I slipped out of the Grand Central Library's heavy front doors, fading instantly into the midnight shadows of the central plaza. The cool night air whipped against my heavy cloak, and I gripped the dark fabric tightly with my lone right hand, anchoring my folded blood wings as I hurried back toward the dense alleys of the southern district.
I needed to change back into Zenni immediately. The time to play the loyal, clueless apprentice was drawing closer, and I couldn't afford to be late for the pre-dawn departure.
The truth was cold, calculating, and absolute. The Archivist believed that tipping off the Eastern District Clan would lead to a glorious, easy ambush at the mountain passes. She thought they would intercept the flour bags and slaughter Oksana's disguised caravan.
But she was dead wrong.
The Archivist didn't know what I knew. She hadn't stood inside that smoke-filled meeting room. She hadn't looked into the eyes of those four silent, terrifying S-rank noble guards standing right behind the Drug Lord. Those guards weren't just for show, they possessed a monstrous, overwhelming combat capability backed by the corrupt backing of the Sisiphon Alchemist Guild. If the Eastern District Clan launched an ambush, those four S-rank monsters would single-handedly turn the mountain passes into a meat grinder, completely annihilating the clan's forces without Oksana even needing to draw her own blade.
Even if I were to join the fray in my true form as Eirene Rynd and bleed alongside the clan, the sheer tactical advantage and raw power of Oksana's elite inner circle meant the syndicate would still secure a bloody victory.
I wasn't an idealistic hero, and I wasn't going to throw my life away in a losing battlefield. By all means necessary, my original strategy remained the only logical path to victory. I would slip back into the naive, brilliant disguise of fourteen-year-old Zenni. I would ride right alongside Oksana in her caravan, gain her absolute, unshakeable trust as we crossed the borders, and wait for the exact moment her guard was completely dropped. When she thought she had successfully bypassed the Bureau and conquered the markets of Caria City, that is when the Crimson Phantom would strike from the inside out and claim her head.
And as for the Eastern District Clan?
Well... they were just pawns on my chessboard. Their impending, bloody distraction at the mountain passes would draw the full attention of the four S-rank guards, giving me the perfect, chaotic cover to deepen my act as a terrified, loyal student who needed Oksana's protection. Their sacrifice would buy me the perfect window.
Slipping into a pitch-black alleyway right outside the Emerald Spire's territory, I closed my lone right eye and let out a silent sigh. The painful, crushing reversal spell surged through my veins as Eirene Rynd dissolved, and the pristine, whole body of the academy freshman materialized once more. I adjusted my gold medal, smoothing down the unblemished ivory and gold uniform.
Zenni was back, a bright, compliant smile ready for the dawn, while the gears of a midnight massacre ground into motion. Now, my shapeshifting ability had just began.
[Analyzing genetic data... 100% match found in blood reservoir. Commencing Morphological Shift.]
The magical regression flooded my veins like liquid ice, violently reshaping my flesh in a matter of seconds.
The agonizing wounds of Eirene Rynd mended themselves as if they were absolutely nothing. Down in my left boot, the missing toes rapidly knitted back together, anchoring my balance. My left arm and hand shot outward, fresh muscle and pale skin weaving over bone until a whole, unblemished limb flexed in the cool night air. Inside my mouth, a wet warmth surged as my tongue fully regenerated, restoring my ability to speak. The deep, horrific gouges of my Glasgow smile smoothed over into flawless, youthful skin, and with a supernatural pop, a brand-new, crystal-clear left eye manifested perfectly in its socket.
Finally, with a soft, misty hiss, my massive crimson blood wings dissolved entirely into my back, leaving the ragged tears in my uniform hidden safely beneath the gatekeeper's oversized cloak.
[Visual confirmation: 100% accuracy. Heart rate, scent, and vocal cords successfully calibrated. Successfully shapeshifted into Zenni Roy]
I was Zenni again. Fourteen years old, brilliant, and utterly pristine.
Adjusting the heavy cloak to fit my newly balanced frame, I stepped out of the pitch-black alleyway and walked back down the moonlit avenues of the southern district. I navigated the familiar checkpoints, smoothly paying the corrupt district tolls, and marched directly up to the heavily fortified gates of the Emerald Spire.
The elite syndicate guards stationed at the entrance took one look at my approach and immediately straightened their posture. Recognizing the lavender-perfumed cloak and the distinctive ivory-and-gold academy uniform peeking out from underneath, they bowed their heads in deep, genuine respect.
"Welcome back, young master, the Boss is in the lower courtyard overseeing the final preparations. She'll be thrilled to see her star apprentice is well-rested."
"Thank you. I wouldn't dream of keeping Master waiting," I replied, offering them a perfectly relaxed, lazy Zenni grin as I walked past.
A dark, cold amusement settled deep within my chest as the heavy doors thudded shut behind me. It was almost laughable. They stood there saluting me, completely convinced I was Oksana's most loyal asset… the bright future of their continent-spanning drug empire. They had absolutely no idea that the quiet boy walking past them was the very traitor who had just sold out their exact midnight route to the underworld.
While I was walking at the emerald spire, where magic bongs and weeds pipes were everywhere. Plasma interrupted me once again, instead of bartering. He offered me good news.
"Hey, hey, Eirene, have you checked your blood curse since your sixth evolution? I knew a massive change was waiting for you." Plasma said
"Oh yeah, come to think of it, I was curious about my progression."
After that, I used inspect on my blood curse.
[267L/450L= evolution for Phase 7]
Phase 6
[267L/ 255L=+1000 mana(completed)]
[267L/ 267L=+50 strength]
[267L/ 291L=+50 defense]
[267L/ 299L=+100 agility]
[267L/ 304L= +50 strength]
[267L/ 315L= +100 defense]
[267L/ 329L= +1000 vitality]
[267L/ 341L= +500 mana]
[267L/ 358L= +50 agility]
[267L/ 369L=+1000 mana]
[267L/ 375L=+100 agility]
[267L / 379L =+1500 vitality]
[267L / 384L =+100 defense]
[267L / 395L =+100 strength]
[267L / 410L =+50 agility]
[267L / 425L =+150 defense]
[267L / 437L =+1000 mana]
[267L / 448L =+100 strength]
Attributes obtained: +1000 mana
"Damn, that list was longer than I thought it would, this would take years." Plasma banters
"Stop complaining Eirene, look at the godly amount of stats. A few liters of this shit will make you a goddess."
"A few liters!? Get a hold of yourself, Plasma."
After that, I was heading to the lower corridors, using my curse, I can easily claim my bounty.
Let the Eastern District Clan march to their deaths at the mountain passes. Let Oksana's four S-rank guards paint the stones red. While the storm raged outside, I was going to walk straight into the belly of the beast, play the perfect puppet, and wait for the exact moment to sever the puppet-master's strings.