Chapter 361: A big explosion (1/2)

”You don't need to worry. They are all fine. Both Aiden and Lily… and them.” She gave a slight push in her tone at the end of her sentence. Added with the smug smile she was giving to her, Number 3 looked at her for a moment longer before slowly closing her eyes as she nodded whilst releasing a sigh.

”So you knew?” Without averting her attention from the slowly dissipating scene in the distance, she asked with a weak tone. ”When did you realize?”

The old lady stepped to her right side, following her gaze. Her eyes however retained their calm, even her smug smile eased up, into a kinder, gentler one as she continued to look at the dark red field.

”Ever since you gave that talisman to Lily.” Granny responded as she glanced at the masked mature woman at her side for a moment before returning her focus to the calming storm in the distance. ”Considering you know some of my history, you shouldn't be too surprised. Even though you humans have your secrets, you are known about your tendency to show off, after all.”

Number 3 didn't comment on her words any further. She merely released a soft sigh, before returning her gaze at the scenery quite a distance from the city. Still, her tightly clenched hands betrayed her feelings once more.

—

At the upper regions of the city, at the top of the tallest tower inside the Academy Grounds a pudgy figure, wearing an ornate, golden-threaded purple robe, jumped up as the passing shockwave shook his office.

The glass wall at the side vibrated as it had to withstood the passing surge of energy. A huge pile of the stacked, rolled-up sheets of the paper pyramid wasn't as sturdy as the glass frame. The small paper mountain crumbled as the energy passed through it, rolling down from the desk, all over the floor.

The huge, pudgy figure jumped up from her chair in fright as he felt a shiver pass his body.

”W-what is g-going on?!” He cried out with a startled tone. Rushing towards the transparent window wall, only to gasp as he saw the emerging dark, oddly shaped cloud in the far distance.

”What is that?!” He asked, albeit there was no answer. After all, he was alone in the room, nobody could listen to his words or commands.

A couple of seconds later however, his shock turned into annoyance, slowly transcending into a helpless, angering emotion. He was annoyed. In recent days nothing was going how he wanted to. His trusted aide, the man that he managed to plant into the highest ranks in the local Adventurer's Guild after so much pain and effort suddenly vanished without a trace.

After he was sent to grab a helpless pair of an elderly cripple and her halfling adopted granddaughter, he vanished without a word. The weirdest in the whole situation was that when he sent some guys to investigate the scene, there were no signs of struggle in the wooden hut.

All the signs were pointing that the men and his trained team, that he groomed with painstaking time and effort betrayed him and escaped. This while infuriated him and hurt his ego, also caused him to be confused. Why would they run away? He treated them exceptionally well, giving them everything they needed as long as they completed their assignments.

Many of that team were already implanted in key positions, which would have been very beneficial in the upcoming war games. Now, all of these plans have gone to the drain, he had to come up with some new measures.

That's when he contacted one of the local leaders of the local gangs he had under his control, and have given him a task to contact that eerie group of monsters. Luckily he was just informed this morning that the assignment was completed successfully and that he was given an audience…

Still, there was a strange feeling inside his heart… Something he couldn't understand, but it kept him unsettled. It continued to keep him on edge.

”Haaah… A storm is coming…” He sighed, his eyes were fixated on the distant scenery.

—

Somewhere unknown

In a dark chamber, with only a couple of braziers hanging from sides providing only a faint light, a dark-robed humanoid-shaped figure sat atop a throne made of what looked like a grand collection of bones.

Even more, the only uncovered part of the figure, its skeletal hands were resting on a pair of small skulls. The figure sat motionless as if it was a lifeless statue rather than a being that was still animated.

Its chamber had no entrances, no holes, no windows. A tight, airless, underground prison, that kept this unfathomable existence locked away for all eternity.

However, this tranquil serenity was put to an abrupt pause, when suddenly the shadow at the far right corner started to unnaturally twist, only for a silhouette to appear in the next moment.