Chapter 235 — Trust Fall

Chapter 235: Chapter 235 — Trust Fall

Chapter 235 — The Order

Victor stared across the desk at Elder Benton.

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then he reached into his storage ring.

A black feather appeared in his hand.

Victor placed it on the desk between them.

Benton’s eyes immediately moved toward it.

At first, he simply stared.

Then he felt the energy contained within the feather.

His expression slowly changed.

The power was enormous.

Whatever creature this feather had come from existed at a level far beyond Benton himself. Even the pressure he’d felt while standing before the Tower Master couldn’t compare.

Benton leaned forward slightly.

Black feathers.

There was only one beast in the ancient records that came to mind.

His eyes widened.

For perhaps the first time since Victor had met him, Elder Benton’s normally stoic expression completely disappeared.

He looked stunned.

Victor had grown accustomed to Benton’s grandfather-like demeanor. The man rarely seemed surprised by anything.

But now he looked like someone who had just seen something impossible.

Benton’s eyes moved from the feather to Victor.

"Why do you have this?"

Victor nodded slightly.

"I figured this was the best way to start the conversation."

Benton stared at him.

"Obviously, you know what it is. And if you know what it is, you should understand what it means that I have it."

Benton remained silent for several seconds before slowly nodding.

"Okay."

His attention sharpened.

"I’m listening."

Victor took a breath.

"I didn’t tell you everything about me and Lyra."

Benton waited.

"Lyra and I are Soul Bonded."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"We used a Twin Flame Flower while we were inside the Sanctuary. It bonded our souls and bloodlines together."

Victor paused.

"That’s why Lyra has a bloodline flame."

Something shifted in Benton’s expression.

Victor continued.

"The Soul Bond connected our bloodlines and Soul Power. It’s why my Soul Power is so strong, and it’s why a Shadow Fox like Lyra possesses a bloodline flame when something like that shouldn’t normally be possible."

Understanding appeared in Benton’s eyes.

When Victor had revealed that Lyra was a Shadow Fox, Benton had immediately wondered how a beast could possess the strange alchemical flame he’d witnessed.

Now he had his answer.

"Okay," Benton said. "Why are you telling me this?"

Victor leaned forward.

"Because while I was talking to you before, Lyra got impatient."

His expression tightened.

"She left."

Benton frowned.

"She went to the Third Floor."

"How?"

The question came immediately.

"That’s impossible."

Victor gave a tired, wry smile.

"She has an ability that lets her conceal herself inside shadows. Honestly, anyone below the Spirit Core Realm would have an extremely difficult time sensing her while she’s using it."

Benton’s eyes narrowed.

"She probably hid in someone’s shadow and followed them through the elevator."

Victor paused.

"And from what I could tell through our Soul Bond, she made it to the Graveborn estate."

Benton’s expression became more serious.

"She found her parents. I’m almost certain of it. I could feel her emotions through the bond."

Victor’s hands tightened.

"But then something happened."

He began explaining.

He told Benton what he’d felt through the Soul Bond.

How Lyra had suddenly become unconscious.

How her presence had begun moving across the Third Floor.

How whoever had her used another route through the Tower—an elevator Victor hadn’t even known existed.

Then he explained how he’d followed her into Basement Level Five.

Region after region.

Hour after hour.

Until the bond finally led him deep underground into Region F.

By the time Victor finished, several minutes had passed.

"I couldn’t follow her inside," Victor said. "There were two people wearing beast masks near the entrance. Both were Rank Seven Spirit Gathering."

His expression darkened.

"I could still feel Lyra somewhere beyond them."

Benton remained silent.

"I thought about fighting them," Victor continued. "But even if I somehow beat both of them, I had no idea what was waiting for me inside."

He shook his head.

"I knew I couldn’t do it alone."

Benton leaned back in his chair.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

The office felt unusually quiet.

Victor had just given him an absurd amount of information.

The feather of an ancient Guardian Beast.

The truth behind Victor and Lyra’s Soul Bond.

The explanation for Lyra’s bloodline flame and Victor’s unusual Soul Power.

A hidden route through the Tower that Benton himself hadn’t known existed.

And most importantly...

A location.

Benton’s expression became extremely serious.

They had spent years trying to uncover the Evil God Organization’s hidden locations.

And Victor had just stumbled upon one.

Benton looked at the exhausted boy sitting across from him.

There were too many pieces now.

Too many questions.

And far too much at stake for Benton to make the decision himself.

It was time.

He would have to bring Victor to the Order.

Benton leaned forward.

"I can’t make this decision."

Victor looked at him.

"At this point, I’m going to have to take you somewhere."

Benton paused.

"But if I do, there are conditions."

"What conditions?"

"You’ll have to wear an artifact that completely blocks your senses. You won’t be able to see or hear. You won’t be able to use your cultivation to sense your surroundings either."

Victor listened carefully.

"You may be like that for several hours," Benton continued. "Afterward, I’ll give you the opportunity to make your case in front of someone who actually has the authority to decide whether we can help you."

Victor didn’t hesitate.

"I agree."

Benton stared at him.

"Let’s go."

For a moment, Benton seemed caught off guard by how quickly he’d answered.

No questions.

No negotiation.

Victor had simply agreed.

That told Benton more than anything else could have.

Lyra mattered to him.

Deeply.

Under normal circumstances, Benton doubted Victor would’ve revealed even half of what he’d revealed today.

And he certainly wouldn’t have allowed himself to be taken unconscious to an unknown location by people whose names he didn’t even know.

But this wasn’t normal.

Benton nodded.

"There’s one more thing."

Victor waited.

"I’ll have to make sure you’re unconscious before we leave. I’ll use my cultivation to knock you out."

Again, Victor didn’t hesitate.

"I agree. Go ahead."

He reached across the desk and returned the black feather to his storage ring.

Then he sat back.

"I’m ready."

Benton rose.

His cultivation erupted.

Victor barely had time to register the pressure before everything went black.

His body slumped into the chair.

For a moment, Benton simply looked at him.

Then he walked around the desk and placed a pair of specialized restraints around Victor’s wrists. The artifacts immediately sealed his cultivation and blocked his ability to sense his surroundings.

A covering followed, completely concealing Victor’s head.

Benton straightened.

"Space Witch."

The air beside him shifted.

A figure appeared.

The Space Witch looked down at Victor.

For several seconds, she didn’t move.

Even through the mask, Benton could sense something in her gaze.

Pity.

She’d seen Victor only recently, determined and stubbornly throwing himself into matters far beyond his strength.

Now he sat unconscious before her, filthy and exhausted after pushing himself for more than a day trying to find Lyra.

Her gaze lingered on him.

Benton glanced at her.

"I’m going to need your help carrying the boy."

The Space Witch nodded.

She carefully lifted Victor.

Nala remained close, watching everything with obvious unease.

Her eyes followed Victor as the Space Witch picked him up.

Benton sighed.

"He’ll be fine."

The Firebird chirped sharply.

Nala immediately moved nearer to Victor.

Benton reached into his storage ring.

What he removed wasn’t his citizen ID.

It was a completely different artifact.

A small, square device.

Entirely black.

Benton raised it to his ear.

Several seconds passed before a voice answered.

"This better be good."

Benton’s expression remained composed, but there was nothing casual about his tone.

"There’s something of the utmost importance."

A pause.

"The Director needs to meet with me immediately. Set up a meeting."

Silence came from the other side.

"You do know what you’re asking, right?"

"Yes."

Benton’s answer was immediate.

"I wouldn’t be calling unless this was important."

Another pause.

"Inform the Director. I’ll be there in three hours."

"Okay. I’ll also inform everyone."

"We’ll see you soon."

"Good."

The connection ended.

Benton lowered the artifact.

A second later, heat spread across its surface.

Crack.

The black device fractured in his hand.

Thin lines of light spread across its surface before the entire artifact began to crumble.

Within moments, almost nothing remained.

A one-time-use communication artifact.

No signal to trace.

Nothing useful left behind.

Benton watched the final remnants fall from his palm.

Then he turned toward the Space Witch.

"Let’s go."

She nodded, holding Victor securely.

Then the four of them disappeared into the darkness of the Tower.