Chapter 40: Auction?

Chapter 40: Auction? Reo had been running for hours. His breath was ragged, his legs aching, but the feeling of being hunted never left his spine. Somewhere behind him—still—they were following. Traces of his aura, faint scuff marks on the Ground even the ripple in the air—whoever pursued him was skilled. Too skilled. Thankfully, he had changed his appearance midway through the chase. A ripple of illusion energy from his second clone masked his facial structure and altered the color of his hair and eyes. His tattered cloak had been replaced with a simple brown uniform—worn by a Normal average Girl. With his aura tightly suppressed, he now blended in like a ghost among the crowds near the outer perimeter of crowded People. Turning into a Girl is Much better since there’s a Few would suspect a Girl honestly. He was getting close to the school again. As he slowed down, weaving through students and people is mask—tied hastily—shifted. For a split second, his real face peeked through. "Damn it..." he muttered under his breath, quickly adjusting it while looking around. No one had noticed. He sighed in relief. Reo continued moving forward, melting into the background of the bustling crowd. Hundreds of people roamed the school courtyard and public sector—a perfect place to vanish. Eventually, his presence faded enough that the pursuers must have lost his trail. Meanwhile... Clara followed silently from a distance, her pale golden eyes locked onto Reo’s fading figure. She had kept up with him since she was veery curious why is he getting chased down. "He’s fast..." she murmured. Reo had been walking for a while now. The group chasing him earlier had dispersed, likely fooled by the crowd But Clara wasn’t so easily deceived. Her perception was sharp. From behind her, she noticed something—or rather, someone. A Aura atleast an E+ rank. Knowing Reo Cautious personality she knows he Noticed now, Clara grew cautious. She watched him suddenly turn into an alleyway, his movements swift and purposeful. Ambush As Clara stepped into the alley, her eyes narrowed. "Reo?" she whispered. But before she could even blink, strong arms wrapped around her. One hand muffled her scream as she was dragged into the shadows. Her body pressed against the cold brick wall, her breath caught in her throat. Her cheeks flushed immediately—bright red—as the warmth of his chest touched her back. Reo held her tightly, cautious and alert. Only when he looked closer—at the familiar silver strands of hair falling over her shoulder—did he recognize her. He loosened his grip. "Clara?" he muttered, stunned. "Mmmph! Let me go!" she tried to speak through his hand, and he quickly pulled it away. Her eyes were still wide, face pink from the contact. She looked more embarrassed than angry. Reo blinked, then sighed. "Tch. I nearly knocked you out. What are you doing here?" Andrea’s voice echoed softly in his mind, the aura she’d emitted now fading. "You know her?" she asked, curious. "Yeah... I do," Reo replied aloud, rubbing the back of his head. "Honestly, I almost killed you without thinking. You shouldn’t be following me. My path is dangerous, Clara." She finally composed herself, trying to return to her usual emotionless demeanor—but the flush on her cheeks betrayed her. "I thought you might need help," she said, voice calm and even, though her eyes lingered on him with rare softness. Reo paused. That answer caught him off-guard. "You followed me... just because I might need help?" he asked, a little amused. "You do realize I could’ve killed you without blinking, right?" Clara looked down, shaking her head faintly. "Nop." She said nonchalantly A moment of silence passed between them. Reo studied her for a while before smirking. "You’ve improved. You’re almost D- rank now, right?" Clara nodded, her face regaining its usual stoic expression. "No big deal. I’ll be D- soon... maybe even within the week." "Not bad," Reo said, genuinely impressed. "Especially considering how strict is your schedule From what i know." They exchanged a few more words, catching up briefly—though Reo, as always, remained vague about the details of his movements. But Clara... Clara didn’t want it to end there. She watched him closely, reading the shift in his expression—the way he seemed about to disappear again. So she bit her lip gently, thinking quickly. Her thoughts drifted to the upcoming event she had almost forgotten—her birthday. Her father, will be hosting a special auction to commemorate it. Powerful items, rare artifacts. It would be the perfect excuse to spend more time with Reo. Maybe even learn more about him. "I... I have an idea," Clara said suddenly. Reo raised a brow. "Hmm?" "My father is hosting an auction in a few days. To celebrate my birthday," she said, almost awkwardly. "Would you... like to come with me?" Reo paused. "An auction?" "Yes. There’ll be strong participants from different Strong families. Some Powerful People too," she explained. "It’s private. Invitation-only." "Really?" Reo muttered, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeve. Clara looked down, her tone quieter. "I thought you might find something useful... or just..." Reo looked at her for a long moment He was ofcourse amused by her since how much she seems too be interested towards him Reo didn’t expect that he would Leave a huge mark on her after the Abyss Tower. He let out a slow breath. "Alright. I’ll come." Clara’s eyes widened a bit, surprised. A small, subtle smile touched her lips before quickly vanishing—replaced by her usual blank expression. "I’ll prepare the invitation," she said with a curt nod. As they exited the alley together, blending once again into the crowd, Clara found herself walking beside him, closer than usual. Her heart, traitorous and fluttering, beat just a little faster. Meanwhile, Reo glanced at her from the corner of his eye, his mind already racing. An auction held by a powerful Famillies. that could mean rare intel. and Usefull items Reo didn’t have much Money so Ofcourse would need Clara too borrow some Few Money.