Chapter 188: Attack 29

Noel watched Kil's lifeless body before he rolled away and brought himself to safety. The soldiers who witnessed their captain's death all screamed in anger and demanded revenge. In some sense, Noel was thankful that Kil didn't have any of his soldiers help him. If Noel had to fight Kil and the soldiers, Noel wouldn't have made it so easily.

Now that Noel has killed Kil, he debated what to do now. Help the others? Noel knew that Xavi was dead, Nana, Susa and Mika would also die. And Noel? His death was inevitable as well.

He had no idea how he'd die but Susa was sure that he was going to die. So, before then, Noel had to be at least of some help to Lia, right?

Lia. The name made it past his lips, sticky as honey and sweet as it tasted. Overly sweet. Noel knew what he felt for Lia wasn't what he felt for everyone else. It was something else.

Something way above that. A desire that yearned for more but had to be suppressed. He has been there for Lia since the beginning and wanted to be there until the end. Was it too much to ask?

He has seen her cold, vigilant, hostile attitude, seen her care, her sadness, her sorrow and her smile, all that she had to offer, he bore witness to it all and stood with her all along.

Even if she saw him as a teasing jokester, all he wanted was to make her feel better. Since when did he feel that way? Since when did he become aware of it?

Was it on the day when he had to part with Lia after they were done with the facility? When he left and it was painfully clear he missed her company? When he saw her again in front of his house where she fell into his arms and cried? Sought his embrace, sought him out?

Noel didn't know when it happened but it happened and all of it contributed to it. Noel wanted to stay with Lia. With everyone else. He didn't want to die. No one wanted it. Having to live with the knowledge of dying any second and not being able to see the person he wanted was terrifying.

Noel could still feel Lia's frail body in his arms and closed his eyes. He'd do anything to make their goal come true.

Gripping his fist, Noel ripped his eyes open and an intense surge took over his body. Taking a deep breath and relaxing his body, Noel started to ravage his way through the oncoming soldiers who wanted him to pay with blood. If Noel could get rid of as many soldiers as possible in the plaza, he hoped it would aid Lia.

Loud explosions rained onto the plaza. Corpses fell left and right. Fire mingled with energy, light rings and holes appeared on the once majestic plaza of the palace that was heaven's endorsement.

The capital, a beautiful fleeting dream was now crowned as the devil's nightmare. Too brutal to witness, too horrifying to see and too dangerous to set a foot in.

Yet a sole person, no matter how strong, couldn't fight alone against the hundreds of soldiers that poured out like a wave. Skin bruised, clothes torn and eyes narrowed, Noel has truly exhausted himself.

Seeing the oncoming soldiers multiply by each second, Noel decided that this should not be his burial ground. Luring the soldiers away was the last thing he could do.

Or Noel could straight charge at the palace to create more chaos. Dying in the throne hall, wasn't this a much more bearable sight? Noel knew that it might be the wrong decision. That this choice might be the one leading him to doom while the other could let him live for a bit longer but in the end-

It didn't matter.

His death was already set in stone. With this in mind, Noel charged through the masses. Activating his speed ability and having fire rings surrounding him, Noel managed to force his way straight to the palace.

The soldiers ran after him but didn't dare to get to close as the fire burnt badly on the skin. They were sure they could hold off Noel from charging into the palace. The heavy gate was closed, but they would've never imagined that even while the gate was right before him, Noel didn't slow down. Instead with the fire and his speed, he dared to tear down the heavy gate like a bulldozer.

As the iron doors fell to the ground with a loud and cavernous sound that rang in everyone's ears, the soldiers briefly stopped. Yet their shock was enough for Noel to reach the entrance of the palace that was yet to be tainted with innocent blood.

Past the entrance, the wide hallways out of marble really let everything else pale in comparison. Noel's mansion could never hold a candle to this crowned jewel that took the Immortal World as its treasure box to shine.

The white marbled floor echoed with each step Noel took. As beautiful as the hallway was, it was void of anything but the few plants that desperately tried to breathe life into it.

Surprisingly no soldier came after Noel. As if they were swallowed by the gate and thrown into another dimension. Yet Noel didn't bother with it. The palace was a huge maze and he had to be careful not to run into anyone and at the same time find his way to the Ghost King.

He knew it was absurd but if he was able to harm Min at least a bit, then Noel could be reassured to leave the world. Holding himself close to the walls, Noel felt the rough yet comfortable surface gliding under his fingers.

"I've seen your immense potential, I'm impressed," just before Noel was in front of another hallway to his right, a lanky man appeared and smiled at Noel.

It was a knowing smile but also one that looked down on others as if he had something to hide and could play others like a puppet in his palms.

Noel instantly stepped back and sized the male in front of him up. Noel knew he'd come across someone but this person was no soldier. He looked too proper and too full of himself. Noel guessed he was one of the confidants of the Ghost King. Not one of the family's.

Noel was ready to fight but the male held his hand up, "I'm the Ghost King's personal assistant. I won't do harm to you, if you could, there's something I'd like to discuss."

It was clearly suspicious. There was no way the assistant wouldn't know that Noel was from the hidden families. Wasn't the first reaction to get him detained or killed? Noel was sure that the Ghost King wouldn't let any of the hidden families alive, which meant that the assistant had his own agenda. Why else would he want to discuss with Noel? There was nothing to be discussed.

"If I don't come with you?" just one glance at the assistant and Noel could see that he had no combat experience. The possibility of him not having any powers was also 90%. Noel could easily take care of him.

"I think it'd be in your favour to take on my offer," the assistant's smile grew wider. He didn't press Noel but also didn't back off.

The unease grew but at the same time, the curiosity rose. Was Noel naïve to believe that the assistant might've waited for someone to get into the palace, so the assistant could plot the death of the Ghost King together with them?

Was it really possible that this guy would want the Ghost King dead? It wasn't unusual to hear of someone's subject planning their superior's downfall. It might not be an exaggeration to say it was common.

"Does the Ghost King know what you're doing?"

The assistant was now grinning as if he knew what went through Noel's mind and wanted to confirm it, "Of course not. The Ghost King does not know of it. It'd be in both of our interest, I assume."

The assistant turned around and said, "Please follow me. Rest assured no one will see you."

He didn't even need to wait for Noel's agreement but straight away turned around, confident that Noel would follow him. After all, the assistant knew that Noel couldn't let such an opportunity go.

As for what the assistant's real intention was, it'd remain a mystery, but he for sure wasn't as loyal to Min as he let on. Everyone had their own motives. If it happened to align with someone else's then that was when a plan was hatched to let both parties attain their goal. Through one way or another.

Through the white marbled palace, the assistant brought Noel to the very end of the right side. An area that could only be entered by pouring someone's life force into the door. Seeing the ensemble of doors, it was clear that this was the housing quarter of the staff.

No one was present and the assistant led Noel to the left and stopped in front of a door. Once inside, Noel could see it was a plain bedroom. The assistant's. But instead of sitting at the table, the assistant put his hand on the wall and a secret door appeared.

At the end of the door was a large stone room. Dark and eerie.

In the midst of it was a glass vitrine. The size of a person, surrounded and connected to an abundance of tubes, all coming from the darkness. Its origin unknown.