Jennifer was walking graciously through the festival streets. People were staring at her with glistening eyes full of reverence and awe.
Then trailing behind her was Jax, and they were utterly confused about what was happening.
The crowd was assuming the Saintess had seen so oracle related to this man. So divine vision. They were desperately curious about the connection.
Jax ignored the stares completely. "Jenny, are you going to tell what’s going on?"
She smiled without turning around. "First, let’s go sowhere private."
Jax understood imdiately. She was still acting as the saint. Playing her role perfectly for the audience.
So he simply followed her while scanning her stats out of curiosity.
[Champion Jennifer Reed]
[Level 14 | HP: 9,000 | MP: 1,100]
Jax’s brow furrowed with confusion. ’What? That’s ridiculously low. Even lower than the army of champions I fought back in Sylvie’s kingdom.’
He studied her flowing robes and the crowd’s adoring gazes. ’Then how exactly did she beco a Saintess with such pathetic MP?’
After so walking, they arrived at a quiet café tucked away from the main festival. Jennifer had the staff clear the entire room for her private discussion. No one questioned the Saintess.
Once they were alone, she finally dropped the graceful act and sat down across from him.
"So, Jax. You’re just as chaotic as before. Creating troubles the mont I first saw you at the ball."
Jax leaned back in his chair. "And you’re exactly the sa as well. Climbing to the top using manipulations, trickeries, and most importantly, that beautiful brain of yours. I have to say, I’m impressed."
He tilted his head. "Care to explain how you managed it? What strings did you pull to attain a position where you can spout complete nonsense and people will still worship every word?"
She smiled pleasantly. "I was just lucky to find so skills that aligned well with tricking people."
"Lucky?" Jax laughed. "I bet you had this entire scenario planned out before you even entered this world. Before you even received those skills."
Jennifer’s smile grew wider. "Well, if you think you can win based on strength alone, then you’re a fool. I was already thinking about how to gain the trust of people, how to make them my pawns, the very mont the goddess revealed there were much greater pieces on this board."
Jax nodded slowly. "I get your point. But playing gas on the highest difficulty has always been my specialty." He waved dismissively. "Nevermind that. What was your skill again?"
Her expression beca guarded. "That’s sothing I cannot reveal to my opponent."
"Opponent?" Jax placed a hand over his heart in mock offense. "Jenny, we’re partners in real life, rember? I’m your great benefactor. The man who helped you and your daughter when no one else would."
She simply ignored the sentint. "There are no friends and no partners when it cos to a ga. And this ga has extrely high rewards. I will get as dirty as necessary to have my hands on what I want."
"Ouch." Jax winced dramatically. "You wound , Jenny. After all my efforts to get close to you. To help you."
"Don’t play childish gas with ." Her tone sharpened briefly before softening again. "But fine. I’ll tell you one skill while keeping my ace a secret."
Jax leaned forward with interest.
"I have a skill that allows to look into a person’s past mories. Whatever mont I want to see, I can access it." She folded her hands elegantly. "This skill helped quite a bit to trick people into thinking I was so divine being. And my other skill confird their suspicions."
Jax didn’t hear the rest of her words.
He was too busy panicking internally. ’What if she can see my mories? What if she already saw all my noble deeds? Actually wait, she might have already seen them back at the ball. She ntioned seeing there.’
His voice ca out lower than intended. "Can you see my mories too? Like any part of them?"
"Of course." She nodded casually. "I can see a person’s mories from the mont they were born. However, it only works as long as they don’t resist reaching for their soul. Which essentially makes it a consensual skill."
She shrugged. "Practically useless against other champions who can sense the intrusion. But incredibly overpowered against ordinary people who lacks strength. Through it, I’ve read countless pasts. Made people worship . Threatened others into submission."
Jax let out a long sigh of relief.
"Now, Jenny." He straightened in his seat. "I suppose you didn’t arrange this eting just to greet and share your story in censored mode. What do you actually want?"
"I ca to warn you about so things that might help you." Her eyes grew serious. "And helping you ans securing a good connection within this academy. It holds considerable power in terms of strength."
Jax shook his head. "Sorry to crush your expectations, but my connections with these morons aren’t nearly as valuable as you think. And besides, I’m not here to form so army to wage a war."
She just smiled knowingly. "You still don’t understand the situation. But leave it. Ti will reveal everything about things you are creating without knowing." Her smile turned playful. "I still want to share so information with you. You’re a great asset, and honestly, it would be fun having you as a rival in the later stages."
"Go on then."
Jennifer’s expression shifted to sothing more grave. "First, as you already know, champions from different worlds are teaming up. Gathering forces. Climbing into positions of power while hiding their identities. Many are already rotting the kingdoms from within."
She leaned forward slightly. "Everyone is making dirty moves to finish this ga as quickly as possible. And it’s incredibly difficult to find those pests when they’re lurking in the shadows. Therefore, unlike a certain soone, I also have to hide and remain cautious about my identity being exposed."
Her gaze sharpened. "Last evening was a perfect example. I analyzed every single person at that ball. I found those two boys were the sa as us. Champions. I would have quietly ordered them killed."
She paused. "But before I could act, you showed up and slaughtered them openly. In front of hundreds of witnesses. You alerted every lurking champion and made the people around you grow even more suspicious."
Her tone turned almost lecturing. "So my point is, you still don’t understand how this ga works, do you?"
Jax’s expression hardened. "First of all, stop calling it a ga."
His voice carried genuine weight. "We both know these people are nothing but victims in the gods’ entertainnt. They didn’t choose this. They didn’t ask for any of it."
A pause. "And I won’t let them get hurt in this so-called ga. At least not the people I care about here."
He t her eyes directly. "Secondly, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I won’t be changing my playstyle. Solo hunting has always been my strength. That’s how I’ve won until now, and that’s how I’ll continue my reign."
Jennifer processed his words for a mont. Then she sighed.
"Fair enough. I hope you make it through with that stubborn mindset of yours. But let’s not waste any more ti. Let tell you about the main problem. The current one."
Jax listened carefully.
"All three remaining academies are going to team up against your academy in a particular match. Against a particular student." Her voice dropped. "Their goal is to make absolutely certain that one student from your academy dies. And unfortunately, she belongs to your team."
Jax’s jaw tightened.
"I did so research on her. I know the exact reasons." Jennifer held up her fingers as she listed them. "The Holy Order wants her dead for so reasons. The Academy of Dark Magic wants to harvest her soul for their experints. And the Martial Academy simply accepted the alliance because they want to guarantee a victory in exchange."
She lowered her hand. "All odds are stacked against you. And the worst part is, I fear what they’re planning for that specific battleground. The match they’ve designed."
Her eyes softened with sothing almost resembling concern. "Seeing how you fought for your student yesterday, I have no doubt you’ll throw yourself into the crossfire. Which ans your life will be in danger as well."
She stood from her seat. "So I ca here to give you a choice. Either abandon that particular student. Or if your stubbornness refuses, then make sure you co up with a much better plan than charging in blindly."
Jax remained seated, processing everything.
Jennifer adjusted her robes. "I may be the Saintess. Second in command of our entire hierarchy. But even I don’t hold enough power to retract this decision. It’s already been set in motion."
Both of them left the café and walked back into the festival streets.
Jax glanced at the crowd gathered around various stalls. "Have you found any other champions hiding around here?"
Jennifer shook her head. "I don’t believe we’ll have interruptions from them. I was unable to locate anyone else."
Then she paused. A teasing grin spread across her face.
"Oh, actually. There are two champions apart from us that you should know about. And you’ll be eting them very soon."
Jax raised an eyebrow.
"They’re completely obsessed with you, from what I’ve seen during the ti I’ve spent with them." Her grin widened. "And unfortunately for them, they have no idea you’re already here."
anwhile, on the other side of the street, two figures were hiding behind a stall and watching the exchange unfold.
Astrid and Seris.
Astrid’s eyes were wide with disbelief as she watched Jax walking beside the Saintess. Talking with her. Smiling with her.
She grabbed Seris’s arm. "See, Seris? First he trapped both Professor Roxana and that Elira girl using his seductive magic. And now he isn’t even sparing the Saintess herself!"
Before Seris could respond, a hand landed firmly on Astrid’s shoulder.
She froze.
Slowly, she turned around.
There stood Roxana. Face pissed beyond asure. Fists clenched so tightly her knuckles had turned white.
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