SYSTEM ASCENSION

”The Black-eyed are moving.”

The meeting room got thrown into chaos and confusion.

”The Black-eyed are moving?!” Sai gasped.

”Why are they crossing territory?” Casy muttered.

”Isn’t that an insult to us?” Tale asked.

”It’s not an insult if we started it.” Rowen cut the chatter. ”In the first place, we shouldn’t talk about insults. We’re incompetent.”

”What?” Owen frowned.

”They found a disposal hideout inside Salvador empire.” Tiana voiced out.

The chaos turned off for a moment. But then Gwen spoke.

”Shouldn’t they report it to us? We’re not even allies because they kept rejecting it, so why act on our territory.”

”That’s what I’d like you to answer,” Rowen glanced. ”League master?”

All eyes moved to Zeal, and he was equally perplexed.

”What? Me?”

”I met the man when I arrived at the scene,” Rowen explained. ”When he saw me, he walked up to me and said...

...You’re not Zeal.”

Zeal flinched.

”Then you must be his twin.” Rowen continued. ”I asked him how he knew about you, and he said...

It seems like he’s safe then.”

Zeal’s eyes lit up. He was basically bouncing on the chair.

”What next? What else did he say?!”

Rowen frowned. ”Who is he?”

”My godfather.”

”Godfather?!” They chorused.

Rowen was even more confused. ”Your godfather is a Black-eyed?”

He eagerly nodded.

Elias glanced at him.

”I guess that’s why he recognised sir Rowen’s face.” Tale muttered.

”Wait, does that mean he’s looking for the league master?” Sai asked.

”Not exactly,” Tiana replied. ”He was looking for someone named Irue.”

Elias flinched.

This act was only noticed by number eight who had been staring at him. The rest continue to chatter away.

”Irue?” Casy snickered. ”An idiot?”

The rest released muffled laughter.

Irue in the Salvador ancient language meant an idiot. As they continued to laugh, they realised that the league master wasn’t finding it funny, so they toned it down.

”Irue in black empire language is Godlike.” He simply said.

Their laughter died down completely.

”So he’s searching for someone named Irue.” Owen spoke. ”For someone who can cross the lock-in rules of black empire and trashed a disposal hideout in Salvador empire, I don’t think he’ll back down.”

”Seeing that he’s just destroying the disposal hideout, that means he hasn’t tied his son’s case to Salvador empire,” Zeal said. ”He’s destroying the disposal hideout to vent his anger.”

”League master,” Owen raised his hand. ”Nobody mentioned that Irue was the man’s son.”

”I mentioned it.” He shrugged. ”There is no way I’ll not know my godfather’s son.”

”Are you saying he’s searching for a Black-eyed inside our territory?”

Something suddenly struck Remy’s mind. Although she had treated Elias for six months and saw his eyes, she treated it as a rare occurrence, especially as he was in Salvador empire and had no sealing stone.

But now, thinking about it again, her eyes moved to him. Precisely the necklace that disappeared into his hood.

”I...”

They glanced at her.

”What is it?”

”No—nothing...”

”It seems you know Irue, league master,” Gwen said. ”We just have to find him and return him before things get out of hand.”

”Hold on,” Casy bang the table. ”He trespassed into our territory and fought. Isn’t that a crime?”

Sai raised her hand. ”He helped us...”

”What if he had done worse! We don’t even know if he’s gone. The man should be detained and—”

”My ears are bleeding.”

She flinched when Zeal cut her off.

”I apologize, league master.”

”Alright,” Zeal clapped. ”Here’s my judgement. For trespassing and fighting in Salvador empire, we shall do nothing,”

”League master?!”

”We can’t even do anything to him anywhere,” he shrugged. ”Second, we can’t hand Irue over to him.”

This judgement shocked them more.

”League master!”

Rowen frowned. ”You can’t hand him over? Do you already know where he—”

Rowen’s words got stuck in his mouth, eyes going wide. He clasped his hands together and released a rough breath.

”Number one?”

”We can’t avoid a war if we hand him over,” Zeal shrugged. ”Since he was kidnapped by the leading families.”

The world ended and restarted in their eyes.

”Isn’t this a big problem?!” Owen gasped. ”If he was kidnapped by the leading family and someone strong enough to break the rules in two empires come for him, it’ll definitely spark a war.”

”Yes. That’s why we cannot hold the man responsible for trespassing. We have bigger problems.” Zeal warned. ”In the meantime, I’ll find him and talk to him. Hopefully, he complies. He has a short temper afterall.”

”By the way you spoke, it means you already know where the child is.” Gwen said.

Zeal leaned back and laughed.

”You’re a bit slow. Two people already noticed.”

”Huh?”

Remy released the breath she had been holding, while number eight stared more openly. Precisely at Elias.

He scratched his cheek slowly and glanced at Zeal.

”You didn’t tell me you know my father.”

They all flinched.

”Your father?!”

Zeal chuckled.

”I used to carry you on my shoulder, Irue.”

”Don’t call me that.”

”Elias is...” Gwen stood up. ”A Black-eyed.”

”Why is a Black-eyed here?” Tale muttered.

”That’s because we kidnapped him,” Zeal shrugged. ”The leading family that is.”

Rowen nodded. ”It has been over ten years, so returning him with an apology will not cut it.”

”So he’s a walking time bomb.” Tiana laughed.

”This is a dilemma,” Owen sighed. ”He could spark a war. No, he’s already sparking a war.”

”Are you like... important to the black empire?” Tiana asked, leaning over the table. ”They came to search for you even after ten years.”

”Yes.”

He didn’t say further.

”We still cannot avoid a confrontation at this rate.” Sai muttered.

”I’ll meet up with him in the main time,” Zeal said. ”By the way, do you want to meet your father?”

Elias shook his head.

”Huh? He had been searching for you.” Sai voiced out her confusion.

”Very well. I’ll meet him alone.”

He leaned back and folded up his legs on the chair before grinning.

”This information is strictly confidential to ONLY ten people,”

They gulp down.

”So, if I hear it outside, I’ll visit you all, one by one, and cut out your guts.”

”...”

”...”

”Is that clear?”

”Yes! League master!”

”Then, numbered are dismissed.”

Although he was the one who dismissed them, he was the first to run out of the room like it was physically tormenting him. He dashed through the hallway and down the stairs only to trip over Rowen’s leg and landed face flat.

”Ouch! Why are you following me?!”

”You’re banned from combat from now on.” Rowen seriously said.

”Huh?” He sat up. ”But I’m the league master.”

”I don’t fancy your opinion.”

He chuckled. ”Fine.”

Rowen leaned against the railing of the stair. ”These seem like a big deal right?”

”Probably?”

”So? League master, when are you going to contact the syndicate?”

Zeal grinned. ”Already did.”