431-440

Alex sat on the couch while Horm stood in front of him and sweated profusely.

Alexs stare seems to dig holes into his body.

And sadly, he wasnt the only one.

Besides him, many stood while lowering their heads.

At the side, Zach stood with an anxious expression.

After his hearty talk, Zach let Alex reside in the Presidential which can only be accessed with Yvonnes permission.

His men had also been accommodated with a nice place to stay.

Since he was here Alex decided to take the matter into his hands and tie the loose ends here.

Alex asked Zach to check all the transactions and deals that had been going through recently.

As Alex inquired about the profit ratio, Zach said the highest profit they have taken was 60% so why the hell was he asked to give 90%?

In the investigation, the things that were discovered werent something that could be ignored easily.

Alex rotated his gaze on the group of people and askedDo you think the money of Lockhearts merchant group was something that your family left for you.

Do you think this group was founded by your parents where you can do what you please? It seems to me that the arrogance of working here has gone over your head .

Tras..N, even trash has more value than you all.

You force people to sign a deal to give them 80% of their profit and out of which, you were bold enough to take a major chunk into your account.

Assholes, tell me. Just where the hell did you get the courage?Alex roared in anger which shook the entire place.

Sir, sorry to interrupt you?The man beside Zach spoke with a trembling voice.

Alex looked at Syn who was Zachs assistant and asked him to speak.

Syn glared at the group of fugitives and spokeSir, it seems that these people not only hoarded a major chunk of money but also took over the business in their name using the Lockhearts money.

Zachs expression hardened as soon as he heard this. He felt Alexs prickly stare which further caused him to lower his head in fear.

He felt that he was really an incompetent person.

The atmosphere froze and except for the sound of breathing everything seemed to cease for a moment.

Alexs face distorted with extreme annoyance.

Horm and the men around him were suddenly assaulted by suffocating pressure.

Horm, who knew what was going on, suddenly fell onto his knees and begged: Please forgive me, Sir.

I swear in the name of Goddess that I will give back every penny I have taken. Please spare this worthless bug life.

Good you are lucky enough to understand your fault, Alex spoke with a smile.

But dont you think its too late? Moreover, if I forgive you what will I say to Madam Yvonne who had appointed me to deal with cockroaches like you?

Hey, you dont touch me. I work under a noble.No matter how strong you are, you cant touch the people of nobles.

Alex raised his brows and stared at the man.

Hahaha!

What happened? Are you regretting it now? All the money is taken by the noble? You should be happy to donate all of this to a noble cause.

Hahaha! Just touch me if you dare..

Touch me..

BOOM!

The mans body burst apart making the blood and pieces of meat scattered all around.

Ahh!

!

The others were horrified and fell onto their knees with a bewildered looks. Strength left their body seeing the man standing beside them killed like a fly.

As all of them looked at the place where the man barking crazily stood, they heard his voice.

Its better to get rid of a crazy dog before it bites you.

Mikado was inspecting an artifact but something went wrong and it exploded killing him. All the people here are witnesses.

Isnt it? Alex asked with a sinister smile that sent shivers down the spine of everyone who spoke.

Do you agree with me or are there more people who want to die by an unknown artifact explosion?

The body of the people on the floor jerked as they saw the blood on their clothes and looked at the man who was smiling happily as if it was nothing to him.

Even Zach was perplexed. His heart was beating fast in fear that the demon might kill him for real if he pissed him.

At that time one was able to calm himself and shoutedYeah, that person died of an unfortunate event.

I have witnessed with my very own eyes that the artifact exploded due to improper handling.

Wow!

Quick Witted Guy!

I like you.

Alex clapped for the mans worthy performance.

Now, all of you.

Alex spoke and raised his left hand.

Syn stepped forward and handed him a pile of papers.

Alex held it and threw it forward.

As if being controlled, the paper flew and landed before everyone in an orderly manner.

I will give you a chance.

Sign it and 80% of all your property consisting of lands, business and houses would now belong to Lockhearts.

Dont think that the 20% are free. For the sake of keeping the remaining wealth, I want detailed evidence of the shady transaction you have with the nobles.

Do you get it?

The peoples voices quieted down and they looked at Alex with inexplicable expressions.

All of them wanted to refute but they could feel a sword hanging upon their head. Just a single word might send them to the afterlife now.

Noticing their dilemma, Alex decided to give them a final push.

There is also another offer.

Keep 20% and give the details about the noble or keep 100% and just do what I say.

We can keep all our things.

What do you want me to do?

I swear on my name, I will do anything you want.

All their eyes shone with greed and they tried to catch the last string of hope.

p The task may be hard but at least they would be able to keep all their hard-earned pennies.

KukkkK!

Alex burst into laughter seeing the pathetic piece of trash.

Some people dont change no matter how many chances are given to them.

I like your guts and courage.

You have made me happy.

You can keep all your money but for that..

You need to die assholes.

Alexs words struck like thunder in their ears waking up from their sweet dreams.

Words choked in their throat and their eyes became hollow with a sense of dreariness.

Zach who stood on the side felt his heart skip a beat after witnessing the scene.

DemonHe is worse than a demon. He is way more fearful than the rumors describe.

I should make sure that I dont get on his bad side.

We will take the previous deal. We will do as you say but dont kill us.

Alexs lips curled upward with an amused expression and he agreed to their words.

The people sighed in relief thinking that they were able to save themselves but little did they know, they had just stepped into a huge trap.

Alex slumped down on the couch after dealing with troublesome things.

He was able to take out the black roots of the upper echelon of Lockhearts Merchant Group but who knows how many moles might be there inside it which need cleansing.

I have to ask Riya to massage my shoulders.

Zach who stood still after everyone left coughed a little and asked.

Will you leave them after this?

And what will you do about the things you asked for?

Zach was still skeptical that Alex let them live. The look of anger in his eyes when he found their history was enough to kill them thousand times.

Yvonnes face appeared on his face.

He wondered what she would do when he knew about the betrayal.

Will she feel heartbroken and sad?

I dont think so?

As far as Alex knew, Yvonne would surely find a way to turn around things in her favor.

I will let them live for now and about the nobles.

Those things will come in handy in the future Alex spoke with a vicious smile.

By the way, why are you standing like a statue?

Take a seat, its your office after all.

No, its not mine. Everything is yours. I am just a servant. Zach spoke hurriedly in fear.

Who knows what will happen if I say its mine? My head might be sent flying for real.

Alex squinted his eyes and felt that he might have terrorized this man unknowingly.

I am ordering you as your master to sit down.

Zach nodded and immediately sat down before Alex.

Ales leaned up and his expression became serious.

Zach, the next thing we are going to do is going to be instrumental in helping Arkham to get on its feet.

Zach flinched a bit wondering what he was going to do now.

Alex took out his ring and put it on the table.

There are the corpses of the beast darkness in it. You can sell it in the market or give it to the royal family.

The corpses affected by darkness are quite valuable and the Royal needs them more than ever to find out something.

And now let me show you the thing that is gonna make the miracle happen.

Alex took out a small vial and placed it before Zach.

Zach stared at it carefully to the point that it felt like his eyes were gonna pop out of the socket.

But then he frowned as he felt that the thing inside it was nothing but ordinary water.

Can I take a look? Zach asked.

Sure.

Zach opened it and took out a few drops over his palm and his expression hardened as he saw it was water.

Are you talking about this?

Yeah!

This is a miracle.

Yes!

Zach glanced at Alexs blank expression and thought as if he was joking with him and saidIsnt this just water?

This isnt just any water but blessed water. Alex corrected.

Blessed waterWhy do we need blessed water? Isnt it quite common?

Tsk! Alex clicked his tongue and spoke, The strength of the blessed water depends on the one who blessed this.

Normal priests and clergy blessed with water are way worse than the higher bishops and others.

The blessed water of Pope and Saintess is of the highest grade but since they arent making it, we are going to do it.

This holy water is blessed by me and is one of the strongest blessed waters, Alex said with a straight face.

He wasnt lying about this.

Only Pope and Athena can make higher grades than him. He didnt know about the Head Saintess though.

Alex could also compare to them once he ranks up.

Okay, I understand. But what are we going to do with it.

Listen to my words carefully Zach.

Arkham is taking care of miasma but it isnt taking care of the side effects. Just dispelling and purifying Miasma isnt enough.

One needs to take care of the lands after dispelling otherwise it would turn into waste.

One needs a very strong divinity to neutralize all the effects of miasma. When Alex purified his Kingdoms previously, the production of the land decreased but Athena took care of it.

Athenas purification was so strong that buds turned into trees and flowers bloomed at the same time when she cast purification.

Arkham had neglected that thing before thats why the situation is like this.With demons rampaging and all kinds of troubles popping out, they werent able to focus on this. If there was just a single person who could find out about this, the situation would be different.

The Pope and Head Saintess are in the Church near the neutral zone which is near the rocky mountains of Dwarf.

And thats where we came to the rescue, Alex spoke with a smile.

We sell this. We will mix with other water substances and ask them towater the crops and plants and see the immediate effects.

The effect of miasma went deep into the soil surface which needed to be purified but the purification done by Church clergy only covers the surface so the things below are left out.

Holy water would seep into the soil and take care of things inside.

That means, we are going to sell holy water, Zach murmured, assessing Alexs words.

And then he screamed, But if we do this we face severe backlash.

Isnt it a scam?

Who said we will sell holy water?

Name this Golden water, a natural fertilizer that would increase productivity.

We are also going to mix other things to make it golden in color.

Its price should be kept around 1 copper coin which will allow everyone to purchase it.

Also sell some fertilizer with it and try to spread this throughout Arkham. One drop of the vial is enough to use with 50 liters of water.

Sir, will it be okay for us to do this?Zach spoke with a frown.

We may attract too much attention this way, Sir, Zach asked.

We cant avoid that.

Its okay as long as the people we attract are good but its also okay if we attract some rotten apples and dig them out.

A storm that rose out of nowhere that swept through the entire Arkham.

It was due to certain rumours that spread like wildfire at an astonishing rate.

Many people believed it to be a rumour at first and were sceptical about it. But it was this scepticism which piqued their interest and forced them to try out the thing that made quite a fame in a short amount of time.

Golden Water.

A product introduced by Lockheart Merchant groups that claimed to help in making the land fertile and increase productivity.

And the surprising aspect was that Lockheart had dispatched all its personnel to carry out the trade.

Carts laden with golden water were transported to villages and farmlands that were previously affected by miasma.

Some even found that the Golden water was able to dispel miasma and cure the people who were affected by miasma and showed initial symptoms of fatigue and loss of vitality.

As the product gained popularity, many sought the Lockheart group to strike a deal of some sort while many knocked on their door to know what it was.

It was a matter of national importance and many wanted to know the secret but all they got in reply was that it was made with various types of chemicals invented by someone.

People wanted to meet the person who came with many striking offers but it was refused by Lockheart.

Some tried to use the moles planted in the organisation to get some information but they got nothing.

There were also various criticisms that Lockheart had developed this thing quite early but instead of helping others during the time of crisis before, was trying to loot people by introducing it later.

Those people who had been grasping onto a thin thread of hope wishing for a miracle to happen that would get them out of the crisis finally shed tears of joy as the desert turned barren lands after some time, finally showed signs of vegetation.

Of course, many felt weird and worried about the change as it was quite unpleasant for them. The hawks who were waiting for the chance to overturn the Royals found themselves in the deep pit so they tried to aim for the person.

Nobles complained about the persons identity and tried to look into it.

Assassins were sent to know about the person.

But unfortunately, no one had made it out alive till now.

So, everything was still a secret.

In a certain place, a silhouette of a man appeared as he looked over the vast plains before him.

He had an inexplicable expression as he saw the scene before him. His eyes were a bit moist and he gained a newfound strength seeing crops growing on this land.

The demons were cruel enough to target and destroy the backbone of their Empire.

Destroying farmland had forced them to put up a resistance with an empty stomach which had gradually weakened their state.

Sigh! I cant believe this is over.

It feels as if we have finally woken up from the hellish nightmare. What I am feeling right now isnt something that can be described with mere words.

Sir, what are we going to do next?

We have already gotten rid of the people who have taken those weird drugs, Wilford said.

The masked happy expression changed as he heard about the unpleasant thing again.

They were able to take care of three people but sadly they were late for one case and when they reached the estate, half of the city had been destroyed.

Although we have taken care of four, the first case of Lunar City is still making me uneasy. We werent able to find anything. During the third, we encountered the dark elves but they retreated before we could engage with them. The Masked Man spoke.

Sir, should we inform this matter to His Majesty?

The Masked Man squinted his eyes and pondered for a moment.

He closed his eyes and felt the gentle winds caressing him.

As he drowned in deep thoughts while relaxing his body, a certain memory appeared in his mind.

Six days ago, a person from the Church visited them and told them that the Oracle had received a new revelation.

[The Key to unlocking the lock of Tragedy lies in the heart of Arkham.]

If the first revelation they received was vague then this one was quite absurd which gives everyone a deep headache.

It wasnt just absurd, rather it was quite misleading.

The Second Prince tried to analyse and decode the first revelation in his way and waged a war against Kinley which led to a horrendous result.

Not only it turned out to be a complex failure, but a huge number of soldiers also lost their lives and they lost a major chunk of their land on top of that.

But he felt as if he somehow got a hint as Lockheart introduced the Golden water.

Key to unlock resided in Arkham heart.

Opening his eyes he murmured the words repeatedly while staring up at the blue sky.

Wilford has Lockheart disclosed anything till now about the Golden Water? I am sure many might have already questioned about this so what was their response.He asked.

Lockheart had kept their mouth shut and they said that they had signed a treaty with the person so as not to disclose the persons identity.

I am surprised about one thing. Those greedy merchants are selling this for a very low price to the point that even a common man could afford it. Though they require a large quantity to mix with enough water to sprinkle their farmland.

You make a point Wilford. Its certainly weird for Lockheart to do service for people and since they belong to Kinley which we waged war against I thought they would lessen the trade of weapons and artifacts for revenge. The Masked Man spoke with a smile.

Wilford, it seems we need to visit them and show them our gratitude for selling such a marvellous thing.

Zach walked inside the underground place from where faint tremors were transmitting through the surface.

A huge stony door appeared and as he stepped inside it, the sight of a man wielding a huge greatsword reflected in his eyes.

Inside a huge aisle made with a reinforced sturdy wall, a single man was training in there.

Swish!Swish!Swish!

Gales raged through the place and hit the wall causing it to shake.

Surging mana similar to the eruption of the volcano transmitted to him which almost pushed him a few steps back.

Zachs robes fluttered due to the heavy winds.

With a hoarse voice, he wanted to speak about somethingbut a shadow appeared beside her and asked him to stop.

Dont disturb him now, Riya spoke with a faint whisper.

Zach closed his lips and observed Ales silently.

Alex was using an artifact known as the Deadweight Greatsword. As the name sounds, it was a deadweight meaning it was quite heavy for normal people to use for and the more mana one put in it, the heavier it became.

One of the buyers who tries to take it unknowingly caused the entire floor to break due to the weight.

Not only was it heavy, it was also blunt. There was no sharpness in it, thats why many deemed it useless.

But Alex found it a great thing to train and deal with undead if any case arises in future.

Sharp swords generally struck while piercing through and as the sword passed innumerable undead it started to become dull so generally blunt weapons were a better choice.

Alex lifted a huge greatsword over his head and arched his back forward.

Crimson mana overlapped the sword and burst all around him.

The ground under his foot cracked due to the heavy pressure.

The swords weight seemed to increase by several thousand in an instant. The veins in his arms bulge outward.

Alex twisted his wrist and swung his sword all over his body in a clockwise motion five times and then repeated it counterclockwise five times and kept on repeating with his right hand.

After a certain interval, he repeated the same with his left and did it similarly for a few sets.

It was his daily workout to repeat the sets a hundred times.

The enormous mana released by him filled the entire space causing its breakdown.

The mana that was released by him wasnt wasted, rather it was recycled.

As mana filled the entire room, many magic circles on the walls glowed and sucked the mana slowly.

Mana crystals becameuseless pieces of decoration after being used but they could be charged again by some methods.

The mana pumped out from Alex was stored and used to recharge the crystals.

Zach stared at Alexs back and admired him deeply.

His figure is a piece of art, Zach muttered as he saw Alexs well-formed bareback from which sweat dropped like a waterfall.

CoughCough

Riya flinched while giving Zach a weird gaze and thought of distancing himself.

Zach caught Riyas gaze and coughed a little to shake away the uneasiness.

As they observed Alex, they were taken by the sound of a faint crackle coming from Alexs wrist.

Zach swallowed his saliva as he saw the swollen wrist of Alex. It seems some bones snapped in Alexs wrist.

Just seeing the scene gave him excruciating pain and he wondered how this guy could turn a blind eye to this.

BANG!

The DeadWeight sword was planted on the ground which made the ground shake with rumble.

Alex took a deep breath and looked at his body condition.

His body was in a mess.

Every part of his body was screaming in pain and wanted him to take a rest. Even after all this, Alex didnt use a healing spell and relied on himself to recover.

He turned back and was a bit surprised to see Zachs expression.

Riya appeared before Alex and wrapped a towel over Alexs naked upper body while taking a few peaks on his chest.

Alex smiled seeing Riyas cute expression and asked ZachWhat brought you here?

How is your training going, Sir Alex?

Its good. This thing helps a lot. Alex spoke with satisfaction and looked at the huge seven feet black greatsword.

Sir Alex, we have encountered a bit of trouble.

Is it due to the Golden water?

Yes!

Who wants to dig his own grave? Alex asked with an amused expression.

Things are a bit different this time. The one who came to visit was an Honorary Knight of Arkham Sir Wilford.

Ohh!

Alex was surprised by the word Honorary Knight.

Arkham provides this title to those who achieved Mythic rank and become Imperial Knights.

Sir Wilford said he doesnt care about the Golden Water. He just wanted an audience with you.

He wants to offer his gratitude at the same time he wants to ask you for a way to make Arkham back to its previous state as quickly as possible.

The distribution of Golden Water is still insufficient and if it goes on like this, it will take a few years for Arkham to stand back on its feet and time is what we dont have.

Alex rubbed his chin thinking for a moment and wondering whether they were about to find out anything.

The Main Branch of the Church and Magic tower lies in the neutral territory of Meissner which is quite close to rocky mountains inhabited by Dwarf so Arkham couldnt send them a sample and get their reply this fast.

Did he come on his own or under someone elses order?

He came with His Majestys Order?

Does His Majesty want to meet me?

No, he is too ill to even get up?

Wondering about the pros and cons, Alex saidLets set up the meeting?

Are you sure about it? Riya asked with a startled expression.

Yeah, I am sure about it, Alex replied with a grin after all, supplying Golen water could also provide an opportunity to talk with the Royal and this was what he was aiming for.

Schedule the meeting for tomorrow.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Walking through the never-ending desert, a man wandered around it aimlessly.

He didnt know what was going on and how he ended up where.

He wanted to stop for a moment and think about what was going on but he didnt have the leisure to do this because his body wasnt listening to his will.

After strolling through the place like a wandering soul, his eyes glimmered a bit as he saw two black dots before him.

There are people here.He muttered to himself and increased his pace.

The black dots enlarged and two figures appeared before him.

As he came closer, his eyes widened and almost popped out from his socket seeing the scene.

Before him stood a beautiful otherworldly lady wearing a shining Knights armour and under his foot was a boy who was pulsating like a worm spitting blood.

I dont want to do this anymore. Its reallypainful.

It hurts too much.

Please stop this. I want to get out.

Dont kill me.

I beg you, please dont kill me.

Please dont kill me.

The boy cried and sobbed pitifully but the womans face remained apathetic and cold.

IsIs it me? Alex muttered with eyes of disbelief.

The sight was quite nauseating to the point he felt the urge to puke.

Before his sight was the other Alex whos arms had been twisted, limbs had been snapped to the point that knee cap along with some bones had been scattered around the place.

His skin had been torn and a large gash appeared at the chest through which one could even see the organs.

The chest had been deformed and crushed and the face had swelled beyond recognition.

The only identifying feature was the golden blonde long hair of his.

If thats me then the lady must surely be the Goddess of War

Stop whining like this.The Goddess Of War spoke and stomped on Alexs face without any shred of mercy.

BANG!

The face of another Alex lying out there burst into pieces like a bubble and soon his body disappeared.

Alex swallowed his saliva wondering what was going on. He knew it was pathetic but it wasnt to the point where he sobbed like this or maybe did this initially but what troubled him was that he wasnt able to remember it.

As his other shelf disappeared, Alex noticed a scene which made his body numb.

The Goddess Of War whose expression, he always remembered to be chilling cold suddenly slumped down on the ground with a deep sigh.

Her eyes faltered a bit and her face looked remorseful and quite guilt-stricken.

I dont want to do this. My heart wrenches every time I see him wailing pitifully. Isnt it too much for him to bear?

Just for how long do I have to pretend to be cruel?It would be okay if he is an enemy but he is just a child who is doing his best to gain our recognition. Goddess Of War spoke with a saddened expression.

I wish I could also forget about this event like you but I guess I cant. These painful memories would become my punishment for torturing you like this and I have to bear for the aeons to come if I survive. Goddess Of War spoke with a self-deprecating smile.

Strength left Alexs body and he fell to the ground. His body trembled after witnessing a scene which he could have never imagined in his life.

Alex whole shivered and a bright light flashed.

Alex may always talk about the hell that he went through casually but deep inside he hates it, he despises it and more than that he despises the Goddess for putting him through all this but the unseen sight his anger flared up.

He was the one who had gone through all this so why the hell is she acting pitiful.

Why the hell is she saying something behind back when she could have said this before him instead of maintaining the same chilling gaze devoid of pity and looking down on me as some insect.

Are you seriously saying that you pity me after putting me through all this hell?

You hypocrisy knows no bounds. If you felt like this, why didnt I say that to my face? Alexs body sprang up from his bed and he screamed like a maniac.

Mana surged from his body causing the walls to crack.

Alex! Alex!!!

Alex heard a scream and found two pairs of arms wrapping around him.

Alexs body was drenched in sweat and he stopped his blabbering and looked out to find himself in bed with Riya beside her.

Alex, its okay I am here. Its just a nightmare.

Alex took a deep breath and was about to mutter something but he stopped.

You still cant remember the nightmare, Riya asked with a soft tone.

Alex didnt speak and wondered why this happened after such a long time.

After he returned from Goddess Sanctum he used to have nightmares every night and surprisingly when he woke up, he wasnt able to remember everything thing he saw in his nightmare.

He discarded it initially as it stopped after spending some time with Riya in Nevan but occurrence of something like that again fouled his mood.

I should wake up and prepare for the meeting.Alex mutters while caressing Riyas hair to calm her down while many thoughts are running inside his head.

.

A tense atmosphere circled the room which was prepared for the meeting.

The meeting was going to take place secretly but for the event to take place secretly, many things needed to be taken care of.

The entire Lockhart Merchant was closed today for some reason and the security around it tightened.

The guards didnt patrol in their uniforms, rather they wore casual clothes mixing with the common peoples group while loitering around the place.

Inside the room, Wilford sat with a heavy silence all around him.

The atmosphere was too calm and relaxing to the point that it made him sick.

The situation is a do-or-die for him. If he made any mistake here, his whole nation may have to bear repercussions.

CREAK!

After a long-awaited silence, the door opened and he saw a man with short black hair and with speck wearing noble attire walking towards him.

His strength was quite low and he seemed to be a researcher or an alchemist in some sort.

Wilford stood up to greet him trying to put on as sincere a smile as possible but his brows furrowed as he saw the man stiffened expression.

Alex after making his way,he assessed Wilford from head to toe with a calm look but as he tilted his head, his indifferent expression broke to the point that even his acting skills werent able to make up for it.

Noticing Wilfords gaze, Alex coughed to unease the moment and spokePardon My rudeness, Sir Wilford.

I was just startled a bit by your charisma.

You see I am just a Disciple rank while you are a great Honorary Knight whose rank cannot be fathomed by the lesser me.

Hahaha!

Its okay. Wilford chuckled and raised his hand for a shake.

Alex held both his hands and shook warmly.

He is stronger than the two Mythic rank Knights who accompanied Noah.

The guy before him may look like he was in his 40s but his real age had crossed a hundred.

With just a shake Alex was able to properly grasp this mans ability. He has been wandering at the Peak of Mythic rank for years.

He was lacking in somethingdue to which he wasnt able to break the walls and enter Saint rank but unfortunately Alex wasnt able to find that thing.

He could see something was off from his behavior but Alex wasnt able to point it out.

Both internally and physically, he is ready to break through to the Saint realm but something is keeping him at bay.

Alex expected this guy to be just Mythic rank but he is more than that which forced him to tread his path carefully for now besides that there was another nuisance beside him that forced him to be on his guard.

And this nuisance surprised more than Wilford.A nuisance which Alex had never expected to see here in this place but it in a way it could be said as a pleasant surprise.

While Alex was observing Wilford, the old man was also doing the same.

He could feel the callus on Alexs hand and no matter how much he stared at Alex, he wasnt able to erase this uncanny feeling as if this person was hiding something.

Its pleasant to meet the saviour of Arkham.

You are flattering me. I am doing this just for business. Alex chucked a bit.

Both of them separated and they sat down while Wilford tilted his head just a bit which didnt go unnoticed in Alexs eyes.

So, why did you want to meet me? Alex asked straight to the point.

Wilford smiled and spoke, You know very well why I am here?

He took a vial of Golden water and put it on the mini table before them.

You said, you are doing this for business.

As you know everything has a price, the recipe for these things must also have a certain price, doesnt it?

Why not? The matter is whether you could give me that price or not. Alex smirked.

Wilford nodded and spoke, I assume we are not the only ones who reach you.

Correct.

Many might have requested you for an audience and offered quite valuable things but you refused them all but you accepted ours.

There may be two reasons behind it.

Either what they have offered wasnt suited to your taste or you are interested in something that could only be offered by us.

Alex cant be happier than that.

Wilford noted Alexs gleeful face and saidI dont know what you want from us particularly but to show you just how much this thing means, we will first and foremost offer you a noble title as a way to repay you.

Noble title? Alexs eyes twitched a bit and asked with a questioning gazeIn one of the Kingdom.

No in the whole empire and we are offering you the title of Count.

What the hell?

Alex felt dizzy hearing this. Although it was quite an honour to receive a noble title, he was still surprised as he didnt even have the Nobel title in his own country even though he was a Prince before.

The Kingdoms of the Empire generally come under the Nobles of the Empire. It wasnt to the point of absolute control but the Kingdoms have to offer tributes to Nobles.

The only thing Alex was blessed with was his Kingdom wast operated under some Noble control.

Alex shook his head as he felt that the conversation was leading somewhere else.

He wants something from them but this isnt what he wants.

Alex already observed Wilfords attitude which was filled with respect and reverence so there wasnt any need to drag this about any longer.

Dont you think you are lacking in this aspect?Ales spoke and he rotated his gaze towards the window

Alexs words startled the man and his brows furrowed as he saw Alexs gaze on the window.

Did he feel something?

Is it okay for that Anonymous-masked guy to hide there and listen to our conversation?Alex snorted.

Wilford was startled by Alexs words and his heart became raged on while.

Meanwhile, the masked man who was leaning on the wall beside the window with a leisurely expression was shocked to the point that he almost stumbled and fell back.

Wilford was about to draw his sword when he heard Alexs laughter.

Calm down Sir Wilford. There is no need to be on alert for silly things. Isnt this guy my best friend?

Alex waved his hand towards the invisible person and spokeHey, is this how you greet a long-lost best friend of yours? It makes me cry tears of sadness.

The Masked Mans back was drenched in sweat and his brain seemed to be running wondering what was going on.

Sir Rex, what do you mean by that?Wilford spoke with a grim tone.

Are you teasing me? I may be old but I havent gone senile.

Alex frowned as he saw the man acting persistently.

Alexs eyes gleamed dangerously and he looked at the masked man and shoutedI have enough of your stupid games.

Noah, get your ass right now or I will stab my sword at your stupid masked face.

I know you arent handsome and cant compare to me but that doesnt mean you should hide your ugly face with that shit mask.

Wilfords hands holding the sword trembled and his jaw dropped wide as he wondered what was going on.

Swish!

As soon as Noah pulled out the mask, his figure appeared and he stared at the man who bears certain similarities to one of his nightmares.

His voice quivered and his throat became dry as memories of the disaster started to haunt him.

But he clenched his fist and askedThe way you speak is quite familiar. Are you Alex?

Alex winked with a smile and folded his legs.

Correct answer. Who can it be except the glorious me?

Your ability to anger me still hasnt changed.Noah spoke with disdain.

What are you doing here? Are you here for revenge?

If thats the reason then I will do everything in my power to stop you here.

Alex facepalmed and sighed.

His voice changed suddenly which sent a chill down Noahs spineHow many times did I tell you to stop barking like a dog?

How dare you address His Highness as a dog? Wilford shouted and pulled out his sword.

Just try to pull it out and you will know the consequence?

Wilford flinched as he saw Alexs annoyed expression combined with enormous killing intent.

Alex looked at Noah and spoke, Who is the one responsible for Arkhams current situation?

Its none other than me.I have been helping you all from the background. I have purified the lands on my way and helped your people.

Also I was the one who took out Count Gray who was going to run rampage.

What?

Noah screamed as if he had heard the biggest joke of his lifetime.

Sit down, and have some drink to cool yourself.I will tell you everything. Alex spoke and started to narrate the events.

Noah frowned after hearing Alexs narration.

Most of the time, he wondered whether it was true or not.

Noah and Wilford felt as if they had heard a ridiculous story from a scammer.

Wilford on the other hand was trying very hard to control his emotions from taking over.

If not for Noahs repeated reminder, he would have already raised his sword to kill this guy after all these men had single-handedly slaughtered many of the Empires men.

His heart was quite bitter at the moment.

He felt as if he was betraying his own nation just by sitting before him.

Noah took a deep breath and asked seriouslyAre you telling me that you arent screwing with us?

Knowing your character, I wouldnt find it odd that you have already made a mess of Arkham and wreaked havoc on your till here.

Alex glared at him and scorned himIs that the impression you have on me?

Noah nodded with a sceptical look.

You are correct about that but there isnt any reason for me to direct my anger at you as it was that bitch organisation filled with bastards that created all the mess and I want to rip that bastard into shreds.

Noah flinched back and blurted out Now you are acting like yourself.

Now that I have shared my part, tell me how you came out alive. Were you the only one or did you save anyone else.

Noahs expression faltered on hearing Alexs question and he clenched his fist in anger.

Alex waited for Noah to organise the messy thought as he could understand what he was going through now.

Its okay Noah. I have also lost some of my men. I dont exactly how you felt but I felt as if I had betrayed their expectations.

Wilford patted Noah who heaved a sigh and felt a bit relieved that there was someone who had gone through the same thing.

Did you remember the locket I have worn?

Ohh that flower girls locket. It looks quite good on you.

Noah controls his urges to spout curses and spoke: It was a one-time life saving artifact if I encountered a danger capable of killing me it would teleport to the place where the other pair was held.

Fortunately, my father gave it to me when I went to war and this saved my life.

Didnt your elder brother receive that as you know he is?

Elder Brother isnt dead?Noah cut Alex words.

Your Highness, you cant

Noah raised his hand and stopped him.

Its okay. We are in the same boat now.

Although we cant trust him, I trust the Goddess.

Alex narrowed his eyes and asked what is going on now.

As Noah stated the oracles, veins bulged on Alexs forehead.

Alexs expression looked as if he had heard about his archnemesis.

Those.. Alex closed his lips to stop himself from spouting curses.

You mean to say to me, Goddess wanted to lead you to me but your misunderstanding caused the war.

Hey, why dont I crack your skull and send it to Goddess for healing as a part of the misunderstanding.

Noahs body shivered as he felt that this guy might do this.

I dont know just what kind of joy they get by speaking in a round out way. They are in a completely different league above me in spouting bullshit.

My Elder brother is infected by some kind of weird poisoning due to miasma and has become unconscious.

I see. I will have a look and see if I can cure him.

Thanks! Noah added after deciding to give Alex a chance.

Noah, tell me. Since a powerhouse attacked you and tried to kill you. Why arent the Supreme ranks on your side making a move? Shouldnt they look for the person who breaks the contract? Alex asked with a grim expression.

Alex you might not know, all the top powerhouses of humans recently have a battle and all are greatly injured in that battle. So, most of them are currently recuperating.Noah spoke with a saddened expression.

And on top of that, the two powerhouses that appeared are unknown in the history of the world. We dont have any records on them and they havent signed the treaty. After we informed them, they tried to look for them but we couldnt find them.

What can we do when we cant even find those people?

I understand. Alex shook his head.

Since it was related to the God Of Darkness, they might not even have the base in this world and may have stayed in the Darkness realm and that might be why they havent been discovered till now.

We will find out about them soon, Alex assured Noah.

Now, since we exchanged everything. Please tell us what this golden water is. We need it in bulk. We are ready to dispatch all our forces.

Now, it was Alexs time to shrink back.

He tried to avert his eyes and spoke softly,Its holy water.

What!! Its expensive water.

Okay I got it, we will pay you a hefty sum.

Damn! Its not expensive water but holy water.

Noah and Wilfords expressions crumble as if they have stepped on some kind of dogshit.

Alex, dont joke with me.

Its a matter of national interests.

Its holy water. Alex started to explain to Noah.

That means except for you and Athena, we could only rely on the Pope and Head Saintess.

Cant even the Saintess of Arkham be of any help?

See, I havent seen your Saintess nor do I know about her level. We need holy water of strong concentration for this. I have only spoken about what I think.

You can explain the problem and ask for their help. I used water in this waybecause 80% of the clergyspurifying power cant penetrate deep into the ground.

Okay, I will look into this matter .

Now tell me what you want from us.I know, you are not doing this for charity.

Let me see your brother first after which I will say.Alex spoke with a wolfish grin like a scammer who was going to fool someone again.

For the next few days after he met with Noah, Alex had been spending his time too quietly doing his things to the point that Riya and Zach were starting to get suspicious about him.

When Riya, conveyed all of this to the other four, a deep and heated discussion of guessing Alexs next move went on.

In the end, everyone arrived at the same thought.

Alex might be going to do something fishy after treating the First Prince.

There were still 25 days before the deadline and both Empires seemed to be a bit restless.

No one knows if the date would be changed as the call to send troops had already been made.

Contrary to what everyone thoughts, Alex was really cooking something.

Alex sat on the top of the bed and closed his eyes.

All sorts of information passed on to his mind and floated inside his head.

With the mark, Moss had started to lead him to the places he wanted to visit.

After travelling for many days, Moss entered a small area near a lake and after staying there for a few days, she started to head back.

These people run away like stupid rats.

Moss seemed to be frantically heading back towards her home.

Alexs lips curled upwards with a playful smile.

It seems I can finally raid this place.

Trashes, I am coming to dispose of all of you.

..

Alex and Riya under Noahs guidance sneaked into Royal Place smoothly.

It wasnt an official visit and since Alex wanted to stop his name from spreading far and wide, he needed to enter like a thief from a secret passage led by Wilford.

Does Arkham have only three Princes?Is there really no princess?

Wilfords steps halted and he gave Alex a sceptical look.

Alex raised his hand and spoke, I was just curious about something.

Its better if you keep your curiosity to yourself, Wilford spoke politely.

Alex had heard rumours that there was a Princess born to the Emperor but The Emperor Killed her due to his disliking for her.

Alex didnt know how much was true in this.

Welcome, Alex!

Welcome Lady Riya!

Noah greeted both of them.

Alex and Riya greeted them and then both of them bowed their heads and spoke.

We greet The Imperial Majesty of Arkham.

As Alex bowed on one of his knees, he lifted his to catch the glance of the man.

Alexs eyes furrowed as he saw the mans appearance.

Vermouth Ark, the current Emperor of Arkham, had reached the Saint realm.

Since the people of Saint realm had a long life span, he should look quite young like a man in his prime.

But his appearance was quite bleak.

His face was haggard with a shabby bear. His hair was dishevelled and his eyes seemed to be tired which may close any moment.

Are you thinking about my current appearance?

Alexs body shook as the man noticed and he quickly refutedI dare not His Highness.

Sigh. Its okay.

What good is to keep your external appearance when my Empire is falling.

Noah informed me about your endeavour. Your help had been great but, regrettably, it was quite late. It can change many things if it came two months or a month ago. We are going to fight demons in the East and if we lose this..

This is our end.

Alex could hear a sense of helplessness in his voice. It wasnt just an act to draw his sympathy.

Alex stared at Noah s eyes which were still burning with fire.

He isnt going to back down easily.

Alex raised his head and stared at Vermouth and saidThis time it will be different, His Highness.

Vermouth narrowed his eyes and spoke.

Why do you think that?

Its because this time I will be there with your troops.

The single sentence brought forward a heavy silence all around.

Even Riya looked at Alex with widened eyes.

Her man was too brazen.

If it was anyone else, Vermouth would have scoffed and ridiculed him but seeing the mans eyes with unshakable confidence, he didnt know why he felt he could trust this man.

With quivering lips, he spoke, Please save my child.

This is not an order from an Emperor but a sincere plea from a father.

I cant promise anything but I will try my best.

Noah, show him the way.

Yes, Father.

Noah led Alex to his brother Nolans room.

Alex observed the holy aura around the room and saw the priest guarding the place.

The situation seems to be quite bad.

Noah didnt speak anything and was about to enter when he saw the door was opened slightly.

Is someone inside? He asked with a stern voice.

It was strictly forbidden for anyone to enter so how dare you to neglect the orders, Noah shouted.

The guards priests trembled and as Noah opened the door, Alex saw a lady squatting down near the bed with a teary face.

Alex didnt stare at the girl for long as his attention was drawn by the man whose body had become blue-black with veins bulging all around.

Noah, ask that maid to leave.

Ouch!

Noah pinched Alex which surprised him.

What the hell, I dont remember us being close enough to engage in friendly deeds.

She is my sister.

Creak!

The lady on the chair stood up and stared at the people with an uneasy expression.

Brother, they are?

Wasnt it said that Arkham doesnt have any Princess? Riya asked with curiosity as if she found something to gossip about.

The third Prince is my Sister Siena acting as Prince. An Oracle was saying that both Princes may lose their lives due to a disaster. To take precautions, father decided to ask her to pose as Prince but since everything seems meaningless now father wants her to lead her life as her true self.Noah explained without looking at Siena.

Sienas expression became frosty and she shouted startling everyone.

Just what the hell is going on? Can someone explain to me?

Why have you led them here and how can you expose the secrets to the outsiders?

Noah sighed and tried to calm her sister who erupted like a volcano.

Noah narrated everything to Siena who from time to time glared at Alex.

She also took a peek and glanced at Riya with jealousy wondering how there could be a woman as beautiful as her who seems like a sculpture made by the Goddess.

Are you really going to believe in him?

What if he harms us, brother? Who is gonna take responsibility? Siena asked with a cold look.

It seems she isnt as naive as she looks, Alex murmured.

What did you say? Siena scowled at Alex.

Alex just shrugged his shoulders and stepped forwardLets not waste more time.

Noah asked Siena to calm down and hold her grudges for later.

Alex sat down before Nolan and observed him.

He first checked his pulse and channelized his mana inside him.

Noah and Siena observed Alex with a grim expression.

Alex cannot claim to be a proper physician but at least he wasnt a layman in this regard.

He had been taught the basic knowledge of most things as long as it belonged to the category of Knowledge.

What Alex mostly worried about was whether Nolan had been affected like Cherry leading to mutation or change in his physical body.

Contrary to the worst-case scenario, he hadnt been affected that much. He seemed to be poisoned by something which combined with the darkness element similar to a darkness pill.

It was the type of thing which was quite hard to diagnose and its antidote was quite hard to make for any master but fortunately, it was something that especially Alex after a rough understanding could easily deal with.

How bad is it?Noah asked with a worried tone.

I think I can treat him but I need to prepare some things.

Alex spoke with confidence and brought relief to Noah.

Sienna was still sceptical about it but she didnt voice out her thoughts to cause any inconvenience.

She wanted to believe in Alexs words but since they come from the enemy who butchered their men she was finding it hard to accept.

Noah help me with these things?

Alex scratched something with the pen in thepaper and passed it to Noah.

Noah arranged it quickly as soon as possible and within a few moments, everything was arranged.

Alex opened the box containing the acupuncture needle.

He coated it with his mana-containing light element and started to stick it in the acupuncture meridians channels through which blood and mana met for a moment and circulate all over the body.

Under everyones astonishing eyes, Nolans body started to swell in the guts and the veins started to bulge and extended towards its head.

Alex passed some instructions to Riya who had already taken her position.

Riya prepares yourself, Alex shouted and coated the last needle with mana and stuck it on top of Nolan.

Nolans body pulsated and shivered as if he had been electrocuted suddenly.

Now Riya.

Riyas palm started to glow and he kept it on Nolans gut which had swelled greatly.

Swish!Swish!

Faint gales emerged due to the collision of Riyas palm with Nolans gut which caused mana to surge with heavy pressure.

Sweats started to trickle down from Riyas forehead.

Veins bulged on Riyas arms and a dark glow appeared over her arms.

Alex held Riyas arms and shoutedDont absorb it. Its quite poisonous, we dont know what effect you will have after absorbing it.

Riya was now correctly extracting the darkness mana which had been residing in Nolans body while Alex tried to purify it as much as possible.

Alex blocked all the mana points and gathered the residing dark mana in one place to make the collection easy.

Now, they just have to clear everything.

Lets finish this, Alex shouted and a bright golden light emerged from him which covered the whole room.

The dazzling bright light illuminated the entire place for a brief period.

As the bright glow resided, Alex slumped down on the couch while pulling Riya to his lap.

Its over, Alex spoke with a heavy breath and wiped the sweat over Riyas forehead.

Thanks! Riya spoke softly wondering why this minor thing felt so taxing.

Noah was about to speak something when he heard a gurgling sound and it didnt take too long to find out.

Blergh!Behr!!

Nolan coughed and puked darkishly liquid with a horrible rotten odour which was enough to make everyone sick.

Thats the base of the remaining poison. Let him vomit.

You clear away the things while Riya and I should take a stroll. You can call the physician and check his condition.

After Alex and Riya walked out, Nolan kept on puking for a few moments after which his condition stabilised.

The blue dark colour over his body disappeared and he started to look like a human for real.

The Royal Physician checked his condition and said that he is finally out of danger.

Vermouth left everything and ran towards his son to take and look and shed tears of joy along with others.

My son is aliveMy son.. Vermouths lip quivered as his heart was flooded with joy and reverence.

Previously he felt that he failed as a father to protect his child.He regretted everyday for sending his son to the battlefield which would become the cause of death.

Watching your son dying slowly before your eyes was the cruelest torture for one parent.

It was a moment of celebration for all of them. If not for the stiff situation, he could have organised a royal banquet and treated everyone.

Even though he couldnt do that, at least he should treat the one who was the reason for all this happiness with all his heart.

Alex and Riya who were in the guest room were called and when Alex entered the room, his steps faltered as he saw Vermouth bowing his head with deep gratitude.

Your Highness, I understand your feelings but as an Emperor of the nation, you shouldnt bow before someone like me. There are many other ways to express gratitude.

Although Alex spoke in a humble tone, his crooked smile didnt go unnoticed in Riyas eyes who shook his head in dismay.

He knew what was coming.

The Royal Family of Arkham might bite their nails trying to fulfil Alexs request.

Inside the Arkham Royal Castle.

Alex wasnt expecting a grand banquet as the situation was quite solemn but seeing the Royal Family bowing before him made his heart swell with pride but at the same he was also startled seeing such a scenario.

A ruler of an Empire bowing down his head to a person isnt a simple matter as it sounds.

Shouldnt you be resting for a while? Why are you walking all around?

Its all thanks to your grace. Not only was I able to get rid of that and stay alive but my rank also rose from early Mythic rank to Mid Mythic rank. Nolan spoke with a sincere expression.

Seeing the bright eyes of Nolan staring at him, Alex felt a bit uncomfortable.

And since my benefactor is asking for something, its natural I should be present.

Alex sighed and waved his hand.

Fortunately Sienna accompanied Riya to have a small tea party otherwise she would be flustered by their gazes.

Alex looked at Vermouth and pulled out heaps of paper and placed it before him.

What is all this? Vermouth asked curiously.

These are the names of the nobles who were smuggling goods and other things secretly with the help of some scums from Lockheart.

Many of them might be in the process of staging a rebellion and might have joined hands with demons. You must segregate them.

Also dont leave anyone associated with them.Alex spoke with a grin.

Some people might surely enjoy this.

Vermouth along with others expressions become cold as they hear about this.

Is this the help you want us to ask about?

No, I need two things to help me with.

First, I have located a base of the Secret Organisation and need your help to deal with them.

A chill radiated inside the room suddenly.

Noahs eyes became bloodshot and he gritted his teeth in anger.

Is that the bastards organisation that is responsible for annihilating my men?

The sad scene of his men and his two Mythic rank guards turning into ash appeared before his eyes made his heart found it hard to calm down.

Yes! Alex spoke with a grim voice.

I want your help to raid the place. Normally I should have gone alone but I dont know what trouble may await us there.

Vermouth stared at Noah and decided to let him decide about this after all his second son was the one who had suffered the most.

Noah pondered for a moment and then shook his head with dead eyes.

Alex, I want to rush to that place and crush them like maggots but I dont think I can muster the courage.

What if another powerhouse comes out? How can we deal with them? We also cant ask for those Elders help without any strong evidence. Moreover what if they are killed due to their weakened state.

Noahs plausible words made Alex smile.

Even in this situation, he was able to cool his mind and think about all the pros and cons.

Some people were consumed by anger, grief and jealousy causing them to lose their minds and make hasty decisions which had a grave effect.

Noah, do you remember the teleportation spell I told you about?

I can teleport many people but if I want to say about absolute confidence, I can teleport 15 people if we face any danger.

I may have trouble with more than as the time of casting would widen and the enemy attack would reach us but if its 15, I can guarantee that even a Supreme rank cant touch us, Alex spoke in an assuring tone.

Can you promise that? Noah asked seriously.

I swear on my name. You may be injured but none of you will die or suffer a life-threatening injury.

Noah exhaled deeply and then spoke with a bright smileThen its done.

Vermouth and Nolan laughed seeing Noahs expression.

Alex taking down the organisation is what we ought to do? It cant be counted as a help.Vermouth spoke.

You can ask anything you want.

As Alex heard a heavenly melody, he was trying hard to maintain a blank face but his lips curved a bit upward with a devil smile.

Thats what I have been waiting for.

I need resources.

Resources. Vermouth murmured with narrow eyes.

Since I have been thrown from the Royal Family, I havent received much support from them.

I have never taken any elixir or other things to strengthen myself. I know my Strength is already great among my peers but I need to prepare for the upcoming event.

So, I need anything that can help to raise my rank as much as possible with very few side-effects, Alex said.

Wait! Wait!!

Are you saying that you have never taken any elixir or help from external means to strengthen yourself, Vermouth asked with a frown.

Alex shook his head.

For real!Nolan and Noah screamed at the same time.

Why are they looking at me as if I have committed a grave mistake?

Nolan coughed with an embarrassed expression and saidThats because many of the nobles and other people take elixir that broadens mana vessels and facilitates circulation before awakening and then consumes it at regular intervals to strengthen themselves.

I have taken it from time to time but after reaching Legendary rank I have decreased its frequency.

If you throw money, you could have gotten him easily, Noah said.

Alex scratched his cheek and said, I didnt want to rely on elixir so much so I mostly avoided this kind of thing.

Yeah, taking too many of them isnt good. Vermouth spoke.

When do you need this?

Probably as fast as possible.

Then Alex you can go on the raid first. By the time you are back, I will make sure to give you one of the best gifts of your lifetime. Vermouth spoke with a mischievous smile.

Alex swallowed his saliva and his anticipation was heightened after seeing the smile on Vermouths face.