I, Kenneth, am going to get to the root of the problem today.

Page 95

While browsing through other materials, Nero Chaos paid no attention to Flov's threat. A inferior product bearing the name of an ancestor, Chaos wouldn't even want to say a word to Flov if he couldn't be used as cannon fodder.

"The last True Ancestor, I want her heart! I want her blood! I need warmth!"

Seeing that Floff was about to lose control again, Nero Chaos directly manipulated his familiar to pour blood onto Floff's body. The blood on his skin quickly froze, and life and temperature barely brought Floff back to consciousness.

"As long as you have the ability to control your emotions!"

A jet-black beast burst forth from Chaos's body, its sharp teeth tearing down to his neck and lunging at Flov's limbs. A chill spread, and the lance, forged from frozen earth, ripped the beast apart with powerful swings. Flov's lance tip pointed directly at Chaos, who had his back turned to him.

"Don't stop me, whether it's that snake or the final True Ancestor, or I will kill you!"

The relationships among the twenty-seven Dead Apostles were already chaotic. Apart from the two major factions of the White Winged Lord and Eltruch, the remaining ancestors were all independent and indifferent to worldly affairs. The previous nineteen ancestors were like this. If it weren't for Floff's appearance during the French Incident more than ten years ago, the current mystical side would probably still think that the nineteenth ancestor was Zelia Offenbaum.

"I'm asking if you're interested. You just need to answer yes or no."

If a lower-ranking Dead Apostle were to usurp the Blood Ring, they would be controlled by it. Within the strictly hierarchical Dead Apostle community, if Flov weren't still valuable, Chaos would have truly killed him. His patience worn thin, Chaos stopped moving and locked his bloodshot eyes on Flov. With a cold snort, Flov sheathed his lance and turned to leave the warehouse.

"Don't bother me, Chaos!"

Suppressing the restless beast within him, Nero Chaos continued studying the materials sent by the White Wing after Flov left. Chaos had never considered joining forces with Flov; awakening Flov's consciousness was merely to maximize his value. Flov was simply a tool to draw fire in crucial moments.

Returning our attention to Kenneth, watching Arcueid pat his belly after putting down his plate, Kenneth, who had also put down his teacup, chuckled and joked:

"Are you full? Would you like me to order you another serving?"

"Satisfied, satisfied, burp~~ I feel all the energy surging out."

Arcueid, with his arms bent to show Kenneth his non-existent muscles, stood up with unprecedented ease—the first time in millennia he had done so effortlessly. Looking at Arcueid's completely flat stomach, Kenneth wondered where the tons of food had gone.

"Arquette Squad, continue the investigation!"

Using a chuunibyou (delusional) pose learned from manga, Arcueid, full of energy, left a gold brick and dragged Kenneth out of the restaurant. Watching Arcueid continue to eat and shop under the pretext of investigation, Kenneth, whose mood was inexplicably good due to the idiot's influence, let Arcueid drag him through the streets of Misaki City.

"That man...no...no...I can't see him...why can't I see him! Kill him, kill him!"

With his brain racing and driven by the blood of the non-human, Tono Shiki only wanted to tear apart the only perfect man in his vision. Warm blood flowed from his lips, and he unconsciously wiped it away with his fingers. The crimson blood caused Tono Shiki's already chaotic vision to shake uncontrollably, and his vision was filled with darkness. With a thud, Tono Shiki collapsed to the ground amidst the screams of passersby.

"Hey, hey, this is so delicious, you should try some... Hmm? What's wrong? Did something happen over there?"

Noticing that Kenneth's attention was elsewhere, Arcueid, her face instantly puffed out, jumped up and down, trying to draw Kenneth's gaze back. Kenneth, suppressing the head bobbing in front of him, took the dumpling from Arcueid's hand and casually said:

"Nothing, it seems someone fainted. Hmm, it tastes good. Arcueid, you have excellent taste."

Upon being praised by Kenneth, Arcueid's puffed-up cheeks instantly disappeared. Puffing out her chest and looking quite smug, Arcueid immediately pulled Kenneth along to continue exploring the streets.

"Tono Shiki, that feeling just now was like the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception. Well, that lesson is enough."

Kenneth glanced at Arcueid, who was beaming with excitement, and then ignored Tono Shiki, who wanted to divide him. To see death, one must first understand death. With an ordinary person's brain trying to decipher Kenneth's death line, Kenneth could only hope that the person was alright.

Chapter 249 The Awakening Snake

The earlier incident did not affect Kenneth's mood. As the crowd on the street gradually disappeared, Kenneth, who had been sitting on the bench watching Arcueid's tantrum, stood up.

"It's almost time, we should set off."

Watching Kenneth's departing figure, Arcueid, who hadn't had enough fun yet, puffed up her cheeks but still obediently followed behind Kenneth.

If Kenneth remembers correctly, Zongye Middle School is where Roya is hiding. Before he can catch Chaos, Kenneth decides to deal with this lurking snake first. He can regain Arcueid's power and also gain valuable material. Kenneth thinks this deal is worthwhile.

"Hey, hey, did you find something? Logically speaking, there shouldn't be any Dead Apostles in a place like a school, right?"

With her hands behind her back, Arcueid leaned over and peered at Kenneth. Unaware of the purpose of their trip, Arcueid still treated it as a normal activity of clearing out ghouls. Seeing Arcueid's curiosity about everything, Kenneth casually tossed her the Moon Spirit Essence.

"He's not really a Dead Apostle. Judging by the timeline, he should still be in the conversion phase. You can use this to take care of him."

The innocence on her face vanished, and the moment Kenneth finished speaking, Arcueid's aura surged uncontrollably. Red light filled her eyes, and she straightened up, gritting her teeth as she squeezed out Roa's name.

"You idiot, don't let your emotions get the better of you. I don't want to help you calm down right now."

"Ugh—!! Stop hitting my head, it'll make me an idiot!"

With a 'thud,' Arcueid was as aggrieved as he had been earlier. In order to wake Arcueid from his emotional outburst, Kenneth didn't hold back this time, delivering a deliberate punch that brought tears to Arcueid's eyes.

"It's okay. You're already at a low point, there's no room for you to fall any further. Besides, isn't it good to be a fool?"

Arcueid was stupid, but not stupid enough to understand Kenneth's meaning. Realizing that Kenneth despised him, Arcueid, eager to prove himself, immediately covered his head and rushed to Kenneth's side to prove himself. Meanwhile, in the basement of Souya Middle School, a blond, green-eyed man who looked like a young boy was swinging his legs and looking at Tono Shiki, who was tied to a pillar in front of him.

Mario Jallo Bestino, Noel's direct superior, is ostensibly the adopted son of Cardinal Lord Laurentis. As darkness fell and ominous magic filled the basement, the ropes binding Tono Shiki snapped with a dull thud.

"The timing is much earlier than expected. I never thought that the first person I would see upon waking up this time would be you, Lord Laurentiis."

As if greeting an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time, Roya, whose consciousness had fully awakened, sat down quite familiarly. His physical body would change according to time, but the aura of his soul could not be hidden from Roya's nose. After a brief comparison, Roya immediately recognized the person in front of him.

"Agasha Serpent, nice to meet you. I am Mario Jallo Bestino, here on behalf of that old man to ask you for the secret to immortality."

"The method of immortality? How could such a thing possibly exist? The idea of ​​achieving immortality through reverse aging is ultimately an impractical research. Compared to my library, the third method can meet your needs."

When talking about his body's reverse aging, Roya deliberately focused his gaze on Mario. Considering that the other man had helped him wake up early, Roya did not mock the stubborn man in front of him. After stating that he had no way to achieve immortality, the newly awakened Roya began to adjust his body in this life.

"The Third Law? If that kind of thing really existed, that old man wouldn't have sent me here. Give me everything you know about your research on immortality."

Mario, with an unusually forceful manner as he jumped off the table, grew increasingly hostile. As if ignoring the threat, Roya remained calmly focused on modifying his body. The thousand-year-old reincarnated Roya hadn't been constantly killed by Arcueid. Even disregarding his Dead Apostle form, Roya's individual magical abilities were sufficient to qualify him as a Grand Magus of the Clock Tower. Holding the Reverse Aging Formula, he held the upper hand. Mario's threat was nothing short of a joke to Roya.

"What can you offer me if you want my research? Without my permission, any thief who covets my library will only suffer the consequences!"

After completely transforming Tono Shiki's body, Roa, with his black seaweed-like hair, stood up in his original form. Unfinished magic is no different from a curse, not to mention that Mario stole Roa's past research in an attempt to achieve immortality.

Except for a few exceptions, the bodies of Dead Apostles decay over time. Roya researched the anti-aging technique to solve this problem, but Roya felt he could really praise Mario for his audacity in using a mortal body to apply magic that affects Dead Apostles.

"what do you want?"

Under Roja's "it should have been this way" expression, Mario, whose face showed no change whatsoever, made his stance clear.

“That princess, she should be here too. Last time, my ceremony was ruined by someone who didn’t come in person.”

Without needing to say much, Mario, having been searching for Roya for a long time, understood Roya's meaning: to capture Arcueid as the ultimate culprit behind the 'French Incident'. Clearly, Roya's condition was Arcueid.

"Of course, I will preside over the ceremony. I don't want to meet the princess before I'm ready."

Having said all that, Roya's meaning was clear: to buy him time for the ceremony. Mario, his eyes flickering, spoke after a long silence:

“I will arrange for people to stop Arcueid, but before that, I need to verify your sincerity.”

Having anticipated Mario's agreement, Roja immediately peeled off the skin from his arm to record the magic, completely ignoring the bloodstains on the scroll before him. Mario picked up the rather gruesome scroll and began to read it carefully.

Am I sincere enough?

Calculating the time, Roja, whose body had been restored to its original state thanks to the Dead Apostle's immortality, threw the bloodstained yukata on the ground with an expression of having Mario completely under his thumb. Mario, who had already tacitly agreed to the deal, simply put the scroll into his sleeve.

“That’s not enough. These things are enough to stop Arcueid, but she has a man with her, and that guy is not someone to be trifled with.”

Negotiation is an art of tug-of-war. As a contemporary of Roja, Mario knew Roja's distorted ideas well. By disturbing the other party's mind, Mario could get more money in return. As for blocking Arcueid and Kenneth, it was enough to make a token effort. At least on the surface, Mario didn't want to leave a stain on his resume.

With a crack, the floor tiles shattered. Upon learning that a man had appeared beside Arcueid, Roya's expression twisted violently. Arcueid, who had been like a doll, transformed into a fallen princess longing for the mortal world. Luya, unaware of his own worthlessness, had his eyes instantly replaced by vertical pupils. He struggled to regulate his breathing. Several seconds later, the basement lights stopped flickering, and Roya's expression returned to its previous calm.

"I need specific information about that man."

With a splatter of blood as he tore off a piece of skin, Roya once again created a scroll through violence. Mario, having achieved his goal, glanced at the scroll and, as if prepared, tossed a file to Roya, violently breaking the barrier on it. In this report, which could be considered a surveillance record, the photo of Kenneth that Arcueid had captured became the final straw that broke the camel's back.

"Kenneth El-Melloi Archibald!"

The documents in his hand were burned to ashes. The suppressed and low roar made Mario, who was standing to the side, take a step back with some disgust. As a scoundrel, Roya himself did not even realize that Arcueid, whom he had always admired.

“Kill that guy, and you’ll get the foundation I’ve built and the subsequent theories.”

A scoundrel is always a scoundrel. Even now, Roya still doesn't dare to look Arcueid in the eye. He uses schemes to satisfy his desire to get close to Arcueid and seize her power. He morbidly enjoys being hunted by Arcueid. All I can say is that Roya is truly a scoundrel.

"Then we need to have a serious talk. That man is no ordinary person."

The initiative had shifted. Roja, his eyes glowing red, awaited Mario's words, seemingly oblivious to the threat looming in the air. Mario, a contemporary of Roja, stood smugly opposite him.

Chapter 250 The Mad Snake

The campus, shrouded in darkness, exuded a demonic aura. Just as Mario and Roya were struggling over the price, the basement door flew off. As Arcueid gritted his teeth and spat out the name Roya, Kenneth pushed through the dust and walked in.

"You guys are talking about me, right? Can I come along?"

With a half-smile, Roya sized up the two people with vastly different body types in front of him. If it weren't for his incorrect posture, Kenneth would have really thought this was the set of some .avi movie. The moment Kenneth appeared, Roya's expression flickered rapidly, but after noticing Arcueid, Roya immediately suppressed the distortion on his face.

"It's been a long time, Your Highness. It's an honor to see you when I wake up."

The only response to Roya was Arcueid's claws tearing through the wall. Without even bothering to say a word to Roya, Arcueid unleashed its full power. Unconcerned about Arcueid, Kenneth turned to look at Mario, who stood with his hands in his pockets, not intending to make a move.

"Are you trying to contact those guys outside? Too bad, they've already gone to see the Lord you believe in."

Mario took his hand out of his pocket, not doubting the truth of Kenneth's words. The moment Kenneth appeared, he realized that Roya wouldn't survive the night, and turned to leave.

"Did I say you can leave?"

The flowing wind blocked the way. Looking at the seemingly innocent boy in front of him, Kenneth really didn't know how to address this man. A boy's appearance, a decaying soul, and a curse that was gradually transforming his body. With just one glance, Kenneth saw through Mario's true nature. Facing Kenneth, who clearly had no intention of making things peaceful, Mario took a breath and slid several black keys out of his sleeve.

"Your Excellency, the Church has no intention of interfering in the Serpent of Akasha. Farewell then, shall we?"

Upon hearing this, Kenneth couldn't help but scoff. The Church hadn't intervened, and the Emotion Burial Agency wasn't an organization of the Church. As a magician, Kenneth already had a negative impression of the Church. Moreover, Kenneth was impulsive; if he disliked someone, he would eliminate them. What reason did he need to kill a corrupt fellow?

"Wait! I think we can have a good talk. As the cardinal's adopted son, I can meet any needs you may have!"

Sensing Kenneth's murderous intent, Mario's expression immediately turned serious. The more one pursues immortality, the more one fears death. Mario's decaying soul had already revealed his true thoughts to Kenneth. Seeing Mario trying to negotiate with him, Kenneth dispelled the magic in his hand with amusement.

“Interesting. Tell me, what can you come up with that will pique my interest?”

"Lord Laurentis, you bastard! How could you..."

Before Mario could even speak, Roja, who was being overwhelmed by Arcueid, wanted nothing more than to tear Mario apart at the speed of light when he switched sides. Although he had anticipated that Mario might have some ulterior motives, Roja was still furious at Mario's swift surrender.

"Go to hell!"

With a tearing sound, Arcueid, having unleashed her power, severed one of Roya's arms, grabbed his throat, and forced him to swallow the words he was about to say. With a crack, the wall bricks shattered. Seeing Arcueid's bloodshot eyes, Roya, whose body had crashed into the wall, swung his severed arm, intending to splatter blood onto Arcueid.

"You're still as disgusting as ever!"

Grabbing her by the collar and slamming her down, Roya, whose body was embedded in the ground, uncontrollably coughed up a mouthful of blood. The splattering blood was blocked by the Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid that activated on its own. Looking at Arcueid, who was completely unaffected by the blood, Roya, whose eyeballs bulged from the violent impact, showed an expression of disbelief.

"How could this be! How could this be? What happened?! Why was the bond between us severed? Who...?"

When you hate someone, even their breathing in front of you is a sin. In Arcueid's eyes, Roya perfectly fits this description. Arcueid had no intention of listening to Roya at all. Instead, she grabbed Roya and kicked him into the wall with a side kick.

As a scoundrel, Roya had always been complacent about usurping Arcueid's power, and Arcueid had also fallen into a state of impulsiveness because of him. But now, with the connection severed and his self-proclaimed masterpiece cut in half, Roya was plunged into boundless rage.

"It's fake, it must be fake, you must be putting on a brave face, yes, you must be putting on a brave face! There's not enough blood, if there were enough blood you would remember!"

Using his deformed arms to pull himself out of the wall, Roya, who had been in a self-hypnotic state, suddenly opened his eyes. The Mystic Eyes of Pseudo-Death, born from Roya's experience of multiple deaths combined with the eyes of Tohno Shiki that could see the lines of life, could sever the life force of organic matter by cutting those lines—a low-budget version of the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.

"Fallen princess, who yearns for the mortal world, regain your rightful form!"

The moment Arcueid's eyes locked onto Roya, she felt a sense of crisis stemming from her biological instincts. She swiftly turned her body to dodge Roya's thrusting dagger. After confirming that Arcueid feared his power, Roya, who was already disoriented from the repeated blows, began his incessant chatter.

"Your Highness, are you afraid? Hahaha, this is the power I have awakened in this life, the legendary Demon Eye that can see death."

Roya's shouts drowned out the noise in the basement. Kenneth glanced at the incredibly agitated Roya, muttered "idiot" under his breath, and then looked away.

"Don't be wary of those eyes, what I give you can protect you from them."

Kenneth's voice echoed in her mind. Although she didn't understand why Kenneth was so sure, Arcueid, who had unconditional trust in Kenneth, immediately drew out the Moon Spirit Essence Liquid. The short knife that would take away life fell, and the next second, the invincible look on Roya's face froze.

No matter how hard he tried, the thin layer of mercury in front of him became an insurmountable chasm for the short knife. Arcueid, close to Roya, delivered another side kick, sending Roya flying to the other end of the basement.

"Impossible! I clearly stabbed you, how come you're unharmed!"

It's not that Roya didn't know what he was talking about; the Mystic Eyes of Pseudo-Death Perception and the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception are too similar in their manifestations. Organic matter dies when its lifeline is severed. Different processes, but the same result. It's no wonder that Roya, who has never seen the real Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, would mistake them.

Moreover, the Moon Spirit Essence is essentially an inorganic substance. As a Mystic Code of the Third Law, the life force stripped away is insignificant to the law represented by the Moon Spirit Essence. After realizing that Kenneth's Mystic Code was truly useful, Arcueid, who had completely let down her guard, appeared above Roya in a single leap.

"go to hell!"

With a soft "plop," without giving Roya a chance to speak, Arcueid's palm pierced through Roya's chest, crushing his heart, the core of his life force. Roya's vision, which had just awakened, was instantly filled with darkness.

Looking at Roya, who had been pierced by Arcueid, Kenneth looked away with some regret. To be able to use the Moon Spirit Essence Liquid to such an extent, Kenneth could only blame himself for not explaining clearly. Facing Arcueid, who was still trying to take credit for him, Kenneth didn't know how to respond for a moment.

"Give me your body!"

Suddenly, Roya, who should have been dead, opened his eyes and flew his dagger toward Kenneth. An aura that was not human surged into Kenneth's soul. Startled by Roya's sudden resurrection, Arcueid, who had already turned around, immediately threw his fist at Roya.

"Hahaha! It's no use, I've already locked onto his soul. How are you going to face him now that I've taken over his body!"

Ignoring Arcueid's attack, Roya, his body severed from its head, fixed his venomous gaze on Kenneth. In response to Roya's taunts, Kenneth simply grabbed Roya's soul and took it into his palm.

"I wasn't planning on taking action, but since you've taken the initiative, I'll have no choice but to see you off."

"This is impossible! How could your soul be...?"

Like a balloon bursting, the illusory ball of light was crushed in Kenneth's palm, attempting to possess Kenneth's soul. Roya's move truly opened Kenneth's eyes. After squinting at Tono Shiki's corpse for a while, Kenneth turned his gaze back to Mario, who was about to leave the room.

"Are you in such a hurry to leave? I think we haven't finished talking yet!"

Upon hearing Kenneth's voice, Mario, who was trying to escape, immediately froze in place.

I need to take a day off; I'll make it up tomorrow.