The Ancient Genes

"Don't give me that look, it's not like you think it is.." Max said to Mr. Cool before looking at Aria, "And you, stop causing misunderstandings."

Aria suddenly realised her words might have sounded wrong to others and her face started to turn red.

"Hmmn... You aren't going to take responsibility?" Mr. Cool asked as he looked at Max.

"I have nothing to take responsibility for….stop exaggerating it…" Max glared at him, this b*stard was clearly having fun.

And Why was Max consoling his sister? Shouldn't it be his job?

But Mr. Cool just ignored Max's plea as if he didn't notice his signals to take Aria.

"Will we get to know what's going on?" Erina finally asked when things seemed to have calmed down a bit.

Max had already seen them and was about to get to it.

"Lear, I remember asking you to get them to safety….why are they here?" Max asked as he looked at Lear and then at Mr. Cool.

"That guy doesn't listen to others…." Lear said in a weak voice.

Bahamut and Max looked at Mr. Cool but he just shrugged.

"Don't give me that, you could have at least knocked them out. What are we going to do now?" Max said with a frown.

All four of the girl's faces twitched. Why were they so fixated on knocking them out?

"I am an admirer of beauty….you want me to destroy them?" Mr. Cool ask as he gave them a look which clearly said 'Don't joke with me'

"Don't give me that sh*t...what are you going to do if the enemy is a beauty? Do you plan to let her kill you?'' Max looked at him as if he was an idiot.

"I am the ultimate form of elegance, if a person attacks me. He or she is nothing but a barbarian without any understanding of art...such people are meant to be killed…." Mr. Cool said as he crossed his arms. It seemed very natural to him.

Max understood his character a bit. He was a narcissist, no doubt. But he wasn't a fool. He would bend his ideals in a way that would justify his action in any situation….in short the guy was annoying…

Max shook his head and then looked at Erina. He decided to tell them what had happened outside. How the place was wiped out by some strong enemy?

"You want me to believe that?'' Erina looked at Max. She found it a bit hard to believe.

"Ask him, his words might sound more convincing to you…" Max said looking at Wilson.

Wilson looked at his sister and gave a nod.

Namen kept looking at Max. To her, Max looked as if he was a totally different guy then the the ones they had met outside the auction hall.

"What about you all? You knew something beforehand right? Besides, what is this place?" Erina asked once again.

Max didn't reply. He didn't know what to do, this wouldn't be a headache if they hadn't seen anything. 

Was it possible for such details to give Max and his party's identity out?

Yes, if any of their families were related to demons. And this information got to those b*stards…considering that the demons had some knowledge about the abilities of the chose one.

Even if it didn't give them out, it would still be enough to cause them a lot of trouble. After all they had caused trouble in something which had involved a terrifying figure from the demon side.

"Why don't we leave a few things for later? I don't think this is the best moment to talk…'' Mr. Cool said as he realised what the problem here was.

Max looked at Mr. Cool and spoke, "Did you inform Lisa?"

"Yeah, I did. Should I call her in?" Mr. Cool asked.

"Later, let's recover a bit first…" Max said before pulling himself towards the boulder and laying his back onto it.

Aria looked at him and then at her brother. There were a lot of questions in her mind…

Why did he know her brother?

What was going on?

Why did he take Lisa's name?

Why was he suddenly being so close to Lisa?

Was there something going between him and Lisa?

Aria suddenly shook her head realising that her questions were trailing off from the right path.

"Master!!" 

Mr. Cool immediately made a roundhouse kick without even looking at the target.

His kick landed right on the frog leaping towards him sending it flying into the river.

"How many times do I have to say don't jump on me, Fieo?'' Mr. Cool muttered with a sigh, still maintaining his elegance.

"You are still onto it? Outer beauty will bring you nothing, my child…" Mr. Cool turned his head to look at the old man.

"Yeah….I get it…'' He said waving his hand, clearly not paying any attention to it.

The girls looked in shock. They suddenly realized that the house had collapsed and technically, the old man should be dead. He looked so old and there was no trace of mana in his body as well. Not to mention this place didn't have any mana to begin with. How could such a weak old man survive that?...

Max looked at the old man. 'So he is the spirit?'

'Which race is he from Andriel?' He asked.

'...'

'Andriel?' Max asked again, a bit surprised at her lack of response.

But at this moment, Max suddenly felt a familiar sensation. Someone had sneaked out.

Before he knew, Sera was already out looking at the old man.

The old man turned towards Max and Sera as well.

His gaze lingered on Max for a bit before falling on Sera.

Suddenly, his eyes enlarged and he shifted his gaze back onto Max.

"How many times do I have to say it to you, Sera? Don't come out like this?" Max said with a sigh. This could have been dangerous if they were surrounded by enemies.

"Hello, little girl…" Before Max knew the old man was already stooping below to reach Sera 's level.

Everyone else had noticed the cute little girl as well and were looking at her with adoring eyes.

Sera looked at the old man. Her cheeks were puffing out and her little nose seemed to be trembling.

'Is she angry?'

Max felt something was wrong but before he could do anything, she had already grabbed onto the old man's long white beard and started to swing onto it like a little tarzan.

"Sera!!" Max was taken back and hurriedly pulled her into his lap before berating her for her actions.

The old man just smiled and didn't seem to mind it.

"Say Sorry to him, Sera.." Max said in a stern tone.

But Sera just just turned her head with her arms crossed.

"Hmph! He made Big Sis An cry. I won't say Sorry…" Sera said in protest.

Her words came as a bit of surprise to Max.  He looked at the old man before asking inwardly, 'Andriel, is everything fine?'

'Yeah, is anything wrong?' Andriel replied, a bit confused. Her voice seemed perfectly fine.

'Why didn't you reply earlier?' Max asked.

'I went for an inspection to check mom's health…'

'Come out…' Max ordered.

A silence ensued from her side.

But the next instant, she emerged by Max's side.

The old man's eyes turned grave at Andriel's sight.

The spirit energy immediately began to twirl around. Mr. Cool frowned as he noticed the old man going to battle mode and immediately walked up to him.

"What do you think you are doing, old geezer?'' He asked as looking at him.

But the old man didn't shift his eyes from Andriel.

"Do you know who she is?" The old man asked as he looked at Max.

Max looked at Andriel who stood there facing the old man with a calm look on her face.

She had always been in front of him whenever he was in the spirit world. She had always been smiling and trying to seduce him. But this wasn't like her…. He could tell she was not her usual self.

Max reached out to her and grabbed her hand. It was only then that he realized that her hands were trembling a bit.

"Why are you not facing me?'' Max asked as he looked at her. But her eyes were still avoiding Max.

"Are you guilty of anything?" Max asked.

''No..." Andriel replied as she turned her head and finally faced Max. ''But….this isn't the way I wanted you to find out about it..."

Max shook his head as he pulled her down beside him.

Andriel wasn't prepared for it. But her instincts as a succubus kicked in and she somehow positioned herself well and ended up on Max's chest instead of the ground.

"You don't seem to have realized her identity yet, young man…do you know what she has done in the upper dimension?" The old man said as he looked at Max.

"Do you think I care?" Max asked as he looked at the old man.

"What she has done in your world has nothing to do with me. I don't care about her past and even more so about your world…..we are only in a beneficial relationship...you people are not doing us any favor here…" 

The old man didn't speak but just looked at Max. A strange light was twirling in his eyes as if he was looking into something which other's couldn't.

"She is an important person to me. You better watch your words, old man…" Max gave him a look which even made Mr. Cool feel a chill creeping down his spine.

"Are you willing to bear her responsibility?" The old man asked as he looked at Max, "Can you say that the event of the past which you aren't even interested in won't repeat here…"

"Sure…." Max replied even without batting an eye.

No matter what Max did, he felt that it wouldn't be enough to repay Andriel. Who cared what she did in the past? If she didn't want Max to hear it he wouldn't. 

The old man looked at Max, the intense atmosphere remained but suddenly the old man released a smile dispersing the tension and the strange light in his eyes vanished.

"I see…..so it was here all along. No wonder I couldn't see it in the Upper dimension….." The old man said with interest as he looked at Max.