Chapter 280: 280. Unexpected Meeting
Staring at the wanted poster, Orion felt a surge of fury and uncontrollable rage bubbling within him. It wasn't the Celestial Court declaring him wanted that enraged him—he had anticipated that. But seeing his family branded as traitors to the human race crossed a line he couldn't ignore. It struck at his reverse scale, igniting a deep anger that threatened to consume him.
When Orion first arrived in the Human Federation Realm three months ago, his primary goal had been to attend Dollas Academy. He sought its teachings and, more importantly, vital information about Grimshore—a place shrouded in mystery and danger.
He had no intention of venturing into Grimshore without being fully prepared, and Dollas Academy promised the knowledge he needed. The potential to uncover a power greater than the three domains only strengthened his resolve to visit the academy.
But the moment he arrived and saw his face plastered on wanted posters everywhere, along with the damning accusation that his family was traitorous, something inside him snapped.
The sight of those declarations, scattered across the realm, sent a shockwave through him.
He had expected to be targeted by the Celestial Court, but the decision to go after his family was a blow he hadn't anticipated. For a brief moment, the rage consumed him, threatening to shatter the careful control he usually maintained. Your next chapter awaits on m v|l-e'm,p y r
So, he decided to add another goal to his list. No longer was it enough to simply gather knowledge and uncover secrets about Grimshore; now, Orion was driven by a burning hatred and uncontrollable rage against the Celestial Court and the Ten Seats as a whole.
'The Celestial Court isn't taking me seriously, are they?'
Orion smiled deviously, thinking about what he planned to do when he got there.
'Since they made me the most wanted human, I might as well live up to it.'
A ruthless expression appeared on his face as he stared at the wanted poster.
"How can I help you?"
At that moment, an eighteen-year-old lady approached him and asked.
Orion looked at her and realized she might be one of the workers here.
"I want to update my rank," he stated.
"Follow me," the lady said.
Orion nodded and followed her.
After passing through many halls and rooms, they arrived at a place with a huge white sphere in the center of a room, enclosed in a square glass case and surrounded by walls.
"Give me your hunter ID," the lady requested.
"Here," Orion handed it to her.
"When your name is called, go through that door and enter," the lady instructed, pointing at the door leading to the room with the giant sphere.
Orion nodded.
The lady soon left with his ID card, leaving Orion alone.
Looking around, he noticed many individuals of various ages sitting in the waiting area of the hall. Most were busy with their own things, some playing with their halo watches, others using their halo phones.
'This is indeed a futuristic world...'
Orion sighed and found an empty seat in the corner. He sat down, waiting for his name to be called.
While waiting, he thought about the sensation he felt when he upgraded to gold rank.
'It must be Grimshore.'
Orion was certain of it. Last night, when he upgraded, he felt an unexpected connection to a new world—a sensation so faint it was almost imperceptible, like a distant whisper calling out to him. At first, he dismissed it as overthinking. It was just a vague feeling, after all—nothing worth dwelling on.
But when he woke up today, the feeling had intensified. The connection was no longer just a faint whisper; it was a persistent tug, a call growing louder, urging him to respond. He could sense it clearly now, almost like an invisible thread linking him to something far away, something unknown yet powerful. It felt as if this new world was reaching out to him, beckoning him to explore its depths.
Despite the growing pull, Orion resisted. He wasn't one to act on impulse, especially when the stakes were so high. His immediate goals demanded his focus, and he knew that succumbing to curiosity could lead to unforeseen consequences. Yet, deep down, he knew he couldn't ignore the sensation forever.
The connection was growing stronger, more insistent with each passing moment, and it was only a matter of time before he would have to confront whatever awaited him on the other side.
'It seems it's urging me to go to Grimshore.'
Orion suspected that the mysterious pull was connected to his first visit to Grimshore. The nagging urge, the relentless calling, felt unmistakably tied to that enigmatic place. As time passed, he knew the sensation would only grow stronger, becoming impossible to ignore.
Deep down, he understood that the only way to silence the insistent call would be to answer it, to venture into Grimshore and face whatever awaited him there.
But he wasn't ready—not yet. He knew too little about Grimshore, and the thought of diving into the unknown without adequate preparation filled him with unease.
The place was shrouded in mystery and danger, and even though the pull was powerful, Orion knew that rushing in blind could be disastrous.
For now, he resolved to resist the call. His priority was to gather the information and strength he needed before confronting the unknown. The urge would have to wait until he was fully prepared to face whatever Grimshore held in store.
"Ah, Big Brother!"
A surprised shout suddenly caught his attention, making his heart race.
Turning his head toward the source of the sound, he saw an eighteen-year-old girl with short black hair. She wore a purple top and black jeans, with black sunglasses resting on her head.
She was staring at Orion with a shocked expression, and Orion was equally stunned when he looked at her. How was this person in front of him alive? Did he read the reports wrong? But that couldn't be true.
"You're alive?..." he muttered in disbelief.
"Big Brother!" The girl suddenly jumped onto Orion's shoulders, crying like a child reunited with her mother after a long separation.
Orion just stood there in shock, unable to comprehend what was happening.
After a few minutes, she finally stopped and looked at Orion, who was still reeling in shock.
"Big Brother, I'll explain everything," she said, wiping away her tears.
"...How are you still alive?" Orion asked after accepting his bad luck.
"I-I can't tell," she stammered, shaking her head desperately. Fear was evident in her eyes.
"What happened?" Orion asked, noticing her unusual behavior.
The girl remained silent for a long time, her face reflecting fear, anxiety, and a range of other emotions before she finally returned to a neutral expression.
She then turned to Orion and bowed. "I found the wrong person. I'm sorry for wasting your time."
"What are you talking about?" Orion couldn't understand her sudden change. The whole situation made no sense to him.
"I thought you were someone else." She shook her head with a wry smile. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go."
She walked past him, their shoulders brushing.
"Hey, wait... Tracy." Orion called out, but she didn't stop.
Tracy trembled for a moment upon hearing her name but continued to leave, leaving Orion puzzled about the entire situation.
"What just happened?" Orion said aloud in contemplation. Only then did he notice that everyone was staring at him strangely. He realized the scene had drawn everyone's attention.
"Cough! She got the wrong person, haha." Orion laughed awkwardly and sat back down, closing his eyes.
But as he sat down, he suddenly felt something inside his left pants pocket.
'I don't remember carrying anything.'
With a puzzled expression, Orion checked his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.
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