Chapter 182: Surprising Master Aaron

Chapter 182: Surprising Master AaronThe cold, mechanical voice echoed in their minds, snapping Apollo and the others back to their senses. Despite the lingering dizziness, excitement filled the air as they awaited the announcement of their unique reward.

Having completed the three sections of the trial, each of them had already earned 1,800 Sky Points. Now, the anticipation of what special prize they would receive added to their eagerness.

[Rewards- ’Dimension Battle World’ free pass, Three days worth of training time in ’Energy Core Room’, 1 hour of comprehending time for ’Temple of Laws’]

Everyone heard the rewards given to them, feeling shocked as they felt great seeing the reward even forgot the dangers they faced and almost died many times completing the task.

Apollo also quickly looked at the reward and was feeling a bit better after the confusing event that happened during this trial.

Among the rewards additional to the Sky points he gets, he almost knew about most of them; whether it was the Dimension Battle World or the Temple of Laws, he already went and felt their extraordinariness, and the only new thing was the Energy Core Room, which he didn’t know anything about.

The group gradually regained their composure, the initial excitement of their rewards giving way to a quieter resolve. One by one, they exchanged farewells, their expressions betraying a mix of relief and gratitude.

Kaleb, in particular, lingered for a moment longer. He now had a clearer grasp of Apollo’s strength, and with a respectful tone, he offered a few words, emphasizing his desire to maintain a positive relationship. Apollo nodded, acknowledging the gesture.

After they left, only Alyona, Apollo, and Pussy King remained there as he asked her to wait.

They are both less talkative people, so during the task, he didn’t ask her about his master, but now that they have returned, he wants to ask her about that.

Apollo took a deep breath, recalling the snippets of conversations and hints from Old Man Aragon. Both his master and Alyona used lightning-element force, and the old man Aragon once mentioned that his master had a thing for a woman named Alyona.

Considering the striking coincidences, Apollo’s curiosity could no longer be contained, as she might be the one. He turned to Alyona, his gaze sharp yet careful.

"Alyona, I need to ask you something," he began, choosing his words cautiously. "By some chance, do you know someone named Aaron? It might be a strange question, but... there are things I need to know."

Alyona’s expression shifted slightly, her eyes revealing a flicker of surprise mixed with an unreadable emotion.

"Hmm, I know someone by that name," Alyona admitted, her voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. She hesitated for a moment, curiosity evident in her eyes as she studied Apollo. Though she wasn’t entirely sure why he was asking, she sensed that he wasn’t the kind of person to dig into unnecessary troubles without reason.

Deciding it was best to be straightforward, she continued, "Why do you ask?" Her gaze stayed on him, searching for clues about his intent.

Apollo became silent as he couldn’t say that his master had a thing for her, and he was still single at the age of eighty. But before that, he needed to confirm. Is it the same Aaron as his master; otherwise, it would be a huge misunderstanding.

"Uh, first, I just wanted to make sure—is the Aaron you know a warrior with a lightning life force? And a swordsman?" He asked quickly.

"Hmm, that’s right," she answered without hesitation, then paused as if she had just remembered something.

Alyona nodded, her expression softening as memories surfaced. "Yes, Aaron was known for his mastery of lightning life force and his skill with the sword. He was... unique." Her gaze drifted, lost in the past for a moment.

Hearing this smile appeared on his face, as it seemed she really was the master’s love interest.

"Alright then, I’ll contact you later, Miss Alyona. Goodbye," Apollo said swiftly, not giving her a chance to ask further questions. He turned and left the place in a hurry.

He already knew the location of the small mountain where she was staying, so finding her again wouldn’t be an issue. Apollo planned to surprise his master when they eventually reunited.

Alyona remained standing there, a bit surprised seeing Apollo run away and couldn’t say anything, and after a moment of feeling confused, she also left.

At the same time, when returned, changes took place in the ranking as Apollo and Kaleb again returned to the top hundred of points ranking but remained within the nineties rank, as now almost everyone was crazily clearing one after another task.

Apollo did not return to his place but instead headed straight to the information pub. It had been a few days since he went there, and by now, they surely would have gathered news about Master Aaron’s whereabouts.

The pub was in a similar situation as last time, with a few mysterious people gathered and drinking with a mysterious handsome fuckboy bartender and owner of this place smiling at him seeing his appearance.

"Oh, finally back. I believed you were alive," the bartender greeted with a knowing smile. Apollo had been gone for a week, and others would usually assume the worst if someone took that long to return from a task, unless there were special circumstances.

"Yes, I’m back," Apollo replied, skipping the pleasantries. "Did you find the person?"

"Yes, here you go," the bartender answered, sliding a small piece of paper across the counter. "This is where he’s staying currently."

Apollo quickly glanced at the information. It was exactly what he needed. With a nod of thanks, he turned and headed for the exit.

"Interesting, they came from that task." Bartender smiled as he looked at the left back of Apollo, thinking something like he knew something about their task.

Apollo walked briskly away from the information pub, his mind churning with thoughts. So Alyona was indeed the one his master had been fond of for all these years.

He chuckled softly at the idea of his master having a hidden, romantic side.

Within minutes, he arrived at a secluded part of Sky City where trialists stay within smaller mountains and hills dotted the landscape. According to the information, Master Aaron was currently staying in an abode nestled on one of these mountains.

He quickly found the small mountain according to the small paper. It didn’t take long before he felt the sharp, electrifying presence of his master. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Found you, he thought as he continued.

Master Aaron had already noticed him and quickly came outside to meet his apprentice. There was a brief silence before the door opened, revealing Master Aaron.

"Master!"

"Haha, Brat, you finally found me!" Master Aaron’s voice boomed with hearty laughter as he quickly opened the door and saw the approaching Apollo. After coming to the Sky City, he tried to find him, but it isn’t easy to find someone in millions of trialists, and it needs some hefty points.

But even if he couldn’t find him, he wasn’t worried or troubled because he knew how strong his apprentice was. He had surpassed him for a long time; it just wasn’t shown much, so even as a master, he didn’t know his disciple’s limit.

"Come, come inside," Master Aaron urged with a welcoming gesture. "Let’s talk about what you’ve been up to since arriving here."

With that, he led Apollo into the cosy interior of his place, eager to catch up on his apprentice’s recent adventures and experiences.

"Hehe, master, my adventures are important, but I have some good news for you that will surprise you," Apollo said with a mysterious smile as they sat inside.

With that, he looked at Master, who seemed to have improved, as he could feel his aura was stronger and more stable than before. It seems he might have achieved a breakthrough in either swordsmanship or in his understanding of Law.

"Brat, what with the being mysterious? What surprise can you have for me?" Master Aaron looked at his disciple, who was looking at him with a mysterious smile, which made him a bit confused.

Apollo took a deep breath, his smile widening slightly as he prepared to unveil the news. "Well, Master, I have good news that will definitely shock you."

"Okay, let me give you a hint if you can guess, as it seems there’s someone from your past who’s also here in Sky City." He let the words hang in the air, allowing the mystery to build.

Aaron’s expression shifted from curiosity to a mixture of surprise and apprehension. He leaned forward, his gaze intense. "Who? Speak plainly, Apollo."

"Alyona," Apollo said simply without wasting any more time, watching the reaction unfold.

The name seemed to strike a chord deep within Aaron. His eyes widened, and a rare softness appeared in his usually calm demeanour. For a moment, he was silent, lost in thought. It was clear that Alyona was more than just a passing acquaintance; there was a deeper connection, one that was deeply buried in his heart