"Captain! I am sorry if his misbehaving words have angered you si---."

"No problem, no problem, since it is of no bother to me. After all, he is right about my grand moustache. Captain-moustache, huh!? It has been a while since I have heard that name."

"---."

"Eh--, yes, truly, as the sir---, Captain says." - [Huh---? You---, are you truly, so self-aware and conscious of your own moustache, that you will compliment yourself?! I better not say anything about this.]

----------------------------------------

"Time to begin!"

[It is time, but first, wait a moment so that these two little boys move away from us.]

"Mmmm? Alright?!"

A moment after the stone door closed, leaving the two men outside, Levis who was finally alone, had a complete change in his expression and body language, as he became loose and yet slightly numb and apathetic, as though he had just discarded a mask he had been wearing for a long time, a mask that even he was not aware he was wearing.

But while his body and face seemed tired, since he relinquished the facade and tension he was always submerged in, his eyes had a very strong will hiding behind them, as growing stronger and more powerful was his only desire at the current moment.

After all, growing his power was the only way he could begin to hunt down those who had devastated his life, by killing his grandfather Ato, his grandmother Hel and the rest of the villagers. Because right now, his sole objective of hunting and killing the bastards, was the sole justification which was really pushing him to cultivate, other than his eccentric dream of flying, despite being scared when in the absence of the solid ground underneath him.

[Alright! They have left.]

"Good. Then what do I do? Do I absorb the energy inside this place? It is quite a vast amount in the room, and the density is quite out of the ordinary."

[No, just strip out of your clothes.]

"Ehh!? What did you say?"

Despite Levis's enthusiasm, and eagerness to grow at this moment, it all came down crashing, as the words, which came to him by the so-called "master" of him, made him stop and then ask in dismay to repeat what he had just heard, for he was not sure what to make of this odd request.

[Strip out of your clothes, and speak through your mind. What if someone is ear-dropping on you?]

[Ehh! No.]

[No, what do you mean no.]

[No. I am not stripping before you. I have been told not to do this, a long time ago. Are you one of the old and depraved perverts, that grandma has told me??]

[What? What the fuck. What the fuck! What the fuck did you just say, you little bastard!]

However, at Levis's words, Urger appeared to be out of his usual self, as through his swearings, he could feel the outrage and irritation that Levis had never felt from him even once.

"Eh!"

[You little bastard!!]

"Arghhh! Stop! Arghhhhh!! Stop, stop!! Arghhhhhh!!! Stop, stop, stop!!!"

However, with the response of his negation towards the weird request of Urger, Levis came to be assaulted by the man's enraged shout, echoing endlessly in his mind.

But these echoing shouts were anything but normal, as Levis's little body begin trembling and vibrating, as though he was being struck all over his body, by tens or hundreds of thousands of ants at the same time.

"Stop!"

[You little bastard!!!]

"Stop!"

But while asking Urger to cease his voice, Levis found himself at his ends met, as he could feel his cells reverberate, tremble, and almost screen in pain while dying from his shout.

[You little bastard! It seems that you have forgotten who this old man is, and become more and more impudent due to my leniency in how you casually can speak to me. But no more!]

"I am---, sto--, it-!"

[Me? A pervert!!!]

"St--o-p!"

And yet, Levis's words came to fall on deaf ears, as he collapsed to the ground while he was barely able to utter even one word, after the strange sound assault.

[I---! I have had, and have feelings for one sole existence in the entire fucking universe! In all the billions of years I have lived, not one other being has even moved me, to the point of saying the dastardly word "Love" which I use exclusively for her, and only in her presence. I could not give two shits about you! And you here---, you call me------, a fucking, a fucking pervert!!!]

[Have you not been called a pervert innumerable times before? And you just use the word now, with our own disciple, so what is the point of saying that?]

"St---!"

[You shut the fuck up! Now for you brat! Know this, if I tell you to do something, you do it, because it is, and it will be for your own future benefit! The next time you insult me, be prepared to have your tongue ripped out of that fucking mouth of yours! Do you understand!?]

"---."

[I do not think---, he can listen to what you are saying when he is about to die.]

"S---!"

[What?! Oh fuck! Oh fuck!! What the hell are you dying on me, when I am just speaking to you!?]

But amidst his own rage, Urger had to be reminded of Levis's situation by his other self, as of right now, Levis was lying on the floor of the chamber, with blood coming out of his mouth, nose, and ears, while he appeared as though he was on the verge of dying from all the shaking and pressure he had just been placed under.

"---------."

"------."

"---."

"I will not forget this."

[And you should not. Think of it as a punishment and a reminder, of the fact that you are just an ant, and nothing more. So behave like one when I am talking to you.]

After quite some time, as his body required it to heal itself, Levis rose up to his feet with blood on his face and onto his clothes, sporting an extremely resentful and aggravated face, towards Urger, but since there was no one to look at, he appeared as though afflicted by a mental madness, while angrily looking around.

"---."

"---."

[You two sure are alike, two stones for a head, but this is not the time for this stubbor---. Disciple! Off with your clothes.]

"---."

"Alright."

But after Levis's and Urger's small remarks to one another, both of them stood silent for a while, only to have the silence disturbed by the happy-go-lucky "Urger", who had to take control and mediate the situation between the two of them.

As for Levis, he had no choice but to put the previous conflict and humiliation behind himself and move on, otherwise, he would arrive nowhere with this needed seclusion of his.

"---."

"Now what?"

But while he was only in his underwear, Levis was even more confused. As he had no idea what was he supposed to do since Urger was not talking with him while in his tantrum phase.

[Now you wait, you little bastard. As I need to strengthen our weak facade, and then we can begin.]

"Facade?"

However, Urger's tantrum was short-lived, as after not more than a moment, he was talking and insulting Levis, as though the previous quarrel had not even happened.

[Disiple need not worry about this, as this is your master's issue. So just wait for a few breaths, until we are done with our own problem.]

"------."

"---."

"Adequate and completed. With this, none of the annoying gazes will see me."

"Eh? What gazes---? See you!? You---------!!!"

But all of a sudden, to Levis's stupefaction, Urger, whom he had seen only once within his mind, stood right before him, as real as any other object which surrounded him.

In their first meeting, Levis had attempted to punch him, due to the fact that Urger had ripped, and then stolen the heart of his grandfather, directly from his dead body, but all of that had occurred in his mind. And yet, now he stood before him, not as sound from behind his ear or an image in his mind, but as a real person. However, for some strange reason, he could not be absolutely certain he was a real person and not a hallucination of his, for something was subconsciously telling him, that the being before him was not a real human like him or the others, as something was very iffy about him.

Nevertheless, as he stood stupefied at the man, he knew that the Urger before him was the same one who had nearly killed him a moment ago, for a mere reactionary insult of disdain.

"I guess---, this is the first time we met face-to-face. Kid!"

"You---!"

Looking at the man, Levis could observe him far more reasonably than the first time he had seen him. In front of him, stood a tall, tanned skin middle age man, with haphazard black hair, while some white strands were mixed erratically. A look of scorn on his face, which was unmistakable, as in his eyes, he was really looking at nothing more than an ant, which life and death depended solely on his disposition at the moment.

"Disciple disciple, calm down! And you stone-head, stop with this childish fit, we are just losing precious time here. Why have you exploded all of a sudden?"

But in a bizarre manner, the face of scorn and ridicule changed to one of delight, yet full of concerns, as "Urger", came out to face Levis, and pacify the other self.

"Tsk! You idiot shut it! And you kid lay on your back! Sigh---! It is time to start your seclusion. During this period I will look at your progress and other aspects of your body. And no, you will not absorb the energy from this place. The fewer traces of evidence and anomalies you leave behind, the better it will be for you. Especially given that I am here with you as well."

One after another, happy "Urger", and mean Urger, were changing one after another, as one was calming and pacifying the circumstances, while another was trying to get the situation under control and continue with their original endeavour, despite his hidden anger.

However, it was still Levis who was the one most affected, as he stood in a quagmire of emotions, being both angry and calm at the same time, which caused his facial muscles to twitch and contort continually, in an abnormal manner.

"Then how will I increase the energy in my body?"

"Evidently, from that vial of yours."

"From mine! What are you---, wait! What are you doing?"

Yet, as the situation was finally moving, as they were once again at the starting point, Levis had his fuse of anger lit again, as the pouch at his waist, opened on its own, making him worried that his last elixir was about to disappear inside the strange wooden door.

"Stop! This is mine! What are you doinmhmmh! Mhmhmh mhmh hm hmmhhh!!!"

"Shut your mouth, and accept your powerlessness."

Nonetheless, as Levis was about to curse at Urger again, his mouth was closed forcefully, glued and compelled to remain shut tight, as though by an invisible hand.

"I do not have time for your idiotic blabbering again, so just lay on your back and ready yourself."

Yet, while under Urger's cold stare and with the imprisoning of his mouth, Levis had no choice but to relent. As his instinct was warning him, that the following time Urger was to get angry, he would suffer in a more genuine form, and not just the mere rattle of his flesh and blood.

"Now. I will make it so that you can absorb the energy of this flask. And as of right now, you can utilise every single cell of your body. So release all the hunger and craving you have thwarted up till now, let yourself fall into this hunger, understood?."

"Mmhhm--, mhmhhm mm mhhmhm."

"Mind."

[Is that alright.]

"What do you think? Since we are here, what else should you do? Time to see what you are, and---, just to be sure of your capabilities. Now move on---, proceed."

[Alright.]

With his back on the floor, in his underpants, and with his pouch at his waist, Levis did as he was told, readying himself to enter into his cultivating session. Although this time around, since there were no restrictions as to how he could go about it, Levis truly unleashed all of his cells, which were screaming out of hunger, for the energy which was surrounding his body.

"Now, commence it already, and stop dragging any more time."

And just as he was pointed, Levis slowly entered into his state of the half awake, half asleep and timeless state, cultivating both through his skin and through his normal exhaling and inhaling of rich energy-filled air, which was the only way he could speak of as to why and how he could cultivate, as the mere leak of knowledge of him, cultivating through his skin would put him in danger of being abducted and experimented on by any curios cultivator.

At the same time, Urger extended his left hand toward Levis who was laying flat on his back, and in the next moment, the close space surrounding the boy was cut out, as though it no longer belong to the same world anymore.

"Idiot! Start to break down the energy of the vial for this little uncouth bastard."

However, Urger had yet to be finished, as the one remaining flask of Immortal elixir from the strange old man that Levis still had, after exchanging one of the original two with Urger for a favour, was now floating by itself, and then opened by an invisible hand above the boy.

The flask was hovering above the small chest and abdomen, releasing an odd and blurring air from within it, which could muddy anyone's sight. And the one to be under the vial and the blurring air, Levis, who was almost naked in the separate space that was now a large blur-like oblique spheroid.

"Sigh---------! After all this time, I can finally have a genuine moment, to observe this experiment of mine."

"You are doing it!"

Moments later, as Levis was being observed by Urger, who was mere meters away from him, his other self manifested and notified him of something which he was currently doing at the moment.

For right now, Urger was presently seated on a simple stone chair, which was done by morphing the ground floor and making a simple clean-cut stone trunk chair, with no arm or backrest.

And said something was the fact, that Urger's upper body was leaning forward, his eyes were ogling all over Levis, as he was overtly strange and not strange at the same time, as with a placid and uncaring face, his eyes were wide opened to an unnatural level as in fear of losing some particular about the boy's body at the moment.

"I can not help myself, since it has been so long since I get to observe one of my own experiments. After all, we have been stuck into that space-time twister-fold for so long, that I have starved my mind out, and now, the feeling of new knowledge and observation of my own experiment is irresistible."

"You should have slept more, like me."

"Do not lump me together with you, you depressed coward! If you were to act earlier, we would not have been stuck for---, for almost two--, two hundr---------. Sigh---! It is better if I do not start to talk about it, or else I will really want to kill you."

In the midst of looking and observing Levis, Urger's mouth continued to move and talk to himself, while his face had drastic shifts regularly, as from a stoic face with wide-opened frenzied eyes, his countenance move to a more expressive one with a wide-open smile, then back and forward again between the two.

However, if one was to observe them more clearly, one would creep out a bit, at the sight of a middle-aged man looking at a half-naked sleeping child. But what truly would make this scene more strange to anyone seeing it, was the fact that the room in which they were, had a very odd choice of decor in its mural painting, as all the sides of the chamber had trees, mountains and a river could be seen, almost too vivid to one's eyes. Which in the end, made the whole act of Urger looking intently at the boy especially more bizarre.

"Hooooo---, this speed, is quite something."

But as Urger continued to survey and analyse Levis, a small exclamation of surprise came out of him, while Levis was currently wrapped in the blur made by the energy that was coming out from the flask floating above him, and was filling the entirety of the small enclosed space, for him to absorb.

The reason for his exclamation was apparent due to the skin of the boy, which was creating a similar blur as to its rapid pace of absorption of the energy which was surrounding him.

The blur itself was similar to air after being heated by a fire, which was making the air inconsistent in its density, making the light travel erratically as though dancing, which could impede anyone from seeing him clearly.

"---------."

"------."

"---."

"So---."

"---."

"So---!"

"---."

"So---!!!!!!!"

"What?! What do you want?"

Time passed, and after an unknown period of said time, as Levis was in his small and isolated blurry space filled with the energy from his Immortal elixir flask, "Urger" himself broke the long and stranger stare that he had held for a very long time.

But as the silence of the chamber was broken, by non-other than the happy-go-lucky personality, the focus of the stoic observer Urger was interrupted, as a trim amount of annoyance began to descend on his face.

"So, what is it with you? Why are you more irascible than you usually are?!"

"---."

"Are you really going to stay silent, when you keep calling me "stupid" and "idiot" who knows nothing?! Well, you can now explain this to me, so I can know something."

"---."

"So---."

"Annoying bastard! Why are you asking me when you know it already."

"Eh? But I want to hear it from your mouth."

"You are pushing my limit!"

Continuing to egg on, the optimistic disposition, made the seated and observant Urger have his veins over his face bulge from what might be an increase of blood pressure due to anger, which he was restraining inside of himself.

"I do not care."

"You---!"

"You what? Are you going to say it?"

"You should have sensed or seen with through that fate of yours, did you not?"

"In a sense of---."

"The gazes which had arrived after we entered the universe and landed on this planet. I---, I am not entirely sure to whom they belong to. But what is driving me off the edge, is the presence of the old bastards is---, I can barely discern them! If I were to bet I would say that they are dead. But that would be too of a good dream. But it is her presence that is thoroughly missing."

"Now that you say, I did not see her at all, when the new and old little ones, come and go. What does that mean and what do we do then?"

But with the conversation provided, the pressure seemed to subside as his face returned to normal, though a hint of heaviness and depression was added onto his face as he continue to watch over the blurred cocoon, in which Levis was visible to his eyes only, for if a normal human were to look at it, it would only observer a stage sight of light being distorted, with a vague shape of a person being inside of it.

"Obviously, we must analyse the situation we are currently in. To that end, we need to do a full study and reexamination of everything."

"Do we have enough energy to do it?"

"I would have if you were to give me your part. But unlike you, I was already preparing to do so, since the moment we arrived here. Now all we have to do is to look around while avoiding the bastards who are trying to look at us."

"Do we do it soon then?"

"Yes, as soon as we teach this brat how to sustain himself, and not get captured----, or cought like an idiot fish that runs into the net. We will proceed as soon as possible. Since I am sick of not knowing what is going on, for it is driving me insane with every moment I do not know in what situation we are in."

"That is going to be challenging and demanding, since my intuition tells me, our disciple was born under a star of misfortune."

"---------."

"------."

"---."

"Eh! What is he---!?"

"Huh---! This is unexpected. But a good sign since this is a surprising change."

More time passed, and while Urger persisted in his observation, at an unknown point, a change occurred in Levis's demeanour while he was lying on the ground with his back.

"If anyone else were to see him now---, they would most definitely call him a monster."

"Probably."

"This?! Just "probably"?"

But naming it a simple change would be unsuitable. And yet, while nothing about him had an extreme change, Urger was presently scrutinising Levis's skin and muscles. Because, as of right now, all of his muscles were wriggling and wiggling as though worms or insects were moving underthing its skin, a sight which would let most people disturbed or unsettled.

"Huh! What is this? AIs this a natural reflex of sorts?"

Regardless, the amazement was not over yet, for as the crawling and writhing of Levis's muscles were intensifying, his mouth became the next surprise which left Urger with a momentary bafflement.

As a moment previous to this, his mouth was simply half opened, for he was inhaling and exhaling normally for his intake of energy, slowly, but slowly, his lips curved into a creepy smile to the edge of his jaw, wider than any other human could possibly smile. His teeth were all visible, while his eyes were closed, making for an abnormally horrific sight, as while his smile was abnormally wide, his flesh was constantly twitching and contorting, causing him to appear as some manner of aberrant monster, for he was slowly, but surely no longer resembling a normal human, as more and more, he was inkling towards something else with every passing moment or day in which he was cultivating.

"His cells are in a delirium state, as such the structure of his body is destabilising. But the smile---. I am not sure why he is smiling. However, right now, he should be in a trance-like sleeping state, which should make him lose control, over any functions of his body."

"This is---, this is bizarre, but I sense a fate---, a fate full of danger from him?"

"Danger? From the kid? In the future, he will be dangerous even to us no doubt. After all, it would all be in vain if he can not reach and surpass our limit. But now, what can he do?"

"No---! I sense the danger right now."

"Now?!"

"Yes."

"I see. You are becoming a bigger idiot with every day you live. Even if he is my masterpiece, even if we had used the last of energy we had, he is nowhere near us, even now as we are at the weakest state we had ever been."

"Hmmm---!? This is an odd fate. I can see it, yet can not sense it. But the danger is here."

"Bunch of nonsense. Your fate has never helped us so much anyway. Unreliable and erratic as always, so you are better off if you keep your blabbering for yourself, and allow the silence to look over my experiment."

"Mmhmmhmmm---, I hope you are right."

"Yes, yes. Shut it already!"

----------------------------------------

"---."

"------."

"---------."

"Stop---."

"---."

The room was dark, and the soft voice of a young man could be heard out of nowhere.

"Stop---!"

"------."

"Stop it---! Aha---, aha--, aha-!"

"---------."

But the voice did not stop exclaiming his one "stop" word, as with long intervals, the voice of the young man came to be heard over and over again. In the end, some luscious laughter came from the young man, without context as to the laughter he was softly blurting.

"I said stop! Damn, it! Give me back my money!!! Ah---, ahh---, ahhh---!"

"Thud!"

Nevertheless, after some more time, the words came to be phrased into a sentence. But at the end of said sentence, the panicky voice of the young man was heard, after which, the loud crashing sound of something falling down with a loud thud reverberated through the dark room or enclosure that the speaker was in.

"Damn it! What the hell! My poor head! Where is the light---, the light--, the light-, here you are!"

As light, from the light stone of the room was lit, the young man was eventually seeable, and that said young man, was nonother than Hubert, who now only had his pants on him. Moreover, he was presently soothing his head with his hand, after having his small collision with the floor of the room.

"---."

"Hey! Adrian listen to---, what--, I have-, dreamt---------! My good dream turned out to be a ghastly one in the end."

But as Hubert rose from the ground, and as he was tending to a sore and aching spot on his head, he began to address Adrian, wanting to share the dream he had just had, before he would forget.

"---."

"Not that anyone would want to listen. Sigh---------!"

And yet, as he turned to look at the second bed of the room, all that he could see, was a neat and unused bed, deprived of anyone, which made him latch at his escaping words, for he was talking to himself while having forgotten the fact that he was alone in this two-bedroom dorm.

"Tsk! I forgot he is gone---."

"---."

"Damn it! I too, want to live with those kinds of conditions, not in this cramped shit hole."

"---."

"Well, time to prepare, since this is one of my only free days for a long while. So I better not waste time and make my move prematurely since luck is on my side. Time to make a run on this wave and make a fortune---. Sigh!" - [I just hope I still have some luck with me.]

But as Hubert looked at the empty bed in silence, bitterness and vexation reached and descended on him, as at the end of his small tirade, he let escape a small sigh, before moving to do his bed and clean himself. And so, with---."

"---."

"------."

"All checked! Missing nothing. Now time to see what kind of compensation has mister Wan left for me."

And so, with renewed spirit, Huber moved to change himself into his normal clothes, and with a grand sense of confidence over him, he proceeded to leave the guard's complex, mixing with the early vendors and early labouring citizens, who were always starting prematurely, in order to open the business day of the bustling city.

"---."

"------."

"---------."

Moving through the city, Hubert's early walk brought him in front of a building, which could be said to be rushing even from the early hours of the morning, with many people coming and going of the available window-protected attending seats, where numerous working young women could be seen, listening to the myriad of people which were not stopping, as more and more people were waiting to be heard, about whatever business they had.

"How may I help you, sir."

"Aham---! May I please know the limitation placed on this account?"

But after waiting for several instances, Hubert's turn was in line, as he moved and stood before one of the young women working, which treated him with a smile, that was all too masterful, and yet maybe due to the line of work she was in, it was evident that her smile was nothing more, than a skill learned through experience.

At the same time, with a smooth motion as the young woman was smiling, Hubert positioned before the woman two rectangular plates. One was black in colour, with no distinctive characteristic on it, while the second one was dark green with some writings on it, but most distinctively, a small portrait of Hubert's face, which stood out.

"Yes. Please wait for a moment to verify the identity, and the limitation on this sir's account."

"Mhmm."

"---."

"Sir Krur, I have concluded the assessment of identity and of the restrictions. The limit imposed on this account is of one rank 7 energy shard withdrawal per mouth. The restrictions state that if the holder is of an equal or higher cultivation, to rank 7, the restrictions will be raised to a higher rank. Does sir Krur, desire to raise the limit? We can have your rank checked with our administrative watcher."

"No, no. No need." - [How the hell can I raise my rank from 4 to 7 in a moment.]

"Then does sir Krur, require an overview of the balance of the account?"

"No. Just the monthly withdrawal will do." - [One rank 7 shard. That is---, ten shards of rank 6. I truly struck it rich, with that old man. My blessings and prayers to you, unknown mysterious old man.]

"Very well, just a moment please---."

"---."

"------."

"---------."

"------------."

"---------------."

"Alright!!!" - [Now time to make this one rank 7 shard into a rank 8 shard. With this great fortune on my back, I have survived the encounter with the old man, and the battle with the three hundred bandits, not that anyone of us had died. The motherfuckers who had tried to burn us, and those dammed snakes. My fair lady of luck is blessing me with a lengthy kiss, so it is time to ride this wave for as far as I can go!] - "Brrr---! It is getting a bit too cold, it is time to change my clothes from now on."

Presently, one could no longer say that it was still early morning, as after exiting the transactional agency with his rank 7 shard, Hubert then proceeded to move through the streets of Green City, walking in the southeast direction of the inner city.

But while the sun was shining brightly as it was climbing the east horizon, the temperature of the air was not warm at all, and it could be stated to be a tad bit cold, evident of the fact that winter was closing ever so near.

Though after walking for some time, Hubert came to a full stop before a rather reclusive place, as right now he was looking at a simple, but big and heavy door that was blocking the entrance for anyone who might desire to enter the nameless establishment.

"Sigh---! Time to enter." - "Sigh---! Time to enter."

"Huh!" - "Eh!"

"Who! What?" - "Who! What?"

However, while standing some distance away from the large door, Hubert let a soft sigh and a small commentary of encouragement to escape his mouth.

But to Hubert's absolute stupefaction, the same process was reiterated to his right at the same time as himself.

"Eh------------! Huh---------? Who are yo------?! General Observ---? No! Head Capt-!?"

Yet, as Hubert turned to look at the person who had mirrored his sigh, his words, his exclamation and his questions, he was only left in a more astounded and shocked state than the prior moment, as he began to blurt out loud, all the words that his brain was reaching at the moment.

"Shush---! Shush--!! Shush it down!!!" - [Huh! How the hell did I get caught already?!]

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

But as Hubert was blurting words out as though drops from a sudden downpour, the man moved to close his mouth, while in fear of having his identity revealed at large.

The man had fluffy hair and a strange large moustache above his lips, the cloth is some ordinary attire, which still made him stand out a bit. But despite his strange appearance, Hubert took no more than a moment of looking at this strange man, as after a few instances, with a few bends and turns of mental images in his head, the face of a distinct, and well know man rose in his head, even though as it all sounded absurd and strange for him, as the case of him being here, in front of him, in these articles---, clothing, or better said, disguised with this childish cover, sounded all too absurd to his mind.

"Do not declare my title out loud for all to hear! And how the hell did you recognise me? I pushed and moved around my facial muscles, my eyes and even my posture is not the proper one, so how did you see through me?"

"Ehhh!" - [It---, it is really him!]

Yet, to Hubert's surprise, the man clothed and disguised in this particular form was nonother than the man who stood atop the guard branch of Green City, the Head Captain of the guard branch, Edgar Hugh.

"Well, I might not be good at memorizing words---, but I am good with faces. - [This is not going to fool anyone, but---. Why did you admit your identity so readily---, what the hell is wrong with you!? Can you not create a falsehood in your defence for a few moments?!]

"I see." - [Shit!]

"---."

"---."

"---."

"---."

"Eh---, may I inquire as for what reasons---, is sir present--, in this place?" - [Ahhhh! This fucking, clumsy and awkward silence is killing me! I really want to run away.]

However, after their first two sentences, a long and silent stare ensued between the two men, as non of them knew how to react and speak to the other. Despite so, Hubert had to take the initiative as he knew this was an awkward situation for the man, and since there were many things to do, he could not postpone and wait any longer, as such, he began addressing the man immediately.

"No need to call me sir, "Will" will do." - [Good answer and solution, me.]

"Yes, I understand, "Will"." - [What the hell!!! Why are you shortening and taking the name of the second captain?! And---, why do you have a moustache similar to his as well, do you want to implicate him with something?! Am I going to get into trouble because of this? Fuck, I can already smell the troubles arriving here!!!]

"Well---------. As to why I am here, it is no problem of saying it, since it is a rather apparent and evident motive. And this simple motive is because, I am currently investigating, and mingling among the normal residents of the city." - [Yes! Perfect explanation, as expected of myself.]

"I see." - [What! How!! Why!!! You are standing with me before a gambling den, and you are telling me you want to mingle among the normal citizens? This place is visited only by ranked cultivators, so who are you trying to foo---, wait. Wait a moment!!!] - I see, I see, so it is an undercover investigation. Am I right, "Will"?"

"Yes, I see you seize my words fairly quickly." - [Sigh! He took it.]

"Then, please let this younger brother---, help brother "Will's" investigation."

"Eh! What---? This---, I am sorry, but this is not something that I can allow you to participate in." - [What are you---?]

"Do not worry brother "Will", for I will thread seas of fire and ice, for justice in uncovering the truth hidden by devils! I will follow you through this arduous task, so that you may not be alone in this long and perilous battle. With me at your side, this will be an assured victory."

"What!? Ehh---! It--, it is good that you are keen and enthusiastic about fighting wickedness, however---." [Why are you not backing down? Damn it, I should have chosen a normal bar.]

"Yes, my eagerness to fight injustice, is but merely my life-only obligation to uphold. So do not worry, for my well-being, for we must stride forward."

"Yes, I see. Righteous words, and a righteous soul." - [Damn it, what is going on! I should make him leave before something unexpected will occur.]

"However!"

With the two men, having started their back and forward conversation, one side was constantly on the losing side, since Huber appeared to have some design upon the disguised head Captain "Will", while at the same time, the man was unable to make Hubert back off, for he appeared intent of not leaving his side.

"However?"

"However! I am afraid I can not accompany "Will" for a very long time, for my own funds are very lacking, to fight this taxing battle. A heroic endeavour to retell tales from, no doubt."

"Eh!" - [What the fuck! What the hell is this? You little bastard!! Are you blackmailing me? Fuck, who the fuck are you? Damn it, my luck sure is disastrous to run into the only idiot, who is stupid enough to take me on.]- "Aham---! I see. Then may I require this honourable brother's name?"

"Hubert Krur. A simple man, with the spirit to fight the evil and injustice of the world."

"Hubert---, Krur!? I see, I see. I can not overlook this opportunity, so---, we shall go together then, united in this cause. As for the funds for this war, I will provide them to you." - [This one is a charlatan and an idiot, but maybe I can use him. Yes, a distraction to avoid falling eyes on me, he will be a useful diversion in any case. But---, is he not one of those who got into the second division recently!?]

With the back and forward between the two of them, Hubert persisted in his lavish words to ensnare the head Captain "Will" in his blackmailing plot.

Nevertheless, on the opposite side, the man was contemporaneously thinking of how to reverse this little ploy of the youngster before him, while opting to use him for his own usefulness.

"Here---. Take this, and follow me on this undercover expedition."

"This---! Aham! I will definitely follow brother "Will", with this hazardous endeavour." - [Three rank 8, energy shards! He just pulled them like that. I should---, no, no, I should tread lightly, as he already appears to be nearing his limit in his suspicion and unsavoriness of me.] - "Then, let us enter this den of devils, brother "Will"."

To Hubert's delight, the man had no hesitation in handing out three energy shards, the size of a baby's pinky, placing them right into the hand of the yerning Hubert, who was trying his best to keep his excitement at bay.

"Follow me. For now, we will act as friends, you just have to play along with me and we will be fine." - [Alright, this way I can hide nicely, and have at the same time a portable fail-safe insurance, to back me up as well. Good hasty plan, me.]

"Yes, that was what I was about to say as well." - [Time to gamble with someone else's wealth!]

"---."

"------."

"---------."

"Alright! Time for some drinks before we do anything else."

"I was about to say the same, brother "Will"."

"Man, I will have a shot of cold sun spirit. What will you have "brother"?"

As the two men entered the establishment, they were instantly treated by a long and extensive counter table, where a dozen or so men and women were drinking and chatting with one another, giving the place a spirited ambience.

Though as they fully entered the place and the larger door close behind them, the ambience in their eye changed abruptly, as from the almost middle of the day which stood outside, the two of them were having the impression of entering an all-round endless night since there were no windows to illuminate the place, and given the low and weak red and blue light stones of the place, the feeling of nighttime was pronounced on both of their minds.

This was why, upon their immediate entrance, the two of them had the helpless feeling of needing to drink, as though having just ended, a remarkably difficult work day.

"I will just have a cold green ale, and some small bite to go along with it, and---,"

"Coming right up, in just a moment these two si---."

"---, and one of the stronger spirits you have, some wine and some cherry liquor as well."

"Yes, in a few moments, I will provide everything, sir."

"---."

"Fuaaahhh---! This feeling. It has been some time."

"As well, as well! It has been some time since I have drunk in this manner. Still, brother Hubert are you alright drinking this much?"

Without waiting long, Hubert and "Will" were promptly served by the bartender, and began to drink while taking an instant to savour and relish the moment, allowing this instance to be imprinted in their minds, as though having searched and worked for this point, their entire lives.

But to "Will's" stupefaction, the wide and strange selection which Hubert had, prompted him to look at the fellow next to him with a raised eyebrow, for this was already making him doubt if he would be of any use, in case he were to fall down intoxicated after just this round.

"No problem, just this much stand's nowhere near my threshold limit."

"---------."

"------."

"---."

"Odd."

"Twenty-eight."

"Odd."

"Even."

"Even."

"Please roll."

"Come, my haven."

"---."

"------."

"Number twenty-nine, odd number. The hand wins the round and will receive half of number twenty-eight's pool, and one-fourth of the pool from all even numbers, odd numbers are safe."

"Argh---, damn it!"

"Shit!"

"Told you so. You should have been odd, this bastard has a strange throw which lands on odd numbers."

"Indeed. But also close."

"Fuuuck."

"Keep the energy shards coming."

----------------------------------------

"Odd! Even! What it will be! Chose now or jump the round! Up to you! Up to you!"

"Odd!"

"Go odd!"

"Odd damn it!"

"Even."

"---."

----------------------------------------

"And the colour is---, black!"

"Oh shit!"

"Ah! Tsk! Son of a bitch! Not again!

"Black! Take this you two fuckers! Now, who is the fucking loser!"

"Still you, you old decrepit fuck! You have had two wins, after eight losses, so do not carry your head into the clouds so readily."

"---."

"------."

"---------."

But while Hubert and "Will" were drinking and enjoying their momentary peace in savouring their alcoholics, sounds of curses, swearing, joy and satisfaction reached their ears, as several meters from them, on the other half side of the establishment, at several tables which were being used as stages for weird games, men and women, stood competing with one another with energy shards as collateral for their gambles.

In one of the closes tables, the one which appeared to have the most relaxed and least intense players, five men were playing a strange game, in which one of the five held six dice in his hand, as in the next moment he threw them all at the same time, resulting in the number twenty-nine, after which, the young lady at the table who was operating as the enforcer of fairness and authority of the game, had one of the men forfeit half of what he had played in the round, while two other men lost only one-fourth of their pool played in the match, as for the remaining two others, they appeared to be exempt from any loss as their round pool was not touched by "the hand" which was the player who had rolled the six dices.

At another table, the game appeared to be played, by choosing an odd or even number, as three dices were launched by the woman conducting and enforcing the rules of the game. At the same time, she was encouraging and promoting the men to choose or forgo the game entirely, designing a sense of urgency so that more and more capital was being moved through the rounds of the game.

On a different table, several men were playing a game with a spinning disc, where ten repositories of ten different colours were being chosen and picked by the men, after which a round marble would be tossed and ultimately land and remain on one of the colours. These ten colours were comprised of the seven colours of the rainbow, alongside black, grey and white.

As for the women present in the establishment, it could be said that they were abiding at the side of the table in "aiding" or "playing" the said games alongside the men. Playing, in the sense that they were acting as the fairness enforcer of the games, or aiding as escorts to the men by the side, in encouraging them to spend their funds as faster as they could, by buying more expensive drinks or suggesting playing more aggressively, as they could be seen whispering seductively into their ears, from time and time.

But regarding the men who were playing, at first sight, the majority of them were eighter old, middle age or about to reach that phase in their life. As to what they were doing by playing, it could not be more obvious from just looking at their focused gazes on the games at hand or the lecherous peeks at the women who were attending them while playing.

However, not all the men who were currently inside the establishment stood at a table playing, as several tall and broadly built men dressed in black, were on the outlook towards the customers that were more spirited and more outspoken in their words and body language, due to that, they were always readying themselves to intervene, in case the situation were to become dangerous for any of the fellow employees.

And yet if one was attentive, in the remote corner of the place, a man dressed in the same attire as the other men could be spotted as well, although, his build could be said to be more normal and of no particular distinction. But while the rest of them were slowly patrolling and watching the conditions ubiquitously, said man, had his eyes closed, his cheek cupped with his right hand and with his left hand brought to his mouth, as he appeared attempting to eat or inhale something from his hand, as his chest was inflating and deflating at frequent intervals.

"---."

"------."

"Hmm! Brother Hubert, should we---?"

But as the commotion from the other half of the establishment was reaching the end of the other part, "Will" who was currently drinking next to Huber turned his head towards the fuss, scanning the various game tables as though an eagle planning his strike on a prey. With an idea of what he wanted to accomplish subsequently, the man initiated to address Hubert, while pointing and nodding with his chin and with his eyes, the following location they were supposed to move.

"I guess it is time, now that I am slightly tipsy. The perfect moment to throw ourselves into the river of chance."

On the other hand, Hubert was having his time of the day, while savouring the many different varieties of alcoholic beverages, which stood before him.

"I do not oppose that view of yours, but I still want to grasp my luck with my two hands if possible." - [It is not like I do not want to go wild, but I can not make a bloody scene.]

"Brother "Will". That would not be fun if there was no irrational and unreasonable luck to rub in our faces for our losses. It is all because we have no control, yet we hope for a miracle, that gives us the greatest feeling in a gamble. Anyway, let us go, and see what we can achieve today."

"I guess you---, no, no, as you say, brother Hubert." - [You punk, you are already half drunk. Just do not make a stormy stage for me, otherwise, I will leave you in a heart bit.] - "Sorry! Can we---, ah! Brother Hubert! Wait."

"What?!"

With the two of them talking with one another, their next move was set in stone and ready to be put into action, but while "Will" was about to speak to the bartender, Hubert, in hand with his glass of wine, took his exit from the counter table of the bar and begin moving towards one of the tables.

Nevertheless, Hubert could not make more than six steps, because as he was about to take his seventh, a hand gripped his shoulder, and stopped him in place.

"Brother "Will"? What is it?!"

"Wait a moment."

"Yes, with what may I help you sir?"

"Ah! Yes, please continue sending what we have ordered to our table."

"But of course sir."

"Brother "Will", why have you stopped me?!"- [Fuck! This guy who does not appear as even half of a leader, is---, no wonder, he is the head Captain. This grasp is no fucking joke, or is this the difference between me and him? How fucking strong are you---, and--, do you want to crush my shoulder or what? Let go of me already.] - "Brother "Will", my shoulder!"

"Ahh! Sorry, I was not careful."

With "Will" having stopped Hubert from moving on its own, the bartender whom he had just reached for, answered his call, as he gave his simple request for more quenchers to be sent their way.

But while "Will" was talking with the man, Hubert who was in his hold, became instantly awake from his momentary tipsiness, since the strength in the grasp fell out of control, and was becoming quite painful.

"I already have in mind, what we should be playing at."

"Hmm? Alright, I will follow you."

"Come." - [Did I not say that earlier, what are you doing getting drunk and moving on your own?]

"---."

"Thirty-six Havens?!"

"Yes."

"Alright then."

"---."

"---."

"These elder brothers! Can we join in the fun?"

After moving away from the bar, "Will" and Hubert moved towards one of the closest tables, where the five players were playing the game with six dices. Although, right now there were only four, as one of the five-player had just departed, leaving his seat and the one next to his, opened and empty.

"Ho---, hoo--, hoo-, new faces which I have not seen! So, come on in, come on in, do not be shy. If you want to enter, just do so, no one will push you out."

"You punks, if you want to enter, you better have some energy shards with you."

"You bastards. Do not scare them, otherwise, who am I supposed to squeeze out clean?"

As they reached the table of the four old men who were currently playing, they were immediately greeted, although, it appeared more like they were about to get the initiation of some small community of delinquents, as the four men express different personalities of character, in order to see and understand the two of them by their reaction to the greetings they made.

"These two sirs. Do you wish to join the game?"

Although, the table harboured one more person other than just the four old men who were currently staying in pairs of two at the sides and looking at them, as right after the treating of the men, on the opposite side of the table, facing "Will" and Hubert, stood a young woman with short hair, seated on a chair distinct from all others, as she was the overseer of the game, which the men were playing.

"Yes."

"Then how much the two sirs desire to set as a pool?"

"Hmmm---." - [Well this much would not be a problem.]

"Two rank 8, energy shards." - [Two out of the three. Hmm---, what should I play after this.]

At the young woman's question, "Will" who was about to take the chair and seat himself, put two fingers on the table while glancing at Hubert, instructing him on how much they could go for the game, as such, it was Hubert who spoke for the two of them.

"Very well, in that case, the house will reduce the two rank 8 shardes, into eighteen rank 7 shards for each one of the two sirs."

With two shards placed on the table by both of them, the woman accepted the four small crystals and in return gave nearly two dozen to each of them, as by looking at the four other men at the table, it could be seen, that any one of them had dozens upon dozens of them, in particular, were two of the men which had more than a hundred of said rank 7 shards.

"Now! This young brother with long hair, do you want to begin?"

"I might as well start. One rank 7 shard, to begin my first round."

"Alright. Then odd."

"Sigh---, odd."

"If that is the way---, I go odd as well."

"Mmm---, twenty."

"Even."

"---."

"Here sir."

"Much appreciated."

After Hubert accepted to be the hand for the first round, three out of the four men made their choice of "odd" while the fourth had its choice of the number "twenty". As for "Will", the words "even" was all that escaped his mouth, while a young servant girl came caring tray with the refreshments which he had ordered to be carried to the table.

"Please take the dices, sir."

"I thank you. And---, here I--, go! Give me the Haven han-! Hoooo---!!!"

"---."

"------."

"The hand has reached eighteen, even number. Number twenty will lose all of the round pool to the hand, odd numbers will forfeit one-fourth of the pool to the hand."

"Half of Haven's hand. Meh---, still acceptable!"

Hubert's roll of the six dices as the hand of the round, came to reach a total sum of eighteen when all the dices stopped rolling at the center of the table, which came bringing him one and three-fourths of a rank 7 shards to his overall pool.

"Tsk!"

"Beginners luck, nothing more."

"I should have gone even and not odd with the two of you."

"Hmmm---, close."

"Good thing I did not proceed with the flow." - [Huuu---, I am still as good as I was.]

Having escaped the onslaught which Habert had just initiated, "Will" gave himself a mental patting on his shoulder from avoiding it, as it could be said to have been quite a number of years since he had played the game, making him feel the trepidation of nearly having his game pool cut away at any point during the rounds of the game.

"Tsk! You, youngsters, have yet to see a true expert. So prepare yourself to run away in tears."

"I really want to see that old man."

"Little bastard, I am forty, not sixty, do not place me with the old farts here."

"Oy! Who are you calling an old fart!!!"

"Shut up you old fool, and put out two rank 7 shards for the round. Time to see if his luck run away after one move."

"Bring it on, you dastardly foul-mouth thing. I too what to see that, odd."

"Even."

"This is going to be tragic. Even."

"Twenty-two."

"Even."

"---."

"------."

"---------."

"Fuck! Not again!"

"Do not worry my handsome. Now this is your moment to get back at them!"

But just as one of the old men had said, the situation to follow after Hubert's first win was very tragic, as not only Hubert, but the man who had started a battle against him had their pool decrease piece by piece, even as they were all playing it safe, by selecting odd or even, in order to avoid a full loss.

On the other hand, one of the old men and "Will" seemed to be at an impasse as their pool was fluctuating between a low point to a high point, not moving anywhere given their equal wins and losses.

However, that could not be said about the man who had predicted the tragedy and of the old man who was always choosing a number. The two of them had very different strategies, as "the tragedy old man" was always putting quite the pool for any round in which he had to roll the dices, and thriving in a large number of wins with barely any losses. As for "the number old man", his almost master-like accuracy before any roll, made him seem akin to a diviner who could see the future of the dices, for which Hubert and the others lost quite the numbers of rounds.

"Time to make a comeback! Time to make a damn comeback!! I will now make a comeback stronger than ever before!!! The time has come!!! Ten rank 7 shards, on this round!!!"

"Aha---, aha--, aha-, daring and determine, go handsome!!!"

"Brother Hubert I think you should rethink---, giving your pool!" - [Fuck! This punk is drunk and at this rate, he will lose all I have given him not to mention---.]

"Go for the big win right!"

"Yes! It is already decided. I will win big!"

"Decrease the pool, or else you might go home empty-handed." - [Damn it! This punk and this wench. This little bastard is not only weak to alcohol, but women as well. Shit! After this, I will make sure to beat the hell out of you until you will sober up, you idiot!]

"Do not worry brother, for this is going to be a definite victory---, for me!"

But as they continued to play, Hubert and "Will" were at some point accosted by the courtesans of the place, and since Hubert did not refuse her staying, his pool had begun to lower at a regular pace after she had initiated her whispers to his ear, which had been the exact point of his slow downfall with more risky and bold moves during his hand, resulting in his pool lowering over a small number of rounds.

On the other hand, "Will" who was just a tad bit tipsy from the drinks, had declined the advances made by another woman that tried to approach him as well.

And so, the current situation was unfolding, with Hubert putting almost everything on the line, while only one last rank 7 shard was in his pool, after placing ten rank 7 shards up for the round in which he was the hand of the round.

Although, if one were to look at the smiling woman next to Hubert, it could be seen that her smile was one of true happiness, since this could be said to be a bonus for her day, for she was paid a portion of what the house was making while having the energy shards being played and moved, as from the wins of the player, a certain percentage tax was required to be paid towards the house, given their role as the enforcer of fairness and abidance to the rules during the game.

"Ho---, ho--, ho! I see confidence. And if that is so, I will go with you and match your pool. Odd."

"Odd."

"Rash, this is too rash. But you are still young so a loss is still affordable, odd!"

"Thirty-five."

"Huh! Thirty-five!?"

"Tsk! Even" - [Fuck! Fuck! I have to enter. Please be even, and make win this. Though---, why did that fellow choose thirty-five.]

"I am sorry to interrupt you, but can you explain to me how this game works?"

"---."

"Huh? I do not have the time, nor am I interested in any company. And---, are you not working here? How is it that you do not know the game." - [If you want to come to me and then get me, choose a more believable strategy.]

But as the scene was heating up from Hubert's impulsive bet, "Will" who was now hoping for things to not end so soon, was accosted by another woman, as a soft and youthful voice came from his behind, which made the speaker unknown to his sight. Although, the dainty hand that touched, and then caressed his left shoulder, informed him that it should be one of the young women that were working as courtesan performers, for this gambling house.

"Actually---, I am not working here so---."

"You are not? What are yo---? Oyyy, what are you doing---!!!"

"Here I go! Time to win big!! Show me the Haven's Hand!!!"

"---."

"---!"

"---!!"

"---!!!"

"Noooo!!!"

"Aha---! Aha--, aha-!! Aha---, ha--, aha-!!! What did I tell you brother "Will", my win has been predestined, written inside the river of time and destiny."

"Fuckinng hell! Are my eyes fooling me?"

"No wonder you chose thirty-five."

"The gods have chosen him. This battle has been lost."

"Thirty-six! Haven's hand!! Congratulations to the hand, for winning all the pools in this round."

Though despite all the worry that "Will" had for this risk which Hubert had taken, the unforeseen and unexpected outcome occurred, as all the six dices stopped their movement while each and every one of them had the upward face on the number six, giving the highest hand possible for the game, and making Hubert the absolute winner, and taking all the pools for this round, including "Will's", who had to forfeit his pool for the round, despite having chosen even as his safeguard.

"Aha---, aha--, aha--, ha--, aha--, ha-, I knew that my chosen handsome could do it."

"Indeed! I have drawn the deities of luck to my side this time. Hey, brother "Will" take a look at thi---------, eh! Oh fuck!" - [Not my problem! This is not my issue!! Definitely, not of my concern!!!]

But amidst his full elation, after the most prominent win of his, Hubert who turned his head to glance at "Will", found himself dumbfounded at the sight which came crashing into his eyes.

Because, as of right now, "Will", the man who stood as the de facto leader of all the guards, in the massive city of Green, had his head leaned backwards on top of the backrest of the chair, while a woman had her bare feet plastered onto his face, which could be said to be nothing more than a massive humiliation for the man.

However while moving his gaze upon the woman, a terrifying fact downed on him, awakening Hubert from his stupor. Spurred to full wakefulness, all because the woman's gaze met his own.

For as in the short exchange of gazes, Hubert had the terrifying sensation of standing naked against a cold gale of a stormy wind. Though in truth, what he was worried about, was the identity and reputation of the woman, who had "Will" pinned down.

"---------."

"------."

"---."

"Actually---, I am not working here so---."

"You are not? What are yo---? Oyyy, what are you doing---!!!"

"Here I go! Time to win big!! Show me haven!!!"

But right before Hubert was about to make his roll of the six dices, "Will" continued to be pestered by the woman who had approached him from his back, as her hand moved from his shoulder onto his neck.

"I really want you to tell me how to play! And what is there to win from this?! Will you not tell me?"

But the hand which was supposed to caress and just tease him, became quite aggressive, as from his neck, the fingers of the woman moved under his chin, pushing up and making him look upwards.

"I do not know what game you want to play. But I am not interested at this moment, so can you---!" - "Stomp!"

"Noooo!!!"

"Aha---! Aha--, aha-!! Aha---, ha--, aha-!!! What did I tell you brother "Will", my win has been predestined, written inside the river of time and destiny."

"---."

With his head leaning backwards, "Will" was just about to pivot forward and look back at what was occurring at the table giving Hubert's throw in his drunkard state. But right as he was having his fill of the woman and of her games, a shadow or something moving fast came crashing onto his face caring quite the force, though it was nothing that could hurt him.

"Now you are just asking for it. If I refuse you, I refuse you. Why do have to just go and stomp my face like this? Move your foot away, or do not blame me if I will act with a tad bit more power and coarseness from now on." - [Hmmm---, this feeling. A thin leg. Soft and smooth skin to the touch. The voice definitely belongs to a woman and not a bastard. I sense no threat, or true power coming from her. Sigh---, I have no choice but to swallow back my anger, and resolve this without making a commotion. Although---, she is pretty fast, a high cultivator for sure.]

Although, after the foot came crashing into his face, "Will's" left-hand intercepted and caught with blinding speed, the calf of the leg which was on his face. And within a short and brief inspection, as though have it done multiple times prior to this, he was sure the culprit was a woman and not a man. Which made him cool down any rising anger he was experiencing at the moment.

"---."

"Thirty-six! Haven's hand!! Congratulations to the hand, for winning all the pools in this round."

"---."

"Is that so?"

"Wha---!" - [This voice!!!]

But everything came to an end, as the youthful voice of the woman behind him, altered to a more mature and numb tone, a voice which "Will" knew all too well, for once he heard the three words which came from the woman, the blood on his face sprinted away becoming pale as a ghost for a brief moment, though an animal who had been drained of blood, ready to be cooked.

"Aha---, aha--, aha--, ha--, aha--, ha-, I knew that my chosen handsome could do it."

"Indeed! I have drawn the deities of luck to my side this time. Hey, brother "Will" take a look at thi---------, eh! Oh fuck!"

And so, returning at the juncture when Hubert peeked in their direction, at the strange scene of the man having his face under the foot of the woman.

After looking at the two of them for a moment, and then at the woman, Hubert turned his head back almost instantly, gripping the armrest of the chair in anxiety, for he did not want to be considered as a companion to the Head Captain at this moment because the man seemed to be already done for.

"R-r-is---!" - [Oh fuck! Shit!! Hell!!! Why the fu---?! Quick, think of something smart to say, me!!!]

"Madam."

"Indeed, it is right. I am your wife "Riza". Care to explain what are you doing here?"

"That. You see---! There is no need to ahhh---! What are you doin------!!!"

"Crash!" - "Thump!"

However as "Will" was about to say his words of pardon to the demoness which had him under her foot, the force of the foot on his face grew, until he was pushed backwards, falling alongside the chair while still under the woman's foot, until he and the chair crashed on the floor of the place.

"Madam!"

"You---! This is really starting to annoy me. If you kee---, eh? White! I see, it is surprising, but I understand."

"Stomp!"

"What did you say?!"

"Arghhh---, stop, stop, stop! My mistake! I have said absolutely nothing! Absolutely nothing!"

But while being with his back on the chair and the chair on the floor, moreover due to the fact that the sole of the foot could only cover so much of his face, his line of sight was involuntarily directed underneath the skirt of the woman, from which the word "white" came to be blurted spontaneously, which had the consequence of having his face bashed and stomped heavily, in the woman's anger.

"What did you see?!"

"Madam!!"

"Nothing, nothing! I have seen absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing!" - [You irrational snake woman! It is not me who caused this stir to begin with, so why am I in this bloody situation?!]

"Madam!!!

"What?!"

However, due to all the commotion caused by the two of them, the young lady who was overseeing the game at the table, called Risa several times before she took notice of her.

For right now, the both of them, "Will" and "Riza" came to be, the centre of attention in the gambling house. And this could be said to be a problem for the establishment itself.

And at this moment, the men in black who were supposed to safeguard the dwelling, were moving closer and closer to the two of them, while from the corner of the place, the lone man dressed in the same attire, opened one eye to glance at the two of them, scrutinizing the man and the woman that were causing the noisy ruckus.

"Madam! I will have to politely ask you to stop your harassment of our clien---, guest. For we do not tolerate such conduct in our establishment. As such please follow our staff outside of our building. And to this sir, is this an inconvenience to your continuation of the game?"

"No, there is no problem here!" - [Damn it, Risa, are you trying to get the both of us in trouble!?]

"Hmph! My husband knows his place. And I---! I know how to leave this place by myself, no need to waste your time with us. But first---!"

"Hey! What are you doing?

"Eh---! What---? No! No! I am innocent! I do not know you---! Stop!" - [Oh no---! Oh please no--! Oh no-! Not now, I beg you!!!"]

Following all of this, while being questioned by the woman seated at the game table, vice-head captain Risa who now had her foot on the face of the disguised Head Captain "Will", turned to her left, and moved her left hand forward, pushing away the young woman next to Hubert, and then catching him by the back of his collar dragging him out of his seat and right next to her, with the force which Hubert could not begin to oppose, despite her slim and weak looking body.

"I---, I--, I-, I do not---, I do not know you! What do you want from me?" - [Let me go, damn it! It is the head Captain who you want, not me!]

"The scourge who had tempted my husband!"

Standing face to face with her, Hubert took his second look at her, confirming that she was just like the head Captain, disguised as to not reveal her true identity.

As for at first sight, a simple look was enough to identify her, placing him in quite the tragedy. Because the woman before him was nonother than the infamous vice-head captain Risa Lui Philidor, the woman who would not hesitate to bully or beat others in such a manner that one could not even make a complaint against her.

And now he was been held by her, though a child was being held by his mother right before a scolding was about to happen.

"What!?! No! This is a big miss understanding." - [I did not! I just met him and he even bribed me to go along with him, I am innocent. It is not my fault!]

"Madam! I am sorry, but now I will have to impose on you to leave our establishment. And I firmly advise you to release, these two customers."

But after Risa grasped Hubert as well, the man in black seated at the corner was forced to move, now only six steps away from them. But by the look on his face, he did not truly desire to deal with the situation unfolding at the moment, because to him, all of this seemed to be nothing more than a couple's squabble, which did not merit a strong use of force by him.

"Hmph! I am leaving! No need to escort me!"

"These two sirs---? Very well."

Yet, as the man in black had just arrived before them, Risa did not even turn to look at the man, talking while moving and turning her body with Hubert in toe, and then grasping the collar of "Will", who seemed to have given up, accepting his own fate.

To her move, the man in black addressed the two men at her mercy, as in return, "Will" made a gesture of opening his hands, expressing his powerlessness, while conveying that nothing could be done.

On the other hand, Hubert was rather frantic and pale, as he looked at the sixty rank 7 energy shards he had won on with his hand.

"I will come back---, wait for me! Miss of the house, keep them till I will come back here!"

Frantic or not, Hubert had to protect his wins no matter what. But right now, he had to find a way to escape from the woman's grasp and return to the game. And endeavour which appeared impossible, as the somewhat feeble-looking woman appeared to be a monster while she was dragging both him and the head Captain, though tugging some giant stuffed dolls.

"Verry well. The house will bank the wins till these sirs will return. However, these two sirs must return within the time frame of three days, or else it will be considered as having forfeited the game, and the wins will be returned to the remaining players."

----------------------------------------

"---------."

"------."

"---."

After exiting the gambling den, Risa, who was holding the two fellows, assumed a sprinting position and initiated to run amidst the secondary roads and the alleys of the city, avoiding the main ones.

But nonetheless, stares occasionally fell on them, for this was a rather odd thing, for as she was fast-walking, in her grip, two adult men were being carried akin to listless criminals to the execution gallow, attracting the eyes of many, even as she was trying to be inconspicuous about the whole ordeal.

"I think this place will suffice."

Nevertheless, after walking some distance from the south-west part of the inner city, and arriving closer to its centre, in the direction of the guard complex, head Captain Edgar, still disguised as "Will", retrieve his courage to speak, since the back of his ankles were starting to irritate him after he was dragged as a sack for more than a thousand meters or so above the hard stones of the city.

"This place---, it is adequately remote from the gambling house and it is somewhat secluded, you can sto---!"

"Hmpf! Now time to speak."

"Ouch! Do not just drop me, like I am a sack of potatoes."

"Eh?"

But as they came to a more reclusive and less trafficked alley, Risa gave a cold "harumph", at the same time she released the men from her grip and onto the hard stones, which made Edgar give a small yelp of discomfort.

"What is this?!"

And yet, something else startled Risa. For there was only one sole sound of pain after releasing her hands, which came only from her right, the hand she was using in clutching Edgar's collar, as with her left, she was holding the other young man, whom she remembered a thing or two, since she had seen him in some of the files regarding the promotions of the second division.

"Ha---, aha--, ha-, ha, if you are wondering, then stop. That punk escaped. But I am more surprised at yo---!" - [Aham---, better not provoke her. But how did you not feel the fact that an entire human being escaped from your hand? Indeed, an abnormal snake woman is hard to understand.]

"---."

"It is useless even if you glare at me like that."

It was as such, for the problem came with the fact, that from her left, no sound came to her ear. Moreover, as she was releasing her hand grip, something stuck to her fingers. As she brought her hand close, to see and inspect what it was, she ended up frowning her eyebrows in bafflement, while looking at her hand, because to her surprise, the flannel that the young man had on himself at the time that she had grasped him, was in her hand, empty of said young man.

"Sigh! Do not stress over him, as he appears to be the slippery kind."

"Tsk! Who said I am stressing over some idiotic little guard? Although he will not get away so easily."

While getting on his feet, Edgar kept his composure, comforting her, as though nothing has ever happened, even after being dragged across one-tenth of the city's span.

But in response to his comments, Risa who turned to look at him, gave him a clink of her tongue in annoyance, appearing a bit furious over the fact that she lost the small scoundrel. However, right now she had to deal with the big fish before her.

"Aha---, aha--, aha-, as you say." - [What are you saying when you are already incensed?! And you are already declaring your vendetta against that fellow. All right, time to swim.] - "Calm down, calm down! This is all according to my necessities, I am most definitely not trying to run away."

But, while trying to lighten the air between himself and her, Edgar received another glare in return. However, this time, her glare appeared more like a demanding gaze from an inquisitor.

However, the demanding glare from the woman did not vanish, and only intensified, as her anger was visibly growing by the moment, even as he started to explain himself.

"Alright, alright! I was there to have some fun. And I just so happened to meet that fell---!"

"Snif!?" - "Snif!!"

"Eh! What are you doing?" - [Culd it be?]

Though while striving to present his justification, Risa who was still glaring at him, change her countenance, as all of a sudden, she appeared to sense something from him, which made her approach him up close, and begin to sniff him. An action which made Edgar stiffen and stopped his breathing for a few moments, until she moved back and ceased her sensorial inspection.

"If you are worrying about the fact that I have drunk---, just know that everything has been nothing but weak and light beverages, not enough to get me drunk."

"I smell the perfume of a woman?"

"Huh? Well---, that may be from the courtesans of the place who had tried to fish me as well. But---!" - [What is going on?]

" "Fish me as well?" "

The jump of the topic was strange, as from Edgar's perspective, Risa was becoming more and more angered as well as sombre looking.

"You have seen-, them--, right---?." - [Wait. Why am I being interrogated, like I am some kind of a criminal?]

"---."

"---!"

"---?!"

"Are you going to say something or is this a staring contest?" - [This is getting to prolonged of a face-off against her, time to leave this place. I can already feel some trying to eye us already.]

But as time passed, a silent stare took place between the man and the woman, as one was eyeing the other with a kind of an aggrieved and furious glare, while the other was a little confused about the whole situation, not fully wrap his head around what was going on the others mind.

"Sigh---! If you want to say nothing, that is alright. But you have to remember the time and place of things---, for it is the time to cool down."

With nothing much to go about, since Risa was giving him a cold and silent opposition, Edgar who had been easygoing about the overall situation, took a step onwards, approaching her by his own volition.

But upon the first step he took, Risa was forced to drop all of her current thoughts and ideas, for as Edgar took that first step, she had the real sensation of founding herself in a life-threatening danger that came without any warning, forcing her to stay still for a few moments, time in which Edgar approach her close, coming face to face with her, and giving her the look which she would rarely see on him. For right now, the out-of-the-ordinary calmness, and stability in his demeanour was the one he would put only when he was about to relinquish any form of pleasantry and politeness.

"Now listen carefully. I do not know what you are trying to do since you do not wish to say it---. But if you think I am so kind to let your actions slide so easily, you are wrong. In the first place, this is supposed to be the only day of freedom which I have. I can understand you wanting to stop me from doing something idiotic. But your way of going and doing things---, well--, this is simply not acceptable." - [Is that what I want to say? Mmm---, this does not sound as I had it in my mind a second ago.]

"I---, I--, I-, did it so, because you---."

"What?! What did you say?" - [Mmm---, looks like we need to leave this place as soon as possible. And why are you acting all docile and meek right now? You are making me look as though I am the bad guy.]

In approaching her, Risa who stood just a step away from Edgar, moved her gaze downwards, after having had her glare broken down by his intimidation.

Yet her response to him was almost inaudible and unclear to his ear, for at the same time, his attention was directed on his surrounding, from where he could feel someone trying to spy on them and ascertain their identities.

"If you wanted me out of that gambling house you could have just approached me-, more--, easily---?!" - [Wait---, she did that.] - "Well you understand what I am trying to say---, right? Anyway, time to leave."

Having lost his patients and the fact that right now someone was looking at them from the corner of the alley, Edgar was forced to take Risa by her hand as they started to storm out of the alley, in the direction of the guard's headquarters while also doing what he could to lose the annoying eyes tailing them.

"We will take the corner to the right, when we do that, change and take out your disguise, then we will mix among the pedestrians. Stay close to me and match my pace."

But after several turns of left and right among the secondary streets and alleys, the two of them arrived at one of the main busy roads where they took out their disguise in which they had covered their facial characteristics, after which, they meld amount the people who were moving around the active road.

As such, Edgar, who was on alert for the annoying eyes that were on them, felt its disappearance, or rather its shortcoming when having to contend against them in the speed of action.

"---."

"Phew---! Now we are safe from that annoying eyesore."

After moving for a while, the two of them stopped in another less traffic back alley, where Edgar gave a short respite of success. Since he did not desire to create some unforeseen nuisance, by confronting the idiot that was following them.

"Now, where was I?! Yes---, your behaviour."

Though despite the momentary lax in his attitude, Edgar was prompt to return to the state of utter callousness from a moment ago, as he face Risa one more time, causing the young woman to lower her head down once again avoiding his eyes.

"Well---, leaving your behaviour aside. Who do you stand with, your family, the guards or with me?"

"What? Why are you asking---!?"

However, at his words, every single emotion which Risa had at the moment was blown away, as she raised her head to look at him in surprise. But, to her very own shock, he was no more than two steps away from her, looking keenly at her eyes and face, almost as if he wanted to see her bare of all lies and pretences, and yet his words were said softly and in such a way that only her could hear, letting no sound to slip away from them.

"I may be an idiot most of the time, but I am not so stupid to not notice the changes in the city that I am supposed to look after. Both your family and the Endels are acting normal on the surface, but I can see some irregular movement under the surface by both of them. So I will ask you again, with whom do you stand?"

"I---. I stand with you. And if you want to know, I can already tell you, that I do not know what my family is doing. If you do not trust me that is alright, because I will trust you instead, Edgar."

In response to the out-of-the-ordinary seriousness that he was giving her, Risa confronted him face to face, while maintaining her calmness and answering him with her sincerity.

"Eh! Tsk---!" - [Damn it, this woman.] - "Sigh---, if that is so then alright, I will not ask anymore, but if you really wanted to know why have I done this, then you got half of your answer. Now let us turn back."

"Half---, of the reason?"

But their stop in this alley was short as well, as they took the main street, and walked side by side towards the guard's complex while talking with each other while using subtle words which were directed only at one another.

"Indeed that is so. I need to readjust my mindset, so I thought of doing something that I have not done in a long time."

"You! Are you ready to---?"

"Yes, I have been stuck for far too long."

"Are you going to the Lonely Mountain?"

"Correct. I have already informed the old folk of the branch and the military. Two days from now, I am going to enter seclusion for my ascension."

"Then, as the Head Captain? Will I---?"

"I do not know. The old folk will want eighter you, or the oddball that is the second Captain, though I know they still do not like him. But then again, the old fart is still here, so he might be reinstated temporarily as the head Captain until I will return."

"Why did you not tell me sooner."

"I was about to tell you the day after, but now that we are here, I might as well come out, and tell you now."

"Then---. Then come back as soon as possible."

"No problem. For as I am right now, a few days should suffice."

Although, as they were walking, none of the previous tensions or strangeness remained between them. However if one was to compare them from when they would act as head Captain and vice-head Captain and now, a discrepancy would immediately arise to any observant eye.

----------------------------------------

"I am back!"

"Handsome! I knew you would come back!"

Though while Risa and Edgar were approaching the guard branch at a steady pace, Hubert who had been lost by Risa was once again in the gambling house, at the table of the four old men.

"Just a minor inconvenience."

"Welcome back sir."

"Yes, aham---! Brother "Will" had let his pool be added to mine, so---."

"Mmm---?! Very well, since this sir is assuming responsibility over the other sir's game pool, the house will "clean its hands" due to the "unforeseen" incident."

Despite the fact that the young lady did not trust his words and pushed all potential responsibility on him, Hubert's words were in fact true.

For as he was being dragged and hauled like a sack of potatoes by the beast, in his desperation he had used all the flexibility he could perform and remove himself from the flannel which he was wrapped by. To his joy, he was successful in escaping that woman, but as he found himself on the ground, the head Captain who had his fate written in stone, made some hand gestures, telling him to accept the shards he had left in the game, and use it for himself, which prompted Hubert to salute the man, before it was no longer possible to see him after the woman took a turn and entered in a remote alley.

"Hoo---, brother Hubert, you returned rather soon, though---, why did you change your attire on your way here?"

But as one of the men was pointing out, Hubert's upper attire was different from what he had worn half an hour ago, which caused the men to be perplexed for a second, after which, they all looked at him as though a silly lamb had returned to the slaughterhouse to continue the fun which any smart person would avoid.

"Well a change of pace---, a change of pace."

In truth, after having escaped, he was left with just a thin undergarment over himself, as such, he was forced to find and enter the closest shop and cloth himself, after which he returned back to the gambling den, to continue his endeavour of riding his wave of fortune.

"Aha---, ha--, ha-, just a minor inconvenience on the way. Now let us return to the game as I can feel the luck goddess still shining upon me. Five rank 7 shards." - [You old fools, time to make me even more prosperous. Let me see who can stop me now?!]

"Well said! Take the dices, and toss your hand again, if you are not afraid. Even."

"Aha, ha, aha---! Enough chattering and more rolling, please! Even."

"Lamentable. Ignorance of the young. Odd."

"Thirteen."

Upon his return, the men did not wait and immediately call him to play with his hands as fast as possible. But even as Hubert knew what were their intentions, he held no cautiousness now that "Will" was not near him.

"---."

"------."

"---------."

"Tsk! Damn it."

"Do not worry brother. You still have much more to play?"

"---."

"------."

"Fuck how is this possible!"

"Ay---, ya--, ya-, ayaya-! Brother, I am afraid your luck is running dry with every blink of your eye. So you better go strong while you still can."

"---."

"Damn it!? This one is my final move. Ten ranks 7 shards!!!"

"Then let us go, till the very end! Odd."

"Aha---, ha--, aha-, brother Hubert is this your last move? Even."

"A mistake. But a good lesson to be learned. Even."

"Six."

"Eh?"

"What?!"

"Six?"

"---."

"Six, Hell's Hand."

"Eh."

"What?"

"Aha, ha, sorry but this is too muc---. Aham---! Brother Hubert, I guess this is it. See you next time."

"There is only climbing, when you are a the very bottom. If you can not suffer a loss then you should have not come here to begin with."

"My win."

"Too bad handsome. But this is as far as we can go."

"Wait! No---." - [What---, just happened?]

Just as his greatest fortune was running dry like a dead river, his heaven became his hell, as after losing nearly everything through the numerous rounds of the game with the four other men, Hubert's desperation and anxiety grew, as in the end he took the last chance, hoping that a miracle would occur one more time, a chance for a possibility that was far too remote, and as per the course of the will of fate, everything came crashing down with the worst possible hand that he could have gotten.

"Six, Hell's Hand. The hand loses the pool of this round. The hand's pool, will be allocated to the player closer to the winning number. The player with the number six wins the hand's pool. The rest of the players will retain their pool due to the rules of the Hell Hand which the hand has rolled."

"It all ends like this I guess." - [This is it. I lost it all once again.]

While looking at the six dice on the table, Hubert's soul appeared to be leaving his body. No longer concerned about any of the drinks or the escort who had already left him, the moment he had lost all he had.

"Does sir wishes to continue to play? If so, then may sir produce the next pool, or if sir prefers another of our games then I will have to ask sir to vacate the table for our new players."

But despite his despondency, the young lady overseeing the game, could not allow his presence anymore, since behind him, she could clearly see two clients ready to engage in the game and to move some of their wealth through their establishment.

"Yes. Just a moment." - [Move! Time to leave! Fuck!!!] - "Gulp!"

Though, just as a lifeless puppet obeying a puppeteer, Hubert's hand moved towards his glass and bottle of wine, pouring everything and then gulping it down in a mouthful, with eyes that did not hold much life inside.

And with a mastered motion, he rose from his seat and turned away to exit the place with the last grace and dignity he had, as he was imagining the possibility of, "what if" he would have just taken all in the moment of his arrival and just left the place---, or if he had been more cautious, but that was all too useless, as the reality was otherwise.

"---."

"Come on in. Sat down and have a glass with us, so we play a long game!"

Although while leaving, the four men gave him a knowing look, as they themselves knew all too well, what his current feeling was.

And yet their looks of understanding and sympathy lasted for just a moment, for not a moment after Hubert had left, and just as the man before him and "Will", who had seated themselves down at the table, two other men came to stand before the four monsters disguised as old men.

----------------------------------------

"---."

"------."

"---------."

"Huh!" - [What happened? Why it all ended so quickly? I lost it all, in less than a quarter of a day.]

After exiting the gambling house, and walking some distance on the street, Hubert came to a stop and doze off into the stone tiles of the street for some time, still and with a soulless gaze that had yet to disappear.

"Ha---!" - [Damn it, the sun is still up.] - "Well, I did not lose everything, as I still have some rank 5 and four shards. And with this time---, yes I should visit the ladies! Yes, I have some gold and silver! This day is not all ruined. Those were not even my shards, to begin with, so it is no one's loss, but "Will's". Yes, life is weird and unpredictable, to begin with, let me take this as a lesson and forget about it."

But through his own encouragement and self-made justifications, Hubert's face gradually came to its normal state of eternal mild bliss, as from his face it could be read its intentions which were already set and ready to enact.

"Yes! After that, I will go and see what Adrian and Square are doing, and ask him what happened with Levis's request. Yes, that is it, time to move, the sun is still up and the night is yet to be born. Time to see my reliable beauties."