Chapter 171 Oda Nobuzan (1)
In the dark corridor lined with obsidian beneath the Great Hall of Gaia, the atmosphere felt oppressive and mournful, the walls concealing whispers of long-buried secrets and the flickering shadows of despair. Charles Dareth Nocturne stumbled forward, his trembling fingers brushing against his temple, where dried blood clung like a dark reminder of his ordeal, leaving a stark crimson imprint on his outstretched hand. Ahead of him, a tall figure draped in glimmering gold emerged from the darkness, resembling a venomous serpent poised to strike its unsuspecting prey. The figure's face was sharp and calculating, each contour meticulously sculpted to evoke a deep sense of dread; its eyes, cold and unwavering like unyielding steel, gleamed with a sinister intensity, reminiscent of a freshly sharpened blade: Senator Kaeso Vallaricus, the hardened leader of Gaia's conservative faction and a fervent advocate for the "Voidblood" cleanup program.
"So, you failed." Kaeso's voice cut through the thick silence, sharp and deliberate, each word delivered with a chilling precision that echoed ominously in the stifling air. His expression betrayed no trace of sympathy, instead marred by a palpable dissatisfaction fueled by his relentless ambition. "Rinoa is still alive. Fitran is still at large."
Charles lowered his gaze, his breath weighted not by fear but by the bitter acknowledgment gnawing at his very core. A surge of helplessness bubbled to the surface only when he lifted his head, allowing a dim light to filter into his vacant stare. "Yes, I failed. But please, let me explain first."
Kaeso clenched his fists, the tension radiating throughout the room like dark, crackling energy, exuding an aura so terrifying it felt as though a storm was about to erupt. His body burned with a fierce intensity, a human ember pulsing with vibrant energy, while his unwavering posture pressed against the very walls around him, compressing the air with his righteous indignation. "You are the best hitman we have! How is it possible that one man and a girl could make you retreat?!"
Charles lifted his head, his gaze steady yet layered with an abyss of emotion that seemed to slice through the suffocating darkness enveloping him. His voice quivered, laced with tension and a hint of fear that echoed in the charged air. "Because he is not just 'an ordinary man.' Fitran... did not truly fight me. I know that. His every movement was astoundingly calculated, reminiscent of a graceful dance that veiled peril behind each step. It felt as though he was guarding something profound, a secret that loomed larger than the both of us. If Rinoa hadn't been there, if he had unleashed his full potential..."
He paused for a moment, his gaze penetrating deep into Kaeso's eyes, a silent challenge emerging to rekindle the courage that appeared to be wading off into the shadows.
"...I might have been dead in three seconds."
The silence hangs in the air, sharp as a guillotine blade, poised for the painful final decision. Time seems to suspend, the wind in the room stilled, as if it, too, were holding its breath amidst the unbearable panic and tension. Each passing second elongates into an eternity, saturating the atmosphere with a heavy, emotional weight that presses down on all present.
Kaeso squints, the sharp angles of his face illuminated by flickering shadows, creating a chilling silhouette that looms ominously, signaling impending danger. His voice transforms—not with anger, but a restless urgency, echoing the tumult of uncertainty swirling violently within him. "Three seconds? What nonsense are you saying?" His words shake, trembling with the tension that unfurls like a taut string, as if every being around him is collectively holding their breath in the suffocating silence.
Charles stepped forward, exuding clear determination, his footsteps echoing against the cold marble floor, each creak revealing the bravery he had long kept concealed. "Have you forgotten who he is? Fitran is the one who defeated Chaos, the King of Gamma," he proclaimed, his arms spreading wide, conjuring the image of their precarious position before a monumental threat. The dim candlelight danced upon his face, adding an otherworldly shimmer that deepened the gravity of his words. "He is the man who returned from the chasm beyond reality, bearing both destruction and hope in his hands." His expression grew dense with conviction, his thick brows knitted together, underscoring the weight of his statement, as though he were daring everyone to grasp the dire peril at their threshold.
Kaeso turned away, his jaw clenched and teeth grinding together, unwilling to expose the gnawing uncertainty that plagued his mind. That name—Chaos—still lingered like a specter in the memories of every Gaia leader who had endured the Heaven Wars, etched into their souls like a scar that refused to fade. His cold, sharp eyes glimmered in the darkness, emanating a fierce determination; he would not accept defeat again.