Free Web NovelChapter 57: _You Stress Me Out
[CONGRATULATIONS!]
[The host has completed the side mission.]
[REWARD: +500 EP and +500 HP.]
The sudden influx of new revitalising energy made Ambrose subconsciously curl his fists. The smirk on his lips grew wider, his eyes sliding temporarily away from Devon.
Meanwhile, Devon blinked at him with mostly confusion. Not only had the Guide appeared randomly on the battlefield after he got an odd feeling that he was going through pain... but he seemed fine.
No—not just fine. He seemed different.
He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was something new about the Ambrose he was staring at right now.
"Alright," Ambrose sighed, neck snapping as the system screen disappeared from his view. His eyes pinned on Devon’s stunned features again. "... You don’t seem really excited to see me. I know, I—"
"What the fuck are you doing here?!" Devon thundered all of a sudden, making Ambrose stiffen in place. The Esper closed fifty meters in quick strides, grabbing the Guide by his face.
As if he was unable to believe that he was really here.
But when he peered into those silver eyes, it hit him that this was real. The man he’s been worried about for most of the battle was standing here with him.
"Okay, I get it." Ambrose grabbed his wrists, trying to pull his hands off his face. "You warned me about the dangers of coming here... but someone had to come save your ass in case you went berserk. And from what I saw just now you were pretty close to that so—"
He was almost out of breath thanks to how fast he was speaking, but he didn’t get to finish anyway. Devon’s hands fell down to his waist before pulling him into a warm embrace.
Ambrose froze, arms hanging midair.
He’d expected to be scolded. He’d expected the guy to drag his stubborn ass to the Phoenix Flight ship or get someone else to do it.
Never did he expect a bear hug.
"You stress the fuck out of me," Devon croaked, pushing Ambrose back just to check his body. "Why’s there blood on your cheeks? Did you get hurt? How are you even freaking alive?"
Ambrose blinked himself back to focus. "Can we do one question at a time?"
"What about Orion? Who’s watching him? You keep leaving that boy all alone and—"
"One question at a time, honey."
At different parts of the chaos-ridden battlefield, Espers who saw this scene looked with confusion. Some had attended the Phoenix-Talon joint gala. They’d caught these two sitting in the same VIP lounge and wondered who Ambrose was.
How could a C-Rank Guide be so close to an S-Rank like Devon Ferguson?
Across the battlefield, Viktor’s hands dropped. "Unbelievable..." he gawked blankly at Ambrose casually chattering with Devon.
He was more surprised that he was here at all than by the fact that they could do this in the middle of a battlefield.
"Aww," an S-Rank from Glacier Talon who stood beside him, looked at the scene with doe eyes. "Whatever those two are, you have to admit they look so cute together."
He nudged Viktor with his elbow. "Who would’ve thought your old pal Devon would get touchy with anyone?"
The guy went on to charge at a few weakened monsters while Viktor just stood there. His jaw clenched, fists balling slowly.
All he could think about was how Ambrose wouldn’t have been here if he hadn’t helped sneak him into Glacier Talon’s ship.
’That cunning Guide,’ he thought to himself. ’How did he even manage to get this far into the city without a scratch?’
When Devon finally withdrew his hands from Ambrose, the latter got enough space to explain himself. Nothing about the stealth Potion and new fire skill, of course.
"So I got Viktor to bring me here," he started, smiling awkwardly when Devon’s brows knitted. "I had to. I just had this feeling that you’d need my presence."
Devon stared hard for a second too long before shaking his head. "You were a distraction even though I couldn’t see you." Then a pause. "Something happened when you got here. Didn’t it?"
For a second too long, neither of them moved.
Flashes of the A-rank beast and how badly injured he got in the shed rolled through the Guide’s mind. He pushed them to the back of his head, placing a hand on Devon’s shoulder.
"It doesn’t matter. What matters now is that we warn everyone. There’s something—"
"Warn everyone?" Devon lifted a brow. "Warn everyone about what?"
All the way back at sea, Irina had her claws clamped tightly around the railing of her ship’s foredeck. For once, her expression was rigid, eyes locked on the Echo Rift.
’The numbers of the beasts seem to be reducing,’ she thought. ’Yet the Leviathan hasn’t made a move even once. It just keeps lurking under the waters like it’s waiting for something.’
Her eyes narrowed on the Rift.
Occasionally, its black edges would pulse. Like a beating heart.
’... What on Earth could a beast like that be waiting for?’
On the foredeck of the Phoenix Flight ship, Guild master Magnus shared a similar thought. He was on a call with the Federation Vice-president who’d left the harbour before they arrived.
"It’s just waiting in the water." The Vice President repeated his words with a grim tone. "Is there anything else you’ve noticed?"
Magnus’ gaze swept across the almost flattened city from this angle. His eyes dimmed, noticing something off.
The bodies of the dead monsters...
"They’re dissolving," Ambrose revealed to Devon. "The beasts. Each one we bring down is dissolving like melting wax. And if you check their bodies..."
He stopped, eyes glinting with a solemn light. "... Their aether cores dissolve with them. Valentine was here earlier and he—"
"Wait." Devon’s frown deepened. "Valentine? As in the creepy SS Rank who casually approached you at the gala last night?"
Ambrose withheld the urge to roll his eyes. "Focus, Devon." He scolded instead. "The guy might seem untrustworthy but he basically saved me. And told me to warn the Federation that the Leviathan might be the least of our worries."
Devon’s eyes widened.
Suddenly, all around the battlefield and on the sea, something terrifying happened. The bodies of the fallen beasts melted at a more rapid pace.
The melted goo rose into the air like wheat being whisked by a farmer’s scythe. Many backed away with confusion as the strings of black goo shone under the sunlight.
These strings darted through the air, heading back to the source.
The Echo Rift.
"My God..." Magnus’ phone nearly slipped from his fingers. He switched the call with the Vice President to video, pointing the screen at the eerie phenomenon. "... Hilary, you have to see this."
Aura rang in Ambrose’s head just then. [WARNING: Unknown energy convergence detected.]
The latter’s chest tightened. "Shit," he murmured. "I’m too late..."
Before the eyes of everyone who dared watch, the Echo Rift thrummed once. Then twice—
—Then its edges hissed like a living mass, widening like a tear on fabric getting worse.
