"I will be leaving the BOV," I say to Melissa, placing a letter on her desk.
She glances at the letter and nods.
Two days have passed since we last met at the eatery. I gave her some time alone before I hand in my resignation.
"I see..."
...
"Uhm...I can see you again right?" She asks.
"Of course."
"Mm...Alright. If you need my help, no matter what, I will be your aid."
I nod. "Thank you. I will visit when I can."
I leave her office and head for the prison dungeon below the building.
The officer guarding the prison glances at me and bows.
"Gather everyone," I whisper to the guard.
I enter the prison and head for the stairs, descending deeper into this foul-smelling jail.
I stop outside a cell of an unkempt man with a tattered shirt, revealing patches of grime and dirt. Appearance akin to a tumbleweed, his messy shoulder-length hair and slight beard is not doing him any good.
"Hello, Haren."
He smiles. "Greetings my liege, it's been a while."
I pull out a key from my coat and unlock the cell. "Do you remember the plan I told you a year ago? It's time."
Haren's body immensely glows in mana, he snaps the chain binding him and caresses his wrists. "Finally. I'm glad."
Without moving a finger, mana swirls into a small blade and shaves Haren's messy hair and beard, somewhat recovering his original appearance.
-------------------
Haren Demiuscra(Mind Controlled)
Age:73
Level: 157
Title: Traitor Maniac
Class: Mana Master
Hp: 100000/100000
Mana: 10000000/10000000
Atk: 213
Def: 109
Dex: 211
Mag: 221
Luck: 40
Skills:
-Mana Control(lvl 8)
-Quick Cast(lvl max)
-Photographic Memory(lvl max)
-Triple Cast(lvl max)
-Magic Amplify(lvl max)
Blessing:
-Dragon(Fake)
Favourability: 150(Max)
-------------------
Ten million mana...
Has this guy done nothing but accumulate mana?
I suppose I am part of his growth. I taught Haren manafication and gave him a clue to improve his mana absorption technique.
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Right now, he is twice as strong as he should be.
A group of officers gather around me and Haren. They get down on one of their knees and lower their head.
One officer stands under the light from the candle, revealing herself to be the woman that wielded a scissors-like weapon, Haren's subordinate. (Refer to chapter 80, "Meeting") However, the hideous stitches and burns on her face are gone, leaving behind a simple jade skin. Her most arresting feature, her enchanting purple eyes, pierces the dark.
She pulls down her hat to reveal long flowing dark hair. Abandoned her old name, she is now called Laaze.
"Greetings to my liege," they say in unison.
Look at their energy, to think they rebelled that much when we first met.
I saved Haren's subordinate after the events of the insanity worm a year ago. With the help of Haren, I somewhat made them serve me as their leader. To the outside world, they are dead.
As for Laaze's face, I've been frequently visiting the black market when I can and found an elixir that can restore a person's appearance. No one can recognise her now.
"Do all of you remember the plan?" I say.
"Yes."
"Good."
I walk to the wall of the dungeon and press an array hidden among the bricks. The circular complex drawing of mana glows and ejects out, vanquishing all lighting and descending the void.
"Leave through the hidden passage at the end of the corridor, I will keep the guards busy," I say.
They nod and run past me.
I stroll through the darkness, circulating mana within my eyes.
Flocks of footsteps haphazardly get louder from above.
I pull out my face mask from my storage ring and wrap it around my face. Afterwards, I change out of my uniform and wear a simple black hooded coat.
*Pat pat pat!*
Immense light shines from beyond the corridor. A group of officers travel through the dungeon with a mage casting sight on the path.
Suddenly, the light goes out.
!!!
"W-What?" The mage exclaims.
*BAM!*
"ARGHH!"
Someone attacks the group in the dark, taking out the officers bit by bit.
When the mage manages to reconnect the magic, all of his allies are down on the floor unconscious.
"D-Damn it."
He steps back and bumps into something behind.
Before he notices, something clashes with his nape, knocking him out.
*Thud!*
"Phew..." I let out a breath and rub the dirt off my hands.
"Major disturbance coming from D1 cells, all units head for D1." a magic transmission that I intercepted echoed throughout the dungeon.
More footsteps roar towards my location from both ends of the corridor.
Two major groups of blue uniform officers cage me and block my way out. Their gleaming appearance unravels the darkness.
"You are surrounded, surrender peacefully." one officer says.
I gesture at them to attack me.
They grip their weapon tightly. The mages behind buffs the forward vanguards and they charge in.
However, in an instant, I run past the vanguards to the mages.
!!
*BAM! BAM! BAM!*
Nobody could catch up to my speed. One blink and every mage from one side is down.
Ignoring the valiant officers trying to defend their weak backline, I rush through the forwards and once again destroy the mages on the other end, humiliating the group.
"All officers hold your position, the captains are approaching." a magic transmission says.
Captains...
"My liege, we've escaped." Haren's voice echoes in my head.
"Alright."
I go ahead and knock out all remaining officers and head for the hidden passage, leaving the dungeon.
Melissa barely missed the intruder as she stops before a corridor littered with unconscious bodies. "Shit! Secure the perimeter, the target has escaped," she says.
==================================
"Alright...how is everyone?" I ask when we managed to slip past the patrolling officers. We are now on the outskirts of Haeru, within a cave of a towering mountain.
Everyone is panting and sweaty but I feel moderately fine.
"None of us sustained any injuries."
I smile. "That's good."
A communication orb vibrates within my coat. "Arsto." Liam's voice ejects.
"I'm here," I say after taking out the orb.
"Everyone is here at Libra."
"I see. Thank you for gathering everyone. I had some issues but I will be there soon." I reply.
It's been some time since I last saw everyone. I wonder how much they've grown. I can't wait to meet them.