Chapter 178 - To The Ancient

Teren went home first and changed clothes again. This time, he picked a different hat. Having something to cover part of your face while being inconspicuous is just too convenient for him.

He didn't know that he was nicknamed 'hat guy' last time. But even if he knew, he would still wear one. This was just an attempt for formality.

SSDA, I'm still hiding my identity.

It's best not to provoke the bee nest too much. Afterward, he met up with Uncle Jo and entered his car.

'I didn't know he had a car.'

Teren thought but didn't ask. After all, these gangsters once controlled most of the underground businesses in the city. Furthermore, it's not that rare to have a car.

In front of the Heren City Prison, inmates have now been set free.

"The road! How many years has it been since I saw the road!?"

A one of the Beta group dropped on his knees to kiss the ground.

"Bah! It's hot out here!"

Another complained. It's mid-noon and everyone looked at the person kissing at the burning road while holding their lips. But it's not that they don't understand him. This person has been to jail for years longer than anyone has so it's rather understandable.

In front of the Beta Group that consisted of five men, Alph stood with a nervous look.

"Leader, are you not happy?"

The First Beta asked.

"Not happy? I'm... I'm just shocked!"

Alph smiled and his expression turning that to a suave, he turned to them.

"But we are out here for a job, do not forget that."

"How about them, leader, why are they out?"

The one who kissed the ground pointed at the three men near them.

"Oh, them? They will be important."

Alph just left it with that.

"But the Handwing Gang is finally letting us in. I thought they're our enemy. I can't believe I've been hating them for so long."

The First Beta laughed. Now that they are all out, they wanted to thank the Handwing Gang which they didn't know was already dissolved and had turned into a much fearful organization.

"They've changed..."

Alph cooly replied.

"But leader... are we going to be fine? From what I learned, the Devil Himself is... back!"

One of the five said in frantic.

"Why are you acting like a coward!?"

The First Beta reprimanded.

"But it's the Devil Himself himself!"

"Not funny... but yeah, you're right... it is the Devil Himself, the one who got us into actual hiding, the one who reformed the Handwing Gang on his own, and the one who defeated the Ogre."

While the First Beta was speaking, the second group besides them was listening.

Derek and Matthew glanced at Mesi at their back and saw his grim expression. They were still in shock at why they were let out. Even Derek didn't have any idea how the reason for it. Does this mean that Teren didn't fear Mesi?

Well, that's reasonable, Teren has yet to see Mesi's power... but the same could also be said to the three of them. They have only heard rumors. They don't know the AWR which stands for Aberrant's Worldwide Ranking but they do know that the Handwing Gang should be the toughest in Heren City yet they were controlled by a seventeen-year-old.

"Who do you think I am?"

Alph placed his hands on his newly-acquired fur coat. With a confident smile on his face, his men gazed at him with admiration.

"Looks like we don't have anything to worry about. Leader is the Alpha, after all."

"He must've got a plan or something..."

"Heh!" Alph rubbed his nose and at the same time, a car parked by in front of them.

Even though this is a highway, only a few cars have passed by. This is not a popular route and therefore, the parked car is conspicuous.

"Alph, get in!"

Uncle Jo lowered the car window to shout at Alph from the other side of the road. Everyone's attention was placed on him.

Even Mesi's group saw the kid with a hat beside Uncle Jo.

'Is he testing Mesi?'

Derek immediately knew that the kid with the hat is Teren.

Alph strode through the highway and opened the car door as if it's his.

Thud*

But the moment the door closed. Alph's relaxed position immediately turned stiff. Uncle Jo smirked at his little act after peeking through the front mirror. However, the person who made Alph act this way is the kid with a hat on the passenger's seat at the front. This person didn't even look back but Alph was already sweating.

"So, aren't you going to point a direction?"

Uncle Jo said while being aware that this Alpha was already under their control.

With a stiff expression, Alph told them where to go.

'The Devil Himself still has some use on me. I don't think he will randomly kill me.'

He positively thought but at the same time, he gulped.

When the car revved away, the Beta Group waited for a bus to arrive. They cautiously looked at Mesi's group as they have already been warned. Unfortunately for them, a bus only arrived about an hour later.

At the same time, Teren has arrived at their destination. The place was not near the fields but was not far either. Normally, anyone would feel the goosebumps thinking that they have been so close near a monster, the Aberrant who ranks second in the AWR, two spots higher than the Devil Himself, the Ancient.

However, Teren himself is a fellow monster in Uncle Jo and Alph's eyes.

Leading the way, Alph was turning crazy from how much pressure and anxiety he endured during that one hour of traveling. Right now, he had to lead them to the place to make him feel relieved.

'Where is it? Where is it? Shit! It's been years since I last went here. Remember it!'

But as he internally panicked, Alph gasped.

"Here it is! This old tree- I mean, greetings, Ancient. Forgive me for the sudden intrusion but I have brought visitors!"

Alph kneeled in front of an old tree without leaves. The tree seemed to be withering but was still standing. It's neighboring trees were farther from it that they were to each other. In other words, the tree was weird and that should be expected if the tree is an Aberrant.

"Uncle Jo, take Alph away from here."

Teren asked. Looking at the tree, he immediately sensed danger.