Somewhere far on the northern side of the Infinite City, there was a non-populous colony next to the First District in the east and Third District in the west. Unlike any other place, this place was almost deserted, even though it was also filled with hundreds of skyscrapers, standing tall. Yes, this was the home of the Bradford Clan, a declining clan with only twenty-five thousand members, which was meager considering there were over twelve million people in the entire city.
Within the very center, there was the pointed skyscraper of the Bradford Clan's palace, drawn with the clan's Black shinigami crest. Yes, all four clans Bradford, Munchi, Burton, and Onsen had their family crests; Black for Bradford, Green for Onsen, White for Burton, and Red for Munchi. In addition, the type of Shinigami masks they could wear characterized the ranking styles.
And the scene was depicted within a vast guest room at the tip of the skyscraper. Currently, an old man, with tall, broad shoulders, was enjoying his evening tea while watching the night sky through the glass wall. There was also a middle-aged-looking beautiful lady joining him. Suddenly, along with an emergency beeping sound, the A.I. floating under the tall ceiling flashed out multicolor light, showing a scene of youth passing through the realm and his continuous slaughter of a Patrol Officer, a ninja guard, and finally, the beheading scene of Les Munchi, the Tenth Xander Gon.
Gulping down the tea all at once, the old man tossed the empty white cup and started bursting into a peal of maniacal laughter. "Bahahaha!"
"Oh, c'mon old man. Have you gone senile after seeing that?" the Lady said. "I thought you hated that Munchi brat?" And she continued nagging him.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Quit talking, woman, or you'll ruin my moment." John Bradford said. "Huh, you still haven't had a clue yet. Look more carefully and you figure out who that youth is?" Then he burst into another peal of hearty laughter.
As suggested, Nicole Bradford gazed intently at the screen, which was showing the repeated scene of Damien beheading Les Munchi. The more she observed him, the more she felt a sense of familiarity.
Sighing and shaking his head, John said: "Still clueless. Huff! Sometimes, you're so dense."
However, coincidently or not, an image of her firstborn son flashed in her mind. And the sighing of the youth on screen, John and their first son interface, strikingly similar as they huffed the air. "Uh!" she stood up abruptly. Approaching the screen, she then extended her hand and touched Damien's face as her hand passed through as if it was just a 3D holographic image. "Ah, don't tell me this kid is…?"
"Finally, you realized it too," John said, confirming further to her finding. "If this takes another minute then I'm thinking of bringing you
Along with a loving gaze, Nicole said chuckling "Looking closely, this kid looks a lot like my Greg. And I almost didn't recognize him earlier. Hmm, I'm such a failure as his grandma." The room was filled with John's teasing laughter.
But in the next scene, Nicole spotted the arrival of the other eleven Xander Gon on the screen. "Ugh! Just stop laughing and do something, you old fart. They are about to gang up on my child," she shrieked anguishedly.
"Ah, woman and their unnecessary worry(sigh)! Nothing is going to happen to our boy. Don't forget his identity and his status in our Protector Olden Family. And I've already dispatched the Spartan Legion Unit." John explained, calming her down. Then he asked, giving a pleading look. "So can you please put your bums on this nice couch and stop ruining my nice evening?"
"Fine," Nicole said, beaming as she looked at the multiple pieces of the broken cup on the floor. "Still, clean all those yourself."
"Hmm, that's easy." John picked up the walking stick and tapped lightly on the floor. As the thudding sound chimed, an invisible sonic wave was transmitted, lifting all the broken pieces of the ceramic. And they all gathered and formed a cup. He waved his palm, pulling the white ceramic cup levitating in the air, and placed it gently on the table. "See! Not even a scratch."
"Hmph, still trying to impress me at this age with such a cheap trick!" Nicole snorted. Then she continued watching the screen intently as there was a volume of emotions swelling up in her mind.
Several minutes later, a pitch-black dark circular spatial rift appeared inside the room, and the scrawny Kyne walked out of it. The next second, the beefy Bull Burton also walked out through the spatial door.
Both Kyne and Bull greeted them and gave an official salute to them.
Nicole couldn't wait any longer. So she started ranting, "Ah, this boy who did he take after? Making me wait for this long while he continued flirting with that Munchi brat." as she saw Damien playing along with Lucrecia Munchi on the scene. "Eh! Something is off about him, um, what can I put this? Um, yes, tell me, John, hiding will not do." She asked. "Did he have some issues with courting ladies?"
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmHearing her question, John couldn't hold it any longer as he started cracking up. "Issues with ladies? Bahahaha, that's a good one. You almost got me there. Hahaha!" He only stopped his laughter as he sensed his wife's serious death glare.
He said, "From the record, I read, it said he is fierce and ambitious. Plus, powerful like his father. However, as you asked he has some issues too; mainly, per se with the ladies."
Nicole took it the other way. "Even trying to court someone who is attempting on his life. Oh, my poor boy. I must teach her the art of wooing."
"Wrong-wrong," Crossing his hands, John corrected. "Instead, I suggest you better start informing all the parents in the city to not let their daughters out until he is around."
"What?" Nicole glared at him again.
"Darling, don't take this the wrong way. However, the kid is not as innocent as you imagine. He's damn good with ladies." John explained further. "Speaking of the devil. He's finally here."
And they saw Damien walking out of the spatial rift…
(please, stay tuned!)