The Devil's Cage

When Professor Tyrese rushed to the scene, he saw the body beside Kieran at first glance and when he got a clearer look of the body, Professor Tyrese's temples twitched violently.

Duyer!

Although his head was kicked beyond recognition, the attire on the body and the communicator at the waist proved his identity.

"2567, do you know what you've done?" Professor Tyrese asked after a deep breath.

His hunch turned out to be real and the worst kind.

Duyer was unlike other professors. He wasn't bought by the sects or families, nor did he side with Principal Romuse; he was truly neutral. As a matter of fact, there were a lot of professors like him in the school, carrying out their duty as teachers and at the same time researching what they liked.

During necessary times, they would receive orders from Principal Romuse and would carry out without fail.

The worst thing was, Duyer was very well-known among this group of professors.

Once word about the freshman First Seat killing Duyer got out, those neutral professors might have second thoughts about it and it wouldn't be pleasant.

After all, after that many incidents, everyone had assumed that the freshman First Seat sided with the school.

"He showed killer intent first," Kieran answered.

"So you killed him to get the upper hand?!"

Professor Tyrese covered his forehead in frustration when he played back the surveillance footage.

He believed what Kieran said, but what about the others?

The members of Duyer's research lab, the neutral professors, would they believe Kieran?

What kind of explanation would satisfy them?

Professor Tyrese had never felt so much pain in his head before.

"You are in a difficult situation? Then I'll help you to deal with it. I will convince them," Kieran said.

"Don't even think about it!"

Professor Tyrese was horrified by what Kieran said, shaking his head violently like it was coming off. He then ordered the guards, "No one here is allowed to tell 2567 about the follow up of this incident!"

The guards nodded en masse.

Kieran glanced over the reaction of the crowd and didn't say anything else.

He really just wanted to help, who would have thought Professor Tyrese would react like this.

Professor Tyrese sighed heavily in his heart when he saw Kieran.

They had lost a neutral professor, they couldn't afford to lose another one, otherwise the school's operation would be affected.

He also got used to how Kieran dealt with problems because almost every single time Kieran 'dealt' with problems, he would have to follow up.

In other words, deal with the bodies! Every single time!

The morgue of the school had been crowded ever since Kieran started school.

The keepers already suggested building a new morgue.

A person with such a kill record wanted to convince others?

Who would believe him?

At least not Professor Tyrese.

"I'll deal with this, just go! And... whatever you face from now on, don't act so recklessly, think before you act!"

Professor Tyrese gave his heart in persuading Kieran, but Kieran only nodded with a blank face. The professor heavily doubted his words were heard by Kieran.

Professor Tyrese saw Kieran off before he sighed again and started to deal with the situation.

Kieran walked back to his dorm. After he entered his room, he put down[Energizing Steam Egg] and took out two more items from his backpack.

A bow and five arrows and a recipe book.

[Name: Position Arrow]

[Type: Weapon]

[Rarity: Legendary]

[Attack: Powerful]

[Attribute: Bloodthirsty Pierce]

[Effect: Positioning]

[Able to bring out of dungeon: Yes]

[Remark: Although is it a weapon, its true usage is for support.]

…

[Bloodthirsty Pierce: When a single target is hit twice in a row, Bleeding effect will be induced. As time goes on, target will be Crippled (Constitution authentication no lesser than B rank); when a target is hit thrice in a row, Shock effect will be induced (Spirit lower than B) and will be crippled right away (Constitution authentication no lesser than A rank.]

…

[Homing: Fire an arrow to fix a location in the Mystic State and record it (currently recorded Mystic State E-15). When recorded Mystic State is selected, the arrow will guide you inside.]

…

[Name: Duyer's Recipe]

[Type: Wonder Item]

[Rarity: Epic]

[Attack: None]

[Defense: Nonoe]

[Attribute: The recipe for four types of combat ration: Jumping Candy, Lemon Strips, Butter Ball, Crispy Thin Roll]

[Effect: None]

[Able to bring out of dungeon: Yes]

[Prerequisite: Cooking (Musou), Nimble Heart Agile Hands (Entry Rank)]

[Remark: You can't directly learn how to cook all four of the combat rations but you can practise through the provided recipe.]

…

Both items came from Duyer.

Kieran stopped at [Position Arrow] for a bit before looking at [Duyer's Recipe].

Cooking was a skill; Nimble Heart Agiel Hands was a Talent.

Kieran was so certain because he heard it from Starbeck during their chit-chats—Starbeck had the same Talent.

Starbeck did not limit break his Character Model Template Limit, though he acquired the Talent when he entered the game.

The Talent allowed its user to have a better handle and control all sorts of weapons.

Of course, for Starbeck, it was only usable during cooking.

Without a question, the recipe book suited Starbeck the best.

Would Kieran feel heartache by giving Starbeck the recipe book?

No, he did not, because every meal that Starbeck had invited him, Kieran didn't pay a single cent.

"So this is meal money," Kieran said as he put the recipe book into his backpack. His gaze returned to [Position Arrow].

He fell into deep thought when he looked at the bow and arrow.

It was natural and reasonable that Duyer was infuriated, but Kieran was still very concerned about something.

Why had Duyer found him instead of Sil Inner Sect?

Based on the level of grudge, Sil Inner Sect should be Duyer's first priority.

Unlike before, when Sil Inner Sect was secretive, it was currently engaged in a fierce war with Ryde Family. Sil Inner Sect was already under the spotlight and as long as Duyer paid attention, he would eventually get what he wanted.

Other than Kieran, who caused everything with his tricks, everyone thought the same way. Duyer should not be an exception either.

Duyer should be more focused on Sil Inner Sect, not go after him, the secretive mastermind behind Sil Inner Sect.

Unless... someone told Duyer something?

Duyer was agitated by some words.

"Lester, find out who Duyer had been seeing these past few days," Kieran said.

"Yes, my lord," Lester quickly scrolled through his monitors.

However, the result was less than pleasant. Duyer didn't see anyone after he came back from the Mystic State. He didn't even use his communicator.

In order to put E Block under better surveillance, Lester purposely installed a detector for communicator frequencies in specific areas. Anyone who used a communicator within range would fall under Lester's ears.

"He did it in the Mystic State?"

Kieran looked at [Position Arrow] in his hand, his eyes squinted in a glimmer.

The conversation that happened in the Mystic State and the [Position Arrow] that could guide one into a Mystic State, everything seemed a little too coincidental.

Almost out of instinct, Kieran thought of a certain professor that has been missing from campus. He curled his lips into a smile.

"Is it you? Professor Smith."

Amid his mutters, a decision was made in his mind.

Since Smith so eagerly wanted him to go into the Mystic State, how could he let Smith down?

Of course, before that, Kieran looked towards the metal container of [Energizing Steam Egg].

Without further ado, he opened the box.

A familiar golden glow shone on his face, a faint aroma of eggs spreading when he opened the lid.

The restless Gluttony was groaning repeatedly.

"Go," Kieran said with a smile.

Glutton cheered and threw himself at the steam egg.

The Cardinal Sins Force, Devil Force, Dawn Force, Plague Force and Saint Thorn Force spun faster when the steam egg entered his stomach, the energy he got contributing to the divine fire in his mind.

The fire jumped and grew bigger.

More darkness and chaos got dispersed. Kieran was all smiles as he felt the divine fire grow stronger.

Although he had no idea how strong it would grow, each growth had obvious gains for him.

A more sensitive thought, a more concentrated spirit, all the unnamed gains wasn't displayed on the notification and yet they really existed.

Kieran liked it very much, or rather, no one would dislike the feeling of growing stronger.

As for the process of growing stronger?

Well, it depends, but at least Kieran was fond of growing stronger by eating.

Likewise, he also wouldn't reject growing stronger through ascetic training.

[Absorbed special energy, Intuition +2]

[Intuition ZZZ→V- (Pre II)]

…

Kieran was delighted when he felt his Intuition reached V- rank and almost at rank II.

Although this round of increase only +2, and not +3, Kieran didn't mind. He had expected it.

[Golden Blessing (Broken)]'s effect was to replenish and optimize one's body. Such an effect must have a limit, otherwise during that mentioned golden age, some terrifying powerhouse would have came into play.

Just think about it, if unlimited power up was a thing, what would happen to those people who consumed enough food with [Golden Blessing]?

The kind ones would continue searching for more to become stronger; the harsh ones would enslave the weak to do their biddings.

Most of the time, the latter would far surpass the former.

Never underestimate how despicable a greedy person was, just like how you shouldn't test humanity with money.

Some results were already determined long ago.

Should that happened and continue to develop, it would either create a supreme existence that triumphed over all or the destruction of an entire era.

The obvious outcome?

The golden age was history, and it still happened despite [Golden Blessing] having a limit.

There might be other reasons that led to the destruction of that era but Kieran believed relentless fighting and conquests were one of the main reasons.

However, he wasn't a historian. Without any solid reason, he would not get to the bottom of it.

He would rather spend time on himself.

Kieran took his coat and headed to the library.

He borrowed every book regarding the Mystic State and in the few upcoming days, Kieran spent most of his time reading. Other than the common three meals, he'd even read during classes.

After a few days buffer, Professor Duyer's death was calmed down.

Those neutral professors voiced their dissatisfaction of the outcome but thankfully with Professor Tyrese's explanation, the neutral professors chose to accept the fact.

It wasn't because Professor Tyrese promised them they could take over Duyer's research lab after this, it was because after Professor Duyer's case was put to rest, shocking news came from outside Theorate.

After the war between Sil Sect and Ryde Family entered its climax, Sil Sect swiftly fell to a disadvantaged position and no one was surprised about the outcome.

Sil Sect was originally a second, third-tier sect without core inheritance. The only good about them was the numbers of members and simple entry requirements, but Ryde Family wasn't in the lesser numbers either!

Even more so when Ryde Family offered [Drops of Finest Cream] as rewards, many more people offered their service to Ryde Family.

Then, just as expected, the folks from Sil Inner Sect made their move but the surprising thing was…

The one from Sil Inner Sect that made a move wasn't the familiar Lude or Palreynold, it was an elderly.

The elderly man was a few times stronger than Lude and Palreynold and even had traits of an undead.

He feared no encirclements, he feared no swords and knives, he feared no fire.

When the elderly destroyed the mercenary group of Ryde Family single-handedly, the whole world of eat erupted.

They were wondering how strong this elder from Sil Inner Sect was.

The elderly himself claimed to be an elder of Sil Inner Sect.

Although he did not reveal his name, his rank in the sect was certain.

Many more observers joined the scene and tried to find out what the elder's powers were or what kind of secret technique he used.

Sil Sect originating from Arnold Sect wasn't a secret anymore and it was well-known that Arnold Sect was mysterious.

However, the increase of numbers was useless. The elder of Sil Inner Sect came and went like the wind, the occasional counterattack causing the observers to suffer a great loss.

More and more people believed in the existence of Sil Inner Sect because the elder acted exactly like those from the said sect.

He did not present himself as a warrior, he was an assassin.

Some cursed the sneaky attacks but many more suffered a headache, like the leader of Ryde Family.

The leader of Ryde Family suffered a great headache. He had never felt such pain ever since the war broke out.

"Still haven't located the Sil Inner Sect spy in Theorate?"

After a few restless nights, the exhausted leader finished his tea in one gulp and asked his butler beside him.

"No sir, the spy vanished into thin air. There are too many Mystic States in Theorate. If the spy wants to hide, it's nearly impossible to locate him," the butler shook his head.

"I know right," the leader did not argue against the solid fact but he felt even more troubled.

"But I think someone should know something." the butler added.

"Who?" the leader was surprised.

"2567!" the name came from the butler.