Chapter 35: Get out!

"Grandpa, do you really need to lash out on her?" 

He spoke with a sense of humor yet there was a long weary sigh at the end. 

"The marines are the reason I lost my Marianne... I can never forgive them".

Cain spoke abruptly, with anger in his voice not wanting to answer any more questions from his grandson. 

Darren glanced at at his grandson before gazing to what was Infront of him. 

Never ending corridor.

'The incident should've have never happened, the passenger fleet was unarmed without protection. Travelling from Soldat it was obligated to have marine ships protecting them' Cain thought to himself remembering the situation. 

Opening his mouth once more clear so Darren could hear his thought.

"not only did those corrupted officials not send any search parties they didn't even want to take any blame for their mistake. lives of both nobles and islanders disappeared into the abyss".

"

after another few minutes soon arriving near the exit there was another man approaching in their direction. Walking confidently and silently the mask just added a suspicious look to him. 

"...What's with that mask?" Darren wondered to himself.

As they were getting closer Cain noticed the guards standing posted by the wall raising their hand to give the masked guy their respects.

"Sir. Solan!"

The soldiers seemed tensed by his arrival. The man walked with sense of authority, like nothing was going to stop him. 

Cain eyed him, taking note of his polished attire and golden medals that displayed his higher status.

"A higher up...". 

He sighed with annoyance before telling Darren.

"...Just continue... that guy is a higher up".

-Step, Step, step-

***

Solan who stood opposed to them noticed the two 'Anax' hunters walking from Lumine's office room. 

"..What a huge guy". Was Solan's first thought, referring to the older man. 

-Step, step, step-

Walking past the two, the sudden feeling of electricity coursed through his blood. The hair on the skin lifted and just when he turned his head to take a look at the duo the only thing he saw the older man had stopped walking and was watching him with a caution eye.

There was a moment of silence before he asked 

"...Have I met you before?" 

The old man's voice was laced with suspicious, though his remark that he'd met him before surprised him a bit.

Solan felt a weird feeling, it was an unfamiliar feeling yet it felt familiar.

"...No, We haven't met before".

Solan replied, hie eyebrow raising beneath the mask just suspicious.

"No, I've met you before... Something is telling me that we've met before"

The man said, approaching with an unamused expression on his face.

"...Old man, I have no idea what your sayi-".

Before finishing his sentence Solan felt heavy pressure on him,

Almost falling he held himself up. 

It was like the gravity around him was trying to pin down.

Looking back up to the man with the predatory eyes Solan's eyes widened. 

He had a golden aura around him, radiating smoothly like the sea waves yet there was a huge hint of hostility alongside it. 

."W-What the...".

Solan felt the hair rising from his skin, it was a feeling he hadn't felt since he was young.

Fear.

The man before him was a vessel user similar to him. 

But that wasn't it, there were something overly familiar with it but he could think of reasons why.

"T-This guy... H-He's powerful" 

Was the first thought running through his mind. 

In the last 8 years of serving the marines, Solan had never felt fear ever since being recovered from the mud-cat. 

Seeing this man was different, he was strong. It was inhumane. 

Composing himself the voices in his head got louder.

"Solan~"

Coating himself with his own aura he rose back aligning his back confidently.

The old man's expression widened a bit.

Speaking with irritation Solan told him 

"...You have nerves to harass me, you could've just let me go on with my day".

Solan's death aura spiked, a hint of aggravation displayed. 

he was ready to attack. 

"...That power"

The older man spoke in disbelief. 

"Grandpa! stand back!"

Darren charged from his grandfather's side, rushing at Solan unsheathing his silvered knight sword.

"W-Wait Darren!"

Before he could listen Darren was already in the moment of sending a slash.

Just as the blade was about to hit a sudden wave of explosion occurred from him.

From the outside down town, they could hear and see the explosion faraway in the Soldat's headquarters on top of the hill.

***

 [Down town]

The attention of the locals and travelers turned to the high sound coming from a small part of the base.

Seeing the dust and marble falling downhill they were panicking and scared.

"W-What was that!"

"What happened!?"

"I-Is it a Leviathan attack?!"

[Soldat's harbor]

"H-Hey Captain! there's was an explosion in the marine's base!" 

A member of an anax crew came running to deck, arriving in a big dining room.

Across from him sat a three uniquely dressed people, all wearing different attires but had beared the common sigil of the anax on varied places of their attires.

"Hey Einar... Did you feel that?"

"...I did"

"..This feeling, Two vessel users have already started clashing against eachother"

The last one said speaking in the corner of the room. A dark silhouette covering his entire presence except for his visible saber resting on his lap. 

[Captain Desmond: Vessel of the Nightingale]

"Yeah, most definitely.. Though I felt a slight electric feeling... what about you Einar?"

"I did"

[Captain Einar: Vessel of the Ankle squid] 

[Captain Helena: Vessel of the Rupatra] 

The Trio of different faction captains had originally gathered for a reunion but was cut shortly now feeling that a power similar to theirs had already been activated prior to the tournament. 

"...Should we head out to see what's going on?" Helena asked curiously and excited.

Desmond raised his hand, explaining why it wasn't necessary.

"Its not our problem, we're on marine ground. The people responsibility will be dealt with sooner or later".

Desmon said before lowering his hand. Sitting quietly he started to think about the sudden aura they all had felt just a moment ago.

"...That aura, it wasn't ordinary... My body froze when i felt it, its a dangerous person who possess that".

***

[Back at the base]

"C-Cough"

Darren had been saved by his grandfather, grabbing him a moment before the explosion occurred.

The wall to their left was entirely gone, marble and ruins everywhere and the floating dust everywhere didn't make it better.

"Are you alright grandfather?" Darren asked.

"That's what I should ask you you damn punk".

Guards came running to the scene with spears ready in their hand.

"What happened here!?"

The guard who had just saluted Solan spoke 

"...It was sir. Solan, these two men were going to attack him!"

"W-What!? So they are criminals?!"

Without hesitation the guards surrounded them, pointing the spears close to Darren and Cain.

"...let them go" 

A voice spoke, through the dust cloud the silhouette of a man arrived and it was no one else but Solan himself waving the dust away appearing behind the duo.

"It was my fault".

"What do you mean sir Solan!?"

"...I picked on them, this explosion was because of me".

Darren was confused, why was he taking the blame?

 'Is he letting us go?'

The guards stood silently, turning to each other in hesitation and confusion they lifted their spears.

"I see, if you say so sir...".

Darren turned to Solan who was just staying there confidently, there were no hint in fatigue or exhaustion despite the huge power he had released. His breathing rhythm was completely unaffected. 

"...Why are you letting us go?" Darren asked with suspicious look.

"Knowing the marines you'd take any chance to jail anax hunters like us".

"I don't have time for this, that's all there is...".

"he don't have time for this?"

Darren thought, he was confused yet amused by his remark that he didn't have time.

"...I have other plans to attend to than fight off lowly anax hunters"

Darren was a bit pissed at his remark, 'lowly anax hunters' but they'd have to take the chance he was giving. With a smirk Darren spoke again

"...I see... Then I presume we'll meet each other soon again?" 

"Most likely yes".

Darren stared at him, first off this guy was pissed... yet he had become entirely different. Like there was a change in just the few milliseconds before or after the explosion.

"...Lets head off grandfather...".

Cain stared at Solan, he was still unsure if he could let that guy go after witnessing his destructive powers.

"...Your name is Solan right?"

"Yes...".

"What's your relationship with the Abyss"

Darren's eyebrow raised, questioning whatever that could possibly mean.

Solan stood there silently.

'Does he know about the abyss? Usually its a concept but hes asking me my relationship directly to it. Has he seen the same thing as I have. If I can get information about it, that means i could help Trevon further his research'

But it was too risky. 

"...What?" Solan replied oblivious to his question.

Cain silently stared at him before turning his back to him waving him off.

"...I'm sorry, it just came out of my mind... don't listen to an old crazy man like me".

Solan watched as the duo walked off.

"...Just who are that man, not only is he the strongest man I've ever seen, but he even has secrets to hide". 

A guard approached his side before asking him

"What should we do about this destruction?"

"Tell the construction workers to fix it, send the tab to the lighting division".

Solan said before continuing towards the office room as planned.

***

Outside the base's plaza Darren and Cain stood covering their eyes a bit from the bright sun shining down at them. 

"..Hey grandpa, what did you ask him?"

"Nothing that you'll ever understand" Cain replied before continuing walking.

"..Where are you going? The crew is at the tavern".

"I'm returning to my ship, there's some things I need to check".

"See you soon then grandpa".

Cain walked by himself, heavy thoughts were lingering on his mind with the recent encounter.

"Solan, that guy... I knew I wasn't mistaking it. His answer back then... he knows about the Abyssal Leviathan"

"Not only that... When I saw his vessel, I could hear the screams of people that have been killed him. When I came in to save Darren I got a closer look. there's no mistaking it, he doesn't possess the ordinary elder beast power... He possess the trait of an Ancient Leviathan"