OLD-WORLD EXTRA-Chapter 167: Azazel

Two men walked into a simple room, with two couches opposing each other.

A table sat in the middle, filled with delicious pastries, providing a lovely smell for them to baskin.

The younger man between them sat on the right, picking up one of the sweets and stuffing it up his mouth with no regard to his image.

"Emir? You good?" The gray-haired man asked, his tone indicating surprise.

With an audible gulp, he swallowed the cake whole, then wiped his lips with a napkin that he took off the table.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just kidnapped someone today, so I'm treating myself~." Emir said in a lighthearted tone.

"K-kidnapped? No way... Are you the one responsible for taking Aria away? Is that how you got Elijah's ID?"

"Bingo Nathan! Showing your true colors as an agent, I commend you... But on a serious note, what did her family say?"

Letting out a sigh, Nathan shook his head.

"Not much; they've kept it under wraps. But for those who should be aware, the word is that they suspect Aria was behind it...."

"They're painting her as a troublemaker who used Elijah as bait to go to a ruin, away from her guards, or something along those lines."

Emir smiled.

"I expected as much, but did they announce any search parties?"

"Yes. As you know, it wouldn't be a good move for them to make it public, so they requested the help of all available hunters under them and the Ebonfyre family, as that family is the only one who could be trusted with that information." Nathan replied with a nod.

'Jake and Emma are involved then... How can I use this?' He wondered.

Deciding to think about this later, Emir refocused on the conversation.

"Let's talk about this in detail when it becomes relevant; for now, I need you to confirm your progress with our hunter group request."

Nodding his head, Nathan took out his terminal and tapped away for a few seconds, procuring a hologram that appeared right in front of them.

"Are these guys the only ones in the group?" Nathan asked, setting his terminal on the table.

Emir took a moment and scrolled through the names while reading them inwardly.

{Hunter Group name: Azazel.}

{President: Emir.}

{Vice President: Amanda.}

{Platoon Captain: Kiera.}

{Squadron 1 leader: Jack. Squadron 2 leader: Sarah. Squadron 3 Leader: Hiro. Squadron 4

leader: Evan. Squadron 5 leader: Leo}

{Platoon Vice Captain:.....}

{Squadron o Member: Ben. Squadron o Member: Dov....}

{Elite Cohort Captain:.....}

{Elite Cohort Vice-Captain:.....}

{Elite Cohort Members:.....}

Taking his eyes off the hologram, he looked at Nathan and asked:

"Companies?"

After a single tap from a nodding Nathan, the hologram turned to the next page, and it read: {Backers.}

{Main company: Prince Emporium. Subsidiary company: Hunter's Den.}

{Prince Emporium President: Laura.}

{Staff: Raymond Winslow. Jamal Steel.}

{Hunter's Den President: Mariane.}

{Staff: Logan Callahan.}

'I don't know these names... Are they those guys from the black market?' Emir theorized, not bothering to ask Nathan, as he didn't want to appear misinformed in front of his subordinate.

"Good work, Nathan. Everyone is accounted for... And just know that if we could add you to this hunter group, you would be the PVC, so that spot is saved for you..." Emir said with a smile.

Nathan's face glowed at the news. He always wanted to make an impact, and he knew that with the man in front of him, he could do it.

And Emir could clearly read that thought on Nathan's face.

'If only he knew...' He mused.

"Of course," Nathan replied excitedly.

"Is there anything else?"

"Report your progress regarding those that you tracked." Emir reminded him.

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot... My guys didn't get anything yet; there's a high chance that those targets are busts. You must understand that doing this may get us in big trouble; the UEF

didn't get too involved with the Elite for a reason."

"I know I know, I didn't expect much from them either; just keep it up, in the unlikely chance that one of the targets actually gives us something useful."

Nodding his head, Nathan asked:

"What are you going to do now?"

"What else? Blackmail that kid Elijah into defending us in court; he's from a family all about the legal side of the world, so he should know a thing or two that could help us out; this is all a contingency plan, you can say, in case it all goes to shit."

"Understood, I wish I could help with that, but unfortunately I don't have a burner terminal, so you'd need to get one from the black market." Nathan said.

"Yeah. I'll do that after visiting Mom's shop; I've never been there when it's open, so I'll go

see what's up."

Stuffing another cake in his mouth, Emir stood up while taking a napkin off the table.

After wiping his lips clean, he locked his eyes with Nathan's.

"Keep me updated, and again, good work. I'm glad to have you on the team."

Nathan simply smiled and nodded, appearing to be thinking the same.

'A simple man, ain't he?' Emir mused while leaving the room.

...

Jingle-

As the door swung open, a tinkling bell sounded through the air, accompanying Emir's

entrance into the shop.

The space was adorned with relics, each showcased within glass displays that gleamed in the sunlight, casting reflections of the outside world.

Upon glancing at the counter, his gaze fixated on a lone individual as he finally placed a name

on the person they had hired.

It was the very same man he had previously sold relics to some time ago.

The once scruffy, long white beard was now groomed and neat.

The wrinkles on that heavily lined face of his seemed to have softened, and his physique

appeared fitter.

Emir watched as the man glanced up from his terminal, his blue eyes widening in surprise as

they locked onto his.

"Raymond... I'm happy to see you again."

Letting out a laugh of joy, Raymond matched his words, his voice deep and guttural:

"And I am to you, Emir."

"How have you been? It's been a while since I was out, so tell me what happened to you and

how you got here." Emir asked, curiosity prevailing in his tone.