Volume 3 Chapter 2 Translator: Yihn Proofer: Arc, Catchkatch Devon held onto the black box long after his little brother Dar, the ever obedient child, had already gone to sleep. After a long pause, a sigh finally broke the silence. “Bill.” “Yes, Solaris Emperor?” Kyle asked. Since he was never the one who pressed the ‘end call’ button, Kyle was still waiting on the line. “What do you think I should do?” Devon held the crescent moon necklace before his eyes, swinging it to and fro. It sparkled like the smile of his first love. “I do not know.” Kyle kept to his duties and didn’t give a response. He understood that it was not in his job description to answer the question. And he knew that the Solaris Emperor didn’t really want his answer, he was merely thinking out loud. "Oh, it all happened so long ago. After hating me for all this time, how could he possibly forgive me so easily, especially after hearing such a ridiculous explanation?” Devon idly poked at the necklace. Kyle quietly waited on the other end of the line. “Punishing him a little for revenge will be fine, but you can forgo the matter of destroying him,” Devon said faintly. “I take it that I owe him that much.” “Yes.” Devon pressed a button and ended the call. He gazed at the necklace he’d been holding in his hands for some time, before returning it to the box and closing the lid. But as he caught full view of the box, he could not help staring at it and grazing his fingers gently over the red jewel. Father… Devon closed his eyes and slowly reclined in the chair. “Wouldn't it be great if Mother hadn’t died, or if you hadn’t hated Didi? Then we would have been a happy family…” he murmured. ******************** “Bye, Papa Avery. I’m going to school now.” Daren kissed Theodore’s cheek. With the haggard look on his face, glazed eyes, and a cup of coffee in his hands, Theodore would have been arrested for drug abuse if a police officer had caught a glimpse of him. Ezart yawned widely and examined Theodore. “Has he gone crazy?” he concluded bluntly. “Papa Avery isn’t crazy.” Leaping to Theodore’s defence, Daren struggled to explain. “Papa works every day, late into the night. But Gege has given him instructions to wake up early every morning to say goodbye and see me off for school, or Gege will kill him. That’s why Papa doesn’t have much energy in the mornings.” “Your dad’s pretty over the top,” Ezart replied disapprovingly. “He’s already so old yet he still stays up all night. Your brother, too. Nobody your age says goodbye to their families before leaving for class anymore.” The moment Ezart finished speaking, a certain drug addict suddenly sobered up and looked around. “Who? Who said that I’m old?” he roared. “…Your dad woke up.” “En…Bye, Papa Avery. I’m going to school now.” Daron embraced Theodore once more. “Oh, so it’s Dar.” Theodore stared blankly at the two students, a little confused. When did I get to the front door? Why do I have no recollection of it at all…? But, for the sake of self-preservation, he bid farewell to Daren just as Devon had instructed. “Be careful on your way to school.” “Let’s go already,” Ezart declared impatiently, and set off first, using big strides. Seeing this, Daren anxiously hurried after him, shouting, “I’m coming! Wait for me, Ezart!” “Teenagers are so full of energy…” Theodore leaned next to the door, took a sip of his coffee and exclaimed like an old man as he watched them leave, one after the other. Not long after setting off, the big guy up ahead reverted back to his usual lazy self, slowly taking each step. Daren didn’t react in time and had already rushed past him by several meters before realising. He hurriedly retraced his steps and drew up alongside Ezart. “There’s a practical lesson later. Remember to let Dark Sun into the battle simulator; I want to have a battle with him today.” Even though Ezart looked as though he was just saying it casually, the sharpness in Ezart’s eyes revealed his eagerness to duel with Dark Sun. “Hmm?” Caught off guard, it took Daren a while before he remembered. Ever since Ezart, Elian and the others had found out about his identity as Dark Sun, and were threatened by his brother to keep their mouths shut, everybody had simply proceeded to treat him and Dark Sun as two separate individuals. Daren remained the delicate young master, while Dark Sun was the bodyguard. That was the consensus everyone had reached. “But, Elian-gege said he wants to fight with me…with Dark Sun today.” “What!” Ezart complained. “Didn’t he duel with you last time already?” “But you had a duel the time before, too…” Daren’s voice gradually got softer and softer. “That’s right! So it’s decided. It will be my turn this time round. No more grumbling,” Ezart said assertively. “Oh,” Daren answered blankly. They continued walking until they passed a toy store. Stopping abruptly, Daren pulled at a corner of Ezart’s shirt. Ezart glanced sideways at Daren, bemused. “What is it?” he asked. “We’re going to be late if you don’t walk faster.” Pulling his pink, heart-shaped console from his bag, Daren gazed at the shop with sparkling eyes. “I want to buy Xiao Ai’s newest software update that’s just been released,” he declared. “…You’re still playing with that? And even getting the newest software update?” Ezart looked at the console incredulously. Daren’s face crumpled at his words, portraying a look full of disappointment. “I can’t...buy it…?” he asked, voice small. Here we go again! I can’t refuse him when he looks at me with those puppy-dog eyes! Ezart helplessly face-palmed. “Anything, anything. If you want to buy it, just do it quickly or we’ll be late for class.” “It’ll just take a moment. Ezart, you have to wait for me, okay?” Daren rushed into the toy store as soon as he had consent, knowing that Ezart didn’t have the least bit of patience when waiting for others. He had to finish making his purchase quickly or else he’d get left behind. Once inside the toy store, Daren had intended to pounce on the counter and demand the latest software update, but he was forced to stop when he saw another customer already at the counter. He became flustered and didn't know what to do. But the sharp-eyed shop assistant recognised this generous customer and greeted him with a beaming smile. “Is there anything I can help you look for?” “I-I want this newest program update, the one from the television ads.” Daren raised his game console. “Where Xiao Ai can eat gourmet foods from different countries, have makeup and lots of clothes to change into, and can even raise a pet,” he recited the lines he had heard from the ads, all in a single breath. “Virtual Lover 8.0 software update, right? Please wait; I’ll get it for you momentarily.” The assistant started searching under the counter the second he finished speaking. "Okay." Daren replied, waiting. “The Virtual Lover game. Such a childish game really suits you.” Daren was taken aback by the comment, but then he realised it was the customer by the counter who had said it. Even though he had spoken, he hadn’t even turned around to face Daren. “Ah…Shain Baylian, you came here to buy toys, too?” "I'm buying models!" hissed Shain Baylian. He whipped around and glared at Daren, before giving Daren's Virtual Lover console a look of disdain. "I have no interest in childish toys," he scoffed. “Models? Is that kind of toy fun?” Daren asked curiously. “Models are not toys!” Shain Baylain growled in exasperation. “En?” With a blank look on his face, Daren asked, “But isn’t this a toy shop? Doesn’t it only sell toys?” “Of course not, you blockhead! Don’t lump together the things I buy with your toys.” "Please, please, don't make a fuss, customers," the shop assistant interjected, hastily trying to mediate the situation while still under the counter. "We are indeed a toy shop, but we sell models as well.” Tilting his head, Daren thought about it for a while, before smiling. "So it’s like that. I didn't know toy shops also sold things besides toys," he said. Hearing this, Shain Baylain rolled his eyes at Daren and stepped away from him. He continued flipping through the catalogues, not wanting to be associated with the boy. The assistant heaved a sigh of relief when the two customers did not end up quarrelling. "So, do you want to look at the models, too?" he asked Daren with a professional smile. I am a little curious...No, I can't! Ezart is still waiting for me outside! Daren shook his head and pulled out his card to pay the bill. “I’ll take a look next time; my friend’s waiting for me outside,” he quickly replied. A wide smile spread across the assistant’s face when he caught sight of the credit card. Bowing deeply, he said, "Of course, I shall complete the transaction for you right away. If you have the time, feel free to visit and browse the selection of models our toy store offers." Watching from the side, Shain Baylian gave the assistant a confused look. The level of respect the assistant gave Daren was too excessive; even he had never been treated so reverently. He couldn’t help glancing at the credit card the assistant was holding. With one look, he stared so hard his eyes almost fell out. He simply could not believe that this fool of a boy actually possessed the highest level of Solaris credit cards. Credit cards like this were very rare; less than one hundred cards were in circulation, and each and every one of their owners were famous figures. But this guy in front of him…he wasn’t world famous; people at the Academy hardly even remembered him. An impatient bellow came from outside just as Daren finished signing the receipt. “Dar, are you done or not?” “I’m coming, I’m coming!” Daren grabbed the software disk and his card and rushed to the door. He suddenly remembered something and paused just inside the doorway. Turning around quickly, he called, "Bye, Shain Baylain!” Although Shain Baylain kept his face stoic, he nodded his head. After all, he didn’t know who was backing this guy, but he was almost certain they were very powerful. After his farewell, Daren quickly ran out of the store with Ezart’s loud voice resounding faintly from outside. “You’re so slow. Today’s practical lessons are first and second period. I don’t want to show up late; I’ll have less time to fight with Dark Sun…” “It’s not going to happen. You always lose to Dark Sun within the first five minutes, Ezart.” “Shut your mouth!” “Oh, okay.” Dark Sun?! Shain Baylian rushed out of the toy shop at the sound of that name. But by the time he was outside the topic of Dark Sun had passed, and Ezart and Daren were talking about whether or not to eat supper. He looked uneasily at the two’s backs. “That idiot is actually related to Dark Sun?” he asked himself doubtfully. Owning that Solaris credit card, one of less than a hundred issued, and associated with Dark Sun…Could that blockhead Daren be related to the Solaris Federation? Shain Baylian stared at two boy’s backs as they walked away. His eyes revealed the whirlwind of thoughts running through his mind. “Anybody there?” he called quietly, after a long moment. “Here!” Three of his followers leaped from the shadows in the street. They bowed their heads respectfully, awaiting orders. “Old Weirdo, go now and report to Father that I discovered a classmate who may have connections to Dark Sun and the Solaris Federation. Ask him to lend me the newest modified human.” Brooding for a moment, he added, “I want a technician, too, to help me modify some things.” “Yes, Young Master.” The shortest, ugliest of the three me men pressed his fist to his hand, bowed, and left in a flurry. Shain Baylian lingered outside the toy store for a while more before going inside one last time. He tossed a credit card to the shop assistant. “Give me a set of the Virtual Lover game. The same model as that brat just now.” ******************** Standing with Ezart at the plaza of the battle simulator, Daren could see from his face that Ezart was bursting with the desire to battle. Daren could only comply. “Ezart, why don’t you go in first? I’ll come and find you all later,” he said. “I’ll be waiting for you! In the meantime, I’ll exchange some blows with that woman, Eloise,” Ezart decided, before entering the battle simulator without looking back. I should find a place to change into Dark Sun’s clothes now, then. Daren grabbed his school bag and walked to a patch of relatively dense woods inside the campus. There he would remove his uniform, put on his silver visor and become the mysterious pro fighter, Dark Sun. Elian had already reported to the principal that they could not bring Dark Sun along because he was too skilled for them, and was unwilling to meet with the principal. However, it seemed that the principal refused to give up, installing numerous cameras around the campus just to find out Dark Sun’s whereabouts. Thankfully, Elian and the others had revealed the cameras’ locations to Daren, and had even helped him find a place to change. Although Daren appreciated their help, at the same time he couldn’t help thinking that there wasn’t really any more need for him to change into Dark Sun…except that Elian and Ezart were both battle maniacs and always asked him to spar with them in the simulator during practicals. Of course, they couldn’t have a duel every practical lesson or it would surely be discovered by the principal that Elian and the others have had contact with him. At the same time, he couldn’t enter the simulator with Ezart either, for fear of his connection with Dark Sun being discovered. Daren became increasingly worried as he thought of all this. “Hopefully other people won’t discover that I’m Dark Sun, or Gege will definitely get angry,” he said, frowning. He took off the uniform, revealing the red tights underneath, and put on his silver visor. Stuffing his uniform in his bag, he hid it in the bushes, finishing the procedure of becoming Dark Sun. “Huu, the expression, expression!” Daren closed his eyes and smacked his cheeks. Gradually, the innocence in his face disappeared, replaced by…No, there was absolutely nothing replacing it, his face just lost all emotion. Even when they were open, his eyes no longer showed any trace of humanity. Heartless and cold-blooded, an inhuman person. This was Dark Sun. The mission: enter the battle simulator and duel with Ezart and Elian. After confirming his mission, Dark Sun briskly walked out of the woods, heading straight for the battle simulator. However, before he had gone far, he heard his name being called. At the same time, a crowd had started to follow him. Although they stayed at least ten steps away, Dark Sun did not permit people to follow behind him because that was a place where the eyes could not reach. With the number of people following him growing larger and larger, Dark Sun finally stopped in his tracks. He felt that they had reached a potential threat level. He turned around and faced them, contemplating. Although these people had yet to launch any attack, the act of following him had already set off alarm bells in Dark Sun’s mind. His instinct was to attack, in order to disperse the crowd… You can’t! They are all my schoolmates; don’t hurt them. Daren’s thoughts suddenly interrupted Dark Sun’s train of thought. Dark Sun stopped mid-action, silently looking at the crowd. Since he couldn’t attack first, he would wait for the opportunity to take action. The crowd was made up of numerous small groups, murmuring. “Dark Sun! He turned around.” “Super cool.” “It’s Dark Sun; he’s finally here. I’ve been waiting for him for three days. He’s really strong in battles.” “I wonder if he’d be willing to sign an autograph for us?” Dark Sun stood there for a moment, before deciding that the crowd had no intention of attacking or harming him. He turned back and continued to the battle simulator. But once his back was turned, he immediately sensed someone getting closer. Whipping around, Dark Sun silently extended his steel nails. “Ex-excuse me. Would you please sign this?” A timid-looking girl holding a picture walked over. She was so flustered her whole face was red, and a few girls were cheering for her in the background. Looking at the girl, Dark Sun concluded that her mini skirt and tank top did not leave any room to conceal weapons. Also, her build and muscle development weren’t enough to represent a danger to him, and, in his mind, the soft-hearted Daren had already agreed to it. Dark Sun retracted his nails and quietly took the photo, only to see that it was actually a photo of him fighting in the battle simulator. After signing his name, his handwriting so neat that it looked like it was typed out by a computer, he passed the photo back to the girl. “Th-thank you!” Excited and embarrassed, the girl ran back to her group after receiving the photo and the girls giggled hysterically. Dark Sun immediately turned back to continue on his combat mission. But just as he turned around, he felt someone approaching again. However, this time there was not only one, but several of them. Immediately, the alarm is his head went off and his steel nails extended once more, sharp as knives. As he turned back, he slipped into his combat stance, prepared to engage the enemies. Standing behind him were approximately thirty people, all holding up a photograph. “Please give me your autograph!” they requested respectfully in unison. Dark Sun was rooted to the spot, stunned. Even though he wanted to execute his combat mission the emotional part of the brain once again relented. He could only stop and take the pen and photo nearest him and sign his name, Dark Sun, once again. Since it’s just signing autographs it won’t take a lot of time, and I’ll go look for Ezart and the others afterwards, Daren thought. When he finished signing the first photo and raised his head, the thirty people had become a hundred. ******************** “Dar, that little...!” Ezart furiously punched the wall at his side. “How dare he stand me up!” he roared. “Even Elian has been summoned by the principal. It’s so boring! We should just leave, Eli.” Bored out of her mind, Eloise was sitting cross-legged on the floor, poking holes into the stone floor with her finger. Eli looked askance at the two of them and then lifted his head and looked at his surroundings. Once it had been a bustling shopping street, but now it looked like a ruin. Because of their restlessness from not seeing Dark Sun, it had suffered devastating damage at the hands of these two, where, of course, the other students in the battle simulator had also perished. “Let’s get out,” Eli could only suggest. “I’m leaving to reckon with that brat Dar,” Ezart snorted coldly, ignoring them and leaving by himself. “Hey! You’re not allowed to bully my Dar.” Eloise hastily stood up and hurriedly ran after him while Eli, naturally, could only follow behind. “I wonder why the principal was looking for Elian?” Eloise asked, after she caught up with Ezart’s pace. She turned to Eli. “Moreover, he didn’t ask for the two of us. Usually the three of us work together.” “I have no idea,” Eli answered honestly. “Really, what if Elian completes one more assignment than we do? Won’t he be graduating earlier than us?” Eloise grumbled, pouting. “No way am I letting him graduate by himself! We have to ask him to help us complete another assignment before letting him graduate!” “We’ve already finished one assignment more than him.” “Eh?” Eloise spun around and stared at Eli. “How can that be?!” she gasped. “Last time, for the mission with Dark Sun where we were only assigned to collect his information, while Elian was assigned to bring Dark Sun to the principal.” Eli glanced at Eloise. Apparently his partner hadn’t even clearly understood the parameters of the mission. “I reported to the principal that I couldn’t read Dark Sun’s thoughts, that he wasn’t thinking like a human, and that could be counted as having collected Dark Sun’s information,” he explained. “So it’s like that,” Eloise answered blankly. After a moment she cried out. “My goodness! Then wouldn’t it be us who needs to help Elian complete an extra mission, then?” “I don’t think he needs our help,” Eli stated coldly. Just as the three of them stepped out of the gym, which was also the giant battle simulator, Ezart, who was walking ahead, abruptly stopped in his tracks. The two at the rear inadvertently bumped into his back, grimacing in pain as their noses were almost broken by the impact. “Why did you stop so suddenly?!” Eloise cried angrily while rubbing her face. “What the hell is this?” With a strange expression, Ezart pointed straight ahead. Only then did the two of them realise something was wrong. The intensity of the crowd was as per usual, but every one of them was queued up in meandering lines. Something had gone wrong somewhere. “Wow, there are so many people queuing up! I want to queue up, too!” Eloise started to panic, afraid that it would end before her turn. “Do you know what this queue’s for?” Ezart asked dubiously. “How would I know? If there’s a queue, just line up for it! We might get some amazing things!” Eloise answered naturally. With that said, she abandoned the two of them, rushing to find the end of the queue to line up by herself. “You…” Ezart was speechless, watching Eloise as she rushed away. “Dark Sun,” Eli said suddenly. “What?” Ezart turned around and looked at Eli. Why had this enigma suddenly said ‘Dark Sun’? “They are mostly calling for Dark Sun in their hearts,” added Eli. This queue is because of Dar? Ezart looked at the queue with a complicated expression. Even though he wanted to investigate how the queue was related to Dar, he had no desire to join the queue, which had no end in sight. Just as he was thinking of simply finding out where the queue started, to cut in or something, Eli started moving forward slowly. “Where are you going?” Pointing at Eloise, who had found the end of the line and was waving vigorously at them, Eli made a simple statement. “Queue up together?” “…I have no interest,” Ezart snapped. Anyway, even if all these people were his enemies, with Dar’s skills none of them could harm him. It would be more practical for him to go back to the classroom and have a nap. Just as he was turning to go, he heard Eli say one word. “Wait.” “What do you want?” “Elian is calling for me; he’s in the crowd.” Eli’s eyes scoured the crowds in search for his partner. "El1? Wasn't that guy summoned by the principal?” Furrowing his brows, Ezart glanced at the crowd. Could that guy Elian be queuing, too? That was a bit too ridiculous! “The principal, mission…” Frowning, Eli struggled to read Elian’s thoughts in the crowd, muttering what he could read. “Dark sun...caution.” Hearing this, Ezart and Eloise looked at each other. “The principal’s mission is related to Dark Sun this time?” they said in unison. “He wants us to warn Dark Sun,” said Eli, nodding his head. After being partners with him for so long, even with just a few words he could roughly understand what Elian meant. “But who knows where that guy is! Besides, just relying on Elian still won’t grant them the ability to touch Dark Sun.” Ezart remained unconcerned. Elian had challenged Dark Sun many times in the past, which had always ended in failure, failure and more failure, just like him. At most, he could endure for five minutes, while Elian could only endure three minutes. However, Eli shook his head. “The principal knew Elian couldn’t defeat Dark Sun. He wouldn’t send him by himself,” he explained. “Even with helpers Dark Sun, that guy that who dislikes fighting, will definitely escape. If he sets his mind on running who could hold him back?” Hearing this, even Eli nodded in agreement. Dark Sun’s strength was obvious to them. But now it was Ezart who didn’t want to leave. “But there’s going to be a good show to watch now, so I might as well watch it and then have a nap,” he muttered. “…” “Eli, let’s just go. We’ll take a look at the front.” In one swoop, Ezart lifted Eli and started walking to the front of the queue. Lining up? Not a chance! Seeing them, Eloise stepped out of the queue as well and jogged up to them, all the while scolding. “Hey! Why are you two not getting in line? It’s really rude to cut in line!” “I’m not even in the queue. Can’t I just watch from the sidelines?” Ezart replied mockingly. “That…” Eloise frowned. It seemed like nobody would say that was unreasonable. “Eloise, the principal has once again set a mission with Dark Sun. Elian wants us to go and warn him first,” Eli reported responsibly. “Ah?” Stunned, Eloise answered with gasp. “Let’s go then; the person at the front of this line should be Dark Sun,” she said. “What? How did you know…” Ezart and Eli were startled. “The people queuing were talking about it. They’re queuing for Dark Sun’s autograph!” “Then why were you in line?” Ezart asked in disbelief. “I want to have his autograph, too! Can’t I?” Eloise fanned the five photographs she got, grinning. “You see, these people have even shared some photos of Dark Sun with me. He looks so handsome in it!” That’s not the problem! Dark Sun is obviously Daren, so you could just get him to sign it later, why do you still have to queue… Ezart face-palmed once again. Eli had no reaction; he was already used to it. While the three of them were dawdling around, the one caught in the crowd was almost bursting with anger. What the hell?! I told them to go and warn Dark Sun, yet they’re still chatting over there! Elian was on the verge of an aneurysm. “Your face is becoming so stiff, Elian. You better not drag me down later!” an icy voice called out. “I’m terribly sorry. It’s just that I’m getting tired of waiting,” Elian turned his head and broke into a charming smile. “Will this do? Sin?” The person next to Elian, sporting a short black haircut and the face of a gentlemen, had such piercing green eyes that it almost looked like they stared right through people. He was as tall as Elian but was more slender, so, it was difficult to tell his gender at first glance. “Are you two a couple? You look really well-matched!” a young girl asked with a red face. Her friend discussed the pair. “The girl’s so pretty and the guy is so handsome! But the girl seems to be taller…” Elian broke into a bitter smile. “Ha ha! It’s not like that. ‘She’ is a guy and we’re just friends,” he explained. “Wah! Boy-on-boy!” “Just like a pair of handsome guys you can only find in manga!” “I wonder who’s the top and who’s the bottom?” “It goes without saying. One look and you can tell that the reddish-brown haired one is more masculine; it must be him on top.” “What did you say?!” Sin dangerously narrowed his eyes coldly. “Did you just say I’m below Elian?” he demanded. “Don’t. Don’t get angry. Sin, what they’re saying is ‘top’ and ‘bottom’, not about who’s better in terms of skills!” Elian quickly tried to meditate; he couldn’t let Sin start a fight. This guy had no idea what mercy was. Once he was provoked he went straight for the kill. He was basically the type of dangerous person who should be locked in jail with a note saying ‘Danger! Never to be released’. “Did you all just say I’m beneath Elian?” Sin completely ignored Elian’s words; his hands were already resting on top of his weapon, waiting for the moment they replied yes. He would destroy them, together with Elian. “You’re on top!” the girls replied in unison, under Sin’s dangerous glare and Elian’s constant discouraging winks. Seeing this, Elian could finally breathe a sigh of relief. “Hnn! I am indeed the strongest.” Sin shifted his hands away from his weapon and glared at Elian, before declaring, “No matter if it’s you or Dark Sun, I’ll always be above you all!” The girls looked at him, eyes shining with admiration. One after the other, they started talking about it. “Whoa! He even wants to fight Dark Sun!” “Is it a love triangle?” “Or is it one tackling two?” It’s not worth fighting over! Sin, you totally don’t understand what the girls mean by ‘above’ and ‘below’… Elian felt like crying even more now. “Spotted the target! Hey! You better not drag me down.” Sin sneered at Elian, and in a blink of his eye his expression softened. His eyes were no longer as piercing as they had been; they became just as captivated as the surrounding admirers’, changing instantly from a terrifying person to an avid fan. “Sin! You have to keep in mind that the principal does not want Dark Sun to be killed,” whispered Elian. “Shut up!” Elian smiled bitterly. Perhaps, by asking him to be Sin’s partner, the principal basically just wanted him to prevent Sin from killing Dark Sun, instead of assisting Sin in attacking Dark Sun. After all, this guy, Sin, was most adept at assassination. *************** Eclipse Hunter v03c02 END *************** 1 Note: 'El' is a nickname for Elian. -
Volume 3 Chapter 2 Translator: Yihn Proofer: Arc, Catchkatch Devon held onto the black box long after his little brother Dar, the ever obedient child, had already gone to sleep. After a long pause, a sigh finally broke the silence. “Bill.” “Yes, Solaris Emperor?” Kyle asked. Since he was never the one who pressed the ‘end call’ button, Kyle was still waiting on the line. “What do you think I should do?” Devon held the crescent moon necklace before his eyes, swinging it to and fro. It sparkled like the smile of his first love. “I do not know.” Kyle kept to his duties and didn’t give a response. He understood that it was not in his job description to answer the question. And he knew that the Solaris Emperor didn’t really want his answer, he was merely thinking out loud. "Oh, it all happened so long ago. After hating me for all this time, how could he possibly forgive me so easily, especially after hearing such a ridiculous explanation?” Devon idly poked at the necklace. Kyle quietly waited on the other end of the line. “Punishing him a little for revenge will be fine, but you can forgo the matter of destroying him,” Devon said faintly. “I take it that I owe him that much.” “Yes.” Devon pressed a button and ended the call. He gazed at the necklace he’d been holding in his hands for some time, before returning it to the box and closing the lid. But as he caught full view of the box, he could not help staring at it and grazing his fingers gently over the red jewel. Father… Devon closed his eyes and slowly reclined in the chair. “Wouldn't it be great if Mother hadn’t died, or if you hadn’t hated Didi? Then we would have been a happy family…” he murmured. ******************** “Bye, Papa Avery. I’m going to school now.” Daren kissed Theodore’s cheek. With the haggard look on his face, glazed eyes, and a cup of coffee in his hands, Theodore would have been arrested for drug abuse if a police officer had caught a glimpse of him. Ezart yawned widely and examined Theodore. “Has he gone crazy?” he concluded bluntly. “Papa Avery isn’t crazy.” Leaping to Theodore’s defence, Daren struggled to explain. “Papa works every day, late into the night. But Gege has given him instructions to wake up early every morning to say goodbye and see me off for school, or Gege will kill him. That’s why Papa doesn’t have much energy in the mornings.” “Your dad’s pretty over the top,” Ezart replied disapprovingly. “He’s already so old yet he still stays up all night. Your brother, too. Nobody your age says goodbye to their families before leaving for class anymore.” The moment Ezart finished speaking, a certain drug addict suddenly sobered up and looked around. “Who? Who said that I’m old?” he roared. “…Your dad woke up.” “En…Bye, Papa Avery. I’m going to school now.” Daron embraced Theodore once more. “Oh, so it’s Dar.” Theodore stared blankly at the two students, a little confused. When did I get to the front door? Why do I have no recollection of it at all…? But, for the sake of self-preservation, he bid farewell to Daren just as Devon had instructed. “Be careful on your way to school.” “Let’s go already,” Ezart declared impatiently, and set off first, using big strides. Seeing this, Daren anxiously hurried after him, shouting, “I’m coming! Wait for me, Ezart!” “Teenagers are so full of energy…” Theodore leaned next to the door, took a sip of his coffee and exclaimed like an old man as he watched them leave, one after the other. Not long after setting off, the big guy up ahead reverted back to his usual lazy self, slowly taking each step. Daren didn’t react in time and had already rushed past him by several meters before realising. He hurriedly retraced his steps and drew up alongside Ezart. “There’s a practical lesson later. Remember to let Dark Sun into the battle simulator; I want to have a battle with him today.” Even though Ezart looked as though he was just saying it casually, the sharpness in Ezart’s eyes revealed his eagerness to duel with Dark Sun. “Hmm?” Caught off guard, it took Daren a while before he remembered. Ever since Ezart, Elian and the others had found out about his identity as Dark Sun, and were threatened by his brother to keep their mouths shut, everybody had simply proceeded to treat him and Dark Sun as two separate individuals. Daren remained the delicate young master, while Dark Sun was the bodyguard. That was the consensus everyone had reached. “But, Elian-gege said he wants to fight with me…with Dark Sun today.” “What!” Ezart complained. “Didn’t he duel with you last time already?” “But you had a duel the time before, too…” Daren’s voice gradually got softer and softer. “That’s right! So it’s decided. It will be my turn this time round. No more grumbling,” Ezart said assertively. “Oh,” Daren answered blankly. They continued walking until they passed a toy store. Stopping abruptly, Daren pulled at a corner of Ezart’s shirt. Ezart glanced sideways at Daren, bemused. “What is it?” he asked. “We’re going to be late if you don’t walk faster.” Pulling his pink, heart-shaped console from his bag, Daren gazed at the shop with sparkling eyes. “I want to buy Xiao Ai’s newest software update that’s just been released,” he declared. “…You’re still playing with that? And even getting the newest software update?” Ezart looked at the console incredulously. Daren’s face crumpled at his words, portraying a look full of disappointment. “I can’t...buy it…?” he asked, voice small. Here we go again! I can’t refuse him when he looks at me with those puppy-dog eyes! Ezart helplessly face-palmed. “Anything, anything. If you want to buy it, just do it quickly or we’ll be late for class.” “It’ll just take a moment. Ezart, you have to wait for me, okay?” Daren rushed into the toy store as soon as he had consent, knowing that Ezart didn’t have the least bit of patience when waiting for others. He had to finish making his purchase quickly or else he’d get left behind. Once inside the toy store, Daren had intended to pounce on the counter and demand the latest software update, but he was forced to stop when he saw another customer already at the counter. He became flustered and didn't know what to do. But the sharp-eyed shop assistant recognised this generous customer and greeted him with a beaming smile. “Is there anything I can help you look for?” “I-I want this newest program update, the one from the television ads.” Daren raised his game console. “Where Xiao Ai can eat gourmet foods from different countries, have makeup and lots of clothes to change into, and can even raise a pet,” he recited the lines he had heard from the ads, all in a single breath. “Virtual Lover 8.0 software update, right? Please wait; I’ll get it for you momentarily.” The assistant started searching under the counter the second he finished speaking. "Okay." Daren replied, waiting. “The Virtual Lover game. Such a childish game really suits you.” Daren was taken aback by the comment, but then he realised it was the customer by the counter who had said it. Even though he had spoken, he hadn’t even turned around to face Daren. “Ah…Shain Baylian, you came here to buy toys, too?” "I'm buying models!" hissed Shain Baylian. He whipped around and glared at Daren, before giving Daren's Virtual Lover console a look of disdain. "I have no interest in childish toys," he scoffed. “Models? Is that kind of toy fun?” Daren asked curiously. “Models are not toys!” Shain Baylain growled in exasperation. “En?” With a blank look on his face, Daren asked, “But isn’t this a toy shop? Doesn’t it only sell toys?” “Of course not, you blockhead! Don’t lump together the things I buy with your toys.” "Please, please, don't make a fuss, customers," the shop assistant interjected, hastily trying to mediate the situation while still under the counter. "We are indeed a toy shop, but we sell models as well.” Tilting his head, Daren thought about it for a while, before smiling. "So it’s like that. I didn't know toy shops also sold things besides toys," he said. Hearing this, Shain Baylain rolled his eyes at Daren and stepped away from him. He continued flipping through the catalogues, not wanting to be associated with the boy. The assistant heaved a sigh of relief when the two customers did not end up quarrelling. "So, do you want to look at the models, too?" he asked Daren with a professional smile. I am a little curious...No, I can't! Ezart is still waiting for me outside! Daren shook his head and pulled out his card to pay the bill. “I’ll take a look next time; my friend’s waiting for me outside,” he quickly replied. A wide smile spread across the assistant’s face when he caught sight of the credit card. Bowing deeply, he said, "Of course, I shall complete the transaction for you right away. If you have the time, feel free to visit and browse the selection of models our toy store offers." Watching from the side, Shain Baylian gave the assistant a confused look. The level of respect the assistant gave Daren was too excessive; even he had never been treated so reverently. He couldn’t help glancing at the credit card the assistant was holding. With one look, he stared so hard his eyes almost fell out. He simply could not believe that this fool of a boy actually possessed the highest level of Solaris credit cards. Credit cards like this were very rare; less than one hundred cards were in circulation, and each and every one of their owners were famous figures. But this guy in front of him…he wasn’t world famous; people at the Academy hardly even remembered him. An impatient bellow came from outside just as Daren finished signing the receipt. “Dar, are you done or not?” “I’m coming, I’m coming!” Daren grabbed the software disk and his card and rushed to the door. He suddenly remembered something and paused just inside the doorway. Turning around quickly, he called, "Bye, Shain Baylain!” Although Shain Baylain kept his face stoic, he nodded his head. After all, he didn’t know who was backing this guy, but he was almost certain they were very powerful. After his farewell, Daren quickly ran out of the store with Ezart’s loud voice resounding faintly from outside. “You’re so slow. Today’s practical lessons are first and second period. I don’t want to show up late; I’ll have less time to fight with Dark Sun…” “It’s not going to happen. You always lose to Dark Sun within the first five minutes, Ezart.” “Shut your mouth!” “Oh, okay.” Dark Sun?! Shain Baylian rushed out of the toy shop at the sound of that name. But by the time he was outside the topic of Dark Sun had passed, and Ezart and Daren were talking about whether or not to eat supper. He looked uneasily at the two’s backs. “That idiot is actually related to Dark Sun?” he asked himself doubtfully. Owning that Solaris credit card, one of less than a hundred issued, and associated with Dark Sun…Could that blockhead Daren be related to the Solaris Federation? Shain Baylian stared at two boy’s backs as they walked away. His eyes revealed the whirlwind of thoughts running through his mind. “Anybody there?” he called quietly, after a long moment. “Here!” Three of his followers leaped from the shadows in the street. They bowed their heads respectfully, awaiting orders. “Old Weirdo, go now and report to Father that I discovered a classmate who may have connections to Dark Sun and the Solaris Federation. Ask him to lend me the newest modified human.” Brooding for a moment, he added, “I want a technician, too, to help me modify some things.” “Yes, Young Master.” The shortest, ugliest of the three me men pressed his fist to his hand, bowed, and left in a flurry. Shain Baylian lingered outside the toy store for a while more before going inside one last time. He tossed a credit card to the shop assistant. “Give me a set of the Virtual Lover game. The same model as that brat just now.” ******************** Standing with Ezart at the plaza of the battle simulator, Daren could see from his face that Ezart was bursting with the desire to battle. Daren could only comply. “Ezart, why don’t you go in first? I’ll come and find you all later,” he said. “I’ll be waiting for you! In the meantime, I’ll exchange some blows with that woman, Eloise,” Ezart decided, before entering the battle simulator without looking back. I should find a place to change into Dark Sun’s clothes now, then. Daren grabbed his school bag and walked to a patch of relatively dense woods inside the campus. There he would remove his uniform, put on his silver visor and become the mysterious pro fighter, Dark Sun. Elian had already reported to the principal that they could not bring Dark Sun along because he was too skilled for them, and was unwilling to meet with the principal. However, it seemed that the principal refused to give up, installing numerous cameras around the campus just to find out Dark Sun’s whereabouts. Thankfully, Elian and the others had revealed the cameras’ locations to Daren, and had even helped him find a place to change. Although Daren appreciated their help, at the same time he couldn’t help thinking that there wasn’t really any more need for him to change into Dark Sun…except that Elian and Ezart were both battle maniacs and always asked him to spar with them in the simulator during practicals. Of course, they couldn’t have a duel every practical lesson or it would surely be discovered by the principal that Elian and the others have had contact with him. At the same time, he couldn’t enter the simulator with Ezart either, for fear of his connection with Dark Sun being discovered. Daren became increasingly worried as he thought of all this. “Hopefully other people won’t discover that I’m Dark Sun, or Gege will definitely get angry,” he said, frowning. He took off the uniform, revealing the red tights underneath, and put on his silver visor. Stuffing his uniform in his bag, he hid it in the bushes, finishing the procedure of becoming Dark Sun. “Huu, the expression, expression!” Daren closed his eyes and smacked his cheeks. Gradually, the innocence in his face disappeared, replaced by…No, there was absolutely nothing replacing it, his face just lost all emotion. Even when they were open, his eyes no longer showed any trace of humanity. Heartless and cold-blooded, an inhuman person. This was Dark Sun. The mission: enter the battle simulator and duel with Ezart and Elian. After confirming his mission, Dark Sun briskly walked out of the woods, heading straight for the battle simulator. However, before he had gone far, he heard his name being called. At the same time, a crowd had started to follow him. Although they stayed at least ten steps away, Dark Sun did not permit people to follow behind him because that was a place where the eyes could not reach. With the number of people following him growing larger and larger, Dark Sun finally stopped in his tracks. He felt that they had reached a potential threat level. He turned around and faced them, contemplating. Although these people had yet to launch any attack, the act of following him had already set off alarm bells in Dark Sun’s mind. His instinct was to attack, in order to disperse the crowd… You can’t! They are all my schoolmates; don’t hurt them. Daren’s thoughts suddenly interrupted Dark Sun’s train of thought. Dark Sun stopped mid-action, silently looking at the crowd. Since he couldn’t attack first, he would wait for the opportunity to take action. The crowd was made up of numerous small groups, murmuring. “Dark Sun! He turned around.” “Super cool.” “It’s Dark Sun; he’s finally here. I’ve been waiting for him for three days. He’s really strong in battles.” “I wonder if he’d be willing to sign an autograph for us?” Dark Sun stood there for a moment, before deciding that the crowd had no intention of attacking or harming him. He turned back and continued to the battle simulator. But once his back was turned, he immediately sensed someone getting closer. Whipping around, Dark Sun silently extended his steel nails. “Ex-excuse me. Would you please sign this?” A timid-looking girl holding a picture walked over. She was so flustered her whole face was red, and a few girls were cheering for her in the background. Looking at the girl, Dark Sun concluded that her mini skirt and tank top did not leave any room to conceal weapons. Also, her build and muscle development weren’t enough to represent a danger to him, and, in his mind, the soft-hearted Daren had already agreed to it. Dark Sun retracted his nails and quietly took the photo, only to see that it was actually a photo of him fighting in the battle simulator. After signing his name, his handwriting so neat that it looked like it was typed out by a computer, he passed the photo back to the girl. “Th-thank you!” Excited and embarrassed, the girl ran back to her group after receiving the photo and the girls giggled hysterically. Dark Sun immediately turned back to continue on his combat mission. But just as he turned around, he felt someone approaching again. However, this time there was not only one, but several of them. Immediately, the alarm is his head went off and his steel nails extended once more, sharp as knives. As he turned back, he slipped into his combat stance, prepared to engage the enemies. Standing behind him were approximately thirty people, all holding up a photograph. “Please give me your autograph!” they requested respectfully in unison. Dark Sun was rooted to the spot, stunned. Even though he wanted to execute his combat mission the emotional part of the brain once again relented. He could only stop and take the pen and photo nearest him and sign his name, Dark Sun, once again. Since it’s just signing autographs it won’t take a lot of time, and I’ll go look for Ezart and the others afterwards, Daren thought. When he finished signing the first photo and raised his head, the thirty people had become a hundred. ******************** “Dar, that little...!” Ezart furiously punched the wall at his side. “How dare he stand me up!” he roared. “Even Elian has been summoned by the principal. It’s so boring! We should just leave, Eli.” Bored out of her mind, Eloise was sitting cross-legged on the floor, poking holes into the stone floor with her finger. Eli looked askance at the two of them and then lifted his head and looked at his surroundings. Once it had been a bustling shopping street, but now it looked like a ruin. Because of their restlessness from not seeing Dark Sun, it had suffered devastating damage at the hands of these two, where, of course, the other students in the battle simulator had also perished. “Let’s get out,” Eli could only suggest. “I’m leaving to reckon with that brat Dar,” Ezart snorted coldly, ignoring them and leaving by himself. “Hey! You’re not allowed to bully my Dar.” Eloise hastily stood up and hurriedly ran after him while Eli, naturally, could only follow behind. “I wonder why the principal was looking for Elian?” Eloise asked, after she caught up with Ezart’s pace. She turned to Eli. “Moreover, he didn’t ask for the two of us. Usually the three of us work together.” “I have no idea,” Eli answered honestly. “Really, what if Elian completes one more assignment than we do? Won’t he be graduating earlier than us?” Eloise grumbled, pouting. “No way am I letting him graduate by himself! We have to ask him to help us complete another assignment before letting him graduate!” “We’ve already finished one assignment more than him.” “Eh?” Eloise spun around and stared at Eli. “How can that be?!” she gasped. “Last time, for the mission with Dark Sun where we were only assigned to collect his information, while Elian was assigned to bring Dark Sun to the principal.” Eli glanced at Eloise. Apparently his partner hadn’t even clearly understood the parameters of the mission. “I reported to the principal that I couldn’t read Dark Sun’s thoughts, that he wasn’t thinking like a human, and that could be counted as having collected Dark Sun’s information,” he explained. “So it’s like that,” Eloise answered blankly. After a moment she cried out. “My goodness! Then wouldn’t it be us who needs to help Elian complete an extra mission, then?” “I don’t think he needs our help,” Eli stated coldly. Just as the three of them stepped out of the gym, which was also the giant battle simulator, Ezart, who was walking ahead, abruptly stopped in his tracks. The two at the rear inadvertently bumped into his back, grimacing in pain as their noses were almost broken by the impact. “Why did you stop so suddenly?!” Eloise cried angrily while rubbing her face. “What the hell is this?” With a strange expression, Ezart pointed straight ahead. Only then did the two of them realise something was wrong. The intensity of the crowd was as per usual, but every one of them was queued up in meandering lines. Something had gone wrong somewhere. “Wow, there are so many people queuing up! I want to queue up, too!” Eloise started to panic, afraid that it would end before her turn. “Do you know what this queue’s for?” Ezart asked dubiously. “How would I know? If there’s a queue, just line up for it! We might get some amazing things!” Eloise answered naturally. With that said, she abandoned the two of them, rushing to find the end of the queue to line up by herself. “You…” Ezart was speechless, watching Eloise as she rushed away. “Dark Sun,” Eli said suddenly. “What?” Ezart turned around and looked at Eli. Why had this enigma suddenly said ‘Dark Sun’? “They are mostly calling for Dark Sun in their hearts,” added Eli. This queue is because of Dar? Ezart looked at the queue with a complicated expression. Even though he wanted to investigate how the queue was related to Dar, he had no desire to join the queue, which had no end in sight. Just as he was thinking of simply finding out where the queue started, to cut in or something, Eli started moving forward slowly. “Where are you going?” Pointing at Eloise, who had found the end of the line and was waving vigorously at them, Eli made a simple statement. “Queue up together?” “…I have no interest,” Ezart snapped. Anyway, even if all these people were his enemies, with Dar’s skills none of them could harm him. It would be more practical for him to go back to the classroom and have a nap. Just as he was turning to go, he heard Eli say one word. “Wait.” “What do you want?” “Elian is calling for me; he’s in the crowd.” Eli’s eyes scoured the crowds in search for his partner. "El1? Wasn't that guy summoned by the principal?” Furrowing his brows, Ezart glanced at the crowd. Could that guy Elian be queuing, too? That was a bit too ridiculous! “The principal, mission…” Frowning, Eli struggled to read Elian’s thoughts in the crowd, muttering what he could read. “Dark sun...caution.” Hearing this, Ezart and Eloise looked at each other. “The principal’s mission is related to Dark Sun this time?” they said in unison. “He wants us to warn Dark Sun,” said Eli, nodding his head. After being partners with him for so long, even with just a few words he could roughly understand what Elian meant. “But who knows where that guy is! Besides, just relying on Elian still won’t grant them the ability to touch Dark Sun.” Ezart remained unconcerned. Elian had challenged Dark Sun many times in the past, which had always ended in failure, failure and more failure, just like him. At most, he could endure for five minutes, while Elian could only endure three minutes. However, Eli shook his head. “The principal knew Elian couldn’t defeat Dark Sun. He wouldn’t send him by himself,” he explained. “Even with helpers Dark Sun, that guy that who dislikes fighting, will definitely escape. If he sets his mind on running who could hold him back?” Hearing this, even Eli nodded in agreement. Dark Sun’s strength was obvious to them. But now it was Ezart who didn’t want to leave. “But there’s going to be a good show to watch now, so I might as well watch it and then have a nap,” he muttered. “…” “Eli, let’s just go. We’ll take a look at the front.” In one swoop, Ezart lifted Eli and started walking to the front of the queue. Lining up? Not a chance! Seeing them, Eloise stepped out of the queue as well and jogged up to them, all the while scolding. “Hey! Why are you two not getting in line? It’s really rude to cut in line!” “I’m not even in the queue. Can’t I just watch from the sidelines?” Ezart replied mockingly. “That…” Eloise frowned. It seemed like nobody would say that was unreasonable. “Eloise, the principal has once again set a mission with Dark Sun. Elian wants us to go and warn him first,” Eli reported responsibly. “Ah?” Stunned, Eloise answered with gasp. “Let’s go then; the person at the front of this line should be Dark Sun,” she said. “What? How did you know…” Ezart and Eli were startled. “The people queuing were talking about it. They’re queuing for Dark Sun’s autograph!” “Then why were you in line?” Ezart asked in disbelief. “I want to have his autograph, too! Can’t I?” Eloise fanned the five photographs she got, grinning. “You see, these people have even shared some photos of Dark Sun with me. He looks so handsome in it!” That’s not the problem! Dark Sun is obviously Daren, so you could just get him to sign it later, why do you still have to queue… Ezart face-palmed once again. Eli had no reaction; he was already used to it. While the three of them were dawdling around, the one caught in the crowd was almost bursting with anger. What the hell?! I told them to go and warn Dark Sun, yet they’re still chatting over there! Elian was on the verge of an aneurysm. “Your face is becoming so stiff, Elian. You better not drag me down later!” an icy voice called out. “I’m terribly sorry. It’s just that I’m getting tired of waiting,” Elian turned his head and broke into a charming smile. “Will this do? Sin?” The person next to Elian, sporting a short black haircut and the face of a gentlemen, had such piercing green eyes that it almost looked like they stared right through people. He was as tall as Elian but was more slender, so, it was difficult to tell his gender at first glance. “Are you two a couple? You look really well-matched!” a young girl asked with a red face. Her friend discussed the pair. “The girl’s so pretty and the guy is so handsome! But the girl seems to be taller…” Elian broke into a bitter smile. “Ha ha! It’s not like that. ‘She’ is a guy and we’re just friends,” he explained. “Wah! Boy-on-boy!” “Just like a pair of handsome guys you can only find in manga!” “I wonder who’s the top and who’s the bottom?” “It goes without saying. One look and you can tell that the reddish-brown haired one is more masculine; it must be him on top.” “What did you say?!” Sin dangerously narrowed his eyes coldly. “Did you just say I’m below Elian?” he demanded. “Don’t. Don’t get angry. Sin, what they’re saying is ‘top’ and ‘bottom’, not about who’s better in terms of skills!” Elian quickly tried to meditate; he couldn’t let Sin start a fight. This guy had no idea what mercy was. Once he was provoked he went straight for the kill. He was basically the type of dangerous person who should be locked in jail with a note saying ‘Danger! Never to be released’. “Did you all just say I’m beneath Elian?” Sin completely ignored Elian’s words; his hands were already resting on top of his weapon, waiting for the moment they replied yes. He would destroy them, together with Elian. “You’re on top!” the girls replied in unison, under Sin’s dangerous glare and Elian’s constant discouraging winks. Seeing this, Elian could finally breathe a sigh of relief. “Hnn! I am indeed the strongest.” Sin shifted his hands away from his weapon and glared at Elian, before declaring, “No matter if it’s you or Dark Sun, I’ll always be above you all!” The girls looked at him, eyes shining with admiration. One after the other, they started talking about it. “Whoa! He even wants to fight Dark Sun!” “Is it a love triangle?” “Or is it one tackling two?” It’s not worth fighting over! Sin, you totally don’t understand what the girls mean by ‘above’ and ‘below’… Elian felt like crying even more now. “Spotted the target! Hey! You better not drag me down.” Sin sneered at Elian, and in a blink of his eye his expression softened. His eyes were no longer as piercing as they had been; they became just as captivated as the surrounding admirers’, changing instantly from a terrifying person to an avid fan. “Sin! You have to keep in mind that the principal does not want Dark Sun to be killed,” whispered Elian. “Shut up!” Elian smiled bitterly. Perhaps, by asking him to be Sin’s partner, the principal basically just wanted him to prevent Sin from killing Dark Sun, instead of assisting Sin in attacking Dark Sun. After all, this guy, Sin, was most adept at assassination. *************** Eclipse Hunter v03c02 END *************** 1 Note: 'El' is a nickname for Elian. -
