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<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">“I was wondering where you’d run off too; so you went off to get food!” said Ezart as he roughly gifted Daren with a punch to the head. The latter was found gorging on a pile of food, large enough that he seemed buried in it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Ahm ooo unhgre......” Daren tried to talk while chewing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Didn’t you just have a meal?” Ezart grumbled as he unceremoniously ripped open a packet of chips, stuffing handfuls into his mouth as he sat down. He then offhandedly asked, “Hey, where did you run off to just now? I didn’t see you at all. Don’t tell me you’ve been eating here all this time.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Noo wey, ah deed goh in!” Daren protested through a mouthful of food.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart eyed Daren. He suspected that Daren was Dark Sun. It seemed too much of a coincidence that the day Daren transferred to the school just happens to be the day Dark Sun appeared. But looking at him now, with his hair parted and combed down the sides, his nerdy pair of glasses, neatly pressed school uniform and an endless vibe of nerdiness, he seemed nerdy no matter which way one looked at him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart smacked his head, It was impossible. Daren couldn’t be Dark Sun - they were just too different. Their auras were like night and day. Dark Sun had a chilly, menacing aura, which totally contrasted Daren’s nerdiness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart sighed and laid down with his arms behind his head, “Who’s this Dark Sun guy? If he isn’t someone from the Academy, then there’s no way to know if he’ll continue to participate in the mock battles. What if he doesn’t participate anymore?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren blinked and said, “So what if he doesn’t participate, does it matter?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart bolted upright, exclaiming, “Of course it matters! If he doesn’t participate then I can’t fight him. To think that I actually put so much effort into tailing him just to let that Shain Baylian reap the rewards!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren lowered his head and continued stuffing his face. Because of his unique body composition, he had no choice but to replenish significant amounts of energy used up after every battle for him to continue functioning. He pondered as he ate. Originally, he had no intention to continue fighting, since he had already seen Ezart and Shain battle. However, if he did not fight it out with Ezart, it looked as if he would be greatly disappointed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Then again, he could be from the Elite Combat Section. Maybe in a moment of blood-rush he decided to enter the battle simulator for fun.” Ezart considered, now believing it to be more and more likely. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Elite Combat Section?” Daren immediately raised his head to ask.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Oh yeah, you’re new here, so you still don’t know.” Ezart laid down again, and lazily began to explain, “Since YeLan Academy is a combat school, classes are allocated A to D, based on fighting prowess. Baylain, from before, is from Class A, we’re in class D, also known as “Let the cows graze”<sup><a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/05/eclipse-hunter-chapter-5.html#cow" class="vt-p">1</a></sup> class. We’re just borderline passers. Shouldn’t you already know this?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He had no idea. He absentmindedly stuffed another bun into his mouth, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Surely his gege would not place him in Class D just to keep him from attracting attention... right?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart’s gaze suddenly darkened. “Elite Combat Section, shortened to ECS; it is said that there are no more than twenty people in that class and every single one of them is a monster.” </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Monster?” Daren spun his head towards Ezart in shock, “Monsters can attend human schools too? “</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart slowly turned to look at Daren as if he were an idiot. But this kid, with a foolish and shocked expression that made people want to hit him, seemed hopelessly unaware of his own mistakes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart exasperatedly explained, “Monster is a metaphor... meaning, the people in that class are so strong that they no longer seem human.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Oh,” Daren nodded, showing that he understood. Strong fighters … Dark Sun’s personality awoke, his dull eyes sharpened. He asked, “Where are the members of ECS?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Who knows? It is said that they’re so strong that they don’t even need to attend classes... usually they help the principal with high level missions... but that’s just a rumour! No one knows the truth of the matter; the other students are still speculating whether the ECS actually exists or not.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Even you and Baylian can’t join the Elite Combat Section?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart stared at Daren. <i>This kid really doesn’t care about other people’s self esteem...</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I don’t know about Baylian, but the headmaster asked me before; I refused though.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren looked curiously at Ezart, he had assessed Ezart to be someone who just wanted to fight strong people no matter what. Why would he refuse?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It’s not like there aren’t benefits to joining that class, but…“ Ezart grimaced, “before graduation, you‘d have to complete twenty of the headmaster’s assignments. That didn’t sit well with me, so I didn’t bother.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Oh.” Upon hearing this, Daren also dismissed the idea of entering the Elite Combat Section. He only needed to listen to gege instructions; no one else’s mattered.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Alright kiddo, I’ve got something to do, so I gotta go. I’ll walk you to the school gate, or else someone as daft as you will get pummeled by the seasoned dudes as a warning.” Ezart himself had no idea how it happened. He was the type to always get into fights at school, so this was actually the first time he had thought of protecting someone else.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I’m not Kiddo, my name is Daren Avery.” Daren protested with wide eyes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Daren Avery … that’s so hard to pronounce.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Then just call me Dar, that’s what my gege calls me.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Okay, Dar, let’s go. If you don’t hurry up, I won’t care anymore and just let you take a beating. Maybe then you’ll wisen up.” Ezart raised an eyebrow, thinking it a good idea.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“D-don’t be like that!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren stood up hurriedly; if someone wanted to shake him up, he wouldn’t know how to stick to his brother’s instructions. To protect himself, but not reveal his strength - he felt as if he stuck between a rock and a hard place.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren hurriedly cleared up his leftovers, while stealing glances at Ezart, as if afraid that he would be left behind. Watching this scene, Ezart could not help thinking how hopeless Daren was. He had no idea why he was going this far to protect this guy. Worse still, he had actually thought this kid was Dark Sun. He must be going crazy!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Are you done?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart impatiently urged, to which Daren hurriedly responded, “Okay, okay, let’s go.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart place his hands in his pockets and went ahead on his own, leaving Daren to catch up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Ezart, where are you off to in such a hurry? Dinner?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren pestered Ezart with questions as he walked, the latter raised his eyebrows in response, not bothering to open his mouth to explain. Daren asked some more questions, and as long as they were not about Ezart, they were all answered. When it came to questions about Ezart himself, they were completely ignored.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Don’t ask about me anymore,” Ezart eventually said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Oh, okay,” Daren obediently replied.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The two of them walked in silence until they were at the school gate. Ezart believed that if Daren was seen walking with him, other students would not dare to bother Daren due to Ezart’s notoriety. However, as Ezart turned to bid goodbye to him...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He found Daren foolishly staring ahead. Despite being prodded by Ezart a few times, Daren did not respond and instead blankly raised his finger to point in the direction he was facing...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart gazed in the direction of Daren’s finger. In the shade of a tree next to the school gate, Shain Baylian lazed on a chair. Next to him was the ice queen carrying drinks, the man wielding dual hand guns, and the dwarfish man from before.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Ezart.” Shain leisurely watched Ezart, as he sat there sipping his drink.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Shain Baylian.” Ezart raised an eyebrow, a look of disdain on his face.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shain Baylian’s attire was even more exaggerated than in the simulation. He was still wearing Chinese-styled clothes, but the difference was that this had a pair of dragons intricately embroidered in gold thread, and decorated with gemstones. He was rotating a black diamond ring on his right thumb out of habit, when he nonchalantly asked, “I heard your class had a new transfer student today.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So what?” Ezart was evidently repulsed by Shain. He let it go in the battle simulator because Shain’s fighting ability satisfied his lust for battle. But when it came to reality, Shain was just a slovenly rich kid, the type Ezart utterly detested.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“A transfer student arrives on the same day that Dark Sun appears; what say you?” Shain had a brief glimpse of Daren from the corner of his eyes and was a little surprised to find Ezart walking with someone who looked like he was up for a beating.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When Ezart heard this, he began to laugh, and kept laughing for a long time... Shain Baylian narrowed his eyes dangerously. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Here he is! The new transfer student is this guy beside me,” Ezart blurted, unable to contain it any longer. He wanted to see the expression on Shain Baylian’s face after he realised how far fetched his deductions were.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shain was indeed dumbfounded, he had originally believed that Dark Sun would definitely be the new transfer student who had been mysteriously banished to class D. That was not much of an issue, since Ezart had also been banished to that class. However, this fellow......</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shain pursed his lips. He did not like being wrong, but not to the extent that he would insist that Dark Sun was this nerdy fellow. This was somewhat of insult, an insult to a pro.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Seems like it’s a mistake. This kind of person... could never become Dark Sun, even if allowed to be reincarnated.” Shain stood up, a haughty expression on his face, as if Daren was a lowly organism that would emerge from the kitchen or the sewers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But he was Dark Sun. Daren remained silent even though he felt like laughing inside.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart sneered, “What did you say? Watch yourself, he’s also from an influential family, don’t go pissing off people you shouldn’t mess with.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shain Baylian paused in his steps. Instead of being angered by the stinging comments, he held a strange smile, “People I shouldn’t mess with? Ha, I’ll tell you this, there will be no one that I can’t mess with after today!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“What a joke! The Solaris Emperor is someone you can never afford to mess with.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart might not be an expert on the trading conglomerates, but even someone with no knowledge about such matters, could glean from newspapers, magazines, and roadside conversations, that the most powerful man, otherwise known as the uncrowned king, was the Solaris Emperor of the Solaris Federation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Solaris Emperor? I’m not sure if such a person will exist after today.” Shain remarked, revealing a mirthless, arrogant smile.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“What do you mean by that?” Daren shouted all of a sudden.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shain was slightly infuriated, to think that an insignificant transfer student would dare to raise his voice at him. If it wasn’t for Ezart’s abnormal strength, he would not have allowed him to speak like that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Hmph!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shain harrumphed snidely, his expression cold. Noticing his displeasure, the three people beside him became hostile; they unsheathed their weapons and advanced menacingly towards Daren...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart’s raised his muscular arm before Daren and glared maliciously at the encroaching trio, his frown making his tattooed face appear even more sinister.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Forget it, today is an important day. I don’t have the time to play with peasants such as these,” Shain spoke, abruptly becoming unconcerned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The trio immediately stopped in their tracks and obediently returned to Shain’s side. Shain Baylian gave a haughty laugh and left with a flick of his long garb.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Who is he?” Daren... no, Dark Sun asked, his gaze exceptionally chilly behind the thick frames. He was rapidly analysing Shain’s words to determine whether they were based purely on ego or on actual fact.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Shain Baylian, Yue Baylian’s son. I hear his father’s economic power is second only to the Solaris Emperor’s Solaris Federation,” Ezart replied matter-of-factly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In reality, he only knew the gist of it and wasn’t too familiar with the truth of the matter. In any case, Baylian was very rich and powerful; even YeLan Academy, which requires equality among students, had to allow the admittance of Shain’s three attendants.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Yue Baylian?</i> Dark Sun instantly retrieved this person’s information. He was the leader of the Lunaris Alliance. The might of the Lunaris Alliance was not to be underestimated; It was ranked second among the other organisations. Yue Baylian’s character evaluation showed him to be an unpredictable, malevolent snake. Once his wrath was incurred, there was no telling when the fatal fangs would be at one’s throat.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Upon learning this, Dark Sun’s face became sullen, “Ezart...”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“What do you want?” Ezart looked at the kid beside him strangely. <i>Is he shocked by Shain Baylians’ family influence? Why is he acting so strange?</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I’m leaving, there’s something I have to do, so I’m leaving.” Dark Sun dashed out of the school gates, departing like a gust of wind.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Woah, this kid runs pretty fast! Is it because he’s been chased by bullies often?” Ezart narrowed his eyes at Daren’s departing silhouette.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren whipped out his mobile phone as he ran, dialing Devon Solaris’ number. The phone rang again and again, yet no one answered. No, it was impossible. Daren knew gege’s personality well. Even if he was in a conference with the leaders of the world, he would still answer his didi’s call.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren dialled another number, and once it was connected, he asked, “Dr. Avery, where is my brother?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was a pause on the other end of the line, “Isn’t he at the office... Wait! Dark Sun, the news is receiving a live feed...”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“My god! Dark Sun, your brother’s company building has been seized by terrorists - they’ve installed enough explosives to wipe out the entire building. They’re holding everyone hostage and demanding that your brother come out from his specialised office or they’ll send everyone in the building to their graves!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Dark Sun, what are you up to?” Theodore Avery was unsettled, knowing it was impossible for Daren to stay uninvolved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Of course I’m going to save gege!” Daren yelled.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Your identity will be revealed. Why don’t we wait for a moment longer? Your brother is the Solaris Emperor, not a mild-mannered monk forbidden to harm others, perhaps he will find a way out of this situation...”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“No! We can’t risk it!” Daren rejected outright.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Dar, if your brother knew that you would expose your identity because of him and therefore become unable to live a normal life... he would be guilt ridden and upset,” Theodore Avery earnestly advised. He fully understood how Devon Solaris wished for his brother to live the life of an ordinary teenager.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren was silent for a moment. He too knew of gege’s well-meaning intentions, but he felt that gege’s safety was a hundred times more important. If there was a way to save gege without revealing his identity... keeping his identity a secret? Wasn’t he able to do that in the battle simulator?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren hastily said to Theodore, “Visor, clothes...”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I see, that’s a good idea. I will prepare them for you immediately, come back right away!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Yes!” Daren hung up, revving up his speed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Gege! No matter if I’m Dark Sun or Daren Solaris, I won’t let anyone harm you!</i></div><br /><div align="center">******************** Chapter 5 END ********************</div><b><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=1752037227950728211&postID=1438673362141799797#" name="cow" class="vt-p"></a>Notes</b>:<br /><b>Let the cows graze: </b>meaning slacker. So the Ezart and Devon are in the "slacker class"<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/05/eclipse-hunter-chapter-4.html" class="vt-p"><< Previous Chapter</a> - <a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/05/eclipse-hunter-chapter-6.html" class="vt-p">Next Chapter>></a></div></div><br /><a href="http://www.revolvermaps.com/?target=enlarge&i=6sa4ynnxm6r&color=a00000&m=1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" class="vt-p"><img alt="Map" height="26" src="http://rg.revolvermaps.com/h/b/26/6sa4ynnxm6r.png" style="border: 0px none;" width="26" /></a></div> |
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">“I was wondering where you’d run off too; so you went off to get food!” said Ezart as he roughly gifted Daren with a punch to the head. The latter was found gorging on a pile of food, large enough that he seemed buried in it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Ahm ooo unhgre......” Daren tried to talk while chewing.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Didn’t you just have a meal?” Ezart grumbled as he unceremoniously ripped open a packet of chips, stuffing handfuls into his mouth as he sat down. He then offhandedly asked, “Hey, where did you run off to just now? I didn’t see you at all. Don’t tell me you’ve been eating here all this time.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Noo wey, ah deed goh in!” Daren protested through a mouthful of food.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart eyed Daren. He suspected that Daren was Dark Sun. It seemed too much of a coincidence that the day Daren transferred to the school just happens to be the day Dark Sun appeared. But looking at him now, with his hair parted and combed down the sides, his nerdy pair of glasses, neatly pressed school uniform and an endless vibe of nerdiness, he seemed nerdy no matter which way one looked at him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart smacked his head, It was impossible. Daren couldn’t be Dark Sun - they were just too different. Their auras were like night and day. Dark Sun had a chilly, menacing aura, which totally contrasted Daren’s nerdiness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart sighed and laid down with his arms behind his head, “Who’s this Dark Sun guy? If he isn’t someone from the Academy, then there’s no way to know if he’ll continue to participate in the mock battles. What if he doesn’t participate anymore?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren blinked and said, “So what if he doesn’t participate, does it matter?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart bolted upright, exclaiming, “Of course it matters! If he doesn’t participate then I can’t fight him. To think that I actually put so much effort into tailing him just to let that Shain Baylian reap the rewards!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren lowered his head and continued stuffing his face. Because of his unique body composition, he had no choice but to replenish significant amounts of energy used up after every battle for him to continue functioning. He pondered as he ate. Originally, he had no intention to continue fighting, since he had already seen Ezart and Shain battle. However, if he did not fight it out with Ezart, it looked as if he would be greatly disappointed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Then again, he could be from the Elite Combat Section. Maybe in a moment of blood-rush he decided to enter the battle simulator for fun.” Ezart considered, now believing it to be more and more likely. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Elite Combat Section?” Daren immediately raised his head to ask.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Oh yeah, you’re new here, so you still don’t know.” Ezart laid down again, and lazily began to explain, “Since YeLan Academy is a combat school, classes are allocated A to D, based on fighting prowess. Baylain, from before, is from Class A, we’re in class D, also known as “Let the cows graze”<sup><a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/05/eclipse-hunter-chapter-5.html#cow" class="vt-p">1</a></sup> class. We’re just borderline passers. Shouldn’t you already know this?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He had no idea. He absentmindedly stuffed another bun into his mouth, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Surely his gege would not place him in Class D just to keep him from attracting attention... right?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart’s gaze suddenly darkened. “Elite Combat Section, shortened to ECS; it is said that there are no more than twenty people in that class and every single one of them is a monster.” </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Monster?” Daren spun his head towards Ezart in shock, “Monsters can attend human schools too? “</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart slowly turned to look at Daren as if he were an idiot. But this kid, with a foolish and shocked expression that made people want to hit him, seemed hopelessly unaware of his own mistakes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart exasperatedly explained, “Monster is a metaphor... meaning, the people in that class are so strong that they no longer seem human.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Oh,” Daren nodded, showing that he understood. Strong fighters … Dark Sun’s personality awoke, his dull eyes sharpened. He asked, “Where are the members of ECS?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Who knows? It is said that they’re so strong that they don’t even need to attend classes... usually they help the principal with high level missions... but that’s just a rumour! No one knows the truth of the matter; the other students are still speculating whether the ECS actually exists or not.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Even you and Baylian can’t join the Elite Combat Section?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart stared at Daren. <i>This kid really doesn’t care about other people’s self esteem...</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I don’t know about Baylian, but the headmaster asked me before; I refused though.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren looked curiously at Ezart, he had assessed Ezart to be someone who just wanted to fight strong people no matter what. Why would he refuse?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It’s not like there aren’t benefits to joining that class, but…“ Ezart grimaced, “before graduation, you‘d have to complete twenty of the headmaster’s assignments. That didn’t sit well with me, so I didn’t bother.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Oh.” Upon hearing this, Daren also dismissed the idea of entering the Elite Combat Section. He only needed to listen to gege instructions; no one else’s mattered.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Alright kiddo, I’ve got something to do, so I gotta go. I’ll walk you to the school gate, or else someone as daft as you will get pummeled by the seasoned dudes as a warning.” Ezart himself had no idea how it happened. He was the type to always get into fights at school, so this was actually the first time he had thought of protecting someone else.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I’m not Kiddo, my name is Daren Avery.” Daren protested with wide eyes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Daren Avery … that’s so hard to pronounce.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Then just call me Dar, that’s what my gege calls me.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Okay, Dar, let’s go. If you don’t hurry up, I won’t care anymore and just let you take a beating. Maybe then you’ll wisen up.” Ezart raised an eyebrow, thinking it a good idea.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“D-don’t be like that!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren stood up hurriedly; if someone wanted to shake him up, he wouldn’t know how to stick to his brother’s instructions. To protect himself, but not reveal his strength - he felt as if he stuck between a rock and a hard place.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren hurriedly cleared up his leftovers, while stealing glances at Ezart, as if afraid that he would be left behind. Watching this scene, Ezart could not help thinking how hopeless Daren was. He had no idea why he was going this far to protect this guy. Worse still, he had actually thought this kid was Dark Sun. He must be going crazy!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Are you done?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart impatiently urged, to which Daren hurriedly responded, “Okay, okay, let’s go.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart place his hands in his pockets and went ahead on his own, leaving Daren to catch up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Ezart, where are you off to in such a hurry? Dinner?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren pestered Ezart with questions as he walked, the latter raised his eyebrows in response, not bothering to open his mouth to explain. Daren asked some more questions, and as long as they were not about Ezart, they were all answered. When it came to questions about Ezart himself, they were completely ignored.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Don’t ask about me anymore,” Ezart eventually said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Oh, okay,” Daren obediently replied.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The two of them walked in silence until they were at the school gate. Ezart believed that if Daren was seen walking with him, other students would not dare to bother Daren due to Ezart’s notoriety. However, as Ezart turned to bid goodbye to him...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He found Daren foolishly staring ahead. Despite being prodded by Ezart a few times, Daren did not respond and instead blankly raised his finger to point in the direction he was facing...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart gazed in the direction of Daren’s finger. In the shade of a tree next to the school gate, Shain Baylian lazed on a chair. Next to him was the ice queen carrying drinks, the man wielding dual hand guns, and the dwarfish man from before.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Ezart.” Shain leisurely watched Ezart, as he sat there sipping his drink.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Shain Baylian.” Ezart raised an eyebrow, a look of disdain on his face.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shain Baylian’s attire was even more exaggerated than in the simulation. He was still wearing Chinese-styled clothes, but the difference was that this had a pair of dragons intricately embroidered in gold thread, and decorated with gemstones. He was rotating a black diamond ring on his right thumb out of habit, when he nonchalantly asked, “I heard your class had a new transfer student today.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“So what?” Ezart was evidently repulsed by Shain. He let it go in the battle simulator because Shain’s fighting ability satisfied his lust for battle. But when it came to reality, Shain was just a slovenly rich kid, the type Ezart utterly detested.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“A transfer student arrives on the same day that Dark Sun appears; what say you?” Shain had a brief glimpse of Daren from the corner of his eyes and was a little surprised to find Ezart walking with someone who looked like he was up for a beating.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When Ezart heard this, he began to laugh, and kept laughing for a long time... Shain Baylian narrowed his eyes dangerously. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Here he is! The new transfer student is this guy beside me,” Ezart blurted, unable to contain it any longer. He wanted to see the expression on Shain Baylian’s face after he realised how far fetched his deductions were.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shain was indeed dumbfounded, he had originally believed that Dark Sun would definitely be the new transfer student who had been mysteriously banished to class D. That was not much of an issue, since Ezart had also been banished to that class. However, this fellow......</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shain pursed his lips. He did not like being wrong, but not to the extent that he would insist that Dark Sun was this nerdy fellow. This was somewhat of insult, an insult to a pro.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Seems like it’s a mistake. This kind of person... could never become Dark Sun, even if allowed to be reincarnated.” Shain stood up, a haughty expression on his face, as if Daren was a lowly organism that would emerge from the kitchen or the sewers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But he was Dark Sun. Daren remained silent even though he felt like laughing inside.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart sneered, “What did you say? Watch yourself, he’s also from an influential family, don’t go pissing off people you shouldn’t mess with.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shain Baylian paused in his steps. Instead of being angered by the stinging comments, he held a strange smile, “People I shouldn’t mess with? Ha, I’ll tell you this, there will be no one that I can’t mess with after today!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“What a joke! The Solaris Emperor is someone you can never afford to mess with.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart might not be an expert on the trading conglomerates, but even someone with no knowledge about such matters, could glean from newspapers, magazines, and roadside conversations, that the most powerful man, otherwise known as the uncrowned king, was the Solaris Emperor of the Solaris Federation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Solaris Emperor? I’m not sure if such a person will exist after today.” Shain remarked, revealing a mirthless, arrogant smile.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“What do you mean by that?” Daren shouted all of a sudden.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shain was slightly infuriated, to think that an insignificant transfer student would dare to raise his voice at him. If it wasn’t for Ezart’s abnormal strength, he would not have allowed him to speak like that.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Hmph!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shain harrumphed snidely, his expression cold. Noticing his displeasure, the three people beside him became hostile; they unsheathed their weapons and advanced menacingly towards Daren...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ezart’s raised his muscular arm before Daren and glared maliciously at the encroaching trio, his frown making his tattooed face appear even more sinister.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Forget it, today is an important day. I don’t have the time to play with peasants such as these,” Shain spoke, abruptly becoming unconcerned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The trio immediately stopped in their tracks and obediently returned to Shain’s side. Shain Baylian gave a haughty laugh and left with a flick of his long garb.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Who is he?” Daren... no, Dark Sun asked, his gaze exceptionally chilly behind the thick frames. He was rapidly analysing Shain’s words to determine whether they were based purely on ego or on actual fact.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Shain Baylian, Yue Baylian’s son. I hear his father’s economic power is second only to the Solaris Emperor’s Solaris Federation,” Ezart replied matter-of-factly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In reality, he only knew the gist of it and wasn’t too familiar with the truth of the matter. In any case, Baylian was very rich and powerful; even YeLan Academy, which requires equality among students, had to allow the admittance of Shain’s three attendants.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Yue Baylian?</i> Dark Sun instantly retrieved this person’s information. He was the leader of the Lunaris Alliance. The might of the Lunaris Alliance was not to be underestimated; It was ranked second among the other organisations. Yue Baylian’s character evaluation showed him to be an unpredictable, malevolent snake. Once his wrath was incurred, there was no telling when the fatal fangs would be at one’s throat.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Upon learning this, Dark Sun’s face became sullen, “Ezart...”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“What do you want?” Ezart looked at the kid beside him strangely. <i>Is he shocked by Shain Baylians’ family influence? Why is he acting so strange?</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I’m leaving, there’s something I have to do, so I’m leaving.” Dark Sun dashed out of the school gates, departing like a gust of wind.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Woah, this kid runs pretty fast! Is it because he’s been chased by bullies often?” Ezart narrowed his eyes at Daren’s departing silhouette.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren whipped out his mobile phone as he ran, dialing Devon Solaris’ number. The phone rang again and again, yet no one answered. No, it was impossible. Daren knew gege’s personality well. Even if he was in a conference with the leaders of the world, he would still answer his didi’s call.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren dialled another number, and once it was connected, he asked, “Dr. Avery, where is my brother?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was a pause on the other end of the line, “Isn’t he at the office... Wait! Dark Sun, the news is receiving a live feed...”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“My god! Dark Sun, your brother’s company building has been seized by terrorists - they’ve installed enough explosives to wipe out the entire building. They’re holding everyone hostage and demanding that your brother come out from his specialised office or they’ll send everyone in the building to their graves!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Dark Sun, what are you up to?” Theodore Avery was unsettled, knowing it was impossible for Daren to stay uninvolved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Of course I’m going to save gege!” Daren yelled.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Your identity will be revealed. Why don’t we wait for a moment longer? Your brother is the Solaris Emperor, not a mild-mannered monk forbidden to harm others, perhaps he will find a way out of this situation...”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“No! We can’t risk it!” Daren rejected outright.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Dar, if your brother knew that you would expose your identity because of him and therefore become unable to live a normal life... he would be guilt ridden and upset,” Theodore Avery earnestly advised. He fully understood how Devon Solaris wished for his brother to live the life of an ordinary teenager.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren was silent for a moment. He too knew of gege’s well-meaning intentions, but he felt that gege’s safety was a hundred times more important. If there was a way to save gege without revealing his identity... keeping his identity a secret? Wasn’t he able to do that in the battle simulator?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daren hastily said to Theodore, “Visor, clothes...”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I see, that’s a good idea. I will prepare them for you immediately, come back right away!”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Yes!” Daren hung up, revving up his speed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Gege! No matter if I’m Dark Sun or Daren Solaris, I won’t let anyone harm you!</i></div><br /><div align="center">******************** Chapter 5 END ********************</div><b><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=1752037227950728211&postID=1438673362141799797#" name="cow" class="vt-p"></a>Notes</b>:<br /><b>Let the cows graze: </b>meaning slacker. So the Ezart and Devon are in the "slacker class"<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/05/eclipse-hunter-chapter-4.html" class="vt-p"><< Previous Chapter</a> - <a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/05/eclipse-hunter-chapter-6.html" class="vt-p">Next Chapter>></a></div></div><br /><a href="http://www.revolvermaps.com/?target=enlarge&i=6sa4ynnxm6r&color=a00000&m=1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" class="vt-p"><img alt="Map" height="26" src="http://rg.revolvermaps.com/h/b/26/6sa4ynnxm6r.png" style="border: 0px none;" width="26" /></a></div> |
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+ | <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;" trbidi="on">"Should I buy Japanese or Greek cuisine?"<br /> |
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+ | "This is not the most pressing issue at the moment, Solaris Emperor."<br /> |
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+ | "Oh?" Devon Solaris perused the long menu in his hand, wondering which of the two his little brother would prefer for dinner. "What is the most pressing issue at the moment then, Bill<sup><a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/05/eclipse-hunter-chapter-6.html#katara">1</a></sup>?"<br /> |
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+ | The solemn secretary flipped through his events list and reported evenly, "Solaris Emperor, my name is Kyle<sup><a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/05/eclipse-hunter-chapter-6.html#katara">2</a></sup>, and the most pressing issue now is to reply to the terrorist's demands. Although an explosion would not affect this special office, many of our staff would be hurt; the company would then descend into stagnation and our reputation would be severely damaged."<br /> |
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+ | "Oh? Isn't this something that the security personnel should sort out?" Devon raised an eyebrow, slightly displeased, "What are the security guards doing? First they lock me in here, not allowing me to go home, and now they can't even handle the situation? Tell the highest security executive to come see me!"<br /> |
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+ | "The highest security executive was shot dead when he was activating the emergency lock down button for your office. I'm afraid he is unable to see you," Kyle said calmly as he typed "Searching for a Security Executive" in the vacancy section on his iPad.<br /> |
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+ | "Oh?" Devon's eyes never left the menu. He then thought of something and said, "Remember to publicise it when we compensate the executive's family. Don't let the media run a story calling me a bloodless, tearless vampire."<br /> |
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+ | Kyle paused in his typing, and threw a strange glance at Devon. <i>Cold-blooded, heartless Solaris Emperor..... this is already well known to the public</i>. As his personal assistant, Kyle could definitely attest to the claim that the Solaris Emperor was irrefutably cold-blooded and heartless. Losing an employee only meant the delay of a work process, not the loss of a life.<br /> |
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+ | But people were still willing to work for the Solaris Emperor because of a few perks: his generous salary and bonuses, comprehensive welfare benefits, and a fair reward and punishment system. The executive who had selflessly activated the emergency lock down button probably knew that even if he died, the compensation would be enough to feed his family for a few generations, especially since he was protecting the life of the Solaris Emperor himself. Kyle made a few calculations. <i>The compensation will at least be in the tens of millions</i>.<br /> |
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+ | "Kyle?" Devon asked impatiently after not having received a reply.<br /> |
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+ | "Yes, I understand," Kyle responded promptly as he realised he was spacing out. But he was still baffled. Solaris Emperor had never been concerned about his own reputation. Even when he was painted as a bloodless, tearless vampire, he never had any inclination to dispel any misconceptions, so why was he now......?<br /> |
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+ | <i>Mm, didi must be hearing a lot of rumours outside. I can't be a bad example to didi</i>. Devon put serious thought into building his image as a good person.<br /> |
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+ | Kyle's attention was drawn to the news report on his iPad. After watching it for awhile, he heaved a sigh. <i>Looks like today's matter won't be settled without a few thousand deaths</i>. Kyle felt pity for these people. The reporter said, "Solaris Emperor, the terrorists are giving you an hour. If you aren't out by then, the entire building will be destroyed."<br /> |
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+ | "Is that so?"<br /> |
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+ | Devon Solaris frowned. A difficult situation had emerged, just when he had made up his mind to be a good example. Logically, he should not care about it and just stay in the specially constructed office where he would remain unharmed. Besides, if he were to really die, the resulting global financial crisis would be the real disaster......<br /> |
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+ | However, thousands of lives were currently hanging in the balance. Devon massaged his temples saying, "Alright, I'll go out."<br /> |
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+ | <i>As expected, he cares only for his own life</i>... Kyle thought absentmindedly. <i>Wait a second, what did he just say? </i>He hastily mumbled, "Begging your pardon, Solaris Emperor, but could you perhaps repeat what your decision was?"<br /> |
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+ | Devon raised an eyebrow. "I said, I will go out."<br /> |
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+ | Kyle gaped. Although he reserved some criticism for the Solaris Emperor's indifference, he didn't really wish for him to head out. If the Solaris Emperor were to lose his life... It would be no joke, the entire world's economy would be in turmoil - the extent of the aftermath would be truly devastating.<br /> |
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+ | "No Sir, you can't go out there! It's too dangerous! If anything were to happen to you, the entire economy would collapse!" Kyle loudly protested as he hastily stood up.<br /> |
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+ | Devon was already standing and waved dismissively. "Don't worry, aren't they just terrorists? Just give them all the money they want. Even if they were hired by my enemies, I am confident I can give them ten times the amount and change their loyalties at the last moment."<br /> |
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+ | "But, but..." Kyle protested, still worried.<br /> |
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+ | "Kyle..." Devon abruptly turned around to ask, "Do you have a younger brother?"<br /> |
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+ | "Eh? No, I don't..." Kyle stared with wide eyes. <i>Today, it seemed as if something was not quite right with the Solaris Emperor.</i> Not only was his behaviour completely out of character, he was also asking about irrelevant things at this crucial moment.<br /> |
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+ | "Sometimes, for the sake of the younger brother, the older brother has no choice but to commit foolish acts." Devon smiled briefly. "Just stay here. When I'm not around, the Solaris Federation will depend on you to keep it functioning."<br /> |
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+ | "I understand," Kyle said, feeling moved for the first time. This was the leader of the Solaris Federation, <i>his</i> leader.<br /> |
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+ | Devon pressed the release button to the office and slowly stepped out...<br /> |
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+ | On the streets, a hovercraft bike was racing past, weaving in and out between cars. The rider was heading straight for the nearby skyscraper. In truth, this was the tallest building in Asia, one of five head quarters belonging to the Solaris Federation.<br /> |
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+ | The rider stopped before he neared the building; there were too many civilians and too much media coverage. If he were to charge into the skyscraper in front of the media, the terrorists would be the first to realise. Even the the most dim-witted, third-rate thief knew to use the seamless media coverage to monitor police movements and the situation outside.<br /> |
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+ | "Oh! My god! Dark Sun, your stupid idiot brother actually walked out of the office. Get up there quick - they look like they are planning to abduct him from the roof."<br /> |
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+ | Theodore Avery's agitated voice sounded from the ear piece which he had prepared specially for Dark Sun. Theodore was in charge of monitoring the current situation and relaying it to Daren so that he could make the optimal judgement.<br /> |
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+ | Dark Sun briefly noted his surroundings. Since the skyscraper in question was the tallest among the surrounding structures, he would be unable to gain direct access to the roof via a neighbouring building. In that case, he would have to resort to a different method.<br /> |
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+ | Dark Sun swerved his hoverbike to a halt beside a building closest in height to his target and swiftly entered the building, ascending via the elevator to the top floor. It was a couple of levels below the roof, but this slight difference in height was hardly an obstacle for what he was about to attempt.<br /> |
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+ | "Did you make a reservation, Sir?"<br /> |
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+ | The waiter approached dutifully. This was a high class restaurant, but the customer before him was wearing an exceptionally unusual yet simple, fitted top, with trousers tucked into his long boots. He was also disregarding basic etiquette by wearing his shades indoor. However, the waiter noticed that although this patron's clothes looked casual, the workmanship was intricate, the material of fine quality, and the boots handmade from a renowned brand.<br /> |
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+ | "Is there a big window from which you can see that building over there?" Dark Sun asked.<br /> |
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+ | The waiter, assuming that Dark Sun only wanted a window seat, replied courteously, "Of course, this way please."<br /> |
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+ | The waiter led Dark Sun before a full length window. A simple square table was placed before it. The waiter gracefully pulled out the seat for Dark Sun, but the latter seemed to have no intention of sitting down. The smile froze on the waiter's face, unsure of this patron's intentions.<br /> |
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+ | Dark Sun looked out the window, this was certainly a good position. The building was tall enough, and coincidentally was in the shadow cast by his target. This would hide his silhouette from the spectators below.<br /> |
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+ | Steel wings. Activate!<br /> |
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+ | The malleable steel seeped from his bone marrows, forming the frame of his wings. Two pieces of feather-like steel pierced through his shirt bilaterally. Like a fledgling spreading its wings in fast forward, the steel feathers fanned out. In hardly a minute, wings spanning 6 metres had emerged from Daren's back.<br /> |
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+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "A... an... angel!" The waiter stumbled and fell backwards in shock, staring blankly at the winged patron.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Dark Sun turned around and gave an emotionless smile. "Wrong. I'm a demon."<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | The waiter continued to stare witlessly at those wings and realised that the seemingly soft feathers had become razor sharp. <i>Is he really a demon?</i><br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Dark Sun lunged towards the window and smashed through the full length glass panel... Waiters and others rushed towards the commotion...<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | All they saw was a demon flying in the pale blue sky with an ethereal beauty.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "Interesting...... you're really not accepting my suggestion?"<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Devon was slightly perturbed, but he still maintained his carefree appearance. To think that these people were completely unmoved despite the numerous lucrative conditions he had offered to undermine their relationship with their employers. Nothing seemed to be working, a fact that greatly surprised Devon.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Traversing the business world from a tender age had earned Devon quite a few achievements. Debating, compromising, undermining were akin to breathing for him. Even a seasoned old hand could not escape from his grasp, so why was this small group of terrorists so persistent?<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "Move!" A few hoodlums roughly dragged Devon along.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "Don't touch me!" Devon roared in fury, the majesty of the Solaris Emperor flaring up. He laughed coldly, " You don't have the qualifications to touch me. I can walk by myself."<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | He shook off the terrorist's arm and walked with regal grace towards the helicopter.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "What's that?" asked one of the terrorists when he noticed a suspicious object in the sky. It was hard to tell what it was. It seemed like a bird but was too big to be one.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | He didn't need to think much further since the flying object in question seemingly withdrew its wings and plunged vertically downwards, landing heavily on the roof. Daren Solaris left a deep footprint on the concrete where he landed.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Devon was a little surprised. He turned around to see what could have "fallen" onto the rooftop of the country's tallest skyscraper... <i>A human?</i> He blinked. <i>Isn't that silhouette somewhat familiar?</i><br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | The terrorists were struck dumb. They were unable to comprehend how a human could just fall from the sky.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "Who are you? Get away from that man!" The terrorist shouted, his massive machine gun already raised.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | The other terrorists, sensing the situation, raised their weapons as well.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "Get on the helicopter," Dark Sun muttered to Devon.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "D-"<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | <i>Dar!?</i> Devon abruptly stopped himself from completing the name, as he recognised his little brother. <i>Why is Dar here?</i><br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "Hurry up!" Dark Sun growled, turning his head slightly.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Devon frowned but climbed into the helicopter as instructed. <i>But isn't this the terrorists' helicopter?</i><br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | The terrorists were probably thinking the same thing and hence did not bother stopping Devon from getting in. But the moment Devon climbed inside, Dark Sun slammed the door shut, and broke the handle. He then whipped out his gun from the holster and killed the pilot to prevent the helicopter from taking off.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | But the show was just starting. Dark Sun had asked his brother to enter the helicopter because its bullet proof material and could protect him from stray bullets. He had also destroyed the handle to prevent the terrorists from seizing Devon, and last but not least...<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | <i>Dar!?</i> Devon pounded the bullet proof glass of the helicopter and pulled on the door with all his might, but it had been jammed shut by Dark Sun and was impossible to release.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | …to prevent gege from rushing out to protect him... Dark Sun silently laughed at the thought.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Excluding Devon Solaris, there were twenty odd terrorists and Dark Sun remaining on the roof. Watching Dark Sun execute the pilot infuriated the gang and since their target was somewhere safe, they no longer had any restrictions. The nearest muscular terrorist roared as he sprayed bullets at Dark Sun from his heavy machine gun.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Dark Sun revealed a mirthless smile as he rapidly dodged the onslaught. The ground was pockmarked from the gunfire, but not a single bullet had touched Dark Sun.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Dark Sun was aware that the ultimate strategy for fighting a mass of people was to create confusion. He dashed speedily among the terrorists, causing a few to fire reflexively. The shots missed Dark Sun and instead hit their own. Soon enough quite a few people were lying on the ground groaning.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "Stop! Stop!" one of them yelled, recognising the unfavourable situation.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Realizing that they were harming their own, they quickly ceased fire. It was a pointless move because Dark Sun did not allow them any time to strategise. He immediately protracted razor sharp steel claws and with only a few swipes, people soundlessly crumpled to the floor.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Everyone was shocked. Some started shooting at Dark Sun again, but he dodged behind one of the terrorists, directing all fire at the unsuspecting human shield. Once his human shield was riddled with holes, Dark Sun would dodge behind another person. If the terrorists ceased fire, Dark Sun simply went on the offensive; the flash of his steel claws became the stuff of nightmares. Within moments, there were only ten left standing.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | The terrorists ceased fire once again, but this time when Dark Sun made a swiped at a throat all he cut was air.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | This was the first time he had made a mistake since leaving the laboratory. If he were the emotionless android that he had been before, he would not have had any reaction other than to follow up with another attack. However, now that his emotional switch was activated, he was slightly taken aback. During this brief period of hesitation, the terrorist had turned around and with a swift slash, which Dark Sun was unable to avoid completely, opened a gash on his arm.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Dark Sun paid no attention to his wound, but instead fixed his gaze on his attacker. The opponent was wielding a kris. It's blade was curved like a snake in motion and created a larger wound than a regular dagger.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Among the ten remaining, five of the terrorists discarded their guns in favour of various exotic weapons. There was a pair of ancient katara<sup><a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/05/eclipse-hunter-chapter-6.html#katara">3</a></sup>, a massive morning star, a flail with an extremely long chain, a scythe and a double-headed battle axe.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | It was just like a weapon exhibit. Dark Sun became grim. There was something amiss. In normal circumstances, modern hoodlums were only armed with guns and maybe an additional dagger. Yet here were five people wielding weapons which could only be found in exhibitions.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | In addition, the vibe that these people were emitting was different from the garden variety of hoodlums. However, Dark Sun was unable to pinpoint exactly what it meant. While he was contemplating these oddities, the five lunged forwards. The foremost was the double-headed axe wielder with bulging muscles.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | The steel claws were too fine to block heavy weapons of this kind. Dark Sun decided to dodge the blows of the axe and opted to target his opponent's weaknesses instead.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Dark Sun nimbly spun on his leg, avoiding the swing of the axe while moving close to the attacker. The fatal claws were mere millimeters from the terrorist's throat when the kris arced towards Dark Sun's hand forcing him to withdraw rapidly. Sensing the danger approaching from behind, he hastily turned in time to narrowly avoid the morning star brushing against his arm.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | He realized that the three people surrounding him had skills above par. Their coordination and team work were admirable and put him at a great disadvantage. He retreated a few steps, as he considered using his gun to resolve the situation. Before he could act upon it, he felt a strong killing intent from behind. He reflexively spun on his leg as the katara almost stabbed his chest. In a flash, Dark Sun grabbed the blade of the katara with both hands. His strength kept the terrorist stock still.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Although, both his hands were occupied with grasping the weapon, Dark Sun was not troubled. He raised his right leg and solidly kicked the terrorist, sending him flying five metres away. Most people would immediately go unconscious after receiving such a kick.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "Agh!"<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Dark Sun's right arm was suddenly clobbered. He remembered then that there was another long range flail wielder. His thirst for blood unquenched by the successful sneak attack, the man struck again. However, this time Dark Sun was prepared. There was no way he was going to let this terrorist get away with it a second time. He latched onto the flail with unerring accuracy, and began rotating it in order to fling the terrorist away.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | By then, the other three terrorists had reappeared. Brandishing their weapons, they launched intense attacks. The steel claws alone were insufficient for fending off these weapons. In addition, it was difficult to win with speed alone when surrounded by four opponents. Dark Sun felt pressured for the first time.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | <i>No!</i> Dark Sun felt something was off kilter. Even at a battle school like Yelan Academy he could defeat so many with his speed, there was no reason for him to feel pressured in a fight with only five people.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | While he was blocking the blows, he began analysing with his microchip. Within the exchanges of a few blows, he analysed that the speed and strength of these five people were three times that of a normal person.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Strength can indeed be increased exponentially with intense training. But increasing speed was no simple matter. It was possible to increase one's speed by 50%. However, to be three times faster than normal… one would require a talent found in only one in million. How could there be five of them together at the same place?<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | The present circumstances did not permit Dark Sun further rumination. He could only note down his suspicions and continue battling the five curious individuals.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Soon enough the assassin that had been kicked aside stood up and rejoined the fray, causing Dark Sun's position to become even more unfavourable.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Although he was inflicting damage on his opponents, wounds gradually accumulated on Dark Sun's body. The worst injury was the initial wound inflicted by the flail which was impeding the movements of his right arm. For someone who relied on intricate movements and superhuman speed like Dark Sun, it was a severe problem.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "Didi! Didi!" Seeing his little brother injured, Devon picked up a small fire extinguisher and repeatedly bashed it against the bullet proof window with all his might. However, the helicopter window was so thick that it could not be shattered. But even then Devon refused to give up, and continued bashing it violently...<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Ring ring...<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Devon paused and looked towards his mobile phone. He originally wanted to ignore the ringing, but the ring tone indicated that it was from home. The only person who would call from home would be Theodore Avery. Devon paused and answered the phone.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "Devon?" It was indeed Theodore's voice.<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "You!" Devon roared in anger, "Why did you let Dar come? Do you know he's hurt?"<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | "Eh… I know. But that's not the crux. Dark Sun wanted me to deliver weapons. I am already in the building, but was stopped by the policemen. Think of a solution quickly, or Dark Sun will receive even more severe injuries."<br /> |
||
+ | <br /> |
||
+ | Upon hearing that, Devon dialed Secretary Kyle's number without hesitation.</div><br /> |
||
+ | <div align="center"><br /> |
||
+ | ******************** Chapter 6 END ********************</div><br /> |
Revision as of 14:25, 17 May 2014
However, this large room was empty at that moment and the man's countenance seemed nothing like that of a top executive. He stared blankly ahead, as if awaiting something. At that instant, the ornately carved, ebony wood doors slowly swung inwards. In the era of modern technology, automatic doors were seen as a basic commodity. Even working class households had no need to move their arms to open doors.
Therefore, these doors were amongst the man's most prized possessions. But at that moment, he would much rather have had an automatic door which slid open in an instant, than the agonizingly slow pace at which the doors creaked open, sending shivers down his spine. Even though he could guess who was behind it, he was still hoping he was wrong.
Devon<a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/04/eclipse-hunter-chapter-1.html#devon">1</a> Solaris strolled into the room with a grace that seemed to say that the whole world stood at his feet. He had an aura of complete superiority which could force even the toughest to yield even though there wasn't the slightest trace of hostility in his gaze. His perfect expression betrayed no emotion; his captivating looks, slender frame and overflowing charisma made people fall to their knees in worship. This had become especially apparent ever since he took over his father's position and became a key player in the financial world. As the influence of the Solaris Federation expanded, he garnered looks of awe and admiration from every member of the conglomerate.
Gazing at the striking figure before him, the older man could not help but feel a surge of pride, despite the current situation. This was his very own son, his own flesh and blood, the son he had brought up to become the perfect Solaris Emperor.
After having dominated the financial world for years and having the perfect son, this man had no regrets, at this moment he simply felt puzzled.
"Why would you wish to kill me? You should know that you are my one and only son. I may possess some of the shares of this conglomerate, but that will be left to you anyway."
"Your one and only son? Is that what you believed all along? Is that how it was?" the slender figure shook with anger he had never felt before. Even his eyes became bloodshot.
"So… you already know?" the man behind the desk realised what this was about and regained his composure.
"'You already know?' Father, is that all you are thinking? Why are you being so cruel to him?" Grief filled his voice.
"My whole life I have dearly loved your mother. But he killed her." There was nothing but indifference in his voice.
"Lies! Mother died of childbirth, how could you blame him?"
The older man did not reply, and simply looked at Devon silently without showing a hint of regret in his eyes. The sight only served to fuel the younger man's rage and anguish. His father loved his mother deeply and this love had never faded, even after her death. This would have made any child proud, but not when it hurt someone.
Was his father wrong? He found it difficult to blame him.
His father has always been very attentive to Devon. He never forgot his birthdays and whenever Devon wanted something, his father never disappointed him, that is, until that request he made on his eighteenth birthday.
"I want my little brother."
That was six years ago. Ever since then, Devon had made that exact request over and over again. It was different from the usual requests a child would make, he was not asking his parents to have another child, because Devon already had a little brother. A very cute one at that. When they were little, he used to love pinching the kid's cheeks until he started protesting. Somehow, he could never really comprehend how his father could come to hate such a cute kid.
Why did his father refuse to acknowledge his little brother's existence? It was not until he was older that Devon realised that the expression his father always wore in the child's presence was that of hatred. Even the nanny responsible for his care was there solely for monetary gain. So it was entirely up to Devon to give the child the love and care he needed.
Any other child would have been on bad terms with his siblings as they would vie for his parents' affections. But Devon's situation was different. It was obvious that his father hated his younger brother and even discouraged Devon from visiting him. He was taboo among the household and was never present in any of the family photos.
The nanny was well aware that the father loathed the child and never dared to bring him out of the room. And thus, Daren<a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/04/eclipse-hunter-chapter-1.html#daren">2</a> Solaris had lived in that attic as long as he could remember. Since his father was fond of antiques, he had his home designed in the image of a castle. So the attic was far removed from the main hall.
Devon could no longer remember why he had walked all the way there back then. His only vague recollection was that of a baby's loud wails leading him up a staircase, and through a wooden door. The room had been dark and the light switch was no where to be found. The cries coming from the room were unrelenting and Devon was very scared at the time. He felt something tugging his trousers and the noise suddenly stopped.
Alarmed, Devon kicked the thing away and the crying resumed. He hastily retreated to the wall behind him and bumped into the light switch. As the room became bright, he found himself looking at a baby crying loudly, with a huge bruise on his forehead.
Obviously, this kid was the one tugging on his trousers, and that bruise was the result of Devon's kick.
Devon fretted as he ran to the little baby to check if he was alright. From what he had learnt, babies are usually very fragile. The moment he extended his hands to the baby, it stopped crying. Big watery eyes stared back at him and the child cooed as two tiny hands grabbed his own.
Such small hands, Devon thought. His ten year old self had always found his father's hand to be quite big when compared to his own. And yet, compared to the infant in front of him, his own hand seemed large.
The baby suddenly shoved Devon's thumb to his tiny mouth and started sucking on it as hard as he could.
Hungry? Sadly you are not going to get any milk no matter how hard you try. He did not know if he should laugh or cry at this ridiculous situation.
He helplessly searched the room for milk powder and once he found it, he began preparing milk for the child. He failed several times. The milk was either too hot or he had not put enough milk powder in it, causing the baby to cry loudly. By the time he had succeeded, the baby was starving. He held onto the bottle with his small hands and drank hungrily while staring straight at the person holding him with his swollen eyes.
Finally, after two whole bottles of milk, the baby was satisfied and its big watery eyes slowly became heavy in Devon's warm embrace. He tried to place the baby on the bed, but once he let go the baby started crying its lungs out. With no other choice, he settled by the bed and sacrificed a finger for the baby's tiny hands to hold on to. And thus the baby finally fell asleep peacefully.
It was then that Devon started thinking that this baby should be his little brother. The one that his mother died to give birth to, and hated by father. Devon should have felt hate towards this child too.
However, gazing at the tiny baby in its peaceful sleep and feeling its firm grip on his finger, Devon could only think of the child as the most innocent being on earth. Even without anyone telling him to, Devon knew he should treasure his little brother.
"Didi<a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/04/eclipse-hunter-chapter-1.html#didi">3</a>, you have to quickly learn how to call me 'gege<a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/04/eclipse-hunter-chapter-1.html#gege">4</a>'."
Devon was very excited at the thought of the little creature calling him big brother. Sure enough, his wish came true. Some time in the future, the first word the baby would utter was not the usual "mama" or "papa", but "gege".
Ever since his discovery, Devon had frequented the attic almost every day to play with his little brother for at least one hour. His father had disapproved but there was little he could do against Devon's persistence.
And so he watched his little brother grow up. He was there when the child uttered his first words and when he took his first steps. Didi liked to read picture books, and loved ripping them. He liked to play ball games and loved to smash Devon's face with the ball. Soon didi started to learn how to write and because his father refused to find a tutor for him, it was Devon himself that taught his little brother how to read and write…
All was well until the year Devon turned seventeen and his little brother was only seven. Their father sent didi away, claiming that he was sending him to one of the best royal colleges for schooling. Devon had been reluctant and wondered why he was allowed to have home tutors while his little brother had to be sent to a place so far away. But he had not given it much thought, naively believing that his father would surely act in his little brother's best interests, after all Daren was his son too.
"No! I don't want to go!"
Didi was extremely frightened at that time and had tightly hung onto Devon's waist. The strength of the seven year old had nearly strangled him then. Devon had tried multiple times to convince his brother, knowing full well that he was afraid of their father. In the end, Devon had had to make a few promises in order to reassure him.
"Don't be scared, didi. You still have your older brother. I will protect you."
"Gege will protect me?" Didi pouted and extended his little finger. "Then let's make a deal, if gege lied then... you have eat a lot of bitter melon which gege hates."
Devon smiled in embarrassment as he hooked his little finger with didi's. "Alright, alright. If I am lying to you, I will have to eat a lot of bitter melon."
Just like that the little boy agreed to go with his father. As he walked away, he turned multiple times to look at his elder brother. He had been extremely frightened of their father who had held his hand so coldly…
That scene had always remained in Devon's mind. Every time he recalled it, he blamed himself for not noticing the coldness in his father's eyes and hated himself for neglecting his little brother because he was too busy playing around in his teenage years. When a whole six months went by and didi was still not home for summer vacation, Devon finally asked his father about him. His father had replied in an uninterested voice that the school Daren went to did not have holidays and students were not allowed to come home until they graduated
"Which school is this?"
Of course he had not believe it. Didi did not phone him at all during the last six months, even though Devon gave him his phone number. How could a child who is so attached to his older brother not call him up even once?
His father had not given him an answer, and it was then that comprehension dawned on him. There was no way that his little brother had been sent to such a school. It was all a part of his father's plan to get rid of an unwanted eyesore.
Devon did not dare to imagine what might have happened to his little brother. He went berserk searching for the boy. He went through the whole family, the whole city… the whole country…
Drowning in self-hate, he joined the Solaris Federation and took over most of the human resources within a year, just so he could search for his little brother. However, it was not enough. Just like that, didi disappeared from his world without a trace.
In the course of time, Devon managed to take over every part of the Solaris Federation. He garnered enough power and influence to buy up smaller trading organisations and turn Solaris into one of the five greatest trade cartels. He did all this just so he could get better access to the Census and other records regarding orphans, criminals, prisoners, and even unidentified corpses…
On every one of his birthdays, Devon had pleaded for the return of his little brother but his father had disappointed him each time. But on his most recent (24th) birthday, he had a different request. He demanded his father's permission to excavate the mansion and this time, his father agreed.
The castle-like mansion was enormous so Devon was forced to find a few hundred people to carry out the excavation. Complex feelings coursed through him as he waited day and night for something to be dug up. He refused to think about the initial suspicion that had compelled him to lead the excavation and what it would mean if something was actually dug up. The search had gone on for six years and Devon was weary.
If father has truly… then it would be best to begin the revenge for my little brother.
But nothing had turned up and although Devon sighed in relief, he now had to continue his fruitless search.
Seven years had passed since didi's disappearance and Devon could wait no longer. His little brother would have been fifteen by now. Between his father and little brother, he knew right from the start whom he would pick. The seven years worth of delay was only because of his love for his father.
"Where is my little brother?" Devon demanded. He held a hand gun in his hands, the very latest of its kind, and pointed it straight at his father. There was no trace of emotion left in his eyes. He had already betrayed his little brother's trust, his beloved didi was missing and he had no idea whether he was alive or not. The regret he carried for seven years had slowly worn away every bit of the love he had had for his father.
The elderly man at gun point now looked at him unwaveringly and even smiled a little, "Actually, I'm giving him to you for your 25th birthday!"
Devon was stunned. He did not think he would get a straight answer from father so easily. Or was it simply a ploy to avoid death at Devon's hands?
His father stood up. "Don't move!" Devon snapped, his voice sounding even colder than before. "I might not kill you before you tell me what happened to didi, but that doesn't mean I won't cripple you."
"Calm down, child. I only wanted you to see your beloved little brother." The elderly man slowly walked over to a door. Devon hesitated since he knew that door led to his father's restroom.
His father opened the door and gestured for him to follow him in. Devon hesitated again, but not because he was scared. Even if didi was all the way down in hell, he would not hesitate to jump in. It was just that he could not bear another wave of disappointment. Didi has been missing for 7 whole years and Devon had already searched through every territory occupied by the Solaris Federation. How could he bring himself to believe that his little brother would be in that rest room...?
Nevertheless, Devon entered. His father walked into the bathroom within the large rest room and stood before the simple bathtub, wash sink and toilet. His smile was spine-chilling. "Child, it no matter how smart you were, you were never able to guess that this very rest room which I frequently visited was the place you were searching for all this time."
Devon was dumbfounded, he stared at his father as the man turned the tap on the bath tub. No water came out, but instead the whole bath tub descended, leaving behind a flight of stairs. This unremarkable place with such simple functions managed to fool him for seven years. Devon suspected that there would be hidden pathways in the castle and had long since searched through them all. But he never suspected that there could be one here.
It was risky to have the tap act as the switch. If someone happened to come here and turn on the tap, the passage would have easily been discovered. But this faulty idea was surprisingly effective. When searching for hidden switches, no one would bother to investigate an exposed tap.
Like his father, Devon liked using things that belonged to him and him alone. And so, even though only Devon and his father was permitted to use this rest room, he had never stepped into the place since it belonged to his father.
Devon had spent all these years searching for his little brother, only to find him hidden right under his nose. It was such a cruel reality. Devon prayed that this was not his little brother's grave. If the boy was even barely alive, with current technology, he could find a way for him to return to the original health.
Perhaps his father knew that Devon would not be foolish enough to step in first, so he entered the hidden pathway without hesitation. Devon followed close behind, feeling eager to finally see his little brother.
He widened his eyes at the scene that unfolded before him. It was not the dank, dungeon-like place he had imagined, but a brightly lit laboratory with high-tech machinery crowding the room. Several people in lab coat were excitedly looking at a screen.
When they noticed their entry, they all filed in and stood by respectfully. Only one of them, Devon noted, was looking at them coldly instead of smiling.
"How is it progressing?" his father asked.
"Very smoothly, Mr Solaris. It's like a miracle." said one of the scientists excitedly, "I am sure you understand. Filling every bone of his body with molten steel; employing medical techniques to make his skin and muscle ten times more resilient than normal people; even the microchip in his brain utilises the latest technology. This was the most dangerous experiment ever carried out. We didn't even expect our candidate to survive, let alone make such excellent progress."
"Very good." Devon's father replied.
"W-what are you saying?" Devon did not understand, he did not want to understand. He was only praying for his little brother to stay alive. Although he knew that some things could be much worse than death itself, he was unable to believe that his own father could be capable of doing such things to his own son.
The man who had been looking at them coldly suddenly spoke up in a sarcastic tone. "Meaning, the experiment was very successful. Not only did we managed to turn a weak youth into something even stronger than the most elite members of the Delta Force, his body is tougher than stone and there is a microchip implanted in his brain that would make him obey any command you chose to issue. Congratulations, you now have the perfect bodyguard."
Devon staggered. He moved in trance towards to the screen, that the scientists had been crowded around. A voice inside him screamed, I don't want to see this! I don't want to see!
His feet moved on their own and stood before the screen. It did not actually show a clear picture of what was going on inside. The figure inside was moving so fast that Devon could only see a blur.
He was looking into a combat simulator, a very common machine used in this era. There are several types of simulators. The low grade ones are used for entertainment in amusements parks. The highest grade machines are used for training in the army. The one in front of him now was certainty one of the best. It displayed all the possible statistics such as the speed the figure was moving, the strength he was exerting, the combat styles, etc.
The figure inside was clearly human; this notion made Devon sigh in relief. From the scientist's report, he had assumed that his little brother had become a robot.
"Release him!" Devon glared at the team coldly, unconsciously emitting the aura he uses to command his vast empire. The crowd immediately went pale. One of them turned to the microphone connected to the simulator and called out, "Dark Sun, cease the fight, come out immediately."
As the man turned around after issuing the order he found himself under the Devon's terrifying glare. He hurriedly explained, "Mr Solaris, don't worry. Even though we can all give him orders, everything has been prioritised for you and your safety. Your commands overtake ours. If you command him to, he will respond only to your will. Even if the person looks the same as you it won't work because Dark Sun has already memorised your DNA."
Devon shifted his gaze to the screen again. Even though he could not see the face, the figure inside seemed to have the normal silhouette of a slender youth. Devon started to feel a little relieved, there did not seem to be any visible difference. If no knew about it, no one would notice that his little brother had been modified…
He would ensure that this secret did not leave this room. There would be none left to command didi!
The exit to the combat simulator opened. Devon was overwhelmed with anxiety and longing as he looked towards his little brother. When his eyes found him, tears threatened to fall. This was his little brother!
There was no way he could mistake him. He even thought that there was not much difference from what he looked like seven years ago. The only changes were that his face was longer, he no longer had his baby cheeks, and he was much taller than before, about 172cm.
Daren used to complain about his height when he was young and tended to chug down many glasses milk in the hopes to grow taller. Looks like he doesn't need to do that anymore, Devon almost chuckled at the thought.
Didi came and stood before him. Beside Devon who was approximately 187cm tall, his younger brother looked quite short.
Didi emotionlessly walked over to the scientist who had commanded him to come out. His posture was better than any soldier as he stood perfectly straight without moving an inch of his body.
Seeing that his little brother had not reacted, Devon could not help but call out, "Didi, don't you recognise me? I am your older brother."
Dark Sun still displayed no reaction, on the other hand, this comment had shocked the man with the cold look. He could hardly believe it. Devon actually said that Dark Sun was his little brother. Then this means that the person who ordered this experiment was actually the father of the specimen.
"You have to call him 'Dark Sun'," another scientist politely reminded Devon. "That's the call sign we gave him. Of course, you could change it if you wish by giving him the order to do so."
"What are you talking about!?" Devon yelled. He started to panic, the calm he displayed so far rapidly disappearing. He finally realised that the situation was not as simple as he had imagined. This would not be solved simply by killing everyone who knew about the modification done to didi, because his little brother was totally abnormal right now…
"Didi? Didi!" Devon called to the silent and rigid figure over and over but he never got an answer.
The person with the cold look could not bear to watch any longer and issued an order to "Dark Sun". "Turn around and confirm your top priority master."
Dark Sun turned around to look at Devon and responded impassively, "Confirming top priority master. Appearance: matched. Pupils: matched. First stage of confirmation completed without error. Initiating second stage of confirmation, DNA comparison initiated..."
"Didi…" Devon clutched at his chest, feeling his heart constrict in pain and anguish.
"Does Master wish to change the call sign?" Dark Sun asked, seeming a little confused at being called "didi". He showed a confused expression but his eyes were blank like a robot who had judged the situation and showed an appropriate expression.
"Change the call sign?" Devon could not take the blow, he lost all control over his emotions and yelled, "Why on earth would you need to change your name? Your name has never been changed, you are not Dark Sun; you are Daren Solaris, my only brother!"
"Daren Solaris. Name change completed. Also accepting "didi" as a nickname."
Devon's head swam, his heart no longer able to take the pain. His face was deathly pale. He had never thought that after seven years of endless searching, he would find himself reunited with a robot that only looked like didi. This was even more painful than seeing his corpse.
Suddenly, Devon's father moved. Picked up something sharp from the desk near him and aimed it at Devon. Hearing the gasps from the people around him, Devon looked up. The sharp object in his father's hand never reach him. Because before Devon could even react, his father was stopped by Daren who had moved incredibly fast while monotonously saying. "Attempt to murder top priority master detected. Target set to be eliminated."
As he spoke, Daren's morphed his hands into a spike and pierced through his father's chest without hesitation. Devon was stunned, he could not believe that his father would try to kill him.
"Why?" asked the man with the cold look. "You knew that there was no way you would succeed. Dark Sun won't hesitate to kill anyone who holds a threat towards his top priority master."
Devon froze.
His father chuckled dryly, streams of blood now flowing freely from his mouth. "Haha, I won't let my most precious child kill me. You are the captivating and dazzling sun, the perfect Solaris. I won't let you commit patricide. I won't let my death contaminate your hands. Let all the darkness and sins be carried by Dark Sun, the dark seed of evil who killed his own mother… hahaha…"
Bang!
Devon coldly shot a bullet through his father's head.
The bullet echo left silence in its wake. None of the scientists knew what to do. Devon watched his little brother pull his hand out of the corpse, letting the body fall to the ground. It was clear that his father would have died even if Devon had not pulled the trigger. Devon had failed to protect his little brother. Once again he had made him suffer.
But did cyborg didi care right now? The thought made his heart ache once again.
"Ah! Tears… Dark Sun…" the man with the cold look had felt no sadness for the dead man, he only felt sorry for the two brothers. When he turned to look at Dark Sun, he found something extraordinary…
Hearing him mutter, Devon was shocked. He had forced himself to look away from Daren, but now he turned towards him. His little brother still had no expression but why could he see two streams of tears on his face? Is this another mechanism that makes him shed tears when the situation demands it?
Devon gently stroked didi's face and said tenderly. "You shouldn't be so expressionless. Even with the simplest character design, you should have at least been able to match it with a sad expression."
"You will always be my beloved little brother… not Dark Sun, and I swear that I will protect you."
Without warning, Devon whipped out his hand gun and shot one of the scientists. Before the rest could react, two more fell. Devon turned around and took aim another man. Despite his desperate pleas for mercy, Devon rewarded him with a bullet to the heart.
The accuracy was chilling.
He continued until there was only a single scientist left alive. It was the man with the cold look. Before he could shoot the man calm spoke up. "Please wait. I know that I have no chance of escape. So why don't you listen to me, I have something to say about your little brother's condition."
Devon did not respond but he did not pull the trigger either. The gun remained poised at the man; Devon was afraid the man might suddenly try to attack and his brother would have to kill again.
"Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Theodore Avery, and I am a surgeon. In fact, I am responsible for all the surgeries that have taken place here." Theodore smiled. "Those guys were all on the theoretical side. They only have hypotheses and theories, none of them actually dared to do the actual work. So your father offered me quite a high salary to do it. My skills are of the highest calibre, but the people outside are offended by my work. So I ended up here."
Noticing Devon's impatience, Theodore changed the subject. "Since I accepted the high salary, I prepared myself to operate on something immoral. However, humans always manage to form bonds. Your little brother was a very good child. When he first arrived he used to cry a lot. But once he was told that he could return to his older brother after the experiment ends, he became very obedient. Operations which even adults couldn't bear, he managed to bear them all."
Theodore turned to look at Dark Sun and added, "Those theorists all thought that it was because he had high endurance. But I believe that it was actually his resolution that made him strong. It's his longing to see you that allowed him to survive."
As he listened to his little brother's past, Devon's expression softened and he was no longer impatient. He was eager to know how didi had lived during the past seven years, even though he aware that it must have been a terrible experience.
"The genetic and biological alterations to his body isn't that bad. He is still alive and gaining strength is no disadvantage either. Also his appearance is no different from a normal human"
"My brother is human!" said Devon, now enraged at the comment.
"Yes, of course. I am sorry." Theodore regretted this mistake and was relieved to see that Dark Sun had not reacted. "The actual problem the microchip in his brain, that what's making him act inhuman."
"And you are the one who put it there. You turned my little brother into a robot with your own two hands." Devon's face darkened, the hand holding the gun now shaking from anger.
"Yes, I did. If I didn't, they would find someone else to perform it instead." Theodore replied smoothly. Devon was at a loss for words.
The scientist sighed again, "If it was going to be done one way or another, then it might as well be me who did it. I was able to use my own theories to persuade those other scientists to make a little modification to the microchip."
"Modification?" Devon asked with curiousity.
"Yes… the actual function of the microchip is quite complex. I will simplify it for you. Just like the human brain there are different sections for each function. There's a certain section for emotions as well. I managed to persuade them to leave the emotion section intact but with a switch. I told them that perhaps you might prefer a bodyguard with feelings."
Devon's face lit up at the news. Theodore smiled and continued, "Those guys agreed but they insisted that the switch be controllable only by the top priority master. So issue the order to your didi now. Tell him to switch off the part that's controlling his emotions. Also, he hasn't forgotten you. He only followed orders that made him incapable of responding to you. Tell him to transfer his memory back from the hard disk and he will be able to remember you."
Devon did what he was told almost immediately. Dark Sun responded with a "Understood". There was a momentary silence before Dark Sun suddenly froze and fell forward. Devon used almost all his strength to turn him around. Dark Sun was not as normal as Theodore implied. His bones had been replaced with steel and the toughness of his muscles were far from ordinary. The small, fragile-looking body of his actually weighed 93 kg.
Seeing didi's reaction, Devon glared at Theodore, who shrugged again, "Perhaps the change was too major and he needed to restart?"
"Very good!" said Devon as he stood up slowly. In a chilling tone he continued, "Now I have no use for you."
Theodore raised his eyebrows. That Devon wished to erase all witnesses came as no surprise to the man. Calmly he replied, "I must warn you, that switching the emotion function off hasn't been tested yet. If any error occur and I am already dead because you shot me, your little brother won't have anyone to save him."
Devon hesitated, he did not know whether this was the truth. He did not want anyone to know about his little brother's secret nor did he wish to keep anyone who could command him alive.
"You should remember that your didi was made to protect you. Even if you order him not to protect you, he would still fight on your behalf. If there is any injury, no normal doctor can tend him." Theodore continued coldly. "Your little brother's muscle cannot be pierced even by the sharpest surgery knives. His body temperature and the frequency of his heartbeat do not match a normal human's. Not only will it be futile to go to normal doctors, but it will also reveal your brother's abnormality. Therefore, it is in your brother's interest to let me live."
Devon lowered his gun and looked at Theodore threateningly. "I won't kill you, but know this. If my brother's secret is leaked, your life will be forfeit. Don't even think about running away; with my power over the Solaris Federation, I can find you even if you hide away in the remotest of deserts."
Facing the man who has dominated most of the whole world's economy and had been a key player in the financial world since he was a teenager, even the nonchalant Theodore could not help but put on a serious face. "I understand, I won't tell anyone."
Devon walked back to didi and somehow managed to lift him up after exerting all the strength he could muster. Theodore wanted to help but gave up after receiving a fierce glare from Devon.
Devon walked with much difficulty, but he did not let go despite the enormous weight on his back and the long flight of stairs. No matter what happened, he would not let go.
I will protect you this time.
Notes:
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=1752037227950728211&postID=4903856686016297887#" name="izatte"></a>1Ezart: (or Izatte) his chinese name is 伊萨特, pronounced Yi Sa Te. We named him Izatte before, but the author just published his official English name (Ezart)
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=1752037227950728211&postID=4903856686016297887#" name="guy"></a>2The guy: refers to a student in class A, different from Ezart's class. Previously this was mistranslated to refer to Ezart.
If that’s the case, then I can’t go into battle... Daren thought. From the corner of his eyes, Daren suddenly spied a simple suit with virtually no defensive capabilities. It was a pink shirt with matching jeans and knee-high boots. Its most important aspect was the protective visor.
Let the cows graze: meaning slacker. So the Ezart and Devon are in the "slacker class"
<a href="http://www.revolvermaps.com/?target=enlarge&i=6sa4ynnxm6r&color=a00000&m=1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" class="vt-p"><img alt="Map" height="26" src="http://rg.revolvermaps.com/h/b/26/6sa4ynnxm6r.png" style="border: 0px none;" width="26" /></a>
"This is not the most pressing issue at the moment, Solaris Emperor."
"Oh?" Devon Solaris perused the long menu in his hand, wondering which of the two his little brother would prefer for dinner. "What is the most pressing issue at the moment then, Bill<a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/05/eclipse-hunter-chapter-6.html#katara">1</a>?"
The solemn secretary flipped through his events list and reported evenly, "Solaris Emperor, my name is Kyle<a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/05/eclipse-hunter-chapter-6.html#katara">2</a>, and the most pressing issue now is to reply to the terrorist's demands. Although an explosion would not affect this special office, many of our staff would be hurt; the company would then descend into stagnation and our reputation would be severely damaged."
"Oh? Isn't this something that the security personnel should sort out?" Devon raised an eyebrow, slightly displeased, "What are the security guards doing? First they lock me in here, not allowing me to go home, and now they can't even handle the situation? Tell the highest security executive to come see me!"
"The highest security executive was shot dead when he was activating the emergency lock down button for your office. I'm afraid he is unable to see you," Kyle said calmly as he typed "Searching for a Security Executive" in the vacancy section on his iPad.
"Oh?" Devon's eyes never left the menu. He then thought of something and said, "Remember to publicise it when we compensate the executive's family. Don't let the media run a story calling me a bloodless, tearless vampire."
Kyle paused in his typing, and threw a strange glance at Devon. Cold-blooded, heartless Solaris Emperor..... this is already well known to the public. As his personal assistant, Kyle could definitely attest to the claim that the Solaris Emperor was irrefutably cold-blooded and heartless. Losing an employee only meant the delay of a work process, not the loss of a life.
But people were still willing to work for the Solaris Emperor because of a few perks: his generous salary and bonuses, comprehensive welfare benefits, and a fair reward and punishment system. The executive who had selflessly activated the emergency lock down button probably knew that even if he died, the compensation would be enough to feed his family for a few generations, especially since he was protecting the life of the Solaris Emperor himself. Kyle made a few calculations. The compensation will at least be in the tens of millions.
"Kyle?" Devon asked impatiently after not having received a reply.
"Yes, I understand," Kyle responded promptly as he realised he was spacing out. But he was still baffled. Solaris Emperor had never been concerned about his own reputation. Even when he was painted as a bloodless, tearless vampire, he never had any inclination to dispel any misconceptions, so why was he now......?
Mm, didi must be hearing a lot of rumours outside. I can't be a bad example to didi. Devon put serious thought into building his image as a good person.
Kyle's attention was drawn to the news report on his iPad. After watching it for awhile, he heaved a sigh. Looks like today's matter won't be settled without a few thousand deaths. Kyle felt pity for these people. The reporter said, "Solaris Emperor, the terrorists are giving you an hour. If you aren't out by then, the entire building will be destroyed."
"Is that so?"
Devon Solaris frowned. A difficult situation had emerged, just when he had made up his mind to be a good example. Logically, he should not care about it and just stay in the specially constructed office where he would remain unharmed. Besides, if he were to really die, the resulting global financial crisis would be the real disaster......
However, thousands of lives were currently hanging in the balance. Devon massaged his temples saying, "Alright, I'll go out."
As expected, he cares only for his own life... Kyle thought absentmindedly. Wait a second, what did he just say? He hastily mumbled, "Begging your pardon, Solaris Emperor, but could you perhaps repeat what your decision was?"
Devon raised an eyebrow. "I said, I will go out."
Kyle gaped. Although he reserved some criticism for the Solaris Emperor's indifference, he didn't really wish for him to head out. If the Solaris Emperor were to lose his life... It would be no joke, the entire world's economy would be in turmoil - the extent of the aftermath would be truly devastating.
"No Sir, you can't go out there! It's too dangerous! If anything were to happen to you, the entire economy would collapse!" Kyle loudly protested as he hastily stood up.
Devon was already standing and waved dismissively. "Don't worry, aren't they just terrorists? Just give them all the money they want. Even if they were hired by my enemies, I am confident I can give them ten times the amount and change their loyalties at the last moment."
"But, but..." Kyle protested, still worried.
"Kyle..." Devon abruptly turned around to ask, "Do you have a younger brother?"
"Eh? No, I don't..." Kyle stared with wide eyes. Today, it seemed as if something was not quite right with the Solaris Emperor. Not only was his behaviour completely out of character, he was also asking about irrelevant things at this crucial moment.
"Sometimes, for the sake of the younger brother, the older brother has no choice but to commit foolish acts." Devon smiled briefly. "Just stay here. When I'm not around, the Solaris Federation will depend on you to keep it functioning."
"I understand," Kyle said, feeling moved for the first time. This was the leader of the Solaris Federation, his leader.
Devon pressed the release button to the office and slowly stepped out...
On the streets, a hovercraft bike was racing past, weaving in and out between cars. The rider was heading straight for the nearby skyscraper. In truth, this was the tallest building in Asia, one of five head quarters belonging to the Solaris Federation.
The rider stopped before he neared the building; there were too many civilians and too much media coverage. If he were to charge into the skyscraper in front of the media, the terrorists would be the first to realise. Even the the most dim-witted, third-rate thief knew to use the seamless media coverage to monitor police movements and the situation outside.
"Oh! My god! Dark Sun, your stupid idiot brother actually walked out of the office. Get up there quick - they look like they are planning to abduct him from the roof."
Theodore Avery's agitated voice sounded from the ear piece which he had prepared specially for Dark Sun. Theodore was in charge of monitoring the current situation and relaying it to Daren so that he could make the optimal judgement.
Dark Sun briefly noted his surroundings. Since the skyscraper in question was the tallest among the surrounding structures, he would be unable to gain direct access to the roof via a neighbouring building. In that case, he would have to resort to a different method.
Dark Sun swerved his hoverbike to a halt beside a building closest in height to his target and swiftly entered the building, ascending via the elevator to the top floor. It was a couple of levels below the roof, but this slight difference in height was hardly an obstacle for what he was about to attempt.
"Did you make a reservation, Sir?"
The waiter approached dutifully. This was a high class restaurant, but the customer before him was wearing an exceptionally unusual yet simple, fitted top, with trousers tucked into his long boots. He was also disregarding basic etiquette by wearing his shades indoor. However, the waiter noticed that although this patron's clothes looked casual, the workmanship was intricate, the material of fine quality, and the boots handmade from a renowned brand.
"Is there a big window from which you can see that building over there?" Dark Sun asked.
The waiter, assuming that Dark Sun only wanted a window seat, replied courteously, "Of course, this way please."
The waiter led Dark Sun before a full length window. A simple square table was placed before it. The waiter gracefully pulled out the seat for Dark Sun, but the latter seemed to have no intention of sitting down. The smile froze on the waiter's face, unsure of this patron's intentions.
Dark Sun looked out the window, this was certainly a good position. The building was tall enough, and coincidentally was in the shadow cast by his target. This would hide his silhouette from the spectators below.
Steel wings. Activate!
The malleable steel seeped from his bone marrows, forming the frame of his wings. Two pieces of feather-like steel pierced through his shirt bilaterally. Like a fledgling spreading its wings in fast forward, the steel feathers fanned out. In hardly a minute, wings spanning 6 metres had emerged from Daren's back.
"A... an... angel!" The waiter stumbled and fell backwards in shock, staring blankly at the winged patron.
Dark Sun turned around and gave an emotionless smile. "Wrong. I'm a demon."
The waiter continued to stare witlessly at those wings and realised that the seemingly soft feathers had become razor sharp. Is he really a demon?
Dark Sun lunged towards the window and smashed through the full length glass panel... Waiters and others rushed towards the commotion...
All they saw was a demon flying in the pale blue sky with an ethereal beauty.
"Interesting...... you're really not accepting my suggestion?"
Devon was slightly perturbed, but he still maintained his carefree appearance. To think that these people were completely unmoved despite the numerous lucrative conditions he had offered to undermine their relationship with their employers. Nothing seemed to be working, a fact that greatly surprised Devon.
Traversing the business world from a tender age had earned Devon quite a few achievements. Debating, compromising, undermining were akin to breathing for him. Even a seasoned old hand could not escape from his grasp, so why was this small group of terrorists so persistent?
"Move!" A few hoodlums roughly dragged Devon along.
"Don't touch me!" Devon roared in fury, the majesty of the Solaris Emperor flaring up. He laughed coldly, " You don't have the qualifications to touch me. I can walk by myself."
He shook off the terrorist's arm and walked with regal grace towards the helicopter.
"What's that?" asked one of the terrorists when he noticed a suspicious object in the sky. It was hard to tell what it was. It seemed like a bird but was too big to be one.
He didn't need to think much further since the flying object in question seemingly withdrew its wings and plunged vertically downwards, landing heavily on the roof. Daren Solaris left a deep footprint on the concrete where he landed.
Devon was a little surprised. He turned around to see what could have "fallen" onto the rooftop of the country's tallest skyscraper... A human? He blinked. Isn't that silhouette somewhat familiar?
The terrorists were struck dumb. They were unable to comprehend how a human could just fall from the sky.
"Who are you? Get away from that man!" The terrorist shouted, his massive machine gun already raised.
The other terrorists, sensing the situation, raised their weapons as well.
"Get on the helicopter," Dark Sun muttered to Devon.
"D-"
Dar!? Devon abruptly stopped himself from completing the name, as he recognised his little brother. Why is Dar here?
"Hurry up!" Dark Sun growled, turning his head slightly.
Devon frowned but climbed into the helicopter as instructed. But isn't this the terrorists' helicopter?
The terrorists were probably thinking the same thing and hence did not bother stopping Devon from getting in. But the moment Devon climbed inside, Dark Sun slammed the door shut, and broke the handle. He then whipped out his gun from the holster and killed the pilot to prevent the helicopter from taking off.
But the show was just starting. Dark Sun had asked his brother to enter the helicopter because its bullet proof material and could protect him from stray bullets. He had also destroyed the handle to prevent the terrorists from seizing Devon, and last but not least...
Dar!? Devon pounded the bullet proof glass of the helicopter and pulled on the door with all his might, but it had been jammed shut by Dark Sun and was impossible to release.
…to prevent gege from rushing out to protect him... Dark Sun silently laughed at the thought.
Excluding Devon Solaris, there were twenty odd terrorists and Dark Sun remaining on the roof. Watching Dark Sun execute the pilot infuriated the gang and since their target was somewhere safe, they no longer had any restrictions. The nearest muscular terrorist roared as he sprayed bullets at Dark Sun from his heavy machine gun.
Dark Sun revealed a mirthless smile as he rapidly dodged the onslaught. The ground was pockmarked from the gunfire, but not a single bullet had touched Dark Sun.
Dark Sun was aware that the ultimate strategy for fighting a mass of people was to create confusion. He dashed speedily among the terrorists, causing a few to fire reflexively. The shots missed Dark Sun and instead hit their own. Soon enough quite a few people were lying on the ground groaning.
"Stop! Stop!" one of them yelled, recognising the unfavourable situation.
Realizing that they were harming their own, they quickly ceased fire. It was a pointless move because Dark Sun did not allow them any time to strategise. He immediately protracted razor sharp steel claws and with only a few swipes, people soundlessly crumpled to the floor.
Everyone was shocked. Some started shooting at Dark Sun again, but he dodged behind one of the terrorists, directing all fire at the unsuspecting human shield. Once his human shield was riddled with holes, Dark Sun would dodge behind another person. If the terrorists ceased fire, Dark Sun simply went on the offensive; the flash of his steel claws became the stuff of nightmares. Within moments, there were only ten left standing.
The terrorists ceased fire once again, but this time when Dark Sun made a swiped at a throat all he cut was air.
This was the first time he had made a mistake since leaving the laboratory. If he were the emotionless android that he had been before, he would not have had any reaction other than to follow up with another attack. However, now that his emotional switch was activated, he was slightly taken aback. During this brief period of hesitation, the terrorist had turned around and with a swift slash, which Dark Sun was unable to avoid completely, opened a gash on his arm.
Dark Sun paid no attention to his wound, but instead fixed his gaze on his attacker. The opponent was wielding a kris. It's blade was curved like a snake in motion and created a larger wound than a regular dagger.
Among the ten remaining, five of the terrorists discarded their guns in favour of various exotic weapons. There was a pair of ancient katara<a href="http://novel.oddsquad.org/2011/05/eclipse-hunter-chapter-6.html#katara">3</a>, a massive morning star, a flail with an extremely long chain, a scythe and a double-headed battle axe.
It was just like a weapon exhibit. Dark Sun became grim. There was something amiss. In normal circumstances, modern hoodlums were only armed with guns and maybe an additional dagger. Yet here were five people wielding weapons which could only be found in exhibitions.
In addition, the vibe that these people were emitting was different from the garden variety of hoodlums. However, Dark Sun was unable to pinpoint exactly what it meant. While he was contemplating these oddities, the five lunged forwards. The foremost was the double-headed axe wielder with bulging muscles.
The steel claws were too fine to block heavy weapons of this kind. Dark Sun decided to dodge the blows of the axe and opted to target his opponent's weaknesses instead.
Dark Sun nimbly spun on his leg, avoiding the swing of the axe while moving close to the attacker. The fatal claws were mere millimeters from the terrorist's throat when the kris arced towards Dark Sun's hand forcing him to withdraw rapidly. Sensing the danger approaching from behind, he hastily turned in time to narrowly avoid the morning star brushing against his arm.
He realized that the three people surrounding him had skills above par. Their coordination and team work were admirable and put him at a great disadvantage. He retreated a few steps, as he considered using his gun to resolve the situation. Before he could act upon it, he felt a strong killing intent from behind. He reflexively spun on his leg as the katara almost stabbed his chest. In a flash, Dark Sun grabbed the blade of the katara with both hands. His strength kept the terrorist stock still.
Although, both his hands were occupied with grasping the weapon, Dark Sun was not troubled. He raised his right leg and solidly kicked the terrorist, sending him flying five metres away. Most people would immediately go unconscious after receiving such a kick.
"Agh!"
Dark Sun's right arm was suddenly clobbered. He remembered then that there was another long range flail wielder. His thirst for blood unquenched by the successful sneak attack, the man struck again. However, this time Dark Sun was prepared. There was no way he was going to let this terrorist get away with it a second time. He latched onto the flail with unerring accuracy, and began rotating it in order to fling the terrorist away.
By then, the other three terrorists had reappeared. Brandishing their weapons, they launched intense attacks. The steel claws alone were insufficient for fending off these weapons. In addition, it was difficult to win with speed alone when surrounded by four opponents. Dark Sun felt pressured for the first time.
No! Dark Sun felt something was off kilter. Even at a battle school like Yelan Academy he could defeat so many with his speed, there was no reason for him to feel pressured in a fight with only five people.
While he was blocking the blows, he began analysing with his microchip. Within the exchanges of a few blows, he analysed that the speed and strength of these five people were three times that of a normal person.
Strength can indeed be increased exponentially with intense training. But increasing speed was no simple matter. It was possible to increase one's speed by 50%. However, to be three times faster than normal… one would require a talent found in only one in million. How could there be five of them together at the same place?
The present circumstances did not permit Dark Sun further rumination. He could only note down his suspicions and continue battling the five curious individuals.
Soon enough the assassin that had been kicked aside stood up and rejoined the fray, causing Dark Sun's position to become even more unfavourable.
Although he was inflicting damage on his opponents, wounds gradually accumulated on Dark Sun's body. The worst injury was the initial wound inflicted by the flail which was impeding the movements of his right arm. For someone who relied on intricate movements and superhuman speed like Dark Sun, it was a severe problem.
"Didi! Didi!" Seeing his little brother injured, Devon picked up a small fire extinguisher and repeatedly bashed it against the bullet proof window with all his might. However, the helicopter window was so thick that it could not be shattered. But even then Devon refused to give up, and continued bashing it violently...
Ring ring...
Devon paused and looked towards his mobile phone. He originally wanted to ignore the ringing, but the ring tone indicated that it was from home. The only person who would call from home would be Theodore Avery. Devon paused and answered the phone.
"Devon?" It was indeed Theodore's voice.
"You!" Devon roared in anger, "Why did you let Dar come? Do you know he's hurt?"
"Eh… I know. But that's not the crux. Dark Sun wanted me to deliver weapons. I am already in the building, but was stopped by the policemen. Think of a solution quickly, or Dark Sun will receive even more severe injuries."
- Chapter 6 END ********************