"Do you want us to help you destroy the Shadow Fangs?" I asked, surprise in my voice.
"Yes. They're the greatest evil in the center," he replied seriously.
"The non-users in their zone are completely enslaved. People who can't fight are condemned to extreme hunger. Children are torn away from their parents and forced into brutal training that usually kills them. If they manage to survive... they become part of the Shadow Fangs, fully willing to do anything for Jacob."
"I see..." I murmured. "The situation is truly horrible."
But...
"How do you know it was Jacob who killed the novice?" I asked.
"He always sends a few weak men to the areas near the frontier. They don't do anything just watch. They stay far enough away that the guards don't pay them any attention."
"And how do you know that?" Alice asked this time.
"Because I've seen it with my own eyes. Every now and then, I leave the center to keep an eye on the outer zones."
And the guardians never sensed someone like him?
Now that I think about it...
I didn't sense him either until he crossed my spatial barrier.
I see... he knows how to hide his mana.
Even though it's not that hard for someone at mid-level, it still surprises me that he figured it out on his own.
Then again, it makes sense. He's been hiding from people who want him dead, even in his own territory...
That must be why he hasn't been caught all these years.
Suddenly, his voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
"I was also in his zone about two days ago. The atmosphere was strange," he said.
"Strange? What do you mean?" I asked.
"Everything was too quiet. Even when I killed a low-ranking member, no one came looking for me or tried to stop me. It was like no one cared."
"Like they had more important things to do... like they were preparing for something."
"That gave me a bad feeling. I left and started checking other zones to see if they felt the same. I started with this one because it was the only one I hadn't visited in recent months. That's when I sensed you two."
"But from what little I could see, everything seems normal here. That means Shadow Fang is the problem. I'm now certain it's connected to your mission," he concluded.
Alice and I looked at each other.
He seemed honest in what he was saying.
But everything he'd told us was based on assumptions, with no solid proof...
He could be lying. He could betray us the moment we step into the Shadow Fang's zone. If Aiden, Jacob, and the others turned on us, there'd be no way to complete the mission.
But if he's telling the truth... everyone would benefit from the annihilation of the Shadow Fangs. And we'd complete our mission if Jacob turned out to be behind the murder.
Plus, with Aiden's help, capturing Jacob would be much easier.
But... is that really all he wants? Just to destroy the Shadow Fangs?
Doesn't he want something more?
Like getting out of here?
At first glance, he seems like a cold person, almost emotionless. But when he talks about wiping out evil, his demeanor changes. Why is he so obsessed with destroying it?
I don't understand...
That's why I can't fully trust him.
Considering what's at stake, I need more information before making Jacob our official target...
I thought for a few moments, until an idea crossed my mind.
I think I know how to make sure he's telling the truth.
And I might finally understand who he really is.
The problem is... there's a good chance he'll refuse.
If he does, we won't be able to work with him. Alice and I will have to figure out another way forward.
If that happens, we'll let him go for now. That way, Alice and I will have time to recover our mana reserves.
After thinking everything through carefully for about a minute, I looked up and met his eyes.
"We'll work together," I said seriously, "but under one condition."
"What condition?" Aiden asked, his face unreadable.
"To be honest, I find it really hard to trust you. Your power and your attitude don't make sense to me. Apparently, you met my mother too, which makes even less sense, because she only ever appeared in the outer zones of the slums where the weaker people needed her. Someone with your power should've been born in the center, where there are more resources. Simply put, I don't understand you. I have too many doubts about you."
"In order to work with you, I need to clear up those doubts credibly."
"How?" he asked.
"Let me use the Truth skill on you."
"Truth?"
"It's a basic-ranked skill, created less than a thousand years ago long after the slums were formed. That's probably why you've never heard of it."
"Basically, it lets me know if someone is telling the truth. If you lie, I'll get a small signal through the mana."
"It's classified as basic because it only uses ten units of mana. The issue is that it only works if the person being tested accepts its effect. If you reject it at any point, I'll know immediately," I explained.
This ability is commonly used by major clans when interrogating members. In most cases, if someone refuses to let the ability be used, it's taken as a sign of guilt.
"I want you to confirm that everything you've told us is true. And I want you to tell me your story. Why you became a vigilante. Why you're so strong. And how you met my mother."
Honestly, just confirming he's not lying and knowing how he met my mother would be enough. But I have too many questions about him.
If he accepts all of these conditions without hesitation, there'll be no doubt about how committed he is to his goal of destroying evil.
If he refuses, I'll offer to just use the ability to confirm he's not lying or planning to betray us.
And if he refuses that too... we won't work with him.
I looked at Aiden.
He seemed thoughtful for a few seconds. But then, when I least expected it, he opened his mouth.
"I accept," he said.
He actually accepted...
I nodded at his answer. Then, in a low voice, I said,
"Truth."
Aiden accepted the effect of the ability.
He closed his eyes for a moment.
Then opened them again, with determination.
"I was born in the outer edge of the slums..."
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This is the story of how a child and his little sister longed to reach the Heaven.