Welcome to the Innocent World - Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Into the Heart of Darkness

The bustling port city of Latros stretched before us, with its towering buildings and dark coastlines, casting shadows that flickered under the pale morning light. We arrived as quietly as shadows slipping into the night, each of us blending into the crowds and alleyways. The atmosphere here was tense, almost as if the city itself was holding its breath, anticipating the storm we’d bring with us.

As we neared the entrance to Latros, I signaled to the other shadow mystics to disperse. There was no need to raise suspicions, not yet.

“Alright, split up,” I commanded, my tone even. “We don’t want to draw attention before we’ve even crossed into their territory.”

They nodded in silent acknowledgment, though Beta couldn’t resist a playful grin. “But Master,” she teased, her voice laced with mischief, “who’s going to protect you if we’re all scattered?”

Protect me? Is she joking. I believe she and everyone else knows I am way stronger than they are.

I smirked, giving her a sideways glance. “I think I’ll survive, Beta.”

She chuckled, then mock-saluted me. “You’re the Master Zero, obviously you won’t die. But hey, try not to get caught out there without us.” The rest of the mystics stifled their laughs, the tension lightened for a moment as Beta’s infectious energy radiated through us.

“Take care, Master,” Alpha said, a serious note in her voice. The others offered their own words of caution, each a small gesture of loyalty and care.

“We’ll be around you only.” Epsilon said.

“Be careful.’ Eta said

“Watch out and hunt them all!!” Beta said.

“Don’t need it,” I replied, though I felt a flicker of warmth at their words. “Stay sharp and keep your eyes open. I’ll see you at the rendezvous point.”

With that, they melted into the streets, their figures disappearing among the crowds, leaving me alone. I pulled up my hood and took a steadying breath before heading toward the port station. The last thing I needed was an audience for what was about to unfold.

As I stepped into the bustling port, the air around me seemed to thicken. People glanced my way, their expressions shifting between awe and unease as they recognized my insignia.

I could feel the wary eyes of Alliance members lurking in the shadows, assessing me, their hostility barely concealed beneath thin smiles.

It was only moments before two familiar figures appeared before me, emerging from the crowd like specters. They were the same Alliance members who had visited me that night at the amusement park, extending their ominous invitation. The man in a dark robe, with a cold, calculating gaze, and the woman beside him, clad in tight warrior clothes, her red eyes blazing with a fierce intensity.

“Well, if it isn’t the infamous Zero,” the man drawled, his voice dripping with mockery. He gestured to his companion, a smirk twisting his lips. “I didn’t think you’d actually have the guts to show up here.”

I kept my face impassive, adopting my usual bored expression. “And I didn’t think your country had such poor taste in decor,” I replied dryly, eyeing the rundown streets and dilapidated buildings.

The woman’s lips curled into a sneer. “It’s not about aesthetics, Zero. This is Latros—where the strong survive and the weak know their place.”

“Fascinating,” I replied, feigning a yawn. “Do you always give this kind of welcome, or is it just for me?”

The man scoffed, his gaze cold. “Let’s see if you can keep up, then. We don’t have time for weaklings who hide in the shadows.”

“Your country’s people won’t mind if we’re a bit… loud?” I asked, my tone dripping with mock indifference. “I wouldn’t want to disturb the peace.”

They exchanged a glance, and the woman laughed, a sharp sound that echoed through the station. “Coward. Is that how you survive in your little country? By hiding?”

I shrugged, letting the bored mask drop just a little. “I don’t mind attention,” I said lazily. “I just prefer to avoid unnecessary headaches.”

“Oh? Is that so?” The man raised an eyebrow, a mocking glint in his eye. “Well then, let’s put it to the test. Run.”

Before I could respond, they bent their knees and took off, their figures blurring as they dashed away. A hint of a smirk crept onto my face as I bent my knees, then shot forward, matching their speed easily as we moved through the coastal streets.

The wind whipped past us as we dashed through the city. The buildings blurred by in a whirlwind of stone and steel, while the sound of our footsteps and wind chasing, pounded against the cold pavement.

~Fwoooosh ~Swoosh

We darted between alleyways and leaped over market stalls, a blur of dark figures moving in perfect synchronicity. People watched us in awe and fear, whispering to one another as we passed, too frightened or conditioned to question the presence of Alliance members dashing through their streets.

“Latros really is something,” I muttered, noting the grim looks on the faces of passersby. These people were trapped in a city bound by fear and oppression, their spirits crushed beneath the weight of the Alliance’s rule.

The woman glanced at me, her mouth twisting into a smirk. “Get used to it. This is the world we control. The world that you’ve only begun to taste.”

I shot her a flat, unimpressed look, which only seemed to amuse her further. She laughed as we approached a building near the port, its nondescript exterior hiding the true nature of the operations inside.

“This is it,” she said as we came to a halt, gesturing to the warehouse in front of us. Workers moved in and out, carrying crates and boxes, their faces devoid of emotion as they passed the two Alliance members, each bowing respectfully and murmuring greetings.

We entered the building, and it appeared, at first glance, to be nothing more than an ordinary trading company. Stacks of cargo crates lined the walls, workers moved about, and the faint smell of saltwater lingered in the air. But as we made our way deeper, the atmosphere shifted, growing darker, more suffocating.

At the back of the warehouse, a metal door opened to reveal a lift. We stepped inside, and the man pressed a button that seemed to lead to a level far below the ground. The lift began to descend, carrying us into the depths of Latros.

A sense of foreboding settled over me as the seconds stretched on, the metal cage sinking further and further into the earth. The air grew colder, the walls pressing in around us as if sealing us within a crypt. I could sense something ominous waiting below, something that made my skin crawl. I stayed silent, my gaze fixed ahead, keeping my breathing steady.

“Getting nervous, Zero?” the man sneered, his tone laced with amusement.

I didn’t even glance his way. “An elevator ride isn’t exactly thrilling. Try harder.”

“Hmmpfft*” He smirked, maybe notificing my how casual and normally I am taking it all.

Finally, with a low, grinding noise, the lift came to a stop. The doors opened, and I found myself staring into a space that was like nothing I’d expected.

We’d entered what felt like a different world—dark, cold, and filled with a sense of malevolent energy. The walls were lined with chambers, each containing a dark liquid that pulsed as if alive, casting eerie shadows across the space.

Figures moved within the liquid, their faces hidden, but the red symbols etched on their skin glowed faintly in the dim light.

As we walked through the open corridors, I noticed that everyone wore the same red emblem on their arms—a mark that seemed to pulse with an ominous energy. The air was thick with tension, each step echoing in the silence as we moved deeper into the underground labyrinth.

The Alliance members led me to a raised platform, where a figure waited in the shadows, a heavy, commanding presence that made my instincts scream to be on guard.

“We brought as you asked, Master.” Said the man in robe beside me.

Both of them kneel on their knees and showed their utter respect to the man on stage.

As I approached, the figure stepped forward, revealing himself under the harsh light.

“Welcome, Zero,” a voice boomed, cold and sharp as steel. “I’ve been expecting you.”

My heart stopped, shock tightening like a vice around my chest as I took in the man standing before me. He was clad in a sharp, tailored suit, with the same red emblem emblazoned on his arm. His expression was calm, almost mocking, but his eyes were cold and calculating, like a predator sizing up his prey.

But it wasn’t his attire or his bearing that stunned me—it was his face.

He smiled, his gaze settling on me, and I felt a jolt of awe. The confusion I held inside began to unravel, slipping out of my control, leaving me exposed and breathless under the weight of his look.

“Athlea’s husband,” I murmured, barely able to believe it. “Luci Chrollos.”