Chapter 104: Cha.104 Old Team (1)

A woman lay on the bed, her body trembling as she struggled to breathe. Sweat covered her pale face, and her thin arms barely had enough strength to hold onto the sheets.

She looked exhausted. Her eyes rolled upward, and her mouth opened as she struggled to breathe.

The man beside her held her hand tightly, trying to hide the fear in his eyes.

"You’re doing great... just a little longer."

The woman didn’t answer.

Another scream escaped her as she pushed with the last of her strength.

Then a cry filled the room.

A newborn baby.

The man froze.

His eyes widened as he stared at the small child in the doctor’s arms.

A smile slowly appeared on his face.

"It’s a boy..."

The doctor carefully placed the baby into his arms.

The man looked down at him.

The child was tiny and weak.

"Valen..."

He gently touched the baby’s head.

"That’s what I’ll call you."

He turned toward his wife.

"Look, honey. He’s here."

Silence.

The man blinked.

"Honey?"

She didn’t move.

His smile slowly disappeared.

He reached toward her face.

Nothing.

He touched her neck.

His hand began to tremble.

"No..."

His voice cracked.

"No, no, no..."

The doctor lowered his head.

"Sir, it’s a miracle that she got pregnant in the first place. It’s even more unbelievable that she managed to give birth to a healthy baby..."

He paused.

"Almost impossible, but... she reached her limits, and now she is..."

He stopped, unable to say the words.

The man stared at his newborn son.

Then at his wife.

His smile was completely gone.

"...The devil."

...

Fifteen years later.

"VALEN!"

A young boy ran through the TaskJam building as fast as his legs could carry him.

Behind him, a middle-aged man chased after him.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE BRAT!"

Valen looked behind him.

"YOU’LL NEVER CATCH ME!"

He immediately turned his head forward.

Bad decision.

His foot caught the edge of a wooden box.

"Whoa—"

He fell face-first toward the floor.

But before he could hit it, a hand grabbed the back of his shirt.

The man lifted him into the air like a cat.

"C’mon, boy. How did you even manage to fall there?"

Nasun held Valen with one hand.

He was a handsome middle-aged man with dark hair, brown eyes, a sharp jawline, and a well-defined face. Despite his age, there was still something youthful about him, especially the brightness in his eyes.

Valen laughed.

"Well, if you want to train me—"

"Nope. You will not live like we do, boy."

Nasun sighed before carrying him toward the next room.

"Yo, Gareth. Would you mind watching over Valen for the day?"

Nasun turned toward a man sitting on the sofa.

A massive shield rested beside him, its surface reinforced with several strange metallic layers.

The man himself looked strong, muscles visible beneath his clothes. He quietly looked at Valen, then at Nasun.

"Sure..."

The man sighed.

He was quiet by nature. He rarely spoke unless necessary, and even then, his words were usually short.

Nasun handed Valen over.

"Thank you so much."

Gareth nodded as he picked Valen up.

As Nasun walked away, another voice came from behind him.

"TRAITOR!"

Nasun chuckled and turned around.

"Are you going to the orphanage? Also, I want you to control that boy of yours more."

Nasun raised his head when he heard the voice.

A woman stood near the wall with her arms crossed.

She had a calm expression, long hair, and bright red lips curved into a confident smile. There was a spark in her eyes.

She was Team Four’s mage.

Nasun looked at her.

"Syran, the boy is fifteen."

"Levia was more disciplined when she was thirteen!"

Syran proudly raised her chin.

"My Levia would never run through the building like that."

Nasun stared at her with a mocking smile.

"Your Levia is probably terrified of you."

Syran’s smile disappeared.

"That’s not the point."

"It sounded like the point."

"It isn’t."

Nasun laughed.

Syran crossed her arms tighter.

"Whatever. You didn’t answer me. Are you going to the orphanage again? Because I’d like to donate today."

Nasun gave her a warm smile.

"I’m actually going to see the old man, but sure. I can help with that."

...

After leaving the base, Nasun headed toward the Team Three building in the capital.

On the way, he stopped at a certain building.

The moment he entered, several children ran toward him.

Nasun barely had time to react before he fell to the ground, surrounded by smiling children.

"Unc Nasun!"

"Unc Nasun is here!"

Nasun laughed warmly as he patted their heads and hugged them tightly.

His smile grew wider as more children he knew came running toward him.

Then he heard an old voice.

"Welcome, أيها المحسن. The children really missed you. They’ve been waiting for you to come all week."

An old lady smiled at him.

Nasun scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Actually, I’m only here to donate today. I’m not staying to play."

The children stared at him in shock.

"What?!"

"No!"

"Please play with us!"

"Show us some tricks!"

Nasun apologized to them and promised to visit twice the following week, bringing plenty of gifts with him.

He then handed the old lady the three silver coins Syran had given him.

After that, he added another ten silver coins from his own pocket.

The old lady stared at the thirteen coins and lowered her head in embarrassment.

"Oh dear, this is too much—"

Nasun gently cut her off.

"Please don’t say that. Anyone who loves and cares for these angels deserves the best."

Then he left the orphanage.

As he continued toward the city, he noticed a puppy playing in the street, unaware of the carriage heading toward it.

The driver noticed the puppy too late.

He couldn’t dodge.

But before the carriage reached it, a man ran into the street and grabbed the puppy.

The driver quickly stopped.

Then he raised his head.

"Ah, that’s why I hate working at this hour. The sunlight affects my vision."

He recognized the man.

"Thank you for the help, Nasun."

Nasun smiled while petting the puppy.

"No problem. Also, I heard there’s a new type of glasses that protect against sunlight. If you want, I can search for a pair for you."

"Oh, you’re such a great man."

Nasun laughed at the compliment.

Then he noticed another dog approaching him, wagging her tail.

"Oh, you’re probably the mother."

He placed the puppy down and gently petted the mother before continuing on his way.

A few minutes later, he found himself standing outside the Team Three building.

Someone familiar was waiting for him.

Yorness.

He had thick blond hair, with some white on the sides. His blue eyes were sharp, and his large nose gave his face a distinctive appearance.

Yorness crossed his arms.

"You are late."

Nasun smiled.

"Hello to you too."

Yorness frowned.

"You keep ignoring regulations. Team Four isn’t above the kingdom’s rules."

Nasun leaned against the wall.

"Are we doing a poor job?"

"Do our missions fail?"

Yorness paused.

"Don’t play this game with me..."

Nasun smiled.

"Do we return with less information than we left with?"

Yorness narrowed his eyes, visibly annoyed.

"We’re the best team in the kingdom, Yorness."

Yorness clicked his tongue but didn’t argue.

Because he knew it was true.

Team Four had completed mission after mission with an almost ridiculous success rate.

Nasun pushed himself away from the wall.

"Yorness, you are indeed so easy to read."

Yorness frowned.

"What?"

"It takes a person who simply does their job efficiently and helps the kingdom improve to win over your respect."

Yorness stared at him with disgust.

"I hate everything about you. Be glad that the king likes your work."

He paused before rolling his eyes.

"You and those filthy elves that betrayed their own home. I’m sure one day they will betray us too."

Nasun laughed.

"First, it’s inappropriate to talk about them like that. They had their reasons, I’m sure."

He paused and looked toward the golden castle’s shadow on the horizon.

"I am indeed grateful for His Majesty’s support. And one day, I will serve him as a royal guard."

Yorness laughed mockingly.

"Still with that stupid dream of yours? You aren’t worthy of becoming one."

Nasun simply smiled.

"Well, I’m already Tarbi-Awal while still in my thirties, so I still have time to become Ahdeb."

He placed a hand on Yorness’s shoulder and asked innocently:

"Tell me, now that you’re Tarbi-Awal after forty years, do you feel like you can advance?"

Yorness pushed his hand away.

"Get your ass down to my office now!"

...

After a long hour of document verification and the old man’s endless nagging, Nasun was finally allowed to return to his city.

On the way, he stopped to buy some bird food.

When Nasun returned to the TaskJam building, another familiar face immediately caught his attention.

A young man was lying across a couch with his legs hanging over the edge, looking completely relaxed.

A bow rested beside him.

The young man opened one eye.

"Oh, you’re back."

Nasun stared at him.

"Are you sleeping?"

"No."

"You’re lying down with your eyes closed."

"I was thinking."

"I see..."

That response brought a smile to Nasun’s face as he made his way toward the base.

"Oh, by the way."

He stopped and turned toward the sleepy young man.

"How is your student doing, Mark?"

Mark raised an eyebrow.

"Doran? He’s terrible at aiming, and his personality is so serious that it stresses me out, but..."

He stretched comfortably.

"His mentality and body are strong. He already shows huge potential."

"I just hope he lets me rest more."

Nasun laughed before heading downstairs.

He walked toward the corner of the room, where a parrot was sitting on a wooden stick.

As soon as the parrot saw him, it began moving its head up and down.

"Nasun Caa! Food Caa!"

"Yes, yes. I’m coming, buddy."

Nasun approached the parrot with a bowl filled with bird food.

He placed it beside the parrot and watched it eat.

"Good. I see your wings are much better now."

Nasun gently touched the parrot’s bandaged wings.

The parrot suddenly screamed.

"Nasun Caa! Fat Caa!"

Nasun froze.

Then he slowly narrowed his eyes.

"That little brat Valen has been teaching you to say this, hasn’t he?"

He laughed before returning to his room.

He sat on the ground, closed his eyes, and began meditating.

Until night fell.

In a blink of an eye, five years passed.

Nasun grew wiser.

He gained more respect.

And he became stronger.

Until, one day...

Team Four received a strange mission.