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Volume 5
Chapter 203: Neo
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The man in white tux wearing a white tux glanced over the fawning president and stopped walking.
He tapped his cane to the metal floor of the VIP passage way of the airport and then said, “Oh my little Daniel… you haven’t changed. By the way, I seem to notice that there are people around my car, why is that?”
Daniel’s face turned pale and he glanced to the large wide window on the side room and saw some personnel of the airport gathering over the rocket ship carrier that was mounted on the mass driver.
“Those fools! I told them to…” his sentence stopped midway and he turned frightened at the white man in tux.
Neither a smile nor a frown can be felt on the man’s expression but the pure and unhindered killing intent was radiating from him.
“I specifically said that I do not want other people knowing my departure and here you are, just doing what I ordered you not to do.”
“I… I… P-Please… Mr. White… it’s not my fault… I did order my personnel to evacuate the facility. In fact, I actually saw them leave as soon as I gave the command.”
“Then whose men are those?”
Daniel spent another moment to glance at the airport and just as he was to answer, the door of the VIP lounge opened with a light bang and a voice of a slightly old man rung behind them.
“You don’t have to look. They’re my people.”
The man in white tux turned around and saw a very familiar face. His left brow slightly twitched before his lips formed a rare delighted smile.
“So it seems I don’t have to visit you up there.”
“Hehe… it just so happens that I have some business to take care of here in my homeland.”
The man laughed and after he spoke, there was a pause between him and the white man in mask.
“Mr. Daniel, you may leave.” The man in white mask said and the frightened Daniel retreated in a hurried manner closing the door shut. After that, he sat down on the sofa and invited the barging guest. “Please, Doctor, sit down.”
The ‘Doctor’ sat down and smiled at the man.
“It’s been a few years, AG.”
“It is indeed, Doctor Pegasus.”
The two paused for a moment again as a servant lady entered the room from the kitchen and served warm blend to the two.
AG didn’t hide his intentions as he sipped a blend on the cup before looking at the Doctor wearing a casual street dress under his lab coat.
“I should commend you, Doctor, your plans are really… deep… in a sense.” AG watched as the Doctor drank his blend and then continued. “Still, I’d wager you didn’t expect the fact that as soon as the kid went back on that world, Janus… your alter-persona, would lock the world from within and prevent any kind of interference.”
The Doctor’s expression was still calm but the smile on his face was gone as he gazed at AG.
It was their first time meeting in many years and yet AG was already throwing punches at him. If he was a normal person, he would have started to gnash his teeth and jump the gun to kill him.
But he wasn’t so he didn’t. Although that does not mean his patience was long enough to endure this sly man’s provocation.
Pegasus sighed defeatedly, “Indeed.” and then he turned his gaze at AG with a fiery expression.
“And I’d assume that your ambition had been rekindled by the event that year that you even went so far as to buy an entire chunk of the original blueprints of the Nanotech we have been developing for Project Jupiter.”
“We?” AG stopped and looked at the old man. “I see now. So you’ve really resigned yourself as the dog of the World Government? How unexpected of you. I really thought that you’re more of a fighter than a dog.”
A smile beamed on AG’s lips and this smile made the doctor inhale deeply, trying to control the rage he had been keeping inside.
Indeed. If there was something that AG really do specialize in, he was the kind of man who can dig up your most hidden of personalities with his very enigmatic smile and keen sense of familiarity with human psychology.
He was the tyrant of the business world, after all.
Three seconds passed, the silence felt like an hour of exhausting battle. The four men-in-black that stood attentively behind AG were eyeing their surroundings attentively and they were nervously trying to predict where danger might come from to prevent or stop it.
After calming himself, Pegasus then beamed out a smile of his own: one that is layered with pure hatred at AG and a tinge of revenge.
“You can smile now, AG, but in the future, I will make sure to get that smile out of your face.”
“Is that so?”
“…”
“Doctor, I would like to ask, how did you do it? As a programmer, I imagine you have one back door after another but considering you are against the most intelligent and most powerful AI in the world, I think even you would find it a daunting task to penetrate his realm, yes? Can you tell me how you’ve done it? In return, I’d tell you also a thing that might interest you.”
“You? Something that might interest me?” Right after their mind battle was the battle of words and Pegasus was finding the terms of negotiation of AG somewhat too… abhorrently demanding.
After calming his mind, Pegasus had a tinge of confidence on his expression when he stared at AG’s eyes.
“Heh… I am the greatest programmer in the past century and still the greatest computer scientist of the future generations! There’s nothing you can offer that will ever make me want to work with you.”
“Oh? Alright then, change of topic. I would like to ask you ,Doctor, if you do indeed managed to kill the boy using your… puppet in the game, what then? How are you going to get him when the world is locked from within?”
“Heh. You underestimate me too much.”
“Am I now?” AG smiled at the Doctor but the latter narrowed his eyes into a slit that almost got a tinge of murder on them.
Truly, Doctor Pegasus had long since evolved in a foundational degree, transforming from a geek of a programmer into a scheming demon whose greed for power and revenge became his blood.
“You are indeed.” Pegasus hissed.
“I wonder. When Janus came into my abode in the game, he was really… how should I phrase it, ah, yes, desperate on protecting the world at all cost that he even made ample preparations and trained a few bodyguards to tag on his quests.”
All these information were deducted from the reports sent over by Garin.
Though Garin doesn’t have any idea of how his reports were going to be used, he still sent all of what he sees and hear to AG and these are what AG had used to patch the things he just said.
Whether or not it seems that they were fighting a war of attrition, AG knew that when it comes to aces, Pegasus had many more cards on him for he had the Government as a lackey. He wasn’t aware of the kinds of promises he had made to the UNICORN that they put all their cards on him, but AG was sure that whatever those are, it’s not something good.
Aside from having the fact that he was the genius programmer of this era, Pegasus was also a rare breed of circumstantial demon…
Rex Kingsley thwarted his plans for glory and on that day, he also lost his daughter and was rendered a criminal by her.
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Regret was too late at the time and so Pegasus can only blame everything to Rex Kingsley.
It can even be said that AG’s smile right now was an entire façade. Deep inside, he was really wary of this old sly fox because if there is something that the World Government controlled by the UNICORN is good at, that would be fact that they are really good when it comes to keeping secrets.
“AG, let me ask you, when the world comes to an end in this era, what side are you going to choose?”
Side?
The cup on AG’s hand dropped just as he picked it up. He glared at the old man behind his mask. It was this fact itself that he feared the most.
Pegasus is a mad scientist and his hatred of the people involved in that incident is deep into his bones… even including the World Government.
For him, AG thought, the UNICORN may be big but they are merely puppets that he can buy with his inventions and conditions. In fact, Pegasus wasn’t even afraid of death so the UNICORN do indeed have nothing to hold him hostage for.
AG was forced to rethink his evaluation of the doctor and so, when he had proven himself wrong, he couldn’t help but smile.
Indeed, AG was still human and it is this side of him that he wishes to erase.
He sipped off the blend and uttered a long sigh.
“Aaahh, indeed, that is a difficult question.” AG said and this honest answer actually surprised the doctor.
If there is something that the two of them noticed in this meeting, then it is the fact that there was something that changed inside them; something that fundamentally altered their original impressions of each other.
Before, AG was a ruthless scheming devil.
Before, Pegasus is an introverted genius doctor with dreams and aspirations.
Perhaps… these changes occurred when they pottered and schemed on the affairs that centered on the boy named Rex Kingsley?
Pegasus, AG could tell, had become rather solid and firm on his decisions.
He could feel it from the contained anger and hatred on his eyes. Pegasus had learned how to control his anger and this was a qualitative leap for an originally introverted genius like him.
Ag could tell that deep inside his thoughts, this programmer, everyone who wants to take advantage of him and his Mefisto Project… he will hate them all.
Given that he was always with the very secretive UNICORN, it should be of no surprise that he’d one day turn his back to the world and plan to destroy it.
Augustus… suddenly thought something and beamed a smile.
“You will not succeed.” AG only said in the end.
“How are you sure?” Pegasus looked at him.
“Because…” AG paused and, just before he can say it, his mind reeled at the fact that what he was about to say is actually what he had deemed to be the thing he didn’t want to see before. So he could utter a bitter laugh of defeat, “…it was an ironic thing.”
His words, as surprising as it is, were for himself and for Pegasus as well.
“Ironic?” Pegasus didn’t expect the words he just heard from AG. “Haha! You? Augustus Laniary, a person of plans and schemes, would one day say that something is ironic…!! Hahaha… had the sun risen in the west lately? Ahahaha…”
Pegasus was tapping his legs while laughing hard and his laughter was echoing in every corner of the VIP room.
“It is indeed.” AG admitted shyly with a smile. “At my age, I myself had only realized it now. There are so many people lurking in the dark that had plans for the world you guys created and… whether you like it or not, those two you’ve killed… their legacies live on.”
Right after hearing this, Pegasus slammed his cup to the table and shards of broken pieces and splattered blend dirtied the carpet and the table.
“Don’t ever speak to me of those traitors! They ruined everything! They should have died earlier than that!”
AG was delighted seeing this fit of rage.
“Heh. Pegasus… no use screaming in anger now because you didn’t make sure that he would die in that staged accident of yours.”
Pegasus was grating his teeth in anger and he stood up pointing a finger at AG. He no longer plans on hiding the anger he had for AG.
He wanted to kill this man right here and now.
“AG! You are the one who brought him back! You ruined everything!”
“It wasn’t me, Pegasus, it was your hired assassin who saved him back then. You failed to hire the right person and instead solely focused on the accident part. He saved the two and then died in the end. Anybody who sees Rex punching his way out of the car with a bloodied state would be touched by that scene. It turns out that your little assassin had a daughter himself and decided to spare the kid. Only… he died in the end and paid the lives he took with his own life.”
“You…”
“I’m not stupid, Pegasus. Anyone who has a brain would be able to investigate that fact. Who in the current era of technology wouldn’t be able to find out about the large sum of money transferred to the account of a retired military sniper? What more, his corpse was in the scene as well? You are a genius programmer but when it comes to scheming, you’re just a greenhorn. You can’t win against me. In fact, you should be thankful since I didn’t choose to expose your fake death.”
Pegasus was glaring at AG but then he closed his eyes and nodded, a smile beaming out of his lips as he pressed the watch on his wrist.
Seeing this, the four bodyguards were alarmed that they took out devices from their breast pockets and pressed on the button to produce a holographic screen that surrounded the five of them in four layers.
If other players of Terroa would see this, they would recognize this effect as those of the Shield Mages’ [Barrier Magic].
“Thank you, then.” Pegasus said and then turned his back at AG and faced an empty wall.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
At this moment, loud explosions occurred outside the VIP room and these explosions alerted the four bodyguards that stood behind AG. They rushed in and protected their principal who only remained calm as he stood there.
The room rattled with every explosion and the screams of people could be heard from outside the room. The entire building shook and the floor they stood on wasn’t an exception.
With one final loud blast, the wall shattered and a giant silvery-metallic mechanical hand appeared on a hole from the wall.
The light from outside almost blinded them and it was only AG who remained calm at this sight.
AG raised his cane as if tapping the wind. The dragon head’s eyes on the cane lit up and then emitted a few series of lights ––Real@D lights–– as it formed into a similar dome that protected his immediate two meters.
Everything aside from authorized beings began to float as if suspended by an anti-gravity field.
The giant metallic humanoid hand stopped when it pierced through the wall. One could even see an entire arm and a side of a body extending to the outside of the building.
It’s like seeing someone poking his hand into a cave and the bats cower at the sight of it.
Only, they are the bats and whatever this giant hand is attached to is the man.
The hand then turned its palm upwards where Pegasus calmly took a step on it then turned to face AG.
With his white lab coat fluttering in the wind, he glared down at AG.
“I originally planned on trying to rope you on my team, AG, but alas, it seems from the very start, you are bent up on scheming to use me as well.”
With a smile on lips, AG looked up to him and then said, ignoring the question, “What is that thing you made?”
Pegasus smiled at him as the hand started to retract and pull the doctor out of the building.
“Someday, you will know. Although I should say that your own technology is not bad either… for a mere human, that is.”
“A mere human…?” AG’s brows twitched as he murmured to himself. “So you think you’re some god amongst men? Haha. Very interesting.”
There was a tinge of arrogance to the Doctor’s tone and this made AG smile even wider.
Pegasus had indeed changed a lot.
At his age, he should be a lot reserved but the older he gets, the more… temperamental he becomes. It was a mismatch. It’s like he’s growing up in reverse.
But then again, you have to give him credit for being a genius programmer. His work became his obsession and this obsession twisted his mind to the point of becoming a criminal.
“You’re not the only one who’s been secretly developing his own technology, AG.” Pegasus’ fleeting voice rung outside as he was then taken by a giant humanoid silvery-white figure with metallic wings and armor.
AG ran at the edge of the building and saw the Doctor’s gaze still locked on him at the very last moment.
With a leap, metallic wings spread behind the giant humanoid figure as it emitted a faint white light then took off to the sky, leaving behind only its exhaust winds and after image.
“Is that…” his lips beamed a smile and AG began to laugh so loud that he was practically shaking like a madman. “Pegasus! UNICORN! You false and pretentious bastards! You created a Wyvern and still expect for the praise and worship of the people! Hahaha! I will show you! The people will not bow down to your greed!”
As he finished his fit of laughter, AG then turned around and dispelled his [dome] of light.
“Let’s go visit some few friends. It’s time to use the insurances.”
When AG walked on, no one stopped them.
The events of this day were never announced outside the European Space Agency and even those who vowed to have seen something big and had wings flying away from the base were just reported as daydreaming.
Any videos of this event were deleted as soon it was posted in the net. This event… was buried in the deepest shadows before it could even see a single ray of light.
Still, AG who was on his private jet, was beaming with a smile as he carefully analyzed, destroyed, and then reconstructed his plans in his mind.
“Mortals… Immortals… Gods… the truth behind Terroa will someday be unearthed and when that happens, we will see who’s going to stand with the final laugh.”
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*****
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While AG pondered, a group of people inside Terroa was preparing their desperate retreat…
A white angelic warship in the Northern Seas had just entered the giant icy landmass of Tiara and the passengers of the ship don’t even have the will to beam the slightest of smiles…
Far in the east, a black dragon ship emitting the darkest and vilest of sinister intent also rushes in to that one particular direction…
An old man stood at the edge of a cliff, his eyes looking painfully at the horizon beyond the city…
In a castle, sitting under the shade of a tree, a beautiful lady reading a book was surrounded by birds and little animals while being bathed by the mesmerizing ambience made by the rays of lights that escaped the spaces between the leaves…
Above that tree, on a branch, is a knightly prince with a very powerful attractive charm, sleeping peacefully while chewing on a leaf of grass. And every now and then, he’d look down at the lady and each time, his eyes will always have a glint of that lustful glow.
Finally, surrounded by islands, swinging a golden hammer making a ravaging windstorm, a golden humanoid figure was running in midair as if there was ground on it.
It let out a roar and took another step, smashing the mountain cliff that stood on its path.
Inside was Siva with tears in his eyes.
His every wing, his every roar, he was anxiously crying his heart out.
The only thing that kept him alive and fighting for survival in the sides of his reality is being threatened at every moment that passed.
Within the cold blowing wind, lay a turbulent fiery storm… the old man in the snowy cliff looked up, uttering a sigh. His lips parted and he said:
“Fate is a cruel monster yet the greed of man is still the vilest of existences of them all. In the end, everything is another chapter in this story of this universe. Everything that has a beginning… shall one day have to face its inevitable end.”
After muttering, Janus uttered another long sigh.
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Clashes are happening…
Nothing can stop this impending War!!
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Next episode: Prologue to a great disaster.