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Chapter 92: The Anomaly
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Pariston's smiled brightened not offended at all, instead, he started talking with what could be said to be a complaining tone.
"I really wanted the game to go on for longer but it really got ruined. That feeling where I want the game to be longer but I also know if it's too long it will become too boring... but well, ending the game a few minutes after it started with fireworks sounds interesting... Don't you think?"
Yasuo took one last sip of his coffee and shook his head, "That entirely depends on the game and the players... and on my mood."
"And what do you think about this particular game? It's fun right? all of the variables involved, the unknown that makes you wonder what comes next and looking forward to the endgame paying no heed to whether you lose or win."
Yasuo again raised his eyebrows stating, "I believe you're talking about yourself."
"Yes, but are we really that different? No, we're the same it's just that we have a different passion... We're the same, you know that don't you?"
In contrast to his previous cheerful voice, this time he talked in a soothing tone as if he really believes in what he says.
And only at this point did a smile appear on Yasuo's face, one of amusement, "Yeah. No, we're nothing alike, you give me the vibe of a... manufactured commodity.
And while everyone is to a certain extent similarly manufactured by the events around them, by their experience but even among the manufactured commodities you feel like a high-level one and that's not a compliment... Hopefully, you understood what I mean."
The smile on the monster's face slowly receded, "You're kind of annoying and..."
He wasn't able to finish what he had to say since Yasuo interrupted him asking.
"Tell me, why are you here? do you have so little to do coming here just for me? and going through all the trouble... Is it worth it?"
With a face still devoid of emotions he answered, "It's quite simple really, I just felt a little bit bored and Netero didn't want to tell me anything important about you even after I asked repeatedly... that was kind of annoying."
He stayed silent for a few seconds and frowned, "I suddenly... feel even more bored. Yeah, I really don't like you."
By this point, he appeared to be talking to himself as he looked at Yasuo, looked at the boredom apparent at the latter's face which only annoyed him further.
"I'm part of a certain group and I volunteered to test you but well, it appears it's just not worth it... Do you have an emotion manipulation ability by any chance?"
Yasuo just shook his head, "I have no interest in such ability."
A gleam of light passed in Pariston's eyes before saying in an emotionless tone, "Anyway, the test is quite simple. All you have to do is to choose between three options and note that if you don't choose, all of the options will be triggered."
While saying that, Pariston placed three small detonators on the table close to Yasuo.
He added, "I believe you got the jest of the situation. The one to your left trigger the bomb in your house where Morena and your sister are currently I believe.
The one in the middle trigger the bomb in the Heil-Ly family's headquarters and let it be known that each of the bombs is capable of destroying several buildings similar to the family's headquarters in size and if you'd like we can change the place since well we're in the headquarter but we'll have only a few minutes to do so.
The last one is the simplest of them and the one I'm hoping you choose."
Only now did a bright smile came back on his face as he cheerfully explained while pointing to his heart area, "It's here... beside my heart so choose."
Nothing that came out of his mouth seem to faze Yasuo as his expression didn't change one bit instead he offered.
"How about a deal. If I get rid of your boredom and possibly for a while you'll owe me, how much you owe me depends on how much my decision entertains you so what do you think?"
Stars seem to ignite the dormant volcano in them as they shone brighter than ever before, the stars within Pariston's eyes as he responded with anticipation in his voice, "Please do," Yet he didn't confirm whether he accepted the deal or not.
Yasuo didn't mind as he simply lifted his hand and touched the detonator to his left then... pushed making Pariston's eyes widen only for Yasuo to slowly lift his hand again and gently place it above the middle detonator and... push.
At this point, even Pariston was confused by his actions but Yasuo didn't stop there as he again gently touched the last detonator and pushed.
Yet no explosion sounded, not from Morena's house that's close by, not from the building they're in... Nor did the man in from of him explode taking him out with him, after all, he did say that the bomb is beside his heart.
"Whats this detonator really for?" Wondered Yasuo getting Pariston out of his bafflement as the latter's eyes lit up thinking of all the possibilities for how the situation actually went, making assumptions as to what he doesn't know and what lead to this strange situation.
"You didn't actually think the bomb is actually beside my heart did you?" The monster asked back instead to which Yasuo answered, "Of course I didn't, I made a few assumptions and I just want to make sure,"
"Well, it's boring to die this way so of course, I didn't do such a thing, instead I left it to some rude people, quite rude and unlucky."
Cheerfulness could be noticed in his voice though whether it's faked or not remain unknown. He added, "When did you know? And when did you transfer the bomb and most importantly, where did you put them? Or did you just diffuse them?"
Yasuo gently stroked his earring noticing its faintly shining as if waiting for the fuel to the fire, the fire to the woods waiting for him to set it on fire with but mere words, a light only he can see.
"You said you liked the unknown so perhaps you'll have a better time if it remained unknown until you solve the mystery and... You owe me one."
And so the faint star brightened as the earring shined even brighter until Yasuo stroked it one last time reverting it to its normal state.
Pariston nodded standing up while saying, "I believe someone with your line of interest would want to go to the dark continent so someone will contact you at some point in time then you can decide on whether you want to join or not, after all, the more people the better especially people that will be useful,"
Then he left leaving Yasuo to his own thoughts.
'Hmm, he is weirder than I thought going as far as going through all this trouble and risking his life.
I'm sure dying was within the possibilities in his mind and most importantly... Above 50%... this is quite interesting and.'
As he thought of this, Yasuo let out a relaxed smile and faintly brushed his earring, "Checkmate!"
Pariston slowly walked out of the building with a cheerful smile never leaving his face, he enters his car specifically the backseat and told the driver, "Airport."
Slowly the cheerful smile started receding into the dark abyss beneath it showing what's truly behind the curtain, showing what he is really feeling at the moment.
He turned his head slightly looking through the window while thinking to himself with an expressionless expression on his face, one that didn't manage to hide the uncomfortableness he is feeling inside.
"I don't like him at all, it feels like nothing was within my control like everything was within his as the gears of fate turned to his liking.
Yet I don't know the How, the Why, the What... Just what was his goal? this was supposed to be a question he will have to ask as he dances on my palm yet I'm asking the said question and I don't even know if I'm dancing on his palm."
The gloominess apparent in the brown eyes as well as the strange scene he is seeing through the window, as the car moved far away getting away from the buildings that hid the scene behind them, a simple scene of dark smoke far away flowing to the sky.
So far away his ears haven't picked up the sound when the explosion happened, his eyes saw no fire as it's so far away even the small buildings hid what's beyond them but he can see it.
He can see that the explosion isn't the result of just one bomb of his. No, it's more perhaps all of the bombs were brought there.
Well, except the one he put there himself declaring the extermination of the people he deemed rude yet that didn't get rid of gloominess in his eyes one bit, in fact, it only further ignited it as he let out a sigh... one that didn't escape the anomaly's eyes.