Valuable Asset

Piak! Sharon woke up at the sound of slapping.

When she opened her eyes, she realized that they were in a dark place with no apparent flooring and walls aside from the cave-like features. She then focused her sight at the scene in front of her.

Mariz, the woman who told them that she could take Bomberman to them, was now beating up Laquisha.

What made her suck in air was that Nadin and Carmina were standing at the side, watching the woman vent her rage at the poor black woman.

"I said… tell me… what… the fuck his power really is!" Mariz was huffing as she continued to beat up the woman who didn't seem to be even alive anymore. Laquisha was not even groaning or twitching at every blow Mariz gave her. The electric witch then snorted. "Is she dead? I love killing people, but I hate how they die when I don't need them dead."

"Negative. She's still alive," Carmina answered from the sidelines, and Mariz only snorted again before sending Laquisha to the wall with a kick. The white ghost then looked away, seemingly hiding behind Nadin.

"Beating her up like that won't make her talk," Nadin finally murmured, earning the ire of the electric witch. "If you physically make it impossible for them to speak, you won't get information. Let her rest for now and let me handle it later."

"No, I will do the interrogation unless you want to be the one sitting on my chair!" Mariz roared and stomped her way to Laquisha. She grabbed the woman by the hair and lifted her face, seeing that the black woman was still glaring at her.

A smile then curled Mariz's lips. "Ah, you're still alive. That's good. Now, maybe you want to talk?"

Laquisha only made a gurgling sound in replacement for her laughter. However, she still wouldn't speak. Mariz only growled and tried to hit her again.

This time, Laquisha's arm moved and caught Mariz's wrist. The electric witch then glared at her, but Laquisha's eyes suddenly morphed into white as if her irises and pupils sunk into the cornea.

The black woman then grinned with her bloodied mouth. "Ramona Ortega, unhand me."

"What?!" Mariz threw away the woman, knocking Laquisha's head against the stone wall. She then retreated as everyone else grew apprehensive.

"Hmm… this… this is quite unexpected. I was hoping to see a lavish palace considering the pretentious personality of your masters." Laquisha got to her feet slowly before touching her head.

She then looked at the red blood smeared on her fingers. Sooner, she then looked at the witches in the area. "Worrying now wouldn't get you anywhere. You had already taken me here.

"I will make a deal with you. If you don't harm this lovely lady, maybe I wouldn't send my army to destroy this little space zone… accidentally." The white eyes then flicked at the electric witch.

"I remember all of your faces, and I know everything about you. Think about my little deal… ah, wrong, you have no choice but to adhere."

Vendetta stepped out of the crowd and stood before Mariz as if protecting her. "Your Highness, you sent a poor witch of yours to find the Pandemonium? After that, you threaten us.

"Don't you think our master will be displeased if you sent your army here? Moreover, the princes were all barred from participating in the battle."

Laquisha continued to smile. "Bold of you to assume that I would mean demons.

"Remember, Noah Rocco is still alive. If Belphegor and Asmodeus are feeding him drops of their power, what made you unsure that no other prince is making use of him?

"Have you forgotten what a witch of Belphegor is?

"If I were you, I would plan my next steps very carefully." She began retreating, backing up against the wall. "Lawrence Altis had already dealt his cards, and he chose wrongly. If you want to whine while you suffer, then bark at his feet instead."

After that, Laquisha suddenly glowed with black light. Her image soon turned into a black diamond affixed against the cave wall. It wasn't like a statue; she was encased in a crystal that shrouded all the possible views of her from anyone.

Sharon gasped as she watched the black thing turn into a glossy stone. She then looked at Mariz's direction, but the woman was only biting into her lips.

The electric witch felt the gaze of the Shadow Hand and was about to bark at her when Vendetta spun around to catch her mouth.

"Take a rest. You're clearly tired." He then turned to Nadin. "Bomberman, continue with your training and extraction.

"This Sleepydog fellow is not as simple as we think he is. Having royal hellhounds is not the height of his power. If he was awarded with eight of them, then there's a chance that he had an intrinsic ability.

"Remember, he could enter a time pocket and attack from there. Five seconds is long enough for him to kill one of us. Mariz was lucky she didn't lose her arm."

Mariz grew indignant when her failure was used as an example, but she couldn't shake off her mistake. Then again, if he was able to do so readily, he should have done so earlier in the fight.

She then retreated and used two hands to remove Vendetta's hand on her mouth. "A hunter is helping him. Does it mean that the Order is working with Belphegor?"

Vendetta shook his head. "Unlikely. However, SCC could be behind the cooperation."

He then eyed at the other calamity witches in the chamber. "Find and keep an eye on that Lawrence Altis he mentioned. Moreover, survey Allan Cicero for his further steps. Noah Rocco is just one man, but he had too many backers. Let's cut them down one by one."

He finally regarded the two Shadow Hands at the side. "Sharon Kyle, stay here and wake up that big man while waiting. We'll be carrying initiation rites on you two."

"Initiation?!" Mariz was shocked. "We can't just let them join us!"

"Don't worry, I'm only referring them. Whether they fit or fall, it would be their luck and capability." Vendetta shook his head again before looking at the black diamond one more time.

"Nadin, before you go, get someone to cover that. Make them guard that as well." Vendetta controlled his snort from showing. "We don't know which prince owned this witch, but she's a valuable asset to him if she wasn't left to die."

…

The morning came, and Luca was carrying three sealed bowls in a plastic bag. He then got to the door and opened it mindlessly, knowing that the two occupants were still sleeping.

However, when he walked in, he saw Noah changing at the side. The blanket was covering Rosanna in case she woke up.

Noah only glanced at him before ignoring him. Luca quickly yet soundlessly closed the door behind him before placing the bowls on the side table. He then went to confront Noah. "Why are you moving around already?"

"Why? Will you strip my clothes and replace them with new ones?" Noah was indeed still feeling the effects of being kissed by high voltage last night. His muscles ached once again, but they were way more painful than the last. A nap wouldn't even fix it.

"Strip?" The hunter gasped lowly before grabbing Noah's shoulders. "Fine, let me help you at least. You shouldn't be exerting effort right after waking up."

"Okay." Noah only let the man try his best to pull up his pants without burning from ear to ear.

However, Luca was very reliable as he managed to clothe Noah before leading him to the couch and sitting him down.

The smell of the soup drifted to Noah's nose, and he was visibly excited to eat. Luca handed him his bowl and carefully removed the seal for the witch. He also spoke, "Noah, why didn't you call for backup? Do you not trust us?"

Noah only took a sip and enjoyed the warm food. He refused to answer Luca while he was drinking the soup. The hunter had no choice but to join Noah in eating for now. He was also starving after all.

Afterward, the witch let Luca pat his mouth and chin dry with tissue. The hunter suddenly turned into a nanny, and Noah somehow enjoyed it inwardly.

Losing his parents at ten years old was a big thing for someone so reserved. Noah didn't see pampering as something embarrassing, and he would exchange it for freedom.

That was why he liked how Luca was treating him right now.

Then again, he still needed to give something in return. He then spoke after Luca finished cleaning his face from the soup. "You came to help. Thank you.

"Then again, it's not that I don't trust you. I just need to go alone. My friend will be in deeper trouble if I arrive with SCC."

"Your friend?" Luca then recalled that the men behind Mariz had three unconscious people on their shoulders. "Which one?"

"The prettiest one."

"I didn't get to see their faces, but it's certainly not the one you're fighting."

Noah couldn't help but snort-laugh as he heard Luca. Of course, Mariz's visuals were nothing compared to Laquisha. Who would find that heavily contorted face pretty, too?

Luca then continued. "Why would your friend be in trouble?"

"They're after me." Noah only smiled, but his eyes turned to find Rosanna stirring from under the blanket. "Don't jump into trouble all of a sudden. I don't really save people."

"I won't have to jump if we go together."