CHAPTER 232: HEADING HOME

"According to his words... he met Fate itself. And was chosen to deliver its message." Henry finally said it outright, his voice strained but clear.

"So... he introduces himself as a messenger of Fate." Adyr’s voice cut through the air, low and questioning, though there was no uncertainty in it—only cold analysis. "Saying only those chosen by fate can witness the new era... while calling me someone who might try to judge that fate?"

As the words left his lips, the atmosphere shifted—growing heavy and suffocating all at once.

For the first time in that conversation, Adyr’s Presence fully emerged. Bloodlust—cold, suffocating, oppressive—spread like black fog throughout the cabin, filling every corner with an unmistakable sense of death.

Henry’s muscles locked. He could feel them tensing and spasming against his will as he grasped the true meaning behind Adyr’s question.

According to what the Mad Scientist said... Fate itself saw Adyr as a threat. An adversary.

And if that was true, then the so-called Mad Scientist wasn’t an ally.

He was something else entirely.

Henry felt a wave of regret wash over him. For a moment, he wished he hadn’t spoken at all. His throat tightened, and he could feel his heart beating harder as the pressure around him grew unbearable.

Then, suddenly, it was gone.

Adyr reined in his bloodlust, settling back into his seat like nothing had happened. His voice returned to its usual, detached calm.

"I want you to arrange a meeting with him." His tone was simple and matter-of-fact. "Let’s hear it directly. Whether he’s a friend... or something else."

Henry swallowed hard, finding his voice. "I can arrange a meeting with the Twelve City Managers. They’ll probably want the same. But..." He hesitated for a moment, then said it plainly. "I’m not sure we can reach him. He contacts us. Not the other way around."

The man was elusive. He appeared only when he chose to, answering to no one.

Adyr exhaled softly, leaning further back into his seat. His eyes slid shut.

"Talking to a pawn doesn’t interest me," he murmured.

And with that, the cabin fell silent once again.

—

The hoverjet reached the rooftop of the Player Headquarters in Shelter City 9 within just a few hours, descending silently into the darkness of the night.

As the cabin doors opened, Adyr was the first to step out. Without glancing at the STF personnel standing guard, who greeted him with silent salutes, he walked straight ahead—cold and focused. Without waiting for the others, he entered the elevator alone and disappeared inside.

"It’s the first time I’ve seen him like this..." Victor said quietly, his eyes lingering on the figure that had vanished inside the elevator, unable to find the right word to describe what he felt.

The others felt the same. But none of them voiced it. Not because they weren’t disturbed—but because the weight of what they had just heard still left them in shock.

"All this doesn’t just concern him." Selina’s voice cut through the silence as she, too, moved toward the elevator without looking back. "It concerns all of us."

She didn’t slow her steps. "Let’s go. We’ve kept Eren waiting long enough."

Her tone said everything.

Whatever was happening to the world, one thing was clear: Adyr stood at the center of it. But Selina had no intention of letting him carry that burden alone.

That’s why her steps quickened. She needed to return to her gamepod. The future was coming—and she intended to be ready.

"Are we too old now?" Rhys said with a faint laugh, watching the backs of the younger ones as they walked away.

"I’m not sure," Henry replied after a long breath. And in truth, he wasn’t sure of anything anymore.

—

As the elevator doors slid open, Adyr stepped into the long corridor without slowing his pace. He reached his room in silence, entered, and closed the door behind him.

Without wasting a second, he accessed his wristband and checked his merit points. A new addition of +20,000 was noted, bringing his total to 21,475. Without hesitation, he activated the console embedded in the desk.

The new merits were the reward for lifting the blockade on Shelter City 8. It wasn’t much, but it wasn’t insignificant either. Especially considering he still hadn’t received the merit points for delivering the two captured Sparks. Factoring those in, the result wasn’t bad.

He immediately opened the shop section. First priority: gear. He bought another full set of his uniform and swords. Without leaving the menu, he placed additional orders for Twilight Land’s upkeep.

Fuel supplies for the Emberdart Minnows to sustain their internal flames. Mineral-rich stone blocks to feed Cragfin Sentinel and Duskrend. And, finally, something he’d been postponing for a while—a specialized transport vehicle. He arranged for it to be delivered directly to his house.

Once the purchases were complete and the double 50% discounts applied, his remaining merit stood at 16,860.

"I also have 1,693 energy crystals. Not the worst condition, I suppose," he muttered, evaluating his overall resources.

Before leaving Shelter City 8, the officials had delivered the last batch of collected crystals to him, minus what had been consumed during the recent battle. His reserves were far from depleted.

"Should I register the two Genesis talents?"

He glanced at his system.

Both talents were at Level 2, still unregistered. But registering them would cost 1,600 energy crystals combined—leaving him with just 93. Too low to serve as an emergency reserve.

He fell silent, considering.

"Let’s keep them for now. I need to find a way to earn more crystals."

Decision made, Adyr left his room. Most of the supplies he had purchased—especially the mineral-heavy stones and sands—had been delivered directly to the logistics floor.

The massive storage deck was as busy as always, packed with workers in green and yellow vests moving between towering shelves and automated loading stations.

The moment the elevator doors slid open and the workers saw him, everything stopped.

Dozens of pairs of eyes locked onto him. Conversations died. Movements froze. They looked too stunned even to show fear—just silent, paralyzed shock.

Adyr ignored it.

Without slowing, he walked directly toward the supply station where his orders were being prepared.

"M-Mr. Adyr..."

A middle-aged man stepped forward hesitantly—the night shift supervisor, someone Adyr vaguely recognized from previous visits.

"Hello. Don’t worry, I’ll just collect my supplies and leave," Adyr said, offering a brief smile. He could feel the tension suffocating the entire floor.

He didn’t blame them.

After all, people had died just from watching him on a screen. Now, standing in front of him in person... it must’ve felt like standing next to something capable of stopping their hearts at any second.

Thankfully, Adyr didn’t linger. He collected his shipment, transported it directly to Twilight Land, and left without delay—leaving the entire logistics floor to collectively exhale in relief behind him.

Now that he was done at the Player Headquarters, it was time to leave and head home.

I wonder how they’ll react.

Without waiting for a vehicle or driver to be arranged, Adyr stepped out and began walking.

His heart—always cold and unresponsive—felt as if it was pulsing ever so slightly beneath the surface.

***

A/N: Beginning of Volume III – The Breaking