Affinity: Chaos

"You again?"

Grey blurted out when he saw one of the figures in the building.

The figure looked at Grey, but didn't speak as her attention was on the person that was trying to drag the sick lady out of the place.

"You know her?" Klaus raised a brow, completely neglecting the other two ladies.

Grey nodded and replied, "She's the brave thief."

"Oh… I see why you spared her." Klaus commented cheekily.

Grey rolled his eyes, he didn't have anything to say to Klaus.

"Who are you?" The lady in a black cloak asked coldly. She could feel some threat from both Grey and Klaus, so she didn't make any rash decisions.

"We came for you." Klaus replied.

"I don't think I've ever had any encounter with you two." The cloaked lady said.

She kept her distance, placing the lady between her and the duo.

"We've had a lot of encounters with your kind." Klaus chuckled as he took a step forward, "And let me tell you, it all ended with them getting killed."

The cloaked lady took a glance at the cocky Klaus, and a hint of anger appeared on her face. From Klaus' statement, it was clear he knew of her identity.

"We're leaving." The cloaked lady said to the sick lady.

"No."

"We'll kill your daughter if you don't take me out of here, now." The cloaked lady threatened.

"Bud." Grey called out.

Klaus suddenly attacked, but to the shock of everyone, he didn't attack the cloaked lady, rather, he attacked Grey.

This shocked everyone, but in the next second, the eyes of the sick lady, as well as the young lady widened in surprise.

Grey was no longer standing in the same spot, rather, it was the cloaked lady that was standing there as Klaus' attack hit her body.

Bang!

An explosion was heard and Klaus' ice was broken, as well as the roof of the building as a figure fled into the sky.

Looking at the spot she was supposed to be held, a figure was seen, and Grey was able to deduce it was a puppet from the first glance. He didn't expect the lady to be so fast with her actions. She was able to change positions with her puppet in a moment's notice.

"How…" The young lady wanted to ask, but to her shock, Grey and Klaus were nowhere to be seen.

She wanted to go after them, but the sick lady shook her head.

"You know them?"

"No. I was attacked by one of them a while back."

"Why?"

"He took it, he's the one I told you took it."

The young lady was angry, but in her tone, one could hear pain. The older lady embraced the young lady as she gently caressed her hair.

"Everything will be fine."

"That's what you've been saying for years now."

"Don't worry. It'll be over soon."

….

While both ladies were discussing, Grey and Klaus had caught up with the lady just a few kilometers away from the Town.

"Tell me what you want from her, and I'll let you leave." Grey said. He was curious what use the lady had to the Gnomes, especially after sensing her current situation. She looked to be on the brink of death.

Grey didn't think someone at death's door would be of any value.

"Why are you concerned about the Gnome's business?" The cloaked lady asked.

"Let's just say I have a bone to pick with them. Now tell me." Grey's aura changed, his tone getting colder.

"There's nothing you need to know." The lady replied.

"Is this worth dying over? I mean, others will give me the information I need." Grey said, he looked at her and smiled, "How do you think we found you?"

The eyes of the lady widened. This was a secret mission, and even in the hideout, only a few people knew about it. Grey being able to track her and even knowing that the lady was important to the Gnomes meant he had inside information. With that inside information, he can naturally find out what he wants.

"You promise to let me leave?" She asked.

"I promise." Grey replied.

The lady was about to speak when she saw Klaus' eyes and said, "Him too."

Klaus sighed, he thought he would get the chance to kill her, but now, from Grey's look, it was clear he wanted him to promise as well. Of course, he didn't have any shame and would still kill her in the end.

"I promise not to kill you." He said reluctantly.

The lady looked at them and brought out two stones, each were black and Grey could sense shocking energy inside.

"Promise on these." She tossed them to the duo.

Grey grabbed it and studied it. He knew what it was, he just didn't expect the lady to have it. It was obvious that she was afraid they would go back on their words. With these stones, as long as they went back on their words and killed the lady, then the origin source would attack them.

It was a strange concept, but it works, and no one doubts it.

Klaus felt irritated when he saw this and promised, after seeing Grey promise without hesitation.

The lady heaved a sigh of relief and went on to tell them what the sick lady was going to be used for.

Apparently, there's something Gnomes do which involves having a human vessel. A human would be groomed over time, and when the time is right, the Gnomes could enter their bodies.

Grey had seen something like this in the Azure Continent, but when he heard this next statement, he was stunned.

The human body will not hold just one, but over a thousand Gnomes. The sick lady was in the First stage of the Sovereign Plane, yet if used, she could hold a thousand Sovereigns, and a hundred of them could be at the Peak.

This was an unimaginable discovery.