Clyde kept his gaze locked on Agatha, his expression flat as always. The golden shimr of the barrier surrounded them, flickering faintly like a thin veil of energy.
He knew what it ant — their conversation had just beco more than a simple exchange. Agatha was worried and if she was worried, then this conversation wasn’t sothing she could dismiss as sothing simple.
He thought over his next words. How much should he tell her? How much could he afford to reveal?
Then, after a brief pause, he spoke.
"I found anomalies in the Ruins," he said evenly. "And they spoke to ."
Agatha’s frown deepened. She studied him carefully, as if weighing the truth behind his words.
"Anomalies?" she echoed, voice sharp with interest.
Clyde gave a slow nod. "Its not just distortions or fragnts. It was sothing aware and alive, and intelligent enough. And that’s when my System changed."
For a mont, Agatha said nothing. Her fingers clenched slightly before she crossed her arms over her chest.
The silence between them stretched, filled with unspoken thoughts. Then, after a tense beat, she took a step forward.
"Show your System," she said.
Clyde didn’t move. His stance remained firm, his expression cold.
"No," he replied.
Agatha’s brow furrowed. "Why not?"
"Because I don’t trust you yet," Clyde said bluntly.
A flicker of sothing passed through Agatha’s face. Irritation, perhaps, but Clyde also saw a glimr of understanding.
She let out a slow sigh, closing her eyes for a brief mont before opening them again.
"You’re being cautious," she murmured, almost as if talking to herself. Then, louder, "Fine. I won’t push. But if your System truly changed after your eting with that anomalies, then you’re dealing with sothing far beyond what you think you can handle."
"You don’t know If I can handle it or not. Just tell what you know," Clyde said.
Agatha hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I need to know more first."
"That’s all I know for now. That is why I’m looking for World Masters about this," Clyde said.
Another beat of silence. Then Agatha’s fingers twitched, her gaze sharpening.
She bit her lip, a flicker of irritation crossing her face. Clyde spoke as if he had any power over her, as if he could demand answers from her like an equal.
It should have annoyed her more.
But she wasn’t a fool.
She could feel it now. His presence and his power. It was different from before, sharper and heavier. He had changed.
And that was exactly why she was hesitating.
If his System had truly been altered by those strange anomalies, then Clyde might be connected to the understanding of what the World Masters themselves feared. That makes him even more valuable to Agatha’s own purpose. She can also use him.
Perhaps... it wasn’t a bad idea to give him sothing. A piece of the truth.
Agatha let out a quiet breath, her expression settling into sothing more neutral. Then, finally, she spoke.
"The System..." She paused, as if considering her words. "It wasn’t axtually created by the World Masters."
Clyde’s gaze sharpened, but he remained silent and waiting for her next answer.
"The leader of the World Masters took the design it from sowhere else."
Clyde’s frown deepened.
"It wasn’t ours to begin with," Agatha continued. "We only know that it ca from sothing ancient and beyond our understanding."
Clyde’s jaw tightened. This just like he thought.
"What do you an by that?" Clyde asked for more explanations, his voice even but his mind already working through the implications.
"I don’t know more than that."
Clyde studied her, searching for any sign of deceit. If she was lying, she was doing a damn good job of hiding it.
Agatha continued, her tone serious. "The only ones who can alter the System within soone’s soul are us — the World Masters. But if sothing else did it, then it must be tied to the sa ancient entities that the System originally ca from."
Ancient entities.
Clyde didn’t react outwardly, but inside, his thoughts churned. The black realm and ruins. The anomalies. The way they spoke to him.
It was connected indeed.
But just knowing that wasn’t enough. He needed more.
Silence stretched between them. Agatha waited, watching him carefully. She must have realized she had given him exactly what he had been searching for.
Then, smoothly, she leaned in slightly.
"I can help you look for more information," she said. "If you help too."
Clyde’s eyes narrowed slightly. He knew there was more to this.
"What do you want?" he asked.
Agatha smiled. It wasn’t a warm smile. It was the smile of soone who knew they held an advantage.
"I need you to complete certain tasks for ," she said. "If you do, I can rise in rank within the World Masters."
Clyde’s expression darkened.
The idea of working for her didn’t sit well with him.
"I’m not your minion," he said flatly.
Agatha laughed softly. "I wouldn’t call it that."
But she didn’t deny it either.
Clyde’s frown deepened. He didn’t like this. But he couldn’t deny that she had what he needed.
Clyde sighed, glancing at Agatha. He didn’t like where this was going but if he wanted answers he had no choice but to play along for now.
"What exactly do you want to do?" he asked.
Agatha’s lips curled slightly, satisfied. She had expected more resistance but Clyde was pragmatic. That worked in her favor.
"Now that Luccio isn’t around," she said, "I don’t have anyone assigned under . That ans I can work freely with you without interference."
Clyde didn’t comnt. But if it got him closer to what he needed, he’d tolerate it.
"You’ll receive the details later," Agatha continued. "For now, go back to wherever you’ve been hiding before you’re drawing too much attention."
Clyde’s gaze stayed on her for a mont longer before he gave a small nod.
"Fine," he said. "But make sure you hold up your end of the deal."
Agatha’s smirk softened slightly, though there was sothing unreadable in her eyes. "Of course."
She reached into a hidden pocket and pulled out a small black tallic device. She tossed it to Clyde, who caught it effortlessly.
"I will use this to contact you," she said. "It’s secure. No one else can trace it."
Clyde inspected it briefly, then pocketed it without a word.
Without another glance, he raised his amulet and summoned a swirling portal.
Agatha watched as he stepped inside, vanishing from sight, leaving her alone.
She let out a long breath. This was going to be interesting.
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