Lord Shadow

No matter how big of a problem they encounter, a sword slash from him is enough to solve it, like Alexander cutting the Gordian knot.

Even the chance of it happening is slim, he could not disregard it. 

That is why Azief is here, facing against Raymond, someone who he did not like at all, but at the same time, trusted.

There is nothing wrong for her to have another added protection. Raymond is honorable enough and someone that he could trust to protect Sofia.

The reason is simple. Because Raymond likes her. That is his interest. But that interest could also be used. 

Azief might still have that hot temper and unpredictable mood swings. But he is also mature more than before.

He is more scheming and cunning in making his move. He considers many things now. Because he had more things to protect.

In the past, he would kill anyone and anything that displeases him. 

He still does that. But if some people could be used, then he would use them and when their usefulness had been outlived, then at that time, Azief would still kill.

But he does believe in redemption. He believes that people can change. And that they sometimes are worth a second chance.

But, he also recognizes that change is hard and people rarely change. And there are some people that is so far gone, that their second chance is long gone.

He kills people. But none of the people, he kills is people that he would lose his sleep over. Raymond could be used. 

And Raymond also understood Azief intention to use him. But, he did not reject it. Because he is willing to be used. 

There is silence between the two men with only the sound of wind passing through them. Raymond closes his eyes for a second and he thought of that bitter smile on Sofia face when she heard that Katarina was kidnapped. 

She went to the Hill with Jean but Raymond swear he saw sadness from her.

Why was she sad? 

Why is her smile is so heart rending? 

Why does at that moment, she looks so fragile, like something about her is about to break? He does not know. But he wanted to know.

That woman…. has entranced him in mind and soul and he doubt he would ever be able to let go. That feeling is very sorrowful for Raymond. 

A one sided love is probably the most torturous kind of love to be in

It is not the first time he had even been in one sided love before.

But, he had never felt so intense kind of love before as he had felt it every time he saw her. He sighed and he opens his eyes.

He looks at Death Monarch piercing eyes and he said

‘I’ll make sure no one targeted her. No one will hurt her when I am around’ Azief nodded and then he added

‘Crime Alliance would probably try to send kidnappers against her. They would not send assassins because that would truly make them my sworn enemies. At least, they would try to use her to bargain with me’

Raymond nodded agreeing. 

It is without doubt, if there is an obvious enemy of Death Monarch that would target Sofia, it would be the Crime Alliance that control a lot of the illegal businesses in the crime underworld.

‘If I know them, and I do, they would try to imitate the plan of the Demon King and try to kidnap Sofia like Balfor Q’un kidnapped Katarina. They would fail, but they would not stop. And if they try long enough, then, they might just succeed. Especially if I am not here’

‘How about Sina?’ Raymond ask. He knows how Azief cares about the four people known to many as his inner circle. Azief smiles a bit as one figure flashed inside his mind when he thought about Sina and he said 

‘Loki would protect her. I know Loki. He would surely have left some things for Sina. He would also set some countermeasures. After all, by admitting that he is the perpetrator of the Multiversal Convergence, he just painted a target on his back. And as you know, The Tricksters is a slippery loach that is hard to capture. I believe he could elude everyone in the world. Since he could even elude my gaze, how could he not elude anyone else. As such., if my enemies were to target me, they would target Sofia and Katarina. And if people wanted to target Loki, they would target Sina. If that is the case, knowing how thorough Loki is, he must have concocted some plans to make sure that Sina would not be dragged down with him. 

‘How can you be sure?’ Raymond ask.

Azief smiles bitterly and he remembers the conversation he had with Loki before when Loki wanted to save Hirate, when his plan included Will and Sofia and put them in harm’s way.

That day, they argue with each other so bad, that the world had thought that their relationship become strained.

Azief reply by saying

‘Loki promised me. I believe his promise’ There is nothing else that Raymond could say to this as Azief continued

‘I am not interested in what he left her but I know Loki would not disappoint Sina. And unlike Sofia, she rarely goes out of Pandemonium. As long as they are in Pandemonium, nothing could harm them’

Raymond could guess what Azief would do, the moment Azief said those sentences. Pandemonium is not only famous because of Death Monarch and his elites.

It is also famous because of the protection formational around the entire forbidden continent. Raymond then said 

‘You would upgrade the formation, right?’ Azief did not answer but he nodded. 

‘Sasha would also help Sina. That is her friend so I do not worry that much about Sina. Sofia is the more valuable target if anyone wanted to target me. And I have a few other countermeasures for Sina if she does get targeted.’ he said. 

Raymond nodded

‘That is all I want to ask of you. In a week, I would not be on Earth. I would not ask you to protect Pandemonium. It is not your job. But when Sofia is out there, outside of my realm, then you protect her’

‘You will not ask this from the other two?’ The other two that Raymond is saying is referring to Hikigaya and Jean.

‘Jean and Hikigaya have other things to do. They would help if they could, but they are also restrained by the interest of the people around them. As such…. I could not trust them that much’

‘Then why trust me?’

‘Because I trust your honor more than I trust your loyalty toward the World Government’ Azief simply said

‘I don’t know if that is compliment or a diss’

Azief did not say anything as he looks at his right. He then focuses his sight

His gaze pierces the clouds and mist of the oceans, see through tall and large mountain, passes through deep ravines and thick forest as his eyes landed upon a man inside a cave.

The formation that is erected outside the cave trembles as it changes it properties and a hole formed in the center of that formation

Azief could now see clearly the person in that cave. 

That person looks back toward him. 

And even though they were separated by tens of thousands of miles from each other, it was like Azief and that man is just in front of each other, looking into each other eyes.

Azief eyes was glowing blue, like some kind of holy star that shines upon the darkness of the Universe. 

And that man eyes are a purple iris with a ripple pattern. It spirals clockwise at times and counter clockwise at times.

But it is not like Jean eyes. Spirals in the eyes that induce illusions. But Azief was not affected. Because this illusion is weak and full of loopholes.

Azief observed. He expected to see it. But he did not expect it to be this bad. 

‘His injury is this bad. No wonder he didn’t come out immediately’ Azief thought to himself.

Azief communicated his thoughts toward him.

‘I am coming for you later’ The man nodded weakly and Azief who was floating on the sky ten thousands of miles away avert his gaze.

His eyes no longer see that man inside that cave. It was only a momentary gaze but he already communicated with that man inside the cave and he then look back at Raymond.

‘That is all’ Azief said as he retracted his Seal and the area felt less pressurized. The effect was almost instantaneously. 

Raymond could breathe easily now. 

Raymond close his eyes and he could feel that the energy in his body right now circulated easily unlike before where he felt like the energy in his body is being blocked.

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