Laws of the Hunt

by lilipadd

For offline purposes only :)

9. Hide and seek

The test to determine the person who would become the next ruler of the Empire.

The Garden of the Stars where the candidates for the test gather…

There were numerous palaces surrounding the garden at the center and the candidates resided with their helpers in these palaces.

"…Your Royal Highness."

Second Imperial Princess Olivia.

She had returned alive from Precinct 9 out in the western part of the Empire. Her body that almost died still had some internal injuries that had yet to recover, but she was able to move around a bit and use a portion of her necromancer abilities.

'They're empty.'

The First Imperial Prince Palace and the Fourth Imperial Prince Palace… They were both empty.

One of the candidates, who had been in the garden, quickly turned his head away after making eye contact with her.

However, there was a sneer on his face.

"Tsk."

Imperial Princess Olivia clicked her tongue.

'They must see me as a failure now.'

The First Imperial Prince, who was a strong contender, along with the Fourth Imperial Prince, who was determined to be quite skilled, and the former mercenary, Zero, went missing in the polluted lands of Precinct 9.

"…They died?"

However, most people believed that they were dead.

'And although the Imperial Palace never announced it, the rumor is spreading beyond the capital to all over the Empire?'

The Imperial Palace also didn't seem to be trying to stop the rumors.

In fact, they revealed a list of missing individuals and gave a rough explanation of the Imperial candidate test.

This was normal, as if it was not announced live; it was always announced afterward like this.

Of course, a lot less was revealed than usual.

The effects were nonetheless shocking.

'His Royal Highness passed away during the test?'

A lot of comments came about how the most likely candidate to become the next Emperor had died.

'Thanks to that, the incident where the House of Huayans was attacked has quieted down.'

The news that the citizens of the Empire had been talking a lot about was buried by this more shocking news. Of course, Olivia was certain about something.

'The Imperial Palace and the Emperor will be more focused on the attack on the House of Huayans than the death of his own children.'

The Second Imperial Princess frowned.

'The Emperors of each generation turned the dead candidates into undeads and controlled them as their subordinates?'

Olivia clenched her eyes shut after recalling the terrible truth that she had heard.

The Capital and over half of the Empire still did not know the truth about the 'black tree' and the 'purification.' They prevented the people of Precinct 9 from saying anything under the justification of their investigation while keeping things quiet at the capital.

It was simply known as an incident where they were investigating the black rain in Precinct 9 and ran into a large mutant monster that resulted in the noble sacrifices from the deceased in order to protect the wall.

'It is cleverly different from the truth.'

It was highly likely that it was the Imperial Palace that spread this twisted rumor.

Olivia had seen the pure white sand desert through the video recording device.

No rumors had spread at all about that purified land.

She noticed another candidate make eye contact with her and ignore her before turning her head.

Click.

She closed the window.

Olivia was being praised by the Imperial citizens as the person who informed others about the monster with her life on the line while the candidates were treating her like dregs.

All of her helpers were dead and her body was in terrible condition.

"Why-"

She started to speak again.

"Why didn't you inform people about the whole truth?"

She looked toward a corner of the now dark room. She was looking at a white-haired green eyed person wearing a white priest robe. The area underneath his nose was covered by a white cloth.

She walked over with her crutches to stand in front of the person she was calling her healer in order to have him stay in her palace.

"Oh esteemed purifier. Please answer."

The green eyes curled up.

Cale opened his mouth to speak.

"The truth is being spread right now. It is just under the surface."

He had handed the Pope a video recording device and ordered her to spread the truth.

However, they could not inform people about everything from the beginning. One false move and the House of Huayans and the Imperial Palace's hostility would be immediately focused on the church.

"…Are you informing people about things one by one?"

Cale gently nodded his head at the Second Imperial Princess' question.

"The truth will slowly spread from outside the Empire to inside the Empire and then to the capital."

The smile had disappeared from his face and he spoke with a stoic look on his face. Of course, Olivia could not see that.

"…The Purifier has come. That is probably how it will spread."

"…."

Olivia turned away from Cale.

She walked over to the couch and sat down.

"Mm."

She let out a short groan. Her body was not fully recovered yet.

She nonchalantly asked a question.

"Are you keeping an eye on me?"

"Protecting you."

"With the Dragon-nim?"

Crunch crunch.

Raon, who was on Olivia's bed eating cookies, opened his eyes wide. He waved his front paw as soon as he made eye contact with Olivia and asked.

"Hey Imperial Princess, do you want some too?"

"…That's okay, Dragon-nim."

"Really! Okay! Just let me know if you want any!"

Olivia brushed her face with both hands.

"I have no idea how things are progressing."

Cale sat down across from Olivia and gracefully responded.

"You're already aware of everything though, aren't you, your Royal Highness?"

"Pffft."

Olivia let out a short chuckle. She responded.

"The second test starts tomorrow."

"Furthermore, you are currently tied for first place, your Royal Highness."

"Pffft."

Olivia let out another chuckle.

After the first test, there were three people who were tied for first place without considering the missing First Imperial Prince and Fourth Imperial Prince.

"Heni Wishrop, Zero, and I. The three of us are tied for first place."

However, the other candidates were looking down on these three.

"People who are tied for first place but have lost their arms and legs. It is understandable why they consider you to be losers."

Heni Wishrop had lost two of her subordinates.

Zero and Olivia had lost all of their subordinates.

Furthermore, Olivia was not fully recovered yet.

She was the biggest loser of the three of them.

The candidates who remained in Precinct 9 and did not participate in the black tree attack team were not being praised but they all felt as if they were closer to the position of Emperor and were looking forward to the next test.

"Oh esteemed Purifier… There is something I am curious about."

"Please speak, your Royal Highness."

Olivia asked the Purifier who was cleaning a splendid mirror.

"…What excuse did Heni Wishrop and Zero give?"

Cale lightly responded.

"They had to give their statements to the Huayans patriarch's subordinate since he immediately returned to the capital."

"That must have made things easier."

"Yes ma'am. It definitely was easy. Although he did use some black magic that forced them to tell the truth."

Raon interjected at that moment.

"But our Goldie gramps made it useless!"

Olivia's pupils started to shake.

'If the patriarch left him to get the testimony, he should have been a highest-grade black mage. They were able to turn that person's black magic useless?"

She came up with the answer to her question quickly.

'I guess it makes sense since he is a Dragon.'

The Dragon with the golden dust wrapped around him…

Anybody other than the Huayans patriarch would find it difficult to go against him.

He was a supposedly extinct existence from their imagination. The strength of the Dragon was most likely beyond Olivia's wildest imaginations.

She could see Cale's mouth open.

"Anyway, the two of them said that they were recovering the corpses from the rear and blocking attacks from some vines and branches when they got swept up by a sudden red pillar of light that burst out from the central region."

"…."

"And they were in a white sand desert when they woke back up."

"…And they accepted that story?"

Cale looked at Olivia with an expression that seemed to be asking why she was asking that kind of question.

"They obviously did not since there are people keeping surveillance on the two of their palaces right now?"

"…When you put it that way… I guess so."

The Huayans subordinate thought that his black magic worked, but the patriarch had placed people to keep an eye on the palaces after hearing the report.

"I'm being watched as well."

"…You seem to be quite free for someone being watched."

"It is pretty safe because this identity was procured by the Pope-nim."

Cale was acting as a priest of a different religion.

It was a religion that was popular not in the Empire but in other nations but there were a few temples in the Empire as well. Thanks to that, he was able to stay in this palace at Olivia's request.

Of course, Cale staying in this palace could have been allowed so that the Huayans patriarch could keep an eye on him.

'But so what?

What the hell can he find out by keeping an eye on me?

And if he finds things out?

We'll just fight it out.'

Of course, there was one thing he had to do before they fought.

"By the way…"

Olivia's voice was shaking.

"…In the basement of the Emperor's Palace, are there really the candidates who have participated in the test-"

She stopped for a moment.

She clenched her hands that were shaking.

The Emperor. The Emperor's palace where her Royal Father resided… In her Royal Father's bedroom…

"Is it true that the corpses of all of the candidates are there?"

"To be more accurate, they are not corpses but undeads."

Olivia clenched her eyes shut at Cale's calm response.

"Such despicable-!"

The identity of the black tree, the truth hidden beneath the surface of this Imperial heir test…

Olivia hated the Imperial Palace after learning about everything.

"…I want to destroy it."

Cale slightly flinched after hearing her mumble in a low voice.

'Everybody here wants to destroy everything.'

Cale felt as if he saw Olivia's true personality, but he ignored it. Olivia had decided to help Cale.

That was the only important thing.

Instead, Cale thought about something First Imperial Prince Sanders had said.

'The candidates who have turned into the undead are in the Emperor's Palace's basement.

There was another truth that he had not told Olivia about.

'…The former Emperors are there as well.'

Even the Emperors had turned into undeads.

The First Imperial Prince had sighed when asked about how he knew that.

'Coincidence.'

It clearly felt as if it was not a coincidence but Cale had not pushed the issue.

'Something's off.'

Cale was uneasy about that Emperor's Palace basement.

The reason was simple.

The moment the final host is born, we will complete this great work of 300 years.

The final host.

It obviously sounded like the heir who would be determined by this test.

And the Emperors of every generation had controlled the undeads. They were all hosts of sorts.

"Oh Purifier."

Cale heard Olivia's low voice while he was deep in thought.

"When will we be heading to the Emperor's Palace?"

"I'm not sure."

Cale looked at the divine item mirror in his hand.

Buuzz.

The divine item was vibrating gently but there were no messages on it. Cale gently rubbed it.

Buzzzz. Buuzz.

The divine item vibrated some more but Cale ignored it.

He raised his head.

His face reflected on the closed window.

'I definitely look holy.'

Cale had borrowed the hair color and eye color of someone who had been called a noble Guardian Knight.

– Human, Clopeh Sekka does not smile like that! That guy's outer appearance seemed more like a Saint than even the Saint! Smile more like a good person!

Cale listened to Raon's advice and tried his best to smile like Saint Jack.

Olivia flinched after seeing that naïve smile on his face.

– D, don't s, smile like that! I don't think that is right!

Cale ignored Raon's comments and started to speak.

"The time should be determined once we find out about the second test."

The next day, Cale was looking at the Chief of Staff while standing behind Imperial Princess Olivia in the Garden of the Stars.

The Chief of Staff had a gentle smile on his face as he stood at the center of the garden.

However, nobody other than him was smiling.

"Mm."

Some of the candidates let out deep groans.

Cale turned his gaze.

– This is entertaining.

The ancient Dragon's voice echoed in his mind.

Mary, who was here once again as Heni Wishrop… Eruhaben was standing next to her. A black Hawk was sitting on Mary's arm, looking at the paper in Mary's hand.

"Huuuuuu."

Cale turned to look at the paper in Second Imperial Princess Olivia's hand after hearing her sigh.

The stiff and fancy invitation had the contents of this next test.

"The second test focuses on determination."

The Chief of Staff gently continued to speak.

"The ability to make a rational judgment, no matter how cold-hearted, is one of the greatest virtues that the next sun of the Empire must have."

The name of the second test was, Hide and Seek .

"The location is within the capital."

The Hide and Seek would take place within the entire capital.

"The groups listed on there are evil beings trying to put not just the Empire but the continent into chaos."

Two names on the list of groups stood out to Cale.

The Fire of Purification

Agents of Destruction

The corners of Cale's lips curled up.

'They're using their brains quite a bit.'

The Huayans patriarch and the Imperial Palace were acting quite smart.

The Chief of Staff continued to speak.

"And those evil beings exist within the capital as well. The discerning eye to locate these leeches pretending to be good while living in the capital. The sense of judgment and determination through this. That is what this test is focusing on."

The Chief of Staff started to smile.

"Capture them."

He pointed past the shoulders of the candidates.

His hand was pointing at the entrance to the Imperial Palace.

"The esteemed individual who receives the highest score will get first place. The people who place first, second, and third will receive small advantages heading into the third test."

The smile disappeared from the Chief of Staff's face.

He then spoke in a low voice.

"You will only receive points if you bring them back alive."

He then added on.

"And the wicked people you capture will be publicly executed."

The Chief of Staff smiled again.

The corners of Cale's lips that were covered by the white cloth curled up in a twisted manner as well.

---

"The duration is for one week."

The second test, this Hide and Seek, will last for one week.

"You just need to capture the targets and bring them back before the public execution in a week. The contents of the test will be revealed to the entire Empire after this and anybody will be able to attend the public execution without any restriction."

Zero scoffed and then mumbled.

"This is crazy."

This test was crazy.

"…Public execution?"

Second Imperial Princess Olivia scowled.

Cale looked around. There was an eccentric heat of passion rising through the heavily sunken air. The candidates and their helpers were all warily looking at each other, unable to release the stiff looks on their faces.

The Chief of Staff was the only one smiling.

"The test will start one hour from now. Best of luck to end up in the top of the rankings."

The Chief of Staff said something to make them disperse and then stopped talking.

Nobody was talking. They were all warily looking at one another before one person made a move and they all quickly headed back to their palaces.

– Human, Mary is going!

The first person to leave the place was Mary, or Heni Wishrop. Eruhaben was behind her.

– Cale, it looks like we will need to chat.

Cale slightly nodded his head so that it would not be noticed by others after hearing Eruhaben's voice.

Zero was mixed in with the crowd that was leaving.

Cale saw something as that all happened. He saw the Chief of Staff's gaze heading toward Mary and Zero.

'…They haven't put down their suspicions.'

Zero and Mary were the only survivors of the incident in Precinct 9. The Imperial Palace was still suspicious of the two of them.

And with them was naturally…

"Your Royal Highness."

Olivia. The Chief of Staff started to speak to the Second Imperial Princess, the only person still standing in the garden.

"You must hurry, your Royal Highness."

"…Chief."

"Yes, your Royal Highness."

Olivia, who had called out to the Chief of Staff in a low voice, raised her slightly lowered head.

"Do you really think that a public execution makes any sense?"

There were small flames in her eyes.

"Your Royal Highness, the groups listed on there are to be immediately executed when found anyway."

"…Who came up with this?"

The Chief of Staff looked at Olivia as if he was confused at her question.

"This test naturally has the will of his Majesty. Why would you think it would not, your Royal Highness?"

Olivia quietly observed the Chief of Staff before turning around. The Chief of Staff spoke to her again.

"You know that you cannot keep the priest-nim next to you as a helper, right your Royal Highness?"

The Chief of Staff made eye contact with the priest who had the area under his eyes covered by a cloth. The priest lowered his head in an extremely elegant and bright expression on his face.

Olivia responded without even looking back. Her voice was low.

"…I know at least that much."

She then left without any hesitation toward her palace.

Cale matched her pace as he followed behind her.

Olivia did not say anything until she returned to the palace. Furthermore, she kept her mouth shut even after entering this palace. That made the approaching attendants urgently look away.

That was how stiff Olivia's face was right now.

Click.

Olivia headed toward the window after entering the bedroom.

Chhhhhhhhh.

She opened the curtains.

Click.

Cale walked in after her and closed the door before Raon commented in his mind.

– Casting the soundproof barrier magic!

Olivia opened her mouth at that moment.

"Has the sound been sealed?"

"Yes, your Royal Highness."

She closed the curtains again. The Garden of the Stars… This place was full of life again.

Olivia did not like that. She stared at the curtains with a piercing gaze as she spoke.

"This test is unbelievable.

Ha."

A short laugh came out of her mouth.

"Finding the people on the list is determination?"

She turned around. She continued to speak once she made eye contact with Cale. Her voice subconsciously became louder.

"It will definitely be a field of lunacy!"

The capital and the Empire were currently full of anxiety and chaos.

The death of the most likely heir and others, the threat aiming for Precinct 9, and the attack on the Huayans Estate… All of these reasons led to people being anxious.

Of course, that anxiety had calmed down a bit based on how the Imperial Palace was proceeding with the second test as if nothing had happened.

"A public execution at a time like this?! It is obvious that all of the arrows will be pointed there!"

Olivia bit down on her lips.

"…Revealing the contents of the test would mean that the list is revealed as well. People will implicitly believe that the people on the list are the criminals responsible for all of this."

There was also another problem.

"One week? They're going to do all of this in one week? That makes no sense."

Olivia covered her eyes with one hand.

Even if there was someone who was suspected of being a member of a group on the list, they needed to do some investigation to confirm whether that person was truly associated with the group. Furthermore, the severity of their punishment would depend on the things they have done as a member of the group.

'Most importantly, are the groups on this list even actually guilty?'

She got chills.

She had not thought much about the people who had been immediately executed until now.

'Why do they have to die?'

There was no reason for them to die.

If anything, this Imperial Palace and the House of Huayans should die.

Although she was a member of the Imperial family, that was what Olivia thought.

"The fact that they want to take care of all of this in a week… This is basically saying that anybody they bring will be killed without asking any question or a proper investigation…"

Her voice slowly lost strength.

"…The people who want the position of Emperor will not care about anything and will bring as many people back as possible to rank in the top. A lot of them might be innocent and there is no guarantee that a group on that list has committed any crimes-"

Her voice slowly started shaking.

Her voice sounded as if she was feeling a sense of disillusionment. The fingertips of the hand covering Olivia's eyes were shaking.

She started to imagine it.

She kept thinking about it despite not wanting to do so.

The central plaza…

The people surrounding the public execution area made in that large space… Those people shouting for the people captured to be quickly killed…

She could also see the Huayans patriarch, no, her Royal Father, standing on top of the platform giving the order to kill those people.

She imagined herself watching all of it as well.

"…Oh Purifier."

She lowered her hand.

The small flame in her eyes had gotten bigger. Her eyes were burning fiercely unlike her tired voice.

"I absolutely cannot watch this test come to fruition."

She realized something while she was on bed rest healing.

She realized how weird this test to select the next Emperor has always been.

'So many people died because of these tests in the last 300 years.'

The fact that an Imperial candidate died meant that the people following them had died as well.

"…But we saw it as a festival."

In this perishing world, in this world that was slowly getting more and more polluted, people saw this test as a festival and enjoyed it.

And there were always people willing to participate in the test with the desire to become the best.

She thought to herself.

'Is this really the right thing to do?

It wouldn't even be enough if all of the talented individuals who have participated in these tests worked together to protect this world.'

"…Oh Purifier."

Olivia's voice was weak and shaky.

"What should I do?"

She looked at the Purifier who was standing silently. White hair and green eyes… It was different from his appearance that she knew, but she remembered the flame he had summoned in the darkness.

It was different from a gently glowing light.

That red light felt as if it would swallow everything, glowing on its own consumed the darkness.

Olivia wanted to ask this person, the one who not only shone brightly but also allowed the people around him to feel that light with him, for an answer.

Shh.

At that moment, the Purifier undid the cloth covering his face from underneath his eyes.

"…!"

Olivia could see that he was smiling. However, the smile felt odd and creepy.

His eyes that were smiling…

Those green eyes looked red for a moment.

They looked like the fire he had summoned.

"Your Royal Highness."

The Purifier calmly started to speak.

His voice was the same as usual, not shaking in the slightest.

He asked in a calm voice as if he was just asking where they were going to go for lunch.

"What do you want to do?"

He asked Olivia.

Olivia knew that this was a time to answer honestly and carefully.

That was why she answered without any hesitation.

"I want to put an end to all of this."

She then continued.

"And then I want to raise it up again properly."

Cale thought for a moment while listening to her quiet but firm voice.

– Human, is there a need to get all the way to the third test?

Raon asked in Cale's mind.

Sacrifice.

Host.

Karma.

Multiple words floated around in Cale's mind.

His contemplation did not even last a minute. However, that was enough.

It was not the enemy but Cale who was one step ahead right now.

He looked at Olivia once again.

"Your Royal Highness."

His voice was extremely lighthearted and calm. However, Olivia's heart was beating wildly as this voice called out to her.

She was extremely nervous.

'The Purifier is someone who is only here for a moment and will leave.

Is it okay to rely on him like this?'

In some ways, it was acceptable to lean on him because he was someone who was going to leave. She could work with him.

'Although I don't really have anything of value to offer this partnership.'

However, the Purifier would not try to rule this land since he is someone who will eventually leave.

Honestly speaking, Olivia found the Purifier's fire to be more marvelous and scarier than the Huayans or the Imperial family. It made her think of a god.

She looked at the Purifier.

She would not avoid those green eyes.

She could see a gentle smile appearing on Cale's face. The Purifier started to speak just as she realized that it was a smile of satisfaction.

"As you wish, your Royal Highness."

They would do as Olivia wanted.

"There will be no third test."

Olivia started to smile after hearing what he said after that.

"And in a week… Let's flip it all over."

Turn it upside down.

Cale immediately gave some orders once he made up his mind.

"Is that really true, Pope-nim?"

"Yes. The esteemed Purifier has said so."

The Pope calmly shared the will of the Purifier to the core individuals of the Church of the Fire of Purification who were with her.

"We will all be captured and head to the public execution ground in a week."

The Pope's gaze headed toward an individual silently sitting to one side. He was giving off a mysterious elegance while just sitting there.

No, to be more specific, it was a gentle level of Dragon Fear.

This great and mighty existence had been in a bad mood since returning from Precinct 9.

"The Dragon will lead us."

Eruhaben just responded by nodding his head slightly.

He was thinking about what Cale had said.

'Eruhaben-nim, the Huayans patriarch and the Emperor will both supposedly be at the public execution ground. They are playing such a strong hand so we should do the same. Don't you agree?"

Eruhaben started to smile.

He had properly understood Cale's words.

'If the enemy is going to play a strong hand, he thinks we should just flip the playing field upside down.'

He closed his eyes while sensing the solemn mood of the members of the Church of the Fire of Purification

At the same time, Zero was smiling while looking at the black Hawk that had come to his palace.

"You want me to bring all of the Agents of Destruction into the public execution ground?"

"Yeah."

"All of them captured?"

"You can decide on the method as you wish."

The black Hawk's red eyes looked at Zero.

The black Hawk could see the lunacy behind Zero's eyes. But an eccentric look of passion was covering it up. The corners of Zero's lips curled up as if his whole body was itchy and he was just waiting for that moment to arrive.

However, he did not laugh.

The black Hawk found this to be odd.

"Okay. How can I not follow the orders of the Purifier?"

Zero looked directly at the black Hawk as he continued to speak.

"Go tell him."

Although the black Hawk had only told him to bring the Agents of Destruction, Zero could sort of guess the true meaning behind those words.

"Tell him that the moment we appear is the moment of destruction."

Although Zero was calling Cale the Purifier and spoke as if Cale was in a position of power… The intense desire that could not be hidden behind the lunacy was giving Cale a warning.

He was telling Cale to do it properly.

The black Hawk started smiling.

"How entertaining."

The black Hawk moved to the window and his red eyes curled up.

"Zero."

It was the voice of a young boy but years of experience could be felt in that voice for some odd reason.

The black Hawk calmly spoke to the man who was openly showing this lunacy in his eyes.

"You are not the one who will choose the time."

Zero's eyes opened wide at that moment.

"Keke, kahahaha-!"

Loud laughter soon burst out of his mouth.

"Yes, yes indeed."

He nodded his head before speaking to the black Hawk in a more lighthearted voice.

"Please take good care of us."

The black Hawk chuckled instead of responding and flew out the window.

One corner of Zero's lips curled up as he watched the black Hawk fly away.

His gaze headed toward Imperial Princess Olivia's palace.

The curtains were currently shut and he could not see inside.

Olivia had sealed off the room to take in the Purifier's words.

"…Oh Purifier, do you really mean that?"

"Yes, your Royal Highness."

Cale started to smile.

– Human, you look like the crazy Clopeh! Not just Clopeh but crazy Clopeh!

Cale slightly flinched at Raon's comment but he did his best to ignore it and put on the holiest smile he could muster.

"Your Royal Highness, it will be used in the execution ground in a week."

If the Huayans and the Imperial Palace use the strongest hand they could to cause chaos…

Olivia asked in a shaking voice.

"…W, will you use the power of a g, god?"

"Yes ma'am."

Cale was planning on using a power that could get rid of that chaos.

---

"I will be using that power."

Cale could not get himself to call the Fire of Destruction the power of a god.

– …Cheer up, Cale.

He did his best to ignore the Super Rock consoling him. Cale just thought about it in a relaxed manner.

'I'll be leaving this world anyway, so it doesn't matter whether they see me as the purifier or whatever.

I just need to take care of things properly.'

Cale decided to think about it as lightheartedly as possible.

– Human, that expression just now seemed more like the crown prince's expression than your usual smile!

He did his best to let Raon's comment in one ear and out the other.

He spoke to Olivia instead.

"I will let you know the overall plan, so I hope that you can move accordingly, your Royal Highness."

"…Okay."

Olivia had noticed how the Purifier was reluctant to show himself. She knew how big it was that he had chosen to reveal himself.

That was why she was willing to move according to his will.

She was willing to do so even though she was not fully recovered.

"And there is something we must do during this next week."

Olivia's shoulders tensed after hearing the Purifier's solemn voice.

"What is it?"

She then thought about what would happen at the public execution ground in a week.

It was different from her original imagination.

The Agents of Destruction and the Church of the Fire of Purification… The Purifier revealing himself in between them…

Olivia and the people loyal to her would be with them.

How would that crazed sight she had initially imagined change?

She got chills for a completely different reason now.

'I'll do it.'

She made up her mind.

'I'll do whatever it takes.'

She would do anything for the image in her mind to become reality.

The Purifier started to speak.

"We need to loot the Emperor's Palace."

Silence filled the area for a moment.

"…."

Olivia could not say anything.

– Human, I knew that you wouldn't waste your time! Yes, a week is plenty of time to loot the Emperor's Palace! Alright! How exciting! Will we all be going?

Cale focused not on the excited Raon but the silent Olivia's shaking pupils before wondering why she was reacting like this and continuing to speak.

"Do you remember the information that the First Imperial Prince shared with us?"

"Ah."

Olivia's expression finally brightened after hearing that.

"You are talking about the issue of the undeads!"

"…Y, yes?"

Cale had an unsettled look on his face as he agreed with the now exaggeratedly bright expression on Olivia's face.

"As I expected!"

Olivia nodded her head multiple times as if she finally understood him and continued to speak.

"I knew that you would have some deep meaning behind it!"

Why would the Purifier, someone who uses the power of a god, really want to loot something as trivial as the Emperor's Palace?

Olivia gently smiled thinking that the Purifier was purposely using such lighthearted terms to address such a heavy topic.

'Yes, this is not the time to just worry. It is the time to do something, anything.'

Olivia became a bit more energetic. However, her face quickly stiffened.

She knew what the Purifier would ask for her to do.

"Do I just need to be keeping his Majesty occupied?"

"Yes ma'am. I need someone to distract him as we need to get into his bedroom in the Emperor's Palace."

Olivia contemplated it for a bit before nodding her head.

"I want to be consoled and wish to console him. That should be a justified reason to go seek his Majesty."

She then added on.

"I also think that it would be good if I use this time to make it look as if I have given up on the second test."

"That is a good idea, your Royal Highness."

Cale was satisfied watching Olivia figure out her role on her own.

– Human, going to loot is just going to loot. Is there some deeper meaning to it? Oh, do you mean that you are going to loot everything that is hidden deeply as well?

He tried his best to ignore Raon's comments. But he could not do that.

– Human, but to be more accurate, it is not actually undeads, is it?

Cale recalled the interrogation of First Imperial Prince Sanders that was disguised as a quite intimate face-to-face chat.

The First Imperial Prince had not been that sincere in his response to Cale's questions, but he did his best to answer.

'You've thought about smacking the Huayans patriarch in the back, haven't you? In fact, you've had that thought quite often, right?'

These questions that Cale asked seemed to impact him quite a bit.

'You said that there is a place in the Emperor's Palace where they store the generations of necromancer candidates who have become undeads?'

'Yes.'

Sanders was silent for a moment before he continued to speak.

'To be more specific, they are not undeads.'

'Then?'

'…Is Mineh's helper still captured?'

Cale immediately understood that the helper Sanders was talking about was the Blood Cultist.

'Yes. He is still captured. That guy won't be able to escape from me.'

'I see.'

Sanders' reaction made Cale realize that the generations of Emperor candidates who have turned into undeads had some connection with the Blood Cult.

'I don't know the specifics either.'

Cale paid attention to what Sanders was telling him.

The Blood Cult. And existences that were similar to undeads but different.

These two keywords were making him wary.

The First Imperial Prince continued to speak.

'However, the things that I saw were like undeads but definitely different.'

And…

'I heard that that helper would be handling all of the candidate corpses gained during this test.'

The House of Huayans was planning on using the dead candidates from this test as well. Sanders was saying that the person they were working with for that was the Blood Cultist.

'This is all I can tell you about the true identity of those undeads.'

Sanders was saying that he didn't know anything else regarding the identity of the undeads, but… This was enough information for Cale to have a good idea.

"…It's obvious."

"Excuse me?"

"It's nothing, your Royal Highness."

Cale smiled gently. However, his eyes sank coldly.

The Blood Cult.

There was something in the Wuxia World that was similar to undeads but different.

'…Jiangshi.'

Cale was hypothesizing that the things in the basement of the Emperor's Palace were closer to jiangshis than undeads.

'I might be wrong, but…'

Jiangshis frequently appeared in the wuxia novels that he had read.

'There are many types of jiangshis but they were all made of corpses.'

The Emperor was most likely the person connected to the jiangshis and handling them.

And the person who held control over the Emperor's life would be the Huayans patriarch.

'It's an eat and get eaten type of relationship.'

Cale formed a plan in his mind and he spoke while walking over to the door and grabbing the doorknob.

"In three days… When everybody is frantically moving around for this Hide and Seek… That is when we will make our move."

Click.

The door opened and Olivia quietly observed Cale as he walked toward the hallway that was being lit up by the morning sunlight. His white hair sparkled with the light but all she could think about was the violent red color burning brightly.

That red color made her think of blood.

Cale pulled the hood on his robe fully down to cover his face as he walked toward his destination.

His eyes were looking all around.

"…What a mess."

Cale could see a man holding a sword approaching a middle-aged person who looked like a mercenary.

"State your background."

"Excuse me?"

The middle-aged man who looked as if he had lived quite the arduous mercenary life flinched at the sudden question and scowled before starting to shake.

Clang-!

The man had pulled out a sword and was pointing it at the mercenary's neck.

"State your identity, your background, and the reason for your visit to the capital."

"Ugh."

The mercenary seemed anxious for a bit before he quickly answered.

"I was born in the capital and work as a mercenary. I was out for a job and am returning home. I have my mercenary's plaque on me. You can check its authenticity in the Mercenaries Guild as well."

"…Take out your mercenary's plaque."

"Yes sir!"

The mercenary pulled out the plaque and the man thoroughly inspected it before slightly nodding his head.

"You can go."

"…Yes sir."

The man returned the mercenary's plaque and the middle-aged man received it carefully before urgently leaving the area. The middle-aged man rushed past Cale.

"Fuck. I heard that the capital was a mess right now and it was true."

His mumbling reached Cale's ears.

"Hmm?"

The swordsman who was watching the mercenary leave turned to look at Cale. He saw that Cale was covered by a long robe and his face was covered by the hood as well.

The swordsman found this to be suspicious and approached Cale.

"Who are y-"

However, he could not finish his sentence.

Shh.

A sword was pointed at the swordsman's neck. The man's pupils started shaking.

'When?'

There was suddenly a person next to the robed individual who also had his face covered by a hood and that person was pointing the sword at the swordsman's neck. It was exactly as he had done to the mercenary just now.

The swordsman, who had not noticed the second hooded figure at all, got chills on his back before he became extremely angry.

"W, who do you think you dare to point your sword at-!"

However, he could not finish that sentence either.

Shhh.

Cale took off his hood.

His white hair, green eyes, and the white cloth covering the area underneath his nose appeared.

"I am the priest in charge of her Royal Highness's treatment."

Cale then placed a hand on Choi Han's shoulder.

"This is my guard. Retract your sword as you have startled the swordsman-nim."

"…."

Choi Han silently moved the sword away from the swordsman's neck.

The swordsman covered his neck with his hand before avoiding Cale's gaze.

"…I'm sorry I did not recognize you, sir."

His gaze headed to Cale's hand and he finally lowered his head after seeing the plaque that Olivia gave to her subordinates.

"Goodbye then."

He then urgently left without saying anything else.

There were quite a few citizens of the Empire sneering at the swordsman but an odd mood was being created all around.

"Let's go."

Choi Han silently stood next to Cale and walked by his side after Cale gave the order. Choi Han was observing the area.

'Everybody is suspicious of each other.'

This should be a lively business district but there was an oddly sunken mood here today.

However, it was not a depressed mood.

There were small issues here and there but it was pretty calm overall, similar to a bomb just before it exploded.

'Today is the third day.'

Choi Han was feeling the atmosphere in the capital that was changing day by day.

'The candidates are acting worse and worse as it continues.'

Two of the favorites had died among the nineteen candidates and three other highly-ranked candidates had lost their helpers or were injured.

The other candidates who wanted to push ahead using this opening were acting crazier and crazier in the Hide and Seek.

'Now some candidates are even grabbing anybody on the street and questioning their background.'

The swordsman just now was one of the candidates' helpers.

That was how he was able to immediately recognize the disguised identity of Cale.

The people acting like this swordsman were slowly starting to increase.

'Most of the candidates are all people who have a decent level of people under their control.'

Those people were using their helpers to poke and prod around the capital. According to the information the church has gathered, some of them were not only using their helpers but stealthily using their families or organizations to help them.

And this craziness would become worse as time went by.

'…This isn't good.'

The citizens of the Empire had embraced this Hide and Seek quite a bit when they learned about it. However, the slowly overbearing actions of the candidates made everybody extremely cautious.

Everybody kept quiet.

They were worried that what happened to the mercenary just now would happen to them.

At the same time, their anger toward the people waiting to be publicly executed, the people who forced them to experience this, was slowly increasing.

"…Will it be okay like this?"

Choi Han asked Cale in a quiet voice.

"Of course not."

Cale's calm response was saying that this was just the beginning.

Choi Han scowled.

"…I feel like completely uninvolved people will get captured at this rate."

Cale did not say anything.

Choi Han realized that Cale had the same thought as him.

"Haaaaa."

Choi Han let out a short sigh.

'How the heck would the candidates capture the groups that the Empire failed to capture?'

Most of the groups on the list, such as the Fire of Purification and the Agents of Destruction, were already listed to be immediately executed once discovered. However, the Empire had been unable to eradicate these forces until now.

It made no sense to make the candidates capture such people.

'It's going to be a mess.'

The capital would become even more of a mess from here on.

Choi Han's expression oddly changed underneath the hood.

Once this chaos reached its apex…

'…Cale-nim said that is when he will use his power, right?'

Choi Han firmed his resolve.

That day, the day Cale uses his power, Choi Han could imagine a couple things that would happen that day based on his experiences.

The enemy will definitely be stronger than they expect.

Their allies will give everything they have plus more.

Cale would use an even stronger power.

'Mm.'

Choi Han walked half a step behind Cale and observed his back.

'…I don't want to say something like this, but…'

Choi Han kept having a hunch, something that seemed almost like an intuition.

'…Cale-nim has not gotten injured compared to the amount of power he has used…'

Choi Han's gaze slowly sank while observing Cale's back.

'…It is long past overdue for him to faint.'

No matter how efficient Cale's power was in this world, Cale was too fine.

This was weird.

Choi Han clenched his sword.

'Hmm?'

Cale suddenly felt his back being prickly and subconsciously stopped to turn around.

"?"

He could see Choi Han slightly tilt his head as if to ask him what was going on.

'What was that?'

Cale felt iffy but chose to ignore it. This was not the first time he felt something like this and Cale decided to just ignore things like this and keep walking down his path.

And that path was toward the Emperor's Palace right now.

– Human, are we doing it now?

Nod.

Cale slightly nodded his head.

Three days since the test started… Today was the day to go loot the Emperor's Palace.

Cale's footsteps were slowly getting lighter.

Very slowly.

– Aigoo, it looks like he's about to fly from joy. Hehehe.

Cale just ignored the cheapskate.

"Oho? It has been a while since you've come to see me, Olivia."

"…I greet Royal Father."

The moment that Second Imperial Princess Olivia, who was here to visit the Emperor's Palace, deeply bowed to greet the Emperor…

"Mmph, mmph!"

"Do you want to die?"

Cale smiled at the tightly bound yet flailing Blood Cultist and started to chat.

"Human, I've cast both the soundproof barrier magic and invisibility!"

Raon energetically let him know that the spells were cast properly and then Cale gave Choi Han an order.

"Knock him out. We will wake him up later when we get to our destination."

"Yes, Cale-nim."

"Mmmmph, mmph, ugh!"

The Blood Cultist, who was being held up by his back collar by Choi Han, was knocked unconscious again. His eyes scowled and were despondent just as he fainted, but Cale did not care.

Choi Han looked as if he didn't care about the Blood Cultist as well as he placed the guy over his shoulder like a bag.

"Let's get off."

The group got off the carriage once Cale gave the order.

This carriage was prepared by Imperial Princess Olivia to get to the Emperor's Palace because she was unwell.

Cale cautiously got off the carriage and looked in front of him.

He could see the Emperor's Palace.

The basement here should be full of jiangshis or undeads or whatever mysterious existence.

'We need to take care of them somehow.'

They would need to destroy those creatures no matter what methods they had to use.

'And Sanders said something else.

He said that the basement is where the precious treasures of the Imperial family are stored.'

"Heh."

Cal let out a short chuckle before walking toward the Emperor's Palace.

He was walking stealthily and efficiently.

Of course, they were wearing that inside out Arm outfit once again.

Just for reference, the Blood Cultist was wearing one as well.

---

Normally, sneaking into the Imperial Palace would be quite difficult.

This was especially true for the Emperor's Palace, the center and most important part of the Imperial Palace.

– Human, isn't it too easy?

However, Cale's steps were not stopping at all as he walked forward while surrounded by invisibility and soundproof barrier magic.

"…Cale-nim, is this really okay?"

Choi Han could ask normally because of the soundproof barrier magic, but his face underneath the mask was scowling.

"Why? What's the issue?"

"…It seems too easy."

"That is good."

Cale responded to Choi Han as he walked past a knight.

The knight who was patrolling the hallway of the Emperor's Palace did not notice Cale's group at all.

'Of course he didn't.

This is Raon's magic.'

Raon's magic was something that even the ancient Dragon was shocked about. It would take at least a sword master to notice them.

'And the only sword master in this world is Choi Han.'

The Imperial Palace knights would not notice them.

'I'm sure some of the more talented ones might feel that something is off.'

But they would not be able to be certain.

They would not be able to recognize this magic.

– Human, the security here is so lax!

The security at the Imperial Palace truly was extremely terrible as Raon mentioned.

– They have prepared a bunch of things against black magic spells but nothing for magic spells at all!

The defenses were too lax when it came to magic.

'The magic in this world is something only a few households learn to keep up their fame or hold up their traditions.'

Maybe it was different for the House of Huayans that created white magic, but most families treated magic like Cale described. As a result, magic was basically gone.

It was black magic that was all around, making the Imperial Palace prepare to defend against it.

'There is a small amount of defenses against magic but nothing to defend against high-level magic.'

Raon mumbled as if he was shocked.

– There is a high-level defensive magic circle but I don't think they know how to use it!

As the Empire had a long history, high-level magic circles from around 300 years ago when magic was active were all over the Imperial Palace, especially the Emperor's Palace.

However, the people who would need to activate those magic circles were people of the current generation. Nobody was skilled enough to do so.

'Maybe the Huayans patriarch can control them.'

Cale recalled what Eruhaben had said to him almost like a warning.

'Cale, the Huayans patriarch is quite skilled. Even I cannot know for sure whether I can beat him or not. If it is someone like that, he is probably skilled in more things than just black magic. I'm sure he has mastered magic as well.'

White magic, the magic that uses dead mana but releases white light…

The House of Huayans was the ones who created it.

The Black Bloods household was one of the leaders of the Hunters.

"Cale-nim, I think that is the bedroom over there."

Cale looked at the door Choi Han was pointing at. It was located in the innermost part of the Emperor's Palace and still had many skilled knights standing guard.

"They are quite skilled."

Cale listened to Choi Han before commenting.

"There are five of them."

"Yes, Cale-nim."

Take care of them."

"Yes, Cale-nim."

Choi Han placed the Blood Cultist on the ground and immediately started to move.

"Ugh!"

It started with one knight suddenly falling down, and then…

Clang!

"Who are you?"

"What the hell? Did something, ugh!"

The knights were quickly knocked unconscious by Choi Han.

"Wow."

Cale was amazed.

'It didn't even take a minute.'

It was only possible because the five guards were gathered together in front of the door, but Choi Han had used the fact that he was invisible to easily suppress the knights.

Cale moved his foot and tapped the Blood Cultist on the side.

"Did you see that?"

The Blood Cultist had his eyes shut.

"You saw it, right? Don't act up."

The Blood Cultist silently kept his mouth shut.

Cale chuckled while looking at the Blood Cultist who was awake but pretending not to know anything.

"Hey, it is making you shake in fear, isn't it?"

The Blood Cultist pretended to still be unconscious and as if he had not heard Cale until the end but Cale could feel the Blood Cultist flinch when he poked him on the side with his foot.

Cale turned toward Choi Han.

"Good job. It was clean."

– You're amazing, Choi Han! It is amazing to suppress them without hurting them!

The corners of Choi Han's lips were twitching but Choi Han quickly hid it and grabbed the doorknob.

Very cautiously…

The Emperor's bedroom door opened without a noise.

"How fancy."

Cale calmly looked around as he walked into the bedroom.

"Human, let's steal these things."

Choi Han almost subconsciously nodded his head at what Raon said out loud and not in his mind. Choi Han was shocked at himself for that but could not help himself from looking around the bedroom.

The whole room was sparkling.

"Wow, I heard that there were a lot of mines in Xiaolen; did he decorate his bedroom with the things they mined from there?"

Cale could not hide his awe at the golden walls, bed pillar, and the whole bedroom that was decorated with jewels all around.

Even someone like Cale, who has looted all sorts of places until now, had never seen such a dazzling room before.

"Human, can we take this whole room later? Choi Han was very good at cutting off a wall last time! Let's ask Choi Han to cleanly cut the walls off!"

Cale's gaze headed toward Choi Han. Choi Han slowly avoided his gaze.

Tap. Tap. Cale tapped on Choi Han's shoulder as he commented.

"Don't worry. I won't make you do that."

Raon responded to that.

"Ah! Human, you must know where there are more sparkly things than this place! I was thinking it was weird that you were just looking around but it makes sense if that is the case!"

And then the Fire of Destruction that had been motionless, the cheapskate, reacted.

– …Wow, I feel like I could purify everything for you for free if you gave me everything here.

– Snap out of it.

– Wow…

The cheapskate continued to gasp in awe as if he didn't even hear the Super Rock's comment.

Cale completely ignored them.

"Choi Han."

"Yes, Cale-nim"

"Let's break the bed."

"…."

Choi Han looked at the bed. The bed would be the most dazzling item in the bedroom. The bed pillars that went all the way to the ceiling were completely decorated in gold and jewels while they could tell that the bedding was soft and precious by just looking at it. The bedding seemed to have been embroidered with real gold as well. Furthermore, there were jewels dangling from the canopy.

"Yes, Cale-mm."

Choi Han spoke solemnly before pulling his sword out.

Slice.

The sword made an elegant arc.

That arc cleanly cut off one of the bed pillars. He did his best to avoid damaging the gold and jewels.

Choi Han urgently grabbed the bed pillar that was leaning to one side after being sliced.

'It's clean.'

It had been cut very well.

– You're amazing, Choi Han!

Choi Han listened to Raon's happy voice as he walked over to Cale and offered the pillar to him.

"…What are you doing?"

Cale looked at Choi Han with a baffled look on his now unmasked face.

"Excuse me?"

Choi Han realized that something was wrong once he saw that look on Cale's face.

Cale spoke as he put on the mask.

"The path to the basement is under the bed. Slice the bed in half. It will be difficult to move it."

"…Ah."

Choi Han blinked a few times before gently placing the pillar to one side and moving his sword again.

Slash!

The sword with the black aura moved once to slice the bed in half.

Swoooooooosh-

A gust of wind caused by Cale's Sound of the Wind pushed the sliced parts of the bed.

Screeech

The bed moved and a door to the basement appeared.

"There is no magic on it as expected."

The door to the basement was made of iron. However, there were no locks on it at all.

Cale recalled his conversation with First Imperial Prince Sanders.

'There is an entrance to the basement underneath the bed in the Emperor's bedroom?'

'…That's right. A large tomb in the basement appears if you walk through it.'

The First Imperial Prince's face had been stoic while mentioning the tomb but his eyes had been shaking.

'How do you know that?'

Sanders chuckled at Cale's question.

'When I was young, the Emperor was a good father, at least to us siblings.'

The First Imperial Prince did not look as if he was being nostalgic. In fact, he seemed to be sensing fear.

'…At least that's what I had wrongfully thought. If I had not played Hide and Seek with my younger brother…'

Sanders had been close enough to the Emperor that he played with his younger brother in the Emperor's Palace when they were younger.

One day, when he was playing Hide and Seek with his younger brother, Fourth Imperial Prince Noi…

'I thought that Noi would never look for me under Royal Father's bed and crawled down there.'

It was only possible because he was young.

'I found the door and entered out of curiosity. The door was made of wood at that time. Even a child could easily go through it.'

The First Imperial Prince closed his eyes. His eyelids were slightly shaking. It was as if he was trying to swallow his fear.

'I saw the Huayans patriarch and my Royal Father there.'

All emotion was gone from the First Imperial Prince's eyes when he opened them again.

'The Huayans patriarch welcomed me and Royal Father showed me around the underground tomb. Every single place down there… that was the beginning. That was when Royal Father, that was when the way the Emperor looked at me changed.'

Only the corners of his lips curled up on his stoic face.

'This is what the Emperor said. He told me not to tell anybody if I did not want to die.'

First Imperial Prince Sanders said the following about his father.

'The Emperor is crazy.'

Cale snapped out of his thoughts and made eye contact with Choi Han.

"Should I pick it up?"

"Yeah."

Choi Han picked up the door heading to the basement.

Screeeech thud!

The door that was no longer made of wood like in Sanders' memories and made of iron made a dull thud as it opened.

A path with a ladder that looked as if only one person could go at a time appeared.

"I will go down first, Cale-nim."

"Okay. There are no dangerous devices until the bottom of the ladder so just climb down."

"Yes, Cale-nim."

Choi Han climbed the ladder down.

Paat!

Raon created a bundle of light with magic and had it float next to Choi Han to light up the path.

"I'm ready, Cale-nim."

Choi Han went down about 5 meters before arriving at the bottom, looked up and commented, before Cale nodded his head and kicked. He kicked the side of the Blood Cultist next to him.

"Hey. Wake up."

"…."

"If you pretend to be unconscious, I'm just going to throw you down the path."

"…."

The Blood Cultist slowly got up. He didn't look like he would try to run away despite Choi Han not being there.

Crackle. Crackle. It was because he saw the rose gold currents crackling around Cale and the now visible black Dragon's dark blue vertical eyes.

"Go down."

"…."

The Blood Cultist silently climbed down the ladder.

Clang.

He saw Choi Han with his sword out. The Blood Cultist wanted to sigh but held back and climbed all the way down.

Cale and Raon climbed down after him.

"Hmm. So it is like this."

They saw a large area in front of them unlike the narrow ladder path.

The long single path started at 3 meters high but slowly became taller. Furthermore, it was a couple meters wide as well.

The only thing was that it was dark.

"Mm."

Choi Han groaned and then started to speak.

"…If it is something this big, the basement seems quite large."

"It is probably as wide as the Imperial Palace."

Choi Han was slightly shocked. This Empire's Imperial Palace was quite large.

But a basement that was the size of the entire Imperial Palace…

'There might be more than just treasures and jiangshis.'

Choi Han's eyes became filled with suspicions. He looked at Cale. Although he couldn't see because Cale's face was covered by a mask, Cale had noticed the suspicion in Choi Han's eyes and chuckled.

"This is what the First Imperial Prince told me. He said this was an underground tomb."

An underground tomb.

Choi Han's face stiffened after hearing that term and Cale continued to speak.

"No matter what is in here, I'm sure it will be quite big."

Choi Han nodded his head.

"Human, let's hurry!"

Cale nodded his head at Raon and Choi Han clenched his scabbard while looking at the path that was full of darkness.

'I'm certain that it will be dangerous in there.'

Choi Han was even tenser because there had been no locks on the door at all.

He had a feeling that although it was easy to get in, it would be difficult to survive and get out of here.

'I'm sure there are numerous traps and obstacles.'

It made no sense to allow outsiders to enter such a location without any devices getting in their way.

'I will take the lead.'

Raon will cast a shield on them but Choi Han thought that he needed to be the vanguard.

He took a step forward.

It was at that moment.

"Hey."

He heard Cale's skewed voice. It was the voice he used every so often when he was trying to pick a fight with someone. Choi Han turned his head.

Cale was leaning on one leg with a hand on the Blood Cultist's shoulder.

"Hey, you've been here before, right?"

"…."

The Blood Cultist had quietly been standing there since earlier.

"I'm sure you know about it. The jiangshis. Those things are here."

"…!"

The Blood Cultist's pupils shook. The Blood Cultist had been here a couple times as Cale had mentioned. Cale didn't even look at the Blood Cultist's reaction and just said what he needed to say.

"I heard that there are a lot of traps here. I heard that you will die if you just walk through this path without doing anything."

Sanders said that the Emperor told him that while showing him around. However, he did not remember how to disarm the trap as it had happened when he was young.

"…."

The Blood Cultist clenched his eyes shut.

Cale didn't care and placed his arm around the Blood Cultist.

"Hey. You know how to get past here, right? Well, you better know."

The Blood Cultist got chills at the voice that was lighthearted but bleak.

Cale's eyes curled up as he spoke.

"Because you'll be leading the way. Disarm the traps along the way if you don't want to die. Do you understand?"

"…."

"Don't make things complicated and don't risk your life. Okay? Don't you need to go back to the Central Plains? I'll take you there with me. Hmm?"

"…."

The Blood Cultist just wanted Cale to knock him unconscious again.

"By the way, we are not going to knock you out. I plan on keeping you awake all day as we go through here."

"…Fuck."

"Hmm? What did you just say? Did you say fuck to me?"

"…."

Cale warmly patted the once again silent Blood Cultist's shoulder again.

"Alright then, lead the way!"

Cale's group started to investigate the basement with the Blood Cultist in the lead.

---

However, Cale's group was not walking that quickly.

Cale started to speak.

"Why are you so slow?"

"…."

The Blood Cultist was walking extremely slowly.

It was at that moment.

Push.

"…!"

The end of the scabbard in Choi Han's hand pushed against the Blood Cultist's back.

The black Dragon with dark blue eyes whispered next to the Blood Cultist at the same time.

"Hey Blood Cultist! I don't know what the Blood Cult is, but…"

"Crazies." (TL: The author uses the word for cult here, but cult doesn't work well because it is already the Blood cult so crazies it is.)

"Aha! Our human says that you are crazy people! Then, hey crazy Blood Cultist!"

The black Dragon spoke energetically with a bright smile on his face.

"The Emperor won't come even if you walk slowly!"

Smile.

The black Dragon smiled and the Blood Cultist flinched because the smile was almost identical to the Purifier's.

Cale didn't care and spoke in a lighthearted and calm voice.

"If the Emperor happens to show up, we will just destroy the whole thing, destroy the Imperial Palace and run away."

The Blood Cultist did not say anything.

However, his heart was beating wildly.

'That's exactly what I want!'

That was truly what the Blood Cultist wanted.

'It is none of my business what happens to the Black Bloods or this Imperial Palace!'

He was only worried about his one true god, the Blood Demon.

However, he stopped walking and turned around after hearing what Cale said next.

"After causing all of that chaos, I will definitely keep you alive and take you with me. To the Central Plains. Then I will meet the Blood Demon and say the following."

The green eyes that were visible through the mask were smiling.

Those smiling green eyes looked at the Blood Cultist.

"I will tell him that I was able to create such a mess thanks to everything you told me. I will tell him that is the reason I was able to come see him and that I will turn the Blood Cult into the same kind of mess."

"…!"

"And that it was all thanks to you."

"…"

"Oh right, I also have to tell him something else. I need to tell him that you decided to become a priest of the Church of the Fire of Purification. I'll say that you said that the Blood Cult was trash."

"…!"

"Ah, that is going to be so much fun. Don't you think so?"

The silent Blood Cultist started speaking.

"You good faction-like son of a bitch."

"Oh. Thanks for the compliment."

Cale smiled and then added on.

"But if you help us get through this tomb, I will at least go to the Central Plains and say that you did not betray the cult until the end. I will also tell them how sincere you were about the Blood Cult."

His voice had a jovial tone to it but his eyes were serious. The Blood Cultist could sense the sincerity despite this being his enemy.

The Blood Cultist turned around and opened his mouth to speak.

"…Follow me."

His voice was solemn and sorrowful.

– Human, I can't understand that crazy Blood Cultist!

Raon shared his thoughts into Cale's mind.

– Is it that important to be told that he was sincere about the Blood Cult? I cannot understand it! Actually, I don't want to understand it either!

Cale slightly nodded his head.

'What good would it do to understand the thoughts of those Blood Cult bastards?'

He had this feeling every so often that Raon tended to not waste time with useless things. It was instinctual for him.

'Anyway.'

Cale's eyes sparkled while looking at the Blood Cultist who was now walking quickly.

'This bastard seems like he would be quite useful in many ways.'

This bastard basically had blind loyalty and faith toward the Blood Cult.

That made it easy to handle him.

'…I need to definitely take him to the Central Plains.

But I'll take him to the Roan Kingdom first.'

The Blood Cultist would probably faint if he found out what Cale was thinking, but Cale had made up his mind to take this Blood Cultist with him.

'I'll need to ask him to guide me through the Blood Cult as well.'

It would be a threat disguised as a request, but either way, Cale didn't want to let go of this Blood Cultist who was surprisingly easy to talk to.

That was why he asked while looking at the Blood Cultist who was walking in front of them and approaching a wall.

"Hey, what is your name?"

"…."

"Does the Blood Cult not even give you a name?"

Click. Click.

The Blood Cultist reached out and touched the wall and the flat wall pushed in before some kind of mechanism appeared. The Blood Cultist touched that mechanism in a couple spots.

Paat!

It made light enter the large but dark hallway.

"…There are a total of five trap areas following this path. The first area has been disarmed."

The Blood Cultist stoically commented and Cale raised his hands.

Clap, clap, clap.

He clapped.

"Wow, you're doing great! So good!"

"…."

"But what is your name?"

Cale looked at the silently walking Blood Cultist and recalled the wuxia novels he had read as Kim Rok Soo. He suddenly thought of something.

"Hmm. Usually the Demon Cult and Blood Cult use this kind of method."

Some of the wuxia novels had settings where people in the Demon Cult or Blood Cult who did stealthy things did not have names.

It was quite frequent and there was a system that was used instead of names.

"What number are you?"

Flinch.

The Blood Cultist flinched and Cale sighed.

"You should be quite skilled in the organization so should be in the top 10. Are you about number 5?"

"…."

"Number 7?"

Raon, who was inspecting the hallway ceiling and the disarmed traps next to the Blood Cultist, opened his mouth.

"Human! The Blood Cultist's pupils just shook!

"Oh. I guess you are Number 7."

The Blood Cultist frowned.

Cale didn't care and continued to speak.

"Let's hurry."

Swoooooooosh.

Whirlwinds were already swirling around Cale's ankles. A gust of wind followed Cale's hand and wrapped around the Blood Cultist's ankles as well.

Puuuuush.

Choi Han used his scabbard to push hard against the Blood Cultist's back.

'Shit! These motherfucking bastards!'

The Blood Cultist clenched his teeth but held himself back and increased his speed. Thanks to these whirlwinds the Purifier has created, his body moved quickly forward despite not using any martial arts.

He could still hear the Purifier grumbling behind him.

"Man, the Blood Cult in your world is so rotten. You should at least have a name." "That's right, human! A name is important! My name is an extremely great and mighty name!"

The black Dragon added on as well.

The Blood Cultist, Number 7, felt as if he was going to go crazy.

This must be what it meant for someone's inside to flip over.

'This motherfucking Purifier!'

The words he did not dare to say boiled inside of him.

'A bastard like this uses the power of a god?'

Number 7 had thought that it was a bit holy when he saw the Purifier use his power for the first time. It was a sight that gave him no other choice but to think that.

However, he couldn't help but clench his teeth the more he experienced it.

'Even in the Central Plains there is nobody who would act so shamelessly in front of the Blood Cult!'

People would either be scared, hostile, or bow down to the Blood Cult.

He had seen these three reactions before.

"Tsk tsk. The Blood Cult has no growth at all. Number 7, really? Someone like you with so much loyalty… That Blood Demon bastard should at least give you a name. Giving a name is not that hard."

He had never seen someone like this before.

However, Number 7 could not attack the Purifier and his motherfucking mouth despite the anger in his heart.

'Fuck! They're all so damn strong!'

The sword master, the black Dragon, and the Purifier…

All three of them were very strong.

And these three were not the only ones.

Number 7 thought that he was probably the person who knew the most about this group's strength in this world.

That was why he could make a decision.

'Let's just quickly take care of them all.'

This was the Black Bloods' world anyway.

He would just disarm all of the traps and then…

'I'll faint after that.

They'll probably knock me unconscious once I am no longer useful.

Right…

They should knock me unconscious, right?'

Number 7 had a mysterious ominous feeling. His steps quickened even more.

"Oh. Good. Great speed."

Number 7 ignored the Purifier's annoying voice and hurried. He moved without any hesitation.

He walked away from the wall and to a spot on the ground and struck down on the center.

Boom!

There was a short vibration and a mysterious force field appeared.

Number 7 moved his hand on top of it.

"The second area has been disarmed."

The third area was after that.

"The device to disarm is in the air."

Number 7 used a whirlwind that Cale put on him to easily shoot up in the air and modified some things in the ceiling.

It was a location that someone who was not aware would ever be able to find.

Click. Click.

"It is disarmed."

Clap, clap, clap.

"Good job, Number 7."

"Hey Number 7! Great job!"

Now the Purifier and the black Dragon were clapping together.

Number 7 just ignored them and pushed forward.

"…The fourth area is disarmed as well."

Clap, clap, clap.

Now Choi Han was clapping as well.

Number 7 scowled but Cale wasn't even looking at him.

He was thinking to himself while looking at the long hallway.

'There have been a total of ten doors until now.'

These doors were along the walls of the hallway, had no doorknobs, and were the same color as the wall.

First Imperial Prince Sanders had said the following.

'There were a total of 11 areas in there.'

'Each area had all sorts of things. The first room had treasures made of gold. The second room had jewels, the third room had weapons made of magic stones.'

The First Imperial Prince had explained the things in ten of the areas.

'And in the final eleventh room…'

The First Imperial Prince stopped for a moment there before continuing to speak.

'…Those things are in there.'

Cale recalled what Eruhaben, who was off doing something on his own right now, had said after meeting with the First Imperial Prince.

'The First Imperial Prince asked what this test was so I let him know it was Hide and Seek, and mm… He laughed.'

The First Imperial Prince had found this place while playing Hide and Seek with his younger brother, Fourth Imperial Prince Noi, in the Emperor's Palace.

Cale had been able to deduce the Emperor's thoughts about it. He also understood why the First Imperial Prince had laughed.

'The Emperor thinks that the First Imperial Prince is alive.'

At the same time…

'He is signaling to the First Imperial Prince to show himself and come to the public execution ground.'

That was what Cale thought the Emperor was thinking.

Cale stopped thinking and looked at Number 7 after seeing him do something.

"…This is as far as I go."

Number 7 saw the Purifier move his chin up and down as if asking him to explain himself.

'This arrogant little bastard!'

He was extremely angry but let it all out with one deep breath and started to speak. After taking some time to think about it, he realized that this Purifier was only decently crazy compared to the truly crazy high-level individuals, those extremely crazy bastards in the Blood Cult.

Number 7 spoke in a calm voice.

'There are no other devices until the end of area 5. However, do you see this invisible wall here?"

They were able to see the wall blocking the path because it was not completely transparent.

The area on the other side of the wall looked the same as this side in Cale's eyes. However, Number 7 explained the difference.

"Once you get past here, it is full of death ki, what you call dead mana."

"I guess they call dead mana death ki in the Central Plains?"

Death ki. The name meant that it was the aura of death.

"Yes. We call it death ki. Anyway, that is why there is nothing I can do for you here. It is extremely terrible death ki so even I cannot enter without protective equipm-"

"Simple."

Crack.

Cale led the way and walked through the invisible wall.

'It's dark.'

Unlike the natural darkness they had experienced until now, everything turned pitch black as soon as he walked into Area 5.

It was dead mana.

What he saw from outside the wall might have been an illusion as Area 5 had the most dead mana of any place Cale had visited since he came to this world.

– Cale.

The moment he heard the cheapskate's voice…

Crackle-

Rose gold light crackled around Cale and burned all of the dead mana in a set range.

Grey ashes fluttered around him.

"Raon."

Cale pointed to the purified area and called Raon who vigorously nodded his head.

"I got it, human!"

Ooooooooong-

There was a short fluctuation of mana and a black shield appeared following the purified area.

Push.

Choi Han poked Number 7's back and Number 7 sighed before walking into the black shield. Choi Han followed behind him as well.

"No problems now, right?"

Cale asked Number 7 in a calm voice and Number 7 started to lead the way again.

He could hear Cale mumbling behind him.

"Area 5 is the easiest one to pass."

'This motherfucking Purifier son of a bitch!'

Number 7 learned that you could ignore crazy bastards but it was impossible to ignore those bastards who annoyed you.

Stomp stomp. Number 7's steps quickened. He wanted to get away from these annoying bastards.

"Oh. I guess you want to walk out of the shield?"

Number 7 slowed down after hearing Cale's voice.

The area around them became purified following Cale's consistent speed of walking. However, Cale's eyes had coldly sunk down.

'The purified area is filling with dead mana again.'

Cale was currently only using a small amount of the Fire of Destruction.

It was probably about 0.1 percent strength.

It would be bad if he used a lot of power and this place crumbled or they caught the attention of people on the outside.

That might be the reason that the places he walked past filled with dead mana again.

'Dead mana is being supplied from somewhere.'

The black fog that was full of dead mana…

Cale looked toward the walls and ceiling of the hallway.

'As expected.'

He could faintly make out a hole. Dead mana was flowing out of that hole to fill the area with a set amount of dead mana.

'This dead mana is similar to the one that the black tree was releasing.'

Before the place turned into the white sand desert… The black tree tried to change dead mana and compact it to attack Cale as its final attack.

That aura and this aura were similar.

It meant that it was extremely deadly.

'…We have arrived.'

Cale looked forward after hearing Number 7's voice.

A door with a different doorknob than before appeared.

The door was large enough to fit about three adults side by side.

"Open it."

"…."

Number 7 hesitated for a moment after hearing Cale's order. Cale chuckled after seeing him hesitate after coming all the way here and stepped forward.

"Are there any traps that will activate when you open the door?"

"…I don't know."

Cale stared at Number 7 who sighed and shook his head.

"I really don't know. I've never been the one to open the door."

Number 7 could see the Purifier's eyes curl up. His calm voice reached his ears.

"Okay. It is already plenty that we made it here so easily and quickly."

After mumbling, the Purifier grabbed the doorknob.

"You don't know whether a trap will activate if you open the door. Well then it is simple."

Number 7 could see rose gold light roaming around the Purifier's hand that was holding the doorknob.

'Perhaps?'

Cale lightheartedly commented just as Number 7's eyes opened wide.

"Soundproof barrier magic."

"I got it, human!"

A magic stone in Raon's hand crumbled and Cale clenched the hand that was holding the doorknob.

Baaaaang!

There was a short explosion and the doorknob was swallowed by a rose gold current and instantly melted away.

"…."

Number 7 heard the Purifier's gentle voice just as he flinched at this guy's radical action.

"If you don't know, you will find out if you destroy it."

They will just destroy it and go in if they could not tell whether there were any traps planted.

"It is annoying and troublesome but we can just destroy them if there are any traps.

Number 7 clenched his eyes shut.

He wanted to faint.

However, he soon had the back of his collar grabbed by Choi Han. He heard the swordsman, who had been silent until now, say something in a low voice and got chills.

"…Those crazy bastards."

Choi Han's pupils were shaking.

Cale quietly looked forward.

In this large round area that stretched for dozens of meters…

There were countless coffins standing up vertically.

Those coffins had transparent glass lids and the insides were completely visible.

Cale mumbled in a low voice.

"They didn't only turn the candidates into jiangshis."

There were countless numbers of corpses in the unimaginably large number of coffins. No, there were so many existences that had their bodies stolen even after death here that it was impossible to count.

An underground tomb.

This was a large tomb just as the First Imperial Prince had described.

---

The glass coffins were all different sizes. However, the glass coffins became larger as they got farther away from Cale.

"It's dark."

Cale's gaze headed toward Number 7.

Number 7 flinched before looking around.

"Ahem. I'm not too familiar with the lighting system in here."

Cold sweat was visible on his forehead.

The swordsman's eyes slowly moved from the bottom to the top… Observing Number 7. It was as if he was looking for a spot to attack.

'I am not scared of death.'

Number 7 was not scared of death. That was why he was not scared despite his organs feeling cold from Choi Han, the swordsman's gaze.

'This motherfucking Purifier son of a bitch!'

However, the Purifier's gaze looking at him from beyond the swordsman's shoulder was odd. His eyes looked as if he was smiling.

However, the anger within them could clearly be felt.

'Bastards that have eyes like this go crazy if they get angry!'

The Purifier looked away from Number 7 as he started to speak.

"Raon, let's turn on some lights."

"…Alright, human."

Raon responded in a weak voice before turning to look at a large glass coffin in the darkness.

Cale knew why Raon was like this but left the group for a moment and stepped forward.

Step, step.

His footsteps echoed in the area.

This area was completely empty except for the countless glass coffins.

"Number 7, follow me."

Number 7 sighed once Cale called for him. He then made eye contact with Cale.

'…!'

Number 7 felt as if his whole body stiffened when he looked into those green eyes. The air surrounding him all disappeared, making him unable to breathe.

"…Gasp!"

However, it was just an illusion.

The air around him was still there. He had only been unable to breathe because of the pressure from the eyes looking at him.

'…S, such an aura…!'

Number 7's eyes started shaking without knowing where to look.

That Purifier who had seen extremely weak and annoying for some reason… Suddenly gave off an intense pressure to Number 7 when he looked into those eyes.

'It, it felt like the esteemed Blood Demon-'

He had met the Blood Demon, who came out to praise him, before coming to this dimension. The Purifier's gaze was reminding him of that esteemed sir.

'No, that's not possible.

The Blood Demon, our esteemed leader, is the only person who will become a god.

I can't compare such a revered presence with this damn Purifier.'

Number 7 walked toward the Purifier despite having those thoughts. Number 7 had gotten rid of any thoughts about escaping after hearing Cale telling him to come over.

Cale watched Number 7 approach him before starting to walk again and asked.

"Are they jiangshis?"

"…Yes."

Cale's eyes looked around.

The glass coffins… They were full of all sorts of creatures.

"…Elves, Dwarves, Beast people-"

There were even monsters.

All of them had their eyes closed with their bodies intact. They did not look like corpses at all other than the fact that they were extremely pale.

"There is a pattern on their foreheads."

However, all of the jiangshis had a purple flower drawn on the center of their foreheads.

"Is it a lotus?"

"Yeah."

Cale listened to the quietly answering Number 7's voice and asked.

He was walking toward the back to the glass coffins that were getting larger as he did that.

"Based on the amount, it looks like it took a long time to prepare."

"…."

"I guess the House of Huayans is tight with the Blood Cult?"

"…."

Number 7 bit down on his lips.

Cale was telling him to tell him the full story of this incident right now. Number 7, who found it difficult to tell him, showed some hesitation.

It was at that moment.

"Speak."

He felt that pressure surrounding his whole body again.

It was not the Dominance that made him unable to breathe earlier, but it was enough to make him recall the fear from that time.

"…Our cult made a pact with the House of Huayans about 400 years ago."

"Continue."

Paat.

Cale saw bundles of light starting to float up one after another from the entrance of the area.

Raon was breaking magic stones and creating them with magic.

The area slowly started to light up.

"The Huayans wanted to gather the strongest of each race and turn them into jiangshis."

"Why jiangshis of all things?"

"It is because they retain more of their abilities from when they were alive compared to the undeads."

"I see. Why did the Blood Cult agree to that pact?"

"I do not know the details."

Cale's gaze headed toward Number 7.

Number 7 flinched and continued to speak.

"It has only been five years since I was assigned to this task. I am not at the level to know the inside story behind it."

"You don't know the details? Then what is the public reason they gave for the pact?"

"…Jiangshi experimentation."

Cale's green eyes stared at Number 7.

Number 7 couldn't even sigh properly as he continued to speak.

"There is a jiangshi form that the cult desires. We shook hands with the House of Huayans in order to experiment until we can find it."

"And what kind of jiangshi is that?"

"…Just kill me."

Number 7 tightly closed his mouth.

His eyes showed a determined gaze that this was something he could not say.

"Kill you?"

Cale chuckled and looked at the ceiling.

The light was a bit blinding.

"Just tell me the things you can tell me. Do you know the goal of the House of Huayans?"

"One of my missions is to figure that out."

The corners of Cale's lips curled up.

"I guess the Hunter households are not very close with one another? It sounds more like you guys are wary of each other and hide your inner thoughts because you are in competition with one another? Do you know the reason for that?"

Number 7 shook his head.

He tried to calm his body that was stiff with anxiety as he did that.

'You crazy bastard. Don't tell you if I don't want to?'

The fact that this guy said that he had no intentions of killing him made it even scarier.

He was acting like he would not give him the rest that death would entail.

Number 7 realized that the Purifier's gaze had changed. The Purifier had stopped looking at Number 7 like a fellow living creature as soon as he saw the countless number of jiangshis in this place.

'Fuck.'

His fingertips were shaking in fear.

He opened his mouth to speak.

"…There has always been competition between the households. It will take a long to share the reason but each has a household they are friendly toward or hostile toward."

"Really? Then I can hear that long reason in a little bit."

Paat!

The last bundle of light cut through the air from the entrance and arrived at the end of the area.

Raon and Choi Han approached the two of them.

Raon looked at the end of the area with a sunken voice.

There were some glass coffins that looked as if they would touch the high ceiling. Raon's pupils were shaking while looking at these three large coffins. They were shaking in anger.

"…Human, there are Dragons too."

Three corpses of Dragons that were said to have gone extinct were in these glass coffins as jiangshis.

'…They are not clean.'

However, unlike the other corpses that were in good condition, the Dragon corpses all had traces of someone trying to fix the damages. They did not look hideous but the group could tell that the Dragons had gone through a gruesome fight with their lives on the line.

'They could not go back to nature.'

The end for Dragons who did not die naturally… Was to be left behind without returning to mana.

This was the worst type of death that Dragons would find to be terrible.

Eruhaben would have been extremely angry if he saw this. Eruhaben was someone who definitely would do that.

'It is not just the Dragons.'

Probably all of the corpses here would find their current appearances to be terrible deaths.

"Cale-nim."

In front of the three Dragon jiangshis were around one hundred corpses of people who looked like necromancers.

Choi Han spoke as if he was so angry that he was in disbelief.

"…Aren't those the former Emperors?"

Having made the decision to partake in the Imperial candidate test… Having made the decision to be with Mary in the test as her helpers… Cale's group had gathered basic information about the Imperial family.

"You're right. The Emperors are there too."

The Emperors who had ruled over the Empire for the past 300 years or so were there as jiangshis as well.

Of course, there were differences from the other necromancers.

"Human, they are black."

The Emperors' corpses were completely black.

Cale realized how the current Emperor would change once he died.

Choi Han's hand was shaking as he clenched his scabbard.

'How can they do something like this-?!'

Choi Han had seen quite a lot of what the White Star had done as they went against him.

Whether it was the dead mana storage facility in the basement of the Mogoru Empire's Alchemists' Bell Tower or the sacrifices incident in the Endable Kingdom… They had experienced many terrible things but never something like this.

'…They are crazy bastards.'

Choi Han knew that the Hunters were worse than the White Star but had not truly felt it until now. But he felt as if he knew now.

'And those bastards are messing with Roan.'

The Hunters were causing a ruckus in the world he lived in, the place his family lives.

His shaking pupils soon calmed down and sank low.

Choi Han's hand that was holding the scabbard stopped shaking. Choi Han then saw Cale firmly petting Raon's head.

Cale looked at Number 7.

"Number 7."

"…."

Number 7 could not respond.

He was warily looking at Cale. Cale sneered internally while looking at him.

'This bastard is trash too.'

Number 7 was not feeling embarrassed that someone else had seen this sight.

Cale had not hoped for guilt or regret from this bastard. However, this bastard wasn't even embarrassed by his actions at all.

He was only worried about something happening to him or to the Blood Cult.

"Haha-"

Number 7 got chills looking at Cale laughing out loud after calling for him. However, Cale soon asked in a calm voice.

"Number 7, how do you get these jiangshis to move? Are you able to control them?"

Number 7 clenched his eyes shut after hearing the question he presumed he would get ever since he knew Cale found out about this place.

'I'm screwed.'

However, he wasn't feeling too bad about it.

'The Black Bloods will face quite the loss from this.'

The thing that the House of Huayans put their heart and soul into preparing for the last 300 years was about to be destroyed by this Purifier in front of him.

'That's not bad.'

That was not that bad at all.

'I just have to make sure that it does not harm the Blood Cult at all.'

Of course, the Blood Cult would not be defeated by the Purifier.

Number 7 was certain about it.

It was because he had seen the Purifier's strength.

The Central Plains. The Blood Cult that has taken root in the shadows of that place was able to take on the Purifier and his few allies no matter how talented the Purifier might be.

'I'll need to look for an opportunity to send them somewhere else and not to the Central Plains.'

Number 7 was thinking that doing that was the last thing he could do for the glorious Blood Demon. That was why he had no choice but to pretend as if he was cooperating with the Purifier as much as possible for now.

"…Haaa."

He sighed as if he didn't want to say it.

He then peeked at the Purifier.

'Mm.'

The Purifier's eyes underneath the masks had curled up like crescent moons. It made him feel uneasy for some reason but Number 7 ignored it and started to speak.

"…These jiangshis only listen to the orders of the host."

"Is the Emperor the host?"

"Yes. Of course it is possible to change the host but the process takes a long time."

Number 7 pointed around the area and continued to speak.

"For this amount it would take at least a month without any rest to change the host."

Number 7 added on.

"And you would need to stay here for a month as well if we were to change the host to you. It is not just a general host change and is for battle so it requires a more thorough connection-"

"No. That's not what I am asking."

Cale shook his head.

"I don't plan on using them for battle."

"Mm."

Number 7 figured out the Purifier's inner thoughts and thought to himself.

'He's uselessly pretending to be such a good person.'

This jiangshi brigade was an amazing battle element.

He opened his mouth to speak.

"Do you want to make them useless?"

Choi Han scowled at that moment. Useless. He didn't like that word.

However, he was silent. It was because Cale was silent.

"…."

Number 7 stopped talking for a moment as well. However, the silence was short.

"All of these jiangshis have death ki or dead mana in them. The way to send them back is simple."

Cale's gaze headed toward Number 7 who calmly spoke.

"Burn them. Burn them with your power."

Burn them all with the Fire of Purification.

"That is the cleanest way."

Raon's eyes opened wide. Raon's two front paws were fidgeting as he looked at the corpses of the Dragons and the others and at Cale.

"These bodies are just empty shells without souls anyway so just purify them. I'm sure the souls of these corpses probably want that as well. Destroying this area itself is a good idea too."

Shh.

Cale took off his mask. Number 7's shoulders started shaking after seeing the face that appeared.

The corners of Cale lips were curled up.

"What about turning them back into corpses without burning them?"

"…It is possible. But that will take at least half a year. You have to slowly remove the death ki in the bodies."

"And what happens if you take the death ki out?"

"They will become the same as regular corpses. I'm sure they will rot naturally."

Cale tilted his head to one side and asked.

"Number 7. Why are you not telling me the easiest way?"

"What?"

"Not using them in battle. There is one simple answer."

The moment Number 7 tilted his head to the side confused about what Cale was saying…

"The Emperor."

"…!"

"Just make it so that the host cannot use his powers."

Cale looked at Number 7 as if something was weird. The moment cold sweats formed on Number 7's forehead…

"Why haven't you told me about that method?"

Cale approached Number 7 and asked.

"There are more jiangshis, aren't there?"

Only three of the extinct Dragons' corpses had turned into jiangshis.

However, a lot more Dragon had died.

Would this be the end?

Would these jiangshis really be all there were?

There were too few jiangshis for them to have been gathering them for 300 years.

There was not enough to make this world perish and to offer as karma.

The moment Number 7's pupils shook…

"I guess I can't reason with this son of a bitch."

Cale motioned to Choi Han once he said that.

"Ugh!"

Number 7 was immediately knocked unconscious by Choi Han.

"Choi Han."

"Yes, Cale-nim."

"We will abduct the Emperor in four days."

"Yes, Cale-nim."

Four days later in the public execution ground… They now had one more thing they had to do there.

---

"Human, is it okay to leave these all here?"

Raon didn't even look at the unconscious Number 7 and just pointed toward the jiangshis.

Choi Han nonchalantly chucked Number 7 to the ground and started to speak.

"Cale-nim, we didn't expect there to be this many."

The original plan was for Raon to use the highest-grade magic stones to create a teleportation magic circle and move the jiangshis. Furthermore, their plan was to leave traces of having infiltrated this underground tomb even if they couldn't destroy it.

"Choi Han, but we can't leave these here!"

"That is true."

Raon and Choi Han continued their discussion while looking at each other. Cale's voice interjected into their conversation.

"We will leave them here for now."

Raon's eyes opened wide. Choi Han looked toward Cale in shock as well.

"H, human! There is no way that you would do that!"

"Cale-nim-"

Unlike the shocked duo, Cale was calm. He kicked the unconscious Number 7 with his foot as he spoke.

"Based on Number 7's reaction before he fainted, it is highly likely that there are jiangshis in other locations as well."

'I agree with that part, human!"

Cale turned toward the jiangshis.

"We need to figure out the other location as well. Don't you think so?"

The corners of Cale's lips twisted up. He soon put on the mask.

"Let's hurry it up a bit. We have a lot of things to do."

"Human, what do we need to do?"

Raon's eyes sparkled after figuring out that Cale had some sort of plan.

"It's not that difficult."

Cale motioned to Choi Han who placed Number 7 over his shoulder like a potato sack.

Cale turned around from the jiangshis and headed toward the door.

"Erase all traces of us having come to this underground tomb."

Number 7 had said the following while disarming the traps on their way to Area 5.

'They become disarmed if you move them opposite the way to activate them.'

Choi Han cautiously looked at Cale and asked.

"Cale-nim, reactivating the traps that have been disarmed…?"

"I remember them."

Cale had recorded the entirety of Number 7 disarming the traps.

Choi Han looked at the door that was destroyed.

"Then what about this door?"

"Just leave it as is."

Choi Han thought about it for a moment before smiling innocently.

"I guess the enemies will find it scary. An existence who knows all of the traps and can disappear without a trace had infiltrated the underground tomb only to purposely destroy the door and not touch anything else."

Cale nodded his head as if he agreed and then lightheartedly commented.

"Let's get moving."

Shaaaaaaaaaaaa-

Raon erased all of the magic light orbs floating around the area.

Raon looked at the area that was covered in darkness again before hearing Cale's voice and turning his head without any hesitation.

"We will see it again soon."

That one sentence was enough for Raon to follow Cale.

"Olivia."

"Yes, Royal Father."

Olivia smiled as gently as possible. She kept peeking at the door as she did that.

'…Why is the signal not coming?'

The Purifier said that he, in his priest outfit, would come to find Olivia once everything was over.

The Purifier was going to say that he was worried about her health to pull her out of here as naturally as possible.

'Was it supposed to take this long?'

However, the Purifier did not show up despite the expected amount of time passing.

'Did something happen?

Did he perhaps get caught?

'No. Then it would not be this quiet.'

If the Purifier's group got caught while doing what they planned on doing, the Emperor's Palace would be in an uproar right now.

An outsider would have infiltrated the Emperor's Palace. But it was silent right now.

'It is suffocatingly silent.'

The Emperor's Palace was eerily calm.

'What should I say now?'

Olivia had chatted about a lot of things with the Emperor already. It started with asking if the corpses of the First Imperial Prince and Fourth Imperial Prince were found before asking if the Emperor's body and heart were okay. The Emperor then asked concerned about her injuries and she said that she was okay while making it clearly visible that she was still in pain.

She had brought up anything and everything she could think of to extend this conversation.

'This is the limit.'

However, that had arrived at its limit now.

'Most importantly, I have never chatted with Royal Father this long before.'

The Emperor had cherished the First Imperial Prince and Fourth Imperial Prince to the point it seemed like favoritism. As for his other children, he paid just enough attention to them so that it did not look like he was neglecting them.

"Olivia."

The Emperor called out to Olivia again.

'Shit.'

She swore internally while making eye contact with the Emperor. The Emperor's face was covered in black lines that resembled spider webs just like her face.

A gentle smile appeared on the Emperor's face. He resembled a father talking to his child.

"I think we can end our conversation now. Isn't that right?"

"…Royal Father."

Olivia called out to the Emperor almost in a murmur. The Emperor looked at her and asked.

"Instead, how about you tell me the real reason you came here today?"

'I knew it.'

Olivia's heart sank while looking at how the smile had disappeared from the Emperor's face.

'As I expected, there was no way the Emperor would look at my visit as an innocent one.

What should I do?'

Olivia had that thought but had another thought at the same time.

'What else? Just hit it head on.'

She had basically come back from the dead.

It had not been very long.

After that, all sorts of unbelievable ugly truths had smashed through Olivia's mind.

These past few days…

She had never had anything happen in her whole life that shook her as the events of the past few days.

The existence of a father who was trying to figure out his child's intentions when Olivia experienced something like that in the past few days…

'There is no need to be afraid.'

She had nothing to be scared about.

It was nothing compared to the destruction of this world.

'Your Majesty."

Olivia no longer called the Emperor Royal Father.

"Yes, Olivia."

She asked the Emperor who was still warmly calling her name.

"Do you suspect me?"

The Emperor's eyebrows slightly rose up. Olivia could see her smiling reflection in the Emperor's eyes.

'Yes, I am able to not show my full self even in front of the Emperor.'

The issue of the Purifier's group was pushed back a bit in ranking in Olivia's mind.

She focused on the Emperor.

"Olivia, what do you mean by that? Why would I suspect you?"

"The incident in Precinct 9. Were you not suspecting me as the villain responsible for that?"

Tap.

The Emperor lowered the teacup in his hand.

Olivia could see the clothes that were tightly wrapped around the Emperor's arm only revealing his hand.

"Olivia, why would I suspect my own child? I know how seriously you were injured during the incident."

"Pfft."

Olivia chuckled.

The Emperor's eyes opened slightly wider. He looked as if he didn't expect Olivia to laugh like that.

She shook her head.

"Your Majesty, you have never considered me to be your child. I know that very well as your child."

"…Olivia."

"I will become the Empress."

Olivia looked directly at the Emperor who had an odd smile on his face.

"I will overcome every obstacle in my way and follow after your footsteps, your Majesty."

She had wanted to become the Empress from the beginning.

She would not have participated in the Imperial heir candidate test if she did not have that thought.

Of course, there have been some changes to her feelings.

"I am willing to do anything and everything to get there."

'I really can do anything and everything.

Even if I have to point a sword at the neck of a blood relative, my own father.'

"I came to deliver these words."

Even if it required her to flip over this entire Empire…

"I am really truly willing to do anything and everything for it."

'I can do anything and I will make it happen.

If I can destroy this motherfucking destruction and start new…'

"Hoooo."

The Emperor smiled.

'As expected.'

Olivia realized it at that moment.

'As expected, you can only understand it like that.'

She could clearly understand how the Emperor took her statement about being able to do anything and everything based on his reaction.

"…Hmm. I understand why you were curious to know if we found the corpses of the First Imperial Prince and Fourth Imperial Prince. You are willing to do anything and everything… Do you want to become the Empress that badly?"

"Yes, your Majesty."

"I did not know that you had such a strong determination."

The smile on the Emperor's face became gentle again.

'Good.'

Olivia thought that this was good.

The Emperor had misunderstood Olivia's comments about being willing to do anything and everything.

'He probably understood it as my willingness to do anything he or the Huayans patriarch asks me to do as long as I can become the Empress.'

He probably saw a person bowing down after throwing all pride out the window because she was crazy for power.

"Olivia, can I interpret your desire as I please?"

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Good. I will attentively watch what you do."

"Thank you very much, your Majesty."

'Yes, pay close attention.

You and the Huayans patriarch will see something different from what you expect.'

"I can't help but be disappointed that we did not have such a conversation earlier."

"I agree, your Majesty."

Olivia felt that the Emperor accepted the reason for her visit to the Emperor's Palace after this conversation.

'Yes, this guy is not someone who would believe that I came here to console him as his daughter.'

Olivia thought that it was a good idea to go forth like this instead of relying on that farce of checking in on him.

However, she couldn't help but be concerned.

'Why is it so quiet?'

There were no signs from the Purifier until now.

'Did something really happen?'

Olivia had managed to get the Emperor to understand her visit thanks to this conversation, but it was all useless if their original goal was not complete.

"Olivia, I will call you again soon."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"We can talk in more detail at that time."

"I understand. I will wait for your summons, your Majesty."

"What about the second test?"

Olivia calmly answered the question the Emperor nonchalantly asked.

"I plan on being in the top three of the second test, your Majesty."

"Hooooo. Good, I want to see what you have planned."

"Thank you very much, I will make sure to meet your exp-"

She could not finish her sentence.

Baaaaaang—!

There was a loud noise and everything started shaking.

"Ugh!"

Olivia's body shook from being shocked by the explosion and the sudden shaking. She was unable to maintain her balance as her injuries had not fully recovered.

'Now's the time.'

However, she decided that this was her chance. She moved to move next to the Emperor.

"Royal Father! Are you okay?"

"…Yes. I am okay."

Even Olivia could tell that the Emperor was fine while sitting down. However, when else could she show herself looking after the Emperor like this?

'What is going on?'

Olivia's heart started to beat wildly.

'The Purifier is clearly responsible for this.'

If something was to happen in the Emperor's Palace, it was definitely the Purifier's doing.

Baaaaang—!

There was another explosion.

Slam!

The door opened and knights urgently moved in.

"Your Majesty!"

"What is going on?"

The Emperor calmly asked and the Knight Captain of the Imperial Palace urgently responded.

"There was an explosion, your Majesty!"

"…Where?"

"Your bedroom is currently caught up in the explosion."

"…!"

The Emperor jumped up.

"Lead the way."

"You must evacuate, your Majesty!"

"Lead me to the bedroom! No, I will go myself!"

It was rare for the Emperor to raise his voice like this as he pushed the Knight Captain aside and headed out. Olivia urgently followed behind him.

She was chatting with the Emperor in one of the studies of the Emperor's Palace, a spot completely on the other side of the bedroom.

The Emperor always met with visitors here.

Baaaaaang- baaaaang!

There were more explosions.

"Get them!"

"Catch the intruders!"

It was loud outside. Olivia opened a window in the hallway.

The Imperial Palace knights and black mages were running through the rear garden.

They all looked up.

Olivia looked up as well.

"…!"

A person wearing black clothes was quickly moving through the Emperor's Palace building roofs and getting away.

'The swordsman!'

Olivia knew that this was the swordsman of the Purifier's group.

– Hey Second Imperial Princess.

She then heard the Dragon's voice in her mind.

Olivia looked at the back of the Emperor who was running toward the bedroom.

She had never seen her father being so rushed before.

– Let's go back. Our work is done.

The Dragon's voice was bright.

– Ah, you don't need to worry about our Choi Han! He will run away a little longer before he gets to a blind spot and I teleport him out!

There was an explosion at the Huayans Estate followed by an explosion in the center of the capital at the Emperor's Palace.

Another person in a black outfit with a hideous red crest on the chest was seen in this explosion site as well.

Once the capital was swept up in chaos once again…

That night…

"Cale, a few people from the House of Huayans left the capital."

"Cale-nim, Eruhaben-nim said that a couple people left from the Imperial Palace as well and met up with the people from the Huayans."

Sui Khan. Choi Han. Cale opened his mouth after hearing the two of their answers.

"Someone's following them?"

"Yes. The Holy Knights from the Church are following after them. They are keeping a distance to not be noticed. They shouldn't get caught since priest Durst is with them."

Sui Khan responded.

Cale held a map of the capital and the nearby area as he spoke.

"The place they are headed toward shouldn't be far from the capital."

The video communication device started ringing at that moment. Raon connected the call and they heard Eruhaben's voice.

– I saw the Huayans patriarch heading into the destroyed Emperor's Palace.

"Eruhaben-nim, please observe while not getting caught."

– Okay.

Cale looked at the map while speaking to the group.

"The enemies will feel wary about the fact that the Emperor's bedroom, the place connected to the location with the jiangshis, was the one to be attacked."

They will inspect the underground tomb in shock but the only sign of entry they will see is the destroyed door.

They will feel a sense of crisis, and although it might take some time, the enemies in the end will-

"They will definitely move toward the location with the other jiangshis. We cannot miss that moment."

No matter what happened, they should be able to gather a lot of information from the enemies that were moving after something happened.

Cale was planning on using all of the information they gathered.

"Cale."

Sui Khan asked.

"Will you strike at once after we gather the information?"

"Yes, team leader-nim. We will strike like a storm at once. We will do it so that the enemies can't get their minds straight."

Cale was slowly gathering information as the night of chaos passed by.

A few days passed like that.

"Your Royal Highness, are you ready?"

Olivia looked at the Purifier and nodded her head.

"Yes sir. I am ready."

The second test, Hide and Seek, will end in a few hours.

The public execution will soon follow in the central plaza.

---

The residents always gathered at the central plaza when it was time for a festival in the Empire's capital.

That was usually where they announced the start of the festival.

"…So many people have gathered."

"I know, right?"

Today, the central plaza as well as the alleys connected to the plaza and the commercial districts and all buildings within it were full of people.

However, the mood was noisy but oddly somber.

There was also a mysteriously heated atmosphere.

"It's much better up here on the roof!"

Some people had climbed up to the roofs of buildings to look down at the plaza.

"…Wow. All of them are to be executed?"

There was a fountain at the center of the plaza. Starting from there, there was an area that resembled a piece of pie toward the Imperial Palace to the north. Extremely tall separators were placed to distinguish this area from the rest.

"I can't really see the faces of the candidates because we are too far!"

The candidates of the Imperial heir test were all within that separated area.

"Hehe."

Mercenary Zero… He was smiling while looking around.

"So many people came to watch people die~"

Today was the day to announce the results of the second test, the Hide and Seek.

In other words, it was the day of the public execution.

He was looking at the extremely packed crowd and could not stop laughing as if he found this to be extremely hilarious.

"I guess watching people die is quite entertaining. Pfft."

Numerous spectators were whispering while watching the people the candidates had captured.

Zero was quite entertained by this.

However, the gazes of the other candidates as they looked at him were not very nice.

"Ha! He's gone crazy!"

One of the candidates scowled while looking past Zero's shoulders.

"…All of them have burlap sacks over their heads."

"They do."

One of the candidate's helpers continued to speak.

"As expected of someone of mercenary origins, he must have received help from mercenaries."

There were a lot of people dressed as mercenaries standing behind Zero. Based on what they had heard, Zero had spent money to hire these mercenaries as he no longer had any helpers.

Zero apparently said that he was willing to accept points being taken away for doing this and proceeded with the second test.

The candidates who were now seeing the results could not hide the shocked looks on their faces.

"There are over ten luggage carts."

Large luggage carts.

They were all stationed around Zero.

Inside them were people whose faces were covered by black burlap sacks kneeling with their hands and feet in shackles.

"It looks like there are at least twenty people in each one."

They looked at Zero's luggage carts with envy and jealousy visible in their faces.

Zero had captured over a hundred people. He might end up being the victor of the second test.

The candidate who was chatting with his helper let out a sigh.

"He brought them in bulk. It looks like he just grabbed anybody without really looking into their backgrounds."

"Seriously."

"…This is not good."

The candidate looked around.

"Do you think everybody did their research before capturing these people?"

Although the candidates did not bring back as many captives as Zero did, they had all captured at least ten people.

This candidate knew that such a phenomenon was impossible.

"…Young master-nim."

He shook his head as his helper called out to him in a low voice.

"Haaa, I know. The authenticity of the captives is not important right now."

He barely managed to capture one person.

It was also not someone associated with a group on the list.

"They are also separating the groups on the list by tiers and giving points based on that, right? For there to be points on their lives…"

"…Young master-nim."

"Well, whatever. I'm already going to be eliminated. I'm done."

He did not manage to find anybody from a group on the list but had caught a fugitive wanted for murder in the capital. That was the most he was capable of doing.

"Young master-nim, there are a lot of people from the Imperial Palace around right now."

"But it is weird. This kind of atmosphere… It is not like the capital."

"…I'm sure that there are a lot of people in the Empire who find this to be weird as well. Please look around. Not all of them have the same kind of expressions on their faces."

His helper was right.

"There were so many criminals in the capital? No wonder the House of Huayans and the Imperial Palace were attacked! Those rotten bastards! Kill them all!"

"Tsk tsk tsk. There was so much trash in the capital. At least our esteemed future Emperor candidates managed to capture them."

There were people reacting like this but also…

"Honey! Please let me through! My husband, my husband is captured in there!"

"Mother! My mother is innocent!"

"This is crazy. They are going to publicly execute them? That many people? Are the academics not going to do anything about it?"

"…This is not right. People are going crazy."

There were people whose hearts were full of fear, chaos, and confusion.

That was why the plaza had a mix of all sorts' emotions right now.

"Butler."

"Yes, young master-nim."

The candidate looked around before addressing his helper.

"Has mother not said anything?"

"…The Matriarch-nim has said that this was done by the Imperial family and the House of Huayans so there was no room for her to interfere."

This candidate… Was from a Marquis household in the Empire. The third son of the current Matriarch bit down on his lips.

His gaze headed back to Zero.

"We can't have someone like him becoming the Emperor."

The captives in his luggage carts all have blood on their hands and feet. How intense must he have gone after them to capture them? Just thinking about it made the candidate's heart frustrated.

'Are there any real criminals in there?'

Smile.

Zero made eye contact with him and smiled. His gaze made the candidate swear internally before turning his head.

"What about her Royal Highness and Heni Wishrop?"

"I do not see them yet, sir.'

The two candidates had not come yet.

The other candidates seemed to have a lot to say about that, especially regarding the Second Imperial Princess.

One of the candidates had a sneer on their faces as they started to speak.

"Wow, she's finally here."

There was only about thirty minutes until the execution was to start.

Some of the candidates sneered after seeing the Second Imperial Princess.

"She must have given up."

Second Imperial Princess Olivia was walking leisurely with a gentle smile on her face. She was gracefully waving at the citizens of the Empire who were greeting her or cheering for her.

However, the only person behind her was the priest responsible for her treatment.

No guards, captives, or anybody else were by her side.

"It looks like the Second Imperial Princess will receive the lowest ranking in this second test."

"But she does seem to be healthier. I guess the priest she takes around with her must be skilled."

Some envious voices could be heard through the sneers.

"I heard that the Second Imperial Princess went to the Emperor's Palace a few days ago. Is she trying to use her bloodline to her advantage because she doesn't have the strength to go through the tests?'

Some voices were past the point of envy and looking down on her.

Of course, the candidate from the Marquis' household and some others looked relieved that Imperial Princess Olivia did not capture anybody.

'Mm.'

Olivia was also counting the number of captives each candidate brought back as she observed each and every one of the candidates.

It was as if she was evaluating them.

– Human, there are so many people!

The priest standing behind Olivia… Cale, who had his face covered from underneath his eyes with a white cloth, looked around after hearing Raon's voice.

'There will be a lot of casualties if there is a large battle.'

Cale had no intention of having a large battle at the central plaza.

'Mm.'

Cale noticed Zero as he moved his head around to observe the plaza.

Smile.

Zero smiled at him.

– Human, I think that Zero is a bit crazy too.

Cale nodded his head at Raon's accurate assessment and looked at the luggage carts positioned behind Zero.

'He brought a lot with him.'

As Cale confirmed the number of people he had only heard through a report before and looked around at the terrain…

"His Majesty is now entering!"

The Chief of Staff stepped onto the platform and shouted. The plaza became rowdy for a moment as his message was delivered to the masses with a black magic amplification device.

"Quiet!"

However, the plaza became quiet as soon as the Chief of Staff shouted.

There were only ten minutes left until the public execution.

A magic circle glowing white started to appear on top of the platform.

"Waaaaaaah—!"

Although they were told to be quiet, the people could not hide their shouts at this moment.

Black magic was a pride and joy of the Empire.

This magic circle that uses dead mana but gives off a holy white light appeared at the center of the platform.

Paaaat.

And once the white light completely settled…

Woooooooooooooooo–!

Cheers shot out from all around once again.

The Emperor.

Behind him was the Huayans patriarch, Reddock Huayans, along with the Captain of the Imperial Palace Knights Brigade.

The core of the core personnel of the Empire were gathered now.

Click. Click.

The Imperial Palace Knights and Black mages appeared onto the platform and lined up.

The citizens of the Empire held their cheering in check as the way they protected the Emperor and looked as if they would not drip even a single drop of blood if they were stabbed was overbearing.

The eerily heated atmosphere was slowly getting hotter in that silence.

"Your Majesty."

The Chief of Staff moved the amplification device to around the bottom of the Emperor's face. The Emperor looked around.

His gaze headed toward the candidates.

Finally, it moved to the citizens of the Empire.

"Today is the day to announce the results of the second test."

The Emperor did not use any gestures or emphasize his voice. He simply spoke calmly.

However, his dignity could still be felt in his voice.

"Recently, there have been people aiming for the Empire. However, they have been hiding around the Empire for a long time planning to pollute this land."

Cale's gaze headed toward the Emperor's clothes.

The Emperor was standing as firm as Mount Tai. His entire body underneath his neck was completely covered by clothes now.

His wrists that were dyed black were not visible either.

'Today, the talented individuals who will lead the Empire forward after me have captured those people hiding among us."

The Emperor's clever way of speaking… Cale didn't pay any attention to the words that made it sound like the things that had recently happened in the Empire were done by the people on the list.

– Human, should we tell them?

Cale slightly nodded his head. His gaze now moved to the Huayans patriarch.

The patriarch was looking at Zero with a stoic look on his face.

It was as if he was investigating something.

The Emperor continued to speak through that until he got to his final line.

"The focus of today is not I but the Emperor candidates here, the future of our Empire. That is why I hope that you can sincerely applaud them for their heroics."

The Emperor then stopped talking. The Chief of Staff started to speak instead.

"His Majesty has finished his statement. We will immediately commence reporting the results of test two and the judgment of the fugitives as soon as his Majesty sits down."

"Waaaaaaah—!"

A couple cheers spread throughout the plaza like a wave.

The Emperor received the Knight Captain's escort and walked over to the northernmost spot on the platform, a spot that was one level higher than the rest, with a stoic look on his face.

"…."

It was at that moment.

The Emperor stopped walking.

Clang!

The Knight Captain pulled out his sword and turned his head.

And the Huayans patriarch who also had a stoic look on his face… Reddock Huayans also stopped walking and moved his gaze.

He was frowning.

"W, what the?!"

"What, what is that?"

The citizens of the Empire had turned to look where the Emperor was looking. They all looked toward the same spot and questions soon fell out of their mouths.

Swoooooooosh-

A breeze blew by.

The white cloth covering Cale's face slightly fluttered.

His smiling lips appeared for a moment before they were covered by the white cloth again.

– Human, Mary is here!

Cale lifted his head up. A large Dragon was flying toward the central plaza.

However, it was not a real Dragon.

Numerous white flying skeleton monsters had gathered together to make the form of a large Dragon.

The Dragon moved its white body, almost as if it was flapping its wings, as it flew toward the central plaza.

Clang! Clang!

Oooooong– oooooong–

The Imperial Palace Knights and black mages pulled out their swords and channeled their dead mana at this sudden situation.

The Chief of Staff's gaze turned toward the Emperor.

Above the Emperor's head…

A shadow had appeared.

This large shadow covered the entire area of the public execution.

The Chief of Staff started to speak.

"…Candidate 19-nim. What is going on?"

It was at that moment.

Dang- daaaaaang— daaaaaaaang—

The bell on the spire located to the south of the central plaza started ringing.

It was announcing that it was noon, which also meant that it was time for the second test to finish.

People looked toward the head of the white Dragon made of numerous skeleton monsters.

A person jumped off of it.

However, a black thread that started from the monster stretched out, making that person's descent as smooth as if she was using magic.

Tap.

Heni Wishrop landed at the bottom of the platform.

No, Mary looked up at the Emperor on top of the platform and started to speak.

"I have returned with captives."

The Chief of Staff had a rare look of shock on his face and he responded with a slightly angry expression on his face.

"Candidate 19. How dare you act so disrespectfully toward his Majesty?"

Mary waved her hand at that moment.

The skeleton monsters…. They started to move.

The white Dragon made of skeletons… Its stomach split open.

Then people appeared.

It was not just one person but a total of eleven people.

They were all being dangled by flying skeleton monsters.

They looked like sacrifices imprisoned in a spider web.

As nobody could say anything while watching this…

Mary looked not at the Chief of Staff who asked the question but at the Emperor and responded.

"I have returned with the Pope and all ten bishops of the Church of the Fire of Purification."

The Huayans patriarch's eyes opened wide. His eyes were full of shock.

Cale's eyes curled up like crescent moons as he watched.

---

There was a commotion in the area.

"Did she say… The Fire of Purification?"

The group that was on the top of the list for this second test was the Fire of Purification.

Even the Agents of Destruction who caused all sorts of issues and gave the Empire quite the headache were listed under the Fire of Purification.

"That crazy cult organization…!"

It was known as the worst of the cults and an organization full of crazed believers.

"…What kind of place is that?"

"You don't know the Fire of Purification?"

However, the 'reason' for why they were crazed believers was not well-known.

"Yeah, I don't. What is up with them?"

"Ah, you are from outside the Empire. The believers of that group are to be immediately executed if found."

"Immediate execution not just for the leaders but even for the regular believers?"

"Yeah."

Other people who had been listening to their conversation nodded their heads in agreement. People to be immediately executed. The Church of the Fire of Purification was the place you never wanted to be around nor have any association with whatsoever.

"Man, how crazy of a cult are they? What the hell have they done?"

"…I don't know? I've only heard that it was a crazy place."

"What?"

"…I guess it is weird. But wouldn't there be a reason for them to be the worst criminal organization?"

An odd air current flowed through the crowd.

However, this current could not grow. In fact, the appearance of the Pope of the most evil organization was slowly increasing the heated atmosphere that had died down a bit.

However, there were people who could not accept this.

"Unbelievable!"

One of the candidates glared at Mary as if he could not believe this at all.

"I couldn't find a single believer no matter how thoroughly I investigated the capital but you caught the Pope and all of the bishops?"

The Fire of Purification was the group that was the hardest capture, the group who was the best hidden.

How did Heni Wishrop find them when nobody even knew the accurate location of their temple?

She was merely a royalty of a perished kingdom!

"Lies!"

One of the candidates raised his voice.

"I'm certain that Candidate 19 has brought fake captives!"

He pointed at Heni Wishrop and looked around at the crowd.

"How could a perished royal, someone who has lost her helpers, capture the Pope and Bishops of a church that the Imperial family has not managed to locate for almost 100 years?! I may be willing to believe it more if she said that they were believers, but this is clearly a lie to get high marks!"

The candidate then glared at Mary.

"!"

He then got shocked.

Heni Wishrop was smiling.

Mary opened her mouth. Her gaze headed past the Chief of Staff and the Emperor to the Huayans patriarch.

"You just need to check if it is a lie or not."

Her voice was very calm.

"The Pope of the Church of the Fire of Purification." You just need to see the power that put her on the Imperial Palace's list for immediate execution."

People's gazes headed up to the sky. The middle-aged woman who they presumed was the pope was still dangling in the air while being held by a skeleton monster. She looked unsightly.

Mary pointed at her.

"Shall we check?"

The citizens of the Empire looked toward the Pope's bound hands and feet.

The Pope had her eyes looking down and was quietly standing there with a dispirited look on her face.

Mary looked at the other candidates.

"That is needed for all of you to accept it, is it not?"

The candidate who got angry flinched after looking into her purple eyes.

Her eyes were so clear.

There were not any signs of anger and annoyance. The way the eyes were firm and his reflection shone so brightly in them made him scared.

– Human, Mary is doing well!

Cale heard Raon's voice in his mind.

– But will the Huayans patriarch make the Pope use her power?

'No.'

– I think that he will stop her and prevent her from using her power! Won't the Huayans patriarch be screwed if the Pope shows everybody how she can defeat dead mana?

'That's right.'

The Pope could not purify dead mana like Cale. However, the red smoke or red aura was able to resist dead mana and push it back.

Revealing that here?

'Pfft.'

The moment the corners of Cale's lips curled up…

"There is no need for verification."

The Chief of Staff stepped forward.

Mary immediately responded.

"I want to properly get my results accepted through an accurate verification process."

The Chief of Staff looked at Mary and smiled as he responded.

"We simply need to kill all of the insolent organizations that are aiming for the Empire."

Cale's smile became even wider.

The Chief of Staff looked around at the candidates and addressed him.

"Wonderful, all of our esteemed candidates are finally here. Nobody has any more captives, correct? Then we will now commence the immediate execution of the members of organizations on the list."

Boom-

There was a drum booming behind the platform.

The Chief of Staff opened his mouth.

"The Imperial Palace Knights Brigade will now commence binding the group members on the list."

Boom- boom-

The drums boomed again and people flinched….

"Eek, when did they?"

"…Why are there so many knights?"

In the alleys, buildings, platform… The Knights of the Imperial Palace started to appear all around.

Some of the candidates' eyebrows twitched.

"…They are not Imperial Palace Knights?"

"Aren't they the Capital Defense Knights Brigade?"

It was not just the Imperial Palace Knights but also the knights of the Capital Defense, and the nearby area defense units as well.

"Mm."

Something seemed weird.

The Chief of Staff's soft yet bright voice echoed throughout the plaza at that moment.

"Bind them."

The knights all pulled out their swords.

The black mages who suddenly appeared channeled their dead mana as well.

"Eek!"

One of the candidates took a deep breath.

His pupils were shaking.

"Why…?"

Clang, c, clang!

Ten knights… They pulled out their swords.

And pointed it at someone.

It was pointed at Heni Wishrop.

"W, why at them?"

It was not just at her.

"Keke."

Mercenary Zero… The knights who made up the core of the units pointed their swords at him as well. Behind them were black mages who were ready to use black magic at any moment.

The plaza was filled with whispers.

It was because the Imperial Palace had surrounded some candidates.

"You were too arrogant."

The corners of the Chief of Staff's lips curled up as if it was straight out of painting.

He looked down at Mary and Zero.

The Chief of Staff slightly bowed his head toward the people in the plaza first.

"First of all, I apologize to the citizens of the Empire and the candidates."

The candidates gulped. More soldiers popped out and started to surround the area.

They looked ready to fight at any moment.

"While the second test was to test the determination of the candidates, it was also there to capture some damn rats."

Damn rats.

The people in the plaza subconsciously flinched after hearing those words.

It was because they realized that the atmosphere was getting quite weird.

"We learned that some damn rats managed to find their way into our selection to determine the next leader of the Empire, the dignified position of our ruler."

Cale heard the Chief of Staff's voice in his ears and Raon's voice in his mind at the same time.

– Human, the Huayans patriarch had a hidden card up his sleeve as we expected!

The second test of Hide and Seek…

That was not a scheme to only blame the groups on the list for everything that had happened in the Empire.

It was as described in its name…

They were seeking out some certain individuals hiding within the candidates.

"They used their heads a bit."

As Cale had that thought…

Zero raised both hands into the air.

His sharp eyes stared at the Chief of Staff through his disheveled hair.

"How did you know?"

Just a single sentence…

That was all he said that that sentence was like an explosion that quickly changed the mood in the plaza to chaos.

Zero's comment was basically admitting to what the Chief of Staff was saying.

"How else?"

The Chief of Staff continued in a girlish tone.

"The Huayans Estate was attacked when the Huayans patriarch was not present. And, out of the many precincts out there, something just happened to happen in Precinct 9 where all of the candidates were present. Isn't it natural to expect that something that should not exist was present among the candidates?"

He pointed at Zero.

"Furthermore, the Imperial Palace has been attentively keeping an eye on you from the beginning, Zero-nim. As expected, you were a part of the Agents of Destruction."

The Agents of Destruction. That name made the mood in the plaza even heavier.

"Wow. The Imperial Palace is so amazing. I had no idea you would have some knowledge of my identity."

Zero clapped as if he found them to be amazing.

Human, the Imperial Palace's information network is better than expected.

Raon showed his agreement. However, Cale's gaze instantly turned sharp as he looked toward the patriarch.

'…They had some knowledge of Zero's identity? But they still allowed him to register as a candidate?'

There was only one thing that could mean.

'It means they were confident that they could kill Zero and the entire Agents of Destruction or turn them into jiangshis.'

And that should be the same right now as well.

Cale looked around.

It was possible that the enemies had gathered much more troops than Cale had expected.

That would not be good news for them.

'The Imperial Palace had intentions of having a battle here.'

Then Cale naturally had another thought.

'What about the numerous citizens of the Empire gathered here?'

Cale, who had planned on naturally showing his 'powers,' slowly felt his back turning cold.

'…No way-'

The Huayans patriarch. Cale looked at him.

'Hey bastard, did you have no intentions of having a third test either?'

Cale had always moved one step ahead of the enemies.

What if the Huayans patriarch had made up his mind to move one step ahead as well in order to go up against Cale?

The Huayans patriarch was smart enough and strong enough to do that.

"But it is still surprising."

The Chief of Staff turned away from Zero.

"I never expected that Heni Wishrop-nim would be associated with the Fire of Purification."

He looked at Mary, who was surrounded by knights, and the leaders of the church who were dangling in the air, as he continued to speak.

"To be honest with you, we were not too sure. We were not sure about Heni Wishrop-nim's identity. However, isn't it obvious when you managed to capture all of the leaders of the church that even the Imperial family could not find?"

The Chief of Staff smiled at the candidate who first complained earlier. The candidate flinched and looked away.

The Chief of Staff weakly looked at the Pope and spoke.

"For even the Church of the Fire of Purification to be aiming for the throne… You truly were an even organization."

The Chief of Staff then motioned with his hand.

"Now then, let us proceed with the execution."

"Hmm."

Zero tilted his head as if he was contemplating something before nodding his head up and down.

"This is different from the plan, but…"

It truly was different from the plan.

They had not expected the Imperial Palace to bring so many soldiers.

Especially since the plaza was full of citizens of the Empire.

'Oh well.'

However, they could not just sit still.

If the enemies already know about him…

'Might as well show myself.'

His gaze turned toward Mary.

Mary was quietly standing there.

Zero knew the reason behind it as well.

'I guess she is planning on going along with the Purifier's plan.'

However, the situation made it difficult to do so.

"It will be better for you to surrender peacefully."

Zero was quietly staring at the sword of the Knight Captain of the Capital Defense who was approaching him.

He then asked.

"What would be better?"

"I will make your death as painless as possible."

"Ha!"

Either way, they were going to kill him.

"What fucking nonsense."

Zero moved his hand at that moment.

Chhhhh-

The hilt of the sword that was in his pocket popped out.

It was a hilt that was made of bones.

The moment a black aura slightly rose out of it…

Ooooooooong-

Claaaaang, clang!

Black magic and swords all around finished their preparations to attack the enemies.

Clunk. Clunk.

The group of over one hundred people in the luggage carts got up.

Crack. Plop. Plop.

The rope binding their hands and feet effortlessly broke and fell to the ground.

The citizens of the Empire slowly retreated or curled up in fear.

At that moment…

Shaaaaaaaaaaa-

A breeze blew by.

People raised their heads.

"Ah…!"

A holy white light appeared in the air above the plaza as if it was a snowflake.

"Patriarch-nim…!"

The Huayans patriarch, the instructor of the Emperor and one of the pillars of the Empire… He stood up and cast his white magic.

The citizens could relax now. They felt that nothing extraordinary should happen now that the patriarch has stepped in.

That was how powerful of an impression the Huayans patriarch left on the citizens of the Empire.

"Huh?"

However, the people looking up at the sky had to feel oddly anxious again.

The white bundle of light that resembled a snowflake turned into a sharp arrow.

Then the number of arrows slowly increased.

They went from dozens to hundreds.

'…Isn't that too much?'

Arrows that seemed to be too many to publicly execute the criminals trying to destroy the Empire started to fill the sky at a spot even higher than Mary's Flying Skeleton Brigade.

It was slowly getting extremely bright.

They felt as if they would get seriously injured if even one of those arrows brushed past them.

The citizens of the Empire closed their mouths again.

There were still people who seemed relieved while looking at the Huayans patriarch, but the number of people that felt something was off slowly started to increase.

Click.

It was at that moment.

Click. Click.

Second Imperial Princess Olivia.

She leisurely walked toward the platform.

"Mr. Chief of Staff. Why don't we announce the points for the test first?"

Her gentle yet firm tone made people all look at her.

The Chief of Staff responded to Olivia, who was so calm and seemed as if she did not understand the current situation.

"Your Royal Highness, we are currently doing that right now."

The Emperor's gaze turned toward Olivia.

He had definitely seen a desire for the throne in Olivia and believed that she was willing to do anything and everything necessary to get there.

'…!'

The Emperor saw Olivia look right at him and smile at that moment.

"That's right. I am asking you to give me my points first."

"…Your points, your Royal Highness?"

The Chief of Staff hid his shock but could not hide his confusion.

Olivia. There was nobody by her side.

He did not see any captives.

'No-'

The Chief of Staff's eyes opened wide.

Olivia. There was a single person next to her.

The priest.

The white-haired green-eyed man whose face was covered under his eyes.

That man was now standing next to Olivia.

Olivia introduced him to the Emperor.

"I captured the Hunter who will hunt the damn rats rotting the Empire."

The green eyes… Cale's eyes headed toward the Huayans patriarch.

The moment the two of them made eye contact…

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang—!

A loud explosion came from the north.

A fire was shooting up from the Imperial Palace.

While that was happening, away at the Emperor's Palace at the center of the Imperial Palace…

"Who goes there?!"

"Me?"

Eruhaben smiled while looking at the knights shaking while pointing their swords at him.

"Me, a Dragon."

He then pointed next to him.

"Her, also a Dragon."

Aphei was fidgeting with her fingers while timidly standing slightly behind Eruhaben.

Eruhaben smiled as he spoke.

"I'm angry so get out of my way."

The ancient Dragon was not planning on hiding his anger he had felt since getting to this world and had been holding back for a long time.