~Hahhh. What a glutenous phoenix you are. I've met many, but never one with an appetite like yours.

Apophis hissed from where he was coiled tightly around my left upper arm and shoulder, his smooth, cool scales shifting against my skin.

I shivered when he moved across my red tunic and over my exposed collarbone.

And what an insolent snake you are. You lack appreciation for good food, but I suppose it's understandable—you are satisfied with eating insects and mice?

Leona sat perched on my right shoulder, her form concealed from view by the Pull Tab necklace's enchantment. Only the soft heat and slight pressure exuded from her small body betrayed her presence to me.

The three of us swayed with the steady, rhythmic jolt of the Frey carriage, its wheels turning along the road and past the dark, towering trees of the Humpton Forest. The forest exuded its usual charm of unsettling eeriness. Shadows danced around us, flickering like phantoms despite it being a warm and sunny day.

We were heading to the Town of Ascot to see my grandmother, as I had done in the past two rounds.

Leona was invisible, and both she and Apophis were capable of telepathic speech; however, for extra privacy, I'd asked Remlend to sit outside so I could speak rather than rely on Illusion Magic to communicate with these two bickering creatures.

The forest hummed with a quiet menace, but the timing had shifted the events we'd encounter. We left Genise later than we had in the previous Round, and thus, this time, the shrieking cry of the dying phoenix had not echoed through the trees while we traveled the road. It was a matter I wanted to investigate eventually, but today, or rather this Round, my focus was elsewhere. I had spent most of my morning ensuring the copied-over journals were delivered to the right hands. I even took the time to introduce myself to Sarka and Leo, confirming that the golden-eyed genius boy was not an Awakened.

Indeed~ Mice are pretty tasty, and insects have a lovely crunch to them. I do enjoy eggs and little foolish birds as well.

Apophis hissed back at Leona with a tone tinted with evident pleasure.

Luca! Did you hear that?? What did I tell you? That evil snake wants to eat me.

Leona shrieked into my mind.

I instinctively massaged my earbuds, but I knew it was useless, given how she spoke into my mind—or rather, yelled.

What a dangerous thing telepathy is. Perhaps it's worth exploring from an attack standpoint?

Apophis hissed softly from my left shoulder, seemingly chuckling to himself. He couldn't see Leona either, and I wasn't sure if Leona spoke into my mind or both of ours, but he certainly looked pleased with himself for riling her up.

I sighed.

"Aren't you supposed to be several thousand years old? And an ex-Celestial at that?" I looked at Apophis. "What's with the childishness?"

Apophis turned his head, and albeit he had no shoulders, he appeared as if he were shrugging.

Childish? Do you think that was merely childish??

Leona scowled into my mind.

"He can't harm you," I calmly explained, tapping the promise tattoo on my upper left arm. "It's one of the conditions; he can't harm me or those I care about, whose pain would cause me mental distress."

Leona was silent.

"He was teasing you," I reiterated.

Tavonneth wasn't merely a skilled Echomancer but had the expertise of a lawyer to create a properly bounded promise tattoo, with a heavy emphasis on my safety per Micah's instructions.

However, it wasn't lost on me that Apophis didn't have the best record. He also had lived in banishment in my realm for a far longer lifespan than what was ordinary for a snake. Perhaps because he was in banishment and used to be a Celestial, some magic may have elongated his life. He might have taken matters into his own hands too—or, rather, jaws and tail.

I brushed aside one of the carriage curtains and leaned over, looking toward the thick black forest surrounding us. The gnarled and twisted branches of the trees appeared like skeletal hands reaching toward the carriage. Past the trees was a suspiciously still darkness.

We had left too late for the phoenix cry, but there was still the matter of the bandits.

~So much dead mana. I see why Master wished to excel in Chaos Magic. To think there would be so much raw material to source.

Apophis hissed in awe. He slithered higher up my shoulder, his smooth, cool scales sending a faint shiver through me as he adjusted himself for a better view of the eerie forest. His tongue flicked in and out as if tasting the air.

Snake, you don't know what happened to the land, either? Aren't you far older than me?

Leona's voice chimed into my mind. Though invisible, I could sense her gaze turning toward Apophis.

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~Ah, I am not ignorant in matters of dead mana, but I have been locked up for nearly two decades. This is my first time seeing the state of the land.

I sighed, releasing the curtain. The carriage jolted slightly, having gone over a rough patch in the road.

"Ah, damn it," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck as I sat back comfortably in my seat.

~Mmmmm? What is it, Master?

Apophis asked, his head turning toward me with curious purple eyes.

"I forgot to ask Tavonneth to imprint the Chaos runic tattoo," I said. "Not that it matters... I need to obtain a Chaos artifact as well to practice Chaos Magic. I suppose I'll get her help after I return to Genise."

The carriage groaned as it hit another bump, causing Apophis to shift and coil back onto my shoulder with an almost lazy grace.

~That…. Might be difficult.

Apophis murmured as he tightened around my arm.

"What do you mean?" I asked, glancing down at him.

The heat on my right shoulder flickered, and I felt Leona's subtle movements, her invisible feathers brushing against my neck. The two of them were clearly conversing in secret. Apophis's sleek body remained still, though I could feel his quiet amusement beneath the silence.

They may be finally starting to get along after being cooped up for a few hours together. Albeit, it's at my expense.

I wasn't sure whether to be glad or concerned.

~Mmmmm. Disregard that. I'm sure your brother can find you a fine, runic tattoo artist if Tavonneth is unavailable.

Apophis finally hissed, his voice taking on a casual tone. He uncoiled himself slowly and slithered off my shoulder, his cool form gliding across my chest before coming to rest on my left knee, his scales faintly brushing against my trousers.

Besides~ Before having the tattoo done, I'd want to comprehend where you are in your understanding of Chaos Magic. It is not a path to be taken lightly, with obliteration being the most likely outcome, which is why so few Players even attempt it.

I nodded. Per the System, only eleven out of the 42,007 Players had even attempted to utilize Chaos Magic to beat Adovoria's Fall.

"And Chaos Artifacts are so damn expensive in the Game Store," I muttered, leaning back against the cushioned seat as the wheels of the carriage seemed to pick up speed. "Even the lowest-quality ones."

After the promise tattoo was in place, I revealed to Apophis that I was an NPC turned Player, and I was currently in Round 9 of a seemingly impossible Game—the current most challenging Game, to be precise. Given my circumstances, I figured an ex-Celestial, bound to me with a promise tattoo, was an invaluable asset and mentor.

He, likewise, seemed amused and invigorated by my unique situation.

~Hahhhh. Master, don't even bother looking at those second-rate artifacts.

Apophis's tongue flicked out, and he let out a slow, almost mocking hiss.

Chaos Magic, true Chaos Magic, must only be practiced with divine-level Chaos Artifacts. Anything less than perfection, and you are merely sacrificing your soul.

I blinked, feeling a sudden chill at his words.

"But given I'm in a loop, I can afford to sacrifice a few lives," I mused, thinking back to how Chase Daylan used Dark Mana, which ate away at his lifespan.

Apophis lifted his head slightly, his purple eyes narrowing.

I didn't say 'life,' but 'soul.' The two are quite different. You can waste away as many lives as you wish, but you get but one soul. Per our contract, it would be fatal to me if you hacked away at it.

Ah, damn it.

I rubbed my head in frustration.

Even the low-quality Chaos artifacts were so absurdly expensive. How in the world was I supposed to get my hands on a divine-level artifact?

"Why are they so expensive, then?" I asked, glancing down at Apophis. "Why would any Player buy a low-quality artifact if they'll destroy their soul?"

~Stupidity and ignorance, mostly.

Apophis hissed in amusement.

Moreover, Chaos Magic... it's a dangerously seductive force. Like all great powers, it tempts and blinds its wielders, making them forget the ultimate price until it's too late to turn back.

I sighed and gazed up at the carriage ceiling. Soft white light stones, pebble-sized and embedded in the wooden panels, cast a dim, serene glow over the interior.

Had I been swindled?

I had made a promise tattoo with Apophis, expecting to learn Chaos Magic from the greatest of all teachers (not that I knew any others), only to find out the path was practically impossible.

I bit my lip.

No, it was actually incredibly fortunate.

Without Apophis's warning and mentorship, I would've charged blindly into Chaos Magic, carelessly buying low-quality Chaos artifacts and throwing myself into the hazardous practicing of the magic, the way I had gotten away with when improving my Illusion Magic. I wouldn't have known how close I'd come to serious consequences.

Besides, wasn't I already facing a seemingly impossible challenge called Adovoria's Fall? What significance could one additional obstacle possibly hold? Impossible had already become the status quo.

"Where would I—" I began but was quickly silenced as the carriage screeched to an abrupt halt. The violent lurch threw me forward, and I barely managed to grip the sides of the seat to avoid being flung to the floor. Apophis and Leona both dug into my shoulders to study themselves.

"Young master Luca," Remlend's voice sounded near one of the carriage windows. "It appears another carriage is ahead. Bandits had attacked it."

Ah, so some other unlucky travelers were attacked instead of us in this Round?

"Were they hurt terribly?" I asked, pressing my face against the window but was unable to make out much given the way our carriage was parked. I reached for the carriage door and opened it, intending to step outside and have a better look.

"Stay back, young master Luca!" Nirre's sharp voice rang out. Her sword was already drawn, her stance rigid as she faced the other carriage. Her eyes did not move away from the sight before her.

I blinked and slowly took in the scene as I stepped down, ignoring her warning. My curiosity had gotten the better of me. Moreover, aside from having a few personal tricks up my sleeves, I had a phoenix on my right shoulder that could vaporize any enemy into dust if it came to it.

"Ah." My eyes widened at the scene.

I shouldn't have worried about the other party's injuries from these bandits.

Heaps of bones and charred bodies surrounded the other carriage. It was sturdy but plain, unimpressive in appearance, bearing no ornate decorations or flashy colors. However, its occupant was anything but ordinary.

I felt Leona tense up on my right shoulder, and even Apophis grew unnaturally still around my left arm. Emerging from the carriage was a young man dressed in a black silk shirt and pants. Dark tattoos peeked along his exposed arms and neck, creating an eerie contrast with his pale complexion.

He moved with calm, predatory grace. Tall and slender, his shoulder-length black hair swept back framed his angular features. His sharp, piercing gaze locked onto mine as he walked toward me, treating the carnage around him and my guards—swords drawn—as nothing more than an inconvenience. His presence radiated danger despite his relaxed demeanor.

I didn't recognize him immediately—my memories of our one encounter had been wiped—but the System had carefully educated me on the appearance of the Spider Syndicate's leader.

"Luca Frey," Claude Noire called out, his voice smooth and deliberate as he raised his hands in a gesture of truce. His lips curled into a slight smile, though it held no warmth. "May we have a friendly chat, just the two of us?"