“Is this truly necessary?”
“...”
Katrina glared at the short and slim agent with an expressionless face. He was also a special agent, one of the best in the Department of Defense. He was part of a large contingent sent to retrieve Zeke Orland and bring him back to the Nezulian Republic.
The bearded and muscular agent from before was also present, but he just stood obediently at the back.
In addition to the short and brown-haired agent with a cloth mask covering the lower part of his face, there were also three other high-ranking individuals who were all equipped with a power no weaker than a 4-star Witch.
Since Jennifer cooperated with them, there were no unexpected complications or fights. However, whether it was the Witch commander, the other witches, or even Katrina, they all frowned in displeasure when they saw how Zeke was being treated.
The moment the agents arrived, they handcuffed the youth and put chains around his ankles and neck. They even went a step further and covered his head.
Clearly, they were taking this operation seriously and didn’t want the target to retaliate or attempt to flee.
Seeing Zeke treated like a heinous criminal about to be sent to the gallows, Katrina gritted her teeth and tried to make them loosen the unnecessary binds, but she was rebuked by the leading agent.
“You will follow my orders, agent Katrina. Any disobedience will be seen as insubordination.”
“I’m not disobeying you. Zeke agreed to cooperate. Why this harsh treatment? He’s not going to escape.”
“He’s a threat and must be dealt with accordingly.” After he said his piece, the short man waved his hand to signal the rest to move out.
The seven massive black trucks roared to life as the agents either jumped on their backs, all holding special rifles and wearing enchanted sets of armors that were highly resistant to Magic.
As Joshua Ferno, the Special agent leading the contingent was finalizing this ‘deal’ with Jennifer Savbra and preparing to set out, a black dot came flying from the horizon.
Quickly, it grew in size until it was visible to everyone. Whether it the Witches or the agents, they all raised their weapons while waiting for their leaders’ orders.
Jennifer, slightly surprised, loudly shouted, “Lower your weapons!”
Joshua too, motioned for his subordinates to do the same, his beady black eyes glued to the flying creature heading their way.
In the blink of an eye, the creature was already landing in front of the outpost. It was a feathery green bird with a black beak and a pair of crystalline red eyes.
Two individuals jumped from its back, one was a pretty woman wearing a black dress and the other was a stoic man with a clean and tidy uniform.
While Jennifer didn’t recognize the newcomers, it wasn’t the case for Special Agent Joshua, whose ugly expression was a clear indication of his displeasure.
“Don’t look at me like that, Joshua! At the behest of Principal Solas, we came to escort our dear student.”
Teacher Erva and Teacher Christopher marched closer to Joshua.
“Why is he bound like that? Remove everything.”
As she glared at the group of agents surroundings the completely immobilized Zeke, they flinched and instinctively looked at their superior.
“We’re following protocol.”
“He doesn’t pose any danger. Don’t make this hard for us.” Solemnly stated Christopher Balrand.
“It doesn’t matter whether you want us to-”
Joshua suddenly stopped talking, swallowing back anything he wanted to say. His body shook for a moment as a bloodthirsty aura burst from Erva.
She chuckled and retorted, “Are you really going to force my hand, Joshua? Erys is independent of the Department of Defense. Moreover, the Principal has given me full authority.”
Joshua clicked his tongue and ordered the agents to remove the cuffs and the chains. Although he was strong and had dozens of veteran agents, Erva was still on a whole other level.
It was rumored that she was even stronger Solas. She was a prodigy in Aether manipulation and a barbaric fighter that killed hundreds of Proto-Demons. Due to her pretty face and gentle attitude, many wouldn’t glance twice in her direction, but as someone working for the upper echelon of the Department of Defense, Joshua knew better than to oppose her, especially so far from home.
“Zeke! How are you?”
When she approached the quiet student, she worriedly checked his body from head to toe.
“I’m fine. Thank you, Miss Erva.”
“We’re here now. You don’t need to worry about them.”
“...”
Zeke nodded and remained close to Erva. Christopher too, walked to his side and after sighing in exasperation, remarked with a low voice,
“You really caused quite a mess back home. I hope that our presence here shows you that neither Erys nor the Principal are prepared to abandon you.”
Zeke glanced at his teacher but didn’t comment. Although he didn’t expect the two of them to come, he was secretly pleased.
It was kind of odd for the dispatched agents to bind him like that, even if it was just precautionary measures. By now, the Department of Defense must know how strong he was and by sending Joshua and the others, it was apparent they either over-estimated him or simply didn’t want to fail again. Either way, Zeke suspected that there might be spies from the Vyrsan Household, which might be why Solas acted with haste and sent Erva and Christopher.
Fortunately, Jack and Sulong weren’t treated harshly, but they were constantly being guarded by two agents each.
Soon, when the talking was over, the contingent set forth to the Nezulian Republic.
Erva remained near Zeke at all times while Christopher accompanied Sulong and Jack in the white van.
Just like that, they departed from the border and crossed the Whitefrost Planes, which made the trip longer but utterly devoid of any incidents.
The journey was uneventful and took several days, in which they would rest for four hours each night.
The blistering cold notwithstanding, all the agents remained on high alert, and patrols were dispatched to scout the vicinity and ensure the assassin wasn’t lurking nearby.
----------------------------------------
Ironically, the Witch Association wasn’t a democratic nation; It was ruled by a monarch entity known as the Witch Queen, a woman who was presumably hundreds of years old.
As a 7-star Witch, the ruler of the Witches was a merciless woman that stood at the peak of the world. She was, undoubtedly, the strongest living being on the Aether Planet, and through strength alone, her position remained unshakable and allowed her to maintain stability and peace in the country.
North of the Whitefrost Planes, between a long mountain range stood the towering capital of the Witch Association. An ancient city surrounded by protective magical barriers and mountainous stone walls that rendered it impregnable.
Inside the black castle overseeing the entirety of the city, precisely in a cold and relatively empty spacious hall, all the high-ranking Witches were summoned to meet their leader.
Whether it was Silya Hext, Jennifer Savbra, or the other Witches.
In total, there were 72 4-star Witches and 36 5-Star Witches, all standing next to each other based on rank.
Additionally, there were three women dressed in white clothes standing near the throne. These three witches were 6-star Witches, peak existences whose powers rivaled the strongest of the two neighboring nations.
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Last but not least was the Witch Queen, Nicneven Sin. She was a tall woman with surprisingly unremarkable facial features, a pair of thin eyebrows, two hazy brown eyes, an oval-shaped face, a small pointy nose, and sultry lips.
Nicneven wore a dark-red log dress and silver high heels as she sat with a straight back on the impressively big and crystalline azure throne.
When everyone had arrived, Nicneven raised her had and snapped her fingers, which was a signal to bring the prisoner.
Not even a minute later, the haggard and chained Jonathan Stellar Link was dragged to the center of the hall. With no strength left in his legs, he knelt on the ground, surrounded by the Witches and facing someone he didn’t even dare look at.
“So you are Jonathan Stellar Link.”
A chillingly cold voice reverberated across the hall as the Witch Queen scrutinized the weakened man.
One of the 6-star Witches standing behind the throne walked down a couple of stairs and looked at the quiet and disheveled Jonathan.
“Speak when you’re spoken to.”
“A-ah… yes. I am Jonathan.” He weakly responded, his head lowered and his body shaking.
He was feeling anxious and fearful, but that was to be expected as he was being gazed at by an entity no weaker than the mythical Gods.
“Do you know why your life has been spared?”
“No, Your Majesty.”
Nicneven pointed her index at him and shot a hazy thread of magical power which pierced the back of his hand. Unfortunately, not even the Witch Queen was able to interfere with the System or forcefully remove it.
“Hmpf! Always so repulsive. Very well.”
She retracted her magic and shook her hand as if wanting to get rid of the disgust she was feeling.
“After so many years, you are the first System Holder I got my hands on. However, don’t think yourself special.”
Confused by her statement, Jonathan snuck a glance at her and saw her threatening and piercing glare.
“You were brought here to face an ultimatum. Either you are executed or you swore loyalty to me.”
Without any hint of hesitation, Jonathan bowed his head and responded, “I swear loyalty to the Witch Queen!”
“Words are not enough. If your sworn loyalty was truly not an act, then you should feel nothing.”
The 6-star Witch standing next to Jonathan waved her hand, enveloping the chained man in a mysterious black curtain that blocked all light.
Several seconds later, the Witch turned to look at her Queen and nodded once.
The curtain vanished moments later, revealing a perplexed Jonathan.
With so many people after him, it was a stroke of good luck that Nicneven was willing to let him live. If he were to work for her, he wouldn’t be treated harshly.
Therefore, when he had instantly sworn loyalty to her, he wasn’t faking it or trying to please her.
Unbeknownst to him, that black curtain had tested his hidden thoughts and proved that his dedication wasn’t merely a trick. If he had failed, he would have suffered a cruel and miserable death.
“Good. Let us move to the next pressing issue. Your problematic alter ego.”
The moment his twisted other personality was mentioned, Jonathan’s body twitched as he defensively curled like a fetus.
However, his display of fear didn’t stop Nicnenven from unleashing her power.
An Invisible and suffocating energy cascaded on the powerless Jonathan, invading his body and making him scream like a pig about to be slaughtered.
Although it lasted for barely a minute, the man was subjected to inhumane agony. He felt as if his soul was being ripped out, his crying voice became hoarse and blood gushed out from all his orifices.
It was a gruesome sight, one that not many witches were able to withstand. Some averted their gazes and others covered their mouths and closed their eyes.
Eventually, a sinister black orb was pulled from Jonathan’s body, and before it could rampage in the hall, it was sucked into the bracelet of the 6-star Witch.
Jonathan laid on the cold ground, gasping for breath, his dirty clothes reeking of blood as he convulsed and let out soft painful groans.
“You should know better than to draw power from the Core of a Proto-Demon.”
Nicneven snorted and unceremoniously waved her hand. In a matter of seconds, Jonathan was dragged outside of the hall and the eerie silence returned.
“Kleya, you know what to do with Jonathan. I want him ready to depart within a week.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Kleya, one of the two 6-star Witches next to Nicneven, performed a bow before vanishing into thin air.
With this affair dealt with, the Witch Queen dismissed everyone excluding Silya Hext and Jennifer Savbra.
Even the remaining 6-star Witches were sent outside, much to the two commanders’ surprise.
“Your Majesty.”
“Your Majesty.”
The two approached the throne and bowed their heads while waiting for a response.
“Commander Hext, you will be staying in the capital until further notice. It has been confirmed that you are one of the primary targets of the Ascetic Blasphemers and leaving you on the border will make for an easy target.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Silya was already called by the higher-ups, but she didn’t receive any punishment. Instead, she was provided with a strong artifact that healed her wounds and instructed to rest. She expected the Witch Queen to be angry or dissatisfied, but it wasn’t the cast, unexpectedly.
Nicneven seemed disinterested, almost indifferent to the whole matter.
“You two have met the new System Holder, yes? I want to hear your firsthand account.”
While tapping her index on the throne, Nicneven patiently listened to Jennifer and Hext, who recounted everything without leaving any details. They talked about Zeke’s involvement with the cultists, how he helped Silya, how he behaved, and his complicated circumstances.
When they were done, Nicneven kept staring at Jennifer before saying,
“As I had thought. Commander Savbra, if I remember correctly, you lost your husband and son during the Black Meteor Incident, correct?”
Surprised by this personal question, Jennifer didn’t know what to say at first.
“Yy-yes, Your Majesty.”
“While I hope it doesn’t affect your work, I feel inclined to clarify a couple of things to you.”
The Witch Queen glanced at confused Silya Hext before continuing,
“During the Black Meteor Incident, your husband was killed and your son was taken by the Proto-Demons. However, someone of unknown origin had interfered that day and killed the enemies before my arrival. I’ve only caught a glimpse of him before he escaped, but I’m certain he had a newborn in his arms.”
Stupefied by this revelation, Jennifer stood there, forgetting to breathe or respond.
Nicneven didn’t seem to mind that as she resumed, “Your contribution that day, along with your sacrifice was not unnoticed. At that time, I suspected that the newborn was your son, so I started looking for any signs of him. Alas, my search was fruitless.”
The Witch Queen rested her hand and sighed, “That newborn, albeit having survived that catastrophe, was infused with a Proto-Demon’s heart. Similarly, years ago, the Ascetic Blasphemers targeted Zeke Orland and stole his heart. These coincidences are not enough to warrant a definitive conclusion but…”
In the end, Nicneven stopped talking and waved her hand at him, dismissing them both.
While the pale-faced and shocked Jennifer was leaving the hall, she heard the echoing words of the Queen,
“You are a smart woman, Jennifer Savbra. I’m sure you can figure out the truth on your own.”
Nicneven remained on the throne for a while before Kleya, her most trusted confidant returned.
“Your Majesty, was it really wise to tell her that?”
“I’m not wont to hide things from my people, Kleya. The Paths Of Extinction System is one of the three Lost Divinities, so the method that we used on Jonathan will not work. If he turns out to be Jennifer’s son, then that would make things considerably easier.”
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
…
Even with Erva and Christopher accompanying him and ensuring his safety, Zeke was still directly led to the HQ of the Department of Defense.
He felt refreshed to finally return to the Sunken Metropolis, but being surrounded by armed agents around the clocks was discomforting, to say the least.
Fortunately, and contrary to his expectations, Zeke was taken to his older brother’s office instead of a cell or the meeting room of the high executives.
Zeke waited for half an hour before his worried brother barged in and gave him a tight hug.
“Are you sure you’re alright? Do you need anything?”
Zeke sat down across Edward and reassuringly smiled, “I’m fine, Ed. They didn’t hurt me.”
“Crossing the Living Forest… I mean, what were you even thinking? And messing with the Ascetic Blasphemers?”
“...”
Seeing his siblings keep his counsel and stare at him with a stone-faced expression, Edward sighed heavily and switched the topic.
“The Vyrsan Family is still out for blood. However, you don’t need to worry about them for now. Even Black Wing has its limits. You will return to Erys and resume being a student.”
“What about your superiors? They must know the truth, right?”
“Yes, but the Principal vouched for you and vehemently refused to hand you over. He might sometimes be a pain in the ass but that geezer is trustworthy, hahahaha…”
Zeke wasn’t wholly satisfied with this, so he cleared his throat and stated,
“Still, I want them off my back. I have information about the Ascetic Blasphemers… information important enough to move the attention away from me.”
Upon hearing this, Edward’s expression turned serious. He motioned for Katrina, who was standing right outside the office, to close the door.
When the room was isolated, Zeke continued,
“A couple of spies from the Ascetic Blasphemers have infiltrated the Department of Defense. I have their names and positions. Will it be enough?”
“Names? Show me.”
Zeke nodded and handed his brother a small piece of paper, on which he wrote the names Signora had given him. Of course, the spies in Erys were written in another paper, mainly because Zeke wanted to take care of them himself.
“This is…”
“I assure you it’s genuine, brother.”
“Assuming it’s true, we need to tread carefully and take them down in one fell swoop. Yes, with this, the General will be most pleased.”
Edward put down the piece of paper and stared at his brother,
“Zeke, I know that I can’t force you to lay low and avoid trouble. You’re family and I will do my utmost to keep you safe, though you’re not making it any easier for me. The System is a great boon to have, but it casts a big mark on you and makes you the target of many people. Since you’re my brother, the Department of Defense is willing to offer you some leeway, at least until your official graduation.”
“I understand, Ed. I really do. There will be no move disappearances or unlawful incidents, provided that I’m not attacked first, that is.”
“Katrina will be guarding you around the clock.” Edward’s eyes narrowed as he warned his brother, “I know you like secrecy, but now is not the time. Trust in me, please.”
Although reluctantly, Zeke meekly nodded his head and leaned back against the chair, feeling slightly guilty.