"Well, we're in trouble now," Aiden said, eyeing the notification sent by the system.
"What do you mean by that, and why are you cursing?" Rey asked Aiden, visibly angry.
"Firstly, to answer your earlier question, yes, everyone should have heeded your notification for being the fifth guy. There's a crack in the world's veil that protects your realm from external mana and system interference. They didn't listen because you have higher privileges than the others for being my host. The bad news is that the invasion process is likely to accelerate, and by my calculations, you'll have less than two years now, compared to the previous estimate. And that's just my prediction," Aiden explained, deep in thought.
"So, what's the good news? Can you enlighten me, oh great seer?" Rey asked sarcastically.
"The good news is that I've located one of my comrades in this city, and by your unfortunate luck, they're in the same factory where you found me," Aiden replied, a trace of anger in his eyes.
"What? Wait—what did you say? It's in the factory, and you want me to go in there to find that relic for you, right?" Rey said with a raised voice.
As Aiden was about to respond, the door to the boys' washroom swung open, and someone entered.
"Hey, Rey, are you in here? I can hear your voice," James called out, scanning the room.
"Yes, it's me, James. I just came here to ease my stomach ache, so please wait a bit; I'll come out soon," Rey replied quickly, discouraging James from coming closer as he didn't want his lie discovered.
"Oh, okay, carry on then. I just came to say that Evan woke up a while ago and told me he's fine. I was looking for you to pass on the message. Anyway, I'm off," James said hastily and dashed out of the washroom.
'Oh my god, he's going to tease me about this for at least a month,' Rey thought, clutching his forehead.
Indeed, as the system notification popped up, he dashed to the washroom and locked himself in a stall to discuss it with Aiden, but now he realized it was a huge mistake.
"Should I leave you to nurse your pride, or will you listen to me now before you do?" Aiden asked, standing before him with a sly grin.
"Cut it out. You know the truth, so why act like this? Please, just stop," Rey retorted, his face contorted in annoyance.
"Okay, okay, sorry. Now, what were you going to say?" Aiden inquired.
"Well, ah yes, don't you think it's a bad idea? That gang is looking for me, and if I go there, they will capture me. I am pretty sure I won't be coming home in one piece," Rey said with a helpless look.
"Yes, you're right, but if we find my comrade, then I promise you will be able to achieve every dream you desire. She is the greatest weapon of all time, known as <THE PRIME MAKER>, for she has contributed the most to our master's journey to becoming the God King, a rank ten being. So, we must get her; with her, half of the table will be in our hands," Aiden said with a serious expression.
"Well, I want to meet this relic who is so highly regarded by someone like you, as I don't think you have ever praised anyone. And wait, isn't the Good one even deadlier than the Bad one?"
"Huh, you're right, I haven't praised anyone like this before. But I don't understand why you say the good one is deadlier than the Bad one," Aiden asked with a confused look.
"Well, in the worse scenario, I might die after a minimum of 1.5 years by chance, but there's a risk of dying in just a few days if they catch me sneaking again," Rey explained.
"You're correct in your thinking, but you'll have to choose the better option because you have no other choice, or else..." Aiden replied with a devilish grin and the same glint in his eyes that Rey remembered from the excruciating pain he experienced the previous night, a memory that still haunted him.
"I assure you it will be tenfold worse than before, and I could even take control of your body for my purposes, so don't worry about that," Aiden continued, not allowing Rey any opportunity to respond, as Rey was too frightened and involuntarily took a step back.
"Could you tell me what time we need to leave, Sir?" Rey asked, managing to keep up a facade of a smile to convey his feigned earnestness.
"Well, that's great; you catch on quickly, so I don't need to teach you separately. Because of your good behavior, we'll delay until tomorrow and then continue the day after, on Wednesday the 18th. Be prepared, okay? You know what I mean, hehe," Aiden said, showing a small spark in his hand.
"Okay, Sir, I understand. I'll be ready even before you ask," Rey replied, hurrying out of the washroom to meet his friends.
"Oh boy, it looks like I scared him a bit too much, but who cares? It'll help him become disciplined," Aiden mused, fading away and merging into Rey's body.
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Is it mere coincidence, or has the wheel of fate spun a new tale? Only time will tell, so stay tuned and read on until the truth unveils itself.
Author's Note: I understand the anticipation, but why spoil the surprise? Just be patient for the upcoming chapters, and if you're eager to know what happens next, make sure to add this to your library.
Until then, goodbye and have a wonderful day, dear readers. And don't hesitate to comment if you find any issues, or if you feel the story's pace is too fast. Your feedback is always welcome.