Saka's question left Alex confused for a moment. The tone, the expression—everything had changed when Saka asked it. This sudden shift made Alex a little more alert.
From what Alex had observed, Saka was a strong person. Those in the Dragon Roar faction were usually strong, but Saka's display of power had just proven it beyond doubt. The fact that his astral body could attack was further proof of his capabilities.
Alex remained courteous, not just because of Saka's strength, but also because Saka was not a face he usually encountered at the base. This implied Saka was likely an outside agent for the faction. However, Alex had no idea why he was here in the hospital.
Eventually, Alex shook himself out of his confusion and responded.
"Sorry, but I don't understand what you're saying," Alex said, his voice steady but wary.
Saka's frown deepened. He studied Alex carefully, as if trying to decide whether Alex was lying or genuinely clueless.
"You truly don't know?" Saka asked, his tone almost disbelieving.
"What are you talking about? What ability are you speaking of?" Alex pressed, now more curious than ever.
Saka hesitated, glancing at Alex as though weighing his options. After a moment of thought, he seemed to make up his mind.
"That scream from before... Take a look around you," Saka said, his voice low but firm.
Alex hesitated but did as Saka instructed. He scanned his surroundings.
They were still standing amidst the bloody mess Alex had created. Bodies and debris lay strewn across the hospital floor, but as Alex continued looking, something shocking caught his eye.
The men who were still alive from the attack lay scattered around the room.
Among them were two or three who had been badly injured-men who had lost their limbs to Alex's strikes with the axe.
But now, something impossible had happened.
They were back to normal.
The severed limbs still lay on the floor, bloodied and lifeless. Yet, new limbs had somehow replaced them on the men's bodies, as if the injuries had never occurred.
"What is happening?" Alex asked, his voice tinged with confusion and disbelief.
Saka's gaze remained steady as he replied. "That is your mom's ability. Tha scream from before? It came from her, and this is the result."
Alex blinked, trying to process what he was hearing.
"This," Saka continued, gesturing to the fully restored men, "is a healing ability on another level. Normally, with magic or Qi, a lost limb could be reattached if it was treated quickly. But this... this is regeneration. True regeneration. And it's happening on a massive scale."
Alex stood there in stunned silence, his eyes fixed on the men in front of him. None of them dared to make a move against him now. Instead, they had backed into a corner of the room, their faces pale with fear.
They were terrified of him.
They had learn their lesson.
Meanwhile, Saka wasn't done talking.
"Right now, as we speak, all over the hospital, every single person with a health problem—no matter how severe—has suddenly been healed," Saka said, his tone calm but firm. "This is going to cause a massive reaction, both in the normal human world and the Paragons' world."
He paused for a moment before continuing. "Luckily, we're here. By taking your mom back to the base, maybe we can find a way to—"
Saka stopped mid-sentence when Alex suddenly turned to him, his expression bold and unyielding.
It was something Saka had said that caused Alex to react this way.
"What do you mean you're planning to take her to the base?" Alex asked, his voice steady but laced with tension.
Saka frowned, confused by Alex's reaction. "What are you talking about? Didn't you get the mission notice? This is what the faction has been searching for. With your mom's ability, a lot could change for the base—"
"NO!" Alex's voice thundered through the room as he stomped his foot on the ground. The impact caused the floor to tremble slightly, emphasizing his anger.
"You won't do that!" Alex shouted. "My mother won't be dragged into that kind of life! She won't be turned into some tool for the base!"
Saka paused, staring at Alex for a long moment. His expression was unreadable, as if he were measuring Alex's resolve. Then, without a word, he turned and started heading for the door.
But Alex wasn't about to let it end like that.
As soon as Saka moved, Alex acted.
Using his astral body, Alex quickly appeared in front of Saka.
"Where are you going?!" he demanded, his voice sharp.
"To go get your mom," Saka replied calmly.
"Didn't you hear anything I just said?" Alex asked, his anger rising. "My mom will not be introduced into this lifestyle. She should be kept away from it!"
Alex's words echoed in the room, but Saka stood still, staring at him.
After a long silence, Saka spoke. "I don't know how you plan to go against the faction. Maybe it's because she's your mother. But she's not my mother, and I don't take orders from you."
Just as Saka took a step toward the door, Alex stepped forward and held out his axe. By now, the axe was fully restored to its original state, gleaming in the light.
"If you won't listen to me, then I will force you," Alex declared, his voice firm.
Saka didn't respond. He took another step, expecting Alex to swing the axe at him at any moment. But Alex didn't move.
Instead, Saka suddenly felt a strong kick to the back of his leg. The impact wasn't enough to cause pain, but it was powerful enough to throw off his balance.
The attack had come from Alex. Using his astral body, he had struck Saka from behind, causing him to fall.
Before Saka could stand up, Alex moved swiftly, placing the axe on Saka's body.
The moment the axe touched him, Saka felt an overwhelming weight press him into the ground. It was as if tons of pressure far beyond what he could handle had been piled on top of him, pinning him firmly.
'This boy… he's clever' , Saka thought grimly.
Alex had already realized that he couldn't defeat Saka in a straightforward fight. However, restraining him? That was a different story.
This strategy worked because of the axe's special property—it couldn't be wielded by anyone other than Alex. With the weapon resting on Saka's body, Saka was unable to stand or remove it.
Saka gritted his teeth and gripped the axe, trying with all his strength to push it off him. But no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't budge.
After several failed attempts, Saka finally gave up. He looked up at Alex with a mixture of frustration and grudging respect.
"Kid… do you really think leaving her alone is the best option?" Saka said, his voice low but steady.
"What happened here today? Everyone will hear about it. The normal humans will learn of it and investigate, and the Paragons? They'll launch an even higher-level investigation into this."
"Tell me," Saka said, his voice calm but firm. "Do you think your mom is safer being left alone, or being taken under a faction?"
Alex's expression darkened as Saka continued.
"You're already part of the faction. You know how things are handled there, how people are treated. You know we don't—"
"Enough!" Alex shouted, cutting Saka off.
The force in Alex's voice echoed through the room, silencing Saka immediately. Saka froze, not because of Alex's words, but because of the overwhelming sensation that swept over him. A shiver ran through his body, an involuntary response to the sheer intensity of Alex's outburst.
For a moment, the room was silent, save for the sound of Alex's heavy breathing.
But while Saka stayed quiet, Alex's mind was far from calm. Saka's words had struck a nerve, and now, conflicting emotions surged through Alex like a storm.
Anger, fear, frustration, and confusion all fought for control inside him, building into an unstoppable force.
Deep within Alex's sea of consciousness, something began to stir. An unseen presence, dormant until now, started to react to the emotions swirling inside him. It pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat growing stronger with every passing moment.
Alex clenched his fists tightly, struggling to keep his composure as the pressure within him continued to rise.
On Alex's bloodline core, a faint crack had appeared.
Alex, however, was completely unaware of this.
"I'll make it simple," Alex began, his voice cold and resolute. "I don't want my mother to be taken by any group or faction—and that includes ours."
He took a step closer to Saka, his tone growing sharper. "Now, I'm leaving it to you to make sure no one finds out about this. Handle everything that happened here today. Make sure none of it can be traced back to my mother or me."
His words carried a weight, more like a command than a request.
As Alex finished speaking, a faint red glow appeared in his eyes, flickering ominously.
This didn't go unnoticed by Saka. A wave of shivers ran through his body again, stronger than before. The presence radiating from Alex was unlike anything Saka had felt before, and it left him unsettled.
Once Alex finished, the axe that had been pinning Saka to the ground suddenly moved. It lifted itself and returned to Alex's hand effortlessly. Without a word, Alex placed the weapon into his dimensional space, securing it away.
But as soon as he did, Alex felt his vision blur. His world began spinning uncontrollably, and before he could process what was happening, he collapsed to the ground. His body, completely drained, gave in, and he passed out.
Saka, now free from the axe's weight, sat up. He took a moment to steady himself, still shaken from what had just happened. His eyes remained on Alex, filled with uncertainty and doubt.
"What was that feeling?" he muttered to himself, his voice low and full of unease.