Chapter 352 Chapter 82.1 - What the heart sees
"This bath....It helps a lot...."
Sitting in the bath filled with the recovery herbs, I thought to myself. After the battle, I had returned to my room. At that time, the method I had deployed was correct, and it definitely worked well.
"But, to think that they would go over the case in such a brutal way....It suits their style..."
On the academy forums, there was a post with a bunch of videos. In those videos, sophomore-year students were getting beaten, and the assailant was saying the sophomores were getting whatever they deserved.
From the first look, it was an act of revenge, but after looking at it a little bit more detail, it was evident that this post's main goal was to sow discord.
'Eleven out of fourteen victims were women. And in general, they were the weaker students.'
It made sense for the freshmen to target weaker sophomore-year students since their strengths wouldn't qualify to deal with the high-ranking students. Even if they somehow dealt with them, this would narrow down the investigation range.
This left no loophole.
Also, the fact that women were chosen more was also something that was effective in stirring the emotions of the public. Even though in this world, women were not necessarily weaker than men with the existence of mana and the status window, the idea of courtesy for women was still there.
The reality of this world just worked like that, and it seemed the instigator aimed to use this, too.
'Well, slowly but surely, you will reveal yourself. Then, I will be there to hunt you down.'
With that thought, I stood up from the bath. Of course, to do such a thing, I needed the necessary strength.
"Status."
As I called the status window, the panel appeared.
------------------------------
a–?Name: Astron Natusalune
a–?Occupation: Weapon Master (level 3)
a–?Talent Limit: 9
a–?Passives:
Vengeful Bane Bloodline Resonance Psychic Cognizance
a–?Attributes:
Variable Attributes:
Strength: 3.57 -- > 3.87Dexterity: 4.17 -- > 4.3Agility: 4.49 -- > 4.64Constitution: 3.57 -- > 3.89Intuition: 4.64 -- > 4.70Magical Power: 4.97 -- > 5.01Mana Capacity: 3.90 -- > 4.02
a–?Traits:
Perceptive Insight (Epic)(Unchanging) Lunar Enigma (????) (Growth Type) (Stage 1) Shadowborne (Legendary) (Growth Type)(Stage 2)
a–?Arts:
Lethal Arsenal Ascendancy (????)(%32)
a–?Skills:
Eyes of Hourglass
a–?Body Imprints:
a–?Bonds:
Aurora Raven (Rare)(Growth Type) Celestalith, The Transcendent Eclipse
--------------------------------
'My endurance and strength stat has started to catch up.'
I thought to myself. With the constant training with weighted bracelets, it seemed like my stats would return to normal after a while.
That was a good thing since I needed to cover my weaknesses.
'But dealing with an executive is most likely why my stats grew this much.'
Considering my growth speed with training alone, that would make sense. The last time I checked my stats, my growth was still below what I expected, but now it seems like I'm catching up.
'From the looks of it, unless I am dealing with a real demon, I won't get a skill or passive from Bloodline Resonance. I can only absorb some of the energy from the Demon Contractors, and this shows in an increase in my stats.'
I thought inwardly. This reasoning was most likely correct.
Of course, it wasn't the end. I also had gotten an artifact, a pretty special one.
–[Curtain of Darkness]
It was a special artifact that isolated the space from the outside. The sounds and energies would be sealed, making whatever it was that someone was doing, they could do it without being disturbed. Though, I didn't have the necessary time to check for its other abilities.
"Well, it is time for training again."
With my thoughts, I stepped out of the bath and dried myself off. The recovery herbs had worked wonders, soothing my aching muscles and rejuvenating my body after the intense training.
I left my room and went to the training grounds.
"We need to talk."
But before I could reach my destination, a voice stopped my tracks.
A silvery-haired girl stood before me with a certain smile.
*******
<Arcadia City, Golden District>
In a high-altitude office perched atop a towering skyscraper, darkness enveloped the sleek and modern space. The only illumination came from the ambient glow of the city lights filtering through the panoramic windows.
Amidst the dimly lit surroundings, a lone figure sat at his desk, his silhouette outlined against the backdrop of the bustling city skyline. His gaze was fixed on the rain cascading down the windowpane, the rhythmic pattern echoing through the room.
Yet, his eyes were not focused on the rain itself but rather on a vision that played out in his mind's eye.
"I see." The man mumbled.
Now, in his eyes, there stood a young man holding a spear. He clashed with the owner of the eyes.
"Ethan Hartley…." The man named the young man. "So this is who you are entangling yourself with. Emily Anderson." The man immediately connected the dots.
Why did the first team that was sent to sabotage Azure Crest Guild fail? How was such a small guild able to get up once again? What made them recover this fast?
Each of the questions was answered with one identity. If it was a Hartley, it would make sense that they weren't captured by the surveillance.
Most of the high-ranking families had such artifacts to let their heirs or important people get away from the public eye.
"But this makes things rather troublesome…" The corner of the man's eyes twitched after analyzing everything. "Now, Philips will need to bear the brunt of their wrath."
As the rain continued to fall outside, its gentle cadence providing a backdrop to his contemplation, the man remained lost in his reverie.
"But, the fact that Ethan Hartley almost lost his life there….It seems we got what we wanted."
The man said as he called someone.
"Send this footage to the 'him.' This should be enough for him to form a plan."
After all, there was someone who wanted to hunt this boy named Ethan for some reason, and that person was rather someone he couldn't refuse.
********
<Arcadia City, Golden District>
"Another one!"
In the office belonging to Marc Hartley, a loud voice echoed.
"I am sorry, father…"
"What the hell are you doing, Ethan? We thought you were dead! Why did you use that technique? What the hell were you planning!"
The man stormed on the call, looking at the hologram in front of him. It was a young man with incredibly handsome features, and that young man resembled Marc himself.
Ethan bowed his head, his expression filled with remorse. "I have no excuses, Father," he murmured softly.
Marc's frustration reached its peak as he struggled to contain his emotions. "YOU!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with a mixture of fury and concern.
But before Marc could unleash another wave of reprimands, Ethan raised his head and met his father's gaze with unwavering determination. "I am ready for whatever punishment you deem fit, father," he said firmly. "But I don't regret what I did. To save a friend, I would do it again."
Marc's anger faltered, replaced by a deep sense of pride mingled with worry. Despite Ethan's stubbornness and impulsiveness, there was a fierce loyalty and bravery within him that Marc couldn't help but admire.
'This kid…..He really doesn't change….' With a heavy sigh, Marc relented, knowing that there was no changing Ethan's mind once he had made it up. "Tch…I know no punishment will change your mind, but Just promise me, Ethan, that you'll be more careful in the future," he said, his voice softer now, tinged with parental concern.
Ethan nodded solemnly, his eyes reflecting his sincerity. "I promise, father," he vowed.
"Sigh…You won't be able to leave the academy until the semester ends."Top of Form
"But fat-"
"This is something that won't only apply to you," Marc said, looking at Ethan. "Many parents are showing their dissatisfaction already, and I am just using that."
Since his son was refusing to stay safe, Marc could only force him to do so. But knowing Ethan, it was not right for him to stay locked up while other kids could do as they wished. Therefore, he slightly pressured the academy from all sides.
"…..I see…." Ethan mumbled. There was nothing he could do as his father was one of the most influential figures in the whole federation.
"Also, I got some news about violence inside the academy."
As Marc mentioned the violence within the academy, Ethan's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of realization crossing his features.
"Father," Ethan began tentatively, his voice laced with concern….
"Of course, we won't overlook such a thing happening, Ethan. Even if you don't want to cause trouble, you should think of the Hartley Family's name."
"….."
"I had already contacted the related families. They will send their apologies soon."
"I-I…..I see…."
"Then, see you later."
With those words, Marc ended the connection, leaving himself alone.
After ending the call with Ethan, Marc sighed heavily, feeling the weight of his responsibilities as a father and a prominent figure in the federation. He knew that he had to take action to ensure his son's safety, even if it meant exerting pressure on the academy.
As he pondered his next move, a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in," Marc called out, straightening up in his chair.
Ray entered the room, a folder in hand, his expression grave. "Sir, I have the report regarding the situation with the Azure Crest Guild," he said, his voice serious.
Marc's eyes narrowed as he took the folder from Ray, his mind already racing with possibilities. As he read through the report, his suspicions were confirmed: the Philips Family was behind both incidents.
A cold fury ignited within Marc as he realized the extent of the Philips Family's influence and their willingness to resort to violence to achieve their goals. Of course, such things were not uncommon, but what was disturbing was the fact that the methods they used involved Demonic Humans in them.
They also targeted his son, Ethan, even if it was not clearly their intention.
'This is not good.'
Without hesitation, he made a decision.
"Ray, we are cutting all business dealings with the Philips Family immediately," Marc ordered his voice firm. "Furthermore, I want us to start making deals with their rival family instead. We will also begin resisting the Philips Family's advancements over the area."
Roy's eyes widened for a second, but then he relaxed himself. Knowing his master, such a decision, even if decisive, was his style.
'It feels like him when he was young.'
Though Marc had not been showing his side to others, Ray knew how he was like that before things got calm.
Ray nodded with a smile, his loyalty unwavering. "Yes, sir. I will see to it personally."
"And one more thing," Marc added, his voice tinged with determination. "We will offer the Azure Crest Guild the opportunity to come under our protection and work from our territory. They will have our support in exchange for their loyalty. That kid…..He will keep endangering himself if I don't do that."
Ray's smile widened at the bold move, but he nodded in agreement. "Understood, sir. I will convey your orders to the appropriate parties."
Just like that, the battle of the top dogs in the industry started.
The battle that would shake the future dearly.
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