I pulled a dagger from my pocket and stabbed the picture in the middle.
The blade pierced through the mask in the photograph.
"I will take revenge for the Monkey King who killed the Legion and forced my entire bloodline to live in hiding.
"I’m going to taking everything from him, and I will start by killing his disciple first."
The table shook slightly from the impact.
Tomoe’s eyes sharpened instantly.
Her hand moved toward the katana at her waist.
But she stopped.
Everyone from the Pri Five was staring at her.
Tomoe belonged to the Exorcist Union.
The Monkey King was their strongest figure.
That made her my natural enemy.
She couldn’t attack now.
Not with so many dangerous people watching.
’She is going to wait until I go with one group.’
’At that mont, everyone except the group I choose will try to kill . She’ll make her move then,’ I thought.
I leaned back slightly.
"This is why I revealed myself. And now that I’ve told you my goal, let be clear. To reach that goal, I want resources."
I looked around slowly.
"So, ladies and gentlen, I’m going to join the group who gives the most incentives."
I already knew I would go with the System Church.
But they didn’t know that.
Before choosing, I had to squeeze out everything I could from them.
"Prince..." Serine from Broken Oath whispered. "You are not coming with us? But why—"
"I need resources to take my revenge," I said, cutting her off.
Her eyes dimd, and she lowered her head.
Nadar from the Nightforge Consortium spoke quickly.
"We can give you unlimited access to materials. As a chanic, your biggest limitation is always materials. But if you co with us, we’ll handle everything."
He leaned forward, eager.
Nightforge Consortium was rich.
Their pockets were deeper than anyone could think.
They supplied materials to all Pri Five organizations and many smaller illegal Exorcist factions.
Sotis even to Exorcist Clans through back channels.
Unlimited materials was no small offer.
The large ’Exorcist’ from New Order spoke next.
"We will give you protection with our strongest mbers."
His tone was confident.
New Order was filled with Cursed Spirits.
If they protected , I might get a Rank 3 or even a Rank 4 Cursed Spirit as a guard.
No Exorcist would dare get close to with that kind of protection.
The Nocthera Empire descendants looked down.
While they could match the offers, they couldn’t give it to — a Nocthera — due to the person leading their faction.
"We..." Velyra started, but she closed her mouth.
Everyone understood their silence.
I kept my face calm and neutral.
I didn’t respond yet.
Because I wanted more offers to co.
But before anyone else could speak, Yuna tugged lightly on my hair and whispered from her spot on my head.
"Lord of Shadows... that possessed woman has moved."
My fingers tightened slightly.
Everyone else kept talking.
But Yuna was the only one who could sense the shift.
I stayed alert while pretending to listen to the rest of the offers.
Unity spoke next, their two voices perfectly in sync.
"Caelum Nocthera, our Mother has spoken to us. We will grant you the designation number fifty-four.
"And if you prove your faith to us, we will upgrade your designation number to fourteen."
They were stiff and serious as they said it.
Designation number fifty-four ant I would receive a strong Rank 4 Exorcist body.
Joining Unity ant becoming part of their hive.
I would lose my individuality.
I would have to give up my own body.
In exchange, I could wear high-rank Exorcist bodies like clothes.
’Designation number fourteen... that’s a Rank 5 Exorcist body.’
A shortcut straight to power.
I kept my expression calm, but inside, I was thinking through the dangers.
Joining Unity was like accepting a corrupted immortality.
Tomoe didn’t say anything.
The other human Exorcist from the Exorcist Union also stayed silent.
Both watched everything with stiff shoulders.
Then Saint Mavrick from the System Church spoke in a steady tone.
"We will grant you access to the System. And we will also give you entry permissions to one of the production facilities of Legion."
A deadly silence spread across the room.
Every group turned to stare at him.
Access to the System alone was valuable.
But it ca with cost.
The access to a production facility of Legion was different.
It had no drawback, and it was sothing no sane person could ignore.
Even though Legion had been defeated thousands of years ago, so of his facilities were still active.
They kept producing machines day and night.
chas.
Weapons.
Automatons.
Missiles.
Orbital railguns.
And countless other creations.
Being able to enter even one of those facilities ant I could upgrade my chanic abilities rapidly.
I didn’t need knowledge, but the facility held enough materials to keep creating machines for over five thousand years.
I felt a small smile forming inside my mind.
’It was a good idea to pretend I would choose whoever offered the most benefits.’
’This will let upgrade my chanic Class quickly.’
The atmosphere changed.
Everyone realized I had chosen soone.
A fight was about to break out between factions.
Before anyone could speak again, the inn door opened.
Footsteps echoed across the wooden floor.
A tall figure stepped inside.
"I hope I am not late," the man said in a respectful voice.
He sounded polite, but his tone carried arrogance.
"Ah, and I also heard sothing interesting. Access to the System?
"Do not tell you wish to beco a half tin-can like those fools from that System Cult."
He walked in with slow steps.
He had black hair that fell to his shoulders.
He was taller than anyone here, easily over two ters.
His eyes were bright red like polished rubies.
A wave of pressure washed over the room.
It felt like a higher existence had stepped in.
The walls, the floor, even the air seed to bend slightly under his aura.
’A Rank 5 Vampire.’
My mind went into battle mode, preparing for a fight or flight instantly depending on the situation.
’It’s him.’
’Prince Valen Drakov.’
Everyone around the table reacted at the sa ti.
Chairs scraped.
Hands tightened on weapons.
Breathing grew uneven.
A Rank 5 Exorcist had walked in.
Not only that—
He was one of the Vampire Princes who ruled over a sizeable faction in Arica.
The shock on everyone’s face told they recognized him too.
"What is the aning of this?! You—"
"Silence," Valen said calmly.
His voice held no anger.
But the Exorcist from Broken Oath suddenly clutched her throat.
She opened her mouth but no sound ca out.
She went pale in fear.
The other Exorcists didn’t dare move.
One wrong gesture could get soone killed instantly.
Valen’s eyes moved toward .
He smiled in a polite way, like a noble greeting a guest.
"It is a pleasure to et you, young man," he said, still respectful. "I have heard about how you humiliated that sword-fanatic House by stealing their God.
"So, I thought to myself, perhaps I should invite you to work with ."
I looked at him carefully.
"I didn’t expect a Vampire Prince to co personally," I said.
He chuckled softly.
"The House Daelthorn has been causing trouble in my territory lately. Having you join my family would be quite the ssage to send back to them."
I kept staring at him.
"And if I refuse? Are you going to attack ?"
He laughed.
It was a warm, almost friendly laugh.
"Of course not," he said gently. "We are not thugs here. But do not worry. If you co with us, we will fulfill all your needs. Power, won, materials. Whatever you desire shall be delivered to you."
He spoke politely, as if offering a simple business deal.
I stayed silent.
Inside, I was trying to find a way out of the situation.
A Rank 5 Exorcist was too dangerous for to deal with right now.
Valen took a mont to look around the table.
His expression shifted slightly.
"Hmm. I see. We have quite a few pests here. No wonder the air slls unpleasant. Perhaps it is better if we remove these pests first."
The Exorcists stiffened.
"We’ve already inford our people about your presence. If you attempt anything—"
"Be gone," Valen said softly.
The Unity twins tried to stand.
The Nightforge Exorcists reached for their weapons.
Serine from Broken Oath gasped.
But it was already too late.
Valen waved his hand.
The air cracked.
In the next instant, the Exorcists from Nightforge Consortium exploded into blood mist.
A burst of red fog sprayed across the room.
The Unity twins were blown apart a second later.
Broken Oath’s Exorcist turned into a cloud of blood mid-scream.
Even the Exorcist Union mber who ca with Tomoe vanished into red mist.
Only the mbers of the System Church and New Order survived.
Their bodies were not made of flesh, so Valen’s ability didn’t affect them.
The inn fell into chaos.
Crewmates scread.
So ran for the door.
Others pulled out weapons in blind panic and pointed them at Valen.
He slowly breathed in.
Then smiled.
"Ah, that is much better. The air feels a little fresher now," he said quietly.
His voice was polite.
His eyes were not.
He turned to Tomoe and narrowed his gaze.
"How curious. How are you still alive?" he asked.
He snapped his fingers.
Tomoe didn’t die.
Valen raised an eyebrow.
He looked her up and down.
"You are not a human, are you? Perhaps a Cursed Spirit hiding inside this body?" he asked calmly.
Before he could finish, I was already moving.
My hand slipped inside my pocket.
I grabbed the Desert Eagle, pulled it and aid.
’Damn it. He had to expose her now of all tis.’
Ti slowed down for under danger.
Tomoe’s expression changed.
She beca expressionless.
Now caught, she no had no need to fake human expressions.
I pointed the gun at her head.
She looked at the Desert Eagle first.
Then at Valen.
Then back at .
In the world that seed to be moving in slow motion to , she alone was moving at normal speed.
Her eyes turned black.
From them, black hands ca out and ford a hand sign.
She opened her mouth.
The jaw stretched in an unnatural way.
"Domain—"
I pulled the trigger.
The bullet fused with Positive Energy ripped through her tongue and burst out the back of her throat.
Blood splattered.
She jerked from the impact.
I lunged forward.
I shoved my arm into her mouth, forcing it down her throat.
’I can’t let her activate the domain!’
’It’s Rank 4!’
’We’ll die!’
Her body shook violently as I held her jaw open.
I didn’t let her speak, and aid once again, this ti at her eye.
Valen and Saint Maverick were already moving, intending to purge its entire body.
But the air above her head twisted.
Sothing ford there.
A mouth.
A tongue.
A throat made of solidified air.
Before our attacks landed—
The floating mouth spoke calmly.
"Domain Expansion."
Everything turned completely black.
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