Sylvia stood right in front, looking at the halved door. She looked with her spirit eyes then she followed the little trails of energy.
She followed the thin trails until she reached the decks where the energy disappeared because of everyone’s presence.
“I can’t follow the string of energy left behind.” → Sylvia
Sylvia said, feeling frustrated inside.
“That’s just a question but, is there really any danger befalling Shen? I mean, he can handle anyone from us, it shouldn’t be a problem if some low-grade pirates stroke it lucky and were able to kidnap him, right?” → Bururiba
Bururiba asked a little curious. He felt Shen’s ridiculous power up-close, making him faint then get up again.
“But how did they kidnap him in the first place?” → Tian
Tian asked while thinking and looking at the city in the distance.
“…”
Everyone fell in silence while thinking of a way or another, only Ashura feeling a little bit conflicted while massaging his forehead.
“Uhm, guys.” → Ashura
Ashura, in the end, broke the silence, his face reflecting his troubled feelings.
“Yes, sir Ashura? Is there a problem?” → Oliver
Oliver asked.
“Are we seriously going to ignore this person here? Anybody knows her?” → Ashura
Ashura asked while pointing at Sofia which stood right beside Bururiba and himself, a curious expression on her face.
“Hello~.” → Sofia
Sofia greeted everyone with a bright smile while going behind Bururiba.
“…”
Everyone was shocked, they didn’t even feel her presence up until now.
“S-Sofia?! When?! How? Why?!” → Bururiba
Bururiba was the most perturbed from the group, trying his hardest to keep a cool front so he won’t screw up his cover in front of her.
“What do you mean when? I was right behind you~ and I came because I was curious what made you so angry, that dark face just now made you so cool, sir Pirate King~.” → Sofia
Sofia got closer and touched his chest with her finger.
“…”
Everyone looked at how Bururiba tried to keep his cool while Sofia teased him non-stop.
I feel like I’ve seen this before… I wonder how Gregor and Lissa are doing right now. → Sylvia
“Nice to meet you, Miss Sofia. My name is Sylvia, it’s good to know more of Bururiba’s friends.” → Sylvia
Sylvia greeted with a polite bow, pinching her skirt and slightly lowering her head.
“Oh, my~ how refined. I’m curious as to why such a lady like yourself has appeared on this run-down place, but I think we’re in a hurry at the moment?” → Sofia
Sofia greeted back with a seductive smile.
Sylvia felt her heart flutter at the beautifully twisted lips.
Is this enchanting magic? Or is simply her charm? Either way, she seems dangerous. → Sylvia
Sylvia felt threatened for some reasons, especially after seeing her huge chest bouncing with every step. For some reasons, she felt better after knowing Shen wasn’t around.
“A-anyway. Everyone, let’s think of a plan to save Shen. The reason why and how was he kidnapped remains unknown but we better hurry. There are mostly sick minded people on this peninsula and we never know what might happen if we lose time for too long.” → Bururiba
Bururiba took up a cool front, making everyone dumbfounded, except for Tian.
“What is he-” → Ashura
Ashura wished to ask something, but he was interrupted by Tian.
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.” → Tian
On the central parts of the city, inside the ceilings of a building that barely missed to be destroyed by Ashura’s punch, Shen woke up at the noises of a woman’s moaning.
Uh? Where am I? → Shen
He found himself bound with chains and his hands both handcuffed at the back. At the moment he was sitting on a chair inside a stone cell. From inside the cell right beside him, a woman’s erotic moans resounded, making Shen feel ridiculous.
“…. Seriously, where the hell am I? I’m damn hungry right now.” → Shen
Was I kidnapped while I was in the selfless mode? What a ridiculous coincidence, is there some kind of destiny-play right now? → Shen
The door was then unlocked and pushed open. On the other side of the door, a brown-haired wolf-woman with dark-blue eyes and black mulled clothes entered the room with a cold face. She was By, the one who carried him to this cell.
“You’re finally awake? I thought I would need to torture you to wake you up.” → By
By said in a cold tone.
“That would’ve been useless anyway. In the selfless state, I can’t feel a thing. Killing me would’ve been better, like this you could’ve freed my soul and then trapped it inside a crystal.” → Shen
Shen said with a matter of fact voice. He couldn’t think of this moment as a threatening one at all. going through so many life and death moments, also dying once, all his fears being close to non-existent anymore.
“… You’re a weird one.” → By
The woman said, looking confused at the calm Shen.
“I’ve heard that a lot. So? May I know for what reason I’m here?” → Shen
The woman regained her composure and stepped in front of Shen. She released her aura of a Grandmaster and tried to pressure him, almost crushing his organs.
“I’m the one asking questions here. If you won’t answer them then I will cut one finger, if you lie then I will cut two. Are we clear?” → By
From behind her back, she took out a dagger and placed it on Shen’s pinky, from the right hand. Even though her pressure made Shen have a hard time breathing, his face was still just as calm and composed as before.
“Hmm~ as you wish.” → Shen
Shen made a small smile, looking right into By’s eyes.
What a poor soul. She’s forced to do this. I will try and see if I can find the reason why I’m here through this interrogation. → Shen
“…”
By felt as if Shen was able to see right through her, she cut a little inside his finger then she asked;
“Who are you?” → By
“A player.” → Shen
Shen answered calmly, ignoring the burning pain from his finger.
What? → By
By was shocked. She never expected to find a player in such a place, and with such a composed aura at that.
Hoh~? I think I found a fellow player. → Shen
Shen was able to read her eyes, knowing exactly what she was thinking and feeling.
“What’s your name?” → By
She asked again after feeling his gaze. Because she couldn’t feel any negativity from him, she didn’t feel like smashing his face or harming him in any way.
“Shen.” → Shen
“…”
Where have I heard of this name before? → By
“So you’ve heard about me.” → Shen
Shen said in a hushed tone, surprising By for a moment.
“And? For what are you known?” → By
She asked a ridiculous question.
“Even if I told you, you won’t believe me.” → Shen
Shen smiled and shook his head.
“Tell me.” → By
She was slowly drifting away from the real purpose of this interrogation.
“Well, long story short: I’ve rebelled against the Nostrung Empire by severely injuring 5 of their imperial guardians then provoking them by declaring war. Also, I stole their bioweapon from the border with Eihwaz. Unbelievable, right?” → Shen
Shen said with a wry smile.
“I know you.” → By
By then remembered, she saw posters with a young man with blonde hair and green eyes. His look was that of arrogance and superiority while a huge bounty was placed on his head with a huge list of crimes under the portrait.
“I can’t believe you. How can someone like that be kidnapped so easily? Only if you let yourself be kidnapped.” → By
“I’m crippled. You got me right when I was trying to heal myself.” → Shen
Crippled?! … So that’s why we couldn’t measure his power-level, it’s because he has none in the first place! → By
By breathed out a sigh of relief and then she looked again at Shen. She saw him with an annoyed look which made her confused for a moment.
“Can someone cast a soundproof spell around that room? It’s damn annoying.” → Shen
Shen asked while pointing his head to the left at the nosy room beside them.
“… That’s not my job.” → By
By tried to remain serious then she got back on interrogating, this time calmer, knowing that Shen wouldn’t be able to do anything with his crippled body.
“ What are you for sir Bururiba?” → By
“Bururiba? What’s up with that silly one?” → Shen
Shen asked while feeling annoyed. Just remembering his dumb smile made his temples throb.
“…”
By was surprised again by his reaction but continued to ask.
“I asked what’s your relationship with him? Is he your captain?” → By
“Hell no.” → Shen
Shen answered immediately. His face just as plain as before.
“That idiot would never be my superior. You could call him a helper. I told him I’ll help with finding his lost friend if he helps me with my stuff.” → Shen
A relationship based on interest. → By
“Are you sure he’ll keep his promise?” → By
“He won’t dare to go back on his words.” → Shen
Shen said with a serious face, looking straight in her eyes.
“… How are you so sure?” → By
“I can read one’s soul through the eyes. No man can lie with such a shine in the eyes.” → Shen
“Read the soul?” → By
That’s ridiculous. → By
She smirked when she asked half minding his words.
“If so, what do you see in my soul?” → By
“What I see? Rather, what I ‘hear’; and that is the silent scream of a little girl facing thoughts of committing suicide.” → Shen
Shen smiled and looked right in her eyes. His green eyes deep like an abyss.
“The screams of help coming from a girl that doesn’t understand why she’s in such a cruel world, having to do such a dirty job.” → Shen
“!!!”
The woman felt her spine turn cold when she looked inside Shen’s eyes.
She was able to see a reflection of herself but at the same time someone else. She saw a little girl crying, covering her ears with her eyes closed shut, screaming for help and waiting for someone to take her out from this hell. That little girl was herself.
When she woke up from the dream-like trance, she felt her cheeks wet with tears.
“Y-you bastard!” → By
She kicked Shen and made him fall backward from the chair. She then mounted him on his chest, with her dagger resting on his throat.
“What was that illusion just now?! You said you’re crippled but how can you use magic?!” → By
Her breath was rough while her hands were shaking. She couldn’t stop her tears from flowing and she felt a pain in her chest that she thought she forgot about.
“Magic? No. That was no magi. That was your heart finding a way to show itself to you.” → Shen
Shen said in a calm voice while looking in her eyes with a sympathetic smile.
“I know those eyes all too well for I saw them before…” → Shen
“…”
By was dazed. She stood on top of Shen with her knife pressed on his throat, not being able to move or utter a word.
“Heh… You want to cry, right? You want to let it all out, no? Aye… Cry for all you need. Let go of all the pent-up tension inside your heart and stop torturing yourself with the evil thoughts. You now have the power to grow above this suffering.” → Shen
Shen said while looking at her crying face. Her dark and soulless eyes made him remember of a young boy who also had these eye back on Earth, only to hear about him that he committed suicide. What truly made Shen not able to forgive himself was that he was able to help him, but he refused to do so.
“You! What kind of mind game are you using!? Sob” → By
“If you feel like this is a mind-game then just cut me here and now.” → Shen
Shen said while looking at her with sadness.
“Uuhh~.”
By held the dagger with shaky hands at his throat, not able to move it forward to touch his neck.
