Chapter 60: Burning Man

Earlier in the morning, the sun was still high in the sky as small snow drifted lazily in District 2. It was around this time that Orson left his ward to clear his head, leaving Lenora alone in the ward room.

The ward was a bit dark, with sunlight streaming through the window toward Lenora, who was all alone.

Her clothes just made her look untouchable and cold as she looked at her status. It had been over a year now since she lost her powers. And now, looking at her status, she did not know what to feel.

She looked down.

Astral Burden: Pride.

Current Requirement: ERROR.

Abilities: ERROR—TETHER HAS BEEN DESTROYED.

Her Burden, she thought as she looked at it. Astral burdens were the price you pay to gain power. But for Lenora, it just felt like a price she had to pay even having nothing. And worst of all, that burden cost her everything, leaving her with nothing but that man she called husband.

Orson. Even as she said his name, she felt the disdain he had for her when he looked her in the face. And it just made her angry. She was the one giving everything up for a man no one wanted, so why was it that he was the one getting angry?

She was not angry like him. I mean, she even went as far as to lower herself to get him to her bed and even try to make their marriage work. But what did he do? No—just looked at her with those cold eyes like she was nothing to him.

She did not care. Not really. But it was infuriating to be looked down on by a nobody. A classless human with no life gate. He should be on his knees begging me to stay. I mean, no one wanted him. But no—he looked at me like I was nothing. Like I was a stain at the bottom of his feet, and he wanted it gone.

Lenora was a pro at reading people, especially people who think they’re special. I mean, take Orson. The guy was a nobody, and now that he has a life gate, he thinks he can look down on me anytime he wants.

Lost in her pride, taking a hit, she saw her comms beeping before looking down at it. It was Emily.

She wheeled herself out of the wards since Orson did not look like he would come down any time soon. And besides, she did not want to see that stupid face again. So she left the hospital.

As she got out, Emily was waiting outside with her hover car as she smiled at Lenora.

---

Meanwhile, on the roof, a woman with red hair watched as Emily opened the door for Lenora and helped her in. She then took out her comms and dialed a number.

"Hello, Miss Baker. It looks like House Argus is starting to make their move because of the fire outbreak three days ago."

Miss Baker sighed. "What about the young miss and her husband?"

"They are fighting, so I thought he would not be of any help."

Miss Baker fell silent and then said, "Okay. You know your mission. Tail them. But wait—what about Emily?"

The red-haired woman looked down at the hover car before answering. "Emily has gone silent for a week now, so she may be compromised."

"Okay. For now, we cannot warn her. It will hurt her pride. So all we just have to do is follow her for now. Understood?"

"Understood, ma."

With that, she hung up before jumping off the roof and landing in the air. She started walking, and the air around where she moved formed a platform as she moved.

"I hope this does not end as the Azure breach did."

And with that, the red-haired woman followed the hover car from high above in the air.

---

Meanwhile, it was around this time Orson finished his God Nectar and entered his ward to find it empty.

The car hovered alone as Emily and Lenora were inside. It was silent and heavy as Lenora looked away, watching the outside blur past.

Emily smiled. "So, girl, what has been going on?"

"Well, you know. The usual. What about you?"

"Hmm. I was planning to go to the breach for the weapon, but Preston removed me from the team, so I’m free."

"Well, I need a drink, so why don’t we find something?"

"Sure."

---

Meanwhile, as the air compressed to solid and the red-haired woman stepped on it, the hover car stopped at a T-junction before looking for a place to park. The red-haired woman watched.

Lenora looked at the side as Emily removed her car safety and leaned to remove Lenora’s own. But just as Emily’s hand reached toward the safety, it changed. A small syringe was summoned from the system. Before Lenora could react, Emily moved as the sharp needle pierced Lenora’s Saint skin.

"I’m sorry, Lenora."

Lenora wanted to move, but she could not. Her vision started to blur as she looked at her best friend.

"Why... you..."

And then nothing.

Just as Emily moved, she got out of the car and moved like a dance with speed as she sent fire and fire toward the figure standing on air. The red-haired woman was caught off guard by the attack and lost her focus as she fell toward Emily’s fire, which sent her flying back before the combusted air released Emily.

The red-haired woman fell to the ground with a bang. Smoke and dust rose from around her. Just as she used her compressed air to move the smoke, there was no one there.

Even the car was gone.

"Damn it."

She quickly dialed Miss Baker’s number.

"Ma’am, I am sorry, but we have lost the young miss."

---

Meanwhile, in the Golden Sun Realm, rain was falling from the sky as a killing intent descended upon the realm. After the golden beam vanished, a large hand that looked like the hand of a god fell upon the realm toward Rain, ready to catch her. And all around, every contractor from rank one to rank three watched as all their system notices turned red from reading the killing intent of the being that the hand belonged to.

Orson, who had just stepped in, was shocked after just reading a system notice. He felt a suffocating aura. It felt like a calamity was looking down on the realm with killing intent as the notice of a system appeared.

[You have all been noticed by a Dark One.]

An Indigo Class Calamity.

The Burning Man.

---

End of First Arc.