Chapter 30: The Serpent’s Weakness

Marina and Anselm’s game continued, but the black market below was no longer calm.

Hyena’s thugs clashed with Vulture and Rat King’s men, the roar of spells and warriors’ cries echoing beneath the high walls separating the upper and lower districts. In this realm of chaos and sin, the massive wave driven by the overseer threatened to engulf and cleanse everything.

In the scene Laurence projected, Hyena, looking grim, hurried back to his stronghold. Marina, staring at the sight, whispered gravely:

“Now, the priority is to regroup the remnants. Since they know I planned to raid the other slave markets, they also know I have Mr. Anselm and Faust’s support behind me.”

“As such, they won’t pursue total annihilation, but…”

But was it really that simple?

Could a coincidence push the other three leaders to go for the kill?

…No, it was certain.

The girl’s breathing quickened.

“Mr. Anselm won’t delay Hyena’s punishment until tomorrow, the day after, or beyond. Mr. Anselm wants it… now!”

“Smart girl,” Anselm chuckled lightly. “To counter an irresistible will, you first need to understand… what it wants, to make the appropriate preparations.”

“So, there must be something that makes them dare to defy a fifth-tier legendary adventurer… A coincidence… or something else. What could it be?”

Marina clenched her teeth, her mind frantically recalling everything since entering the black market.

Mr. Anselm sees far more than I do, but it’s within a certain scope.

Since he won’t deliberately orchestrate an event, it must be something existing, tied to ‘making them dare to challenge the mastermind’…

The waiter at the meal?

The beggar Hit gave a coin to?

The pickpocket exposed?

No, no… Someone who can sway black market leaders must have influence.

But… must they?

If it’s a coincidence, does it have to be someone influential?

Even knowing what she faced, Marina, still mustering the courage to challenge Anselm, soon realized her own insignificance.

Her courage was feeble, her resolve worthless.

Despite the chilling terror her imagination brought, Marina discovered she had underestimated—grossly, a thousandfold—the suffocating, ever-present despair that relentlessly gripped her throat.

Because she had no idea who these people truly were, what identities they held, what abilities they possessed, or what stories lay hidden behind them. She knew nothing of this world in Anselm’s palm, not even… the Hyena she was playing.

The most absurd and ironic thing was that Hyena himself didn’t have to bear this pressure. He saw only his defeat and had only to think within the confines of his reality.

His “ignorance” spared him this despair. Even if he was doomed to destruction, he was far better off than Marina now.

Yet Anselm could know everything, control everything… As he said, this black market was simply too small for him.

While I’m racking my brain, wondering what could spur these leaders to actively hunt Hyena, has Mr. Anselm already seen more “coincidences” that could push Hyena to ruin?

Even if I uncover some critical point, what threats await me?

…The possibilities I discover, the ones I think I’ve seen through—are they truly my own thoughts?

Or are they another layer of Mr. Anselm’s guidance or coincidence?

I…

“Guuh!”

Marina, who had just managed to steady her emotions, turned deathly pale again.

A whimper escaped her throat under the crushing weight of spiraling pressure and fear.

Her lips, pierced by her canines, bled unnoticed.

“No… I can’t doubt myself. There must be a way. Mr. Anselm doesn’t orchestrate things deliberately—identity, courage…”

The girl clutched her forehead, fingers digging into her temples, faint blue veins bulging on her pale hands.

Her murmurs carried a hint of self-destructive madness.

“Lina, Lina, you… don’t do this, I’m scared.”

Hitana was frightened by Marina’s state.

Her sister, always calm and composed in any situation… how could she show such a near-ferocious expression?

She vaguely sensed what Anselm was hinting at.

She shared the same anger and resentment toward fate as Anselm, but… this terror.

Was fate truly so terrifying, so despair-inducing?

Anselm was so powerful, so effortlessly able to snatch her from fate’s grasp.

Having been deliberately shielded by Anselm, seeing little of his personal emotions—only glimpses of his past experiences and their ultimate end—Hitana couldn’t grasp Marina’s current feelings.

She could only cautiously reach out to touch Marina’s face.

“Lina… Sister, it’s just a game. Anselm said not to take it too seriously. Don’t—”

“Shut up!”

Marina slapped Hitana’s hand away.

As she turned, the ferocity in her eyes almost made Hitana see the Marina from a memory that never came to pass.

“…I mean, don’t interrupt me, Hit.”

The girl, lips pale, whispered, “Sorry, don’t interrupt… I can figure it out… I can figure it out…”

Her breathing grew rapid and uneven. “Just a piece, just one piece—”

Marina suddenly looked up, grabbing Anselm’s hand like it was a lifeline, her voice hoarse and urgent. “It’s Lan Zhi! Lan Zhi, right? Her subordinate… that shopkeeper! He knows us!”

Always refined and mindful of boundaries, Marina clutched Anselm’s sleeve and hand tightly, stammering, “He recommended us… and then… then Lan Zhi, she despises the slave trade. Three years ago, since it was you, Master, who cleared the black market’s slave trade, she must be immensely grateful to you… She must have been watching you, and… and the people around you, including Hit…”

She turned to Hitana.

Though the mask hid Hitana’s face, altered her voice, and even changed her striking white hair, the collar on her neck and her distinctive height were unconcealed.

“That shopkeeper, out of unease, might not have told Lan Zhi. But if Mr. Anselm used this… if he triggered some coincidence to let Lan Zhi know your true identity, she’d realize there’s no backer behind Hyena—only… destruction!”

“Then she, and the other black market leaders, would without hesitation send Hyena to his doom, right… Mr. Anselm!”

Marina’s hands, gripping Anselm’s palm and sleeve, trembled slightly. Her eyes were filled with hope but also deep exhaustion and vulnerability.

“…Well done, Marina.”

Anselm reached out, gently wiping the blood from Marina’s lips, healing her wound.

“To think this far is already remarkable.”

“So, this was… within your… plans?”

“Aaah, Lina!”

Marina swayed, her words unfinished, collapsing forward as if all strength had left her.

Hitana screamed, rushing to catch her sister tightly.

“You… I… ugh!”

Heartbroken and afraid, Hitana didn’t know what to say.

She sighed heavily, holding Marina close.

“This is just the most direct, quickest way to end Mr. Hyena’s business career.”

Anselm withdrew his hand from Marina’s cheek, speaking gently.

“It was indeed within my considerations, but I don’t plan to choose it for now.”

“…So.”

A bitter smile crossed Marina’s face.

“So, I still failed… No matter how hard I tried, this was all I could think of.”

The insurmountable gap in information, the utter domination in ability, the absolute crushing of status…

In just these few minutes, ten or so minutes of thinking, Marina felt such pure… despair.

This was merely a hypothesis, a game.

If she were truly in such an environment, constantly thinking, doubting, dissecting everything, negating herself, chasing herself, destroying herself…

Marina would rather die.

She truly would rather die than endure such despair.

If living like this… what was the point of living?

This shook her more than the Empire’s essence.

If the Empress’s domination of the world negated the meaning and value of their existence, leaving the naive Marina of that time shattered and despairing—

Then Anselm’s “game,” his role as an irresistible, all-dominating terror, wasn’t like the Empress, who used divine, unyielding violence and power out of love or hatred to change everything.

Instead, for some purpose, he silently guided reality toward his desired outcome…

What lost meaning and value wasn’t just people, but… the entire world.

Because every change was so natural, so seamless—just reality, as Anselm called it.

Marina was afraid, far more terrified of this reality than of the Empress and the Empire.

But… but what if…

What if this game had happened to Mr. Anselm?

What if that irresistible terror… was what forced Mr. Anselm to abandon something incredibly precious to him?

If that was the reason, how could I… falter here?

That’s why Marina threw herself so fully into this “game.” Sensing this possibility, she chose to immerse herself, to feel this absurdity, this despair.

“…Mr. Anselm.”

Even though she dreaded reliving that feeling, even though the mere thought of that chaotic despair made her nauseous and trembling, Marina gritted her teeth and said, “I can still—”

She was afraid, but she could never accept betraying Anselm, betraying the one who… gave her everything, granted her a new life and future.

“Enough, Marina.”

Anselm gently squeezed her hand. “To think this far is already remarkable. Continuing this ‘game’ would only be a cruel torment for you.”

“…”

Marina felt the warmth of Anselm’s hand and his care.

She should have been moved, and she was, but… a darker, fiercer thing roared within her, overshadowing and tearing apart that emotion.

It was a monster called unwillingness, howling in rage.

Why… Why can I only go this far?

Why am I so weak?

Why don’t I have even a shred of extraordinary talent?

I’m the one who can feel Mr. Anselm’s emotions. I’m the one who… should be able to help him the most.

Yet I can only reach this point, only listen to Mr. Anselm’s comfort, only feel this pathetic gratitude.

Marina lowered her head, gripping Anselm’s hand tightly, saying nothing.

“Come now, don’t be so heavy. This was meant to be a relaxing outing—how did it turn into this?”

“It’s your fault, Anselm!” Hitana glared at him, rare anger flaring.

“Why put so much pressure on Lina? You know she listens to you the most, cares about you the most!”

“My mistake. I’m sorry, Marina.”

“No! It’s not… I mean, I’m fine. Please don’t worry.”

Marina’s initial reaction was sharp, but she quickly calmed, showing her usual gentle smile.

“This ‘game’ with you gave me great insight and help, Mr. Anselm. I’m very grateful.”

“Hit, and you—don’t judge my feelings recklessly.” The girl turned, pinching her sister’s cheek.

“And don’t scold Mr. Anselm, got it?”

“But you were clearly so… fine, fine, I get it.”

Under Marina’s gaze, Hitana mumbled, “I shouldn’t have lashed out… Don’t look at me like that, Lina.”

Then, when Marina turned away, Hitana leaned in, nipping Anselm’s ear and muttering unhappily, “So what are you up to, Anselm? I’m not happy at all right now.”

“You’ll be happy soon enough.”

Anselm smiled, patting Laurence’s head.

“Today’s entertainment is… guessing Mr. Hyena’s fate.”

“I bet the young master set him up, and the slaves he captured beat him to death!” Laurence raised a paw excitedly.

“Hmm… that’d be satisfying, but a bit cliché.”

Hitana rested her chin on Marina’s head.

“I bet he… suicides! Yeah, driven mad by Anselm’s schemes, he can’t take it and kills himself. That’s it! Lina, what do you think that scum will do?”

Marina gazed at the chaotic streets below, silent for a moment before saying softly:

“I don’t think he’ll die.”

“…Huh?”

“In Mr. Anselm’s view, death isn’t punishment—it’s release, a gift.”

Having briefly experienced that terrifying despair, Marina said:

“I think he’ll… beg for death but be denied.”

***

Back at his stronghold, Hyena was conducting a massive purge.

Rat King and Vulture’s counterattack proved there was a traitor among him.

The subordinates who accompanied him to meet Anselm were all dragged off for interrogation, leaving only his most trusted confidant by his side.

“…Boss,” the confidant hesitated before whispering, “Could it be, it’s not our guys, but that Faust… setting us up?”

Hyena’s face darkened, but he said nothing.

In theory, a transcendent who could rival a grand duke had no reason to toy with a minor black market leader.

But that was just a theory.

If that guy was truly so perverse, so deranged, tormenting him for no reason despite no grudge… though unlikely, it couldn’t be ruled out.

But if that were true, how could he resist?

At that moment, the communication crystal Hyena had set up flickered to life.

His expression shifted. At this time, it was almost certainly that mysterious Faust contacting him.

“Mr. Hyena,” the legendary adventurer’s voice, came through the crystal.

“I only just left, and it seems you’ve run into some trouble.”

“…Lord Faust, just some unexpected issues.”

Hyena steeled himself to reply. “Still within my ability to handle.”

“Really? It looks like you’ve suffered… heavy losses.”

“I’ve operated in the black market for years. My foundation is still reliable. Once reorganized, taking the other slave markets won’t be an issue.”

“That’s not very businessman-like.”

“But the black market is such a place… Please rest assured, Lord Faust, I’ll complete your task.”

“Heh, I’m not in such a rush, but since you’re so eager, I’ll give you a little help—check outside the door. I left a gift there.”

Hyena signaled his confidant, while humbly saying to Anselm, “Thank you for your generosity, Lord Faust.”

“Do your best. If you’re capable enough, I can ensure you take the entire black market.”

This promise ignited Hyena’s wavering heart.

His throat bobbed, voice dry.

“But that would mean opposing powerful nobles or transcendent factions, Lord Faust.”

“An exchange of interests. You’re a businessman; you understand. If it comes to it… you can nominally find some allies to share the load.”

“In short.”

Whether it was his imagination, Hyena thought he heard a chuckle.

“It’s all your ‘choice.’”

The communication ended, and Hyena’s confidant returned with the “gift” Anselm had left.

The moment he saw it, his mind, as if guided by some divine inspiration, effortlessly pieced together a perfect plan.

And it was all thanks to what Lord Faust had just said in the communication… “find some allies.”

Allies, gift… this was a heaven-sent opportunity.

***

“Anselm, Anselm, has that guy lost his mind?”

Hitana stared in disbelief at the screen, where Hyena sat in a room, waiting for someone.

“He’s actually asking Lan Zhi, a former slave, for help? Isn’t he afraid of walking into another trap and getting killed?”

“Marina,” Anselm said with a smile, “explain it to Hitana.”

“…Hit,” Marina sighed helplessly, “don’t look at things so superficially. Even if Lan Zhi despises the slave trade, she’s still one of the four black market leaders. Conversely, do you think someone who was a slave three years ago and rose to this position is a fool?”

“Huh? Oh… but, but I still don’t get why Hyena would go to her, or why she’d agree to ally with him.”

“It’s simple. Because Mr. Hyena, under Mr. Anselm’s provocation…” Marina gazed at the burning ambition in Hyena’s eyes, “has clearly developed some… unrealistic ideas.”

She raised one finger.

“The assurance that he could take over the black market gave him immense confidence.”

Then a second finger.

“The ability and resources to place that incredibly valuable gift at his doorstep out of nowhere bolstered the credibility of Mr. Anselm’s words.”

“And…” She raised a third finger, glancing at Anselm’s amused expression.

“The current situation, where he seems at a disadvantage but perfectly positioned to strike back unexpectedly, combined with…”

Marina paused, looking at Anselm’s beaming smile.

“Combined with Mr. Anselm’s ‘unintentional’ little hint, Hyena now clearly wants to ally with Lan Zhi… to directly take out Rat King and Vulture.”

Hitana blinked, bewildered, scratching her head.

After a long pause, she said, still puzzled, “But Lina, you still haven’t explained why Hyena dares to approach Lan Zhi, or how she could possibly agree to an alliance.”

“Of the four leaders, only Lan Zhi doesn’t engage in the slave trade. Conversely… She has no goodwill toward the other three. That’s the first point.”

On the screen, Lan Zhi entered the room expressionlessly with her men, while Hyena, alone, seemed fearless, his demeanor calm and confident.

“Having survived in the black market so long and become a leader, Lan Zhi knows better than anyone that the slave trade can’t be eradicated. That’s the second point.”

“And if Mr. Hyena promises at this moment…” Marina tilted her chin slightly, “to strengthen the management of the slave trade—say, no longer abducting civilians at random, only accepting those desperate enough to sign contracts, or improving slaves’ treatment so they retain some dignity…”

“And if he also agrees to let Lan Zhi oversee it and share the profits, what do you think? As a black market leader, as a businesswoman, would Lan Zhi… agree?”

“As for the possibility of betrayal afterward…” Marina paused.

“If Rat King and Vulture are eliminated, she might indeed be dealt with by Hyena later. But as the only leader without a backer, she’s barely a true leader—just a faction at best. The choice is between taking a share under a dominant power or continuing to scrape by in the cracks. That depends on Lan Zhi’s decision and their negotiations. Perhaps they’d use some spell to bind the deal… wait.”

Marina froze, then said thoughtfully, “Mr. Anselm, how is Miss Lan Zhi’s relationship with the other black market leaders?”

“She has some cooperation with Rat King,” Anselm replied gently.

His words sent Marina into deep thought, pondering something unspoken.

Hitana, meanwhile, gaped at the screen, where Hyena and Lan Zhi’s conversation played out, every word reaching her ears.

Though their discussion was convoluted, it unfolded exactly as Marina had predicted, mirroring her earlier analysis of Hyena’s thought process perfectly!

To ensure Lan Zhi wouldn’t betray him, and for Lan Zhi to secure Hyena’s trustworthiness and her own safety afterward, they indeed signed a highly binding magical contract.

“Lina… you’re amazing!” Hitana exclaimed sincerely.

“I could never think of all that… If I were Hyena, I’d probably just charge out and fight them to the death.”

Anselm couldn’t help but chuckle.

“That’s not a bad choice either.”

“Tch, yeah right, I don’t buy it!”

The young Hydra only laughed lightly. “Let’s see what Mr. Hyena does next.”

“Hmm… that’ll take a while, won’t it?”

Hitana leaned her head on Anselm’s shoulder, yawning.

“It feels like he’s not far from done for. It’s weird… this kind of scheming usually takes days to play out, right? Anselm, how did you squeeze it all into one day?”

“Waiting is only for the right moment, and when the moment is perfect, there’s no need to wait.”

Rat King and Vulture were probably celebrating in their strongholds, thinking they’d outmaneuvered Hyena.

Who could’ve guessed he’d go mad enough to ally with Lan Zhi and strike back?

This was the moment—perfectly… coincidental moment.

As for what caused this coincidence, what drove Mr. Hyena to take such a bold gamble…

It was, of course, his own choice.

What else could it be?

Certainly not Anselm, sitting here watching, doing nothing beyond saying a few words and sending a gift.

Time passed slowly. Under Laurence’s live feed, Anselm and the others watched Hyena and Lan Zhi infiltrate Rat King and Vulture’s strongholds. A fierce battle was about to erupt.

Hitana perked up instantly.

“Fight, fight, fight! Go! I’ve been waiting for this! Let them all die—maybe spare Lan Zhi, though that’s unlikely… Oh, right, Anselm, isn’t a fourth-tier fight a bit too much? Won’t it cause trouble in the Imperial Capital?”

“No need to worry about that.”

Anselm pointed to the highest point in the upper district, the palace called Anticheg, where the second sun burned eternally.

“Here, under Her Majesty’s suppression, only fifth-tiers and certain special beings… like you, my Contract Head, can exert full strength. Other transcendents are heavily suppressed, so they can’t cause much of a stir.”

“Otherwise, Mingfuluo wouldn’t have dodged so many assassinations so easily. Some couldn’t be blocked even with puppets.”

Hitana clenched her fist, feeling no suppression at all.

“So being a Contract Head has perks like this…”

“If she truly wanted to suppress, fifth-tiers and even you as you are now would be no exception,” Anselm said, ruffling Hitana’s hair. “But once you grow stronger, the essence of Hydra will let you stand against Her Majesty.”

Amid their casual banter, Hyena, with calculated intent, had prepared thoroughly, planning to join Lan Zhi in assassinating Rat King and Vulture.

Business?

Trade wars?

To defeat your rivals, just kill them.

Normally, such actions would land you in an Imperial court and prison, but this was the black market, and he had Lord Faust behind him, promising to handle the other backers!

Whether Hyena believed it or not, doing nothing would lead to a bad end.

Better to go all-in.

Yet, another surprise struck.

Lan Zhi, also concealed, remained motionless, watching as Hyena launched his attack alone against Rat King and Vulture.

The contract’s magic took effect, and she collapsed, bleeding from all orifices, face pale, instantly losing combat ability. Hyena, facing Rat King and Vulture alone, had no chance of victory.

“What? No way! He got betrayed again?”

Though somewhat gleeful, Hitana felt annoyed.

“This guy’s death is too comical. Anselm, did you do this on purpose?”

“Hit…” Marina rubbed her forehead helplessly. “Did you forget the gift Mr. Anselm gave him?”

“The gift… oh!” Hitana’s eyes lit up.

“That bottle with my blood… what was it called? Oh! Water of Redemption!”

Water of Redemption, the Concordant Church’s crowning achievement in the transcendent realm.

The Concordant Church, brought through the Eastern Port route from beyond the Tianlu Mountain Range, was said to be the true ruler of that land.

Unlike the Empire, that region was dotted with small nations, and the Concordant Church, as the largest transcendent organization, loomed over them all, much like the Empire.

They possessed a technology even the Empire lacked—creating transcendents regardless of aptitude.

Generations of Empress seemed to believe such a “rival” was necessary, so they didn’t block the Church’s spread in the Empire.

However, the Empress’s divine might, surpassing all gods, made it hard for Imperial citizens to revere vague deities.

Thus, despite centuries of preaching, the Church had little influence among the masses, though not entirely without effect.

In the transcendent world, however, most transcendents coveted the Church’s rare item, the Water of Redemption.

Able to ignore requirements and aptitude, forcibly elevating one’s essence, the Water of Redemption circulated only within the Church, rarely traded.

Any found in the market or private hands usually came through murder and theft.

When Hyena saw the Water of Redemption, his mind trembled, doubts about Faust cast aside.

Who would use such a precious item just to toy with an insignificant figure like him in the eyes of a fifth-tier?

High-tier transcendent ascension relied on accumulating elements.

Thus, high-grade Water of Redemption, rich in elements, could not only turn mortals into transcendents but also offer transcendents a chance to climb another tier.

Why was Hyena a black market leader?

For money?

For business?

—Of course, it was to become a lofty fifth-tier. The wealth he amassed in the black market would fuel his cultivation, as it did for the other leaders.

Thus, this bottle of Water of Redemption could be traded for other valuable resources or serve as a trump card in desperate times.

“…So, this is the truth, Hyena’s calculation.”

Marina watched Hyena on the screen, laughing maniacally as he drank the Water of Redemption, and said softly, “If Lan Zhi cooperates, it’s ideal. With calculated intent, he and Lan Zhi could easily assassinate Vulture and Rat King. What happens to Lan Zhi afterward depends on his mood.”

“But if Lan Zhi betrays him, the pre-signed contract would neutralize her, and Vulture and Rat King, thinking they’ve outsmarted him again, wouldn’t expect him to hold the Water of Redemption—a trump card that defies reason. It makes facing both of them alone feasible, and Lan Zhi would still die. Either way, he sweeps the other three leaders and takes the black market.”

“No matter what, he has a high chance of winning, especially with Mr. Anselm’s little hint…”

“I didn’t hint at anything,” the young Hydra said with an innocent smile. “Just reasonable advice about black market management. These choices, this way of thinking…”

He tapped his temple. “It’s all Mr. Hyena’s own ideas, nothing to do with me.”

“S-so…” Hitana watched, incredulous, as Hyena, empowered by the Water of Redemption, killed Vulture and Rat King in a few rounds. “He’s going to win? He’s unscathed, and everyone else is done for? Anselm, you’re not really letting this guy run the black market, are you?”

“You’re too impatient, Hitana.”

Anselm ruffled her hair firmly, looking at the screen with a warm, sunny smile.

“That drop of your blood in the Water of Redemption was refined by me. That terrifying beast element…”

“No one else in this world could withstand it.”

***

Hyena exhaled a scorching breath, feeling the surging power coursing through him, and let out a sky-shattering roar.

The deafening cry pierced the clouds, echoing over the black market, chilling all who heard it.

“This is… everything.”

He gazed drunkenly at his palm.

“Selling all those people, lambs, stolen goods, forbidden potions… everything was for this.”

For… ascending to the peak of all things as a transcendent!

“I was too cautious.”

Hyena stepped toward Lan Zhi, who was coughing blood, now weaker than a mortal, his grin growing more ferocious.

“I should’ve used the Water of Redemption right away… I should’ve crushed you three wastes openly… Hahaha, still trying to scheme against me? You filthy pig, born a slave!”

He kicked Lan Zhi’s abdomen, shattering her ribs.

“You think I survived in the black market all these years just by relying on that damned vampire, Grand Duke Sainthue?”

Laughing wildly, Hyena grabbed Lan Zhi’s hair, pulling her face to his, mocking her in a voice growing hoarse and rougher.

“Maybe that’s what you all thought, but sadly… fate… the goddess of fate is on my side!”

He slammed Lan Zhi’s head into the ground, crushing her face underfoot, arms spread, exclaiming in awe:

“That vampire’s death, Lord Faust’s arrival, his support, his promises… everything proves I’m destined to be the king of the black market!”

“Look, Lan Zhi, don’t you see?”

Hyena’s breathing grew heavier, pointing at his face, laughing maniacally:

“From rock bottom to the throne in just a few hours! I have power, the authority to rule the black market… and you’re nothing but the most insignificant footnote in my grand journey, the most laughable… losers!”

How could this not be fate?

If Grand Duke Sainthue hadn’t died, he’d still be entangled with these three for years, possibly discarded by the Grand Duke after being used.

Because of the Grand Duke’s death, he could turn to the mysterious Lord Faust, who had the power to sway other backers, claim the black market, and grant him the perfect means to break through—

What a… what a perfect, almost divinely favored, miraculous experience!

The Water of Redemption brought him one step from fifth-tier. In a few years… he could become a true fifth-tier, leave this cursed black market mire, and one day—

I, so favored by fate… might even stand as Faust’s equal!

“Hehehe… hahahaha… roar… grr…”

Hyena’s laughter stopped abruptly.

What… sound did he just make?

“I, roar, what, awoo! Awoo! How could… awoo-woof!”

His pupils contracted sharply. He raised his trembling hands, finding them… transforming! Turning into rotting, sparsely furred… dog paws?!

As the euphoric rush of power faded, unbearable pain swept through him.

Hyena let out “awoo-awoo” screams, his tall, robust frame shrinking and twisting.

His legs withered, visibly turning into scrawny, ulcerated beast legs.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Hyena.”

A cheerful voice rang out abruptly in the room where two black market leaders lay dead.

The masked young noble stood before the now non-human, non-canine creature writhing on the ground, his cane lightly tapping the floor.

“You seem to have done well, but…”

He tilted his head, puzzled. “You don’t look so good. Is there anything I can help with?”

“Grr… awoo… Faust…”

The grotesque creature, barely articulate, rasped, “Help… help…”

“It seems the elements in the Water of Redemption have corrupted you… How unfortunate. Alright, I’ll help.”

Under the creature’s frenzied, turbid eyes, the young noble pressed his cane to its forehead. Hyena felt something being… rapidly altered.

Was he being turned back into a human?

Freed from this hideous form? Wait…

No, no! It was his power… his power was vanishing!

Turning into something else—what was it… Faust!

Hyena howled frantically, barely able to speak, reduced to desperate, piercing wails.

“Pfft… hehehe… hahahaha—”

The young noble, retracting his cane, laughed brightly. “You should see yourself now, dear Mr. Hyena. So pathetic and comical, it’s truly delightful.”

“Let me guess—are you cursing me? Utterly baffled? Thinking… I’m behind Lan Zhi? Sorry, I’m not.”

He shook his head, sighing slightly.

“I really like Marina. Before I knew it, she'd come to understand me so well.”

“Death, to me, is mercy, a gift, a release.”

“As a reward for her outstanding performance today, I’ve decided to let her win once. The condition, of course, is your… inability to die.”

Anselm smiled and said, “The transcendent power in your body has been entirely redirected by me to the beast elements of ‘adaptation,’ ‘self-healing,’ and a faint trace of ‘immortality.’ In other words… you’re now merely a vessel for these elements, devoid of any power. You’ll wander the black market as an unkillable stray dog. If luck isn’t on your side… you might even be picked up by a discerning sorcerer for experiments.”

“What? You’re wondering why I’d do this? A fifth-tier transcendent targeting a nobody like you—doesn’t that seem beneath me?”

The young Hydra answered his own question: “On that, I need to correct two of your mistakes.”

“First, I’m not a fifth-tier transcendent.”

“Second, I’m not targeting you. I’m merely delivering… the punishment you deserve.”

“Look at me, Mr. Hyena.”

As he spoke, he slowly removed the mask from his face.

Anselm Hydra gazed down at the stray dog on the ground, smiling:

“Tell me, what do you see?”

…Devil.

Devil!

“Awoo awoo awoo awoo!”

Hyena let out a piercing wail, flailing its limbs to flee, only to find its body paralyzed by fear, by despair, unable to move.

“No, no, no… not yet. This isn’t what I want to see.”

“So… where should we begin? Ah, I don’t really want to waste time on you. How about I show you this instead?”

Anselm tapped his cane on Hyena’s forehead again, and—

The terrified Hyena saw himself.

Saw his actions displayed on a screen, like a clown in a circus, being watched.

“Interests.” “Division.” “Conflict.” “Power.”

“Just… a coincidence?” “The simplest of facts.”

“I did nothing.”

“I guess he… begs for death but is denied.”

As those words and images flooded Hyena’s mind, Anselm’s voice echoed in his ears again:

“Mr. Hyena, do you hate me?”

His voice, mingled with the images and conversations poured into Hyena’s mind, made the world seem false and absurd to him.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but, well…”

The young noble shrugged: “I don’t think you should hate me. Can you understand why? Because, as I told you—”

He smiled:“This was all your ‘choice.’”

“…”

My… choice?

I chose Faust as my backer.

I believed I had to complete his first task.

I knew this was the best course.

I thought it was the perfect opportunity…

I was right.

I was right?

I was wrong… no, I was right!

My choices… no, not my choices!

These weren’t my choices!

But I was right… but this… isn’t…

The man who once ruled the black market was now nearly a mangy stray dog, convulsing and howling on the ground, its cries filled with vivid madness and… terror.

He didn’t know who made these choices for him.

He didn’t know why he did these things.

He even… began to doubt his own reality.

What is the world?

How did I become this?

Is this a dream?

An illusion?

A spell from Rat King or Vulture?

Or Lan Zhi?

Is it Lan Zhi?!

It’s Lan Zhi! Her spell… that damned wretch, even after the contract’s backlash, she had this trump card. But it’s fine—when Lord Faust arrives, I’ll be saved. I’ll become the black market’s ruler, a fifth-tier, I can…

No… There's no Hydra here, no me turned into a dog.

This isn’t my choice… he forced me!

It was deliberate!

I didn’t choose… it wasn’t me!

Not me! Heh… not me, not me who turned myself into this.

It’s Hydra, it’s Hydra… heh…

Anselm gazed down at the dog’s eyes, nearly devoid of sanity.

“I told you, Mr. Hyena, I wasn’t in a hurry.”

“If you had been willing to wait, to bide your time, to admit your mistakes, to resist this temptation… See, there were so many ‘ifs.’ Any of them could have spared you this fate.”

“Look, this is your choice.”

Anselm snapped his fingers lightly, and a mirror appeared before Hyena.

In it, he saw a sores-covered, mangy… stray dog.

The devil smiled, nudging the mirror closer:

“This is the fate I’ve arranged for you.”

“Awoo!!”

A piercing, despairing wail erupted.

The mangy dog howled, comically and pathetically scrambling to flee, desperate to escape this devil.

“Hyena assassinated Vulture and Rat King, but his whereabouts are unknown, leaving only the gravely injured Miss Lan Zhi…”

The young Hydra turned, smiling:

“So, who should take the throne of this black market?”

***

Late at night, on the roof of Hydra Mansion.

After coaxing Hitana to sleep, Anselm stood in the cool breeze, gazing at the bright moon high in the sky.

He was pleased today.

He’d punished a defiant fool and cleaned up the black market in less than a day, holding it firmly in his grasp.

But… some things had gone beyond his expectations.

He’d revealed too much to Marina.

That clever girl could easily piece things together, especially after her conversations with Mother.

Anselm… wasn’t entirely at ease about this.

The game was a whim, at most a test of Marina’s ability and resolve, but he hadn’t controlled it well in the end. Looking at his palm, Anselm whispered:

“Is it that you won’t let me go for a moment, or have I… grown weak in this time?”

Weak.

Anselm felt his behavior before Marina today was truly weak.

Like a child unable to bear suffering, he’d tried every way to tell others, hoping they’d understand his pain, his struggle, hoping someone would share his burden, hold his hand, and say they understood.

This was far too weak.

Because Marina would keep his secrets, because she lacked the power to change this, perhaps that’s why he’d done something so absurd and laughable.

Weak…

Around them, I become weak, Anselm thought.

The sixteen-year-old boy tilted his head back, his sea-blue eyes reflecting the moonlight like an ocean cradling the moon.

The sea and the moon, cold and silent.

But that was enough. Anselm, today’s indulgence was more than sufficient.

If you don’t cast aside useless things, tomorrow, you’ll be the next stray dog.

To defeat it, sacrifices must be made.

Ambition, ideals, faith, emotions, kindness, self.

Would Hitana be disappointed? No… if I couldn’t make that choice then, she would be.

So would Father and Mother.

The young Hydra touched his lips, the flat, indifferent line stripping away his usual warmth and approachability.

Realizing this, a vivid, radiant smile soon spread across his face.

Smile, Anselm. At least you were happy today.

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