Episode 337 – A Secret Sche
The place where Azonne was standing—It was a special location configured through a unique sigil portal, allowing one to share senses with others from anywhere across the continent.
The Black Market called this place the Dark Shelter, and it was here that VIPs were invited into the void.
Most VIPs conducted their transactions with the Black Market through the Dark Shelter.
Currently, Azonne had summoned the branch leaders to the Dark Shelter.
[Confirm the gold.]
Azonne’s gaze was fixed on a red fla, unlike the blue flas representing the other branch leaders. The red fla belonged to the branch leader he had chosen to address.
Only the branch leader designated by the Master could hear his voice within this space.
When Azonne asked the selected one, a voice soon echoed over the red fla.
“Warehouse 3 has been completely emptied.”
“Warehouse 3, huh? What about the others?”
“No changes to the others.”
The branch leader who checked the warehouse was curious about where the missing gold had gone, but that was all. He did not ask further.
The Black Market operated as a cell-structured organization, with the Master at the center.
The branch leaders didn’t know the Master’s true identity.
When the Master asked, the organization answered.
When the Master ordered, the organization obeyed.
A strict hierarchy.
Only the voice of the Master within this space held authority.
While all waited for Azonne’s next words, he stroked his chin in thought.
One warehouse of gold had been consud to satisfy the greed of the Arbiter’s Judgnt.
“To eliminate a bearer of a divine title, one warehouse? That’s cheap...”
Though he called it “cheap,” Warehouse 3 had held gold worth hundreds of millions.
As long as paynt existed, the activation condition for Greedy Arbiter wasn’t difficult.
However, more important than activation was the success rate.
If judgnt failed, the instant death would be reflected back to the one who invoked it. That ant Azonne would die if the ability failed.
Its penalty was imnse, in proportion to its power. But for Azonne, as long as the success rate was solid, it wasn’t a heavy burden.
His divine trait was “Luck.” He was a man favored by chance.
“I’ve already grasped the core conditions.”
There were three major factors that determined the success rate:
First, proximity to the target. Direct contact was perfect, but for an ordinary person to get close to a divine bearer was too dangerous.
In Nagrok’s case, the distance was five paces—an upper-grade fulfillnt.
Second, information on the target.
Using his Eyes of Greed and Goldness, Azonne had read Nagrok’s desire and potential, and through the Black Market, obtained a complete profile of his past and divine attributes—top-grade fulfillnt.
Third, whether the target had co into contact with Midas’ Coin. Nagrok had been carrying one.
Perfect fulfillnt.
To ensure this naturally, Azonne had regularly distributed Midas’ Coins to VIPs of Aintrier, loaded with great benefits.
These three conditions determined the success rate of Greedy Arbiter, and when instant death occurred, it consud gold as paynt.
Nagrok’s success rate had been shown as “High.”
When that appeared, Azonne didn’t hesitate to use the ability.
Even if the chance was just “Moderate”—a 50% likelihood—he would still activate Greedy Arbiter without a second thought.
Ever since he had gained divine power, luck had always followed him.
A man chosen by fate wouldn’t die by a coin toss.
“Where’s Special Director Richard now?”
“He’s staying near a village by the southern Kenline River.”
“The south, near the World Tree Union? He went that far down? What about Samuel?”
“No word of him being captured yet.”
“Slippery bastard...”
Azonne clicked his tongue briefly.
Because of the incident at the VIP party, the Cleaners had been dispatched outside the city.
Currently, they were tracking Samuel on Gram’s commission.
Samuel Barber was soone who slipped through space. Even for a special director, capturing him would take ti.
“Still, they’ll catch him eventually.”
No prey had ever escaped once all the Cleaners mobilized.
In ti, even Samuel would be caught.
But Azonne had no intention of keeping the Cleaners in the south for long.
“I can’t waste ti hunting rabbits while a tiger is right in front of .”
He had exchanged pact letters with Gram and now had half of Demtor behind him.
Moreover—
“I’ve gained a way to move the Special Director.”
Richard was a wild beast that couldn’t be tad.
Even Azonne could only make requests—he couldn’t force him to act.
“But Gram said she could make it happen.”
Azonne didn’t know the exact nature of their relationship, but it seed Gram held the reins to move even soone as uncontrollable as Richard.
Eliminating Nagrok monts ago—despite the risk—was to honor the covenant with Gram.
Now that the pact was fulfilled, Azonne had gained the right to act in her na and command Richard.
“I’ve obtained the ultimate hunting dog…”
Azonne closed his eyes in contemplation.
He loved sches crafted in secrecy.
When prey who had been acting arrogantly without knowing their impending death was caught in a trap and began to flail in fear—that was when Azonne felt deep catharsis.
Heehee—
He smiled unconsciously.
After a mont, he opened his eyes and spoke.
“A request has co in. The client is Gram Seraphim, Lord of the Black Tower.”
“Issue your command.”
“Deliver Gram’s ssage to Special Director Richard. Do we know his exact location?”
“One day is sufficient.”
“Deliver the ssage. Then return to Aintrier imdiately and await further instructions.”
“Aintrier, sir?”
Though questions were forbidden, the branch leader asked instinctively.
Currently, Richard was banned from approaching Aintrier.
“Just deliver it in Gram’s na. We’ve been paid—we simply execute.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
Azonne began recalling the Cleaners back to Aintrier.
Only four in total, but depending on use, they could erase an entire city—an overwhelming force.
He continued,
“Deputy Tower Lord Nagrok was killed in Aintrier just monts ago.”
The flas stirred.
The death of soone like Nagrok caused widespread shock.
“The killer is unknown. Forces in Demtor and beyond will soon start searching. Secure the information first.”
The Black Market sold information for money.
And Azonne knew how to manipulate narratives through how that information was delivered.
“Recently, the World Tree Union’s agent Alex Marcia persistently sought to et Nagrok. Investigate him.”
“You an Alex Marcia?”
“Share his info with our clients. Sell it to anyone interested.”
By selling the info and layering rumors on top of it, they could make Alex appear to be the suspect.
“Once you identify the killer, flag them as top priority. Report to imdiately.”
“Understood!”
“And the matter I asked you to look into?”
“We’ve completed the investigation on Everfell. It’s confird that Family Head Henry holds a substantial amount of World Tree leaves.”
“Is that so.”
Azonne quietly touched his inner robe. Within it lay one of the leaves Henry had brought him a few days ago.
When asked for the leaves, Henry had shown reluctance, but Azonne persuaded him by offering a Kunta Soul-Binding Doll in return.
Recently, Henry had proposed a large deal with even more leaves.
They had delayed trading with Everfell to verify the truth, but if confird, it ant they could fulfill Gram’s request for leaves.
“So Grand Duke Clarke is obsessed with the World Tree, huh…”
At so point, the Grand Duke had secluded himself, summoned Gram, and expressed desire for power related to the World Tree.
“Any movent from the Grand Duke?”
“He hasn’t left his annex. Only the Black Tower Lord occasionally visits.”
“No rumors about him?”
“Nothing significant…”
Yet Azonne held one secret even the Black Market hadn’t uncovered—
A piece of confidential intel from Gram.
“The Grand Duke has reached 6-star rank.”
A shocking fact, and it had been written in the covenant letter—so it couldn't be false.
That was the primary reason Azonne sided with Gram.
Now that the Grand Duke had reached six stars, Azonne was confident Gram’s side wouldn’t lose.
However, the Grand Duke opposed civil war. Without his movent, Gram’s desired war wouldn’t happen.
“She said she’d handle that. I just need to prepare accordingly.”
“Focus the Black Market’s eyes on two locations—Demtor, and Alex Marcia. Even the slightest movent—report it.”
“Understood!”
After issuing orders, Azonne slowly stepped back.
As his vision sank into darkness, a blink later, his study ca into view.
He turned around to find the floor even more soaked with Nagrok’s blood.
Azonne opened a drawer and took out a small cube.
He tossed the cube onto Nagrok’s corpse. The cube floated above, emitting light.
With the glow, Nagrok’s body and bloodstains were absorbed into the cube.
Monts later, not a trace remained.
The cube rolled across the now-clean floor, dull and inactive.
“Ti to clean up the Lenon Family as well…”
He had heard they were gathering power, reclaiming cursed families he had once weakened.
Apparently, they were curing the curses with World Tree leaves—annoying indeed.
“Taking is supposed to be my exclusive privilege. How arrogant.”
He hadn’t expected his marked targets to be taken from him.
He’d intended to deal with the Lenons imdiately but held off upon hearing that Lochter Felice was acting as their shield.
Now, though, he could act more decisively.
“Italus and Antonio. Taking those two heads should be enough.”
He considered removing only the core figures within the Lenon family.
Whom to use as the blade?
Azonne lacked powerful subordinates, but he had the influence to move strong individuals.
One ca to mind.
Azolett the Black Star.
If he offered her the Mana-Gleaming Spider Cricket, she would surely move.
A certain arrogant old man always stayed near her, but Azonne excluded him from the plan.
Lochter and the old man had once both served Kal Blazer, but now were known to be in deep conflict.
No need to stir up unnecessary chaos.
“Just Nagrok’s corpse alone would’ve been enough to make him move…”
Azonne turned, thinking of Rengua as he rolled the cube.
He recalled that Rengua was the one who made that curse.
Since it hadn’t delivered proper results, he planned to demand a partial refund.
Azonne exited the secret study.
When he erged on the second floor of the castle, his gold-masked subordinates were moving urgently.
One of them rushed over.
“Azolett has disappeared!”
“She has?”
He had just been heading to contact her for a job.
“She left without any notice?”
That was a breach of contract.
He paused briefly, then asked the masked man,
“Is no one in her room?”
“No one, sir!”
“Check the very last room at the end of the second-floor hall.”
At his order, the man sprinted off and returned shortly after.
“I-It’s empty, sir!”
Azonne furrowed his brow.
That room had housed items entrusted by that old man.
No—not items.
“Dolls.”
The old man’s creations had vanished.
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