SSS Void Ascension: I Devour All Elements

"Surprise me with something nice as a way to take responsibility. Supplements. A lot of Mana restoration vials. A nice weapon. And just in case, my favorite color is red."

A crack of emotion, contempt, flashed on the Coordinator’s face before he moved from his position.

The A-Rank Warden chuckled, watching him leave. "He will take note of that, Young Warden. You should go to sleep now."

Killian smiled, before leaving the door. His smile fell after he was a few steps away from the door. His eyelids lowered sleepily.

"Somehow you made somebody else take responsibility for your own evolution." The Void sounded impressed. "You are getting better at this manipulation thing."

"I learned from the best," Killian said flatly.

"Don’t accuse me."

"So you know it is you." He sighed, curving towards the path he had taken before. He didn’t find the white cloak there, and a part of him didn’t quite expect to.

After all, she had been the one who tricked him into entering a fake path with an illusion of Evelyn. "Evelyn must’ve realized this is the wrong floor too."

He checked the time on his phone. "I should be asleep now but I have to see George as promised—"

"Killian!"

He spun around immediately just before she grabbed his arm. "Are you alright? Why did you disappear on me like that!"

Killian opened his mouth to say something but Evelyn’s expression was already riddled with fear and worry. "I got lost," he blurted.

She shoved his hand aside and stomped ahead. "You think it’s so easy to lie, don’t you? If you were here to meet up with someone else, you could’ve just said so and not keep me waiting."

Killian watched her leave with his jaw half opened. ’She didn’t believe me one bit, did she?’

The Void chuckled. "Only people who don’t know you will easily buy your lies. I told you, you aren’t so hard to read."

Somehow that made Killian feel comforted. He didn’t have to hide anything from those who truly knew him. He hastened his steps to catch up with her.

"Some coordinators sidetracked me to ask about a creature that escaped in the realm. I didn’t know about it so I told them just that."

It wasn’t completely a lie so Killian found it much easier to say.

Evelyn’s expression softened. She slowed her steps and turned to him. "Were they threatening you or anything? If I remember, we weren’t even supposed to be sent there."

"Exactly. But no, they didn’t threaten me. I might even be getting compensated because I had a panic attack in there..." He trailed off when Evelyn’s expression paled with worry again. "I am fine now."

"Are you? I knew it. I should’ve gone back for you." She clicked her tongue, walking away. "So reckless."

Killian followed, feeling like a child that got scolded. Evelyn and their D-Rank class captain were the only ones who usually dragged him from the gym hall during midnight hours, forcing him to go home or eat a meal. He was used to it now.

The two arrived at the expected location. Following the address George had sent Killian.

Walking into the hallway, they met a long-haired lady, lying on the sofa, wearing an almost sheer white night dress. Except that they knew it wasn’t a lady.

Evelyn chuckled, nudging Killian but he didn’t look amused one bit. "This lazy man couldn’t even wait for us." Killian glared at the man. "What did he do to be so tired?"

"Cut him some slack. He has a nine-step skin routine before bed." Evelyn explained. "That is exhausting."

But Killian couldn’t be sure if she defended George or teased him. She stood above the sleeping person, with a small smile, then her hands slapped together.

The resounding sound jolted Killian and he waited for George’s reaction. Nothing. "It took us a while, but we finally found the place. So when is my first match starting? Killian already had his."

Killian blinked once. She was speaking to no one.

"The next match for the Olpha Region is 2pm. Don’t be late."

George answered without moving a muscle. "You know, you can ask your leader about it. Or your regional leader at least."

"It’s quicker to ask you." Evelyn shrugged, and tiptoed to the other room where Juda stayed.

Killian shook his head and found a place to sit. He didn’t really know the dynamics Evelyn and the leader had hit usually, the leader of a group was quite close to the rest.

He was just the one who was never around. "Um... how is Juda’s health?" He started from the safest topic he could think of.

"He’s fine. He’s been playing video games." George answered, still without moving a muscle. "And you? Are you alright?"

"Yeah... sort of. I just need some sleep."

"Alright then. Sleep well."

Killian’s brows furrowed together. Was that all George wanted to ask that couldn’t be asked over a text? He sat there, expecting more.

Evelyn hurried out, giggling. "Juda is so bad at action games. He should give up and try farming games with low cost. Ugh."

That was when it dawned on Killian that she had actually gone into Juda’s room. ’Should I go to say hello too?’

He left where he sat, but silently followed Evelyn out of the place. He looked back at George, laid on the bed like a broken doll. "Um, Goodnight, George."

"Goodnight, Killian—"

"Goodnight, George!" Evelyn rushed back to say, then ran off again.

"Yeah, goodnight, Evelyn." George sighed, lifting himself off the couch.

Killian then closed the door behind him, walking calmly behind Evelyn. She was on her phone so he unconsciously took it out of his pocket in case there were messages.

There were none, and he was barely surprised.

"You are painfully awkward at making friends, Killian."

’I know that, okay?’

He hastened his steps and caught up with Evelyn who was still typing hurriedly on her phone. "Um, Evelyn?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you been able to make friends since, like, school?"

She lowered her phone from her face, while looking upwards. "Two girls from my current room, recently. Another two from the day all the trainees came to register as Warden. Two from Amega."

Killian nodded while she spoke. They had both experienced the same timelines but got different things out of it.

Especially the day that the newbies registered. That day wasn’t the fondest memory for Killian as he had been on his toes, hoping that no one could see through his Void.

Even the attention he got bothered him and he tried to hide.

"And you? Don’t you think you can be friends with the other top scorers?" Evelyn shrugged. "I think one of them is kind of uncool, but the other seems really cool. At the very least, they can train with you."

"Hm... you mean, Stance Lancer and The End, right?" Killian had to rack his brain hard to remember those nicknames. "I have never met them, so I don’t know."

"Never met them?" Evelyn stopped walking. "Liar."