A sudden pulse rippled through the air.
Aden's head snapped toward the doorway, instincts screaming. The atmosphere had thickened—like the world itself was holding its breath.
"…Did you feel that?" he asked, already pushing his chair back.
Zwalter didn't move. "Yes."
Ed remained seated as well, hands folded calmly. "You're quick to react. That's good."
"No one's doing anything?" Aden asked.
"Wait," Zwalter said, almost amused. "Let's see what kind of entrance he makes this time."
Before Aden could respond, a streak of deep red light surged through the heavy doors—not breaking them, but phasing through like a ghost of flame. The doors groaned a second later and burst open on their hinges with a metallic crack, wind howling in behind it.
A tall figure stepped into the room, dressed in worn black traveling leathers, red trim marking the edges like old dried blood. His long black hair flowed down his back, slightly windswept. And his eyes—crimson as blood—locked onto Aden's without blinking.
Aden's instincts screamed louder than before.
He drew his blade in one smooth motion, his body moving before thought could catch up. His stance dropped, weight shifting. Without hesitation, he lunged at the figure, blade arcing for the stranger's chest.
Clang.
The sword stopped—no, froze—in mid-air.
Two fingers held the blade.
Just two.
The man stared at him with a half-smirk. "So, you must be my nephew."
Aden stared, heart pounding. His sword vibrated in his grip, the pressure immense—and still, the man hadn't moved an inch.
"Rudeus," Zwalter said behind him, tone somewhere between fond and exhausted. "Don't toy with the kid"
"Wouldn't be a Vasco without a little drama," Rudeus replied, flicking the blade away with casual ease.
Aden staggered back, sword raised but breathless, his mind trying to catch up with what just happened. "You… caught my strike. With two fingers."
"And you thought that was your full strength?" Rudeus quirked an eyebrow. "Disappointing."
Ed sighed, rising from his chair. "Aden, meet Rudeus Vasco. My younger brother."
Rudeus gave a small, mocking bow.
Aden was still staring. That aura… it was nothing like anything he had even seen. Not even close. It was calm, condensed, absolute. If Ed was a wall of iron, then Rudeus was a storm in chains—barely held back.
They all took their seats again, Aden more carefully this time.
Zwalter explained the situation, detailing Aden's memory loss and awakening. Rudeus listened in silence, the light in his eyes dimming slightly as he leaned forward.
"Hmm," he muttered. "So the Wrath's taken from you, too. I guess it runs in the blood after all."
He looked at Zwalter, "The answer is simple, just take control back".
Aden blinked. "What?, ...how?".
"You have to overcome whatever is contained in your wrath" . Zwalter replied.
Aden asked, "How am i supposed to do that?".
"When inside your manifestation stage, have you even seen a something that looked like an animal or something?" , Rudeus asked sipping some tea.
Aden searched through his memories one more time, the only despriction that even remotely fit was when the red figure appeared along with his old self, covered in a pool of blood with hundreds of corpses behind him. Although hesitant Aden decided to speak up.
"What if it instead of an animal, it's a red figure closer to a human?" , Aden spoke.
Suddenly all of their eyes, widened as if they had seen a ghost, both of them looked at Zwalter Vasco. Zwalter let out a sigh.
"Aden, are you sure it was a red figure?, can you expand on it a bit more?". Zwalter asked him while glancing at him.
"Let's see, i think, it was a a red figure, it had a really red aura it and the floor was filled with a pool of blood and there was around a hundred corpses around it". Aden replied.
Ed and Rudeus only had a faint clue about what Aden was talking about, but now they were certain.
"Its Egmund". ,Rudeus said in a low voice.
Zwalter did not react, he simply glanced at Aden and then looked out the window, Ed on the other hand was unsure of what to do, but kept his composure on., All of a sudden the soon fell silence for a couple of minutes, the silence was stood loud for anyone to speak out. Then Rudeus finally broke the silence.
He looked to Zwalter, then Ed. "Let me take him."
Aden blinked. "What?"
"I'll train the boy," Rudeus said. "He's green, but not dull. With the right pressure, he could become a real weapon."
Ed glanced at Zwalter. They exchanged a look that said more than words could carry.
Ed smirked. "You always wanted an excuse to rough someone up."
Zwalter laughed, shaking his head. "The boy won't survive if he stays comfortable."
They both understood deep inside that, if they wanted Aden to survive it was best to leave him with Rudeus Vasco.
Rudeus turned to Aden. "Pack what you need. We leave tonight."
Aden stared at him, half-dazed, half-stunned. "You're serious?."
"I don't joke about war," Rudeus said. "And you're not ready for the one coming."
Later that evening, Before Aden made his departure, Ed went to Zwalter's room.
"Father, what do you think of the boy?", Ed asked.
Zwalter turned to Ed and then spoke out. "It's really had to tell, if his wrath really is Egmund, then we are going to have a tough time ahead".
"But for now... let's just hope he can survive".
After a while, it was time for the depature. Ed stood beside the carriage, watching his son prepare to leave.
He didn't speak at first. Just looked at Aden—at his posture, the way he carried the blade at his hip. Something had changed in the boy. No… someone else had stepped into the boy's shoes.
As Aden climbed aboard the carriage with Rudeus, Ed called out, "If you want to survive in this world… you have to earn your place."
Aden looked back, nodded once, and sat down.
The carriage wheels began to turn. Through the window, Aden saw the Vasco estate fade into the mist.
He glanced sideways at his uncle, who was now leaning back, arms crossed and eyes closed.
Aden slumped into the seat, exhaling.
A monstrous grandfather. An even more monstrous uncle.
Just what the hell kind of family have he gotten into?