The Young Master in the Shadows

Chapter 409: Poor Bastard

“No, you can go OK! We girls need some private time!” the girls said as she kicked Roy out of the VIP hospital room and then shut the door.

“Ungrateful spoiled bitches…” he sighed with a smile, shaking his head and then turning to see his mother who was standing in the corridor raising her eyebrow at him. Shit… They didn’t tell him she arrived.

“I didn't mean my sisters….” he quickly corrected himself.

“Save it for the jury…” she said coldly.

“You are going to tell them?” Roy shivered, if his sisters knew he cursed at them behind their backs, he would have to suffer big time. Those girls were raised by hookers and they knew how to torture a man!

“Depends…” his mother said, looking at the VIP room’s door and then at him again. “Did you meet your father? Didn’t I tell you not to beg for help from him?” she said with a complex look.

“I haven't met him yet, the one who helped me was one of my sisters…” he said.

“Thank her for me…” his mother said directly.

“I will,” he nodded. “Why are you avoiding him?” he finally asked, meaning his father.

“...Adult stuff…” she sighed, looking out of the large corridor window.

“Did he cheat on you or something?” Roy smirked. His father did have many wives.

“I cheated on him…” she replied directly with a melancholic voice, seemingly regretting her past choices when she didn’t believe Theodore when he told her that he would take care of her.

“Oh…” Roy knew that he better not inquire any further.

“Did they finish with the tests or whatever they called you here for?” She quickly changed the subject.

“The tests are on pause as we have to wait until father and my other brothers return… They gave us a vacation of some sort...” he shrugged. His father was delayed for some reason, Rex was hurt and Lara seemed to have school. With most of the heirs needing some time to heal up, George decided to put the tests on pause.

“I see!” she sighed again. “Then go enjoy your vacation… I don’t think your sisters would allow you in the room anytime soon…” she smirked. The girls were discussing girly things, and they didn’t want their big brother’s stupid opinions… The last time he cursed at that mass wedding they had been following, they decided not to let him in on their secrets anymore.

“I know…. Did you have lunch?” he asked.

“I already ordered with your sisters,” she said.

“Then see you in the evening,” he said before heading toward the hospital’s exit without looking back. Thankfully his sister’s operation went well and she was healing perfectly. He really owed Iris big for this.

BAM…

He turned a corner and bumped into someone.

“Ah sorry…” he said, looking at the pretty girl in a hospital gown who fell to the floor, he hurried and helped her.

“Don’t worry about it…” she said, grabbing her phone as she checked him. “Now get away from me! Poor beggar!” she cursed and walked away after noticing his clothes.

“Ahh… I am not…”

“Don’t talk to me….” she scolded and went away talking on the phone. “Sorry, some poor bastard tried to grope me…. Anyway, Yes, my brother Abe seemed to have got some sort of money scheme going on………………………….” her voice trailed off.

He shook his head. What a bitch! Thankfully his sisters didn’t grow up to be like her.

Leaving the hospital, he looked around not knowing where to go. Maybe he should find some restaurant and have a meal. Nah… The food in the Mansion was 1000 times better than any hospital.

Walking aimlessly he began to check the city.

Vein City was one of the biggest cities around, rivaling even the capital. It was very famous for its media-oriented industries, so looking around, he could see all kinds of people in luxurious clothing walking around.

Well, the hospital he was in was in the most luxurious place in town.

Thinking for a moment, he turned and began heading to the other side of the city. If you want to know a city’s real face, you have to check its poorest neighborhoods. That's what he told himself anyway.

To tell the truth, having lived all his life in a poor environment, Roy felt more comfortable in such places where he grew up and became strong enough to fend for himself.

Walking around he began inspecting the people from the passerby, the peddlers, and the casual gangsters and hookers hanging around old dirty corners that led into some filthy back alleys.

The thing that made him feel strange was the way all the gangsters seemed to tie steel plates on their crotches and butts. Was this some kind of faction?

Then he paused as he noticed some other strange thing that didn’t fit in with the picture. A group of little girls in school uniforms were following some evil-looking man who had an evil smile plastered on his face. They were being led by none other than his little sister. Lara who seemed to be talking to that man… No, more likely she was getting scammed!

Shit!

He wanted to go help, starting to run in Lara’s direction, but paused taking three steps, remembering the pain in his arm.

Slowing down, he decided to just follow her from behind.

Still, just in case, he took the phone and called Iris. Although he didn’t know Lara for long, she was a very nice girl, and as the elder brother he had to take care of her.

….

...

In the Von Weise arena, the ‘test’ started as planned.

It might be called a test, but in fact, it was just a regular tournament where every heir had to fight others at random to collect points. The more you could fight, the higher points you would get!

Zed clenched his fist as he watched his Sister Zola get kicked out of the Arena by an arrogant girl. This was her fifth loss.

“Filthy blood…” the person who beat her said, turning back and stepping down before the referee could announce her winning.

“Zola, are you ok?” Zed asked as he ran to his sister’s side, blood was seeping out of her nose.

“I… I am fine…” Zola, who was a strong girl, said, whipping her nose as she stood up. “Don’t worry…” she said.

“Those bastards…” Zed silently cursed as he clenched his fist. Ever since they entered the island, every heir they met looked at them with disdain. Was hair color really that important?

“NEXT! NUMBER 21 SIMON VS NUMBER 244 ZED…” the referee announced.

“Zed… Be careful… Mother is watching, just do your best…” Zola said.

“I know…” Zed said as he slowly climbed into the Arena and looked at his opponent who seemed to be a sharp-eyed young man.

“... Why am I fighting a servant?” the young man asked, turning to the referee.

“Don’t ask, just fight… Start!” The wise referee, who was a minor elder, decided to act as if he didn’t hear a thing. He just started the match.

Zed, who prepared himself for the coming attack didn’t even stand a chance as the opponent who seemed to have some kind of wizard class, immediately cast a spell that caused a tornado to sweep him off his feet and throw him out. An easy win.

“SIMON WINS!” the referee announced. The battle didn’t even take a second.

“Pathetic…” Simon said as he stepped down.

“Damn it…” Zed cursed as he sprung to his feet, this was his fifth loss and it meant he was disqualified. He didn’t win even once! Was the difference between those who had pure bloodline and him really this big? Of course not! It was just that being raised in a lower player family, he had no access to high-ranking dungeons and ample opportunities to level up. He was only level 5 while his opponent was probably level 20 at the very least!

“It’s ok brother… We never expected to win in the first place…” Zola said. “We are just here because mother wanted to come…” her mother wanted to use them to beg for some support for them. Although they were reluctant, they agreed with her due to the pressure she was facing in their father’s family. Still, looking at the current situation, Zola really doubted whether those arrogant bastards would really help them.

They only hoped that their mother would be able to convince her father, the patriarch of the Von Weise family, to help.

“I know…”Zed sighed as the battles progressed on the numerous stages around him. He just felt weak, not being able to help at all.

Being terminated, he took his sister to the benches on the side where they sat and watched. No other heirs approached them, but thankfully the servants didn’t dare to neglect them, and hastily provided them with some food and water.

The fights slowly got more and more violent as time progressed, as only the strongest were left. And this really opened the siblings' eyes to what real players were capable of. Those arrogant cousins in their father’s family would never stand a chance here.

They had every class someone could think of, from archers to wizards and barbarian warriors. All were armed with perfect artifact weapons that suited them well!

Damn it... His mother couldn't even afford a good sword and armor for his Paladin sister!

He couldn't get his head around the idea that those he was watching now were supposed to be the disqualified ones, the ones who didn’t make it to the elite ranks before. Just how strong were the guys who were lost in that dungeon?

The tournament took two more hours to finish and by noon the final results were clear. Those who reached the top 8 were so ahead of the others that any further fights would be pointless. They would be the ones chosen as Elites.

To Zed’s surprise, the last guy he fought Simon was the one with the most points. Well, he was very strong. This made Zed wonder though, whether the Elites who vanished in the dungeon were even stronger than this. How strong were the von Weise family exactly?

Well, he will know for real in the next few matches where the top 8 will fight to choose a single winner. They would fight, right? It would be boring if they didn’t…

“CONGRATULATIONS FOR THE EIGHT WINNERS! YOU SHOWED US WHAT REAL ELITES SHOULD BE LIKE!” The patriarch’s merry voice came right after the last battle ended, his reflection appearing majestically in the arena’s sky. He seemed happy. “Now… I know what you are all waiting for… The top 8’s fight…well…. HSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!” the patriarch paused then gasped.

“Marcos… I swear, you are very poetic sometimes…” a sarcastic womanly voice could be heard as under the watchful eyes of everyone, the patriarch's color began to change.

“Impo …. Impo…..” he seemed to want to say something, but he was too shocked to do that.

“What? Impotent? Maybe you are!” the voice owner said sarcastically. “Or do you want to say impossible? Well, nothing is, as long as I am here!”

“A…. A…..”

“What? Did the cat eat your tongue?” the voice owner said as everyone watched the patriarch’s purple robe get stained in some unidentified liquid. He stood up and stepped back, tumbling his chair in the process as he got out of the projection that was turned off moments later while the sky turned purple.

No… It was not the sky. Some kind of an energy barrier seemed to have surrounded the entire arena! Zed could make it out somehow thanks to his Array Master Class.

Around the barrier, he could make out the shapes of four people standing on different corners, but they hid themselves well.

“What was that?” Zola asked with a blush as many heirs began to look at each other, some were frowning, and others seemed very nervous like Simon who slowly began heading toward the exit. He didn’t reach it as many guards suddenly flooded the arena.

“STAY IN YOUR PLACE… EVERYTHING WILL BE OVER IN A FEW MINUTES….” a heroic-looking young man who headed the guards said.

“What are you doing…… AH!”

Some people wanted to cause trouble like Simon, but they were neutralized in seconds by some kind of thunder that decided above them from the barrier in the sky.

“Just stay in your place!” the young man repeated in a soft voice.

No one dared to make trouble after that. They just wondered what the fuck was going on!

“MASTER MIKE! YOU ARE ALIVE!” someone who finally seemed to have recognized the young man suddenly said in an excited voice.

“Yes… We all are…. Just stay put for now…” Mike said. “We will know everything later!” he added with a reassuring smile.

“Yes…” Many young men nodded with a smile. After recognizing Mike they relaxed. Many even seemed to have realized what was going on!

Zed and Zola didn’t… They frowned, they were worried about their mother, wanting to ask what the fuck was going on. Then they heard it.

BANG!

An Explosion rocked the Arena as the VIP hall above shattered in a ball of green fire and a woman flew out.

“ANN YOU BITCH, YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED DOWN THERE LIKE YOUR ARROGANT SISTER!” the woman said.

“Tolin… Just surrender…” another woman replied as she slowly floated in mid-air while taking a pill. From her voice, Zed could tell that she was the one they heard before. Was she Ann? Their grandmother?

Following her were all the elders including their mother who seemed a little troubled.

They were carrying a few sacks… No, those were people who were tied by shiny golden chains. The patriarch seemed to be one of them, but his face was so beaten up, he was beyond recognition.

“Like hell, I would surrender for a filthy bitch like you!” Tolin screamed as she flew up and then hit the barrier head-first, forcing her to bounce down and hit the ground. “DAMN! WHEN DID YOU…” she cursed as the four men who were hiding before appeared and surrounded her.

She had no way out!

“Just surrender, Lass… We know who you work for…” one of the old men said. “Your plan to make the family work for that brat would never work…”

“Then you better let me go… You know that I can take you all with me…” she said.

“That brat would never help you… He can’t enter this world…” the old man said coldly.

“STOP CALLING HIM LIKE THAT! IF HE WAS HERE YOU WOULD BE GROVELING IN FRONT OF HIS FEET!“ Tolin seemed to be getting angry. “DON’T ACT ALL TOUGH IN FRONT OF ME!

“Don’t underestimate us…” another old man said, making a move with his hand, and a few great-looking ominous balls fell into the ground. Tolin seems to have thrown them before.

“Under this barrier, you can’t use your poisons!” the third old man said with a smirk.

“Lass… We will be spending a lot of time together after this… Don’t make it hard on yourself…” the fourth old man who seemed a little bit mean said.

“YOU FORCED ME TO DO THIS!” Tolin yelled, then looked up and uttered just one sentence as she tore a green talisman that seemed to have been hidden in her cuff.

“ረቹፕ ፕⶴቹ ሠዐዪረጋ ኡክዐሠ, ጎ ፪ቹፕዪልሃ!” she screamed.

“SHIT! STOP HER!” one of the old men who seemed to have realized something, screamed, but it was too late as from in between Tolin’s hand, a magical array appeared and then vanished before being replaced by a ball of darkness.

One of the old men wanted to attack but he was sent flying as in a blink of an eye, the black ball extended, filling the entire world in a blink of an eye, passing everyone like some kind of a barrier.

No one had time to react as the sky suddenly turned black and the world turned silent. It was an eerie silence that you never knew existed until you encountered it.

Nothing could be heard as above them, the barrier slowly shattered. It was as if it was in slow motion… Everything seemed slow, except for that woman Tolin who had a cruel smile on her face as she slowly vanished.

The first thing Zed noticed was the rancid smell that filled his nose, before he could make out its source he heard it… A sound that filled the silence. His sister’s scream.

Turning to the side he jumped back in shock, almost tripping on the bench when he saw it.

“DAMN!”

A giant abomination human-like creature appeared out of nowhere grabbing his sister by her throat and lifting her up. It seemed like a corpse of some sort. It was fat and all kinds of nasty stuff were spilling from its guts.

All around him, similar figures seemed to be crawling out of the dirt in the ground one after another filling the Arena and surrounding the heirs. They looked like some kind of otherworldly army!

“FIGHT!” The next thing they heard was the call for a battle, just as in front of them a familiar blue screen shimmered.