Chapter 38 Paths' Determination

After a few seconds of struggling, Paths managed to set himself free from Nessa's grasp. And the first thing he did was charge at Roads and punch him straight in the nose.

Roads was knocked off the chair he was sat on, before getting slammed to the floor.

Roads picked himself up, and said "Guess it's time for round two?"

And then, Roads then threw a punch towards Paths as a brawl broke out again.

"My bet is on the boss." "Therese she said with a smile while remaining in her chair, seemingly having no intention of moving.

"Therese, this isn't time for your jokes. Help me separate them! " Nessa said before running towards the paths and roads.

"Nah, I've got bigger fish to fry." Therese said as she continued to sit in her chair with a smile on her face. Her eyes glimmered like the ones you would see in children when their birthday is near.

After a while, York and Seena decided to help Nessa separate the brothers.

This was relatively easy since one of them got knocked out during their fight, specifically Roads. And, they managed to pull Paths away from the road, seeing as he could barely stand without swaying to the side.

The day passed into the night, as the two were separated into different rooms in the building.

The one who recovered first was Paths, who was laying down on the bed with bandages on his face.

The moment Paths recognized he was on a bed, he instinctively tried to stand up, but then realized he was strapped onto it.

He looked around the room, and found York reading a newspaper on the other side of the room with a lampshade on his side.

York felt his gaze and movement, and decided to call out. "Yo, yo. He's awake. " He called out while facing the door.

A few seconds later, the door swung open and revealed Nessa as she proceeded to walk in.

She sat beside Paths and asked. "Are you done with your rage fit?"

"Yes, now let me go." "Paths I said with a serious voice.

"Mmm, no. I don't believe you are. " Nessa said.

"Where is my brother?" Paths asked.

"Safe and away from you." Nessa replied.

"Don't let him leave." Paths stated solemnly

"He's like you, tied up to a bed with bruises on his face." Nessa said to him.

"That's good." Paths said, as he stared at the ceiling.

"Well, it looks like you're calm enough." Nessa said, as she began to set Paths free.

Once out of the restraints, Paths rubbed his wrist before asking Nessa. "Which room is he in?"

"A couple rooms to the left. I'll guide you." Nessa said, as she stood up and began heading towards the door. Paths silently followed her behind.

York, who was still in the room, asked them before they could leave the room, "Can I have dinner now?"

Nessa waved her hand in the air as she headed out the door with Paths in tow.

They turned left and proceeded to walk down the hallway.

"Are you planning on keeping him here until his employers get tired of waiting and find another person to do the job?" Nessa asked.

"Yes." PATHS answered immediately.

"But, what if they decide to 'off him' since they might have told him some 'confidential information'?" Nessa added

"Which is more dangerous, his employers or Golden Hands?" Paths answered with a question.

Nessa seemed to think for a moment, as she walked in silence. Even though I know nothing about his employers, No one is more dangerous than Golden Hands. " Nessa replied shortly after.

"Then, you know what I'll do." Paths stated immediately after.

After a couple more steps, they stopped in front of a door, which they then opened and headed in.

On the other side of the room is Seena, who's eating dinner while looking at them. The window in the room is a couple of feet to her left.

And there are roads on the bed, as well as paths.

"Oh, come on, why is he the only one free?" Roads asked, after seeing Paths walk through the doorway.

Nessa ignored Roads and followed Seena as she waited to see what would happen.

"Are you still planning on going?" Paths asked, as he walked closer to the road.

"You know it," Roads replied.

"Don't." "Paths he said to him, as he stopped beside the bed.

"No, I don't think I will." "Roads he said to Paths, without a single hint of fear in his eyes.

"For once, listen to your older brother." "Paths," he explained to him.

"Nope," Roads replied without a second thought.

"Then, you're staying the way you are a little longer." "Paths he said, as he turned around and began walking towards the door. Nessa and Seena soon followed.

"Can I get some food?" Seena has just been teasing me with food the entire time. Before they could walk out, Roads asked

"No, and I'm sure you know why." Nessa replied, as she walked out, following the paths outside.

Before walking out like the others, she removed a piece of meat from her plate and placed it on Roads' chest just out of his reach.

"Fuck you!" Roads said to her.

Seena revealed a satisfied smirk before closing the door behind her, leaving only Roads in the room.

A smile formed on Roads' face after she closed the door. After a few minutes, the window in his room opened, and a person walked in.

The person walked over to Roads and undid his restraints.

Roads stood up from the bed, ate the piece of meat Seena left him, and said to the person.

"Alright, mission failed. Let's go. "

Soon later, they both went out the window quietly and disappeared into the night.

After a long while, the door in the room opened. Paths walked in with a plate full of food on his hands. Paths' eyes widened as he saw that Roads was no longer in the room.

"Damn it!" He screamed. He then hurried out of the room, causing the plate in his hands to drop to the floor.

A few days later, in a secluded building in the middle of the desert,

The Paths' group was gathered inside one of the rooms, without Roads anywhere in sight.

"Do you think he's met him yet?" Nessa asked.

"No, but from what I know." He was in Viridis when all hell broke loose. " Paths sighed.

"If that information reached us, there is no doubt that Roads heard it as well." Paths continue.

"So we try and stop Roads before he meets Golden Hands." York asked.

That seems to be the plan, right, boss man?" Therese asked with a smile on her face.

"Hmm..." Paths pondered for a moment after hearing Therese's question.

But, suddenly, an unnatural noise reached their ears. The sound of a ringing bell

The group turned their heads to the direction it came from, which seemed to come from another room in the building. They all looked at each other for a moment before going in the direction of the noise.

They went through the crumbling halls of the building. After a couple of minutes of walking, they entered a room.

Inside, on a pile of rubble, a person sat, with their body and face hidden in the shadows.

They held a handheld mirror with their left hand while they fixed their pure white hair with their right.

The person seemed to notice Paths' group, as they stopped combing their hair and hid the mirror.

"Oh... ahem, hello there." The person was greeted in a feminine voice.

Paths didn't reply immediately, but instead stared at the person speaking.

The person in the shadows extended their arms forward, letting the light illuminate their hands' fair white skin.

The person rotated their wrist, revealing a bell on a red and white string wrapped around it.

"And, yes, I'm the one who called you here." the person said.

"Who are you?! What do you want? " Paths asked.

"Hmm, for your first question." You can call me 'a little fox'. Sounds familiar? The person asked

People seemed to have gotten a little angry at what the person said. But, he still didn't do anything and continued to listen.

The person placed their hand on their chin, and then continued to talk.

"Before I answer the second, let's do a head count."

"York. A harpoon-wielding midrange fighter, was born in the western quadrant, was a married man, before the loss of his entire family due to a conflict between Titan and Avalon.

York's body trembled with emotion after hearing this.

"Seena, A student of the Great Tree Academy had a falling out with the elders a few days before the incident concerning Chaos Herald and one other student. "

Seena reacted by drawing her sword and pointing it towards the person.

The person didn't seem to be disturbed, and continued talking.

"Nessa," Left to die with two of her younger siblings by their parents in the southern quadrant. Said siblings died due to an S-tier beast that was running amok. "

Nessa gritted her teeth after hearing what the person said.

The person talking then turned her attention towards Therese.

A moment of silence ensued. Then, the person burst out laughing and said, "To Therese."

"Hahaha, I almost forgot that this is quite... interesting!" The person continued to laugh elegantly.

"Therese, A member of one of the 13 great families in Riverton One of the few survivors left, due to the betrayal that happened in Avalon.

Therese only stared at the person, but inwardly she was smiling.

The person then looked at the paths. And finally, paths. Brother of the Roads... " The person remained silent for a second.

Listen, I'm speaking from experience here. I just want to let you know, your parents must have hated you when they named the two of you" The person continued.

Before the person in the shadows could finish, Paths interrupted, and asked.

"Where is my damn brother?" Paths asked, his voice filled with rage.

"Dead." He had already met Golden hands. " The person replied.

"Damn you!" Paths roared, as he charged the person in the shadows.

But, before Paths could reach the person, he was forced to stop due to a line of string on his way.

"Is this your weapon?! A string line?!You think this could stop me from killing you? " Paths shouted.

"It did just stop you, and I can do so much more with it, but right now it only serves one purpose." The person replied.

"It's a visual indicator for when you cross the line, and when that 'big guy' over there is allowed to move." The person said, as she pointed past Paths and his group.

The entire group felt shivers run up their spines when the person pointed behind them.

A massive presence seemed to manifest behind them out of thin air. They didn't need to turn around to realize that an absolute monster was behind them due to the fact that they could hear its gigantic breaths breathing down their necks.

"There was never a choice." The person said

"Dammit, roads!" paths screamed inwardly.

Why couldn't you just sit down, and let the monsters fight it out?! You just had to be involved! " Inwardly cursed paths

"But... even though you might be a dumb, self-centered jerk..." Paths paused for a moment.

"But, you are still my goddamn brother, and I will avenge you!" Paths screamed to himself, as he stared down the man who killed his brother.

A man with golden eyes and who holds the title of "the greediest man in the world".