Book 2: Chapter 192
Book 2: Chapter 192
Aram turned around to look at Bargan. Then he spoke with a hint of confusion in his voice.
“Why did you follow me?”
“Because I still have doubts.”
“About me? Why?”
“Your organisation.”
While looking at Aram’s confused expression, Bargan couldn’t help but think.
If that expression was all an act, then this man had the darkest heart of anyone he’d ever encountered.
“You never introduced any of the other members to me.”
“Didn’t I already tell you that everyone was busy?”
Aram’s expression seemed to say that he didn’t understand the problem, but Bargan wasn’t satisfied with that.
“Are they so busy that they can’t even show their faces after an entire week?”
“That’s right. It’s the truth. Hoo.”
Aram pressed his hand to his forehead.
“No. This is all my mistake. We’re about to risk our lives together for this operation, but I didn’t even tell you their names.”
Aram seemed to ponder about something for a while before finally nodding.
“I guess it can’t be helped. Come in first, senior. I’ll explain everything about the group in detail.”
“Come in? Where?”
“Here.”
After saying that, Bargan pushed his hand into the wall. When he saw Bargan’s startled expression, he spoke in a slightly smug tone.
“It’s just a simple technique. It’s not that big of a deal. It’s also very efficient. Unless you reveal it yourself, it’s very hard to get caught.”
“…”
“Come quickly. The window for you to enter is limited.”
Aram stepped into the wall first. Bargan hesitated for a while, but when he saw Aram’s defenseless appearance as he stepped into the wall, he couldn’t help but follow him.
It was a very unsettling experience to walk through what should have been a solid wall. As soon as he walked in, his vision became black. It was so dark that he couldn’t see his surroundings at all, but he could feel the change in the air current.
It seemed that they had entered a completely different space.
He had no choice but to rely on Aram’s footsteps to move in the darkness, but there were things that he couldn’t help but notice.
This didn’t seem to be a place where people lived.
It smelled stale and disgusting. There was a constant cloud of dust as if it had been left unattended for over a decade.
“It… doesn’t seem like there’s anyone here.”
He must have heard Bargan’s murmur, but Aram didn’t answer. He just continued looking around as he walked as if he was looking for something.
Then his eyes caught a flag that was hanging from a wall.
“Ah. I remember now.”
“Remember what?”
“The name of this group.”
“…”
What was he talking about?”
Aram sat on an old chair nearby.
As he slowly curled the corner of his lips in this situation, it gave an entirely different impression from before.
“The [Fangs of Kamesh], that was the name.”
“…what are you talking about?”
“Senior is really smart. I like that about you.”
By this time, Bargan’s hand was already on the handle of his club.
Aram smiled and shrugged, seemingly not caring at all.
“Come on, senior. I didn’t lie. There really was a group who wanted to kill Kangki, and there really was a man named Ountal. About 10 years ago.”
“…10 years ago?”
“Right. I annihilated them 10 years ago.”
Aram looked down at the ground. There were bloodstains there, very old bloodstains.
“Those guys really were a huge rebel force that was the most annoying to deal with, so it took some time for me to hunt them down. Nevertheless, 10 years is a long time. I couldn’t remember their name until I saw that flag.”
“In the end, you really work for Kangki.”
Aram’s smile widened. He showed his bright white teeth.
“I told you that Kangki has three henchmen. Remember?”
“So you’re the last henchman.”
“As expected, senior is really quick-witted and easy to talk to. Maybe it’s because you’re a wanderer, so your thinking is much more flexible than those other stone-like Fighters.”
Bargan immediately looked around.
Could he escape?
No. It was difficult to escape this place when he didn’t know where he was. And even if he did manage to escape, there was a high chance that he would be caught soon anyway.
As for the passage that they’d used to enter this place… it was better to think that it was blocked already.
He could tell from Aram’s attitude.
It was as though he was dealing with a fish trapped in a net.
“Why does senior think I approached you while acting like this?”
“Probably to find the Dragon Hunter.”
“Kukuku.”
Aram seemed genuinely happy.
It was as though he was sincerely praising Bargan’s brain.
He didn’t have to repeat anything he said before and they could even progress the conversation without him having to go into any lengthy explanations.
“That’s my goal… In other words, if I catch him, I won’t need to kill senior.”
“…”
“Do you understand what I’m saying? It might sound strange, but I’ve grown fond of you, senior. If we combine senior’s potential and star quality, it would create an amazing synergy in Lirua. That’s the only reason why I’m suggesting this.”
He reached out to Bargan.
“How about starting over?”
“…what?”
“Restart your life as a Fighter here in Lirua that you abandoned before, senior. You were born to be a Fighter and you can’t escape that fate. You tried to change your essence after decades of wandering, but it was impossible and I’m sure senior realised that too. While standing in the arena, you remembered where you really belong.”
Creak.
The old chair squeaked loudly as Aram got to his feet.
”The arena is the place where senior truly belongs.”
“Are you trying to entice me?”
“I’m sure Lord Kangki can do it even better than I can. He has always had a favorable opinion of senior’s talent. It’s not too late. Start a new life here with us. Senior is someone who deserves to stand at the top of the Lirua Arena. I promise I will give you my full support to make that happen.”
“…”
“If you refuse, then I will have no choice but to kill you. Like the [Fangs of Kamesh] and all the other cockroaches that infest Lirua.”
It wasn’t a bad offer.
Bargan had seen the Lirua arena and had even participated in a few matches.
Through his repeated victories, he knew just what he had to gain.
“I refuse.”
Aram’s heated expression immediately became stiff when he heard Bargan’s answer.
“…can I ask why?”
“You said that it’s the Lirua Arena. But that’s wrong. That huge building in this city is not an arena. It is a tower of deception that was built out of disgust. That’s all it is.”
Bargan then smiled coldly.
“But regardless of that, I never had any intention of betraying my Lord.”
“That’s unfortunate, senior. And… I take back what I said before. Senior isn’t flexible at all.”
“All Fighters are the same.”
As he responded coldly, Bargan measured the distance between them.
About five steps. This was something he could cross in a single bound.
‘…this is my chance.’
One of Kangki’s henchmen was standing in front of him. By himself without any other subordinates nearby.
If he wanted to kill him, this was his best chance.
Aram couldn’t have known that he would choose to follow him today, so he wouldn’t have had the time to call for reinforcements.
“You ignored my offer, but you don’t need to worry. I have no intention of killing you.”
“That changes nothing. I’m going to kill you.”
“Huhu. then I’ll say it again more clearly.”
At that moment, Bargan’s body shook heavily.
“K-, uh…”
“To be precise, I don’t intend to kill you here.”
His mind became fuzzy. He felt so sleepy that he couldn’t even stand properly.
The fingers holding his club lost their strength.
“I’m sorry, senior. But please serve as bait for a little while longer. I have my orders, so I have no choice but to think of a way to force Lukas out.”