Sometime late...
Clomp. Clomp. Clomp.
"Oh, so if it isn't the kid who signed up for a date with Death," snickered Zinc as he sat beside his cousin and looked towards Rin's direction as he entered the lounge of Obsidian Vault.
"Are you a parrot or something? Just shut up and hide in a corner already! Damnit! Just why didn't I kill you when I had the chance?" Pharaoh complained as he rolled his eyes at Zinc while nonchalantly breaking the handcuffs and shackles on his body.
'Aww, now, this is life,' thought Pharaoh the moment the constraints broke and fell to the ground with a thud. Allowing him to regain his freedom, for what is life if someone can dictate what you can and cannot do?
Before gazing at the Warden of Obsidian Vault, Gen Carter, a man of fable, who achieved something no one thought was possible in the lower realms. Yet, with that, while we may have reached the peak of power within the confines of Multiverse Z, he lost the chance of ascending to higher heights and seeing the world above this one.
But then again, maybe it's a blessing in disguise, for not many people can make a name for themselves after ascending from one verse to the next.
'Hmm, how peculiar... just what is this strange sensation of fear and danger, I feel in the air?' Gen wondered with intrigue and alertness as he eyed Rin suspiciously, as he didn't invoke these feelings in him a day ago.
Even though he was looking at Rin, it wasn't Rin he was truly facing, but Pharaoh. An ancient entity that nearly broke the confines of this World and returned to Origin. But failed at the last moment due to an unexpected betrayal from someone he loved and adored.
'Just what could have changed between yesterday and now? Is this maybe Rin's alter ego, or something worse? Something that could make me scream in ecstasy as death curls its cold, elegant, and pale fingers around my throat as I slowly suffocate to death. With my life flashing before my eyes as I took my last breath. Aww, now that would be something to remember, but sadly that isn't something I will get to experience in this lifetime.'
Gen thought as he gazed at Rin sternly, as if to see if he could uncover whatever it was that was causing him to feel this way suddenly. But nothing caught his attention except Pharaoh's silent judgmental gaze as they both stared into each other's eyes like lovers soon to kiss.
'Just what is this weirdo looking at? Did he discover something, or is he curious about why I'm acting like this today?' Pharaoh thought as he shifted his gaze from Gen and inspected the room they were in, which contained a bookshelf, some bean bags, chairs around a table, and a desk in the far-right corner of the room.
"Hmm... interesting, just what do we have here?" Pharaoh muttered with intrigue as he gazed briefly at the ceiling with a flicker of surprise in his eye, as he didn't expect to encounter something from his past in here, of all places.
[What's the issue, Master? Did you discover something of importance that could be of help to you and Rin?]
'No! But it will surely help you speed up your recovery, old friend, and potentially lead to something spectacular happening.'
[Wait, for real, but how... as the only items to my knowledge that could help would be the core of a System, the energy of a cyberspace, and the fibers of Divine Guardian Cyborg. Unless you somehow managed to stumble upon a fragment of my original design. But if so, that would mean this planet was once a part of @#$%^!&*(^&* and somehow managed to survive.]
'Shhh... just shut up, Artemis, and keep that last part to yourself. Before you cause unnecessary trouble for all of us,' Pharaoh hurriedly said as he unleashed a fragment of his divinity and sealed Rin's Soul just in case anyone overheard what was said.
[My bad, Master, I didn't think anyone still remembered that place or its significance. But at least, due to your caution and speed, Master, we managed to avoid a cosmic catastrophe.]
'... Artemis, for now, until my vacation is over, you're on a time-out. So, keep quiet and work on retrieving that burnt cryptic cyberchip, starting now.'
[0%... 0.01%... 0.02%... 0.03%... 0.04% 0.05%...]
'Welp, this is going to take a while. Hopefully, the fight won't be this boring,' Pharaoh signed as he watched the progress bar of the retrieval gradually increase at a snail's pace.
"So, cousin, would you mind telling us why you called me and Rin here?" Zinc asked after calming down, just as the head of the security squad that transported Rin to the Warden entered the room.
"I'll tell you in a minute, but first, let's hear what Jeremy has to say," Gen smiled as he glanced at Jeremy and gave him a nod to speak.
"Apologies for the interruption, sir, but your assistant insisted that I deliver this to you," he said as he stepped forward and handed the Warden a sealed envelope. "Also… given everything that has happened today, I don't believe I can maintain the same level of professionalism and discipline I have shown in the past, sir—not after the mistake I made earlier. So, with your permission, I'd like the honor of serving as a referee for today's match before I resign and return to a quieter life with my family."
Jeremy said, got on his knees, and bowed before the Warden, Rin, and Zinc while his team could only hold their tongue outside the door of the longue and keep their thoughts to themselves.
"Hmm… are you certain about this, Jeremy? For if this is truly your decision, then understand this: everything you have earned and accomplished during your tenure with Obsidian Vault will have to be returned immediately." Gen said coldly before continuing, "However, with that, while unexpected, I think I can make some calls and make you the referee for Rin and Zinc's match."
"Yes, sir, I'm positive, and thank you for the opportunity and everything you've done for me and my family."
"Well, then you're dismissed, and I hope to see you later," Gen said as Jeremy bowed once again and left the lounge soon afterward.
Click. Thud.
"Now then, where were we?"