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Chapter 012: Siva's Second Unsealing

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He appeared in the southern quadrant, the very place Gyoolu had destroyed with a single shout cannon of his.

With a flash of light, Siva's outfit changed in a fit of an instant into that of his White Knight Armor set.

The faceless mask on his head was something that anyone who had ever seen it would never forget.

In Jeremiah, the Faceless Knights had become a thing of legend; trashing out a King Candidate and opposing the Council of Elders, defending the two waves of attacks in the Grand Mansion against four Demon Commanders, and finally, threatening the Terran-Human Alliance and making his stance to be known to the War Council Seats.

Alas, it was a reputation only top-tier executives are allowed to even be aware of, much less know every detail that had happened back then.

As soon as Siva arrived, he immediately deployed ten Liberty Drones, then spread the BM-Puppets in 14 directions, covering every side that Billion might escape to if he and him were to confront one another in a falling out.

"Billion, depending on your answer, you will suffer the consequences of lying to me."

Siva was seething in rage. It was actually a wonder that he was still cursing at him like this.

He didn't dare to dally.

With his greatest speed, he jumped into the air and 'blasted' off in a streak of wind that although he did travelled impossibly fast inside the city, not a sonic boom was heard for the [Absolute Domain] made it so that the 'armor' he wore travelled in water which the domain provided.

Such a technological feature was only possible if an abundance of "NanoField" materials was used to create the domain. And because of this, only a slight breeze was the only thing 'felt' when Siva's silhouette passed through above the city.

Shuuuuuu~

The place was still in the initial phases of being rebuilt and even the government buildings are still on its foundations; the walls are halfway, the pillars were alone, and the ceiling is still missing.

Siva passed through these places and just went to the western quadrant —straight to the place where he last remembered Billion's office was located.

He arrived in the air in less than 10 minutes, and only when he did stop was there the sound of a muffled boom that followed his abrupt halt. There was also the Law of Gravity applied to RPG: Terroa but because Siva's body was '6x' of a normal man's bodily constitution, the slight G he suffered wasn't enough to make him cringe.

But...

Siva was panting. He rushed here in full haste and along with his seething rage that he was trying his best to control right now, no other reason else are there to make his breathing short in between.

[Scans indicates that Billion is not in the vicinity. I have also scanned the underground passageways that led to the other parts of the city but there are no signs of Billion in any of them. Should I try to spread the search area?]

"Focus all power to scan range and accuracy. For now, disable camera functionality and focus energy resources to maintain the scan until we find him."

[Roger that.]

Siva remained floating in the sky, 400m above the office he remembered Billion should be staying at.

—is he currently logged out?

—I should have thought of the possibility.

Siva realized that he was too impulsive. The result of his uncontrolled emotions erupting and clogging his mind was showing its lethality.

If this continued on, there's no knowing what might happen if he unexpectedly blacks out because of a sudden fit of rage.

The minutes passed by and he could feel anxiety building within him. He could feel his chest slowly tightening and impeding his breath. He was really feeling nervous. Now that he had a clue where his brother's "mind" was, he couldn't help but think of the possibilities of bad things happening... or might have already happened

—No!

—Baron's okay... he's okay. I know it. I can feel it.

Fifteen minutes passed.

The anxiety was suffocating. Siva placed himself in the Central Region of the City and even here, the signs of Gyoolu's presence were still not erased.

By now, a lot of things had already gone inside his mind and Siva was beginning to grow impatience.

Luckily, [I found Billion. Locking location data and deploying marker beacon on target.]

Siva's heart leaped in joy as a "marker" pointed at his target on the far northern part of the city. It was one of the Liberty Drones he deployed that caught a sniff of his target, seated on his office chair and leisurely enjoying his time as the City Lord.

His heart battered his chest as he remembered the straight face this person had when he reported he didn't see Baron.

The anxieties he felt vanished and it was pushed aside by the seething rage he'd almost forgotten.

Now that he was stronger than ever, and had his old memories recovered, he now had more than one way to force Billion to tell him the truth or else, he will mentally suffer in the real life after he was finished with him.

Not wasting any time, Siva followed the bright red beacon only he could see; a bright crimson pillar of light that connected the sky and the city.

With a muffled boom, he darted like a meteor that horizontally flew towards that direction.

After five more minutes, Siva finally reached the northern quadrant of the city and from where the bright red beacon lay, he saw an X-ray image of Billion on his office.

Since it was just a rendering by the [scan] function of the Liberty Drone's Absolute Domain, there are no colors but the shape and actions were clearly displayed in front of him.

However, he wasn't alone.

"Who is this guy?"

As Siva wondered and was about to dive down to begin his interrogation, he then decided that it will be crucially helpful if he could first know if that person is an enemy or not.

{...and what of the repairs?}

{It will be done.}

{The Blue Card Legion had already beaten us to the acquisition of the Dragon's Tome. If they can find the Zodiac Artifact, there will be nothing that can stop their rise to power. We must stop them and your city had to be rebuilt with the designs and plans The Union had approved. You must hurry.}

{But I can't just kick out those noble families! And besides, the blueprints Headquarters sent over is requiring me to destroy majority of the foundational underground infrastructure. Those are the Barrier Dome's foundations and the city's inner systems as well... I can't just destroy and edit them!"

{Yes you can. You're the City Lord.}

{In-name! Every city in The North are all entitled to only be governed as a caretaker. The ownership and complete control of the city still belongs to the true holder of the Imperial Decree, and there is only one Imperial Decree in the whole of Tiara! It is still in the hands of the locals' Immortal Emperor!}

{Then kill the Emperor! Isn't that an easy task just by itself? What can an NPC do to us? We are the Gods of this world and nothing can't be bought by a mountain of money. It's the order of the Elder. If you can't do it, then it only proves that putting you in this position is a mistake. Given my power, I may not be able to pull you down directly but I can still make a report that your performance is inadequate to the job.}

{Easier said than done. Nobody even knows where exactly is that Emperor hiding in... nobody's even sure if he's already dead or is still really alive.}

{It's your problem to solve and ours to see the solution you came up with. You already have your assignment so get it done but if you still continue on this train of complaints of yours, then I will be forced to report your insufficiency to fulfill your role to The Union.}

While listening to this, Siva couldn't help but stare at the tall white cap mountain's top, and murmur.

"Are you listening to this Gabriel? I know you can hear them so let me do the honors of cleaning the trashes on your backyard."

Having said that, Siva dived down at an incredible speed but still almost didn't make a sound until he came in front of the window and extended a hand, at which the renewed hordes of 800 blades began to swarm inside the room and surround the startled duo from The Union.

They didn't have time to squeal in alarm before the weight of the blades slammed them at the floor and the wall... respectively.

Siva walked in and shattered the window glass by ignoring its existence, entering the office as the faceless-masked White Knight.

"Who are you?" the unknown man from The Union spoke with arrogance and certainty.

As he was being pushed towards the floor, the man looked at Siva's face from below with extreme difficulty.

He wasn't even sure where the eyes were located.

But Siva ignored the man and only stared at the one being pressed on the wall, hissing his name in a frightening manner, "Hello Billion. You missed me long enough?"

Hearing this voice, no, this condescending tone, is enough to make Billion realize who was visiting him this instant.

"Y-You... why are you here?"

As Siva was yet to release 'total' hostility, given his current power and capability, it wasn't hard for him to be considered a "calamity" by the [Safety Zone] Magic that protected the city —or at least, this part of the Walled City of Alexandria.

Only now did the other man notice that he already was in the middle of shaking. He couldn't control it for there was something making his mind and body tremble uncontrollably.

"Wh-What is this?" he wanted to scream to express his anger but only a weak rattling voice came out that sounded like a weak child.

Billion was actually silent but he was shaking as well for he could feel that there was "something dreadful" locked into him right now.

The man on the floor wanted to escape as he tried to work h is inventory and summon a T-Device.

"That won't do." Siva didn't even look at him as tiny 'parts' appeared in thin air and formed into a glove that locked his every finger into a prison. Even his feet weren't able to escape the prison gloves.

"Fuck... WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!!? You don't know who you are messing with here, kid. You will regret messing with The Union's business."

Being threatened like this, Siva finally turned at him and looked down at the man as he walked closer.

"I think you are the one who don't get the situation right now, punk." When Siva spoke, he used his left hand to gesture at the man's body to rise.

Then as if he was magneto, he flipped his hand and the man who floated in the air spread his limbs in four directions before tiny 'parts' crawled on the man's chin and raised his head up.

Now, the two of them were on the same eye level.

"Depending on the other guy's answer, your fate will be decided after."

Siva only spoke of this line before he turned his back at the man who remained locked in midair.

The tiny parts on his chin became a mask and the man's mouth was sealed as 'parts' also formed on his front and back, making his body straight and ready for butchering. Now the man felt really afraid of Siva's ability —no— of his equipment's function.

He is, right now, totally sealed. He can't even fight back to gain his freedom.

In the end, the man could only glare at Siva's back acidly as Siva made his way to Billion who's being pressed to the wall.

Siva sat down cross-legged on Billion's chair and faced him like a detainee and the police scene.

Billion was afraid. Truly. He had seen what Siva did to Lord Mallory's aide and just looking at it wasn't good already —how much more is experiencing it?

"Wh-What do you want with me?" Billion was still given liberty to defend himself, thankfully, so he asked in full honesty just why Siva assaulted him on his own office.

"What do I want with you?" Siva's tone didn't have any playfulness in it despite the words. "That was a really good question. So let me put this straight. Do you remember our transaction, Billion? I save your city, you tell me information. It was fair trade, as far as I am aware, but why do I feel like you've lied to me... I called you, didn't I? and you told me that you didn't find the person I was looking for. But I just so happen to discover... that the person I was looking for was in Dakar. Do you have any idea as to why or how that... is possible?"

Billion's eyes widened and he began to sweat. This is just a game but he could feel his heart clenching at the feeling he was getting from Siva.

—He was just sitting there with his faceless mask on, but why do I feel like I'm being stared at by a lion in the middle of a savanna?

For a "city guy" like Billion who spent his years in a comfortable life in the city, Siva's wild and rampant nature was making him shiver in fear. He recalled the look in Siva's eyes when he trashed a helpless aide stuck on the wall that day. He recalled how he laughed while he battered the man hit after hit until he passed out and the system logged him off.

—is it going to happen to me as well?

Billion was scared. Truly scared. He was a city boy and wasn't used to violence.

It's not about him being a man of courage or not, it was about capability and from the day he entered Terroa, he had only spent less than a week's time fighting monsters and the rest was spent on managing assets and operational tasks for when they took control of Alexandria.

"I only want you to answer my one question." Siva spoke, breaking his thoughts. "Did you know that the boy was taken to Dakar...... yes... or no."

Billion thought back to the reason why he had to lie about it to Siva.

He thought that Siva was a Mafia or a Gangster, so he wanted to protect the boy by lying to him. Also, because Siva demanded an exorbitant price to him when he 'saved' the city, he also felt aggrieved that he just had to make him suffer a little bit.

Billion just didn't know that 'the boy's importance' to Siva would have been a matter of life and death.

He just didn't imagine that things would actually led to this situation and this situation actually came to him like a snake while he was sleeping, unaware.

It was too late to make excuses. Lying at this point in time would only make things harder for him.

Billion had decided, at worst, he would only suffer and be logged out... he can then use that chance to take a break from work and brush off the other guy who was making impossible demands at him.

"Are you... are you a Mafia or a part of the Murim?"

Siva quickly answered, "Neither. I work alone. I am on my own from the beginning... so just answer the damned question."

"Yes!" Billion yelled, slightly delighted that he was not either of the things he feared. "Because I had to protect the boy's identity from you that's why I had to lie about not seeing him at all that day!"

Siva's breathing stopped. His eyes widened. The moment he heard and processed Billion's answer, the world around him darkened and he felt hatred at the man on the level that he hated the Demons.

"That boy... is my brother..."

"Eh?"

Siva's hissing words rung on Billion's ears and he blanked out seeming to quickly realize that he had made a fatal mistake on his judgement.

–The reason why Siva was so desperate to know the boy's whereabouts...

—The reason why he put so much importance to the boy's location and situation is because...

——–And I...

————–and I...

——————–I just fucking separated them...

Billion wasn't a cruel criminal. He was just an office worker through and through... up to the marrow of his old bones.

He was smart, very, in fact, and because he was a smart guy, he realized where he was mistaken and the price of his mistake felt really grave.

The boy wasn't normal.

He saw it with his own eyes.

He knew that because the boy was inside this cruel game of violence despite the security measures that prevented under-aged gamers to log in, was proof enough that the boy's circumstances weren't something he can imagine.

And the boy's brother was looking for him... and he just had to fucking misunderstood Siva and so separated the two of them.

—I made a mistake...

Billion realized too late.

Siva's vision went blank and his hatred erupted in its highest degree.

He didn't know what happened after he heard the answer from Billion's own words. All he knew is that he wanted to kill the man.

There was a desire in his heart so great and so dark that it consumed him in a fit of a moment. The clawing pain in his chest needed something to vent it on and so he exploded.

[Siva] wanted to kill Billion.

It was his fault.

"Yes."

Kill him. Kill everyone. This world doesn't need a soul as corrupted and selfish as that.

"Yes. I know."

So don't hesitate...

"I won't."

That's right...

......this is our purpose.

...........this is our mission.

................you just have to free me.

"How?"

You created this prison. You know how.

"The [Key]..."

You don't need the key. This is your prison. You just have...

...........you just have to switch place with me.

[...oss...... wake up...]

"..."

[...ake up!]

"......"

[Boss...... wake......... up...]

"..........."

"SIVAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

GASP!!!

With a heavy and deep intake of breath, Siva woke up as if he was in the middle of dreaming.

Yet he could feel himself chasing his breath and was unaware of what just happened to him. But for some reason, this isn't the first time he remembers this happening to him.

Siva tried to recall the first time and realized it at the second instant... Dragona!

[Boss! You're finally awake!]

"LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID TO MY CITY!!"

After Cortana's 'weak voice' was a roaring cry of fury from another person. This voice carried a sort of power that made the air vibrate, the space shake sideways, and his skin hairs stand on end, giving him goosebumps all over his body.

Now that Siva had recalled his past, he was aware of the cause of this 'feeling' in the skin —Mana!

He looked sideways and saw a wounded, battered, and bloody-faced Gabriel.

And only when he did look at Gabriel did he see the situation around him.

The Walled City of Alexandria... or at least half of it, was burning —but it wasn't burning in the fires of the world everyone knew. It was burning with a kind of fire that was so red that it looked purple.

It was the color of blood, but wasn't. It carried not the sound of smoldering fire or the presence or the heat of it, but it was [fire] nonetheless as it was melting everything it touches that not even ashes remained... it was a mysteriously eerie and a scary type of fire......... and Siva knew what to call it.

"Hell Fire..." he gasped once again. "Did I... did I do this, Cortana?"

[Sorry, Boss, I have no record of it.]