About to Explode

Sitting on the ground under the night sky, Night stared at the short sword in his hands. The erratic, cold breeze whispered in his ears and almost covered the rustling of leaves.

[M-master? Why are you staring at it? Did you perhaps not like the reward? ]

Rafael stumbled on her words as she spoke faster than she normally does.

"No. It's just that."

Night paused, put the short sword down on his lap, and placed his hands on the ground a few inches behind him before leaning back.

"I'm thinking that I may have actually made the right choice."

A peaceful silence was created after Night uttered those words. He took a deep breath of the cold night air, almost freezing his lungs. Night jumped up from the ground.

He had forgotten something important.

"I have to go back."

Sighing with his left hand massaging his temple and the other grabbing the short sword, Night made his way back to the camp.

[Master. You wouldn't want to go back there bloody, wouldn't you? [At least, clean yourself first.]

Night studied himself before nodding his head in agreement. He couldn't let the others know that he went monster hunting for the first time in his life.

With his senses and mana perception and his exceptional knowledge about the abandoned park's structure, Night found a small pond that had mushy parts but was still clean enough for him to wash away the blood of the python.

With hastened movements, he washed off the blood from his hands, face, and other visible parts. Sadly, he couldn't wash away the little bits of blood that splattered on his ragged clothes.

He wouldn't want to return like a drenched rat to the camp.

Jogging his way back, Night traced the same path he took when he left the camp, using the rocks to prevent any unnecessary noise that could wake the dead.

Unfortunately, Liam, who was supposed to be asleep, was wide awake. Night flinched after seeing Liam's eyes locked on him.

The darkness had masked any emotions from Liam's face, and Night desperately needed to predict what might happen a few minutes from now.

"You can rest now. I'll keep watch."

Liam stood up from his seat and left without any noise.

Night stared at the spot where Liam sat, dumbfounded by how Liam either ignored the fact that he left or he just did not realize that Night had left the camp.

Night could not possibly rest with his mind in a mess, thinking about which of the two scenarios

'I guess he wouldn't kill me either way.'

He took the short sword that he had hidden away inside his oversized, ragged clothes and hid it in his backpack. Fortunately, there was still enough space for the short sword to fit inside.

Night sighed and leaned on the boulder before closing his eyes. Fighting the python earlier might have helped him get some rest fast, as his heavy eyelids instantly shut off from mental exhaustion and physical fatigue.

***

The party had departed from their camp before the sun could greet them 'good morning'. Continuing their journey to the Central Awakened Station, they haven't had any major fights other than a few scuffles between a few weak-ass goblins and a manticore, which Liam had subjugated without breaking a sweat.

'Is he making up for his ruined image after having a hard time fighting against a few imps and black hounds? '

Night never let his thoughts come out of his mouth because he was afraid his head might go flying several meters away from him if he ever did.

"The Central Awakened Station is just up ahead. Luckily, we haven't encountered any Rifts on our way there."

Liam looked back at the party members as he continued to traverse the path in front.

Luck. Night recalled the short sword, which he got as a reward after defeating the python.

'Did it say it brings luck to the people bound to it? '

He felt iffy after remembering the description. He still has not tried to determine whether the short sword's description was the truth.

Night still kept his cover of only being awakened. And as if it were only natural for him to stay like that, Liam did not suspect him after that night when he got caught leaving the camp.

However, the bits of dried blood in Night's worn-out clothes were visible under the sun's bright rays. And more often than not, Liam's eyes stray to Night's clothes.

Unlike the Awakened Station that Night went to when he first told the authorities that he had become an Awakened, the Central Awakened Station was a five-story building.

'I wonder how many Awakened do they imprison underground? '

Night walked behind Liam and in between the officers, making a triangular shape.

Even with the mass message about the commencement of the Chaos Dance, the outside of the Central Awakened Station looked quite calm and quiet.

No Legions were running around swinging their swords at Chaos creatures or shooting their magic attributes.

There were no healers depleted of their mana for healing several near-death Legions. There are no mountains of corpses of either Legions, civilians, or Chaos creatures lying around or blood pooling on the ground.

'It's clean.'

Night thought as he trod the path to the Central Awakened Station's entrance. The tall walls and thick iron gates made the whole area imposing.

Liam walked to the biometric sensor and let it scan his biometrics, and a second later, the booming sound of the heavy iron gates opening broke the silence.

"We have arrived at last!"

The officer had a look of relief painted over his face as he watched the iron gates open.

Night, Liam, and the head officer didn't utter a word as they walked inside the Central Awakened Station.

"Sir Louise, I am so glad you are alright!"

After the four of them stepped inside, they were greeted by several Legions with their respective weapons clutched in their hands.

Those Legions were looking at only one person with softened expressions, as if they had been granted salvation.

One of the Legions jogged in Liam's direction. He was a man with a lean figure and height, which was not taller than Liam by a head.

"Noah, so you were here?"

Liam patted the guy's head after he reached his side. Night, who was standing behind Liam, couldn't help but frown after being abruptly stopped from walking and almost bumping into Liam's back.

"I managed to get here from Area 5."

Night's eyebrows rose after hearing where the guy called Noah came from.

'Area 5 is at least a few hundred kilometers away, and he managed to get here before us! '

Area 5 was the largest of the areas from 1 to 6. Area 1 was the closest to the only entrance and exit of District 8, and at its northwest was Area 2, where they were currently. Area 3 was to Area 2's east. Area 4, being at the top of Area 2, was surrounding Area 5, along with Areas 3 and 6, which were located in the northern part of District 8.

'What unbelievable speed.'

Night shook his head and stepped away from Liam, who was blocking his way.

He was about to walk past the two people whose relationship he couldn't understand.

However, before he could walk away, a huge hand grabbed his arm, almost pulling him back to where he came from.

"Watch your strength, old man. You almost broke my arm."

Looking back at Liam with a stoic expression, he grabbed his hand. Night grabbed Liam's wrist before gripping it.

'Get your hands off of me, you freaking handsome bastard! '

His stoic expression was turning into a frown.

There was one more thing that he noticed the instant Liam walked inside the Central Awakened Station. The people were in awe of his dispensable beauty!

"Sorry. Where are you going?"

Night's ears perked up after hearing Liam apologize in front of the crowd in front of them.

"Nowhere but inside."

"Who might he be?"

Night shut his mouth and threw a secret glance at Noah.

[Master, please be careful of how you look at people. You might kill them.]

Rafael spoke nonchalantly. Her voice was filled with unhidden repulsion towards Noah.

'Did we share emotions when you imbued yourself in my soul? '

Night couldn't help but relate to Rafael's distaste toward Noah.

"An Awakened I'm responsible for."

Liam walked to Night's side after answering Noah's question.

"We'll go inside to finish his evaluation. You stay here with the other Legions and keep watch for any Chaos Creatures."

Liam turned away from Noah without waiting for his answer. But his feet did not manage to take more than two steps because his hand was still gripping and getting tighter by the second.

"What's the problem?"

Night glared at Liam's hand, which was holding his arm.

'Let go, you bastard! '

Night's thoughts were written all over his face without being able to hide them behind his stoic face.

Liam let go of his arm, and Night did the same to his wrist before they walked inside the building with no less than five feet of distance from each other.

"Oh, Sir Louise, is that a new Awakened you brought?"

A man with a bushy mustache and long beard greeted Liam as soon as they entered the building.

Night did not like how the man was looking at him as if his gaze was piercing his soul. He suddenly felt iffy.

"Yes."

Liam bowed his head to the man with a smile on his face.

'This man must be quite high ranked in the Awakened Association.'

Liam was one of the strongest Legion, and having bowed his head to the man standing in front of them only meant that he was someone Liam took orders from.

"I see that he's almost near going into his berserk state. His inner mana's state is in a mess. It's about to explode."

'Why didn't I know this? '

Night secretly raised his eyebrow and waited for Rafael's explanation.

[It's because what he said was not true! Your inner mana is defending your body from blowing up because you have two attributes that are colliding against one another! ]

Rafael's explanation was fast, and she often stumbled on her words. It made Night feel sorry for scaring her like that.

Night's two attributes that the mysterious man he met at the dessert told him about

'It seems that I need to take care of this matter first? '