Sitting by the fire, Azeban had been muttering to himself.

Looking over, Jessica could feel he had something to ask, only she was unsure why he didn't just ask.

Finally, after marinating for a few days. He took out a scroll and tossed it over to Joana.

Looking a bit skeptical, she could only unroll the scroll. Whatever was on it caused her a great deal of shock.

Glancing at him, she could only laugh nervously before biting her thumb before stamping it.

As soon as the two came into contact, the scroll started to burn until only a single bloody thumbprint was left. Soon, that too disappeared with the rest of the scroll.

Once everything was gone did Azeban turned towards Jessica.

"Do you know why I had to come all the way out here to pick you two up?"

Neither Saleh nor Jessica could answer this. Seeing their silence, he turned to the silent Joana, "Why did you decide to travel with these two far below your station?"

For whatever reason, Joana answered without hesitation, "I have already reached the end of my journey. To progress further, I will need help..."

"Heh, not bad. Did they tell you, or did you sniff the information out yourself?"

Glancing at the two's reaction, with a sigh, "They told me. Probably trying to see if I had any connection with that being."

"Clearly, they have no idea who that being is. Or they wouldn't be sticking their noses where it doesn't belong."

Now, the confusion shrouded over not just two but three.

Turning back to Jessica, "We know who your father is, but how did you get that thing to move on your behalf?"

Simply expecting no real answer, he continued to mutter out loud. Loud enough for the three to hear, "I was forced out here without any place to play... All because that psycho moved."

Even when Jessica tried to open her mouth, Azeban was still upset and continued, "Not just me, half the elders are now forced to move. The entire continent is like a large hot pan with cold oil poured in it."

"What are you talking about?" Saleh couldn’t keep this from coming out.

Seeing Azeban clear body language saying he was too annoyed to explain. Joana decided to spill the information she had.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

Azeban was too high. She originally wanted to give a good impression to the one that took out the Grade C.

Even if there wasn't any connection between them. Just their talent alone was worth giving them a good impression of her. Especially when it costs her nothing.

"The Grade C that attacked you two was found dead. Strung to a tree with the word dee curved into his chest."

Saleh couldn't help but repeat in astonishment, confusion clearly laced in his voice, "Dee?"

Nobody could see his eyes beneath the mask. If they could, they would see that they were glowing ominously.

Azeban watched as Jessica mouthed, "D or two E's."

Azeban was a bit shocked. This implied it wasn’t some cryptic bullshit like what was found in laboratories. This was a clear warning. He didn't know to whom.

Though, this did mean Everblood was right. That mysterious bastard that caused the world to enter battle ready status was deeply involved with Jessica.

What he couldn’t understand was not why Jessica was the one involved. Rumors he was starting to trust had whispered conflicts with the Evers. Jessica was an Ever's adopted daughter.

That connection could be explained. Everblood had explained that when he asked about Saleh, he wasn’t involved. Since he wasn't directly involved with Jessica, he didn't speak of her matters, no matter what he asked.

Now, why was he creating a tie between Jessica and Saleh. No, he had an inkling.

Everblood only had two students. He wasn’t dumb enough to ask about others. He was sure he had more than two. However, only two were alive...

"So ruthless..."

As time passed. Their movements through the continent were smooth. Even when they came close to being to Mercury City.

Without a caravan, a patronage of the Adventurer’s Guild. They still had a Grade B. More surprising was an elder.

While it could be said they had Everblood the creator and leader of Mercury City. Last time, with Everblood they moved, he didn’t go around making his presence known. People only noticed him when they grew closer.

Everblood was like a ghost that came and went, never knowing if the person beside you had disappeared at some unknown time. Even being around him made one nervous. He had a long history, making everything Adventurer’s Guild did as his creation add to his legends.

Either because he was Saleh’s teacher, or because Saleh grew up in a animal tribe. Their relationship didn’t seem estranged by his status. Jessica grew up hearing many stories. She was a fan of Zelna Everwater, and by default knew a lot about Mercury Everblood.

While the two were elders, the difference between the two was just too different. Not only did Azeban not hide his presence, and never wore the white cloak. He became the most easily identifiable elder. Which meant all his actions were the most obvious.

From everyone’s reaction, it could be said that he didn’t wear his cloak, not because he didn’t want to. While his attitude seemed to fit the bill. Jessica couldn’t tell if his unique personality and habits were the reason for it.

Rather she liked it or not, she did understand it now. As one could imagine, having been put on babysitter duty left Azeban in a foul mood, so to lighten that mood he had to rob someone.

As he stated, because of Izic’s movements. Even though not everyone was powerful enough to make sense or even know about, those reacting to it were limited. However, the strongest powers knew, and those watching them started to realize something was going on.

Like a chain reaction, slowly everyone seemed a bit more tense, while very few knew exactly why the entire continent had, as Azeban put it, “Entered a battle ready state.”

This didn’t mean absolutely everyone went into hiding immediately. It also became an issue of being able to escape Azeban’s trained eye. How could he let off the main cause of all this. Joana by this point was clearly trying to carry favor.

Thus, Saleh found the idea interesting. So after throwing over masks the four of them went robbing before returning…