Chapter 26: Fragile Reminiscence

Warm rays of sunlight shone through thick white clouds, casting a brilliant glow over the vivid landscape below. It was noon, the vibrant summer skies persisted, bringing with it a wondrous beauty that breathed vitality into all it encompassed.

Towering buildings stood erect, looking as though they would pierce the sky above. Unique structures of varying splendor could be seen widespread throughout the expansive city, primarily made up of concrete, steel, and glass.

Glimmering lights lit up various corners, billboards of all sizes made their presence known, and vehicles packed the busy streets in abundance.

Countless figures walked the paved sidewalks, clamoring noisily as they passed each other by.

One didn't need to ponder too deeply in order to conclude one very simple fact, something that had been made extremely apparent; This was earth.

Not only that, but this was also a modern society, an information era where advanced technology existed and thus reigned supreme.

Near the center of such a bustling city, a marvelous edifice that stood out among all others lay amidst the tumultuous crowd of people.

Out front, a jet-black Rolls-Royce Phantom suddenly arrived on the scene, pulling over toward the sidewalk as it slowly parked.

A tall, well-built man exited the driver's seat. Though he was dressed in a black suit, it was a formal attire more suited toward work than luxury.

The man walked with long, purposeful strides, positioning himself at the door of the passenger seat with his hands cupped in front of him intimidatingly.

He stood silently, seemingly waiting for someone. And it wasn't long before the individual in question appeared, making their way out of the conspicuous building ahead.

They drew the attention of all bystander's present, their remarkable demeanor and appearance garnering an assortment of reactions. It was yet another man, except only this time, he was far too captivating to be ignored.

Shoulder length black hair that remained loosely tied up, allowing silky strands to fall down either side of his face.

Sharp, pale golden eyes that looked as though they could pierce right through you, and alluring, angular features that perfectly accentuated his otherwise deadly charm.

The young man's physique was both lean and toned, exhibiting noticeable muscle from beneath his elegant black suit. Standing at around 193 centimeters, he looked rather imposing, his broad shoulders giving him an athletic appearance.

Carrying a medium sized briefcase, all black in color, he walked toward the extravagant Rolls-Royce with a confident gait, his expression relaxed and unbothered.

Those in the vicinity snapped photos without restraint, chattering animatedly all the while. Although this was a common occurrence, it never stopped people from coming out to witness this scene.

"Look, it's actually Aziel Nox…!"

"I heard he's just turned 17! just one more year, one more…"

"The Nox family is just unfair; how could they have someone like him…"

"What's up guys, I'm coming at you with another live video of THE Aziel Nox…."

The crowd was abuzz, taking live videos, openly gossiping, and even screaming to get his attention.

Within minutes, the name 'Aziel Nox' became trending on all social media platforms, giving rise to various responses.

Still, as if by some unwritten agreement, they were all free to snap photos and record, but getting any closer or invading his personal space was out of the question.

After all, everyone fully understood what the name 'Nox' represented, and they weren't brave enough to go in recklessly.

After arriving in front of the driver, Aziel briefly sized him up before speaking.

"Julia took the day off, or what?" he inquired, wondering why his original driver was currently absent.

"Yes, Sir. My apologies, but she couldn't make it today, so I was assign—"

"Yea, you're a temporary replacement, I appreciate all that you've done. Now take me to South-Point, I'm tired right now, and I'm starting to get a headache just from looking at you. Don't worry though, it's not you, it's me."

Leaving behind the stunned driver, Aziel continued forward before briefly stopping as he turned to look back.

"Oh, and…"

"Yes…?"

"Don't say too much, I'm not really the chatty type, you get me…?"

"Yes, Sir…"

The driver could only nod his head with an awkward expression, not really knowing how to deal with the young man in front of him.

Still, he didn't linger on it for too long and quickly made way to open the door to the backseat for Aziel, presenting himself humbly.

It was always best to agree with people like him rather than ponder over their words, since you weren't likely to acquire anything but even more shock and confusion.

Upon seating himself in the car, Aziel sat his briefcase down on the seat beside him, before comfortably resting his head back against his own. He merely closed his eyes, taking no notice of those standing outside.

After a few short seconds, the driver finally entered the seat up front, starting the car and pulling off a moment later.

Their current destination was a private villa previously owned by Aziel's mother, which she had recently given to him as she saw no use for it. After all, she was hardly ever around.

Occasionally opening his eyes to glance at the passing scenery, Aziel slowly turned his gaze toward the rear-view mirror, making eye contact with the seemingly nervous driver.

"Oi…"

"Y-yes sir?"

Caught off guard by his sudden remark, the driver scrambled to respond, causing the car to swerve slightly.

"There a reason you keep looking back here? I didn't think you were into men, but if that's the case; good for you. Just exclude me from the list of choices…"

"Huh…?"

He muttered dumbly, not quite processing the fact that Aziel had just mistaken him as a homosexual.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, it struck him. Realizing now what he was getting at, the driver frantically shook his head, denying Aziel's claims.

"No sir, that isn't the case…! I was only checking to make sure you were alright…"

"You sure…?"

"O-of course…!"

Although his languid tone slightly irked him, the driver could only focus on the road ahead and try his best to ignore the embarrassment he currently felt.

No one had ever gotten an accurate personality template of Aziel Nox, so those who met him for the first time had no idea what to expect.

However, if his attitude at present was anything to go by, it was painfully clear to the driver that the young man obviously enjoyed toying with people. While his relaxed expression gave no indication of that fact, his actions spoke for themselves.

Thinking about it differently, it also provided an opportunity to gain a bit of insight.

Another 10 minutes passed as they reached a deserted road that stretched on for miles, surrounded by flat, rocky terrain. By now, the covert glances of the driver had gotten even more frequent, something that Aziel paid no attention to.

Opening his eyes with a tired sigh, he casually reached for his briefcase, unlocking it with a click of a few buttons.

The contents inside only held but two outlines; one of which was a 'Tactical Model .40 caliber Pistol', jet black in color. While the other was a smooth, obsidian black suppressor, made perfectly for covert operations.

"Uhm…is everything alright back there, sir? Is there something wrong?"

The driver's anxious voice broke through the silence, his gaze now trained on the backseat.

Taking the gun into his hands, Aziel pulled out a clean white cloth and began wiping it down as he answered.

"Why would anything be wrong, does something look wrong…?"

"No, I mean…the gun…"

"Right, it's a gun. Good job on figuring that out. Now why exactly are you acting like you've never seen one before, huh, Shane…?"

The driver's mouth opened and closed wordlessly, the strength in which he gripped the steering wheel unconsciously increasing.

There were quite a few things that alarmed him about this situation, but what remained at the forefront of his mind was the fact that he didn't remember mentioning his name to Aziel even once.

Completely disregarding the inner chaos his driver was undoubtedly experiencing, Aziel finally attached the suppressor onto his pistol, before closing the briefcase with a secure snapping sound.

For a moment, they both gazed at each other through the rear-view mirror, Aziel's calm but piercing stare meeting the drivers apprehensive one.

The strained silence persisted for a few seconds; however, it was soon to be interrupted by Aziel opening his mouth to speak.

"I've…"

"Y-yes?"

"I've been itching to ask but…"

"..."

Aziel tilted his head.

"How is Damian doing these days, is he alright…?"

Suddenly, without a moment wasted, the driver immediately forced the steering wheel into a sharp turn, his urgency and panic evident in his movements.

The young man's words had made it clear that he was aware of the entire situation.

But before the car could begin spinning out of control, Aziel swiftly pressed the gun barrel against the back of the driver's seat, aiming straight for his head.

No hesitation was made, no other words were said, only a firm squeeze of the trigger that would mark the end of another life.

*PEW~*

A hushed sound was emitted upon firing, passing straight through the thick seat cushions and penetrating the driver's skull, killing him on the spot as the bullet emerged from his forehead and pierced through the windshield.

Blood splattered, coating the glass and steering wheel in crimson. The driver's now deceased body leaned over, his forehead bearing down on the horn as the entire car spun around uncontrollably.

Aziel, now leaning back against the headrest while tensing his body, he sat ramrod straight, bracing himself for possible impact. The only thing that could be heard within the car was the loud screeching of tires.

Finally, the car slowly stopped after a few minutes, the incessant drifting had caused it to lean over on its side, though it just barely managed to keep itself from flipping over completely.

Feeling the sudden impact of the vehicle's landing, Aziel waited for it to eventually settle down. Afterward, he wasted no time, grabbing his briefcase and prying open the door with a few heavy kicks.

As he stepped outside, he could hear the not-so-subtle hissing of the car's engine, while also noticing clouds of smoke leaking from the front hood.

Narrowing his eyes dangerously, Aziel began walking away with long strides, ignoring the blood trickling down his forehead.

"I can't believe this shit, that bastard really tried to put me in the grave this time…"

Though he sounded calm, one couldn't help but notice the underlying coldness seeping through. At present, he was emitting the aura of a true killer, one that had murdered many, an unreserved bloodlust.

This whole occurrence had been a sinister plot cooked up by someone Aziel knew very well. From the moment he first met the 'Temporary Driver', he knew something wasn't right.

After all, his personal driver, 'Julia', would've called him beforehand if anything came up. Moreover, a temporary driver wouldn't be assigned without him being notified.

Nothing added up.

The individual who'd set the stage for this entire situation was also aware that, though Aziel was young, he wasn't some new fool.

And because of that—

"You had the nerve to plant a bomb in my goddamn car."

However, just as he said that—

*BOOOooooOOOoomMMmmm!!!!*

A thunderous explosion rang out from behind, blowing the entire car apart and scattering large fragments of shrapnel. A mild shock wave spread out as flames billowed forth, covering the area in heat.

Aziel continued walking away, clicking his tongue in annoyance all the while. That one happened to be one of his favorite cars as well, which only served to sour his mood even further.

'I'll have to call someone to come pick me up—'

Before he could finish that train of thought, the sudden vibration of his phone interrupted him. Looking at the unknown number calling him, Aziel squinted his eyes, withholding a scowl.

Receiving the call, he placed the phone up to his ear, no doubt recognizing who this was already.

"I'm sure you didn't call to confirm the kill, did you? Cause' there's a limit to how retarted you can be…"

He spoke in a monotone, clearly looking down on the other party.

A moment later, a deep, disturbing voice rang through from the other side, their tone both playful and arrogant.

"Oh, of course not. I wouldn't go that far. After all, you won't die from just that. C'mon, we've known each other for years now, Aziel boy. Ye have little faith."

"There you go, talking bullshit again. But please don't think I'll let you off without having your head detached from your neck. It was a mistake to target me from the start, you should also know this, dickhead."

"I thought I was arrogant, but you…you're something else. You really believe from the bottom of your fragile little heart that you can bury me, don't you?" The voice on the other side sighed in exasperation, seemingly holding back their anger.

Aziel shook his head, his expression remaining unchanged.

"There's a difference between belief and certainty. I'm going to ruin everything you've built, take everything you own, and kill you at your lowest, you pitiful bitch.

Hearing this, the other party chuckled coldly, their voice becoming a notch lower.

"That confident tone of yours always irked me to no end. Just because you're the 'Wraith's' favorite doesn't mean much, boy. You can assure yourself all you'd like, but it won't change the inevitable."

In response to this, Aziel brought the same energy.

"It was always about the 'Wraith', right? You're a useless bastard. You and every last one of those spineless fucks will catch hell from today onward. You want war with me? Alright then, fuck around and find out."

Without waiting for an answer, Aziel immediately ended the call, his demeanor becoming more and more overbearing by the second. The foolish cousin who he'd just spoken to, Damian, was already dead in his eyes.

He, of course, meant every word he said. The price of going after his life meant the death penalty for everyone involved—No Exceptions.

Releasing a heated sigh, Aziel dialed another number on his phone. It rang a few times before picking up a moment later.

"Yo, Aziel, I didn't think you'd ever call me first. Do you finally need my services~?"

A teasing, feminine voice rang through, prompting Aziel's rigid expression to ease a bit.

"I need a ride, Julia. I wasn't sure you'd be receiving calls today since you're 'taking the day off', or whatever."

"Huh…? I'm not taking the day off; I was just informed that you'd be…"

It was made apparent that Julia also wasn't aware of what was going on, so Aziel dropped the matter entirely.

The previous course of events wasn't spoken of to anyone, after all, it was his job to deliver judgment. And no one could stop him from doing so either.

At this moment, Aziel opened his eyes, instantly catching sight of the familiar rocky terrain he'd been seeing for the past week or so. This scenery was something he had long gotten used to.

The green glow stones lighting the passages, the wide corridors, and the large outcroppings that gave little freedom of movement. Nothing had changed, since this was indeed the labyrinth that housed one of his objectives.

The True Orcus Labyrinth.

He briefly reminisced on old memories, recalling what had transpired in the not-so-distant past. They were only one of many radical events that'd taken place during his lifetime.

Though he didn't know why that memory in particular came to mind, he didn't dwell on it for too long, opting to shift his focus elsewhere.

Aziel glanced at the unconscious figure sprawled out across the ground, an individual who he'd taken a mild interest in due to their 'abilities' that differed from the average person.

Still, the result of his actions proved to be astounding to say the least, as the individual in question ended up rising above his expectations once again.

'Analyze'

{}——————{}

Name: • Suzu Taniguchi •

Age: • 17 •

Gender: • Female •

Race: • Ancient Chimera •

Estimated Alignment: • True Neutral •

Level: 12

Job: Forcefield Creator

Strength: 400

Vitality: 560

Defense: 510

Agility: 650

Magic: 720

Magic Defense: 620

—————

Skills: • {Barrier Magic Affinity} • {Light Magic Affinity} • {Force-Field Control} • {Image Composition} • {Possession} • {Demonic Aura} • {Venom Secretion} • {Ingestive Immunity} • {Seismic Detection} • {Nail Retraction} • {Prey Instinct} • {Chimeric Alteration} • {Sand Body} • {Sand Revival} • {Hell-Fire Breath} • {Heightened Senses} • {Recovery Magic Affinity} • {Mana Manipulation} • {Spell Melding} • {Gale Claw} •

—————

Current Condition: Unconscious

—————

Threat Level: Currently Rising

—————

Potential: Peak

—————

Overall: Extraordinary

{}——————{}

Her skills, her potential, her stats, race, job, everything. They were as her overall rating had stated; Extraordinary.

Of course, the reason for this obviously lay with an unaccountable factor, which was Aziel himself. Upon receiving his blood, she seemed to have undergone a complete change in body, even going as far as to evolve her job.

Her natural aptitude had changed due to his interference, but not only that, her will power included. Though she wasn't an anomaly on the same scale as himself, she only stood just below it.

Standing up from the rock in which he sat, Aziel turned to leave, preparing to continue on his own journey.

He wasn't a charity case nor was he there to coddle her, since she would barely show any growth that way. He'd given her the boost she needed to survive. Now, it was all on her.

'Whatever happens, happens. If you aren't strong enough, you die…'

It was that simple.

If she showed adequate results he could be satisfied with, then he'd go from there.

People who couldn't keep up just weren't worth the effort in his eyes, and he had no intention of stopping for anyone.

After all, that was just the way he was.

The way of 'Aziel Nox'.

________________________

Authors Words:

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, it was around 3k words.

I'm not gonna make any more promises, cuz I fail every time.

I was busy yesterday, totally not procrastinating or anything. N-no, I just told you I wasn't.

Anyways, send a few power stones my way, I need enough energy to make a spirit bomb.