Meanwhile, the Crimson Scorpion, Barsamil, roamed the island of Jeju, fending off the waves of monsters that attacked from time to time.
His steps remained calm, even as his subordinates perished one by one.
He felt no concern; the true objective of the mission remained unknown to him. He did not even know whether the deaths of his subordinates were part of the mission's design or a sign of its failure.
Having received no order to retreat, he concluded that the real goal was to tarnish the reputation of Versalkin Academy in the eyes of the world—if only for a few days.
*Ring... ring... ring...*
Barsamil pulled his phone from his pocket to find a message from headquarters.
[Information suggests that the head of the Duchy of De Moliar, Reinhardt de Moliar, is arriving on Jeju Island to break the barrier that prevents reinforcements from entering or anyone from escaping.]
[Consequently, one of the leaders of the Council of Five Scorpions will arrive with 700 fighters to reinforce your position against Reinhardt and any support arriving from the Academy.]
[Furthermore, recover any corpses that still retain their human form—even if severed into one or two pieces, provided they have not been reduced to a pool of blood—so that our specialized healers may treat their injuries and bring them back to life. Those are the Chief's explicit instructions.]
Barsamil stared at the messages from headquarters with a hint of annoyance; the process of sending the relatively intact corpses of the Scorpion organization's subordinates back to headquarters was already a matter of standard, automatic procedure. The same applies to the students and professors of the Versalkin Academy.
Even if the barrier prevents them from escaping or blocks reinforcements from reaching the island, there are still spells and other methods that could be used to get the students off the island.
Why would they ask him to collect corpses that don't even exist in the first place?
This question swirled in the mind of the "Crimson Scorpion," Barsamil, as he stared at the messages on his phone. Yet, he could not refuse an order issued by the organization's headquarters.
After all, he was merely a subordinate to one of the leaders of the Council of Five Scorpions; he had no right to refuse or argue—lest he find his head severed from his body.
That said, it didn't mean he couldn't come up with an excuse to wriggle out of the task.
[Very well, I shall see to it. However, I am currently in pursuit of Subject No. 000002546 from Group D—Yuta Kaseral—along with his other half.]
[Consequently, I have no time to collect corpses. I will, however, attempt to gather them should the opportunity arise.]
Barsamil stowed his phone away into his dimensional storage space—a precaution against it being stolen or falling from his pocket during combat. Losing it could expose sensitive information about the Scorpion organization, putting his own life at risk.
He let out a sigh, his gaze fixed upon the "Origin Tree, Gu." Then, he removed his mask for a few fleeting seconds before sliding it back into place. His cold features surfaced for a fleeting moment as he gazed at the giant Gu tree—a tree whose existence was known to only a select few, including Director Soliver, his deputy Carter Bliggers, and a handful of others.
"Subject No. 000002546 from Group D has discovered the tracking devices we planted."
"The Versalkin Academy, anticipating such an event, had a contingency teleportation spell in place—triggered should the emblem be destroyed or a student perish."
"Soliver, you filthy traitor! You were one of the leaders of the Council of the Seven Scorpions, yet you betrayed us and revealed our existence to the world. You absolute piece of scum!"
Brasmel spoke with a hint of irritation, then resumed his search for Subject No. 000002546 of Group D.
Meanwhile, Beatrice, Lucy, Tom, and Jian Yi were searching for the rest of the elite students from their respective classes.
They raced through the forest, occasionally clashing with waves of monsters, while at other times managing to slip past them.
"Where are they? Why can't we find any of them? Did the earth just swallow them up, or what?"
Lucy grew increasingly frustrated as she searched for her companions; it had been quite some time since they had defeated one of the teams in this forest—a forest that, in truth, no longer existed.
Tom watched Lucy for several minutes before finally speaking:
"Is there any sign that Armin might wake up soon?"
Lucy sensed the state of the egg—an object that resembled both a dragon's egg and that of a crimson phoenix. Several seconds passed before she answered Tom's question.
"Yes, there is increasing energy activity inside; it seems to be on the verge of hatching. I'm not sure exactly when, though. I just hope it happens before the reinforcements arrive."
Anxiety washed over everyone upon hearing Lucy's final words. Armin's condition was bizarre—something entirely unprecedented.
The spontaneous transformation of an organism's physiological and biological structure would inevitably invite unwanted attention; many would surely seek to study him, conduct experiments, or even dissect him to uncover the secrets of his unique makeup.
For this reason, it was better that he hatch before drawing the kind of attention no one wanted.
Furthermore, any investigation could potentially expose the truth about Yuta—that he is a hybrid of four different races—which would plunge the world into chaos.
Such a discovery would bring them far more harm than good. Given their knowledge of Armin and Yuta's true natures, they would be branded as traitors to the Empire and subjected to severe punishment.
"You're right. Armin needs to hatch quickly; time is definitely not on our side."
Jian Yi remarked, dispatching a monster that had lunged at him.
While searching for their companions, they stumbled upon Grey, Ryuichi, Leon, and Inuyasha, who were resting after fending off a wave of monsters that had emerged from an X-rank dungeon.
They headed straight toward them without a word.
As they arrived, the gazes of Grey, Ryuichi, Leon, and Inuyasha shifted toward them. The gazes of Leon and Inuyasha were calm, yet they were capable of striking dread into the hearts of everyone present.
Nevertheless, the newcomers chose to ignore the sudden, oppressive sensation they felt and continued moving toward them.
"How are you guys doing? We've been looking for you for a while now..."
Lucy stopped mid-sentence as she glanced at Gray, Ryuichi, Leon, and Inuyasha—none of whom were wearing the emblems of the Versalkin Academy.
"By the way, how did you lose your Versalkin Academy emblems? Don't you remember that the teleportation spell is contained within them?"
Lucy's tone was filled with bewilderment.Given what she knew about Grey and Ruichi, it was impossible for them to have simply lost their emblems.
That left only one possibility: they had discarded them on purpose. This realization led her to suspect that there was something fishy about the emblems.
Before waiting for their response, she spoke up:
"There's a tracking device embedded in the academy emblem, isn't there?"
Both of them nodded in agreement, and immediately, Lucy and Jian Yi destroyed the Versalkin Academy emblems pinned to their clothing.
Grey then turned his gaze toward Tom and Beatrice, who had not followed suit.
"Why haven't you destroyed the emblems containing the trackers?"
Tom and Beatrice looked at the faces turned toward them for a few seconds before Tom replied in a calm voice:
"We discovered the tracking devices a long time ago and disabled them beforehand, so there's no need to destroy them."
Lucy and Jian Yi looked at Tom and Beatrice with a hint of annoyance, but they said nothing; after all, it was their own fault for not discovering it sooner.
"We need to look for the rest of our companions."
Ruichi said calmly as he rose to his feet.
But Leon intervened, halting any search for Nicholas, Kazuhiro, Christian, and Gother.
"Lucy, there's no need to go looking for them. Nicholas, Kazuhiro, Christian, and Gother are already on their way here."
"I sent them a message asking them to come, and they should arrive in ten minutes at the latest." Grey, Ruichi, Tom, Lucy, and Jian Yi stared at him, their expressions tinged with astonishment, for several minutes.
They hadn't mentioned that they were searching for the others, yet he had figured it out on his own. Was it merely a coincidence, or did he already know they were looking for them?
These questions swirled in everyone's minds, but no one dared to voice them; both Leon and Inuyasha radiated an aura that stifled any potential objection.
It was impossible to ignore such an aura, so they decided to set the matter aside for the moment.
Inuyasha, however, had other ideas.
"Where is your friend, Armin? Wasn't he with you?"
Jian Yi gazed at Inuyasha for several seconds before drawing his sword from its scabbard, unleashing his aura into the air. He understood the implication behind Inuyasha's question: he knew that Armin had transformed into an egg.
How could he possibly know that? Was he a spy?
These questions raced through Jian Yi's mind at that very instant.
The aura of a "Holy Ruler" rank fighter was so terrifying that it sent every beast in the vicinity fleeing; yet, neither Inuyasha's nor Leon's expression shifted in the slightest.
Instead, they regarded him with complete indifference—before Inuyasha reached out and plucked a piece of fruit growing nearby.
"Stop! You're just making a fool of yourself. Don't go thinking there's no one in this world stronger than you."
"Sheathe your sword and put an end to this nonsense."
Having said this, Inuyasha took a bite of the fruit and closed his eyes.
"This is truly delicious." Signs of anger appeared on Jian Yi's face as he looked at Inuyasha—who showed no interest in his presence—yet he decided against engaging in a fight.
Inuyasha's excessive confidence suggested he could easily defeat him without the slightest bit of effort.
"Who on earth are these two? We're in the final days of the academic year, and yet they managed to ace the written exam with perfect scores."
"Moreover, they show no signs of exhaustion—unlike Grey and Ryuichi, who are completely worn out."
"One might assume that only Grey and Ryuichi did the fighting, while Leon and Inuyasha merely watched. But upon closer inspection, there's a strong scent of blood clinging to them, indicating they've been through numerous battles."
"Those looks—filled with such absolute confidence, raw power, and arrogance—remind me of Yuta. It's clear there are things happening in this world that we know nothing about."
"The world is full of secrets yet to be revealed, but they won't remain shrouded in thick fog forever. Eventually, the mist always clears, exposing what lies behind it."
Jian Yi mused to himself as he rested in the shade of a tree, eyes closed, waiting for his companions to arrive.
Meanwhile, Gowther, Nicholas, Christian, and Kazuhiro were assessing the situation as they made their way toward their comrades.
"Is there something you're hiding?" "Although I don't know Yuta very well at the moment, I am certain he wouldn't simply stand by while something—like the Scorpion Organization—threatens his plans."
Gowther's tone was laced with suspicion; he was accustomed to Yuta rooting out threats entirely, never allowing them the chance to grow.
Yet, at the same time, Yuta has been helping Grey, Ryoichi, Tom, Armin, Gia, Beatrice, and Lucy—resolving their problems and bolstering their strength—just as he has done over the past few months.
Furthermore, he killed Edward in front of the entire world because the man posed a threat to his future schemes. And yet, he leaves the Scorpion Organization—which directly jeopardizes his interests—completely unaddressed, despite being fully capable of taking action.
His failure to intervene in the face of such an overt threat was highly suspicious.
If anyone else had acted this way, Gowther wouldn't have given it a second thought. But for Yuta—a man known for nipping such threats in the bud—this behavior was entirely illogical.
A faint smile appeared on Nicholas's face as he looked at Gowther, whose heart was clearly filled with misgivings about Yuta.
"You're right, Gowther. Yuta doesn't help Grey, Ryoichi, Tom, Armin, Gia, Beatrice, and Lucy simply because he's a hero who enjoys aiding his companions."
"And he doesn't leave the Scorpion Organization alone because he lacks the time or interest, either. He must have his own reasons. After all, I've known Yuta for several thousand years." "Therefore, acting with kindness or hatred—or displaying arrogance, cowardice, love, or envy—is merely a means to achieve certain goals for entities like us. That is not to say, however, that we are devoid of emotions; there are absolute entities who have loved, married, and had children, and who lead beautiful lives."
A sigh of frustration escaped Gowther's lips; he had received no real answer—only an analysis of the thought processes of certain absolute entities.
Nevertheless, Gowther's desire to grow stronger only intensified whenever he saw his companions from his past life, all of whom had surpassed him in power.
Moreover, there were many important tasks he still needed to attend to.First, to fully grasp the energy granted to him by the "Concept of Assassination"—the power he wielded when he fought Yuta during the magic competition.
Second, to unravel the conspiracies woven into the fantasy world they currently inhabit, and to uncover the truth behind the mysterious "wings."
Furthermore, the realization that an individual who reaches the rank of "Master Ruler" is classified at the "High Outerversal (1-A)" level led him to suspect that the entire power system might be a fabrication—a ruse designed to prevent people from evolving toward the "Boundless" level and attaining their own wings (if, indeed, such a thing is even possible for them to possess).
He had learned from Kazuhiro that reaching the "Boundless" rank—or being born as an absolute entity—does not necessarily guarantee the possession of wings.
Third, to study his own "Wing of the Concept of Assassination" and gather information about the world that exists beyond the fantasy realm they currently inhabit.
Fourth, to uncover the origin of his dreams, the events of his past life, and how they relate to the world he finds himself in now.
These were the tasks Gother intended to pursue, though he was well aware that the answers would not be revealed overnight.
Gother let out an involuntary sigh as he contemplated his next moves. Life is never simple; focusing only on what lies directly before one's eyes is a path that, more often than not, leads to death.
The four of them paused atop the tree trunks, looking down toward their companions, who were resting in the shade below.
They descended to the ground with effortless grace. Their companions opened their eyes, turning their gazes toward Gother, Nicholas, Kazuhiro, and Christian, who had just arrived.
A smile spread across Grey's face as he looked at them. "You've arrived eight minutes ahead of schedule."
"Only two minutes to get here? Not bad at all."
"Hahahaha! You're right, Grey. We arrived sooner than you expected—after all, we have no time to waste."
Kazuhiro laughed heartily, looking toward Grey.
This, in turn, brought a smile to Grey's own face.
"I really like this guy. What an interesting fellow!"
Grey thought to himself as he watched Kazuhiro.
"Alright, since everyone is here, we need to deal with the minions of the 'Scorpion' organization. Even though they are just underlings, they are still formidable; they possess centuries of combat experience and are highly skilled in both ranged and close-quarters fighting. We cannot afford to underestimate them."
"Our objective is to defeat the minions and steer clear of the 'Crimson Scorpion' for now—at least until reinforcements from the Academy arrive. One more thing: do not attempt to retrieve anything. Several students and members of the Scorpion organization have already died because of such foolish actions. Is that clear, everyone?"
Jian Yi spoke in a calm, steady tone as he sketched a plan on the ground with his sword.
The scions of the Great Duchies, along with Beatrice, Gowther, and their companions, remained silent, listening intently to Jian Yi.
No one said a word; they understood exactly what was required of them and what they had to avoid, so they simply nodded in agreement.
Jian Yi studied them for a few seconds before returning his gaze to the ground, where he continued to map out his plan with his sword. "The plan is as follows: Lucy Kethali, Beatrice Azwasen, Grey de Molière, and Roichi de Molière—you will all be on the same team."
"Since you have known each other since childhood, your coordination should be excellent, and you shouldn't face any difficulties..."
Jian Yi paused, waiting for their agreement. Having appointed himself as the leader without consulting any of them could easily lead to setbacks—they might not even agree to his plan.
Leading individuals from such prominent backgrounds was no simple task.
It is easy to lead the common folk, as they know deep down that they have no choice but to follow orders.
However, nobles and those from the upper echelons of society—individuals with significant status—are difficult to lead; they are often proud, stubborn, and accustomed to giving orders rather than receiving them.
"That's fine; I have no problem with it."
"I have no objections."
"I don't mind—even if it means being on the same team as an idiot like Grey."
Grey was slightly annoyed by Lucy's remark, but he said nothing, choosing instead to turn his gaze toward Beatrice to hear her response.
Jian Yi waited patiently for Beatrice's reply. Although he had heard rumors that she was still only at the 'High Ruler' rank, he didn't believe them—nor was he convinced by the level she appeared to be at.
Deep down, he sensed that something was off—as if she were concealing her true strength. Whenever he was near her, he experienced the same sensation he felt in the presence of the "Plum Blossom Saint," Yu Hanma, or the latter's father, the leader of the Mount Hua Sect.
It was a feeling of being utterly overwhelmed—as if he were nothing more than a lowly insect daring to draw too close. Though it deeply unsettled him, he chose to ignore it as best he could.
Pressuring Beatrice to agree to the plan would be a poor move; after all, Director Soliver, his deputy Carter, the supervising professors, and even Yuta himself were all fiercely protective of her.
This suggested one of two things: either she possessed enough strength to command such profound respect from such formidable figures, or Yuta simply treated her like a stray cat—scooping her up and returning her to her quarters whenever he found her napping somewhere.
When apart, Yuta and Beatrice each carried the air of a seasoned warrior or a mage the likes of which the world had never seen.
Yet, when they were together, Jian Yi saw something else entirely: a caretaker tending to a lazy cat—one that would sleep whenever and wherever it pleased, and eat whenever it felt the urge.
And every time she fell asleep in some nearby alleyway, it was Yuta who had to bring her back.
"Very well, I agree. After all, I have nothing to lose."
Beatrice spoke in her usual tone, snapping Jian Yi out of his thoughts.
Uncharacteristically, Jian Yi felt no irritation; instead, he was relieved that the plan was proceeding without a hitch.
"But shouldn't we wait for Jiya and Yuta to arrive?" Grey spoke, breaking the silence that had settled over the place after Beatrice shared her opinion.
A confident smile appeared on Jian Yi's lips upon hearing Grey's question.
"No, there's no need for that. I'd bet they're already together. And even if they were to arrive, I would have placed them on the same team; each of them is capable of defeating the organization's current members without any difficulty."