Sneaking around (2)

When Alicia asked Shui to escort her, he immediately looked at her with suspicion. Based on how the members of the Array Association acted around her, it was safe to assume that she had some influence here, and yet she needed his help to enter somewhere.

"Is this place restricted or something?"

"Maybe~" Alicia replied with a cutesy tone.

"Sounds like trouble, so I'd rather not."

"Please. Trust me, with your skills we won't get caught. It'll be fine."

Alicia pleaded with upturned eyes and a pouting face, which were simple for him to ignore, but then who knew when she would leave him alone.

"Fine, but you have to leave me and handle your own business after this."

"Okay!"

Once she got him onboard, Alicia showed a bright and innocent smile as she waited in anticipation. Shui sighed and then focused on both of their auras. If he hid them with the same method that he used in the inn, then they would still be visible to the detection array of the Array Association. Alicia knew this, but she was sure that it would be fine as long as no one saw them, however, Shui wasn't satisfied by such an assumption. Especially not when he had an idea that he wanted to try.

They would be moving so he couldn't set up an array to confuse the detection array, therefore, he was going to hide them, but he wouldn't completely conceal their presences. By using the power of the Perception Chapter, he was able to feel the slightest of changes in the flow of the surrounding nature energy as well as the physical changes around him. Once he immersed himself in the atmosphere, he wrapped Alicia in his aura and then, they vanished.

Alicia knew that Shui was putting in more effort this time, but even she couldn't guess that he had applied a weaker version of Soul Synchronization to both of them. Normally he would need to influence her internal nature energy as well for this, but by analysing the environmental nature energy he could replicate the effects.

"What?!"

"Again?!"

"How can we face the young master like this?!"

The hidden guards stomped their feet in frustration as the two became invisible. It was bad enough that they let this happen once, but the second time around might end up costing them their jobs or their heads.

"We have to find her!"

Despite the uproar that it may cause, the guards were determined to find their mistress this time. Meanwhile, Alicia was glad to head to the east of the Array Association with her hand joined together with Shui's. Her heart fluttered, but not because she was bashful maiden. She was excited because she would finally be able to see 'that' again.

Due to her background, there were few things that she couldn't have if she wanted them, and this was one of those things.

The trip to its location normally required several formalities to be taken care of beforehand, but the two could simply walk past the security measures. No guard or captured evolved beast could sense them, much less stop them. As they got closer to the destination, Alicia's hand tightened around his. He didn't mind, but it made him more curious as to what this eccentric, rich lady wanted to see.

Once they made it past several guards and a few traps here and there, Shui spotted something and was immediately sure it was what Alicia was looking for.

He pulled her towards a translucent white dome that was around the size of an ordinary house. The dome itself wasn't too impressive, but an early sign of its extraordinary nature was the fact that Shui couldn't sense it from the beginning.

Although he hadn't fully used his powers of observation, he had learnt to passively use the Perception Chapter so whether it was a metal ore or a treasure chest, it was an easy matter for him to detect it no matter how hidden it was. But this time, he only found it with his normal eyesight.

"What is this place?"

Alicia didn't bother hiding her pleasure at being here, so with bright smile she told Shui to check for himself. Shui followed her advice and sent in his spiritual sense, that was when his body froze in astonishment.

Unlike the twenty metre wide space that he was expecting, he discovered a beautiful and expansive garden of colourful flowers. At a spot that seemed to be the centre of the garden, was a white table and a white chair where one could enjoy a cup of tea in the midst of serenity.

Shui looked around and thought that he understood what this space was, but there was still one more thing he needed to see. Above the garden was a natural blue sky with patches of cloud, and in that sky flew a flock of blue and black birds. Normally this wouldn't be anything to be shocked about, but when Shui spotted those birds, he immediately knew that they were artificial and the sight suddenly resonated with his Four Elements Technique.

He thought that he was close to completion with the technique related to the fire element of this corna, but when he looked at those birds he realised that he was terribly wrong. Although these birds hadn't truly been given life, they acted no different from real birds, which was exactly what Shui wanted to replicate. He wanted the creatures made by his flames to act as if they were truly sentient and eventually, he would have them birth spirituality.

Eager to learn the mechanism behind these birds, Shui found himself engrossed in analysis far more than Alicia who originally wanted to come here. She knew he would like it, but it was pleasant surprise that he was able to gain something from coming here. She wanted to come to this place because it was a replica of a tier 7 array said to have been created by the founder of the Array Association, Highfield Array King. Although she herself didn't pursue the path of arrays, she was interested in it because of her brother and her teacher, and so she would always try to come here whenever she could.

Alicia kept staring at the world inside the dome, while Shui tried to analyse its structure and fuse into his own techniques, but even in this hyper-focused state, he could sense two presences approaching. Though reluctantly, Shui quickly memorised what he could and pulled Alicia into his arms while strengthening their level of concealment.

Alicia flinched, with her heart also jumping in surprise at his sudden boldness. Fortunately, before her misunderstanding grew, she also detected two approaching presences; both being in the Sky Realm. If he was by himself, then Shui could hide and still analyse the array, but he couldn't risk Alicia's safety. He held her close to maximise the effects of pseudo-Soul Synchronisation and kept an ear on the two.

"What a problem we have on our hands."

"Indeed. It would be one thing if it was a simple test, but, to fix the ranking..."

"To think our force has fallen so low that we need to accept their demand. Even if they have dirt on us, there's no reason for us to bow our heads is there?"

"I know how you feel, but it can't be helped. If they announce hostilities then we'll have to hole up in this city until we eventually run out of resources. How could we face our predecessors if we ended up like that?"

"..."

"I just hope that the little duke doesn't want more than last place..."