"Hey, are these really necessary?" asked Ace, seated in the backseat of Chris' car with special handcuffs attached on his wrists.
"Sorry if it's an inconvenience, but you need to understand our position," Chris replied, driving the car with Maria seated on the co-driver seat.
"I still think it's risky to let you roam free without a bit of insurance. Even if Chief Blakelord vouched for you, we still need to confirm whether or not you really are a threat," said Maria, complementing what Chris said.
"I see," Ace leaned back in his seat once again. 'But frankly, these aren't enough to stop me.'
Ace's thought process continued. 'If I really wanted to, I could easily escape from them. That guy is stronger than me, but the woman is weaker. If I took her as a hostage, it could buy me some time to escape. But let's keep that option as a last resort for now.'
After Ace and Chris's conversation, they had come to an agreement whereby Ace turned himself in, and in exchange, Chris would guarantee him a certain level of protection. Maria and the other Realizers on site were dumbfounded when the handcuffed Ace came out with Chris.
He, who had been such a menace to the point they were barely left alive, was now calmly following Chris like his shadow.
After relaying what he had learned to Maria, who then informed the other Realizers on site, Chris, Ace and Maria hopped into the car and started going towards their next destination.
"By the way, where are we headed to?" asked Ace, curious about where he was being taken.
"To the Jaegers Association," replied Chris. "Speaking of the devil, here we are."
From the outside, a building, nestled amongst a cluster of warehouses and facilities on the outskirts, appeared to be nothing more than nondescript. The cemented facades were uniforms covered with tall and narrow windows, setting high with reinforced glasses that reflected the sky without revealing anything within. The asphalt road that spread throughout the area was carved in front of a single main entrance with a logo of two swords crossed behind a wolf's head.
"Wow," Ace's reaction went dry even at the impressive view. "This place is huge."
"And you still haven't seen anything yet," Chris smirked as they entered the main building.
Stepping through entrance, the impressive front immediately gets overshadowed by what's inside. The initial hall was a functional common area sprawling with high ceilings and ornate decorations that pulsed with soft, protective lights, blending practical functionality with an understated aesthetic. Comfortable leather sofas and wooden tables that gave off a welcoming yet graceful dignity, scattered throughout the place. One wall was a massive, interactive display, shimmering with real-time reports and information.
They approached a receptionist that was sitting at the counter.
"Oh! Chief Blakelord. Maria," she expressed, her tone professional yet warm. "Welcome back. I heard about the incident. But why are you here?"
"Hi, Undila," Chris replied, returning the receptionist's greeting. "Is the Master present?"
"Huh? Uuuh… He should be in his office right now," Undila replied, noticing the boy behind Chris who gave a slight bow after their eyes met.
"Good. Sorry Maria, but could you lead him to the confinement area? It won't take long," Chris asked, as Maria nodded in agreement.
He took a glance at Ace who seemed to understand what he was going to say, "Don't worry about me. I'll hold still."
"Good," said Chris, though not showing it, felt relieved.
'The master, huh?' thought Ace, glancing back at Chris as he now followed Maria.
Several minutes later, Ace was placed inside a white chamber. The same you'd find at any psychiatric hospital but with a slight difference as a circle with weird runic characters were embedded on the ceiling.
"What is that thing? I noticed similar characters on my cuffs," Ace asked, pointing at the ceiling.
"It's a Magic Suppression Circle. It negates all magical phenomena, restraining any mana user inside of it," Maria replied nonchalantly.
"So, this thing is meant to prevent me from doing anything like escaping and the sort?"
"In short words, yes. Now if you'll excuse me."
"Eh? You're leaving me here all alone," Ace asked, surprised by what Maria said.
"It doesn't really matter now that you're confined here," she said turning back to face him. "Even in the off chance that you do manage to escape, there are hundreds of Realizers ready to suppress you if the need arises."
'She's quite cold.'
"Okay, okay. I won't do anything," Ace lied on the ground, arms crossed behind his head.
"Well, see you if we ever get the opportunity to meet again," Maria gave a bow before going on her way.
'But do they really believe they can hold me prisoner here?' thought Ace, his shadow that acted up lightly. 'Well, let's just give them the benefit of the doubt.'
In the meantime, within the highest floor of the Association, inside the Association Master's office, Chris and Deker were sharing their thoughts about Ace.
"So, satisfied?" asked Chris, laying on the couch within the office, clearly annoyed.
"HAHAHAHA!" a laugh boomed up to the other side of the hallway.
"Well, I certainly didn't expect this when I told Maria to contact you," replied Deker, his amusement evident from the small tears of joy in his eyes.
"You can say that again. I never expected someone, no less a kid on top of that, to strike down elite Realizers. You simply gotta wonder how strong he really is."
"The Infernal Swordsman, Chris Blakelord, complementing someone else! Now I'm curious."
"You're the last person I'd ever want him to meet," said Chris, his tone cold.
"Damn you're cruel. Gotta wonder how you managed to get such a charming wife," Deker teased as a vein popped on Chris' forehead.
"I don't care if you're Deker von Rotsguard, the leader of the Jaegers Association. Say one more word and I'll do everything in my power to cut off your tongue for good," Chris threatened, anger boiling within him as seen on his face.
'Oops. Guess I went a little overboard with the teasing,' thought Deker, cold sweat appearing on his face. 'I always forget how much of a family man this guy is.'
"Okay, I get it. I went too far with that one," Deker raised his hands in surrender. "But since it seems were both curious about what he's capable of, why not face him ourselves?"
"What?!"