Chapter 141: Drake Voss Real Identity

Chapter 140

Han and the rest of the group were consumed with worry after news of Aiden’s sudden disappearance spread. The prevailing theory—that Aiden had been captured by the Cursed Organization—only complicated matters further. If true, it meant they were dealing with something far more sinister than they imagined.

They scoured every possible corner of Maurina. Han even deployed several of his clones to cover more ground. Yet, despite all their efforts, there wasn’t a single trace of Aiden.

Where is he?

That question haunted them all.

Far above, on the rooftop of a tall building, the moonlight cast a soft glow on the silhouette of a man in a flowing black robe. His long blonde hair shimmered as it drifted with the wind, as if he were a part of nature itself. The man stood still, his calm gaze fixed silently on Han below.

"You wanted to help," a voice murmured beside him.

The Null had appeared—his form a swirling abyss of darkness, impossible to fully perceive. He, too, stared at Han, who remained unaware that he was being watched from the shadows.

The blonde-haired man shook his head slowly. "I can’t interfere any further... I’ve already done too much. If the others find out, the consequences will outweigh any gain."

The Null gave a solemn nod, understanding all too well the weight of such restraint.

"He’s weak right now," the man added with a sigh, "but I believe he’ll be ready when the time comes."



"He has no choice," the Null responded. "When the war arrives, either he’s ready... or we all die."

With that, the two figures vanished into the night. All traces of their presence in Maurina disappeared with them.

---

Back on the ground, Han and the others continued their relentless search. They combed through alleys, ruins, rooftops—everywhere. But it was as if Aiden had vanished from existence. One of Han’s clones pushed the boundaries, extending his search all the way to the outskirts of the city, where the vast ocean shimmered beneath the pale moonlight.

The clone stood there silently, eyes fixed on the endless stretch of water.

Could Aiden have jumped into the ocean?

Han dismissed the thought. That would be suicide. Even Aiden wouldn’t be foolish enough to attempt something like that.

It was well known that three S-rank sea beasts lurked within those waters. Territorial and deadly, they would attack any human that entered their perception range. With their advantage in water and their refusal to leave the area, no one dared cross their domain.

I must be overthinking things, the clone thought, turning away—only to pause.

At his feet lay a strange formation etched into the earth. A large circle, surrounded by five smaller ones, arranged in a precise pattern. The markings emitted a faint but noticeable glow under the moonlight.

Curious, the clone considered investigating further... but ultimately turned away.

Probably just some child’s game, he muttered to himself. No point wasting time.

The search stretched from night into the early hours of the morning. Eventually, Han had no choice but to stop—he needed to prepare for his final match. The rest of the group accompanied him, offering what little encouragement they could.

Everyone except Clara.

She couldn’t pretend. She couldn’t walk away. Something deep inside told her Aiden wasn’t just missing—he was in real danger. And unlike Han, she didn’t believe he’d be fine. She felt it—something was very wrong.

A Few Minutes Later

Clara sat alone on a large rock near the edge of the sea. The waves crashed gently below her, their rhythm calm—but her heart was anything but. Her eyes were fixed on the endless ocean, yet her mind was far from present.

This was my idea...

She had been the one who suggested Aiden go on the scouting mission. If he had truly died because of that—because of her—then she didn’t know how she would ever live with herself.

Where are you, Aiden...?

The thought crossed her mind like a dagger, her expression twisted with guilt and pain.

Suddenly, something broke the surface of the water.

A hand.

Clara blinked, but didn’t react. Her thoughts were too clouded, her emotions too numbed. She simply stared at it with distant eyes, not truly registering what she was seeing.

Then the hand raised a finger—

—and morphed into a deadly claw.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Just as quickly, the claw shifted back to a normal finger before the hand vanished beneath the surface.

Still, Clara didn’t move. Her face remained frozen in shock.

Then, realization hit her like a bolt of lightning.

That claw... only one person I know can do that instinctively...

"Aiden," she breathed.

Without a second thought, she sprang to her feet and leapt into the sea.

It was reckless. She knew it. For all she knew, it could’ve been a trap—some sea beast mimicking Aiden’s ability to lure her in. But her instincts screamed otherwise. She knew it was him. She trusted her gut, and she trusted Aiden.

She dove into the water and swam at full speed. At first, there was nothing but the cold, crushing blue. Then—

She saw him.

Aiden was sinking rapidly, being pulled downward by something. Strange tendrils of dark energy—or maybe something biological—wrapped around his body, dragging him deeper into the abyss.

Clara didn’t hesitate.

Activating the tech-armor on her arms and legs, she blasted toward him. Blue energy flared from her gauntlets, pushing her forward like a missile. Reaching him, she fired multiple energy blasts at the tendrils. It took several hits and every ounce of strength she had, but eventually the tendrils loosened their grip.

She grabbed Aiden tightly and swam back to the surface, struggling against the drag of the water and the weight of his unconscious body.

As they broke the surface, Clara gasped for air and hauled Aiden onto the rocky shore.

"Aiden! Aiden!" she shouted, shaking him desperately. "Come on—say something!"

No response.

She placed her fingers under his nose.



Nothing.

Panic gripped her. Without a moment’s delay, she hoisted him over her shoulder and sprinted toward the city—toward the best infirmary Maurina had to offer.

---

At the Infirmary...

Inside, the city’s best healers were busy tending to injuries from the Tournament of Power. Some were skilled ability users, others relied on advanced technology or sheer medical knowledge—but all were working nonstop.

Two female healers sat at a table, complaining under their breath.

"Thirty patients before noon. I swear, this tournament’s killing us, not them."

"You’d think someone would cast a barrier around the arena by now."

Suddenly—

BANG!

The doors burst open.

A girl stormed in, wearing partially activated tech armor—glowing segments on her arms, legs, and head. Her appearance would have been radiant, ethereal even, if not for the sheer desperation etched into her face.

Clara.

She staggered forward, eyes wide and frantic, and dropped Aiden’s limp body onto the table in front of the startled healers.

"Be quick—heal him now!" Clara demanded, her voice sharp with urgency.

One of the healers shot her a glare, clearly displeased at being ordered around by someone so young. The other opened her mouth, irritation bubbling up.

"Hey, kid—you shouldn’t—"

Her words froze mid-sentence the moment Clara pulled out a small, black card edged in gold. At its center gleamed a crescent moon.

The healer’s eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat. She stared at the card as though it carried the weight of the heavens.

"...Heal him," Clara repeated coldly.

"Yes, ma’am!" both women answered in unison, their tones flipping instantly to respect and alarm. They sprang into action, rushing Aiden’s limp body into the emergency healing chamber.

---

The next few minutes were some of the longest of Clara’s life.

She sat in the waiting hall, fingers trembling, heart racing.

Her mind spun relentlessly. Please be okay, Aiden... Please...

More minutes passed.

Then one of the healers stepped out of the room.

Clara jumped to her feet. "How is he? Is he healed?"

The healer’s face was unreadable. She slowly shook her head.

Clara’s heart dropped. Her breath hitched. Her knees nearly buckled.

No. No, no, no—

He’s dead. He’s gone. And it’s my fault. I sent him on that mission...

But then the healer added, "He refused treatment. He said he needed to speak with you before we begin."

Clara blinked. "What?"

She could’ve screamed. Couldn’t they have started with that?

With a glare sharp enough to cut steel, she pushed past the healer and stormed into the room.

And there he was.

Aiden.

Still pale. Still wounded. But alive—and awake.

Barely.

Clara rushed to his side, her voice shaking. "Idiot! You should’ve let them heal you first! You scared the life out of me!"

Aiden smirked weakly, his voice hoarse. "Well... that’s a first."

Clara’s eye twitched. If he weren’t half-dead, she might’ve smacked him for that.

"Just get healed, you fool," she muttered. "Whatever you want to say can wait."

She turned to leave—but Aiden grabbed her wrist.



His grip was weak, but his eyes held strength.

"No. You need to hear this now."

Clara stopped.

"I found something... solid," he whispered. "Something big."

"What is it?" she asked, leaning in.

Aiden exhaled slowly, as if summoning the last of his strength.

"It’s Drake, Clara... He’s the one. Drake Voss... He’s the leader of the Cursed Organization."

Clara’s eyes widened in disbelief, her breath catching in her throat.

Drake Voss...?

To be continued...

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