Seducing the Guideverse With My System — Raising an Anomaly [BL]

Chapter 184: _People Are Dropping Like Flies

"Guide Ambrose," Magnus called from his office door just when Ambrose got more hooked on the news. "Do not leave Guild premises without my permission. Not until we’ve cleared what your connection to that night is."

Ambrose was going to say something in his defence. Instead, he asked a very important question: "Pardon, sir, but where are you headed?"

Magnus paused, his brows twitching as though he was impressed by his audacity. Still, he answered plainly. "Every SS-Rank in the continent has been summoned. At this scale, I won’t be surprised if the Pantheon gets involved eventually."

That last part confused Ambrose. "The... Pantheon?"

"The ones praised by the world as gods. Who came together to seal the very first dungeon break?" Magnus sighed. "I’m talking about the SSS-Ranks, kid. Yes. It’s THAT serious."

Then he opened his door. "Get the heck out of my office. Unless you want to sleep here."

Ambrose shook his head and rushed out, glancing back at the television screen one last time. Before the door shut, he caught footage of the Void entity.

Hovering in the clouds—just like in the nightmare he had this morning. It swerved its head to the camera, making it glitch with static before the footage cut entirely.

Once he was in the hallway, Ambrose brought out his phone and immediately went through every social media app he could find.

As expected they were all on fire with discussions related to the walking Calamity terrorising the country.

"Eleven S-Ranks. Gone just like that?" Someone in a video seemed livid. "I believe it’s time for our country’s Federation to admit that they in fact don’t have shit under control—"

He swiped to another video. "To put into perspective how maddening this is... the day of the Emergence brought about the loss of over twenty S-Ranks. Worldwide. Does the world want the numbers to climb up to that before we treat this threat like what it is?"

"It should be classed as an Extinction Level by now! Why the fuck is the Federation downplaying this?"

"It deleted hundreds of thousands of people. Instantly."

"No one is safe anywhere. That thing could come to any city. Even the main ones."

"Seattle. New York... heck, even Aurelia."

That last video made Ambrose’s fingers tremble. He immediately logged off, pocketing his phone as he got into an elevator.

Once he was in front of his suite door, he could already sense that only one person was left inside. Viktor.

Devon had definitely taken Orion to school by now.

"Have you seen the news yet?" Viktor snapped his neck from a sofa he sat on the second the Guide stepped in.

"Shit." Ambrose cursed under his breath as he shut the door. "It’s crazy. Even the Federation vice president wasn’t safe."

"Eleven freaking Espers," Viktor brushed a hand through his snow-white hair. "That could’ve been me. Or... or Devon."

"Let’s not—"

"People are dropping like flies, Rory." The ice Prince muted the television, getting on his feet.

It was pretty difficult focusing on his pretty face when his chest was still bare and even dripping with sweat. But Ambrose found a way, blinking back the distracting thoughts.

"They drop like flies every day, Viktor. It’s just now there’s an active interdimensional freak of nature behind it."

"You aren’t letting me get to my point." Viktor lifted a finger, breaking the distance between them. His icy blue eyes softened for a beat. "The world is in trying times right now. Whether it means the end or not... I’m just thinking. I want us to be upfront about our feelings."

Ambrose didn’t know what to say.

Right now, between the threat of the Void Entity and the lingering afterthought that Magnus had his eyes on him, he couldn’t think straight.

And he sure as fuck wasn’t ready to unbox any emotions. Not now.

"I think I’ve been upfront enough for a day," he smiled slowly as he walked past him. "I need to go bathe. Did you guys make anything in the kitchen? I—"

Viktor grabbed his wrist without warning, forcing him to stay rooted to the spot. Ambrose’s eyes widened before they narrowed on the S-Rank.

"Viktor, what the heck?"

"What did the Guild master summon you for?" Viktor tilted his head. "I’m guessing it was something serious."

"I... don’t want to talk about it." Ambrose avoided those questioning eyes. "Just let go, would you?"

Viktor held his gaze for a couple more suffocating seconds before finally loosening his grip.

"Fine," he muttered, though the look behind his icy blue eyes screamed anything but. "But one of these days you’re going to stop doing that."

"Doing what?" Ambrose rubbed his wrist lightly.

"Shutting off every emotion the second things get difficult."

The words hit closer than Ambrose wanted them to.

Before he could think of a response—or a lie smooth enough to dodge that observation—he simply clicked his tongue and turned away. "You’re overthinking things again, Morozov."

Maybe Viktor was. Or maybe he wasn’t.

Ambrose honestly didn’t care enough to unpack it right now.

He pushed open his bedroom door and entered, shutting it behind him with a quiet sigh. The moment he was alone, his shoulders sagged.

"Today’s been absolute hell." He mumbled to himself while tugging his shirt over his head. "And it’s only morning."

His pants followed shortly after, tossed carelessly onto the floor alongside the rest of his clothes. Soon enough, steam filled the bathroom as he stepped beneath the shower.

The hot water cascaded over his skin, easing some tension from his muscles. But not enough.

’Okay... think.’ Ambrose scrubbed a hand through his wet hair, forcing himself back into planning mode. ’Magnus looked genuinely distracted after the Void Entity update. There’s no way someone like him will keep wasting time entertaining the idea that a mere C-Rank Guide beat up Han’s entire team.’

Honestly, the accusation itself sounded insane once you said it out loud enough times.

Sure, the black hoodie thing was unfortunate. But that alone wasn’t concrete evidence. Especially not against him.

And with the entire country panicking over a walking apocalypse?

Yeah. He doubted Magnus Ferguson would keep prioritising school bully drama for much longer.

’Best case scenario... the investigation quietly dies down.’ he closed his eyes as water rolled down his face. ’Then I grab Orion, drag Devon if necessary and get the hell out of this Guild before another catastrophe drops on my head.’

But another thought crept into his mind then. One much darker.

The nightmares.

The Void Entity.

Chicago.

His stomach twisted hard.

’What if those dreams weren’t random?’ His breath slowed. ’What if that thing really is looking for Orion and me?’

The shower suddenly didn’t feel warm anymore.

Ambrose swallowed hard, fingers pressing against the tiled wall.

’If that’s true...’ his pulse thudded painfully. ’Then why the fuck is it taking so long to come for us?’