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

Chapter 275: _Slipped Through Their Fingers

"Wait a minute," Viktor said, raising a hand after Ambrose came to the others and told them the recent development. "This... system of yours. Does it speak to you?"

The others were lounging at different spots—Gabriel sitting on a couch, Devon leaning against the kitchen island, Valentine standing close to the living room entrance.

And Viktor was standing close to Devon.

Ambrose, who stood at the bottom step of the stairs, sighed. "Why’s that relevant right now?"

"I’m only curious," Viktor shrugged. "If it does it would explain why you seem to space out sometimes. You’re basically having conversations with someone in your head."

"Not the time, Vik." Devon chimed in before they lost track of the main goal. "This system can track Orion’s life signature. So we know our boy is alive and well."

"And he’s at this abandoned warehouse," Ambrose pulled up a picture from his phone. "I looked it up and it matches the location on the system map."

"Well then," Gabriel got on his feet. "I’m guessing we’ll need a quick way to head there—aka, me."

"Hold that thought." Valentine suddenly spoke right when everyone was preparing to draw closer to the space god. "Remember the Pantheon is involved in this now. Especially Loki."

Viktor scoffed. "And?"

"What do we tell them if they ask us how we came to uncover this location?"

Ambrose’s fists balled. "They don’t deserve to know."

"I understand your hesitance with involving them," Valentine took calm steps toward the Guide. "But don’t forget who helped us with the Han Jae-won situation."

Those words made Ambrose’s expression falter. The Necromancer carried on:

"I suggest telling them it’s an aether tracking device we placed on the kid." He smirked. "I can sell it by simply saying I forgot I put it on him."

"And you think they’ll buy that?" Gabriel shook his head, mumbling something under his breath right after. "You know what? Whatever works at this point."

A swipe of his palm tore open a portal glowing with a glaring bright white light. Ambrose inched back a step for only a second.

Then he rushed in first. He might have to go all out. At least until the Pantheon shows up.

The others knew about most of his secrets now. So there was absolutely no reason to hold back.

★★★★★

"We’re here." Gabriel was the first to speak once they’d all crossed over.

The portal closed behind them, leaving behind only an eerie silence and the distant hum of transportation and city life.

Ambrose looked ahead.

There was a grey SUV parked at a corner—based on the tyre tracks it seemed it hadn’t been here for long. Beyond that stood the warehouse.

Its mostly white painting was either peeling in some parts or stained with grease and stuff he did not wish to investigate.

A cool breeze passed, making a few broken doors squeak as they struggled to stay hooked to their hinges.

"They’re here." Ambrose’s teeth ground hard.

Gabriel cut him a look. "Spatial awareness?"

"Mmhm." He stretched out a hand, aether gathering between his fingertips already. "Y’all promise not to act weird about what you see next."

Devon held back a laugh despite the solemness in the air. "Please. After everything you’ve shown and told us I doubt there’s anything—mother of God."

Ambrose’s Grave Keeper’s scythe appeared in his right hand, the blade lifting into the air like a death god’s finger. Blue runes pulsed across the shaft, and the faint howls of souls it claimed surrounded the group.

Viktor gasped.

Gabriel and even Valentine didn’t realise when their jaws slacked.

Ignoring their astonishment, Ambrose spoke. "We need to make sure she remains contained within the building. I don’t know what’s happening but they’re the only ones present."

Devon was the first to regain himself, pulling out his black sword. "You’re not going to tell us where you got such a weapon?" He whispered.

"Yeah," Viktor’s wrists snapped in preparation. "That thing feels and looks powerful. What rank is it?"

"I got it from the system and it’s an S-Rank." Ambrose felt like rolling his eyes. "Can we focus?"

Everyone did just that.

Valentine raised both hands, his eyes gleaming with a ghostly light. Darkness so thick it veiled the sky spread out from him. It then draped over the warehouse—dozens of phantom knights emerging with Necrotic weapons.

The knights surrounded the building at strategic spots as Gabriel acted next.

A clench of his fist locked off the space within a two-hundred-meter radius of the building. A crystallised invisible spatial dome materialized around the warehouse like a cage.

Devon conjured multiple flaming chains above the building while Viktor had ice lances hovering on standby.

Ambrose’s grip tightened around the scythe.

"Come on." He braced himself. "Show yourself. You must’ve sensed us by now."

His gaze anxiously stayed glued to the holographic screen showing him Orion’s life signature. Still blinking at the same spot—

—Until it rapidly began moving without warning. Right toward the building’s main entrance.

Ambrose’s breath caught. "Orion is moving!"

The others glanced at themselves, confused about what to do. That’s when a voice shrilled from the warehouse before anyone appeared out of it.

"Daddy!" Orion sounded like he’d been crying. "Papa!"

Chills shot down Devon’s spine. "Orion!" He held his breath without realising. "We’re here, buddy!"

Soon enough Orion ran out of the warehouse. His tiny legs moved as fast as they could, his face wrinkled with fear.

The phantom knights made way for him.

But it was right at that moment that Ambrose knew something was wrong.

"Wait!" He shouted, taking one step forward. "Something’s—"

The warehouse wall beside Orion exploded inward.

Concrete, dust and twisted steel erupted into the air as a figure burst straight through the opening at terrifying speed.

Dorothy.

Darkness writhed around her body like living tentacles, each one lashing through the air with a mind of its own.

Before anyone could properly react, one of those shadows coiled around Orion’s waist.

"No!" Ambrose lunged.

Dorothy yanked the little boy into her arms in one fluid motion. The phantom knights closed in immediately—but every single one of them instinctively hesitated rather than risk striking Orion.

That tiny opening was all she needed.

"She has him!" Viktor roared.

Dozens of ice lances crashed toward Dorothy from above.

At the same moment, Devon’s blazing chains shot through the air like hunting serpents, tearing after her from opposite directions.

Dorothy didn’t fight them.

She simply flew.

Her body twisted unnaturally between the attacks while darkness swallowed every opening before spitting her safely out the other side.

Gabriel’s expression hardened. "Not this time."

Space folded, an invisible lock clamping around Dorothy’s position... only to be instantly shattered.

The blackness coating her fingers merely brushed against reality itself before the spatial prison unravelled into glittering fragments.

Gabriel’s pupils shrank. "She... erased my spatial lock?"

Dorothy blasted upward before anyone recovered.

"Daddy!" Orion screamed, reaching desperately toward Ambrose. "Papa!"

Devon’s chains snapped after her once more. "I’m bringing him back!"

"Wait!" Ambrose yelled so loudly that everyone froze.

His silver eyes stayed fixed on Orion.

The boy was crying so hard he could barely breathe. Every attack they launched forced Dorothy to tighten her grip around him.

One mistake or one badly aimed strike and Orion would be caught in it.

Or worse.

"Don’t..." Ambrose whispered, his voice breaking. "Stop attacking."

No one argued with that.

They could only watch.

High above them Dorothy disappeared into the gathering clouds, black tentacles carrying her farther and farther away.

Orion’s terrified cries echoed through the sky long after neither of them could be seen.

Ambrose stood rooted to the ground. His scythe trembled violently in his grasp.

The rage inside him had never burned hotter.

And neither had the regret.