The Ancient Genes

The discussion continued, and Max felt his head hurt. It seemed that his master and this lady didn't have an idea about the true threat.

He could feel their gazes on him. They were expecting answers from him.

"What you all know is only half the truth…." He said seriously.

He didn't know if he should let them know about it or not. Was there any reason that the truth remained hidden? Did these so-called Lords know the truth?

Obviously, Max didn't have any problem letting his Master know it all. But what about the other two.

If he made any mistake which led to his identity being revealed, he could imagine the consequences. Even though he had improved, he was still an ant in front of a Grand Master level Mage.

Stark seemed to have noticed Max hesitating. He remembered how through his childhood he always had heard of the prophecy. To him, it was just a story. After all, most of the people believed it to be a failed attempt on making a 10★ Artefact.

That was one of the reasons that it was in Stark's possession. Nobody cared and even if someone did, the prophecy mentioned that it would find its wielder on its own.

But now that Stark looked at Max, he felt that he had taken the matter too lightly. Max's hesitation and the change in his behavior didn't seem to have come with time but due to a sense of responsibility.

He could confirm it by the fact that Max said that Stark only knew half the truth.

"I am sorry, Max. It seems that I had left it all to you." Stark slowly spoke with regret and self-blame.

Max had received the hammer because of him. Even though the prophecy said that the artifacts would find its wielder on its own, it still didn't change the fact that he was the one who brought the hammer to Max.

Looking at Max covered in bandages from the battle earlier made his guilt even bigger.

He couldn't help but think about what was Max going through all this time carrying a burden that he didn't have any idea about.

"Don't say that, Master. You are the last person whom I want to hear that from. When there wasn't anyone, you were there for me." Max said with a slight smile.

"Then tell me everything….I can't let my student bear it all alone…" Stark said with a seriousness on his face.

Max nodded but slightly gestured towards Derek and Ethena.

"She can be trusted….we belong from the same generation. She is 3 years younger though." Stark spoke.

"Y-You! You didn't have to talk about my age there…." Ethan grumbled in complaint.

Derek looked at Max and spoke, "My hate for these demons are much greater than my hatred for you…."

"You can trust him…that message he brought was indeed in Leo's writing and in our Family codes too…" Ethena intervened.

Derek looked at her and asked, "What was the message?"

"It seems that he had found something. But didn't have any evidence….he was going to collect the evidence. He didn't say anything much but asked me to take care of you until he returned." Ethena said calmly and sighed.

It was obvious that he must have realised the danger and decided to send Derek away.

Max could hear a clatter as Derk gritted his teeth.

"Why was he in the Dark Society? Why are you in the Dark Society?"

It was Lear who suddenly spoke.

Max looked at him and so did everyone.

"Umn...I am just curious." Lear said with a forced smile.

"Even though we work in the shadows, do you think we can rule without having actual powers? We are present everywhere." Ethena replied.

"What about Demons? Do you know where they are…." Max suddenly asked.

"No, we don't ….they are capable of hiding their auras. They look no different from ordinary humans unless they reveal their true selves. The only thing we know is that the aura they release is chilly and ominous. Aside from that, we can pin out the artificial ones."

"Artificial?" Max frowned.

"Yes, artificial…. It seems some kind of method to grant the humans unusual growth in power and it is accompanied by a growth in blood lust and demonic aura. There has been a huge surge in such cases in recent years." Ethena replied.

'I see...it means I had been detecting the artificial one's till now or someone who might have intentionally leaked out his aura…' Max thought.

"Then that guy we fought earlier…" Derek asked.

"Yes….he seemed like a failed experiment subject. But he was one of the stronger ones. I haven't seen many of his level…" Ethena replied.

"Well, he was that guy's bodyguard. We just need to find who that man we met at the auction was." Lear said calmly.

Silence enveloped.

Max knew it beforehand. Derek came to know it after the incident when he was framed and had a bounty set up on his head. Ethena had her suspicions for a while and now she has confirmed it as well.

It was the Dark Society.

"Dark Society…. I will kill every one of thes-"

Max interrupted Derek as he spoke, "Calm down...you are thinking a bit too much… Your master may not be dead yet."

Everyone's eyes widened at Max's remark and they turned their head towards him.

Max remained calm. He knew everything but these people didn't. If he was to be one on the other end, he wouldn't have killed Derek's Master.

"I agree…" Lear spoke at this moment.

"If I was on the other side, I would have let your master live. Because him being alive would do me more good than him being dead." Lear's words were spoken calmly but the meaning behind it was pretty clear.

Max looked at him, 'Idiot..sense the situation. Don't say it in a straight forward manner. It seems that behaving like a trash had turned him into one.'

"Flare!"

Flames lit up and a sword came raining down on Lear.

"Clang!"

"Splash!"

A spear emerged out of nowhere carrying a trail of water along it as it clashed with the flaming sword.

"Calm down, Derek or else...You will regret it..."