[Fire Spear] was a powerful magic used by Gold Ranking Adventurers and above, capable of taking Trickle and low-ranking Hailstorm Corrupted with enough tenacity and skill.

Following it was [Reactive Fire], another fire-based magic attack that bolstered the strength of an existing fire-based magic, essentially turning the [Fire Spear] into low-grade thermite.

It blinded Acedia, allowing him to thrust his blade forward which caught alight. He felt it connect with the being. At the same time, he had chanted another follow-up magic which allowed him to drag the blade through Acedia’s body. She was slashed by a dozen invisible flaming blades as a fiery star erupted within her – [Fire Dance – Blade Style].

But he still did not relent. He continued his assault until he completely ran out of mana, extinguishing his stamina entirely for he knew that a single opening would spell his end.

This was how fights were performed by those who were not at the heights like that of Moons and Stars.

They were swift rather than drawn out. They were brutal and exhausting. To win one needed to put their all into their first strike, especially against a superior opponent. The weak stood little chance against the strong, for they had to fight a war of attrition.

But even his all amounted to nothing.

“Humans are full of themselves. Wearing this cut of cloth is insulting to my beloved, perfect self.” The flames did not extinguish. They enveloped the beast like she was an infernal demon.

Nothing shattered the pride of a warrior than to see their given all amount to nothing. The man was rendered speechless, far too shocked to fathom what exactly this being was – never mind wanted.

“She never said I couldn’t follow the logic of humans. The fallacies and pitfalls you all tend to willingly blind yourselves with. So why shouldn’t I indulge in greed and avarice?”

“Are you… asking for me to offer you something?”

There was yet hope for him to survive this encounter.

“Am I?”

“… W-What… do you want from me…? The Seed? I can… I can –!”

A sharp pain caused him to grimace. It originated from his lower back, and looking down he spotted a tentacle. The flames that consumed the woman disappeared, revealing a healer-look-alike that stood above him as all sensation was lost in his knees.

M-My body – Something is… inside of me…!?

“Your secrets are best kept in here.” Her chest opened again, revealing a barbed tongue that carved deeply into his forehead, slicing through his skull with ease. “Raw. Fresh. Fragrant… How long has it been since I’ve had my last living meal.”

Fear became despair. It was only now that he realized the nature of this creature. The bargaining chip was nothing of monetary value but was instead himself.

“Ghhk! Bwagh! Not me… You… Wouldn’t dare eat… someone like me…!”

“Awful. But eating humans for you is fine. I’m only taking after the race I wear, so why the double standards? Isn’t it funny how humans will only see things as wrong when they’re used against them? Ahhh…”

The emptiness that filled Acedia’s eyes was replaced with delight. Her hooked tentacles invaded his mouth, nostrils, and ears, carving him from inside out but not enough to kill him quickly.

“I’d like it if you stopped struggling. Be a good pet for me and let me see those precious memories of yours. I said it already, didn’t I? That I am you. You just realized to late. The faces you make…”

Acedia’s face flushed red. Pleasurable ecstasy coursed through her veins as she embraced herself, watching the man turn into mince by nothing but thin, hook-like tentacles. Her body then split into four quarters. Teeth ran along the inside like the teeth of a sawblade. Her maw loomed over what was left of him, and with a single snap –

“… are exquisite. The last minutes of those memories… show me what it means to desire. Show me what it means to feel!”

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– His memories belonged to her.

There was a reason why they had chosen this moment to attack. The last piece of information they required was the location of the letters.

Act X had determined the exact moment when Acedia should devour him to gain exactly the last hour of his memories, therefore revealing the contents of the letters. Although it could have been found with minimal search, it gave Acedia some ‘combat’ experience.

“Bravo.”

The earth shook.

Mimicry’s senses heightened as someone approached her.

“I didn’t take the new Acedia Division Director to be a monster in sheep’s clothing. But hell, is that any different when you’re working with the Ateliers?”

It was a tall woman wearing shades. Her long, straight hair screamed business as did her black two-piece suit. She was different from all the other beings Acedia had encountered, and she immediately assumed her human form to greet this mysterious person.

“They sent someone to watch over me. You don’t smell like a pet.” Acedia inhaled the air deeply. “You smell like a master. A trainer. Like me.”

“Weeeeeeird. Ok. Maybe you’re looser than most people. But still not quite up there. You… seriously don’t recognize me?” The woman pointed at herself, patting her large chest as if those were a dead giveaway. “No? Er… Oh, right –!”

Suddenly, she took of her shades, revealing a pair of orange eyes.

“Now do you recognize me?”

“The Manager of my Special Division. The Orange Disruptor.”

Acedia recognized her from the same documents Frost was handed during one of her Summits. And as if to prove it further, the Orange Disruptor posed exactly how she appeared on her photograph.

“That’s me~! What can I do you for? Wait, don’t answer that. I just wanted to try something trendy for once. Can’t blame an old soul that’s been on the loop-de-loop more than once.” Her hearty laugh would have swept a room to smile alongside her, but Acedia remained unexpressive.

If she was water, then the Orange Disruptor was oil. The two clearly did not mesh well. Bloodstains along Acedia’s body disappeared as she swallowed the last remnants of the man.

“Can I have a bite? You have an exquisite scent.”

“Sorry, but I’m not into girls that bite back. ‘Keep it professional’, they said. I can tell you right now that it won’t be easy if the pictures of my team look anything like they do in person~”

The Orange Disruptor’s body contorted into an obscure angle, showing signs that she too was perhaps inhuman.

“Julliet. Usari. Hector. I’ve touched base with these three and they’ve done some of the groundwork for us. How about you, Director? No, don’t tell me. Gluttony is already in your hands.”

“You can sense it too? My nose has picked up its scent for days now. A human wouldn’t be able to detect such a sweet scent. It’s the kind that lingered on Her clothes.”

“Ahaha. I’ll spare you the details. Wouldn’t want to see a Color get fired up. It’s not my style to take matters into my own hands, so I’m counting on this recruit to be a cutie~!”

“Is this all?” Acedia took a step forward. The two were equally matched, and neither knew who would win in a direct confrontation. “I’m so curious about you now that I can see your eyes. Despite how expressive you are, why do you feel just like I?”

She was curious to learn more about this Incandescent Color, but nothing she said was able to puncture through her immensely thick skin.

“Not really. You don’t see me transforming my body, do you? Aaaaaah. They can’t give me a normal person to work with. At least you don’t have golden eyes.”

Crooked.

Her body contorted at irregular angles again, her tone deepening. Their eyes were the only source of light now, both glowing like iridescent orbs.

“Yet.” Acedia wore a neutral smile. “I’m looking forward to receiving that honor. Do the golden eyes frighten you?”

“No. They’re the same eyes that gave me a second chance. Hup~ It was interesting seeing the Director up close. You know all the recruits under me think you’re totally normal, right?”

“Let them continue thinking that. It makes thing easier for us. People tend to be unpredictable when they realize things are not as they seem.”

“Ever heard of tempering? A washed-up group of criminals wouldn’t know a thing about it anyway –!”

“Let me ask again – is this it?”

Acedia noticed that the Orange Disruptor had been staring intently at her since the beginning. Her eyes were not normal, and Acedia’s instincts flared. The Orange Disruptor’s stance changed before she was able to deploy a tentacle, as though she was either able to see it before it happened – or – could see something else entirely.

“Those eyes are special, no? Tell me, what do they see inside of me? Why is it that you can see things that instinct cannot?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about~” The Orange Disruptor shrugged playfully, feigning ignorance to her accusations. “… Bravo. No wonder they made someone like you the Director of the Special Division.”

She then turned her back to Acedia, marking her departure now that she had been seen through.

“I have no idea what this world’s come to while I was gone but it’s not like it’s my business to stick my nose into. They pulled me straight out of retirement! Just when I thought I could spend the rest of my days in H9. So long, Director.”

“Come back to me soon.”

Acedia had never been more curious about a person, though this was largely due to her scent. Her nose pointed elsewhere when the Orange Disruptor finally disappeared. It was pointed at place where the scent was just as strong.

“Gluttony… I expect this person to be a good ‘pet’.”

She slowly walked back towards the casino expressionlessly. Even her strides lacked any form of emotion.

“As for now… I should report this soon. The Amalgam will silently praise me. Only then will I be able to ‘feel’.”

Her neutral smile turned into one of slight joy at the mere thought of the Amalgam’s praise.

“The list of kingdoms involved. She will be leaving soon. And I will be taking her place regionally in the Nex Megalopolis with my Special Division… I almost forgot. Abigail craved something sweet from my trip. What shall I get her?”