SSS Ranked Shadow Monarch: Summoning Infinite Shadows-Chapter 205: Someone Who Sees You

The streets of War God City in the afternoon were filled with activities, even for the gold and silver section, especially during the time of the tournament.

Aren and Elena made their way through these streets. They didn’t speak while they walked, just allowing the cool breeze to brush over their skin, and the smell of food mixed with industrialization filled their noses.

There was no tension between them, there didn’t need to be. Their relationship before had no real gravity, and as such they had no bad blood or personal care for each other.

"Like I said, it actually happened." Elena spoke. She kept her face forward, her face carrying not an ounce of emotion.

"What are you talking about?" Aren asked.

"Your group." She stated.

Instantly, the atmosphere grew heavier. Aren took in a deep breath and as he let it out, he closed his eyes for a few seconds, but he didn’t respond.

"Geisha used them against you." She stated.

"I know that, but at the end, they saved me from the spatial storm. I would have been dead if not for them and you." He stated, and that was facts.

"That was only because of the scenario their presence created. Think about it, would you have been incapable of a better escape route had you not been busy bargaining for our lives?" She asked.

Aren paused for a few seconds, thinking of his response. Elena spotted a bakery. She immediately grabbed his hand. "Come." She said, pulling him over there.

The woman behind the counter was a middle-aged woman, small eyes, black hair that was tied into a bun. A simple white shirt and black skirt, with an apron tied around her waist.

She greeted them with a smile. "Hello, what can I get for you?"

Elena looked through the display, and there were some chocolate bun cakes sitting there, so she pointed at those. "I’ll have two."

The woman nodded and packaged two for her in a paper bag. Elena paid, and they left.

She took one out and handed it to Aren, while she ate one.

"Mmm, this is pretty nice." She remarked.

"Why are you trying to make me see the issues in my relationships?" Aren asked before taking a bite.

"I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I don’t have friends, so seeing people with friends hurts me." She said, but then let out a chuckle. "But it isn’t that." She said after in a more serious tone.

"Then what is it?" Aren asked.

"It’s simply, how do you call it, worry." She said. This took Aren by surprise. Worry? How could she be worried for him?

"You’re joking, right?"

"No." She replied, looking at him for a few seconds. "There is no way to say this that makes it make sense, but after the first trial, you changed a lot. The you I met was cold and ready to do whatever it takes to win, a dedication to yourself and your victory, you had your goal in sight.

Back then, your goal was to survive and dominate, so now tell me Aren, what is your goal?" She asked.

The moment he heard the question, he froze. He opened his mouth, thinking of saying survival, but then he recalled Athena, then Zero, then his past memories, all these things.

Aren took a deep breath. He calmed himself. "All these things have become my greatest weakness, but they have also become my greatest reason to fight on and grow stronger, so that I can defend them all." He said without hesitation.

Elena couldn’t help but smile. She stepped forward, leaving only a few inches between them. She placed a finger on his chest. "You are one of the best minds I have seen so far, one that knows what he wants." She stated and then stepped back. "If you want to protect them as you say, then you must become the monster you were before. Do not hold back, execute judgment as fast as possible.

Do not search for the humanity behind the eyes of your enemy, because if you look you’ll find it, and your resolve will dwindle. Be ruthless, the Guardian doesn’t need to worry himself with being or looking righteous, he just has to defend the treasure." She finished and then bit into her cake, a little chocolate stuck to her face.

Aren stepped forward. He lifted his hand up. Using his thumb, he wiped it away. "I fear what I’ll become if that’s the path I choose."

"You can’t protect if you don’t commit to it." She stated, not bothered that he cleaned her face. "I’m someone that manipulates, there is no room for emotion for what I do. You are someone that wants to protect, there is no room for mercy to enemies."

Aren smiled. "This has been the best talk I’ve had with you." He said.

"Well, before I was trying to control and use you. You were a powerful weapon that I needed." She said.

"So why aren’t you trying to do it now?" He asked.

"Because now I have a feeling that if I was in trouble, you’d come to save me, no need for me to control you." She stated.

"Bold claim for someone I just met again after a while." He replied with a smile.

"Indeed it is, but who else really gets your messed up mind and soul?" She asked. "You hide most of it from your friends, even when you know they’ll still support you, or did something happen that made you believe they won’t?" She asked.

"Yes, something happened." He replied, his mind shifting to when he saved Aiden, and how the issues had spiraled. It showed him that they all couldn’t really understand how his mind worked, and that scared him even more.

"I see, well then, you have me, someone you don’t need to tell before they see what’s wrong." She said and then turned around. "I’ll be leaving now, I’ll see you in the tournament." She walked off, leaving Aren there. He stood put for a few seconds, and then walked away, but with his shadow sense, he didn’t miss when she looked back and smiled.