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*****
"Good evening, gentlemen!"
George offered a smile as he greeted the two arrivals.
It was glaringly obvious that the military was secretly purchasing large numbers of people to facilitate some grand, sinister plot—and behind the military stood the Loen Royal Family. George was well aware that within the Royal Family resided powerhouses at the level of Sequence One and Sequence Two.
If he were to directly seize the military demigod and perform a soul-searching ritual, it would undoubtedly trigger a massive conflict. At worst, he might find himself besieged by several high-level combatants. While he didn't necessarily fear such an encounter, it would be a tedious complication.
It was far more efficient to hand the investigation over to the Churches. Once they produced results, he could step in to assist with the fighting if needed. This way, he wouldn't be wasting his own time on the groundwork.
"George, what is the meaning of this?"
Crestet Cesalpino and Riedel Valentine stared at the mutilated forms of Hrast and his associates, who had been reduced to literal "human swine," then looked toward the villa where a stream of scantily clad young women were emerging. Their faces were etched with confusion and dawning horror.
George gestured toward Hrast and the others, giving a brief summary of the situation.
"I was out for a stroll tonight, hoping to catch a few cultists, but I stumbled upon a human trafficking ring instead."
"What did you say? These people belong to MI9?"
Upon hearing George's account, Crestet's expression darkened significantly, while Riedel's beard practically bristled with indignation.
The military's Beyonders had bypassed the Churches to secretly support human traffickers and conduct large-scale slave trading. It was an act of staggering audacity. As demigods who had climbed the Sequence ladder through countless supernatural incidents, they knew all too well that any endeavor requiring a massive influx of "population" was never anything good.
"Their superior seems to be a man named Selt," George added helpfully.
"Saint Selt!"
Crestet and Riedel exchanged a look, their expressions turning grave.
Spellsinger Selt was a demigod of the Loen military and a core Beyonder of the Royal Family's faction. If the situation could previously have been hand-waved as rogue military Beyonders using their authority for profit, the involvement of the Royal Family changed everything. The matter was no longer simple.
What exactly was the Royal Family's objective in smuggling so many people behind the Churches' backs?
"George, we will handle the follow-up. Thank you for your assistance," Crestet said. "Once you have finished digesting your potion, you can come to me for the Sequence 4 formula."
"If there are any missions involving the capture of Sequence 4 powerhouses, feel free to contact me at any time," George replied with a nod. He then transformed into a burst of flame and vanished from the spot.
The highest-ranking experts the Churches kept permanently stationed in Backlund were generally capped at Sequence 4. If they truly intended to apprehend a Saint, they would almost certainly require the help of someone like him—someone capable of exerting total dominance over a Sequence 4 opponent.
When that time came, he could use the opportunity to trade for the necessary Sequence 4 potion materials.
As for the advancement ritual—which required killing a Sequence 4 demigod or an equivalent supernatural creature in front of a large audience—that wouldn't be a problem. He would just need to be a bit "heavy-handed" during the fight. If he accidentally killed the Saint, it would be a perfectly reasonable outcome; after all, it was only natural to lose control of one's strength when battling a fellow demigod.
Upon returning home, George dismissed the Churches' ongoing investigation from his mind. Instead, he redirected his focus toward researching transformation magic.
He was currently prioritizing "Finding Magic." If Bernadette failed to find clues regarding the nameless island, he could simply use this magic to track it down himself.
However, he hadn't been studying long before he was interrupted.
Someone had come to visit his marionette, Jason, in the dead of night. It was the same mysterious individual who had originally commissioned Jason with the mission.
"You did not follow the plan!"
The mysterious man appeared silently in the room, his voice booming with authority.
George, controlling the marionette Jason, let out a chuckle. "Just tell me if the task was completed or not. You're not planning to stiff me on the payment, are you?"
"Naturally not. It is merely a Card of Blasphemy."
The mysterious man flicked a Tarot card infused with a strange, potent power toward him. George had Jason catch it and scanned the surface. It was indeed the Card of Blasphemy containing the potion formulas and detailed secrets for the entire Abyss pathway.
"Your strength is impressive," the man noted. He didn't leave immediately after Jason took the card. Instead, he seemed intent on recruitment. "If you are willing to continue working for us, we can provide you with the Beyonder materials for your subsequent Sequences."
He hadn't expected Jason's strength to far exceed his estimates. The man had actually managed to force his way into the Duke's manor and assassinate Duke Negan through sheer power, then successfully retreated even under the pursuit of the Church demigods.
With such capability, there would likely be many future tasks inconvenient for "them" to handle that could be outsourced to Jason.
"A tempting offer," George controlled Jason to say, eyeing the man up and down. "But I'm curious—who exactly are you people? Why did you want Duke Negan dead?"
Through his observations and spiritual perception, George could tell this man's energy fluctuations were around Sequence 5. As for which pathway... it was clear. Just like the men he had maimed at Capim's villa, this man belonged to the Arbiter pathway.
This confirmed his earlier suspicion: the man likely hailed from the military. The Royal Family likely wanted to eliminate Negan, the leader of the conservative faction, to leave them leaderless and pave the way for their reform policies.
"Because it is the choice of the era," the man replied with a face full of pious devotion. "He obstructed the development of the times and hindered the resurrection of the True Creator. Therefore, he had to die. As for us, you may call us the Twilight Hermit Order. We merely ensure that the tide of the era flows in its predetermined direction."
George froze for a moment after hearing the name. "The Twilight Hermit Order?"
Wasn't that the organization created by Adam? Roselle had once been a member. So, it wasn't just the Royal Family—Adam wanted Duke Negan dead. Or rather, Adam and the Royal Family were collaborating.
"Let's see for ourselves, then."
George's main body suddenly materialized in the room in a flash of fire, his hand reaching out toward the mysterious man.
"How are you here?!"
The man was shocked to see George. He reacted instantly, activating his abilities.
"Death!"
Powerful spiritual energy surged into his fist as he swung a heavy punch toward George's chest. The Sequence 5 of the Arbiter pathway was known as a "Punishment Knight." At this stage, the Beyonder's physical body received a massive enhancement. Coupled with a strike representing the concept of death, even a Sequence 4 would hesitate to take it head-on.
Unfortunately, he was facing George.
The fist slammed into George's body, but George didn't even blink. He completely ignored the impact. While the mysterious man looked like a full-grown adult compared to George's current appearance, their physical toughness was the exact opposite. To George, the man's punch felt like a toddler hitting a brick wall.
"Not good!"
Seeing his strike fail, the man tried to follow up, but he quickly realized his body was turning rigid. In the blink of an eye, he lost all control over his limbs.
"Soul Search!"
After turning the mysterious man into a marionette, George began rifling through his memories.
"He really is a member of the Twilight Hermit Order."
The man's name was Lockhart Sycamore. On the surface, he was Duke Negan's secretary and an expert sent by MI9 to protect him. In reality, he had long ago joined the Twilight Hermit Order, serving as their deep-cover mole.
(End of Chapter)