Walking silently through the dark forest but having no trouble seeing, Adryan raised his left hand and clenched it, feeling the new power coursing through his veins.
With the successful capture of two Beyonders, both of a higher sequence than his own, he had completed the ritual and ascended to Sequence 5.
He was now a Reaper. Unlike the previous one, this sequence brought three new abilities: Weakness Investigation, Cull, and Precision.
The first, Weakness Investigation, allowed him to discern the vulnerability and weak point in his target's defenses from a mystical perspective.
The second, Cull, could be infused into any of his attacks to harvest the target's life. Any part hit by Cull was akin to an assault on vital points and weaknesses, doing significant damage.
The best way to compare this ability would be a guaranteed critical hit. If Cull hit a genuine weak point or weakness, it would be a fatal blow, making it extremely difficult for the target to withstand three consecutive attacks unless they had great defense.
It could even inflict severe damage on creatures at the level of demigods if they failed to dodge, block, or use mystical defenses.
The third, Precision, as its name suggests, increased Adryan's accuracy to ridiculous levels. Any attack he launched in conjunction with this power would never miss, unless the enemy blocked it or used an exchange, the attacks would hit their target.
Both Cull and Precision required a great deal of spirituality. But Adryan felt he could solve this by using his blood, which required little experimentation.
With these new abilities, Adryan could finally better explain the red zone he saw every time he used his spiritual vision.
'That red zone was the combination of Weakness Investigation and Cull... Marking the general area of weakness and the vital points of my targets. Sigh. It's a shame it didn't include precision in the mix, but I can't complain, that skill saved my life several times...'
Those were the skills Reaper brought. Obviously, this sequence also greatly increased the skills and powers he already possessed.
Adryan felt a ridiculous increase in his spirituality, easily double what he had as a Conspirator. His mind cleared, and his life force intensified. His strength, speed, reflexes, and physique had doubled.
He was sure that if he put a revolver to his forehead and pulled the trigger, the bullet would not pierce his skull but would bounce off. Unless Cull was used or they aimed at a weakness, it would take five shots to break his skull.
While all these new abilities and enhancements were welcome, what most satisfied and delighted Adryan was his pyrokinesis.
His flames could now affect non-physical bodies; he could finally fight spirits with his own power!
'Getting this buff in Sequence 5 is crazy. Before Reaper, a hunter can only rely on Sun Pathway artifacts to defend themselves against specters and spirits, that's a huge weakness!' Adryan clicked his tongue in annoyance.
At least that major weakness of his was finally gone.
His ability to compress his flames had increased incredibly. He was sure he could create a Plasma Beam or a White Bullet in just 3 seconds. His control and manipulation of the flames increased considerably.
If he tried now, the fire men he used to distract Cristhian would move more skillfully and naturally.
The distance he could transform into pure fire and join his spears could now cover tens and even hundreds of meters with only a considerable consumption of spirituality.
Finally, his mutant ability, thread manipulation, also underwent changes. The range he could extend them without using extra spirituality had increased to 100 meters. Their hardness and resistance now surpassed trap wire without enhancements, and they could even be used as weapons.
'The increase in my body, spirituality, and abilities is brutal. According to the information on the potion, it should only be half of what it is... Well, the answer to why this is isn't exactly hidden...'
Conjuring up some of his enhanced spirituality, his left hand burst into fiery crimson flames—a beautiful fire that seemed to bleed with power and promises of destruction.
'This is the fire of a Reaper who carries the City of Calamities...' Adryan thought, a little absent-minded as he raised his burning hand to the stormy sky.
The color of his flames was now identical to those on the outskirts of the city, which represented the people's prayers.
'It seems that, starting with this Sequence, the sefira is truly integrating with my body in the real world, changing it to be a more suitable carrier... At this point, I'm sure that if it weren't for Hunters Hallow, not only would that spirit have noticed me, but it's very possible that Cheek would have as well... Sigh...'
Again, another reminder that the only reason he was still alive was that tunic.
Turning off his hand and looking at his body, Adryan noticed the obvious.
His height had increased again. Now he was 1.92 meters tall. His hair seemed to have its own scarlet glow, and if it weren't tied back, he was sure it would reach his butt.
'While I know that the Red Priest Pathway increases height as I progress through the sequences, this increase is ridiculous, though not unexpected. After all, I am from Feysac; there is a bit of giant blood in my body, so this is normal.
'Of course, it's also because I carry the City of Calamities...'
Once he had the chance, he would go up to the city to check what changes had occurred and if any had occurred at all...
Adryan sighed slightly before lowering his gaze to his chest.
The button on his shirt was fighting for its dear life; any moment now, it would break...
The sight was somewhat familiar. It was common in horrible anime with exaggerated fan service, although he didn't usually see it happen to men.
"..."
Silently and without saying a word, he used his threads to prevent it from breaking...
'Well, at least I know someone who would love this.' With that last thought accompanied by an expressionless face, Adryan ended his short walk.
Pushing some branches out of his way, he saw a small cave hidden among the undergrowth a few steps away.
They had found this cave during the preparations for the ambush. The interrogation took place only about 15 meters from here, so Adryan could easily hear what was happening inside.
Warm orange light emanated from the entrance, indicating that someone was inside. With quiet steps, the redhead walked to the cave entrance and entered.
Further inside, he saw the large fire that had been lit. Sitting in front of it, wearing a new set of clothes, was Sheriff Xio, who had a big smile on her young face.
Sharron sat on a log to one side, her eyes closed in apparent sleep. Maric stood a few steps to her right, staring at the fire in deep thought.
The black-haired Flora was also sitting on her own log. Her arms rested elegantly on her lap, and her eyes were closed, enjoying the warmth of the fire.
Smiling at this sight, he gently tapped the cave wall. Tap! Tap!
"Sorry for the delay."
These actions caught the attention of the cave dwellers, who turned their attention to him.
Opening her eyes, Flora sighed a little, "Finally, you were already—"
The woman's words were cut off, her black eyes freezing.
Unable to help herself, she gazed at the man's wet white shirt and how it struggled to contain two enormous mountains.
Her mouth hung open for just a second, but with the next blink, a solemn and elegant face emerged—pure, unperturbed calm.
"From what I can see, the ritual went well. Congratulations." She said without the slightest tremor of her tongue.
Although she tried to hide it, Adryan could notice the slight tremor in her eyelashes as well as feel the almost brutal slip she had made.
The corners of his lips rose slightly, but he didn't comment on it.
His attention was focused on a strangely quiet Sheriff looking at him with an expressionless face.
Unable to help himself, a chuckle escaped him, "Miss! Did you shrink? You're smaller than before! Are you sick?"
A deep grimace of frustration and exasperation escaped her, and Xio cursed deeply to herself.
'It's not fair! Why can everyone else brag that the pathways they chose make them taller? Arghh!'
Controlling the tremor in her eyebrow, she let out a long but soft sigh, one laden with annoyance.
Opening her emerald eyes, she snorted, "If you keep going at that rate, Kenway, you'll turn into a giraffe."
"Better that than a flea." Adryan winked mischievously.
The sheriff's face broke into another grimace, and she clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white.
"You..." A little saliva came out of her gritted teeth.
Closing her eyes tightly, Xio focused all her strength on remembering her knight training. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of breaking her, not that guy.
"Ehe~" Laughing a little, the redhead shook his head in satisfaction and, casually twirling his finger, let what he was dragging along the path finally enter the cave.
"Come on, Miss, don't be angry. After all, you won't have to worry about the ingredients for your potions for a long time~"
He placed Cristhian's covered body at his side using his improved thread control.
At those words, Xio's eyes widened—clear bewilderment in them.
"Wait. Seriously?!"
She knew the target was a Demigod of her pathway, but she never thought his characteristics would be for her!
She thought her reward would be the characteristics of Interrogator of Sequence 7, not all of them up to Sequence 4!
Adryan's face broke a little. Confusion shining through, "Miss, please tell me this is a joke. Do you think that badly of me?"
Unable to maintain eye contact, Xio's eyes looked at the suddenly interesting ceiling.
"Ummm... Not anymore..."
"..."
Deciding it was best to remain silent, the short woman casually returned her attention to the fire.
"Pshh—Cough..." Barely having time to cover her mouth with her right hand, Flora quickly turned away and looked at the wall to the side.
Frowning, the redhead could only sigh. "Yes, yes, I'm the worst. Just give me Loft's characteristics."
Flora didn't even look at him as she threw a container, too busy trying to contain her laughter.
"Monarch, give me strength." Rolling his eyes with a small smile, Adryan casually caught the container and placed it on the headless body.
His threads then moved to the back of the cave, grabbing two black briefcases. One was the one Cristhian's group had brought; the other contained the ingredients to prepare a new sacrificial altar.
Placing the red candles and red poppies along with the symbol of the Scarlet Monarch, the redhead finished by putting his new sword on the body.
Clasping his hands together, Adryan prayed to Hermes.
"The Scarlet Monarch who burns depravity..."
Watching his new leader finish the sacrifices, Maric frowned slightly.
'His speed in climbing the sequences is not only ridiculous, it's terrifying...'
He could still remember that young, overconfident, low-sequence boy who had come to see him one June afternoon. The boy was only Sequence 9 and was afraid to provoke him back then... Four months later, that young man was a Sequence 5 Beyonder. A powerhouse second only to demigods, and even so, the same young man had planned and successfully executed the death of one.
Someone more than ten years younger than him. Someone who hadn't even been in the occult world for half a year had surpassed him entirely...
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before that young man entered the high realms and attained divinity.
A weary sigh escaped him. Once again, his companion had been right.
"It was the right decision to follow him," Maric said simply.
Sharron didn't even open her eyes. She just nodded slightly.
...
Closing the door of fire, Adryan used both hands to grab the sword—one on the sheath and the other on the hilt.
With the sefira suppressing it, the glow on the dust covering the sheath and guard had dimmed slightly, but it still retained that holy, dark glow.
When he made the contract, he prioritized the incredible purifying powers of the Unshadowed and the power of the Notary's voice. Everything else was abandoned.
He asked Vivian to structure the contract so that the sword would have two forms: one for use in combat and one for use in non-combat situations. The way to activate these modes was the same as for using the sword itself: through an activation phrase.
If he didn't say it, Adryan wouldn't be able to use the sword's powers, and it would just be a very expensive stick.
Closing his eyes and gripping the hilt tightly, Jotun abandoned his lips.
"I am the just fire that will cleanse the world; depravity will burn in my wake! By the command of my Lord, let there be light!"
Click!
The guard and the mouthpiece separated, the morning light illuminated the surroundings, and small bonfires of holy fire began to form and grow slowly.
Then, with a sharp schik! a sword with a burning golden blade was unsheathed.
Calmly, Adryan stuck the sword into the ground next to Cristhian's headless body and a bronze human tongue.
Having done that, he also threw in the characteristics of Joseph, Qilangos, and the Barbarian of Dead Rose. Controlling the smoke to separate them so they wouldn't accidentally merge, Adryan finally sealed the place in a large bubble of yellowish-golden smoke.
"Uff... Now there are only two more characteristics left, and then I have to wait for them to separate... Sigh." Shaking his head slightly, knowing he would have to return in a while, Adryan raised his hands and looked at them in a daze.
Now that he was inside the City of Calamities, he felt his connection to the sefira had become deeper than he initially thought.
His spirit was brimming with power, beyond what a Sequence 5 should have.
"If I combine my spirit with the Hanged Man's Card of Blasphemy, I'm sure I can wield the power of a demigod..." Somewhat dazed, Adryan did not doubt that.
Here, he had the strength of a demigod without the abilities.
Rolling up the sleeve of his left forearm, he looked at the tattoos that covered it.
The tattoo representing Ignir and Weiss pulsed in sync, like an illusory heart that never quite came to life.
Adryan was sure that if he summoned them now, something would happen, but knowing he didn't have time for that, he just fixed his sleeve and, closing his eyes, began to draw the sphere of light.
"I'll see that later..."
...
Opening his eyes again in his body, and praising the Scarlet Monarch, Adryan did not clean the altar but left it ready for use. He could hear Dabrio approaching in the distance, so he would have to use it again soon.
It would take him a moment to arrive from the sound of his footsteps, so he leaned his shoulder against the rocky wall and crossed his arms to wait.
Remembering something, he looked at his beloved worm. "By the way, Ada, we both lost. It was the Perverted Whisperer."
Flora sighed internally at the nickname, but she still understood the message. "The Hidden Sage? Tsk."
Hearing that made Sharron open her eyes. Although they remained as expressionless as ever, a slight hint of disappointment could be seen in them.
'They were still at it?' The corners of Xio's lips trembled slightly.
When she had just arrived in Auchiied, those two had made a bet on which Evil God was behind the third branch of the Tamara Family.
Adryan Kenway had bet that it was the Primordial Demoness, while Flora Jacob had bet on the Dark Side of the Universe.
The redhead chose the Primordial Demoness because part of the Tamara family had already gone over to her side, so it wouldn't be unusual for another part to do the same. The recruitment method also fits the style of the Demoness Sect—betraying your own family.
The black-haired woman, on the other hand, chose the Dark Side of the Universe because the methodical and bloody style in which the second branch had fallen fit with the usual ritualistic style of most devil families—sacrificing the life of a blood relative to live one more day.
'I think whoever lost had to do whatever the winner wanted for three days...' Not even wanting to think about what they would do if they had won, Xio shut her ears and focused on warming herself by the fire.
A short time later, a wet Dabrio Tamara entered the cave. Floating behind him were two bodies covered in white sheets.
The demigod pushed his hand forward slightly, and the bodies floated until they came to rest a few steps away from the black-haired woman.
His gaze paused on her for a moment, a little confused. Shaking his head, he said nothing about it.
Placing a hand over his heart, Dabrio bowed elegantly.
"I have completed the farewells. Their bodies are now your property, Lord Adryan."
"Thank you." The now Reaper gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. He then focused his attention on his beloved worm.
"Would you?"
Flora gave a subtle nod. Rising from her place, she walked over to the bodies. The black glove on her left hand turned skin-colored with human skin texture, and a mouth with sharp teeth opened in her palm.
Extending this palm toward the bodies, she activated the Grazing function of Creeping Hunger.
Crunch!
...
The glove chewed happily, finishing the last bits of its meal. After a loud, final gulp, the palm's "cheeks" swelled, as if something wanted to come out.
Cough! Cough!
Two objects fell into Adryan's palm. One was a large golden iris, belonging to some kind of reptile that could expose the thoughts of everyone's hearts. The other was a glowing crystal, a pure and bright manifestation of holiness.
These were the characteristics of Sequence 7 - Psychiatrist and Sequence 5 - Priest of Light that Creeping Hunger had grazed.
Lifting and catching the characteristics in his hand a couple of times, the redhead could only sigh slightly.
'You can't complain that I'm taking this, Klein.'
And it wasn't like he was leaving the Poor God with nothing, even if there was a repeat pathway that didn't matter. Now Creeping Hunger had the soul of a Disciplinaray Paladin and a Mentor of Disorder.
Two Sequences 5!
Compared to the sequences 7 and 5 he had just taken, this was a win for the future crazy hunter!
'Well... Not really. Once I purify these characteristics, I'll have at least one copy of Sequence 9 to Sequence 5 from the Sun Pathway and Sequence 9 to Sequence 7 from the Spectator Pathway... I'll end up winning. Ummm. Meh, first come, first served.' Shrugging his shoulders internally, Adryan sealed the characteristics in containers he had prepared in advance.
"What abilities did it get?" he asked after sealing them.
"From the Disciplinary Paladin, it took Verdict and Punishment, and from the Mentor of Disorder, it took Disorder, Corrosion, and Bribe-Arrogance," Flora replied, looking at the glove in her hand with a complicated look.
She never believed that one day she would feel what it was like to have a glove "eat" from her palm.
Adryan whistled appreciatively, "Wow. Good job."
It seemed that his beloved worm wasn't lying when she said that people with gray eyes were loved by fate.
Once Creeping Hunger grazed a soul, it could take 1 to 3 powers from it, depending on luck. Not only had they touched the highest possible sequence of powers, but they were also powers with very good synergy.
Already thinking of a way to reward the woman later, he turned his attention to a silent Dabrio who was looking at the bloody handkerchiefs on the ground.
Sighing internally, the redhead controlled his threads. From the back of the cave, several small wooden boxes flew towards him. They were made of dark wood and had simple details.
Taking the empty two, Adryan knelt and put the handkerchiefs in separate boxes. Then he took the boxes containing Loft and Cristhian's handkerchiefs and handed them to Dabrio.
"Do what you have to do with them."
Tamara said nothing, just nodded, and took the boxes.
"Once you contact your branch, remember to teach them what I taught you. Some of them are not praying for the Monarch." Adryan spoke calmly.
"I will correct their mistakes, Lord Adryan." Dabrio bowed deeply and held the bow.
"The Tamara family will never forget what you have done for us today. I swear that once I return to them, we will all faithfully follow the Scarlet Monarch!"
The redhead just nodded gracefully, pausing momentarily before saying one last piece of advice.
"Don't forget to pray for the Monarch's blessing on your way. The reason why the Hidden Sage wants your family dead is still unknown, so it's best to be cautious. Your family will also have to pray for the same, at least until the Scarlet Monarch regains more of his strength and can protect you better.
"My Lord will make divination and tracking difficult, but the hiding will completely fall on you."
"We will do so." The man's bow deepened even further, his voice heavy with emotion.
Controlling his breathing and making sure his body didn't show any reaction, Adryan finally unleashed what he had been planning since he heard that the Tamara family was looking for help.
"Your family has been trying to contact the Hermits of Fate. It is my Lord's wish that a good relationship be formed between the Zoroast, Jacob, and Tamara families.
"There is a person of interest in the Jacob family. Her name is Flora Jacob. She is the only woman with white hair; you won't have any trouble finding her.
"Your duty will be to support her discreetly without drawing attention once more serious discussions begin. Help her gain ground in the Jacob family so that when the time comes to take the leadership, she will have no opposition." Adryan finished, his words causing the demigod to stand up straight.
"I will do as you say, Lord Adryan." Dabrio nodded, his amber eyes shining with the campfire.