Chereads / Under The Grim Dark Sky / Chapter 1 - A Foul Move

Under The Grim Dark Sky

natsukiii
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Synopsis

Chapter 1 - A Foul Move

The city's sky grew darker as Felix, Brisk City's infamous villain, stood alongside an unidentified individual who had appeared ten years ago. Adding to the mystery was the sudden emergence of a new and enigmatic clan.

Despite his remarkable abilities, Felix found himself ranked as the seventh deity, overshadowed by his numerous shortcomings. This frustrating reality gnawed at him, fueling his irritation.

In an attempt to maintain composure, Felix decided to engage in his least favorite pastime: playing chess with his servant Lin, a prodigious chess champion since childhood. Frustration etched on his face, Felix absentmindedly ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, his gaze fixed on Lin's intense and perceptive eyes.

Sighing, Lin moved one of his chess pieces and spoke gently, "If you wish, young master, we can stop playing. Your actions are causing trouble and angering her again." The young man couldn't help but be taken aback by the servant's words, feeling as if he was being misunderstood.

Except for a young girl who had harbored animosity toward him since his arrival.

The individual capable of manipulating wind and the sky's hues, Felix felt isolated and feared by others.

He raised an eyebrow defiantly, stating, "Hmph! Scaring her isn't enough-look at the lightning outside. Can you fathom how angry I am during our chess match?" Lin glanced out the window, observing the agitated crows and their frantic movements due to the lightning caused by his conceited young master. Letting out a heavy sigh, Lin maintained a composed demeanor.

The female figure Felix referred to must have been out of town.

Suddenly, a lightning bolt shattered the window, prompting Lin to rush and shield Felix from the flying glass. Panicked, Felix allowed Lin to remove his cloak, revealing a wound bleeding profusely, likely caused by an unfortunate bird colliding with their window earlier.

Unable to tolerate his young master's reckless behavior any longer, Lin stared at him and commanded the guards to clean up the broken glass and attend to the bleeding wound. The consequences of anything happening to Felix were too dire.

The severed head and wings of the crow landed on Felix's chessboard. Curiosity compelled him to examine its contents, leading him to hold it in his hands and pry open its beak.

To his surprise, he found a small piece of metal hidden within. He vaguely recalled the crow munching on a piece of bread, while another bird seemed agitated. Was there foul play involved?

Lin, the most perceptive member of their clan, possessed eyes unmatched by anyone else. He pondered the lightning and the bird, realizing they had been deliberately targeted for death.

How did the crow acquire the small metal piece? Someone had concealed it within the bread, and the crow, unknowingly, had tucked it into its beak. When Felix became agitated, the crow happened to be flying in front of the window, becoming an unwitting target for the lightning that had frightened them all.

"Ha, hahahaha!" After a brief moment of panic, Felix's demeanor transformed into one of delight.

Swiftly grabbing what Lin had been clutching for the past five minutes, Felix hurled it out the window, bursting into mad laughter.

"That's brilliant, Lin! Absolutely brilliant!" His tendency to impulsively seize things surfaced once again. Ignoring Lin's warning about potential glass shards, Felix crossed his legs and massaged his temples, a faint smile forming.

He groaned once more, unable to fully comprehend this man even after five years of their master-servant relationship. His unpredictability knew no bounds, and he seemed to care little for the consequences.

As Felix prepared to throw the crow's severed head out the window, one of the guards whispered that something was amiss downstairs.

Within seconds, Felix knew the second young master had arrived-the most powerful wind user. He hastily donned his cloak once more. Outside, the sound of heavy footsteps grew louder, and just as he grabbed his cloak, a powerful gust of wind struck the chamber.

Apart from minor damage to his cloak, door, and window, the focus of their problem had vanished from sight, taking advantage of the wind to escape through the window. The young master must have been terrified as well.

"Where is that fool!?" No one dared to speak, and even Lin struggled to maintain a composed expression. Meanwhile, Sole reached for the skull embedded on Felix's table and screamed louder than before.

"Never return!!!!" Far beyond Lin's comprehension, Felix could hear the anguished screams, feeling as if Sole's scream had pierced his very soul.

At least his cloak, door, and window remained intact. Besides that, the poor guards had provided enough assistance for the day. Felix hadn't even noticed when they finished cleaning up the glass shards.

Sole settled down at Felix's table, causing Lin to tremble with anxiety. Sensing the tense atmosphere, Lin instructed the guards to leave them alone, granting them privacy. As they exited the room, Lin's previously terrified expression faded away, replaced by a transformation that occurred even faster than Felix's.

"Second young master, please accept my apologies for Felix's impulsive actions." Sole remained silent, instead picking up the skull and placing it on his lap.

Grinning chaotically, he said, "May I ask the reason behind all this?" Lin lowered his head and answered his question.

"Do you recall what I told you six years ago, second young master? It concerns the girl Felix seeks revenge upon." The creepy smile remained fixed on his face.

"Yes, can you do me a favor?" Lin gulped nervously.

"Kill that girl for me, or else I'll replace this skull with yours."

"Considering that you were the initial master, you are undoubtedly aware of the actions both of you undertook, or rather, what he did. You have been shielding him, not only in his reckless plans but also in his conduct. What are your thoughts on this matter? Is he truly powerful enough to save you, prompting you to cover up for him? Is it because you anticipate becoming the first Master when he eventually assumes control over the clan?" Lin's forehead was drenched in sweat as he struggled to respond to the second young master's sharp and piercing words.

Lin paid no heed to the words spoken, fully aware of the ironic truth behind them. However, that wasn't his motive for shielding him.

As Lin made his way towards the door, He continued to stare at the crow's severed beak, lost in thought. He prolonged his examination, causing Lin to decide it was time to depart, yet he remained silent.

Meanwhile, Felix, amidst coughing up blood, couldn't shake off the intense scream that had reverberated through his mind. He found himself hiding in one of the streets of Brisk City.

He heard everything, clutching his temples. How rude that boy was. Despite being older, he had been terrified. He too possessed the power of wind, but he couldn't reach that level of strength.

Simply put, he was the weakest among the young gods. Outwardly terrifying, but internally, he was also one of Brisk City's fools.

Suddenly, Felix collapsed, acknowledging that it was his fault, yet feeling no remorse. He laughed and laughed until he lost consciousness.

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The bartender extended his arm, expressing dissatisfaction. "This isn't enough," he said.

The girl approached him and threw a punch, retorting, "If it's not sufficient, then just keep quiet." The people inside the bar were astonished by her actions.

The person she punched happened to be a well-known bounty hunter, but the situation didn't end there. Some rogues outside the bar joined in, throwing a chair at her face. Unable to dodge in time, she took the hit, causing her nose to bleed. Wiping away the blood, she braced herself as the rogues continued their assault.

However, this time, she managed to dodge their attacks. The bartender's refusal and the appearance of these unknown rogues only reinforced her belief that she was on a bounty mission.

"Come on! Get her!" one of the rogues shouted, rallying the others. Unfazed by her bloody nose, she harnessed her elemental powers.

Using the blood on her face, she created flames and unleashed them like a wild creature, causing panic and screams among the bystanders. Although she felt remorseful for the chaos she had unleashed upon her beloved city, she had no choice.

The fight reached a stalemate after a while. Exhausted and having caused significant trouble, she could no longer continue the battle. Her mana, the source of her power, had been depleted rapidly.

As she tried to catch her breath, a golden ring talisman appeared around her, immobilizing her. She couldn't move or use her powers anymore. Her remaining mana was drained completely, and just as she was about to lose consciousness, a man appeared before her.

"We're sorry, Aster of Cluster Dome," he said, her head moving slightly due to the conflicting sounds that troubled her.

Felix woke up, he found himself cursing, causing even the nurse to consider transferring him to a psychiatric ward. But before he could give in to his frustration, a voice of a woman, likely in her twenties, spoke through the skull that was connected to him.

"We have successfully removed Aster from your life. Lin is most likely leading the execution, but where are you now?" The voice was abruptly cut off. The man, irritated by the interruption, slammed his head against the hospital wall. He couldn't decide whether to laugh or get angry.

"He clearly knows nothing to begin with. Otherwise, he would have searched for the girl's whereabouts. But how the hell did she get involved in our problem?!" He glanced at the clock, recalling that he had jumped out of the window at noon.

The nurse cautiously placed the bill on the table, fearing his outburst. However, he simply rolled his eyes at her actions, and she quickly scurried out of the room.

He needed to escape as quickly as possible. But it seemed impossible. There were no windows, and he had no way to exit without being noticed. Escaping through the window was not new to him, but it wouldn't work this time. He needed to find a solution before dealing with the consequences of his actions and explaining everything to his master.

Avoiding further trouble, he cast a spell that posed no harm. A shadow swiftly moved around, searching for an unguarded exit. In less than a minute, the shadow found one, taking note of a sleeping guard. He and his master, hidden within the shadow, flew away unnoticed.

Using another spell, he made himself invisible for an extended period. They didn't stop at his master's condo but instead found themselves in an abandoned place where the girl had tortured. He had no intention of saving whoever they had captured, and he couldn't fathom why he had come here in the first place.

In the place he ventured, a chilling atmosphere engulfed the surroundings, accentuated by a sinister presence. The air was thick with the cawing of crows and the haunting sight of scattered skulls, creating an eerie backdrop to the macabre scene that unfolded before him. Lifeless bodies lay strewn about, their presence serving as a grim testament to the horrors that had transpired. The tortured landscape was awash with pools of crimson, both outside and within the confines of a ghastly chamber.

As he took each cautious step, the anguished cries and desperate screams reverberated through the air, reaching his ears like twisted melodies of torment. His searching gaze eventually fell upon a figure-a girl, unconscious and suspended in the air, her fragile hands outstretched, revealing an intricate seal etched upon her skin.

As if driven by an unseen force, Felix found himself drawn towards the unconscious girl, his steps guided by an instinct he couldn't fully comprehend. As he approached her, his shadow stretched out before him, enveloping her form and radiating an otherworldly aura. With a swift and purposeful motion, he extended his hand and grasped her delicate frame, freeing her from the ethereal bindings that held her captive.

A voice trembled from the shadows, barely audible amidst the tension that hung in the air. "Master, we had no choice but to seal her powers. We were aware of your imminent arrival, but we feared the consequences. We apologize for our actions, but we thought-"

Before the speaker could finish his sentence, he was abruptly lifted off the ground, his words choked by an invisible force that emanated from Felix's commanding shadow. The air thickened with an eerie silence, broken only by the faint sound of gasping breaths, as the hapless individual struggled futilely against his airborne predicament.

With a piercing gaze that betrayed a mixture of anger and determination, Felix held the insubordinate figure suspended, a testament to his formidable power. The room seemed to tremble in anticipation, aware of the dire consequences that awaited the offender who dared challenge his authority.

"I am the one destined to end her life, so do not dare interfere," Felix's piercing blue eyes darkened, their intensity magnified as his gaze fixated on Lin. Suspended in mid-air, Lin struggled for breath, his gasps echoing in the tense atmosphere.

A surge of unsettling power emanated from Felix, enveloping him like a shroud of ominous energy. His voice resonated with an eerie calmness, carrying an undeniable air of authority and determination. The weight of his words hung heavily in the air, a chilling reminder of the fate that awaited Lin.

Harnessing the depths of his mana, Felix summoned the arcane forces within him, channeling their immense power to execute a teleportation spell. In a flash of ethereal energy, he and the girl known as Aster vanished from their previous location and reappeared within the confines of the condo.

As they materialized, their surroundings shifted dramatically-a luxurious and serene condominium. The air now carried a sense of tranquility, the cacophony of screams replaced by the gentle hum of silence.

The condo exuded an opulence befitting its residents, adorned with newly-fixed lavish furnishings, intricate tapestries, and ornate sculptures. Sunlight poured in through floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow that illuminated the elegant space. The atmosphere whispered of comfort and security, providing respite from the terrors that lurked beyond its walls.

Gazing upon the still form of the unconscious girl. He sighed, a sound heavy with the weight of his responsibilities. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he settled himself onto his favored swivel chair.

His fingers reached out to the pen resting on the nearby table, their touch light and deft. As he picked it up, a mischievous smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, betraying a hint of his enigmatic nature. With a flick of his wrist, he set the pen spinning, a playful gesture that reflected his underlying confidence and a touch of whimsy.

The pen's twirling motion mirrored the spinning thoughts in his mind, each rotation representing a flicker of inspiration or a puzzle piece.

The smirk on his face hinted at an underlying determination.