Chapter 86: Intrusion! Grim Reaper’s Scythe!

Leila and Renée were not in the bustling area under the jurisdiction of the “Star Bear,” but rather in a secluded place exactly opposite to that.

Of course, this wasn’t a slum—such places could hardly be called hidden. The truly least populated areas were those exclusive to the wealthy, or rather, those qualified to reside there, where land prices were extremely high and independent villas stood.

According to the Holy Empire’s ideology of “equality,” even the most impoverished citizens, as long as recognized as the goddess’s people, were provided with at least a meager livelihood through the temple’s charity. However, even true gods found it challenging to balance the assets of all citizens of the Holy Empire completely.

Thus, a wealth gap obviously exists.

For the same area of land, the population density in ordinary residential areas could be tenfold or even a hundredfold compared to here. In fact, those lavish villa districts were the most suitable areas for hiding in the shadows.

Vilyric had once told them that the other party differed from ordinary beings and could easily be identified by those who were discerning, making frequent contact with the outside world impossible. If one were to hide, it would naturally be in areas with fewer people.

Thus, the two sisters began their day by deliberately skipping crowded spots, especially avoiding the squares near the temple and knights’ orders, churches, and bustling streets, conducting their secret investigation.

With the transcendent level expert’s agility and efficiency, they had basically finished surveying the entire “Star Bear” jurisdiction in just one morning, and this place was nearly the final area.

As a result, they unexpectedly encountered something surprising.

The two young girls hid behind the walls of a villa, using their peripheral vision, stealthily observing the figure approaching from the distance.

【This woman… She definitely just killed someone, and not just one. The foul smell of blood is so thick that it’s almost leaking out! What is she doing here…?】

【Hey, sister, look, look! That mask she’s wearing is so ugly! It looks so spooky! How can anyone like such weird stuff? Compared to Lady Vilyric’s adorable taste, it’s practically destroyed! ~】

【That mask is indeed a bit strange… It gives off a certain ominous vibe. Be careful; no matter what, this person definitely has issues. Let’s follow her for now.】

【Alright.】

Through the angel’s unique ability and their close blood connection, the sisters maintained their surveillance while continuously encrypting their communication.

The strange woman, wearing a black and white smiley mask and walking lightly, seemed completely oblivious to them as she passed by the villa where Leila and Renée were concealed and continued on her path.

Thus, the two white-winged girls quietly decided to follow her.

The other party walked brazenly, showing no intention of hiding or being cautious, but given that this was a sparsely populated villa area, there were rarely any passersby, let alone someone coming up to question her due to her peculiar behavior.

Leila quietly observed the figure ahead.

From her white armor and the bloodstained holy sword in her hand, this person resembled a holy knight.

But to be honest, with the enhanced perception after reaching the transcendent level, this figure didn’t impart any of the sacred, somber aura one would expect from a holy figure. Instead, it felt eerie and dangerous, giving rise to an unsettling sense of crisis.

Indeed, this woman surely possessed the ability to threaten both her and her younger sister. Although she seemed to have only earth-level abilities at most, intuition from her mythical bloodline usually never failed.

The danger… didn’t stem from her directly, but rather from something elusive.

The two parties walked and followed, and soon they had moved for nearly ten minutes in this villa area, but the figure in front showed no signs of stopping. It was unclear where she intended to go.

Just as Leila hesitated on whether to change their strategy…

“Stop right there.”

A new figure stepped out from ahead, blocking the path of the holy knight woman.

【Hmm? Who is this person…?】

【Hey? Sister, isn’t that the guy with the scythe?】

【That’s the Grim Reaper’s Scythe, right? The one who was previously with Princess Mona in Demon Town. This should be their team leader, the legendary adventurer known as Soul. I remember him a bit. Strange… why is he in the western capital of the Holy Empire?】

The suddenly appearing young man caught the attention of the two girls trailing behind, while the woman wearing the black and white mask also halted, silently staring at him.

A cold wind swirled, rustling the fallen leaves by the roadside.

The swordsman dressed in a sleek gray robe pondered, seemingly observing his enemy, his hand resting on the seven swords at his waist.

“You are the fearless knight Karina Brat, who killed three Temple Knights last night and disappeared without a trace, or rather, something moving through her body… the faceless fiend. Under the orders of my mentor, I’ve been waiting here for quite some time. I advise you to surrender and avoid any pointless resistance.”

Hearing the young man’s voice, the masked woman tilted her head, seemingly in confusion.

It looked like an ordinary interaction, but what was particularly eerie was that her movements had evidently exceeded the limits of an ordinary being’s joints. Her head nearly split at a 90-degree angle from her neck, accompanied by an unsettling “crack” of bones.

Yet the next moment, it seemed as if nothing had happened as she returned to her original state, letting out a strangely cheerful yet chilling laugh.

“Hehehe…”

As if grasping the meaning, the young man sighed.

“Ah, it seems you’re unwilling to surrender. Then… there’s no other choice.”

【Soul】suddenly gripped the ancient hilt at his waist, unsheathing his blade, which glimmered with murderous intent in the air!

“First sword, Rainbow Piercer!”

“Hehe!”

The unmatched sword energy surged forward, yet the woman didn’t block it. Instead, just as before, she bent her body into a bizarre shape that seemed devoid of bones, dangerously dodging the fierce attack aimed at her face.

The sword energy cleaved through the air, carving deep, sharp lines in the ground and slashing against the wall of a building behind, raising a cloud of dust.

Taking advantage of this cover, the strange woman finally made her move!

She jumped onto the rooftop and started to flee!

Due to her earlier bizarre actions, both【Soul】and the two observing from a distance, Leila and Renée, had expected her to use some strange means to launch an attack, bracing themselves for defense or observation.

Thus, upon witnessing this scene, they were taken aback for a moment in unison.

The female holy knight was quick and agile; in just this little time, she had already covered the distance of several villas, her figure swiftly disappearing into the distance.

“Wh… Where do you think you’re going?!”

Being thoroughly mocked, Mr. 【Soul】’s face visibly flushed with anger. He hurriedly sheathed his sword and leaped onto the building to give chase.

Only after they had both vanished from sight did the two white-winged sisters finally step out from behind the wall that had concealed them.

“Hey, hey, sister! They’re getting away! Why are you standing there in a daze?! Let’s chase them!”

However, unlike her anxious younger sister, Leila shook her head after some contemplation.

“No, our task for today ends here.”

“Oh… huh?”

Miss Renée, who had spread her wings behind her, ready to take flight, was momentarily stunned before turning to her motionless sister, looking surprised.

“What do you mean? We’re just letting them go?”

“Well, didn’t we say? Miss Xī assigned us only to investigate the intel on the “Throne of Immortality” in this area, not to eliminate, battle, or chase down any fugitives.”

The angel’s gentle yet steady golden gaze swept around. The commotion caused by【Soul】’s sword had indeed attracted attention from many surrounding residents, and the bustling noise was starting to converge towards them, making further investigation impossible.

“Let’s go back and report this. No matter how this unfolded, we need to report to that important person as soon as possible.”

   

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