MIGHT AS WELL BE OP-Chapter 445: War
But Colonel Vazeryth wasn't the only one lost in thought.
Anthony, too, found his mind preoccupied.
'Smart people are truly terrifying'
He mused inwardly.
It had been clear to him that Zhyravel had already pieced together that Anthony knew about the details on the Severed Crown of Echoes.
But for reasons unknown, he hadn't chosen to share that information with Colonel Vazeryth.
'I wonder how much he's figured out about me, just from a few minutes of me standing there'
Anthony thought, his mind racing.
The idea of someone so perceptive, so calculating, unsettled him in ways he wasn't eager to admit.
For a brief moment, Anthony was tempted to return to Zhyravel.
The idea of engaging in a research session, exchanging knowledge, and discussing hidden truths intrigued him.
But the temptation was fleeting.
He wouldn't dare return.
The uncertainty surrounding Zhyravel's abilities gnawed at him.
What if the man could study him simply by standing in proximity?
What if he could uncover all of Anthony's secrets with a glance, unraveling things Anthony wasn't ready to confront?
'People like him are extremely dangerous'
Anthony thought sharply.
'To someone like Zhyravel, people are no different than open books'
With a mental shake of his head, he forced himself to stop thinking about the man.
The last thing he needed was to be caught in the web of someone so unpredictable.
'Now that I'm free, should I begin my girlfriend search?'
He mused.
A faint smirk tugged at his lips, but it was short-lived.
'But I don't even have a clue where to start'
A quiet dilemma settled in his mind, and the thought of navigating personal relationships felt as daunting as any battlefield.
Anthony and Colonel Vazeryth descended from the elevator with measured steps, their movements unhurried but purposeful.
Without a word, they both took to the sky, soaring upward into the open air.
"I'll be heading back to my office"
Colonel Vazeryth called out mid-flight, his tone steady and authoritative.
"You can return to your quarters"
"Yes, Colonel"
Anthony replied, his voice clear and carried by the wind.
Without hesitation, he vanished in a flash, teleporting back to his room in an instant.
As the familiar surroundings of his quarters materialized around him, a thought crossed his mind.
'Since my teammates aren't free... I've got a lot of gossip to catch up on online'
Colonel Vazeryth entered his office, the door sliding shut behind him with a soft click.
He exhaled deeply, a sigh of exhaustion escaping him as he collapsed into his chair, his posture slouched, as if the weight of the world had momentarily settled on his shoulders.
With a swift motion, he lifted his hand, and a black paper materialized above it.
It was the document containing the details on the Severed Crown of Echoes.
His expression remained neutral, almost cold, as he began to read the writing.
But the more he read, the deeper his frown became.
A sudden shudder ran through Colonel Vazeryth's body, a cold chill creeping down his spine.
His mind raced, a storm of thoughts swirling around the catastrophic consequences that would unfold if the Severed Crown of Echoes fell into the hands of the demons.
'Everything would change overnight'
"Shit!"
He muttered under his breath, the gravity of the situation sinking in. free𝑤ebnovel.com
"It's a good thing it didn't fall into their hands. I can't imagine the loss we would have suffered"
He exhaled sharply.
His fingers brushed against his space ring, and with a practiced motion, he withdrew the crown.
His gaze remained fixed on it, lingering on the ominous artifact, his mind still spinning from the implications of what could have been.
The paper detailed something far more dangerous than Colonel Vazeryth had anticipated.
It stated that all one needed to do was touch the Severed Crown of Echoes, and as long as the being had any form of energy, the crown would bind to them.
Even vitality itself could be used, should other forms of energy run out.
A cold shiver ran through him as he silently thanked his stars for heeding Anthony's advice to avoid touching the crown.
His thoughts whirled as he absorbed the full weight of what he had just read.
The implications were far-reaching, and the possibilities terrifying.
Would the demons really leave something like this unguarded, a weapon that could shift the balance of power in the military's hands?
Another thought echoed in his mind, a grim realization that made his stomach tighten.
'They would come for it'
Suddenly, the pressure of the situation became unbearable.
Colonel Vazeryth sprang from his chair with such force that it flew backward, slamming violently against the wall.
'The Grand Marshal has to be informed'
The thought was clear and urgent in Colonel Vazeryth's mind.
His hand moved instinctively, grabbing Anthony's mission report and the detailed mission file, along with the black paper containing the dangerous information.
With a swift motion, he placed everything into his space ring.
Without hesitation, he shot into the sky, his speed so intense that the air around him seemed to crack with the force.
The ground below blurred as he raced toward Grand Marshal Alaric's office, urgency propelling him forward like a force of nature.
He arrived at the office within moments, but to his dismay, the Grand Marshal was not seated at his desk. The room was empty.
'Shit!'
Colonel Vazeryth's frustration flared as he paced back and forth in front of Alaric's door, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts.
His face was set in a deep frown, the weight of the situation growing heavier by the second.
Then suddenly, a figure approached.
A towering werewolf, clad in sleek military uniform, came to a stop in front of him and offered a courteous nod.
"Colonel Vazeryth"
He greeted, his voice calm and steady.
"What can I do for you?"
Vazeryth's gaze shifted immediately to the werewolf, Captain Hale, Grand Marshal Alaric's right-hand man.
"Captain Hale"
Vazeryth said swiftly.
"Where is the Grand Marshal?"
Captain Hale raised a brow at the urgency in his tone.
"He's currently in a meeting with the other Grand Marshals. Matters of considerable weight, as you might imagine"
"Do you know how long it'll take, or when he'll be available? I have something urgent I need to discuss with him"
Captain Hale folded his arms across his chest, nodding slowly.
"It shouldn't be much longer. I've just come from the meeting chamber myself. They needed me for a minor briefing"
At his words, Colonel Vazeryth gave a short nod and exhaled deeply, his breath shaky.
Captain Hale studied him closely, his sharp senses picking up on the tension that all but radiated off the colonel.
"You seem rattled"
He said bluntly.
"It's not every day one sees a Colonel, much less a Dragon, this shaken. What's happened?"
Vazeryth's expression darkened, his eyes flickering with restraint.
"This isn't something we can speak of here"
He said grimly.
"But I'm certain you'll hear about it soon enough, directly from the Grand Marshal"
Suddenly, both Colonel Vazeryth and Captain Hale's gazes snapped to the side, drawn instinctively by a powerful, familiar presence.
Grand Marshal Alaric had arrived.
He moved down the corridor with calm authority.
His broad shoulders cast long shadows under the ceiling lights, and though his steps were quiet, each one seemed to carry the weight of nations, light in motion, yet heavy with duty and power.
He didn't spare them a glance, nor offer a word of greeting.
He simply passed by, his presence commanding silence as he pushed open the door to his office and stepped inside.
Without hesitation, Colonel Vazeryth and Captain Hale followed him in.
The heavy door shut behind them with a soft click that echoed like a seal being drawn.
Alaric walked behind his desk, not bothering to sit yet.
He reached for a file on the corner of his table, flipping it open briefly, scanning it with eyes honed by years of command.
"Hale"
He said, his voice deep and sharp.
"Get this paperwork sorted out by tomorrow. Bring it to me first thing."
Without a word, Captain Hale took the file, nodded once, and turned on his heel.
He exited the office, leaving Colonel Vazeryth and Grand Marshal Alaric alone.
"So, what's the report this time?"
Grand Marshal Alaric's voice cut through the silence, brisk, businesslike, with no time for pleasantries.
Colonel Vazeryth said nothing.
Instead, he stepped forward and placed two files and a folded black paper on the desk before the Grand Marshal.
Alaric took the topmost folder first, the mission file, his eyes scanning swiftly and efficiently.
Then came Anthony's detailed mission report. Finally, he unfolded the black paper, the writing in white ink catching the light.
The moment his eyes settled on the content, his expression shifted.
For the briefest second, his face lost all color, ashen, tense, disturbed, before it immediately returned to a practiced mask of composure.
"Where is it?"
He asked quietly, but his voice held iron beneath the calm.
Without a word, Colonel Vazeryth extended his hand.
In a soft hum, the Severed Crown of Echoes appeared.
Grand Marshal Alaric eyed it in silence, then finally spoke.
"You've done well. Increase the point payment for this mission, ten times the amount you already raised it"
Colonel Vazeryth gave a sharp nod and turned without another word, stepping out of the office as the heavy door closed behind him.
Alaric remained where he stood, the crown resting on his desk, its presence ominous.
"It seems I'll be starting another meeting"
He muttered under his breath, gaze narrowing.
The room fell into a dense, loaded silence.
He, too, had come to the same conclusion.
Something was coming.
And it was coming for the crown.
WAR.
