As Dracus meticulously counted his newly acquired shipment, he initially felt satisfied to see women among them. However, his satisfaction quickly turned to disappointment when he realized that all the women were either older or had seen better days. He needed a young woman, as they were in high demand in the market.
"Looks like I'll have to visit the Cage tonight," he muttered under his breath. His day took another turn for the worse when one of his men delivered some unwelcome news.
"What are those Illuminated troublemakers up to again?" he grumbled, signaling his men to continue their work. "Keep an eye on them. Select the average ones for labor, sell the weaker ones to the Amate, and prepare the stronger ones for shipment to other tribes for auction. Send the women to my apartment," Dracus ordered as he left the deck.
"Where is he?" Dracus asked as he strode forward. His second-in-command, Hathaway, stepped up promptly. "He's waiting in the guest room, sir," he reported. Dracus nodded in acknowledgment.
As they approached the mansion, its imposing structure loomed not far from the deck. This was the headquarters of the slave master, a place where Dracus conducted his dealings with businessmen and otherworldly creatures. It was also a place where he indulged in his darker pleasures.
Entering the grand hall, Dracus made his way toward the guest room. The sophisticated decor caught the eye, featuring prestigious woods and priceless crystals that adorned the space. As he opened the door to the guest room, a surge of anger welled up within him.
"You'd better stop damaging my assets, Torch Boy!" Dracus warned as he approached the couch. Picking up an empty crystal glass, he poured himself a measure of wine from a nearby bottle. Taking a sip, he fixed his gaze on the man who was menacingly hovering over the girl.
"Oh, Sir Dracus, my apologies. I got carried away; it's just so satisfying. Your products are always top-notch," said Nicolas as he released the girl, who fell lifelessly to the floor with a twisted neck. Nicolas offered an apologetic laugh, but Dracus's forehead veins were visibly pulsing with anger.
"This is the seventh time! I'll instruct the staff not to leave any escorts with you anymore. You can't seem to stop strangling them after you've had your way!" Dracus complained, his frustration evident.
Nicolas barely paid attention to Dracus's grievances. He nonchalantly pulled up his pants and walked over to the couch, sitting down and waiting for Dracus to finish his tirade.
"What do you even want this time?" Dracus asked impatiently, aware of the pressing work and other matters demanding his attention.
"I wouldn't have come if it weren't for him," Nicolas replied. Dracus immediately fell silent. "He sent a message? What was it about?" Dracus inquired, his tone now serious. After a brief explanation from Nicolas, Dracus was left speechless.
"So, you're saying either the entire group is responsible or there's a killer among them?" Dracus summarized after listening to Nicolas's report.
Nicolas nodded. "Yes, but it seems you've already scattered the people involved, which complicates things for me. I might end up burning some of your valuable assets who weren't involved," he said, casually toying with a crystal glass.
"Don't mess with me. Stay away from them. I'll handle this investigation myself. Report back to the leader that I'm taking care of it," Dracus instructed firmly as he stood up. "Now, you can return to your tasks. How is the experiment progressing?" he asked, shifting the topic.
Nicolas grinned at the question. "You should have seen it yourself. The regressor drugs are exceptional. They all reverted to their primal instincts and fought each other—it was quite a spectacle. Unfortunately, I had to burn down the entire village to cover our tracks," Nicolas replied with a hint of satisfaction.
"Be cautious. If those guys find out, we'll be in serious trouble," Dracus warned before leaving Nicolas. As the door closed behind him, Nicolas stood up and picked up the girl's lifeless body. "I can still sell your flesh," he murmured before disappearing.
Crack!
"Ahh! I said I'd talk! My leg! I'll tell you everything!" screamed the dealer, terrified of what this man might do if he remained silent.
"What do you want to know?" he pleaded. Ethan looked at him intently. "What's the real relationship between the Acrasia and the Inara?" Ethan asked.
The dealer was taken aback. "Isn't he a newcomer? How does he know the names of the two major tribes of the upper continent?" he thought, realizing he had hesitated too long. Quickly, he reported, "It's on the brink of collapse. The two major tribes are gearing up for war."
Ethan inwardly clicked his tongue. By now, everyone on the upper continent should be heading for the crossroads. The first time he was here, war erupted just two weeks later. Back then, he had fled Dracus's reign and acquired the totem mark, forcing him to navigate through a war zone to leave the realm.
"What about the two Neravon protectors?" Ethan asked, looking up at the man. "Are they still alive?"
The man nodded frantically. "Yes, they're still alive. But I've heard there's a force led by Nicolas Bright that's after them for their cores and runes," he reported.
With this recent information, Ethan could align it with his memories from the previous timeline. Satisfied, he turned to leave. The man clutched his neck, surprised that Ethan wasn't going to kill him.
Ethan glanced out of the cave. "Let's see… I would have loved to deal with Dracus, but the issue with the Kraken takes priority," he mused, looking up at the abyssal pit in the sky, where a menacing eye glared down at the continent. "Let's focus on that before addressing the three tribes." With his plan set, he considered his next move.
"Leaving nuisances behind might cause trouble," Ethan thought as he turned around and smiled at the sight of two people approaching.
"You guys are late," Ethan said.
"Ark!" The dealer was suddenly lifted into the air, strangled by purple chains. "You're late, stop messing around," Lauren scolded Ethan, glaring at him. Beside her, Patricia looked at the man with pity before turning to Ethan. "What took you so long? More importantly, what's with the black hand?" she asked.
Ethan walked toward them. "That's not really important right now; I'll explain later. Where's Elliot?" he inquired.
"While gathering intel, we heard that a ship had been spotted, so we came immediately," Lauren said as she examined the cave. "I am surprised that the location you chose for gathering information is actually real."
"We don't have much time," Ethan said, gazing at the horizon. "I need you all to do something for me."