Chapter 54: Final boss of novel

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Final boss of novel Dark lines formed on Betty’s forehead as she heard David’s puzzled voice. ’Why is everyone trying to make me the sister of myself?’ She exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "Okay, I’ll say this once. I don’t care, and I’m not explaining in detail." David crossed his arms, watching her expectantly. "Alright... go on." Betty looked at him flatly. "Listen carefully. I was always female. I just dressed like a guy. And as for my face changing? Let’s just say... when I upgraded my core, my appearance changed too. Got it?" Without waiting for a response, she spun on her heel and started walking away. Behind her, Hazel chuckled, shaking her head before catching up. "You really hate explaining things, huh?" Hazel teased. Betty gave a tired nod. "Yeah. It’s annoying having to explain the same thing to everyone." --- David blinked as he watched Betty’s retreating back, then turned to his little brother. "Do you believe that? Because it’s... a little hard for me." Ethan tilted his head, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Bro, can I say something right now...?" David saw that look and immediately shook his head. "No. I don’t want to hear another one of your stupid jokes." Ethan sighed dramatically, running a hand through his hair. "Why? I just wanted to say... since he is not a he, and is actually a she... then can I?" His words trailed off into a mischievous laugh. "Ehehehehe..." David’s lips twitched, his fists clenching. "Shut up! Before you even think about finishing that sentence, she’ll beat the hell out of you." "Cough Okay, serious talk." Ethan cleared his throat, his expression suddenly turning grave as he leaned closer to David’s ear. David frowned at the change in tone, leaning in as well. "What is it?" Ethan’s eyes glinted with mischief. "Brother... did your heart flutter when you saw her just now?" David froze, then bit his lip in pure frustration before slamming a fist down on Ethan’s head. "Shut up! I told you to stop joking around! Why would I feel something like that for someone I thought was a guy all this time?!" "Ouch, ouch! I was joking, brother, just joking!" Ethan rubbed his head dramatically. David narrowed his eyes but didn’t bother replying. He turned and started walking away, arms crossed. "Hey, wait," Ethan called after him, jogging to catch up. "Did Henry really not come?" David paused mid-step, his shoulders stiffening. He gave a small shake of his head. "No... he’s probably with his sister. You know what that gang did to her." Ethan’s smirk faded as his expression darkened. He let out a regretful sigh. "Yeah... when we found her, her whole body was a mess." "We should’ve tried to find her earlier," Ethan muttered, guilt heavy in his voice. David shook his head, his steps resuming as he walked away. ’What would we have done even if we found her earlier?’ he thought. ’Back then, they had guns... and we were Grade Two, that’s why we won. And if we found her earlier than that, we wouldn’t have been able to do much.’ --- "Hehe, Master Space has reached Level Three now! That means one month inside is only five days outside!" Calista’s excited voice echoed as Betty jumped down from the jeep. A small smirk tugged at Betty’s lips at her enthusiasm until her eyes fell on a figure that made her freeze. A middle-aged man stood among the families of the awakened fighters. Her smirk vanished instantly. ’What is he doing here...?’ Betty’s brows furrowed as she watched Damien stride toward James and pull him into a hug. His clothes were smeared with dirt, his hair a mess like he’d been in a fight. ’Did Damien... also fight? When did he awaken his core?’ Lowering her gaze, she walked past them without a word, climbing the stairs toward her apartment. But as soon as she reached the hallway, she froze again, this time in surprise. Emma stood there, waiting. "Mother?" Before Betty could process, Emma rushed forward and wrapped her in a tight hug. "Woo! My daughter! Did you get hurt anywhere? Let me see!" Before Betty could respond, Emma pulled back, her eyes scanning every inch of her before hugging her again. "Thank God you’re alright... I was terrified when I heard you were gone too! Where’s my granddaughter, huh? Don’t tell me you left her all alone in the apartment!" Emma’s brows knit in worry as she mentioned Sophia. Betty quickly waved her hands and shook her head. "Mother, don’t worry. Sophia is safe. I left her with someone I trust." Emma sighed in relief at Betty’s reassurance, then wagged a finger at her. "Okay, that’s good. But don’t leave her alone by herself, she’s just a child. Alright, dear, I have to go before James notices I’m missing." Before Betty could reply, Emma was already hurrying down the stairs. Betty gave a small shrug at her mother’s urgency and turned toward her apartment door. Her hand had just touched the handle when a voice called out behind her. "Hey... are you Harper by any chance?" The name hit her like a jolt. Betty froze, her fingers tightening on the handle as her eyes narrowed slightly. Slowly, she turned her head to look at the man who had spoken. "You are...?" The stranger studied her for a moment before shaking his head with a faint smile. "Ah, sorry, I must’ve been mistaken. Your eyes are red, not blue. You just... look a lot like a friend of mine, Harper. That’s why I asked." Betty kept her expression neutral, though her mind raced. ’Harper, is it that Harper I’m thinking about?’ The man extended a hand casually. "By the way, my name’s Leon." Betty gave a curt nod, wasting no words as she slipped inside her apartment and shut the door behind her. The man instinctively raised a hand as if to stop her, but she was already gone. He blinked once, then the friendly smile on his face melted away. Sliding a hand into his pocket, he fished out a cigarette, lit it, and drew in a slow drag. Smoke curled past his lips as his expression turned sharp. "Well, what a surprise..." he muttered, eyes narrowing toward the door. "She really does look like Harper." A low chuckle escaped him. He flicked the half-burned cigarette to the ground, crushing it beneath his boot with deliberate slowness. "It’s going to be fun when that bastard Nova sees her. Can’t wait to watch his face." Leon strolled down the dim hallway, his boots tapping lightly against the floor until he reached a door far from Betty’s apartment. He turned the knob and stepped inside. The moment he entered, his expression softened, shifting back to a friendly calm as his eyes landed on a man with short blonde hair, sleeves rolled up to reveal muscular arms as he unpacked his gear. "Wow, Nova," Leon said with an easy grin. "You won’t believe what I just saw." Nova paused mid-motion, lifting his head. His sharp gaze fixed on Leon."What did you see...?" A sly glint flickered in Leon’s eyes as he closed the distance and leaned in slightly, his voice dropping into a whisper. "I think I just saw Harper." Nova froze, the name hitting him like a bolt. His eyes widened, burning with sudden intensity. He gripped Leon’s shoulders tightly, knuckles pale. "Where? Where did you see her? Is she here... in this base?" Leon chuckled softly, watching the desperation in Nova’s face."I saw her outside this building just now. But... I’m not entirely sure if it was her." He let the uncertainty linger, savoring the flicker of hope mixed with dread in Nova’s eyes. Then, after a beat, Leon smirked and added casually, "Just kidding. I’m sure. Blue eyes, beautiful face, long hair... It was Harper. No doubt about it." Nova didn’t waste a second. He shoved past Leon with a swift sidestep and bolted toward the door, his boots pounding against the floor as he disappeared down the hallway. Leon stood there for a moment, listening to the fading echo of footsteps. Then, slowly, a laugh slipped from his lips, soft at first, then louder, until it carried a cruel edge. As the laughter died down, his expression shifted. The grin dissolved, leaving something darker, predatory. His eyes burned like coals as he whispered to the empty room. "I’ll break you down, Nova. I’ll tear you apart from the inside... the same way you destroyed her." His fists clenched until his knuckles whitened, nails biting into flesh. Rage simmered like molten iron beneath his skin. "You think you’re untouchable? That you can just keep playing with hearts, tossing women aside like trash? You’ll pay for what you did to her, you bastard, Playboy." His gaze slid to the closed door, and for a moment, the hatred in his eyes was almost tangible. A cruel smile crept back onto his face as memories surfaced, unwanted, but vivid. An image formed in his mind: his sister, broken and hollow, sobbing into her trembling hands. Her hair tangled, her cheeks streaked with tears as she whispered that man’s name. Then came the silence, the kind that follows despair, ending in a cold, lifeless body. All because of him. Leon’s voice dropped to a growl, thick with venom. "She loved you... And you killed her. Now, Nova... I’ll make you suffer. Slowly, and then I will kill you with the most painful death." ’Just you wait, a death your next generation will never forget, wait, your next generation will never be born, so you will only be forgotten by history.’