Considering all the terrible things Arm had done to everyone in this room, there was plenty of animosity and hatred to go around, even those who had their soul dissonance healed already were still feeling that boiling bloodlust toward Arm. Grigori decided there was no point in trying to quieten them, and since they weren’t yet at a point where she couldn’t control them she allowed them to hurl insults at her Palantír and the people it was showing everyone.
It was at that moment. He heard his superior, Atures Poeff start to speak.
“…How is that person here?”
“Squad Leader-nim?”
Atures Poeff. He was a talented assassin who used to hold a high position in the Poeff household, one of the former Five Assassin Households in the Eastern continent. The squad member heard Atures Poeff being anxious for the first time in over ten years.
‘No, he’s not anxious.’
He sounded scared.
TCF!Glenn hissed out an exuberant ‘yes’ while TBOAH!Glenn sat back and smiled viciously. They both liked this, they liked the look of fear and anxiety on the face of that traitor. They could still taste the blood and ash in their mouth from back when this bastard had betrayed their family and brought Arm to slaughter his siblings and parents. TBOAH!Glenn was not boisterous or chaotic like his best friend, however that did not mean he lacked a love for chaos and seeing his enemies brought down. He turned his gaze appreciatively toward TCF!Beacrox and TCF!Ron, and made a mental not to thank them both once this was over.
‘That cold and cruel Squad Leader-nim is scared?’
Never in all his years would he have imagined getting the chance to see this, so TBOAH!Glenn was very eager to show his gratitude toward Ron and Beacrox of the TCF!World for blessing his eyes with this sight.
"While I'm at it, I should also thank the Goddess for allowing me to see this too!" He reminded himself and then turned his face away from his counterpart to look back at the Palantír so that he would not miss a single detail.
He subconsciously turned his head toward where Atures Poeff was looking. Atures was not the only one who was looking in that direction. All of the forces around this area were looking at the crumbling wooden building and the two individuals. First was a middle-aged to senior old man whose hair was white. Next to him was a man with a greatsword who seemed to be in his thirties.
“Hmm… Raon-hyung, you're right, Grandpa Ron and Uncle Beacrox really do look great!” TBOAH!Hong giggled with a mischievous smile, Cale chuckled under his breath and pet the smaller red kitten who scrambled over Rok Soo's lap in order to get ‘praise pats’ from Cale.
While the six children got their head-pats from Cale and Rok Soo, TCF!Ron and TCF!Beacrox were smirking smugly, TBOAH!Ron was not impressed and TBOAH!Beacrox only sighed and rolled his eyes at his counterpart's almost childish attitude – however despite the act the two of them put on they also felt slightly envious of how the Cale’s children praised their counterparts – the whole ‘we are the same, you are me, and I am you’ speech no longer holding much weight in their mind whenever it came to Cale's children.
‘I can at least tell they are not on our side.’
The squad member continued to look around.
‘…They are not on the Mercenaries Guild’s side either.’
That meant that these two men were part of a different faction. Who would be able to so confidently reveal themselves after destroying the Mercenaries Guild’s original branch?
“It's someone you bastards forgot about! Someone who's been strategically waiting to go for your throat!” TBOAH!Ohn hissed with a vicious grin, the silver fur along her spine was standing on ends as she crouched on Rok Soo’s lap like she was preparing to leap at the Palantír, she had heard and experienced how the Molan father and son pair from the TCF!World treated their counterparts and them, so she was also starting to feel fiercely protective of them. She also heard from TCF!Ohn that TCF!Ron had beaten their uncle to the ground when Cale and their family went up against the Cat Tribe.
His Squad Leader, Atures Poeff started to speak. At the same time, Crock, the leader of the Mercenaries Guild’s core members started to speak as well. Both of their voices were shaking.
“…Molan.” Both of them just said one word.
“Good, good! It seems these pricks haven't forgotten, they just needed a good dose of fear to remind them of their place. I was starting to think they'd left their brains back at their homes…” Rok Soo muttered with a vicious grin of his own. Cale carefully ignored all the viciousness around him and leaned closer to TCF!Alberu who seemed to be the calmest person around him right now.
TCF!Alberu glanced at Cale when he felt his little brother move closer to him and then he returned his gaze to the Palantír rather than teasing Cale. He could read the room, this was not the time for joking around or teasing. This scene was important to both the TBOAH!World Molan family as well as the TCF!World Molan family. That's why TCF!Alberu respectfully chose to keep quiet.
Atures was in his late forties while Crock was in his early thirties. There was no way that the two of them did not know about these two individuals. The atmosphere in the area became different the moment the two of them said that word.
“Excuse me? Molan?” The younger people sounded confused.
“…Molan? Is it really Ron Molan?”
On the other hand, the people who had been here for over ten years could not hide their astonishment as they focused their gazes on the older man.
“Gasp! Step back!”
The two men on the roof shot up into the air.
“Step back!”
“Retreat!”
Both Crock and Atures started to shout. However, the others were already moving before they said anything. It could not be helped.
An explosion shook the world inside the Palantír and although it’s deafening blast was dampened and muted down by the Goddess’ power it was still enough to wake sleeping fear of magic bombs in everyone once again.
“Aaah! G, get down!”
“W, what the…!”
The ground was shaking. The people in the rear quickly ducked. The ones who had retreated gulped in shock. It was being gobbled up. Yes, it looked as if the original base was being gobbled up by the ground. It was not just being destroyed.
The Mercenaries Guild had been slowly buying the land around the original Mercenaries Guild base. That was how they prevented other buildings from coming into the area and left the area around the Mercenaries Guild empty.
“…Leader-nim, I don’t think there is a reason to go any farther back.”
Crock could not say anything back to his subordinate as he continued to look forward. The wooden building and the empty area around it. That area created a large circle and crumbled down.
“Wow, this reminds me of something…” TCF!Choi Han announced with a frown.
“What is it Hyung?” TCF!Lock asked curiously. But Grigori flicked her wrist as if she were dusting down some dust from her lap.
“…Huh?” One of Arm’s members looked inside that large circle before he flinched.
“…Furniture? A desk?” He was looking at least 10 meters down. He could see dirt, rocks, and the debris from the wooden building. He could also see hundreds of large pieces of furniture such as desks in there as well.
“I… don't... know.” TCF!Choi Han suddenly frowned deeply as if he genuinely couldn’t remember what it was that this scene reminded him of. Cale’s gaze flew over to Grigori, knowing she had done something.
“Does he mean-?!” Cale asked soemwhat anxiously.
“Yes, he's thinking about the time you brought down the Magic Tower after looting it… that's why I silenced him.”
Cale nodded idly and then turned toward TCF!Choi Han after whispering to Raon to telepathically tell Choi Han to keep quiet. Raon expertly did as he was asked and received a few extra head pats from Cale as a reward. TCF!Choi Han immediately realized his mistake and took some biscuits off the table to eat and avoid answering the questioning gazes he was receiving from the people around him.
This new ditch showed everything under the sun without hiding anything. That was the reason for it.
“Perhaps? Squad Leader-nim!” The Arm member had a good idea about the true identity of this location.
“…I see.” Squad Leader Atures whom the squad member was looking at, nodded his head. “That was where they kept the Directory.”
That was why the Mercenaries Guild people had been rushing and that was why they were all extremely shocked right now. Atures Poeff’s gaze started to move.
“You're probably being reminded of the time we brought down the Alchemist’s Tower in the former Mogoru Empire and revealed all of Adin's secrets as the skeletons in there.” Cale suggested when he noticed people were still staring at TCF!Choi Han suspiciously.
“Oh… Oh! Yes Cale-nim, you're right!” TCF!Choi Han replied enthusiastically. Grigori masterfully erased the feeling of suspicion from everyone else in the room, especially TCF!Harol and TCF!Toonka.
“Let's continue.” She announced when some from the people from the TBOAH!World began demanding to know about these 'skeletons' in the Empire, a few of them were still unaware that Cale and the others meant literal skeletons as well as figurative ones.
“Ron Molan.”
The squad member who also turned his gaze started to shake.
‘When?’
A portion of the Second Battle Brigade that had come with Atures had stepped back to this location to dodge the crumbling ground. There was an average looking house located here. And on top of that house’s roof… A man with white hair was looking down at the Arm members from this house that was not very far away from them.
“Patriarch-nim, you are still just as stealthy.” Squad Leader Atures started to speak to the man who was in his sixties in a friendly manner. However, his demeanor changed as the old man stared at him without saying anything.
“Your stealthiness must have been what let you escape back then. Just like a damn rat.”
“Hmm…” TBOAH!Ron gave no reaction save for the quiet considering hum that left his mouth, TBOAH!Beacrox on the other hand narrowed his eyes dangerous – that glint of recklessness that had been thriving in his life since he'd lost his only remaining family revealing itself again. His fists clenched hard enough that his palm got deep indents from his fingernails. The urge to grab this man and torture him within an inch of his life, heal him with a potion, and then torture him again made it almost difficult for TBOAH!Beacrox to breathe.
Fifteen years ago. That was when the majority of the Molan household was killed. They were only unable to find the bodies of Ron Molan, the patriarch, and his son, Beacrox Molan.
“You ran away so well that we couldn’t find you.” Atures started to sneer. “I thought you were scared and hiding. What wind brought you here? Are you tired of living?”
Someone jumped across some roofs and landed behind Ron. Atures looked at him and continued to speak.
“Your son still seems to have a long life in front of him. Long time no see. I went to visit your place a few times when you were young. Do you remember this uncle?”
Atures smiled brightly with his teeth showing. He heard a benign voice at that moment.
“Yes, Atures. Is that why you killed all of your own family members?”
The smile disappeared from Atures’s face.
The expressions on TBOAH!Glenn and TCF!Glenn's faces vanished in an instant. Since this was something they needed to see, both of them forced themselves to keep their gazes upon the Palantír as flashback scenes splayed themselves across the Palantír like a greyscale recording. Not a single person dared to comment about these scenes as they flashed by, but there were plenty in the audience who became nauseous and uncomfortable.
Atures Poeff. He had once been someone from the Poeff household, one of the Five Assassin Households. He was the one who took charge in killing the Mercenary King’s friend, Glenn Poeff’s family.
“You have no response.”
Atures could see the benign smile on Ron’s face. However, Ron’s cold eyes did not look benign at all. Those cold eyes looked toward Atures who was down below looking up at him.
“It looks like you are the scared rat bastard, not me.”
Ron let out a quiet chuckle. His hand then moved.
“Ugh!” A small groan soon followed.
Atures’s gaze started to move.
“…S, Squad Leader-nim.” It was the person Atures had with him on this operation in place of his Assistant Squad Leader. There was a small dagger right in front of that person’s foot. He had been stealthily moving toward the building where Ron was located. Atures could see the shocked squad member as he heard Ron’s soft laughter in his ear.
“Your subordinates seem even more like damn rats.”
“I swear… I'm never going to be able to look at rats the same…” TBOAH!Litana mumbled as she shuddered with a look of disgust painted across her face.
“Well considering your history with the former queen of Molden, it's not surprising.” TCF!Litana added offering her counterpart a sympathetic smile and a supportive pat on the back.
Atures bit down on his lips. He noticed it the moment he saw Ron. No, he noticed it the moment he saw Ron’s body. Ron’s body was healthy even though he was in his sixties. He was also giving off a sharp presence. It was a presence that only someone who had honed their skills without letting go of the tension in their body for even a moment could have.
The unexpected examination of Ron's stature and physique invoked mutters of praise and agreement from various people around the room. TBOAH!Ron sat in silence until TCF!Ron turned to him and shrugged – it wasn’t meant to be anything except a provocation and it triggered TBOAH!Ron into feeling like his counterpart was somehow more immature than himself. As if guessing those were his thoughts, TCF!Ron smiled in amusement and TCF!Beacrox beside him pitied his father's counterpart.
It's true, TCF!Ron had become even more cunning, playfully devious, and sharp ever since Cale relit the fire in him and even TCF!Beacrox had noticed how his father seemed to take immense pleasure in toying with his own counterpart ever since they'd met the people from the TBOAH!World.
“Atures, don’t you agree?”
That was why Atures could not charge toward Ron as soon as he saw him.
“Hmm? A rat who has no brain. How can you have such squad members with you?”
Atures’s gaze headed back toward Ron. Ron was smiling but his eyes were cold.
“It’s fine if all of you want to come at me at once.”
A portion of Arm’s members looked toward Atures. However, Atures did not dare to move even after Ron’s provocation. This was the same for his subordinates who had been with him for at least fifteen years. Ron Molan. Who was he? He was someone with enough skills to get rid of the Five Assassin Households and create just one household. That was why he was able to escape from Arm’s formidable attack that even the White Star helped out with. He had done so even with his son, a young boy who had not learned anything about assassination nor stealth.
“Good to see you know exactly who you made an enemy out of!” TCF!Rasheel excitedly announced with a crazy grin on his face. Despite TCF!Ron being a human and weaker than his majestic and mighty self, the Grey Dragon from the TCF!World was a little fond of all the people who Cale called his own, of course the same way he would never admit to liking or feeling concern for Cale outright, he would also never admit to being fond of TCF!Ron and the others either. TCF!Eruhaben and TCF!Mila snickered in amusement, but they didn't call out TCF!Rasheel because he was rather amusing even when he was acting all tough and unconcerned about their ‘found family’.
That person had returned. He had returned to say the following.
“If you can catch me.”
Come at me if you can catch me.
“And you’ll have to be ready.”
However, the moment you try to fight me…
“We will come to gift you with death when night comes.”
They would have to feel fear every night.
“We will get all of you without missing a single one.”
Cruel things were coming out of the old man’s mouth. However, what concerned Atures was not that.
‘When night comes, ‘we,’ will-’
We. That word was concerning to Atures. No, it was making him anxious.
“…Us?” That question came out of his mouth and got a gentle response back.
“Fifteen years, that was not time for just all of you.”
TBOAH!Ron looked back at the Palantír and felt something rattle in his chest. He felt an odd shiver run up his spine and although he couldn’t understand the feeling, it certainly made him feel strange. He brushed his hands along his arms, trying to get rid of the tingling he could feel running up and down his forearms, but all the while his eyes remained transfixed upon the Palantír, so that he wouldn't miss a single scene.
Atures’s back became cold as he subconsciously opened his mouth to shout. However, he did not have a chance to say anything.
“Ron Molan!”
Ron turned his head. There were people charging toward them with veins visible on their faces. They were, of course, the Mercenaries Guild’s core members. Leader Crock’s mind was an emotional rollercoaster as he charged toward Ron.
“Long time no see, little kid.”
Crock started to frown after hearing what Ron said to him. He was the leader of the core members now, however, sixteen years ago, he was just a child lamenting each day in a back alley.
“Oh, just pluck out my eyes… I can't watch this!” TCF!Bud groaned in embarrassment. TCF!Glenn and everyone else simply ignored the dramatic show TCF!Bud was putting on for himself. Of course, he still paid attention to the record on the Palantír, but he was also watching it from between his hands. Theatrically, trying to deny how embarrassed he was at seeing the leader of the Mercenaries Core Members acting like this.
There was someone who had taught that boy how to use a sword.
“Long time.”
Crock could see Beacrox motion at him with his head. This was someone whom he had learned with for a year. Crock clenched onto his hand that was holding his greatsword. He had learned greatsword techniques for one year before entering the Mercenaries Guild as the lowest ranking member. That was why he was able to evade that terrible situation fifteen years ago.
He heard a cold voice. “You somehow managed to reach the leader position.”
The voice was so cold that anybody hearing it would get the chills. However, the person speaking was Ron Molan. Crock knew that this was the real Ron. However, Crock still pointed his greatsword toward Ron. He was currently the person who needed to protect the guild as the Mercenary King was not here.
“Why is this shrimp pretending to be so brave all of a sudden?” TCF!Bud grumbled. He felt deeply embarrassed by Crock’s misguided belief that he could challenge TCF!Ron and TCF!Beacrox and escape alive – TCF!Bud wanted to writhe even more when he heard TCF!Ron scoff in amusement at TCF!Bud’s misery. His second-hand embarrassment at this boy's misplaced confidence also made him want to bury his head in concrete. He was even starting to believe that Kim Rok Soo had been onto something when he said that these fools had left their brains at home because clearly this idiot was one of them.
“Ron Molan! Are you the one who destroyed the original branch building?” He asked Ron a question. Crock’s actions would change based on his response. His hand that was clenching onto the greatsword did not shake at all. Fifteen years had turned Crock into a reliable adult who knew the importance of responsibility and duty.
“Haha-”
He could see Ron starting to laugh. Ron was older, but he was still the same. He still gave off the presence of a cold dagger. Ron looked at Atures, Crock, and the people following the two of them before slowly opening his arms. He then calmly started to speak.
“Destroyed?”
People turned toward Beacrox at that moment. However, Ron continued to speak.
“It’s not fully destroyed yet.”
“Hah, Patriarch-nim, you must have almost given them an aneurysm.” TCF!Cotton snickered in amusement. She had a very delighted smile upon her face – apparently she was also enjoying seeing Arm and the Mercenaries panicking like this.
“If I had, they would have all died much swifter!” TCF!Ron smiled benignly, provoking another laugh from TCF!Cotton and her counterpart.
People’s jaws dropped. Beacrox Molan. They could see the magic bombs in Beacrox’s hands.
“No way-!”
“…T, that!”
Ron heard a cute voice in his mind as the flustered people looked at him.
“Teeheehee, Grandpa Ron thinks your voice is cute Hyung!” The TBOAH!Black Dragon giggled adorably. Cale smiled and glanced toward Sherritt when he heard her gasp at the sound of her TBOAH!World son's laughter.
“Your voice is also cute!” TCF!Ron added, redirecting his gaze from Cale to look at the smaller Black Dragon that was currently clinging to Cale’s right shoulder.
“Oh, that's right!” The TBOAH!Black Dragon's eyes sparkled with delight and glee. Raon nodded sagely.
“Yes, you are also great and mighty and have a cute voice!” Raon said educating his younger counterpart.
The dragons all around the room immediately noticed the way Grigori suddenly gripped her chest in one hand and slapped the other hand over her eyes.
“Oof! Cale’s kids’ cuteness levels are hitting critical levels now.” She mumbled in an audible whisper, it was almost as if she was pretending that she wasn't aware that everyone sensitive to sounds would easily hear her. Once the laughter died down, Naur allowed the record to continue.
– Lemonade gramps! The human says to throw the magic bombs when he gives the signal! The human said we need to make sure that not even the slightest traces remain if we’re going to do it! I agree with him, and so do the rest of our family members!
Raon’s excited voice filled Ron’s mind.
– Of course, I will create a shield so that nobody else gets hurt. Just trust the great and mighty Raon Miru! Got it, good gramps?!
The corners of Ron’s lips started to go up. He had a cold smile that was far from being benign.
– We will destroy everything! Just trust me!
Ron looked toward the people looking up at him and started to speak.
“It’s time for the Molans to start again.”
The massacred Molan household. This situation was quite amazing to create their new beginning.
It really was beautiful for TBOAH!Ron and TBOAH!Beacrox to hear that. They gulped and looked toward Grigori, hoping that she would continue the record and show them the next scene so they could see for themselves what kind of disaster their counterparts of the other world were about to set loose upon their enemies. Grigori smiled and nodded toward them, reassuring them that they would continue to see some good things.