Chapter 259 - Backup

Oldren gasped in shock while the others were unable to follow.

'Only a few of us heard that back in the Central.'

He thought and since Teren has a familiar face, there were no longer doubts that he is the Devil Himself. 

"But, why are do you only have one Spirit, right now?"

"It's complicated... Ivan might know since he attended a meeting between some important people, right, Eron?"

"Grr... Ivan." Oldren muttered in anger with a slight shame that no one had noticed, not even Teren.

"Going back to the topic, can I decide what compensation and reward I'll get."

Teren said which Oldren comment-

"So straightforward..."

Which none knew except himself if it's a praise or not.

"I would like a full backup during the Spirit War."

"Full backup... and against who?"

Oldren asked. He had been in a coma for a while so he's not as updated as back then.

"Against who?" Teren repeated with a frown since he didn't there's any specific enemy, but if he were to guess, "... I guess, the SSDA..."

"The SSDA?" Oldren raised an eyebrow, looking at Teren as if he's mad. But this is the Devil Himself he's talking about. Although the Devil Himself looked tamer than he saw back then, there's no doubt that this boy is dangerous.

"... the other four Houses..."

"Wait,"

Oldren almost jumped from his seat when he heard Teren was not finished. And against his expectations, Teren was still not finished.

"And, I guess, everyone within the AWR and CWR."

"... that's impossible."

Oldren unhesitatingly declined Teren's suggestion after a pause.

"I'd rather give you Eron than risk the destruction of my House."

"What? Why me..?"

Eron muttered but he was ignored.

"Okay, if I don't get that, I don't need anything."

Teren said without regret or frustration.

"Oy, wait, Teren, at least get something."

Trisha said and elbowed him but he shook his head.

"No, just treat it as nothing."

"Are you sure? Saving my life is a big deal. Unfortunately, my life does not equal the whole Drago House. You're not ambitious, what you're saying is literally going against the whole world. Just the third ranker in the AWR, the Million Blades is enough to obliterate the whole Drago House, what more for the Ancient and the Empress?"

Oldren didn't include the first rankers since those who he included are already enough to annihilate them in seconds.

"No, it's fine. I can deal with them on my own."

"Tse!" Oldren finally snapped as he does easily, "You're already in a sorry state against my house, how much more against those monsters!? Furthermore, Dehian should still be on your back. I'm already risking a lot by letting you here. What if she thinks that I'm colluding with you?"

"Brother, we are already colluding with him."

Eron said with a complicated expression. He then narrated why they invited Teren in the first place. Instead of just being angry, Oldren palmed his face.

"We're in deep shit now, huh..."

"But Teren, didn't you say that you repelled Dehian once?"

Eron looked at Teren, asking for assistance. Although many things are still confusing for Eron, at the very least, he realized that Teren is not an enemy but instead, their savior.

"You did? Is that why you got weaker?"

Oldren analyzed while Teren didn't know how to answer that question.

"It's... complicated."

"Pft-... complicated."

Trisha covered her lips as she chuckled and repeated what Teren said. For her, this was amusing since knew about more than half of the story between Teren and Dehian.

"Complicated..."

Surprisingly, Oldren no longer commented.

Afterward, Teren bid them farewell which surprised everyone. He was so nonchalant about it that it actually made Oldren and Eron feel anxiety.

When they were about to see Teren off, Oldren then noticed the painful expression on First.

"Loar, is there something wrong?"

"Uh... nothing, my injury just hurts. I need time to heal."

She said in pain as she held her belly. After seeing her father alive, she was so relieved that she temporarily forgot the pain. However, it's been an hour or so already since she felt the pain and it was becoming unbearable.

"Now that I remember it. You should go get checked by a doctor, Teren has solidly punched you back then."

Eron felt guilty forgetting something like that. However, it was not his fault. He initially thought that everyone was massacred by the Devil Himself so comparing that to First receiving just one punch made it seem so little.

"What?" a vein popped out of Oldren's forehead as he lifted First's shirt without her permission.

"-Ah!?"

First tried to cover the giant bruise on her stomach but Oldren only needs a split second to see how severe that injury is. If not for the fact that First is specially trained, this would've been a mortal injury for her.

Meanwhile, Teren, who chose to walk out of the Drago House, along with Trisha suddenly heard something from behind.

The two of them looked behind them and saw a dragon-like figure descending from the skies. Teren's eyes widened, he couldn't believe this happened. After all he did? What did he do wrong?

However, there was no time to think.

"Get out of the way!"

Teren then tried to push Trisha away since he knew no one would be able to survive that meteor-like object once it reached the ground.

But Trisha didn't let herself get pushed away, she decisively pulled Teren's arm and hugged him before putting all of her ghoulish energy into her defense.

Sensing this, Teren used burst healing on Trisha to compensate for the rapid energy loss.

"DEVIL! HOW DARE YOU HURT MY DAUGHTER!!"

"Tsk, because of that?"

Teren clicked his tongue in annoyance. If he didn't do that earlier, he would only be a roasted body right now. He didn't forget how hotheaded the Drago Lord is, however, he didn't think that he would react so much for his daughter.

Teren could only gamble on Trisha as he tried to shield her from the incoming impact. At the very least, he would be able to survive becuase of this Spirit of Healing. But Trisha might not even though the barrier came from her.

Sensing that Teren was really trying to protect her, Trisha tried to hold onto him tighter.

The temperature of the air rapidly rose. The tips of the trees that were not caught in fire turned into cinders.

The behemoth of flame was about to reach them.

Fwoosh*

Then the sound of fire extinguishing could be heard....