****(POV)

Old Jones remembered the kid. The youngling had tried playing him for a fool by scamming 100 000 credits out of him. He was now here at Eons.

The fool antagonized both the father and the daughter. Well, at least Jones was relieved that she had lost interest in him. After all, No father would ever accept his daughter becoming infatuated with a man.

Jones hadn't stopped the kid from entering. Now, he was spying on him from the comfort of what could only be called an underground bunker. Yes, the whole basement had been designed to resist any head-on invasion.

As for someone attacking him by surprise, he wasn't worried either. He was at best a sub-par Climber, but he wasn't helpless either. He trusted his judgment enough. He would never let anyone with malice even enter his sanctuary in the first place.

As he observed, he heard it all. The kid was looking down on his trade! Old Jones quickly came out to confront him, but the kid was adamant about his stance.

"You want to prove me otherwise? I'm really just here for the credits." The kid was showing displeasure.

"T-that, Josh, if you need credits…How about I lend you some?" The friend was trying his best to deescalate the situation.

"Others line up in dove to throw their credits at the old master. They are all unsuccessful in trying to establish a connection. Yet, here you are, requesting credits! How ridiculous!" the lady by the side scoffed at him.

"If others want to simp for an old man, they can. A peculiar taste for sure, but it's not my business. However, don't expect me to do the same." The kid shrugged.

Simp? What did that even mean? Old Jones would have to look that up online. It probably wasn't anything flattering.

"Please, what kind of trash tries to take advantage of an old man? You should be ashamed of yourself! Doing this just for a few credits, truly lowly!" She seemed to be looking at straight garbage.

"Well, since I'm broke, I do consider 100 000 credits a large sum." The kid remarked.

"That's insane?!" At that very moment, the friend gave up on lending some.

"What, 100 000?! How is it so much? No, this is still stupid. You should be trying to get in the old master's good graces. Are credits all that you think about?! Greedy!" She criticized.

"How idiotic." The kid sighed.

"What did you say?! I dare you to repeat that, asshole!" Her chest heaved up and down as she shouted that.

"I said how idiotic! Trying to push your beliefs unto others is ridiculous." The kid repeated confidently.

Was he perhaps unaware that this lady was an S-Ranker? No, he knew for sure. Perhaps he trusted he'd be fine because Eclipse had a good reputation? Did he simply trust his backing too much?

It was time to put an end to this farce. "Young man, you should forget it. I won't be giving you charity." Old Jones declared.

"Charity? I remember you agreeing to my request. That makes it a deal." The kid contested.

"Now, young man. I think you are sorely mistaken about something. I merely humored you back then. Do you really think it meant anything?" Jones shook his head at the youngster's naivety.

That's when the youth pressed a key on his UW. Old Jones could hear the steady sound of his own voice. This was a recording with proof of him agreeing. It didn't change much, however. He still had a trick up his sleeve.

"Oh? You have a recording too. How nice. Alright, I'll pay then…." He began, only for the girl to come to his "rescue."

"Old master, you can't! He is obviously taking advantage of you! Let me help!" She bravely offered, but he gestured to her that it was fine.

"I'll pay it soon. How about in a thousand years?"He smiled mischievously. There had been no deadline agreement.

"Afraid I can't wait that long. Look, old man. I understand you weren't serious, but you still promised. You can afford it too. Why are you being difficult?"

"Can but won't. See, kid. I know why you are so confident. I've done my research. You've befriended some members of Draconic. You've been hanging around their HQ too. But it is all false confidence."

"Am I supposed to praise you for such lacking research?"

Old Jones felt this kid sure was annoying!

"Point is, whatever you think you have to pressure me, you don't. How about you leave before I really get mad?" He loftily advised him.

"Is it because of the mercenaries? Is it because of Neos? Or is it because of the dumbasses aiming at my head right now?" The kid was grimacing.

How?! Seriously, how was he finding them?! No, wait. He had friends at Draconic. Perhaps it was an item or even an ability. Well, it wouldn't change anything. The kid remained a low-level Climber.

"None of these options. You see, I have very specific skillsets that make me very valuable in our society. Who do you think people come to see when they want leads on new materials found in the Tower?"

"Ah, so you are backed by the various organizations that you work with? Still, the more time goes on, and the more the various crafters will gain experience and insight. Soon, your very existence won't hold the same value."

"Eh, as if! Who said an appraiser could only appraise items? We can do so with people too. May it be their deepest secrets or even their hidden potential. We are versatile enough that replacing us will be impossible." He proudly declared.

"Alright, I'll bite. What do you see in me then?" The kid inquired with obnoxious bravery.

"I'll have to touch you for that." He explained.

On the side, the lady was stomping her feet in jealousy. Her body language spoke her thoughts. How was this annoying bastard allowed a private reading by the master after being so rude?! She could be heard grumbling: "You dare doubt the master!"

The friend was just happy no one had died from this, smiling in relief.

That is how Old Jones began to inspect the target. He needed to use his spirit to perceive the individual in front of him somehow. The kid cooperated, and soon Old Jones began feeling it all. He could vaguely figure out many things from these sensations he would get.

As tough as he tried to look, the kid was but a young man in the end. Perhaps, Old Jones had even been too harsh on him? Yes, the youngster just needed council.

It started as normal as it could be.

The feeling of mundane life. Peaceful day-to-day joy and hardships. The satisfaction and contentment of a job well done. Happiness, peace of mind, and bliss from loved ones.

This would be a nice reading, or so he thought. Suddenly he felt invaded by something vile that shattered the current relaxing experience directly.

ཀཀཀཀཀཀཀཀཀཀཀཀཀཀ

What the Hell?! The feeling of blood and despair. Sorrow, lamentations, suffering, agony, distress, pain. He felt as if his whole being was nothing but tears. Being dead would have been better than this!

Then came the anger. No, the hatred! Only dark thoughts. Only loathing, rancor, and resentment. He felt his whole soul being corrupted by these venomous feelings.

Then came the coldness. Every previous feeling felt foreign. The happiness? Gone. The despair? Gone. The anger? Gone. Nothing but cold-blooded unfeeling preparations. Preparations for what?! He didn't wish to know! He wanted it to stop. But it wouldn't. It wasn't over yet.

That's when he felt it. All these bottled-up emotions being released at once! It all came pouring out in the worst of ways.

Massacre, ruin, annihilation, blood—so much goddamn blood! Never-ending violence, desolation, ravage, slaughter. He could feel the blood. He could taste the blood. He was nothing but blood himself!

That's when he saw it. This was supposed just to be feelings, but he saw it. He saw the kid—no, the monster's eyes. Blood red eyes. Eyes tinged with so many emotions. Eyes that were looking straight at his soul. Eyes that made his entire being shiver, making him feel vulnerable.

Then there was the smile. A peaceful slight smile. One that would remain no matter the atrocities the monster committed. A smile that was a harbinger of death. A smile that made him understand. The monster would smile as he devoured his very soul.

There stood a monster, a devil, the incarnation of evil itself, yet a peaceful and calm man. An impossibility. A….

Then it was over. This short glimpse left him trembling. As he came back to the real world, he felt his stomach churn. He couldn't stop it. He fell to the ground. His legs were so weak! Then, he vomited all across his neat white shirt.

His dignity was far gone, but he didn't care. He slowly raised his head. It took him all his self-control to even look upward. To look at that crazy being that was now towering over him.

The monster had a playful smile: "Tell me, was it a nice sight? My past."

This was his past?! How?! That's when he understood. He understood why he felt so much fear. This devil didn't care what race the opponent belonged to. How was this all possible?

"W-who a-are you?" He could hear his own cracking voice.

"Josh, Josh Malum. Shouldn't you know that, old man? Now, how about these credits?"

"I'll pay! Right now, I'll…!" He'd do anything.

"It's fine. I trust you will. Later, old man." On that note, he left, peacefully bringing his shellshocked friend with him.

"How dare he?! What did he do?! I'll hunt him and…."

"Boss, are you okay?! What the Hell happened there? Should we shoot him? Boss, he's looking my way!"

Both the lady and his subordinates were making a ruckus.

"Wait! All of you!" He sighed before solemnly uttering. "No matter what. Never anger this man. Also, forget everything you have seen or think you saw today."

"But—!"

"Boss, what is—?"

He simply cut them off. This was vital.

"I'm serious! If you anger him, I fear to even imagine the consequences. No amount of S-Rank guilds could ever protect you. He has done it once. He has killed them all. All of them. To the very last. All of—!"

"Old master! What are you talking about?!"

It took her exclamation to bring Old Jones to his sense. He couldn't help but give a helpless smile.

"Ah….I'm not sure myself. But I felt it. The last ones that angered him are no more. The next ones that do, they won't last long either."

"That's impossible! He's just a low-level Climber, isn't he?"

"For now perhaps…."

The soldiers present couldn't help but shiver. What had just happened? How had he been able to intimidate their Boss so easily? What kind of havoc was he about to wreck on the world?!

It was time for another bet….