CHAPTER 46: CHAPTER 45: PARADISE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FOREST (19)

The masked man turned around the moment he finished speaking. Oliver followed him immediately, barely able to keep up while panting for air.

"Agent? Why do we need to kill his agent?"

The masked man did not stop, not even for a moment.

"The mythical creature that created this place does not possess high awareness like the Great Autumn Spirit. But it feeds on others and on their memories. To build an illusion this large, there must be an agent. Someone who made a deal with it. The more memories it consumes, the more awareness that creature gains."

Oliver frowned.

"But if it is not fully conscious, how can it make a deal with anyone?"

The masked man’s patience was already wearing thin.

"It is not entirely mindless. A strong desire from the other party is enough to open a gateway for that kind of connection."

He stopped and turned to Oliver.

"Child, do you know where that agent is?"

Oliver tried to keep his expression neutral.

"Why would you assume I know?"

"This is not the time for stupidity. If you know anything, speak. Or do you prefer losing more of your companions?"

Oliver did not answer. His hand only tightened. But the sage was the one who spoke.

"I know someone who could be that agent."

The masked man instantly turned toward the sage, and so did Oliver.

He moved toward the sage quickly.

"Speak."

Oliver tried to stop the sage, grabbing his arm, but the masked man shoved him hard. Oliver slammed against the wall and had to cling to it just to stay standing.

The sage explained the details Oliver had told him earlier about Orion.

When he finished, the masked man did not ask a single question.

He raised his gun, waved his rotten hand, and dashed forward.

The rest followed without hesitation.

The closer they got to the tower, the more the ground decayed under their feet. Houses dissolved. Everything was turning into black mist.

By the time they reached the tower door, it was shut.

The masked man kicked it. The door shattered and the debris flew inward.

He entered and found Orion sitting on the ground right in front of him. His back was hunched, his face pale.

The masked man immediately raised his gun, loaded the red bullet, placed his finger on the trigger, and prepared to shoot.

But Oliver jumped in front of Orion, standing like a shield between him and the masked man.

The masked man raised the gun at Oliver.

"Move."

Oliver did not budge.

"He is an innocent man. A victim of a trick by a mythical creature or whatever this is. You cannot end his life like that."

"Innocent? Boy, no innocent man is capable of forging a deal with a mythical creature of this type. In the end, they always demand the proper price."

He shoved Oliver again. Oliver hit the wall and collapsed onto one knee. Then the masked man pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit Orion in the chest.

His body exploded and turned into dense black mist.

But the mist did not fade. It gathered again and reshaped his body.

The masked man reloaded normal bullets and fired several shots. Each bullet pierced Orion, but every wound healed instantly as the black mist pulled itself together with frightening speed.

Realizing bullets would not work, he raised his rotten hand. A bright golden light burst from it.

Oliver had to shield his face with his arm.

The light vanished quickly, but Orion did not react at all. The masked man narrowed his single eye.

"What exactly are you?"

Orion had stood up and leaned on the wall. Then he lifted his head toward the masked man.

"Who am I? Honestly I think I was a prince at some point, then a king at another. As for who I am now... I do not know."

Outside, Aria and the others were watching.

They rushed inside when the ground beneath them began disappearing.

They stood witnessing the masked man try to kill Orion, only for Orion to regenerate every time.

Eventually, the masked man stopped trying.

Not because of mercy but because wasting valuable ammunition was pointless.

He put the gun back into the leather holster on his waist.

Orion simply lay down on the floor again, staring at the ceiling with blank eyes. No fear, no anger, not even confusion.

Oliver watched everything with a bewildered expression.

The sage was the first to approach the masked man.

"Is this man immortal?"

The masked man’s glare stayed fixed on Orion.

"He is supposed to be nothing more than an agent. Even if he gained some form of immortality, he should be dead right now."

"Wait, you have a bullet capable of killing someone with immortality?"

The masked man ignored the question completely, turning toward the sage again.

"You said this man is the agent?"

The sage swallowed immediately.

"Who? Me? I never said that. All I did was repeat what Oliver told me. That is all."

The masked man looked straight at Oliver.

"Would you explain who this man is exactly?"

Oliver stayed silent, looking away.

"Speak, child. We do not have time for nonsense. We must leave this place now. Do you not want to escape the forest?"

Oliver turned to him, irritation obvious on his face.

"Why are you asking me?"

"This is not the time to be stubborn."

"Maybe if you asked respectfully before slamming me into a wall, I would have considered answering you."

The masked man inhaled deeply, fighting the urge to smash Oliver’s head into something.

"Will you answer me, or would you rather stay trapped here forever?"

Oliver raised his chin.

"How about we make a deal?"

"A deal? And what exactly do you want, child?"

"I will tell you everything I know. And in return, you owe me a favor when I ask for it. You want to take down the mythical creature that created this place, right? And I doubt staying longer in its domain is good for you."

The masked man went silent for a moment, then finally said,

"You have your deal."

From a short distance away, Aria was watching them.

She looked at the masked man, then at Oliver, crossed her arms and murmured,

"Now I am certain he is his father."