NOVEL NEXT Chapter 86: Leave It To Me!
Hecte's words made sense, but Aegon was still a little worried. The Bandaged Man's attitude, his complete lack of fear toward Aegon's background meant he either possessed terrifying power or had someone powerful backing him.
And the fact that he could create two Rank 5 clones just to probe him only made the situation more concerning.
He trusted the Red Veil, but that didn't stop the unease in his chest.
[Trust me on this, Boss.]
'Then, I'll put them on this,' Aegon finally gave in. 'But only if Xiu leads the operation. I don't want to disturb her, but if I don't tell her about something this significant, she'll eat me alive later.'
[I can see it happening. But rest assured, Boss, if I'm not there, I don't trust the others to remain civil. Chief's presence is necessary for this mission.]
Aegon hummed softly as he watched the fragments of the barrier dissolve into the air. With its source gone, the formation had lost its fuel and was now crumbling apart.
Cali had been lost in thought, but when the barrier finally vanished completely, her eyes widened and chills ran down her spine.
She wasn't the only one. The twins, Luna and Xavier, both froze with the same uneasy realization. What surrounded them was not the open grassland they expected, but a towering wall of darkness that devoured even the faint twilight above.
The colossal wall surrounded them from all sides, its shadowy surface writhing as countless fangs materialized within, slowly creeping closer like a monstrous maw closing in.
"What the hell are you guys doing?" Aegon asked, though his tone carried a mix of amusement and exasperation. "The enemy's already gone, it was just a clone! Disperse your forms and come here."
Slowly, the shadowy wall disintegrated, melting away into the ground as around fifty shadowy figures emerged, each one exuding an oppressive aura. Though they had no visible eyes, Aegon could feel their deadly gazes fixed upon him.
One of them slid forward and knelt, his form solidifying slightly as a deep, rumbling voice filled the air.
"I apologize for my negligence, Boss. I allowed an insect to approach you."
"Skip the formalities," Aegon waved dismissively, pocketing one hand while the other gestured casually. "You know I don't like them.Also, I wasn't in any real danger, are you all forgetting that Hecte's still with me?"
His words reminded them of their leader, the one who had also summoned them here on Aegon's behalf. Aegon had expected a trap waiting for them outside the barrier, so he'd called them in advance just in case.
Unlike his dear Aunt Xiu, Aegon was extremely cautious about anything that could endanger his life. He cherished it too much to take such risks.
Dying once had been enough, now he always made sure he had countermeasures ready for every possible situation.
Only after hearing his words did the shadows relax slightly, though their menacing presence still lingered. Their anger hadn't faded in the slightest.
Every one of them had sworn their loyalty to Aegon, to protect him even at the cost of their lives. Now that someone had actually dared to target him, how could they remain calm?
They were barely restraining themselves from slaughtering whoever had plotted this attack.
"Alright, listen up!" Aegon clapped his hands sharply. "I'm—"
He stopped mid-sentence when he felt something vibrating in his pocket. Pulling it out, he revealed a small jade stone etched with intricate runes, the exterior polished to a mirror sheen.
He sighed and infused a bit of mana into it. Immediately, a high-pitched voice filled with panic and fury erupted from within.
[How are you? Where are you? Are you fine? Are you bleeding? Is anyone near you? Let me talk to them. Where's Hecte? I need to speak to her too. Speak something, damn it!]
Aegon stared at the communication stone in silence. His friends merely nodded, unfazed as they had already expected this reaction. Even his shadow, who usually feared nothing, seemed to tremble slightly hearing that voice.
He waited patiently until Xiu ran out of breath. Only then did he speak.
"I'll talk if you actually let me say something, Xiu."
[Aegon!]
"I'm fine," he said calmly. "You can put your heart back in its place. I didn't even get a scratch, so stop worrying yourself sick."
[How can I not?! The moment I heard you were attacked and trapped inside a barrier, I already left the city. I'm on my way to Dusk City right now! I want to see who has the gall to even think of touching you.]
Aegon's eyes flicked toward Jason, who was still kneeling before him. The man quickly bowed lower, explaining, "I'm sorry, Boss, but it was Chief's order to inform her immediately if anything like this happened."
[Don't you dare blame them!] Xiu's voice snapped through the jade stone. [If they hadn't told me, were you planning to hide this from me?]
The barrier had severed communication, so Hecte couldn't contact Xiu directly. However, the Red Veil shared a unique bond, they could transmit messages through each other's shadows. That was how Hecte had managed to reach Jason so quickly.
"Of course not!" Aegon denied instantly. "I just wanted to be the one to tell you myself since I knew you'd react like this. Now, calm down and take a few deep breaths."
[…Fine. I'm breathing. But are you really fine?]
"He's fine, Aunt," Luna stepped forward with a reassuring smile.
Cali joined in, saying, "I was with him the whole time, Aunt."
[I almost forgot my nieces were there too. Good job, you two. I'll treat you both to whatever meal you want when I get there.]
"Hey, Aunt! I was protecting him too!" Xavier piped up eagerly at the mention of food, his hand raised like a child seeking attention.
Everyone turned to stare at him blankly, their expressions unified in disbelief at his shameless words.
"Xav, don't make me disown you," Cali said bluntly.
"Little Brother, lying isn't a good habit," Luna added, patting his head pityingly.
"You two…" Xavier groaned, clutching his chest as if he was having an heart attack.
'So an assassination attempt is supposed to lead to this kind of nonsense?' Aegon rolled his eyes and snatched the communication stone back.
"Xiu, I need you here," he said, his tone turning serious. "I want you to find whoever did this."
[It's some idiot from the Spyder Syndicate.]
"You already found them? How?" Aegon asked, blinking.
[Leave that to me. I'll make sure that fool learns exactly who they messed with this time.]