Chapter 1807: The Useless Operator (Part 1)

Step.

Adam stepped forward, coming to a stop right in front of the Void Transit.

He had learned everything he needed to know.

Breydar and the Bottomless Void would be the final destinations on his journey to the Gray Sea, but first he had to meet with Laroza.

Adam reached out his hand as the Void Transit trembled.

Purple electrical discharges shot out in all directions, reflecting in his eyes. But Adam wasn’t worried. He already understood how the Void Routes worked. All he had to do was choose the right direction and endure the rough ride.

"What will happen when I return home?" Adam asked, looking at the Void Transit ready to swallow him up.

Aiden shrugged.

"Don’t worry about that now. You have several tasks ahead of you. Who knows what you’ll have achieved by the time you return to the Citadel?"

"I see."

Without another word, Adam stepped forward as his energy and the Void Transit connected.

In a heartbeat, his form became a purple flash that vanished into the Void Transit.

As soon as Adam left the hall, Aiden nodded and turned to Silvana.

"Now, it’s time to deal with you, Miss Operator."

His amber eyes fixed on Silvana, neither as an ally nor as an enemy. His gaze resembled that of an instructor dissatisfied with his students’ state.

"Ahg...?"

Confused, Silvana took a step back. She didn’t sense any threat from Aiden, but she could also tell from his expression that a relaxing break was definitely not in store for her.

"You do realize that without you, Adam won’t be able to reach the Second Circle, do you?" Aiden asked before taking a step forward. The echo reverberated through the room as everyone else remained silent.

Gladius watched the scene unfold with a smirk. He knew this moment would come as soon as Adam used the Void Transit.

"What does all this mean?" Silvana took another step back until her back touched the wall. "Didn’t everything go as planned? Is there something else you haven’t told me?"

Aiden didn’t answer. Instead, he stepped forward until he stood before Silvana, towering over her.

Silvana was taken aback. Aiden wasn’t the type to resort to brute force or devise cunning schemes. If he’d wanted to harm Silvana, he would have done so long ago.

She didn’t understand why his mood had changed so abruptly after Adam left.

"I’m asking you again, Silvana. Do you realize that Adam’s progress depends largely on you?"

Silvana gulped, but standing under his intense gaze, she couldn’t help but answer.

"Of course I do! He needs me not only as a partner, but also as a way to break through the final barrier, doesn’t he?"

True, Silvana couldn’t know for sure since Adam hadn’t reached the barrier yet. To do so, he needed to fulfill one more condition. But it was a logical conclusion, since the Phantoms and Operators had been progressing together.

Aiden nodded.

"Correct. The thing is, Operator, I do not doubt that Adam will be able to do it. Maybe it won’t be as fast as he expects, and he’ll have to go through many defeats to achieve it, but he will reach the Second Circle."

At that moment, Aiden leaned in, their eyes level.

"But I have my doubts about you. You’re weak, you know that, don’t you?"

Silvana gulped, but Aiden wasn’t about to stop. He certainly wasn’t going to hold back or choose his words carefully.

"If I had to rate you according to the ranking system, I’d give Adam an S-Rank. As much as that bastard annoys me from time to time, his desire to fight and his talent are undeniable. His victory over Zin in the Hollow Lands was the final proof for anyone who still doubted his potential."

His voice grew lower.

"But what about you?" Aiden narrowed his eyes. "C-Rank at best. It’s amazing how Adam managed to reach such heights with a worthless Operator like you."

Sano and Natta exchanged glances.

They knew better than anyone that Aiden could be strict and rude, especially when he was in a bad mood. But now he was directly insulting Silvana. They hadn’t seen him like this in a long time.

"You don’t know how to use your abilities properly, your energy control is a disaster, you panic during battles, and you give up too soon. I could go on with this list for a long time, since I’ve closely studied every one of your battles."

Aiden’s gaze grew darker, and it seemed as though the shadows around him had thickened.

"To be honest with you, you only get a C-Rank thanks to Adam, since a Phantom and an Operator are linked. I’m sure that if you didn’t have a Phantom as talented as Adam, your rank would be lower and your Phantom would have been dead long ago."

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Silvana’s heart was racing from a sudden rush of emotions. She was afraid of what would happen next, she was angry at Aiden, and she was worried about herself and Adam.

Still, even in that state, there was no panic in her eyes. She understood that Aiden was right.

Maybe when it came to gathering intel and sticking to the schedule, Silvana was leagues ahead of Adam, but what did that matter on the battlefield?

Silvana knew that if they switched places and she had to go through all of Adam’s battles, she wouldn’t last long.

’However.’ Silvana clenched her fists tightly. ’Adam and I have come this far because we both wanted it, and I want us to keep winning.’

Suddenly, something in Silvana’s gaze changed. A flame flared brightly in her eyes as she stepped forward.

Clutch.

Without hesitation, she grabbed Aiden by the collar, causing Sano and Natta’s eyes to widen in disbelief.

"Do you think I don’t know this? I’m well aware of it! Enough of these games, if you brought me here, it means your goal isn’t just to point out what a nobody I am, is it?"

Aiden didn’t answer. He just kept staring at her.

Silvana clenched her teeth.

"Make me stronger! I’m willing to do anything to help Adam!"

Aiden blinked slowly.

"Good answer, Silvana."