V2 Chapter 189

Dreadstorm Empire, Demon Capital.

Midnight, a shadow silently appeared in the Palace of the Demon Empire. Just like a ghost, the black figure quickly evaded one group after another group of patrol guards, and finally arrived outside the Demon Empress; Sitana’s bedchamber. Then the black figure knocked on the door in a very peculiar rhythm.

“Enter.”

Sitana’s dignified voice came from inside the room.

“9nth Shadow pays respect to her Majesty.”

After this shadow entered, she immediately kneels down in one knee, then respectfully said.

Sitana still sat on her chair and read the book in her hands without lifting her head.

Only after a long time, she asked: “Did you find the whereabouts of my son?”

“Answering Her Majesty, several weeks ago, we discovered his Highness Aanuel in Icegrass City. There he registered with a group of Adventurers to go to deeper to the Winter Mountain for an S-class mission, a Subjugation of a Basilisk. But after a few days, the group that his Highness went with had returned back in failure due to the sudden increase of monster activity in the Winter Mountain. But his Highness didn’t return with them,”

This shadow replied precisely and clearly.

Sitana’s expression turned cold.

“What did you say?”

The black figure shivered, still she endured the pressure the Demon Empress is emitting and continued; “His Highness whereabouts is currently unknown. Though, from what we gather with Lady Sibylla’s reaction and behavior these past few days, it seems like there’s nothing wrong with his Highness. Lady Sibylla and his Highness people from the Garden, however, is becoming active in the Icegrass City, seemingly planning something incredibly huge…”

“Then, you’re saying…Aanuel is still inside the Winter Mountain.”

“Yes, most likely…”

Sitana furrowed her brows and lifted her head from the book to the back figure kneeling on the floor.

“That little girl from the Vandlehouse had a communication item that connects with Aanuel, isn’t that right?”

“Yes, your Majesty. Because of this, we surmised that his Highness Aanuel is still in contact with Lady Sibylla even now,”

Sitan frowned for a while, her beautiful eyes narrowed in contemplation.

“…the Winter Mountain has always been a mystery even for us. These past hundreds of years, we have tried many things, many methods, all to understand what the mystery is covering that forbidden land. However, to no avail. It has always been one of the great mysteries of the Continent that had never been solved ever since the Lost Century.”

She said with a faint smile flashing on her face.

“…but you said that Aanuel entered the Mountain, but didn’t return like the others…instead, there’s a high chance of him still inside, staying—what could make my son interest inside that chaotic mountain so much?”

“… …”

Sitana thought for a moment, then suddenly burst in laughter.

“The mystery of the Winter Mountain…just what kind of interesting thing had my beloved son found inside?”

The black figure thought for a moment, and then replied with a doubtful tone; “…is it possible that it had to do with the sudden rise of Monster Activities around the Forbidden Mountain?”

“Perhaps…though whatever it is, surely Aanuel had found something inside the Mountain that had never been found by anyone before…and perhaps what he found is the truth of that Forbidden Land?”

The expression in her eyes fluctuated, then she said: “Continue searching, and if you discover the whereabouts of Aanuel, immediately report to me.”

This shadow answered and disappeared from inside the room.

Sitana stood up and strolled around, “Just what kind of discovery did Aanuel found inside the Winter Mountain, I wonder? And what is he trying now in the Harraavar Empire?”

Well, whatever it is, it seems like Aanuel had already decided to show himself to the world and made his move. And it seems the target this time is quite big… the Haaravar Empire, one of the Three Great Human Empires in the Continent.

First, Aanuel had made some fissions and crack between the Alliance. And then, he was now starting to eat one of the Great Empires from within…perhaps, this sudden commotion in the Winter Mountain was his handiwork as well, trying to cause chaos and distress within the Great Empire.

Now, with the Great Empire was full of uprising due to the indiscriminately killing and executing innocent Demi-humans and Beastmen in their territories. This is indeed the great time to move…it seems like Aanuel had already calculated all, and in accordance with his plan.

Lucifalion wanted to conquer the continent in a direct approach, war, and battles. Aanuel, on the other hand, wanted to do it via schemes and machinations instead. Pulling strings in the shadows.

One through power, one using mind.

But the question is...which method is much better?

If only these two were working together, perhaps conquering the world would not be much of a dream...?

“...whatever, the case. Go on, my son… let me see, your true power…”

Sitana smiled sweetly—her gaze full of anticipation for tomorrow.

…. ….

Earth.

- In the Jekyll Mansion -

In a certain room of the dreary-looking mansion, every servants and guard were in a gloomy state. Not because someone had died, and they were mourning about it. But because their beautiful princess had suddenly changed a lot these days.

Originally she had an extremely cheerful and lively personality but, this inexplicably disappeared. She was quick to tears and even would sit in a daze. She would not even touch her food.

This made her father and mother; Albert and Jennifer Jane Jekyll extremely sad. They were forced to watch their precious and beloved daughter become thinner with each passing day.

---And they know full well, the reason for this troublesome situation.

Cian Cahlo, true name Cian Jekyll; their most beloved son had gone missing.

Not even the shadow corps could find even a single trace of him and this made not only Serena but all the people in the family extremely worried.

- Jekyll Mansion; Three days ago -

The sky is just turning dark, when---

"BABY BROTHER!!! I FINALLY RETURNED!"

A crisp voice filled with excitement resounded outside the Cahlo Mansion.

Inside the house, there was only Albert Cahlo and an old man whose body after hearing that voice couldn't help but trembled violently.

After opening the golden embroiled door, two beautiful women entered the house. One woman in her mid-twenties and the other girl is quite young around 18-19 years old.

...These two were the flowers of the family; Jennifer Jane Jekyll, stage name Jennifer Jane Cahlo-a well-known and widely recognized surgeon, and her daughter Serena Jekyll, a well-known prodigy in the business circle.

"Where is Cian?"

Serena asked with great disappointment upon seeing her long-missed brother not greeting her upon arrival.

In her imagination was that as soon as she opened the door, Cian would immediately jump towards her then she too will spread her arms, lovingly catching him while spinning around.

...And for some reason, there where countless petals of cherry blossoms floating in the background.

"Hmm..."

Albert Cahlo scratched his head then bitterly smiled.

"He’s gone..."

"Gone? Where? I will go find him right now."

Serena pouted in displeasure but she immediately recovered and asked with a cute expression.

However,

"No, no..."

Albert Jekyll waved his hands instantly. His face revealed a complicated expression as he doesn’t know how to explain this situation.

After all, he too was at a loss on what was happening.

A few days ago, he was just woken up by a call from the school his son was going and was told that his son and most of his classmates suddenly disappeared out of nowhere. As for where they were, still unknown. And many apologies and consolations, and promised that they will find them as soon as possible, followed… however, Albert was not in the mood to care about it.

What was important was that his most treasured son—HAD DISAPPEARED!!

His eyes turned red and his killing intention covered the entire mansion that even the servants and guards, dogs, and cats almost fainted in fear. In fact, most people had already lost their consciousness from the sudden impact of Albert’s full-powered killing intent. Even the phone he was using was smashed into pieces.

In that night, every force of the Clan was mobilized, but no matter how much they investigate or no matter where they look, they couldn’t find anything.

It’s as if their young master had vanished in thin air.

And this caused not so simple earthquake.

Albert Cahlo was at a loss.

What had happened to his son…?!

Him being kidnapped was the least probability. He knows how monstrous his son was, he was the one who groomed him after all. And although his assassination success rate hadn’t yet reached a hundred percent, it was nearly perfect.

No one can easily take advantage of him in this world!

But what happened?

Why did he disappear along with an entire dozen of students?

Where did they go?

Albert can’t understand this, not even a clue could be found.

Damn it! If someone dares to mess with my son, I will tear them limb to limb!!

Noticing her husband’s strange behavior, Jennifer Jane Cahlo seemed as she thought of something and her face darkened. Her eyes became sharp as he glared at him, "Husband...where is Cian?"

Her voice is cold to the point that all the people who heard it; including Albert couldn't help but shiver.

Gulp!

Damn it! This is what scares me…!

"Cian disappeared...I don't know where he is right now, we couldn't find him...anywhere,"

Albert’s words were stuck in his throat and couldn't say anything. His heart suddenly jerks heavily because he noticed the expression painted on his wife's face was too cold to describe. Her eyes were like ice and her face devoid of any warmth.

"Cian...disappeared...?"

All of a sudden, Serena's face turned stiff, nagging absentmindedly.

Her excited expression paled as her eyes instantly turned grey as if the world in front of her suddenly collapsed.

Albert subconsciously stepped back and immediately said.

"Serena...Serena, Cian just disappeared. However, you know your brother… he was not someone who would be taken down easily. I don’t know where he is right now, but you should wait pati—”

But Albert couldn’t finish what he wanted to say because of the released killing intent from Serena.

She turned berserk!

Albert’s expression darkens. Though, however, this kind of reaction was roughly, just as he expected. But the thing which was out of his expectation was Serena’s sudden action. With speed as though she had disappeared, Serena stepped in and closed the gap between her and her father in an instant.

“!?”

It wasn’t only Albert who almost cursed loudly in shock.

Among the ones who were present in the hall, the servants either had the same reaction as Albert or no voice even came out because they doubted their own eyes.

Since it took Albert completely unguarded, he couldn’t respond properly. But still, it was only possible because it was Albert that he tried to take a defensive form out of conditioned reflex. But that was it.

As Albert’s guard arm collided, a ‘Baang’ sound reverberated inside the house.

In the middle of that echo, a ‘Gasha’ sound rose up as Albert felt his bones almost cracked from the impact. He was too late to exert all his strength in that single instant, and Serena’s attack really possesses the will to kill.

Damn, this daughter of mine! Can’t she even listen for once!?

Gritting his teeth, Albert instinctively raised his leg in a sweeping motion. However, as if expecting that, Serena snorted in anger and used her leg to step into his knee and used his force to push her body in the air, and somersault with a movement so graceful as if she was treading on the wind.

“Damn it Serena! Are you insane?!”

“My Cian had disappeared and you just let that happen?! Father, you’re the one who’s insane!!”

Serena cried out, her eyes bloodshed, and even her hands formed in a claw, with red crystalline covering her entire hand.

Blood Claw—

Like Cian’s [Blood Release], this was Serena’s unique ability among the Cahlo Clan.

Using blood as a catalyst, she can cover some parts of her body to use it as a weapon. Though it’s not as exaggerating as fiction, she can’t really control and manipulate blood, but covering her body with it was possible.

Crystallizing the blood and wearing it like some sort of armor, Serena was extremely talented in this regard that she was almost known by many people as Blood Reaper.

“That doesn’t justify trying to kill your father all of a sudden!”

“You are here, father! But why is it that Cian still disappeared?!”

Serena gnashed her teeth with a very, very cold expression.

“I don’t know… this also baffles me to no end.”

Albert sigh with a helpless expression.

"According to what we had gathered, they are just gone...disappeared. No warning, no clues of what had happened...nothing at all."

“You—!!”

Seeing her father’s aggrieved expression, Serena was further incensed. However, before she could attack in anger once again, Jennifer, her mother appeared in front of her.

“Calm down, both of you!”

Jennifer snarled angrily.

“You, killing each other wouldn’t solve the current situation! Serena, keep those claws away, have you forgotten our ways! You’re acting like a pubescent teenager, very unsightly!”

“… …”

Serena frowned, then she reluctantly withdraw her power, though she was still glaring at her father.

While she can attack her father and perhaps even can kill him without any care, but what scared her, like the others, were her mother.

Her mother might be beautiful, looking harmless, but beneath that façade was a true demon.

A demon, not even her or her father would try to face.

“And you, Albert, this is not the end yet you hear me? But for now, tell us what had happened! Where is Cian?” Jennifer’s voice was as cold as ice but graceful as a flower pushed by the wind.

Albert shook his head.

“Truthfully, I was also at a loss here. Cian went to school, just like normal… however, a few days ago, I was bewildered when he didn’t return home at night like he usually does. But I still waited, thinking perhaps he has somewhere to go… after all, Jean is guarding him properly. A chance of something bad happening was as minuscule as a needle’s hole." then, his expression turned aggrieved.

"... Then, all of a sudden, I got the call from the school, at lunchtime, Cian along with some of his classmates that had stayed in the classroom, disappeared…”

"...?!!"