- Infiltrate -

The moment when both Grand De Jah and Grand De Sah witnessed Enryu with their own eyes, their eyes possessed mysterious abilities. Grand De Jah's eyes were able to see the future.

"Once, when Joe invaded the North City, thanks to the power of Grand De Jah's eyes and the help of the mysterious woman, he was unable to advance further and was forced to retreat back to the South City. If we have the power of Grand De Jah's eyes which brought you here....I'm sure that they will help in defeating Hell Joe" said Grand De Lee.

The person who they should bring must be Hockney.

Speaking about Hockney, he seemed to learn another thing about himself. That his eyes weren't his eyes, but Grand De Jah's eyes and Mata had came to this castle to beg Grand De Jah to help Hockney.

At the time, because Hockney was an immortal already, Grand De Jah couldn't heal his eyes. But instead, he gave his eyes to him. The one who gouged Hockney's eyes out was Hell Joe who was enraged when Hockney refused to help him.

After knowing a bit of his own past, Hockney went to look for Mata who was said to beg for Grand De Jah to save Hockney. There, he learnt more about his past....that he used to work for Hell Joe who sold out his Red Light. Hell Joe promised him that he'll let Hockney leave the Floor of Death if he could bring him the thorn and he met with Mata. The two of them then worked together, becoming a team.

From Hockney, Mata heard his wish to leave the Floor of Death, to climb the tower and do lots of things that he could do once he leave the Floor of Death. When they were looking around for the thorn, they were lucky to find one. But after Hockney saw the thorn fragment, Mata said that he began to act weird and a part of his soul was inside his picture. The past Hockney later on met Hell Joe and said that he couldn't help him anymore which angered Hell Joe and made him stole Hockney's eyes and sold his painting outside.

When Grand De Jah saw Hockney, he was shocked, knowing that Hockney could leave the Floor of Death. After Hockney agreed to help Grand De Jah something which Mata didn't know since he doesn't hear it, Grand De Jah gave Hockney his eyes and strangely, Hockney couldn't seem to recall the past anymore.

But Mata didn't bother telling him the truth.

He tried his best to get Hockney out from the Floor of Death which was dangerous and hid many things from Hockney. Mata believed by not knowing anything, things might be better for Hockney who then left the tower and climbed the tower.

After knowing Hockney's secret from Grand De Lee, neither Bam and Charlotte could bring themselves to take Hockney with them. He had been through a lot in this Floor of Death and he had some serious problems with Hell Joe.

Charlotte wondered whether she was being sincere to Hockney or that she was just being a hypocrite. After all, she knew that Hockney will definitely come with them after knowing about his past and Hell Joe. She was worried of him....but if he doesn't come, then the story line....

She looked at her right palm before she closed it.

She has been shackled by the said story line for a long time.

She was unsure whether she was being sincere and genuine or a goody two- faces.

"Hockney shouldn't get involved in something dangerous" said Bam.

If Hell Joe caught Hockney, who knows what that freak will do to him.

But Rachel disagreed.

"What are you talking about?! Bam! We need every bit of luck that we can get!" said Rachel. "I put the picture that he's looking in my lighthouse! He'll definitely become handy if he comes with us!"

"What?!" Bam asked in disbelief.

"If he doesn't want to come then let him be!" said Charlotte. "What?! Just because you want the thorn, you have to force people to help you?! Who do you think you are?Second Hell Joe? Do you want to be a tyrant as well?"

"Or do you want us to die throwing our lives?"

"You are the one--!"

"Hey....the three of you."

The three of them were interrupted by Hockney who had just come along with Mata behind him.

"You are going to see Hell Joe right? " he said.

"Hockney?"

"Let me come with you too. I know that I'll be able to help you" Hockney said.

"Hockney......" Bam's tone softened.

Hockney was going, so as Mata. The two of them agreed to come with them. Hockney needed to get his eyes back and he had to find his picture. Seeing that everyone was going, Grand De Lee agreed to lead the way for them. But before he was leading them the way, he wanted to ask something from the three of them which was their cooperation. After all, Hell Joe wasn't an easy enemy. If they ended up fighting against each other because of this competition, they will all die on his hands.

Charlotte wouldn't mind working together as long as Rachel didn't attempt to betray or back stab anyone. Rachel just snorted as she refused to keep arguing with Charlotte since she knew that there wouldn't be any ending for their arguments.

"Charlotte, Bam, you seem like you're on the same team as the lady who appeared in the castle, so you should join her" said Grand De Lee. "And draw Joe's attention toward yourself. While you do so, Rachel and I will enter the castle and rescue Grand De Jah. Once we rescue him, we'll join you right away and defeat Hell Joe together."

"Wait!" said Charlotte who raised her hand like a habit. "Can I get in your team instead?"

"But you and Rachel......" Grand De Lee was hesitant.

He had watched how the two of them interact. The two of them looked like old enemies who couldn't wait to bite and kill each other off.

"What makes you want to change your team, Charlotte?" Bam asked, a little bit sad that he was going to be separated from Charlotte and also worried between her and Rachel.

Charlotte gestured him to lean forward so that she could whisper something.

"Because I have to look for Khun and the others" she whispered to Bam who was surprised.

"Is that true?!"

"Of course true!" said Charlotte as they stopped whispering. "Only by taking this path could I reach them!"

Bam pondered about it carefully. Perhaps it might be a good thing that Charlotte could go with them. Charlotte could see whether his friends were in danger or not. Therefore, he agreed into it.

"I won't make any unnecessary problems" said Charlotte to Grand De Lee who was still hesitating. "I could promise you that."

Rachel didn't have much time as well. If Karaka catches up, she will be dead meat. So without any other choice and alternative, she had to agree with Grand De Lee's and Charlotte's surprising requests.

As they were heading inside the entrance to Hell Joe's castle, Rachel called Bam's name to discuss about something.

"Don't think for a minute that we're allies. We've just become a team in order to find the thorn fragment. As soon as I find out where the thorn fragment is, we'll be....!"

She was worried that Bam might get the wrong idea. She didn't have to worry for Charlotte since Charlotte had despised her from the beginning.

"Yeah. I know. Rachel" said Bam calmly with a smile. He turned around and continued to walk.

"...That's...ri....!"

Charlotte noticed that Rachel was unable to finish her words. Shouldn't she be happy at this moment? What was with that complicated look on her ugly face?

"........."

Charlotte bit the bottom of her lips and clicked her tongue.

Rachel was indeed one of the characters with too much secrets. She was an enigma and ambiguous. She couldn't tell what was running on this woman's head.

'Since you despise him so much and want to be his enemy, then shouldn't you be happy that he finally comes to his senses?'

She pushed that thought aside and will make sure to think of it later on. At least, after they defeat Hell Joe and end all this chaos and return to the train.

That path of Shinsu wasn't as smooth as what Charlotte imagined or expected. It has been around eight years since she last read Tower of God, so there were small details that she had forgotten which was that they have to ride the water made by Shinsu in the protection of Shinsu bubble.

"AHHHHHH!!!"

Mata shouted really loud that Khun and the others who were on above felt that there was some kind of strange noise from below.

That's right, they have reached the South Castle and managed to infiltrate inside.

It wasn't really bad to have to ride the path like that. In fact, Charlotte enjoyed it and she was strongly reminded of water slide. She would have enjoyed it more if she knew that they weren't riding that water slide for the sake of a mission. But on the other hand, Mata didn't seem to enjoy it at all.

"WHOA!"

"MATA!"

Mata carefully stood up, so as the others, "W....where is this?"

Right now, they were at the hall by the entrance. There, they could see lots of people running and panicking.

"Hey...why is the castle so noisy?"

"It looks like they're panicking because some intruders have appeared" Grand De Lee answered. "This is actually good for us. Now-- let's divide ourselves into teams...."

They were too focused and distracted at the chaos in the castle that they didn't notice there was someone behind them. That someone was crawling on the floor until he saw them and immediately realized that they were intruders.

"YOU....?"

"FABREGAS?!" Grand De Lee was surprised to see him there.

It was not surprising for him to be surprised since right now that Hell Joe was having a fight with the intruders, shouldn't Fabregas be assisting him?

Before Fabregas was meeting them, he was actually thinking of betraying Hell Joe and ran away from the castle since he was afraid that he might die because of the intruders. But to his misfortune, he encountered with Hell Joe who he wanted to run away from and his power was stolen by Hell Joe. The only way for him to get his power back from Hell Joe was to help Hell Joe catching the intruders.

"GRAND DE LEE!"

"FABREGAS, YOU TRAITOR!"

Fabregas didn't care about that and right now he felt quite happy. He enlarged in size and gathered his strength again to fight. The reason why he was unlike before, trying to run away from the intruders, this time he was sure that he could defeat them. He didn't know that among Grand De Lee's teammates, there was someone or two people who could also cancel his immortality.

"Lucky me!" he happily said. "Hell Joe will give me back my power if I catch you!"

Fabregas then began to swing his tail first.

"Be careful! If you get hit by the stinger at the end of his tail, contaminated blood will fill your whole body!" Grand De Lee warned.

"Argh!"Mata managed to dodge the first one.

"It's too late?!"

"Haha, just so you know, anyone who gets contaminated with my blood, even immortal people won't wake up for days!" Fabregas proudly said.

Charlotte gathered the strength on her hand and then directed it towards Fabregas. Using the Shinsu Black- Hole Sphere that she had formed, she attacked Fabregas without hesitation.

And it worked like what she expected

Fabregas.....he was killed!

'Did that woman....just kill me...?'

It was a surprise for everyone there.

Charlotte who had done the first kill glanced at Bam before she smiled. Bam knew what that smile meant. She was telling him that the Shinsu Black- Hole Sphere could kill these immortal people easily.