CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE“I think it has something to do with their desire for exceptional S-rankers. They are always on the lookout for people with special talents. I don’t think we stand a chance at joining them.” Susie said with a plain countenance.“Oh,” Kael mumbled, and then he leaned backward on his seat, and sighed heavily, taking one last look at the stage.“Yeah…” Susie said with a low tone, and then she leaned backward as well and folded her arms with a sad look on her face.For a few seconds, none of them said anything, until Elvis turned to look at Susie, and that was when he noticed that she looked really sad.“Jess? Are you okay?” He asked calmly, adjusting himself to get a better view of her, and calling Kael’s attention at the same time.“What’s wrong, Susie?” Kael added as soon as he was able to see the look on her face after leaning closer to her.“Nothing, I am fine.” She said to them, and then she wiped off the tears that were gathered around her eyes and almost streami

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE“Not now! Not now!” He whispered as he got up from the seat and walked without having any destination in mind.“Kael? Are you okay?” Elvis asked, but he was already walking really fast by the time he turned to look at him after he realized that he had gotten up.“I am fine! I will be right back!” Kael said without turning to look at them.“NEW MISSION ALERT!” Came the female automated voice inside Kael’s head as he walked to a corner of the hall. He looked around for a while, but he couldn’t see the restroom.“You couldn’t choose any other time?” He whispered to the screen in front of him, as he faced the wall, and always looked around to see if anyone was coming.“Is he okay?” Susie asked when she turned around to look at him already at a corner at the back of the hall, but Elvis had no response to give to her.Kael saw one of the men in charge of logistics emerge from a corner, adjusting his jumpsuit, and he sensed that the man had just used the restroom.“Greet

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE“Oh, wow,” Elvis said with so much shock in his eyes, and then he took a careful look at the man, and returned his gaze to Susie. He did this twice until he was able to see the striking resemblance between the two of them.“That explains it.” He said with a voice a little above a whisper, but Susie heard him and turned to look at him without saying a word.Kael had several thoughts running through his mind, but he really couldn’t concentrate on any of them. He looked at Susie’s father as he climbed up to the stage, maintaining his balance with the aid of the walking stick he gripped tightly in his right hand.“How the hell am I supposed to convince that man to accept me into his Guild? He doesn’t even look like he has ever smiled in his life. He is so different from.” Kael thought to himself, and then he slowly turned around to look at Susie, but she was already staring at him, and their eyes met instantly.“Is everything alright, Kael? You have been looking so wor

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN“Now, what?” He asked with a low tone, causing Elvis to look at him, and suspend the clapping of his hands.“Now, we move to the arena to begin the selection process,” Elvis said, and then he continued clapping, cheering loudly, while the two people seated at both sides turned to look at him, wondering why he was so excited.“What do you seem so happy about this?” Kael asked almost immediately, and it seemed as if he had taken the words out of Susie’s mouth. She leaned forward to have a proper look at Elvis, and then she nodded.“Yes, Elvis. Tell us, a while ago, you didn’t seem so excited about all of this.” Susie added, still looking at Elvis, who was forced to stop clapping; then he turned to look at Kael, shortly before he moved his gesture to Susie.“Well, let’s just say I saw something that suddenly excites me,” Elvis explained, but his words only left the two of them more confused than they were already.“I hope whatever it is is worth it,” Susie said, and

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE“That’s really sad.” He said with a tone devoid of any form of remorse or sympathy, but Jess didn’t seem like she was surprised just like Kael and Elvis who had to struggle with the urge to gasp or speak up.“He is so mean.” Kael thought to himself, stealing glances at Ansel who refused to let go of the smirk on his face.“That’s's what you've always wanted, Ansel! She died because of what you did! I would never forgive you for this!” Susie said with an unshaken resolve, but her father seemed unperturbed by her words.He scoffed loudly, and then he sniggered without taking his eyes away from Susie who gasped at how nonchalantly he behaved.“Jess, someday you will learn that emotions make us weak. You have got to get rid of all of that hatred you have inside you if you really want to succeed in life. It’s pointless harboring all of that tension inside your body.” Ansel said with his smirk unshaken, and then he turned to look at Elvis and Kael one after the other.“I