Pushing back against the seemingly casual flick of Aiden's attack, the spark-filled clash lasted for several seconds, before all the force was finally blocked and wasted causing the spear to shatter due to the backlash.

Its base exploding, the shattered fragments were flung to all corners of the room, whilst the edged, sharp tip was caught by the shield-bearing veteran, causing no real damage to any of the hiding rest of the members in the dark room.

​​

Silence slowly descended as the second round of attacks was completed. From one side, Aiden looked calm as ever, while his team behind him were looking around them with wariness in their eyes.

Sam and Biggy instinctually took guard on Lily's sides guarding their Mistress against any potential harm, also adding Galina into their range of protection. Scarlet, Sara, and Drake standing just a step behind Aiden, glancing towards the uncanny, unnatural darkness that dominated the room. Their hands are placed atop the hilts of their weapons, ready to unsheathe and slice, strike or thrust at the first sign of danger.

Aiden, however, unlike the others, wasn't worried at all. His face was showing a perpetual calmness, a collected, cool demeanor, as he faced the seemingly unknown without any nervousness or clear vigilance. Yet whenever any of the twelve hiding figures surrounding them were about to take any action, his exotic, golden eyes instantly gazed at them, freezing them in place and causing them to forgo their planned attacks.

Seconds passed in this ensuing tense silent atmosphere before suddenly a loud deep, boisterous guffaw erupted ahead of them from the direction where the previous showy clash between shield versus spear took place.

For a while, only the deep-toned, powerful laughter was the only source of sound in the room. The owner of it, the aged-looking ruffled elder howled to his heart's content for more than a minute before he slowly regained his bearing.

"Clynt, end this stupid magic already… We can't see sh*t!" He suddenly roared.

In the next moment, a timid sounding voice came from the back answering the command. It was trembling as if the owner was trembling, scared about the anger of this leader.

"Y-yes D-don! As you w-wish!" As if on command, suddenly the imposing lightless dark began to subside. As if an invisible window were opened, light began to pierce the void, faint pillars of light replaced it gradually, and though it gave way only to a dim illumination, even those mostly provided by a set of candles placed mostly around the dozen bunk bed placed sparsely along the walls, it still shed light to the 12 hiding figures and their prominent shield bearing leader at the center.

As the light slowly pushed the figures hiding in the dark, Aiden's team was surprised to see that they were actually surrounded by them. 5 figures on each side, with a mostly equal mixture of men and women, looked at them with fierce, cold looks, holding short swords in their right hands.

Even though they were in a battle-ready stance, ready to strike with their blades in an instant, Aiden, unlike the rest of his team, still retained his calm. With the simple, calm smile on his face, he looked at the shoulder-length white, unkempt, unruly haired disfigured face of the veteran leader in front of him. His stance was casual, not radiating any fighting intent, yet, for some reason the elder felt that any wrong move from his men and the consequences will be dire.

This feeling of danger, this unease that overwhelmed his senses were a refreshing, almost rejuvenating sensation to him, causing him to look with a newfound surprise at this perplexing, mysterious youngster. Something he hasn't felt for almost a decade now, and never would have thought, imagined that such a luster of life would rekindle in him in such a place.

Still, he didn't fully believe his senses. Yes, the boy at the front was capable, but the rest seemed just like those newbies from the guild, a bunch of glorified trash. He coughed, putting his large, towering shield on the ground and leaning into it as he glanced with a slight look of disdain and displeasure at the group.

"Boy!" He hollered at the golden-eyed youngster in front of him. "What's your name?"

Aiden's smile only grew wider at the question. He shook his head, as he responded in a calm tone.

"Before you howl like an animal and fling your questions at us, you should fix your and your friend's stance and apologize. Only after that, can we move on to introductions."

The boy's response caused the surrounding men and women to instantly fly into a rage and some of them to flare up.

"What did you say, you brat?!"

"Do you have any idea about the situation you kids are in?"

"How dare such a greenhorn lecture us and even demand us to kneel down?"

"Captain, let's beat them up and show them their place!"

"Yeah Cap! I don't think Boss Sebas would mind, in fact, it's probably for the best!"

"Yeah Cap!"

Many cries and rage-filled yells came from the figures standing at the ready on the group's sides. As the team trembled at their words and jumped closer together to be ready for the incoming clash, their undisputed leader, Aiden retained his nonchalant look on his face.

He looked at the leader without any fear or any visible fluctuation in his eyes, waiting for his response.

The leader, Don, was stunned by the boy's words and subsequent strong bravado. Even as he was placed under such pressure from his guys, he never so much as flinched, unlike the normal, expected reaction of his team.

This raised his alertness. He could already feel before that this particular youngster was not your average adolescent teen. Even with his decades of experience, Don couldn't see into him, yet he could feel that inside the vast depth that was inside that thin frame, there was something terrifying locked away. Something… that he never felt or sensed before.

Suddenly, he raised his right open palm in the air, causing all the snickers in the room to turn quiet. His bright, grin eased up a bit, showing a slightly more serious outlook as he glanced back at the boy.

"Not many would dare to speak so unbridledly in front of me, kid." He spoke with a stern, grave-sounding tone.

Aiden, however still hasn't shown any emotion, even as he was put under even more duress. He leisurely shrugged his shoulders as he responded. Yet as he spoke, suddenly his eyes flared up, radiating their majestic, golden luster, adding a bit more presence to him.

"If you keep on testing me old man, I'll break your men and you as well. Don't test my patience and mistake it for weakness. Last warning." His tone was much colder than before, even adding a slight growling undertone to it.

His short threat seemed to hit its mark, the men and women previously ready to launch themselves at the youngsters looked with eyes of shock, even some slight fear and dread towards this enigmatic entity in front of them.

Don suddenly felt the same sense of dread wash over him once again, warning him that his next words, his next action could make or break the situation.

---

AN: Hey there Readers!

Just a friendly reminder, that from wherever you are reading (although I wholeheartedly thank you if you are reading and enjoying the story through Webnovel), you can reach out to me using any of the below methods!

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