Affinity:Chaos

"You should go to him," Thoma said.

"Can I try? Who knows, I just might be of help," Grey asked.

He didn't want to leave without trying, even though he wasn't a hundred percent certain that he would be able to help, he still needed to try.

"You can't help me, boy, just let it go," Thoma said.

"Believe in me sir, just like your son did. I'm only going to try," Grey persuaded.

"I want to, I really do, but the thing is, I was infected by a miasma when searching for Ellis a few years back when he disappeared without a…" Thoma explained his condition to Grey.

The miasma that infected him was something they have never encountered before, when someone tried to help him, the person was also infected by it. After the miasma entered his body, it turned into horrifying energy that is slowly corroding his innards.

The person who was infected by it was far weaker than he was and lost his life soon after. His strength has been the only thing that has been keeping him alive all this time, but even he knew it was only a matter of time before he too succumbed to it.

"After hearing this, do you still have any thoughts of trying when you aren't certain whatever you're planning to do will work?" Thoma asked after he finished his explanation.

"Yes," Grey nodded, it was as if he wasn't hearing anything Thoma was saying all this while.

"*Sigh* Look boy, I'm glad that Ellis managed to make a friend like you who is willing to endanger himself for his friend's happiness, but u can't let him lose you as well," Thoma said.

"Don't worry sir, even if it doesn't work, it won't infect me," Grey said with a confident smile.

"I'm sorry boy, but I can't allow that," Thoma shook his head.

This was a risk he wasn't willing to accept.

"I'm sorry sir, but I'm not leaving until I try," Grey's eyes shone with determination.

He will stay here for as long as he can until he helped out.

Thoma and Grey stared at each other, the atmosphere tense. Grey was unwilling to leave until he tried to help, Thoma on the other hand unwilling to put his son's friend in danger.

….

While Grey and Thoma were stuck in a stalemate, a minor conflict seems to be on the verge of erupting in Mortar City.

The Vaergahl family are adamant that Ellis had the Dragon's blood and a report from someone who saw them enter the city with the bandit leader on his shoulder said that the ring was never in the leader's possession when they came in. A few bandits, as well as the girls who were partying with the bandits at the time Grey and Ellis attacked said before the attack, the leader had his storage ring in his possession.

Ellis was in the O'Brien mansion, trying to contact Grey who still hadn't replied to any of his messages. Claude was trying to figure out what the Vaergahl family were searching for so seriously.

A few hours after the Vaergahl family left the O'Brien mansion, they returned.

"Old man, why are you here again?" Claude came out of the mansion and asked, beside him were the family's elders.

"Where's the boy?" The old man asked coldly.

The group from the Vaergahl family wasn't like the way they were the last time they came, this time, they seemed ready to declare war against the O'Brien family.

"What do you want with my nephew?" Claude asked. Before the group from the Vaergahl family could reply, he added, "If you're here for the same reason, then you should leave, my nephew already said he didn't have the ring,"

"I'm not speaking of your nephew, he came back with a boy, where is the boy?" The old man from the Vaergahl family said.

"A boy?" A look of confusion appeared on Claude's face.

His eyes suddenly widened after recalling sensing the young man who followed Ellis back to the mansion. He didn't really think much of it since it wasn't relevant.

"I don't know why you're searching for that boy, but I'm certain he doesn't have the ring. Ellis must've encountered him when returning back to the city after eliminating the bandits," Claude said.

"Looks like you're unaware, without that boy, your nephew wouldn't have been able to wipe out the bandits," The old man from the Vaergahl family said.

When they found some of the bandits who survived, they spoke of a youth who wore masks. The same thing was said from the people who confirmed not seeing a ring in the hands of the bandit leader.

"The boy's only at the Peak of the Origin Plane, even someone at the Early stages of the Overlord Plane will find it difficult in such a battle," Claude argued.

It's not that he didn't know of any geniuses, but none of them could help out in such a battle while still being in the Origin Plane. One has to know that almost all the bandits were Overlord Plane Elementalists.

"What?" The old man, along with every person in the Vaergahl family exclaimed in disbelief when they heard Claude's words.

They knew too well that he wouldn't lie for something so little.

They all exchanged glances, all seeing the shock in their eyes, especially the people who got the news from the bandits. They heard about a powerful individual who almost single-handedly fought against all the bandits in Overlord Plane on his own.

How could such a person be in the Origin Plane?

One of them recounted what they heard to Claude and the people from the O'Brien family, and disbelief appeared on their faces. If what they said was true, then it was impossible for Ellis to defeat the bandits without Grey's help.

"A Peak Origin Plane Elementalist holding his own against over a hundred and fifty bandits, killing a lot of them. This is a feat almost unrepeatable. The Young Lord truly found a great friend, geniuses truly do befriend geniuses," An Elder said with emotions.

He wasn't against Ellis, unlike most of the Elders here. Some of them only supported Claude for their own personal objectives.. There are a few who were against what he was doing to Ellis.