OLD-WORLD EXTRA-Chapter 502: Third Minor Disaster

Emir, Lyra, Ragnar, Kiera, Jake, Sarah, Evan, Hiro, and Leo sat in a wide circle in their base's empty training room.

In their center was an Aether Core, similar in appearance and size to the one Arthur had gotten.

No, he didn't steal it; it was the one he had been 'gifted' about a month back.

In all honesty, Emir would've certainly liked another Aether Core, stealing certainly was no issue for him, but the problem here was who he was going to steal from.

Rather, not him but the one behind him.

The Fortune's Wheel.

Emir didn't know and didn't want to know what it would cook up if Arthur's Aether Core suddenly 'disappeared' again.

It was quite a scary thought.

So he left the pathetic boy alone and came here, fulfilling a promise he gave to his men.

While he wasn't going to share access to the Aether Core beyond today, he wanted to give them a taste, get them used to the high.

Who knows? It just might get their pace up.

Besides, they didn't need his core.

He planned to buy each of them their own core, have them become indebted to him even more than they already were.

Though their loyalty was unquestionable, it didn't exactly hurt to go even beyond.

At least not physically; it certainly did financially.

"...So, why all this? I thought you brought us together because you had something to say."

Emir nodded at Ragnar's question without pausing his cultivation, his eyes closed.

"Well, you thought right. I'm sure none of you expect it, but unfortunately, there's no doubting it; we are hours away from the Third Minor Disaster."

All of them, with the exception of Lyra, immediately shifted, feeling their hearts leap out of their mouths.

"Emir, just what?!"

Ragnar was the first to speak, as he was the closest to Emir in position out of the lot, not needing to formulate respect at his every word.

"Yeah... it's true. The details of how exactly it's going to happen are uncertain; I'll have the Shadow Squad on the lookout for that, but for now, here's what you need to know: it only involves our 'friend' Arthur. In fact, it's a disaster of his own making."

The group stopped cultivating entirely and leaned in, eyes locked on Emir's calm meditative

state.

They were expecting him to answer their unspoken doubts, but Lyra did it in his stead: "Once Arthur's back at the Academy, he'll attempt to absorb that shiny new Aether Core he's been clinging to. The problem? He's not equipped to handle it. Not yet, anyway."

Kiera blinked, catching on.

"So he'll... lose control?"

"Exactly. He'll lose control, and when he does, he'll unleash a raw surge of Aether-enough to destroy most of his body and everything around him."

Ragnar raised an eyebrow.

"Wait... you're saying he'll destroy Dragon's Tail?"

Emir chuckled.

"Not just that one, but both. Their foundations are connected; when one falls, the other will too. And that's where things get interesting. Because that destruction? It's our little card to play against my favorite principal."

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Kiera's worry softened, understanding that they were in no danger.

"You're saying we could use it as a bargaining chip? Get the principal to follow a few of our demands?"

Emir nodded.

"Something like that. He knows my words are true; what we just went through confirmed them, so this time, it'll be a bit easier to play around..."

He let the sentence hang, the implication clear.

Hiro scratched his chin, looking doubtful.

"But what if they fail at containing the damage? What about the other students? We're talking about a lot of lives at risk."

"That's the beauty of it. Those students' lives make this transaction so much easier. Amon will have no choice but to agree."

Ragnar let out a low whistle, admiration obvious in his eyes.

"You already thought this through, didn't you?"

Emir shrugged, still cultivating.

"It's what I always do."

...

Emir sat in an expansive office, lounging comfortably in a chair made with the best of

leathers.

Opposite him was Amon, and he, however, looked anything but relaxed.

His black eyes were light, indicating his use of King's Gaze.

He sat rigid, hands steepled on the desk, his sharp eyes fixed on the prince.

"So... you're saying that another attack is on its way?"

Emir's smirk widened.

"Wrong, Principal. It's not an attack but something quite a bit worse."

"And you're here to...?"

"Make an offer. One I think you'll find... necessary."

"And what exactly would you have to offer in the face of something like that?"

"Information. All the relevant details of when and where it's going to happen and what will happen. It's not like you can do much without that information, can you?"

Amon's fingers tapped his desk, his face carefully neutral.

"What's the price for this information?"

"Favors..."

Emir said, his voice casual.

"Five of them."

Amon's eyes narrowed.

"Five favors? You must be joking. I may treat you like this because I trust you, but please..."

The atmosphere hardened, a sudden tension overwhelming everything around them.

"Don't take my leniency as weakness."

But Emir was unaffected.

Much to Amon's surprise, he simply shrugged, his face not showing an ounce of effort.

"Considering the lives we're talking about here? Hundreds of students, your staff, the Academy's reputation-your own reputation? I'd say it's fair. You've already been struck; letting it happen again is not a good move."

"Fair?"

Amon's voice was edged.

"I'll give you one favor. And that's already stretching it."

"One?"

Emir laughed softly, shaking his head.

"You know as well as I do that this information is worth far more than that. I can't even take

what you said seriously."

Amon clicked his tongue.

"Two favors. I'll agree to two, and not a single one more."

Emir leaned forward, his voice dropping to a calm, lethal tone.

"Amon. You claim to trust me, but we both know why that is. You use me. That masked friend

of yours uses me. I do the same. An equal and win-win relationship. We've gone over this

already..." Somehow, the more he talked, the deeper his voice became, until it was filled with nothing but killing intent.

"I'll die before lowering myself to you."

It had to be known that while Emir respected Amon greatly, he didn't respect him like he did Mr. Player and the likes of 'Him.'

Those beings were on a different level entirely, one so far out of his imagination, one that

deserves his bow.

Amon, however, as strong as he was, didn't live up to that power.

"We both know what's at stake here. We're talking about lives, your students, your entire

legacy if things get messy, and trust me, things WILL get messy."

"...Three favors."

Finally, Amon, who had been quiet for the past few seconds, had spoken.

This time there was no emotion on his face; he realized that the man before him didn't come

as a friend today.

He came as a stranger.

It seemed that in their effort to stop the First Major disaster, he had forgotten what their

relationship was at the core.

A transactional one.

"Three favors."

Amon repeated, his tone flat but sharp as a blade.

Emir met his gaze, unblinking.

"Three. No more, no less."

Amon's eyes dimmed, and for a moment, silence filled the room, thick and tense.

Finally, he exhaled and nodded.

"Three favors it is. But you'd better make this worth it."

"Oh, it will be." Emir replied smoothly, slipping a small capsule from his suit's breast pocket and placing it on

Amon's desk.

"Everything you need is in this link point. When and where, the exact details. It'll unlock five

minutes before the event. Until then, it's sealed."

Amon glared at the capsule, his lips pressed in a thin line.

"And what if I try to bypass the lock?"

Emir's smile turned cold.

"Then it will self-destruct, and the information will be lost. Permanently."

"...I said this before, but I don't like your games, boy... I don't like what you're trying to be."

Ignoring his words, Emir inclined his head slightly.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Principal."

He stood, straightening his suit as he gave Amon a parting look.

"And remember this... Contain, don't interrupt."