Noah's pov (Part 1)

Give me your powerstones!!!!!

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----Noah's pov---

I sat bored as I looked at the board of directors, who had their heads lowered. "What a pain," I muttered, and looked at my long-time friend who sat beside me. "What do you think, Edrea?" I asked him, not wanting to deal with it.

Edrea is a man with black hair and black eyes and an incredible physique that could rival or surpass any top bodybuilder. An old friend who always keeps his word.

I will leave the decision up to you...

(Image of Edrea)

Edrea leaned back in his chair and thought for a bit.

"Sure, call him over. If anything, this will save you, me, and him a lot of trouble." Edrea agreed with the board of directors, which made me a little upset, but it was my idea to let him make the decision.

I took out my phone and slid it to Edrea, who unhesitatingly took it. "Since you decided it, you might as well send him the invitation," I muttered and glared at the board of directors, who had cold sweats covering them.

Edrea passed me the phone, and I read the message he sent out loud.

"Sorry to bother you, but you need to be in the upcoming Meeting and take part in the parties. There have been many waiting to see you!

You need to be at City-A, VR center at 1 am and meet me in my office.

There are doubts about your identity, so to avoid future problems you must be here at all costs.

From Noah Valxin...." 

I then looked at the board of directors, "Good enough?" I asked glaringly, not wanting him to be here.

The board of directors all nodded, stood up, and gave a deep bow, not out of respect but out of fear. "Get lost," I ordered, and they unhesitatingly left, not wanting to feel my wrath.

"Calm down. You will only make more enemies like this," Edrea, my long-time friend, remarked, making me cool down a bit. "You have more enemies than the whole of our faction at this point, and you are adding more," he stated.

"So what? They can't do shit against me. They're not even competent. They are only around because of you. If not, all of my so-called 'enemies' would be 1,000 feet deep, no questions asked," I accused frustratedly and walked to the window that showed the city.

The view was incredible, it was of the city and it helped me calm down a bit more "You sent him the message from an anonymous account? Even though you could have just sent it from mine?" I asked, already knowing the answer but still wanting to hear it.

"It might cause trouble but, no matter, it's his decision to come or not. If he thinks the message is sent by a random person then he would grow alert and contact us, and if he thinks this is genuine then he will come," Edrea shrugged as he got up, and stood beside me. 

"And that is why you are my only friend... your methods are always so direct and calculated," I smiled and looked him in the eyes. "But no matter, Ken will come," I announced, making Edrea a little confused.

"Did you forget that only three people have his contact? Ken is logical, and would just process the situation knowing that only Me, You, and his little sister have his contact. Even if you sent it anonymously, he will come, but he will also know that he has the option not to come," I declared analytically, my words filled with confidence. 

Edrea shrugged and looked at the corner of the meeting room where the was a girl with purple hair casually sitting playing with her phone. "Siria, you seem pretty invested. What got your undivided attention that you ignored the entire board of directors?"

Edrea asked Siria, someone who is the backbone of the VR community and the whole of 'The World Development and Protection faction.'

 I also peeked at her, interested in what could have caught her attention. Siria looked up from her phone and smiled. "Hmm~ Nothing much, just a player caught my interest~! He is strong but also very mysterious," she said animatedly, making my eyes widen in surprise.

"You? Interested? Then that player must have something very good or special to gain your attention," I speculated, but Siria shook her head.

"I am a lost legend in a way. I was very popular a year ago, but now no one talks about me. Even all news about me is suppressed, but he knew me, so I was interested. More than that, he alone killed a monster that was way above his level—a level jump that shouldn't even be possible," Siria explained, making both me and Edrea serious.

"Is he a blessed one?" I seriously questioned. If there was such a blessed one, we had to bring him under us.

"Nope~! Just a player~! The strongest player~!" Siria cheerfully announced.

I looked at Edrea, who lost interest immediately. "If he isn't a blessed one, then there is no point," he muttered, but I had a feeling that there was more, and Siria wouldn't be telling us about it, or even who that person is for that matter.

"Suit yourself, I guess," I muttered and left.

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In the security room, 

I looked at Ken in the corner, who sat with his eyes inattentive. It really worried me. This wasn't how Ken behaved; he wasn't usually so reserved.

I sat down beside him, 

"Ken... are you alright?" I asked, but Ken didn't respond, making me more worried.

 I nudged his shoulder and finally got his attention. "Are you alright?" I asked again.

 "Yeah, I am fine," Ken immediately replied and looked away, which only made my worry skyrocket, and more than anything, I felt uneasy. Ken was sweating... it was cold here.

"No, you are not. It's cold in this place, but you are sweating... Is that supposed to be normal? Absolutely not."

I directly confronted him, calling out his pitiful excuse, and I could see the hesitation on Ken's face, which wasn't normal in the slightest... Ken opened his mouth to speak, but then.

"SIR!! WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY!!!" one of the officers shouted, cutting short our talk.

I immediately got up and looked at the screens. There was a girl walking to the main party hall, and the path was being cleared for her by the guards. "What are they doing...?" I couldn't help but mutter.

"We can't find anything about her! Even the data bank came out empty," another officer added and zoomed in on the girl.

... 

What the...

I looked away and felt weird, as if I was enchanted... no, more like forced to be enchanted.

I looked around, and all the officers were staring at the screen. I glanced back and fortunately, Ken had his eyes closed.

I didn't want him to be involved in the supernatural.

I looked back at the screen and was confused. How can someone not be in the data bank? A possibility of someone bypassing the detection? No. I am blinded here...

"SNAP OUT NOW!!!" I roared and slammed the controls, making the screens shut down in shock protocol. "I am going to go see this situation in person," I muttered, which was loud enough for an officer to hear it.

"Ken, stay here. I need to confront someone," I ordered. I didn't want him involved in any way possible, so I proceeded to leave, but then.

"Wait... I will tag along... this is related to me..." Ken whispered. The room was silent, so I heard it clearly... and it made me freeze for a bit.

"I am assuming this has to do with your apprehension and discomfort from earlier."

I agreed, feeling that he would come even if I tried to stop him now.

I went ahead with Ken following me, his movements matching mine. After just a few seconds, we made it to the pathway that led to the main hall.

 In front, the situation was very complicated. I wanted to step in, but Ken grabbed my shoulder, making me look at him in confusion and a little shock as I felt the grip he had on me.

 I paused and stared at his hand on my shoulder.

There is no way, right...? Is Ken also a blessed? How can he have such power...? If I move my shoulder, I might—no, my shoulder will break if I make any sudden movements...

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Wait I will post another chapter in a bit... I accidentally made it too long... 4k words, and I had to cut it down to 3k, so each part is 1.5k words now... 

Give me your powerstones!!!!!