CHAPTER 33
ZEPHYR WINTERS
Red Monks sound meddlesome to Hans, and he really didn’t want to associate with them if not needed. But to judge that, he needs to make contact with Nodemaster, which seems far-fetched now. “At this rate, my four months will be over like poof.”
He was sorting a list at his post when he asked an elderly man who was filling grains for the reserves, “Mister, do you know how I can meet the Nodemaster?”
“Why, did someone bothered you?” The middle aged man stopped working as if it was a serious issue.
“NO! NO!” Hans gestured, “it’s just curiosity.”
“Do you have any management skills?” the middle-aged man asked back.
“No, people do that kind of thing for me.”
“You must be from a wealthy household then, but if you can’t do that, then there is no way. Nodemaster sticks to the office and only managerial section got to meet her, she only leaves that place if there is a serious emergency. And you better not create one; you’ll be thrown outside, and you need those passing credits, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I need those.” Hans sighed. He already had those credits, but if he couldn’t meet her, then coming here was just a waste of time.
Hans deeply sighed once more, his mind preoccupied with another matter he needed to address at Concordia Node. Before Samson’s undead event in Grimgar, he wouldn't have given it much thought. However, after sensing his father's longing gaze, he had become more sensitive to issues involving fathers.
“I need to find a way to buy back that scale or whatever she sold here. It just doesn’t sit right with me.” He murmured to himself and asked the fellow worker once again, “So, another thing, do you know anyone here who is rich enough to cough up 500,000 gold and has a connection with Winters Company?”
“I’m not sure, but if I had to guess, it would be a RED MONK. They’re definitely rich, that’s for sure!”
“Oh, thank you.” Hans politely nodded, “Well, Red monks are rich, that’s music—”
“Isn’t this boy asking for Zephyr.” Another worker intruded their conversation.
“Hmm..” The middle aged man thought hard and agreed, “Yes, he was sponsored from that wealthy company. but—”
“Where can I find him?” Hans asked, interrupting him.
“In the north wing, I believe he is in charge there—”
“Thanks, mister. I finished my work. I’m leaving.” Hans bolted out without hearing what the middle-aged man had left to say.
Hans searched for this Zephyr-named fellow and soon found himself in the heart of the Northern Wing. “Just where is this man?” He was asking right and left, but people were giving him an eye like Hans was hitting his own head against the wall.
However, a young man in his mid-twenties, flaunting his long shoulder-length hair, came to Hans’s rescue. He perked up his round glasses and asked Hans, “What do you need Zephyr for?”
He looked like a typical guy who schemed a lot, so Hans was wary of getting involved with him, but he had no choice since none was answering him. “I’ve something to sort him with.”
“Hmm… interesting, are you some powerful noble?” The man with glasses asked.
“Something similar, why do you ask?” Hans questioned.
“Because the higher you are in the food chain the quicker you can handle the repercussions.”
“Did I break any rules asking about him—”
“NO! NO!, Zephyr is kind of an asshole.”
“Then why would you help me—”
“Thats why I asked if you have the standing of dragging that bastard down.”
“I’m Hans Parv. I don’t know anyone higher than my standing”
“Excellent.” The man with glasses became extremely happy as he recalled Hans from last-year’s broadcast. “My apologies, for not recognising you. Follow me.” He showed Hans way in an elegant sway of his hand.
“So he is like weaker against powerful. The typical bootlicker… not that I care.” Hans thought inside and followed him. On their way, the man with glasses introduced himself as Yamir, the second son of noble from Sunfall.
Sunfall was the nation who shared enmity with Parv in the past, but since Grimgar was between them, there wasn’t that much of a bad blood. Both of them came across a heavy door; it wasn’t big, but anyone could tell there was only one room behind them.
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“Thud! Thud! Oye Zephyr. You have a guest. Open up.” Yamir knocked forcefully. It was evident from his tone that he thoroughly looked down on Zephyr.
“Did I chose the wrong guy?” Hans was puzzled, and before he could put a stop to Yamir’s attitude, the door opened. A lean and tall elf, with crossfade blond hair and sharp nose and chin, stared him down. It was as if he was forced to do something he loathed.
“He is prince of Parv.” Yamir introduced Hans without even being asked.
“Man! He is making me sound snobbish.” Hans tried stopping him, but Yamir was having a field day.
“Where are you looking you bastard.” Yamir shouted, “Greet him or do you forget how they whipped your asses in Elven war—”
“Gee…man. Why are you fanning the flames when I didn’t even sparked.” Hans stopped Yamir’s ranting. Turning to Zephyr, Hans explained, “I’m not with this guy—”
“I know, he is a noble of sunfall but can’t outdo me. Thats why he is using you to suppress me.”
“So, you’re the one who uses your head quite well.” Hans chuckled, ignoring Yamir’s contorted face. He turned to Zephyr and said, “I have a business with you, can I come in?”
“Sure.” Zephyr replied nonchalantly. Upon Hans’s entry, he shut the doors at Yamir’s face.
“What can I help you with?” Zephyr maintained his uninterested face and it was hard to read for Hans who actively relied on Delimira or his SCAN analysis.
“Ha..I’ll cut to the chase. Did Deli sold you something?”
“Deli…haan.” Zephyr was startled hearing the shortened name, “What if she did?” He asked, his eyes finally gaining some interest.
“I need to buy it back. I didn’t know the funds were coming by leveraging her keepsake.”
“Sure.” Zephyr readily agreed and pulled out an iridescent palm size scale. “That would be 5 million gold. Can you afford it?”
“She only got 500,000 for it. She told me she’d buy it back with the same—”
“That price is for her and hers only. Not for a wannabe like you. Deli…pft. You called her Deli..”
Hans was confused, not only because he’d raised the price by an astronomical multiplier, but even he could see his eyes filled with disgust towards Hans. “I’m telling you again, none of my intentions were aligned with what that glass-man had said. He was speaking nonsense—”
“I know, I’m not fool. But this would be 50 million gold for you—”
“You just asked for five million—”
“I said 500 million.” Zephyr snickered, “I thought you were clever—”
“You’ve no intensions of selling that to me do you?” Hans asked him point blank.
“Yes. I can’t imagine a bug like you flying around her.” He came close, his eyes staring down right his. “Fuck.off.my.room.”
“O… okay… that’s a new.” Hans’s mind went blank. He didn’t want any conflict. He recalled all he had heard about rules and discipline, and how the superior used that as an advantage against lower level workers.
But that was barely holding him from lashing out. “I know you are trying to provoke me… and its damn right working. Even if it cost me an arm and a leg, I’ll break that mouth of yours so shut up and give that scale back to me. I can’t have her selling that in my conscience—”
“Who the fuck do you think you are demanding it.” Hans didn’t realised but a quick jab entered his face proximity. He barely managed to reduce the force, but another entered out of nowehere and got connected with his lower jaw, sending him flying.
“You green horn of Parv, dare to think you can threaten me.” He pulled his knuckle and rushed towards the fallen Hans. He was quick, way quicker what Hans had fought till now.
Quick punches came, some Hans blocked while the later sent him crashing the strong doors. “Come here you fucker, I’ll tell you the consequences of questioning me.” Zephyr was on full rage.
“Contact the commander, captain Zephyr is fighting a volunteer,”
“This is bad, usually he is kind and silent.”
“That volunteer must be provoking him.”
“Yeah, there is none kinder than captain Zephyr.”
People were talking while some ran to call their commander. As Hans knew, commanders were just lower ranked than Nodemaster. He could make out something from those buzzing people, one of them said, captain Zephyr. “That’s bad news, Get it together man.” Hans couldn’t believe why he was struggling to stand. Meanwhile, Zephyr lunged at Hans, his fist fitting with knuckle brace and imbued with aura.
“I wasn’t ready you trash.” Hans shouted as a SeedBullet quikly launched at Zephyr’s face.
“Clang!” The metal pebble of Hans clashed with the metal knuckle of Zephyr. “What is this? Petty tricks.”
VeganBind
Hans shouted. The SeedBullet had brought him enough time to claim this whole area as his. But it was a far narrower place that he was used to fighting. In any way, he was reluctant to go nuts in the place that was sensitive due to red demons. His opponent was way stronger, and he couldn’t use his destructive spells.
“Tsk! I wanted to meet the Nodemaster anyway. This fucker hit me several times. This is an emergency enough. Let’s call her here.”
Zephyr overpowered the VeganBind easily, and the extended time which it had brought was over. But Hans was ready for another.
Sunfield Sanctuary
With the sun hung high and the influence of Sunstones around him, his solar powers reached their peak. What he lacked was control, but he didn’t need it for the things his head was planning.
The whole Northern wing lighted up from inside. Sunfield Sanctuary was the advanced version of his Voidzone. Apart from affixing the mana particles, it was said to create heat that could evaporate the rocks. But to reach that output, it was still out of Hans’s capability. However, it was strong enough to dehydrate every living being under the influence of his field of control.
“Damn… that kid is what thirteen-fourteen?”
“He created a SANCTUARY?”
“Isn’t it only possible for the eighth circle or more!”
“Just what is happening?”
“I’m boiling.”
“Ugh, save me… I can’t access mana.”
“My armour isn’t responding.”
Several defensive runes started to blink. Indicating the Node was under attack and an alarm was raised. “You bought it upon yourself, prick.” Hans shouted, “Now it’s my time to show what the consequences of agitating me are.”
“Stop. This. Madness.” A wave of light swept away Hans’s Sunflied sanctuary like a wind blowing husks, and Hans saw an elven woman in pure white with her hand stretched out. “Finally, Plan B works.”
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