Aria's heart skipped a beat. A tremor ran through her as she touched the plaque, causing the black mist surrounding it to evaporate. The plaque, once at the center of the Soul Lock Manifestation, now rested in her hands."Isn't this too easy?" Aria muttered, lowering her gaze.As she held the plaque in her hand, fragmented scenes suddenly flooded her mind. The chaotic, turbulent images seemed to emanate from the plaque itself.In the visions, a sect was preparing for a wedding. Clouds gathered ominously, and heavenly trials loomed overhead. Aria, wearing a traditional wedding dress, observed as sect members from different clans gathered.Another scene showed her standing atop a mountain stream, her sleeves billowing in the strong wind. Before her stood numerous arcane seekers, accusing her of being a demon who had corrupted their minds.Aria raised an eyebrow at their accusations. "What nonsense," she thought. She didn't even practice the Decatorian arts, let alone involve herself
"They all know what our lineage practices. Our senior just can't receive arcane ascension.""It's because you're all too talented. Some people are afraid you'll gain an unfair advantage and ascend.""Don't just focus on us. I saw you fighting that lizard on the mountain just to catch some fish for her.""Our mentor told us to influence other creatures without using brute force. Don't let her see you behaving like that—I'm afraid she might follow your example.""We can't afford to be lazy either. Now that she's here, we need to work harder.""You're right. I've never liked the people from Mount Dracotigris. Why don't we confront them?""They wouldn't stand a chance if you got involved. But let's not be so harsh on the younger ones. And don't forget to keep your fortune-telling skills under wraps. Your bluntness has caused trouble before—why did you perform a divination on her marriage?""She rarely asks me for divinations. I was worried she might end up with someone unworthy of h
"It was my poor judgment that led me to take in a traitor to my sect," Brian said, his voice heavy with regret. "Because of my mistake, my apprentices and I have been trapped here for hundreds of years." Resentment flickered in his eyes, but he struggled to suppress it."I don't know where he learned the Decatorian Way," he continued. "You and I are both arcane seekers, so you must understand—the resentment lingers even after Decator energy dissipates. He deliberately stoked our bitterness to ensure an Earthbound Manifestation would form after our deaths."Aria regarded him intently. "I thought his manipulation of souls would reveal his motives to you. Wouldn't that realization free you from his control?""The plaque you carry plays a significant role," Brian admitted after a pause. "But that's only part of the reason. As you said, we can't let go of our resentment."His candid words made Aria lift her gaze."He knew exactly what we cared about—our regrets—and used them to provoke
"Kairos, how can you blame yourself for this? You've always protected us, and we grew up together. Who could have known he would suddenly change like that?""Kairos, don't blame yourself. It's my fault for not realizing he had ulterior motives for practicing the Decatorian Way."Brian glanced at Aria again. "If our dying wish is truly affecting the war, we would not rest in peace."The fortune tellers had descended the mountain to save the citizens. Yet, not only were their sects annihilated, but they were also used as catalysts for the Soul Manipulating Manifestation.Now, they had become fuel for the very manifestation they sought to prevent. If Aria were in their position, she, too, would be consumed by hatred. She wished she could kill the traitor herself."Miss, I believe I know what our regret is," Brian said softly, his gaze lingering on his peers."I have an apprentice, Marek Crespo. He's only five years old and a bit mischievous. I didn't tell him we were leaving the mou
Brian looked at Aria with earnest eyes. "What's done is done. He has borne this injustice for so many years. I humbly ask for your help to clear his name and bring the truth to light."Aria raised her eyebrows upon hearing that. "Clearing his name isn't a problem. The challenge lies in finding him. "Based on what you've said, he must have been ostracized by the other sects. Everyone believed him to be a murderer and wanted him dead. He must have concealed his identity—perhaps even changed his name. Without any clues, it will be difficult to track him down."She paused, then added thoughtfully, "Perhaps you can sense which sect he was originally from? That might help me narrow it down by age."Brian chuckled. "It's not as difficult as it seems. My apprentice joined our sect relatively late, so he never revealed his ordination name to the public."However, I assigned him one. It's a secret shared only between us. Knowing his determination, he'll find a way forward even if the other
Brian's eyes glistened with tears. "That's great! With the sect's seal and my handwritten letter, no one will dare to slander him."All my peers know he didn't join any sect because he wanted to return to Mount Mystic. Please, deliver this to him. It will only be useful in the present world; it has no value here."Aria nodded. "Okay."The fortune tellers gazed at her as though they were seeing the long-lost Marek through her.Aria understood their intentions and didn't shy away from their looks. Instead, she addressed them one by one."That's right. I was confused before. You're all my seniors," she said with a small laugh.The presence of laughter during the manifestation began to influence the effect of the Soul Manipulation Manifestation.Brian didn't hesitate. "We have no more unfulfilled wishes. All we hope for now is a safe and peaceful future for our country."As soon as he finished speaking, he took the lead and sat cross-legged in mid-air. He started chanting, preparin
"The Carver family? I thought we intercepted all their information!""It was handled by the man beside me—there's no way there could've been a mistake. Besides, I have my own people inside the Carver family.""You're right. Once we find the intruder, no matter who they are, they'll be dealt with permanently! This territory is under my control!"Morlock suddenly turned to Eddy. Eddy's face went pale, and his expression twisted in terror as Morlock's own features seemed to shift grotesquely, as though shared by two distinct entities.Frozen in fear, Eddy couldn't move a muscle. His wide eyes reflected pure panic."Have Colonel Krieg investigate anyone who might've infiltrated!" Morlock instructed. With a loud thud, Eddy fell to the ground. Scrambling to his feet, he stumbled out of the room, trembling violently.Morlock added, "One look will tell him all he needs to know."The door slammed shut on its own, though there wasn't even a whisper of wind.…Meanwhile, Viktor conti
"Wait, this isn't right! We haven't boarded yet, and the only ones on the plane are Colonel Krieg and his adjutant. Why is it taking off?"Viktor listened to the panicked voices around him and suddenly pieced it together. "The enemy is on that fighter jet!"Indeed, it was Aria. With her skills, taking on an entire army alone might be a challenge, but handling three or four Krowonian soldiers—snipers or not—was no issue.The most difficult part of engaging a sniper was pinpointing their location. Luckily for Aria, her time as a sniper in the Special Ops team made this task a breeze.She was determined not to leave the Krowonian military camp without something to show for it. Taking a souvenir back seemed only fair.Taking out the leader would cripple the army. And if it came to negotiations, having a commanding officer as a prisoner would provide valuable leverage.But Aria wasn't causing this commotion without reason. She was baiting a certain fortune teller into revealing himsel
Miguel had worked so hard to climb out of being just another underpaid teacher. Most people would have been thrilled to land a principal job, but Miguel got greedy. He never cared about shaping young minds. As he often said, "It's just a paycheck. Only losers pass up money to preach about education." That mentality might fly in small towns, but in the big city, these kids wouldn't stand a chance based on merit alone. Miguel wasn't exactly looking down on his students—he just knew the situation in each class best. Students with or without local residency permits would face different college admissions standards. Rich families already had their children's overseas education lined up, so there was no sweat required. Even if they had bad grades, it wouldn't be a problem. They could still go abroad and buy themselves a fancy degree. Money talked, and that was the harsh reality. Miguel needed that Department of Education position to set his son up right. It was pretty ironic for a
Aria would definitely have the principal of Oakvale Academy detained eventually, but not now. The moment Miguel was in custody, the people pulling his strings would smell trouble. Based on past cases, they'd likely cut all connections immediately. All their carefully gathered leads could vanish in seconds. So Miguel needed to stay free for now and even remain in plain sight. Aria said, "Don't tell your principal about what happened today." She looked at Eden. "When you go back, just attend classes like how you normally do. If Mr. Sonder asks about you, tell him you're still thinking it over. "Show how nervous you are about this, but also hint that you're eager to go abroad. You're just not quite ready yet. "Don't tell anyone about our conversation. I've added you as a contact. If anything seems off, text me immediately. "Someone will be protecting you 24/7, and your family too. So don't be afraid." As she spoke, Aria stood up. "Let's go. I'll take you back to school. They
"I don't know what Judy meant by that," Eden said as she looked up. "She never talked like that before." "Got it," Aria said, zooming in on the photo. By looking at the brand of the chocolate drink and the surrounding buildings, she could nail down the exact location. Without hesitation, she sent it to Sam for analysis. Something about this "interview" smelled fishy. She had to see firsthand what kind of meeting would change a simple and positive girl like Judy. "About those selected applicants—do you know exactly who they were?" Aria dug deeper with her questions. Once she had names, she could connect the dots between the students. These patterns would reveal what the buyers were looking for. Human trafficking was a high-stakes criminal business, and Aria did not believe this was just about exploiting young girls. The bar incident had been her wake-up call. She needed the full picture before making her move. She would just spook them if she jumped in too soon. Their oper
Aria needed to identify all the "buyers". Missing even one buyer could mean one more student was sold. "Do the selected applicants have anything in common besides their family situations?" Aria asked, and Eden shook her head. But she then added, "Everyone had good grades, so nobody ever questioned why they were chosen for scholarships. Nothing seemed fishy about it." Aria made a mental note about the good grades, then scrolled through Judy's Facebook feed. This kind of investigation was pretty straightforward for her. Even without being accepted as a friend, she could hack in easily. From her posting habits, Judy seemed like an optimist. She was a nice girl who rarely posted anything negative. But one post made Aria scroll back and look twice. The post was cheerful, with a sunny photo and a cup of chocolate. But the text caught her attention. It read, "About to start my new life! All my hard work has paid off. The interview was kind of weird, but no big deal. Let's go!" Ar
The person on the other end of the call didn't speak. He just nodded with a pouty little face from behind a computer screen. It was actually Sam. He'd been working behind the scenes all along, especially when investigating the Wagner situation. Having him tail Philip was the least suspicious option. Simon was available too, but his presence would definitely attract unwanted attention as a beast of fortune. Since they were dealing with an arcane seeker, bringing Simon would be like handing them a treasure. So Aria made the call to have Sam follow Philip, while Simon stayed with Landon. Aria was not worried about her handsome fiancé being in danger. It was only because Simon would be safest with him. The Yorks carried heavenly fortune. As long as there was no fated ordeal in play, anyone who tried to harm Landon would likely meet a bad end. After all, that purple energy surrounding him wasn't just for show. With Simon staying near him, Simon could mask Landon's aura while also
"Yeah, that's right," the rest of the burly men chimed in. The whole scene was painfully forced and fake. In reality, they just wanted to leave. But Aria wasn't about to let them off so easily. She figured she would return the favor since they'd been asking about her. She asked, "Oh, so the Draycotts owe your company money? Which company is that?" Viggo had not expected this question. He froze momentarily, then quickly replied, "Our company is small, so it's not worth mentioning. It's nothing compared to yours." "It's admirable how your company can sponsor students despite being a small one." Aria's compliment was delivered flatly. Viggo's scalp tingled with unease. "It's actually our investor. He doesn't just fund us but many companies. He came from a small town himself and wants to help these students get better learning conditions." "Now that's a rare and kind soul. I'd love to meet him sometime." Aria said casually, "Since we've had such a fortunate encounter, let's exc
The three men Aria had knocked to the ground were hurting all over, yet she had the nerve to talk about following the law. Viggo knew his men were losing their cool. After all, they'd never been humiliated like this in Ludwiten before. He quickly moved to block them, forcing a smile. "Yes, you're absolutely right. "Well, they say you never really know someone until you trade a few punches. You look unfamiliar, though. You're not from Ludwiten, are you?" Viggo was fishing for information about Aria. He needed to know who she was and why their operation had suddenly derailed today. But someone as shrewd as Aria instantly caught his meaning, so she smirked. Since things had already escalated this far, it did not matter whether she revealed her identity or not. Whoever was behind these men would investigate her anyway. It was better to draw all the attention to herself now while her senior and the Public Integrity Task Force gathered evidence behind the scenes. That way, they cou
Viggo tried to explain, "You've got it all wrong—we don't mean any harm. We were just told to pick Ms. Bohmer up for paperwork. "Ms. Bohmer's a top student, and her school recommended her for study abroad. Just ask her if you don't believe me." Viggo shifted the spotlight to Eden. He figured a student like her wouldn't know how to speak up. Indeed, Eden was terrible at lying. Under Aria's watchful gaze, she nodded. She then added, "But something about them felt off. Maybe I was just being paranoid when I asked for your help." She couldn't very well tell this stranger that everything was based on a hunch, that these people gave her the creeps. They hadn't crossed any lines yet, but something felt wrong. She just couldn't put her finger on what. Eden struggled to explain, but Aria cut right to the chase. "So are you saying you need eight beefy men to escort a girl like her just to fill out some study abroad forms? Can't the teachers or the proper agencies handle it? "Looking
Hearing this, Viggo frowned. The burly men exchanged glances too as they sized up the person in front of them. They'd been in Ludwiten so long but had never met anyone as bold as Aria. They all figured that she must be some out-of-town wealthy heir who didn't know the rules here. She was practically asking for trouble when she blocked their way. These people didn't follow the stock market much. If they had, they'd know that a certain young lady had arrived in town not long ago. And she was someone who was good at dealing with those who crossed her. "You should ask around about who runs things here before acting so cocky. Since you like it here, stay right here with your bike!" As they spoke, one of them walked toward Aria aggressively, raising his arm to throw a punch. The rest moved in at the same time. But before the man could touch Aria, his hand was suddenly caught. Aria moved fast. With one leg braced against her motorcycle as a pivot point, she lunged forward and droppe