One week later:-
"Jamie, will you be okay?" I asked, genuinely concerned. He's been dragged into this whole Flamesworth mess with me, and it didn't sit well.
"Yeah, I'll be fine, don't worry too much," he said, trying to reassure me, but I couldn't fully trust his words.
"Sir, could you please—"
"Shut up, will you!" I snapped at the servant who had been nudging me, causing him to fall silent as a desert night.
Turning back to Jamie, I needed to be completely sure. "You really sure about this?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. I've got others with me too," he replied with a smile. I hadn't thought much of Jamie before, but looking back, I might have been a fool. He'd integrated into our group seamlessly. Now, he's not just some random roommate; he's a reliable friend—even if he has a few questionable habits.
I nodded at his words as Arthur approached us. "Yo, Art, take care of the boy," I said, gesturing towards Jamie.
Arthur placed a hand on Jamie's shoulder. "Don't worry about that," he reassured me.
"When you get back, let's go get piercings again," Jamie said, smiling at me.
"What's up with your earring obsession?" I chuckled, "But fine, we'll go. Don't worry." I waved him off, following the sweating servant who looked like he was in total fear.
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"What's up?" Lucas asked, his eyes scanning the familiar surroundings of his father's office, picking up on every detail.
"You could've added 'Father'—would've elevated that sentence," Otis remarked, raising an eyebrow before locking his gaze onto Lucas. "But anyway, how's the academy treating you?"
"It's fine," Lucas began, but Otis cut him off.
"People wanna duel me every time..." Otis interrupted with a nod, "That new hairstyle—it suits you."
Lucas blinked, confused. "What do you mean? What looks nice?"
Otis gestured toward Lucas's head. "Your hair. This style suits you better than Bairon's, but then again, Bairon's got his own thing going on... But yeah, it looks good."
Lucas nodded, still slightly puzzled. "I won't be doing this cut again... It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing, and now I can't undo it."
Otis chuckled, acknowledging his son's reluctance. "Anyway, I heard you roughed up that Flamesworth brat... You did a great job."
Lucas grinned. "You really shouldn't be encouraging kids to fight, you know."
"Kids, my ass," Otis laughed. "Anyway, I've finished that castle you requested."
"Now that's something great. Thanks, Father," Lucas said, a wide grin spreading across his face.
"You little foxy brat," Otis chuckled, his gaze calm but observant. "Anyway, you need to come with me today."
"Where to?" Lucas asked, curiosity piqued.
"I'll tell you when we get moving," Otis replied, casually combing back a few loose strands into his ponytail. "Why don't you relax for a while?"
"Okay," Lucas nodded, and with that, he stepped out of the office.
Let's hope it's something nice, Lucas thought as he stepped out of the office.
He barely had a moment to close his eyes before he was suddenly enveloped in a tight hug, his senses overwhelmed by a familiar scent.
Who the hell is this? Lucas opened his eyes to see Serena, his stepmom, holding him close.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" he asked, his face flushing in embarrassment.
"I can't believe you already made a girlfriend!" Serena teased, smiling widely. She pulled back slightly, only to pause, her expression shifting to one of adoration.
"You look so cute, I regret being your mom," she said, her eyes practically sparkling as she gazed at his face with a lovestruck expression.
"You aren't my mom... wait, who the hell told you that?" Lucas's eyes widened in confusion as he pulled back.
"Well, I do have my ways," Serena replied, playfully biting her thumb.
Lucas struggled for a moment before finally freeing himself from her grip. "Why are you not letting Mommy love you?" she pouted, her tone dripping with faux sadness.
"Stop it! Where did this obsession with being a 'mommy' come from? Just... don't do that," Lucas snapped, his face flushing slightly as he turned and bolted from the area.
As he left, Serena couldn't help but notice some changes in Lucas's behavior. He seemed more approachable, friendlier even. *Is he becoming... normal? * she mused, a smile creeping onto her face.
*This could be a good sign,* she thought, striding away with a confident sway in her hips, her hourglass figure accentuated with each step. *Maybe, just maybe, I have a chance to control him too. He hasn't fallen into my grip yet... but soon.*
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"So, what's the plan?" I asked, leaning back in the plush seat of the carriage as it sped smoothly along the road, the four horses pulling it almost imperceptibly.
"Nothing much," Father replied casually. "We're heading to an auction first. After that, you'll be clearing out a place that's been... occupied by some people who shouldn't be there."
Really? *That's it?* This is why he pulled me out of the academy? Just to attend some auction and show me off in front of the old geezers? I knew it. Every time he drags me along, it's the same thing—flexing my AA rank status like a shiny trophy. I get it, though. It's not like I go with him often, just a few times, but each time it's always about the old men trying to impress him or size me up.
"So, what's up with the 'occupying' thingy?" I asked, genuinely curious.
Father's eyes narrowed slightly, a sign he was considering how much to tell me. "Let's just say some people have taken up residence in a place that belongs to us."
"Isn't there a government for that? You're the establishment, don't you have people to handle it?" I asked, confused by Father's sudden call for action.
Otis turned serious, his voice dripping with confidence. "The forehead is struck with enemies, not with the government, O Jagga! Jatt doesn't reclaim properties with legal pens; he takes them with weapons, Oye!"
I just stared at him, deadpan, not even trying to hide my confusion. What did that even mean?
Otis burst out laughing, clearly enjoying himself. "Liked my dialogue? Found it in a book. It's pretty rebellious, don't you think?"
I didn't laugh. I just gave him that same deadpan stare, unimpressed. "Yeah, yeah... So, it's illegal, right? Whatever you want me to do?"
Otis grinned wide, finally pleased with my understanding. "Now you're getting it. That's exactly it."
"Okay," I replied, just as the carriage came to a stop. I glanced out the window, already bracing myself for whatever came next.
"Time to check things out," Otis said, his tone lighter now, like we were about to embark on some casual stroll. But I knew better. This was going to be anything but casual.
He stepped out first, and I followed closely behind, greeted by the sight of a large river flowing steadily. A group of men and women stood by the shore, surrounding something massive.
Wait—was that a body?
I narrowed my eyes, focusing on the enormous figure sprawled across the shoreline. It was at least 150 feet long and a quarter as wide, a creature with a serpent-like body and limbs jutting out at odd angles. Its skin shimmered with a bluish-black hue, while its elongated limbs, resembling spears, glowed faintly with a pinkish hue.
A Leviathan.
"It's a beauty," Otis exclaimed, his eyes practically glowing with excitement.
I couldn't deny the rush that coursed through me at the sight. It had been decades since anyone had seen a Leviathan, the last one recorded before the Elven War reaching a monstrous 800 feet. By comparison, this one was just a teen, an infant in the beastial world. But still… to see such a creature up close?
"Yeah," I muttered under my breath, eyes locked on its colossal form. "A real beauty."
Father continued walking toward the Leviathan, his steps confident and deliberate, while I followed close behind, glancing at the gathered crowd. Everyone seemed on edge, and I couldn't blame them. The sheer size of the creature was overwhelming. I'd fought and killed beasts before, some half this size, but this… this felt different. There was a weight in the air, a sense of dread that gnawed at me. Could I even take down something like this?
Ebon poked his head out of my shirt, his curious eyes fixed on the massive body before us. He climbed out and perched on my head briefly before settling back onto my shoulder, his little claws gripping me tightly.
Buttoning up my shirt, I watched as Father came to a stop in front of the Leviathan, his gaze studying it closely. Without turning, he asked, "Lucas, can you detect the core?"
I focused, pouring mana into my eyes, trying to enhance my vision. But everything felt the same. The mana signals were everywhere, scattered and faint, except for a slight pull near the end of the tail.
"Ebon, do you see it?" I asked quietly.
"Yes," Ebon answered without hesitation. "It's in the tail, and the mana veins are spread throughout the body."
I nodded. "It's in the tail," I repeated confidently.
Father smirked. "I thought so too. Let's take that."
"Ohh, it's a core," I muttered, pulling the Leviathan's core out from the severed tail. Blood and flesh clung to my arm as I yanked it free, the thick mana veins snapping as I tore the core out. My arm was drenched in dark blood, but the prize was worth it. The core barely fit in my hand, larger than I expected but not colossal. Still, I could feel its power—it was potent enough to be worth solid silver.
"Kid, your guess was pretty great," Father mused with a smile, clearly satisfied with the result.
"So, as per our bet, if I pulled it out in one go, it's mine," I reminded him, feeling a grin tug at my lips.
"Yeah, yeah, keep it. I got what I wanted anyway," he replied casually, glancing around at the onlookers—many of whom were now glaring at us, resentment in their eyes. No doubt, everyone here had hoped to claim the core for themselves.
I slipped the core into my storage ring and pulled out a cloth, wiping the blood from my arm. "It sure was a mess," I thought, shaking off the lingering disgust.
"Anyway, thanks, Ebon," I said mentally.
Ebon gave a small nod from his perch. As I glanced around, I could feel the weight of the venomous gazes locked on me. Everyone present had likely come here for the same thing, and I'd just walked away with the prize. But I couldn't care less. I smiled, following behind my father.
"Ebon, do you think we need the core?" I asked, curious about his opinion.
"No, but keep it for a while. I think I have a use for it," he replied, his tone thoughtful.
"Hmm… okay," I agreed, slipping the core deeper into my ring as we left the site.
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Yo Guys I know this is going boring but just bare with me for a while, I'm just preparing things up and getting back on track.
Powerstonessss!!!
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