down with one hand on his throat and the other pointing at his eyes.


    The four Executioners were shocked beyond words as they reflexively tried to move. However, they heard a cold voice.


    "Don''t move. If any of you move a muscle, this man is dead." She said.


    V''s face turned extremely grim. What the hell is going on? How did she release herself from the shackles?


    "Oh no, this is bad!!" Y''s face turned even paler as he started panicking.


    "Ara ara, what just happened?"


    "WHAT THE FUCK?!!!"


    The man pinned under Eva already looked horrified. His eyes blinked profusely as if trying to avoid Eva''s hand that was aiming for his skull.


    "W-What is¡­"


    "Speak and you will die. Breathe loudly and you will die. Try to call for help and you will die." Eva said. Although her words were aimed at the man specifically, the Executioners knew that she meant them too.


    "Wait¡­ Don''t do anything reckless, Agent 74. You are aiming your gun at a high off-"


    "You aren''t a high officer." Eva cut him as she suddenly grabbed his ear. Then, with a swift move, tore it off as if it was a piece of paper.


    "AGHHHH!!!" A loud scream of agony echoed in the room but since the walls were extremely thick, nobody heard it.


    Lifting the ear to look at it, she shook it, dropping a small device to the ground.


    "I high officer would never appear this easily in front of someone. In your case, it seems the real culprit sent you in their stead and delivered what they wanted to say through this device. So, in actuality, I was indeed talking with a high officer. Their marite to be exact. You are one of the executives of that person, aren''t you?" She said.


    "Agent 74, if you kill that man, the guild will never ignore it."


    "They will do. This man is unimportant. His life is meaningless. However, if I were to escape this ce, the guild is going to face a way bigger problem than this."


    The man''s face paled and his breathing grew erratic. She blew his cover in a second! What is really fucking going on?! How does she have all of this strength?


    An Origin user will be rendered useless without their talents. So, for her to be able to break those shackles, she could only use her raw power. However, that makes it even more absurd since the sheer strength required to break those shackles was unfathomable.


    Even the Executioners were speechless. However, V was the only one to keep hisposure as he fiddled with his left hand, trying to tap a certain button he had at the back of his shirt. However, Eva''s eyes suddenly moved toward him as she unleashed her Origin power.


    Immediately, the sound of electricity echoed in the room. All the electric devices were suddenly destroyed.


    "You surely have no regard for this man''s life, V. Well, since you gave me the green light, say goodbye to him."


    "Wait!!" V''s face crunched up as he yelled.


    *Swish*


    X''s silhouette vanished as she appeared behind Eva and tried to grab her arm before she kills the man.


    "We can''t have you kill an executive, Eva-san." She said as she was about to unsheath the sword from her umbre.


    "Freeze."


    The moment their arms touched, X''s whole left body turned into ice. Her eyes widened slightly as she jumped back.


    At the same time, Z was about to smash the ground. From the blueprint of the building, there was an underground area so if he was able to destroy the floor, he could stop Eva.


    "Reverse."


    Eva pointed her arm at Z. Instantly, all the momentum that he built was reversed and aimed directly at him.


    "UGHH!!" The giant man''s body was suddenly sted into the air as he smashed into the ceiling and fell down again. Blood was seeping out of his mouth and nose. "SAD FUCK!! DO SOMETHING!!"


    Y''s face turned even paled as he tried to swing his scythe. However, the same thing happened to him and his weapon suddenly reversed and hit him square in the chest.


    "BLURGH!!" Spitting blood, he smashed against the wall.


    "Reverse¡­ That can''t be¡­" V''s expression turned from grim to realization and then to deep shock. He only knew one person with that ability. "You¡­"


    The man with sses also realized what was going on as he looked at Eva. He felt his heart beating loudly. All the things started to clear up and that alone made him feel something he should''ve never felt¡­ He felt fear.


    "Who¡­ are you?"


    Eva''s hand moved up and she passed it across her face, instantly, her whole silhouette changed. From a seductive figure to that of a man, d in ck clothes. Reaching the middle of her face, the whole bodypletely changed. Then, by the time she reached the end of her face, her features changed from that of a woman to an eerie white mask with a stitched mouth on it.


    Then, the masked man bent forward and said in an extremely cold tone.


    "I am¡­ the ck Phantom."

 Chapter 77 77- (Title at the end of the chapter)

    <h4>Chapter 77 Chapter 77- (Title at the end of the chapter)</h4>


    Chapter 77- (Title at the end of the chapter)


    The words echoed in the whole room, reverberating as if they had echoes of their own. The man''s face grew even paler as he stared directly at the white mask.


    Who was the ck Phantom? Even the newest people to join the underworld would''ve heard that name at least once simply because he was the monster that feared no one and was feared by everyone.


    He was the ideal hitman in every sense of the word. In fact, his methods were being taught to new hitmen with how innovative they were. His stories were also told akin to fairytales.


    So, in other words, the ck Phantom is a living legend in the eyes of the underworld. However, that living legend would turn into a nightmare if he puts his eyes on you and the man pinned down was now the target of that very same monster.


    Nobody would be able to understand what he was feeling at the moment.


    "You asked me why I don''t feel fear, didn''t you?" Kai asked coldly. "That answer wasn''t the truth: I don''t feel fear not because my soul was used in a good way but because there is nothing for me to fear. The Guild, Divinity, hitmen, the underworld, I don''t fear any of you. Yet, you lot try and annoy me. I''ve had enough."


    Saying that Kai''s grip on the man''s neck strengthened, making thetter start choking.


    "Since the Guild wants to y. Fine, I will finish what I should''ve done a few years ago." Kai''s tone was serious. He was tantly threatening the Hitman Guild in front of an executive and four Executioners.


    "Let''s not rush things¡­ Agent 0, you know that this is a huge mista-"


    "Mistake? No, this isn''t a mistake. This is what I had to do before leaving but thought it would be a waste of time and that will start with everyone in this room. None of you will leave it alive."


    V frowned harder as he felt anger rising in his head. Fighting the ck Phantom will be a disaster especially when he had easily beaten 3 Executioners with a simple hand gesture.


    "However, before that, who is the High Officer that wanted Eva''s talent?" He asked the man.


    Even though Kai asked him, he already knew the answer. All the information he wanted was sealed and he can''t get to them. However, his intention wasn''t to get an answer but to make the other party through that small device hear him.


    "Tsk! This is enough, Agent 0!! Do you think we will just stand and let you do whatever you want?" V yelled angrily as he unleashed his aura.


    The whole room shook violently as the walls started cracking.


    "Ara ara~ This ice is really tough~"


    *CRACK*


    With a swing of her arm, the ice started cracking before her arm waspletely freed.


    "FUCK SAKE!!!! I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!!! *PTUH*" Spitting blood from his mouth, Z stood up and cracked his neck. That hit was akin to a train smashing his face but it didn''t deal a lethal blow to him.


    "I''m a disappointment. So much so that my won scythe decided to hit me. Sigh, the air is wasted on my lungs." Y''s face looked even gloomier as he touched his chest where a huge injury could be seen.


    But, he still picked up his weapon and aimed it at Kai. "I will definitely try my best now."


    Each one of them focused their auras on Kai, pressuring him violently. Any other person in his ce would''ve been crushed immediately but Kai looked no different than before.


    Instead, he casually moved his hand and pulled out his sword. The dark de appeared akin to a ck hole with how dark it was.


    The moment the sword fully left the sheathe, the whole room was submerged in a weird coldness as if they were inside a freezer.


    "Attack him!" V yelled.


    Immediately, the four Executioners dashed toward him from all angles. They closed the distance in a split second and attacked at the same time.


    Kai''s face didn''t change as he flipped the sword in his hand and channeled his Origin power to the sword.


    ''Time to show your worth again, Wretched Heart.'' Closing his eyes, Kai stabbed the sword into the ground.


    "Anti-Talent." The moment he said those words, darkness started oozing out of the sword and spreading on the ground quickly. In a mere second, it covered the room, including the Executioners. Darkness loomed over the ce as if the devil himself had engulfed them within the palms of his hands.


    "HUH?!! WHAT IS THIS?!!" Z, who was the first to reach Kai, felt something odd. This weird substance that was crawling up his leg suddenly made him feel extremely weak. His origin power suddenly vanishedpletely.


    The others experienced the same thing as their bodies refused to use Origin anymore or unleash their talents. Everything happened so suddenly that they couldn''t even react in time. The ck substance had already engulfed their bodies.


    ''What is this ability?! My powers are gone!'' V''s face turned colder and immediately tried to retreat. Something was very wrong with that ck sword.


    "It''s over." Murmuring such words, Kai''s body vanished as he appeared behind Z and stabbed him in the back, piercing his heart before he pulled the sword out and vanished again before he stabbed Y''s throat from the side.


    "BLURGH!!" The gloomy man spat out blood as his eyes widened. Kai''s sword had destroyed his throat. Meanwhile, thetter was already aiming for thest target.


    His other hand moved at the same time and pulled his revolver before he fired it at X. The bullet pierced the woman''s skull and exploded, turning her brain into a mushy paste. Everything happened almost instantly.


    When the clock ticked, Kai was already back where he was before. Albeit, this time, behind himy three people, oozing blood from multiple parts of their bodies. The only one left was V. However, after what he saw, he might as well be dead.


    His mouth opened and closed as he looked at the three dead people with shock in his eyes. Everything happened too fast. A second didn''t even pass and the three were already dead. No, it wasn''t even about speed, these were Executioners, for god''s sake!


    In terms of strength alone, they could easily be in the top 50 hitmen. They had been in the business for decades and had the experience to back their strength so they weren''t some measly targets. However, the ck Phantom toyed with them as if they were nothing.


    Their deaths were a huge disaster for the Guild. After all, there were only 26 Executioners and three of them were eliminated, cutting a big chunk of the Executioners'' prowess.


    However, this wasn''t V''s problem right now. He had a totally different question in mind.


    "Why¡­ did you not kill me?" He asked.


    Thetter gave him a nce before his eyes returned to the man beneath him. Then, he aimed the revolver at his skull.


    V watched the scene silently, his face was dark and hisplexion was as pale as a piece of paper.


    Seeing the sheer difference between them in strength, V lost hope in being able to do anything even before he did anything. It was simply soul-crushing. The ck Phantom ruthlessly destroyed his will to fight or take any action. That kind of monstrosity only a few had.


    Beating someone is not that hard. But, destroying one''s will especially someone like V was extremely hard. It didn''t simply require strength. It required ruthlessness and fear far more than anything else.


    To make him think ''I have no hope in doing anything.'' That was Kai''s most horrifying trait and one of the main reasons why he became a legend. If he wanted to, he could make his victim willingly ept death.


    That was¡­ the ck Phantom.


    Chapter Title: Anti-Talent

 Chapter 78 78- Message

    <h4>Chapter 78 Chapter 78- Message</h4>


    Chapter 78- Message


    At the same time, back where Kaya was. The girl was staring at the person behind the cat mascot and her eyes couldn''t widen anymore. Then, she muttered.


    "What the fuck are you doing here?" She asked.


    On the other side, the person she was looking at was none other than Eva. She had a rather dark expression on her face.


    "I said what the fuck are you doing here? I saw you leave with those bastards." Kaya repeated with a louder tone.


    "It was a trick."


    "A trick?"


    "Yes, a trick. The ck Phantom wanted to trick them into catching him instead of me. He wanted to face them himself to end the matter." Her tone was weak as if she didn''t even want to talk about it.


    Her memory went back to a few minutes ago.


    ***


    "A n?"


    "I will be disguising myself as you using my illusion talent and letting them catch me and bring me wherever they want me to go. Then-"


    "Wo, wo, hold on a second, Kai! Are you intending to infiltrate the Guild alone?" She asked.


    "Put it however you want." He replied.


    "That''s dangerous, Kai! We don''t even know what they''re going to do!" Eva argued with a worried expression. Just the mere idea of Kai being harmed in her ce horrified her to no extent. Besides, she already knew about Kai''s illness and how potent it was in rendering him incapable of moving.


    If the symptoms were to kick in when he''s inside a dangerous ce surrounded by people like that¡­ She didn''t even want to think about what could happen.


    "I''m going to do it. It''s the only way or everyone will end up dead¡­ Including you and me. I have to put an end to the Guild and I know the right way to do that." Kai''s confidence in his abilities and nning was absolute.


    "What about your illness? How are you going to deal with it?"


    "..."


    "If anything happens to you¡­ I won''t¡­ I won''t be able to live with it, Kai. I can''t¡­" Eva''s mind was a wrecked mess at the moment.


    "I won''t." He replied.


    "How can you be so su-"


    "I said I won''t." He cut her off as he stared at Eva''s red eyes. Thetter found herself speechless. She could clearly see a myriad of thoughts passing through Kai''s purple eyes. It was as if he had countless stars inside his pupils that captured Eva''s mind again and robbed her of her power to speak.


    "Do you trust me?"


    "..."


    "I said, do you trust me?"


    "With every fiber of my being," Eva replied with certainty.


    "Then, let me handle this."


    "... I¡­ I understand. What should I do?" With some bitterness in her heart, Eva finally epted.


    She couldn''t retort to his words when she saw the sheer confidence he had. In fact, now that she thought about it, she could never really change Kai''s mind once he set it to something. He was a person with free will and an ironically carefree personality.


    Then, Kai went on to exin what she should do after he leaves. It mainly revolved around dealing with Kaya.


    ***


    Back to the present, Eva shook the worried thoughts she had.


    ''Get yourself together, Eva. I must trust Kai. He will finish everything ande back safely to me.''


    "Sorry to break it down to you but that person isn''t Kai. Kai is still back in school. He felt slightly sick so I suggested he rests in the infirmary." Eva said coldly.


    After seeing that Kaya wasn''t responding, Eva sighed and walked past the woman.


    "Wait!" Thetter woke up from her trance and grabbed her by the shoulder.


    "I know that we both don''t trust each other. Granted, Kai wouldn''t want me to know such a thing if he was indeed the real ck Phantom. But, please, don''t hide the truth from me. I mean no harm to Kai. He is the love of my life."


    "..."


    "Please, I only want the best for him. Even if it means betraying Divinity. I''m more than ready to do that."


    Although Eva was facing the other way, she felt as if Kaya was peering through her. However, as sincere as her tone might''ve been, she had to keep the n going. She can''t reveal his identity that easily, especially to an Archangel. They already had enough problems as it is.


    "I really don''t know what you''re talking about, Miss."


    "Then, why did the ck Phantom specifically help you? What kind of rtionship do you have with him?"


    "We are old acquaintances. As for why he helped me, he simply had old matters to settle with the Guild."


    Although Kaya was almost certain Eva was lying, she couldn''t find a loophole in her lie so she could only stay silent. Thetter took that opportunity and pulled herself away from Kaya before walking away.


    ''She said that he''s in the infirmary. So, if I go back there now, he would be there.''


    ***


    Kai kept the revolver aimed at the executive without pulling the trigger. Then, he said.


    "You will deliver a message to whoever is responsible for this, V." His tone was dead-cold. That made V even more wary of what kind of ''Message'' Kai wanted him to deliver.


    What he was certain of is that it won''t be a very ''peaceful'' message. Depending on how angry Kai was, it could either start a war between him and the Hitman Guild or it could be simply a warning.


    "Tell them this: Eva Lavine and her family are now under my protection. Any attempt to harm them, kidnap them, or take anything from them, I will consider a threat toward me directly. I am someone who pays back blood with blood and favors with favors. Don''t try me." He said before he pulled the trigger.


    *BANG*


    The bullet blew through the executive''s head before it nted into the ground, leaving behind it a hole in the man''s skull. Blood gushed out of his head like a fountain.


    ''This should stop the Guild from making a move for a while. That should be enough time.'' He thought as he stared at V.


    Although this solution was temporary, Kai knew that the Guild wasn''t dumb enough to attack him. He had already met many High Officers back when he was still an active hitman and they were aware of his power. That''s one of the reasons why the Guild didn''t dare to actively pursue him after he left as they knew he could wipe out any army they would send toward him.


    That cklisting and bounty were simply a gimmick so that they could keep face after what Kai did.


    However, his intention wasn''t this temporary solution. His goal was topletely and utterly destroy the Guild and that required the perfect opportunity. Destroying an organization of this caliber wasn''t something easy even for someone like Kai.


    "So that''s why you will not kill me¡­ Hahahaha¡­" Grabbing his face, V chuckled coldly. For some reason, he found this situation amusing rather than scary.


    He was one of the most respected people in the Guild. A man with great strength and standing that made him intimidate the strongest of hitmen was now turned into a postman the ck Phantom could use to send messages.


    The humiliation was beyond words. But, V knew that he couldn''t really consider this a hit to his pride since the person that did that to him was by far the strongest creature to ever walk on this.


    How can he feel hurt because the strongest treated him like a puny weakling?!

 Chapter 79 79- Wealthy

    <h4>Chapter 79 Chapter 79- Wealthy</h4>


    Chapter 79- Wealthy


    Kai then stood up and walked toward V. His steps were slow and steady as if he didn''t even bother to consider V a threat before he suddenly moved his arm in a sh.


    "UGH!" V''s face contorted with pain as he felt extreme paining from his left arm. Looking down, he saw that his left hand was gone.


    However, blood wasn''t gushing out of the opening as if the body didn''t realize that the hand was severed. Kai''s hand was akin to an extremely sharp sword that can cut anything.


    V''s face paled slightly but he didn''t try to show the pain he was feeling on his face. Beads of sweat umted on his forehead.


    "Consider this your debt being paid for trying to annoy me," Kai said before he turned around and walked toward the door.


    "The Guild won''t let you off the hook for this, Agent 0."


    Kai''s steps halted before he looked back at V. His eyes peered through the mask and prated V''s very soul.


    "I gave them a warning. Whether they are foolish enough to ignore it or not isn''t my problem. Their end is already set in stone." After saying that, Kai walked out of the room and vanished out of sight, leaving a bewildered V standing amidst the corpses of others.


    "Dammit¡­" Cursing his bad luck, he walked toward the executive before he picked up the small ck object thrown to the side.


    "Sir¡­"


    "Come back to the headquarter." A cold voice replied to him before the line was cut as if the other party didn''t want to engage in further conversation.


    "This is going to be a disaster¡­ A sh between two big egos with the strength to back it up will only end up destroying one sidepletely." He murmured as he crushed the object to pieces.


    He knew that the person he just talked to won''t take this silently. They were extremely prideful and never took no for an answer. As long as it''s something they wanted, they will get it. Now, if that kind of character shed with someone like the ck Phantom who was also from that category, even V couldn''t imagine what will happen.


    "Is this truly the end of the Hitman Guild?"


    ***


    Kai walked through the corridors of the building till he ended up in one of the car galleries, he had already changed his appearance to that of a rich middle-aged man.


    This power, the Illusion Talent was quite convenient but it had one w that made using it rather something Kai would try to avoid. The transformation process was painful as if you were skinning the body and recing that skin with another one before fusing it with fire.


    Even with his extremely high tolerance for pain, Kai didn''t like to feel that way at all. However, this situation required him to do exactly that.


    As he entered the ce, he was weed by a very luxurious collection of cars being shown to people. A salesman saw him and approached him quickly with a polite smile.


    "Good evening. How can I help you today, sir?"


    "What''s the fastest car you have?" Kai asked, even his voice changed to that of a middle-aged man.


    "Hmm, please follow me." The man said as the two walked through the rows of cars.


    "We have a big collection of extremely fast andfortable sports cars. I dare say we are the best, sir. All of our cars are top-notch. However, our fastest by far is the Silver V78 Chrome." He said as he stood in front of a gorgeous silver sports car.


    It had a slick design and an extremely advanced vibe. It was as if Kai was looking at a spacecraft rather than a normal car.


    "It boasts 500 MPH per hour top speed and 2000 HP. It''s the fastest in the world, actually."


    "I see¡­" Nodding his head, Kai looked at the man. "I will buy it."


    "Oh, of course, sir. Please, this way." He said.


    After that, Kai was led to the reception and finished the procedures quickly. Although Kai didn''t use it much, he had a lot of money¡­ Way more than what he needed. Except for daily expenses like food and bills, he never used that money so buying this car wasn''t that hard.


    In fact, he was certain that it probably didn''t even tick a small chunk from his money. Considering how many missions he sessfully finished when he was a hitman, he could be considered from the wealthy 1% of the world.


    That''s one of the reasons why people even be hitmen in the first ce. As long as they have sufficient skills, they can easily be millionaires and live a life of luxury that no one could imagine.


    After that, Kai quickly got inside the car and drove off. His speed on the road reached 400 MPH. He needed to reach the school as quickly as possible.


    Considering the excuse he gave to Kaya, he was certain she could be back inside the school any time.


    Luckily, he wasn''t out of the city so the trip only took a minute or two. When he reached the school, he quickly dashed as fast as possible and jumped through the window of the infirmary.


    Then, he quickly snuck inside one of the beds and covered himself. A few moments passed before the door to the infirmary was opened and two people walked inside.


    "Where is he?" Kaya asked Eva.


    "As I said, he is here." Although Eva was hiding it, she was nervous as to whether Kai could really return in time or not.


    He was captured by the Guild for god''s sake and he told her the matter will only take half an hour to be done with.


    As the two walked deeper into the ce, they noticed one of the beds was upied.


    "Hmm?" Kaya approached it and low and behold, Kai was there, sleeping soundly.


    Her face froze for a second as if she couldn''tprehend something. Eva had the same reaction too.


    ''How the hell?!'' She could only rub her eyes. ''He actually came back in time!''


    Although she was shocked, seeing Kai back, her heart burst with happiness. He came back safely and that was the most important thing for her.


    "He is¡­ actually here," Kaya murmured as she touched Kai''s face and stared at his face. Complicated emotions filled her heart as she didn''t know how to react.


    Were her assumptions wrong? It clearly showed that this was the case. But, Kaya couldn''t simply believe that. There was something off¡­ Something that didn''t make sense yet she still couldn''t pinpoint it.


    "Can''t you see he''s tired, let him sleep," Eva interjected angrily.


    "Why can''t I touch my future husband?" Kaya retorted.


    "F-Future husband?! He''s MY future husband."


    "Whatever, kid. Keep dreaming."


    "You¡­!!" The two red at each other. "Bitch!"


    "Whore!" The two cursed each other.


    Hearing such words, Kai decided it was a perfect time to feign that he had just woken up because of the noise.


    "What is¡­ happening here?" He asked in a drowsy tone.


    "Oh, Kai!" The two said at the same time as they approached the bed at the same time.


    "Are you feeling better now? I heard that you got sick." Kaya asked with a concerned tone.


    "I''m fine." He replied as he rubbed his face. A small part of his face appeared for a split second before it vanished again, making the two girls'' hearts beat.


    ''H-How can someone look this handsome just after waking up?!'' The two mused and gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

 Chapter 80 80- Kaya鈥檚 Question

    <h4>Chapter 80 Chapter 80- Kaya¡¯s Question</h4>


    Chapter 80- Kaya''s Question


    Ignoring the dazed looks of the two women beside him, Kai asked.


    "What happened?" He feigned ignorance of what actually happened.


    At that moment, the three heard the sound of the TV news airing. A woman reporter appeared with a huge crater behind her.


    "We just received information that some weird hole appeared in the ground near the highway of the city. We do not know the origin of it but some citizens im that they saw a few silhouettes move around the ce before the urrence. However, the odd thing is that all the surveince cameras around here that could''ve captured what happened were all deactivated. What a huge mystery!"


    Then, the camera showed the huge hole in the ground. From what the trio could see, it seemed that it happened right after they left the area.


    ''What in the hell is that?'' Eva didn''t see the whole after Kai used his powers but the effect still horrified her to no extent.


    "What is that?"


    "It''s nothing¡­ Apparently, some kind of weird earthquake happened." Eva replied.


    "That''s one weird earthquake." Kai''s tone sounded confused.


    Kaya also had a frown on her face. That footage worked as a reminder to her who the ck Phantom was. He was a man with monstrous strength and mysterious abilities. However, her eyes instinctively drifted to Kai who was watching the footage too and her heart felt as if it was being squeezed.


    What if that person was the man in front of her? What if it turned out to be the love of her life? How should she react?


    No, it wasn''t that that made her feelplicated, it was the fact that Kai didn''t trust her enough to tell her about his secret. Something about it pained her greatly. Did she make a mistake to believe Kai considered her close to him? Was she simply forcing herself on him?


    Such thoughts were akin to knives stabbing Kaya in the heart.


    "What a huge mess¡­" Eva murmured as she watched the scene. She knew she will have to do something about it.


    Leaving the general public to spread rumors won''t be good. So, she stood up and looked at Kai.


    "I''m going to make a call." She said as she pulled out her phone and left the room, leaving Kaya and Kai alone.


    The two stayed silent. The atmosphere was rather awkward. Mainly because Kaya seemed so eager to speak but had no words in her mouth. Usually, she could easily start a conversation with Kai and flirt with him but now, she was akin to a toddler learning her first few words.


    "A-Are you feeling better?" She decided to finally ask.


    "Yes."


    "I see¡­"


    Then the room was submerged in silence again.


    "Hey, did I ever tell you about my childhood before?"


    "... Hm?" Kai was confused at first but then he shook his head.


    "Have I ever even told you anything about my personal life?" She asked again as she looked down, feeling ashamed of herself.


    "No," Kai replied.


    ''I see, I guess I understand why he doesn''t trust me. It''s because I never even revealed anything about myself. I''m a mystery in his eyes. How can he trust someone that doesn''t even tell him about their lives?'' Kaya felt as if she was the dumbest person in the world at the moment.


    "Do you want¡­ to hear my story?" She asked.


    Kai squinted his eyes before he nodded his head. His focus was now directed at Kaya.


    Thetter felt slightly relieved that he was interested in knowing her past. She didn''t know what she would''ve felt if he said no.


    "Ever since I can remember¡­ I didn''t have any parents or rtives. I was born and raised in an orphanage in a small country far away from here. I was quite timid and shy so I wasn''t able to make friends in that ce. I liked to just stay alone and read books. However, the woman that supervised that ce treated me nicely and considered me her daughter that she never had."


    Taking a deep breath, Kaya finally looked up again, staring directly at Kai.


    "Although I felt lonely, I still didn''t hate that ce. It was my home. Life was hard but we were able to somehow survive. I thought my life would continue to sail smoothly until one day¡­ The orphanage caught on fire during the night and trapped us all inside¡­"


    Kaya closed her eyes for a second as she recalled that vivid memory as if it was yesterday.


    "Somehow, my mother was able to get most kids out. But, since I liked to sleep alone, I always used the empty storage room at night. I didn''t realize what happened till the roof fell and trapped me inside. Nobody came to save me and I was on the verge of death, choking on smoke. I thought my life was going to end right there and then.


    However, my mother suddenly returned to the orphanage and made her way through the fire till she found me. Then, she tried to lift the huge log that was pinning me down. She ignored the fire that caught her hands and the heating from the log and somehow was able to lift it up."


    "I never thought she would be able to do it. But, when she lifted me up and started running outside, the rest of the roof fell over her. She didn''t give up and threw me outside while allowing for the tons and tons of wood and stone to crush her body." Kaya''s tone turned slightly weak as she closed her eyes.


    This was one of the most painful memories of her life. Just remembering the sight of the woman she considered her real mother just dying slowly with a smile on her face crushed her heart.


    "Live, Kaya! Don''t let anything stop you from living your life to the fullest!" She said to her. "You will definitely people that will love you for who you are. I promise you that."


    Those words were etched into Kaya''s soul and she lived by them to this very day. However, after she saw her mother''s death, something inside of her broke.


    "I was able to survive and leave the orphanage. But, by that time, I lost hope in life. I wished I would''ve just died with my mother in that ce. That would''ve been less painful. At that moment, when I was still crying, a certain person approached me and gave me an offer."


    "An offer?" Hearing such words, Kai had a hunch about where this story was going.


    "Yes, I was offered to join Divinity." Kaya''s face turned serious. "I''m someone called an Archangel. I have something akin to superpowers. I know this may sound absurd but that is the truth. I just wanted you to know more about me. You are the second person that I ever tell this story to directly. What I want to say is that I will never betray Kai ever. I hope you can trust me."


    "I see¡­" Kai''s tone was low, akin to a murmur. He never knew that Kaya had a sad childhood.


    "Can I ask you a question?"


    "What?"


    "Are you¡­ the ck Phantom?"

 Chapter 81 81- Plan And a Carrot

    <h4>Chapter 81 Chapter 81- n And a Carrot</h4>


    Chapter 81- n And a Carrot


    The question was direct that could only be answered by a yes or no. Kai knew he couldn''t really twist the answer or try to divert it. He should either lie or say the truth. Both have cons and pros.


    On one hand, if he lied and denied such a thing, he indeed would be able to keep his identity hidden from Kaya. But, the question he should ask himself is, does he really consider Kaya an enemy?


    The two had known each other for almost a year now. During this, Kaya didn''t show any signs of suspicious activity. She didn''t even know that he was an Origin user let alone the ck Phantom. So, she approached him and got close to him simply because she liked him.


    This was something that the Kai from a few months ago would''ve denied. She was an Archangel, someone with authority in an Organization that was taking over the world slowly.


    Although her identity was still only known by those that were involved in the underworld, with how Divinity was growing, Kaya was bound to be a very well-known figure in the world.


    In other words, she was a huge trouble ma if she wanted to be. However, on the other hand, he didn''t really hate Kaya. Although he was wary of what she could do, he never really thought she was threatening toward him. Maybe it was because he had always seen her as this carefree, yful person that adored him.


    Even when he was alone, Kaya was ready to spend time with him. Somehow, she slowly became a person Kai considered a friend without even realizing it.


    As Kai was thinking about it, he suddenly realized something. Kaya was an Archangel¡­ Which means she was fairly strong.


    His mind naturally linked her to the n he had in mind and it fit perfectly. It was thest puzzle piece he needed to topple down the Guild once and for all.


    ''This is good¡­ No, this is the optimal strategy.''


    Nodding his head, he finally looked at Kaya as he finally took the decision.


    "Yes, I am." He said in a calm tone.


    His answer made Kaya flinch as she stared at him with slightly widened eyes.


    "I used to work as a hitman and now I''m just living my life calmly. I long left that job and I have no intention of going back to it."


    "..."


    "I also know your identity, Kaya. I knew for a while now."


    The woman was hit with one bombshell after the other. Even when she anticipated such an answer, it still shocked her. Then, she held her face and startedughing.


    Her chuckles were soft, happy and sad, confused, and relieved. Many contradicting emotions could be felt in herughs. However, Kai didn''t say anything as he waited for her to speak. A minuterter, she finally calmed down and said.


    "I''m sorry. It''s just funny how all this time, I had been spending the time with the ck Phantom himself. I never really thought of that possibility till now."


    "..."


    Even with her clear confusion and shock, Kaya still felt the warmth within her chest. Kai had just admitted to a secret of his for the first time in their rtionship and that meant that he trusted her. This was a huge step.


    "Although it''s odd, I still don''t care that much about your past. In fact, knowing that you are actually a strong individual puts me at ease. I''m truly happy." Kaya said as she held Kai''s hand with both hands.


    Her reply did surprise the boy at first as he thought she would be quite perturbed. Instead, she gave him a beautiful smile as if a huge weight just got dropped off her shoulders.


    "..." Staring at her silently, Kaya thought her beloved was thinking she was being suspicious so she panicked.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t tell anyone! It''s a secret that I will take with me to the grave as long as you don''t want me to tell someone else!" Her frantic reaction woke Kai from his thoughts before he said.


    "You aren''t an enemy. I trust that you will keep it."


    ''And that you will be one of the main reasons the Guild will be destroyed.'' He finished in his head.


    "Mmm, thank you, Kai! This makes me so happy!" Kaya felt as if she couldn''t hold it anymore and she quickly jumped on Kai, hugging him tightly.


    "I''m really d I was able to have the courage to tell you!" Her face buried into his neck, inhaling his smell like an addict. This was by far Kaya''s favorite odor.


    "Wait!" Suddenly, she realized something as she lifted her head up. Their position had turned into Kaya straddling Kai while thetter wasying on the bed. It was very intimate but neither of them gave it much thought. "If you are the ck Phantom¡­ Then, you were captured by the Guild, no?"


    "Yes."


    "... And you came back in a few minutes?"


    "Yes."


    "..."


    Kaya stared at her darling like an idiot. How was that even possible?! How did he escape?! Is this some kind of joke?


    "It''s a long story. I will exinter. Now, get off me, the teacher coulde back any time soon." Saying that Kai tried to push Kaya away.


    "No~ Let me rest a little bit here. I like this ce." She said as she rested her chest on Kai''s chest. Feeling the softness of her huge breasts would drive any man crazy.


    Especially with her beautiful green eyes staring directly at him with deep fondness and adoration oozing out of them. It was simply irresistible.


    However, before Kaya could do anything else, she felt her clothes being pulled before she found herself being thrown in the air.


    "Get off him!" Eva said coldly.


    Kaya''s shocked face turned angry as she spun in the air andnded quietly on her feet.


    "Do you have a death wish, kiddo?" She asked.


    "Try me. I will punch your teeth out of your nose." Eva said threateningly.


    The duo red at each other with murder intent oozing out of their bodies. If looks could kill, both of them would''ve been dead by now.


    "Both of you, stop." Kai''s voice prated the tense atmosphere, making the girls flinch. Then, they looked at Kai and said at the same time, pointing at each other.


    "She started it!"


    "Stop this childish fighting. Are you trying to destroy this ce?" He said.


    Then, he stood up and cracked his neck. "We need to leave the school for the time being."


    Understanding Kai''s underlying meaning, the two girls nodded their heads seriously.


    "What happened with the guild?" Eva asked first.


    "Not here. I will tell you back at my apartement." He said as he walked toward the door followed by the two girls.


    "The limousine is waiting outside."


    "No need. I bought a car. It''s faster." Kai said as he walked to the parking lot of the school. The school waspletely empty except of a few people that were still there for some urgent matters. After what happened, the festival was halted for the day and all the people attending it left.


    The whole city was in a state of panic at the moment. Everyone thought that there was an earthquake approaching the city and the rumors spread quickly. Eva made sure to boost that spreading of that rumor as it pushes away the suspicion from the existence of Origin users.


    It wasn''t that hard to influence how people thought. Just give them a carrot they could follow and they will never stop to look back.

 Chapter 82 82- Origin Artifacts (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 82 Chapter 82- Origin Artifacts (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 82- Origin Artifacts (Part 1)


    Reaching the parking lot, the two girls were surprised to see the car parked there. With its luxurious appearance, it definitely didn''t fit the cheap ce it was parked in.


    It was akin to putting gold in the middle of a muddy pond.


    "Is it that car?" Eva asked as she pointed at the car with a speechless expression on her face.


    "I needed it to get back fast. But, now that it became useless, you can take it if you want." He said as he opened the door.


    Eva opened her mouth to speak before she sighed and closed it again. Shepletely forgot that Kai was extremely rich because of his lifestyle so seeing him waste at least 20 million on a car was something new to her.


    "Fufufufu~ My future husband is so cool~" Kaya said with a mischievous smile.


    "You shut up." Eva retorted.


    "What did you say?" Kaya red at Eva.


    Eva, however, ignored her and walked toward the car before she sat inside. Kaya grumbled to herself silently before she followed the two.


    Then, the car left the school at top speed. The two girls were surprised at the sudden eleration of the car and Kai didn''t seem to have any desire to go slow. Even with their tolerance for danger, the ride back to his home was quite the ride.


    They felt as if they had lost a few years of their lives during that time.


    "We''re here." When Kai said this and turned around, he found the two girls holding onto the car for their dear life. A pale expression appeared on their faces.


    "I-I thought I was going to die even though I probably wouldn''t die from a car ident." Eva thought as she heaved up and down.


    "Me too¡­" Kaya agreed.


    "... What''s wrong?" Kai asked with a calm expression mixed with a hint of confusion.


    "..." (x2) The two girls didn''t know whether tough or cry at that moment.


    After that, the trio walked inside the apartementplex and into Kai''s house. Both of them were familiar with it so they sat down on the sofa.


    Kai''s cat came rushing toward him as she greeted him happily. Seeing her master was always something this cat enjoyed. Resting her face on hisp, she purred happily. The two girls watched the small animal enjoy Kai''s warmth and for the first time felt jealous¡­ from a cat.


    Kai took a seat on the chair and began.


    "So, as you might''ve predicted, Eva. I told Kaya about my past."


    The girl''s face frowned slightly as she gave Kaya a side nce.


    "Yeah, I assumed that. But¡­ Can we really trust her? I mean, she''s from Divinity." Eva asked.


    Although Kaya didn''t like what Eva said, she couldn''t retort to it as she knew that was the truth. She was as close as she could get to being their enemy without being one. That''s why Kai''s trust in her was all the more impactful. He had ignored the potential danger and gave her the benefit of the doubt.


    "Yes, she''s trustworthy. Besides, even if Kaya did try to betray me¡­" Kai didn''t finish thest sentence but both girls knew what he meant purely from his chilling gaze.


    The one that got affected the most was Kaya herself as she realized for the first time that she wasn''t simply sitting in front of her beloved¡­ She was also in the presence of arguably the most dangerous man on their.


    That alone was more than enough to make her feel fear. However, even more, than fear, that made her more determined.


    "If I ever end up betraying you¡­ I will be the one to kill myself." She said.


    "Let''s not jump to conclusions now and focus on the important matter. I will tell both of you what happened exactly when I got captured by the Executioners."


    After that, Kai went on to recount what happened exactly. He kept the way he killed them blurry since he didn''t like to divulge topics about his powers. He instead focused on the reason why the Guild wanted Eva.


    "Why are they after my talent?" She asked.


    "That I do not know of. But, we can safely assume that considering your talent, it has something to do with swords. The fact that you can summon random swords from all periods of history including the future is certainly a mysterious ability."


    "A sword, huh? But why are they looking for a sword? As far as I''m concerned, all weapons are normal unless they were humanly infused with Origin power." Eva said matter-of-factly.


    Swords, spears, bows, guns, and all kinds of weaponry weren''t affected by Origin for one reason or another. So, humans opted to synthetically create weapons that can use Origin. It mainly just increased the efficiency of the weapon such as its strength and speed.


    So, Eva was certain all the swords she can create are fairly normal.


    However, what Kai said next made both girls shocked.


    "I guess both of you aren''t aware of it."


    "Aware of what?" Kaya asked.


    Kai didn''t answer as he stood up and walked to the corner where he put his sword and gun. He picked up the katana and came back.


    "This sword is called ''Wretched Heart''." He said.


    Both girls knew of that legendary sword as it was as iconic as Kai himself. Along with the revolver, they were weapons of the highest quality.


    However, Kai had apletely different view of these two weapons¡­ Especially Wretched Heart.


    Pulling the sword out of its sheath, the room was submerged in coldness. The two girls felt a chill run down their spine as they stared at the ominous ck color of the de.


    "Almost all swords and other weapons in the world are normal. However, there are very few weapons that broke that rule. A well-made weapon could in some cases gain a form of sentience."


    "Sentience?"


    "Mhm, while it''s not the sentience we might understand but the weapon certainly bes more aware of itself as a weapon. So, if such a weapon was used by someone with great skills and soaked in the blood of countless enemies¡­ It develops something simr to humans. It develops a ''Talent'' of its own."


    A bombshell was dropped on the two women. Not only because what Kai said was absurd but because they never heard of it before. How rare were these weapons for people of Eva and Kaya''s caliber to never even hear about them?


    "These weapons are called ''Origin Artifacts'' and only a few of them exist in the world. One of these weapons is this one." Kai said as he stared at Wretched Heart with a cold expression. Even now, he was feeling the sword trying to take control of him.


    "Why have we never heard of them?" Kaya questioned.


    "It''s because only a few in this world knew of their existence. Some wealthy people do own such weapons but they aren''t aware of it and those that do know of it keep it a secret because these weapons are priceless."


    ''That''s normal if the underworld was to know of their existence¡­ It will be chaos.'' Kaya rubbed her chin thoughtfully.


    "Then, with what you said, do you mean¡­" Eva interjected the conversation.


    "Yes, your talent can most likely create Origin Artifacts at some level."

 Chapter 83 83- Origin Artifacts (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 83 Chapter 83- Origin Artifacts (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 83- Origin Artifacts (Part 2)


    Eva''s mind was submerged back into confusion as she stared at Kai. Although he was just giving his assumptions, from how confident he looked, they were most likely the truth.


    However, how dangerous was such an ability? Granted, the weapons she can create are top-grade and sharp enough to pierce the toughest of bodies and even ignore Origin barriers if they are weak enough.


    "Compared to normal weapons, how stronger are these Artifacts?" Eva asked.


    "Way stronger," Kai replied as he lifted his sword in the air. "This one over here has a talent called ''Anti-Talent''. Using it, I can deactivate any target''s ability instantly. It''s very hard to avoid and almost impossible to stop when it touches the target."


    The women gulped down a mouthful of saliva when they heard Kai''s exnation. A sword that can stop all kinds of Talents? That''s absurd!! Just the mere thought of it sent a chill down their spines. This weapon is almost cheating. However, what Kai said next made them reconsider what they thought was the case.


    "However, each time someone uses it, there is a risk that the sword would consume their minds. As I said, Origin Artifacts have sentience and that sentience for the better part is malevolent and evil. Getting soaked in the blood of countless people fills these things with negative emotions like hatred, bloodlust, and fear. That''s why, those who use Origin Artifacts don''t live long."


    Kai''s tone was cold and detached as if he didn''t care about the fact that he was included in that category of people. Kaya, who was oblivious to his hidden meaning, only frowned slightly.


    On the other hand, Eva had apletely different reaction. She already knew why Kai didn''t really care whether his life was long or short since he will die in a year or two.


    ''No, I must not think negatively.'' Shaking her head, she focused on the matter at hand.


    "But, if they are this eager to acquire it and are even ready to sacrifice my family just to get it¡­ What kind of weapon could it be?"


    "... I do not know, yet. Whatever that thing is, they will never be able to get it either way." Kai returned the sword to its sheathe and focused his gaze on the two girls. "We are going to topple down the Guild."


    "Wait, wait, are you serious?" Kaya almost jumped from her seat in surprise.


    "Yes."


    "That''s impossible. There are too many people involved with the Guild. Even Divinity wouldn''t dare to attack them directly yet. They are too influential." The blonde-haired beauty argued.


    Divinity was certainly growing in speed extremely fast and was even now considered a very renowned organization in the world. However, even then, they never dared to directly confront the Hitman Guild unless it was necessary.


    "Although I hate to admit it, I do agree with Kaya. How are we going to do this, Kai? Fighting them head-on is not an option, is it?"


    "I would''ve gone that way if I had nothing to lose. But, that''s indeed not the way it''s going to happen. Instead, we will simply make the Guild do the job for us."


    "Huh?" The two girls looked at each other confusedly before they shifted back to look at Kai.


    "It''s simple, really. What is the most important thing that keeps the Guild together?"


    "Money?"


    "Fame?"


    Kaya and Eva gave two different answers. But, both got the same headshake from Kai.


    "It''s neither. The thing that keeps the Guild together is ironically trust. All the hitmen that work under the Guild trust that the guild will treat them fair and squarely ording to the rules. They trust that as long as they are following those rules, they are bound to get their rights. Now, imagine if that trust was broken."


    A sh of realization hit the two girls at the same time. If the trust was broken, the Guild will crumble!


    "The Guild''s structure of hierarchy is very fragile. That''s why they abide by the rules almost religiously. Because they knew if they were broken, the whole Organization wille falling down like a house of cards."


    Kai''s tone was deathly cold and dangerous which made even Kaya and Eva feel intimidated when they aren''t the targets of that look.


    "But, how are we going to do that?"


    ***


    "Don''t leave a single drop of blood inside that room, you understand?" V said coldly to someone on the phone.


    At the same time, inside the room where Kai was captured previously. After V left, he called a few of his subordinates to take care of the mess.


    An hour or so passed before a few cloaked figures appeared in front of the room. They were V''s workers that dealt with all kinds of situations including getting rid of corpses or burying them. They were the ''Cleaners''.


    "We want this quick and silent. These corpses belong to very important figures or the boss will be angry." One of the instructed.


    The others nodded their heads and opened the door. However, what weed them inside wasn''t the sight of dead corpses alone. Instead, they found a mysterious figure walking idly around as they carried the dead and put them inside big sacks.


    Because of their dark clothes and the cloak that covered their heads, the Cleaners weren''t able to see their faces or even know their gender. But, what chilled them to the core was this mysterious person''s casual demeanor.


    They ignored the Cleaners and kept putting the corpses inside the sacks. They could hear them humming idly.


    Realizing what was going on, the group of Cleaners immediately pulled out their guns and aimed them at the figure.


    "Don''t move! What are you doing here?"


    ''How did he gain ess to this room? Only those with specific ess permission could enter it.''


    The figure didn''t reply and continued its work.


    "I said don''t move!" Maybe it was the anxiety they felt or maybe it was simply because they felt threatened by this person, but the Cleaners immediately opened fire.


    Bullets flew from all angles, targeting the figure. However, the moment they reached the target, they suddenly stopped. Looking at the mysterious person''s body, the Cleaners frowned.


    The Anti-Origin bullets¡­ were stopped the moment they touched their body. Looking closely, the bullets have prated the body but weirdly enough, they looked as if they touched a slimy substance rather than the flesh of a human.


    They could even see the ripples the bullets created in the person''s body. For a second, they almost believed they were some kind of monster.


    ''H-How did the Anti-Origin bullets not take effect?''


    Normally, Anti-Origin bullets are capable of prating anything created by Origin. So, for them to be stopped like that was a huge shock.


    As the Cleaners were falling more and more into confusion. The figure finally moved their hand and pointed it at them.


    Instantly, weird ck liquid started dripping from their body and to the ground, quickly umting in a pond. Then, that pond started moving as it crawled toward the Cleaners at an rming speed.


    "AGGGGGGGHHHH!!"


    A momentter, spine-chilling cries of agony echoed inside the room. However, they weren''t heard by anyone outside.

 Chapter 84 84- Clues

    <h4>Chapter 84 Chapter 84- Clues</h4>


    Chapter 84- Clues


    A few hourster, the trio finished setting up the n. Although Kai made it as simple as possible, he had to make sure everything is perfect and that even if something unexpected happens, he will be ready for it.


    Granted, Kaya and Eva did agree with his idea and were even quite shocked at how smart yet simple it was. They were certain if things worked out perfectly, they will be able to do the impossible and destroy the Guild without the need to engage in any battles¡­ For the most part.


    However, for that to happen, Kaya had to do something beforehand. The date of the n was still far but getting ready for it from now was required.


    "I will need to go back to the HQ." She said as she arched her neck back, resting on the sofa. She was unwilling to leave Kai''s side now that she was able to know his real identity.


    "Hehehe, good. Go and nevere back." Eva snickered evilly.


    "Eat that lollipop of yours and shut up, kiddo." Kaya retorted with a smirk.


    "Bitch."


    "Whore."


    "You two, stop it." Kai, who just came back from the kitchen with a few drinks said. Since it was almost winter, it was cold outside so Kai made hot chocte.


    "Thank you, darling~" Taking the cup, Kaya said with an affectionate smile on her face.


    "Mmm, it''s delicious as always, Kai," Eva interjected.


    As the three sat in silence, drinking their chocte, Kaya seemed to be oddly staring at Kai. Her eyes were peering through his eyes and trying to pry open his soul.


    "What?" He asked.


    "I''m just¡­ Still shocked that you''re the ck Phantom."


    "..."


    "I mean, the sheer stories I heard about is insane. Some people even consider you some kind of deity in the underworld. ''The King of the Underworld''."


    "That''s in the past. I''m not that person anymore." Kai replied.


    "I know. But, the underworld is still looking for you, Kai. In fact, one of the reasons why I even settled down in this city is because I needed to find you." She said.


    The other two halted their idle sipping of the chocte and looked at Kaya.


    "Divinity is looking for me?" Kai asked.


    "Yes, actually, they have been for the past few years. You''re one of Divinity''s biggest goals."


    This was news for Kai and Eva. He never thought Divinity was seeking him. But, looking at it, it was logical for them to search for the ck Phantom. He was a freak of nature that could easily boost their strength by a huge leap by merely putting his name next to them.


    "They want you to join Divinity and be an Ophanim or even higher. They think you''re a great addition to Divinity."


    "I see. They can think whatever they want. I have no intention of joining Divinity. However, I''m certainly intrigued to see where they are trying to reach." Resting his hand on the chair, he looked at Kaya. "From what I have seen till this point, Divinity seems to have some kind of goal they want to achieve. However, I can''t seem to wrap my head around it."


    "Hmm, it''s not a goal and more like a distant dream."


    "A distant dream?"


    "Yes, Divinity has one simple idea that they follow. ''Origin is the future of humanity''. Although I never gave it much thought, it''s still quite odd. They don''t seem to acknowledge the existence of normal humans. For them, Origin users are the true and only righteous inhabitants of the world. However, because of our small numbers, we can''t really take over the world."


    "Isn''t that a form of racism?" Eva asaked.


    "You can think of it as such. However, I would say it''s more of a superiorityplex rather than racism. Origin users are simply better than normal humans in every aspect. Why should they be the ones to be controlled by average humans? So, taking over the world and making it a new Haven for Origin users is their solution."


    ''Take over the world, huh? What a foolish idea.'' Kai mused to himself. Things like taking over the world were akin to aical joke in his opinion.


    What''s so enticing about controlling the world? Are they trying to prove that they can be the gods of the new world? Or maybe simply to fuel their huge egos? He didn''t know and really didn''t care.


    "They have been working on increasing the number of Origin users synthetically. Divinity has countlessbs that are dedicated to that work and the progress has been extremely slow for the past 10 years."


    "Labs to create Origin users? That''s almost¡­" Suddenly, Kai''s eyes widened as he froze for a second.


    Something in his mind clicked as he looked at Kaya. Thetter was taken aback by the sudden change in Kai''s expression.


    Eva seemed to also catch on as she quickly asked Kaya.


    "Do thesebs also work on¡­ making Origin users stronger?" Her eyes squinted thoughtfully.


    "Hmm, now that you mention it, I did hear a little news about that. However, it''s not something I hear that often."


    "Kai¡­" Eva looked at her beloved.


    "What''s wrong? Why this sudden question?"


    "The Undead Project. I guess we have a possible culprit for it." Kai rested his face on the back of his hand. "Now that I think about it, that makes sense. What a bunch of sly foxes."


    "What undead project? What do you mean?"


    Kai could only sigh and recount to Kaya what happened during the duel between the Lavines and the Chamagnes. Kaya''s shock was quite pronounced when she heard what he said.


    "Undead¡­ Such a thing exists?"


    "I still don''t believe they can revive the dead. But, they certainly can make corpses move and even bestow them with far more strength than what they had when they were alive."


    "... How could that be?" Kaya''s frown intensified.


    It was understandable considering her rtionship with Divinity. They took her in when she was still young and broken. Kaya certainly loved Divinity but hearing that it was doing something as disgusting was shocking.


    "Either way, they seem to be making some progress in that department. Something is definitely off."


    Just imagining what could happen if they truly achieved their goal. Reviving the dead was something no one should be able or allowed to do. It defies the world and itsws and that is never something good.


    Origin is a tool that could make that possible because of its countless possible uses. However, the more a human tries to defy the world, the more they will get punished. It was the world''s way of making it a fair deal.


    ''Tsk, I never thought Divinity will stoop as low as to make dead people puppets they could use for their own benefits.'' Clenching her fists, Kaya tried to keep her calm.


    For someone like her that hated death to the core, seeing dead people being used made her outraged.


    "I will make sure to look more into this."


    "No need. Divinity won''t allow such information to be leaked that easily. You will put your life at risk."


    "Don''t worry, I won''t do anything reckless. I have my ways of digging out information." A small smirk appeared on Kaya''s face.

 Chapter 85 85- Grow Old Together

    <h4>Chapter 85 Chapter 85- Grow Old Together</h4>


    Chapter 85- Grow Old Together


    When the time was almost midnight, Kai finally stood up and stretched his limbs. Looking at Eva and Kaya, he found that they were already asleep. For some reason, both of them stayed inside his house until they dozed off.


    Now, Kai had to somehow deal with the two women. If it was another man, seeing two drop-dead gorgeousdies sleeping on his couch, he would''ve never been able to resist his urges and would''ve jumped on them.


    However, even when Kai did find them visually attractive, he wasn''t someone to let his emotions or desires take control of his rationality.


    "Should I wake them up?" He mused to himself.


    "Meow!" The cat suddenly jumped down from the chair and approached the two girls. Then, it started rubbing against their faces slowly. But, neither of the two seemed to wake up at all.


    "Sigh¡­" Shaking his head, Kai decided not to kick them out. Seeing how exhausted they were, he knew it would be more of a hassle to get them to leave his house.


    So, he walked toward a closet in the living room and pulled out a mat simr to the tatami mats he has in store. Then, he spread it on the ground and then walked back to Kaya before he scooped her up gently and swiftly.


    Thetter''s expression seemed to immediately rx as a small smile appeared on her face. Then, she leaned her face on Kai''s chest as she continued her sleep. Then, he put her down on the mattress before doing the same thing to Eva.


    The two seemed to have this small frown when he put them down as if they left the ce where they wanted to sleep.


    Then, he covered them and looked around. The ce was now oddly quiet¡­ It has been always like this but for some reason, Kai found this particr quietness odd.


    However, he didn''t try to explore these feelings and simply focused on what he had to do now. So, he walked to his room and sat on his chair before he opened hisputer.


    "Let''s see if I can find anything rted to my sickness." He thought as he clicked on a particr folder he had secretly hidden in hisputer.


    The folder was unnamed but it carried inside the work of a few years back when Kai was still motivated to search for a cure. However, he eventually left it to umte dust in the corner of hisputer.


    When he opened it, a long list of folders, files, and all kinds of pictures presented itself in front of him. They were files rted to Origin, its uses, how it affects the body, potential threats it could inflict, and many otherplex theories and scientific studies he had worked on himself.


    If scientists from the Guild or Divinity were to see these files, they would drool from their mouths as this folder had things that they still didn''t even discover about Origin!


    Opening a few of them, he started reading them again, refreshing his memory of them. Although all he needs is usually one time seeing something and he could recall it perfectly, he still didn''t want to leave a single detail this time.


    He didn''t know where this sudden motivation to try and survive came from but he wasn''t going to throw it away. He might be able to do it this time.


    A few hours passed as Kai continued his research with not much to find. He simply couldn''t find anything that he could link to his symptoms. They were just so unique and that should be the case considering how Kai''s body is immune to all sicknesses known and unknown to man.


    By the time it was almost sunrise, Kai dozed off in his chair.


    A few minutes passed before the door opened to his room and Eva peeked inside carefully. She just woke up only to find herself sleeping next to Kaya. That was the worst thing she ever woke up to.


    "Kai¡­?" She murmured his name gently as she walked inside.


    Approaching his chair, she found him sleeping quietly with his arms crossed in front of his chest and his head slightly tilted forward as if he didn''t even need to rest it on something to sleep properly.


    Looking at his face, Eva found herself lost in it without even realizing it. Her hand moved slowly and touched a strand of hair that obstructed Kai''s eyes and then pushed it to the side.


    ''He is asleep¡­ Wait, now that I think about it, this is the second time I saw his sleeping face. Fufufufu~ He looks so adorable while asleep.'' Chuckling to herself, Eva sat down and watched him quietly.


    Her eyes twinkled with countless emotions. She just loved this person so much. Everything about him was akin to a drug for her. He had barged into her heart, kicked everyone else to the side, and took the main spot, not budging at all and instead rooting himself more and more into her heart.


    Eva was falling deeper and deeper in love with him every single day and she knew it. Being by his side like this was akin to her dream being realized right in front of her eyes. On one hand, she was happy with those emotions as loving her beloved more and more was something she would wee with open arms. On the other hand, however, she felt slightly anxious that at some point, these feelings of hers will make Kai repulsed and push her away from him.


    She knew that she was already pushing hard as she tried to approach him in all the ways possible.


    After an unknown amount of time, she stood up and approached Kai. Finally, her eyes fell on theputer screen and the countless files on it.


    "Hmm?" Opening them, she read briefly through them before she understood what Kai was doing and her smile became even warmer.


    ''He slept while researching the cure¡­'' Even though this was for Kai''s sake, she could only feel genuinely happy that Kai decided to not give up on his own life yet. Seeing him really seek it is the happiest Eva could be.


    "Don''t worry, honey. We will find it. We will definitely do that." Eva''s hand found its way to Kai''s hand before she touched it gently. "Even if it somehow doesn''t work, I will definitely follow you wherever you go."


    She was ready to go with Kai to the afterlife. She simply can''t imagine a life without him anymore. He was now her life. If he was gone, she was also gone, dead while still breathing.


    Her face approached him before she boldly nted a kiss on his head. Feeling his soft hair and smelling its addictive odor, she felt her heart beat faster and faster. Like a drum that kept vibrating inside her chest.


    "But, I''m certain we will find the cure. Then, we can spend the rest of our lives together. Share the bad and good,ugh together, and feel sad together. I will do everything within my abilities to open your heart to me. I don''t know what made it this closed, but I don''t care, I want you to experience the same happiness you give me every single second." Rubbing his hand gently, she said.


    "We will grow old together, Kai."

 Chapter 86 86- Flamboyant Morning

    <h4>Chapter 86 Chapter 86- mboyant Morning</h4>


    Chapter 86- mboyant Morning


    After Eva said that, she rested her head on his hand before she felt her eyes close again. Her mind was still exhausted so even when she was physically not tired, her sleepiness still took over.


    As her breathing grew rhythmic, Kai''s eyes finally fluttered open. His purple irises shone with a unique glint as he looked down at Eva.


    He had heard it all, everything she said reached him including the kiss and he was surprised at how much it affected him. His rock-solid heart that never budges had moved a little bit. It wasn''t that noticeable considering how stoic he was, but Kai knew it and it surprised him greatly.


    Staring at Eva''s sleeping silhouette, her beautiful dark hair, her long eyshes, and her porcin-like skin that looked shiny even in the dark room. Eva was certainly a one-of-a-kind beauty and Kai knew that.


    She was rich, famous, sessful in everything she does and someone liked by everyone. She was the ideal woman. On the other hand, Kai was a monster, a cold-blooded killer, and someone feared by the cruelest of people for he was even crueler than them.


    Why would she do all of this for him? What made her like him this much? Did he do something that made her change her mind? Countless questions popped into Kai''s head and yet no answer came to mind.


    When ites to matters like love and care, he had long forgotten about them. At some point in his life, he did have such feelings but since then, they were closed behind a sealed door, never to be opened again.


    Closing his eyes, he remembered those memories as vividly as ever. They didn''t hurt anymore but they still leave a bitter taste in Kai''s mouth. They were the reason he ended up bing a cold robot rather than a human.


    He lost his reason to trust anyone else. He just did what he needed to do and ignored anything that could make him feel that pain ever again.


    Now, his heart was moving slightly, trying to open itself again and Kai was hesitant about it. Didn''t he hear these words before from two people? Didn''t he find himself destroyed from the inside after that? Was he dumb enough to make the same mistake again?


    ''Why is it hard to find an answer? This is annoying.'' Running his hand through his hair, he could only shake his head. Then, he picked Eva up and put her down on his bed, and walked outside the room.


    It was already 6:00 AM so he only had a few hours before school. But, considering what happened yesterday, he doubted he will have to attend today.


    Opening the TV, his assumptions were confirmed.


    "After the events that happened yesterday, the city government decided to suspend school and work throughout the entire area for safety reasons. Although experts assured us that there aren''t any potential earthquakes to hit this area any time soon, it''s still advised to not leave your house unless necessary."


    ''Did I overdo it?'' Kai thought to himself before he turned around and made his way to the kitchen to make breakfast.


    Since he had three mouths to feed other than him, he had to make a bigger meal than usual. As he worked on the food, two arms suddenly wrapped around his torso before he felt two soft mounds pressing against his back.


    "Good morning, Darling~" Kaya said in a sleepy tone as she rested her head on his shoulder. "You''re making breakfast? Yay ~ I love you." Kaya said with a wide smile. Eating Kai''s food in the morning was something only the lucky few could ever experience.


    Suddenly, an idea popped into Kaya''s head and her smile turned from happy to mischievous. Her hands gently rubbed Kai''s abdomen as she whispered in his ear with a breathy tone.


    "Although your food is delicious. Having you as my breakfast is even tastier."


    Kai''s eyes shifted to look at her for a second before he returned to his task.


    "You have drool on your lips." He said calmly.


    "What?! Really?" Kaya immediately panicked as she started wiping her lips. However, she couldn''t feel anything on her face at all.


    "Wait¡­ You tricked me!" Realizing the truth, Kaya pouted as she pped Kai''s shoulder gently.


    Thetter didn''t seem to mind her tantrums as he continued to cook.


    "Go wash your face."


    "Tsk, fine."


    ''That rascal learned how to tease me too. Dammit!'' Grumbling to herself, Kaya left the kitchen.


    As she walked toward the bathroom, she noticed that Eva was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes wandered around the ce until she finally realized where she was.


    ''She''s sleeping on Kai''s bed?! What?!'' Kaya was shocked to see her arch nemesis sleeping there.


    A hint of anger shed on her face for a second before it was reced with a grin. She thought of an idea to make this bitch wake up in the worst way possible. So, she walked inside the room and tiptoed her way close to the bed.


    ''Let''s see how she''s going to react if she woke up after being dropped from the bed. Take this!'' As Kaya was about to kick Eva down, thetter suddenly grabbed her hand before she pulled her down.


    "Wha¡­"


    "Kai¡­ It''s still early¡­ Let''s sleep a little bit longer." Eva murmured while her hands made their way around Kaya, hugging her tightly.


    ''What the fuck? She''s sleep-talking? Ugh, she''s using a lot of strength.'' Kaya tried to wiggle her way out of Eva''s tight grip but thetter seemed adamant on hugging her.


    Even more, than that, Eva closed the distance between them as she tried to bury her face into Kaya''s neck, thinking it was Kai.


    "No! Let me go, you perverted imbecile!" Pushing her face away, Eva seemed to have finally woke up. However, when her dazed eyes fell on Kaya, she seemed to have been struck by lightning.


    "AH!!" Yelling loudly, she pushed Kaya away, making the two of them fall down to the ground.


    "W-W-What the fuck are you doing here?!"


    "That''s my question! What the hell are you doing here?"


    The question made Eva look around. Seeing that she was inside Kai''s room, her mind linked things together before a wide smug expression appeared on her face.


    "Fufufufufu~ Yesterday was a wild night, you see. Me and Kai didn''t even have time to sleep. Oh, so sensual~" Hugging her body, Eva wriggled around enticingly as if she was recalling a very lewd memory.


    "You¡­ You!" Kaya couldn''t retort at all.


    "Kai really wanted me, you see. He loves touching my body all over and I''m always ready for him. You, on the other hand, an old hag like you with that wrinkly body should just leave us alone."


    "I''m only 22!" Kaya''s fists clenched as she felt her face turn red from anger. This bitch knew how to make her angry even though she was someone with strongposure.


    "22, 73, who cares? The most important thing is that you''re an old hag. I doubt even an old man would want that body of yours."


    At those words, Kaya''s aura unleashed as she red at Eva coldly.


    "Die!"


    "Come at me! I will slice you up!" Eva said as she was about to summon a sword.


    But, suddenly, out of nowhere, a silhouette appeared.


    *BAM* *BAM*


    Then, the two girls felt pain in their heads.


    "Ouch!" (x2)


    Rubbing the spot, they looked at the one who hit them, and their faces pale. Kai was standing in front of them with a cold expression and a chilling re in his eyes.


    It was at that moment that they both knew¡­ they screwed it up.

 Chapter 87 87- Unwanted Date

    <h4>Chapter 87 Chapter 87- Unwanted Date</h4>


    Chapter 87- Unwanted Date


    Both of them knew that Kai was angry and didn''t even dare to make a sound as they sat down on the ground with their heads looking down as if they were little children caught misbehaving. On the other side, Kai sat rxed on a chair as he looked at the two of them coldly.


    Neither of them knew what was going on in his head and they frankly didn''t want to know either as it was most likely not something great.


    "Apparently words aren''t enough to stop both of you from going at each other whenever I''m not present." He started. "I turn around for a second and you both are already trying to kill each other and destroy my house. If you want to die that badly, I can fulfill that for both of you." His tone coupled with the chilling aura around him made his threat even more frightening.


    However, Kai simply said it out of anger and wasn''t really intending to kill both of them.


    "I''m sorry¡­" Kaya was the first to apologize as she was the one who started it all.


    "Me too. I didn''t mean to take it that far."


    "No, an apology isn''t enough. You both need to learn to cooperate and understand each other since the n relies on both of you.


    ''Cooperate¡­''


    ''Understand¡­''


    Eva and Kaya focused on those words before they instinctively looked at each other. Realizing that they have to do that with each other made the two frown.


    "I can''t do that, Kai. I will never be able to understand this woman! She''s my enemy!" Eva retorted.


    "Me too. I can''t tolerate her existence!"


    "Who said you have any choice in this matter?" Kai''s dark aura became even darker as he red at the two of them. "I said you two will have to learn to know each other and work together. That''s why, since we don''t have groceries. You two will go out and buy them together."


    "Huh? No, Kai, please, I can go alone. I really don''t want to go with her."


    "Me neither."


    The two were clearly unwilling to even entertain the thought. However, Kai had no intention of letting them choose.


    "You can''t refuse. You will go together and if you dare to fight on the way there or back¡­ I will make both of you regret it greatly." He said, his tone colder than ever before.


    Kai was deliberately being extra harsh because he knew the huge disaster that could ur if these two ended up fighting once.


    The two girls could only stay silent and ept what Kai told them to do. Just the mere sight of these two women being obedient would shock anyone beyond words. One of them was a world-renowned star and a rich mdy with enough fortune to buy anything she ever thinks of and the other is an Archangel and one of the strongest individuals in the underworld with an influence big enough to even reach the real world.


    Yet, they can''t even disagree with one single person.


    After that, Kai wrote down what he needed before he handed it to the two and told them where to buy it.


    "And don''t forget, no fighting. Understand?" Kai said.


    The two girls nodded their heads before they walked out of his apartement.


    "Sigh, what a headache." Running his hand through his head, he looked down at his cat that was looking at the door.


    "Meow!"


    "I know¡­" Kai mused to himself before he opened the door and walked outside.


    ***


    Meanwhile, the two beauties walked through the streets with perfectly synced frowns on their face.


    "Why did I have to end up going through this? I wanted to spend more time with my honey." Eva grumbled as she clenched her fists.


    "Hey, don''t start it, kiddo. Look at me, I don''t want this either so let''s do the task and then go back in silence. Got it?"


    "Yeah, whatever." Eva brushed her off and continued walking.


    While they were bickering back and forth, all the people they passed by looked at them with awe on their faces. Seeing these two extremely beautiful women walking side by side was akin to looking at an amazing piece of art in a museum. Even with their bad moods, the two somehow looked perfect walking next to each other.


    As they were walking, Eva felt a buzzing in her pocket so she pulled out her phone. Seeing the number, her face lit up a little as she answered.


    "Hello, Mother."


    Hearing that, Kaya''s eyes shifted to look at Eva. Her anger and annoyance were gone and were reced with a ratherplicated gaze.


    But, she didn''t linger that long before she returned to her usual expression as if nothing happened at all.


    "Yeah, I''m fine. I will be back home soon to check on you guys. Be careful, ok? And tighten the security around the house just in case. I know, I know, tell Father that I''m doing great. Ok, I know, Mother, you don''t need to remind me every time. Bye." After that, the call ended.


    "You have nice parents," Kayamented casually.


    "Yeah, they are worrywarts but they''re kind and caring."


    "I see¡­"


    Eva noticed the weird mood Kaya was in so she asked curiously.


    "I heard that¡­ you lived as an orphan your whole life. Have you ever thought of searching for your parents?"


    At first, Kaya was surprised as to where Eva heard this from but when she realized that the girl probably heard the conversation she had with Kai she simply shook her head.


    "No, they abandoned me. Why would I search for them? They''re strangers to me. I only have one person I consider my family and she''s been dead for a long time now."


    "... Sorry to hear that," Eva murmured.


    "You don''t have to. I was fortunate enough to have her in my life for a few years. That''s more than many other people so I''m grateful for what I got."


    Looking at the blonde woman beside her, Eva was quite impressed at the smile Kaya had. It conveyed countless meanings yet Eva could see the most apparent feeling carried in that smile¡­ Relief.


    Kaya was relieved that even though she didn''t get the opportunity to live with her mother for a very long time, she still had her when she needed her the most. She had that mother during her childhood when her life was still in shambles and she had no one she can rely on or go to when she wanted to cry.


    That kind of thing was a privilege in her eyes that not everyone could have. That''s why, as much as she missed her mother, she still felt happy with what she got.


    However, Eva didn''t fullyprehend why she would feel relieved and that made her confused.


    ''What an odd woman.'' Shaking her head, the two continued their journey to the market. The tension between them had visibly lessened and now they looked like acquaintances rather than two enemies.


    (A//N: Don''t worry, there will be no Yuri in the harem. Their rtionship will be a rather wholesome one. We will soon be back to the meat of the plot. :) )

 Chapter 88 88- a Father Figure (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 88 Chapter 88- a Father Figure (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 88- a Father Figure (Part 1)


    The two eventually reached the market and walked inside. Because of the sudden quarantine in the city, the supermarket was empty except for the workers that looked like they wanted to be anywhere else except there.


    However, when they saw the two women walking inside, their faces lit-up up. Since most of them are guys, Eva and Kaya were quickly swarmed by the clerks.


    "Hell, how can we help you today?"


    "Do you need anything from the vegetable aisle?"


    "We have a discount on sds."


    They all said in union, making the two girls look at them with weird expressions on their faces.


    "No need. We know what to buy." Eva denied them before she started walking away. As for Kaya, she smiled and said.


    "You boys really need to change your tactics." She said with a mischievous wink before she followed Eva.


    "Tsk, why do they all act the same way? Do they share the same brain cell?" Eva grumbled with an annoyed expression.


    No matter where Eva went, she will always be ogled at by all men. Even those that approach her all have bad intentions and it was all apparent in their eyes. The sheer disgust she harbors toward those kinds of people is truly deep.


    "I don''t really care what they think. If anyone dares to cross their boundaries, I usually break all their limbs. But, I don''te across such people that often." Kaya replied as she picked up a potato, examining it thoroughly before throwing it in the basket.


    "Easy for you to do that since you aren''t well-known. I, on the other hand, need to keep in mind whether killing a certain idiot will make a bunch of other idiots try to take revenge and that starts a huge chain of annoying events that waste my time."


    "It''s your choice, kido. You made a mistake the moment you involved yourself in the world of celebrities. Now, your trouble will easily affect Kai if you aren''t too careful."


    "Sigh, I know. You don''t need to tell me. But, I''m working hard to keep them at bay. Look around you, did anyone recognize me?" Eva asked as she pointed at the store clerks.


    Kaya''s eyes squinted when she realized that detail before she looked at the men. The moment her eyes made contact with theirs, they quickly turned around and feigned work. However, that wasn''t what she focused on, she instead captured their reactions.


    They did indeed try to hit on Eva but they didn''t seem to realize who she was.


    "You''re manipting their minds?" Kaya asked as she reached that conclusion.


    "Yeah, I did that the moment I arrived in this city. It''s annoying but I was able to make them not recognize me or it would''ve been chaos around here."


    "Doesn''t that drain a lot of Origin power from you?"


    "It does. But, I will never allow anyone to affect Kai''s quiet life within my scope of capabilities." Eva sighed as she thoughtfully picked up the rest of the ingredients written down on the list.


    "Interesting¡­ You really work hard for someone that will eventually get thrown away." Kaya said with a smirk.


    "Will you shut up and lift the basket properly? Be a good servant for once in your life." Eva''s tone was filled with sarcasm.


    "I will drop this basket on your head."


    "Kai said ''No fighting''. Unless you want to face his anger, don''t start it now."


    Just hearing that, Kaya flinched slightly before she went silent. Both of them knew that Kai would really not spare them if they really fought.


    Luckily, the rest of the grocery trip ended peacefully and the two were able to leave the supermarket without any problems arising.


    As the two walked through the street, a person came walking from the opposite direction. They wore long coats and a hat on their heads. They didn''t look that abnormal at first nce.


    However, Eva felt suspicious of them at first nce. So, with a natural and swift movement, she touched Kaya''s sleeve as a warning. Thetter already noticed it too but she didn''t seem weirdly alerted. Instead, she had a frown on her face.


    At that moment, the mysterious man bumped shoulders with Kaya before he said.


    "My apologies." And continued walking away.


    Eva watched his silhouette as he vanished around the corner.


    "Who is he?"


    "A messenger. They work under an acquaintance of mine." Kaya said as she pulled something out of her pocket.


    It was a red letter with a red stamp that closed it. Although the color was very close to that of blood, the letter didn''t look that intimidating.


    "A red letter too¡­ Sigh, this is gonna be a pain in the ass." Murmuring quietly, Kaya stopped and looked at Eva.


    "I will need to leave now to deal with a matter. Tell Kai that I will bete at night or maybe tomorrow."


    Eva nodded her head and didn''t try to pry any further as she thought it was none of her business. Kaya was an Archangel so secretive meetings like these were very normal in her life.


    "Don''t worry, I will make sure to ''Enjoy'' my time with Kai to the fullest," Eva said with a smug face.


    "Tsk, I swear, if you try to do anything, I will make you lick my boots every morning." Kaya threatened with a re.


    "Hahahaha, goodbye, old hag." Eva''s demeanor irritated Kaya even more but thetter could only swallow her anger and turn around to leave.


    ''You''re lucky I can''t ignore this letter.'' Thinking so, Kaya vanished from vision.


    ***


    A few hourster, Kaya reached Divinity HQ which was located in A-country, precisely in the capital named Oro, the city of gold.


    This name was derived from the fact that this city was the biggest and richest city in the world. When the sun sets, the city bes a golden beacon of light from afar and that''s why people called it ''The city of gold''.


    "You really don''t have any regard for your duties, do you, Kaya?" A stern voice spoke to Kaya behind a huge desk.


    The voice belonged to an old man, nearing his 80s. He had a rather well-trimmed beard and elegant clothes that made his aged looks seem dignified. He had a pipe in his hand that he smoked from.


    "..." Kaya held herself from sighing. "I''m doing my job properly."


    "Do I look like a fool to you, Kaya? I already know that you''re spending your dayszing around. An archangel like you should be focused on training to get stronger and surpass me. You''re wasting your potential, for god sake." The man replied with a stern yet also worried tone.


    She was now sitting in a huge, luxurious office on one of the higher floors of the building and the man she was talking to was Mika Raullot. He is one of the legendary 7 Virtues in Divinity, the previous patriarch of the Raullot family, and a man that was nicknamed ''Sword God'' for his horrifying skills with all kinds of swords. He was also¡­ Kaya''s foster father.

 Chapter 89 89- a Father Figure (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 89 Chapter 89- a Father Figure (Part 2)</h4>


    ?


    Chapter 89- a Father Figure (Part 2)


    "You''re so annoying, old man. I''m still training every day. My progress isn''t bad either." Kaya replied as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.


    "As if! Listen to me, Kaya. Your talent is something rare even by our standards. You''re the first and only Archangel to reach this position at such a young age. I took you under my wing because I knew that you could be something great in the future and the person who will inherit my legacy." Mika said with a serious tone.


    Even though Kaya is considerably rude toward him, it is because this man is one of the few people she considers close to her. Other than that, Kaya would''ve never dared to speak to him in such a way because that man was simply a monster in every sense of the word.


    Being a Virtue is already a great achievement in the underworld that only a few in the world could ever dream of reaching. But, Kaya had a belief that at some point, Mika was strong enough to be an Ophanim.


    However, for some reason or another, Mika never became one and Kaya didn''t know the reason to that day.


    "Sigh, I''m really busy, old man. I don''t have time to dedicate my whole day to training. Besides, I''m already strong enough to be a Virtue if I want to. All I need to do is kill one of the existing Virtues and take their position." She said coldly.


    "You cocky brat." Mika''s aura rose from his body, submerging the whole room in coldness.


    Kaya''s face frowned slightly as she felt the huge weight that came down on her shoulders. Even in his old age, Mika was still a freak of nature with enough strength to terrorize anyone that stands in his face.


    "Did you send me a red letter just to give me a lecture on hard work?" Kaya decided to change the topic as she knew the two of them will only end up arguing for a long time without any conclusion.


    In Divinity, there are four forms ofmunication between the higher ranks. A red letter is sent when the receiver is needed for a matter concerning the inside affairs of Divinity. A blue letter is forpulsory missions, a green one for a potential reward or a gift, and finally a ck letter is when there is a huge threat that could send Divinity into shambles.


    While the three first letters are sent pretty often, the ck letter had been sent only once before and that was years ago.


    Anyway, the old man seemed to agree with Kaya''s topic shift as he retracted his aura and rested his back on his chair.


    "I heard some news."


    "News?"


    "Yes, I heard that you came into contact with the Hitman Guild."


    At that question, Kaya frowned slightly before she shook her head. She already knew that Mika would hear about this. He had spies all over the world that provided him with information.


    "Yes, I had to."


    "... So, you met that ''man'', huh." Mika''s wrinkled face frowned slightly.


    "I did and he''s as horrifying as the rumors if not worse," Kaya said matter of factly. Her words weren''t technically lies as Kai was indeed a terrifying individual. However, she tweaked the words a bit to make it sound as if she didn''t know him. "He''s certainly stronger than you, old man. Unfortunately, before I could do anything, he suddenly disappeared."


    "You insolent brat. Always with that sharp tongue of yours." Mika clicked his tongue before continuing to say. "I already know that because I have seen him fight before¡­"


    At those words, Kaya''s interest was picked as she instinctively adjusted her position on the chair.


    "You saw the ck Phantom fight? Against who? And when?"


    "It was years ago, before his sudden disappearance. That year, the Red Rose Day was particrly tense and the underworld was in a chaotic mess. Divinity knew that something big would happen inside the Guild. At that time, I was able to nt a spy into the 100 hitmen to attend the meeting."


    "How were you even able to do that?"


    "It''s not important. You don''t ask an old man for his tricks, I have a bunch of them. Anyway, at the time, that ck Phantom brat was challenged by the arguably second-strongest hitman in the Guild¡­ Agent 1."


    ''Agent 1¡­'' Kaya instinctively tensed up when hearing that name.


    Since the foundation of the Guild, there have been exactly 10 people that were able to im the title Agent 1. Each one of them was an individual with enough strength to terrorize the whole world. They don''t take normal assassination missions like the other hitmen but instead have their own special missions that''s why they were quite the mysterious individuals since they rarely appear in the spotlight.


    During all of that history, only a few were able to im that spot from another agent.


    "Agent 1 wanted to im the title ''Agent 0'' that the ck Phantom brat had and many betted that he would be able to take it. I, myself, never thought a kid would be able to beat that man. However, what I saw with my own eyes at the time¡­ was something I have never seen before." For the first time since Kaya walked inside his office, Mika''s expression changed from serious to a strong frown. A man with Mika''s experience isn''t simply strong, but he also has seen countless things in his life and fought countless strong foes.


    Each one of them was a monster of their own. Yet, what he saw that day was something he had and will never see in his life again.


    "That boy isn''t human. I have seen countless geniuses in my lifetime. However, that boy is one of a kind. Whatever you heard about him, it''s all a downgrade of what''s he capable of. The Guild truly had a trump card that could''ve easily made them the one and only true monarch of the underworld."


    "You must be exaggerating, old man." Kaya tried tough it off because the words her foster father said were just too mind-blowing.


    She knew that Kai was extremely strong, but to hear her grandfather call the rumors around him nothing but a downgrade was just too much.


    However, the old man shook his head.


    "No, you do not understand, brat. I''m a man who believes that as long as you have the talent and you work hard enough, you can reach the peak. But, that kid is simply not something you can achieve by normal means. He''s out of this world."


    Kaya could only look down as she tried to contemte those words. What kind of thing did her grandfather see for him to say these words?


    Recalling the huge crater in the ground, it was indeed something terrifying but it felt as if Kai didn''t really exert much power to create such an effect.


    ''What are you hiding, Kai? How strong are you actually?'' She thought to herself. However, she knew deep down that Kai would probably never be pushed to show his true powers.


    "I know that you''re mission is to look for him. But, if you don''t want to end up dead, don''t ever think about trying to fight him. He''s not something you can handle."


    "I see¡­ Got it." Murmuring with a nod of her head, Kaya looked up at Mika again. "But, what happened during that fight?"


    "Agent 1 was defeated¡­ with one single move."

 Chapter 90 90- Dream

    <h4>Chapter 90 Chapter 90- Dream</h4>


    Chapter 90- Dream


    "I see¡­" Nodding her head, Kaya pondered Mika''s words before she looked up and asked.


    "I will keep it in mind. As long as the ck Phantom isn''t some kind of blood-lusting maniac, I should be able to have a civilized conversation with him."


    "Just be careful, ey," Mika said in an almost worried tone.


    This made Kaya smile as she chuckled jovially. "Are you perhaps worried about me, old man?"


    "Like hell I am! I''m just worried if you die, who''s going to inherit my legacy?" He said as he looked away. But, Kaya was already ustomed to this old man''s antics and could only smile at him. He was certainly a stoic and cold old man but he still had a soft spot for Kaya.


    ''I''m d he was the one to find that day.'' She thought to herself. However, her mind quickly came back to reality as she recalled the things she discussed with Kai. Her mood soured quickly but she kept a normal face.


    "Hey, old man, can I ask you a question?"


    "What?"


    "Is resurrecting the dead possible?" She asked as she squinted her eyes.


    The old man, who was about to pick up his cigar halted as his eyes shifted to look at his adopted daughter.


    "Why are you asking such a sudden question?"


    "Consider it my curiosity."


    The two stared at each other for a good few seconds as if they were trying to gouge the truth from the deepest parts of each other''s souls. The atmosphere inside the office tensed up for a moment.


    Until Mika finally continued his previous action and inhaled the smoke of the cigar before he said.


    "Have you heard some kind of rumor?"


    "I did my own research as I was quite interested in the events that urred between the Chamagnes and the Lavines. Even Divinity is still incapable of discovering what exactly happened that day."


    "Kaya, you¡­"


    "The disappearance of both Gabi Lavine and Trevor Lavine''s corpses in mere few hours after the end of the war is something that ticked me off. And then there is the fact that Gabi was killed in the first ce. He was a very strong powerhouse of his own and yet he died in such weird circumstances. Isn''t that odd?"


    As she was speaking, Mika''s aura erupted as he looked at Kaya with a cold expression. Thetter went silent for a second.


    "Enough. This matter shouldn''t concern you." He said.


    "Why? I have the right to search for the truth when I want it."


    "Some truth is better off hidden. Listen to me, Kaya, and consider this a warning. Don''t try to look deeper into this matter anymore. You are putting your life at risk."


    "Why? What are you hiding from me, old man?" Kaya''s confusion only increased.


    Why did Mika suddenly start speaking like this? What was dangerous about this? Is the ''Undead Project'' real after all?


    A thousand questions appeared in Kaya''s head but she didn''t find the answer to any of them. Instead, she grew even warier of whatever Divinity''s top authorities are doing in the background.


    Her senses were alerting her that whatever it was, it will never have a good ending and her foster father''s clear warning is the biggest proof of that.


    "Just listen to me and stop digging. What I can only say is Believe in Divinity, we will make the world infinitely better than it was ever before. When the timees, you will know the full truth. But, for now, focus on what you already know."


    "..."


    "Well, anyway, this isn''t what I wanted to tell you." Mika finally stood up and walked toward one of his shelves before he pulled out something. It was a thick folder.


    "Read this." He said.


    "Hm?"


    Receiving the folder, Kaya opened it and read through the content. Silence took over the room again as Mika waited for Kaya to finish reading.


    A few minutes paced before Kaya finally closed the folder and sighed.


    "So, Divinity is really going through with this, huh?"


    "Our ambitions are clear. We want to create a better world for Origin users where they can freely use their powers without the need to hide like rats in society."


    "Is this really the only way, old man?" Kaya replied with clear uncertainty in her tone.


    "It is. No, it''s far more than just a solution, this is going to be a pivotal moment in human history. A moment where our world will take a step toward bing what it was meant to be."


    "Sigh¡­" The blonde beauty shook her head. To say that she agrees with this idea was simply a huge lie.


    "Look around you, Kaya. Are you happy with how you have to restrain yourself just to live amongst normal humans? Why should Origin only be something linked to the underworld? It''s the most vtile energy on this. If we can make it something normal, imagine the results. We can advance our world hundreds of years in record time!" Puffing a cloud of smoke, Mika added. "This has been my goal ever since I realized that this world does not ept anyone who''s different. We are different, Kaya. We are stronger, smarter, and more capable than any normal human could ever be, and yet most of us live under the cover of secrecy while those who don''t deserve to rule take the highest positions."


    "Aren''t we already influential enough, old man? Look at you, you''re an Ex-general in the military. Your achievements can''t be counted and you were the patriarch of the Raullot family."


    Mika shook his head.


    "If I go out to the street right now and use Origin, would I still be able to retain my position? The simple answer is no. I will be locked away inside a hole or maybe even killed by Origin users themselves. We are the chosen ones and yet we can''t live our lives how we want."


    Kaya could only listen quietly to the old man. Although she disagreed with him, she can still understand where he wasing from. Origin users needed to be extremely careful around normal people. It''s a restraint for certain.


    ''But, what would happen if Origin users were to be free from such restraints? Would we be able to live in such a world?'' Kaya didn''t know the answer for certain. However, she can predict the oue or in this case¡­ two possible oues.


    Either society will advance far beyond anyone''s scope of understanding and the world bes a haven ruled by the strong. Or, chaos will ensue as the strong shed for power and because of that, they will drag the whole into chaos with them.


    The first one was an idealistic oue while thetter was more rooted into reality. The underworld was unstable as it is as all influential families and Organizations sh for control.


    ''If the scale became bigger¡­ It will be a disaster.''


    However, she knew that even if she tried to exin this to her grandfather, he will never agree with her. Mika was a prideful man who took pride in his Origin powers.


    ''This idea¡­ Divinity is being guided by insane maniacs.'' A hint of anger shed across Kaya''s eyes as she looked down at the files in her hands.

 Chapter 91 91- Crush

    <h4>Chapter 91 Chapter 91- Crush</h4>


    Chapter 91- Crush


    While Kaya was having such thoughts, on a faraway ce somewhere in the world. A rather old man was walking through the corridors of a rather dim yet luxurious ce.


    His right hand was cut off and he looked rather tense. Considering what happened, V, who was usuallyposed and calm could only swallow away his pride.


    Meeting that monster again pped him with reality when he least expected it. Even more than that, the person he was about to meet required that hepletely throws his pride to the side. As they say, two big egos can''t fit in one room.


    ''What could happen? That person won''t ignore this insult. They''re too prideful to ept defeat. Especially one from the ck Phantom!''


    The reason for V''s deeply rooted worry is that this person he was about to meet was at some point considered the ck Phantom''s direct rival. Although thetter didn''t seem to really think so, the two of them still fought more than once during Red Rose Days or even official duels.


    On one hand, this meant that this person hated the ck Phantom to the core since in all of their duels and fights, they were never able to beat him, not even once. On the other hand, V was even more unnerved by the fact that this person was able to face that monster and didn''t die.


    Fighting the ck Phantom once is already akin to suicide. Fighting him multiple times is just outright impossible as that person would probably be dead from the first fight. Yet, for one reason or another, the ck Phantom never killed him.


    ''No, I would say considering this person''s ability, the ck Phantom was never able to kill him.'' V thought to himself as he reached a wide sliding door made out of bamboo.


    "It''s V."


    Listening quietly, V couldn''t hear any noises. However, he can sense a presence inside the room.


    After a few moments, a rough voice responded.


    "Enter."


    At those words, V slide the door to the side and walked inside. The interior of the room was a big dojo area. It had all the equipment of a dojo with wooden swords, an archery area, and even a beautiful garden at the back with a running stream of fresh, cold water, giving a calming white noise in the background.


    It was the haven for those who are dedicated to honing their techniques and the person who used this ce fit that criteria exactly.


    Right in the middle of this dojo, a man was standing still in front of a Wing Chun dummy (Search it on Google if you want an image).


    Since the man was facing the opposite side, V couldn''t see his face. However, his body and aura alone were more than enough to give him an idea of who this man was.


    He had a muscr, tall body with rather peculiar brownish hair trimmed into a buzz cut. He was wearing a dojo uniform. His aura was calm yet it instilled a sense of danger in V without even noticing it.


    This man was dangerous, as simple as that. No shy showing of power or intimidating presence, he was purely a threat.


    Standing silently, V watched as the man took a fighting posture, aiming his fist at the mannequin.


    His posture was sturdy and perfect, honed from years and years of hard work. Even to the untrained eye, he had indeed mastered his fighting style.


    The man kept staring at the mannequin calmly. He didn''t seem to make a move or do anything worthy of mentioning. That''s what V at least thought. But, the next second, his assumption waspletely shattered.


    *BOOOOM*


    Suddenly, out of nowhere, the mannequin exploded into pieces as it was sted away, smashing against the wall.


    ''When did he¡­'' V''s eyes squinted at the destroyed mannequin before it went back to the man. He was still in his previous position. His fists didn''t move an inch from where they were.


    ''He punched the dummy faster than my eyes could follow.'' Squinting his eyes, V could only shake his head inwardly at how absurd that was. Why did he have to meet two of the strongest people in the world back to back? His pride and confidence werepletely shattered and thrown into oblivion.


    "You''rete." The man''s voice woke V from his trance and made his bow slightly.


    "My apologies, sir. I had to stop the bleeding beforeing here so that I don''t tarnish the Four Clover Dojo."


    Because this ce was akin to a sanctuary for this man, tarnishing it, even with a speck of dust will make the one who did regret that choice for the rest of his life.


    Turning around, the man finally revealed his face. He would''ve been considered a very handsome man was it not for something that deformed his whole face. A huge scar ran diagonally from his forehead to the left corner of his lips, passing through his right eye which now had lost eyesight.


    It was a terrifying scar that made the man seem almost dead-like.


    Staring at V''s lost hand, his cold, emotionless eyes shed with a weird glint before he asked.


    "Is it him?"


    "Yes."


    "Did he kill all of them?"


    "... Yes. It''s all my faul-"


    "Shhh." The man said as he walked toward a hanger in the corner of the room before he picked up the towel and wiped his face.


    "You are too weak to be med. As for those Executioners, they were too dumb to stay alive."


    "But, sir¡­"


    "I said there is no need for your pathetic apology. You Executioners are mere puppets used by the other High-Officers. Those foolish idiots should understand that no one can catch that monster other than me."


    "What about the threat, sir?"


    "It''s all a temporary solution from his side to keep things calm. Knowing that bastard, he most likely has a n that is simply waiting for the perfect time to be executed."


    "A n to do what?" V asked as he felt a bad hunch.


    "You should understand, the ck Phantom isn''t someone who epts being threatened. Why do you think the High Officers were never able to control him? He will do whatever he wants and no one can stop him except me. Knowing him, he will do one of two things. He will either hunt down those that are trying to capture that Lavine girl or¡­"


    "Or?"


    "Or he will burn the whole Guild down."


    ''Burn the whole guild down.'' If this was said about anyone else, V would''ve probablyughed hard. But, he knew that this man in front of him was not joking at all.


    "Are you¡­ giving up on Eva Lavine, sir?"


    "Give up? Hahahahahahaha!" The man suddenly started chuckling. His ugly face turned even more horrifying with each hearty chuckle. "I have been waiting for this moment for years. The ck Phantom is the sole person I will make sure to thoroughly destroy! Even if it takes me my whole entire life. I will crush him to the point where he will never be able to stand on his feet again." The man''s calm aura turned even more hostile.


    The room''s temperature became even colder and the ground started rumbling as if it was about to crack at any given moment.


    Suddenly, at that moment, the man''s chuckle stopped as his face turned into a strong frown, staring daggers at V.

 Chapter 92 92- Countdown

    <h4>Chapter 92 Chapter 92- ?Countdown</h4>


    Chapter 92- Countdown


    V was confused at first as to why the man suddenly looked at him that way. However, he didn''t dare to move especially when his boss was seemingly staring daggers at him.


    "You said he cut your hand off, right?"


    "Yes, sir. But what does that ha-"


    Before V could finish his words, the man grabbed his hand and pulled it up. "You said you have stopped the bleeding. Why is it bleeding again?"


    V''s eyes shifted to look at his lifted hand. There, he could see some blood leaking out of the amputated arm. His face immediately shifted as he suddenly had a bad hunch about this.


    "You moron." Murmuring so, the man suddenly squeezed his arm before he suddenly shoved his fingers into it.


    "AGH!!" V''s face twisted from the sudden surge of intense pain but he didn''t move as his boss kept searching inside his amputated arm as if it was some kind of personal bag. Blood leaked out of the arm as it trickled down V''s sleeves, coating them in a red color.


    A few momentster, the man pulled his fingers out, and in them, rested a small ck object, coated in blood.


    ''A listening device! Shit!'' V realized the huge blunder that happened. He just made a huge mistake.


    He didn''t know when or how Kai nted it into his arms but what confused him even more was the fact that he didn''t feel it inside his body at all. He hadpletely tricked him without even showing a sign of doing it!


    Looking up with a pale expression, he noticed that his boss didn''t seem to be giving him any mind as his whole mind was focused on that little object.


    Suddenly, a voice came from the little device.


    "As I thought, it was you¡­ Grey." The voice was cold and domineering even though it wasing through a device. It was as if the moment that voice resonated inside the room, it took over andpletely shattered Grey''s control over it. He lost control over his own dojo!


    "It''s been a while, fucker. Did your coward ass finally decide to show yourself, huh? After all these years of hiding away like a chicken." Grey''s tone was filled with mockery and hidden rage that he was barely being able to control.


    "Give up on trying to get Eva Lavine. You won''t be able to." Kai said, ignoring all the provocations Grey tried to set up for him.


    "Hahahahahaha! Did you forget me this quickly? I always get what I want, bastard. That girl is way more valuable than you could ever imagine. Hand her over and I might stay away from your fragile quiet life."


    "Refused. She''s under my protection. If you try to get her¡­ I wille after you. The only reason you''re still alive is because I didn''t know your identity. Your Executioner helped a lot being the bait I set up to get you to say what I want to hear." Kai said making Grey clench his fist slightly.


    "Ohoh, you have no idea how much I''ve been waiting for this moment. I will definitely get that girl and then make you fight me to death. This time, it won''t end up the same way it was 5 years ago." The man''s hand slowly lifted up and touched the huge scar on his face.


    "You can''t kill me."


    "Hahahahahaha! You know, ck Phantom. You are a monster of a kind. I will give you that. However, you forgot something. I''m a monster myself. I have dedicated thest 5 years to honing my skills. Eva Lavine''s powers are simply the crown jewel of all my hard work. Using her, I will be able to rise to heights this world had never seen before." A sh of maniacal look appeared on the man''s face. "You should''ve tried your best to kill me thest time, bastard."


    "Now, it''s either me or you. There is no third choice."


    "We will see." After saying that, Kai''s voice was cut off and the connection was severed.


    Then, out of nowhere, the device exploded into bits and pieces as it oddly pierced Grey''s tough skin. The device was made of Leviathium.


    "UGH!!" Grey''s face contorted as he grabbed his arm.


    Looking down, he realized what Kai had done. The skin on his hand was turning blue.


    "He filled the device with poison." Murmuring to himself, he quickly moved his other hand and slit his wrist. Blood oozed out of the injury to the ground.


    With one look, the two men could see how swiftly it turned blue as it dripped down.


    "Hah¡­ Blue Death¡­ That fucker¡­" Grey''s face was changing colour quickly but he didn''t seem to waver at all.


    However, even V knew how devastating that poison is. It was by far the strongest poison in the world and it was called ''Blue Death''. It was made out of a rare nt that is only found in extremely cold ces.


    Since Origin is a very raw and natural power, it''s found in its purest form in the most extreme of regions whether hot or cold. So, this nt would absorb that raw Origin and quickly turn it into a lethal toxin that could kill any creature with a mere speck of it.


    "Sir, should I¡­"


    "No need! This poison is nothing! That bastard is underestimating me!"


    Grey''s aura erupted like a volcano. His eyes shone with a terrifying light.


    "It''s war¡­ ck Phantom!!"


    ***


    Meanwhile, back inside Kai''s apartement, thetter sat down on the sofa next to Eva. The two stayed silent as Eva instinctively closed the distance between them.


    "May I know how you came to know such a man?" She asked.


    "Bad luck. Battle junkies like him always search for the thrill of fighting stronger opponents. He could never beat me so he ended up bing obsessed with the idea of killing me. Grey is a dangerous man."


    ''A dangerous man.'' Hearing that from Kai''s mouth, Eva could only imagine how strong he was.


    "But, why did he say you ''Should''ve tried your best to kill him''?"


    Resting his face on his hand, Kai''s eyes turned sharp.


    "His main talent is annoying to deal with. That''s why, I was never able to finish him off."


    "I see¡­"


    As the two stared at the closed TV, their shoulders touched asionally before Eva''s head finally rested on Kai''s shoulder.


    "Thank you¡­ For protecting me." She suddenly said as she closed her eyes. She couldn''t express how grateful and happy she was at that moment except with a ''Thank you''.


    She wanted to apologize for dragging Kai into this but she knew that he will immediately refuse her apology so she simply enjoyed his warmth silently. The boy didn''t say anything either.


    "Together¡­ Let''s put an end to this, ok?" She said.


    "That''s what will happen," Kai replied.


    "Mm, I know. I trust youpletely. This n will seed."


    Every time she thinks about it, it seemed quite absurd what they were going to do. Yet, for some reason, Eva didn''t feel a shred of uncertainty or fear. Knowing that her beloved was the one who made that n, she trusted him blindly.


    ''Maybe after the end of all of this, I can invite Kai on a vacation on a faraway ind? Mmm, that sounds like a good idea.'' Just the thought of the two enjoying their time together made her smile happily.


    The countdown for the fateful day that will change the whole underworld started. A war between a man and an organization was about to begin, opening the veils of a past that was hidden over the years.

 Chapter 93 93- Our Anniversary

    <h4>Chapter 93 Chapter 93- ?Our Anniversary</h4>


    Chapter 93- Our Anniversary


    A few days passed peacefully in the city. People quickly returned to their normal lives when they realized that the earthquake was simply a weird urrence and won''t happen again.


    The school also opened its door and students returned to their sses. The normal days simply resumed as if nothing happened.


    Inside Kai''s apartement, a beautiful ck cat ran around excitedly. Her blue eyes sparkled mesmerizingly as she followed a certain young man around the ce.


    "Why are you excited?" Kai asked as he looked at his pet with a confused expression. He didn''t see her this animated in a while.


    "Meow!!" The cat simply jumped and rolled around in response.


    "Hm?"


    At that moment, Kai wished he could read this weird cat''s mind so he can understand what was going through her head.


    "I will be leaving now. Don''t make a mess." He said calmly as he exited the apartement.


    Walking through the street, his hand moved to his phone as he looked at the history of calls he had. The only name present there was Kaya''s, showing that he did call her a few times during these previous days.


    ''She didn''t respond¡­ Odd.'' Kai''s eyes squinted as he recalled what happened thest few days.


    After leaving to deal with some kind of ''matter'', Kaya didn''te back at all and didn''t contact Kai to give him a reason why.


    At first, he assumed that she was simply busy considering her position. However, knowing that woman, he was certain she would''ve called him at least once. No such thing happened and that made Kai slightly suspicious.


    ''Did she get attacked by the guild?... No, that''s very unlikely. Even that man Grey isn''t crazy enough to offend Divinity. Did Divinity realize that she knew me? No, that''s not possible either. They had no way of knowing my real identity.'' Thinking about it, Kai found that there was only one possibility.


    Kaya was most likely stuck doing something or in a ce where she can''t contact him. Whether she was safe or in danger was still something Kai had no way of knowing and that was what kept bugging him for a while.


    Ignoring the fact that Kaya was someone Kai considered to be one of the few acquaintances he has, she was also a very key factor in his n to destroy the Guild. So, if she somehow ends up in trouble, Kai will be stuck in an annoying situation.


    ''Should I look for her? Or should I wait? Both are equally troublesome.''


    Reaching school, Kai entered his ss. It was bustling as usual except this time, the reason wasn''t the earthquake news as yesterday. Instead, everyone was focused on a certain person sitting next to Kai''s seat.


    Kai could only shake his head inwardly before walking to his seat. He didn''t need to greet Eva because the two have been together for the past few days. The reason for that is that Kai was almost certain Grey would try to ambush Eva if she was to ever be alone.


    Their days were pretty simple and calm¡­ Except for one part.


    Anyway, the reason for the more than-usual attention she was garnering was her hairstyle. Instead of keeping her hair as it is, draping it over her shoulder, Eva decided to braid a strand of hair with a red rope to tie it at the end.


    The change was minimal but when it was applied to someone as beautiful as Eva, it made it very apparent.


    "Hm, hm, hm¡­" The second reason was her, particrly great mood today.


    She was smiling as she hummed a song of some kind. When she noticed Kai''s presence, her aways wandered toward him for a second before she quickly looked away.


    Her behavior was suspicious for the boy but he didn''t give it much thought. There were other matters on his head at the moment.


    The ss started normally, however, during that time, Eva kept staring at Kai for a few seconds before she averts her eyes.


    "Sigh¡­ What is it?" Kai murmured as he kept his eyes fixated on the teacher to not raise suspicion.


    "Hm? Oh, n-nothing." Eva shook her head.


    "You''re lying."


    "It''s really nothing."


    "..."


    Kai was certain she was lying but since she didn''t want to tell him, he didn''t try to push her any further. The period passed quietly and lunch finally came.


    Walking to his usual spot on the school''s building''s roof, Kai found Eva waiting for him there. She was standing near the edge, looking at the world around them. Then, when Kai arrived, she turned around and said.


    "You''rete."


    "The teacher wanted me to deliver some papers before lunch," Kai replied as he loosened his necktie and sat down next to the wall.


    Eva walked toward him and naturally sat next to him.


    "Hey, Kai, does today''s date ring any bell for you?"


    "Hm?" Thetter''s eyes moved to look at the girl for a second before he looked ahead again.


    Kai was very punctual about dates so he quickly tried to remember if he missed something. It wasn''t his or Eva''s birthday.


    "No, why?" He finally gave up and asked.


    "Fufufufu~ I knew you wouldn''t remember."


    Then, Eva stood up and pulled something out of her bag.


    "Tada! Today is the tenth anniversary of our first time meeting!" What she pulled out was a beautifully wrapped present.


    Kai was confused for a second before he looked at the present and then at Eva. When he thought about it, he did indeed meet Eva for the first time on this day. However, he didn''t really keep it in mind as a date he should remember or something to be celebrated.


    "I was intending to buy you something expensive. But, then I thought making something myself would be more meaningful than just spending money." Eva exined before she handed the present to Kai.


    Thetter didn''t say a single word which made Eva slightly anxious. The reason for hisck of response, unbeknownst to Eva, was that he didn''t know how to respond in the first ce.


    This was the first present he ever got in his life and that messed with his head. It was a rather odd feeling but he didn''t hate it.


    "Can I open it?" He finally asked.


    "Of course!" Eva''s face beamed with happiness.


    Finally, Kai pulled the lid up only to find freshly baked cookies tucked inside beautifully.


    "I-I tried to cook them myself. But, I don''t know if they came out half-good. Now that I look at them, maybe they''re burnt." Eva fidgeted around as she started making excuses out of nowhere.


    However, Kai didn''t reply to her as he simply picked up one of the cookies. Then, under Eva''s panicked gaze, he ate it.


    "It''s¡­ good." He said.


    "Really?! Thank god¡­ Fuuh." Exhaling a sigh of relief, Eva''s face rxed as she smiled beautifully.


    "I just wanted to say ''Thank you''... For entering my life¡­ For saving me and for simply existing so that I could stay by your side. Thank you so much." Tears welled up in her eyes. "I''m truly d that I met you, Kai. I hope we can celebrate this day again next year and 50 yearster."

 Chapter 94 94- Oddity

    <h4>Chapter 94 Chapter 94- Oddity</h4>


    Chapter 94- Oddity


    Eva''s words were akin to a strong blow to Kai''s already confused mind. He already had a hard time reacting to the gift and now he had to think about what she said.


    For someone with a mind as clever as his, Kai was almostpletely clueless when ites to sentimental stuff or anything rted to emotions. Ironically enough, he could easily manipte others'' emotions but when ites to his own emotions, he loses that advantage and turns into a toddler experience-wise.


    "..."


    Eva seemed to realize that as she quickly blushed visibly and put her hands up in a defensive state. "I-I''m sorry. I said too much. It must''ve been too forceful. I''m so dumb! I just spilled out some nonsense in the spur of the moment!"


    "Thank you."


    "Huh?"


    "I will eat them," Kai added as he picked another one and ate it.


    However, Eva didn''t really register that as her mind was stuck on his first two words. ''Thank you''. It kept resonating in her head like drums. Along with it, her heart started beating faster and faster, threatening to explode at any given moment.


    For the first time in her life, Eva could palpably sense some kind of emotionsing from those two words that Kai said. She didn''t know what they were but they still moved her greatly.


    "Y-Y-You don''t need to thank me! I did this for myself too!!" Covering her face, Eva tried not to smile like an idiot. But, her mouth refused toply and itpletely rxed.


    ''He thanked me¡­ I''m happy! Why am I feeling this happy? This should be illegal! I really have a stupid expression on my face right now!''


    Meanwhile, Kai ate the cookies silently. They were certainly delicious but at that particr moment, they were way better than any cookies he ever had in his life.


    After struggling with her happiness for a few moments, Eva finally looked back at Kai. Seeing him eat what she baked made her realize that Kai really liked them. He wasn''t someone to pretend in front of people just to not hurt them.


    After that, she sat down next to him again and watched him silently. Her eyes filled with love and adoration to the brim.


    As he was eating, he handed her one of them.


    "No, just eat them. Seeing you enjoy them is enough for me."


    "Just take it."


    "Ok¡­"


    Taking the cookie, she started nibbling on it.


    ''Hmm, it''s not that bad. Although I didn''t bake in ages, it seems I didn''t lose my touch.'' Eva nodded her head in approval.


    When the dup finished their meal, they sat there silently, looking at the clear blue sky of the day. Spring was approaching and so the weather was getting warmer and warmer gradually.


    "Is something bothering you, Kai?"


    "Hm?" The boy''s eyes looked down at the beautiful girl next to him in confusion.


    "I could see it as clear as day. You are bothered by something. Is it that woman?" She asked with a serious expression.


    "... It''s odd. Her disappearance is odd and I have a bad hunch about it." Kai said in an emotionless tone. However, his eyes looked sharper than ever.


    "Couldn''t she simply be busy?" Eva asked.


    "She could be. But, Divinity is working on something bizarre and that''s why I''m suspicious. The Undead Project, their goal to turn every person in the world into an Origin user. It''s all too suspicious."


    "Are you saying¡­ that''s she in danger?"


    "It''s unlikely considering her strength. But, there is still that possibility. I won''t make a move unless I''m certain that I need to. Divinity is already looking for me. I won''t give them another reason to find me." He said in a cold tone.


    Dealing with the Guild was Kai''s top priority at the moment. Having Divinity enter the fray would be a dumb thing. Especially when Grey will now try to take him down with all his strength.


    "Sigh, that woman sure likes to make trouble wherever she goes." Eva shook her head with a sigh.


    As the two were like that, Kai''s phone suddenly started buzzing. Thetter pulled it out and much to his and Eva''s surprise, the call wasing from none other than Kaya.


    "Talk about the devil."


    Kai picked up the call quickly.


    "Where are you?" He said coldly.


    However, no response came to him. Instead, all he could hear is gibberish from the seemingly weak connection.


    "Kaya?" He spoke again but didn''t get an answer either. Then, the call ended out of nowhere. "Tsk."


    "What did she say?"


    "Nothing. The service is weak wherever she is."


    "What does that mean?"


    "It means that she''s not in any ce with cellphone towers nearby." Standing up, Kai dusted off his clothes.


    "What are we going to do?"


    "I will locate her using this call. It would''ve been impossible before considering her encrypted sim card. But, now that she called me, I can ess her phone through this call."


    "That''s pos- You know what? Nevermind. I already know that Kai is the only one who can do this." Eva shook his head and stood up before following him.


    "We''re going to skip school."


    "Fufufu~ I don''t care about school. I only came here just to be by your side. My academic knowledge exceeds that of a college professor in any field." Eva said with a chuckle.


    ***


    The two immediately went back to Kai''s apartement where Kai linked the phone to theputer and started typing quickly on the keyboard.


    Eva watched him work with amazement clear in her eyes.


    ''Woah, I have never seen someone work this fast¡­ He puts even the best of Origin Hackers to shame.''


    A few minutes passed in silence before Kai''s expression finally changed.


    "What?"


    "What the hell is she doing there?" Kai murmured.


    "Huh? What do you me-" As Eva''s eyes fell on the screen, her expression froze.


    "Is that her current location?" She asked after a while, with a confused expression.


    "This is her location from the moment of the call."


    Right on the screen now, a map of the world could be seen and on that map, a particr location south was marked. That location was known to both Kai and Eva.


    "Why the fuck did she go to the Frozen ins? That''s the farthest ce from any human contact."


    The Frozen ins is a massive area to the south of the world. It''s basically a deserted snowfield with temperatures that reach down to -110 degrees celcius and extremely violent snowstorms all around the year.


    Humans across history tried to explore it and yet, of all the tens of expeditions sent there, none of them seeded. Well, that''s what the normal history says. However, Origin users have already entered that ce before and explored it to some extent.


    However, there was nothing to find there as it was simply a desert of old ice and harsh weather.


    Yet, for some reason, Kaya was now there. Or her cellphone, at least.


    Staring silently at the screen for a few seconds, Kai exhaled a breath before he stood up.


    "Pack your things. We''re leaving."


    "Wait, now?"


    "Yes. We will travel to the Frozen ins." At that moment, Kai''s tone turned harshly cold.


    He knew that whatever Kaya was doing there¡­ It wasn''t a vacation.

 Chapter 95 95- Pervert

    <h4>Chapter 95 Chapter 95- Pervert</h4>


    Chapter 95- Pervert


    "Should we take the private jet?" Eva asked.


    "No, it will break down if we get close to the frozen ins. We will have to go by boat. I know someone who will be able to help."


    "Where should I direct the private jet then?"


    "F-Country. Precisely the southern city, Moonvale."


    ***


    A few hourster, in the airport of Moonvale, the private jetnded safely. For one reason or another, their private jet didn''t get attacked at all. Kai thought Grey would use this as an opportunity to strike and he was ready to stop it. However, nothing of that sort happened which was optimal but also raised some questions in Kai''s head.


    ''I should keep an eye around.'' He thought to himself as he spread his senses to the farthest point.


    Kai and Eva got out of the aircraft as they looked around. Moonvale was a winter town that is cold all around the year. Because of its close proximity to the frozen ins, the effects of that could be seen all around them.


    Snow covered everywhere they looked as if it was a white divine nket. The weather was cold but it was somehow still not cold enough to make people shiver. On the horizon, a mountain chain adorned with snow could be seen, standing majestically over the city.


    "I didn''te here in ages," Eva said as she adjusted her thick coat. "It still looks as beautiful as ever. Hm, hm."


    ''I should keep this ce in mind for a future vacation, fufufu~'' She thought to herself with a smile.


    "Let''s go."


    The two left the airport and stopped a taxi to get them to their destination. The roads where filled with people, wearing traditional thick clothes and going on with their daily lives. However, for tourists, such a sight was akin to Christmas.


    "Where are we going exactly?"


    "A boat shop," Kai replied as he looked outside. "Its owner is not very renowned but she''s the best boat craftsman I know."


    "Why would you know such a person?" Hearing the word ''She'', Eva''s face frowned slightly but she tried to not show much reaction.


    "Old matters," Kai replied mysteriously.


    Seeing his unwillingness to tell her anything, Eva didn''t try to push any further and simply sat there silently.


    The taxi driver, who heard this conversation, secretly sighed. ''You done screwed up, mate.''


    However, he didn''t want to get into this couple''s quarrel as he knew it will only escte the matter.


    The taxi eventually reached a rather rural area of the city. The two then got out of the taxi, paid the man, and then walked toward the shop in front of them.


    It was a rather old, small building made out of bricks and wood. It didn''t have a sign on the front and the door waspletely closed.


    "Is this the right ce?"


    "It should be."


    Knocking on the door, Kai waited for it to open. However, no one responded.


    "No one''s he-"


    *Click*


    Kai put his hand on the doorknob and twisted, opening the door. "Let''s go." He said before walking inside.


    ''So cool!'' Eva shrieked in her head at how bold Kai was. He didn''t think twice before barging into someone''s property.


    The interior of the building was dark and quiet as if they just entered a haunted house. All kinds of shelves could be seen stuck to the wall with materials chaotically ced on them.


    ''Is this ce a haunted mansion of some sort? Even the wood is screeching.''


    As the two were walking, they heard a voiceing from a room up ahead.


    "Who''s your master?" The voice belonged to a female.


    Walking toward the room, the door was slightly parted, revealing a faint lighting from inside.


    "Who''s your mommy? Speak, you worthless trash."


    "Yes, Mommy! Sorry!! Please, let me lick your boot as an apology. I will lick it clean!" A male, weak voice replied.


    "Good, lick it. Just like that. That''s my good dog. You like licking my boot, don''t you?"


    *SPANK*


    ''What in the¡­'' Eva quickly realized what was going on and she didn''t know how to react.


    However, before she could even say anything, Kai had already kicked open the door, startling the two people inside.


    On a queen-sized bed, a man could be seen, fully naked, strapped to the bed with a leash around his neck. Sitting on top of him was a woman in ck, BDSM clothes with a whip in her hand.


    "What the fuck?!" The woman was the first to react as the man''s mind was stillpletely drowned in ecstasy.


    "Oh my god!" The man finally realized what happened and he quickly tried to hide his naked body filled with bruises and bite marks.


    Kai stared at the two coldly, as if he staring at two insects. On the other hand, Eva facepalmed as she looked away.


    ''Now I won''t be able to unsee this abomination.'' She thought to herself.


    "K-Kai¡­ Is that you, boy?"


    "I sent you a message a few hours ago saying that I''m going to pay you a visit. It looks like I arrived too early." Kai said coldly, sarcasm clear in his tone.


    "What?! A message?! When did you¡­ Oh!" Realizing that her phone did indeed ring a few hours ago.


    "Momm- I mean, Honey. Who are these people?! Why are they here?!"


    "Sigh, just wear some clothes and get out. I will exinter."


    "What, wh-"


    "Just wear some fucking clothes and get the fuck out!" She yelled, making her husband quickly put on his clothes and run out of the room.


    Eva stared at him with disgust in her eyes. Although she didn''t want to judge people for their kinks and fetishes, she still couldn''t hold herself from considering this man to be a pathetic pervert.


    The woman, on the other, put on her robe and stepped down from the bed.


    "It''s been a while, Kai. How are you?" She said as she extended her hand for a handshake.


    However, the boy looked at her hand for a second before he turned around and walked toward the door.


    "I can see that you''re putting the shop I bought to good use."


    "Sigh, I-I''m sorry¡­ I didn''t see the message. I was bu-"


    "I''m in a hurry so let''s not start this. We will talk about your misconduct inside my shopter." Kai cut her off, making the woman gulp down a mouthful of saliva.


    ''I''m really fucked here!! Why did I not see that goddamn notification! Now he''s really getting pissed!''


    "I see¡­"


    After stepping outside the room, the woman lit up the shop, revealing more details of it that were hidden by the dimness.


    Eva looked closely at the woman and she could see that the only word that fit her was ''Seductive''. Although she was certainly old, probably in her 50s, she still had a charm that can''t be hidden.


    Her sexual aura was oozing out naturally from her body.


    ''I guess you need to be that much of a pervert to be able to have such an aura around you.''


    "So, why did you pay me a visit so suddenly after all these years? Did you miss me?" She asked.


    "No. I need a boat to get to the frozen ins."


    "... Excuse me?"


    "Do you have one ready?"


    "Wait, wait¡­ Hold on a second there, Kai. The frozen ins? You can''t go there. It''s an inessible area. The Government deemed it too dangerous and stopped any journeys there years ago."

 Chapter 96 96- Take Care Of Him For Me

    <h4>Chapter 96 Chapter 96- Take Care Of Him For Me</h4>


    Chapter 96- Take Care Of Him For Me


    "Any particr reasons?" Kai asked as he crossed his arms in front of him.


    "Sigh, I do not know myself. But, people have been avoiding the southern sea for a while now. Some rumors circled around that some kind of monster lurked in the depths of that ce and it hunted sailors down left and right."


    "A monster?"


    "I know, it''s silly. I don''t believe it myself. But, the point is, you can''t make a trip to the frozen ins legally." Puffing out a cloud of smoke from her pipe, the woman looked at Kai with a rather apologetic expression.


    "What should we do, Kai?" Eva asked with a serious expression.


    "Do you have a boat ready now?"


    "Hmm, I do have one."


    "Then, get it ready. We will take it."


    "Did you hear what I just said? For god''s sake, Kai. The government of F-country wille after you."


    "I have my ways of avoiding the sea patrol."


    "Sigh, I see your stubborn ways didn''t change after all these years. Well, that''s what makes you different I guess." Murmuring so, the woman stood up and pointed at another door in the corner of the shop. "I have a collection of boats ready for sailing in the dock. You can go check them out."


    Kai nodded his head before he looked at Eva. "Stay here."


    "Ok¡­" Eva smiled lovingly at Kai.


    "Ohoh¡­"


    After Kai walked away, the woman finally focused on Eva and a small mischievous smile appeared on her face.


    "And who might you be,dy?"


    "An acquaintance of Kai. Who might you be?"


    "Haha, my name is Chaldia. But, you can call me Chal. I''m also an acquaintance of that little rascal there. He is also my benefactor."


    "Benefactor?" Eva tilted her head confusedly.


    "Yeah, he saved my life years ago and gave me something to work hard for. Now, I have a husband and this small ce to work on my passion. I''m really grateful for him."


    ''I never thought Kai had this side to him¡­'' It would be a lie if Eva said she wasn''t shocked at what she heard. Although her beloved was in her biased opinion, the best human being that could ever exist, she still knew that he wasn''t the type to save people out of good will.


    Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine when she realized who she was talking to. A seductive woman who exuded charm from every fiber of her being.


    ''A seductive olddy¡­ a young boy¡­ Kai¡­ No! What am I even thinking of?!'' Shaking her head, she tried to erase the weird thoughts that appeared in her head.


    "Why did he help you if I may ask?" Eva decided to ask.


    "Hahaha, you''re really making me remember some old memories. It was around 7 or so years ago. Because of my bad upbringing, I ended up drowning in debt because of my gambling addiction. So, I ended up getting abducted and sold as a ve to a weird ve owner. I was tortured for a long while before one day, Kai appeared in the underground area where I and many others were imprisoned." A small, nostalgic smile appeared on Chal''s face.


    "I remember him saying to all of us ''I have killed the owner. The mission requires me to free you all too. You are free to go.''. He didn''t seem to sympathize with any of us at all. However, his words still sounded like a god-sent message at the time. However, even when he opened all the cells, I was the only one who didn''t leave immediately. At the time, to not lose my mind from torture, I carved small boats out of wooden bowls. It was my passion since I was young but I long lost it because of my crippling addiction. So, I stayed behind, collecting all the small boats I created."


    "..." Eva listened quietly to Chal. Her expression was as serene as a beautifulke.


    "When he noticed what I was doing and looked at the wooden boats, I panicked. I thought because of his cold re that he wanted to destroy them. So I said ''Please, these are my precious works. I-I''m passionate about making boats so these are my only possessions''. For some reason, he didn''t say anything as he turned around to leave. When he reached the door he turned around and said ''You have talent. If you want to pursue that work. Contact me.''. Before I could even say anything, he already vanished. Then, I realized he had somehow put a piece of paper in my hand without me realizing it with a way to contact him on it. The rest is history."


    "So Kai helped you because he saw talent in you?"


    "Mhm, pretty much."


    Eva was surprised at first but then a small smile appeared on her face. ''Well, that sounds more like him I guess.''


    "Now, tell me, youngdy. You did say you two are acquaintances. But, you don''t seem to look at him that way." Chal said.


    "Is it that obvious?"


    "Very. I have keen eyes for love, after all."


    "Fufufu, well, you''re right. I do love him." Eva admitted it. She had no reason to hide what she felt toward Kai from Chal.


    The older woman looked at Eva for a second with a rather surprised expression before she smiled and nodded her head. She could see it clear in Eva''s eyes that her feelings were the real deal and she had no malicious intentions hidden.


    "I see, so that boy finally found someone that cares about him. I''m really d. I thought he would''ve spent the rest of his life alone with his cold attitude even with that stupidly handsome face of his."


    "I''m here to make sure he won''t feel lonely."


    "... Lady, can I request something from you?"


    "Hmm?"


    "I''m not sure whether you are aware of it or not. But, that boy is someone shrouded in mystery. I don''t know why but whenever I look at him, I always get this odd feeling that he has way more to him than what meets the eye."


    "... I already am aware of that. But, I really can''t ask him yet. Whatever it is, it''s paining him greatly and that breaks my heart." Eva replied as she looked at the door Kai walked through.


    Eva already knew that Kai''s past wasn''t as simple as him being an orphan. His powers alone are enough to prove that he isn''t just a normal boy. He was special¡­ extremely so and that''s what made Eva even more curious about his life years before they first met.


    During the first 8 or 9 years of his life, where did hee from? Was he really an orphan? Why does he possess such tremendous power? All these questions were still a mystery.


    "I know that it won''t be easy for him to open up to you. But, I''m certain that he cares about you. He never treated someone as gently as he treated you. Soon, he will open up and tell you. So, when that timees, take care of him for me, would you?"


    Eva''s eyes widened at Chal''s request. However, she quickly shook her head.


    "You don''t have to tell me. I have made an oath to stay by his side till the moment I die. No matter what he went through, he''s still the love of my life. How can I not take care of him?"


    "Good¡­ Very good. You have my blessings,dy."

 Chapter 97 97- Anomaly In The Deep (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 97 Chapter 97- Anomaly In The Deep (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 97- Anomaly In The Deep (Part 1)


    "Eva." As the two women were conversing, they heard Kai''s voiceing from the backroom. Eva immediately stood up and looked at Chal.


    "Thank you for this conversation. I really had fun."


    "Of course you did, you seem to enjoy talking about him, don''t you?"


    "Fufufufu, I really need to tone it down whenever someone else mentions Kai or it will be troublesome."


    "Don''t sweat it. If anything, that shows that your feelings are the real deal. I''m happy for both of you."


    Chal nodded her head with a satisfied nod.


    "Well, off you go,dy."


    "Ok. It was nice meeting you, Chal. Let''s meet again sometime in the future."


    "Mhm, take care,dy."


    After that, Eva walked away and entered the room at the back, leaving Chal alone. Her smile slowly disappeared as she closed her eyes. Exhaling a cloud of smoke along with a sigh, she murmured to herself.


    "This world is too dark for your pure feelings,dy. Hopefully, they will never by tarnished by it."


    ***


    "Woah, what is this ce?"


    The moment Eva entered the room, she eximed with a surprised look. In front of her was a rather big-sized dock filled with boats of all kinds. The dock was inside a dark, long tunnel that stretched endlessly as far as the eye can see.


    It was as if they were inside a long sewage tunnel albeit not as disgusting.


    "This one. I checked it properly for any possible problems. It should work fine." Jumping down from one of the rather mid-sized boats, Kai dusted his hands.


    "You know how to fix boats?"


    "I learned it in a book," Kai replied as he picked up his bag.


    "... I''m really envious of your eidetic memory, Kai," Eva said as she didn''t know whether tough or cry.


    Although she herself had a great memory, it wasn''t at the level where she can recall a book she read years ago.


    "Let''s go." Ignoring her remark, Kai urged her to follow him.


    The two then jumped on top of the boat and then turn it on before they started moving through the tunnel. The speed of the boat kept picking up slowly.


    "To think such a tunnel exists behind that building."


    "Chal created it so that she can sell boats to those who didn''t want to be seen. This tunnel leads to the southern sea directly."


    "That''s very clever. And how much does she make from this work?" Eva asked.


    "I didn''t check my bank ount in a while but I think around 5 million a month, more or less."


    "Five million? So she''s filthy rich? I never expected that!" Eva blinked a few times.


    "She only sells to a few people she trusts. She keeps that shabby building so that she doesn''t raise any suspicion."


    "And what''s your share in that?"


    "40%."


    ''A passive ie of almost 2.2 million a month is impressive. Kai has a knack for business even though he doesn''t seem to be that invested in it.''


    Fifteen Minutes passed quietly before a small light finally appeared on the horizon. The boat eventually exited the tunnel and they were weed with vast expanses of blue sea.


    The cold wind hit their faces which made them immediately channel their Origin to protect themselves from it.


    The weather was rather windy and not good for sailing but for two powerhouses like Kai and Eva, it was just like any sunny day of the spring.


    Kai increased the speed of the boat as they immediately started traveling south toward the frozen ins.


    "How are we going to avoid the sea patrol? It should be close from here." Eva asked as she approached the front part of the boat, looking ahead of them she could see multiple big boats roaming the area. They still didn''t notice them but Eva was sure they will see them at any given moment. However, before Kai could answer, Eva''s face changed into a mischievous smile.


    "Hey, Kai, can you let me deal with them? I have a good idea." She said.


    Thetter looked at her with squinted eyes before he focused on the horizon again.


    "Suit yourself."


    "Thank you~" After saying that.


    The boat eventually closed the distance and one of the boats noticed them.


    "This is a prohibited area! It''s illegal to sail here! Go back or we shall consider this a threat and we will open fire." A voice spoke to them.


    "Sorry, we can''t have that." Saying that Eva approached the edge before she channeled Origin into her legs. After that, she jumped in the air, reaching a few tens of meters in the air.


    She thennded on the other boat, shocking the whole crew. They didn''tprehend how this woman just closed a 30-meter distance between them in one leap.


    "Hello~" She said with a small smile.


    "W-Who are you?!" One of the men yelled as he scrambled to get his gun.


    "No need for violence, gentlemen. Just take a nap to rx your nerves." Saying that Eva closed the distance between them in a sh before she touched the first man on the shoulder. The man immediately felt a shock running through his spine before he lost consciousness.


    Then, she moved to the next one, knocking him cold too. In a mere second or two, she already made 4 men of the crew fall asleep.


    The few left tried to run away for their lives. They didn''t understand what was going on but they were certain it wasn''t normal! They needed to contact the base!


    "No, we can''t have that, can we?"


    Kicking one of the men down, she jumped to the next one.


    "NO! Please, let me go!!"


    "Don''t worry, I''m just giving you a free nap. ept my generosity." Eva said as she approached thest man.


    "NOOOOO!!!"


    Meanwhile, Kai sat casually on the chair waiting for Eva to finish. His solution wasn''t that far off from what she did, albeit it would''ve been less enjoyable to watch.


    When Eva finished, she jumped back to the boat.


    "Done."


    "Good."


    The boat then started moving. Since the other boats were far away, they didn''t notice themotion. That was optimal for the duo since wasting time wasn''t an option. With every second passing, Kaya could be in danger.


    The boat passed the legal borders of the southern sea and entered a territory that wasn''t crossed by any human in years.


    For some reason, the wind suddenly vanished the moment they entered this territory. The waves also stopped and the sea became calm¡­ deadly calm.


    So calm, in fact, that both Kai and Eva could hear themselves breathing.


    "This is odd," Eva murmured as she looked around.


    The sea at this time of the year should never be calm. The sudden vanishing of the wind was also ticking her off the wrong way.


    "Keep an eye. Something is happening." Kai said coldly.


    He already sensed the abnormality and he had a bad hunch about it.


    The eerie silence prevailed for minutes as the boat kept on moving, albeit carefully. The duo''s eyes moved left and right, in search of any possible bizarre changes.


    "Hm?" At that moment, Eva''s eyes fell on the surface of the water. Squinting her eyes, she asked Kai.


    "Hey, was the water in this area always dark?"

 Chapter 98 98- Anomaly In The Deep (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 98 Chapter 98- Anomaly In The Deep (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 98- Anomaly In The Deep (Part 2)


    "Hm?" Kai made a small sound as he approached the edge of the boat and looked down. Much to his surprise, the water beneath them had suddenly turned into a darker, murkier color out of nowhere.


    Squinting his eyes, Kai''s eyes moved along the darkness, trying to discern where it starts and ends. That''s when he noticed a small detail. This darkness was expanding around them in all directions at a very fast pace.


    Immediately, Kai''s senses alerted him and he quickly dashed back to the steering wheel and increased the speed of the boat.


    "Hold on. Something is beneath the boat."


    "Something?" Eva quickly grabbed into the boat when she felt it increasing its speed. Her eyes never left the sea.


    As the boat moved faster and faster, the lump of darkness didn''t seem to be fading or disappearing. In fact, Eva could clearly see that it was following them while still expanding at the same time.


    ''What the hell is this?! Is it some kind of submarine rising to the surface? Or maybe an animal? But, it''s bigger than any sea animal I have ever seen!'' She thought to herself as she felt her blood run cold.


    Whatever this thing beneath them was, if it kept rising this fast, it would hit the boat. Eva was about to summon a sword andunch it at this moving silhouette. However, at that moment, the boat suddenly shook violently.


    "Woah!" Eva found herself swaying left and right, trying to regain her bnce. The sudden impact was akin to something grabbing into the boat and shaking it violently.


    A second after that, a huge object emerged from beneath the sea surface. The object was massive, almost as big as the boat itself. It looked like a tower in length and was of a rather horrid, scraped red color like that of an old car.


    Looking closer at it, Eva could see visible scars on the surface of this object resembling sword shes.


    ''A¡­ tentacle?'' Eva could only describe this thing as so since it was the closest to a giant, squid tentacle she had ever seen.


    "Hold on!" Kai, who also saw that thing, immediately steered the boat to the left, as he tried to get away from it.


    However, the tentacle suddenly moved like a sh andtched into the boat, shaking it violently again. Eva found herself almost falling into the sea from the impact. The tentacle quickly surrounded the front part of the boat as it started pushing and pulling it as if it was a small toy.


    "Damn it!!" Eva cursed as she quickly summoned a sword and ran toward the tentacle. She had no time to think of what or where did this thinge from. If she didn''t move quickly, the boat would drown!''


    Closing the distance between them, she shed down at the long limb.


    *CLING*


    The sword made a loud screeching sound the moment it made contact with the skin of the tentacle as if it hit a sturdy iron rather than flesh.


    "What is this thing made of?!" Eva quickly changed her approach as she summoned another sword with a pointy edge before she thrust forward.


    The boat was still shaking violently while Kai was using a good amount of effort to try and pull the boat away from the abomination that was following them.


    The two swords hit the tentacle, piercing it sessfully. However, the swords didn''t really reach deep into the tentacle. They barely scratched the surface which still leaked disgusting orange blood.


    Eva felt her limbs going numb from the hit. She sustained some damage from her own attack because of the sheer sturdiness of this tentacle.


    ''Tsk, it hurts!'' She cursed before she got ready to thrust again.


    However, for better or worse, that attack seemed to work as the monster suddenly pulled the limb away from the boat before it submerged again under the water. The surface of the sea turned into an eerie orange color. The silhouette beneath the boat also vanished without any prior warnings.


    "What was that¡­" Eva''s face was colored in disbelief. She still didn''tprehend what just attacked them. She had never seen a creature like that in her life. Even the biggest animal known to humans was way smaller inparison.


    "Don''t put your guard down. That thing is still under us." Kai warned Eva as he quickly moved the boat away.


    However, before the two could get any further away, the darkness returned, this time with even more intensity. Then, from beneath the surface, multiple tentacles emerged at the same time. Precisely, 8 tentacles came out, varying in size and degree of ancient scars on them but they all shared an equally disgusting appearance.


    "Shit!" Eva could only curse at the horrifying sight.


    The tentacles swayed left and right before they dived down on the boat, trying totch on to it and break it in half. If the first attack only left some damage on the frontal half of the boat, this one would destroy it in an instant.


    Although she knew she wouldn''t be able to stop all of them, Eva took a fighting stance as she was about to use her runic domain to attack all of them at the same time.


    However, at that moment, a silhouette passed beside her before jumping into the air.


    "Kai!" Eva yelled his name when she saw him leap into the sea of tentacles in front of them.


    The tentacles seemed to notice him too as they all moved toward the boy, all at the same time. The sight was terrifying as it made Eva''s heart stop for a second.


    Kai, on the other hand, had a calm face as he murmured two words.


    "Atomic sh."


    Immediately, the tentacles that were about to hit him suddenly exploded and disintegrated into extremely small pieces. Disgusting orange blood rained down on the sea, coating itpletely in that color.


    Kai then spun around andnded on the boat.


    "A-Amazing¡­" Eva could only mutter with awe on her face.


    This was the first time she saw Kai''s atomic sh and she could only get shocked. Not only did he somehow cut the tentacles so unbelievably fast that her eyes were barely able to see him unsheathe the sword but he also somehow cut these extremely resilient tentacles as if they were pieces of butter.


    She didn''t even want to imagine how much strength that required.


    A momentter, a loud, earth-shaking shriek shook the whole sea. The duo immediately looked down beneath them. They could see the dark silhouette beneath them shake and move as if it was suffering from hellish pain at that moment.


    Its shrieks were akin to muffled bells ringing on the horizon. Each shriek sent a chill down their spines from how horrid it was.


    "That didn''t kill it. Tsk¡­" Kai murmured to himself as he swung his sword to the side, cleaning it from all blood in a second.


    "What are we even fighting? How can a creature like this exist?" Eva asked, fully knowing that Kai also had no answer.


    "We will talk about itter. We need to first get away from it. The boat is already damaged greatly. It won''t ha-" Before Kai could even say anything, the boat was suddenly pierced from the middle by a tentacle.


    The hit shook the duo out of their bnce before they fell down to the water beneath them. At the same time, the tentacle moved left and right, snapping the boat in half.


    *Ssh* *Ssh*


    Water sshed around them as they found themselves beneath the surface of the water.

 Chapter 99 99- Anomaly In The Deep (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 99 Chapter 99- Anomaly In The Deep (Part 3)</h4>


    Chapter 99- Anomaly In The Deep (Part 3)


    Kai''s vision turned upside down as he felt the coldness of the frozen water engulfs his body. Without hesitation, he channeled his Origin powers to protect himself from the coldness. However, even with that, swimming in this extremely low temperature wasn''t a good feeling at all.


    What made it worse was the fact that Kai saw it clearly before the darkness of the sea clouded his eyes.


    ''The boat broke. Tsk¡­ This is annoying!'' He cursed inwardly before he twisted around, adjusting his position to take a look around.


    Although he was technically still close to the surface of the water, the darkness of the waters was chilling, to say the least. It was as if he was just thrown into apletely different world. A world where light doesn''t exist.


    The first thing he did was to scout the area searching for Eva. Luckily, she wasn''t that far away from him so he quickly swam toward her.


    On the other side, Eva had also regained herposure quickly. Before falling into the water, she was able to take a breath. Considering her training, that breath would be able to allow her to stay underwater for a good 15 minutes. But, keep in mind that 15 minutes is only possible when she doesn''t move at all.


    The more a human moves underwater, the faster their oxygen would deplete and that meant that if Eva was to fight whatever abomination was lurking in the darkness beneath them, she would only have around 7 minutes give or take.


    ''Where is it? Reveal yourself, fucker!'' Eva looked around hurriedly. However, other than the abysmal scenery around her, there was no trace of the monster or the tentacles.


    As she was about to move, she felt something grab her which made her turn around quickly. When she saw that it was only Kai, she instantly rxed her tensed muscles.


    Thetter looked at her before he pointed at the surface. Eva understood what he meant. Then, she started rising to the surface.


    "Bwah!! Kai!" The moment Eva reached the surface, she immediately called for Kai. Thetter had also swam up with her.


    "We don''t have much time. We will have to kill this thing if we want to leave this ce."


    "What should I do?" She asked when she noticed that Kai had some kind of n.


    "I want you to try and catch its attention. Meanwhile, I will try to dive deeper so that I can hit the main bo-"


    Before Kai could even finish his words, he felt something grab his leg before he was pulled down underwater violently.


    ''Tsk¡­'' Clenching his teeth, Kai looked down at the huge tentacles surrounding his left leg. Quickly, he pulled his sword out and shed down with great strength. Even when the water was fighting back, his speed and technique were still horrifying, to say the least.


    With one swipe, he severed the tentacle into two, freeing himself easily. But, at the same time, another tentacle was already flying toward him.


    ''How many does this thing have?''


    He was already in a bad position as it is, and now he had no way of dodging that tentacle. So, he immediately channeled his Origin and used Momentum Talent.


    ''Reverse.'' He thought as he pointed his hand at the tentacle.


    Immediately, the tentacle''s movement halted as a huge explosion urred in the opposite direction. A trail of turbulent water moved into the distance from the tentacle''s initial position like a cyclone underwater.


    Without wasting time, Kai shed with his sword, cutting the tentacle sessfully. Kai''s face was turning colder and colder by the second. Because of the sudden attack, he had no time to take a long breath. He would''ve wanted to take a breath but he knew that this creature won''t allow him.


    In fact, as he was constantly moving around, he could sense tentacles following him.


    The situation could go from bad to horrible depending on what he would face the deeper he goes.


    At the same time, Eva had already dived down. When she saw Kai being followed by those tentacles, she quickly activated her runic domain.


    Instantly, numerous swords appeared around her before they were sent flying. Even underwater, the swords'' speed was impressive. The moment they made contact with the tentacles, they pierced their skin. Orange blood leaked out profusely from the weird limbs.


    But, it didn''t seem to have any immediate effect as the next second, the tentacles changed the target and flew toward Eva. Thetter''s face turned serious as she quickly swam away, luring the tentacles closer and closer toward her.


    When Kai noticed that, he nodded his head before he changed his direction and dived deeper into the darkness. Even those that didn''t fear the deep, abyss-like nature of the sea, would feel bone-chilling fear diving into this sea.


    It wasn''t simply dark or cold. It was a realm of enigmatic darkness that could suck you in if you weren''t careful. That is ignoring the fact that something horrifying, straight out of dark fantasies lurked down there, waiting for someone or something to approach it so that it can suck it in.


    Seconds passed as Eva tried to hold the tentacles as far away as possible while Kai continued his journey down. Ten meters, twenty meters, fifty meters, one hundred meters¡­ The deeper he went, the colder and scarier it got.


    ''Come on, where are you¡­ Reveal yourself¡­'' He thought as he looked around with a frown on his face.


    He could already feel his lungs quickly depleting from oxygen with each passing second. He also knew that Eva won''t hold on for longer.


    Kai''s speed underwater was already mind-blowing as it is. He could easily rival extremely fast sea creatures in their own domain and yet he didn''t think he was fast enough.


    Eventually, he reached the 400 hundred meters mark. At this level, the pressure of the water was inhuman. Was it not for Kai''s extremely sturdy body, he would''ve been easily crushed and turned into meat paste.


    The darkness was now blinding. He could see nor hear anything. So, all he could do was rely on his senses. Spreading them to the extreme, he searched for the monster''s presence.


    A few moments passed in eerie silence before Kai finally opened his eyes and dashed to the right without any hesitation.


    Eventually, in the distance, he could hear something. The same hollow bell ringing that he heard at the surface. This time, it didn''t sound painful. Rather, it was angry and impatient. Kai didn''t even know how these seemingly monotonous sounds could convey such emotions.


    As he closed on at the creature, he eventually could see a glimpse of it. This blinding darkness didn''tpletely get rid of Kai''s eyesight since he could enhance it with Origin but it still obstructed his full vision.


    However, even with that blurry view, it didn''t diminish from the abomination he just witnessed. Now, in fact, that blurriness added ayer of bleak horror to its form. This was the first time in Kai''s entire life that he had seen something so vile, so terrific that he could only look at it with a frown.


    It was aplete and utter nightmare.

 Chapter 100 100- Divine Beginning

    <h4>Chapter 100 Chapter 100- Divine Beginning?</h4>


    Chapter 100- Divine Beginning


    Calling the creature in front of him a monster was an understatement. It exceeded that term and reached a level of its own. It didn''t look like anything he had ever seen even in ancient fantastic tales. However, if Kai had to describe it, it was the closest thing to a Kraken.


    Now, while Krakens are simply giant, monstrous octopuses, this one is different from that in the sense that it wasn''t an octopus. Rather, it was a horrid mix between an insect and an octopus. It had countless eyes on its head akin to that of a fly.


    Its slimy, soft-looking body kept moving left and right as if it was vibrating along with the undercurrents of the sea. It had no nose or ears. However, it had a gigantic mouth filled with twisted and broken fangs and tusks. It was big enough to swallow a giant ship whole.


    Looking at it from close, Kai could feel it sucking him in slowly as he was floating quietly.


    ''This isn''t anywhere close form synthetically created monsters.'' Kai thought to himself with a frown.


    Although as far as Kai knew, the only species that humans were able to infuse Origin sessfully were only nts because of their rather simple anatomy and their aptitude for Origin. Infusing them with Origin did indeed increase their size and turn them into rather hostile creatures. However, even in the case of an Origin-infused animal, it would never reach such a terrifying state at all.


    That meant only one thing¡­ This thing wasn''t the creation of humans nor the creation of Origin itself. It was born a monster and lived long enough to be this abomination.


    Reaching that conclusion, Kai felt as though a huge headache wasing at him from the horizon. He knew that this wasn''t just a simple discovery of a new species. It was far from that.


    As Kai was having such thoughts, the monster noticed his presence and made that loud shriek that shook the whole sea.


    Then, it swam toward him, dwarfing his alreadyparatively small size even more. It was as if Kai was facing a huge skyscraper. Opening its giant, abyss-like mouth, it sucked in the water around it.


    Kai felt his body being pulled powerfully. So, he quickly channeled his Origin and swam back, resisting the force.


    ''I don''t have time for such thoughts.'' He cursed as he quickly unsheathed his sword before he swam around the monster.


    Thetter didn''t seem to have any intention to let him do what he wants as it immediately sent numerous tentacles toward him. Using his sword, Kai skillfully cut through the sea of tentacles as he moved in the direction he intended to.


    With each move, blood will gush out from these disgusting limbs, making the creature howl in pain. Its anger could be seen in its ck eyes. Its relentless nature seemed to be way stronger than Kai could ever anticipate as it kept attacking him from all angles.


    Even for someone like Kai, keeping track of all of these tentacles was a hard task especially when he was feeling an ever-rising burning pain in his lungs. At most, he had 2 or 3 minutes to finish all of this ande back to the top.


    *Swish*


    Cutting the closest tentacle, Kai was finally close to the monster''s head. The two stared at each other as Kai was about to move his sword. However, at that second, the monster suddenly tilted its head so that it aim its mouth at Kai before it did something Kai never expected.


    Out of its mouth, countless tentacles flew out at an extremely high speed. Kai''s eyes widened slightly as he found himself facing them before he could even react.


    *BANG*


    The surprise attack connected violently and Kai found himself flying back at an extremely fast speed. The hit was extremely powerful but Kai was somehow able to handle it to a certain extent.


    This was by far the strongest attack Kai had ever sustained in his life.


    "AGH¡­" A bubble of air leaked out of his mouth, making his situation even more urgent. But, he didn''t stop for a second to readjust himself.


    ''Fuck¡­ you¡­'' He cursed as he felt anger re in his eyes. Then, he quickly wrapped his arms around the tentacles that kept on pushing him away.


    His muscles contorted and his veins bulged visibly. An inhuman amount of Origin channeled through his body, illuminating his hypnotic purple eyes. A secondter, he was able to stop the tentacles miraculously.


    Then, he exerted even more force before he did somethingpletely shocking. He twisted his body around as he pulled the tentacles along with him.


    "HNNNNG¡­" A low groan escaped his mouth when he felt the sheer weight of what he was about to do.


    Spinning around, he pulled the tentacles closer and closer. Along with it, he was able to pull the huge monster along with him.


    The creature howled seemingly in shock as it tried to resist. But, Kai''s tight grip on the tentacles didn''t lessen.


    In a matter of few seconds, the monster found itself spinning around as Kai used its tentacles like a rope to swing it with.


    The monster tried to resist or even hit Kai. But, thetter didn''t allow it to even breathe for a second.


    The sight was shocking, to aical degree. A small human was swinging a giant creature around as if it was a small toy. It didn''t make sense and yet it was happening.


    After spinning around, slowly increasing the speed, Kai reached the momentum he wanted. He felt the creature turn dizzy from the constant movement and that''s when he finally did it.


    With all of his strength, he raised the monster in the air before he smashed it down on the sea floor.


    "HNNNG!" Kai''s teeth clenched violently as he exerted all of his physical strength.


    *BOOOOOOOOOOOM*


    A huge explosion urred the moment the monster made contact with the sea floor. A cloud of dust and debris filled the ce and shrouded whatever was left of Kai''s vision of the ce.


    However, thetter didn''t care as he quickly dived down toward the monster. His hand was already on his sword and his eyes were closed.


    The pain in his lungs was now almost unbearable. He knew that he had no time to rise to the top at this rate but he had no other choice. He either kills it or it will kill him.


    His heart calmed down and his chaotic state of mind became serene. Everything around him became a bleak existence as his mindpletely focused on his sword.


    Wretched Heart felt its owner''s change and it seemingly shone with a weird light as if it was excited at the thought of what was about to happen. Its dark color became even darker as its aura filled Kai''s body. For the first time in a very long time, Kai allowed Wretched Heart to exert its aura as much as it wanted.


    All this time, he was suppressing its true strength so as to not make it lose control and turn him into a bloodthirsty maniac. However, at that moment, Kai had no other choice.


    He needed to finish this thing in one single move and that required Wretched Heart to be at its full potential.


    Finally, Kai''s hand moved as his eyes opened.


    ''Divine Beginning.''


    In an instant, the world froze.

 Chapter 101 101- Reviving Kiss

    <h4>Chapter 101 Chapter 101- Reviving Kiss</h4>


    Chapter 101- Reviving Kiss


    The sea went quiet as if all themotion that happened vanished in an instant. Everything screeched to a halt as if time froze. The only thing that kept moving was Kai''s silhouette as he shed with his sword in a rather slow manner.


    However, the moment he made a full swing, the world returned to normal albeit with a drastic change. The monster beneath him had stopped squirming and moving.


    Then, under Kai''s cold gaze, the monster''s upper body glided down before it got detached from its lower part. The cut was extremely clean as if it was made with a precise knife.


    *BANG*


    The huge frame of the monster fell to the sea floor as an unbelievably huge amount of orange blood gushed out of the severed part. The monster''s howls stoppedpletely in a second as its horrifying eyes lost their vigor and light.


    The monster¡­ was cut in half with one move.


    This was simply a terrifying feat that could shake the whole world if anyone were to see it. Even the most skilled of swordsman could never cut something of that size with one move let alone a creature with a skin as tough as pure iron.


    ''You still didn''t lose your touch, didn''t you?'' Kai looked at Wretched Heart as he quickly suppressed its aura again when he felt it trying to take over him. Kai wasn''t surprised that even after years of not using it, the sword was still as devastatingly sharp as ever.


    In fact, it seemed to have somehow grown even sharper and more lustful for blood during this period of time. As if the sword was gaining strength of its own. Kai knew that if that was the case, he would have to deal with it one way or another.


    However, Wretched Heart wasn''t the only reason for this terrifying attack. Kai''s technique ''Divine Beginning'' was the main key part. It was a technique of his that he learned when he was still a toddler.


    Its power was unmatched and its effects could only be considered monstrous. However, that didn''t mean that anyone could learn it. In fact, as far as Kai was concerned, he was one of only two people to ever learn it. Just at the mere thought of who that second person was, Kai frowned as he felt a slight anger rise in his heart. So, he quickly shook his head to disperse those thoughts.


    ''Hopefully, I won''t need to use you long enough for you to finally take control over me.'' He thought to himself before he unsheathed the sword and quickly started swimming up with all of his strength.


    He only had a few seconds at most before his oxygen ran out and he will end up dying from suffocation. That would be ironically the funniest death Kai could ever have. A monster like him that was never defeated ended up drowning in the sea.


    However, Kai won''t allow it. Moving his hands and feet in perfect motion, he was able to cross a huge distance in a matter of seconds. The more he moved, the more he felt his eyes growing hazy and the burning feeling in his chest was at an all-time high.


    ''Just a few¡­ more¡­'' Kai thought to himself. His limbs were growing weaker and his Origin was already wavering, making the coldness of the sea prate and engulf his body making the situation even worse.


    However, luckily for him, just at thest second, when he was about to lose consciousness, he could finally see the light of the sun before his head pierced the surface of the water.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Hah¡­" Inhaling and exhaling quickly, Kai felt as if he just came back from death''s doors.


    "That was certainly unpleasant." He murmured before he looked around him.


    Other than the sinking boat, Kai couldn''t see anything else around him.


    "Where is Eva?"


    When he expanded his senses and didn''t find her on the surface, Kai''s expression changed. "Don''t tell me¡­" Then, he quickly took a deep breath before he dived down again.


    ''Why did she stay this long underwater? Did the tentacles get her? Did I waste time?'' A million questions emerged in his head as he looked around frantically.


    Eva had submerged herself underwater at the same time as he did and she stayed there the whole time he was fighting the monster. Which meant that if she was indeed still underwater, then she was in grave danger.


    Kai''s senses expanded to the extreme as he searched for her silhouette. For some reason, Kai felt his heart rate increase and his mind was rather chaotic at that moment. He didn''t stop to understand why as he knew every passing second was extremely crucial.


    A few momentster, his senses caught the presence of what seemed to be a human 60 or 70 meters away from him. He could clearly sense that it was Eva and from what he can sense, she was slowly descending to the sea floor¡­ Motionless.


    Without a second thought, Kai dashed toward her at his top speed. Feeling her rather weak presence, Kai''s panic increased.


    ''Hurry¡­ I don''t have time¡­''


    A few secondster, Eva''s silhouette finally entered his vision. She was slowly moving down with her limbs spread wide. Her eyes were closed and her body was limp.


    Reaching her, Kai quickly scooped her. He could instantly sense that her heart wasn''t beating and that made a weird feeling rise in his heart. A feeling that he thought he would never have in his life again. A feeling that he almost forgot about after all these years.


    However, he didn''t care about that detail at that moment as he quickly rose to the surface.


    "Hah¡­" Breathing a lungful of air, he carried Eva to the floating boat.


    Then, heid her on her back before he quickly channeled his Origin and put his hand on her chest.


    "Come on¡­ You aren''t dead yet." He murmured as he sent a shockwave through her body. However, nothing happened. So, he tried again. The shockwave made her body move but she didn''t seem to be gaining any pulse.


    "Come on, Eva. I wasn''tte. You won''t die. I won''t allow it." He said in a rather authoritative tone.


    Then, he tilted her head before he quickly closed the distance between them and connected their lips together. Feeling her cold, soft lips made Kai''s eyes squint. Then, he blew into her mouth, making her chest rise. At the same time, he used his Origin to shock her heart to restart its functioning.


    Breathing a lungful of air again, he blew it into her mouth. The feeling of dread Kai had at that moment was so new to him that he didn''t even know how to react to it properly.


    After a few tries and as Kai''s feeling of hopelessness increased, a miracle happened. Kai felt Eva''s pulse suddenly start again. Then, she suddenly titled her body to the side voluntarily.


    "Cough!! Cough!! Cough!!"


    Water came out of her mouth with each cough. After finally getting it all out, her eyes finally started opening again.


    At that moment, Kai''s eyes widened slightly.

 Chapter 102 102- Different

    <h4>Chapter 102 Chapter 102- Different</h4>


    Chapter 102- Different


    Kia felt the whole world around him turn into a monochromic blurry mess as his eyes rested on the girl coughing profusely in front of him. For some reason, he couldn''t get his eyes away from her.


    Seeing her breathing even when she was struggling with the water still inside her lungs, it made him feel something that he couldn''tprehend. His panicked mind also calmed down as a feeling of relief washed away all of his urgency.


    He felt as if for a second, he was pulled out of a dark hole that he was slowly descending into. But, all of this wasn''t something Kai could understand quickly.


    ''Why am I feeling this?'' He thought to himself.


    It was certainly conflicting for him considering theck of changes in his emotions for the past 10 years or so. Hepletely forgot what most feelings were. The only thing he could easily distinguish was annoyance and anger, other than that, he was as clueless as a toddler.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Hah¡­" Meanwhile, Eva''s coughing finally stopped as she heaved up and down as her hazy red eyes rested on Kai. Her pale expression suddenly lit up weakly.


    "K-Kai¡­" She murmured his name with a feeble tone.


    "It''s me." Thetter shook his head to disperse his thoughts before he focused on Eva again. "You almost killed yourself. What happened?"


    "I¡­ couldn''t¡­ I was fighting the tentacles and then¡­ I think I made a mistake and got hit by one of the tentacles. I couldn''t recuperate quickly enough and lost all the oxygen in my lungs. But¡­ I-I didn''t want to let the tentacles focus on you when you''re down there so I used all of my powers to keep them at bay for as long as I could¡­" Eva exined as she closed her eyes.


    She could still vividly remember as she was losing consciousness. Her thoughts were only filled with Kai. On one hand, she was worried that she might''ve failed in her task. She wanted to be useful to Kai as much as she could so the fact that she couldn''t keep the tentacles'' attention for the required time really pained her greatly. On the other hand, she felt sad that she might die.


    The concept of death isn''t foreign to Eva. She reached near-death situations before and each time, she didn''t feel much about it. So what if she died? This world wasn''t worth longing for. Death to her was akin to a quick exit from the cruelty and disgusting nature of life.


    However, after she met Kai, that idea shiftedpletely. She started longing for life simply so she could stay by his side. The more she found herself in danger the more she wanted to not die. At that moment of her vision blurring and the burning feeling in her chest turning into numbness, she only thought of one thing.


    ''Would Kai be sad¡­ If I die? Would he grieve my death?'' She asked herself a question she never thought of before.


    Did she really reach a level where Kai would care if she died or not?


    Sadly, she had no answer to that at that moment of death. Instead, she could only appease herst few heartbeats with the fact that Kai will feel sad. It was an assumption but she embraced it willingly. At least, if she was going to die, she would rather die with a smile on her face than a frown.


    But, as if fate decided otherwise, she found herself alive, next to her beloved. She did not die. When her clouded mind reached that conclusion, a surge of happiness filled her heart.


    "I¡­ was scared¡­ I thought I will leave this world before you¡­ Hick¡­ I-I don''t want that¡­" Tears welled up in Eva''s eyes. She didn''t want to cry but the sheer amount of relief she was feeling at that moment overwhelmed her.


    "Idiot¡­" Turning around Kai slid his hand through his hair as he murmured those words. "If you were scared, why didn''t you escape?" He asked.


    Normally, when someone feels fear, their first instinct would be to escape and from what Eva said, Kai deducted that she did indeed have a chance to escape. Yet, she decided to risk her life and continue pulling the tentacles'' attention.


    "Hick¡­ I was even more scared of the fact that if I don''t stop them, it might put your life in even more danger than it already was¡­" She said as she lifted her head weakly and tried to wipe her tears.


    Kai froze in his ce hearing such words before he looked at Eva.


    ''This girl¡­ What is wrong with her?''


    For someone who can read people''s minds as masterfully as Kai, Eva was akin to a whole new book in his eyes. She didn''t follow any of the patterns normal people that he met during his life would. She would always do things he never expects and yet he never found that annoying. In fact, now that he looked at how relieved he was that she didn''t die, Kai was almost certain that Eva wasn''t the same ''trustworthy Acquintance'' he considered her to be for the longest time.


    He didn''t know what he thought of her but he was certain things changed without him noticing.


    "Sigh¡­ If you really want to help me¡­ Don''t put your life at risk again." He said with a cold tone.


    Eva''s eyes widened in surprise as her tears continued to fall down freely. Then, she nodded her head dumbfoundedly.


    ''Was Kai¡­ worried?'' She asked herself. His tone was no different from usual but his words certainly were not the usual. That made her heart beat loudly before Eva found herselftching her arms around Kai''s neck as she buried her face into his neck.


    "I''m sorry¡­ *Sniff*... I''m really sorry!!" Her crying didn''t stop at all and instead intensified when she felt Kai''s warmth close to her.


    "You don''t need to be¡­ You did help me. I''m the one who should be grateful." He said as he touched her back to support her from falling.


    Kai''s tense body also instinctively rxed at her touch. He simply sat there silently as he listened to Eva''s cries and small whispers.


    "Kai¡­ I want to be stronger¡­ I don''t want to be powerless¡­ I hate it¡­ I''m too weak¡­" She suddenly said as she tightened her hug around him.


    "Aren''t you already training?"


    "No, it''s too slow. I have realized that I can''t really keep up with the ever-rising threat that is attacking us. Especially now that I became the target of the guild. I don''t want you to worry about me anymore. I want to be able to stand on my own feet and fight anyone."


    Even though Eva was a top 100 hitman that was able to kill a top 50 hitman with pure skill, she still found herselfpletely weak in front of many people that targeted her and Kai. At first, she ignored that. But, now that she found herself on the edge of death, closer than ever before, she didn''t want to feel like that ever again.


    She didn''t want to die before Kai.


    "So¡­ When we find that woman ande back home¡­ Can you train me?"

 Chapter 103 103- Useles Talent

    <h4>Chapter 103 Chapter 103- Useles Talent</h4>


    Chapter 103- Useles Talent


    "Train you?" Kai asked in confusion.


    "Yes, I want to be way stronger. I want to be able to fight anyone that dares to hinder us."


    "..."


    "I know it''s not easy. But, I''m fed up with always ending up a dead weight on your back. This time, I was lucky enough to have you save my life and even then, I was still closer to death than I ever was before. I don''t want that to happen again."


    Kai''s eyes squinted for a second before he looked away. "You''re already plenty strong for your age. Your talent is good. In a few years, you might even be able to master your main talent."


    "Maybe I am. But, I know that for me to be able to be useful to you, I can''t simply wait a few years. I need strength in the shortest period of time possible. Look at what we fought, Kai. That thing shouldn''t even exist. What if the world as we know it has more to hide than for the eye to see?"


    It was indeed true that their encounter with this giant seawater abomination opened their eyes to a possibility that was too absurd to even fully grasp. If a creature like that existed, then did that mean that their world had a simr kind of abomination hiding in the darkness of the sea or the abyss of forests and desserts.


    In all of its history, humanity was only able to discover around 60% of the totalndscape in the world and a terrifying 5% of all the seas. So, just imagining what the rest 40% and 95% respectfully have in hiding is a headache of its own.


    ''Tsk, what kind of mess is this?'' Kai could only rub his temple. Luckily, he was able to beat that creature albeit with some difficulty. What if it was simply weakpared to other things lurking around them? What if there was something that even Kai couldn''t beat?


    "Strength doesn''te with a cheap price. The more power you want, the more sacrifices you will have to make just to get it. Even I can''t cut down the sacrifices you will have to make if you really want to break through."


    Kai''s face frowned slightly as he stared at Eva directly. Thetter was surprised at first but quickly turned serious again. She already knew that she had to sacrifice many things to be able to achieve her goal.


    "I''m ready to sacrifice whatever it takes to get it."


    "What if that sacrifice is everything you care about?" Kai suddenly asked as his eyes drifted away, looking at the endless expanse of water around them. When he didn''t hear an immediate answer, he looked back at Eva and spoke again. "What if that''s what it takes to gain power? Will you still do it?"


    "... I¡­"


    Eva opened her mouth to answer but found herself speechless. However, before she could even process the question properly, Kai shook his head.


    "No, don''t answer. It''s pointless." After that, he closed his eyes and didn''t speak anymore.


    Eva also didn''t try to say anything else and simply hugged Kai quietly. She knew that there was a hidden meaning behind his question but she didn''t know what it was. Did it have some kind of connection with Kai''s past? Or maybe he knew something she didn''t know of? Both possibilities could be the truth.


    ''I will think about it once we go back home.'' Eva noted in her head.


    Time passed quietly as the duo kept hugging each other. The sea''s quietness and salty smell made it rather calming, especially when there wasn''t a giant monster to ruin it.


    Eventually, Eva finally calmed down before she pulled away slightly, her face was still close to Kai''s as she stared at his visible face with a dazed look.


    "I guess I will never be able to pay you back for saving my life multiple times." She said with a rather sad smile.


    "You aren''t indebted to me. It was my idea from the start to go to the frozen ins. Now, we are in a bad situation."


    Although the broken half of the boat they were in was still floating. The other one was close topletely getting submerged underwater.


    Kai really had no idea as to what they should do. He was intending to continue the journey of swimming since both of them are capable of crossing tens of kilometers in water. However, with Eva''s current condition, he knew she won''t be able to exert a lot of power.


    But, much to his surprise, Eva seemed to have an idea as she smiled.


    "I think I can do something about it." As she said that, she tried to stand up. But, her feet felt wobbly and weak and she almost fell.


    But, Kai caught her before shepletely tilted back.


    "You came back from death a few minutes ago. Don''t make sudden movements."


    "Ok¡­ Can you please pull that other sinking part out of the water?" She asked.


    "Hm?" Kai didn''t understand why she wanted that but he stillplied and jumped in the water again. Then, he grabbed the other part before he easily lifted it up from underwater as if it was a piece of paper.


    For someone who swung a monster tens or even hundreds of times his size as if it was a toy, this piece of the boat was nothing.


    "Get it close from the other half. Link them together."


    After doing that, Eva used her powers before she touched the two parts with her two hands. Suddenly, a glue-like substance started to appear in her hands. It quickly moved to the gap between the two parts and it quickly stuck to them.


    A few moments passed as the glue spread all around the two parts,pletely linking them together.


    "I had this talent for a while now. Thought it mighte in handy in the future even though it''s mostly useless in every other case."


    "..."


    "Hehehe, are you surprised? I also have my fair share of weird talents that nobody uses." Eva chuckled mischievously.


    Kai didn''t answer as he simply jumped back on the boat. "How strong is this glue?"


    "Strong enough to continue the journey. But, it won''t for a very long time." She said.


    "If we reach the frozen ins, we can find another way of going back," Kai said.


    Kai nodded his head before he touched the steering wheel of the boat. Then, he closed his eyes and infused it with Origin. The reason for that was that he wanted to connect all the severed connections between the engine and the otherponents of the boat. The process required an extremely strong mental strength and aplete understanding of the boat''s structure.


    That''s why Kai had made sure to analyze the whole boat before they departed. He knew that many things could go wrong on a boat in the middle of nowhere so if he needed to fix something he would be able to do it.


    After a few seconds, the two heard the engine turning on before the boat started moving again.


    "Fufufufu~ We did it!" Eva said with a happy expression.


    Their teamwork was fruitful and they were able to continue their journey. However, what the duo didn''t know was that thend they were about to set foot in will change the futurepletely. A discovery that will shake this entire world in the future and turn the tides of every possible party involved.


    The wheel of fate''s turning elerated.

 Chapter 104 104- The Frozen Plains (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 104 Chapter 104- The Frozen ins (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 104- The Frozen ins (Part 1)


    The duo''s journey continued smoothly. The wind returned to the sea and the temperature also went down drastically in a short period of time.


    However, Kai and Eva didn''t mind that coldness as they were wearing heavy clothes and using their powers to keep their bodies well-protected and warm in this snowy realm.


    After a few hours of pure silence, they finally were able to see something on the horizon that wasn''t an expanse of the blue sea. The two looked at it with apprehensive expressions on their faces.


    ''The frozen ins¡­ I never had the opportunity to visit it myself but I did hear it was a ce of mystery.'' Eva thought as she remembered the rumors she heard about the area.


    It was certainly one of the more bizarre ces in the world that people didn''t quite understand. Rumors about it being a ce where extraterrestrial beings live or rumors that it had a gate that led to another world. They were certainly silly at first look but the truth was still unknown itself.


    Now that Eva saw with her own eyes what was lurking in the sea near this ce, she hadpletely disregarded her previous assumptions about the frozen ins.


    As for Kai, he simply was focusing on another detail he noticed the moment he saw the frozen ins. ''It''s colder than I remember.'' He thought.


    A few years back, he did go on a mission to the frozen ins and he could clearly remember that it was rather warmer than now although still extremely coldpared to other regions of the world.


    This change might seem insignificant but considering how bizarre this ce was, Kai could only get even more alerted. He will have to keep an eye on everything around him from the very moment they step into that ce.


    As the two were having such thoughts, the boat eventually reached the frozen ins. Since the ce was basically a huge piece of ice floating in the sea, the edges of it were uneven and even sharp in some areas.


    So, Kai docked the ship near one of the more even areas before the two jumped on the ce.


    "It''s really cold, huh? Even my powers aren''tpletely nullifying the weather." Eva said as she covered her head with her thick coat.


    "Don''t put your guard down. We aren''t in a safe ce." Kai said as he adjusted his hair. Finally, for the first time, his rather long hair came in handy to keep his eyes covered from the snow that was falling on them. It was a good protection barrier.


    "How are we going to find Kaya?" Eva asked as the two started walking into the endless icy wastnd.


    "We will head to thest location we know of her phone. If she isn''t there. We will try to sense her presence around the area."


    "I see¡­ Well, I still can''t wrap my head around the reason why she went to such a ce. What''s there to find in this ce? It''s just an expanse of ice and horrible weather. Unless¡­" Eva knew that Kaya wasn''t dumb enough to go to such a ce for no reason. There must''ve been a goal in mind.


    "Hmm, can you feel it?"


    "Feel what?"


    "The Origin in the Air. It''s extremely dense and pure. Way above the normal levels." Kai exined as he closed his eyes for a second, feeling the sheer amount of natural Origin powers covering every inch of this ce.


    Since Origin is a natural energy created by the world itself, its existence relied on the nature of the area it was in. For example, in a giant metropolitan city, the level of Origin in the air is usually very low and the reason for that is the impure nature of the atmosphere there.


    However, in a ce as deste and as untouched as the frozen ins, the atmosphere was extremely pure and natural so Origin finds a ce to thrive and increase in density and purity through a process that takes hundreds of thousands or even millions of years. Other ces where Origin could thrive are the deepest parts of the sea, the highest peaks in the world, and also extremely thick jungles and forests.


    "I can feel it. This is quite unusual. Even in Origin rooms back in my house, it never reaches such a density."


    Since Origin users can''t simply go to such extreme ces just to find pure Origin for their training, they had to find a way of making that pure Origine to them and that''s how ''Origin Rooms'' were created. They simply were ces specifically made to allow for Origin to remain pure and dense when imported there.


    However, such ces were extremely expensive to build so only the richest of rich people could afford that luxury. Others could only do with the little Origin in the world around them.


    "The more we walk deeper into the frozen ins, the colder it gets and the more pure the Origin bes. My bet is that whatever Kaya''s reason was toe here, it has to do with this."


    ''It''s already different from years ago¡­. But, what could she do here?''


    As the two continued walking, the wind grew stronger and the snowfall became even heavier. Their visions of the path ahead became blurry because of the storm. But, the two didn''t care as they continued to walk.


    If it was a normal human, they would''ve died by now.


    "Hmm?" Taking a step forward, Eva suddenly stumbled upon something. Her eyes went down and she noticed a weird bulge in the snow that didn''t look normal at all.


    "Kai,e take a look at this." She said as she crouched down and looked at the bulge.


    She didn''t want to touch it carelessly as she didn''t know what the hell was under that snow. It could be another creepy monster for all she knew.


    ''My senses didn''t pick up on it¡­ Odd¡­ The only things that my senses don''t pick up on are¡­'' Realizing what it could be, Kai crouched down and dug some snow away, easily revealing what was lying under the snow.


    Immediately, the two frowned slightly.


    The thing that they found was shockingly a dead corpse of a human. It waspletely frozen and so it didn''t dpose. Looking closer at it, the corpse belonged to a rather young man, probably in his 20s. He wore thick attire like they did but from theck of injuries that Kai could see on the surface of his body, he most likely died from cold.


    "What is a corpse doing here?" Eva murmured with a confused expression. "Has it been here for a very long time perhaps?"


    "No. It''s not buried that deep under snow. The corpse hasn''t been here for long. A few days at most." Kai said with a thoughtful expression.


    From the look on the man''s face, it seemed he had died a very horrible death. His terrified, tired eyes tell a long story of his suffering. Dying from the cold wasn''t a nice thing.


    As Kai was about to stand up, he noticed something hiding under the man''s coat. Extending his hand, he picked it up and his eyes squinted.


    Eva approached him and took a look before her eyes widened slightly. The thing in Kai''s hand was an identity card. However, it wasn''t a normal identity card. This ID belonged to a particr system that the two of them recognized immediately.


    "A Divinity identification card¡­ Kai, this man came here along with Kaya¡­" Eva voiced her shock.

 Chapter 105 105- The Frozen Plains (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 105 Chapter 105- The Frozen ins (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 105- The Frozen ins (Part 2)


    Kai stood silent for a second as if he was trying to absorb all the information from the identification card. From what he can see, the card had the man''s name, picture, birthday, and also his rank in Divinity which was a Level 4 Ascender.


    The highest level cap an ascender could reach is Level 5 and then they can either stay there or officially challenge one of the higher ranks for a fight to get their position. This man over here wasn''t there yet but he was certainly a strong individual.


    "Kaya didn''te here alone. She came along with a group of people." He said as he put down the ID card before he stood up again.


    "So it''s an expedition?" Eva''s eyes trailed her beloved as he turned around to look at the path ahead of them.


    "More or less. It seems Divinity had really wanted whatever existed here for them to send Level 4 Ascenders and an Archangel."


    "Let''s continue¡­"


    Looking onest time at the dead man, Eva could only shake her head. This man will be staying in this ce for eternity, buried under meters and meters of snow. His body won''t even dpose because of the coldness. Such a thing was dawning to think about it.


    Being buried in such a deste ce, alone and hundreds of miles away from any person. Eva was sure that she never wants to experience that in her life. If her time to diees, she wants to be surrounded by the people she loves. That''s her wish and her goal. Her eyes instinctively looked at Kai as her tense expression rxed visibly.


    ''Maybe when I die, our children would be around my deathbed?'' She asked in her head.


    It was a rather happy thought to think about. But, her mind quickly came back to reality when she realized that Kai had stopped again a few minutester.


    "Another corpse¡­" He said with a sharp look in his eyes.


    The corpse he found this time was that of an older yet still strong-looking woman. She had the same terrified expression that the young man had albeit she seemed more epting of her death than he was.


    Rummaging through her clothes, he found her ID, and much to his surprise, she was a Level 5 Ascender.


    ''Tsk, even this one couldn''t handle the weather? Even at its current condition, it should be impossible for her to die from hypothermia.'' Kai was confused.


    The Level 4 Ascender guy could certainly die from this weather but a Level 5 Ascender was simply way stronger than a Level 4 so the fact that she died meant that the weather a few days ago was even worse than now!


    "What is going on¡­" Kai murmured as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Something isn''t making sense¡­ This ce had a drastic change in the past few years."


    "The weird sea monster, the extremely cold weather, the dead bodies¡­ Kai, I think we''re walking into somethingpletely different from what we anticipated."


    "Tsk¡­ I know. Just be careful."


    The two then started walking again. After that, every 10 or so minutes, they would stumble across another corpse. The number went from 2 to 14 in a matter of two hours or so. The corpses belonged to Level 4 and 5 Ascenders. Each one of them had the same death from hypothermia because of the weather.


    ''How many died? This is insane.'' Eva could only rub her temple at the sheer number of deaths this expedition sustained. Just imagining what the leader of this expedition had to do was dawning on her. For the first time since she met Kaya, Eva actually felt a slight sympathy for the woman.


    Eva was almost certain Eva was the leader of this group considering her position.


    ''Although I don''t like her. I don''t wish for her to face such a horrible situation and then die.'' She thought to herself.


    As for Kai, he simply stayed silent as he walked slightly ahead of Eva just to be sure to look around him freely.


    "We''re close to the location of the phone," Kai said as he looked at the map on his phone. The ce where the phone was seemed to be some kind of mountain.


    His eyes then shifted to the path ahead of them and truth behold, there was a rather big mountain standing imposingly on the horizon amidst the vastnds of snow. Its white attire and rocky surface made it especially intimidating for those who look at it. Like a giant monster looming over an ancient realm, daring travelers to try and move past him.


    "That''s our destination," Kai said.


    The two approached the foothill of the mountain slowly but carefully before they looked around them. Kai''s eyes searched the area for any small clues about Kaya or anything rted to her bizarre expedition.


    "Kai, isn''t that¡­" Eva suddenly pointed at her far right. There, she could almost see what seemed to be a hole in the mountain.


    "It''s a cave. Let''s go."


    Immediately, the two rushed toward the weird sighting. There, they found a huge entrance to what seemed to be a dark, rocky cave.


    "Is the phone perhaps inside?" She asked.


    "We will see¡­" Walking inside the cave, the duo felt the horrible winds of the blizzard calm down which was a great feeling.


    ''The group most likely hid here because they couldn''t continue anymore.'' Kai''s eyes scanned the cave. It was certainly very deep as he couldn''t even see the end of it from here.


    As they walked inside the cave, Kai''s senses finally picked up on something. Instantly, he moved like a sh, appearing beside it.


    "Kaya''s phone¡­" Kai murmured as he looked at the small phone thrown on the ground. Weirdly enough, the phone was still working normally. Which meant that the moment Kaya called him almost a day ago, she was definitely still here.


    ''Even if she left, she shouldn''t be that far away considering the weather.''


    As Kai was thinking of what could''ve transpired inside this ce, Eva carefully picked up the phone before she stored it.


    The two then continued walking deeper and deeper inside the cave. The weather was certainly getting hotter and hotter the more they walked inside. However, that didn''t make them any more rxed.


    Suddenly, Kai heard a sounding from ahead. His eyes squinted as he peered through the cave.


    "Let''s hurry." He said as the two started running toward the source of the noise. Eventually, they found it.


    In one of the corners of the cave, the two saw a huge, ck bole tucked carefully against the wall. The ball was fleshy but didn''t seem to be anything animalistic or human.


    "What the fuck is this?" Eva murmured to herself with a rather unpleasant expression.


    However, Kai didn''t share the same reaction. Instead, he quickly approached the ball before he slit it open with a simple move of his right hand.


    Immediately, something spilled out of the ball. Seeing what it was, Eva''s face widened in pure shock.


    "Kaya?!"


    She didn''tprehend what was going on yet somehow, Kaya was just exerted from inside that fleshy ball. What the fuck is actually going on?!


    However, Kai had no time to answer her question as he quickly checked Kaya''s condition and his face frowned visibly.


    ''I can sense her pulse.'' He thought; however, that didn''t make his face look any better.


    Kaya was, for theck of a better word, in a horrid state. Calling her injuries inhuman was an understatement. This was by far the worst condition Kai had seen a human in his entire life.

 Chapter 106 106- The Frozen Plains (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 106 Chapter 106- The Frozen ins (Part 3)</h4>


    Chapter 106- The Frozen ins (Part 3)


    Ignoring the fact that her body waspletely covered in blood as if she was dipped in a pool made out of it, she had countless small and big cuts on her body. Her left arm waspletely broken and she had a huge, disgusting injury on her chest that was seemingly the result of a w attack.


    Her face also had countless cuts and bruises. She was simply in a terrifying condition. Even Kai, who didn''t mind gore and blood, could only frown looking at her. What did she go through for her to be like this?


    "Why did she¡­ Huh?" Eva was still trying to understand the situation.


    However, Kai didn''t reply as he immediately rested his hand on her chest before he channeled his Origin. Instantly, Kaya''s injuries started healing at an extremely fast speed. Her major cuts took a few more seconds than the smaller ones to heal but they still closed up all the same.


    ''Even her organs were ruptured¡­ What the hell happened here?'' He thought. Not only was Kayapletely wrecked, it didn''t seem to be the work of a human at all.


    "Kai¡­ Is she going to survive?" Eva asked with a rather concerned tone.


    "She was on the verge of death. But, we luckily reached her on time. I don''t even know how she stayed alive this long¡­" As Kai murmured to himself, his eyes fell on the deted ck ball in front of him.


    "No, I guess Kaya used her ability to preserve her body for as long as possible."


    "Her ability?"


    "Yes, I did some research on her a year ago and I discovered that Kaya''s main talent is to summon entities akin to monsters that she can control. She calls them ''Demons'' and they are akin to her pets. This one is probably one of her summons."


    ''What a weird ability¡­''


    "Hah!!" Suddenly, Kaya''s motionless body flinched as she heaved in a lungful of air. Her deathly pale face started regaining color. However, she didn''t seem to have woken up.


    "She''s still in a bad condition even after my healing. We need to get her back as soon as possible." Kai said when he felt her breathing start to stabilize and her heart rate regaining some strength to it.


    Her extremely ufortable expression from the sheer pain also rxed and when Kai scooped her up gently, her facepletely let loose as if she found herself in the mostfortable ce in the world.


    She instinctively snuggled closer to Kai''s chest as she slept soundly.


    Eva looked at the woman for a second before she sighed and looked away. She didn''t like to see a woman that close to Kai but she knew it wasn''t the time for her to act childish when they were in a dangerous territory.


    "What kind of thing turned her into that mess? What did she see?" Eva asked.


    "I do not know. But, it''s certainly not the work of a human. Whatever she fought is something that is capable of beating an archangel to death. Besides, her whole team is gone."


    ''Did they meet something like that monster I killed in the sea? But, where are these thingsing from? Why do they even exist?''


    As the two were about to walk out of the ce. Kai suddenly heard a small noiseing from behind him. It was faint, almost inaudible if it wasn''t for Kai''s extremely sharp senses, however, that simple noise made his whole body tense up as he instantly used Origin.


    A huge ice wall appeared behind him and Eva in an instant just right before it happened.


    *BOOOOOOOOM*


    A huge explosion shook the whole cave sending both Kai and Eva back from sheer strength. The ice wall instantly cracked as a weird white object pierced it and flew right toward Kai.


    "What the hell?!" Eva yelled in shock as she looked behind. Everything happened in a split second.


    "Catch her!!" Kai didn''t wait at all as he sprang into action.


    Thetter quickly threw Kaya to Eva who caught her sessfully. Then, before the white object hit him, he put his hands in front of him to guard against the attack.


    *BANG*


    Upon contact, Kai found himself flying back in the air as he tried to resist the intense power of the white object.


    ''Huh¡­ webs?'' Realizing that this white rope-like thing was actually spiderwebs merged into one thick rope. However, feeling the extremely sharp edge and the impressively robust nature of it, Kai could only question what kind of material this web was made out of.


    ''Now isn''t the time for such thoughts¡­'' Clicking his tongue he quickly wrapped his arms around the white rope before he used his strength to snap it.


    It took some effort but it did indeed seed.


    *CRACK*


    Landing on the ground as he glided a few meters back. Kai looked at the broken piece he took with him before he threw it away.


    "Kai!!"


    "Get Kaya and leave, now." He said in a sharp and cold tone as he red at the dark interior of the cave. "Get as far away as possible. I will follow after you."


    Eva knew that Kai wasn''t asking her to do so¡­ He was ordering her and she understood that he wasn''t doing it out of arrogance. No, it was because he assessed that whatever attacked him now wasn''t something Eva could handle with Kaya in her hands. Not to mention the fragile state of the blond woman.


    "Ok! Please, be careful."


    "Once again, a bunch of lesser humans disturbs my rest. What manner of disrespect is this?" A hoarse, disgusting voice spoke suddenly making the duo frown.


    Neither of them expected to hear a voiceing from within the cave. A secondter, the two heard the sound of small steps approaching them in a rather slow manner.


    "However, this queen is quite surprised. A member of your race actually managed to thwart my ambush. Quite impressive for a human indeed." The voice was certainly inhuman and yet it still sounded way worse than any animalistic sounds the two had ever heard in their lives. It even exceeded the abomination they fought in the deep sea.


    Kai''s eyes turned sharply cold as he rested his hand on his sword.


    A momentter, the creature revealed itself, and again, the duo was quite taken aback. If this creature''s voice was akin to scratching a board with sharp nails, then its appearance was akin to breaking that board on your head.


    It was the most disgusting, nightmarish creature the two had seen, far worse than even that huge octopus.


    If Kai had to describe it, it looked like half a human, half a spider with the lower part being that of the spider. It had 8 disgusting legs and a huge belly at the back of its body.


    A weird substance was leaking out of its dark, purplish skin that was akin to acid. The moment it made contact with the stone floor, it immediately starts boiling and prating it.


    Ironically enough, its human part was even more disgusting than the spider part. It had 6 arms, three on each side, and had a weird, distorted female face with 6 eyes and a slitted mouth that reached where its ears should''ve existed.


    However, that wasn''t what made Kai''s aura re.


    ''This monster is strong¡­'' He immediately felt it from its aura.


    Now, he finally understood why Kaya was turned into that state. No, it was actually a miracle that she wasn''t killed.


    "Indeed, extracting the innards of those humans provided the sustenance required by this queen. Nevertheless, I will no longer tolerate further insolence from you."? With a wide, distorted smile that could be the worst nightmare fuel, the creature said arrogantly.

 Chapter 107 107- Spider Queen (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 107 Chapter 107- Spider Queen (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 107- Spider Queen (Part 1)


    "What are you?" Kai asked coldly as he gave Eva a hidden signal. Thetter finally woke up from her shocked trance before she quickly nodded her head and started moving away from the monster.


    However, as Eva was about to take the first step, the monster''s eyes suddenly locked on her before it opened its mouth and spat out another web robe that flew at an extremely fast speed, aiming for Eva''s heart.


    However, before it could make contact, Kai had already vanished from where he stood and appeared right in front of the web attack. Then, using Wretched Heart, he deflected the attack skillfully, making it smash into the ground.


    "How dare a human like you deflect my attack twice?" The monster was quite displeased with what happened as it hissed at Kai.


    "Answer my question, monster. What are you?" Kai asked coldly. His aura erupted as itpletely consumed the whole cave, crushing the monster''s royal-like presence.


    It was as if Kai himself was a king that was in the presence of a queen. Both sh with their auras for domination of the cave.


    ''This human is peculiar. The other ones were easy enough to squash.'' Although the monster kept a fairly arrogant expression on its face, its thoughts werepletely different. She understood that Kai wasn''t the same as the other people that she killed that invaded her home.


    "Speak," Kai repeated, waking up the monster from its trance.


    "Since you were able to stop my attacks, I shall give you the honor of knowing who am I." Teh monster boasted arrogantly. "My name is Lithich, The Queen of Spiders. Bow before me, human."


    "Spider queen? Never heard of it." Kai said with a dead tone.


    "..."


    "For how long have you been here?" Kai asked again.


    "Y-You insolent fool!! I shall suck your organs out of your mouth and turn you into an empty shell of flesh and bones!!" The monster''s 6 eyes turned red with anger.


    "Sigh, I guess there is no point in asking you questions when you can talk like that. I will extract that information out of you." Kai decided as he vanished from where he stood.


    When he reappeared again, he was behind the monster as he shed down, intending to slice it in half. However, what met him was an extremely strong ssh of acid that the monster exerted right into his face.


    Kai''s mind worked quickly as he was about to create an iceyer. However, at thest second, he got another idea.


    *Click*


    With a flick of his finger, a fire ignited in his fingers before it quickly spread into the acid. In an instant, the fire moved through the acid and reached the monster.


    "AGHHHH!! YOU BASTARD!!!" The monster felt extreme pain in its back and quickly turned around.


    ''Acid can easily burn.''


    Then, it quickly spat out another web attack. Its thickness and power were stronger than before. Kai''s eyes squinted.


    *CLANG*


    "Don''t overestimate your own powers, human. Your fellow low lives faced the same fate. They all died. Humans are humans whether here or there."


    "There?" Kai''s ears caught thest part and it confused him. What does it mean by there?


    However, before he could think about it for even a second, attacks rained down on him. The monster spat out endless webs as it pushed Kai back. The speed of its attacks and their power surprise him.


    Sounds of metal shing with an equally sturdy material echoed and reverberated in the whole cave. Looking at the two fights from the side would shock anyone to the core. In their eyes, Kai''s arms would appear blurry as he moved them left and right, deflecting attacks with pure technique.


    On the other hand, the Spider Queen was motionless but the webs she spat were akin to bullets.


    ''This is annoying¡­'' Feeling displeased with the situation, Kai decided to turn it over its head. At first, he didn''t want to use too much Origin for the sake of his sanity but since this creature was adamant on making him do it, then fine.


    "Reverse." Using his talent, Kai made the web attacks stop for a second before the momentum suddenly turned around and smashed into the monster''s face.


    "AAAAAGHH!!" Another painful shriek shook the cave.


    Kai used that opportunity to close the distance between them. Then, he jumped on top of the spider.


    "GET OFF ME!!! YOU LITTLE WORM!!" The Spider Queen shook its body violently as it tried to get rid of him.


    Kai, however, didn''t seem to be losing his bnce as he lifted his sword up in the air, intending to stab it deep into the monster''s stomach.


    "I SAID GET OFF ME!!!"


    However, at thest second, the monster''s aura exploded as something happened that made Kai''s eyes widen slightly.


    *BOOOM*


    Suddenly, the monster''s outer skin erupted as it turned into acid. The acid smashed against Kai''s body, burning through his clothes with ease.


    ''What is this¡­?'' Looking down, Kai could see the acid reaching his skin and shockingly, it started melting it. A small cloud of smoke appeared on his body and for the first time in many many years, Kai felt pain.


    The monster found that opportunity as it quickly shook Kai away. Thetter jumped back before hended on his feet, his eyes still fixated on his body. The acid had already melted a little bit of his skin and some blood leaked out. The injuries were extremely superficial but that still didn''t lessen Kai''s shock.


    ''It melted my skin?'' He thought to himself. ''So it was that strong.''


    "HAHAHAHAHA!!! DID YOU UNDERSTAND NOW, HUMAN?! I''m far stronger than you! That was nothing! My acid could melt through anything as long as it''s organic. You are no different."


    "..."


    "It seems you thought nothing could hurt you, human. This queen shall assume that you are the strongest in your own world. However, as I said, don''t overestimate yourself. I came to this realm as I knew the humans that live here are way weaker. Hahahahaha!!"


    ''Eating this human''s organs will boost my strength to no extent. Ah, this queen feels chills just from imagining it.''


    Meanwhile, Kai''s hands traced the injury on his chest. A few seconds passed and the skin already regenerated and he stopped bleedingpletely.


    For someone like Kai who had never been injured by anyone except for a certain someone. Yet, this disgusting thing had actually injured him. It was mostly his mistake since he wasn''t careful with the way he dealt with the monster but that came from hisck of understanding of the Spider Queen''s nature.


    In fact, Kai waspletely clueless. He fought that giant octopus and this spider mutant with pure strength. That''s why, he was bound to make mistakes even when he is careful.


    But, even then, seeing that a disgusting abomination had actually inflicted pain on him. He snapped. Even if he didn''t like to show it, Kai had a very powerful ego. It would be impossible not to feel that way when people hail you as the strongest. However, as much as he tries to not let it get into his head, he was still the strongest and the strongest should always have a strong pride to back up their strength.


    So, with a slow movement, Kai put his sword back.


    "I had enough." He said coldly as his aura suddenly retracted. His fingers cracked audibly. Then, his eyes looked up at the monster and for a second, the creature felt as if it was staring at the devil himself.


    "I''m going to crush you."

 Chapter 108 108- Spider Queen (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 108 Chapter 108- Spider Queen (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 108- Spider Queen (Part 2)


    ''What is with this human¡­ His presencepletely changed.'' The Spider Queen felt its body freeze for a second when it gazed at Kai''s eyes.


    It didn''t understand where this sudden change came from. It was as if the boy''s whole aurapletely shifted to be something else.


    His purple eyes were akin to two deep ck holes that would suck anything into them. However, instead of their charming trait, his eyes now were terrifying and deathly cold.


    That''s when, for the first time in its whole lifespan, the Spider Queen felt something other than pride in its higher existence. It felt fear¡­ a deep, bone-chilling fear that threatened to take over its body and consume its mind.


    ''No! What the hell is wrong with me? This queen won''t feel fear from a puny human!! It''s impossible!'' Scratching that thought from its head, the Spider Queen red at Kai menacingly, trying to hide its fear behind a veil of arrogance.


    "Are you that much of a fool to get rid of your sword in this fight? Do you want this queen to give you a quick death? Sadly for you, you angered me too much. You shall feel pai- BLUUUURGH!!" Before the Spider Queen could even finish its sentence, its mouth spat out a huge mouthful of disgusting orange blood.


    Its eyes widened to the extreme as it looked down slowly, disbelief colored all over her face.


    "Your voice is annoying. Shut up." Kai''s cold voice prated its ears and sent a chill down its spine as if it was suddenly submerged in a sea of ice. His fist was nted into the Spider Queen''s stomach.


    ''When did he¡­ Blurgh!!''


    Kai''s other fist quickly followed suit and punch the Queen in the stomach. The hit was akin to getting its Organs ruptured again and again.


    "Y-You bastar-"


    *BOOOOM*


    Jumping in the air, Kai kicked the monster in the face, sending it flying to the side as it left a long trail of blood behind it.


    The Queen smashed against the stone walls of the cave, shaking it violently. Cracks appeared all around where it fell.


    ''Faster¡­ He''s way faster than before¡­ What is happening?'' The Queen couldn''t understand why this human had suddenly be exponentially faster.


    It was as if he was a different person. What did change about him in the few seconds after the Queen''s acid hit him?


    "I don''t know what you are or what you want to do. But, I shall only ask you a few questions and if you answer me truthfully, I won''t torture you. Do you ept?" Kai asked as he cracked his neck, ready to obliterate the Spider Queen the moment she refuses.


    "U-Ugh!! Don''t get cocky!! I''m The Queen! A Higher Existence than you mere humans!!" Exploding in anger, the Queen''s aura red even harder as it spat out countless bullets of web.


    This was the Queen''s strongest attack. Raining down extremely resilient web bullets on its opponent would instantly destroy them without any exceptions. It was the Queen''s trump card.


    With a cold expression, Kai stared at the endless bulletsing his way. These things were stronger than Anti-Origin bullets by a huge margin so many of them could indeed inflict some damage on him.


    ''Should I try that? Well, I didn''t use it in a while so I might as well try it on this thing.'' He thought as he suddenly stepped forward.


    "Cosmic Step." Murmuring those words, Kai took the next step casually.


    ''Hahahaha! Die you piece of shit!!'' The Queen celebrated in its head after seeing Kai not dodge that attack, not that it thought he had any chance of doing that.


    However, the next second, its celebrations were cut short as its vision was suddenly obstructed by something.


    Looking up slowly, notprehending what suddenly appeared in front of it.


    "You aren''t as strong as you think you are. I don''t get where this idiotic confidence that you''re the strongestes from. There is no pinnacle in this world. If you''re unlucky enough, you mighte across someone that will teach you how to be humble. And you, Queen, had that fate happen to you today." Kai said coldly with a merciless tone.


    "Wha-" Before it could even say a word, the Queen felt extreme pain in its stomach. Blood started trickling down from its disgusting purplish lips.


    ''Blood¡­ Why am I bleeding again¡­''


    Then, in a split second, it happened. Its stomach visibly twisted before it suddenly exploded, dying the whole wall behind it in a disgusting orange color mixed with bits and pieces of organs. A huge, gaping hole appeared in its abdomen that was big enough to fit a human head.


    "BLUUUURGH!!!" Vomiting a horrifying amount of blood, the Queen fell to the ground, motionless. It couldn''t even react in time.


    ''He didn''t even¡­ attack me¡­ How did he do this?''


    "I did hit you." Reading what was on the monster''s mind, Kai replied. "You just didn''t see it."


    ''Cosmic step is still hard to use freely. Tsk¡­ Did I grow rusty? Or maybe¡­'' Recalling his sickness, Kai understood that he can''t simply use his talents as efficiently as before. He could feel his body react weirdly to him using this talent out of nowhere.


    But, he didn''t linger on such thoughts as he bent down and grabbed the monster by its long hair before he started dragging it.


    Then, he threw it against the other wall.


    "You have exactly 2 minutes to live. I can extend that to 5 hours if you don''t give me the answers I want. For each question left unanswered, I will increase your pain by ten folds." He exined as he sat down on a protruding rock before he gazed at the still paralyzed monster.


    "... I¡­" Trying the speak, the monster only spat another mouthful of blood.


    "I will take that as a yes." Resting his chin on his hand, he continued. "First question: Are you from this world?"


    The monster looked at him before it shook its head. Although he expected this answer, Kai could only frown. Just the fact that another world existed was already ridiculous let alone to see a kind of creature that live in it.


    ''Was that octopus also from another world?''


    "Exin what this world is. Where it is exactly? Is it another? Another dimension?"


    "No¡­ It''s around¡­"


    The monster shook its head as if it was saying that Kai''s assumptions were wrong. But, as it tried to open its mouth. Its head suddenly exploded out of nowhere, surprising Kai.


    Brain matter and skull pieces scattered everywhere under his cold, frowning gaze. Standing up, he approached the now-dead monster and looked at its destroyed corpse with a thoughtful gaze.


    ''What the hell? Why did it suddenly self-destruct? No, it wasn''t self-destruction¡­ I felt a small amount of Origining from the monster before it died¡­''


    That minuscule amount of Origin wasn''t that concerning but when Kai thought about it, it was indeed odd. The origin that he felt didn''t originate from its main seal as it should''ve but came from deep within its heart. That should''ve been impossible for the human anatomy.


    "Nothing makes sense." Running his hand through his head, Kai felt a slight headache just thinking about what happened.


    This journey to the Frozen ins was by far the most eventful thing that ever happened to him. The sheer bizarre urrences he came across were horrifying. He would''ve not been surprised if all of this was a stupid prank from how absurd it was.


    A few hours ago, he didn''t even know that fantasy monsters existed in his world and now he will have to somehow live with that fact rooted in his head.


    What the hell is going on?!

 Chapter 109 109- Discovery

    <h4>Chapter 109 Chapter 109- Discovery</h4>


    Chapter 109- Discovery


    Looking at the dead corpse for a few more seconds, Kai rubbed his temple before he averted his eyes elsewhere. He had too much to think about for him to bother with the sudden absurd thing that got revealed to him.


    ''I will see what should be done when I finish my other n.'' He thought as he started walking out of the cave. However, at thest second, he stopped before he looked back.


    Then, with squinted eyes, he turned around and walked inside the cave again. Kai had almost forgotten detail about this whole encounter. He continued walking deeper and deeper into the cave till there was no light anymore.


    At some point, he started to smell something weird. It was a very gut-wrenching smell that would make someone throw up. If Kai had to describe it, it was like that of rotten corpses albeit way worse and way more raw.


    The more he got deeper into the cave, the more the smell grew more pronounced to the point where Kai had to use origin to protect his nose from this horrible smell. It was just too much, especially for someone with extremely sharp senses like Kai.


    At some point, he reached a rather small entrance that was carved into a wall at the end. The whole didn''t seem natural. Its shape and edges were sharp and even or in other words.


    "The monster cut this hole." He murmured as he took a step forward and entered the hole. Immediately, Kai was met with a rather warm environment. No, it wasn''t just warm, it was very hot.


    It was as if he jumped in a sauna or a hot spring. Frowning slightly when he felt the murky air of the ce, Kai snapped his fingers to get some light.


    The moment the fire was ignited, a sight that Kai expected appeared in front of him.


    "A spider nest¡­"


    In front of him was a huge web of cobwebs that were sticking into all the walls and meeting at the center, creating a rather aesthetically mesmerizing fusion. Well, it would''ve been mesmerizing was it not for the horrible smell and disgusting liquid that was dripping from the webs.


    However, Kai ignored all of that and focused on somethingpletely different. Stuck in those webs were countless objects.


    "Human corpses¡­" From a closer look, Kai could see that these things were corpses. However, these bodies were odd. They were hollow, with only bones and skin and no other thing to fill the inside.


    It was as if he was looking at fleshy skeletons and that sight was not particrly pleasant to look at.


    ''These are the members of the expedition. What a mess.''


    Then, his eyes shifted to the other things sticking to the cobwebs. They weren''t corpses. Instead, they were white yellowish balls of the same size and there were countless of them¡­ More than Kai could even count.


    "Eggs¡­" Murmuring to himself, Kai instinctively got closer to one of the eggs that were hanging low and inspected it and what he discovered made his expression darken slightly.


    Inside the eggs were small things that he assumed were the monsters growing quietly. Their bodies were pulsating rhythmically and around them, he could see a visible orange Halo which Kai identified as Origin. All of them had it and it was surprisingly pure. Way purer than any Origin he had ever seen in a human.


    "They have Origin¡­ How does that wor-" As he was about to ask himself, his eyes trailed to the cobwebs again and his question was answered instantly.


    "They''re sucking Origin¡­ from these corpses."


    The Origin halo was covering the cobwebs too and was working like a link between the dead corpses and the eggs. It was a nurturing system!


    "If these things grow up and hatch¡­" Realizing what disaster could happen if one of these things was to actually be a full-grown monster.


    Stopping to think for a second, Kai could only think of one thing to do. Approaching the cobweb, he put his hand that was on fire close to the web. Upon contact with it, the fire immediately moved to the webs and started spreading at a rapid pace.


    Watching the sight of the fire, spreading across countless lines, twists, and turns, growing into a rather beautiful, cursed piece of fire art. His purple eyes red with a mysterious look. Seeing the dead corpses burn along with the eggs and the creatures inside of them, Kai didn''t feel a thing.


    His heart was tranquil and so was his mind.


    ''It''s for the better.'' He thought to himself.


    In a matter of seconds, the whole room was on fire and smoke was taking over. So, Kai decided to leave.


    Behind him, the fire continued to grow endlessly engulfing everything around it like a ck hole. By the time he reached the entrance of the cave, everything behind him was burntpletely.


    Looking around him coldly, the blizzard had already grown even stronger than ever before. Then, he jumped in the air before hended on a huge rock protruding from the mountain before he jumped again reaching the next level.


    Just like that, he climbed the mountain with ease till he reached the peak. He stood there and looked around him. His cold, mysterious eyes scanned the ce. Usually, Kai would''ve enjoyed such a view but he was in no mood for such things.


    After what happened today, Kai felt as if he just took a step backward. Logically, he shouldn''t feel that way since he aplished what he came for which was saving Kaya. However, it still didn''t feel good. It didn''t feel right.


    His heart was telling him that he was missing a whole piece of the puzzle and he needed to find it. But, he ignored that feeling and simply kept this matter hidden in a corner of his mind. What did he have to do with any of this? He didn''t know and he really wanted to not care but his subconscious mind apparently refuses that option.


    Looking at his own hand, he felt it shaking slightly.


    "Cough¡­ Cough¡­" Coughing lightly, Kai felt a warm liquid trickle down his lips. He lifted his hand and touched it before he looked at it.


    "I overused Origin¡­" He murmured before he wiped his mouth and jumped in the air, letting gravity pull him down freely. Each time he felt that pain, Kai realized that his clock was ticking.


    Perhaps Kai''s worst enemy at the moment was time. Whether he can actually beat it or not is still a question that he needed to find the answer to.


    Closing his eyes, he felt the cold wind hit his face. Closing on the ground, he span around before he channeled Origin. At thest second, before he hit the ground, he pointed his hand down.


    "Reverse." The moment he said those words, he halted midair before his body was suddenly sted again into the air at an inclined angle toward the direction he came from before.


    The speed he reached was terrifying as he crossed hundreds of meters in a split second.


    Straightening his body, Kai stared at the world ahead of him. He could already see glimpses of the Frozen ins'' shores.

 Chapter 110 110- Kaya Awakens

    <h4>Chapter 110 Chapter 110- Kaya Awakens</h4>


    Chapter 110- Kaya Awakens


    At the same time, Eva was dragging Kaya back through the storm. The blonde woman was sprawled on Eva''s back, deep asleep.


    "Are you enjoying my back, bitch?" She murmured with a grunt as she kept turning to look back. "Kai better be ok or I will never forgive you."


    Although she knew that Kaya wasn''t at fault but she still was very worried. She saw how strong that monster was and so even when she trusted Kai''s abilities, she could only worry about the ifs.


    ''The weather is getting worse. I need to hurry.'' Thinking so, she hurried her steps. A few minutester, she reached the boat that was still safely floating on the boat.


    Entering inside, she put Kaya on the wooden floor before she turned around to wait for Kai. Her face was dark and her heart was beating loudly.


    Time ticked slowly as she waited anxiously. Her mind was trying to draw horrifying ideas but she kept her calm and didn''t try to go back. As she was like that, her eyes drew to the sky above as she noticed a small dot that didn''t look like a star or the moon.


    "Hm?" Her eyes squinted instinctively. "What is that?" She murmured.


    The dot kept getting bigger and bigger as the seconds passed. By the time Eva realized what it was, the dot had already reached the ground as it smashed into the ice.


    *BOOOOOM*


    The ground shook and the ice cracked around them.


    *Crack*


    "I didn''t fall from such a height in a while," Kai murmured as he cracked his neck. Thending was slightly rougher than he anticipated but it didn''t cause him any harm.


    "Kai¡­?" Eva was confused as to why he came flying but seeing that he was safe and unscathed, her face rxed as she jumped down and ran toward him.


    "Are you ok? Did you beat that thing? Did it cause you any harm?" She asked as she hugged him before looking at his body. When she noticed that his clothes had holes in them, her face frowned. However, Kai''s next words made her rx again.


    "I''m fine. That thing is dead along with all the eggs in its nest."


    "Nest? So it was indeed a spider?" She asked as she heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Yes, it calls itself ''Spider Queen''. It was pretty powerful. Stronger than most Origin users out there." Kai said as the two started walking back to the boat.


    "That strong? What is that thing even?"


    "I don''t know. But, from what it said before it weirdly self-destructed is that it''s not from this world. But, it''s not from another or another dimension either. I''m clueless as to where it came from." He said.


    "..." Eva stayed silent, not knowing what to say.


    It was simply that absurd. It was as if the two of them were thrown into a fantasy world out of nowhere.


    ''Is all of this ever real at this point? I don''t want to even know where all of this could lead us if we try to dig further. It''s too ridiculous.''


    The two hopped on the boat before the boat turned around and left the ce as quickly as possible. After making sure the direction was right, Kai walked toward the unconscious Kaya and sat down beside her.


    "H-Hmmm¡­" A few momentster, Kaya''s eyes fluttered open slowly as she gazed around dazedly.


    Kai''s eyes shifted to look at her silently as he waited for her to regain some rity. Kaya''s beautiful green irises moved around for a few moments before they rested on Kai. However, weirdly enough, she didn''t immediately wake up or get shocked. Instead, a tear trickled down one of her eyes as she silently stared at him.


    A myriad of emotions shed across her face in a split second before she closed her eyes again.


    "Did I¡­ die?" She murmured confusedly, seemingly asking herself. "Am I now seeing an image of him? Is this what they call ''Life shes before your eyes'' thing?"


    "You are alive," Kai said with a rather cold tone.


    The moment she heard those words, her teary eyes opened again as she looked at Kai again, this time, there was some kind of confusion hidden in her eyes. That confusion quickly changed into surprise and then from surprise to shock.


    "K-Kai?! Is that really¡­ you?" She asked.


    "Yes." He said.


    Immediately, without any warning, Kaya jumped on Kai with all of her weight as she pushed him down and hugged him tightly.


    "How am I¡­ How can this be? I thought I was dead¡­ No, I was dead¡­" Kaya said as tears streamed down her face.


    "I thought I will never be able to see you¡­ I epted that¡­ I tried to ept it but I couldn''t¡­ I really couldn''t. Kai¡­ Kai¡­ Kai¡­ Kai¡­" She kept murmuring his name like a mantra as she hugged him tightly.


    Kai could feel her body shivering as she cried quietly. Remembering the condition he found her in, Kai could somehow understand why she was this agitated. She was basically a few hours away from her death at most. If anything, she most likely was in that state for almost a day, alone, cold, and weak.


    It was something that even the strongest of people could not bear. Feeling life seep out of you was the worst feeling possible.


    "I''m alive. I never thought I would feel this happy for being alive. But I''m d¡­ *Sniff*... I''m truly d."


    The usually mischievous and flirty Kaya was nowhere to be seen and instead she was now akin to a small kid that got detached from their parents. She didn''t mind the fact that she was crying like a kid in front of Kai.


    If anything, feeling every inch of her body pressed against him was akin to heaven for her. After all those horrible long hours of pain and suffering, when she felt Kai in her arms again, the sheer happiness she felt can''t be described with words.


    A few momentster, Kaya lifted her face and looked at Kai from up close, her eyes tracing every inch of his face as if she was trying to engrave it in her mind. During those 24 hours that she spent alone, the only thing that appeared in her mind was Kai''s face and yet she weirdly discovered that she didn''t fully remember every detail of his facial features.


    ''That can''t be! How can I forget? I must etch it into my mind. I will keep looking at his face till it bes the only thing I can think about.'' She thought as she felt determination well up in her chest.


    "How did you¡­ find me?"


    "I received your call so I tracked you down. When I found out that you came to this ce, I found it odd so we came here to see what happened."


    "We?"


    "Yes, ''We'', bitch! And now, get off him!!" As Kaya was still in her position, she felt someone pulling her back powerfully.


    Eva red at Kaya coldly as she unleashed her aura.


    "Coming back from death doors or not, I don''t care. Don''t jump on him like that. I will kill you!!" She yelled.


    However, much to Eva''s surprise, Kaya didn''tsh back at her. Instead, she smiled and said.


    "I never thought I would say this. But, I''m happy to see you again, Kiddo."

 Chapter 111 111- Project: Origin Society

    <h4>Chapter 111 Chapter 111- Project: Origin Society</h4>


    Chapter 111- Project: Origin Society


    "Wha¡­" Eva''s mouth opened wide before it closed again as she stared at Kaya speechlessly. She didn''t expect to get such a response out of nowhere and that destroyed everything she wanted to say.


    "What¡­ What''s wrong with you?" She pointed her finger at Kaya with a blushing face. Because of Kaya''s nice response, Eva felt ashamed. She was acting childish.


    "Hahahaha, my abd, kiddo. I was just d to see that you''re doing well and still as energetic as ever." She said.


    ''Did this woman hit her head or something? Why is she acting all nice with me?'' Eva''s mind was in shambles.


    "Tsk¡­" Running her hand through her hair, Eva decided to stop for the time being. "Are you feeling better?" She decided to ask.


    "Hmm? Oh, yeah, I still feel pain in my limbs but other than that, I''m as good as new! Thanks to my darling!" Kaya beamed as she shed Kai an excited smile. "I''m indebted to you for saving my life. I might not be able to pay you back but I will definitely make this my goal!"


    "No need." Kai shook his head coldly as he adjusted his position. "Instead, I want you to tell me. What the hell were you doing in the Frozen ins with a group of Ascenders?"


    The moment Kai asked that question, Kaya''s face turned serious. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and straightened her thoughts. Thest three days were hellish in every sense of the word. The sheer amount of things that happened to her was mind-blowing.


    "Where should I even start?" She murmured.


    "From the beginning."


    "I understand¡­ Well, it all started after I left for Divinity''s HQ. I was sent a red letter by my foster father."


    "Foster father?" Kai''s eyes squinted as he spoke.


    ''I''ve never heard of that. Since when did she have a foster father?'' He thought.


    "Oh, right. I never told you. Well, when my Orphanage burnt down and I was left alone, the person that found me and took me to Divinity was my foster father. His name is Mika Raullot."


    "Mika Raullot?!" This time, Eva was the first to speak. "You mean that Mika? The old patriarch of the Raullot family?!"


    "Yes. He''s one of the Virtues." Kaya said.


    Meanwhile, Kai''s expression turned even colder. He did hear of that name. In fact, most people who were involved in the underworld did hear of it. Mika Raullot was a monster. In his prime, he was a military general that won any war he got involved in. His individual power was monstrous and he was considered a devil in the eyes of enemies.


    However, those people weren''t even aware that he was an Origin user and a very strong one at that. Especially his ability with the sword, it was simply ridiculous.


    The fact that he was rted to Kaya was already huge news let alone the fact that he was actually her foster father.


    "Don''t worry. He doesn''t know that I know you. He trusts me." Kaya said.


    "That''s not the problem¡­" Falling into deep thoughts. Kai signaled for Kaya to continue his story. An idea was slowly developing in his head.


    "Anyway, when one of the archangels receives a red letter it means that the matter is urgent and could affect the future of Divinity as a whole. However, what my foster father told me was way worse than that."


    Kaya''s eyes looked uncertain for a second before she shook her head and continued. "As you already know, Divinity believes that the whole world should be able to use Origin, and the ones to rule it are the strongest. However, they can''t simply make that happen. They needed to take one step at a time and the first step they decided to take is to create where all Origin users could live, far from the human eye. The project is called ''Origin Society''."


    "Origin society¡­" Kai''s eyes shed with a hint of understanding. Of course, that made sense. Turning the whole world into a haven for those with superpowers isn''t an easy task. In fact, taking everything into ount, it was near impossible.


    Origin as a concept is already foreign to the majority of people in the world. So, the wiser choice to go around doing this, as absurd as it may be, is to create a smaller society where the Origin users could live and then start slowly expanding.


    ''It''s still a foolish idea that will only end up in failure. Putting Origin users in the same ce is a recipe for disaster no matter how you look at it.''


    It didn''t take a genius to see what will happen but because of their high egos and clouded racism of superiority, Divinity''s higher-ups ignored that. For them, Origin users aren''t humans. They are a different, superior race that has the right to control the world.


    "Then, that still doesn''t exin why you came here." Kai dispersed those thoughts. No point in thinking about what he can''t control. Instead, he would prioritize what he knew he can control. That was where true strength lies, in Kai''s opinion. It''s not strength that determines whoes out the winner, it''s how you use that strength and be able to know what you should focus on.


    "I still don''t know much infor myself. But, I was tasked with arranging an expedition to the Frozen ins and the goal was to get an object that seemingly was in the heart of this area."


    "What kind of object?"


    "I don''t know. What I know is, it has something to do with Origin. If I have to guess, it might be something that contains an enormous amount of Origin. So enormous that it can contain hundreds of thousands of times the amount of Origin we have in our atmosphere."


    "That kind of object exists?" Eva tilted her head in confusion.


    "I have no idea. But, the old man¡­ My foster father, I mean. He tasked me with doing this so I''m sure he knows something I don''t. He just told me to reach the heart of the Frozen ins and I shall find what I''m looking for."


    "Interesting," Kai murmured to himself. It seems that the rabbit hole goes deeper and deeper the more he tries to dig. He didn''t know how deep it will go but he was certain it won''t be something pleasant to reach.


    "I couldn''t refuse this task as it was a red letter. If I did, I will be severely punished since I''m an Archangel. They will also start to investigate me since I never refused a mission before and that could lead them to you, Kai. So, I decided to take it thinking it won''t be that big of a deal. I took a group of 20 people, 5 were level 4 ascenders and the rest were level 5 ascenders. The journey here wasn''t that hard although the weather was bad. But, by the time we stepped foot in the Frozen ins, things started to happen¡­ Really bad things." Kaya''s face turned grave as she spoke. Just remembering what urred sent a chill down her spine.


    It was a nightmare.

 Chapter 112 112- You Are My Miracle

    <h4>Chapter 112 Chapter 112- You Are My Miracle</h4>


    Chapter 112- You Are My Miracle


    Kaya''s face crumbled as she held her face. Her lips quivered slightly before she took a deep breath to calm her emotions. She was ready to tell the story but just remembering the stuff she saw, it was just too ridiculous to just ept.


    Kai and Eva could understand her current thoughts. Both of them were still confused too but they weren''t as agitated as she was.


    "When we stepped on the Frozen ins, the weather almost instantly changed. It was cold at first but after we arrived, it became aplete catastrophe. I couldn''t even see a meter ahead of me and the winds were extremely strong. I was able to keep myself fairly warm but my team didn''t have the same luxury. By the time we moved a kilometer or so, one of them fell to the ground. I tried to save him but weirdly enough, his body instantly went limp and he died¡­ On the spot."


    "... Was there any reason for that?" Kai asked.


    "No, it all happened in a few seconds. It was as if his blood froze from the inside."


    ''Froze from the inside, huh?'' The boy''s eyes squinted for a second before he focused on Kaya again.


    "I couldn''t carry him with us since the situation was already bad as it is and we couldn''t go back either since the directions were messed up because of the blizzard. We didn''t know left from right. So, I took the decision of continuing the march till we reach some kind of cave to hide from the cold. By the time we reached the 10 km mark¡­ most of them faced the same fate."


    Sighing, she ran her hand through her head. "Only a few level 5 ascenders that had affinity with fire stayed alive but they were in really bad conditions. Their limbs were frozen and had already turned blue. I didn''t know what to do except to help them with whatever Origin I had left. But, I was running out of fuel myself. That''s when we stumbled upon the cave you found me in."


    "We entered inside to rest¡­ It was calm at first but then, that thing¡­ appeared in front of us."


    The moment that ''thing'' was mentioned, Kaya''s face red with anger. A deep hatred could be seen deep within her eyes.


    "I didn''t even understand what the hell is that thing. But, since it seemed hostile, I fought it. It was very strong but I was able to push it back. But, because of my exhaustion, I couldn''t deliver the finishing blow. That was probably my biggest mistake. When that creature realized that I can''t kill it, it changed its approach and instead decided to attack the ascenders behind me. But, instead of fighting back or even trying to help me¡­ Those fuckers ran away."


    Kaya could vividly remember herself yelling at them to support her from the back while she fights the monster head-on. That would''ve made it way easier for her to kill it. But, instead, they ignored her and quickly escaped the ce, leaving her alone to fend off the Spider Queen.


    Kaya didn''t even have time to feel angry at this betrayal as she was fighting a deadly battle.


    "The fight continued for almost a whole day. We were on equal footing for the whole time until I waspletely wrung dry of Origin. I couldn''t even stand on my feet properly. That''s when the monsterpletely overwhelmed me. I sustained heavy damage and countless injuries but I still had no choice but to fight. I was able to deal heavy damage to it too but I was losing. Until I finally made thest blunder."


    The blonde beauty''s hand moved toward her chest where she could vividly remember the huge injury she sustained. The pain and the numbness as blood gushed out of her body and her eyes lost focus. They were all still vivid in her head. She felt it, death knocking on her door. She was certain that if she lost consciousness, she was going to die for sure.


    "I couldn''t keep myself awake for long and I knew I was certainly going to die if I don''t get medical attention soon. My bets were low, extremely low. But¡­ I took thosest few seconds to pull out my phone and call you. I was certain it wouldn''t connect but I still wanted to at least hear your voice before I die¡­ Then, I used thest ounce of energy I had to summon ''ck Armadillos'' and I hid myself inside."


    "Why didn''t the Spider Queen attack you?" Kai asked with a nk expression. Nobody could understand what was going on inside his head. However, it was certainly not pleasant considering his chilling aura.


    "I don''t know very well but it must''ve been because it was also heavily injured and couldn''t break the armor of my summon. So, it simply left me alone to go back and recover thinking I was probably going to die soon. Now that I think about it, the fact that I''m still alive is a miracle¡­ No, it''s way beyond a miracle. I never even thought I would be able to stay alive long enough for you to save me."


    Tears welled up in Kaya''s eyes as she stared at Kai warmly. "I can''t describe how happy I am now. Thank you¡­ Thank you so much for letting me stay by your side, Kai." She said in a heartfelt tone.


    Kai stared at Kaya''s beautiful silhouette at that moment and he could only stay silent. Even for someone like him, Kaya now looked so beautiful that she couldn''t be described with words. Her aura, her smile, her face, everything about her was as divine as it could get.


    Even Eva had to admit that she was mesmerized for a second.


    "It''s not a miracle¡­" Kai finally stood up and dusted his clothes. "Miracles don''t exist. It''s your tenacity that kept you alive. I was simply the result of that." He said.


    "..." The two women stared at him speechlessly.


    "Don''t undermine your efforts with foolish concepts like miracles. If it was someone else other than you, they probably would''ve died way before I even thought of trying toe here and save them. People''s fates are linked to what they can and can not do and you were able to stay attached to your own life¡­ It''s as simple as that."


    Although many would disagree with what Kai said and he didn''t frankly care. He was the strongest and so he knew that fate isn''t going to favor someone over another simply for no reason. Miracles, if they really existed in the first ce, only happen to those who deserve them. Only those who don''t have the ability to change their own fates believe in miracles.


    However, at that moment, Kaya wiped her tears before she shook her head.


    "No, miracles exist. They are real."


    "Hm?" Kai''s eyes shed with a hint of confusion.


    "I don''t know about that kiddo there. But, for me, our meeting is a miracle. You are my miracle. If it wasn''t for the fact that you are way more powerful than anyone else, I would''ve never lived. Tenacity? What would that do if you weren''t there to fulfill the impossible? You''re saying that I''m undermining my own abilities when you are the one doing that, Kai."

 Chapter 113 113- Suspicious Movements

    <h4>Chapter 113 Chapter 113- Suspicious Movements</h4>


    Chapter 113- Suspicious Movements


    Kai remained silent for a while as he looked at Kaya as if he was trying to determine what she was trying to say. However, that didn''t seem to bring any results as he slowly shifted his eyes to look at Eva.


    "As much as I hate to say it, I do agree with her, Kai. You are underestimating how amazing you are. It''s way beyond a miracle that you exist in our lives." She said with a small blush on her face.


    The two girls were extremely grateful to have Kai in their lives. He was their salvation from a world that they found cruel and irredeemable. One of them had given up on finding a family or a home and the other had grown fed up from people and how fake they were.


    Both hated people, both found nothing worth living for and they simply passed their days doing what they needed to do. That all changed when they met Kai. Ironically enough, Kai never intended to even get to know them, he simply was another person who had to do what he had to do.


    In a sense, the trio had simr lives, the only difference Kai had is that he had the desire to spend thest few years of his life the way he wanted to. He wanted freedom, something that Eva and Kaya never tried to seek.


    That simple difference was whatpletely changed everything.


    "Believe what you want to believe¡­" Kai said before he turned around and walked inside the cockpit to control the boat.


    "Sigh¡­ I guess we angered him." Eva said as she looked at Kaya.


    "No, he isn''t angry. He seemed confused rather than angry."


    "Why is that?"


    "I don''t know. But, he won''t have such a belief unless it''s something he experienced himself."


    "Something he experienced himself, huh¡­" Eva murmured as she looked at Kai through the window.


    Nobody knew what she was thinking of. Meanwhile, the boat continued to sail back tond.


    ***


    Eventually, the group reached Moonveil and got Kaya checked in a hospital. Luckily, she didn''t sustain any permanent damage. Kai''s healing abilities were simply mind-blowing. Restoring someone from death''s doors with a simple touch is simply a joke in people''s eyes yet reality says otherwise.


    After that, the trio got on the ne and went back to D-Country. The trip was smooth sailing and there was no sight of Grey''s men. This made Kai even more suspicious. There was simply no way Grey wouldn''t do anything in this period of time, especially after what Kai did to him.


    When the private jetnded at the airport. The trio were about to leave the airport when they were stopped by airport security.


    "Can you three please follow us for a quick minute." The group of security men was quite big. It was as if they were busting a drug dealer rather than three high schoolers.


    "Hm?" Eva and Kaya looked at them with confusion.


    However, the only one to realize what was happening was Kai. His eyes shed with a sparkle of Orange halo before the guards all around them froze in their ce.


    "Let''s go." He said as he passed them as if they were nothing.


    The two didn''t understand why Kai hypnotized them but they simply followed after him.


    "They didn''t stop us for an airport check. They worked under Grey." He said as they left the airport and got into Kai''s car.


    As they drove through the streets, Kai could feel the presence of countless men. They were all Origin users and they seemed to be quite experienced. However, Kai, Eva, and Kaya were way above them in level so they were able to hide their presence from these men.


    "Does this man think a few of hisckeys could deal with you?" Kaya asked with an arrogant snort.


    "They aren''t here to deal with me. He just wants to reveal my identity and then deal with me himself. He is that type of person after all."


    "Bastard! Who does he think he is?"


    The car eventually reached the apartementplex where they walked inside Kai''s apartement. The ck cat immediately weed her owner back as it leaped into his embrace and fawned all over him.


    "We won''t stay here for long," Kai said after some thought. He decided on what to do next.


    "Hm?" The two women looked at him with puzzled expressions.


    "Since Eva wants to increase her strength, I will personally train her. We can''t do that here or it will be too eye-catching."


    "You will train her?" Kaya blinked a few times.


    "I''m too weak to be able to do anything useful," Eva interjected.


    Hearing those words, Kaya fell into deep thought. Then, she looked up and said.


    "Can I join?"


    "... What? No! Aren''t you already strong?"


    "We''re not that far away from each other," Kaya said.


    ''Tsk, this woman¡­ Fuuh, calm down, Eva. It''s training. I need to focus on increasing my strength rather than fooling around with my darling¡­ Or maybe I will leave an hour or two to feel around. Yes, that sounds perfect!'' She thought to herself.


    "Sure. But, bear in mind both of you that I won''t do anything normal. You will be following a training regime that ispletely different from what you two have been doing for now. If you aren''t strong enough mentally. This training will break you. Are you still ready to do it?" Kai asked.


    The two girls looked at him silently before they nodded their heads.


    "I''m ready." (x2)


    "One more thing. Kaya¡­" Directing his gaze to the blonde woman, Kai continued. "Are you going to meet your foster father soon?"


    "I will need to go back to the HQ to report what happened so yeah, I will meet him."


    "I will go along with you." He said.


    "Wait, what?!"


    The two women almost choked on their own saliva. What did he just say?


    "I want to meet him."


    "Hold on a second, Kai. Why do you want to meet him?"


    "A small change in the n. If meet him, he could be a huge help."


    "Kai, this is very risky. That old man can do unexpected things." Kaya interjected.


    "I know what I have to do. Besides, even if they want to try and do something, they can''t do much."


    "... Sigh, fine." Kaya shook her head and didn''t try to persuade him anymore. He seemed adamant about meeting her foster father so she can''t really change his mind now.


    ''Wait, he will meet my foster father who is technically my father¡­ Doesn''t sound like he is trying to ask for my hand in marriage?'' A small blush appeared on Kaya''s face which Eva noticed quickly.


    "Wake up from your dream, old hag!" Her female instincts told her that Kaya wasn''t thinking of something good.


    "What? He''s just going to meet my father."


    "Grrr, it''s just for the n. What do you think he will talk about?"


    "I don''t know, you tell me," Kaya said with a mischievous smile.


    ''Now she''s back to being annoying again and here I felt pity for her!'' Eva clenched her fists.


    Although she thought that Kaya started to act oddly nicer toward her but that quickly returned to normal. Apparently, their banters will continue for a very very long time.


    However, that is a story for another day.

 Chapter 114 114- Shirt Wars!

    <h4>Chapter 114 Chapter 114- Shirt Wars!</h4>


    Chapter 114- Shirt Wars!


    The day passed quietly for the trio. They didn''t do much except for cooking dinner and idling around. Kai used that time to do his daily research about his illness. The progress was still stagnant but Kai felt as if he was grasping something.


    His trip to the Frozen ins wasn''t all bad and mind-shifting as he thought. It actually helped him discover something about himself that could be very well linked to his illness and that is the fact that the more he used Origin, the more his symptoms have a chance of appearing.


    To be more precise, he focused on his fight with the Spider Queen. During that fight and right after he got hit with the acid, Kai felt himself snap for a second, and that made him unleash more Origin than he usually does.


    After the end of the fight, he felt the after-effects of that in the form of bloody coughs and a general feeling of weakness in his body. It wasn''t as intense as when he lost consciousness a few weeks ago. But, it was certainly very simr to that albeit more watered down.


    So, with that in mind, he came to the conclusion that his illness was linked to his powers in some shape or form.


    ''I need to do more research on my own body. Maybe I should do a full scan of it? I think Eva''s family has the technology to analyze the Origin''s cirction inside the body and the seals.'' He thought as he looked at the data in front of him.


    "Kai! Can you tell this old hag to leave me alone!" As he was like that, he heard Eva yelling from the outside.


    "Let go of his shirt and I will let you go, Kiddo!"


    "On my dead body! Let go!"


    "No, you let go!"


    Feeling their auras ring, Kai sighed, closed theputer, and walked outside. There, he found the two beautiful women fighting over a shirt that he presumed belonged to him.


    "I have nothing to wear so I will wear it. You already have clothes." Eva said.


    "Are you dumb, kiddo? Do these clothes look like they''re good to sleep in?"


    "Still better than mine!"


    The two were grasping the shirt from both ends as they pulled it toward themselves. The shirt was already getting stretched from the sheer power.


    "You two¡­ What did I say about fighting?" Kai asked coldly, making the two flinch.


    "She started it!!" (x2)


    They said as they pointed at each other in sync.


    "Sigh, both of you won''t wear it. Since when did my clothes be yours to wear?" He asked.


    "..." The two girls immediately let go of the shirt before they looked down with a sad expression. Kai was almost impressed at how in sync they were. It was as if they were twins of some sort. A twin that can''t stop fighting, that is.


    ''Now, what should I do with these two¡­'' He thought to himself. But, when he saw the two of them sulking, he could only shake his head before he walked to the shirt and picked it up.


    "I said no fighting. Besides, why are you even fighting for a shirt?"


    Immediately, the two looked up with a serious expression.


    "It''s not ANY shirt, Kai! It''s YOUR shirt! Do you not understand how valuable that is?" Eva said as she shook her head, seemingly disappointed at the fact that Kai couldn''t see the sheer value of that shirt.


    "..."


    "The kiddo is right, Kai. That shirt is a precious piece of treasure that I must obtain no matter what."


    "Dream on, it''s mine!"


    "Pfft, you always make meugh with your jokes, kiddo. Are you perhaps a clown? If you''re not, I suggest you be one, you have the knack for it."


    "No need, you already are the best in the business," Eva retorted with a sarcastic tone.


    "Grrr¡­"


    "Grrr¡­"


    ring at each other, the two girls started their banter again, ignoring Kai''s words. Well, on the brighter side, they weren''t physically fighting which Kai wouldn''t tolerate at all.


    ''These two¡­'' Kai waspletely speechless at how ridiculous they were. He couldn''t evenprehend why they wanted his shirt that much. It''s just a shirt for god''s sake.


    "How about we settle this through a game?" Kaya suggested.


    "A game?"


    "Yes, let''s y a chess game. The winner gets the shirt and the loser has to bow down before the winner and say ''I''mpletely and utterly stupid to even dare to challenge you, my queen''."


    "..."


    "That''s a good idea. Let''s do it."


    Looking at the two, Kai couldn''t even find a way to stop them. His mind couldn''t handle such odd situations. Fighting weird creatures from another world was honestly easier to digest.


    As he was like that, the two girls pulled a chess board from somewhere that Kai didn''t even know and set their pieces.


    "Get ready to bepletely and utterly trampled on!" Kaya said.


    "Pfft! I won the world championship when I was only 5 years old."


    "5? I was the best chess yer when I still didn''t even learn how to walk." Kaya rolled her eyes.


    Meanwhile, Kai just sat down and watched them silently. His urge to sigh was stronger than ever but he held it in.


    After that, the two began ying and it was¡­ intense to say the least.


    For starters, neither of them took even a split second to think before they moved their piece. They were so fast that the best chess yers in the world would look at them as if they were aliens.


    In a matter of seconds, both of them had already moved past the opening phase and were well into the midgame. Looking at the two women, they had a very serious expression ofplete focus. If someone told Kai this game of chess would determine their life or death, he would''ve believed them. But no, this game was for his shirt. Hell, he didn''t even give his consent!


    But, for one reason or another, Kai found this atmosphere rather pleasant and familiar. Perhaps that was the real reason for him not stopping them. Their banter, their energy, and their expressive reactions, he enjoyed looking at them from the side. It gave life to his rather cold house.


    As he was having such thoughts, Kai heard the two girls click their tongues. Looking down, he saw the reason why. They both reached a draw.


    "Goddamit! Again!" Kaya said.


    "Sure!"


    The two started another game and that also ended in a draw. Then, they repeated that three more times in the span of 5 or 6 minutes and they all ended in a draw.


    "What the heck?!"


    "I''m actually shocked you have a brain to be able to keep up with me. Did I perhaps grow dumber?" Eva said with a deadly serious expression.


    "You''re the dumb one!!"


    "You two, this is enough." Kai finally stood up and stopped this war.


    "But¡­ the shirt!!" (x2)


    "Sigh¡­ If you two really want my shirt. Why didn''t you just take two, one for each one of you?" He said as he rubbed his temple.


    "Oh¡­" (x2)


    And that''s how realization hit them.


    (A//N: Aedic chapter before things became way more chaotic and serious :) hopefully, you enjoyed it and if you findedic chapters annoying or bad, do tell me.)

 Chapter 115 115- Meeting With The Sword God (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 115 Chapter 115- Meeting With The Sword God (Part 1)</h4>


    ?


    Chapter 115- Meeting With The Sword God (Part 1)


    A few days passed quickly and the time for Kaya''s return to the HQ came. Predictably, the two women were very nervous about it since Kai had shockingly decided to go with Kaya.


    It wasn''t only seriously dangerous to enter the Headquarters of a behemoth like Divinity but to meet one of the strongest people in that organization. It was safe to say that Kai was doing something reckless, well, in Eva and Kaya''s eyes that is.


    "Kai, can I have a word with you?" Eva asked as she knocked on Kai''s room. Inside, thetter was about to put the mask on and pick up his sword and gun but he halted and looked up.


    "What?" He asked.


    A secondter, Eva walked inside. Her expression was serious and he could sense anxiousness in her aura.


    "Is this really necessary, Kai? We can do this without the need to get Divinity involved. Mika Raullot isn''t a joke. He is a monster through and through."


    "If he''s a monster, then what am I?" Kai asked which rendered Eva speechless for a second. "If he''s a monster, then I''m way worse than that. He already knows that. He had seen what I can do. If he didn''t grow senile then he wouldn''t dare to antagonize me." Kai said.


    "What about your sickness? What if it gets triggered there?"


    "It won''t be a problem. I have a way to stop the symptoms from knocking me unconscious."


    "Sigh¡­" Eva shook her head. She really couldn''t change his mind.


    Seeing her fear still lingering, Kai thought for a moment before he approached her and tapped her on the head.


    "Taking down the Guild can''t be done without taking some risks. You already know that. So, trust me just like how I trust you will do what I asked you to do. To aplish our goal, your help is needed, Eva." He said looking into Eva''s shocked red eyes.


    Her anxious heart started beating fast as she felt her breathing grow uneven. She never expected Kai to pat her on the head. This was a first and it was mind-numbing!


    It was a mere pat and yet the feeling she felt the moment his hand made contact with her head was pure bliss. In a second, all of her fear and anxiety vanished and were reced with a warmth that engulfed her entire body. Closing her eyes, she enjoyed the feeling with a rxed smile.


    Her body instinctively leaned forward and her forward touched Kai''s shoulder.


    "Ok, I understand¡­ But, can I request one thing? She asked.


    "Hm?"


    "Can you hug me? Just once and then you can go." She said with a rather embarrassed look.


    "..." Kai didn''t immediately reply as he looked at her silently.


    "W-Well, not very much, I was just bbering on and on. You don''t have to-" Before she could even finish her words, Kai pulled her in and hugged her. His left arm rested on her head while the other one supported her slim waist.


    Kai could feel Eva flinch the moment he hugged her but eventually, she rxed before she hugged him back and closed her eyes.


    "I really love you, Kai." She confessed.


    Kai''s lips parted for a second as if he wanted to reply but then closed again and stayed silent. A few silent moments passed between the two. It wasfortable and warm just like the sun on a good spring day.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that Kai needed to leave, Eva would''ve hugged him for hours and hours. She just couldn''t get enough of him. Kai was her drug that no matter how much she consumes, she will find herself craving for more.


    ''Soon, it will all be over.'' Finally, she released him from the hug before she looked deeply into his eyes. "Take care."


    "I will be back."


    After that, Kai picked up the mask and walked out of the room. Outside, he found Kaya waiting.


    "Let''s go."


    Nodding her head, the two departed from the apartement.


    ***


    "Kaya!! You rascal, where have you been?"


    A few hourster, Kaya was sitting in front of Mika. The old man looked at her with a frown. His aura was rather agitatedpared to his usual demeanor.


    "It''s a long story, old man. The mission failed." She said.


    "Failed? How did it even fail?" Looking at his daughter, the old man could only frown harder when he heard the bad news. The mission should''ve been smooth sailing.


    "The things that I found in the Frozen ins shouldn''t even exist. Because of that, the whole team was killed and I was also almost killed!"


    "Unexpected things? What the hell are you talking about, Kaya?"


    "I''m talking about weird monsters. I found a fucking a half-spider half-human in that ce. Its power is equal or even stronger than a Virtue and it had a nest in a cave in the Frozen ins."


    "... Huh?" Squinting his eyes in confusion, Mika was about to voice his questions. But, Kaya continued.


    "It''s a very long sto-" Before she could even finish her sentence, Kaya flinched as she felt a presence appearing behind her.


    Mika also felt it and immediately sprang into action without a second thought. He vanished from where he was sitting as he dashed toward the intruder, his hand was already unsheathing his sword.


    Then, he shed down with his weapon. The world froze as the sword shed with another sword. The whole room was hit with a strong gush of Origin power emanating from both of them.


    ''What the hell?!'' Even when she anticipated it, Kaya could only get shocked at how absurd their auras were.


    ''Strong¡­ He stopped my attack without using any talent. Who is he?'' The old man thought coldly as he felt his hand vibrate from the sheer power of their exchange. He didn''t understand how someone was able to infiltrate his office which was one of the most secure ces in the world and even easily shed swords with him but he didn''t care.


    Being the sword god, he boasted a power with the sword that no one could rival. In thest 60 or 70 years, no one was able to survive two attacks from Mika. The first one would disarm the target and the second one would end their lives.


    Looking up at the intruder that was able to stop his deadly attack, his face froze. A white mask with a stitched mouth, ck clothes, a ck sword, and a revolver stuck to his hip. He could never forget those descriptions since they belonged to someone he considered to be an anomaly amongst anomalies.


    "The ck Phantom?" He murmured his name.


    "Is this your way of greeting the person you''ve been looking for, Mr. Raullot?" Kai asked coldly as he used more strength to push Mika away.


    Thetter jumped back and looked at Kai.


    "What are you doing here?" He asked warily as he tightened his grip on his sword.


    "Rx, Mr. Raullot. You wanted to meet me, didn''t you? So, here I am. I came here to talk with you. So, if you don''t mind, please put away your sword."


    "I didn''t live through 90 years in this cruel world to believe those words. Especially when theye from someone who I''m not sure I could beat."


    "I think you misunderstood something, Mr. Raullot. You don''t have a choice in this." Kai said as he vanished and appeared behind Raullot at a speed that far exceeded anything the old man had ever seen. Then, he felt something touch his back. It was the cold barrel of a gun. "You either put your sword away willingly or I will make you do it.


    The old man stood there silently, his frowning face oddly changed to that of a smile before he startedughing loudly. Hisugh had a hint of mockery in it, not toward Kai, but toward himself.


    "You became even scarier than I could remember. Maybe I grew too old to see the difference."

 Chapter 116 116- Meeting With The Sword God (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 116 Chapter 116- Meeting With The Sword God (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 116- Meeting With The Sword God (Part 2)


    The tense atmosphere grew heavier and the air became even harder to digest. Kaya''s expression changed when she noticed that her foster father wasn''t calming his aura down at all.


    "Even against a monster like you, I will never back down because of a threat. My pride is worth more than my life, kid."


    "Don''t make it harder for both of us, Mr. Raullot. I simply came here to talk. I could''ve easily killed you if that was really my intention." Kai said as he oddly pulled the gun away which surprised Kaya.


    The old immediately turned around and stared at Kai. The boy was a little taller than him so Mika had to look up a little bit.


    "What do you want to talk about with me?" He asked.


    "Sit down first," Kai said as he walked toward the chair next to Kaya. Although both of them looked at each other, neither of them treated the other with any familiarity. That was of course their n from the start.


    Mika wouldn''t think that Kaya brought the ck Phantom to him.


    "Speak," Mika said as he looked at Kai.


    "Simple: I''m nning to destroy the Guild."


    "... What?" Mika''s face changed from wariness to shock. He almost thought he heard Kai wrong. "You want to do¡­ what?"


    "Destroy the Guild."


    "Kid¡­ Are you being serious or is this your way of having some fun because of boredom?"


    "I''m not someone to joke around, Mr. Raullot."


    "No, I would rather believe it''s a joke. Do you understand what you even said?"


    "Yes," Kai replied with a deadly serious tone.


    ''This kid. Did he go crazy?'' Rubbing his temple, Mika took a deep breath.


    "I assume it has something to do with the events that happened a few weeks ago, right?" Mika asked.


    "It has been on my mind for a while. The Guild has been on my tail for the past few years and this is growing more and more annoying so eliminating them is the best course of action, don''t you think, Mr. Raullot?"


    ''This is massive news. I never thought this boy will actually take such actions. A full-fledged war between a man and an Organization. Hahaha, this is getting my old heart riled up!'' A small smile appeared on Mika''s face as he felt the excitement that he hadn''t felt in years rush throughout his body.


    "If I was hearing these words from another person, I would''ve assumed that they are bbering jokes. So, why did youe here to tell me this?"


    "Simple: I want Divinity to get into my n," Kai said coldly. His sharp eyes peered through the mask and into Mika''s pupils.


    The old man squinted his eyes at Kai.


    "Now this is something. Hahahahaha!" Laughing out loud. "n? What n, kid?"


    "I won''t disclose any details until I get your agreement."


    ''The hell does this kid think he is? Does he think Divinity is the toy that he can use whenever he wants?'' Mika''s face darkened.


    "Now, don''t jump to conclusions, Mr. Raullot. Knowing you, I''m sure you harbor nothing but hatred toward the Guild, don''t you?"


    "I sure do. Everyone in Divinity hates those nasty bastards." Mika''s mouth felt bitter just talking about the Guild.


    The Guild was almost the exact opposite of Divinity. They didn''t value Origin users nor did they try to shift the world into a ce ruled by Origin and not by corrupted, weak humans. In fact, the main source of the Guild''s strength is not the hitmen themselves but the families under it. Those families have renowned politicians, presidents of nations, and extremely influential businessmen.


    That made their reign over the underworld unshakable for a very long time. Until Divinity appeared and now the scene is shared by two powerhouses.


    "Then, isn''t eliminating them beneficial to your organization too? If the Guild vanishes, you will have the whole underworld for you to do what you want. Your ns should also find no hindrance in the future, no?"


    "..."


    ''This little bastard. He already knew what he was going to say to convince me. It''s certainly a huge boost to our strength if the Guild vanishes. But, we''re already working on slowly weakening them till they be no threat. Hmm¡­'' Rubbing his beard, the man fell into deep thought.


    "How certain are you that your n will seed?"


    "My ns never fail, Mr. Raullot. Unless I make them fail intentionally." Kai replied as he sat casually in his chair as if he owned the ce. His demeanor was almost like that of royalty. Just pure elegance and an impressively strong presence thatpletely dwarfed Mika''s.


    ''He really grew even scarier in thest few years I haven''t seen him. The kid is only 16 or 17 and he already can make the underworld his yground and do whatever he wants. I can''t imagine what kind of abomination he will be when he fully grows.''


    "How risky could this n be to Divinity?"


    "It depends on who you will get involved in my n. The stronger, the better. But, they won''t need to take on all of the Guild. As long as they could kill some executioners and preferably some of the higher officers then that should be more than enough."


    "What about the hitmen?"


    "Those¡­ Hmm, let''s say they won''t be a problem. You won''t need to fight anyone of them." Kai said.


    "How is that eve-..."


    "Do you ept my proposal, Mr. Raullot?"


    "Mmm, can I talk?" Kaya interjected between the two men with a cough. The intense conversationspletely eliminated her from the room. However, when she spoke again, both of them looked at her.


    "I don''t know about what the ck Phantom is nning. But, if it means we can destroy the Guild once and for all, I''m in."


    "Kaya¡­ This is still a risky situation. Even if his n would end up seeding, there is no guarantee it won''t do Divinity more harm than good."


    "How about an Origin vow then?" Kai said, surprising both Mika and Kaya. This time, Kaya was truly shocked and wasn''t simply acting.


    "Kid, did you just say an Origin vow, or did my ears start losing their sharpness?" Mika asked.


    "That should be enough proof that I''m not targeting Divinity."


    ''Kai?! What the hell are you doing?!'' Kaya wanted to yell out loudly but couldn''t break her acting or everything coulde down crumbling. So, she kept a calm face.


    The reason for the shock that the two had was because of the nature of Origin Vows. To exin what that is, one needs to understand the fundamental nature of how Origin worked. In simple terms, Origin is a form of ''faire exchange'' energy system. The more Origin you use, the more effects you will get in the said task you''re doing.


    For example, if someone lit a fire in their hands using Origin, the fire will increase or decrease in size and temperature depending on how much Origin the user uses to fuel it. But, what would happen if someone overused Origin to get a bigger effect than their body could handle? Well, that''s where the fair exchangees into y. The more Origin the target would try to use, the more bacsh they will get. In extreme cases, the user will die instantly and painfully.


    So, by that rule, humans were able to create ''Origin Vows''. By nting a small chip into one''s body. When this chip is activated, the user''s Origin will start draining out at an rming speed. Eventually, they will lose all Origin and start exceeding the limit which means they could either get a huge bacsh or die a painful death depending on the Vow itself and what the two parties would agree on.


    "We can both take the vow and if either one of us breaks the agreement, they will get penalized."


    "... And what penalty are we talking about?"


    "It''s simple. The penalty is death."

 Chapter 117 117- Kai Vs Mikayla (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 117 Chapter 117- Kai Vs Mika (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 117- Kai Vs Mika (Part 1)


    Mika frowned hard but he didn''t immediately refuse. Looking at Kai, he could sense how confident he was.


    "Death, you say. Are you ready to put your life at risk for such a thing?" He finally asked as he exhaled a deep breath. Even if he wanted to deny it, Mika was getting convinced.


    He was sitting in front of the ck Phantom of all people, the man he considered above and beyond anyone else, and that same man was telling him that he was ready to make an Origin Vow with him with his life on the line.


    "There is no risk. Because I''m certain of what I want to do."


    "Sigh, you are oddly reckless for a man of your standing. Have you perhaps missed this dark side of the world after leaving?" Mika asked with a rather joking tone. However, weirdly, Kai''s aura turned a degree colder, sending chills down Mika''s and Kaya''s spines.


    "Do not misunderstand my intentions, Mr. Raullot. I do not want anything to do with this."


    "I understand, kid. As for the agreement¡­ Well, who do you want to get involved in this n of yours?"


    "The archangels. All ten of them." Kai replied as his tone returned to normal.


    "Hm, in all my life working here, I have never seen all ten of them ept to work on one mission. They are all arrogant to the bone. I doubt I can really convince them to ept it."


    "You don''t need to convince them. Just arrange for me to meet them and I will do the rest."


    "I see. Well, I can do that much but I can''t guarantee they will listen. But, in case you did seed in convincing them, we shall take the vow and it shall have the penalty of death as you said." Mika nodded his head sternly.


    "Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Raullot. I shall return in a few days to this very ce. The ten of them should be here by that time or I will consider this as you refusing this offer." Kai stood up and was about to leave.


    "Wait. Do you have some free time now?" Mika asked as he stood up.


    "..."


    "We''ve never met before. But, after our sh, I''m now intrigued. How good are you with the sword?"


    "For what reason are you asking me such a question?"


    "Oh, it''s nothing. But¡­ Since we''re both here, how about a spar?" Mika asked.


    "Old man!" Kaya was about to stop him but Mika shook his head.


    "I''m just curious. It''s not a fight to the death. Just a simple spar between two people. I''m a man who sought the way of the sword ever since I could remember. Meeting someone who can rival me in that is something that makes my heart beat louder than ever. I''m now old and wrinkled but if I can finally fight someone worthy of my skills, I might feel alive again."


    Kaya''s intentions to speak vanished again when she heard the sincerity in Mika''s words. She had known this man for a long time so she knew how much he loved the sword. In fact, one of the reasons she got thest name ''deheart'' was because Mika adored the sword.


    She had seen himte at night, swinging the sword in his courtyard relentlessly as if he was still a beginner taking his first step with eagerness. His rather dead eyes always brighten up whenever he holds his sword and swings it.


    Such a passion can''t be extinguished that easily. With how Kai was able to stop Mika was ease, the old man felt his dormant desire to fight a strong swordsman of his level wake up again after countless years.


    "I have no reason to ept," Kai said as he turned around again to leave.


    "If you spar with me now¡­ I shall make sure that Divinity won''t approach you forcefully in the future."


    His words made Kai halt before he looked back silently. "Should I take your word for that?"


    "I''m a man with honor. If I don''t keep my word then I might as well stab my heart right here and now." Mika replied.


    "... Three minutes. The fight shall onlyst three minutes. Whether you are satisfied with that or not, I do not care." Kai said.


    Now that he heard Mika''s proposal, he had no reason to deny it. He can just fight him for a few minutes and then he won''t have to focus too much on Divinity for a while. That would be useful especially when he has to train Kaya and Eva.


    ''This is spiraling out of control and Kai isn''t even following the n he set up!!'' Kaya was already feeling exhausted after a few minutes spent with these two reckless men.


    It was truly a spectacle to watch Kai and Mika converse. Both had extremely high pride and an ego that backs up their tremendous strength.


    "Good. You have gratitude for epting this old man''s request. Now, follow me." He said as he looked at Kaya.


    "Sigh, yes, yes." After that, she stood up and the trio walked toward one of the doors inside the room.


    There was a total of three doors including the one that leads to the exit. The second one is probably that of a bedroom or a lounge and thest one¡­ Well, that''s where they went.


    The interior of the room was dark but Kai could see that it looked like a dojo or a training area.


    Kaya stepped forward and tapped on a few buttons on amand tablet on the wall. Immediately, the room was illuminated.


    "This room hasn''t been used in ages," Kaya said as she gave Mika a re.


    "What?"


    "Didn''t you ask for this room to be made in your office, old man?"


    "Yes, I did. But, I find it way too artificial for my liking."


    "They made this training area so that you don''t run away from your responsibilities whenever you want to train." Kaya facepalmed with a sigh.


    "You can''t restrain this old man''s freedom, brat. I shall do what I want."


    Seeing the interaction between the two, Kai could see that Kaya didn''t hate Mika and neither did he. They seemed like a normal father and daughter duo and that weirdly made him feel slightly relieved.


    "Anyway, let''s get to it, ck Phantom." The old man said as he walked to the middle of the dojo and stood facing Kai.


    "We shall use our personal swords. But, no Origin or talents are allowed or this ce will be destroyed. No deadly blows are allowed either. The first to surrender or get in a position where they would''ve been killed if this fight was a serious one, loses. Oh, Kaya, you can be the judge. Is that good?"


    Kai nodded his head.


    ''Ah, I''m really going to regret this, aren''t I?'' She thought to herself before she stepped forward and pulled a coin from her pocket.


    "I will throw this coin. The moment it touches the ground, the fight begins."


    Then, under the two men''s watchful gaze, she flicked the coin in the air. Immediately, the atmosphere in the dojo grew solemn and cold.


    Pressure rose and the whole ce seemingly froze in time except for the coin that was now descending to the ground.


    Eventually, the coin touched the ground and the fight begun¡­

 Chapter 118 118- Kai Vs Mikayla (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 118 Chapter 118- Kai Vs Mika (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 118- Kai Vs Mika (Part 2)


    *TING*


    The sound of the coin dropping to the ground reverberated throughout the whole room. Instantly, Kai and Mika dashed toward each other. The two didn''t use Origin and yet their speed was simply monstrous. It far exceeded that of normal humans.


    The distance between them was closed in a second and the two unsheathed their swords before they shed violently. A huge st of wind sent the whole dojo into a frenzy. The swords clung and fought as the two used their immense strength.


    "Not bad, kid. You have the speed and the strength. But, do you have the technique?" Mika asked with a grin.


    Then, Mika pulled the sword before he shed at Kai again.


    *CLING*


    A series of stabs and shes followed that as Mika went all out on the offense, trying to corner Kai. His technique was as perfect as one could get. The way he moved the sword was graceful and elegant as if he was dancing rather than fighting.


    ''Watching him fight is always amazing. He has the most beautiful sword art I have ever seen.'' Kaya thought as she watched the fight from the side with a serious look on her face.


    As grandiose and maybe even edgy as it might sound, Mika''s nickname as the ''Sword God'' was still deserved as no one can reach his level. He was born to be a swordsman and that''s how he spent his life.


    *CLING* *CLING*


    The swords kept shing, sending sparks left and right. The two men''s speed kept on increasing slowly as they got further and further into the fight.


    Kai was oddly on the defense the whole time as Mika rained down on him with attacks from all shapes and forms.


    "Is this all you''ve got, boy? Did I overestimate your abilities with the sword?" Mika''s grin was still wide even though he sounded disappointed. He had never fought someone for this long so his excitement was still at an all-time high.


    "Come on! Show me what you''ve got! Show me what I''ve seen that day, ey!" The more he yelled, the more his attacks grew more aggressive and sharp.


    "I know you''ve got it! That day, I saw it with my own two eyes. Agent 1, that bastard, you sliced his face in two. My eyes couldn''t even follow what you did. I have never seen someone use a sword like that. Soe on! Do it! I want to see it again!"


    Kai was silent the whole time as he defended himself against all of Mika''s attacks. In his mind, however, he was rather impressed by Mika''s abilities. Although he did hear about his achievements and power, it was still a different experience to fight him head-to-head.


    But, that''s it¡­ That''s all he can say about Mika.


    "Don''t ask for what could kill you, Mr. Raullot. I have no reason to use my abilities against you." Kai said coldly as he jumped back while Mika dashed after him.


    *CLING* *CLING* *CLING*


    Their swords didn''t pull away for a second before shing violently again. Kai could feel Wretched Heart vibrating in his hand seemingly with excitement at the notion of fighting against a strong foe. He could feel its devilish aura seeping into his hand, trying to make him lose control. But, Kai didn''t allow for that to happen. Not twice in such a short period of time.


    Even he didn''t know what could happen if this diabolical sword was let loose multiple times. He only ever let loose before once and that once¡­ The devastating effects it had were something that Kai still remembers to that day.


    That event was what shaped Kai''s younger years and he hated every moment of it. However, he couldn''t really get rid of Wretched Heart. He heard a quote once ''A swordsman doesn''t choose their sword, their sword chooses them''. He simply couldn''t find it in himself to throw this sword away as evil as it was. In one or another, Kai could see the reflection of himself on that very sword.


    It was a monstrous sword even amongst Origin Artifacts. It was unique, above and beyond all weapons. Many considered it a piece of the devil and an abomination on earth just like how Kai was treated. Both of them shared that connection and Kai couldn''t sever it.


    Not to mention the fact a sword with the ability to cancel talents is already a scary idea as it is. He can''t even imagine the huge trouble that could happen if this thing was to get into the wrong hands.


    The fight continued with a series of rapid exchanges.


    "Come on, kid! I can handle it! Don''t let me get disappointed! I would rather die than not to see how far away I am from the top, ey?!" Mika urged him again.


    "Old man, stop it! Don''t provoke him!" Kaya''s yell echoed in the room as she channeled her Origin, ready to stop this fight. The time left before the end was about 30 seconds.


    "The top? You want to see the top?" Kai suddenly asked coldly.


    "Yes! I want to know whether my life''s worth of experience can really rival a once-in-a-lifetime talent!"


    The moment Mika finished his words, Kai''s whole demeanor changed, and that made the old man''s grin freeze. His danger senses went off immediately. But, he didn''t want to follow them. He wanted to see for himself what this boy had hidden within him.


    At the same time, Kai put the sword down and jumped in the air, barely dodging one of Mika''s shes. Then, under Mika and Kaya''s shocked eyes, hended on the tip of the old man''s sword. Ignoring the fact that he somehow made himself as light as a feather tond on the sword, his posture when hended was perfect.


    Then, before the old man could do anything, Kai jumped again. This time, his jump reached the ceiling. Twisting around, he touched the ceiling with his feet before he exercised strength on his thighs and pushed himself down.


    Kai''s strength, coupled with the gravity that was in his favor, his speed reached an astonishing level without using any Origin. His eyes turned cold as he took a deep breath.


    "Atomic sh." He murmured.


    "Hahaha! This is it, boy! This is what I''m looking for!" Mika beamed as he sheathed his sword before he closed his eyes.


    "Lunarian sword style: first form: Breathless death."


    Kaya, who noticed the sheer danger of what was about to happen, quickly channeled her mana as she summoned one of her creatures. A huge, dog-looking monster appeared out of nowhere before it dashed toward the heart of the fight.


    But, by the time it reached them, Kai and Mika had already shed.


    *BOOOOOOOM*


    The whole room seemingly shook violently as if it was hit by a giant earthquake. A wind st almost sent Kaya flying was it not for the fact that her legs were extremely strong.


    The ground beneath them cracked as a huge cloud of smoke covered the two men. A few seconds passed before the room calmed down again.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ What the fuck?" Kaya murmured as she squinted her eyes. Her eyes followed the cloud of smoke, peering through to see what happened and her eyes widened slightly.

 Chapter 119 119- Attached

    <h4>Chapter 119 Chapter 119- Attached</h4>


    Chapter 119- Attached


    In the middle of the destruction, two silhouettes could be seen close to each other with their backs facing the same way.


    As the cloud of smoke dispersed slowly, their silhouettes were revealed more and more until it was finally fully clear. Kai was now behind Mika, standing still with his sword in his hand. His posture was straight and elegant as if he was an immovable mountain.


    Right behind him, Mika was also standing still but for some reason, he looked odd. A few seconds of pure silence passed before the old man finally moved and fell to his knees.


    Looking closely, Kaya could see a small slit on his cheek that was oozing blood. It wasn''t dangerous. But, seeing that injury on her foster father was still a shocker. This was the same old man that could slice a building in half as if it was tofu and could erase a whole fleet of soldiers with a single sh of his sword.


    In all the years she knew him, Kaya had never seen Mika get a scratch let alone a bloody injury and yet here he was,pletely defeated.


    "Hahaha¡­" The old man, who was motionless for a while, chuckled weakly before he lifted his hand and touched his injured cheek.


    "It''s my lose, huh?"


    "..." Kai looked back as he sheathed his sword before exhaling a long breath. His aura returned to its normal cold, apathetic state.


    ''He stopped Atomic sh.'' Kai thought to himself as he recalled what happened at thest second.


    Just before their sh, a huge dog appeared in the middle and tried to stop them. But, the poor thing got eradicated in a split second by the two iing attacks.


    Then, they shed. Kai''s Atomic sh and Mika''s Breathless Death and for a second, Kai''s vision was blinded. However, he could clearly hear his attack shing with the old man''s. A series of clinging sounds drummed loudly in his ears.


    Atomic sh was an attack that relied on immense speed and uracy topletely eradicate the enemy from existence. It was lethal as well as hard to dodge or deflect because it was made out of hundreds or even thousands of shes that happen in a split second.


    On the other hand, Breathless Death was the first form of a very strong sword art called ''The Lunarian Sword Style''. Its name is derived from a legendary race that descended from the moon on Earth in mythology books. It was a sword style that reliedpletely on strength and technique.


    Each attack in that sword style is a catastrophe and the damage it deals is immense. It was also one of the reasons for Mika''s destructive abilities as one sh from his sword using that art could cut through almost anything.


    Breathless Death is basically one sh that can travel a very long distance and keep its immense strength. It was called breathless death because the target of that attack won''t even have a second to breathe before they get eradicated from existence.


    So, if immense speed and uracy shed with immense strength and technique, nobody could really predict what would happen, even Kai. By the time Kainded on the ground, he could sense it behind him. Even Mika''s Breathless Death couldn''t handle Atomic sh for long.


    ''I could only hit him once. I guess his reputation is really well deserved.''


    "Damn it. What the hell was that? How many attacks was that technique made of? No, what sword style even is that?" Mika asked.


    "..."


    "Oh right. Your secret. Hngh." Standing up again, Mika turned around. "I assume that''s the peak that I was looking for this whole time. I still have a very long way to go, ey."


    "As I said before, Mr. Raullot. Don''t ask for what could end your life. Seeking strength mindlessly is only going to spill your end just like how it spelled the end of countless people like you."


    "Hahahaha! I appreciate the advice, young man. But, this is who I am as a man. I dedicated all my life to the sword and I won''t quit now when I be an old wrinkled mess." Mika replied with aplicated smile.


    "I see¡­ Suit yourself."


    "Old man! Did you want to die?!" Kaya finally approached the two and red at the old man angrily. Then, she shed Kai a concerned look for a split second before looking away. Kai could read her mind at that second.


    ''Why did you do something so dangerous?''


    "Spare me the talks, Kaya. I had the fun of a lifetime fighting that little monster."


    "Fun? You two almost destroyed the whole building!" She said.


    "What are you talking abou-" Mikayal''s eyes wandered around him and a sh of understanding appeared in his eyes. "Oh¡­ I didn''t think this would happen."


    "God have mercy on my soul." Kaya facepalmed.


    "Oh well, I will call them toe and fix it today. It''s no big deal." The Sword God said coldly before he looked at Kai again.


    "As per our agreement, Divinity shall not follow you. However, I''m certain our paths will cross again, ck Phantom."


    "It won''t happen."


    "No, it will definitely happen. You still don''t realize it, kid. Your life is linked to this side of the world. No matter how much you try to run away from it, it will always pull you in again and again. Look at you, can you really live your life hiding that power of yours? You are different, Kid and those who are different can''t really mingle well with the normal people. Origin users can''t do that and so is the case for you."


    "..."


    "But, this is not my position to tell you what you should and shouldn''t do. Just know that unless you erase the Underworld from its roots, you will never be able to escape its clutches."


    "Old man, enough," Kaya said with a threatening tone. Even though she knew she shouldn''t act this way or their n would be uncovered but she didn''t like how Mika spoke to her beloved.


    Kai was indeed different but why would that be a good reason for him not to try to live his life peacefully? What''s wrong with wanting to stay away from blood and death? Is his power really more important than his life? She refused to believe that was the case.


    ''My darling can live however he wants. No one will be able to stop him from doing that and if they try, I will make sure to be the first one to make them regret it.'' She thought to herself as a hint of wickedness appeared in her eyes.


    "I shall take my leave then." Kai didn''tment on what Mika said as he turned around and walked to the door.


    "Four days from now, on the same time as today, I will return."


    Then, Kai''s silhouette vanished like mist under the father-daughter duo.


    "Fuuh¡­ That rascal really is a handful." Mika murmured.


    "You will get yourself killed one day, old man."


    "Oh shut up, would you? I''m already old enough to be considered a walking fossil. Dying normally or by a sword to the heart, what difference would that make?"


    "Mhm, whatever you say. Wait, oh right, isn''t your birthday soon?" Kaya touched her chin as she recalled something.


    Next month, her foster father will hit 120 years of age.

 Chapter 120 120- Mysterious Forest (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 120 Chapter 120- Mysterious Forest (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 120- Mysterious Forest (Part 1)


    "Ugh, spare me from that, would you?" Mika rolled his eyes as he walked toward the door, followed by Kaya. "My birthday is just a reminder that assholes can and are still after me for connections. Every goddamn year, a huge party filled with those idiots wastes a day of my life."


    "Look at the brighter side, old man. You would get a gift from me."


    Stopping for a second, Mika looked back at his daughter and said. "The best gift you could ever give me is when I see you taking the family from my hands and doing what''s right."


    Kaya went silent for a second as she stared at the old man. She could see a mix of hope and anger in his eyes. The anger wasn''t directed at her, however, but at something else beyond Kaya.


    "Now, I need you to exin to me exactly what the hell happened in the Frozen ins."


    ***


    A few hourster, Kaya was finally freed from Mika''s office and she felt as exhausted as if she fought a horde of enemies for days. The old man asked her about everything concerning that day and she had to tell him everything, excluding the fact that Kia came to save her.


    That she kept a secret to hide their rtionship. As for his reaction, Mika was rightfully shocked and confused. To hear about the existence of a monster was something that he couldn''t ept immediately.


    It wasn''t just big news. This was world-changing news that he got his hands on. For Mika, it might be good and bad news, though. The bad news is that he now knew of the existence of weird creatures lurking in the world that they basically know nothing about and that could potentially be stronger than the strongest of Origin users. The good news is that he ais the only person alongside Kaya that knows about this.


    "I will deal with this matter." He said with a darkened expression. For some reason, he seemed rather hesitant to speak.


    "Spill it out, old man. Since when did you hide what you think from me?"


    "I¡­ Sigh, I want to say I''m sorry, Kaya. I never knew that this could put your life at risk. I thought this mission was simple enou-"


    "It''s fine. You aren''t at fault for this. Besides, my job is dangerous as is. Or, are you expecting your daughter to be a softie that hesitates when facing strong foes?" Kaya asked.


    However, when she left his office, she rested her hand on the wall before sighing.


    ''What a hypocrite I am. Of course, I was scared. I couldn''t even handle losing Kai even though I spent a whole day dying slowly. I''m indeed a softie, old man. Way too much of a softie¡­ But, I don''t hate it. I weirdly don''t hate it.'' Her sad face turned to a small smile as she continued her walk out of the HQ toward her car.


    When she got inside, she found the one she''s been thinking about resting in the backseat, eating what seemed to be lunch that he got from somewhere.


    "Is the interrogation over?" He asked as he handed her a sandwich too.


    "Sigh, I''m sorry for making you wait. He asked me about every fucking thing possible."


    "He can''t do much even with all that information. No one can do anything unless they''re ready to take a huge gamble and further dig into this. Considering The Guild''s and Divinity''s position at the moment, neither of them can afford any major losses." Kai said as he took a bite of the sandwich.


    "I¡­ Well, hopefully, we won''t have to dig into this for the rest of our lives which I doubt would be the case considering our luck." She said as she opened the sandwich and took a bite.


    "Hmm, delicious! Where did you even get this?" She asked with a lightened-up expression. She already knew the answer to that as only certain food can really lift her spirit this much with one simple bite.


    "I made it beforeing here."


    "Mmm, your food really needs to be treated like a piece of art in a museum. No, that would make it harder for me to eat it. Just keep it this way, it feels more special and amazing. By the way, where did you learn to cook this well, Kai? I doubt it''s just from reading cookbooks. It just feels like magic."


    "... Magic, huh?" Kai''s eyes looked dazed for a second as he murmured her words. A sh of memory appeared in his head before he quickly shook it away. "I learned from cookbooks and some implementation of new ideas."


    "Uh, I see. Guess I was wrong then."


    After that, the two continued their lunch peacefully before Kaya finally turned the car on and they drove off into the horizon.


    "What''s our next step?"


    "Training. I will help you and Eva get as strong as possible in the time before the n starts. I have already decided on the day of the n."


    Kaya''s eyes turned serious as she asked Kai. "When?"


    "The red rose day. When everyone we need to deal with groups up in one single room. That''s when it starts."


    "The red rose day? You mean¡­ One and a half months from now?"


    "Yes."


    "And where are we going to train? You did say we will have to leave, right?" Kaya asked.


    ***


    "A forest?" (x2) Kaya and Eva asked as they looked through the window of the private jet.


    The sight beneath them was that of a huge forest that extended for miles and miles into the horizon. This forest didn''t belong to any country as it was located in a rather inhabitable area that had very perturbed weather and a concerning number of wild beasts and dangerous creatures. For that reason, all the countries that border this forest didn''t want anything to do with it. They didn''t even give it a proper name and so it was left simply named as the forest that no one should approach.


    "It''s a ce where no one can follow us. Except for the animals and the weather, you won''t have to worry about anything else. That''s exactly what you need to be able to handle the training." Kai exined.


    *Gulp*


    The two girls felt nervous just hearing his words. How bad was his training going to be for Kai to do all of this just so that they don''t get distracted with secondary thoughts?


    As they were contemting what will happen, Kai stood up and walked to the cockpit.


    "Lower the altitude. We''re going to jump." He said to the pilot.


    "H-Huh? E-Excuse me. What do you me-"


    "Just do what I asked without questions," Kai replied coldly as he turned around to the two girls.


    "Grab your parachutes."


    Looking at each other for a second, Kaya and Eva nodded before they got ready.


    Then, they opened the door to the jet. Kai looked at the sky outside and then simply jumped out.


    "M-Miss Eva¡­ The m-master won''t be happy if I let you ju-"


    "Ah, it''s fine. He won''t need to know." Eva smiled at the nervous pilot then, she simply waved at him before jumping.


    "But this forest is dangerous!! Oh, god, the master will kill me."


    "Rx, old man. Your face is already wrinkled as is and you look really weak. Is your wife really satisfied that way?" Kaya asked him with a smirk.


    "W-What? W-What do you mea-"


    "My advice is that you should eat some honey. Helps a lot with that ''activity'', you know what I''m talking about?" With a small wink at the lost old man, she also jumped out of the jet.


    ''What the hell is wrong with these people?!!''

 Chapter 121 121- Mysterious Forest (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 121 Chapter 121- Mysterious Forest (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 121- Mysterious Forest (Part 2)


    The trionded safely with the parachutes in the heart of the forest. For one reason or another, the ce was oddly quiet and there was no presence of animals anywhere.


    "This ce is hot," Eva murmured to herself as she looked around.


    The first thing she noticed about the forest was the sheer concentration of Origin here. It was far more present and way purer. Well, not as pure as the Origin in the Frozen ins but it was still impressive.


    "Hmm, there are some rather expensive fruits growing up here." Kaya walked toward a tree and picked up one of the fruits. "Uhiaquat. These things go for thousands of dors a pound." She said as she put the fruit in her pocket.


    "The supply of food here is abundant. You won''t need any of the food you bring with you." Kai said.


    "... Excuse me?" Eva asked with a confused expression.


    "You will be hunting what you''re going to eat. If you don''t hunt then you''re not going to eat." Kai exined as he cut some tree branches that obstructed his way and started walking.


    The two girls looked at each other before they sighed and nodded their heads.


    ''This is going to be a struggle.'' The two thought to themselves. Neither Kaya nor Eva were huge fans of meat, especially fatty meat like that of wild animals. But, since Kai told them that they will have to eat that, they would do it no question asked.


    The trio continued their journey through the forest quietly for quite a while until Kaya felt like she needed to ask.


    "Where are we going exactly?"


    "You will see soon."


    "..."


    A few minutester, they reached what seemed to be an open area with a small hill in the middle. It was grassy and even like a in and right in the middle of it stood a small wooden house that seemed to be as old as the forest itself.


    "This is the ce," Kai said coldly. A weird hint shed in his eyes for a second seeing that house. The wave of nostalgia that hit him was huge but he was able to keep hisposure as if nothing happened.


    "A wooden hut? Why is such a thing here?" Eva murmured.


    "How did you know that there is such a thing in the middle of this forest?" Kaya took the opportunity to ask.


    "It''s because I lived here when I was young," Kai said as he walked forward, ignoring the shocked expressions on hispanions.


    "You lived here?!" (x2) They said at the same time with a loud tone.


    Immediately, Kaya and Eva started looking around again, engraving the details better this time. Who thought that their beloved had actually lived in the middle of a forest when he was young?


    ''This ce is even prohibited for Origin users to enter because it''s dangerous and yet Kai lived in it when he was merely younger than 8 years old.'' Eva thought to herself. Well, it was the least expected from Kai.


    The trio continued walking to the cabin in silence. The two girls felt rather nervous now that they realized how important this ce was. Depending on what they could find inside, it could reveal some of Kai''s childhood to them.


    There was a small terrace at the front with a swinging chair near the balcony, overseeing the beautiful forest. The whole ce was filled with dust.


    Looking around, Kai''s aura calmed down for a bit as if he was paying respect to the ce silently.


    Looking at the swinging chair, he was about back to memoryne when he quickly averted his eyes and continued walking toward the entrance. It wasn''t time to start remembering things.


    "This ce looks beautiful even though it has been left alone for a long time." Kaya praised honestly.


    There was a sense of familiarity around this cabin that she liked. It was as if even though the people that lived here a long time ago have already left, their memories still protected this ce and kept it calm and serene, just how they wanted it to be.


    ''I guess Kai''s life here wasn''t as bad as I thought?'' Eva had the same thoughts.


    Opening the door, Kai stepped inside the cabin and a whiff of woody smell entered his nostrils that almost knocked his head back to 12 years ago.


    "It didn''t change, huh." He murmured.


    The interior was a rather simple setting. There were exactly three bedrooms, one living room, one small kitchen, and one bathroom. There was simple furniture inside and even utensils for cooking put in an orderly fashion above the kitchen counter.


    "Woah! I like this ce."


    "Me too. Its simplicity is really charming." Eva added.


    "Put your luggage down ande back here. We will need to clean this ce up before settling in." Kai said as he walked toward one of the bedrooms.


    "Isn''t Kai acting slightly weird?" Eva whispered to Kaya secretly.


    "Maybe he''s remembering his childhood? I don''t know." Kaya replied with the same confused expression. Her eyes squinted slightly as she watched Kai''s back while he got his clothes out of the bag.


    "Well, let''s just clean up this ce. Don''t fall behind, old hag. I know you''re suffering from back pain." Eva said to which Kaya rolled her eyes.


    "Right, I remembered to buy a feeding bottle for you to drink milk before sleeping."


    "Bitch!" Eva red at Kaya.


    "Hey, hey, kiddo. Don''t be that eager to get the bottle from my hand. I also got you a cute teddy bear to hug for sleep."


    "Hahaha, I doubt that will be needed. Coming to think of it, I got some big diapers for you to¡­ you know, not turn the bed sheets yellow during the night, old hag." Eva retorted.


    "Ugh¡­"


    The two continued their banter as they walked inside.


    After that, the trio started cleaning the ce thoroughly. Using water that Kai created with Origin, the process was quick enough not to take the whole day. By the time they finished, it was already afternoon.


    After that, Kai made a simple lunch for them to eat and finally made them settle down on the couch as he stood in front of them.


    "Now, we will start the first step of the training."


    The two girls felt excited as they eagerly waited for Kai to speak.


    ''Are we going to fight some creatures in the forest?''


    ''Or maybe we will have to spar against Kai?''


    ''Or maybe he will give us new Talents to learn?''


    Their ideas were endless but they didn''t want to talk as Kai seemed to have already decided what it will be.


    "The first lesson is: meditation."


    "..." (x2)


    "You two will return to the very basics of Origin maniption and that''s why I need to see what level of mediation you can reach."


    It would be a lie if Kaya and Eva said they weren''t disappointed. Meditation, although useful at the start of one''s journey as an Origin user, is simply too boring for the two of them. They were two of the strongest Origin users in the world, for god''s sake and yet they will have to return to beginner exercises?


    Why would Kai need them to do that?

 Chapter 122 122- Origin Mastery

    <h4>Chapter 122 Chapter 122- Origin Mastery?</h4>


    Chapter 122- Origin Mastery


    "Can I ask¡­ Uh, why are we going back to the basics, Kai? We already mastered that, didn''t we?" Kaya asked.


    "Did you?" Kai asked back which made Kaya speechless. Was he questioning the fact that she mastered control over Origin? The hell? She was Kaya deheart. Her strength rivals that of Virtues even though she''s an archangel.


    "I did predict that you two didn''t discover this. Well, I will exin either way since it''s needed to move forward." Kai said as he sat down in front of the two.


    "What is the one way you were taught to increase your Origin power."


    "Meditation," Eva replied.


    "Good. What does meditation exactly do?"


    "Uh, it increases the quantity of Origin you have although it can''t affect its purity."


    "Correct."


    "I mean, that''s primary school level of inform-" Kaya was about to shake her head with a silly smile. Kai had praised her for mere basic information about Origin. However, her smile didn''tst long.


    "But you are notpletely right. You see, what you were taught about Origin when you were kids isn''t the full truth."


    "What?"


    "Most Origin users, including the strongest out there didn''t really realize it. But, Origin is indeed based on the gifted talent that you acquire the moment you are born, and its purity is also based on that fact. The purer the Origin is, the stronger you can be. However, that isn''t really the case. There is a way to increase your Origin''s effectiveness even when you can''t really control the purity."


    Lifting his hand up, Kai channeled his Origin to the palm of his hand, forming a small ball. Its deep, powerful orange color fascinated the two girls.


    ''No matter how many times I see it, it''s amazing. There is no other person that cane near that color.''


    Most Origin users'' powers have a rather translucent orange color and the stronger of them have a deeper color. But, Kai''s looked way deeper and more pronounced than any other one neither of them had seen.


    "How can we do that?" Kaya asked.


    "Simple. You need to master your control over Origin. And by ''master'', I mean to a cellr level. To truly advance your strength, you need topletely grasp Origin and make it your power. Right now, neither of you is anywhere near that."


    "To a¡­ cellr level?"


    "You mean¡­ We need to control every cell in our body?" Kaya continued Eva''s question as she blinked confusedly. The human body had billions and billions of cells, how can they control each one of them individually?


    "As I said before, it won''t be easy. But, I will make sure both of you learn that in 45 days. If that happens and you truly reach that mastery, you can do this."


    *Swish*


    Suddenly, Kai''s hand moved as he shockingly slit his own wrist. Under Eva and Kaya''s surprised looks, blood oozed out of his wrist like a fountain but Kai''s expression didn''t change for even a split second. It was painful, but he didn''t really care.


    The two took a second to wake up from their shock only to realize something.


    "The wound¡­ It''s not healing." Eva murmured.


    For an Origin user, healing injuries, even the deeper ones, can take a few hours or days for the weaker ones and minutes for the strongest. Eva knew that Kai''s healing abilities are probably way above that level and so seeing that he wasn''t healing terrified and confused her.


    "Normally, Origin users can''t control how their body heals. As long as they get injured and they have enough Origin, their body will take from that Origin and heal without their control. It''s a natural body phenomenon. However, when you master Origin, you can stop your body from doing such things naturally."


    Then, Kai''s injury suddenly started healing at an rming speed before it stopped again mid-way.


    "I can control what my body does. How my skin heals, how blood vessels work, how my muscles reattach, and even how my bones can fortify or weaken. I can put all of my strength into one finger if I want to."


    "..." The two girls sat there silently, digesting the information Kai said.


    What he revealed just now was mind-blowing information. No, it was something that far exceeded what the best scientists discovered about Origin till that point. The mere idea of being able to control every part of your body was something revolutionary.


    The things that a human body can do was already impressive as is let alone if the person could control it to that extent. Especially the part about putting one''s strength into one limb or one organ.


    ''This is no joke. Fighting against a stronger foe, if I can put all my strength into one single punch, that would be destructive.'' Kaya contemted quietly.


    ''Not only that. I can put it into my heart, my mind, or even my stomach. I can increase the functionality of every organ if I want to.'' Eva thought too as endless ideas started popping into her head. To think that there was way more to Origin than to be used as a talent activator or a body enhancer.


    As for Kai, he simply watched them take in all the information. He knew that what he told them was like an eye-opener. What he hid, however, was the fact that he was the one to discover this and the process of doing it was probably the worst experience of his life.


    However, he didn''t care about that, as long as they took the information he had sacrificed a part of his soul for, he was fine with it.


    ''I doubt I can make them learn the easy way. For them to truly master Origin, they will have to push their bodies beyond the limit. I still don''t know if they can truly handle it.'' Kai thought to himself.


    He was, more or less, taking a gamble here. He really didn''t know if this could 100% seed. But, there is really nothing he can do here. Eva and Kaya seemed hell on bent on getting stronger and Kai did want them to get stronger too so that he doesn''t have to bind them to this side the whole time. He was just rather worried since he was the only one to ever go through that hellish training ande out alive. Every other person he had seen try it, ended up either crippled or dead.


    Granted, Kai won''t let that happen since he will oversee the two of them but it was still not a good idea safety-wise.


    Suddenly, an image of a little girl shed in his head for a split second before vanishing. For a second, he had forgotten that she was the only exception to his rule.


    ''I guess there was her too.'' His face frowned as his cold aura red slightly, waking Eva and Kaya from their trance. Looking at him, they could see a sh of anger sh in his eyes that vanished quickly.


    "Kai? Are you ok, darling?" Kaya asked gently with a concerned expression.


    "Hmm? It''s nothing. Anyway, as I was saying, this will take a lot of time and extreme measures. So, if at some point, you think you can''t handle it anymore, tell me. I will stop the training." He said with a serious expression. "Do you understand?"


    The two girls nodded their heads at the same time.


    "Good. Let''s go."


    "Where?"


    Turning around, Kai said.


    "To the first training spot."

 Chapter 123 123- Diamonds In The Rough

    <h4>Chapter 123 Chapter 123- Diamonds In The Rough</h4>


    Chapter 123- Diamonds In The Rough


    The trio was about to leave the house when they heard a familiar meowing sounding from Eva''s room. Looking back, a ck cat suddenly jumped out of Eva''s bag and came running toward them with a happy look on her face.


    "Huh? This cat followed us here?" Kaya blinked in confusion. She didn''t even feel her presence during the whole trip and yet this little thing still sneaked in.


    "I couldn''t let her stay alone in the house so I took her with us," Eva said with a small smile as she crouched in front of the cat and called for her.


    The little thing quickly ran to Eva and jumped in her embrace as she purred happily. Eva yfully patted her on the head. The two looked like close friends. Kaya watched that interaction with a shocked expression.


    ''Why are these two close?! Does the Kiddo not realize that the cat is after Kai too?'' Facepalming with a sigh, she turned around and followed Kai outside.


    "Kai, does this cat still have no name?" Eva asked.


    "No."


    "Hmm, that''s no good. We can''t just call her ''Cat''. Can we?" Eva asked.


    At that moment, the cat suddenly jumped from her embrace and ran toward Kai before she jumped into his arms excitedly. Her beautiful, blue eyes sparkled like one thousand stars. He didn''t even need a second to understand what the cat wanted.


    "... Miyu. Your name will be Miyu." He said after a few seconds.


    "Miyu, huh¡­ Very lovely! I like it! What about you, old hag?"


    "It''s good," Kaya replied ndly.


    As for the cat, her excitement reached a new level as she started jumping around in Kai''s arms and licking his face happily. It seemed she liked the name too.


    "Since she followed us here, we can''t do much about it. Let''s go."


    After that, the now four-member group walked out of the cabin and into the forest. The odd quiet atmosphere still ticked the group off since this ce was supposed to be filled with animals and wild beasts of all kinds.


    However, Kai seemed unconcerned by that fact as he lead them through the forest till they reached an opening.


    "Woah¡­" The two women gasped in admiration at the sight. The open area was actually a very beautifulke with crystal clear water and a mesmerizing giant waterfalling down from a small mountain.


    "The water is so beautiful. I''ve never seen ake this clear in my life." Eva murmured in admiration as she approached the edge of theke and touched the surface of the water with her hands.


    However, the moment she touched it, Eva felt as if a shock ran through her body before she jumped back instinctively.


    "What the hell?" Looking at her hand, Eva was shocked to see that her fingertips were frozen.


    "I should''ve told you not to touch it. Thiske isn''t normal." Kai said as he put down Miyu and approached theke.


    "Thiske is precisely in the heart of the forest. Here, the concentration of Origin is extremely high and thiske is the reason for that. It''s not actually water. Well, not fully water at least." He exined.


    "This¡­ isn''t water?" Touching the ice, Eva could feel the sensation of Origin on her fingertips. It was indeed Origin. But, why was it formed into ice rather than the usual orange color?


    Well, the reason for that was simple. Because theke was approximately 60% water and 40% origin, the Origin took the traits of water and amplified it which made this seemingly harmlesske into a terrifying ice trap.


    ''What a deadly trap for any creature to fall into¡­'' Eva thought as a chill ran down her spine.


    As for Kaya, she only scratched her chin thoughtfully. She dide across a simr phenomenon but in apletely different ce.


    ''The moving sand in that dessert I went to a long time ago. It was boiling hot because of Origin too. I guess these are two simr cases.''


    "Now, jump inside the water." Kai suddenly said.


    "..." (x2)


    Looking at him with a confused expression, the girls almost thought they heard him wrong.


    "I said jump in." He repeated.


    "Wait, wait¡­ Thiske is basically a huge ice hell." Kaya said.


    "What part of ''It will push you to the limit'' wasn''t clear? This is basically just the start. If you two can''t handle this much, then there is no reason for us to evene here." Kai said sternly as he gave the two girls a cold look.


    He had to be serious and strict with them or they won''t take the training as seriously as he wanted them to.


    "*Gulp*... Understood." Nodding their heads, the two girls jumped into the water and immediately, their bodies froze from the sheer coldness of theke. It was as if one thousand needles were stabbing their skin every single second.


    So, the two of them used Origin to coat their bodies or they will die from coldness. However, even then, the water was still awfully cold.


    "For the first part of the training: you will have to survive 24 hours inside the water."


    "24 hours?!" Eva asked as her lips quivered. "O-Ok, understood."


    Kaya also nodded her head and the two then immediately focused on maintaining Origin around their bodies.


    Ice was quickly forming on their skin but their Origin would destroy it and instantly fix the skin that was damaged because of the ice. It was very painful but neither of themined.


    What they weren''t aware of was that each time the ice formed on their skin, a little part of that raw, natural Origin would seep into their bodies. Their skin was getting tougher, their muscles were increasing in strength and their bones were getting more and more robust.


    The process was very slow but with time, their bodies will go through a very drastic change. However, Kai didn''t tell them about that part so that they don''t get distracted.


    As they were like that, Kai sighed before he took his shirt off, revealing his drool-worthy body before he jumped inside theke too.


    He then simply sat there, keeping an eye on them while also doing the same thing they were doing. Since he had already done this training a million times before, his body won''t really get any stronger than this but he didn''t treat it as training and more as a form of meditation. The coldness of the water around him made his nerves cool down and his mind clear up.


    His eyes never left the two women, not even for a second. He could see their auras dancing quietly as they fought the ice.


    With each passing second, Kai noticed their bodies getting stronger. Truthfully, he was curious to see how far these two could go. Talent-wise, they were the creme of the crop. Coupled with his guidance, Kai could see them turn into two freaks of nature that could turn this whole world upside down if they want to.


    ''Maybe this was worth giving it a try. They''re like diamonds that need a little more polishing. I should put some effort into their training.'' Nodding his head at his next step, he continued his quiet meditation while watching the two beauties close by.

 Chapter 124 124- Godly Body And a Challenge

    <h4>Chapter 124 Chapter 124- Godly Body And a Challenge</h4>


    Chapter 124- Godly Body And a Challenge


    Time passed silently as the trio focused on their training while Miyu simply rested outside, enjoying a nap under the sun.


    During the period of 5 or 6 hours, Kaya and Eva went through extreme pain like nothing they had ever felt before. It was as if their bodies were getting stabbed with knives all over continuously. The more time passed, the more the pain increased and the harder it was to maintain their auras to protect them from the cold.


    Their skins have been healed hundreds of times by that point and have finally started showing results. The ice took lesser time to form on their skins and so they didn''t have to destroy it as often. But, that didn''t mean that it became any easier as their Origin was already getting exhausted at a rapid pace for a while and now they barely had any Origin left.


    Kai watched silently as their faces started changing and their skin turned a degree paler because of hypothermia. However, neither of them made a sound or even thought about leaving. Their determination to pass this training was at an all-time high.


    Both of them wanted to reach Kai''s expectations and what opportunity was better than this one. If they could pass the 24 hours, maybe Kai would be happy or even praise them. That''s a goal worth giving their all for.


    However, what their currently numb minds didn''t realize was that their bodies weren''t as determined to achieve that goal as they assumed. When the clock hit the 7-hour mark, their Origin couldn''t protect them anymore and the ice started spreading quickly.


    "That''s enough," Kai said as he finally stood up.


    However, neither of the girls replied as they continued to focus on the training.


    "I said that''s enough. Get out of theke now."


    Again, no answer.


    Finding no other choice, Kai approached the two girls before he scooped them up and vanished, only to appear again outside theke. He gentlyid the two girls on the ground. Their wet bodies were shivering from the coldness and their closed eyes seemed adamant on not opening as if they were still not aware that they left theke.


    Looking at their bodies, any man would drool at that divine sight. Two of the most beautiful women in the world were now soaking wet and their clothes were see-through, revealing their curvy bodies. Even Kai had to admit that Eva and Kaya were dangerously seductive. However, his self-control wasn''t that easily perturbed.


    When they realized that the temperature increased and the painful feeling of the ice vanished, their eyes started opening.


    "What¡­ happened?" Kaya murmured as she rose up and looked around. "Did¡­ we seed?"


    "No. It has been exactly 7 hours and 4 minutes since you started."


    Hearing that, Eva also rose up and looked at Kai.


    "Only 7 hours, huh? Why did you pull us out?"


    "Because if I didn''t, you both would''ve died from hypothermia. Your bodies couldn''t handle it anymore." Kai exined as he pulled out three towels from his bag and handed two to the girls.


    "I see¡­ Dammit." Eva cursed lowly.


    "It is what it is. I already knew I wouldn''t be able to do it from the first try." Kaya mused.


    "Wait¡­" (x2) Looking at their towels, their eyes shifted up again.


    That''s when they realized that this whole time¡­ Kai was speaking to them with his upper halfpletely naked and wet. Just realizing that erased all the disappointment from their minds.


    ''*Gulp* Oh, god¡­'' (x2)


    Biting her lip, Kaya looked at her beloved with naked desire in her eyes. This was the first time she had seen Kai''s body naked and she must admit, it was godly in every sense of the word. His body was akin to a perfect statue carved by the gods themselves in amazing detail. She didn''t even understand how a body that perfect could exist.


    ''He looks way more delicious than I anticipated.'' She thought as she licked her lips seductively.


    As for Eva, she blushed and averted her eyes slightly. However, she kept taking glimpses at Kai every other second. No matter how many times she sees his naked body, she would never have had enough of it.


    "You will rest for the day and we will continuete at night. Any objections?" Kai asked as he slid his hair back and hang the towel on his shoulder.


    "..." (x2)


    "Hm?" Kai noticed the odd behavior of the two girls. "Oi, why are you not responding?"


    "Hm¡­ U-Uh! Sorry!" Eva woke up first and she apologized quickly.


    "Uh, darling¡­ Can you please wear something? Your body is distracting me." Kaya exined as she kept looking at him shamelessly, not hiding the lust in her eyes.


    "..." Kai finally understood what she meant as he looked down. "Sigh¡­" Shaking his head, he turned around and walked away.


    "Finish drying up and then follow me back." He said.


    ''Fuuuh, that was close. I was this close to jumping on him.'' Kaya thought with a small smile. ''This trip might be way more fun than I anticipated.''


    ''Goddamit, me! Stop blushing like an idiot every goddamn time!!'' Eva fanned her face and then focused on drying herself up. However, she noticed another embarrassing thing. Her underwear was basically visible the whole time.


    Realizing Kai had most likely seen her like that, she could only hide her face away. However, deep inside, she was extremely happy. Usually, she wouldn''t dare to get naked in front of her beloved but if it happened identally, then it''s also good.


    "You think he had any dirty thoughts when he looked at our bodies?" Kaya suddenly asked.


    "H-Huh? O-Of course¡­ Not¡­ Uh, I don''t know!" Eva tried to imagine that Kai wouldn''t have any dirty thoughts but then again, Kai was in the end a healthy teenager. At his age, he should have at least a few naughty ideas about women, right?


    "You know, Kai might hide it. But, he''s a healthy boy. We''re both not bad looking at all. So¡­"


    "What do you want to say, old hag?" Eva asked as she gave her a cold look.


    "Hahahaha, rx kiddo. I meant no harm. However, remember. We will stay with Kai here for 45 days under the same roof. You do understand what that means, right?" Kaya said with a smirk.


    "Are you challenging me?" Eva asked coldly.


    Two extremely beautiful women under the same roof with the person they deeply loved. Even if Eva tried to ignore it, unexpected things might happen. However, those things might not include her and instead include this slutty old hag beside her.


    "You''re quick to catch on, kiddo. Yeah, I already decided to pursue Kai actively. He is very close to hitting 18 years old so I must make him fall for me before that so that when the timees¡­ We won''t have to worry about anything and finally cross the line~" She said as she touched her lips.


    Immediately, Eva''s aura turned a degree colder as bloodlust filled her eyes.


    "I dare you to try and do anything, Kaya. I will make you regret it for your entire life."


    "Hahaha, if you truly want to stop me¡­ Try and steal him from me. No need for violence or brawling. Just who has better skills at charming our little charming devil~."


    The two girls stared at each other, silently agreeing to start this war. A war of love with one objective: to capture Kai''s heart by the end of the training trip. And just like that, another objective was added to the two girls'' list of goals for the next 45 days.

 Chapter 125 125- Marking On a Tree

    <h4>Chapter 125 Chapter 125- Marking On a Tree</h4>


    Chapter 125- Marking On a Tree


    After finishing drying up, the two girls made their way back to the cabin slowly. When they stood up, they realized that their bodies were extremely exhausted.


    They had used an unfathomable amount of Origin and their reservoirs were almost empty so their physical prowess dropped considerably until they recharge. Usually, that won''t take much time. A few hours at most.


    When they reached the house, they found Kai making them dinner. The sun was on the horizon, slowly drifting into oblivion, announcing the end of this long day.


    *Drop* *Drop*


    Hearing the sound of something dropping, Kai looked back only to find Eva and Kayaying on the ground. Their even breathing and their calm aura told him that they have drifted to sleep because of exhaustion.


    "At least go to bed before losing consciousness," Kai murmured before he stopped cooking and walked toward them.


    "Meow!" Miyu approached Eva and started rubbing her head yfully as if she teasing the girl for sleeping like this.


    Kai then lifted them up and carried them to their assigned beds. After that, he finished making dinner, he put it down for them to eat when they woke up before he walked out of the cabin followed by Miyu.


    The forest was nowpletely dark except for the lighting from the moon. Looking up at the sky riddled with beautiful stars and cosmic colors that would make anyone gasp with admiration, he stood there for a few seconds.


    After that, he started walking again toward the forest. His eyes were looking around silently until they eventually fell on a particr tree. This tree, unlike the other ones around it, had the light of the moon on it as if the sky was highlighting it out of every other tree.


    Looking at it, Kai''s purple eyes shone with a weird light for a second before he strode toward it, followed by Miyu who looked confused.


    From up close, the tree looked old and on the verge of dying and yet had a mysterious vibe about it that many can''t grasp.


    He then started walking around the tree with his hand tracing its trunk with a deep look on his face. When he reached the other side of it, he finally found what he was looking for. There was an eye-catching carving on the tree that was clearly the work of a human.


    The carving was that of a path that goes into the horizon and two silhouettes holding hands were walking toward it. Because the carving is very old, the two silhouettes were now vague and hard to identify. However, weirdly enough, the path was still as clear as ever.


    ''It''s still intact, huh¡­'' Kai mused.


    After that, he looked up and surprisingly, the branch that he remembered to sit on every night to watch the sky was also still intact. So, with a single leap, hended on the branch before he sat down. Miyu also climbed the tree and followed after him.


    The two sat there silently. As they were like that, Kai heard the sound of rustlinging from behind him. However, he didn''t need to look back to know who it was.


    "There is still time before the training¡­ Kaya. Why did you wake up?" He asked.


    "I already feel way better. Also, thanks for dinner. It was delicious, as usual." She said as she approached the tree Kai was sitting on top of.


    "Why are you here, darling?" She asked.


    "Nothing." He replied before he went silent again.


    "Hmm, I see¡­" Kaya knew that it wasn''t just ''nothing''.


    As she was contemting what was wrong with her beloved, her eyes fell on the carving in the tree.


    ''What''s that?'' Looking closer at it, she quickly understood. ''Did Kai carve that when he was young?''


    It wasn''t hard to reach that conclusion considering the situation. ''It seems he really liked this ce. But, there are two people in the tree carving.


    Kaya''s eyes shone with a weird glint before she shook her head and asked. "Can I sit beside you?"


    "..."


    Kai didn''t reply but Kaya knew that was his ''yes''. So, she jumped nimbly on the tree branches till she reached him.


    "Woah, what an amazing view." She murmured with admiration.


    Kai''s eyes shifted to look at the woman for a second before he looked at the sky again. "I used to sit here a lot."


    "I can see why. The sky looks amazing here. You can''t see such a sight in the city."


    "..."


    The two sat there quietly, enjoying their time in their own way.


    "Do you love this ce, Kai?" Kaya decided to ask.


    Kai''s expression changed to a frown at the sudden question before he shook his head.


    "I don''t know. I never loved anything in my life to understand what that even means."


    "Kai¡­ What happened¡­ Who did this to you?"


    Kaya really wanted to know who turned Kai into this empty shell of a human being. She could see it in Kai''s eyes, the pain and desire to escape from something and yet she can''tprehend what or why he was like that. More than anything else, she was extremely angry that someone dares to harm her beloved and scar him when he was merely a child.


    "I did it to myself." He replied.


    "What? No, you did nothing wro-" Kaya shook her head.


    "You do not understand. Nobody can." He replied. "I was born with enough power to destroy this world if I want to. Do you know how many times I contemted that idea? Do you know how many times I wanted to end this corrupted world? I''m as much of a monster as the cruelest of people out there."


    "..."


    "Maybe that''s why I will die soon. The world itself wants to get rid of me before I get rid of it."


    "Meow¡­" Miyu concernedly rubbed her head against Kai''s thigh as she looked at him.


    "Why are you still alive then?" Kaya asked after a while as she looked down at her hands.


    "... Sigh, for the same reason that I didn''t kill every single person in this world. My foolish side still wants to live a little bit longer. It''s telling me that there will be light around the corner. Some corner." Kai exined coldly. A hint of sarcasm could be heard in his voice as if he was mocking himself for thinking this way.


    And that was the truth, Kai''s sole reason for continuing to live, alone, different, and broken was because he still, somewhere deep inside of him, believed that things will change the next day. Maybe he will wake up with no powers and could finally be a human. Maybe when he wakes up the next day, he will be a normal member of an average, loving family who is living a monotonous yet peaceful life.


    But, no such thing happened. He was still the same monster everyone feared. The same monster that will die a horrible death in a few years. The same monster that lived through hell and yet still found ways to make it even worse for himself.


    Kai didn''t even understand why he was speaking this much when he was usually a one-word man. However, he already realized that when ites to Eva and Kaya, his attitude and thoughts take a drastic change.


    Kaya looked at his face from the side silently. A mix of sadness and worry could be seen in her eyes. But, all of that suddenly vanished. Then, she said.


    "You idiot¡­"


    Then, suddenly, everything went quiet as Kaya did something unexpected.

 Chapter 126 126- The Archangels (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 126 Chapter 126- The Archangels (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 126- The Archangels (Part 1)


    Kai felt Kaya turn his face around before he sensed two soft lips touch his. The world went quiet in a mere second. His eyes widened a little as he looked at Kaya''s awfully close face. Her closed eyes, her beautiful skin, and the blush on her face.


    Usually, he would''ve instantly reacted and pushed her away but during that moment, his mind oddly told him not to do that. But, that onlysted for a second as he then pulled away and looked at her with squinted eyes.


    Looking at her face, he could see that Kaya was still in her own world as her lips were still pursed and her eyes were still closed. As if she didn''t realize that Kai pulled out. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked at him as a small smile appeared on her face.


    "And your lips are now captured. You''re far more delicious than I thought." She said as she licked her lips seductively.


    "..."


    "Listen to me, Kai. I know that I will never be able to understand how it feels to be like you. To be so different. But, don''t let that decide who you are. So what if you have those powers? They are simply a tool for you to not allow others to trample on you. You shouldn''t think that they are the only thing worth something about you." Kaya''s finger extended till it touched Kai''s chest, right where his heart is.


    "The fact that you''re the strongest and yet you didn''t use that power to terrorize and destroy everything in your way speaks volumes of what you have here. If another person were to get those powers, they would''ve felt as if they were gods on earth, ready to pass judgment to innocent and guilty alike." She said with a frown.


    She knew what it felt like to be powerful and honestly, if it wasn''t for Kaya''s values, she wasn''t certain she would''ve not drowned in that intoxicating feeling. So, that feeling must''ve been tens of times harder to fight on Kai''s side, the strongest creature in the world.


    "When you told me about your identity. I felt d¡­ and relieved at the same time. d that I was able to make you open up to me and d that you were the ck Phantom. Because I knew you won''t be something I need to fight or kill."


    Kai''s eyes shone with a myriad ofplicated emotions.


    "So, whether others tell you that you won''t be able to live your life the way you want it or that you will never be able to find happiness, it doesn''t really matter. What matters is what you want to do."


    Kai stayed silent as he listened to Kaya. Her words resonated with him because they made sense. His powers shouldn''t be all he has to offer. Maybe he knew that should be the case for a long time and yet refused to ept it simply because he found himself at the lowest point where he lost everything.


    Kaya realized that her words have fortunately reached her beloved and she smiled happily.


    ''My Kai knows what he has to do. I guess my childhood wasn''t all for naught. If I can help him understand that he isn''t alone and that he will find happiness, then it''s worth it.'' She thought to herself as she looked at the sky again.


    "Did you find your answer?"


    "... Yes. Thanks for the help." Kai said calmly.


    "No, no. Don''t say ''thank you''. Instead, how about you have some fun with me?~" She said as she leaned forward, showing Kai her cleavage.


    "Don''t even try. You''re here to focus on training." He refused her sternly.


    "Sigh, well, I tried at least. I still didn''t give up yet. I will get to ravage you way sooner than you might expect, dear."


    Kai ignored her provocative words and jumped down, followed by Miyu. Kaya chuckled happily before she also jumped down.


    "Let''s go back. The time is almost here." He said.


    "Roger, captain~"


    ***


    Then, for the next three days, Kai made Eva and Kaya train like maniacs. They kept on repeating the process of meditating inside theke again and again and again. Each time, their progress will increase drastically.


    From 7 hours, they were able to reach an astonishing 15 hours by the third day, doubling their first record. Their bodies also evolved beyond recognition. Their skins, bones, flesh, muscles, and even organs were soaked in pure Origin till they also evolved to a whole new level. They were now far stronger than a few days ago, and when the two of them realized that, they were beyond shocked.


    They couldn''t believe that such a way of training existed that nobody was aware of. To get this stronger in such a short period of time was beyond anyone''s imagination. However, that didn''t mean that it was easy. In fact, it was indeed as Kai described. Each session was more painful and more draining than the one before.


    They were constantly pushed to their limit and beyond and that process was awful to the point where if it wasn''t for their strong mental prowess, they would''ve already crumbled and lost their minds from the pain.


    What made it worse was that Kai didn''t allow them to rest for a long period of time. Between each session was a mere few hours of sleep and food, that''s it. Still, they didn''tin at all. He was bestowing upon them a way to reach their goals and even spending time overseeing their progress, making sure they don''t die because of it, cooking nutritious food for them to recover, and even doing all the chores while they were recovering.


    It would be a huge shock to the underworld if they knew that the ck Phantom, that monster, had such a caring side to him. Not that he showed that on his face.


    The two girls were immensely grateful for Kai. It was a favor that they could never pay off even if they died a thousand times over trying to repay it.


    Finally, the fourth day came which was also the day that Kai had to leave for a while. He had decided to make it a day off for the two girls to rest.


    But, how could they rest when they knew what he was about to do? Kai was going to meet the archangels.


    "You two stay here. I will be back by midnight." He said as he put on the mask and walked toward the door.


    "Be careful, Kai. Please." Eva said with a concerned tone.


    "The other archangels are a bunch of fucked up bastards, Kai. Always expect the unexpected from them." Kaya gave him a warning as she recalled what happens whenever she crosses paths with one of them. Another nickname for the Archangels was ''The Crazy Angels'' as they were as depraved as anyone could get. In fact, Kaya would rather cross paths with a virtue rather than an Archangel simply because Virtues are more rational.


    "I honestly don''t think that they will ept working together. But, if you wish to meet them then I won''t stop you."


    "They will ept," Kai replied. His tone was deathly cold. "And if they don''t. I will make them ept unless they grew tired of their lives."


    Eva and Kaya flinched slightly when they sensed Kai''s terrifying bloodlust. They could only pity the fool that will try to do anything stupid against him.

 Chapter 127 127- The Archangels (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 127 Chapter 127- The Archangels (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 127- The Archangels (Part 2)


    *CRACK* *CRACK*


    Mika cracked his neck tiredly as he looked at the stacks of papers in front of him. He sighed loudly as he closed his eyes.


    "Tsk, instead of training or going on missions, I''m stuck here signing some shitty papers. Dammit." He grumbled angrily before he stood up and walked toward his coffee machine. Mika was addicted to coffee almost as much as he was addicted to his sword.


    As he poured his ninth or tenth cup for the day, he felt an aura appear behind him. Closing his eyes, he put the cup down and said.


    "You''re right on time." He said without looking back.


    "We have an agreement," Kai said as he walked toward Mika. "So, I presume you did your part?" He asked coldly.


    "I sure did. But¡­ Sigh, some of them couldn''t make it to the meeting. They were on a mission somewhere far away." He said.


    ''It''s already a huge mess with this new monster thing that Kaya told me about. It will probably get more hectic when this information reaches the Archangels.'' The old man mused as he turned around to look at Kai.


    "Well, unless you want me to invite you over for a cup of coffee, we can go?" He said.


    Kai nodded his head before he allowed Mika to move. The two then left his office. The corridors of the Divinity HQ were as beautiful as Kai expected. The floor was carpeted with a high-quality material and the walls were decorated with beautiful pieces of art and masterpieces that could cost millions.


    Luckily, they didn''t pass by anyone. Eventually, they reached a two-door room that seemed to be for meetings.


    "They''re inside. There are exactly 5 that were able to attend. Anyway, go ahead. I won''t try to convince them. It''s all on you."


    Kai nodded his head before he pushed the door open.


    *Swish*


    "The ck Phantom''s head is mine!! Hahahahaha! I wanna beat him up so bad!!"


    Before Kai could even finish opening the door, he found himself about to get kicked in the face. However, he already sensed this person''s aura and his body moved. Grabbing the attacker''s leg, he violently smashed them down on the ground.


    "Woah!! Amazing!" Looking down at this attacker, Kai''s eyes squinted.


    The one who attacked him was by far the most bizarre-looking person he had ever seen. He was rather short and scrawny with a shrill voice. However, what he was wearing was what caught Kai''s attention.


    He waspletely covered in metallic chains from head to toe. They were wrapped tightly around his body except for his eyes and mouth. It was perturbing to look at as it invoked a sense of chaos and madness.


    "Hahahahahaha! You really beat me with one move! What the hell is wrong with you, bro?!" The chained man asked as he stood up as if he was unharmed.


    ''That should''ve broken one of his bones at least. Did he use his talent?'' Kai thought to himself silently.


    "I''m not here to fight," Kai said.


    "Hahahahahahaha! I don''t care! I want to fight you! When I heard that the legendary ck Phantom wanted to meet me! I fucking ran here! So, let''s fight to the death!!" With a maniacal grin, the chained man punched Kai with a monstrous speed.


    *Swish*


    Finding no other way to stop this fool, Kai decided to make him an example. With a swift move, he grabbed the man''s fist before his palm struck him in the chest. The move was so elegant and fast that no one, not even Mika could see it.


    "BLURGH!!" Blood spurted out of the chained man''s mouth. But, Kai didn''t stop as he grabbed his face and smashed it against his knee. Then, he jumped in the air and punched him into the ground, destroying it easily.


    *BOOOOM*


    Cracks spread in the room as the man''s head was nted into the floor like an ostrich.


    "I didn''te here to meet you. I came here to meet the archangels. Don''t think too highly of yourself." Kai said coldly as he looked away from the man.


    But, much to his surprise, the man suddenly rose from the ground as if nothing happened.


    "AMAZING!! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! You''re the real deal, bro!! I love it!! The damage you dealt with such a few attacks is beyond crazy!! Did you even use your abilities?! Did you?!" Rushing toward Kai to grab him, thetter sighed and then turned around.


    This time, he had his revolver in his hand and it was aimed at the chained man''s skull.


    "Using your talent to not take damage. That''s not that new. But, can your ability stop a bullet to the skull?" He asked.


    "..."


    The chained man was silent for a second which allowed Kai to continue.


    "I came here to talk with the archangels. I''m not here to humor your stupid games. Now, sit down before I make your number go down from 10 to 9." He said as he unleashed his bloodlust, making the whole roompletely freeze.


    ''What a monstrous bloodlust. I''m feeling as if someone is trying to choke me.'' Mika thought with a cold expression.


    "There he went and did it. That idiot." A voice suddenly prated the suffocating silence of the room.


    Looking back, Kai finally saw the other four people in the room. The one that spoke was a dark-skinned man with white hair that was put in a weird, spiky hairstyle. He had a weird tattoo on his left eye that made it basically unusable. His clothes were wild and pointy.


    "He is cool, isn''t he? Omg, that''s so hrious, lol. I wanna take a selfie with him and a video for my social media~" The second person sitting next to the punk-looking man was a girl. She was as frivolous as they could get with excessive makeup and revealing clothes. Her hands were moving rhythmically as she typed something into her phone like a machine.


    *m*


    Suddenly, someone mmed the frivolous girl on the head.


    "Moron, you can''t post that shit on your social media." The third person in order was wearing aplete opposite of the girl. The young woman had a depressed aura around him and emo-style clothes. Her gloomy face was covered by a normal mask and had a cross earring on her left ear.


    "WTF! I fixed my hair this morning! That''s not funny!" The woman instantly moved as she pulled a de out of nowhere and aimed it at the girl''s throat.


    "Last time, I didn''t kill you. This time, I will, on god."


    "Hey, hey, you two, stop it." Last but not least and the person that caught Kai''s attention the most was a handsome, normal-looking man with a nice aura around him.


    He had a troubled smile on his face as he tried to calm down the two girls.


    "Sir ck Phantom came here to meet us. We must show some respect, guys." He said in a respectful tone.


    He really seemed to be a normal and kind person. However, Kai didn''t buy that facade. He knew that the worst malice isn''t the one thates at you with a knife, but the one thates at you with a smile.


    "Please, excuse their behavior, sir. It''s my deepest honor to finally meet you. I''m Arthur."

 Chapter 128 128- Plan From The Depths Of Hell

    <h4>Chapter 128 Chapter 128- n From The Depths Of Hell</h4>


    Chapter 128- n From The Depths Of Hell


    Kai looked at the handsome man with a cold gaze. Nobody could know what was going through his head at that moment. But, he didn''t linger long on him as he shifted his gaze elsewhere.


    "Oh, right. I forgot to introduce the others. From right to left, the rock-and-roll-looking guy is Elvi. The girl on her phone is L and finally, the gloomy girl is Taylor. Oh, right, the chain guy is Zero. Of course, these aren''t our real names. But, you get the drill, sir."


    Kai nodded his head quietly. He already knew their real names and their real identities so he didn''t bother to pretend to even care about their names. He just wanted to finish this deal and finally, he could put the n aside till the time of execution.


    "I''m not here to waste time. So, let''s get into business."


    "Hahahahaha! Business? Do we look like entrepreneurs to you, ck Phantom?" Zero said with a loudugh.


    Walking deeper into the room, Kai stopped in front of therge, meeting desk and said.


    "I will keep it simple. I want the five of you to work with me on destroying the guild."


    "..."


    Silence. Absolute silence that could make even the toughest of people feel awkward and suffocated took over the room. Eventually, a sound was made.


    "Pffft! Hahahahahahahahaha! Wait, what?! You serious, bro?"


    "Hold on, lol. Did I hear him right? Omg, that''s so funny, lol." L said as she looked at Kai with a bored expression.


    "Not cool, man. Are you wasting our time just to tell us a bad joke?" Elvi asked as he shook his head in disappointment.


    "What''s the meaning of this, Mister Mika?" Taylor pointed her gaze at Mika who simply remained silent and watched what Kai was about to do.


    "E-Excuse me, sir. Is this some kind of fun joke? Because, if it is. I must say it''s one good one." Arthur spoke.


    "I''m not someone who jokes around. Especially with people that aren''t irrelevant to me." Kai replied calmly.


    "Oi, oi! Show us some respect, man. You were the one to call us here." Taylor said.


    The situation was going in a predictable way for Kai. He already knew that they wouldn''t just believe him even if he was the ck Phantom. He needed to show them proof and he knew exactly what that is.


    "I have already killed 3 executioners and a direct subordinate to one of the High Officers."


    "Woah!! Wait, really?!" Zero, stood up on his feet as he walked toward Kai. "You fucking serious? Now, if this isn''t the biggest of big news! Howe we didn''t hear about this?"


    "YOU Didn''t hear about this. Omg, lol, it''s old stuff." L said as she looked at Kai again, stopping her constant messaging. "So, you killed them? Lmao, I wanna post about this so bad."


    "Now that''s cool, man. Really cool."


    "Sir! That''s amazing! I''m impressed! You''re truly living up to your name." Arthur''s face changed into a wide smile.


    "Now, If I want to. I would''ve gone the rough way and dealt with this matter all alone. But, since I knew Divinity would definitely want a piece of this, I decided to give them an opportunity. Now, that opportunity lies within your hands. Destroying the Guild would boost your name greatly and will open many new doors for you."


    The five Archangels looked at each other before Arthur interrupted the silence.


    "Killing three executioners is great, I respect that, sir. But, that doesn''t mean the Guild is now weak enough for us to attack it. It''s still a suicidal mission."


    "I don''t care about suicide!! If I can fight those Hitman Guild pussies then I''m all in!! Hahahaha!" Zeroughed.


    "You won''t need to do that. All you have to do is kill one or two executioners and then you can evacuate the area. The rest will take its course naturally."


    "Lol, are you really the same ck Phantom? Like, omg, you sound delusional." L said while rolling her eyes.


    Kai''s aura red suddenly as the room was submerged into a ruthless coldness that could make anyone''s blood freeze. His aura focused on L whose calm face finally crumbled and her skin paled considerably.


    "Ok, ok, geez. I''m sorry." She said in a hurry.


    A few secondster, Kai''s aura vanished as if nothing happened as he spoke again.


    "This is my n¡­"


    After that, Kai went ahead and told them the details of the n that he wanted them to do. He didn''t disclose all the n, only the parts needed for the Archangels to do their job.


    During the exnation, the five Archangels'' faces changed from surprise to bewilderment and then outright shock. They couldn''t believe what they heard at all. Even Mika, who was standing aside, could only blink a few times in confusion.


    ''From which hell did this brate up with this? What kind of cunning devil is he?'' He thought to himself as a chill ran down his spine.


    The n was in one simple term¡­ Scary. And not because it''s dangerous or anything of that sort. It was scary because it had a highly likely chance of working. No, it wasn''t just as simple as destroying the Guild. Kai was trying to erase the Guild from existence with no chance of it ever rising again in the future.


    "My god¡­" Arthur murmured as he felt as if his mind was hit by a train. His eyes flickered with a weird glint.


    "Fucking hell, man. You''re something else, I tell you." Elvi murmured as he pores holes into Kai.


    "Hahahahahahaha! He wasn''t shitting! What the fuck?! I never thought this day could get any better and now I''m presented with a history-changing n! I''m 100% in!!"


    "Interesting. Very interesting." Taylor murmured.


    The only one that didn''t really say anything was L who kept looking down, her face remained rather perturbed.


    "Now, your decision. I will give you a minute to think." Kai said as he looked at the clock on the wall. "If you ept, raise your hand."


    Then, a few seconds of silence passed before one raised their hand. It was Arthur.


    "I''m in. It''s an honor to be able to work with the ck Phantom. Besides, this could be training for the future if you join Divinity."


    "I''m in too." Taylor lifted her hand with a gloomy expression. "I can this work."


    Then, thest one who lifted their hand was Elvi.


    "Cool. I''m also in."


    Kai nodded his head before he finally looked at L who was still frozen in her ce.


    "I can''t¡­ I just can''t¡­" She said.


    "Your reason?"


    "I just refuse. Like, it''s a choice, no?"


    "I presume it''s because of your little brother?" Kai asked coldly which made the tension in the room rise to an imaginable degree.


    ''Brat¡­'' Mika looked at Kai silently. He knew what Kai meant by that question.


    "Bastard¡­ Are you threatening me?" L asked as she clenched her phone.


    "I don''t threaten. I would''ve snapped your neck if I wanted to and yet I never did. It''s ultimately your desire to protect who you care for that got you to that conclusion. But, for the sake of your family, are you going to risk it?"


    Kai''s tone was menacing and arrogant yet carried a weight like no other. It was as if he was passing judgment rather than a choice. He was telling her ''Are you going to risk your life fighting the Guild or risk your life fighting me?'' and that wasn''t an easy answer by no means.


    L''s face frowned even harder.

 Chapter 129 129- Origin Vow

    <h4>Chapter 129 Chapter 129- Origin Vow</h4>


    Chapter 129- Origin Vow


    If one was asked: What''s the most important moment in your life? The answers would vary greatly. Some would say that it''s the day they''re born. Some others would say that it''s the moment they learn their first word, the day they start walking, the day they get married, or the day they have kids.


    There is no one single answer as people''s lives are different from one another and what someone might deem the most important, another would find it not that relevant. However, Kai disagreed with that. In his opinion, there is only one single moment in one''s life that''s more important than anything else they did or will do.


    It''s a moment where they are presented with a 2-way choice. A choice that will change their lives forever in both cases. It''s that one decision that will be the highlight of their lives. That''s where a human is at their lowest and also their highest. It''s at that moment that they either go toward greatness or live a life of mediocrity.


    Kai was certain that this moment was happening right in front of him and in a not-so-rare case, he was the catalyst that triggered that life-changing decision. The target was one of the Archangels, L.


    Being the strongest hitman in the world, Kai had to give this choice a thousand times over in many missions. He had seen how people getpletely crushed when they were met with that decision and that''s why, he is able to naturally invoke those emotions into people as if it was nothing.


    "I¡­ I don''t¡­ Like, it''s¡­" L tried to speak but all she said were words that made no sense.


    "I doubt doing this mission would be less risky than protecting your family, Miss. L. You are already at risk simply for being an Archangel. So, why don''t you consider this mission as another day at work?" Kai decreased his cold tone a little bit and even pretended to sound sympathetic.


    "..."


    "So, what is it? Are you going to ept or refuse?"


    A few seconds of silence passed as L conflicted herself again and again. Even as an Archangel, L tried to avoid doing anything overly risky simply so she doesn''t end up dying and leaving her only family, her little brother alone.


    Since the moment her parents died in a car ident, L had taken it upon herself to take care of her little brother and fend off the cruel world they lived in. She made them rise from the poor slums of a small country to a happy and calm life. However, that came at the price of joining Divinity as a newbie ascender.


    Luckily for her, she was able to quickly get stronger because of her talent and hard work and now, she was a renowned Archangel and a woman that many ascenders looked up to.


    ''I must protect him¡­ I must protect him at all costs.'' That''s her goal and what pushes her to work hard every day.


    Now, when presented with this underlying threat to her dear brother, she has no choice but to ept. The ck Phantom wasn''t someone she can mess with.


    "I¡­ ept." She said with difficulty.


    "Good. That was a wise choice." Kai said as he shifted his gaze away from the Archangels to Mika.


    "Now, the vow, Mr. Raullot," Kai said.


    ''He really did it. I guess this was expected.'' Mika stopped himself from sighing for being naive.


    Mika then pulled out two small objects from his pocket and threw one of them to Kai.


    "You know how to do it, right?"


    Kai nodded his head as he looked down at the object.


    The object was dark in color and the size of Kai''s thumb. It had a rectangr shape with a pointy end that seemed sharp. Other than that, it didn''t have anything worth mentioning about it.


    Kai then put his index finger on the pointy end before he pushed it in, letting the object pierce his skin. Blood leaked out from the injury and trailed down the object, coating it fully in blood.


    Kai''s aura appeared again around him, bright orange in color as he said the words.


    "Here and now, for the present and future, for the blessed and cursed, for the dead and alive, and for thepassionate and cruel, I take the Origin Vow. Origin shall deem what I shall say as worthy of punishment or not, a punishment of death. I vow that I do not have any intentions to target Divinity in any way, shape, or form and that this n I''m suggesting is but a coboration to take down amon enemy. If this vow is broken in any case, the punishment shall be death and death alone." He said as the ck object started shifting.


    ck smoke started rising from it as it oddly melted into Kai''s hand and vanished slowly. By the time he finished his words, the object vanished.


    Kai felt the foreign object enter his finger, running through his body till it stops near his main seal, ready to take him down in case he broke the vow.


    "Now, your turn, Mr. Raullot." He said as he closed the injury and made his blood vanish.


    Thetter seemed quite surprised at first, but he then nodded his head and did what Kai did.


    "Here and now, for the present and future, for the blessed and cursed, for the dead and alive, and for thepassionate and cruel, I take the Origin Vow. Origin shall deem what I shall say as worthy of punishment or not, a punishment of death. I vow that I ept the offer and that the Archangels, the five of them, are going to go through with this n ording to the ck Phantom''s instructions. If this vow is broken in any case, the punishment shall be death and death alone to me and to these five Archangels."


    Seeing the ck object start vanishing, everyone in the room knew that it was now over and sealed. Nobody can run away from this. They are all bound to it and whether things go south or not, they had to sail with the boat till the end.


    "My matter here is over. Thank you for your cooperation,dies and gentlemen." Kai said as he walked toward the door.


    Passing beside Mika, the old man whispered to him.


    "I will watch what will happen with great interest. Don''t disappoint me, brat."


    Kai halted for a second before he continued walking.


    "I don''t need to prove anything to you, Mr. Raullot."


    After that, Kai vanished from their sight along with his aura and traces. Even if they tried to follow him now, they would''ve not been able to.


    "We''re really going to fight the Guild. I never thought this day wille so soon." Taylor said as she crossed her arms.


    "I''m a little excited and scared," Arthur said with an awkward chuckle. "More than anything, I''m happy that I will be able to work with all of you toge-"


    "Are you still not going to drop that act yet, Arthur? Not cool at all, man." Elvi asked with a cold tone. "He already left."


    Silence took over the room as Elvi and Arthur looked at each other silently. Arthur''s smile was still the same but something about his eyes changed for a split second.


    "Hm? I don''t know what you''re talking about, Elvi. But, it''s great that we''re able toe to an agreement and work together after so long."


    "Oi, oi! Fuck that! I ain''t working with you morons! I do my shit alone!! Especially this mission!! I will take down all those idiots myself!! Hahahahaha!" Zero yelled.


    The only one that remained silent was L. Her mind was too upied to even care what her colleagues were saying.

 Chapter 130 130- Hot Spring War? (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 130 Chapter 130- Hot Spring War? (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 130- Hot Spring War? (Part 1)


    Kai then returned to the forest, traveling on foot. There was no car, ne, or train that passed through that forest so he had to use his feet which was still pretty fast.


    By the time he reached the house, it was already night and the cabin could be seen with lights on from the outside. Opening the door, Kai was instantly swarmed by Kaya and Eva who hugged him at the same time. If it wasn''t for the fact that Kai had already anticipated that sudden ambush, he would''ve fallen on his back.


    "Are you ok?!"


    "Did they do anything stupid?!"


    The two asked as they wrapped their arms around him. They didn''t even care that they had to share the hug with each other as they were totally focused on Kai.


    "It went ording to n. All that is left is to execute it." He replied as he put them down and walked inside, putting down the mask and the sword in the corner.


    "They agreed? All nine of them?" Kaya asked with confusion.


    "Five. And yes, they all agreed."


    ''So only five attended, huh? Well, that was better than expected. I would''ve not been surprised if none of them appeared.'' Kaya mused to herself with a nod.


    "However, there is one particr Archangel that refused at first. I doubt that she will back down since I took the Origin Vow and it could end up killing her. But, she''s most likely not going to do more than the bare minimum."


    "How¡­ did you make her agree?" Eva asked.


    "I gave her a choice and she decided to ept." Kai''s tone sounded extremely cold but it wasn''t directed at Eva or Kaya.


    However, they understood what he meant by the word ''choice''. In all honesty, they didn''t really care much about the fact that Kai used such methods. They used them too, many times. In the eyes of the public, the three of them are bad people¡­ REALL bad people.


    But, why should they care? They chose this line of work and they went with it. Besides, they didn''t really care about what others thought of them. Especially when ites to Kai, he really didn''t care what others thought of him at all and that was one of the many reasons why he was all alone for the better part of his life.


    After that, Kai sat down on the sofa and arched his neck back before he closed his eyes. He wasn''t exhausted but he liked to take a few minutes of silence whenever he does something major. His mind would rey everything that happened and search for any possible loopholes or mistakes that he might''ve done.


    It usually ends up being pointless since Kai rarely makes mistakes when ites to important ns. But, it was still his safety measure.


    Kaya and Eva also didn''t interrupt him until he finally opened his eyes again before one of them finally spoke.


    "Hey, Kai. We made something while you''re out." Eva said with a small smile.


    Looking up, he didn''t need to even ask as Kaya continued. "Wanna see?"


    Squinting his eyes, Kai stood up and followed after them to the backyard of the cabin. There, he found a huge hole filled with water that was almost as big as the house itself. Inside the hole was hot water with steam rising from it. Special-looking stones surrounded the perimeter of the pool with smallmps around to illuminate the ce.


    It was absolutely beautiful. Kai wouldn''t be surprised if he found this same hot spring pool in a luxurious resort.


    "We made a hot spring! Well, technically it''s not a hot spring since we didn''t find any hot springs around. So, it''s more of a ''hot pool'' or something like that. But, still, for the sake of it, we called it a hot spring!" Eva said with an excited tone.


    "..." Kai stood there looking at the pool nkly.


    "We thought that since we are pretty much dead exhausted from training, a hot spring would help rx the muscles and hastens the recovery. This one took some time to make but it''s great!" Kaya added.


    "I see." Nodding his head, Kai turned around. "That''s a good idea."


    The two girls beamed when they heard hispliment. All the effort that took them to make that pool was now worth it. However, that wasn''t the end of it.


    "You can try it. It will help you rx." Eva said softly.


    Kai didn''t disagree and walked back inside the house to get a towel.


    "First step:pleted. Now, it''s time to see who can do it." Kaya said with a mischievous smile.


    "Dream on. I''m one step ahead of you, old hag." Eva said sarcastically.


    "Sure, sure. Just don''t get angry if things get steamy between me and Kai." Licking her lips, Kaya seductively walked away.


    "Don''t worry, I will snap your arms and legs before that would ever happen," Eva replied with a scary smile.


    The only response she got was a middle finger from Kaya who entered the house without looking back.


    Eva rolled her eyes and then also walked back to get ready.


    A few minutester, Kai walked outside again, wearing only shorts with a towel on his shoulder. Then, he put it down and entered the hot water. Making himselffortable, he let the hot water rx him and seep all the tension from his muscles.


    It was indeed a great idea, he thought to himself secretly. A hot spring was like heaven for someone as active physically as Kai.


    ''I think there is a hot spring close by from where I live. I should check it out sometime in the future.''


    As he was like that, he heard the door open which made him sigh. He already knew who it was and what they were intending to do.


    "No." He said without looking back.


    "Oh,e on, Kai. Don''t be a party pooper. Let''s have some fun!" Kaya said as she approached him, revealing her stunning figure.


    Her absolutely mesmerizing bad was d in a beautiful bikini. The bikini, a vibrant tapestry of colors reminiscent of a tropical sunrise, clung to her form, emphasizing her sexy curves. The top is a daring triad of fabric held together by delicate golden threads. In contrast, the bottoms, adorned with yful ruffles that danced with every step were hypnotizing, to say the least.


    "Do you like it?" She asked when she noticed Kai finally looking at her.


    "Don''t mind her, Kai. You know how annoying she can be." Eva said as she pushed Kaya aside, showing her own bikini. Her bikini was different from Kaya''s, a beautiful monochromic mix that made her shiny, white skin look even more brilliant. The top, a bandeau of jet-ck fabric, sculpted her upper body with an air of elegance. Eva didn''t have a body as curvy as Kaya even though she was very sexy in her own right.


    So, sheplimented that with her elegance that was unmatched even by Kaya. Eva''s ck hair and red were so ethereal that she looked like a true angel from the sky.


    "What do you think, my love?" She asked lovingly as she made a turn.


    Secretly, she gave Kaya a small mocking smile which enraged thetter.


    ''It''s war, brat!!''

 Chapter 131 131- Hot Spring War?* (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 131 Chapter 131- Hot Spring War?* (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 131- Hot Spring War?* (Part 2)


    Eva was having the time of her life as she enjoyed Kai''s gaze on her. Although she was slightly nervous, she still waited for him to speak.


    "I said no," Kai replied as he closed his eyes again. "You two will end up fighting and disturbing me."


    "What? No! We won''t, I swear!" Eva said with a panicked expression. She can''t risk losing this opportunity to be next to Kai in such an intimate ce.


    "Don''t worry, Kai. We have agreed not to fight during the entirety of this training trip. Isn''t that right, kiddo?" Kaya asked as she rested her hand on Eva''s shoulder casually, pretending to be friendly.


    ''Keep up with me or he will kick us out!'' Her eyes shed with a hint for Eva.


    Luckily, thetter seemed to catch it before she also smiled and nodded her head. "Of course, we are now friends. Look, I usually would p her in the face if she touched me but now we''re very close! Hahahahaha¡­"


    ''I will take a showerter.'' Eva thought inside of her head.


    "..." Kai squinted his eyes at them for a few seconds before he sighed and turned around. "Do whatever you want. But, if you fight, I will make both of you do 50 thousand pushups." He said.


    ''Yes!!'' (x2) Triumphing secretly, the two made their way to the pool before they got inside. The water engulfed their mesmerizing bodies, making their skin shine even brighter under the dim light of themps.


    Then, they made their way toward Kai before sitting next to him, one on each side. A moan of pleasure escaped their mouths as tension seeped out of them.


    "This is pretty great~" Kaya said as she seductively wet her neck with water, letting it drip down her corbone with her eyes closed.


    "Agreed~" Eva murmured back as she adjusted her bikini, making sure Kai was able to see it.


    For a healthy man, this was pure torture. Two stunning beauties acting seductively this close to him are mind-numbing. No one would be able to keep theirposure. Well, everyone except for Kai.


    However, even he wasn''tpletely immune to such things so he said. "Don''t try to provoke me, you two."


    The two girls were surprised at first before smiles crept into their faces. It was working! Who thought these simple gestures would get a reaction from him? It was a first for the two.


    The first to react was surprisingly Eva as she leaned to the side and whispered affectionately. "I don''t mind it if it''s you, Kai."


    Kaya was the second to murmur near his ear from the other side. "Let her be and focus on me. I can make this night way better for you." She said, licking her lips.


    ''These two¡­ Sigh.'' Facepalming, Kai was about to outright deny them. However, he knew that they wouldn''t give up that easily. So, he thought of another idea to make them realize that they weren''t really as ready as they thought they were.


    *Swish*


    With a swift move, he pulled the two of them toward him before he shockingly touched each one of them in a particr ce. On Kaya''s body, he touched the part behind her ear, gently rubbing it which made the girl leak a loud, sexy moan that would send a man''s brain flying away. Her face blushed furiously.


    As for Eva, he gently caressed her neck, making her facepletely melt away. Her eyes closed as her breath became heavy and rugged. Her moans weren''t loud but they reached Kai''s ears nheless.


    A secondter, the two girls flinched and pulled away quickly. Their faces were red and embarrassed but also with a hint of lust hidden within their eyes. They never thought Kai would do such a thing out of nowhere.


    However, that small touch, as minuscule and as short as it was, gave them a shocking feeling. As if electricity ran through their bodies. It was a pleasure that they''ve never felt before in their lives.


    ''W-W-W-What the hell?! Why did my body react like that?!'' Eva thought to herself as she tried to calm down.


    ''Goddamit! How did he even know that I''m sensitive behind my ear?!'' Kaya thought as she regretted pulling away. Her mind simply refused to continue as she felt that if she continued, she would unlock something in her that she had never thought even existed. The same case for Eva.


    "You''re pushing for something that neither of you can handle. So, don''t try to provoke me as my patience is thin." Kai said as he closed his eyes again. He was certain that they wouldn''t try to provoke him anymore.


    The two girls blinked in confusion before they finally got what he meant. Kai was indeed attracted to them. In all honesty, that should be normal as he was at the age where he would be attracted to the opposite sex and Eva and Kaya were some of the most beautiful and sexy women in the world, How can he not find them attractive?


    However, considering Kai''s stoic nature, they never thought he saw them that way. So, when he revealed that to them, it was a shock.


    ''Kai¡­ thinks of me that way too?... I-I''m very happy¡­'' Eva blushed as she looked down. Who thought Kai reciprocated the sinful thoughts she has of him?


    As for Kaya, her eyes were now looking different from before. A hint of lust shed across her pupils for a second. Her heart was beating fast and her lower abdomen was feeling different than usual.


    ''Tsk, my body is truly beyond saving¡­ I guess I won''t be sleeping early tonight.'' She thought as she secretly traced her hand down to her thighs and closed her eyes. A low sigh escaped her lips.


    That night, Kaya knew that she wouldn''t be able to stop touching herself until she waspletely exhausted.


    "If¡­ In the hypothetical situation, I can finally take that step. Would you take it with me, Kai?" Eva asked after a while.


    The question made him open his eyes, and a mysterious glint shed across his purple eyes.


    "No, if he will ever ept someone, it''s me," Kaya interjected.


    ''Bitch! Shut up! I was about to get the answer I''d been waiting for my whole life!!'' Eva red daggers at Kaya.


    ''You shut up! Don''t you dare to try and sneakily take advantage of the situation! I''m not blind!''


    The two kept conversing with their eyes while Kai sat there silently before he finally opened his eyes.


    "I can''t foresee the future. Who knows what will happen?" He replied.


    "..." (x2)


    The answer wasn''t a yes or no. But, since he didn''t deny itpletely, that was more than enough for the two girls. They knew that even if they wanted to quickly pass that boundary with Kai, they were still not ready for it themselves. Taking one step at a time was essential.


    "Now, enough rxing. The night is still young and we already wasted a day of training. Clean yourselves and get ready. We will start in an hour." He said as he stood up, showing them his dripping wet body.


    "Well, this wasn''t aplete failure." Eva mused.


    "I agree¡­"

 Chapter 132 132- Light Clones

    <h4>Chapter 132 Chapter 132- Light Clones</h4>


    Chapter 132- Light Clones


    A few days passed after that in peace. Kaya and Eva continued their training with renewed vigor. Their progress was astonishing, to say the least. It even exceeded what Kai predicted they would be able to do.


    Then, shockingly, after only one week, they were able to do it. They were able to do a full day inside theke. Granted, it was extremely hard and took a toll on their bodies but they achieved the first step sessfully.


    "You both did good," Kai said as he looked at the time. "24 hours and 12 minutes."


    Kaya and Eva beamed happily when they heard his words. These past few days were extremely hard but finally, it was all over. Or so they thought.


    "Now, we will move to the next step which is way harder than before." He said.


    When they heard his words, they felt as if energy was pulled out of their bodies. They were already aware that things would only get harder but to hear these words after the hellish training they went through, it was soul-crushing.


    Kai already knew that so he decided on what to do before they started.


    "Have you seen how much you two improved strength-wise?" He asked.


    Both shook their head so Kai stood up and signaled for them to follow him. The trio approached a random tree nearby and then Kai told Eva to stand in front of it.


    "How much damage could you deal to a tree with a punch?" He asked.


    "Hmm, I would say, I can destroy the tree with one punch if I put in some power," Eva replied.


    "Punch this tree without using Origin." He instructed her and Eva nodded.


    Taking a deep breath, Eva took a fighting stance before she sent a flying punch toward the tree. What happened next was shocking.


    *BOOOOOOOM*


    The tree was snapped in half as if it were a biscuit. It didn''t even take a second for it to happen. But, that wasn''t the end of it. The after-effect of the punch moved past the tree and hit another tree, breaking it in half too. Then, it moved to the tree behind it and the one behind that. The trail of destruction only stopped at the sixth tree.


    "What¡­ the¡­ fuck¡­" Eva murmured in a daze as she looked at what her hand had just done. She hasn''t used anything at all. In fact, this punch only used 60% of her normal strength without Origin. Her eyes then shifted to look at her fist. After what happened, she was seeing it in a new light now.


    Eva was reborn.


    "Your body had gone through a transformation as it kept absorbing that pure Origin. You''re now at least a few times stronger than before."


    "This is amazing!! Kai, oh my god!! Thank you!!" Eva jumped on Kai happily as she hugged him.


    She couldn''t describe the excitement she was feeling at seeing how much she approved in one week. She could''ve never imagined that she would reach such a level any time soon. Yet, her beloved had made her dream real, just like he always does.


    Kai put her down gently before he turned to Kaya and said. "Your turn, Kaya."


    Thetter was also shocked but she had recovered and positioned herself in front of another tree andunched a straight fist.


    *BOOOOOOM*


    Her attack destroyed the first tree with great ease before destroying the rest of the trees behind it, only to stop at the 8th tree.


    "Tsk¡­" Eva clicked her tongue when she saw that Kaya exceeded her. She felt frustrated that she was still behind Kaya in power. However, she wasn''t jealous as she knew that Kaya reached her level with hard work and dedication.


    "Hmm, not bad. Thank you, my love." She said as she blew him a kiss mischievously.


    "You two have reached the next level in strength. However, strength isn''t everything. Remember that your goal is to evolve your control over Origin. This first step only tempered your body for the next step."


    "What is the next step?"


    Kai didn''t reply as he slowly crouched down and touched the ground before he channeled his Origin and activated a talent that he hadn''t used in years. This was one of his strongest talents and also one of the rarest powers in the world. However, because of one single w in it, Kai doesn''t really like to use it.


    But, in this situation, that w won''t be a problem and it will also be helpful for him.


    "Light clone." He murmured as a bright light emitted from his body, blinding Eva and Kaya. When their vision was restored, a new silhouette appeared beside Kai.


    It was surprisingly a carbon copy of Kai albeit that it had dead eyes that didn''t seem to belong to a human.


    The two girls blinked a few times. Clones aren''t that rare as a talent. Many Origin users can create clones of themselves using a lot of elements like fire, ice, rock, etc¡­ However, what all of these talents share inmon is that the clone they create is unbelievably weaker than the user. Precisely, they''re 15% to 25% the strength of their user. More high-quality clone talents that Origin users can buy in auctions could reach 30% but that''s the maximum.


    Even though Kai''s light clone is far better than those clones as he manipted light itself to form this clone and that makes it more sustainable and depending on the nature of the environment and how dark or bright it is, the clone''s strength will also vary. Kai''s light clone talent can make clones that can reach an outstanding 50% of Kai''s strength.


    However, that came with a price and that''s where the w of this talentes from. It consumes an astronomical amount of Origin. So much so that even Kai, who has the purest Origin in the world and has the biggest Origin pool still can''t use them freely.


    "Each one of you will get a clone like this. They will attack you with simple punches and palm strikes. I want you to neither deflect nor dodge the attack." He exined.


    "Huh? What you want to say is¡­ We should take the punches?" Kaya asked confusedly.


    "Precisely. But, that doesn''t mean you don''t defend yourself. However, the only way you are allowed to defend the attacks is with Origin."


    "... Is that supposed to be harder than the previous training?" Eva didn''t see where this was hard. She naturally uses Origin to defend against iing attacks so it wasn''t thatplicated.


    However, Kai''s next words crushed that ideapletely.


    "You are only allowed to use Origin at the exact spot where the clone will hit you. You can''t coat your whole body with it."


    "..."


    ''Shit¡­'' (x2)


    Eva regretted she even asked. Those simple few words increased the difficulty by at least one hundredfold.


    *Click*


    Snapping his finger, the clone suddenly turned into two in a split second. The two clones stood there silently, waiting for Kai''smand.


    "You will keep fighting these two until you learn to use Origin to the highest efficiency."


    *Gulp*


    "Understood?" Kai asked.


    "Y-Yes!!" The two girls said in union.


    "Good. Now, let''s begin."


    *Click*


    The moment Kai clicked his fingers again, the two clones vanished from where they were standing and appeared in front of Kaya and Eva. The two were a little surprised as they found themselves faced with a punch to the stomach. Instinctively, they tried to block it. But, Kai''s voice resonated in their ears.


    "Don''t use your arms. Take the punch."


    *BANG*


    "Ugh!" (x2)


    The two girls felt the weight of the punch as they grunted lowly. It wasn''t a lethal attack but it still hurt.


    Jumping back, they tried to readjust themselves. However, the clones didn''t give them a breather.


    ''This is going to be a long ride¡­'' (x2)

 Chapter 133 133- Miyu鈥檚 Mystery (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 133 Chapter 133- Miyu¡¯s Mystery (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 133- Miyu''s Mystery (Part 1)


    "UGH!!" Eva felt the breath get knocked out of her lungs as the clone''s attack connected.


    Jumping back, she held her stomach as she heaved up and down with difficulty. Her aura was rather perturbed as it was moving up and down, concentrating on her legs for a few seconds before shifting to her upper body.


    She had been in this state for the past few hours, struggling to do what Kai had tasked her to do. Concentrating her aura into one single point turned out to be even harder than she anticipated. It was like a different level of learning.


    Not only did it require her to individually control every inch of her body, but she also needed to be extremely focused to be able to keep that precise amount of Origin in that precise point for as long as she needed to. On top of that, she had to keep track of the clone that was attacking her non-stop like a machine.


    The clone''s speed was monstrous and his attacks were precise and hard to deflect even if she used her hands. In a nutshell, this was a goddamn hell on earth!


    On the other side, Kaya was also having the same problems. Albeit, she was able to at least keep her aura stable even though she was failing every time she tried to control it the way Kai wanted.


    "Kai¡­ Can you at least give me a hint on how to do it? I''m really lost here." She asked as she jumped back, avoiding another attack from the clone.


    "You need to change your whole idea of how Origin works. Don''t think of it as a reservoir that you pull from whenever you need to. Think of Origin as a part of every cell of your body. It''s running through your whole body like blood."


    The two girls heard his exnation and nodded their heads. Even with that small hint, it was still way easier said than done.


    How the hell can they even change how they control Origin? This was something they learned with instinct. It was as if Kai asked them to start breathing in a different way. It was nearly impossible.


    *BOOOM*


    Another attack hit the two girls and sent them flying, stumbling on the ground.


    That made Kai look at the time before he stood up. "That''s enough."


    *CLICK*


    Snapping his fingers, the clones vanished as if they were never there. When Kaya and Eva saw that, theypletely rxed as theyy there, motionless. Calling these past few hours exhausting was an understatement. It was way harder than the first step of training.


    "It''s almost night. Go wash up and rest. We will continue early at dawn." Kai said as he walked away.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ I feel beat¡­"


    *CRACK*


    Moving her neck to the side, Kaya heard a loud cracking.


    "This is way harder than I expected¡­"


    "Don''t tell me. How are we supposed to even do that? One brain shouldn''t be able to handle informationing from every cell of the body. We weren''t meant to do such a thing." Kaya said.


    "..."


    Looking at the sky from her position, Eva fell into deep thought. What Kaya said was also what she concluded after a few hours of training. The human brain, even with the assistance of Origin shouldn''t be able to handle this kind of work.


    There is a limit to how much the brain can do even for an Origin user of their caliber. At their level, Eva and Kaya can easily calcteplicated equations faster than a calctor if they wanted to which speaks volumes to how astronomically harder this is.


    ''We''re missing a key point¡­ There is something Kai wants us to discover ourselves. But, what is it?'' She thought to herself. She knew that Kai intentionally didn''t reveal any more information for a purpose.


    "What if, hypothetically speaking, we don''t need our brains to do this kind of task?" She said.


    This question made Kaya rise up and look at Eva.


    "What are you trying to say?"


    ***


    Meanwhile, Kai, who heard what they were talking about, nodded his head. He was amazed that they were already starting to approach the key idea of this training without his help. The reason he wanted them to do it themselves is because each individual has their own way of controlling Origin.


    It''s like the fingerprints on a person''s hand, there are no two identical Origin users. So, Kai needed Eva and Kaya to reach their own style. It''s hard, but seeing how they were on the right track, he wasn''t worried that they would eventually reach it.


    A few minutester, he reached the cabin. The inside was very quiet and serene. However, Kai noticed an odd difference. His pet cat was nowhere to be seen. Usually, she woulde rushing toward him the moment he stepped foot into the house. However, today, she was nowhere to be seen.


    "Miyu?" He called for her but got no answer.


    ''Where did she go?'' He thought as he spread his senses to search for her.


    A few secondster, he found her, and his eyes turned cold immediately. His pet was running through the forest at top speed, heading somewhere.


    ''What is that cat doing?''


    Sighing, Kai opened the door again and vanished.


    Crossing a few hundred meters quickly, he jumped from one tree to another, following after Miyu. Meanwhile, he kept his senses active to locate the nimble cat.


    "Tsk¡­ Is she going where I think she''s going?"


    Noticing the direction they were going in, Kai clicked his tongue.


    On the horizon, very far away, a mountain appeared in his vision. The mountain was imposing and gigantic, one of the biggest in the world, actually. This mountain was in fact a volcano.


    However, this thing has been dormant for the past million years or so and it didn''t seem to be showing any suspicious activity. Kai had made sure to check it a few years ago.


    Yet, for one reason or another, his cat was heading right toward this volcano.


    ''I won''t be able to reach her in time.'' Kai mused as he increased his speed. He estimated that Miyu had been running there for a few hours or so Kai couldn''t really reach her in less than 3 minutes even if he was at top speed.


    By the time he arrived at his destination, the cat was shockingly climbing the mountain.


    "Miyu. What are you doing?" He called for her as he started climbing the mountain at top speed.


    "Meow!" Miyu seemed shocked when she heard Kai but didn''t stop climbing. Her nimble legs jumped from one rock to another, reaching the summit.


    Then, the cat approached the edge of the hole and looked down.


    "Meow¡­"


    "Miyu?" Kai reached the top a few secondster. "What are you doing here?"


    At first, Kai was simply confused. But, now, he was very curious as this odd behavior wasn''t just coincidental and he knew why.


    This particr volcano was special in the sense that it had an unbelievably pure Origin within it. It was the same case with the frozenke.


    The only difference, however, is that this Volcano''s Origin wasn''t because of the nature of the atmosphere. It was because of somethingpletely different.

 Chapter 134 134- Miyu鈥檚 Mystery (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 134 Chapter 134- Miyu¡¯s Mystery (Part 2)</h4>


    Chapter 134- Miyu''s Mystery (Part 2)


    The first time Kai discovered this inconsistency, it made him confused. The atmosphere around the volcano and even at the peak wasn''t as pure as it should''ve been. In fact,pared to theke, which was way smaller in size, the purity of the atmosphere here might as well be of the worst quality.


    This naturally posed the question, how is the inner part of the volcano so pure when the only trigger Kai knew of, the atmosphere, wasn''t the catalyst here?


    That made him spend time when he was young, researching this ce and his discovery was shocking, to say the least. He discovered that deep within the volcano, somewhere under theyers andyers ofva, there was an extremely powerful source of Origin.


    The source was so powerful that he couldn''t even calcte how much Origin it had.


    However, this discovery made Kai more curious as to what this thing that was emitting this unbelievable amount of Origin was. But, because of the circumstances at the time, he put this matter aside and eventually forgot it.


    The next time he remembered it was when he saved Kaya from the Frozen ins. At the time, she mentioned that her mission was to retrieve an object that had an extremely high amount of Origin from somewhere within that ce.


    This description fits perfectly what Kai discovered about this volcano. So, that made him return to the question, what was this thing?


    The cat looked down at the dormant volcano hole silently for a while while Kai watched silently from the side, waiting for Miyu to do something.


    ''Is she sensing something?'' He asked himself.


    The cat kept staring down before it suddenly turned around to Kai, her beautiful, cosmic-blue eyes glittered with a beautiful light.


    "What?"


    "Meow¡­" The cat meowed before she suddenly turned around and dashed toward the hole and shockingly jumped inside.


    Kai squinted his eyes before he dashed toward the cat and jumped after her. Adjusting his posture, he scooped Miyu before he created an ice ball around both of them.


    *BANG*


    The ball fell on the rough rock inside the volcano.


    "Why did you jump her, Miyu? Are you sensing it? That source of Origin?" He asked.


    "Meow!" Miyu seemed to understand as she nodded her head.


    The response made Kai even more confused. He already knew that Miyu was rather an odd cat that seemed to somehow understand humannguage to an astonishing level. But, because she was harmless and he found her pleasant, Kai didn''t kick her out.


    However, now with her weird behavior, he was certain that Miyu had more to hide than the eye could see.


    ''What kind of creature are you?'' He mused.


    "Meow!" Meanwhile, Miyu jumped from his arms before she started scratching the ice wall as if she wanted to go outside.


    Kai stood silent for a few seconds before he sighed and opened the ice ball, allowing the cat to go wherever she wanted.


    Since they were already here, he might as well see where this ends. Miyu might have the answer to the question that bothered him.


    The cat jumped on the ground and ran around the hole. Since the volcano was dormant, the surface of the hole was cold and there was no source ofva.


    Miyu continued running around as if she was searching for something. Her eyes looked around curiously while asionally sniffing with her nose. Kai kept following her silently.


    Eventually, the cat stopped at a particr point and looked at it intently. Kai approached her and looked at what caught her eye. But, he couldn''t see anything worth the attention.


    "Meow!"


    Miyu then started digging with her paws. But, the rough terrain didn''t allow for her to dig much so she stopped and looked up at Kai.


    "You want me to dig?" He asked.


    "Meow!"


    Kai frowned for a second before he crouched down and channeled some Origin into the palm of his hand and then with a swift motion, he pierced the ground where Miyu was digging. Immediately, Lava started oozing out from the whole. It''s fiery red color and the sound of bubbling filled the silent ce.


    A few droplets ofva touched Kai''s skin but he was unharmed.


    "Now what?" He asked the cat. At this point, he didn''t even consider Miyu a pet anymore. She was a creature with a very high level of awareness and sentience.


    In a sense, she reminded him of the spider queen that he found in the Frozen ins. The difference is that Miyu seemed to be rather harmless and even affectionate, just like a normal cat.


    "Meow!!" Seeing the Lava, Miyu seemed to be excited as she approached it and then shockingly touched theva with her paw.


    Kai was ready to hear a loud screech of pain from the cat. But, no such sound came. In fact, no sound came at all from the little cat.


    Instead, Miyu''s paw seemed to go deeper into theva.


    "What are you doing?" Kai squinted his eyes. His eyes couldn''t see anything.


    However, what his eyes can''t see, didn''t mean his senses can''t. So, he spread his senses around the cat and the truth revealed itself instantly. The boy''s eyes squinted.


    Miyu was weirdly absorbing the Origin within theva. Kai could clearly see the Origin moving from the Lava toward the cat''s paw and then spread through her body. That alone was a huge shock. But, the next part was what made Kai truly contemte what the hell was going on.


    Miyu''s body was now getting surrounded by an Orange hue. The same Orange hue you would see in an Origin user. In other words, the cat was gaining Origin abilities right in front of his eyes.


    The rate at which this process was happening was slow but it was still the reality.


    "What are you even¡­ Miyu?" Kai murmured as he sat down and watched the cat silently.


    Minutes passed quickly as the cat kept absorbing theva. Her aura slowly went from that of a toddler to that of a 6-year-old Origin user.


    The growth speed was insane, even for someone like Kai. Even he didn''t have such a fast growth when he was young so seeing such a thing happen was truly a sight.


    ''Her body is forming Origin vascr system on the spot. How is that even possible? It''s almost as if her body is doing it by memory.'' Kai thought to himself. Suddenly, he realized something.


    ''Wait, memory? When an Origin vascr system is damaged, there are cases where the body would naturally heal those veins back into their spot by pure memory. It''s rather rare but it happens. Which means¡­''


    It was ate realization but he nheless reached it. A realization that might exin this abnormal urrence.


    "Miyu¡­ Did you have Origin before this within you?" Kai asked.


    The cat, who didn''t answer this whole while, finally turned to look at him. Her eyes sparkled mysteriously. However, Kai could see the answer in her eyes. She was telling him that he was right on the spot.


    "You''re an Origin user, aren''t you?" Kai''s face frowned.

 Chapter 135 135- Call

    <h4>Chapter 135 Chapter 135- Call</h4>


    Chapter 135- Call


    Miyu looked at Kai silently without giving any reaction. But, Kai understood that her silence was her answer to the question.


    Kai''s eyes shed with a mysterious glint before he nodded his head. "I see. Are you from the same ce that Spider Queen talked about?" He asked.


    Miyu''s adorable face turned away and continued absorbing the Origin silently. Meanwhile, Kai''s mind was working relentlessly, trying to piece things together.


    He went back as far as the first time he met Miyu. She was lying in an alleyway, injured and dying. At the time, he thought she was simply a normal cat even though her eyes had a weird sparkle to them that he had never seen in another cat before.


    "How did you end up there? Why were injured? Why did you lose your Origin powers?" Kai asked a series of questions one after the other in quick session.


    However, the cat didn''t give an answer. Sighing, Kai gave up on getting an answer. Even if she was an Origin user, Miyu doesn''t seem to be able to talk.


    A few more minutes passed before something different happened. Out of nowhere, Miyu''s paw started burning and the absorption stoppedpletely. At the same time, Miyu''s eyes closed as she fell down, unconscious.


    Quickly, Kai pulled her out of theva and checked her body. Apart from a first-degree burn to her paw, she seemed to simply lose consciousness. So, Kai healed her paw and then scooped her up.


    Looking at her, Kai could only wonder what kind of creature he ended up making his pet. It seems even something as simple as taking in a cat pet turned out to be an abnormal event for him.


    Carrying the cat out of the hole, he made his way back to the cabin.


    "Kai? Where have you been?" He found Eva and Kaya waiting inside.


    "Huh? What happened to Miyu?! Is she ok?!" Eva jumped in fright when she saw Miyu lying in Kai''s hand.


    "It''s a long story," Kai said before he put Miyu down on the couch. "She should be fine. But, use your senses on her." He said as he ran his hand through his hair.


    The two girls did what he asked and their expressions quickly changed.


    "Are my senses ying some kind of trick on me?" Kaya murmured.


    "No. She indeed has Origin inside of her now."


    "..." (x2)


    The two girls were speechless. So, Kai used that silence to exin what happened. When he finished, the two girls were even more speechless.


    "So¡­ She''s an Origin user¡­ Just like that Spider Queen?" Eva asked.


    "Not exactly but they share the same traits."


    Meanwhile, something in Kaya''s mind clicked. ''So that''s why she seemed so odd. She''s sentient!! Goddamit!'' Cursing under her breath, her mind went back to how the cat acted around her.


    She certainly saw Kaya as a rival in love. Perhaps, Miyu wasn''t really a cat, was she?


    Kaya didn''t have the full answer. But, she now knew enough not to trust this weird cat at all.


    "Is it safe to keep her? I mean, she''s the same as that monster." Kaya asked.


    "She didn''t show any hostile intentions. But, it''s still not something I''m sure of."


    "Kai¡­ You''re not thinking of getting rid of her, are you?" Eva asked with a worried look.


    Eva likes Miyu and Miyu seems to like her too. She didn''t want to get rid of her even though she was different from what they expected.


    "I doubt with her current state, she could do us any harm even if she wanted to. I mean, her aura is barely that of a child."


    "She will only keep on getting stronger as long as she absorbs that Lava Origin. But¡­ For the time being, we will see what happens." Kai thought for a moment before he decided on what to do next.


    "I see¡­" Kaya nodded with a reluctant expression while Eva looked relieved.


    *RING* *RING*


    As the three were talking, Kaya''s phone suddenly rang from the other side of the room. Approaching it, she looked at the caller.


    "Old man? Why is he calling me at this hour?" She murmured before answering. "Hey, is everything okay?"


    Kai and Eva took interest in the call but they didn''t pry as it was a private matter. However, as seconds passed, Kaya''s expression started to change drastically. Her calm demeanor turned serious and her aura red wildly.


    A few secondster, she spoke. "Who did it?" Her tone was deathly cold, like a thousand frost daggers.


    The answer she got didn''t seem to satisfy her as she got even angrier. "Then, what the fuck were you doing, huh? You know how many people can do it, right?!"


    Kaya was a very calm and collected person so when she ended up yelling like this, Kai and Eva knew that the situation was serious.


    Eventually, Kaya ended the call angrily before she took a deep breath to try and calm herself.


    "What happened?" Kai asked.


    "The old man¡­ He got poisoned today."


    "Mika Raullot got poisoned? That man?" Eva blinked in confusion.


    Mika Raullot''s power is something everyone can testify for. So, the fact that something could poison him is very shocking. Even the strongest poison Eva knew of would barely make him cough once or twice before his bodypletely nullified it.


    "Who did it?" Kai''s tone turned serious.


    "I don''t know. His stupid butler probably didn''t do his job properly and ended up letting someone slip whatever poison this is into his food."


    "His condition?"


    "Currently stable. But, he''spletely unconscious and he seems to be losing strength slowly for one reason or another." Kaya said.


    "I see."


    "I need to go to see what happened. This will take a day or two." Rubbing her temple, Kaya could only apologize.


    "..." Kai''s eyes shed with a mysterious hint. Then, he stood up and said.


    "I''ming with you."


    "No, no, Kai, please. I can deal with this matter. This isn''t the first time someone tried to poison the old man."


    "But did any of those attempts reach this stage?"


    "..." Kaya found herself speechless.


    "If Mika Raullot dies. It will be troublesome. We need Divinity to cover the mess we will make in the Guild. Besides, I doubt you will be able to find a cure quickly."


    ''Mika can''t die yet. He''s the only link I have with Divinity.''


    Kaya''s rtionship with Mika was akin to a blessing to Kai. He could easily use Mika whenever he needed to. So, his death would only make Kai lose a huge connection in the underworld that he doesn''t need to risk anything to get.


    "I understand. Sigh, I knew something bad would happen when his birthday was this close."


    "Birthday?"


    "Hm? Ah, yes. The old man''s 120th birthday is in a week or so. The family is going to have a huge party for him. Many faces will appear. Most of them hate the old man and the rest want to get on his good side."


    "In other words?"


    "In other words, whoever did this¡­ They are going to attend the party, most likely." Kaya exined.


    She knew that whatever would happen. This birthday party won''t end up with Mika getting the happy birthday song and blowing on the candles. It''s a huge conflict between important faces in the underworld.

 Chapter 136 136- Charles Raullot

    <h4>Chapter 136 Chapter 136- Charles Raullot?</h4>


    Chapter 136- Charles Raullot


    "I will go too," Eva said seriously.


    "No, I can''t risk revealing that you approached someone like Mika. I want you to go back to your family for an important matter. Now that things came down to this, we will need to handle the situation carefully."


    "I understand¡­ What should I do exactly?" Eva asked.


    ***


    Kai and Kaya then took a flight from the nearest city toward Mika''s house which was located in a rather rural area near what seemed to be a small forest.


    The ce was quiet and beautiful but rather minimalistic for someone like Mika Raullot.


    Kai left Kaya to enter the house alone as he waited for a good opportunity to sneak in. The ce was heavily guarded with Origin users, anti-Origin weapons of all kinds, and even RPGs ready to blow any target to pieces.


    ''They really tightened the security.'' Kai thought as he stood on top of one of a building slightly far away from there. His piercing eyes could see clearly even from this distance. He wanted to check out something before he made his move.


    ''The culprit is someone who can ess Mika''s food. So, it''s safe to say that they know what Mika eats, when he eats, and who delivers food to him. Such inside information makes it hard to believe that it''s an outside job.''


    However, Kai didn''t want to jump to conclusions before he even met the old man.


    Meanwhile, Kaya entered the house. She had to go through multiple check-ups from guards and even had to dispose of her phone, wallet, and even her car keys.


    "M-Miss Kaya!" A slightly older male came rushing toward her the moment she entered the house. His name was Sebastian and he was Mika''s personal butler and the only man Mika trusted.


    "How is he doing?" Kaya asked as she followed the butler through the corridors toward Mika''s residence.


    "H-He didn''t wake up yet. All the doctors that check up on him said that his body is slowly deteriorating and he will die soon if we don''t treat him."


    "And did they find a treatment?"


    "..." Sebastian went silent.


    "Sigh, Sebastian, did they find a treatment? Answer me." Kaya asked again with a serious tone.


    "N-No. T-They''re still working on identifying the type of poison Lord Mika consulmed."


    "Tsk¡­"


    The two eventually reached the room which was guarded by two men with strong auras around them. However, before she could open the door, they stopped her. They looked at Kaya coldly. But, when she reciprocated the re, they looked away.


    "Let her in." Sebastian''s whimpering tone immediately changed as he ordered the guards. His demeanor alsopletely changed.


    Walking inside, the room was quite vast but with minimalist decor except for a collection of swords in the corner that looked extremely expensive.


    Tracing the room with her gaze briefly, Kaya finally looked at the old man lying unconscious on the bed. Weird medical wires were strapped to him and the rhythmic sound of the heartbeat machine echoed in the otherwise quiet room.


    "Old man¡­"


    Approaching him, Kaya could immediately see the huge difference in Mika''splexion. It was now sickly pale and his body seemed to have lost a few pounds in the matter of a day or two.


    Sitting on the chair beside him, Kaya looked at him silently.


    "They finally got you, huh?" She asked with a small, sad smile. Her eyes shed with a myriad ofplicated emotions. Sadness, anger, and regret were the most pronounced of them.


    "I still vividly remember when you first found me. You remember, don''t you? What you said to me, I mean."


    No answer came from Mika predictably but Kaya still continued speaking.


    "''What happened here tonight, It''s not an ident. Someone had set your church on fire.'' You said. I still can''t believe that someone would do something like that to a small church in an unknown country. But still, I felt that your words were the truth. ''Being weak is frustrating, isn''t it? This world is cruel enough to punish the weak and reward the strong. It''s how things work and you, child, are still weak. Far too weak. So, do you want to gain power? Power that will make anyone who dares to hurt you think twice before doing it. Power to find that person who did this and take your revenge?''"


    Suddenly, Kaya started chuckling lowly.


    "It''s kind of funny how ruthless you were to a mere 5-year-old child. But, I still was amazed by your words. I really believed it and I still do. Now, here I am, sitting beside you¡­ I became stronger, old man." She said in a wavering tone. "I still have a long way to go. But, I''m way closer than I ever was. So¡­ Thank you."


    Her gratitude toward Mika for introducing her to her own powers was immense. Without him, she didn''t even know where she could''ve ended up.


    As she was like that, the door knocked suddenly and Sebastian walked inside.


    "M-Miss Kaya!"


    "What now, Sebastian?" She asked with an irritated tone.


    "T-There is a problem. Mr Char-"


    "Now, now, no need to waste your breath talking, Sebastian. You did a good job."


    A man suddenly pushed Sebastian to the side and entered the room. He was in his 30s with a very handsome face and an elegant demeanor. He wore a very expensive suit and wore a gold watch that looked as expensive as a car.


    His hand had already moved and pulled out a few money bills before he tucked them in Sebastian''s chest pocket.


    "Here is a tip for your hard work."


    "I''m sorry, sir. I can''t take such a th-"


    "No, you will. Now, excuse us for a second. I didn''t meet my adorable little sister in a while." He smiled elegantly as he kicked Sebastian out.


    When the door closed, Kaya finally spoke. "What are you doing here, Charles?"


    "Is that your ''I missed you so much, big brother?'' Because if it is, then I''m happy you didn''t change one bit, Kaya. I missed you too." Charles said as he approached the bed and sat down on the chair, crossing his legs in front of him.


    "Cut the bullshit, Charles, and answer my question." She repeated as she threatened Charles.


    "Sigh, you''re as hard as ever, Kaya. Well, it''s obvious, isn''t it? I came here to check on my father when I heard the horrible news."


    "Since when did you care about your father?"


    "Hm? How cruel of you, my little sister. He''s my father. I have his blood running in me. Even if we have our disagreements, I still love him."


    "I definitely believe that," Kaya replied sarcastically. She could easily see through this man''s seemingly perfect front. He was a maniptor and a scheming bastard of the first degree.


    "Listen, Kaya. I''m not here to argue. Especially not in front of my sick father. We need to ignore our animosities and work together to find a cure for my father." He said.


    "Well, I''m not done. Because, when I thought about it, it really didn''t make sense, did it? I mean, a crime like this shouldn''t be possible in normal cases. Poisoning the previous patriarch of the Raullots family? This is a very big deal. The only way I could see this happen is if someone from inside the family did it. Someone who wants the old man quickly dead so they can benefit. Someone who would do anything to im something the old man had prohibited him from ever acquiring."


    Kaya''s tone turned colder as the tension in the room reached an unbearable degree. Then, she finally lifted her eyes and looked at Charles.


    "Do you have any idea who could that be?"

 Chapter 137 137- Intentions

    <h4>Chapter 137 Chapter 137- Intentions</h4>


    Chapter 137- Intentions


    The two stayed silent as they gazed at each other. Charles''s face didn''t change one bit throughout these tense moments. Then, he made a low chuckle.


    "Hahahaha, no, no, no. I can see what you''re trying to say and my answer is no." Then, he bent forward as he rested his hands on his thighs. "I don''t really know where you woulde up with this fucked up idea that I would kill my own father. The person who took care of me my whole life for what? For the patriarch position? I won''t stoop that low. No." He said with a smile.


    "I''m pretty sure you can stoop that low. But, I will tell you from now. The old man won''t die. Sorry to tell you that the millions or billions you paid to find this poison all went Blop! Down the drain." Kaya said.


    Charles raised an eyebrow in confusion before he asked.


    "Did you find a cure?"


    However, Kaya didn''t reply as she stood up and walked toward the door. "We will talkter. Now, we need to leave and let the old man sleep."


    "My little sister likes to keep her secrets, doesn''t she?" Charlesughed before he stood up and walked after her before he closed the doors.


    A few secondster, inside the quiet room, a silhouette appeared out of nowhere.


    "Charles Raullot, huh?" Kai murmured as he looked around.


    He had heard the conversation that urred between Kaya and her brother and he was certain that Charles was the main suspect. He seemed to be the type to manipte people with his gentle and elegant facade.


    ''Anyway¡­'' Putting this matter aside, Kai approached the bed and looked at Mika from up close.


    The man was visibly getting worse by the second. Kai didn''t even need to touch him to know his current condition and it was definitely not good at all.


    "I will be taking a sample of your blood before I heal you, Mr. Raullot." He announced before he pulled a syringe out and extracted some of the old man''s blood before storing it in a container.


    ''I will analyze itter.'' He mused before he finally put his hand on the old man''s chest. A secondter, everything about Mika changed.


    His feeble aura suddenly red and his deathly pale face started regaining color. His heart also regained its stable rhythm.


    ''What a nasty poison¡­ I doubt anyone could survive consuming it.'' Kai thought as he looked at his hand and then shook it slightly. The feeling of getting rid of that poison from the old man''s body was very ufortable which spoke volumes of how effective it was.


    As Kai was contemting what kind of poison this was, he heard Mika whimper before his eyes started parting open.


    "Wee Back, Mr. Raullot," Kai said as he sat down casually on the chair.


    "U-Ugh¡­ My head. What happened?" He murmured as he sat up slowly, touching his head. "It was like I was hit by a train albeit 100 stronger."


    "I assume so. The poison was very effective. It consumed your main seal and was close to destroying it, effectively killing you." Kai exined.


    "Is that so? Wait, what the hell are you doing here?" Mika looked at Kai confusedly as if he didn''t understand the situation. It seemed his mind took some time to register that Kai was the one speaking to him.


    "I heard the news so I decided to give you a helping hand."


    "... Helping hand? Hahaha, and why is that? I doubt you opened a charity to help the poor and needy?"


    "No. But, let''s say that I still have some matters with you. After that, whether you die by poison or by a sword, I do not frankly care." Kai replied.


    "You sure don''t. So, I''m supposed to be indebted to you?"


    "I wouldn''t call it ''debt''. We are strangers, Mr. Raullot. We simply ended up partnering for mutual benefits. I would call it a ''transaction''. I help you, you do what I need. It''s simple."


    ''Cunning bastard.'' Mika clicked his tongue before he asked. "What if you were the one to do this simply so I can do what you want, ey?"


    "Unfortunately for you, Mr. Raullot, I do not use poison to achieve my goals. If I wanted to put you on your deathbed, I have a million other ways to do that."


    Mika stayed silent for a few seconds before he chuckled. "I already know. You aren''t that type of person. Still, you have my gratitude for saving my life. This old man shall help you in the future in case you need my help."


    "Good. Before, I leave. I want to ask a few questions about a certain person you know."


    "Who?"


    "Charles Raullot. Your son."


    "That bastard? Why? Wait¡­ Is he here?" Mika''s face frowned when he realized that his piece of shit of a son was in his house. "Goddamit. I told Sebastian to never let that scumbag inside my house or I will cut his throat."


    "From what I can see, you harbor hatred toward your son. Why is that?" Kai asked.


    "He is my worst failure. My biggest disappointment. I never thought I could ever end up having someone like him as my son."


    Kai squinted his eyes as he listened to Mika. He could see hatred basically oozing out of the old man. It wasn''t just a simple disappointment that could trigger such deep-rooted feelings. Something must''ve happened.


    "So, you hate your son. From what I have seen, he didn''t seem to carry the same feelings toward you or so he seems to show. I shall assume it''s not the case?"


    "He hates me as much as I hate him. It''s always been my fault that he ended up what he is. Perhaps my end was meant to be by my biggest mistake." Mika''s tone sounded conflicted and slightly lost. Perhaps it stemmed from his deep regret for how things ended up with his son.


    "So, he does have a reason to kill you? I heard that you didn''t allow him to take the patriarch position in the family."


    "As long as I''m alive, he shall never take it. He isn''t qualified for such a thing."


    "In other words, if you die, he can freely take it since there will be no one to stop him, am I correct?" Kai asked.


    "... If there is anyone who would dare to poison me, it will be him."


    Kai didn''t reply for a while as if he was thinking about something. He got an idea in his head.


    ''If Charles really did it, that still doesn''t solve the matter of where he got the poison. Such a thing shouldn''t even exist. Tsk¡­ I guess I have to find the truth myself.'' Kai thought.


    "Onest question, Mr. Raullot. If I eliminate him, are you going to try and take revenge?" Kai''s tone was deathly cold and threatening.


    "... I won''t. If you kill him, I won''te after you." Mika shook his head. "However, even though I can''t really stop you. But, take it as this old man asking for another favor. Don''t kill him."

 Chapter 138 138- Moonlight Royal Hotel

    <h4>Chapter 138 Chapter 138- Moonlight Royal Hotel</h4>


    Chapter 138- Moonlight Royal Hotel


    Kai stood silently as he waited for Mika to continue. He frankly predicted that Mika would try to persuade him not to kill Charles. As much as Mika might loathe his own son, he is still his own son, his flesh and blood.


    He can''t just let him die like that. Perhaps it''s his lingering affection or maybe it''s because he didn''t want to kill his own kin. Either way, Mika wasn''t with the idea.


    "If someone would have to end his life, it should be me. But, no matter how much I try to do it, I can''t. My sword that cut the throat of tens of thousands of people, couldn''t end the life of one person." He said in an angry tone. Mika''s anger was directed toward no one other than himself. Whenever he thinks about it, he just ends up gnashing his teeth and then giving up.


    "..."


    "My deceased wife told me to take care of him, to raise him with all my heart. Yet, I failed her. It''s pathetic, isn''t it?" He asked as he lifted his head.


    "He will kill you¡­ Sooner orter, he will. I reckon you know that already." Kai replied coldly. "Unless someone ends his life, he might get you before you even realize it."


    "... Maybe that''s my judgment for the sins Imitted. But, I can''t die now, not yet. I want to see the world be a better ce for Origin Users. I want us to be the rulers of this world in broad daylight."


    "Sigh." Kai shook his head before he approached Mika and shockingly pulled his gun out before he aimed it at his skull. "One question: Do you think Origin Users are a different race from humans?"


    "... Yes," Mika replied with a sharp re.


    So, Kai shook his head. "We''re right here, right now with my gun aimed at your skull. If I want you dead, I could do it and whether you''re an Origin User or a normal human, it won''t matter.? They are all equal before the barrel of a gun. Unless you can prove to me that you''re invincible in front of this gun, then we can talk about superiority. Other than that, you are just living in your dream world, Mr. Raullot¡­ And that''s the type of people that I end up killing." Kai said before walking away and disappearing from Mika''s eyes.


    The old man sat there, repeating Kai''s words in his head again and again with a thoughtful look. He didn''tpletely understand what Kai meant but it somehow resonated with him.


    But, eventually, he shook his head.


    "You know nothing about dreams, brat." He murmured as he closed his eyes.


    ***


    When Kai''s silhouette appeared again, he was in an alleyway, far away from Mika''s house. There, the silhouette of a woman could be seen resting against the wall.


    "So, how did it go?" Kaya asked with a worried tone.


    "He is healed."


    Immediately, she rushed toward Kai and hugged him. She didn''t say a word as she buried her face into his neck. Then, in a low murmur, she said. "... Thank you."


    Kai didn''t say a word and waited for Kaya''s agitation to calm down. Then, he said. "It seems the rtionship between your father and his son is quiteplicated."


    Kai rested his back on the wall before Kaya followed suit.


    "Sigh¡­ Don''t even start. I grew fed up with their schemes. Charles is a cunning piece of shit and the old man is hot-blooded with an ego as big as this city. They''re like water and oil, they never mix well. They''ve never had a civil conversation without the old man kicking him out in the end."


    "I see. How are you going to deal with the birthday?"


    Rubbing her temples, Kaya rested her head on Kai''s shoulder. "I don''t know. It''s just¡­ Annoying. I just want to give the old man his gift and storm off. But, apparently, this year is going to be an eventful one. Things aren''t going to be easy."


    The two then went silent as they organized their thoughts. Then, Kai tapped Kaya''s shoulder. "I will stay here till the birthday evening. I want to check something before leaving."


    "What is it?" Kaya asked.


    "Nothing¡­ Just a hunch."


    ***


    Kai and Kaya got in the car and drove to a hotel in the heart of the city. It was called ''Moonlight Royal Hotel'' and it was one of the most luxurious in the city. Kai wanted to just get a room in a small motel but Kaya insisted on this hotel.


    "This is the city I grew up in. Come on, we still have time so I want to show you around. I don''t like the mood to be gloomy when we''re together, darling~" She said with a mischievous smile.


    Kai changed his clothes and then followed Kaya inside the hotel. The ce was extremely luxurious and beautiful. Kai had visited this hotel a few years ago but it was never this mesmerizing.


    He had to alter his appearance so no one would recognize him. Not when they''re in this city. But, he knew that no one was targeting them. Kai was suspicious that Charles might target Kaya and do the same thing to her so he had to keep an eye around him.


    "Wee to Moonlight Royal Hotel. How may I help you?" A beautiful receptionist weed them respectfully.


    "What''s your biggest room avable at the moment?"


    "We have the Moonlight Triple Combo Suite. It''s our finest room avable."


    "Perfect. We''re going to book that for a week."


    "Understood. Please sign your name under here." The receptionist said as she gave Kaya the paper.


    As she was waiting for the blonde beauty to finish signing, the receptionist''s eyes wandered to the man beside her. He was extremely handsome, probably in his 20s. A small blush appeared on her face when she noticed his eyes shift to stare at her.


    ''He''s very hot¡­'' She thought for a second. However, instantly, she felt a cold, chilling feeling run through her body.


    Immediately, her eyes went back to Kaya who had the paper pushed toward the receptionist. Her face had a small smile but it was far from friendly. In fact, the receptionist felt as if her body was getting stabbed by invisible knives from the sheer pressure.


    "E-Ehem, t-thank you. Please wait a moment for me to finalize the paperwork."


    ''Tsk, can''t you at least change your appearance to an uglier one, Kai?'' She looked at him with a sigh. However, she knew that he probably chose a random appearance. Either way, anything, no matter what it was, would be less eye-catching than his real appearance.


    If that face made the receptionist blush then Kaya could only shudder at what reaction he would garner if he used his real face.


    ''I must protect my Kai''s face from those bitches that would get attracted to it.''


    As Kaya was in deep thought about how she would punish the imaginary woman who would go after her beloved, the receptionist handed them the electronic card that would open the door.


    Kai took it before he dragged Kaya away toward their room. They were already getting onlookers by simply standing there so he wanted them to get out quickly.

 Chapter 139 139- Moving Pieces

    <h4>Chapter 139 Chapter 139- Moving Pieces</h4>


    Reaching the room, Kai unlocked the door and walked inside. The ce was an overkill in every aspect. The moment Kai stepped in, he found himself facing a vast living space adorned with gilded ents, velvet furnishings, and a panoramic city view through a full-length ss window. To the side were two separate bedrooms with luxurious queen-sized beds made from soft fabric that felt akin to floating amidst the clouds.


    The bathroom, located next to the bedrooms, was floored with marble and gold, featuring arge soaking tub and a rainfall shower. Exclusive lounge ess, epicurean delights, and a private terrace with a plunge poolpleted the luxurious offerings.


    "How much did you pay for this?" Kai asked as he looked around. He had never been in a hotel room as expensive as this one, so he had to ask.


    "Hmm, it''s a few thousand a night. But, don''t worry. I have the mon-"


    "We will split."


    "But, I have the mone-"


    "I said, we will split," Kai repeated, not letting Kaya try to convince him. If there was one thing that Kai didn''tck, it was money. If he wanted, he could even book this room for a lifetime and still be filthy rich.


    "Sigh, ok." Kaya gave up as she followed her beloved inside the suite.


    In reality, the woman was on cloud nine with excitement. Finally, she would be able to share a whole suite with her beloved, alone... For a whole week! If that wasn''t the best thing she could ever have, she didn''t know what it was.


    ''There isn''t that kiddo to annoy us! I can enjoy my Kai alone! Hehehehe!'' Kaya struggled not to let a perverted smile escape. Her excitement was hard to contain.


    "Take a shower and change your clothes. We''re leaving soon," Kai said.


    "Huh? Where?"


    "I heard there is an auction tonight. It seems that many important people will be attending," Kai said as he looked through the window.


    Even at night, the city was bustling with life. Tonight was especially crowded because it was a Saturday night, so people went out to have fun.


    Original: "Oh, the Red Velvet Auction? I thought you weren''t interested in such things?"


    The Red Velvet Auction House was a renowned yearly auction that happens in A-Country. There, many of history''s greatest masterpieces, artifacts, weapons that have historical importance, and even technologically advanced items are sold to the highest bidder.


    "..." Kai didn''t reply as he squinted his eyes, focusing on something within the crowded streets.


    "This night won''t end up well." He murmured before turning around.


    ***


    CLING


    "Wee."


    Inside a calm bar in the city, a man walked inside. His distinct handsome features were too eye-catching when coupled with his expensive suit.


    "It''s been a while, Gerard." Charles smiled as he approached the old bartender and sat down at the counter.


    "Indeed, Master Charles. How have you been?" The old man asked with a calm expression as he continued wiping the cup in his hand. The ce was devoid of people except for that man.


    "Hahaha, good. Business is booming. I might end up buying this ce in the future." Charles chuckled lightly.


    "Spare my small bar, please. I can''t live without it." Gerard replied with a chuckle of his own.


    "Don''t worry, don''t worry. Even if I buy it, I will still let you work here. You make the best drinks I''ve ever tasted."


    "I feel honored. So, I assume you want the usual?"


    "You know me well."


    Gerard nodded his head before he walked away to make the drink. Meanwhile, Charles justzed around silently. His rxed expression made him seem friendly and approachable.


    "Is this bar still as unpopr as always?" He asked.


    "Ah well, the business is slow. But, I like it that way. Having a few loyal customers like you is what I like this job for."


    "Hm, you never know when the unexpected happens. I might not be the only customer you will have tonight."


    CLING


    "Speak of the devil," Charles murmured with a small smile.


    At that second, the door clinged, announcing the arrival of another man.


    "Wee," Gerard said. "Oh? If it isn''t Master Mika."


    "Been a while, old boy. How are you?" Mika asked as he approached the counter, ignoring Charles''s presence as a whole.


    "Gerard, make it two drinks," Charles said as he made a sign with his hand.


    "..."


    Mika didn''t say a word as he sat down on the chair. This whole time, he didn''t say a word nor look at Charles. It was as if he didn''t exist.


    "Good to see you healthy, Dad," Charles said with a smile.


    "..."


    "Did Kaya find the cure? That girl always amazes me with her fits. She''s truly a genius, isn''t she?"


    No answer from Mika. However, Charles didn''t seem bothered as he continued to speak. "Doctors said that the poison was unk-"


    "Just shut the fuck up." Mika suddenly spoke as he looked to the side. "Why did youe back? I was pretty clear when I said that if you ever step foot inside my house again, I will break your neck."


    "Hmm, I do remember hearing something along those lines."


    "Do you want to die that badly?"


    "Now, now. Can we calm down? I came here because I was worried about you." Charles replied calmly, ignoring his father''s raging aura. "Oh, how helpful! I don''t need your worry. I don''t need anything from you." Mika retorted.


    Meanwhile, Gerard served them the drinks calmly as if this wasn''t the first time he heard this conversation between these two.


    "Listen here, Dad. I know we have our differences. But, let''s set them aside for once, would we? Your life is in danger by an unknown individual. This poison might be only one of many assassination attempts they will do."


    Picking up the cup, Charles rolled it lightly before he took a sip. "I don''t want you to die and neither do you. So, how about we just work together to take down whoever this person is."


    "Set our differences aside?" Mika asked as he suddenly stood up before he violently grabbed Charles by the neck and lifted him up. "Differences? What differences, you piece of worthless trash! What you did that day¡­ What you did to her¡­ I will never forgive you for it!!" Mika yelled.


    Charles, although was being strangled alive, didn''t show much reaction as he looked at his father. "The past is in the past, Dad. It has been almost 30 years. Have you not moved on yet?"


    "I will never move on! If it wasn''t for her words, I would''ve already skinned you alive and left you to die in agony."


    "Since when did you even care about her words, huh? Your whole life, she told you not to do a million things and yet you ignored her and now all of a sudden you''re a loving, caring husband?"


    "You bastard!!" Mika gnashed his teeth as he threw Charles into the wall.


    The ce shook from the impact.


    "Ugh!" Charles groaned slightly as he sat down. "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Hahahahaha! You always loved to beat me up when you couldn''t respond to my words, Dad. I see that you didn''t change one bit."


    "Shut up! You think I don''t me myself for what I did?! I do, every fucking day of my life! But, I would always me you for one thing. I will always me you for killing your mother!!"

 Chapter 140 140 - Red Velvet Auction House (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 140 Chapter 140 - Red Velvet Auction House (Part 1)</h4>


    Mika heaved up and down in anger as he stared with bloodshot eyes at his son. Not even an ounce of affection could be seen in his dead, cold eyes.


    "Don''t you even dare to talk about me when you ended the life of your mother! You ended the life of MY wife!" he said, pointing at Charles. "And then youe here, and expect me to give you a big pat on the back and live as if nothing happened?! To hell with that!"


    PTUH


    Spitting a mouthful of saliva mixed with blood, Charles looked at his father silently for a few seconds before he smiled. "Why didn''t you kill me then?"


    "..." Mika didn''t respond.


    "I mean,e on, Dad. You really want to do it, don''t you? Look at you. The all-great Mika Raullot, the Sword God, or whatever. Why don''t you end your sole mistake, eh? It''s easier than all of this pointless nonsense." Throughout this entire time, Charles''s tone didn''t change at all. Even under the pressure of one of the strongest people in the world and even when he wasn''t an Origin User, he didn''t seem that shaken.


    "I promised that I won''t kill you. That''s thest request she made of me and I will keep it! But, to have a bastard like you as my son, to have to live with this for the rest of my life, I''m slowly losing it."


    Standing up, Charles looked at his father. "That night¡­ Has she told you anything bad about me?"


    "..."


    "Has she even said that I killed her?" Charles asked, and no answer came from the old man. "Have you ever even entertained the thought that I wouldn''t kill my own mother?"


    "I saw it with my own eyes! I saw you doing it! You fucking scumbag, are you trying to run away from this?"


    "I''m not running because I DIDN''T KILL HER!" Suddenly, Charles yelled loudly, and his expression finally changed. "I didn''t¡­ I would''ve never done it." His tone wavered a little. However, he quickly calmed down and said, "This hatred didn''t stem from my mother''s death. You never loved me, Dad. Ever since the moment you knew your son wasn''t an Origin User, youpletely disregarded me. You didn''t evene to see me on the day I was born."


    Charles, although still smiling, had aplicated gaze in his eyes. "I grew up seeing my own Dad looking at me with disgust. I didn''t even know why. I thought it could''ve been simply because you''re strict. So, I worked hard every day, excelled in school, and learned numerous skills just to impress you, and yet, you never even looked me straight in the eyes."


    Charles then started approaching his father slowly while still speaking. "I tried. I really did. When I heard that you wouldn''t even give me, YOUR ONLY HEIR, a chance at inheriting the patriarch position, you know what I did? Iughed. Iughed like there was no tomorrow. Do you know why? Because I already knew that would happen!"


    When he reached Mika, he tapped him on the shoulder. "I''m tired of this nonsense. Soon enough, you will die, and when that timees, let''s see if your little guinea pig that you picked up from some filthy orphanage will be able to take it from me."


    Then, he picked up the ss and drank the rest of the drink before he smiled. "You are as much a piece of shit as I am, Dad. You were the one who killed Mom, and the more you try to deny it, the more you will realize that it''s the truth."


    After that, Charles looked at Gerard. "Thanks for the drink, Gerard. It was the best one I had in a very long while."


    Then, he left the bar as if nothing happened, leaving Mika standing in his ce like an immovable object. Nobody knew what was going on in his head.


    ***


    "This ce looks like the premiere of a blockbuster movie. Luxurious cars, shy people, and fake scumbags," Kaya murmured as she looked at the venue where the Auction would take ce from the top of a building slightly far away.


    Beside her, Kai was sitting casually at the edge of the building, looking in the same direction. His purple eyes seemed to be focused on one particr thing that Kaya couldn''t determine.


    "What should we do?"


    "We will attend normally on our separate ways. Keep a low profile. Unless you notice anything odd, don''t talk to me so we don''t raise suspicion, understood?" Kai exined.


    "Hai Hai~" Kaya replied jokingly.


    Then, Kai stood up and adjusted his bowtie for his tuxedo before he changed his face. Kaya, on the other hand, was wearing a red, one-piece dress that entuated her curves and made her look ravishing. She had a small purse in her hand.


    "You look dashing, my love~" She said with a small smile as she dusted off his shoulder.


    "Let''s go," Kai said as he jumped from the building.


    Kaya nodded and then jumped after him.


    The two then went on different paths until they reached the entrance to the venue. Countless people, photographers, reporters, and celebrities of all kinds came here tonight to throw their money at priceless artifacts. That''s what people might think, at least. However, auctions of this scale are far from just that. They''re a battleground for the high echelons of society that didn''t require guns or swords.


    Here, connections are made, stakes are raised, and people determine their next steps. The goods were simply a bonus to that.


    Kai hated the limelight a lot. But he had to go through with this for one simple reason. He wanted to check something. At first, he had no intention to do so, but his guts were telling him that tonight, he might get reunited with someone he hadn''t met in a very long time.


    Passing through the groups of people, he stepped on the red carpet. There, men and women were taking pics and chatting as they moved toward the entrance. Kai ignored all the gasps of people around him when they saw his handsome features and walked toward the door.


    In front of him was a fat man with an expensive suit and a beautiful woman in his arms.


    "Invitation, please," the guard said respectfully.


    "Huh? Who the fuck do you think you are? Don''t you know who I am?"


    "Sir, it is simply a formality. We aren''t questioning your identity. We don''t dare." The other guard quickly exined.


    "Honeyy~ Just hurry, I want to go inside~," his woman said as she touched his cheek seductively, making the man grin. "Sure, my sweetheart."


    Then, the man moved his hand into his breast pocket to get the invitation. His face, however, started to change.


    "Hm? Where is it?" He murmured as he searched his other pockets. Yet, nothing, he couldn''t find it.


    The two guards looked at each other as their respectful looks started to be serious.


    "Tsk, where is my invitation, goddamit?! I put it in my breast pocket!"


    "If you don''t have the invitation, we can''t let you in, Sir." The guard said with a less respectful tone. It could even be called sarcastic.


    "What the hell?! Who gives a shit about a stupid invitation! Just let me in!"


    "We can''t, sir. Please, leave. You''re stopping the line."


    "No!"


    The man tried to resist but he ended up getting dragged along with his lover away, in front of the eyes of everyone.


    Kai looked at the scene with an empathetic look before he moved forward and handed the guard his invitation as if nothing happened.

 Chapter 141 141- Red Velvet Auction House (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 141 Chapter 141- Red Velvet Auction House (Part 2)</h4>


    Walking inside, Kai was weed with a huge lounge that was at least the size of a theatre. In it, a small party was arranged for the invitee before the start of the main event.


    Waiters moved around, serving drinks and appetizers of all sorts. Calm music was ringing in the background, giving a gentle yet sophisticated touch to the whole atmosphere.


    Looking around, Kai passed beside a waiter and took a drink from the tray. He doesn''t drink alcohol but since he was in a situation that required that, he could only do so. His body will instantly detoxify the alcohol so he can''t get drunk either.


    ''Will she really appear?'' He thought to himself as he rested his back against the wall and looked around. Who he was looking for was a person who rarely appears at parties where there are a lot of people. She liked to stay alone, as far as he could remember.


    But, because this was an auction that would sell antiques and artifacts found across the world, that person would definitely be interested. However, will they really be here? Kai didn''t know. That''s why he came to check.


    Time passed quietly as Kai was waiting. He noticed that Kaya had also walked in. She must''ve stolen an invitation card of her own. The two shared a meaningful nce before they looked away.


    "Oh, Lady Rose, you''re as beautiful as ever."


    "It''s truly an honor to meet you, Lady Rose. Are you free for the after-party? I would like to invite you for dinner."


    "Hey, I was about to ask her."


    Kai''s ears picked up a conversation happening nearby. When he looked there, he saw a group of young men, surrounding what Kai assumed to be a beautiful woman.


    "Fufufufu, thank you." The girl replied with a gentle chuckle, making the men even more mesmerized.


    ''Rose Colbert, a renowned Actress with multiple international awards under her belt. Age 22.'' Kai remembered her face since at some point, she had a bounty on her head. However, it seemed that no hitman was able to kill her.


    As Kai was having such thoughts, Rose seemed to notice Kai and her eyes shed with a weird glint before she looked at the men around her.


    "I have a matter to deal with, would you excuse me, please?" She said with a beautiful smile that couldn''t be refused.


    The men were flustered as they understood that she took no interest in them. However, they could only ept it and let her go.


    Moving away from them, her expression changed for a second from an elegant smile to pure disgust before quickly returning to how it was before. Then, she picked up a drink and approached Kai.


    "Are you perhaps bored?" She asked as she stood next to him.


    Kai looked at her for a second before ahead and didn''t reply. He just sipped on the drink silently.


    "My name is Rose Colbert. Can I know your name?"


    No response.


    ''Hmm, is he ying hard to get?'' Rose thought for a second. Although she rarely tries to strike up a conversation with a man, she still knows how to make one turn into her puppet if she wants to.


    ''He is very handsome. The most handsome man I''ve seen in a while. I guess I will have to push a little.'' She thought secretly.


    "I''m sorry if I caused you any difort. I just thought that we both seemed to not want to be here so I feltfortable approaching you. Is that a problem?"


    Kai stopped and looked at her for a second before he looked ahead again. "I''m nobody. Please don''t associate yourself with me. Look, your friends are looking at us." Kai said casually as he pointed at the group of jealous men who were staring daggers at him.


    After that, he walked away without looking back.


    "Hey, wait!" She tried to stop him but by the time she moved, he was long gone.


    Standing there, Rose could only wonder who this man was. The air around him was way different than anything she had ever seen before.


    ''Who might he be?''


    ***


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the auction is about to begin in a few minutes. Please, make your way to the main hall." A man d in a suit opened the doors to the hall and said with a respectful tone.


    After that, people started entering the hall in order. Kai didn''t immediately walk inside since he was still looking around.


    ''She''s one of the best people when ites to concealing her presence.'' He thought to himself when he couldn''t find a trace of her. A sh of cold hatred appeared in his eyes before it vanished as he decided to finally enter the auction hall.


    The hall was basically a grand theatre with countless seats separated into two floors with a main stage facing these seats.


    The lighting was feint as only the main highlights were used to illuminate the ce.


    Kai chose a seat at the far corner, away from people. Kaya moved casually and sat in front of him.


    "Are you looking for something?" She whispered to him.


    "No. But, if you find anything interesting, buy it."


    "Ok!"


    Kai''s eyes started tracing the ce until itnded on a particr window right above the second stage. It waspletely concealed with ss.


    ''VIP room¡­'' Squinting slightly, Kai couldn''t see anyone inside the room. Even with his sharp vision.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, wee to the annual Red Velvet Auction! It''s a pleasure to see you all here. My name is Cid." The same man who told them to enter the hall was the one who stood on the stage now.


    "Now, before we start, I shall state that this year''s auction will be a very special one. At the end of the event, we will present a certain item. That item is by far the most precious piece we''ve ever sold."


    His words made murmurs erupt in the hall. Everyone was curious to know what this item was all about. Keep in mind that the Red Velvet Auction sells objects that could reach hundreds of millions in price without even batting an eye. So, for them to make such ament was a historical moment.


    "Now, please enjoy."


    Clicking his fingers, a woman in a beautiful dress walked onto the stage, pushing a trolley.


    "Our first item for the night: The Distorted Man. A piece of art was found in the remains of the Talisanian Empire a few months ago. It depicts a disfigured man looming over a forest ominously. This piece of art is at least 20 thousand years old. The starting price is 2 million."


    "2.1 million!"


    "2.2 million!"


    After introducing the item, people started betting. The price quickly rose from 2 million to 6 million before the bets stopped and the piece of art fell into the hands of one of the rich men in the room."


    Then, time slowly moved as items kept appearing and disappearing quickly. Kai watched the event silently while he looked at the booth above them. He had a feeling that someone might be inside. But, he wasn''t sure.


    Eventually, an item appeared on the stage that caught Kai''s attention.


    "Our next item: The Teapot of Rainbows. A beautiful pottery of unknown origin found in the northern desert of E-Country. What''s special about it is that when put in the light, its outside design would gain colors miraculously. The starting price is 1 Million."


    People started betting until one bet came.


    "4,514,145 dors."


    When Kai heard that number, his eyes widened slightly.

 Chapter 142 142- Unknown Map

    <h4>Chapter 142 Chapter 142- Unknown Map</h4>


    "Ady bid 4,514,145 dors! Any higher?"


    No answer came so the man said. "Sold!"


    While many would simply brush off this number as a joke by one of the invitees, Kai didn''t think so at all. The reason for that was because this number was something he would never forget.


    It''s something rted to his childhood, said to him by the same person he came here looking for. Quickly recovering from the surprise, he looked around the ce, searching for the one who did the bid. However, he couldn''t immediately find them.


    The way someone could bid is through a small tablet assigned for each chair. That way, it won''t be easy for people to identify who bought what.


    ''Tsk, I should''ve kept an eye on the people present. I was too upied with the VIP room.'' He thought as he decided to leave discovering who got it till after the event.


    He can''t just use Origin here as he could easily identify at least a dozen people who were Origin Users within the crowd.


    Items continued to roll in for an hour or so. Kai didn''t find any of them interesting. He simply wasn''t interested in antiques and such things. All he cared about was to find who got that Rainbow pottery. On the other hand, Kaya seemed to have found some things she wanted as she bid on 3 items and got all three of them.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, it''s been exactly 2 hours since the auction started and I must say, this is already a major sess. However, sadly, we are almost at the end. The only item left is the one I previously mentioned before the start. We shall officially reveal what it is after a small 5-minute break. If anyone wants to receive their items, please move to the backstage." The man bowed before he walked away, letting the hall illuminate.


    "I''m d we came here, Kai. I got myself some good stuff." Kaya said as she looked back. However, Kai seemed to be lost in thought as he didn''t respond. "Kai? Is everything okay, my love?" She asked.


    "Hm?" Thetter seemed to finally notice her as he shook his head. "Nothing. Let''s leave the room."


    The two stood up and left, with Kai walking behind Kaya. His eyes wandered around the ce until it fell on the group of people approaching backstage.


    "Leave first. I will be back in a second." He said as he turned around and walked after the group.


    Behind the stage was a door that led to the room where all the items were stored. There, two men were receiving the proof of bid and then handing out the items. Kai stood far away, watching carefully.


    "The Teapot of Rainbows. Who is the buyer?"


    "Me." The one who stepped forward was surprisingly Rosa Colbert.


    Kai looked at her silently, trying to understand what was going on. He was certain she didn''t choose that number randomly. The chances of that happening are near zero if not zero.


    After receiving the pot, Rosa walked away happily. Kai sighed and followed after her secretly. The two left the hall and came back to the main lounge where Rosa sat down with a drink to rest.


    He stood slightly far away as he waited. A few momentster, her phone rang. So, she put down the cup and picked up the phone.


    "Where are you? I thought you said you would follow me after you finish some business, ire! Geez, I was left alone here, talking to some weirdos." Rosa said with a tired expression.


    ''ire?'' Kai''s eyes squinted as he listened quietly.


    A few seconds passed without a single response from this woman named ire. But, eventually, a response came.


    "Did you get it?" Even from afar, Kai could hear the deathly cold and almost apathetic tone of the person on the phone. It was different from Kaya and Eva''s coldness which was simply pure presence and power. This coldness was soulless as if a robot was talking. Very simr to Kai''s coldness albeit a little more¡­ sad?


    Kai felt as if the world stopped for a split second before everything returned to motion. A myriad of emotions shed in his eyes. Anger, coldness, and indifference, all shed together for dominance in his head. But, Kai instantly regained hisposure.


    ''As I thought¡­ She would never miss such an auction.'' He thought to himself.


    All these years, he tried to simply forget the matter. However, the moment he saw the auction a few hours ago, he couldn''t hold himself from simplying to check.


    He knew that voice very well and yet he never thought hearing it again would really threaten to make him lose control for a second. The sheer hatred he carried for that person was just running too deep in him.


    "Yes, I did. You already knew that it was going to be sold here. Why didn''t you juste and get it yourself?"


    ire didn''t reply immediately as if she was a faultyputer, taking seconds to load. "Did you bid how I asked?"


    "Sigh, yes, I did. I must say, though. You have a particr liking for that number. You always start bidding with it."


    "Good. See youter."


    "Hey, wait!"


    Before Rosa could add another word, the call was ended abruptly.


    "Sigh, that girl is going to be the death of me one day. Hm?" Rosa felt a small breeze of cold air brush against her face. Looking up, she couldn''t see anyone.


    "I thought I felt someone behind me."


    ***


    "Where did you go, Kai? The auction is about to continue?" Kaya asked when she noticed Kai walking back to his seat.


    "... I went to check something." He replied inly.


    Kaya sensed the weird change in his tone but didn''t try to ask any further. She will have time to askter. Now, it was time to focus on thest item.


    "Now,dies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting. The moment you''ve all been waiting for. Ourst item is something that was given to us by an anonymous person who likes to keep their identity hidden. We have checked its authenticity and the result was amazing. The item is a map of the world."


    Everyone looked confused when they heard the words. A map? That''s it?


    "However, it''s not any map,dies and gentlemen. It''s a lost map drawn by Sarin, The legendary Explorer."


    The moment Kai heard the name ''Sarin'', he looked up. That man lived a very long time, in the era of the progenitor himself, and was renowned for discovering almost 50% of the world alone.


    He had drawn countless maps of the world and helped shape the world as it is now. Without his work, many nations would''ve never existed, continents would''ve never been discovered and even ces like the Frozen ins would''ve been left unknown.


    As Kai was remembering those details, the cart with the map on it finally appeared on the stage. It was put inside a bullet-proof ss as if it were the most precious item in the world. However, that ss didn''t stop Kia from sensing it.


    ''... Origin?''


    It wasn''t only Kai that was confused, the other Origin Users hidden within the room also noticed it. The map had Origin oozing out of it.

 Chapter 143 143- Fortune Given

    <h4>Chapter 143 Chapter 143- Fortune Given</h4>


    To have an object be infused with Origin isn''t somethingpletely new. Scientists have already discovered that far. However, what differentiates this map from other Origin-infused objects is the ancient nature of it.


    That map is at least a few tens of thousands of years old and because of it, the Origin around it was as ancient as the map itself. Origin Users could easily identify of the Origin emanating from something. If it''s newly added or very old, artificial or natural, etc.


    This is where the problem lies. If something was infused with Origin, it would only stay in that state for at most a few days if not less, depending on how much Origin was infused into it. So, for this ancient map to have Origin stay on it for that long without vanishing, was abnormal.


    That simple fact alone picked the curiosity of every person who had a deep knowledge about Origin within the room. However, none of them said a word. The tension in the room rose.


    ''Interesting¡­ Very interesting.'' Kai thought as he looked at the map from afar and he decided on his next move.


    From what he can see, the man who was hosting this auction was aware that only a handful of people present would be able to determine how priceless that map was. Anyone else would be confused as to why this was their best item ever.


    "It''s an absolute historical miracle for this map to stay intact after all these years. We are proud to say this is our finest item to ever be sold here. The starting price is: 200 million."


    "200 million? Are you serious?!" A man said.


    "What kind of nonsense is that?! It''s just a map for god''s sake!"


    "Is that man reading the details right? How can it be that expensive?"


    "400 million!" Suddenly, the host announced.


    Kai looked down coldly as he saw a man sitting a few rows down tapping on his tablet. Kai already predicted that everyone here would jump in to get that map at all costs so he didn''t do anything and watched as the price rose.


    "500 million!"


    "550 million!!"


    "625 million!!"


    Quickly, the number skyrocketed to 600 million and then to 800 million. The clueless bunch were shocked beyond words at how absurd the number was getting. How the hell is this map getting to one billion this easily?!


    "995 million!"


    "1 billion!!"


    Easily passing the 1 billion mark, people continued bidding as nervousness started to take over. 1 billion dors was an astronomical number even for the richest of people.


    "You''ve noticed it, right?" Kai bent forward and asked Kaya.


    Thetter nodded seriously. "I will bid on it too."


    "Keep it till most of them stop bidding then we will double the number," Kai said.


    Kaya was naturally very wealthy because of the nature of her job but even she can''t afford the map if it reaches the 10 billion mark.


    Slowly, the number increased and with it, people started giving up when they noticed the huge financial disaster that would fall on them if they kept on bidding.


    "4.3 billion! Any higher bidders?" The host asked as he looked at his tablet and waited.


    The man who bid that number had a huge smirk on his face as he was certain that he got the deal.


    Then, his eyes widened slightly when he saw the number on the screen. He had to scratch his eyes.


    "E-Ehem, 9 billion!" He announced, sending the whole room into silence.


    ''Who?! Who dares to take it from me?!'' The man was outraged as he smashed his hand on the chair arm.


    Looking around him, he couldn''t notice any particr person who could afford to pay such a number. He was the richest in the room for god''s sake!


    "10 billion!! The price went higher!"


    ''Fuck, this is going to be problematic but I won''t allow any bastard to get that map from me!'' The man mused with a sweaty face.


    As he awaited the host to announce that it was sold, he heard theplete opposite.


    "15¡­ 15 billion!"


    "..."


    People''s mouths gaped open in shock. 15 billion dors. Mind you, the initial price was 200 million and now it reached 15 billion. It was mind-boggling.


    *CRUSH*


    Suddenly, the loud sound of something getting destroyed echoed in the room.


    "Goddamit! Who did that?! Who fucking bid that number?! Stop lying ande out, you bastard!! 15 billion my ass!!"


    He heaved up and down in anger. But, nobody answered as they looked at him with intimidation in their eyes.


    "Sir, please sit down." The host said respectfully. People like this man happen upon the auction house once in a while and they aren''t tolerated.


    "Shut up! I don''t ept this! Thest bid is 10 billion! There is no way in hell someone can have more money than that to spend on a fucking map!!"


    "Sir, sit down or the security will have to deal with you properly."


    "Tsk¡­" When the man saw the guards approaching him, he finally gave up on making a tantrum. His reputation had already been damaged after he lost his temper now, he can''t get any angrier or he will be in trouble.


    "Now, ehem, my apologies for the small inconvenience. 15 billion is thest bid, any higher?"


    The host waited for a few seconds in the eerie silence before he nodded his head. "Sold!"


    "You have that much money?" Kaya asked with a surprised look as she turned around.


    "It has been lying in my ount without use. I might as well put it in this." Kai replied as he rested casually on his chair, not minding the fact that he had just spent a fortune on a piece of map.


    "*Whistle* My darling is cool~"


    After that, the event finally came to an end, and everyone stood up from their seats.


    "Wait for me outside," Kai said as he tapped Kaya''s shoulder and walked away to get the map.


    Meanwhile, the man who got his map taken was looking around, searching for the one who got it.


    ''I won''t allow it! That map is mine! They better be ready to hand it back to me unless they want to get skinned alive!'' He thought with a cruel look.


    He had already called his bodyguards. Whoever had taken the map from him is going to pay for it!


    Approaching the backstage, Kai entered inside with the tablet in hand. He found the host waiting along with a group of security men.


    "I''m here for the map."


    When the host heard that, his look changed from respect to awe. Who thought the one who had that money would be a handsome young man barely in his 20s?


    "E-Ehem, of course. Can you hand us the tablet? We shall finish the transaction."


    The host then took it and started fiddling with it silently. "Please provide the bank information needed."


    After doing that, the host fiddled a little more with it and then said.


    "Done! Congrattions! You won''t regret this purchase, sir!" He said with a smile.


    One of the security then approached Kai with a wooden box in his hands. Kai took it from him before he nodded his head and left.


    "Who might that person be? I don''t recall seeing him attend our auctions before." The man wondered.


    Meanwhile, outside, a huge number of guards surrounded the ce secretly, waiting for the culprit toe out.


    ''So it was you!!''

 Chapter 144 144- Freedom

    <h4>Chapter 144 Chapter 144- Freedom?</h4>


    The man who was boiling with anger at the moment as he sat in his car was named Stephen Layl. A tycoon in the entertainment industry and has a hobby of collecting relics and pieces of old history artifacts in his little museum.


    When he saw that map, he instantly knew that he had to get it no matter what. He couldn''t simply let it go at all. Even if that meant killing someone for it. Sari wasn''t just a mere historical character, his achievements could singlehandedly make him the most important man to ever walk the earth.


    "There he is, boss." One of Stephen''s men said as he pointed at a handsome young man walking across the street before taking a turn into an alley.


    "Close the other end. Don''t let him escape."


    Immediately, the ck cars moved and quickly surrounded the area. Onlookers could see clearly that something odd was happening but they didn''t dare to say anything.


    Kai, on the other hand, continued walking through the alley until he was right in the middle. Then, he looked up. A car was closing the way.


    *RING* *RING*


    His phone rang out of nowhere so he sighed and picked it up. "Should Ie down to help you?" Kaya''s voice asked coldly. She wasn''t worried that Kai would be defeated but she thought that the two of them could end the problem quicker.


    "No, go back to the hotel. I will follow you after." Kai said before he hung up.


    "So you''re the little bastard that stole it from me?! Who are you?" Stephen got out of the car apanied by his men.


    "..."


    "You''re in good luck kid. I''m in a good mood now. So, hand it over and I will consider this mat-"


    *BANG*


    Before Stephen could even finish his sentence, a bullet had already burst through his skull and destroyed his brain. Blood splurted out from the other side.


    Not even the guards could react in time to this sudden urrence. Only when the dead corpse fell on the ground and blood seeped into the concrete beneath them did they realize¡­ Their boss died, just like that.


    Kai looked at the dead man with deathly cold eyes. He was in no mood to hear a retarded idiot talk for long. His eyes then moved to the guards around him before he pulled the trigger again.


    *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*


    Bullets flew from the gun sessively, hitting every man right in the forehead with monstrous uracy. In a matter of seconds, they all died before they could even try to make a fight.


    Blood covered the whole alley as Kai stood in the middle of his massacre, silent. It seems he just rpsed from his ''No Kill'' rule, again. It''s not even a rule anymore as he simply has submerged back into the world of death, swords, and the smell of gunpowder.


    Luckily, nobody saw what happened and nobody heard the sound of guns either as Kai had made sure to surround the area with a sound barrier that stopped anything from reaching the outside. It was a simple trick but very useful in such cases.


    "Sigh¡­" Exhaling a long breath, Kai walked past the dead corpses and then left the area, his destination wasn''t the hotel but to the other side of the auction house''s perimeter.


    There, Rosa was walking back to her car to leave the ce. However, as she was about to take a turn, she stumbled into someone.


    "Ouch!"


    Looking up, her eyes contracted a little at the sight of a familiar face.


    "Oh, it''s you." She murmured. "Ehemn, My apologies. I wasn''t looking at my path properly." She said when she noticed that she was the one to stumble into him.


    Kai looked at her for a moment before he walked away.


    "Tsk, as cold as ever. Who does he think he is? Geez." She murmured with an annoyed look before she continued walking to her car, wondering how a man so beautiful could be that cold.


    Meanwhile, Kai left the ce as if nothing happened. When he was far enough, he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a phone that wasn''t his.


    His eyes squinted slightly as he looked at it. When he tried to open it, he was met with a lock screen and a thumb recognition lock.


    Then, he put it back in his pocket before heading back to the hotel.


    ***


    "Ugh, my back. That dress sure puts a toll on my shoulders." Kaya moaned slightly as she massaged her shoulder.


    Kai, who was in the other room changing, walked out. Then, he approached Kaya who eyed him confusedly before he touched her shoulder. Immediately, all the pain in her shoulders vanished as if it was never there. Her body also felt refreshed.


    "Thank you, my love~. This talent of yours is something else. It could even heal the sole problem women with big breasts have. Fufufufu~" She chuckled idly. Eventually, her chuckles died down and were reced with a serious expression as she closed the distance between her and Kai.


    "Is everything OK? You''ve been acting weird this whole afternoon."


    "Nothing," Kai replied inly.


    "You underestimate how much I know you, Kai. But, if you don''t want to tell me, that''s fine. Just know that no matter what''s on your head, I will always be there for you. You are never alone." Then, Kaya smiled softly at him before her hands moved to his head and pulled him in.


    Kai found himself resting on Kaya''s plump, soft thighs with her face gazing down at him. "As a thank you, I will give you ap pillow! I heard guys like it."


    Kai looked at her silently, not moving. Kaya''s face looked mesmerizing under the faint light of the room. Her beautiful green eyes shone like stars, evesting and far yet warm to those who seek sce.


    "You know, Kai. Sometimes I wonder. Is this life truly worth all the hassle? I mean, ehem, look at us. We have the most outrageous lives and yet all we want is simplicity."


    "I want to be free," Kai replied as he closed his eyes. "Simplicity doesn''t matter. I just want to wake up one day, go about my day as usual, and then realize that I''mpletely detached from anything that might pull me down again. That I finally have nothing to do with whatever I was born into. When that dayes, I will truly know that I finally reached my goal."


    Kaya looked at Kai''s hypnotizing eyes silently, her hands were gently massaging his hair lovingly.


    "So it''s that deep, huh?"


    "..."


    "How would you go about doing that, exactly?" She asked after a while.


    Kai didn''t reply at all and Kaya quickly took the hint. Her head nodded slowly before she looked away from Kai and into the outside world.


    Neither of them needed to exchange words to understand what was going through their heads.


    A whileter, Kai finally lifted his head from Kaya''s thighs when he noticed that she was getting sleepy.


    "Go sleep."


    "But, it''s still too early~ I want us to stay like this a little more~" She murmured as she hugged Kai''s back and buried her face into his neck.


    "Didn''t you say that you will show me around tomorrow?" Kai asked.


    "Hm? Oh, right! I forgot! Shit, I need to make some ns!"


    Immediately, Kaya separated from him and ran to her room. Kai watched her frantically pull herptop and start typing on it quickly. Then, he sighed and stood up before he walked to his room. He had one thing to do that night.


    At the same time, the city was inplete pandemonium.

 Chapter 145 145- Red Cloth

    <h4>Chapter 145 Chapter 145- Red Cloth</h4>


    Chapter 145- Red Cloth


    The news of ten corpses found dead in an alley near the Red Velvet auction house spread like wildfire. When it turned out to be Stephen Layl, an extremely wealthy businessman and someone who attended the auction, all eyes were directed toward the Red Velvet auction house.


    Police and investigators swarmed the ce to search for evidence. However, they could find nothing that could lead them to the killer. There were no cameras either. It was a perfect crime.


    Meanwhile, the culprit was inside his room, sitting on a desk in front of aptop. His cold, distant eyes shone faintly under the light emanating from the screen.


    His fingers were running through the keyboard at an rming speed as he opened and closed windows. Eventually, he heard a ''ding'' sound, announcing that he sessfully finished the task.


    Running his hand through his hair, his eyes shifted to look at the phone that he linked to theptop.


    ''It''s harder than normal phones to hack.'' Kai thought as he fiddled with the phone until he opened the contact info and checked thest phone call Rosa had. The number didn''t have a name. Kai''s eyes squinted slightly before he put the phone down again and used theptop again.


    "As I thought, the number is encrypted. It''s a variable number." He murmured with a click of his tongue.


    Unless he gets the actual phone these callse from, he won''t be able to locate the one who has it.


    ''It was expected. Knowing her, she won''t leave such tant flows.''


    Then, he picked up the phone again and looked at the number. His eyes shone with a menacing light before he tapped on it and then put it on his ear.


    The rhythmic sound of ringing echoed in the room as Kai waited silently. Eventually, the call connected and he heard a voice.


    "Yes?" It was the same cold voice he heard a few hours ago.


    Kai didn''t reply immediately as he felt a surge of memories sh in his head in a split second before it vanished again.


    "It''s been a while." He finally spoke in a cold tone, hiding any other thoughts he had.


    "..."


    No response, it was as if the person he called had vanished. But, Kai knew that she was there, listening to him.


    Eventually, the voice responded, in a rather wavering tone.


    "K-Kai¡­? Is that you¡­?" She asked.


    "You don''t need to speak since I''m only leaving a small message to you. It seems that your love for antiquities is still vivid."


    "Wait, Kai¡­"


    "Shut up." He said with a domineering tone. "What happened a few years ago, do you think I forgot? I tried to find you so I could go back and finish what I should''ve done years ago. But, you''re lucky that I couldn''t. So listen carefully, I will definitely find you. And when I do, I will make you and that piece of shit regret the day you were born into this world."


    "No, Kai, wait¡­"


    Before the girl could even finish speaking, Kai hung up the call and then crushed the phone with his hand.


    "Sigh¡­" He then sat there, silently as he looked through the window.


    The next morning, Kai woke up early and sat down on his bed to meditate for one hour before he went on with his day. By the time he was cooking breakfast, Kaya woke up.


    "Darling~ You''re always so early. How many hours do you sleep?" She asked as she hugged him from the back and rested her head on his shoulder sleepily.


    "Enough not to get sick." He replied inly.


    "Which means?"


    "... 5 hours."


    "5?! 5 hours?! Kai, that''s far from enough!"


    "..."


    "Even if you think you don''t need to sleep, you should at least sleep 7 hours a day."


    "Is that supposed to be a medical advice?" Kai asked calmly as he set up the table while Kaya sat down.


    "Yes, you''re talking to the best doctor in the world. Doctor Kaya, ready to heal you in any way, shape, or form. Oh, I forgot to mention that I''m only avable for one patient if they need me." She said as she rested her head on her hands seductively.


    "I don''t get sick." Kai replied with a deadpan look which made Kaya explode inughter.


    "You''re too cute, my love. The fact that my flirting never works on you is impressive. Maybe I''m not that good at it after all."


    "..."


    "Sigh, all those hours of reading books and researching went down the drain."


    "Practical is more important than theoretical in this case," Kai replied as he took a bite of the fried eggs.


    "That''s what I''m saying. *Num* *Num* But, then again, the problem is probably not with the books themselves. They are meant for normal people and thest time I checked, we''re far from normal, aren''t we?"


    *Sip*


    "That''s a given." He replied.


    "Hmm, maybe we should write a book about it. We can title it ''The Ways of Love for Origin Users''... Add 101 at the end to make it more professional."


    "Who''s going to publish it?" Kai asked as he went along with Kaya''s random ideas. He found her topics rather amusing in their own way.


    "... That''s a good point. Goddamit, can''t one write a book in this day and age without worrying about such stuff? No one thought of making a book publishingpany for Origin Users. Imagine the number of Origin Users that could turn into world-renowned authors if given the opportunity."


    "Nobody would want to waste their time writing a book when they can make use of their powers in other ces."


    "Maybe? I mean, if you think about it. In the eyes of a normal person, we are basically fictional creatures with superpowers. Our imagination can be way broader than that of a normal person. Add a sprinkle of writing skills and vo! You have a great author with a series of best-seller books!"


    "Why don''t you try it yourself if you''re that eager?" Kai asked.


    Kaya chuckled awkwardly as she scratched her head. "I¡­ Well, let''s say writing isn''t one of my better skills."


    "..."


    "What? Ok, fine, geez. Don''t look at me like that! I said don''t!" Kaya yelled as she hid her face awkwardly.


    "... Are you going to get ready? We''re leaving in about¡­ 30 minutes."


    ***


    Meanwhile, somewhere else in the world. A dark figure sat on a bed, looking down at her hands. Her dead eyes seemed to regain some light in a very rare urrence. In one of her hands, her phone showed a number that she tried to call a few times.


    Nobody could understand what her mind was thinking of. After a while, she lifted her head and looked at a beautiful red cloth that was resting on the table next to the bed. Then, she picked up that cloth and looked at it from up close. Her fingers traced it gently as if it were her most precious object in the world.


    *Knock* *Knock*


    "ire, wake up. Time to leave." A feminine voice spoke to her from the outside.


    Instantly, the shred of livelihood that sparkled within her eyes died downpletely before lifted the cloth up and wrapped it around her eyes, covering thempletely.


    "I''m ready." She said as she stood up and left the room.

 Chapter 146 146- Change The World

    <h4>Chapter 146 Chapter 146- Change The World</h4>


    "Dad, are you listening?"


    Sitting on a chair inside a quiet room, Eva looked at her father who was lost in thought. Beside him, his wife sat silently while looking at her daughter. Selina had a serious expression on her face.


    Meanwhile, Meli was sitting on Eva''sp as she idly fiddled with her teddy bear.


    Finally, Markus looked up at his daughter. "Sigh, Eva, are you trying to get yourself killed?" He asked. "Destroy the Guild? God, Eva¡­ That''s beyond reckless!"


    "I already decided that I will do it. I have Kai with me so I''m going to be ok." She said as she patted Meli on the head.


    "That doesn''t mean it''s safe!! It''s the Guild! They have an army of people that could wipe this world out of existence if they wanted! Speak, Selina! Your daughter is throwing her life away!" Markus'' eyes shifted to his wife.


    Thetter didn''t immediately speak as she eyed her daughter. She could see it clearly in Eva''s clear red eyes. Determination, trust, confidence. She had them all and more. It was as if it was already set in stone that she would seed.


    "Is this really what you want, sweetheart?" She asked.


    "Yes. The Guild attacked me and my family and who did I find when I was in dire need of help? It was Kai. He saved me and my dad. No matter what I do, I won''t be able to repay his kindness. I decided to dedicate my whole life to helping him achieve everything he wants." Eva replied with a determined look, making her two parents speechless.


    "Dedicate your whole life? Eva, you can''t¡­ What about your goals? Your dreams?" Markus asked.


    "I know that if I follow him, my dreams will be achieved. He is akin to magic, Father." A beautiful sparkle appeared in Eva''s eyes when she mentioned Kai. Her deep admiration and love are as clear as day that even Markus couldn''t even speak.


    "You really grew up, sweetheart," Selina murmured as she eyed her daughter with a small smile. She could see that her daughter had already decided on what she would do in the future. She had found her purpose from a very young age.


    People would go half their lifetime not knowing what purpose they have in this life. Yet, her daughter had already found it. As a mother, she felt proud even though she was extremely worried about Eva.


    "Are you going to listen to us even if we try to stop you?" Selina finally asked.


    "I''m sorry, Mother. But, I already decided to do it. I know that I''m on the right path. I can change the whole world along with him."


    "You heard her, darling."


    "Selina¡­"


    "Shh, listen to me. Our daughter is now old enough to choose how she lives her life. We can''t just cage her, can we?" Selina squeezed Markus'' shoulder slightly to reassure him.


    "I''ve been training really hard for the past two weeks and my strength has increased greatly! I''m confident in my abilities! So, when Ie back a month from now, be ready to hear the good news."


    ***


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Kai and Kaya left the hotel. The streets were not as busy as usual because of the stuff that happened yesterday. People were extremely scared of this unknown killer that ended the life of Stephen Layl.


    "Our first destination is, drum rolls please, Lalond amusement park!" Kaya said as she stood in front of Kai. Behind her, the biggest amusement park in the world was apparent in all of its magnificence.


    Giant games were moving in the background with asional screams from the people riding them.


    "I yed every game in this ce when I was young and I had the time of my life."


    "..." Kai looked around silently as he followed Kaya inside. "You came here alone?" He eventually asked.


    "Well, I had no friends so I had toe alone, haha." Kaya scratched her cheek awkwardly. She was ashamed to say that this was the first time she hade here along with someone.


    Kai looked at her before he closed his eyes for a second. "Let''s go." He said.


    The two then went from one ride to another, trying all of them. While most of them might seem thrilling to normal people since they tested their limits. Kai had done even crazier stuff in his life so these rides weren''t that big of a deal. But, seeing that Kaya was smiling from ear to ear as she dragged him around, he didn''t feel as bored as he thought he would.


    The most interesting was by far the haunted house for Kai. He was intrigued to see how they would try to scare him. However, as he expected, his senses told him where the jumpscare wasing from before it came.


    "Kyaaa~ I''m scared~" Instead, Kai had to deal with Kaya who would throw herself at him, smashing her boobs against his face shamelessly. Her seductive figure even made one of the ghosts dare to touch her inappropriately in the gist of ''Scaring the guest''.


    However, with a simple re, the ghost immediately cowered away.


    Hours passed quickly before they finally finished their journey in the amusement park.


    "Fuuuh, so much fun! I never thoughting here with someone else would be this different. Especially if it''s my darling~" Kaya said as she hugged Kai.


    "Hmm, it''s already dusk. Well, we spent the whole day here I guess." Kai murmured as he checked the time.


    "Well, let''s go! We still have to visit some ces."


    Kaya then dragged to the car and they drove off. Then, for the next few hours, they roamed the city as she showed him all the monuments,ndmarks, and beautiful spots that Kaya knew about.


    Eventually, they finished their tour and Kaya halted the car in a rather rural area of the city near the frontier. Ahead of them was a small forest.


    "I left this ce forst. It''s by far my favorite spot."


    The two left the car and passed through the forest. Not long after, they reached the end of the forest only to find themselves on top of a cliff that had a magnificent view of the city.


    Kai looked at the view silently, admiring it with his eyes.


    "What do you think?" Kaya asked as she walked beside him.


    She only needed a nod from him for her smile to widen.


    "Whenever I felt distressed or scared, I woulde here and admire the city. Seeing how vast the world is, makes my problems feel insignificant. It makes me feel a lot better. I don''t know why. But, now that I came here with you, I think I found my answer."


    Turning to face Kai, Kaya smiled softly. "It''s because I wan-"


    Before Kaya could even finish her words, Kai''s senses suddenly went into full rm mode when he felt something approaching them at a horrifying speed. Without a second thought, Kai pushed Kaya away before he swung with his arm.


    *Cling*


    His hand hit the object, slicing it in half. When it fell to the ground, Kai noticed that it was a bullet.


    "Move!" Kai said as he jumped away. Kaya had already gone into fighting mode as she jumped too.


    A secondter, a huge explosion shook the whole area like a violent earthquake.

 Chapter 147 147- Rogue Bandits

    <h4>Chapter 147 Chapter 147- Rogue Bandits</h4>


    Bits and pieces of rock fell down from the


    Kaya found herself falling from the cliff, looking around her, She quickly flipped around before she channeled her Origin. A secondter, underneath her, a creature that looked like a giant bird appeared out of nowhere. It looked like a bald eagle, albeit ten times the size of a normal one.


    "KUUUAAAA!!!" The creature screeched before it flew up, catching Kaya before she fell all the way down.


    "Kai!" She yelled as she looked around frantically.


    Quickly, she caught his silhouette on the other side of the cliff with his fingers digging into the hill.


    "Go up. I will follow you." He said as he channeled his Origin before piercing the rocks with his other hand. A momentter, a huge rock protruded from the wall. Kai quickly jumped on top before he jumped again, reaching the top again swiftly.


    Then, he scanned the area with his eyes.


    *BANG*


    Another sound of a gun firing reached his ear before a bullet appeared in his vision. Using his right hand, he caught it. Smoke rose from his hand at contact. Looking at the bullet, he could easily see that it was an anti-Origin one.


    ''They know we''re Origin Users.'' He looked up again before he vanished, reappearing on top of the tallest tree nearby.


    The forest was quiet as ever with no apparent disturbance. He couldn''t identify any abnormal presence, not within the span of the city at least. Kai didn''t want to use his senses in a wider range than that because of the risk of attracting even more unnecessary attention. There are still a few days before the birthday and Kai wanted to spend them without getting entangled in problems.


    "Tsk, annoying." Cracking his neck, Kai looked up. "Can you see anything?"


    "No, they''re good at hiding," Kaya said as she clicked her fingers and the monster she summoned vanished before she jumped down andnded beside Kai.


    Kai signaled for her to stay silent as he looked around. The two waited silently for a while before the sound of a gun firing echoed in the forest again.


    "Reverse." Kai pointed his finger at a certain angle. A split secondter, a bullet halted right in front of him, floating in the middle of the air before it suddenly flew back where it came from.


    "We''re going," Kai said as he dashed after the bullet at top speed.


    "Smart¡­" Kaya shrugged before she followed after him.


    The two jumped from one tree to another. Kai''s eyes kept track of the bullet. Since he had reversed its trajectory, the bullet should return to where it came from exactly. Kai knew that if he followed its trail, he would find the culprit for these attacks.


    Eventually, they found themselves back in the city.


    "Let''s separate. We can cover a bigger distance like that." Kaya suggested.


    Kai nodded his head before he moved east, toward the exact ce where the bulletnded.


    Meanwhile, Kaya chose to take the longer turn in the same direction.


    "Where are you, little rat? Ambushing us¡­ I will break all your bones." Kaya clicked her tongue as shended on top of one of the buildings and looked around.


    *CLICK*


    "Don''t move." A secondter, Kaya felt someone appear behind her and the sound of a gun clicking, ready to fire.


    "There you are, little rat and here I thought you were dumb enough to stay where you fired that shot," Kaya said without looking back.


    "Huh?"


    "You see, ehem, the person that went to check there isn''t someone you might want to anger. You should thank your god that you ended up with me instead of him. Not that I can guarantee I would be nice."


    "Shut up."


    *Swish*


    Before the guy could even react, Kaya turned around and twisted his arm, cracking his bones before she grabbed the gun and aimed it at him.


    "AGH!!" The man groaned as he grabbed his arm.


    "Oops, did I twist too hard?" She said as she aimed the gun at his face. The man in front of her had a cloth that covered his face and wore dark clothes to hide his appearance.


    ''Hmm, I''ve never seen this person before.''


    "Well, this is going to be troublesome. I broke the hand you use to relieve yourself¡­ I guess time to learn how to be ambidextrous."


    "Hahahah, you''re a fool. Every rich bastard is like that. Confident when they''re incapable, lucky pieces of shit."


    *Click*


    When he clicked his fingers, small red dots started appearing on Kaya''s body. Looking down, Kaya''s eyes squinted.


    "There are multiple snipers aimed at you right now. You move one inch and mypanions will turn you into Swiss cheese."


    "I like Swiss cheese!" Kaya said with a smile.


    "Well, you won''t like this one. Now, hand over the gun¡­ Now."


    "Hmm?" Tilting her hand a little as if she was confused. "Why?"


    "Why?! Bitc- Ehem, if you don''t hand it over, you''re going to die!"


    *BANG*


    Without hesitation, Kaya fired a shot at the man''s leg. He fell down to the ground, twisting and turning in pain.


    "AAAGHH!"


    "YOU''RE INSANE!! SHOOT HER!!" He shouted as he made a sign with his hand.


    However, the only response he got was silence.


    "You''re good at hiding and apparently, you''re also good at assassination with your little gun over there. But, you missed one key point. We''re masters of stealth. If we want to find you, we can simply lure you out of your hiding ce."


    "...!!" The man''s eyes widened as he looked down.


    The red dots on Kaya''s body started vanishing one by one until none were left.


    "Who¡­ Who is he?!"


    "I told you, he''s someone you shouldn''t mess around with. But, there you are, doing exactly the opposite of what I told you. Now, bear the consequences."


    A secondter, Kainded on the roof of their building, making the man look at him with shock and fear in his eyes.


    "Is he the leader?" Kai asked.


    "I don''t know. Are you the leader, bat boy?" She asked as she aimed the gun at his head.


    "...!!"


    "It seems our bat can''t speak. Wait, bats can''t speak. Maybe he canmunicate with us through screeches."


    Kai approached the man before he grabbed him by the head and read his memories.


    "He belongs to a group of rogue bandits. They''re all Origin Users and they all specialize in one-hit assassinations. They use snipers and are extremely good at stealth. That exins why I didn''t sense them immediately."


    "Why are these idiots trying to kill us?"


    "They weren''t after me. They were after you." Kai said as he threw the man to the side.


    "I see¡­" Kaya rubbed her chin for a second before she aimed her gun at the man''s face before she pulled the trigger. A bullet instantly pierced the man''s skull, killing him on the spot.


    "Oh well, it''s over now."


    "No, it''s not. I eliminated 9 and that man is the tenth, he isn''t the leader."


    "Hm? There are more?"


    "Yes, many more. They''re a group of hitmen that don''t like to work under Divinity or the Guild. Closer to being mercenaries than Hitmen.? I think I know why they''re targeting you. You might want to pay your brother a visit."

 Chapter 148 148- No Human (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 148 Chapter 148- No Human (Part 1)</h4>


    "Hm, hm, hm, hm¡­"


    *Sip*


    "What a beautiful night." Charles sat on the balcony of his room in the hotel, watching the city view with a cup of tea in his hand. That night was particrly beautiful for him. He hummed a song to himself as background music.


    *Swish*


    "Hm?" Suddenly, he felt a gush of wind hit his face. Turning around to check, he was met with something he didn''t expect.


    *SMASH*


    A fist connected with his face, sending him flying to the other side of the balcony.


    "Ugh! My mouth!" He groaned as he held his cheek. "Don''t you know that hitting a person from the start will make them feel dizzy? I could''ve lost consciousness."


    "My bad, I should''ve snapped your neck with that punch," Kaya said with a cold look as she cracked her fingers.


    "Hey, wait! Don''t do that, I will die." Charles said as he stood up. His face doesn''t look scared at all.


    However, Kaya ignored his request and grabbed him by the cor before she punched him again.


    "AGH!!" This punch was stronger as it made blood stter out of Charles''s mouth.


    "Ugh¡­ I can''t feel my cheek."


    "Kill me? You wanted to kill me? You fucking imbecile." She grabbed his neck again and lifted him up. "Who do you think you are? Huh?"


    "Wait, what the hell are you on about? Kill you? Why would I kill my dear sister?!" Charles responded with a confused expression.


    "Oh, did you forget? Let me refresh your memory then."


    "No, wait! I really didn''t try to do anything!"


    "Oh? Really? Hmm¡­ Did I mistake?" Kaya touched her chin thoughtfully.


    "Ugh, yeah, you''re mistake-"


    *BANG*


    Another punch connected with Charles''s face, sending him flying.


    "AGHHHH!! My face!! It''s swollen!"


    Kaya ignored his groans of pain and approached him. "I''m not an idiot, Charles. The idiots you sent after me, I already killed them."


    "U-Ugh, idiots? What the hell are you talking about, Kaya?! I sent no one after you. I know that you hate me but that excuse is really dumb. If you wanted to beat me up this badly, you could''vee up with a better one!"


    "Beat you up? No, no. I''m going to kill you tonight!"


    "Seriously?" Standing up for the third time, he looked at her with a smile. "Why don''t you read my memories? You can check for yourself that I really am innocent."


    "..."


    Kaya''s eyes squinted slightly before she approached him again and grabbed his head before she pried it open with Origin. Immediately, Charles'' thoughts flooded her head and made her frown. It was really disgusting to read this psychopath''s thoughts as they were as chaotic as thoughts could be.


    However, in everything, she couldn''t see a single thought where he tried to kill her.


    "You''re really telling the truth¡­" She murmured.


    "That''s what I''ve been saying for the past 5 minutes!"


    "That means¡­ You weren''t the one that poisoned the old man?"


    "No, of course not. Why is everyone assuming I''m the bad guy? Is there no equality left in this world?"


    ''If it''s not this moron, then who?'' Kaya felt even more confused.


    "I''ve been doing my research the past few days. The one who tried to assassinate Dad didn''t leave a trace behind. It was a perfect job. Now, they seem to be targeting you."


    "Who?"


    "I''m working on it. I''ve even run a full research on every single maid and butler inside the house. None of them seemed suspicious. Sebastian made sure to check them out one by one."


    "..."


    "Tsk¡­" Kaya clicked her tongue.


    "I need to see for myself. One of them is trying to kill me and the old man and they''re probably still roaming the house as they wished."


    "Before that, there is something important you should do."


    "What?"


    "Apologize to me, duh." Charles rolled his eyes.


    "For what?" Kaya asked confusedly.


    Charles was taken aback as he stared at his sister silently for a good 5 seconds before he signaled to his swollen face.


    "Oh, right¡­ That."


    Kaya nodded before turning around and started walking to the edge of the balcony.


    "Hey, I still didn''t hear it."


    "Here, is my apology." She replied as she flipped him off with her middle finger while walking away. Then, she jumped from the edge.


    "That''s enough of an apology, ok?! I take it that you''re very sorry!!" Charles yelled after there.


    ***


    "Did we make a mistake, Kai? He isn''t the one that sent those rogue bandits to us." Kaya said as she sat down next to her beloved.


    Thetter was deep in thought as he stared at nothing in particr. His mind was trying to piece things together.


    "Something is amiss."


    "Maybe it''s just a bunch of rogue bandits that want to hit it big by assassinating me and the old man."


    There was no shortage of people who wanted to Kill Mika and Kaya. But, nobody would dare to face those two monsters so they justy low.


    "..." Kai didn''t deny nor approve of what she said. He just stayed silent.


    "Anyway, I will go check the house tomorrow myself. Maybe I will find something."


    Then, Kaya stood up and walked toward the kitchen. "I''m going to make some tea. Do you want a cup?"


    Kai nodded at her. "Does your father receive gifts on his birthday?"


    "Yeah, if there is anything wealthy bastards are good at is choosing gifts."


    "No, I mean. Does he personally get handed gifts?" Kai asked again.


    "No, as far as I know. All the gifts are handed to Sebastian."


    "..."


    "What? Did you discover something?"


    "... No."


    Kai replied as he got handed a cup of tea.


    "Well, I will still continue with the initial n. If I find something odd, I will give you a call."


    "Do that."


    *SIP*


    Even though Kai didn''t tell her, he already decided on what to do. It''s true that he still can''t pinpoint who did it. But, that doesn''t mean that can''t dig the truth out and he knows exactly where to go to get it.


    "Tomorrow¡­ I might runte."


    ***


    *The Next Day*


    Somewhere far away from A-Country''s capital, deep into the mountain ranges. Unbeknownst to people, this ce was the hidden base of a group of bandits that call themselves ''The ck Cats''.


    They''re ex-hitmen and ascenders who decided to create their own group because of their shared hatred toward the system that rules the underworld.


    Their number was around the 60s. While they don''t pose a threat in the underworld, that doesn''t mean that they arepletely harmless.


    Now, these 60 or so bandits were in distress. Last night, ten of them left to handle a mission. Usually, assassinations need only one or two people. But, because of the importance of the mission and the threat that the target posed, they had to send 10.


    But, none of those ten people came back.


    Inside the cave, within one of its numerous carved chambers, a meeting was in order. In it, the leaders of the group were discussing what happened.


    "They should already be back home by now!" An elderly man said as he smashed his hand on the table.


    "Maybe they had someplications and decided to stay until they could finish the mission."


    "Those 10 are our best snipers. They can shoot targets from kilometers away. Unless Kaya deheart can see the future, she can''t predict what could happen."


    "Maybe¡­ They''ve been captured¡­ and killed?" A certain younger man said as he clenched his fists. One of the people that they sent was his younger brother and he was worried sick about him.

 Chapter 149 149- No Human (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 149 Chapter 149- No Human (Part 2)</h4>


    "Shut up, Niar! They''re going to be fine!" Another tried to assure the young man named Niar.


    "But, ehem, what if¡­ What if that''s the case? I mean, Kaya deheart isn''t some small fry. We''re targeting the big deal."


    "They aren''t going to fight her face to face. All they need is one bullet and everything is going to be over."


    The group kept arguing about whether that was a possibility or not. What differentiates the ck Cats from any other group of bandits is their family-like environment. Everyone cared for one another like a big family.


    Ever since they ran away, they made sure to create an enclosed society for themselves. They would marry into each other to keep their lineage going. So, the death of ten people would be a devastating hit to their group, mentally and strategically.


    *KNOCK*


    Suddenly, a strong knock on the door disturbed them and made them all look back.


    Then, someone rushed inside. It was a young woman with a distressed look on her face. Her breathing was erratic and her skin was pale as a sheet of paper. Niar stood up and rushed toward her.


    "What''s wrong, Emi?"


    "It''s¡­ Someone¡­ Someone has infiltrated the ce!"


    Niar''s face frowned as he quickly rushed outside. There, he saw a sight that horrified him to no extent. Dead corpses of men riddled the entrance of the cave. Blood was seeping out of every one of them.


    Tracing their appearances with his eyes, he recognized them all. They were his friends, people he had known for years and had grown to love. Now, they''re all dead.


    His eyes then moved to the man that was responsible for this and his eyes turned blind with rage. He stared daggers into the man''s creepy white mask as he yelled.


    "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!!"


    Kai turned around and looked at the man with an apathetic look. He then released the man he was holding by the neck. Thetter fell down to the ground, motionless, like everyone else.


    "..."


    Niar was about to rush toward this mysterious killer. However, the arrival of the rest of the group made him halt. Everyone had the same terrified look on their faces.


    "I came here to talk. Your men didn''t listen." Kai replied coldly as he looked around.


    He wasn''t intending to kill them but because they didn''t even stop to entertain talking to him, he decided to stop wasting time. He wasn''t in the mood nor the situation where he could waste time trying to talk sense into a bunch of fools.


    "TALK?! YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!"


    "Wait! Niar! You will get yourself killed." An older man grabbed Niar by the shoulder.


    "Don''t stop me, Dad! He killed them!! I can''t just stand still and let him off unscathed."


    "Very ironicing from people that kill for a living."


    "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"


    "I say, if you dare to kill, you should expect to be killed," Kai replied coldly as he unleashed his aura on them, making everyone cower away.


    "What do you want from us?" Niar''s father stepped forward and asked.


    "I will ask a few questions and then leave. Also, if you don''t tell the man who is aiming for my head from the peak of that mountain, I will kill him." Kai said as he pointed behind him.


    Niar clicked his tongue in anger before he closed his eyes. He could already see that they were nowhere as strong as this man.


    He knew his choices were few, either he epted or another one of his beloved family would be killed without mercy. So, he signaled with his hand to the sniper to not do anything. Tears welled up in his eyes as he asked.


    "... What do you want?"


    Kai didn''t reply immediately as he walked deeper into the cave. He reached the bandits before he passed through them as if they were nothing. The bandits quickly retreated, creating a way for him to move.


    "Where do you think you''re going?!"


    "Lead me to where you do your meetings." He said.


    Niar was about to refuse when he felt his father squeeze his shoulder. He looked up, only to see the old man shake his head.


    ***


    Kai was then guided to the meeting chamber. Walking inside, the ce was minimalistic with some wooden furniture and rocks that were carved into small vases and other decorations.


    He then strode toward a random chair and sat down.


    "Now what?"


    "Sit down."


    The leaders couldn''t refute his absolute order and quickly sat down.


    "Who is the one that asked you to assassinate Mika and Kaya?" He asked.


    "Our clients'' information is confide-" Niar tried to speak but then was shut down by the sound of something clicking.


    *Click*


    Kai suddenly pulled the gun and aimed it at Niar.


    "You were saying?"


    "Please excuse him, sir. We really don''t know anything about our client. He didn''t give us any information about himself. He just sent us the money and told us to assassinate Kaya deheart and Mika Raullot."


    Kai looked at Niar''s father for a second before he put down the gun on the table.


    "Did he give a reason for this assassination?"


    The old man shook his head again.


    "Did he tell you to attack the birthday?"


    "Yes, we were told that there would be a chance that we would have to kill Mika Raullot during his birthday celebration. But, at first, the client said that it was simply a n B. But, we''ve received a notice yesterday that the n B will be in order."


    "..." Kai stayed silent. The old man assumed that he was annoyed so he quickly added.


    "That''s really the truth. We really apologize but we were simply doing a job. If you want, we won''t attack the birthday!"


    "No¡­ Continue ording to your ns." Kai shook his head.


    "Huh?"


    Sounds of confusion filled the room as if they didn''t understand what he said. Didn''t he attack them because they tried to assassinate those two? Now he wants them to continue on with their n?


    "What do you mean, sir?"


    "I said continue the n as if nothing happened. But, this time¡­ I want you to target someone else instead of Mika."


    The group looked at him silently as Kai exined what they had to do.


    When he finished, they all looked at him with even more confusion.


    "Are you sure, sir?"


    "Yes."


    Even though it sounded odd, they could only ept it.


    "I don''t need to remind you what will happen if any of you try to do something different."


    When Kai saw the fear in their eyes, he was certain that they wouldn''t dare to do anything against him. So, he stood up, intending to leave.


    However, before leaving, he heard Niar''s voice.


    "Did you¡­ Did you kill those ten people?!"


    "Yes," Kai replied. "However, I don''t suggest you try to seek revenge. If you want to keep your family intact and your bandit group alive, that is."


    Niar clenched his fists as tears spilled out of his eyes.


    "Goddamit¡­ Goddamit!!"


    "Niar."


    "Leave me alone!" He covered his face as he continued to cry.


    Meanwhile, Kai gave the young man onest nce before he left. Even outside the cave, the cries of a broken man could be heard loud and clear.

 Chapter 150 150- Birthday Accident (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 150 Chapter 150- Birthday ident (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 150- Birthday ident (Part 1)


    A few days passed and finally, the day of the birthday arrived. During that period of time, Kaya had to keep an eye on every single person who enters or leaves her father''s mansion.


    She investigated every single one of them, their history, their activities in the past few days, and many other small details that could be ignored by most


    She barely had time to sleep or eat. But, Kai made sure she rested properly and ate properly even if it was by force. An Origin User can go so much without sleep and food. Kaya at most can handle 30 days without sleep. But, that doesn''t mean staying awake for 5 days won''t affect her head, especially when she doesn''t eat.


    But, that wasn''t Kai''s main concern.


    "You need to stay in your peak state if you want the training to work."


    "I understand. I''m just¡­ confused. I couldn''t find a single piece of evidence that could lead me to the culprit and the birthday is today." Kaya said as shey on her bed, with a piece of wet cloth on her eyes that Kai made her use.


    "The culprit will appear eventually. You don''t need to overthink. I know how to capture them."


    Kaya nodded her head as Kai sat down beside her. "The other day, if you didn''t warn me. I would''ve been dead."


    "..."


    "I keep thinking about it. These assassins can easily end the life of an Origin User with one of their explosive bullets. They won''t even have time to react before everything is over. I''m just scared¡­ That I will leave this world before you."


    "You won''t," Kai replied. "I already set up the stage for the culprit to reveal themselves."


    Kaya lifted the cloth a little to look at Kai before she extended her hand to grab his. "Thank you for reassuring me, my love. I guess the past few days took a toll on my mental state."


    Kai looked down at the hand that grabbed him. He could see the subtle movement it was making. Kaya''s hand was shaking.


    "Rest. There are still a few more hours before the birthday. I will wake you up when it''s time."


    "Can you stay here till I drift off to sleep?" Kaya asked.


    Kai looked at her for a while before he sat down again. He heard a low ''thank you'' and ''I love you''ing from Kaya as she started to slowly lose consciousness. Eventually, her breathing became even and her body stopped shaking.


    Kai then slowly pulled her hand away and put it to the side before he stood up and left.


    ***


    That night, the Raullot household was unusually bustling with movement. It was the 120th birthday of Mika Raullot so a huge celebration was needed.


    Many people came to congratte the old man. Most of them are people that Mika doesn''t even know but since this birthday was for everyone, all the rich individuals came hoping to create a rtionship with the Raullot family.


    "Are you ready, Master Mika?" Sebastian knocked on the door to Mikayal''s room before he walked inside. "Master! Why are you not ready yet?"


    "Do I really have to attend? Just tell them he''s sick and can''t show his face." Mika said as he swung his sword. He was shirtless as he trained intensely.


    "We can''t, Master. Everyone already knows that you healed from the poison. If you don''t show your face, it will be a huge hit to the reputation of this great family."


    "Tsk, fine, fine, Sebastian. Hearing you talk about the family makes you sound like the patriarch." Mika said as he picked up the clothes Sebastian readied for him and started wearing them.


    "It''s all for the best, sir."


    "Is that bastard attending?"


    "By bastard, I assume you''re talking about Master Charles. Yes, he is already here. He is talking to guests."


    Mika''s face frowned at the mere hearing of his name. The old man didn''t forget what Charles said. In fact, it has been the only thing he could think about for thest few days. Even during his religious training time, Mika couldn''t focus.


    Something inside of him changed after that night and he didn''t know what it was. Perhaps it was because he felt that Charles'' words were the truth or maybe it was simply sadness and regret. Either way, Mika could barely go on with his day without finding himself dazedly looking at the window.


    Then, another knock came from the door. Sebastian opened the door and Kaya came inside. She wore a beautiful ck dress that made her look mysterious yet mesmerizing.


    "Miss Kaya!" Sebastian greeted her respectfully before he continued helping Mika with his clothes.


    "Happy birthday, old man! You''re finally getting on with age!" Kaya said jokingly.


    "Shut up, brat. I can still beat your ass if I want to."


    "Sure, sure. How are you feeling?" She asked.


    "Horrible. Ugh, so tight! What the hell is this?! Are you trying to kill me, Sebastian?"


    "Please don''t move, Master. I need to tighten the necktie."


    After he finished adjusting the clothes, Sebastian nodded with satisfaction at his work. Mika had now turned into an elegant-looking old man with a suave appearance. He wore a simple yet pleasing ck suit.


    "You can leave now, Sebastian." He said.


    "Yes, please don''t bete. We will start in exactly 5 minutes."


    "Yeah, yeah. Just don''t nag my head with your overly punctual schedule." Mika shook his hand as he looked away.


    The butler then excused himself and closed the door.


    Kaya''s smile then faded as she approached Mika. "Expect to get ambushed tonight, old man. The people that want you dead as still out there."


    "... If that happens, then it is what it is," Mika replied as he sat down on the bed.


    "Hm? What''s wrong?"


    "It''s nothing."


    "No, it''s definitely something. Since when do you take your life so lightly?"


    "Since now. I see no need for me to stay alive. As you said, I''m already 120 years old."


    "Hold on a second, old man. What I said was simply a joke. I never thought it would hurt your feelings." Kaya''s eyebrows knitted together.


    "I know that, Kaya. I''ve just been thinking about it. Maybe I''m better off dead than alive."


    "Why?"


    "Whenever I remember what I did in the past. I realize the huge mistakes I made. I wronged people that I should''ve taken care of and I sinned toward the only person that cared for me. A scum like me deserves death."


    Kaya stood silent for a good minute before she finally asked. "Did Charles tell you something?"


    The old man didn''t deny nor confirm what she said as he simply sat there, getting eaten away by guilt.


    "What nonsense are you saying, old man? Sinned? Didn''t we all sin? The old man that I know is a confident man who knows that he can make mistakes but also knows that he can strive to always be better. Wasn''t that what you taught me through the sword? To work hard to be a little bit better every single day?"


    "..."


    "Whatever that piece of shit told you, it''s not what matters. The past is in the past. You can only look at the present and future now."

 Chapter 151 151- Birthday Accident (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 151 Chapter 151- Birthday ident (Part 2)</h4>


    Meanwhile, Kai had just entered the house''s main hall where the event would happen. The ce was bustling with people. It was simr to what he saw in the Red Velvet Auction House albeit a little bit more amicable.


    People were here with only one single goal in mind: to be able to get on Mika''s good side and that required them to show their best side. All that is left is to get the opportunity to talk to him.


    A few secondster, Sebastian walked out and stood in front of the people before he said.


    "Good evening,dies and gentlemen. It''s an honor to see all of you here to celebrate Master Mika''s 120th birthday. 120 years ago on this day, Master Mika was born, and along with him, came an era of greatness for the Raullot family unseen before. 120 years of prosperity, an endless list of achievements, and a great legacy that nobody before him had ever achieved."


    Everyone listened quietly to Sebastian''s speech.


    "However, Master Mika''s pride has been and will always be the sword. He had dedicated a good part of his life to pursuing perfection in the de. That''s one of the reasons why I admire Master Mika. He is a man who would pursue one goal till the end no matter how hard it is. That trait of his is apparent in his sword style. It''s relentless, graceful yet stronger than anyone else."


    Kai looked at Sebastian''s face as he sipped his drink.


    "Ehem, anyway, I only have a few minutes before the birthday starts so I wanted to share a small word with everyone. Now, what everyone has been waiting for, Master Mika!"


    Sebastian then stepped aside and he started pping. Everyone else also started pping as Mika appeared in front of everyone apanied by Kaya.


    He looked around as he nodded his head. The ps increased in volume as everyone''s face radiated with joy and appreciation.


    "Thank you, everyone. I''m d everyone is here for this old man''s birthday. I thought I was already too old for such things but apparently, people still love to attend such events." He said with a casual smile.


    However, Kai could read the underlying message that the old man wanted to say. He could only sigh at Mika''s antiques before he turned to look out of the window.


    He can already sense the presence of the ck Cat Bandits around the house. They upied the roofs of buildings and the empty rooms inside of them. They all were ready for the show to start. They were waiting for the moment when the lights were turned off and the cake was brought for Mika to blow off the candles.


    ''Soon everything will unravel. Would my guess be right?'' He wondered quietly. If his guess is right, then things will be messy in this ce.


    As he was like that, Kai heard someone''s voiceing from the other side of the room.


    "Now, if everyone is ready. We shall receive your gifts."


    "I will be the first to give him my gift." Suddenly, Charles, who was standing in the middle of all the high-status individuals stepped forward with a smile before he made eye contact with Mika.


    Thetter simply stood there silently. He can''t outright refuse his blood-rted son''s gift in front of this many people.


    No one knew of their animosity toward each other so all they could see was a son giving his father a gift. It was a wholesome site.


    "To the best father anyone could ask for. I really want to thank you for clearing my eyes to the real world and teaching me to be able to rely on myself. Those are valuable lessons that you made sure to engrave in me since I was young." He said as he tapped his father on the shoulder.


    Thetter looked at him with a hidden re. Kaya noticed the sparks between them and she could only pray that Mika wouldn''t do anything stupid.


    "I thought about giving you an expensive gift like everyone else behind me," Charles said with a smile as he looked at the people in the room.


    An awkward silence filled the room as everyone eyed each other. They knew that they all went for the most expensive thing they could find as a gift and so Charles'' sarcastic remark was like a jab to the stomach for them.


    "But, ehem, I decided to go for something different. Something¡­ special. Well, anyway, I know that you won''t open the gifts now so I will tell you what it is. It''s a red handkerchief."


    When Mika heard that, his eyes widened slightly. Sounds of confusion reverberated across the whole room. Nobody understood why Charles would gift his dad such a weird object.


    "For context, to those who don''t know. My dad used to have a red handkerchief when I was young. He always used it to wipe his hands no matter what he was doing. Well, let''s say its red color is a special one since the handkerchief wasn''t red when he bought it."


    "Thank you for the gift, son." Mika quickly cut him off as he received the gift with the best smile he could muster.


    However, in his head, it was chaos. He knew why Charles gifted him such a thing. After his wife''s death, Mikapletely lost any shred of love he had for his son and so whenever thetter made a mistake or did something bad, he would beat him up till his fists were bloodied.


    Each time that happened, he would wipe that blood with the same handkerchief. With time, the handkerchief lost its white color and turned into a weird shade of red. Even with constant washing, it remained red.


    Now, Charles gifted him the same red handkerchief as if he was mocking him and what he did in the past.


    "Ah, well, thank you for everything, Dad. I really love you." Charles finished his words with a hug before he walked down the stairs and back to where he was before.


    That''s when people started pping again. They were truly touched by Charles'' heartfelt words. What an amazing father-son rtionship! They all thought to themselves.


    After that, the guests stepped forward and handed their gifts. Jewelry, cars, and even houses. They gave the most expensive gifts along with sugary words to try and make Mika like them. However, thetter was too bothered with what Charles did to even remember what they said.


    Kaya could only cover for him withments here and there that made the guests smile. She didn''t want anyone to suspect what happened between Charles and Mika.


    Eventually, it was Kai''s turn as he walked to Mika and handed him a simple gift he bough on the same day. It was a good-looking watch he saw in one of the stores in the city.


    Kaya gave him a meaningful look and Kai returned immediately. She then nodded her head secretly. She understood what Kai had told her through his eyes.


    ''The n is going perfectly.''


    She was relieved of that fact, especially with how unpredictable Charles had been since the start of the event.


    "Please, bring the cake." Sebastian finally said as a group of maids walked out with a giant birthday cake.

 Chapter 152 152- Birthday Accident (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 152 Chapter 152- Birthday ident (Part 3)</h4>


    The cake was magnificent in every sense of the word. A sugary marvel thatmands attention. Its towering tiers were adorned with vibrant colors and intricate designs. Delicate fondant roses and swirling patterns embellished its surface, with ribbons of icing cascading down its side. At the pinnacle, a small figure of who seemed to be Mika holding a sword while standing proudly from the peak. In his hand was a sword that pierced the middle of the cake.


    It was a visual feast that cost a fortune and hours and hours of manwork to finish.


    The maids then put the cake on the huge table of refreshments and sweets that was set up in the middle of the room.


    "Now, Master Mika. Would you give us the honor?" Sebastian said as he moved next to the cake.


    Thetter seemed to be dazed for a few seconds before he felt a tap on his shoulder from Kaya.


    He nodded his head before he stepped forward and looked at the cake silently. His eyes traced every candle on it. Each candle represented a year of his life. Many would look at such a magnificent number of candles with pride as they fondly remembered their years of life. They would remember their sesses and failures, their happiness and sadness. Ultimately, they would feel satisfied with how their lives went and look forward to what the future holds for them.


    However, this wasn''t the case for Mika. His mind only asked one question: Which candles represent the years he ignored his wives'' requests? Which candle represents the year he disowned his son? Which candles represent the years he mistreated his own son because he didn''t live up to his expectations?


    If nothing happened in the past few days, he might''ve looked at this cake with pride. But, now, this cake seemed more like a menacing reminder that he had screwed up¡­ a lot.


    It was a graveyard that preserved each and every moment of his life where he diverged from the path.


    He just realized that his ambitions and goals were really nothing but his desire to forget what he did and that worked for a long while. Now, he was reminded of the past and he can''t think of anything else other than that.


    "Goddamit¡­" He murmured.


    "Master Mika?" Sebastian spoke with worry when he noticed his master''s weird behavior.


    ''Old man¡­ Come on¡­ You are better than some provocations from that piece of shit.'' Kaya looked at him with a sad expression.


    "Turn off the lights. I will blow the candles." He suddenly said.


    "... Master."


    "Do it," Mika ordered.


    Sebastian could only do what his master told him and he signaled for the maids to turn off the lights. The two quickly did so and the room was submerged in darkness. Except for the light of the candles, nothing else can be seen.


    Mika''s eyes closed for a second before he took a deep breath and then blew all the candles. One by one, the fires were extinguished, reducing the light of the room. Eventually, it wasplete darkness.


    As everyone was about to start pping, gunshots echoed in the room.


    *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*


    Nobody could react in time as it was all too sudden. But, when they realized what sound that was, screams echoed in the room as everyone started running around in panic, smashing against things they couldn''t see.


    "What the hell is going on?!"


    "Gunshots! Those were gunshots!!"


    "Did someone attack the birthday?!"


    "Get away! I want to leave!!"


    The only ones who didn''t move immediately were Kai, Kaya, and Mika.


    "Turn the lights on!" Mika ordered as his sharp eyes looked around. The gunshots were real. But, he wasn''t hit.


    ''Kaya!'' His first worry was Kaya as he heard that she was targeted too.


    The lights were eventually back on and the sight finally revealed itself in full. However, except for the prior trio, everyone else had already run away. The guards and servants had to make sure they were safe and sound.


    "Are you ok, Old man?" Kaya asked.


    "I''m fine, you?"


    "Fi-" As Kaya was about to speak, her eyesnded on something right behind Mika. A man was lying on the ground, soaked in his own blood. There were four bullet holes in his body, one in each one of his limbs. Beside him was a gun that wasn''t that far away from his hand.


    The man was barely able to breathe as he tried to fight the pain.


    "Sebastian¡­ Sebastian!! Are you ok?" Mika also noticed him and tried to approach the butler. But, he was held back by Kaya.


    "So it was you¡­ Sebastian? You were the one targeting me and the old man." Kaya asked coldly.


    Mika''s worried face turned shocked and then frowned.


    "Kaya¡­ Do you mean?"


    "Yes. It seems he is the one behind everything. He was the one that poisoned you and he was also the one that hired those bandits to assassinate me."


    "*Cough* *Cough* Dammit!! Dammit!! Dammit!! DAMMIT!!" Sebastian cursed as he tried to move but his body refused. His usually calm and collected face turned into a distorted anger.


    "What the hell happened?! Why did they target me?! You bastards!! You were supposed to attack him, not me!"


    "I made them target you."


    Kai, who was standing in the background this whole time finally stepped forward. He put his drink on the table and approached Sebastian.


    "Y-You¡­ Who are you?"


    "I''m nobody. But, I must say that your n was perfect. You had the optimal opportunity to kill Mister Raullot without nobody knowing. Well, who would really suspect the butler that served that man for almost 50 years?"


    "..." Mika and Kaya watched him silently.


    "But, it really didn''t make sense to me. In everything rted to the old man, you were always present. In a sense, you have all the perfect opportunities to kill him. What made me almost certain that you did is one simple thing that I can''t even consider to be a w: I can see through your eyes. Even under all that facade of respect and admiration, your hatred toward him would leak from time to time."


    Sebastian looked at Kai with a shocked expression, a myriad ofplicated emotions appeared in his eyes before he sighed and closed his eyes.


    "Yes, I did it. I was the one who plotted against Mika Raullot and I don''t regret it one bit."


    The old man stared at Sebastian with a nk expression. He really didn''t know how to react to such information. Sebastian hasn''t been merely his butler, he was one of his very few friends that he trustedpletely. Even at Mika''s lowest, Sebastian was there on his side, working hard for him day and night.


    Calling what he''s feeling ''betrayal'' was an understatement.


    "... Why?" He asked the only question he had in his mind.


    "Why? You''re asking why, Mika Raullot?! You monster! I want to strangle you with my own hands!!" Sebastian yelled with eyes filled with deep hatred. "You were the one who killed my brother!"


    "..." Mika wanted to speak but could only close his mouth.


    "Of course, hahaha. Of course, you don''t remember. Why would you remember a measly life you took away by mistake 60 years ago?"

 Chapter 153 153- Reasons

    <h4>Chapter 153 Chapter 153- Reasons</h4>


    "I still remember it to this day! We were a small vige that didn''t even have contact with the real world. We knew nothing and had nothing to do with whatever you assholes in control of the world are doing. However, at the time, the country my vige was in dered war against your country."


    Sebastian said with clenched teeth as if he were bearing great pain. The veins on his head were threatening to pop from sheer strain.


    "We had no idea what happened or why this war started. But, none of us were involved in it.? We were simply average people living our lives. But you!! You fucking¡­!! Goddamit!!" Sebastian had to heave up and down just to calm down.


    "You were the general that led the army of the opposing country. We were ready to surrender when you appeared and yet you ignored all of our begging and left your soldiers to wreak havoc in the vige, destroying everything in their way. They didn''t care if it was women, children, or elderly. You monsters killed everyone in the name of ceasing an important location in the enemies''s territory. I was too young to even fight."


    Kaya looked at Sebastian with a frown on her face. She already knew that her foster father was a war general back when he was young. She didn''t divulge into details but she knew that he had killed a lot of people.


    But, whether they were innocent or not, she didn''t know.


    "My brother who was the chief couldn''t stop himself so he tried to talk with you. He was ready to do anything just so that you stop killing innocent people. But you¡­ You didn''t even allow him to speak! I had to watch my brother get killed with a bullet mid-sentence! I couldn''t do anything except to run away! But, I swore from that very day that I would definitely kill you! I worked hard day and night to be able to get to work in your mansion and then worked even harder to be your personal butler. I wanted you to trust me and rely on me so I could betray you when you least expect it! I poisoned your food but that failed! So, I decided to aim after the only person you trust other than me. Your daughter!"


    ''So that was his motivation¡­'' Kai thought as he looked at Sebastian. He could only sigh at how absurd it was. The man worked for tens of years just so that he could execute his perfect revenge and yet he ended up failing.


    Kai didn''t really care that he was the one to stop it but he still could rte to the man''s intense emotions. He was also seeking revenge albeit not as insanely focused on it as Sebastian.


    The reason for that is simple. Kai knew that if he wasted his whole life trying to take revenge, that would be akin to admitting defeat to those who wronged him. If fate were to allow him to take revenge, he would seek it. However, if it''s not possible, then he wasn''t going to try and forcefully get it.


    "I decided that today would be the perfect day to finally kill you! On the day you were born!"


    "I''m sorry¡­"


    Everyone''s eyes turned toward Mika. His uttered words turned even Sebastian silent. The old man had a sad look on his face.


    "I¡­ I''m really sorry." He said again.


    That made Sebastian''s eyes widen before tears welled up in them.


    "Hahaha¡­ Sorry? You''re sorry?! Hahahahahahah!!" A maniacalugh escaped the butler''s mouth. It was a sad, broken yet also amusedugh.


    "I will never ept that! A mere ''I''m sorry'' will never appease my anger!"


    "If killing me will make you feel better. Go ahead. ck Phantom, you can heal him, can''t you?" Mika looked at Kai seriously.


    Thetter didn''t reply and instead gave Kaya a nce. Thetter shook her head.


    "I can. But I won''t do it. Your death isn''t to my advantage." Kai shook his head. "If you really want to die¡­ Then kill yourself."


    Although Kai''s words sounded ridiculous, they were his true thoughts. The only way he would allow Mika to die is if he decided to kill himself.


    "Kill yourself, huh? That''s not what you want, do you?" Mika asked as he shifted his gaze to his injured butler. His tone was oddly calm.


    "You deserve the worst death! Killing yourself would be too easy of a way out for you."


    As everyone was like that, they heard the sound of ppinging from the side.


    "What an amazing show. I wish I had some popcorn." Charles said with a smirk.


    He was sitting on a chair not that far away. His rxed posture contrasted the tense atmosphere of the room. Then, he stood up and approached Sebastian.


    "It''s truly saddening to hear your story, Sebastian. I always knew you as my Dad''s loyal follower. Who thought you of all people were after his head? What an ironic world we live in. But, unfortunately, I can''t let you kill him." Charles said with a smile.


    "...!!" Sebastian looked at Charles with clenched teeth. "Why?! I have seen what he has done to you through the years! Why are you defending him?! Don''t you want him dead too?"


    "Even if he mistreated me. He is still my father. I would never kill my own father. I''m sorry that I can''t grant you your wish."


    "... Master Charles."


    "You''re a good person, Sebastian. Your dedication to taking revenge for your brother is truly admirable. It shows that you really cared about your family." Charles said as he lifted Sebastian up. Thetter was crying silently, deeply touched by Charles'' words.


    "Master Charles, I''m really¡­ I ca-" Before he could even finish his words, Charles had already hugged the man before he shockingly shoved a knife into his chest.


    "U-Ugh¡­ W-Why¡­"


    "Shhh, shh, calm down. As I said, I can''t have youing after my father." Charles whispered into Sebastian''s ear. Thetter tried to speak only to end up coughing blood.


    Kai, Kaya, and Mika looked at him silently. The only one who had a reaction was Mika. He teared up as he watched his friend die silently, his eyes still drowned in hatred.


    Everyone present knew that Sebastian wasn''t going to live to see the next day. If Charles didn''t kill him, Kai was going to kill him and if Kai didn''t kill him, Kaya would''ve done it. None of them wanted the old man dead for different reasons.


    As the butler was starting to lose the light in his eyes, Charles seemingly whispered something that only Sebastian could hear which made the man''s eyes widen for onest time before they finally lost all the light in them.


    Charles then put down the dead butler and stood up.


    "Fuuh, and the problem is solved. What a unique birthday it was. Hahahaha! Don''t you think?" He turned around and asked jokingly. However, his face, smeared with the blood of the person he just killed made his rather harmlessment turn into a terrifying one.


    "And Charles saves the day again. Hey, Dad, you don''t need to thank me. I will always be there for you." He said as he pointed at Mika.


    Thetter was too upied with his dead friend to even hear him. He simply approached the dead corpse before he crouched down and put his hand on his chest.


    "I''m sorry¡­ I''m really sorry, friend." Tears dripped from his eyes endlessly.

 Chapter 154 154- Hatred Knows Hatred

    <h4>Chapter 154 Chapter 154- Hatred Knows Hatred</h4>


    If one had to describe the feeling of losing someone important to them, they would say ''It''s painful'' or ''It''s heart-wrenching'', and it''s indeed that horrible. However, what''s even worse than death is betrayal.


    When someone you trust destroys that link and stabs you in the back, that''s when true pain emerges from within the darkness of your heart. That''s when the darkest, most gruesome parts of humans appear. Now, what if both of these horrible things happen at the same time?


    Well, that''s how Mika felt at that moment. He felt as if the whole world was looming over him with a wide, evil grin, basking in his agony and bathing in his tears.


    "To hell with this¡­ To hell with it all." He murmured as he clenched his fists till blood came out.


    "Old man¡­" Kaya crouched next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. A sad look was apparent on her face as she didn''t find the words to console this broken soul. What happened to him in thest few days was already soul-crushing and now he had to deal with this.


    Kaya wouldn''t wish such things even upon her worst enemies.


    Meanwhile, Charles watched that scene with a wide smile, as if it was the finale of a great movie or thest page of an epic story. Nobody would be able to understand how much fun he was having now.


    The only one who wasn''t affected by this situation was Kai. He simply eyed the trio from the side. This wasn''t his time nor ce to barge into this matter. Not that he had any interest in it.


    "Oh, right, how can I forget? You''re the legendary ck Phantom, right?" Suddenly, Charles turned around and looked at Kai. "I''m a huge fan of yours. You''re truly a legend in our world."


    He approached Kai and extended his hand for a handshake. Kai simply gave it a nce before he looked up again, not reciprocating the handshake.


    "As cold as I heard. Well, may I know why you''re attending my father''s birthday?"


    "Mutual interests," Kai replied coldly.


    "Oh? So you''re still in the game? Now that''s some great piece of news right there! The ck Phantom is back in the underworld." Charles dered loudly as he extended his arms.


    "How about we coborate on something? You and I would be invincible. You have the power and I have the brain."


    Kai looked at the man with a nk expression before he turned around and walked toward the door.


    His eyes looked back at Kaya who secretly nodded at him. Then, Kai left the ce. His job was done there.


    "Hahaha, What a great guy!" Charles murmured with a mysterious look before he turned around and looked at Mika and Kaya.


    "My condolences, father. I hope you won''t beat yourself too much over it. After all, the one who killed him was me. This time, there is no doubt about it." He hinted.


    However, the old man didn''t reply as he simply sat there, looking at his dead friend.


    "Just leave," Kaya said with a threatening tone. "Also, get rid of that weird stuff you have on your face. Hiding your swollen cheek would require more than just some chemical powder."


    "Thanks to someone''s help," Charles said before he also left.


    That leaves Kaya and Mika alone in the hall. Neither of them spoke for a long while. But, when the silence was broken, it was Mika who spoke.


    "Leave me alone."


    "No, I know that you might do something rash. Listen to me, old man. Your mistakes are simply in the past. You always have a chance to fix them."


    "Just¡­ Just leave me alone." Mika replied. "I will be fine."


    Kaya probed his eyes for a few seconds before she sighed and gave up. Standing up, she approached the exit before she turned around and said.


    "Even though it might not seem like much. You''re a good father in my eyes."


    Leaving those words behind, Kaya left the old man alone, to mourn his mistakes.


    ***


    Kaya then returned to her room in the hotel. There, she found Kai cooking dinner in the kitchen. Her eyes sparkled with a myriad of emotions as she admired his silhouette.


    "You had it all figured out from the start, didn''t you?" She said as she approached him and hugged him from the back, pressing her chest against his broad back.


    "I don''t know what you mean."


    "You said that you simply had a hunch that Sebastian was the one behind all of it. But, I know that isn''t the truth. You were certain that it was Sebastian, weren''t you?"


    "..." Kai didn''t reply as he continued cooking but Kaya understood that she had hit the bullseye.


    "Why is that? Was his hatred really that apparent in his eyes?"


    "Yes."


    "Very perceptive."


    "..."


    "But, it''s not just perception, is it?" Kaya asked with a knowing look.


    Even though Kai hides away all of his emotions from people to the point where most believe that he ispletely empty, Kaya and Eva are certain that it isn''t the case. Kai did feel, probably more than most people. He just decided not to show it to anyone.


    So, the two of them learned to read the subtle expressions that he shows from time to time. This was one such case.


    "I know hatred when I see it," Kai replied.


    "Is that so?" Kaya murmured in response as she closed her eyes and buried her face in Kai''s nape, inhaling his smell as if it were the most amazing drug. Just his mere presence calmed her down, so his smell engulfed her whole being with warmth unlike anything else.


    ''You''re almost too good to be true, my love. What great fits did I do in my previous life to get rewarded with you in this one?'' She asked herself as a small smile appeared on her face.


    The two stayed in that position for a while before Kaya spoke again. "Thank you¡­ For saving my father and thank you for everything you''ve done for me. You''re truly my miracle, Kai."


    Then, with a kiss on the cheek, Kaya walked to the sofa, sat down, and continued watching Kai cook. This has been and will always be her favorite thing to watch. His skillful hands as they moved left and right captivated her.


    As they were like that, Kai heard his phone ringing so he stopped his cooking and walked toward it. Seeing that it was Eva, he answered. Eva had called him every day in thest week. They have a small conversation, no big matters. However, Kai knew that Eva had returned to the cabin today so the fact that she called him means that something must''ve happened.


    "Yeah," Kai replied as he listened to Eva.


    A few secondster, his eyes squinted before he murmured. "What?"


    Then, he went silent again till the conversation ended and he hung up. Then, he looked at Kaya and said.


    "Pack your things. We will go back now." He said with a small frown.


    Something weird had happened back at the cabin. Something that he almost thought sounded like a joke from Eva. s, Kai had long realized that his life was too rediculous for anything bizarre to be a joke.

 Chapter 155 155- Evolution Pet

    <h4>Chapter 155 Chapter 155- Evolution Pet</h4>


    The next day, Kai and Kaya returned to the cabin in the forest. During their trip, Kaya tried to understand why they had to go back urgently but all Kai said was that it was a weird urrence.


    Now, whether it was a dangerous matter or not, Kaya couldn''t say. But, she at least knew that it was important enough for them to quickly take the first ne back.


    Now, they were standing in front of the cabin''s door. Kai''s eyes scanned the area to check if there were any abnormalities. However, he noticed nothing of importance so he stepped toward the cabin''s entrance and opened the door.


    What weed him was the sight of a chaotic mess. Whether it was the furniture, the tables, the beds, or even the kitchen, they all looked as if they were hit by a violent storm.


    "What the hell happened here?" Kaya murmured as she kicked a broken vase to the side and moved inside. "Did someone raid this ce?"


    "Eva," Kai called for the girl.


    "I''m here¡­" Luckily, a reply came to him so he walked toward the source of the sound.


    Inside Eva''s room, he found her crouched on the ground. Her room was also a huge mess. She was picking up broken ss.


    When she saw Kai, she jumped up and rushed toward him. "I missed you so much, Kai!" She said as she hugged him tightly.


    Thetter held her from falling as he kept looking around the ce. "What happened here?" He asked.


    "I¡­ don''t know. I came back yesterday and I found the ce in this state."


    Kai''s eyes squinted as he put Eva down and walked outside. His eyes scanned the area again before he asked a question.


    "Where is Miyu?"


    The two girls looked at each other confusedly before they shook their heads. So, Kai spread his senses to cover the whole forest.


    It didn''t take him even a second to find what he was looking for. So, he left the cabin and walked around the ce to the interior part where the pool was. Kaya and Eva followed him.


    When the trio reached their destination, they were shocked by a sight they never expected. Kaya had to even scratch her eyes in case she was hallucinating.


    Right there, sprawled on the ground, clearly asleep was a gigantic cat three times the size of an average human male. Her distinct midnight ck fur made her quite easy to distinguish from other cats.


    "Miyu¡­" Kai murmured her name with a confused expression. What in the hell happened to the cat at the time he was not here?


    When the cat heard her name being called, her beautiful, big -now even bigger- eyes looked up. Immediately, her face turned from drowsy to excited in a moment.


    "Meow!!!" She meowed loudly.


    However, the sound was so loud that it rumbled in the trio''s ears. The trees rustled and even birds flew from the branches, thinking there was an earthquake that hit the ce.


    Then, the cat ran toward Kai and jumped him.


    *BOOOM*


    Kai found himself getting crushed by the giant cat as she rested her giant head on his stomach and started licking his face.


    Her tongue was big enough to cover his whole face.


    "Wait¡­" Kai pushed her tongue away and looked at the excited cat. "What happened to you, Miyu?"


    "Meow!!" The cat responded excitedly as she looked back at the volcano.


    It didn''t take Kai long to link things together before he came to the conclusion. "Is it that pure Origin you absorbed?"


    "Meow!!" The cat responded enthusiastically.


    "She grew in size because she absorbed Origin? What kind of magic is this?" Kaya sighed as she looked at the cute, albeit overly big animal. Even with her intimidating size, Miyu was still extremely cute.


    "Woah, Miyu is amazing! I''ve never heard of Origin affecting the anatomy of a creature no matter what it is." Eva eximed.


    "Meow!!" Miyu nodded her head before she stood up, letting Kai free from her giant hug.


    "She''s not a cat. Maybe a creature that looks like a cat, but not a cat. So, we can''t really say that Origin would affect her just like how it would affect normal people." Kai replied.


    "Her aura also increased tens of folds in strength and purity. It''s almost half my power now." Kayamented with a thoughtful look.


    "She still hasn''t reached her peak yet." Kai approached the cat and touched her forehead. Thetter allowed him silently and closed her eyes.


    "Her Origin Veins are still not full. She can grow even stronger than this."


    "Meow!" Miyu jumped excitedly at his words. Each jump she made shook the ce.


    "What should we do about her, now? We can''t let her inside the house or she will make a mess like the one we just found."


    "Meow¡­" Miyu''s ears fell down as she sat with a sad look on her face.


    "... We can build a house her size where she can sleep," Kai said.


    "Meow!"


    "Seriously? How big would that house be?" Kaya sighed.


    "Grrr¡­" Miyu red at Kaya with hostile eyes as she protruded her fangs out.


    "What? Look at your size, Miyu. You''re almost bigger than the cabin." Kaya said.


    "Meow!!"


    "Oh, yeah? Like you meowing loudly would help this situation."


    "Hey, old hag. She''s just a cute cat. Be nice to her."


    "You''re really too naive, Kiddo. That cat isn''t even a cat! She''s as sentient as all of us here!"


    "Meow!! Meow!! Meow!!" Miyu meowed even louder as if she protesting. Then, she made a very cute face as she started rolling on the ground just like a normal cat would.


    "See? Who is the big, cute cat? Yes, it''s you~" Eva approached her and started rubbing her stomach. Thetter purred as she let Eva massage her. The sight was as ridiculous as it sounded.


    "God have mercy on my soul." Kaya facepalmed as she looked toward Kai. "Should we take a day to help you build it?"


    "No need. I will build the house myself while you two train. We already lost one week because of the recent events. We can''t waste any more time. Eva, let''s go." Kai interjected. Building a house for Miyu won''t be a problem for him. Now, their focus should be on training and nothing else.


    Kai wasn''t even sure if they could actually make the schedule he nned before the start of this training trip.


    "Ok~ Now, be a good girl and don''t enter the house, Miyu. Ok?"


    "Meow!!"


    ***


    Then, for the next few days, Kai kept training Kaya and Eva with his light clones relentlessly. He made them fight for hours and hours without stopping. The intensity only kept on increasing as when Kaya and Eva were close to reaching an epiphany, the difficulty would increase and the challenge would be even tougher.


    However, Kai was noticing the change they were having. In the first days, they were only able to reduce the size of their auras to the general area where the attack would be. But, slowly but surely they were able to start manipting the Origin with more mastery.


    But, that improvement came with pain and suffering that pushed the two girls beyond the edge. The sheer amount of hits they sustained was ridiculous. Was it not for the fact that Kai healed them after each training session, the two would''ve eventually sumbed to injuries.


    At the same time, Miyu continued to go to the volcano each day to absorb Origin. Her size didn''t increase any further but her strength did, exponentially so.


    *30 Dayster*

 Chapter 156 156- Kai Vs Eva & Kaya (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 156 Chapter 156- Kai Vs Eva & Kaya (Part 1)</h4>


    One month passed on a whim. None of the trio was able to even keep track of time because they werepletely focused on getting ready for the D-Day.


    The intensity and the sheer dedication that Kaya and Eva had to put into it was iprehensible. They even shattered Kai''s predictions of how things will move. He was impressed at how talented the two were.


    At first, he thought that with his n, they would barely be able to finish before the Red Rose Day. But, when he saw the rapidity of their improvement, hepletely changed his n route. Even after spending a long time with the two of them, he apparently failed to realize how monstrously talented the two girls were.


    It was of course good news for him as the stronger they became, the less he had to worry about something bad happening to them. Kai is strong, but he can''t be everywhere, every time, all at once. Especially during this mission, they were bound to separate and fight their own fights.


    By the time they reached the 30th day, Kai was sure that he had achieved his goal and more. Kaya and Eva had totally absorbed his teachings like dry sponges.


    So, before they return, Kai decided to do onest thing. It was something he didn''t n initially but since things diverged out of route a long time ago, he thought he might as well do it now.


    So, on the morning of the 30th day, Kai gathered Kaya and Eva in an open area in the forest. The two looked around confusedly.


    "Why are we here? Where are the Light Clones?" Kaya asked.


    "Maybe we''re just changing locations?" Eva murmured in response.


    "Neither," Kai replied. "As of today, your training is over."


    "..." Kaya and Eva werepletely speechless as they looked at Kai.


    "What?! Why, there is still some time before the Red Rose Day!" Eva said with a panicked look on her face. She thought that they disappointed Kai to the point where he decided to cut the training short.


    "Shh, let him finish, Kiddo." Kaya didn''t think they did that bad so she waited for Kai to exin.


    "Frankly speaking, you two did a great job. Exceeded my expectations, actually." Kai said as he eyed both of them.


    "..." (x2)


    "I have thought we won''t be able to finish till thest moment. But, you two have mastered Origin faster than I expected. I have nothing more to teach you."


    ''I can''t divulge with them into that territory¡­ They will die certainly.'' He thought in his head secretly. Technically, Kai was lying and there was still another step they could take to evolve to the next level. However, that will require them to literally put their lives at huge risk.


    That wasn''t training, that was self-destruction covered in the premise of ''What doesn''t kill you, will make you stronger.''. So, even if the two realized that, he would never allow them to stride into that territory.


    "R-Really?" Eva finally spoke, shaking Kai''s thoughts away. Her face was mixed with emotions.


    Hearing Kai''s praises, she felt overwhelming happiness. She had actually exceeded his expectations? That was the best news she heard in a long while and that made her smile widely. One of Eva''s goals was to be helpful to Kai and now, she was even closer than ever to achieving that goal.


    As for Kaya, she just looked away from them, trying to hide her face. The reason was very embarrassing for her.


    ''Why am I crying, goddammit?! Am I a little girl?!'' She cursed herself in her head.


    Nobody would be able to understand the hell they went through in the past weeks.


    "Congrattions on finishing your training. If I have to make an estimation, your power level should be around the level of an Ophanim or a little bit higher. If you learn to use your powers at the right time, well, you might be able to fight equally with a Seraphim." (Check the author''s note for an exnation of the rankings.)


    "Wait, what?!" Kaya blurted out.


    She couldn''t believe her ears. She knew better than anyone else how absurdly strong the Ophanims and the Sraphims of Divinity were. They wereplete and utter freaks of nature.


    So, even though she knew she had grown stronger, she wasn''t sure as to how much she improved.


    As the two were having their own thoughts, Kai had already tucked his sleeves back as he cracked his neck.


    "Well, since we''re almost done. I decided to do something different. You two didn''t have the opportunity to try your powers, did you?" He asked.


    The two girls shook their heads. They only trained but never actually used their powers in a fight.


    "So, fight me."


    "... Excuse me?" Eva replied as she blinked confusedly.


    "Kai, hold on a second. Fight you? There is no way¡­ You''re¡­ Serious." Kaya''s voice trailed to the end when she noticed Kai''s serious face. "You''re serious¡­"


    "I want to see for myself what you two achieved. So, you cane at me, at the same time. Attack me with the intent to kill." He said.


    "..." The two girls were extremely hesitant. Not because they were scared that they might harm Kai but because¡­ They would never want to fight him.


    Fighting Kai with the intention to kill? That''s impossible. How can they do that to the love of their lives?


    Kai seemed to notice that and unleashed his aura, pressuring the two.


    "Don''t look at me that way. I''m your enemy now. Are you going to pity your enemy?" His cold purple eyes red at both of them. "Now, do it."


    Eva and Kaya looked at Kai for a few seconds before they suppressed their emotions. He was right. They were about to do something risky and Kai knew that very well. If he allowed them to hesitate, that could cost them their lives in the future.


    *Clench*


    "I understand." Eva clenched her fists as she took a fighting posture.


    Then, Eva''s Origin channeled through her body. Her eyes turned colder and a red hue appeared around her irises. Then, in a miraculous fashion, Origin condensed around her legs. Eva took a deep breath before she took one step forward. Just one single step¡­ And yet the result was horrifying.


    Eva''s silhouette vanished in a split second before she appeared in front of Kai with her fist already on its way to Kai''s face. Her speed was so ridiculous that sh Origin had already moved from her legs to her fist


    ''Good.'' Kai''s hand extended as he skillfully diverged Kaya''s punch. He didn''t even need use to Origin as it was a simple gentle touch. Eva''s eyes contracted as she sent her other fist.


    *Swish*


    Kai extended his left hand again and grabbed the first. The sheer shock of the contact sent a powerful airwave that shook the whole area. Grass and trees rustled powerfully.


    ''I''m extremely faster¡­ But, Kai still was able to easily deflect my attacks.'' Eva thought as she jumped back before she dashed toward him again. A series of fast punches rained down on Kai as Eva tried to overwhelm him with attacks.


    Thetter simply started dodging the attacks and deflecting them with a casual expression. His speed was as impressive as that of Eva. From an outsider''s point of view, the two would appear like blurry figures.


    "You''re speed, techniques, and strength all improved. Good." Hemented.


    "Don''t forget me."


    *Swish*


    Suddenly, from behind Kai, Kaya appeared as sheunched a kick to his side. Kai''s eyes squinted slightly. They were indeed way more dangerous than ever before.


    He had to take this fight a little bit seriously.

 Chapter 157 157- Kai Vs Eva & Kaya (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 157 Chapter 157- Kai Vs Eva & Kaya (Part 2)</h4>


    Kai''s body moved with incredible speed as he dodged Eva''sst punch before he swiftly deflected another attack. At the same time, he jumped in the air, before he rested both of his arms on Eva''s shoulder.


    Then, using her as a support, he flipped in the air andnded on the other side. Everything happened too quickly for the two girls to react on time.


    *BOOOOM*


    Their attacks instead connected with each other, sending the two girls flying back. Eva used her arms to adjust her posture mid-air before shended and instantly dashed toward Kai with even more speed.


    She looked like a predator in hot pursuit of its prey. Her eyes looked extremely frightening as they seemingly shone with a weird glint. Eva''s mind was fully focused on the fight, ignoring everything else, even the fact that Kai was her target.


    *BANG*


    When she was close enough, she concentrated the Origin on the hill of her foot before she stomped down, destroying the whole ground. Huge cracks started appearing around him.


    Kai looked around before he jumped back. However, instantly, he felt a presence appear behind him.


    ''Coordinate attack?'' He thought as he looked back. Kaya had used that moment to strike. Her eyes were totally focused on Kai as she sent a palm attack, aimed at his back.


    ''Tsk.'' Kai could only turn around and cross his arms, tanking the attack. Eva had sessfully tricked him into getting within Kaya''s range. Such a level of teamwork was something that surprised him.


    From what he had seen, the two hated each other. They were like oil and water, never mixing together. Yet, they had somehow be capable of understanding each other''s intentions without a word or even eye contact.


    Kai didn''t understand where such a connection between them was created. What he didn''t know was that the past month of suffering and harsh training had made the two girls bond without the need to talk or be friends.


    They were like brothers in arms, fighting a tough war together. They understood the hell each one of them was going through. So, the result was what Kai was facing now. Two scary monsters that can work together despite their differences.


    *BAAAAAAAAANG*


    The hit connected, sending Kai flying. As Kai was adjusting his position, Eva appeared beside him, running at full speed. The girl closed the distance between them before she kicked down, aiming for Kai''s stomach.


    *Swish*


    At that second, Kai''s eyes contracted as his aura red. It seems that he needed to finally use Origin. Instantly, his silhouette vanished.


    ''Where did he go?'' Eva looked around quickly.


    Before she could react, she felt something hit her in the back before she was sent flying away. Kai then dashed toward Kaya.


    Thetter faced him with a serious expression. Seeing Kai aiming for her was a horrifying sight even though she knew this was a simple spar.


    ''Come at me!'' However, surprisingly, Kaya felt no fear. Instead, a wide smile appeared on her face. A smile of pure excitement. Adrenaline was pumping endlessly into her body.


    *Swish*


    Kai''s silhouette vanished again like a phantom before appearing mid-air, with his fist tightened. For a second, Kaya saw a ck silhouette with no features rece Kai. That silhouette looked so inhumane that she almost lost focus. The only noteworthy thing about this nightmarish monster was its distinct shining purple eyes.


    *BOOOOM*


    Adjusting her posture, Kaya punched back. The two punches connected together, sending a massive airwave that threatened to break the trees in the vicinity.


    "Ugh¡­" Her face contorted from pain. Her feet were getting pushed back, leaving a trail in the ground in the process.


    Kai didn''t stop there as he punched again, sending Kaya flying as she smashed against a tree.


    When Kainded, the silhouette Kaya saw hadpletely vanished and everything went back to normal.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­" Kayanded on her feet, panting heavily.


    On the other side, Eva was also on one knee as she took heavy breaths.


    "That was¡­ Amazing!!" Even with her exhausted condition, her face beamed happily. She had never thought she could pull off such feats!


    "What the hell was that?! It was like¡­ I can''t believe I can do all of that." Kaya murmured back as she examined her hands. Her powers had reached a new height and it was the best feeling ever!


    They even were able to force Kai into using Origin. That alone was a feat worthy of celebrating in their eyes.


    Kai looked at them before he nodded his head. "That''s the difference between Origin Users who mastered their powers and those who didn''t. They can''t bepared. You two had absorbed my training and made use of it. You did¡­ good." He thought for a second before he added.


    "You dealt some damage to my skin. Your strength has improved." He pointed to his left arm. There, a red spot could be seen which was Kaya''s attack.


    "You''re right¡­ I''m sorry, Kai." Kaya approached him and looked at his hand.


    "No need." Saying that Kai''s hand instantly healed as if nothing happened.


    "As for you, Eva. Your technique and your footwork improved too. You strike when needed and use the terrain to your advantage in multiple situations." Kai exined.


    "Hahaha¡­ I didn''t think of it that way." Eva blushed as she looked down.


    "Bad acting¡­" Kaya murmured while rolling her eyes.


    "What did you say, old hag?"


    "I said you suck at acting shy. Stop it."


    "I''m not acting!"


    "You sure do."


    "At least I''m better than you in many things. You only have strength. Just like a gori. An ugly, old, wrinkly gori."


    "What the fuck did you say?!" Kaya red at Eva.


    "Look, a banana. Want me to get it to you, old gori?" Eva replied with a smirk.


    "You''re dead!"


    "Do you want to try me? I will knock your teeth out."


    *BONK* *BONK*


    "Ouch!" (x2)


    "You two¡­" Kai said as he bonked the two girls.


    "It was her fault!!" (x2) the two said as they pointed at each other.


    "Sigh¡­"


    "Meow!!"


    As the three were like that, a giant cat came running toward them as she jumped on Kai. Thetter stopped her with his hand before he ordered her to sit down. He had enough of Miyu crushing him and coating his face with her saliva.


    "What are we going to do now?" Kaya changed the topic and asked Kai.


    "We''re going to go back. There are still a few days before the Red Rose Day. Until that happens, I''d rather you two stay low-key. Don''t grab any attention toward you."


    Eva and Kaya''s face frowned when they heard his words. The Red Rose was indeed a few days from now. A few more nights and the big showdown will happen. After that night, the whole world will changepletely.


    Either they seed and destroy the behemoth known as the Hitman Guild or die trying. Not that dying was an option for Kai. This was hisst mission and he was going to finish sessfully.


    Just like every other mission he did.


    ***


    At the same time, in a different part of the world. The ce: Evernight City. The location: Hitman Guild''s HQ.

 Chapter 158 158- Dead Men Tell No Tales (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 158 Chapter 158- Dead Men Tell No Tales (Part 1)</h4>


    Because of its location far north, Evernight City was -as the name suggests- dark for the better part of every year. Not to mention that it was also very cold, wintery, and snowy for an equal period of time.


    For neers, the city was gloomy, dark, and yet also beautiful in its own right. In rare cases, darkness might exude charms untouched by any other aspects and Evernight was a prime example of that.


    The people who lived in this ce were characterized by their noticeably paler skin, probably from theck of sunlight.


    Anyway, Evernight, being a dark city -literally- waspletely shrouded with a dark veil all day every day, adding ayer of mystery to it. Perhaps that was the reason why the Hitman Guild chose this ce of all ces.


    The founder must''ve thought that the darkness of this city would hide the darkness of his Guild. In any case, the headquarters of the Hitman Guild was built there.


    The outer design of the ces was akin to that of an ancient, medieval castle. Its walls were built out of dark bricks harvested from a certain cave system in the northern eastern area. The bricks were rough in nature and extremely sturdy, making the castle look like an imprable fort.


    Aside from ominous statues sprinkled all over the outer walls, the castlecked an aesthetic touch. However, the same can''t be said about the interior. The moment one enters the ce, they would be shocked by the sheer technological advancement of the ce.


    It was as if the ancient outer appearance was just a clever trick to hide what was inside. And it worked like a charm. In the eyes of the Evernight City citizens, this castle was just an oddly built constructionpany.


    To hide their business, the Hitman Guild made sure to dedicate a section of the building to an actual construction business. Aside from being a good, constant stream of ie, it also worked in making peoplepletely ignore the idea that this ce might actually be a huge organization dedicated to blood-thirsty maniacs.


    Inside the building, in some secret section, unessible to most was the Dojo of a certain man. Being a high officer, this man -like others of the same standing- has his own quarter for personal use.


    His day was mostly spent there, training like there is no tomorrow. His days consisted of training, eating, and sleeping.


    Ever since that day, Grey had bepletely obsessed with getting stronger. It was the thing he slept dreaming of and woke up trying to achieve.


    Now, inside his dojo, he was standing still with his eyes closed. After that, he took a fighting pose before he sent a punch flying, hitting thin air. The attack was so fast that no normal eyes could keep up with it. Even more than that, the punch didn''t seem to leave any effect or sound.


    Or so people would think, for the first few seconds.


    *BOOOOM*


    An explosion of air, originating from the punch urred out of nowhere, shaking the whole dojo. Grey then sent another punch, having the same effect, then another one and another one after that. He kept punching forward with unbelievable technique.


    Eventually, he stopped punching and stood up again, exhaling a breath. His eyes opened again, showing two deadly cold eyes.


    ''Not enough! This isn''t enough!!'' He clicked his tongue as he touched his left eye, where a horrifying scar could be seen. His fingers dug into the skin, trying to pull the scar out. But, no such thing happened. ''This isn''t enough topletely crush him!!'' He thought.


    After that, he walked toward the window of his dojo and gazed outside. The familiar sight of the city was visible in all of its twisted glory.


    "What the hell are you doing here?" Grey suddenly spoke, without looking back.


    A secondter, a blob of darkness appeared in the ground before a silhouette rose from within the darkness.


    "Ugh, my back. I really hate this ce. Too much darkness." The mysterious figure said in an annoyed tone as he cracked his back.


    "I warned you before not to disturb me. Do you have a death wish?" Grey spoke with a threatening tone. His face finally turned to look at the neer.


    "It''s good to see you too, Grey. I see you''re still addicted to training. You need some rehabilitation called ''Resting''."


    Grey''s aura red up like a violent tornado, aimed at the ck figure.


    "Hey, chill. I''m here for a drink between friends." The man said as he pulled a huge sk from his ck spot.


    "We''re not friends."


    "But you won''t say no to your favorite drink, right?"


    "..."


    Grey didn''t reply so the ck figure took the opportunity and threw the sk toward him. Thetter grabbed it easily before he opened the lid and smelled it.


    "Where did you get this?"


    "I know a guy who knows a guy who killed another guy and got it from him. So I killed all of them and took it."


    "Disgusting bastard¡­" Grey murmured as he took a sip from the sk. The rich vor of alcohol hit him instantly.


    "Damn good stuff, isn''t it?"


    Grey didn''t as he took another sip before he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I''m waiting for you to speak. You didn''te here to serve me a good drink, did you?"


    "As I said, I''m here to have a small chat. You know, for old tim-"


    "A bastard like you is thest person to have such antics. Now, speak before I break every bone in your body."


    The two stared at each other, tensing rising slowly in the room. Eventually, the ck figure diffused it with a chuckle before he stepped forward.


    "Fine, fine. I''m here to deliver some good and bad news. Which one do you want first?"


    "..."


    "Ok, fine, good news first, it is. You won''t have to search for the ck Phantom for long. He ising for you soon."


    Grey''s hand halted when he heard that. "Where did you hear that?" His tone had sharpened considerably.


    "A little birdie told me." He said. "The bad news is: The ck Phantom ising for you."


    "What did you say?" Grey''s pressure increased. But, the ck figure ignored it as if it was a kid''s tantrum rather than the anger of a monster.


    "Did your memory grow sluggish, Grey? Or perhaps you don''t look that often in the mirror?"


    "Fuck¡­ You!!" Grey was about to approach the ck figure when thetter continued.


    "Hey, hey, I have nothing to do with this. I''m just an eager viewer, ready to watch the show that will happen. The bad thing is, I already know the ending. The ck Phantom will change the whole world again just like how he did it 5 years ago. As for you, my friend. Well, let''s say you''re as good as dead."


    "I''m going to crush him!"


    "And I will ride an elephant that can fly with its ears over the skies of Lunaria."


    Grey''s face turned colder.


    "What I mean is, you''re just spouting nonsense. What happened on that night five years ago, even I will never forget. It was, after all, the best show I have ever seen. A true award-winning show." The ck Figure spread his arms as he spoke with pure ecstasy.


    The memory of that night is still engraved in his mind.

 Chapter 159 159- Dead Men Tell No Tales (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 159 Chapter 159- Dead Men Tell No Tales (Part 2)</h4>


    The event the ck figure was talking about was the Red Rose Day from 5 years ago. It is a night many consider the most iconic in the history of the whole Hitman Guild.


    It was the same night that Mika saw with his own eyes how much of a monster Kai was. More than that, it was on that night that every hitman recognized Kai as a freakish nightmare of an existence that shouldn''t be messed with.


    Before, he was indeed a mysterious, intimidating presence in the Guild. But, nobody had yet to see his power so they only saw him as a great source of rumors and perhaps a good fighter with a mysterious background that invented the new Agent number ''0''.


    However, for better or worse, foolish idiots would still challenge the ck Phantom every single year, hoping of iming that sweet ''Agent 0'' number. Predictably, they all ended up with a bullet in their heads or in an even worse state depending on how tenacious they were.


    That night was different though, the top 100 Hitmen of the guild sat around the same table and discussed the current matters of the Guild along with some High-Officers.


    Since all of them hated each other and were ready to im each other''s heads in the next segment of the day, the tense meeting barely moved. Eventually, the time for the part that everyone was there for -and also there to avoid- finally came.


    Hitmen immediately issued official duels against each other under the strict rules of the Guild, supervised by none other than the Executioners.


    The battles that happened after that were nothing short of a chaotic bloodbath. Tens of people die and tens of others emerge victorious, iming a new ranking in the hierarchy of Hitmen. The gory scene of the arenas being coated in flesh and blood along with the metallic smell that permeated the air made that day especially bloody each year.


    It showed how terrifying humans could be if given enough power.


    "I want an official duel with you, ck Phantom!" Like every year, Kai was challenged by one neer with a slightly above-average talent and a needlessly big ego.


    The two stood in the arena and faced each other. One was burning with intense desire to be the new bigshot of the underworld and the other simply wanted to leave the ce as soon as possible.


    The only reason Kai would even entertain these idiots was because duels on this particr day can''t be refused as long as there is no usible reason for it. But, if he epts just one duel, he can then leave ording to the rules.


    "Die!!" The hitman dashed toward Kai with bloodlust in his eyes, like a tiger ready to hunt down his prey.


    Kai looked at the man before he stopped forward. The moment when the two were close enough, Kai''s silhouette vanished like mist before he appeared behind the man. Before thetter could even realize it, his head had been severed from his neck.


    The corpse fell down, spilling blood all over the ce. Kai didn''t even turn around to look as he walked toward the exit, under the gaze of all the top 100 hitmen. They would all attend his fights just to see the man in action. But, Kai never gave them the pleasure of discovering any of his techniques.


    *BOOOM*


    Suddenly, before Kai could step outside, he heard a loud thud as something hadnded in the arena. Looking back, Kai saw the cold look of an older man. It was none other than Grey, the man who would be a High Officer a few yearster. But, at that moment, Grey had a different nickname. He was ''Agent 1''.


    "Let''s duel." He said coldly.


    "No," Kai replied as he turned around.


    "What? Are you scared, kid?"


    "I have no reason to duel again. One is enough." Kai replied as he walked away.


    "Hahahahaha!! That¡­ That sorry ass of an excuse. Just spout the truth, Kid. You''re just too scared to show your powers. After all, you know that if everyone here saw it, they woulde after your head. Why don''t you just man up and show your true potential?"


    Kai stopped for a second before he looked back at Grey and said in a cold manner. "I don''t kill ants using a cannon."


    "Pfft, hahahahaha! Good answer! Indeed good! Everyone else is a mere antpared to us." Grey replied with augh full of mirth.


    Hisment made the cepletely submerged in coldness. These people were the creme of the crop in terms of power even in the underworld as a whole. Yet, Grey had just insulted them all without a second thought. If it wasn''t for the watchful eyes of the executioners, some of them would''ve attacked Grey on the spot.


    "Now, how about a duel? I''m a man who seeks power more than anything else. You''re a mystery to me, Agent 0. You''re a kid and yet your power already exceeds everyone else. What kind of freakish sorcery did you do to obtain that power? Or maybe¡­ It''s not sorcery. Maybe, it has something to do with where you came from." Grey grinned as he looked at Kai. Then, he opened his mouth and uttered a silent word that only Kai could understand.


    Thetter''s eyes squinted behind the mask as he tried to read the man''s face. He could see that thetter had discovered something about him. But, Kai was certain he had cleared behind him thoroughly. Yet, the truth was right there in front of him and he didn''t like it.


    Even though he knew that even if Grey spilled out his secret, it wouldn''t really affect Kai''s situation that much. But, he really didn''t like how this man pried into his business this thoroughly just to try and threaten him.


    The older Kai might''ve chosen another method to diffuse this matter. But, at that time, Kai was simply too focused on trying to understand where Grey learned this from.


    "What do you want?" Kai asked coldly.


    "It''s really nothing. Fight me for the Agent 0 position. If you win, well, you can bury your little secret with me as I''m the only one who knows it. If I win, however, well, you won''t live to see what I will do." Grey said.


    In his head, only one of them was going to leave this ce alive tonight.


    "I don''t get threatened." Kai''s aura red, submerging the whole ce in a suffocating pressure. His purple eyes shone ominously under the mask.


    "It''s not a threat. Just the right push to get you to ept." Grey replied as he tucked his sleeves, seemingly predicting where things would go.


    Kai exchanged a long nce with the smirky Grey before he finally looked at one of the Executioners and nodded his head, indicating that he epted.


    The two then faced each other in the arena, the only thing between them was thin air and the palpable, eager eyes of the other hitmen watching them from the stands. This Red Rose Day had suddenly turned into an exciting event as arguably the two strongest hitmen in the world were about to battle it to death over what seemed to be a secret that the ck Phantom himself feared from getting leaked.


    Then, at the sign, the two dashed toward each other, shing violently. Their punches and kicks rained down at each other. Hits connected, each one shaking the whole entire arena. At first, neither seemed to be overwhelmingly advantageous.


    Their fight continued for minutes and people watched as they dissapeared and reappeared everywhere across the arena. Neither of them used Talents as if they mentally agreed to make it a pure strength fight. The sheer speed and power being shown shocked everyone present.


    Well, that was until a certain moment. A moment that no one, expected to happen.

 Chapter 160 160- Operation: Behemoth (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 160 Chapter 160- Operation: Behemoth (Part 1)</h4>


    A few days passed inplete silence from both the Guild and Kai. After the training ended, he returned back to his old life as if nothing happened.


    Granted, the school was confused about his disappearance for a whole month and some days. But, it wasn''t a problem that mind control couldn''t fix. All he had to do was make the teachers think that he was there the whole time.


    It was easy enough to do for the teachers but he also had to do it for the students. The reason for that was Eva''s insane poprity among them. She was basically a ma of attention without trying to be one.


    In the end, for better or worse, the situation was diffused quickly and the days passed as if nothing happened. Kaya and Eva had to still stay in his house because of their situation. As for Miyu, well, she was a whole different kind of trouble.


    He couldn''t simply hide her in his house since she''s too big of a cat to do that. He also couldn''t build her a house just like he did back in the forest. At first nce, it seemed that keeping her with them in a city would be impossible. But, the one who found a solution was Eva.


    "We can stay at the house I bought in this city." She said. "I have too much space there anyway."


    That vi had a bigger space for Miyu to move so it shouldn''t be a problem for her size. So, after much contemtion, the group decided to move there. Living there, Kaya and Eva appeared to be normal and Kai assumed they were at first.


    But, subtle changes made him scratch that idea. He had noticed many things about the two. For example, whenever he wakes up in the middle of the night to drink some water, he notices that the two girls are awake.


    Not only that, but he also noticed that they didn''t eat as much as they usually do even when it was his cooking. They also seemed to be more clingy than usual and not in a teasing way either. It was as if they were scared of losing him at any moment.


    Kai tried to ignore it at first as he knew such mental battles weren''t something that he could really fix. But, when he noticed that their lives were deteriorating because of stress, he knew he couldn''t just sit and watch.


    That''s why, on the day before the operation, Kai sat the two girls down. They were confused at first since it was unusual for Kai to initiate a conversation in this manner.


    Eyeing the two of them silently, Kai finally exhaled a long breath and spoke. "Why are you stressing out?"


    "Huh?" The two looked at him confusedly.


    "Don''t try to hide it. I already noticed it. You two aren''t sleeping or eating. You spend your whole day either daydreaming or hugging me. That isn''t normal." He exined with a stern tone.


    Hearing that, Eva and Kaya seemed to realize what was wrong as they looked away with aplicated expression.


    "Why are you scared?" He asked again, pushing them to answer.


    "It''s not fear¡­ I''m just worried." Eva replied quietly.


    "Me too¡­"


    "Then, why are you worrying?"


    "..." (x2)


    "Since neither of you will answer. I will be frank. I don''t need your help or anyone''s help to destroy the Guild. My powers are more than enough. I can do it myself. The only reason I included others, including you two, is because I know that you both want to help."


    "Of course, Kai! We''re just¡­" Kaya tried to speak but Kai signaled for her to allow him to continue.


    "If it was for this n alone, I could understand the worry. It''s risky. But, it''s not about the n, it''s who''s going to execute it that matters. As long as I''m there¡­ You two won''t need to worry." Kai added in a tone full of confidence.


    Such words were indeed arrogant at first look. But, the two girls only saw a man stating facts. If there was one person who was allowed to spout those words without sounding arrogant or foolish, it was Kai. His power spoke louder than any arrogant words he would utter.


    "So, don''t stress out and follow the n. As long as you do, you will be fine."


    The two girls looked at him with a myriad of emotions. His words did indeed make them realize that they were overthinking. They had the strongest in their lines, why should they worry?


    "Understood?" Kai asked.


    Finally, the two girls nodded their heads.


    "Good. Tomorrow night, we will finish all of this."


    ***


    Hours passed quietly before finally, the moment they were waiting for arrived. Kai, Eva, Kaya, and even Miyu took the private jet to Evernight City a day prior.


    They then rented a small house slightly close to the HQ. It was rather risky to be this close to that ce. But, as they said ''To hide a tree, you must put it in a forest.''


    If the Guild had a suspicion that Kai might attack them, they would never think he would stay this close to them.


    *Ten hours before Operation Behemoth starts.*


    Eva picked up the phone and dialed a certain number that she had memorized. Under Kai and Kaya''s gazes, she put the phone near her ear. Then, she coughed a few times before the line picked up.


    "Hello, who is this?"


    "Is this Mr. Evans? This is the Evernight General Hospital. We''ve received a patient who seems to be your spouse, Miss Lucia Evans, am I correct?"


    "Y-Yes! That''s my wife! Is she OK?! What happened?!" A distressed man replied.


    "Well, some bystanders noticed her walking across the street before suddenly copsing and losing consciousness. She''s now in the ER. We need your presence here as soon as possible."


    "Y-Yes! I''ming!"


    Eva nodded her head at Kai when the call ended.


    Kai changed his appearance and left the apartement, making sure to warn Kaya and Eva who kept an eye out for any suspicious movements.


    Then, with casual attire and even more casual expression, he strode right toward the HQ''s main entrance as if nothing happened.


    Since the main entrance led immediately to the construction section of the HQ, Kai didn''t find any problem entering inside.


    The interior looked like a typical, cozy reception area. It had some people waiting inside and a rather pleasant-looking receptionist.


    "Wee to Behemoth Construction Company. How may I help you?" She asked.


    Kai''s -changed face- suddenly changed from calm to a gentle, fake smile.


    "I would like to meet one of your Project Managers. I want to build a house for me and my wife." He said.


    "Oh, of course. Please wait a moment. Congrattions on your marriage by the way, sir."


    "Thank you. Me and my wife are really excited to finally build our dream home. I really can''t wait." He replied with a happy smile.


    "Thank you for choosing ourpany to start your project. I assure you that you''ve chosen the best ce for the fastest and the most efficient way to build your dream house."


    "Oh, I''m so sure of that."


    The receptionist nodded her head before she made a call and talked to someone. Meanwhile, Kai simply looked around, scanning the area in great detail. Not much has changed in this ce during the 5 years he was out.


    However, he still captured every detail of the ce. Every decoration, electric wire, dust, anything he can see.


    "Oh, that''s troublesome. I''m sorry, sir. I need to leave for a moment." She said with a small frown before she left her desk.


    Kai nodded his head as he pulled out a small, unknown object and nted it secretly behind the reception desk''s monitor.

 Chapter 161 161- Operation: Behemoth (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 161 Chapter 161- Operation: Behemoth (Part 2)</h4>


    Kai''s hand then returned to where it was before as if nothing happened. A few momentster, the receptionist came back.


    "I''m sorry for the wait. One of our Project Managers seems to have met an emergency. Would you like to wait here until hees back?"


    "Does he have any other clients?"


    "No, he is the only one unupied at the moment. I''m deeply sorry for the inconvenience." The woman said.


    "I see¡­" Kai''s face turned dejected. "My wife is waiting outside. She''s been eager to finally do this. I guess we cane another day."


    His tone made the receptionist''s face change for a second. She really felt sad for the couple as they seemed extremely excited about this.


    "Mm, would you like to wait a little bit? I will make sure hees back in time. Is that possible?"


    At those words, Kai''s eyes lit up as he held the receptionist''s hands and said. "Thank you so much! You really don''t know how grateful my wife would be. She would be happy to wait!"


    "S-Sure¡­" The woman blushed with a chuckle.


    "I will wait for him in his office then."


    "H-Huh?"


    "Where is it from?" Kai asked.


    The woman was overwhelmed for a few seconds before she pointed at a certain door. Kai thanked her before he walked there and entered the office. The moment he closed the door, his happy face turned cold and his hand moved to his necktie to pull it down.


    Kai was never a fan of neckties because they restrict his neck. But, to make the woman instinctively think that Kai was the real deal and that he was there to talk about the project, she could only ept.


    Looking around the office, Kai noticed a CCTV camera. So, he approached the wall casually as if he was checking the decoration of the room. The moment his fingersnded on the wall, a surge of Origin energy rushed from his body before it spread quickly and covered the camera.


    On the other side, inside the security room, the guard who was watching the CCTV didn''t notice the subtle yet quick change in the camera. His coffee and donuts were too enticing to ignore.


    When Kai was certain that nobody would be able to see what he was about to do, he approached the desk and sat down, facing theputer.


    ''Since the Guild has almost impable security, I can''t hack it unless I''m close to the main admin server.'' He thought as he tapped on the keyboard.


    Although the constructionpany section of the Guild was detached from the actual underworld business, Kai only needed a small thread between the two to be able to ess the servers and thisputer had what he was looking for.


    Looking up at the time, he only had around 15 minutes before the Project Manager came back.


    His fingers ran across the keyboard at an extremely fast speed. His eyes were also subtly moving as he read all the information that appeared and vanished on the screen.


    ''I can''t leave a trace for the Guild to realize that someone essed their admin server.''


    The job was hard even for someone as skilled as Kai. The Guild had one of the best cybersecurity teams in the world to guard their top-secret information. This information varies from contracts with hitmen, business deals with the highestpanies in the world, and sensitive information about matters rted to the underworld. It was basically a treasure trove for Kai to use however he wanted.


    However, there was one particr thing he was there for. Sadly, it was encrypted withyers andyers of code that would take teams of professionals days or even months to be able to decrypt it and yet he had to do it in 15 minutes.


    It was nearly impossible. But, Kai focused on that ''nearly'' part. As long as it was possible theoretically for him to do it, he was going to do it.


    ''30 seconds left.'' Kai''s senses picked up when the project manager came back to the office with an angry look.


    Kai''s speed increased even more as he quickly worked through the files. Eventually, his eyesnded on what he was looking for. Instantly, he pulled out a USB stick and nted it in theputer, saving all the information.


    At that same moment, the manager entered the room. A small gush of wind hit his face and made him look up. He saw Kai sitting on the guest''s chair, reading through house magazines.


    "Oh, hello. I''m sorry for making you wait. Someone called me telling me that my wife is in the hospital. Turns out it was all a hoax that wasted my time."


    "People like to make jokes nowadays, don''t they?" Kai asked. "Also, it''s no problem. I read these magazines, they''re quite interesting."


    Kai then discussed the matter of the house with the man as if nothing happened before he excused himself and walked back to the apartement.


    The moment he was back, he was weed with tight hugs from Kaya and Eva.


    "Did you get it?" Kaya asked.


    Kai nodded before he pulled out the USB stick and nted it in hisptop. Then, he opened the files for Kaya and Eva to see.


    "What¡­ the hell?" Eva murmured with shock when she read the information Kai had stolen.


    "Kai! This is huge! If such information were to leak, the Guild is done for!" Kaya added as she jumped on Kai happily.


    "No, this isn''t enough topletely crush them. However, it''s good enough to give them a huge blow."


    "Still! With this, we have the upper hand! We hit the jackpot!" Eva added with an excited expression and jumped on Kai too. The two girls hugged Kai on the couch, filling his senses with their warmth, smell, and pleasant appearances. This was the heaven countless people would kill to get.


    "Meow!" Miyu -who had to stay crouched inside the apartement- wanted to join but could only lick the trio from the side.


    "Get ready for the next step. We don''t have time to celebrate." Kai said as eh picked up theptop again and started typing on it.


    "What are you doing?"


    "I''m sending the coordinations to the 5 Archangels. I told them that they would receive them by afternoon."


    "Where are they going to meet us?"


    "Here."


    "Wait, here?!"


    "We need to keep it as low-key as possible till the appropriate time."


    "But, they''re a bunch of freaks¡­" Kaya replied.


    "Says the sixth Archangel." Eva retorted.


    "I''m different!"


    "Yeah, of course you are. Out of all the ten of them, you''re the only sane one. What a weird world we live in." Eva shrugged.


    "Shut up, Mother''s Milk."


    "Mother''s Milk?! What the fuck is that nickname?!" Eva red at Kaya.


    "New nickname. Fits you better than ''Kiddo''. Look, you still have your mother''s milk between your teeth. Ah, how I wish to go back to being a toddler like you."


    "You¡­!!"


    "You two, silence. This isn''t the time or the ce for your fights."


    As Kai was about to reprimand them, he heard a knock on the door. The Archangels have finally arrived.

 Chapter 162 162- Operation: Behemoth (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 162 Chapter 162- Operation: Behemoth (Part 3)</h4>


    Kai walked to the door and took a peek from the hole. There, he could see five, eye-catching people waiting.


    Then, Kai looked behind him, signaling for Eva and Kaya to change their appearances. He knew that the five Archangels didn''t know that these two were involved in this operation.


    After making sure nobody was following them, Kai opened the door.


    "Damn, this is your ce, not cool man. So not cool!" Elvi, the punk-looking man said as he walked inside, followed by the others.


    "Hahahahahaha!! The ck Phantom is living in a shithole! How the great have fallen from grace!" Zero, the man covered in chains from head to toe eximed with a maniacalugh.


    "I like this city. So dark and gloomy." Taylor, the gloomy girlmented as she sat down on the sofa, chewing gum under her mask.


    "I should post to my fans that I''m in Evernight. Maybe I can do a fan meeting after everything is done." L murmured while looking at her phone.


    Everyone seemed to ignore the fact that this ce wasn''t theirs and basically roamed the ce freely. The only one who walked straight toward Kai was Arthur.


    He extended his arm for a handshake.


    "Long time no see, sir. How are you?" He asked.


    Kai looked at him before he turned around and walked into the living room.


    "Everyone, sit down." He said. "There are two more people that will be involved in this matter." Clicking his fingers, Kaya and Eva walked out, wearing masks and d in dark clothes to hide their appearances. Even the Archangels simply couldn''t see through the disguise.


    "Interesting¡­" Elvi murmured. "Are they strong?"


    "They''re stronger than you all."


    "Ohoh¡­ Who are they?" Taylor looked at the two with an interested look.


    "Doesn''t matter. Let''s talk about the n. Everyone already knows what they need to do, right?" Kai asked.


    The Archangels nodded their heads.


    "Good, tonight, at 9 PM exactly. You will follow me. We will infiltrate the Guild ording to the n. Your sole goal is to kill as many targets as possible. You will have plenty of opportunities to deal a deadly blow to multiple individuals before any serious fight starts."


    "I want to fight!!" Zero said as he mmed his hand on the sofa.


    "If you want to fight more than you need to, go ahead. The more you kill, the faster everything will be over. If everything goes perfectly, it all should be over by the dawn of the next day."


    "What about you¡­ Who are you going to kill?" L asked as she squinted her eyes. She still didn''t forget the fact that Kai had threatened her using her little brother. Her hatred toward him was clear in her eyes.


    Kai, however, didn''t reply. It was none of their business who his main target would be.


    ''There is an old matter I need to settle once and for all. Something that I should''ve ended years ago.'' Kai''s eyes turned sharp for a moment as he inhaled a long breath.


    If he hadn''t made that grave mistake 5 years ago, all of this would''ve never happened.


    ***


    *A few hourster*


    Grey walked out of his dojo and strode through the corridors of the ancient castle with V walking by his side.


    "Is everyone there?"


    "Yes, sir. All the 100 hitmen and the usual High-Officers are there."


    "Good¡­" Grey murmured with a scowl. The two continued walking in silence before Grey broke it again with another question.


    "Did you notice any suspicious movement around the HQ the past few days?"


    "Suspicious movement? No, sir. It''s as usual."


    "Keep an eye out for anything. Even if it''s the most insignificant thing."


    "Understood."


    The two eventually reached the end of one of the corridors where two massive, closed doors loomed ominously.


    Grey stopped for a second before he closed his eyes. After that, he opened them again and pushed the doors open before he walked inside.


    The interior of the room was dark, with only a few sources of light. A huge round table was set in the middle. It was so big that it was at least a few tens of meters in diameter.


    A ck was dangling from the ceiling, covering most of the upper parts of the table along with the identity of everyone sitting around the table. It was an eerie ce with an even eerier setting.


    However, to keep everyone''s identity hidden, this was a standard procedure. Grey scanned the ce before he walked to his seat and sat down.


    Then, V walked toward the other side of the table and stood in front of everyone. Behind him was a huge screen stuck to the wall.


    "Since everyone is here. We shall start. The Red Rose Day officially begins!" After saying that, he pulled out a remote controller and tapped on it. Immediately, the huge screen was turned on as the first topic appeared.


    "The first topic is: Divinity''s rise to power. In thest few years, the number of Ascenders that join Divinity every year increased by almost 30%. Their shares in majorpanies also increased by almost 40%. Their influence on the underworld became more threatening."


    "Pfft, what a joke." One of the people presentughed sarcastically. "If they''re really that much of a threat to us. Why don''t we just destroy them?"


    "And risk turning the world into a huge battlefield? We can''t allow that. Too much risk for too little return." Another replied.


    "Who cares? We''re already losing in influence. Many of the families and ns that are protected by us are secretly trading and dealing with Divinity. Did you forget what happened 7 years ago? One of our biggest pharmaceuticalpanies was selling Leviathium to Divinity under our noses!" The same man retorted.


    The two argued back and forth while Grey watched silently. His eyes filled with disdain. He simply saw these people as fools.


    ''Divinity can''t be destroyed anymore. These idiots are talking as if the Guild is still at its peak. Bunch of retards.'' He clicked his tongue.


    "Please allow me to finish what I was saying," V spoke again. "Ehem, Divinity is indeed more of a threat now than any time before. However, what is truly concerning is what our sources have picked up."


    Hearing him, everyone instinctively paid attention to his next words.


    "Although it''s not confirmed, our spies found traces of a huge project Divinity had been working on for a very long time now. A project that is quite literally a world-changing event. It''s called ''Origin Society''."


    "Origin Society?" Grey murmured as his face frowned. He had never heard of this before.


    Murmurs and talks spread across the whole room. Everyone looked confused at first.


    "Yes, we don''t have much information about it. But, we can easily deduce from the name that Divinity is trying to spread Origin on arger scope than ever before. They want to turn the whole world into an Origin-based society."


    "That''s impossible." One of the hitmen replied coldly. "The ratio of Origin Users to normal people is 1 to 5 million. Spreading Origin would only create chaos and end the world as we know it."


    "Hahahaha, magnificent, indeed. Divinity sure sounds like a fun ce." A woman chuckled crazily.


    Many different reactions came from the people present. Some found it amusing, others found it weird and the majority were simply dreading the idea of Origin bing something everyone knows about.


    However, they all shared onemon thought. Divinity was taking one step ahead of the Guild. No, it wasn''t as simple as one step. They were moving to a different league.

 Chapter 163 163- Operation: Behemoth (Part 4)

    <h4>Chapter 163 Chapter 163- Operation: Behemoth (Part 4)</h4>


    "I''m fed up with this Divinity. They suddenly show up out of nowhere and then quickly grow to rival the Guild. Calling their growth ''abnormal'' is an understatement. They could''ve not simply been lucky enough to emerge from within the idiotic groups that try to grow into the Guild''s size." A man scowled as he voiced his dissatisfaction.


    A mere 20 years ago, Divinity didn''t even exist, and yet it somehow grew into a behemoth of an Organization in record time. Even with the right circumstances and the most optimal things happening -which was impossible already- Divinity would''ve needed way more time to be able to turn into this threat.


    However, reality had imposed itself on the Guild and now they had to face an evolved Organization that is seeking to rule the whole world.


    Everyone there knew that Project: Origin Society was merely one step. An ambition of this magnitude tells more than just a goal. It shows that Divinity has the ego -foolish or a fit of genius- to actually do the impossible, to break the taboo, and to open Pandora''s box.


    It didn''t even matter to them that the whole world coulde down crashing on everyone.


    "That''s not even the problem, ehem, look at our situation. Divinity knows that as long as we''re still there, they won''t be able to do whatever they want. Sooner orter, they will attack us and try to pull us out of the equation. I suggest that we must confront them first."


    Discussions continued between the 100 hitmen and the High Officers. Grey watched the huge debate with a silent frown. He could see that the people present were dissected into two groups: people who wanted to fight Divinity and people who wanted peace. Oh, there was a third group that didn''t care at all and was simply sitting there silently.


    ''Boring¡­ What a waste of my time. Nothing interesting will happen today.''


    "Please, everyone. Let me finish." V coughed, catching everyone''s attention. "This isn''t the end."


    "Origin Society is merely an idea that Divinity is considering seriously. They''re far from even beginning the project. ording to our estimations, it will take decades for any remote realization of this idea, if that is even possible. Their problems aren''t simply the Guild''s presence. It''s the possibility of such an idea in the first ce that is truly the big question."


    Hums and nods of understanding echoed in the whole room. They all focused on one side and forgot the other.


    "Besides, we stillck palpable information to be able toe up with a solution. This is a personal suggestion from me, but, ehem, it''s really too early to debate these drastic measures, isn''t it? Till that time. Please refrain from doing anything reckless."


    After saying that, V tapped on the remote, changing the picture from Divinity''s logo to the portrait of a person. The mere appearance of that person submerged the whole room in coldness unlike anything else.


    The person with the harshest reaction was Grey whose fists tightened to the point where his knuckles were threatening to explode.


    ''The ck Phantom.''


    The all-too-familiar white, terrifying mask and the strong presence that even a mere portrait of the person couldn''t hide.


    "Our next topic is: The ck Phantom."


    "Ohohoh, interesting. Now we''re getting to real business." Someonemented.


    "Why is this cklisted bastard still alive?! Just kill him already!"


    "Ehem, as you all know. A few months ago, I and three other Executioners came in contact with the ck Phantom. We were on a different mission and we ended up catching him by pure coincidence. When we brought him for questioning, not knowing that this was Agent 0¡­ Well¡­ It was a grave mistake. Alone, he was able to easily kill the three executioners and the vice High Officer. He also cut off my hand as you could see." V said with a shameful look.


    Even though he didn''t want to talk about his massive failure at that time, he wasn''t the one who chose the topics to be talked about. These were the decisions of the High Officers. His pride can go to hell for all they cared.


    "He has broken so many rules that he exceeds the cklisting limit. Some High Officers suggest that he should be thrown into the ''Purgatory''."


    Eerie silence.


    When V uttered one-word ''Purgatory'', everyone simply frowned deeply. That word was akin to hearing the whisper of a devil.


    Nobody spoke for a good minute before the loud sound of someone smashing the table echoed in the ce. Grey then stood up and red at V.


    "The Purgatory? Hahahahaha, What a funny joke! Who''s the bastard that told you about this, V?!"


    "Sir, it''s against the rules to reveal the name of the High Officers that suggested it."


    "Fuck that! The ck Phantom is mine! If anyone is going to pass judgment on him. It''s going to be me!" Grey aura red violently, pushing the coldness to an unbearable degree.


    The Purgatory in Grey''s eyes meant that some bastard from the High Officers wanted to pull the ck Phantom away from Grey''s grasp. That alone didn''t only hit his pride, it also was a huge blow to the years of dedicated hard work and training he went through, waiting for the day the two meet again.


    "Whoever suggested that,e out. Say that to my face, coward!"


    Nobody spoke. Grey was akin to a monster in the eyes of even the highest of High Officers. Nobody would dare to challenge him, especially when he''s this angry.


    "Sir¡­ Let me fin-"


    *Shhhhhh*


    Before V could continue, suddenly the screen went ck out of nowhere. Everyone was confused for a second, thinking that V had turned it off.


    However, the next second, the ck screen turned on again automatically, showing a white, jittery screen akin to that of a disconnected, old cable TV.


    Grey''s eyes squinted as he looked at the screen, a weird feeling surging in his mind.


    A few seconds of silence passed before the white screen shifted again, finally revealing what seemed to be the foggy silhouette of a person. However, it didn''t need the people present that long to realize who it was.


    "The¡­ It''s the ck Phantom!!" One yelled. "What the hell is going on? Is that a picture a part of the presentation, V?!"


    "... No¡­ I didn''t add that¡­" V murmured as he tried to control the screen and turn it off. However, no matter how much he clicked, nothing changed as if the TV had a mind of its own.


    "Good evening, everyone. I doubt I need to introduce myself. But, since we''re here, I might as well do it. I used to go by the nickname ''Agent 0'' years ago when I worked in the Hitman Guild organization. However, as early as 5 years ago, I decided to leave the Hitman Guild. I came in contact with the High Officers to terminate my contract mutually. However, it was predictably refused. So, I simply decided to leave on my own ord, knowing fully well what the Guild would do."


    Everyone listened to the ck Phantom''s monologue which seemed to have been recorded rather than a Facetime.


    "I left no traces behind and decided to live a quiet life, far away from the underworld. Meanwhile, the Guild tried to find me for a while before they eventually gave up. I was ready to eliminate the Guild in case it tried to do anything more than that. Luckily for you, it didn''t happen. Well, for a while, that was the case. Until a certain person decided to seek me." Kai''s tone was deathly cold.


    "Certain someone?"


    "Who?"


    Everyone was getting more and more confused.


    Then, Kai continued.


    "Grey¡­ I told you before, didn''t I?... I''ming for you."

 Chapter 164 164- Operation: Behemoth (Part 5)

    <h4>Chapter 164 Chapter 164- Operation: Behemoth (Part 5)</h4>


    Grey''s eyes turned colder as he red at the ck Phantom. Thetter seemed to also be staring into him even though he was a mere video on the screen.


    It was as if Kai had known where Grey was standing and made sure to stare directly at him, with his sharp words delivering a tant threat.


    "What did you say?" Grey murmured. "Hahahahaha! You piece of shit! I have been waiting for years!" His anger turned into maniacalughter as he clenched his fists.


    "Hunt me down? Let''s settle this, one-to-one!"


    Even though everyone knew that the ck Phantom didn''t hear Grey''s words, they still could only watch in silent shock.


    ''So the one that tried to seek the ck Phantom was Grey? Fucking hell!''


    ''This is insane! Hahahaha, who would thought I would end up seeing another sh between these two after the abomination that happened 5 years ago!''


    ''This fight might end up destroying the whole HQ if it happens anywhere near here.''


    Different thoughts popped up in people''s minds. However, they all shared one mutual feeling¡­ Dread.


    Grey was a freak of nature who was at some point Agent 1 officially called the strongest hitman in the world. As for the ck Phantom, well, words didn''t even need to describe him as his name is more than enough to deliver a sufficient description of who he was.


    Now, these two, presumably way stronger than 5 years ago, were about to have a fight of life and death that couldn''t happen at the time.


    "I''ve killed your subordinate, massacred your pity Executioners, and even poisoned your body without the need to even see your face. I''m sure that was more than enough of a message that I don''t want anything to do with the Guild anymore. However, you still tried to make me target you. In the end, I must say, you truly exceeded yourself. Now, before you do your usual foolish acts of barbarism, there is a matter I need to settle with everyone else, so sit down and listen." Kai said.


    Grey was speechless for a second. How could this guy be so confident even though it was a mere recording? It was as if he read Grey''s mindpletely. Still, for the Kai on the screen, the matter with Grey was over for now. His focus was now pointed at the hitmen.


    "To all the top 100 hitmen. We all shared the same stage at some point. We all were born with powers that people don''t usually possess. So, we certainly felt different. That''s when we found the Hitman Guild that raised us into natural-born killers. People that murdered for a living. We all believed that the Guild was the right ce for people of our nature because of their Rule 0: Rules are to be followed and any breaking of the rules shall be met with punishment. However, I''m saddened to say that this turned out to be nothing but a lie."


    Kai''s tone changed a little at the end as if he truly felt disappointed in the Guild. In reality, he couldn''t care less about the Guild. However, to make his speech believable, acting a little bit out of nature was needed.


    "As you all heard, a certain top 100 agent, -Agent 74 precisely- was cklisted a few months ago. I do not know what kind of reason they put public for everyone to see but I''m certain to say that it was all a lie. They targeted Agent 74 for one simple reason: a benefit they could get from that Agent. They were ready to break their own rules simply to fulfill the wishes of another individual. Now, I don''t know about you, but this is certainly against what the Guild tried to convince me with. How many times did they threaten the Hitman that made the Guild what it is today with rules? How many times did they sell the idea that Rules are the most sacred part of the Hitman Guild?"


    "Turn it off¡­" Grey murmured as he signaled for V.


    "I can''t sir.."


    Meanwhile, the Hitmen''s expressions were starting to change. What they heard from Kai was certainly rming. No, it was simply massive news.


    ''What? There was no reason behind the cklisting? They said that she had killed another hitman without a proper duel!'' One of them thought.


    "What is the meaning of this?" Another voiced theirint.


    "When I saw with my own eyes how much they were ready to destroy their oath to all the Hitmen, I became certain of one thing: The Guild has long lost any credibility. They are simply greedy bastards who are ready to destroy anyone who works for them as long as they benefit from it. If this happened to Agent 74, who says it won''t happen to another one of you soon? What stops them from breaking their own rules again?"


    "I said turn it off!" Grey said.


    "Sir! He is inplete control of the screen!"


    "What is the cybersecurity team doing?!"


    V quickly came in contact with them only to hear the distressed voice of the cybersecurity lead programmer.


    "Sir! We have beenpletely hacked! The target has been able to reach our Admin server! We can''t close the loophole!"


    "Do something!!" V whispered as he covered his mouth from everyone. His face was crunching with distress.


    "We''re trying! But, our attacker is easily avoiding every attempt we try to take back control! He even kicked us out of the Admin server!"


    ''God fucking dammit! That bastardpletely tricked us!''


    As the situation was getting more and more chaotic.


    "Listen to me, all the Agents of the Guild. You are all Origin Users. People with special powers. You can do things normal people can''t. Yet, you let an Organization use you like a piece of scrap before throwing you away. I, for myself, won''t allow this to happen to me. Now, I know some of you still have their uncertainty. So, I decided to dig a little bit more, and what I found in the Guild''s Admin Server is something that I can only call as ''Btant Heresy'' of the Guild''s rules. I have found terabytes of files, all filled with deep information about every Hitman that joined the guild across its history. All files epassed each Hitman''s life, family, previous jobs, crimes, and even secret information that none of you want to be seen by anyone else."


    Kai said as he picked up aptop and showed it to the screen. On it, heaps of information could be seen that the hitman could catch bits and pieces of it.


    ''That''s¡­ That''s my real name there!'' A hitman thought as he looked a the pictures. ''They even have my kids names!''


    ''That''s the address of my wife''s workce!''


    ''How did they know where I was born and raised?!''


    Everyone was mind-blown by the sudden assault of information. They didn''t care how the ck Phantom got them, they were panicking at the fact that their real lives, the ones they kept secret, were there, stored in the Guild''s servers.


    "They were ready to ckmail you with this information in case they needed to."


    "I said turn it the fuck off!!" Grey quickly rushed toward the screen and pulled it from its socket before he threw it across the room. The screen crashed against the wall as cracks appeared on its surface.


    However, shockingly enough, the screen was still working. On it, a distorted, even more horrifying image of Kai as he spoke in a broken voice continued.


    "The Guild is a lie. Let this be known to the world. Whoever wishes to leave, you can leave. Whoever wishes to take revenge, you can take revenge. Let them know that with foolish actions¡­ Consequences are going to follow."

 Chapter 165 165- Operation: Behemoth (Part 6)

    <h4>Chapter 165 Chapter 165- Operation: Behemoth (Part 6)</h4>


    With thosest words, Kai''s image faded as the cracked TV finally sumbed to the damage it took and finally turned off. But, after the damage has been done. Kai''s message has been delivered to the top 100 hitmen.


    The silence that followed after that was suffocating, to say the least. Nobody spoke a word, not even Grey as the weight of the disaster that happened finally sunk in.


    The ck Phantom had revealed a huge secret that should''ve stayed hidden. It was indeed true that the Guild had broken rules and it was also true that they kept such files that epassed everything they could know about each individual who joined the Hitman Guild.


    However, the fact that it was revealed by none other than their strongest Hitman ever, was a catastrophe on all fronts.


    "Was that all true?" One of the hitmen murmured as he looked around him, and everyone shared a simr expression. Shock, surprise, betrayal, anger, and even amusement.


    "Seems so¡­" A man with a wild appearance replied as he crossed his arms. "We''ve beenpletely tricked by the Guild."


    "Fuck me¡­ Oi, you High Officer bastards, exin yourself. What the hell did we just see?" Another asked as he red at the section where all the High Officers were sitting.


    However, none of them tried to utter a word. Instead, they signaled for the Executioners to appear and surround them.


    "Fucking scumbags! Hahahaha! They don''t want to even deliver an exnation! Oi, Grey! You''re the one who started all of this! Exin now!!"


    Usually, Hitmen would never dare to talk like that to a High Officer no matter the situation. But, everyone, including Grey agreed silently that the second Kai''s message was over, the line that linked the hitmen with the Guild was severed.


    As Kai said before ''The most important thing that keeps the Guild alive and strong is not power. It''s trust. And if that trust is broken, then the Guild wille down crumbling.''


    His message worked as a catalyst that led to this.


    "Tsk¡­" Grey spat down as he looked around him, staring at every Hitman. "Don''t believe what he said. All of that is a fake scheme to make you think we''re using you!" His tonecked any sympathetic tone. Instead, his voice was loud and domineering. It was as if he was delivering irrefutable facts instead of trying to exin what happened.


    At first, most of them seemed intimidated by his words so they didn''t respond immediately. Even with this evidence backing them up, Grey was still Grey. Instead, out of the frightened hitmen, a man stood up and walked to the front.


    He didn''t care about the fact that his face would appear from behind the veil and why would he?


    With a statuesque presence, the man stood out instantly even though this whole time, he didn''t utter a word, not when the heated discussion was happening and not even when the ck Phantom appeared. The man was tall, with a mean build and a very elegant aura covering every part of his body. He seemed like royalty at first even though his attire said otherwise.


    He was wearing a long ck coat, ck pants and had what seemed to be a long ne with a distorted skull around his neck. The skull was sliced in the middle and yet magically, it was still preserved in one piece with each piece being attached to one side of the ne.


    He wore a hat that covered his incredibly handsome face and long, ck hair. His sharp, hawk-like eyes only looked ahead, straight at Grey. However, his most eye-catching feature by far is the huge sword strapped to his back.


    The sword was almost as tall as he was with a long handle and a terrifying ck de that seemed to be emitting a mysterious and cursed aura. If Kai was there, he would''ve thought that it was simr to his ''Wretched Heart'' albeit not as tantly wicked. If Wretched Heart was this yful, distorted devil that wants to toy with his enemies before killing them, basking in their pain and suffering. This one was a more stoic, cold, and merciless devil, ready to slice his enemy into pieces, no questions asked.


    When Grey noticed the man, his face turned serious. Every other hitman unconsciously stepped away.


    "I''m leaving the Guild." When the man stopped in front of Grey, he said those few words in a rather peculiar, elegant ent before he turned around to leave, not waiting for a reply.


    "Where do you think you''re going, Agent 1?" Grey asked.


    Everyone unconsciously gulped down a mouthful of saliva as they watched the two individuals face each other.


    The person Grey called ''Agent 1'' was in fact the current strongest hitman in the Guild. Nobody knew his name so instead he got the nickname ''Noir''.


    "I have no reason to keep my end of the deal, do I?"


    "You do. I said all of this is a mere scheme."


    Turning around, Noir looked at Grey for a second before he said.


    "Facts say otherwise. I have known the ck Phantom for a long time. He won''t need to lie to destroy the Guild."


    "He will do anything to destroy the Guild. Don''t make him sound like a great and honorable man. Every Hitman is a scumbag who kills for money." Grey replied with a threatening tone.


    Noir''s eyes squinted for a second before he looked away and continued walking away.


    "I said stop." Grey suddenly vanished as he appeared behind Noir and grabbed him by the shoulder.


    However, before he could do anything, Noir grabbed Grey''s arm with both hands and threw him over his shoulder with ease. Thetter didn''t flinch as he quickly wrapped his hand around Noir''s shoulder and dragged him with him.


    *BANG*


    The two hit the ground at the same time with a loud thud.


    "You''re ruining whatever chance this organization has left to survive."


    "I do what I want. If the other cowards can''t control the Hitman Guild, then I will do that." Grey stood up from the rubble around him and red at Noir.


    Thetter sighed and then moved his hand to the sword on his back and murmured. "No choice, then."


    "Shit! He''s going to use ''Devine''! Move!" One of the Executioners quickly alerted the High Officers, making them stand up.


    The others also felt the sheer danger of that de as it slowly unsheathed from its scabbard. The moment it fully left its socket, a looming gloominess filled the room.


    Then, with an emotionless look, he pointed the sword at Grey. "I have already decided to leave. Move or it won''t end well. This is myst warning."


    *CRACK*


    "Your sword has always been eye-catching. A great addition to my collection." Grey said.


    "Too arrogant. You''repletely blinded, Grey. Perhaps that''s the reason why I have your position now."


    *BOOOM*


    Grey''s aura turned sharper as he dashed toward Noir at top speed.


    Thetter grabbed the sword with two hands before his eyes widened, Origin channeling into his sword.


    "Void Impact."


    *Swish* *DIIIIIIING*


    His sword shed down with a loud ringing sound. At that moment, the whole world halted for a second.

 Chapter 166 166- Operation: Behemoth (Part 7)

    <h4>Chapter 166 Chapter 166- Operation: Behemoth (Part 7)</h4>


    A moment of silence passed before the disaster finally happened. A huge shockwave, even more powerful than a storm sent everyone flying back.


    "UGGGHHH!!" People flew everywhere, smashing against walls.


    Then, in a terrifying sight, a very precise sword cut appeared on the wall on the other side of Noir. The cut continued to expand at a quick rate before it eventually circled around the whole room.


    *Crack*


    A huge chunk of the room got detached from the main castle as it started sliding down, carrying with it everyone that was unfortunate enough to be on that side.


    "He¡­ He cut the building in half!!" One man uttered in disbelief.


    *BOOOOOOM*


    The destroyed walls came crashing down on the other parts of the castle beneath it. The sound alone was more than capable of waking up every citizen in the vicinity. However, for one reason or another, nobody came to check what happened and nobody outside the castle''s perimeter seemed to even hear themotion.


    Back at the top, Noir''s eyes squinted as he approached the edge of the broken room and looked down into the darkness and chaos beneath him. However, instantly, his pupils contracted as he felt a sh of a silhouette appearing in his vision.


    Grey had suddenly appeared out of the destruction, unscathed as he grabbed Noir by the neck and threw him into the wall. The impact easily destroyed the wall, sending Noir into apletely different section of the castle.


    *BOOOOM*


    "*Ptuh* Bastard¡­ Do you think your little toy would do something to me?" Grey spat as he dashed toward Noir.


    "Executioners¡­ Don''t let anybody leave. If I find a single hitman leaving, you will take the me, V." Grey said as he vanished somewhere.


    V''s face contorted as he exhaled a long breath. At this point, he knew nothing could be fixed. Even if the Guild survives this cursed night, they will never be the same ever again.


    "Executioners, you heard him. No person is allowed to leave." Saying those words, multiple silhouettes appeared behind V.


    "Roger that~" A seductive woman said. Her alias was ''E''.


    "I''m in¡­ Oh, I''m getting excited for no reason!" A kid-looking Executioner eximed. His alias was ''F''.


    "*Yawn* Let''s get this done with."


    The Executioners quickly filled the room as they surrounded all the Hitmen from all angles.


    "Fuck¡­ We''re surrounded."


    "They really want to end us all here!! They''ve gone crazy!"


    V stared at the distressed Hitmen and said.


    "We don''t need to resort to drastic measures. Stay in your ce and don''t move."


    "V¡­ You''re making a grave mistake. Those bastards don''t care about you or us. Why are you following his words?" One of the hitmen spoke to V.


    "Look around you, goddammit! The Guild is over! You brought it upon yourself! Now, will killing us fix this?" Another added.


    Instantly, a chain ofints and protests spread across the mass of killers and the sole target of it was V. Seeing all these people try to convince him was indeed a hard thing.


    He knew that killing them would only be a mistake. But, his situation was no better than theirs. Grey was certainly not going to listen to them and he certainly won''t listen to V himself.


    If he lets them escape, he is as good as dead. So, the question was not about morality or logic, it was about his life or theirs.


    V''s pride as a powerhouse in the Guild had already been crushed thoroughly by what happened recently. The past few months were like hell for him. He couldn''t sleep or eat properly as he questioned many things about himself. Was he really as important as he thought he was or was he merely another pawn in the hands of a yer, ready to be disposed of whenever the yer needed to strike or to defend against the opponent?


    In this case, the yer was Grey and the opponent was the ck Phantom.


    "What should we do, V?" One of the executioners who had a giant hammer on his shoulder asked as he licked his lips. The moment V gives them the green light, a massacre will happen.


    *BANG*


    Suddenly, one of the hitmen, who looked extremely distressed pulled out his gun and aimed it at V.


    "To hell with this! I ain''t dying here!"


    A bullet was shot at V. Thetter took a moment to realize it before he quickly tried to dodge it. However, he was still a little bit toote.


    The bullet pierced the side of his face, prating one of his eyes before exiting from the side of his temple, barely missing the brain. Blood gushed out of his eye as V held his face.


    The sheer pain was unimaginable for him and because of that, his rationalizing mind stopped working.


    "You¡­ You fucking bastards!!!" His aura red like a raging volcano as he red at the entrapped hitmen.


    ''I''m not weak! I''m not FUCKING WEAK!!! I''ve been a great talent since I was young! Why should I be toyed around with by every fucking bastard that passes by!''


    "Kil them¡­ Kill them all! Anyone who tries to leave!" Holding his face, soaked in blood, V uttered those words with great malice.


    A secondter, chaos ensued.


    The Executioners shed with the Hitmen in a panoramic view of death and blood. Swords shed, guns fired and Origin filled every particle of the air around. Teh harsh sounds of screams and yells echoed in the room.


    The sight was straight out of a nightmare. Nobody cared about anything. They all fought brutally, spilling blood and flesh everywhere. It was as if all their sophisticated demeanor and shy elegance vanished and were reced with savage brutality. This was far from humane. If anything, this sight even gives nature''s rawest forms of brutality a run for its money.


    Amidst all this chaos, V was moving around, fighting like a maniac. His anger and pain were far greater than anyone else around him. He hadpletely broken down into a messy, crazy creature lusting for blood.


    In mere seconds, explosions echoed in the whole castle as debris and rocks rained down.


    The castle was indeed robust, but it was never built to handle a fight between over one hundred people of the strongest Origin Users in the world. No building could handle that. So, in record time, the castle''s magnificent appearance was quickly changing.


    Outside, a few silhouettes were watching the sight. Most of them had a shocked expression on their faces.


    "What the hell is even happening inside?" Kaya murmured with a confused expression.


    "That''s cool, man! You were able to turn them against each other! You''re a genius!"


    "Sir ck Phantom is something else!" Arthur murmured.


    Meanwhile, Kai, who was sitting on the edge, watching the events transpire with apathy, finally stood up.


    "We will soon move. Is everyone ready?" He asked.


    When he didn''t hear anyints, Kai nodded his head before he added a few more words. "Don''t forget one thing¡­ Your targets are executioners and High Officers. It doesn''t matter what you do, kill as much as you can of them. As for Grey¡­ Leave him to me." Kai said coldly. "I will personally end his life tonight."

 Chapter 167 167- Operation: Behemoth (Part 8)

    <h4>Chapter 167 Chapter 167- Operation: Behemoth (Part 8)</h4>


    Everyone nodded their heads as they scattered away like shadows. The only ones left were Kaya and Eva who Kai had told them not to move immediately.


    When everyone left, Kai finally turned around and looked at the two girls.


    "You know what to do, right? Especially you, Eva. You''re still Grey''s target beside me." Kai said.


    "I know. Don''t worry, I''m confident that bastard won''t be able to do anything to me." Eva replied with a confident smile.


    "Don''t worry, darling. If Mother''s Milk gets captured, I will save her." Kaya grinned as she rested her hand on Kaya''s head. Thetter red back at her.


    "No, no, please. I worry you might hurt your back trying to walk to me." Eva retorted.


    Kai nodded his head. Seeing the two still banter even when they were about to start the second part of the n, he was assured that they would show their full potential.


    "Now, go." He said as the two girls turned around and left toward the chaotic castle.


    Before also moving, Kai stared at the war urring inside and sighed. Even though he hid it, seeing the castle again was a rather unpleasant moment for him.


    "Let''s get this done with¡­ Once and for all." Then, he jumped from the roof before he dashed toward the castle at top speed.


    ***


    Meanwhile, inside one of the castle''splicated corridors, a brutal battle was urring. In the darkness, two silhouettes were moving and shing violently, breaking everything in their way as if it were nothing.


    *CLANG* *CLANG* *BANG*


    With each sh, their bodies would fly back and hit the wall before they quickly recuperated and attacked each other again relentlessly.


    "For the man with the title ''Agent 1'', you''re quite disappointing. I really feel ashamed being your predecessor, Noir!" Grey grinned angrily as he pushed the rubble that umted on his shoulders away.


    "Void impact!"


    *Swish*


    Another swing sliced through two corridors, destroying thempletely. Then, Noir''s silhouette appeared as he red at Grey coldly.


    ''He is able to dodge my attacks with ease¡­''


    "I wasn''t the one that got thrown away by the Guild. Spending your whole day thrown inside a cage, training like a maniac. I''m ashamed being the next one to im that title from you." Noir retorted coldly as he grabbed his sword with two hands, ready to swing it again. The dark aura of Devine was getting more and more pronounced, looming over the ce like a cruel devil.


    Grey''s frown deepened as he cracked his neck. What Noir said was indeed the truth. Grey''s life had only been in a downward spiral ever since the moment he got defeated by the ck Phantom.


    Because of the injury, he had to take some time away to recuperate and when he came back, the High Officers decided to promote him to the rank of a High Officer too. For many, that might''ve sounded like a great deal.


    However, for Grey, it was akin to a death sentence. In his eyes, High Officers were simply a bunch of corporate pieces of shit that spent their days stuck in offices, signing papers and doing bureaucratic jobs that would kill with boredom.


    Grey liked to be active, to fight, and to face against strong enemies so bing a High Officer was the worst thing that could happen to him.


    Ever since then, he couldn''t leave his office at all. With each day passing, he hated his life more and more, finding sce only in training.


    With each passing day, his hatred of the ck Phantom also grew. He was the one that threw him there, after all.


    *BANG*


    The two shed, Noir with his sword and Grey with his fists. Normally, merely touching Devine''s edge would instantly slice your hand in half. However, because of the sheer amount of Origin covering Grey''s body, it was a hundred times more robust than the body of a regr Origin User.


    Using his power, Grey pushed the sword to await before he followed it with a rain of punches that Noir deflected skillfully.


    "You''re only wasting your time fighting me, Grey. We both know that you have way worse things to deal with. The ck Phantom ising."


    "Shut up! That little cockroach will get what''sing for him soon." With thosest words, Greyunched a strong punch at Noir.


    *BOOOOOM*


    ***


    Meanwhile, back in the conference room, the fight was still raging. Blood and limbs had already coated every inch of the ce.


    People from both sides, Executioners and Hitmen died brutally, and those who didn''t, sustained horrifying injuries.


    "U-Ugh¡­ S-Save¡­ me¡­" A dying hitman tried to drag himself toward the exit with the only limb left intact on his body.


    However, the moment his hand reached toward the door, a sword pierced it, cutting it instantly.


    "AAAGHHH!!" A horse shriek echoed in the room.


    "No escaping."


    Before the hitman could say anything, a bullet had prated his brain, killing him on the spot. As his lifeless eyes stared cruelly at his killer, a tear fell down his cheek.


    V stared down at the person he killed before he wiped the blood on his cheek. Fighting for the past 15 minutes had taken a toll on V''s body. Injuries of all kinds riddled his body and his clothes were soaked in blood.


    ''Tsk, these bastards are tricky to deal with!''


    Looking up, he noticed that almost all the executioners were still alive. Except for a few that got overwhelmed by multiple Hitmen, the others survived this disastrous battle. That wasn''t shocking for V considering the power of the Executioners.


    They were meant to execute the rules on the Hitmen so their power was certainly stronger than most of them.


    "Did you kill everyone?" V asked.


    "Seems so. Top 100 Hitmen? They''re all a bunch of nobodies who always bark and never bite."


    "Shut up and go make sure nobody snuck away. If Grey finds out that one escaped, we''re all dead."


    The tense atmosphere between the Executioners grew heavier. Grey was indeed a very merciless man. They needed to check and double-check again if needed unless they wanted their heads to leave their bodies.


    As they were about to scatter to search for any escapers, something unexpected happened.


    A huge, monstrous head appeared out of nowhere. Except for the gigantic size of it, the monster was very simr to a tiger in features.


    Opening its huge mouth, the monster swallowed a whole chunk of whatever was left of the room, along with multiple Executioners. Blood gushed out from the inside of the Tiger''s mouth as the sounds of bones crushing and flesh tearing apart echoed in the room.


    "WHAT THE FUCK?!" The Executioners looked at the monster with bewildered expressions.


    "Sword Heaven!"


    A secondter, a rain of swords fell down on everybody in the room, including V. If it wasn''t for his senses kicking in at thest second, his head would''ve been pierced by a flying sword.


    Some of them were also able to dodge the swords at thest moment but not before sustaining some degree of injury.


    ''What the fuck is going on?!'' V cursed as he looked around him. A secondter, 7 silhouettes appeared inside the room.


    "Time for the show, boys! Hahahahahaha!!"

 Chapter 168 168- Operation: Behemoth (Part 9)

    <h4>Chapter 168 Chapter 168- Operation: Behemoth (Part 9)</h4>


    Landing inside the conference room, Kaya, Eva, Elvi, L, Taylor, Arthur, and Zero looked around them.


    The first one to step forward with a wide grin was Zero as he looked at all the Executioners menacingly.


    "Hahahahahaha, nobody died! Yes, fuck yes!! Good job preserving your lives, cockroaches. Now, I can personally kill you!!" He said.


    "Leave some to me too, Zero. I''m feeling cool now!" Elvi said.


    "You two idiots will get yourself killed. Not that I care." Taylor interjected with a gloomy expression.


    The Executioners stared at the group in disbelief. It didn''t take them long to recognize who these particr 5 people were.


    The most shocked one was especially V. His eyes widened to the extreme. ''Archangels¡­ What the hell are Archangels doing here?!'' He almost wanted to wipe his eyes thinking he was hallucinating.


    "Shocked, are we?" Kaya stepped forward and said with a smile on her face. However, no one could see that smirk behind the mask. "You guys really self-destructed, huh? I''m quite shocked at how easy it was."


    ''I''m not really shocked. My darling is the smartest person to ever exist after all~ He yed with them like a toy.'' She thought in her head with a giggle.


    Then, she looked back at the huge tiger head that was chewing the humans inside silently. For someone who had seen Kaya''s ability for the first time, it would seem rather weird, and even logic-defying considering the fact that monsters didn''t exist in nature.


    However, for Kaya''s ability, that tiger head was in fact not a monster or even an animal for that matter. Her main talent is to summon animal parts that she can use to fight. Things like heads, ws, legs, and other things.


    In the wrong hands, this ability would be quite useless. But, through training and smart use, she turned it into a scary ability that can decimate tens of enemies with a mere thought. In fact, with a small amount of Origin, she was able to easily dispose of 5 Executioners as if it was nothing.


    "What are you doing here?" V asked with a cold tone, trying to hide his panic.


    "I''m sorry to be the one saying this. But, we''re here to deliver the finishing blow to the Guild." Arthur said with a small, gentle smile. The way he spoke was so kind that people would think he was talking about donating money to the poor.


    "That''s nonsense! Is Divinity trying to start a war?!" V retorted.


    "War? What war? The Guild is done for. Look around you, every single individual that made the Guild who it was is already dead. You killed all of them. Lol, so stupid~" L said with a casual expression.


    Clenching his teeth, V looked at the Executioners.


    "Kill them¡­"


    Some felt hesitant at first since their conditions weren''t good at all. Most of them died and the rest were heavily injured and now they have to fight five Archangels and two unknown individuals.


    Slowly but surely, the looming end started to appear in their heads.


    "It''s far from over! Don''t let me down now!" V yelled as he stepped forward, ring his Origin.


    "I''m going to murder each and every one of you!"


    ***


    At the same time, far away from the castle, on a building looming over the Evernight city. A dark figure sat on the edge, eating what seemed to be a bag of potato chips.


    "It''s about to begin. Oooh, I''m so excited!!" The dark figure said as he continued eating before he licked his fingers and put the bag to the side. "Before that, let''s make it more fair and square. Seven against 14."


    Saying that, he put his hand on the ground. Immediately, a huge amount of dark matter spewed out of his hand and dripped on the ground before it started moving as it slowly descended the building and approached the castle.


    When it entered the ce, it moved straight toward the heart of the castle before it created a huge puddle there.


    "Shadow Prison." The dark figure murmured with a smile.


    Instantly, everything shifted.


    The ck puddle suddenly exploded into huge pirs of darkness that grew at an astonishing speed, piercing throughyers uponyers of the castle''s structure until they reached the top.


    Then, the pirs started expanding as they circted around the castle, interconnecting with each other in a web of darkness that cut the castle into pieces.


    ***


    Inside the conference room, the shadow walls twisted and turned, cutting through the room as they enclosed all the people inside the room.


    "What the hell?!" Eva''s eyes squinted as she instinctively jumped back. A few secondster, the shadow doors enclosedpletely around her.


    Looking around, her eyes rested on the other side of the shadow cage. It seems that she was entrapped with two executioners.


    The same happened to Kaya and the others. Each one of them was trapped with two executioners.


    ''Fuck¡­ What is happening?'' Kaya thought that it might''ve been Kai at first but she quickly realized that this power wasn''t something that Kai had used before. And even if it was his, why would he entrap them like this?


    It didn''t take her long to realize it. A third party had done this.


    Approaching one of the walls, she touched it. The moment her fingersnded on the wall, they sunk in as if they touched a rubbery surface. The moment she tried to pierce through it, the wall would expand and move like rubber, not getting damaged at all.


    ''What a weird material¡­ Is this supposed to be a shadow?'' She thought to herself silently.


    *Swish* *BANG*


    Suddenly, a gunshot echoed in the room as a bullet flew toward Kaya''s head. However, without even looking, her head tilted to the side, avoiding the bullet with ease.


    "Don''t even try. Guns won''t work on me." Kaya said coldly as she gave the woman that shot her a re.


    "What¡­ She wasn''t even looking¡­" The woman with the code name ''S'' murmured as she put the gun down.


    "Just give me a second to figure out what the fuck is happening and then I will kill both of you," Kaya said as she turned around again.


    Her nonchnt attitude made the two Executioners feel angry.


    The other Executioner, who looked rather very young with a bow on his back red at Kaya. His code name was ''C''.


    "S¡­ We will attack her at the same time¡­ Don''t drop your guard."


    Kaya finally turned around, facing the two of them, and said. "Ok, enough thinking. Let''s finish this."


    ***


    Meanwhile, in another section of the building, Kai had just entered one of the corridors through the elevator, only to find himself entrapped inside a ck cage of shadows.


    His eyes squinted slightly as he examined his surroundings. Nobody knew what was going through his head.


    Then, his eyesnded in a particr direction as if he was anticipating something. A secondter, the wall broke down as a figure flew toward him.


    With a simple sidestep, he dodged the flying body.


    *BANG*


    Smashing against the wall, the figurended on his face.


    ''Noir¡­'' Seeing the bloodied state of the man, Kai''s face frowned slightly.


    He knew this man from back when he was in the Guild. He was renowned as ''Agent 2'' and one of the strongest swordsmen in the world. His sword ''Devine'' was also a cursed Origin Artifact of the same caliber as ''Wretched Heart''.


    Yet, here he was, lying on the ground, on the verge of dying.


    *Step*


    The sound of footsteps echoed in the halls as a figure emerged from within the rubble. Resting on his shoulder was a ck sword.


    Finally, Kai''s eyes turned to look at the reason.


    "ck¡­ Phantom¡­" Grey uttered those words with great malice.

 Chapter 169 169- Operation: Behemoth (Part 10)

    <h4>Chapter 169 Chapter 169- Operation: Behemoth (Part 10)</h4>


    Grey''s footsteps halted the moment he saw Kai as his body froze for a split second. The two stared at each other silently for a good 10 seconds.


    Weirdly enough, Grey''s expression didn''t change immediately. Instead, he exhaled a long breath. Then, he lifted his hand slowly and pointed at Kai.


    "You¡­ Why are you the bane of my existence?"


    Kai''s eyes squinted behind the mask as he stood silently. He didn''t know what that question was supposed to mean.


    "Every single time we meet, I end up getting screwed over. You¡­ What the hell are you, huh? Are you even human? No, don''t even answer. I already know that you aren''t. Something like you shouldn''t exist." He said as he lifted the sword and stared at it. His eyes filled with depth that even Kai couldn''t fathom.


    "That''s why, I have dedicated all these past years, training like a madman just so I can end you. Perhaps I was destined all along to kill the creature that defies this world''sws."


    Kai''s aura stayed calm even when Grey started treating him as ''it'' not ''he''. He doesn''t seem to see him as a human anymore.


    "Delusional idiots like you are the people I kill the most," Kai replied as he vanished from where he stood before he appeared mid-air, next to Grey with his punch already flying toward Grey. His silhouette was dark and scary, like that of a demon.


    Thetter stared at the monster he was about to fight before he swung Devine down.


    *BOOOOOOOOM*


    The whole corridor was sliced in half as if it was made out of soft fabric as rocks and debris fell to the ground, filling the whole ce.


    However, it seemed that the attack didn''t hit Kai as he had spun around, dodging it before hended on his hands with his leg kicking upwards, aiming for Grey''s jaw.


    *BANG*


    The kick connected as Grey was sent flying up in the air, smashing against the ceiling. Kai then quickly adjusted his posture as he jumped up in the air, following after Grey. When he reached his level, Kai grabbed Grey by the face and then threw him down, piercing the ground and falling to a lower floor.


    But, it didn''t end at that. Jumping inside the hole he created, Kai used his ice talent as he created a huge ice shared that he kicked down with his leg,unching it at Grey.


    Thetter stared up from hisnding spot before he swung the sword again, slicing the shard in half, each half falling on either side of him.


    But, Kai didn''t use that shard as a real attack. Instead, it was a decoy for his next move as he hadnded on the ground before heunched toward Grey and punched him in the side.


    "BLURGH!!" Blood sttered out of Grey''s mouth from the hit. However, shockingly enough, he wasn''tunched away as he suddenly grabbed Kai''s arm.


    "You''re really foolish, ck Phantom. I told you before, didn''t I? I''m not the same person you fought 5 years ago."


    Then, without hesitation, Grey threw Devine to the side. Before he used both arms.


    "Internal force: first technique: Finger Strikes." Then, with his index fingers, he attacked different points in Kai''s body at inhuman speed.


    Kai had already used Origin to coat his stomach and stop the attack. However, what happened next surprised him.


    Kai''s defense was shockingly broken as he wasunched away, smashing against the wall. Landing on his feet, he touched his stomach.


    ''Internal damage¡­ He broke my defense.'' His eyebrows knitted slightly. Grey had somehow dealt internal damage to his organs, ignoring the Origin barrier Kai used. No, not only that, but he also somehow prated Kai''s extremely tough skin that could even stop Origin-Bullets.


    "Tsk, tsk¡­ You really lost your touch, didn''t you? I''m quite disappointed, ck Phantom. Did these 5 years turn you into a soft, weak creature that would get damaged by mere finger attacks?" Grey mocked with an enraged smile.


    Kai''s eyes turned sharper. It seemed that Grey had learned some new tricks.


    ***


    Meanwhile, back inside the conference room, raging fights were happening between the Archangels and the executioners.


    "Hah¡­ What¡­ the hell is she?" S thought to herself as she stared at Kaya. Her face was coated in blood and her left arm was broken.


    "We can''t¡­ Ugh, lose! Fuck!" C replied as he held his broken ribs.


    "What''s up, guys? Is that all you''ve got? I wanted to try some more things on you." Kaya said as she picked up a rock and started ying with it. Her casual demeanor and unscathed state made the fight seem like a piece of cake and it was.


    Even Kaya was internally surprised at how overwhelmingly powerful she was. It wasn''t even aparison. She had been toying with these two for the past 30 minutes and they couldn''t even attack her.


    ''Hm, ok let''s try this.''


    "I found a game we can y, folks! I will throw rocks at you and you must dodge! If you don''t dodge, the rocks will pierce your bodies~" She said yfully as she grabbed the rock with two hands and took a baseball thrower position.


    Channeling mana to her fingers, she threw the rock with all her power. The speed of the rock exceeded the speed of sound as it flew silently toward the two Executioners.


    *BANG*


    "WOAH!!" The two Executioners were taken by surprise as they barely dodged the rock. The moment it made contact with the shadow wall, the rock ricocheted back.


    "Shit, I forgot about that!" Kaya''s face changed as she quickly moved, barely dodging the rock that came flying back. "Tsk, what the hell is that wall?! It''s pissing me off!"


    The two Executioners looked at Kaya with dumbfounded expressions. The way she was goofing around as if it was nothing really bewildered them.


    ''What kind of monster is she?!'' They thought to themselves.


    "Ok, that''s it! I''m fucking angry now! You two, I''m sorry, but I''m gonna kill you both now. *CRACK*" She said with an annoyed tone as she crossed her arms before twisting her fingers.


    Instantly, two huge tiger paws emerged from the ground as they ruthlessly attacked the two Executioners.


    "AGHHH!!" The speed and uracy of the ws didn''t allow for the two to even dodge. Each sh and stab would hit its target or barely miss it.


    In a matter of minutes, the two Executioners were turned into bloody messes as theyy on the ground, breathing theirst breaths. Their bodies were shredded to pieces and their limbs were thrown everywhere, like broken doll pieces.


    Approaching the two of them, Kaya looked down silently. Her cold yet yful eyes peered through the mask.


    "Don''t take it personally, guys. I don''t kill people for no reason. You were just a little bit unlucky, that''s it."


    Vomiting a huge mouthful of blood, the two gave Kaya onest cursed re before they died.


    Staring at the two dead people, Kaya sighed before she looked up again. "Now, how do I get the hell out of this ck prison?" She murmured to herself with a confused expression.

 Chapter 170 170- Operation: Behemoth (Part 11)

    <h4>Chapter 170 Chapter 170- Operation: Behemoth (Part 11)</h4>


    On the other side of the conference room, Eva''s fight seemed to have taken the same route as Kaya. With her new powers, Eva easily overwhelmed the unlucky Executioners and turned them into bloody messes of flesh and blood.


    The only difference between Kaya and Eva, however, was that thetter didn''t seem to be nonchnt.


    Staring at the two nearly dead people, her cold eyes peered through theirs, sending chills down their obliterated spines.


    "When you get sent to hell where you belong, contemte your actions. Perhaps burning in eternal fire will redeem you and your corrupted Organization." She murmured before she pierced their hearts with a sword and left them to breathe theirst breath.


    Even after killing them, Eva''s mood didn''t seem to get better. The reason for that was the words Kai had told her not that long ago. Eva was indeed one of Grey''s main targets aside from Kai since he seemed to want something from her main talent.


    With the appearance of this bizarre dark prison, her distress resurfaced again. She wasn''t weak, far from that. But, strength isn''t the only thing that could determine her fate. Unless Grey faces her fairly, with no underhanded tricks which doesn''t seem to be the case with the appearance of whatever the hell this is.


    ''I need to get out before anything else happens.'' She thought as suddenly, a huge explosion echoed in the whole castle and shook the ceiling above them.


    Eva felt the subtle earthquake as she looked in a certain direction.


    "Kai¡­" Murmuring his name with worry, she quickly shook those thoughts away and focused on what she had to do. The n must go forward.


    ***


    Meanwhile, not that far away from Eva, the fight between the other Archangels and the Executioners was raging. It wasn''t an easy breeze like the one Eva and Kaya had, this was a brutal battle that pushed the two sides to the limit.


    In one prison, Elvi was fighting against two of them.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­" Wiping the blood from his face, he heaved up and down, greedy for more air. "This¡­ is cool¡­" He murmured.


    His body was riddled with numerous injuries, most of them were shallow and some were rather deep. His clothes were coated in blood.


    On the other side, the two Executioners weren''t faring any better. The damage they sustained was heavy. Adding to it the fact that they had juste out of another brutal battle, they were basically a few steps away from death.


    "You two¡­ Not so cool, ey. Just die already." Elvi picked up his weapon from the ground which wasn''t a sword, a gun, or even an axe. Hell, it wasn''t even a weapon in the first ce. Instead, his weapon was a guitar.


    When the two Executioners first saw him pull it out, they thought he was joking. But, seeing what that guitar can do firsthand, they regretted thinking that way.


    "For thest¡­ Ugh, show¡­" As Elvi was about to move his hand across the guitar, the two Executioners moved instantly and surrounded him.


    *BOOOOM*


    Using a gun, one of them fired every round of bullets he had at Elvi. Thetter gritted his teeth and used the guitar to deflect the bullets with inhuman speed. However, some of them still hit him, piercing his left arm and right leg. The pain was immeasurable as Elvi was about to copse on the ground.


    The other Executioner used that opportunity before he delivered a straight blow toward Elvi''s bare back.


    *CRACK*


    "Ugh!!" The sound of his spine cracking echoed in the ce. But, shockingly enough, Elvi didn''t fall.


    "I said!!! Not cool!!! Cursed Rock!" Using whatever energy was left in him, Elvi moved his fingers across the guitar strings, creating an extremely loud sound that almost destroyed the Executioners'' eardrums. It was far louder than any sound a guitar should be able to make.


    Then, without any hesitation, he rushed toward the closest one before he plunged the sharp part of his guitar into the Executioner''s heart.


    "Haaaaaah!!!" Yelling loudly, he pushed through andpletely prated the man''s chest. Blood gushed out like an endless waterfall as the Executioner spat out hisst breath.


    At the same time, the other one had already pulled out the gun and shot Elvi a few times. Thetter grunted loudly before he turned around and yelled.


    "Metal Bullets!" Then, he yed the guitar skillfully. Small objects appeared at the tip of the guitar, floating in the air. When Elvi lifted his hand up andnded it on the strings, the bullets flew at top speed.


    Because of their huge size, they pierced through the Executioner''s body, poring huge holes into him. The sight was as gory and as terrific as one could imagine.


    *Drop*


    When thest enemy fell down, Elvi''s movements also halted as he stood there silently, his lungs exhaling and inhaling at full st as they tried to recover after this brutal battle. However, for one reason or another, Elvi looked rather calm.


    "End¡­ Of the show¡­" He murmured as his body dropped down to the ground, coating it with even more blood.


    ***


    "She''s fast! What the hell?!" On the other side, another two Executioners were struggling against a nimble and fast Taylor.


    The gloomy girl was extremely agile. But, that wasn''t the only thing that made her very annoying and very hard to deal with. Because she used a bow as her main weapon, the two Executioners found themselves amidst a siege of arrows from every angle.


    Each arrow was imbued with Origin so they were not only extremely robust and sharp but also extremely fast.


    The result of that was the current state of the Executioners. Their bodies were riddled with arrows.


    Their only method of fighting Taylor was to fire back with guns. It wasn''t a huge sess considering her speed but Taylor still got hit a few times. That was, however, more than enough to affect her speed and precise aiming.


    The ring w that she had was that her body was rather noticeably weaker than that of an Origin User on her level. The reason for that was the sickness she had her whole life. Ever since she was born, her bones were way weaker than normal due to a gic mutation so she couldn''t even walk till she was 5 years old and that even put her life at threat as even the smallest of injuries would shatter her bones.


    However, ever since she discovered that she was an Origin User, she was able to ovee that problem, albeit still being a very fragile target. Shepensated for that with her incredible speed that was almost unrivaled and her skills with the bow that was freakish, to say the least.


    ''One of my arms is almostpletely broken. I can''t move it properly to aim.'' She thought as she looked down at her bloody arm.


    During the fight, Taylor had lost a huge amount of blood. Her skin had turned unhealthily pale and her mind felt groggy along with the weakening of her visibility.


    ''Curse it all!!'' She clicked her tongue. ''I need to kill them before they kill me¡­''

 Chapter 171 171- Operation: Behemoth (Part 12)

    <h4>Chapter 171 Chapter 171- Operation: Behemoth (Part 12)</h4>


    Taylor''s speed increased as she bit down the pain she felt throughout her body. Her bones shook violently under the pressure, threatening to crack at such a high-intensity pressure.


    However, for better or worse, that pain kept Taylor''s mind sharp and awake even after losing a huge amount of blood. It also helped her aim a little bit.


    *Swish*


    Pulling an arrow, she pulled the string while still on the move, dodging every attack that the Executioners tried to aim at her, and then released the arrow. Cutting through the air, the arrowtched into the left shoulder of one of the Executioners.


    "Ugh!!"


    Then, she quickly followed it with another arrow and then another one after that. Her speed was surprisingly faster than that of a gun. In fact, Taylor loathed guns and saw them as inferior yet technologically advanced objects.


    What gunsck, bows and arrows have since the beginning of history. Not only that, but she found that arrows teach the individual patience, focus, dedication, and will to wait for the right moment to take their targets down.


    ''I''m not the best¡­ But I''m sure as hell I''m way better than you, fools!'' She thought to herself as she fired another shot that luckily pierced one of the Executioners in the eye.


    However, that''s when something unexpected happened. Because she waspletely focused on shooting down the Executioners, when the castle shook violently due to the fight urring deep into the corridors of this ancient fortress, Taylor lost her footing and found herself stumbling forward, losing her bncepletely.


    ''Shit!'' She cursed as she tried to adjust her position. However, by the time she did that, the Executioners had long used that opportunity.


    *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*


    Three shots pierced through the air and hit her side and left leg. The pain from the hit almost knocked Taylor unconscious but with sheer will, she was able to adjust her position andnd on her feet.


    Her gloomy eyes were now brimming with life, a life that was slowly dwindling with every passing second she wasn''t getting treated.


    The two enemies then followed that attack by dashing toward Taylor at top speed using their close-range weapons, they tried tond the critical hit.


    "Goddamn you!!" Channeling her Origin to the extreme, Taylor moved her body away. Even though her speed diminished considerably, it was still very impressive. Then, she jumped in the air before she aimed her bow and then shockingly pulled out two arrows.


    "Chasing Piercer." She murmured as her eyes shone with a bright light. The arrows then sted from her bow at top speed.


    ''Tsk, is she trying to hit us again?! Not so soon! I can see her arrow!'' The two thought at the same time as they sidestepped the arrow. But, right when they thought they were safe, the arrows suddenly turned around and flew back, hitting each one of them in the back, right where their hearts were.


    The two looked back with shock as a crimson fountain gushed out of their bodies. Then, with disbelieving looks, they fell down, dead.


    Taylornded on her back as she heaved up and down, looking at the ceiling. Her vision was growing hazy and her body was feeling colder and colder by the second.


    "I''m¡­ taking a vacation for 10 years¡­" She murmured quietly before closing her eyes.


    ***


    While Elvi and Taylor''s fights were brutal and a near-death experience for both of them, the same thing can''t be applied to L''s, Zero and Arthur''s fights.


    For Zero, who was a battle junky through and through, the more he sustained injuries, the more powerful he became.


    "Hahahahahah!!! Come on, idiots! Let me have some fun, would ya?!" He shouted as he threw his hands forward,unching the chains around his arms toward the two Executioners.


    The chains, akin to horrifying serpentine, flew through the air as they lunged at the two Executioners.


    *BOOOM*


    Hitting the rough ground, debris exploded everywhere.


    "It''s not over!!!" Zero yelled as he moved his hand and the chains rose up before they followed after the Executioners as if they gained consciousness of their own.


    "What the fuck is wrong with this guy?! Are all Archangelspletely insane like him?!" One of the Executioners who was an older male, yelled as he ran at top speed while shooting Zero with his gun.


    Both Executioners lost count of how many rounds this man''s body ate up. His chains had already turnedpletely red from the sheer amount of blood he lost. In fact, Zero''s injuries should''ve been lethal for him. Yet, by some kind of magic, he was still as vigorous as ever.


    "Don''t stop attacking him, L! Even he has a limit to how much he can sustain!!"


    "Yeah, hit me! Do it!! Hahahahahaha!! I love it! Test how much my body could go!! I''m invincible, assholes!!" Laughing maniacally, Zero swung his arms around frantically, creating a huge maze of interconnected chains that had one sole aim, to destroy the two Executioners.


    "Chain maze!!" He yelled.


    "Shit!!"


    Before the two could even react, the chains had already wrapped around their bodies and in a shocking sight, the chains squeezed the two Executioners violently.


    Howling screams and mind-numbing shrieks echoed in the shadow prison followed by the sound of popping and the sound of something wet hitting the ground.


    "Eh¡­ that''s it? Tsk, what a boring bunch. You barely did anything." Zero''s happy expression faded as he looked at the two lumps of meat squeezed by his chains.


    "Tsk, I hate this¡­ Where is the challenge?!" He yelled. "Where is that fool Grey or whatever his name was? Come here and fight me!" He yelled as he pulled his chains and aimed them at the dark prison walls. However, none of his attacks worked, they simply bounced off the walls.


    On the other hand, and in an exception that the others didn''t know of. L and Arthur ended up being in the same prison against two executioners. One of them was none other than V.


    The fight was rather equal. No party was able to take advantage of the other one. However, L and Arthur''s coordination seemed very off, which was one of the main reasons why they couldn''t take advantage of V and Q''s horrible injuries.


    L was indeed selfish and liked to work alone but she was adept at working with others since when she became an Ascender, she had to go on countless missions with other people. If the situation required it, she was ready to work with someone.


    However, that''s where the problem lies, the person she was trying to team up with was Arthur. The handsome Archangel, albeit being a very humble and kind person, was excruciatingly selfish in his fighting style. No, it wasn''t even as simple as that, it was almost as if he wanted to push L into her own death with his fighting style.


    With his long spear in his hand, Arthur''s footwork and fighting style used everything to his advantage, even L.


    In countless attacks from V and Q, he would move behind L, letting her be the meat shield that needed to stop these attacks.


    "Oi, Arthur, you retard, stop your dirty methods and fight like a normal person for once!" L yelled as she red at Arthur, finally having enough of his bullshit.


    "What do you mean, L?" Arthur feigned ignorance.


    ''This bastard!''

 Chapter 172 172- Operation: Behemoth (Part 13)

    <h4>Chapter 172 Chapter 172- Operation: Behemoth (Part 13)</h4>


    If there is one thing that makes the Archangels a very unique bunch, it would definitely be their quirkiness. Each one of them was different from normal people in one way or another. That''s why people feared them and saw them as a threat even at the level of Virtues.


    They were a borderline insane and psychotic bunch who could do unexpected things at unexpected times. However, in this group of misfits, Arthur stands out like a sore thumb.


    His appearance, demeanor, character, and everything about him looked so¡­ underwhelmingpared to the others. He was by far the most sane-looking Archangel, however, considering how the others were simply crazy, the fact that he was the only one who didn''t look the role was unnerving.


    As far as the others knew, Arthur was an average kid from an average family who only discovered his abilities when he was around 12, and then because of Divinity''s offer to his family -which was money-based- he joined as an ascender.


    One way or another, he ended up rising quickly in power because of his smart brain and good talent which ended up putting him where he was. If the people he interacts with were asked about him, they would sing his praises for his kindness, heroic spirit, and good nature. Well, everyone except the other Archangels themselves.


    They all hated him, equally and nobody knew why.


    "If you try to fuck with me again, I will cut your head off." L threatened before she quickly spun around, only to see V had appeared behind her, ready to deliver a sneak attack.


    But, L''s body suddenly sizzled with lightning. Her eyes turned a clearer shade of blue as she manifested a lightning ball in her hand.


    *BANG*


    V''s punch connected with the lightning ball in a mesmerizing show of light. The lightning ball dispersed everywhere.


    "Sneak attacks don''t work on me, old man," L said as she charged her arms before she punched back at V.


    *BOOOM*


    Thetter could only cross his arms and tank the hit. At the same time, Arthur moved at top speed toward the other Executioner.


    Q shot a few bullets at him that thetter shockingly deflected with his de as if it were nothing. Then, when he was close enough, Arthur''s expression suddenly changed from calm and collected to a disturbing grin for a split second.


    Q''s eyes blinked in shock as he was about to dodge. However, because of what he saw, his reaction was a little bit slower than he intended it to be which gave Arthur a ring opening he could use to deliver a lethal strike.


    The options were countless, the head, the arms, the shoulders, or even a simple stab to the heart, he could do any of them.


    ''I''m dead!!''


    However, shockingly enough for Q, the handsome Archangel didn''t do any of that. Instead, he swung his sword horizontally, aiming for Q''s neck which was the furthest part away from Arthur and by far the worst choice possible for attack.


    *Swish*


    A second passed and Q found himself dodging the looming de by a hair''s breadth. Jumping back, he exhaled a long breath with a difficult expression. His arm touched his neck as he red at Arthur.


    "Why?" He asked coldly.


    On the other side, Arthur''s expression returned to its normalcy as he tilted his head in confusion.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Why didn''t you kill me?" Q asked with a serious frown. He was certain that Arthur noticed those openings and he was also certain that the handsome Archangel could''ve easily killed him. Yet, he didn''t, and that made Q even more perturbed. Something was off¡­ Very off about his enemy.


    "Ugh, I''m sorry, I thought I could strike your neck. I guess I was wrong." Arthur chuckled awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head.


    However, that answer only further solidified Q''s suspicion.


    Clenching his teeth, Q picked up his gun and aimed it at Arthur.


    "Don''t you fucking dare toy with me, bastard!!"


    Staring at Q, Arthur''s eyes changed for a split second as he murmured in response. "Let''s settle this."


    ***


    At the same time, far away from the conference room. The fight between Kai and Grey was raging like never before. A whole section of the castle had been pulverized as if it never existed and countless pirs that held the castle from copsing were disintegratedpletely.


    Amidst this destruction, two silhouettes moved at inhuman speed as they shed violently. Each sh would send ripples of energy everywhere, destroying every nook and cranny of the area.


    Grey''s face looked deadly serious as he fought using all his power. Even after using his new techniques, he wasn''t able to overwhelm Kai at all. In fact, he was gettingpletely beaten up, one-sidedly.


    ''His fists are like fucking tons of rock condensed into punches.'' He cursed as he guarded against an attack that sent him flying. The attack made his bones shudder and his muscles spasm.


    Kai then vanished and appeared beside him like a horrifying ghost before he kicked him mid-air, sending him stumbling away.


    Looking at Grey from afar, Kai''s cold expression subtly frowned.


    ''He''s technique is annoying. It ignores all my defenses and strikes my internal organs directly. Where did hee upon that?'' He thought to himself. ''Well, it doesn''t matter anymore.''


    With each time they sh, Grey would find an opportunity to strike Kai with his technique. Granted, Kai can easily heal internal injuries in seconds. However, that didn''t spare him from the hellish pain thates with each attack. It was akin to someone taking his insides and blending them in a blender.


    "Fuuh¡­" Exhaling a small breath, Kai spoke. "You can''t beat me. Give up and don''t prolong this useless fight."


    Approaching Grey who was struggling to stand up, Kai kicked him in the face, sending him flying away.


    "We both know that you can''t beat me. You never did and you never will."


    "Shut up¡­"


    "Seeking revenge? For what? For your foolish thought that you could kill me? Or maybe for those words you said to me 5 years ago?" Approaching Grey again, Kai punched him in the face, breaking a few of his teeth.


    "You''re too delusional, Grey and I despise delusional people more than anything else."


    "I said shut up!!!" Grey yelled as he rose up and tried to attack Kai.


    But, before he could do anything, Kai had already delivered another attack aimed at his neck.


    "BLURGH!!" Feeling himself suffocating, Grey fell down, heaving powerfully. His eyes widened with rage, pain, and madness.


    "Training won''t work and hatred won''t work either. You can''t kill me with those things alone. I know that more than anyone else." Kai exined before he lifted Grey by the neck.


    "Now, before I kill you. I want to know, what is it that you want from Eva? What does she have in her main talent? Tell me."


    Grey struggled slightly before he grabbed Kai''s arms. "Fuck¡­ You!!" He yelled wickedly.


    "Internal force: Second Technique; Rippling Devotion!!" Immediately, a huge ripple of Origin energy spread from Grey''s arms toward Kai''s body. Thetter instantly threw Grey away violently before he channeled his Origin.


    His eyes turned colder as he felt extreme pain fill his entire body. It was even worse than the pain he felt from the previous attacks¡­ far worse.


    ''Annoying¡­'' He cursed inwardly.


    From the other side, The man stood up.


    "Now! Do it!!" Grey yelled suddenly.


    Instantly, Kai felt things starting to move around him. The ck shadow walls were shifting.

 Chapter 173 173- Operation: Behemoth (Part 14)

    <h4>Chapter 173 Chapter 173- Operation: Behemoth (Part 14)</h4>


    Weird-shaped tentacles formed from the ck walls as they extended from all angles, quickly surrounding Kai. Thetter didn''t hesitate to quickly move away before they could touch him.


    Using his senses and vision, he dodged the tentacle attacks skillfully.


    ''Why does this feel familiar¡­ Tsk¡­'' He cursed as he remembered his fight with the giant octopus back in the Frozen ins. However, the ck tentacles didn''t concern him at the moment, what concerned him was Grey who had vanished somewhere.


    Kai felt slightly irritated considering how the situation shifted again without him predicting it properly. The only reason he didn''t swiftly kill Grey was that he wanted to know more about what Grey wanted from Eva''s talent. In hindsight, Kai was certain it had to do with weapons and perhaps it''s something rted to Origin Artifacts.


    But, Grey already had Origin Artifacts and probably the finest ones too. However, he seemed hell on bent on getting whatever Eva had. That didn''t sit well with Kai as he knew that Origin Artifacts weren''t simply weapons, they were far more dangerous than that.


    For example, looking at Kai''s Wretched Heart, the sword is extremely strong. So strong in fact that merely touching it could cut a limb or slice through hard rocks. It was unbelievably sharp. What makes it even scarier, however, is the fact that the sword would only get stronger the stronger the user who was wielding it. Even more than that, most Origin Artifactse with ring, lethal ws that could destroy the user as much as they could destroy the opponent. Those weapons don''t differentiate between friends and foes.


    ''If Grey really wants a weapon¡­ It won''t be a mere weapon¡­ Tsk, I need to find him quickly.'' Cursing inwardly, Kai jumped in the air as he dodged another tentacle beforending on the other side.


    Looking back, the tentacles had suddenly shifted back and interconnected again, closing the ce Kai came from.


    It seemed that Kai''s theory was right, whoever the Origin User who created this stuff was, they weren''t trying to kill Kai, they simply wanted to cage him away from Grey.


    Looking at the wall, Kai approached it and touched it with his fingers. It easily sunk in as if he was touching pure rubber. Punching it, the punch couldn''t prate it. So, Kai pulled out Wretched Heart and tried to slice through.


    However, even when he sliced it, it didn''t work. The sword attack was absorbed easily. So, Kai stood there, deep in thought.


    This wall was certainly made out of shadows. However, for better or worse, these shadows didn''t seem to belong to any object or person as they exist alone. That meant two things, the first one is that they are technically not shadows and more of a formation of shadows using Origin. The second thing is that they don''t seem to need a light source to exist as the corridors of the castle are extremely dark.


    However, that''s when Kai thought of an idea.


    ''To how much extent do these shadows not follow thews of physics?'' Thinking in his head, he quickly went into practical experimenting.


    Opening the palm of his hand, Kai formed a blob of light from his Light Talent and then exposed it to the shadows. The moment he did that, a hole appeared in the ck wall. The hole wasn''t big. When Kai got the blob of light even closer, the hole grew even bigger.


    Seeing that his theory was right, Kai quickly increased the size of the blob as he quickly opened a huge hole that he could pass through. Then, without waiting, he dashed after Grey. He had spent too much time trying to figure out how to get out of that ck cage. Letting that man run away would be troublesome.


    ***


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ That bastard was at least helpful for once¡­" Grey groaned as he moved through the dark corridors of the castle. His injuries were heavy and he felt as if he was about to lose consciousness.


    However, at the same time, his injuries were quickly healing as he moved toward his next target.


    Quickly, he reached the conference room and walked inside. The ce waspletely turned into a ck prison. Looking around, Grey put his hand on his ear and said.


    "Where is the Lavine girl?"


    "Hey, hey, don''t think I''m helping you, Grey. I just find your death happening this quickly a really bad ending to the show."


    "Just tell me where the fuck she is." He responded.


    "Hmm, what would I get in return if I do?" The mysterious figure asked with an amused tone.


    "Tsk¡­ You want ''that'', right? I will give it to you. Just let me get what I want."


    "Ok, fine, fine. I will let you have what you want." The figure replied. An instantter, the walls of the shadow prison started moving again as a human-sized hole appeared in one of them.


    Eva noticed the hole and squinted her eyes feeling fishy from it. But, she still wanted to leave this ce so she could only walk out of there.


    At the same time, another hole appeared in another section of the ck walls.


    "Now, what is this?" Kaya, munching on some potato chips she had with her, stood up and walked toward the door.


    The two women left the dark prison at the same time and looked at each other.


    "Oh?" They seemed to be slightly confused as to why they were allowed out.


    "How did you get out?"


    "How did YOU get out? Did you kill the Executioners?" Eva asked back.


    "Yes, you?"


    "Done deal."


    "Good. Hmm, well, if we''re out¡­" As she was about to finish her words, Kaya noticed the presence of a man.


    "Oi, fucker! I said only the Lavine girl!" Grey Cursed.


    "But I never agreed to that. Well, good luck~" The dark figure replied before he cut the connection.


    "Curse you¡­" Grey grumbled before cracked his fingers. It seems that he won''t be able to get what he wants that easily.


    "Are you that ''Grey'' guy?" Kaya asked coldly as her pressure increased slowly.


    "It''s him," Eva replied. "But, if he''s here¡­ Where is¡­" Eva''s face changed slightly with worry. But, luckily, the mask hid that face.


    "The ck Phantom¡­ is dead. I killed him." Grey said with a grin.


    Those mere words alone made Kaya and Eva''s hearts stop for a second. Before their brains could even process what he said and determine whether it was bullshit or the truth, their hearts shuddered at those words.


    But, it didn''t take them that long to realize that Grey was lying. Kai''s aura was still alive and well somewhere in the castle, they could feel it.


    "Liar," Eva said coldly as she felt even angrier now. How dare this imbecile talk about her beloved like that? Utterly unforgivable!


    "Oi, fuckface. Who do you think you are?" Kaya said.


    After that, Kaya crossed her arms and using her powers, summoned a huge tiger head. As for Kaya, she manifested a hundred swords around her.


    ''Nobody will stop me from getting what I want¡­ No one!!'' Grey''s eyes sharpened before he dashed toward the two. Screw his injuries, these two girls will go down!

 Chapter 174 174- Operation: Behemoth (Part 15)

    <h4>Chapter 174 Chapter 174- Operation: Behemoth (Part 15)</h4>


    Amidst the blood and dead corpses of Hitmen and executioners alike, three silhouettes stood face to face. A huge tiger head and countless swords floated in the air adding anotheryer of quirkiness to an albeit terrifying situation.


    No one moved immediately for a few seconds. Then, out of nowhere, Eva''s swords flew toward Grey, piercing the air as they closed the distance between them.


    Thetter instantly moved as he dodged the rain of swords skilfully before he dashed forward at top speed. Kaya used that time and left her tiger head summons to wreak havoc.


    Opening its wide mouth, the creature moved toward Grey. Thetter channeled Origin throughout his body and punched it powerfully, sending the head flying away.


    At the same time, Eva had already closed the distance between them as she sliced at him with a sword. Grey bent back, barely dodging the de as it cut a little strand of his hair. Kaya moved again and fired multiple bullets at him.


    ''Curse it all, these two are too coordinated. They''re using every single move I do to attack me.'' Cursing inwardly Grey shifted his bnce and finally activated his main talent. Lifting his hand, A small ringing sound echoed in the room before the bullets magically stopped the bullets mid-air.


    ''What? How did he¡­'' Before Kaya could even react, the bullets had already turned around and flew back at her. Quickly, she tried to dodge the bullets but she was a split second toote.


    Bullets pierced her left arm and left leg making her groan from pain. At the same time, Eva had already closed the distance again and rained down on Grey with sword attacks. She shed, pierced,shed. Her technique was as elegant and beautiful as it was deadly.


    Grey found himself getting overwhelmed. Small cuts and injuries started appearing on his body.


    "Don''t overestimate yourself, Eva Lavine! You''re just a mere hindrance between me and the true power of your abilities."


    Eva ignored his words as she focused on her attacks. Her speed only kept on increasing as her attacks grew more and more intense. Reaching a new mastery over Origin had allowed for her swordsmanship to evolve to the next level. Coating the de with Origin had always been an exhausting task. However, now, she can easily use the exact amount of Origin needed while maintaining the Origin augmentation she applied to her body.


    Seconds passed when Grey realized something, feeling the cold wall behind his back. Eva had cornered him.


    "Now, old hag!!" She yelled at Kaya who was already on the move. Reaching Grey, she sent a punch to his face. Simultaneously, Eva thrusted her sword, aiming for his chest. The two attacks were so coordinated that Grey couldn''t see a way to dodge the attack. As Kaya and Eva were already thinking the fight was over, Grey suddenly did something that shocked them to a halt.


    Extending his arm, he grabbed Eva''s de, letting it pierce his hand. The sword cut three of his fingers in the process but still halted. In the next split second, a punch connected with his face, almost knocking him unconscious.


    ''Fuck! That hurts!!'' He cursed.


    At the same time, his other hand grabbed Kaya''s fist. Then, through his gritted, bloody teeth, he yelled.


    "Rippling devotion!!"


    Kaya''s eyes widened as she felt intense pain ripple through her body. Her mouth instinctively coughed a huge amount of blood as she flew back, smashing against the wall violently.


    "Kaya!!" Eva''s face frowned hard as she gritted her teeth and pushed her sword forward, trying to pierce Grey. However, thetter had already used his finger to strike Kaya in the neck.


    "Finger strike!!"


    The moment his finger connected with her neck, Eva felt as if her throat ruptured for a second. Blood gushed out of her mouth as she started coughing violently. Then, Grey kicked her powerfully. Eva smashed against the wall and she fell down unconscious.


    All of this happened in a mere 30 seconds or even less.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Don''t¡­ underestimate me, bitches!!" He yelled as he grabbed his pained body. Calling his condition horrifying was an understatement. Grey had multiple ribs broken, heavy internal damage, all of his teeth were broken and he even lost three fingers from his left hand.


    However, by some miracle, he won. He had actually defeated these two alone.


    The feeling of winning was truly blissful. He didn''t think that defeating anyone apart from the ck Phantom would actually make him feel good but somehow, it wasn''t the case. Perhaps it was because he had yearned for winning for so long.


    The past few years were pure hell for Grey. He had lost his prestige, his power, his freedom, and everything he was aiming for. So, all he had left was training to ease his anger. His mind was upied with the ck Phantom. That monster was his goal, his enemy, and also -in a sense- his idol.


    Grey hated Kai and even loathed him at some point, but also respected him immensely. It was a contradicting feeling that he himself didn''t understand.


    "I¡­ deserve it¡­" Murmuring to himself, Grey dragged his tired body toward Eva. Then, he picked her up over his shoulder and walked out of the conference room.


    ''I''m¡­ close¡­ Just one more step and everything will be over¡­'' He thought to himself. Then, through his gritted teeth, he dashed into the horizon at his fastest speed.


    ***


    A minute or soter, Kai reached the conference room. Because of the shadow walls, he lost a minute or so.


    Looking around him, Kai ignored the immense number of corpses riddling the ce and the strong smell of death that filled the room. Instead, his eyesnded instantly on a familiar silhouette lying on the other side of the room.


    Kai''s face frowned when he saw her. Then, he vanished instantly and appeared beside Kaya. Gently pulling her up, Kai analyzed her body and his frown grew even more pronounced. Blood was gushing from Kaya''s mouth endlessly.


    ''Internal damage¡­ She''s in a lethal condition..'' He thought to himself as he quickly healed her. A few secondster, Kaya''splexion started returning to normal as her eyes opened up slowly.


    "K-Kai¡­"


    "Don''t speak, your injuries are heavy so only nod, ok?" He asked with a gentler tone than usual. "Did Grey catch Eva?" He asked to which Kaya nodded.


    "K-Kai¡­ He¡­ strong¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I couldn''t kill¡­ him¡­" She tried to speak with a weak voice. However, Kai put his finger on her lips.


    "I let him escape¡­ It''s my mistake." He replied coldly.


    Kai''s pressure increased. At this point, he wasn''t annoyed anymore, he was outright pissed. Grey was like a small cockroach that kept running away from him whenever he was close to ending his life. This was the same situation that happened 5 years ago.


    "Stay here and recover¡­ I will leave for a moment¡­" He said as heid Kaya back. Thetter grabbed his arm.


    "Be¡­ careful¡­"


    Kai didn''t reply to her words as he stood up and vanished. Be careful? No, he wasn''t going to be careful. He was going to make that man regret the day he came in contact with him. This wasn''t merely ending a matter he should''ve ended years ago anymore, Grey had done unforgivable things and he was going to pay for them¡­ Heavily.

 Chapter 175 175- Operation: Behemoth (Part 16)

    <h4>Chapter 175 Chapter 175- Operation: Behemoth (Part 16)</h4>


    ?


    "U-Ugh¡­" Eva''s eyes opened slowly after an unknown amount of time. Her mind still felt hazy as if she had been disconnected from the world for a long time.


    Absorbing the scenery around her slowly, her vision slowly returned. When she finally had some sense of reality back in her head, her expression changed. She was lying on what seemed to be a chair, her arms and legs were strapped with Leviathium shackles, and her neck was also strapped to the chair.


    ''That bastard Grey¡­ He got me!! Fuck, I didn''t know that insane maniac would cut his fingers just to catch me!!'' She cursed in her head.


    Instinctively, she tried to break out with a few frantic movements. Her mind was rather calm as she knew that panicking would only worsen her situation. Instead, she decided to look at her surroundings in the hope of finding anything useful she could use.


    The ce seemed to be a mix between a prison and ab. She was surrounded by thick, metallic walls that seemed to be imprable at first sight. Around the enclosed room were countless technologically advanced devices, tools, and other misceneous objects.


    ''Where am I even? Is this theb section of the HQ?'' She wondered silently.


    Eva did visit theb a few times before but she doesn''t remember entering a room like this one and why would she considering how this room was almost a prison with shackles and a very ufortable chair? It was almost like an experimental room in an asylum.


    A few seconds passed like that before the door to the room opened and Grey came walking inside. He had changed his bloodied clothes and washed his face so he didn''t look as wretched as before.


    Eva stared at him silently for a few seconds as he walked to theputer to the side and sat down.


    "Your healing abilities are impressive. I thought you won''t wake up for at least a few days."


    "What are you going to do?" Eva asked coldly.


    "Simple. I''m going to get what is rightfully mine."


    "And what is that?"


    Grey tapped on hisputer silently for a few moments before he turned around and stood up. Then, he picked up what seemed to be a very old, dusty book that was on the table next to him. The book had no title or any indication of its content on the surface.


    "Since you won''t be able to live after today, I might as well tell you how you''re going to die. I''m not a cruel human, believe it or not."


    Eva rolled her eyes at his remark before she looked at the back again. "What''s that?"


    "This? Oh, just something I bought a few years ago from someone I know. It cost me a fortune to get but it''s very worth it. This book is one of the very few things that the Progenitor had left behind after he perished a few thousand years ago. It''s a book written by him personally."


    Eva''s eyes squinted slightly at his words. A book written by the Progenitor? That''s impossible. The Progenitor was someonepletely shrouded in mystery. Hell, people don''t even know if he really existed or if he was just a myth. To this day, the only evidence they have of his existence is old scriptures from ancient families that recorded that part of history.


    All these scriptures said that the Progenitor was an anomaly, a genius like no other. He discovered Origin, developed it, created countless talents, and helped people realize that they are also gifted like him. He was akin to a god in every sense of the word.


    ''If what he''s saying is true¡­ That book is priceless¡­'' She thought to herself. ''Kai would be interested in such a book¡­''


    Grey looked at her silently before he spoke again, waking her from her thoughts. "If you''re thinking that the ck Phantom would be here anytime, you''re sorely mistaken. That bastard is stuck somewhere in the castle, probably fighting those prison walls, hoping he could escape."


    Hearing that, Eva felt slightly worried. Those prison walls were indestructible. No matter how much she hit them, she couldn''t escape. Although she trusted that Kai had some kind of trick up his sleeve, she still could only feel worried for him.


    ''I can only stall this bastard for as long as I could. Kai will definitelye.'' She trusted her guts and Kai more than anything else. Her miracle would always be there to light her path, that''s something she''s certain of.


    "You didn''t answer why I''m here and why you''ve been chasing me like a dog for the past few months," Eva replied.


    "You¡­ Listen here, Eva Lavine. You''re nothing. I''m not chasing after you nor do I care about anything concerning you except for that ability of yours. I really feel like throwing up just thinking about the fact that YOU have that talent. Do you even realize how precious it is? No, of course you don''t."


    "I''m sorry that you, a talentless, pathetic excuse of a man couldn''t get it. I guess the world favors those who deserve it." She replied coldly.


    Grey''s aura raged violently as he red at Eva. However, he quickly shook his head and calmed down.


    "I won''t bother to retort to your childish insults. Tonight, I''m going to extract the thing I was searching for."


    "What thing?"


    Grey sighed as he sat down and then tapped on his book. "Although this copy of the book isn''tplete as it is missing many important pages, I still could decipher some of the things this book talks about. One of them seems to be something that the Progenitor cherished greatly. Something that apanied him throughout his life. His sword¡­ Or in other words, the first-ever Origin Artifact." Grey replied.


    ''The first Origin artifact?!''


    Ever since Eva heard about the Origin Artifacts from Kai, she had been very interested in them. The existence of these things truly fascinated and also scared her. Just remembering the aura that emanated from Wretched Heart sent a chill down his spine.


    "The book stated that the sword was something that the Progenitor received as a gift from one of his very first fellow Origin Users. Ever since it became his main weapon and his truepanion through thick and thin. When the Progenitor was on his deathbed, he didn''t want his sword to fall into the wrong hands so he decided to fuse that sword along with all of the weapons in his armory -An arsenal of top-grade weapons like nothing the world has ever seen before- it all was fused together into one single talent scripture that he hid somewhere.


    Grey then took a deep breath before he continued. "At first, I thought that the scripture probably perished after all these years. But, something at the end of the book made me think otherwise. Have you ever heard of ''Origin Inheritence''?" He asked to which Eva shook her head.


    "Origin Inheritance in simple terms is the concept of how an individual is born with a main talent fused with their bodies. Turns out that if one of the very first Origin Users who lived with the Progenitor learned one of those early talents, their descendants hundreds or even thousands of years in the future would be born with that talent in their bodies. There is no true indication of when or who will get it. That''s why, when the book at the end talked about this particr talent, I was shocked¡­"

 Chapter 176 176- Operation: Behemoth (Part 17)

    <h4>Chapter 176 Chapter 176- Operation: Behemoth (Part 17)</h4>


    Then, Grey opened the book and started flipping through it before stopping at thest few chunks of pages.


    "''My fellow, a man of true power and determination, the Sword Heaven is seeking you. Destiny bestowed upon me the ability to give more than to take and I have decided to give you my most importantpanion along with every artifact I have collected and created. Seek power as much as peace and seek peace as much as justice.'' It''s simple, isn''t it? The Progenitor seemed to have trusted someone with his most importantpanion and every weapon he ever created or possessed."


    Eva remained silent the entire time. What Grey said was shocking as it is. But, she had a feeling that what he would say next would be even worse.


    "I''m sure you''re starting to piece things together, aren''t you? The Progenitor gave his most valuable possession to a trusted friend thinking they would keep it away from other people. But, that''s not what what happened. The truth is far more ironic and funnier than I expected. If you think about it for even one second, you would realize that the Progenitor was quite frankly the most foolish man to have ever walked on this. Trusted friend? What a joke. That same friend had let his greed take over and he decided to learn that talent. He easily broke the ''trust'' he had with his friend, the Progenitor."


    "You¡­ Don''t tell me¡­"


    "Hahaha, it''s funny, isn''t it? How easily trust can be broken given the right circumstances. Even the strongest bonds can turn into nothing in an instant. People would be ready to throw away their families for money, for fame, for power, or even for a fleeting dream." Grey said in aplicated tone.


    Eva could see the fleeting change in his emotions. However, she still remained silent. Everyone has their past and their secrets that make who they are and Grey''s past had turned him into apletely insane person for one reason or another.


    "Well, it''s not important now. What''s important is that by Origin Inhertience''sw, an heir for this power should appear in the future, hundreds or thousands of years. Who thought that the moment I saw your ability, that realization would hit me? I mean, it makes sense, so much sense. The Lavine family is a very old family that spans thousands of years worth of legacy. For a family to remain alive and brimming for this long, their ancestor must''ve really worked hard to do it."


    Eva''s eyes widened to the extreme when she realized what Grey was trying to say. She couldn''t even utter a single word as it dawned on her.


    "Hahahahaha, your ancestor is one hell of a guy! A bastard through and through, ey! Not only did he betray his friend for his own benefit, but he even made sure this book remained for all these years. That sadistic bastard! Hahahahah! He enjoyed reading his dead friend''sst letter to him again and again as his family prospered using that same power his dead friend gave him out of goodwill." Greyughed with mirth as he stared at Eva''s shocked expression.


    He really found it amusing the first time he realized it and now it became outright hrious seeing how Eva just realized it. Her whole family''s legacy was built on backstabbing. How hurtful would that be to hear? What makes it even worse is that she inherited that power directly and was the only one to get it across thousands of years of history. This was a cruel y of fate.


    "This¡­ can''t be¡­" Eva murmured in disbelief.


    "I can understand your confusion, Lavine. Hearing that my family''s founder was a mere fraud is a tough pill to swallow. *Cough* Anyway, it doesn''t matter now, does it? I told you the truth just because I knew your reaction to it would be priceless. Now, you can die in peace knowing that you''re the heir of a piece of shit, Eva Lavine."


    After that, Grey stood up and closed the book before he put it away. "From what I can see, you already unlocked your Origin Domain which is pretty impressive, I can give you that. But, to get the Progenitor''s Sword, you must exceed Origin Domain and unlock the next two levels. Origin Realm and Origin Reality. Well, given how you''re still too weak to reach that level, we will have to resort to extreme measures. I''m going to inject your main seal with a huge amount of Origin, stimting a forceful leveling up. Granted, it''s extremely painful and you won''t be granted a quick, painless death but it''s all worth it."


    After that, Grey tapped on theputer before a huge, needle-like machine descended from the ceiling and aimed at Eva directly.


    "This thing here is something I paid a fortune to create. It absorbs the Origin in the air and then through that needle, it injects that Origin into any object I want." The needle moved at Grey''smand as it closed from Kaya''s upper chest, where her main seal is.


    "Anyst words?"


    Eva''s face had been looking down the whole time he was speaking so Grey thought that she had given up on speaking and sumbed to the reality of things. However, Eva suddenly looked up with a smile on her face. "Pfft, so all of this stupid monologue and this fortune all for a sword? You''re really a dumbass, aren''t you? Hahahahaha!" Evaughed loudly before she grinned at Grey.


    "If you think all of this will finally make you stronger than the ck Phantom, you can keep on dreaming. As for the sword, well, you know where to shove it when you get it."


    Grey''s face frowned hard as he red at Eva. "Foolish, utterly foolish, Eva Lavine. I wished you would be there to see me cut the head of your little lover. Goodbye." Saying that, Grey pushed the button and the needle finally descended, piercing Eva''s chest.


    A small squint of pain appeared on her face, but her grin still remained. Even when she was close to death, she decided to mock Grey.


    ''I won''t give you the pleasure of thinking that you''re something great, bastard.''


    Then, an orange light started appearing on the ss screens of the machine before it moved to the edge of the needle and finally seeped into Eva''s body. At that moment, the pain Eva felt was so immense that she had to close her eyes and grit her teeth to not leak a sound.


    It was as if her body was getting shredded from the inside while she was conscious and alive. It was beyond anything she had ever felt before.


    "You can feel it, can''t you, Lavine? That pain is the announcement of the birth of the Progenitor''s Sword again. Dawnbreaker is finally reviving again!! Hahahahahaha!!"


    As Eva was struggling with the immense pain, her main seal was undergoing a huge change. Because of the huge amount of Origin being absorbed, the seal could only ept it and try to redirect that Origin throughout the body. But, because the process was too fast for the seal to handle, it could only forcefully use that Origin to level up the talent.


    Quickly, her powers were rising from Origin Domain to the sixth level, Origin Realm. Then, before her body could even start adjusting to this new Origin, it quickly moved up to the next level, Origin Reality.


    At that moment, a low scream escaped Eva''s mouth as her eyes opened again, showing that they were now shining with a weird Orange light. Then, from within Eva''s forehead, something eye-catching started happening. An orange ripple formed on Eva''s forehead, it quickly swirled and moved as if it was a portal of some sort.


    "Finally! It''s finally here! Hahahahahahaha!"


    As Grey was about to approach, Eva, a silhouette shed across his eyes. Before he could even react, he felt something stab his chest.


    ''W-What¡­ Happened?'' Looking down, he saw a sword buried deep in his chest. His eyes then moved up, only to see a white mask with a stitched mouth on it.

 Chapter 177 177- Operation: Behemoth (Part 18)

    <h4>Chapter 177 Chapter 177- Operation: Behemoth (Part 18)</h4>


    The whole world around Grey slowed down to a halt as he gazed at Kai, not saying or doing anything. A feeling of coldness seeped into his body, paralyzing his senses.


    "You¡­ bas-" Before he could even finish his sentence, Kai had already aimed his gun at Grey''s forehead before he shot one bullet.


    The bullet pierced his brain and left from the opposite side, sttering the insides of his head everywhere.


    "Rot in hell¡­ Fucker." He said as he kicked Grey''s body away and then turned around and rushed toward Eva.


    However, as Kai was about to touch her, a huge explosion of energy seeped out of Eva''s body. The explosion was so strong that it sent Kai flying back, smashing against the wall. Rocks and debris started falling down from the sky as Eva''s body thumped with energy, each pulse sent a huge shockwave that destroyed everything in its way.


    The walls of theb crashed down followed by a chain of explosions that pulverized a huge section of the castle. Amidst this destruction, Eva''s body started floating in the air. Her usually lively eyes were now colorless, with an orange hue around her irises.


    The sheer amount of Origin that her body was exuding couldn''t be measured. This was the result of a forceful evolution of her main talent to not only reach Origin Realm but to break through to thest level, Origin Reality.


    The pommel of the sword that appeared on her forehead slowly left her body before the sword finally appeared in full view. At first look, the sword was like nothing else. If one had to describe it, they would say only one word ''Chaotic''.


    With a huge, wide de that was shining with an Orange hue, the sword didn''t give the vibes of a normal Origin Artifact. In fact, it exuded nothing but pure, unstoppable Origin that spread across the whole castle and beyond.


    Kai kicked away the rubble that umted on him as he stood up. His mask cracked because of the impact, showing only a part of his face.


    ''What is that?'' His face was riddled with confusion. The Eva in front of him was nowpletely different. Everything about her went through a terrifying metamorphosis.


    The floating Eva then lifted her hand up and grabbed the handle of the sword before she pulled itpletely out. The moment she did that, the whole ce pulsated with energy.


    ''Is that¡­'' Kai''s eyes squinted slightly before he quickly dashed forward. He didn''t have time to idle around or analyze the situation. Without even trying to sense Eva''s condition, Kai was sure that this state she entered was destroying her body from the inside.


    Not only was she not ready to handle this level of her talent, but she had also consumed an imaginable amount of Origin that could rupture her Origin veins any second. On top of that, unlocking Origin Reality at her level also came with another side effect that was as disastrous if not even more disastrous than anything else.


    Origin being a very raw and natural energy was also chaotic in nature. That''s why Origin exists in the most dangerous ces in the world because the more chaotic the environment is, the better it is for Origin to thrive.


    Now, if raw Origin was forcefully injected into one''s body, either of two things could happen. The first one is simply instant death. The body wouldn''t be able to handle that much Origin and implode. The second one which was rarer but still possible was for the user to lose their mind entirely and turn into a chaotic force of nature that would attack anything in its way, or in other words, be the humanoid form of Origin. This happens in people with extremely tough bodies and Eva -after undergoing that brutal training and evolving her body- was in that category.


    What was happening to Eva was the second option.


    Closing the distance between them, Kai tried to grab Eva. However, thetter suddenly vanished from where she was before appearing behind Kai.


    ''Fast¡­''


    Thetter felt his senses going off as his hands moved and unsheathed his sword right before the impact.


    Eva''s sword hit Kai''s Wretched Heart, sending a huge shockwave that pushed all the rubble in the area away.


    The hit pushed Kai a few dozen meters before hended on his feet. A split secondter, Eva appeared in front of him again with her sword already shing down.


    Gritting his teeth, Kai skillfully moved his de, as he diverged the attack. His instinct told him that he had found an opening in his opponent and that he should strike now. But, he instantly realized that¡­ He wasn''t fighting an enemy. This was Eva.


    That mere fact alone erased any thought of attacking her from Kai''s head.


    *BANG*


    However, that came with a price. Eva''s sword suddenly shifted at inhuman speed before it struck again. This time, however, the attack came followed by a huge amount of Origin.


    "Ugh¡­" Grunting lowly, Kai was sent flying back as he rolled on the ground beforending on his feet. Looking down, a huge injury had appeared on his chest that was seeping with blood. He wasn''t shocked to see that as the sword Eva was using was not normal by any means.


    In fact, this was by far the strongest sword Kai had ever seen. Coupled with the state Eva was in and the raw Origin that was eating her body away, that strike would''ve turned any target into a bloody mist, not even leaving any flesh behind.


    In an instant, his injury closed as he stood up. An idea had popped into his head. Although stopping Eva was indeed going to be rather troublesome, saving her life was even more of a priority for Kai now. Even if he defeated her, she was going to most likely die because of the repercussions.


    What he needed to do was to extract all of that Origin from her body before it was toote. However, to do that, he only had two ways. Either to personally guide it out of her body which required Eva to be stationary and not on rampage.


    ''She''s using all the Origin her body umted to attack me¡­ This might work.''


    Taking a deep breath, Kai''s eyes turned sharper as he held his sword up. Eva stared at him with her empty, hollow eyes before she dashed forward at a speed that almost rivaled his.


    Kai did the same and the two met halfway, shing with their sword. A huge amount of Origin rippled through the air upon contact.


    Then, the two vanished and appeared somewhere else, shing violently. Each time they crossed swords, Eva would use a huge amount of Origin, forcefully pushing Kai back.


    Thetter wasn''tpletely at a disadvantage but because he had to make sure he didn''t harm Eva and also make sure she used Origin as much as possible, he had to change his fighting stylepletely.


    ''Her techniques didn''t change¡­ Her body is fighting the same as she does¡­ Just faster and stronger.'' Kai analyzed her movements as he tried to somehow create apletely opposite style of fighting to that of Eva on the spot.


    The reason for that was simple logic. If he were to be able to be theplete opposite of Eva, the fight wouldst a longer time. But, that was way easier said than done.


    *BANG*


    As Kai was about to shift his sword, Eva suddenly ducked down and surprised him with a piercing attack. Kai quickly tried to jump back but¡­ He was a split secondte. Eva''s sword pierced his stomach.


    ''This¡­ won''t be easy¡­'' Kai thought as hended on his feet. Blood has stopped gushing out of his stomach and the injury quickly healed. But, that didn''t make Kai feel any better about the situation. Fighting someone he can''t kill and can''t harm either wasn''t tricky. But, with Eva being tens of times stronger than before, it was certainly trickier.


    He had to outsmart Eva.

 Chapter 178 178- The Dawn Of a New World (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 178 Chapter 178- The Dawn Of a New World (Part 1)</h4>


    The fight continued for minutes as the two shed violently. Their silhouettes were barely traceable even for the trained eye.


    For the normal eye, however, they only appeared as shy colors of Orange that spread across the whole area, sending anything close to the location of the fight flying.


    Using his speed and strength, Kai guided the fight away from Kaya and any other possible citizen who might realize there was a gigantic fight going on. Before the operation started, Kai had made sure to shroud the castle in a visual illusion that hid all the stuff that might happen. Although an illusion of that scale required an astronomical amount of Origin, he still was able to handle it, albeit it still took a good chunk of his Origin pool.


    On top of that, he had to also create a soundproof field around the castle to stop the sound of destruction. That also consumed a lot of Origin and even more Origin to maintain while also fighting against a mindless creature that was using an immense amount of Origin while wielding one of the strongest weapons to ever exist.


    On the other hand, Eva seemed to bepletely unaware of her environment and the person she was fighting. Her eyes were an orange empty hallow of their past radiance. She didn''t hesitate to deliver lethal attacks aimed at Kai. However, thetter knew that this was all because Origin had taken over her mind and stopped her rational thoughts.


    *Swish*


    The two shed violently again, using their extensive skills and endless arsenal of sword techniques. Even with Eva''s chaotic state, her sword style didn''t lose its graceful and elegant nature. In fact, Kai could see that with her fightingpletely unrestrained, she seemed to have be even more adept at it.


    With a sh, Kai''s sword clung violently as he jumped back before he dodged another following attack.


    ''She''s losing Origin quickly¡­'' He thought as he deflected her sword again.


    However, the problem that he was facing at the moment was the length of the fight. Kai''s Origin pool wasn''t endless, even he would start feeling exhausted after this excessive use of Origin. Not to mention his illness that was linked to his usage of Origin which was rapidly reaching a critical stage.


    Even while fighting, Kai could feel the symptoms rising slowly. If he ends up getting the symptoms in the middle of the fight, he might suffer from a lethal attack or even die because of it. So, Kai needed to drain Eva from Origin as fast as possible.


    As the fight continued to get more and more brutal, in the far distance, Kaya slowly stood up with difficulty as she looked at the shing lights and loud rumbling of a brutal war urring in the distance.


    "What is happening there? I can feel Kai and the kiddo''s auras¡­" Kaya couldn''t understand at first. It seemed that Kai was fighting Eva for some reason.


    However, when she sensed Eva''s aura, Kaya almost stumbled again. As far as she knew, Eva wasn''t that strong.


    As Kaya was about to move toward the two, her senses suddenly picked up on a presence that was very far away from the fight. Her eyes immediately shot toward the exact location of this aura.


    "Something''s off¡­" She murmured before she changed her n.


    Even though she was worried sick about Kai, she also knew that her beloved was more than capable of handling the situation he was in. Hell, her presence might make it even more troublesome for him. So, instead, she decided to investigate this mysterious presence.


    As far she could tell, this person had something to do with the ck shadow walls that appeared out of nowhere.


    ''Ugh, my body still hurts¡­'' Clenching her teeth, she ignored the pain from the injuries she sustained and quickly summoned a huge eagle before she jumped on top of it and flew into the distance.


    It didn''t take her long to reach her destination before she jumped from the back of the eagle andnded on the roof of the building.


    "Woah¡­ Superheronding!" Almost immediately, she heard the sound of someone pping followed by a sarcastic remark.


    Looking back, she asked the ck figure. "You''re quite the annoying bastard, aren''t you? I ran through 4 packets of chips from boredom because of you. How are you going to take responsibility for my weight gain?"


    "My apologies, miss. But, I can give you some good tips for training if you want."


    "No need. Now, I want to know who the hell are you and why are you here. Depending on your answer, I might not break every bone in your body."


    The ck figure finally stood up and looked back at Kaya. Even under his veil of mysteriousness, Kaya could see the mirth in his eyes.


    "Hey, hey, I''m just here for the show. Look, I even brought some popcorn with me."


    "Show? How did you know of this?"


    "A hunch¡­ Ehem, actually, no, it''s more of a sixth sense. My sixth sense is being able to know what the ck Phantom would do next."


    Kaya''s eyes squinted at this man. She didn''t know whether he was a hostile enemy or a weirdo from the Guild. Either way, he didn''t strike her as someone with the intention to fight¡­ At least not when everyone is still alerted.


    "What do you want from the ck Phantom?"


    "Oh, nothing. I''m just a hardcore fan of his work and so I make sure to attend all of his concerts and one-man shows." The man replied yfully. "Call it a hobby of mine."


    "And is this creepy stalking of yours something he is aware of?"


    The ck figure didn''t reply immediately as if he was thinking of an answer before he shrugged. "Maybe. Anyway, since Grey has been killed. I have nothing more to do here."


    "Grey is killed?"


    ''So, Kai is indeed fighting Eva¡­ What the hell happened down there?'' Kaya was getting more and more worried now.


    "It''s truly fascinating how in a mere few hours, the Guild will be no more. It''s truly a night like no other. After today, the world as a whole will changepletely." The man said with an almost ecstatic tone.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Hahaha, of course, I''m talking about the bnce of power. With the Guild''s end, Divinity will now be the one and only ruler of the underworld. The world will be their new ydough to mold and shape however they want."


    "..."


    "I''m beyond excited to see what will happen. Ah, what a great time to be alive!"


    Then, the ck Figure slowly started descending into a pond of darkness that umted beneath him.


    "Hey, wait!" Dashing forward, Kaya tried to catch the man, only to end up grabbing nothing.


    "If the ck Phantom asks you about me, and he will. Tell him that ''The other side sends you its regards.''. He will get it. Bye-bye ~" The ck figure said as he vanishedpletely, leaving no trace behind him.


    "The other side sends its regards¡­ What the fuck does that mean?" Kaya murmured to herself. This man really ticked her off. However, his words were true to a certain extent. The world will never be the same after tonight.


    *BOOOOM*


    "Right! I need to go back!" Shaking those thoughts away, Kaya quickly summoned her eagle again and flew back to the heart of the battle as fast as possible.

 Chapter 179 179- The Dawn Of a New World (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 179 Chapter 179- The Dawn Of a New World (Part 2)</h4>


    Kaya flew through the air at top speed until she reached the nearby area of the fight before she jumped down. Her face was as serious as ever as she examined the events that were happening not that far away.


    "My god¡­" Seeing what was happening, she froze in her ce for a second. Calling the fight brutal was an understatement.


    The sheer power being shown was staggering, to say the least. It was as if two monsters were going at each other, trying to kill each other. Except, when Kaya looked closer, Kai seemed to be restraining himself greatly as he stuck to simply defending and dodging.


    ''He''s trying not to hurt her¡­ Shit! What did that kiddo do?!'' Kaya''s eyes moved to stare at Eva.


    Her outer appearance was now ironically looking divine. The orange halo around her, the gigantic sword in her hand that was rippling with energy, and her aura, all exuded a royal presence like no other.


    The more Kaya looked at her, the more she couldn''t look away. Yet, at the same time, a strong sense of dread filled her heart from this Eva.


    She wasn''t the cheerful yet also childish kiddo she knew. No, she was now a chaotic, cold, and ruthless killing machine. Her eyes had lost all sense of familiarity.


    "Kai!!!" Finally, not bearing seeing her beloved and the person she considered her rival fighting brutally, she decided that she needed to do something.


    Her voice rippled through the air, reaching Kai''s ears. Thetter''s eyes moved to look at her for a split second before returning to the fight at the same instant as Eva attacked him.


    "Leave, Kaya! She isn''t under control!" He replied as he jumped back, avoiding a huge attack that created a terrifying crater in the ground. Eva then dashed after him like a beast hungrily trying to hunt down prey.


    "Is there a way I can help?!" Kaya yelled again.


    The ck Phantom didn''t immediately reply as his mind ran through quick and possible events that could happen. It didn''t take him long to create a new n. Someone like Kaya was strong enough to help.


    As he was about to reply to her, Kai''s eyes suddenly widened as he felt strong, unbearable pain fill his body in a split second.


    ''Shit¡­ Not now¡­'' Cursing, Kai''s body staggered back. At the same time, Eva had lunged at him like a hungry monster with her sword aimed at his neck. Everything happened in a split second, fast enough to make Kai unable to react.


    The worst had happened. His symptoms kicked in, and at the worst time too. Now, Kai was a mere inches away from death as the de of the Progenitor''s sword slit through the air, aiming to take his life.


    Right at that moment, Kai really had nothing he could do. His body was paralyzed as his heart threatened to explode at any second. The devastating effect of blood reversing its flow was enough to kill him instantly if it wasn''t for his unnaturally strong body.


    Clenching his teeth, Kai''s mind raced as he tried to find a solution. He wasn''t going to let himself die. Not here, not now. How ironic would it be if the cause of his death wasn''t his terminal illness but the girl who swore to love him for the rest of her life? Granted, she wasn''t to be med since her mind wasn''t even working at that moment, but it was still rather ironic.


    *Swish* *BANG*


    As Eva''s sword was about to slice through Kai''s neck, a silhouette appeared out of nowhere and kicked Eva into the distance.


    ''Kaya¡­'' Kai''s eyes squinted slightly as he fell down, coughing a huge amount of blood.


    "Kai!!!"


    "I''m fine¡­ Hah¡­ Hah¡­ I need¡­ just a few second¡­" He said as he channeled his Origin. Since his symptoms temporarily reversed his blood flow, Kai discovered that if he instantly reversed his blood using his Momentum Talent, the effects of the symptoms would lessen greatly.


    Granted, it didn''tpletely diminish the effects, but it was still good enough for the circumstances they were in. Being able to fight but with an exhausted and near-dead body is better than losing consciousnesspletely for all Kai cared.


    Kaya looked at him silently for a second, deep worry apparent on her face before she nodded her head.


    "Leave it to me¡­"


    Then, Kaya stood up and faced Eva who was already dashing toward them.


    "I don''t know what happened to you, Kiddo. But, you sure have the guts to attack Kai. I''m sorry, but I''m going to be rough."


    Kaya then crossed her fingers before. A huge amount of Origin surged through her body.


    "ck Death¡­" Murmuring those words, a ck hallow appeared around Kaya before it transferred away from her body, forming a creature that was far different from her normal summons.


    A huge, horrifying snake appeared around Kaya. The snake''s color was ck, as dark as the night sky. Its eyes were a chilling shade of red.


    Hissing wickedly, the snake glided around Kaya.


    "Don''t harm her¡­" She murmured to the snake before she left it to move on its own.


    The huge snake glided quickly toward Eva before it quickly tried to surround itself around Eva. Thetter didn''t even take a second to think before she sliced down, sending a powerful Origin sword attack, aimed at the snake''s body.


    An attack of that caliber would easily be able to slice the snake in two. However, the moment the attack connected with the snake''s body, it suddenly diverged up as if it hit a slippery surface. The sword sh exploded in the middle of the sky, creating a beautiful light that illuminated the whole castle, or whatever was left of it.


    "Too naive, kiddo. I''m not dumb enough to give you an easy target to kill especially when I''m just stalling for time. That snake''s skin is basically unhittable unless you have some kind of trick up your sleeve which you clearly don''t."


    As Kaya spoke, she quickly closed the distance between her and Eva. When she was close enough, she punched the ground, sending a huge shockwave that pulverized the stone. A chain of cracks spread across the ce, reaching Eva.


    Thetter was about to move again when she suddenly lost footing and found herself falling down inside a hole created by Kaya''s punch.


    At the same time, the ck snake also moved and quickly surrounded the hole, closing any possible escape routes for Eva.


    "Got you, Kiddo¡­" Kaya was about to smile triumphantly, only to end up freezing from shock.


    *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*


    A huge explosion urred inside the hole that sent the snake flying in the air. A loud hiss of pain escaped the snake''s mouth as it fell to the ground.


    "How¡­" Before Kaya could even utter her shock, Eva had jumped outside and appeared in front of her with her sword piercing forward.


    Kaya clenched her teeth before she kicked the sword to the side with all of her power. Upon contact, the Origin exuding from the sword sliced through Kaya''s leg, only stopping at the bone since it was very tough.


    "Ugh!" Groaning audibly, Kaya found herself standing on one single foot with the other gushing a huge amount of blood.


    On the other hand, Eva was unscathed from the kick as she jumped on her feet and was about to attack Kaya again. Thetter frowned visibly. The situation was now even worse than before¡­ By a lot.


    *Swish*


    Closing the distance between them, Eva delivered a devastating attack on Kaya. Thetter could only use her Origin to defend against it as she lost movement in her leg. But, at thest second, Kaya found herself being pushed to the side as Kai appeared in her ce.


    "Enough¡­" He murmured coldly as he tapped the sword. "Reverse."


    *BOOOOOOOOM*

 Chapter 180 180- The Dawn Of a New World (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 180 Chapter 180- The Dawn Of a New World (Part 3)</h4>


    The Momentum Talent was, in and out of itself, a very destructive ability. It''s something undodgeable and unstoppable too. Because it is the result of the opponent''s attack being reversed and thrown at them, it''s not something that could be physically manipted.


    Hell, except for changing the direction, Kai can''t control the Momentum either. He can''t decrease or increase the effect, he also can''t stop its ring downside. Apart from the huge amount of Origin needed to execute it, the talent also affects the user as much as it affects the target.


    ''Tsk¡­'' Cursing inwardly, Kai felt the pain from the impact attack hit him right in the face. Even when reversing the attack''s momentum, Kai still would feel the direct pain from the hit on his body.


    He still didn''t know the reason for that downside and never really bothered to since his pain tolerance made it easy for him to ept the damage of almost everything that exists. However, this didn''t seem to be the same case for Eva''s sword. Each attack from that thing was so painful, even for someone like Kai.


    However, he didn''t have time to whine or stop. The fight is reaching its climax and everything he does from this point onwards will be crucial in determining whether Eva will live or die.


    With that in mind, Kai dashed after Eva who hadnded slightly far away before she rolled on her feet and dashed toward him at top speed. Kai noticed that her speed had decreased considerably. Her aura also lost some of its color.


    ''Good, it''s working¡­''


    The two shed violently. Kai''s eyes stared directly at Eva''s through the broken mask.


    ''Come on, Eva. You can take control of your body again. Make it easier to help you¡­'' He thought to himself as he fought back the rampaging Eva.


    Seconds passed as the fight started taking a different path. Kai was slowly overpowering the weakened Eva. His speed had definitely decreased too, but not as much as Eva''s. Though, Kai''s weakened body was screaming for him to stop and take some rest. Hell, blood was still leaking out of his mouth.


    Eventually, one of Kai''s attacks pushed Eva back, making her stumble. At that moment, Kai''s eyes turned sharper as he jumped on Eva before he grabbed both of her arms. Then, he pushed her down, restricting her movements. Thetter tried to resist with all of her power.


    "Look at me, Eva. I know you''re there. You aren''t being yourself now." He spoke calmly as he used more force to keep her motionless.


    At that moment, Eva''s eyesnded on Kai''s purple irises and weirdly, she stopped resisting. Her dead eyes sparked briefly with a sane light as if she recognized him.


    "Let me help you, Eva." He spoke again. "You said you will make sure I get the cure for my sickness. You are far from that goal. Are you going to give up here and now?" His voice was the same for most people. But, for Eva and Kaya, they could notice the clear gentle, and warmth in it.


    It was something they yearned for more than anything else and it seems even when she was in this state, Eva would still recognize her beloved''s voice.


    "K¡­ ai?" She said in a hoarse, weak voice as if she was still fighting something.


    Slowly, her dead eyes started regaining some light as her raging aura visibly calmed down. That''s when Kai put his finger on her forehead before he closed his eyes.


    ''I need to extract all the Origin in her body.'' He thought to himself as he quickly pried into Eva''s body. Then, using his Origin, he started slowly kicking all the unpurified Origin that was raging inside her body.


    Immediately, a loud groan escaped Eva''s mouth. Her body fidgeted from the sheer torture. But, she didn''t try to push Kai away.


    At the same time, huge amounts of Origin were exiting her body. On her side, the Progenitor''s sword also turned into orange particles and started dissipating in the air.


    Moments passed slowly before Kai eventually pulled his finger away and fell down to the side. His face was trickling with sweat and his breathing was ragged.


    Eva hadpletely returned to normal and was sleeping soundly next to him. Her beautiful face was messy with dirt and blood. But, she was still as beautiful as ever.


    "Kai!!" Kaya rushed to him as fast as she could with her useless leg.


    "I''m fine¡­" He replied as he slowly rose from the ground. However, that mere movement made him cough a few mouthfuls of blood.


    "Oh no!" Kaya was panicking on the side, not knowing what to do. Her beloved seemed to be struggling to even move and she couldn''t use her leg yet. How can she call for help for him? Can she even carry him to a hospital with her useless leg?


    "I said I''m fine¡­ I just need to breathe some air¡­" Kai replied in a low tone as he sat down cross-legged before looking up, inhaling and exhaling audibly. His body will need some time to recover from the symptoms.


    Kaya looked at him for a second before she exhaled in relief and fell down on the ground, right beside him.


    "Is the kiddo going to be ok?"


    "Is it finally over?" She asked with a tired tone. Her body felt so painful all over that she just wanted to sleep forever.


    "Yes¡­ It''s over." Kai replied as the two looked at the horizon. The sun was slowly rising up, announcing the start of a new day. Who thought that all of this happened in a mere night? Hell, it felt like months'' worth of events happened to Kai, Eva, and Kaya.


    "Thank god¡­ We¡­ We did it¡­" Kaya said as a small, beautiful smile appeared on her face. She really felt relieved that everything was finally over.


    "I''m¡­ I''m taking a vacation from everything for 100 years¡­" She murmured.


    "Are you even allowed to do that?" Kai asked without looking.


    "Divinity can go fuck itself. I''m not going back to work for a long while. We deserve a vacation from everything for at least a while, don''t we?" Kaya retorted as she turned around and stared at Kai. Her eyes were akin to two mas that could attract anyone into staring at them.


    "Maybe you''re right¡­"


    Kai was especially delighted that he could finally rest from all this Guild stuff. Granted, he still had many things to do. There is the matter of his illness that he needed to attend to as fast as possible. There was also the map he bought from the auction which he still didn''t find the opportunity to open yet. And finally, there was that matter with the woman named ire.


    But, all in all, the biggest problem yet had been solved and Kai could finallyy low for a while.


    As they were like that, suddenly, a loud scream reached their ears.


    "YOU BASTARD, Arthur!!!" Taylor yelled as she red at Arthur with her bow aimed at his face. "Exin yourself before I nt an arrow in your fucking brain!!"


    On her side were the other 2 Archangels, Elvi and Zero. They all stared at Arthur and the person lying beside him, swimming in their own blood. It was the dead corpse of L with her headpletely severed. There was no trace of the two Executioners they were fighting.


    [End Of Volume 2]


    (A//N: Finally, end of volume 2. That took a while, lol. Anyway, hopefully, you enjoyed it. The name of this volume is ''The Hitman Guild''s Incident.''.)

 Chapter 181 181- Normal Life (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 181 Chapter 181- Normal Life (Part 1)</h4>


    *RING* *RING*


    Early in the morning, the sound of an rm clock echoed across the room. A secondter, the figure hidden under the nket moved, rustling the bed in the process. Then, an arm extended and turned the rm off.


    Kai then woke up from the bed and walked toward the bathroom to wash his face. His daily routine was always and will always be simple. He knew that people loved to make their morning routines as productive as possible. But, he didn''t see any reason for that. They have the entirety of the day to aplish things, so why the rush?


    Well, in any case, he had no reason to try and do anything new in the morning. Just his sacred one hour of meditation.


    It has been exactly 1 week since the Hitman Guild incident and the events that transpired during this short period of time were rather eye-catching.


    First of all, the whole underworld was shaken to its core that morning when they found the whole Hitman Guild destroyedpletely. Nothing was left of the previously majestic Organization. The ones that were shocked the most were the hitmen who worked under the Guild, then there were the ns that had deep rtions with them, and finally, Divinity.


    Each one of these groups was shocked by this event, for different reasons. However, they all shared one single thought. ''Who did it?''.


    To topple down an Organization of the Guild caliber in one single night was something one can''t even imagine in their wildest dreams and yet reality said otherwise. So, naturally, everyone would turn around to look for the culprit.


    The ones who didn''t know were the hitmen and the Guild ns. Divinity, on the other hand, quickly realized the answer since their Archangels had participated in that event. Kai still didn''t know what Divinity did to the Archangels, especially after one of them died.


    But, he could easily predict that they were quite delighted with the oue. Losing their biggest rival in one night was the best gift the higher-ups of Divinity could ever dream of.


    All in all, the underworld was now a chaotic mess. It didn''t take Kai long to hear news about families attacking each other, hitmen murdering one another in mysterious circumstances, and even the rise of new Organizations that wanted to take the Guild''s ce.


    However, all of that didn''t matter to him. The underworld could burn to ashes and he wouldn''t even bat an eye. They were no longer of his concern.


    Anyway, Kai, Eva, and Kaya had other things to deal with. The first one was to get Eva to the hospital where she was able to recover in peace. It took Eva a few days to wake up and when she did, she ended up apologizing profusely to Kai while crying.


    After hearing what she did, the sheer self-ming she put on herself made her depressed. She couldn''t forgive herself for putting Kai and Kaya''s life in danger. It took Kai a while to appease her and make her understand that she wasn''t to be med. In the end, it turned out well, even though Eva was still regretful, she was able to at least muster up a smile.


    As for Kaya, she had to go back to Divinity as soon as she recovered. It has been a few days since she left and she hasn''te back yet, although she stayed in contact with Kai every day.


    Aside from that, Kai was able to return to school two days ago. Nobody tried to question his absence at all and he quickly returned to the calm rhythm of his peaceful life.


    After finishing his meditation session, Kai went to the kitchen and started preparing breakfast. It didn''t take long before he heard the sound of the door knocking.


    Opening the door, he found Eva outside, looking around the ce curiously as if she hadn''te here a million times already.


    When she saw Kai''s face, her face bloomed into a mesmerizing smile.


    "Good morning, my love~" Giving him a small hug, she quickly pulled away. "Sorry, I came a little earlier than I intended to. I was excited to eat your breakfast." She said.


    "Good morning," Kai replied before he moved to the side, allowing Eva to walk inside.


    The two went back to the kitchen. Eva sat down at the table as she watched Kai cook fondly. This has been her routine for the past few days. Kai had allowed her toe to his apartement for breakfast and Eva dly epted. Granted, they can''t walk to school together. But, this was an improvement and Eva was more than happy to wee it, as small of a change as it is.


    "Is your family ok?" Kai broke the silence with a question.


    "Yeah, I called them yesterday. No one dared to attack them. I guess the fact that our name is linked with the ck Phantom scared everyone away. Thank you for that~"


    "Mhm¡­" Kai hummed quietly as he continued cooking.


    The two remained infortable silence for a while. Looking back at the first time they reunited, Eva could only giggle slightly at how much had changed. They went on adventures across the world, fought countless enemies, and even trained together. All of this happened in a mere few months. The best months of Eva''s life.


    ''A few months, huh¡­ So that much time passed¡­'' She thought to herself before looking at Kai''s back again with a sad expression. Her fond memories of these past few months were soured by one single detail.


    "How are you feeling now, Kai?" She asked with a hesitant tone. The pain in her heart from what happened a week ago was still as vivid as ever. Eva doubted she would be able to forgive herself for the rest of her life. But, she knew that she couldn''t just stay depressed forever, either.


    "I''m fine," Kai replied calmly. He could easily discern theplicated emotions in her tone.


    "What about your¡­" She asked.


    "I know how to stop the symptoms, no need to worry."


    "I see¡­"


    Hearing her downcast voice, Kai turned around. Eva was now looking down, a gloomy aura appeared around her.


    "Sigh, I told you not to worry, didn''t I?" He asked as he walked toward her.


    "I know, it''s just¡­ No, it''s fine, I will stop worrying."


    Crouching down, Kai looked at her silently for a second. "You''re clearly contradicting yourself."


    "..."


    "I''m making some progress on my investigation. It''s not much. But, I''m getting to something."


    It was the truth, in the past few days, Kai discovered some things about his sickness. Granted, it didn''t get him any closer to the cure. But progress was made and he was satisfied with that.


    "Really?" Eva''s eyes lit up with happiness as she grabbed Kai''s hands. "Show me what you found. I will see if I can find anything useful on my side."


    "After breakfast." Tapping her forehead gently, Kai stood up and walked back to the kitchen counter.


    "Hey! Don''t treat me like a kid."


    "I''m not."


    "Yes, you are. As an adult, breakfast isn''t that important. Besides, we can go for weeks with no food and we would still be fine."


    "You aren''t an adult and going weeks without food will still harm your health even if it doesn''t affect your body visibly," Kai replied.


    "Tsk, unfair¡­" As Eva sulked yfully on the table, Kai simply shook his head and continued cooking silently.


    From an outsider''s point of view, the two seemed like a married couple bickering and flirting openly.

 Chapter 182 182- Normal Life (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 182 Chapter 182- Normal Life (Part 2)</h4>


    After breakfast, Kai led Eva to his room. There, on the table, stacks of paper and books could be seen upying all the space. There were even some on the ground.


    On the wall were also sticky notes filled with well¡­ Notes.


    "What is all of this?" Eva asked with a stupified expression.


    "I needed some references that I couldn''t find on the web so I had to go out and get them."


    "Where did you even get these books? Hmm, ''Introductory level for theoretical Origin''." Picking up a book, she read the title. All of these books were only found in Divinity''s libraries, the Guild''s libraries, or in the possession of ns and families.


    "Don''t bother. It took me some effort to get them. But, the important thing is that I have discovered a few things."


    Eva sat down and listened to Kai attentively as he started exining. "The first thing I discovered is that my symptoms are directly rted to Origin. The more Origin I try to use, the more the chances of the symptoms appearing increase. I think it has something with my main talent."


    "Main talent?"


    "I don''t know how that works. But, it seems to be the case. Although, I''ve never used my main talent before. I guess it''s more about the Origin-pumping aspect of it, not the power itself."


    "Wait, wait, wait. Hold on a second! You¡­ You never used your main talent before?!" Eva asked as she shook her head, her eyes blinking profusely.


    "Not in years," Kai replied.


    "..." Eva was speechless for a good minute. "So, Momentum Talent isn''t¡­ your main talent?"


    "No. I never said it was."


    Eva was beyond shocked at that moment. This whole time, she thought Kai''s main talent was the momentum one. Why wouldn''t she think so? That talent was absurdly strong, destructive enough to beat any enemy, versatile enough to be used in basically any situation, and also fit Kai''s fighting style perfectly as if it was the center of it.


    Yet, turns out, she was wrong¡­ Very wrong.


    If that absurd talent wasn''t the main one¡­ Then, what the hell was his main talent?


    "I can''t disclose what my main talent is. It''s for the best interest of everyone." Kai said in a ratherplicated tone that made Eva even more confused. Still, she nodded her head in understanding. She respects Kai''s wish to keep his power hidden.


    "So, what else did you discover?"


    "The second thing is that depending on how much power I use, the effect of the symptoms will be more destructive. However, there was another case of those symptoms happening to me when I was not even using Origin."


    Eva looked confused for a second before she nodded her head.


    "I still am not quite sure why or how it happens."


    ''Those eyes¡­ They were familiar. But, I can''t put my hand on where I remember them.''


    Those eyes appeared to Kai exactly two times. Running through his memory, Kai could determine twomon themes between the two events. The first one is that in both cases, Kai was in a ce that had some kind of link to pharmaceuticals. The one from a few years ago was when he was on a mission to assassinate the CEO of apany that was selling Leviathium to Divinity even though they were connected to the Guild. They also sold a good amount of their medicine, potions, and other things to Divinity. The second time was when he entered Chamagne''s hiddenb where they researched all forms of drugs, medicines, and other rted things to that.


    Kai didn''t know if that was pure coincidence or not. But, since hecked clues, he used all he could get.


    ''There is also what Kaya told me a few days ago. A shadowy figure¡­ ''The other side sends its regards''.'' Although Kai understood that message, he still couldn''t determine who was that person.


    "Kai?" Eva called for her beloved when she noticed him falling into deep thought.


    "It''s nothing. Anyway, that''s all I could discover for now. I''m sure more things will get revealed with time."


    "Hopefully¡­ I have a library in my parents'' house. I will see if I can find any useful books."


    Turning around, Kai walked to the table and picked up two items from it. A rolled map and a very old book.


    "I also inspected these two things and I must say¡­ They''re something." Kai spoke with a curious tone.


    When Kai finally had time to check the map, he was a little underwhelmed by its content. It only had a very old and even inurate depiction of the world. Some continents were missing while others were drawn in a different shape than their actual forms. It even made Kai think that the one who drew it was an amateur and not one of the best adventurers this world had ever seen.


    However, that all changed when Kai read the book that he collected from the castle. This book which was allegedly written by the Progenitor was rather interesting. Although it was missing a huge amount of pages, Kai could understand from the bits and pieces left that the Progenitor had left countless treasures across the world, hidden somewhere.


    The book didn''t specify where, how, or what these things are. But, it didn''t take Kai long to realize something.


    ''The way the progenitor describes the locations in the world¡­ It''s almost simr to this map¡­''


    Since the book was in and out of itself a diary. The Progenitor had made sure to describe the ces he went to and what he did there. When Kaipared that with the map, the simrities were uncanny.


    Which meant one of two things, either these two things were fake and the one who created them was just trying to pretend to be the Progenitor and hispanions. Or¡­ The world was indeed apletely different ce thousands of years ago. And by different, he means that somehow, in a mere few thousand years, the continents shifted their appearance, some continents dissapeared, while others appeared in their ce.


    Such drastic changes would need millions and even tens of millions of years to happen and even then, it would still be highly unlikely continents could appear and disappear just like that without anyone noticing.


    Eva seemed to share the same concern and confusion.


    "What are we really looking at?" She asked.


    "I¡­ really don''t know. But, if it''s true, there is something hidden behind all of this. Something that''s not normal at all." Kai said with a frown.


    ***


    "ire! ire! Are you awake?!" A woman d in a professional suit knocked on the door of a room.


    Her face was sweaty and her breathing was erratic. But, the excitement in her eyes was as visible as day.


    A few secondster, the door opened, and an extremely beautiful girl holding a cane in her hand appeared in front of the woman. The girl had mesmerizing silver hair that reached her shoulder, a beautiful white face that shone under the dim light of the corridors, and a graceful figure that would draw anyone in, never letting them out.


    However, the most noticeable thing about her was the red handkerchief that covered her eyes.


    "What?"


    "The huge announcement went well¡­ Overwhelmingly well. Look! ''The legendaryposer and singer ire Redsky announces her return after a 10-year hiatus!!''. It''s on the main page of all magazines, newspapers, and all the news channels across the world!!"

 Chapter 183 183- Claire Redsky

    <h4>Chapter 183 Chapter 183- ire Redsky?</h4>


    From the first look, one would think this girl was weird for wearing a red handkerchief over her eyes. But, that wouldn''t be the case for most people who see ire. The reason for that was what happened exactly 10 years ago on that same day.


    A girl, no older than 5 years old, and blind appeared out of nowhere in the music industry, dropping an album that people didn''t even hear of before. It was unheard of that a girl that young would actually be able to sing a song let alone make a whole album. However, shockingly enough, when people heard the album, they were bbergasted.


    It wasn''t bad. Hell, it wasn''t even just good or excellent, it was a masterpiece. People who heard it cried,ughed, and felt a myriad of emotions like nothing before. ire''s angelic voice and her amazing piano skills made people instantly fall in love with her songs.


    In a few days, the album exploded in poprity, reaching the highest ranks across all websites and gathering hundreds of millions of listens.


    The reaction of people was overwhelmingly positive to the point where the world only spoke about this genius, 5-year-old singer.


    When they came to realize that she was also blind, they grew to like ire even more. In as short as a few weeks, turned from an unknown person to a superstar in the eyes of the masses.


    Then, for the next few months, she went on tours, and interviews and lived the life of a superstar.


    However, sadly, that allsted a mere few months before this genius singer vanished from the eyes of people out of nowhere. Her agency didn''t release any statement about her whereabouts even though people pushed them for an exnation. ire simply disappeared.


    Then, time passed slowly and people started talking about that girl less and less until her name vanished from the mainstream media and became a mere memory that people recalled from time to time.


    "Look! The announcement alone got 50 million views in a few hours!!" The woman showed ire her phone with an excited look.


    ''Oh¡­'' Suddenly, the agent realized her blunder before she blushed furiously. ''I''m such a moron. How can she look at it when she can''t see?!'' The woman coughed awkwardly before she pulled the phone away.


    Then, she looked at ire. Thetter didn''t seem to have any reaction at all. In fact, her nk expression made the woman even more concerned.


    ''Why do I feel like she''s staring at me¡­ I always felt that she could see around her even though she shouldn''t be able to.'' The woman wondered.


    "I see. That''s good." Finally, ire spoke out in a quiet tone.


    "Ehem, can Ie inside? We need to discuss something."


    ire nodded her head before she moved to the side, allowing the woman to enter her room.


    The moment she stepped inside, the agent was frozen for a second. A beautiful, flowery smell filled her nostrils, making her subconsciously rx.


    ''What a beautiful smell¡­'' She thought to herself.


    The woman only shook herself from her trance state when she saw ire pass beside her and sit down on the bed. What truly fascinated the woman about this blind girl was her aura. It wasn''t domineering nor powerful yet carried such a profound charm to it that she couldn''t fathom.


    It was as if the moment she enters a room, everyone would feel her presence, no matter who they were. But, they wouldn''t really know whether it was her confidence that brought such an attention or something else.


    "So, what is it?" ire asked.


    "Oh, right. I''m here to talk about your first appearance in public. I''m not sure why you insisted on it being a full concert. Shouldn''t we first appear in an interview? That way people would remember you before the concert?" She asked.


    However, ire shook her head.


    "No need. I decided on what I wanted to do."


    "I understand. But¡­"


    "Emilia, please. No more persuasion." ire spoke in a slightly sterner tone.


    "Y-Yes, my apologies, I will stop."


    "Anything else?"


    "Yes, this is Miss Rose had gave me her number so I can give it to you. She told me that she had lost her phone and she couldn''t contact you because she was busy."


    The moment Emilia began talking, ire''s whole aura changed for a split second. However, Emilia didn''t notice that as she continued. "She told me to tell you to call her as soon as you can."


    Handing the piece of paper to ire, Emillia was about to pick up the phone.


    "No need. I can do it myself." ire replied.


    "... I see. Ok, I will excuse myself then."


    Emilia then bowed slightly and left the room. ire stayed in her ce, not moving for a long while. Nobody knew what was running through her mind.


    "I guess it''s time¡­" She murmured before she picked up the phone and dialed the number given to her. If Emilia had seen that, she would''ve been shocked out of her mind.


    Calling the number, ire for a second before someone picked up.


    "ire! Hey, sorry I couldn''t contact you for a while. I was busy with work and I also lost my phone. Ugh, it was a hassle getting my contacts back. But since yours is special, I could only give you my number."


    "Mm¡­" ire responded.


    "So, how have you been? Oh, right, I heard the news. I''m really happy for you, ire! I always knew that you would make aeback. The world of music needs you!"


    "Do you know who stole your phone?" ire asked after a pause.


    "Oh? Stole? Nobody stole it from me. It probably fell from my pocket somewhere."


    "..."


    "ire?"


    "Nothing. Do you remember any particr people from the day of the auction? Anyone that caught your attention?"


    "Hmmm, let me remember. Oh, right! I forgot to tell you! That day, I met this very handsome guy. He was the most beautiful man I have ever seen. But, he was really rude and didn''t even speak to me properly and then you know what? We stumbled upon each other after the auction."


    "How¡­ did he look?"


    "Oh, I think he had slightly greyish hair and blue eyes and he was tall, very tall actually. Why are you asking all these questions? Are you perhaps¡­ ire! Don''t tell me!!"


    While Rose was freaking out, thinking that her friend was finally starting to show interest in the opposite sex, thetter waspletely focused on something else.


    ''He changed his appearance¡­'' ire thought to herself with a nk expression.


    "ire? Are you still there? Ugh, the connection is really bad for some reason."


    "Yes."


    "So, as I was saying¡­"


    Rose then continued speaking to ire about all sorts of things while ire listened quietly. The two had been friends for years now, ever since ire rose to fame. The two stayed in contact ever since and even met whenever they could.


    ire liked Rose''s cheerful and energetic personality and Rose liked ire''s quiet honesty and sincerity. In a world of fake people, the two found each other and they became very close friends.

 Chapter 184 184- Basketball Match (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 184 Chapter 184- Basketball Match (Part 1)</h4>


    After finishing their long discussions, Kai and Eva left the apartement and headed to school. At some point, they had to go in different paths to not catch attention.


    Reaching their destination, the two entered the ss. Eva was greeted by everyone while Kai simply passed the group of students and walked to his seat.


    Time passed quietly until around 11 PM when the students had to leave their ss. They had a PE lesson.


    Kai didn''t particrly hate or like PE. He generally kept himself low-key even when ying. He wasn''t bad but wasn''t good either.


    Leaving the ss, he went straight to the changing room. He was the first to arrive as he quickly changed his clothes at the speed of light and left the changing room. He didn''t want anyone to see the horrifying scars on his body nor did he want to use illusion talent to hide them.


    Luckily, since the PE uniform covered up to his wrists, he didn''t have to worry about the scars showing.


    Meanwhile, Eva had to walk to the changing room with her female friends. During the time she spent there, she was able to make a few acquaintances. She wouldn''t call them friends but she had a friendly rtionship with them.


    When they reached the changing room and started changing, all the girls ended up staring at Eva as she got rid of her shirt.


    Seeing her jaw-dropping figure, they could only feel shocked that a girl with that figure even existed.


    "Miss Eva, ehem, can I ask a question?" One of the girls decided to ask.


    "Hm?" Eva, who still didn''t realize that she was being stared at turned around.


    "What¡­ Ehem, can you tell us your diet n?"


    "Diet n?" Eva asked with confusion.


    The girl blushed slightly as she looked down. Eva''s body was simply too dazzling for her eyes.


    "Hmm, I don''t have a diet, to be honest. I just eat enough not to feel hungry."


    ''And Origin does the rest¡­'' She continued in her head.


    Eva doesn''t need to train daily to maintain her figure as Origin always keeps her fit. It was one of the perks of being an Origin User.


    "Really?! So your body is¡­ naturally like that?"


    "Yes?" Eva replied with a confused look.


    The girls couldn''t believe their ears when they heard her. How can she have a body like that without the need to train or be on a very strict diet? Or maybe, because her figure is one of a kind, it can only be achieved by pure gics.


    ''Ah~ Miss Eva is truly amazing. She''s beautiful, kind, and reliable¡­''


    ''How can someone be this perfect? We''re truly blessed¡­''


    The girls thought to themselves. Meanwhile, Eva sighed and continued changing. She knew that their minds were running wild but she was too tired to try and correct them.


    After finishing, Eva walked out, followed by the girls.


    They walked toward the open field at the back of the school. There, a myriad of sports could be yed. Football, handball, tennis, and also swimming. Although the school is small, it is still very renowned for its contributions to sports events dedicated to high schoolers in the country.


    They had great sports teams across all sports.


    The lesson started with a simple warm-up before they started ying different sports. Each group decided on what they wanted to y.


    Kai decided to sit down on the grassy ground and watched everyone y as he enjoyed the light breeze of the spring. Realizing that winter was over, he felt a little delighted. Kai never liked the cold temperatures of the winter, especially at night even though he could easily warm himself up.


    Something about the gloominess of the winter didn''t sit well with him. His eyes then shifted to look at the students ying.


    Seeing Eva ying tennis, Kai lingered on her for a while. Predictably, Eva was great at it. Her precision and speed were top-notch.


    ''She really doesn''t hold back, does she?'' He thought to himself.


    Unlike him, Eva didn''t bother to hide her abilities. She didn''t like attention nor did she hate it. Being the daughter of a prestigious family, she understood how to look and act in the eyes of countless people. These students were nothing new.


    Time passed quietly until the end of the lesson. Today was the day he collected the sports tools and brought them back to the storage. As everyone walked away, Eva saw that Kai was left alone and her face turned a little sad.


    "Miss Eva?"


    "You guys go ahead first. I forgot to get something." She said.


    The girls nodded their heads before they left. Then, Eva smiled and walked toward Kai.


    "Need any help, my fellow student?" She said in a teasing tone.


    Kai looked at her for a second before he continued picking things up.


    "Did anyone see you?"


    "No."


    He nodded his head quietly and didn''t say anything else. Eva took that as a sign that he didn''t mind her staying there so she started helping him.


    The two quickly finished picking things up before they carried them toward the storage. As they were leaving the storage, ready to go home, a group of students stopped them.


    "Hey, are you Eva Lavine?!"


    "Hmm?" Eva looked at the group with a confused expression.


    The group in front of them seemed to be that of seniors. They were all rather tall, not as tall as Kai, but still good enough for a basketball team. They all had fierce looks on their faces.


    "So it was you, wasn''t it? The one that paralyzed Taro!" The leader of this group yelled angrily.


    "Taro?" Eva looked confused. Who the hell is Taro?


    Kai also looked rather confused at first before he remembered who Taro was. It was the guy who tried to hit on Eva a few months ago when she first arrived in the city. Kai doesn''t remember exactly what she did to him but apparently, she had paralyzed him.


    ''Paralyzing him could be easily excused as an injury.'' He thought to himself.


    "I know no one by the name of Taro. You must be mistaken." Eva replied.


    As Eva was about to pass the group, only for the leader to put his hand in front of her.

 Chapter 185 185- Basketball Match (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 185 Chapter 185- Basketball Match (Part 2)</h4>


    "Where do you think you''re going?" The upperssman asked with a re.


    Eva looked at him again with a cold expression, her presence loomed over the ce, making the seniors flinch as sweat started trickling down their faces.


    "Leave," Eva said coldly.


    However, surprisingly enough, the upperssman didn''t move. His body was shaking, but he didn''t move a single muscle.


    "Not before I reveal that you were the one who turned him into a vegetable! Taro was my friend, my brother! If I leave now, I will never be able to forgive myself." The upperssman yelled loudly. Determination is clear in his eyes.


    ''What is wrong with this guy?'' Eva fought the urge to facepalm. Ignoring the fact that this guy was using her of doing that -which she did- without any evidence, his friend was the one who initiated contact with her. She simply showed him the consequences of his actions.


    "What makes you think I''m the one who¡­ what was it again? Paralyzed him? How can I even be able to paralyze someone?" Eva asked with a weird expression.


    "You were thest one he talked to before the ident and from what I heard, you called him to the storage room. That''s where he was found paralyzed. I don''t know how you did it. But, I''m sure it''s you."


    ''His logic is so wrong and yet he somehow reached the correct deduction?'' Eva would be lying if she said she wasn''t impressed by his ingenious stupidity.


    "I see. So, what are you going to do? Hit me back?" She asked. Her voice filled with sarcasm.


    "No, no such thing. I don''t hit women. Instead, let''s make a bet."


    "A bet?"


    "We will y a 1v1 basketball match. The first to score 9 points wins. If I win, you will make a public announcement that you hurt Taro and drop out of school. If I win, I will leave you alone."


    "And what if I simply refuse?" Eva asked as she was about to turn around and leave the ce. However, as she was about to walk away, a thought crossed her head as a small smile appeared on her face.


    "You know what? Sure. I agree with your challenge."


    Kai raised an eyebrow as he looked at Eva nkly, trying to understand what she was trying to do. Seeing her smile, he didn''t take long to understand what she wanted to do.


    ''They''re a bunch of nobodies.'' He looked at the group of seniors silently before he sighed and stepped forward.


    "Make it a 2v2." He said coldly.


    "Hm?" Eva was quite surprised Kai participated. However, when she saw the glint that shed in his eyes, her smile rxed.


    ''You''re really my soulmate, Kai~ I love you¡­'' She thought to herself.


    "And who are you? I''m only here for her. Mind your business."


    "You''re a basketball yer and a senior at that. ying against her would be unfair. 2v2 sounds more logical, don''t you think? That way, people won''t criticize you for winning against her." Kai said with a t tone as he pointed at Eva.


    The senior fell into deep thought before he nodded his head.


    "Fine. 2v2 it is."


    "When are we going to have the match?" Eva asked.


    "Now, of course."


    ***


    The group then moved to the gymnasium where there was an indoor basketball court. Eva and Kaya chose a corner and stretched there.


    "You sure want to crush them?" Kai asked.


    "Mmm, that''s half the reason. The other reason is¡­ I think that guy is lying about his excuse. There is something he''s hiding and I want to know it."


    "So you noticed that too¡­" Kai murmured before he cracked his neck. "Well, be ready to read his mind after the match."


    Then, Kai and Eva stepped into the court and facing them, the senior and another fierce-looking guy were present.


    "Do you know the rules of a 2v2?"


    "Of course, why would we ept if we didn''t?"


    "Good, that saves us the time of exining. Here, you can start." Throwing the ball to Eva, the two seniors took their positions. Even though they knew they were ying againstplete amateurs, they still decided to take things seriously.


    They weren''t dumb enough to believe that they could win 100%. As long as there is a chance of losing, they weren''t going to take it.


    Eva nodded her head as she started bouncing the ball on the ground before she stepped forward. Kai also moved to the other side, only to be met by the other senior.


    Eva and the upperssman faced each other. Eva smiled at the man as she moved to the side, trying to pass him, only to be met by the senior.


    "You will get crushed and leave this school, criminal." He said.


    "Sure sure~" She said with a smile as she suddenly moved like a sh, passing the senior as if it was nothing.


    At the same time, Kai dodged the other senior, giving himself an opening. Eva quickly passed him the ball before she ran forward and jumped in the air. Kai passed her the ball mid-air, allowing her to dunk.


    *BANG*


    With great technique, Eva m dunked without any hesitation under the two upperssmen''s shocked looks.


    "What in the hell¡­"


    "Hehehe~ Thanks for the assist." She said to Kai as she high-fived him.


    ''These two¡­''


    "Your turn, senior," Eva said with a smile as she gave him the ball the same way he did.


    "Damn you¡­ Oi, Lenard, take it seriously. These two aren''t as amateur as we thought."


    The two then started attacking. Running toward Kai and Eva, they diverged in their paths as they tried to overwhelm the two.


    However¡­


    ''What?!'' The upperssman found Kai in front of him like a ghost. His speed and presence scared the senior. But, he still tried to move past him only to be stopped again.


    As for Eva and the other seniors, they stood still for a while. Even though Eva was smaller than him in size, the senior felt like he was facing a great, immovable wall. The fact that Eva instilled that feeling in him made him even angrier.


    ''I can dribble through her! I''m the goddamn new captain of the basketball team!''


    So, with ming determination, he quickly dashed forward at top speed before he spun around, trying to dodge Eva. However, at thest moment, when he thought he passed her, his eyes widened in shock.


    ''The ball! Where is the ball?!'' Looking down, the ball wasn''t in his hand.


    Looking back, he saw Eva smiling at him wickedly with the ball in her hands before she jumped in the air and shot the ball with amazing precision. The ball flew in the air, creating a perfect arc before falling perfectly inside the basket.


    "Oooh, 3 points!" Eva fakely celebrated as if she didn''t expect it to enter even though that was an easy feat for her.


    Seeing that, the seniors could only remain speechless.


    ***


    The match didn''tst long after that. Kai scored the remaining 4 points with two perfectyups. The result was 9-0 or in other words¡­ A crushing defeat!


    The two seniors sat down on the ground with empty looks. They couldn''t believe what just happened. They weren''t simply defeated. They were one-sidedly abused as if they didn''t know how to y basketball.


    ''Who are these two?''


    "Now, now, don''t be too harsh on yourself, senior. I used to y basketball a lot during my middle school days. Your defeat wasn''t that bad." Eva said as she approached them.


    "Shut up! There is something wrong with this!" Thetter protested, only to be met with a cold re from Eva.


    "The only thing wrong is with you. Basketball yer? What a pathetic excuse." She said before she channeled her Origin to her fingers and sent it toward the two, prying into their memories.


    Reading through them, her eyes widened slightly.

 Chapter 186 186- Temporary Origin (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 186 Chapter 186- Temporary Origin (Part 1)</h4>


    When Eva pulled her hand away, her face was riddled with confusion and shock. She seemed to have seen something that she didn''t expect at all.


    "Eva?" Kai called for her with a tap on the shoulder which made her wake up from her trance.


    "Uh, yeah¡­ I don''t even understand what I have seen. But this guy somehow¡­ Knows that Origin exists."


    "What?" Kai''s eyes squinted in confusion. His eyes instinctively went to the unconscious upperssman. "This guy?"


    "Yes. He knows about it."


    "Where from?"


    "I saw some kind of piece of paper that looked like a contract in his hand. He then signed it. But, I don''t know what it says. It''s blurry in his head." She said.


    "Contract?" Kai''s mind fell into deep thought as he looked at the senior. He was clearly not an Origin User by any means so how did he know about it? Did someone tell him? But then again, he was apletely normal person from apletely normal background. He probably doesn''t even know anyone who is an Origin User.


    "Kai¡­ Something wrong is going on here." Eva said with a distressed expression. Meanwhile, Kai fell into deep thought for a moment before he pulled his phone out and dialed a number.


    The moment the call picked up, he spoke. "Kaya¡­ Where are you now?" He asked.


    After hearing a response of some kind, he continued. "Ok, go somewhere where no one can hear you talking to me on the phone."


    After that, he hung up the call and walked toward the exit of the gymnasium.


    "Let''s go. Something had happened in Divinity without us being aware."


    ***


    The two quickly went back to Kai''s apartment and waited for Kaya''s call.


    "What could''ve Divinity done?" Eva asked.


    "I don''t know. But, it''s certainly something that won''t end nicely. If they''re truly starting to spread the word that Origin exists, it will be a huge disaster." He replied as he looked at his phone.


    "I''m not sure if that even would work in their circumstances. They''ve barely got ridden of the Guild and they''re already going with something like this?"


    ''It certainly sounds like a rash decision. But¡­ Divinity isn''t dumb enough to not weigh the consequences of their actions.''


    If there is one thing Kai was sure of, it''s that Divinity wasn''t made out of idiots. They certainly have foolish ideas like Origin Society. But, reaching the top of the underworld is something only smart and calctive people could pull off.


    As the two were like that, Kai received a call from Kaya.


    "Are you alone now?" He asked before he nodded his head. "Me and Eva found out by coincidence that a normal citizen, a high school student at that, knows about the existence of Origin. Does Divinity have anything to do with that?" Kai asked.


    As he listened to Kaya''s exnation, Kai''s eyes turned a little sharper. But, he remained silent until Kaya stopped speaking.


    "Are you sure about that?" He asked. "I see. Ok, I understand. Talk to youter."


    After that, Kai closed the phone and looked at Eva who was very curious.


    "It seems Divinity has indeed made a move. But, not what you might expect."


    "Hmm?"


    "It seems Divinity had started getting in contact with a certain category of people that aren''t aware of the existence of Origin. These people are mostly athletes, bodybuilders, and anyone who is good in the physical aspect. They''re handing out contracts to these people in return¡­ They will get something."


    "Something? What thing?" Eva asked. What could these people have to do with Divinity?


    "Temporary Origin powers," Kai said with a frown.


    "What?!" Eva almost choked on her own saliva when she heard Kai''s words. "What do you mean temporary Origin powers?"


    "It''s as the name suggests. Divinity had reached what seems to be some kind of injection that provides the user with temporary Origin powers and even a main talent of their own. They call it ''Temporary Origin''."


    Eva was speechless for a long while. Temporary Origin? Did they reach such a discovery? When? How?


    All these kinds of questions popped into her head. But, the most important thing was that it exists and Divinity seems to be moving quickly with their ns.


    "Wait, so the reason they''re getting in contact with athletes and physically strong people is because¡­"


    "They have a higher chance of sessfully epting this new power with no setbacks." Kai continued Eva''s trail of thoughts with a nod.


    Now, it made sense why that student knew about the existence of Origin. He was approached by Divinity, handed out a contract, and probably promised great sess in his career as a basketball yer without the need to use any other performance-enhancing drugs. Since Origin couldn''t be detected with normal tools, nobody would know that he was indeed cheating.


    ''Is this their way of making sure Origin Society will work? Fill it up with fake Origin Users and keep injecting them with Origin?'' Kai clenched his fists slightly.


    He felt rather irritated by this fact. There was simply no way this temporary power wouldn''t have a horrible effect on anyone who used it. The bodies that can use and manipte Origin are gically different from those of people who can''t. There were differences that separated Origin Users from normal people and closing that gap without any proper techniques is a very risky move.


    But, Kai didn''t stop at that point. There was something he could gain from this situation.


    ''If Divinity had reached this level of understanding of Origin. It means that they might know something I don''t know about Origin¡­'' He thought to himself as he remembered his sickness.


    It was also Origin-rted, so if Divinity was true as he thinks it is, he might''ve found a good lead toward finding a good cure for himself.


    "What are we going to do?" Kai asked.


    "I don''t want to arouse suspicion. So, for now, let''s try to get our hands on this temporary Origin. We might discover something that we didn''t know and more importantly, we need to learn how it works."


    ***


    Meanwhile, in Divinity''s HQ, Kaya was sitting in front of her foster father with a stoic expression on her face.


    "Really, old man? Temporary Origin? Is Divinity trying to ignite a world war?" She asked.


    Temporary Origin could easily be a destructive weapon of mass destruction. Creating thousands of soldiers with powers far above that of normal humans. Governments would be drooling over such a thing.


    Mika, on the other hand, didn''t seem to be focused on Kaya as he stared at nothing in particr with empty eyes.


    "Old man?"


    "Hm? Ah, yeah. Well, this has been happening for a few years now. Divinity Labs have finally perfected the form. I have made sure to see it for myself being tested. There are no drawbacks to be seen from Temporary Origin."


    "That''s because it barely was even tested. Have they even considered the setbacks that could happen in the long run? The normal human body isn''t made to be injected with Origin."


    Just remembering what happened to Eva after being injected with Origin made her shiver. The fear of something like that happening again¡­ albeit on a bigger scale is a nightmare.

 Chapter 187 187- Temporary Origin (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 187 Chapter 187- Temporary Origin (Part 2)</h4>


    ?


    Kai and Eva left the apartement and headed toward the heart of the city. The dusk was still an hour away so the city looked rather beautiful with the setting sun casting its light upon it, prating the high buildings and alleys.


    "Would we really be able to find a sample of this thing?" Eva asked as she walked next to Kai. She was secretly triumphing at the fact that Kai didn''t care anymore about the fact that they were being seen walking together.


    However, she can''t just smile like an idiot when they''re having a serious conversation and are on their way to do something important. Leaving fun forter was a must.


    "That senior received the contract. So, the chances are he already received his sample and even if he didn''t, he will eventually get it tomorrow or in a few days. We just have to keep an eye on him till that timees."


    "Good n¡­" Eve murmured in response as the two continued walking.


    They eventually reached a quiet neighborhood somewhere on the outskirts of the city. It wasn''t a rich area by any means but it was still in the upper middle ss.


    "I can sense traces of his presence in that house. He probably went home after forgetting that he even yed a basketball match against us." Eva said as she pointed at a particr house.


    It was a simple one, with a small grassy front yard and beautiful flowers. Kai and Eva stood far away examining the ce.


    "We''re gonna go inside. Hypnotize anyone you see there." Kai exined as he tucked his hands in his pockets and walked across the street toward the house.


    When he reached the front door, he knocked. Eva stood behind him silently. Her eyes asionally looked around to check if there were any people passing by.


    ''Why do I feel like we''re about to rob these people?'' She giggled to herself.


    Well, technically, they were going to rob them of the sample. But, Eva wanted to believe it was for the greater good. These people were blissfully ignorant of the sheer danger of what Divinity wanted to do. As far as they''re concerned, it''s just a helpful injection of some kind that will boost their son''s athletic performance.


    A few seconds passed before a middle-aged woman opened the door.


    "Who ar-" Before she could even finish her words, Kai had already pointed his finger at her forehead and hypnotized her.


    After that, he walked past the woman. Eva gave her a nce before she closed the door and walked after him. Passing by the living room, they saw a middle-aged man sitting on the couch. Eva instantly hypnotized him before he could make a sound as they continued their trip upstairs.


    They passed by a room with a flowery notice on it that said ''Do not disturb~'' written in colorful words. It wasn''t that hard to identify to whom this room belonged.


    Kai knocked on the door and waited for the girl toe out. She was barely 5 years old.


    "Big brot-"


    Kai looked at the frozen girl for a second before he turned around and continued walking. As for Eva, she noticed that the little girl was standing in an awkward way so she picked her up gently and put her back on the bed.


    "Sorry for barging into your house. We will leave before you notice it."


    After that, she followed Kai, reaching the senior''s room whose name turned out to be Evan.


    Walking inside, the two of them found themselves inside an empty, messy room. Clothes, school utensils, magazines, and trash were thrown everywhere.


    "Can''t he clean his room at least? It stinks." Eva murmured with a frown as she dodged a can of soda.


    "Don''t move anything. We will just find the sample and leave." Kai said as he walked deeper into the room. Although he should easily be able to identify where the sample is, turns out he can''t sense it.


    So, the sample was either not there or in some kind of Leviathium capsule that stopped his senses from perceiving it. Both cases are equally probable. So, he had to resort to the old ways of searching and rummaging through the room.


    The two then went to work, checking every shelf, every drawer, every piece of clothes, book, anything, and everything that had enough space to hide a capsule.


    Pushing some clothes to the side, Eva noticed a small protruding thing under the chaos.


    "Kai, I think I found something." She called for her beloved.


    Picking it up, she examined the object before her eyes widened and her face flushed red before she instantly through the magazine to the ground.


    "That¡­ That pervert!" She cursed.


    It was an adult magazine and a very nasty one at that. It hadpletely naked women on the cover standing in seductive poses.


    Kai looked at the magazine for a second before he sighed. "Focus on finding the capsule."


    He said as he turned around to continue searching when his eyes fell on something hanging on the wall. It was a picture of a young Evan standing beside what seemed to be a basketball yer. His face had an excited look on it.


    Kai kept looking at the picture for a while before he approached it and pulled it down from the wall. Examining it thoroughly, he noticed something protruding from the back of the picture.


    "Smart¡­" He murmured when he saw a small capsule hidden behind the picture. It was indeed hidden in the least expected ce. Divinity must''ve told him to hide properly before using it.


    Pulling the capsule out, Kai examined it with his eyes. It was a transparent ss part that showed the liquid inside with the top and bottom being made out of Leviathium as he predicted. The liquid inside was of a clear orange color.


    "It really looks like liquified Origin," Eva murmured as she stood next to Kai, peeking from behind his shoulder at the capsule. Intentionally or not, her chest pressed against his back and her cheek touched the side of his neck.


    "The quantity is rather small. How is this enough to do anything?"


    "Maybe it''s because of the temporary aspect that they don''t require a huge quantity?" She asked.


    Kai nodded his head. It could be the case. Origin was never in a liquified form. It was always either in the form of a halo, infused into some kind of matter whether it was solid or liquid or simply inside the human body.


    So, Kai had no real measuring to determine whether this amount was small or big. It all came down to experimenting to see the results.


    "Let''s leave now." He said as he stood up and walked to the door.


    Eva also was about to leave after him only to halt for a second and look back. Then, her eyes looked at the door. Kai had already walked out.


    So, with nimble steps, she approached the magazine and opened it. Then, she took a picture of a random page and put her phone away.


    "You never know when it woulde in handy~"

 Chapter 188 188- Concert Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 188 Chapter 188- Concert Invitation</h4>


    Kai and Eva returned to the apartement and sat down on the couch with the capsule in front of them.


    "We can''t really do much with this without the proper equipment, can we?"


    Kai nodded his head. Eva was indeed right. Without an actualb where they could see theponents of the capsule and how it affects individuals, they can basically only stare at it.


    Kai thought about it for a while. He doesn''t know of anybs that he could use. The only one he knew about before is now basically rubble.


    ''This is rather annoying¡­'' He thought to himself as he looked up.


    "For now, let''s keep the capsule aside. We won''t be able to do anything unless we get ourselves ab." He said as he stood up and walked to the kitchen to make some drinks.


    "Sigh, well, we''re back to point zero¡­ For now." Eva murmured as she rested her back on the couch. She really felt tired for some reason.


    As she was like that, she heard her phone ringing so she picked it up and looked at the caller.


    "Huh? What does he want now?" She murmured to herself as she picked up the call.


    "It''s been a while, Muri. What''s with the sudden call?"


    Muri was Eva''s agent when she was still a model in the business. He was a trustworthy person and one of Eva''s very few friends. His wife was also a close friend of Eva''s mother so it was safe to say that he knows Eva very well.


    "Hey, Eva, it''s been a while!" Muri replied with an excited tone. He considered Eva like his daughter and even when he was her agent, he treated her nicely and didn''t try to overwhelm her schedule.


    "How have you been, girl? You didn''t even take the time to call me! It has been almost a year!"" He asked with a joking tone.


    "I''m sorry, Muri! I was really busy the past few months. I couldn''t find the time." She apologized.


    "Ah, no worries, no worries. Ehem, so Eva, I have something to ask."


    "If it''s abouting back from retirement, we already talked about it," Eva said. "I''m noting back."


    Although Eva did like her job as a model, she already found something way better to do and that was to dedicate her life to Kai. And even if she did want toe back, she had too many things going on that she wouldn''t have any time to do any work.


    "No, no. Ehem, although I do want you to reconsider that. I''m not here to talk about it. Instead, I have a gift for you."


    "A gift?"


    "Yeah, a gift. Remember that girl ire Redsky. The genius that appeared around 10 years ago and then vanished in a few months?"


    "Yeah, I do. What about her?" Eva asked.


    She vaguely remembers the girl. In fact, Eva did meet her at a party once and the only impression she had of the girl was that she was very quiet and mysterious but also very beautiful.


    The two briefly talked, just for courtesy before going their ways and never meeting again after that. She still liked her music, though.


    "Well, I don''t know if you heard or not but she''s making hereback in a few days. Her concert will be held in the Infamous Music Pce."


    "Oh? Interesting." Eva blinked a few times.


    Music Pce was a whole resort that was built on an ind north of A-Country and it was by far the biggest music theatre in the world. It had a 1 million capacity and a luxurious 5-star hotel near the theatre where people could stay if there was more than one concert that would happen.


    ''To have hereback on the Music Pce. She''s truly a genius, isn''t she?'' Eva thought to herself.


    "So, you know, tickets were sold out in a few minutes. But, I was able to get my hands on a few, VIP tickets. Hahaha, don''t ask me how. Anyway, I thought I might ask if you want to attend the concert?"


    "Oh, really?" Eva asked as her eyes lit with excitement. She liked the idea. After what happened a few days ago and the stress from everything, Eva thought that her beloved deserved a vacation.


    ''Well, I will ask him first. I don''t want to take a decision without his opinion.'' She thought to herself.


    "Well, let me think about it. I wille back to you with an answer tomorrow morning."


    "Great! Consider this my birthday present to you¡­ Although a little bit early."


    "Hehe, consider your gift received."


    "Eva?" Kai murmured her name when he saw her on the phone.


    "Oh? Who''s that with you? Your father? Pass the phone to him, I want to say hi."


    "Oh, no no. I''m in ss right now." She said with an awkward giggle. "Now, I need to go. See you soon."


    "Hey, Eva wa-"


    *BEEP*


    Cutting the call, Eva exhaled a sigh before she looked at Kai who was waiting for her with a cup of lemonade.


    "Thank you."


    "Who was it?"


    "My ex-manager. He wanted to give me tickets to the concert of a famous singer."


    "Famous singer?" Kai asked as he sipped on the cup.


    "Yes, she''s been on a hiatus for years now¡­ Almost 10 years. Now she decided toe back."


    Kai''s movements halted as he slowly put the cup down and looked at Eva with squinted eyes for a few seconds.


    "Is something wrong?" Eva asked confusedly.


    "Tell me one thing¡­ What''s the name of that girl?"


    "ire Redsky. She has no artistic name."


    "..." Kai''s face frowned for a second before he looked away and asked. "Is she also blind? Wearing a red handkerchief on her eyes?"


    "Oh? Yeah. How did you know?" Eva asked. "Have you seen her before?"


    She was rather surprised that Kai knew of a singer. He didn''t like the type to listen to music or follow mainstream media for that matter so the fact that he knew who she was was rather bizarre.


    As for Kai, he simply clenched his fists slightly before he sighed.


    ''So that''s where you were hiding?'' He thought to himself as he tried to suppress his cold aura not to alert Eva.


    After all these years of searching and not finding a single clue as to where she was. Kai thought he wouldn''t be able to pinpoint where ire was and yet somehow, by pure coincidence, he ended up finding her in the ce he least expected¡­ The world of music.


    "You said you got tickets for the event?" Kai asked.


    "Yeah. I was going to ask you: Do you want to go?"


    Looking at Eva who seemed to be secretly anticipating an answer. Kai''s eyes shone withplicated emotions before he nodded his head. "Yeah, I might need to go."


    Hearing his response, Eva''s smile widened as she jumped on him, hugging his face as the two fell on the couch.


    "Yay!! A vacation with my darling!" She said happily.


    Meanwhile, Kai was contemting a different matter. How is he going to deal with this matter?

 Chapter 189 189- Idle Night

    <h4>Chapter 189 Chapter 189- Idle Night</h4>


    Kai and Eva spent the rest of the day normally as if nothing happened. However, Eva did notice something odd about Kai.


    He seemed rather in a sour mood. Well, considering his stoic expression most of the time, that should''ve been normal. But, Eva could see the difference from one nce. Kai was hiding something from her and she was more than curious to know what it was.


    However, she couldn''t find it within herself to ask him since she knew that if he didn''t tell her, it was for a good reason.


    Hours passed until it was night and Kai and Eva were sitting on the couch. Kai was reading a book silently while Eva was ying chess alone. The cozy atmosphere and the warmth of knowing that the person you love the most is next to you is something she wouldn''t exchange for anything.


    "Hey, Kai¡­ Let''s y a game of chess." She said as she looked at him with a loving smile.


    Kai''s eyes shifted from the book and looked at her. "Why all of a sudden?"


    "It''s just for fun. Come on." She said as she set up the pieces again.


    Kai went silent for a second before he closed the book and sat right in front of her.


    "To make it more interesting. For each piece eliminated from one of our sides, the other can ask a question that should be answered, no matter what. What do you think?" Eva suggested while Kai was setting his pieces.


    "What about a checkmate?"


    "A checkmate? Hmm, let''s see. The winner can ask the loser to do anything." Eva said with a smile.


    "..." Kai squinted for a second before he nodded his head.


    "Great! Let''s start then!"


    Moving her first piece, Eva rested her hands on the table and looked at Kai with a fond smile. Thetter also moved his piece and the game began. Each one of them moved a piece until Kai was able to take her first pawn.


    "Oh, so you''re the first one to get me. Well, what''s your question?"


    "What did you eat yesterday?" Kai asked.


    "..."


    The room went silent for a second before Eva exploded inughter.


    "Hahahaha! No, not that way, my love! I mean like personal questions." Wiping the tears on her face, she exined to him.


    ''I guess he never yed such games before. Oh, seeing Kai being clueless about something is really cute!! I might get addicted to this~'' She thought to herself as she looked at his thoughtful expression.


    "Hmm, let''s see. What''s a thing that you never told anyone because you were too embarrassed?"


    Eva''s face flinched when she heard that question.


    ''Wait! Isn''t that too quick of an improvement from the question before that?!'' Blinking awkwardly she thought about it for a second.


    "Hmm, when my bra belts were torn during a photoshoot a few years ago. Ehem, my chest was getting bigger and I didn''t realize that the size I had was too small so¡­ Yeah, it was pretty awkward. Luckily, nobody realized that." Eva said with a blushing face.


    "I see¡­" Kai nodded his head in understanding. "Well, let''s continue."


    After that, the two continued ying, and this time, it was Eva who took his pawn. "Ok, my question is. "What is a weird skill or talent you have that you''ve never told me about?"


    Kai looked at Eva silently for a second before he frowned slightly. A weird talent? He never thought about it before. Granted, Kai had many talents. Most of them were developed during his youth when he was basically not a human but instead a learning machine.


    "I can change my voice to anything I want." He replied after a moment.


    "Wait, really?!" Eva asked. "So, when you took my appearance that time, that voice wasn''t an illusion?"


    "Yes, I imitated how you speak."


    "Oooh, that''s actually rather cool. Try it again, please!"


    Kai nodded his head before he coughed a few times as if he was adjusting something and then looked at Eva.


    "I can speak in your voice. It''s not 100% perfect most of the time but if I listen to someone speaking long enough, I can copy it." He said with a voice that was terrifyingly simr to Eva''s.


    "Woah! That''s my voice! It''s really amazing!!" Eva blinked with excitement. "Actually, it is bizarre. So this is how my voice sounds to you?"


    "More or less."


    "Hmm, interesting." Eva thought to herself. She actually didn''t hate her voice that much when she heard it from Kai. Aren''t people supposed to find their voices weird when they listen to it in a video or a voice record?


    "Ok, let''s continue," Kai said with his normal voice.


    The two continued their game. Each time one of them got the other''s piece, they would ask fun questions. Eva''s angelic giggles echoed in the house. The two were clearly having fun with it. Even Kai''s sour mood seemed to alleviate as they continued ying.


    Time passed quietly till they reached the end game and it was Eva''s turn.


    Looking at her beloved with a smile, she asked. "I know this might sound like a bad question. But¡­ How was your childhood, Kai?"


    Her face tensed up with anticipation and wariness. This has been something on her head for a very long time now. However, she never found the opportunity nor the heart to ask this question because she knew it was taboo.


    The things that Chal told her a while ago still resounded in her head, that Kai would eventually open up to her and tell her about himself. Now, it was tile to test that. Granted, she thought he would most likely refrain from telling her anything but if there was one thing Eva wanted, it was to ease the pain of the most important person in her life.


    Kai didn''t respond for a while before he sighed and spoke. "Why you ask?"


    "I''m just¡­ Sorry for asking." Eva tried to exin herself before she shook her head and apologized.


    ''I guess it was a bit too soon.'' She thought to herself.


    However, surprisingly enough, Kai stopped her. "No, it''s fine. I can answer that. However, I can''t divulge into too many details¡­ For your sake."


    His response made Eva look up with surprise. She never expected to hear that from Kai, not now at least.


    However, thetter seemed to bepletely oblivious to that as he continued. "My childhood, huh¡­ Well, for the most part, it wasn''t a fun time. I lost a few too many things, got tricked a few too many times, and missed a few too many opportunities to fix a few too many problems." He said with a rather low tone.


    Eva listened to his words carefully. Her face had a sad look on it. It wasn''t out of pity, but out of sheer pain that her beloved had to go through that when he was barely a few years old.


    "Most things were mainly my mistakes and I did get the consequences deserved. I trusted people that should''ve never been trusted. I didn''t see myself as a human for the most part either. I was naturally gifted from the moment I was born so even the people around me found me weird¡­ Monstrous, maybe even something that shouldn''t exist. If I wasn''t being trained ruthlessly, I was alone and if I wasn''t alone, I was learning something forcefully."


    Exhaling a long breath, he continued. "It was a¡­ pretty unfortunate time."


    ''And it''s still following me to this day.'' He continued in his head.


    After he finished speaking, the two remained silent for a long while.


    "Are you still stuck in it?" Eva asked with a wavering tone to which Kai nodded his head. He knew reality as it was and reality said that he was indeed still stuck on it. The fact that he still wants to put a bullet in ire''s head is proof of that.


    However, if Eva asked him whether he regrets that or not¡­ He would''ve not had an answer. Because he simply really didn''t know. Does he regret harboring this hatred? Probably not. But, at the same time, he doesn''t want his life to be around that. Not now, not never.


    "I see¡­" Eva stood up and walked around the table before she stood in front of Kai. A small smile appeared on her face as she wrapped her arms around Kai''s neck and pulled him into a tight hug.


    "You did great, Kai. Nobody would''ve been able to handle what you went through. I know it might sound weird¡­ But I''m really proud of you. Always been and always will." She said as she closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder.


    Kai looked to the side at the woman hugging him before he looked ahead again, not saying a word. No words were needed, after all. The two understood each other perfectly well.


    Eva then pulled slightly away and looked into Kai''s face with a mesmerized expression. The two stayed awfully close for a few moments before the distance between them closedpletely and their lips connected.

 Chapter 190 190- Murky Waters

    <h4>Chapter 190 Chapter 190- Murky Waters</h4>


    Kai and Eva''s kisssted a few seconds in real-time. But, in their own world, it felt like an eternity had just passed in a sh.


    They didn''t really feel anything but the warmth of one another''s lips. Especially, Eva, she felt as if every fiber of her was focused on Kai''s lips, tasting them, feeling them, and greedily kissing them.


    They felt so good that she found her arms moving on their own as they cupped Kai''s face gently. Her lips pried his mouth open, letting her tongue go inside, exploring every nook and cranny of it.


    Kai''s tongue seemed to pick up the pace too as it entangled and mixed with Eva''s, keeping up with it. A small, muffled moan leaked from Eva''s mouth as she continued kissing Kai with even more greed.


    After a long while, the two finally disconnected their lips, to catch their breaths. A string of saliva linked the two of them as they stared at each other with feverish looks. Eva''s eyes were drowned in the blissful feeling of the lingering kiss. As for Kai, his hypnotizing purple eyes sparkled with a unique light.


    Their faces stayed awfully close to each other for a while before Kai finally spoke with a low tone.


    "It''s gettingte. You should go back home." He said.


    "Mmm¡­" Eva nodded her head as she touched Kai''s cheek once before she smiled and then boldly closed the distance between them and gave him a peck on the cheek.


    "Goodnight, my love." She said as she stood up and walked toward the door.


    When Kai heard the door close, he exhaled a long breath as he ran his hand through his hair with a conflicted look.


    "What is wrong with me¡­" He murmured to himself.


    No matter how he looked at it, he just showed a weakness in front of Eva. A ring one at that. Throughout his life, he never did that with anyone as he knew that showing weakness is basically an easy way for others to harm him. Being the almost invincible existence that he was, people around him would obviously attack him psychologically rather than physically.


    He was able to keep that iron rule going for years and years. Yet, in a few questions, Eva was able to make him open up, if even by little.


    "I''m really changing, huh?" Looking at his hand, Kai shook his head. "I guess it''s not that bad of a feeling after all."


    ***


    Meanwhile, the moment Eva closed the door behind her, she rested her back on the door. Her casual face then shifted to a furious blush as she held her face.


    ''Oh no! Oh no! I did it! I really did it! I really kissed Kai! Huff, huff!! Calm down, Eva! I need to calm down!!''


    Her feelings were as chaotic as her expression. Her heart rate was also above the normal levels to the point where she thought that she was about to feel dizzy.


    However, Eva loved it. No, she didn''t simply love it, she felt as if she waspletely addicted to it. Granted, she had imagined her first kiss with Kai a million times before but this somehow still exceeded her expectations by arge margin.


    After fighting with her embarrassed consciousness, she finally moved away from the door and left.


    Whether she was going to be able to sleep that night or not. She already knew the answer to that.


    ***


    The next day, Kai heard a knock on his door early in the morning. When he opened the door, he was immediately hugged by two massive soft melons.


    "Kai!! I''m back!!" Kaya said as she hugged her beloved tightly. "Did you miss me? Cuz I definitely missed you so badly!"


    Kai allowed Kaya to hug for a while longer before he finally pushed her gently and asked. "What took you so long?"


    "Uh, please don''t remind me! A lot of things happened! Each one more troublesome than thest." Kaya said with a sigh as she sat down on the sofa and got handed a cup of juice from Kai.


    "What kind of things?"


    Sipping from the cup, Kaya exhaled. "Uh, so refreshing. Ehem, as I said. Many things. First of all, I had to deal with the temporary Origin shenanigans and a stack of paperwork twice my size. Then, I needed up attending one meeting after the other about a certain person."


    "Who?"


    "Arthur. That bastard is in deep trouble."


    Kai''s eyes squinted as he recalled what happened over a week ago, right after the end of the operation, the archangels entered a conflict of theirs.


    ***


    "Bastard, Arthur! Speak before I kill you!!"


    "I''m sorry. The two of them attacked me and L at the same time. While I was able to dodge the attack, she wasn''t as lucky. The two then immediately escaped when the weird ck walls opened." Arthur said with a smile.


    The four archangels stared at the handsome young man with suspicious looks. L''s sprawled corpse looked to be in a very horrible condition. Her body was dissected into pieces ruthlessly.


    Kai looked at the confrontation and then at L''s corpse before he looked away as if it was none of his business. However, he knew one thing.


    ''Executioners don''t kill that ruthlessly.''


    That was a given considering their effectiveness as imposers of rules. They don''t have time to be picky about how they kill. That was clearly the work of a sadist, a very twisted one at that.


    However, the Archangels didn''t know that so they couldn''t really do anything. Instead, they simply collected L''s body before they left, along with Arthur. The tension between them was still palpable in the air.


    ***


    "Some evidence says that he actually allowed V and Q to leave and killed L. I still don''t know whether that''s true or not."


    "It''s very likely. The way she died was odd."


    "I thought so too. But, they still can''t determine the truth. However, if they do, Arthur might get executed."


    Whether that guy gets executed or not was none of Kai''s business even if it was a piece of interesting information to know.


    "What else did happen?"


    "Ah, the worst one is what happened with the old man?"


    "Mika?"


    "Yeah. A few days ago, he shockingly decided to retirepletely from Divinity."


    Hearing that piece of news, Kai''s eyes widened slightly. Mika Raullot retired? Why all of a sudden?


    "Did something happen?"


    "No, as far as I know, it was sudden. The Virtues and even Ophanims still didn''t ept that retirement. When I talked with the old man, he seemed rather adamant about it. He even told me that he would be leaving his house to somewhere where he could stay secluded."


    Kai rubbed his chin as he thought about Kaya''s words. If he recalled correctly, he did notice the horrible mental state Mika reached during his birthday party.


    Perhaps that was the reason he decided to leave. But then again, wasn''t he hell-bent on creating the Origin Society? Was his conviction that weak for a few setbacks to make him leave?


    Kai didn''t believe that. He easily read the old man and he was certain a man like him won''t easily give up like that.


    "Well, I will still ask him more when I meet him again. But, if Divinity epts this retirement, I will be automatically pushed to be a Virtue."


    "..." Kai looked at Kaya''s conflicted expression before he asked. "You don''t want to be a Virtue?"


    "I¡­ don''t know, really," Kaya said.


    "My belief in Divinity has been always my reason for staying there. Now that I can see where they''re going¡­ I feel, conflicted."


    "I see."


    Kai said before he went silent for a few moments. "Just leave then."


    Kaya chuckled before she shook her head. "I thought about it but it won''t be that easy. I''m considered a new member by Divinity''s standards. I can''t leave unless I at least spend 20 more years with them."


    It was indeed the case. Since Kaya is under a contract with Divinity, it states that she can''t even offer to leave before she has at least worked 40 years for them. At the time, she didn''t mind that long time since she had nothing else to do.


    She would end up getting sued by Divinity if she broke the contract. It was a pickle.


    "Divinity is finally revealing its true intention. They''re bound to break their own rules. All you need is for them to breach a thing in your contract and then you can easily leave."


    Even though Kai said that he actually didn''t think Kaya leaving Divinity now of all times would be a good idea. He still needed to find out what this Temporary Origin was if he wanted to make some forward steps in his initial goal to find a cure.


    "Well, I will leave this matter aside for now. It will take those old fools a long time before they could assign me as a Virtue."

 Chapter 191 191- Introduction

    <h4>Chapter 191 Chapter 191- Introduction</h4>


    Kai and Kaya discussed the situation for a while before they finally put the matter aside for now. There was just too much chaos ensuing in the underworld for them to do anything remotely nned.


    Until the situation calms down or takes a certain, predictable direction, they can only watch.


    Well, not exactly that as Kai had apletely other n.


    "I got my hands on some Temporary Origin." He said as he pulled out the capsule and showed it to Kaya.


    "Wait, really?" Kaya grabbed the capsule and looked at it.


    "Hmm, this is certainly the same thing. However, the one that they showed me back in the HQ had a brighter color."


    "Brighter color?" Kai murmured with a quizzical expression.


    "Yeah, it also seemed more¡­ vibrant. Maybe this is a worse grade of the same product?"


    "It could be¡­"


    Hearing that piece of information, Kai felt as if the problem just suddenly turned even moreplicated before he could even start tackling it. If what Kaya said is true then there are perhaps multiple grades of this injection and they''re in Divinity, waiting for the right time or person to be used on.


    What was even more problematic was the fact that he still didn''t even know what the effect of this temporary Origin was. What kind of level of power did Divinity achieve?


    When he asked Kaya, she said that she didn''t really know as they hadn''t shown her any results yet. Which led Kai to his important request.


    "Do you have any idea where we can actually check this thing out? I want to see its effects andponents."


    "Ab?"


    "Yes."


    "Hmm." Squinting her eyes, Kaya thought for a moment before she looked up with a bright idea in her head.


    "I think I have the right person for that." She said with a grin.


    ***


    One Day Later.


    "Elu! I''m back!" Kaya said as she opened the door to a hugeb room filled with all kinds of devices, machinery, and technologically advancedputers.


    Kaya walked inside with a small smile on her face. Her eyes wandered the ce that she hadn''t visited in ages before she walked straight toward the other side where someone was asleep, sprawled on a chair.


    Elu was sleeping soundly while drooling all over a huge stack of papers chaotically thrown on top of her desk.


    "This girl¡­ She always overworks herself to the bone." She murmured before she tapped Elu on the shoulder. "Hey, Eluuuu! I''m here! Is this how you wee your best friend back?"


    However, no answer came so Kaya thought for a second. Then, an evil smile appeared on her face.


    Then, with a cough to clear her throat, Kaya yelled. "Hey!! Elu! Your favorite tv show ends today!!"


    The moment Elu heard those words, her eyes opened wide immediately.


    "TV show?! Huh?! Where?! How?!" Her face looked dazed as a piece of paper stuck to her drool.


    "Hahahahahaha! It always works on you, doesn''t it?"


    "Huh? Kaya? So it was you?!" Elu''s eyes brightened up as she jumped on her friend, hugging her tightly.


    "Hey, hey. Rx the grip, you''re choking me." Kaya said with a smile as she tapped her friend.


    "I missed you! Where have you been all this time?!"


    "Sorry, Elu. I was really busy. You already know the current situation of the underworld. I couldn''t even find time to breathe."


    "Tsk, fine, fine. At least you''re safe and sound. That''s what matters." Brushing her words off, Elu smiled at Kaya.


    "Elu¡­"


    "Like hell, I would say that! Karate chop!" The petite girl yelled as she jumped up and tried to chop Kaya with her hand. However, thetter casually dodged the attack. "Too slow."


    "Woah!" Falling t on her face, Elu stood up. "Why did you dodge my attack?!"


    "Why wouldn''t I?"


    "That''s your punishment for telling me that my show is almost over. It still has 8 more seasons ording to my calctions."


    "Sigh, you''re still stuck on that? I think you''re the only person left who watches that show."


    "I''m a devoted fan and I will stay a devoted fan for the rest of my life," Elu replied with a dead serious look.


    "O-Ok¡­"


    "So, how have you been?" Sitting down, Kaya was handed a cup of tea from Elu.


    "The usual. Too much work, too little time for my hobby, and enough amount of caffeine consumed every day to give an elephant insomnia for a few weeks. I''m living the dream." Elu replied as she sat down and pushed the papers away.


    "Sounds like a dream life to me," Kaya said sarcastically.


    "What about you?"


    "I''m doing great actually. Well, there are still some annoying things that need to be dealt with but all is good, all is good."


    "I''m d to hear that."


    "Ehem, so, Elu. Can I ask you for help?"


    "Hm? What''s up?"


    Kaya coughed before she pulled out the capsule from her pocket. "I got some of this. Can you check it out for me?"


    "..." Elu''s body froze as she stood up and walked toward Kaya. "Is that what I think it is?"


    "Yeah. Don''t ask how I got it. My sources are confidential." Kaya winked.


    "Yeah, I bet. These are still in the prototype phase. Even the people who got them don''t know that they aren''t the final product." Elu said.


    "They''re handing out iplete products?"? Kaya asked with a frown.


    "Hey, they aren''t dangerous by any means. But, we still don''t know much about their effect across a longer period of time."


    "That''s just too much risk¡­"


    "I didn''t agree to that either. But, I can only do so much with my position in Divinity. Anyway, what do you want?"


    "Can you tell me what theponents of this thing are and also what effects it should have?"


    "I can''t do that, Kaya. It''s confidential information. Only the scientists of Divinity know about it." Elu said.


    "Come on, Elu. I really need your help, please." Kaya said with a begging tone.


    "...."


    "I will buy you your favorite candy."


    Hearing ''favorite candy'', Elu''s face crunched as she thought long and hard about it. Finally, she sighed and gave up.


    "Fine, I will tell you. But it''s because we''re best friends, not because of the candy. Although, do please buy me some candy." She said with a whisper.


    "You got it."


    "Ugh,e here," Elu said as she sat down in front of herputer and opened a tab. The tab had pictures of the temporary Origin along with a long description of itsponents, functions, and effects.


    "Temporary Origin is basically pressurized Origin in very extremely cold temperatures. When put under a huge amount of pressure, Origin bespact and denser than normal. That makes it slightly possible to freeze it in extremely low temperatures. Then, after freezing it, they injected it with some kind of liquid that I still don''t know. When that eventually melts, it turns into Origin."


    Kaya read through the report carefully before she asked.


    "Mysterious liquid?"


    "Yes. Nobody wanted to tell me about it and even those who do know were told to keep it a secret at any cost."


    The process seemed rather simple on paper, except for that liquid part. It was most certainly the most importantponent of this whole process and conveniently enough, Divinity decided to keep it a secret.


    "Its effects are still not fully discovered yet but we hope that those who get injected with Temporary Origin can gain the power of a talented ascender at best and a 10-year-old normal Origin user at worst."


    "..." Kaya didn''t answer immediately which made Elu turn around to look at her.


    "Kaya?"


    "Hm? Oh, yeah, I heard you. That''s quite optimistic from Divinity."


    "Hey, optimism is a harsh word. We have some good proof that it will work. When tested on animals like mice, guinea pigs, and even bigger animals like cows, it gave the effect. They became stronger and healthier. Although for some reason, they didn''t gain any talents which is weird. But, hey, you can''tin about the results."


    "Hopefully you''re right, Elu. I have a bad feeling about this." Kaya said after a while.


    "We don''t have any say in this matter. We just work toward themon goal of creating a better world for Origin Users. These Temporary Origins are akin to a slow introduction to the world about Origin."


    "Slow introduction? More like a kick to the door and a huge ringing bell coupled with it." Kaya sarcastically said as she rolled her eyes.


    She really had no faith in the sess of this project.


    ***


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Kai was listening to the two speaking while sitting on the couch. His face had a cold look on it.


    "Mysterious liquid¡­" He murmured to himself. Nobody knew what was going through his head.


    It seems that this rabbit hole goes down deeper and deeper the more he tries to inspect it. But, the question is, how much more could he unravel if he keeps poking into it?"

 Chapter 192 192- Music Palace (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 192 Chapter 192- Music Pce (Part 1)</h4>


    After talking with Elu for a while, Kaya finally left theb and drove her car to the airport. During the trip, she called Kai again.


    "So, what do you think of what you heard?"


    "The mysterious liquid part is bugging me. Something that can turn Origin into pure liquid doesn''t make any sense. Divinity had been stuck on understanding how Origin works and then suddenly they acquired a knowledge advanced enough to change the nature of Origin?"


    Kai knew the current level ofprehension the world has about Origin since he himself contributed to that understanding through the Guild. Sure, Divinity was a huge organization with hundreds of minds working under it, exploring the world of Origin day in and day out.


    However, this sudden evolution didn''t make any sense.


    "I thought the same too. Something is fishy about all of this. Is Divinity perhaps hiding a genius that is working in secret, discovering all of this?"


    "No, that''s highly unlikely. At least it has been like that for a while." Kai said.


    ''No, if there is really a genius that did all of this, they would never simply work under Divinity. With that knowledge, they can easily take control over Divinity.''


    "Well, either way, I''ming back. Do you need anything I should bring with me?"


    "No. Good work." He said.


    "A, thank you, darling," Kaya said as she kissed the phone before hanging.


    "That makes this whole trip worth it, aside from seeing Elu~" She chuckled to herself.


    ***


    When Kaya came back, Eva had also arrived at Kai''s apartement with the tickets to attend the concerts. Kaya had also heard about it and she decided to attend to it.


    Kai had to stop the two girls from bantering around after that. In the end, Eva agreed to bring Kaya along.


    The group then packed their stuff and left for the airport.


    The trip to the Music Pce took around 12 hours. Cutting through a whole continent was a long distance.


    "Woah, Kai, look!" Kaya said enthusiastically as she pointed from the private jet''s window.


    Kai and Eva instinctively took a look outside. There, from thousands of meters in the air, the view was mesmerizing.


    Music Pce was a gigantic ind. Well, it was at least big enough to be seen from this altitude. It was said that a rich businessman bought this ind and turned it into a full high-ss resort with everything a person could ask for.


    The huge concert arena was only built 15 years ago and quickly was named the biggest music arena in the world with hundreds of thousands of seats for fans.


    "This ce became even more beautiful than I remember," Eva murmured with an impressed expression.


    Eva had indeed attended some music festivals and concerts here before because of her job so she knows the ce very well. On the other hand, Kai and Kaya never had the opportunity toe there.


    When the jetnded and the trio left the airport, they were hit with a bustling street choke full of people.


    "Woah! How many people are here?"


    "These are all fans of ire Redsky. They all want to see her back on stage."


    "What the hell is this ire Redsky? Is she really that good?" Kaya murmured as she pushed someone who was about to collide with her away.


    "Yeah, she''s a genius. I was mesmerized by her music from the first time I heard it." Eva said as she walked past a group of people who gave her a weird smile. With a simple re, they all looked away.


    The group eventually cut their way through the huge crowds before they walked toward the main hotel of the ind.


    "Three VIP rooms please."


    "Of course. Please wait a moment." The receptionist said before he handed them the keys.


    ''Tsk, so I won''t be able to stay with Kai. Dammit!!'' Kaya thought to herself.


    "Hm? What''s wrong, saggy breasts?" Eva asked with a confused expression.


    "Huh? N-Nothi- Wait, who the fuck are you calling saggy breasts you infant!"


    "I''m just describing you. Also, I''m not an infant! I''m about to be an adult in a few months!" Eva shrugged.


    "Sure, infant. Whatever you say." Kaya rolled her eyes.


    "You two, be quiet," Kai said as he stopped in front of a room that had the same number on his key.


    "Oh, my room is next to yours."


    "Mine too. What a great coincidence."


    Of course, it was no coincidence. Eva made sure that when she made the reservation, her room, and Kai''s room would be next to each other.


    ''However, I never intended for saggy breasts to be next to him from the other side too!!''


    "Hahaha, tough muck, mother''s milk. I already knew you would try to put me in a room far away from here so I made a reservation beforehand."


    "Tsk¡­"


    "The concert is tonight so we still have some free time. Rest well." Kai said as he entered his room.


    "Take care, darling."


    "Sure, my love."


    The two girls replied enthusiastically.


    The interior of the room was as luxurious as Kai expected. Granted, it wasn''t as big as the suit he reserved back in A-country but it was stillrge enough to amodate multiple individuals.


    After settling down, Kai sat down on his bed and looked outside from the balcony. The view was on the sea shore which was mesmerizing. He stayed like that for a while before he closed his eyes.


    Tonight, he was going to kill that woman. Although this has been his goal this whole time, it still didn''t make him feel satisfied.


    Something was wrong with ire''s actions. She was hiding for all these years, avoiding Kai fully aware that he was going toe after her the moment any small information about her leaked out.


    Yet, for some reason, she suddenly decided to reveal herself in the most reckless way. There was simply no way Kai would''ve not heard about this concert and ire was definitely aware of that.


    ''What are you scheming?'' He squinted his eyes thoughtfully.


    At that moment, the door to his room knocked. Looking at the door, Kai couldn''t feel any aura around the person so he assumed it was one of the housekeeping staff.


    Approaching the door, he opened it. But, the person he saw there wasn''t a staff member. Instead, it was someone he was very familiar with. Hell, he was just thinking about her a second ago.


    Looking at the blind girl silently, Kai''s mind was in a chaotic state. He really didn''t expect to see her right now and there.


    "Aria¡­" He murmured lowly before his face turned into a cold frown.


    "Hey, Kai¡­ It has been a while." ire -or how Kai addressed her as Aria- spoke in an oddly calm tone. "Can I enter?"


    Kai''s eyes squinted for a second before he moved aside and let her in. The girl nodded her head and moved inside with her cane.


    But, the moment Kai closed the door, Aria felt a sharp cold feeling on her nape. A trickle of blood leaked from the small injury.


    "You really want to die, huh? Considering the fact that you came here to see me out of your own ord." Kai said with his hand pointed at Aria.


    "Before you do anything. Can I please speak?" Aria said without turning around.


    "..." Kai didn''t move as he waited for her to speak.


    "I came here to talk with you about something."


    "Speak."


    "Can I sit down, please? Standing for too long makes me feel disoriented."


    "Speak. You have ten seconds before I cut all your limbs off and extract the information I need." Kai said coldly, denying her request.


    "I''m sure you''re confused as to why I showed myself after all these years. I know that I betrayed your trust. Apologizing won''t fix anything and will only make you hate me even more. I lived with the guilt of what I did for my whole life. It ate away my sanity."


    Kai rolled his eyes briefly as he listened to her. He really didn''t buy any of her heartfelt words at all even though someone else would hear the deep sincerity in them.


    "Am I supposed to feel something?"


    However, Aria shook her head.


    "I''m not here for that since I''m prepared to die today. I''m here for another matter."


    "And that is?"


    "Your father."


    The moment Aria uttered the word ''father'', Kai''s aura exploded powerfully. A suffocating pressure stronger than anything else he ever exuded weighed down on Aria. However, she didn''t seem to be too affected by it.


    His eyes turned even sharper as visible hatred shed across them.


    "Speak." He said in a menacing tone.


    "Ever since you left¡­ He, uh, started moving again in secret. I didn''t know at first what he was doing. But, I recently heard that he had taken control over an Organization you might''ve heard of."


    Kai''s eyes widened slightly.


    ''Took control over an organization? Wait¡­'' Suddenly, it all clicked in his head.


    A shocking revtion that turned everything upside down.

 Chapter 193 193- Music Palace (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 193 Chapter 193- Music Pce (Part 2)</h4>


    "Your father has taken control over the organization known as Divinity."


    Even though Kai had already expected those words, it still hit hard. The revtion was so simple yet soplicated at the same time that it even left Kai confused for a few seconds.


    ''So that man was the one behind all of this¡­ I should''ve expected that. With his ego, he would never idle around without making a move. Dammit, I''m an idiot.'' Cursing inwardly, Kai inhaled a deep breath before he looked at Aria.


    If her words were the truth, then that all exins the sudden power that Divinity gained. The weird appearance of Temporary Origin and even the undead project and the Oirigin Society project. They were all aligned with what he knew would be something that bastard would do.


    However, the question that needs to be posed at the moment is how he pulled off all of that off. All of the things that Kai discovered about Divinity were not simple at all. Hell, they even exceeded his own knowledge.


    That man must''ve discovered something during these years. Something that pushed him for a great breakthrough.


    "What is his goal?"


    "I¡­ don''t know. He never told me anything apart¡­ from what you already know." Aria said with a careful tone. Her body was starting to sway left and right because of her disorientation. However, Kia ignored that as he asked another question.


    "Then, for what reason did he tell you that he did that?"


    "He didn''t tell me¡­ I had my own sources." Aria said. "In fact, I didn''te in contact with him for years now." She said as her voice started to weaken and her body almost stumbled forward was it not for the fact that she used her cane for support.


    Even then, Kai ignored her clear suffering as he thoughtfully contemted her words.


    "Do you still have ess back to that ce?" The boy was a little hopeful about that question.


    However, Aria shook her head.


    "No, I lost it long ago. I can''t go back there."


    Then, Aria turned around.


    "Please¡­ I can''t stand for long. I will tell you everything I know. So can I sit down?" Aria repeated again.


    "Shut up. You''re lucky I didn''t cut your head the moment I saw you. What else do you know about his ns?" Kai asked.


    "That''s almost everything I know. But, there is one more thing. He apparently started looking for you. He isn''t prioritizing that but he certainly wants to find you."


    Hearing that, Kai''s eyes turned colder.


    ''He wants to find me?''


    After all these years, he now tries to search for Kai. Thetter didn''t understand the logic behind that at all. But, either way, he wasn''t going to let that bastard do whatever he wanted. However, from what Aria said -which can be a lie- that man is still unaware of the fact that Kai knows all of this.


    ''I still need to make sure she''s not lying before I kill her.'' He thought carefully about what to do next.


    "Why did you decide to tell me all of this?"


    "It''s because of gui-"


    "Cut the nonsense," Kai said.


    "It''s really the truth. I couldn''t bear living with it anymore. So, I''m ready to die. However, can I request something? I know I have no right to ask anything from you. But, please, let me do the concert before you kill me."


    "And why would I do that?" Kai''s pressure increased, making Aria squint slightly before she answered.


    "Since this is thest day of my life. I wanted to end it in the best way possible. This concert wasn''t what I wanted to end my life with, but it''s the second-best choice."


    "You''re really bold to ask for such a request."


    "Please, Kai. I won''t ask anything else from you."


    "Your request is refused." He said.


    "No, wait, please."


    "Wait? Wait for what? I have no reason to give you what you want. You certainly have the foolishness of someone that that bastard would easily manipte."


    Just remembering how everything ended up, Kai''s hand fidgeted a little. The sheer anger and hatred he harbored for this girl and his father were endless.


    As Kai was about to swiftly cut her head, the door to the room suddenly knocked. Kai''s movement stopped as he looked away.


    "Kai? Are you inside?" Kaya''s voice reached his ears and made him click his tongue.


    ''If Kaya realizes this woman is here, it would be annoying to exin. Tsk, although I wanted to kill her with my own hands.


    Then, he quickly touched her nape again and said.


    "I have injected your body with Origin. After the concert, you will die." He said.


    Aria''s mouth opened to speak before it closed again and looked away.


    "Than-"


    "Leave." He said as he turned around and walked toward the door.


    Aria''s face crunched visibly for a second before she walked toward the window and jumped out of it, vanishing in an instant.


    "Oh, were you sleeping?" Kaya asked when she noticed that Kai took a while to open.


    "No, I was washing my face," Kai said.


    "Oh, I see. Can Ie inside?"


    Kai nodded his head before he moved to the side with a silent look.


    ''Hmm, he''s still feeling under the weather, huh? Well, I''m here to make him feel better!'' Kaya thought as she entered the room.


    "It''s simr to my room, isn''t it?"


    "Where is Eva?" Kai asked as he walked to the kitchen and pulled out two drinks from the fridge.


    "Thank you, my love~ Mother''s Milk is still taking a shower¡­ I think?" Kaya said as she sat down and popped the can open before she drank a huge gulp from it.


    "Haaaah! This hits right." She said.


    Meanwhile, Kai rested his shoulder on the door frame as he took a sip from the drink. His eyes seemed to be lost as he was thinking about something else.


    Seeing that, Kaya sighed before she put down the drink and stood up before she approached him.


    "What''s wrong, my love?" She asked as she cupped his cheeks.


    "Nothing." He replied as his eyes finally focused on Kaya''s face. The two stared at each other silently.


    "There is something about this whole trip that''s bothering you? We can go back if you want. I''m sure Kiddo won''t mind either." She said.


    "No, it''s really nothing."


    "Then, smile for me so I can feel assured," Kaya said with a grin as she closed the distance between them, threatening to kiss him. "Do it and I might give you a very delicious reward~"


    "Have you ever seen me smile?" Kai asked daringly as he looked at her.


    "No, and that''s why I want to see it right now. Come on, baby, show it to me." She said as she licked her lips.


    Silence prevailed between the two for a while before Kaya''s seductive face shifted as she exploded inughter.


    "Hahahaha, I can''t. I was really having a good win streak going on there."


    "You didn''t have one," Kai replied as he took a sip from his can.


    "Hey! I was! I''m sure you were swayed for a second there."


    "No, I was not."


    "Yes, you were, my love. I could see it all over your face. You were thinking ''Oh, she''s so hot and attractive. I love her so much.''" Kaya said with a deeper voice, imitating how Kai speaks.


    "I don''t speak like that."


    "''I don''t speak like that.''" Kaya repeated after him with the same expression Kai had on his face.


    "Now you''re copying me?"


    "''Now you''re copying me?''"


    Kai looked at Kaya who was certainly being mischievous before he approached her. She looked at him with a daring smile, thinking that he wouldn''t do anything. But, shockingly enough, he suddenly leaned forward and licked her earlobe, making Kaya leak a small moan.


    "Try to copy that." He whispered in her ear before he pulled away and walked toward the kitchen.


    "Hey! That was unfair! You''re ying dirty, Kai!" She protested with a blush as she touched her ear.


    "There were no rules to begin with." He replied.


    "Damn it!"


    As the two continued bantering and flirting, Aria, who was still there listened to all of this from the outside. Her face, slightly hidden with that handkerchief in her eyes, seemed to haveplicated emotions surge through it.


    "I guess he finally found his happiness¡­" She murmured with a small, sad smile. "I''m d¡­ I''m truly d¡­ Now I can die in peace."


    After that, she walked away from there. A small wet spot appeared on the red handkerchief. But, nobody was able to see that. Or, to be more precise, Aria didn''t allow anyone to see that. Her feelings are hers and nobody is allowed to witness that side of her. Well, everyone except for one person.


    However, that person hadpletely lost any affection he harbored for her and it was all because of her.


    ''It''s fine like this. The truth should remain hidden. I must protect him from it.''

 Chapter 194 194- Music Palace (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 194 Chapter 194- Music Pce (Part 3)</h4>


    Kai and Kaya continued their banter until Eva finally arrived and knocked on the door.


    "Tsk, Kiddo is already here. I thought she was going to stay longer." Kaya murmured to herself as she sat down.


    Kai walked toward the door before he opened it. Instantly, Eva barged inside and gave him a peck on the cheek before she red.


    "You, saggy breasts! You''re so dead!!" She said as she rushed toward Kaya.


    "Hey, hey, rx Kiddo." Kaya jumped back.


    "Stealing my shampoo while I was taking a shower. How did you do that? Huh?"


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about, kiddo. Shampoo? What shampoo?" Kaya asked with an innocent look.


    "I''m sure snuck one of your little animals into my room to steal the shampoo," Eva said as she was about to form multiple swords in the air.


    "*Whistle* Don''t know what you''re talking about," Kaya replied.


    "I''m going to slice you up."


    "I want to see you try, Kiddo."


    "You two, stop messing around," Kai said as he sighed.


    "Ok. Sorry." (x2)


    As Kai turned around and walked toward the kitchen, his eyes noticed something stuck in the window that made him squint.


    "Hm?"


    Walking towards it, Kai pulled the object which turned out to be a few tickets for the concert that night. However, the difference is that they aren''t just VIPs¡­ They were VVIPs.


    "Hm?" Kaya and Eva noticed the tickets and were quite confused.


    "Those are the VVIPs? Huh? Where did you get them?" Eva asked.


    "VVIPs? What''s that?"


    "These are very exclusive tickets that only the artist or very close people from them would give out to very special people."


    "What the hell? Then why does Kai have one?"


    As the two conversed, Kai kept looking at the tickets. His eyes were sharp and cold but also confused. Even after their conversation, Kai still didn''t understand what Aria truly wanted. She said she wanted to die and yet also was willing to give him tickets to her show to watch her die.


    What changed her mind after all these years?


    Kai didn''t believe it was out of guilt. No, he wanted to believe that it wasn''t out of guilt as that would only make his thoughts even more chaotic than they already were.


    And then there was the matter of his father, the man that he hated the most in this world. His ns were very rming. From what he knew, there wasn''t a single move that man did that didn''t result in some kind of disaster.


    He was a man who didn''t care about the consequences of his actions as long as he got what he wanted. His methods were so brutal that even Kai found himself in disgust at it.


    However, at the same time, Kai was d that he at least finally got a lead on how to get back to that ce.


    ''If he''s truly controlling Divinity then he will have to show up sooner orter.''


    Slowly, a n was forming in Kai''s head as to how he could catch that bastard. Not only to inflict upon him all the suffering imaginable in this world but to also perhaps find more leads about his sickness.


    As far as he could remember, the symptoms started appearing a while after he left that ce.


    ''It could be a possibility that it has something to do with him.''


    "Kai?"


    As he was having such thoughts, a snap from Eva''s finger woke him up. "Are you ok, darling?"


    "Mhm, I was just thinking about these tickets. I didn''t see them there when I first entered the room."


    "Weird¡­ Maybe their owner forgot them here when he checked out?"


    "How does that even make sense? We''re the first to check into these rooms. Also, those tickets are priceless." Eva thought as she thought about it before she looked at Kai.


    Although she didn''t want to suspect it, she could only think that Kai must''ve found them somehow.


    ''Uh, well, if it''s Kai, then there is no problem.'' She shrugged.


    "Well, there is no point in overthinking it. We might as well use these tickets."


    "That''s a good idea, Kiddo. Well, just keep the other tickets just in case we get kicked out of the VVIP section or the owneres back for them."


    ***


    A few hourster, the night finally descended and the time for the concert approached.


    Kai looked in the mirror before he adjusted his tie. He was wearing a ck elegant suit and ck shoes. He didn''t have to change his appearance since the VVIP section was only for them. Instead, he simply brushed his hair to the side, showing a little bit of his face.


    Then, he walked to the door and opened it, only to find Kaya and Eva waiting.


    "Hey, beauties, are you going to the concert? Let''s go together." As he was about to speak, Kai heard a voiceing from the other side of the corridor.


    Looking there, the two girls sighed. A man with a wide grin on his face approached them.


    "Goddamn, you two are smoking hot. What do you think? We can have a few drinks in the after party." As he was about to touch Kaya''s shoulder, a hand grabbed his wrist tightly.


    "H-Huh?" As he was about to re at the culprit, his face immediately froze. An incredibly handsome man had grabbed his wrist with a cold re.


    "Y-You¡­"


    "Scram," Kai said one word before he pushed him away.


    The man quickly grabbed his wrist before he scurried away.


    Kai looked at the man for a while until he disappeared before he finally shifted to the two girls that were poring holes into his face.


    When he looked at them, the two had dazed expressions on their faces as if theypletely forgot where they were.


    "What?" He asked.


    "You decided to show your face¡­" Eva said, still dazed.


    "So handsome¡­" Kaya was on the verge of drooling.


    "The long hair is annoying sometimes. Since there won''t be any threat tonight, I decided to slide it to the side." He replied as he gave their clothes a nce.


    Eva wore a beautiful red dress with golden engravings that entuated her graceful figure. Meanwhile, Kaya went for a dark blue dress and a beautiful flowery ne around her neck. Both of them looked absolutely stunning.


    "What do you think, Kai?" Eva asked.


    "You two look gorgeous." He replied with a nod.


    Those few words alone made the two blush furiously.


    "Let''s go." He said.


    The trio then left the hotel and walked toward the concert arena. From the outside, the Music Pce looked gigantic.


    The walls were tens of meters high with a wide screen covering most of the exterior that broadcasted whatever was happening inside. It was akin to a heavenly cocoon for Music enthusiasts.


    Inside this arena, hundreds of thousands of people were cheering and screaming as they waited for the star to appear on stage. Highlights were moving wildly, shing and twisting like an endless stream of light.


    "Woah, the ce is definitely wild! Look at the posters." Kaya said with a whistle.


    The trio reached their destination quickly and stood in line waiting. Although the ce was bustling with people, it didn''t take long for them to reach the entrance since the event was well organized.


    "Tickets please."


    Kai handed the tickets to the man before he waited. When thetter read the tickets, his facial expression changed for a second.


    "Are these¡­"


    "Yes."


    "I see. Please wait a moment, esteemed guest." The man''s tone changed as he turned around and made a call.


    After that, he turned around and smiled at Kai and the two girls.


    "Please, follow me from here."


    After that, the man guided them inside the arena. However, instead of taking the normal route, he diverged with them toward a quieter, more luxurious-looking section of the arena. The trio saw many celebrities and high-status personnel as they walked. Some of them even greeted Eva since she knew them from when she was still working.


    Eventually, they ended up in front of a two doors room that seemed to be secluded from everywhere else.


    "This is your VVIP room. It has the closest view of the concert. There is also a bar, a jacuzzi, and a salon if you want to make yourselvesfortable.


    The man exined as he opened the door.


    ''A jacuzzi for a concert? People really lovevish stuff.'' Kaya thought as she looked around the interior of the room.


    Eventually, their eyesnded on the wide windows on the other side of the room that had a very close view of the stage. It was made to look as if the singer was singing to the people there rather than to everyone in the arena.


    "Woah! I like this!" Eva murmured as she approached the window and looked outside. Not only could she see the stage but also the huge expanse of people around it, cheering and screaming.


    "Please, make yourselffortable and enjoy the concert."

 Chapter 195 195- Song of Hope

    <h4>Chapter 195 Chapter 195- Song of Hope</h4>


    Kai, Kaya, and Eva sat down on thefy chairs facing the windows. The two girls looked rather excited to see the show while Kai had an aloof expression that hid all his thoughts.


    He had no heart to enjoy this show as he neither wanted to see the woman singing near nor hear her full-blown voice. He didn''t care if it was beautiful or not, it was none of his business.


    However, there was only one single reason he didn''t refuse to attend this concert and it was rather simple. It was because of the two girls sitting next to him. After what happened in the past few weeks, he could see that they were stressing out greatly.


    Hell, even he was starting to overthink too much himself. That''s why, he decided to let them enjoy a vacation for the first time especially when things were still calm and quite peaceful.


    "Kai, do you want a drink?" Kaya asked as she tapped his shoulder.


    "Hey! Saggy Breasts, we''re minors, unlike your old ass!" Eva said with a snort.


    "You''re the only kiddo here, Kiddo. My Kai can drink. Besides, alcohol won''t affect you or him. I can give you some warm milk instead if you want."


    "You bitch!"


    "What do you want brat?!"


    The two girls red at each other angrily. However, they quickly realized that Kai was there, listening to them.


    "I don''t want a drink." Kai diffused the situation with an answer as he tapped Kaya''s shoulder to sit down.


    As the three conversed between themselves, the light of the arena suddenly died down, catching their attention.


    "Oh, it''s about to begin," Eva murmured as she adjusted her position.


    Outside, on the stage, a huge highlight focused on the center. Then, out of nowhere, smoke rose in the air, covering that spot.


    Gasps of surprise echoed among the fans. A few seconds,ter, when the smoke dissipated, revealing the silhouette of a beautiful woman.


    Immediately, sheers errupted in the arena, almost shaking the walls from their loudness. It was quite the sight even for Kai.


    "It''s really surprising how many people love her songs. She''s been retired for 10 years for god sake." Kaya mused.


    "If your work is good enough, it will be eternally etched into history. People won''t forget that easily." Eva replied.


    "I guess you''re right."


    Meanwhile, Aria, or in this case, ire stood silently for a few seconds, allowing for the fans to sheer and yell however they wanted before she picked up the microphone. Her face was as usual covered with the iconic red handkerchief. That small piece of cloth was the topic of many debates and theories.


    People wanted to know why she was wearing that on her face. Was it a gift from a loved one? A way for her to mourn the death of someone she loved? Or maybe it was as simple as finding the cloth cool.


    However, all things considered, that red handkerchief was one of the secondary reasons why ire was renowned across the world.


    "Before we start, I wanted to thank everyone for attending my concert after all these years. I''m truly happy to see everyone here tonight." She said with a confident tone.


    Immediately, sheers erupted again. People felt her sincere tone and could only scream her name loudly.


    "Seeing this, it really makes me happy. I never thought my music would resonate with so many people. Thank you, truly."


    Although many thought that her words were simply sincere gratitude, some others didn''t see them as such.


    "Is it me or does ire sound like she''s saying her farewells?"


    "Yeah, I got that vibe too."


    "Oh! You guys don''t get it! She''s just thanking us for being loyal fans!"


    "I agree!!"


    As for the trio in the VVIP room, none of them had any distinct reaction to her words. Or, to be more precise, didn''t voice out any thought. Especially Kai who simply stared at the blind girl silently.


    "Now, to start this concert, I want it to be special. I have written a new song that I decided to sing tonight for the first time. Enjoy."


    Then, slowly, the music started in the background. The violin slowly creates a beautiful symphony that dances along with the notes of the piano. The mood of the arena shifted quickly as the people listened to the beautiful music. A surge of emotions filled their hearts.


    Then, ire took a deep breath and finally started singing. Her voice was so beautiful it was akin to that of an angel.


    "In the shadows of my yesterdays,


    Regret''s a melody that softly ys.


    A symphony of choices left behind,


    Echoing the love I could find."


    Her voice was vibrant and beautiful, and yet also had a tinge of sadness mixed within it that stirred people''s hearts even more.


    "Mistakes like stars, they light the night,


    Each twinkle holds a chance to make it right.


    But time slips through like grains of sand,


    Leaving me here, longing for your hand."


    "Woah, she has such a beautiful voice," Kaya murmured with a small smile on her face. "I love this song."


    "Her songs were always about love. She has a way of stirring emotions like no other artist." Eva replied as she looked at Kai.


    Thetter waspletely silent. His face was as stoic as ever but inside his head, he was having other thoughts. For some reason, her words felt like they were directed toward him.


    However, he had no reason to believe that''s the case¡­ It was just a feeling.


    "Oh, the echoes of regret,


    A haunting tune I can''t forget.


    But, I''ll rewrite this melody,


    Turning pain to possibility."


    The song gradually grew more intense and yet gentle, strong and yet soft. It was a contradicting mix that somehow worked so perfectly. Many fans felt tears filling their eyes as they stared at their loved ones beside them.


    Most of these people came with their wives, their love partners, and their families. They all came here to enjoy the angelic voice of ire, to regain that feeling of affection that she involves in them with each word, with each note, and with each tone.


    Some people tend to forget the meaning of love as time goes by. They lose the meaning of why they chose that person as their life partner and why they even loved them in the first ce. ire''s songs magically ignite those feelings back.


    That was perhaps the biggest reason why people loved her and kept listening to her songs even after she left.


    "I''ll gather up the shattered notes,


    Piece them together, mend what broke.


    With every chord, I''ll find my way,


    To brighter skies, to a brand new day."


    ire''s face glistened with sweat as she sang. Nobody could clearly see her expression but they could feel her aura spreading across the whole arena. She was clearly enjoying herself so much.


    Perhaps her passion was more apparent today than any other time people heard her.


    The song continued, carrying along with it everyone who listened to it. The violin and piano made it even more beautiful than ever before.


    Eventually, ire reached thest part.


    "With every note, I''ll find my way,


    To a love that''s here, that''s here to stay.


    No more echoes of regret,


    Just a song of hope, there''s no forget."


    Then, ire''s voice died down along with the music, leaving the arena in an astonishing silence.


    Then, a secondter, cheers erupted, louder than ever before. Tears and cries mixed within.


    "Such a beautiful song¡­" A woman said as she wiped her face to stop the tears. Then, she looked at her husband before she gave him a hug.


    Many people did the same and hugged their loved ones, to show them that they still appreciate them, that they still want them as much as they did before if not more.


    "*Sniff* That was so good." Eva wiped her face as she pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the tears.


    "Yeah¡­" Kaya had the same reaction, albeit a little milder. "I can see why people love her. This is amazing. Don''t you think so, Kai?"


    The two girls looked at their beloved, waiting for his reaction. However, thetter didn''t seem to be listening to them.


    His eyes were locked on the girl on stage. Nobody knew what he was thinking of. For a second there, he saw Aria looking directly at him. But, because her eyes were covered, he couldn''t say for sure.


    ''What is she trying to do?'' He thought to himself.


    Love song or not, it was clearly an apology. Perhaps it could''ve been sentimental for no reason. However, Kai didn''t believe that. She was certainly apologizing.


    ''Are you begging for your life? You want me to spare you?''


    "Tsk, curse it." He murmured under his breath.


    "Kai?"


    "Hm?"


    "Are you ok?"


    "Yeah." He replied before he looked at Kaya. "Can you get me one of the drinks?"


    "Oh? What changed your mind?"


    "It''s going to be¡­ a long night."

 Chapter 196 196- Next Move

    <h4>Chapter 196 Chapter 196- Next Move</h4>


    The concert continued from then on. Each song was more beautiful than the other and the fans found themselves in a whirlpool of emotions that they never felt before. It easily settled in their minds as the best concert they ever attended.


    Even Eva and Kaya felt the same and had the time of their lives listening to the songs. The only one who had a rather tame reaction was Kai as he simply sat in his chair, looking at ire through the window.


    Eventually, the concert reached its climax with thest song and ire ended the show with two words.


    "Thank you." After that, she bowed to everyone before she walked off stage. The moment she was out of vision, she exhaled a long breath before she wiped the sweat on her face.


    "It was absolutely amazing, ire! I couldn''t believe my own eyes!" Her agent quickly approached her, handing her a towel and a drink.


    "I''m going to rest." However, ire simply took the two items before excusing herself toward her room.


    When she entered inside, she exhaled a long breath before she wiped the sweat and sat down.


    ''Now, when am I going to die?'' She thought to herself.


    Kai didn''t specify the time, he simply said that it would happen after the show. Which meant that it could happen now, or in a few minutes. Well, in any case, the moment the show was finished, Aria readied herself for the inevitable.


    She had already done everything she could to die with the least amount of regrets. Granted, she still felt extremely regretful, but something is better than nothing. One thing she was certain of is that she definitely had done her best to protect the person she loved.


    Because of that, her life turned into hell. But, she didn''t mind as long as the person she adores lives a happy life.


    ''Let''s see, how should Iy down.'' Thinking about the position she should die in, she stared at the sofa in the room before she stood up and approached it. After that, sheid down on the sofa on her back.


    ''Hmm, or maybe on my side better?''


    Then, she tried her side, her stomach and even simply sitting down.


    Her movement continued in the silent room as she tried to find the optimal position. However, she still couldn''t find it.


    "What are you doing?"


    Suddenly, a voice shook her awake from her dilemma. Looking at the opened window, she found Kai standing there looking at her with a cold yet also confused look.


    "What¡­ are you doing here?" Seeing the person she least expected to see, Aria asked with a swirl of emotions shing in her eyes. Luckily, Kai didn''t see her reaction.


    "There is one thing left that bugged me which I didn''t find an answer to."


    "..."


    "Did that man do something to me before I could leave?" He asked.


    "What do you mea-"


    "You know exactly what I mean. There is something wrong with me that I can''t find an answer to and my best bet is that the bastard did something. You were his partner in the n so you should know."


    "I really don''t know what you''re talking about. What''s wrong with you, Kai?" Aria asked as her emotionless voice sparked with a hint of worry.


    This was really news for her. Kai had something wrong with him? That alone was more than enough to shake her fears again. If something happened to Kai after she died, what was the point of all of her efforts? She did all of that just so that Kai could escape and live his life.


    Meanwhile, Kai was thinking about something different. Aria was certainly knowledgeable about all kinds of things that bastard does. She was one of the few people he trusted with the job after all. So, if Kai told her, there was a very high chance that she might know something.


    However, in the off-chance that she doesn''t, he would''ve simply told her something unnecessary.


    Thinking it through, Kai could only sigh. He doesn''t have many leads toward that man other than Aria herself. She knew many things he didn''t which was a huge advantage.


    ''If she doesn''t know then she will simply die. That shouldn''t create a problem.'' He thought as he closed his eyes.


    "Please tell me what''s wrong. I will try to help in any way I can."


    "I''m going to die in a few more months," Kai said with a sigh.


    This was something that he didn''t tell Kaya and Eva yet. In actuality, after what happened with the Guild, Kai discovered that his symptoms had be even stronger and more intense. It didn''t take him long to realize that because of his overuse of Origin, the period of time he had left was shortened by at least 9 months.


    When he realized that, he decided not to tell the two girls because they would only be scared to death. Especially, Eva, it took him some effort to convince her that she wasn''t to be med for what happened. If she realized that she had a hand in shortening his life span even more, Kai didn''t even want to imagine how she would feel.


    ''I will solve this problem without making them suspicious.'' He thought to himself.


    The moment Aria heard those words, her expression crumbled. Her heart stopped for a second and her face paled to a horrible degree. She almost thought she heard him wrong.


    "W-What¡­"


    "As I said, I''m going to die in a few months. It''s a sickness I had ever since I left that godforsaken ce. I don''t know how or why but it happened and now I''m looking for a cure or a lead for the cause of the illness."


    "Illness¡­" Aria quickly took a deep breath to calm down. Panicking will do her no good. She had to think rationally.


    After a while, her expression changed again as if she recalled something.


    "I do remember seeing something like that. I¡­ He did tell me once about making something that will help him¡­ control anyone he wants. I don''t know if that''s¡­ any help¡­"


    "Control anyone he wants?" Kai raised an eyebrow as he fell into deep thought. That didn''t sound like an actual thing rted to his illness¡­ Or is it?


    From what he can remember the times it prominently showed its symptoms were when those pair of eyes that Kai can''t quite remember appear. Every time they do, he instantly gets hit with the symptoms.


    Which meant that those eyes triggered his symptoms. Isn''t that also a form of control?


    ''I already expected that bastard to have a hand in this. But, to think that he actually found something that could kill me¡­'' His fists instinctively tightened.


    "Kai¡­" Aria called for him gently. "I-I can help you¡­"


    "Help me?"


    "Y-Yes, if what you said is true then finding him is your top priority, right? I can be useful¡­" ire said. "I know many things about him and I also have connections in Divinity. I will help you find your father."


    "And why should I believe you?"


    "I know it''s too much to ask for that. But¡­ Please, prolong my life till I''m sure you''re safe and sound¡­ Please¡­" She said with a low tone.


    Aria waspletely stuck in a really bad situation right now. Not only did she just hear that Kai is sick but she also can''t help him much especially when her death is near. She could only beg Kai to let her live just a few more months so she could help him find his father.


    ''He doesn''t trust me¡­ Why would he even ept?''


    Thetter poured into her face as if he was trying to discern what she wanted to do. Then, he asked.


    "Why is my well-being of your concern? As far as I remember, you''re one of the reasons I''m like this now."


    "I can''t¡­ tell you. But, please trust me, Kai. I really mean no harm to you. What I did in the past¡­ It was for a reason."


    "What reason?"


    "I can''t say a word." She replied.


    "So you betrayed me and now you want to help me without telling me why?" He raised an eyebrow.


    "..."


    "Well, if that doesn''t sound logical enough." He added with a sarcastic tone.


    However, even though Kai was being defensive, his mind was working through all the possibilities and decisions he should take. Aria certainly had valuable knowledge hecked and using that he could potentially find that man way quicker than if he went into this without any prior knowledge.


    But, trust was important in such a matter. Aria could be still working under that man as far as he''s concerned.


    "Let''s do an Origin Vow¡­ I will prove that I''m not trying to harm you." Aria spoke after a while.


    Those words surprised Kai a little.


    ''So you''re ready to put your life at risk for this¡­'' He thought to himself.

 Chapter 197 197- Prisoner In a Hotel

    <h4>Chapter 197 Chapter 197- Prisoner In a Hotel</h4>


    Silence took over the room as Aria waited anxiously for Kai''s decision. She wasn''t scared of death as much as she was scared of Kai dying soon after her.


    That would be her worst nightmare. Seeing her goal get shattered into pieces after years of suffering and pain wasn''t something she was ready to handle even if she was dead.


    It didn''t matter if she had to do an Origin Vow at all as it would only prove her honesty first and foremost. What was her life worth if she died and then ended up failing everything she sacrificed her life for?


    It wasn''t a selfish thought but more of a desperate attempt to regain hope that she did the right thing. Even if she hurt Kai doing it, she wanted to believe that she did what was best for him.


    ''Please, Kai. Please, you can''t die¡­ Not now, not never.'' She thought to herself. Her eyes were on the verge of tearing up but she denied that from happening. She couldn''t break down, not now, not when she could do one final push before her death.


    Eventually, the boy opened his mouth and finally spoke. "Are you really ready to put everything at risk for this? Are you really going to put your life in my hands willingly?"


    "Yes. I''m ready." She replied without a shred of hesitation.


    "Fine, let''s do an Origin Vow. A one-sided contract that you can''t breach or you won''t simply die¡­ You will suffer for eternity."


    "Yes, I understand."


    Seeing her willingness, Kai snapped his finger and instantly, the Origin he imbued into her body vanished.


    Aria slowly lifted her hand before she touched the back of her neck. She clearly felt it vanish and that made her exhale a long sigh of relief.


    "Until I get an Origin Vow implicator, you''re going to follow me." He said before he approached her and then with a simple move of his hand, two ice shackles appeared around her wrists.


    "If you break these, I will kill you. If you try to run away, I will also kill you. If you do as much as anything I deem remotely suspicious, you''re dead. Just stay quiet and don''t do anything unless I tell you to do it." He ordered her with an extremely cold tone.


    "I understand." She nodded her head.


    Seeing that, Kai nodded his head before he suddenly grabbed Aria by the legs and lifted her up before dropping her over his shoulder.


    Then, he looked around the room before he summoned the wind to quickly turn the whole ce into a huge mess.


    ''That should make it look like a kidnapping.'' He thought to himself before he walked toward the window.


    "I can¡­ walk alone."


    "Silence." Saying that Kai jumped from the window and vanished into the night.


    ***


    "Hmm, I wonder why Kai told us to leave first?" Eva murmured as she looked behind her at the arena. Countless people were leaving after the end of the show, talking excitedly about how much they loved it.


    "You know him. He always has things to do out of nowhere." Kaya replied with a shrug.


    "Yeah, I know. But, it still seemed rather odd that he left so suddenly. Hopefully, there is nothing wrong."


    "Rx, kiddo. Kai will be fine. He had been able to handle himself before we came along and he will still be able to do the same now. There is no point in worrying with no reason."


    "Tsk, I hate that you have a point." Eva rolled her eyes.


    "I always have a point, you just can''t see it."


    "As far as I remember, you alwayse up with dumb ideas."


    "My dumb ideas saved your ass countless times. How ungrateful of you, darling. Someone grateful would''ve kissed my feet in your stead if I have to be honest." Kaya grinned.


    "I would rather bury my head in dirty mud and wash my face with it than to kiss your feet. It''s more hygienic as far as I''m concerned." Eva replied.


    "You don''t know till you try."


    "I will kill you, saggy breasts." Eva''s cold tone made Kaya grin even wider.


    The two continued their banter till they reached the hotel and went up to their floor. But, when they reached Kai''s room, they noticed that it was upied.


    "Hmm? Did Kaie back?"


    "Apparently," Kaya murmured before she knocked on the door.


    "Come in." Not long after, Kai''s familiar voice replied.


    Opening the door, Kaya and Eva were met with a cold wind.


    ''What the hell? Did Kai turn on the AC on full st?'' Eva blinked in confusion as she walked inside.


    However, when she felt the ice particles in the air, she quickly realized that Kai must''ve used his ice powers.


    "Kai? Is everything OK? Where are you?"


    As the two took a turn to the living room, they were met with a sight that they never expected to see in a thousand years.


    Kai was sitting on the sofa, sipping a cup of tea casually. In front of him, dangling in the air while tied by ice shackles that protruded from the ceiling and the ground was none other than ire Redsky.


    The two stared silently as if they couldn''t believe their own eyes.


    ''Did I go to sleep without noticing?'' Kaya thought seriously as she blinked. However, no matter how she looked at it, this was real, everything was real.


    "Kai¡­"


    "Sit down. I will exin." He said.


    The two girls looked at each other before they quickly sat down next to him.


    "This woman is the one that you saw sing, there is no illusion here." He confirmed their suspicion and that made the shock even bigger.


    "Did you¡­ kidnap her?" Eva asked with an audible gulp.


    "Yes. She will be with us for a while."


    "Why?"


    "I have a good use for her. But, don''t worry, she will stay shuckled like that."


    "Kai¡­ She will die from hypothermia. Look, she shivering." Kaya said.


    "She''s an Origin User, she won''t die. That''s all fake." He said with a cold tone. "Oi, you''re awake, right? You can speak and answer their questions."


    Hearing his voice, Aria shuddered as she lifted her head up weakly. Her face had traces of ice on it and her arms were read from the sheer coldness of the ice shackles.


    ''She looks really weak and feeble.'' Kaya couldn''t deny that she felt pity for this girl. But, she could also see that Kai didn''t like her or even outright hated her from his tone and the cold re he gave her.


    ''Do these two have a past between them?'' Eva thought.


    "She is going to be my lead to finding a cure for my sickness."


    "Wait, really?! She knows something?"


    "Hopefully," Kai said as he stood up and brought his teacup to the kitchen, leaving both Kaya and Eva alone with Aria.


    "Are you two¡­ Kai''s wives?" The girl finally opened her mouth and asked with a weak tone.


    "W-Wives?!" Eva blushed when she heard her.


    "I-I mean, I''m not but maybe soo-"


    "I am." Suddenly, Kaya cut her off and responded with a deadly serious expression.


    "No, the hell you''re not!"


    "I am his wife. You''re still a kiddo, so you won''t get it. It''s a matter between adults."


    "Since when?! Besides, Kai is still not an adult yet!"


    "Since ever, duh. Also, he''s smarter and wiser than most adults so he''s an adult mentally."


    "Stop being shameless, saggy breasts! Neither of us is his wife!" Eva said as she rified the misunderstanding.


    "Tsk, party pooper¡­"


    "I will knock your ass out with a punch." Eva threatened.


    Meanwhile, Aria listened to the interaction with a stoic expression before she looked down again.


    "You two seem like interesting people to be with. I can see why Kai would like you.


    Those words made the two girls look at Aria at the same time.


    "And how do you know what Kai likes and dislikes?"


    "I¡­" Aria was about to speak before she shuddered again and started coughing. Herplexion didn''t look well.


    "Are you ok?" Eva asked.


    "I¡­ I''m fine¡­ I can''t stand for long periods of time or I get disoriented."


    ''That''s far from fine!''


    "Shouldn''t we at least make her sit? Hanging like that from the air is really impractical." Kaya suggested.


    Kai came back and looked at Aria for a second. Although he did that out of spite, he did agree with Kaya. Keeping her hanging like that is not a good idea.


    "Tsk¡­" Clicking his tongue, he snapped his finger and Aria fell to the ground.


    ''Sigh, I''ve never seen Kai this angry before. What did this girl even do?'' Eve thought as she helped her up before she made her sit down on the sofa.


    "So, you two knew each other before?"


    "Yes¡­ We¡­" Aria was about to speak, only for her eyes to wander toward Kai.


    Thetter nodded his head. "Go ahead."


    "I was his fiancee¡­ 15 years ago."

 Chapter 198 198- 11 Years Ago (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 198 Chapter 198- 11 Years Ago (Part 1)</h4>


    "W-What?!" Both Kaya and Eva almost choked on their own saliva when they heard those words. They never expected something like this.


    ''F-Fiance?! No, no, no, you wanna tell me Kai had a fiance?'' The two entered panic mode immediately. It was an instinctive reaction to hearing that their beloved was engaged. But, they quickly realized the current situation and how he looked at the woman.


    "I-Is¡­ Ehem, is that true, Kai?" Kaya asked.


    "Yes." He nodded his head. "It was an engagement of benefit for her family and for the people that gave birth to me." He said with a cold tone.


    Kaya and Eva noticed how he didn''t even call them his family and instead ''The people that gave birth to me''.


    "I see, so it was a political marriage in a sense," Eva murmured before she looked at Aria again. "So, what did you do to Kai?"


    Although she still didn''t harbor any great hatred toward this girl, Eva was certainly starting to dislike her, and depending on what she replied, the hatred might be birthed at that moment. What hurts her beloved hurts her directly, after all.


    "I¡­"


    "She helped provide unnecessary information about me to unnecessary people," Kai replied in her stead with a cold tone.


    To this day, Kai considers trusting this woman to be his biggest mistake. Because of what she did, he lost too many things to even count.


    "So, she''s a snitch?" Kaya asked with a confused expression.


    "More or less," Kai replied.


    "I see¡­"


    Although both girls were angry that Kai got betrayed that way, they still couldn''t hate the girl for some reason. Something felt off about her. Mind you, Eva and Kaya were masters at reading people''s emotions, especially other girls.


    ''I don''t feel guilt from her. She isn''t looking happy either. Something is really wrong here but I can''t wrap my head around it.'' Eva thought.


    "Anyway, It''s gettingte. I''m going to chain here again if you have no other question." Kai said as he stood up.


    "Onest question, please. But¡­ Can I request something from you, Kai?"


    "Why?"


    "Please, just for a few minutes," Eva asked seriously.


    Kai looked at her trying to discern what she wanted to do for a while before he nodded his head and then turned around and left.


    When Eva was sure Kai wouldn''t be able to hear them, she turned around to Aria and took a deep breath.


    "You''re hiding something, aren''t you?"


    "Huh?" Aria looked at Eva confusedly.


    "I can see it all over your face. You have something you want to say but you hesitate to say it. What is it?"


    "You picked up on that too, Kiddo?" Kaya asked.


    "Yeah, it was very apparent. But, Kai didn''t notice it."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about. I have nothing to hide." Aria replied.


    She had to keep her facepletely stoic when she realized how sharp these two girls were. Especially Eva, she could vaguely recall meeting her somewhere before and she seemed like a pretty clever girl.


    ''No wonder Kai likes them. They''re really smart and sharp. I have to keep myposure.'' She thought to herself.


    Although Aria thought that way, Eva''s question awakened the memories in her head. Luckily, she only remembered the good ones, and most important of all, the day they met.


    ***


    *11 years ago*


    The location is unknown, but it was certainly a ce shrouded in mystery and hidden from the eyes of most people.


    From a panoramic view, this ce looked so mesmerizing. Hidden amidst the vast expanses of nature, this city-like ce was so beautiful that it could put the biggest of cities to shame. In the heart of this city was a gigantic temple that was almost as big as the city itself.


    The temple was made out of beautiful white marble and had countless towers surrounding it. One could easily mistake it for a castle rather than a temple.


    Inside this temple -or castle- was a beautiful library, tucked in a hidden corner where no one could easily find it.


    This library was massive in size, boasting countless books, maps, old scriptures, and many other historical, scientific, and philosophical pieces of literature.


    In the heart of this maze of knowledge was a small table, surrounded by rows upon rows of books. Barely any light could reach this particr table day or night. So, for one to be able to see, they had to use amp.


    On this table sat down a small boy, no more than 5 years old.


    His appearance was majestic, to say the least. People would instantly lose themselves in his facial features, not realizing the passage of time. He was akin to a divine prince lost amongst books, imprisoned by the knowledge he seeks.


    In front of him were stacks of books that filled the table with one of these books being open in front of him as he read quietly. His purple eyes didn''t leave the book, not even for a second as he rhythmically flipped the pages, one after the other.


    Nobody knows how long he spent reading there. Perhaps it''s hours, days, or even weeks. It couldn''t be told from his appearance or doll-like expression.


    When he finishes one book, he would go for the other and then the one after that like a machine trying to memorize every word it sees. That was his life, if he wasn''t training, he was reading and if he wasn''t reading or training, he was learning some skill he was forced to learn.


    His genius was a curse, never been a blessing. It made him lose things he didn''t even know he had. All he had to do was to be what they wanted, do what they wanted, move how they wanted, and obey what they wanted him to be. He had no sense of freedom or even a sense of what it is to be a human.


    It reached a point where his mind asked the question ''Am I even a human? Perhaps I wasn''t one? Humans are supposed to be free ording to these books. But what is freedom?''


    These borderline existential questions bugged his 5-year-old mind day in and day out. While kids his age think about what they should y or eat for the day, he is thinking about how to learn to kill someone, understandplicated mathematical or physics problems, gain more strength, manipte his Origin better, or do something else along those lines.


    As he was reading like that, he heard a noiseing from a faraway ce in the library. His eyes finally moved away from the books and to the direction the noise came from.


    Then, he stood up and walked toward it, easily maneuvering his way through this maze. Eventually, he reached the source of the noise. There, he saw a pile of books on the ground that clearly fell down from the shelves.


    Beneath this pile of books was a moving thing that rustled and fought it was out of that trap.


    Eventually, a head popped out of the pile and looked at Kai curiously, or, to be more precise, looked in the wrong direction of where she thought Kai was. Aria''s blindness has always been a problem that she couldn''t ovee.


    Entering a library this big was like a nightmare to her. But, she couldn''t bear listening to adults talking about boring things so she excused herself to explore the ce, only to end up here.


    "What are you doing?" Kai asked coldly as he moved the books away from her with a simple gesture of his hand.


    "I was walking around the ce and I ended up here." She said.


    "What''s the point of walking around here? You don''t see anything." He asked.


    "Hmm, I can''t see. But I can feel if a ce is good or not."


    "..." Looking at this odd blind girl, Kai didn''t know what to do. He never really talks with anyone except for maids or butlers or someone from the family who tries to talk to him.


    "What are you doing here?" The girl asked.


    "None of your business."


    "Well, I can guess. You''re reading, right?"


    "... Yes," Kai replied after a while when he realized that it could be easily discerned.


    "Are there any good books here? I want to read too?"


    "How can you read?"


    "... You can read for me, right?" She said as she smiled slightly.


    "Why should I?"


    "Why shouldn''t you?"


    "..."


    Kai found himself speechless again at this odd girl. She seemed rather quirky and hard to predict even for him. But, he didn''t hate that at all, if anything, he found it interesting.


    "Come on, please read for me. I''m sure that would be better than reading alone."


    "... Ok." Eventually, he nodded his head. Well, secretly, Kai did want someone to talk to, someone other than the usual faces he sees every day.


    "By the way, my name is Aria. What''s your name?"


    "Kai."


    "Nice to meet you, Kai!"

 Chapter 199 199- 11 Years Ago (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 199 Chapter 199- 11 Years Ago (Part 2)</h4>


    Kai then led Aria back to the table where he sat down. He then made her sit down on the other chair he had on the opposite side of the table.


    "It took us a while to reach here. Is this library that big?" She asked with a curious expression.


    "It''s big. I think it has a copy of every single book and scripture ever written and more." He said.


    "Woah! That''s amazing! Did you read them all?"


    "No¡­" Kai replied with a confused look. How can someone even read all of that? Not to mention the fact that he was only 6 years old.


    "Do you ever want to read all of that? To gain endless knowledge?" She asked an even weirder question.


    But, for some reason, Kai couldn''t answer immediately. Instead, he looked around him, at the rows of shelves filled with books. A myriad of emotions filled his eyes for a second. As much as he hated his life and dreaded theck of purpose, he found sce in this hollow library. He thrived inside this ce filled with knowledge.


    What he couldn''t see with his own eyes from ces to cultures to people to even the smallest of animals or the biggest of stars, he could read about it from those books. Knowledge was great, he loved acquiring it because it made him feel like he was actually a part of this world and not a misfit, a ditched individual that nobody knew about.


    "Maybe¡­" Kai replied as he finally sighed and asked her. "What book do you want to read?" He asked.


    "Anything you give me." She replied with a smile.


    "I don''t have a preference."


    "Then, a fantasy would do."


    "Fantasy?"


    "Yeah, an epic fantasy, a romance fantasy, even aedic fantasy, anything with fantasy in it is good." She replied.


    "Why fantasy?" Kai blinked in confusion.


    "Because I love the worlds these books build. They can be intricate, interweaving, and alive. I can feel the characters living in it more than anything else. It''s really an eye-opener. Even for someone who can''t see."


    "Imagination, huh?"


    "Yeah, that. My mother used to read me a lot of these books. I have a fond memory of them." She said with a rather sad tone that Kai picked up on. But, he didn''t want to ask why she felt sad at that moment. Everyone has their past and not everything should be revealed.


    "I think I have a fantasy book you might''ve never heard of." He said before he walked toward one of the shelves nearby and then he used thedder to climb to the highest level of the shelf.


    "Oh, be careful." She said.


    Those words made Kai halt for a second as he looked at her.


    ''Be careful?''


    He had never heard someone say that to him before in his life. Why did she say that? He thought to himself. He couldn''t understand.


    Never did someone tell him to be careful or worried about his well-being and why would they? After all, he was born with powers like no one else. A few things could harm him even at such a young age.


    "Kai? Is everything okay?" She called for him.


    Thetter quickly shook his head before he picked up the book and came back before he put it down in front of Aria.


    "This is it. It''s called ''The Chronicles Of The Progenitor''. A book written by an unknown author and tells the tale of the Progenitor, a man of great power and fame, and his journey to that position. It''s heavily romanticized and mostly inurate depiction of the life of the Progenitor but it''s a good fantasy book as far as I''m concerned."


    "I did read about the Progenitor before. But, ugh, it was just a mere few sentences, no more."


    "People don''t have enough information to make books about him. This is the exception." He said before he dragged his seat toward her and sat down.


    "I will read it. So listen."


    "Mhm, go ahead. The only thing I have is my ears so you can take them." She joked.


    However, Kai sighed and shook his head. At this point, he can''t be shocked by her quirky responses anymore.


    "Once upon a time, in a far distantnd, somewhere between the clouds or perhaps in another realm of existence lived a great man. This great man was a war hero, a man who saved countless lives and in countless enemies. He was loved by everyone and he loved everyone. After a life of greatness, time finally took its toll on him and so he decided to settle down and finally create a family."


    "Oh, I like the sound of that. Having a family is very beautiful." Shemented.


    "A family?"


    "Why? You don''t want to have one in the future? My mother used to tell me that I would be able to make one once I grew up. I still don''t know why I can''t make one now, though."


    "You¡­ I don''t think you can." He said.


    "Huh?! Why?"


    "You can''t have kids until you''re at least 12 years old."


    "Woah?! Really?!"


    "Yes."


    "Then, then, can I make a family when I''m 12?"


    "I don''t know. Just listen to the story." He said.


    "Ok, ok, I won''t cut you off anymore. Go ahead." She said.


    Shaking his head again, Kai continued.


    "He found himself a good wife and built a small house far away from the city where he could be at peace, finally. Years passed quietly and he was finally bestowed with a child. A son. This son of his grew up in that loving family, between his parents. The child quickly grew up to show great talent, a might even his dad didn''t possess when he was his age. Seeing the potential in his child, the man decided to train him to be a great figure, just like he was."


    "OOOh, that sounds so beautiful! I like this man with no name, he seems like a good person."


    "*Sigh* And how did you figure that out this quickly?"


    "Because the book said so?"


    "The book could be lying."


    "But if the book lied, then who to trust?" She asked.


    "..." That answer was so innocent that it made Kai speechless. She actually did have a point, somehow.


    ''This book is mostly filled with epic lies and grandiose tales that never happened.''


    "He wanted his child to be a great man like him, what''s bad about that?"


    "He could''ve perhaps trained him for a malicious reason? To maybe take over thend again after his heydays?"


    "Hmm, that certainly is possible. But, I still want to believe he did it so that his lineage could be that of heroes rather than people seeking help. That''s a noble cause."


    "Can I continue?" He asked.


    "Please." She said.


    "Years passed again, and the kid finally grew up and was finally ready to leave his house and embark on his journey to be a great man like his dad. Because of his father''s great teachings, he wanted to be a hero, a man like no other, and to make his father proud. This man was the Progenitor and this¡­ Well, this is his tale."


    "Oh, so that was the introduction?"


    "Yes."


    "That was really epic. It felt like a whole tale was written in a few sentences. This author is skilled."


    "Perhaps he is. I can give him that."


    "Hehehe, you finallyplimented the author for once."


    "What?"


    "You were really criticizing the book the whole time and calling it a fictional lie."


    "That''s because it is."


    "But, it never needed to be real to deliver what it wanted."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I mean the emotions that this story carries. The author''s purpose wasn''t uracy, but to make the reader feel the emotions of this tale. Isn''t that the purpose of legends?"


    That answer was rather urate. Tales weren''t meant to be real, they were meant to be emotionally investing for those who read them. When Kai realized that, suddenly, the whole purpose of the book started opening up for him. It was like a new gate of literature had been parted wide for him to pass through.


    Then, Kai continued reading the book as Aria would cut him off andment on something silly, something funny, something sad, or something happy. She would giggle at the weirdest of things, show her appreciation for the most unpredictable aspects of the story, and even talk directly to the protagonist of the story as if he could hear her.


    Meanwhile, Kai watched this show with a rather interesting look. Seeing her reactions was like a new light in his life igniting out of nowhere. This blind girl who stumbled upon his library by pure coincidence had somehow made himpletely captivated by her character in a matter of hours.


    Eventually, the whole day passed without either of the two noticing. They kept reading, talking, and sharing thoughts. Kai found himself engrossed in this more than he thought he would. It felt refreshing, interesting, and worthy of his time. Wait, something worthy of his time?


    Apart from reading books, had he ever found anything else worth his time? The answer is no with ease.

 Chapter 200 200- 11 Years Ago (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 200 Chapter 200- 11 Years Ago (Part 3)</h4>


    Eventually, the darkness of the night finally loomed over the vast library, casting a heavy shadow over its high shelves and covering all of its nooks and crannies, all of its books that were possible to see were now shrouded in the dark mystery of the lightless atmosphere.


    Looking up from his book, Kai noticed that Aria had dozed off during his story. Her cute facey on the table as she breathed quietly. Her appearance was angelic, to say the least.


    "You could''ve said you were tired." He murmured as he stood up and gently picked her up in his arms. Then, he looked around him and walked toward the exit of the library.


    It was rare for him to leave this ce unless he had to train or do something important. But, luckily, that day was a rare day off for him to do what he wanted or well, what he thought he wanted.


    Walking through the dark corridors of the temple, he passed beside many people wearing ceremonial uniforms as they went on with their nighttime duties. However, when they saw Kai, they immediately bowed in respect to him.


    "Where is her father?" He asked.


    "Lady Aria''s quarter is in the southern tower." One of the workers said.


    Nodding his head, Kai continued walking through the corridors heading to the southern tower which was linked to the temple by an open bridge. Reaching that linking point, he was met with the beautiful scenery of the night. If there was one thing worth leaving that library for, it was this panoramic view of the night sky. Because of theck of artificial light in the temple, the stars and cosmic clouds were apparent for the eye to see.


    Taking a long look at the sky, Kai sighed and continued walking toward the other side of the bridge. When he reached there, he went down the stairs and stopped in front of one of the doors. Then, he knocked.


    A secondter, the door opened wide and a man appeared in front of Kai. He was rather tall with long hair and a well-trimmed beard. There were some simrities between him and Aria but they weren''t very pronounced.


    "Oh, young master Kai! It''s an honor to finally meet you! Oh my! Did my daughter do something reckless?!" Seeing his daughter in Kai''s hands, he visibly paled as he stretched his arms to carry her.


    "My deepest apologies! She''s really energetic and reckless! I hope she didn''t cause you any trouble."


    "No." Kai shook his head.


    "I see. Did she talk to you?"


    "Ask her," Kai said before he turned around and walked away, leaving the man behind.


    "What did you do, Aria? To make that silent prince talk?" He murmured as he gently patted his daughter''s hair. Thetter simply smiled and continued sleeping.


    ***


    A few days passed in quietude as Kai went on with his day. However, he would be lying if he said that the day he spent with that blind girl wasn''t etched into his mind. He would always think about it, even during his training.


    Granted, it made him lose focus a few times but he didn''t feel bad about it at all. Not that he cared about training in the first ce.


    By the time a week passed, Kai finally had some time to rest in his library. Or that was what he at least intended to do since the n was ruined before it even started.


    "Kai! I''m here!" A familiar voice called for him from the door.


    Hearing it, the boy closed his book on its first page and stood up with a sigh.


    "How long are you going to stay here?"


    "Hmm? I don''t know. Maybe a few weeks, a few months, a few years, or a few decades. It really depends." Aria said as Kai guided her back to the table casually.


    "Depends on what?" Kai asked.


    "Depends on how much I enjoy staying here of course. Hehe~" Ariaughed as she sat down.


    "That seems like so much freedom for a guest."


    "You said it, I''m a guest. So, even if I stay here for hundreds of years, there wille a time when I will have to leave.


    "So, are you going to read me or not?"


    Looking at the girl for a moment, Kai replied. "And then end up sleeping likest time?"


    "Hey! I-I didn''t mean to. I was tired from the trip here." She said. "Oh, right, father told me that you carried me back all the way to our quarter. Thank you~" Aria smiled as she hugged Kai out of nowhere.


    "..." Thetter looked at her with clear confusion as he didn''t know what to do at that moment.


    "Let''s start!"


    ***


    With that, a routine started between the two children. Every now and then Kai and Aria would sit down in the library. Kai would read all kinds of books for the blind girl and she would listen enthusiastically.


    They read all kinds of fantasies that Kai could find in the library and Aria enjoyed each and every one of them.


    Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. The two grew to know each other more and more during that time. They learned about each other''s past, present, and even future. Kai found himselfpletely enamored by the girl to a degree that surprised him.


    She became everything he could think about. Her face, her carefree smile, her silly and oddments, and even her bizarre view on many things, small and big. In a monotonic world where he had nothing and never asked for anything, she became his everything.


    However, Kai didn''t understand those emotions, not when he had never actually loved someone before. So, he simply worked on instinct and treated Aria in the nicest way he could. He didn''t know why he had to do that but his instinct told him that its the way and he agreed.


    He started getting her snacks and drinks for their session, got her afy chair, and even made a pathway for her to move through the library without his help in case she needed to.


    He found himself enjoying every single moment she was rted to. Perhaps this was the happiness he was looking for? Or maybe it wasn''t. Either way, he didn''t care. It just gave him a refreshing feeling and it was amazing.


    On the other hand, Aria also shared the same feelings for him if not more. She never thought that her curiosity would lead her to a person she would like this much. After her mother''s death, she closed her heart to anyone except for her father so when she found Kai, he kicked her heart open and walked in as if it was his ce.


    The two became each other''s friend,panion, and the sce they always looked for. Those months seemed long, but for them, it was like a breeze.


    But, fun times are always short. They always pass quickly and are reced by nostalgia, pain, or a mix of both. One must appreciate the times when they are having fun because they neverst.


    One day, when Aria was supposed to visit the library¡­ She never did.

 Chapter 201 201- Goals

    <h4>Chapter 201 Chapter 201- Goals</h4>


    Eva looked at Aria with an apprehensive expression. She couldn''t understand what her words had made Aria contemte to have such myriads of emotions but she was sure these memories were bittersweet, beautiful and ugly, precious and cursed.


    ''Whatever she''s thinking of, it must''ve been quite the ride.'' That mere revtion made her feel even more sympathy for Aria. But, even more, she felt great pain that her beloved had to go through that and change into a cold, distant person for the next 11 years or so.


    Kaya also felt that and she could only sigh as she stood up.


    "I''m going to call Kai back." She said in a serious tone.


    Eva nodded her head as she kept staring at Aria.


    Meanwhile, the topic of their thoughts was standing idly outside, staring at the endless paths extending to his left and to his right.


    Hearing the door open, Kai looked to his right at Kaya.


    "Are you done?"


    "Mostly. We didn''t get much out of her." She said.


    "I see¡­"


    Kaya looked at him for a second before she looked back at the inside of the room. Then, she closed the door and approached him.


    "Hey, ehem, Kai. Can I ask a question?"


    "What?"


    "Are you sure that girl is the culprit of whatever she has done? I know that I don''t know what actually happened. But, I can clearly see that the girl is pretty much feeling guilty or outright hiding something from you."


    "Hiding something? It was pretty clear when I first realized it." He replied as he ran his hand through his hair.


    The memory was as vivid as ever in Kai''s head. He had thought about it a thousand times before, tried to look at it from different angles, searching for any loophole and any excuse he could give Aria. But, he couldn''t find any, and that made him hate her even more.


    "I see," Kaya murmured before she grabbed his shoulder. "Hey, don''t let it get to your head, love. She''s your past, not your present or future. We all have lost something in our lives. But, we found each other, didn''t we? I don''t know about you. But for me, you made me realize that nobody is born to be alone. You''re the main reason why I believe in that."


    Kaya said as she pulled Kai into a hug and whispered in his ear. "You don''t have to struggle alone. We will always be there for you. Me and that kiddo."


    Kai didn''t move from his position but he still quietly left Kaya to caress his head gently as she whispered sweet words into his ear.


    ''No one was born to be alone''. Those words resonated with him deeper than he expected. After what happened, hepletely closed his heart to any idea of trusting another person. He just wanted to be alone, because at least loneliness never betrays. It could be painful, mind-bending, and more often than not a hellish torture. But, it never betrays.


    That was why he even entertained the idea of leaving the Hitman''s Guild in the first ce. It was, after all, loneliness that he wanted more than anything else.


    However, if someone told him that in a mere few months, two girls would barge into his life and change his perspective of everything, he would just ignore them. Yet, it happened and was happening right in front of him.


    "I understand." He finally replied.


    That answer made Kaya smile before she rested her chin on his head. "So, just do what you need to do and you will find us there to help you, okay?" She finished before nting a kiss on his head.


    ***


    The two then walked inside the room where Eva and Aria were sitting.


    Kai then sat down and asked straightforwardly.


    "Now, I want to know everything."


    ***


    *One Week Later*


    Kai and the two girls had already returned back home. As for Aria, Kai simply shackled her for the first few days and left her in Eva''s house. But, he eventually got his hands on Origin Vow Implicators before he finally set her free after making sure she wouldn''t betray him by saying anything. The two agreed to meet again after a while to erase any suspicious activity and to also do something that Kai had decided on ever since their talk in the hotel.


    It was time to finally divulge deeper into the rabbit hole that is called ''Divinity''. He knew that it wasing sooner orter. Divinity was the only lead he had on his illness and that fact was further solidified when he realized that the person he hated the most, his father, was the one moving things behind the shadows in that Organization.


    So, the first step to actually get into Divinity was well¡­ To actually get into Divinity and the best and frankly the only way to get into Divinity was to be an ascender.


    To be an ascender, Divinity will perform a plethora of tests on the candidates to see if they truly have potential or not.


    In reality, though, all the candidates get epted most of the time since Origin Users aren''t that many anyway. However, these tests work to show who is worth investing resources into and who doesn''t.


    Those who have talent quickly rise in ranks and be great figures and those who don''t, well, they end up staying as Ascenders.


    Kai wanted to precisely be the first type. He wanted to rise so high in Divinity that he could have a chance of meeting that man. But, he can''t be something like that with his real identity.


    He had to bepletely anonymous so ck Phantom won''t work too. He had to create a new identity, a new name, and a new titlepletely detached from his past or present life.


    However, that all can wait as the actual tests to join Divinity start a few weekster. It''s a yearly process that takes time because more often than not, Divinity has to proactively search for Origin Users, the clueless bunch to be precise. Those people who aren''t aware of the existence of this mystical power.


    Those who do are always from prominent families that are already linked to Divinity. So, all these people get amassed into one yearly test to be epted.


    During that time, Kai decided to wring all possible information from Aria and he did. While it wasn''t the most mind-boggling revtion, he was still able to get palpable information about his target before releasing Aria back to where she was.


    The news of her suspicious disappearance had filled the news and Aria became the talk of everyone. However, when she returned and exined that she had wanted to spend some time alone to digest all the things she had to do, everyone simply sympathized with her.


    Although the topic was still vivid and alive, people were happy that she was alive and that''s what mattered to them.


    In other words, Kai''s life returned again -for god knows what time- to how it was temporarily. He just spent his time in Eva''s house, where Miyu was and when he wasn''t there, he would just do what he normally does.


    A life where he doesn''t think about what to do against a gigantic Organization sure is a great life. But, Kai doesn''t seem to be getting to that part yet.

 Chapter 202 202- Idle Night

    <h4>Chapter 202 Chapter 202- Idle Night</h4>


    A few dayster, Kai was walking back to Eva''s house when he noticed a huge poster in the city.


    The poster had a bearded man with red clothes on it. Seeing that, he realized what time of the year it was.


    ''The New Years.'' He thought to himself. ''It''s that time of the year already, huh?''


    To think that another year quickly passed was truly a weird sensation for Kai. It has been exactly 6 years since he left the Guild and that fact alone made him realize how fast time was moving. Just a mere year ago, he didn''t know who Kaya was and didn''t get in contact with Eva.


    Now, both of them have be an essential part of his life that he doesn''t hate at all. In fact, he was certain that if anything was to try and ruin that for him, he would stop it with all his power.


    Eva and Kaya had already upied a ce in his life he thought he closed forever and that fact alone is quite astonishing.


    ''Maybe¡­'' Thoughtfully considering it, Kai continued his journey to Eva''s house. An idea was slowly developing in his head.


    Walking through the main door, he was greeted by a huge shadow that suddenly loomed on him.


    "Meow!!"


    A gigantic cat suddenly jumped on him and started licking him happily while purring.


    "Stop, Miyu." Pushing the greedy cat slightly, Kai stood up and wiped his face. This girl was always very enthusiastic when seeing him especiallytely when she couldn''t see him at all.


    With her huge size, she can''t really leave the house at all or she will catch attention. That was mainly why Kai spent a lot of time here, to keeppany to this mysterious, oversized cat.


    "Did you discover anything else about your powers, Miyu?" Kai asked as he sat down Miyu rolled in front of him, knocking everything around her.


    "Meow!"


    The pet shook her head as she continued ying and teasing Kai with her paws.


    "I see¡­"


    ''I wonder if she needs more Origin to be able to unlock something else.'' He thought to himself.


    Kai was nning to bring her somewhere with a high density of Origin like a dessert and see how she would behave.


    Miyu was powerful, very powerful in fact and all it took her to get that power was a month of absorbing volcanic Origin. Perhaps if he kept feeding her Origin, she would be a force of nature that everyone would have to fear. But, at the same time, she will be an ally that Kai can rely on when he needs it.


    "I''m back." As he was ying with Miyu, Eva finally came back as she greeted her maid. "Oh, Kai is already here?"


    Then, he heard rushed steps to the living room before Eva jumped on him. Something about this scene gave him a deja vu.


    "Hello~," She said happily as she nted a kiss on his cheek.


    After their kiss the other time, Eva started feeling more and more daring to give him a kiss here and there. But, she still couldn''t give him an actual, lips-to-lips kiss. Her shyness was too much.


    "Fuuuh, now I feel warmer. You''re my personal nket now. Hehe." Eva joked as she rubbed her face against Kai''s face.


    "Your house is warm."


    "Yeah, but I want more warmth~," She said.


    "Meow!" Miyu seemed to feel jealous as she also jumped on Kai.


    "Hey! Wait, Miyu! You''re crushing us!" Eva begged as she felt tons of weight crushing down on her.


    The three wrestled around on the couch, almost destroying it because of the pressure. Eva''s giggles and Miyu''s cute sounds echoed in the whole house. This has be amon urrence in the ce and it made the workers rather weirded out but also happy for their young mistress that she finally found her happiness.


    Especially Mia, her maid. She had been with Eva ever since she was a toddler, she had taken care of her every need, raised her like a mother, and took care of her when her parents couldn''t. Eva considered Mia to be her second mother and one of her closest people and Mia shared the same feelings for her.


    So, when Mia saw Eva''s life deteriorating after Kai left, it truly affected her greatly. Every day, she would see her flower of a mistress wither away slowly, petal by petal. Only she knew how much she had tried to make her feel better, to make her put a smile on her face again, that beautiful smile that she had been captivated by ever since she met Eva when she was a mere child.


    ''Mydy had finally found happiness.'' Tears welled up in Mia''s eyes as she secretly watched them. ''I promise to protect this happiness of mydy with all my power!'' She swore to herself.


    ***


    A few hourster, Kai was finally able to leave the house, Kai sighed as he looked at the sky.


    Crystal-white particles slowly descended from the darkness, covering the whole world in an ethereal color. It was snowing.


    ''Time to start preparing for the next step.''


    Although Kai still had a few weeks before the test, he wanted to learn more about what the test was, who was going to do the test, how he could go up in the ranks faster, and things like that. And who was better to ask than the future Virtue of Divinity?


    "Kaya, can we meet now?" He called her before he went to a certain ce he had visited before.


    The cafe where he went a few months ago for the festival became a ce Kai frequented even when he was alone as it was calm, had good food, and had a good view in case he was to sit on the terrace.


    There, he sat down in one of the booths and waited for Kaya to arrive. Since it was ratherte at night, the cafe -now diner- was empty.


    Suddenly, a sports car stopped in front of the cafe before a jaw-dropping beauty came out.


    ''You didn''t have to make a shy entry, idiot.'' Kai sighed inwardly at Kaya''s quirkiness sometimes.


    Entering the cafe, she brought the attention of every worker there, men and women. They don''t get people that beautiful that often after all.


    Looking around, Kaya''s eyes shed with happiness when she saw her beloved before she walked toward him and gave him a tight hug. They could basically see hearts and flowersing out of Kaya. It didn''t take a genius to predict what kind of rtionship they had.


    The workers watched as the two sat down.


    "Sigh, what kind of stuff did he do to get such a beauty?" One of the workers sighed.


    "I don''t know. But he sure is something else." Another murmured.


    "I was intending to go to your apartement tomorrow after finishing some work. What''s with the sudden invitation? Is this perhaps a date?" Kaya grinned.


    "You can interpret it however you want."


    "Hehe, then I will consider it a date." She smiled.


    "Anyway, I''m here to talk about that matter."


    Hearing his words, Kaya''s yful expression faded and was reced with a serious look.


    "I already predicted you would want some information. So, I summarized everything you need to know in a document. I will send it tomorrow to your phone." Kaya said.


    "I owe you one." Kai nodded his head with gratitude.


    "Hey, hey, you don''t owe me anything. I''m just trying to repay a small amount of how much you gave me. This is nothing."


    "I see¡­"


    "Well, anyway, are you really sure you have to do this, Kai? If there is someone you want to meet, I can pull some connections for you."


    "No, this is a matter that I have to do myself."


    Not only did Kai want to do this anonymously to protect Kaya and Eva but also because he knew that he must face this problem himself. He had to end the matter with his own hands after all these years.


    "I see¡­ Well, I knew you would answer that way. To think my darling is going to be an Ascender. Hehe, we can finally be partners at work and in life. It''s amazing to think of." Kaya murmured as she smiled.


    Just imagining the two working together was like a dream for her. Granted, they had already worked together before to topple the hitman guild. But, that was a matter of life or death, she wanted them to work on something less dangerous. Like an exploration mission or something along those lines.


    "Maybe. Who knows?" Kai murmured in response as the waiter finally got their order. Since it was night and he still hadn''t eaten, Kai took the freedom to order for both of them. He knew what Kaya loved so he just ordered that for her.


    "I hadn''t eaten the whole day. When you''re busy with work, food bes secondary. Except when it''s your food, that changes things."


    "Don''t get addicted to it."


    "Oh, I''m already addicted to it, love. Perhaps I need rehab. Or, or, they should open a facility to rehabilitate people who try your food."


    The two continued bantering and talking casually in the warm atmosphere. It was an idle night through and through.

 Chapter 203 203- Christmas Eve (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 203 Chapter 203- Christmas Eve (Part 1)</h4>


    The next day was thest day before the winter break for students so naturally everyone was excited.


    Seeing the extra noisy ss around him, Kai sighed before he picked up his bag and walked to the door. Eva gave him a confused look before she also stood up and left a while after him. Eventually, the two met up at the school entrance.


    "Go back first. I have something to deal with." He said before he bid her farewell and walked in a different direction.


    "Again? Hmm, weird." Murmuring so, Eva turned around and walked on her way home. She doesn''t need to know where Kai goes every time he leaves since he has his life and things he wants to do.


    If she needs to know, Eva trusts that Kai will always tell her.


    "Hopefully it''s not something bad."


    ***


    Kai walked through the streets of the bustling city. Christmas was approaching so people were out to have fun, buy gifts, and enjoy their time with their loved ones. The atmosphere of the city was naturally warm, even in this cold weather.


    Looking around him, Kai seemed to be searching for something. His eyes darted from one shop to another as he continued his journey from one street to another.


    Eventually, his eyesnded on a particr shop that caught his attention. So, he walked towards it and opened the door to the interior.


    "Wee." A beautiful store clerk weed him with a beautiful smile.


    Kai acknowledged her greeting before he pointed at something being shown at the front ss of the store.


    "Do you have different colors of that?"


    "Yes, of course!" She nodded her head.


    "Give me one in red and one in gold."


    "Wait a moment please."


    A whileter, the store clerk came back with two closed boxes.


    "Luckily, we have red and gold, sir."


    "Good, wrap them up for me, please."


    The clerk nodded her head before she pulled out some packaging paper and skillfully started wrapping them in that gift-like paper.


    "Are these for your lover, sir?" She asked casually.


    "..." Kai went silent for a moment as if he was thinking of something. "You can say so."


    "I''m sure she will be very happy with this gift. The colors are really captivating."


    "You think so?" He asked.


    "Of course! Girls do love beautiful colors like red and gold."


    "I see." Exhaling a quiet breath, Kai seemed relieved for some reason.


    After wrapping them up, she handed them to Kai. Thetter then paid and left the store.


    "Oh, Love is a beautiful thing." The clerk murmured with a rxed smile.


    Outside, Kai continued his journey around the city, buying some other stuff he liked. At some point, he was carrying two heavy bags in his hands.


    ''It''s already dark, huh?'' Thinking about what to do, Kai walked back to his apartement before he hid the packages and left again to buy onest thing.


    His n was almostplete.


    ***


    Two days passed quietly and finally, the 24th arrived.


    Kai called Eva and Kaya to meet him at his house in the evening. Since both of them were on a break for Christmas, they had no problem doing so.


    In fact, they were eager to go to his ce after weeks of busy work. They couldn''t enjoy their time there properly.


    Around 5 p.m., the two showed up as if they agreed toe at the same time. Kai already knew they were there before he even sensed their presence. Their bantering was always an indication, after all.


    Opening the door, he found two angry beauties ring at each other."


    "I told y- Oh, hello!" Kaya was the first to react as she gave Kai a hug.


    "Hey! I was first toe!" Eva yelled as she also hugged Kai.


    The two fought for space for their arms until Kai pushed them away.


    "No fighting." Kai sighed as he let them in.


    "She started it."


    "No, you started it! I was just standing there calmly."


    "Is it my problem that you get easily triggered, kiddo?"


    "I''m not easily triggered, it''s just your very existence is annoying."


    "Right back at you!"


    *BONK* *BONK*


    "Get inside," Kai said as he looked at the two girls and grabbed their heads.


    "Y-Yes, sorry." (x2)


    ''I doubt there will evere a day where these two will get along.'' Kai sighed, giving up on making them be friends or at least treat each other nicely.


    They were like water and oil, never mixed at all. It was actually impressive how easily they could get into a fight with each other. Whether it was even the right thing to let them be together in one ce or not was something that Kai was questioning.


    The two girls walked inside, whispering curses at each other until they reached the living room where they were met with a shocking appearance.


    The living room was now akin to a cozy winter wondend, radiating warmth. Soft, twinkling lights cascaded around the room, casting a gentle, golden glow. In the corner of the room was a resplendent Christmas tree adorned with an array of ornaments, ranging from delicate ss baubles to handcrafted keepsakes. Its branches bow under the weight of sparkling tinsel, strings of popcorn, and an assortment of glistening ornaments.


    The whiff of delicious smell filled their noises as they shifted their eyes to the kitchen beforeing back to the living room.


    "Kai¡­ You did all of this?" Eva asked with a surprise.


    "I thought you two liked these kinds of holidays so I decided to do a little party." He said as he walked inside. "Do you hate it?"


    "I absolutely adore this!" Kaya smiled widely as she hugged him again. "This is so beautiful! I love it!"


    "Me too!"


    Seeing the two girls in his embrace with beautiful smiles, he nodded his head before he guided them to the sofa.


    "This must''ve taken time."


    "With some nning, it was easy to handle this." He said as he walked to the kitchen before he brought back two cups of hot chocte.


    "Thank you¡­ This really puts what I was nning to shame." Eva murmured.


    "Me too."


    For Eva, she was nning for a dinner date in a fancy restaurant or at her house -depending on what Kai wanted-. As for Kaya, she was nning to do the same except that she was going to rent the whole venue with the biggest Christmas tree for the two of them.


    However, these two realized that all these fancy and expensive Christmas eves were simplyckluster and the reason is simple¡­ Theyck the spirit of what this asion is all about.


    It''s about spending time with the people that you love. Whether that is through a date or even a simple celebration inside a small house, that wasn''t the most important detail.


    Looking around them at the beautiful living room, the two felt the warmth radiate through their very beings. Each small decoration, each small detail, it all made them realize that Kai had worked hard to prepare this.


    Sipping through their cups, they looked at Kai who was adjusting a small decoration on the tree before he walked back and sat down.


    "Before we eat dinner, I have¡­" Thinking about it, Kai frowned. Was this really a good idea? He was still hesitant about it.


    However, he couldn''t just back down, not when he had already bought the thing. So, he sighed and stood up.


    "Wait a moment."


    "Hm?"


    The two girls watched him confusedly as he vanished inside his room.


    "Is he nning something else?"


    "Beat me."


    A few minutester, Kai came out again and the two looked at him.


    "You took a while, Ka-"


    Silence.


    The whole room turned into a quiet ce. Perhaps the sound of hot chocte jiggling inside the cup could be heard at that moment as the sight they saw was just¡­ Unpredictable.


    Kai came out wearing a red costume, a pointy red hat, and a white, fake beard. In other words, he was wearing a Santa us costume.


    The three stared at each other silently for a while before finally, one reacted.


    "Pfft! Hahahaha! Oh my god! Is that really you, Kai?" Kaya startedughing as she put down her cup and walked toward him.


    "This looks amazing! Hahahaha! Where did you evene up with this idea?!" Sheughed as she examined every part of the costume with a curious look.


    As for Eva, she simply smiled.


    "I like that costume! It actually fits you. Never thought I would say that in my life." She giggled warmly. "Why did you wear a Santa costume, though?"


    "Don''t people normally wear these?" He asked.


    "No? I mean, some do a little cosy." Kay rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "But, you''re different, darling. You somehow made a Santa costume look sexy rather than innocent." Sheughed.


    ''Actually, I agree with saggy breasts. He somehow looks seductive in it.'' Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, Eva felt like something weird inside of her had been unlocked.

 Chapter 204 204- Christmas Eve (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 204 Chapter 204- Christmas Eve (Part 2)</h4>


    The three then decided to y some games before dinner. The games included chess, some fun quizzes, and even some challenges.


    Laughs and talks could be heard inside the house as the hours moved. Eventually, they had dinner which was probably the best they''ve ever tasted. All in all, it was an unforgettable night for them.


    Finally, after dinner, Kai sat them down before he went to the tree and pulled beautiful gift boxes from behind them.


    "Oooh, is it time for gifts?!" Eva eximed as she felt rather excited and anxious. She had bought a gift for Kai and she was waiting to give it to him. However, seeing how everything happened, she was rather anxious as to what could happen if he didn''t like it.


    The same was true for Kaya but she had more confidence since she knew Kai didn''t mind the gift itself but the sentiment is what mattered to him. He was never an individual who sought money, after all.


    "I didn''t have the time to buy something better," Kai said as he put down the gifts on the table. His tone didn''t sound different but they could hear the subtle change in his voice. He was certainly not confident about his choice since he never gifted nor taken a gift from someone¡­ Except maybe once before and it was a bad memory either way.


    "I''m sure they''re great, my love!" Eva shook her head with a smile. The fact he''s giving her a gift is already something that fills her with endless happiness.


    "OK, so how should we open first? I want you to see the gift I bought for you." Kaya turned around and pulled a box out of her bag.


    Kai took the box before he looked up at Kaya again for a second. Then, he looked down again.


    "Can I open it?"


    "Of course."


    Nodding his head, Kai got rid of the gift wrapping before he found himself holding a high-quality wooden box. Tracing his hand on the lid, he opened it, revealing a beautiful, ck ne that had a small skull at the end of it.


    The ne was shiny even with its dark color, giving off a calm yet also eerie aura.


    "The skull itself wasn''t a part of the ne but I integrated it myself," Kaya said with a rather nervous look. She didn''t know what was Kai''s taste so she just went with her gut feeling. At first, she was confident, but now when it was in his hands, her heart rate increased.


    Kai remained silent for a long while as he looked at the ne before he finally moved and put the ne around his neck.


    "It''s good." He finally spoke.


    The moment Kaya heard that she exhaled a long sigh of relief before she smiled warmly. "I''m d you liked it, darling, and¡­ Merry Christmas."


    "Now, it''s my turn!" Eva finally barged in as she put down a gift of her own.


    Kai nodded his head at her before he opened the box too. What he found inside was something he didn''t expect.


    Inside was a pair of stylish optical sses.


    "These are special sses that help with long hours in front of a screen or when you''re reading something. I noticed that you read a lot, my love so I made them especially for you." Eva smiled.


    ''Damn, that''s a good gift.'' Kaya nodded with a sigh. She could only admit that it was a great gift with how useful it was.


    Kai seemed to see that too as he opened the sses and wore them. Immediately, the two girls froze.


    *Gulp*


    Not even in their wildest dreams would they expect that a Santa us with sses and a ck ne would look anything other than goofy. Yet, somehow, by some godly decision, Kai appeared really attractive in that goofy attire.


    ''What the hell is wrong with this situation?!'' The two girls screamed in their heads. ''Why does he look good in anything? Is this a punishment?''


    Meanwhile, Kai seemed to enjoy these sses. Since they were probably imbued with some Origin, they were certainly veryfortable for the eyes. Even though he doesn''t need them persay, wearing them seemed to help him rx more so the benefit was present.


    "Thanks for the gift."


    "Don''t mention it and also, Merry Christmas, hohohoho!" Eva jokingly imitated a hearty, deepugh.


    However, she was met with awkward silence.


    "You''re embarrassing," Kaya said.


    "S-Shut up! I just wanted to sound funny!" Eva blushed.


    "It''s ok to be awkward, Kiddo. You were never a good talker, anyway."


    "I said shut up!!" Eva hid her face behind her hands as she cursed her stupidity.


    "Now, it''s the time for my gifts," Kai said.


    Then, Kai pulled two of the gifts and handed them to Eva and Kaya.


    The two gulped as they looked at the gifts with anticipation in their eyes. What could their first gifts ever from their beloved be?


    That was the one-million-dor question. No, the priceless question.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in a faraway ce in the world, in a hotel room. Aria was spending her time in front of her piano.


    Her hands descended on the piano, drawing a beautiful melody that resonated across the room and reverberated like a beautiful dancer, swaying left and right with each second passing. Her eyes didn''t look at the piano, but she could feel each key, each note, and each tone that the piano created.


    At that moment, it was as if the piano and Aria were one, their souls entwined in a passionate duet. The music wrapped around her like a warm embrace, carrying her and anyone fortunate enough to listen on a journey of emotions like no other.


    The melody reached the rooms near hers and the people who wanted toin immediately forgot that idea as they enjoyed the magical feeling they were experiencing.


    As she was ying, her fingers suddenly halted as she felt a small gush of wind rustle her hair. Her stoic face didn''t change as she spoke.


    "I expected you to appear sooner." She said.


    Her tone seemed to be talking to someone behind her.


    "I heard a quote from a book before ''A wizard never arriveste, nor early, he arrives precisely when he means to''. In this case, I''m that wizard. A twisted one that is." A yful tone replied as a shadow emerged from within the pond of darkness behind her.


    The same shadow figure that Kaya met, was now looking at Aria with a rxed expression.


    "Can I assume that this is an order from him?" She asked.


    "Hey, a job is a job, Aria. He seems to have noticed your abnormal behavior and he wants answers. But, more than answers, he is now feeling like you''re a threat that is going to betray him sooner orter. me it on your sudden concert and then kidnapping."


    "I did nothing."


    "Well, would it matter much if you told me that? He doesn''t trust you. You know him, Aria. Trust was never one of his traits, anyway." Shrugging, the man continued. "In any case, when you meet him again, you can negotiate how you would die with him."


    "Die?"


    "What did you expect? He would meet you with a pat on the shoulder and a ''good job''? Come on, Aria. You''re smarter than that. You''re the sole person who tricked the ck Phantom, after all. That achievement speaks volumes about your clever mind."


    "Sigh¡­ I''m not going." Aria replied as she stood up and held her cane before she turned around.


    "Ohoh? Color me surprised. I didn''t expect that."


    "Me neither."


    "Hmm, now that would make it troublesome, wouldn''t it? Can''t you juste with me willingly? I''m feeling sluggish these days and I don''t want to move too much. Being a shadow man is a hassle."


    However, Aria didn''t reply and simply stood there.


    "Ugh, fine. Whatever." The shadow figure rolled his eyes before suddenly, a huge lump of darkness burst out of his hand and flew toward Aria at a horrifying speed. The lump of darkness slowly shifted as it formed a weird, distorted mouth mid-air before hitting its target.


    "Hm?" However, what the shadow figure expected to happen didn''t happen.


    The lump of darkness was blocked by a shiny de that appeared out of nowhere. Or not, looking at the handle of the sword, it was wooden, of the same shade as the cane Aria had.


    ''She stopped it with one hand? Now that''s something.'' He thought to himself when he saw the girl easily deflecting his attack with no apparent effort.


    "Well, let''s try this." Crouching down, the man put his hands on the ground as an endless amount of shadows flooded out of his arms and spread on the ground. The darkness quickly spread to the walls and the ceiling.


    "Shadow Spikes." He murmured as countless spikes rose from the darkness and flew toward Aria from all angles.


    ''Dodge th-''


    Before he could even finish his thought, Aria suddenly vanished under his eyes. When she appeared again, her de was already slicing through the air, aiming for his neck.


    ''Shit!''

 Chapter 205 205- Shadow and Blood

    <h4>Chapter 205 Chapter 205- Shadow and Blood</h4>


    The figure''s senses heightened as he felt the looming danger so he quickly moved his body back, arching his spine in the process. A split secondter, the ck pond of darkness swallowed his body before it spat him out a little bit farther away from where he was a moment ago.


    Aria''s sword shed through thin air before it stopped near her waist. Standing where the shadow figure was, her stoic face didn''t change at all.


    ''She''s way stronger than before. Interesting. Did she increase her strength during this period of time? But this growth is certainly abnormal.'' He thought to himself as he nced at Aria.


    "You really are full of surprises, aren''t you?"


    However, the girl didn''t respond as she simply pointed her sword at him. "Next time, I won''t miss."


    "Ohoh? Well, there won''t be a next time, Aria as you already lost."


    "Hm?"


    Realizing what the shadow figure meant, Aria looked down only to see herself standing in the middle of a pond of shadows. The pond was moving slowly like ake. Small arcs would appear on the rather calm pond before vanishing, akin to the ever-changing surface of the sun.


    "Shadow Chains." The shadow figure murmured as instantly, countless chains appeared from inside the shadow.


    Aria quickly moved, trying to avoid the attack. However, it was far toote. The chains grabbed into her arms and legs, strapping her to the ground.


    Her sword fell out of her hand and her neck waspletely captured as the chains slowly suffocated her.


    "That was quick." The shadow grinned as he approached her.


    Aria tried to resist but she couldn''t pull herself out of it.


    "Don''t even try. Shadows aren''t physical objects. As long as you look at it from the right angle, the shadow of a normal person could even lift a building. Their power is endless!" He said.


    "..."


    "Now, sorry, but I can''t have you be awake so I will make you lose consciousness. Nothing personal, Aria. I''m doing my job." The shadow figure said with an amused tone.


    He didn''t seem the least sorry or sympathetic. If anything, he sounded like he was enjoying his time.


    However, Aria didn''t seem to be concerned, or at least she didn''t show that on her face at all


    "You''re still the same dog licker of that man, aren''t you? Have you never realized that you''re nothing but a tool to him?" She asked.


    "I''m not a tool. Or maybe I''m the most expensive and precious tool he has."


    "But you''re still a tool. Given the right circumstances, he will throw you away just like how he''s trying to throw me away now."


    "Tsk, tsk, don''tpare me with you, Aria. I''m far greater than that. My powers are the closest ever to invincibility. I can''t be killed, I can''t be injured and I can''t be beaten."


    "A very strong loyal dog is still a loyal dog that can''t do a thing for themselves."


    "You really like to run your mouth, don''t you? Sorry, but the conversation is over."


    "Yeah, it is over."


    Aria''s fingers suddenly flickered as she cut open her hand with her nails. Blood trickled out before it suddenly floated in the air, forming a sharp needle-like object.


    Before the shadow figure could even react, the needle was already a millimeter away from his eyes. For a second, his heart stopped and he felt the looming death approaching. Moving his head with pure instinct, the needle barely avoided his face, but he didn''te out of it unscathed.


    Glossing over his eyes, it sliced it open. A loud groan of pain echoed in the room, sending the man back as he grabbed his face.


    Using that opportunity, Aria used her strength before she cracked open the chains and quickly grabbed her sword. Then, she dashed toward the stumbling shadow figure.


    "FUCK¡­ YOU!!" Yelling through his gritted teeth, the shadow figure quickly submerged into the darkness again.


    "Tsk¡­" Aria clicked her tongue before she turned around and dashed toward the door of the room.


    "You''re going nowhere!"


    Saying that spikes of darkness emerged from the wall, the ceiling, the ground, and every surface in the room. In a split second, the whole ce was turned into a spiky trap, a very deadly one.


    Then, without any warning, all the spikes flew toward Aria, at the same time.


    "Blood Sarcophagus!" Murmuring those words, the still freshly cut hand of Aria suddenly exerted a huge amount of blood as it quickly surrounded her body, creating a barrier of crimson energy.


    *BOOOOOOM*


    The spikes collided with the sarcophagus violently, shaking the whole room. The barrage of attacks didn''t stop for a while.


    ''He is still able to manipte shadows even when he''s hiding inside of them. His control of his ability has improved too.'' Aria thought as she kept the sarcophagus active.


    However, she knew that she couldn''t keep taking in attacks for long. She needed to leave this ce as soon as possible. He can''t attack her in public since he would get in deep trouble.


    So, using a small amount of blood, Aria glossed her hand over the de of her sword. Immediately, the sharp weapon turned into a horrifying red color.


    "Blood Coating." She murmured before she took a deep breath and clenched her fist. Immediately, the Sarcophagus of blood exploded into smithereens, sending all the broken spikes flying back.


    Using that opportunity, Aria dashed toward the door. Her hand moved like a sh as she sliced through all the spikes that didn''t get caught in the barrier.


    The bloody sword was so sharp, fast, and precise that it couldn''t evenpare to before. The blood coating seemed to somehow enhance its abilities.


    "Aria!!" The shadow figure yelled as he tried to follow after her, only to realize something. Aria''s blood had coated the whole entrance which meant that he couldn''t pass through it.


    ''That brat!!''


    Since blood can''t reflect light, not in this situation at least, the shadow figure quickly emerged from his safe, dark cocoon and quickly chased after her.


    Aria dashed through the corridors of the hotel at top speed. Behind her, looming darkness was following suit, closing the distance between them slowly.


    The reason for that was the disorientation Aria was starting to feel. Her mind turned slightly hazy as her feet swayed a little with each step.


    Reaching the stairs, she jumped all the way down before she turned around and jumped the next set of stairs too. Meanwhile, the darkness slowly descended the stairs along with her. Stretches of dark limbs extended as it tried to catch the girl.


    Its speed was impressive to the point where Aria couldn''t keep the distance for any more than a few more seconds.


    ''I have no other choice.'' She thought as she looked at the window in front of her.


    From what she counted, she was now on the 74th floor. A jump from here would be suicide, even for someone like her unless she found a way to lessen the impact.


    Without hesitation, she quickly dashed to the window and jumped, destroying the fortified ss with ease. The open world opened its gates to her as the strong wind her face. However, before she could even start descending down with the magic of gravity, the stretches of darkness escaped the window and grabbed her arms and legs.


    "Where do you think you''re going?"


    The tentacles twisted around her arms tightly before a fifth one flew out and pierced her stomach. Aria''s face twisted with pain as she spat out a mouthful of blood. But, she ignored the pain and summoned thest ounce of Blood she could manifest.


    "Blood Slicer." The blood''s shape turned into that of a de and cut through the tentacles of darkness.


    "No!" Before falling down, Aria heard the faint sound of her enemy.


    Her eyes were turning unfocused but she had no time to lose consciousness. Her death would be inevitable if she closed her eyes so she bit her tongue. The sharp pain coupled with the metallic taste of her own blood gave her mind a pump of energy.


    Looking down, Aria''s senses scanned the area she was falling into. Luckily, it was the most optimal ce she wanted to fall into. A parking street near the hotel is filled with cars. Those were her best options to lessen the impact.


    ''I can¡­ do it.'' She murmured as she twisted her body before she hugged herself, closing her limbs together as she covered her head and neck.


    Then, she waited for the impact.


    *BOOOOOOOOM*


    A few secondster, Aria felt the crushing pain upon contact with the surface of a car. The metal roof was crushed and the ss was pulverized.


    "Ugh!!" Blood sttered out of Aria''s mouth as she found herself unable to breathe. The hit was strong¡­ far stronger than she anticipated.


    People looked at the sight with shocked expressions as screams echoed in therge street. Nobody expected to see a woman suddenly iling down from the sky. Some even thought shemitted suicide and were about to call the police.


    However, what they saw next shocked them, the unknown woman rolled down from the broken car and then slowly rose to her feet. Her shape was terrifying, to say the least. Blood covered every part of her body. A huge, gaping hole could be seen in her stomach that was seeping out blood.


    Grabbing her stomach, Aria stopped the bleeding before she started walking away from the scene as fast as she could. Since the street was dark and people didn''t have a great look at her face, she was able to run away before people recognized that it was none other than ire Redsky.


    "Kai¡­"

 Chapter 206 206- Rings of Fate

    <h4>Chapter 206 Chapter 206- Rings of Fate</h4>


    Eva and Kaya looked at the boxes for a while before they moved their hands and picked them up. Then, they slowly unwrapped the boxes, showing beautiful, small cubes made out of soft fabric and metal. It''s design was simple yet elegant.


    The two immediately got a hunch as to what these could be but they didn''t think it was possible at first. But, when they opened the boxes slowly, their eyes widened. Resting beautifully inside the boxes were a pair of rings.


    One was a beautiful shade of red and the other was pure golden with a yellowish hue. Each one was more beautiful than the other with a unique feeling to them that struck the two at first nce.


    Staring at the two rings silently, neither of them knew what to say at all. If anything, they didn''t know what to do at all.


    "Do you like them?" Kai broke the silence with a question.


    "It''s¡­"


    "Beautiful¡­"


    The two girls murmured. That question made Kai exhale a small breath before spoke. "I didn''t know what colors you liked so I simply chose those."


    "I love it!"


    "Me too!"


    The two never expected their gifts to actually be rings and beautiful ones at that. It was something that filled them with endless happiness.


    ''Wait, a ring? Isn''t this?'' Suddenly, the realization hit Eva as she looked at Kaya with a shocked expression.


    It didn''t even take them a split second to understand what the other one had in mind and they''re very simr.


    ''Propsal! He''s proposing!'' The thought.


    ''I mean it makes sense! Right, kiddo?!''


    ''You''re right! Rings aren''t a simple gift! He''s proposing!''


    The two basicallymunicated through their eyes as if it were some kind of superiornguage. Meanwhile, Kai confusedly looked at the two girls. He didn''t understand what they were doing so he instead took the boxes from their hands.


    "Extend your hands. I will put them on." He said as he pulled the rings out.


    ''This is a proposal!!''


    Gulping down a mouthful of saliva, the two girls felt their heart rate increase to horrifying degrees. The development was too fast and too sudden to the point where they forgot to even care about the fact that they were getting the rings at the same time.


    But, it was happening and they needed to keep up or they would be left behind. If anything, even though they were overworking their minds into believing it was a proposal, they realistically knew it wasn''t.


    Extending their hands, Kai slowly brought the rings closed before he put each one in their fingers. The two rings were perfectly adjusted to their sizes.


    "Wow¡­" Looking at the rings on their hands, the two girls were speechless again for a while before they smiled at Kai.


    As they were about to thank Kai, the door suddenly knocked, ruining the moment. The two girls felt really annoyed by this predicament.


    ''Goddamit! Who''s the bastard that would knock on the door now of all time?!''


    ''They''re dead meat if they aren''t here for a good reason.''


    However, before they could even sound theirints, Kai stood up, walked toward the door, and opened it only to see someone he didn''t expect. It was Aria, lying unconscious on the ground.


    Completely covered in blood with a deadly injury in her stomach. She was lying against the wall as she heaved up and down painfully.


    "...!!" Seeing that sight, Kai''s eyes widened as he quickly looked around, scanning the area for any unwanted attention before he quickly picked her up and rushed inside. His hands were immediately soaked in blood.


    ''She''s not bleeding but she already lost a huge amount of blood and most of her organs have been destroyed.'' He thought as he looked at her condition.


    The injury Aria sustained was deadly, even for an Origin User. Kai didn''t even know how she could preserve her life for this long with that injury. Perhaps it was because she was able to stop the bleeding which gave her a longer time.


    "What the hell? Is that¡­" Seeing the injured girl, Kaya and Eva immediately sprung to their feet.


    Kai nodded his head before he quickly put Aria down on the sofa and put his hand on her stomach. She was still breathing even if she was very weak so he could heal her. Using his powers, the injury started to visibly shrink at a rapid pace.


    ''Restructuring organs consumes too much Origin.'' Kai frowned slightly.


    It was rare for him to actually have to heal such an injury so it did take more Origin than he thought he needed.


    The process took 30 seconds before the hole was finally closed and the pained expression on Aria''s face finally rxed a little.


    "How did she end up like that?" Kaya asked.


    "I don''t know¡­ A rare few can deal much damage to her. She''s very strong." He murmured.


    Kai knew Aria and her talent and he only had one description for it¡­ ''Deadly''. Her ability was simply ridiculously powerful even by Kai''s standards.


    It allowed her to be a great offensive power and an unprable defensive power. She can use it in rangedbat, closebat, and even for an even stronger boost to her body on top of Origin.


    "How strong exactly?" Eva asked.


    "She mastered Origin maniption at around the same time I did."


    Just those few words were more than enough to give them an idea of how powerful Aria was.


    "Her talent is Blood Maniption. She can use her own blood or the blood of her targets in any way she wants." He murmured.


    "Blood Maniption¡­ Sounds like a really powerful ability."


    Blood existed in basically every living creature in the world, so her talent could work anywhere and do anything. It was quite insane, especiallying from someone they thought was just a popr singer.


    ''The only people that could do it¡­ Hmm, tsk, I think I know who it is.'' Cursing inwardly, Kai shifted his eyes to Kaya and Eva.


    "It will take a while before she wakes up. Let''s leave her like that for now." Kai murmured as he put on his shoes. "Keep an eye on her for now. I will leave for a while."


    "Where are you going?"


    Eva noticed the solemn look on his face and she could only worry more.


    "To check the area. If she came here in that shape, someone must''ve tried to follow her." He murmured as he stood up and left quickly.


    The world outside was dark with no source of light except for maybe the light of the streets.


    ''I doubt I will find him but if he''s there, he shouldn''t be far.''


    Saying that Kai vanished into the night.


    ***


    *A few hourster*


    "M-Mmmm¡­" A hoarse groan leaked out of Aria''s lips as she started opening her eyes. Seeing the ce she was in, her body quickly flinched as she rose up warily, looking around. However, her sudden movement made her groan from pain. Her hand moved to her stomach as she looked down. She was wearing different clothes and the injury she sustained was nowhere to be seen.


    ''What happened?''


    Trying to remember, all she could recall was walking through the streets with a half-working brain that barely kept her awake. She didn''t even know where she was going for the most part.


    "Don''t move suddenly, you''re still soar." A cold voice pierced through her ears and made her look up.


    Kai was sitting on the sofa reading a book with sses on his face. The room was dark with the only source of light being themp beside him.


    Seeing the person she yearned for the most, Aria''s eyes swirled with countless emotions. However, she suppressed her emotions and was about to ask.


    "No, he didn''t follow you. I scoured the entire city and there was no trace left of him including the hotel suite you were living in." Kai predicted what she was going to say and responded.


    "I¡­ see¡­ What time is it?"


    "3 am. You slept for 5 hours." Kai sighed before he closed his book before he turned around and looked at Aria.


    "Now, tell me what happened, in detail."


    Aria opened her mouth to speak quickly but closed it again as she hesitated.


    "I would like if no one else would hear this." She said as she looked up at the two girls in the other room. She could sense that they were awake and listening.


    "They''re trustworthy."


    "No, it''s not that. If they listen to this, they might be targets too. I don''t want to make the situation even worse." She said.


    "I see."


    Kai understood her hint before he quickly flicked his fingers, creating a sound barrier around them that stopped anyone from listening. He knew the trouble that could be brought along with more people hearing what happened.


    Everyone could be a target, including Eva and Kaya, and Kai didn''t want that, at all.


    "Now¡­ Speak."

 Chapter 207 207- Hellish Heaven (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 207 Chapter 207- Hellish Heaven (Part 1)</h4>


    Aria exhaled a long breath before she started speaking. She went on to tell Kai every single thing that happened, what the mysterious figure said and did while also telling him what she did without hiding a single thing.


    Meanwhile, Kai listened silently with a cold expression. All of this wasn''t shocking to hear for him. After all, he had deliberately told Aria to stay in the city for the time being in case something like this happened and he was indeed right.


    ''He wouldn''t want someone that knows his secrets to stay alive. Predictable bastard.'' He thought to himself.


    A whileter, Aria''s stories ended with her knocking on his apartement and then falling unconscious when she was sure Kai heard her.


    Another thing is his suspicion of who this mysterious dark figure grew more and more certain. He still didn''t fully believe it but he was close to that and if it was indeed who he thought that person was, then the problem really became annoying.


    ''He won''t let her go after what happened. Either he dies or she dies. Neither of them is in control of his fate.'' He thought before exhaled a small breath and spoke, breaking the tense silence of the room.


    "If you fought him seriously, you would''ve killed him but you would''ve also died. Your choice of escaping was better."


    Aria nodded her head silently.


    "However, that doesn''t mean that it''s over. He will probably try to hunt you down."


    "Didn''t he follow me here yesterday?"


    "No. I made sure to check every possible trace he could leave behind and there was none. He left after you ran away."


    ''Which is weird. She was an easy target. Did he get heavily injured?'' Kai felt something was off but he couldn''t grasp what it was quite well.


    "I was waiting for this day to arrive. Perhaps it came a little bit earlier than I anticipated."


    "What did you expect?" Kai asked coldly as he put down the sses on the table. However, Aria stayed silent as she looked down.


    Seeing that, Kai''s eyes squinted for a moment before he opened his mouth.


    "Why did you do it?"


    "Hm?" Aria lifted her head in confusion.


    "11 Years ago, why did you do it? What were you promised?"


    "..." Aria''s face crunched a little as she opened her mouth to speak before she closed again. "It was for my personal benefits." She said with a low tone. "I used you to get stronger."


    Kai didn''t reply immediately as he studied her expression. Although her words did sound like what he expected, there was a bugging feeling inside of him that told him that there was something wrong with her and he couldn''t quite grasp it.


    The feeling told him that he was missing a key point of this whole matter.


    "I see¡­" Murmuring to himself, he stood up from the couch and looked at Aria. "You can sleep there for now. I will see what to do in the morning." He said before he turned around and walked away.


    Entering the other room where Eva and Kaya were, they looked at him apprehensively.


    "Is she ok?"


    "Yeah. Her injuries are healed, she just needs some rest." He replied as he sat down on the bed.


    The two girls looked at him silently for a while. They didn''t know how to bring the matter up or perhaps they were hesitant to even bring it up. Kai had created a silent sphere around him and Aria so they couldn''t hear him.


    While it was rather disappointing, it didn''t mean they didn''t understand why he did that.


    "We didn''t thank you properly for the ring, didn''t we?" Kaya finally broke the silence with a smile. She didn''t like the heavy look on Kai''s face as if he was conflicted about something.


    "Yeah." Eva picked up on that and smiled. "Thanks for the gift, my love. It''s the best thing I''ve ever got, I will cherish it forever."


    "Me too." They hugged him tightly from both sides.


    Kai closed his eyes for a moment as if he was savoring their gentle touches before he nodded his head.


    "I''m d." He said.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in a whole different ce, far away behind the shrouds of mist. A ce Kai was so familiar with and yet hated the most in the world.


    In the heart of thatnd was a beautiful temple surrounded by countless spires that made it even more intimidating.


    Inside this ce, a shrouded ck figure moved through the corridor silently. The more he walked, the darker the ce became even though it was the middle of the day. His shadows didn''t move and dance as usual and were in contrast tame and motionless as if they feared disturbing something.


    In actuality, it was simply following its master''s mood and it was far from fine. His nonchnt attitude was nowhere to be seen, reced by a stoic seriousness that permeated through every muscle on his face.


    Minutes passed as he continued down this endless corridor silently. Its end couldn''t be seen and neither did its start as if the mysterious man was stranded in the middle of an endless loop that didn''t reach an ending point.


    However, he didn''t seem to be bothered by that fact as he simply moved. That was his sole purpose there, no ulterior motives, no anger, no fear, just pure, undisturbed seriousness.


    Eventually, after an unknown amount of time, something shifted in this monotonic, one-path maze.


    In front of him, The atmosphere started to crack as if it was a piece of ss. The sound of the damage spreading made him stop and stare directly at the crack as he waited.


    Seconds passed before the cracks eventually filled the whole corridor, from the ceiling to the ground. Then, in one sudden moment, the particles exploded into pieces, sending everything into disarray.


    The endless path that didn''t seem to end actually broke down and disintegrated as if it was purged by the mes of hell. What reced it was a sight that would''ve shocked anyone who saw it. Where the path breaks down, a whole new world is created. A beautiful, heaven-like vast ins stretched as far as the eye could see. Beautiful, magnificent trees rose into the sky, piercing it like heavenly pirs, rivers of crystal clear water ran through this beautifulnd, enriching its grass and cultivating its gigantic trees.


    If one were to be told that this was heaven, they would''ve believed those words in a heartbeat.


    The shadowy figure looked at this sight for a moment, absorbing the beauty with an appreciative look before he stepped forward and entered this world.


    A momentter, the corridor behind him vanished too, recing itself with a wider stretch of grassy ins, the same as the other part.


    Looking around him, the shadow figure moved through the small dirt path that extended across the whole in and beyond.


    Eventually, he saw the end of this path which led to a tree, far bigger than any other tree around it. Its size alone would make skyscrapers look like miniature toys. Each one of its leaves was big enough to cover a small city and each one of its branches extended far and wide.


    On the main trunk of this divine tree was a gigantic red eye. The shadowy figure didn''t know whether it was simply a drawing or something far more different¡­ And ominous.


    Just a mere nce at these eyes would send a shiver down his spine before he quickly turned around and averted his eyes. He couldn''t bear to look at the eye for longer than a second.


    "You''rete."


    Suddenly, a booming voice reached his ears.


    "My apologies, master. I had to¡­ heal my injury."


    Looking behind him, a man was sitting on the grassy hill with a big wooden sk next to him. A moment ago, he wasn''t there and somehow he appeared out of thin air.


    Just seeing his back sent a shiver down the shadow figure''s spine as he gulped down a mouthful of saliva secretly.


    "How is your eye?" The deep, hoarse voice asked him again as the man picked up his sk and chugged down whatever liquid was inside of it.


    "... Yes, I''m fi-"


    Before he could even finish his sentence, blood splurted out of the shadow''s left eye.


    "AGGHHHH!!" A howl of pain echoed in the empty world around him as the man fell down to the ground, crying. The pain he felt in his left eye was unimaginable. Far more painful than anything he ever felt before.


    "You failed and failure is inexcusable. I trusted your ability, shadow. Why did you disappoint me?"


    "I-I''m sorry¡­."


    "I have never thought I would hear an apology from you, Shadow. You''re turning into them, into those weaklings."


    "No! Master, please give me another chance! I will definitely do it!"


    "Why should I?"


    "I-I know where she went!"


    "Then why didn''t you kill her?"


    "B-Because he was there¡­"


    "He?"


    "Kai¡­"


    The moment the man heard that name, the whole world around them dimmed.

 Chapter 208 208- Hellish Heaven (Part 2)

    <h4>Chapter 208 Chapter 208- Hellish Heaven (Part 2)</h4>


    The sunlit world darkened and the calm, windless ins started rustling with the sudden howls of wind moving across the whole world and beyond.


    The blue sky was immediately covered with clouds as if it manifested out of thin air. Looking around him, the shadow figure could see the whole ce turning from heaven to a grim, dark hell in a matter of moments.


    "Did you see him?" The cold, hoarse voice asked in a grim tone. He didn''t try to hide his anger at all.


    "No, but I felt his presence looming over the city. He was certainly there." He replied. "If I got any closer, he would''ve definitely noticed my presence."


    The skies thundered with lightning as rain started pouring down endlessly, washing the grassy ins with a dark grey color. All color was lost in the world in a matter of moments.


    "How strong?"


    "Huh?"


    "How stronger did he be?"


    "I do-"


    "You felt his presence. Describe it."


    "It was¡­ suffocating. Like a thousand ropes squeezing my neck with no mercy. I knew that if I got any closer, that feeling would paralyze me in my ce."


    Just remembering that feeling made the shadow figure smile slightly. The thrill of seeing Kai again and seeing his power made him excited for the future even more.


    Something inside him told him that they perhaps might meet sooner than he expected and for that, he was sure that he was more than ready.


    As for the mysterious man in control of this ce, he simply didn''t look back as he chugged down the drink inside the sk endlessly. His solemn presence was rather unique in the sense that it didn''t invoke fear in anyone who saw him. Instead, what they would feel at first would be¡­ awe.


    They would think he was a divine being of some sort. His presence was ethereal, dancing on the fine line between reality and mysticism.


    However, when one gets to know him, they quickly realize that this being was divine, not in the sense of an angel¡­ But in the sense of a devil.


    "You are going nowhere¡­ son."


    Murmuring those words, the man stood up and finally turned around to face the shadow figure.


    "Keep an eye on that city. Don''t let him out of your sight."


    Saying those words, the man turned around and walked toward the path the shadow figure came from.


    As he walked, cracks appeared in the air before a weird portal appeared that prated this heaven of a world. The other side of the portal showed the same endless portal.


    "Leave." He ordered the shadow figure who immediately nodded his head and submerged back in the darkness.


    Then, he quickly glided toward the exit.


    The moment he left, the crack closed and the world returned to normal. Seeing that, the man turned around and walked away, heading toward the gigantic tree in the distance.


    His casual steps and his cold eyes that looked straight at the gigantic eye etched into the tree made him seem unbothered by this nightmarish existence.


    His journey to the tree took a lot of time, more time than people might ever expect.


    Eventually, he reached the foot of the tree. There, he stood for a moment looking at the tree, he then approached the trunk and extended his hand toward it. A secondter, his hand touched the tree, and immediately, smoke rose from his hand along with the sound of sizzling flesh as if it was being cooked on a grill.


    The smell of cooked flesh prated the air around the man as he waited patiently. A few momentster, the sizzling stopped and he released his hand, showing a skinless surface filled with blood and red flesh.


    However, he didn''t even give that horrifying injury a nce before he turned toward the tree again at the same moment as something started to happen.


    A weird, magical door slid open in the tree that allowed one to enter it. The man took a deep breath before he walked inside.


    The interior was dark and grim, as expected of a hollow wooden tree room.? However, in the heart of this dark was a shining red object, at least twice as big as a human.


    The object was a translucent red orb, hollow from the inside and visible from the outside. This orb was attached to countless branches that sprang around it as if it were protecting it.


    The red orb was perfectly nestled inside the branches, feeding from their life essence and growing brighter and brighter with time.


    Approaching the orb, the man stood in front of it as he watched what was inside the orb with a mysterious gaze.


    Nobody could read his thoughts and who would consider the situation? A man was standing in front of a giant orb nestled inside a gigantic tree with an eye on it.


    "You will soon be back. Let''s change everything. Past, present, and future."


    Saying those words, his eyes examined the creature inside the orb. One look could easily tell the one what was inside¡­ It was a human.


    ***


    The morning sun rose, announcing the start of a new day. Kai didn''t sleep through the night as it was basically a waste of time at that point.


    He stayed awake till 3 am and he usually wakes up around 5 am. Two hours of sleep might as well be nothing for him.


    Instead, he spent time simply reading a book. After that, he cooked food and woke up Eva and Kaya. As for Aria, he knew that she was still recovering from her injury so he decided not to wake her up yet. He needed her to be fully aware and ready.


    "What are you going to do to her, Kai?" Eva asked as they ate breakfast.


    "She will stay here for now. If I let her leave, she will get killed. I still need to get all the information I need from her before I kill her." He replied as he sipped his coffee.


    The two girls went silent when they heard that. For a moment, they forgot that Kai''s initial goal was to kill her so when he casually mentioned that again, it surprised them.


    "But, leaving her alone is dangerous too, no?" Eva asked.


    "... Yeah, the kiddo is right. Even if she''s strong, she seems to get disoriented quickly if she stands for a long time."


    Thinking about that, Kaya really couldn''t understand the reason for that. Normally, blind people don''t get disoriented from standing, even more so for someone like Aria who is extremely strong in her own right.


    Kai also realized that problem and he thought about a solution that will at least let him keep an eye on her.


    "I will make her enroll in the school to keep an eye on her."


    *Pfft*


    Eva coughed loudly when she heard that. Enroll in their school?


    "Wait a second, Kai! You do realize that she''s a celebrity, right? Making her enroll in that school is like throwing a bait in the middle of a sea full of fish. The news will spread like wildfire."


    "I will alter her appearance with a little bit of illusion," Kai said.


    "Ugh, that I guess solves it." Murmuring to herself, Eva looked at the woman sleeping on the couch. Aplicated look appeared on her face.


    She can''t forget the fact that Aria was at some point Kai''s fiance. The two shared a past that made them like each other so much to the point where Kai actually felt so betrayed after what she did.


    That was more than just friendship, her suspicion told her that Kai liked her and she was his first love. If she was to stay with Kai for long, she didn''t know what could happen.


    If anything, she was conflicted about this girl more than anything else. She didn''t seem like a bad person to her even after talking with her more than once.


    Eva believed that she could read people very well and all she could see in Aria was that she was simply a victim of something that made her do what she did.


    A victim of what exactly is still a mystery but she was definitely not evil. So, seeing her die in Kai''s hands stung her in the chest. Eva adored Kai more than anything else so she didn''t want him to kill someone that didn''t deserve death.


    They were hitmen, true. But, they weren''t murderers that killed the innocent with no regard for morality. As questionable as their line of work could be, Eva firmly believes that she has a moral code that helps her make the world a better ce.


    In fact, now that they are finally out of that line of work, she feels that shedding blood is unnecessary unless they had to do it, and from what she can see, they will probably still have to kill more if they wanted to find peace.


    "It will be temporary."

 Chapter 209 209- Food To Cry For And a Revelation

    <h4>Chapter 209 Chapter 209- Food To Cry For And a Revtion</h4>


    An hour passed before Aria finally woke up, just when Kai and Eva were about to leave the apartement to buy some stuff. So, Kai simply told her to eat the food on the table and stay put. Kaya had already left to deal with some matters and wouldn''t be back tillter so the apartement would be empty except for Aria.


    He also made sure to keep track of her at all times. Transferring her to the school will take at least one day even if Eva pulled some strings to make it happen quickly and they were still in winter break so they can''t go to school either.


    Keeping a small tracker on Aria should be more than enough for him to react in time if something happens.


    With that, he left with Eva. The two walked out of the apartementplex.


    "Are you sure it''s gonna be ok?"


    "Yes. I doubt they will try to target her when I''m here. I made sure to expand my aura to cover the whole city so unless they have some kind of way to evade my aura, they won''t be able to get close."


    "I guess that''s right." Eva nodded her head as she turned around to look at the house onest time.


    She secretly wished that the girl would be fine, even if she was merely a prisoner in that ce.


    ***


    Meanwhile, Aria stood near the door for a few seconds and watched it silently as if she was waiting for something before she turned around walked toward the table, and sat down. Her face was emotionless but inwardly, her stomach was screaming with happiness at the smell of food in front of her.


    So, with elegant movement, she picked up the spoon and started eating. However, the moment her mouth tasted the food, her expression changed as she chewed on it. Then, her hand moved down quicker to pick up another spoonful. Then another one and another one after that.


    In a matter of moments, she wolfed down half of the food. As she chewed on the food, her stoic expression started slowly crumbling. Behind the red cloth, her eyes welled up with tears. Each spoon she ate hit her with nostalgia like nothing else.


    A distant past where she truly felt happy and satisfied. A distant past that crumbled right in front of her eyes. She watched it crumble and even pushed for it to crumble because of a choice. Either she protects that happiness selfishly and watches it end quickly or ends it quickly and protects the source of that happiness. Either way, she was going to lose so she decided to do what her heart told her, to sacrifice everything and keep the most important thing.


    It was a painful choice to make that twisted and shredded every part of her into pieces. This food was that past and she was eating it gluttonously, as if her subconscious mind wanted to return there, to get back what was lost and to feel the euphoric happiness of a free life.


    s, no such thing could happen and the food that she hoped would make her feel better, only crumbled down the walls that she built up for years to keep herself from breaking down from that pain.


    Each taste of this warm, delicious food made her realize one important thing. That even after all these years, even after she did what she did, Kai never changed. His food never changed just like how he never changed. He was still him, even after she tore apart everything he cherished.


    Moments passed and the tears that wailed up turned into silent weeping as she held her shuddering hands. She quietly cursed everything that happened, including herself. She cursed her existence, her choices except for one, and even her very reason for living for this long. Perhaps she didn''t end it all just because of a small hope that after all the pain and suffering, after the hell that she built and dived into, there could be a future where she would feel happy.


    That was wishful thinking in its own right but it was still good enough to keep her from killing herself. Perhaps she was meant to save him onest time and then die so that at least she fulfills her purpose that she destroyed everything to achieve.


    "It''s¡­ delicious¡­" She murmured to herself.


    ***


    Kai and Eva took a few hours before returning to the apartement as they had to buy many things for the next few weeks.


    When they were back home, they found Aria sitting on the couch motionlessly as if she were a doll. She simply stared at the wall ahead of her without doing anything. One would wonder for how long she stared at that wall but the answer would most likely stay unknown.


    ''She''s really an odd one.'' Eva thought as she looked at Kai who didn''t spare Aria a nce and walked straight to the kitchen. So, Eva decided to approach the silent girl.


    "Do you want some snacks?" She asked.


    However, thetter shook her head in response.


    "Uuuh, how about a shower? I can lend you some clothes if you want."


    The second offer seemed to entice Aria as she hesitated to shake her head. Eventually, she nodded.


    "I see, follow me."


    Eva then led Aria to the bag she had brought with her to stay over. She luckily had a spare change of clothes she still didn''t use so she gave it to Aria.


    "Kai, can I let her have a shower?" She asked with a loud voice for him to hear.


    "Do what you want." She heard a reply before she smiled and nodded her head.


    ''My beloved is still kind even to her. I''m proud of him.'' She felt warm inside her chest.


    "Go ahead and use the shower. Do you need my help?"


    Aria shook her head as she took the clothes and walked toward the bathroom alone.


    Walking inside the kitchen, Eva found Kai cooking silently with his back toward her. So, she approached him and gave him a hug from the back before she kissed his neck.


    "You''re doing the right thing, my love. Believe me." She whispered.


    "We will see¡­" Kai replied.


    That was indeed his honest thoughts. Whether what he was doing will be fruitful or not is still up to fate to decide.


    ***


    At the same time, while working on herputer Kaya received a phone call that surprised her. The name was all too familiar after all.


    "Old man! Where have you been all this time?! Not even a single call!" She immediately said as she picked up the phone.


    However, the caller, who was Mika didn''t respond immediately.


    "Can we meet, Kaya?" A weak yet still powerful voice finally spoke from the other side. "I''m in your city right now."


    "You''re already here?! Where are you?"


    Mika went to describe the cafe he was at for Kaya who immediately told him to wait for her and hang up.


    It only took her a few minutes to reach her destination.


    "Old ma-" Entering the cafe, Kaya spotted her old man, only to be shocked at what she saw.


    She hadn''t seen Mika for a few weeks yet that was more than enough to change the old man drastically. His muscr build and healthy skin were nowhere to be seen. Now, he was looking like an actual frail old man near his death.


    His presence was also way weaker than ever before. His radiant, strong gaze turned meek and emotionless.


    "What¡­ happened to you?" Kaya asked with a shocked expression as she approached him.


    "Sit down and we will talk." The old man replied coldly as he sipped on the coffee he had. Kaya also noticed that his demeanor changed.


    ''What happened to him during these past few weeks?'' She thought to herself with a worried expression.


    "Where have you been this whole time?" She took a deep breath and asked.


    "I''ve been roaming the world," Mika replied.


    "Roaming the world isn''t enough to turn you into this state, old man. What happened?"


    Mika seemed hesitant at first to speak but he then remembered that he came all the way there to tell Kaya so hesitating is pointless.


    "In reality, I didn''t roam the world for no reason. After what happened on that day, I decided to focus on something else to divert my focus from the dark thoughts that kept bugging my mind. What I focused on was to find a particr ce."


    "Particr ce?"


    "A temple¡­ A temple said to have the remains of the arsenal of weapons the Progenitor had."


    Hearing that revtion, Kaya''s eyes widened as she immediately remembered what happened to Eva on the night of Operation: Behemoth. The fact that she had the sword the progenitor used in his hay days almost killed her and Kai was still a shocking thing to think about.


    Ever since then, Kaya had a fear of anything rted to the progenitor as it most likely spilled destruction along with it.

 Chapter 210- Temple Of Infinity

    210 Chapter 210- Temple Of Infinity Kaya looked at the old man with a serious expression. "Why are you searching for that ce? And does it even exist in the first ce?"


    "It does. I didn''t believe in it at first but now I do." The old man replied with a wary tone as he hesitantly sipped from his coffee.


    "What changed between now and then?"


    "I found a lead to that ce and it brought me to a destination I never expected. What I saw there is the truth, Kaya. The arsenal of the progenitor exists and it''s not a ce I can enter or anybody else could for that matter." Mikayal''s weak arms clenched subconsciously as if remembering what he saw terrified him.


    "Hold on a second, old man. What lead? What the hell are you talking about?" Kaya stopped him in his tracks when she saw that he was about to gloss over that thing. How did he find a lead to a ce that most people never even heard of?


    Even those who had a suspicion that a ce like this existed didn''t find a single lead. So hearing that Mika casually mention that he found a lead made Kaya shocked.


    "It''s confidential for now. The person that gave me the lead is a secretive one who doesn''t like to be mentioned casually in a topic so just consider it this way." Mika exined with a normal tone. However, Kaya noticed something about his demeanor when he talked about this person.


    There was a mix of apprehension and fear in his eyes when he spoke. However, Mika was Mika so he would never show himself in a vulnerable state in front of people, even his daughter.


    "Anyway, this is not what I came here to speak about. I just wanted to warn you about one thing, Kaya. In a few months from now, you might be asked by Divinity to do something and I want you to firmly refuse to do it. Don''t ept no matter what and no matter what they do. If thingse down to it, I want you to run away and hide."


    Kaya looked confused but she didn''t say a word as she listened to her old man.


    "I''m afraid that what will happen soon will change this very world we live in. No one could stop it, Origin will never be the same and neither will the people who will use it and control it. Perhaps every single person that doesn''t use it will cease to exist and perhaps it could be the end of this world, I do not know."


    "Huh? Old man, if this is a joke you''re saying then it''s not funny." Kaya''s face turned cold as she frowned hard. She knew that Mika wasn''t joking around, he was never someone to joke around, anyway.


    However, simply epting that the world will end in a few months is just not something a normal person could do.


    Mika didn''t even provide information about what, how, or why all of this will happen. What would end the world? Why is Origin going to change? What does this have to do with the Progenitor''s arsenal of weapons and the ce where they''re hidden? And who is the person that gave him all this information?


    Her mind felt like a mess just asking these questions and even more of a mess just trying to answer them.


    "I can''t exin, Kaya. It''s for your sake. When that timees, just leave Divinity and hide somewhere. Protect yourself and don''t try to get entangled with all this mess. We''re dealing with powers far beyond our scope of understanding."


    Saying that Mika slowly stood up and turned around to leave, only to be grabbed by Kaya. She stayed silent for a moment before she asked again.


    "Just tell me one hint, old man. Just one thing that could be useful. I hate being in the dark, not when you''re mentioning such grandiose, apocalyptic predictions." She said coldly.


    She felt rather angry that her old man was underestimating her power without even giving her a chance to understand the situation. It was like telling someone that they''re not worthy of knowing the truth of their future. It''s painful and annoying.


    Mika seemed to understand that too as he closed his eyes and exhaled a long, bitter breath.


    "The temple of infinity. That''s the only hint I could give you. Do what you want with it and if you do learn the truth yourself, stay away from it. Don''t try to make yourself get noticed and don''t try to contact me. I know how to contact you so don''t worry, I won''t disappear. Understood?"


    Leaving those words behind, Mika left the cafe. Kaya sat there silently with her fists clenched.


    "The temple of infinity. I never heard of that before." She murmured.


    Kaya liked to believe that she knew most of the ces that exist in this world and considering her position as an Archangel and a future Virtue, she knows many secret locations in the world like ruins, ancient temples, and the like. However, never did she hear of that name before.


    So, there was only one thing left. The only person she knew who knew more about this and perhaps could deduct something from those words would be Kai.


    ***


    Meanwhile, Kai just finished cooking lunch and was about to wash his hands when he heard Eva calling for him from the living room.


    "Kai¡­ you have to see this." She said in a weird tone.


    "Hm?"


    Walking toward her, he found her looking at the TV with a shocked expression on her face. As short as a few minutes ago, she seemed fine so the fact that she looked this perturbed meant that something wrong happened. Taking a look at the TV, Kai''s face also immediately changed.


    On the screen, a reporter was speaking.


    "In a seismic development, superhumans wielding extraordinary powers have emerged out of nowhere on the global stage a few weeks ago all thanks to a revolutionaryponent known as ''Temporary Origin'' or for short ''TempO'' created by an Organization named ''Divinity''. This up-anding corporation shocked the world with the revtion of this new technology that maniptes the gic structure of the user to give them superpowers just like the ones seen in movies. Videos of people whom Divinity reached out to to test these TempO''s leaked into the inte, creating a huge uproar that shook the whole world."


    Then, videos of people creating fireballs from their hands or turning their fists into ice appeared on the screen. Kai watched the scene unfold with solemn silence. He didn''t know how to react. It all happened too suddenly.


    "People are divided between believing and disbelieving these ims of achieving superhuman abilities. Also, governments are being bombarded with questions about this matter while most remain silent. However, today, we''re in luck of getting in contact with Divinity''s representative to talk more about this matter. Mr Arthur Carian, can you hear me?"


    Then, the screen was divided into two between the reporter and someone Eva and Kai were familiar with. Arthur, the handsome archangel appeared on the screen with a perfect smile.


    "Arthur, can you please exin to us what this Temporary Origin is?"


    "Of course, Elia. Our Divinity had been working in secret for years now, developing and perfecting the form for Temporary Origin. We saw a potential in humans nobody else had seen. We''re special creatures, Elia. All of us are. We were meant to be able to wield more power than what we''re born with and Divinity worked hard toward that future. We''re happy to say that we''re finally releasing Temporary Origin into the world. It has been tested by every pharmaceutical administration in the world and they all gave us the green light to sell thisponent to the world."


    "So all those videos are the real deal?"


    "Of course. You can ask all those people yourself. They all gained powers that they only dreamt of. Divinity has started a new age, an age where we can finally achieve the feats that we could only dream of. Perhaps the only limit we have now is the endless ideas we can think of."


    "Kai¡­ This is bad. This is really bad." Eva murmured as she felt the weight of the disaster that was about to happen.


    As for Kai, he clenched his teeth.


    "Those idiots¡­"


    He never expected it to happen so soon and so suddenly. It hasn''t even been a few months since he discovered Temporary Origin even existed and suddenly it''s avable to the public. People now know Origin exists and that they can use superpowers.


    He didn''t know what Divinity was thinking of but it was certainly not a good idea at all. Not everyone is worthy of a superpower, not now, not never.


    ''Am I never going to be spared of nonsensical trouble?'' Kai exhaled a long sigh as he realized that he was about to get dragged into a huge mess.


    What was worse than maniacal Origin users? Well, that would be maniacal Origin users who don''t even know what they''re doing.

 Chapter 211- Lost

    211 Chapter 211- Lost


    Kai sat down near Eva as he looked at the TV screen with solemn coldness. Thetter shared the same expression that he had except a little worse.


    For the first time in god knows how long, Kai really had no idea what to do. The whole world now knows about Origin, whether it was its temporary or permanent form, it didn''t matter. They knew about it and the consequences were unimaginable.


    First of all, from what Arthur said, Divinity made Temporary Origin avable for the masses. It didn''t seem to have any restrictions whatsoever. That means that anyone could buy this superpower and use it and by anyone, Kai knows that it meant ANYONE.


    Even the most notorious criminals inside or outside the jail will be able to wreak even more havoc and do what they want while. Granted,w enforcement could also use these powers to stop such things. However, that didn''t mean that the damage wouldn''t happen. This world, in simpler terms, wasn''t tailor-made to handle superpowers.


    Even the weakest of Origin Users could deal more damage than any mundane human could ever even fathom. Punching a whole into a wooden house wouldn''t be something impossible.


    But, that wasn''t even the worst thing. In the most optimal situation, governments will be able to learn how to stop such problems from happening very quickly, it''s the shift in mentality that is truly the problem. A human is a greedy and incredibly imaginative creature by nature. Give such a creature endless abilities and you get one of two possible oues: Either endless destruction or endless greed.


    Both are horrible results of the same input.


    "Is Divinity made out of irrevocably insane fools or what? What the hell is this?!" Clenching her fists, Eva smashed them down on the sofa''s arm.


    "They perhaps might be insane¡­" Kai murmured in reply, however, he didn''t believe that they were dumb and he was still firmly behind that assumption.


    His best bet in this situation is that Divinity will move quickly to contain the situation.


    ''But, how could they even do¡­'' Suddenly, it hit him, hard.


    Kai''s eyes widened slightly as he looked up.


    "Ascenders¡­"


    "What?"


    "Divinity will turn them into Ascenders that they will recruit. It makes sense now."


    Of course, it makes sense, Divinity''s main goal was to create a world where Origin Users rule and their main project was Origin Society. An initial step required was to slowly spoon-feed Origin into the minds of the masses without alerting them.


    ''Temporary Origin is a perfect way to do that. People would hate it, but since it''s temporary, the bacsh won''t be strong. Give it some time and those protesting voices will quiet down eventually.'' He thought to himself as he rubbed his chin.


    "So, that''s what they wanted to do. An army of people that they can control without the risk of them doing anything major. If things came down to it, they can cut down the supply of Temporary Origin and they would basicallye out of any situation unscathed." Eva continued Kai''s trail of thoughts with a bewildered look.


    It all made sense now, twisted and dystopian as it sounded, it was still logical.


    "Open your phone and check the inte for anything rted to the next batch of Ascenders test. If we''re right, then they most likely started advertising it as soon as they released the TempO." Kai said as he stood up and walked to his room to check hisputer. However, as he was about to enter inside, Aria met him in the hallway. Her skin was beautiful and glossy as she came fresh out of the bath.


    "What happened?"


    "Go and sit down next to Eva and don''t move," Kai said coldly before he walked in.


    Aria nodded her head before she did so.


    "What is going on?"


    "Temporary Origin, it''s out in public. Oh, wait, you don''t know about it, do you?"


    "I do."


    "I see¡­ Wait, you do?" Eva who replied casually at first looked up with an almostical expression.


    "I have my sources," Aria replied mysteriously.


    "Did you also know that it was going to get released to the public?"


    Aria shook her head. "I only heard of it."


    Eva didn''t say another word as she started searching through the inte''s biggest forums about anything rted to that topic and low and behold, it only took her a few moments to find what she was looking for. Hundreds upon hundreds ofments from random people talking about how they were approached by Divinity to try Temporary Origin and how they were told to join Divinity so that it could help them develop their powers.


    ''Right on the bullseye.'' Eva thought.


    Aria couldn''t see what was written but she could definitely hear Eva.


    Meanwhile, in the other room, Kai received a call from Kaya.


    "Kai! What the hell is going on? The city is in an uproar! Many people are running toward the pharmacies."


    "Come back, Kaya. A lot happened that can''t be exined over the phone." Kai said as he was about to hang up the phone.


    "Wait, Kai, there is an important matter we need to discuss."


    "What?"


    "The old man¡­ I just met him a few minutes ago and he told me some disturbing things."


    "Huh?" Kai didn''t understand what Kaya was even talking about.


    "It''s a long exnation that I can''t talk about now. But, he mentioned a term. The temple of Infinity¡­ Have you heard of that name before?" Kaya asked.


    Silence.


    No response came from Kai for an awfully long time.


    "Kai? Are you still there?" Kaya called for him.


    "Where did he hear of that name?" Kai''s cold, chilling voice finally reached Kaya, making her frown. She had rarely heard Kai speak in this frozen tone which made her even more wary of what those words meant.


    "I don''t know. He didn''t say anything else."


    "Come back. Things are about to get out of control. Don''t let anyone approach you. It''s most likely they acquired Temporary Origin."


    "What?!"


    "We can''t talk now but I will exin once you get here." He said before he hung up the phone. A secondter, Kai''s face turned sour.


    ''Temple of Infinity¡­ How would I not know that ce? It''s where I was born.'' He cursed as he realized that the bastard that gave birth to him had already gotten too involved in Divinity. Granted that meant Kai had a higher chance of meeting him sooner than he might''ve predicted but it still bothered him greatly.


    Whatever that man was nning wasn''t something that could be given time. He could be scheming to turn the world into a deste vastnd of nothingness for all he cared. That was the twisted nature of the man others would call his father.


    Running his hand through his hair, for the first time in a long time, Kai felt a slight headache from the situation. This day went from being normal to unforgettable for Kai in a matter of minutes.


    Two gigantic problems from two sides and he didn''t even know what to do to either of them. Well, he was still not sure whether he could truly do what he wanted to do or not without his ns being ruined.


    As he was like that, he suddenly heard a loud explosion that shook the whole apartementplex.

 Chapter 212- Crazed Rookies (Part 1)

    212 Chapter 212- Crazed Rookies (Part 1)


    Kai looked up with a cold expression as if he didn''t understand what happened for a moment before he rushed outside. There, he found Eva and Aria who also noticed themotion and were already on their way to the door to check what happened.


    Opening the door, they were met with a rising cloud of smokeing from the floor beneath them. The smoke was certainlying from a fire that ignited in what seemed to be thendlord''s house.


    Rushing down, the trio found themselves with a sight that was straight out of a nightmare. The whole interior of the house was gone, what was before a beautiful apartement filled with flowers was now just a chaotic mess of fire. The smell of death permeated the ce as if it were an actual infernor.


    Kai didn''t wait a second as he quickly killed the fire with a move of his hand. Then, they rushed inside.


    There, they found a burnt corpse lying on the ground, it was that of thendy. Kai froze for a second before he frowned slightly and approached the burnt corpse to check if there was still a pulse, as long as there was a pulse, he could save her.


    However, he already knew that it was a far-fetched dream, the woman was dead.


    "Oh no¡­" Eva''s expression shifted as she held her face. She knew thisndy, not for a long time, but she knew her, and she was a very kind woman. Whenever she came here, she would greet her warmly and Eva grew fond of her even if they weren''t truly acquaintances.


    The only one who didn''t have a noticeable reaction was Aria as she approached the woman and crouched down.


    "I can give her a pulse." She said to Kai.


    Thetter looked up for a moment before he nodded his head. "Do it."


    Aria then put her hand on the dead woman before she channeled her Origin. Inside the woman''s body, the Origin stimted whatever was left of the blood in her veins that didn''t leak out of her cracked, burnt skin.


    However, this wasn''t really effective in returning the woman to life since she was technically dead. Moving her blood would still make her heart thump even if by force and that was all Kai needed.


    ''There is a pulse.''


    Quickly, he used his powers on thendy, and in a matter of seconds, the woman''s skin started healing and the blood seeping out of her pores dried and stopped moving. It didn''t take long for the woman''s normal appearance toe back to how it was.


    "Amazing¡­" Aria murmured to herself. She had seen Kai use whatever this power was before but it was way weaker than now. Before, he could barely heal a small injury and it would take ages to close up.


    ''He really worked hard¡­'' Aria felt secretly proud but also sad at the fact that she was probably one of the main reasons why he pushed himself to this extent to change and be better.


    Such an evolution wasn''t purely talent, it was also dedication to get stronger, to change what he couldn''t change before. Many would look at Kai and think ''He''s a genius like no other and could easily learn anything he wanted with minimal effort''. But, the truth is far from that.


    Only Aria and a few others knew how hard he worked, more than anyone else. To learn so much in such a little amount of time, was ridiculous talent-wise and dedication-wise.


    "U-Uhhh¡­" The older woman groaned in pain as she tried to move only to be stopped by Kai. "Don''t¡­ You''re still recovering." He said.


    "Is that¡­ you, Kai, my boy?" She asked.


    "What happened here?"


    "What¡­ happened? Wait¡­ My son!!" The older woman seemed to sober up from her state as she tried to rise up with a horrified expression. "My son!! He¡­ What? What happened here?"


    ''Her son?'' Kai was rather confused at first.


    He had never met her son before and he didn''t even know she had one. But, considering the situation, it was normal for her to worry about him. So, Kai signaled for Eva to carry the woman outside so she could breathe some fresh air.


    Meanwhile, Kai looked ahead of him at the ruined interior of the house. At first nce, one might think it was a gas leak or maybe a fire incident but Kai knew that it wasn''t the case. The reason for that was simple¡­ He could sense lingering Origin in the air.


    It wasn''t hard to predict what happened but it was still rather surprising that it happened this quick. Standing up, Kai walked slowly deeper into the house. All the rooms were burnt beyond repair and those who weren''t as damaged were locked with nobody inside.


    The only room that had someone inside of it was one with an old wooden door in a corner of its own. It had a sign on it to no disturb written with crude handwriting and a cheap pencil.


    Kai approached the door and twisted the knob.


    "D-Don''t enter!!" Suddenly, a scream echoed in the house that made him stop for a second.


    "Get out," Kai said coldly to the person inside who he assumed was the son the woman talked about.


    "No! J-Just leave me alone!! I don''t want to talk to anybody."


    "Have you consumed anything?"


    "...."


    "Temporary Origin¡­ Did you buy it?" Kai asked again.


    "Y-Yes¡­ But, I didn''t know it would do this! I really didn''t! I''m scared!!" The young man''s voice was agitated and clearly panicked. Kai could even hear his fast heartbeat from here.


    Kai sighed before he twisted the knob again, opening the door.


    "I said don''t enter!!" Suddenly, a raging explosion of mes weed Kai the moment he looked inside. The degree of fireing from the mes was surprising. However, Kai didn''t show any reaction as he swept the me away with his hand as if he were trying to get rid of an annoying bug.


    "W-What¡­" The boy was shocked when he saw what happened he crawled to a corner of the room and hugged himself as he shivered.


    "I didn''t mean to do it¡­ I didn''t mean to do it¡­ I didn''t mean to do it¡­" He shivered as he murmured again and again like a mantra.


    "Get a hold of yourself. You almost killed your mother." Kai said.


    "My mother is dead!"


    "She''s not. She''s now waiting outside for you."


    "No, leave me alone! I want to stay alone!"


    Taking a nce at the boy, Kai could see that his skin was burning with fire. He was certainly a Fire Origin User. However, he had no control over his power at all, and that most likely caused this explosion that destroyed the whole house.


    ''That and this¡­'' Kai thought as he scanned the room. Posters of all kinds of games, anime characters, and even certain popr singers and idols. Not to mention the burnt figurines, special T-shirts, and all kinds of other items. Kai finally started to understand why he had never seen this guy before because he never left his house in the first ce.


    That fact alone perhaps was the reason for this burst. He was already someone with a shattered, weak mental strength who got his hands on something destructive. The result speaks for itself.

 Chapter 213- Crazed Rookies (Part 2)

    213 Chapter 213- Crazed Rookies (Part 2)


    Kai looked coldly at the panicked young man before he sighed and started approaching him slowly. His steps were nimble and quiet, leaving only the sound of flickering fire inside the room.


    "S-Stay away!"


    "Don''t move. Your powers are out of control. If I let you do what you want you will burn this whole ce." Kai replied in a calm tone.


    "I-I don''t want to burn anyone else¡­ Please, just let me be alone." Tears welled up in the young man''s as he held his face. At that moment, Kai appeared to the young man like a scary demon that was there to harvest his soul.


    The young man whose name was Elliot, had been an introverted boy ever since he was young. He didn''t like interacting with people because of his weak structure. He always got bullied in school and couldn''t defend himself so after high school, he closed on himself inside his mother''s house and didn''t talk to anyone, not even her.


    Years passed quietly as he got addicted more and more to this quiet life he was living. He found solitude to be the best feeling ever, to not find a need for other people, it was amazing. However, there was still a part of him that wished to be social, to have friends, to have a girlfriend, and to live in the social norm.


    That was until he saw this new invention, Temporary Origin. It was akin to a distant dream manifesting in reality. Gaining superpowers, how great would that be?


    So, he decided for the first time in years to leave his house and buy this new drug that took the world by storm. The journey was arduous to the closest pharmacy as people looked at him. He was overweight, shabby in clothes and appearance, and had a gloomy presence around him.


    The looks of people were akin to a sharp knife digging into his skin. However, he forced himself through that pain and bought the drug with whatever savings he had. It was very expensive but worth it.


    When he came back and opened the box he bought, it had a syringe in it with a needle and an instruction book on how to use it. While the injection itself was rather simple, people would still make idiotic mistakes so Divinity made that instruction book for that category.


    Following it to a T, he was able to inject the liquid into his bloodstream and then he waited. At first, nothing happened for a while. He waited and waited but nothing changed. It reached a point where he thought it was a fraud and disappointment loomed on his mind.


    "Fuck! So it was all a fucking lie!!" Cursing loudly, he smashed his hand on the ground and clicked his tongue. At that moment, something happened that shocked him to the core. mes suddenly ignited into his body. The temperature of the room increased almost instantly as Elliot panicked.


    He thought that his skin was about to burn, but in actuality, what was burning was everything around him. He himself, however, was unscathed,pletely.


    "No! No, no, no¡­" Trying to kill the fire, he only made it even worse. It didn''t take long for everything around him to be swallowed by fire.


    "Elliot, are you ok?" His mother called for him.


    "Stay away!" He yelled as he looked around with a terrified expression. The fire that covered his body grew along with his panicked state.


    its user. The angrier they are, the more likely for his powers to get out of control. Add to that the fact 03:51


    that he waspletely clueless as to how to use these powers and a disaster was bound to happen.


    What he didn''t know, however, was Origin was an energy that followed the will and emotional state of its user. The angrier they are, the more likely for his powers to get out of control. Add to that the fact that he waspletely clueless as to how to use these powers and a disaster was bound to happen.


    "Don''t move," Kai said coldly.


    ''I will be punished¡­. He will kill me¡­ I''m going to die!'' He thought to himself as he clenched his teeth.


    His steps grew closer and closer, scaring the young man even more. For a second, he saw in Kai the bullies that would always approach him menacingly while he hid and tried to protect himself. That fear and trauma ignited his panic even more. Then, in a split second of uncontroble horror, the young man''s powers exploded again.


    *BOOOOOOOOM*


    A giant ball of fire covered the whole room and destroyed everything left intact. The tongues of mes engulfed Kaipletely.


    ''I need to run¡­'' Elliot quickly tried to stand up and leave. However, as he dashed through the inferno hell, a hand suddenly extended out of the fire and grabbed his neck.


    "I said don''t move," Kai said as he moved his hand, pushing the mes away.


    "W-What?!"


    Before Elliot could even understand what happened, Kai used his powers to barge into his mind and knock him unconscious. After that, he moved his hand again, killing the giant fire that was threatening to eat the whole house.


    ''What a troublesome fellow¡­'' He thought as he put Elliot on his shoulder.


    It didn''t even seem like he injected himself with Temporary Origin that long ago and yet he still burnt down a whole house because of it.


    ''Divinity didn''t lie when they said that Temporary Origin could create people with the strength of an 8-year-old Origin User. This is something of that level, at least.'' He thought while walking out of the room.


    "Kai!" Eva approached Kai when she noticed him. He seemed unscathed even after the explosion that urred.


    "I made the neighbors leave so that nobody could see us." She said before she looked at the unconscious young man. "Is he?"


    "Yeah, her son. He was the reason for this fire."


    "So, he already bought it¡­" Aplicated expression appeared on Eva''s face.


    "We need to leave before the police arrive," Kai said as he carried Elliot outside and gave him to his mother.


    "Oh my god, my son, Elliot!" Thendy cried when she saw him.


    "He''s fine. The same can''t be said about your house." Kai said to reassure her before he looked back at Aria. She was standing silently in front of the burnt house as if she were examining it.


    "How did you get him ou-" The old woman was about to question Kai.


    "Let''s leave." Kai looked at thendy before he snapped his fingers and she was knocked unconscious too. He made them forget what happened there for now. Even if Origin was now something everyone knew of, keeping his identity a secret is always the best choice.


    "Aria?" Eva called for the blind girl but thetter didn''t respond. So, Eva approached her.


    "Hey, we''re leaving."


    "Hm? Oh, my apologies." Aria woke up from her trance and answered hurriedly.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "It''s¡­ Nothing."


    "... Ok¡­" Eva seemed confused but she didn''t try to ask any further. Everyone has his secrets, after all.


    The trio quickly returned to the apartement and closed the door right when the police sirens reached their ears.


    "It hasn''t been a day and there are already idents like this." Eva frowned visibly. "At this rate, whole cities will be eradicated because of a bunch of panicked newbies that don''t know what they''re doing."


    "It was bound to happen. The only thing that could be done now is to wait for Divinity and see how it will deal with this problem. They aren''t going to let people die needlessly since that will only harm their image as a new corporation that got revealed to the masses."


    "Are they even going to do it? We''re talking about hundreds of millions of people across the whole world. The control they have isn''t big enough to stop this." Eva murmured in response. She didn''t believe that a situation like this could be fully contained in a matter of days if there was even a solution to begin with.


    "They will."


    The one to respond was shockingly Aria, catching the attention of the duo. Being the quiet type, Eva thought Aria would only speak when spoken to but to see her willingly talk was surprising.


    "How do you know?"


    "I¡­" Aria wanted to speak but when she nced at Kai, she decided not to and instead said something different. "I''m sure they will."


    "..."


    Kai understood the hint and didn''t say a single word.


    ''That bastard must''ve acquired some way of controlling this drug''s effects. He wouldn''t let his ns be ruined because of a stupid mistake.'' He thought.


    Silence took over the room for a while before it was broken again by the news channel that was still open. There, videos of people barging into pharmacies to buy the drug were being broadcast from across the world.


    It is safe to say that millions of people have already gotten or will get their hands on the drug in the next few hours and the number is bound to increase exponentially in the next few days.


    If there was any chance of stopping this insanity, it was now all gone.

 Chapter 214- Calm Before The Storm

    Chapter 214- Calm Before The Storm


    Time passed slowly in silence as the trio busied themselves with other things. The stress of the situation weighed down on them a lot but what can they do? They were in no position to act, not when things were moving in this direction. If anything, trying to act now would most likely make things worse rather than fix them. It was, after all, a situation with more variables and unpredictable oues than anything else they ever faced before.


    During this hour or so, Kai was able to more or less organize his thoughts properly. While he still felt irritated that the situation was out of his hands, he quickly realized that it in reality¡­ It could''ve been worse.


    First of all, the reveal of the Temporary Origin was a matter of time and he knew that. The reveal happened sooner than he expected, and that was granted. But, this wasn''t all too bad since that also meant that Divinity would be too upied with their projects to even think about him.


    That will reduce the chance of anyone discovering his tracks and by definition make himpletely inconspicuous. This was Kai''s initial goal, to blend seamlessly with the Ascenders and slowly make his way up the ranks.


    It''s a process that required him to be someone else and change everything about his demeanor and his past. It was all necessary since his father was an extremely sharp and smart man who could easily identify him from the smallest blunder. It was a true test of Kai''s ability to change his identity.


    Second of all, there was the matter of the ''Temple of Infinity'' that Kaya told him about. It seemed that Mika was now linked to that man and so he probably knew many things that Kai didn''t know.


    ''I can use that old man''s knowledge if things came down to it. Although it might end up with me killing him in the worst-case scenario.'' He thought to himself.


    Most likely, the information was sealed and unavable for Kai to use. But, the fact that he told Kaya about that means that there is some information that was left unsealed. He must know something useful, Kai was certain of it.


    However, till he finds the opportunity to meet Mika again, he has to put it aside for now.


    Meanwhile, Eva was simply scribbling something on a notepad she had. As for Aria, she just sat there quietly, not doing anything in particr except fiddling with her fingers. Even though she can sense everything around her, she still technically can''t see anything so there wasn''t much she could do, not that she wanted to.


    At that moment, they heard a clicking of the door before Kaya barged inside and closed the door quickly.


    "Hah, hah, damn, the city is in chaos. It''s like a jungle for god''s sake!" She murmured as she looked back. "What the hell is going on outside?!" She asked.


    "The Temporary Origin has been released to the public and everyone is buying it apparently," Eva replied with an emotionless tone.


    Kaya froze for a second before her face frowned. "So it already happened¡­ Why didn''t they notify me? Tsk,zy bastards!" She cursed as she checked her messages on the phone and found nothing.


    "They probably did it without telling anybody except for those who mingled with it. That idiot Arthur from the Archangels is one of them." Kai replied as he stood up and went to the kitchen to get Kaya something to drink.


    "Arthur? I didn''t hear any recent news about him. Wasn''t he about to be punished for killing another Archangel?" Eva asked.


    "Apparently he escaped the punishment somehow. A few weeks ago, he was announcedpletely innocent." Kaya shook her head.


    She was also shocked when she realized that Arthur didn''t get punished. It was tantly apparent that he did kill L that night.


    ''The higher-ups must''ve found him way too useful to be killed.'' Kaya chuckled inwardly as she walked to the living room.


    Thetter sat down on the sofa and gazed at Aria for a moment before she shifted her eyes to look somewhere else.


    "What happened to the Landy''s house?" She asked Eva.


    "Her son bought this new drug and burnt his house because of his inability to control his talent."


    "So, that''s why¡­ I did notice many police cars moving through the city. It''s a huge mess."


    A few momentster, Kai came back with a cup of tea for Kaya.


    "Thanks, darling." She said with a smile before she signaled for him with her eyes.


    "Don''t worry, there is nothing to hide. You can tell me what happened with Mika exactly."


    Kaya was confused at first but she still nodded her head. Then, she went on to tell them what happened during her meeting with her foster father. She didn''t need to leave behind any details so she didn''t do so.


    Meanwhile, the trio listened carefully without interrupting her. Kai and Aria''s faces didn''t change much during the whole story. However, the same can''t be said about Eva as the moment she heard the ''Progenitor''s Arsenal'' she paled.


    Her breathing became erratic and her heart rate increased. Scary memories resurfaced inside her head. Even after a while, Eva still has nightmares about what happened that night. Just thinking about how she almost killed Kai and Kaya made her chest hurt, a lot.


    The problem was more or less solved but the trauma was still there from that event. Not to mention the fact that Eva was still a vessel for that weapon yet. That cursed thing was still within her Talent, waiting for another moment to wake up and take control over her. That time, things might not go as well as the first time.


    Kai seemed to notice the weird behavior of Eva. Her hands were shaking visibly and her pale skin grew even paler. So, as he listened to Kaya speak, he touched Eva''s hand. Since she was still sitting next to him, he could do that without making the others see.


    ''Huh?'' Looking down, Eva felt the warmth of Kai''s hand permeate her whole being. His touch was so gentle and filled with care that it made her forget about her panic attack for a second. Her shaking slowly dwindled before it vanishedpletely and her face rxed visibly.


    Her eyes then slowly shifted to look at Kai''s side silhouette. His reliable presence reassured her that everything would be fine. He didn''t need to speak for her to understand what he wanted to convey to her.


    ''I won''t let anything happen to you.''


    It was a promise rather than mere words. A promise that Kai had unconsciously put as his priority. He wanted to protect this life of his with everything he could. Perhaps his strength existed for this very purpose or perhaps it was just there conveniently. He didn''t frankly care at all.


    Anyone who dares to touch Kaya and Eva would have to pass through Kai first. These two were the most important to him and he was slowlying to that realization.


    ''Thank you, my love.'' She thought to herself as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, regaining herposure.


    Coincidentally, Kaya ended her story at that moment.


    "That was the only thing he left behind."


    "I see¡­" Kai murmured in reply as he fell into deep thought. As he predicted, Mika didn''t convey any secrets to Kaya.


    However, that small hint was more than enough for Kai to understand what had happened in these few weeks that he went out of sight.


    His eyes went to Aria who seemed to have reached the same conclusion and more.


    "It''s really weird. I have never seen the old man act like that before. He seemed panicked, ufortable, and anticipating something. What do you think, Kai?"


    "He must''ve told you to run away for a good reason. In a few months¡­ huh? In such a period of time, many things could happen."


    "There is also the fact that Divinity is going to push me to do a mission. But, what could it even be? I''m still confused."


    "Don''t overthink it, Kaya. Divinity will most likely try to push for Origin to be a more and more societal norm. Perhaps they would want to eliminate anyone resistance from governments or individuals."


    Kai didn''t believe this was enough of a reason for Mika to tell Kaya to run away but it was still a possibility worth considering.


    "Go rest. The next few days will be messy." Kai said as he stood up and looked at Aria.


    "Follow me." He said coldly before he brought her to the kitchen. Then, he created a soundless domain so that nobody could hear what he was going to say.


    "Speak. You know what he wants to do with the Arsenal of the Progenitor, don''t you?" He said.


    "I¡­ I don''t quite know. But, I have a hunch."


    "Hm?"


    "If he''s looking for the arsenal, that means he wants to either create an army of Origin Users¡­ A very powerful army that can''t be beaten."

 Chapter 215- Ascenders Test (Part 1)

    Chapter 215- Ascenders Test (Part 1)


    "An army of Origin Users?" Kai looked at Aria with a cold expression. Those words alone were more than enough to send a chill down anyone''s spine.


    Kai was able to see with his very eyes how devastating a weapon created by the Progenitor could be and even almost lost his life because of it. An army of people who use such weapons isn''t something he wants to see at all.


    "I don''t know if it''s true or not but that''s what I suspect from what I have seen." She said.


    Kai remained silent for a while as if he was thinking of something before he looked at Aria again. "For what reason?" He asked.


    "I¡­ Don''t know¡­" She replied with a regretful expression.


    Kai already expected that answer so he didn''t feel annoyed. Instead, he wrecked his mind, searching for any clues he left behind. He knew that his father was a very ambitious and focused man and he had one certain goal he wanted to achieve that led him astray.


    Something that made him sacrifice everything around him, even his own family just to achieve it. At some point, Kai was able to get close to knowing what that secret was. However, when he was one step away from it, the disaster urred and it changed everythingpletely.


    ''An army¡­ Is it to take over the world? But, why would he want an army to do that? He can do that without killing a single soul.'' Kai suspected that it wasn''t a matter of world domination as he could easily manipte government officials and whole countries just to make them do what he wanted so going all this length to create an army seemed¡­ Illogical.


    ''What are you thinking of¡­ Bastard¡­'' He cursed inwardly. ''What could be your reason for doing all of this? Is it just for pure enjoyment? Or maybe a sense of arrogance? You''re arrogant, aren''t you? You want to take over the world and beyond¡­'' Suddenly, it hit Kai¡­ It hit him so hard that his stoic expression crumbled.


    Resting his back on the kitchen counter, he held his face as his eyes widened in shock.


    "Of course¡­ Of course¡­" Kai''s hand shuddered for a moment. It made sense, after all. The answer had been in front of his face the whole time and he didn''t realize it.


    But, now he understood why that man was doing all of this. Why he did everything he did and why he actually created this chaos. His goal was something that Kai had only recently discovered.


    "You¡­ Have you heard of a world beyond the scope of this one?" He asked the confused Aria who watched his expression change.


    "What?"


    "Nothing." He shook his head. This seems like a secret that not many knew, including people that man worked with before. He was probably afraid that if this knowledge came to other people, it would ruin his ns.


    Slowly, Kai''s frown rxed as an eerily calm expression took ce. It seemed that things were starting to get interesting¡­ Very interesting.


    ***


    A few days passed after the events that transpired on Christmas Day. The world went into a chaotic state as more and more people bought Temporary Origin. Some were able to easily manipte it and quickly rise to fame because of it, while others weren''t able to do the same and ended up destroying their houses or harming themselves.


    News of people dying because of Origin became frequent. However, they were drowned by the mystical illusion TempO had cast on them and why wouldn''t they be diluted? They only need to pay a small sum of money to acquire superpowers. It sounded like a fairy tale and it yed like a fairy tale.


    Amidst this controversial and fragile atmosphere, a category of people benefitted the most from this and they were the Crime Organizations like the Mafia and the smaller gangs. They were able to move more freely and wreak havoc wherever they wanted using Temporary Origin.


    In a matter of days, they were able to kill, steal, expand their businesses, and even go toe to toe withw enforcement. This made many countries limit the number of Temporary Origin capsules sold every day to one per person. They also required an ID and proof of a clean criminal record.


    While that did help contain the situations, it didn''t fully eliminate it as criminal Organizations had other ways of acquiring TempO. That''s what led to something unprecedented. Thousands of Pharmacies around the world got raided by gangs to steal the Temporary Origin.


    It was akin to an unstoppable wave that almost ruined the state of the field of medicine because of the disaster it brought.


    However, for better or worse, the situation didn''tpletely turn the world into an apocalyptic dystopia.


    During this time, Kai, Eva, Kaya, and Aria spent the time indoors, not leaving unless it was necessary. It wasn''t out of fear but out of precaution since as far as Kai was concerned, all of them were trouble mas that would easily find themselves in the middle of a conflict without even trying.


    Another reason was that Kai and Aria were going to join Divinity. The sudden addition of Aria to this matter did surprise Eva and Kaya but Kai exined that she was going to be his tool for finding what he was looking for.


    Eva did want to join too but she quickly realized that a mission like this required as few people as possible. If anything, Kai was risking to blow his cover even with Aria alone on his side so three people was just going to create more problems than solutions.


    With that, Kai and Aria traveled to A-Country on the fifth day of the new year exactly to Lunaria where the HQ of Divinity was.


    They settled down in a hotel before Kai called for Aria in his room.


    "This is your new identity, appearance, and other information you will need. I will change your appearance too." He said as he showed her the new ID he made for her along with other identification files.


    The woman in the picture was also blind but less eye-catching than Aria. Her new identity will be Calia Norman and she was the daughter of awyer who got her hands on Temporary Origin so she decided to join Divinity.


    As for Kai, he decided to go with the name Jack Bartin a friend of Calia who also got his hands on TempO and decided to follow his friend. To make it more realistic, he decided to act like a friendly, innocent, and clueless young man¡­ Exactly what you would expect from someone new to this world.


    As for Aria, she will be a calm, gentle but also smart girl. Since Kai didn''t trust she wouldn''t make mistakes, he decided to make her new personality almost the same as her current one.


    "Can you do that?" He asked after Aria finished reading the papers.


    She then nodded her head. "I will do my best."


    Nodding his head, Kai channeled his Origin and passed it across his face. A secondter, his appearancepletely changed. He now looked like an average-looking young man with short brown hair and a pair of brown eyes. Then, he did the same for Aria and she turned into a beautiful girl with reddish hair and blue eyes. Seeing these two next to each other would think that the girl seemed out of ce with him and that was what Kai wanted.


    He wanted them to believe that he was merely an average young man who was there following his friend whom he clearly had hidden feelings for. While many would think this was an Overkill, Kai believed the opposite. Those subtle details were whatpletely misled others.


    The art of acting wasn''t about just showing certain emotions or shifting certain characteristics one would usually have. It''s those unclear parts that make people believe it even more.


    "Let''s go." He said.


    Aria nodded her head as she picked up her cane and instead of simply using it as a cane, she inclined it forward, showing that she was truly in need of it.


    Kai looked at her for a second before he suddenly grabbed her hand gently. His cold expressionpletely changed as a gentle smile appeared on his face.


    "Be careful, Calia. The stairs of the hotel are dangerous." His deep voice became softer and more friendly. Such a shift of attitude was truly a work of art that would put the greatest of actors to shame.


    At first, Aria was stunned by this sudden act of intimacy but quickly regained herposure and smiled calmly at him.


    "I appreciate the help, Jack." She replied.


    The two then walked down to the reception, catching looks from people who could feel the clear intimate atmosphere between them.


    The two then left the hotel and stood in the street waiting for a taxi to be able to make their way to the HQ.

 Chapter 216- Ascenders Test (Part 2)

    Chapter 216- Ascenders Test (Part 2)


    The two stood in the street waiting for a taxi. All the people passing by took secret nces at the beautiful blind girl. Perhaps the fact that her beauty was mixed with the tragedy of her blindness made her even more captivating to the eye or maybe it was simply because of her appearance.


    Meanwhile, Aria simply stood there, ignoring the people around her, and instead was focused on somethingpletely different. She was silently enjoying the warmth of Kai''s hand. This simple gesture of touching her was so impactful on her that she was shocked at her own self.


    Her heart was beating loudly and her breathing was uneven. She knew that it was all simply a part of their acting, she really knew it¡­ But, it still made her feel way more emotions than anything in the past few years.


    Aria wasn''t always the quiet, emotionless type. If anything, she was a very energetic and cheerful kid. However, when everything unfolded, a part of her was torn apart and thrown away, a part that she cherished greatly. That made her unable to react to anything even if it was problematic. She just faced everything with unbreakable stoicism.


    She even believed that nothing could faze her anymore. That was all crushed in a moment when she heard Kai''s voice that night through the phone. His cold tone crushed her defenses and made her dead heart revive again and beat loudly from longing, guilt, pain, and a myriad of other emotions.


    Ever since then, she wasn''t the same. Her long-lost purpose in life resurfaced forcefully and made her realize that¡­ She''s already far gone from where she intended to be. That''s what led her to do that concert, to simply end her life with thest thing she considered precious to her¡­ Music.


    She wanted to bid this world farewell before she gave her life to Kai. Perhaps that wasn''t enough of a repayment. But, that was the only thing she had left that she thought would make Kai feel better, if even by little.


    If someone told her that she wouldn''t die that night and instead would be here, with Kai, holding his hand¡­ She would think they were just spouting nonsense. Yet, reality was ironic, more than one would expect.


    As the girl was deep in thought like that, Kai stopped a taxi and helped Aria inside before they made their way to the HQ. The trip took a few minutes because of the ridiculous traffic in the city.


    Reaching their destination, they were met with an impressive sight. Countless people of all ages filled the whole entrance of the building and even the street in front of it. Kai easily counted a few thousand with a mere nce.


    "Already this number of people?" Aria murmured.


    ''We won''t be able to enter at this rate.'' Kai thought as he sighed. He had no patience nor will to wait for days just to be able to join Divinity.


    He really had no choice if he wanted to quicken the process.


    *Snap*


    Using a small amount of Origin, he snapped his fingers, which made the group of people in front of him unconsciously move to the side, allowing him to pass with Aria. He made sure to make this sudden shift look so seamless and natural.


    "Don''t let go of my hand, ok?" He smiled at Aria gently.


    "Mmm¡­" Thetter blushed slightly and nodded her head. "I won''t."


    "Good."


    The duo quickly reached the entrance of the building and made their way inside. The gigantic reception lounge was filled to the brim with a huge line in the middle. Kai decided not to do any more mind-altering moves since he could be at risk of catching the attention of an Origin User.


    ''There are many of them hidden from sight¡­ Watching.'' He was able to pinpoint their positions with great uracy as he looked ahead of him.


    Aria also caught their presence. After all, one of her strongest suits was being able to feel everything around her way better than the average Origin User.


    They stood in line for almost an hour before they finally reached the reception where they found a receptionist drowned in papers and documents.


    "H-Hello, give me your ID. If you don''t have one, we need documented permission from your parents or your guardian." He said in a monotonous tone.


    Kai nodded his head before he pulled out their IDs and slid them to the man who took them before he tapped on hisputer and then pulled out two forms for Kai and Aria to fill in.


    Kai looked at the papers. They had to fill in their names, age, and other information. They also had to answer a questionnaire with many questions that concerned their preferences, experience in fighting, or any other field rted to what Divinity deals with.


    Kai looked at Aria for a moment before he picked up the pen and started filling in the information. A few minutester, he returned the papers to the man who took them and read them before he looked up again.


    "Pleasee back tomorrow at this same time to proceed. Wee to Divinity." Kai nodded his head before he turned around and led Aria outside.


    "What did you put?"


    "What we agreed on. But, there was one question I didn''t expect."


    "What is it?"


    "What kind of Ascenders do we want to be?"


    "What?"


    "Apparently Divinity offers new Ascenders the choice to be simply indoor Ascenders: Researchers, office workers, or the suck. Or, outdoor Ascenders orbat ascenders: like Treasure Hunters, Archeologists, Mercenaries, and other types."


    "Wasn''t that how Divinity worked from the start?"


    "No, at first, they simply assigned Origin Users ording to what Divinity needs. Now, they are giving the choice to the people¡­ That makes no sense." Kai said.


    These people weren''t experienced at all so they don''t really know what they want from bing Ascenders. Giving them this choice was akin to giving a clueless kid a career choice when he can''t even speak properly.


    ''Why is Divinity doing this?'' He thought to himself.


    "Maybe they want the world to think that they are actually giving the people a choice to be who they want to be and that they''re simply helping them out guide their new powers in the right path," Aria said.


    Her words did make sense as twisted and roundabout as they may sound and Kai agreed with them.


    "You might be right. You''re really smart, Calia." He said with a perfect smile.


    "..." The girl quickly averted her eyes and then coughed before changing the topic. "So, what did you put in the form?"


    "Treasure hunters."


    "Is it because of¡­"


    "Yes, I''m interested in what Mika said. If I be a treasure hunter then I can put my hand on more clues and also have more freedom to explore those ces. It''s also a perfect disguise since most people would be inclined to treasure hunting if they don''t want to be researchers or academic individuals in general."


    ''Maybe the arsenal does exist¡­ If it does, I can''t let that man get to it before me or it will be a disaster.''


    Kai knew the disaster that could befall him if that man reached his goal. It will be something that he wasn''t sure if he could stop. Even with his powers, Kai didn''t know how powerful an army carrying those weapons could be.


    "Let''s go back." He said as he led Aria ahead. During this whole time, their hands didn''t let go of each other at all. It even made Aria so anxious that her hands became sweaty.


    However, Kai didn''t seem to mind at all even if that was the case. His mind was too upied to care.


    The two came back to the hotel and entered their separate rooms. Inside, Kai sat down on the bed thinking about his next step. The test will start tomorrow so he still had a lot of time before that.


    Looking from the window, the gigantic skyscraper that was Divinity''s HQ loomed over the city like a behemoth. Its menacing presence is as vivid as ever. For some reason, even the Hitman Guild''s HQ which looked more menacing in reality, didn''t give Kai the feeling of unease Divinity''s HQ did. It was as if there was a looming presence within that ce, ring back at him with threatening eyes.


    It was a look he was all too familiar with. The more he looked at it, the more he wanted to look away. But, he knew that he couldn''t allow himself to fear it¡­ After all, he had chosen to face it head-on.


    "We will meet again soon, Bastard." He whispered before he stood up and went to take a shower to get rid of his dark thoughts.


    ***


    A few hours passed quietly before Kai heard a knock on the door. When he opened it, he found Aria there, standing in awkward silence.


    "What?"


    The girl flinched at first before she took a deep breath and calmed down. Then, she replied.


    "Can I spend the night here?"

 Chapter 217 217- Ascenders Test (Part 3)

    <h4>Chapter 217 Chapter 217- Ascenders Test (Part 3)</h4>


    "Huh?" Kai looked at Aria with confusion. He didn''t even know how to react to such a sudden request.


    "It''s¡­ I thought that since we''re this close to the enemies, it might be better to stay in the same room just in case. That shadow figure can easily evade senses especially when we''re asleep." She exined.


    "..." Kai squinted his eyes for a moment as if he was trying to determine whether she was trying to do something suspicious or not. In the end, he sighed and moved to the side. In reality, Kai was a little apprehensive about this shadow figure and the fact that he couldn''t find him when he roamed the city the day of the incident.


    He didn''t know if he could truly go unnoticed under Kai''s senses but now he surely didn''t want to test that. Aria was his card to reach his target, losing her now would be problematic. So, if all it took to keep her was to let her inside his room, he didn''t mind it.


    "Thank you." She said before she walked inside hesitantly.


    "No talking. You can use the couch." He said as he pointed at the living room.


    "Yes." She nodded her head as she walked there and sat down. Then, sheid down and didn''t move again.


    Kai watched her actions silently for a moment before he sighed and walked to the kitchen to continue making his dinner. After he finished eating, it was already around 10 PM so he decided to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long day so resting his mind would go a long distance.


    Since the room wasn''t that big, the couch was very close to the bed. Kai found it weird that he was sleeping in the same room as the person he was intending to kill that long ago. But, irony still yed him and now he was in this situation.


    Turning off the lights, Kai walked slowly to the bed before he sat down. His eyes instinctively trailed to Aria who seemed to have fallen asleep quickly.


    Some time passed in that state before Kai finally snapped out of it andid down, intending to sleep. However, at that moment, he heard Aria''s voice.


    "I''m sorry¡­" She murmured, making Kai open his eyes again and look at her.


    "I''m really sorry¡­ I couldn''t¡­ Stop it¡­ I¡­ the truth¡­" She kept saying small words as she fidgeted in her sleep. A small frown appeared on her face.


    Kai was surprised at first but he quickly calmed down and waited for Aria to continue speaking. Whatever she was saying, he felt like it concerned him even though there was no proof of it. However, unfortunately, she went silent after thatst word.


    Kai felt slightly annoyed as he really took an interest in what she was saying.


    ''The truth? What does she mean by that? Is she hiding some kind of truth? Or maybe it''s just a dream?'' He couldn''t wrap his head around it even after thinking over her words for a while. Eventually, he gave up and simplyid down again. He didn''t want to waste the whole night thinking over her words. If thingse down to it, he can ask her tomorrow.


    ***


    That night passed quietly for Kai and Aria. Eventually, the sun rose over the horizon, shining over the world like a beacon of hope. Kai woke up as usual and did his routine. An hour or soter, Aria also woke up.


    "Thank you¡­ for letting me in." She said to Kai with a grateful tone before she left Kai''s room to get ready. They had to go to Divinity in an hour or so.


    Kai intended to ask her about what he heardst night but quickly threw that idea away. He would sound like he was listening to her the whole night. Not to mention the fact that it could just be a dream and nothing much.


    In any case, an hourter, he left the room along with Aria as they went back to Divinity''s HQ. The entrance was packed just like yesterday if not more so they had to use the same trick to get past these waves of people.


    When they reached the receptionist, they were weed by the same man from yesterday. Except, he lookedpletely and utterly exhausted. His eyes were barely open and he had huge dark circles around them. Whatever happened between yesterday and today, it was a tale that didn''t need to be told.


    "P-Please, ehem, make your way from here." He said as he pointed at a door behind him. There were in actuality multiple doors that candidates entered from but the man specified which one they used.


    Kai nodded his head before he guided Aria toward the door. Walking inside, he was met with a long corridor that stretched for at least 100 meters. At the end of this path was an open area, akin to a gigantic hall except that it was filled to the brim with people.


    The hall was vast by all means however that was everything Kai could say about it. Its walls were made out of in, unadorned concrete walls, painted in a greyish neutral color. The interior was well-lit with bright fluorescent lighting fixtures suspended on the ceiling with durable, industrial-grade material, perhaps even infused with Origin to enhance its power.


    What caught Kai''s attention, however, was how the hall was organized. There were walls within the hall, made out of durable steel panels that separated the ce into different sections with each section being filled with Divinity staff members, doctors, and other workers. Each section had a letter from F to A. Inside them was a multitude of equipment for training, all highly advanced state-of-the-art testing apparatuses.


    All in all, the vibe it gave was that of a no-frills, business-like environment to evaluate the abilities of neers with efficiency and precision.


    ''So this is what they intended to do.'' He thought to himself as he looked at Aria.


    "We might need to separate soon so keep yourself aware of your surroundings." He said gently.


    "Mmm, don''t worry."


    Nodding his head, Kai led them to the reception desk stationed right at the entrance of this ce. As they waited for their turn in the line, Kai listened to the candidates speaking.


    "Hey, psst, do you know what we''re doing here?" One person asked another.


    "I''ve heard that we''re going to be tested for our physical strength and also our abilities."


    "I see, so there is a chance we might get refused?" The first one frowned slightly.


    "I don''t know, man. It doesn''t seem like that would be the case for me. I have a great ability." The other one said with a smile.


    Meanwhile, the people at the start of the line seemed to be getting some kind of clothes to wear from the receptionist along with a device that Kai identified to be some kind of bracelet.


    His eyes squinted slightly. That bracelet seemed suspicious to him but he didn''t want to jump to conclusions till he got his hands on it.


    Eventually, they reached the reception.


    "Please, wear these clothes in the assigned dressing rooms over there and wear these bracelets that will calcte some important details needed for the tests. Please head toward section F after you finish changing. Good luck!" The woman smiled.


    The clothes were orange in color, the same shade of Origin with numbers on them. They were rather simplistic and flexible, good for training and excessive body movements. However, they gave Kai the vibe of prison clothes. Especially the numbers, it felt like they were someb rats rather than candidates.


    As for the bracelet, it seemed to be made out of simple stic. But, Kai could feel the small circuits running inside of it. He wasn''t sure if it could identify anything suspicious about him but he didn''t have time to test. He had to y along with it for now and act ording to how the situation went.


    Kai and Aria then separated and went to their assigned dressing rooms to change their clothes. After that, they headed to section F which was the closest from the entrance and the most crowded part of the whole ce.


    There, people were apparently being tested for their abilities. A group of Divinity scientists along with a plethora of devices were stationed inside that ce. One candidate would step forward, and get strapped to these devices before they were asked to use their powers. Kai noticed a group of Ascenders inside the room that seemed to work as guards in case something got out of hand.


    Each person that gets tested would then be told to proceed forward. However, Kai''s eyes noticed how these scientists, d in whiteb coats were scribbling things on their notepads in secret. Although he couldn''t read what they wrote, he could easily predict it.


    ''They''re probably ranking how useful their abilities are.'' He thought with a cold expression.


    This test was as simple as it might appear. Perhaps the stronger one candidate would be, the higher their chances of having an easier time in Divinity. But, that posed the question.


    What kind of power should Kai show to these people?

 Chapter 218 s 218- Ascenders Test (Part 4)

    <h4>Chapter 218 Chapters 218- Ascenders Test (Part 4)</h4>


    The line continued moving slowly as people were being tested for their abilities. Most of them hadmon talents like the four elements and other weaker abilities. Others did have rare abilities but they weren''t particrly strong from the first look.


    However, Kai didn''t really care much as that was the case for most normal Origin Users. Rare abilities are most of the time very strong but they can also be very useless. Those useless abilities end up determining the fate of their users and the results are mostly two probabilities. They either turn to be staff members in either Divinity or the Hitman guild¡­ Or, they train hard to be Ascenders or hitmen but never reach a high level.


    In both cases, they are bound to never im the benefits more talented Origin Users get. Which was why the hierarchy in both Organizations was created in the first ce.


    So, Kai was now in a little bit of a dilemma. Should he simply use a weak talent and make it as if he trained hard and rose in the ranks slowly? Or, should he show a little bit of talent to quicken the process?


    Both choices have their advantages and disadvantages. One increases the risk of his father''s n to finish before he could reach him and the other increases the chance of him getting discovered so Kai knew that he had to be careful.


    As he was in deep thought, he looked up at Aria who was standing behind him on the line, and signaled for her to get closer so he could tell her something.


    "Use an average talent in the test. Don''t make it too eye-catching." He said.


    "Ok, I understand."


    Kai didn''t need to specify what power she needed to use as he didn''t know what powers she had after all these years.


    A few minutes passed before the line finally reached Kai. He was guided inside the F section where he was told to stand on a metallic tform.


    "Please show us your powers." The lead scientist asked him.


    Kai nodded his head and took a deep breath before he extended his hand and used a little bit of Origin. Immediately, a small sparkle of electricity ignited in his hand.


    He decided to use his lightning talent since that was the most basic power out there that wasn''t too bad in fights.


    The scientists didn''t seem to look impressed which reassured Kai. After that, he was asked to move to the next section. Looking behind him as he walked, he saw Aria''s turn and she surprisingly decided to use a power he didn''t know she had¡­ Her hand had turned into a shiny metallic object.


    ''She had a metal talent?'' Kai thought to himself.


    Metal talents were rather umon but not too shocking. They were basically defensive talents that toughened the skin of their users. It also could be used as a weapon with enough training.


    ''Good choice.'' He praised in his head as he continued to the next section which had multiple dumbles to be used for testing pure strength.


    ''They want to know how much temporary Origin affects new users?'' He thought to himself as he was ordered to do multiple tests concerning weightlifting.


    During that process, Kai decided to simply show the average power that a new user should have. He kept track of that by looking at the reactions of the staff. Then, he passed to the next section which had machines that measured stamina. The one after that was for speed, the fourth one was for aiming as he was handed a weapon in a shooting range and told to hit the targets and the fifth one was simply a small test for the knowledge of these neers about Origin and how it works.


    It all went smoothly which made Kai''s tenseness rx and he could finally heave a sigh of relief. He knew that he was basically guaranteed to join Divinity so he simply moved to thest section which was oddly enough a waiting lounge.


    It was the biggest section of the ce, with countless chairs and sofas to sit down, simplistic furniture, and a vending machine selling beverages and snacks for the candidates. Most neers were dead tired after the tests so they simply sat there and rested.


    Time passed before Aria finally entered the room with her cane hitting the ground as if she was truly unable to see. Some people were about to stand up and help her -most of them were young men who thought it was an opportunity to help a beautiful girl-.


    However, Kai was one step ahead as he approached her with a smile.


    "How did you do, Cal?" He asked. Changing her name from Calia to Cal to show intimacy.


    "Not bad. What about you?"


    "Not bad either. We should be good to go, right?"


    The two sat down as they chatted idly. Kai could hear the audible clicking of tonguesing from jealous candidates.


    As time passed, more and more people walked into the lounge till it was filled to the brim. That''s when the leading scientist finally entered the room and stood in front of everyone. Whispers echoed in the room as everyone spoke to one another.


    "Can I have your attention, please?" The man was rather old and serious-looking. His voice was also deep and passively made people pay attention.


    When he saw that everyone went silent, he finally spoke again. "Thank you for joining us today and wee to Divinity. We''re d to ept everyone. Divinity''s goal is to nurture and provide to people who recently got their hands on our newest invention, Temporary Origin. However, we sadly can''t ept everyone yet. There are countless people who need guidance to truly use their new powers for the greater good. But, this is the first batch and most likely the first generation of Origin Users to ever exist! We know that the first generation is the most important so we decided to take our time looking after all of you."


    Looking around, the man took a deep breath and continued. "After that, we shall increase the capacity of new Ascenders that shall join Divinity in the near future. Please keep that in mind."


    His words sounded respectful and sad at the same time which immediately gained the sympathy of everyone present except for Kai and Aria who knew that he was simply twisting lies around.


    ''First generation of Origin Users? I''m intrigued to see their reaction if they realized that this first generation was actually 10 thousand years ago.'' Kai thought with a snort.


    However, he knew that Divinity wanted to keep the truth about Origin hidden for now to avoid any unnecessaryplications. Perhaps when they discover a way to make a permanent Origin that they could inject into these people, they will reveal it to the public.


    "So, with that being said, let''s move on to the important matter. We are currently assessing the data we gathered from each candidate and see if it fits their choice of career working for Divinity. But, after that is over, each candidate is guaranteed a fixed sry with bonuses that depend on their performance. We in Divinity believe that hard workers are to be rewarded so don''t worry about being given your rights. We shall also provide you with enough Temporary Origin injections to be able to use it at all times. Not to mention the houses given for those who are going to move in here." The man kept stating many benefits for the new Ascenders which almost made them drool.


    It sounded too good to be true and yet that was what he was saying. Kai also knew that it was probably the truth as Divinity wanted to retain these people more than anything else. The benefits they will gain from that are astronomical so investing money into these people will only return with benefit on Divinity.


    "This is amazing! I can finally leave my job!" One candidate said.


    "Buying Temporary Origin is the best thing I''ve ever done!" Another added.


    "Who fucking cares about people that protest against this? We''re getting paid and even a house of our own!"


    Granted, everyone cheered in happiness for this.


    The man watched that scenery with a secret smile on his face. Then, he calmed them down again.


    "However, don''t take this for granted,dies and gentlemen. You must work hard to be better Origin Users. Divinity will provide every means possible for that to happen and the rest is on you to do. Your talents are still juvenile and could easily evolve with time and proper work. That''s why, please don''tze around or you might be at risk of losing your position."


    The underlying threat of his words made everyone shudder in fear. This was perhaps the luckiest thing that happened to these people so if they lost this opportunity, who knows when they''re going to get it again? They must not let it slip.


    Just like that, with a few words, the man was able to instill determination in every new Ascender.


    ''Smart talker.'' Kai thought to himself as he looked at Aria.


    "Let''s go."

 Chapter 219 219- Disaster Back At Home

    <h4>Chapter 219 Chapter 219- Disaster Back At Home</h4>


    After ending the speech, the man told them that they would soon receive a message on their phones for when they should go back to Divinity''s HQ. So, Kai and Aria decided to leave the ce.


    At first, Kai was intending to go back to his city since there was no reason to stay there for a whole week. However, the time was early, he decided to spend the day and then take a flight back.


    "Let''s go eat." He said to Aria with a charming smile. Even though nobody was watching them, Kai still kept the act simply because he wanted to avoid any possible risk of being revealed. This seemingly affectionate attitude was all fake.


    Aria knew that and it made her feelplicated. However, she didn''t try to show that on her face and instead smiled back and nodded her head. The two then went to a good restaurant in the city.


    It wasn''t by any means luxurious but Kai heard that it had delicious food. He also wanted to learn more recipes ever since Eva and Kaya started frequenting his house. Cooking was one of his few hobbies that he enjoyed doing, truly since it followed no rules and wasn''t forced on him like many other skills in his arsenal.


    After eating lunch, they left the restaurant and headed back to the hotel. Entering inside, Kai sat down on the bed with a sigh. The test passed quicker than he expected and was incredibly perfect, without a hitch. Kai expected a problem to happen but he was shocked to see that no problem happened at all. With how hectic the past year was, a n working perfectly became something rare.


    But, he wasn''t going toin about what happened.


    ''It''s only the first step after all.''


    ***


    Meanwhile, back in F-Country, Eva was walking back from school. She had already stopped using the car her parents wanted her to use.


    The situation in the school as she expected, was rather chaotic. Many people got their hands on Temporary Origin and so they brought them to their friends. In such an environment, mistakes were bound to happen and that was indeed the case.


    In fact, that day alone, someone almost burnt the ss, another almost froze his friend, and two girls fought, resulting in both of them going bald because they pulled each other''s hair. It wasedically bad and Eva could only stop things in secret from escting.


    ''What a hectic day¡­ Sigh, I feel exhausted. I want to just cuddle with my love and sleep¡­'' Crying inwardly at her misfortune, she suddenly felt a presence appear out of nowhere in her range of senses.


    In contrast to normal people, this presence had their aura tantly visible as if they were unting. It was also too strong to be that of a Temporary Origin User.


    However, Eva didn''t show a single reaction as she continued walking as if nothing happened. Her face remained calm and collected. In a split second, she created a n in her head and was executing it. If this mysterious person was targeting her then she was ready to defend herself. If they are simply passing by -which she highly doubted to be the case considering their weird behavior- then she will pretend as if nothing happened.


    As she walked, she felt the presence get closer and closer. The more they got close, the stronger their auras became.


    ''This isn''t a normal Origin User¡­ They''re an expert.'' She thought to herself. However, she didn''t fear this person at all since Eva herself was a powerhouse. She was never weak, even more so after the 1-month training with Kai that pushed her beyond her limits. Even now, she continues practicing and training relentlessly.


    Eva was ambitious, to reach way beyond what she ever thought she was capable of. Her talent was getting better and better as days passed and the capacity and power of her Origin were also increasing day by day since her body didn''t develop fully yet.


    ''Hm?'' Looking around her, the street had suddenly turned empty, and nobody or a car passed by.


    Eventually, Eva took a turn to the right, only to see someone, standing at the end of the street with his back resting on the wall.


    Eva halted her steps and looked straight at him, her eyes squinting slightly. She knew that person. In fact, most people knew who he was at this point.


    "Oh? Isn''t that Miss Eva Lavine? What a coincidence to meet you here."


    Eva didn''t reply immediately as she looked at him with confusion. "Do I know you?"


    Although she pretended to be clueless, she already identified him as the handsome Archangel Arthur. He was also the spokesperson for Divinity and the one to appear in Media at all times.


    "Of course you do. After all, didn''t we work together on that night?" The handsome young man smiled at her with a beautiful smile that could easily charm girls.


    However, Eva didn''t even care about it let alone get swayed by it. Instead, she continued her small act. "I do not know what you''re talking about. Are you perhaps a fan of mine? If so, I sadly don''t give autographs or pictures anymore. Thanks for understanding.


    With that, Eva turned around, intending to walk in the opposite direction. However, at that second, her senses alerted her as she quickly tilted her head to the side, dodging an attack that happened out of nowhere. Then, she jumped back, creating some distance.


    "See? You''re the same person I worked with that night, remember? You were wearing a mask but I still could recognize you. No one else could dodge that attack unless they''re at your level. Also, I am indeed a fan of yours. But, I''m not here for a photo or an autograph." Arthur had suddenly appeared in front of her with his casual smile.


    ''He''s fast.'' Eva sighed inwardly. ''How did he even find me? I''m pretty sure I kept my location a secret and I even alter my aura whenever I leave the house just so that I don''t get found.'' She thought to herself.


    In the sea of new Origin Users, Eva decided to use a simple trick to hide herself among the crowds. She simply imitates their auras. As they say, the best way to hide a tree is to put it in a forest.


    However, Arthur somehow not only found her but identified her as the same person who was a part of Operation: Behemoth.


    The situation got worse before it even started!


    "Hey, please don''t be on guard. I''m not here for a fight or anything like that. I just want to talk."


    "... Speak."


    Arthur looked at Eva for a second before he chuckled. "You do realize that we''re in the middle of the street, right? I can''t talk to you in such an open ce. The topic is too sensitive after all."


    Eva looked around her for a second before she sighed. "Where do you want to speak?"


    "Over a cup of coffee should be good, no?" Arthur suggested.


    "Does anyone else know that you want to talk to me? Oh, right, Divinity is trying to scout everyone, no?" She said in a sarcastic tone.


    "No, no, please don''t mistake our meeting to be anything of concern to Divinity. I''m here on my own ord. I promise that no one knows about it, not even Divinity." He said with a smile.


    "Then, how did you find me?"


    "A simple trick. Don''t worry about it."


    His sly smile irritated Eva a lot as it was certainly nothing but a facade to hide his true self. She also didn''t forget the fact that he killed another Archangel and allowed two executioners to escape under mysterious circumstances. Yet, even when that was tantly true and even though it was supposedly against Divinity''s rules, he still got out of it unscathed.


    That meant one thing and one thing only, Arthur was backed by Divinity. Or in other words, a huge threat to Kai and Eva.


    However, Eva couldn''t just deny him now. He pushed her into a corner revealing her identity. If he was to tell anyone affiliated with Divinity, it would be a huge problem that could affect Kai''s goal of infiltrating the Organization. She can''t kill him either since she was certain that he had trackers all over his body. Divinity does indeed back Arthur, but they certainly didn''t trust him.


    Nobody would trust a psychopath like him.


    ''I don''t have a choice but to trust that he didn''t really tell anyone.'' Clicking her tongue, Eva epted the offer.


    "Thank you, Miss Lavine. You''re truly as great as I thought you were." Arthur''s eyes lit up.


    Then, he turned around and started walking with Eva in tow. The two headed to the closest, quiet cafe they could find. Entering inside, Arthur ordered a cup of coffee while Eva simply got a cup of water.


    "So, what do you want? Make it quick."

 Chapter 220 220- Love and Unregretable Mistake

    <h4>Chapter 220 Chapter 220- Love and Unregretable Mistake</h4>


    Arthur sipped on his coffee carefreely before he opened his mouth to answer. His rxed smile still annoyed Eva but at this point, she knew that he was simply using it as a weapon to try and control people.


    Arthur was a very smart and cunning man by all means and that was perhaps the reason why he was still alive. That cunningness made him escape punishment because of how useful it was. Not many people could be as level-headed as he was a psychopath.


    ''Now, what trick you''re cooking, bastard?'' Eva thought inwardly.


    "First of all, I want to ask one question since it is within my contract to do this." He said as he looked up. "Do you want to join Divinity?" He asked.


    "No." Eva immediately replied. "I''m living a peaceful life. I don''t want anything to do with whatever you people do."


    "Then, why did you ept the offer to attack the Hitman''s Guild?"


    "I have my reasons. Now that I dealt with that matter. I''m just staying away from problems."


    "Oh? Yeah, I can see that. I was a little surprised to find you in such a small city. I mean, you''re from the Lavine family. Is there any reason for that?" He asked with a smile.


    "I simply wanted to live a quiet life far away from the focus of the media," Eva replied casually. She kept her calm expression the whole time even though she could see how Arthur was trying to probe her for answers."


    "I see. That''s indeed a very good idea. I, myself, think of getting married in the future and living in a small vige in nature. It''s my small dream." Chuckling, Arthur sighed.


    "So, what do you want to discuss?" Eva wanted to cut to the chase and end this conversation since she needed to leave.


    "Haha, sorry for my nonsense, I like to speak a lot so I end up diverging from the real topic really easily. Ehem, so what I wanted to ask you is that, do you have any idea of the current location of the ck Phantom?"


    "Huh? The ck Phantom?" Eva was a little surprised but she didn''t show a reaction.


    "Yeah, I''m looking for him. Perhaps scout him if he wants to. Do you have any idea where I can find him? I''m sure you have a way to contact him, right?" He asked.


    "No, I do not have that. He simply approached me and offered me the opportunity to join him in this mission. Now, I have no idea where he is." She replied.


    Arthur went silent for a second. "Is that so? Damn, that was anti-climactic. Hahaha, well, this trip wasn''t for naught as I was able to finally have a proper conversation with you." Arthur said as he sighed and stood up. However, before he turned around to leave. He suddenly stopped as if he remembered something and turned around to look at Eva who was about to rx from relief.


    "Hm, onest question if you don''t mind. What are the chances that the ck Phantom lives in this city?" He asked.


    "Hm? How would I know that? It''s probably 0 or one." She replied.


    "Are you sure? Because, after doing some research, I realized that this city had faced some quite unusual events in the past 12 months or so. Events like the attack the Executioners did on the city to get you which surprisingly ended in mysterious circumstances. It''s quite weird that after you arrived here, all this weird stuff started happening, don''t you think?" He asked with the same innocent look.


    However, Eva''s face turned a little colder as she asked. "What are you trying to say, Archangel? That I''m lying?"


    "No! No! Of course not. I''m just curious as my research did show some pretty interesting results that might indicate something. If you would ask me personally. I would say that the chances the ck Phantom is here are way higher than in any other ce. After all, wherever he goes, special things happen. He''s that amazing."


    ''This guy is too smart for his own good. Should I kill him? Tsk, this is really annoying.'' Killing him was still a dumb thing to do with how much he was supported by Divinity.


    So, Eva decided to change tactics a little bit.


    "Well, if you don''t believe it. You can check for yourself. I don''t know where he is and you don''t know either. Nobody knows. And even if he was here, I doubt you or me or anyone else could find him. He didn''t hide from the eyes of the underworld for 5 years by pure coincidence, after all."


    She turned from denying to neither denying nor confirming. It was a risky reverse psychology but it proved to be effective in many situations. Luckily, Arthur seemed to be convinced by it.


    "You do have a point, Miss Lavine. He is hard to find if he doesn''t want anyone to find him."


    ''Good¡­''


    "But, since I have no other ce to look. I will stay here for a while and see if he appears or not. Not that I rely on this being effective." He shrugged.


    ''Fuck, this guy is s stupidly annoying! Just leave and go do whatever Divinity wants you to do.'' Eva cursed inwardly as she tried to hide her frown with all her power.


    "Hey, do you know a good ce where I can stay?" He asked.


    "No. I''m still new here myself." She said.


    "Can I ask you to help me find an apartement?"


    "No." Eva stood up and started walking away without looking back and quickly left the cafe.


    Arthur watched her silhouette disappear with a calm expression before a rxed smile adorned his handsome face.


    "Ah, you''re really interesting, Eva~" He licked his lips before he also left the ce. Nobody knew what was going through his mind or behind that beautiful smile of his.


    ***


    A day passed quietly and Kai and Aria finally returned to the city. The trip was rather long since they had to travel at night. Kai especially found it long since weirdly enough, Eva didn''t call him the whole day yesterday.


    She usually calls him whenever she finishes school. But that day, she didn''t. Kai found it odd and was intending to call her. But, then decided not to. If Eva didn''t call him, it''s for a reason, good or bad.


    She was capable enough of dealing with most problems that arise so if she did something, it was definitely with logic. Kai trusted that fully. So, if he thought that if he called her and turned out to be a problem, then that would create an even bigger problem.


    So, when the nended, Kai and Aria rushed out of the airport, took a taxi, and headed back home.


    Kai made sure to keep his senses alerted at all times as the car moved. Something felt awfully wrong about the atmosphere of the city. It was gloomy, cloudy but with no rain. This particr city was never a cloudy or rainy one as it was near the coast of F-Country so this, in and out of itself, was odd.


    "Keep yourself alerted." He whispered to Aria.


    When they reached the apartement, he found it empty. Eva usually spends time there and she also knew that Kai was returning today so she definitely would''ve been there. However, instead of her, he found a small piece of paper on the table.


    Opening it, he found a small message written in beautiful handwriting which Kai identified as Eva''s.


    After a few seconds of reading, his face frowned slightly as he looked at the clueless Aria.


    "Put down your aura, now." He said. Aria was puzzled for a split second before she quickly retracted her senses as fast as she could.


    Kai also did the same with a cold expression.


    ''Tsk, this is a problem. I didn''t know that that bastard was here. Did my aura alert him?''


    Kai made a mistake by scanning the whole city. He was a little worried about Eva so he wanted to check for her presence. Sadly, she wasn''t in the city which worried him even more and made him look more carefully. That was the mistake, he didn''t think that she could''ve simply left the city or at least ignored that possibility purely out of worry for Eva.


    "Arthur from the Archangels is in the city and Eva left because he suspects I''m here," Kai said as he turned around and sat down on the sofa.


    If Arthur realized Kai was there, it would be a disaster. Not only would Kai be forced to kill him which in and out of itself would make even more problems, but he will also be under even more threat of discovery by Divinity. And even if he didn''t kill Arthur, thetter would definitely not leave this city unless he found Kai.


    Both choices sucked and it was all because of his own mistake. A mistake that Kai usually doesn''t make. But, weirdly enough, he didn''t regret making this mistake. After all, for him, Eva was more important than anything else and so was Kaya. They were both his and he wants to protect them at all costs, even if it meant more problems for him

 Chapter 221 221- Five Auras and Confusion

    <h4>Chapter 221 Chapter 221- Five Auras and Confusion</h4>


    At this point in time, Kai had already realized something important. Something that he ignored for the longest while now. Something even he himself never even thought could ever happen to him. What he felt toward Kaya and Eva¡­ definitely wasn''t simple trust anymore.


    This wasn''t a sudden realization and was in fact a gradual change that Kai was very much aware of. He had noticed how he went from seeing them as simple acquaintances who somehow ended up barging into his life to proactively protecting them even when his ns were under threat of being exposed.


    ''Do I¡­ like them? Perhaps I do.'' He thought to himself as he ran his hand through his hair.


    What did it mean for Kai to like someone? At some point in time, he understood that feeling. In fact, the person who taught him about it is sitting next to him now. But, with what happened, he lost any sense of how to feel and ironically, it was the same person that he loved that made him lose that feeling.


    Now, after 11 years, that feeling came back to him and it was akin to a foreign yet pleasant breeze. He didn''t understand how or why it happened but he didn''t care.


    What surprised him, however, was how protective he felt of Kaya and Eva. He didn''t simply want them to be safe, but to be next to him, and only look at him. That possessive side was certainly new.


    But, Kai knew this wasn''t the time to daydream, he was certainly facing a big problem that he needed to fix now.


    ''Eva had said that she left the city just to avoid raising suspicion around her so she''s fine. Kaya is also not in the city so she''s also fine. Even if I have to kill him, they won''t be a part of the suspicion.'' He thought to himself.


    Though, the question still remains. What should Kai do? His options were few. But, they weren''tpletely impossible. The first one was simply killing him but it was something he would rather avoid currently. The second option was to simply stay hidden which could work temporarily but was still within the risk of being discovered.


    ''And then there is the third and final option.'' He thought to himself as he sighed. It wasn''t the best option but it was still better than the first two at least in name.


    ''If I''m correct then Arthur probably noticed my presence and is searching for me at the moment.'' He thought to himself.


    A few moments passed as Kai was trying to wrap his head around what he should do when he heard Aria clear her throat. ncing at her, she seemed to have something to say.


    "What?"


    "Mmm, can I suggest something?" She asked.


    "... What is it?"


    "I think I know how to make him lose your track." She said.


    Kai was a little surprised when he heard her words. So, he turned around and paid some attention to what she was going to say next.


    As much as he hated Aria, he had to admit that she was smart¡­ extremely so. She was in fact the smartest person he had ever met. Perhaps that was the reason he was tricked in the first ce.


    "Speak."


    ***


    Meanwhile, in another part of the city, a particrly handsome young man was enjoying lunch with a rxed smile when he felt a strong presence loom over the whole city that made his rxed body tense for a second.


    His eyes widened slightly as he instinctively looked outside.


    "What the¡­"


    This looming presence was far stronger than anything else he''d ever experienced before. It was even stronger than the one that he felt when he met the ck Phantom. Or to be more precise, it was of the same nature, albeit way more intense and suffocating.


    Arthur''s shocked face gradually changed to a smile of pure excitement as he stood up.


    "You got to be kidding me. He covered the entire city and his aura was still strong enough to make me feel scared. Haha!"


    Without hesitation, Arthur left the restaurant and headed toward the source of this aura as fast as he could. However, it wasn''t that easy to find the source even though it was very strong as there were countless streets, alleyways, houses, buildings, and all kinds of people in the city.


    Finding Eva was something he worked on for weeks so it didn''t require him to feel her presence at all. However, this was a different matter altogether.


    ''I need to find him before his aura vanishes.'' Thinking so, Arthur vanished from sight. Crossing tens of meters in a short period of time, he jumped from one building to another, away from the eyes of the public.


    As he moved closer and closer to the aura, his excitement grew. He was now certain that he would find the ck Phantom. Perhaps even finally discover his real appearance and identity. That would be a historic moment.


    ''I will definitely be boosted to the skies and beyond if I''m to be the first person to reveal the ck Phantom''s real identity!'' The more he entertained that thought, the more Arthur felt like he was on cloud nine.


    However, as he reached the suburbs of the city, he suddenly noticed something weird.


    "Huh?"


    Halting on top of a small building, his eyes that were looking in one single direction suddenly shifted to anotherpletely different direction. There, he also felt another aura, very simr to that of the ck Phantom.


    ''What¡­ Did he move there? But¡­ I can still feel his presence in this direction.'' Looking back at his initial direction, he was even more confused. The two auras were very simr so he had no doubt they belonged to the same person. But, how was it possible that there were two of them? Did he somehow stumble upon two ck Phantoms?


    ''No, that''s impossible. There are no two identical auras in the world.''


    An aura is an Origin User''s equivalent of fingerprints. There are no two simr fingerprints in the world. So, for two to exist was impossible. In fact, ording to research, the chances of two Origin Users'' auras being simr was 1 in 64 trillion which was practically zero. In perspective, winning the lottery is thousands of times more likely than ever to meet two people with the same aura.


    ''Then, how?'' Rubbing the back of his head, Arthur looked at the two directions. Then, he turned around and was about to head to the second ce. However, at that moment, he felt a third aura appear in a third direction behind him.


    "What the hell, now? Am I hallucinating?!"


    A few moments,ter, a fourth and a fifth presence appeared in twopletely different ces. Arthur was now surrounded by simr auras. His calm expression turned a little confused and sour. His smile also vanished.


    It all was so odd and iprehensible that the handsome Archangel found himselfpletely lost. And being lost was the only thing Arthur hated.


    He was the one to control people, not the other way around.


    "Am I being¡­ toyed with?" Reaching that conclusion, his face frowned.


    Then, he dashed in a random direction. He didn''t care anymore if he found the ck Phantom or not, he simply wanted to understand how this was even possible. As he approached this aura, it suddenly started moving.


    ''It''s running away!'' Thinking so, he channeled his aura and enhanced his speed even more. Moving like a sh, he kept chasing after the aura. But, the distance between them wasn''t getting closer at a fast rate. In fact, he was barely able with this aura.


    ''Bastard!''


    But, Arthur wasn''t going to just let this happen. He was an Archangel! The best in the world! A mere trick won''t y him!


    A few minutester, Arthur found himself on the other side of the city as he continued this chase. They were now close to the borders of the city. Beyond that were vast ins and highways that led to other cities. In other words, this mysterious aura had no way of hiding anymore.


    Arthur will be able to find it. The game was over!


    But, as they were about to leave the city, the aura suddenly vanished out of sight as if it was never there in the first ce.


    "What?!" Arthur halted again as he looked around trying to pinpoint where it was. "Come on! Seriously? Is this some kind of joke now?" Heughed angrily. The ck Phantom was clearly toying with him out of fun.


    That alone made Arthur even more annoyed. But, he knew he couldn''t lose his calm now. That would basically be akin to announcing his defeat. He was getting tricked, that was for certain. So, he needed to know how. If he knew how, he could counter that trick properly.


    ''Where are you, ck Phantom? What tricks are you throwing at me?''

 Chapter 222 222- Isn鈥檛 This Your Home?

    <h4>Chapter 222 Chapter 222- Isn¡¯t This Your Home?</h4>


    Arthur''s position was rather bad. He was now far away from the ce where he thought the ck Phantom was hiding. Not only that, but all the five aura were now moving around randomly.


    What started as a lucky surprise turned into a confusing situation of cat and mouse. The target he followed had vanished and the other ones were also moving and would perhaps disappear if he approached them.


    He tried to think of something to do but he waspletely lost. So, eventually, Arthur sighed and gave up the idea of trying to find the ck Phantom currently.


    ''But, he already knows that I''m here. Was he taunting me? I thought I hid myself well.'' Rubbing the back of his head. ''Maybe it was Eva Lavine that told him?'' He thought to himself.


    However, that idea was impossible as he already predicted it and was ready to intercept any call she would make. He also kept an eye on her and she didn''t show any suspicious behavior at all. So, he was almost certain that even if she was in contact with him, she should''ve not been able to tell him anything.


    "Tsk, fuck!" Smashing his fist against the wall, Arthur jumped down from the building and walked back to the hotel in a downcast mood. He waspletely and utterly toyed with and humiliated like nothing before.


    This never urred to him at all. Arthur considered himself an extremely smart man who knew how to control people with simple words. Ever since he was young, he learned that his smile was easily able to sway people and make them do what he wanted them to do.


    His handsome features and elegant, calm demeanor made him extremely liked by everyone around him. They praised his talent, his cleverness, and his sess in everything he did and he loved that greatly. It made him feel that he was indeed special, that he was above these people. After all, they can''tpare to him at all.


    Years of continuous ego-boosting turned him into a very narcissistic individual. But, he was a very smart narcissist so he never showed that side of him. It worked perfectly till today when he found himself being the toy instead of the one to toy.


    It was what made him truly feel horrible. This wasn''t fun at all! How is he supposed to ept such disrespect? Impossible!


    ***


    "He left," Kai murmured as he sighed and jumped down from the electrical wires on top of the highest skyscraper in the city. Exhaling a long breath of relief, he pulled out his phone and looked at the time.


    The n actually didn''t take as long as he expected. In fact, it barely took 30 minutes.


    ''Using my clones was a good idea.'' He thought to himself as he secretly praised Aria''s n.


    She suggested that he simply clone himself and then spread these clones across the city. When Arthur followed one of them, he made it move far away before making it vanishpletely without a trace. The n was a little risky since Kai didn''t know whether Arthur would buy it or not but it was still better than anything else he thought of.


    Perhaps the main reason it was the best was that Kai''s clone talent was very unique. These clones, apart from being stronger than normal clones from other talents, also could preserve some of the aura of their master. That was why Arthur didn''t know what happened or at least that was Kai''s assumption.


    After making sure Arthur waspletely out of it, Kai went back home. There, Aria was anxiously waiting for him. She decided to stay inside the house in case Arthur arrived so that she could perhaps mislead him.


    After all, if he went there and found a girl instead of the ck Phantom, he would be confused as to how or why or even assume that he was mistaken. But, luckily, it didn''t have to resort to that as Aria felt the door open as Kai walked inside.


    "What happened?" She asked. Her tense tone didn''t vanishpletely.


    "He gave up¡­ For now." He said.


    "Oh, that''s good." Aria exhaled a sigh of relief.


    Kai walked to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of water before he chugged it down. His eyes seemed lost for a moment as he looked at the empty ss cup before he opened his mouth and spoke.


    "Your n¡­ was good."


    Aria heard what he said and it made her freezepletely. Never did she expect to hear Kai¡­ Praise her? Did he praise her? Or was it simply an acknowledgment of her idea? She didn''t know the answer and that made her mind panic.


    It has been 11 years since shest heard Kai praise her for something. She hadpletely lost any hope of ever hearing anything apart from insults and harsh words directed at her by Kai and she believed it was well deserved.


    However, again, for god knows what time, fate ironically changed.


    "Thank you." She finally spoke after a while with a hesitant voice.


    After that, silence loomed over the apartement for a long time. At that time, Kai took a shower, cooked lunch, and then sat down to eat with Aria. Then, he spent the rest of the day in his room researching while Aria was fiddling with the chess board.


    The night eventually arrived and Kai finally came out of his room and picked up his phone before he dialed Kaya''s number to check on her. He did try to call her during the afternoon but she didn''t reply which could''ve been simply because she was busy.


    Luckily, the second time, she answered. Kaya was extremely delighted to hear his voice after a long, tiring day. She was so busy that she couldn''t even send him a message. Divinity was surprisingly elerating the process of her bing a Virtue for some reason.


    When Divinity staff and individuals heard about the news, Kaya was drowned in emails and messages, all of which varied from business offers to tant favor-carrying. They were all a greedy bunch that wanted to be the first to befriend Kaya.


    Luckily, all of that pain would vanish the moment she heard Kai''s voice. It always soothes her heart and washes away her pain and suffering.


    "Where are you now?"


    "Just returned home, my love. How are you?" She asked.


    "Fine. Have you felt anything suspicious yesterday or today?" He asked.


    "Something suspicious? Like what?"


    "Like feeling someone following you?" He asked.


    "Hmm, no, not really. I''ve been spending most of my time going from one meeting to another across the country. I''ve basically been surrounded by people the whole day."


    ''Tsk, that is annoying. I won''t be able to know if someone is watching her or not.''


    "Keep an eye around you. There might be some suspicious movements. I will exin when youe back." He said.


    "Oh, another problem? Geez, what''s up with problems these days? Are we cursed or something? Sigh¡­" Kaya touched her forehead as she sighed. She was truly tired of all of this. Every day was a new problem and they had to deal with it.


    It truly became really annoying.


    Kai understood that but he didn''t try to speak more about this topic. Instead, he asked a more important question.


    "When are youing back home?"


    "Oh~ Did I hear you right? You just said ''Home'' didn''t you? Fufufu! That makes me really happy, my darling!" A beautiful smile appeared on Kaya''s face. She never expected Kai to say ''Come back home'' to her. It truly filled her heart with immense warmth that she couldn''t exin.


    If this proved something, then it proved that Kai truly started to like her. Kaya had already been aware of this for a while. She noticed how gentle Kai became when talking to her in contrast to his previously cold demeanor. Now, his voice was calm and not cold, gentle and warm even if people would think it wasn''t like that. Kaya believed that Kai was truly showing great signs of deep affection that couldn''t be hidden.


    A few seconds of silence passed which made Kaya''s smile turn a little rigid. She thought that she had gone a little bit too far.


    "Hey, hey! I''m joking. Teasing you is too much fu-" As she was about to start making excuses, Kai cut her off.


    "Isn''t this your home?" He asked.


    That question made Kaya''s whole body freeze as her eyes widened. She looked like a dumbfounded robot at the moment.


    "H-Huh? I didn''t quite hear you, my love. Can you repeat?"


    "Am I wrong for thinking that this is your home?" He asked in a calm tone again.


    "..." Kayaa''s heartrate increased as she felt her cheeks blush a little. Sitting on her hotel bed, sheid down as she closed her eyes. "What the hell kind of question of that, stupid? Are you trying to tease me back?"


    "Hm?" Kai was confused.


    "Of course, it''s my home. You''re my home. I want to go back home now and hug you." She said.


    "When you finish work,e back." He said. Kai was a little weirded out by what he said. She will obviously return home when she finishes work. What the hell was he on about?


    However, he found himself wanting to say those words to her. It came from his heart and not mind.


    "Mmm, I wille back as soon as possible." She nodded her head with a meek tone. "I love you, Kai."


    "I know," Kai said. "Good night." He said.


    "Good night." Kaya hung up as shey there on the bed, looking at the ceiling with a flushed face.


    "You charming devil¡­ My charming devil." She murmured as she closed her eyes again.

 Chapter 223 223- Date With Eva And Farewell

    <h4>Chapter 223 Chapter 223- Date With Eva And Farewell</h4>


    A few days passed quietly during which Kai and Aria lived normally for the most part. Eva was able to return home the next day when she was certain that Arthur wasn''t suspecting her. As for Kaya, she still had some work so she couldn''te back yet. Added to it was the fact that Kai asked her to keep an eye on her surroundings since there was a chance she was being followed.


    However, Kaya didn''t discover anything suspicious which eased Kai''s worries that she was a part of the suspected people that are close to him.


    Either way, he was able to control the situation with minimal effort which eased his mind enough to focus on other things. One of these things was the rapid development of the Temporary Origin.


    It has been exactly 2 weeks since it got released to the public and during that time, many things happened. First of all, Divinity''s public debut faced an unimaginable growth that nopany had ever seen before. Its stocks were so absurdly high that it almost threatened to turn the world economy upside down.


    The sheer influx of buyers that bought the Temporary Origin was shockingly high. There was not even a single pharmacy in the world that didn''t sell it. Added to that was the huge explosion on social media from people who showed what their powers could do, some tricks, feats that shocked the world, and many other things that gave Divinity''s reputation a huge boost.


    In merely 14 days, Divinity turned from apany shrouded in mystery that only worked in the underworld to the richestpany in the world by far. That was one side. On the other side, hidden under the propaganda and the social campaign Divinity was exercising was the development of the Temporary Origin itself.


    Kaya was able to provide Kai with some secrets that he would''ve never known otherwise. One of these secrets was the speed of the process of turning TempO into a longsting injection that doesn''t need renewal.


    In its first version which is now avable to the public, its effect canst from 1 to 2 days depending on the individual. However, in the period of 14 days, the development team of Divinity created injections that couldst up to a week without needing another injection.


    But, since these injections were still unstable, they still didn''t release them. Kai suspected that these things would be released in a few months at most which would also boost Divinity even more than now.


    The third and final change that urred in thest 14 days was unrted to Temporary Origin and rather to Kai himself. During this period of time, Kai''s sickness symptoms started reacting again with no trigger for them.


    His day would be going normally and suddenly, he would feel that horrible pain and the threat of coughing blood and losing consciousness. But, he was luckily able to reverse the effects before they happened which reduced the drastic oues. It happened almost 5 times during this period which made Kai realize that his time perhaps wasn''t as long as he expected even with his frankly pessimistic thoughts.


    That also made him feel the urge to hurry his n if he wanted a chance at survival. The time was very short and it kept pressuring him more and more as time passed. At this point, Kai''s desire to live was stronger than ever.


    He had this peaceful life he enjoyed and two people that loved him dearly and he most likely reciprocated those feelings. He would truly regret dying if that happened so he was now doing his very best to not die.


    Life was too beautiful to let it go now.


    ***


    On the morning of the 14th day, Kai received a notification on his phone from Divinity. The content of the message was that he got fully admitted as an Ascender into Divinity and that he shoulde back to Divinity as soon as possible. Aria also received the same notification so the two nned their return to Lunaria.


    However, Kai had to deal with something important before leaving. If he left now, he knew that he wouldn''t be able to see Eva for a while. He knew that she would feel sad to not see him daily and he shared the same feeling.


    Eva was always there with him, every day, every moment, tough or good. No matter how low Kai felt, Eva was there to be his support, to keep himpany, and to cheer him on even when she didn''t realize it.


    The most time she spent away from him was a few days at most. To suddenly not see her for weeks or even months truly hurt Kai.


    He didn''t want it. But, if he wanted to stay with her for a long time, he had to sacrifice something and he decided to sacrifice the time he could spend with her now.


    That, however, didn''t mean that he would just leave. He decided to do something for Eva that would keep her spirit uplifted and also keep him focused on his n.


    So, that evening, he sat down with Eva. The beautiful girl had a sad face on her face that she tried to hide behind a smile. She knew how hard Kai''s mission was and how much he needed to sacrifice to do it. If anything, she was the one who pushed him to give life another try and seek the cure.


    ''I can''t look sad! Get yourself together, Eva. Kai would die if he doesn''t find the cure.'' She thought to herself as she unconsciously rubbed her ring finger.


    This became a habit of hers whenever she was thinking deeply about something.


    Kai noticed that conflicted emotions and sighed before he grabbed Eva''s hand out of nowhere. Then, under the girl''s confused gaze, he pulled her up and brought her to the door.


    "Let''s go out for a while. I need to tell you something." He said.


    Eva was a little surprised but she still nodded her head obediently. Then, the two left the apartement and walked through the city. Although it was still risky to move through the city while Arthur was possibly still there. But, Kai needed to tell Eva these words before leaving.


    "Oh, some ice cream?" Eva noticed the ice cream shop.


    "Let''s buy some."


    "Really? We don''t have to if you don''t want it." She replied even though her eyes were sparkling, clearly wanting some ice cream.


    "What vor do you want?"


    "I like mint chocte," Eva replied.


    "..."


    "What? Don''t even say that mint chocte is disgusting!" Realizing what Kai looked at her weirdly.


    "I''m not judging," Kai replied with a judging look.


    "No! You''re definitely judging." Eva yfully punched his shoulder. "I believe in mint chocte vor supremacy after all!" She boasted proudly.


    "It makes no sense but sure." Kai gave up and went and bought her what she wanted. As for him, he simply got himself vani and chocte chip vor. He liked ice cream simple and straightforward.


    As they walked silently, they bought a few snacks before they ended up at the park in the southern part of the city. It was a beautiful ce with greenery and a small yground for kids. The calm atmosphere coupled with the beautiful dusk was a perfect ce to rx.


    The two sat down and watched the beautiful sight silently for a while. Neither of them wanted to speak but Kai eventually initiated a conversation.


    "I will be leaving for a while." He said.


    "I know," Eva replied with a rather calm tone. This small date they went on made her feel better. What made it special, however, was the fact that Kai didn''t release her hand the whole time.


    Even when the two were walking side by side, his warm hand wrapped around hers tightly but gently.


    Even now, when they were sitting in the park, he still held her hand, not wanting to release it at all. Eva understood why Kai did that and the reason truly filled her with happiness.


    ''Kai also doesn''t want to leave either.''


    "I won''t be able toe back for a while since I want to end this as fast as I can." He said. "That''s why, we won''t meet for a while."


    "I understand," Eva replied as she tightened her grip on his hand too. "I know what you have to do and I wish I could be there with you but it will only make the situation more problematic. So, a call every day will suffice."


    Kai''s eyes turned to look at Eva. She had a more rxed smile now far from the restrained one she had a while ago.


    "I see¡­" He murmured in response as if he understood something. "I will definitely finish this quickly."


    "Mm, I know you will. I believe in it. So I will wait for you, no matter what. I always did and I always will."


    As the two enjoyed the sunset, Evaid her head on Kai''s shoulder.

 Chapter 224 224- Moving In

    <h4>Chapter 224 Chapter 224- Moving In</h4>


    Kai and Eva spent the time quietly till night descended on them before they finally decided to go back home. This date, as sudden and as simple as it was, was by far the best one they went on.


    They were able to share their thoughts and feelings properly without any lies. Eva could feel Kai''s honesty and so Kai did. Their conversation felt more intimate than any flirtatious words. That was because they were being their true selves to each other. Such a closeness was rare to see even amongst couples.


    The reasons for that are numerous but the most important one was the understanding of one another''s thoughts. If that came from one simple conversation or from a long period of time being together, Kai and Eva had already reached that level.


    So, with that in mind, they two went to sleep peacefully. Eva slept that day better than any other day. Even if she knew that her beloved was leaving, she already achieved a huge step in their rtionship.


    ***


    The next day, Kai and Aria took the ne back to Lunaria where the Divinity HQ was. The trip felt shorter than the first time since they had been here barely a few days ago.


    Before that, however, Kai called Aria to find him a good and inconspicuous house or apartement where he could settle down with Aria for the period they would be spending there. In the matter of Kaya, she had decided to also return to the HQ, but the only exception is that she wouldn''t get in contact with Kai unless she was absolutely sure nobody was spying on her.


    Having Kaya support in the background was a very useful idea. If anything, that would help elerate the process a lot if done right.


    Afternding in the airport, Kai and Aria took a cab to the apartement that Kaya had found in a few short hours. The location of the house was a calm neighborhood in the suburbs. It was a part of a 5-story building rather better than the one where Kai lived before.


    "So, this is the ce?" He murmured as he looked at the picture Kaya sent him on his phone.


    Aria, who was silently standing next to him, kept her senses alerted to anything around them. For one reason or another, she had been feeling tense ever since they arrived as if she was worried about something. Kai did ask her if she felt anything suspicious but she shook her head.


    So, Kai didn''t really mention it anymore. If she was anxious over something then it was her problem.


    "Let''s go inside." He said after a while.


    Approaching the entrance gate, he rang the doorbell. There were many buttons and one button had the word ''Landlord'' on it so he used that one. A few moments after the ringing, he heard a door open as hurried steps approached the steel gate.


    Just the pure design of the walls around the building was proof that it was on the richer side of the spectrum. Kai would''ve preferred something less costly but he knew he couldn''t be picky when he asked Kaya to find this ce in a matter of hours.


    ''If it''s not good then I will just move out.'' He thought to himself as the door opened. Who appeared as an extremely beautiful older woman. She had short brown hair and an extremely attractive body wrapped in a beautiful one-piece dress.


    Her whole presence exuded a mature charm that is rarely found.


    "Hah, Oh? Are you perhaps the new tenant?" She asked with a breathy voice as she looked at Kai. In his current appearance, he was simply a normal-looking boy standing next to a rather beautiful girl.


    "Yeah, I''m sorry for the sudden arrival. I couldn''t notify you beforehand." Kai chuckled awkwardly as he extended his arm forward for a handshake. The woman quickly nodded her head awkwardly before she shook his hand.


    "Haha, don''t worry about it. I''m truly d you chose my humble building. My name is Ethia."


    "My name is Jack Bartin and this is my childhood friend, Calia Norman. We''re from F-Country and we came here to join Divinity." He said.


    "Oh, right, that new superpower stuff. So many people are joining this Divinity. Oh, silly me! What am I doing letting you two stay outside? Pleasee in." Ethia smiled charmingly as she moved to the aside, allowing the two to enter.


    The moment they stepped inside, they were met with a big garden that covered most of the front yard and wrapped around the building from the sides. A multitude of nts and trees could be seen all around the ce. It was a very pleasant sight.


    Cutting through this garden was a long path that connected the entrance with the main building.


    "This ce is nice." Kai praised honestly with his friendly smile still intact.


    "Oh my, thank you. I love greenery so I take care of this ce like it''s my own child. I''m happy to see that someone loved it." She said with an excited look.


    The trio reached the main entrance to the building and walked inside. The lounge on the first floor was beautiful and well organized just like that of a hotel. On the left was a set of stairs that led to higher floors and on the right was an elevator.


    "This lounge is for all the tenants who want to enjoy a cozy space outside their apartments. There is a small library there if you''re into reading." Ethia exined as they walked through the lounge and entered the elevator.


    "Are you into books, Mr Bartin?"


    "You can call me Jack," Kai replied with an innocent smile.


    "Hehe, of course, you can also call me Ethia. What about you, Miss Calia."


    "Oh, my apologies, I was daydreaming," Aria spoke when she realized that she had been too quiet the whole time. Her mind waspletely upied elsewhere and she didn''t listen to anything they said. Luckily, Kai''s secret nudge woke her up.


    "Hahaha, Don''t be shy, please. Consider this ce as your new home. I love all my tenants after all."


    As the three conversed, the elevator reached the fourth floor and opened, showing a long corridor filled with rooms. Each room had a number on its wooden door that indicated what room belonged to whom.


    "The fourth floor is the calmest ce as per your desire. Hehehe, the apartement is also furnished and it has two bedrooms, one kitchen, one bathroom, and one living room." She exined as she led them to the room and then pulled the key and opened the door revealing a beautiful apartement.


    So far, Kai was very impressed by how good the ce is. It was certainly better than his old apartement if there was even a way topare the two of them.


    After giving them a tour around the ce and checking all the necessary details. Kai epted the apartement, signed the papers, and then finalized the move.


    Everything went swiftly and in a matter of 2 hours, Kai and Aria were organizing the ce. The fact that he and Aria would be living together for a while made him feel weird. He intended to give her an apartement of her own but since she was still at risk of getting attacked by that shadow figure.


    So, they had to at least be close enough to not let him do anything. The other reason was the fact that they would have to attend a new school in the area. Kai can''t forget that he was still a student and if he didn''t attend school, he would fail the year.


    His school record had already been filled with absence so he was at risk of repeating the year. The school he chose was one that was rather special. In fact, it was very special and the reason behind that was what Kaya told him.


    ''Divinity intends to include that school in its program. They will start raising a new generation of Origin Users so that was already predictable.'' Kai thought as he approached the window and looked at the outside. Coincidentally or not, in the far distance, he could see the school''s buildings.


    To teach people about Origin, Divinity needed a course just like that of a normal school ss. So, what better way to make that course than to establish it in a pre-created school?


    This school''s name will be¡­ Ascenders'' Academy.


    Inside that ce, countless students will gather with the shared goal of learning more about Origin. It will be a historical moment for Divinity. To finally create the true first generation of Temporary Origin users. Whether it would seed or not, it was still unknown but what was for certain, what would happen in that school would be far from normal.


    After all, gathering a bunch of abnormal people inside one school will only generate nothing but bizarre urrences.


    ''Sigh, I feel like this is going to be a long n.'' Kai sighed to himself as the looming future weighed on his mind.

 Chapter 225 225- Origin Basics (Part 1)

    <h4>Chapter 225 Chapter 225- Origin Basics (Part 1)</h4>


    Chapter 225- Origin Basics (Part 1)


    It took Kai and Eva the whole day to settle down in the apartement. They had to memorize every nook and cranny of the apartement just in case. After all, whether they agreed or not, they were now in an enemy''s territory.


    A possible failure of the n was still very present in their minds, especially Kai. After all, he was aware of how smart and cunning his father was and how much he could break Kai''s expectations. That is why, knowing your surroundings and the environment you''re in is essential for the future.


    After they finished their tasks, Kai cooked dinner and they ate inplete silence. Neither of them had the heart to talk, not that they were anywhere as intimate as they were before everything came crumbling down on them.


    Aria''s memories of how they spent their days, reading books, talking, and enjoying their time together were her most precious memories. She loved them so much that she always thinks about them at all times.


    That past was the happiest she had ever been before that and after it was a time of pain and suffering.


    Aside from that, they also had to think about what they were going to do tomorrow. The Ascenders'' Academy won''t start for a while since the information about it is still new.


    After that, they simply went to bed early.


    ***


    The next day, Kai and Aria strode through the imposing ss doors of Divinity, their hearts were pounding with anticipation or so what appeared to other people. Both of them had wlessly excited expressions befitting their age.


    The first thing they noticed when they entered was the change Divinity''s lobby had undergone in the few days they were away.


    In contrast to before, it was now unbelievablyrger, allowing for a higher capacity of people. It seemed that they understood their mistake when they epted that huge number of people a few days ago.


    Although the lobby was still bustling with people who received the same notification Kai and Eva got, it was still less ustrophobic and certainly more personal than before.


    Many eyes looked at them with a variety of emotions and thoughts but most people didn''t really care about them. In their eyes, they were simply another two Ascenders, clueless and naive as theye. One thing that certainly increased was the sheer arrogance every single Ascender had.


    They felt like they were superior to everyone else, even other Ascenders. After all, each one of them had a different talent than everyone else so feeling special was bound to make their egos erge.


    But, Kai and Eva didn''t care as they kept their excited faces. Kai''s fingers twitched ever-so-slightly while Aria simply held herposure with practiced grace.


    As they approached the registration desk, a stern-faced receptionist scanned their IDs. "Wee back, Mr. Jack Colbert and Miss Calia Norman." She said curtly, before handing them each an ess card. "You''ll report to Training Section B on the 15th floor. Good luck."


    With a nod, they made their way to the elevators along with many other people. The ascent seemed endless with how unbelievably tall Divinity''s HQ building was, it was akin to a gigantic spear that pierced the heavens above.


    When the doors finally slid open, they stepped into a High-Tech facility that buzzed with activity.


    The training section was basically apound of multiple areas. A ssroom for studying that had normal decorations, an arena-like section where people could spar with multiple split areas. There was also a restaurant section, a bathroom section with showers and all hygiene products, and many more.


    Divinity had basically turned the 15th floor of the building into a mesmerizing haven for new Ascenders. It was most certainly an overkill on all fronts.


    ''Even normal Ascenders didn''t get this treatment.'' Kai thought to himself with a small snort. There was no reason for all of this except for the fact that Divinity wanted people to believe that they were truly special.


    A few moments passed as the group of Ascenders who arrived on the 15th floor grew bigger and bigger. When no more people showed up, a man finally made his appearance in front of them.


    He wore military-like clothes that entuated his serious demeanor. He had a cold expression and deadly eyes. His aura was also very strong and domineering. All of the Ascenders felt a chill down their spines from his re.


    Kai looked the man up and down but couldn''t really identify him. He was certainly not one of the archangels or anyone above them for that matter. Well, Kai didn''t really know who the Ophanims and the man named ''God'' were but he was most certain that this man wasn''t either of those.


    "Wee, Ascenders. My name is Westley." He dered, his voice echoing through the whole floor. "I''m not here to waste time talking about your sess and the great opportunity you received. I''m sure you all have already received plenty of that praise. But, don''t let it get to your head, you all are the first generation of Divinity''s Ascenders. You''re the hope of this world and its future. You all carry a great responsibility of guiding everyone that wille after you."


    Everyone exchanged nces amongst themselves as Westley''s words settled down, creating a sense of seriousness and pride within the Ascenders. They were the first generation, the leaders of the new world. How can they not feel pride because of that?


    The sheer power of that name alone sent chills down their spines. Nobody spoke a single word but the atmosphere certainly changed. Those few words were more than enough to impact them profoundly.


    ''Is everyone in Divinity great at speeches?'' Kai thought to himself sarcastically. These people seemed to be too well-versed in riling people up and nting the ideas they wanted them to have without rousing their suspicion.


    As Westley watched his words create their magical effect, he nodded his head before he continued.


    "For the next few weeks. You will undergo harsh training supervised by Divinity. We will teach you how to use your powers and how to make it useful for yourself and for the people around you. We will also teach you more about Origin itself as this is a new energy form that the world never heard of before. These next few weeks will be the most essential step for you as it builds your foundation. Remember, the better your foundation is the more powerful you will be." Taking a deep breath, he spoke again.


    "However, these next few weeks are also a temporary measurement from our side. We have big ns for the future so please keep that in mind."


    Kai understood the underlying meaning behind the man''s words. He was talking about the Ascenders'' Academy


    After that, Westley turned around and said. "Follow me. I will show you around."


    The group then walked through the floor as Westley introduced them to all the sections, staff members, and what they needed to know before they started. They were also given the timetable for the sses and how they were organized. It was certainly very simr to a normal school in that department.


    After they finished their tour, they were led to the ss section where everyone took a seat. Westley told them that they were going to have an introductory ss now so that they could familiarize themselves more with the new curriculum. After all, they were all normal students not that long ago.


    Minutes passed as Ascenders talked amongst each other waiting for the teacher who will teach this ss, the door finally opened and a woman walked inside and took everyone''s attention away.


    When Kai saw who it was, he internally sighed.


    ''Why did I expect this to happen?'' He asked himself.


    Their teacher turned out to be Kaya. Her beautiful appearance and attractive body made every boy inside the room almost drool. However, when they felt her crushingly strong presence, their thoughts vanished and were reced with fear.


    Stepping in front of the ss, Kaya scanned the whole room before her eyesnded on Kai in the back as she secretly winked at him.


    To which Kai simply acknowledged her presence. Although he didn''t tell her to do this, he wasn''t against it either. Mainly because it wasn''t suspicious at all. He already assumed that Virtues and Archangels might be the teachers that will supervise the new Ascenders. Divinity wants this first generation to be the best possible so they had to invest in it, one of these investments was of course deploying their strongest individuals for the task of training these people.


    "Now, quiet please," Kaya said with a cold smile as she gave everyone a strong nce. Even those who thought that she was unbelievably attractive didn''t dare to show any reaction anymore.


    "My name is Kaya deheart and I will be the teacher of B-ss for the next year. Nice to meet everyone."

 Chapter 226 226- Origin Basics (Part 2)

    Chapter 226  226- Origin Basics (Part 2)


    Her sweet yet stern voice coupled with her aura made every Ascender instinctively listen carefully to what she was saying. Kaya had always been very charming even though she usually treated everyone around her with aloofness.


    However, she had what manycked, the attractive presence that easily grabs one''s attention without trying. She was naturally talented in such situations which made her perfectly work as a teacher.


    Kai knew that fact himself but he never saw it before so he could only be impressed by how easily persuasive her words were.


    "Before we start, I would like to warn you all. Learning about Origin is going to be really hard. Even Divinity still didn''tpletely unfold its mysteries and greatness so there are things that we don''t know yet. Since you''re the first generation, you''re required to learn more about it and explore it as much as Divinity and the world needs." She eximed, her voice echoing in the whole ssroom. "So, please keep that in mind as we go."


    Although this warning was in some way true as Origin still had secrets that even the most seasoned of Origin Users didn''t know, these secrets weren''t, however, that important in directing the path of these news Ascenders as many would expect. So, what Kai realized quickly from these brief words was that Kaya had been told what to say and what not to say ording to what Divinity wanted people to know.


    After all, in the eyes of the public, Origin had been discovered merely a year or two ago and so if Divinity suddenly revealed everything it knew about Origin, people would start questioning the credibility of their words.


    ''Let''s see how much is truth and how much is mere lies that Divinity wants to tell these idiots.'' Kai thought to himself.


    Seeing that everyone understood what she said, Kaya nodded her head and turned around before she walked to the ckboard and started typing on it.


    "The first question we will start with is: What is Origin?" She asked. "As many of you might assume, Origin is a superpower of some kind. However, I''m sad to say that that''s wrong. Origin isn''t a superpower but a form of energy that is hidden from our senses. Each human is born with something called a ''Talent'' inside of them. This talent stays dormant as long as the human is living unaware of Origin. This talent can''t be seen unless it''s activated and to activate it, one requires to get in touch with Origin."


    Kaya''s words shocked all the Ascenders. All of them had the same notion that Origin was the superpower itself. That was also what the whole world assumed was the case.


    "Origin is simply a form of energy in the air around us that we can use to activate these talents and strengthen our bodies. Think of it as fuel, fuel doesn''t create electricity alone, but it is the catalyst for that reaction."


    Writing down the exnation on the board, Kaya turned around and pointed at the students. "Now that we understand what Origin is? We naturally would want to know how it works. But, sadly, we still didn''t reach aplete answer to that. It''s something that requires more time since the reaction that happens between Origin and our bodies is like nothing we''ve ever seen before." She exined.


    To see Origin, some very special machines are required and those are still rare to this day. So, most scientists use their eyes and senses to do their experiments. As for the interaction itself, the truth was that scientists only knew that Origin would get absorbed by the body through the Origin Veins and then it would slowly circte around, reaching the seals to activate the talents themselves.


    How that happens on a microscopic level, however, is still a mystery.


    So, moving on from that topic, Kaya continued.


    "Now, let''s talk about the meat of today''s ss and the first part of your course to learning how to use Origin and that is the different types of talents that exist. As I already mentioned, Origin can activate powers known as Talents which are the superpowers you see now. Talents are abilities bestowed upon users from birth or gained through practice and learning. The ones gained naturally after being born are called ''Main talents''. The ones that you can learn are called ''Inherited talents''." She wrote those two words on the ck board before she circled them.


    "From what we know, Talents are more versatile than Origin itself. The potential abilities one can gain are theoretically endless. But, to make it easier for users toprehend their own abilities, they were dissected into 4 main categories." After that, she wrote down 4 main points that she also circled as she started exining them one by one.


    "There are four types of Origin Users as far as we know now. The first ones are the mostmon and are called ''Maniptors''. Talents of this category are capable of manipting things around them such as elements, people, animals, or even inanimate objects. They can be users of fire, wind, water, earth, or anything else physical around them." She exined. "The second type is called ''Enhancers''. Enhancers'' talents are capable of increasing or decreasing their own physical capabilities or the physical capabilities of targets around them (inanimate or not) to make them stronger, sturdier, faster, etc... They are mostly closebat fighters except for some exceptions. They are also prettymon as they are only a more advanced form of the normal effect Origin has on one''s body."


    Since Origin automatically increases the physical abilities of the User, Enhancers are in a sense talentless people if one would ignore this aspect of their abilities. That''s why many Origin Users looked down upon this particr group and saw them as an inferior group.


    "The third type is called ''Creators''. Their talents are capable of creating objects or creatures out of Origin to use as weapons, summons, etc. They can be very rare as we only verified the existence of only a few dozen of them in the world."


    Hearing those words, Ascenders naturally started thinking about their powers. They all wanted to be in the rare category since it seemed to be quite powerful.


    "The fourth and arguably the rarest type is called ''Specials''. The Special talents. These talents do not fall under any of the previous categories and so they can only be put in a category of their own. These abilities have no particr point of simrity nor do they abide by thews set for the other categories. They are particrly rare and in most cases extremely strong. These powers are extremely unpredictable and hard to counter."


    The Specials are quite powerful in their own right and their strength stems from their unpredictable strengths. Every person born with a special ability was bound to be strong. People like Kai and Aria whose main talents arepletely against the rules of the world. They''re extremely strong individuals.


    "Damn, Specials sounds great! Sadly I''m not one of them." One Ascender said.


    "Tsk, it is what it is, didn''t you hear what Miss Kaya said? They''re very very rare. We''re lucky enough to even know they exist."


    "I''m special!!" Suddenly, an Ascender stood up and yelled in an excited tone, catching everyone''s attention.


    "Ohoh, your name?" Kaya raised an eyebrow as she asked.


    The boy blushed slightly before he smiled widely. It was clear from his eyes that he felt important being talked to directly by this incredibly attractive teacher.


    "Keith Nayl."


    "Keith Nayl? Let''s see." Kaya then pulled out her work tablet and started scrolling through it.


    "You''re the Ascender with the ultra hearing ability, right?" Kaya asked casually.


    "Yes! That''s me! That ability belongs to no category of what you said so I''m most certainly special!" He repeated.


    "Is that what you think?"


    ''This idiot¡­'' Kai sighed internally as he watched what was about to happen. If he knew Kaya well and he most certainly does, she was someone who hated liars, arrogant assholes, and people who think they''re greater than who they actually are. This guy was part of the third category.


    "Sigh, listen to me, Mr Keith. I acknowledge your excitement. But, sadly, I have to say that your power is verymon. It''s in fact an Enhancers type."


    "What?!"


    "Enhancing your hearing isn''t a special talent. As I just described it, it enhances your hearing."


    Hearing those words, everyone exploded intoughter at the boy. His funny behavior turned from amazing to stupid in a matter of moments. Keith''s face turned red with embarrassment.


    "Hey! Silence! Did I allow you tough at him? His power isn''t bad. In fact, I think he is better than some of you. Everyone here is still learning so the fact that he got the courage to speak is already a good spirit for learning. Unlike some of you." Sheshed out at theughing students, silencing them.


    "The only thing you should do is to focus on learning rather thanughing at other people."


    When Kaya said those words, everyone immediately felt ashamed. As for Keith, he had a touched look on his face. Without even saying a word, Kai knew that Kaya had gained herself a new loyal fan.


    "Now, let''s continue and I don''t want a word."

 Chapter 227 227- Origin Basics (Part 3)

    Chapter 227  227- Origin Basics (Part 3)


    The ss continued swiftly. Everyone waspletely engrossed in the topic as they found it very interesting. It wasn''t like normal lessons they studied in school but apletely new and magical concept.


    Perhaps what made them even more interested in it was the fact that they were of the few first people who had the privilege to learn about it before everyone else. Added to that, Kaya''s great skills at exining the topic made it easier to digest for the Ascenders.


    Even Kai found himself instinctively listening to her even though he could''ve ignored the lesson as a whole.


    As for what Kaya exined, she simply dived more into details, talking about each ss and how it worked in great detail. She also picked a few random Ascenders and helped them use their powers with more efficiency than before so that everyone else could see how it worked.


    She surprisingly didn''t choose Kai amongst the examples even though Kai knew that her yful nature would''ve told her to do it. Perhaps she thought that could be risky for the n. Kai was grateful for that since Kaya and Eva saw how crucial it was for their future. There was no time to joke around when they were working.


    After the end of the ss, the group had a one-hour break before the next ss which was a practical one. All the students moved to the restaurant as they chatted and discussed the ss. Well, it was mostly about Kaya and how beautiful she was but they still talked about the lesson itself aside from that.


    However, Kai didn''t follow Aria to the restaurant as he stayed behind to talk to Kaya in private.


    "Did they tell you to take this ss or was it an idea of yours?" He asked as he approached Kaya''s desk.


    "Fufufu, it was mostly my idea but they were intending to give me a ss that I can teach anyway. I just suggested this ss since I knew that you were going to end up in it."


    "Is that so?"


    "I''m sorry for not telling you but I didn''t want to risk it. You want to staypletely inconspicuous, no?" Kaya approached Kai as she gave him an intimate hug.


    "You don''t need to apologize. It was a good idea that you didn''t tell me." He said as he hugged her back.


    "Fufufu, so I did a good job?"


    "... Yes."


    "Then, give me a kiss." She said with a mischievous smile as she cupped Kai''s face. Thetter gave her a squint for a few seconds.


    "What? I''m being serious. Or am I not worth a ki-" Before Kaya could even finish her words, Kai closed the distance between them, connecting their lips.


    His kiss was gentle yet also impactful, sending a shiver down Kaya''s whole body. This was the first time Kai kissed her out of his own ord and it felt so amazingly good that it took her a few seconds to even register what happened.


    Then, he body naturally rxed as she closed her eyes and allowed Kai to kiss her passionately. He didn''t make it a long kiss and neither did he turn it into a French kiss since they were still in enemy territory.


    After a few moments, he pulled away and looked at Kaya from up close.


    "Are you satisfied now?" He asked in a whisper.


    "Yes¡­" Kaya replied in an almost dazed state. She felt as if she was flying on cloud nine.


    Seeing how she was still irresponsive, Kai snapped his finger next to her ear, waking her up.


    "You''re almost drooling." He said as he wiped her mouth with his thumb before he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her mouth with it.


    "H-Hey, I''m not a kid, I can do it myself." She said with an embarrassed tone.


    "Don''t move your head." Kai, ignoring all of her tantrums, grabbed her chin gently yet sternly and continued wiping her mouth. After that, he nodded his head with satisfaction before he turned around to leave.


    "Just call me if you find anything suspicious. Ok?"


    "Yeah, I will."


    Exiting the ss, Kai left Kaya alone in the empty ssroom. Her face was still flushed red from what happened and her eyes sparkled with countless emotions. Her fingers slowly moved up to her mouth and touched it, reminiscing about the sensation of Kai''s lips on hers. It felt way better than the time when she kissed him herself.


    Something about Kai''s willingness to do it felt way too good, too addictive. So addictive, in fact, that she felt her body reacting in all kinds of ways to it.


    "I''m really too naughty, aren''t I?" She murmured.


    ***


    In the restaurant, Kai found Aria sitting in a huge group of people. They were a mix of boys and girls that all tried to speak to her with friendly vibes. Perhaps because she was the most beautiful out of the whole ss, she naturally grabbed their attention.


    However, Aria seemed very quiet as she ate her food timidly. Even before when they were young, Aria was only open and talkative when she was with Kai. Outside, she was a very quiet girl.


    Kai sighed inwardly as he drew a smile on his face and approached the group.


    "Hello, everyone. Are you perhaps getting to know my best friend?" He asked, catching their attention.


    "Huh? Best friend? Who are you?" One of the boys didn''t seem to like the fact that Kai introduced himself as Aria''s best friend so he asked aggressively.


    "I''m Jack, a fellow Ascender. Calia and I came here together. I''m d everyone is getting to know her better."


    His words made everyone whisper and talk as they gave him side looks. However, Kai kept a calm and friendly front.


    "Is that true, Calia?" A girl asked.


    Aria finally stopped eating and lifted her head before she nodded it.


    "Yes, we''re childhood friends. I would like to eat lunch with him if you don''t mind." She smiled charmingly at the group.


    "O-Oh, is that so? That''s fine. You heard her, guys! Let''s give them some space."


    Although they felt unwilling, they stillplied and quickly dispersed from the table, allowing Kai to sit down.


    When Aria felt that everyone had gone away, she exhaled a long breath and finally continued eating.


    "Why were nervous?" Kai asked.


    "... I wasn''t."


    "I can hear your heartbeats. They were faster than normal a few moments ago." He said.


    Aria knew that she was already cornered when he asked her that question so she simply answered.


    "Their voices¡­ They''re too loud." She exined, her voice wavering slightly.


    "Loud?"


    "They were booming in my head¡­ It''s painful."


    ''Is this some kind of trauma?'' Kai was a little confused as to why she couldn''t handle their voices. In fact, not that long ago, she did a concert in front of hundreds of thousands of people and she didn''t seem to be that affected by it.


    "I''m sorry for not acting properly¡­ I promise it won''t happ-"


    "I will keep in mind to make them stay away from you," Kai replied as he received the te from the waitress before he started eating.


    "..."


    "It shouldn''t be that hard to do. Just make sure not to stay away from me whenever we''re around them."


    ''If she ends up having a panic attack, it could be dangerous to the n.'' He thought to himself. That was his intention with those words.


    However, Aria interpreted them slightly differently which shocked her.


    After a long while, she finally spoke out.


    "Thank you."


    "Don''t mention it," Kai replied coldly as he continued eating. The atmosphere around the table grew softer ever-so-slightly.


    Lunchtime passed quietly as the group finally was brought to the arena where they would have their physical practice lesson. In that ce were countless training machines, known and unknown to the Ascenders. However, the students stood in front of training dolls instead.


    The dolls were made out of an stic yet tough matter that seemed to be very resilient against punches and kicks. It was the perfect target to practice channeling Origin on.


    After a while, Kaya appeared in front of them.


    "Now, everyone. We''re going to start the first practice lesson. Two hours of theoretical studying must''ve made you eager to try what you learned. This is your opportunity to do so." She said as she looked around her.


    "You will punch these dolls to begin with. Don''t underestimate this training as punching using the right amount of Origin is very hard. These dolls here are very special as they can also absorb the punch and then quantify its power before showing it in the form of numbers on the screen on the dolls'' forehead as you can see."


    Everyone naturally looked closer at the dolls'' foreheads and surprisingly, they could see the reflection of a screen that was otherwise hidden before.


    "Now, let me show you an example of how to properly punch."

 Chapter 228 228- Talented Duo

    Chapter 228  228- Talented Duo


    Hearing that Kaya was going to show them how to do it made the Ascenders more excited as they started whispering and talking amongst themselves.Everyone wanted to see what their beautiful teacher was actually capable of. After all, as far they were concerned, Kaya was a nobody, an unknown person they never heard of before.


    After all, from Kaya''s presence alone, she made them feel like they were mere ants and that feeling was something they never experienced before in their lives.


    Positioning herself in front of one of the dolls, Kaya gave the group a strong look that made them gopletely silent. Kai found it truly impressive how fast she was able to take control of the ss.


    Not only did she make them fear her but she also nted a seed of respect in their hearts toward her. That was something that even Kai wasn''t sure if he could do as he had never been a leader before.


    He could only instill fear into people, not respect.


    "Watch carefully. I won''t repeat it." Saying those words, Kaya took a deep breath before she clenched her fist and pulled it back. A few seconds passed as everyone watched how Kaya''s Origin channeled to her fist slowly and quite sluggishly.


    Obviously, Kaya''s control over Origin was astronomically better than this but she made it look hard just so that they would think that she was better than them, but not too good at it either considering the short period of time she had to learn.


    After coating her fist with Origin, she delivered a swift blow to the doll''s stomach. With a loud bang, the doll arched back as it was pushed away before it fell to the ground a few meters away.


    "Woah!" Loud cheers erupted at the show of power and started pping.


    However, Kaya ignored their cheers and approached the doll before she picked it up. On the doll''s forehead, the screen started changing as it showed numbers increasing.


    It went from 0 to 100 quickly before it moved to 200 as fast. The increase was fast as it continued rising till it slowed down around the 900s andpletely halted at 923.


    "923? Not bad I guess." She murmured audibly enough for the students to hear her.


    "Damn! That''s so cool!"


    "Yeah! She made the doll fly! How is that even possible?!"


    Numerous impressed voices erupted. They all never expected to see such a show of power. After all, even amongst the best feats of Origin they had seen in the past few weeks, nothing came close to this.


    That further assured them that Kaya was truly a capable teacher.


    "Now, each one of you, get in front of a doll." She pped her hands, catching their attention again and instructing them on what to do.


    Quickly, everyone scurried around and took one doll with great eagerness.


    "Each one of you will have to at least exceed 500 to be allowed to leave this ss. If you don''t, you''re staying here till you do."


    Students didn''t know how hard it was to get 500 but considering the fact that punching this heavy doll meters away only counted 923, it was certainly not going to be easy.


    But, they still wanted to try. So, at Kaya''s sign, everyone started channeling their Origin and how they learned. Most of them took at least 30 seconds to umte enough energy while others even reached the minute mark before they actuallyunched a punch.


    The sound of fists hitting the tough dolls echoed in the arena. However, among all the Ascenders, not even a single doll was pushed away. Hell, not even a single doll was moved out of its position at all.


    As for the numbers that appeared, they ranged from 200 to 400 at most. The students were shocked.


    "What the hell?! That was my best punch!"


    "Is this doll broken? I''m sure I used enough strength to punch a hole through a brick wall."


    Sounds of confusion echoed in the vast arena.


    "Did you all expect that you will get it on the first try?! Stop dreaming and get back to work! You will only learn how to punch with Origin when you try again and again till your fists bleed!" Kaya''s harsh words woke the students out of their thoughts and made them realize how naive they thought.


    If Kaya had told them that they had to achieve 500 points, how could it be easy?


    So, in a matter of seconds, the students were back at it, channeling their Origin and punching with all their strength. Grunts of pain and determination filled the ce.


    Amidst this chaos, Kai stood silently as he examined the doll with his eyes as if he were trying to understand how it worked. However, in reality, he was simply thinking of how to do this. If he used his real strength, he would probably be able to get 500 by simply pushing the doll with his pinky but he obviously can''t do that.


    ''I need to hurry up so getting high scores is a must. But, I can''t be too obvious about it.'' He thought to himself as he nced to the side where Aria was. She seemed to have the same thought process as he was.


    Without even talking, the two decided on what to do before they started channeling Origin. Then, Kai punched forward, his fist connecting swiftly with the doll''s chest. That was the weakest punch he could do.


    The doll arched back a little before it returned to its position as the counter rose up. A few secondster, his result appeared.


    "456?" He murmured to himself.


    The number was certainly high but it didn''t break the 500 mark which was a good thing. On the other hand, Aria got 450 which was very close to Kai.


    Some students noticed that and they immediately voiced out their shock.


    "Oh, these two got over 450! Look, guys!"


    The information quickly spread across the whole arena as all the students peeked to see whether it was true or not. When they saw it, their shock increased.


    "How did they do it?!"


    "Beat me. These two must be quite talented!"


    "Miss Calia is amazing! Even though she can''t see, she still could do this!"


    Meanwhile, Kai and Aria simply looked around with awkward smiles.


    "Hahah, I didn''t know I would get this number," Kai said with an apologetic tone. His humble response made some people impressed while some others felt like he was simply faking it. That stemmed purely from their jealousy.


    Kaya also noticed it and smiled inwardly.


    ''Even when holding back, you''re still catching attention, my love. Hehe!'' Chuckling, she approached Kai and Aria before she said.


    "Good job, you two. You''re going on the right path. See everyone? You can definitely do it with a little bit of effort. So, give it your best!"


    The students nodded their heads before they immediately resumed their training with even more vigor than before. How can two students exceed them all? That was uneptable.


    ''I also want to be praised by Miss Kaya!'' They thought.


    As for Kai and Aria, they simply continued their training too. With each attempt they did, their number would increase slightly by a few points. It turned out that controlling the points was actually harder than they expected.


    In fact, because they were overwhelmingly strong, Kai and Aria struggled to keep their powers held back. More than once the two almost unleashed more strength than intended which could''ve been disastrous.


    But, for better or worse, no such thing happened and they were able to slowly reach 500 points which took 30 attempts.


    When they did, the sheers of the students erupted as they surrounded them to check the number. Kaya also praised them with a smile.


    "You two did great! Reaching 500 in 30 punches is a record even amongst us teachers."


    Kai rolled his eyes inwardly at Kaya''s acting.


    ''If you want, you can st this doll out of existence with a mere finger flick.'' He said to himself.


    "Well, since you reached today''s goal, you two can leave early." She said.


    So, Kai and Aria were excused under the jealous looks of the other students. They left the building and headed back to the apartement.


    "We need to buy some groceries first," Kai said as he pulled Aria''s hand gently.


    "Mmm, ok."


    So, the two changed their destination and headed to the supermarket. It took them around an hour to finish shopping during which, Kai found Aria lingering in the sweets aisle.


    ''She has a sweet tooth.'' He recalled how she loved to eat candy when they were kids. She also loved the pastry he baked.


    One of her favorite snacks was sour candies which she always carried along with her wherever she went.


    "Just pick it up," Kai said with a cold tone as he continued picking up the stuff he needed.


    "Is¡­ that ok?"


    "I won''t repeat a second time."


    Aria nodded her head before she hesitantly took the candy and put it in the bag.


    "Thank¡­ you¡­" She whispered under her breath.

 Chapter 229 229- Ophanim (Part 1)

    Chapter 229  229- Ophanim (Part 1)


    With that, a few weeks passed rather quickly. During that time, Kai and Aria attended the sses inside Divinity''s HQ daily with only a two-day break during which students had to recover and do homework for the next week.


    The intensity of the training and lessons kept increasing quickly every day as Ascenders found themselves being challenged on all fronts. On the theoretical side, they learned about Origin, how it was discovered, and how to actually avoid self-destruction when using it.


    However, the lesson didn''t simply stop there, Kaya also continued teaching them normal subjects that they study normally in school since it was needed for their career in Divinity even if it wasn''t the most important.


    On the practice side, though, it was a whole different league. The Ascenders had to train every day, getting to learn how to control Origin, their talents, and how to efficiently use them inbat. By the time the day ends, most of them can''t even properly walk.


    Kaya was very strict and unforgiving when someone cked off. That made everyone fear her even more and push themselves to their limits just so that they wouldn''t get her cold re


    Most of the Ascenders found themselves under immense pressure because of it but with sheer determination and hard work, they were able to keep up, somehow.


    With that, days passed and the improvement in the ascenders grew more and more noticeable. They went fromplete newbies to individuals who could put up a fight for a few minutes against each other and deliver stronger punches in fast times.


    Meanwhile, what many didn''t know was happening in secret in the biggest high school in the capital was that Divinity was turning it into the next academy where every Ascender would able to study properly. Their sses inside the HQ were temporary before the announcement.


    And when the actual announcement happened, the whole world was taken by uproar because of it. People flooded the capital to check this new academy.


    Apart from interior changes, the school still looked the same from the outside since it was already a prestigious school for the rich upper echelons of society.


    Many debated whether it was a good idea to integrate Origin into the curriculum and general atmosphere of a school. Since it was still basically something new and foreign, concerned parents felt like this kind of normalization of Origin could be lethal to their children.


    However, after much exnation from Divinity and a sprinkle of smart propaganda, they were able to convince most parents of the safety of this n.


    With that, and exactly 3 weeks from the start of their sses, the Academy finally opened its gates for the students.


    ***


    On the morning of the opening ceremony, Kai woke up as usual and made breakfast for him and Aria. After living together for a month now, the awkward atmosphere between them lessened noticeably.


    Granted, Kai still hated her and had no intention of forgiving her for what she did but he at least learned to ignore that hatred and focus on his goal. He started treating her better since he needed her to be ready for anything that could happen.


    As for Aria, she was simply d that Kai didn''t give her that disgusted cold look that he always did. Every time he looked at her that way, she felt as if a thousand knives were stabbing her chest. That look was one of the reasons why she hid away from him for all these years in the first ce.


    She feared that look more than anything else and when they met again after that time, it still hurt. Perhaps even more than before.


    But, fate chose to change the certain to the uncertain, and now, she was seeing Kai being softer toward her. Granted, he didn''tpletely lose the hateful look but it was way less noticeable now.


    After breakfast, the two left the house and headed to the academy. The two wore new school uniforms that they got a few days ago. The uniform was blue in color with ck strips that gave it a sophisticated and beautiful look.


    It was perfectly tailored to their sizes which Divinity probably got during their tests.


    On their way, they saw many other students from their batch and from different batches heading in the same direction. After one month, most of them made new friends and acquaintances.


    Kai and Aria did get to know some students who were friendly enough to talk to them. But, they wouldn''t go as far as to call them friends. Neither of them had any intentions of befriending anyone in that ce.


    "So many people¡­" Aria murmured as she instinctively clenched Kai''s hand tighter. Thetter looked down at her for a second before he smiled and patted her head. "Don''t worry, Calia. They aren''t looking at you." He said.


    Although he was acting in Jack''s persona, his words were still carrying the same meaning as his true self.


    ''Keep yourself together, Aria.'' He said to her through his eyes.


    Although he knew that she had some kind of phobia toward people in general. However, Kai had told her to simply ignore them whenever she felt her anxiety hitting in.


    Entering the school, the two looked around curiously. The school was gigantic, with multiple blocks dedicated to different activities and sses. There were multiple training arenas, more luxurious facilities for the students, and even a massive dormitory that could easily take in every student in the school.


    Kai would be lying if he said he wasn''t impressed by this ce even though this wasn''t the first time he had seen it.


    Divinity had gone far and beyond to make this ce the heaven for those who seek to learn Origin and its secrets.


    After looking around for a while, the two walked inside the school and headed to their sses where they waited for Kaya to arrive.


    When the bell rang, Kaya entered. However, they didn''t start studying as usual and instead, she told all the students to stand in queue and head toward the auditorium.


    The Opening Ceremony was going to be the first thing done just like a normal new school year. The Headmaster of the school will give a speech to all the students. However, this is where Kai was rather curious.


    Who was going to be the headmaster of the school? He had researched into this and even asked Kaya but she also didn''t know. In fact, nobody knew who was going to take that roll.


    What Kai was certain of, however, was that this person wasn''t going to be normal. Why would Divinity put a normal individual in that highly sensitive position? They weren''t that dumb.


    So, while most students were simply bored out of their minds, Kai was focusedpletely on the stage in the auditorium. As the ce was getting swarmed with students, the light finally went off as a highlight focused on the stage where the microphone was.


    The whispers of the students naturally died down and looked in the same direction, waiting to see who this Headmaster was. Eventually, the sound of high heels echoed in the room as a woman appeared on stage.


    The moment Kai saw her, his eyes widened slightly and his breath halted for a second.


    ''What is she¡­ Wait, she''s the headmistress?'' Kai was confused and quite frankly in disbelief.


    The woman who appeared on stage was the same woman he met a few weeks ago and still sees every day whenever he leaves the apartement. Thendlord, Ethia.


    But, what shocked Kai wasn''t her identity alone, but thepleteck of an aura around her. Or in other words, Ethia wasn''t even an Origin User as far as Kai could see.


    ''Why would they choose someone like her as the headmistress? What does she have to do with Divinity? I thought that she wasn''t even aware of what was going on?'' A million questions popped into Kai''s head.


    Instinctively, he looked for Kaya in the crowd and when he found her, he noticed the same subtle surprised expression on her face that he had which further proved that even she didn''t expect this.


    "What is happening? Why is she here?" Aria asked. Even though she couldn''t see her, Aria could easily notice Ethia''s looming effect on the auditorium.


    "I do not know. But, there is certainly something fishy about this." He murmured in response.


    Who thought a seemingly inconspicuousdy like her would turn out to be hiding a secret like this one?


    As Kai was thinking of the matter, Ethia had already captured everyone''s attention with her sensual beauty. She didn''t have to make any exaggerated moves or show any abnormal behavior topletely put everyone under her charming spell.


    Even Kai could feel the effect on him but he could easily resist it. However, for someone like him who was never affected by the charms of women, this was certainly something worth noting.

 Chapter 230 230- Ophanim (Part 2)

    Chapter 230  230- Ophanim (Part 2)


    Taking in the scene around her, Ethia smiled before she began.


    "Wee everyone and good morning. My name is Ethia BloodCurl and I shall be your headmistress for the foreseeable future. On this great day, I''m honored to be standing here in front of you, announcing the start of perhaps the biggest change in human history." She said in clear, precise words.


    Kai could see that her speech abilities were amazing purely from the few words she just said. However, Kai is just too upied with Ethia''s true identity to care much about what she says.


    "This academy has been the dream of Divinity ever since it was founded. We have been seeking to change the world and Origin has given us that opportunity. I''m d to say that we were able to sessfullyy the foundation for such an ambitious dream in the form of the first-ever Origin Academy in the world."


    The students started pping and cheering when they heard those words. Their assumptions that this speech was going to be boring and nd were thrown out of the window. Now, everyone was listening curiously.


    "We''re all here today to celebrate that beginning. However, the celebration can''tst long as the time to work hard is here. We''re on the steps of something greater so we must be up to the challenge. I, myself, shall work hard to make sure this academy will be the safe haven where you can hone your powers without worrying about anything else."


    The more Ethia spoke, the more the students felt excited and absorbed in her words. She was, after all, telling them what they wanted to hear.


    What proceeded next was a colorful speech thatpletely took everyone by surprise but also deeply touched them. Ethia was able to easily be a respectable figure in their eyes with a simple few words spoken. That kind of effect was highly surprising even for someone like Kaya who believed she was also a good speaker.


    Eventually, the speech ended and everyone stood up to cheer for Ethia. Even Kai and Aria stood up too since they didn''t want to stand out.


    However, that didn''t mean that they also believed what she saidpletely. Ethia now turned from a normal and nicendy to an absolutely suspicious individual that Kai needed to seriously investigate.


    Kai also needed to leave that apartement, however, since he had just recently moved in, he knew that Ethia would find it odd if they left immediately. So, he had to somehow find a way to leave without making it obvious.


    ''Tsk, it''s always with the bad luck.'' He thought to himself with a sigh.


    After the speech, the ceremony officially ended and the students were allowed to disperse and go back to their sses.


    Kai and Aria also went back without doing anything. Neither of them spoke about the matter since they weren''t in a good ce for that.


    Kai also didn''t try to get in contact with Kaya yet. He was certain that she would ask around for the true identity of Ethia and tell him the whole story.


    So, even though Kai was still rather worried, he simply spent the rest of the day as usual. The sole change that happened was that they were now in an actual school rather than one of the floors of Divinity.


    By the end of the day, Kai was finally able to find some time to meet Kaya with Aria. The two went to her office which was in the same building. Everyone had already left so it was very quiet at the time.


    Entering inside, the office was rather spacious, cozy, and very organized. Kaya was sitting behind her desk, sipping a hot cup of coffee. When she saw Kai, her eyes lit up.


    "Darling, you''re finally here!" Standing up, she approached him and gave him a hug. Kai hugged her back gently before he pulled away.


    "Good evening, Aria."


    "Good evening."


    "We need to talk about that woman." He said as he sat down on afy chair with Aria next to him.


    "Yeah, I know that. I was also quite shocked when I saw her there. I didn''t even know that she was thendy of your building. My deepest apologies."


    "Don''t worry about it. I didn''t sense any Origin from her either so I never suspected her in the first ce." Kai replied.


    The fact that Ethiacked any form of Origin truly made Kai even more confused. Why would she be chosen as the headmistress?


    However, Kaya surprisingly shook her head in response.


    "No, she most definitely is an Origin User."


    "..." Kai was taken aback by her words. "That''s impossible. She can''t be an Origin User."


    Kai had made sure to try and sense her aura but he found nothing. Even those who suppress their auras would leave traces behind that Kai always picks up on. However, Ethia didn''t leave any such traces at all.


    "That''s what I thought at first as well. But, when I researched who that person was. It made sense to me." She said as she walked behind the desk and pulled out a file before she handed it to Kai.


    Thetter looked at her confusedly as if he didn''t understand why she didn''t simply reveal her identity.


    "Just read it."


    Kai sighed before he opened the file and started reading the content in it. Seconds passed quietly in the office as Aria and Kaya waited for him to finish.


    By the time he closed the file, Kai''s expression turned deeply sour as he stared at Kaya again.


    "Are you certain of this, Kaya?"


    Thetter nodded her head with a serious look. "Yes, 100%. That''s why I''m more concerned now."


    ''This is way worse than I expected. Dammit!'' Cursing inwardly, Kai took a deep breath before he started thinking of how to solve this problem.


    "Who is she, Kai?" Aria asked.


    Her question woke him up from his thoughts. But, instead of answering her question, he grabbed her hand gently and then started moving his index finger on the palm of her hand. Aria was confused at first but she quickly understood what he was trying to do and focused carefully on his finger gestures.


    By the time he finished, Aria''s expression changed too.


    "Oh no. This is a problem." She murmured in response.


    "Most certainly is. But, we can''t really do much now. It was an unexpected turn of events that even I couldn''t anticipate." Kaya replied as she sipped her coffee.


    "But, what if she already predicted everything? Or, perhaps she was sent by¡­" Aria replied with a nervous tone. She already thought of the worst-case scenario which would instantly destroy their n.


    ''If that man predicted that we''re gonna infiltrate this ce then it''s all gone down the drain.'' Aria thought to herself.


    "No, that is impossible." Kai, however, denied that possibility before Aria''s mind could go any further.


    ''There is no way that could be the case. Unless that man has eyes everywhere, he could''ve not predicted that we''re gonna be here and then deploy someone like her to keep an eye on us. She also didn''t seem to do anything suspicious throughout the whole speech.'' He determined with ease.


    However, that by no means meant that Kai totally believed that his n was still going to be a smooth sail now that Ethia was present in the equation. He will have to adjust to the situation or even use it to his advantage if he can.


    ''Hmm, maybe I can do something different. Instead of running away or trying to hide.'' Thinking about it silently, his thoughts were cut but Kaya''s voice.


    "So, what''re we supposed to do?" She asked.


    "Let''s stay passive for now. Unless she does anything suspicious, it''s still highly likely that she didn''t notice anything suspicious."


    "I see. Well, that''s better than rushing to do something urgently." Kaya said with a smile.


    After chatting for a while, Kai and Aria finally bid Kaya farewell and left her office, heading home.


    "Kai¡­" Aria spoke.


    "We will talkter. Now return to your persona." He said with a hidden mysterious look.


    "Ok." Aria nodded her head.


    A few minutester, the two reached their destination where they walked inside using the keys they received. The lounge on the first floor was as empty as ever. Except for one or two people that Kai and Aria coincidentally met when they left their apartement in the morning, this apartementplex was rather empty.


    It made Kai slightly suspicious but he didn''t find any reason to try and look into it. Perhaps he simply ended up in a ce where people liked to live quietly.


    Walking into the elevator, the door was about to close. However, at that moment, out of nowhere, a hand stopped the door from closing which made it open again.


    "Fufufu, I''m lucky to reach it in time." Ethia appeared in front of them with her charming smile as she walked inside the elevator.


    Slowly, the door of the elevator closed on the trio slowly.

 Chapter 231 231- String Of Fate

    Chapter 231  231- String Of Fate


    As the sound of ringing echoed inside the closed, almost ustrophobic elevator, Kai and Aria knew that they were now in a very sticky situation.


    The person they wanted to meet the least was now with them inside the elevator, smiling as always as she hummed a small song of hers.


    "I never knew you were the headmistress, Ethia." Kai suddenly broke the silence as he spoke with a calm smile.


    He knew that he couldn''t simply stay silent now since they ended up meeting her right after school. Instead, he decided to try and shift the dynamic and give himself a push. After all, he was still undercover as far as he knew.


    "Fufufufu, My apologies for not telling you, guys. I had to keep it a secret for, you know, safety reasons." Ethia replied with a small chuckle.


    "Oh, why is that? Is it dangerous to reveal that information?" Kai pushed more with another seemingly innocent question. He was ying on the fact that he was apletely naive and clueless boy.


    "Of course, working on such an ambitious project poses a threat to us. We need to stride carefully unless we want to end up threatening our workers and scientists."


    Ethia''s reply made Kai nod his head. However, in his head, he already knew that Ethia was lying, and quite tantly at that. First of all, from what he saw in that file, Ethia would probably never need to hide her identity at all.


    Second of all, even if it was indeed for safety reasons, that doesn''t exin her hidden identity as Ethia, thendy who waspletely clueless about Origin. Divinity wasn''t some underground operatingpany anymore, it was a full-fledgedpany that worked under thews of the world.


    Which means that Ethia was simply saying something that Divinity wanted her to say. Or even worse¡­ Something that Kai''s father wanted her to say.


    ''She''s most certainly lying about that too.'' He thought to himself.


    "We''re d to see that you''re working hard, Ethia." Aria took the chance to speak to Ethia.


    "Fufufufu, thank you, Calia. I will definitely do my best for my dear students. Especially you two, after all, you''re also my renters now." She chuckled. "By the way, what ss did you end up in?"


    "ss B, why?"


    "Oh, ss B? That''s a pretty good one. I will make sure to see if I can help you two. Consider it my special treatment, fufufufu!" She said.


    Although Kai couldn''t notice any suspicious intentions behind her words, it still worked to make him even more wary of Ethia. She was just too shrouded in mystery for him o simply take all her words at face value.


    "No need for that. We want to try our best to be stronger!" Kai replied with a determined look.


    "Yes, I agree with Jack! We want to try our best on our own." Aria backed him on his small act.


    "Ohoh?"


    After all, she was one of the first few that tricked him without even trying. The fact that she was an Origin User was still a shock to him.


    Coincidentally, the door of the elevator finally opened on the floor that Ethia chose.


    "Well, I need to go now. Let''s talkter, ok?"


    "Sure. Have a nice evening, Ethia."


    After bidding her farewell, Kai and Aria continued their trip to their floor in pure silence.


    Entering inside the apartement, they finally rxed a little.


    "She doesn''t seem to suspect us," Aria said after a while.


    "She doesn''t. Well, that''s at least what I could see." Kai said with a serious tone.


    At this point, he was suspecting the first impression he had on Ethia. Even things like his amazing ability to read people were now something he wasn''t certain of.


    "Well, in any case, we''re still safe and that''s the optimal situation. Whatever happens next isn''t important now." He added.


    "Yes, I understand."


    ***


    A few hours passed quietly as Kai and Aria went on with their normal day. They didn''t talk more about Ethia since this matter wasn''t the most urgent one yet. They now had to focus on rising in ranks as fast as they could.


    Kai also wanted to hurry up with his ns to do some research on the Progenitor Arsenal. The archeological sights that were discovered which needed some time since he required permission to visit these ces.


    But, for better or worse, everything was still on track. Granted, there were some problems along the way but Kai was able to somehow keep everything as it should be.


    Around 9 p.m., Kai was about to head to bed. But, before she could go to bed, Kai decided to do some searching inside her room.


    After their meeting with Ethia today, he scoured the whole apartement for any cameras, microphones, or any suspicious objects just in case. It didn''t take him long to do it but he didn''t do every room. The only one left was Aria''s room which he decided to checkter on since he didn''t want to barge into her room without asking her.


    "Please go ahead. I don''t mind." Was Aria''s answer so Kai simply entered her room along with Aria who seemed rather fidgety for some reason.


    The interior of the room was simple and organized, a clear mirror of Aria''s personality. She had a simple bed, a small bureau with herptop on it along with multiple books that varied from philosophical to music books.


    There were no decorations on the wall or anything that someone would consider ''feminine'' in the room except perhaps for the soft smell of Aria lingering inside of the room.


    "Did you notice anything odd recently?" Kai asked as he spread his senses across the whole room while he started walking and looking around.


    "No. I don''t think so." She replied.


    "Hmm¡­" Kai continued searching in silence.


    He checked under the bed, near the window, and under the floorboards. Thest thing he left was the desk which was the most obvious ce to hide something like the one he was searching for.


    Kai wanted to look everywhere unexpected first before going to the obvious. Luckily or not, he didn''t find anything where he searched so he finally headed to the desk before he started looking around. He also asked Aria''s permission to check herptop in case there was a suspicious file installed there.


    After that, he started checking the books on her shelf. Opening them one after the other, he was already starting to give up on the idea that there could be any hidden spying items.


    However, at thest book which was in the corner of the shelf, when he started flipping through it, something fell off from one of the pages.


    Looking down, Kai squinted as he picked up what seemed to be a picture. On it, there were two small children, a boy and a girl. Both of them were incredibly cute. The girl was smiling happily as she hugged the boy from the side while the boy had a stoic look on his face that hid a rather happy feeling in his eyes.


    Both kids were sitting in a beautiful garden, surrounded by nature.


    "This picture¡­" Kai murmured with a rather shocked expression. He does remember this picture even though it''s old.


    It was the one that Aria took when they were outside enjoying the sun. At the time, she insisted on doing it since she wanted a small memory of their time. Kai retorted at the time that she couldn''t even see it.


    "Hey! I can feel the picture! As a punishment, you won''t get one. It will only be for me! Hmph!" She replied and that''s how she ended up taking the picture and keeping it.


    Aria, who was on the side, realized what Kai found and quickly rushed toward him before she took the pic.


    "I''m really sorry. I¡­ I kept that picture there so that I don''t lose it. I didn''t think you would find it." She said with an embarrassed expression.


    "..." Kai waspletely speechless. He never expected that Aria would keep such a picture for all these years.


    "Why¡­ did you keep it?"


    "It''s¡­ It''s my precious picture. I know it''s selfish, but can I please keep it? I love this picture so much." She said honestly.


    This was one of the very few things she had left from her time with Kai. She would always pull this photo out and look at it every night, tracing it with her fingers. Even if she can''t see it, she can still feel it. She still can feel the memories within it.


    She loved that picture so much that it was actually one of the main reasons why she didn''t just end her life during that time.


    She just felt that this picture still connected her with Kai. Even after what happened and what will happen, she was certain that this picture was proof that the two of them were at some point in time, each other''s most precious person.


    That picture was their red string of fate that was almostpletely severed.

 Chapter 232 232- Childhood Day (Part 1)

    Chapter 232  232- Childhood Day (Part 1)


    Kai stood there silently for a while as he stared at Aria with aplicated gaze. He didn''t know what to do at that moment at all.


    Was he supposed to get angry? Was he supposed to take that picture from her and destroy it or was he supposed to simply let her keep it since it had been in her possession this whole time even before they grew apart? It was such an alien situation for him.


    Aria, on the other hand, was panicking inwardly. She was cursing herself for allowing Kai to find that picture while also fearful of what he would do. That picture was supposed to be something hepletely forgot existed.


    In a sense, she hid the fact that she still owned something from that time with her Kai and that could be considered a form of lying. Perhaps Kai all the hard work Aria had put into trying to fix their rtionship was nowpletely ruined.


    However, shockingly enough, Kai did nothing of what she expected. Instead, he simply walked toward the door before he turned around.


    "Just keep an eye out for any suspicious urrences." He said and then left the room, leaving Aria even more bbergasted than ever before.


    He didn''t seem to change his tone when he spoke to her so that at least meant that he wasn''t angry. But, at the same time, he didn''t show any particr reaction on his face which also meant that Aria couldn''t determine what went through his mind.


    "... What am I supposed to do?" Aria murmured to herself before shey down on the bed. Then, she lifted the picture up in the air as if she was taking a look at it.


    All the memories of that day came back to her. After all, ironically enough, that was thest day they met before Aria disappeared for a very long time without telling Kai a single word.


    ***


    *11 Years Ago*


    "And bam! I punched my trainer in the stomach, which made him almost throw up! Hahaha!" Aria said excitedly as she made exaggerated movements with her hand.


    "Did you grow stronger than him?" Kai asked as he adjusted Aria''s position on hisp. Because of her frantic movements, she almost lost her bnce while sitting that close to him. For a long while, Kai''sp became Aria''s favorite ce to sit down even when they were reading a book together.


    "Of course! My trainer said that I was a freak of nature! Hahaha! Isn''t he exaggerating?" She asked with a pouty face.


    "I doubt he was. In the eyes of normal Origin Users, you''re extremely talented." Kai replied as he patted her head gently to appease her. This affectionate gesture of his was now basically the norm between the two of them.


    "Hey! Are you with them or with me, Kai?! We promised each other to always support each other so it''s only right that you agree with me." Aria hugged him tightly as sheined. Her words, as bratty as they sounded, were simply her way of joking around.


    "I did say that. But, you seem to forget that you aren''t as weak as a normal kid our age. Neither am I." He said.


    Both of them were at the peak of the world when it came to talent which was the main reason why they even got along this well. They understood each other''s struggle. Being strong was a blessing as much as it was a curse and these two experienced that first hand.


    In that regard, the two of thempletely found their sce in each other.


    "I know that¡­ But still¡­ Why can''t they treat us like they would treat a normal kid, Kai? Are we really that different?" She asked with a fearful tone. Her arms wrapped tighter around his neck.


    "... People hate those who are different. Whether it was jealousy or fear, they never want to ept us because we aren''t like them."


    "But, that''s unfair. We didn''t ask to be born this way. What did we do wrong?" Aria eximed as she pulled away and looked at Kai closely.


    "Nothing¡­ Absolutely nothing."


    "Then¡­"


    "We don''t need those people, Aria. We have each other, don''t we? If this world doesn''t want to ept us then we won''t ept it either. We only need each other in this world, that''s what matters." Kai replied honestly.


    ''To hell with what they say.'' He mused to himself.


    He was already sick of these people and their desire to use him. Everyone around him, including his father, only wanted him to be their tool of destruction. They didn''t see him as a human at all.


    Kai gave up on the idea of being free or finding his own purpose in life long ago. But, when he met Aria, everything changed. She became his happiness, his hope, and his goal. She was everything for him and more. Aria was good enough of a reason for Kai to fight this whole entire world and win.


    As long as she was next to him, he didn''t care for anyone and didn''t want anyone to care for him except for her. He just wanted her to look at him and him alone.


    As much as he was certain that she was everything he needed, he was also certain that he was everything she needed.


    Aria seemed to feel that from him and it made her warm smile bloom again as she hugged him.


    "Mm, let''s stay together forever, Kai. I love you so much!" She expressed her feelings without any hesitance.


    "... Me too. I love you too." Kai replied in a whisper.


    As the two hugged each other, the chirping of the birds woke them up from their sweet moment and made them realize that morning had alreadye. Looking at the table in front of him, Kai realized that they had read almost an entire book throughout the night.


    He didn''t feel the passage of time at all during their conversation. In fact, he didn''t feel the passage of time at all ever since he met Aria. He was most certainly addicted to this odd girl. Far more than he could ever admit.


    "We need to make breakfast and then sleep." He said as he picked up Aria in his hands.


    "Yay! Breakfast! But I don''t want to sleep! I''m not feeling tired at all!" She protested.


    "No, you have to sleep so that you don''t get sick."


    "But I want to spend more time with Kai!"


    "I will be there beside you so you won''t worry. I''m not going anywhere." He replied as he put her down on the chair in the kitchen before he approached the counter and started preparing a quick breakfast.


    Looking up, he took a peek from the window. Outside was a vast and beautiful expanse of forest that stretched as far as the eye could see. It was apletely different sight than the one back at the temple and the reason for that was the fact that Kai and Aria weren''t in the temple but in a faraway ce.


    The reason for that was simple¡­ They snuck away and came here to spend some time alone. That was certainly a risky thing to do considering how strict Kai''s father was but he didn''t care at all. He was certain that he would never be found out since he made sure to delete any traces he left behind out of existence.


    With some work, they were able to build a small wooden house in this forest and they spent time here, together, away from other people and their ignorance.


    It has been almost a month since the two of them ran away and it was by far the happiest month of Kai''s life, no doubt. He loved every moment here with Aria. They read together, trained together, slept together, and ate together. They were inseparable the whole day and during the night.


    Aria also felt the same way and she seemed way happier than ever before.


    The two of them seriously consider spending the rest of their lives here. But, they knew that was simply wishful thinking since they were still young and they needed to be in contact with civilization or it would create more problems.


    So, Kai was nning for them to move to a small city where they could live like normal people but still away from their previous lives. It wasn''t a far-fetched idea considering his ability to conceal his identity.


    "What do you want for breakfast?"


    "Cereal!!"


    "Hmm, you don''t want a jam sandwich?"


    "No! Cereal is great!"


    "Ok."


    Doing what his spoiled princess wanted, Kai gave her the bowl of cereal and sat down, sipping on a cup of coffee. The aroma of the drink was certainly great and it fit Kai''s taste greatly.


    "Hey! Can I take a sip from your coffee?"


    "It''s not sweet." He replied.


    "I can handle a bitter coffee. I can be an adult like you too."


    "You won''t like but ok, suit yourself." Giving her the coffee, Aria took a sip before she suddenly spat out the whole mouthful.


    "Blurgh! Bitter! How can you drink this?"


    "Hahaha, I told you." Kai chuckled briefly as he took the cup again.


    "Hey! Don''tugh!"

 Chapter 233 233- Childhood Day (Part 2)

    Chapter 233  233- Childhood Day (Part 2)


    Kai and Aria continued their breakfast as they chatted idly about random topics. Somehow, even after one month had passed, they still found themselves as eager to talk to each other if not even more eager than before.


    Their stories and anecdotes never ended, especially Aria''s stories which she had tons of. She loved telling them to Kai and getting his reaction. Most of them were rted to her life before she met him, how she had to spend her time training brutally, and that she only found sce in the piano she had in her room.


    She never found the opportunity to y the piano for Kai but she was very much determined to y it for him and that opportunity came when they finally ran away to this forest where Kai was able to buy a piano for her.


    After that, she was able to freely y the piano for him and Kai loved to listen to her notes as he rxed. It was so beautiful and heavenly that he could only be impressed at it. Aria was a genius when it came to music, no doubt about it.


    Especially her voice which was akin to an angelical melody. She could easily sway emotions using her voice and invoke emotions even in the coldest hearts. Let alone Kai who adored Aria greatly, every song she performed to him was akin to an emotional rollercoaster for him.


    ''Does she perhaps want to pursue music as a career?'' Kai thought to himself as he sipped his coffee while staring at Aria who carefreely enjoyed her cereal while humming happily.


    Kai had already nned for their future so far ahead and put into consideration every variable possible he could think of. If everything worked perfectly, they would be able to move to a quiet city, live together and finish their studies, perhaps get normal jobs, and then get married, have kids, and grow old together.


    Just thinking about it, Kai felt his heart beating faster and a mysterious feeling filling his heart. But, he knew that he couldn''t just be too optimistic since Aria also had her desires and goals that he didn''t want to stop because he simply wanted to have a quiet life with her. One of those potential goals was a music career.


    He already knew that Aria wanted to dive deeper into the world of music and Kai wasn''t against it at all since he wanted to see Aria achieve her dreams while he supported her from the shadows.


    For him, her goals are his and her desires are his, so whatever she does, he would feel happy as much as she does. As for him, he really had no such great ambitions like music so he simply decided to be the pir that Aria could rely on whenever she needed it.


    ''I will make all her dreamse true.'' He thought to himself.


    "Kai?" Hearing his beloved''s voice, he looked up from his coffee and smiled slightly.


    "Did you finish?"


    "Yes! Thanks for the meal!"


    "Good. Now, time to sleep."


    "Ok!"


    Kai stood up and picked up the dishes before he quickly washed them and then returned to Aria who still sitting on her chair, not moving.


    "What''s wrong? Come on, time to sleep." He said.


    "Mm¡­ I have one thing I didn''t tell you about, Kai." Aria fidgeted as she spoke with hesitance.


    "What is it?" Kai raised an eyebrow in confusion as he crouched down to listen to Aria from up close.


    "Mmm, you did say before that I shouldn''t carelessly use the inte, right?" She said.


    "Yes, I did. Why are you mentioning that?"


    Since their house was in the heart of the forest, they were far away from any service. So, to fix that problem, Kai simply tweaked their devices so that their range of connection would expand thousands of times.


    That invention took a lot of work from him but it was still very much wed. Because of such expansion, the security of theirwork isn''t as tightly sealed as he would normally like it to be. Kai knew that his father was probably still searching for them so Kai had to make sure they didn''t use the inte carelessly or they could be found.


    "Well¡­ I actually bought something from the inte a few days ago."


    "... You did?" Kai was confused as to when and how she did it.


    "Yes, actually, when we visited the city a few days ago to buy groceries, I was able to receive it. But, I didn''t want to tell you since I wanted it to be a surprise."


    "Aria¡­"


    "I''m sorry! I just couldn''t stop myself! I wanted it so much!" She started making excuses.


    "Sigh, what is this thing?" Kai asked as he facepalmed gently.


    He still didn''t get angry since he still wanted to see for himself what this thing was. But, he was certain that Aria wasn''t running away from some scolding for her dumb idea.


    "Wait a second." Saying that, Aria stood up and slowly walked toward her bag which was in her room. Kai carefully walked beside her as he helped her whenever she was going to hit a wall or a piece of furniture.


    "This is it!" Pulling out a small object, Kai blinked in confusion.


    "A camera?"


    "Not any camera! It''s an instant camera!"


    "An instant camera? That''s what you wanted?"


    "Yeah! I mean, think about it. In the future, since we will be together forever I just wanted to capture these memories we will create."


    "..."


    "Is it¡­ a bad idea?"


    "Sigh." Without responding, Kai gently grabbed Aria''s face before he squeezed her cheeks.


    "Wa¡­" The girl tried to speak but Kai didn''t let her.


    "That was reckless, Aria. We could''ve been found because of that."


    Aria looked down with a sad expression. But, Kai''s next words gave her great hope.


    "But, since nothing happened. I will forgive you as long as you promise that you won''t do this again without telling me, okay?" He said.


    "Mmm¡­ I won''t. Thank, hick, you¡­ I love you, Kai!" Jumping into his arms, Kai hugged her back with a small, rxed smile.


    ''I really can''t get angry with her.'' He thought to himself.


    So, as he patted her on the head, he used his other hand to wipe her tears.


    "Well, since you bought it, let''s take a picture with it. What do you think?"


    "Yes!"


    "Good, so stop crying." He said.


    "Mmm¡­"


    After that, the two of them exited the house. The beauty of the nature around them was a perfect ce to take a picture together. The green grass and luscious forest, the beautiful sun casting its light on the world, and the chirping of the birds. This was heaven, untouched by human hands.


    The two of them chose a good ce to sit down before he set down the camera on the other side facing them.


    "Smile, Kai!" Aria said before a light shed and the camera captured the moment.


    After that, Kai picked it up and waited for the picture to be produced. When it came out, he took a look at it.


    "So! What does it look like?" Aria asked.


    "Hmm, it''s¡­ Well, I guess it''s not bad." He said.


    The picture was certainly visible and Kai could even considered to be nice. But, the fact that Aria couldn''t see it made him feel a stinging pain in his heart. From time to time, he thinks about the fact that Aria never saw his face before.


    Although he knew that their love for each other transcends mere visuals like appearance and looks. But, he still would want her to actually stare into his eyes and see him just like how he sees her.


    "Kai?"


    Aria seemed to notice the shift in his emotions which made her call for his name concernedly.


    "Hm? Oh, it''s nothing. Well, here, you can keep it for now." He said as he gave her the picture.


    Aria received it with aplicated expression before she grabbed Kai''s hand.


    "Is it because¡­ I can''t see the picture?" She asked.


    "... Huh? N-"


    "Please don''t hide it. I know. You''re ming yourself for thinking that it''s unfortunate for me not to see you. But, don''t think that way, Kai. Just feeling your warmth and touch is already more than enough for me. I don''t see you, but I can feel you and that''s more important to me than anything else."


    Hearing her words, Kai realized that Aria was most likely even more eager to see his face. He never considered her feelings in this matter and how much she felt sad that she could and possibly would never be able to see his face in her life.


    He wasn''t the only one who thought about it. Aria most likely thought about it even more than him.


    "While it may remain unachieved, I still have hope that one day¡­ Perhaps sooner than we expect I might be able to open my eyes and see you. One day, I''m sure I will be able to put down this red cloth that you gave me and look at you." Aria dered.

 Chapter 234 234- Devouts (Part 1)

    Chapter 234  234- Devouts (Part 1)


    Kai nodded his head at Aria''s words before he pulled her into a hug. "I''m sorry for thinking that way. I was¡­"


    Before he could finish his words, Aria put her finger on his lips, silencing him. "Don''t worry about it. We both just misunderstood each other. You''re the person that cares about me the most in the world and the same goes for me. So, no matter what happens, we both know the truth."


    Even though the two of them did indeed understand each other greatly. Such asions where they have small misunderstandings are bound to happen. But, since the two of them were able to talk about it and clear it, no problem arose from it.


    The young couple stayed in each other''s embrace for a very long time before they finally pulled away and headed back inside their house.


    "Now, we need to sleep, seriously," Kai said sternly.


    "Ok, I understand!"


    So, with that in mind, Kai and Aria got in bed. The boy made sure the girl was in afortable position before hey beside her and simply stared at her. The two were very much in contact with each other, cuddling in bed. Time passed as the two simply enjoyed their time, Kai''s eyes slowly closed as he started to drift to sleep.


    "Hey, Kai¡­ Are you still awake?"


    "Hm?" His eyes opened again as he stared at Aria.


    "For how long do you think we can stay here, Kai?"


    "Why the sudden question?" He asked with a sigh as he patted her head.


    "Just¡­ curious."


    "Curious, huh? Well, it won''t certainly be forever. Perhaps by the start of next year, we will move to a nearby city."


    "Is that so¡­ I will truly miss this ce when that timees." She murmured in response as she leaked a small sigh.


    "We won''t be gone forever from this ce. We cane here whenever we want. It''s not that hard."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah, I enjoy the quietness of this ce too."


    Kai loved his time here with Aria more than anything else before so he also didn''t want to leave it. But, for the sake of their future, they had to. Life wasn''t easy enough to let them do what they wanted without consequences. Perhaps in the distant future, they will be able toe back here and live a quiet life but for now, that wasn''t possible and sustainable.


    "We still have each other. So that makes me happy, hehehe¡­" Hugging her beloved tighter, Aria buried her face into his chest and inhaled his smell before she went quiet, clearly dozing off.


    Kai watched her for a while before he also hugged her and closed his eyes. Slowly, the darkness of the dreamworld swallowed his consciousness. Perhaps never spouting out ever again.


    ***


    A few hourster, as Kai was still asleep, Aria''s body suddenly started moving as she detached herself from Kai and slowly descended from bed. Her usually happy-go-lucky expression was nowhere to be seen. She instead had a stoic expression that would shock Kai if he saw it.


    However, since he was still asleep, he waspletely oblivious to that.


    Aria turned around as if she was looking at Kai before she walked toward her bag and pulled out her phone. On it, she opened her chatting app and sent a message to a particr person.


    [What did you do to my dad?]


    The receiver of the message replied quickly.


    [Don''t worry, he''s fine. But, that won''t be for long. You have a few hours to bring back what I wanted.]


    [I will. Just make sure you keep your part of the deal. Kai is to be left alone. He can leave the temple and nevere back. You must not follow him, get in contact with him, or even try to disturb his life.]


    [Sure, our deal is done and perfect. See you soon.]


    After seeing that message, Aria stood up. Her frown was now bigger than ever as she turned around and walked to Kai''s side of the bed. Thetter waspletely deep in sleep.


    She simply stood there as she listened to his rhythmic, calm breathing. Nobody knew what was going on in her mind but it was certainly not good. Her expression went from a frown to sadness as she tried to hold in the tears from leaking out. So, she quickly pulled out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes. Looking closer at the handkerchief, it already had many traces of tears from way before.


    "Thank you for everything, Kai¡­ And I''m sorry." She murmured under her breath before she bent down and then moved Kai''s hair to the side so that she could nt a deep kiss on his forehead. Her kiss was filled with so many untold emotions that she couldn''t convey through words and will probably never be able to convey them either.


    After all, there was possibly thest time they would meet in their lives. Just that thought made Aria''s heart sting with so much pain that she almost couldn''t breathe.


    After nting that kiss, she turned around and sneaked out of the room before disappearing out of sight into the luscious forest.


    ***


    A few hourster, Kai''s eyes started fluttering open. For some reason, he slept very deeply that morning and he didn''t know why. However, he was now feeling refreshed. So, as he rubbed his eyes, he turned to look at Aria, only to realize that she was missing from bed.


    "Aria?" Rising up, he looked around the room but didn''t see Aria''s presence. Aria had never woken up before him before so this was certainly odd.


    Instinctively, Kai used his senses to find Aria. Shockingly enough, she wasn''t inside the house nor in the vicinity of it.


    Immediately, Kai felt a dreadful sensation fill his entire being as he stood up and quickly left the house he used his senses to cover the whole forest.


    "Where did she go?" Kai was starting to feel colder and colder as he thought about it. He didn''t sense a single threatening aura that could''vee and abducted Aria or he would''ve certainly noticed it even if he was deep asleep. That at least meant that she wasn''t kidnapped which was in itself, an absurd idea.


    So, Kai was only left with one possibility. Aria had left the house on her own and went somewhere without telling him. But, that made even less sense.


    "Why would she leave alone?" Taking a deep breath, Kai thought about it as calmly as he could. He was extremely worried about Aria but he knew panicking won''t solve the problem. So, instead, he decided to simply do one thing¡­ Leave to look for her.


    However, he doesn''t know where she went.


    "Or maybe¡­" As he rubbed his chin, Kai realized that there was no ce Aria could''ve gone to apart from the ce where they met.


    She didn''t know anything about the outside world. Or at least didn''t know enough to venture into it alone.


    "Damn it, why did you go there, Aria?" Cursing under his breath, Kai quickly changed his clothes and picked up his weapon, Wretched Heart before he quickly left.


    "Aria better be fine or I will make that whole ce copse on your head, bastard." He murmured as he moved like a sh through the forest


    ***


    The trip back to his home was long. It took Kai almost 2 days to reach his destination and when he reached that ce, he was shocked by the sight he saw.


    No, it wasn''t simple shock, he waspletely confused which was rare for Kai.


    In front of him, basked in red mes was the entire City and temple that he lived his whole life in.


    Every building was nowpletely caught in fire as it slowly descended to the ground. In the streets, sprawled everywhere were the corpses of all the people who lived there previously. Blood covered every inch of those streets. Some corpses werepletely disfigured beyond recognition.


    Limbs and other body parts were thrown everywhere,pleting the cursed paint of chaos. Kai looked around him with a cold frown.


    "What in the hell happened to her?" The more he walked through the streets, the more his dread grew. Whatever happened to her wasn''t a coincidence, Aria was linked to it and he knew it.


    However, what he feared the most was finding his beloved''s dead body amongst these corpses. That sight wasn''t something he would ever wish to see even in a nightmare.


    As minutes passed, Kai found himself getting closer and closer to the temple. However, the reason why he didn''t hurry was because he noticed a few auras appearing in front of him out of nowhere.


    The auras belonged to three men, d in white, temr clothes. Their bodies were hidden under these baggy clothes and their faces were covered by a dark hood.


    However, Kai knew who these people were.


    ''My dad''s followers. The Devouts.''

 Chapter 235 235- Devouts (Part 2)

    Chapter 235  235- Devouts (Part 2)


    The Devouts were the followers of Kai''s father and his most trusted aids. They had immense strength and an equally immense belief in that man to the point where Kai wouldn''t be surprised if they thought of him as a god or at least as a form of god on earth.


    If there was an urgent situation, these people were deployed to deal with it and their sess rate was 100% which meant that they had never failed a mission before in their lives. That was something even Kai could acknowledge since well, his trainer ever since he was a small toddler was one of these Devouts.


    Even more than that, Kai had seen how brutal these men were before. A few years ago, some people in the city rebelled against his father and so this group was sent to capture them.


    The mission was so easy that even Kai knew from the start that these people who wanted to rebel were simply done for. He knew that their reason for rebelling was the system this whole city was built on.


    Temple Capital wasn''t a city that the world knew about. No map in the world has the city on it. In fact, the whole ce this city was built on supposedly doesn''t even exist. So, all the people who live in this ce arepletely disconnected from the real world except for those his father allows to leave.


    Even though life in the city was the best anyone could ask for, people were still unsatisfied with the fact that they couldn''t leave. So, there were bound to be rebels from time to time and those rebels were always the target of the wrath of these Devouts.


    When they were brought to the main city square, every single citizen in the city surrounded them as the Devouts made them kneel. Then, out of nowhere, a man and a small boy appeared in the city square.


    "Watch, Kai. This is the consequence of asking for what you can''t get. These people wanted supposed freedom when in reality, Freedom never existed in this world. Ultimate freedom is akin to a fool''s dream of touching the sun simply because he extended his hand toward it. Every person is a ve to something." The man said coldly as he sat on his throne and Kai stood next to him silently.


    Even though he didn''t like his father, he still found his words to be the truth. Freedom was never something a human could possess. Even those who seek freedom, they''re ves to that desire without realizing it.


    So, he also found it foolish that these people were ready to throw their great lives in this safe haven simply because they wanted to leave and see the world.


    So, with a cold heart, Kai watched what was about to happen. Under the immense cheering of the citizens, the Devouts approached the rebels.


    "Kill them!!! These bastards aren''t fit for our city!"


    "Yeah!! Skin them alive!"


    "They''re incapable of understanding his holiness''s gift upon us!"


    Such shouts could be heard everywhere which made the rebels'' faces pale as tears trickled down their faces. There weren''t many in number, around 20 people or so. They were allposed of two families. Two married couples and their 10 children and then a few people they probably convinced to do this.


    Kai''s eyes were focused on the couple as they held each other''s hands as they waited for the inevitable. The women were shuddering in fear while the kids were crying loudly, sensing the inevitable.


    "Don''t think that''s unfair, Kai. Those kids are bound to grow up carrying their parents'' sentiment of tarnished freedom. Leaving them alive is even worse than killing them." Kai''s father noticed his son''s hidden thoughts so he exined.


    "I do not care. Just get this done with." Kai closed his eyes and replied.


    At that moment, the Devouts then channeled their Origin before they pulled out their long swords. 20 Devouts in front of 20 rebels.


    The cheering died down as everyone watched with anticipation what was about to happen.


    "Please¡­ Spare my kids¡­ Just my kids!" One of the men grabbed the hem of the Devouts'' clothes. His tears rolled down his face.


    "We''re sorry! We will never repeat it again! Please!! We just wanted to leave and see the world!"


    "Mama!!" Cries of begging echoed in the quiet city square.


    However, what happened next made the group go silent. One of the devouts looked down before he said.


    "You''re already dead." He said to the man who grabbed his clothes.


    "Wha-..."


    Before he could even ask what he meant, the man''s head suddenly started sliding down his neck before it fell down to the ground. His eyes widened in shock as he instantly died, not even understanding what just happened.


    No, not only him, everyone else didn''t understand what happened. They all stared with surprise at the beheaded man and his blood that started leaking out.


    ''Fast¡­'' Kai raised an eyebrow at what he saw.


    He caught a glimpse of the Devout''s sword moving at inhuman speed as it cut the rebel''s head before he could even react. It was a sharp and direct hit so perfect that Kai had to admire it. That was the work of an extremely powerful individual.


    "Ah! AAAAAAHHHHH!!" A few secondster, the screams of the rebels echoed. The children were shocked beyond words before they also started crying.


    So, without hesitation, the Devouts started beheading the rebels one after the other with swiftness unrivaled by anything else Kai had seen before.


    In a matter of seconds, every single rebel died as the city square was soaked in their blood. No one was spared, not even the children. The sheers of the citizens began again, enclosing the whole ce in chaotic and twisted celebrations.


    Kai watched the scenery with a silent re. Nobody knew what was going through his head at that moment, not even his father.


    At that moment, Kai''s father stood up and spread his hands.


    "This is the consequence of spitting in the face of blessing. These people didn''t know what was good for them so they deserved their deaths. Without rules, we''re animals and without execution of rules, we''re fools."


    Hearing those words, the cheers loudened. People started calling Kai''s father with wide smiles. Kai could hear every yell and every word said. The more he listened, the more the image in front of him turned into an even more twisted and devilish sight.


    He smelled the metallic blood in the air, numbing his mind for a moment or so. With a sigh, Kai turned around and started walking away.


    "Where are you going, Kai?" His father asked with a small smile.


    "Back to the temple." He replied as he vanished.


    His father stared at the ce where he was a second ago for a while before he grinned and turned around to bask in the glory of his people. He was the holy god of these people and they saw him as their savior and their blessing.


    ''Nobody is like me and nobody can ever rival me under the heavens. I''m the god of this world.'' He thought to himself. ''And with that n, I''m going to be the god of every realm!''


    ***


    "Move," Kai said coldly as he stared at the three devouts with a powerful gaze.


    "We apologize, Your Highness but we must capture you. Please don''t resist." One of the men said.


    "Capture me? Is it because of my escape?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "His Holiness wants you back at the temple in chains. That''s our order so please don''t resist." Another Devout replied.


    ''Why does he want me in chains? Tsk! Either way, I won''t let them capture me.''


    As he thought so, he took a fighting stance and started channeling his mana slowly.


    The three Devotus realized that Kai wasn''t intending to give up without a fight so they vanished from where they stood and appeared around Kai. Their swords were moving in unison as they attacked Kai. Their speed and uracy were amazing.


    However, Kai''s next move shocked them greatly. His hand moved to his sword as he unsheathed it and then stabbed it down. Immediately, a weird ck aura spread from the sword as it crawled on the ground and reached the three Devouts, stopping the cirction of their Originpletely.


    ''Did he¡­ learn how to use Wretched heart?!'' One of the Devotus was Kai''s previous trainer and he was also the temple''s weapon expert so he knew more than anyone else about Wretched Heart. It was a mysterious sword that existed inside the temple forever.


    Nobody knew how to use it, even Kai''s father. But, the boy decided to take it as his weapon and use it without listening to his trainer and his warnings about the questionable power of this Origin Artifact.


    He didn''t even know what effect this sword had before that moment. Which shockingly turned out to be something terrifying¡­ Far worse than his worst nightmares.


    That sword is capable of stopping the cirction of Origin in the bodies of its targets. But, that realization was just far toote.


    "Divine Beginning," Kai murmured.


    *Swish*

 Chapter 236 236- Crushing World (Part 1)

    Chapter 236  236- Crushing World (Part 1)


    Kai''s attack was so swift and fast that no one out of the three devouts could react in time. After all, they had never seen this attack from Kai before.


    Divine Departure is a one-sh attack that deals devastating damage to the target no matter what it is. Kai had been training it in secret for a long time using Wretched without the surveince of the people who trained him.


    Ever since the start, Kai has never trusted anyone around him at all. He knew that what they were doing was no good but he didn''t bother to try and stop them since he wanted nothing to do with this kingdom of weird people.


    That was why he decided to start developing his trump cards in case things went south and he had to fight against his father and his Devouts. That''s where he began to unravel the mysteries surrounding Wretched Heart and its hidden powers.


    When he finally discovered what this cursed sword could do, Kai knew that he needed to hide that from everyone else.


    Lo and behold, he ended up predicting everything correctly and he was now against the people who trained him and taught him everything he knew till this point.


    *Swish*


    The sword sh sent the three devouts flying like bullets, as they smashed through buildings, one after the other. The trail of destruction they left behind was mind-boggling. Even Kai didn''t expect his attack to be this effective.


    The auras of two of the devouts died downpletely which meant that they died instantly from the attack. However, since one of them was behind Kai, he didn''t get the full might of the attack and was barely still alive after the hit.


    So, Kai quickly dashed toward him like a lightning bolt. When he found him, the man was lying on the ground, swimming in his own blood. His lower half waspletely severed. The only reason he was still alive was because his Origin was still keeping his vital organs working somehow. However, that was not for long as his aura was quickly depleting.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­"


    Kai approached the man before he grabbed him by the cor and lifted him up.


    "Did Ariae back here?"


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­"


    "Speak or I''m going to make you live the worst ten minutes of your life." He said with a cold tone that made the Devout shudder slightly.


    "Lady Aria¡­ Is back¡­"


    "Why did shee back? What does she have to do here?" He asked.


    "I¡­ I¡­"


    "Speak!"


    However, before the Devout could finish his words, his heart stopped and his breathing halted. He died mid-way speaking.


    "Tsk¡­" Clicking his tongue, Kai threw the man aside and dashed toward the temple as fast as he could.


    Since he knew where his beloved was now, he knew that he couldn''t let her do whatever she was trying to do. Aria was as smart as she was reckless so whatever his father convinced her to do was just not good at all. He was certain of that.


    As he got closer and closer to the temple, the number of dead corpses multiplied, and the gruesome ughtering methods became even worse. At this point, Kai didn''t even know why all of this urred.


    "Did a rebellion ur?" He asked himself in confusion as he passed through the city square which was filled with piles upon piles of dead civillians. Elderly, women, men, and even children, none were spared.


    Such a sight would make anyone instantly throw up if they didn''t have resistance toward seeing dead people. Even then, Kai waspletely repulsed by what happened.


    "That man either went insane or his arrogance reached another level." He murmured as he finally arrived at the temple.


    The main gates of the temple were fortified and made out of steel. But, with a simple leap over the wall surrounding the temple, he was able to bypass the gates.


    The interior of the temple was still intact and seemed unaffected by the bloodshed. Well, that was what Kai thought was the case until he entered the Temple''s main hall which turned out to be an even worse sight than he expected.


    All the maids, butlers, and workers inside the temple were brutally killed with no mercy. People that Kai knew by name and dealt with on a daily basis were now merely beheaded and dismembered corpses.


    This sight certainly hit Kai a little deeper. Although he didn''t particrly like these people, they were still the only people he talked to every day so their brutal deaths stung a little.


    "Damn it¡­ Everyone has been killed¡­"


    Passing the hall, Kai moved to the highest floor of the main building and then crossed the bridge to the southern spire which was his father''s quarter.


    He was almost certain that he would find Aria there so he rushed to the destination as fast as possible.


    The southern spire was the farthest spire away from the building. It had heavy security around its entrance and even its vicinity.


    However, since the guards were also brutally killed, Kai didn''t find anyone to stop him. Even the rest of the Devotus were nowhere to be seen.


    "I didn''te here in a long time." Entering the spire, Kai was met with a magnificent chamber with adder that descended to the ground floor and then led to the garden behind the temple then there are stairs that led to the upper floor which had the throne room and other personal rooms designated for Kai''s father.


    He was clearly a man who didn''t like to talk to people. Kai wouldn''t be exaggerating if he said that he only talked to his dad a few dozen times at most.


    They shared no bond between them and no love, obviously. Instead, his father would simply talk to him about strength and his twisted morals that he somehow believed would make Kai convinced to follow him. However, the kid never even bothered to entertain his father''s twisted monarchy.


    In his eyes, he was just a monster in human skin. But, a monster that didn''t attack him yet was just a monster, Kai didn''t need to focus on him at all.


    As he was having such thoughts, Kai made his way up to the throne room. He knew that they weren''t in the garden.


    The trip to the upper floors of the spire took a few minutes since this particr spire was very tall. Way taller than the other ones.


    When he reached the upper floor, Kai was met with a long corridor that ended with a huge door that led to the throne room.


    "I can''t sense their auras." He murmured to himself.


    So, with careful steps, he approached the door that led to the throne room. Nothing in the corridor moved which made Kai even more alerted.


    When he reached the throne room, he tried to see if there was any voice inside but he didn''t hear anything.


    So, having no other choice, Kai kicked the door open and barged into the throne room. The interior of the throne room was vast but the most notable thing about him was the gold used to build it.


    The walls were made out of gold and the ceilings too.


    The throne on the other side of the room was also made out of gold. It was the legendary Golden Throne that ruled over the whole city.


    On that throne sat the man that Kai was looking for. The ruler of the city and the man seen as a god. His father.


    Kai stared at him coldly as the man finally opened his closed eyes. He also stared at Kai with a small smile on his face.


    "Wee back, son."


    "Where is Aria?" Kai asked coldly.


    His father chuckled before he looked down. "Well, she will appear soon. Don''t worry."


    "Where is she?" Kai repeated again with an even more threatening tone this time. He didn''t buy any of the bullshit his father might say since he knew how good with words he was. After all, no ordinary speaker could make people believe he was a God.


    A man like him could easily sway someone with words. Coupled with his powerful presence and endless aura, people were cast under his illusion without realizing it.


    "Patience is a virtue, son."


    "I don''t need your nonsense. Just tell me where she is."


    "I''m here, Kai."


    Suddenly, Kai heard Aria''s voice as she appeared from behind the golden throne. Her expression was dark and grim as she faced Kai.


    "Aria¡­" Kai felt a bad omen just from seeing her, something that he never expected to feel when seeing Aria. Something about her felt off to him.


    "Why did youe back here, Kai?" She asked with a cold tone.


    "What do you mean why did Ie back? I came here because you suddenly disappeared. Why did youe back here?"


    Aria went silent for a second so Kai''s father used that moment to speak.


    "Come on, just tell him. It''s after all, a part of our deal."


    "Tell me? Tell me what?"


    "I''m¡­ Sigh, our first-ever meeting wasn''t a coincidence. I was sent by your father to get close to you and then bring every information I get from you to him."

 Chapter 237 237- Crushing World (Part 2)

    Chapter 237  237- Crushing World (Part 2)


    Chapter 238- Crushing World (Part 2)


    Kai''s mind didn''tprehend what she said at first since he simply found it absurd. What she just said was simply too ridiculous to believe.


    "What¡­" With widened eyes and a nk face that didn''t know what reaction to form, he uttered one word with great difficulty.


    "I did it under hismand. He wanted to know what you had been hiding and what you were nning. I needed to tell him everything." Aria replied with a solemn tone that ignored every possible reaction Kai would have.


    She just seemed dead serious on all fronts that even Kai knew that she wasn''t lying or joking. She was saying the truth, 100%. However, how could he simply ept that? How could he ept that all of it was a huge lie?


    Those words were akin to a bombshell dropped on Kai''s head mercilessly. He just stood there, deeply rooted in his ce as he stared directly at Aria.


    "Hahaha, what a shocker indeed! I''ve never seen you react like this before, son! She really did a perfect job, didn''t she?" His father said with a wide grin as heughed loudly.


    "..."


    At that moment, Kai couldn''t even hear his father, instead, all he could perceive was the echoing sound of hisughs and the words that Aria said reverberating in his head. He remembered every memory that happened between them. Every moment they spent in the library or outside it. Every smile she made and every hug she gave him.


    All of those moments came back to his memory like a movie. Each one of them hit him harder than the other one. He felt his mind going vague, turning every memory into a broken shade of its former self.


    All his life, he lived it not trusting anyone because he knew that they were all after his powers or talent. He made sure to keep away from people and live his life the way he wanted to even though he knew that he was a prisoner, as much as everyone else inside this cursed city.


    He was sessful in that for years and yet, the first moment he put down his guard when he thought he finally found the person that he was truly meant to spend his life with. A person who understood him and made him change his view of life with her beautiful, innocent smile.


    That person was the one to seed in stabbing him in the back. How ironic could that be? Kai felt likeughing loudly at his own foolishness. But, the increasing pain in his heart kept increasing.


    At that exact moment, something was severed within Kai. He didn''t know what it was, but something about this whole situation shiftedpletely. The pain he felt at that moment vanishedpletely and his vision and senses came back as he looked up again. His eyes were deadly cold.


    "What did you tell him?" He asked his chaotic aura calmed down.


    Aria and his father noticed that quick change in his demeanor and they were certainly surprised by it. Especially Aria who knew Kai the best, his shift made her shudder inwardly. Never before had she seen that look on him before. It wasn''t simply cold or hostile, it was¡­ dead. Completely dead.


    For a second, Aria''s breath halted before she quickly shook her head.


    ''Get a hold of yourself, Aria. I must protect Kai. I can''t back down now when I''m this close.'' She thought to herself.


    "None of your business what I said. Why did you evene back? It''s not your ce to enter this spire." She said threateningly.


    "Hahahaha, am I about to witness a fi-" Before Kai''s father could even speak, a silhouette appeared in front of him. Kai''s cold eyes shed across his eyes before he found a de sliding through the air at terrifying speed, aiming for his neck.


    ''Fast¡­''


    *BANG*


    Upon contact, a huge explosion of Origin shook the whole spire as long tentacles of energy hit the walls, pulverizing the rock as if it were made out of butter.


    Aria was barely able to avoid the huge gush of air and energy that rushed toward her right before she got hit.


    ''The pressure! Ugh!'' Feeling the sheer strength in use and the auras shing in the heart of the huge cloud of dust, she covered her face with her arms to protect it from the sharp Origin being thrown everywhere.


    Inside the cloud of dust, Kai''s face had a cold, stoic expression as he felt the de of his sword halt, not moving another inch.


    When the cloud of dust was swept away, he finally saw what stopped his sword. His father had used his arm to guard his neck. The sword sliced through it, only to stop mid-way as if it got stuck into something.


    Blood gushed out violently from the man''s arm. However, Kai''s father didn''t seem to be that affected by it.


    "Ah, ah, you really did it, didn''t you?"


    "Wha¡­"


    Before Kai could even react, he felt a powerful blow hit his stomach. Coughing out a mouthful of blood, he wasunched back to the other side of the room, smashing against the wall.


    "Ugh!"


    ''Landing on his knees, Kai heaved up and down with difficulty as he tried to quickly heal his injuries. However, because of the sheer damage he sustained to his internal organs, it will take a few seconds for him to fully recover.


    "You''re truly my son, Kai. Your talent is just something this world has never and will never see. Even though you''re barely 7 years old, you''re already a monster that can''t be stopped."


    "Shut up¡­"


    "Shut up? For what? Why do you always look at me that way, son? Why the disgusted look? I''m your father, my blood runs in your veins. I''ve taken care of you, trained you, taught you how to be a great man and an unrivaled leader. As my son, you''re bound to rule over this world and beyond!"


    "I don''t¡­ want to be¡­ like you¡­" Standing up slowly, Kai cracked his neck before he stared coldly at his father and Aria. "I don''t want to be anything like you two. I''m different¡­"


    Kai''s aura red up as he pointed at the two of them. Through his bloodied face, he said. "I will never be like you, scum. You, I wish I had never been your son. And you¡­ Aria, I will definitely make you regret doing this. I will turn your life into hell. I will be your curse for as long as I''m alive." He said.


    As he spoke, the hatred he started harboring for these two kept growing as it threatened to spill over and engulf his mindpletely. However, he knew that he couldn''t let that happen or it would spill his loss. His situation was already very bad as it was, and with a clouded mind, he was bound to end up being captured.


    Whether he liked it or not, Kai was certain that he couldn''t beat his father. That man was simply too strong for him. So, what he needed to focus on was to find an escape route from this ce.


    "Is that what you think, son? After all, I did for you. This is your pay back?"


    "Don''t give me that crap. You''re just a blinded egoistic bastard who thinks he''s a deity who made a bunch of idiots follow him like a headless chicken. When my mother realized how much of a monster you are, you killed her with cold blood. I already knew you will. After all, why would a fool like you believe that he ain''t the god he thought he was?"


    "Kai¡­ Don''t push it, boy. I''m not god? Then, what am I? Who is like me? No one! I''m the sole man destined to rule this world and since you''re my heir, you are the one that is meant to follow my steps! We''re destined to shape this world however want it, son!"


    "Kai¡­" Watching their conversation from the side, Aria felt as if her heart was being destroyed to pieces. Kai''s threats hit her stronger than she anticipated. She already predicted the hatred he would harbor toward her but it still hurt, greatly.


    She wanted to yell, to tell him the truth. But, she knew that if she did, she would end up regretting it for the rest of her life. If Aria truly loved Kai, then she knew that she couldn''t just put his life at risk because of her selfishness.


    Kai was the light that she never had and the path that she wanted to move on for the rest of her life. But, this world was unfair. It has always been unfair to her but she never hated it. After all, she believed that the future, as vague as it was, could be holding a bright life for her, away from pain and suffering.


    But, time and time again, she was proven that happiness was never the constant and that life was all about it. It was but a fleeting moment that would disappear the moment everything came crashing down.

 Chapter 238 238- Scarring Hatred

    Chapter 238  238- Scarring Hatred


    As Kai''s mind was working at full throttle to find an escape route, his father seemed to have been quite affected by his son''s words.


    His face had a visible frown on it and his mouth seemed to twitch ever-so-slightly as if he wanted to speak but couldn''t. His ego had taken a hit from his son''s words and it didn''t feel nice at all.


    He was a man with blind confidence in his abilities and yet those words affected him greatly. Especially the part about the fact that he killed his own wife with his hands. That was sadly the truth.


    That was his one and only mistake that he believed was horrible from his side. Even to that day, he still regrets what he did to her. He was sopletely clouded by his desire to conquer that he threw away the only person he loved in his life.


    What made it even worse was the fact that Kai knew that it happened and yet he didn''t seem to hate him. He just simply considered him as a man who exists, nothing more, nothing less and that seemed to be even worse than hating someone.


    If you hate an individual then that means that you acknowledge that whatever they did is of importance to you. However, if youpletely ignore someone, that means that you don''t even see them as worthy of invoking any feelings from your side. Akin to passing beside strangers on the street and never remembering them again.


    His son seemed to see him that way. His only heirpletely disregarded his existence. A man with the ego of a god would never ept such an insult even if he knew that he was the one at fault in all of it.


    *BOOOM*


    As he was contemting and conflicting himself, Kai had already moved as he smashed the wall behind him with a simple punch before he turned around and dashed away at top speed. He didn''t even look back once as he moved away from his father and Aria.


    Aria watched his silhouette move away. With each step he took, her pain felt like it was only growing, far beyond being bearable. She had finally lost the only person she loved in her life.


    Yet, even as he ran away, he didn''t look back at her at all. Something about it hit her hard and tears finally spilled from her eyes.


    ''Curse it¡­ Curse it all¡­'' She thought to herself as she pointed her head down.


    She just felt like ending her life right there and then, just so that she doesn''t feel this pain anymore. But, she knew that she must stay alive for at least a while so that she could make sure Kai''s father didn''t break his promise.


    "*Whistle* and there he goes. I knew that he wouldn''t foolishly fight me. As angry and hateful as he seemed, he still knew that he wouldn''t be able to win against me. I raised him well." Kai''s fatherughed as he turned around and looked at Aria.


    "I always keep my word, Aria, that''s what a god shall do. It''s beneath me to break a promise." He eximed.


    However, Aria didn''t reply immediately as she wiped her eyes before she lifted her head.


    "You still didn''t fully keep your promise. Where is my father?" She asked.


    When she arrived at the temple, Aria quickly asked to see her father since she knew that he was held hostage by Kai''s father. He was the second reason why she even went on with this n since in the first ce, he was threatened with this political marriage between her and Kai.


    She knew that his life and her life were at risk if they didn''t ept and even if they did, it didn''t guarantee that her father would stay safe which pushed Aria to try and trick Kai way before she even met him.


    Kai''s father made a promise to her that he would let them go if she got some information about his son that he couldn''t extract from him otherwise.


    Everything she did from the first moment she stepped into that library was all a n to get close to Kai and get the information needed to get her freedom.


    Ironically enough, before stepping into that library on that fateful day, she harbored hatred toward this boy named Kai. His existence was the reason for her father''s suffering and so she wished he didn''t even exist.


    However, all those thoughts vanished as she spent time with Kai. Her impression of him at first was that of a quiet and odd kid who didn''t seem to know how to deal properly with people. Quickly, she realized that Kai was nothing like his father.


    He wasn''t an arrogant scum with a godplex like she expected him to be but instead was an honest, smart, and even gentle person. He treated her well even though she disturbed his reading session and didn''t kick her out. He also didn''t have the ego of someone of a high standing such as his and with the sheer power he possessed.


    He just did what he loved to do without any scheming or trickery. Aria found herself quickly andpletely engrossed in their conversations no matter how simple or mundane they were. She could feel it without even seeing him that Kai truly understood her.


    He understood her struggles, her pain, her insecurities, and her true self. In a sense, Kai was a copy of her that dealt with the same problems or even worse and ended up alone, just like she was.


    As days passed, Aria started forgetting about her initial mission she even came in contact with Kai and started bing addicted to him. The more she started feeling strong emotions toward him, the more her mind shuddered in fear of what could happen when she needed to make a choice.


    She kept putting that thought away whenever it came back to her and simply focused on enjoying every second of her time with Kai. Perhaps her mind, which was still that of a small child, prioritized pleasure over cruel reality and perhaps that was her biggest mistake.


    Perhaps if she told Kai sooner about it, they could''ve done something about it. But, her intense desire to protect Kai made herpletely disregard that idea as a whole since it had many possible risks.


    "Oh, about that¡­ Follow me." The man said as he turned around and walked toward the door.


    Aria felt a slightly bad feeling when she saw his reaction but she still followed him nheless since she wanted to make sure her father was safe and sound.


    Walking out of the throne room, the two walked quietly down the stairs to the lower floors of the spire where her father was supposed to be.


    Apart from being the way to the garden, the lower floors of the spire had another secret, not many people knew about which was a prison for the people Kai''s father captures and wants to personally deal with.


    Not many had the opportunity to enter that ce and no one would ever wish it upon themselves since those cells were dark, humid, and suffocating. They mentally torture the prisoner and pushes them to the limit.


    The two went down the stairs till they stopped in front of a metallic, old, and rusty door that had no light that could reach it from the outside.


    Kai''s father then said with a small smile. "He''s here."


    After that, he opened the door to the prison and walked inside followed by the ever more anxious Aria who was starting to have a really bad feeling. She couldn''t feel her father''s aura no matter how much she tried to.


    Moving through the tight corridor of the prison, Kai''s father finally pointed at one particr cell. "That''s where he was put. He was provided with food and water so he should be alive."


    Aria, however, ignored his words as she quickly kicked the cell open and rushed inside with terror written on her face. After all, how could she ignore the smell of rotten corpses that filled the room?


    "Father!!!" She screamed when she sensed his presence in the corner of the cell, chained to the wall. His clothes were tattered and dirty, his hair and beard were long and unkempt and his body was riddled with numerous deep injuries that bled dry.


    However, Aria ignored all of that as she quickly put her fingers on his neck to sense his pulse only to get shocked. No matter how much she tried to feel it, that quiet booming sound inside his body, she didn''t find it.


    "No¡­ Pulse¡­"


    Everything crushed down on Aria like a bomb. She fell down to the ground, unable to stand. Her face was frozen in terror and shock. She didn''t know what to feel or what to say at all. Her mindpletely stopped working.


    "Oh, hemitted suicide? Now, that''s unfortunate. I didn''t expect he would break this quickly. Ah well¡­"


    Suddenly, Aria lifted her head, her face crunched with deep, imprable hatred.


    "DAMIAN!!!!!!"

 Chapter 239 239- Indications

    Chapter 239  239- Indications


    Aria''s voice was filled with so much hatred that she didn''t even care whether her vocal cords would get severed from the sheer loudness of the scream. Her face turned red as she turned around and stood up as she channeled every ounce of Origin inside her body.


    Then, she moved her hand, slicing her wrist, and immediately, blood gushed out like a torrent. But, before it could drop to the ground, the blood suddenly started floating in the air as it quickly surrounded Aria''s body like a wicked snake.


    Damian looked at the scene with a small smile as he said. "Oh, if that isn''t the infamous blood maniption. Such a beautiful Talent."


    However, Aria didn''t respond as she quickly shifted the blood''s shape to that of long arrows. In a matter of moments, hundreds of blood arrows were created around Aria, filling the whole Then, with a move of her hand, the endless arrows flew toward Damian.


    "Die!!" She screamed with blind anger. At this point, she couldn''t hold her hatred anymore. She had lost everything, her father, her beloved Kai, and everything else. She sacrificed her happiness for their sake only to see them get out of her grasp in such a way by this bastard.


    It was painful, incredibly painful to the point where Aria couldn''t even breathe or think at that moment, she just followed her instinct which was screaming for her to kill that man, no matter what. If he dies, all her pain will go away and all the suffering her beloved would go through would also be gone.


    ''Die! Die! Die!!'' The arrows reached their target and swarmed him from all angles. Each arrow was strong enough to pierce iron and stone.


    However, at that second, in a shocking sight, Damian swung his arm. Suddenly, all the arrows broke into pieces and fell down to the ground one after the other like a swarm of dying flies. Aria felt the arrows breaking as they were connected to her and her face turned from anger to hopeless shock.


    "Tsk, tsk, you do not understand, do you, Aria? Our deal was indeed something that I agreed upon and I delivered what I said. However, your father was simply too weak to handle the pain and killed himself. If there was someone to me, it''s your father, not me."


    "Shut up!!!!!" Aria shrieked as she dashed toward Damian with her fists tightened. Swinging her arm, she tried to punch him. However, Damian easily dodged the attack.


    "Your dad was never a man who could handle the cruelty of this world. He was a naive, spineless rich man who didn''t know his true value."


    "I said shut up!!" She responded with a series of punches that were missedpletely.


    But, Aria kept attacking as ferociously as she could. After all, if she stops then what had she left to do? What was she supposed to do other than try to kill this man with all her being?


    Her desperate attempts to kill him weren''t out of hatred alone, but also out of hopelessness and loss. Tears streamed down her face endlessly as she punched and punched, hitting walls around her. In a matter of minutes, she destroyed the whole cell and the prison.


    "It''s pointless, girl. You will never kill me nor hurt me. You will only hurt yourself even more." Damian said as he suddenly stopped one of Aria''s punches with his hand as if it were nothing.


    The girl tried to pull it away but it was tightly stuck in there so she could only clench her teeth. "Let¡­ go!!"


    "Let me be clear here, Aria. You only have two choices now: Either you simply kill yourself because of your grief and lose everything. Perhaps your regret will follow you to another life. Or, you can work for me and perhaps you will have a chance to fix your mistakes. After all, Kai is my own son, he''s my flesh and blood and I only want the good for him. He will be my heir and the future ruler of this world."


    Aria found herselfpletely silent at his suggestion. Although her boiling anger and hatred were still there, she at least was able to listen to him.


    His choices were rather the harsh truth. If she simply lets this as it is, she will fall into depression and end up killing herself from pain. She knew she would never be able to handle this life without Kai and her father, thest two people who cared about her.


    So, if she wanted to live longer, she needed to find something to do, a goal of sorts that would be enough to stop her from killing herself. That goal was rather easy to determine.


    ''If I work for him¡­ I would end up meeting Kai again for sure¡­'' She thought to herself.


    She already had a rough idea of Damian''s goal which was to rule this world and everyone that lives in it. So, Kai was bound to appear again and he was bound to meet her sooner orter. When that timees, who knows what could happen?


    Perhaps he would kill her which was the highest possibility or perhaps¡­ A very small chance that their rtionship would take a different course.


    But, that was simply wishful thinking that Aria willingly held on to just so that she wouldn''t end up losing every hope in her life. That was Aria''s character, a very hopeful person even in the darkest of times.


    Even to someone that she hates this deeply, Aria decided that if she wanted to have another chance, she needed to take this opportunity, as bad as it looked.


    "Fine¡­"


    Damian''s grin widened as he replied. "Good choice, little girl."


    At that moment, a deal was created between two people. One of them had lost her purpose and the other was ready to use that weakness to his advantage.


    ***


    *Back in the present day*


    "So, how is your school days going, darling?~" Kaya asked as she sat down on Kai''sp and hugged his neck happily. Her face looked like a happy puppy in the embrace of its master.


    Kai had his eyes closed for a while now as if he was thinking about something. He only opened them when he felt Kaya''s kissing his cheek.


    "What were you thinking about?" She asked with a small smile. Her lips were close to his ear.


    "Sigh, a small memory of mine." He replied before he wrapped his arm around Kaya''s waist and rested his head on her shoulder.


    ''Oh, is Kai in the mood to cuddle now?'' She thought to herself with a small smile.


    "My school days are fine. They''re busy but I''m not having a bad time." He replied.


    "Is that so? But, you seem under the weathertely as if you''re bothered about something


    Thest few days were indeed odd for Kai. His mind had beenpletely upied by what happened between him and Aria a few days ago. He couldn''t get that picture out of his head at all for some reason.


    His instincts told him that there was something that he was missing but no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn''t see what he was missing. Aria''s behavior was indeed weird but it didn''t give him any hint about what she truly thought of him.


    Kai thought that he was either dense or his mind simply didn''t understand how to handle situations of this sort. That did certainly affect his general mood in the next few days. His life with Aria in the same apartement went on normally, although with some awkwardness and tension.


    But, the two knew how to prioritize their mission over their feelings, and that worked perfectly well. Kai was able to finally take a huge step in one of his ns which was to finally leave to explore one of the ancient ces that he suspected to have something rted to the Progenitro''s arsenal.


    But, before he does that, he needs Aria and Kaya toe with him since they aren''t going on a normal trip. Aria was knowledgeable about this topic since she worked for his father and Kaya was a professor who could cover their tracks.


    That was why he even came to Kaya''s office at noon, to talk about this topic which somehow ended up with them cuddling on the sofa and enjoying each other''s embrace silently.


    "Are you sure that the ce we''re going to rted to the progenitor?" Kaya finally asked after a while as she looked at Kai''s eyes.


    "I''m not sure. But, ording to the map I got that day from the auction, it most definitely could be rted to it. After all, I can''t exin that map with anything but that. Whether we find something or not is up to luck." He replied.


    Kai didn''t rely too much on that map since it could simply be indicating somethingpletely different but he still wanted to check the ce either way.


    After all, whether it was the arsenal itself or something else¡­ Both could be very important.

 Chapter 240 240- Dinner And Remorse

    Chapter 240  240- Dinner And Remorse


    Kaya blinked in confusion for a few moments before she nodded her head. "Well, hopefully, that map proves to be worth the effort."


    "It''s still a mystery to me what that map wants to indicate. It''s ancient yet it also was able to draw the continents perfectly correct."


    "Hmm, for a map that''s almost 3000 years old, that''s certainly weird. But, perhaps the Progenitor used some kind of ability to determine how the continents were shaped." Kaya suggested as she rested her head on Kai''s hair.


    "Could be possible. However, that''s not what I''m looking for. There are also weird borders around the world."


    "Hahaha, does the Progenitor believe in the t earth theory?" Kaya asked jokingly.


    "He could be¡­"


    "... I said that jokingly. How could that be the case? If he was able to draw the world with such precision 3000 years ago, and yet he thinks the earth is t? That sounds illogical."


    "When we don''t have any clues as to what he was thinking about that time. We can only assume. In this case, everything could be possible. However, can''t forget that spider monster we found in the frozen ins. It said something about another realm of some sort that I didn''t know about and nobody knew about apparently."


    "Do you think that¡­" Kaya frowned slightly as she looked at Kai. She could easily see what Kai was trying to say. It was a very serious matter.


    "Yes, I think those borders mean that there exists another world perhaps beyond our scope of understanding." He said.


    At this point, the fact that another world exists somewhere was a given for Kai since he saw with his own eyes a creation from that world. However, what hecked knowledge of was where it was, how it exists, and why it exists.


    "People believed in the existence of aliens for a very long time, so perhaps this was the answer to their suspicions. A whole other world possibly filled with monsters and abominations." Kaya sighed.


    "They will probably never realize it exists or at least, not anytime soon. Unless, of course, someone unravels that information to them." Kai sighed as he held onto Kaya''s waist so that she stayed close to him.


    "Let me guess, are we going to be those people who will unravel it?" Kaya asked with a mischievous smile.


    "Depends. If we need to, then we shall do it. But, for now, there is no reason for it. The world is already chaotic enough as it is. Making it even more chaotic wouldn''t fix anything." He replied.


    "That''s true," Kaya murmured before she closed her eyes and rested her body on Kai, feeling his warmth fully. "Uh, I want to stay like this forever."


    "Your muscles will get soared."


    "Pfft! What kind of answer is that!" Kaya exploded inughter.


    And just like that, the two spent the rest of their time together talking and flirting peacefully. By the time Kai had to leave, he made sure to pinpoint a date they could leave and they decided that in three days, they would be able to during the weekend.


    The trip as a whole won''t take more than a day or two at most depending on what they find.


    With that, Kai came back to his apartement to continue with his day. However, when he reached his apartement, he found Aria in the kitchen, cooking.


    Kai was confused for a second since he had never seen Aria cook before. As far as he knew, cooking wasn''t one of her best skills. In fact, when they tried to cook together when they were young, she ended up almost burning the house so Kai didn''t allow her to cook anymore. Aria seemed to agree with that notion and didn''t try to cook again.


    "What are you doing?" Kai asked confusedly.


    "Oh, good evening. Ehem, I was making dinner¡­" Aria replied timidly.


    "Why?" He asked with squinted eyes.


    "I thought that since you seemed busy thest few days, I wanted to help a little. I don''t do much around the apartement anyway." She said.


    Since cleaning and swiping could be done with a single move of his hand, Kai didn''t require much help in keeping the apartement organized and clean. Aria found herself with nothing to do to help.


    "... Do you even know how to cook?" He asked as he approached her and took a look at what she was cooking.


    "Yeah, I think I learned how to. Well, a few recipes, I still can''t do the harder ones." She replied with an awkward tone.


    "..." Taking a sniff from the food, Kai turned around and looked at her for a second before he nodded his head. "Suit yourself."


    After that, he left the kitchen and walked to his room. Meanwhile, Aria simply watched his silhouette for a few moments. She felt rather relieved that he didn''t stop her from cooking.


    "I will do my best so that he would like it." She murmured to herself as she continued cooking.


    When dinner time arrived, Kai left his room only to find the table already set and Aria sitting on it, waiting for him.


    Kai looked at her for a second before he approached the table and sat down with a sigh. In front of him were a plethora of dishes, all looked quite delicious.


    ''Interesting.'' He thought to himself.


    To see this much improvement in Aria''s skills was indeed quite surprising in itself. She went from being unable to use the knife unless it was to kill someone, to actually being able to make high-quality dishes.


    "Please, go ahead," Aria said.


    Kai nodded his head and took a bite from his food. Immediately, an explosion of vours errupted in his mouth.


    Meanwhile, Aria waited anxiously for his reaction to the food. Eventually, Kai opened his eyes and looked up.


    "It''s not bad." He said.


    "I-Is that so¡­"


    "Yes, I''m impressed." He replied.


    That was his honest thoughts. This was certainly a delicious meal by all means. That was something he couldn''t deny.


    "I''m d¡­" Exhaling a long breath, Aria finally started eating too.


    As the two ate in silence, as usual, Aria seemed to still have something to say which Kai noticed from the start.


    "Speak." He said as he continued eating.


    "Mmm¡­ I¡­" Taking some time to find confidence, Aria finally spoke. "I wanted to apologize for what happened the other day."


    Kai''s movements halted as he looked up and asked. "What do you mean?"


    "About the picture. I didn''t apologize properly since I kept it a secret from you. I should''ve not done that." She said.


    These words were what Aria had been wanting to say for a while now. She knew that Kai was bothered by the matter purely from the awkward atmosphere in the apartement. There was anger or tension but he certainly didn''t seem to have forgotten about it.


    "..."


    Kai didn''t immediately reply as he instead sighed and stopped eating. "Why is there a need for an apology?" He asked.


    "Because¡­ I should''ve not kept that picture, no?" She asked.


    "Who said that? If I remember correctly, you wanted to keep that picture and I agreed. Why would I want an apology for that?"


    "..."


    Kai seemed to realize what Aria had been thinking about and the reason why she even cooked food. Perhaps she wanted to show that she was remorseful and sad for what she did. However, Kai found no reason for it.


    Both of them agreed that she should keep the picture since it was hers. She bought the camera and she took the picture.


    "Listen here, what happened between us a few years ago is something that I will never forget and never forgive you for. However, I''m not enough of a fool to let that blind my judgment of what''s good and bad for me. Your betrayal was indeed a bad thing. But, what you did before that, as fake as it might''ve been, was still something I take positively. You gave me something I didn''t know I had and then took it away from me. However, I at least learned how to find it again." He exined.


    Kai''s life after he ran away was brutal, his joining the Hitman''s Guild and his sess there. It was all with a sole goal in mind which was to grow stronger and stronger as fast as he could. He chased the desire to take revenge for a few years before he realized how horrible his life had be.


    In pursuit of revenge, he lost what he wanted the most, freedom. His freedom that he sought after was gone and the reason for that was his foolish desires. That''s when he realized that there was no reason for him to take revenge on his one and only desire in life.


    He knew that sooner orter, his father would appear again and he would have to face him. However, when that time arrives, Kai knew that he will be more than ready for him. After all, he was the strongest man alive, a title that his father had before him and now he was the one to grasp it.

 Chapter 241 241- Mystic Dessert (Part 1)

    Chapter 241  241- Mystic Dessert (Part 1)


    Chapter 241- Mystic Dessert (Part 1)


    Aria found herselfpletely speechless when she heard what Kai said. Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to formte something to say but ended up failing miserably.


    After all, she never expected in her wildest dreams to see Kai talking to her so honestly. He did say that he still didn''t forgive her for what she did to him. But, the fact that he still cherishes their time together when they were kids truly hit Aria right in the chest.


    She had already thought that Kai hated every moment of those days since he thought they were fake. Aria knew that they weren''t fake and that she genuinely loved every moment and wanted to spend the rest of her life with Kai if she could.


    However, she also knew that he would never believe her if she said that she genuinely loved him and cared for him as much as he did for her.


    All of those thoughts crumbled down and weirdly enough, a feeling of relief cast over Aria''s thoughts and made her exhale a long sigh of relief.


    "Thank you¡­ Truly, thank you." She finally murmured in response as she bent her head down. The immense happiness of realizing that the person you love still looks at your memories with fondness.


    "..." Kai didn''t reply and simply continued eating silently.


    Although neither of them spoke for the rest of the dinner, the awkward atmosphere had finally dispersed. Secretly, both of them were relieved since living with someone that you can''t even properly talk to is something that no one can bear, even Kai.


    ***


    A few days passed peacefully and finally, Kai, Aria, and Kaya took the ne toward their destination. Kaya made sure to cover for them during this whole trip so that they didn''t end up in trouble because of it.


    The trip was rather quick as it only took a few hours. When theynded at their destination, they left the airport. The city they were in was in R-Country and it was in the south. The city was in the heart of the desert, surrounded by endless dunes of sand from all directions.


    The city was a very popr tourist destination simply for the beautiful desert and the rich culture of the city that they kept for hundreds of years. The city was called Malzahar or the pearl of the South as many liked to describe it.


    "Oooh, this city is still as beautiful as I remember," Kaya spoke as she slid her sunsses down to take a better look around her. The bustling cities of the city were as lively as ever. People riding horses and camels moved past them wearing traditional clothes.


    Merchants could be seen everywhere, selling all kinds of delicacies.


    "Let''s go. We can''t stay here for long." Kai said as he stopped a cab for them.


    Since they only had two days at most to finish what they had to do, the trio needed to move and move quickly.


    The cab took them to the edge of the city which was surrounded by a wall for protection from sandstorms and sand in general that gets pushed inside the city.


    When they reached it, they quickly exited and headed to the gate.


    "Do you have permission to enter the desert?" Two police officers stopped them at the gate and asked for a certificate that allowed them to exit the city.


    The trio didn''t know such a thing existed so they were denied exit. Kai wanted to simply hypnotize them and then leave but then found another idea to go about it.


    "What should we do?" Kaya asked with a sigh.


    "Let''s jump over the walls." He said as he looked around them. The walls weren''t that tall so they could easily jump over them.


    "Good idea." Aria murmured.


    So the trio moved away from the gate to an area where no one could see them and then with a single leap, theynded on top of the walls.


    "*Whistle* Now that''s what I call a beautiful sight." Kaya smiled as she admired the scenery.


    A vast expanse of sand dunes presented itself to the group. Thendscape was akin to a canvas of muted earth tones, painted with varying shades of ochre, beige, and tan. The scorching sun cast its golden rays upon the arid expanse, creating a shimmering mirage that danced above the dunes.


    Here and there, scattered shrubs and resilient tufts of hardy grass cling tenaciously to life, looking withered and yet alive at the same time, a perfect depiction of life in this endless desert. As their eyes followed the undting contours of thend, asional rock formations emerged like ancient sentinels, weathered and sculpted by countless eons of winds and sand.


    Because of its sheer vastness, people only explored 20% of itpletely which left an extremely shocking 80% of the desertpletely unknown.


    "Let''s go," Kai said after taking a look around him and jumping down.


    The two girls followed after him and then they dashed toward the distance, crossing a vast distance in a short period of time. The scorching hot sand beneath their feet made the run rather ufortable but with how beautiful the desert looked, they could bear with it.


    In a matter of minutes, they were so far away from the city that they couldn''t even see it anymore.


    "So, how are we supposed to start searching for this ce that the map told us about?" Kaya asked.


    Kai nodded his head and pulled out the map to take another look. Since the x drawn on the map was rather big, it covered a huge space on the map.


    "We can''t do much other than to go to the approximate location and then start searching. If there is anything there, then surely there would be an Origin trace on it that we could sense." Kai said.


    The progenitor''s arsenal of weapons was brutally strong, as Kai saw firsthand when he fought Eva and almost got himself killed. So, these weapons are easily distinguishable from normal ones with their abundant Origin.


    ''We will have to see for ourselves whether we really are in the right ce or this was simply a stupid joke.''


    With that in mind, the trio continued their trip to the location they assumed would be the perfect ce for searching. All three of them expanded their senses as much as possible to cover every nook and cranny of this vast desert. It wasn''t easy to pinpoint every single small detail around them, especially with the existence of nts, animals, and all kinds of rocks and dead carcasses.


    "We need to separate and look around," Aria suggested when she found that they couldn''t really notice any abnormal things around them. The location they were in waspletely unknown to people.


    Kai and Kaya agreed to it and the trio finally separated, each one going in a different direction. With that, a few more hours passed quietly with no actual results. Kai was starting to think that this was just as he predicted, a mere trick, or perhaps this supposed treasure was already stolen a long time ago.


    When the sun was about to set, he finally decided to go back to their meeting point as they agreed.


    ***


    At the same time, far away from where he was, Kaya was also searching on her own. Other than snakes, scorpions, and an ungodly number of cactuses, she found nothing that truly caught her attention.


    "Maybe I should just go back¡­. Hm?" Suddenly, as she was looking around, she suddenly noticed a weird shift in the movements of the sand dunes around her.


    "Huh?" Looking closely, she noticed that it was noticeably sliding in a different direction from the wind. That made her even more confused as to what was going on.


    The direction of the sand movements was the opposite way she came from, precisely in the direction she came from.


    "What in the hell is going on?"


    Deciding to go back to see what happened, she found Kai back there waiting for her.


    "Did you find anything, Kai?" She asked.


    "No, none. I just arrived here."


    Kaya nodded her head before she pointed at the sand. "Look, I noticed the change in the direction of the movement of the sand."


    "Hm?"


    Looking beneath him, Kai''s face frowned.


    "What is happening?"


    "I don''t really know. Where is Aria?" Kaya asked.


    "She still didn''te back yet¡­" Kai suddenly looked up and traced the movement of the sand in the direction Aria moved in.


    "Shit¡­"


    "What?"


    "Aria went from that direction, didn''t she?"


    "Oh no¡­"


    Kaya quickly realized what Kai wanted to say and so the two immediately dashed toward the direction Aria went from. Whatever was happening wasn''t by pure coincidence or at least that''s what they believed.


    The two crossed arge distance in a matter of moments as they followed the trail of the moving sand. It didn''t take them long to find something that truly rooted them in their ce from shock.


    "What¡­ in the hell¡­ is this?" Kaya asked with a shocked expression.


    In front of them was a gigantic, bottomless hole, that was swallowing endless amounts of sand.

 Chapter 242 242- Mystic Dessert (Part 2)

    Chapter 242  242- Mystic Dessert (Part 2)


    Chapter 242- Mystic Dessert (Part 2)


    "What the hell is this?" Kaya asked with confusion as she stared at the bottomless pit of hell in front of them. Its sheer size and depth made it even more intimidating to look at, akin to a hole that led to the deepest parts of hell.


    "She must''ve found this when she was searching around. Because of the sudden appearance of the hole, the sand around it was swallowed with ease." Kai exined as he looked around them.


    Tons and tons of sand were being dragged into the hole and swallowed mercilessly. The two were feeling the power of the sand trying to drag them along with it but they were able to hold their ground with ease considering their monstrous strength.


    While looking at the bottom with a confused expression, Kaya created a small pebble in her hand before she threw it into the hole and listened. However, seconds passed quickly and there was no sound of the pebble hitting the bottom of the hole.


    "We need to follow her," Kaya said.


    "Hmm, wait a second," Kai replied before he suddenly channeled his Origin and quickly created a rocky wall around the hole. The form of the wall was oddly simr to the rocky formations around them which made it appear seamless for the untrained eye.


    "We can''t let anyone discover this ce so we''re gonna hide it." He said as he created an opening in the wall they could pass through to the hole.


    "Good idea."


    After that, the two entered the wall and closed the only route inside. Immediately, the darkness of the interior swallowed them hole. So, Kaya created a blob of light in her hand.


    "This hole really looks terrifying. I don''t like it at all." She said.


    "We have no other choice. Stay close from." Kai said as he grabbed Kaya by the waist. Thetter blushed slightly before she nodded her head and grabbed his shoulder too.


    "In 3¡­ 1¡­ 2¡­ 3¡­" Kai counted before he quickly jumped into the hole with Kaya. In a matter of seconds, they fell deep into the darkness and became invisible from the top.


    Kaya held on to the light ball so that it could illuminate their surroundings while Kai kept his senses alerted for any possible traces of Aria. The strong wind hit their faces mercilessly and the gravity pulled at their bodies faster and faster.


    Seconds passed slowly and then those seconds turned into minutes as the two realized more and more that they weren''t jumping into a normal hole. This ce was going with them way deeper than any human had ever been before.


    Minutes of falling turned into tens of minutes rather quickly.


    "Kai! Where the hell are we going now?!" Kaya asked with a loud voice that prated the howling of the wind.


    "I don''t know! But, use your Origin to protect yourself now!"


    "Ok!"


    As the two fell more and more into the hole, the temperature of the ce started growing hotter and hotter at a rapid pace. Since they were getting closer and closer to the deeperyers of the earth, the temperatures were bound to rise to a degree that could disintegrate someone in a matter of moments.


    Because of their strength and the resilience of their bodies, they can handle way more than the normal human body could but they weren''tpletely immune to heat as Kai was sure that if they were to face the center of the earth, they were bound to die sooner orter.


    ''Where does this end?''


    By the time they reached the 1-hour mark, their bodies were starting to sweat lightly as the waves of hot air hit their faces. To make sure Kaya didn''t feel the heat, Kai surrounded them with ice.


    "Thanks, my love." She said.


    Kai nodded his head before he turned around and looked at the walls of the hole. They were weirdly made out of slick, polished stone that shone under the light of Kaya''s light bulb. That meant that these walls weren''t a natural formation of the earth but actually human-made.


    ''How did they create a hole this deep¡­'' Kai thought to himself with a frown.


    "What a magnificent ce. This is definitely something created by the Progenitor." Kaya whispered as she looked around her. "I wonder how it was even possible to make this and how much time it took."


    "This is new to me too. But, if I have to guess, it wasn''t made simply with pure strength." Kai replied.


    "Hm? What do you mean?"


    "I mean that this isn''t the creation of mere human power. It''s something far more mysterious."


    No matter how powerful the progenitor was, this hole wasn''t something a human was supposed to be able to create. Even Kai knew that he wouldn''t be able to dig this deep into the earth even if he wanted to.


    That put into perspective how ridiculously powerful the progenitor was. Perhaps he was way stronger than even Kai gave him credit for.


    ''Is he even human at this point?''


    Another possibility was the progenitor wasn''t even a human to begin with. Origin was discovered thousands of years ago by that man so it could be a very high possibility that the Progenitor is someone who came from the other mysterious world that the spider queen talked about. That would exin his discoveries and endless strength. After all, only a monster can create monstrous things like a hole that takes hours to reach its bottom.


    The two continued to descend into the hole at extremely high speeds. Kai kept creating more and more ice balls around them when they melted. The cold air of the ice helped relieve them from the heat. Still, that wasn''t a perfect solution that wouldst very long.


    "Fuuh, this is really getting pretty hot," Kaya murmured with a frown. One more problem that came with this hole''s depth was theck of air in this ce.


    Even Kai started feeling the suffocation that came with the depletion of oxygen around them. It was harder to breathe and by default, harder to focus.


    The two were starting to get worried about the depth of this hole and even more so about Aria since she fell alone into this ce. Without prior warning, she could end up in a very dire situation.


    Kai felt a tug on his chest just imagining what could be waiting at the bottom of this ce. Perhaps he would end up finding the dead corpse of Aria¡­


    ''No. She''s not dead.'' He thought to himself as he shook those thoughts away.


    As the two were like that, suddenly, out of nowhere, the end of the pit appeared in their vision.


    Without any time to waste, Kaya used her Origin to form a fluffy ball of feathers beneath them.


    "Get ready for the impact!" She yelled.


    *BOOM*


    When they hit the ground, the feathers absorbed most of the impact, leaving a small amount of it intact.


    "Pfft, I should''ve not chosen feathers!" Kaya murmured as she spat out a few feathers that got stuck in her mouth.


    "Are you ok?"


    "Yeah, I''m fine. Wended safely."


    With a simple move of her hand, the ball of feathers vanished and the twonded on their feet. Looking around them, they found themselves standing on top of piles of sand that created a mountain. From the top sand was still descending into the hole but not as much as before since Kai had closed the ce with rocks, isting it from the outside worldpletely.


    "Aria! Are you here?!" Kaya yelled but no response came back. "Could she be buried under the sand?!"


    "No, rx. I can sense her presence now." Kai said as he shook his head with a sigh.


    "You do?"


    "Yes, it''s slightly far away from here but it''s there." He replied. He didn''t know why he felt rather relieved that Aria was still alive. Was he simply imagining things since he didn''t want her to die yet? Or maybe it was something else¡­ Kai didn''t know and he frankly didn''t want to know as thest thing he would ever want to realize was that he still didn''tpletely hate Aria.


    "Uh, where did she go?"


    "From there." Kai pointed in a certain direction. However, the sand had already closed all possible routes around them, leaving only the walls of the hole, standing tall.


    "I guess we need to dig then?" Kaya sighed.


    "Yes."


    Approaching the edge, Kai crouched down and dug his arm into the sand before he tried to look for any possible holes stuck under the sand. However, he couldn''t feel or find anything.


    "Tsk, it''s too deep. We will need to push a huge amount of sand to be able to get to the actual route." He murmured.


    "Well, this would take ages, no?"


    "Yes¡­ But, not if I do this."


    With a snap of his finger, Kai created 50 clones of him.


    Kaya looked around with surprise before she smiled. "More Kais means easier work, hehehe."

 Chapter 243 243- Trials Of Death (Part 1)

    Chapter 243  243- Trials Of Death (Part 1)


    The huge number of clones looked exactly like Kai to the point where a normal person wouldn''t be able to determine which one was the real Kai and which one was the fake Kai. Even skilled Origin users would have a hard time determining the real one.


    In a sense, clones are a weapon Kai could use in fights topletely trick his opponent into a trap. However, he didn''t really have any asions where this was required. His other abilities were more than enough to do the task so why use a trump card like that when he doesn''t have to?


    Anyway, with a simple thought, Kai ordered the 50 or so clones to start digging in the same ce. Immediately, the group started working. They all grouped around the area where they needed to dig and started digging sand with their bare hands. Their speed was very impressive even though they only had 1/50th of Kai''s overall strength.


    "Damn, they''re fast. I don''t think we even need to do anything." Kaya blinked in surprise as she watched the huge amount of sand they were pulling away every second. Their coordination and teamwork were so perfect that one would think they had one single mind which in this case was a very urate description since Kai was the one who controlled their actions.


    A normal brain wouldn''t be able to handle such a gigantic multi-tasking but Kai was ustomed to it to some extent. However, even he can''t keep this up forever since it takes a toll on his mind and body, not to mention the huge amount of Origin he needs to use to make it work.


    "Just let them do the work," Kai murmured as he sat down with a sigh and looked up. Since they were so deep inside, they couldn''t see the entrance of the hole anymore. It was just an endless darkness that extended endlessly.


    "Can you feel any Origin Artifacts, Kai?" Kaya asked as she sat down with him.


    "No. Not anywhere close, at least." He replied.


    "Then, is it possible that this isn''t indeed the Progenitor''s Arsenal location?"


    "Very possible. But, there is still a chance that it still could be here, just hidden very well."


    "Hm, you think so?"


    "Yeah, we couldn''t discover this hole even though we used our senses so it shouldn''t be hard for him to hide weapons inside this ce if he wanted." He replied with a thoughtful look.


    Kai was still curious as to how this hole was hidden so perfectly. Something deep should''ve been noticeable for him with how precise his senses were. For someone who can feel the presence of an ant from tens or even hundreds of kilometers away, a hole this big is akin to a sore thumb standing out amidst the vast desert.


    ''We will discover the reason for that soon enough.'' He shook his head before he gazed at the group of clones working. In a matter of a few minutes, they had already dug deep enough to reveal a part of the hole.


    The hole seemed very vast, akin to a cave entrance from what Kai could see which is why he was even more sure that this hole was going to lead to a very interesting ce.


    By the time the digging reached a point where they could pass through, Kai and Kaya stood up.


    "Let''s go." He said with a cold tone as the two approached the hole before they slid through it with a simple jump.


    "My shoes are filled with sand, dammit," Kaya murmured as she emptied her boots before she wore them again and looked around her.


    The ce they were in was a very dark and long passage that seemingly extended endlessly.


    "Is this an endless path like the hole we fell from?" She asked with a frown. She didn''t want to keep walking for hours on end.


    "I don''t think so. But, we don''t have time. Let''s go." Kai replied as he dusted off his clothes.


    "Hai, hai, captain!"


    Then, the two dashed through the passage at top speed, vanishingpletely from sight in a moment.


    "This ce is really magnificent. A perfectly polished passage that doesn''t require pirs to maintain." Kaya murmured.


    The roof above them was made out of the same shiny limestone used for the hole''s walls. It looked perfectly built and what surprised her even more was the fact that all of this didn''t require pirs to keep from copsing. This ce was possibly hundreds of kilometers underground and yet it''s still maintained perfectly.


    "They probably used some kind of power to keep it this way. I can sense some faint traces of Origin here and there." Kai replied.


    "Hmm, that makes sense although it still sounds ridiculously hard to pull off."


    To keep a tunnel like this from copsing, it needs an astronomical amount of Origin constantly pumped into the walls every single second. Unless there is an endless source of Origin, keeping this up was impossible.


    ''What if¡­'' Kai came up with an idea as he thought about it. ''If that''s the case then this ce isn''t as simple as we thought.''


    After a few minutes of running, the duo finally noticed a shift in their surroundings ahead of them. There was an exit from this tunnel.


    Reaching the exit, they found themselves in apletely different ce from the tunnel.


    "Wow¡­" Kaya murmured as she looked around her.


    The ce they were in was a gigantic hall, way bigger than any other hall they had been in before. Its ceiling was hundreds of meters high and its space was vast enough to fit a city into it. Numerous massive pirs made out of shiny marble rooted themselves in the hall, adding ayer of magnificence to it.


    The duo werepletely awestruck by the sight. As they were like that, torches of fire hung all over the ce on the walls suddenly started shining on their own as they quickly illuminated the ce without the need for Kaya''s ball of light.


    What it revealed along with it made the ce even more interesting. Countless ancient drawings on the wall along with piles of text written in the Progenitor''s Language surrounding it.


    "Holy¡­ Where are we even?" Kaya asked.


    Kai had the same reaction as her but he didn''t stand there and instead curiously approached one of the walls and looked closely at it.


    The images on it were of men and women, animals, monsters, and many other unknown things. Kai noticed that they were drawn in the form of panels, each panel telling a story of its own with words and images. However, the most noticeable out of all these characters was a certain man who had a shining orange aura around him.


    He had a well-defined build, ck hair, and a pair of piercing purple eyes. He seemed to be present in all the panels, drawn to look the biggest and most intimidating out of everyone else around him. He also seemed to be the one to do most actions in each panel.


    "This is¡­ These are stories of the Progenitor¡­" Kai said in an awestruck tone.


    "So this is the Progenitor?" Kaya asked as she curiously stared at the man Kai pointed at. He seemed very intimidating and powerful even though he was merely a drawing.


    "But¡­ Kai¡­ Doesn''t he have the same hair and eye color as you do?" She asked as she looked at her beloved and the picture.


    "..." At first, Kai didn''t notice that detail but when Kaya mentioned it, he was even more taken aback. It was indeed the same color for both.


    Although ck hair wasn''t umon in the world, purple eyes were in fact very very rare. Kai had never before met someone who had purple eyes, even his father didn''t have them which led him to believe that he simply had a gically rare trait.


    ''Is this purely a coincidence?'' He thought to himself.


    "And his aura¡­ It''s also simr to yours in the way it surrounds you." She pointed out another detail.


    Kai''s aura was akin to multiple serpents surrounding his body as they moved slowly clockwise direction.


    "Weird¡­"


    "This is seriously confusing. Or are we just looking too much into it?" Kaya asked.


    "I don''t know."


    "Hmm, how are we going to decipher the text though?" She asked.


    "I can read it¡­ To some extent?"


    "You do?" Kaya looked shocked for a second.


    "Not many people know of the existence of thisnguage but I did learn how to read it a long time ago."


    "... My Kai surely knows everything. Hehehe." Kaya chuckled. "So, can you read it for us? Perhaps we will find clues in this long hall."


    Kai nodded his head before he approached the text of the very first panel and read it. Even though a very long time passed in this ce, it was still very clear and well carved into the limestone.


    As he read through the text, Kai''s eyebrows started rising slowly.


    Kaya noticed that and asked. "What is it? Did you discover something?"


    "Many things¡­"

 Chapter 244 244- Trials Of Death (Part 2)

    Chapter 244  244- Trials Of Death (Part 2)


    Kai read through the text before he sighed and turned around to Kaya. "We were wrong about what we knew about this man." He said.


    "What? What do you mean by that?" Kaya asked as she blinked confusedly.


    "The Progenitor isn''t from our world," Kai exined as he touched the wall, tracing the carved words.


    "He isn''t?"


    "No, not at least from what these texts are saying. They said that he arrived on earth 3000 years ago after it was discovered."


    Kai was as confused as Kaya if not more since he had read thoroughly about the Progenitor before. He knew that the stories written about him were mostly myths, but he still believed that he was at least a human. Yet, from what he can see now, he was very wrong.


    However, that wasn''t what made him so surprised. It was thest part that truly caught his attention.


    ''Discovered? So the other realm existed before Earth did?'' Kai frowned slightly when he realized the meaning of those words.


    "There are humans in that other world?" Kaya asked as she stared at the Progenitor''s image with more interest than ever.


    "Considering the fact the spider queen was a sane creature that can speak, that means that there should exist creatures simr to humans there if not outright humans." He replied.


    "That exins why he did all of that¡­ Because he didn''t technically discover it and simply brought here what the people of the other world already knew!" Kaya continued as she fisted the palm of her hand with realization. "So, it was all just a huge lie?!"


    "Possibly¡­ We still don''t know for certainty yet so we can''t go to conclusions quickly."


    Although Kai said that, he also believed what Kaya said was most likely the case. The Progenitor simply brought along with him all the discoveries of the other world. Perhaps he wanted to rule the world for himself or perhaps he just wanted to be looked at as a god or a divine being.


    He could''ve also hadpletely different intentions than these simple desires. After all, they knew nothing about his previous world nor why he even came there alone instead of bringing his people with him.


    "Mmm, Kai?" Kaya suddenly tapped his shoulder, waking him up from his thoughts.


    "Hm?"


    "Is it just me¡­ or did the room shrink in size?" She asked as she pointed to the other side of the hall."


    "What do you mean?"


    Turning around to look at the ce she pointed at, Kai couldn''t see any difference. The hall was still the same size and the distance between the pirs and the wall didn''t change so that meant that it didn''t move.


    "I can''t see it."


    "Hmm¡­ Weird, I almost thought it shrank in size for a second there." Kaya murmured with even more confusion before she shrugged and didn''t focus on it anymore. Kai, however, didn''t simply shrug it off and instead focused even harder on the entire hall.


    Seconds passed in silence as he waited but nothing changed. So, Kai simply turned around and started reading the texts again as if he didn''t bother anymore. At that moment, something weird happened and Kai felt the walls behind him move ever-so-slightly.


    "It''s moving." Kai immediately turned around and alerted Kaya.


    "What?"


    "The walls are moving as you said." He said as he channeled his origin before he spread his senses as far as he could.


    The whole ce was now under his senses and he tried to look for anything suspicious.


    "Now that I think about it, where is Aria?" Kaya asked.


    "She''s far away from here in that direction. We can''t stay here any longer, we need to move." Kai said.


    When he uttered those words, the unmoving walls suddenly started moving again. However, this time, it wasn''t in a sneaky way as before and instead was fast and shockingly scary.


    "Shit!"


    "We need to move!" Kai eximed before he quickly dashed in the direction Aria came from.


    Kaya quickly followed suit and the two quickly moved through the hall at top speed. However, the walls were equally as fast as they were sandwiching them tighter and tighter.


    "Tsk!" Kai cursed as he quickly created multiple long ice poles before he pinned them horizontally between the moving walls to try and stop them.


    The poles were immediately wedged between the walls as the crushing pressure increased.


    "Faster, Kaya!" Kai quickly grabbed Kaya''s hand as the two increased their speed.


    At the same time, Kai looked beneath him. The marble floor they were running on was also magically moving on its own as if it had a mind of its own. The boy didn''t know where all the space that existed before was going as he couldn''t see a point where it got swallowed beneath them.


    ''What the hell is happening?'' Kaya was starting to panic. "Kai, the poles won''t hold for long!"


    As they ran, the ice objects had already started cracking and twisting because of the enormous pressure. The sheer force that moved the walls was just unstoppable.


    Eventually, they sumbed to the pressure and were destroyed with a loud bang. At the same time, sadly Kai and Kaya couldn''t see the end of the hall at all no matter how much they ran. Kai started to believe that this ce wasn''t a normal hall but instead a trap. A trap to capture them.


    ''But, why?'' He asked himself but ended up with no answer. This ce seemed like a hall of fame that glorified the people of the Progenitor''s era and their achievements and yet somehow it turned into a mess really quickly.


    As seconds passed Kai and Kaya found themselves running in smaller and smaller paths as they tried to reach the end of this cursed ce. However, their luck wasn''t that good as they eventually found themselves about to bepletely crushed by the walls around them.


    Kai waspletely clueless as to what to do. He tried to use reverse momentum to push the walls back but he knew that would only buy him a few seconds at most before they were threatened to get crushed again by the walls.


    As he was like that, suddenly, the wall to his life made a sudden change. It''s marble polis shifted and shockingly, a door-like entrance appeared in it. Before Kai could even do anything, he found himself pushed into the entrance before the marble closed as if it were made out of y.


    "What?! Kai!!" Kaya screamed as she tried to grab him, only to find herself grabbing thin air. At the same time, another entrance opened in the wall and she was swallowed by it before the two wallspletely closed on the entire hall before it waspletely submerged in eerie silence again.


    ****


    "Hmm¡­"


    Kai''s eyshes fluttered as he opened them slowly. A faint light entered his irises and made him squint slightly before he rose from his sleeping position.


    ''Did I lose consciousness?'' He asked himself.


    Looking around him, Kai found himself in what seemed to be a small, stone room of some kind akin to a medieval prison cell. There was a small bed that he was sleeping on, a toilet, a mirror, and a sink with an old faucet.


    Apart from that, there was nothing else inside the room. Itcked any decorations or noticeable details. It was a basic chamber through and through.


    "Where am I?" He asked himself as he shook the drowsiness away and stood up on his feet. The ce was very dim with only a small torch in the corner.


    Approaching the sink, Kai opened the faucet. However apart from a weird gurgling sound, no water came out of it. So, instead, he looked at the broken mirror where he saw a distorted picture of his handsome face.


    "Kaya? Where is she?" When he realized that Kaya wasn''t anywhere near him, he frowned. "I lost her during that trap!"


    When he tried to spread his senses to find her, Kai was shocked to realize that he couldn''t feel anything beyond this room.


    "... Weird." Trying again, his senses were blockedpletely by the stone walls as if they knew what he was trying to do and stopped him from doing it.


    Kai curiously then approached the walls and touched them. He couldn''t sense any Origining from them and yet they somehow had that kind of effect on him.


    "They look like ordinary stone¡­"


    However, if Kai had to pinpoint a single difference between these stones what he considered to be normal stones was the fact that they were heavier and more durable. Even though he was certain he could break them with a punch, they would require more strength.


    ''Maybe this is a part of the istion they create?'' He murmured to himself thoughtfully.


    Then, his eyes turned to look at the metal door on the other side of the room. It wasn''tpletely closed as he thought and instead was partially open.


    He immediately knew what he needed to do since there was nothing else inside that room to look at.

 Chapter 245 245- Trials Of Death (Part 3)

    Chapter 245  245- Trials Of Death (Part 3)


    So, with steady steps, Kai approached the metallic door and pushed it open gently as he took a peek outside. The outside was as dark as the interior if not even darker. If it wasn''t for his powerful vision, he would''ve not been able to see what was outside.


    The cell he was in seemed to be located in the depths of an underground location. The air hung heavy with the scent of damp earth and decay, a putrid smell that assaulted Kai''s nose mercilessly. The tunnel''s walls, slick with moisture, ooze a viscous, unknown substance that he could only assume to be water, creating grotesque patterns that seemed to writhe and shift in the feeble glow of the flickering torches hanging on the walls around him.


    The passageway stretched ahead, akin to an endless abyss that stretched as far as the eyes could see. Its narrow confines were adorned with jagged, uneven rock formations that created a chaotic semnce of an old, medieval prison.


    Kai frowned slightly when he couldn''t spread his senses as much as he could. He felt like he was restrainedpletely inside these narrow, almost ustrophobic walls. The silence was deafening; broken only by the constant echoing of the dripping water in the distance, each droplet reverberating like a mournful requiem.


    But, he had no other choice but to move out of the cell and start exploring this ce since he really had no other choice. Stepping out, he started walking left since the right path was closed with a thick wall.


    ''This ce feels¡­ iprehensibly calm.'' He thought to himself. For a prison that was perhaps hundreds of kilometers underground, it didn''t feel either cold or suffocatingly hot. Instead, it was humid and rather warm.


    As Kai ventured deeper and deeper into the tunnel, the weight of the silence started pressing on his mind. He didn''t feel any particr emotions but he could sense what the tunnel was trying to instill in him.


    Minutes passed slowly as Kai started suspecting that this was perhaps another trapid by the Progenitor just like the one he fell in before. But, at that moment, he noticed something ahead of him.


    "Hm?"


    A few dozen meters away, the ceiling of the tunnel suddenly started changing and not in a normal way at all. The stone''s form changed and it shockingly started dripping down as if it melted like ice cream.


    Initially, the liquid molded itself into a shapeless mass, undting and writhing like a living thing, seeking form and purpose. Gradually, defined contours took shape amidst the seething cascade as tendrils of stone intertwined, weaving together to craft the frame of a colossal figure.


    Kai watched as the stone turned into a giant monster, hardened as the stone itself and with a pair of dead, red eyes that seemingly shone in the dark tunnel. Kai didn''t understand how what he was seeing now was even possible but he couldn''t even get surprised anymore considering the bizarreness of this whole ce.


    The monster finally finished its transformation and looked at Kai menacingly. Its eyes seemed aware of its surroundings and aware of Kai too. So, with deliberate movements, the golem''s limbs rose up in the air before going down again as if the creature was simply trying to learn how to control his limbs.


    After that, the stone golem took a step forward, in Kai''s direction and then another step after that. Eventually, his small steps turned into full strides and then broke into a sprint.


    ''I guess it''s there to kill me.'' Sighing, Kai cracked his knuckles before he dashed toward the monster. His speed far exceeded that of the monster. When he reached the target, Kai jumped in the air and punched the monster straight in the face.


    *BOOOM*


    Instantly, the monster''s head exploded into smaller pieces as it scattered everywhere. Landing on his feet, Kai watched as the corpse of the golem fell to the ground too.


    "Hm?" Looking at his fist, Kai squinted. "My Origin didn''t coat my hand." He murmured.


    He most definitely felt that the moment his fist made contact with the golem, all of his Origin vanished and only his true physical strength remained intact.


    ''So these stones are also Anti-Origin¡­ Wait¡­'' Suddenly, Kai realized something.


    These traits the stones had were very much simr to the metal ''Leviathium'' albeit way stronger. Both were anti-origin and very resilient against it.


    ''Is this the stronger form of Leviathium? In its rocky state?'' He mused.


    Although his assumption seemed valid, he still had no proof to back it nor could he test it to make sure.


    As he was like that, Kai''s eyes suddenly rose up to look at the seemingly dead corpse of the golem. What he saw at that moment made him change his mindpletely.


    The monster had suddenly regained its head and was now in the process of standing up again. No damage seemed to have been retained by the monster.


    Then, the creature ruthlessly smashed down with both arms, aiming for Kai. Thetter jumped back and easily avoided the attack.


    ''Interesting¡­'' He thought to himself. ''Regeneration is a powerful ability.''


    The monster didn''t seem keen on the idea of letting Kai stay still as it followed him and attacked with a clear intention to kill. However, because of its slow speed, he could easily avoid the attacks.


    ''Hmm, I can''t feel any particr weak points on it which means that it is either not alive or I can''t sense its weakness because of the stones.''


    So, to find out what was the true reason, Kai decided topletely and utterly destroy this golem. So much so that it turns into small broken pieces.


    So, with that in mind, Kai quickly dashed toward the monster instead of avoiding it, he jumped in the air again and punched the monster''s head with a swift attack. Then, he vanished again and appeared behind it as he delivered a hard kick to its back leg.


    In a matter of a few seconds, Kai punched multiple holes into the monster''s body making it fall to the ground motionless. However, he didn''t stop there as he moved closer to the golem and started destroying every intact part of it as if it were made out of crunchy biscuits.


    The process repeated again and again till the monster was turned into a pile of rubble. Then, Kai carefully watched it for a while. He waited for any reaction to happen when the monster rose from death. However, after waiting for a while, nothing happened worthy of his attention so he assumed that it had indeed died this time.


    "Interesting, so turning it into rubble actually killed it." He murmured as he rubbed his chin.


    This didn''t exin whether this monster was a sane creature or just a puppet created out of stone but it sure verified the fact that it had no particr weak points. Instead, its whole body was the weak point.


    With that in mind, Kai approached the monster before he took a sample of its body and stored it in his pocket. He was very interested in the stones that were used to create this thing. After all, no creature he ever met before actually had any weak points as all of them were alive and had lively organs inside of them that could be damaged with ease.


    After that, Kai continued his journey in the tunnel. A few more minutes passed and surprisingly, another golem appeared in front of him out of nowhere. It looked very simr to the first one in everything which meant that they were copies of each other or that was at least what Kai thought was the case.


    So, with that in mind, he decided to do the same for this one. A minuteter, he was staring at the same pile of rubble that he left a while ago. This one also didn''t move at all.


    "Is this supposed to be some kind of test?" He asked himself.


    Considering what happened ever since he entered this ce, Kai was inclined to believe that the Progenitor didn''t just want to kill whoever entered the ce as that would just make no sense. The reason for that was the countless images drawn on the walls back in the hall, they were all secrets of that man that he wouldn''t want anyone to find if the Progenitor indeed wanted no one to find them.


    Instead, he pulled Kai away and threw him in this ce, then made him perhaps face golems as a form of test to him.


    "That could be possible."


    However, what hecked was evidence of this being a test rather than just a death trap. And he was certain that this proof was going to appear somewhere ahead of him. So, Kai continued his journey in the tunnel.


    In a matter of minutes, he met a few more golems, each one looking like the one before it. And each one seemed adamant about killing him even if Kai left it without limbs. They seemed like they were programmed to simply kill.

 Chapter 246 DO NOT UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!!!

    Chapter 246 DO NOT UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER!!!


    The more Kai walked into the tunnel, the more frequent the golems appeared. The distance between each golem also started shortening until it reached a point where they were basicallying in groups of two.


    However, even that didn''t stop Kai as he was able to easily overpower them and move forward. Their strength was simply far below him to even pose a threat. In fact, Kai could easily beat a hundred of them even if they appeared at the same time.


    ''Kaya should be fine, these golems aren''t hard to kill. Unless she''s facing something else.'' He thought to himself with a sigh.


    Kai couldn''t stop himself from worrying about her and Aria since both of them perhaps were facing apletely different test then this one.


    As the path continued, Kai finally found himself at what seemed to be the end of the tunnel. In front of him was a metal gate that looked simr to the one he left the cell from. However, this one was closed rather than open.


    ''Hmm?'' Touching the door, it didn''t feel cold to his hand at all. Well, considering the fact that this ce is ratherfortably warm, he didn''t find it odd that the door won''t be cold to the touch. With that in mind, he pushed the door open which happened to work rather easily.


    On the other side, Kai found himself in a big chamber with walls made out of stone. The first thing Kai noticed on these walls were the fact that they were filled with countless small holes the size of a coin.


    Kai stared at them silently for a second. He could feel that these holes weren''t there for show. However, he didn''t immediately move and instead stared at the other end of the room which was at least 100 meters away.


    "Hmm¡­" With a thoughtful look, Kai moved his hand to his pocket before he pulled out a small coin. After that with a focused look, he flipped the coin in the direction of the other end of the room. The small coin flew in the air swiftly. However, the moment it reached the first set of holes, everything shifted.


    The hole suddenly shone with red light as a loud ringing sound, then, azer straight line appeared out of the hole and flew to the other side at the speed of light. The moment it made contact with the coin, it sted it into small pieces with ease before it continued its way, hitting the other wall.


    At the same time, every other holeunched itssers, turning the whole room into an extremelyplicated maze of dangerous red lights.


    "..." Kai was rather speechless at how weird this trap was. Laser rooms were things he saw in movies and fiction since nobody used that form of security and yet they were somehow used here which was supposed to be a room thousands of years old.


    "Did they have that kind of technology at the time?" Kai wondered to himself before he shrugged and finally started moving closer to theze. Although he was almost certain that thisser can''t really hurt him, he didn''t want to try in case it wasn''t. The damage that this could deal would be huge.


    So, he took a deep breath and crouched down before he passed the first set ofsers with a careful leap which made himnd on one of his hands before he used that hand to push himself horizontally, barely passing two othersser beams.


    Stopping in his ce, he looked around him, searching for his next move. It didn''t take long for him to find it and quickly move. His flexibility and strength made it very easy for him to actually avoid thesers perfectly. However, it still amazed Kai how narrow the passages were and how much precision they needed.


    Another person would''ve already fell into thezer and perhaps died because of it. If that proved anything, it meant that this was perhaps harder than the first trial of golems which was an easy breeze for Kai.


    "Hop!" With a small grunt, Kainded on his feet, barely avoiding to fall forward. With a few leaps, Kai had reached half way through.


    As he was about to move forward, Kai''s senses suddenly alerted him as he bent backward, at the perfect instant where aser moved sneakily from behind him.


    "What?" Blinking, Kai quickly moved again jumping in the air as two more holes moved beneath him.


    ''Movingsers¡­ perfect.'' He thought to himself.


    The holes on the wall had suddenly started magically moving on their own without any prior warning. The way they moved was chaotic with no clear pattern that Kai could follow which put him in a rather sticky situation as he had to continue dodging and jumping around non-stop without being able to progress any further.


    ''Their speed is increasing¡­'' Kai clenched his teeth slightly as he channeled his Origin across his whole body which increased his speed. Immediately, he was able to actually change his position and started jumping and dodging forward instead of backward.


    At the same time, thesers seemed to follow along as it tried to hit him as much as possible. Kai was being attacked from all directions, at all times. However, what he noticed and made him quite surprised was the fact each time thesers closed on him, there was bound to be at least one way out of that position. It was as if thesers themselves knew how to at least give the target a chance to escape no matter how small that chance is.


    ''Interesting.'' Kai murmured as he quickly dodged another set of holes. This kind of test required extreme skill and nimbleness.


    As time passed, Kai made slow progress toward the other side of the room. During which, he didn''t get hit by thesers once. By the time he reached the other side, thesers had reached enough speed to appear blurry to the eye.


    Kainded on his feet where thesers couldn''t touch him before he looked back silently. As seconds passed, the speed of thesers kept increasing and increasing and increasing till it basically became impossible to see which is which.


    ''So it also has a timer¡­ Anything beyond this and it bes impossible to avoid them.'' Kai rubbed his chin thoughtfully before he turned around and headed toward the door that led to the next room.


    "Now, what is the next test?"


    The third room he found himself in looked rather simr to the previous one in shape and size. However, there were no holes in it which Kai predicted to be the case.


    Instead, this room had a set of tiles on the ground that were shining with a bright green color. These tiles were separated into parts, with each part being cut off with a normal stone tiles, forming visible parts that keep changing again and again till the end of the room.


    Kai looked at the first set of green tiles with a curious expression before he approached them. Immediately, the tiles change red color instantly.


    "Hmm?" Again, Kai pulled out another coin and threw it toward the red tiles. The moment it made contact with one of them, the tile suddenly fell down beneath the ground, carrying along with it the small coin.


    Kai carefully looked at the hole left in its ce and he could only see endless darkness from it with no bottom pit to be seen. A secondter, the tile came back to the surface as if nothing happened. However, there was no trace of the coin itself.


    It didn''t take him that long to figure out what this test was all about as a few secondster, the color red on the tiles changed to green again.


    "I see¡­" With that in mind, Kai quickly stepped on the green tiles before he made his way to the other side quickly. He had calcted the seconds between each change which was around 15 seconds, more than enough for him to reach the other side.


    ''So it also has a timer¡­ Anything beyond this and it bes impossible to avoid them.'' Kai rubbed his chin thoughtfully before he turned around and headed toward the door that led to the next room.


    "Now, what is the next test?"


    The third room he found himself in looked rather simr to the previous one in shape and size. However, there were no holes in it which Kai predicted to be the case.


    Instead, this room had a set of tiles on the ground that were shining with a bright green color. These tiles were separated into parts, with each part being cut off with a normal stone tiles, forming visible parts that keep changing again and again till the end of the room.


    Kai looked at the first set of green tiles with a curious expression before he approached them. Immediately, the tiles change red color instantly.


    Chapter 246- Trials Of Death (Part 4)


    The more Kai walked into the tunnel, the more frequent the golems appeared. The distance between each golem also started shortening until it reached a point where they were basicallying in groups of two.


    However, even that didn''t stop Kai as he was able to easily overpower them and move forward. Their strength was simply far below him to even pose a threat. In fact, Kai could easily beat a hundred of them even if they appeared at the same time.


    ''Kaya should be fine, these golems aren''t hard to kill. Unless she''s facing something else.'' He thought to himself with a sigh.


    Kai couldn''t stop himself from worrying about her and Aria since both of them perhaps were facing apletely different test then this one.


    As the path continued, Kai finally found himself at what seemed to be the end of the tunnel. In front of him was a metal gate that looked simr to the one he left the cell from. However, this one was closed rather than open.


    ''Hmm?'' Touching the door, it didn''t feel cold to his hand at all. Well, considering the fact that this ce is ratherfortably warm, he didn''t find it odd that the door won''t be cold to the touch. With that in mind, he pushed the door open which happened to work rather easily.


    On the other side, Kai found himself in a big chamber with walls made out of stone. The first thing Kai noticed on these walls were the fact that they were filled with countless small holes the size of a coin.


    Kai stared at them silently for a second. He could feel that these holes weren''t there for show. However, he didn''t immediately move and instead stared at the other end of the room which was at least 100 meters away.


    "Hmm¡­" With a thoughtful look, Kai moved his hand to his pocket before he pulled out a small coin. After that with a focused look, he flipped the coin in the direction of the other end of the room. The small coin flew in the air swiftly. However, the moment it reached the first set of holes, everything shifted.


    The hole suddenly shone with red light as a loud ringing sound, then, aser straight line appeared out of the hole and flew to the other side at the speed of light. The moment it made contact with the coin, it sted it into small pieces with ease before it continued its way, hitting the other wall.


    At the same time, every other holeunched itssers, turning the whole room into an extremelyplicated maze of dangerous red lights.


    "..." Kai was rather speechless at how weird this trap was. Laser rooms were things he saw in movies and fiction since nobody used that form of security and yet they were somehow used here which was supposed to be a room thousands of years old.


    "Did they have that kind of technology at the time?" Kai wondered to himself before he shrugged and finally started moving closer to theze. Although he was almost certain that thiszer can''t really hurt him, he didn''t want to try in case it wasn''t. The damage that this could deal would be huge.


    So, he took a deep breath and crouched down before he passed the first set ofsers with a careful leap which made himnd on one of his hands before he used that hand to push himself horizontally, barely passing two othersser beams.


    Stopping in his ce, he looked around him, searching for his next move. It didn''t take long for him to find it and quickly move. His flexibility and strength made it very easy for him to actually avoid thesers perfectly. However, it still amazed Kai how narrow the passages were and how much precision they needed.


    Another person would''ve already fell into theser and perhaps died because of it. If that proved anything, it meant that this was perhaps harder than the first trial of golems which was an easy breeze for Kai.


    "Hop!" With a small grunt, Kainded on his feet, barely avoiding to fall forward. With a few leaps, Kai had reached half way through.


    As he was about to move forward, Kai''s senses suddenly alerted him as he bent backward, at the perfect instant where aser moved sneakily from behind him.


    "What?" Blinking, Kai quickly moved again jumping in the air as two more holes moved beneath him.


    ''Movingsers¡­ perfect.'' He thought to himself.


    The holes on the wall had suddenly started magically moving on their own without any prior warning. The way they moved was chaotic with no clear pattern that Kai could follow which put him in a rather sticky situation as he had to continue dodging and jumping around non-stop without being able to progress any further.


    ''Their speed is increasing¡­'' Kai clenched his teeth slightly as he channeled his Origina cross his whole body which increased his speed. Immediately, he was able to actually change his position and started jumping and dodging forward instead of backward.


    At the same time, thesers seemed to follow along as it tried to hit him as much as possible. Kai was being attacked from all directions, at all times. However, what he noticed and made him quite surprised was the fact each time thesers closed on him, there was bound to be at least one way out of that position. It was as if thesers themselves knew how to at least give the target a chance to escape no matter how small that chance is.


    ''Interesting.'' Kai murmured as he quickly dodged another set of holes. This kind of test required extreme skill and nimbleness.


    As time passed, Kai made slow progress toward the other side of the room. During which, he didn''t get hit by thesers once. By the time he reached the other side, thesers had reached enough speed to appear blurry to the eye.


    Kainded on his feet where thesers couldn''t touch him before he looked back silently. As seconds passed, the speed of thesers kept increasing and increasing and increasing till it basically became impossible to see which is which.


    ''So it also has a timer¡­ Anything beyond this and it bes impossible to avoid them.'' Kai rubbed his chin thoughtfully before he turned around and headed toward the door that led to the next room.


    "Now, what is the next test?"


    The third room he found himself in looked rather simr to the previous one in shape and size. However, there were no holes in it which Kai predicted to be the case.


    Instead, this room had a set of tiles on the ground that were shining with a bright green color. These tiles were separated into parts, with each part being cut off with a normal stone tiles, forming visible parts that keep changing again and again till the end of the room.


    Kai looked at the first set of green tiles with a curious expression before he approached them. Immediately, the tiles change red color instantly.


    "Hmm?" Again, Kai pulled out another coin and threw it toward the red tiles. The moment it made contact with one of them, the tile suddenly fell down beneath the ground, carrying along with it the small coin.


    Kai carefully looked at the hole left in its ce and he could only see endless darkness from it with no bottom pit to be seen. A secondter, the tile came back to the surface as if nothing happened. However, there was no trace of the coin itself.


    It didn''t take him that long to figure out what this test was all about as a few secondster, the color red on the tiles changed to green again.


    "I see¡­" With that in mind, Kai quickly stepped on the green tiles before he made his way to the other side quickly. He had calcted the seconds between each change which was around 15 seconds, more than enough for him to reach the other side.


    ''So it also has a timer¡­ Anything beyond this and it bes impossible to avoid them.'' Kai rubbed his chin thoughtfully before he turned around and headed toward the door that led to the next room.


    "Now, what is the next test?"


    The third room he found himself in looked rather simr to the previous one in shape and size. However, there were no holes in it which Kai predicted to be the case.


    Instead, this room had a set of tiles on the ground that were shining with a bright green color. These tiles were separated into parts, with each part being cut off with a normal stone tiles, forming visible parts that keep changing again and again till the end of the room.


    Kai looked at the first set of green tiles with a curious expression before he approached them. Immediately, the tiles change red color instantly.

 Chapter 247 246- Trials Of Death (Part 4)

    Chapter 247  246- Trials Of Death (Part 4)


    Chapter 246- Trials Of Death (Part 4)


    The more Kai walked into the tunnel, the more frequent the golems appeared. The distance between each golem also started shortening until it reached a point where they were basicallying in groups of two.


    However, even that didn''t stop Kai as he was able to easily overpower them and move forward. Their strength was simply far below him to even pose a threat. In fact, Kai could easily beat a hundred of them even if they appeared at the same time.


    ''Kaya should be fine, these golems aren''t hard to kill. Unless she''s facing something else.'' He thought to himself with a sigh.


    Kai couldn''t stop himself from worrying about her and Aria since both of them perhaps were facing apletely different test then this one.


    As the path continued, Kai finally found himself at what seemed to be the end of the tunnel. In front of him was a metal gate that looked simr to the one he left the cell from. However, this one was closed rather than open.


    ''Hmm?'' Touching the door, it didn''t feel cold to his hand at all. Well, considering the fact that this ce is ratherfortably warm, he didn''t find it odd that the door won''t be cold to the touch. With that in mind, he pushed the door open which happened to work rather easily.


    On the other side, Kai found himself in a big chamber with walls made out of stone. The first thing Kai noticed on these walls were the fact that they were filled with countless small holes the size of a coin.


    Kai stared at them silently for a second. He could feel that these holes weren''t there for show. However, he didn''t immediately move and instead stared at the other end of the room which was at least 100 meters away.


    "Hmm¡­" With a thoughtful look, Kai moved his hand to his pocket before he pulled out a small coin. After that with a focused look, he flipped the coin in the direction of the other end of the room. The small coin flew in the air swiftly. However, the moment it reached the first set of holes, everything shifted.


    The hole suddenly shone with red light as a loud ringing sound, then, azer straight line appeared out of the hole and flew to the other side at the speed of light. The moment it made contact with the coin, it sted it into small pieces with ease before it continued its way, hitting the other wall.


    At the same time, every other holeunched itssers, turning the whole room into an extremelyplicated maze of dangerous red lights.


    "..." Kai was rather speechless at how weird this trap was. Lazer rooms were things he saw in movies and fiction since nobody used that form of security and yet they were somehow used here which was supposed to be a room thousands of years old.


    "Did they have that kind of technology at the time?" Kai wondered to himself before he shrugged and finally started moving closer to theze. Although he was almost certain that thiszer can''t really hurt him, he didn''t want to try in case it wasn''t. The damage that this could deal would be huge.


    So, he took a deep breath and crouched down before he passed the first set ofsers with a careful leap which made himnd on one of his hands before he used that hand to push himself horizontally, barely passing two otherszer beams.


    Stopping in his ce, he looked around him, searching for his next move. It didn''t take long for him to find it and quickly move. His flexibility and strength made it very easy for him to actually avoid thesers perfectly. However, it still amazed Kai how narrow the passages were and how much precision they needed.


    Another person would''ve already fell into thezer and perhaps died because of it. If that proved anything, it meant that this was perhaps harder than the first trial of golems which was an easy breeze for Kai.


    "Hop!" With a small grunt, Kainded on his feet, barely avoiding to fall forward. With a few leaps, Kai had reached half way through.


    As he was about to move forward, Kai''s senses suddenly alerted him as he bent backward, at the perfect instant where aser moved sneakily from behind him.


    "What?" Blinking, Kai quickly moved again jumping in the air as two more holes moved beneath him.


    ''Movingsers¡­ perfect.'' He thought to himself.


    The holes on the wall had suddenly started magically moving on their own without any prior warning. The way they moved was chaotic with no clear pattern that Kai could follow which put him in a rather sticky situation as he had to continue dodging and jumping around non-stop without being able to progress any further.


    ''Their speed is increasing¡­'' Kai clenched his teeth slightly as he channeled his Origina cross his whole body which increased his speed. Immediately, he was able to actually change his position and started jumping and dodging forward instead of backward.


    At the same time, thesers seemed to follow along as it tried to hit him as much as possible. Kai was being attacked from all directions, at all times. However, what he noticed and made him quite surprised was the fact each time thesers closed on him, there was bound to be at least one way out of that position. It was as if thesers themselves knew how to at least give the target a chance to escape no matter how small that chance is.


    ''Interesting.'' Kai murmured as he quickly dodged another set of holes. This kind of test required extreme skill and nimbleness.


    As time passed, Kai made slow progress toward the other side of the room. During which, he didn''t get hit by thesers once. By the time he reached the other side, thesers had reached enough speed to appear blurry to the eye.


    Kainded on his feet where thesers couldn''t touch him before he looked back silently. As seconds passed, the speed of thesers kept increasing and increasing and increasing till it basically became impossible to see which is which.


    ''So it also has a timer¡­ Anything beyond this and it bes impossible to avoid them.'' Kai rubbed his chin thoughtfully before he turned around and headed toward the door that led to the next room.


    "Now, what is the next test?"


    The third room he found himself in looked rather simr to the previous one in shape and size. However, there were no holes in it which Kai predicted to be the case.


    Instead, this room had a set of tiles on the ground that were shining with a bright green color. These tiles were separated into parts, with each part being cut off with a normal stone tiles, forming visible parts that keep changing again and again till the end of the room.


    Kai looked at the first set of green tiles with a curious expression before he approached them. Immediately, the tiles change red color instantly.


    "Hmm?" Again, Kai pulled out another coin and threw it toward the red tiles. The moment it made contact with one of them, the tile suddenly fell down beneath the ground, carrying along with it the small coin.


    Kai carefully looked at the hole left in its ce and he could only see endless darkness from it with no bottom pit to be seen. A secondter, the tile came back to the surface as if nothing happened. However, there was no trace of the coin itself.


    It didn''t take him that long to figure out what this test was all about as a few secondster, the color red on the tiles changed to green again.


    "I see¡­" With that in mind, Kai quickly stepped on the green tiles before he made his way to the other side quickly. He had calcted the seconds between each change which was around 15 seconds, more than enough for him to reach the other side.


    ''So it also has a timer¡­ Anything beyond this and it bes impossible to avoid them.'' Kai rubbed his chin thoughtfully before he turned around and headed toward the door that led to the next room.


    "Now, what is the next test?"


    The third room he found himself in looked rather simr to the previous one in shape and size. However, there were no holes in it which Kai predicted to be the case.


    Instead, this room had a set of tiles on the ground that were shining with a bright green color. These tiles were separated into parts, with each part being cut off with a normal stone tiles, forming visible parts that keep changing again and again till the end of the room.


    Kai looked at the first set of green tiles with a curious expression before he approached them. Immediately, the tiles change red color instantly.

 Chapter 248 247- Unexpected Realization

    Chapter 248  247- Unexpected Realization


    Kai was able to sessfully reach the next part with ease since he had plenty of time to do so. However, just for the sake of curiosity, he stopped near the edge and looked back at the green tiles.


    A few secondster, the tiles turned red. So, Kai threw a coin at the nearest tile and looked carefully again.


    When the coinnded, it immediately got swallowed by the trap and fell into the abyss. So, Kai quickly created a small ball of light from origin and threw it into the hole.


    Falling threw the hole, the ball of light illuminated its surroundings as it slowly made its way down to the darkness.


    A few seconds passed in silence as Kai watched what would happen. He wasn''t really that inclined to believe that there was something worth investigating down there but it was at least something he could check nevertheless.


    The ball of light remained visible till it reached a hundred or so meters before it suddenly got swallowed instantly.


    Kai''s eyes squinted with confusion. He couldn''t see what happened before the ball of light vanished.


    "Hm? I couldn''t see it." Humming under his breath, he stood up again and turned to face the next obstacles.


    However, he didn''t simply forget what happened. In fact, now he was even more curious to know what was the reason for the disappearance of the ball of light.


    The next part was the same except the change happened considerably faster than the first obstacle. Kai was able to easily pass it with his speed before stood again and tried the same thing he tried before.


    However, this time, he made sure to basically bury his face into the hole to see closer than ever. He was ready to see what was down there. Unless there was some kind of unknown force that kept pulling those things instantaneously or it was as fast as the speed of light, he was certain he could see it.


    With that in mind, he waited carefully. The ball of light descended silently till it reached a certain point before it suddenly vanished again.


    "What¡­?" Kai blinked with a frown. The same thing had happened again.


    He didn''t understand how the ball of light would be there one moment and then vanishpletely the next moment. There was nothing that could move an object that fast.


    But, Kai knew that he wouldn''t be able to find the answer like this. Unless he personally went down there which was something that he wasn''t intending to do unless he was a fool, of course.


    So, he could only go with the only thing left, to continue the test and see where it brings him after they''re done.


    The next few obstacles passed swiftly for Kai. He didn''t find any particr hardships. But, he was noticing the difference with each part he passed.


    At first, it was 15 seconds and then it became 10 seconds and then 5 and now he was facing a 4-second obstacle.


    Kai realized that the next few obstacles were going to be one second shorter than the one before them. The problem was that the distance between each safe zone was basically getting bigger and bigger.


    ''10 more obstacles which means that at some point I will have to move in fractions of a second.'' He thought to himself.


    The feeling of worry he had at that moment was palpable. Kaya and Aria were probably going through simr things and could now be in danger for all he knew.


    He had to quickly finish and reach them before anything bad happens that he would regret.


    So, Kai quickly passed through the next few obstacles and reached thest three which were interchanging colors almost instantly each time.


    Kai has to focus on the changing colors with his eyes as he readied himself before he quickly dashed toward the tiles and leaped in the air crossing half the distance before quickly leaping again.


    His feet gentlynded on the other side of the obstacle before he quickly moved to the next one without stop. He didn''t want to break the momentum he created now with full focus.


    The next one was so much faster than the previous one. So much so that a Norma eye would only see a mix of green and red.


    Jumping over them, he passed the twost obstacles andnded perfectly.


    "Fuuh¡­" Exhaling a long breath, he looked ahead of him.


    The next room was now merely a few feet away.


    "How much more is left?"


    ****


    With that, Kai found himself in an endless test that didn''t seem to end. Room after room, he found himself in front of different tests, each one harder than the one before it and each one carried a different set of skills required to finish it.


    Some had poison traps in them, some were simply filled withva or mes. Some were icy cold and some were warm.


    He didn''t understand how all of this seemed to work. To bring all these different types of climates into one ce and preserve them this perfectly was a mystery.


    Eventually, though, after hours and hours of tests, Kai finally found himself in front of a door that didn''t look like anyone before it.


    This one was made out of high-quality wood with beautiful engravings on it. Opening the door, Kai found himself in a cepletely different from the medieval underground prison he was in.


    The door opened to a beautiful and vast garden that expanded vastly as far as the eye could see.


    Beautiful carpet of grass covered with ayer of flowers of many colors. Trees ancient and young, filled with delicious looking fruits. Small animals ran around happily as they ate and enjoyed that ce.


    It was the most beautiful garden Kai had ever seen in his life. Even more beautiful than even the one his father had created.


    Looking around with awe, he suddenly noticed the presence of two people. Looking to his right, he saw two girls standing there, staring back at him.


    The trio stared at each other in silence before Kaya finally broke the silence and smiled widely as she ran toward Kai.


    "DARLING! Thank God you''re OK!" Jumping on him, she hugged him tightly with both arms.


    Kai was still quite surprised as he felt her warmth wrap around him. Immediately, all of his worries and fear vanished as if they never existed in the first ce.


    His arms instinctively wrapped around Kaya as he hugged her back and closed his eyes.


    "Are you fine?" He asked in a gentle whisper.


    "Yes! I arrived here a few hours ago. That''s where I found Aria." She exined as she cupped Kai''s cheeks and stared at him closely.


    Thetter nodded his head before he finally turned to face Aria who stood there silently. He could see that she was tempted to approach him but seemed hesitant.


    So, Kai simply asked her. "Did you get hurt?"


    Aria flinched from the question before she quickly nodded her head.


    "Y-Yes, ehem, I didn''t sustain any heavy injuries, just scratches."


    "Why did you take so long, Kai? You worried me."


    "Hm? I moved as fast as I could. There were too many tests." He shook his head.


    Kai was the one who wanted to ask how they were able to actually reach this ce this quickly.


    He was certain that he moved through the tests with utmost perfection without wasting time at all.


    "Tests? What tests?"


    "What? The rooms that have tests in them? Didn''t you pass through them?" Kai asked back as if he didn''t understand what Kaya was even saying.


    "No¡­ I woke up and found myself in a small room like a prison and then I left it and walked for a while till I found myself here."


    "So¡­ you didn''t pass through any kind of traps? What about you?" he looked at Aria who quickly shook her head.


    "No. I had the same experience as Kaya." She replied briefly.


    "No? What do you mean, Kai? Did you discover something?" Kaya asked.


    However, the boy didn''t reply immediately and instead fell into deep thought.


    ''So neither of them went through what I did? Why is that?'' He asked himself.


    He didn''t know how this ce worked or why it worked like this. It was certainly to protect something. But, if it only makes one person to to through that then that means that it''s not a test and rather somethingpletely different.


    Kai didn''t know exactly what it was yet as things kept changing quickly. However, the fact that he was the only one to get tested then that means that this ce saw something in Kai that it didn''t see in Kaya and Aria.


    Kai''s mind went back to the engravings in the wall and the simrities he had with the drawing of the Progenitor. Somehow, that must''ve had to do with it. Or at least that''s what he wanted to believe to be the case.

 Chapter 249 248- Heavens And Primordial Beings (Part 1)

    Chapter 249  248- Heavens And Primordial Beings (Part 1)


    "Kai?" Feeling the warm touch of Kaya on his face, Kai woke up from his thoughts and looked at her.


    "What happened?" She asked worriedly again.


    So, with a sigh, Kai started recounting what happened to him ever since he got separated with Kaya and what kind of tests he went through. Kaya was very much shocked from what she heard but she didn''t speak until Kai finished speaking.


    When he did, Kaya sighed as she looked at him. "I''m d you''re ok¡­"


    "It wasn''t that big of a deal. I was able to reach this ce with minimal effort. I''m more curious about why you two didn''t face the same thing." Kai shrugged.


    "I wonder why¡­"


    He really didn''t find any noteworthy difficulty during this whole ordeal. But, it was certainly a good way to move his rather rusty body for a change.


    "I always forget that there are only a few things that could threaten your life." Kaya chuckled before she turned around. "Well, what are we going to do now?"


    "Well, we didn''t try to move from here since we didn''t know where you were so we didn''t explore the ce. But, from what I can see, it''s pretty vast. It also doesn''t seem like a ce I have seen before." Kaya exined with a thoughtful look on her face.


    "Me neither." Aria interjected. "The Origin here is way purer than most ces I''ve been to." She added.


    ''It''s even more pure than that forest.'' She mused secretly.


    Kai didn''t say a word as he scanned the ce. The air of this ce was cold, pure and very clean. The Origin around them was also pretty much the purest they''ve ever felt before. It''s thickness and strong presence was almost too much.


    Kai''s eyes squinted as he looked behind him at the ce he exited from. Shockingly, it appeared like a small, normal house surrounded by mesmerizing nature. The wooden door was now also closed.


    So, curiously, Kai approached it and opened it, only to find it leading back to the interior of a normal house. The interior was furnished and quite clean even though this ce should''ve been left for a long while with no


    "What?"


    Kaya and Aria approached him and took a peek inside.


    "I was inside a dungeon when I came out of this door." He murmured.


    ''How did it change?'' He murmured to himself.


    "What is happening here, really? I feel like we''re being toyed with." Aria''s face seemed to pale harder and harder the more time they spent there.


    Ever since he arrived there, Kai had noticed that expression on her. He knew that she probably was aware of something that he didn''t know.


    "What is it?" Kai asked her.


    "Hmm?" The girl flinched for a second as if she was taken by surprise.


    "... Nothing¡­"


    ''I can''t ask her now when Kaya is present.''


    "So, should we just explore this ce and see what we find?" She asked.


    "We have no other choice."


    So, the group turned around and started walking in the only direction they had which was apparently north from what Kai can see.


    The etherealndscape stretched endlessly before them, akin to an arist''s palette of vibrant hues that danced with an otherworldly glow. Kai was leading the trio as he looked around. The ce seemed so peaceful that he didn''t even know how it existed for this long and it was never discovered. Even the areas in the world that remained undiscovered were still known to Kai since he had roamed the whole world before.


    Yet, never did hee across any information about this ce.


    ''It''s too vast to not be noticed by someone in these thousands of years¡­ Unless, its like the temple.'' He murmured to himself.


    The temple city where Kai was born was also hidden from the world by unknown forces that made it impossible to enter it unless Kai father allowed it. To this day, Kai didn''t understand how his father had such control over that ce but it was still simr to the realm they were walking in at the moment.


    "Isn''t this ce too beautiful? rmingly so?" Kaya''s voice broke the silence, her eyes filled with wonder as she soaked in the surreal surroundings.


    "It''s like¡­ stepping into a dream." Aria added softly, her voice filled with awe.


    "A dream, huh? That seems like an urate way to describe it." Kaya smiled as she nodded her head. It was indeed a dream-like world. A ce that the trio never been in before.


    As they were walking like that, Kai''s eyesnded on something in the far distance that appeared like a small, white dot. His eyes pierced the distance powerfully as he halted his steps.


    "Look there." He said as he pointed his finger at the mysterious object.


    "Hm? What''s that?" Kaya squinted her eyes but couldn''t quite discern what it was.


    So, the group decided to actually move toward it. Since the distance was quite far, their trip took a while. But, that didn''t matter to them as they were getting closer, the object finally started appearing more and more visible to them.


    Nestled amidst the celestial-like blooms and vibrant flora were the ancient remains of a creature. The bones were a shining white color that remained beautiful even after the unknown amount of time that passed. Enormous parts of its body stretched out like colossal monuments against the heaven realm. The skeletal frame, almost inconceivably immense with its sheer size and magnitude.


    The towering ribs, each bone seemingly as wide as a massive tree trunk, arched upward in a graceful curse, forming an imposing structure that spoke a once majestic creature. The spinal column was made out of series of colossal vertebrae that extended far into the distance. The skull was the most notable part of the whole remains as it gave the group an idea what this thing was.


    "Is that¡­ a dragon?" Kaya murmured inpletely disbelief.


    As they got closer and closer from it, its size kept getting bigger and bigger as if it was trying to shock them harder and harder.


    "A dragon¡­" Kai''s eyes stared upward at the majestic creature that was long dead.


    He couldn''t believe his eyes. Dragons were simply mythical creatures that never existed in the first ce. The fact that they were standing in front of one was a historical moment in and out of itself.


    "How did this thing even exist?" Aria murmured to herself. Standing next to the creature''s skull, she waspletely dwarfed by its sheer scale. The jawbones alone wererger than any building she had ever seen, and the teeth, still intact despite the millennia that passed were as long as her entire body if not more.


    Kaya traced the bones with her hands gently. She didn''t even need to hit it to know that these bones were extremely resilient if not out right unbreakable.


    "This creature must''ve been a monster in its own right." She said. "Isn''t that right, Kai?"


    "Hmm, If that''s the case, then it wasn''t the strongest of its time." Kai said as he signaled for the two girls toe closer to his side since he was standing near the ribs.


    "Look here. The ribs here aren''t intact and the shape of the broken ribs align together." He said.


    Looking closer at it, there was indeed circr like line that moved across multiple of its ribs that cut them short mysteriously.


    "..." It didn''t take them long to realize what Kai meant.


    "It didn''t die naturally?" Kaya shuddered when she understood that possibility.


    "Definitely not. This seems like a deadly injury." With his analytical gaze that assessed the remains, Kai found himself in another dilemma.


    This creature was unbelievable strong and he didn''t even need to meet it to know that. Its bones alone are probably the hardest object he had evere across, harder than even the de of his sword.


    Despite the passage of ages, the remains exuded an aura of primordial strength, something that should never even exist in this world to begin with. This discovery only made this ce even more bizarre and confusing.


    "What could''ve killed this thing?" Kaya asked.


    She didn''t want to know the answer since it was probably going to be something really unpleasant. However, she was still curious.


    "Isn''t this ce rted to the Progenitor? It''s not hard to link the two together." Kai murmured as he turned around and stared at the sky.


    "The Progenitor did this?"


    "Possibly," Aria replied. "We know that he was very strong. But, how strong he was? It''s up to assumptions. But, from these remains, perhaps he was way stronger than anyone of us could''ve ever predicted."


    "That''s¡­ insane."


    A man capable of killing such a creature¡­ How monstrous was he. Kaya''s eyes naturally went to Kai who was standing there silently.


    Of course Kai was a living proof of strength and that made Kaya even more curious to know another thing.


    "Do you think you can kill this thing if it was still alive, Kai?"

 Chapter 250 249- Sea Of Remains And Edge

    Chapter 250  249- Sea Of Remains And Edge


    Chapter 249- Sea Of Remains


    Kai didn''t reply immediately as he kept staring at the sky for a while before he sighed and looked down.


    "I don''t know. Maybe I could and maybe I couldn''t. I can''t say from looking at the remains." He replied with a cold tone.


    In reality, Kai was sure that he wouldn''t at least be defeated by this thing no matter how strong it was as he also had his tricks and trump cards that he could use. However, that doesn''t mean that he can defeat it as this thing seemed to have been ridiculously strong when it was still alive.


    The fight could be brutal and could go in apletely different route than Kai anticipated but it was still something he wouldn''t willingly get into.


    "I see¡­" Kaya murmured as she turned around and stared at the monster again. "So, what should we do about this big boy?"


    "Should we get a sample of its bones. They seem really strong, we can make weapons out of them."


    "Sounds like a good idea to me. What do you think Kai?"


    "Suit yourself." He shrugged as he turned around and pulled his sword before he approached one of the intact ribs and then, in the blink of an eye, he sliced through it like butter. Immediately, the giant bone fell to the ground, shaking the whole ce because of the impact.


    "You made it look too easy, darling¡­" Kaya chuckled with an impressed look.


    The fact that Kai was able to cut those hard bones as if they were nothing was a proof of how powerful he was.


    "This was the hardest object I had to cut." Kai replied as he stared at his own sword. He clearly felt the resistance of the bones and he was shocked how much it took him to cut through it.


    The vibration of the impact was still coursing through his body vividly. Something that Kai never experienced before in his life.


    So, with a thoughtful look, he turned around and picked up the giant piece of bone.


    "We will have to carry it around like this." Kai murmured as he turned around to the two girls. "Let''s go."


    The two were still surprised at the sight of Kai carrying something tens of times his size but they quickly shook their heads when they saw him already on the move.


    Then, the group started their journey again east. The journey was silent for the most part except for somements made here and there by one of the trio as they explored the ce with their eyes.


    At this point, their unease was starting to lessen since no danger appeared to them this whole time. The ce was as peaceful as it could get.


    A whileter, the trio noticed that their path was starting to incline upward as if they were climbing some kind of hill or mountain. However, since this ce was made out of vast ins and hills, it didn''t seem alerting at first.


    However, when they reached the top of this hill, they were met with a sight thatpletely rooted them in their ces. If what they saw before was shocking, this one simply knocked it out of the park.


    Ahead of them was a vastnd filled with endless remains of dragons, simr to the one they saw before. However, their numbers were easily in the hundreds if not thousands as they covered every are for as far as the eye could see. Far into the distance, a cloud of mist covered the ins and made it hard to see beyond


    "What the¡­ fuck?" Kaya exhaled a long breath after a long while as if she finally realized she needed to breathe.


    "What is this ce¡­?" Aria''s face turned even paler as she felt the sheer primordial strength emitting from these dead creatures.


    This ce felt so ancient and raw that none of the trio could evenment on it.


    But, eventually, Kai opened his mouth. "This is a graveyard for these creatures¡­ They all died here."


    That was obvious from what they could see. However, what Kai meant by that was that this wasn''t a normal graveyard.


    "Kai¡­ Is this¡­ the result of a conflict?" Kaya asked.


    This many dead dragons in one ce wasn''t a coincidence especially with the fact that these creatures weren''t even supposed to exist. Well, at least not in this world to be more precise.


    "A war perhaps?" Aria suggested with a thoughtful expression. Deaths in this scale aren''t considered a conflict anymore, it was most certainly a war of some kind that killed all of these monsters.


    "But¡­ Why would a war ur here? And how did the Progenitor kill this many of them if he truly was the one to kill them?" Kaya asked one question after the other. She was now even more invested in this mystery than ever before as it linked so many new things together, creating even more mystery and unknown reason for such things to happen.


    "It''s a war¡­ for either protection or invasion." Kai finally spoke.


    "Huh? How so?"


    "The Progenitor was either protecting thisnd or invading it. In both cases, these dragons were there to attack him. I''m more inclined toward the first one since as you can see, the direction these remains is facing are toward us which meant they''ve arrived from the opposite side." Kai exined.


    If these dragons were there for protection rather than attacking, they would be facing the same way Kai and the two girls were facing.


    In that case, it was all a matter of perspective rather than a firm conclusion.


    "That makes sense. These things came to invade this ce and ended up dying in a war. However, why can''t we find any other remains of humans or other creatures? The Progenitor could''ve not faced this many monsters alone, no?"


    "He couldn''t."


    "Yeah, s-"


    "But, who said people died in this war?" Kai asked.


    "Huh?" This time, Aria was the one to make the confused sound.


    "We assume that the people who defended this ce died or sustained casualties¡­ We can''t say for sure."


    "How can we not say for sure? They couldn''t all be stronger than these dragons, could they?"


    "..."


    Kai hesitated to answer that question. At this point, from that what they revealed, this world is basically a freshly discovered ce that just started its baby steps in the path of Origin a few thousand years ago.


    Who knows what kind of development urred in this other realm during that time? Kai was certain that whoever lived there weren''t merely humans or Origin users for that matter. They were far beyond that and this ancient graveyard is perhaps a sign of that.


    "I''m really starting to fear what we''re getting into." Kaya smiled worriedly. She felt like they were digging out forbidden information that should''ve stayed deeply buried forever.


    However, she was also d she was starting to learn about this since in the future, perhaps sooner than they expect, they will end up in the heart of this matter. So, to be able to understand what or why they were there in the first ce would be really helpful.


    "We need to move. There are more things here to be discovered." Kai said as he started descending the hill toward the graveyard confidently.


    The two girls followed after him. Walking through this ce felt really off to them. As peaceful and majestic it felt, these were still horrifying creatures they were walking around. They feared that one of these things would suddenly wake up and perhaps attack them when they aren''t even aware.


    ''I wasn''t told to get mentally ready to fight a legendary dragon. *Gulp* hopefully that won''t happen.'' Kaya gulped down a mouthful of saliva.


    As they walked, they felt the howling of the winds, as it passed through the holes between the remains, making a weird whistling sound akin to a deadly melody of ancient times.


    Kai hesitated to answer that question. At this point, from that what they revealed, this world is basically a freshly discovered ce that just started its baby steps in the path of Origin a few thousand years ago.


    Who knows what kind of development urred in this other realm during that time? Kai was certain that whoever lived there weren''t merely humans or Origin users for that matter. They were far beyond that and this ancient graveyard is perhaps a sign of that.


    "I''m really starting to fear what we''re getting into." Kaya smiled worriedly. She felt like they were digging out forbidden information that should''ve stayed deeply buried forever.


    However, she was also d she was starting to learn about this since in the future, perhaps sooner than they expect, they will end up in the heart of this matter. So, to be able to understand what or why they were there in the first ce would be really helpful.


    (A//N: Things are going to get more and more wild as we go, hehehe. Hope you''re all having fun reading the book.)

 Chapter 251 250- Questioning Game

    Chapter 251  250- Questioning Game


    The group continued walking silently. The more they walked, the more remains appeared and the more shocked they got. The numbers went from hundreds to thousands in less than an hour of walking.


    Nobody knew the scale of this war and nobody knew what could''ve led to this mass murder even if it was a war. Couldn''t they retreat or at least give up on the idea of invasion as a whole?


    Many questions with no clear answers at all which really put Kai and the two girls in a very weird situation where they want to learn more but are worried about the consequences of such a thing happening. Curiosity wasn''t always a good thing even if it was in such a matter.


    As hours passed, the group had to stop every now and then for a break since they can''t just spend their energy walking in case they will need to fight or deal with something ahead of them.


    "How far are we going to walk? And how do we evene back?" Kaya asked as she drank some water.


    However, nobody could give an answer as none of them knew the way out of this ce. Their journey was into the unknown and anything beyond it. What they will discover along the way and what they might find is allplete news to them on all degrees.


    "We will have to see where we will end up first. This journey doesn''t seem to have an end anytime soon." Kai exined as he wiped his face with some water. He wasn''t feeling thirsty but the humidity did affect his face.


    After their break, they continued their journey. The mood wasn''t as heavy as they thought it would be. Perhaps the pleasant scenery was the reason for that since they had so much fun looking around at the heaven they''re walking in.


    The beautiful chirping of the birds and the gushes of wind that swayed the grass and the leaves around them. The small animals that jumped around happily as they ate from the beautifulnd and lived a happy life.


    Hours moved slowly as the sun moved from the middle of the sky to near the horizon, announcing the end of the day.


    The ce calmed down and the animals started going back to their homes to sleep. So, the trio decided to end their trip there and camp there for the night.


    Although it was rather nerve-wracking to sleep amidst remains of primordial monsters, that wasn''t good enough of a reason to try and find another ce to sleep. After all, they were just remains of dead creatures, nothing worth fearing.


    So, they set down three tents and lit a fire to cook some food. Luckily, Kai had put in mind the chances of them spending the night outdoors so he packed camping tools and a lot of food.


    The trio then sat around the fire, enjoying its warmth as they waited for the food to cook. The calm sounds of the bubbling of the pot and the flickering of the fire made everyone almost doze off.


    "Hey! Let''s y a game as we wait for the food to get ready! What do you think?" Kaya suggested with a smile, making Aria and Kai look at her.


    "What kind of game?" Kai asked.


    "Hmm, let me think for a second." Rubbing her chin Kaya tried to find a good game they could y.


    "I have an idea, if you don''t mind." Aria suddenly spoke catching their attention.


    "Oh, you do? What is it?"


    "20 questions game. Did you hear of it before?"


    "I think I heard of it before. Isn''t it that game where someone thinks of an object or an idea and the other must figure it out in 20 yes or no questions?"


    "Yes, that''s it."


    "Sounds like a good game to me. What do you think, Kai?"


    The boy closed his eyes for a second before he sighed and nodded his head. Kai had nothing else to do so he might as well indulge them in their little game.


    "Ok! Great! Can I begin then?" Kaya asked.


    "Sure. Then Kai will be the one to guess what I thought of and then it''s Aria''s turn to guess. Then we exchange roles."


    "Fine with me."


    "Me too."


    When they finalized the rules, Kaya thought for a second before she smiled and stared at Kai.


    "Ok, ask away, darling~"


    Kai nodded his head before he thought for a second and then stared at her. "Is this thing an object?"


    "Yes."


    "Is it expensive?" He asked.


    "Depends on your choice, but most of the time, it is." Kaya replied with a nervous look.


    ''Why is he so sharp? Already on the right track after two questions!''


    Although Kaya knew that Kai could read expressions with ease, she had made sure to hide her thoughts as much as possible. Goes to show her beloved''s sharp senses.


    "Does it have any emotional significance?" He asked.


    "Yes."


    "Hmm, can I answer then?" Kai asked.


    "Sure."


    "It''s a ring."


    "What?!" Kaya blinked in shock. "How did you get it this fast?!"


    Never did she think he will guess it from 3 questions. Just three questions! That wasn''t even a joke.


    "You have been rubbing your ring finger for a while now and your face changed when I asked those questions so I knew it was a ring."


    "That easily?!" Looking down, Kaya realized her blunder and blushed awkwardly.


    "Hehehe, this is dumb. Ok, fine its my loss. What''s my punishment?" She asked.


    "Do we need to do punishments?" Aria asked confusedly.


    "Hahaha! Of course we do or where is the fun?"


    "Hmm, sure. You have to take a picture with a weird expression on your face." Kai thought for a second before he said in a calm tone.


    "..." (x2)


    Both girls didn''t know how to react to his suggestion. For these words toe out of Kai''s mouth, they almost wanted to look and see if the sun is rising from the west. After all, such a thing was extremely unexpected!


    "Ehem, are you sure?"


    "Yes. Or do you not want to?"


    "Hey! I can do that!" Kaya retorted angrily before she pulled out her phone and took a picture. Her face looked rather funny as she twisted her eyebrows and made a weird grin.


    After taking the picture, she showed it to Kai. "Here, look!" She eximed as she showed the picture with a proud smile.


    Kai stared at the picture for a second before he said. "That''s funny." Without even smiling once.


    "... Ehem, yes. It is. Now, I must delete it."


    After that, Kaya quickly deleted it before she stared at Aria and said. "Now, its your turn, Aria. Think of something and let me guess." Kaya said.


    "Ok¡­"


    After a second, Aria signaled for Kaya to start.


    "Ok, is this thing an object?"


    "No."


    "Hmm, is it an idea?"


    "Yes."


    "An idea, huh? Interesting. Ok, is it a good idea?"


    "No."


    "Did you experience it personally?"


    "Yes."


    The two went back and forth like that with no hesitation. Kaya''s face was rather turning more and more into a frown as she asked questions one after the other with no clear hint of the answer in sight.


    ''What did she think of? This is really hard? I only have a few more chances to ask.''


    She tried to wring her brain for more questions to ask. In the end, she only discovered that it was a bad idea that she experienced herself and that idea happened when she was young.


    The group continued walking silently. The more they walked, the more remains appeared and the more shocked they got. The numbers went from hundreds to thousands in less than an hour of walking.


    Nobody knew the scale of this war and nobody knew what could''ve led to this mass murder even if it was a war. Couldn''t they retreat or at least give up on the idea of invasion as a whole?


    There were many things that could mean that so Kaya couldn''t guess.


    However, at that moment, Kai opened his mouth.


    "Can I answer that question then?"


    With those words, both girls went silent. Especially Aria who flinched when she realized that Kai was looking at her. A feeling inside of her told her that he realized what she wanted to say.


    Many questions with no clear answers at all which really put Kai and the two girls in a very weird situation where they want to learn more but are worried about the consequences of such a thing happening. Curiosity wasn''t always a good thing even if it was in such a matter.


    As hours passed, the group had to stop every now and then for a break since they can''t just spend their energy walking in case they will need to fight or deal with something ahead of them.


    "How far are we going to walk? And how do we evene back?" Kaya asked as she drank some water.

 Chapter 252 251- Edge

    Chapter 252  251- Edge


    Chapter 251- Edge


    Silence took over the ce for a second as the two girls looked at Kai waiting for what he was going to say. For some reason, the whole fun atmosphere turned extremely tense in a moment.


    Kai''s aura wasn''t by any means spreading around them and yet they could feel the change in his behavior as clear as day.


    "It''s betrayal, isn''t it?" The boy finally spoke with a sigh as he moved the food in the pot casually. He didn''t seem that perturbed by the gazes he was getting from Kaya and Aria.


    Those words left everyone silent for a good while as Kai continued stirring the food. Aria''s face frowned slightly but didn''t say a word.


    "Huh? Betrayal?" Kaya asked with confusion as she didn''t understand why Kai would specifically chose that as his answer.


    "An idea that she thought of, something that she had done when she was young and wouldn''t want to do it again for one reason or another. Betrayal fits perfectly." Kai exined as he took a taste from the spoon before continuing to cook.


    "I see, that makes sense." Although Kaya sensed the tension between the other two, she didn''tment on it as it was none of her business. Unless, of course, Kai told her about it himself and made sure she gets involved.


    "So, is that the correct answer?" Kaya asked Aria.


    "... Yes."


    "... Kai is really good at this."


    Then, silence again. Nobody talked for a while before Kai finally sighed and said. "Now, it''s my turn, no?" He said as he looked at Aria. "Do you still want to continue?"


    The girl seemed hesitant at first before she finally nodded her head.


    "Good, go ahead, ask your questions."


    "Ehem, is it an object?"


    "No."


    "Is it a thought?"


    "Yes."


    "Did you experience that said thought before?"


    "Yes."


    "Is it good?"


    "Depends on the person, but for me, it''s not."


    A series of questions and answers went between the two sessively with almost not stops between them.


    "I see¡­" Aria fell into deep thought for a second before she finally lifted her head.


    "Is it old?"


    "Yes."


    That answer made Aria''s face light up. "Is it¡­ the memory?"


    "... Correct." Kai answered with a nod of his head.


    "Good job, Aria! You really beat Kai! Never thought that would happen." Kaya eximed excitedly.


    With that the mood returned to normal as if nothing happened and the trio continuedying for a while. Their talkssted for a long while with none of them realizing it.


    ***


    The rest of the night continued rather calmly. They ate dinner and then went to sleep. Although Kaya suggested that one of them stays awake to guard the tent, they didn''t see any reason for that since the whole ce was peaceful.


    If someone was intending to attack them, it would''ve already done so. Besides, they all had extremely sensitive senses so if anything tried to attack them, they would notice it way before it reaches them.


    With that, the morning arrived and the sun rose from the horizon, illuminating the whole world. The cold breeze of the morning woke the trio up. So, they made some light breakfast before they embarked on their journey again.


    Walking this early in the morning, in such a beautiful ce truly rejuvenated them and made them forget all the awkwardness that happened yesterday. Every one of them simply looked in their own direction, breathing the fresh air, enjoying the warm rays of the sun. This continued for hours and hours.


    They passed the afternoon and reached the evening. Eventually, night came again and they had to stop again for the day. The next day was the same and the day after. What they thought was going to be a short trip turned into a trip that took almost 3 days.


    "Are we going to keep walking forever? This is ridiculous. How vast is this ce?" Kaya murmured on the fourth day.


    Kai couldn''t really answer that question as he had the same concerns as she did. They have been walking for days and days with no signs of seeing an end or a change to this endless world. Nothing in their scenery changed during this period of time.


    What was at first beautiful now started giving them a bizarre feeling. The remains of the dragons kept pilling up in numbers that they already exceeded tens of thousands.


    The scale of the war must''ve been insane with how many died in it. However, that wasn''t their concern now as they were truly starting to worry about being stuck here.


    ''It can''t just be endless. It must have an end.'' Kai thought to himself as he drank a little bit of water.


    The day continued like that with no apparent change. At this point, they were all secretly getting their thoughts ready to face this huge problem they found themselves.


    The next day, the same continued. However, as they were about to seriously stop to discuss what they should do, Kai noticed something in the far horizon.


    "Hm, what''s that?"


    The mist ahead of them that they weirdly were never able to reach even though they could see it ahead of them, had finally parted open and revealed a sight that Kai didn''t expect. A few kilometers away was what seemed to be a cliff.


    "Oh! Finally! Something different!" Kaya eximed happily. She never thought she would feel this d seeing an end to this heavenly garden.


    So, with that in mind, thet trio hurried toward the cliff as fast as they could. They felt hope that they''re finally out of this ce. Five days of absolutely nothing was just too much for the brain to handle.


    When they reached it, they were met with a vast scenery of the sea. A beautiful, blue sea, deep and seemingly endless as they knew it. The waves hit the walls of the cliff violently, creating loud sounds that felt like symphonies to their ears. The smell of the salty waters filled their nostrils and the sound of birds reached their ears.


    No matter how they looked at it, this ocean looked exactly the same as a normal ocean in their world. Which meant that this ce wasn''t in some other realm or something like that. This was still their world.


    That realization put Kai''s mind at ease as he exhaled a sigh. He really didn''t know what to do if they were truly stuck in a world he knew nothing about. That would''ve created a whole new different problem to him.


    "The sea!!" Kaya smiled widely. "Oh, this is the best! I never thought I will be this d to see the ocean!"


    Aria also seemed d to feel the wind of the sea as she turned to Kai. "I think we''re not as far as we thought from civilization.


    "Oh, really?" Kaya stopped her celebration and looked again. It took her a second to realize what Aria meant. There was indeed a trace of humans in this sea. A very present Origin traces which meant that this sea was indeed a part of their world.


    "I''m really d we didn''t go that far away. So, how are we going to cross this sea. We didn''t bring a boat a did we?"


    That was indeed a problem considering the distance they will have to cross if they want to travel this sea. Swimming could be an option but the trio wanted to avoid that if they could as swimminges with its risks even for strong people like them.


    "If I can get a signal here, I can solve this problem." Kai thought as he pulled out his phone and lifted it in the air. Although they were extremely far away from cities or any ce with a strong signal, all Kai needed was a very weak connection to make a call.


    However, that proved to be not as easy as he expected. So, Kai started walking around as he searched for any satellite he could connect to. His phone did have that feature and that made it possible to contact someone else even if he was in the middle of the dessert or on an undiscoverednd like this one.


    After a while, Kai finally found what he was looking for as he quickly opened his chatting app and contacted the only person he knew could fix this problem. The silhouette of a woman appeared in his head.


    However, that proved to be not as easy as he expected. So, Kai started walking around as he searched for any satellite he could connect to. His phone did have that feature and that made it possible to contact someone else even if he was in the middle of the dessert or on an undiscoverednd like this one.


    After a while, Kai finally found what he was looking for as he quickly opened his chatting app and contacted the only person he knew could fix this problem. The silhouette of a woman appeared in his head.

 Chapter 253 253- Tower Of Time (Part 1)

    Chapter 253  253- Tower Of Time (Part 1)


    Chapter 253- Tower Of Time (Part 1)


    Inside a small shop somewhere in the world, hidden in one of the rooms were two individuals. One woman and one man. The man wasying on the bed with his arms tied to the bed frame and his eyes covered with a dark cloth.


    He had red spots all over his body and his closed mouth was leaking moans every other second.


    "You like it this way, don''t you? You little pervert." The woman who stood on top of him was stomping his body sadistically as she spoke to him with a haughty tone.


    "Yes! I do! Please give me more!!" The man eximed as he enjoyed the paining from the heels of the woman.


    The two werepletely engrossed in their little y without a care in the world. However, at that moment, the woman''s phone started ringing.


    "Tsk?! Who''s calling right now of all time?!" Grumbling under her breath, Chaldia hopped down from her partner and walked toward the phone.


    When she read the number that called her, her face immediately froze before she quickly answered the call without a second of hesitation.


    "Kai? Boy, is that you?" She spoke with a small smile. She hadn''t spoken with her benefactor in months so she did indeed miss him.


    However, she didn''t hear an answer at all. Instead, all that reached her was incoherent gibberish that she didn''t understand.


    "Hm? What''s wrong?" Her partner noticed her reaction and so he asked.


    "I don''t know. Kai called me but the signal seems very weak." She replied as she looked at the call.


    Although a normal person would''ve thought that it was merely a problem with the signal, Chaldia knew that it wasn''t as simple as that. Kai wasn''t someone who would call out of nowhere with no reason. Theck of signal makes it even more so eye-catching.


    "Can you track his signal down?" Chaldia sighed as she threw her phone to her partner.


    "Hmm, I think I do." Looking at the number, the man pulled out hisptop and quickly connected it to the phone before he started typing on it.


    A few momentster, a map of the world appeared on his screen before a detection marker started scouring the whole world for the ce of the signal.


    "He isn''t anywhere close from here." The man said as he signaled for Chaldia to approach him. The two waited for the pointer to find Kai.


    Eventually, the signal lead them to a ce they didn''t expect at all. It showed them the heart of the southern seas, in the middle of nowhere.


    "What the fuck is that boy doing there?" Chaldia murmured with a frown.


    "I don''t know myself."


    "We need to move. He must need my help or he would''ve not called me." Quickly turning around, Chaldia started wearing her clothes.


    "Oh no, we''re really going to go on a trip now?" The man seemed unwilling for a second. He knew that this was a top priority but he was regretful that their fun time was cut short.


    Chaldia noticed that before she approached him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.


    "When wee back¡­ I will give you what you want~" She whispered seductively in his ear before she continued wearing her clothes as if nothing happened.


    The man was frozen in his ce for a second before he cracked a smile. "You''re really¡­ unfair¡­"


    ***


    After that, the duo quickly went to the dock behind their shop and quickly took the fastest boat they had.


    "Are you ready?" Chaldia asked with a grin.


    "Go ahead, I will lead us to him."


    With that, Chaldia activated the boat before she quickly elerated through the secret tunnel toward the open sea.


    ''You better be ok, Kai.'' Chaldia thought to herself with a serious expression. She felt that this was the time she wi actually be able to return the favor Kai gave her. She will have to be there for him.


    ***


    On the other side of the world, Kai, Kaya and Aria sat down near the edge of the cliff waiting.


    "Are you sure she''s gonna find us?" Kaya asked.


    "Yes, she should be able to. Chal is smart enough to realize that I didn''t call for no reason. It''s a matter of time before she reaches her." Kai shrugged as he settled down near the huge bone he has been carrying for the past few days.


    Although the situation seemed rather good, Kai wasn''t really in a good mood and the reason is simple. Eva, he was thinking about her.


    ''I didn''t call her in days¡­ She will definitely be worried.'' He thought to himself.


    Eva and him talked everyday through facetime to make sure that they''re both fine. She was aware of everything that happened up till the point Kai had to leave for this mission. The fact that she lost connection with himpletely must''ve put her in a very bad situation.


    ''I need toe back quickly before she does anything.''


    "Well, let''s have lunch since we have nothing to do." Aria suggested.


    Kai and Kaya nodded their heads in approval. They were feeling hungry after the distance they crossed on foot.


    So, as they were eating the sandwiches Kai made, they suddenly heard a weird sounding from the sea.


    "Hm?"


    The trio turned at the same time to look at the water with suspicious looks.


    "Did you hear that?" Kai asked.


    "Yes."


    "I did."


    They all stood up at the same time. The sound that came from the sea happened again, sealing the fact that it wasn''t a coincidence.


    Then, the water surface a few dozens hundreds meters away away from them started bubbling visibly as if some creature lurked beneath it.


    Kai immediately remembered a rather bad memory of his. The bubbling of the water surface was simr to that time when he had to fight a Kraken and almost got himself and Eva killed. But, this bubbling phenomenon seemed inherently different from the one he saw before.


    The first difference was the size, this one was incredibly bigger than the other one. It was at least 10 times its size which meant that this was a bigger or monster or somethingpletely different.


    The second difference was the shape of the bubbels and their rhythm. In simple terms, they didn''t seem like the bubblesing from a living being and rather from a machine of some sort.


    After all, they followed a perfect tune that Kai could immediately discern. That made Kai suspect that they were about to see a monster. And, as always, he was right on point again. The loud noises grew stronger and more frequent.


    What emerged from the sea was not a monster nor a living creature for that matter. Instead, a giant structure manifested above sea level. It looked akin to a gigantic tower, that pierced the sky.


    Its walls were made out of shiny stones and at the top of it was a giant ancient hourss with sand slowly trickling down to its bottom.


    "What the hell is this?!" Kaya''s mouth hang open as her eyes traced the massive cyclopian structure. She didn''t even know what to think at that moment. Aria had the same reaction albeit a little lighter.


    As for Kai, he simply had a strong frown on his face.


    As seconds passed, the tower kept rising higher and higher, already exceeding the tallest building humans built. It didn''t seem like it was intending to stop. However, eventually, its growth stopped and giant amounts of sea water fell down in the form of rain on everything within at least ten or so kilometers radius from the tower.


    The trio were also hit by the strong rain which led them to covering their faces.


    When the rain stopped, they looked again and at the base of the tower, barely above sea level was was a closed gate made out of dark material that Kai couldn''t quite identify.


    "What is seriously wrong with this ce?! I can''t understand anything!" Kaya rubbed the back of her head.


    Every time she tries to piece things together whenever she gets new information, she will end up seeing apletely new and shocking thing that erases all the assumptions she built on her own.


    They first had to jump through a hole that took them hours to reach its bottom. Then go through a weird tunnel that led them to a giant hall that had weird engravings on it that they couldn''t read.


    Then, they were trapped by the hall itself and thrown into this heavenly realm where they had to walk for days to reach its edge before they finally ended up facing this giant tower with an hourss on top of it.


    If a drunkard heard this story, they would feel sober in an instant with how ridiculous it sounded. Yet, it happened and now they were in the middle of it.

 Chapter 254 254- Tower Of Time (Part 2)

    Chapter 254  254- Tower Of Time (Part 2)


    "What should we do, Kai?" Kaya asked in distress. Although she can already predict what they were going to do.


    Kai, however, didn''t reply and instead took a look at the jump beneath him that he must take if he really wanted to approach the tower. It was going to take some effort to swim toward it. Then, his eyes went to Kaya and then to Aria before he sighed and then said.


    "I will go alone. You two stay here."


    "What? Are you joking? I won''t let you go there alone." Kaya blinked in surprise.


    "It doesn''t seem to be dangerous. I''m just going to check it out and thene back. Kai really saw no worth in them entering the tower as a group. Perhaps it was a wiser idea for him to enter it and then quickly leave if he had to.


    "Who knows what could be inside that ce, Kai! If you''re going, I''m going too."


    "Listen to me. Our n is to go back since we already spent too much time away. If we don''t hurry back, we might be suspected. I''m not going for long so don''t worry." Although Kai''s words were calm and direct, Kaya still could see an apologetic look in his eyes.


    He was conveying his assurance to her that he was going to be fine, something that Kai rarely does.


    "..." Kaya tried to retort, only to find herself speechless. In the end, she could only give up and ept since she really couldn''t bring herself to refuse Kai when he seemed this dead set on doing it.


    "Keep an eye for Chal if I don''te back quickly." Kai said as he gave his phone to Kaya. "If she contacts you, you know what to do."


    "Ok, please take care of yourself."


    "I will."


    After that, Kai approached the edge before he looked back and then jumped into the ocean. His movements were swift and skillful as he pierced the surface of the water with his hands first.


    The water was very cold, almost icy. However, Kai''s body was protected by Origin so he only felt warmth around him as he swam to the surface and started making his way toward the tower.


    Kaya and Aria watched anxiously as he approached his destination with inhuman speed. For a second, Kai seemed like a fish moving through water with his speed.


    "Hmm?" As Kai got closer and closer, more and more details of the tower started appearing. One of these details were the engravings on the outer walls. Countless gray lines filled the outeryers.


    The lines went from its base to the highest point of the tower as they converged into one single line that connected directly with the hourss like an energy cable.


    "Interesting."


    Kai didn''t know what was the reason behind these lines and he frankly wished they weren''t really anything apart from some decoration on the walls. But, he knew deep inside that he was very likely wrong.


    But, he still continued swimming toward the tower nevertheless. Eventually, he reached his destination and finally jumped on a small tform that led to the main gates of the tower. The ck doors looked thick and very durable even without touching them. Their ancient aura further proven the fact that this tower was at least a few thousand years old if not way more than that.


    Then, with careful steps, Kai approached the gates. He didn''t notice nor feel anything weird happening around him. When he was right in front of the doors, he put his hand forward and touched the door.


    He naturally tried to push it open at first using pure strength. However, weirdly enough, the door didn''t budge at all even though he used a good amount of force to try and open it.


    But, Kai wasn''t surprised since this didn''t seem like a normal door.


    The feeling of the rough rocks on his hand was rather unpleasant. But, other than that, nothing happened. Or that was what Kai thought as he was about to retract his hand when something happened. A circr area of the door suddenly flipped as if it was triggered by something before showing a small tray made out of rocks with a weirdly shaped cup on top of it.


    "What is this?" Kai murmured as he approached the cup curiously and examined it with his eyes.


    The material the cup was made out of seemed to be gold with beautiful engravings on it that made it feel high-quality even without touching it.


    However, other than that, he couldn''t find anything else particrly eye-catching about it. Standing there, thoughtfully, Kai decided to experiment with it.


    In his head was a morbid idea that he was almost certain would work. So, even though he was rather hesitant about doing it, he still put his hand on top of the cup, barely an inch away from it.


    Then, with a swift movement, he slit his wrist open as fresh red blood came down from it, pouring directly into the cup. The sound of the blood sshing against the cup was rather weird. However, Kai still watched carefully what was going to happen.


    A few seconds passed in silence before something finally did happen. The old cup started shining with a bright, golden light as if it just got rejuvenated. The bright light was weak at first but quickly grew till it covered Kai''s facepletely. Then, that bright light started moving through the cup into the tray and then passed to the gates themselves.


    The sessive events made Kai rather wary but he still waited patiently. The shining light kept growing till it even reached Kaya and Aria on the other side.


    "What is happening there?" Kaya asked with a frown. She was starting to worry.


    "Let''s wait. Kai knows what he''s doing." Aria eximed as she tapped Kaya on the shoulder.


    At the same time, the gates finally made a clicking sound before they started parting open slowly. Kai had to back away and watch as they fully parted for him, showing what was inside.


    The ck Phantom squinted his eyes to take a closer look at the interior. However, all he could see was arge chamber with stairs at the end of it that led somewhere up.


    That was when Kai found himself in a dilemma. Should he enter this ce or simply turn around and leave? Both had their downsides since the tower itself was the most important discovery out of the whole entire trip.


    He didn''t know what would happen if he left it now. Perhaps it would disappear forever or could even be found by someone that shouldn''t find it. One of those people are his father.


    "Tsk¡­" Clicking his tongue, Kai finally decided on what he should do. So, he turned around to look at Kaya and Aria before he signaled for them to wait there. After that, he turned around and walked inside.


    "No, don''t tell me he''s intending to enter!" Kaya stepped forward with an angry look on her face. "Don''t do that, Kai!!"


    "Hey, wait! We don''t know what he saw there!" Aria tried to stop her. However, thetter quickly shrugged her off and yelled. "But, he said he was going to take a look ande back quickly!"


    Kaya felt really annoyed by Kai''s actions. He didn''t tell her that he was intending to enter. This was the first time Kaya was truly angry with Kai for doing such a thing. She was on the verge of jumping and follow him. However, as she was about to do that, suddenly, a wall of blood appeared in front of her.


    Kaya was surprised for a second before she looked back at Aria who had a conflicted expression on her face.


    "I''m sorry, I can''t let you go. We agreed to wait here." She said.


    "I don''t want to do this, Aria. Let. Me. Go."


    "I don''t want to do it either but you left me no choice." Aria responded.


    The two faced each other with intense silence. One had an expression of boiling anger and the other had an awkwardly conflicted expression.


    "I''m not going to warn you twice. Move your blood wall, Aria."


    "I really can''t, Kaya. I know that Kai can handle any situation he finds himself in. Even more so when he was the one who willingly went there. Have some trust in him, would you?"


    "I trust him. But, we know nothing about this ce. He could be going for his death for all I know!"


    "Those are just assumptions! There are barely anything in this world that can kill Kai."


    ''Except for his illness¡­'' Aria finished the sentence in her head.


    "Those are also assumptions! You don''t know what such a weird tower hides inside of it."


    "And what are you going to do when you go after him? If whatever could kill him was indeed inside that ce, you can''t do anything about it!" Aria retorted with a cold tone.

 Chapter 255 255- Tower Of Time (Part 3)

    Chapter 255  255- Tower Of Time (Part 3)


    Meanwhile, as the two girls were arguing back and forth, Kai had already walked inside the tower. The light of the sun waspletely shrouded the moment he was fully inside the ce.


    Looking back, Kai expected to see the doors close or at least move on their own considering the mysterious nature of this ce. However, none of that happened and instead the doors stayed open as if they were telling him that he could back away if he wanted to.


    However, Kai didn''t listen to those urges and instead faced forward and started walking deeper and deeper into the tower. The path he was walking in wasn''t narrow nor too big, leading to the set of stairs on the other side.


    Nothing happened until he reached the stairs which put Kai in a rather confused state. Was this ce really not going to do anything? Was it just a monument lost in time, built by people of ancient eons.


    However, the moment he stepped foot into the stairs, he suddenly heard a sound. The sound wasn''t the clicking of a gear or the howl of a monster. Instead, it was the sound of a little baby crying.


    ''A baby?'' Kai didn''t know how to even react to hearing such a distinct noise. However, he knew where it came from which was clearly on another level of the stairs.


    So, he started walking up the stairs, till he reached an open space where the stairs suddenly start going the opposite way.


    There, he was met with a sight he didn''t expect to see. In the middle of the open area sat a woman with her back facing him. All Kai could see was her ck hair and nothing else. In her embrace was a small, featureless kid that was crying as the woman lovingly caressed him. The scene, as simple as it looked, affected Kai more than he thought was possible.


    For one reason or another, the scene connected with him. He didn''t know who those two were and yet he felt like he knew them. Something in his heart told him so.


    So, without uttering a single word, he started approaching the two people. He didn''t care if they were a threat or not, he just followed his instincts that told him to approach them.


    When he was close enough, he stood to look at them for another second before he extended his hand. However, surprisingly, his hand passed through these two people, quickly tuning them into a seemingless mist that vanished in a moment.


    Kai blinked in surprise before he looked around him. The cries of the baby had also stopped and he couldn''t feel their presence anymore.


    "What was that?" Kai murmured to himself. For some reason, he couldn''t bring himself to believe that this was merely an illusion and yet it was indeed an illusion. That thought alone made him feel pain in his chest.


    "Who were they?" Kai asked himself.


    The woman was clearly that child''s mother and they even shared the same hair color. However, other than that, he couldn''t see any other detail about them. Not their faces or their names.


    However, he knew he couldn''t just stand there for a long time. So, with that in mind Kai moved to the next set of stairs as he started climbing them carefully. This time, he didn''t hear cries and instead he heard the giggles of a child, clearly older than the one before hand.


    When he reached the second open area, he found a sight of the same woman sitting on the ground with a small smile on her face. On the other side, a small child was trying to stand on his feet.


    His struggle took some time as Kai watched with a stupefied expression. When the child was able to stand, he quickly started making his way to his mother with loud giggles. The woman also smiled as she opened her arms to receive him.


    The boy fought gravity and walked, tilting left and right. But, luckily, he as able to reach his mother before he hugged her as he giggled even harder.


    Kai felt an even stronger effect from this image he was seeing. Even when he knew that it was an illusion, he still couldn''t stop himself from watching these two for a while.


    When he got enough, he approached them, only for the two to vanish again just like before. So, Kai sighed and turned around before he walked toward the next set of stairs. His face had a small frown on it. A frown of confusion.


    Kai didn''t understand why he was seeing such images. Unless, of course, it was rted to him in some way and he could easily discern what that link was.


    However, Kai didn''t bring himself to admit that fact as he really didn''t want to say those words. Mainly because he really doesn''t remember anything of this.


    The next set of stairs, he heard the sound of loud coughing. When he reached the open area, he found the woman on the ground again. However, this time, her face didn''t look well even though it was featureless. She had her hand on her mouth as she coughed furiously. Beside her was the same child, worried about her as he sniffled his tears. He looked older than before albeit not by much.


    He was gently patting her shoulder worriedly as he opened his mouth to say words that didn''t reach Kai. Those words stopped the woman''s coughs as she smiled weakly and hugged her child.


    Kai''s face turned from a frown to a rather shocked look before he even realized it. His eyes, widely opened, blinked every now and then. The impact of each scene was umting in his chest.


    So, Kai quickly hurried toward the next set of stairs without even approaching the two like he did before. The next sound he heard was painful moaning.


    When Kai reached his destination, he found the woman, lying on a bed, her body was weak and skinny as she barely breathed. Beside her was the kid, crying audibly this time as he held into her hand. The woman also held his hand, however, she didn''t speak or to be more precise, couldn''t even speak.


    Then, out of nowhere, the kid''s face lifted up as he stared directly at Kai with deep hatred. A hatred that didn''t even require eyes to be transmitted.


    Kai was frozen in his ce with how deep that hatred was. However, he didn''t even think of doing anything as he waited for what was going to happen. A few momentster, someone appeared from where he stood, precisely in his position that the two even ovepped for a second.


    Kai quickly moved out of that position to take a closer look at the man. His eyes didn''t wander that much away from him as he was the first person he could identify clearly. His eyes turned cold and his aura leaked out.


    The man that appeared was his father. Even with no features, he knew him very well and how could he not know him? He was the only person he hated in his life.


    However, at that moment, the image suddenly vanished before he could see what was this man about to do.


    "Dammit!" Kai found himself frustrated by the fact that he couldn''t see with his own eyes what this man was about to do. What frustrated him even more was the fact that he doesn''t recall anything of this ever happening.


    In his head were a different set of memories that didn''t look like this one. The first and biggest difference was that he was never close with a woman that looked like that one. Granted, he knew that his father killed his mother, but he never saw his mother before in his life.


    Yet, in what he was seeing now, there was clearly a strong bond between him and his mother that he never experienced before or perhaps did experience and yet can''t remember. Kai knew what he was inclined to believe.


    But, for the sake of fulfilling his curiosity, he continued to the next set of stairs. This time, however, no audible human voices reached him and instead he could only hear the sound papers flipping.


    When he reached the scene, he saw a small boy, sitting on a table, reading a book silently. His face, as featureless as it was, felt empty, purposeless andcked the innocence a kid should have at that age.


    That was, of course, something the current Kai was familiar with. After all, that was something he had seen before in the mirror, countless times. He didn''t even need to see the boy''s face to know how he looked exactly with eyes, ears and a nose.


    So, he moved to the next scene quickly. This one, surprisingly, looked the same as thest one. A boy was sitting on a table reading a book. So, he moved to the next one where he saw the same thing. A scene after the other, he only saw the boy reading as if that was the only thing that happened.


    Kai found himself even more confused. But, he soon realized something. Something really important.

 Chapter 256 256- Me And You (Part 1)

    Chapter 256  256- Me And You (Part 1)


    The more Kai went up, the more the images of him sitting on that table reading a book made him frown. This suddenck of change made him realize that he indeed spent a very long time alone, simply reading and doing nothing else.


    He understood that his life up until that point was akin to that of a doll rather than a human being. He believed that by reading books, he was going against his father and what he wanted to do with him.


    However, when he saw that monotonic life, thatck of color in his life, he understood that he was simply doing the opposite. He was killing his own interest in life by simply doing one single thing again and again and again with no end.


    After a few more floors of the same picture, he finally reached the point where he met Aria. He could see that the gloomy effect on the images had started disappearing and it started going back to the brighter light.


    Kai noticed that the better and happier the memory is, the brighter the light of the floor is. Seeing the image of the two kids sitting next to each other reading andughing together, he felt rather nostalgic.


    Those memories were one of the happiest times of Kai''s life. A time that was ruined by realization that it was all fake but it was still a happy time that he looked back on from time to time when he can.


    Kai didn''t know what would''ve happened if Aria didn''t appear that day in his library. Perhaps he would still be in that library, reading the endless number of books he had or perhaps he would be dead. He really didn''t know the answer to that question.


    But, he already remembers this stuff clearly so he moved on. The next floor was the same as the one before where Kai and Aria enjoyed each other''spany.


    The next one was the same except in a different ce which was the forest they were in before. That month was by far the happiest Kai had ever been. Everything was perfect and he felt like he was truly living his life. He smiled,ughed and did all kinds of fun things with Aria.


    That time was the peak of his life in every sense of the word. Perhaps he came back to that peak when he met Eva and Kaya but he still found that time to be very precious. Well, that was before everything went downhill.


    So, the next set of stairs truly felt horrible for Kai to climb as he knew what was waiting for him. Low and behold, the next set of stairs was when he reached the temple city and faced the three devouts. He clearly remembers how he used Wretched Heart for the first time there and was able to kill the three of them with one swing.


    That was the first time Kai realized how dangerous his sword was and decided not to use it unless necessary. The devil inside of it would be more than d to take over him if he overused it.


    Then, the next floor was when he faced his father and Aria which was still the lowest point of Kai''s life.


    He truly hated that moment because he felt weak, clueless andpletely outyed. He was always in control no matter what situation it was. One of the reasons why he always was in control was because of that moment where he learned that he was truly not as smart as he thought he was.


    He also learned that he shouldn''t let his emotions be the one to take the decision. His brain was the first and wisest tool to avoid danger and betrayal.


    Staring at the boy who was frozen in his ce, Kai could only sigh inwardly.


    "You got tricked, didn''t you?" He muttered in a low tone. "You were outyed and you lost. That''s the consequence of trusting too much."


    He really loathed his old self a lot. It was naive, weak and very much easy to trick even though he was supposedly very cunning even as a kid.


    However, reality was harsher than he realized. That same confidence he had got shattered when he faced real emotions for the first time.


    "Just go¡­" He murmured as he looked away as if he was talking to his old self.


    After all, he wasn''t even sure if he was able to truly ovee that pain. To this day, Aria was still a dilemma to him. He felt like he hated her but also didn''t quite hate her. He felt that there was something odd about her and yet he couldn''t find it yet.


    Every time he thought about killing her and ending all of this mess, something in him will stop him. It wasn''t old emotions nor a wise and calctive side but something else. Something that exceeded instincts.


    There rtionship in the past few months went through a series of changes, small and big ones. But, the main change is that he didn''t feel the urge to kill her quite as much as before. That fact alone confused the boy more than he thought was possible.


    "Just go¡­" As he said those words again, he started moving to the next floor.


    What happened after that was a series of dissected memories from multiple periods of his life. His hitman guild career, some of his killed targets, his meeting with Eva and how he lived his life hidden in society even as a kid.


    Then, it moved to after he left the guild, and how he lived five years of his life in secrecy from the guild and from Eva.


    That time was particrly pleasant for Kai as nothing major happened to him. He was able to live a very normal life through and through. Granted, it wasn''t the most fantastic life that couldpared to the one he''s living currently but it still had its charms.


    After those five years came the time he met Kaya, how he reunited with Eva and how the chaos of his past life came back to his current life. He watched as he toppled down every enemy that reappeared to defeat him and took the underworld by chaos.


    Those memories, as recent as they were, felt like they happened years ago or even decades ago.


    ''The past year was very eventful, wasn''t it?'' He thought to himself as he moved to the next floor.


    There, he found himself directly against the guild, fighting them. Then he faced Eva who was being controlled by her own talent. Then, he discovered Divinity''s ns and the problems that came along with it.


    Kai was even slightly surprised that he was able to live through all of this without feeling the stress that came with it.


    After all of that, he finally reached what he assumed to be the end since he was near the ceiling. Above that ceiling was the hourss. There, he saw a memory that he didn''t expect.


    In the middle of the tform stood apletely identical copy of him. The difference between the other images and this one was that this one had features. It had a cold expression and even the presence to back it up.


    Kai stood there, staring at his copy with squinted eyes. For some reason, he didn''t feel like this particr illusion was fake like the other ones. He could feel a presence there, clearly identical to his presence.


    "Can you¡­ speak?" He asked out of nowhere as if he wanted to confirm a suspicion of his.


    Then he waited for a few seconds. However, no answer came so he was about sigh, thinking that he was silly for suspecting that it wasn''t an illusion. However, that''s when he heard a voice speaking.


    "What do you think?" The voice was shockingly identical to his voice.


    No, it wasn''t just identical, it was the same voice. Kai couldn''t believe his ears for a second as he looked up at his copy.


    "So you can speak."


    "I''m you, why can''t I speak if you can?" The copy replied with the same cold tone.


    "... Interesting. Why do you exist here then?"


    "I''m a fragment of your memory, I exist in your head rather in this ce. This tower simply stimted those memories. What you''re seeing right now is what your mind thinks of you." The copy said with certainy.


    After all of that, he finally reached what he assumed to be the end since he was near the ceiling. Above that ceiling was the hourss. There, he saw a memory that he didn''t expect.


    In the middle of the tform stood apletely identical copy of him. The difference between the other images and this one was that this one had features. It had a cold expression and even the presence to back it up.

 Chapter 257 257- Me And You (Part 2)

    Chapter 257 257- Me And You (Part 2)


    Chapter 257- Me And You (Part 2)


    Kai stared at his clone for a good minute without uttering a single word. He wanted to understand whether this clone was lying or not. However, he couldn''t sense any lies in his words.


    "So, I see myself as I am?" He eventually opened his mouth and asked with a confused expression.


    "In appearance? Yes, you do. But, do you really see yourself as the true you?" The clone asked as he tiled his head.


    "What are you trying to say?" When Kai uttered those words, the clone finally moved as he took one step forward. His cold face turned into a clear frown for a second before he went back to his rxed demeanor. Kai didn''t know what was going through his mind if he even had thoughts of his own since as he said, he was just an image of Kai''s thoughts.


    "What do you think? I mean, look at you, a cold, calcting monster with the power to back it up and the talent to turn this world into your toy. You clearly can''t see that, can you?"


    "I said what are you trying to say with those words, clone." Kai asked back with a harsher tone.


    That made the clone go silent for a good few seconds before he replied. "You''re different, Kai."


    "I already know that."


    "No, you clearly don''t know how different you are. The only thing human about you is your appearance. Everything else is out of this world. A clear cut from other people. You have seen for yourself how unique you are. People naturally get drawn toward you, enemies and allies alike. They see in you what they don''t see in others."


    "..."


    "Yet, you don''t see that. You want to forcefully live a normal life and be normal for whose sake? Yours? Don''t make meugh. How can a lion live in a flock of sheeps? You do know that, don''t you?"


    Kai could see the clone''s face change from coldness to a very faint smirk. "What kind of youparison is that?"


    "Who cares? What I''m saying is that you aren''t fit for this world. Not in its current state at least."


    Hearing thest few words, Kai''s ears perked up. "Current state?"


    "The world is changing rapidly, friend. You already know that, don''t you? I''m not the one to exin that to you. We''re the same person after all."


    "The world already changed. What more change do you want?" Kai asked.


    "Of course, a change from the very roots. With Origin now being a public knowledge. You will see people rising to power and falling, you will see wars for resources, you will see famine, death and you will the world submerging into a dystopian chaotic struggle that never ends. It''s all there, for us to see. And you know who''s going to be at the very heart of that conflict? You." He said as he pointed his finger at Kai casually.


    "..."


    "You will be the one to determine who lives and who dies, who wins and who loses and who oppresses and who will be the oppressed. You have no other choice now, do you?"


    Kai frowned harder the more he listened to his clone speaking. Yet, he didn''t speak. Even the clone didn''t realize that Kai never intended to speak, at least not yet. So, he continued his monologue with no care in the world.


    "Doesn''t that sound like godhood to you? Oh, wait, my apologies, that word sound too much like that man to you, doesn''t it?"


    Kai''s aura rose form his body as he lifted his head. "I''m not like him."


    His word made the clone''s smirk widen as he replied. "Tsk tsk, of course you aren''t. That man is a delusional idiot who will never truly reach godhood. You''re better than him in everything. If one person is going to be god, then its you." Then, he shrugged as he continued. "Our father isn''t going to win, we know that. He dedicated his life to that arrogant goal and he will fail. Ironically, the one who''s going to stop him is his own son."


    Then, the clone started walking toward Kai. "That we can agree on. But, this world is weak and fragile, friend. It needs someone like you, someone that can truly rule this world."


    As he continued talking, he got closer and closer from Kai until he was right in front of him. "That person is you and the faster you realize it, the better. No one else can take that position but you."


    When the clone finished his words, he was about to smile since he thought his words reached Kai. After all, thetter was looking down again, not showing his reaction. However, what happened next surprised him.


    Kai''s hand suddenlyunched toward the clone''s throat, grabbing it powerfully. "h h h, you talk too much, clone." He said coldly. "I don''t see why I should listen to someone who talks too much and knows too little."


    The clone held his hand as he tried to stop him from strangling him. Even though he was merely a clone, he seemingly felt the pain from the grip on his neck.


    "Wait¡­ hnng¡­ I''m you, how can I not know?"


    "You don''t. That''s because I never knew myself. Godhood? I am god? What side of me are you representing? Nobody can be god and nobody should be god. Especially me. You know why?" Finally, Kai looked up. His eyes almost shining with a purple hue.


    "Because I''m deeply wed. More wed than anyone else. The fact that you exist proves that. An egotistical maniac with a godplex. Perhaps I inherited this side from that man without knowing."


    "Hnng¡­ What? You''re just¡­ avoiding¡­ the truth!"


    "I''m not. My life isn''t some kind of epic tale. It never was and never will be. I''m just me. Rather special, true, but I''m still me. I enjoy going to school, studying, passing tests, cooking, cleaning and watching TV. I have people that I trust and they''re worth to me more than everything else. I don''t need godhood or whatever nonsense you''re preaching."


    Kai then suddenly threw the clone to the ground. Thetter fell on his back and started coughing. Meanwhile, the real Kai simply walked past him toward the edge of the tform.


    "DON''T RUN AWAY, YOU BASTARD!!" He yelled loudly with a red face.


    "I''m not running. The conversation is simply over. You''re supposed to disappear any second."


    "You aren''t going to avoid, friend! You are never going to find peace in a normal life!"


    Those words made Kai halt as he looked back at the clone before he shook his head. "If that happens, I will eliminate everything that tries to stop me from having a peaceful life. It''s that simple."


    After saying those words, Kai jumped from the tform toward the abyss beneath him. At the same time, his clone vanished from existence.


    Moving through the air, Kai sighed as he closed his eyes for a second. Nobody knew what was going through his head at that particr time. When he reached the ground, hended quietly before he looked ahead of him.


    The doors of the tower were still open.


    "So that was is?" He murmured as he shifted his gaze to the ceiling of this tower. He realized that he had just climbed hundreds of meters in the air.


    After that, he started walking toward the gates and exited the tower. The moment he did, the doors closed before the tower started shaking powerfully as if it was groaning and howling.


    Kai knew that this meant that it was going to be submerged back into the water so he simply jumped off the tform into the ocean and started swimming back.


    At the same time, the tower started descending into the water, creating giant waves in all directions. Kai felt the strong ripples of the water so he submerged beneath them and continued moving.


    When he reached the cliff, he swam down to a deeper level before he suddenly turned around and started swimming up at top speed. The water couldn''t resist his high speed as he broke through the surface with ease, reaching a dozen meters in the air before he grabbed into the cliff and started climbing. Climbing the rocks didn''t require much effort from him.


    When he reached top, he was weed by the two girls, Aria and Kaya.


    "Wee back." Aria said with a calm tone.


    "Mm¡­" Kai acknowledged her words before he looked at Kaya who was oddly silent. He didn''t understand why she didn''t say a word.


    "Did you find something there?"


    "... No. Nothing much." Kai shook his head. He decided to hide what he saw inside that tower from them for now since he really didn''t want to talk about it. "It was empty from the inside. Nothing much to see."


    "I see."


    "Kaya?" Finally, Kai spoke to the girl who didn''t even look at him.


    "Don''t talk to me."

 Chapter 258 258- Argument And Thoughts (Part 1)

    Chapter258 258- Argument And Thoughts (Part 1)


    Chapter 258- Argument And Thoughts (Part 1)


    Kai was surprised for a second by Kaya''s response. Kaya had never talked to him like that before. She always used the nicest words to address him. He didn''t even need any other sign to understand that she was angry on him for some reason.


    So, Kai''s eyes went back to Aria, questioning her as to what happened. Aria noticed that and shrugged before she whispered to him.


    "You didn''t tell her that you were going to enter the tower." She said.


    Kai was surprised for a second as he looked at her. "What? I did say that."


    He clearly stated that he was going to take a look at the tower and thene back and that was exactly what he did. So, Kai turned toward Kaya who was still standing alone, not looking at him at all.


    So, he approached her carefully. Although he didn''t understand why this would make Kaya upset, he still decided to be calm and gentle about it. He didn''t want to make this a bigger problem.


    "Hey, can we at least talk? Doing this won''t fix anything." He said.


    "..."


    "Kaya?" Kai insisted as he approached her even closer. Kaya, on the other hand, was struggling not to turn around and hug him. Call it being a pity, but she was still upset with Kai not doing exactly what he said. However, to keep that position of hers took a lot of willpower and ability.


    She was very much d that he came back safely, after all.


    "Kaya, listen to me." He kept insisting and finally, Kaya lost all desire to stay silent and turned around. However, her face still looked stern.


    "Why did you do that?"


    "Do what exactly? I don''t understand what you''re even angry about." Kai asked with a calm tone. He didn''t want to show that he even understood what she as upset about.


    "You said that you will check it out and thene back quickly. But instead, you entered that ce without even knowing what could be inside. That''s not what we agreed on." She replied.


    Kai, however, shook his head. "I did say that I will explore it. I didn''t say I will simply take a look from the outside and even if I said that, that tower is too odd to simply ignore. If I didn''t enter it, who knows what could''ve happened?" Kai pointed at the descending toward as he continued. "I know what I''m capable of and if I deemed that this tower was dangerous, I would''ve not entered it in the first ce."


    Kai''s words sounded logical and on point considering his abilities. However, that didn''t fully convince Kaya.


    "I already know that. But, what about your illness? What if you were hit with the symptoms and ended up stuck in there? There are many things that could''ve happened that would''ve threatened your life. You aren''t as invincible as you should be, Kai. That''s why we''re even doing all of this! Because I don''t want you to die! Your life is more precious to me than anything else!"


    As she spoke, Kaya''s voice wavered ever so slightly. She couldn''t contain her emotions at that moment. Just the thought of losing her darling was enough to make her lose her mind and she wanted him to understand that.


    However, one sentence got stuck in Kai''s head. ''You aren''t as invincible as you should be.'' Those words, for one reason or another, didn''t sit well with him.


    "Who said I''m invincible? I already know that I''m not invincible. Everything I do is with a risk and I''m grateful for your help. I''m learning how to control the symptoms and I''m seeing some sess. I don''t getpletely open when I get them now. I consider your life as important as mine too. But things needs to get done and I''m not going to let the fear of death stop me from doing them." Kaya noticed that Kai''s tone changed for some reason and she was taken aback by it. ''Did I say something bad?'' She didn''t know that one of the things she said was something that Kai didn''t want to hear. So, she ended up falling into a mistake she wasn''t aware of, yet.


    Meanwhile, Aria watched the argument ensue with a little frown. She wanted to stop both of them but she didn''t know how. Both had fair points and both were right one way or another.


    "Kai¡­ I didn''t mea-"


    "Forget it." Turning around, Kai walked to the edge as he stared into the distance. He wasn''t in the mood to talk anymore.


    Kaya watched his silhouette with a guilty look. She wanted to approach him and talk to him and at the same time, didn''t want to make it any worse.


    With that, some time passed like that till Kai noticed an object in the horizon heading towards them.


    "She''s here¡­" He murmured as he turned around and signaled for the two girls to get ready since they were going to leave any time now.


    A few minutester, Chal reached the cliff.


    "What in god''s name is this ce?" Her partner murmured as he looked around the cliff.


    "Since when did thisnd exist? And why can''t I see it on my radar?" He turned to Chal with a confused expression.


    The woman had the same confused expression if not even more intense. She was a boat maker so her knowledge about geography was very good. Never in her life did she hear about a ce like this and what was even weirder is that it wasn''t discovered before.


    Such a vastnd was almost impossible not to notice.


    "What did Kai do this time?" She sighed inwardly. In the years she knew that young man, he was always a trouble ma. Wherever he goes, trouble and bizarre urrences will follow him like a curse.


    "So, where is he?"


    "Let''s wait here for a while. if he doesn''t ap-"


    "I''m here."


    As they were like that, they heard a cold voice behind them, the two instantly screamed at the top of their lungs in fright. Looking back, they saw Kai standing in front of them, holding a giant bone on his shoulder.


    "... What¡­ Where did youe from?"


    "From there." Kai responded as he pointed at the cliff.


    "I see." Taking a deep breath, Chal exhaled as she noticed the two girls behind Kai. Their eye-catching beauty made her smile.


    "What? You got two more now?" She asked with a smile. "Where is that Eva girl? I miss her."


    "No time for chats now. We need to leave." Kai said as he ignored her questions.


    Meanwhile, Chal''s partner was gazing dazedly at the two extremely beautiful girls. So, Chal gave him a tap on the head.


    "What was that for?!"


    "For staring at what''s not yours. Now, turn on the boat and let''s go."


    "Yes, captain." He rolled his eyes and did what she asked from him.


    A few secondster, the boat turned around and started moving away from the piece ofnd and into the vast ocean.


    The trip was going to take hours, so everyone sat down. Kaya was with Aria and Kai approached Chal to discuss something with her. "Fuuh, want a smoke?" The woman was staring at the vast ocean while smoking her cigarette.


    "I don''t smoke."


    "I know you don''t. Just courtesy of my benefactor."


    "..."


    "So, what was that ce?"


    "I don''t know myself."


    "You don''t know where you were?"


    "I ended up there coincidentally after some weird urrences."


    Chal wanted to ask even more questions but when she saw Kai''s confusion, she sighed with a chuckle. "I guess that makes sense. It''s really a weird ce. It give me the creeps." She added as she stared at the vast cliff that stretched far into the horizon behind them. "I''ve been to almost every ce in the world and yet never got that feeling before."


    Something about that ce felt off. Just looking at it gave Chal the chills and she didn''t even know why. It was certainly not normal no matter how she looked at it.


    "Keep this a secret. I don''t want anyone to hear about this."


    "Since when do I snitch? You''re my friend and I would never sell my friends."


    "Thanks, Chal." Kai replied as he went silent, staring at the vast sea.


    The woman noticed his weird mood and so she asked. "What are you thinking about?"


    "Nothing."


    "Nothing is never something you think about, kid. Your eyes are obviously showing your true thoughts."


    Kai was surprised at how observant Chal was. His expression and demeanor were the same and yet she still noticed that he wasn''t behaving normally.


    However, that didn''t mean that Kai wanted to tell her about it since he really wasn''t in the mood for talking about such things.


    Kai almost wanted to question his ability to hide his emotions because of it.

 Chapter 259 259- Argument And Thoughts (Part 2)

    Chapter259 259-Argument And Thoughts (Part 2)


    Chapter 259- Argument And Thoughts (Part 2)


    The boat continued moving through the vast ocean at top speed. Kai and Chal were the only ones that were talking.


    As for Aria and Kaya, they were sitting near the edge of the boat, watching the moving scenery in silence. Neither wanted to talk since they weren''t in the mood for it. However, Aria was still concerned about Kaya since she seemed really upset over her argument with Kai.


    She knew that Kaya was ming herself for it. But, in all honesty, Aria didn''t find Kaya''s reasons to be odd or overprotective even if they were sure that Kai was going to be fine. After all, Kai was still sick and his symptoms are getting more and more intense and frequent even when he wasn''t doing anything particrly taxing.


    So, what could''ve happened inside that ce could''ve been dangerous. ''Should I tell her to simply talk to himter when he calms down? This was a small misunderstanding.'' She thought to herself as she with her sword silently. However, she also didn''t want to risk making the situation even worse. Kaya was mature and smart so she should be able to fix it sooner orter.


    Meanwhile, Kai and Chal talked about different topics. One of them was about the argument that happened between Kai and Kaya.


    "So you disagreed with that woman over there?" She asked with a surprised look.


    "Yes." Silence took over for a while before Chal startedughing softly. She seemed amused by it for some reason.


    "Who knew the great ck Phantom would actually be troubled by something like this. Oh, well, so you want some advice?" She asked.


    "An optimal way of fixing this disagreement if possible." Kai replied as he rested his hand on the boat''s handrail.


    "Hmm, I guess you came to the right person then. So, what did you disagree about?" She asked curiously.


    "I can''t dive into details but its about putting my life at risk." He said. "She''s worried about me and I don''t see the point of stopping myself from doing certain very important things even if it was risky."


    "I see¡­" Chal puffed a cloud of smoke before she continued. "That doesn''t sound too bad for a first disagreement between you two."


    "How did you know that it was a first?" Kai raised an eyebrow confusedly.


    "Of course I know, who do you think I am?" She asked with a smile. "You two look like you''repletely new to couple arguments."


    "It''s not¡­"


    "I know what you''re going to say, it''s not actually a couple argument. But, I can see that you two aren''t merely friends now, are you?" Chal grinned yfully.


    In reality, Kai couldn''t disagree with Chal since their rtionship was by no means that of friends. It had already exceeded that phase long ago so saying that they were merely friends would be lying. If it was a few months ago, Kai would''ve probably been even more confused then now but he was starting to figure out his feelings. A clear progress from before.


    "Yes."


    "Bingo. It''s good that you''re honest." Chal tapped Kai''s shoulder before looked ahead again. "Listen, Kai. Having a disagreement with someone you cherish isn''t rare. If anything, that''s the norm. You can''t expect to share the same views on everything with that person so disputes are bound to happen just like now. However, that doesn''t mean that you did something wrong or that she did something wrong. Both of you have their own opinions."


    "I know that."


    "You certainly do. But, you don''t know how to handle it when it happens. And the key to fixing that problem lies in one word."


    "One word?"


    "Yes, one single word. And that word is ''Compromise''. To live a happy life with your loved ones, you need to sacrifice certain things andpromise on certain other things. Not you, she also needs topromise when necessary. You two need to reach a middle point where you both can agree. That''s how you fix disagreements."


    Chal''s words resonated with Kai and made him nod his head.


    ''Compromise, huh?'' He thought to himself. ''That sounds logical.''


    "And how do Ipromise in this case?"


    "Simple, you have to understand her worries and assure her that you won''t put your life at risk too much. I''m sure that will make her understand that you aren''t going to simply throw your life away doing something dangerous."


    "I see¡­" Kai replied with a sigh as he looked at Kaya before he took a deep breath and approached her. Aria was the first to notice Kai. She instinctively thought that he was there to argue more, but when she saw his calm expression, she realized that his mood wasn''t as bad as before.


    "Can you give us a moment?" He asked Aria.


    "... Sure." She said as she stood up and walked away from them.


    So, Kai sat in her ce and looked at the timid Kaya who didn''t seem to have the urge to speak. However, she also didn''t look away from him when he sat down. So, Kai decided to speak first.


    "I lost my temper there, my bad." He said in a calm, gentle tone.


    Kaya blinked in surprise before she shook her head. "No, no, I was the one who overreacted, I''m sorry."


    "We both didn''t react correctly. I don''t me you for it. I know that you want the best for me and for that I''m grateful." Kai turned his head to the sea for a moment.


    "I wouldn''t to see you harmed or even worse¡­ That would be my nightmare." She replied with a frown.


    Kaya was seriously afraid of losing Kai. She knew that the closer they get from their goal, the more dangerous it bes. She didn''t want to think about it, but it was the truth. From what she heard, Kai''s father wasn''t someone to be taken lightly. He was after all, Kai''s father so he was definitely an extremely powerful man.


    Perhaps Kai would end up fighting his father to death and that was what scared her especially with Kai''s condition. He was at risk of facing death because of those symptoms. In a fight where a small mistake could spill the end, he needed to do everything to outmost perfection.


    "I know, that feeling goes both ways for us." Kai replied. "I don''t want to see you get harmed. That''s one of the reasons why I''m doing all of this. Everything seems vague and dangerous, we don''t even know where things are going so we have to take some risks if we want to be ready for anything that happens."


    "Yes¡­ Alson, um, it makes me happy that you cherish me that much."


    Kaya''s heart beat fast when she heard those words as they were a first for her. Kai was telling her how much he loved he, how can she not feel on cloud nine because of it?


    However, because they were talking about a serious topic, she hid those emotions for now.


    "But, I also know that I must preserve my life if I truly wanted to protect you and Eva. Throwing it away is foolish. So, I can''t promise that I will always do things safely, but I can promise that I will do my best not to die. For me, for you and for Eva." For a split second, Kai''s eyes went to the blind girl standing far away from them but he quickly turned to look at Kaya again.


    "Mm, and I also promise that I will help you and protect you just like how you protect me."


    "Sounds fair." He replied.


    "Mm, can I hug you then?" Kaya asked timidly.


    "Suit yourself."


    "Thanks!"


    Immediately, Kaya jumped on Kai, pressing her body against his as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Feeling her soft mounds against his chest, Kai would be lying if he said that it didn''t feel nice but he didn''t show any reaction.


    The two sat like that for a while in silence. Meanwhile, Aria was smiling softly when she felt them hug. She was truly d that they made out. Although she was confused as to why she wasn''t feeling as jealous as she thought she would feel.


    ''I have no right to feel jealous.'' She thought to herself.


    As she was like that, Chal approached her with a smile. "We never met before, littledy. My name is Chal, by the way."


    "Aria, nice to meet you." Aria replied with a simple bow.


    "So, how did you get to know that rascal over there? I''m sure he was never a yboy yet he sure gets female attention with ease." Chal joked lightly.


    However, she didn''t notice the split second of conflict in Aria''s expression before it disappeared.


    "We''re¡­ old acquaintances."


    "That boy sure has many old acquaintances, doesn''t he? I''m now curious to know if he knows more people than I do." Chal then approached Aria and said in a whisper.


    "So, how much do you like that guy?"

 Chapter 260- Unwanted Meeting

    260 Chapter 260- Unwanted Meeting


    Chal''s question took Aria by surprise. She never thought she would be asked such a question out of nowhere.


    Chal watched the girl''s expression change with clear amusement but she didn''t say a single more word since she was seriously curious about the answer. Every girl that is around Kai showed endless affection toward him for one reason or another so she wanted to know if Aria was the same.


    From what she could see, however, Aria didn''t seem to be as close from Kai as the other girls. Being very experienced in love, Chal noticed the weird rtionship between Kai and Aria. The two didn''t seem to particr hate each other but they also don''t seem to be close enough to be considered lovers.


    ''Something about this feels fishy. I want to get down to it.'' Chal thought to herself secretly.


    "I¡­ We''re acquaintances. That''s it." Aria wanted to say something different but then changed her mind and decided to just say the same thing she just said.


    "Hmm, that doesn''t seem like it, girl. I can feel your conflicted emotions right now. You aren''t good at lying when you can''t hide what you truly think." Chal puffed a cloud of smoke as she pointed her cigarette at Aria. "Well, let me change my question then. What does Kai think about you?"


    "Uh¡­" Aria opened her mouth to answer before she closed it again. This question was something that she asked herself before and she reached the same conclusion time and time again. ''He hates me.''


    However, in the past few weeks, Aria noticed that Kai didn''t show that hatred as often anymore. If anything, he was treating her rather nicely. That made her even more conflicted than before.


    "I¡­ I don''t know. What I know is that¡­ He used to hate me."


    ''Oh! Why did I say that?!'' Aria held her mouth as she cursed herself inwardly for letting her thoughts leak.


    "Oh, hates you? Now that''s new. I never thought that boy was capable of hating someone considering how it''s impossible for people to harm him." Chal raised an eyebrow. "Why does he hate you?"


    "That''s not¡­ I can''t say."


    "I see. Fair enough, secrets aren''t meant to be spilled. But, I don''t really see where this hatred is, if what you''re saying is true. I have noticed that he doesn''t particrly show affection toward you. But I don''t see hatred either."


    "..." Aria''s hand clenched slightly. "Is that so?"


    "Yes. Are you sure he still hates you? I assume that hatred is for a good reason, right?" "It''s for a good reason."


    "Is that reason still vivid to this day?"


    "Yes¡­ Maybe." She replied.


    At this point, Aria wasn''t sure if Kai really still harbored the same degree of hatred toward her as before. She was sure he didn''t forget it, but it wasn''t apparent anymore. He doesn''t show it to her and the proof of that was the ident when he found their old picture still with Aria.


    He specifically said that he didn''t mind her having that old picture and that he still remembers those days when they were kids fondly.


    "Why don''t you apologize then?"


    "My sin¡­ is too grave for a mere apology to fix."


    Aria did apologize, many times, but she never expected to be forgiven. She simply apologized because that was the only thing she could do. ''I have no right of being forgiven. I will carry this sin for the rest of my life.''


    "Who told you that?" Chal asked with a serious expression.


    "I know."


    "Again, how do you know?"


    "I just know!" Aria replied with a frustrated expression. If it wasn''t for the noiseing from the boat''s engine, Kai and Kaya would''ve heard them.


    Aria felt offended for being questioned like this. She was already suffering day and night because of it, so if someone questioned the validity of her mistake, she felt as if that was a mockery toward her and Kai.


    "What do you even know? You don''t know anything about this." She added with a cold tone mixed with hidden anger.


    But, when she realized what she said, she shook her head. "I''m sorry."


    "You don''t know, girl. The fact that he didn''t do anything to you and didn''t even show his hatred toward is because he''s already starting to forgive you. If I know one thing about Kai, it''s that he isn''t someone who tolerates people he hates for no reason, let alone people like you who he doesn''t even show any animosity towards. You''re blinded by your feeling of regret that you forgot about the whole point of your problem, to gain his forgiveness." Aria''s expression changed when she heard those words. It was as if realization just hit her out of nowhere without any prior warning.


    ''What¡­ was I doing?''


    It was indeed true that Aria forgot about seeking forgiveness seriously since she assumed it was impossible. However, she didn''t even try to gain it in the first ce to confirm that.


    She had lived with Kai, saw his life from up close and saw everything about him that she didn''t see for 11 years. Kai wasn''t the same person after all this time, he was different, more mature, stronger with clear goals for the future.


    On the other hand, what did Aria do in the past 11 years? She lived far away from people''s eyes, in seclusion, regretting a grave mistake she did years ago. Never did she try to seek fixing it or at facing Kai seriously.


    ''I was a pitiful coward that feared death. I thought that if I don''t face him, that would be better for Kai and yet I realized that it was a bunch of nonsense from my cowardice that feared Kai. Now, when I faced him, I didn''t even try to fix what I wronged.'' She murmured to herself as she held her forehead.


    Chal noticed all those emotions on Aria''s face. ''She''s starting to get it. Good.''


    So, the woman simply walked away and left Aria alone to think about it and digest her word properly. She knew that it will take some time before she truly understood what she had to do.


    ''Well, if there is anything we have here, it''s time.'' She thought to herself with a smile.


    ***


    Meanwhile, somewhere far away, a beautiful girl was racing through a building. Her face was pale and her breathing was ragged. That girl was Eva and she was now inside the first Origin Academy, heading toward a particr office.


    Her expression wasn''t normal at all as she clenched her phone in her hand. The past few days have been really horrible for Eva as she not only could sleep, but she was always holding her phone, making calls every few minutes.


    Kai hadn''t contacted her for the past 5 days. He had told her before disappearing that he was going to search for the remains of the progenitor''s arsenal and so he won''t be able toe back for a day or two.


    However, those two days passed and then another three days passed with no trace of him. Even the tracking device on him didn''t show his location at all. Eva didn''t know what to do at first since she trusted Kai.


    However, she also knew that if he was in trouble, she needed to act and act fast. So, the first thing she did was to travel to the ce where he wasst seen which was the academy. There, she snuck in and headed toward Kaya''s office after acquiring information that she worked there.


    Now, she was heading toward that ce in a hurry. She had no time to waste if Kai really needed her.


    "Please be safe, my love!" She murmured to herself as she reached her destination and looked around her. There weren''t anyone walking in the corridor so nobody noticed her entering.


    Walking inside the office. The office was empty and had been empty for a few days now. But, since Eva had no leads, she thought that this ce would be the perfect start for her search of her beloved.


    Looking around, Eva started searching the ce. She looked into every ce she could put her hands on.


    ''Old hag must''ve left at least one thing that indicates where they went.'' She murmured as she picked up one of the maps in her office.


    When she opened it, she found an X mark on it.


    "The southern dessert." She murmured as she realized the location.


    "They went to the southern desert." ''However, where exactly? That desert is vast and they could be anywhere. I need more leads.'' She thought to herself as she started rummaging through the office again.


    However, as she was like that, she suddenly heard a voice behind her.


    "What are you looking for, Miss?" The voice was feminine and quite gentle and soothing to listen to.


    However, in her situation, Eva didn''t feel that gentleness at all as she lifted her head and looked at the person that appeared behind her without alerting her senses.

 Chapter 261- Colliding Morals

    261 Chapter 261- Colliding Morals


    The woman that stood behind Eva was the Ophanim, one of the strongest Origin Users in the world and the current headmaster of the Origin Academy.


    With her beautiful, calming appearance and her beautiful smile, anyone would''ve felt instantly rxed when looking at her even though she was clearly someone of high position. However, that wasn''t the feeling Eva had at that moment since she knew that this person wasn''t normal at all.


    In fact, she did hear about this woman named Ethia from Kai and she had kept her description in her mind since she seemed like a potential threat. To think that she would meet her here, while she was doing something she clearly wasn''t supposed to do.


    ''Tsk, this isn''t a good situation.'' Eva thought to herself with a calm mind. She had already nned for if she gets found so she had taken the uniform of the school and had already written down what she needed to say.


    "So, what are you doing here, little miss? This is professor Kaya''s office, isn''t it?" Ethia asked with a small smile that didn''t seem threatening in the least.


    Eva hid her expression and smiled respectfully. "My apologies, miss headmistress. I have been assigned to clean professor Kaya''s office. However, my curiosity took over me and I started reading the books in her shelves. My deepest apologies."


    Her response was perfect as it didn''t leave for Ethia any chance of questioning her. Eva didn''t want to hide the fact that she did look into the office. She used that subtle mistake to divert Ethia''s suspicion from her identity.


    The woman''s eyes squinted for a moment before she nodded her head. "It''s no good to look into the professor''s belongings, they could have important secret files."


    "Yes, my apologies. I will excuse myself then." Eva bowed before she walked past Ethia to leave the office.


    However, before she could leave. Ethia turned around and asked. "Can I see your student ID if you don''t mind?"


    Her question made Eva halt for a second. Ethia''s eyes kept staring at Eva''s back as silence took over for a few moments. An invisible tension could be felt between the two. But, in the end, Eva did turn around with a smile.


    "I forgot my ID in my jacket in the ssroom. Can I go get it if possible?" She asked.


    "Which ss?"


    "ss 2-B." Eva replied without any hesitation.


    "I see. No worries, I will check it myself. Remind me of your name again."


    "Sicilia¡­ Sicilia Filmor." Eva replied.


    ''d I did memorize some names from this academy beforeing here.'' Eva thought to herself secretly. "Can I excuse myself then, headmistress? I have things to do."


    "Hmm, of course, go ahead." Ethia thoughtfully pulled out her phone as she started fiddling with it.


    So, Eva bowed again and left the office and walked away calmly. However, when she took the turn, she quickly dashed through the corridor before she vanished at top speed.


    "I need to leave this ce before she realizes I''m lying." She murmured to herself as she jumped through the windownding in the academy''s garden before she started running toward the exit of the academy.


    By the time she passed the exit and reached the street, she quickly blended with the people walking back and forth. Her movement was skillful and seamless as if it wasn''t even meant to be intended to escape.


    A few minutester, Eva was already hundreds of meters away from the academy, sitting on the edge of a building. Her face had a small frown on it.


    ''I didn''t get enough information to know where Kai went exactly. I need to go there and search myself.'' She clicked her tongue at her bad luck. ''How did she even know that I entered that ce? Was she following me? Or was she suspicious of me?''


    Eva was sure that Ethia''s appearance wasn''t a mere coincidence since the woman seemed to know that Eva had entered that office before she did. Her questions also were clearly out of suspicion of Eva''s identity.


    If it wasn''t for her preparation beforehand, Eva could''ve been captured and what would happen next would simply be a disaster.


    "Sigh, what a mess."


    "What mess exactly?"


    Eva''s eyes widened as her senses kicked in, instantly, she jumped on her feet and turned around. Her hand already summoning a sword that was ready to deflect any potential attack.


    ''What?!'' Eva''s face darkened when she saw the person that spoke to her. It was none other than Ethia. She had her usual calm smile.


    "You''re really quite the tricky girl, aren''t you?" She said gently. "Easily lying, changing your identity, swiftly changing your behavior however you wanted. I really believed you for a second there."


    "..." Eva remained silent as she slowly channeled her Origin.


    "But, I also wasn''t fully convinced of your life. You know why? Because I do remember the faces of every single student in this academy, even the new ones and yours wasn''t familiar to me. No, perhaps I didn''t phrase this well, you are familiar to me, after all. Miss Eva Lavine."


    ''Sigh¡­ Am I cursed to be recognized by every single person I don''t want to be recognized by?'' Eva thought to herself, her hand tightly clenched to her sword.


    This wasn''t the first time she was identified by someone. The first time was Arthur who clearly learned her identity after a long research and the second was Ethia who somehow recognized her in a few minutes.


    This was clearly not a mishap from Eva but something different. Both of these individuals were quite unique and hard to understand which was a trait they shared. They were, after all, mysterious, strong, and with hidden motives.


    "So, for what reason did you pay a visit to our academy? You surely weren''t there for a visit, were you?" Ethia asked.


    "... Yes, it was a visit. I heard good things about this academy and wanted to check it out myself." Eva smiled slightly in response.


    "Oh? I''m honored to hear that the great Eva Lavine wants to join our humble academy. Leaving the hitman guild and joining Divinity is always a wise choice no matter what the situation was." Ethia pped with her hands, clearly happy from Eva''s words.


    "So, for what reason where you checking professor Kaya''s office? Or perhaps, are you in contact with her? If you do then, do please tell us where she went since we can''t contact her." Ethia said.


    "I do not know her personally. But, I''m looking into the same things she''s looking into. Let''s say we have amon goal between us."


    "Shared goal? Interesting and what that goal might be if I may ask?"


    "None of your business. Now, I know that you aren''t here to fight since a fight would destroy the city and bring unnecessary problems to you and to Divinity. So I suggest that we don''t resort to that."


    "Hmm, that makes sense. I wouldn''t want to harm innocent people by mistake. Not that I want to fight you in the first ce, Miss Eva." Ethia said with a simple shrug.


    "Oh? You don''t want to fight a spy that infiltrated your academy?" Eva asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Hmm, of course not. We don''t have anything to hide in that academy, Miss Eva. When I said secret files, that was simply to keep curious people like you from looking into it even further."


    Hearing those words, Evaughed sarcastically. "Nothing to hide? You have everything to hide. Divinity is hiding the truth from the people and although that is good for now. I know that they won''t hide it for long."


    "Keeping information from being revealed till their right time isn''t hiding them, its protecting the people from the danger of knowing too much before they are able of grasping the basics of the truth. We are simply being wise, Miss Eva."


    "Greed isn''t being wise, it''s being foolish. Your goals aren''t as noble as you say. They''re driven by the desire to control and rule rather than to benefit this world."


    Ethia tilted her head in confusion at Eva''s words as if she couldn''t understand her. "What''s wrong with ruling over people if we''re going to help them? With Origin, many illnesses could be healed. People will be stronger, faster, smarter, wiser. This will help our world evolve like never before. Hiding this amazing power from people is but a dumb thing, Miss Eva."


    "You do know that this power isn''t something that everyone should possess. Those who can wield it are already capable of destroying the world if they want to and nothing can stop them. What do you think would happen if every single person was able to put their hands on Origin? We''re going to enter an era of chaos that would turn this world into hell on earth."


    "... Is that your belief, Miss Eva?" Ethia''s smile finally vanished and was reced with a serious look.


    Eva noticed that change in behavior.

 Chapter 262- Colliding Morals (Part 2)

    Chapter 262- Colliding Morals (Part 2)


    Ethai''s words didn''t sound the least pleased when she said them. In fact, Eva was sure that she had touched on a subject that didn''t entertain Ethia at all.


    Eva wasn''t intending to actually make this mysterious individual angry but since she found something she could use against Ethia, she might as well use it to the full. Of course, that came with its own risks and things that could make it go south.


    ''It''s either a fight or a safending.'' Eva thought to herself.


    "Yes, that''s what I believe. Divinity needs to stop its attempt to make Origin a world known thing. Nobody is ready for such a drastic change." She added.


    Ethia''s eyes squinted slightly before she sighed and crossed her arms. "I thought better of you, Miss Eva. As someone with power, you should be the most aware of how amazing Origin is. It''s the very thing that makes this world magical, unique, and beyond the scope of understanding. Normal humans would never think that someone can climb a building with a single jump, punch a hole into a mountain or think tens of times faster than the normal capacity of the brain."


    "And so what? Does that mean that it doesn''t have its ws?"


    Ethia shook her head. "Everything has its ws. Some more than others while some have so little ws that we might as well ignore them and Origin is one of those. Imagine a world where people can protect themselves. A world where illnesses don''t destroy families and weaknesses don''t put human life at risk. We won''t be scared of nature catastrophes. We can expand our scientific achievements, travel to others, explore the sea and do many more things that our weak bodies could not let us do."


    Ethia''s face returned to her usual smile as she talked about Origin and its vast possibilities. She seemedpletely obsessed with the idea of the future where Origin is normal.


    ''What a twisted person¡­ Does she not realize how idealistic her idea of the future is?''


    "Do you think giving people power will make them use it responsibly? Look at the world now. Wars, famish, poverty and all kinds of crimes. All of these problemse from greed or obsession with power. People that aren''t supposed to have power gain it and then abuse it. Imagine if everyone got what they wanted. The world as we know it will be no more."


    Ethia''s entire monologue halted when she heard those words as she stared at Eva with confusion.


    "Everyone will have the power to defend themselves. Nobody is better than the other. Wars will never start because no one is stronger than the other. People will be able to get what''s rightfully theirs."


    "... You¡­ You''ve never seen the ugly side of humans, did you?" Eva asked with a frown. "You''ve never actually seen how much could corrupt a human without them even realizing."


    At first, Eva thought that Ethia was simply in this n for personal gain like she assumed Divinity to have that intention. However, the more Ethia talked, the more Eva realized that Ethia wasn''t simply after control, she genuinely believed that this n would save humanity.


    That meant that Ethia had never actually seen how humans could be. She had lived her entire life unaware of how people aren''t always meant to have power.


    ''How¡­ She seems like a smart and level-headed person. How can she be this naive?'' Eva couldn''t understand it at all.


    "You¡­ Sigh, forget it. You do you and I will do me." Eva shook her head.


    "Why are you so sure that I will let you live?" Ethia asked with a curious look.


    "Because you never had any intention to attack me, did you? Or we would''ve never talked here, would we?" Eva asked as she reached the edge of the building before she looked back. "You really should learn about the world around you. Not everything is a rainbow and flowers."


    After that, Eva jumped from the edge, leaving a confused Ethia behind. The woman stared at thest ce where Eva stood and then rubbed the back of her head.


    Eva''s words didn''t leave her head at all as they truly made her think. ''What does she mean?''


    ***


    A few hours passed before the boat finally reached the shores of one of the cities. The moment theynded Kai quickly pulled out his phone and messaged Eva.


    Luckily, the message reached her and she replied. Kai knew how happy she was to hear from him but he told her to meet him at a particr location. After that, he took a ne back to the city.


    He knew that his disappearance along with Kaya and Aria was extremely suspicious but he had already thought of a good excuse for it. The moment they reached their destination, they headed back to the academy as fast as they could. Kaya had already told the headmistress about their return and she arranged a meeting with her in her office.


    Reaching the office, they were allowed inside. Ethia''s office wasn''t that much different from Kaya''s office except for the fact that it had way more files and stacks of papers.


    "Oh, Professor Kaya! I''m d you''re fine! You really worried me." Ethia weed them with a wide smile as she looked at Kai and Aria. "You too! What a coincidence that my students and also my tenants ended up in such a bad situation. I was really worried that something happened to you."


    "We''re fine. We ended up getting stuck in the desert for a few days because of the weather." Kai giggled awkwardly.


    "Oh, it must''ve been quite the weather." Ethia rubbed her chin.


    "Yes, we couldn''t move at all or even do what we were there for." Aria barged in and said.


    "I did take care of them so no problem arised." Kaya added.


    The headmistress nodded at her before she turned around and walked to her desk before she rested her back on it.


    "I shall report your return to the HQ. You must be tired so you can go now. You can have the day off tomorrow too."


    "Thanks, Miss Headmistress."


    "Anything for my dear professor and my dear students. Oh, before you go, Jack, can I have a moment with you if you don''t mind?" She asked, catching Kai''s attention.


    Aria and Kaya also looked at her. But, to not raise any suspicion, they still turned around and left. Kai can deal with the situation himself.


    When they closed the door, Kai stared at Ethia again with a confused smile. "How can I help you?"


    "Do you know someone named Eva Lavine?" She asked.


    Kai raised an eyebrow for a moment before he rubbed his chin as if he was contemting the answer. "Hmm, I think I heard of that name before. Is she some kind of celebrity?" "Yes she is."


    "How would I get to know a celebrity, Miss Headmistress?" He asked.


    "Just asking out of curiosity. Forget that I asked. You can leave."


    "Sure. Have a good day."


    After that, he turned around and left the room. The moment he closed the door, his smile disappeared and he returned to his stoic expression for a split second.


    ''Eva already told me that she met her but I didn''t think she would be this suspicious of us. Tsk.'' He thought to herself.


    The worst thing that could happen was that Ethia realizes that he knows Eva and they were this close from falling into that disaster.

 Chapter 263- Reunion

    263 Chapter 263- Reunion


    After finishing his business with Ethia, Kai left the academy and walked through the streets toward a particrly calm park in the northern side of the city where he agreed to meet with Eva. Since he didn''t want to risk being followed by the suspecting Ethia, he decided not to go back home.


    A few minutester, he reached his destination as he sat down on a random seat and waited. Eva was supposed to reach their agreed meeting spot a few minutes after he sits down. Well enough, a few minutester, a person wearing a big hoodie walked toward Kai.


    The boy stared at the figure for a moment before he stood up and approached the stranger. When they were close enough, the stranger suddenly rushed toward him and jumped into his embrace without saying a word.


    Kai also wrapped his arms around the thin body of the stranger. He felt the strength used in the hug and the subtle shaking of the girl in his arms so he gently caressed her back as he whispered into her ear. "I''m fine. You don''t have to worry."


    However, Eva didn''t stop shaking immediately as she buried her face into his neck. "Thank you¡­ Thank you for staying alive." She replied.


    Kai raised an eyebrow at her reply before he sighed. How scared was Eva for her to not even scold him or get angry because he did something reckless? Kai knew that it was far more serious than he expected.


    Eva had seriously contemted whether Kai had faced something horrible or not. "You did well, Eva. You did very well." So, with that in mind, Kai smiled as he patted her covered head.


    At that moment, he heard a small whimper and a sniffle. Eva had teared up at that moment. "Thank you¡­ *Sniffle*... I was ready to go anywhere just to find you. I didn''t care what the consequences were. It didn''t matter at all." Tears rolled down her face.


    "I know. I trust that you will always find me. But, you did great. I''m sorry for putting you through this." He replied.


    "You don''t have to apologize."


    The two stood like that for a long time before Eva finally calmed down and Kai pulled away to take a closer look at her face. Although he was seeing her every day through facetime, seeing her in reality, this close waspletely different and more impactful.


    Eva also stared closely at his face as if she forgot how he looked and was trying to engrave his image in her head.


    "Should we sit down?" Kai broke the silence between them with a question.


    "Mmm, we should."


    So, the two sat down next to each other, their hands still interlocked as they stared at the calm greenery around them. Since it was evening, there weren''t many people around them.


    "This feels simr to the time we got separated." Eva said with a small smile of nostalgia. Although almost two months had passed since Kai left her, it felt like it was yesterday for some reason.


    "Yeah¡­ How have you been?" He asked.


    "Oh, I''m fine. Ignoring the fact that I intensely missed you, I was able to continue with my life normally. It''s weird to live alone again after staying with someone for a long time." Evaughed awkwardly.


    However, Kai knew that Eva was hiding her loneliness from him. So, he moved his hand toward her face and held her cheek. "I know how hard it was. It''s fine, you don''t have to hide it from me." He said.


    Eva was quite taken aback for a second before she nodded her head. "I guess I''m bad at hiding things?" She asked.


    "You aren''t. I just know you more than anyone else."


    "Tsk, cheater." Eva murmured with a sulking expression.


    "me the one who made me learn so much about her."


    "Hehe, that''s the wrong answer to give ady, Mister."


    "Is that so?" "In this situation, you should appease me because I''m sulking." Eva joked around as she tapped his shoulder.


    The two continued to joke around and talk about different topics for a while. Catching up on their lives was already something they did everyday, but they still wanted to listen to each other speak, not because what they''re saying is of great importance but because it was simply entertaining to hear each other speak about anything.


    Both of them had secretly agreed on that without saying a single word. After a while of talking, all the sadness had vanished from the air around Eva and she wasughing jovially as if she had nothing on her mind. Seeing her happy, Kai could only rx.


    After all the tension he had to go through the past few days, finding time to simply talk about random things was a blessing for him.


    "Hah, and then I had to actually refuse that offer from thepany since I''m retired. They were ready to offer double the price but I still refused. I had enough of that." Evaughed as she talked.


    "Maybe you should''ve epted it if you had free time?"


    "No, I don''t really think that would''ve helped me cope with you leaving. It would''ve simply added anotheryer of stress and responsibilities that I didn''t want to experience. I do like modeling, it''s just not as enjoyable as being with you, that''s all."


    "... I see."


    "Hehe, did I make your heart skip a beat?" Eva asked teasingly.


    "You did." Kai replied honestly.


    "..." Eva blinked in surprise as she stared at Kai before thetter turned toward her and replied. "I got you." As he pulled his tongue out.


    "You¡­ Tsk, I lost again!" Eva clicked her tongue in defeat.


    "So, what happened with Ethia exactly?" After all the fun banter, Kai finally decided to move to a more serious topic since the sun was already setting and it was getting dark.


    Eva''s yful expression returned to neutral as she recounted what happened exactly with all the details. She didn''t leave anything behind as she gave Kai all the information. When she finished, Kai was already in deep thought.


    "Unaware of the consequences of this n? That''s unexpected."


    Of all the things that Kai expected, this wasn''t one of them at all. He never even entertained the thought that Ethia wasn''t aware of what her n is gonna lead to. Yet, somehow, it seemed like that was exactly the case. "I also didn''t believe it at first. But her tone, her demeanor, her expressions, they were all very genuine. I''m sure she wasn''t acting." Eva nodded her head.


    "How can she be an Ophanim if she was this naive? Strength isn''t the only thing that could bring her that high."


    From what Kai knew, an Ophanim was akin to a legend even in Divinity. They were figures akin to gods along with the Seraphims and god himself who Kai knew his identity.


    There was simply no way that they simply chose Ethia based on strength. Unless, Ethia herself had something else other than strength she can present to Divinity.


    ''Something way more important than cunningness. What could it be?'' Kai thought to himself.


    The mystery behind Ethia was only deepening with no apparent light at the end of the tunnel for the questions.

 Chapter 262 262- Colliding Morals (Part 2)

    Chapter 262  262- Colliding Morals (Part 2)


    Ethai''s words didn''t sound the least pleased when she said them. In fact, Eva was sure that she had touched on a subject that didn''t entertain Ethia at all.


    Eva wasn''t intending to actually make this mysterious individual angry but since she found something she could use against Ethia, she might as well use it to the full. Of course, that came with its own risks and things that could make it go south.


    ''It''s either a fight or a safending.'' Eva thought to herself.


    "Yes, that''s what I believe. Divinity needs to stop its attempt to make Origin a world known thing. Nobody is ready for such a drastic change." She added.


    Ethia''s eyes squinted slightly before she sighed and crossed her arms. "I thought better of you, Miss Eva. As someone with power, you should be the most aware of how amazing Origin is. It''s the very thing that makes this world magical, unique, and beyond the scope of understanding. Normal humans would never think that someone can climb a building with a single jump, punch a hole into a mountain or think tens of times faster than the normal capacity of the brain."


    "And so what? Does that mean that it doesn''t have its ws?"


    Ethia shook her head. "Everything has its ws. Some more than others while some have so little ws that we might as well ignore them and Origin is one of those. Imagine a world where people can protect themselves. A world where illnesses don''t destroy families and weaknesses don''t put human life at risk. We won''t be scared of nature catastrophes. We can expand our scientific achievements, travel to others, explore the sea and do many more things that our weak bodies could not let us do."


    Ethia''s face returned to her usual smile as she talked about Origin and its vast possibilities. She seemedpletely obsessed with the idea of the future where Origin is normal.


    ''What a twisted person¡­ Does she not realize how idealistic her idea of the future is?''


    "Do you think giving people power will make them use it responsibly? Look at the world now. Wars, famish, poverty and all kinds of crimes. All of these problemse from greed or obsession with power. People that aren''t supposed to have power gain it and then abuse it. Imagine if everyone got what they wanted. The world as we know it will be no more."


    Ethia''s entire monologue halted when she heard those words as she stared at Eva with confusion.


    "Everyone will have the power to defend themselves. Nobody is better than the other. Wars will never start because no one is stronger than the other. People will be able to get what''s rightfully theirs."


    "... You¡­ You''ve never seen the ugly side of humans, did you?" Eva asked with a frown. "You''ve never actually seen how much could corrupt a human without them even realizing."


    At first, Eva thought that Ethia was simply in this n for personal gain like she assumed Divinity to have that intention. However, the more Ethia talked, the more Eva realized that Ethia wasn''t simply after control, she genuinely believed that this n would save humanity.


    That meant that Ethia had never actually seen how humans could be. She had lived her entire life unaware of how people aren''t always meant to have power.


    ''How¡­ She seems like a smart and level-headed person. How can she be this naive?'' Eva couldn''t understand it at all.


    "You¡­ Sigh, forget it. You do you and I will do me." Eva shook her head.


    "Why are you so sure that I will let you live?" Ethia asked with a curious look.


    "Because you never had any intention to attack me, did you? Or we would''ve never talked here, would we?" Eva asked as she reached the edge of the building before she looked back. "You really should learn about the world around you. Not everything is a rainbow and flowers."


    After that, Eva jumped from the edge, leaving a confused Ethia behind. The woman stared at thest ce where Eva stood and then rubbed the back of her head.


    Eva''s words didn''t leave her head at all as they truly made her think.


    ''What does she mean?''


    ***


    A few hours passed before the boat finally reached the shores of one of the cities. The moment theynded Kai quickly pulled out his phone and messaged Eva.


    Luckily, the message reached her and she replied. Kai knew how happy she was to hear from him but he told her to meet him at a particr location. After that, he took a ne back to the city.


    He knew that his disappearance along with Kaya and Aria was extremely suspicious but he had already thought of a good excuse for it.


    The moment they reached their destination, they headed back to the academy as fast as they could. Kaya had already told the headmistress about their return and she arranged a meeting with her in her office.


    Reaching the office, they were allowed inside. Ethia''s office wasn''t that much different from Kaya''s office except for the fact that it had way more files and stacks of papers.


    "Oh, Professor Kaya! I''m d you''re fine! You really worried me." Ethia weed them with a wide smile as she looked at Kai and Aria. "You too! What a coincidence that my students and also my tenants ended up in such a bad situation. I was really worried that something happened to you."


    "We''re fine. We ended up getting stuck in the desert for a few days because of the weather." Kai giggled awkwardly.


    "Oh, it must''ve been quite the weather." Ethia rubbed her chin.


    "Yes, we couldn''t move at all or even do what we were there for." Aria barged in and said.


    "I did take care of them so no problem arised." Kaya added.


    The headmistress nodded at her before she turned around and walked to her desk before she rested her back on it.


    "I shall report your return to the HQ. You must be tired so you can go now. You can have the day off tomorrow too."


    "Thanks, Miss Headmistress."


    "Anything for my dear professor and my dear students. Oh, before you go, Jack, can I have a moment with you if you don''t mind?" She asked, catching Kai''s attention.


    Aria and Kaya also looked at her. But, to not raise any suspicion, they still turned around and left. Kai can deal with the situation himself.


    When they closed the door, Kai stared at Ethia again with a confused smile. "How can I help you?"


    "Do you know someone named Eva Lavine?" She asked.


    Kai raised an eyebrow for a moment before he rubbed his chin as if he was contemting the answer. "Hmm, I think I heard of that name before. Is she some kind of celebrity?"


    "Yes she is."


    "How would I get to know a celebrity, Miss Headmistress?" He asked.


    "Just asking out of curiosity. Forget that I asked. You can leave."


    "Sure. Have a good day."


    After that, he turned around and left the room. The moment he closed the door, his smile disappeared and he returned to his stoic expression for a split second.


    ''Eva already told me that she met her but I didn''t think she would be this suspicious of us. Tsk.'' He thought to herself.


    The worst thing that could happen was that Ethia realizes that he knows Eva and they were this close from falling into that disaster.

 Chapter 264 264- Threats And Gambles

    <h4>Chapter 264 Chapter 264- Threats And Gambles</h4>


    Kai and Eva continued talking for a while after that about different topics. However, they mainly focused on the topic of what Kai, Kaya and Aria went through in their trip. He told Eva about every single thing that happened from beginning to end without stopping.


    Eva listened quietly to his story, reacting whenever she heard something absurd and calming down after that until he was done. Even as he was telling her the story, Kia couldn''t believe himself. It was simply such a ridiculous adventure. However, if there was one thing that Kai decided to hide, it was what he saw in the tower.


    That was simply not something he could tell. He did trust Kaya, Eva and Aria not to tell anyone or even feel anything different toward him if they knew his past,


    When he was done with it, Eva''s face waspletely changed. "I¡­ didn''t know that you went through all of this¡­"


    "Yeah, it was a very annoying mission and I still don''t understand most of what happened. However, I also learned many things. Probably the most important is that everything we know about the Progenitor is a bunch of crafted lies."


    "To think that the Progenitor isn''t even a human. At first, it sounded ridiculous, but if you think about it, that exins everything and links perfectly with the monster that we saw in that cave in the frozen ins."


    Kai nodded his head with a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair before he answered. "I still, however, don''t know what could really happen in the future. Before, I had a rough prediction, but now, I have not a single idea. There are too many possibilities to count."


    Usually, Kai would have an idea of what would happen before it happens from simply analyzing the situation around him. However, this time was different, very different. The variables in the situation he was in and theck of understanding of what was happening made it way harder to predict what would happen in the future.


    That means that Kai will need to face things one by one, dealing with them ordingly. However, that would most likely take too much time, something that he can''t spare currently.


    ''If I''m going to get into this, I will need to heal myself first and deal with that man. He will be too annoying if I keep him alive for what will happen in the future.''


    "Kai?" Eva noticed the frown on Kai''s face and called his name worriedly.


    "Hm? I''m fine. Anyway, what are you intending to do now?" Kai asked.


    "I really didn''t think about it that much since I was too upied with your safety." Eva rubbed her chin. "But, I guess I will go back and continue ording to the initial n?" She said with clear uncertainty.


    However, Kai didn''t immediately agree with her and instead looked down for a second, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "No, going back won''t be the best idea. Since Ethia saw you and is actually suspecting you now. She might send some people to follow you around. To kill her curiosity, we need to make her think that you''re really working alone."


    "And how do we go about doing that? She''s naive, but she isn''t dumb. I''m sure she''s aware that I''m going after something." Eva replied.


    "It''s simple¡­" He said as he raised his head and looked at Eva directly.


    ***


    A few hourster, inside Kai''s apartement, Kaya and Aria were sitting in the living room watching TV. However, their minds weren''t focused on whatever was being broadcasted as the TV was merely a background noise for their thoughts.


    That''s when they heard the sound of keys twisting and someone entering. Kai returned to the apartement, only to be weed by Kaya and Aria. The two seemed rather worried for some reason.


    "So, how did it go? How was mother''s milk doing?" Kaya asked.


    "She''s fine. Nothing bad happened to her." Kai replied as he put his keys on the table and sat down on the sofa with a sigh, cracking his neck with his hand. After everything that happened, Kai was really exhausted mentally rather than physically.


    He didn''t have time to rest properly ever since he came back from that mysterious ce. Now, he simply wanted to sleep through the night and rx the next day.


    "I''m d she''s ok." Aria murmured to herself.


    Although she and Eva didn''t speak much before this, she had a good impression of Eva because of her kind attitude toward her.


    "She''s not going to be able to move a lot during this period of time and she won''t be able to go back either. So, we agreed that she will stay here for now." Kai exined.


    "Really? Now that''s some good news. I really miss mother''s milk." Kaya smiled mischievously as she sat down again.


    "With that, Eva will start attending the academy too."


    "Wait, really?" Aria asked with a frown. "Isn''t that dangerous?"


    "I agree with Aria on this one. She got busted by Ethia and could easily be captured if she enters the academy again."


    "She won''t get busted. If Ethia wanted to capture her, the two would''ve fought. However, she let her go freely which means that Ethia herself doesn''t want a fight. It''s not advantageous for her." Kai exined. "If anything, making her join now would put Ethia at ease since she will be under her watch. That will make it easier to actually handle Ethia.


    Kai didn''t want Ethia to move as she wanted and do what she wanted. He wanted to know her ns and what she''s intending to do in detail. However, to go around doing that, he needed her to drop her guard first and to do that, he had to give her bait.


    Since she had met Eva, that means that she suspects her of trying to do something to Divinity. So, if Eva joins the academy, Ethia would think that Eva was trying to continue with her ns which would lead her to actually making a move instead of staying in the dark.


    This n was definitely dangerous, but it was better than giving Ethia and Divinity the full control over the situation. Kai needed to get them back to the path he wanted them to go on. But, at the same time, he wasn''t intending to put Eva in a dangerous situation.


    Kaya and Aria understood his intentions and could only agree. They really had no other choice in this matter. They had to trust Kai and Eva and believe in their ability to keep the situation from getting worse and those two were pretty capable.


    "Ethia isn''t dumb to actually do anything reckless in the academy." He added.


    "She better not or she will push us to do things that neither of us would want to happen." Kaya replied with a serious look.


    A full on war wasn''t a very oundish idea at this point. Striding carefully was important if they didn''t want to end up destroying the whole city and sending everything into chaos. That wasn''t their intention nor their goal.

 Chapter 265- a Message (Part 1)

    265 Chapter 265- a Message (Part 1)


    That night, Kai went to bed earlier than usual since he was exhausted and wanted a good night of sleep. Aria and Kaya also went to sleep at the same time, quite exhausted too.


    The night passed quietly for the trio. When the morning arrived, they finally woke up, feeling way more refreshed than before.


    After a quick breakfast, Kai had to leave quickly to meet with Eva since he had to deal with her enrollment and other important stuff. Meanwhile, Kaya went out to buy groceries with Aria. The house was empty of food after the 5 days they were away.


    Kai met with Eva in the same park before to discuss what Eva should do exactly to enroll into the academy and the n was rather simple. "You will have to meet Ethia again and ask her to let you enroll. She will most likely ask you for the reason you changed your mind and you will answer that you have seen how good the academy is and how you want to study there to better your understanding of Divinity with the high potential of possibly joining them in the future." Kai exined to Eva as he tapped his finger rhythmically on his thigh.


    "What makes you think she would buy that?" Eva asked curiously as she sipped on the coffee she bought with her.


    "She won''t buy it." Kai replied.


    "Then wh-"


    "She will still ept it as a legitimate reason because she wants you to join the academy. It doesn''t matter what you say, she will take it." "I see. That makes sense. But, what if she decides to put some conditions for this enrollment to happen?" Eva asked.


    "She won''t put any conditions. But, in case she does, you just put pressure on her and threaten her with not joining Divinity. You would be a great addition to the organization and Ethia knows that so she willpromise just to satisfy you." "..." Eva nodded her head silently as she looked down. Kai noticed that her expression changed so he asked her. "What''s up? Got any ideas?"


    "No. I''m just¡­ I''m just happy that I will be able to stay by your side. I never expected this to happen, so it still feels like a dream in a sense."


    "I have told you before. This isn''t a dream. Even if you believe it is, I will tell you that it is not." Kai said calmly. "I will always remind you that this isn''t a dream... For the rest of our lives."


    "..." Eva felt speechless as she didn''t expect him to say something like this. She was so moved that her heart started beating wildly and her eyes began watering. Her mouth was open slightly as her eyes couldn''t leave Kai''s face.


    Kai''s words truly touched her deeply and the emotions that surged through her at that moment weren''t merely in the spur of the moment. Kai''s words felt far more intense than a mere confirmation of reality. It felt like a proposal, or a longsting oath that he created between the two of them.


    He didn''t propose, but it still felt like he did.


    And Eva didn''t mind this feeling one bit.


    She didn''t even realize that tears were sliding down her cheeks until they reached her lips.


    "You''re always the best." She murmured as a beautiful smile bloomed on her face and her clear eyes sparkled with a thousand emotions.


    "I hear that too often." Kai replied with a casual shrug.


    "You''re so full of yourself. Don''t let your ego grow too big, or else you will have problems walking!" Eva pinched his arm and pulled hard. Her face was a mix of happiness and tears.


    So, Kai simply pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and started wiping her tears gently. "My ego has always been big. What do you expect?"


    "I don''t know. Maybe to shrink a bit?" Eva said as she sniffled.


    "No can do." Kai replied. "To keep you and the others safe, I need this."


    Eva rolled her eyes yfully before she smiled again. "So dramatic~" Then, she stopped speaking as she allowed Kai to simply wipe her eyes and face. his gentle touches made her heart beat even harder.


    It took them a few minutes until Kai finished wiping her tears. He then stuffed the handkerchief back into his pocket and pulled Eva''s hands, helping her stand up.


    "Let''s go now. We need to get you things to settle down." He said.


    Eva nodded and walked next to him. She didn''t want to pull her hands away, so she didn''t and they walked like that.


    They headed toward the heart of the city where all the shops were situated. They bought all the necessities she would need, such as clothes, essories, toiletries, and others.They didn''t need to look for apartements since Eva had a few in this city and other cities nearby because of her family''s bussiness


    It was when they were heading to a restaurant for lunch, that Kai recieved a call from Kaya.


    "Hello?" He picked up.


    "Kai! Where are you right now?" Kaya''s panicked voice reached his ears, making him frown.


    "Kaya, calm down." He said, feeling a little bit concerned. "What happened?" He asked with a frown. Kaya rarely panicks this hard. Not even in situations where others would bepletely crushed with stress.


    "The old man... He... He''s on TV and he''s..." Kaya seemed hesitant to speak and also unable to find the words to describe what she saw.


    "Hold one, old man? Mika?" Kai squinted his eyes as he signaled for Eva to stop. She did and stared at him, waiting.


    "Y-yes... He''s on TV and is..."


    "Is...?"


    ***


    15 minutes before the call, back in the apartement, Kaya and Aria just came back from the market and were organizing the food in the kitchen. That''s when Kaya decided to open the TV for some background noise. However, the moment the screen was turned on, the news chanel appeared in front of her eyes and on it wsa the reporter talking while an image of someone Eva was very familiar with could be seen. It was her old man, Mika.


    "...and we just recieved a news that the previous head of the Raullot family, Mika Raullot has published a very odd video where he dered some information that shook the whole world. The ex-bussiness man and military general seemed rather perturbed and panicked as he spoke to a fidgety camera. Next is the footage from the video."


    Kaya''s eyes widened in shock when she heard the reporter. Her mouth opened to speak, only for it to close again. She simply stared at the screen and watched the video with Aria.


    On the screen appeared a dark scenery of what seemed to be an unknown room. The sound of someone fidgeting with the camera could be heard before the angel was adjusted, revealing the face that Kaya knew very well. Mika could be seen with messy clothes, a tired expression and eyes full of panic and fear. He had a very weird expression on his face as if he doesn''t know what to say or do. He simply put the camera down before he rubbed his messy hair.


    "Hello everyone. If you''re seeing this footage... That means I''m dead."


    B

 Chapter 266- a Message (Part 2)

    266 Chapter 266- a Message (Part 2)


    Those words fell on Kaya like a bombshell, she couldn''t say a single word nor even think for a good 10 seconds. All her senses froze and the only thing left in her thought was the image of Mika on the TV.


    "Huh¡­" A small, confused whimper leaked out of her mouth after a while as she started blinking, still not understanding what was happening.


    The scene of Mika simply sitting there, distressed, fearful and quite fidgety made Kaya even more confused. She had never seen her old man act like that before in her life. Mika was a very strong, confident and almost invincible man.


    Kaya had lived basically her entire life with him and he always seemed like he was someone who had the solution for any problem. No matter what problem he was facing, he would always solve it.


    Kaya found that trait admirable and it inspired her personality for the future. Yet, her role-model was now right in front of her, broken, talking to an old camera, and dering that he was dead. How was Kaya supposed to react or even understand why he was doing this?


    Meanwhile, Aria watched the TV with a focused look as she was very interested in what the old man was about to say.


    "Yes, I''m dead. I don''t have any reason to believe I''m not. This footage was made to reach the news when I''m done for. So, for now, let''s start with introducing myself to some of you." Mika said as he rubbed his hands together. "My name is Mika Charles Raullot. I''m 72 years old as of this moment. My father, Charles Raullot was a military general and my mother, Evanita Kennith was a businesswoman. I was raised in a very wealthy family and I lived a privileged life."


    The information Mika was giving was very general. He talked about his identity even though many people knew who he was. Yet, what made Aria confused was the reason he had to do this. From what she could see, he seemed in a hurry for some reason. So, why would he waste time talking about this?


    However, Aria didn''t predict that her answer would arrive soon.


    "I studied in the best of institutes, graduated from a military academy and became a soldier like my father intended. That''s the information that is avable for people. However, this is what they don''t know. Around 40 years ago, I was approached by a certain person to do something I''ve never thought of before¡­ To start an organization and we called the organization Divinity."


    Those words came down like a bombshell on all the hundreds of millions of people. For those people, they were told that Divinity was a very new organization. To hear that it''s already decades old was very new to the majority. However, the shocking news didn''t end there.


    09:09


    "At first, I didn''t know why this would even work. However, when I heard the end goal of the organization, I found it quite appealing for me. After all, for someone like me, an Origin User of a great background, to create a world where Origin Users are able to live freely without hiding their identities was a utopian dream of mine."


    "No way¡­" Aria''s face paled when she heard those words. A disaster just happened. No, it wasn''t merely a disaster, it was a catastrophe on all fronts!


    ''What is he doing?! Is he trying to send the world into a frenzy?!'' Aria thought to herself.


    "I know many of you are probably shocked. What is he talking about? But the truth is, Origin isn''t something newly discovered as many of you were told. Origin has existed for almost 3000 years now and it isn''t something you take from a syringe. It''s something that is born within the individual naturally. The only difference between the ones you get and what they have is that theirs is permanent and doesn''t need any form of renewal of doze like you do."


    After saying those words, Mikayal lifted his hand before he channeled his Origin, creating what seemed to be a visible ball of pure energy.


    "You can see it, can''t you? This isn''t something most of you can do. To create a pure ball of Origin this high-quality. After all, what you''re getting is a synthetic,boratory altered version of it that me and some other people pushed for. Yes, I was a part of making the idea of this new invention of synthetic Origin."


    "Old man¡­" Kaya''s mouth opened again as she murmured in a low tone. After listening to his words, Kaya was able to at least push the matter of his death aside a little to focus on what he was going to say. She still frankly didn''t believe that he was dead.


    Mika wasn''t weak enough for him to die that easily. She had to find a proof or she wouldn''t believe it.


    "Why is he doing this?" Aria asked.


    "I don''t know¡­ I really don''t know why."


    ''What are you trying to say, old man? Why are you wasting your life''s work?''


    Kaya can''t forget that Mika believed in the idea of spreading Origin everywhere. How can he be the one toe out and ruin the ns Divinity put out? Did he lose his mind? Or did something bad happen?


    "It''s beautiful isn''t it? This pure, bright energy. It''s certainly a work of art. I always naively believed that everyone can get such power. However, I just realized how dumb I was. What Divinity is making isn''t Origin? It doesn''te anywhere close to real Origin. Perhaps it never will." After saying that, he made the ball vanish as he sighed. "When I realized that mistake I made, I also realized howte I was in finding the truth. This world was never ready to ept Origin as I thought. However, when I tried to tell the other founders how bad this idea could be, I was stopped, threatened and chased out. They were intending to kill me and end my intentions of stopping them."


    "Huh?!" With those words, everything connected in Kaya''s head. The reason why Mika retired and disappeared. The reason he only contacted her in secret and told her some very weird things.


    It all started making senseand the more sense they made, the more shocking it was for Kaya.


    "I couldn''t do anything except to meet with a certain person that I assumed would have the ability to stop this idea from being executed. However, what I saw¡­ What I¡­" Mika''s face suddenly started distorting slightly. His words were cut off and turned into gibberish there.


    His image also changed quickly as if it was sped up. When it stopped, he was already talking about something else.


    "I finally realized that my life won''tst long. Everything was simply too big for me. I was simply a pawn in the bigger chessboard, being toyed with by my yer and the adversary."


    Finally, Mika lifted his head and stared into the camera. "What I want to sayst, anyway. I want to apologize to my wife. She deserved a better husband and a better life. I want to apologize to my son, Charles. We hated each other for a long time and never really went along and it was my fault. Finally, I want to apologize to my daughter, Kaya. You were my beacon of light in this dark world and the source of my pride."


    His face slowly turned into a small smile. "We might not be blood rted, Kaya. But, you were and will always be my dear daughter. Don''t forget what I told you to do and live your life proudly, as I raised you to be."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!