NOVEL NEXT Chapter 89: Sacrifice
Godfrey blinked as he found himself back in the underground parking lot with Percival, his mother, and others. His eyes slowly adjusted to the security guards and other worried people rushing into the parking lot.
Amongst them was his mother. When she reached him, Valentina first held his face, then proceeded to check other parts of his body for injuries before embracing him tightly.
"They said Cain's Fanatics were in there," she said while hugging him.
Suddenly, she turned to the girl who tapped her. It was Gwen.
"I thought he was her son. Are you his real mother?" Gwen said, pointing at Mrs. Joy.
Valentina was surprised for a moment but eventually nodded.
"Well, your son saved all of us."
Valentina saw the expressions on other people's faces, and they all contained gratitude. The security men looked at Godfrey with raised eyebrows. All the guild teams they had sent in there, and it was this kid who rescued them?
Feeling awkward, Godfrey turned to Percival, who looked away without a thought.
"The authorities sent their men along with some combatants from the Pagoda Guild. Didn't you meet them?" the head security asked.
"They're dead." Gwen's reply shocked all of them. "I think he's called a Vagabond. He killed them and also killed all of Cain's Fanatics."
The security guards shuddered at the thought.
***
Valentina paced around her bedroom, her face tense as she waited for the call to connect. When it finally did, a deep masculine voice came from the other end of the phone.
"We've looked into it. Your son does indeed possess humanoid summons, a dual summoner, according to data. He will be sent for Readjustment Class."
"I won't allow it. I made sure you investigate it now so I can make it clear that the authorities should keep their hands and feet far away from my son. Do you hear me?!"
"Ma'am, he will return to school after his classes are over and will not work for us immediately."
"Get close to Godfrey and I'll kill myself," Valentina said firmly, and a tense silence took over for a while.
"We will turn a blind eye to your son. No Readjustment Class for him. He will be the only humanoid summoner we shall allow to roam free, no matter the circumstances. But you shall keep your part of the bargain. Once your summon clocks thirty, we shall harvest its heart," the voice sank deep into Valentina's soul.
Yet she smiled, a smile filled with pain. But if that's what it would take for the authorities to keep a blind eye on her son, she would gladly take it.
"I know," Valentina replied.
"You know once your summon reaches thirty years, its heart can bring anyone, human or summon, back to life, even if all that remains is just a bone or dust. Giving it to us is a better way, and it would give us peace, as many would want to have their hands on what could bring back the long dead. Both you and your son will be taken care of. Rest easy."
Valentina dropped the phone, her heart pounding intensely. A portal appeared beside her bed, and from it, a huge stag whose horns touched the ceiling stepped out.
Its gentle blue eyes locked on Valentina, and it lowered its head, trying to offer comfort. Valentina made it crouch and began to caress its pristine white body, her eyes occasionally glancing at the blue glowing veins along its horns.
This summon had been with her right from when she was ten years old. They were more than the mainstream master-and-servant relationship, more like best friends.
There was a sudden knock, and the door swung open, revealing Godfrey.
"White!" he beamed, as the stag rose to its feet, excitedly approaching him.
"White, be careful, or you'll destroy the ceiling!" Valentina cautioned.
***
Two weeks later, Godfrey sat on a bench in the gym with a pair of gloves he was about to strap on.
It was quite late, and this large gym had few people. Not far from him, on another bench, sat Percival, strapping a pair of gloves.
"I've created a club. It's called Shadow Club, and our main priority will be dungeon hunting. The number of dungeons is increasing, and we've been in three these past two weeks."
Percival looked at Godfrey. "I saw it. It was on the notice board everywhere in school. Everyone would have heard of it before they left. I heard the school now has a Shadow King, and I instantly knew it was you." Percival looked at his gloved hands.
"You can't stop what's going on, Godfrey. People with strength beat and oppress the weak. Those weak do the same when they find someone weaker, and the cycle keeps repeating. It was a trait birthed during the apocalyptic period."
Godfrey rose to his feet. "It won't happen to those in the Shadow Club, and we'll help at least make Manhattan less toxic."
Percival looked at the bold, golden-haired teenager with a solemn gaze. "You're going to face not just Nexus Club but the seniors. There's Damien, the ex-King, and Tyla, the ex-Queen, and they're even worse than Jon. They're from powerful families like Jon, they've got the support of the upper echelons, and not even the school management will help you. They'd rather cover it up or get discredited."
Godfrey walked up to him, wearing a taunting smile. "So what? Is that why, despite having the strength, you've remained in hiding? You're too docile, Percival. But there's no need for you to step into the light, let me handle that…"
He stretched his hand to Percival.
"…While you watch my back as my Ace. Within school grounds, the strongest rules. We take that from them, and they'll have to bow."
"You want me to become your Shadow Ace? I'll think about it," Percival replied, holding his hand and rising to his feet.
Both of them went to the fighting mat, where golden plates appeared on Godfrey's arms while blue scales appeared on Percival's.
Percival closed in by throwing a punch that sent Godfrey skidding backward until he reached the edge of the mat.
'Such strength. It's beyond what Jon showed,' Godfrey thought as he launched at Percival, throwing his own punch.