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n“Damn it! God damn it! How could it be?!”

nHuman expressions of shock and fear appeared on the black cat’s face as it ran through the pouring rain.

nAfter running for a long time, the exhausted black cat suddenly tripped and tumbled a small distance. However it got up again and continued running several more steps before darting into a small alley to hide.

n“Haa haa… Haa haa…”

nThe black cat shook off water droplets on its fur before cautiously survey its surroundings and heaving a sigh of relief when it didn’t see anyone around.

nThe black cat went limp and sat its butt on the ground.

n“Transformation Technique – Dispel!”

nIts breathing gradually calmed down as it opened its mouth, giving rise to the slight shrill voice of a youth going through puberty.

nA slight aetheric disturbance made the black cat’s body enlarge and turn into a youth around the age of sixteen.

nMorrison Greg, a brown-haired boy with a face full of freckles, capable of turning into a cat.

n

nMorrison was an investigation staff at Secret Rite Tower’s intelligence branch, currently one year into the job. Although he was still rather young, Greg had exceptional talent in transformation and thus had the qualifications to undergo individual missions.

nHowever, the circumstances were different this time round.

nThis was a lull period for Greg and he hadn’t taken up any assignments. However, he heard that the former Great Radiant Knight Joseph had gone alone to investigate and didn’t allow other staff to tag along due to the threat of Wilde.

nAs a youth who had joined the intelligence branch because he idolized Joseph, Greg was well-versed in the past history between the Great Radiant Knight Joseph and black magician Wilde.

nDue to curiosity and worry for his idol, Greg had cautiously tailed Joseph to this bookstore.

nNaturally, he had fully utilized his special ability and kept a very safe distance. There was absolutely no way he would let himself be exposed.

nThat was until a few moments ago.

nAfter waiting outside the bookstore for approximately ten minutes, Greg decided to take a slight peek at the situation inside. In the end, what he saw was an extremely terrifying scene!

nA Destructive-rank Radiant Knight, the Indomitable Sacred Flame, a half metal monster in human form was actually cowering in pain before the counter and fell to the ground moments later!

nGreg swore that he had seen everything very clearly with those cat eyes of his.

nA second ago, Joseph was still conversing peacefully with that seemingly amiable bookstore owner and in the next second, Joseph had crashed to the ground.

nFollowing that, the bookstore owner had leaped over the counter and reached out to the large knight’s wrist and performed some strange actions. Greg was certain that it was definitely some form of evil sorcery!

nNext, the bookstore owner roughly dragged the motionless knight onto a tiny vessel and even muttered some mocking words in an icy manner.

nEven tough, unyielding men can have fairytale-like dreams?

nIs he suggesting that Sir Joseph’s impulsiveness coming into enemy territory alone is akin to a child’s naivety?

nOr is he suggesting that Secret Rite Tower’s great undertaking to cleanse the darkness was merely a fantasy?

n“God damn it! He even said ‘have a good rest’. Did he mean to let the Indomitable Sacred Flame remain in slumber for all eternity?!” Greg shuddered.

nIt was just too terrifying! And worst still, he had accomplished most of it…

n“What the hell is going on? Who is that bookstore owner? How could Sir Joseph collapse with even putting up any resistance?” blabbered Greg. His face was pale and his body trembled uncontrollably, as if he had just managed to escape from the jaws of death.

nNo, there was no as if. He had really just escaped from the jaws of death. Greg would never forget the feeling of his heart coming to a halt at the moment where he accidentally knocked over some junk items beside the door.

nThe bookstore owner could have definitely caught him but chose to stop at the door.

nHowever, Greg knew that the bookstore owner had seen through his disguise.

nIt’s dangerous outside?

nYes, the true danger had been right before Greg’s eyes.

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nAnd there was only one ‘safe’ way out—‘home’

nThe bookstore owner had deliberately let him off so that he could return back and report the news!

nPerhaps it was a warning, or perhaps it was a provocation or maybe even derision.

nBut, he was left with no other choice now…

nJoseph had fallen!

nNow, only he could pass on this information to Secret Rite Tower.

nMorisson Greg, an investigation staff of Secret Rite Tower’s intelligence branch for a year, now undertook an extremely important mission.

nSuppressing the fear coursing through his body, he gritted his teeth and once again transformed into a black cat before shooting off in the direction of Secret Rite Tower.

n——

nJoseph had once again sunk into hallucinations.

nA vast expanse of sky and nothingness extended before him. Stars of all shapes and sizes, flickering continuously filled the murky sky.

nMillions of light years away, celestial bodies were in an endless cycle of emergence and destruction as the concept of time gradually faded.

nIn this starry expanse, countless colossal shadows floated within.

nMany a time, these humongous shadows would roam from this place to reality, forming a strange yet beautiful picture before Joseph’s eyes as the two spaces overlapped.

nIt was like the shock of seeing a blue whale traveling back and forth the city. But most of the time, this amazement was mostly painful.

nBecause most of the time, it wrecked his cognition, leaving him drowning in a fear of the unknown.

nMoreover, demon sword Candela would traverse through millenniums and wail mournfully towards these starry expanse.

nJoseph would feel as if it was just like a child yearning for its mother.

nTruth be told, for Joseph, holding the demon sword Candela was like looking after a misbehaving child. It was very hard for Joseph to control this child’s emotions and he found it increasingly difficult to discipline it the older he got with age.

nBut things were different this time round. Joseph had a book in his hand. A book that wasn’t thick nor large.

n“Whoosh…”

nPages of the book flipped rapidly, and an indescribable taboo language flitted past eyes.

n“One who gazes at the abyss will have the abyss gaze into them and gain the recognition of the abyss…”

n“W-wait…Damn it! A trap! Aaarghhh!”

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nJoseph was roused awake by the intense pain in his mind caused by the overload of information. A slight hint of joy appeared within the demon sword’s berserk state.

nWhy is it so happy? Is it because of this book? Children’s story… this is for a child indeed!

nOnly

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nJoseph’s eyes shot wide open. He stared blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling and attempted to move but felt unable to do so.

nHe lowered his gaze and saw himself clutching the “children’s story”.

nSo it’s a story for this sort of child…

n“Ehh? Uncle, you have woken up?”

nJoseph heard a familiar young voice. He turned his head and saw that familiar smiling face.

nThe pain in his head had already vanished. Shaking his head, Joseph stretched an arm out and propped himself up.

n“Thank you,” muttered Joseph.

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