Adam lowered His eyes at Evah's words. "A new Red Priest rising isn't bad for this era. Handing the Conqueror characteristic to you is the best choice for everyone."
"What if I don't trade it to Medici?" Evah asked, curious.
"That's your freedom," Adam said, pausing before meeting Evah's gaze. "But for you, trading it to Medici is one way to maximize your gain."
"Haha, classic Adam answer," Evah laughed, dropping the topic.
Of course he'd trade it to Medici—just not yet. It was too valuable a chip, and even Evah needed to figure out how to milk it for all it was worth.
But where'd this Conqueror characteristic come from? The Loen royal family's stash?
Evah was curious but didn't dwell on it. Having asked his question, he didn't linger. Using his travel ability, he brought the puppetized Ince Zangwill to Blackthorn Security Company.
Inside Blackthorn, the Nighthawks' boss battle against the True Creator's spawn was halfway done, and the place was a wreck.
The small building that housed Blackthorn Security Company was nearly rubble. Megose and the True Creator's spawn, who should've dominated, were up against a stacked deck: Leonard, backed by his mysterious old man; Klein, wielding high-level Sun pathway charms and Source Fort's power; and Dunn, nearly Sequence 6 and boosted by Saint Selena's Ashes.
The poor spawn hadn't even fully manifested before learning what it meant to face a team of cheaters. It got pummeled into its second phase.
The second-phase boss was no pushover. Leonard, after landing a hit with a stolen "Blasphemous Word," took a targeted strike and blacked out.
Megose seized the chance to finish him, but Dunn blocked her with Saint Selena's Ashes. Klein, meanwhile, prepped his last Sun Flame Charm.
But before he could act, things shifted. A piercing "Waa—" of an infant's cry rang out. The spawn's power not only dispelled Saint Selena's Ashes but hit Klein and Dunn with an AOE attack, leaving them reeling. The battle was about to flip.
As Megose was moments from breaking free and the spawn's birth loomed, Dunn's eyes hardened. Without hesitation, he raised his hand to rip out his heart, aiming to further activate Saint Selena's Ashes.
But just as his fingers neared his chest, a hand shot out, grabbing his arm and stopping him.
"Losing a heart's not a dealbreaker, but I'm no good at healing skills. It'd be a hassle."
A stranger's voice sounded nearby, low and pleasant, laced with faint amusement.
Dunn turned, stunned, and met a pair of golden eyes shining like sunlight. They carried a light smile, and as Dunn looked, the figure quirked his lips into a grin.
This… Mr. Lucifer?
Dunn recognized him instantly. Though he'd never seen a photo, Old Neil had sketched Lucifer's portrait using ritual magic, and this man matched perfectly.
The next second, Dunn saw Lucifer, who'd just smiled at him, glance at Megose and the spawn, frowning as if annoyed.
"So noisy."
His golden eyes locked onto theirs. The spawn, screaming "Waa-waa—" moments ago, fell silent, its aura weakening drastically, clearly dealt a heavy blow.
"Guess I'll deal with you first. You're just a pawn, but as a key prop, you deserve a proper curtain call."
Dunn heard Lucifer say calmly. Then, darkness fell—not the Night pathway's darkness, but one steeped in an unshakable aura of death, cold and damp. Dunn felt like he'd been tossed into a river, shivering involuntarily.
The darkness lasted only a moment. When it lifted, Dunn saw the spawn was gone. Lucifer, who'd been beside him, was now crouching nearby, holding a white cloth. He draped it over the ground, and Dunn realized a body lay there.
Megose's body.
"Bury her properly. She was forced onto this stage, but since she's played her part, she deserves a fitting end," Evah said, standing and addressing Dunn gently.
"The Nighthawks will handle the aftermath, including the burial and consoling the family," Dunn replied almost instinctively, visibly tense.
"No need to be so nervous. I don't bite," Evah said with a chuckle, his gaze shifting to Klein. "We meet again, Klein. Told you we'd see each other soon."
Klein suddenly recalled what Azik had mentioned—Lucifer's words. He said, "You knew this would happen, didn't you? That's why you said… he stepped onto a stage that wasn't his."
The "he" was Jack, of course. Klein avoided the name, mindful of Dunn's presence.
Evah smiled at that, neither confirming nor denying, and turned to Dunn, gesturing to the puppetized Ince Zangwill he'd brought along. "A gift. Hope you like it."
"This… Ince Zangwill?" Dunn only now noticed the puppet, tensing instinctively before realizing Ince's state was off.
He looked at Evah, piecing together the "gift" comment, and cautiously asked, "Your Highness Lucifer, could you explain what's happened to Ince Zangwill?"
"Every incident in Tingen lately stems from him. This is the story he wrote for you. Gotta say, it's trash," Evah said, as if recalling something. He pulled out a notebook and tossed it to Dunn, who caught it and skimmed a few pages, his face darkening.
Klein couldn't help but lean in to read. The notebook revealed the source of some of the coincidences plaguing him these past two months.
Only some… Klein gave a wry smile internally, looking at Luciferiel with a mix of gratitude and dread.
He didn't dare imagine what today would've become without his fellow transmigrator's intervention.
(End of Chapter)
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