William didn't recognise this purple eyed middle-aged man, but Remy and others around did. And when he said these words, Remy and others took their leave without even making a fuss about it.
"It seems you got a reputation for yourself," William smiled when he saw this. He knew in the circle of high power; it wasn't easy to force anyone to do anything like this.
"I just got lucky and was blessed with a good name inside the fort," Panther laughed, not taking William's carefree attitude in any ill way. In fact, he was feeling more satisfied with this, "I want to speak about further cooperation between the two of us."
"Oh, that suits my master," William paused, "but what do you have in mind exactly?"
William was tired after such a hectic battle and intense situations. He kept working on clearing the traps in his territory for a long time. And he got that little trick that made him one of the wealthiest people in the entire fort.
So, he wanted to have a long and deserved rest, before starting out his next move.
"Well… Let's say that I don't buy that master's story," Panther started his words by such grand revelation. William gazed deeply at him, and for a reason he felt like this man really saw through his perfect act here.
"But that won't change anything. Dealing with you or with that imaginary master of yours is the same to me, is the same to you," Panther said his words in a meaningful way. While William couldn't help but look around.
Luckily, they were standing alone, and that wasn't all. William noticed that some sort of shield appeared, surrounding the group of seven people here with him before he'd even realise it.
"You came prepared," William finally saw who did this shield. It was the single lady in this small group of the Lockheart impact. She held some sort of a small stone, one that was filled with lots of inscriptions all over it.
And for a reason, that stone was shining in bright blue light. That told him that she was gushing out her spirit power inside that stone, activating its power to form this shield.
William could easily tell that this was a portable array, one that could be activated by one's spirit power. It was similar to the one he taught his team before to do, but a much higher grade one. And it didn't need many materials like his team had to use. It was a handy trick, one that could be used in times like these.
"I just don't want anyone to eavesdrop on what we are going to say," Panther paused, and his face turned all serious, "I won't say how I got this tip from, but I do know that this attack came specifically for something you got."
"..." William got more surprised when he heard what Panther said. And his surprise just escalated when the latter added, "and it's safe to say that you are well aware of the ones who did that. They aren't dark spirit masters, neither are they masters in the fort. So do you mind telling me who they are?"
William was feeling more puzzled before he suddenly noticed the unique coloured eyes of that dude. He never doubted it at first, but now he had to find an answer to how this dude knew all this.
"A rare time element, right? With a slight variation, isn't it?" William linked those purple eyes with the elements he knew so far. And he got a guess, "not only time element, but one that can see through the future, give answers to things you shouldn't know."
"What a great guess you made here," Panther didn't show any sign of panic on his face, neither did he confirm or negate William's hypothesis. But deep inside him, he felt impressed by William's correct guess.
"Then let me tell you this, this enemy isn't something you can fight right now."
"Are you speaking about yourself here or about us as well?" one of the higher ups with Panther couldn't control himself when he heard William's words. But with one look from Panther, that old man got silenced up.
"We aren't that weak," Panther returned to William, "and I'm not bragging or anything, but there aren't many figures here who can even stand equal to us."
"But you aren't enough," William wasn't trying to belittle them. He knew how strong and resourceful his enemies were. And taking them down wouldn't start by directly confronting them as Panther here had in mind, "and trying to find and clash directly with them won't do."
"Then… What shall we do then?" Panther didn't show any sign of rage, acted all humble in a way that made everyone around question their ears.
This was Panther, the mighty and scary leader of their impact. He never tolerated anyone speaking back to him or arguing with anything he'd say.
But he also was the one blessed with that element and technique. That meant he wasn't doing this out of impulse or weakness, but from knowledge.
He knew what William was talking about, got the perfect viewpoint about this, even more than William himself.
"We need to uproot a few dirty weeds first," William's tone was icy cold, "starting up with the dark spirit masters in the region."
"Oh, I like that," Ben couldn't control himself. After all, William didn't know that Ben and many of those standing around him at this moment were the ones who issued that mission which brought him here in the first place, "let's work together then and take them down."
"We need intel first," William paused, "give me a week or so. I got lots of things that needed my attention first. Then we can all work towards that goal."
"I believe they aren't the only ones we shall target, correct?" William didn't feel any surprises anymore from what Panther was saying. He once got a friend with such a scary element, and he knew how pretty damn annoying speaking with such people was.
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