After traversing the blackmarket for a long while, they had finally arrived outside the auction hall.
Immediately, Matthew crouched down and retrieved a laptop from his bag.
He was given access to the database of the entire auction hall thanks to Zed.
For that reason, Matthew only needed to configure the settings.
The air filled with anticipation as Amelia, Belle, and the rest of the Imperial Army waited for this decisive moment.
Tap.
A single tap on his keyboard, and all of a sudden...
Zaam——!
The entire auction hall turned dark.
At that moment, Matthew grabbed his phone. He was on a call with Brandon.
Belle felt worried all of a sudden as she lowered her head.
This entire plan revolved around her younger brother.
But the plan had already been pushed forward, and truth be told, she was never keen on it.
Regardless, she can only do what she can.
This was her responsibility, and it was Brandon who insisted.
She had to stop seeing him as the same child who would always follow her around back then.
The child who would always cry whenever she, her father, or her mother, weren't around.
And the child who was the sole reason why she returned to this country.
It wasn't the academy that had pushed her to make the decision to return. It was the lingering she felt back then whenever she remembered the tears in his face.
The desperation in his eyes.
Seeing him now.
He truly had changed.
"He'll be okay."
"...."
A hand suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision, grabbing her own hand.
She raised her head to see Amelia, who was looking at her with a smile on her face.
Squeezing Belle's hand, Amelia assured her.
"I've been with him everyday for three months. I've seen his struggles, and I've seen his growth."
Amelia squeezed her hand even tighter and Belle squeezed back.
Amelia continued.
"He's strong. Really strong. I have full confidence that this plan of his will work. So don't worry, Belle."
"....You're right."
Of course.
She had seen Brandon's strength as well.
And the fact that he had been involved with the syndicate's business this whole time, adding to the fact that it was his actions that had brought the downfall of the Osborn's spoke enough of his capabilities.
"Thanks."
The two nodded their heads at each other and turned to scan at the window.
Seconds passed.
The tension was palpable in the air.
And at that moment....
VOOOOSH——!
Amethyst glow flickered from the auction hall, casting a faint purple glow deep within the auction hall.
That was the signal.
Belle turned around and looked at each and every one of the Imperial Army members.
"Let's go."
They entered the auction hall shortly after.
***
He was surrounded.
"Holy fuck."
"How did two of us die already?"
A total of five people entered the room.
Overhearing them, apparently, there were uninvited guests. For that reason, they split up.
The corner of Brandon's lips pulled up after hearing those words.
'They're here....'
And so, he had to buy time.
His gaze lingered down the railings.
He could jump and escape.
However, he refrained from doing so.
Why?
"Hah."
He wanted to test himself.
Just how strong would he truly get?
What lengths could he truly go?
"...."
While Ivan exclaimed, the rest stood speechless at the sight.
The entire auction hall was empty.
Blazing amethyst flames spread all over the ground.
And as Amelia looked down, she stepped back, surprised.
Ashes.
Ashes spread all over the ground.
"...."
They trudged the entire hallway and headed towards the stairs, completely ignoring the horror behind them.
They were given instructions by Matthew.
Chamber 8th.
The hallways were dark and empty.
For such a reason, Ivan conjured a fire ball to illuminate the path before them.
Tak. Tak.
The sound of their footsteps echoed as they kept their guard up, peering out for any suspicious movement.
But to their surprise, there really was nothing.
It was entirely empty.
However, as they passed by a chamber, specifically, chamber one, they felt heavy pressure coming from the chamber.
The mana from the room seemed to have fluctuated. And they all knew the exact reason for it.
"Zone."
Most probably, it was the chamber that was debriefed in the plan.
To use Evelyn to isolate the head, and the foreign military official.
It had truly astonished Amelia of how far Brandon had foreseen everything.
Time passed, and finally, they had arrived at the 8th chamber.
Suspiciously, the room was quiet as well.
A sudden chill ran down Amelia's spine.
Couldn't that mean.... The fight was over?
Then,
"He might not be here."
Belle suddenly spoke.
"The room is quiet. It makes sense if Brandon retreated. He might not be able to handle too many of them."
However, Belle's expressions betrayed her confident tone, and Amelia could see that.
Belle too had felt the same way as her.
"Regardless, it wouldn't hurt to check. Be ready for whatever happens next, everyone!"
After uttering such words—Ivan—who stood in front of them with his guard up, twisted the door open.
They were armed and ready to face several assailants.
Magic circles began materializing as the door slowly opened.
The tension was palpable in the air.
"...."
However, what greeted their sight was not what they expected at all.
"Hua...."
It took their breaths away as Artoria covered her mouth with wide eyes.
In fact, all of their eyes widened.
The entire room was dimly lit with an amethyst glow.
No, not glow.
Amethyst flames.
The entire room was filled with a sea of amethyst flames.
Blood splattered all over the room, the floor, the walls, the ceiling.
Bodies sprawled all over, torn, halved, and Amelia could even see bodies with no heads.
It looked like a scene from hell itself.
And what stood in the middle of it all was a lone man with a sword in his hand, looking down indifferently as if what he had done was something normal.
His mid–length black hair fluttered. Two cold ink—black eyes narrowed as blood dripped all over his figure.
The entire room was silent. The only sound they could hear was the crackling of flames.
Step—
Amelia stepped forward and called out to him.
"....Brandon."
And then,
Swoosh—
His head flicked in their direction as his cold indifferent eyes met each and every one of their gazes.
Amelia secretly swallowed her saliva as a chill ran down her spine.
The air around Brandon.
It felt....
Suffocating.