In a simple living room, a tall male bunny demihuman was seated in a lotus position alongside another person — a male human.

Sounds of moving Go stones faintly resounded in the quiet, serene living room for a few moments.

However, suddenly, the male demihuman erupted into a fit of crazy laughter, obviously to the displeased expression on the human's face.

The male human, Aurelius Zeynar, was not feeling so good at the moment.

This was the 50th round of the game, and he had been on a losing streak since they begun playing.

Aurelius clicked his tongue in feigned displeasure.

"Laugh all you want, Ross. I've only gotten rusty because I haven't played in a while — unlike you, who has all the time on your hands to play after retiring from the position of Dean of the academy."

Ross leaned closer to his old friend and shook his head.

"Have you forgotten that I was busy finding a cure for my son's predicament? For that matter, I could not be bothered with games and the like?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

On hearing this, Zeynar simply clicked his tongue again, knowing that he could not refute what Ross had just said. This meant that he had lost the game fair and square, with no excuse to defend himself.

Ross decided to switch the topic, knowing his old friend was feeling sore after being battered and beaten by him during the games.

"Who do you think killed Enna Harker?"

On hearing this, Aurelius simply smiled, then a sigh followed.

"I guess I'm not the only one who thinks it wasn't suicide."

Ross chuckled, then commented sarcastically,

"Did you think you were the only one born with a functioning brain, old friend?"

"Anyway, with the way the whole thing was done, it's probably a Black Flask — a terrifying one," Ross said casually.

Aurelius nodded. This was what he was also suspecting. He added,

"The mystery here is the fact that the fellow was able to avoid academy scrutiny in the act. It's a different thing in the daunting regions where no one gives a damn about what happens. But on campus? That's a different situation — the AI should have detected it."

"Don't tell me you care about the fact that she's dead?" Ross added, quite curious about why Aurelius seemed to be taking this whole thing personal.

"You don't think I'm taking this personally, do you?" Aurelius chuckled. "Honestly, I don't care about her. After all, that means the kid will have one less enemy to handle. I just can't help but think her death has something to do with the kid."

Ross nodded in agreement.

"I have the same instinct. I don't know how and why, but that child is very mysterious and has an unfathomable backer. If that is considered, it's no surprise that Enna's death can be connected to him."

Aurelius widened his eyes in surprise.

"Don't tell me you think—"

Ross interjected him.

"Yes, I think Kailen is a Black Flask. This is a possibility no one is currently considering. He's just a rank one alchemist and has a purity level of not less than 90 percent — also a runesmith with a rune skill proficiency of 99 percent. His backing aside, do you think it is strange that he has the skill to be a Black Flask?"

Aurelius sighed deeply in realization.

"When you put it like this, it makes a lot of sense. The unfathomable backing might have also imparted some terrifying stealth ability even the academy AI couldn't detect , that him that allowed him to assassinate Enna Harker with the poison"

"Exactly," Ross said, rubbing his chin. "I really pity those society presidents for underestimating him, trying to gang up on the kid in the society wars.

It's like they don't have any functional brain cells in their brain."

Aurelius nodded, took some tea, and added,

"No one with an ordinary backing can accomplish the feats this kid has accomplished for his age. Heck, age aside, how many geniuses have been able to do so in centuries?"

"I plan on inviting him to the banquet in celebration of my son's breakthrough after the Society wars," Ross said. "Then, I will properly thank him and have a few words with him."

"A banquet? Are you seriously holding this banquet because of Arnold's recovery, or there's another reason?" Aurelius asked suspiciously.

Ross raised his fluffy hands up in surrender.

"Fine, you had me. Apart from celebrating Arnold's recovery, I want to send a message to everyone that I have Kailen Darkhaven's back during this banquet."

Aurelius chuckled.

"I look forward to it."

****

Kailen materialised in the villa the Long Hai training hall had given him in the virtual universe.

He slumped into a couch and exhaled softly, awaiting the arrival of his friends.

Just as he was in thought, several figures suddenly materialised before him.

This time, it was not just Arrie, Charles, and Micheal that appeared.

It was everyone.

Angela and Lee, Jane, Helena and Donalds, Phila and Felicia, Phoebe, Troy and Denisa — Phila's parents — Reynolds and Kim, even Angela's brother, Isaac, and his girlfriend: everyone in Kailen's immediate circle or close to those in his immediate circle were all here.

"Surprise!!" Everyone shouted together with smiles on their faces.

Kailen was extremely shocked and happy at the same time to see everyone.

Arrie suddenly leaped into Kailen's arms and gave him a deep hug.

It was as if the two wanted to merge into one another.

That was until an adorable voice shouted,

"Auntie is such a meanie! I wanted to hug Uncle first!"

Quickly, Arrie snorted and begrudgingly left Kailen to Felicia under everyone's warm expressions.

Instead of saying something like she missed Kailen, Felicia gave Kailen a knock on the head after mustering all the strength in her cute body.

Kailen, puzzled at the kid's sudden tantrum, was about to ask her what he had done wrong when she pouted,

"That's for never contacting me after you left Earth! Meanie uncle!"

Kailen chuckled lightly, alongside everyone.

He rubbed his hands through Felicia's hair and held her adorable cheeks.

"Uncle is very sorry, little Feli. I will be less of a jerk next time, okay?" Kailen said with a pleading and warm voice.

"Pinky swear?" Felicia raised her pinky.

Kailen chuckled, then raised his own and interlocked it with hers.

"Pinky swear."

After that, Felicia, now convinced, said,

"I've now given everyone permission to talk with him."

At the little girl's words — which was something Arrie was the right person to technically say — everyone laughed and interacted with Kailen.

"Well, if it isn't my honeymoon stars," Kailen said as he approached Angela and Lee, Helena and Donalds.

The honeymoon couples chuckled.

Donalds replied, "Good to see you too, son-in-law. You are really making Earthlings proud. I've never been more prouder."

Kailen, a sucker for genuine compliments, didn't know how to respond. With a faint blush on his face, he merely chuckled. This was the best he could muster.

He turned to Angela, Helena, and winked at them.

"You seem more beautiful than you did when I left Earth. I know you have broken through to the Ascendant level and all, but... it seems these two fine men have been feeding you ladies very well, know what I mean?"

The moment Kailen said that, flashes of light spread throughout the room as Helena and Angela chased after him with crimson blushes on their faces under everyone's hearty laughter.

Very soon, the chase died down, with Kailen trying to placate them, hands raised in nervous surrender.

"Fine... I'm sorry, okay? I went too far."

The ladies snorted playfully, then decided to leave him be.

"You are lucky you apologized."

"Fortunately, I didn't have to denounce you as my son-in-law."

Everyone laughed at the antics of the trio, after which Kailen went on to greet the others.

He gave Charles a hearty hug.

"You bastard, always shocking us with one nonsensical feat after another."

Kailen, at his words, "Good to see you too, man."

He turned to Phoebe, standing near Charles, smiling warmly when their gazes met.

"Thanks for taking care of this mummy's boy. I know he's a handful, but be patient with him — he's a work in progress."

At Kailen's words, a quiet, heartwarming laughter slipped out of Phoebe's mouth.

"Don't worry, I know how to handle him."

Charles feigned displeasure.

"Has my charm really decreased that much, babe? Now you support him?"

"Oh, come on, take one for the team, Charles."

Michael, approaching them with Phila, couldn't help but chuckle at Charles' predicament.

"Oh, come on!" Charles sighed dramatically.

Everyone shook their heads at the crazy guy's antics.

Kailen approached Micheal and Phila.

"Wow, Mike. You look..."

Phila glanced at Micheal, then shortly glanced at Kailen.

"Different?"

Kailen nodded.

Micheal stared at Phila, to which Phila merely shrugged.

"Told you!"

"Seriously?" Micheal asked again.

"Yeah, your eyes. They seem strangely intense, and there's this aura of sharpness around you," Kailen commented sincerely.

"That's just what Phila told me!"

"I guess you don't trust me anymore, huh?"

"Of course I trust you!"

"Okay~"

Kailen looked at the couple with warmth.

He stared at everyone in the room, happily conversing and having a good time.

A warm feeling encumbered him.

"Hey Kailen! Come and let me whoop your ass. Got any new gaming skills?"

Jane's voice suddenly resounded in the room, causing everyone to laugh at Kailen's impending predicament.

***

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