Adam lowered his gaze and said, "A new Red Priest isn't bad for this era, and giving you the Conqueror characteristic is the best choice for everyone."
"What if I don't trade it to Medici?" Alaric asked, curious.
"That's your freedom." Adam replied, pausing to meet Alaric's eyes. "But for you, trading it to Medici maximizes your gain."
"Haha, typical Adam answer." Alaric laughed, saying no more.
Of course, he'd trade the characteristic to Medici... just not yet. It was a valuable chip, and even Alaric needed to plan how to leverage it fully.
But where did this Conqueror characteristic come from? The Loen royal family's stash?
Alaric was curious but didn't dwell on it. Done with questions, he used his travel ability to bring the puppetized Ince Zangwill to Blackthorn Security Company.
Inside Blackthorn, the battle between the Nighthawks and the True Creator's spawn was halfway done, the scene a wreck. The company's building was nearly rubble. Megose and the evil god's spawn, who should've dominated, faced Leonard, backed by his mysterious mentor; Klein, wielding high-level Sun pathway charms and Sefirah Castle; and Dunn, near Sequence 6 and empowered by Saint Selena's ashes.
The poor spawn, not yet fully born, learned what it meant to face overpowered foes, pushed straight into its second phase.
The second-phase boss was no pushover. Leonard, after landing a hit with stolen "Blasphemy Words." was targeted and knocked out. Megose moved to finish him, but Dunn, using Saint Selena's ashes, intervened. Klein prepared his last Sun Flame Charm.
Before he could act, a baby's wail... "Waa!"... erupted. The spawn's power not only dispelled the ashes' effect but hit Klein and Dunn with an area attack, turning the tide.
As Megose was about to break free and the spawn's birth loomed, Dunn's eyes hardened. Without hesitation, he moved to rip out his heart to further activate the ashes' power.
But as his hand neared his chest, another hand grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"Losing a heart isn't incurable, but I'm not great at healing. It'd be a hassle."
A stranger's voice, low and pleasant with a hint of amusement, sounded nearby.
Dunn turned, stunned, meeting a pair of radiant golden eyes. They held a faint smile, and as Dunn looked, the stranger's lips curved into a grin.
Mr. Helel? Dunn recognized him instantly. Though he'd never seen a photo, Old Neil's ritual magic portrait matched perfectly.
The next moment, Dunn saw Helel glance at Megose and the spawn, frowning as if annoyed.
"So noisy."
His golden eyes locked onto them. The spawn, wailing moments ago, fell silent, its aura weakening as if struck a heavy blow.
"Might as well deal with you first. A discarded pawn, but as a key prop, you deserve a proper curtain call."
Dunn heard Helel speak casually. Then, darkness fell... not the Darkness pathway's kind, but one steeped in cold, damp death. Dunn felt as if he'd been tossed into a river, shivering.
The darkness lasted only briefly. When it lifted, the spawn was gone. Helel crouched nearby, holding a white cloth he draped over a body... Megose's corpse.
"Bury her properly. She was forced onto this stage, but since her performance is done, she deserves a fitting end." Alaric said, standing and addressing Dunn gently.
"The Nighthawks will handle the aftermath, including the burial and comforting her family." Dunn replied instinctively, visibly tense.
"No need to be so nervous. I don't bite." Alaric said with a chuckle, his gaze shifting to Klein. "We meet again, Klein. I told you we would."
Klein recalled Azik's words about Lucifer's warning: He's stepped onto a stage not meant for him. Hesitant with Dunn present, Klein avoided naming Jack. "You knew this would happen, didn't you? That's why you said… he was in over his head."
Alaric smiled, neither confirming nor denying, and gestured to the puppetized Ince Zangwill nearby. "A gift. Hope you like it."
"That… Ince Zangwill?" Dunn noticed the puppet, tensing before realizing something was off.
He looked at Alaric, processing the "gift" comment, and cautiously asked, "Your Excellency Helel, may I ask what happened to Ince Zangwill?"
"Tingen's recent string of events? All his doing. This is the story he wrote for you... frankly, it's awful." Alaric said, tossing a notebook to Dunn. Flipping through it, Dunn's face darkened.
Klein leaned in, reading the notebook's contents, finally understanding the source of some of the coincidences plaguing him these past two months.
Only some… Klein gave a wry smile inwardly, looking at Alaric with a mix of gratitude and dread.
He didn't dare imagine what today would've become without his fellow transmigrator's intervention.
***
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