Chapter 946: Alternate Timeline: Vann Silver at the Store

Back in the Nexus store, as the lunch was ready, Noah placed the dishes on the table with smooth, graceful movements, each plate settling onto the polished wood with a soft click.

Steam curled upward like pale ghosts before dissolving into the air.

After serving both guests, Noah stepped back.

Arceus looked up. "Please join us."

Lucian also smiled politely.

"Yes, Noah. There is more than enough food."

Noah shook her head.

Her expression remained calm and professional.

"There is no need."

Her voice was respectful, but absolute.

If Kiara had asked, she would have sat down without hesitation, mimicking the act of eating if necessary.

But Arceus was not her master.

Her duty was to protect him until Kiara returned.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

So while the two men ate and continued their conversation, Noah turned and descended the staircase to the first floor.

The residence gave way to the store below, and the atmosphere changed immediately.

He then walked to the entrance and raised the shutter. The metallic rattle echoed into the street, announcing that the Nexus Store had reopened for business.

He then turned to the signboard standing near the door.

With a damp cloth, he wiped away the old message stating that the shop was out of stock.

After a moment’s thought, he rewrote it in neat letters.

*STORE OPEN*

*9MM BULLETS OUT OF STOCK*

Noah understood Kiara better than anyone.

He knew the immense amount of time and concentration required to manufacture hundreds, or even thousands, of 9mm bullets.

A month ago, such sales had been vital.

Now, however, Kiara possessed both wealth and reputation.

There was no longer any need to exhaust herself producing cheap ammunition for minor profits.

In Noah’s view, this was an ideal opportunity to promote the AK-series rifles instead.

Yet before he could present those weapons to ordinary customers, fate, with its peculiar sense of timing, sent an entirely different visitor to the door.

An elderly man approached.

His steps were unhurried.

His posture was straight.

Though his robes appeared plain, he carried himself with the quiet dignity of a mountain that did not need to announce its height.

At first, Noah treated him as he would any customer.

He inclined his head slightly. "Welcome to Nexus Weapon Store. What would you like to buy?"

The old man studied him for a moment before replying. "My name is Vann Silver."

His voice was calm, but it carried undeniable authority as he stated, "And I have come to take back my great-grandson, Arceus Silver, who is currently residing as a guest at your residence."

The words settled between them like a chess piece placed deliberately at the center of the board.

Noah’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

In an instant, he completed his scan.

The results matched Kiara’s warning.

This was not someone he could defeat through conventional means.

But then again, inside the store, however, that overwhelming strength of Vann was as useful as a sword trapped inside its scabbard.

Hence, Noah remained perfectly composed, with his face showing no concern. With an almost indifferent expression, he raised one hand and pointed upward.

"He is upstairs."

Then he lowered his hand and added in an even tone, "But you cannot meet him until my master returns. If you are not here as a customer, please come back in two or three hours. Thank you."

For a brief moment, Vann’s brows drew together. He extended his senses and examined him carefully.

"A Life puppet?"

A flicker of surprise crossed his ancient eyes. His gaze swept across the interior of the store.

The suppression field.

The lifelike puppet spoke with clarity and personality.

A faint glimmer of interest appeared in his eyes.

"This store is even more mysterious than Lucian described."

He quickly realized that reasoning with a life puppet was like trying to convince a locked gate to swing open by persuasion alone.

Puppets obeyed their masters.

No argument could outweigh a direct order.

Vann considered his options.

He could use force.

Though his cultivation was suppressed, his body remained formidable, and his Semi-Divine sword rested at his side.

But he did not know Noah’s true capabilities.

And a wise man did not leap into a river without first measuring its depth.

For a fleeting instant, another thought crossed his mind.

What if he seized him by surprise, carried the puppet outside, and fought him where his powers returned?

The idea came and went.

Noah didn’t seem like an ordinary construct.

There was something unusual about him.

Something that made even him hesitate.

After a short silence, Vann spoke. "Then allow me to speak with him. "I do not intend to take him away by force while you stand here.""

His tone remained polite, and with his hands folded behind his back, the ancestor of House Silver added. "If he chooses to come with me of his own will, then the matter will be resolved peacefully."

Noah’s expression did not change at those words that carry a subtle threat. Inside, however, a thought surfaced with startling clarity.

"I would very much like to throw him out if not for my master’s strict orders. How dare he live in our space and occupy a part in my master’s mind..."

Outside, Noah then cleared his throat lightly. "I also wish for this matter to be resolved. But my master gave strict instructions. No one except Lucian Storm is permitted to meet Arceus Silver."

His next words were spoken with calm certainty while his head was inclined slightly.

"And I am authorized to use all necessary force to stop anyone who attempts to violate that order. So I must ask you once again to wait, or return in two hours."

Vann listened quietly.

Many powerful Spirit Warriors would have reacted with outrage at being spoken to so bluntly.

But Vann Silver was not ruled by pride. He only raised his sword against true wrongdoing.

And in this moment, he saw none.

What he needed was simple. He had to determine whether Arceus was a hostage or a willing guest. If he could not see his great-grandson, then perhaps he could at least speak to Lucian. And if Arceus learned he was here, the young man could choose for himself.

Vann nodded. "I understand."

He paused and then said. "Then please inform Lucian Storm that Vann Silver is here. You can do that, right?"

In his mind, this was a simple solution.

No force.

No conflict.

Only a message.

Noah stared at him for a couple of seconds and nodded. After telling Vann to wait, he turned and ascended the stairs.

He informed Lucian of Vann’s arrival.

As expected, both Lucian and Arceus rose to their feet.

But before they could descend, Noah delivered Kiara’s exact instructions.

Her words were plain.

Her tone was neutral.

Yet they carried the weight of Kiara’s authority.

The decision, she said, belonged entirely to Arceus.

After hearing those words, Arceus stood still for several moments.

His fingers tightened around the edge of the table.

He thought of his great-grandfather.

He thought of the years of affection and support he had received from him. Not to mention there is the guilt of resisting filial piety toward one’s parents and ancestors.

And he thought of Kiara, who had offered him shelter without asking for anything in return.

Finally, he lowered his gaze and sat back down.

He would wait.

This was not an inn where he could come and go according to his mood.

Kiara had asked him to remain here.

The least he could do was honor that trust.

Noah, learning his decision, returned to the first floor.

Lucian followed him.

But Arceus did not.

When Lucian stepped into view alone, Vann’s eyes widened with unmistakable surprise.

Lucian bowed respectfully. "Lord Silver, I apologize."

He glanced upstairs before continuing. "Arceus says he will wait for Miss Kiara. It was his own decision."

A faint line appeared between Vann’s brows.

He had expected many things.

He had not expected Arceus to refuse to see him, his own great-grandfather, who always supported him.

Yet after a moment, the surprise faded.

In its place came understanding.

Most elders in his position would have left immediately. But Vann was bound by an oath. So he walked to a nearby chair and sat down. The wooden seat creaked softly beneath him.

"I will wait for Kiara then."

Noah narrowed his eyes. He studied him for a second before speaking. "This is a weapon store, Lord Silver. We sell weapons here. This is not an inn or a tavern."

He folded his hands before the old man. "If you are neither my master’s guest nor a customer, you may not remain here."

Lucian’s eyes widened at Noah’s blunt words spoken straight to Vann’s face. This is a 9-star rank expert, someone not even the Emperor dared to use impolite speech.

Yet, Noah was completely speaking to Vann as if he were a commoner on the street.

Lucian quickly turned toward Noah. "Noah, you should not speak to Lord Vann in that manner."

If Kiara said such things, that was one matter.

But Noah was, in his understanding, a servant.

And before them sat a man whose words could sway even Emperor Alexander.

More than Noah’s boldness, Lucian feared how Vann might react.

But Vann simply smiled faintly. He understood what Lucian did not.

Noah was not being rude. He was being literal because he is not human. And literal beings rarely cared for rank.

"It is all right."

Vann responded to Lucian before Noah, while settling more comfortably into his chair.

"Since I must wait anyway, I may as well spend the time wisely."

His gaze drifted toward the display shelves.

Weapons of impossible design gleamed under the lights like sleeping beasts.

Vann’s eyes sharpened with genuine interest.

He looked back at Noah. "Show me all the weapons your store has to offer."