Free Web NovelChapter 107: _Opened A Can Of Worms
Ambrose’s brows knitted, eyes flitting from Han and then to the lackeys he had following him. There were three of them—faces he recognised as the men who joined Han to beat up the past Ambrose before he transmigrated.
His jaw turned to stone. "I don’t even want to know what the hell this is about," he blurted. "Fuck off and leave me alone. Those aren’t hard words for you to understand, are they?"
The faces of the guys around Han flickered with genuine surprise.
They’d heard about the C-Rank Guide changing since the night they taught him a lesson. But seeing it first-hand was a whole other thing.
"Why are you pressed?" Han didn’t listen, backing off the wall he was leaning against.
He crossed his arms in front of his chest, those dark orbs scanning Ambrose from head to toes. He finally noticed the Hunter uniform, a small smirk playing on his lips.
"Heading somewhere? Didn’t you just return from Vatican City?"
Ambrose ignored him, about to brush past. But Han grabbed his shoulder, shoving him backwards so hard that he nearly lost his footing.
"I asked you a question, Guide Ambrose." Han’s voice turned frosty. "You belong in a hierarchy—don’t forget that."
"And I owe you zero answers, Han Jae-won." Ambrose fired back. He glanced at the couple of CCTV cameras etched to the walls, noticing something odd.
They didn’t feel... active.
Like someone had shut them down.
Upon realising that, his instincts shook with alarm, head spinning back to Han and his minions. They surrounded him now, one of them placing himself right behind him.
Han took a daring step forward. "That isn’t a nice thing to say now, is it?" He pretended to be sad, placing a hand on his chest. "Let me take a guess for you though... wait."
He laughed, eyes glinting with realisation. "Don’t tell me you’re headed to the Echo Rift. To do what? Act as food to the beasts?"
That drew the chuckles of the others.
Ambrose’s fists balled so hard they cracked. His aether sparked beneath skin, blue fire ready to ignite at any second.
[Don’t.] Aura warned before he could do anything rash. [This isn’t an alleyway. It’s the HQ of an S-Rank Guild. Do you think no one will notice what you did even if you gained the upper hand?]
[Besides, have you checked out the scans on these people?]
A system screen flickered to life before him, containing readings on each of them.
[Guide Han: A-Rank Guide.]
[Esper #1: B-Rank. Combat type — Exoskeletal armour and super strength.]
[Esper #2: A-Rank. Electrokinesis ]
[B-Rank Guide.]
Well, crap.
If these bastards had each confronted him on their own, he would’ve had a higher chance of fighting and probably coming out on top.
Except for the A-Rank Esper and Han, of course.
Speaking of Han, he noticed his silence just then, snapping his fingers in front of Ambrose’s face. "So is dear old Devon following you this time or...?"
He leaned in with that stupid mechanical grin of his. "... Is there a new S-Rank’s bone you’re jumping to this time?"
Those words were what finally ticked something in Ambrose’s brain. Not because they were anything special or grandly insulting.
But because of the memories from the past Ambrose they triggered.
Something flashed in his eyes. Something which Han noticed, making him frown with confusion. But before he could even move, Ambrose pulled back his right arm.
’He... he wouldn’t dare...’ Han thought to himself as he watched the familiar movement.
BAM!
Ambrose’s right-hand jab on his face brought Han’s thoughts to an abrupt close. One second he was standing stable before the so-called C-Rank.
The next thing he knew, he was flung backwards, the pain that came with being punched on the nose only hitting him when he fell butt-first to the ground.
No one had been able to react to that. None of them even noticed the exact second Ambrose moved. And when Han was on the floor—it was already too late.
Ambrose’s eyes locked on the B-Rank Guide to his right. He lunged, grabbing him by the shoulders before pushing himself upwards. He catapulted himself through the air... tens of meters away from the group and his suite door.
He landed seamlessly like a bird, back straightening as his shoulders squared. His fingers were already close to his utility belt, ready to pull out Viktor’s frost dagger.
Silence.
The only sounds that could be heard in the hallway were the shuddering grunts of Han on the cold marble floor. He rubbed a finger over his nostrils, rage replacing his confusion when he felt the liquid warmth of his own blood.
"Perhaps you should learn the art of minding your fucking business," Ambrose made his voice loud and clear.
Spatial awareness spread past the walls, letting him sense the elevator beside him coming down. With Devon within its metal walls.
The A-Rank Esper among Han’s goons turned around to face him while the others rushed to Han’s side. The young man stretched out his right fist, revealing small bolts of yellow lightning crackling between every finger.
[WARNING: A-Rank attack building up.]
An almost suffocating pressure filled the air as Ambrose waited patiently for Devon to arrive with the elevator.
Five... four...
"Fry him," Han muttered coldly as he got up. He sniffled, using the back of his hand to wipe off the smudge of red on his nose.
The power from that single punch had probably broken his nose and jolted him beyond anything he’d expect from a C-Rank Guide.
Still, he didn’t let that falter him, adding with icy conviction. "Blast him. But not enough to kill."
Several lightning bolts began sizzling off the guy’s body as he prepared to release his lightning blast. Unfortunately for him, before he could do anything, the elevator doors beside Ambrose opened with a ding.
Devon strolled out, his black form-fitting Hunter uniform drinking in the light and refracting a subtle glistening glow. The Esper’s brows furrowed the second he saw Ambrose.
He swerved his head to Han and his lackeys, arching his brow as he noticed the tension.
"What the hell—?" He took an instinctive step in front of Ambrose.
Ambrose let out a silent breath of relief, catching the S-Rank by the shoulders. He spun him away from the group and toward the other end of the hallway. "Just don’t worry about it." He whispered.
Those words only made Devon more worried. "But... why are they just standing there like—?"
"We’ll be late when Gabriel comes for us. Just..." Ambrose heaved. "I’ll tell you on our way there."
Han watched the two of them leave. His fists curled so hard his knuckles paled, every sound other than his own thoughts ringing out.
’You’ve just opened a can of worms, dear Rory.’ He sniffed one last time, ignoring the sharp pain that came with it.
As Devon and Ambrose got to another elevator, the former grabbed his wrist hard.
"Ambrose." His voice dropped. "What did you just do?"
