In a swift moment of dread, the moment Jayden slammed the door, panic surged through Rogue. Racing against time, he had to come up with a way to shield the truth of his illicit endeavors from his mother. One option was to wipe his computer clean and deny everything, which meant erasing a part of his life and lying. This would paint Jayden as the liar, potentially saving him. Alternatively, he could confess and tell his parents everything, but that would undeniably lead to dire consequences. He had, after all, committed crimes that could see him prosecuted.
Why me?! I haven't done anything wrong!
Rogue's breath quickened as he hastened downstairs. But he had little choice if he wanted to preserve his freedom; prison wasn't an experience he intended to have. With a heavy heart, he quickly began resetting his computer. It felt as if a part of him was tearing away as he watched his files being deleted one after the other. All his memories, all those hours, every bit of knowledge, evaporated before his eyes. He was powerless to undo his past mistakes.
"Damn it... Damn it all!" he sobbed.
In a fit of rage, he slammed his fist onto his desk, scattering his keyboard and mouse. His anxiety peaked as the slow loading bar continued its progression. From downstairs, he could hear Jayden's wrathful voice and his mother's shouts.
Soon, his frustration morphed into a dark loathing for the unfairness of it all. Blinded by fury, he lost control, delivering a fierce punch that shattered his computer screen. As the reality of his actions sunk in, he heard his parents' footsteps approaching. There was nothing he could do now but wait for his impending downfall.
Suddenly, his mother flung open the door, her eyebrows drawn together in fury and her fists clenched, she exclaimed, "Rogue! Pack your things, we're leaving!"
"What?" His mouth agape, he wasn't prepared for this turn of events. Now it seemed Jayden was no longer the accuser, but the accused.
"What do you mean?"
"Your father's gone too far; I can't stand to see him anymore!"
Rogue didn't press for further answers. He promptly did as he was told.
A few minutes later, having gathered his belongings into a suitcase, he descended to the ground floor, preparing to leave the house. Jayden, positioned near the exit, waited patiently for Rogue's arrival to discuss the situation one last time. Meanwhile, his mother, sitting in her car, grew restless.
Rogue stepped out, still without any answers about what had transpired. He tried to ignore Jayden, who stood by the door, focusing solely on the car awaiting him. But his attempt failed as Jayden grabbed his shoulder.
"Wait!"
"Let go of me..."
"As your stepfather, I don't care about what you did. I know life is challenging for you right now. I acknowledge that I've been tough on you, but only to strengthen you."
"Stop it, you don't mean that anyway..."
"However..."
With a piercing gaze, Jayden stepped closer, and Rogue felt the full intimidating force of the moment. "As a police chief, I'm bound by duty to prosecute you for your actions. No matter what you've done... I uphold the law without compromise. So, enjoy your fleeting moments of freedom! You may go now."
Rogue knew he had no time to waste. After being released by Jayden, he had to do everything in his power to wipe evidence of his actions. Even though his computer had been reset, traces remained on the network and encoded data on the hard drive. He knew that soon, Jayden's warning would become reality, and he would have acted too late.
Settling into the car, Rogue waited for his mother to start the engine before inquiring about the situation. As she began driving, Rogue glanced over his shoulder one last time at Jayden, who held a cigarette, looking both sorrowful and determined.
"Mom, what happened?"
"Your stepdad wanted to call his colleagues to have you arrested because you were hacking someone. I told him I was tired of his behavior, and he took it poorly. He violently threw a family picture, and that's when I decided it was the last straw."
He lowered his head, not responding to his mother's explanation. Suddenly, she asked:
"Rogue, is it true? Were you really hacking someone?"
"I..."
He took a moment to weigh the pros and cons of his situation. The wheels were already in motion, and he was now irrevocably on this path. Facing this inevitable reality, he felt that if he had chosen the path of deception, he had to see it through, no matter the consequences.
"Of course not... Can you really see me doing something like that? Me, the studious student?"
"Yes, you're right. I know you too well; you could never do something like that. But why was your screen broken when I came into your room?"
He glanced at his right fist, noticing his red knuckles. Lying was not an option.
"Oh, that... I just got angry when he entered..."
"Was it because of what he said about me?"
"What do you mean?"
"Nevermind... Forget I said anything."
Rogue was puzzled. What could Jayden have said about his mother? Then it struck him – Jayden's initial words when he entered the room: " Hey buddy, I wanted to talk about something important regarding mom..."
At that very moment, a deep understanding washed over him. He realized Jayden never intended to harm him but wanted to discuss a crucial matter. Perhaps, had he been more attentive, he could've foreseen his stepfather's visit. Then, he might have uncovered a hidden truth about his mother.
[Back to the present, Cleared Mansion]
"And that's it... That's all there is to know about me..."
The revelation of his past left a bitter taste in his mouth, for now Lana knew what truly haunted him. No one could predict if she would mock him or show sympathy. The tension was palpable, hanging thick in the air as Lana readied herself to disclose her reaction.
Suddenly, Lana placed her hand over her mouth, coughing, one eye closed while the other was fixed on Rogue.
"First of all, if you need to be relaxed to use your power, it means something from your past hinders its instinctive use. A personal power doesn't work like a magic spell, would you agree?"
"Up to that point, I'm with you."
"The same goes for its activation. A magic spell is triggered as soon as it's mentally recited, while a personal power acts at the user's discretion. So, if your personal power isn't instinctive, you've created a mental barrier due to your past experiences."
"I see... but in that case, what could be the root cause?"
She turned away after this question.
"It's up to you to find out. But I think it has to do with your stepfather. You need to introspect and pinpoint the issue with him. It won't be easy, but I can assure you of one thing..."
Her long hair billowed gracefully in the soft breeze that played over her figure. Far off, the sun rose above the mansion, bathing the twilight in a majestic hue. Lana slowly turned her head towards him, an enigmatic smile pulling at her lips. Her pointing finger generated red electric distortions, creating an ambiance almost like a condensed storm. Around it, chromatic ripples pulsated, forming an almost mystical halo around her.
"Once you overcome this insecurity, it will be your greatest ally in maximizing your personal power, and then, your power will be unstoppable... But of course, not as powerful as mine."
Caught off guard by her statement, Rogue merely chuckled, thinking she was jesting.
"Joking now, are we?"
Without even addressing his comment, she deactivated her power and straightened up defiantly.
"If I were you, I wouldn't laugh. The weakest among us is indeed you. Consider yourself lucky I'm even remotely lenient with you."
She truly would never change...
She headed back to the mansion, where a lavish breakfast awaited her in the dining room.
"Good luck, the Lost One," she called out, waving him goodbye.
With a sigh laden with weariness, Rogue merely exhaled softly and lowered his head. He simply watched her leave, offering no reply. Even if he didn't harbor any affection for this young woman, he couldn't deny that she was right. After all, she grew up in this intricate world, not him.
Slowly, he rose, dusting off his white trousers instinctively. His eyes then settled with icy determination on the grand Cleared Mansion. The building stood tall and proud, ready to face any adversity.
[Meanwhile, in Hell]
The radiant glow of the scarlet black hole was what Abaguo had been seeing for far too long now. Yet, it wasn't just that which troubled him. Among other concerns was his attempt to avoid torture from demons and archdemons. Every second he spent in this place was dedicated to fighting them tirelessly, over and over, even if it was in vain, because he had too much honor to be deemed a coward.
However, all this time, his determination had led him to learn how to return to Trillia, bypassing the torture. The more he pondered on it, the more he realized how advantageous this method was for him. So much so that not using these benefits would be wasteful. The method was simple yet cunning. I must possess the body of a mentally unstable living being!
That was it, the only solution. Beneath his red-caped coat, the formidable Abaguo had heard of body possession as an alternative approach.
His movements seemed almost dance-like, sketching out a mastery dance in his new fighting art—a form that was wildly animalistic with awe-inspiring brutality. Every dodge was a graceful counter to the demonic adversaries' aggression, showing off the grace and power of a body shaped by countless hours of training. Each strike of his organic blade was executed with surgical precision, every manipulation of mana was orchestrated masterfully, and each kick and punch were performed with unparalleled expertise. Nothing in the art of war was a mystery to him. He had gained profound knowledge of pain anatomy and how to inflict death with startling accuracy.
Finally, after one more supersonic right hook, he obliterated the last archdemon of the wave, allowing him a brief moment of respite.
"And that's the last of them!"
He took a deep breath, his cherished Machiavellian smirk returning to his face.
"Possessing a mentally unstable body... Given the chaos I left behind, I have an embarrassment of choices up there."
He looked up at the black hole.
"I know who I'll choose as my host... He will be perfect to bring the world to its knees! I'll push him so far he'll have no choice but to take his own life! AHAH!"
But as he laughed at his own scheming, a fresh wave of demonic beings rushed towards him, as enraged as ever by the elimination of the transcendental archdemon.
"COME ON, AHAH! I'M READY FOR YOU!", he shouted ecstatically.
Prepare yourself, Trillia, for I am coming to cleanse you!