Chapter 259: Opening Up To Unsettling Emotions

“That should do more or less.” Nicole relayed after everybody had stated their preferences.

Not long after, she began to scan the most suitable settlements that fulfilled the requests.

To ordinary people, each facility the crew had named would have cost more than a year’s paycheck, and the entire base more than a bloodline could ever afford. For Michael’s crew, however, it was well within their means.

In fact, Michael himself could pay for it all without breaking a sweat or facing any consequences.

By now, he had been through enough battles to earn a hefty paycheck. With no addictions to speak of and only his family support as a real expense, he’d racked up some serious cash.

Simply put, he was loaded.

Like… The filthy rich levels.

’Dear God! The looks, the strength, and even the money… No wonder women flock to you like moths to a flame. At this point, I’m starting to wonder how much of this you’ve planned from the start.’ Devil’s Tongue remarked, its voice carrying an edge of genuine admiration.

While Nicole was distracted with searching the internet, Richard took the opportunity and nudged Michael.

“Hey Boss.”

The man spoke barely above a whisper.

“Saying to a Lord with a stoic face that you need to reinforce your bed with titanium? Man, you’re a genius. How did you even come up with such stuff?”

Of course, being a Supreme Lord, Nicole’s enhanced senses allowed her to easily eavesdrop on the conversation, even without intending to.

In fact, given the tense silence that had spread with them being in the presence of a powerhouse, everyone in the squad could hear their discussion quite clearly. Richard either wasn’t as stealthy as he thought, or simply didn’t give a single damn.

’Well, there are only allies here.’ Michael thought. ’Since Nicole is handling the logistics, I don’t need to worry about making a strong first impression… Maybe I should try to loosen up a bit and see what happens if I speak more freely.’

“You see this sword?”

Michael asked, pointing at Devil’s Tongue.

“Well, when I wield it, there is this voice in my head that constantly nags me to kill anything that stands in my way or shows the slightest sign of disrespect. It seems to take pleasure in the process, with the tendency to suggest torturing the victims all in the cause of inflicting as much pain and suffering as possible.”

He paused briefly.

“Oh, but of course, it doesn’t endlessly tell me to kill. That would be utterly insane! And I assure you I am a perfectly sane individual! Instead, when there’s nothing hostile, its attention tends to shift toward women. You know, trying to set me up every chance it gets. Whether it’s genuinely interested in what’s best for me or just wants to see them naked, though, is a mystery that remains unsolved.”

Michael cleared his throat.

“Long story short, the soul weapon seems to possess an untapped amount of wisdom. And once in a blue moon, it tends to give pretty good suggestions that align with my goals, like in this instance, the bed.”

If Michael intended to grow closer to his crew and one day reveal his secrets, it was only given to start with his soul weapon. After all, it was something he had possessed from the very beginning.

“…”

Richard stared at the soul weapon silently.

“Goddammit, I have never been more jealous in my life.” He muttered.

’HAHAHA! I told you, he would like me!’ Devil’s Tongue remarked. ’Be grateful that you have me, brat!’

Ruby’s eyes widened in enlightenment. “So, the thing stopping me from being like Michael is a voice that urges me to kill and mate?”

Victoria slowly raised an eyebrow. Simultaneously Claire and Ava exchanged bewildered glances.

Michael quickly realized he’d led Ruby to the wrong conclusion. “I think you misunderstood me—”

Ahem!

Nicole tactfully cleared her throat before the other members of the squad could say their piece.

“I admit, you piqued my interest… Can I inspect your sword? I will be gentle, of course.”

Her lower lip twitched. ’This came out wrong…’

Wordlessly, Michael handed her the weapon.

Unsurprisingly, Devil’s Tongue didn’t refute the idea. Being held by a gorgeous woman like Nicole was apparently acceptable in its book.

To everyone’s disbelief, she didn’t drop the weapon despite the pushback. Of course, Nicole still felt the usual resistance of wielding a soul weapon that wasn’t hers. But her aura of a Supreme Lord simply rendered the weapon’s natural protests meaningless. Though she wasn’t able to effectively wield it, she was at least able to carry it.

’Hold me tight, baby.’ Devil’s Tongue spoke, Michael hearing every word. Since he had clad the weapon with his Psychokinesis technique, he was able to hear its thoughts.

Nicole’s eyes widened.

“Legendary rank? It’s not unusual for members of the biggest factions to possess a few, but a soul weapon of the same rank is simply invaluable.” She whispered.

Possessing such a weapon would normally place immense strain on a person’s mind. Yet Michael didn’t display any drastic behavior changes when he summoned it.

Realizing something was eluding her, Nicole focused harder and probed deeper into the weapon. After all, soul weapons were extensions of their owner’s soul.

“!!!”

In an instant, something overwhelming washed over her. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt. On the contrary, a gentle warmth enveloped her, soothing her in the process. Yet, it also forced her to halt her attempt to probe deeper.

Masterfully concealing her dazed state, she raised her crimson gaze and locked eyes with Michael, who, in turn, had no idea what had just transpired, though he had a theory or two.

’…What is he really?’ The thought crept into her mind. Merely glancing at a part of his soul made her lose her composure. Which, considering her status, should have been impossible.

At the very least, she now had a hypothesis for the unsettling feelings that had lingered in her heart since their first encounter.

It must be because, even with his immense talent, he was concealing the full depth of his soul. Yes, that had to be it… There was no other plausible explanation.

“It is a great weapon.” Eventually she handed him back the sword with a faint smile.

“Thank you.” Michael nodded, accepting the compliment.

Since Nicole had used the fastest space shuttle available and didn’t carry any cargo, they reached Earth relatively fast.

It was time to choose their base of operation.

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