Four Days Later.

  SPIRITUAL REALM OF LINKAGE

  The entire dimension was enveloped in a fumy, unending darkness.

  Footsteps echoed through the silence as a leg materialized, followed by the rest of her body.

  Far before her stood the throne of darkness. Upon it sat a woman, chin resting on her palm.

  The Writer: Aralyss Nyxvoria. Special Disorder / Demon Lord–class demon.

  “If it isn’t my cute little puppet,” Aralyss said, her voice dripping with darkness. “I wasn’t expecting you to be back so soon.”

  “Neither was I,” Hina replied coldly, rolling her eyes.

  “Aww, what a pity,” Aralyss purred in mock concern. She waved her hand dismissively. “Anyway, I watched your battle against that demon.” Her face twisted in repulsion.

  “Utterly disgusting. Your weakness makes me feel like puking.”

  “You fail to admit the inevitable truth,” Aralyss continued, pointing at her. “Without me, you’re a miserable loser. A victim of fate whose only saving grace is that you’re the embodiment of my will.”

  “You done blabbing?” Hina cut in bluntly.

  Aralyss fell silent and blinked.

  “Good,” Hina said, turning to leave. “Then I’m out of here.”

  “Arrgh, what a drag,” Aralyss sighed. “I guess I could enjoy the show of how you plan to leave without my consent.” She shrugged.

  “I mean, I’m the one who can bring you back to life, after all.”

  “Huh?” Hina spun back in shock. “What’re you talking about?”

  “Hmm. Let’s just say I’m always bored and all alone in this place,” Aralyss replied with a strange smile. “So now that you’re here, you’ll keep me company until I’m satisfied.”

  “The fuck?” Hina snapped, clenching her fist. “I don’t give a squat about your goddamned loneliness, you bitch!”

  “Good grief,” Aralyss yawned, covering her mouth. “I’ve a lot to talk about, but why don’t we start with that kid named Code?”

  ‘Damn it. There’s no way I can win against her,’ Hina thought as Aralyss kept talking.

  “…I overheard he’s a Zero too,” Aralyss continued.

  “That’s right,” Hina replied, dropping to the floor and sitting cross-legged. “I’ll play along for now,” she grumbled.

  “Haha. That’s my cute little puppet,” Aralyss chuckled.

  …

  AZURA.

  “I believe taking this declaration lightly would be catastrophic,” the man on the television said.

  Below the towering screen mounted on the skyscraper at the city’s center, the streets roared with movement: footsteps, engines, and overlapping voices as people passed beneath it.

  “Glock Harbinger has declared war on Eldrid should the Key to the Vesta Barrier not be surrendered,” the man continued.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  “Hm,” the program’s anchor hummed, nodding thoughtfully.

  “However, we all know surrendering the key would be far worse than whatever Glock Harbinger is attempting.”

  “So you’re saying W.A.S. should refuse to hand over the key and wait for Glock to make his move?” the anchor asked.

  “Yes, exactly. Not everyone can be saved,” the man replied. “To surrender the key in the name of preventing war would stain the legacy that Sir G.H. Thorne, Sir Gin Ackerman, and Lady Aurelia Welles gave their lives to build.”

  ...

  "What an hassle!"

  "Who cares about their useless politics!"

  "It's not like we're safe even when the barrier hasn't been breached."

  "If breaching the barrier will provide food for us, then let it be done, goddamn it! We need demons to thin the herd!"

  Angry whispers emanated from the people as they trudged on.

  ACKERMAN HOUSE.

  Silence filled the room, broken only by the chirping of birds.

  Sunlight streamed through the wide window, landing squarely on Code’s face.

  He sat on the bed, dazed, eyes fixed on his regenerated legs. His face was wrinkled, hair matted against it.

  The door swung open. Code turned to see Van stepping into the room.

  “Arrgh. Took you long enough to wake up,” Van said, taking a seat on the chair beside the bed. “You look like someone who just survived a blizzard.”

  “Terror,” Code whispered.

  “Huh?” Van leaned closer. “What did you say?”

  “Terror,” Code repeated.

  “Oh, you mean the upper-class?” Van said, leaning back. “I took care of him, though he later escaped.”

  Code blinked slowly and leaned back. “So Finn’s dead, huh?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” Van replied grimly. “His heart was destroyed. There was no saving him. His body’s been transferred to the morgue.”

  Code’s jaw clenched, his gaze hardening as the memory resurfaced.

  “You can do it, Code!” Finn cried.

  …

  “Terror,” Code whispered, tightening his fist.

  Finn’s lifeless image flashed in his mind.

  “Terror killed him,” Code rasped, rage boiling in his eyes.

  “Good grief, man, take it easy,” Van said, tapping Code’s lap. “It was my fault. If only I’d been there sooner.”

  “But if I were stronger,” Code protested. “If I were stronger, I could’ve done something.”

  Another memory surfaced.

  "I’ll give it to you,” Terror had said to Hina. “You’re strong.”

  Then he had raised a finger and pointed at Code.

  “But that kid’s holding you down.”

  …

  “Don’t try to take my blame. I’m weak!” Code cried.

  The door opened with a soft clack.

  “Yo, Code, you’re finally awake,” Ryūma said cheerfully as he walked in.

  “Y-yeah,” Code replied.

  “Man, I thought we were gonna have three funerals,” Ryūma joked.

  “What do you mean three?” Code asked, eyes widening.

  “So she still hasn’t woken up, huh?” Van said.

  “Yeah,” Ryūma replied quietly. “Her heart hasn’t let out a single beat for days.”

  A strand of hair fell over Code’s eyes as the sunlight shifted.

  ‘Must’ve been that technique,’ Code thought, recalling Terror’s Gravity Sphere.

  “Code,” Van called.

  “Huh?”

  “Don’t think too much about it. Leave it to me,” Van said. “This stuff’s far deeper than you can handle.”

  “That’s exactly why we won’t leave it to you,” Code interrupted.

  Van looked up sharply.

  “Yeah,” Ryūma added. “You trying to take everything on alone? Man, Van, I can’t believe I have to hit you with your own words.”

  “We’re a guild, goddamn it!” Ryūma shouted, swinging his arm. “We’re not the kind of team that blames everything on one person or lets just one person bear the consequences.

  When we win, we win together. When we lose, we lose together.”

  “Van,” Ryūma said, pointing at him, “you taught us that.”

  A soft wind fluttered the curtains.

  “Arrgh. Guess talking you guys out of this is impossible,” Van sighed.

  “Yup,” Ryūma nodded.

  “Alright then,” Van said, standing up. “I was going to Hazen alone for the W.A.S. meeting, but I’ll let you come with me on one condition.”

  “What?” Code asked seriously.

  “You have to get stronger,” Van said. “There’s a high chance this meeting leads to a fight with Glock. Meaning you’ll meet him again.”

  “Terror,” Code whispered.

  “That’s right,” Van nodded. “As you are now, you can’t take him on, especially his sphere.”

  “Yeah,” Code admitted.

  Van smiled. “I’ll teach you how to survive inside a sphere.”

  Code’s eyes widened. "You can survive in a sphere?" He asked.

  "Somehow," Van replied.

  "Guess Hina's sphere has put some delusions in your mind," Ryūma chimed in, referring to Code.

  “But I’ll warn you,” Van continued darkly. “My training is worse than hell.”

  ‘This is it,’ Code thought, clenching his fist, as rage burned in his eyes.

  ‘I don’t want to be a hero, and I don’t care about saving the world.’

  ‘But if I can kill Terror and get my revenge, I’ll be recognized and finally promoted from Tier 9.’

  A creepy grin crept onto his lips.

  ‘And I’ll finally get paid properly for killing demons. How nice.’

  “Psst, what’s wrong with him?” Ryūma whispered to Van, eyeing Code’s grin.

  “He’s probably thinking of something stupid,” Van replied.

  Behind the door, a shadow lingered.

  “Phew,” Ken muttered as smoke drifted into the air. “Guess I didn’t need to step in.”

  And with that, he walked away.

  Balek's Tower – Towers of Ascension Book 2

  It’s whether they can live with what it turns them into.

  → Read it Here!