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"What are you doing here, Viper?", Iono asked the man in front of him.

"Glad you still remember me, young master", he replied with a smile.

"So you looked into me? Isn't that nice?", Iono said a bit irritated.

He didn't enjoy people fishing around for information regarding him. Then again, he wasn't very secretive in the first place.

"Apologies, young master.", Viper said as he kneeled in front of Iono.

"I would like to apologize for my behaviour the other day, I had no idea of your status. Please find it in your benevolence to forgive this servant's actions.", The secretive information-broker formally said.

"I have come to inform you of something.", he added.

Iono looked at the man from above.

"Speak"

He said with an expressionless face.

"It's regarding your previous endeavours. The organization behind the man you were looking for, White Day, has send out a manhunt for the man who killed him.

A twenty gold bounty has been placed on the ghost that took his life.

I believe it was important to inform you of this matter and here I am.", Troban said with a hurried but calm voice.

Iono's face remained expressionless.

"Well, I expected as much. But I left no evidence behind. No trace of energy nor footprints.

I should be safe...

Or maybe I should take care of it swiftly.

Although, that man- White Day's leader, he's not one to scoff at. I can't take him on by myself, no way..." Iono silently pondered.

Seeing Iono stay silent, Viper spoke again.

"It seems that this has troubled you, my lord. Would you like me to take care of it...?", he proposed, a bit hesitantly.

"My lord!?", Iono was surprised.

The loyalty this broker showed was rather uncharacteristic of him.

"No. Such actions will only blow your cover. Plus their leader is at a much higher level than you.

For now, just give me regural reports.

I will be gone in few years anyway...", Iono said.

"Understood, my lord.", Viper replied and bowed his head.

"I shall take my leave now. Apologies for the "surprise" attack. Just a small test...", he said as he lifted himself of the ground.

Iono's eyebrow twitched.

"Test? Since when did servants give tests to their lords?", he replied with a commanding tone.

Being called a lord had gotten to his head a bit, he quite liked it.

"It was rather quick and harmless, my lord. I hope you find it in your heart to take it in passing. A small... gesture of appreciation.", Viper replied, smirking.

"Let's leave it that...", Iono said, not bothered to entertain the curious broker.

He might have found out Iono's identity, but any good broker could have done that.

His abilities and character on the other hand... That's a mystery unable to be solved but such a small-time person.

"On your way now...", Iono added.

Viper put his hood back on and disappeared from the field.

"I need to sort out my affairs before leaving for my Godfather's.

First of all is this stupid, criminal group.

White Day, they call themselves.

What a stupid name anyway.

When is a day not white?

Morons...

Anyway, second affair is Clarissa.

Someone needs to train her.

Or maybe I could ta-

WAIT!

CLARISSA!

She run to the house to alert dad!

Damn! I'm screwd!", Iono had this internal monologue.

As he did, he put away the dagger he was holding and run as fast as he could, making his way home.

Unfortunately, Clarissa was faster than he expected, causing Iono to come across his father on the way home.

"Iono!?"

"Dad!?"

They both exclaimed in surprise.

"F*CK!", Iono cursed inwardly.

"Son, are you alright?? Clarissa said that-"

"Yes, dad, I have never been better. Just a beast of the forest appeared. It was a Bone Tempering stage one and I had to send Clarissa away. I took care of it though don't worry.", he said, cutting his dad short, and swiftly coming up with a story.

His father sighed in relief.

"But a beast of the forest...? This close to the village...? This... smells trouble, son...", his father said, thinking about the situation.

"I have noticed some weird things about the forest, dad.

Sometimes, I see beasts that are very strong, stronger than me, and lately I have also seen a lot of monsters in the forest. As if they're preparing for something and increasing their numbers.", Iono informed his father of his observations, always acting as normal 8-year-old would.

His father scratched his chin, seemingly deep in thought.

The situation was weird and alarming.

Iono thought too.

Both regarding the issue he just presented and the duties he had to fulfill before spending the year with his godfather.

"I am going to investigate this... It gives me an odd feeling... Anyway, let's go home, son. I did some thinking and we need to talk about some things.", his father said.

Unsure of his father's thoughts, Iono followed silently.

-----------------

The two, green-skinned, goblin lords reached the doorstep of their home.

A two-story, wooden cottage, with brick walls and marble fillings.

It was rather luxurious for a village.

They opened the door and entered the living room.

Iono walked inside and saw a heartbreaking scene.

His mother was crying.

Clarissa was by her side, stroking her hair.

Iono was stupified.

He had never seen his mother cry before. In this life at least.

He turned to look at his father, who sighed, looking distressed.

His mother noticed their presence.

"My baby!!", she screamed and run to hug Iono tightly.

"Did she think that I was in trouble again? Dammit! I promised... I promised to not make her worry again. I'm such a dumbass!", Iono inwardly cursed at himself.

"Mom...", he said solemnly, "I'm so sorry I made you worry again...", he said.

His mother lifted her sniffling face to look at him.

"You are not taking my baby!!", she screamed and hugged him tighter.

"What? Taking?", Iono was now confused.

He initially thought his mother was worried but it didn't seem that way.

Imprisoned by his mother's embrace, he turned his head to look at his father.

Yusef was simple moving his head left and right, as if saying that it was hopeless to try and escape.

He noticed his son's confusion and cry for help.

A sniffling, crying Anna, was very hard to get rid of.

"Son...", he said, "Sit down... We need to talk...", he added in a serious tone.

Anna heard Yusef and lifted her head to look at her son.

"You can't do this!!", she yelled at Yusef.

"Anna, for god's sake, just STOP!", he yelled. His handsome face, controrted in agony.

This was the first time, in either life, that Iono heard his father yell at his mother.

Anna immediately stopped crying.

She brushed Iono's shoulder, the one she cried on, and sat next to Clarissa again.

The poor girl was clueless too.

Iono sat down.

He felt the room.

Something was about to go down.

His father knelt in front of him. And held Iono's hands in his.

"You see, son... I have been thinking. You have managed SO much, with so little. You're already half-step into Cell Reverberation.

You already have a core- yes, I know.

You didn't think I would notice when I can feel Clarissa's unfinished one?"

"Shit...", Iono thought.

"Other than that, you've had your fair share of lucky chances in that forest, I can feel it. Even I haven't managed to enter it's deepest parts, who knows what's hiding in there.

But what I can clearly see, is that you have talent.

Other than that, and more importantly, you also possess destiny.

Leading me to a very tough choice.

I can't see you wasting your time, playing in the outskirts of Nundram.

You're destined to do much, become strong.

I was once but a mere, filthy goblin.

Nothing but a green stain.

The only difference between me and those disgusting perverts is that I had talent.

And destiny.

I have been through so much.

Many good and many bad.

But I didn't do it in the safety of my cave.

I fought and tussled with death, more times than I can count.

Now, it wasn't a colourful experience, but it was a necessary one.

To become, who I am.

To meet your mother.

To meet you.

With that in mind, I made the suggestion to send you to your godfather's a bit... Earlier...", he said, struggling to get the words out.

Iono was simply listening to his father this whole time. Silent.

"Ah. I see. Now, it all makes sense.", he thought and looked at his mother, who was still sniffling.

"And how earlier were you thinking, father?", he asked.

"After your birthday, next month." his father said, making his mother cry out even harder and Iono's eyes widen...