Flashy Adventurer System : Show Off to Get Stronger! - Chapter 729

Chapter 729: Choose
“Son, always do your best,” said a middle-aged woman with blue hair, a slender figure, and a fairly beautiful face.

Her voice was laced with both loneliness and hope.

“You will always be in my heart, and I’ll always miss you, but you don’t need to visit me. Just focus on fulfilling your promise—I know you can. One day, the three of us will live together. As long as you give it your all, I’m sure that somehow… the gods and goddesses will take pity and give us a chance. And when that chance comes, seize it with everything you have!”The woman continued speaking, her tone carrying a subtle hint of madness.

Yet to the blue-haired young man, around sixteen years old, this seemed perfectly normal, and in his eyes, his mother remained the most beautiful woman in the world.

Kiin wanted to give his mother the life she had always yearned for, which was to live under the same roof as Dweezel Hawkins, his respectable and ever-excellent father.

Nodding at the blue-haired woman, he vowed:

“Mother, leave everything to me. Competing with my brothers and sisters for Father’s affection won’t be easy, but I’ll give it my all. I won’t rest if I have to. I don’t know how long we’ll be apart, but please, stay healthy. As long as you’re alive, I’ll make sure the day comes when Father looks at you again.”

For most mothers, the idea of their sons not resting would be utterly unacceptable.

But to the blue-haired middle-aged woman, Kiin’s words were like heavenly music, and she even offered him words of encouragement.

“Hahaha!” She laughed warmly, gazing at her son with love. “That’s my boy! Go, don’t waste another ounce of energy on me. Just focus on your promise and your goals—that’s all I need!”

“I’ll be back as soon as I can, Mother,” Kiin replied.

Soon after, he turned around, a sack slung over his shoulder.

He then set off for Colzen City, a remote city located thousands of miles from his homeland in the Yon Augenn Region, to embark on his first mission as one of his father’s “Hawklings”—a title he had earned after tirelessly serving his father since he was eleven.

It was the area he chose from the hundreds on the list provided by one of his father’s aides.

Kiin wasn’t sure why, but the moment he saw the city’s name, it felt as though it was calling to him.

Trusting his instincts, he selected it, even as his older brothers and sisters mocked him for what they considered a foolish decision.

He endured it all with an unwavering heart, for the sake of the woman who had birthed and raised him—the only person he had ever been close to in his entire life.

‘Now, everything is paying off… just a few more months, Mother. Father has already noticed my accomplishments. If I push a little further, I’ll be able to fulfill my promise… wait for me…’ thought Kiin as he suppressed his triumphant smile, turning around to listen to Shye’s explanation as to why his “close friend” imprisoned him and joined Hadean Varsa.

However, after listening for about half an hour, his scheming heart began to waver.

If what his Shye said was true, then the world was indeed in danger.

With this, even if he fulfilled his promise to his mother, there would be nowhere for them to live.

Shye even accused his father of being an evil person, though he naturally didn’t believe it, especially since Shye lacked solid proof that his father was responsible for the Black Dragon of Destruction’s attack and that he plotted to seal it in pursuit of immortality.

Nonetheless, he wasn’t a stupid person.

Kiin planned to investigate while fulfilling his promise to his beloved mother.

“I’m sorry, Crowley. After all the evidence you’ve presented, I do believe that the world is in danger and that Hadean Varsa is working hard to save it. However, I find it hard to accept that Dweezel Hawkins is the perpetrator. Show me proof of that first, and then I’ll believe you. Regardless, I plan to join the organization too, but only if you can assure me that you won’t force me into operations I’d rather avoid,” the blue-haired archer said with a stern and righteous expression.

Shye stared into Kiin’s eyes, thinking that his blue-haired friend’s reaction was as normal as it could be.

There were just no anomalies.

Hence, he finally decided in his heart that Kiin was indeed innocent.

“Very well, Kiin. You have my word—I won’t force you into missions. You’ll be part of my special unit, so not even the old man can give you orders. However, I do need you to take a Hadean Varsa mana oath. I trust you understand why that’s necessary.” Shye replied with an equally serious tone.

Kiin naturally agreed.

It was common knowledge that one would have to perform mana oaths when one joined a faction, as this ensured that the faction’s secret would remain safe.

After all, one’s throat could explode from a mana backlash if they spoke against the oath scroll’s contract, although Kiin wasn’t certain what the specifics of a Hadean Varsa oath entailed.

Nonetheless, no guts, no glory.

If he wanted to earn his father’s approval and attention, he needed to take risks that none of his half-siblings would dare to take.

This naturally includes this rare opportunity to infiltrate Hadean Varsa.

He could always opt out of the oath, anyway, if it turned out to be too restrictive.

Unfortunately for Kiin, this was where he underestimated Shye, as Shye planned to imprison him again if he chose to decline, which would mean failing his mother, Hae Wujin.

“Here’s the contract,” Shye said sternly, handing over a black scroll that emitted an aura of death and souls, causing Kiin to swallow nervously.

With trembling hands, he grabbed the contract and read it thoroughly.

It took him an hour to finish.

The Hadean Varsa oath was incredibly strict, leaving Kiin with no loopholes to exploit—at least none that he could think of at the moment.

Hence, he decided to back out.

There was no benefit in putting himself in such extreme danger if he couldn’t even send any information back to his father’s organization.

“C-Crowley, I apologize. I won’t be joining, as this contract is a bit too terrifying for me.” Kiin said, handing the organization’s oath scroll back to Shye.

Shye naturally understood Kiin’s response.

The contract was indeed terrifying, and only a madman willing to die for the cause would agree to join.

Unfortunately, there was no alternative.

He would never trust anyone wholeheartedly aside from Shirley, Seira, Wendy, and Maia.

Even Ian, with whom he had a close relationship, would face the same conditions as Kiin: either accept the terms or be imprisoned until everything was resolved.

It was incredibly unfair to his friends.

However, it was for the best, as they would be caught up in the conflict even if he let them go and they remained silent.

They would be safer at the Hadean Varsa headquarters.

“Sigh… I understand. However, if this is your decision, please know that I will have to imprison you until everything is resolved. This will ensure both your safety and the security of the organization’s secrets,” Shye said with a heavy sigh, making Kiin’s heart race wildly.

He couldn’t allow himself to be imprisoned!

“Crowley, what do you mean by this? Are you going to force all of us to accept the contract or face imprisonment? What kind of friend are you?!” Kiin exclaimed, hoping to provoke an emotional response from Shye and convince him to let him go.

Unfortunately, this was already Shye’s bottom line.

They could hate him if they want. He had long prepared his heart for it.

“Yes, Kiin, unfortunately,” Shye replied icily. “Regardless of what you think of me, I’m doing this for everyone I care about deeply. I will force not only you but everyone to comply with my conditions because they might die for nothing if they don’t choose a side.”

Staying neutral was the worst course of action in an all-out war, so he would force them to choose a side.

Otherwise, if they insisted on remaining neutral, they would be imprisoned for their own safety and the security of the organization’s secrets—plain and simple.

“Now then, Kiin, I’ll give you one last chance. Will you join and take the oath, or will you accept temporary imprisonment? Make your choice. Don’t worry—once everything is resolved, you’ll be released regardless.”