"Good." Frank nodded and watched as Vicky hurried away.The members of Mystic Sky Guild then closed in around him. "What should we do, chief?""You boys?"Frank took a moment and gathered his thoughts before turning toward Peter. "Send the boys out. Tell them to keep an eye on Phoenix Ardron, but be careful not to get caught. Do you understand?""You got it." Peter nodded and left right then."As for everyone else, just go about your daily lives—don't stir waves, but just be extra careful.""Yes, chief.""And you, Scarface."Frank turned toward Scarface Tucker with a serious stare. "Tell Kat to stay put. If she has to go anywhere, she must bring some bodyguards and watch out for strangers."As for you—focus on your training for the upcoming Martial Tournament.""Understood." Scarface nodded."Phew…"Frank sighed in relief after making the arrangements. "Alright, you can all leave now. There's no need to get paranoid—I mean, who can you trust if not me?"Even if I don't hav
"No."The girl, Lizzie, shook her head stubbornly. "I will repay you because you saved me, even if it upsets you.""Fine! If you say so!"Tidus had had enough and strode up to grab her by the collar, pulling her close as he growled through her teeth, "Then you will repay me with your body!""What?! No…"Lizzie was clearly startled, her eyes widening in panic.However, Tidus was ready to do it as he snorted. "Hmph! You see now? I'm just that despicable, but you insist on coming so close! Well, have it your way!"Lizzie was flustered at first, but she then bit her lip as if resolving herself.Then, gingerly looking Tidus in the eye, she murmured, "I-If that's what you want… I'm scared, but it's okay."Tidus paused as their eyes met, and he soon pushed her away and turned aside, cursing, "Fuck!""Pfft…"With even Frank unable to stop a snicker, everyone else laughed out loud.Tidus wheeled on them, at once grumpy. "Could you stop?! I'll pay you a mil if you get rid of her! How
Lizzie bowed her head at Tidus and turned to leave when Frank called out from the bed, "Wait!""Huh?" Lizzie turned toward him, puzzled."I'm Frank Lawrence, Tidus'… Ahem, boss."Frank stared at her as he asked. "What's your name?""I'm Lizzie." The girl bowed her head respectfully."May I have the lunchbox you made for Tidus?" Frank then asked gingerly with a wink.Then, feeling that he might be coming on too quickly, he added in embarrassment, "I just happened to be hungry.""Sure."Lizzie nodded and smiled. "I cooked enough for five people—Tidus has many friends, and they're always with him.""Oh, you're so kind." Frank sighed softly. "Tidus—"Before he could finish, he found Tidus frowning at Lizzie. "Are you going to make another attempt, bumpkin?"Lizzie said nothing, and Tidus buried his face in his palms and sighed. "You're such a brat…"He then turned toward Frank. "Can I apply for a day's leave, chief?""Nope." Frank refused right away, leaving Tidus scowling."
Winter sighed inwardly, unsure of what to say.After watching as Tidus and Lizzie left, she watched in exasperation as Frank gorged half of the lunchbox that Lizzie brought Tidus.Chewing half of a fried egg, he was even musing to himself, clearly impressed with what he did. "It's good if Tidus gets married—he's at least on the right path instead of hanging with the younger thugs."Winter rolled her eyes at him. "What about you? Aren't you getting married?""Oh. I, uh…"Frank scratched his head in embarrassment and chuckled. "I should focus on my career instead, hehe…"Just as Frank burped from a full stomach, the door opened again, and Helen Lane entered in a hurry."Sorry, I've been busy—it wasn't easy to make time," she said before asking bluntly, "Are you alright, Frank? I heard from Vicky that you're, ahem… Impotent now?"Frank almost fell off his bed and clenched his knuckles awkwardly. "Vicky and her bullshit again…"It was only then that Helen noticed Winter was with t
"What?! I…" Helen did a double take.However, from Kat's point of view from the door, the way Helen had both hands on Frank's groin while Frank was holding on to his pants for dear life did not leave much room for imagination.Kat slowly backed out of Frank's ward as her expression stiffened. "I-I'll come back later."Helen's cheeks flushed as she saw that Kat had clearly misunderstood, and she glared at Frank. "It's all your fault!""My fault?!" Frank was speechless. Would Kat have misunderstood anything if Helen had not been reaching for his pants to check?Even Helen realized that she had no cause to act that way, and that Vicky was just messing around, claiming that Frank was impotent or whatnot.And remembering what she did, she flushed up to her ears, suddenly forgetting why she was so bold a moment ago.Afraid to look at Frank, she turned stiffly and strode right out of the room, fuming."That's it! I-I'll make Vicky pay!" She clenched her knuckles and growled through
"What?!"Frank was delighted by the news Blackie brought and pressed, "Who is it? Where are they now?""He was a patrolman in the commissioner's residence!"Blackie exclaimed, "He saw Podrick Daffey entering the commissioners room for a few minutes on the cameras, and he had blood on his hands when he left!""Wonderful!" Frank exclaimed—it was exactly the evidence he missed at the moment.However, he remained wary despite his excitement. "Are you sure about this, Blackie? And why is he willing to testify?""Well, I heard that Podrick and Stanley Durban are trying to clean the house."Blackie scratched his head and muttered, "Apparently, they're deleting the footage and killing everyone to avoid any problems!"But the patrolman was a step ahead, saving the most important part of the security footage and fleeing before Stanley's men got to him!""And? What happened next?" Frank pressed, still not appearing convinced."And…"Blackie smiled. "The patrolman approached one of my b
Frank was worried that Stanley would catch on and interfere with his deal, after all.Nonetheless, by the time they left the main road and arrived at the ridge where they had agreed to meet with the patrolman, the sun was setting and a bright blood-red.That was when Kat frowned and looked around."Why is it so quiet here, Master Lawrence? I can almost feel like something's wrong.""Quiet?"Frank narrowed his eyes and looked around. He then realized that it really was as quiet as Kat had described, devoid of any sounds one would expect to hear up in the mountainsKat tugged on his sleeve and looked around endlessly. "Mona told me that there's always birds and critters in the mountains, which she used to catch and cook… But I'm hearing nothing at all.""Haha! Our princess is getting worried!"One of the Mystic Sky Guild elites laughed. "It's going to be dark soon. The birds and the critters would be staying in their nests for dinner!""Hah! Don't you know that some animals only h
The skull of the Mystic Sky Guild elite who was just teasing Kat seconds ago exploded like a watermelon, splashing blood and brain all over those around him.At the same time, Frank had shoved Kat to the ground, even as she was still gaping at the man who had just been joking around with her moments ago.And now, moments later, he was but a headless corpse."You… bastards!" Kat struggled to get to her feet, ready to kill whoever it was as her shock turned to rage.However, she was not going to get the chance to when this entire place was a trap prepared by Josh.Just as she got to her feet, she was sent flying by a grenade's explosion."Kat!"Frank felt the grenade blowing up beside him too, and the ensuing shockwave blew away two other Mystic Sky Guild elites."Princess… Mr. Lawrence… Run!" One of them had his body blown off from the waist down, but he pushed away Kat as hard as she could to Frank's side."Run, chief!""It's a trap! You have to run now!"The other Mystic Sk
Frank snorted. "Alright, I'm hanging up. I'm getting started over here soon.""Yeah. Good luck," Jouri replied.Hanging up, Frank looked up at the waterfall overhead, and then at Skyler, who was standing beside him. "So? Is it time yet?""Almost… Now!" Skyler's eyes were glowing even as she stared at her watch."Alright."Frank looked up just as the skies abruptly darkened. "Ah, there it is—the eclipse."The sun seemed to disappear, and the world was suddenly shrouded in darknesses.And beside him, a stone door imbued with the power of the spiritron vein also rumbled as it parted."Got it!" Frank rushed inside without another word as soon as he saw it."Hmph. I'm surprised that you could reach this place." A cold, wrathful voice resounded inside even before Frank got a hold of his surroundings.Looking up, Frank found a youth in a black cossack and sporting grey-white hair, standing upon a cliff as he looked down on him.Frank chuckled. "Hehe. Like I said, I've come to kill
Frank narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?'Crane shrugged. "I don't mind giving it to you straight—members of Torrent are actually… Ahem. A part of Torrent himself."Frank paused. "What's that supposed to mean?""You don't get it, do you?" Crane grinned. "Then let me put it to you this way—every member is a clone of Torrent.""A clone?" Frank gasped in realization."Yes," Crane nodded. "That's why I believe that challenging Crane is just suicide. You have no idea how powerful he is—only death awaits you down that path."Frank smirked. "Oh, but I don't think so."Crane rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever—now listen closely. You will find Torrent in the Mystic Trail, but you would only find that place when the sun and moon coincide, and the entrance is beneath the waterfall south of Horton."As he finished, he snorted coldly. "I have no idea if you can actually do it, but I'm hoping you do kill him… Heh. I'm getting tired of being stuck under his control for so long."Then, waving off
Frank abruptly turned, immediately noticing one of the Cranes crouching, ready to spring forward and blindside him."Got you!" He laughed."Hah! You fell for it!"Just as Frank swung a punch to pulverize that Crane, he suddenly burst into pus that splashed at Frank's face."Damn it!" Frank took a step back, surprised that the clone's presence was identical to the real Crane, and a trap on top of that!"Die!"The Cranes around him each whipped out a dagger, all of them stabbing at Frank at the same time."Get off!" Frank bellowed, unleashing a shockwave that sent all the Cranes flying across all directions."Frank! Above you!" Skyler suddenly shrieked."Yes! I'm right here!" A strange laughter sounded above Frank just as he wiped the pus off his face.Crane was suddenly directly above him, launching an aerial kick straight at Frank's head, and Frank had no time to dodge!"Die!" Crane's smile curled into a twisted angle as he saw that too.He was very confident with this kick
"Disgusting…" Skyler murmured through her hand.Despite being skinned and scalped, the women were all still alive and singing to the music that was playing despite their anguish."Talk about a terrible fetish."Frank was scowling too—why were all the members of Torrent such sick deviants? It seemed like his plan to wipe them out was absolutely correct!"So, you killed my clone?"The lanky man on the couch slowly turned to level his bloodshot eyes at Frank.His lips were wet with bed as they curled upward into an eerie smile."Clone?" Frank narrowed his eyes."Hehe. It's a sage art."Crane shrugged as he stood up and wiped the blood off his lips. "It's only natural that you don't understand… Still, you deserve praise. If you can kill my clone, that means you're not just slightly stronger than Ghost."Naturally, the man was none other than the real Crane.Still, as Skyler studied him from a corner, even she could notice the strange twitch of his fingers, and his veins were pro
Even as Crane ran, he was looking over his shoulder, his heart pounding. "No… I won't win in a one-on-one!"No, as long as I get back to my real body… we can do this together!" He frowned, having seen how Frank sliced off the pinkies of those hood rats. It hence quickly dawned on him that Frank was not just slightly stronger than Ghost, as Torrent had put it!"Almost there!" He gasped when he saw the signboard of Pegasus Showtown in the distance. "As long as I get there and rendezvous with my real body, that brat will lose—"That was when he turned and saw that a shadow had caught up with impossible speed."What?!" Crane's eyes almost popped out in bewilderment. "What speed is that?! Are you kidding—"Even as he spotted the shadow, the shadow turned into a youth with an impassive visage.His fist outstretched, he was clearly punching toward Crane's forehead!"Argh…"Even as Crane looked on, the youth's punch slowed down by tenfold, but his fist kept closing in.Then, whe
Seeing Skyler sigh, the tattooed thug presumed that his extortion worked.He strode up, grabbing Frank's shoulder. "No one's gonna help you, boy. Pay up, or you're not leaving.""Exactly! You're not getting away!" the crowd of hood rats hollered. "Last chance."Frank's eyes were cold and fixed on Dani, however. "Are you going to intervene? If you do, you can keep that check. If you don't…""Ugh. Fuck off! I don't care!" Dani spat, her expression smug as she folded her arms before her chest. "Who do you think you are to threaten me?!""Exactly! Pay up, and you can leave!""Yeah! Ten grand, at least!""You probably don't know my boss Wyvern, but when he's here, you won't get away with just ten grand!"Even as the crowd closed in, Frank shook his head. "Well, you had your chance. Don't blame me for what happens next.""You're giving us a chance?! Hah! Who—argh!"Even before Dani could finish gloating, Frank was suddenly in front of her, grabbing her viciously by the wrist."Arg
"Five grand?! Did you hear that?! He just threw five grand!""Must be a rich kid coming here for a secret rendezvous, out of prying eyes? Those types are the easiest mark!""Fuck! And Dani got one of us… It hurts me more than losing at the races!"Frank could hear the buzz around him but ignored it as he strode past the men flanking him and headed toward the street that stank of blood."Stop!" A big tattooed man grinned sinisterly as he intercepted Frank.As his buddies encircled Frank as well, Frank snorted—it seemed that they took his reaction for a sign of weakness and thought that he could be cowed.The tattooed man rubbed his chin as he leered at Skyler's voluptuous figure, chuckling. "Look, boy. I'm short on cash, so let me take a loan. I'll pay you back some other day, how about that?"His friend laughed. "Exactly! You just gave Dani five grand, and we won't ask for more… just four, how about that?"Skyler scowled in turn and glanced worriedly at Frank beside her—was he
Frank himself had just stepped out of the nightclub when his eyes narrowed."Blood," he murmured, his nostrils twitching."Blood?"Skyler sniffed the air, puzzled. "I can't smell it.""It's from the opposite street… I smell the blood of over a dozen people.""A dozen?!" Skyler did a double take.He could identify the number of people who were killed?! That was just ridiculous!"Come on, let's take a look."Just as Frank led the way toward the source of the stench, a woman suddenly came up, catching Frank off guard and throwing herself into his arms."Hmmm?" He looked down to see that she had thick makeup, average looks, and a rather pudgy belly."Argh! He touched me!" she pointed at Frank and shrieked even before he realized what was happening."What?!" Skyler was staring at the woman too, mystified."Oh, sister! You just didn't see it!"The woman kept hollering, pointing at Frank's face. "Your boyfriend grabbed my ass! Is that how you teach him manners?!""Teach him ma
Wyvern screamed even as he clutched the stump that was his hand, screaming so shrilly one might mistake his voice as inhuman."Oh, just shut up." The lanky man glowered and launched a kick, reducing Wyvern into puddles of blood and pieces of innards, splattering all around the lobby. "Argh!!!" the devilish lady screamed as she watched the carnage unfolded."Another sound, and you'd end up just like him." The lanky man turned and frowned at her impatiently."Hngh…" The devilish lady promptly clasped a hand over her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes as she trembled."What the hell?!"Outside, Wyvern's lackeys heard the screams and ran inside, looking for him. "Hey, where's Wyvern?!"However, the lobby was too dimly lit for them to notice the blood and guts scattered around the walls, and they only sensed that terrible stench."Hngh…" The devilish lady was too scared to speak, and tears trickled out of her eyes."Fuck!"One of the lackeys strode up and seized the lanky man