"Anna, co here."
Loren abandoned the idea of going to the academy. Clearly, there were more important matters now.
"What's wrong? Master ntor?"
Anna bounced her way over to Loren's side, then saw the serious expression on his face.
"We're going to kill soone's entire family."
Hearing Loren's words, Anna's expression also turned serious. In the past, even when Loren was about to wipe out soone's family, he'd be grinning about it, not this grim. Curious, she asked:
"What happened?"
"Noah's been kidnapped, and the bastard threatened ..."
Loren had kept tight protection on the Witches, to the point where even a Ninth-tier mage couldn't touch them. What he hadn't expected was that Noah would be the one taken.
Anna had already forgotten who Noah was, but she knew full well that Loren despised being threatened. She imdiately grasped the severity of the situation.
"Whose family are we killing?"
"No idea. For now, we investigate first. Then tonight, we kidnap his entire family and make the trade. Spread the word to the others—I might need you all to handle this."
This ti, Loren wasn't planning to inform the Church. Not because he was afraid the kidnapper would hurt Noah over it, but simply because the Church would get in the way of his thods.
"Movila, did you see how Noah was taken?"
"No. I was watching his residence all day yesterday."
"So whoever took him has invisibility abilities..."
Loren made a quick judgnt. The fact that they could spirit Noah away without a sound ant they also needed considerable combat strength.
Noah was only immortal, and while his combat prowess wasn't top-tier, it wasn't weak either.
It just so happened he was countered by Abundant Magic—low in damage output but rich in control abilities.
Moreover, Noah bore the Goddess of Love's blessing: eternally awake, immune to ntal control. So odds were, he'd been captured by Abundant Magic.
"Movila, keep full surveillance on every corner of the Royal Capital."
"Gwen and I will search the places you can't see. But first, I need to check out the scene where he disappeared."
Loren packed up his things and walked straight out, while Gwen simultaneously phased through a wall from another direction.
"Master ntor..."
As soon as he stepped outside, Loren saw Casper waiting at the door. Loren's mind began turning over the possibility of Casper being the culprit.
His lifespan was indeed running short, and he desperately needed Ember Radiance. But based on what Loren knew of him, Casper would surely consider the secret of Super-tier Magic far more important. Besides, Loren had already agreed to help him—there was no reason for Casper to resort to such thods.
"One who hears the Way in the morning may die content in the evening." That was Casper's creed.
"I have sothing very important today, so I won't be going to the academy."
"Is there anything I can help with?"
Casper pressed eagerly, looking even more anxious than Loren.
"When did you arrive at my doorstep?"
After a mont's thought, Loren decided to ask Casper a few questions.
"Last night."
"Did you see anyone approaching this place?"
Casper searched his mory carefully, then finally shook his head:
"No..."
"An invisibility capable of fooling a Ninth-tier mage, huh..."
High-ranking mages had much stronger Intuition than low-level magic, so basic invisibility wouldn't fool them.
"Alright, then this doesn't concern you."
In the end, Loren still didn't ask Casper for help. Anything Casper could do, Loren could do himself. Having Casper around would only hinder Loren's plans.
"As you wish..."
Rejected, Casper didn't insist. Knowing Loren wouldn't be at the academy today, he listlessly went ho.
He didn't think of stepping in to help on his own. He trusted Loren completely. If Loren didn't need him, then Casper was certain he'd be useless.
Loren's decisions were always the optimal choice.
...
Loren arrived at the place where Noah had been staying. There were no signs of a struggle. The docunts Loren had given him were scattered all over the floor.
Loren didn't mind others seeing these materials. No one else could understand them anyway, and even if they did, it wouldn't affect him.
Noah had treasured these docunts. There was no way he'd just let them fall carelessly to the ground.
"Not a single clue..."
Loren wanted to find even a shred of evidence from the room, but every trace had been wiped clean. Even the bloodstains Noah had left when he first arrived were gone.
"Any leads on your end?"
After finishing his search of Noah's place, Loren asked Movila, perched on his shoulder.
"No. I can't find anything. Can't even spot a single strand of Noah's hair on the road..."
Loren honestly hadn't expected them to be this ticulous.
Noah had poor hair quality and shed constantly. If his regeneration didn't cover hair growth, he'd have gone bald long ago.
And even under those circumstances, Noah hadn't left behind a single hair...
Gwen had also searched many hidden places but found nothing.
"There's only one last move left."
After searching all day, Loren's chest burned with suppressed anger. Still, he held back the urge to just kill the kidnapper during the trade. That wouldn't be satisfying enough.
"Let's wait. When the deal happens tonight, I'll find a way to push it off for one day. They'll most likely agree—they're too desperate for Ember Radiance. A failed deal brings them nothing. And banking on that high-level invisibility, they'll be even more arrogant..."
"That invisibility might fool Casper, but it absolutely can't fool ."
Loren stroked Movila's feathers, his eyes cold:
"When the ti cos, I'll have Gwen disguise herself as and make the trade. I'll use The Hermit card to follow them..."
The biggest flaw in this plan was that Loren had to endure one more day of waiting. He was certain they'd agree to the trade. If they killed Noah, they'd get nothing and instead earn Loren's total enmity.
If they lost Noah as leverage, Loren's revenge would be utterly ruthless. With his status, he had far too many ways to deal with them.
Setting aside distant threats, the Chailros Family alone would walk through fire for Loren.
And if they truly weren't afraid of the Church, they wouldn't have emphasized in the threat letter not to contact the Church.
...
Night fell. Gwen, disguised as Loren, arrived at the rendezvous point. Loren activated The Hermit card's effect and stayed close to her side.
The Hermit card could fool even Angels. These mortals stood no chance of sensing anything was off.
And with the High Tower in hand, Loren wasn't afraid they'd hide sowhere he couldn't reach.
Soon, the other party arrived on ti. He wore a black robe and had his face covered, but he hadn't brought Noah with him—only a lock of hair and an ear.
"Where's Noah? I want to see him!"
Gwen, disguised as Loren, roared in fury. Seeing his anger, the robed figure only grew more arrogant.
What he didn't know was that the real Loren had already stabbed him in the back, using the Justice Card to store the damage.
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