Henova glanced around the room that was as big as his shop lot in Herza City but it was only one room so he could only imagine how big the mansion really was.
A maid served a warm tea in front of Henova before she exited the room and leave Henova alone waiting for Ares.
However, his wait wasn't long before the doorknob was turned from the outside. Contrary to his expectation, what he saw was a bulky middle age red-haired man that have some strands of grey hair.
He strode confidently into the room before sitting in front of Henova. His stare remained fixed on Henova from the first moment he saw him until now.
Henova suddenly remember a certain warning given by a red-haired lady not long before he came here.
[Good luck Mister. Run if you don't see Ares the moment you arrived at the mansion especially if you see a red-haired old man]
He suddenly felt wary of the man in front of him despite having a bigger stature as a half-giant.
"So your name is Henova," the man asked.
"Yes, Sir. I mean my Lord"
"Your job is a blacksmith?"
"Yes"
"Did Ares tell you to come here?"
"No, he just give me his metal badge with Zanuki insignia on it and told me to try to find him if I have a problem," Henova started sweating.
He answered as fast as he could without thinking much as if he was chased by something.
His heart beat faster and faster. He had to take a breath every time he wanted to talk. It wasn't surprising if he suddenly got a heart attack.
"Hmm, what else did Ares tell you?"
"Nothing. We didn't talk much"
"Did you know that he said you're capable of making a sword that even a Demon King will covet?"
At this moment Henova was confused despite his restlessness, "I don't understand"
"Me too. How could someone petty like him praise someone like that," the man in front of him smirked a bit and leaned back comfortably on the sofa.
"I think he is overestimating me," that's the only response Henova could conjure up. He knew he was considered talented in blacksmithing but he never thought it would be at a level that even a Demon King might recognise him.
The man in front of him remained silent but his gaze was still fixed on him.
Not long after that, he spoke, "You know, he gave me a halberd that you make. You even told him those are junks. You let him buy your junks?"
"No, I offer to give them to him for free. He was the one who wanted to pay so I gave a free service, upgrading his two Katanas."
Henova knew the man in front of him might feel insulted that his family members bought something unworthy of their status.
"Do you want to play a game with me?" The man asked out of nowhere.
"Sir, if you wanted to insult me, you can just say it. No need to play tricks on me," Henova started to feel irritated.
He was a proudful man due to his giant heritage thus going along this far was already exceeding his tolerant limit. He still could feel the hard pressure coming from the man in front of him and he knew it wasn't magic.
'Aura. This man can use aura.'
Henova gritted his teeth and clench both his hands trying not to submit to the pressure. However, the longer he resists the heavier the pressure he felt.
He didn't know when it would end but the man suddenly spoke after a few moments of silence, "I will grant you anything you want if you win the game but if you lose, I will cut one of your legs. So how about that?"
"Why didn't you cut your leg if I win?" Henova blurted out.
The man grinned widely but his gaze turned colder, looking at Henova menacingly, he spoke each word slowly, "Such impudent. My grandson really has a talent for finding such interesting people."
'Grandson?! So this is Zen Zanuki, one of Hargan Empire five council members who rarely appear in public
Henova started to regret what he said but it was no use crying over spilt milk.
"However, my grandson seemed to be really interested in you. He never does anything without a reason. He even gave your weapons to his cousins who were also interested in weapons. So aren't you interested in the game I wanted to play with you?"
Henova stared at the man in front of him who looked like a serpent ready to devour his prey. Before he managed to reply, the room's door was forcefully smashed open.
A young red-haired lady and a red-haired lad could be seen having their punch and foot in the air, as they were the ones who destroyed the door opened.
"Sigh" Zen Zanuki unexpectedly left out a heavy sigh as if misfortune suddenly looming over him.
"Oi, you're the one who created that war mace right? Make one for me too. Ares said you're good," Karin exclaimed.
Kara also entered the room, walking not far from Karin while shaking her head as if she was seeing a kid making a mess all over the house.
Glancing towards Zen Zanuki slightly, Henova answered Karin's questioned politely, "Yes my lady, it's me"
"Tell me how much. I will pay no matter the price," Karin was beaming with ecstasy as if she had found a gold mine.
"Karin Zanuki, are you sure you still have money?" Zen asked.
"Huh, what do you mean? I already being frugal this month"
"So who is going to fix the door you smashed? Your mom?"
"Aww please don't tell my mom. Oh, wait, Ares is the one asking us to come so you can charge it on him, right Adrian?" Karin tried to bring Adrian to her side
However, as someone who got the most beating from Zen during their childhood, Adrian didn't want to agree or disagree but tried to remain as neutral as he could, "I just curious about Ares's guest. That's it"
If he could, Adrian didn't want to get involved. His grandpa might kick him from the top of the cliff of Soga Mountain if they made his mood worst.
"Grandpa, Ares is on his way. He said don't disturb his guest," Kara informed him directly since she also didn't want to get involved.
Kara knew there must be a reason why it was Max who picked the guest and brought him to the mansion instead of Ares's butler, Ron.
Meanwhile, at the same time, a red-haired youth just arrived in front of Soga Mansion. He arrived abruptly out of nowhere even the gardener who was tending the bushes in the front yard was shocked.
Ares just ignored the gardener and leisurely entered the mansion. The moment he enter, the first person he saw was his butler, Ron.
"How reliable. You already arrived before me. Are you waiting for me, Ron?" Ares asked.
"Young Master, your guest is currently speaking with Master Zen," Ron said calmly. He didn't know whether Ares was mad and was currently mocking him or he just didn't care.
"Oh ok. Thanks for informing me even though I already knew about it. Why not you just told me about it after my grandpa broke my guest's neck. That would be more amusing in my opinion"
Ares walked away from Ron after he said that. He wasn't that mad at Ron for reporting to his grandpa but at least Ron should also report back to him what that old man would do.
From the eavesdropping device which was the Zanuki insignia button badge he gave Henova, he heard clearly how Zen Zanuki threatened to cut Henova's leg.
'Don't tell me Henova's leg was crippled because of Zen Zanuki and that might be why he went to the Demon King and created a sword that the Zanuki couldn't stand with because the smell only affected them' Ares started to feel a sense of crisis.
Ares knew his grandpa never played a losing game. The outcome of the game was already confirmed to be his grandpa's victory.
"Tuah, you go back to the villa and give him to me," Ares said and hold Johnny on his shoulder.
He could see a room with an opened door (missing door) at the end of the hallway and strode towards the room.
"Hey can't you just ask Ares to pay for the door. I need to use my allowance to buy a new weapon. Please, there will be a monster subjugation before the winter start"
Ares could hear Karin's voice before he even arrived in the room.
****************************
Knock knock
Suddenly there was a knock from the room entrance that was currently 'doorless'. A red-haired youth wearing a black face mask and a simple casual black attire was thudding on the broken woods on the floor to produce the knocking sound.
"You guys seem to be having fun with my guest especially my dearest grandpa," Ares greeted them while still standing at the room entrance, holding an unconscious man with a tattered black robe on his shoulder.
"Dearest grandpa huh? Do you have another grandfather?" Zen asked seemingly curious.
"Of course not. You're the one and only."
"How sweet. Never know my youngest grandson is this sweet," Zen continue to play along.
However, Kara couldn't stand it and retorted, "Can both of you stop it. It makes me have goosebumps all over my body"
"Hey, Ares, who's that? Your new friend?" Karin asked ignoring the irritated Kara.
"Oh, this? Grandpa seemed worried about something so I bring this guy with me. Don't worry, he is still alive," Ares throw the man onto the floor like he was a sack of rice.
There were no apparent injuries on the man but his face was pale even though he was breathing as if he was sleeping.
"Just how much did you torture this guy?" Zen asked after glancing at the man.
"Just a bit because his master put a curse on him thus he would explode like a human bomb if he revealed any significant information."
"So now you want to throw him at me because you couldn't squeeze information from him anymore. Is that it? Is that how you take me for?"
A sudden heavy pressure started to loom all over the room and the one who suffered the most was Henova since aura was far more potent than mana and his body couldn't use aura thus the pressure affected him more than it affected those who could use aura.
Adrian face palmed his face while Kara rolled her eyes in annoyance. Karin was unexpectedly quiet during that moment.
Golden chains started to come out from Ares's back before they wrapped Henova tightly, making him unable to move. Henova glanced at where golden chains came from and only managed to utter one word, "Why?"
"Grandpa's aura might make you feel like you wanted to vomit or even worst so I'm helping you to feel better. The golden chains is the manifestation of my aura"
Tuah told him that his aura could make people feel comfortable like they were being blessed due to the Tree of Life's power and this was the first time he used it.
"Where did you even learn to do that?"
Zen Zanuki knew that compared to him, his grandchildren were more talented, especially Eris and Ares. Unlike both of them, Zen couldn't use the sealing technique as efficient as them and had to use special artifacts if he wanted to use the technique to its full extent.
However, he still could use a part of his sealing technique which he named Pressure Domination.
He could conjure a heavy pressure on his target, making them unable to move as if gravity were tying them down. His sealing technique couldn't fully manifest without his special artifact but it was enough when he wasn't on the battlefield.
However, he never thought that his grandson can counter his ability.
"Is that your special sealing technique?" Zen asked
Every Zanuki would have their own special sealing technique that only they could conjure aside from the basic sealing technique taught to all Zanuki descendent. Some Zanuki who aren't strong enough might not be able to create their own special sealing technique.
"Maybe, I don't think it can be considered complete," Ares answered with a flat tone.
"Sigh, why not we have a talk just the two of us?" After saying that, a few Shadows appeared around the room.
"Fine, you guys can continue acting cringe together. I'm out," Kara was the first to exit the room followed by Adrian.
Karin unexpectedly volunteered to escort Henova with her. It was unknown what was in her mind but the way she looked at Henova is like she was finally meeting her idol.
"Ok now just the two of us so why aren't you put away those shiny golden chains of yours?"
"Maybe because you kept on oozing your aura on me?" Ares answered nonchalantly before he sat in front of his grandpa, where Henova previously sat.
"Cheeky brat. Up to you. It doesn't disturb our talk. So start talking before I kicked your ass down the cliff"
"Will you believe me if I said I have prophetic dreams?" Ares asked looking straight toward the old man in front of him.
"So all the things that you caused are because you somehow know the future?"
"Part of it. The terror attack during the emperor's birthday was one of them but I wasn't clear about it that's why I asked for your help to give me more personnels"
"How about the artificial dungeon? Did you purposely go to Fog City because you knew it was there?" Zen Zanuki continue probing
"Nope. I never knew such things exist. I couldn't predict what kind of dreams I will get and I can't dream of anything I wanted. I also have to differentiate which dreams were the real prophetic dream."
"So not all your dreams are prophetic? What else do you dream about?"
"I've dreamed about a young inventor, creating war-related technologies and fortunately I heard someone called him Hamsyar inside the dream," Ares spoke while leisurely pouring the tea in front of him into an empty still unused tea cup.
"That kid you take in along with his father. Is it the same with Henova?"
"Yes, in Henova's case, I saw a blacksmith with a crippled leg, that has a lightning-shaped scar on his left brow, holding a black sword oozing out demonic energy. But it was totally a coincidence that I was able to meet both Hamsyar and Henova"
"Crippled leg, that might be him then. You're not purposely looking for them? Isn't it too far-fetched to say such coincidence kept on happening," Zen quickly realized the minor detail from Ares's words.
Before his grandchildren arrived, Zen had proposed to play a game with Henova where he would cut one of Henova's legs if he lose. And in the future, Ares saw Henova was crippled.
"I also don't know how. I didn't even know who Hamsyar really was the first time we met and I only realized about it during our second meeting. Meanwhile in Henova's case, a storyteller told us about him after we asked about the best blacksmith he knew," the more Ares spoke the downcast he looked.
"Ares, why are you hiding such ability? Don't you trust us, your family?" Zen Zanuki looked straight at his youngest grandson in front of him who was leaning back on the sofa while glancing outside the window.
"Because I thought it was ridiculous at first but after the terror attack I started to realize that it's real but then I started to question myself why? Why me? I don't even remember my past but then I suddenly have *prophetic dreams. Isn't it ridiculous?" Ares left out a heavy sigh.
*(prophetic dreams involve seeing events, images or symbols, that predict the future.)
"Ares, your past is not important and you're more than eligible to have such abilities," Zen said before he stopped talking.
Ares glanced at him since his tone seem like he still wanted to say something more but Zen just continued staying silent and both of them fall into their thoughts.
'Did I act properly? He looked like he really believe me'
Ares didn't want to lie but he couldn't say that he wasn't the real Ares either. And half of what he said was true.
He indeed knew about the future but not from dream.
Meanwhile, Zen has mixed feelings. Glancing at Ares who was deep in his own thought, Ares's face seemed to overlap with someone's face since they looked similar to each other.
'Ares is his son so it wasn't impossible for him to have such abilities even though it was a kind of fantasy-like ability that only God possessed. If Ares knew what kind of ability his father had, he might think that his ability was actually quite ordinary'
Zen wanted to tell Ares what he thought but he didn't think it was the correct time yet.
"So what about this guy?" Zen asked pointing towards the still unconscious man on the floor.
"Oh, this guy is actually..." Ares started explaining how he started sensing that the guy was suspicious started from the time when Hamsyar told him about a guy giving him a scroll with a mana awakening spell inside it with a blueprint of an armour and how the man met Henova and offered to help Henova with his revenge on his daughter and wife.
"You're saying that this guy might be the same person from what Hamsyar described and he might try to recruit great talents but with shady methods. Is that what you mean?"
Ares couldn't tell his grandpa that both Hamsyar and Henova were future villains since knowing his grandpa, he might just kill both of them especially Henova who would work for the Demon King.
To be honest, Ares suspects that there might be another transmigrator or even worst a regressor who was a villain and tried to recruit the future villains and turned them into villains.
Transmigrators like Ares only know about this world and its future flow one-sidedly from the novel so there were a lot of plot holes if he tried to look at it from a different angle.
Regressor was far more dangerous than transmigrator since they were originally from this world and they have experienced it once before being regressed.
If such a regressor existed, it wasn't weird why they went around finding the future villains and enticing them to become a villain like how they use revenge to entice both Hamsyar and Henova.
In the end, Ares wasn't sure since Johnny didn't want to spit out who he is and who his master is.