"I don't believe you. Kayden, you're lying. I bet you'll run straight to him," Colton replied impatiently. "If you do anything wrong, I'll tell your mother."
Kayden stiffened. "Are you threatening me? But I haven't done anything!"
Alster moved along with them, but Kayden couldn't keep his mouth shut. He went over to make a few sarcastic remarks about what had happened.
Alster was quick to return the sarcasm. "Would you like to get beaten up again? I've smashed your face countless times, and I still see you running around everywhere. Where do you get all that energy?"
Ayrton paused at those words and glanced in their direction.
Kayden turned his face away, muttering defiantly, "You wouldn't dare hit me."
He then deliberately walked over to Henry, who was wiping his hands, only to find Colton staring at him.
"You liar."
At that moment, Alster's gaze settled on Ayrton. He stared at him a little longer than necessary, his eyes filled with restrained panic and overwhelming astonishment.
Ayrton, who hadn't missed that look, felt a tightness in his chest. For a moment, he almost stepped back, seeking refuge in Isabelle's shadow, as though her strength alone could ward off any danger. He wasn't the only one who felt that way; everyone around her believed she was an impenetrable fortress.
Alster broke the silence with a faint smile and a hesitant greeting.
"Hello again."
Ayrton frowned. "Do I know you?"
Alster raised a hand to wipe his face, as though trying to conceal his features. He hesitated before murmuring, "I… I think you do."
He began walking slowly, as if trying to avoid an unwanted confrontation.
But Ayrton stared at him again and said firmly, "Don't approach me out of nowhere."
Nearby, Kayden was speaking quietly with Henry. However, the moment he caught wind of what was happening, he raised a hand to silence his brother before leaning forward slightly to eavesdrop.
Alster spoke in a low voice, his tone carrying a mixture of mystery and evasion. "You're as unreasonable as ever. You haven't changed."
Ayrton turned his head toward the carriage and ordered coldly, "Leave now."
George waved his hand dismissively. "The carriage takes too long… and I don't have that kind of time to spare."
Ayrton remained where he stood, staring intently at Alster. Yet Alster seemed to have fortified himself behind an impenetrable wall, keeping his past hidden from view. As Ayrton finally withdrew with heavy steps, a profound sense of disappointment washed over him, as though something had almost happened… only to vanish before his eyes.
Kayden approached Alster lightly, his eyes gleaming with irritating curiosity.
"Do you know him? What kind of encounter did you have with him before?"
Alster smiled mischievously. "You're incredibly clever… Would you mind lending me your brain during my mathematics exams?"
Kayden almost retorted sarcastically, I'm from the great China, of course you can! But he swallowed the remark at the last moment and simply replied, "Certainly… but in exchange, I want your name."
Alster lowered his voice until it was barely audible, as though confessing more to himself than to anyone else.
"I used to be something like a teacher…"
After a brief hesitation, he added, "I'll tell you my name… just to make you stop bothering me. You're terribly annoying."
Kayden narrowed his eyes, watching him closely.
"Your real name… Don't lie. If you do, I'll know."
Before the tense atmosphere could settle any further, George interrupted them coldly.
"Kayden, I don't have the entire day to waste. Alster, you're coming with us as well."
Ayrton turned toward him in genuine surprise. "How are you going to transport everyone? Your powers are nothing like Hugo's. You'll kill us all!"
George didn't respond. He simply raised his hand and began drawing invisible circles in the air, their threads shimmering as though weaving an entirely new space.
With a strained voice, George muttered, "Colton… I need a little help, please. Spread your aura."
He then glanced sideways at Ayrton. "Introduce me to Hugo later!"
Colton moved without hesitation, taking several steady steps until he stood in front of George, his body forming a protective barrier. He closed his eyes, and a powerful aura began to flow from him, expanding like warm waves that reinforced George's circles and held them together.
Suddenly, Kayden felt the ground beneath him give way. The earth disappeared, and the world seemed to slip out from under his feet.
He let out a terrified scream before quickly clamping his mouth shut, just as he was about to fall into…
The living room of their house.
He raised his head nervously, his eyes darting around the room. Then he gasped as realization struck him.
"This… is our house."
At that very moment, the doors swung open, and Isabelle came tumbling in from outside, followed by Ayrton, who stumbled in after her. George rolled down the stairs, while Henry and Alster landed in the garden, tumbling about like dolls tossed carelessly by a mischievous child.
Colton wasn't any luckier. He fell near George, losing his balance as well. He struggled to get back up, moving slowly, as though his body refused to admit defeat.
Arthur raised his gaze toward the pile of bodies scattered across the room. His expression remained perfectly still, betraying no emotion whatsoever. He said nothing, merely turning his head away deliberately, as though he hadn't witnessed a thing. His cold gaze carried a hint of suppressed amusement, as if the entire spectacle wasn't even worth commenting on.
Kayden groaned as he turned toward his brother.
"Don't do that again, George… That hurts. Your powers are unstable."
But before George could respond, Kayden's eyes widened as he noticed several familiar faces in the room.
Fiona, William, Hugo, and Isildar… They were all seated beside Arthur.
Kayden froze in place.
"Why is everyone here?"
Fiona immediately rushed toward him, her face filled with concern.
"Let me see your injuries! Tell me who did this to you…"
Kayden casually pointed toward Henry, who had just walked in, limping in pain.
"There's no need… He's already avenged me. He's my hero."
Arthur interjected, his voice as cold as a hammer striking metal.
"How?"
Kayden answered briefly, "He destroyed his eye."
Arthur slowly nodded, as though the outcome had been perfectly justified.
"He deserved it."
Everyone gradually took their seats, the atmosphere settling into a strange mixture of chaos and tense calm.
George then turned toward his brother, his eyes moving between the people gathered in the room. He whispered in confusion,
"Who are these people?"
Then he raised his voice slightly, his tone laced with sarcastic disbelief.
"Since when did we start receiving guests in our house?"
"Who is Hugo?" George whispered again, turning toward Kayden to ask him.
William's eyes settled on George once again, studying him in heavy silence. Isildar, sitting beside him, whispered, "You can't hide forever… Isn't he your role model?"
William replied in a low voice, barely audible. "No… He's not my role model. But he's a powerful man… Just look at him! You'd better pretend to be a wall and protect me. I've done far too many questionable things. He might destroy me!"
Ayrton and Henry glanced toward Alster, before Ayrton asked, "Why is he here?"
George answered bluntly, "He's a traitor…"
Ayrton muttered as he turned his face away, "Your father is incredibly clever." He then returned to his seat and fell silent, as though those few words were all that needed to be said.
Finally, Hugo spoke, calm and straightforward.
"I'm Hugo… How may I help you?"
George turned his attention toward him, but Kayden was quicker to bring up the subject.
"Ayrton keeps praising you in front of George… He's made us rather curious. Are you from a noble family?"
Hugo calmly shook his head. "I'm a commoner, but I made a place for myself through my own efforts."
A satisfied smile appeared on Arthur's face. "And you've succeeded."
Hugo's eyes lit up with happiness, and he quickly responded, choosing his words carefully, his excitement evident.
"Thank you, sir! I've heard so much about you… You're practically a hero."
Arthur wasn't impressed by the flattery. Instead, he replied coolly, "It's nothing. However, your abilities still need improvement. I can help you with that… George and I."
Hugo immediately turned toward Ayrton, as though seeking his approval. The latter gave a silent nod of approval. Hugo then bowed slightly, expressing his sincere gratitude.
"I'm truly grateful to you… I really am."
But Kayden's voice suddenly interrupted his pleasant daydream.
"But Hugo… You serve the Lord of Time, don't you?"
Hugo hesitated for a moment, his voice stumbling over his words.
"Ah… Yes…"
Isildar quietly intervened, his tone carrying a hint of reproach.
"You forgot, didn't you?"
Arthur, however, didn't allow the atmosphere to grow any more tense. He immediately cut in with a sharp tone.
"Isildar, don't pressure him. Your presence here is strange enough as it is."
Isildar gestured toward the twins with a faint smile.
"We've worked together before. They possess exceptional skills, sharp intelligence, and keen observational abilities. They're perfectly suited to become part of my circle."
By then, Hugo had regained his composure. He took a deep breath and spoke with greater confidence.
"Sir… It is true that I serve the Lord of Time, the great Lord himself. But that doesn't mean I can't praise you. You're a formidable fighter who has fought countless battles and emerged victorious. You're like a living legend."
A brief smile crossed Arthur's face, carrying distant memories rather than pride.
"My finest battles were against fighters who served your Lord. We all had to give everything we had just to remain standing. Lord Ron Feng is still a living legend to this day. I can remember his voice and his distinctive appearance. He's truly one of a kind."
Hugo smiled sincerely, almost like a child recalling an old dream.
"I've always wanted to fight like that."
George raised an eyebrow with interest. "Have you actually fought anyone?"
Hugo gave a slight shake of his head before answering, his voice filled with respect.
"When I faced Adam… I realized just how great the difference was. I'd been taking things too lightly. He's a skilled fighter who forced me to push myself harder than I ever thought possible. He made me exhaust every last bit of strength I had. Thanks to him, I'm sitting here now… alive, but battered."
At that moment, Mary entered with silent steps. She carefully placed the coffee cups before them, then leaned toward Isabelle and whispered a few brief words that the others couldn't hear.
Arthur watched the quiet exchange between the two women with a vigilant gaze. His instincts were screaming one thing: something was being concealed behind those words, and something was coming… Something unpleasant.
As soon as Mary left, George broke the silence, directing a serious question toward the others.
"Where is Adam? He told me he would come to discuss the matter of the weapons, but he never showed up. He only came to collect them."
After a moment's thought, he added, "In fact, he sent his personal armor to Roger and me. We've kept it safe until now… and we still have no idea why."
Hugo calmly explained what had happened after their last battle, then continued, his voice carrying a hint of frustration.
"I can locate him, but every time I try… something goes wrong. That's why we summoned our own scientist, a true genius! Mr. William promised me he'd figure out what's wrong."
At that, everyone's attention turned toward William.
He remained silent for a moment before speaking calmly.
"Actually… Hugo's power isn't enough to reach Adam because the location we're trying to track is too weak. I'm sorry to say this, but Adam is too weak for us to establish a connection with him."
A faint murmur spread through the room, until Fiona interrupted with an objection.
"But Adam distributes his powers regularly, and he's exceptionally precise about it. I've never seen anyone distribute their energy as skillfully as he does."
Isabelle had been watching silently. Eventually, she spoke.
"William is intelligent, and I have no doubt about his intuition. But perhaps Adam is travelling with someone far stronger than himself… someone who conceals his presence. That's why we can't find him. To solve this problem, you need someone stronger. Think about it: if you're walking in the shadow of something enormous, you'll never be seen."
"George, what do you think?"
"I believe you're both right. Mr. William is quite capable, and his assumption has an eighty percent chance of being correct. However, the remaining twenty percent is still a dark, unexplored possibility… and it might very well be the truth we're missing."
"Colton, what do you think about this?" George suddenly asked.
Colton placed his coffee cup on the table before turning toward Hugo.
"You were part of that organization, and Isildar was a spy as well. Didn't they send assassins after Adam?"
Hugo and Isildar nodded simultaneously.
"That's correct," Hugo said calmly.
"They did, indeed," Isildar added, his tone almost entirely devoid of emotion.
Ayrton looked bewildered, his voice turning sharp.
"Why didn't either of you tell me?!"