The SSS-rank Guide Doesn't Need Saving

Zeke breathed harshly as rivulets of sweat formed on his forehead. He hadn’t anticipated that he’d end up in such a bad condition. There should still be a month before he had to replace the Suppression Stone his father had given him. So, this came as a surprise even to him.

Yet, again, it was to be expected. A suppression stone isn’t as superior as a true guiding. The trips he had made between the normal world and the contamination zone had exceeded the number in the past few months. Lately, the number of contamination zones had increased, and the corrupted monsters that had started to grow restless had become an obstacle for their expeditions.

As there was no one else better than him to be sent to the high-level threat zones, Zeke would always find himself facing different deadly scenarios. He also couldn’t bear the thought of sacrificing hundreds, even thousands, of lives of sentinels and guides in order to get any result, which sometimes ended with nothing at all.

Thus, the toll it took for him to reach this point was obviously going to show up soon.

The pulse in his chest had signaled to him that the miasma that the suppression stone was trying to suppress was awakening. If he calculated the time, he could still go on for another week. However, he really should go back to the Association and meet with his father before anything could even happen.

Still, Zeke hesitated about taking this idea.

The last time he met with his father was nothing short of tense. His old man had been persistent in finding a Guide for him even though Zeke had already pronounced that there was no Guide who could handle him.

SS-ranked Sentinels are extremely rare and numbered. The last time he checked, there were only eleven of them existing in the entire galaxy. And five of them are already at the age of retirement. The remaining six SS-ranked Sentinels, including him and Nykos, suffered from Psychic Energy Deviation. And all of them had yet to find a Guide who could fully guide them.

Not only that, but there was also the matter of Miasmic Corruption, which they couldn’t avoid and feared would completely devour them.

Yet...

Zeke lifted his gaze to stare at the man who had intruded on his flying shuttle.

He had sensed it before, but Nykos seemed to have completely rid himself of the problem they were all facing.

Back then, Zeke had doubted it. It was easier to believe that, like him, Nykos had used Suppression Stone to subdue the miasmic energy inside him than to think that a student from the Academy, rumored to have been evaluated as a D-rank Guide, had guided him.

Even now, Zeke still couldn’t completely believe it. It wasn’t that he was looking down on Aisha. Rather, it was because of the several times of failed guiding he had witnessed that he couldn’t just wrap his head around a guide ever existing who could do it.

That was also why he agreed to do basic guiding from Aisha. It wouldn’t cost him anything, nor would she face a problem or feel ashamed if she failed to guide him.

But if he were to be honest with himself, Zeke had to acknowledge that the moment her hand touched him earlier, the relief that washed over him was instantaneous. Though he couldn’t deny that her touch still burned his skin as it traced over his head, neck, and back.

Turning his head so he could look at Aisha, he smiled wryly at the stance she positioned her body in.

For a Guide, it was nothing short of a surprise to see her trying to ascertain dominance, even knowing that they were far stronger and more powerful than she was.

Yet, it was another thing that he found interesting about her.

”Enough,” he ground out, jaw clenching against the pain. ”Don’t do anything, Nykos.”

Aisha watched as Zeke stood up and tried to appear calm. But she noticed the way his face suddenly hardened until he looked even more stoic than when she first saw him.

Even Nykos, who stared blankly at his bitten hand before looking at her with unfathomable eyes, exhaled loudly. ”You can’t even stand on your feet... who are you trying to order around?”

But even as he said those words, Nykos didn’t look as bothered by being told to do nothing. He even made a point by leaning against the wall of the shuttle and crossing his arms over his chest.

”So, did you two run away because you want privacy?” Nykos ended up at this conclusion. ”You should’ve just told me, then I wouldn’t mind leaving you two alone. Running after you made me think you wanted to hide her away from me.”

Zeke gritted his teeth and continued glaring at him.

Even Aisha had to give him an irritated look because of how his mind was working. So, they’ve been trying to get him off their tail because this was what he was thinking?

”Well, it doesn’t matter now. You can continue.”

Nykos magnanimously gestured with a wave of his hand, as if telling them to continue where he had interrupted them.

But what was there to continue? Nothing had even started!

Aisha decided to ignore him and look down at her terminal. She received a message from Daisy almost half an hour ago. It seemed that Theon, Irene, and the rest of the Novalis family members had already arrived at the villa. The young maid reported that the extended family members made themselves at home and took their spot in the living room, looking as if they weren’t even thinking of leaving.

It was obvious who they were waiting for.

With the chaotic events that the Novalis family had suffered, it was inevitable they’d look for someone to be blamed for what happened. And the perfect person for that would be her.

Even without seeing Daisy, Aisha could already imagine how scared and panicked she was. But she didn’t know what to say to her or how to console her. Instead, it occurred to her suddenly that she hadn’t yet thought of what to do with Daisy. Should she take her with her or leave her in the Novalis family?

If it were up to her, she could leave Daisy. Aisha was so used to being alone that she still finds it uncomfortable to live in the same space with someone. Besides, there were also the uncertain events and trouble looking for Aisha. She didn’t want anyone to fall into the same dangerous pit she might end up falling into.

But Daisy... ha... Aisha doubted that the young maid would agree to her.

There was another thing that caught Aisha’s attention.

Daisy’s most recent message had also mentioned something that made her question the truthfulness of it. Because Theon had apparently chased those who had overtaken the house and told them to not come back. Though it was still yet to be seen whether this was true or if Theon had successfully done it.

Well, then... she’d just have to see it.

”...After she’s done with you. I want her to do me next.”

Aisha snapped out of her thoughts, and upon hearing the words that came out of Nykos’ lips, she couldn’t do so much as stare at him in utter disbelief.

What had he said just now?