CHAPTER 35: The Negotiation of Power
Max sat in the middle of a cold metallic chamber. The walls glowed faintly with blue runes, humming like whispers from another world. His cell was a tall glass cylinder, large enough for him to stand but too small for him to walk more than a few steps. The glass reflecting a faint golden energy that made it almost impossible to break. On the outside, a group of researchers and soldiers watched him closely from behind computers and rune-screens.
Max raised his hand and slammed it against the glass. "Hey! Can anyone hear me?!"
His voice echoed within the cylinder, but no one outside reacted. They couldn't hear him. The cell was soundproof. Every shout he made was swallowed by the shimmering light that surrounded him. He tried again, punching the glass with all his strength. A faint crack appeared, only to seal itself back within seconds.
Max dropped to his knees, panting. "Dammit… what's happening to me…"
He could still feel the centipede spirit within his back slumbering, restrained by the silver chains and glowing seals wrapped across his spine. The artifact they placed on him was powerful, binding his new power like invisible ropes made of pure magic.
Outside, a few guards whispered to each other.
"Did you see what he did at the school?"
"Yeah. One kid against an S ranker. He survived. That's not normal."
"He didn't just survive," another muttered, "he...."
As the guards murmured, the large metal door to the control room slid open.
Darius walked in.
His golden armor glowed faintly under the white lights, feathers of pure energy shifting behind his shoulders like wings that could shred the sky. The entire room straightened at his presence. He didn't even look at them as he approached the main console.
"Status?" he asked coldly.
"Subject is stable," one of the scientists replied nervously. "The artifact has sealed about ninety-five percent of his energy output, but it's… adapting."
Darius narrowed his eyes. "Adapting?"
"Yes, sir. The energy is… alive. It's trying to eat the seal. If the artifact weakens, it could...."
"Explode?" Darius finished, his tone sharp.
The scientist swallowed. "Yes, sir."
Darius chuckled softly. "Then make sure it doesn't." He turned to face the cell. Max stared back at him, eyes tired but filled with silent rage.
"You're a dangerous one," Darius muttered, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Even your silence is loud."
He turned to the officers behind him. "Get your higher-ups on call. I'm not waiting all day."
One of the officials hesitated. "Sir, they're already waiting for you in the main conference room."
"Good," Darius said, brushing his coat. "Let's discuss payment for saving your people."
The conference room of the central government base was massive, lined with holographic tables, shimmering blue screens, and transparent walls that displayed the wide city below.
Darius stood with his arms crossed, surrounded by ten officials. Their uniforms were crisp, but the exhaustion on their faces showed weeks of sleepless stress.
"You've caused chaos," one of them said finally. "Do you even realize what you did at that school? Hundreds were injured. Students traumatized. Buildings destroyed."
Darius raised an eyebrow. "And yet, not a single one of you could detect the energy anomaly I tracked down. Not a single one of you lifted a finger before it grew out of control."
"You went too far...."
"I saved you," Darius interrupted, voice like a blade. "That thing in there would have leveled the entire city if I hadn't intervened. You're welcome."
The officials exchanged nervous glances.
One of them, the older man with gray hair, cleared his throat. "We… appreciate your efforts, Darius. But we can't ignore the collateral damage. Your methods...."
".....are effective," Darius said sharply. "Let's not pretend you care about methods when you can barely protect your own citizens."
The silence that followed was heavy. Then Darius smiled. "Now, let's talk about my compensation."
The officials blinked. "Compensation?"
"Yes," Darius replied. "I found your threat, neutralized it, and brought it in alive for study. That's worth something. I want an additional shipment of high-grade artifacts and a temporary control license for any research I conduct on the subject."
"You're out of line," one officer muttered under his breath.
Darius turned his golden eyes toward him, and the man immediately lowered his head.
Another official tried to mediate. "We… we can't approve that immediately. The artifacts you're requesting are highly restricted. It might take at least two months before we can prepare such a shipment."
Darius smirked. "Two months?" He stepped closer to the table, wings unfolding slightly, casting a sharp glow over the officials. "You'll give me what I asked for within two days. Or I take the boy with me and conduct my research in my own country. Simple."
The officials froze.
"Y-you can't just take him," one said nervously. "He's under the jurisdiction of our government."
"You think I need your permission?" Darius asked, his voice calm but laced with quiet fury. "You're dealing with an S ranker. You don't have the power to stop me."
No one spoke.
The arrogance in his tone was like a slap to their faces, but none dared to challenge him.
After a long silence, the senior officer finally sighed. "Fine. Give us some time to arrange a counter-proposal. We'll… contact the higher department."
Darius smiled, satisfied. "Good. You have one day." He turned, his radiant feathers brushing the air, and left the room without another word.
Inside a smaller secret chamber below the building, the same officials now gathered again—but this time, their expressions were grim.
"This is a problem," one whispered. "If we give him what he wants, he'll strip our resources."
"And if we don't," another added, "he'll walk away with the boy. That would mean we lose both the artifact and the subject of research."
The older officer frowned, his fingers tapping on the table. "Then we call the higher department."
He opened a secure line on the holographic console. Within seconds, a man's deep voice answered from the other end. A member of the higher continental council.
"What is it?" the voice asked.
"We have a situation," the older officer said. "Darius is demanding control over the captured entity. If we don't comply, he'll take the boy by force. We need authorization to resist."
The man on the call paused. "Resist him?"
"Yes, sir. But we need backup. He's not someone our local forces can handle alone."
After a brief silence, the voice replied, "Understood. I'll send one of our new S rankers to support you."
The room fell silent.
"You mean… the one who just recently became an S rank from our continent?" one of the officers asked quietly.
"Yes," the voice confirmed. "The Brawler. The Iron Muscle."
Everyone in the room exchanged uneasy looks.
The voice continued, "He's not the most refined, but he's reliable. His mission is to stand by your side and make sure Darius doesn't push you around. Understood?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. He'll arrive within twenty-four hours."
The call ended.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then the young officer sighed, leaning back in his chair. "So we're really doing this… calling another S ranker to deal with Darius."
The older officer crossed his arms. "We don't have a choice. The boy's energy signature could change everything if studied properly. We can't lose him."
Another whispered, "Do you think the plan will work?"
"I hope so," the elder replied quietly. "Because if it doesn't, we'll be facing a war between two S rankers."
He looked up at the ceiling, as if praying. "Let's hope this new one lives up to his title."