“Now that you know, why don’t you scram? If you leave quickly enough, perhaps I might be generous enough to spare you today,” Agate tightened his grip on the giant sword, a faint uncomfortable feeling rising in his heart.
“Hehe, if Mr. Agate has any other requests, I might be willing to comply. But to ask me to turn around and leave? That seems impossible,” the black-cloaked figure replied.
If the black-cloaked figure foolishly thought they could defeat Agate, Agate wouldn’t have worried at all. But now, Agate realized this person knew his strength intimately. Despite knowing they stood no chance, the opponent remained calm and composed, clearly having some confidence.
“Aren’t you afraid of death?” Agate’s expression turned serious.
“In that case, why don’t you just scram? If you leave fast enough, maybe I’ll be in a good mood today and let you off the hook.” Agate tightened his grip on the giant sword in his hand, a sense of discomfort welling up inside him.
“Hehe, if Mr. Agate has any other orders, I might be able to oblige. But asking me to turn around and leave? I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
If the black-clad man in front of him arrogantly believed they could defeat Agate, Agate wouldn’t be worried at all. However, Agate noticed that the man had a thorough understanding of his own strength. Even knowing he was no match, the man remained calm and composed—clearly, he had something up his sleeve.
“Aren’t you afraid of death?” Agate’s expression turned serious.
“Mr. Agate, there’s no need to threaten us. You must know this yourself—if I didn’t have some confidence, why would I rashly appear before the ‘Flame Demon’? Although the beasts here combined with us might not be a match for the No. 3 executor of the Assembly, today’s Flame Demon isn’t without weaknesses.” The black-clad man chuckled lightly, his gaze shifting to the red-haired girl and Carlet behind Agate.
At the same time, three more black-clad figures emerged from behind Agate and his companions, their bodies shrouded in cloaks.
“Tch! From the very beginning, your target was Xiao Xi and the others, wasn’t it? You despicable scum.” Agate spat, suddenly turning to shout at Xiao Xi, “I’ll hold them off here. You take her and head up the mountain!”
“Got it!” The red-haired girl, Xiao Xi, had already grown serious upon seeing the situation around her. Hearing Agate’s shout, she immediately responded, grabbing Carlet and leaping up, swiftly running toward the mountaintop.
However, the surrounding black-clad men showed no intention of stopping Xiao Xi and Carlet. They simply watched as the two girls left, then quickly spread out, surrounding Agate.
Their actions took Agate by surprise. He frowned again, his voice deepening with intense seriousness. “What exactly are you guys planning?”
“Hoho. I already told you. I dared to appear before you because I have some confidence in what I want to do.”
“Hmph! Do you really think you can snatch someone from the old man on the mountaintop?”
“Haha!” The man in the black cloak couldn’t help but laugh. “Mr. Agate, if the ‘King’ were still on the mountaintop, of course, I could do nothing. But haven’t I reminded you more than once? Since I dared to appear here, I must have some confidence.”
“What are you saying?” Amid the black-cloaked man’s laughter, Agate’s expression finally changed. Just moments ago, he had sensed that the mountaintop, where the ‘King’ should have been, was now completely empty!
“Bastard, what trick did you pull?” Agate roared in anger.
In the next instant, the red battle energy enveloping Agate exploded outward like a burst of flame. He gritted his teeth, leaped into the air, and lunged toward the black-cloaked man dozens of meters away, like a hunting eagle.
No matter what trick the black-cloaked man had used to make the ‘King’ leave the mountaintop, as long as he captured him, everything would become clear! Agate’s innate combat instincts immediately pinpointed the key.
“Hoho, you finally figured it out! But it’s too late! As for the ‘King’s whereabouts, I might as well tell you now. It’s all thanks to Mr. Andre Stein of Mithril. Without him, the corpse of the Southern Overlord would never have fallen into our hands. Without the ‘Southern Overlord’s help, luring the ‘King’ away from the mountaintop would have been a much harder task.” The man at the forefront of the seven black-cloaked figures laughed, his body seemingly weightless as he swiftly retreated. Meanwhile, the other six black-cloaked men surrounding Agate, along with countless demonic beasts, leaped into the air, fearlessly charging toward Agate.
“A bunch of useless trash, get out of my way!” Enraged, Agate swung his giant sword with all his might. The blazing battle energy erupting from his body not only sent most of the demonic beasts flying but also incinerated many weaker ones upon contact with the intense heat.
However, the six cloaked men charging at Agate from different directions suddenly emitted a purple-gray light upon contact with his fiery energy. The light from their bodies then linked together like chains, forming a hexagonal star pattern in the air.
The moment the purple hexagram was completed, Agate felt as if he were carrying a thousand-pound weight, plummeting straight to the ground.
Boom! With a deafening crash like a meteor impact, Agate slammed into the ground. The six cloaked men forming the hexagram slowly descended, hovering about half a foot above the ground.
The clash with Agate had clearly taken its toll on the six cloaked men. Their cloaks were now tattered, no longer fully covering their bodies, and each bore several burn wounds. Yet, they seemed completely unfazed by the pain, their fists clenched tightly at their chests, using all their strength to suppress Agate.
“Bastards! These… are ‘Ghosts’! Hah! I really underestimated the Federation’s determination. They even brought out their secret weapons!” Agate used his giant sword to support himself, struggling against the immense pressure. His deep red eyes seemed ready to burst into flames.
Ghosts, also known as “Mind-Control Puppets,” were one of the weapons developed by the Federation with the assistance of the Soul Maiden, Eve Barbarossa. The process involved erasing the consciousness of high-level mentalists and manipulating their soulless bodies through mental techniques, turning them into living weapons.
In battle, these “Ghosts” felt no pain, no fear, and were utterly fearless. Moreover, the mentalists controlling them could use devices implanted in their brains to combine their mental energy, exponentially increasing their power to deal with otherwise insurmountable enemies—like Agate at this moment.
If Agate were facing just six tenth-level mentalists, he might have already broken free in the first encounter. But now, the six Mind-Control Puppets had him firmly pinned under their mental energy.
However, creating each Mind-Control Puppet required sacrificing a mentalist of equivalent rank. The process was inhumane, cruel, and terrifying. Although the Federation typically used prisoners from other factions as “materials” for these puppets, it was common knowledge that such practices, if exposed, would lead to severe consequences.
The exorbitant cost and the potential fallout from exposure were too much even for the cold-blooded and ruthless Federation Intelligence Bureau. Thus, the Mind-Control Puppets became a useless burden. The Bureau secretly produced a few but never continued development.
Now, the Federation Intelligence Bureau had brought these “Ghosts” out from the depths of their base. It was clear just how determined they were!
“Hoho, thanks for the compliment. We only resorted to using ‘Ghosts’ out of necessity. If we sent super-tier experts, our every move would be noticed by the Empire and the Assembly. On a planet under the Empire’s control, facing off against the Assembly and the Empire head-on, we really didn’t stand a chance.”
“Hmph! So you brought out these things, huh? Well done! A few tenth-level mentalists entering Casares wouldn’t raise any eyebrows.” Agate spoke as he gradually straightened up. “But do you really think six tenth-level Mind-Control Puppets can hold me down?”
“Exactly. The experimental subjects from the space project belong to the Federation. This retrieval mission is non-negotiable. As for defeating you, I’m not that delusional. These puppets are only here to keep you occupied for fifteen minutes.” The black-cloaked man chuckled, waving his fingers.
Hearing the implied message—”Once these puppets hold you down, I’ll just deal with the two girls”—Agate erupted in a mix of rage and urgency.
“Bastard, you’re asking for death!” Agate unleashed all his battle energy without restraint.
In the next moment, the energy around Agate expanded uncontrollably. The six Mind-Control Puppets, who had barely been holding him down, began to tremble violently.
“Hey!… Six tenth-level mentalists can’t hold him down? This guy’s brute strength is no joke! Even though he hasn’t truly reached the super-tier level, even a regular super-tier expert would have a hard time dealing with his raw power!” Agate’s overwhelming counterattack stripped the black-cloaked man of his earlier composure, his voice tinged with nervousness.
“Hmph!” Agate laughed angrily, glaring at the retreating black-cloaked man.
“Whoa!” Agate’s scorching gaze startled the black-cloaked man, who only relaxed after a few seconds.
Then, the black-cloaked man swiftly retreated into the shadows of the forest, his hands rapidly forming a series of complex gestures. As he did so, the six Mind-Control Puppets stabilized, and the mental energy hexagram pressing down on Agate grew brighter. Under the immense pressure, the ground within the hexagram’s range collapsed, forming a massive crater in the shape of a hexagram.
After completing the gestures, the black-cloaked man let out a long breath, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“Hey! Although this guy’s strength is a bit unexpected, the timing isn’t far off. Haha! Agate, just keep tangling with my puppets. Someone will come for you soon. Next, it’s that woman’s turn…” Glancing at Agate, whose legs were now buried in the ground, the black-cloaked man sneered, then turned and quickly pressed a few buttons on his wrist device.
“Hey! The main issue on my end is resolved. How’s it going on your side?” The black-cloaked man asked with a smile as the communicator connected.
“Everything’s fine. The plan is proceeding smoothly.” A sweet, alluring female voice responded from the other end.
“Good. You’d better hurry. Hmph! How much information did you hide from me? Agate’s strength is nothing like what you described! He’s hot on my heels, and the puppets I brought won’t hold him for long. If you don’t get here within half an hour, you might as well prepare to collect my corpse. My death isn’t a big deal, but if those two girls fall back into Agate’s hands, your situation won’t be pretty either.” For some reason, despite having temporarily suppressed Agate, the black-cloaked man feigned anxiety in his tone.
“Oh? Are you threatening me?” The woman asked with a charming laugh.
“Hey! Getting angry? I love it when you’re mad!” The black-cloaked man’s voice took on a flirtatious tone. “I went all out for you this time. The promise you made earlier—you won’t go back on it, will you?” When he mentioned the “promise,” his breathing became noticeably heavier.
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my word.” The woman giggled before ending the call.
“Pah! That vixen.” After closing the communicator, the black-cloaked man’s tone shifted dramatically. He sneered, spat disdainfully, and then quickly pursued a red dot flashing on his wrist device.
“Go to hell!” A few minutes after the black-cloaked man left, Agate finally let out a furious roar. The hexagram pressing down on him shattered, and the six Mind-Control Puppets were incinerated in a massive explosion of crimson flames. However, as Agate broke free and looked around, all he saw was a desolate forest shrouded in mist.
“Bastard! Where did Xiao Xi and the others go?” Agate growled, scanning the area.
Contrary to his unparalleled physical prowess, Agate was utterly inept in mental techniques. His mental energy level didn’t even reach the first tier. Without Xiao Xi’s guidance, Agate quickly lost his sense of direction, wandering aimlessly in the endless expanse of the Sandra Forest…
At the same time, three more figures in cloaks emerged from behind Agate and the others.
“Tsk! From the beginning, your target was Xiaoxi and the others, wasn’t it? Despicable fellow,” Agate spat, suddenly turning to Xiaoxi and shouting, “I’ll hold them off here. You take her and head up the mountain quickly.”
“Got it!” Xiaoxi, the red-haired girl, had already become serious upon seeing the surrounding situation. Upon hearing Agate’s call, she immediately agreed and, taking Carlet by the hand, leapt up and quickly ran towards the mountaintop.
However, the surrounding black-cloaked figures made no move to block Xiaoxi and Carlet’s escape. They simply watched the two girls leave, then quickly scattered into a formation, surrounding Agate.
Their actions surprised Agate greatly. He furrowed his brow again, his voice becoming low and heavy from intense seriousness: “What exactly are you planning?”
“Hehe, I already said earlier. I dared to appear before you, naturally I have some confidence in what I want to do.”
“Hmph! Do you really think you can snatch someone from that old man on the mountaintop?”
“Haha!” Hearing this, the man in the black cloak couldn’t help but laugh loudly. “Mr. Agate, if ‘the King’ were still on the mountaintop, naturally I could do nothing. But haven’t I reminded you more than once? Since I dared to appear here, naturally I have confidence in success.”
“What did you say?” Amidst the black-cloaked man’s laughter, Agate finally changed expression. Just now, he had sensed that the mountaintop, where the King should have been, was completely empty!
“What underhanded trick did you use, you bastard?” Agate roared in anger.
In the next instant, the red battle aura surrounding Agate exploded outward like a bomb. Clenching his teeth, he leapt up, his body soaring into the air like a hunting hawk, rushing fiercely toward the black-cloaked figure dozens of meters away.
No matter what trick the black-cloaked figure had used to make the King leave the mountaintop, capturing him would naturally reveal everything. Agate’s innate combat instinct allowed him to immediately identify the key point.
“Hehe, you finally realized it! Too late, though! As for the King’s whereabouts, I might as well tell you now. Many thanks to Mr. Andrei Stein of the Mithril faction. Without him, we wouldn’t have obtained the corpse of the South Border Overlord so easily. Without the South Border Overlord’s help, it would have taken us great effort to lure ‘the King’ away from the mountaintop,” the figure at the front of the seven black-cloaked figures laughed loudly, his body seemingly weightless as he rapidly retreated backward. Meanwhile, the other six cloaked figures, along with numerous monsters, leapt into the air, fearlessly charging toward Agate.
“You bunch of annoying trash, get out of my way!” Enraged, Agate unleashed his full strength, sweeping his giant sword in a wide arc. The blazing battle aura exploding from his body not only blew most of the charging beasts backward, but many weaker ones were instantly vaporized upon contact with the high temperature.
However, the six cloaked figures attacking Agate from different directions each emitted a purple-gray flame the moment they made contact with his blazing aura. Then, the flames from the six cloaked figures linked together like chains, forming a hexagram-like pattern in the air.
The moment the purple hexagram structure was completed, Agate felt as if he had suddenly been burdened with a thousand pounds, plummeting straight down from the air.
Boom! With a thunderous crash like a meteor hitting the ground, Agate crashed heavily back to the earth. The six cloaked figures forming the hexagram slowly descended from midair, hovering about half a foot above the ground.
Clearly, the six cloaked figures had also suffered greatly from their collision with Agate. Their cloaks were now tattered and could no longer fully cover their bodies. Each cloaked figure bore several burn wounds, but they seemed completely unaffected by the pain, still concentrating intensely, fists clenched tightly at their chests, desperately using their full strength to suppress Agate.
“Bastard! These… they’re actually ‘Ghosts’! Hmph! I really underestimated the Federation’s determination. They actually brought out these hidden weapons!” Agate used his giant sword to support his body, struggling against the heavy pressure, his now deep red eyes seemingly ready to shoot flames.
“In that case, why don’t you just scram? If you leave fast enough, maybe I’ll be in a good mood today and let you off the hook,” Agate tightened his grip on the greatsword, a sense of discomfort rising within him.
“Hehe, if Mr. Agate has any other orders, I might be able to comply. But expecting me to turn tail and run? That’s probably not going to happen.”
If the black-clad man before him arrogantly believed they could defeat Agate, Agate wouldn’t be worried at all. However, Agate noticed that the man seemed to know his own strength intimately. Despite knowing he was no match, the man remained calm and composed, clearly having some trick up his sleeve.
“Aren’t you afraid of death?” Agate’s expression turned serious.
“Mr. Agate, there’s no need to threaten us. You must be well aware that without some confidence, I wouldn’t have appeared so boldly before the ‘Flame Demon.’ Although the combined strength of us and the beasts here might not be enough to challenge the No. 3 Executor of the Assembly, the Flame Demon today isn’t without weaknesses,” the black-clad man chuckled lightly, his gaze shifting to the red-haired girl and Carlet behind Agate.
At the same time, three more black-clad figures emerged from behind Agate and his companions.
“Tch! So your target was Xiaoxi and Carlet from the start, huh? You despicable scum,” Agate spat, suddenly turning to shout at Xiaoxi, “I’ll hold them off here, you take her and head up the mountain!”
“Got it!” The red-haired girl, Xiaoxi, had already taken the situation seriously. Hearing Agate’s shout, she immediately responded, grabbing Carlet and leaping up, swiftly running towards the mountain peak.
However, the surrounding black-clad men made no move to stop Xiaoxi and Carlet. They merely watched as the two girls left, then quickly spread out, surrounding Agate.
Their actions took Agate by surprise, and he frowned again, his voice deepening with intense seriousness, “What exactly are you guys planning?”
“Hoho. I already told you. I dared to appear before you because I have some confidence in what I intend to do.”
“Hmph! Do you really think you can snatch someone from the old man on the mountain peak?”
“Haha!” The man in the black cloak couldn’t help but laugh, “Mr. Agate, if the ‘King’ were still on the peak, I certainly couldn’t do anything. But haven’t I reminded you more than once? Since I dared to appear here, I naturally have some confidence.”
“What are you talking about?” Amidst the black-cloaked man’s laughter, Agate’s expression finally changed. Because just now, he had sensed that the peak, where the ‘King’ should have been, was now completely empty!
“Bastard, what trick did you pull?” Agate roared in anger.
In the next instant, the red battle energy enveloping Agate exploded outward like a bomb. He gritted his teeth and leaped into the air, like a hunting eagle, charging towards the black-cloaked man dozens of meters away.
No matter what trick the black-cloaked man used to make the King leave the peak, as long as he could capture him, everything would become clear! Agate’s genius combat instincts immediately pinpointed the key.
“Hoho, you finally realized! But it’s too late! As for the King’s whereabouts, I might as well tell you now. It’s all thanks to Andre Stein of Mithril. Without him, the corpse of the Southern Overlord would never have fallen into our hands. Without the ‘Southern Overlord’s’ help, luring the ‘King’ away from the peak would have been a much harder task,” the man at the forefront of the seven black-cloaked figures laughed, his body seemingly weightless as he swiftly retreated. Meanwhile, the other six cloaked figures, along with countless demonic beasts, leaped into the air, fearlessly charging towards Agate.
“A bunch of useless trash, get out of my way!” The enraged Agate swung his greatsword with all his might, the blazing battle energy erupting from him not only blowing away most of the charging beasts but also vaporizing many of the weaker ones upon contact with the intense heat.
However, the six cloaked figures charging at Agate from different directions suddenly emitted a purplish-gray light upon contact with his blazing battle energy. The light from the six figures then linked together like chains, forming a hexagonal pattern in the air.
The moment the purple hexagram was completed, Agate felt as if he were burdened with a thousand pounds, plummeting straight down from the sky.
Boom! With a thunderous crash like a meteor hitting the ground, Agate slammed back onto the earth. The six cloaked figures forming the hexagram slowly descended, hovering about half a foot above the ground.
The six cloaked figures clearly hadn’t fared well in the collision with Agate. Their cloaks were now tattered, no longer fully covering their bodies, and each bore several burn wounds. Yet, they seemed completely unfazed by the pain, all focusing intently, fists clenched at their chests, using all their strength to suppress Agate.
“Bastards! These… these are ‘Ghosts’! Hah! I really underestimated the Federation’s determination. They even brought out these last-resort weapons!” Agate used his greatsword to support himself, struggling against the immense pressure, his deep red eyes seemingly about to burst into flames.
Ghosts, also known as “Mind-Control Puppets,” were one of the weapons developed by the Federation with the help of the Soul Maiden, Eve Barbarossa. The method of creating them involved erasing the consciousness of high-level mentalists and then using mental techniques to process and control their soulless bodies, turning them into living weapons.
In battle, these “Ghosts” felt no pain, no fear, and were utterly fearless. Moreover, the mentalists controlling them could use devices implanted in their brains to combine their mental energy, exponentially increasing their power to deal with otherwise insurmountable enemies. Like Agate at this moment.
If Agate were facing just six tenth-level mentalists, he might have already broken free in that initial clash. But now, the six mind-control puppets had him firmly pinned under their mental energy.
However, creating each mind-control puppet required sacrificing a mentalist of equivalent level. The process was inhumane, cruel, and horrifying. Although the Federation’s “materials” for these puppets were usually captives from other factions, it was obvious that such an act of turning living people into weapons, if exposed, would have severe consequences.
The excessively “high” cost and the potential fallout from exposure were too much even for the notoriously cold-blooded and ruthless Federation Intelligence Bureau. Thus, the mind-control puppets eventually became a useless burden. The Federation Intelligence Bureau secretly produced a few but didn’t continue development.
Now, the Federation Intelligence Bureau had brought out these “Ghosts” hidden deep within their bases, showing just how determined they were!
“Hoho, thanks for the compliment. We had no choice but to use ‘Ghosts.’ If we sent out super-tier experts, our every move would be noticed by the Empire and the Assembly. On a planet under the Empire’s control, facing the Assembly and the Empire head-on, we really didn’t stand a chance.”
“Hmph! So you brought out these things, huh? Well done! A few tenth-level mentalists entering Casares wouldn’t attract much attention,” Agate said, gradually straightening up, “But do you really think six tenth-level mind-control puppets can hold me down?”
“Exactly. The experimental subjects from the spatial experiments were originally ours. This mission to retrieve them is a must. As for defeating you, I’m not that delusional. These puppets are only here to keep you occupied for fifteen minutes,” the black-cloaked man chuckled, waving his fingers.
Hearing the implied message that “once these puppets hold you down, I just need to deal with those two girls,” Agate erupted again under the dual pressures of anger and anxiety.
“Bastard, you’re asking for death!” Agate unleashed all his battle energy without restraint.
In the next instant, the battle energy surrounding Agate uncontrollably expanded again. The six mind-control puppets, who had barely been holding him down, now trembled violently like sieves.
“Hey!… Six tenth-level mentalists can’t hold him down? This guy’s brute strength is no joke! Although he hasn’t truly reached the super-tier level, even a regular super-tier expert would have a headache dealing with his raw power!” The black-cloaked man, no longer as composed as before, muttered to himself with a hint of nervousness.
“Hmph!” Agate laughed angrily, glaring fiercely at the direction the black-cloaked man was retreating.
“Whoa!” Agate’s gaze, which seemed capable of burning through a person, startled the black-cloaked man, who only relaxed after a few seconds.
Then, the black-cloaked man swiftly retreated into the shadows of the forest, his hands quickly making a series of complex gestures. As he did so, the six mind-control puppets gradually stabilized, and the mental energy hexagram pressing down on Agate grew brighter. Under the immense pressure, the ground within the hexagram’s range collapsed, forming a massive hexagonal crater.
After completing the gestures, the black-cloaked man finally exhaled, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“Hey! Although this guy’s strength is a bit unexpected, the timing isn’t too far off. Haha! Agate, you can slowly tangle with my puppets. Someone will come for you soon. Next, it’s that woman’s turn…” The black-cloaked man sneered, glancing at Agate, whose legs were now buried in the ground, before turning to his wrist device and quickly pressing a few buttons.
“Hey! The main issue on my end is resolved. How’s it going on your side?” The black-cloaked man asked with a smile as the communicator connected.
“Everything’s fine. The plan is proceeding smoothly,” a sweet, seductive female voice responded from the other end.
“Good. You better get moving, and fast. Hmph! How much information did you hide from me? Agate’s strength is nothing like what you described! He’s hot on my tail, and the puppets I brought won’t hold him for long. If you don’t get here within half an hour, you might as well prepare to collect my corpse. My death isn’t a big deal, but if those two girls fall back into Agate’s hands, your situation won’t be pretty either.” For some reason, despite temporarily suppressing Agate, the black-cloaked man feigned anxiety in his tone.
“Oh? Are you threatening me?” The woman asked with a charming laugh.
“Hey! Are you angry? I love it when you’re mad!” The black-cloaked man’s voice took on a flirtatious tone, “I went all out for you this time. The promise you made earlier, you won’t go back on it, will you?” When he mentioned the “promise,” his breathing unconsciously quickened.
“Don’t worry. I’ll remember what I promised you,” the woman giggled before ending the call.
“Tch! That vixen.” After turning off the communicator, the black-cloaked man’s tone changed drastically. He sneered, spat disdainfully, and then quickly chased after a blinking red dot on his wrist device.
“Go to hell!” A few minutes after the black-cloaked man left, Agate finally let out an enraged roar. The hexagram pressing down on him shattered, and the six mind-control puppets were simultaneously incinerated in the overwhelming explosion of crimson flames. However, as Agate broke free and looked around, all he saw was a silent forest shrouded in rising mist.
“Damn it! Where did Xiaoxi and Carlet go?” Agate growled, scanning the area.
Contrary to his unparalleled talent in physical combat, Agate was utterly clueless when it came to mental techniques. His mental ability didn’t even reach the first level. Without Xiaoxi’s guidance, Agate quickly lost his sense of direction, wandering aimlessly in the endless sea of trees in the Sandra Forest…
In battle, these “Ghosts” felt no pain, had no fear, and were fearless in death. Moreover, the mind users controlling them could utilize devices implanted in their brains to combine their mind power, geometrically increasing the power of their mind energy to fight against enemies they originally couldn’t handle—such as Agate at this moment.
If Agate had only faced six tenth-tier mind users, he might have already broken through and fled in that initial clash. But now, the six mind-controlled puppets had Agate firmly pinned under their mind pressure.
However, each mind-controlled puppet required the sacrifice of a high-tier mind user. Moreover, the creation process was inhumane and cruel. Although the Federation usually obtained the “materials” for creating mind-controlled puppets by capturing prisoners from other factions, even fools knew that once such practices of creating weapons from living people were exposed, the consequences would be catastrophic.
The excessively “high” cost and the consequences of exposing the creation process were even too much for the Federation’s Secret Intelligence Bureau, known for its cold-bloodedness and recklessness, to bear. Thus, mind-controlled puppets eventually became useless liabilities. The Federation’s Secret Intelligence Bureau only secretly produced a small number before abandoning further development.
Now, the Federation’s Secret Intelligence Bureau had actually brought out these “Ghosts” hidden deep within their base. This showed just how determined they were!
“Hehe, flattered as I am. We resorted to using ‘Ghosts’ out of necessity. If we had sent high-tier experts, our every move would have been noticed by the Empire and the organization,” the man in the black cloak said.
“In that case, why don’t you just scram? If you leave quickly enough, I might be in a good mood today and let you off the hook.” Agate tightened his grip on the giant sword in his hand, a sense of discomfort rising in his heart.
“Hehe, if Mr. Agate has any other orders, I might be able to oblige. But asking me to turn around and leave? That’s probably not going to happen.”
If the black-clad man before him arrogantly believed they could defeat Agate, Agate wouldn’t be worried at all. However, Agate noticed that the man seemed to have a thorough understanding of his own strength. Even knowing he was no match, the man remained calm and composed—clearly, he had something up his sleeve.
“Aren’t you afraid of death?” Agate’s expression turned serious.
“Mr. Agate, there’s no need to threaten us. You must know this yourself—if I didn’t have some confidence, why would I rashly appear before the ‘Flame Demon’? Although the combined strength of us and the beasts here might not be enough to take on the No. 3 Executor of the Assembly, today’s Flame Demon isn’t without weaknesses.” The black-clad man chuckled lightly, his gaze shifting to the red-haired girl and Carlet behind Agate.
At the same time, three more black-clad figures emerged from behind Agate and his companions.
“Tch! From the start, your target was Xiao Xi and Carlet, wasn’t it? You despicable scoundrel.” Agate spat, then suddenly turned and shouted to Xiao Xi, “I’ll hold them off here. You take her and head up the mountain!”
“Got it!” The red-haired girl, Xiao Xi, had already grown serious upon seeing the situation. Hearing Agate’s shout, she immediately responded, grabbing Carlet and leaping into action, swiftly running toward the mountain peak.
However, the surrounding black-clad men showed no intention of stopping Xiao Xi and Carlet. They merely watched as the two girls left, then quickly spread out, surrounding Agate.
Their actions took Agate by surprise. He frowned again, his voice deepening with intensity. “What exactly are you planning?”
“Hoho. I already told you. I dared to appear before you because I have some confidence in what I intend to do.”
“Hmph! Do you really think you can snatch someone from the old man on the mountain peak?”
“Haha!” The man in the black cloak couldn’t help but laugh. “Mr. Agate, if the ‘King’ were still on the mountain peak, of course, I wouldn’t be able to do anything. But haven’t I reminded you more than once? Since I dared to appear here, I must have some confidence.”
“What are you talking about?” Amid the black-cloaked man’s laughter, Agate’s expression finally changed. Just moments ago, he had sensed that the mountain peak, where the “King” should have been, was now completely empty!
“Bastard, what trick did you pull?” Agate roared in anger.
In the next instant, the red battle energy enveloping Agate exploded outward. He gritted his teeth and leaped into the air, soaring like a hunting eagle toward the black-cloaked man dozens of meters away.
No matter what trick the black-cloaked man had used to make the King leave the mountain peak, as long as he captured him, the truth would be revealed! Agate’s genius combat instincts immediately pinpointed the key.
“Hoho, you’ve finally realized! But it’s too late! As for the King’s whereabouts, I might as well tell you now. We owe it all to Andre Stein of Mithril. Without him, the corpse of the Southern Overlord would never have fallen into our hands. Without the ‘Southern Overlord’s’ help, luring the ‘King’ away from the mountain peak would have been a much more difficult task.” The man at the forefront of the seven black-cloaked figures laughed, his body seemingly weightless as he swiftly retreated. Meanwhile, the other six black-cloaked men, along with countless demon beasts, leaped into the air, fearlessly charging at Agate.
“A bunch of useless trash, get out of my way!” Enraged, Agate swung his giant sword with all his might. The blazing battle energy erupting from his body not only sent most of the charging demon beasts flying but also incinerated many weaker ones upon contact with the intense heat.
However, the six cloaked men charging at Agate from different directions suddenly emitted a purple-gray light upon contact with his blazing energy. The lights then linked together like chains, forming a hexagram in the air.
The moment the purple hexagram was complete, Agate felt as if he were carrying a thousand-pound weight, plummeting straight down from the sky.
Boom! With a deafening crash like a meteor hitting the ground, Agate landed heavily back on the earth. The six cloaked men forming the hexagram slowly descended, hovering about half a foot above the ground.
The six cloaked men clearly hadn’t come out unscathed from their clash with Agate. Their cloaks were now tattered, no longer fully covering their bodies, and each of them bore several burn wounds. Yet, they seemed completely unfazed by the pain, their fists clenched tightly at their chests, using all their strength to suppress Agate.
“Bastards! These… are ‘Ghosts’! Heh! I really underestimated the Federation’s determination. They even brought out their trump card!” Agate used his giant sword to support himself, struggling against the immense pressure. His deep red eyes seemed ready to burst into flames.
Ghosts, also known as “Mind-Control Puppets,” were one of the weapons developed by the Federation with the assistance of the Soul Princess, Eve Barbarossa. The process involved erasing the consciousness of high-level mind mages and then using mind techniques to manipulate their empty shells, turning them into living weapons.
In battle, these “Ghosts” felt no pain, no fear, and were utterly fearless. Moreover, the mind mages controlling them could use devices implanted in their brains to combine their mental energy, exponentially increasing their power to deal with otherwise insurmountable enemies—like Agate at this moment.
If Agate were facing just six tenth-tier mind mages, he might have already broken free in that single encounter. But now, the six mind-control puppets had him firmly pinned under their mental energy.
However, creating a single mind-control puppet required sacrificing a mind mage of equivalent tier. The process was inhumane, cruel, and horrifying. Although the Federation typically used prisoners captured from other factions as “materials,” it was obvious that such a practice, if exposed, would lead to severe consequences.
The excessively “high” cost and the potential fallout from exposure were too much even for the notoriously cold-blooded and ruthless Federation Intelligence Bureau. Thus, the mind-control puppets became a useless burden. The Federation Intelligence Bureau secretly produced a few but never continued development.
Now, the Federation Intelligence Bureau had brought out these “Ghosts” hidden deep within their base. It showed just how determined they were!
“Hoho, thanks for the compliment. We had no choice but to use ‘Ghosts.’ If we sent super-tier experts, our every move would be noticed by the Empire and the Assembly. On a planet under the Empire’s control, facing the Assembly and the Empire head-on, we had no chance of winning.”
“Hmph! So you brought out these things, huh? Well done! A few tenth-tier mind mages entering Cassares wouldn’t raise any eyebrows.” Agate spoke as he gradually straightened his body. “But do you really think six tenth-tier mind-control puppets can hold me down?”
“Exactly. The space experiment’s test subject originally belonged to our Federation. This operation to retrieve it is a must for us. As for defeating you, I’m not so delusional. These puppets’ only task is to keep you occupied for fifteen minutes.” The black-cloaked man chuckled lightly, waving his fingers.
Hearing the implied message—”Once these puppets hold you down, I just need to deal with those two girls”—Agate erupted in a mix of rage and anxiety.
“Bastard, you’re asking for death!” Agate unleashed all his battle energy without restraint.
In the next instant, the battle energy surrounding Agate expanded uncontrollably. The six mind-control puppets, who had barely been holding him down, now trembled violently as if being shaken in a sieve.
“Heh!… Six tenth-tier mind mages can’t hold him down? This brute’s strength is no joke! Although he hasn’t truly reached the super-tier level, even a regular super-tier expert would probably have a headache dealing with his raw power!” Agate’s astonishing counterattack stripped the black-cloaked man of his earlier composure. His muttered words now carried a hint of tension.
“Hmph!” Agate laughed angrily, his gaze fixed on the retreating black-cloaked man.
“Ah!” Agate’s scorching glare startled the black-cloaked man, who only relaxed after a few seconds.
Then, the black-cloaked man swiftly retreated into the shadows of the forest, his hands rapidly forming a series of complex gestures. As he did so, the six mind-control puppets stabilized, and the mental energy hexagram pressing down on Agate grew brighter. Under the immense pressure, the ground within the hexagram’s range collapsed, forming a massive crater in the shape of a hexagram.
After completing the gestures, the black-cloaked man let out a long breath, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“Heh! Although this guy’s strength is a bit unexpected, the timing isn’t far off. Heh! Agate, you can slowly tangle with my puppets. Someone will come for you soon. Next, it’s that woman’s turn…” The black-cloaked man glanced at Agate, whose legs were now buried in the ground, and sneered before turning to his wrist device, quickly pressing a few buttons.
“Heh! The main issue on my end is resolved. How’s it going on your side?” The black-cloaked man asked with a smile as the communicator connected.
“Everything’s fine. The plan is proceeding smoothly.” A sweet, seductive voice came through the communicator.
“Good. Hurry up and get moving. You’d better be quick. Hmph! How much information did you hide from me? Agate’s strength is nothing like what you described! He’s hot on my tail, and the puppets I brought won’t hold him for long. If you don’t get here within half an hour, you can start preparing my funeral. My death isn’t a big deal, but if those two girls fall back into Agate’s hands, your situation won’t be great either.” For some reason, despite having temporarily suppressed Agate, the black-cloaked man feigned anxiety in his tone.
“Oh? Are you threatening me?” The woman asked with a charming laugh.
“Heh! Are you angry? I love it when you’re angry!” The black-cloaked man’s voice took on a flirtatious tone. “I’m risking my life for you this time. The promise you made earlier—you won’t go back on it, will you?” As he mentioned the “promise,” his breathing unconsciously quickened.
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my word.” The woman giggled before ending the call.
“Tch! That vixen.” After turning off the communicator, the black-cloaked man’s tone shifted dramatically. He sneered, spat in disdain, and then quickly pursued a red dot flashing on his wrist device.
“Go to hell!” Minutes after the black-cloaked man left, Agate finally let out an enraged roar. The hexagram pressing down on him shattered, and the six mind-control puppets were incinerated in a massive explosion of crimson flames. However, as Agate broke free and looked around, all he saw was a desolate forest shrouded in rising mist.
“Bastard! Where did Xiao Xi and Carlet go?” Agate growled, scanning the area.
Contrary to his unparalleled talent in physical combat, Agate was utterly inept in mind techniques. His mind technique level didn’t even reach the first tier. Without Xiao Xi’s guidance, Agate quickly lost his sense of direction, wandering aimlessly through the endless expanse of the Sandra Forest…
“Exactly right. The test subject from the space experiment was originally our Federation’s property. This time, we are determined to reclaim the test subject. As for defeating you, I’m not so arrogant as to think that. The puppets’ mission is merely to hold you here for fifteen minutes,” the man under the black cloak laughed easily and waved his fingers.
Realizing the implication in the other’s words was “after these puppets hold you down, I’ll just go after those two girls,” Agate, under the dual effects of anger and anxiety, erupted again.
“You bastard, you’re asking for death!” Agate, disregarding everything, unleashed all his battle energy.
In the next moment, the flame of Agate’s battle energy could no longer be restrained and expanded again. The bodies of the six mind-controlled puppets, which had barely managed to suppress him, also trembled like sieves.
“Heh!… Can’t even hold him down with six tenth-tier mind users? This big guy’s brute strength is no joke! Although he hasn’t truly reached the super-tier level, even a regular super-tier expert would probably only have a headache dealing with his brute strength,” Agate’s astonishing counterattack caused the man under the black cloak to lose his earlier composure and ease, his muttering voice unconsciously carrying a hint of tension.
“Hmph! Hmph!” Agate laughed angrily, lifting his head to glare fiercely at the direction the black-cloaked man was retreating.
“Oh!” The black-cloaked man was startled by Agate’s gaze, which seemed capable of burning through a person, but he relaxed again a few seconds later.
Then, the black-cloaked man immediately flew backward, hiding in the shadows of the jungle trees, while his hands quickly made a series of complex hand signs. As the black-cloaked man moved, the six mind-controlled puppets’ bodies gradually stabilized again, and the mind-energy hexagram pressing down on Agate became even brighter. Under the heavy pressure of the mind-energy, the ground within the hexagram’s coverage area collapsed, forming a large hexagram-shaped depression.
After completing all the hand signs, the black-cloaked man finally exhaled in relief, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“Heh! Although this guy’s strength was a bit unexpected, the time should be about right. Hehe! Agate, you just keep entangled with my puppets. Someone will come looking for you later. Next, it’s that woman’s turn…” Glancing at Agate, whose legs were already pressed into the ground, the black-cloaked man sneered, turned around, opened his wristwatch, and quickly pressed several buttons.
“Heh! I’ve already solved the main problem here. How’s your situation?” After the communication device connected, the black-cloaked man immediately asked with a laugh.
“All is well. The plan is going smoothly,” a sweet and melodious female voice came from the other end of the communicator.
“Good. You’d better hurry up and move quickly. Hmph! How much intelligence did you hide from me? That guy Agate’s strength is completely different from what you told me! He’s chasing right behind me, and the puppets I brought can’t hold him for long. If you don’t come within half an hour, you can prepare to collect my remains. It doesn’t matter much if I die. But if those two girls fall back into Agate’s hands, your situation will also be very bad,” for some reason, even though the black-cloaked man had temporarily suppressed Agate, he still pretended to be anxious in his tone towards the woman on the communicator.
“Oh? Are you trying to threaten me?” the woman asked with a cheerful voice, smiling.
“Heh! Angry? I love that angry look of yours!” the black-cloaked man’s voice carried a hint of licentiousness. “This time, I’ve risked my life for you. You won’t go back on the promise you made me before, right?” When he mentioned the word “promise,” the black-cloaked man’s breathing unconsciously quickened.
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep my promises to you,” the woman laughed sweetly and ended the conversation.
“Pah! That sly fox,” the black-cloaked man turned off the communicator, his tone suddenly changing completely. With a sinister grin, he spat contemptuously and quickly chased in the direction where the red dot was flashing on his wristwatch.
“Go to hell!” Several minutes after the black-cloaked man left, Agate finally let out an angry roar. The hexagram pressing down on Agate gradually cracked and shattered, and the six mind-controlled puppets were simultaneously engulfed in a massive explosion of red flame, turning to ashes. However, after breaking free from the restraints, Agate looked around and could only see a silent forest filled with rising mist.
“Bastard! Where the hell did Xiaoxi and the others go?” Agate angrily looked around.
Contrary to his terrifying talent in physical combat, which was almost unmatched, Agate was a complete novice in mind techniques. His mind technique level didn’t even reach the first tier. Without Xiaoxi’s guidance, Agate also lost his ability to navigate, quickly becoming lost in the endless forest of Sandra…
Xiao Xi, who had fled away from Agate, was now constantly groaning in frustration. After taking Carlyt away from Agate, Xiao Xi had originally planned to hide nearby, waiting for Agate to defeat the black-cloaked man before returning to reunite with him.
Unfortunately, although Xiao Xi’s plans were optimistic, the black-cloaked man wasn’t about to let things go her way so easily. Just as Xiao Xi had found what she thought was a suitable hiding place and concealed herself together with Carlyt, she suddenly felt a chilling coldness emanating from her flank and rear.
Panicked, Xiao Xi quickly turned around, only to discover that not far from her flank and rear, a mysterious figure wearing exactly the same black cloak as the previous seven had somehow appeared out of nowhere.
The moment the mysterious figure saw Xiao Xi, he didn’t hesitate for even a moment. Instantly spreading his arms, he launched a telekinetic beam as thick as a human thigh straight at her. The moment the telekinetic wave appeared, Xiao Xi immediately realized that this opponent was definitely a telekinetic practitioner of power level above the tenth rank.
Although Xiao Xi, as a speed-type physical martial artist, naturally had an advantage against telekinetic practitioners, the massive power gap between tenth and ninth ranks was more than enough to completely nullify Xiao Xi’s advantage. Worse still, she was dragging along Carlyt, who was completely immobilized and essentially a “burden,” making the situation even more dire!
Facing an attack from a tenth-rank telekinetic practitioner, Xiao Xi dared not withstand it directly. She could only exert her full strength, tightly gripping Carlyt’s collar once again, yanking her sideways in a desperate dodge, hoping to evade the first wave of attacks before seeking an opportunity to counter.
However, Xiao Xi had never expected that this black-cloaked telekinetic practitioner would possess such extensive combat experience. It was as if he had long been accustomed to fighting alone—attack after attack came in relentless waves. Xiao Xi, having lost the initiative, was completely thrown into a desperate and exhausting struggle under his continuous assault.
Dodging attacks from a tenth-rank telekinetic practitioner while carrying Carlyt within a limited area was an extremely heavy burden for Xiao Xi, whose martial energy reserves were never particularly deep.
Soon, Xiao Xi realized that if she continued like this, she and Carlyt might end up perishing at the hands of this monstrous telekinetic practitioner before Agate even finished dealing with the seven black-cloaked men he was facing.
“No choice then!” Xiao Xi gritted her teeth in frustration, forced to change her strategy. She no longer continued evading within a small area against the tenth-rank telekinetic practitioner. Instead, she grabbed Carlyt and leapt onto a nearby giant tree, then quickly fled in the opposite direction of the practitioner.
However, the black-cloaked telekinetic practitioner clung on like a persistent parasite, and his movement speed was shockingly not much slower than Xiao Xi’s!
Damn it! What kind of place was this in the Sandra Forest? And who the heck was this telekinetic monster? Since when could a telekinetic practitioner run as fast as a ninth-rank speed-type martial artist?
Xiao Xi screamed in frustration deep inside, tears and snot nearly streaming down her face, yet her body didn’t dare to pause for a second as she dragged Carlyt aimlessly deeper into the jungle.
Boom!
The telekinetic waves launched by the pursuing black-cloaked practitioner continued to thunder behind her, forcing Xiao Xi to constantly change direction to evade. Under the massive energy consumption, the red-haired girl was soon panting heavily.
“You should leave me behind. If we keep going like this, neither of us will escape!” Feeling Xiao Xi’s exhaustion, Carlyt finally couldn’t help shouting at her.
“What?” Xiao Xi gasped for breath, narrowly dodging another telekinetic blast from behind.
“I said, leave me behind! Maybe you could still survive if you weren’t carrying me! Do you really plan to die with me?”
“What? Leave you behind? You just want to escape, don’t you?” Xiao Xi, finally hearing Carlyt clearly, bared her teeth at the girl on her back.
“You… ungrateful brat!” Carlyt was so angry she couldn’t speak properly after being misunderstood. This red-haired girl was simply her nemesis—no matter what she said, they always ended up arguing.
“Haha! Got you!” Xiao Xi was delighted to see her nemesis rendered speechless.
“Hmph! Then keep dragging me along! Don’t blame me if you end up too tired to run and get caught!” Seeing Xiao Xi’s smug expression, Carlyt inexplicably felt a surge of anger.
“Shut up! Just because you’re a prisoner, don’t think you can look down on me! Be careful I’ll punch you later!” While dodging attacks, Xiao Xi even took the chance to shake her little fist at Carlyt. Feeling her anger had nowhere to vent, Carlyt simply turned her head away and fell silent.
“Hmph!” Seeing that Carlyt had given up arguing, Xiao Xi smugly huffed again and refocused her attention on escaping. However, after all the previous exertion, her martial energy had nearly run out. Despite her best efforts, her speed inevitably began to drop.
The black-cloaked telekinetic practitioner chasing behind the two girls quickly closed the distance. But just as he was about to catch up, he suddenly slowed down again, continuing to follow the two girls at a leisurely pace.
In fact, by this point, the black-cloaked practitioner’s intentions had become clear. He hadn’t slowed down due to exhaustion, because he still had the energy to continuously fire telekinetic blasts, forcing the two girls to change their escape direction. The reason he didn’t immediately capture Xiao Xi and Carlyt was obviously because he wanted to keep them running, driving them further and further away from where Agate was.
However, inexperienced as they were, Xiao Xi and Carlyt, upon noticing the practitioner slowing down, could only think in their hearts of how lucky they were—where would they have the insight to see through all these layers of strategy?
Thus, the two girls were chased by the black-cloaked telekinetic practitioner, running deeper and deeper into the Sandra Forest.
As Xiao Xi dragged Carlyt in a frantic sprint, not far away—only a few kilometers—Zacks and Cloud were also desperately fleeing with another female telekinetic student from their group.
All three Almitherus students were more or less injured from beast bites. After a chaotic and exhausting run, the exhausted Zacks and Cloud finally collapsed onto the ground. The female student they were supporting between them had already fainted, her eyes tightly shut.
“Huff! Huff!” Leaning against a tall tree, Zacks caught his breath while hastily pulling out soaked bandages from his small bag, tearing them and roughly wrapping them around his wounds. Meanwhile, the less injured Cloud climbed up a nearby small tree using both hands and feet.
“How is it? Did those damn beasts catch up yet?” As soon as he finished bandaging his wounds, Zacks anxiously shouted at Cloud, who was looking around from atop the tree. In his urgency, Zacks had completely abandoned his usual image as a heartthrob student of the Almitherus Academy, spewing curses without hesitation.
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