SSS Frost Sovereign: Rewinding The Apocalypse!-Chapter 63: Annoyance

Redd stiffened, eyes darting away.

The way Icard was staring at him was intense, like a doctor telling a patient to stop doing something stupid before they died.

"Ohh... okayyy," Redd said slowly, clearly unsettled, while Icard’s hand still rested on his shoulder. "But what do you mean by..."

He did not get to finish his words then.

Someone crashed into Redd suddenly from behind, sending him stumbling forward a step.

"What the hell?" Redd muttered, catching his balance.

Icard turned toward the one who had bumped into him, and the moment he recognized the face, his mood shifted.

The intruder was a young lad, lean and wiry, with messy hair and a perpetually irritated look, the kind of guy who seemed to walk around with a chip on his shoulder.

He stepped up to Redd, eyes blazing.

"What the hell, man? Ever heard of an apology?"

Redd’s expression soured instantly.

"Who the hell is this punk?" he muttered, looking the guy up and down with open disdain, like he was already deciding how hard to hit him.

The lad bristled. "What did you say? You wanna go at it?"

The air between them tightened in an instant.

Redd clenched his fists, shoulders squaring as he leaned forward, clearly ready to escalate.

The boy mirrored him, planting his feet and drawing himself up, jaw tight and eyes sharp.

Just as it was about to explode, a tall figure stepped between them.

Broad-shouldered, sharp-featured, and wearing a lazy, confident expression, the young man blocked their line of sight with effortless ease.

Liam.

"Yoooo. Trust me, you don’t wanna do that," Liam said, lifting a hand in a half-placating, half-patronizing gesture.

The tone sounded like he was trying to calm things down, but his body language leaned subtly toward the lad, not Redd.

Icard stayed where he was, already knowing how this would play out. Even now, a small part of him did not mind if things escalated.

In his last turn, Liam had been just as annoying.

The boy who had bumped into Redd was the same kind of nuisance too.

Icard could not remember his name, but he knew he was one of Liam’s boys. One of the raid parties Liam had pulled under himself.

It was something that would happen on a greater scale soon enough.

Stronger raid parties gathering smaller groups under their influence.

And Liam was especially good at it.

Back then, he had gone around collecting raid parties and lone incarnations like trophies, trying to build something.

He was not exactly an avarice. He just leaned hard into greedy tendencies.

Icard looked at him flatly.

In his previous turn, they had pushed back hard against Liam, and that was how the bad blood started.

A rivalry that dragged on far longer than it should have.

Liam’s gaze slid over to Icard.

"Hmm. I know you. You’re that Icard guy from the first gate and the first raid, hogging all the spotlight," he said.

Icard gave a low harrumph, but Liam stepped closer, closing the distance.

"You shouldn’t let it get to your head though," Liam said, his face coming uncomfortably close.

"You’re probably just lucky to have a good space like that avarice and the other bastard."

He smirked faintly. "But you’re not the only one with capable spaces, you know..."

He would have continued, but a familiar laugh came from behind him.

"Are you trying to threaten someone into joining you again, Liam?"

Liam froze for a split second, then forced a smile immediately as he turned, already aware of who it was.

"Heh. Nah. I told you, I don’t threaten people, Zayne," he said, suddenly all friendly, with his hands slightly up, like he was keeping the peace.

"It’s just that this guy is pretty popular around here, right? That ice user from the gate and the raids."

Zayne looked at Icard, his gaze lingering a moment longer than necessary.

Then, strangely, a faint wave of deja vu washed over him.

"Yeah. I feel like I know him personally too," Zayne said.

Icard’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’That’s impossible.’

Sensing that he was on shaky ground with Zayne, Liam took a subtle step back from Icard, easing off so it would not look like he had been doing anything wrong.

"So, maybe you came to find me because you changed your mind," Liam said lightly. "My offer is still open, Zayne."

"Not really," Zayne replied. "I just thought you were about to cause a scene."

He turned and began to walk away. "You shouldn’t fight here. Not when we’re trying to pull ourselves together for the coming gate."

Icard heard that and could not help but agree. He let out a quiet huff.

"He’s right, Redd," he said.

Truthfully, Icard had no interest in fighting Liam right now.

In the last turn, Liam had been a troublesome rival. In this one, Icard had already stepped past him before things even began.

"Let’s go. They’re not worth it," Icard said, gripping Redd by the arm and giving him a firm shake.

Redd’s eyes were still locked on the boy who had bumped into him, who now stood half a step behind Liam, clearly drawing courage from his presence.

"Watch your back, punk," Redd muttered. "I’ll kill you."

Icard dragged him away before it went any further.

They left Liam behind, who struggled to keep his expression neutral.

The anger burned in his eyes, aimed at both Icard and Zayne.

"Who’s not worth it? I’m making a scene?" Liam muttered under his breath, glaring at Icard’s retreating back.

Redd glanced back once or twice too, his stare just as dangerous. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"B-Boss?" the young boy who had started it all called softly, shifting from foot to foot behind Liam, suddenly unsure of himself.

Liam clenched his jaw, fists tightening at his sides. He took a step forward, as if to go after Icard.

Before he could, a firm hand caught his right shoulder from behind.

Dane stood there, tall and solid, his beard streaked with black and grey, grip steady and unyielding.

"You’re not doing that, Liam," Dane said quietly, pulling him back.

"Calm down"