A Wanderer's Lies

Chapter 60: Aftermath [2]

'Where the hell did he come from?'

This was the question that repeated inside the minds of everyone present at the moment the mysterious cloaked figure appeared from the woods.

They had been preparing to venture out into the Red Zone, but before they could even make it past the Green, they were forced to a stop upon seeing the figure.

"Hey, I asked you a question," Adams repeated himself.

He was prepared to attack at any moment.

Despite being the strongest member of the team and far more experienced, even he could sense the figure approaching them.

It's like he came with the wind, suddenly appearing behind them.

"I'm a member of the Hearts Guild. I came here to complete a mission." The figure answered in a neutral tone, brandishing his ID.

The figure spoke as though he were unaffected by the pressure coming off Adams, which the blonde-haired man noticed.

This was because the ID depicted a D+ Rank.

'Bullshit. I would have noticed a D+ Rank sneak up on me.'

Adams started to second guess himself. Perhaps he simply wasn't paying attention and it was a fluke.

So then why did his team also have the same reaction?

Something was off.

"Wait!"

A familiar old man in a Janitor's suit rushed toward the team and the cloaked figure, standing between the two parties.

"He's telling the truth. I bid him farewell myself." The old man defended the figure, to which Adams paused for a second.

"Is that so? In that case, what can you tell me about what's going on inside…" Before Adams could finish, he was interrupted as all eyes turned to the speaking voice.

"Ivor Adams. How long has it been? Are you still a sour old grape?"

A female with autumn curly hair reaching to her shoulders, quite the stylish attire, sunglasses and quite the short frame spoke in a high-pitched voice as Adams soon scowled deeply.

"Monroe Cooper. I'm not surprised the S.A. sent you to snoop around." Adams responded, to which the female named Monroe smirked.

"Snoop? Have you forgotten we are the ones who allowed you to profit off Ravenwood? I have a right to be here if something has occurred, arguably more so than you do."

This was true.

The Hearts Guild wouldn't exist if the S.A. hadn't allowed them access to Ravenwood.

Although every important individual knew the S.A. only allowed this so they would lose less resources on Ravenwood, using the Hearts Guild to accomplish it instead.

However, a certain cloaked figure knew when it came to Ravenwood, everything was a mystery.

'No way the S.A. doesn't take this chance to figure out as much as possible. This is probably the first time something like this has happened.'

Isaac watched as the two individuals stared each other down.

"Go ahead. I can't stop you, of course." Adams waved off, walking away from the Green Zone, back to Spawn.

"Where are you going?" Monroe raised an eyebrow.

"Why is that your concern? Boys, investigate what happened in the Red Zone and report back to me, as we planned." Adams spoke, instructing his team, then turning his gaze to Isaac.

"You, come with me." Adams pointed, walking away as Isaac and the old man soon followed, confused.

Although, after a few seconds, a devious grin could be seen painted across Isaac's face as an idea crossed his mind.

Meanwhile, Monroe stared for a few seconds, shrugging in the next as she walked toward the Red Zone.

***

"Who was that?"

Isaac sat before Adams in the small shed belonging to the old man, opposite each other on each side of the table.

Isaac had put on a spare mask he had, identical to his original. Therefore, he no longer needed to lower his gaze to his amber eyes.

It was only the two of them, and as Adams looked through Isaac's card, he replied.

"Monroe Cooper. A high ranking and esteemed member of the S.A. and 32nd ranked amongst Inheritors in the Spawn." Adams replied nonchalantly.

Meanwhile, Isaac couldn't help but blink.

'32nd? How strong would that be?'

"So, Zol, why don't we start with why you were in the Green Zone," Adams asked, lighting a cigarette as he did.

Isaac, his back straight and body language seeming unthreatened, answered shortly after.

"I was out on a mission," Isaac answered, placing the mission request slip he'd taken from the guild on the table.

Adams traced his eyes over the sheet of paper, nodding as he confirmed this part of the story.

"And were you successful in your mission?"

Isaac nodded as a small hum could be heard.

"Yes."

-THUD

As Isaac answered, a large Carcass appeared on the ground with a small thud.

"A Terror possessed with the character Todo Aoi of the Jujutsu Kaisen verse. It…"

"You killed that?"

Isaac was interrupted but didn't pay any attention to it as he answered the question, watching Adams stare at the Carcass.

"Yes."

"It says here you needed to kill a Terror residing in the Green Zone. This Terror belongs to the Yellow Zone at the very least."

Isaac blinked.

'Yellow Zone? No wonder it was so f*cking hard to kill.'

Isaac cursed inwardly, yet despite his surprise, didn't show it outwardly.

"I was unaware," Isaac answered simply as Adam switched his gaze from the Carcass to Isaac, glaring at him.

"Here's what I think. The small number of Guildsmen in Ravenwood at the time were swiftly evacuated during the incident. Yet you happened to disappear, reappearing suddenly when the incident had died down."

Isaac stayed unmoving as he showed no emotions, staying quiet.

"I do not think you're telling me everything, I do not think you killed that Terror by chance and I do not think you're a D+ Rank."

Adams puffed smoke as his voice lowered and intensified with each sentence.

After a few seconds, Isaac spoke.

"You didn't let me finish."

Adams raised an eyebrow.

"But you're correct. There's more to the story."

With a pause, a hum could be heard coming from Adams' ring as a spherical globe appeared on the table between the two.

"This is an Artifact which detects lies. If you're dishonest, it'll glow."

[Artifact (Forged): Globe of Truth (D-Ranked)]

'Hmm, that'll be troublesome. But no problem. After all, the best lies are the true ones.'

Isaac made sure his expression and demeanour remained stoic. At the moment, he was in control of the conversation.

He needed it to stay that way.

"Upon slaying this Terror, as a last ditch effort, it teleported us to the Red Zone."

Adams narrowed his gaze, noticing the globe hadn't glowed.

"The Red Zone?" He asked, to which Isaad nodded.

'That must have been the powerful energy that was recorded at the Green Zone.' Adams thought inwardly.

"That's correct. It was there I witnessed two individuals. They were neither S.A. nor Guildsmen. A male and female. I don't know who they were, or what they planned to do."

The globe didn't glow, therefore, Adams did not interrupt.

"However, they were responsible for awakening a dormant monster, one which tore through the Red Zone and the Terrors within."

"Monster? Was it a Terror?" Adams asked, confused by Isaac's vague words.

"If I'm being honest, I don't know what it was."

Isaac wasn't lying, as proven by the globe.

Before today, the globe would have glowed if he'd said the same sentence. However, after today, Isaac's idea of what the Zobae was had become somewhat contorted.

It was a calamity, yes. But that didn't answer what the Zobae was at its core.

Was it a disease?

Or perhaps…a living entity. Like the shadowy silhouette.

"In an hour or two, your men will report back to you, reporting the destruction that the monster had caused. And remained of one of the two individuals I mentioned, the female."

Adams stayed quiet, soon moving his lips.

"And where were you during all this?"

Isaac paused.

"I was there, in the middle of the chaos. I tried to make sense of my situation, but my senses were overwhelmed." Isaac answered vaguely once again.

Using these vague words, he could trick both the lie detector and Adams. At first, he'd hoped Adams would jump to conclusions and fill in the blanks himself with assumptions.

However, he doubted the man before him was so careless.

"Mhm, and what of the 'Monster'? What happened to it?" Adams puffed smoke, his gaze never leaving Isaac.

"I made it disappear."

Adams glanced at the globe, realising it didn't glow.

"And how did you do that?"

"That's a secret."

In reality, Isaac's lie was enough for him to be cleared of all suspicion. To which he was.

However, this wasn't enough for what he had planned.

He had to make Adams crave more. He needed to pretend there was a whole piece of the puzzle that was missing, and only he could complete it.

'Which is partially true anyway.'

"Excuse me?" Adams' glare intensified.

"It's a secret. I've proven already I am on the side of the Hearts Guild. Yet I was put in danger and almost died because of the Guild's incompetence."

"This would have never happened if you'd realised you had intruders in the Red Zone, and you'd dealt with this Terror before it trespassed into the Green."

Adams puffed smoke, glaring at Isaac.

"And? That's the gig. Stuff happens, and the day doesn't always go as planned. You're alive, some people don't even get that much." Adams retorted in a somewhat annoyed tone.

"You're right."

Isaac replied in a neutral tone as Adams stared silently.

In truth, Isaac knew this.

However, his point still stood.

'I'll be damned if I let them walk away without some sort of justice.'

Isaac called it justice, however, in reality…

"But wouldn't the S.A. love to find out about everything I have to say? The intruders, the monster and the secret."

Isaac was a petty crook, down to the bone.

Adams paused.

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"No. I'm blackmailing the Hearts Guild."

'More like scamming. After all, there is no secret I'm hiding from you. At least, none that I'm willing to tell the S.A.'

"Uh huh. And does this secret have something to do with that mark on your neck?" Adams pointed, to which Isaac was taken aback.

'Mark? What mark?'

Though confused, he remained casual.

"No."

He answered, continuing shortly after.

"Monroe Cooper shouldn't be far away. All it would take is ten minutes to find her and explain what I know. The Hearts Guild will become a laughing stock, losing its title as the number 1 guild and not long after, their access to Ravenwood. You'll be destroyed."

Despite Isaac's threats, Adams' expression remained the same as he constantly puffed smoke, the shed being filled with the smell of nicotine.

"You've got balls, I'll give you that, brat. This is the first time I've seen someone challenge us so casually." Adams put out his cigarette.

"Fine. You got a deal. But I have some demands of my own. After all, I haven't ignored the witty answers you've been giving me."

Isaac wasn't so quick to reject Adams' words. He decided to hear him out.

"Firstly, you'll only be allowed to choose a single item from the Guild's exclusive market, only accessible to VIPs."

Before Isaac could say anything, Adam continued.

"Secondly, you'll have to sign a contract stating you'll never leak any of the events that occurred today in an attempt to harm the guild."

Isaac didn't mind this second demand. He'd expected something like this.

'Besides, he said in an attempt to harm them. I can still speak of the events to those I deem trustworthy and can keep a secret. Like Oliver…nevermind'

Isaac quickly rejected that idea. It would be better to keep it a secret.

"What else?"

Adams raised three fingers.

"Lastly, I want you to join my division in the Guild."

Isaac raised an eyebrow.

After pulling something like this, he was fully prepared to leave the Guild. Therefore, this third demand shocked him.

Divisions. In total, the Hearts Guild had three. Each was assigned specific roles. For example, one of the jobs of the second division was to oversee Ravenwood.

Meaning if Isaac were to join, he could have free access to Ravenwood whenever he wanted.

Although, it'd be a while till he came back.

'No wonder he was so nonchalant at my blackmail. He wants me to join. Although, I have no intention of doing so.'

"Can I take some time to think about the third demand?" Isaac asked, to which Adams nodded.

"You have until I get the contract ready. In the meantime, you can search for your reward."

Adams stood, handing Isaac his watch which displayed the VIP market of the Hearts Guild.

Isaac nodded as Adams left the room.

'Now, let's see what they have to offer.'

***

It had been about thirty minutes since Adams had left the shed and Isaac began his search for his reward.

Currently, Isaac could be seen with wide eyes and a gaping jaw, staring at the screen before him.

'This…this is perfect for me!'

Simultaneously, the door opened as Adams walked in and Isaac tried his best to regain his composure.

Without waiting for the man to talk, Isaac turned the holographic screen to Adams.

"This. I want this."

Adams stared, soon raising an eyebrow.

"An Art? This one? Are you sure? There's a reason we still have this in stock. The requirements are…strenuous."

Isaac paid no attention to the man's warning. He already knew after reading the description, and he'd already made his choice.

"Yes. I'm positive."

Adams soon sighed, staring at the Red Dragon on the screen.

[Art: Eight Inner Gates]

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Next chapter title: Rewards [1]

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And as usual...

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