An SUV could be seen cruising down a highway that appeared empty, with not a single other vehicle in sight. The car maintained a moderate speed as it zipped past brown leaves fluttering in the breeze and trees that stood tall along the roadside. Inside the vehicle, two figures were present.
In the back seat, a young teenager, around 17 years old, with dark curly hair, leaned against the door. His gaze was fixed outside, watching the trees rush past, lost in thought.
The driver, a young woman who ice queen appearance, possessed pale skin and wore her hair tied back in a ponytail. She glanced briefly at the road ahead and then addressed her passenger. "Hey, Alex, what's with the long face? It's been years since you last visited the family house. Aren't you excited to see your cousins again after all this time?" Anna asked, her eyes returning to the road as she navigated the highway.
Alex scoffed at her question, shifting his position slightly and crossing his arms over his chest. "Apparently, they don't want me around," he replied sarcastically, leaning back further into his seat. "I wonder why you insisted that I come to this gathering with you. I'm sure they don't even know I exist."
Anna glanced at her son through the side mirror and noticed his glum expression. She could tell he was not in the best mood. With a soft sigh that went unheard, she decided to press the accelerator and increased the speed of the car, hoping the change in momentum might lift the weight of the atmosphere inside.
Soon, they arrived at their destination: a large mansion that loomed majestically atop a hill, resembling a grand castle. As the SUV rolled closer to the imposing gates, Alex couldn't hold back his opinion.
"What a waste, building something like this in the middle of nowhere," he remarked, his voice laced with sarcasm. The car passed through the gates and entered a spacious area, where a large fountain stood proudly at the center. A few cars were parked in a corner, their owners likely already inside the mansion.
After a moment, Anna maneuvered the vehicle into one of the available parking spaces. Once the car came to a stop, she turned to Alex and quickly reached out to take his hand.
"Please, Alex, promise me that no matter what happens, you won't cause any trouble here," she pleaded, her grip firm yet gentle.
Alex looked at her, a mix of irritation and defiance in his expression. "You know you could have just left me at home instead of dragging me here and saying this. Besides, I am not the troublemaker," he replied, gently pulling his hand away from hers. He leaned back in his seat, feeling the weight of her expectations pressing down on him.
Sighing once more, Anna began to walk away from the bustling gathering.
Today marked a special occasion for the Wyndham family, as John Wyndham had extended an invitation to all family members to come together. This gathering resembled countless others they had attended in the past.
Various activities unfolded here and there; they mingled, shared meals, and engaged in conversations about a myriad of topics.
In stark contrast, Alex found himself uninterested in the gathering. Instead, he chose to explore the expansive mansion that had been the backdrop of many family memories.
Though he felt detached from the festivities, he couldn't help but admire the surroundings that enveloped him.
"This place looks quite familiar," he mused, "but subtle changes here and there have transformed it into something that feels entirely new." With each step, he made his way toward the garden, his curiosity leading him further into the depths of the estate.
As he strolled, memories flooded back to him. The garden was large, with a maze-like layout adorned with vibrant flowers in full bloom. He recalled the times he had nearly lost his way while wandering through the intricate paths, the thrill of adventure mingling with a hint of anxiety.
Just as he approached the garden's entrance, a burst of laughter caught his attention. Turning his head, he noticed three boys walking together, their laughter ringing through the air like music. Their carefree joy contrasted sharply with his own feelings of disinterest, and for a moment, he paused to observe them, intrigued by the lightheartedness that seemed to fill the space around him.
"Well... well... well, look who's here, Alex," one of the boys in the middle said with a smirk as he shoved his hand into his pocket while walking by. The three boys wore sports clothes, as if they were on their way to a game.
"This is trouble," Alex muttered under his breath as he tried to ignore them and walked into the maze.
Just as he turned to take a step forward, he suddenly found one of the boys standing directly in his path, blocking him.
"Hey... are you trying to walk away?" the boy asked, a large grin spreading across his face.
Alex took a deep breath, trying to calm his rising frustration. "Zephyr, move..." he said in a steady voice, making an effort to hide his annoyance.
The boy blocking Alex's way was Zephyr Wyndham, a tall and stocky teenager with black hair and pale skin. The other two, Lennox Wyndham and Isla Wyndham, also shared similar features. They were the children of Jake and Jim. While Zephyr was Jake's son, Lennox and Isla were the products of Jim's more carefree lifestyle.
"Ohh... look at that, he's annoyed! What are you going to do, beat me up like you usually do?" Zephyr taunted, flexing his muscles and wearing a wide grin on his face.
"Just because you've gained a few muscles here and there doesn't mean you are strong!" Alex shouted as he lunged forward to push Zephyr. However, his hand met nothing as he lost his balance and fell over.
"Look at that! You're too slow. You have no idea what we have been doing all this time, Alex. This is no longer twelve years ago when you could easily beat me," Zephyr said, walking confidently toward Alex.
Seeing Zephyr approach, Alex gritted his teeth and charged forward. This time, he threw a punch aimed directly at Zephyr. The punch connected, but not in the way Alex had intended. Zephyr held out his palm and caught Alex's fist effortlessly.
"Weak!" Zephyr exclaimed, a smirk on his face. He then readied his own fist and swung it at Alex's face, sending him crashing down to the floor.
"Hahaha! Now that is a punch, Alex," Zephyr laughed, and the two others joined in, bursting into laughter. "I thought we made it clear that you aren't welcome here. Even if you bear our family name, you are not one of us. Why don't you do yourself a favor and leave?" Zephyr said, looking down at Alex on the floor with pure disdain.
"Zephyr, Lennox, Isla! What are you three doing?!" Anna yelled angrily as she walked over to them.
"Aunty, Alex attacked me first! I was only defending myself!" Zephyr replied, trying to explain himself.
However, Anna ignored Zephyr and walked straight toward Alex to help him up. When she reached out to touch him, Alex quickly flung her hand away as he stood up on his own.
"I told you I don't want to be here! This place stinks, just like the people living in it!" Alex shouted, and then he ran off. Instead of heading into the garden, he dashed out of the mansion entirely.
Anna felt a strong urge to run after him, but it was already too late. Alex had already jumped into the car she had arrived in, and she had no idea where he was going.
Meanwhile, from a distance, watching the scene unfold were the triple J's along with Lucius.
"Well, it seems like Zephyr has improved," Jake said, observing the situation. "I can tell there wasn't a drop of qi in those movements; that was purely his natural speed."
"Yes, but that was against someone with zero cultivation base. If you want to know how much he has improved, then he needs to face a real challenge against his fellow Paragons," Lucius said, sounding unimpressed compared to the others.
At that moment, John turned around and started walking away. "We need to discuss the important issues," he said firmly.
"Yes... I forgot," Lucius replied, and they all left the scene together. They walked into a large room with a spacious marble floor. This time, they were not alone; five other people were already in the room with them.
"You mentioned you were looking for a faster way to create powerful individuals and that you wanted to turn some of your trusted men into strong beings," Lucius began as he approached the group.
"To solve this, there are two options. The first is to perform a magical surgery that will unlock their potential or fuse a power into their bodies. However, this method is quite rare these days because there are fewer people capable of performing such surgeries. Even if you manage to find one, their fees will cost you your entire fortune," Lucius explained, his tone serious.
"However, there is always an alternative. The best alternative is magical items," he continued, walking toward a table in the corner that held a single briefcase on top. Lucius reached for the briefcase, placing his hand on it. A slight glow appeared, followed by a clicking sound.
He opened the briefcase, revealing its contents.
"Here in front of me are five pieces of magical items that I managed to acquire, and they are guaranteed to serve you well," Lucius said, holding out the case to show the five rings inside, each glowing with power.