Vanessa let out a slow breath, the kind that carried both patience and judgment, her arms folding neatly across her chest as her gaze remained fixed on Arceus. The courtyard had already settled into a tense stillness, the earlier clash still echoing faintly in the air like a memory that refused to leave.
"Jack's words are harsh," she began, her tone measured, almost instructional, "but they are not baseless."
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"Only a fool would attempt to become a tamer without mana."
The statement didn't rise.
It didn't fall.
It simply landed.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
She took a slow step forward, the gravel beneath her feet crunching softly, her presence alone enough to make the space feel smaller.
"Without mana," she continued, "a tamer cannot maintain complete control over their monsters."
A pause.
She let the words breathe.
"People like you misunderstand what a tamer is," she added, her voice gaining a faint edge. "It is not someone who raises a beast and gives it commands like a pet owner."
Her gaze flicked briefly toward the empty space where the injured Jaguar had been taken.
"They are evaluated," she said. "Tested. Broken, if necessary."
Another step.
Closer.
"They must be strong enough to stand before a monster alone."
Her eyes dropped briefly to Arceus's frame.
Measured.
Judging.
"And you…"
A small pause.
"…do not even appear to possess basic physical strength."
The words were not cruel.
But they were absolute.
"You will fail."
Silence followed.
Then—
She added, almost as an afterthought, but one that carried deeper weight than everything before it.
"And even if you have a slim chance…"
Her gaze turned colder.
"The Association will ensure you fail."
A beat.
"Unless you possess an innate soul."
***
Arceus didn't move.
Didn't react.
His face remained calm, his posture unchanged, as if her words had passed through him without leaving a mark.
But inside—
His thoughts stirred.
Innate soul…
The term lingered.
Unfamiliar.
Important.
I'll need to look that up…
He stored it away.
Quietly.
Carefully.
Because even rejection carried information.
And information—
Was power.
***
Beside him, Celia moved.
She stepped forward and bowed.
Deep.
Respectful.
"I understand," she said, her voice steady, though softer now. "I'm sorry if this felt like a waste of your time."
A pause.
"If you do not wish to help…"
Her fingers tightened slightly at her side.
"…we will take our leave."
She didn't wait for a reply.
Didn't look for permission.
She turned.
Her hand reached out—
And wrapped around Arceus's.
Firm.
Warm.
"Come on," she said quietly.
But there was steel beneath it.
"Let's go."
Arceus glanced at their joined hands for a brief second.
Then—
Said nothing.
He followed.
***
Behind them—
Jack watched.
His gaze darkened.
The moment stretched.
Their hands.
Still linked.
Still close.
Something inside him twisted.
Tightened.
The memory surfaced unbidden.
A younger Celia.
Laughing.
Promising.
"I'll marry you when we grow up."
The words echoed.
And shattered.
His jaw clenched hard enough that the muscles stood out sharply along his face.
"Are looks everything now…?" he muttered under his breath, his voice low, bitter, his fists curling slowly until his knuckles whitened.
"She snapped at me…"
A breath.
Sharp.
"For him?"
His eyes burned.
"That trash?"
The word carried venom.
Jealousy.
Possession.
And something uglier beneath.
***
"Wait."
Vanessa's voice cut through the moment.
Celia stopped.
Arceus stopped.
Even Jack turned.
Vanessa remained where she stood, arms still crossed, her expression unchanged, but something in her eyes had shifted.
Subtle.
Measured.
"Since you're so determined…" she said, looking directly at Arceus now.
A pause.
"I will recommend someone."
Celia's grip on Arceus's hand tightened slightly.
Arceus's eyes lifted.
Attentive.
Listening.
"His name is Alaric Von Seraph," Vanessa said flatly. "He is affiliated with the Zero Guild."
Another pause.
"Tell him Vanessa sent you."
Her tone didn't change.
"He will know what to do."
***
Celia's expression softened instantly.
"Auntie…"
There was gratitude there.
Relief.
But Vanessa didn't look at her.
"Just go."
***
Arceus stepped forward.
Bowed again.
Deeper this time.
More deliberate.
"Thank you, Elder."
Celia followed.
Then—
They turned.
And left.
***
Their footsteps were steady as they crossed the courtyard, passed through the gate, and returned to the car. Neither of them spoke, the silence settling between them again, but this time it carried something heavier, something that didn't quite dissolve.
Behind them—
Jack stood still.
Watching.
The wind brushed past him, stirring his silver hair, cooling the sweat on his skin.
But it did nothing for the heat inside him.
"She can't fall for him…" he muttered, his voice trembling now, no longer controlled.
"She can't…"
His fists tightened further.
"There's no way…"
His breathing grew uneven.
"…I'll let it happen."
His gaze hardened.
"Celia is mine."
The words came out low.
Possessive.
Dangerous.
"And anyone who stands in the way…"
His voice trailed.
But the intent didn't.
***
Back outside, the car engine purred again, low and steady as Celia guided it away from the estate, the peaceful scenery slowly fading behind them.
Minutes passed.
Silence stretched.
Then—
Celia spoke.
"I'm sorry…"
Her voice was quieter this time.
Less composed.
"…about Jack."
A small pause.
"He grew up as the only son in a wealthy family."
Her fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel.
"And he's an innate soul…"
She exhaled.
"…so he's used to looking down on people."
***
Arceus didn't respond immediately.
He looked out the window, watching the scenery pass, the reflection of his own face faintly visible in the glass.
Then—
He smiled.
Small.
Faint.
Almost tired.
"It's fine," he said.
His voice was light.
Too light.
"I've been called worse."
Celia glanced at him.
He didn't look at her.
"I've heard things like that for years," he added quietly. "It doesn't really… land anymore."
A pause.
"It doesn't touch my pride."
The words were simple.
But they carried weight.
Not bravado.
Not denial.
Just—
Truth.
***
Celia's grip on the steering wheel tightened.
Her jaw clenched slightly.
But she said nothing.
Because she didn't know how to respond.
Comfort felt too shallow.
Jokes felt inappropriate.
So—
She chose silence.
And let it sit between them.
***
Time passed.
The city returned.
But not the same part.
The skyline shifted.
Buildings grew denser, then fractured again into uneven structures, the roads narrowing, the polish fading.
The Guild District.
Massive.
Sprawling.
Powerful.
But uneven.
The lower the sector number—
The greater the power.
The greater the wealth.
The greater the influence.
And them?
Sector 14.
Near the bottom.
***
The road beneath them cracked in places, the car's smooth motion slightly disrupted as the tires rolled over uneven surfaces. Streetlights flickered weakly, some dim, some barely functioning, casting unstable shadows across buildings that had clearly seen better days.
Windows boarded.
Signs faded.
Dust gathering along the sidewalks in thin, restless layers that shifted with every passing breeze.
Most guilds here—
Were ghosts.
Dead.
Or dying.
***
Celia let out a small, apologetic laugh, though it lacked her usual confidence.
"Sorry…"
She glanced around briefly.
"I didn't expect this either."
A small pause.
"But… you can trust Aunt Xiao."
***
"It's fine," Arceus replied.
His eyes moved across the surroundings, taking everything in, not with disappointment, but with quiet curiosity.
Because places like this—
Often hid things others overlooked.
***
The car slowed.
Then stopped.
They stepped out.
The air felt heavier here.
Still.
Dustier.
They walked forward.
Toward a three-story building.
Old.
Worn.
The sign above it read:
Zero Guild.
The letters were chipped.
The paint faded.
A crack split through the "Z," running down like a scar that had never been repaired.
Arceus stopped for a second.
Looked at it.
Then—
A faint smile touched his lips.
"…Oh?"
He reached out.
Pushed the wooden door open.
It creaked.
Loud.
Echoing into the dim interior.
"This is surprising."