Chapter 171 - Its time (1/2)

”Adagio, I'm deeply sorry that I might have to push you further, but can you describe the appearance of that being you saw?” Smith asks again, but his angelic voice was croaky for once. He didn't elaborate his concern further, but his arms laying at the side helplessly expresses his concern and fear.

”Haha...Haha…” Adagio laughs pathetically, unable to give an answer as tears gushes out of his eyes and flows down his cheeks. His body was shaking, trembling from fear as he remains petrified, unable to even utter a single word.

”Adagio please!” It isn't just one person or his army being worried for him, but everyone present here. The rank discrepancy between them might be a wall that can never be breached, but the brothership that they have will remain chained for life. To them, it may be of paramount importance to obey the orders of their brothers who are the commanders, but outside of the battlefield and they're brothers again.

The castle wasn't just magnificent and mind-blowing in the eyes of Adagio this time around, it was a demon that turned around to haunt him just because he attempted to figure out the design behind it and the creator. A forbidden secret that should have already been erased by the passage of time.

”Adagio please, wake up and tell us everything that you saw? You know that we need you and that's an indisputable fact.” Lloyd asks, tears glistening in his eyes and his confused face betrayed him. He doesn't even know what he's feeling right now, is it fear or concern? Is it anger and sorrow?

It wasn't just Lloyd that was facing mixed emotions, it was everyone present except Smith who still has his eyes on that being, a sharp glint of light flashing past his eyes as he vanishes when no one was noticing.

Must we really play this game and let things come to this? That was the last thought Smith had in mind before he opens the door silently and closes it behind him.

Back in the enchanted forest which has been heavily corrupted, Ash was still walking alongside Nightin as they head towards the core area of the forest instead of trying to leave. ”Hey Nightin, how are you so sure that we aren't being deceived to travel in the wrong direction?”

”Remember the compass that was given to us, I'm pretty sure that the person who passed us the compass knows about the existence of this place as well. The compass was supposed to be his since the beginning and him offering to us was all but a bait, but since we actually discovered the secret to the treasure map that he passed us, he had no choice but to pass up the opportunity to us.”

Nightin's deduction wasn't that far off, Caps was currently still trapped outside in the barren desert, trying to find a way to enter the sealed barrier and steal the flower before they obtain it.

”What's going on? I'm pretty sure that I chanted the correct magic spell. There's no way that it'll fail unless they actually…”

Travelling deeper into the forest, the duo realised that there were lesser signs of corruption. The trees here were much healthier and each all of them skyrocketed to the sun, fighting for sunlight as each of them takes on the form of a gigantic tree enough to cover up the sunlight. The place was poorly illuminated and sunlight was only focused towards one area, in a circular shape of thin beam came the sun rays as the trees made way for it.

Without any doubt, that must be the hiding location of the map which gained wisdom that they're looking for. Facing each other to nod for a brief moment, they slowed down and made sure that they made absolutely no sound, they had to stealth in the dark like assassins would and await the perfect opportunity to hunt their prey down.

Arriving at the area, they realised that the map was actually trying to take on a human form, one that belongs to a middle aged man who is currently laying on a tree stump. The man was smiling, but his fists were clenched and below him, the stump and grass were covered in scarlet red as open wounds could be seen on his arms and legs including his chest.

It wasn't just open wounds that were deep down to his bones, scratches and bruises covered the man's body and the only thing about him that still remains alive are his eyes that are still open, but it didn't make him look scary