Chapter 1066: A Better System?
Inside the Light Faction, there was a small village surrounded by vast fields mostly used for growing crops. It wasn’t large by any means and had a small population of a few hundred people. The lives of the people were peaceful to say the least. It was one of the few villages that didn’t have a clan representing it or providing protection to the local people.
Instead, it was primarily governed by the empire, with regular soldiers stationed to guard the area. However, because of its size, there were only a handful of soldiers, and since it was centrally located within the Light Faction, the village rarely saw any trouble.
Which had made it the perfect place, for two individuals.
Walking through the village was Henio, a light-blonde-haired man, and beside him, Red. There was a particular smile on Henio’s face as he browsed the local markets.
He handed over more coins than necessary when trading for produce, and the villagers thanked him heavily before he continued walking.
“Are you going to complain, or what?” Red finally spoke up, breaking the silence. “Your silence is killing me. It’s like when I was a kid, and my dad would say nothing. The torture of not knowing what’s going to happen or what my punishment is going to be.”
“Punishment?” Henio replied, tossing an apple toward him.
Red caught it with ease, inspecting the apple before biting through it, crushing it effortlessly.
“Why would I punish you? We achieved our objective. I have the item in hand,” Henio said calmly. “You did your job.”
“Right, but it was a close call,” Red replied, wiping the juice from his lips. “There were a few variables I didn’t expect. Who would’ve thought he’d be here?”
“An old friend of yours, the one who looked like you?” Henio asked, his smile stretching wide, his eyes narrowing to slits. It was hard to tell if the smile was genuine or if it concealed something else something darker.
“I figured as much. For a while now, someone has been visiting several of our bases. They come and go like a flash, accessing our databases and servers.”
“Our programmers were scratching their heads, suspecting it could only be someone from Tronzo. If the two of you were to fight, could you handle him?”
Red didn’t answer right away. He recalled his last encounter with Zon-the strange yellow energy in his suit. There was no doubt Zon had received some kind of upgrade.
“Yes,” Red said, after a pause. “There’s something he doesn’t know. The entire Red Fortis army runs on the same system. The captain is strong, powerful, and can utilize the system to its fullest potential.”
“He’s a natural talent, just like me,” Red continued, “but in the end, they saw me as the more talented one. My system is slightly different from Zon’s-you could say I’m the new and improved version. So, he has no chance.”
“New and improved,” Henio repeated, staring at his apple as they neared a well at the center of the village. “The way you people from Tronzo talk really interests me. I’m sure if your captain ever learned the truth, he’d be heartbroken.”
Henio flipped the strange paper-like bag upside down, letting the red apples fall into the well with a soft plop.
“I expected disturbances, so I waited on the outside. What I didn’t expect was for the Light Faction to be so useless in all this. To think, the one causing trouble for the Grand Magus and Alter is a Dark Mage of all things-it takes me back.”
“Whoa, look at you, talking about the past, Grandpa,” Red joked, glancing around. “Is that why you let him get away? Because you two at least have that in common?”
Henio mostly ignored Red’s jab, waving his hand over the well.
“Are you coming?” Henio asked, motioning toward the opening.
Hearing those words, Red quickly scanned his surroundings. The people around them appeared frozen in place. No one paid any attention to them, and almost nothing moved. Every time Red saw this, he was impressed. A person with this kind of power could change anything they wanted. They could take whatever they desired. So, why, in the position Henio was in-being in charge of Alter-was he still working at the orders of others?
For the Deleters and the other high-ranking officials, they answered to Henio, not the ones above him. They had no idea what Henio was truly planning, but it was this power-and the entire Alter organization-that had drawn Red toward them.
Red leapt over the well and dropped down into the opening below. Henio followed soon after. Moments later, life in the village returned to normal, the stillness vanishing as if nothing had happened.
Close to the center point where three factions met, in the large mushroom-like base covered by greenery and surrounded by distant cliffs, a mystical array of colors flickered. An opening appeared in one of the massive trees.
Red was propelled out of the tree and stopped himself from falling, and Henio followed shortly after.
“We’re finally back,” Red said, his voice tinged with excitement. “And we’ve got the Golden Globe. So, we’re finally going to meet these bosses of yours, right? They’re coming over here to Pagna, correct?”
“If all goes well,” Henio replied, walking past him.
The two continued until they reached the bottom of the large tree-like base. The doors opened easily, but as soon as they entered, several men and women in white suits rushed over. “Programmers on the first floor, what’s going on?” Red asked, his brow furrowed.
“Sir!” one of the head programmers spoke, his shoulder marked differently from the others. He knelt, fist on the floor, refusing to meet Henio’s gaze.
“Things have been chaotic since you left. We don’t know how to plan the landscape of Pagna anymore. Nearly all of our agents in Alter, based in the Dark and Demonic Factions-they’ve been eliminated!”
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The entire Alter base was in chaos, as groups of agents and members from Alter from all over had returned to the base. That included those from the Light Faction. News of them being targeted had spread quickly, and they believed the only safe haven for them was to head back to the base.
They were hoping for some answers from the programmers who led the teams coordinating all of the missions for them, but there was nothing. There was no direction on where to go next because the programmers were unable to foresee all of this happening in the first place.
For now, Alter agents were told to wait on standby, as Alter itself was getting things under control. Henio had been listening to the countless reports.
Now, he was back in his mostly empty office, a large space with a giant clock hand and several cogs behind him. The sound was constant behind his head as Henio sat there, his hand striking his chin.
He wasn’t alone. By his side, Garlon, one of the Deleters and a man who was almost always by Henio’s side, was present as well.
“I have given the most recent reports concerning current matters in the other factions themselves as well,” Garlon added. “The predicament that we are in is unexpected.”
“To say the least,” Henio replied. “Things aren’t as easy as they were in the past, and I thought they would be easier. I’m wondering why things have changed. Is it because of that Dark Mage?”
“If it is, then it’s no wonder those Grand Magus are paying so much attention to him.”
Garlon moved from Henio’s side and stood in front of the desk, then bowed down on one knee, his hand crossing his chest and rising up to his shoulder.
“If you wish, I will get rid of the one called the Dark Magus. There should be no need for someone as great as you to get your hands dirty,” Garlon stated.
Henio then started to play with the Golden Globe that was on his desk.
“If everyone was as dependable as you, then I wouldn’t have had to have gotten involved back then. I’m glad that you arrived here with me all that time ago,” Henio replied. “I’m surprised that they have chosen to act this way.”
“I didn’t think there was anyone in the position to make such decisions. I can only think that it would be the Dark Magus himself who sent the order… they have slowed us down considerably. It matters not. Let me pass this item on to the researchers. We should try to figure it out as soon as possible.”
“It would also be nice for us to return to Alterian if we could. I’m sure a lot has changed since we were last there.”
Henio got up from his seat, and as he did, the large hand behind him came to a stop. Walking towards the exit, Garlon waited for Henio to pass before he stood up and followed.
Entering one of the many elevators in the building, Henio eventually went up to the eighth floor. The very top floor of Alter.
Where several items that had been gathered over the many years were kept. Items that were ranked at Mythical, Legendary, and even those ranked at God tier.
They were specially sectioned off in particular areas and even hidden behind various different spells. Eventually, Henio and Garlon entered a round, cylindrical room.
The space was large, and it curved towards the end with visible lines of energy constantly running through the base.
“Summon one of the head Programmers to come here immediately,” Henio said in a loud voice.
The lines continued to pulsate through the room, and eventually, a magic circle lit up in the room. Not long after, a man dressed in white, with a mask covering his face, appeared—one of the head Programmers.
Immediately, the head programmer knelt as he faced Henio.
“It’s your lucky day. I’m sure you know the mess that we are currently in. Our path has been paved for a long time, and you have been selected to see the new path ahead of us,” Henio explained.
“It would be my honor, sir!” the programmer replied.
“Bring forth the God-tier artifact, The Hourglass of Eternity,” Henio asked.
The room pulsated again, and a short while after, a magic circle appeared on the ground. Rising up was a podium, and atop the podium was an hourglass.
The sand inside the glass glowed, shining brightly. Oddly as well, three-quarters of the sand looked to have already fallen, yet the quarter that remained in the glass stayed stagnant, not flowing down despite staying as it was.
“I will be sending Garlon to the Demonic Faction to deal with the people that caused this mess. From the information I have gathered, targeting the Neverfall Clan will be best. Garlon, the Deleter, will be sent there.”
“With that information, place your hand on the hourglass and say out loud what you see,” Henio instructed.
The programmer wasted no time doing as he was told. He rushed over and placed his hand on top of the glass. He closed his eyes, and slowly, the sand started to fall from the top towards the bottom.
The programmer spoke out loud, saying everything he could see, and eventually, he stopped.
Having listened to the words carefully, both Henio and Garlon were in shock.
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“Did he say I would fail?” Garlon replied. “But how can that be?”
“You know the Hourglass of Eternity can allow a person to see the future. This is how we have had the programmers set the course of Alter and how we’ve managed to survive so long. The hourglass is not wrong with what it shows the user,” Henio explained.
Garlon wanted to add, “That was until recently though.” It was clear there were still variables that the hourglass itself couldn’t see or predict, so he wanted to say that this prediction was wrong as well.
“However, there are two downsides to the hourglass. One is its limited use. Once the sand made from a shattered piece of a collapsed star runs out, so does its power. As for the second…”
In the middle of Henio speaking, the programmer collapsed and fell to the floor, his body lifeless.
“Anyone who uses the item and sees the future is killed on the spot. Well, it seems we might need a few more programmers in here,” Henio claimed.
****
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Chapter 1068: A God Tier Item (Part 2)
The fallen body needed to be cleared from the floor, and Garlon made sure to do a swift job of that. Although cleaning wasn’t his best attribute, as he lifted his hand up, the body started to expand on the ground.
It grew larger and larger until it popped like a balloon. The insides of the person splattered all over the room, but somehow, it avoided touching any part of Henio’s body.
The room itself started to disintegrate the blood and the rest of the body parts until it was completely gone.
“Let’s not waste too many head programmers; that was a mistake on my part. I didn’t expect it to take more than one,” Henio claimed. “Call a programmer, state they have been summoned.”
Just like before, shortly after a magic circle appeared in the room, and this time, a person clothed in white with a mask covering their face appeared.
Henio gave the programmer the same routine as last time, telling him how he had been selected for the great cause and to lead the other programmers as well.
It sounded like a great promotion within the organization, and of course, certain details were kept secret as to what would happen after using such an item.
Still, there was one more detail that had been added, compared to the last time he had spoken.
“We will be sending two of our Deleters to deal with the Demonic Faction. Sending Garlon, and…” Henio paused for a while as he considered who would be the best choice. “Send in Kush as well.”
Kush was a Pagna warrior, a powerful one, strong enough to be considered a Deleter, and wasn’t an Otherworlder like many in the organization.
With Garlon and Kush being sent, they had to wait for the results. The programmer placed his hand on the special hourglass, and even more sand started to fall.
The programmer then spoke out loud, mentioning certain details. Seeing what would take place, his vision eventually came to an end.
“Again!” Garlon said. “This can’t be right. With two Deleters being sent, it makes no sense. Red talked about their power. It should not be something that two Deleters can’t deal with.”
“Even if they did manage to get rid of Scar, he was the weakest out of all of us. He was sent on most missions, but there was a reason for that!”
Garlon was clearly frazzled by what he had heard, yet Henio stayed calm in the current situation. He was starting to remember the words spoken by the Dark Magus just before he left.
‘I would live to regret letting him live, huh? Right now, I’m already starting to regret it slightly. It seems there is no choice. The Dark Magus must be eliminated, even if the Grand Magus wish to keep him alive.’ Henio said to himself.
While thinking this, the programmer collapsed onto the floor once more.
“Maybe we should change our plan in all of this?” Garlon said. “Can’t we utilize the Light Faction like we have done so far? Maybe we shouldn’t send the Deleters if the mission will fail. There should be other ways to get rid of them. Or wait until we figure out how to use the Golden Globe.”
“Are you getting cold feet?” Henio replied. “You sounded like you were quite confident when it came to besting the Dark Magus, and now you are not so sure.”
“No, that won’t do. The Dark Magus made it clear. He is the type of person that will act, and it doesn’t seem to just be him. There are those around him that will act as well. We can see this by what has happened to Alter already.”
“If we do nothing and just sit here and wait, then he will attack with full force. Have you heard what the Dark Magus is capable of?”
“What do you mean?” Garlon asked. He had heard of the feats the Mage had accomplished in Pagna so far, but it was no less than what any of the Deleters could have done if they really wished to.
Other than getting rid of Sha Mo, as the Demonic Faction seemed more difficult compared to the rest of them.
“The items that the Dark Magus created. It is quite clear that we have a mage who is talented at enchantment on our hands, and with Dark magic, he can enchant items to a higher degree. As long as people around him don’t care about the curses placed on the items.”
“What we can’t allow the Dark Magus right now is time. Over the course of years, we have gathered numerous powerful items.”
“But the Dark Magus might be the only person in the world who can combat that. If he has time, the number of cursed items he could create might outnumber us.”
“Which is why we need to deal with them swiftly and quickly. Attack them hard and fast, and make sure this succeeds no matter what. Otherwise, I would have never brought out the Hourglass in the first place.”
Finishing his sentence, the third programmer entered the room. Once again, they went through the same routine, but when describing what Henio planned to do, there was an additional name added to the mix.
“I will be sending three Deleters to the Neverfall Clan-Garlon, Kush, and I will send in Shay as well. Let’s see how they are able to deal with this… the last member of the Noctis Clan,” Henio smiled.
The programmer activated the item and started to speak out loud what he could see. He continued to talk, not in vivid detail, but it was enough for them to get an idea.
When the man stopped, Garlon had nothing to say.
“So, it’s decided then. Send three Deleters to the Neverfall Clan,” Henio ordered. “The order: eliminate them all, and then proceed to the town of Flendon.”
*****
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Chapter 1069: The Real Man In Control
The decision had been made by Henio, and he was confident in it, just like he was before with his previous decisions. The only thing was, the organization Alter wouldn’t be the same now, with all the mess that had been created.
Just thinking about everything that had been built up, and all of it falling to this in the end, caused him to let out a big sigh.
Walking back to his main office, Henio had Garlon still by his side.
“Your ma-Sir, are you sure you wish to send me off with the others?” Garlon asked. “I’m sure if Red were sent instead, it would still have the same effect. We know his power well.”
“Red is good for just brute strength, but the two being sent are Pagna warriors. Having a mage there, I imagine, will help greatly in fighting against them,” Henio explained. “Even with artifacts by their side, I would feel more comfortable having you there.”
“You don’t have to worry about me. We’ve survived this long, and there has been trouble before this. I wouldn’t fail here.”
Garlon still had a displeased look on his face as he stared away, but he also knew there was nothing else he could say. He just needed to listen to Henio’s orders.
“I will hand the order out to the other Deleters. They are not here at the moment, so it will take a while for them to gather, and then we shall travel together,” Garlon replied.
“That should be fine. We still have time. I’m sure the Dark Magus and the others will need to prepare, and we will be aware of their movements before anyone else.”
The special artifacts they had given the Light Faction to use were floating devices that allowed the scenery in front of them to be displayed at different locations.
This type of magical drone artifact had been given to Bubble, as well as members of the Light Faction, to use during the Martial Arts Tournament.
These artifacts were also being used at several borders of the Light Faction so they could monitor movement, at least if there was anything large enough to be detected.
“Sorry to intrude on your thoughts, sir, but it seems there are two visitors waiting for you. They have been let into your office,” Garlon informed.
Henio wasn’t too surprised by this, and he could even guess who the visitors were. When entering his office, Henio walked right past the two kneeling men in white cloth. It wasn’t the same clothing as those in Alter-it was the attire of those from Pagna.
When he sat down, Henio looked at the two of them, his eyebrows furrowed and wrinkles appearing on his forehead.
“I’m surprised the two of you would come in front of me-head of the Aurora Clan, Kawak, and the Illumination Clan, Circle,” Henio claimed.
Both of them raised their heads briefly before bowing deeply again, their foreheads touching the floor.
“We heard that in the end, you had successfully obtained the item from the island. That the Golden Globe is in your possession. At the same time, the Dawnblade Clan has lost many of its powerful elders, meaning that our two clans essentially control the entire Light Faction right now! Although there was trouble on the island, the mission was a success!” Kawak replied. Henio lifted his hand and twisted it to the side. A bracelet on his wrist started to glow, and at the same time, Kawak felt great pain in his chest and collapsed onto the floor.
It wasn’t just him-Ulyn also fell to the floor, clutching his chest in agony.
“You know, I only had two of those restrictive worms, and I decided to use them on you two,” Henio explained. “It was easier to control you than to control the entirety of the Light Faction. Since you had been doing somewhat of a good job, I let it be.
“However, I’m starting to believe I made a mistake. Maybe I should have targeted the other factions instead.”
Saying these words, Henio thought back. What he had said was actually a lie. The item he was using the restrictive worm bracelet-could be used on four people in total.
When activated, it produced a liquid that formed an egg. If a person consumed it, the worm would grow inside and around their chest. At any time, Henio could use it to kill the host.
Everything so far-working alongside Alter and controlling the Light Faction-was all a ploy by Henio. The truth was, he had already tried using the bracelet on two individuals, but it hadn’t worked. He had tried it on Belil, and for some reason, it had no effect. He had also tried it on Murkel, with the same result.
Henio didn’t understand why this was the case and had to pivot from his plan. Instead of controlling all of Pagna, he settled for controlling the Light Faction.
“We can do better! We can help!” Kawak desperately pleaded.
The glowing from Henio’s wrist stopped, and so did the pain around Kawak’s chest.
“At Alter, you’ve been collecting large amounts of artifacts of all ranks, right? If you allowed the Light Faction to use them, we could get rid of the other factions. There would be no need for you to even get your hands involved!” Kawak claimed.
Henio thought about it for a moment. There was a reason why he kept all of the items for himself in the first place and why he only handed out particular items to a select few.
He had been in situations before where he gave certain individuals too much power, and it had come back to bite him.
“Very well, but I have big plans, you see. So, to prove your usefulness, I need you to do something for me. Get rid of the Empire that is currently controlling the Light Faction. Right now, we need complete control.”
Kawak, hearing the order, gulped. It made him wonder just what this madman was thinking.
****
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Chapter 1070: The Divine Warriors
Despite being controlled by Henio, both Circle and Kawak had willingly been following his orders because they could see the benefits it had been giving them both.
Powerful supporters, members of Alter that were working with them to raise their power further within the faction, and items that would give them an edge in battles and further confrontations.
Although they were being controlled, it all seemed like a plus, and it was then that Kawak somewhat started to regret the joyous feelings he had.
Sure, it was great when everything was on the rise, but had he not stopped to think about what was the reason for such an individual to do all of this in the first place?
That eventually, a time would come for them to be used. Even getting their hands on the Golden Globe, Kawak was still seeing it as a positive for him, severely weakening the Dawnblade Clan.
On top of that, he just saw it as a competition between the other clans, and them coming out on top in the end, but this… this seemed like a step too far.
“We can’t do that!” Circle immediately shouted out. “That would be breaking the long- standing pact between the warriors and the civilians. If we break the pact, then Divine Warriors will attack us. It will be the end of the entire Light Faction.”
The two of them had the same thoughts, but they could just see a smile on Henio’s face as he stood up from his seat, sat on the edge of the table, and twisted his hand, activating the bracelet once more.
The two screamed in pain as they fell to the floor, but it was only for a moment.
“I can’t believe you even wish to speak back after such a failure. Do your lives not mean anything? How the times have changed. Being here for so long, I thought this world was quite similar to mine, but I guess people here are a bit more foolish.”
“Did the two of you not hear? There was an incident that had occurred in the Dark Faction, where that Dark Magus had eliminated a king even, and yet there appears to be no consequences. So this fear and pact you have, might be just a passed-down rumor or superstition.”
“It’s not a rumor,” Kawak answered firmly, as he lifted himself off the ground. “The Light Faction has history that it has kept to itself.
“I’m sure you know it yourself, that the Dawnblade Clan was at the top of the Light Faction for a while. You see, a disagreement had occurred between the empire and the Light Faction, who wished to use the warriors to expand its land in the other continents.”
“They were trying to force the Light Faction to take the blame and start a war. Even forcing them to break the pact.”
“When the Dawnblade Clan refused, the empire tried to force them. This angered the Dawnblade Clan, who eliminated a large amount of the empire, even reaching the capital city, and almost reaching the emperor themselves.”
“Divine Warriors descended that day and defeated a large amount of the Dawnblade Clan as punishment for breaking the pact. That is how the Dawnblade Clan lost its power, and we were able to rise.”
“Maybe, there are none in the Divine Realm that care about those in the Demon Faction’s territory, but it’s not the same in the empire.”
“Since then, we have been able to keep a good relationship. If you ruin it, they will attack us, and the wrath of the Divine Realm is one we do not want to impose on.”
After listening to everything that was said, Henio shrugged his shoulders.
“This is not something for me to worry about,” Henio answered. “The task is for you and the Light Faction to get rid of the empire, bring it under the control of the Light Faction, and in turn, it means it will be under my control as well.”
“If the Divine Warriors do descend, then I will deal with it.”
For a while, since the two were talking, from the corner of Henio’s eye, he could see that something had Garlon concerned, so he decided to finish off the meeting and wave the other two off.
They didn’t leave in the happiest of moods, and the task given to them was a mountainous
one.
Kawak couldn’t understand-with Alter being on such a back foot, possibly ready to be attacked by the Dark Magus and the others at any time-why he would want to try and start two wars at the same time.
If he wanted to live, though, he had no choice but to listen.
When the two had finally left the room, Garlon had moved directly in front of Henio.
“I received a report that I think you have been waiting for,” Garlon said. “It appears that they have managed to find a way to use the Golden Globe.”
The news brought a bright smile to Henio’s face. It was a lot quicker than he thought. He had only given it to them a couple of hours ago.
“Unfortunately, they haven’t figured out how to utilize the Golden Globe fully or properly, but they have managed a workaround and wanted to know if there was anything you would like to do.”
“Go on,” Henio asked.
“The Golden Globe is easier activated when in another dimension compared to when in Pagna. They have found they can use the item, although limited, in another dimension. If there is a person from Alterian that powers the item, then a portal will open up from Alterian. But they have calculated the amount of time and energy a person has-maybe they can get one person through at most.”
“I see,” Henio replied. “I’ll get in contact with Alterian then and explain the situation. I wonder out of everyone they can send across, just which Grand Magus it might be.”
*****
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Chapter 1071: The Black Scroll
The entire group had landed, returning to the very edge of the port city located in the Demonic Faction. Although it was never a thought that had crossed many of their minds before, they felt like it was nice to set their feet back in the Demonic Faction. They felt safer here, a stark contrast to the first time they had arrived in the territory.
With so many bad things having happened in the Dark Faction, and the Light Faction being in its current state, it really did feel like this was the only safe place left.
“It looks like this is where we part ways,” Lince said. “The journey has been an interesting one, to say the least, and I can already tell what you might be planning.”
“And your answer?” Raze asked.
“I already made my choice when I ventured onto the island. When you need me and the Lost Clan, just reach out to me.”
“And how would I do that?” Raze asked.
“If you’re looking for me, I’ll know. I have eyes and ears all over the Demonic continent. I may even be moving before you, or you’ll hear from me if I notice anything on the Light Faction’s side.”
With that said, Lince disappeared just like that. He vanished before Raze could even say anything.
It was good for Raze to know they had one strong ally from the Demonic Faction. The Dark Faction was already likely to move since the Bonum Society and Raze himself were in charge, but it wouldn’t be enough.
The Dark Faction’s strength was significantly weakened with the top five clans’ powers fading and Murkel no longer at the helm.
In Raze’s mind, they weren’t just going up against Alter but the Light Faction as well. If all the artifacts were to be used, it would be impossible to get the Golden Globe with just his power alone.
Once again, Raze had to be selfish and not think about the sacrifices or the people that would be involved. He needed to get his hands on that item, no matter who he used.
Upon returning to the town of Flendon, Raze met back up with Rayna and the Crimson Crane, who were present. A meeting was set up in the town hall, gathering all the key members who would be involved with what was to come.
This included those like Fixteen and Mayor Yarlston. Even Andy, the head town guard, was there, and surprisingly, Brack as well.
It was good for Raze to see that Brack was in good spirits, and Brack found it nice to see that Raze was perfectly fine in the end as well.
Standing around a large table with a map of Pagna spread out, Raze spread out his hands.
“I will explain to everyone here what has happened while I was away. I have already been updated on your doings, Rayna. You did a good job.”
Hearing the praise, Rayna’s cheeks flushed red.
“She gave the order, but we all did work as well,” Alba huffed, puffing and enlarging her cheeks.
Regardless, Raze went on to explain the details of what had happened with Alter and the Golden Globe he was after. He made sure to note that the Golden Globe was to be used in a way that would not benefit Pagna at all.
They didn’t quite know what was to happen, but it wasn’t good news with the portals opening that were already occurring. Raze even went into detail about what he had seen other mages do in the other worlds.
“There is a high chance that they might just be here to discover more power stones and such,” Alba said. “I mean, it happens, right? Throughout history, societies meet societies, groups meet other groups, and the first thing they do is fight for things like spices.”
The group continued to listen to Raze as he outlined his plan and his worries about everything that was to come. After he was done, there was one thing he needed to ask.
“I’m going to be honest with you all. I don’t care about helping Pagna or getting rid of Alter because of what they plan to do with it. My goal is the Golden Globe.”
“If Alter gets destroyed because of it, and Pagna becomes a better place, that is just a byproduct of what I’m doing.”
“Do you really think he needed to mention that?” Liam whispered to Simyon. “It seems like he just wants to keep reminding us that he’s not doing it for us.”
Simyon stepped on Liam’s foot and twisted it. Raze was saying it to make a clear distinction, to show how far he would go, and to make it clear he would go beyond what was necessary. He wanted to ensure no one had more expectations of him now or in the future.
If Pagna was in danger again by some other force, he wouldn’t care.
“On the island, I learned more about how Bofan’s magic works. Remember the cliffside in the Dark Faction Academy, linked to this area? That was a transportation spell created by Bofan,” Raze explained.
“I will be creating a new permanent one linked to the town hall here and the Dark Faction Academy.”
“That way, we can travel between the two areas with ease and share information between each other more efficiently. The first thing I want to do is speak with Amir, get information on how to use the Golden Globe, and make sure the Bonum Society wants to be in this fight as well.”
“It will give me an idea of how much time we will have.”
Raze was ready to get to work, but there was one more thing he wanted to tell Rayna. Dame had said that he would tell her the sad news after the meeting, but Raze also felt it was only right for him to be there.
That was until a man burst through the double doors of the room. Immediately, everyone turned to him, wondering who would interrupt the meeting.
“Young Master Dame and Young Miss Rayna! I am sorry for the intrusion!” the man said as he bent down on his knees. “But I have important news.”
The man quickly pulled out a scroll, where the sheet of paper was completely black. In an instant, Rayna knew what the scroll was for.
“I have come to inform you of the funeral date for Belil Narfous”
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Chapter 1072: An Easy Way
The intruder, as if there was no one else in the room, pulled out the black scroll and spread it wide, then began reading.
“The funeral of the Clan Leader, Belil Narfous, will take place in three days’ time, at midday. This invitation has carefully been handed out to the descendants of Belil and are first to be informed.”
The man closed the scroll, said nothing else, bowed down once again, and rushed out of the
room.
Raze didn’t really understand how customs worked in Pagna. There were many that had died, and he had even been to a few funerals because of what had occurred, but to have an entire ceremony?
‘It must be because of who he was,’ Raze thought. ‘I wonder who organized this-the elders in the clan, or the two brothers?’
“The other invitations will be sent out later,” Fixteen explained in a whisper. “There is no doubt they will ask every clan in the Demonic Faction to attend due to the importance of the individual.”
“This is more of a call to the descendants to gather and sort out matters before the big day.”
Raze was thankful for the context given, but what he and the others were more concerned about was Rayna’s reaction to the whole thing.
“This is how I find out?” she said with a small smile, lifting her head and looking into the air. “I don’t even know how to feel about it. Who could have even killed that monster? He was in no state where he was close to dying. He still would have had a long time to go… just what happened?”
“Rayna,” Dame called out. “I think it’s best if you head back to the Neverfall Clan to work things out.”
“Huh?” Rayna replied, somewhat snapping out of her thoughts. “What do you mean, just me alone? But I’m in charge of Flendon, and what about you? The invitation was for both of us.”
Waving his hand in front of his face, Dame was quick to reject the idea.
“I left the Neverfall Clan long ago. Your situation was different. It was something appointed by Belil. Besides, I couldn’t exactly stay calm in front of our two brothers. Unlike you, I think it’s best you go.”
“Me and Raze will look after the town of Flendon.”
It was clear Rayna wanted to reject the idea. She wanted to stay, and for more reasons than one. The situation didn’t feel real to her, and if she returned, she would be accepting it. But then another thought crossed her mind.
“You’re right, and this would be a good opportunity to help Raze as well,” Rayna answered. “All of the Demonic Faction will be gathered for the funeral. You said you wanted to ask them about helping us out with this fight against Alter.”
“What better place and time to ask that type of thing?”
Honestly, Raze couldn’t believe it. Even at a time like this, Rayna was still thinking about him. She was a kind-hearted person, which was why Raze felt worse that she ended up stuck with him.
‘Wait, with Belil gone, and the situation like it is, the political marriage doesn’t even make sense anymore. It’s not something we have to worry about,’ Raze thought. ‘For now, I guess it’s okay to just leave things as they are. There’s too much already going on.’
“Everyone here, we need to ask for whatever resources they have-Qi pills, weapons, artifacts, and power stones. I want the very best.”
“I want the Crimson Crane to be on the lookout for these things, and I want you to ask the clans for them as well.”
“What do you plan to do with them?” Alba asked.
“I plan to make weapons for everyone, weapons that are long overdue, and items. Right now, more than anything, I need strong, powerful materials to make items that will help you go up against Alter,” Raze explained. “Dame, I will provide you with an upgrade of your weapon first.”
“After that, I will give those in the Crimson Crane what is needed and go on from there.” Silently the entire time, staying in the corner and out of sight from the others, was Beatrix. She had changed clothing as soon as she entered the Demonic Faction-it attracted too much attention.
Covering herself, she hid in the corner, and since she had come with Raze, no one asked too many questions. They would have asked more if they had seen her face directly.
But she wondered, could she ask for a weapon from the Dark Magus? He did say that he owed her a favor, and with her strength right now, she wasn’t sure she could match up to Impress if she had to go head-to-head with her.
‘I’ll ask when there’s more time, just between the two of us.’
Before Rayna headed off, Dame asked to pull her to one side. He wanted to give her more details about her father and Raze before she reached her brothers. Not knowing how she would react, it was also something he wanted to do in private.
“Charlotte, I heard what happened. At some point, I want to talk to you as well, and make sure everything is okay. Why don’t you help me with the magic circle?” Raze smiled.
As everyone left to follow their orders, Raze decided it was time to get to work and begin on the magic transportation circle in the town hall.
Connecting the two areas together, this would be a more permanent one, usable at any time. He wanted the teleportation magic circles to work off power stones rather than magic. That way, there would be no need to wait for him to activate it, unlike before.
“It’s a shame that we can’t just go to Alterian right now,” Charlotte commented. “If we could, we could head to one of the guilds, take their power stones and enchanted items, and use them instead. Then we would have enough to take out Alter.”
Raze paused in the middle of his work.
‘Wait… I can do that. I can go to Alterian and do that,’ Raze thought.
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Chapter 1073: Trozone Trouble (Part 1)
Since returning from the others, Anna hadn’t really been doing much. It was usual for her to feel a little left out and, more often than not, even in the past when she was a part of Alter, she would go on missions alone.
Yet, she didn’t really have her place now. She knew Charlotte well from working together, but without Himmy leading them like they used to, the relationship between the two felt a little strained.
The bond, or what they had in common, was no longer there for them. Equally, although she had helped the young students, they were far too stupid at times for her to even talk to them for any length of time.
If she was honest with herself, those she got on with most were the Crimson Crane, but they already had their well-established group, having been clan members for a long time.
It was a bond she didn’t really know about.
“Hey!” Alba shouted as she walked down one of the streets of Flendon. The town hadn’t rested since the attack, and even more was going on.
On top of that, the city itself had been expanding, with more people wanting to move to the area due to the Dark Magus being in control.
Since he had protected them from a general attack from the city and Sha Mo, the Dark Magus felt untouchable. So Pagna warriors and regular citizens now felt like Flendon was one of the safest places for them to live.
“We were about to head over to the other clans to ask about the artifacts and items. Since you used to be part of Alter, I thought you might know which are best to head to,” Alba said. “So I was wondering if you wanted to come with us.”
“The clans? Those in the Demonic Faction?” Anna replied. “The larger clans have all been invited to the current event. I believe Rayna will have that under control.
“Besides, as an agent, we never really did explore the Demonic Faction much, so I wouldn’t be much help.”
Alba inwardly sighed. She had often seen Anna just roaming the streets, walking up and down doing nothing. She too had noticed how alone Anna had been and wanted to invite her along.
“Right, right, so I guess the Dark Faction would be better for you to head to. The teleporter that Raze has made is done, but he rushed off to do something else from the looks of things. So if you want to head to the Dark Faction, go ahead. I saw your friend enter as well.”
“Friend?” Anna replied.
“You know, the one that looks like you? His name was Zon, right?”
“Ah, the captain,” Anna replied. “I guess I should speak to him. If he headed to the Dark Faction, there must be an important matter, and I assume he has a lot on his mind.”
“Right, so why don’t you co-“
“Which is why I would be the perfect person to go and comfort him in his troubles. Thanks for the help.”
Before Alba could say anything else, she saw Anna strut right past her, heading straight for the town hall, leaving Alba herself to feel like maybe she was the lonelier one out of the group.
When Anna arrived, she noticed that things in the town hall had changed slightly. There had been some reconstruction to make the area bigger.
There was a general meeting hall, an area where citizens could voice their concerns. A strategist meeting room where they had gathered earlier in the day with the map of Pagna.
There was the second floor, filled with temporary rooms for them and others to stay in. When going to the more private sections of the town hall and following the signs, Anna eventually found the teleportation room of sorts.
She headed inside and could see the magic circle grooved permanently into the ground. Around it, the outside looked as if it had been painted over.
When she walked ahead, she noticed a large container, almost like a box filled with power stones, with a note written on top.
[Using the teleporter costs two power stones. Make sure you take four if you plan to go there and come back. There should be a box like this set up on the other side.]
[This teleporter takes you directly to the academy. Guards on the other side are aware of who is allowed to use the teleporter. If using power stones, please make sure to replace power stones in the crate, or you will be at the bottom of the list when creating weapons. -Dark Magus]
“These words say they’re from the Dark Magus, but it sounds more like they were written by that Fixteen guy. He seems like the type of cheap person who cares about a few low-level power stones.”
Anna did as told and took four power stones. She then walked into the center of the teleportation circle.
“Now what?”
The crystals in her hand started to glow brightly until they began to break down into small dust particles and fell to the floor. At the same time, the magic formation started to light up.
A bright light blocked her view, and when the light began to fade, she could see herself in a dark, gloomy, wooden-floored room.
“This is the Dark Faction that I remember,” Anna claimed. “Still, Raze made that magic circle fairly quickly, but he’s nowhere to be seen. I wonder where he went?”
“What could he even be doing anyway? Is he in the Dark Faction right now?”
Although Anna was somewhat curious, she was more focused on the captain. She hadn’t had a chance to speak to him much since he had returned.
Hearing about the troubles they had run into, there was a person that sounded a lot like someone she knew.
‘If that man really is Red… then I have a feeling I know why Zon is acting the way he is right now… I wonder if he’s decided what to do?’ Anna thought.
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