Something stirred in front of the wardrobe.
Kai could distinctly see an outline of a figure if he focused hard enough.
It felt like a very cheap copy of Brock's Chameleon Blood Essence to him. Not to mention, Kai had become very sensitive to these things for a long time.
The illusion disappeared, then.
His appearance had slightly changed. The blue eyes now glistened dark black, but the blue hair was the same. He was clean shaved, though there were minor changes about his face that ordinary Contestants could never see at one glance.
He is Arlen, alright, Kai sneered. No Contestant I have seen till now was as prepared as him.
"So, you could sense my presence," Baron Silvas said, his wand rising, pointing at Kai. "I hope you aren't flattering yourself, Red. The fault lies with me. I have yet to master the Disillusionment Charm."
Shae gaped at Arlen.
She didn't know Arlen was in her room, Kai could tell. The thought troubled her, but much of her fear still had its roots in Kai's presence.
"How did you know I was here?" the Baron asked.
"The same way you knew I would come here," Kai replied, smiling.
Both men then turned their heads to look at Shae.
Her hand reached down to the blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders in response. Her right hand was still holding the wand pointed at Kai.
"It all troubled me," Kai said without flinching. "The mutiny within Silver Hunters Guild. Late Baron Silvas' sudden heart attack. The sudden rise of his younger brother, who was also the leader of Thunder Faction's branch on the 3rd floor. Not only that, he somehow convinced all the three leaders of major organizations overnight as if he knew about the mutiny.
"Tch-Tch! I only knew one man from Thunder Faction. You had once told me you intended to use those drops on a top-tier 3rd-floor Contestant. The rest was just a matter of calculated guesses."
"A very far-fetched guess," the Baron nodded.
"It doesn't seem so far-fetched now," Kai said. "You are here, aren't you? It's your turn to talk."
"Remember my last advice?" Arlen asked smiling as Shae covered her mouth in shocked silence. "I hinted to you to use your materials properly. Well, the first thing I did after returning to the Primordial Tower was to send my people in search of a Contestant with Hippogriff's Talons as material.
"Eventually, you were bound to go to a smithy. I just didn't know you were fool enough to go to Thousand Armor Smithy. Heh! It didn't take me long to find you. It shocked me to learn about you being called the heir of Ser Morgan Tussy. I will give you that. Marine Roland told me a great deal after you had gone back for a mission, though. He didn't survive my questioning. I am sorry."
"Don't bluff. I am not a child," Kai snorted. "So, when I proclaimed my intention last night, you knew exactly who was making trouble for the Guild. You came running for Shae's safety, then. Am I right?"
"Yes." The Baron nodded. "You lack morals, Red. But I never considered you a fool. I at least understand you that much."
"Indeed," Kai agreed. "If you understand me that much, then you must know already why I am here."
"You are here to meet me, Baron Silvas," he declared. "But… Why do you presume I will grant your wish?"
Just as Arlen asked that question, a monstrous amount of Mana exploded out of him.
Shae gasped, again becoming a side character in between Kai and Arlen and the full brunt of that Mana's heaviness fell on Kai and Kai alone.
Why is he so strong? Kai asked himself, trying not to quiver under the pressure. He is almost as strong as Sparrow. Then why hasn't he ascended yet? Arlen is not that masked idiot. He will never underestimate me. A win against him will never come without a heavy irreversible cost as I am now.
Kai gritted his teeth, but he didn't falter. Suddenly, he took a step in Arlen's direction. His entire body thrummed, becoming pale red, giving out a light trace of steam. Around his head, a light bronze hue shone, giving him a divine glow.
Strength surged inside him, welling up, just on the brink of breaking out.
The Mana pressure broke.
Arlen's eyes widened, his mouth parting in pure awe and… fear. "How is it possible?!" he asked incredulously. "You are only a fresh 2nd-floor Contestant! How?!"
Kai cracked his knuckles and neck in reply.
"You done, captain?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Can we talk like civil people now?"
*
*
Hall,
Golden Mage's apartment
Kai sipped on the flavorful wine.
Arlen and Shae were sitting in front of him. The blond beauty seemed uneasy, but Arlen's hand over her hand must have given her enough courage to remember her strength.
"Well, hello," Kai said, smiling at Shae. "How are you?"
Shae looked away uneasily while Arlen squinted his eyes.
"What?" Kai teased, shaking his head. "I thought you were innocent, Shae. The man sitting by your side has killed his own brother for authority. Don't you know that?"
"It isn't like that!" Shae snapped, her eyes blurring. "He was a cruel person. He used to torture and rape female Contestants."
"Oh!" Kai said, almost laughing. "Is that what Arlen told you?"
"Enough!" Arlen said, raising his voice. "Get on with it. What do you want?"
"I have a deal," Kai said, coming to the point. "A deal that can stun even you, Arlen."
"Don't test my patience, Red," Arlen said, his black eyes gleaming murderously. "Out with it already."
Kai looked at Shae. "Perhaps," he began meekly, knowing very well that Arlen would reject him, "I mean, it would be better if we talk alone."
Arlen glanced at Shae, then smiled gently at her.
"She is part of Thunder Faction now," he said. "And my student. She has as much right to be here and listen to your nonsense as anyone."
Kai shrugged, smiling within. Then he drooped the words like a bomb, his voice scraping the skulls of the listeners.
"I want to visit the Temple of Hastur…"
One line. Few words. Arlen bellowed like a dying man, losing all hope. "NO!" he shouted, standing up, throwing off Shae's hand. "SHUT UP!"
Words, like fired arrows, couldn't be called back, though.
They were out and had already reached the ears, which should have never known them.
Kai had expected a shocked expression, but this took him off guard. Shock was indeed there on Arlen's face, but it wasn't alone. Fear. Horror. Raw Terror. They all ran over his face as if ghouls were dancing a dance of death.
Arlen looked shaken.
For the first time, Kai doubted if he should have pressed Arlen hard to send Shae away.
He brought it upon himself, Kai thought.
Shae looked appalled. It was the first time for her to see Arlen like this, Kai could tell. The Baron was oozing sweat like a twisted piece of wet cloth, his chest heaving up and down from the broken breath. "Arlen…" Shae said meekly. "What's this Temple…"
"NO!" Arlen again bellowed, dreading the words that could have come out of her mouth, as if that would have made the situation more devastating. "Go. Shae, go to your bed. Now."
The finality in Arlen's tone made the beauty tremble. She stood up, composing herself, and went away without looking at Kai.
Kai noticed everything, like an audience without intervention. He saw Arlen slumping back into the comforts of the fluffy sofa and covering his face with his hands.
This was also a gesture Kai would have never expected out of him.
The moment Baron Silvas rubbed his face and took off his hands, Kai knew he was again looking at Arlen Willey, and not at some Baron.
"You lack the wits to know what you have done," Arlen declared. "How do you know this… Name."
Kai smiled. "Does it matter?" he asked. "No. It doesn't. What matters is the deal I…"
Arlen cut him off. "Don't even think about it," he snarled under his breath. "There can be no deal related to that. Do you understand me?"
"Haha!" Kai laughed. His hand flickered, taking a small glass vial.
The marking on the glass said that its volume was only 10 ml. Inside, a transparent liquid undulated as a sign of its presence. Arlen gawked at the vial, his eyes widening, his mouth parting, and his nostrils flaring as realization dawned on him.
It wasn't the end, though.
Kai's hand again flickered, taking out one more vial.
It was also of the same size, and the same liquid joggled within it.
"This can't be…" Arlen muttered, his hand reaching out to hold the treasure. "You said you had only 3 drops…"