One Hour Earlier

  "So, how long do we have to stay here?"

  "As long as we need to. Now fuck off, goth bitch."

  Bel shot the words over her shoulder without breaking stride. Marcy bristled, lips curling into a sneer as she opened her mouth to fire back—but her phone buzzed sharply in her pocket.

  The notification cut through the tension like a knife. Marcy gnced at the screen, her expression shifting. Bel kept walking, already dismissing her.

  Marcy however rolled her eyes hard enough to strain something.

  "Up yours, tramp. I'm gone anyways."

  Bel didn't bother responding. She just kept moving down the corridor.

  Half a step ter, though, she tilted her head slightly without turning around.

  "Honestly, that one is gonna be the first I kill when I become matriarch. Anyway—I've got business here too."

  Bel said with both her hands folded as she walked towards her destination.

  "That old monster should be around here somewhere."

  Said Bel more to herself than anything else.

  With that, Bel continued up the hall toward her destination, while Marcy turned on her heel and headed back toward the car. Their paths diverged here—different goals, same building.

  Bel arrived at the spot she had been aiming for: a heavy door marked in clean, authoritative lettering.

  Vice Captains Office

  Before her knuckles could even graze the wood, a deep, familiar voice came through from the other side, as if they already knew Bel was here.

  "Come in, Bel."

  'As expected from teacher, as old as he is, his senses are terrifyingly sharp.'

  She didn't hesitate.

  Pushing the door open, she stepped inside.

  There he was.

  A towering light skin muscur old man who was built like he had been carved from like a Greek statue. His full-body battle suit hugged every line of his frame, sleek and tactical, much like Lex's, except his was sleeveless, leaving thick, scarred arms bare.

  A stylized dragon coiled across the chest in stark white against matte bck. His hair was a wild, lion-like mane of blond that spilled down his back, untamed and bright.

  A bck eyepatch covered one eye, that being the right; the remaining one—pure gold—fixed on her with calm, unreadable indifference.

  Deep scars crisscrossed the exposed skin of his arms, old but vicious, like deep cw or sword marks—and failed—to tear him apart.

  He studied her for a long moment, gaze dropping pointedly to her outfit.

  "So tell me."

  He said, voice low and gravelly.

  "Why the hell is my prized disciple dressed like a whore? For God's sake, Bel—your entire right ass cheek is hanging out."

  Bel didn't flinch.

  "My attire is none of your business, old man. That aside—I didn't come here to say hi. Honestly, I wasn't pnning on showing up at all. But something came up, and I couldn't ignore it. And since I'm already here… this is a good opportunity."

  She met his gold eye directly.

  "Old man. I need a favor."

  The Vice Captain of the Lunaris City Hero Association—the Martial demon, Movado Heavensent—leaned back in his chair. A slow, amused huff escaped him.

  "A favor, huh? Heh. Bel, I love you like my own daughter, but you know I can't just bend the rules for you just because you as...

  "I found him."

  The words nded like a thrown bde.

  Movado's expression didn't change, but the air in the room shifted—sharper, heavier. His single golden eye narrowed slightly.

  Bel held his gaze, unflinching, as she repeated herself.

  "I found him."

  Bel said, taking her teacher by surprise as Movado's single golden eye narrowed further, the faintest flicker of curiosity breaking through his usual stone-faced calm.

  "You found him."

  He repeated slowly, letting the words settle. Then a low, rumbling chuckle escaped him.

  "So… does this mean you've finally found a worthy husband candidate, one that you actually like."

  Bel's lips curved into a slow, confident smile, as she replied.

  "Yes."

  She leaned one hip against the edge of his desk, crossing her arms under her chest in a way that accentuated the scandalous cut of her outfit.

  "And that is exactly why I am dressed like this. I need to seduce him properly. I can't have him slipping away again."

  "Again."

  "Long story, you have no idea the trouble I went through, and the enemies I went ahead and made just to get close to him."

  Movado let out a long, weary sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose with two scarred fingers, as he said.

  "The tradition of your family is something else I swear, but that aside that outfit is too much, Bel. Even for you. But…

  He dropped his hand and met her gaze again, resigned.

  "I won't try to deter you. You've always done exactly what you wanted anyway. Still—your current fiancé candidate won't like this one bit. And despite your family sitting comfortably in the top three of the royal ranks, the Losmosa cn won't just roll over and let you walk away from the arrangement."

  At the mention of her betrothed, Bel's expression darkened instantly. Anger fred hot and bright behind her eyes.

  "I am not marrying that monkey."

  Her voice came out low, and venomous.

  Movado raised a brow but didn't interrupt.

  Bel took a steadying breath, forcing the fury back under control.

  "That aside I am not threatened, old man. The man I chose isn't simple either. He is obscenely rich, for one. More importantly—he is a collector. But that not why I have high hopes for him, after watching him myself, and also doing a background check with the help of mother."

  Movado leaned forward slightly, elbows on the desk.

  "Money and trinkets won't be enough to stand against the Losmosa family, girl. You know that... So unless this secret identity or standing is a powerful one it won't amount to anything, you know that right."

  "I do. But he will win the Trial Games for my hand, if things still goes as pns of course."

  Movado blinked once—genuine surprise flickering across his features for the first time.

  "Are you seriously putting your hopes in a man you just met, well you know best, still are you seriously confident in this guy's skill and power, just how strong is he?"

  "I am dead serious as I am confident in his capabilities."

  Bel's smile returned, sharper now.

  "My mother already confirmed it. Nier is a Warlock."

  The word nded like a hammer strike.

  Movado went very still. His golden eye widened fractionally.

  "A Warlock."

  He echoed back, his voice quieter than before.

  "A modern day one, or do you mean one from that era?"

  Bel tilted her head, smile turning sly.

  "I am not entirely sure yet. But from the background checks I've run—his mother was definitely someone from that era. Figuring out exactly which mythological being she was… that's proven harder. The records are buried deep, and half of them are contradictory, you know what the means right."

  "She was someone strong enough to hide or manipute her information in the city history archive that has all the information of everyone in the FAA even dating back thirty thousand years ago."

  Movado stared at her for a long moment.

  Then he threw his head back and ughed—a deep, genuine bark of amusement that filled the office.

  "Isn't that interesting. I know some of the old ones where hiding in the modern era like your mother and father, but to think I would come across one like this."

  He shook his head, still chuckling as he leaned back in his chair.

  "Alright. You've got my attention. So what exactly is the favor you want? Consider it an early wedding gift—from your grumpy old master."

  Bel straightened, the pyful edge fading from her expression. She looked him directly in the eye—serious, and unflinching as she said.

  "I want to borrow your Cursed Eye."

  The ughter died instantly.

  Movado's face went bnk. For several long seconds, the only sound in the room was the faint hum of the ventition system.

  Then he spoke, his voice low and indifferent as he said.

  "You, can't be serious right!?"

  "No, I am dead serious master, for my pns to work, I need to borrow Ares eyes."

  "I heard you, but that's not an easy request."

  "Why!?"

  "Only one of my family can use Ares eye."

  "I know that, but with my power utilizing it would be easy if it temporarily add it to my hive."

  "Don't be ignorant child, the War Gods Eye isn't a normal eye, this is an eye that can literally destroy the universe if I wasn't human but a god instead. But it is because I am only a human, I can't do that, however with this eye making an army to destroy the world would be easy, and even then that would take a lot out of me, because with every use of this curse eye I permanently lose a bit of my rationality, followed by immense pain for as long as it active. Do you really think you can handle something like that?"

  "I am begging you master, please just for one year no six, no two months."

  "Sigh, a request like that is like courting death, but fine I will lend you this eye, however not for two month, as you know we have a serious mimick problem, and I will need it if I am going to help the commander with the expedition that is coming up soon."