Chapter 606

Chapter 606

Both of the teleport crystals are crushed in our fists, and we're brought to the Crimson City.

My double greets us beneath the guildhall, keeping guard over the last remaining isolation pod that's healing Ember.

"Back so soon?" He locks eyes with Rodrigo, then looks back at me before continuing. "It appears everything went exactly as expected. He didn't take the deal?"

I smirk and reply while leading Rodrigo to the stairway upstairs. "No, he didn't. I'm the one making the deals now."

Once we reach the ground floor, another normal day in the Crimson City guildhall is playing out. Dozens of hunters are walking in and out, buying, selling, and commissioning gear and magical loot. All of the workers greet us as we make our way to the second floor, and as we walk through the tables of craftsmen leading to Bri's office, I motion for Rodrigo to knock on the closed door at the back of the room.

There are three knocks and a moment of silence before the door opens and Bri locks eyes with Rodrigo.

It feels as if the world has stopped in time as I watch from the back of the room with my arms crossed and a thin grin. Memories of my first time meeting Bri, when she crafted my Flame Emperor's sword, feel like a lifetime ago.

It was right before my C-Class exams, where I met Rodrigo as a proctor and got a taste of what real power in this world of hunters was like.

Back then, I knew there was an odd tension between a sister being a black market merchant and a brother working as an A-Class Hunter for one of the strongest nations in the world. However, I never expected the roots of their problems to run so deep or for everything to come full circle and be resolved like this.

Both of their eyes widen as Rodrigo's lips move to say, "I'm free."

The siblings jump forward to hug each other tight and begin to cry, making a scene that has all heads in the room turning their way. They don't even notice the eyes on them, and the room doesn't dare break up this moment.

I only entered their lives less than a year ago; there must be decades of sour memories dealing with the Association that I have no knowledge of. It makes me happy to see Bri smile with such genuine joy. She's usually very focused on business; I've never seen this side of her before.

I don't want to ruin their moment, so I, too, stay silent like all the other workers in the room until they finally release their grip after a full minute passes.

Still, it doesn't seem like the right time to go over my own personal goals when this is most likely the first time they've had a candid conversation since childhood. The plans I made with Rodrigo beneath the Apex Region can wait.

I nod and let a weak wave of telepathy hit both of them.

"I'm happy I could keep my word and bring you two together again. Enjoy each other's presence. Please, take as much time as you want."

Then, without waiting for a response, I walk back down the guildhall stairs to the main hall with a smile on my face while they hug again.

I sense a final curious and amused aura coming from the Lich King as the ritual continues to reverse. The resentment and ominous feeling he had when I showed no signs of ever letting him go are gone, but I still believe his words that he views me as an enemy.

If we meet again in 50 years' time, I have no doubt he'll try to attack me with just as much killing intent as he did when we first met, his Dark army against my Crimson Troops.

I can't help but smile as the shadows cover his being, then disappear into black fading mist in the light breeze, and his mana control, presence, and status leave my senses.

At the same time, the silver ring on my finger fades away too.

I was hoping that it would be useful to me one day, allowing me to be summoned in place of the Lich King by accident, but it seems I can't cheat my way to becoming a Divine Beast. Like his final words to me said, I'll have to get one for myself.

The desert is filled with silence, and I turn to admire my teammates continuing their divine energy cultivation.

After the initial shock of them overhearing that I killed the Apex Region's Director, most of them closed their eyes again, but Maria's eyes remain wide. I open a telepathy channel with all five of us in it, and she sends a message through to me for all to hear.

"So what does this mean for the Dark Continent? Will the exiles be allowed back into the Eight Great Nations? If you make the rules, this entire abandoned nation could be connected to many more resources and grow faster to help hundreds of thousands here to live in better conditions."

I nod and respond.

"Slowly, yes. The nations will merge, but the assimilation needs to be natural. Citizens still have preconceived resentment for Dark Continent exiles; we'll need to change public perception over time. Growing the Flame Emperor's name and disguising the merge as a trade deal with the Crimson City will be the first stage of my plan."

Maria smirks and nods, closing her eyes again to keep her heart rate and breathing steady while the orange threads tear her body apart over and over again.

Abby's right eye opens halfway and meets mine as she musters out a short message while maintaining her own regeneration and simultaneously healing everyone here.

"What about the other nations? I don't doubt your abilities to conceal yourself and impersonate the Director, but they must have fail-safes in place in case something like this were to happen. All it takes is one person to notice; what will be the plan then? Are you prepared to take on the entire world?"

As I think of a response to her words, in the far edges of my perception, I feel an oddity far to the south.

It's in the direction of the volcanic region that I sensed vaguely when I first awakened my True Core.

It's hard to make out exactly what it is—the distance is too far—but it feels like two large masses of gravity are flying through the air at incredible speed. My intuition is telling me the possibility that Abby just pointed out may be coming true faster than I imagined it would.