SCC Chapter 20 Party of Plots(10)

  FCY 437, 2nd Month, Day 18, 11:01AM

  (We have a problem) Person 1

  (The target hasn't shown her face in all these days.) Person 2

  (That was expected. This entire thing is a trap. What we need to focus about is the completion of the mission.) Person 3

  (We need to create a diversion. She must be somewhere in the building.) Person 2

  (Then we need to create a commotio-) Person 3

  Before the message could be completed, an explosion rocked the mansion, with every single cultivator within the Core Formation and Nascent Soul stage instantly rushing towards the scene.

  -----

  Reed was angry. This had taken things too far! People had just been killed! And two at that! Livia had been the first to arrive, owing to her speed. The people who had planned this had made certain to prevent instant teleportation. He had had to physically run the distance.

  "They surely went the extra mile." spoke Livia.

  (Ansel, did you detect anything?)

  He asked through his divine sense.

  (No. And I can't be certain whether the people who did this were those I sensed.)

  As the energy concentration within the epicenter lowered, the two bodies, burnt beyond recognition, were exposed. But the moment everyone sensed the energy signatures of the two, the crowd went wild!

  (This is bad!) Ansel transmitted.

  The two bodies belonged to Nyogovu and Flamio, disciples of the Absolute Zero and Flame sects, respectively. But what had they been doing together?

  "Liviaaaaa! I need an explanation for this!" roared the leader of the Flame sect, with the sound almost escaping the mansion's limits, only to be bounced back by an energy shield. Reed caught the flickering of his eyes at that, concluding that the roar had been intentional.

  Reed didn't linger to see everything through. The bodies would be dealt with. And, no one would come to disturb him for the time being since, technically, Livia was the host.

  -----

  "That was a very drastic course of action." spoke Latniss the moment she entered.

  "Those bastards are now jumping about as if their butts have been bitten." Declan commented, a smile on his face.

  Stolen story; please report.

  "A pity they had zero connection to Zeus." commented a tall woman, with a sword resting just beside her on the the seat. It had a white hilt and black sheath. She was even caressing the sheath gently. Her name was Kiso.

  "Yes." a stoic middle aged man agreed with her. He was simply seated there, doing nothing, yet there was a weight to him, and his gaze was terrifying.

  These two were combat maniacs. They had been called here just to sit in. They wouldn't be able to provide any valuable insight.

  "It's interesting how the two of them were together when everything went down. Boss, do you think there is some drama there?"

  "That isn't important. What's important is the fact that these people dared to blow up the place. This is something that doesn't sit well with me. What if they had targeted any of you? Or even those that I care about?" That quieted down everyone.

  What Reed feared the most now, was another attack. He wasn't fearful for himself, as he was certain that he could survive, even Nikolai. Those two had been at the peak of Core Formation, a testament to their incredible strength, yet they had been taken out.

  (Reed. They want to inspect everyone within the mansion. And it's not like I want to stop them. Do you?) Livia's transmission reached his ears.

  "It seems like they want to dig up Lily." He commented to the others in the room.

  -----

  Dresden Flax was enraged. He had never been so enraged in his entire life! That was why he was seriously checking every single person who appeared right before his eyes. If any of those agents so much as made a mistake, he wasn't going to spare them.

  It hadn't been his negligence. That he was very certain. The fact that he had had an affair with that disciple from that hateful sect also didn't matter now that he was dead. Dresden had thought that his family members, or even his sect disciples, wouldn't be dragged within the schemes of Zeus. Yet his very son had died!

  The woman beside him was surely great at acting. If he hadn't known the true situation within her sect, he might have thought that she had been really saddened by the death of her disciple. But he was certain that inwardly, she was gloating about his misfortune while also happy that a traitor had been killed. For her, two birds had been hit with one stone.

  He wasn't in the mood to do something like this, but he had to be here. The mission had to continue even though his heart was bleeding. Lily Toba, the target, had to be dragged out of the hole she had been hiding within. This turn of events had also woken him up. He had started to consider the possibility of being given up as a scape goat!!!

  Then he sensed a weighty presence entering the hall, a Nascent Soul with a familiar aura, and beside him, was the target. They were walking together while his aura was surrounding her like a cloak. Dresden narrowed his eyes for a moment, but ultimately resumed a normal expression.

  "Ms. Toba, how come I hadn't seen you anywhere?" The icy woman started the questioning even as she subtly probed the other woman upon her guardian's ascent.

  "Does that matter?"

  "I lost a core disciple today... So it does matter. Where have you been?"

  Now the woman was taking things a little too far. The mission had already succeeded. Why was she wasting her breath on this?

  "Sect mistress Alfhe, I do believe that should be the end of your questioning."

  For a moment the atmosphere became tense before Dresden was forced to intervene, dismissing the two to continue with the others, after which, he glared at the Alfhe.

  -----

  "Now that you have been exposed, they will be coming after you like ravenous dogs." spoke Reed the moment they made it back into the room.

  "Honestly, that was was scary. That woman looked like she would have torn out my throat there and then." Lily said with some lingering fear.

  "That simply means she's a master actress."

  "What do you mean?" Lily asked, puzzled.

  "The Absolute Zero sect favors brains above all else. As long as someone manages to scheme their way onto the top, they can even become the new sect mistress. That means... That the woman didn't really care about that dead disciple. On the contrary, she was happy that girl died. That boy being close to her in that sort of posture, where he was cradling her, hoping to protect her, only means that she had become a traitor to the sect, therefore, a liability." explained Reed, disgusted by the woman.

  "And considering that her adversary lost a child, she's even more ecstatic." Lily added after seeing through everything.

  -----

  Zeus gazed at the artifact from where it was resting. Lightning wreathed its form as it pulsed with energy. He was in thought. All the developments that had gone on since the start of the party had been transmitted to him. The fact that someone else had caused chaos instead of his men, was grating to his ears. And even though the woman had managed to appear in plain sight, there was her protector, the man known as Mumaso Reed. The mission demanded stealth. They had to make her dissappear silently. Even if everyone was alerted after, that didn't matter. The project only needed her as the final piece. Then the Federation wouldn't be able to hold a candle to Pantheon.

  'I need to make a move.' he thought. The artifact would be needed. So, he called out to it, and it flew into his hands. This wasn't mere overkill. There were no peak Nascent Souls, but even those weaker, might slow him down if they ganged up on him.

  From the artifact, lightning raced up his arm, running across his entire body, before slowly, he started levitating, with a smile gracing his lips at the power he felt within his body. It gave him the feeling of invincibility.

  Within a second, his figure vanished skyward, only leaving behind faint bolts of lightning.

  Within the atmosphere, he called upon the moisture within the air, and a stream of cloud coiled around him, moving at the same speed as him.

  He was preparing himself for a grand appearance. He was a God. A being above the normal riff raff. His arrival had to be epic!

  Another smile touched his lips at the faces those Federal bastards were going to make upon his appearance. That was surely going to be fun!