Rising god
Chapter 93: Rest

Chapter 93: Rest

The air in the motel room was sharp as he registered the presence of ten assassins concealed in the corners of the room. The veiled woman before him, also cloaked in black.

"Why are you here?" he asked, his voice steady but edged with suspicion. The bartender wouldn’t have assigned him an occupied room by mistake. He was sure she was here on purpose.

"I’m here to form a partnership," the woman replied, rising from her chair and gesturing for him to sit. Her voice was unmistakable, the same one that had answered his inquiries at the information agency.

Baines’s eyes narrowed. "And why?" He didn’t wait for her response, moving to his bed and pulling out fresh clothes. With deliberate nonchalance, he began changing.

The woman faltered, momentarily thrown by his casual disregard. "So you can have a backer," she said, regaining her composure. "We’ll provide any information you desire."

"Why?" Baines repeated, his tone flat as he fastened his shirt, his gaze finally meeting hers. The shadows in the room stirred, the hidden assassins tensing at his words.

"Eh?" The woman’s voice betrayed a flicker of shock. ’Did he not hear me?’ "I just said—"

"Why would you think I need you?" Baines cut her off, his eyes cold and piercing. The question hung in the air, heavy with implication.

But truly, what made her think he needed her? He had only bought information; he swore he could’ve gotten in any other decent information agency, because it was the only place he knew about.

Besides, that wasn’t all. Before long, these people would know his true self and later, everything about him. And as an information agency, that piece of information would sell for an enormous amount. So why should he keep using them?

Without waiting for her response, Baines pulled out the clone from Wick and laid it on the bed. He opened the window and vanished into the night, leaving the woman staring in stunned silence.

They knew of his attitude, but they didn’t think it was this bad. It was like he had just ignored their existence. She had thought they had developed a bit of familiarity.

She sighed and shook her head. ’What to do now?’

...

Dawnless had transformed since Baines’s last visit. The once-modest settlement now gleamed with new structures, their stone facades polished and grand. Old buildings had been replaced, and at the heart stood a sprawling garden, its vibrant blooms and ornate statues a testament to their newfound prosperity.

Beyond it, framed by the towering silhouette of a dormant volcano, loomed the main building, and flanking it to the side were smaller structures, their designs a blend of function and opulence.

Baines’s arrival sent ripples through Dawnless. The inhabitants poured out, forming a disciplined line to salute him. Their faces radiated awe, reverence, and a trace of fear. By now, the legend of Jin, the architect of the Darkan victory, was known to all. Even those who knew of their chained status under his command felt little resentment. Baines had promised their freedom later on; for now, they could only bask in the wealth and security he provided.

The fear stemmed from whispers of that night, the night an entire family vanished in a tide of blood. Who in their right mind would ever associate that demon they discovered that night with the hero in their hearts? It was so contrasting. Yet that was it.

At the forefront, the sword unit stood in golden armor, raising their blades in a ceremonial arch. Baines passed through, his expression unreadable, until he reached the three executives, their gazes lowered in deference. Who knew if he was angry at the moment?

"Banss..." Ralph’s voice broke the silence, enveloping him in a fierce embrace. The gesture snapped Baines from his thoughts, and for the first time in days, a faint smile curved his lips.

’This is the result,’ He muttered to himself. This was why he fought, why he killed, why he shunned connections and only amassed power, to reclaim moments like this, to rebuild what was lost.

’But it isn’t over,’ he reminded himself. The war with the Silvers was only a small part of it.

After a grand welcoming he barely acknowledged, he, his brother, and the executives all went inside. The executives led him into the main building, its interior a marvel of luxury. Marble floors gleamed under chandeliers of crystal, and the air carried the faint scent of incense.

At the top floor, Baines’s office awaited, a place constructed to his needs. "Using the wealth from the Tyrell family, we renovated," the third executive explained. "This office has a training room, a meditation chamber, a lab for mixing pills, everything you need, sir."

He took it in. There was a spot he could mix his pill, a place he could meditate, everything he really needed was here. Again, this was the progress he was talking about.

’Should I just leave Darkan?’ He found himself having those thoughts again. There, it was like dealing with emotion-driven people, whereas here it was just more like a business transaction.

"Have you met him?" Baines asked, his voice low.

"Who? Oh, grandfather?" Ralph’s eyes lit up, then darkened with awe. "Shit, who would’ve thought we had a grandfather who surpassed saint level?"

Alphen Ashen, the father of their mother.

"I never thought we would be related to the ruins of Ashenfall, to be honest, but," His face turned serious as he faced Baines, "Let me guess, you were angry at him." Ralph could piece it together.

Baines didn’t respond, but his silence spoke volumes. Alphen’s power could have saved their family, yet they had fallen. Ralph sighed, understanding the weight of his brother’s pain.

He was also angry about what happened. But living as an assassin also made him understand a perspective Baines couldn’t. How many people had fallen into Baines’s situation throughout the history of the world? Honestly, a stranger could hear their story and say so, but you were alive? Why don’t you live a life befitting their memories? At least they weren’t dead. why are you so angry?

But he didn’t utter it. In the end, Baines suffered the most. He didn’t have the right to lecture him on it. In all, there wasn’t much he could do, but he could try to appease him and make him feel more at home.

"Alright, you’re back. It’s time to rest," Ralph said firmly.

"Rest?" Baines echoed, the word sounded foreign on his tongue.

"You’ve achieved so much," Ralph continued. "You’ve achieved your first revenge and found me. It’s time to rest."

Baines frowned, his mind racing. He wasn’t done yet. He was on a schedule, still too weak, still ignorant of too many secrets; he knew nothing yet.

But Ralph’s insistence wore him down. "Enough thinking and rest. Just rest, it’ll do you good."

Baines eventually yielded, got a shower, and rested.

He slept for a full day.

***

Back in Darkan, the banquet was already in full swing. The grand hall overflowed with guests in resplendent attire, merchants seeking contracts, nobles forging alliances, and thrill-seekers basking in the festivities. The lower echelons of the Solaris Empire filled the early hours, allowing the Darkan Head to remain absent, his butlers and servants managing the affair with practiced grace.

On this day, a particular group decided to march off to their patriarch’s office to report an important information.

After a deep thought on it, they realized. Baines, or Jin as they knew him as wouldn’t return the lair. So why give him time, so while he was out of the clan, they decided to report him. Once he was summoned, he would then be forced to retrieve it.

They marched toward the patriarch’s office, their resolve firm. But as they turned a corner, the world shifted.

The corridor dissolved into a dark realm, and the air was thick with malice. The group morphed into their dragon forms, scales glinting as they formed a defensive circle. "Who is it?" the largest roared, scanning the void.

Wick materialized before them, his form a wraith of violet energy.

"You, what are—" The dragon’s words were cut off as Wick’s arm swept like a scythe, severing heads in a single motion.

"How dare you plot against master?" Wick intoned, his voice cold. The seven dragons fell, their bodies vanishing without a trace. None of them were spared.

That was how seven dragons went missing from the clan without them knowing a thing.

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