The next part was much easier to handle—it was nothing more than the announcement of the reward.
Soon, after everything was settled, the meeting came to an end.
The Zodiacs came and went quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the number of people in the room had been reduced by half.
Netero, who had been silent all this time, simply chuckled a few times before returning to his office to continue drinking tea.
Pariston was left alone, staring at the table and chairs in the now-empty conference room. The smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression.
"Ronnel... could he be a like-minded partner?"
For a moment, Pariston recalled the phone call he had received after the Heavens Arena incident had been resolved.
...
Meanwhile, in the distant Azian Continent—
The Kakin Empire, after nearly thirty years of wise reforms under Nasubi Hui Guo Rou, had flourished. Its strength and prosperity now rivaled the V5, bringing it closer to the five great world powers.
In the capital of the Kakin Empire, within the opulent royal palace—
A man lay leisurely on an extravagant leather bed, seemingly made from the hide of a rare beast. His broad, bare back rested against the cushions as he lazily swirled a goblet filled with a deep, purplish-red wine that shimmered under the light. Nasubi Hui Guo Rou, hero of the Kakin Empire, watched a pristine crystal screen with great interest.
Displayed on the screen was footage from the battle between Ronnel and Jed at the summit of Heavens Arena.
"Creak~"
Just as Nasubi was watching with intrigue, the door to his chamber swung open.
A tall man entered, his face adorned with an "X"-shaped scar and his hair held up with an ancient warrior's hairpin. His movements were casual, but the brief hesitation before stepping inside and the lightness of his footsteps betrayed a deep awareness of his position.
"Sit~"
Nasubi stretched and sat up slightly, his voice carrying a lazy drawl.
"What brings you here, Beyond?"
"Ah, just a small matter. The Thousand Ears Society has begun investigating the Pavilion incident."
Beyond took a seat with careful propriety, his voice tinged with a slight roughness.
Nasubi was satisfied with his demeanor—Beyond always made interactions smooth and comfortable. In his eyes, Beyond was the ideal collaborator for their Dark Continent endeavors.
"And? Any leads?"
"Just as you predicted. The battle for succession in Pavilion thirty years ago left behind a single survivor. The Thousand Ears Society has already tracked down the descendant. It won't be long before their identity is confirmed."
Beyond spoke evenly. He and Nasubi shared a common goal concerning the Dark Continent, but there was a clear hierarchy in their partnership. With the Kakin Empire's formidable national strength and strategic influence, Nasubi Hui Guo Rou undeniably held the dominant position.
Beyond understood this well, particularly since his partner was the ruler of an empire.
"I see~" Nasubi nodded slightly. "Once we confirm their identity, send a priest to deal with them... What about the others involved?"
"According to the Thousand Ears Society, most have already been eliminated. Only two managed to escape. One is Emuksu—an enigma, with no prior connections to our network. The other is Kay Taylor, a newcomer and former solo traveler."
Beyond continued, "Both were extremely cautious. They likely sensed the danger and managed to slip away at the last moment."
"So they don't know much, then? We can ignore them~"
Nasubi waved a dismissive hand. "Even if they do, they're smart enough to know what should and shouldn't be said. And even if they were idiots, spilling secrets wouldn't affect me much. Kakin has always advanced in this manner."
His tone was calm, carrying the confidence of someone accustomed to power.
"Of course, if they happen to cross our path again, eliminating them wouldn't be a bad idea either…"
His gaze shifted to the crystal screen, where Beyond's eyes had also settled.
"A thrilling fight, huh? Far more refined than those petty battles in Heavens Arena."
Nasubi set down his goblet and picked up another, offering it to Beyond.
"The silver-haired one is Jed, right? From the same era as your father? I recall seeing his profile in the personnel records at the ferry terminal."
"Yeah, that's him. The old man once dealt with him personally. I even used his records to extract quite a few secrets. By all rights, Jed should have been long dead... I didn't expect him to return."
Beyond swirled the wine in his glass as he watched the battle unfold on screen.
In the footage, Jed and Ronnel exchanged dozens of rapid blows amidst the dust and haze. Others might have struggled to follow their movements, but to someone of Beyond's caliber, neither the dust nor their speed posed any obstacle.
The only annoyance was the slight distortion in display quality.
"Hmph… Nen—no, the life energy within the human body—Aura… It truly is a mysterious thing."
As if reminded of the Egg in the Pot ritual of the royal family, Nasubi let out an enigmatic chuckle.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)