"Someone wants to cause trouble for you?" In the holographic window, Sylvia looked slightly startled at first, but soon the smile on her charming face faded.
Even Sylvia had noticed.
From the shadows of the alley, a figure clad in black emerged like a wraith from the darkness, stepping forward silently.
Dressed entirely in black, with a mask obscuring their features, the newcomer's presence was unmistakable.
"Another member of 'Cats'?"
Fang Li didn't turn his gaze, continuing his conversation with Sylvia as if nothing had happened, addressing the holographic window in front of him.
"Could it be that fat guy's orders again? If that's the case, I'll have to start doubting whether 'Tyrant' is truly as skilled in strategy as the rumors suggest."
After all, following yesterday's massacre, anyone who knew the details would understand that a single 'Cats' member couldn't possibly handle Fang Li.
Unless…
"Unless you can rival 'Ereshkigal.'"
As he said this, Fang Li finally turned his gaze toward the black-clad figure.
"Are you claiming you can rival 'Ereshkigal'?"
As soon as these words left his lips, a terrifying aura surged from Fang Li, enveloping the figure in black.
"————!"
The black-clad figure felt their breath catch, a chill running down their spine, and beads of sweat began to form on their forehead.
At this moment, the figure couldn't help but recall the title this student, emanating such a fearsome aura, had just received.
The term Rakshasa originally referred to an evil spirit.
A jailer of hell.
A terrifying and malevolent monster.
The black-clad figure didn't know if the man before them was an evil spirit. But with such an overwhelming aura, this person truly deserved the title of 'Oni.'
Not an evil spirit, but a demon of slaughter.
Thus, Fang Li had earned this title.
————"One-Sided Rakshasa."
If it were an ordinary person, they would likely have collapsed to the ground by now.
Fortunately, the black-clad figure was a member of an intelligence organization, accustomed to the darker side of life. Even though they were terrified by the aura, they managed to utter a low, hoarse sentence.
"Someone is waiting for you…"
This statement caused Fang Li to raise an eyebrow slightly.
Then, a smile crept across his face.
"So that's how it is. You're not here to carry out a mission, but to lead the way. A mere combatant from Grimalkin reduced to an errand-runner. I'd like to see if that person's influence is truly significant enough for this."
After saying this, Fang Li addressed the holographic window once more.
"Well, that's how it is. I'll go check it out."
In response to Fang Li's nonchalant tone, Sylvia only smiled wryly but didn't try to stop him.
Thus, Sylvia nodded, offering only this piece of advice.
"Be careful."
With that, Sylvia ended the conversation, causing the holographic window to vanish from Fang Li's view.
Fang Li then turned to the black-clad figure.
The figure silently retreated into the darkness, moving with soundless steps deeper into the alley.
Fang Li followed without hesitation.
...
During the previous School Festival, at Rewolf Black Academy, Sylvia had mentioned that the Academy City had a so-called Entertainment District.
This district was actually located on the outer edge of the Redevelopment Zone.
Delinquent students from Rewolf Black Academy often frequented this area, even claiming territory within the Redevelopment Zone and using it as a base. This had led to numerous small-scale conflicts with the city's security forces.
As time passed, expelled students from various academies and criminals from outside the city began to gather here, gradually turning it into a notorious underbelly.
The Entertainment District on the outer edge of the Redevelopment Zone was considered a relatively safe area.
However, within this district, there were also areas that had become slums, with abandoned buildings and ruins scattered throughout.
It was said that many underworld organizations were active in this area, and any suspicious behavior would immediately result in being taken away and subjected to brutal interrogation.
Thus, no matter how relatively safe it was, this was still part of the Redevelopment Zone, rife with criminals and rampant underworld activities. Aside from students from Rewolf Black Academy, hardly anyone would dare to wander here at night.
Led by the 'Cats' member, Fang Li arrived at a corner of the Entertainment District that was in ruins.
However, the scene that unfolded before Fang Li was one of devastation.
"Shh…"
Accompanied by a corrosive sound, the ground seemed to have suffered severe erosion, slowly emitting a foul odor and wisps of light smoke.
"Ugh…"
"Ugh…"
In the ruins, individuals dressed in black suits lay sprawled on the ground, their bodies twitching uncontrollably as they clutched their throats, seemingly poisoned, emitting painful groans.
At the center of these fallen figures stood a silhouette with its back turned to Fang Li.
It was a girl.
Dressed in the uniform of Rewolf Black Academy.
Her hands were covered with gloves that extended to her elbows.
Beneath the swaying hem of her skirt, knee-high white stockings wrapped around her slender thighs.
Her pure white hair, like snow, fluttered gently in the wind.
Looking at this young girl, one might typically think.
————That is a spirit in the snow.
However, the decaying aura rising from her body would lead people to think otherwise.
————That is a witch from hell.
Gazing at this girl standing atop the decaying ground, surrounded by the crowd of suffering and moaning individuals, Fang Li murmured softly.
"'Ereshkigal…'"
The first-ranked student of Rewolf Black Academy.
The most skilled person who had dominated the 'Dragon King Festa' for two consecutive terms.
Revered as the strongest-ranked Strega.
Her name was————
"Orphelia-Landlufen…"
Uncertain if she heard Fang Li's low murmur, the girl slightly raised her head and slowly turned around.
In the next moment, a strikingly beautiful face entered Fang Li's view.
That face was extraordinarily lovely.
To describe it, one could only liken it to a spirit in the snow.
However, what left a lasting impression was not her beauty.
But rather, despite possessing such astonishing looks, her face bore an expression that was utterly incomprehensible.
An expression that seemed to emerge only after being abandoned, betrayed, rejected, and shunned by everything in the world.
That expression was called sadness.
Even her jewel-like scarlet eyes were filled with a sorrow that seemed on the verge of breaking into tears.
Thus, it was unforgettable.
Staring at such a Strega, Fang Li fell silent.
At the same time, Orphelia also looked at Fang Li, her eyes devoid of any emotion other than sadness.
This was the first encounter between Fang Li and Orphelia.
And this meeting led both Fang Li and Orphelia to a singular thought.
"I absolutely cannot coexist with her/him."
(End Of This Chapter)
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