Adrian's expression remained calm as he listened to Anastasia, though, inwardly, he was in a state of shock. He had never heard anything regarding this: "The death of the Magic Emperor, Aster Guilford, never occurred in the original game's storyline—he was supposed to be a key character in the fourth season. Furthermore, the 'Venerable Heaven's Blessing' Islabeth never appeared, nor did the 'Blessing Wing'—or whatever it's called; nothing by that name ever existed! Yet, they revere it! How extremely strange." Adrian mused, his mind filled with suspicion; these were the kinds of changes that should have taken centuries to unfold.
Rising from his seat, he said, "There is only one day left until the Crimson Cat's Eye Auction begins. You had best prepare yourself well. Good night."
He departed, leaving under the sharp, piercing gaze of Anastasia, who sensed he was hiding something—though she couldn't be certain. Popping a piece of candy into her mouth, she replied with feigned indifference, "Good night to you, too, Adrian Kuzomias."
Adrian lingered for a few seconds, looking back at her, before continuing on his way to his room. For both him and Anastasia, preparing—mentally and physically—was the wisest course of action at this moment.
Adrian spent the entire night preparing for the Crimson Cat's Eye Auction, leveraging the information he had gathered to identify a vulnerability he might exploit. The night passed in the blink of an eye, and the following day vanished just as quickly. On the day the auction was set to begin—Thursday, August 20, 675—at 8:30 AM, Adrian and Anastasia sat at the dining table, having their meal.
They were finalizing the last preparations for their participation in the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction. The true objective was slated for the third day, not today; however, the first and second days would serve as an opportunity to gather information about the auction's nature, making the operation far simpler than a direct assault.
Speaking in a calm tone while he ate, Adrian said, "The Crimson Cat's Eye auction begins at 8:10 PM. There is still time to organize our documents, so prepare yourself to carry out your part, Anastasia."
Anastasia did not respond for several seconds, choosing instead to simply watch him. She had sensed that something was off with him since the previous night—he had become noticeably more cautious than usual. Could it have something to do with Yuta Casiral? She couldn't be certain.
"I know my role well enough," Anastasia replied, a hint of mild annoyance in her voice as she sipped her coffee. "I'll scout the Crimson Cat's Eye auction to identify any blind spots, so we can rescue that girl—or whatever she might be."
Adrian said nothing more as he continued his meal, and Anastasia followed suit. The silence persisted until they finished eating, at which point they both rose and left the dining hall. Meanwhile, at the estate of Yuta Caseral, he sat in a garden within a beautiful greenhouse, sipping his tea while gazing out—his expression that of someone waiting for a visitor.
Moments later, Anastasia and Adrian appeared, walking with steady steps, their eyes filled with caution and distrust. Yuta chuckled inwardly, amused by their demeanor.
"Mr. Adrian Kzumias and Ms. Anastasia McGilforn—a pleasure to meet you. After all, it is quite rare for us to receive visitors from other, ordinary worlds," Yuta said, his tone calm. His words left Anastasia inwardly stunned.
Realizing why Adrian had acted so differently the previous night—he had been discovered by a local of this world!—she took a seat inside the greenhouse, her sharp gaze darting between Adrian and Yuta.
Leaning back in her chair, she looked from Yuta to Adrian and asked, "Mr. Yuta Caseral—the man everyone talks about, the man whose achievements are on everyone's lips—it seems the praise is well-deserved. To have figured out that we come from another world is truly impressive. But tell me, why exactly do you wish to help us?"
Yuta didn't utter a word. He simply continued to pour tea for them, his expression remaining neutral, as if her question were of no consequence. Anastasia grew visibly annoyed, while Adrian's suspicions—directed toward both Anastasia and Yuta—only deepened.
Yet, it was clear that Adrian was taken aback by something—something entirely unexpected. But what could it be? He wasn't entirely sure what it was, but as for Yuta, he knew that—for his own reasons—having the other person die right now would be a massive loss.
Yuta decided to answer her question with a tone dripping with clear sarcasm: "The reason I won't say why I want to help you is the same reason Adrian won't reveal his true motive for coming to this world—and the same reason you won't admit the real reason you're helping Adrian, Lady Anastasia McGillforn."
Adrian and Anastasia's expressions shifted into a subtle, masked shock as they looked toward Yuta, who handed each of them a cup of coffee.
The silence didn't last long, however, before Anastasia spoke in a calm, highly confident tone: "To be honest, my reason for coming to this world isn't entirely to help Adrian; it's to purchase the 'Bow of the Bow-Wielder.' This world possesses weapons forged from the blood and energy of the 'Wielders,' so I decided to follow him in order to acquire that bow."
A look of feigned astonishment crossed Yuta's face. Adrian, meanwhile, sensed something off about her explanation—after all, if she had actually brought money with her, she would have bought them a house the moment they arrived.
Yuta let out a boisterous laugh and said, "So that's how it is, Lady Anastasia McGillforn! No matter—since you're a guest in our world, I'll take care of getting that bow for you—or perhaps I'll just steal it. After all, you aren't the type to buy things; you're the type to break in and take whatever you want." "Hmm... I have a better idea. If you, Lady Anastasia Magilforn, manage to sneak into the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction, I'll give you a weapon you'll love—one even better than the 'Bow of the Arch-Archer.' But you'll have to search the auction house inch by inch."
Anastasia remained silent as she listened to Yuta, though she felt uneasy; after all, he didn't exactly have a good relationship with those in charge of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction crimson.
She was taken aback when Yuta handed her a "soul contract" to formalize the agreement. Looking at him with an expression of utter bewilderment, she then turned toward Adrian and asked, "Are you two sure you aren't from the same family? Why do you carry things like this around wherever you go?"
Yuta and Adrian replied simultaneously, though with different tones: "Who knows? You never know when or where a deal might need to be struck!"
Anastasia said nothing in response; instead, she took the document and spent several minutes reading it. Finally, she looked up at Yuta, who was watching her with a calm, steady gaze.
"Very well," she said, her voice composed as she signed the soul contract. "I accept the terms. But mark my words: I prefer to settle matters directly—you know what I mean, Mr. Yuta Casiral."
The contract split into two equal halves, each merging into the body of one of the parties. Adrian watched, fully aware that, for some reason, Anastasia had just been successfully deceived by Yuta.
Yuta, still calm, looked at Adrian and said, "I am, of course, a man of integrity when it comes to my dealings and wagers—otherwise, I never could have built my reputation and fortune. As for the bow, once the mission is complete..."
His calm, relaxed expression vanished, replaced by a sharp, serious look—a clear signal to both Anastasia and Adrian that he was about to broach a crucial subject. "You are well aware that our greatest enemy at the moment is the 'Scorpion' organization. According to the information I've gathered, the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction house is colluding with the Scorpion organization to sell a group of slaves from various races, along with several artifacts and magical items. Furthermore, three commanders from the organization—subordinates to the fifth member of the Council, known as the 'Scorpion of Shadow and Light'—will also be in attendance."
"You must exercise extreme caution. These powerful commanders possess a strength level equivalent to a 'Sacred Ruler' or higher—which, by your own ranking system, would be the 'Immortal' rank. Do you understand? Moreover, they may be over 567 years old, giving them a significant advantage over both of you in terms of both raw power and experience. Is that clear?"
Adrian sighed as he listened to Yuta; the mission was proving to be far more difficult than he had initially imagined. Anastasia, meanwhile, kept her gaze fixed on Yuta, her expression calm as she tried to discern the true intent behind his words.
Given the immense strength of these enemies—not to mention their underlings and the formidable masters of the Crimson Cat's Eye auction house—Yuta's own demeanor remained remarkably indifferent, as if he could easily defeat them all.
Breaking the heavy silence that had descended upon the space, Adrian spoke in a calm, steady tone: "Very well. Anastasia and I will scout for vantage points from which we can conduct our surveillance and carry out our objectives. As for you, Master Yuta Casiral—you know what your role entails." "The task will take place on Saturday, August 23, during the third round of the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction. Technically speaking, we'll have 25 minutes to complete our objective before destroying the auction itself. But tell me—why do you want to destroy the auction in the first place?"
Yuta let out a soft laugh as he listened to Adrian, then replied, "The reason I want to destroy the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction is that it contains things that are detrimental to me—things that simply must be destroyed. Let's just say I have little patience for those who cause me more harm than good. I trust you understand my decision now?"
"But rest assured, Mr. Adrian Kazumias and Lady Anastasia Mighilforn—your survival is far more advantageous to me than you might imagine. After all, our paths are bound to cross again; we might end up as allies, or perhaps as enemies—though I'd certainly prefer the former. Wouldn't you agree?"
Adrian continued to watch him with a gaze full of suspicion, caution, and distrust. Yuta's mind, it seemed, operated well beyond the bounds of conventional morality. In truth, had Adrian not been one of Alessandra's companions, he would likely have been killed long ago for discovering Yuta's true identity: Yuta Casiral.
Yet, the truth would inevitably come to light when the time was right—for every beginning has an end, and every secret is eventually revealed when its moment arrives. "Very well, let us be temporary allies for now. You shall handle the three division commanders and the senior figures of the 'Crimson Cat's Eye' auction house, while we take care of the rest—does that sound agreeable, Mr. Yuta Caseral?" Adrian's tone was calm as he looked toward Yuta, who was sipping his coffee.
Yuta set his cup down and offered a faint smile. "It seems we have reached an agreement, Mr. Adrian Kazumias and Ms. Anastasia Magilforn. I look forward to working with you tonight and over the next two days."
Yuta extended his hand to shake Adrian's, then Anastasia's—a gesture marking the beginning of their collaborative pact.
Turning his gaze toward the beautiful garden, Yuta smiled slightly and remarked, "You know, sometimes things are right before our eyes, yet we fail to notice them—or perhaps we simply cannot see them from our current perspective."
"One must look into the very depths of a thing to arrive at the solution. Consider this a piece of advice that may serve you well in the long run: everything lies within your field of vision; you need only look at it the right way—doing so makes discovery quite effortless."
Adrian and Anastasia remained silent for several seconds, staring at him. Then, following the direction of Yuta's gaze, they noticed Yuta himself—positioned directly in front of the high-tech security equipment.
They looked back at him, their expressions shifting to clear annoyance; they had just realized that he was the very person behind the security technology used by the "Crimson Cat's Eye" auction house! What annoyed Anastasia even more was realizing why Yuta had challenged her earlier; after all, he was the one responsible for the security measures she would now have to bypass. Yet, her annoyance soon shifted into amusement—if she managed to breach these defenses, it would be a direct insult to him, forcing him to endure the humiliation and hand over that bow.
"Very well. You have two days, starting today. If you fail, I'll handle it myself. For now, just make sure you don't do anything foolish that might end up getting your heads separated from your shoulders," Yuta said, his tone serious as he looked at them.
He then rose from his seat and headed toward the palace, casting a glance back that signaled for them to follow. Adrian and Anastasia exchanged a look of mild bewilderment as they trailed behind him.
"There's no need to worry—it would be impossible to expect you to carry out a mission like this without providing the necessary equipment.It's quite fitting; since the power system in your world is a blend of mana as energy, cultivation as a method of progression, and the Primordial Sea as an energy reservoir, you'll still be able to wield your own power. However, your magical artifacts will never function here—it would be best to replace them with weapons native to this world. Understood?" Yuta's tone remained calm as he gazed at the system interface, ignoring Adrian's look—a reaction that was to be expected, given that Adrian had visited this world within the game.
As for Anastasia, her expression was one of pure shock; the realization that she would be unable to use her weapons left her feeling like a crippled rat cast among a pack of wolves—doomed to perish before she even grasped the danger.
[Important: Ruler's Path Quests]
Objective 1: Assist in protecting the Tree of Existence, 'Jie Yao Li.' Reward: ????? | Item: Ruler's Robe | Rank: ????? | Abilities: Absolute immunity against everything that exists—and everything that does not.
Failure Penalty: Reversion to the Primal Origin.
Sub-quest 01: Gather the heroes of the prophecy and prepare them for the impending 'War of the Paths' and the events that follow. Reward: ?????? | Duration: 504 years | Rank: ?????
Sub-quest 02: Assist the 'Scion of Narrative Time' and pave his path to becoming the strongest. Reward: ?????? | Duration: Until the end of the year 675 AD | Rank: S
Sub-quest 03: Assist Alessandra's allies in becoming capable of fighting in the 'War of the Paths' and the events that follow —In Progress—
Reward: ?????? Duration: 504 years | Rank: ?????
Ally Name: Adrian Kzumias | Ally's World/Homeland: "Absolute Zero" Game World | Original Character Role: Minor/Extra Character | Current Character Role: Main Character
Development Path (for combat readiness in the "War of the Paths" and its aftermath): World-Demon Fantasy Gem – "Game King's Suit" (acquired from the Esteemed Great Story-Merchant, Stefan Telmore).
Important Notes:
Mandatory sub-quests will be assigned alongside every main quest.
Since the esteemed candidate, "The Great Creator" Yuto, completed his main quests three years and approximately nine months ahead of schedule, several mandatory sub-quests will be imposed upon him.
Because the candidate departed the narrative of *The Dragon Angel in a World of Fantasy*—during his battle against Fermon Solterk (the ruler and creator of the *War of the Conflicting Kingdoms* narrative)—three years earlier than permitted, "The Great Creator" Yuto is prohibited from leaving the world of *The Dragon Angel in a World of Fantasy* for the duration of three years: 676 AD, 677 AD, and 678 AD. Since the candidate returned to his original body before completing the storyline of Yuta Caseral—one of the protagonists in the novel *The Dragon Angel in a World of Fantasy*—the host is prohibited from using any abilities from his original body, or any powers unrelated to those belonging to Yuta Caseral's vessel. This restriction excludes innate abilities such as "Eternal Scribe," "Ruler's Eye," "Ability Creator," "Infinite Evolution," etc. Furthermore, the user is forbidden from employing the "Wings of the Great Creator" or any associated powers for the duration of a three-year penalty.
Objective 2: Undisclosed. Objective 3: Undisclosed. Objective 4: Undisclosed. Objective 5: Undisclosed.
Mission Duration: Permanent]
Puzzled, Yuta gazed at the "Suit of the King of Games"—recalling another suit of unknown origin—and summoned his resource inventory as he headed toward his private office:
[Map of a Forbidden Zone (10): The Desert of Narrative Glitches; documents and personal journals of the First Hunter King, Felix Corvus; records of the Imperial state; the "Path of the First Ruler"; a map leading to the "Gem of the First Origin"; and the complete "Suit of the King of Games."]
[Information: A suit crafted by the "Narrative Master of Classifications" during the transition between the Third and Fourth Eras, and bestowed upon his descendant as the "War of the Paths" drew near.] [This suit enables the wearer to enhance their capabilities, detect anomalies in the narrative structure, and boosts their power level by 3 ranks.]
[24x Material of unknown origin]
Yuta sighed involuntarily as he glanced at the system interface, then continued on his way without a word. Adrian and Anastasia, however, watched him with expressions full of bewilderment; after all, they had no idea he would bestow upon them items of such immense power and rarity.
Some time passed before they arrived at Yuta Casiral's office—a space that was exquisitely beautiful, equipped with the latest modern technology while simultaneously maintaining a striking, medieval-inspired aesthetic.
"Very well. Lady Anastasia McGilforn, you first: a Legendary-rank Abyssal Dragon Bow, a storage ring, 12 Legendary-rank healing potions, and 6 Legendary-rank power-boosting potions."
"As for you, Lord Adrian Xomias: a complete 'King of Games' suit set, a Legendary-rank Poseidon's Spear, a storage ring, 12 Legendary-rank healing potions, and 6 Legendary-rank power-boosting potions."
Adrian and Anastasia stared at him, their shock masked beneath a composed exterior. These items constituted a fortune in every sense of the word—yet Yuta showed no concern whatsoever. To him—an Emperor of the 'Ruler' path—such things were nothing more than worthless trash. He tossed the storage rings directly toward them, showing complete indifference—a gesture that left them deeply unsettled. Adrian's expression shifted into a complex mix of suspicion, astonishment, and utter confusion regarding the true nature of this "War of the Paths."
[Host has obtained a top-tier legendary-grade item: The complete "King of Games" suit, belonging to the descendant of the Narrative Master of Rankings.]
[Information: A suit crafted by the Narrative Master of Rankings during the transition between the 3rd and 4th Eras, gifted to his descendant on the eve of the War of the Paths. This suit enhances the wearer's abilities, allows them to detect anomalies within the narrative structure, and boosts their power level by three ranks.]
Without a word, Adrian stowed the ring into his dimensional storage and departed, accompanied by Anastasia—who shared his unease. A gift of this magnitude could never be truly free.
Yet, Yuta made no attempt to stop them. Instead, a faint smile played on his lips as he spoke, his tone laced with mockery: "Oh! So, the descendant of the Master of Rankings is none other than .Adrian Cosumias Two birds with one stone! And yet, there isn't much time left—only a few hours until the start of the first day of that trivial auction! Hahahaha! It looks like the days ahead are going to be quite entertaining."
[A Note from the Author
The novel I'm Inside My Novel: Dragon Angel Fantasy World will be on hiatus until November. This break is for several reasons: to take some time to rest, to organize my scattered thoughts, and to review the existing chapters—correcting as many errors as possible. I would like to thank every reader who continues to wait for each new chapter
.Note: The initial chapters—up to chapter 13, as well as chapters 57 through 60—will not undergo any proofreading or editing of their text; however, their plot events will be reviewed ]