The X Guide

Khal walked closer and touched the ice sphere. The ice in Aicel’s head melted, and the man desperately gasped for air. But before he could do more, the ice returned and repeated a few more times.

Once the ice melted again. The ice did not return, but around Aicel’s body, cracks began to appear.

Even if he was already mostly numb, Aicel could not help but scream in agony. His whole body went limp and became broken.

If one looked inside, his bones had become pulverized.

Aicel’s pulse became weak. Even as an A-class esper, this was enough for them to die.

However, as Khal said, Aicel could not die... yet. Who was Khal? Not to mention his methods, he owned a lot of miracle medicines and hoarded them for emergencies. He could afford to waste a few more.

A vial appeared in his hand, and Khal harshly shoved the bottle in Aicel’s mouth. Some of the potion streamed down his mouth, but Khal did not care.

Miraculously, the bones began repairing themselves.

Khal’s way of torture was expensive beyond belief. He let Aicel experience when his bones were gone a few more times. Unlike the first time, Khal only saved him when he was almost on his last breath.

Sometimes, he also took out his eyes and put them back in to heal them.

Khal froze the blood around Aicel’s four limbs and shattered them. Aicel could not even scream anymore. His mentality had completely collapsed.

This time, Khal did not heal them. Aicel’s upper body remained inside the ice sphere; his head was out.

What he was doing seemed useless, but Khal did not care.

Khal gripped Aicel’s hair and made him look at him.

Aicel shivered; the effects of the drug had left him, and the pain made him sober up.

"P-Ple... spa... no..." he paused and cried. "Kill...me..."

Khal’s expression remained calm, but his eyes glowed more fiercely.

"Do you know how researchers experimented with their samples?"

Samples were mostly monsters and wild flora. The institute did test espers, but they were limited in what they were legally allowed to do. However, one could not expect madmen researchers to do the same.

They were madmen for a reason. Khal had seen quite a few who were corrupted by knowledge.

And this man and everyone who wanted Ayen to be reduced as a mere test subject to those madmen...

Khal coldly stared at him.

"You’ll experience it soon enough. This is only the start."

If they wanted him to be inhuman like their propaganda... then Khal would gladly give it to them.

The government... clans... and now these madmen...

Khal gripped Aicel’s hair so hard that blood streamed down his head. His glowing dark blue eyes flashed ominously.

They were starting to get on his nerves.

How hard was it to leave them alone? Why seek death?

He was ignoring their maneuvers behind the scenes. Khal was not interested in being a ruler of a decaying world. Their fear was completely unnecessary.

Now, someone was plotting against them and even their guide?

Khal realized how sinister what they were doing was. They purposely hid Ayen’s existence from them. Since the start, they must have known that Khal and Devion did not have a guide and were actively searching for them.

If they were aware of Ayen’s uniqueness years ago, then they knew Ayen’s possibility of guiding them was high, and so hid his records. The intention was clear.

This was not just a plot against Ayen’s life, but also against them, Khal and Devion.

For years... Khal simply lived behind the scenes. He could even live inside the forbidden zone, without any contact with the outside world. Even if the world changed, what did that matter?

Now they’ve done it.

They finally crossed the line.

A threat to his life, he would not bat an eyelid.

But Devion... and now also Ayen... Khal’s whole demeanor changed.

The whole base suddenly felt the temperature drop. No, it encompasses the whole city.

It even reached the government camp.

Devion and Ayen simultaneously lifted their heads. They exchanged glances and saw the confusion and alarm in their eyes.

This was Khal!

Without asking, Devion had already picked Ayen, and the latter instinctively hugged his neck. Devion jumped out of the window and rushed towards the temporary base.

Panic rose in everyone’s hearts at the unprecedented cold that appeared out of nowhere. They could still not pinpoint where these sudden changes were coming from.

Everyone who knew him, especially his subordinates, knew that Devion was his priority. He was Khal’s reverse scale, someone he dedicated his whole life to.

He loved him more than his whole life.

Ayen had not reached this level yet in his heart, but he was getting there. Not only that, he was a crucial part of their life now. A lifeline for both espers, an important piece that both Devion and Khal were slowly starting to engrave in their hearts and souls.

It was simple to say that both of them could easily influence Khal by now. It just so happened that the two were not around, and no one could calm the rampaging emotions in Khal’s heart.

The subordinates downstairs and even the captives almost became frozen, as this place was the epicenter of this anomaly. Just when everyone thought they were truly about to freeze to death... The temperature stabilized somewhat.

It was still cold, but not as massive a drop as earlier.

Everyone looked up and sighed in relief. Some of them noticed when a red light sneaked inside the building. They could recognize the mana.

"It should be... fine now." They collectively sigh.

Who else provoked their leader to this much... They could only pray for them. Their bodies might not remain intact when they die.

Inside the room, Khal was suddenly sandwiched between two embraces. The other barely engulfed him with his arms, while another buried his face in Khal’s chest.

"What happened?" A warm breath brushed against the back of his neck before he felt the arms around him tighten.

Khal’s eyes remained in the glowing state before he wrapped his hand around Ayen and turned his head to the side, making eye contact with Devion.

He sighed and leaned to kiss him.

Devion’s eyes widened slightly, but he closed his eyes and responded with the same intensity. It was slow and lazy, as though Khal only needed their lips to touch.