Chapter 343

Meanwhile, back at Arc, Ronan had just been escorted back from the trial hall. His face was blank as always, but he was somewhat concerned about everything that was going on as well.

That footage about the incident that happened back in Maurina City...

Although he knew the video had been altered and forged, even he felt that he would have believed it if he had not been there personally and if the incident had not happened to him firsthand.

Just how was that video created?

Whoever was behind the forgery of that footage was surely far from simple.

And yet, he couldn’t think of anyone capable of accomplishing such a thing.

The fact that he was absolutely certain no recorder or eyewitness had been present when he battled Buster made the situation far more complicated and difficult to understand.

Still, whoever that man was who had presented that evidence, he hoped Han could catch him in time.

He was the key to understanding this conspiracy.

No matter how much Ronan thought about it, it felt as though someone was trying to turn the entire world against him.

...No.

Not just him.

He felt as if he was merely being used, and the one they were truly targeting might be...

"Han," Ronan muttered, his gaze darkening.

He wasn’t entirely certain his theory was correct, but if this mysterious figure was truly targeting Han for whatever reason, then he would show them absolutely no mercy once they fell into his hands.

"That gaze of yours would give even the most hardened criminal a heart attack."

A calm, composed voice spoke from beside him.

Ronan didn’t reply or say a word to his escort, who was none other than the Chief of Arc itself.

He was Crimson Scale—the S-Rank Hero in charge of monitoring all the hardened criminals imprisoned here.

Crimson Scale gave Ronan a sidelong glance before shaking his head.

Ronan was so young.

Maybe in his late teens.

He was certain the boy wasn’t even twenty years old yet, and yet the aura surrounding him felt sharp, dangerous, and oppressive.

And he was supposedly the one who had slain Buster.

A powerful S-Ranker whom even Crimson Scale himself didn’t believe he could defeat in a fair fight.

Not only had this dark-haired, shadow-faced kid beaten him, but he had actually killed a powerful S-Ranker.

Which, in simple terms, meant he was strong enough to kill Crimson Scale as well if given the opportunity.

When that thought reached this point, Crimson Scale felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine as he looked at Ronan.

The young man’s gaze seemed to be growing darker and more unpleasant by the second, as if he were staring at the murderer of his parents standing directly before him.

Not wanting to suppress his curiosity and wariness any longer, Crimson Scale finally asked,

"Did you actually kill Buster?"

Of course, he had seen it in the footage.

Everyone had.

Ronan was there, lying right beside the corpse of the dead S-Ranker.

Still, he couldn’t help asking again.

How could a teenager like him, with such an average build, take down one of the strongest humans on Earth?

It still felt unbelievable.

Suicidal.

Unreal.

Ronan didn’t even bother looking at him before answering. His mind seemed occupied by entirely different matters.

"Yes. I killed him."

Crimson Scale came to a momentary halt.

At that instant, an absurd thought flashed through his mind.

It was the way the kid had spoken.

It was almost as though he had done it effortlessly.

As though killing someone whom Crimson Scale himself believed he couldn’t defeat was nothing more than an ordinary task.

And he sounded as if he had accomplished it with ease.

Doesn’t that mean...

Crimson Scale sucked in a deep breath before his expression became serious.

"Just as I thought..."

"He is far from ordinary as well."

First there was that leader of the Tryst Guild who had knocked him unconscious with a single attack.

Even now, it still felt like some distant dream whenever he recalled that day.

The day he had been utterly beaten down by that black-and-white-haired kid.

What were the chances that everyone making up the core members of the Tryst Guild possessed strength capable of going toe-to-toe with S-Rankers?

Wouldn’t that mean the Tryst Guild was an actual powerhouse?

The more Crimson Scale thought about what would happen if the matter regarding this shadow-eyed child’s trial were to go south, and the Tryst Guild decided to step in and confront the authorities...

The more uneasy he became.

Just how much carnage, chaos, and destruction would follow?

"Where are we going?"

Ronan asked, his voice as calm and seemingly blank as his face.

Crimson Scale didn’t reply immediately. After gathering his thoughts, he finally answered, his tone calm as always despite the storm raging within him.

"Somewhere important."

This kid...

Crimson Scale thought to himself.

Now that he thought about it, wasn’t this the same person who had escaped from Arc?

Ever since Arc had been founded several years ago, Ronan was the very first person to escape from the place that had been labeled an inescapable prison.

And he had accomplished that while only being confirmed as a low B-Ranker.

Back then, it was said that he worked alone, and some rumors even claimed he wasn’t an awakened at all and was merely a mundane swordsman.

A mundane swordsman capable of going toe-to-toe with several powerful awakened individuals and even killing many of them.

He was simply extraordinary.

If Crimson Scale were to describe him in a single word, that would be it....

"How do you know that we are not heading toward the cell prepared for you?"

Ronan’s answer came fast and precise, not mincing any of his words.

"There are four layers here."

"The first layer is used for low-level awakeners who have committed heinous crimes."

"The second layer is for those who have seemingly lost their minds and abused their powers against ordinary people."

The locks, the sigils, and the inner workings of the first two layers were explained by Ronan so smoothly and precisely that Crimson Scale was left shocked.

Ronan continued.

"The third layer houses high-level awakened individuals and those you consider anomalies, people like me who are capable of threatening A-Rank Heroes."

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