Chapter 44: This is Art
Leader felt it.
That power.
Eyes went wide.
"No—"
Raised both hands.
Black energy surged.
Trying to contain it.
Suppress it.
Explosion stuttered.
Flickered.
Light dimmed.
Leader gritted teeth.
Blood pouring from mouth.
"I will not..."
"Let you..."
"Ruin this!"
Power wrapped around vial.
Around red liquid.
Crushing it.
Compressing it.
Array stabilized.
Light steady again.
Laughed.
Coughing blood.
"Foolish boy..."
"Did you think..."
"Some random potion..."
"Could stop—"
BOOM!!!
Explosion erupted.
Not from vial.
From everywhere.
Red liquid already spread.
Already seeped into array.
Into every line.
Every symbol.
Every crack.
Now it all detonated.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!
Fire.
Pure fire.
Red and gold.
Shooting up into sky.
Pillar of flame.
So bright it turned night into day.
Array shattered.
Lines exploding outward.
Symbols bursting into fragments.
White light screamed.
Then died.
Just gone.
Leader’s body flew backward.
Tumbling through air.
Slammed into tree.
CRACK.
Tree split in half.
Fell.
Ground where array was?
A crater.
Massive.
Smoking.
Edges glowing red-hot.
Five meters deep.
Ten meters wide.
Nothing left.
Just destruction.
Shockwave hit everyone.
Knocked them down.
Ears ringing.
Dust and debris everywhere.
Couldn’t see.
Couldn’t hear.
Then slowly—
Dust settled.
Smoke cleared.
Everyone stared.
Mouths hanging open.
Captain lay on ground.
Staring at crater.
"What..."
Voice barely a whisper.
"What was that?"
Enforcer next to him sat up.
Rubbing eyes.
"Did that kid just—"
"Destroy the entire array?"
Another enforcer pointed.
Hand shaking.
"That explosion..."
"That power..."
"WHAT THE HELL WAS IN THAT VIAL?!"
Rose stood slowly.
Leaning on cane.
Perfect composure?
Gone.
Eyes wide.
Mouth open.
"That can’t be..."
Looked at Alex.
"What kind of potion has that much power?!"
"Even military-grade explosives can’t—"
Stopped.
Couldn’t finish.
Sebastian stared.
Completely frozen.
Usual calm expression?
Shattered.
"Miss Raven..."
Voice unsteady.
"That boy..."
"What IS he?"
Raven sat on ground.
Ice Dragon’s head in her lap.
Looked at crater.
Then at Alex.
Back at crater.
Brain couldn’t process.
"He just..."
Blinked.
"He just..."
Words wouldn’t come.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
Enforcer finally found voice.
"WHAT DID HE THROW?!"
"SOME KIND OF NUKE?!"
"WHERE DID A STUDENT GET THAT?!"
Another enforcer scrambled up.
Ran to captain.
"Captain!"
"That explosion—"
"It broke the ritual!"
"The array is GONE!"
"COMPLETELY DESTROYED!"
Captain slowly sat up.
Looked at smoking crater.
Then at Alex.
"That vial..."
Voice hoarse.
"What was it?"
"Where did you get it?"
Everyone turned.
All eyes on Alex.
Shock.
Confusion.
Disbelief.
Fear.
Alex stood there.
Hands in pockets.
Looking at crater.
Then turned.
Grinned.
"Art is an explosion, baby."
Yawned.
Stretched arms.
"Well."
Looked at captain.
"I still got school tomorrow."
"Not taking interviews."
"Gonna head out."
Captain stared at him.
Expression complicated.
Opened mouth.
Closed it.
Opened again.
"I’m Victor."
Finally said.
"Captain of Enforcement Bureau."
"Third Division."
Looked around.
At crater.
At unconscious cult leader.
At scattered bodies.
"We still need to clean up."
"Secure area."
"Process evidence."
Turned back to Alex.
"But once we’re done..."
"I’ll personally come to your school."
"To commend you."
"Officially."
"Enforcement Bureau owes you."
"A huge favor."
Alex stopped.
Turned around.
Eyes lit up.
"Oh yeah?"
Walked back.
Grinned.
"Then when you come..."
"Can you be super serious?"
"Like really stern?"
"Make everyone think I’m in huge trouble."
"And then at the very end..."
"Tell them I did something good."
Made explosion gesture with hands.
"Big reversal!"
"Maximum drama!"
Victor blinked.
Then smiled.
Shook head.
"Sure."
"Whatever you want."
"I’ll play along."
"Nice!"
Alex gave thumbs up.
Turned.
Walked away.
Waving without looking back.
"See you at school then!"
Raven watched him go.
Eyes complicated.
She remembered.
Class 1 challenge.
Alex bet against five students.
Alone.
Everyone said he’d lose.
No chance.
But at last moment—
He won.
One decisive move.
Easy.
Cool.
Handsome.
Just like now.
How did he do it?
Did he predict this?
But this was a cult.
National threat.
Even government had limited info.
How could he know?!
What kind of student carries something that can blow up an entire array?!
Sebastian stood next to her.
Frowning.
Watching Alex’s back.
Then suddenly smiled.
Turned to Raven.
"Miss Raven."
"About your engagement with that Fire clan..."
Raven’s face went red.
"Sebastian!"
"I think we can postpone it."
He continued.
"Seems you’ve met..."
Looked at Alex.
Now just silhouette in smoke.
"A very interesting boy."
Raven opened mouth.
Closed it.
Face still red.
She looked down.
"Now let’s go."
Sebastian said.
"Your father has something to tell you."
Raven looked back.
At Alex.
He was waving at her.
Smile bright.
As always.
Raven waved back.
Her mouth curved.
Just a bit.
"See you tomorrow..."
"Classmate."
Around them—
Enforcers started moving.
Securing cult leader.
Checking crater.
Collecting evidence.
Rose walked over.
Still looking shaken.
"That boy..."
Looked at Victor.
"You need to keep an eye on him."
"Someone with that kind of power..."
Victor nodded.
"I know."
"Wilson already has him on watch list."
"Protection and surveillance."
Looked toward where Alex disappeared.
"But now I know..."
"Whatever that kid is..."
"He’s on our side."
"For now that’s enough."
Rose didn’t answer.
Just looked at smoking crater.
At shattered array.
At destruction one vial caused.
"Explosion Potion..."
Muttered.
"I’ve never seen one with that yield."
"Even experimental military grades aren’t that strong."
Shook head.
"That boy is hiding something big."
Pulled out compact mirror.
Checked reflection.
Fixed hair.
Still reeking of fish.
"I need to investigate him more."
"Personally."
Rose snapped mirror shut.
Victor turned around.
Looked through darkness.
Wilson flew in air.
Gave thumbs up.
"Worth the test."
"He proved himself."
Victor nodded.
Of course they had backup.
Never underestimate authorities.
If they wanted—
Could kill that leader.
Destroy array.
Difficult sure.
But possible.
But testing the boy who caught the Mayor’s attention?
Way more important.
This might be about whole human species.
At home.
The courtyard.
Lilian paced back and forth.
Phone in hand.
Screen lit up.
She dialed.
Put to ear.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
"The number you have dialed is currently unavailable—"
Hung up.
Tried again.
Same result.
Opened their chat.
Scrolled up.
[Where are you?] - Two hours ago. Unread.
[Alex, reply to me.] - Unread.
[Are you okay?] - Unread.
Bit her lip.
Stared at gate.
Empty.
What if something happened?
What if he got hurt?
Shook head.
Deep breath.
He’s fine.
Has to be fine.
Maybe phone died.
Maybe he’s busy.
But doing what?
Almost midnight.
School ended hours ago.
Where could he be?
"That boy..."
Clenched fists.
"If he’s just out there fooling around with some girl..."
Her chest bouncing.
Full.
Huge.
Stopped.
Covered face.
"God Lilian get a grip."
She’s his guardian.
His landlord.
Not his anything else.
But still.
He should at least reply.
Sat down on steps.
Phone in hand.
Staring at screen.
Waiting.
Courtyard quiet.
Just wind.
And her breathing.
Fast.
Uneven.
"Stupid boy..."
Whispered.
"Making me worry like this..."
Tear slid down cheek.
Wiped it quickly.
"I’m not crying."
"Just frustrated."
Another tear.
Didn’t wipe this one.
Just sat there.
Waiting for gate to open.
For his voice.
For him to come home.
Then—
Sound.
Distant at first.
Whirring.
Getting louder.
Lilian looked up.
Lights in sky.
Moving closer.
Sound grew.
Mechanical.
Heavy.
Helicopter.
Black.
Sleek.
Official markings on side.
It descended.
Wind blasting courtyard.
Trees swaying.
Leaves flying everywhere.
Lilian stood up.
Shielding eyes.
What’s happening?